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Ecological site R038XB226AZ

Loamy Swale 16-20" p.z.

Accessed: 11/21/2024

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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.

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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 38.2 - Middle Mogollon Transition

Elevations range from 4000 to 5500 feet and precipitation averages 16 to 20 inches per year. Vegetation includes turbinella oak, Wright silktassel, hollyleaf buckthorn, desert buckbrush, one-seed juniper, alligator juniper, pinyon, algerita, sugar sumac, prairie junegrass, blue grama, curly mesquite, bottlebrush squirreltail, muttongrass, cane beardgrass, plains lovegrass and bullgrass. The soil temperature regime ranges from thermic to mesic and the soil moisture regime is aridic ustic. 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.

Classification relationships

Similar site to TES (Terrestrial Ecosystem Sites) map unit no's. 463 and 481 on the Prescott National Forest.

Associated sites

R038XB202AZ	Clayey Upland 16-20" p.z.
R038XB209AZ	Loamy Upland 16-20" p.z.
R038XB215AZ	Clayey Hills 16-20" p.z.
R038XB225AZ	Clayey Swale 16-20" p.z.

Similar sites

R041XC311AZ	Loamy Swale 12-16" p.z.
R038XB225AZ	Clayey Swale 16-20" p.z.

R041XC311AZ

Loamy Swale 12-16" p.z.

R038XB225AZ

Clayey Swale 16-20" p.z.

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Tree	Not specified
Shrub	Not specified
Herbaceous	(1) Bouteloua curtipendula (2) Bouteloua gracilis

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Physiographic features

This site occurs in the middle elevations of the Mogollon Transition zone south of the Rim in central Arizona.
This site is in a bottom position. It benefits significantly from extra moisture recieved as runoff from, adjacent, upland areas.

Table 2. Representative physiographic features

Landforms	(1) Alluvial flat (2) Flood plain (3) Swale
Flooding duration	Very brief (4 to 48 hours) to brief (2 to 7 days)
Flooding frequency	Rare to occasional
Ponding duration	Very brief (4 to 48 hours) to brief (2 to 7 days)
Ponding frequency	None to rare
Elevation	4,400 – 5,600 ft
Slope	3%
Aspect	Aspect is not a significant factor

Climatic features

Precipitation in this common resource area averages 16 to 20 inches annually. The winter-summer rainfall ratio ranges from about 60/40% in the western part of the area to 45/55% in the eastern part. Summer rains fall July through September; and 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 5 to 35 inches per year and can occur from November through April. Snow seldom persists for more than a week. May and June are the driest months of the year. Humidity is generally low all year. Average annual air temperatures range from 51 to 60 degrees F ( thermic temperature regime). Daytime temps in the summer are commonly in the low 90's. Freezing temperatures are common from October through April. The actual precipitation, avaliable moisture and temperature varies, depending on, region, elevation, rain shadow effect and aspect.

Table 3. Representative climatic features

Frost-free period (average)	180 days
Freeze-free period (average)	240 days
Precipitation total (average)	20 in

Bar

Line

Figure 2. Monthly precipitation range

Bar

Line

Figure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature

Soil features

These soils are deep (60 inches), loamy throughout, and well drained. They are formed in mixed alluvium from a variety of sources. The surface textures are sandyloam to siltloam. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches. Runoff is moderate on moist soils. The erosion hazard is slight unless heavy traffic causes trailing and compaction.

Soil series mapped under this site include: SSA675 San Carlos IR area MU's 51 Lanque.

Table 4. Representative soil features

Surface texture	(1) Sandy loam (2) Loam (3) Silt loam
Family particle size	(1) Loamy
Drainage class	Well drained to moderately well drained
Permeability class	Moderately rapid to moderate
Soil depth	60 in
Surface fragment cover <=3"	5%
Surface fragment cover >3"	2%
Available water capacity (0-40in)	4.8 – 9.2 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)	6.6 – 8.2
Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified)	5%
Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified)	1%

Ecological dynamics

The native plant community is a warm season grassland (canopy cover of 50 to 70%) with an important component of cool season grasses that fluctuate with climate. Cool and warm season annual grasses and forbs are well represented in the flora. Half shrubs and perennial forbs are an important group also. Periodic wildfires occured every 10 to 15 years; June through August, and controlled shrubs and succulents invading from adjacent, shallow soil, areas. In the absence of fire for long periods of time; shrubs, trees and cacti can dominate the site. The interactions of drought, fire and grazing can result in a loss of perennial grass cover. In these situations annuals, both native and non-native, can dominate the plant community. Non-native annuals can, over time, diminish the soil seed-bank of native annual species.

