Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R030XB225CA
Warm Sloping Pediments
Last updated: 10/21/2024
Accessed: 11/13/2024
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 is found on dissected pediments at elevations of 2740 to 4040 feet. Soils have a warm thermic temperature regime, and are very shallow to shallow over bedrock. This site occurs at the southern edge of the Mojave Desert (the Mojave Desert- Lower Colorado Desert or MLRA30-31 boundary). Thus, it represents a transition from a warm desert where winter precipitation is significant, to a low desert where summer precipitation is much more significant.
Production Reference Value (RV) is 325 pounds per acre and ranges from 230 to 530 pounds per acre depending on annual precipitation and annual forb production. The reference plant community is weakly dominated by Hall’s shrubby spurge (Tetracoccus hallii) and burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa), and secondary shrub diversity is high. Shallow soils increase the competitive ability of the shallow-rooted burrobush. The dissected pediment landscape with localized run-off and run-on, and the transitional climatic location of this ecological site supports a high diversity of shrubs. The area is likely a relictual stronghold of a formerly more continuous distribution of Hall’s shrubby spurge, when rainfall was more abundant.
Data in the following sections is based on major components (15% or greater of a mapunit) only.
Associated sites
R030XB140CA |
Shallow Hill 4-6" P.Z. This ecological site occurs on adjacent pediments. Burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) is dominant. |
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R030XB218CA |
Moderately Deep To Very Deep Loamy Fan Remnants This ecological site occurs on adjacent fan aprons on fan remnants. Burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) and creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) are dominant. |
R030XB221CA |
Loamy Fan Remnants And Pediments This ecological site occurs on adjacent pediments and fan remnants. Blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) and burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) are dominants. |
R030XB228CA |
Warm Shallow Pediments This ecological site occurs on adjacent pediments. Creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) and burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) are dominants. |
R030XD003CA |
Hyperthermic Steep South Slopes This ecological site occurs on adjacent south-facing mountain slopes. Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) is dominant. |
Similar sites
R030XB166CA |
Dissected Pediment, Cool This ecological site occurs at higher elevations, and is dominated by blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) and California juniper (Juniperus californica). Hall’s shrubby spurge (Tetracoccus hallii) is not present. |
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R030XB221CA |
Loamy Fan Remnants And Pediments This ecological site occurs on pediments and fan remnants with moderately deep soils to a duripan. It is dominated by blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima), burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) and Hall’s shrubby spurge (Tetracoccus hallii). |
R030XB228CA |
Warm Shallow Pediments This ecological site typically occurs on pediments located farther from the mountain front, where erosion rates are lower and the landscape is less dissected. Vegetation is dominated by creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) and burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa), and Hall’s shrubby spurge (Tetracoccus hallii) is not present. |
R030XB188CA |
Cool Shallow to Moderately Deep Fans This ecological site occurs at higher elevations, and is co-dominated by blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima) and creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). Burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) is not an important species, and Hall’s shrubby spurge (Tetracoccus hallii) is not present. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
---|---|
Shrub |
(1) Tetracoccus hallii |
Herbaceous |
Not specified |
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