Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R040XA103AZ
Clayey Slopes 10"-13" 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): 040X–Sonoran Basin and Range
AZ 40.1 – Upper Sonoran Desert
Elevations range from 2000 to 3200 feet and precipitation averages 10 to 13 inches per year. Vegetation includes saguaro, palo verde, mesquite, creosotebush, triangle bursage, prickly pear, cholla, limberbush, wolfberry, bush muhly, threeawns, ocotillo, and globe mallow. The soil temperature regime is thermic and the soil moisture regime is typic aridic. This unit occurs within the Basin and Range Physiographic Province and is characterized by numerous mountain ranges that rise abruptly from broad, plain-like valleys and basins. Igneous and metamorphic rock classes dominate the mountain ranges and sediments filling the basins represent combinations of fluvial, lacustrine, colluvial and alluvial deposits.
Associated sites
| R040XA101AZ |
Basalt Hills 10"-13" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R040XA110AZ |
Limy Slopes 10"-13" p.z. |
| R040XA113AZ |
Loamy Slopes 10"-13" p.z. |
| R040XA123AZ |
Volcanic Hills 10"-13" P.Z. |
Similar sites
| R038XA108AZ |
Clayey Slopes 12-16" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R041XC303AZ |
Clayey Slopes 12-16" p.z. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Parkinsonia microphylla |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Calliandra eriophylla |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Pleuraphis mutica |
Physiographic features
This site occurs in the upper elevations of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona. Slope aspect is site differentiating at elevations near common resource area boundaries.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Hill
(2) Ridge |
|---|---|
| Flooding frequency | None |
| Ponding frequency | None |
| Elevation | 2,200 – 3,500 ft |
| Slope | 15 – 45% |
| Aspect | N, E, S |
Climatic features
Precipitation in the sub resource area ranges from 10 to 13 inches in the southern part, along the Mexican border with elevations from about 1900 to 3200 feet. Precipitation in the northern part of the resource area ranges from 11 to 14 inches with elevations from about 1700 to 3500 feet. Winter-summer rainfall ratios range from 40%-60% in the southern portions of the land resource unit, to 50%-50% in the central portions, to 60%-40% in the northern part of the land resource unit. As one moves from east to west in this resource area rains become slightly more unpredictable and variable with Coefficients of Variation of annual rainfall equal to 29% at Tucson and 36% at Carefree. Summer rains fall July through Sept., originate in the Gulf of Mexico, and are convective, usually brief, intense thunderstorms. Cool season moisture tends to be frontal, originating in the Pacific and Gulf of California. This winter precipitation falls in widespread storms with long duration and low intensity. Snow is rare and seldom lasts more than an hour or two. May and June are the driest months of the year. Humidity is generally very low.
Winter temperatures are mild, with very few days recording freezing temperatures in the morning. Summer temperatures are warm to hot, with several days in June and July exceeding 105 degrees F.
Both the spring and the summer growing seasons are equally important for perennial grass, forb and shrub growth. Cool and warm season annual forbs and grasses can be common in their respective seasons with above average rainfall. Perennial forage species can remain green throughout the year with available moisture.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (average) | 265 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (average) | 0 days |
| Precipitation total (average) | 13 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 are deep to shallow soils which have formed in gravelly, clayey alluvium and colluvium, or in place on shale. Soil surfaces are well protected by gravels and rocks. They are non calcareous, but calcareous horizons or bedrock can occur at moderate to shallow depths. Plant-soil moisture relationships are between good. Soil mapped on this site include: SSA-661 Eastern Pinal/Southern Gila Counties MU Granolite-465.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Surface texture |
(1) Very gravelly sandy loam (2) Cobbly sandy loam (3) Very gravelly loam |
|---|---|
| Family particle size |
(1) Clayey |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Moderately slow to slow |
| Soil depth | 20 – 60 in |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 20 – 60% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | 5 – 20% |
| Available water capacity (0-40in) |
3 – 7 in |
| Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in) |
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) |
30 – 60% |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
10% |
Ecological dynamics
The plant communities found on an ecological site are naturally variable. Composition and production will vary with yearly conditions, location, aspect, and the natural variability of the soils. The Historical Climax Plant Community represents the natural potential plant communities found on relict or relatively undisturbed sites. Other plant communities described here represent plant communities that are known to occur when the site is disturbed by factors such as fire, grazing, or drought.
