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Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R028AY012UT
Semiwet Fresh Meadow
Accessed: 08/17/2024
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.
![Location map](/images/maps/R028AY012UT.png)
Figure 1. Mapped extent
Areas shown in blue indicate the maximum mapped extent of this ecological site. Other ecological sites likely occur within the highlighted areas. It is also possible for this ecological site to occur outside of highlighted areas if detailed soil survey has not been completed or recently updated.
Associated sites
R028AY006UT |
Loamy Bottom (Great Basin Wildrye) |
---|---|
R028AY014UT |
Semiwet Fresh Streambank |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
---|---|
Shrub |
Not specified |
Herbaceous |
Not specified |
Physiographic features
This site occurs on valley bottoms, floodplains, and alluvial fans.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms |
(1)
Valley floor
(2) Flood plain (3) Alluvial fan |
---|---|
Elevation | 1,372 – 2,286 m |
Slope | 0 – 2% |
Climatic features
Approximately 90 percent of the precipitation occurs as run-in from March through Octover. On the average January, February, and June are the driest months and July and August are the wettest months.
Mean Annual Air Temperature: 47-53
Mean Annual Soil Temperature: 49-55
Table 3. Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) | 0 days |
---|---|
Freeze-free period (average) | 200 days |
Precipitation total (average) | 406 mm |
Figure 2. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
Soil features
The characteristic soils in this site are poorly drained. They formed in alluvium derived mainly from mixed sedimentary and igneous parent materials. The surface soils are generally dark colored and high in organic matter content. Textures range from fine sand to clay but mostly medium to moderately fine textured. The water table fluctuates between 20 to 40 inches most of the growing season.
The average annual soil loss in potential is approximately 5 ton/acre.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture |
(1) Fine sand (2) Clay |
---|---|
Drainage class | Poorly drained |
Ecological dynamics
As this site deteriorates due to grazing pressure, Kentucky bluegrass, redtop, and forbs decrease while rushes, rubber rabbitbrush, and low rabbitbrush increase. Fire is not part of the ecosystem. Foxtail barley, poverty weed, gumweed, and cheatgrass are most likely to invade this site
State and transition model
More interactive model formats are also available.
View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective text
Ecosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Reference State
Community 1.1
Reference State
The general view of this site is Kentucky bluegrass. The composition by air-dry weight is approximately 80 percent perennial grasses, 15 percent forbs, and 5 percent shrubs.
Figure 3. 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 | 807 | 1749 | 2242 |
Forb | 151 | 328 | 420 |
Shrub/Vine | 50 | 110 | 140 |
Total | 1008 | 2187 | 2802 |
Table 6. Ground cover
Tree foliar cover | 0% |
---|---|
Shrub/vine/liana foliar cover | 1% |
Grass/grasslike foliar cover | 70-80% |
Forb foliar cover | 1-5% |
Non-vascular plants | 0% |
Biological crusts | 0% |
Litter | 0% |
Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" | 0% |
Surface fragments >3" | 0% |
Bedrock | 0% |
Water | 0% |
Bare ground | 0% |
Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
Height Above Ground (m) | Tree | Shrub/Vine | Grass/ Grasslike |
Forb |
---|---|---|---|---|
<0.15 | – | – | – | – |
>0.15 <= 0.3 | – | – | – | 0-10% |
>0.3 <= 0.6 | – | – | 75-85% | – |
>0.6 <= 1.4 | – | 0-5% | – | – |
>1.4 <= 4 | – | – | – | – |
>4 <= 12 | – | – | – | – |
>12 <= 24 | – | – | – | – |
>24 <= 37 | – | – | – | – |
>37 | – | – | – | – |
Figure 4. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). UT0121, PNC. Excellent Condition.
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 | 5 | 15 | 40 | 30 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Additional community tables
Table 8. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (kg/hectare) | Foliar cover (%) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
0 | Priamary Grasses | 1278–1905 | ||||
Kentucky bluegrass | POPR | Poa pratensis | 673–785 | – | ||
clustered field sedge | CAPR5 | Carex praegracilis | 336–448 | – | ||
arctic rush | JUAR2 | Juncus arcticus | 67–336 | – | ||
basin wildrye | LECI4 | Leymus cinereus | 67–112 | – | ||
western wheatgrass | PASM | Pascopyrum smithii | 67–112 | – | ||
creeping bentgrass | AGST2 | Agrostis stolonifera | 67–112 | – | ||
1 | Secondary Grasses | 112–224 | ||||
saltgrass | DISP | Distichlis spicata | 22–67 | – | ||
squirreltail | ELEL5 | Elymus elymoides | 22–67 | – | ||
timothy | PHPR3 | Phleum pratense | 22–67 | – | ||
Forb
|
||||||
0 | Primary Forb | 67–112 | ||||
field horsetail | EQAR | Equisetum arvense | 67–112 | – | ||
2 | Secondary Forbs | 112–224 | ||||
silverweed cinquefoil | ARAN7 | Argentina anserina | 22–67 | – | ||
redwool plantain | PLER | Plantago eriopoda | 22–67 | – | ||
gooseberryleaf globemallow | SPGR2 | Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia | 22–67 | – | ||
common dandelion | TAOF | Taraxacum officinale | 22–67 | – | ||
strawberry clover | TRFR2 | Trifolium fragiferum | 22–67 | – | ||
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
3 | Shrubs | 67–112 | ||||
basin big sagebrush | ARTRT | Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata | 22–67 | – | ||
yellow rabbitbrush | CHVI8 | Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus | 22–67 | – | ||
Woods' rose | ROWO | Rosa woodsii | 22–67 | – | ||
narrowleaf willow | SAEX | Salix exigua | 22–67 | – |
Interpretations
Animal community
This is one of Utah’s highest yielding range sites. The plants are predominantly grasses and grasslike plants with a few forbs and practically no shrubs. To control soil erosion and degradation of the plant community, this site may be properly grazed early with animals being removed early to allow key plants to go ungrazed during the last part of the growing season. A stubble height of 4 to 6 inches should be adhered to.
