Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R038XA118AZ
Basalt / Sandstone Hills 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 Mogollon Transition
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
| R038XA102AZ |
Clayey Upland 12-16" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R038XA117AZ |
Volcanic Hills 12-16" p.z. Clayey |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Canotia |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Simmondsia chinensis |
| Herbaceous |
(1) bouteloua eriopoda |
Physiographic features
This site occurs at the lowest elevations of the interior chaparral zone in the Mogollon Transition area. This site occurs in an upland position. It occurs on steep hill-slopes, ridge-tops, mesa sides and scarps.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Hill
(2) Scarp slope (3) Ridge |
|---|---|
| Flooding frequency | None |
| Elevation | 3,100 – 4,600 ft |
| Slope | 15 – 75% |
| 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 shallow (10 to 20 inches) and light colored. They are loamy textured, calcareous in the subsurface and well drained. They have formed in residuum and slope alluvium resulting from inter-bedded basalt, volcanic ash and lakebed sediments. Soil surfaces are well covered by dark colored gravels, cobbles and stones. The effective rooting depth is limited by hard bedrock at 10 to 20 inches. Runoff is moderate to high on moist soils. The erosion hazard is slight due to gravel, cobble and rock covers. Rock outcrop and vertical scarps can be as high as 25%.
Soils mapped on this site include: from SSA-675 San Carlos IR Area MU's Argic petrocalcids-635 & Torriorthents-635.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Parent material |
(1)
Residuum
–
basalt
(2) Slope alluvium – volcanic breccia |
|---|---|
| Surface texture |
(1) Cobbly sandy loam (2) Very gravelly sandy loam (3) Gravelly sandy loam |
| Family particle size |
(1) Loamy |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Moderate |
| Soil depth | 10 – 20 in |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 25 – 50% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | 1 – 15% |
| Available water capacity (0-40in) |
0.6 – 2.1 in |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in) |
1 – 10% |
| Electrical conductivity (0-40in) |
2 mmhos/cm |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in) |
2 |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in) |
7.4 – 8.4 |
| Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
10 – 45% |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
10% |
Ecological dynamics
The historic native plant community is a diverse mixture of desert trees, shrubs, succulents, forbs and grasses. 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 maintain a balance between herbs and shrubs, but large areas of rock outcrop and vertical scarps prevented large, contiguous fires. In the absence of fire for longer periods, shrubby species and cacti can become dominant. The interactions of drought, fire and continuous livestock grazing can, over time, result in the loss of palatable grasses, half shrubs and suffrutescent forbs. 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
Figure 4. State & Transition, Basalt/Sandstone Hills 12-16"
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 1
Mixed Shrub - Herbaceous State
Community 1.1
Historic Native Plant Community
Figure 5. Basalt / Sandstone Hills 12-16" pz.
The historic, native, plant community is a diverse mixture of perennial grasses, suffrutescent forbs, shrubs, succulents and desert trees. A rich flora of native annual forbs and grasses, of both the winter and summer seasons, exist in the plant community. Periodic, naturally occuring, wildfires were important in maintaining the potential plant community. Northern exposures have a higher percentage of perennial grasses than will occur on south slopes. North slopes will also be more likely to experience tree increases especially juniper species, mesquite and canotia. Southern exposures will have a higher percentage of shrubs and succulents in the plant community. More xeric grasses will dominate southern exposures (aristida, tanglehead).
