Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R070CY120NM
Shallow Plains
Last updated: 10/21/2024
Accessed: 11/21/2024
General information
Provisional. A provisional ecological site description has undergone quality control and quality assurance review. It contains a working state and transition model and enough information to identify the ecological site.
Figure 1. Mapped extent
Areas shown in blue indicate the maximum mapped extent of this ecological site. Other ecological sites likely occur within the highlighted areas. It is also possible for this ecological site to occur outside of highlighted areas if detailed soil survey has not been completed or recently updated.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 042C–Central New Mexico Highlands
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 070C–Central New Mexico Highlands
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA) 70C - will become 42C - is a high elevation portion of central New Mexico that is the convergence of four major physiographic provinces: Basin and Range, Southern Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Colorado Plateau. As such, it contains parts or characteristics of each, though tectonically, as a region, it is the easternmost extent of the Basin and Range Province and, more specifically, a structural expression of the Rio Grande Rift. It consists mostly of rangeland with some forested areas associated with numerous disconnected mountain ranges such as the Guadalupe, Sacramento, and Manzano Mountains. Other major physiographic features include the Galisteo Basin or the enclosed Estancia Basin, the structural Chupadera and Glorieta Mesas, and the piedmonts of the Buchanan and Guadalupe Mesas.
Ecological site concept
This site occurs on plains and thin sand sheets, with slopes ranging up to 10 percent.
The soils of this site are well-drained and shallow to caliche, gypsum, sandstone, or limestone. Textures include fine sand and loamy sand.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
| Tree |
(1) Juniperus |
|---|---|
| Shrub |
(1) Rhus trilobata |
| Herbaceous |
(1) Bouteloua gracilis |
Physiographic features
This site is nearly level to undulating in topography with some slopes ranging up to 10 percent. Aspect varies but is not significant. It occurs at elevations ranging from 4,400 to 6,000 feet above sea level. The differentiating characteristics of this site are the shallow sands occurring from 10 to 20 inches over bedrock or caliche.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
| Landforms |
(1)
Plain
(2) Sand sheet |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 1,341 – 2,012 m |
| Slope | 0 – 10% |
| Aspect | Aspect is not a significant factor |
Climatic features
The climate of the area is ‘semi-arid continental.”
The average annual precipitation ranges from 13 to 16 inches. Variations of 5 inches, more or less, are common. Seventy-five percent of the precipitation falls during the frost-free season. Most of the summer moisture falls in the form of high-intensity, short-duration thunderstorms. Winter precipitation is mostly in the form of snowfalls of less than 6 inches.
Temperatures are characterized by moderately warm summers and fairly cool, dry winters. The average annual temperature is 50 degrees F with extremes of –29 degrees F in the winter and 103 degrees F in the summer.
The average frost-free season is 130 to 160 days. The last killing frost falls in early May and the first killing frost in early October.
Both temperature and rainfall distribution favor warm-season, perennial plant communities in this area. However, sufficient late winter early spring moisture allows cool-season species to occupy a minor component within the plant community. Wind velocities in this area are high. The spring months are characterized by frequent windstorms with velocities in excess of 45 miles per hour. Excessive erosion occurs on soils not protected by good cover vegetation. Humidity is low and evaporation is high.
Climate data was obtained from http://www.wrcc.sage.dri.edu/summary/climsmnm.html web site using 50% probability for freeze-free and frost-free seasons using 28.5 degrees F and 32.5 degrees F respectively.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
| Frost-free period (average) | 173 days |
|---|---|
| Freeze-free period (average) | 187 days |
| Precipitation total (average) | 406 mm |
Figure 2. Monthly precipitation range
Figure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
This is an upland site, and is not associated with water features or wetlands. During heavy rain events, this site may receive run-on moisture and throughflow from landforms above and contribute runoff and thruoghflow to landforms below.
Soil features
The soils of this site consist of fine sands and loamy sands that are shallow in depth. Depth is from 10 to 20 inches occurring over caliche, gypsum, sandstone or limestone. The soils are well drained. Permeability is rapid. Available water-holding capacity is low. The plant-water-soil-air relationship is good.
