Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R038XA103AZ
Clay Loam Upland 12-16" p.z.
Accessed: 12/21/2024
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 038X–Mogollon Transition South
AZ 38.1 – Lower Interior Chaparral
Elevations range from 3000 to 4500 feet and precipitation averages 12 to 16 inches per year. Vegetation includes canotia, one-seed juniper, mesquite, catclaw acacia, jojoba, turbinella oak, ratany, shrubby buckwheat, algerita, skunkbush, tobosa, vine mesquite, bottlebrush squirreltail, grama species, curly mesquite, desert needlegrass and New Mexico feathergrass. The soil temperature regime is thermic and the soil moisture regime is ustic aridic. This unit occurs within the Transition Zone Physiographic Province and is characterized by canyons and structural troughs or valleys. Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rock classes occur on rough mountainous terrain in association with less extensive sediment filled valleys exhibiting little integrated drainage.
Associated sites
| R038XA106AZ |
Limy Upland 12-16" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R038XA108AZ |
Clayey Slopes 12-16" p.z. |
| R038XA126AZ |
Limy Slopes 12-16" p.z. |
Similar sites
| R041XB204AZ |
Clay Loam Upland 8-12" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R041XC305AZ |
Clay Loam Upland 12-16" p.z. |
| R040XA120AZ |
Clay Loam Upland 10"-13" p.z. |
| R038XB203AZ |
Clay Loam Upland 16-20" p.z. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
Not specified |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Opuntia engelmannii |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Pleuraphis mutica |
Physiographic features
This site occurs at the lowest elevations of the interior chaparral zone in the Mogollon Transition area. It occurs in an upland position. It is on gentle slopes, fan terraces, ridge-tops and mesa tops.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Fan piedmont
(2) Mesa (3) Lava flow |
|---|---|
| Flooding frequency | None |
| Elevation | 3,100 – 4,600 ft |
| Slope | 15 – 45% |
| Aspect | N, E, S |
Climatic features
Precipitation in this common resource area averages 12 to 16 inches annually. The winter-summer rainfall ratio ranges from about 60/40% in the northwest part of the area to 50/50% in the southeast part. Summer rains fall July through September; are from high-intensity, convective thunderstorms. This moisture originates primarily from the Gulf of Mexico, but can come from the remnants of Pacific hurricanes in September. Winter moisture is frontal, originates in the north Pacific, and falls as rain or snow in widespread storms of low intensity and long duration. Snowfall ranges from a trace to 10 inches per year and can occur from November through March. Snow seldom persists for more than a day except on north aspects. May and June are the driest months of the year. Humidity is generally low all year. Average annual air temperatures range from 59 to 70 degrees F (thermic temperature regime). Daytime temperatures in the summer are commonly in the high 90’s. Freezing temperatures are common from October through April, usually during the night or early morning hours. The actual precipitation, available moisture and temperature vary, depending on, region, elevation, rain shadow effect and aspect.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (average) | 230 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (average) | 285 days |
| Precipitation total (average) | 16 in |
Figure 2. Monthly precipitation range
Figure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
There are no water features associated with this site.
Soil features
These soils are moderately deep to deep (30-60 inches) and dark colored in the surface (6-12 inches). They are clayey textured, gravelly to very gravelly and well drained. They have formed in alluvium and colluvium from a variety of parent materials. They do not exhibit vertic soil properties (cracking and churning). Soil surfaces can be covered by gravels, cobbles and/or stones. The erosion hazard is moderate to high where plant or gravel covers are inadequate. Typical taxonomic units mapped on this site include: SSA-627 Mohave County Southern Part MU's Arivaca-54, Penthouse-87 & Eloma-118; SSA-637 Yavapai County Western Part MU's Arp-AuC, AxD, AyC, Cabezon-ThC, Jacks-JaC, Thunderbird-TdC, ThC & VtC; SSA-639 Black Hills-Sedona Area MU's Mingus-420, Tapco-420, Ryallen-423, Eloma-424, Penthouse-437, 441, 541 & 641; SSA-675 San Carlos Indian Reservation Area MU Eloma-590; SSA-697 Mohave County Central Part MU's Arivaca-45 & Nuffel-81.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Surface texture |
(1) Gravelly clay loam (2) Very gravelly loam (3) Very gravelly clay loam |
|---|---|
| Family particle size |
(1) Clayey |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Moderately slow to slow |
| Soil depth | 30 – 60 in |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 15 – 60% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | 1 – 10% |
| Available water capacity (0-40in) |
3 – 7.5 in |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in) |
1 – 15% |
| Electrical conductivity (0-40in) |
2 mmhos/cm |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in) |
2 |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in) |
7 – 8.2 |
| Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
5 – 55% |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
10% |
Ecological dynamics
The historic native plant community is dominated by tobosa and other perennial warm season grasses with a mixture of desert shrubs, half shrubs, succulents and forbs. This includes a diverse flora of native annual grasses and forbs of both the winter and summer seasons. Periodic wildfires occurred at moderate intervals (15 to 30 years) and helped to maintain a balance between grasses and shrubs. The interactions of drought, fire and continuous livestock grazing can, over time, result in the loss of perennial grasses, half shrubs and suffrutescent forbs on this site. The lack of fire for very long periods can lead to increases in large shrubs/succulents like prickly pear, and whitethorn acacia. Trees like juniper, paloverde, mesquite and canotia can increase as well. In some situations non-native annuals can dominate the site. These species can, over time, diminish the soil seed-bank of native annual species. Non-native annuals can act to increase the fire frequency of areas of the site near roads and urban areas, where the incidence of man-made fires is high.
