Physiographic features

This site occurs on dunes on mesas and structural benches, interdunes, and shrub coppice dunes on sand sheets. Run off very low to low. Slopes typically range from 2-15%. Elevations are generally 4100 to 6860 ft.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Climatic features

Average annual precipitation is 9 to 13 inches. Approximately 77 percent occurs as rain from March through October. On the average, February, May, and June are the driest months and April, August, September, and October are the wettest months. The mean annual air temperature is 43-71 degrees Fahrenheit. The average frost-free period is 184 to 212 days. Precipitation is extremely variable from month to month and from year to year. Much of the summer precipitation occurs as convection thunder storms.

Table 3. Representative climatic features

Influencing water features

There are no water features influencing this site.

Soil features

The soils are deep to very deep. The surface layer is typically reddish brown. Surface soil texture is fine sand. These soils are excessively well drained. The soil temperature and moisture regimes are mesic and ustic aridic respectively. Runoff is very low to low depending on slope and permeability—the coarser the soil the slower the runoff. Disturbed areas are marked by increased water flow patterns and gullies, as well as a decrease in plant cover. This site has been used in the following soils surveys and has been correlated to the following components:

UT - Capitol Reef National Park - Mido;
UT687—Arches National Park — Mido;
UT688—Canyonlands National Park - Mido;

Table 4. Representative soil features

Animal community

--Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Species-
This site provides foraging opportunities for Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and Ferruginous Hawks. Roosting opportunities are scarce due to the small amount of trees. This site can occur away from cliffs so available nests sites are scarce. Desert bighorn sheep will use this site for foraging mainly during the winter and spring. And Fringed Myotis could potential use this site for foraging.

--Wildlife Interpretations—
Small herds of mule deer, pronghorn antelope, and desert bighorn sheep can be seen grazing/browsing on these sites, especially when near water sources and in the winter. These sites are also important winter areas for bighorn sheep, in many places, however, populations are small and will have little impact on the site.
The hot climate and lack of water favors small mammals, which have an easier time finding shelter, food, and water. Many species of rats, mice, squirrels, bats, and chipmunks can be observed, along with coyotes and foxes. On sites where Utah juniper is invading, or where Utah juniper sites are adjacent, birds are the most visible wildlife species that can be observed, sightings may be rare however, due to the sparseness of tree canopies. Species may include juniper titmice, scrub jays, pinyon jays, and black throated gray warblers, and sparrows. Lizards are the most visible and can be observed during the day. Species may include the northern whiptail, desert spiny, and the colorful western collard lizard. (NPS.gov, 2008)

--Grazing Interpretations--
This site provides very limited grazing for livestock. Blackbrush contains high levels of tannins, and has low available nutrition. When present, grasses, primarily Indian ricegrass and James galleta, provide good forage for livestock, however, these species are not always abundant enough to support many livestock. The site does provide fairly good browse for goats. Forage composition and annual production depend largely on yearly precipitation amounts and thus provide challenges for those making livestock grazing management decisions. Regardless of class of livestock, this sites carrying capacity is always low. A lack of available drinking water, can also influence its suitability for livestock grazing. Care should be taken to maintain the native perennial grasses and shrubs present on this site because they are hard to restore once gone.

Livestock grazing should be based on a science based management plan that includes an onsite resource inventory.

Hydrological functions

The soil in this site is in hydrologic group A (NRCS National Engineering Handbook). These soils are well to excessively drained and have low runoff potential. Hydrological groups are used in equations that estimate runoff from rainfall. These estimates are needed for solving hydrologic problems that arise in planning watershed-protection and flood-prevention projects and for designing structures for the use, control and disposal of water. Improper livestock grazing can alter the sites hydrology by decreasing plant cover and increasing bare ground. Fire can also affect hydrology, but it is variable. Fire intensity, fuel type, soil, climate, and topography can each have different influences. Fires can increase areas of bare ground and hydrophobic layers that reduce infiltration and increase runoff (National Range and Pasture Handbook, 2003).

Recreational uses

Recreation activities include aesthetic value and good opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, and off-road vehicle use. Camp sites are usually limited due to lack of sheltering trees or rock outcrop.

Wood products

None

Other information

Toxic plants associated with this site include woolly locoweed, broom snakeweed, sand sagebrush and Russian thistle.

Woolly locoweed is toxic to all classes of livestock and wildlife. This plant is palatable and has similar nutrient value to alfalfa which may cause animals to consume it even when other forage is available. Locoweed contains swainsonine (indolizdine alkaloid) and is poisonous at all stages of growth. Poisoning will become evident after 2-3 weeks of continuous grazing and is associated with 4 major symptoms: 1) neurological damage, 2) emaciation, 3) reproductive failure and abortion, and 4) congestive heart failure linked with “high mountain disease”.

Broom snakeweed contains steroids, terpenoids, saponins, and flavones that can cause abortions or reproductive failure in sheep and cattle, however cattle are most susceptible. These toxins are most abundant during active growth and leafing stage. Cattle and sheep generally will graze broom snakeweed when other forage is unavailable, typically in winter when toxicity levels are at their lowest. (Knight and Walter, 2001).

Sand sagebrush is toxic to horses, but not to other livestock and wildlife ruminants. This plant contains sesquiterpene lactones and monoterpenes, where toxic concentrations are greatest in the late fall and winter. Horses develop neurological signs and exhibit abnormal behavior, such as ataxia and the tendency to fall down, after eating sand sagebrush for several days.

