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:

   None

2. Presence of water flow patterns:

   Water flow patterns none to rare.

3. Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:

   Pedestals and terracettes are none.

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

   Bare Ground ± 50%, depending on amount of rock fragments.

5. Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:

   None

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

   None

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

   Fine litter (foliage from grasses and annual & perennial forbs) expected to move distance of slope length (< 3 m) during intense summer storms. Persistent litter (large woody material) will remain in place except during large rainfall events.

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

   Soil stability values should be 1 to 4 on the moderately coarse soil textures typically found on this site. (This will be field tested.)

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

   Surface structure is typically single grain or medium platy. Soil surface colors are pale browns or light grayish browns and soils are typified by an ochric epipedon. Organic matter of the surface 2 to 3 inches is typically 1 to 1.5 percent dropping off quickly below. Organic matter content can be more or less depending on micro-topography.

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

    Perennial herbaceous plants (especially deep-rooted perennial grasses [i.e., big galleta & Indian ricegrass] slow runoff and increase infiltration. Shrub canopy and associated litter break raindrop impact and provide opportunity for snow catch and accumulation on site.

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

    None. Subsoil argillic horizons and duripans should not be mistaken for compaction.

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:

    Deep-rooted, cool season, perennial bunchgrasses > salt-desert shrubs (i.e., fourwing saltbush, winterfat, spiny hopsage)

    Sub-dominant:

    deep-rooted perennial forbs > warm season, rhizomatous perennial grasses >> associated shrubs > warm season, perennial bunchgrasses > shallow-rooted, cool season, annual forbs

    Other:

    Additional:

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

    Dead branches within individual shrubs common and standing dead shrub canopy material may be as much as 30% of total woody canopy; some of the mature bunchgrasses (±20%) have dead centers.

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

    Reference Plant Community: Under canopy and between plant interspaces (20-30%) and depth of litter is <¼ inch.

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

    For normal or average growing season (March-June) ± 500 lbs/ac; Late summer moisture affects production of warm season grasses

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:

    Potential invaders on this site include red brome, Russian thistle, cheatgrass, and annual mustards.

17. Perennial plant reproductive capability:

    All functional groups should reproduce in average (or normal) and above average growing season years. Little to no reproduction occurs during years of below average precipitation.

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