State and transition model
More interactive model formats are also available.
View Interactive Models
More interactive model formats are also available.
View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective text
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 2 submodel, plant communities
State 3 submodel, plant communities
State 4 submodel, plant communities
State 5 submodel, plant communities
State 6 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Native Mixed Grassland-Shrub State
Community 1.1
Historic Native Plant Community
Figure 4. Clayloam Upland 12-16" pz., HCPC
Figure 5. Clayloam Upland 12-16" pz., HCPC
The historic native plant community is dominated by tobosa and other warm season perennial grasses with a mixture of desert shrubs, half-shrubs, suffrutescent forbs and succulents. A rich flora of native annual forbs and grasses, of both the winter and summer seasons, exist in the plant community. Natural fires, which burned at moderate intervals in this region, helped to maintain a balance between perennial grasses and shrubs.
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass/Grasslike | 360 | 750 | 1100 |
| Forb | 7 | 50 | 240 |
| Shrub/Vine | 25 | 100 | 200 |
| Tree | 0 | 5 | 15 |
| Total | 392 | 905 | 1555 |
Table 6. Soil surface cover
| Tree basal cover | 0% |
|---|---|
| Shrub/vine/liana basal cover | 1-2% |
| Grass/grasslike basal cover | 6-12% |
| Forb basal cover | 0-1% |
| Non-vascular plants | 0% |
| Biological crusts | 1-10% |
| Litter | 10-60% |
| Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" | 15-60% |
| Surface fragments >3" | 0-15% |
| Bedrock | 0% |
| Water | 0% |
| Bare ground | 10-60% |
Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
| Height Above Ground (ft) | Tree | Shrub/Vine | Grass/ Grasslike |
Forb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <0.5 | – | 0-5% | 1-10% | 0-10% |
| >0.5 <= 1 | – | 0-2% | 5-10% | 1-10% |
| >1 <= 2 | – | 0-2% | 10-20% | 0-5% |
| >2 <= 4.5 | – | 0-5% | 0-5% | 0-1% |
| >4.5 <= 13 | 0-1% | 0-1% | – | – |
| >13 <= 40 | 0-1% | – | – | – |
| >40 <= 80 | – | – | – | – |
| >80 <= 120 | – | – | – | – |
| >120 | – | – | – | – |
Figure 7. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). AZ3811, 38.1 12-16" p.z. all sites. Growth begins in the spring, most growth occurs in the 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 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Community 1.2
Short Grass Plant Community
Tobosa is removed from the plant community over time due to the interactions of fire, continuous grazing and drought. When the canopy cover of tobosa drops below 5% and the distribution of that cover is poor (clumped) then tobosa will not be able to recover on the site. Short grasses; especially curly mesquite and including slender and hairy grama will dominate the herbaceous layer of the plant community. These species fluctuate widely from drought to wet years.
State 2
Annuals State
Community 2.1
Annual Dominated Plant Community
Palatable midgrasses have been replaced by annual species like tumble mustard and wild oats. Tobosa is still present in high levels.
State 3
Exotic Annuals Invaded State
Community 3.1
Exotic Annual invaded state
Figure 8. Annuals
Palatable midgrasses have been replaced by annual species. Tobosa still occurs in normal amounts. Non-native annual grasses like red brome, wild oats, mediterranean grass (schismus) and cheatgrass can invade and dominate areas of the site. These species can, over time, reduce the seed-bank of native annual grasses and forbs. Their presence can increase the fire frequency (of man made fires) especially where roads and urban areas are adjacent to areas of the site. Repeated fires tend to remove the native shrub, grass and forb canopy.
