Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R040XA105AZ
Shallow Hills 10"-13" p.z.
Accessed: 04/18/2024
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.
Classification relationships
This site is similar to TES map unit 365 (southern exposures) on the Prescott National Forest. It is also similar to TES map units 211, 242 and 250 on the Tonto National Forest.
Associated sites
| R040XA119AZ |
Schist Hills 10"-13" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R040XA121AZ |
Granitic Upland 10"-13" p.z. |
| R040XA123AZ |
Volcanic Hills 10"-13" P.Z. |
Similar sites
| R041XC306AZ |
Shallow Hills 12-16" p.z. |
|---|---|
| R040XB206AZ |
Shallow Hills 7"-10" p.z. |
| R038XA104AZ |
Granitic Hills 12-16" p.z. |
| R040XA121AZ |
Granitic Upland 10"-13" p.z. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Parkinsonia microphylla |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Ambrosia deltoidea |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Selaginella |
Physiographic features
This site occurs in the upper elevations of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona. It occurs on hill-slopes and ridge-tops. Slope aspect is site differentiating at elevations near common resource area boundaries.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Hill
(2) Ridge (3) Mountain slope |
|---|---|
| Flooding frequency | None |
| Ponding frequency | None |
| Elevation | 2,200 – 4,000 ft |
| Slope | 15 – 60% |
| 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 shallow soils formed on acid igneous parent material (granite, rhyolite) or quartzite, arkose, schist, and gneiss. Bedrock is usually slightly weathered into grus material at the soil juncture. They are non-calcareous, coarse textured, and have well developed covers of gravels and cobbles. Rock and gravel covers are light colored. Numerous areas of rock outcrop occur intermingled with soil areas. Outcrops can be as high as 25% of the area. Plant-soil moisture relationships are fair. Soils mapped on this site include: SSA-627 Southern Mohave County MU Topock-27; SSA-645 Aguila-Carefree MU's Gran-63 & Wickenburg-63; SSA-659 Western Pinal County MU Cellar-6; SSA-661 MU's Anklam-260, Cellar-250, 260, 865, Fig family-400, Gran-245 & Topock-400; SSA-669 Eastern Pima County MU's Anklam-2, Cellar-2, 13, 14 & 15 & Chimenea-15; SSA-703 Tohono O'odham MU's Anklam-2, Cellar-2 & Granolite-32.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Surface texture |
(1) Very gravelly sandy loam (2) Gravelly sandy loam (3) Very cobbly sandy loam |
|---|---|
| Family particle size |
(1) Loamy |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Moderately rapid to moderate |
| Soil depth | 5 – 20 in |
| Surface fragment cover <=3" | 30 – 60% |
| Surface fragment cover >3" | 5 – 25% |
| 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) |
7.4 – 8 |
| Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
35 – 65% |
| Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
20% |
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
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
Historical Climax Plant Community
Community 1.1
Historical Climax Plant Community
The potential plant community is a diverse mixture of desert shrubs, trees, cacti, perennial grasses, woody forbs, and clubmoss and ferns. The aspect is shrubland. With continuous, heavy grazing, herbaceous forage species are removed from the plant community and replaced by increases in shrubby species like triangle bursage, littleleaf paloverde, white brittlebrush, and cholla. Stone and gravel covers are continuous but size may be lacking to protect forage species from heavy utilization. Cover of club moss (SEAR2) ranges from 2 to 55% being heaviest on the cooler aspects and provides a great deal of soil stability on very steep slopes. Plant populations of major shrubs range from 200 to 800 per acre for jojoba; 10 to 100 per acre for littleleaf paloverde; 50 to 150 for ocotillo; and 650 to 1000 for the major half shrubs like brittlebush, flattop buckwheat, false mesquite, and triangle goldeneye. North exposures have a higher percentage cover of perennial grasses and forbs than warm exposures. Grass cover ranges from 0-5% on north slopes and 0-2% on south slopes. Suffrutescent forb cover ranges from 1-20% on north slopes and 0-5% on south slopes. Warm exposures have a higher percentage of trees and succulents than north slopes. The half shrub community on north slopes is dominated by species like calliandra, eriogonum, goldeneye and mormon tea while on south slopes brittlebush, ratany, limberbush and bursage are dominant. Jojoba will have higher cover on north aspects while southern aspects will have more ocotillo, whitethorn and wolfberry. The percent of annual forbs and grasses in the plant community can range from 5% in dry years to nearly 70% in very wet winters or summers. The yearly production of annuals ranges from 10 lbs per acre to over 1200 lbs. per acre (from dry year to wet year). Severe drought can reduce the cover of perennial grasses and suffrutescent forbs to less than 1%. Drought can also reduce the cover of sub-shrubs like brittlebush, eriogonum and bursage. The dynamics of Saguaro on this site is unlike the 200-300 year cycle found on deep upland sites in the Upper Sonoran desert. Saguaro recruitment can occur in any favorable year due to numerous rocky habitats favorable for establishment. Saguaro populations tend to be multi-aged and persistent on this site although very favorable years for establishment may result in very heavy stands on some slopes many years later.
