Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Ecological site R064XY047NE
Very Shallow
Accessed: 04/26/2024
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.
Classification relationships
Level IV Ecoregions of the Conterminous United States: 25a – Pine Ridge Escarpment, 43h – White River Badlands, and 43i – Keya Paha Tablelands.
Associated sites
R064XY014NE |
Clayey 14-17" PZ |
---|---|
R064XY035NE |
Clayey 17-20 PZ |
R064XY039NE |
Shallow Clay |
R064XY040NE |
Shallow |
Similar sites
R064XY040NE |
Shallow [Less needleandthread; more big and little bluestem; higher production.] |
---|
Table 1. Dominant plant species
Tree |
Not specified |
---|---|
Shrub |
Not specified |
Herbaceous |
(1) Bouteloua curtipendula |
Physiographic features
This site typically occurs on gently to steeply sloping uplands.
Table 2. Representative physiographic features
Landforms |
(1)
Stream terrace
(2) Knoll (3) Ridge |
---|---|
Flooding frequency | None |
Ponding frequency | None |
Elevation | 2,900 – 4,000 ft |
Slope | 2 – 40% |
Aspect | Aspect is not a significant factor |
Climatic features
MLRA 64 is considered to have a continental climate – cold winters and hot summers, low humidity, light rainfall, and much sunshine. Extremes in temperature may also abound. The climate is the result of this MLRA’s location near the geographic center of North America. There are few natural barriers on the northern Great Plains and air masses move freely across the plains and account for rapid changes in temperature.
Annual precipitation ranges from 14 to 20 inches per year. The normal average annual temperature is about 47° F. January is the coldest month with average temperatures ranging from about 21° F (Wood, SD) to about 25° F (Hemingford, NE). July is the warmest month with temperatures averaging from about 70° F (Keeline 3 W, WY) to about 76° F (Wood, SD). The range of normal average monthly temperatures between the coldest and warmest months is about 55° F. This large annual range attests to the continental nature of this area's climate. Hourly winds average about 11 miles per hour annually, ranging from about 13 miles per hour during the spring to about 10 miles per hour during the summer. Daytime winds are generally stronger than nighttime and occasional strong storms may bring brief periods of high winds with gusts to more than 50 miles per hour.
Growth of cool season plants begins in early to mid March, slowing or ceasing in late June. Warm season plants begin growth about mid May and continue to early or mid September. Green up of cool season plants may occur in September and October when adequate soil moisture is present.
Table 3. Representative climatic features
Frost-free period (average) | 143 days |
---|---|
Freeze-free period (average) | 163 days |
Precipitation total (average) | 20 in |
Figure 2. Monthly precipitation range
Figure 3. Monthly average minimum and maximum temperature
Influencing water features
No riparian areas or wetland features are directly associated with this site.
Soil features
The common features of soils in this site are the gravelly sand to gravelly clay loam textured subsoils and slopes of 2 to 40 percent. The soils in this site are well drained and formed in soft siltstone, sandstone, porcelanite or alluvium. The gravelly loam surface layer is 4 to 8 inches thick. The soils have a moderate infiltration rate. This site should show slight to no evidence of rills, wind scoured areas or pedestalled plants. Water flow paths are broken, irregular in appearance or discontinuous with numerous debris dams or vegetative barriers. The soil surface is stable and intact. Sub-surface soil layers are restrictive to water movement and root penetration.
These soils are mainly susceptible to water erosion. The hazard of water erosion increases on slopes greater than about 15 percent. Low available water capacity caused by the shallow rooting depth strongly influences the soil-water-plant relationship.
More information can be found in the various soil survey reports. Contact the local USDA Service Center for soil survey reports that include more detail specific to your location.