State 4
Shrub Dominated State
Community 4.1
Shrub Dominated Plant Community
Palatable midgrasses have been replaced by annual species like tumble mustard and wild oats. Tobosa is still present, but at reduced levels. Through a combination of drought, continuous heavy grazing and lack of fire has reduced tobosa grass cover. Shrubs, like turpentine bush, prickly pear, and banana yucca can increase across the site.
State 5
Woody Shrub Invaded State
Community 5.1
Woody Shrub Dominated Plant Community
Figure 9. Clayloam Upland 12-16" pz., shrubby
Figure 10. Shrub Increase
Figure 11. Clayloam Upland 12-16" pz., shrubby
In the absence of fire for long periods of time and with continuous grazing, shrubs like mesquite, paloverde and whitethorn acacia and succulents like prickly pear and banana yucca can increase to dominate the plant community. Trees including oneseed and redberry juniper and canotia can increase also. Perennial grasses and forbs cannot recover in the face of increased shrub competition.
State 6
Eroded State
Community 6.1
Shrub Invaded, Eroded Plant Community
Figure 12. Clayloam Upland 12-16" pz., erosion
Figure 13. Eroded
Shrubs like mesquite, paloverde and whitethorn acacia; trees like juniper and canotia; and succulents like prickly pear and banana yucca can increase to dominate the site. Non-native annual forbs and grasses dominate the under-story. In "El Nino" years herbaceous fuels are sufficient for burning and repeat fires are especially common in areas close to residential zones and roads. Extreme rainfall events coupled with the fire, drought and grazing interaction, can lead to rilling of steep slopes. Compaction of soils can occur with heavy trailing from continuous livestock use. Loss of plant cover after repeated fire can lead to accelerated sheet and rill erosion under these circumstances.
Additional community tables
Table 8. Community 1.1 plant community composition
| Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (lb/acre) | Foliar cover (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
| 1 | Dominant perennial grasses | 300–600 | ||||
| tobosagrass | PLMU3 | Pleuraphis mutica | 250–500 | – | ||
| sideoats grama | BOCU | Bouteloua curtipendula | 50–100 | – | ||
| 2 | Cool season grasses | 1–50 | ||||
| squirreltail | ELEL5 | Elymus elymoides | 1–50 | – | ||
| 3 | Misc. perennial grasses | 50–250 | ||||
| curly-mesquite | HIBE | Hilaria belangeri | 35–150 | – | ||
| black grama | BOER4 | Bouteloua eriopoda | 5–50 | – | ||
| Parish's threeawn | ARPUP5 | Aristida purpurea var. parishii | 1–50 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTE3 | Aristida ternipes | 1–50 | – | ||
| hairy grama | BOHI2 | Bouteloua hirsuta | 0–50 | – | ||
| slender grama | BORE2 | Bouteloua repens | 0–50 | – | ||
| purple threeawn | ARPU9 | Aristida purpurea | 5–50 | – | ||
| red grama | BOTR2 | Bouteloua trifida | 0–20 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTEG | Aristida ternipes var. gentilis | 0–15 | – | ||
| bush muhly | MUPO2 | Muhlenbergia porteri | 0–15 | – | ||
| Hall's panicgrass | PAHA | Panicum hallii | 0–15 | – | ||
| vine mesquite | PAOB | Panicum obtusum | 0–15 | – | ||
| plains bristlegrass | SEVU2 | Setaria vulpiseta | 0–15 | – | ||
| blue grama | BOGR2 | Bouteloua gracilis | 0–15 | – | ||
| Fendler threeawn | ARPUL | Aristida purpurea var. longiseta | 0–10 | – | ||
| green sprangletop | LEDU | Leptochloa dubia | 0–5 | – | ||
| sand dropseed | SPCR | Sporobolus cryptandrus | 0–5 | – | ||
| cane bluestem | BOBA3 | Bothriochloa barbinodis | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona cottontop | DICA8 | Digitaria californica | 0–5 | – | ||
| fall witchgrass | DICO6 | Digitaria cognata | 0–2 | – | ||
| slim tridens | TRMU | Tridens muticus | 0–2 | – | ||
| plains lovegrass | ERIN | Eragrostis intermedia | 0–1 | – | ||
| tanglehead | HECO10 | Heteropogon contortus | 0–1 | – | ||
| 4 | Annual grasses | 5–200 | ||||
| sixweeks fescue | VUOC | Vulpia octoflora | 1–50 | – | ||