Russian thistle is an invasive toxic plant, causing nitrate and to a lesser extent oxalate poisoning, which affects all classes of livestock. The buildup of nitrates in these plants is highly dependent upon environmental factors such as after a quick rain storm during a long drought, during periods with cool/cloudy days, and on soils high in nitrogen and low in sulfur and phosphorus. Nitrate collects in the plants stems and can persist throughout the growing season. Clinical signs of nitrate poisoning include drowsiness, weakness, muscular tremors, increased heart and respiratory rates, staggering gait, and death. Conversely, oxalate poisoning causes kidney failure. Clinical signs include muscle tremors, tetany, weakness, and depression. Poisoning generally occurs when livestock consume and are not accustomed to grazing oxalate-containing plants. Animals with prior exposure to oxalates have increased numbers of oxalate-degrading rumen microflora and thus are able to degrade the toxin before clinical poisoning can occur.

Potentially toxic plants associated with this site include fourwing saltbush and buckwheat species, which may accumulate selenium, but only when growing on selenium enriched soils. These plants, when consumed will cause alkali disease or chronic selenosis, which affects all classes of livestock (excluding goats). Typically animals consuming 5-50 ppm selenium will develop chronic selenosis and animals consuming greater than 50 ppm selenium will develop acute selenosis. Clinical signs include lameness, soughing of the hoof, hair loss, blindness, and aimless wondering.

--Invasive Plant Communities--
As ecological condition deteriorates and perennial vegetation decreases due to disturbance (i.e., fire, over grazing, drought, off road vehicle overuse, erosion, etc.) annual forbs and grasses can invade this site. Of particular concern in semi-arid environments are annual invaders including cheatgrass, Russian thistle, kochia, halogeton, and annual mustards. The presence of these species will depend on soil properties and moisture availability, however, these invaders are highly adaptive and can flourish in many locations. Once established, complete removal of these species is difficult but suppression may be possible. In most of the Colorado Plateau area, cheatgrass is not known to invade blackbrush associations to the degree that it does on other sites in southwestern Utah and the Mojave Desert.

--Fire Ecology--
The ability for this ecological site to carry fire depends primarily on it's present fuel load and fine fuel moisture content. Sites with small fuel loads will burn more slowly and less intensely than sites with large fuel loads. A year of exceptionally heavy winter moisture can, however, generate sufficient fuels for fire to carry on this site by producing heavy stands of both perennial and annual forbs and grasses. When fires do occur, their effect on plant communities can be extreme due to the sites harsh environment and slow rate of recovery.

This ecological site is typically comprised of a dense or somwtimes scattered stand of low stature blackbrush with mostly bare interspaces. Blackbrush, because of its tinder-like nature, and resinous foliage, is a very flammable species and in areas with dense spacing can burn. Where either perennial or annual grasses or forbs are also present, fire frequencies could become shorter. Periods with high winds, high temperature and low humidity can increase the chances for fire to occur. (Callison, 1985). Blackbrush is a non-sprouter and is slow to re-establish on burned sites in Utah. Because of its apical dominance trait, twig removal through browsing or mechanical treatment can increase sprouting and new growth.

The fire regime for blackbrush communities in Utah is not well understood. Research has noted that a burned blackbrush site in Arizona has recovered, and in Nevada, fire in blackbrush communities has increased forage diversity. In these areas, a fire return interval has been suggested at 35-100 years. On some sites, blackbrush act act as a paleo-endemic species.

The use of fire as a brush management tool is not recommended on this ecological sites at the present time. Where revetation is desired, other treatment methods could be used.

Inventory data references

The data collected in 2006-2008 were in conjunction with the soil survey update for Arches and Canyonlands National Park. The vegetation data was collected in associated with a soil pit and geo-referenced. All the data is stored as hard copy files and in electronic format in the NRCS Utah State Office.

Type locality

Other references

Anderson, M. D. 2001. Coleogyne ramosissima. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis. Accessed August 11, 2008.


Callison, J., J.D. Brotherson, and J.E. Bowns. 1985. The effects of fire on the blackbrush [Coleogyne ramosissima] community of Southwestern Utah. Journal of Range Management. 38:535-538.

Knight, A.P. and R.G. Walter. 2001. A guide to plant poisoning of animals in North America. Teton NewMedia. Jackson, WY.

National Engineering Handbook. US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Available: http://www.info.usda.gov/CED/Default.cfm#National%20Engineering%20Handbook. Accessed February 25, 2008.

NPS.gov. 2008. Canyonlands National Park. Nature and Science. Available: http://www.nps.gov/cany/naturescience/. Accessed on January 4, 2008.

NRCS Grazing Lands Technology Institute. 2003. National Range and Pasture Handbook. Fort Worth, TX, USA: US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 190-VI-NRPH.

USDA, Forest Service. 2007. Fire effects information: plant species life form. Available at http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/index.html. Accessed 7 August 2007.

**Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. 2007. Utah’s federally (US F&WS) listed threatened, endangered, and candidate species. Available: http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/ucdc/ViewReports/te_list.pdf. Accessed on February 25, 2008.

Relative Forage Preference of Plants for Grazing Use by Season: Plants commonly found in Major Land Resource Area D35 --The Colorado Plateau. 2007

Stubbendieck, J., S. L. Hatch, and C. H. Butterfield. 1997. North American range plants. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press. 501p.

USDA, Forest Service. 2007. Fire effects information: plant species life form. Available at http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/index.html. Accessed 7 August 2007.

West, N. E. 1983. Colorado plateau-Mohavian blackbrush semi-desert. In: West, Neil E., ed. Temperate deserts and semi-deserts. New York: Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company: 399-411. (Goodall, David W., ed. in chief; Ecosystems of the world; vol. 5). [2508].

Contributors

Ashley Garrelts
V. Keith Wadman, Jacob Owens