Table 4. Representative soil features
Surface texture |
(1) Gravelly loam (2) Very gravelly |
---|---|
Family particle size |
(1) Loamy |
Drainage class | Well drained to excessively drained |
Permeability class | Moderate to moderately rapid |
Soil depth | 5 – 10 in |
Surface fragment cover <=3" | 25% |
Surface fragment cover >3" | 10% |
Available water capacity (0-40in) |
1 – 3 in |
Calcium carbonate equivalent (0-40in) |
15% |
Electrical conductivity (0-40in) |
4 mmhos/cm |
Sodium adsorption ratio (0-40in) |
Not specified |
Soil reaction (1:1 water) (0-40in) |
6.1 – 8.4 |
Subsurface fragment volume <=3" (Depth not specified) |
20 – 70% |
Subsurface fragment volume >3" (Depth not specified) |
6 – 65% |
Ecological dynamics
This site developed under Northern Great Plains climatic conditions, light to severe grazing by bison and other large herbivores, sporadic natural or man-caused wildfire (often of light intensities), and other biotic and abiotic factors that typically influence soil/site development. Changes will occur in the plant communities due to short-term weather variations, impacts of native and/or exotic plant and animal species, and management actions. While the following plant community descriptions describe more typical transitions between communities that will occur, severe disturbances, such as periods of well-below average precipitation, can cause significant shifts in plant communities and/or species composition.
Continuous season-long grazing (during the typical growing season of May through October) and/or repeated seasonal grazing (e.g., every spring, every summer) without adequate recovery periods following each grazing occurrence causes this site to depart from the Needleandthread/Little Bluestem/Grama Plant Community. Species such as threadleaf sedge and blue grama will initially increase. Plains muhly, western wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, little bluestem and sideoats grama will decrease in frequency and production and later disappear. Heavy continuous grazing causes blue grama and/or threadleaf sedge to dominate.
Interpretations are primarily based on the Needleandthread/Little Bluestem/Grama Plant Community. It has been determined by study of rangeland relic areas, areas protected from excessive disturbance, and areas under long-term rotational grazing regimes. Trends in plant community dynamics ranging from heavily grazed to lightly grazed areas, seasonal use pastures, and historical accounts also have been used. Plant communities, states, transitional pathways, and thresholds have been determined through similar studies and experience.
The following diagram illustrates the common plant communities and vegetation states commonly occurring on the site and the transition pathways between communities and states. The ecological processes will be discussed in more detail in the plant community descriptions following the diagram.
State and transition model
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Ecosystem states
State 1 submodel, plant communities
State 1
Needleandthread/Little Bluestem/Grama
Community 1.1
Needleandthread/Little Bluestem/Grama
Interpretations are based primarily on the Needleandthread/Little Bluestem/Grama Plant Community (this is also considered to be climax). This community evolved with grazing by large herbivores and occasional prairie fire, and can be found on areas that are properly managed with prescribed grazing that allows for proper utilization, changes in season of use and adequate recovery periods following each grazing event. The potential vegetation is about 75% grasses or grass-like plants, 15% forbs and 10% shrubs. An even mix of both warm and cool-season grasses or grass-likes dominates this plant community. The major grasses or grass-likes include needleandthread, western wheatgrass, threadleaf sedge, little bluestem and both sideoats and blue grama. Other grasses occurring on the site include thickspike wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, plains muhly and prairie junegrass. The significant forbs include gayfeather, purple coneflower, prairie clover and cutleaf ironplant. Significant shrubs are fringed sagewort, rose, skunkbush sumac and yucca. Refer to the plant community composition and group annual production table for species composition and production. This plant community is well adapted to the Northern Great Plains climatic conditions. Individual species can vary greatly in production depending on growing conditions (timing and amount of precipitation and temperature). Community dynamics, nutrient cycle, water cycle and energy flow are functioning at the sites potential. Plant litter is properly distributed with some movement off-site and natural plant mortality is low. The diversity in plant species allows for high drought tolerance.