| mucronate sprangeltop | LEPAB | Leptochloa panicea ssp. brachiata | 0–25 | – | ||
| sixweeks threeawn | ARAD | Aristida adscensionis | 1–20 | – | ||
| small fescue | VUMI | Vulpia microstachys | 0–20 | – | ||
| Arizona signalgrass | URAR | Urochloa arizonica | 0–15 | – | ||
| Mexican panicgrass | PAHI5 | Panicum hirticaule | 0–15 | – | ||
| Rothrock's grama | BORO2 | Bouteloua rothrockii | 0–10 | – | ||
| Eastwood fescue | VUMIC | Vulpia microstachys var. ciliata | 0–10 | – | ||
| witchgrass | PACA6 | Panicum capillare | 0–5 | – | ||
| prairie threeawn | AROL | Aristida oligantha | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona brome | BRAR4 | Bromus arizonicus | 0–2 | – | ||
| feather fingergrass | CHVI4 | Chloris virgata | 0–2 | – | ||
| delicate muhly | MUFR | Muhlenbergia fragilis | 0–2 | – | ||
| littleseed muhly | MUMI | Muhlenbergia microsperma | 0–2 | – | ||
| Bigelow's bluegrass | POBI | Poa bigelovii | 0–1 | – | ||
| canyon cupgrass | ERLE7 | Eriochloa lemmonii | 0–1 | – | ||
| tufted lovegrass | ERPE | Eragrostis pectinacea | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert lovegrass | ERPEM | Eragrostis pectinacea var. miserrima | 0–1 | – | ||
| little barley | HOPU | Hordeum pusillum | 0–1 | – | ||
| Mexican sprangletop | LEFUU | Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia | 0–1 | – | ||
| needle grama | BOAR | Bouteloua aristidoides | 0–1 | – | ||
| sixweeks grama | BOBA2 | Bouteloua barbata | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 5 | Perennial forbs | 5–40 | ||||
| largeflower onion | ALMA4 | Allium macropetalum | 0–5 | – | ||
| weakleaf bur ragweed | AMCO3 | Ambrosia confertiflora | 1–5 | – | ||
| bluedicks | DICA14 | Dichelostemma capitatum | 1–5 | – | ||
| slender janusia | JAGR | Janusia gracilis | 0–5 | – | ||
| desert globemallow | SPAM2 | Sphaeralcea ambigua | 1–5 | – | ||
| brownplume wirelettuce | STPA4 | Stephanomeria pauciflora | 1–5 | – | ||
| Gila manroot | MAGI | Marah gilensis | 0–2 | – | ||
| lacy tansyaster | MAPI | Machaeranthera pinnatifida | 0–2 | – | ||
| Coues' cassia | SECO10 | Senna covesii | 0–2 | – | ||
| wishbone-bush | MILAV | Mirabilis laevis var. villosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| tuber anemone | ANTU | Anemone tuberosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| perennial rockcress | ARPE2 | Arabis perennans | 1–2 | – | ||
| dense ayenia | AYMI | Ayenia microphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert marigold | BAMU | Baileya multiradiata | 0–1 | – | ||
| scarlet spiderling | BOCO | Boerhavia coccinea | 0–1 | – | ||
| climbing wartclub | BOSC | Boerhavia scandens | 0–1 | – | ||
| wavyleaf Indian paintbrush | CAAPM | Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii | 0–1 | – | ||
| Arizona wrightwort | CAAR7 | Carlowrightia arizonica | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert mariposa lily | CAKE | Calochortus kennedyi | 0–1 | – | ||
| sego lily | CANU3 | Calochortus nuttallii | 0–1 | – | ||
| leatherweed | CRPO5 | Croton pottsii | 0–1 | – | ||
| Gregg's prairie clover | DAGR2 | Dalea greggii | 0–1 | – | ||
| Cooley's bundleflower | DECO2 | Desmanthus cooleyi | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert larkspur | DEPA | Delphinium parishii | 0–1 | – | ||
| tall mountain larkspur | DESC | Delphinium scaposum | 0–1 | – | ||
| narrowleaf silverbush | ARLA12 | Argythamnia lanceolata | 0–1 | – | ||
| white sagebrush | ARLUM2 | Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. mexicana | 0–1 | – | ||
| New Mexico silverbush | ARNE2 | Argythamnia neomexicana | 0–1 | – | ||
| dwarf desertpeony | ACNA2 | Acourtia nana | 0–1 | – | ||
| brownfoot | ACWR5 | Acourtia wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| San Felipe dogweed | ADPO | Adenophyllum porophylloides | 0–1 | – | ||
| trailing windmills | ALIN | Allionia incarnata | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert tobacco | NIOB | Nicotiana obtusifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| New Mexico groundsel | PANE7 | Packera neomexicana | 0–1 | – | ||
