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R067BY036CO—Overflow:Reference Plant Community--Washington County, Colorado <br /> R067BY036CO — Overflow: <br /> Reference Plant Community <br /> Plant Community Description <br /> The Reference Plant Community is the interpretive plant community for the <br /> Overflow site. This community evolved with grazing by large herbivores and is <br /> well suited for grazing by domestic livestock and can be found on areas that are <br /> properly managed with prescribed grazing that allows for adequate recovery <br /> periods following each grazing event. The potential vegetation is about 75-90% <br /> grasses and grass-like plants, 5-10%forbs and 5-15% woody plants. <br /> Major grasses include western wheatgrass, green needlegrass, big bluestem and <br /> switchgrass. Other grasses occurring on this community include blue grama, <br /> buffalograss, Canada wildrye and Indiangrass. Major forbs and shrubs include <br /> American vetch, upright prairie coneflower, fourwing saltbush and winterfat. <br /> This plant community is diverse, stable and productive. It is well suited to carbon <br /> sequestration, water yield, and wildlife use by many species, livestock use and is <br /> aesthetically pleasing. Community dynamics, nutrient cycle, water cycle and <br /> energy flow are functioning properly. Plant litter is properly distributed with very <br /> little movement off-site and natural plant mortality is very low. This community is <br /> resistant to many things except continuous grazing, plowing and/or development <br /> into urban or other uses. <br /> Total annual production ranges from 1200 to 2800 pounds of air-dry vegetation <br /> per acre with a Representative Value of 2000 pounds. These production figures <br /> are the fluctuations expected during favorable, normal, and unfavorable years <br /> due to the timing and amount of precipitation and temperature. Total annual <br /> production should not be confused with species productivity, which is annual <br /> production and variability by species throughout the extent of the community <br /> phase. <br /> Plant Community Tables <br /> Plant Type Low Representative Value High <br /> Grass/Grasslike 1,0501 1,650 2,250 <br /> Forb 75 150 225 <br /> ShrubNine 75 200 325 <br /> Totals 1,200 2,000 2,800 <br /> usuA Natural Resources Web Soil Survey 11/7/2019 <br /> Conservation Service National Cooperative Soil Survey Page 1 of 4 <br />