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<br />46
<br />lost of the range provides spring and fall gt
<br />for tittle and sheep. Some of it is grazed durir
<br />sum er. The range supplements the winter hay
<br />ing a the summer grazing in National Forest
<br />or oche high mountain ranges:
<br />R:ulgc s an important resource in the surv y
<br />even thous, + prorhlctinn mj much of it is limi d 1
<br />dry climate. In addition to livestock fm-age, •ang
<br />vides food aj cover fur large numbers gam
<br />mils and othe wildlife.
<br />Rnnl:c .rilrA and r IFe colulifinn
<br />This coif surcev ivies valuable inf •mation abo
<br />potential of the un to produce ative plants.
<br />large de},•rec the kin of soil det 'mines the con
<br />lion of plants that :u e atw•al t an :u'ea and the
<br />that can be expected. ovule ge of the native
<br />potential helps an operat r anage the range a~
<br />ing to his p;uticul:n' needs. oils th:d have simil;
<br />tential fm• r:u+ge are grou into range sites.
<br />A range site is a disci cti kind of rangelam
<br />differs from other kin s of r ngeland in its ;
<br />to produce a ch:u'act istically :Rural plant co
<br />nity (4. v). It is the n'oduct of a environments
<br />tors responsible for jts developmen . In the absei
<br />abnormal disturb nee and physical ite deterior
<br />it supports an ovfginal native plant c moronity 1
<br />ing from that f other range sites in terms of
<br />or propa'tion of plants, total productiv y, and
<br />significant r source values.
<br />Range c di[ion is the present state of v etati
<br />a range s~ a as related to the climax, or on al,
<br />comma y for th:It site.
<br />The :Inge site indicates the potential, and ra
<br />r.
<br />~.,..w-.e..,.,_.,os
<br />SOIL SURVEY ."
<br />.in When this site has been grazed heavily for long pe-
<br />e nods, Indian ricegrass, s~uirreltail. and (our-a.-ing salt-
<br />ed- bush decrease or dis:Ippear. They are replaced by blue
<br />and grams, rabbitbrush, and fringed sage. Continued heavy
<br />grazing or further detet•ior•:Minn hermits the invasion
<br />sea, n( the site by annual needs in favorable years and a
<br />the strong increase in rabbitbrush and pricklypear.
<br />n•o-
<br />qnj- i00T111L1. LOAM RAHCF. llTr.
<br />Soils of this range site hate a loam sm•face layer an
<br />a moderately permeable. They have a high or mode -
<br />ate available water capacity. Slopes are 3 to 15 perce t.
<br />the Pr 'pitation is about I1 to 1° inches :mnually, oc r-
<br />o a ring ostly as rain in July through September. he
<br />na- highe precipitation than at the lower elevation and
<br />'Ids the big or moderate capacit}• of the soils to stor mois-
<br />.ant tune ar the dominating influences on the k' d and
<br />n•d- amount vegetation. Dttlch of this site receiv s runoff
<br />po- from oth areas. On the deteriorated pa s of the
<br />range, mos of this run-on grater is c:u'ried ff by deep
<br />hot gullies.
<br />lity The veget ion is th:It of the pinyon-ju per zone. It
<br />mu- is dominated y western ~rheatgrass, needleandthread.
<br />`ac- and other gra ses. The approximate potential plant
<br />of community is to 45 percent ~vestei•n wheatgrass;
<br />ion, 15 to 20 pet•cen needleandthread; 1,0 to 15 percent
<br />fer- sedges, littleseed icegrass, and bltr grams; 5 to ]0
<br />ind percent muttongr: s, slender wheakgrass, and other
<br />her grasses, fow'wing altbush, tvbb rabbitbrush, and
<br />currant; and 2 to 5 scent lupine nd other forbs.
<br />on If the range is in a ellent cond lion, the total annual
<br />ant yield is about 1,600 llo nds per ere in >•ears of favor-
<br />able moisture and abo t R00~ ounds in unfavorable
<br />on- years. Of tljis total yie ,shout 90 percent is from
<br />w:u' that potential nr tue~:u'd the ublective selecte~v
<br />th decision m:Iker. The range sites in this sm'vey re
<br />c scribed iu the llaragr;glhs that follon•.
<br />BAlALT 111••a RANCL !IT[ z
<br />Soils of this range site have a very stony loam or
<br />very stony sandy loam sm'face layer and are moder-
<br />ately permeable. They have a loa• available water ca-
<br />pacity. Slopes are 3 to 25 percent. Precipitation is
<br />about 9 inches annually, occurring mostly as rain in
<br />April through September. The peak period is in July
<br />•Ind August fnllo~+'ing a normal dt;v period in June.
<br />The dry climate :old the low available water capacity
<br />:u•e dominating inlhlences ml the kind and amomrt of
<br />vegetation.
<br />The vegetation is that of the grasslands oC the high
<br />mountain parks :Ind valleys. It is dominated by Indian
<br />ricegl':+ss. The a}+proxinnrte potential plant community
<br />is •10 to 50 percent Indi:ul ricegrass; lei to °_5 percent
<br />green rabbitbrush; 10 to IS percent squin•eltail, blue
<br />grams, and three-awn; and ~i to 10 percent founving
<br />s:tltbush, winter(at, (o+n'-liclock, and other forbs.
<br />If the range is in excellent condition, the total annual
<br />yield is about 7110 puuudc per acre in years n( L•IVOrnble
<br />moisture and :Ibout :11111 pounds in unfavorable years.
<br />Of this total yield, about 70 l:ercent is from plants that
<br />provide forage for cattle and about 75 percent from
<br />plants that provide forage for sheep. -_
<br />Nhen this site has been razed heavily fm• long pe-
<br />riods, western +rheatgras,; Icedlculdthread, and rice-
<br />grass decrease m•disappc r. he}• are replaced by blue
<br />grams and rabbitbrush. Con hued heavy grazing or
<br />fiuther deterioration p 'mils he invasion of the site
<br />by annual weeds and eepygra s or a strong domina-
<br />tion by rubber rabbi rush. Cu y control, control of
<br />rubber rabbitbrush, nd range ferment are needed
<br />to restore m:tximu productivity parts of this site.
<br />I.MY REVCII R.\VGE [I
<br />Soils oC this r nge site have a Ion or cobbly loam
<br />surface layer :u H are moderately perm •+ble. They have
<br />a moderate ot~high available water c. pacity. Slopes
<br />:u'e L [n 25 pefcent. Precipitation is shoo 8 m' 9 inches
<br />annualh•, occurring mostly ns rain in A ril through
<br />September. Jfhe peak period is in July and ugust fol-
<br />lotving a cif}- period in .Tune. A sh»ng lim zone near
<br />the surfs a ;old low rainfall are dominating 'n0uences
<br />on the kyijd and :Imount oC vegetation.
<br />The vegetation is that oC the grasslands of a high
<br />mountain parks and valleys. It is dominated by •inter-
<br />fat. L(dian ricegrass, squirreltail, and blue gram .The
<br />approximate potential plant community is 40 to 5 per-
<br />cent winterfat; 30 to 40 percent squirreltail, sue
<br />grams, and 3ndian ricegrass; 10 to 1 ~i percent touny g
<br />spltbush and green rabbitbrush; and 5 to 10 perce t
<br />yhree-awn and perennial forbs.
<br />;i
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