| Oak Creek ragwort | PAQU8 | Packera quercetorum | 0–1 | – | ||
| toadflax penstemon | PELI2 | Penstemon linarioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| Parry's beardtongue | PEPA24 | Penstemon parryi | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert penstemon | PEPS | Penstemon pseudospectabilis | 0–1 | – | ||
| orange fameflower | PHAU13 | Phemeranthus aurantiacus | 0–1 | – | ||
| slender poreleaf | POGR5 | Porophyllum gracile | 0–1 | – | ||
| glandleaf milkwort | POMA7 | Polygala macradenia | 0–1 | – | ||
| canaigre dock | RUHY | Rumex hymenosepalus | 0–1 | – | ||
| twinleaf senna | SEBA3 | Senna bauhinioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| ragged nettlespurge | JAMA | Jatropha macrorhiza | 0–1 | – | ||
| longflower tube tongue | JULO3 | Justicia longii | 0–1 | – | ||
| Wright's deervetch | LOWR | Lotus wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| fleabane | ERIGE2 | Erigeron | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert trumpet | ERIN4 | Eriogonum inflatum | 0–1 | – | ||
| Mojave spurge | EUSC6 | Euphorbia schizoloba | 0–1 | – | ||
| southwestern mock vervain | GLGO | Glandularia gooddingii | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert rosemallow | HICO | Hibiscus coulteri | 0–1 | – | ||
| Indian rushpea | HOGL2 | Hoffmannseggia glauca | 0–1 | – | ||
| Lemmon's ragwort | SELE8 | Senecio lemmonii | 0–1 | – | ||
| New Mexico fanpetals | SINE | Sida neomexicana | 0–1 | – | ||
| silverleaf nightshade | SOEL | Solanum elaeagnifolium | 0–1 | – | ||
| plains blackfoot | MELE2 | Melampodium leucanthum | 0–1 | – | ||
| branched noseburn | TRRA5 | Tragia ramosa | 0–1 | – | ||
| Louisiana vetch | VILUL2 | Vicia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana | 0–1 | – | ||
| 6 | Annual forbs | 2–200 | ||||
| bristly fiddleneck | AMTE3 | Amsinckia tessellata | 0–50 | – | ||
| Arizona popcornflower | PLAR | Plagiobothrys arizonicus | 0–50 | – | ||
| longleaf false goldeneye | HELOA2 | Heliomeris longifolia var. annua | 1–25 | – | ||
| California poppy | ESCAM | Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana | 0–25 | – | ||
| Gordon's bladderpod | LEGO | Lesquerella gordonii | 0–15 | – | ||
| Coulter's spiderling | BOCO2 | Boerhavia coulteri | 0–15 | – | ||
| coastal bird's-foot trefoil | LOSA | Lotus salsuginosus | 0–15 | – | ||
| Coulter's lupine | LUSP2 | Lupinus sparsiflorus | 0–15 | – | ||
| desert Indianwheat | PLOV | Plantago ovata | 0–15 | – | ||
| thelypody | THELY | Thelypodium | 0–10 | – | ||
| exserted Indian paintbrush | CAEXE | Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta | 0–10 | – | ||
| western tansymustard | DEPI | Descurainia pinnata | 0–10 | – | ||
| Arizona poppy | KAGR | Kallstroemia grandiflora | 0–10 | – | ||
| miniature woollystar | ERDI2 | Eriastrum diffusum | 0–10 | – | ||
| carelessweed | AMPA | Amaranthus palmeri | 0–10 | – | ||
| milkvetch | ASTRA | Astragalus | 0–5 | – | ||
| shaggyfruit pepperweed | LELA | Lepidium lasiocarpum | 0–5 | – | ||
| foothill deervetch | LOHU2 | Lotus humistratus | 0–5 | – | ||
| desertparsley | LOMAT | Lomatium | 0–5 | – | ||
| fivewing spiderling | BOIN | Boerhavia intermedia | 0–5 | – | ||
| pitseed goosefoot | CHBE4 | Chenopodium berlandieri | 0–5 | – | ||
| woolly tidestromia | TILA2 | Tidestromia lanuginosa | 0–5 | – | ||
| phacelia | PHACE | Phacelia | 0–5 | – | ||
| New Mexico plumeseed | RANE | Rafinesquia neomexicana | 0–5 | – | ||
| woolly plantain | PLPA2 | Plantago patagonica | 0–5 | – | ||
| slender goldenweed | MAGR10 | Machaeranthera gracilis | 0–5 | – | ||
| tanseyleaf tansyaster | MATA2 | Machaeranthera tanacetifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| purslane | PORTU | Portulaca | 0–2 | – | ||
| sawtooth sage | SASU7 | Salvia subincisa | 0–2 | – | ||
| spreading fanpetals | SIAB | Sida abutifolia | 0–2 | – | ||
| sleepy silene | SIAN2 | Silene antirrhina | 0–2 | – | ||