Production data provided in this site description is standardized to air dry weight at the end of the summer growing season. The plant communities described in this site description are based on near normal rainfall years.
NRCS uses a Similarity Index to compare existing plant communities to the plant communities described here. Similarity Index is determined by comparing the production and composition of a plant community to the production and composition of a plant community described in this site description. To determine Similarity Index, compare the production (air dry weight) of each species to that shown in the plant community description. For each species, count no more than the maximum amount shown for the species, and for each group, count no more than the maximum amount shown for the group. Divide the resulting total by the total normal year production shown in the plant community description. If the rainfall has been significantly above or below normal, use the total production shown for above or below normal years. If field data is not collected at the end of the summer growing season, then the field data must be corrected to the end of the year production before comparing it to the site description. The growth curve can be used as a guide for estimating production at the end of the summer growing season.
State and transition model
Figure 4. State and Transition model, Clayey Slopes 10-13" p
More interactive model formats are also available.
View Interactive Models
More interactive model formats are also available.
View Interactive Models
Click on state and transition labels to scroll to the respective text
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 2 submodel, plant communities
State 3 submodel, plant communities
State 4 submodel, plant communities
State 5 submodel, plant communities
State 6 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Historic Climax Plant Community
Community 1.1
Historic Climax Plant Community
The potential plant community on this site is an even mixture of desert shrubs, trees, cacti and perennial grasses. Annual forbs and grasses can be abundant in wet seasons. The aspect is a shrub dotted grassland. The combination of drought, fire and continuous grazing can deplete the dominant species tobosa grass. As the cover of tobosa declines curly mesquite will increase to dominate but will diminish again greatly in drought. As the perennial grass cover is thinned and shrubs like snakeweed, prickley pear and turpentine bush can increase to dominate the overstory. Jojoba is stable on the site unless repeated fires remove it. Trees tend to be shrubby on the site due to clayey textures at nor near the surface.
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 | 52 | 250 | 630 |
| Shrub/Vine | 75 | 200 | 335 |
| Forb | 11 | 30 | 200 |
| Tree | 15 | 50 | 100 |
| Total | 153 | 530 | 1265 |
Table 6. Soil surface cover
| Tree basal cover | 0-1% |
|---|---|
| Shrub/vine/liana basal cover | 1-3% |
| Grass/grasslike basal cover | 1-2% |
| Forb basal cover | 0-1% |
| Non-vascular plants | 0% |
| Biological crusts | 0-5% |
| Litter | 15-75% |
| Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" | 30-75% |
| Surface fragments >3" | 1-30% |
| Bedrock | 0% |
| Water | 0% |
| Bare ground | 5-50% |
Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
| Height Above Ground (ft) | Tree | Shrub/Vine | Grass/ Grasslike |
Forb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <0.5 | – | 0-1% | 0-20% | 0-15% |
| >0.5 <= 1 | – | 0-1% | 15-15% | 1-15% |
| >1 <= 2 | – | 1-2% | 10-35% | 0-5% |
| >2 <= 4.5 | 0-1% | 5-15% | 0-1% | – |
| >4.5 <= 13 | 2-10% | 0-1% | – | – |
| >13 <= 40 | – | – | – | – |
| >40 <= 80 | – | – | – | – |
| >80 <= 120 | – | – | – | – |
| >120 | – | – | – | – |
Figure 6. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). AZ4013, 40.1 10-13" p.z. other sites. Growth begins in the late winter, goes semi-dormant in the drought period of late May through early July, growth continues in the summer through early 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 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
State 2
Native trees, shrubs, cacti and grass with fire
Community 2.1
Native trees, shrubs, cacti and grass with fire
This plant community occurs as a result of a single hot season fire. Paloverde and saguaro can be severely impacted and may take long periods of time (30-50 years) to recover to pre-fire levels. Perennial and annual grasses and forbs dominate the community for some time until shrubs like jojoba and triangle bursage can recover. This plant community can produce enough herbaceous fuel from native species of grasses and / or forbs to carry fire in El Nino years or after unusually wet summers. The natural incidence of fire in this MLRA is very low and fires are much more common from man-made ignitions. Areas of the site close to urban zones or along heavily travelled roads and highways will experience a higher rate of fires.
