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12/9/2019 ESD Printable Report <br /> some locales,along with other bunchgrasses(red threeawn,and squirreltail. <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(deliberately or accidentally). <br /> Grazing by large herbivores,without adequate recovery periods following each grazing occurrence,will cause blue grama,buffalograss, <br /> galleta and broom snakeweed to increase.Blue grama and/or buffalograss may eventually form a sod.Cool season grasses such as western <br /> wheatgrass and green needlegrass will decrease in frequency and production.This similarity happens with key shrubs such as fourwing <br /> saltbush and winterfat.American vetch and other highly palatable forbs will decrease.Red threeawn,annuals and bare ground increases <br /> under heavy continuous grazing,excessive defoliation,or long-term non-use.Much of this ecological site has been tilled and used for crop <br /> production,especially in irrigated areas along the Arkansas River.Other sites have been converted to suburban residence and small <br /> acreages,especially near the larger communities. <br /> Drier and warmer climatic conditions exist in LRU A,the"interior"portion of MLRA 69 as compared with LRU B.Evapotranspiration rates <br /> (atmospheric demand)will be higher in this area of MLRA 69.Total annual production will typically be lower. <br /> The state-and-transition model diagram suggests some pathways that the vegetation on this site might take.The site can also support states <br /> that are not shown on the diagram.This information is intended to show possible results in a given set of circumstances.It does not mean that <br /> these results would occur in the same way in every instance.Local professional guidance should always be sought before pursuing a <br /> treatment scenario. <br /> Reference Community <br /> Reference Plant Community,Huerfano County <br /> This is the interpretive plant community.This plant community evolved with grazing by large herbivores,is well suited for grazing by domestic <br /> livestock and can be found on areas that are properly managed with prescribed grazing that allows for adequate recovery periods following <br /> each grazing event.The potential vegetation is about 75-90%grasses and grass-like plants,5-15%forbs and 5-10%woody plants. <br /> The major grasses include grama,galleta and western wheatgrass.Sub-dominant grasses and grass-likes include buffalograss,sand <br /> dropseed,squirreltail,sideoats grama,and sun sedge.Major(orbs and shrubs include scarlet globemallow,dotted gayfeather,American <br /> vetch,purple prairie clover,fourwing saltbush and winterfat. <br /> This plant community is diverse,stable,and productive.Litter is properly distributed with very little movement off-site and natural plant <br /> mortality is low.It is well suited to carbon sequestration,water yield,wildlife use by many species,livestock use and is esthetically pleasing. <br /> Community dynamics,nutrient cycle,water cycle and energy flow are functioning properly.This community is resistant to many disturbances <br /> except continuous grazing,long-term non-use,tillage and/or development into urban or other uses. <br /> Total annual production ranges from 500 to 1600 pounds of air-dry vegetation per acre across LRUs A&B and will average 1100 pounds <br /> during an average year. <br /> Reoccurring seasonal herbivory without adequate recovery periods between grazing events,reduced fire frequency,and/or extended drought <br /> will shift this plant community to the At Risk Plant Community. <br /> Tillage(plowed&abandoned)will cause this plant community(or any of the plant communities)to transition across an ecological threshold to <br /> the Go-back or Seeded plant communities. <br /> Reference Community Plant Species Composition <br /> Grass/Grasslike Annual Production <br /> (rounds mr acre) <br /> GrouR Gro{tD name Common name Symbol Scientific name Lim High <br /> 325 750 <br /> buffalograss BODA2 Bouteloua dactyloides 20 50 <br /> blue grama BOGR2 Bouteloua gr ili 300 600 <br /> ring muhly MUT02 Muhlenbergia y-i 5 95 <br /> tumblegrass SCPA Schedonnardus naniculatus 0 5 <br /> 2-Warm Season Mid-grass 75 205 <br /> purple threeawn ARPU9 Ansti'de pv_rpurea 5 10 <br /> sideoats grama BOCU Bouteloua curtipendula 5 35 <br /> James'galleta PLJA Pl y=h-is iamesii 50 100 <br /> sand dropseed SPCR Sperobolus grypWairo 15 60 <br /> 3-Cool Season Mid-grass 60 205 <br /> squirreltail ELEL5 Elymus elymoides 5 15 <br /> green needlegrass NAV14 Nassella virldula 5 30 <br /> western wheatgrass PASM Pascopyrum smdhii 50 160 <br /> 4-Cool Season Annual Grass 0 15 <br /> little barley HOPU Hordeum pusillum 0 10 <br /> sixweeks fescue VUOC Vulpia octoflora 0 5 <br /> https://esis.sc.egov.usda.gov/ESDReport/fsReportPrt.aspx?id=R069XY006CO&rptLevel=all&approved=yes&repType=regular&scros=&comm= 5/18 <br />