| hyssopleaf sandmat | CHHY3 | Chamaesyce hyssopifolia | 0–2 | – | ||
| wedgeleaf draba | DRCU | Draba cuneifolia | 0–2 | – | ||
| American wild carrot | DAPU3 | Daucus pusillus | 0–2 | – | ||
| New Mexico thistle | CINE | Cirsium neomexicanum | 0–2 | – | ||
| miner's lettuce | CLPEP | Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata | 0–2 | – | ||
| Thurber's pepperweed | LETH2 | Lepidium thurberi | 0–2 | – | ||
| spurge | EUPHO | Euphorbia | 0–2 | – | ||
| sorrel buckwheat | ERPO4 | Eriogonum polycladon | 0–2 | – | ||
| crestrib morning-glory | IPCO2 | Ipomoea costellata | 0–2 | – | ||
| redstar | IPCO3 | Ipomoea coccinea | 0–1 | – | ||
| ivyleaf morning-glory | IPHE | Ipomoea hederacea | 0–1 | – | ||
| Texas stork's bill | ERTE13 | Erodium texanum | 0–1 | – | ||
| spreading fleabane | ERDI4 | Erigeron divergens | 0–1 | – | ||
| star gilia | GIST | Gilia stellata | 0–1 | – | ||
| California goldfields | LACA7 | Lasthenia californica | 0–1 | – | ||
| scrambled eggs | COAU2 | Corydalis aurea | 0–1 | – | ||
| cryptantha | CRYPT | Cryptantha | 0–1 | – | ||
| sacred thorn-apple | DAWR2 | Datura wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| flatcrown buckwheat | ERDE6 | Eriogonum deflexum | 0–1 | – | ||
| Esteve's pincushion | CHST | Chaenactis stevioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| brittle spineflower | CHBR | Chorizanthe brevicornu | 0–1 | – | ||
| hoary bowlesia | BOIN3 | Bowlesia incana | 0–1 | – | ||
| yellow tackstem | CAPA7 | Calycoseris parryi | 0–1 | – | ||
| white tackstem | CAWR | Calycoseris wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| annual agoseris | AGHE2 | Agoseris heterophylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| woollyhead neststraw | STMI2 | Stylocline micropoides | 0–1 | – | ||
| sand fringepod | THCU | Thysanocarpus curvipes | 0–1 | – | ||
| chia | SACO6 | Salvia columbariae | 0–1 | – | ||
| creamcups | PLCA5 | Platystemon californicus | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert unicorn-plant | PRAL4 | Proboscidea althaeifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| doubleclaw | PRPA2 | Proboscidea parviflora | 0–1 | – | ||
| Fendler's desertdandelion | MAFE | Malacothrix fendleri | 0–1 | – | ||
| Arizona lupine | LUAR4 | Lupinus arizonicus | 0–1 | – | ||
| miniature lupine | LUBI | Lupinus bicolor | 0–1 | – | ||
| whitestem blazingstar | MEAL6 | Mentzelia albicaulis | 0–1 | – | ||
| green carpetweed | MOVE | Mollugo verticillata | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert evening primrose | OEPR | Oenothera primiveris | 0–1 | – | ||
| Florida pellitory | PAFL3 | Parietaria floridana | 0–1 | – | ||
| combseed | PECTO | Pectocarya | 0–1 | – | ||
| manybristle chinchweed | PEPA2 | Pectis papposa | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 7 | Evergreen shrubs | 1–50 | ||||
| Sonoran scrub oak | QUTU2 | Quercus turbinella | 0–10 | – | ||
| jojoba | SICH | Simmondsia chinensis | 0–10 | – | ||
| redberry buckthorn | RHCR | Rhamnus crocea | 0–1 | – | ||
| longleaf jointfir | EPTR | Ephedra trifurca | 0–1 | – | ||
| red barberry | MAHA4 | Mahonia haematocarpa | 0–1 | – | ||
| algerita | MATR3 | Mahonia trifoliolata | 0–1 | – | ||
| 8 | Miscellaneous large shrubs | 1–20 | ||||
| catclaw acacia | ACGR | Acacia greggii | 1–5 | – | ||
| blue paloverde | PAFL6 | Parkinsonia florida | 0–5 | – | ||
| yellow paloverde | PAMI5 | Parkinsonia microphylla | 0–5 | – | ||
| whitethorn acacia | ACCO2 | Acacia constricta | 0–2 | – | ||
| whitethorn acacia | ACCOP9 | Acacia constricta var. paucispina | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert sweet | CHMI2 | Chamaebatiaria millefolium | 0–1 | – | ||
| ocotillo | FOSP2 | Fouquieria splendens | 0–1 | – | ||
| snapdragon penstemon | KEANM | Keckiella antirrhinoides ssp. microphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| creosote bush | LATR2 | Larrea tridentata | 0–1 | – | ||
| water jacket | LYAN | Lycium andersonii | 0–1 | – | ||