State 3
Exotic perennial grasses with natives
Community 3.1
Exotic perennial grasses with natives
This community occurs where bufflegrass, natal grass or fountain grass invade the native plant community. These species occupy the niches of low shrubs like triangle bursage, grasses like tobosa and curley mesquite and woody forbs like janusia and twinberry.
State 4
Exotic perennial grasses and fire
Community 4.1
Exotic perennial grasses and fire
This community occurs where a native plant community that has been invaded by bufflegrass has burned one or more times. Increasing amounts of bufflegrass leads to more uniform fine fuels. In areas adjacent to roads and urban areas the risk of repeated fires will increase. As fire frequency increases the dominance of the exotic grasses increase.
State 5
Native plant community with exotic annuals
Community 5.1
Native plant community with exotic annuals
This plant community occurs where the native community has been invaded by red brome, filaree and / or schismus. Red brome occupies the niche of the native winter annual forbs and grasses. This exotic annual grass will fluctuate from nearly nothing in a dry winter to dominance of the understory plant community in a El Nino winter.
State 6
Exotic annuals and fire
Community 6.1
Exotic annuals and fire
This plant community occurs where a native plant community which has been invaded by red brome and / or schismus has burned repeatedly. As fires become more frequent the native trees, shrubs and succulents are removed from the plant community and red brome becomes dominant. In areas of the site near urban areas and along heavily travelled roads this will be a more common occurence due to an increased source of ignitions.
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 mid grass | 50–300 | ||||
| tobosagrass | PLMU3 | Pleuraphis mutica | 50–300 | – | ||
| 2 | Dominant short grass | 1–100 | ||||
| curly-mesquite | HIBE | Hilaria belangeri | 1–100 | – | ||
| 3 | Misc perennial grasses | 0–30 | ||||
| purple threeawn | ARPU9 | Aristida purpurea | 0–20 | – | ||
| sideoats grama | BOCU | Bouteloua curtipendula | 0–15 | – | ||
| tanglehead | HECO10 | Heteropogon contortus | 0–10 | – | ||
| Parish's threeawn | ARPUP5 | Aristida purpurea var. parishii | 0–10 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTE3 | Aristida ternipes | 0–10 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTEG | Aristida ternipes var. gentilis | 0–10 | – | ||
| cane bluestem | BOBA3 | Bothriochloa barbinodis | 0–5 | – | ||
| squirreltail | ELELE | Elymus elymoides ssp. elymoides | 0–2 | – | ||
| 4 | Annual grasses | 1–200 | ||||
| sixweeks threeawn | ARAD | Aristida adscensionis | 1–100 | – | ||
| mucronate sprangeltop | LEPAB | Leptochloa panicea ssp. brachiata | 0–100 | – | ||
| Mexican panicgrass | PAHI5 | Panicum hirticaule | 0–100 | – | ||
| sixweeks fescue | VUOC | Vulpia octoflora | 0–50 | – | ||
| little barley | HOPU | Hordeum pusillum | 0–50 | – | ||
| Pacific fescue | VUMIP | Vulpia microstachys var. pauciflora | 0–15 | – | ||
| prairie threeawn | AROL | Aristida oligantha | 0–10 | – | ||
| needle grama | BOAR | Bouteloua aristidoides | 0–10 | – | ||
| Rothrock's grama | BORO2 | Bouteloua rothrockii | 0–10 | – | ||
| sixweeks grama | BOBA2 | Bouteloua barbata | 0–5 | – | ||