Figure 4. Annual production by plant type (representative values) or group (midpoint values)
Table 5. Annual production by plant type
Plant type | Low (lb/acre) |
Representative value (lb/acre) |
High (lb/acre) |
---|---|---|---|
Grass/Grasslike | 420 | 742 | 965 |
Forb | 40 | 90 | 140 |
Shrub/Vine | 40 | 68 | 95 |
Total | 500 | 900 | 1200 |
Figure 5. Plant community growth curve (percent production by month). NE6403, Pine Ridge/Badlands, cool-season/warm-season co-dominant. Cool-season, warm-season co-dominant.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
5 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
Additional community tables
Table 6. Community 1.1 plant community composition
Group | Common name | Symbol | Scientific name | Annual production (lb/acre) | Foliar cover (%) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grass/Grasslike
|
||||||
1 | Needleandthread | 90–180 | ||||
needle and thread | HECOC8 | Hesperostipa comata ssp. comata | 90–180 | – | ||
2 | Mid Warm-Season Grasses | 90–180 | ||||
little bluestem | SCSC | Schizachyrium scoparium | 90–135 | – | ||
plains muhly | MUCU3 | Muhlenbergia cuspidata | 18–45 | – | ||
3 | Grama | 180–360 | ||||
sideoats grama | BOCU | Bouteloua curtipendula | 90–225 | – | ||
blue grama | BOGR2 | Bouteloua gracilis | 45–180 | – | ||
hairy grama | BOHI2 | Bouteloua hirsuta | 45–90 | – | ||
4 | Wheatgrass | 45–90 | ||||
western wheatgrass | PASM | Pascopyrum smithii | 45–90 | – | ||
thickspike wheatgrass | ELLAL | Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus | 0–45 | – | ||
5 | Other Native Grasses | 9–45 | ||||
Grass, perennial | 2GP | Grass, perennial | 0–45 | – | ||
prairie sandreed | CALO | Calamovilfa longifolia | 0–45 | – | ||
prairie Junegrass | KOMA | Koeleria macrantha | 9–45 | – | ||
bluebunch wheatgrass | PSSP6 | Pseudoroegneria spicata | 0–45 | – | ||
sand dropseed | SPCR | Sporobolus cryptandrus | 0–18 | – | ||
Sandberg bluegrass | POSE | Poa secunda | 9–18 | – | ||
threeawn | ARIST | Aristida | 0–9 | – | ||
6 | Grass-Likes | 45–135 | ||||
threadleaf sedge | CAFI | Carex filifolia | 45–135 | – | ||
sedge | CAREX | Carex | 0–18 | – | ||
Forb
|
||||||
7 | Forbs | 45–135 | ||||
dotted blazing star | LIPU | Liatris punctata | 9–45 | – | ||
hairy false goldenaster | HEVI4 | Heterotheca villosa | 9–36 | – | ||
upright prairie coneflower | RACO3 | Ratibida columnifera | 9–27 | – | ||
Forb, perennial | 2FP | Forb, perennial | 0–27 | – | ||
white sagebrush | ARLU | Artemisia ludoviciana | 0–27 | – | ||
purple prairie clover | DAPU5 | Dalea purpurea | 9–27 | – | ||
blacksamson echinacea | ECAN2 | Echinacea angustifolia | 9–27 | – | ||
white heath aster | SYER | Symphyotrichum ericoides | 9–27 | – | ||
stemless four-nerve daisy | TEAC | Tetraneuris acaulis | 0–18 | – | ||
pussytoes | ANTEN | Antennaria | 9–18 | – | ||
tarragon | ARDR4 | Artemisia dracunculus | 0–18 | – | ||
scarlet globemallow | SPCO | Sphaeralcea coccinea | 0–18 | – | ||
scarlet beeblossom | GACO5 | Gaura coccinea | 0–18 | – | ||
old man's whiskers | GETR | Geum triflorum | 0–18 | – | ||
rush skeletonplant | LYJU | Lygodesmia juncea | 0–18 | – | ||
lacy tansyaster | MAPI | Machaeranthera pinnatifida | 0–18 | – | ||
large Indian breadroot | PEES | Pediomelum esculentum | 0–18 | – | ||
spiny phlox | PHHO | Phlox hoodii | 9–18 | – | ||
eastern pasqueflower | PUPA5 | Pulsatilla patens | 0–18 | – | ||
onion | ALLIU | Allium | 0–9 | – | ||
buckwheat | ERIOG | Eriogonum | 0–9 | – | ||
milkvetch | ASTRA | Astragalus | 0–9 | – | ||
Shrub/Vine
|
||||||
8 | Shrubs | 45–90 | ||||
Subshrub (<.5m) | 2SUBS | Subshrub (<.5m) | 0–27 | – | ||
prairie sagewort | ARFR4 | Artemisia frigida | 9–27 | – | ||
skunkbush sumac | RHTR | Rhus trilobata | 0–27 | – | ||
rose | ROSA5 | Rosa | 9–27 | – | ||
soapweed yucca | YUGL | Yucca glauca | 0–27 | – | ||
pricklypear | OPUNT | Opuntia | 0–18 | – | ||
broom snakeweed | GUSA2 | Gutierrezia sarothrae | 0–9 | – |
Interpretations
Hydrological functions
Water is the principal factor limiting herbage production on this site. The site is dominated by soils in hydrologic group B. Infiltration varies from rapid to very rapid and runoff varies from very low to medium depending on soil hydrologic group, slope and ground cover. In many cases, areas with greater than 75% ground cover have the greatest potential for high infiltration and lower runoff. An exception would be where short grasses form a dense sod and dominate the site. Areas where ground cover is less than 50% have the greatest potential to have reduced infiltration and higher runoff (refer to Section 4, NRCS National Engineering Handbook for runoff quantities and hydrologic curves).
