Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R035XB035NM
Sandy Upland 6-10"
Accessed: 11/21/2024
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.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
Not specified |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Ephedra ×arenicola |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Achnatherum hymenoides |
Physiographic features
This site occurs as treads of high stream terraces, fan terraces, and stable dunes of undulating plateaus and structural benches. It does not benefit from run-in moisture from adjacent areas, nor does it suffer from excessive loss from runoff. It occurs on all exposures. Slopes range from 0 to 8 percent. Elevations range from 4,700 to 5,900 feet.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Stream terrace
(2) Dune (3) Cuesta |
|---|---|
| Flooding frequency | None |
| Ponding frequency | None |
| Elevation | 1,433 – 1,798 m |
| Slope | 0 – 8% |
| Water table depth | 152 cm |
| Aspect | Aspect is not a significant factor |
Climatic features
Mean annual precipitation varies from 7 to 10 inches. About 60 percent of this moisture comes as rain from April through October. May and June are the driest months. Most of the moisture from November through March comes as snow. Winds of high velocity during late winter and early spring are common.
Mean temperature for the hottest month, July, is about 83 degrees F. Mean temperature for the coldest month, January, is about 27 degrees F. Extreme temperatures of 104 degrees F and –17 degrees F have been recorded. The frost-free period ranges from 140 to 160 days.
The cool-season plants start growth in March and end with plant maturity and seed dissemination about mid-June. During June, July, August, and September, the warm-season plants make optimum growth taking advantage of the warm temperature and moisture from tropical air out of the Gulf of Mexico. About 40 percent of the total precipitation is received during these summer months. The other 60 percent received during the fall-winter-spring months influences cool-season plants.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (average) | 160 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (average) | 165 days |
| Precipitation total (average) | 254 mm |
Figure 2. Monthly precipitation range
Figure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
This site is not influenced by water from wetland or stream.
Soil features
The soils are deep to very deep and somewhat excessively to excessively well drained. They are formed in eolium, residuum, and alluvium derived from sandstone. Surface textures include sand, fine sand, loamy fine sand, and loamy sand. The subsoil has textures of loamy fine sand, channery fine sand, loamy sand, and fine sand. Permeability is moderately rapid to rapid. Available water holding capacity to a depth of 40 inches is very low to low. Runoff is negligible to low, and the hazard of water erosion is slight. The hazard of soil blowing is severe. The soils are neutral to strongly alkaline (pH 6.6-9.0), nonsodic to slightly sodic (SAR 0-10), and nonsaline to slightly saline (EC 0-4).
Characteristic taxonomic units are:
Shiprock SSA:
115-Denazar-Farb fine sands (Denazar part)
120-Nageezi-Denazar Association (Denazar part)
133-Razito sand
145-Razito-Huerfano Complex (Razito part)
275-Razito loamy sand
Other soils included are:
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Surface texture |
(1) Sand (2) Fine sand (3) Loamy fine sand |
|---|---|
| Family particle size |
(1) Sandy |
| Drainage class | Somewhat excessively drained to excessively drained |
| Permeability class | Moderately rapid to rapid |
| Soil depth | 102 – 157 cm |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 0 – 10% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | 0% |
| Available water capacity (0-101.6cm) |
7.62 – 10.16 cm |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-101.6cm) |
0 – 30% |
| Electrical conductivity (0-101.6cm) |
0 – 4 mmhos/cm |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (0-101.6cm) |
0 – 10 |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-101.6cm) |
6.6 – 9 |
| Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
0 – 15% |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
0 – 30% |
Ecological dynamics
This site has a plant community made up primarily of grasses with some shrubs and minor amounts of forbs. In the historic climax plant community, there is a mixture of both cool- and warm-season grasses. Plant species most likely to invade or increase on this site when it deteriorates are annual bursage (flatspine bur ragweed), annual mustard spp., sandhill muhly, Greene’s rabbitbrush, sandy jointfir, (sand Mormon tea), and Cutler’s jointfir (Cutler Mormon tea). Continuous livestock grazing during winter and spring decreases the cool-season grasses, which are replaced by lower forage value species.
State and transition model
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Ecosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Historic Climax Plant Community
Community 1.1
Historic Climax Plant Community
This site has a plant community made up primarily of grasses with some shrubs and minor amounts of forbs. In the historic climax plant community, there is a mixture of both cool- and warm-season grasses. Plant species most likely to invade or increase on this site when it deteriorates are annual bursage (flatspine bur ragweed), annual mustard spp., sandhill muhly, Greene’s rabbitbrush, sandy jointfir, (sand Mormon tea), and Cutler’s jointfir (Cutler Mormon tea). Continuous livestock grazing during winter and spring decreases the cool-season grasses, which are replaced by lower forage value species.