| Mexican sprangletop | LEFUU | Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia | 0–5 | – | ||
| Bigelow's bluegrass | POBI | Poa bigelovii | 0–5 | – | ||
| delicate muhly | MUFR | Muhlenbergia fragilis | 0–2 | – | ||
| littleseed muhly | MUMI | Muhlenbergia microsperma | 0–2 | – | ||
| Arizona brome | BRAR4 | Bromus arizonicus | 0–1 | – | ||
| feather fingergrass | CHVI4 | Chloris virgata | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 5 | Perennial forbs | 10–50 | ||||
| slender janusia | JAGR | Janusia gracilis | 1–15 | – | ||
| desert globemallow | SPAM2 | Sphaeralcea ambigua | 1–15 | – | ||
| brownplume wirelettuce | STPA4 | Stephanomeria pauciflora | 0–10 | – | ||
| bluedicks | DICA14 | Dichelostemma capitatum | 0–10 | – | ||
| spreading fleabane | ERDI4 | Erigeron divergens | 0–5 | – | ||
| largeflower onion | ALMA4 | Allium macropetalum | 0–5 | – | ||
| weakleaf bur ragweed | AMCO3 | Ambrosia confertiflora | 1–5 | – | ||
| tuber anemone | ANTU | Anemone tuberosa | 1–5 | – | ||
| lacy tansyaster | MAPIP4 | Machaeranthera pinnatifida ssp. pinnatifida var. pinnatifida | 0–5 | – | ||
| slender poreleaf | POGR5 | Porophyllum gracile | 0–5 | – | ||
| glandleaf milkwort | POMA7 | Polygala macradenia | 0–2 | – | ||
| wishbone-bush | MILAV | Mirabilis laevis var. villosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| red-gland spurge | CHME5 | Chamaesyce melanadenia | 0–2 | – | ||
| dwarf desertpeony | ACNA2 | Acourtia nana | 0–2 | – | ||
| brownfoot | ACWR5 | Acourtia wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| San Felipe dogweed | ADPO | Adenophyllum porophylloides | 0–1 | – | ||
| spearleaf | MAPA9 | Matelea parvifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert rosemallow | HICO | Hibiscus coulteri | 0–1 | – | ||
| Indian rushpea | HOGL2 | Hoffmannseggia glauca | 0–1 | – | ||
| leatherweed | CRPOP | Croton pottsii var. pottsii | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert larkspur | DEPA | Delphinium parishii | 0–1 | – | ||
| tall mountain larkspur | DESC | Delphinium scaposum | 0–1 | – | ||
| Braun's rockcress | ARPE3 | Arabis perstellata | 0–1 | – | ||
| dense ayenia | AYMI | Ayenia microphylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert tobacco | NIOBO | Nicotiana obtusifolia var. obtusifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| Parry's beardtongue | PEPA24 | Penstemon parryi | 0–1 | – | ||
| orange fameflower | PHAU13 | Phemeranthus aurantiacus | 0–1 | – | ||
| Coues' cassia | SECO10 | Senna covesii | 0–1 | – | ||
| spreading fanpetals | SIAB | Sida abutifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| silverleaf nightshade | SOEL | Solanum elaeagnifolium | 0–1 | – | ||
| Coulter's wrinklefruit | TECO | Tetraclea coulteri | 0–1 | – | ||
| caliche globemallow | SPLA | Sphaeralcea laxa | 0–1 | – | ||
| Palmer's Indian mallow | ABPA | Abutilon palmeri | 0–1 | – | ||
| 6 | Annual forbs | 1–150 | ||||
| California poppy | ESCAM | Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana | 0–100 | – | ||
| coastal bird's-foot trefoil | LOSA | Lotus salsuginosus | 0–50 | – | ||
| western tansymustard | DEPI | Descurainia pinnata | 0–50 | – | ||
| Arizona popcornflower | PLAR | Plagiobothrys arizonicus | 0–50 | – | ||
| smallflowered milkvetch | ASNU4 | Astragalus nuttallianus | 0–30 | – | ||
| shaggyfruit pepperweed | LELA | Lepidium lasiocarpum | 0–30 | – | ||
