Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R038XA133AZ
Volcanic/Metamorphic Hills 12-16" p.z.
Accessed: 11/13/2024
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
| R038XA104AZ |
Granitic Hills 12-16" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R038XA105AZ |
Limestone Hills 12-16" p.z. |
| R038XA117AZ |
Volcanic Hills 12-16" p.z. Clayey |
Similar sites
| R040XA105AZ |
Shallow Hills 10"-13" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R040XA123AZ |
Volcanic Hills 10"-13" P.Z. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Parkinsonia |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Simmondsia chinensis |
| Herbaceous |
(1) aristida |
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 hill-slopes, ridge-tops and mountains.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Hill
(2) Mountain 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 dark colored. They are loamy textured, non-calcareous and well drained. These soils range from lacking any development to having weak argillic horizons. They have formed in residuum and colluvium from andesite, dacite, diorite and related conglomerates and metamorphic parent materials. Soil surfaces are well covered by dark colored gravels, cobbles and/or stones. The effective rooting depth is limited by slightly weathered 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 can be as high as 15%.
Soils mapped to date on this site include: from SSA-661 East Pinal&South Gila Counties MU Lampshire-885.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| 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 | Moderately rapid to 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 – 2.2 in |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in) |
5% |
| Electrical conductivity (0-40in) |
2 mmhos/cm |
| Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in) |
2 |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in) |
6.8 – 7.6 |
| 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. 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, Volcanic/Metamorphic Hills 12-
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. Volcanic / Metamorphic Hills 12-16" pz. HCPC
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 occurring, wildfires were important in maintaining the potential plant community. North slopes have a chaparral of evergreen shrubs like jojoba, turbinella oak and flatop buckwheat. Southern exposures will have a higher percentage of desert shrubs, trees and succulents in the plant community. More xeric grasses will dominate southern exposures (aristida, tanglehead). Grasses on cooler aspects include desert stipa and sideoats grama.
Figure 6. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
| Plant type | Low (lb/acre) |
Representative value (lb/acre) |
High (lb/acre) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shrub/Vine | 200 | 350 | 630 |
| Grass/Grasslike | 75 | 200 | 550 |
| Forb | 25 | 100 | 250 |
| Tree | 5 | 20 | 100 |
| Total | 305 | 670 | 1530 |
Table 6. Soil surface cover
| Tree basal cover | 0-1% |
|---|---|
| Shrub/vine/liana basal cover | 2-5% |
| Grass/grasslike basal cover | 1-2% |
| Forb basal cover | 0-1% |
| Non-vascular plants | 0-1% |
| Biological crusts | 0-5% |
| Litter | 15-45% |
| Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" | 20-50% |
| Surface fragments >3" | 1-15% |
| Bedrock | 1-5% |
| Water | 0% |
| Bare ground | 10-60% |
Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
| Height Above Ground (ft) | Tree | Shrub/Vine | Grass/ Grasslike |
Forb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <0.5 | – | 0-1% | 0-10% | 1-10% |
| >0.5 <= 1 | – | 1-5% | 1-10% | 1-5% |
| >1 <= 2 | – | 5-10% | 2-10% | 1-5% |
| >2 <= 4.5 | – | 15-25% | 1-3% | 0-1% |
| >4.5 <= 13 | 1-5% | 1-10% | – | – |
| >13 <= 40 | 1-10% | – | – | – |
| >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
Perennial grass canopy cover is reduced due to the interactions of drought, grazing and 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.
State 3
Exotic Invaded State
Community 3.1
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. 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 fire sensitive species like paloverde, cacti and canotia, and leave fire tolerant species like turbinella oak, mesquite, whitethorn and jojoba.