State and transition model

Custom diagram

Standard diagram

Figure 4. State & Transition Model, Loamy Swale 16-20" pz.

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
Mixed Native Grassland State

Community 1.1
Historic Native Plant Community

The historic, native, plant community is a grassland dominated by blue grama, sideoats grama, mat muhly, creeping muhly, tobosa and vine mesquite. Prairie junegrass and bottlebrush squirreltail are an important in the plant community, but can diminish to low levels after severe winter - spring drought. Shrubby buckwheat is an important half-shrub in the plant community. 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.

Figure 5. 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	900	1850	2500
Forb	50	150	500
Shrub/Vine	10	50	100
Total	960	2050	3100

Table 6. Ground cover

Tree foliar cover	0%
Shrub/vine/liana foliar cover	0-3%
Grass/grasslike foliar cover	12-25%
Forb foliar cover	0-2%
Non-vascular plants	0-1%
Biological crusts	0-1%
Litter	35-60%
Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3"	0-5%
Surface fragments >3"	0-1%
Bedrock	0%
Water	0%
Bare ground	15-20%

Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)

Height Above Ground (ft)	Tree	Shrub/Vine	Grass/ Grasslike	Forb
<0.5	–	–	0-5%	0-5%
>0.5 <= 1	–	0-5%	2-20%	1-10%
>1 <= 2	–	0-2%	40-65%	0-10%
>2 <= 4.5	–	0-2%	–	0-10%
>4.5 <= 13	–	0-2%	–	–
>13 <= 40	–	–	–	–
>40 <= 80	–	–	–	–
>80 <= 120	–	–	–	–
>120	–	–	–	–

Figure 6. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). AZ3812, 38.2 16-20" p.z. all sites. Growth begins in the spring and continues into the summer and fall..

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	5	5	15	10	10	15	20	10	5	5	0

State 2
Native Annuals State

Community 2.1
Native Annual Forb and Grass Plant Community

Perennial grass canopy cover is reduced due to the interactions of drought, grazing and / or fire. Native and non-native annual forbs and grasses dominate the plant community. If this plant community persists for long periods of time; the seed-bank of native perennial grasses can diminish to a point where artificial reseeding will be necessary to return to a native potential plant community

State 3
Shrub Dominated, Eroded State

Community 3.1
Shrub Dominated, Eroded Plant Community

Rill and gully erosion can rapidly drain extra water from the site. Shrubs like; mesquite, wait a bit mimosa, catclaw acacia and turbinella oak; and succulents like prickly pear and cholla can increase, and trees like one-seed juniper, alligator juniper, redberry juniper and pinyon pine, can invade from adjacent, shallow soil, areas, to dominate the site in the absence of fire. Native and non-native annual forbs and grasses dominate the understory. 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.

State 4
Exotic Invaded State

Community 4.1
Exotic forb and grass invaded state

Non-native annual grasses and forbs like; red brome, cheatgrass, kochia, tumble pigweed, russian thistle, tumble mustard, yellow starthistle, wild oats and filaree, can invade and dominate areas of the site with very low perennial grass cover. Perennial forbs like russian knapweed and leafy spurge could invade and, perhaps, dominate this site. These species can, over time, reduce the seed-bank of native annual grasses and forbs.

