Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R021XY422OR
PINE-FIR/SEDGE 18-30 PZ
Accessed: 11/23/2024
General information
Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
Not specified |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
Not specified |
| Herbaceous |
Not specified |
Physiographic features
This site occurs in/on mountain slopes, rolling uplands, plateaus and valleys. Slopes range from 1-45 percent. Elevations range from 4900 to 6500 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Mountain slope
(2) Plateau (3) Valley floor |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,494 – 1,981 m |
| Slope | 1 – 45% |
| Aspect | Aspect is not a significant factor |
Climatic features
The annual precipitation ranges from 18 to 30 inches which occurs mainly between the months of November and June, mostly in the form of rain and snow. The soil temperature regime is frigid. The average annual air temperature is 42-45 degrees F with extreme temperatures rangeing from 85 to -30 degrees F. The frost free period is 20 to 50 days. The optimum period for plant growth is from May through late July or August.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (average) | 50 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (average) | 80 days |
| Precipitation total (average) | 762 mm |
Figure 1. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
Soil features
The soils of this site are moderately deep or deep, well drained, stony and medium (laom) textured. They are generally formed in/from tuff, breccia, rhyolite or basalt. Permeability is slow. The potential for water erosion ranges from low to high depending on the slope.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Surface texture |
(1) Stony loam |
|---|---|
| Family particle size |
(1) Loamy |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Slow |
| Soil depth | 0 cm |
| Available water capacity (0-101.6cm) |
0 cm |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-101.6cm) |
0% |
| Electrical conductivity (0-101.6cm) |
0 mmhos/cm |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (0-101.6cm) |
0 |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-101.6cm) |
7 |
Ecological dynamics
The potential native plant community is dominated by ponderosa pine and scattered overstory white fir. White fir reproduction is common but limited moisture and historic periodic understory fires limit the development of a full canopy of white fir from the reproduction available. Numerous understory shrubs are present such as snowberry, sesrviceberry, green manzanita, wax currant, Oregongrape and squaw carpet. Herbaceous species include Ross sedge, long-stolon sedge, Wheeler bluegrass, heartleaf arnica, strawberry and numerous other species.
Marginal areas for the site ( droughty, low elevation) and south aspects will have greater pine cover, less true fir and greater abundance of understory species that have high light requirements. The only true fir present ranges in characteristics from grand fir-like to white fir-like and is actually a cross between these two species (similar to much of SW Oregon).
White fir regeneration is reduced by understory burning. Pine regeneration is favored by heavy thinnings and patch cuts. Heavy grazing pressure by livestock may reduce bluegrass sedge, brome and palatable forbs. Rabbitbrush, snowbrush and manzanita invade after major fires.
State and transition model
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Ecosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
HCPC, CAIN9-BRMA4/SYAL/ABGR-PIPO
Community 1.1
HCPC, CAIN9-BRMA4/SYAL/ABGR-PIPO
The potential native plant community is dominated by ponderosa pine and scattered overstory white fir. White fir reproduction is common but limited moisture and historic periodic understory fires limit the development of a full canopy of white fir from the reproduction available. Numerous understory shrubs are present such as snowberry, sesrviceberry, green manzanita, wax currant, Oregongrape and squaw carpet. Herbaceous species include Ross sedge, long-stolon sedge, Wheeler bluegrass, heartleaf arnica, strawberry and numerous other species.
Figure 2. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
| Plant type | Low (kg/hectare) |
Representative value (kg/hectare) |
High (kg/hectare) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass/Grasslike | 220 | 306 | 392 |
| Tree | 94 | 220 | 345 |
| Shrub/Vine | 118 | 216 | 314 |
| Forb | 8 | 24 | 39 |
| Total | 440 | 766 | 1090 |
Figure 3. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). OR5555, D21 Mid Elev., North, Good Condition. HCPC Growth Curve.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 50 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
| Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (kg/hectare) | Foliar cover (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
| 1 | Dominant deep rooted perennial grasses | 212–353 | ||||
| long-stolon sedge | CAIN9 | Carex inops | 78–118 | – | ||
| Wheeler's bluegrass | POWH2 | Poa wheeleri | 78–118 | – | ||
| Ross' sedge | CARO5 | Carex rossii | 39–78 | – | ||
| mountain brome | BRMA4 | Bromus marginatus | 39–78 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 9 | Other perennial forbs | 8–39 | ||||
| common yarrow | ACMI2 | Achillea millefolium | 0–6 | – | ||
| agoseris | AGOSE | Agoseris | 0–6 | – | ||
| western pearly everlasting | ANMA | Anaphalis margaritacea | 0–6 | – | ||
| heartleaf arnica | ARCO9 | Arnica cordifolia | 0–6 | – | ||
| hawksbeard | CREPI | Crepis | 0–6 | – | ||
| fawnlily | ERYTH3 | Erythronium | 0–6 | – | ||