| Arizona poppy | KAGR | Kallstroemia grandiflora | 0–30 | – | ||
| fringed redmaids | CACI2 | Calandrinia ciliata | 0–25 | – | ||
| pitseed goosefoot | CHBE4 | Chenopodium berlandieri | 0–25 | – | ||
| bristly fiddleneck | AMTE3 | Amsinckia tessellata | 0–25 | – | ||
| desert Indianwheat | PLOV | Plantago ovata | 0–20 | – | ||
| New Mexico plumeseed | RANE | Rafinesquia neomexicana | 0–20 | – | ||
| mesa tansyaster | MATA | Machaeranthera tagetina | 0–15 | – | ||
| tanseyleaf tansyaster | MATA2 | Machaeranthera tanacetifolia | 0–15 | – | ||
| woolly plantain | PLPA2 | Plantago patagonica | 0–15 | – | ||
| combseed | PECTO | Pectocarya | 0–15 | – | ||
| distant phacelia | PHDI | Phacelia distans | 0–15 | – | ||
| thelypody | THELY | Thelypodium | 0–15 | – | ||
| Louisiana vetch | VILU | Vicia ludoviciana | 0–15 | – | ||
| fringed amaranth | AMFI | Amaranthus fimbriatus | 0–15 | – | ||
| carelessweed | AMPA | Amaranthus palmeri | 0–15 | – | ||
| wedgeleaf draba | DRCU | Draba cuneifolia | 0–15 | – | ||
| Abert's buckwheat | ERAB2 | Eriogonum abertianum | 0–15 | – | ||
| miniature woollystar | ERDI2 | Eriastrum diffusum | 0–15 | – | ||
| foothill deervetch | LOHU2 | Lotus humistratus | 0–15 | – | ||
| California desertdandelion | MACA6 | Malacothrix californica | 0–10 | – | ||
| Esteve's pincushion | CHST | Chaenactis stevioides | 0–10 | – | ||
| pincushion flower | CHFR | Chaenactis fremontii | 0–10 | – | ||
| yellow tackstem | CAPA7 | Calycoseris parryi | 0–10 | – | ||
| white tackstem | CAWR | Calycoseris wrightii | 0–10 | – | ||
| sleepy silene | SIAN2 | Silene antirrhina | 0–10 | – | ||
| Lindley's silverpuffs | MILI5 | Microseris lindleyi | 0–10 | – | ||
| Nuttall's povertyweed | MONU | Monolepis nuttalliana | 0–5 | – | ||
| desert evening primrose | OEPR | Oenothera primiveris | 0–5 | – | ||
| manybristle chinchweed | PEPA2 | Pectis papposa | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona phacelia | PHAR13 | Phacelia arizonica | 0–5 | – | ||
| cleftleaf wildheliotrope | PHCR | Phacelia crenulata | 0–5 | – | ||
| whitestem blazingstar | MEAL6 | Mentzelia albicaulis | 0–5 | – | ||
| Sonoran sandmat | CHMI7 | Chamaesyce micromera | 0–5 | – | ||
| cryptantha | CRYPT | Cryptantha | 0–5 | – | ||
| American wild carrot | DAPU3 | Daucus pusillus | 0–5 | – | ||
| Thurber's buckwheat | ERTH3 | Eriogonum thurberi | 0–5 | – | ||
| slender goldenweed | MAGR10 | Machaeranthera gracilis | 0–5 | – | ||
| Coulter's lupine | LUSP2 | Lupinus sparsiflorus | 0–5 | – | ||
| California suncup | CACA32 | Camissonia californica | 0–5 | – | ||
| Goodding's bladderpod | LEGO2 | Lesquerella gooddingii | 0–5 | – | ||
| star gilia | GIST | Gilia stellata | 0–5 | – | ||
| New Mexico thistle | CINE | Cirsium neomexicanum | 0–3 | – | ||
| goosefoot | CHENO | Chenopodium | 1–3 | – | ||
| hoary bowlesia | BOIN3 | Bowlesia incana | 0–2 | – | ||
| sand pygmyweed | CRCOC | Crassula connata var. connata | 0–2 | – | ||
| dainty desert hideseed | EUMI2 | Eucrypta micrantha | 0–2 | – | ||
| Arizona cottonrose | LOAR12 | Logfia arizonica | 0–2 | – | ||
| limestone bedstraw | GAPR | Galium proliferum | 0–1 | – | ||
| Mexican fireplant | EUHE4 | Euphorbia heterophylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| California mustard | GULA4 | Guillenia lasiophylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| Lemmon's ragwort | SELE8 | Senecio lemmonii | 0–1 | – | ||
