Previous
Sections
Next
Next steps
-
1
Select an ecological site
Select an ecological site using the list, keys, photos, briefcase, or quick search option located on this page. -
2
Explore the ecological site description
Next, learn more about the selected ecological site and its characteristic dynamics by browsing the ecological site description and exploring alternative state and transition model formats.
Ecological site list
Tools
Search
Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
clear all
Sort by
id
name
stage
Viewing 19 of 19
View all
-
i
Key Characteristics
- OTHER LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Basin, Depression, Run-off and/or Run-in) Does the soil have a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches?
- Is the area in a basin or closed depression with no outlet?
- Does the site pond water for 4 to 8 weeks in the spring or after heavy rain and have high organic matter content?
- Does the site pond water greater than 8 weeks or until early summer and have high organic matter content?
- Shallow Marsh
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions) Observe the soil profile to a depth to 60 inches.
- Is there evidence of a permanent1 water table within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
- Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
- [Criteria]
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions) Observe the soil profile to a depth to 60 inches.
- Is there evidence of a permanent1 water table within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
- Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
- Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) the surface?
- Subirrigated
-
i
Key Characteristics
- OTHER LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Basin, Depression, Run-off and/or Run-in) Does the soil have a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches?
- Is the area in a basin or closed depression with no outlet?
- Does the site pond water for 4 to 8 weeks in the spring or after heavy rain and have high organic matter content?
- Wet Meadow
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions) Observe the soil profile to a depth to 60 inches.
- Is there evidence of a permanent1 water table within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
- Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
- Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) the surface?
- Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
- Limy Subirrigated
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions) Observe the soil profile to a depth to 60 inches.
- Is there evidence of a permanent1 water table within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
- Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
- Saline lowland
-
i
Key Characteristics
- Normal Landscape Positions
- Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches or a claypan of the surface?
- What is the surface and subsoil texture?
- Sand, Loamy Sand, Loamy Fine Sand.
- [Criteria]
-
i
Key Characteristics
- Normal Landscape Positions
- Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches or a claypan of the surface?
- What is the surface and subsoil texture?
- Sandy Loam, Fine Sandy Loam, Loamy Very Fine Sand.
- [Criteria]
-
i
Key Characteristics
- Normal Landscape Positions
- Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches or a claypan of the surface?
- What is the surface and subsoil texture?
- Loam, Silt Loam, Silty Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Very Fine Sandy Loam
-
i
Key Characteristics
- Normal Landscape Positions
- Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches or a claypan of the surface?
- What is the surface and subsoil texture?
- Clay, Silty Clay (>40% clay) or Loamy Surface with Clayey Subsoil?
- [Criteria]
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-OFF LANDSCAPE POSITIONS
- Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches Is there a root restricting layer within 10 inches of soil surface?
- Is there a root restricting layer within 10-20 inches of soil surface?
- Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) the surface?
- Thin Upland
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-OFF LANDSCAPE POSITIONS
- Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches Is there a root restricting layer within 10 inches of soil surface?
- Is there a root restricting layer within 10-20 inches of soil surface?
- Gravel ? (greater than 15% by volume)
- Shallow To Gravel
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-OFF LANDSCAPE POSITIONS
- Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches Is there a root restricting layer within 10 inches of soil surface?
- Very Shallow
-
i
Key Characteristics
- OTHER LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Basin, Depression, Run-off and/or Run-in) Does the soil have a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches?
- Is it in a closed depression?
- Closed Depression
- OTHER LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Basin, Depression, Run-off and/or Run-in) Does the soil have a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches?
- Is the area in a basin or closed depression with no outlet?
- Does the site pond water for 4 to 8 weeks in the spring or after heavy rain and have high organic matter content?
- Does the site pond water greater than 8 weeks or until early summer and have high organic matter content?
- Does the site pond water year round in most years and have high organic matter content?
- All other closed depressions or basins that pond water briefly after snowmelt or heavy rain or during abnormally wet years.
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions) Observe the soil profile to a depth to 60 inches.
- Is there evidence of a permanent1 water table within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
- Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
- Does water flow into and over/through the site?
- Does it have a flooding frequency?
- Loam, Silt Loam, Silty Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Very Fine Sandy Loam
-
-
i
Key Characteristics
- OTHER LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Basin, Depression, Run-off and/or Run-in) Does the soil have a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches?
