Clayey Slopes

Description

The interpretive plant community for this site is the Reference Plant Community. This state evolved with grazing by large herbivores and is suited for grazing by domestic livestock. Potential vegetation is estimated at 65 percent grasses or grass-like plants, 15 percent forbs and 20 percent woody plants. The major grasses include western wheatgrass, mutton bluegrass, and Saline wildrye. Other grasses and grass-like plants may include bottlebrush squirreltail, prairie junegrass, and Sandberg bluegrass. Shadscale is the major woody plant. Other woody plants that may occur include yellow rabbitbrush, and serviceberry.

A typical plant composition for this state consists of western wheatgrass 25 to 35 percent, mutton bluegrass 5 to 15 percent, Saline wildrye 5 to 15 percent, bottlebrush squirreltail 1 to 10 percent, other grasses and grass-like plants 10 to 20 percent, perennial forbs 5 to 15 percent, shadscale 10 to 20 percent, and 5 to 10 percent other woody species.

The state is stable and well adapted to the Cool Central Desertic Basins & Plateaus climatic conditions. The diversity in plant species allow for high drought resistance. This is a sustainable plant community (site/soil stability, watershed function, and biologic integrity).

Transitions or pathways leading to other plant communities are as follows:
• Nonuse will convert this plant community to the Shadscale/Squirreltail State.
• Heavy Continuous Season-long Grazing will convert this plant community to the Shadscale/Bare ground State.

Submodel