Natural Resources
Conservation Service

Ecological site R030XC313AZ

Limy Upland 10-13" p.z. Deep

Last updated: 10/21/2024
Accessed: 11/13/2024

Home / Esd catalog / MLRA 030X / Ecological site R030XC313AZ

USC

Metric

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.

Click to explore map

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

This unit occurs within the Basin and Range Province and is characterized by broad basins, valleys, and old lakebeds. Widely spaced mountains trending north to south occur throughout the area. Isolated, short mountain ranges are separated by an aggraded desert plain. The mountains are fault blocks that have been tilted up. Long alluvial fans coalesce with dry lakebeds between some of the ranges.

LRU notes

AZ LRU 30-3 – Upper Mohave Desert

Elevations range from 2800 to 4500 feet and precipitation averages 9 to 12 inches per year. Vegetation includes Joshua tree, blackbrush, creosotebush, ratany, bush muhly, big galleta, black grama, desert needlegrass, and Indian ricegrass. The soil temperature regime is thermic and the soil moisture regime is typic aridic.

Ecological site concept

This ecological site is located on gently sloping uplands. Skeletal soils are calcareous, moderately deep to deep.

Associated sites

R030XC311AZ	Limy Upland 10-13" p.z. Limy Upland, 10 to 13

R030XC311AZ

Limy Upland 10-13" p.z.

Limy Upland, 10 to 13

Similar sites

R030XC318AZ	Sandy Loam Upland 10-13" p.z. Limy, Skeletal Sandy Loam Upland, Limy, Skeletal, 10 to 13

R030XC318AZ

Sandy Loam Upland 10-13" p.z. Limy, Skeletal

Sandy Loam Upland, Limy, Skeletal, 10 to 13

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Tree	Not specified
Shrub	(1) Larrea tridentata (2) Lycium andersonii
Herbaceous	(1) Pleuraphis rigida

Download full description

Physiographic features

This ecological site is found in an upland postion on summits and backslopes of fan terraces and alluvial fans. The soil of this ecological site is very calcareous.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Landforms	(1) Alluvial fan (2) Fan (3) Terrace
Flooding frequency	None
Ponding frequency	None
Elevation	2,900 – 3,300 ft
Slope	20%
Aspect	Aspect is not a significant factor

Climatic features

The climate is arid and warm. Annual precipitation ranges from 10 to 13 inches. About 65 percent of the rainfall comes from October through May as gentle rain from Pacific storms which may last for a couple of days. The rest of the rainfall comes during the summer monsoon season from July through September as spotty, brief, intense thunderstorms. Snow rarely falls, and only remains on the ground a few hours at most. Annual air temperature ranges from 46 to 76 degrees F. The average frost-free period ranges from 121 to 231 days.

Table 3. Representative climatic features

Frost-free period (average)	231 days
Freeze-free period (average)	269 days
Precipitation total (average)	13 in

Bar

Line

Figure 2. Monthly precipitation range

Bar

Line

Figure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature

Soil features

The soil of this ecological site is deep to very deep. Surface textures of the soil are gravelly sandy loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, very gravelly fine sandy loam and very cobbly loamy fine sand. Subsoil textures are gravelly sandy loam, very gravelly sandy loam, gravelly fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very gravelly loamy fine sand, very gravelly sand, loamy fine sand and very gravelly loamy coarse sand. The soil's parent material is mixed igneous and metamorphic alluvium and colluvium. The soil's erosion hazard by water is very low to low and by wind is slight to moderate. The soil is non-saline, non-sodic with pH range of 7.8-8.6 (mildly to strongly alkaline). The soil moisture regime is typic aridic and temperature regime is thermic.

Calcium carbonate is found throughout the soil profile.

A typical soil profile is:
0 to 2 inches; very gravelly fine sandy loam
2 to 18 inches; calcareous very gravelly loam
18 to 32 inches; calcareous very gravelly sandy loam
32 to 48 inches; gypsiferous very gravelly sandy loam
48 to 60 inches; gypsiferous extremely gravelly loamy sand

Taxonomic classifications of soils correlated to this ecological site include Loamy-skeletal, gypsic, thermic Typic Gypsiorthids and Loamy-skeletal, mixed, superactive, thermic Typic Haplocambids.

Soil mapping units correlated to this ecological site include 697026 and 697027, Detrital soil, Mohave County, AZ, Central Part SSA and 623001, Mokaac and Akinville soils, Shivwits Area, AZ, SSA.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Surface texture	(1) Gravelly sandy loam (2) Gravelly fine sandy loam (3) Very gravelly fine sandy loam
Family particle size	(1) Loamy
Drainage class	Somewhat excessively drained to excessively drained
Permeability class	Moderate to rapid
Soil depth	60 in
Surface fragment cover <=3"	50 – 55%
Surface fragment cover >3"	5 – 20%
Available water capacity (0-40in)	3 – 5.5 in
Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in)	11 – 38%
Electrical conductivity (0-40in)	4 mmhos/cm
Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in)	7.4 – 8.4
Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified)	50 – 55%
Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified)	5 – 20%

Ecological dynamics

Limy Upland, Deep, 10"-13" p.z., is a shrub dominated ecological site. Perennial grasses and forbs are scattered. Annual forbs and grasses flourish following rainfall. Natural disturbances are rare. After introduction of non-native annuals (forbs and/or grasses), the shift in total productivity is shift increased seasonal herbaceous production following periods of rain. Dominant shrubs are creosote and rayless goldenhead. Assorted half-shrubs are widely scattered.

