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Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R043BP812MT
Shallow Shrubland Group
Last updated: 3/01/2024
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): 043B–Central Rocky Mountains
The Central Rocky Mountains (MLRA 43B) of Montana occupy some 28,850 square miles and exist primarily in Central and SW portions of the state. The climate is extremely variable with precipitation lows of 9 to 100 inches per year and frost free days of less than 30 to over 110 days. The geology of the region is also highly variable. The combination of variable climate and geology create a complex relationship of plant communities. MLRA 43B elevations typically exist between 6000 and 12,799ft at Granite Peak (the highest point in Montana).
The Continental Divide runs through this MLRA effectively splitting its watershed to contribute to either the Missouri River to the East and the Columbia River to the West.
Ecological site concept
• Site does not receive any additional water
• Soils are
o Generally not saline or saline-sodic (limited extent)
o Shallow depth (less than 50cm (20 in) to bedrock, lithic, or paralithic root restrictive layer
o Typically less than 5% stone and boulder cover (<15% max)
o Not strongly or violently effervescent within surface mineral
• Soil surface texture ranges from sandy loam to clay loam in surface mineral 4”
• Moisture Regime: ustic
• Temperature Regime: frigid to cryic
• Dominant Cover: rangeland - Shrub dominated
• Elevation Range: 5100-8300ft
• Slope: 10-60% (typically less than 45%)
Site Development and Testing Plan
This Provisional Ecological Site Description was developed to meet the criteria as defined in Soil Survey National Instruction part 306 (430-306-NI, April 2015) as interpreted by Regional Ecological Site Specialist. Information in this description are first approximations based on broad groupings of soil properties and vegetation characteristics associated with those groupings. Although this description has been through the quality control and quality assurance review process it has not been certified for use in conservation planning.
Associated sites
EX043B18H038 |
Droughty Steep 15-19 inches precipitation zone Cryic Beaverhead Mountains Droughty Steep Site LRU 18 Subset D (15-19 |
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EX043B18H038 |
Droughty Steep 15-19 inches precipitation zone Cryic Beaverhead Mountains Droughty Steep Site LRU 18 Subset E (19-24 |
R043BP810MT |
Shallow Grassland Group The Shallow Grassland shares landscape position and hydrological processes with the Shallow Shrubland. The Shallow Grassland expresses a higher amount of big sagebrush. The Shallow Shrubland shares a State and Transition model with the Shallow Grassland. |
R043BP811MT |
Shallow Sagebrush Shrubland Group The Shallow Shrubland shares landscape position and hydrological processes with the Shallow Shrubland. The Shallow Shrubland expresses a higher amount of deciduous shrubs. The Shallow Sagebrush Shrubland shares a State and Transition model with The Shallow Shrubland. |
Similar sites
R043BP810MT |
Shallow Grassland Group The Shallow Grassland shares landscape position and hydrological processes with the Shallow Shrubland. |
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Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
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Shrub |
(1) Ribes |
Herbaceous |
(1) Pseudoroegneria spicata |
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