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 | 70 | 200 | 420 |
| Shrub/Vine | 140 | 220 | 400 |
| Forb | 25 | 60 | 250 |
| Tree | 10 | 30 | 70 |
| Total | 245 | 510 | 1140 |
Table 6. Soil surface cover
| Tree basal cover | 0-1% |
|---|---|
| Shrub/vine/liana basal cover | 1-2% |
| Grass/grasslike basal cover | 0-1% |
| Forb basal cover | 0-1% |
| Non-vascular plants | 0-1% |
| Biological crusts | 0-5% |
| Litter | 5-20% |
| Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" | 25-50% |
| Surface fragments >3" | 5-15% |
| Bedrock | 5-25% |
| Water | 0% |
| Bare ground | 10-60% |
Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
| Height Above Ground (ft) | Tree | Shrub/Vine | Grass/ Grasslike |
Forb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <0.5 | – | 0-2% | 0-5% | 0-10% |
| >0.5 <= 1 | – | 1-5% | 1-10% | 1-5% |
| >1 <= 2 | – | 5-10% | 2-10% | 1-5% |
| >2 <= 4.5 | – | 5-15% | 0-2% | 0-1% |
| >4.5 <= 13 | 0-3% | 1-5% | – | – |
| >13 <= 40 | 1-3% | – | – | – |
| >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 |
State 2
Shrub Dominated State
Community 2.1
Shrub Dominated Plant Community
Figure 8. Basalt / Limestone Hills 12-16" pz., shrubby
Perennial grass canopy cover is reduced due to the interactions of drought, grazing and / or fire. Desert shrubs and cacti dominate the plant community. Shrub cover exceeds 30%. Annuals, both native and non-native, dominate the under-story. Fire frequency is reduced but the site can still burn, especially after "El Nino" years produce heavy fuel loads of annual grasses and forbs. This state can also occur naturally. The layered rock outcrop and vertical scarps of lakebed sediments, that break up fuel continuity, can cause islands of this state that have not burned in very long periods.
State 3
Shrub Dominated, Eroded State
Community 3.1
Shrub Dominated, Eroded Plant Community
Shrubs like whitethorn acacia, mesquite, ocotillo, creosotebush and canotia, and succulents like prickly pear, cholla and banana yucca can increase to dominate the site in the absence of fire for very long periods of time. Native and non-native annual forbs and grasses dominate the under-story. In "El Nino" years, herbaceous fuels can be sufficient to carry fire through the heavy canopy of shrubs. The major woody shrubs are, however, fire resistant once established. Such fires would remove less tolerant species like cacti and leave intact the sprouting woody plants to become more and more dominant. Extreme rainfall events coupled with; the fire, drought and grazing interaction, can lead to rilling of steep slopes. This state can also occur naturally. It exists where a large percentage of the area is rock outcrop and vertical scarps of lakebed sediments which concentrate runoff onto vegetated areas causing rilling.
State 4
Exotic Invaded state
Community 4.1
Exotic Invaded Plant Community
Non-native annual grasses and forbs like; red brome, cheatgrass, and wild oats, can invade and dominate areas of the site with very low perennial grass cover. 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.
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 | 50–200 | ||||
| black grama | BOER4 | Bouteloua eriopoda | 20–100 | – | ||
| bush muhly | MUPO2 | Muhlenbergia porteri | 10–40 | – | ||
| slim tridens | TRMU | Tridens muticus | 10–30 | – | ||
| purple threeawn | ARPU9 | Aristida purpurea | 5–30 | – | ||