Figure 4. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
| Plant type | Low (kg/hectare) |
Representative value (kg/hectare) |
High (kg/hectare) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass/Grasslike | 196 | 314 | 392 |
| Shrub/Vine | 71 | 112 | 140 |
| Forb | 13 | 22 | 28 |
| Total | 280 | 448 | 560 |
Figure 5. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). NM0383, R035XB035NM-Sandy Upland 6 to 10 inch-Reference Community. R035XB035NM-Sandy Upland 6 to 10 inch-Reference Community.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 7 |
Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
| Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (kg/hectare) | Foliar cover (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
| 1 | Indian ricegrass | 90–135 | ||||
| Indian ricegrass | ACHY | Achnatherum hymenoides | 90–135 | – | ||
| 2 | galleta | 22–45 | ||||
| James' galleta | PLJA | Pleuraphis jamesii | 22–45 | – | ||
| 3 | sand dropseed | 4–22 | ||||
| sand dropseed | SPCR | Sporobolus cryptandrus | 4–22 | – | ||
| 4 | spike dropseed | 0–13 | ||||
| spike dropseed | SPCO4 | Sporobolus contractus | 0–13 | – | ||
| 5 | mesa dropseed | 4–22 | ||||
| mesa dropseed | SPFL2 | Sporobolus flexuosus | 4–22 | – | ||
| 6 | giant dropseed | 0–9 | ||||
| giant dropseed | SPGI | Sporobolus giganteus | 0–9 | – | ||
| 7 | blue grama | 4–22 | ||||
| blue grama | BOGR2 | Bouteloua gracilis | 4–22 | – | ||
| 8 | Fendler's threeawn | 0–4 | ||||
| Fendler's threeawn | ARPUF | Aristida purpurea var. fendleriana | 0–4 | – | ||
| 9 | sandhill muhly | 4–22 | ||||
| sandhill muhly | MUPU2 | Muhlenbergia pungens | 4–22 | – | ||
| 10 | needle and thread | 0–9 | ||||
| needle and thread | HECO26 | Hesperostipa comata | 0–9 | – | ||
| 11 | other perennial grasses | 0–13 | ||||
| Grass, perennial | 2GP | Grass, perennial | 0–13 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 12 | globemallow | 0–4 | ||||
| globemallow | SPHAE | Sphaeralcea | 0–4 | – | ||
| 13 | rose heath (smallflower aster) | 0–4 | ||||
| rose heath | CHER2 | Chaetopappa ericoides | 0–4 | – | ||
| 14 | other perennial forbs | 0–9 | ||||
| Forb, perennial | 2FP | Forb, perennial | 0–9 | – | ||
| 15 | annual forbs | 0–9 | ||||
| Forb, annual | 2FA | Forb, annual | 0–9 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 16 | sandy jointfir (sand Mormon tea) | 22–45 | ||||
| 17 | Cutler's jointfir (Cutler Mormon tea) | 0–9 | ||||
| Cutler's jointfir | EPCU | Ephedra cutleri | 0–9 | – | ||
| 18 | broom snakeweed | 0–22 | ||||
| broom snakeweed | GUSA2 | Gutierrezia sarothrae | 0–22 | – | ||
| 19 | Greene's rabbitbrush | 0–9 | ||||
| Greene's rabbitbrush | CHGR6 | Chrysothamnus greenei | 0–9 | – | ||
| 20 | plains pricklypear | 0–4 | ||||
| plains pricklypear | OPPO | Opuntia polyacantha | 0–4 | – | ||
| 21 | fourwing saltbush | 0–9 | ||||
| fourwing saltbush | ATCA2 | Atriplex canescens | 0–9 | – | ||
| 22 | winterfat | 0–4 | ||||
| winterfat | KRLA2 | Krascheninnikovia lanata | 0–4 | – | ||
| 23 | narrowleaf yucca | 0–4 | ||||
| narrowleaf yucca | YUAN2 | Yucca angustissima | 0–4 | – | ||
| 24 | other shrubs | 0–9 | ||||
Interpretations
Animal community
Fair to good plant diversity makes this site suitable for grassland wildlife species.
Hydrological functions
This site normally receives about 7-10 inches of annual precipitation. Most summer rainfall occurs as brief, sometimes heavy, thunderstorms. Slopes range from 0-8%. The soils are deep to very deep and somewhat excessively to excessively well drained. Surface and subsurface horizons are coarse-textured. Permeability is moderately rapid to rapid. Available water holding capacity is very low to low. Runoff is negligible to low, and the hazard of water erosion is slight.
Recreational uses
Hunting, horseback riding, and wildlife observation are occasional recreation activities on this site. The grassy aspect of this site provides aesthetic appeal.
Wood products
This site has no significant value for wood products.
Other products
Grazing: This site is suitable for yearlong grazing by all classes of livestock. Grazing systems adapt well to this site and should be used. Soils on this site have a high wind erosion hazard; when the site is deteriorated, erosion occurs on overgrazed areas, roads, cattle trails, and high-use areas.
Supporting information
Inventory data references
The potential historic climax plant community has been determined by study of range relict areas, or areas protected from excessive grazing. Trends in plant communities going from heavily grazed areas to lightly grazed areas, seasonal use pastures and historical accounts have also been used.
Type locality
| Location 1: San Juan County, NM | |
|---|---|
| Township/Range/Section | T23N R15W S17 |
| General legal description | Between Hunter Wash and Chaco River – Section 17, Township 23N, Range 15W – Navajo Reservation, NM. |
Contributors
David Trujillo
John Tunberg
Michael Carpinelli
Unknown
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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