Ecological site group DX035X01AESG11
Grand Staircase-Shallow Soils Shrub & Woodlands-Not Volcanic PM-Sandy Loam Soils
Last updated: 10/05/2022
Accessed: 05/02/2024
Ecological site group description
Key Characteristics
- Grand Staircase-Kaiparowits
- Shallow Soil Shrublands and Woodlands
- Soil parent material is not volcanic cinders
- Soils are sandy loams
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.
Physiography
This ecological site group is located on mountain slopes, mesa tops, benches, hillsides, ridges, alluvial fans, and cuestas. Runoff is slow to moderate. Flooding and ponding are rare due to local landscape positions and the dry nature of the ecosystem. Slopes are generally low to moderate (0-30%) but can range up to 70%.
Climate
Soil temperature and moisture regimes range from mesic, typic aridic to mesic, aridic ustic.
Soil features
This site occurs on shallow to moderately deep soils. The dry surface layer color is typically reddish or grayish and the surface soil textures range from sandy loams to very fine sandy loams which can include a stony or channery modifier. These soils are poorly developed, well drained, and have moderate water holding capacities. Erosion potential of soils on reference state sites typically depends on surface rock fragments. Sites with greater than 30% rock fragments have lower wind and water erosion potentials than sites with less than 30% surface rock fragments. Biological crust cover is characterized as crustless with the possible occurrence of light cyanobacteria and/or isolated lichen and moss pinnacles.
Vegetation dynamics
This ecological site group is characterized by a canopy of sparse Utah juniper, two-needle pinyon, and blackbrush. Commonly occurring grasses include Indian ricegrass, James galleta, needle-and-thread, and six weeks fescue. Other perennial grasses, shrubs, and forbs may also be present and cover is variable. Air dry composition of this site is approximately 10 percent forbs, 15 percent grasses, and 75 percent shrubs and trees. Bare ground is variable (2-50%) depending on biological crust cover, which is also variable (1-65%) and surface rock fragments (0-60%). Biological crusts can vary from sites dominated by light cyanobacteria in the plant interspaces, with occasional moss and lichen pinnacles under shrub canopies, to those dominated by lichen and moss pinnacles as well as cyanobacteria in the site interspaces.
Major Land Resource Area
MLRA 035X
Colorado Plateau
Subclasses
Correlated Map Unit Components
22340911, 22340915, 22397542, 22601465, 22601027, 22601029, 22601249, 22601656, 22601657, 22601492, 22601798, 22601275, 22601484, 22601689, 22601247, 22601070, 22601650, 22601648, 22601033, 22601034, 22601663, 22601653, 22965737, 22965120, 22965412, 22965138, 22965607, 22965142, 22965141, 22965763, 22965768, 22965564, 22965574, 22963381
Stage
Provisional
Contributors
Curtis Talbot
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Ecosystem states
T1A | - | D = Drought E = Establishment of non-native invasive species ILG = Improper livestock grazing SD = Surface disturbances |
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State 1 submodel, plant communities
1.1a | - | D = Drought ILG = Improper livestock grazing SD = Surface disturbances |
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1.2a | - | PLG = Proper livestock grazing T = Time without disturbances W = Wet weather periods |
State 2 submodel, plant communities
2.1a | - | D = Drought ILG = Improper livestock grazing SD = Surface disturbances |
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2.2a | - | PLG = Proper livestock grazing T = Time without disturbances W = Wet weather periods |