| sideoats grama | BOCU | Bouteloua curtipendula | 5–30 | – | ||
| Parish's threeawn | ARPUP5 | Aristida purpurea var. parishii | 0–20 | – | ||
| 2 | Cool season grasses | 0–40 | ||||
| desert needlegrass | ACSP12 | Achnatherum speciosum | 0–30 | – | ||
| squirreltail | ELEL5 | Elymus elymoides | 0–20 | – | ||
| Indian ricegrass | ACHY | Achnatherum hymenoides | 0–5 | – | ||
| New Mexico feathergrass | HENE5 | Hesperostipa neomexicana | 0–1 | – | ||
| 3 | Misc. perennial grasses | 15–100 | ||||
| low woollygrass | DAPU7 | Dasyochloa pulchella | 0–25 | – | ||
| big galleta | PLRI3 | Pleuraphis rigida | 0–25 | – | ||
| Hall's panicgrass | PAHA | Panicum hallii | 5–25 | – | ||
| tanglehead | HECO10 | Heteropogon contortus | 0–20 | – | ||
| slender grama | BORE2 | Bouteloua repens | 5–15 | – | ||
| nineawn pappusgrass | ENDE | Enneapogon desvauxii | 1–10 | – | ||
| curly-mesquite | HIBE | Hilaria belangeri | 0–10 | – | ||
| tobosagrass | PLMU3 | Pleuraphis mutica | 0–10 | – | ||
| blue threeawn | ARPUN | Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi | 0–10 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTE3 | Aristida ternipes | 0–10 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTEG | Aristida ternipes var. gentilis | 0–5 | – | ||
| cane bluestem | BOBA3 | Bothriochloa barbinodis | 0–5 | – | ||
| red grama | BOTR2 | Bouteloua trifida | 0–5 | – | ||
| southwestern bristlegrass | SESC2 | Setaria scheelei | 0–5 | – | ||
| plains bristlegrass | SEVU2 | Setaria vulpiseta | 0–5 | – | ||
| sand dropseed | SPCR | Sporobolus cryptandrus | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona cottontop | DICA8 | Digitaria californica | 0–2 | – | ||
| hairy grama | BOHI2 | Bouteloua hirsuta | 0–2 | – | ||
| Fendler threeawn | ARPUL | Aristida purpurea var. longiseta | 0–1 | – | ||
| plains lovegrass | ERIN | Eragrostis intermedia | 0–1 | – | ||
| green sprangletop | LEDU | Leptochloa dubia | 0–1 | – | ||
| vine mesquite | PAOB | Panicum obtusum | 0–1 | – | ||
| 4 | Annual grasses | 2–80 | ||||
| mucronate sprangeltop | LEPAB | Leptochloa panicea ssp. brachiata | 1–25 | – | ||
| Mexican panicgrass | PAHI5 | Panicum hirticaule | 0–10 | – | ||
| Arizona signalgrass | URAR | Urochloa arizonica | 0–10 | – | ||
| small fescue | VUMI | Vulpia microstachys | 0–10 | – | ||
| Eastwood fescue | VUMIC | Vulpia microstachys var. ciliata | 0–10 | – | ||
| sixweeks threeawn | ARAD | Aristida adscensionis | 1–10 | – | ||
| prairie threeawn | AROL | Aristida oligantha | 0–10 | – | ||
| sixweeks fescue | VUOC | Vulpia octoflora | 0–10 | – | ||
| needle grama | BOAR | Bouteloua aristidoides | 0–5 | – | ||
| Mexican sprangletop | LEFUU | Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia | 0–5 | – | ||
| witchgrass | PACA6 | Panicum capillare | 0–5 | – | ||
| delicate muhly | MUFR | Muhlenbergia fragilis | 0–2 | – | ||
| littleseed muhly | MUMI | Muhlenbergia microsperma | 0–2 | – | ||
| Arizona brome | BRAR4 | Bromus arizonicus | 0–2 | – | ||
| feather fingergrass | CHVI4 | Chloris virgata | 0–2 | – | ||
| 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 | – | ||
| Bigelow's bluegrass | POBI | Poa bigelovii | 0–1 | – | ||
| sixweeks grama | BOBA2 | Bouteloua barbata | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 5 | Perennial forbs | 20–100 | ||||
| slender janusia | JAGR | Janusia gracilis | 1–20 | – | ||
| trailing windmills | ALIN | Allionia incarnata | 1–15 | – | ||