Figure 4. 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 | 130 | 400 | 570 |
| Grass/Grasslike | 13 | 115 | 550 |
| Forb | 21 | 125 | 480 |
| Tree | 55 | 150 | 200 |
| Total | 219 | 790 | 1800 |
Table 6. Soil surface cover
| Tree basal cover | 1% |
|---|---|
| Shrub/vine/liana basal cover | 1-5% |
| Grass/grasslike basal cover | 0-1% |
| Forb basal cover | 0-1% |
| Non-vascular plants | 0% |
| Biological crusts | 0-5% |
| Litter | 5-60% |
| Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" | 30-60% |
| Surface fragments >3" | 5-25% |
| Bedrock | 1-10% |
| Water | 0% |
| Bare ground | 5-25% |
Table 7. Canopy structure (% cover)
| Height Above Ground (ft) | Tree | Shrub/Vine | Grass/ Grasslike |
Forb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <0.5 | – | 0-1% | 0-15% | 0-15% |
| >0.5 <= 1 | – | 0-5% | 1-10% | 1-15% |
| >1 <= 2 | – | 5-15% | 0-5% | 0-5% |
| >2 <= 4.5 | 0-1% | 1-10% | 0-1% | 0-1% |
| >4.5 <= 13 | 2-15% | 0-1% | – | – |
| >13 <= 40 | 0-1% | – | – | – |
| >40 <= 80 | – | – | – | – |
| >80 <= 120 | – | – | – | – |
| >120 | – | – | – | – |
Figure 5. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). AZ4011, 40.1 10-13" p.z. hill 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 | 15 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
State 2
Native trees, cacti, shrubs and fire
Community 2.1
Native trees, cacti, shrubs and 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 bursage and brittlebush 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 brittlebush or triangle bursage 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 or fountain grass 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. 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 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 perennial grasses | 5–100 | ||||
| bush muhly | MUPO2 | Muhlenbergia porteri | 1–30 | – | ||
| sideoats grama | BOCU | Bouteloua curtipendula | 1–25 | – | ||
| tanglehead | HECO10 | Heteropogon contortus | 1–25 | – | ||
| big galleta | PLRI3 | Pleuraphis rigida | 0–20 | – | ||
| Arizona cottontop | DICA8 | Digitaria californica | 0–15 | – | ||
| 2 | Short perennial grasses | 5–135 | ||||
| slender grama | BORE2 | Bouteloua repens | 2–115 | – | ||
| slim tridens | TRMU | Tridens muticus | 1–20 | – | ||
| 3 | Miscellaneous perennial grasses | 2–60 | ||||
| spidergrass | ARTE3 | Aristida ternipes | 1–25 | – | ||
| curly-mesquite | HIBE | Hilaria belangeri | 0–15 | – | ||
| Hall's panicgrass | PAHA | Panicum hallii | 0–10 | – | ||
| spidergrass | ARTEG | Aristida ternipes var. gentilis | 0–10 | – | ||
| desert needlegrass | ACSP12 | Achnatherum speciosum | 0–10 | – | ||
| purple threeawn | ARPU9 | Aristida purpurea | 0–10 | – | ||
| Parish's threeawn | ARPUP5 | Aristida purpurea var. parishii | 1–10 | – | ||
| Wright's threeawn | ARPUW | Aristida purpurea var. wrightii | 0–10 | – | ||
| cane bluestem | BOBA3 | Bothriochloa barbinodis | 0–5 | – | ||
