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12/9/2019 ESD Printable Report <br /> Drought has historically impacted the vegetation of this region.Changes in species composition will vary depending upon the duration and <br /> severity of disturbances such as drought cycles and prior grazing management.Recent drought events have increased mortality of blue <br /> grama significantly in some locales,along with other bunchgrasses such as red threeawn,and squirreltail while allowing an opportunity for <br /> western wheatgrass to increase. <br /> Historic fire frequency(pre-industrial),is estimated at 15-20 years(Guyette 2012),randomly distributed,and started by lightning at various <br /> times throughout the growing season. Early human inhabitants were also likely to start fires for various reasons. <br /> Western wheatgrass(cool-season rhizomatous mid-grass)and blue grama(warm-season short bunchgrass)are the primary species while <br /> galleta(warm-season mid-rhizomatous)is secondary in abundance.Fourwing saltbush and winterfat are primary shrubs.American vetch, <br /> purple prairieclover and scarlet globemallow are the primary forbs. <br /> Deterioration of this site,due to continuous grazing without adequate recovery periods following each grazing occurrence,will cause blue <br /> grama and galleta to increase.Blue grama will eventually form a sod-bound condition.Cool season grasses such as western wheatgrass and <br /> green needlegrass will decrease in frequency and production as well as key shrubs such as fourwing saltbush and winterfat.American vetch, <br /> purple prairie clover and other highly palatable forbs will decrease also.Red threeawn,annuals and bare ground will increase under long term <br /> continuous grazing,heavy continuous grazing or excessive defoliation.Years of non-use(rest)or lack of fire will cause litter to accumulate <br /> and reduce plant density.Much of this ecological site has been tilled and used for crop production. <br /> Drier and warmer climatic conditions exist in the central portion of MLRA-69(LRU A).This area includes the eastern half of Pueblo county, <br /> northern Otero,extreme northwestern Bent,western edge of Kiowa,southern edge of Lincoln and all of Crowley County.These conditions are <br /> primarily caused by a rain shadow effect from the southern Rocky Mountains. Evapotranspiration rates(atmospheric demand)will be higher in <br /> this area of MLRA-69.Total annual production will typically be lower. <br /> Reference Community <br /> This is the interpretive plant community and is considered to be the Reference Plant Community.This plant community evolved with grazing <br /> by large herbivores and is well suited for grazing by domestic livestock and can be found on areas that are properly managed with prescribed <br /> grazing that allows for adequate recovery periods following each grazing event. <br /> The plant community consists of 70-90%grasses and grass-likes,5-15%forbs and 5-15%shrubs. Dominant grasses include western <br /> wheatgrass,blue grama and galleta.Other grasses and grass-like plants that occur in minor amounts are green needlegrass,alkali sacaton, <br /> buffalograss,sideoats grama and sun sedge.Significant forbs are American vetch,purple prairieclover and scarlet globemallow.Dominant <br /> shrubs that occupy this community are fourwing saltbush and winterfat. <br /> This plant community is diverse,stable,and productive. It is well suited to carbon sequestration,water yield,wildlife and livestock use and is <br /> esthetically pleasing.Community dynamics,nutrient cycle,water cycle and energy flow are functioning properly.Plant litter is properly <br /> distributed with very little movement off-site and natural plant mortality is very low.This community is resistant to many disturbances except <br /> continuous grazing,tillage and/or development into urban or other uses. <br /> Total annual production,during an average year,ranges from 300 to 1100 pounds per acre air-dry weight and will average 750 pounds. <br /> NOTE:The following Reference Plant Community Species Composition list and Annual Production Table is from the Legacy ESD 2004 and <br /> will be updated in the future. <br /> Reference Community Fiani Species Composition <br /> Grass/Grasslike Annual Production <br /> (pounds peracre). <br /> Group GrrouQ name Common name $yml Q Scientific nammq Low High <br /> 1 525 675 <br /> Grass,perennial 2GP 0 25 <br /> Indian ricegrass ACHY Achnatherum hymenoides 0 10 <br /> Fendler threeawn ARPUL Anstida purpurea var.longiseta 0 10 <br /> sideoats grama BOCU Bouteloua cuttipenUglo 0 25 <br /> buffalograss BODA2 Bouteloua dactyloides 15 40 <br /> blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gracdis 150 225 <br /> sun sedge CAINH2 Carex inops subsp.heliophila 10 25 <br /> saltgrass DISP Distichlis spicata 0 15 <br /> squirreltail ELELE El us elymoides subsp. 0 25 <br /> elymoides <br /> prairie Junegrass KOMA Koeleria macrantha 0 10 <br /> green needlegrass NAVI4 Nessella viridula 40 75 <br /> western wheatgrass PASM Pascopyrurn smithii 225 265 <br /> James'galleta PLJA PleuraRhis jam ii 75 115 <br /> lumblegrass SCPA Schedonnardus paniculatus 0 10 <br /> alkali sacaton SPAI Spa-bolus airoides 0 40 <br /> composite dropseed SPCOC2 SRorobo/us comnositus var 0 10 <br /> compositus <br /> sand dropseed SPCR Sporobolus gyptandrus 0 10 <br /> Forb Annual Production <br /> (QQunQsr&racB) <br /> Group Group name Common name symbol Scientific name LOW High <br /> 2 40 115 <br /> Forb,perennial 2FP 10 40 <br /> white sagebrush ARLU Artemisia ludoviciana 0 10 <br /> twogrooved milkvetch ASB12 Astragal us bisulcatus 0 10 <br /> woolly locoweed ASM07 Astragalus mollissimus 0 10 <br /> purple prairie clover DAPUP Dalea pv_rburea var.purpur 10 25 <br /> GAC05 Gaura coccinea 0 10 <br /> red dome blanketfiower GAR Gaillardia pinnatifida 0 10 <br /> https://esis.sc.egov.usda.gov/ESDReport/fsReportPrt.aspx?id=R069XY042CO&rptLevel=all&approved=yes&repType=regular&scrns=&comm= 5/16 <br />