State 4
Shrub Dominated and Eroded State
Community 4.1
Shrub Dominated, Eroded Plant Community
Shrubs like jojoba, whitethorn acacia, mesquite, ocotillo 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. Compaction of soils can occur with heavy trailing from continuous livestock use. Loss of plant cover after repeated fire can lead to accelerated 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 | 50–200 | ||||
| sideoats grama | BOCU | Bouteloua curtipendula | 10–100 | – | ||
| purple threeawn | ARPU9 | Aristida purpurea | 5–50 | – | ||
| bush muhly | MUPO2 | Muhlenbergia porteri | 10–50 | – | ||
| tanglehead | HECO10 | Heteropogon contortus | 1–30 | – | ||
| Parish's threeawn | ARPUP5 | Aristida purpurea var. parishii | 0–30 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTE3 | Aristida ternipes | 1–30 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTEG | Aristida ternipes var. gentilis | 1–30 | – | ||
| cane bluestem | BOBA3 | Bothriochloa barbinodis | 1–30 | – | ||
| black grama | BOER4 | Bouteloua eriopoda | 0–30 | – | ||
| Arizona cottontop | DICA8 | Digitaria californica | 0–20 | – | ||
| 2 | Cool season grasses | 10–100 | ||||
| desert needlegrass | ACSP12 | Achnatherum speciosum | 10–80 | – | ||
| squirreltail | ELEL5 | Elymus elymoides | 0–20 | – | ||
| prairie Junegrass | KOMA | Koeleria macrantha | 0–20 | – | ||
| Indian ricegrass | ACHY | Achnatherum hymenoides | 0–5 | – | ||
| 3 | Misc. perennial grasses | 10–100 | ||||
| slender grama | BORE2 | Bouteloua repens | 5–50 | – | ||
| Hall's panicgrass | PAHA | Panicum hallii | 0–25 | – | ||
| big galleta | PLRI3 | Pleuraphis rigida | 0–25 | – | ||
| hairy grama | BOHI2 | Bouteloua hirsuta | 0–20 | – | ||
| tobosagrass | PLMU3 | Pleuraphis mutica | 0–10 | – | ||
| curly-mesquite | HIBE | Hilaria belangeri | 0–10 | – | ||
| red grama | BOTR2 | Bouteloua trifida | 0–5 | – | ||
| Fendler threeawn | ARPUL | Aristida purpurea var. longiseta | 0–5 | – | ||
| blue threeawn | ARPUN | Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi | 0–5 | – | ||
| southwestern bristlegrass | SESC2 | Setaria scheelei | 0–5 | – | ||
| plains bristlegrass | SEVU2 | Setaria vulpiseta | 0–5 | – | ||
| sand dropseed | SPCR | Sporobolus cryptandrus | 0–5 | – | ||
| low woollygrass | DAPU7 | Dasyochloa pulchella | 0–2 | – | ||
| nineawn pappusgrass | ENDE | Enneapogon desvauxii | 0–2 | – | ||
| plains lovegrass | ERIN | Eragrostis intermedia | 0–1 | – | ||
| green sprangletop | LEDU | Leptochloa dubia | 0–1 | – | ||
| vine mesquite | PAOB | Panicum obtusum | 0–1 | – | ||
| 4 | Annual grasses | 5–150 | ||||
| sixweeks threeawn | ARAD | Aristida adscensionis | 1–30 | – | ||
| mucronate sprangeltop | LEPAB | Leptochloa panicea ssp. brachiata | 1–25 | – | ||
| Arizona signalgrass | URAR | Urochloa arizonica | 1–20 | – | ||
| small fescue | VUMI | Vulpia microstachys | 1–20 | – | ||
| Eastwood fescue | VUMIC | Vulpia microstachys var. ciliata | 1–20 | – | ||
| sixweeks fescue | VUOC | Vulpia octoflora | 1–20 | – | ||
| Mexican panicgrass | PAHI5 | Panicum hirticaule | 0–20 | – | ||
| prairie threeawn | AROL | Aristida oligantha | 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 | – | ||
| Rothrock's grama | BORO2 | Bouteloua rothrockii | 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 | – | ||
| sixweeks grama | BOBA2 | Bouteloua barbata | 0–1 | – | ||
| Bigelow's bluegrass | POBI | Poa bigelovii | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 5 | Perennial forbs | 20–100 | ||||
| slender janusia | JAGR | Janusia gracilis | 1–20 | – | ||
| bluedicks | DICA14 | Dichelostemma capitatum | 1–15 | – | ||