| black grama | BOER4 | Bouteloua eriopoda | 0–5 | – | ||
| low woollygrass | DAPU7 | Dasyochloa pulchella | 0–5 | – | ||
| plains bristlegrass | SEVU2 | Setaria vulpiseta | 0–5 | – | ||
| sand dropseed | SPCR | Sporobolus cryptandrus | 0–5 | – | ||
| mesa dropseed | SPFL2 | Sporobolus flexuosus | 0–5 | – | ||
| green sprangletop | LEDU | Leptochloa dubia | 0–2 | – | ||
| fall witchgrass | DICO6 | Digitaria cognata | 0–2 | – | ||
| nineawn pappusgrass | ENDE | Enneapogon desvauxii | 0–2 | – | ||
| squirreltail | ELELE | Elymus elymoides ssp. elymoides | 0–1 | – | ||
| 4 | Annual grasses | 1–355 | ||||
| Mexican panicgrass | PAHI5 | Panicum hirticaule | 0–100 | – | ||
| sixweeks threeawn | ARAD | Aristida adscensionis | 1–100 | – | ||
| mucronate sprangeltop | LEPAB | Leptochloa panicea ssp. brachiata | 0–50 | – | ||
| sixweeks fescue | VUOC | Vulpia octoflora | 1–50 | – | ||
| prairie threeawn | AROL | Aristida oligantha | 0–25 | – | ||
| sixweeks grama | BOBA2 | Bouteloua barbata | 0–25 | – | ||
| Rothrock's grama | BORO2 | Bouteloua rothrockii | 0–20 | – | ||
| Bigelow's bluegrass | POBI | Poa bigelovii | 0–20 | – | ||
| Eastwood fescue | VUMIC | Vulpia microstachys var. ciliata | 0–15 | – | ||
| needle grama | BOAR | Bouteloua aristidoides | 0–15 | – | ||
| delicate muhly | MUFR | Muhlenbergia fragilis | 0–10 | – | ||
| littleseed muhly | MUMI | Muhlenbergia microsperma | 0–10 | – | ||
| Pacific fescue | VUMIP | Vulpia microstachys var. pauciflora | 0–10 | – | ||
| witchgrass | PACA6 | Panicum capillare | 0–5 | – | ||
| Mexican sprangletop | LEFUU | Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona brome | BRAR4 | Bromus arizonicus | 0–2 | – | ||
| feather fingergrass | CHVI4 | Chloris virgata | 0–2 | – | ||
| tapertip cupgrass | ERACA | Eriochloa acuminata var. acuminata | 0–2 | – | ||
| bearded cupgrass | ERAR5 | Eriochloa aristata | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert lovegrass | ERPEM | Eragrostis pectinacea var. miserrima | 0–2 | – | ||
| tufted lovegrass | ERPEP2 | Eragrostis pectinacea var. pectinacea | 0–2 | – | ||
| Grisebach's bristlegrass | SEGR6 | Setaria grisebachii | 0–2 | – | ||
| Arizona signalgrass | URAR | Urochloa arizonica | 0–2 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 5 | Ferns and fern allies | 10–110 | ||||
| Arizona spikemoss | SEAR2 | Selaginella arizonica | 10–100 | – | ||
| lipfern | CHEIL | Cheilanthes | 1–5 | – | ||
| cliffbrake | PELLA | Pellaea | 0–5 | – | ||
| cloak fern | NOTHO | Notholaena | 0–1 | – | ||
| 6 | Perennial forbs | 10–60 | ||||
| slender janusia | JAGR | Janusia gracilis | 5–40 | – | ||
| desert globemallow | SPAM2 | Sphaeralcea ambigua | 5–20 | – | ||
| shrubby deervetch | LORI3 | Lotus rigidus | 0–10 | – | ||
| rough menodora | MESC | Menodora scabra | 0–10 | – | ||
| slender poreleaf | POGR5 | Porophyllum gracile | 0–10 | – | ||