| doubleclaw | PRPA2 | Proboscidea parviflora | 0–1 | – | ||
| Florida pellitory | PAFL3 | Parietaria floridana | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 7 | Dominant half shrubs | 15–75 | ||||
| fairyduster | CAER | Calliandra eriophylla | 15–25 | – | ||
| Eastern Mojave buckwheat | ERFA2 | Eriogonum fasciculatum | 0–15 | – | ||
| triangle bur ragweed | AMDE4 | Ambrosia deltoidea | 0–15 | – | ||
| bastardsage | ERWR | Eriogonum wrightii | 0–10 | – | ||
| brittlebush | ENFA | Encelia farinosa | 0–10 | – | ||
| button brittlebush | ENFR | Encelia frutescens | 0–10 | – | ||
| littleleaf ratany | KRER | Krameria erecta | 0–10 | – | ||
| rough menodora | MESC | Menodora scabra | 0–10 | – | ||
| Parish's goldeneye | VIPA14 | Viguiera parishii | 0–10 | – | ||
| broom snakeweed | GUSA2 | Gutierrezia sarothrae | 0–5 | – | ||
| white ratany | KRGR | Krameria grayi | 0–2 | – | ||
| 8 | Dominant large shrubs | 50–200 | ||||
| jojoba | SICH | Simmondsia chinensis | 40–150 | – | ||
| whitethorn acacia | ACCO2 | Acacia constricta | 0–20 | – | ||
| catclaw acacia | ACGR | Acacia greggii | 5–20 | – | ||
| ocotillo | FOSP2 | Fouquieria splendens | 0–15 | – | ||
| pelotazo | ABIN | Abutilon incanum | 0–5 | – | ||
| 9 | Misc shrubs | 0–5 | ||||
| banana yucca | YUBA | Yucca baccata | 0–5 | – | ||
| Berlandier's wolfberry | LYBE | Lycium berlandieri | 0–2 | – | ||
| Warnock's snakewood | COWA | Condalia warnockii | 0–2 | – | ||
| Nevada jointfir | EPNE | Ephedra nevadensis | 0–1 | – | ||
| turpentine bush | ERLA12 | Ericameria laricifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| sangre de cristo | JACA2 | Jatropha cardiophylla | 0–1 | – | ||
| rayless goldenhead | ACSP | Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus | 0–1 | – | ||
| Wright's beebrush | ALWR | Aloysia wrightii | 0–1 | – | ||
| lotebush | ZIOB | Ziziphus obtusifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| 10 | Succulents | 10–55 | ||||
| cactus apple | OPEN3 | Opuntia engelmannii | 5–30 | – | ||
| saguaro | CAGI10 | Carnegiea gigantea | 0–20 | – | ||
| buck-horn cholla | CYAC8 | Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa | 1–15 | – | ||
| walkingstick cactus | CYSP8 | Cylindropuntia spinosior | 1–10 | – | ||
| staghorn cholla | CYVE3 | Cylindropuntia versicolor | 0–5 | – | ||
| jumping cholla | CYFU10 | Cylindropuntia fulgida | 0–5 | – | ||
| purple pricklypear | OPMA8 | Opuntia macrocentra | 0–5 | – | ||
| tulip pricklypear | OPPH | Opuntia phaeacantha | 0–5 | – | ||
| Christmas cactus | CYLE8 | Cylindropuntia leptocaulis | 0–2 | – | ||
| candy barrelcactus | FEWI | Ferocactus wislizeni | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert agave | AGDE | Agave deserti | 0–2 | – | ||
| Arizona pencil cholla | CYAR14 | Cylindropuntia arbuscula | 0–1 | – | ||
| Graham's nipple cactus | MAGR9 | Mammillaria grahamii | 0–1 | – | ||
| Engelmann's hedgehog cactus | ECEN | Echinocereus engelmannii | 0–1 | – | ||
| pinkflower hedgehog cactus | ECFA | Echinocereus fasciculatus | 0–1 | – | ||
| spinystar | ESVI2 | Escobaria vivipara | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Tree
|
||||||
| 11 | Trees | 15–100 | ||||
| yellow paloverde | PAMI5 | Parkinsonia microphylla | 10–100 | – | ||
| velvet mesquite | PRVE | Prosopis velutina | 0–20 | – | ||
