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• R069XY026 CO CO: <br /> R069X'r0.2600—Sandy Plains LRU's A&B Emfergirafi Site—Elbert County,Coioradu, <br /> Eastern Part <br /> R069XY026C0 — Sandy Plains LRU's A & B Ecological <br /> Site <br /> Ecological Dynamics Description <br /> The information in this ESD,including the stale-and-transition model(STM),was <br /> developed using archeological and historical data,professional experience,and <br /> scientific studies.The information is representative of a complex set of plant <br /> communities.The plant composition has been determined by study of rangeland <br /> relic areas,areas protected from excessive disturbance,seasonal use pastures. <br /> short duration/time controlled grazing strategies,and histoncal accounts. <br /> Net all scenarios or plants are Included.Key indicator plants,animals,and <br /> ecological processes are described to inform land management decisions. <br /> This region was historically occupied by large grazing animals such as bison, <br /> along with pronghorn and mule deer.Deer and pronghorn are widely distributed <br /> throughout the MLRA_This is an important site for livestock grazing,especially <br /> cattle, <br /> Drought has historically impacted the vegetation of this region.Changes in <br /> species composition will vary depending upon the duration and severity of the <br /> drought cycle,and prior grazing management.Recent drought events have <br /> increased mortality of blue grama significantly in some locates,along with tall <br /> warm-season bunchgrasses such as sand bluestem and irydiangress,Little <br /> bluestem,needleandthread,red threeawn,and squirreltail will also decrease. <br /> Historic fire frequency(pm-industrial),Is estimated at 15-20 years(Guyette, <br /> 2012),randomly distributed,and started by lightning at various times throughout <br /> the growing season.Early human inhabitants were also likely to start fires <br /> (deliberate or accidental). <br /> Blue grama is the primary grass Speciees(warm season bunchgrass)while prairie <br /> sandreed and sand bluestern(tallgrasses)are secondary.Shrubs such as <br /> fourwing saitbush,spreading buckwheat,and plains pricklypear vary in amounts. <br /> Western sandcherry,small soapweed,and sand sagebrush may occur in lesser <br /> amounts.Perennial fobs are a minor component on this site.Forts include <br /> dotted gayfeather(aka dotted blazing star),purple prairieclover,scarlet <br /> globemallow and American vetch.Others that may occur include Louisiana sage <br /> (aka white sagebrush),sand lily(stadily),lenpetal blazingstar,prairie spiderwort, <br /> Nuttall's evolvulus,and sand verbena(see Species Composition List for others). <br /> Continuous grazing without adequate recovery opportunities following each <br /> grazing event during the growing season will cause blue grama to increase and <br /> eventually form a sodbound condition.Major warm season grasses such as sand <br /> bluestem,prairie sandreed,yellow Indiangrass and switchgrass will decrease in <br /> frequency and production.Needleandthtead win initially increase,then decrease, <br /> Key forbs and shrubs such as American vetch,purple prairie clover,scarlet <br /> globemallow,western sandcherry and fourwing saitbush will decrease also.Red <br /> threeawn,annuals and bare ground will increase with long terns continuous <br /> r:•,n=, Natural Resources Web Sal Surrey 10123r2017 <br /> Conservation Service National Cooperative Soil Survey Pape 1 01 2 <br /> 64 <br />