| wishbone-bush | MILAV | Mirabilis laevis var. villosa | 0–5 | – | ||
| Parry's false prairie-clover | MAPA7 | Marina parryi | 0–5 | – | ||
| brownfoot | ACWR5 | Acourtia wrightii | 0–5 | – | ||
| weakleaf bur ragweed | AMCO3 | Ambrosia confertiflora | 1–5 | – | ||
| narrowleaf silverbush | ARLA12 | Argythamnia lanceolata | 0–5 | – | ||
| Arizona wrightwort | CAAR7 | Carlowrightia arizonica | 0–5 | – | ||
| desert rosemallow | HICO | Hibiscus coulteri | 0–2 | – | ||
| San Felipe dogweed | ADPO | Adenophyllum porophylloides | 0–2 | – | ||
| 7 | Annual forbs and minor perennials | 1–610 | ||||
| bristly fiddleneck | AMTE3 | Amsinckia tessellata | 0–100 | – | ||
| California poppy | ESCAM | Eschscholzia californica ssp. mexicana | 0–100 | – | ||
| Coulter's lupine | LUSP2 | Lupinus sparsiflorus | 0–100 | – | ||
| goosefoot | CHENO | Chenopodium | 0–50 | – | ||
| cryptantha | CRYPT | Cryptantha | 0–50 | – | ||
| western tansymustard | DEPI | Descurainia pinnata | 0–50 | – | ||
| desert Indianwheat | PLOV | Plantago ovata | 0–50 | – | ||
| phacelia | PHACE | Phacelia | 0–25 | – | ||
| milkvetch | ASTRA | Astragalus | 0–25 | – | ||
| Coulter's spiderling | BOCO2 | Boerhavia coulteri | 0–15 | – | ||
| coastal bird's-foot trefoil | LOSA | Lotus salsuginosus | 0–15 | – | ||
| woolly tidestromia | TILA2 | Tidestromia lanuginosa | 0–15 | – | ||
| thelypody | THELY | Thelypodium | 0–10 | – | ||
| combseed | PECTO | Pectocarya | 0–10 | – | ||
| coastal bird's-foot trefoil | LOSAB | Lotus salsuginosus var. brevivexillus | 0–10 | – | ||
| American wild carrot | DAPU3 | Daucus pusillus | 0–10 | – | ||
| miniature woollystar | ERDI2 | Eriastrum diffusum | 0–10 | – | ||
| carelessweed | AMPA | Amaranthus palmeri | 0–5 | – | ||
| shaggyfruit pepperweed | LELA | Lepidium lasiocarpum | 0–5 | – | ||
| desert marigold | BAMU | Baileya multiradiata | 0–5 | – | ||
| scarlet spiderling | BOCO | Boerhavia coccinea | 0–5 | – | ||
| Tucson Mountain spiderling | BOME | Boerhavia megaptera | 0–5 | – | ||
| New Mexico plumeseed | RANE | Rafinesquia neomexicana | 0–5 | – | ||
| Coues' cassia | SECO10 | Senna covesii | 0–5 | – | ||
| sleepy silene | SIAN2 | Silene antirrhina | 0–5 | – | ||
| brownplume wirelettuce | STPA4 | Stephanomeria pauciflora | 0–5 | – | ||
| bluedicks | DICAC5 | Dichelostemma capitatum ssp. capitatum | 0–3 | – | ||
| Gordon's bladderpod | LEGO | Lesquerella gordonii | 0–2 | – | ||
| lacy tansyaster | MAPIP4 | Machaeranthera pinnatifida ssp. pinnatifida var. pinnatifida | 0–2 | – | ||
| bean | PHASE | Phaseolus | 0–2 | – | ||
| orange fameflower | PHAU13 | Phemeranthus aurantiacus | 0–2 | – | ||
| plains blackfoot | MELE2 | Melampodium leucanthum | 0–2 | – | ||
| blazingstar | MENTZ | Mentzelia | 0–2 | – | ||
| green carpetweed | MOVE | Mollugo verticillata | 0–2 | – | ||
| bristly nama | NAHI | Nama hispidum | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert tobacco | NIOBO | Nicotiana obtusifolia var. obtusifolia | 0–2 | – | ||