| shrubby deervetch | LORI3 | Lotus rigidus | 1–15 | – | ||
| desert globemallow | SPAM2 | Sphaeralcea ambigua | 1–15 | – | ||
| spikemoss | SELAG | Selaginella | 0–15 | – | ||
| brownplume wirelettuce | STPA4 | Stephanomeria pauciflora | 1–10 | – | ||
| longflower tube tongue | JULO3 | Justicia longii | 0–10 | – | ||
| lacy tansyaster | MAPI | Machaeranthera pinnatifida | 1–10 | – | ||
| wishbone-bush | MILAV | Mirabilis laevis var. villosa | 1–10 | – | ||
| Coues' cassia | SECO10 | Senna covesii | 1–10 | – | ||
| weakleaf bur ragweed | AMCO3 | Ambrosia confertiflora | 1–10 | – | ||
| perennial rockcress | ARPE2 | Arabis perennans | 1–10 | – | ||
| white sagebrush | ARLUM2 | Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. mexicana | 1–10 | – | ||
| climbing wartclub | BOSC | Boerhavia scandens | 0–5 | – | ||
| brownfoot | ACWR5 | Acourtia wrightii | 1–5 | – | ||
| San Felipe dogweed | ADPO | Adenophyllum porophylloides | 0–5 | – | ||
| trailing windmills | ALIN | Allionia incarnata | 0–5 | – | ||
| Parry's false prairie-clover | MAPA7 | Marina parryi | 1–5 | – | ||
| slender poreleaf | POGR5 | Porophyllum gracile | 0–5 | – | ||
| plains blackfoot | MELE2 | Melampodium leucanthum | 0–5 | – | ||
| cliffbrake | PELLA | Pellaea | 0–5 | – | ||
| Parry's beardtongue | PEPA24 | Penstemon parryi | 0–5 | – | ||
| desert penstemon | PEPS | Penstemon pseudospectabilis | 0–5 | – | ||
| lipfern | CHEIL | Cheilanthes | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona wrightwort | CAAR7 | Carlowrightia arizonica | 0–5 | – | ||
| sego lily | CANU3 | Calochortus nuttallii | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert trumpet | ERIN4 | Eriogonum inflatum | 0–2 | – | ||
| Mojave spurge | EUSC6 | Euphorbia schizoloba | 0–2 | – | ||
| southwestern mock vervain | GLGO | Glandularia gooddingii | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert rosemallow | HICO | Hibiscus coulteri | 0–2 | – | ||
| New Mexico groundsel | PANE7 | Packera neomexicana | 0–2 | – | ||
| Oak Creek ragwort | PAQU8 | Packera quercetorum | 0–1 | – | ||
| toadflax penstemon | PELI2 | Penstemon linarioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| glandleaf milkwort | POMA7 | Polygala macradenia | 0–1 | – | ||
| scurfpea | PSORA2 | Psoralidium | 0–1 | – | ||
| canaigre dock | RUHY | Rumex hymenosepalus | 0–1 | – | ||
| twinleaf senna | SEBA3 | Senna bauhinioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| orange fameflower | PHAU13 | Phemeranthus aurantiacus | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert tobacco | NIOB | Nicotiana obtusifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| paleface | HIDE | Hibiscus denudatus | 0–1 | – | ||
| Indian rushpea | HOGL2 | Hoffmannseggia glauca | 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 | – | ||
| wavyleaf Indian paintbrush | CAAPM | Castilleja applegatei ssp. martinii | 0–1 | – | ||
| Wright's deervetch | LOWR | Lotus wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| fleabane | ERIGE2 | Erigeron | 0–1 | – | ||
| ragged nettlespurge | JAMA | Jatropha macrorhiza | 0–1 | – | ||
| turpentinebroom | THMO | Thamnosma montana | 0–1 | – | ||
| branched noseburn | TRRA5 | Tragia ramosa | 0–1 | – | ||
| Louisiana vetch | VILUL2 | Vicia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana | 0–1 | – | ||
| Lemmon's ragwort | SELE8 | Senecio lemmonii | 0–1 | – | ||
| silverleaf nightshade | SOEL | Solanum elaeagnifolium | 0–1 | – | ||
| largeflower onion | ALMA4 | Allium macropetalum | 0–1 | – | ||
| tuber anemone | ANTU | Anemone tuberosa | 0–1 | – | ||
