Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R030XD152CA
Hyperthermic Saline Hill
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 Land Resource Unit (designated by ‘XD’) is found on the eastern side of California. Elevations range from 400 to 2200 feet on average, but may be found up to 3600 feet on southern exposures. Precipitation ranges from 1 to 6 inches per year, but averages between 2-4 inches. This LRU is characterized primarily by the extreme aridity, hot temperatures, hyperthermic soil temperatures and low stature of widely spaced vegetation. Temperatures can reach over 110 degrees Fahrenheit for several weeks in July and August. Summer precipitation falls between July and September, ranging from 20-33% in the form of rain, and winter precipitation falls starting in November and ends between February and March, ranging from 56-70%, also mostly in the form of rain. Vegetation is primarily small, widely-spaced, low-producing creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa), and brittlebush (Encelia farinosa).
Ecological Site Concept –
This ecological site occurs on basalt hills and lava flows at elevations of 980 to 2200 feet. Soils are formed from basalt, and very shallow to bedrock with gravelly surface textures. Calcium carbonate accumulations on the soil surface are common.
Vegetation is very sparse, with low cover and low production. Production reference value (RV) is 46 pounds per acre, and depending on precipitation and annual forb production, ranges from 25 to 68 pounds per acre. The site is dominated by desertholly (Atriplex hymenelytra), and brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) and creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) are secondary shrubs. Hyperthermic soil temperatures, very shallow soils with low permeability and high pH and calcium carbonate content at shallow depths are the most important abiotic factors driving this ecological site. Harsh edaphic conditions with high moisture stress restrict production and cover, and limit dominance to the very drought-tolerant, salt-secreting desertholly.
The data in the following physiographic, climate, soils, and community phase sections is based on all components (major and minor) associated with this ecological site.
Classification relationships
Atriplex hymenelytra Shrubland Alliance (Sawyer et al. 2009).
Associated sites
R030XD001CA |
Hyperthermic Dry Hills This ecological site is found on adjacent north-facing slopes at higher elevations. Burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) and creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) dominate. |
---|---|
R030XD003CA |
Hyperthermic Steep South Slopes This ecological site is found on adjacent, less saline, south-facing slopes. Brittlebush (Encelia farinosa) is dominant. |
R030XD014CA |
Hyperthermic Sandy Plains This ecological site is found on adjacent sandsheets. Big galleta (Pleuraphis rigida) is dominant. |
Similar sites
R030XB152CA |
Saline Hill 3-5" P.Z. This ecological site is found on soils with a thermic soil temperature regime. Production, cover and species diversity are higher. Burrobush (Ambrosia dumosa) is an important species. |
---|
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
---|---|
Shrub |
(1) Atriplex hymenelytra |
Herbaceous |
Not specified |
Click on box and path labels to scroll to the respective text.