| evening primrose | OENOT | Oenothera | 0–2 | – | ||
| Florida pellitory | PAFL3 | Parietaria floridana | 0–2 | – | ||
| spreading fleabane | ERDI4 | Erigeron divergens | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert trumpet | ERIN4 | Eriogonum inflatum | 0–2 | – | ||
| buckwheat | ERIOG | Eriogonum | 0–2 | – | ||
| moleplant | EULA4 | Euphorbia lathyris | 0–2 | – | ||
| wild dwarf morning-glory | EVAR | Evolvulus arizonicus | 0–2 | – | ||
| California fagonbush | FALA | Fagonia laevis | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert larkspur | DEPA | Delphinium parishii | 0–2 | – | ||
| tall mountain larkspur | DESC | Delphinium scaposum | 0–2 | – | ||
| bigseed alfalfa dodder | CUIN | Cuscuta indecora | 0–2 | – | ||
| hairy prairie clover | DAMO | Dalea mollis | 0–2 | – | ||
| hyssopleaf sandmat | CHHY3 | Chamaesyce hyssopifolia | 0–2 | – | ||
| New Mexico thistle | CINE | Cirsium neomexicanum | 0–2 | – | ||
| climbing wartclub | BOSC | Boerhavia scandens | 0–2 | – | ||
| fringed redmaids | CACI2 | Calandrinia ciliata | 0–2 | – | ||
| hoary bowlesia | BOIN3 | Bowlesia incana | 0–2 | – | ||
| dense ayenia | AYMI | Ayenia microphylla | 0–2 | – | ||
| white sagebrush | ARLU | Artemisia ludoviciana | 0–2 | – | ||
| New Mexico silverbush | ARNE2 | Argythamnia neomexicana | 0–2 | – | ||
| jewels of Opar | TAPA2 | Talinum paniculatum | 0–2 | – | ||
| woollyhead neststraw | STMI2 | Stylocline micropoides | 0–2 | – | ||
| branched noseburn | TRRA5 | Tragia ramosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| Lemmon's ragwort | SELE8 | Senecio lemmonii | 0–2 | – | ||
| spreading fanpetals | SIAB | Sida abutifolia | 0–2 | – | ||
| Parry's beardtongue | PEPA24 | Penstemon parryi | 0–2 | – | ||
| chia | SACO6 | Salvia columbariae | 0–1 | – | ||
| lyreleaf jewelflower | STCA5 | Streptanthus carinatus | 0–1 | – | ||
| Louisiana vetch | VILUL2 | Vicia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana | 0–1 | – | ||
| dwarf owl's-clover | TRPU16 | Triphysaria pusilla | 0–1 | – | ||
| sand fringepod | THCU | Thysanocarpus curvipes | 0–1 | – | ||
| perennial rockcress | ARPE2 | Arabis perennans | 0–1 | – | ||
| tuber anemone | ANTU | Anemone tuberosa | 0–1 | – | ||
| brittle spineflower | CHBR | Chorizanthe brevicornu | 0–1 | – | ||
| Sonoran Indian mallow | ABMO2 | Abutilon mollicomum | 0–1 | – | ||
| Palmer's Indian mallow | ABPA | Abutilon palmeri | 0–1 | – | ||
| trailing windmills | ALIN | Allionia incarnata | 0–1 | – | ||
| largeflower onion | ALMA4 | Allium macropetalum | 0–1 | – | ||
| Davis Mountain mock vervain | GLBIC | Glandularia bipinnatifida var. ciliata | 0–1 | – | ||
| Newberry's velvetmallow | HONE | Horsfordia newberryi | 0–1 | – | ||
| Arizona popcornflower | PLAR | Plagiobothrys arizonicus | 0–1 | – | ||
| whitestem blazingstar | MEAL6 | Mentzelia albicaulis | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 8 | Dominant small shrubs | 75–300 | ||||