| narrowleaf silverbush | ARLA12 | Argythamnia lanceolata | 0–1 | – | ||
| white sagebrush | ARLU | Artemisia ludoviciana | 0–1 | – | ||
| dense ayenia | AYMI | Ayenia microphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert marigold | BAMU | Baileya multiradiata | 0–1 | – | ||
| scarlet spiderling | BOCO | Boerhavia coccinea | 0–1 | – | ||
| New Mexico silverbush | ARNE2 | Argythamnia neomexicana | 0–1 | – | ||
| dwarf desertpeony | ACNA2 | Acourtia nana | 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 | – | ||
| California poppy | ESCAM | Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana | 0–25 | – | ||
| western tansymustard | DEPI | Descurainia pinnata | 0–20 | – | ||
| Coulter's lupine | LUSP2 | Lupinus sparsiflorus | 0–20 | – | ||
| phacelia | PHACE | Phacelia | 0–15 | – | ||
| exserted Indian paintbrush | CAEXE | Castilleja exserta ssp. exserta | 0–15 | – | ||
| pitseed goosefoot | CHBE4 | Chenopodium berlandieri | 0–10 | – | ||
| longleaf false goldeneye | HELOA2 | Heliomeris longifolia var. annua | 0–10 | – | ||
| slender goldenweed | MAGR10 | Machaeranthera gracilis | 0–10 | – | ||
| tanseyleaf tansyaster | MATA2 | Machaeranthera tanacetifolia | 0–10 | – | ||
| combseed | PECTO | Pectocarya | 0–5 | – | ||
| desert Indianwheat | PLOV | Plantago ovata | 1–5 | – | ||
| woolly plantain | PLPA2 | Plantago patagonica | 0–5 | – | ||
| coastal bird's-foot trefoil | LOSA | Lotus salsuginosus | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona lupine | LUAR4 | Lupinus arizonicus | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona popcornflower | PLAR | Plagiobothrys arizonicus | 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 | – | ||
| flatcrown buckwheat | ERDE6 | Eriogonum deflexum | 0–5 | – | ||
| sorrel buckwheat | ERPO4 | Eriogonum polycladon | 0–5 | – | ||
| American wild carrot | DAPU3 | Daucus pusillus | 0–5 | – | ||
| miner's lettuce | CLPEP | Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata | 0–5 | – | ||
| cryptantha | CRYPT | Cryptantha | 0–5 | – | ||
| carelessweed | AMPA | Amaranthus palmeri | 0–5 | – | ||
| milkvetch | ASTRA | Astragalus | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona poppy | KAGR | Kallstroemia grandiflora | 0–5 | – | ||
| shaggyfruit pepperweed | LELA | Lepidium lasiocarpum | 0–5 | – | ||
| foothill deervetch | LOHU2 | Lotus humistratus | 0–5 | – | ||
| desertparsley | LOMAT | Lomatium | 0–5 | – | ||
| Thurber's pepperweed | LETH2 | Lepidium thurberi | 0–2 | – | ||
| spurge | EUPHO | Euphorbia | 0–2 | – | ||
| Gordon's bladderpod | LEGO | Lesquerella gordonii | 0–2 | – | ||
| annual agoseris | AGHE2 | Agoseris heterophylla | 0–2 | – | ||
| New Mexico thistle | CINE | Cirsium neomexicanum | 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 | – | ||
| creamcups | PLCA5 | Platystemon californicus | 0–2 | – | ||
| sand fringepod | THCU | Thysanocarpus curvipes | 0–2 | – | ||
| miniature lupine | LUBI | Lupinus bicolor | 0–2 | – | ||
| purslane | PORTU | Portulaca | 0–2 | – | ||
| Florida pellitory | PAFL3 | Parietaria floridana | 0–2 | – | ||
| hollowleaf annual lupine | LUSU3 | Lupinus succulentus | 0–2 | – | ||
| 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 | – | ||
| manybristle chinchweed | PEPA2 | Pectis papposa | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert unicorn-plant | PRAL4 | Proboscidea althaeifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| doubleclaw | PRPA2 | Proboscidea parviflora | 0–1 | – | ||
| woollyhead neststraw | STMI2 | Stylocline micropoides | 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 | – | ||
