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Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R043AY504ID
Mesic Dry-Xeric Loamy Hills and Canyons (FEID/PSSP/ELGL)
Last updated: 10/15/2020
Accessed: 08/17/2024
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 043A–Northern Rocky Mountains
Description of MLRAs can be found in: United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2006. Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin. U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 296.
Available electronically at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/ref/?cid=nrcs142p2_053624#handbook
LRU notes
Major land resource area (MLRA): 043A-Northern Rocky Mountains
Modal LRU – 43A08 Clearwater Canyons
This LRU is composed predominantly of low to mid elevation foothills, structural benches, valleys, flats, mountain slopes and ridges. The soils tend to be loamy argixerolls. Volcanics are the dominant parent materials, along with occasional granite and other intrusives. Soil climate is a mesic temperature regime and xeric moisture regime with average annual precipitation around 675 mm (27 inches).
Classification relationships
This ES group fits into the National Vegetation Standard’s Central Rocky Mountain Foothill Grassland Group (Compare to previous Idaho range site: R009XY016ID, LOAMY 22+ FEID-PSSPS)
Ecological site concept
This ES is found on well drained, loamy sites with mesic temperatures and moister microclimates. Soils tend to be very deep with adequate available water holding capacity and a plant community dominated by grass species such as bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, and blue wildrye.
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
---|---|
Shrub |
(1) Symphoricarpos albus |
Herbaceous |
(1) Festuca idahoensis |
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