- Is the area in a basin or closed depression with no outlet?
- Does the site pond water for 4 to 8 weeks in the spring or after heavy rain and have high organic matter content?
- Does the site pond water greater than 8 weeks or until early summer and have high organic matter content?
- Does the site pond water year round in most years and have high organic matter content?
- Deep Marsh
-
i
Key Characteristics
- RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS (Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions) Observe the soil profile to a depth to 60 inches.
- Is there evidence of a permanent1 water table within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
- Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
- Does water flow into and over/through the site?
- Does it have a flooding frequency?
- Loam, Silt Loam, Silty Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam
-
Ecological site map
Basemap
Topo
Road
Aerial
Hybrid
Find me
Find point
Full screen
Zoom in to display soil survey map units for an area of interest, and zoom out to display MLRAs. Select a map unit polygon to view ecological sites correlated to that map unit. View a brief description of an ecological site by clicking on its name in the map popup. Soil survey correlations may not be accurate, and ecological site classification of a location should always be verified in the field. Each selection may require the transfer of several hundred KB of data.
Ecological site keys
MLRA 102B Ecological Site Key
l.
RUN-OFF LANDSCAPE POSITIONS
A.
Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches
Is there a root restricting layer within 10 inches of soil surface?
No
Is there a root restricting layer within 10-20 inches of soil surface?
No
Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) the surface?
No
See “Normal Landscape Positions”
yes
Gravel ?
(greater than 15%
by volume)
II.
Normal Landscape Positions
A.
Dig hole to a depth of 20 inches
Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches or a claypan of the surface?
Yes
Is there a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches of the surface?
See "OTHER LANDSCAPE POSITIONS".
No
What is the surface and subsoil texture?
i.
Clay, Silty Clay (>40% clay) or Loamy Surface with Clayey Subsoil?
ii.
Loam, Silt Loam, Silty
Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Very Fine Sandy Loam
iii.
Sandy Loam, Fine Sandy Loam, Loamy Very Fine Sand.
iv.
Sand, Loamy Sand, Loamy Fine Sand.
III.
RUN-IN LANDSCAPE POSITIONS
(Floodplain, Drainageways, etc., except depressions)
Observe the soil profile to a depth to 60 inches.
A.
Is there evidence of a permanent1 water table within 0-2 feet of the surface and the site dominated by hydrophytes?
Yes
Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
No
Is there evidence of a permanent water table within 2 to 5 feet of the surface?
Yes
Does the soil effervesce with acid (10% HCL) at or near (within 6 inches) the surface?
Yes
Are there visible salts (including sodium & gypsum) within 16 inches of the surface?
NO
Does water flow into and over/through the site?
NO
See “Other Landscape Positions”
Yes
Does it have a flooding frequency?
NO
Loam, Silt Loam, Silty Clay Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Very Fine Sandy Loam
... R102BY020SD – Loamy Overflow
IV.
OTHER LANDSCAPE POSITIONS
(Basin, Depression, Run-off and/or Run-in)
Does the soil have a claypan (columnar structure) within 16 inches?
Yes
Is it in a closed depression?
NO
Is the area in a basin or closed depression with no outlet?
No
Re-think your position and start again!
Yes
Does the site pond water for 4 to 8 weeks in the spring or after heavy rain and have high organic matter content?
NO
Does the site pond water greater than 8 weeks or until early summer and have high organic matter content?
NO
Does the site pond water year round in most years and have high organic matter content?
No
All other closed depressions or basins that pond water briefly after snowmelt or heavy rain or during abnormally wet years.
... R102BY019SD – Closed Depression
Ecological site photos
Tools
Filter by
interactive key
precipitation
frost free days
more..
clear all
Type
Image size
Print Options
Sections
Font
A
A
A
A
Other
Print
Briefcase
Add ecological sites and Major Land Resource Areas to your briefcase by clicking on the briefcase (
) icon wherever it occurs. Drag and drop items to reorder. Cookies are used to store briefcase items between browsing sessions. Because of this, the number of items that can be added to your briefcase is limited, and briefcase items added on one device and browser cannot be accessed from another device or browser. Users who do not wish to place cookies on their devices should not use the briefcase tool. Briefcase cookies serve no other purpose than described here and are deleted whenever browsing history is cleared.
Ecological sites
Major Land Resource Areas
The Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.
