Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site DX035X03B630
Clay Loam Upland 13-17" p.z. (PIED)
Accessed: 04/26/2024
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): 035X–Colorado Plateau
This ecological site occurs in Common Resource Area 35.6 - the Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper-Sagebrush
The Common Resource Area occurs within the Colorado Plateau Physiographic Province. Elevations range from 5800 to 7300 feet and precipitation averages 13 to 17 inches per year. Vegetation includes pinyon, juniper, big sagebrush, cliffrose, Mormon tea, muttongrass, prairie junegrass, squirreltail, western wheatgrass, and blue grama. The soil temperature regime is mesic and the soil moisture regime is aridic ustic. This unit occurs within the Colorado Plateau Physiographic Province and is characterized by a sequence of flat to gently dipping sedimentary rocks eroded into plateaus, valleys and deep canyons. Sedimentary rock classes dominate the plateau with volcanic fields occurring for the most part near its margin.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Pinus edulis |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Artemisia nova |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Poa fendleriana |
Legacy ID
F035XF630AZ
Physiographic features
This ecological site is found on summits of mesas, structural benches and cuestas. The soils are very shallow to shallow with surface textures that are very flaggy, very fine sandy loam and sandy clay.
Slopes are generally 5-15%, but may reach as high as 35%.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Mesa
(2) Structural bench (3) Cuesta |
|---|---|
| Flooding frequency | None |
| Ponding frequency | None |
| Elevation | 5,800 – 7,300 ft |
| Slope | 5 – 15% |
| Aspect | Aspect is not a significant factor |
Climatic features
The climate of this land resource unit is semiarid with warm summers and cool winters. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 13 – 17 inches, but it is very erratic, often varying substantially from year to year. The majority of the precipitation comes from October through April. This precipitation comes as gentle rain or snow from frontal storms coming out of the Pacific Ocean. Snow is common from November through February. Generally no more than a few inches of snow accumulates, melting within a few days, but may last a week or more. The remaining precipitation comes from July through September as spotty, unreliable and sometimes violent thunderstorms. The moisture for this precipitation originates in the Gulf of Mexico (and the Pacific Ocean in the fall) and flows into the area on the north end of the Mexican monsoon. Late May through late June is generally a dry period. The mean annual air temperature ranges from 47 to 49 degrees Fahrenheit (F). The frost-free period (air temperature > 32 degrees F) ranges from 113 to 144 days (@ 50 percent probability). Strong winds are common, especially in the spring.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (average) | 144 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (average) | 160 days |
| Precipitation total (average) | 17 in |
Figure 2. Monthly precipitation range
Figure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
Soil features
These are shallow soils that lie on the summits of mesas. Surface textures are very flaggy and very fine sandy loam and sandy clay but are only approximately 2" thick. Subsuface soil textures are sandy clay loam, clay loam, gravelly sandy clay loam and flaggy sandy clay loam. The soil parent material is alluvium, residuum derived from sandstone and quartz diorite. Available water capacity is moderate and permeability is slight. The hazard of erosion by wind and water is slight. The water runoff class is medium. These soils are generally non-saline and non-sodic with a ph range of 6.6-8.4. The soil moisture regime is Aridic Ustic and the soil temperature regime is Mesic.
Typical taxonomic units include:
SSA-715 Ft. Defiance Area MU's 31, 32 & 75
Arabrab;
SSA-717 Shiprock Area MU 414 Arabrab.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Parent material |
(1)
Alluvium
–
sandstone
(2) Residuum – quartz-diorite |
|---|---|
| Surface texture |
(1) Very flaggy very fine sandy loam (2) Fine sandy loam |
| Family particle size |
(1) Loamy |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Very slow to moderately slow |
| Soil depth | 8 – 26 in |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 15% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | Not specified |
| Available water capacity (0-40in) |
5 – 7 in |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in) |
10% |
| Electrical conductivity (0-40in) |
2 mmhos/cm |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in) |
5 |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in) |
6.6 – 8.4 |
| Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
5% |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
Not specified |
Ecological dynamics
An ecological site is not a precise assemblage of species for which the proportions are the same from place to place or from year to year. In all plant communities, variability is apparent in productivity and occurrence of individual species. Spatial boundaries of the communities; however, can be recognized by characteristic patterns of species composition, association, and community structure. The historic climax plant community for this ecological site has been described by sampling relict or relatively undisturbed sites and/or reviewing historic records. The historic climax plant community is the plant community that evolved over time with the soil forming process and long term changes in climatic conditions of the area. It is the plant community that was best adapted to the unique combination of environmental factors associated with the site.