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	mid grasses			600–1200
	sideoats grama	BOCU	Bouteloua curtipendula	200–600	–
	cane bluestem	BOBA3	Bothriochloa barbinodis	50–200	–
	green sprangletop	LEDU	Leptochloa dubia	25–200	–
	deergrass	MURI2	Muhlenbergia rigens	0–150	–
	big sacaton	SPWR2	Sporobolus wrightii	0–150	–
	tobosagrass	PLMU3	Pleuraphis mutica	0–100	–
	plains lovegrass	ERIN	Eragrostis intermedia	25–100	–
	spike dropseed	SPCO4	Sporobolus contractus	0–50	–
2	short grasses			200–400
	blue grama	BOGR2	Bouteloua gracilis	100–300	–
	vine mesquite	PAOB	Panicum obtusum	100–300	–
	creeping muhly	MURE	Muhlenbergia repens	10–150	–
	mat muhly	MURI	Muhlenbergia richardsonis	10–100	–
3	cool season grasses			50–400
	squirreltail	ELEL5	Elymus elymoides	10–200	–
	prairie Junegrass	KOMA	Koeleria macrantha	10–200	–
	western wheatgrass	PASM	Pascopyrum smithii	0–50	–
4	misc. perennial grasses			10–100
	Orcutt's threeawn	ARSCO	Aristida schiedeana var. orcuttiana	0–50	–
	spidergrass	ARTE3	Aristida ternipes	0–50	–
	spidergrass	ARTEG	Aristida ternipes var. gentilis	0–50	–
	threeawn	ARIST	Aristida	0–25	–
	Fendler threeawn	ARPUL	Aristida purpurea var. longiseta	0–25	–
	curly-mesquite	HIBE	Hilaria belangeri	0–25	–
	sand dropseed	SPCR	Sporobolus cryptandrus	0–25	–
	sprucetop grama	BOCH	Bouteloua chondrosioides	0–20	–
	black grama	BOER4	Bouteloua eriopoda	0–20	–
	hairy grama	BOHI2	Bouteloua hirsuta	0–20	–
	Arizona wheatgrass	ELAR7	Elymus arizonicus	0–20	–
	common wolfstail	LYPH	Lycurus phleoides	0–15	–
	slender muhly	MUTE4	Muhlenbergia tenuifolia	0–10	–
	muttongrass	POFE	Poa fendleriana	0–10	–
	muttongrass	POFEL	Poa fendleriana ssp. longiligula	0–10	–
	poverty threeawn	ARDI5	Aristida divaricata	0–10	–
5	annual grasses			25–400
	Mexican sprangletop	LEFUU	Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia	10–200	–
	mucronate sprangeltop	LEPAB	Leptochloa panicea ssp. brachiata	10–200	–
	Mexican panicgrass	PAHI5	Panicum hirticaule	5–200	–
	prairie threeawn	AROL	Aristida oligantha	5–100	–
	needle grama	BOAR	Bouteloua aristidoides	0–50	–
	sticky sprangletop	LEVI5	Leptochloa viscida	0–50	–
	sixweeks threeawn	ARAD	Aristida adscensionis	0–50	–
	feather fingergrass	CHVI4	Chloris virgata	0–50	–
	witchgrass	PACA6	Panicum capillare	0–50	–
	tufted lovegrass	ERPE	Eragrostis pectinacea	0–50	–
	desert lovegrass	ERPEM	Eragrostis pectinacea var. miserrima	0–50	–
	little barley	HOPU	Hordeum pusillum	0–50	–
	small fescue	VUMI	Vulpia microstachys	0–50	–
	Eastwood fescue	VUMIC	Vulpia microstachys var. ciliata	0–50	–
	sixweeks fescue	VUOC	Vulpia octoflora	5–50	–
	canyon cupgrass	ERLE7	Eriochloa lemmonii	0–25	–
	delicate muhly	MUFR	Muhlenbergia fragilis	0–25	–
	littleseed muhly	MUMI	Muhlenbergia microsperma	0–25	–
	sixweeks grama	BOBA2	Bouteloua barbata	0–25	–
	Arizona brome	BRAR4	Bromus arizonicus	0–25	–
	Bigelow's bluegrass	POBI	Poa bigelovii	0–25	–
	Arizona signalgrass	URAR	Urochloa arizonica	0–15	–
Forb
6	perennial forbs			25–100
	largeflower onion	ALMA4	Allium macropetalum	1–50	–
	Missouri gourd	CUFO	Cucurbita foetidissima	0–50	–
	Lewis flax	LILE3	Linum lewisii	0–50	–
	Arizona gumweed	GRAR2	Grindelia arizonica	0–25	–
	showy goldeneye	HEMU3	Heliomeris multiflora	0–25	–