| desert globemallow | SPAM2 | Sphaeralcea ambigua | 1–15 | – | ||
| brownplume wirelettuce | STPA4 | Stephanomeria pauciflora | 0–10 | – | ||
| Coues' cassia | SECO10 | Senna covesii | 1–10 | – | ||
| longflower tube tongue | JULO3 | Justicia longii | 0–10 | – | ||
| shrubby deervetch | LORI3 | Lotus rigidus | 1–10 | – | ||
| desert trumpet | ERIN4 | Eriogonum inflatum | 1–10 | – | ||
| lacy tansyaster | MAPI | Machaeranthera pinnatifida | 1–10 | – | ||
| wishbone-bush | MILAV | Mirabilis laevis var. villosa | 1–10 | – | ||
| weakleaf bur ragweed | AMCO3 | Ambrosia confertiflora | 1–10 | – | ||
| white sagebrush | ARLUM2 | Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. mexicana | 1–10 | – | ||
| bluedicks | DICA14 | Dichelostemma capitatum | 1–5 | – | ||
| Parry's false prairie-clover | MAPA7 | Marina parryi | 1–5 | – | ||
| slender poreleaf | POGR5 | Porophyllum gracile | 0–5 | – | ||
| glandleaf milkwort | POMA7 | Polygala macradenia | 0–5 | – | ||
| Parry's beardtongue | PEPA24 | Penstemon parryi | 0–5 | – | ||
| plains blackfoot | MELE2 | Melampodium leucanthum | 0–2 | – | ||
| New Mexico groundsel | PANE7 | Packera neomexicana | 0–2 | – | ||
| Mojave spurge | EUSC6 | Euphorbia schizoloba | 0–2 | – | ||
| southwestern mock vervain | GLGO | Glandularia gooddingii | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert rosemallow | HICO | Hibiscus coulteri | 0–2 | – | ||
| ragged nettlespurge | JAMA | Jatropha macrorhiza | 0–2 | – | ||
| sego lily | CANU3 | Calochortus nuttallii | 0–2 | – | ||
| perennial rockcress | ARPE2 | Arabis perennans | 0–2 | – | ||
| dense ayenia | AYMI | Ayenia microphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| hairyseed bahia | BAAB | Bahia absinthifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert marigold | BAMU | Baileya multiradiata | 0–1 | – | ||
| scarlet spiderling | BOCO | Boerhavia coccinea | 0–1 | – | ||
| wavyleaf Indian paintbrush | CAAPM | Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii | 0–1 | – | ||
| Arizona wrightwort | CAAR7 | Carlowrightia arizonica | 0–1 | – | ||
| tuber anemone | ANTU | Anemone tuberosa | 0–1 | – | ||
| narrowleaf silverbush | ARLA12 | Argythamnia lanceolata | 0–1 | – | ||
| white sagebrush | ARLU | Artemisia ludoviciana | 0–1 | – | ||
| leatherweed | CRPO5 | Croton pottsii | 0–1 | – | ||
| purplenerve springparsley | CYMU2 | Cymopterus multinervatus | 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 | – | ||
| fleabane | ERIGE2 | Erigeron | 0–1 | – | ||
| New Mexico silverbush | ARNE2 | Argythamnia neomexicana | 0–1 | – | ||
| Wright's deervetch | LOWR | Lotus wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| paleface | HIDE | Hibiscus denudatus | 0–1 | – | ||
| Indian rushpea | HOGL2 | Hoffmannseggia glauca | 0–1 | – | ||
| Oak Creek ragwort | PAQU8 | Packera quercetorum | 0–1 | – | ||
| toadflax penstemon | PELI2 | Penstemon linarioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert tobacco | NIOB | Nicotiana obtusifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| largeflower onion | ALMA4 | Allium macropetalum | 0–1 | – | ||
| dwarf desertpeony | ACNA2 | Acourtia nana | 0–1 | – | ||
| brownfoot | ACWR5 | Acourtia wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| San Felipe dogweed | ADPO | Adenophyllum porophylloides | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert penstemon | PEPS | Penstemon pseudospectabilis | 0–1 | – | ||