| Berlandier's wolfberry | LYBE | Lycium berlandieri | 0–1 | – | ||
| Arizona desert-thorn | LYEX | Lycium exsertum | 0–1 | – | ||
| catclaw mimosa | MIACB | Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera | 0–1 | – | ||
| littleleaf sumac | RHMI3 | Rhus microphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| skunkbush sumac | RHTR | Rhus trilobata | 0–1 | – | ||
| lotebush | ZIOBC | Ziziphus obtusifolia var. canescens | 0–1 | – | ||
| 9 | Dominant half shrubs | 15–100 | ||||
| fairyduster | CAER | Calliandra eriophylla | 10–60 | – | ||
| bastardsage | ERWR | Eriogonum wrightii | 1–15 | – | ||
| littleleaf ratany | KRER | Krameria erecta | 1–10 | – | ||
| rough menodora | MESC | Menodora scabra | 0–10 | – | ||
| desert zinnia | ZIAC | Zinnia acerosa | 0–5 | – | ||
| prairie acacia | ACAN | Acacia angustissima | 0–1 | – | ||
| Coulter's brickellbush | BRCO | Brickellia coulteri | 0–1 | – | ||
| Eastern Mojave buckwheat | ERFA2 | Eriogonum fasciculatum | 0–1 | – | ||
| 10 | Succulents | 5–55 | ||||
| cactus apple | OPEN3 | Opuntia engelmannii | 5–20 | – | ||
| tulip pricklypear | OPPH | Opuntia phaeacantha | 0–10 | – | ||
| banana yucca | YUBA | Yucca baccata | 0–5 | – | ||
| devil's cholla | GRKU | Grusonia kunzei | 0–2 | – | ||
| saguaro | CAGI10 | Carnegiea gigantea | 0–2 | – | ||
| Christmas cactus | CYLE8 | Cylindropuntia leptocaulis | 0–2 | – | ||
| walkingstick cactus | CYSP8 | Cylindropuntia spinosior | 0–2 | – | ||
| common sotol | DAWH2 | Dasylirion wheeleri | 0–1 | – | ||
| pinkflower hedgehog cactus | ECBO2 | Echinocereus bonkerae | 0–1 | – | ||
| Arizona hedgehog cactus | ECCOA | Echinocereus coccineus var. arizonicus | 0–1 | – | ||
| Engelmann's hedgehog cactus | ECEN | Echinocereus engelmannii | 0–1 | – | ||
| redspine fishhook cactus | ECER2 | Echinomastus erectocentrus | 0–1 | – | ||
| pinkflower hedgehog cactus | ECFA | Echinocereus fasciculatus | 0–1 | – | ||
| spinystar | ESVI2 | Escobaria vivipara | 0–1 | – | ||
| candy barrelcactus | FEWI | Ferocactus wislizeni | 0–1 | – | ||
| goldenflower century plant | AGCH2 | Agave chrysantha | 0–1 | – | ||
| Palmer's century plant | AGPA3 | Agave palmeri | 0–1 | – | ||
| buck-horn cholla | CYAC8 | Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa | 0–1 | – | ||
| jumping cholla | CYFU10 | Cylindropuntia fulgida | 0–1 | – | ||
| Graham's nipple cactus | MAGR9 | Mammillaria grahamii | 0–1 | – | ||
| sacahuista | NOMI | Nolina microcarpa | 0–1 | – | ||
| purple pricklypear | OPMA8 | Opuntia macrocentra | 0–1 | – | ||
| soaptree yucca | YUEL | Yucca elata | 0–1 | – | ||
| 11 | Increaser half-shrubs | 2–25 | ||||
| broom snakeweed | GUSA2 | Gutierrezia sarothrae | 1–20 | – | ||
| burroweed | ISTE2 | Isocoma tenuisecta | 0–1 | – | ||
| yerba de pasmo | BAPT | Baccharis pteronioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| button brittlebush | ENFR | Encelia frutescens | 0–1 | – | ||
| turpentine bush | ERLA12 | Ericameria laricifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| threadleaf snakeweed | GUMI | Gutierrezia microcephala | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Tree
|
||||||
| 12 | Trees | 0–15 | ||||
| redberry juniper | JUCO11 | Juniperus coahuilensis | 0–5 | – | ||
| oneseed juniper | JUMO | Juniperus monosperma | 0–5 | – | ||
| Utah juniper | JUOS | Juniperus osteosperma | 0–5 | – | ||
| velvet mesquite | PRVE | Prosopis velutina | 0–5 | – | ||
| crucifixion thorn | CAHO3 | Canotia holacantha | 0–2 | – | ||
| western honey mesquite | PRGLT | Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana | 0–2 | – | ||
Interpretations
Animal community
This site is suitable for grazing year round, and is easily traversed by livestock. Tobosa is very unpalatable and will be the last perennial grass species to be used on this site. Livestock grazing use is concentrated near trails, roads and waters. The site is susceptible to erosion in overgrazed areas like bed-grounds, livestock trails and slopes adjacent to water.
