2019-01-07_REVISION - M2007003 (7)

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R049XD202CO—Loamy Foothill 11-14 Inches P.Z..Reference Community---Fremont County Area,Colorado Plant Community Description This is the interpretive plant community and is considered to be the reference community. This plant community evolved with grazing by native herbivores, fire, drought and insects/disease. It is well suited for grazing by domestic livestock and can be found on areas that are properly managed with prescribed grazing that allows for adequate recovery periods following each grazing event. The potential vegetation is about 70-85% grasses and grass-like plants, 10-15% forbs, 5-15% shrubs, and 0-2%trees. A community pathway within the historic range of variability leading to the Decadent community occurs with the lack of herbivory for long periods of time (over-rest) in the absence of fire. Another community pathway within the historic range of variability is driven by seasonal grazing disturbance with adequate recovery periods. This pathway is also driven by short periods of reduced fire frequency coupled with short term encroachment from an adjacent site. This pathway leads to an At Risk community. With the reduction of seasonal grazing disturbance and with more frequent fire and/or drought with insects and disease, the successional stage will more closely resemble the reference community. The dominant grasses include western wheatgrass and blue grama. Sub- dominant warm season grasses include little bluestem and sideoats grama. Green needlegrass, New Mexico feathergrass and sun sedge are minor cool season components. Minor grasses include Griffith wheatgrass, muttongrass, need leandthread, switchgrass, big bluestem, prairie junegrass and Sandberg bluegrass. Major forbs and shrubs include scarlet globemallow, prairie coneflower, American vetch, purple prairie clover, dotted gayfeather, winterfat, and fourwing saltbush. The Reference Community is diverse, stable, and productive. Litter is properly distributed with very little movement off-site and natural plant mortality is low. It is well suited to carbon sequestration, water yield, wildlife use by many species,and livestock use. The biotic community, nutrient cycle, water cycle and energy flow are functioning properly. This community is resistant to many disturbances except continuous grazing, long term non-use, tillage and/or development into urban or other uses. Total annual production ranges from 500 to 1,600 pounds of air-dry vegetation per acre and will average 1,050 pounds. Plant Community Tables Plant Type Low Representative Value High Grass/Grasslike 300 805 1,260 Forb 100 130 160 usDA Natural Resources Web Sod Survey 12/31/2018 Conservation Service National Cooperative Soil Survey Page 2 of 5