| orange fameflower | PHAU13 | Phemeranthus aurantiacus | 0–1 | – | ||
| Lemmon's ragwort | SELE8 | Senecio lemmonii | 0–1 | – | ||
| silverleaf nightshade | SOEL | Solanum elaeagnifolium | 0–1 | – | ||
| scurfpea | PSORA2 | Psoralidium | 0–1 | – | ||
| canaigre dock | RUHY | Rumex hymenosepalus | 0–1 | – | ||
| twinleaf senna | SEBA3 | Senna bauhinioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| pricklyleaf dogweed | THAC | Thymophylla acerosa | 0–1 | – | ||
| turpentinebroom | THMO | Thamnosma montana | 0–1 | – | ||
| rue of the mountains | THTE2 | Thamnosma texana | 0–1 | – | ||
| branched noseburn | TRRA5 | Tragia ramosa | 0–1 | – | ||
| Louisiana vetch | VILUL2 | Vicia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana | 0–1 | – | ||
| 6 | Annual forbs | 5–150 | ||||
| bristly fiddleneck | AMTE3 | Amsinckia tessellata | 0–25 | – | ||
| Coulter's spiderling | BOCO2 | Boerhavia coulteri | 0–25 | – | ||
| fivewing spiderling | BOIN | Boerhavia intermedia | 0–25 | – | ||
| purslane | PORTU | Portulaca | 0–25 | – | ||
| California poppy | ESCAM | Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana | 0–25 | – | ||
| Coulter's lupine | LUSP2 | Lupinus sparsiflorus | 0–20 | – | ||
| western tansymustard | DEPI | Descurainia pinnata | 0–20 | – | ||
| longleaf false goldeneye | HELOA2 | Heliomeris longifolia var. annua | 0–20 | – | ||
| phacelia | PHACE | Phacelia | 0–15 | – | ||
| slender goldenweed | MAGR10 | Machaeranthera gracilis | 0–10 | – | ||
| tanseyleaf tansyaster | MATA2 | Machaeranthera tanacetifolia | 0–10 | – | ||
| pitseed goosefoot | CHBE4 | Chenopodium berlandieri | 0–10 | – | ||
| exserted Indian paintbrush | CAEXE | Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta | 0–5 | – | ||
| milkvetch | ASTRA | Astragalus | 0–5 | – | ||
| carelessweed | AMPA | Amaranthus palmeri | 0–5 | – | ||
| shaggyfruit pepperweed | LELA | Lepidium lasiocarpum | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona poppy | KAGR | Kallstroemia grandiflora | 0–5 | – | ||
| foothill deervetch | LOHU2 | Lotus humistratus | 0–5 | – | ||
| desertparsley | LOMAT | Lomatium | 0–5 | – | ||
| coastal bird's-foot trefoil | LOSA | Lotus salsuginosus | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona lupine | LUAR4 | Lupinus arizonicus | 0–5 | – | ||
| flatcrown buckwheat | ERDE6 | Eriogonum deflexum | 0–5 | – | ||
| sorrel buckwheat | ERPO4 | Eriogonum polycladon | 0–5 | – | ||
| American wild carrot | DAPU3 | Daucus pusillus | 0–5 | – | ||
| cryptantha | CRYPT | Cryptantha | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona popcornflower | PLAR | Plagiobothrys arizonicus | 0–5 | – | ||
| desert Indianwheat | PLOV | Plantago ovata | 1–5 | – | ||
| woolly plantain | PLPA2 | Plantago patagonica | 0–5 | – | ||
| combseed | PECTO | Pectocarya | 0–5 | – | ||
| sleepy silene | SIAN2 | Silene antirrhina | 0–5 | – | ||
| lyreleaf jewelflower | STCA5 | Streptanthus carinatus | 0–5 | – | ||
| New Mexico plumeseed | RANE | Rafinesquia neomexicana | 0–5 | – | ||
| thelypody | THELY | Thelypodium | 0–5 | – | ||
| woolly tidestromia | TILA2 | Tidestromia lanuginosa | 0–5 | – | ||
| Gordon's bladderpod | LEGO | Lesquerella gordonii | 0–2 | – | ||
| Florida pellitory | PAFL3 | Parietaria floridana | 0–2 | – | ||
| creamcups | PLCA5 | Platystemon californicus | 0–2 | – | ||
| New Mexico thistle | CINE | Cirsium neomexicanum | 0–2 | – | ||