| strawberry | FRAGA | Fragaria | 0–6 | – | ||
| white hawkweed | HIAL2 | Hieracium albiflorum | 0–6 | – | ||
| desertparsley | LOMAT | Lomatium | 0–6 | – | ||
| lupine | LUPIN | Lupinus | 0–6 | – | ||
| Brown's peony | PABR | Paeonia brownii | 0–6 | – | ||
| phacelia | PHACE | Phacelia | 0–6 | – | ||
| sticky cinquefoil | POGL9 | Potentilla glandulosa | 0–6 | – | ||
| wintergreen | PYROL | Pyrola | 0–6 | – | ||
| ragwort | SENEC | Senecio | 0–6 | – | ||
| American vetch | VIAM | Vicia americana | 0–6 | – | ||
| violet | VIOLA | Viola | 0–6 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 11 | Dominant evergreen shrubs | 31–63 | ||||
| creeping barberry | MARE11 | Mahonia repens | 16–39 | – | ||
| prostrate ceanothus | CEPR | Ceanothus prostratus | 16–24 | – | ||
| 13 | Dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs | 39–118 | ||||
| common snowberry | SYAL | Symphoricarpos albus | 39–118 | – | ||
| 14 | Sub-dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs | 8–16 | ||||
| wax currant | RICE | Ribes cereum | 8–16 | – | ||
| 15 | Other shrubs | 39–118 | ||||
| Saskatoon serviceberry | AMAL2 | Amelanchier alnifolia | 0–6 | – | ||
| curl-leaf mountain mahogany | CELE3 | Cercocarpus ledifolius | 0–6 | – | ||
| pipsissewa | CHUM | Chimaphila umbellata | 0–6 | – | ||
| bitter cherry | PREM | Prunus emarginata | 0–6 | – | ||
| antelope bitterbrush | PUTR2 | Purshia tridentata | 0–6 | – | ||
| sticky currant | RIVI3 | Ribes viscosissimum | 0–6 | – | ||
| rose | ROSA5 | Rosa | 0–6 | – | ||
|
Tree
|
||||||
| 16 | Dominant evergreen trees | 78–314 | ||||
| grand fir | ABGR | Abies grandis | 39–157 | – | ||
| ponderosa pine | PIPO | Pinus ponderosa | 39–157 | – | ||
| 17 | Sub-dominant evergreen trees | 8–16 | ||||
| incense cedar | CADE27 | Calocedrus decurrens | 8–16 | – | ||
| 19 | Sub-dominant deciduous (or 1/2 shrubs) shrubs | 8–16 | ||||
| willow | SALIX | Salix | 8–16 | – | ||
Interpretations
Animal community
Livestock grazing- Use is minor in heavy forest except for rest, travel and bedding; most grazing is available in logged, burned or disturbed sites (except dense brush fields) and in plantations.
Wildlife- Mule deer, elk, bobcat, coyote and grouse.
Hydrological functions
The soils of this site have low to medium infiltration rates and low to high runoff potential depending on slope. The hydrologic soil group is C.
Recreational uses
Hiking and hunting.
Wood products
Lumber, poles, and firewood.
Other information
For road stabilization or critical area stabilization where competition with tree seedlings is not a concern- choices include pubescent wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, hard fescue, sheep fescue, smooth brome and orchardgrass.
Supporting information
Type locality
| Location 1: Klamath County, OR | |
|---|---|
| Township/Range/Section | T39S R13E S6 |
| General legal description | SE Klamath coutny at Goodlow Mtn. T39S, R13E, Sec 6 (NW, NE). |
| Location 2: Klamath County, OR | |
| Township/Range/Section | T39S R13E S22 29 |
| General legal description | Bryant Mtn. near center of mtn. T39S, R13E, Sec 22 and 29 |
Contributors
BLM ESI Team
Rangeland health reference sheet
Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.
| Author(s)/participant(s) | Jeff Repp |
|---|---|
| Contact for lead author | Oregon NRCS State Rangeland Management Specialist |
| Date | 09/05/2012 |
| Approved by | Bob Gillaspy |
| Approval date | |
| Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on | Annual Production |
Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
None to some (on steeper slopes - to 45%), moderate to significant sheet & rill erosion hazard -
Presence of water flow patterns:
None to some (on steeper slopes - to 45%) -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
None -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
<1% -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None, slight wind erosion hazard -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Fine - limited movement -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Moderately resistant to erosion: aggregate stability = 3-5 -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Moderately deep to deep, well drained cobbly or stony loams: Low OM (1-2%) -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Significant vegetative cover of over 125% and gentle to moderate slopes (1-45%) effectively limit rainfall impact and overland flow; infiltration is moderate -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None -
Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):
Dominant:
Long-stolon sedge = Wheeler bluegrass > Ponderosa Pine = Grand fir > Snowberry > other shrubs > Mountain brome > Ross sedge > other grasses > forbs > other treesSub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
-
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Normal decadence and mortality expected -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
-
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Favorable: 1000, Normal: 700, Unfavorable: 500 lbs/acre/year at high RSI (HCPC) -
Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
Perennial brush species will increase with deterioration of plant community (and after fire). Ponderosa Pine readily increases on the site (can be converted to woodland w/out fire). Cheatgrass and Medusahead invade sited that have lost deep rooted perennial grass functional groups. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All species should be capable of reproducing annually
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