Wildlife using this site include rabbit, coyote, birds, pronghorn antelope, and mule deer.
This is a short list of the more common species found. Many other species are present as well and migratory birds are present at times.
Hydrological functions
The soil is in hydrologic group C. The hydrologic curve numbers are 74 to 86 depending on hydrologic condition of the watershed.
Recreational uses
Recreation activities are hiking and hunting. Natural beauty exists in the more favorable plant growth environment on this site when compared to adjacent sites.
Wood products
None
Other information
Threatened and endangered species include plants and animals.
Supporting information
Type locality
Location 1: Iron County, UT | |
---|---|
General legal description | West of Kanarraville, Utah, East of the Freeway |
Contributors
DJS
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) |
Jack Alexander, Range Specialist, Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. Julia Kluck, Soil Scientist, Synergy Resource Solutions, Inc. Shane Green, State Range Specialist, Utah NRCS |
---|---|
Contact for lead author | Shane Green, Shane.Green@ut.usda.gov |
Date | 02/08/2010 |
Approved by | Shane A. Green |
Approval date | |
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on | Annual Production |
Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
No rills present. Very minor rill development may occur in sparsely vegetated areas. If rills are present, they should be widely spaced and not connected. 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 adjacent sites that produce large amounts of runoff (i.e. steeper sites, slickrock, rock outcrop). Site is essentially level and rills do not form. -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Essentially none. Site is essentially level, water flow patterns are not expected to form. -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Plants may have small pedestals (1-3”) where they are adjacent to water flow patterns, but without exposed roots. Terracettes should be few and stable. Terracettes should be small (1-3”) and show little sign of active erosion. Some plants may appear to have a pedestal but rather than be formed by erosion, the only place litter accumulates and soil collects is at plant bases forming the appearance of a pedestal. -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Essentially none. Litter or other ground cover fills all plant interspaces. -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
No gullies present. -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
Very minor evidence of active wind-generated soil movement. Wind scoured (blowouts) and depositional areas are rarely present. If present they have muted features and are mostly stabilized with vegetation and/or biological crust. Gravel or desert pavement protects the site from wind scour. -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Most litter resides in place with some redistribution caused by water and wind movement. Very minor litter removal may occur in flow patterns and rills with deposition occurring at points of obstruction. The majority of litter accumulates at the base of plants. Some leaves, stems, and small twigs may accumulate in soil depressions adjacent to plants. Woody stems are not likely to move. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil surface is moderately stable (average soil stability score of 3.5 -5). -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
This description is based on the modal soil (Kirkham SiCL 1-2%, soil survey area: 634, Iron-Washington), the only soil correlated with this site.
Soil surface horizon is typically 9 to 14 inches deep. Structure is typically moderate medium angular blocky. Color is typically grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist. Mollic epipedon is common.
-
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Vascular plants and any well-developed biological soil crusts (where present) will break raindrop impact and splash erosion. Spatial distribution of vascular plants and interspaces between well-developed biological soil crusts (where present) provide detention storage and surface roughness that slows runoff allowing time for infiltration. Since site is level and well covered, infiltration is very high and runoff very low. -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None. Naturally occurring soil horizons may be harder than the surface and should not be considered as compaction layers. -
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:
Clustered field sedgeSub-dominant:
other grasses and sedgesOther:
other perennial grasses > forbs = shrubsAdditional:
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 and Russian wildrye may substitute for mid stature cool season perennial native bunchgrasses.). Biological soil crust is variable in its expression on this site and is measured as a component of ground cover. Forbs can be expected to vary widely in their expression in the plant community based upon departures from average growing conditions. -
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. Long-lived species dominate site. Open spaces from disturbance are quickly filled by new plants through seedlings and reproductive reproduction (tillering). -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Litter cover includes litter under plants. Most litter will be fine litter. Depth should be 1-2 leaf thickness in the interspaces and up to 1/2” under canopies. Litter cover may increase to 25-30% following years with favorable growing conditions. Excess litter may accumulate in absence of disturbance. Vegetative production may be reduced if litter cover exceeds 40%. -
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
1950#/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. -
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:
Foxtail barley, poverty weed, gumweed, and cheatgrass -
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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