| triangle bur ragweed | AMDE4 | Ambrosia deltoidea | 50–150 | – | ||
| broom snakeweed | GUSA2 | Gutierrezia sarothrae | 5–50 | – | ||
| brittlebush | ENFA | Encelia farinosa | 10–50 | – | ||
| Eastern Mojave buckwheat | ERFA2 | Eriogonum fasciculatum | 1–40 | – | ||
| fairyduster | CAER | Calliandra eriophylla | 5–40 | – | ||
| pelotazo | ABIN | Abutilon incanum | 1–15 | – | ||
| Parish's goldeneye | VIPA14 | Viguiera parishii | 1–15 | – | ||
| bastardsage | ERWR | Eriogonum wrightii | 1–15 | – | ||
| 9 | Miscellaneous shrubs | 30–120 | ||||
| jojoba | SICH | Simmondsia chinensis | 20–60 | – | ||
| littleleaf ratany | KRER | Krameria erecta | 0–10 | – | ||
| white ratany | KRGR | Krameria grayi | 0–10 | – | ||
| Berlandier's wolfberry | LYBE | Lycium berlandieri | 2–10 | – | ||
| Arizona desert-thorn | LYEX | Lycium exsertum | 1–5 | – | ||
| American threefold | TRCA8 | Trixis californica | 0–5 | – | ||
| sangre de cristo | JACA2 | Jatropha cardiophylla | 0–5 | – | ||
| water jacket | LYAN | Lycium andersonii | 0–5 | – | ||
| catclaw acacia | ACGR | Acacia greggii | 1–5 | – | ||
| Wright's beebrush | ALWR | Aloysia wrightii | 0–5 | – | ||
| pelotazo | ABIN | Abutilon incanum | 0–5 | – | ||
| Florida hopbush | DOVI | Dodonaea viscosa | 0–4 | – | ||
| California copperleaf | ACCA3 | Acalypha californica | 0–3 | – | ||
| whitethorn acacia | ACCO2 | Acacia constricta | 0–2 | – | ||
| sweetbush | BEJU | Bebbia juncea | 0–2 | – | ||
| Nevada jointfir | EPNE | Ephedra nevadensis | 0–2 | – | ||
| rosary babybonnets | COGL8 | Coursetia glandulosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| ragged rockflower | CRBI2 | Crossosoma bigelovii | 0–2 | – | ||
| desert zinnia | ZIAC | Zinnia acerosa | 0–2 | – | ||
| Arizona mimosa | MIDIL | Mimosa distachya var. laxiflora | 0–2 | – | ||
| Schott's yellowhood | NISC | Nissolia schottii | 0–2 | – | ||
| rock sage | SAPI2 | Salvia pinguifolia | 0–2 | – | ||
| arrow poision plant | SEBI9 | Sebastiania bilocularis | 0–2 | – | ||
| starry bedstraw | GAST | Galium stellatum | 0–2 | – | ||
| creosote bush | LATRT | Larrea tridentata var. tridentata | 0–1 | – | ||
| lotebush | ZIOB | Ziziphus obtusifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| Arizona rosewood | VACA5 | Vauquelinia californica | 0–1 | – | ||
| Sonoran croton | CRSO | Croton sonorae | 0–1 | – | ||
| Gray's prairie clover | DAGR | Dalea grayi | 0–1 | – | ||
| knifeleaf condalia | COSP3 | Condalia spathulata | 0–1 | – | ||
| cliff goldenbush | ERCUC | Ericameria cuneata var. cuneata | 0–1 | – | ||
| turpentine bush | ERLA12 | Ericameria laricifolia | 0–1 | – | ||
| Tahitian kidneywood | EYOR | Eysenhardtia orthocarpa | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert olive | FOSH | Forestiera shrevei | 0–1 | – | ||
| spiny hackberry | CEEH | Celtis ehrenbergiana | 0–1 | – | ||
| desertbroom | BASA2 | Baccharis sarothroides | 0–1 | – | ||