Natural disturbances, such as drought, fire, grazing of native fauna, and insects, are inherent in the development and maintenance of these plant communities. The effects of these disturbances are part of the range of characteristics of the ecological site. Fluctuations in plant community structure and function caused by the effects of natural disturbances help establish the boundaries and characteristics of an ecological site. They are accounted for as part of the range of characteristics of the ecological site. Recognizable plant community phases are identified in the reference state of the ecological site. Some sites may have a small range of variation, while others have a large range. Some plant community phases may exist for long periods of time, while others may only occur for a couple of years after a disturbance.
Deterioration of the plant community, hydrology, or soil site stability on an ecological site can result in crossing a threshold or potentially irreversible boundary to another state, or equilibrium. This can occur as a result of the loss of soil surface through erosion, the loss of the stability of the site due to disturbances that cause active erosion on the site, increases in the amounts and/or patterns or runoff from rainstorms, changes in availability of surface and subsurface water, significant changes in plant structural and functional types, or the introduction of non-native species. When these thresholds are crossed, the potential of the ecological site to return to the historic climax plant community can be lost, or restoration will require significant inputs . There may be multiple states possible for an ecological site, determined by the type and or severity of disturbance.
The known states and transition pathways for this ecological site are described in the state and transition model. Within each state, there may be one or more known plant community phases. These community phases describe the different plant community that can be recognized and mapped across this ecological site. The state and transition model is intended to help land users recognize the current plant community on the ecological site, and the management options for improving the plant community to the desired plant community.
Plant production information in this site description is standardized to the annual production on an air-dry weight basis in near normal rainfall years.
State and transition model
Figure 4. 35.6 Clay Loam Upland 13-17"p.z. (PIED)
More interactive model formats are also available.
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Ecosystem states
State 1
Reference State
On this forested site, pinyon and juniper trees dominate the overstory with shrubs and grasses in the understory.
Community 1.1
Reference Plant Community Juniper-Pinyon Forest
Figure 5. Clay Loam Upland, 13-17"p.z.
This is a woodland site with the overstory dominated by Pinyon (PIED) and Juniper (JUMO). The canopy cover ranges from 55-65%. Pinyon is 75-85% and juniper is 15-25% of the canopy composition. The understory composition is dominated by shrubs (55%); such as black sagebrush, big sagebrush, Gambel oak and Stansbury cliffrose; grasses (30%) such as muttongrass, squirreltail and blue grama; forbs (10%) and trees <4.5' (10%).
Figure 6. 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 | 110 | 165 | 220 |
| Grass/Grasslike | 60 | 90 | 120 |
| Forb | 20 | 30 | 40 |
| Tree | 20 | 30 | 40 |
| Total | 210 | 315 | 420 |
Table 6. Canopy structure (% cover)
| Height Above Ground (ft) | Tree | Shrub/Vine | Grass/ Grasslike |
Forb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <0.5 | – | – | 0-20% | – |
| >0.5 <= 1 | – | – | – | 0-10% |
| >1 <= 2 | – | 0-15% | – | – |
| >2 <= 4.5 | – | 0-15% | – | – |
| >4.5 <= 13 | 40-60% | – | – | – |
| >13 <= 40 | 40-60% | – | – | – |
| >40 <= 80 | – | – | – | – |
| >80 <= 120 | – | – | – | – |
| >120 | – | – | – | – |
Figure 7. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). AZ3561, 35.6 13-17" p.z. all sites. Growth begins in the spring and continues into the fall..
| 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 | 5 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Figure 8. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). AZ3602, 35.6 13-17" p.z. muttongrass. Most growth occurs in early to mid spring, plants may be green in the fall. Seed set occurs by 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 | 0 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Community 1.2
Light Forest Overstory
This plant community is characterized by a sparse overstory of woodland species. The crown canopy is less than 35%, ranging from 25-40%. The understory has more production than the 1.1 plant community with an increase of grasses and forbs and less shrubs. The understory plant community is comprised of grasses, shrubs, forbs and trees (under 4.5 feet tall). Grasses are muttongrass, blue grama and squirreltail. Dominant shrubs include big sagebrush, oak and yucca.
Community 1.3
High Density Overstory
This plant community is characterized by a dense overstory of woodland species. The crown canopy is greater than 55%. The understory has less production than the 1.1 plant community with a decrease of perennial grasses and forbs and less shrubs. The understory plant community is comprised of shrubs such as big sagebrush, oak and yucca; grasses such as muttongrass, squirreltail and bluegrama; with forbs and small trees (under 4.5 feet tall).
