Physiographic features

This Forest site occurs on mountain and hill sideslopes and summits on all aspects. Slope gradients are from 8 to 30 percent. Elevations are 5600 to about 7000 feet.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Climatic features

Average annual precipitation is 10 to about 14 inches. Mean annual air temperature is 45 to 50 degrees F. The average frost-free period is 80 to 120 days.

Table 3. Representative climatic features

Influencing water features

There are no influencing water features associated with this site.

Soil features

The soils associated with this site range from very shallow to deep and are well drained. Very shallow soils support this site where there are high amounts of stones or boulders at the soil surface and there are many fractures and crevices within the bedrock material. The soils are skeletal with 35 to 50 percent gravels, cobbles or stones, by volume, distributed throughout their profile. Available water capacity is low, but trees and shrubs extend their roots into fractures in the bedrock allowing them to utilize deep moisture. Runoff is medium to rapid and potential for sheet and rill erosion is moderate to severe depending on slope. The soil series associated with this site is Morebench.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Animal community

Livestock Interpretations:
This site is not well suited to cattle or sheep grazing due to low productivity of understory forage plants. Livestock will often concentrate on this site taking advantage of the shade and shelter offered by the tree overstory. Many areas are not used because of steep slopes and lack of adequate water. Attentive grazing management is required due to steep slopes and associated erosion hazards. Harvesting trees under a sound management program for fuelwood, posts or other products can open the tree canopy to allow increased production of understory species desirable for grazing.

Stocking rates vary with such factors as kind and class of grazing animal, season of use and fluctuations in climate. Actual use records for individual sites, a determination of the degree to which the sites have been grazed, and an evaluation of trend in site condition offer the most reliable basis for developing initial stocking rates.

Selection of initial stocking rates for given grazing units is a planning decision. This decision should be made ONLY after careful consideration of the total resources available, evaluation of alternatives for use and treatment, and establishment of objectives by the decisionmaker.

The forage value rating is not an ecological evaluation of the understory as is the range condition rating for rangeland. The forage value rating is a utilitarian rating of the existing understory plants for use by specific kinds of grazing animals.

Muttongrass is excellent forage for domestic livestock especially in the early spring. Muttongrass begins growth in late winter and early spring, which makes it available before many other forage plants. Indian ricegrass is highly palatable to all classes of livestock in both green and cured condition. It supplies a source of green feed before most other native grasses have produced much new growth. Sandberg bluegrass is a widespread forage grass. It is one of the earliest grasses in the spring and is sought by domestic livestock and several wildlife species. Sandberg bluegrass is a palatable species, but its production is closely tied to weather conditions. It produces little forage in drought years, making it a less dependable food source than other perennial bunchgrasses. Bottlebrush squirreltail is very palatable winter forage for domestic sheep of Intermountain ranges. Domestic sheep relish the green foliage. Overall, bottlebrush squirreltail is considered moderately palatable to livestock. Sedge provides good to fair forage for domestic grazing. When actively growing, galleta provides good to excellent forage for cattle and horses and fair forage for domestic sheep. Although not preferred, all classes of livestock may use galleta when it is dry. Domestic sheep show greater use in winter than summer months and typically feed upon central portions of galleta tufts, leaving coarser growth around the edges. Galleta may prove somewhat coarse to domestic sheep. Blue grama is valuable forage for all classes of domestic livestock, providing excellent forage for cattle and sheep. Blue grama tends to be most productive following summer rains, but it cures well and provides forage year round. Stansbury cliffrose is an important browse species for livestock, especially in the winter. Since desert snowberry leafs out in early spring it is utilized by all browsing animals at that time but, in general, use is very limited. Pinyon-juniper woodlands are considered to have poor palatability for cattle, sheep, and horses. Utah juniper is used by and livestock for cover and food.

Wildlife Interpretations:
This site has high value for mule deer during the winter. Juniper trees provide shelter from winter storms and juniper foliage is also browsed during the winter. Sites where water is available offer good quail habitat and are visited seasonally by mourning dove. It is also used by various song birds, rodents, reptiles and associated predators natural to the area.Stansbury cliffrose is an important browse species for mule deer, pronghorn, game birds, and songbirds. Wild ungulates use it heavily in winter.Desert snowberry is browsed by deer and livestock and the seeds are eaten by birds, especially the gallinaceous birds such as ring-necked pheasants, grouse, and quail. Sage-grouse in Nevada utilize desert snowberry as both juveniles and adults. The American pika and various ground squirrels also eat the seeds. Pinyon-juniper woodlands provide shelter and forage for numerous species of wildlife, some of which may be obligate to these woodlands such as pinyon mice and woodrats. These forests have value as habitat for several large mammals such as mule deer, pronghorn, desert bighorn sheep, elk, wild horses, mountain lions, and bears. Gray foxes, bobcats, coyotes, weasels, skunks, and badgers search for prey here. Many species of birds and reptiles find food and shelter here.
Utah juniper is used by many birds and wildlife for cover and food. The foliage is grazed by mule deer when other foliage is scarce and during periods of deep snow. Juniper "berries" or berry-cones are eaten by jackrabbits and coyotes. Many bird species depend on juniper berry-cones for fall and winter food. Desert snowberry is used "lightly" in all seasons but winter, when it is not utilized by mule deer. Limited summer use of desert snowberry by pronghorns in has been observed. Cover value of desert snowberry for big game is limited by its size. However, it provides fair cover for both upland game birds and small nongame birds and good cover for small mammals. Deer and elk make heavy use of muttongrass, especially in early spring when other green forage is scarce. Depending upon availability of other nutritious forage, deer may use mutton grass in all seasons. Mutton grass cures well and is an important fall and winter deer food in some areas. Indian ricegrass is eaten by pronghorn in "moderate" amounts whenever available. In Nevada it is consumed by desert bighorns. A number of heteromyid rodents inhabiting desert rangelands show preference for seed of Indian ricegrass. Indian ricegrass is an important component of jackrabbit diets in spring and summer. In Nevada, Indian ricegrass may even dominate jackrabbit diets during the spring through early summer months. Indian ricegrass seed provides food for many species of birds. Doves, for example, eat large amounts of shattered Indian ricegrass seed lying on the ground. Sandberg bluegrass is desirable for pronghorn antelope and mule deer in the spring and preferable in the spring, summer, and fall for elk and desirable as part of their winter range. Bottlebrush squirreltail is a dietary component of several wildlife species. Bottlebrush squirreltail may provide forage for mule deer and pronghorn. Sedges have a high to moderate resource value for elk and a medium value for mule deer. Elk consume beaked sedge later in the growing season. Galleta provides moderately palatable forage when actively growing and relatively unpalatable forage during dormant periods. Galleta provides poor cover for most wildlife species. Blue grama also provides important forage for mule deer. Quail and some songbirds eat the seeds of blue grama. Small mammals also eat blue grama seeds and stems. Flower heads and seeds of blue grama are also consumed by grasshoppers, which can all but eliminate an annual seed crop.