| prairie acacia | ACANH | Acacia angustissima var. hirta | 0–1 | – | ||
| 10 | Succulents | 25–150 | ||||
| saguaro | CAGI10 | Carnegiea gigantea | 10–100 | – | ||
| cactus apple | OPEN3 | Opuntia engelmannii | 10–30 | – | ||
| jumping cholla | CYFU10 | Cylindropuntia fulgida | 0–20 | – | ||
| staghorn cholla | CYVE3 | Cylindropuntia versicolor | 1–20 | – | ||
| Christmas cactus | CYLE8 | Cylindropuntia leptocaulis | 0–10 | – | ||
| buck-horn cholla | CYAC8 | Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa | 0–10 | – | ||
| teddybear cholla | CYBI9 | Cylindropuntia bigelovii | 0–10 | – | ||
| tulip pricklypear | OPPH | Opuntia phaeacantha | 1–10 | – | ||
| Santa Rita pricklypear | OPSA | Opuntia santa-rita | 0–10 | – | ||
| organpipe cactus | STTH3 | Stenocereus thurberi | 0–5 | – | ||
| banana yucca | YUBA | Yucca baccata | 0–5 | – | ||
| candy barrelcactus | FEWI | Ferocactus wislizeni | 1–5 | – | ||
| common sotol | DAWH2 | Dasylirion wheeleri | 0–5 | – | ||
| dollarjoint pricklypear | OPCH | Opuntia chlorotica | 0–2 | – | ||
| purple pricklypear | OPMA8 | Opuntia macrocentra | 0–2 | – | ||
| Engelmann's hedgehog cactus | ECEN | Echinocereus engelmannii | 0–1 | – | ||
| pinkflower hedgehog cactus | ECFA | Echinocereus fasciculatus | 0–1 | – | ||
| rainbow cactus | ECPE | Echinocereus pectinatus | 0–1 | – | ||
| spinystar | ESVIV | Escobaria vivipara var. vivipara | 0–1 | – | ||
| globe cactus | MAMMI | Mammillaria | 0–1 | – | ||
| soaptree yucca | YUEL | Yucca elata | 0–1 | – | ||
| desert agave | AGDE | Agave deserti | 0–1 | – | ||
| Schott's century plant | AGSC3 | Agave schottii | 0–1 | – | ||
|
Tree
|
||||||
| 11 | Dominant trees | 55–200 | ||||
| yellow paloverde | PAMI5 | Parkinsonia microphylla | 50–150 | – | ||
| desert ironwood | OLTE | Olneya tesota | 5–50 | – | ||
| velvet mesquite | PRVE | Prosopis velutina | 0–20 | – | ||
Interpretations
Animal community
Steep slopes and gravelly, cobbly surfaces hinder livestock distribution. This site is not well suited to grazing by cows in the hot season except in the areas where ridges trend north and south and western exposures are shady in the morning and eastern aspects in the afternoon. In such cases, distribution will be fairly good even in the summer. Stocker cattle are best adapted to use areas of this site. South facing slopes are used more in the winter due to warm temperatures and early spring greenup. North exposures, being shady and cooler, are used more in the fall due to a longer green season. The plant community has an excellent variety of browse and perennial grasses and forbs and will provide adequate nutrition throughout the year. Seep and canyon water may be available for short times in the winter and summer rainy seasons, but fractured bedrock makes this feature short-lived. Bluff and rimrock in Gneiss areas can form natural fencing with minimal actual fence construction.
