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.

Indicators

1. Number and extent of rills:

   Few rills present. This site is subject to rilling even in reference condition due to slope, erodible soils, and percent bare ground. Rill development may increase following large storm events, but should begin to heal during the following growing season. Frost heaving will accelerate recovery. Rill development may increase when run inflow enters site from other sites that produce large amounts of runoff (i.e. steeper sites, slickrock, rock outcrop).

2. Presence of water flow patterns:

   Water flow patterns are common. Some are long (15-20’). They are generally very widely spaced (about 20-30’ apart). Flow patterns occur in low places associated with microtopography commonly occurring on this site.

3. Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:

   Plants may have small pedestals (1”) where they are adjacent to water flow patterns, but without exposed roots. Terracettes should be few and stable. Terracettes should be small. Some plants may appear to have a pedestal but rather than be formed by erosion, they are the result of litter and soil accumulating at plant bases, forming the appearance of a pedestal.

4. Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):

   30-40% bare ground (soil with no protection from raindrop impact). Very few if any bare spaces of greater than 1 square foot. In general, bare ground increases as production decreases. As species composition of shrubs relative to grasses increases, bare ground is likely to increase. Poorly developed biological soil crust that is susceptible to erosion from raindrop impact should be recorded as bare ground.

5. Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:

   None to very few. Gullies should show only minor signs of active erosion and should be mostly stabilized with perennial vegetation and rock fragments. Gullies may show slightly more indication of erosion as slope steepens, or as the site occurs adjacent to steep areas with concentrated flow patterns.

6. Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:

   None. Wind scoured (blowouts) and depositional areas are not expected.

7. Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):

   Most litter resides in place but on steep slopes (>30%), at least half of the litter is likely to be transported downhill by wind or water short. Litter rarely moves more than 1-2’ to next obstruction. Leaves, stems, and small twigs will accumulate at plant bases, against rocks, in soil depressions, or against larger woody litter. Woody litter is not likely to move.

8. Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):

   This site should have an erosion rating of 4 to 5 under plant canopies and a rating of 3 to 4 in the interspaces with an average rating of 4 using the soil stability kit test.

9. Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):

   A1--0 to 5 cm; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very gravelly loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak very thin platy structure parting to weak very fine granular; soft, very friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; many very fine interstitial pores; few calcium carbonate coats on bottom of rock fragments; 35 percent dark gray (N 4/) fine angular gravel; strongly effervescent; neutral (pH 7.0); clear smooth boundary.
   

10. Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:

    Shrubs and well-developed biological soil crusts provide most of the interception of rainfall that prevents erosion. Biological soil crusts are resistant to raindrop impact and splash erosion. Biological soil crusts also provide surface roughness that slows runoff, allowing time for infiltration. Bunchgrasses, if present, may contribute to slowing runoff, but canopy cover from bunchgrasses is too low to provide much rainfall interception. Interspaces between shrubs and biological soil crusts may serve as water flow paths during episodic runoff events, with natural erosion expected in severe storms.

11. Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):

    A compaction layer is not expected.

12. 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:

    Dominant: Non-sprouting shrubs (black sagebrush) = Perennial cool-season bunchgrasses (Thurber’s needlegrass, Indian ricegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass)

    Sub-dominant:

    Sub-dominant: Perennial forbs (arrowleaf balsamroot, tapertip hawksbeard)

    Other:

    Other: Other shrubs > other perennial grasses = forbs

    Additional:

    Disturbance regime includes drought, insects, and very infrequent fire.
    Dominance by average annual production: perennial bunchgrasses > non-sprouting shrubs > native perennial and annual forbs > sprouting shrubs. Functional/structural groups may appropriately contain non-native species if their ecological function is the same as the native species in the reference state (e.g. Crested wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, Siberian Wheatgrass etc.)
    Following a recent disturbance such as drought, fire or insects that removes the woody vegetation, forbs and perennial grasses (herbaceous species) may dominate the community. If a disturbance has not occurred for an extended period of time, woody species may continue to increase crowding out the perennial herbaceous understory species. In either case, these conditions would reflect a functional community phase within the reference state.
    

13. Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):

    During years with average to above average precipitation, there should be very little recent mortality or decadence apparent in either the shrubs or grasses. Some mortality of bunchgrass and other shrubs may occur during very severe (long-term) droughts. There may be partial mortality of individual bunchgrasses and shrubs during less severe drought and toward the end of the fire cycle. Long-lived species dominate the site. Open spaces from disturbance are quickly filled by new plants through seedlings and asexual reproduction (tillering).

14. Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):

    Litter cover includes litter under plants. Most litter will be fine (herbaceous) litter. Litter will be concentrated under plant canopies and sparser between plant canopies, with an average cover of 5-15% and an average depth of 0.25-0.5 inches. Litter cover may increase following years with favorable growing conditions. Excess litter may accumulate in absence of disturbance. Vegetative production may be reduced if litter cover exceeds 40%.

15. Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):

    400-500 lbs/acre
    Even the most stable communities exhibit a range of production values. Production will vary between communities and across the MRLA. Refer to the community descriptions in the ESD. Production will differ across the MLRA due to the naturally occurring variability in weather, soils, and aspect. The biological processes on this site are complex; therefore, representative values are presented in a land management context.

16. 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:

    Cheatgrass, Russian thistle, Utah juniper

17. Perennial plant reproductive capability:

    All perennial plants should have the ability to reproduce sexually or asexually, except in drought years. Density of plants indicates that plants reproduce at level sufficient to fill available resource. Within capability of site there are no restrictions on seed or vegetative reproductive capacity.

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