Hydrological functions

The hydrologic cover condition of this site is poor in a representative stand. The average runoff curve is about 85 for group C soils and about 90 for group D. Soils.

Recreational uses

The trees on this site provide a welcome break in an otherwise open landscape. It has potential for hiking, cross-country skiing, camping, and deer and upland game hunting.

Wood products

PRODUCTIVE CAPACITY
This forestland community is of low site quality for tree production. Site index ranges from 35 to 55 (Howell, 1940).

Productivity Class: 0.2 to 0.4
CMAI*: 3.3 to 5.2 ft3/ac/yr;
0.23 to 0.36 m3/ha/yr.
Culmination is estimated to be at 100 years.
*CMAI: is the culmination of mean annual increment or highest average growth rate of the stand in the units specified.

Fuelwood Production: 4 to 7 cords per acre for stands averaging 5 inches in diameter at 1 foot height with a medium canopy cover. There are about 289,000 gross British Thermal Units (BTUs) heat content per cubic foot of pinyon pine wood and about 274,000 gross BTUs heat content per cubic foot of Utah juniper. Solid wood volume in a cord varies but usually ranges from 65 to 90 cubic feet. Assuming an average of 75 cubic feet of solid wood per cord, there are about 21 million BTUs of heat value in a cord of mixed pinyon pine and Utah juniper.

Posts (7 foot): About 15 to 25 posts per acre in stands of medium canopy.
Christmas trees: 5 trees per acre per year in stands of medium canopy. Ten trees per acre in stands of sapling stage.

Pinyon nuts: Production varies year to year, but mature woodland stage can yield 150 to 200 pounds per acre in favorable years.

1. LIMITATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS
a. Potential for sheet and rill erosion is moderate to severe depending on slope.
b. Moderate equipment limitations on steeper slopes and moderate to severe equipment limitations on sites having extreme surface stoniness.
c. Proper spacing is the key to a well managed, multiple use and multi-product pinyon-juniper forestland.

2. ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
a. Adequately protect from wildfire.
b. Protect soils from accelerated erosion.
c. Apply proper grazing management.

3. SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES
Silvicultural treatments are not reasonably applied on this site due to poor site quality and severe limitations for equipment and tree harvest.

Other products

The pitch of singleleaf pinyon was used by Native Americans as an adhesive, caulking material, and a paint binder. It may also be used medicinally and chewed like gum. Pinyon seeds are a valuable food source for humans, and a valuable commercial crop. These trees have provided Indians with food for centuries. Thousands of pounds of nuts are gathered each year and sold on the markets throughout the United States. The berries have been used by Indians for food. Triterpenoids extracted from Stansbury cliffrose have been shown to have inhibitory effects on HIV and Epstein-Barr virus. Native Americans used the inner bark for making clothing and ropes, and the branches for making arrows.
Indian ricegrass was traditionally eaten by some Native Americans. The Paiutes used seed as a reserve food source.

Other information

Pinyon wood is rather soft, brittle, heavy with pitch, and yellowish brown in color. Singleleaf pinyon has played an important role as a source of fuelwood and mine props. It has been a source of wood for charcoal used in ore smelting. It still has a promising potential for charcoal production. Other important uses for this tree are for Christmas trees and as a source of nuts for wildlife and human food. Utah juniper wood is very durable. Its primary uses have been for posts and fuelwood. It probably has considerable potential in the charcoal industry and in wood fiber products. Bottlebrush squirreltail is tolerant of disturbance and is a suitable species for revegetation. Because of its wide adaptation, ease of establishment, and economic value, blue grama is used extensively for conservation purposes, rangeland seeding, and landscaping. Stansbury cliffrose is recommended for wildlife, roadside, construction, and mine spoils plantings; and for restoring pinyon-juniper woodland, mountain brushland, basin big sagebrush grassland, black sagebrush, and black greasewood communities. It can be established on disturbed seedbeds by broadcast seeding, drill seeding, or transplanting. Fall or winter seeding is recommended. Blue grama is useful for reclamation and for erosion control in arid and semiarid regions.

Type locality

Other references

Howell, J., 1940. Pinyon and juniper: a preliminary study of volume, growth, and yield. Regional Bulletin 71. Albuquerque, NM: USDA, SCS; 90p.
Jordan, M., 1974. An Inventory of Two Selected Woodland Sites in the Pine Nut Hills of Western Nevada.
USDA-NRCS. 1980. National Forestry Manual - Part 537. Washington, D.C.

Contributors

GED/RRK