| miner's lettuce | CLPEP | Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata | 0–2 | – | ||
| wedgeleaf draba | DRCU | Draba cuneifolia | 0–2 | – | ||
| miniature woollystar | ERDI2 | Eriastrum diffusum | 0–2 | – | ||
| spreading fleabane | ERDI4 | Erigeron divergens | 0–2 | – | ||
| crestrib morning-glory | IPCO2 | Ipomoea costellata | 0–2 | – | ||
| miniature lupine | LUBI | Lupinus bicolor | 0–2 | – | ||
| spurge | EUPHO | Euphorbia | 0–2 | – | ||
| Thurber's pepperweed | LETH2 | Lepidium thurberi | 0–2 | – | ||
| hollowleaf annual lupine | LUSU3 | Lupinus succulentus | 0–2 | – | ||
| sand fringepod | THCU | Thysanocarpus curvipes | 0–2 | – | ||
| annual agoseris | AGHE2 | Agoseris heterophylla | 0–2 | – | ||
| hoary bowlesia | BOIN3 | Bowlesia incana | 0–1 | – | ||
| yellow tackstem | CAPA7 | Calycoseris parryi | 0–1 | – | ||
| white tackstem | CAWR | Calycoseris wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| brittle spineflower | CHBR | Chorizanthe brevicornu | 0–1 | – | ||
| Esteve's pincushion | CHST | Chaenactis stevioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| Fendler's desertdandelion | MAFE | Malacothrix fendleri | 0–1 | – | ||
| whitestem blazingstar | MEAL6 | Mentzelia albicaulis | 0–1 | – | ||
| green carpetweed | MOVE | Mollugo verticillata | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert evening primrose | OEPR | Oenothera primiveris | 0–1 | – | ||
| star gilia | GIST | Gilia stellata | 0–1 | – | ||
| California goldfields | LACA7 | Lasthenia californica | 0–1 | – | ||
| redstar | IPCO3 | Ipomoea coccinea | 0–1 | – | ||
| ivyleaf morning-glory | IPHE | Ipomoea hederacea | 0–1 | – | ||
| Texas stork's bill | ERTE13 | Erodium texanum | 0–1 | – | ||
| sacred thorn-apple | DAWR2 | Datura wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| scrambled eggs | COAU2 | Corydalis aurea | 0–1 | – | ||
| hairy prairie clover | DAMO | Dalea mollis | 0–1 | – | ||
| manybristle chinchweed | PEPA2 | Pectis papposa | 0–1 | – | ||
| chia | SACO6 | Salvia columbariae | 0–1 | – | ||
| sawtooth sage | SASU7 | Salvia subincisa | 0–1 | – | ||
| ragwort | SENEC | Senecio | 0–1 | – | ||
| spreading fanpetals | SIAB | Sida abutifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| woollyhead neststraw | STMI2 | Stylocline micropoides | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert unicorn-plant | PRAL4 | Proboscidea althaeifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| doubleclaw | PRPA2 | Proboscidea parviflora | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 7 | Dominant shrubs | 100–200 | ||||
| jojoba | SICH | Simmondsia chinensis | 25–100 | – | ||
| creosote bush | LATR2 | Larrea tridentata | 0–25 | – | ||
| ocotillo | FOSP2 | Fouquieria splendens | 0–20 | – | ||
| Wright's beebrush | ALWR | Aloysia wrightii | 1–20 | – | ||
| mariola | PAIN2 | Parthenium incanum | 0–15 | – | ||
| catclaw acacia | ACGR | Acacia greggii | 1–15 | – | ||
| whitethorn acacia | ACCO2 | Acacia constricta | 1–10 | – | ||
| fourwing saltbush | ATCA2 | Atriplex canescens | 0–5 | – | ||
| spiny hackberry | CEEH | Celtis ehrenbergiana | 0–5 | – | ||
| desert sweet | CHMI2 | Chamaebatiaria millefolium | 0–5 | – | ||
| Warnock's snakewood | COWA | Condalia warnockii | 0–5 | – | ||
| snapdragon penstemon | KEANM | Keckiella antirrhinoides ssp. microphylla | 0–5 | – | ||
| water jacket | LYAN | Lycium andersonii | 0–5 | – | ||
