State 1
Tall and Medium Grasses/Forbs

Community 1.1
Tall and Medium Grasses/Forbs

This is the interpretive plant community and is considered to be the Historic Climax Plant Community (HCPC) for this site. This plant community contains a high diversity of tall and medium height, cool and warm season grasses (bluebunch wheatgrass, rough fescue, tall needlegrasses, plains muhly, Idaho fescue, thickspike or western wheatgrass and, needleandthread), and short grasses and sedges (Cusick bluegrass, Parry danthonia, spike oatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, prairie junegrass, threadleaf sedge). There are abundant forbs (sticky geranium, mountain dandelion, prairie clovers, dotted gayfeather) which occur in smaller percentages. Shrubs such as snowberry, mountain silver sagebrush, shrubby cinquefoil and creeping juniper can be common, especially in locations having more favorable moisture. This plant community is well adapted to the Northern Rocky Mountain foothills climatic conditions. The diversity in plant species allows for drought tolerance. Individual species can vary greatly in production depending on growing conditions (timing and amount of precipitation, and temperature). This plant community is well suited to managed livestock grazing and provides diverse habitat for many wildlife species. These plants have strong, healthy root systems that allow production to increase significantly with favorable growing conditions. This plant community provides for soil stability and a properly functioning hydrologic cycle. Abundant plant litter is available for soil building and moisture retention. Plant litter is properly distributed with very little movement off-site and natural plant mortality is very low. The soils associated with this site provide a favorable soil-water-plant relationship.

State 2
Medium and Short Grasses, Sedge, and Increaser Forbs

Community 2.1
Medium and Short Grasses, Sedge, and Increaser Forbs

Early stages of degradation, including non-prescribed grazing, will tend to change the HCPC to a community dominated by medium and short grasses and sedges such as Idaho fescue, needleandthread (mainly 15 inches MAP or less), thickspike/western wheatgrass, threadleaf sedge, Cusick bluegrass, Parry danthonia, Sandberg bluegrass, and prairie junegrass,. Most of the taller, more palatable grasses (bluebunch wheatgrass, tall needlegrasses, rough fescue) will still be present but in smaller amounts. There may be an increase in the amount of some shrubs. Palatable and nutritious forbs will be replaced by less desirable and more aggressive species. This plant community will readily respond to improved grazing management, but a significant amount of time can be necessary to move it toward a higher successional stage and a more productive plant community similar to community 1.

State 3
Medium and Short Grasses, Forbs, Non-Native Grasses

Community 3.1
Medium and Short Grasses, Forbs, Non-Native Grasses

Given the right circumstances and opportunity, non-native grasses such as Kentucky/Canada bluegrass or common timothy will become established on this ecological site. In this situation, slight degradation in the historical climax plant community results in a plant community similar to #2, except that it will also have these non native plants as minor components. If further degradation continues, these species will continue to increase and replace more desirable native species. Biomass production and litter become slightly reduced on the site with Communities 2 and 3, as the taller grasses become replaced by shorter ones, especially the non-native grasses. Evapotranspiration tends to increase, moisture retention is reduced, and soil surface temperatures increase. Some natural ecological processes will be altered. These plant communities provide for moderate soil stability. Increased amounts of bare ground can result in undesirable species invading. Common invaders can include leafy spurge, dalmation toadflax, and sulphur cinquefoil. The following plant communities are the result of long-term, heavy, continuous season long grazing and/or heavy, annual, early spring grazing. Repeated grazing during a grass’ critical growth periods depletes stored carbohydrates, resulting in weakening and eventual death of the cool season tall and medium grasses. These plant communities can occur throughout the pasture, on spot grazed areas, and near water sources where season-long grazing patterns occur. It is critical at this point to consider implementing a change in grazing management to prevent further degradation to any of the following plant communities and minimize the increase of less desirable and non native species. Once any of the following communities become established, the potential to return to communities 1, 2, or 3 is reduced and often requires a significant amount of time along with economic inputs.

