Ecological site group DX035X01IESG03
Little Colorado River Basin-salt affected soils- moderately deep or deeper
Last updated: 10/12/2022
Accessed: 05/02/2024
Ecological site group description
Key Characteristics
- Little Colorado River Basin
- Salt affected soils
- Soils do not receive extra water from run-in moisture
- Moderately deep or deeper
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
Site located in an upland position on alluvial fans, stream terraces, fan remnants and summits of structural benches.
Climate
The 35.2 Colorado Plateau Cold Desert Shrub - Grassland common resource area has a very dry and windy climate that is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The annual precipitation averages between 6 and 10 inches. The soil moisture regime is typic-aridic and the soil temperature regime is mesic. A slight majority of the precipitation arrives during the late fall, winter, and early spring. This winter season moisture originates in the Pacific Ocean and arrives as rain, or sometimes snow, during widespread frontal storms of generally low intensity. The majority of the snow (average range of 1 to 17 inches) falls from December through February, but rarely lasts more than a few days. A seasonal drought occurs from late May through early July. Summer rains occur from July through September during brief intense local thunderstorms. The rain is sporadic in intensity and location. The moisture originates from the Gulf of Mexico in the early summer and the Gulf of California in the late summer/early fall. Windy conditions are common year round, but the winds are strongest and most frequent during the spring.
Soil features
Soils on this site are Moderately deep or deeper. Surface textures range from sandy loam to fine sandy loam on the surface. Subsurface textures generally range from sandy loams to sandy clay loams. Some upland textures in sediment-collection areas can have Clay loam to Clay (non-shrinking) with subsurface textures are typically Clay loam, Clay, Silty clay, Sandy clay loam, Sandy loam. Geologic formation: Chinle formation shales, Moenkopi fine sand stone.
Parent material is alluvium from sandstone, shale, and mudstone. Available water capacity: moderate to high. Hazard of erosion by water: slight to moderate - wind: moderate to high. Soil moisture regime: Typic aridic Soil temperature regime: mesic.
Vegetation dynamics
The reference plant community is made up primarily of mid and short grasses mixed (70-80%) with scattered shrubs (15-25%) and a relatively small percentage of annual and perennial forbs (1-5%). Dominant plants include fourwing saltbush, mound saltbush, alkali sacaton, and galleta. Disturbances can result in a slight decrease in the amount of cool season perennial grasses and palatable shrubs, like fourwing saltbush and winterfat. With unmanaged grazing, warm season grasses increase along with shrubs such as, shadscale, greasewood and mound saltbush.
Plant species most likely to invade or increase on this site when it deteriorates are Galleta, shadscale, mound saltbush, black greasewood, Russian thistle and Annual forbs. Unmanaged grazing during the winter and spring periods will decrease the cool season grasses, which are replaced by warm season, lower forage value grasses and shrubs
Major Land Resource Area
MLRA 035X
Colorado Plateau
Subclasses
- R035XB203AZ–Clay Loam Upland 6-10" p.z. Saline
- R035XB223AZ–Sandy Upland 6-10" p.z. Sodic
- R035XB225AZ–Clay Loam Upland 6-10" p.z. Sodic
- R035XB227AZ–Sandy Loam Upland 6-10" p.z. Saline-Sodic
- R035XB237AZ–Clay Loam Terrace 6-10" p.z. Sodic
- R035XB238AZ–Sandy Terrace 6-10" p.z. Sodic
- R035XC309AZ–Clay Loam Terrace 10-14" p.z. Saline-Sodic
- R035XC326AZ–Sandy Loam Upland 10-14" p.z. Saline
Correlated Map Unit Components
22353865, 22353863, 22353867, 22353933, 22353954, 22396715, 22396707, 22396815, 22396636, 22396638, 22396778, 22396655, 22396656, 22396657, 22484756, 22484769, 22484727, 22484728, 22529506, 22529608
Stage
Provisional
Contributors
Curtis Talbot
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Ecosystem states
T1A | - | T1A = Unmanaged grazing, prolonged drought, introduction of non-native annuals |
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