	Indian rushpea	HOGL2	Hoffmannseggia glauca	1–25	–
	Missouri goldenrod	SOMI2	Solidago missouriensis	0–25	–
	desert globemallow	SPAM2	Sphaeralcea ambigua	0–25	–
	copper globemallow	SPAN3	Sphaeralcea angustifolia	0–25	–
	Rusby's globemallow	SPRU2	Sphaeralcea rusbyi	0–25	–
	brownplume wirelettuce	STPA4	Stephanomeria pauciflora	0–25	–
	coyote gourd	CUPA	Cucurbita palmata	1–25	–
	bluedicks	DICA14	Dichelostemma capitatum	1–25	–
	weakleaf bur ragweed	AMCO3	Ambrosia confertiflora	1–25	–
	fingerleaf gourd	CUDI	Cucurbita digitata	1–25	–
	whitemouth dayflower	COER	Commelina erecta	0–20	–
	leastdaisy	CHAET2	Chaetopappa	0–15	–
	longstalk greenthread	THLO	Thelesperma longipes	0–15	–
	tepary bean	PHAC	Phaseolus acutifolius	0–15	–
	Greene's bird's-foot trefoil	LOGR4	Lotus greenei	0–15	–
	Wright's deervetch	LOWR	Lotus wrightii	0–15	–
	variableleaf bushbean	MAGI2	Macroptilium gibbosifolium	0–15	–
	vetch	VICIA	Vicia	0–10	–
	rose heath	CHER2	Chaetopappa ericoides	0–10	–
	Texas bindweed	COEQ	Convolvulus equitans	0–10	–
	onion	ALLIU	Allium	0–10	–
	Forb, perennial	2FP	Forb, perennial	0–10	–
	scarlet spiderling	BOCO	Boerhavia coccinea	0–10	–
	ragwort	SENEC	Senecio	0–10	–
	plainsmustard	SCHOE2	Schoenocrambe	0–10	–
	twinleaf senna	SEBA3	Senna bauhinioides	0–5	–
	sego lily	CANU3	Calochortus nuttallii	0–5	–
	Indian paintbrush	CASTI2	Castilleja	0–5	–
	brownfoot	ACWR5	Acourtia wrightii	0–5	–
	tuber anemone	ANTU	Anemone tuberosa	0–5	–
	Braun's rockcress	ARPE3	Arabis perstellata	0–5	–
	Watson's dutchman's pipe	ARWA	Aristolochia watsonii	0–5	–
	beeblossom	GAURA	Gaura	0–5	–
	southwestern mock vervain	GLGO	Glandularia gooddingii	0–5	–
	desert larkspur	DEPA	Delphinium parishii	0–5	–
	Parry's beardtongue	PEPA24	Penstemon parryi	0–5	–
	orange fameflower	PHAU13	Phemeranthus aurantiacus	0–5	–
	canaigre dock	RUHY	Rumex hymenosepalus	0–5	–
7	annual forbs			25–400
	common sunflower	HEAN3	Helianthus annuus	1–200	–
	longleaf false goldeneye	HELOA2	Heliomeris longifolia var. annua	1–100	–
	longleaf false goldeneye	HELOL	Heliomeris longifolia var. longifolia	0–100	–
	camphorweed	HESU3	Heterotheca subaxillaris	1–100	–
	San Pedro matchweed	XAGY	Xanthocephalum gymnospermoides	0–100	–
	goldeneye	VIGUI	Viguiera	0–50	–
	Arizona popcornflower	PLAR	Plagiobothrys arizonicus	1–50	–
	creamcups	PLCA5	Platystemon californicus	0–50	–
	crestrib morning-glory	IPCO2	Ipomoea costellata	1–50	–
	spreading fleabane	ERDI4	Erigeron divergens	0–50	–
	carelessweed	AMPA	Amaranthus palmeri	0–50	–
	aster	ASTER	Aster	0–50	–
	New Mexico thistle	CINE	Cirsium neomexicanum	2–50	–
	Forb, annual	2FA	Forb, annual	0–50	–
	Coulter's spiderling	BOCO2	Boerhavia coulteri	0–25	–
	lambsquarters	CHAL7	Chenopodium album	0–25	–
	aridland goosefoot	CHDE	Chenopodium desiccatum	0–25	–
	western tansymustard	DEPI	Descurainia pinnata	0–25	–
	milkvetch	ASTRA	Astragalus	0–25	–
	miniature woollystar	ERDI2	Eriastrum diffusum	0–25	–
	California goldfields	LACA7	Lasthenia californica	0–25	–
	California poppy	ESCAM	Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana	0–25	–
	Thurber's pepperweed	LETH2	Lepidium thurberi	0–25	–
	foothill deervetch	LOHU2	Lotus humistratus	0–25	–
	coastal bird's-foot trefoil	LOSA	Lotus salsuginosus	0–25	–