| 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 | – | ||
| hairy prairie clover | DAMO | Dalea mollis | 0–1 | – | ||
| scrambled eggs | COAU2 | Corydalis aurea | 0–1 | – | ||
| brittle spineflower | CHBR | Chorizanthe brevicornu | 0–1 | – | ||
| Esteve's pincushion | CHST | Chaenactis stevioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| yellow tackstem | CAPA7 | Calycoseris parryi | 0–1 | – | ||
| white tackstem | CAWR | Calycoseris wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| hoary bowlesia | BOIN3 | Bowlesia incana | 0–1 | – | ||
| star gilia | GIST | Gilia stellata | 0–1 | – | ||
| California goldfields | LACA7 | Lasthenia californica | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 7 | Evergreen shrubs | 150–300 | ||||
| jojoba | SICH | Simmondsia chinensis | 100–250 | – | ||
| Sonoran scrub oak | QUTU2 | Quercus turbinella | 0–150 | – | ||
| desert ceanothus | CEGR | Ceanothus greggii | 0–80 | – | ||
| snapdragon penstemon | KEANM | Keckiella antirrhinoides ssp. microphylla | 0–20 | – | ||
| algerita | MATR3 | Mahonia trifoliolata | 0–10 | – | ||
| sugar sumac | RHOV | Rhus ovata | 0–5 | – | ||
| redberry buckthorn | RHCR | Rhamnus crocea | 0–1 | – | ||
| red barberry | MAHA4 | Mahonia haematocarpa | 0–1 | – | ||
| 8 | Large shrubs | 15–60 | ||||
| Wright's beebrush | ALWR | Aloysia wrightii | 1–20 | – | ||
| ocotillo | FOSP2 | Fouquieria splendens | 1–20 | – | ||
| whitethorn acacia | ACCO2 | Acacia constricta | 0–10 | – | ||
| catclaw acacia | ACGR | Acacia greggii | 1–10 | – | ||
| desert sweet | CHMI2 | Chamaebatiaria millefolium | 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 | – | ||
| winterfat | KRLA2 | Krascheninnikovia lanata | 0–2 | – | ||
| creosote bush | LATR2 | Larrea tridentata | 0–2 | – | ||
| spiny hackberry | CEEH | Celtis ehrenbergiana | 0–2 | – | ||
| Florida hopbush | DOVI | Dodonaea viscosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| catclaw mimosa | MIACB | Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera | 0–2 | – | ||
| Mexican bladdersage | SAME | Salazaria mexicana | 0–2 | – | ||
| Arizona necklacepod | SOAR3 | Sophora arizonica | 0–2 | – | ||
| lotebush | ZIOBC | Ziziphus obtusifolia var. canescens | 0–1 | – | ||
| mariola | PAIN2 | Parthenium incanum | 0–1 | – | ||
| littleleaf sumac | RHMI3 | Rhus microphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| skunkbush sumac | RHTR | Rhus trilobata | 0–1 | – | ||
| pale desert-thorn | LYPA | Lycium pallidum | 0–1 | – | ||
| Warnock's snakewood | COWA | Condalia warnockii | 0–1 | – | ||
| ambrosia leaf bur ragweed | AMAM2 | Ambrosia ambrosioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| Thurber's desert honeysuckle | ANTH2 | Anisacanthus thurberi | 0–1 | – | ||
| fourwing saltbush | ATCA2 | Atriplex canescens | 0–1 | – | ||
| 9 | Dominant half shrubs | 35–150 | ||||
| Eastern Mojave buckwheat | ERFA2 | Eriogonum fasciculatum | 20–100 | – | ||
| bastardsage | ERWR | Eriogonum wrightii | 1–25 | – | ||
| American threefold | TRCA8 | Trixis californica | 1–25 | – | ||
| rough menodora | MESC | Menodora scabra | 1–20 | – | ||
| Coulter's brickellbush | BRCO | Brickellia coulteri | 1–15 | – | ||
| fairyduster | CAER | Calliandra eriophylla | 1–15 | – | ||
| Parish's goldeneye | VIPA14 | Viguiera parishii | 0–10 | – | ||
| littleleaf ratany | KRER | Krameria erecta | 0–10 | – | ||
| longleaf phlox | PHLO2 | Phlox longifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| ragged rockflower | CRBI2 | Crossosoma bigelovii | 0–5 | – | ||