Recreational uses
This site provides hunting opportunities for upland game species. The wide varieties of plants, which bloom from spring until fall, have an esthetic value that appeals to visitors.
Wood products
No appreciable wood products are present on the site.
Other products
Selected seed harvest of certain unique native plant species can provide additional income.
Supporting information
Inventory data references
Information presented here has been derived from NRCS clipping data and other inventory data. Field observations from range-trained personnel were also used. Those involved in developing this site include: Stan Boltz, Range Management Specialist, NRCS; Jill Epley, Range Management Specialist, NRCS; Rick Peterson, Range Management Specialist, NRCS; David Steffen, Range Management Specialist, NRCS; Jeff Vander Wilt; Range Management Specialist, NRCS; Phil Young, Soil Scientist, NRCS.
Other references
High Plains Regional Climate Center, University of Nebraska, 830728 Chase Hall, Lincoln, NE 68583-0728. (http://hpccsun.unl.edu)
USDA, NRCS. National Water and Climate Center, 101 SW Main, Suite 1600, Portland, OR 97204-3224. (http://wcc.nrcs.usda.gov)
USDA, NRCS. National Range and Pasture Handbook, September 1997
USDA, NRCS. National Soil Information System, Information Technology Center, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building A, Fort Collins, CO 80526. (http://nasis.nrcs.usda.gov)
USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
USDA, NRCS, Various Published Soil Surveys.
Contributors
SCB
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) | Stan Boltz |
---|---|
Contact for lead author | Stan Boltz, stanley.boltz@sd.usda.gov, 605-352-1236 |
Date | 01/05/2010 |
Approved by | Stan Boltz |
Approval date | |
Composition (Indicators 10 and 12) based on | Annual Production |
Indicators
-
Number and extent of rills:
None on slopes of about 15% or less, slight to none and discontinuous on slopes greater than 15%. -
Presence of water flow patterns:
None on slopes of about 15% or less; barely visible and discontinuous with numerous debris dams on slopes greater than 15%. -
Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:
Few pedastalled plants typically on steeper slopes. -
Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):
5 to 25 percent is typical. -
Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:
None should be present. -
Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:
None. -
Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):
Small size litter classes will generally move short distances, some medium size class litter will move very short distances. Litter debris dams are occasionally present. -
Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):
Soil aggregate stability ratings should typically be 3 or greater. Surface organic matter adheres to the soil surface. Soil surface fragments will typically retain structure for 1 minute or longer when dipped in distilled water. -
Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type of structure and A-horizon color and thickness):
A-horizon should be 1 to 3 inches thick with light to dark brownish gray colors, but not typically mollic. Structure should typically be weak fine granular at least in the upper A-horizon. -
Effect of community phase composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:
Combination of shallow and deep rooted species (mid rhizomatous and tufted perennial cool- and warm-season grasses) with fine and coarse roots positively influences infiltration. Infiltration is typically high due to gravelly nature of soils. -
Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):
None – very shallow to gravel, but no platy structure will be present. -
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:
Mid warm-season grasses > Short warm-season grasses >Sub-dominant:
Mid cool-season bunchgrasses > Grass-likes = Forbs >Other:
Mid cool-season rhizomatous grasses = shrubsAdditional:
-
Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):
Very little evidence of decadence or mortality. Bunch grasses have strong, healthy centers and shrubs are vigorous. -
Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( in):
Litter cover is typically 20 to 40 percent, with the depth roughly 0.25 inches or less. -
Expected annual annual-production (this is TOTAL above-ground annual-production, not just forage annual-production):
Total annual production ranges from 500 to 1,200 pounds/acre, with the reference value being 900 pounds/acre (air-dry basis). -
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:
State and local noxious weeds. -
Perennial plant reproductive capability:
Species exhibit somewhat lower vigor than what would normally be expected for these species on other ecological sites. The droughty nature of the soils of this site causes plant stress even in typical precipitation patterns. Do not rate based solely on seed production.
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