Water developments are very important to wildlife species on this site. Cover, forage diversity, and topography are good enough for a great variety of wildlife including the larger desert mammals. In areas where the parent material is Gneiss, high percentages of bluff and rimrock outcrop make such areas favored by desert bighorn sheep. Desert tortoises den on very cobbly southern exposures in the winter time.
Hydrological functions
This site is a fair producer of runoff due to steep slopes and shallow soils. Very gravelly and cobbly soil surfaces tend to hold water on the site.
Recreational uses
Hunting, hiking, birdwatching, photography, horseback riding, rock hounding, recreational mining
Wood products
Some paloverde, ironwood and mesquite for camp-fires and branding fires.
Other products
Stones and cobbles, decomposed granite, saguaro ribs, cholla skeletons. Tradtional foods like saguaro fruits, prickly pear tunas, cactus flower buds and jojoba nuts. Traditional herbs like coyote tobacco, mint bush, club moss, globe mallow and limberbush.
Supporting information
Inventory data references
Range 417s include 5 in excellent condition and 2 in good condition.
Type locality
| Location 1: Pima County, AZ | |
|---|---|
| General legal description | Sells Field Office - North Comobabi Mtns. (unsurveyed) 32 8' long. X 111 47' latitude Brownell Mtns. (unsurveyed) 32 11' long. X 112 7' latitude |
| Location 2: Pima County, AZ | |
| General legal description | Sells Field Office - Sierra Blanca Mtns. 32 11' X 112 14' Quijotoa Mnts. 32 7' X 112 10' |
| Location 3: Pima County, AZ | |
| Township/Range/Section | T8S R13E S29 |
| General legal description | Tucson Field Office - Rancho Nuevo - Antelope Peak |
| Location 4: Gila County, AZ | |
| Township/Range/Section | T4S R17E S5 |
| General legal description | San Carlos Field Office - Mineral Strip, Granite Basin |
Contributors
C.Michaels
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) | Dave Womack, Dan Robinett, Emilio Carrillo |
|---|---|
| Contact for lead author | NRCS Tucson Area Office |
| Date | 03/08/2005 |
| Approved by | S. Cassady |
| Approval date | |
| Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on | Annual Production |
Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
Follow faults and bedding planes in parent material. -
Presence of water flow patterns:
Discontinuous, 10-15 feet in length. Will see shorter flow paths with high surface coarse fragments. -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
No accumulated or erosional pedestals. -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
1-15% (low values due to high rock and gravel cover) -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Most litter size classes stay in place due to high rock and gravel cover. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Expect ratings of 1-3 in perennial plant interspaces, 4-5 under shrub canopies. -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
Weak thin platy to weak granular; color is 7.5-10YR5/4 dry, 7.5-10YR4/4 moist; thickness to 2 nches. -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Canopy 15-20%; 50% shrubs, 10-15% subshrubs, 5-10% trees, 5-10% succulents, 5-10@ forbs and 2-% perennial grasses. Cover is well dispersed throughout the site. -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
NOne -
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:
shrubs > subshrubs > trees > succulents > annual forbs & grasses > perennial forbs > perennial grassesSub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:
-
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
20-50% tree & shrub canopy mortlity, 75-90% mortality of perennial grasses. -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
-
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
219 lbs/ac unfavorable precipitation, 790 lbs/ac normal precipitation, 1800 lbs/ac favorable precipitation -
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:
triangle brsage, littleleaf palverde, wite brittlebush, cholla, bufflegrass, fountain grass -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
Not impaired for shrubs; drought impaired for perennial grasses and forbs.
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