Community 1.4
Reduced Overstory - Shrubland/Grassland
This plant community is characterized by a reduced overstory of woodland species. The crown canopy is usually less than 25%, ranging from 5-25%. The understory has more production than the 1.1 plant community with an increase of grasses, forbs and shrubs. The understory plant community is comprised of grasses, shrubs, forbs and trees (under 4.5 feet tall). Common grasses include blue grama, squirreltail, and muttongrass. Dominant shrubs include big sagebrush, oak and yucca.
Pathway 1.1b
Community 1.1 to 1.2
Drought, insect infestation, and/or woodcutting
Pathway 1.1a
Community 1.1 to 1.3
Fire exclusion/Lack of natural fire, favorable precipitation, Unmanaged grazing.
Pathway 1.2a
Community 1.2 to 1.1
Favorable precipitation, fire exclusion, trees compete with shrubs/grass, unmanaged grazing.
Pathway 1.3a
Community 1.3 to 1.1
Drought, insect infestation, fire.
Pathway 1.3b
Community 1.3 to 1.4
Drought in combination with severe disturbance such as major insect infestation and/or intense fire.
Pathway 1.4a
Community 1.4 to 1.2
Favorable precipitation, seed source for tree regeneration.
Additional community tables
Table 7. Community 1.1 plant community composition
| Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (lb/acre) | Foliar cover (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
| 1 | Grasses | 60–120 | ||||
| muttongrass | POFE | Poa fendleriana | 20–100 | – | ||
| blue grama | BOGR2 | Bouteloua gracilis | 0–20 | – | ||
| squirreltail | ELEL5 | Elymus elymoides | 0–20 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 2 | Shrubs | 110–230 | ||||
| big sagebrush | ARTR2 | Artemisia tridentata | 25–100 | – | ||
| Stansbury cliffrose | PUST | Purshia stansburiana | 0–20 | – | ||
| Gambel oak | QUGA | Quercus gambelii | 0–20 | – | ||
| Sonoran scrub oak | QUTU2 | Quercus turbinella | 0–20 | – | ||
| Arizona spinystar | ESVIA | Escobaria vivipara var. arizonica | 0–5 | – | ||
| plains pricklypear | OPPO | Opuntia polyacantha | 0–5 | – | ||
| 5 | Succulents | 5–10 | ||||
| banana yucca | YUBA | Yucca baccata | 5–10 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 3 | Forbs | 0–40 | ||||
| felwort | SWPE | Swertia perennis | 0–5 | – | ||
| pinewoods spiderwort | TRPI | Tradescantia pinetorum | 0–5 | – | ||
| Carruth's sagewort | ARCA14 | Artemisia carruthii | 0–5 | – | ||
| ragleaf bahia | BADI | Bahia dissecta | 0–5 | – | ||
| Wyoming Indian paintbrush | CALI4 | Castilleja linariifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| sego lily | CANU3 | Calochortus nuttallii | 0–5 | – | ||
| thymeleaf sandmat | CHSE6 | Chamaesyce serpyllifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| spreading fleabane | ERDI4 | Erigeron divergens | 0–5 | – | ||
| trailing fleabane | ERFL | Erigeron flagellaris | 0–5 | – | ||
| fleabane | ERIGE2 | Erigeron | 0–5 | – | ||
| redroot buckwheat | ERRA3 | Eriogonum racemosum | 0–5 | – | ||
| sulphur-flower buckwheat | ERUM | Eriogonum umbellatum | 0–5 | – | ||
| pineywoods geranium | GECA3 | Geranium caespitosum | 0–5 | – | ||
| hairy false goldenaster | HEVI4 | Heterotheca villosa | 0–5 | – | ||
| fineleaf hymenopappus | HYFI | Hymenopappus filifolius | 0–5 | – | ||
| pingue rubberweed | HYRI | Hymenoxys richardsonii | 0–5 | – | ||
| scarlet gilia | IPAG | Ipomopsis aggregata | 0–5 | – | ||
| Wright's deervetch | LOWR | Lotus wrightii | 0–5 | – | ||
| shortstem lupine | LUBR2 | Lupinus brevicaulis | 0–5 | – | ||
| beardlip penstemon | PEBA2 | Penstemon barbatus | 0–5 | – | ||
| toadflax penstemon | PELI2 | Penstemon linarioides | 0–5 | – | ||
| little hogweed | POOL | Portulaca oleracea | 0–2 | – | ||
| woolly plantain | PLPA2 | Plantago patagonica | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Tree
|
||||||
| 4 | Trees<4.5' | 20–40 | ||||
| oneseed juniper | JUMO | Juniperus monosperma | 0–15 | – | ||
| twoneedle pinyon | PIED | Pinus edulis | 0–15 | – | ||
| ponderosa pine | PIPO | Pinus ponderosa | 0–15 | – | ||
Table 8. Community 1.1 forest overstory composition
| Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Nativity | Height (ft) | Canopy cover (%) | Diameter (in) | Basal area (square ft/acre) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tree
|
|||||||
| twoneedle pinyon | PIED | Pinus edulis | Native | 5–30 | 40–60 | 5–14 | – |
| Utah juniper | JUOS | Juniperus osteosperma | Native | 1–20 | 0–15 | 4–14 | – |
Interpretations
Animal community
Suitability for grazing by livestock is good before canopy exceeds 50%. Cattle, sheep, goats and horses can use this site in late spring, summer and fall. Management considerations include use of Prescribed Grazing and reseeding grass following harvest operations for forage and to reduce erosion.
