Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R043CY501OR
Cold Wet Mountain Meadow (CAREX)
Last updated: 9/08/2023
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.
MLRA notes
Major Land Resource Area (MLRA): 043C–Blue and Seven Devils Mountains
This MLRA covers the Blue and Seven Devils Mountains of Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The area is characterized by thrust and block-faulted mountains and deep canyons composed of sedimentary, metasedimentary, and volcanic rocks. Elevations range from 1,300 to 9,800 feet (395 to 2,990 meters). The climate is characterized by cold, wet winters and cool, dry summers. Annual precipitation, mostly in the form of snow, averages 12 to 43 inches (305 to 1,090 millimeters) yet ranges as high as 82 inches (2,085 millimeters) at upper elevations. Soil temperature regimes are predominately Frigid to Cryic and soil moisture regimes are predominately Xeric to Udic. Mollisols and Andisols are the dominant soil orders. Ecologically, forests dominate but shrub and grass communities may occur on south aspects and lower elevations as well as in alpine meadow environments. Forest composition follows moisture, temperature and elevational gradients and typically ranges from ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir plant associations at lower elevations, grand fir at middle elevations and subalpine fir and Engelman spruce at upper elevations. Historical fire regimes associated with these forest types range from frequent surface fires in ponderosa pine - Douglas Fir forest types to mixed and stand replacing fire regimes in grand fir and subalpine fir types. A large percentage of the MLRA is federally owned and managed by the U.S. Forest Service for multiple uses.
Classification relationships
Plant Assoc. of Wallowa-Snake Province (1987):
MM1922 - Tufted hairgrass wet meadow sedges
Mid-Montane Wetland Plant Associations of the Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests (1997):
MM2918 - Cusick's sedge
MW2912 - Clustered field sedge
Riparian and Wetland Vegetation of Central and Eastern Oregon (2004):
CEGL000230 - Carex cusickii Association - Cusick's sedge Association
USDA Forest Service Ecological Sub-region
M332 “Blue Mountains”
U.S. National Vegetation Classification Standard (NVCS)
Macrogroup:
Vancouverian-Rocky Mountain Montane Wet Meadow & Marsh
Group:
Carex spp. - Calamagrostis spp. Montane Wet Meadow & Marsh Group
Ecological site concept
This ecological site represents a broad group of plant communities existing in cold wet meadow environments of the Blue and Wallowa mountains of Oregon and Washington. These communities are dominated by obligate wetland sedge species (Carex spp.) yet often include a range of other graminoids, forbs and shrub pockets as well. This site is found among forested communities at moderate to high elevations, often occupying low gradient floodplains, wet basins and drainageways. Deep, fine textured mineral and organic soils promote high water holding capacity and persistently high water tables (0 - 30cm throughout the year) favor plant species that can tolerate saturated soils. Historically, climatic cycles acting on watershed hydrology would have controlled ecological dynamics and geomorphic processes.
This is a provisional ecological site that groups characteristics at a broad scale with little to no field verification and is subject to extensive review and revision before final approval. All data herein was developed using existing information and literature and should be considered provisional and contingent upon field validation prior to use in conservation planning.
Associated sites
R043CY502OR |
Cool Moist Mountain Meadow (DECE/CAREX) Occupying adjacent landforms with meadow communities at somewhat higher positions relative to stream channels or more ephemeral sources of subsurface moisture |
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Similar sites
R043CY502OR |
Cool Moist Mountain Meadow (DECE/CAREX) Water table drops to below 30 cm by mid to late summer. DECE dominated. |
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F043CY503OR |
Mountain Riparian Forest (PIEN/ALIN) Moderate to high stream gradients. High energy soils. |
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
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Shrub |
Not specified |
Herbaceous |
(1) Carex |
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Ecosystem states
T1.1 | - | Invasion of non-native meadow grasses |
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T2.1 | - | Sustained improperly managed grazing |
T2.2 | - | Hydrologic alteration |
R3.1 | - | Rehabilitation actions |
T3.1 | - | Severe hydrologic alteration |
R4.1 | - | Rehabilitation actions |
R4.2 | - | Rehabilitation actions and significant passage of time |