Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R030XB148CA
Sandy Plain
Accessed: 04/20/2024
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.
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 030X–Mojave Basin and Range
MLRA Description:
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) 30, Mojave Desert, is found in southern California, southern Nevada, the extreme southwest corner of Utah and northwestern Arizona within the Basin and Range Province of the Intermontane Plateaus. The climate of the area is hot (primarily hyperthermic and thermic; however at higher elevations, generally above 5000 feet, mesic, cryic and frigid) and dry (aridic). Elevations range from below sea level to over 12,000 feet in the higher mountain areas found within the MLRA. Due to the extreme elevational range found within this MLRA, Land Resource Units (LRUs) were designated to group the MLRA into similar land units.
LRU Description:
This LRU (designated by ’XB’) is found across the eastern half of California, much of the mid-elevations of Nevada, the southernmost portions of western Utah, and the mid-elevations of northwestern Arizona. Elevations range from 1800 to 5000 feet and precipitation ranges from 4 to 9 inches per year, but is generally between 5-6 inches. This LRU is characterized primarily by the summer precipitation it receives, ranging from 18 – 35% but averages 25%. Summer precipitation falls between July and September in the form of rain, and winter precipitation falls starting in November and ends between February and March, also mostly in the form of rain; however it does receive between 0 and 3 inches of snow, with an average of 1 inch. The soil temperature regime is thermic and the soil moisture regime is typic-aridic. Vegetation includes creosote bush, burrobush, Nevada jointfir, ratany, Mojave yucca, Joshua tree, chollas, cactus, big galleta grass and several other warm season grasses. At the upper portions of the LRU, plant production and diversity are greater and blackbrush is a common dominant shrub.
Ecological Site Concept -
This ecological site occurs on stabilized sand sheets, dunes, sand sheets on fan remnants, and fan aprons on fan remnants at elevations of 2240 to 2850 feet, and slopes ranging from 0 to 8 percent. Dominant soils are very deep fine sands that formed from eolian deposits and exhibit very little soil development. Soils may have an alluvial influence, but eolian processes dominate.
Production reference value (RV) is relatively high at 1000 pounds per acre, and depending on annual precipitation, ranges from 595 to 1400 pounds per acre. Perennial grasses dominate this site, with big galleta (Pleuraphis rigida) dominant, and Indian rice grass (Achnatherum hymenoides) an important secondary species. Creosote bush (Larrea tidentata) is the dominant shrub. Annual forbs are abundant during years of average to above average precipitation. Stable, deep fine sands with little soil development favors perennial grasses and the deep-rooted creosote bush.
The data in the following sections is from major (15% of mapunit or greater) components only.
Classification relationships
This ecological site is found within the Pleuraphis rigida Herbaceous Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009), and includes the Pleuraphis rigida/Larrea tridentata Association.
Associated sites
R030XB005NV |
Arid Active Alluvial Fans This ecological site occurs on adjacent fan aprons. Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) and burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) are co-dominant. |
---|---|
R030XB137CA |
Granitic Loam This ecological site occurs on adjacent sand sheets over fan aprons. Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa), and big galleta (Pleuraphis rigida) are co-dominant. |
R030XB150CA |
Sandhill 3-5" P.Z. This ecological site occurs on adjacent sand hills. Big galleta (Pleuraphis rigida) and creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) are dominant. |
Similar sites
R030XB137CA |
Granitic Loam This ecological site occurs on more stable landforms. It is less productive, and burrobush is a dominant shrub. |
---|---|
R030XB039NV |
LIMY FAN 5-7 P.Z. This ecological site occurs on inset fans, and landforms receiving additional moisture. |
R030XD014CA |
Hyperthermic Sandy Plains This ecological site occurs on soils with a hyerthermic soil temperature regime. Indian rice grass is not present. |
R030XB150CA |
Sandhill 3-5" P.Z. This ecological site occurs on steeper slopes, and is less productive. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
---|---|
Shrub |
(1) Larrea tridentata |
Herbaceous |
(1) Pleuraphis rigida |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.