Wildlife found on this ecological site include: mule deer, coyote, snakes, lizards, cottontail rabbit, blacktail jackrabbit, elk.
Site factors influencing wildlife:
a. Water: Scattered springs and pockets.
b. Cover: Good for most species.
c. Food: Good diversity.
d. Other: Topography provides escape habitat.
Recreational uses
Recreational activities: Hiking, horseback riding, wildlife observations and photography.
Other products
1. Livestock
a. Suitability for grazing: Poor to fair; steep slopes and low forage production.
b. Kind of livestock: Cattle, sheep, goats, and horses.
c. Season of use: Late spring, summer, and fall.
d. Management considerations: Grazing systems, proper grazing use. Young trees should not be grazed. Steeper slopes will limit livestock use.
Other information
Woodland
1. Equipment and Operability Considerations --
a. Suitable equipment for:
1) Harvesting: All kinds; use crawler type or rubber tread equipment.
2) Site Preparation: All kinds.
3) Tree planting: All kinds; shallow soils and slopes restrict planting.
4) Precomercial thinning: All kinds; slope limits use of wheeled equipment.
b. Equipment limitations:
1) Slope: Slopes over 20% limit rubber tread equipment; use crawler tractors.
2) Unsurfaced roads: Steeper slopes would be a limiting factor.
3) Stominess/rock outcrop: Rock outcrop on steep slopes limits use.
4) Water table/flooding: None.
2. Erosion Potentials --
a. Cutover areas/bare ground: Water and wind erosion will occur.
b. Roads/trails/landings: Water and wind erosion will occur; water erosion on steeper slopes will be accelerated.
3. Soil managament --
a. Compaction potential: Fair, soils don't bind together very well.
b. Rutting potential: Soils will rut when wet.
c. Revegetation potential: Poor because of shallow soil and steep slopes.
4. Silvicultural potentials and limitations --
a. Harvest cutting: Harvest mature trees when canopy exceeds 45% and on slopes less than 25%
b. Thinning and Improvement: Cutting posts (juniper) and Christmas trees (pinyon) will improve wood growth on trees left.
c. Prescribed burning: Not recommended.
Mechanical tree removal: Not practical; shallow soils and steep slopes limit equipment use.
d. Suitability for replanting: Poor; shallow soils and steep slopes.
e. Seedling mortality: Very shallow and shallow soils make a severe mortality.
f. Natural regeneration: Slow, but will occur in time.
g. Seedling protection: Seedlings should be protected from grazing.
h. Plant competition: Severe because of competition for limited moisture.
i. Windthrow hazard: Slight; even though soils are shallow, trees root in cracks of sandstone.
Table 9. Representative site productivity
| Common name | Symbol | Site index low | Site index high | CMAI low | CMAI high | Age of CMAI | Site index curve code | Site index curve basis | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| twoneedle pinyon | PIED | 85 | 95 | 10 | 12 | – | – | – |
Supporting information
Type locality
| Location 1: Apache County, AZ | |
|---|---|
| Township/Range/Section | T40N R29E S27 |
| General legal description | Pastora Peak Quad, Navajo Reservation Arizona, Section 27, T40N, R29E. |
Other references
Updates and revisions for this ESD were conducted as part of a 2007-2012 Interagency Technical Assistance Agreement between the Bureau of Indian Affairs–Navajo Region and the NRCS-Arizona.
Contributors
Dan Carroll
Karlynn Huling
Larry D. Ellicott
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 | |
| Approved by | |
| 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:
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