| starry bedstraw | GAST | Galium stellatum | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert zinnia | ZIAC | Zinnia acerosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| shortleaf baccharis | BABR | Baccharis brachyphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| yerba de pasmo | BAPT | Baccharis pteronioides | 0–1 | – | ||
| sweetbush | BEJU | Bebbia juncea | 0–1 | – | ||
| 10 | Succulents | 5–70 | ||||
| banana yucca | YUBA | Yucca baccata | 1–20 | – | ||
| buck-horn cholla | CYAC8 | Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa | 0–15 | – | ||
| walkingstick cactus | CYSP8 | Cylindropuntia spinosior | 0–10 | – | ||
| Whipple cholla | CYWH | Cylindropuntia whipplei | 0–10 | – | ||
| cactus apple | OPEN3 | Opuntia engelmannii | 1–10 | – | ||
| tulip pricklypear | OPPH | Opuntia phaeacantha | 0–10 | – | ||
| common sotol | DAWH2 | Dasylirion wheeleri | 1–5 | – | ||
| saguaro | CAGI10 | Carnegiea gigantea | 0–5 | – | ||
| Christmas cactus | CYLE8 | Cylindropuntia leptocaulis | 0–5 | – | ||
| goldenflower century plant | AGCH2 | Agave chrysantha | 0–5 | – | ||
| Schott's century plant | AGSC3 | Agave schottii | 0–2 | – | ||
| dollarjoint pricklypear | OPCH | Opuntia chlorotica | 0–2 | – | ||
| candy barrelcactus | FEWI | Ferocactus wislizeni | 0–2 | – | ||
| teddybear cholla | CYBI9 | Cylindropuntia bigelovii | 0–2 | – | ||
| jumping cholla | CYFU10 | Cylindropuntia fulgida | 0–2 | – | ||
| pinkflower hedgehog cactus | ECFA | Echinocereus fasciculatus | 0–2 | – | ||
| spinystar | ESVI2 | Escobaria vivipara | 0–1 | – | ||
| Graham's nipple cactus | MAGR9 | Mammillaria grahamii | 0–1 | – | ||
| sacahuista | NOMI | Nolina microcarpa | 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 | – | ||
| soaptree yucca | YUEL | Yucca elata | 0–1 | – | ||
| 11 | Increaser half-shrubs | 1–50 | ||||
| broom snakeweed | GUSA2 | Gutierrezia sarothrae | 1–20 | – | ||
| brittlebush | ENFA | Encelia farinosa | 0–15 | – | ||
| button brittlebush | ENFR | Encelia frutescens | 0–5 | – | ||
| turpentine bush | ERLA12 | Ericameria laricifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| narrowleaf goldenbush | ERLI6 | Ericameria linearifolia | 0–5 | – | ||
| threadleaf snakeweed | GUMI | Gutierrezia microcephala | 0–1 | – | ||
| burroweed | ISTE2 | Isocoma tenuisecta | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Tree
|
||||||
| 12 | Trees | 5–100 | ||||
| crucifixion thorn | CAHO3 | Canotia holacantha | 1–50 | – | ||
| yellow paloverde | PAMI5 | Parkinsonia microphylla | 1–15 | – | ||
| western honey mesquite | PRGLT | Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana | 0–5 | – | ||
| velvet mesquite | PRVE | Prosopis velutina | 0–5 | – | ||
| redberry juniper | JUCO11 | Juniperus coahuilensis | 0–5 | – | ||
| oneseed juniper | JUMO | Juniperus monosperma | 0–5 | – | ||
| blue paloverde | PAFL6 | Parkinsonia florida | 0–5 | – | ||
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 may be little used. Slopes greater than 50% and areas with very cobbly surfaces limit grazing use by cattle. Areas of rock outcrop can 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. Water developments are very important to both livestock and wildlife on this site.
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 mesquite, juniper and saguaro.
Other products
There is some native harvest of food plants like grass nuts, thistle, prickly pear tunas, jojoba nuts 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:
-
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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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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