	trefoil	LOTUS	Lotus	0–25	–
	desert Indianwheat	PLOV	Plantago ovata	0–25	–
	woolly plantain	PLPA2	Plantago patagonica	0–25	–
	New Mexico plumeseed	RANE	Rafinesquia neomexicana	0–25	–
	cudweed	GNAPH	Gnaphalium	0–25	–
	miniature lupine	LUBI	Lupinus bicolor	0–25	–
	Coulter's lupine	LUSP2	Lupinus sparsiflorus	0–25	–
	hollowleaf annual lupine	LUSU3	Lupinus succulentus	0–25	–
	tanseyleaf tansyaster	MATA2	Machaeranthera tanacetifolia	0–25	–
	manybristle chinchweed	PEPA2	Pectis papposa	0–25	–
	Canada cocklebur	XASTC	Xanthium strumarium var. canadense	0–25	–
	sand fringepod	THCU	Thysanocarpus curvipes	0–15	–
	purslane	PORTU	Portulaca	0–15	–
	desert unicorn-plant	PRAL4	Proboscidea althaeifolia	0–15	–
	doubleclaw	PRPA2	Proboscidea parviflora	0–15	–
	Arizona lupine	LUAR4	Lupinus arizonicus	0–15	–
	Goodding's bladderpod	LEGO2	Lesquerella gooddingii	0–15	–
	shaggyfruit pepperweed	LELA	Lepidium lasiocarpum	0–15	–
	wheelscale saltbush	ATEL	Atriplex elegans	0–15	–
	bristly fiddleneck	AMTE3	Amsinckia tessellata	0–10	–
	sanddune wallflower	ERCA14	Erysimum capitatum	0–10	–
	spurge	EUPHO	Euphorbia	0–10	–
	grassleaf lettuce	LAGRA	Lactuca graminifolia var. arizonica	0–10	–
	American wild carrot	DAPU3	Daucus pusillus	0–10	–
	New Mexico fleabane	ERNE3	Erigeron neomexicanus	0–10	–
	sorrel buckwheat	ERPO4	Eriogonum polycladon	0–10	–
	annual agoseris	AGHE2	Agoseris heterophylla	0–10	–
	sleepy silene	SIAN2	Silene antirrhina	0–10	–
	ragwort	SENEC	Senecio	0–10	–
	phacelia	PHACE	Phacelia	0–10	–
	evening primrose	OENOT	Oenothera	0–10	–
	green carpetweed	MOVE	Mollugo verticillata	0–10	–
	Arizona mousetail	MYCU	Myosurus cupulatus	0–5	–
	Florida pellitory	PAFL3	Parietaria floridana	0–5	–
	spreading fanpetals	SIAB	Sida abutifolia	0–5	–
	scrambled eggs	COAU2	Corydalis aurea	0–5	–
	croton	CROTO	Croton	0–5	–
	cryptantha	CRYPT	Cryptantha	0–5	–
Shrub/Vine
8	shrubs			0–50
	catclaw acacia	ACGR	Acacia greggii	0–25	–
	rubber rabbitbrush	ERNA10	Ericameria nauseosa	0–25	–
	catclaw mimosa	MIACB	Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera	0–25	–
	velvet mesquite	PRVE	Prosopis velutina	0–25	–
	Sonoran scrub oak	QUTU2	Quercus turbinella	0–25	–
	skunkbush sumac	RHTR	Rhus trilobata	0–15	–
	currant	RIBES	Ribes	0–15	–
	Apache plume	FAPA	Fallugia paradoxa	0–15	–
	pale desert-thorn	LYPA	Lycium pallidum	0–15	–
	algerita	MATR3	Mahonia trifoliolata	0–15	–
	fourwing saltbush	ATCA2	Atriplex canescens	0–15	–
	sugarberry	CELA	Celtis laevigata	0–10	–
	heartleaf goldeneye	VICO	Viguiera cordifolia	0–5	–
	toothleaf goldeneye	VIDE3	Viguiera dentata	0–5	–
9	half shrubs			10–50
	bastardsage	ERWR	Eriogonum wrightii	1–50	–
	broom snakeweed	GUSA2	Gutierrezia sarothrae	0–25	–
	yerba de pasmo	BAPT	Baccharis pteronioides	1–25	–
	Coville's bundleflower	DECO4	Desmanthus covillei	0–15	–
	prairie acacia	ACAN	Acacia angustissima	0–15	–
10	succulents			0–25
	walkingstick cactus	CYSP8	Cylindropuntia spinosior	0–25	–
	sacahuista	NOMI	Nolina microcarpa	0–25	–
	cactus apple	OPEN3	Opuntia engelmannii	0–25	–
	soaptree yucca	YUEL	Yucca elata	0–15	–
	Whipple cholla	CYWH	Cylindropuntia whipplei	0–15	–
	chaparral yucca	HEWH	Hesperoyucca whipplei	0–10	–
	spinystar	ESVI2	Escobaria vivipara	0–5	–