The site has good habitat diversity for a variety of desert wildlife species. It is home mainly to small mammals and birds and their associated predators. It is a foraging area for larger mammals like deer and javalina. Water developments are very important to both livestock and wildlife on this site.
Hydrological functions
This site has a smooth to rough surface with variable covers of gravels and stones. Due to clayey textured soils it is a good producer of runoff. It produces exceptional runoff when heavy rain falls on snow or moist soils.
Recreational uses
Hunting, camping, horseback riding, backpacking, rock hounding, photography.
Wood products
Limited fuel-wood for campfires and branding fires. In areas where mesquite or juniper has increased there may be more wood available for fuel and for fence stays.
Other products
There is some harvest of food plants like prickly pear tunas, jojoba nuts, wild onions and grass nuts. There is limited harvest of medicinal plants like mormon tea. There is limited harvest of fibers from banana yucca. Clay for pot making.
Supporting information
Other references
Similar to Community type 5 of TES Map Unit # 370 on the Prescott National Forest.
Contributors
Dan Robinett
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) | Karlyn Huling |
|---|---|
| Contact for lead author | NRCS Globe Soil Survey Office |
| Date | 05/15/2006 |
| Approved by | S. Cassady |
| Approval date | |
| Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on | Annual Production |
Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
Some rill formation may occur due to loam and clay loam surface soils, slow permeability, and medium runoff. Rills, if present, could be more common on steeper slopes and less common on the surfaces that are protected by rock fragment armor. -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Water flow patterns may be common due to the slow permeability and medium runoff. -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Pedestals and terracettees may occur, but they should be very short. -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
This site has an average available water capacity of 4 inches, s it has a moderate potential to produce plant cover. One area had 35% bare ground and 25% rock fragment cover. Areas with a lot of rock fragment armor will have less bare ground. Drought may cause an increase in bare ground. -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Herbaceous and fine woody litter will be transported in water flow pathways. Coarse woody litter will remain under shrub and tree canopies. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil textures are generally clay loam or loam. Most surface soil horizons are gravelly or cobbly. The aggegate stability values can be fairly low due to the tendency for clayey soils to shrink/swell with changes in moisture. Aggretate stability values from one area averaging 6 under plant canopy (due to tobosa root mats) to only 1 in the interspaces. When well vegetated and/or protected by rock armor, these soils have a moderate to high resistance to both water and wind erosion. -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Surface strucure is both granular (moderate, very fine to fine) and platy (moderate to strong, thin to medium). A few soils have a subangular blocky (weak to moderate, fine) surface structure. Surface thickness range is 1-4 inces. Color is variable depending upon parent material. -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
This site is characterized by a fairly uniform distribution of mostly grasses with some shrubs and a few forbs. One area had 32% canopy cover (28% grass, 4% shrubs) and 16% basal cover (14% grass, 2% shrubs). Both canopy and basal cover values (especially canopy) decrease during a prolonged drought. This type of plant community is highly effective at capturing and storing precipitation. -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None. Due to the loam and cla loam surface textures, all soils may be easily compacted at the very surface unless there are a lot of rock fragments in the surface hoizons. Most of the soils have gravelly or cobbly surfaces. Some of the sols have a naturally platy surface structure. -
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:
warm season bunchgrasses >>Sub-dominant:
warm season colonizing grasses > cool seson bunchgrasses > deciduous shrub > forbs evergreen (chapparal) shrubs > cool season colonizing grasses > cacti = Agave family = treesOther:
Additional:
-
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
All plant funcional groups are adapted to surviva in all years except during the most severe droughts. Severe winter drought affects trees and shrubs most. Severe summer drought affects grasses most. -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Mostly herbaceous litter with some woody litter. Litter amounts increase during the first few years of drought, but decrease in the later years. -
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
750-850 lbs/ac dry years; 850-1025 median years; 1025-1100 wet years. -
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:
Broom snakewed, Utah juniper, prickly pear cacti and cholla cacti are all native to the site but can have the potential to increase and dominate the area after heavy grazing. Prosopis (mesquite) is natve to neighboring sites and can invade and dominate the site after heavy grazing. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
All plants native to this site are adapted to the climate and are capable of producing seeds, stolons, and rhizomes in most years except the most severe droughts.
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The Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
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