| Berlandier's wolfberry | LYBE | Lycium berlandieri | 1–5 | – | ||
| Arizona desert-thorn | LYEX | Lycium exsertum | 0–5 | – | ||
| Mexican bladdersage | SAME | Salazaria mexicana | 0–5 | – | ||
| Sonoran scrub oak | QUTU2 | Quercus turbinella | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona necklacepod | SOAR3 | Sophora arizonica | 0–2 | – | ||
| catclaw mimosa | MIACB | Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera | 0–2 | – | ||
| winterfat | KRLA2 | Krascheninnikovia lanata | 0–2 | – | ||
| Florida hopbush | DOVI | Dodonaea viscosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert ceanothus | CEGR | Ceanothus greggii | 0–1 | – | ||
| ambrosia leaf bur ragweed | AMAM2 | Ambrosia ambrosioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| Thurber's desert honeysuckle | ANTH2 | Anisacanthus thurberi | 0–1 | – | ||
| longleaf jointfir | EPTR | Ephedra trifurca | 0–1 | – | ||
| pale desert-thorn | LYPA | Lycium pallidum | 0–1 | – | ||
| red barberry | MAHA4 | Mahonia haematocarpa | 0–1 | – | ||
| algerita | MATR3 | Mahonia trifoliolata | 0–1 | – | ||
| lotebush | ZIOBC | Ziziphus obtusifolia var. canescens | 0–1 | – | ||
| littleleaf sumac | RHMI3 | Rhus microphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| skunkbush sumac | RHTR | Rhus trilobata | 0–1 | – | ||
| 8 | Dominant half shrubs | 25–50 | ||||
| Eastern Mojave buckwheat | ERFA2 | Eriogonum fasciculatum | 20–50 | – | ||
| rough menodora | MESC | Menodora scabra | 1–20 | – | ||
| desert zinnia | ZIAC | Zinnia acerosa | 1–15 | – | ||
| Coulter's brickellbush | BRCO | Brickellia coulteri | 1–15 | – | ||
| littleleaf ratany | KRER | Krameria erecta | 0–10 | – | ||
| Parish's goldeneye | VIPA14 | Viguiera parishii | 0–10 | – | ||
| fairyduster | CAER | Calliandra eriophylla | 0–10 | – | ||
| ragged rockflower | CRBI2 | Crossosoma bigelovii | 0–5 | – | ||
| featherplume | DAFO | Dalea formosa | 0–5 | – | ||
| bastardsage | ERWR | Eriogonum wrightii | 0–5 | – | ||
| longleaf phlox | PHLO2 | Phlox longifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| shortleaf baccharis | BABR | Baccharis brachyphylla | 0–5 | – | ||
| sweetbush | BEJU | Bebbia juncea | 0–2 | – | ||
| starry bedstraw | GAST | Galium stellatum | 0–2 | – | ||
| yerba de pasmo | BAPT | Baccharis pteronioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| 9 | Succulents | 10–100 | ||||
| cactus apple | OPEN3 | Opuntia engelmannii | 5–30 | – | ||
| buck-horn cholla | CYAC8 | Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa | 0–25 | – | ||
| tulip pricklypear | OPPH | Opuntia phaeacantha | 0–20 | – | ||
| banana yucca | YUBA | Yucca baccata | 1–20 | – | ||
| Schott's century plant | AGSC3 | Agave schottii | 0–20 | – | ||
| walkingstick cactus | CYSP8 | Cylindropuntia spinosior | 0–10 | – | ||
| Whipple cholla | CYWH | Cylindropuntia whipplei | 0–10 | – | ||
| dollarjoint pricklypear | OPCH | Opuntia chlorotica | 0–10 | – | ||
| common sotol | DAWH2 | Dasylirion wheeleri | 1–5 | – | ||
| Christmas cactus | CYLE8 | Cylindropuntia leptocaulis | 0–5 | – | ||
| candy barrelcactus | FEWI | Ferocactus wislizeni | 1–5 | – | ||
| saguaro | CAGI10 | Carnegiea gigantea | 0–5 | – | ||
| goldenflower century plant | AGCH2 | Agave chrysantha | 0–5 | – | ||
| Graham's nipple cactus | MAGR9 | Mammillaria grahamii | 1–2 | – | ||
| pinkflower hedgehog cactus | ECFA | Echinocereus fasciculatus | 0–2 | – | ||