| blue paloverde | PAFL6 | Parkinsonia florida | 0–10 | – | ||
Interpretations
Animal community
Steep slopes and cobbly or gravelly surfaces limit grazing distribution especially in the hotter months of the year. Stocker cattle will use areas of this site fairly well at any season. Forage species grow year-round with available moisture. The plant community provides adequate nutrition for livestock throughout the year.
Water developments are very important to wildlife species on this site. Even though vegetative cover is lacking, rugged topography and forage diversity make the site home to a great variety of wildlife including the larger desert mammals.
Hydrological functions
This site is a good producer of runoff due to steep slopes and soils with argillic horizons near the surface. Very gravelly and cobbly soil surfaces tend to hold water on the site.
Recreational uses
Hunting, hiking, birdwatching, photography, horseback riding, rock hounding.
Wood products
Some paloverde, catclaw and mesquite for camp-fires and branding fires.
Other products
Stones and cobbles, clay, saguaro ribs, cholla skeletons. Tradtional foods like saguaro fruits, prickly pear tunas, cactus flower buds, grass nuts and jojoba nuts. Traditional herbs like globe mallow, wild onion and anemone.
Supporting information
Type locality
| Location 1: Pima County, AZ | |
|---|---|
| Township/Range/Section | T9S R18E S15 |
| General legal description | TUCSON FIELD OFFICE - RAFTER T RANCH |
| Location 2: Pima County, AZ | |
| General legal description | SELLS FIELD OFFICE - BABOQUIVARI DIST. NEAR FRESNAL VILLAGE - UNSURVEYED 111 DEGREES 41' X 31 DEGREES 48' 30" |
| Location 3: Pima County, AZ | |
| Township/Range/Section | T14S R13E S15 |
| General legal description | Tumamoc Hill, UA Desert Laboratory, inclusions of Lehmans soil in the Basalt Hills complex. |
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:
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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):
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Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
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Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
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Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
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Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
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Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
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Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
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Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
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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):
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Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
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Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
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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:
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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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