Table 4. Representative soil features
| Surface texture |
(1) Fine sand (2) Loamy sand |
|---|---|
| Family particle size |
(1) Loamy |
| Drainage class | Well drained |
| Permeability class | Moderately rapid to rapid |
| Soil depth | 25 – 51 cm |
| Available water capacity (0-101.6cm) |
0 – 7.62 cm |
| Electrical conductivity (0-101.6cm) |
0 – 2 mmhos/cm |
| Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-101.6cm) |
7.4 – 8.4 |
| Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
15 – 35% |
Ecological dynamics
Grazing:
This site is suitable for grazing by all kinds and classes of livestock during all seasons of the year. Approximately 80 percent of the total yield are from species that furnish forage for grazing animals. Continuous grazing during the growing season will cause the more desirable forage plants such as little bluestem, sideoats grama, black grama, New Mexico feathergrass, and sand bluestem to decrease. Species most likely to invade the site are annual forbs, western ragweed, mesquite, and oneseed juniper. Species most likely to increase are blue grama, hairy grama, sand muhly, threeawn, sand dropseed, skunkbush sumac, or sacahuista. As the ecological condition deteriorates, it is accompanied by a sharp increase in blue grama. Most of the tall and mid-grass species will disappear as deterioration advances. In some areas, there may be large patches of skunkbush sumac, catclaw acacia or sacahuista that will increase to the point where it is dominating the site. As the condition deteriorates, it is usually accompanied by loss in plant cover, which causes wind erosion hazard, and a loss of productivity. A system of deferred grazing, which varies the time of grazing and rest in pastures during successive years is needed to maintain or improve the plant community. Rest during April, May and June benefits cool-season species such as New Mexico feathergrass and early forbs. Late spring and summer rest is needed for little bluestem, sideoats grama, and sand bluestem to grow and reproduce. Rest during the winter is beneficial mainly to black grama. Cattle show a definite preference to black grama during the late winter and it can easily be over utilized. Winter rest will reduce the grazing pressure on black grama.
State and transition model
Figure 4. Generalized STM for shallow sites in 70C
More interactive model formats are also available.
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Ecosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Reference Plant Community
This state represents the most ecologically stable conditions in terms of resistance to erosion. Moreover, this state has the highest potential for productivity and plant diversity.
Community 1.1
Reference Plant Community
This phase is a grassland characterized by a mixture of warm season, short, mid and tall grasses. The grassland is dotted with shrubs and half-shrubs. Forbs are a minor component of the plant community but are plentiful during years of abundant rainfall. Cool season grasses make up a minor component of the plant community. Other grasses that could appear on this phase include: threeawns, bottlebrush squirreltail, plains, bush and sand muhly, Arizona cottontop, and Indian ricegrass. Other shrubs include: broom snakeweed, algerita, sand and Bigelow sagebrush, cactus spp., fourwing saltbush, and winterfat. Other forbs include: verbena, annual mustard, purple nightshade, curly dock, tansymustard, Russian thistle, and astragalus spp.
Figure 5. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
| Plant type | Low (kg/hectare) |
Representative value (kg/hectare) |
High (kg/hectare) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grass/Grasslike | 616 | 919 | 1222 |
| Forb | 67 | 90 | 123 |
| Total | 683 | 1009 | 1345 |
Table 6. Ground cover
| Tree foliar cover | 2-5% |
|---|---|
| Shrub/vine/liana foliar cover | 3-6% |
| Grass/grasslike foliar cover | 0% |
| Forb foliar cover | 0% |
| Non-vascular plants | 0% |
| Biological crusts | 0% |
| Litter | 5-10% |
| Surface fragments >0.25" and <=3" | 0% |
| Surface fragments >3" | 0% |
| Bedrock | 0% |
| Water | 0% |
| Bare ground | 40-50% |
Figure 6. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). NM4320, R070CY120NM Shallow Plains Reference State. R070CY120NM Shallow Plains Reference State Warm season mixed short/mid & tall grasses w/ shrubs & half-shrubs and a minor forb component. .
| 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 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
State 2
Degraded
This state is characterized by an increase in such species as blue grama, hairy grama, sand muhly, threeawn, sand dropseed, skunkbush sumac, and sacahuista. Additionally, this state typically includes invasive plants such as annual forbs, western ragweed, mesquite, and oneseed juniper.