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

State 1
Historic Climax Plant Community

Community 1.1
Historic Climax Plant Community

The dominant aspect of this ecological site is a desert shrub-grassland mix. Major shrubs include creosotebush, rayless goldenhead, Anderson wolfberry and Nevada Mormon tea. Big galleta and bush muhly are the dominant grasses.

Figure 4. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)

Table 5. Annual production by plant type

Plant type	Low (lb/acre)	Representative value (lb/acre)	High (lb/acre)
Shrub/Vine	53	145	333
Grass/Grasslike	40	115	267
Forb	7	40	100
Total	100	300	700

Table 6. Ground cover

Tree foliar cover	0%
Shrub/vine/liana foliar cover	2-4%
Grass/grasslike foliar cover	1-3%
Forb foliar cover	0-2%
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 (ft)	Tree	Shrub/Vine	Grass/ Grasslike	Forb
<0.5	–	–	–	2-4%
>0.5 <= 1	–	–	4-6%	–
>1 <= 2	–	–	–	–
>2 <= 4.5	–	13-17%	–	–
>4.5 <= 13	–	–	–	–
>13 <= 40	–	–	–	–
>40 <= 80	–	–	–	–
>80 <= 120	–	–	–	–
>120	–	–	–	–

Figure 5. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). AZ3024, 30.3 10-13" p.z. upland sites. Growth begins in the spring and continues through the summer..

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	1	8	18	18	11	14	20	8	2	0	0

State 2
Historic Native Plant Community plus Introduced Annuals

Community 2.1
Non-native Annuals

This plant community resembles the historic native plant community, but exotic annuals have been introduced. Non-native species include wild oat, red brome, Mediterranean grass (Schismus spp.), and filaree. The flourish of non-native annuals that occurs following rainfalls may preclude native annuals.

Transition T1A
State 1 to 2

Introduction of non-native annual forb and grass seed.

Additional community tables

Table 8. Community 1.1 plant community composition

Group	Common name	Symbol	Scientific name	Annual production (lb/acre)	Foliar cover (%)
Grass/Grasslike
1				45–75
	big galleta	PLRI3	Pleuraphis rigida	45–75	–
2				3–15
	bush muhly	MUPO2	Muhlenbergia porteri	3–15	–
3				0–6
	low woollygrass	DAPU7	Dasyochloa pulchella	0–6	–
4				3–15
	sand dropseed	SPCR	Sporobolus cryptandrus	0–15	–
	mesa dropseed	SPFL2	Sporobolus flexuosus	0–15	–
5				3–15
	Indian ricegrass	ACHY	Achnatherum hymenoides	3–15	–
6				3–9
	threeawn	ARIST	Aristida	3–9	–
7				0–6
	Grass, perennial	2GP	Grass, perennial	0–6	–
8				3–6
	Grass, annual	2GA	Grass, annual	3–6	–
Forb
9				3–15
	desert globemallow	SPAM2	Sphaeralcea ambigua	3–15	–
	desert globemallow	SPAM2	Sphaeralcea ambigua	3–15	–
10				0–6
	Forb, perennial	2FP	Forb, perennial	0–3	–
	desert marigold	BAMU	Baileya multiradiata	0–3	–
	desert trumpet	ERIN4	Eriogonum inflatum	0–3	–
	Gordon's bladderpod	LEGO	Lesquerella gordonii	0–3	–
11				0–6
	Forb, annual	2FA	Forb, annual	0–6	–
Shrub/Vine
12				30–60
	creosote bush	LATR2	Larrea tridentata	30–60	–
13				3–15
	rayless goldenhead	ACSP	Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus	3–15	–
14				15–30
	water jacket	LYAN	Lycium andersonii	15–30	–
15				0–15
	littleleaf ratany	KRER	Krameria erecta	0–15	–
	white ratany	KRGR	Krameria grayi	0–15	–
16				3–15
	Nevada jointfir	EPNE	Ephedra nevadensis	3–15	–
17				3–9
	pricklypear	OPUNT	Opuntia	3–9	–
18				3–9
	pricklypear	OPUNT	Opuntia	3–9	–
19				3–15
	Shrub, other	2S	Shrub, other	0–5	–
	burrobush	AMDU2	Ambrosia dumosa	0–5	–
	kingcup cactus	ECTR	Echinocereus triglochidiatus	0–5	–
	spiny hopsage	GRSP	Grayia spinosa	0–5	–
	broom snakeweed	GUSA2	Gutierrezia sarothrae	0–5	–
	burrobrush	HYSA	Hymenoclea salsola	0–5	–
	winterfat	KRLA2	Krascheninnikovia lanata	0–5	–
	banana yucca	YUBA	Yucca baccata	0–5	–

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)
Contact for lead author
Date	10/21/2024
Approved by	Kendra Moseley
Approval date
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on	Annual Production

Indicators

Number and extent of rills:
Presence of water flow patterns:
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
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:

Sub-dominant:

Other:

Additional:
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
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:
Perennial plant reproductive capability:

Download reference sheet

Search

Natural ResourcesConservation Service