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<br />d. SHALLOW SUBALpINE <br /> <br />Physical Characteristics <br /> <br />01 Physiographic Features: Landscape chClrClcter- <br />lstics are those of ridge tops, steep mountainous <br />slopes and the edges of high mesas where parent <br />rock is intermittently exposed. <br /> <br />The elevation is principally between 9,000 and <br />11,500 feet (2,.743 and 3.505 m). <br /> <br />("2) Cl imatic FeCltures: The Clverage annual precipi- <br />tation is 18 inches (0.46 [I)) or more with snow <br />providing over 50% of the total. Most plant <br />growth is made between June 1 and A4gust 1. <br />Although the frost-free period is short, <br />production under grazing management can be <br />high. <br /> <br />(3) Native (potential) VegetCltion: This plant <br />community is formed by a mixture of shrubs and <br />forbs interspersed within a grassland that is <br />interrupted by rock outcrops. The main grasses <br />are Letterman and Columbia needlegrasses, <br />nodding brome, mountain brome, slender wheat- <br />grass, western wheatgrass, mountain muhly, <br />muttongrass, Arizona/ Idaho and Thurber fescue, <br />alpine timothy, blue wildrye. Parry oatgrass, <br />spike trisetum, purple reedgrass and Junegrass. <br />Some of the more frequent and conspicuous forbs <br />in the community are ligusticum, larkspur, <br />geranium, lupine, American vetch, paintbrush, <br />hairy goldaster, penstemon aspen fleabane, <br />sulfur buckwheat and rose pussy toes. Silver <br />sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush, gooseberry, <br />fringed sage, shrubby cinquetoil, and currant <br />are common shrubs. The site itself is treeless <br />but is In the aspen, spruce-fir zone. Ground <br />cover (not counting the areas of bare rock) <br />approximates 30'percent. <br /> <br />Plants not a part of the potential plant <br />community that are most likely to invade when <br />the cover deteriorates are blue grama, slimstem <br />muhly, Colorado rubberweed, snakeweed and <br />introduced species. <br /> <br />RClnge Site No. 251. 2/ <br /> <br />,~~ ... <br />ii . <br /> <br />,'" .':"" <br />.,"'....'iLiu <br /> <br />i i <br /> <br />i <br />~ <br /> <br />~ Colorado Soil Conservation Service Technical Guide, Section II-E. <br />B~8 <br />