Transition T1A
State 1 to 2
Season-long grazing providing little rest and recovery for preferred grazed plants during critical growing periods, coupled with high utilization.
Restoration pathway R2A
State 2 to 1
Legacy text: "Restoration pathway resulting from the implementation of prescribed grazing." It should be noted that prescribed grazing alone may not effectively diminish woody plants here. Brush control may also be required. Future work on this ESD should seek to clarify this.
Conservation practices
| Grazing Management Plan - Applied |
|---|
Additional community tables
Table 7. Community 1.1 plant community composition
| Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (kg/hectare) | Foliar cover (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
| 1 | 112–179 | |||||
| blue grama | BOGR2 | Bouteloua gracilis | 118–177 | – | ||
| hairy grama | BOHI2 | Bouteloua hirsuta | 118–177 | – | ||
| 2 | 112–179 | |||||
| little bluestem | SCSC | Schizachyrium scoparium | 118–177 | – | ||
| 3 | 177–235 | |||||
| sideoats grama | BOCU | Bouteloua curtipendula | 177–235 | – | ||
| 4 | 56–179 | |||||
| black grama | BOER4 | Bouteloua eriopoda | 59–177 | – | ||
| 5 | 56–112 | |||||
| New Mexico feathergrass | HENE5 | Hesperostipa neomexicana | 59–118 | – | ||
| 6 | 112–179 | |||||
| sand bluestem | ANHA | Andropogon hallii | 118–177 | – | ||
| 7 | 34–56 | |||||
| plains bristlegrass | SEVU2 | Setaria vulpiseta | 36–59 | – | ||
| 8 | 34–56 | |||||
| sand dropseed | SPCR | Sporobolus cryptandrus | 36–59 | – | ||
| mesa dropseed | SPFL2 | Sporobolus flexuosus | 36–59 | – | ||
| 9 | 34–56 | |||||
| Graminoid (grass or grass-like) | 2GRAM | Graminoid (grass or grass-like) | 36–59 | – | ||
|
Forb
|
||||||
| 10 | 34–56 | |||||
| leatherweed | CRPOP | Croton pottsii var. pottsii | 36–59 | – | ||
| buckwheat | ERIOG | Eriogonum | 36–59 | – | ||
| woolly plantain | PLPA2 | Plantago patagonica | 36–59 | – | ||
| scarlet globemallow | SPCO | Sphaeralcea coccinea | 36–59 | – | ||
| 11 | 34–56 | |||||
| Forb (herbaceous, not grass nor grass-like) | 2FORB | Forb (herbaceous, not grass nor grass-like) | 36–59 | – | ||
|
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
| 12 | 56–112 | |||||
| juniper | JUNIP | Juniperus | 59–118 | – | ||
| catclaw mimosa | MIACB | Mimosa aculeaticarpa var. biuncifera | 59–118 | – | ||
| sacahuista | NOMI | Nolina microcarpa | 59–118 | – | ||
| skunkbush sumac | RHTR | Rhus trilobata | 59–118 | – | ||
| 13 | 34–56 | |||||
| soapweed yucca | YUGL | Yucca glauca | 36–59 | – | ||
| 14 | 34–56 | |||||
| Shrub, deciduous | 2SD | Shrub, deciduous | 36–59 | – | ||
Interpretations
Supporting information
Type locality
| Location 1: De Baca County, NM | |
|---|---|
| Location 2: Guadalupe County, NM |
Other references
Data collection for this site was done in conjunction with the progressive soil surveys within the Pecos-Canadian Plains and Valleys 70 Major Land Resource Area of New Mexico. This site has been mapped and correlated with soils in the following soil surveys: Chaves, De Baca, Guadalupe, Lincoln, Sna Miguel, Santa Fe, Torrance.
Characteristic Soils Are:
Cardenas
Contributors
Christine Bishop
Don Sylvester
Elizabeth Wright
John Tunberg
Approval
Kendra Moseley, 10/21/2024
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 | 11/21/2024 |
| Approved by | Kendra Moseley |
| 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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