Interpretations

Animal community

This site is suitable for grazing year round and is easily traversed by all classes of livestock. the site is very susceptible to sheet, rill and gully erosion in overgrazed areas, old roads, cattle trails and concentration areas like bed grounds, water-lots and salt grounds.
The site has good habitat diversity for grassland wildlife species. Where it is adjacent to hill sites, with tree species or chaparral, it is a foraging area for elk.

Hydrological functions

This site produces runoff when soils are moist. Surfaces can be easily compacted by traffic and high densities of livestock when soils are moist. Normal depth of soil freezing in the winter is 5 to 6 inches. This will not break up compacted layers deeper than that. Compacted surfaces will produce much more runoff than surfaces with good tilth and structure. The extra water the site recieves is easily channelled by trails and wheel ruts to form rills and gullies.

Recreational uses

Hunting, camping, hiking, horseback riding, and backpacking.

Wood products

None

Other products

There is some native harvest of foods like wild onion, sunflower and thistle.

Rangeland health reference sheet

Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health is a qualitative assessment protocol used to determine ecosystem condition based on benchmark characteristics described in the Reference Sheet. A suite of 17 (or more) indicators are typically considered in an assessment. The ecological site(s) representative of an assessment location must be known prior to applying the protocol and must be verified based on soils and climate. Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.

Author(s)/participant(s)
Contact for lead author
Date
Approved by
Approval date
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on	Annual Production

Indicators

Number and extent of rills:
Presence of water flow patterns:
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground annual-production or live foliar cover using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to):

Dominant:

Sub-dominant:

Other:

Additional:
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicators, we are describing what is NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:
Perennial plant reproductive capability:

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Natural ResourcesConservation Service

Ecological site R038XB226AZ

Loamy Swale 16-20" p.z.

Accessed: 11/21/2024

General information

Figure 1. Mapped extent

MLRA notes

Classification relationships

Associated sites

Similar sites

Table 1. Dominant plant species

Ecosystem states

State 1 submodel, plant communities

State 2 submodel, plant communities

State 3 submodel, plant communities

State 4 submodel, plant communities

Natural Resources
Conservation Service