State 4
Sedges, Mid and Short Increaser Grasses, Increaser Forbs, Fringed Sagewort, Creeping Juniper

Community 4.1
Sedges, Mid and Short Increaser Grasses, Increaser Forbs, Fringed Sagewort, Creeping Juniper

With continued heavy disturbance, the site will become dominated by species such as threadleaf or needleleaf sedge, Idaho fescue, needleandthread, thickspike or western wheatgrass, green sagewort, and increaser forbs such as scurfpeas. There may still be remnant amounts of some of the late-seral species such as rough fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and green/Columbia needlegrass present. The taller grasses will occur only occasionally, often within creeping juniper plants. Palatable forbs will be mostly absent. Dense clubmoss will begin to be abundant on soils having either loamy, silty, or sandy textures. Creeping juniper becomes common. Shrubby cinquefoil can become a significant component, particularly in the higher moisture areas (> 17 inches precipitation) of this MLRA/RRU.

State 5
Sedges, Mid and Short Grasses, Increaser Forbs, Non-Native Grasses, Fringed Sagewort

Community 5.1
Sedges, Mid and Short Grasses, Increaser Forbs, Non-Native Grasses, Fringed Sagewort

As heavy disturbance continues, plant community 3 deteriorates to one similar to community number 4, except that non-native bluegrasses (Kentucky/Canada) and/or common timothy become more abundant, often comprising about 25 percent or more of the composition. These last 2 plant communities (4 & 5) are often less productive than Plant Communities 1, 2, or 3. The lack of litter and short plant heights result in higher soil temperatures, poor water infiltration rates, and higher evapotranspiration rates, thus eventually favoring species that are more adapted to drier conditions. These communities have lost many of the attributes of a healthy rangeland, including good infiltration, minimal erosion and runoff, nutrient cycling and energy flow. Communities 4 and 5 will respond positively to improved grazing management, but significant economic inputs and time will usually also be needed to move them toward a higher successional stage. Once plants such as Kentucky or Canada bluegrass or timothy become established, they are very difficult to remove and replace by grazing management alone. Additionally, the chances for success are significantly reduced.

State 6
Short Grasses, Half Shrubs, Cactus, Annuals, Weedy Forbs, and Shrub

Community 6.1
Short Grasses, Half Shrubs, Cactus, Annuals, Weedy Forbs, and Shrub

Further deterioration of community 3 results in a plant community dominated by undesirable plants such as red threeawn, green sagewort, broom snakeweed, weedy forbs (e.g., thistles), annuals such as cheatgrass and Japanese bromes and sixweeks fescue, pricklypear cactus, threadleaf sedge, and yucca. Dense clubmoss will be common and abundant on medium to lighter textured soils. Creeping juniper can become abundant in the northern part of this MLRU. Frequently, a remnant population of climax species such as rough fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass will occur within the creeping juniper.

State 7
Non-Native Grasses, Weedy Forbs, Clubmoss

Community 7.1
Non-Native Grasses, Weedy Forbs, Clubmoss

Further deterioration of community 5 leads to a plant community dominated by Kentucky/Canada bluegrass and/or common timothy, often comprising 25 to 80 % of the community. Weedy forbs including field chickweed, cudweed sagewort, and pussytoes are abundant and typically comprise the rest of the plant composition. A thick cover of dense clubmoss often completes this community. Occasionally, in places receiving 17 inches or greater precipitation, some short lived native species such as mountain brome can become dominant after major disturbance from grazing or rodent (pocket gopher mainly) activity. Plant communities 6 and 7 have extremely reduced production of desirable native plants. The lack of litter and short plant heights result in higher soil surface temperatures, poor water infiltration rates, and increased evaporation, which gives short grasses, weedy forbs, and invader species a competitive advantage over the cool season tall and medium grasses. These communities have lost most of the attributes of a healthy rangeland, including good infiltration, minimal runoff and erosion, nutrient cycling and energy flow. Inputs such as seeding and/or mechanical treatment practices are generally not recommended as they are generally not practical or feasible because of the steep slopes associated with this ecological site. Brush management may be used in some, specific situations. Extended rest and prescribed grazing management are the primary practices available to restore these plant communities to a higher successional stage.