| spinystar | ESVI2 | Escobaria vivipara | 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 | – | ||
| sacahuista | NOMI | Nolina microcarpa | 0–1 | – | ||
| 10 | Half-shrubs | 1–50 | ||||
| broom snakeweed | GUSA2 | Gutierrezia sarothrae | 1–20 | – | ||
| brittlebush | ENFA | Encelia farinosa | 0–15 | – | ||
| narrowleaf goldenbush | ERLI6 | Ericameria linearifolia | 0–10 | – | ||
| whitestem paperflower | PSCO2 | Psilostrophe cooperi | 0–5 | – | ||
| button brittlebush | ENFR | Encelia frutescens | 0–5 | – | ||
| turpentine bush | ERLA12 | Ericameria laricifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| rayless goldenhead | ACSP | Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus | 0–5 | – | ||
| threadleaf snakeweed | GUMI | Gutierrezia microcephala | 0–1 | – | ||
| burroweed | ISTE2 | Isocoma tenuisecta | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Tree
|
||||||
| 11 | Desert trees | 10–70 | ||||
| crucifixion thorn | CAHO3 | Canotia holacantha | 10–50 | – | ||
| redberry juniper | JUCO11 | Juniperus coahuilensis | 0–5 | – | ||
| oneseed juniper | JUMO | Juniperus monosperma | 0–5 | – | ||
| blue paloverde | PAFL6 | Parkinsonia florida | 0–5 | – | ||
| yellow paloverde | PAMI5 | Parkinsonia microphylla | 0–5 | – | ||
| netleaf hackberry | CELAR | Celtis laevigata var. reticulata | 0–1 | – | ||
Interpretations
Animal community
This site is suitable for grazing year round, but is not easily traversed by livestock. Livestock grazing use is concentrated on south slopes, canyon bottoms and ridge-tops. North slopes are little used. Slopes greater than 50% and areas with very cobbly surfaces limit grazing use by cattle. Areas of rock outcrop and steep scarps form barriers to livestock movement. The site is susceptible to erosion in overgrazed areas like bed-grounds, livestock trails and lower slopes adjacent to water.
The site has good habitat diversity for a great variety of desert wildlife species.
Hydrological functions
This site has rough surfaces, due to a high cover of gravels, cobbles and stones, which act to hold water on the site. When the soils are dry, it produces little runoff. It produces significant runoff only when heavy rain falls on snow or moist soils.
Recreational uses
Hunting, camping, horseback riding, backpacking, rock hounding, photography.
Wood products
Limited harvest of fuel-wood, fence posts and stays from canotia, mesquite, juniper and saguaro.
Other products
There is some native harvest of food plants like grass nuts, thistle, prickly pear tunas and mescal.
Supporting information
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) | |
|---|---|
| Contact for lead author | |
| Date | |
| Approved by | |
| Approval date | |
| Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on | Annual Production |
Indicators
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Number and extent of rills:
-
Presence of water flow patterns:
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Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
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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:
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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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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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