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RANGE SITE N0. 241 Page 3 . ~.../ • MOUNTAIN MEADOW ,,: August 1975 { f " ,r .. ~,.~. ~.ti`'ah. Tree species are no[ natural to the site. Approximate ground cover is 70$. Species most likely to invade 't he site are dandelion and introduced forage grasses, especially timothy, red top, and Kentucky bluegrass. Lanada thistle is a trouble- some invader in some spots. Annual fortis such as owl clover may also come in. As the ecological condition declines some of the above plants usually become prominent. Several plants natural to the site in small amounts also tend to increase at the expense of most climax grasses. Typical plants in this category are Baltic rush, iris, yarrow, herbaceous cinquefoils, false hellebore, rose, and shrubby cinquefoil. Sheep fescue and silver sagebrush also tend to increase but are not con- sistently on the site. Shrubby cinquefoil gives the dominant aspect to many deteriorated spots. Sedges on permanently wet spots retain their position much longer than plants on slightly drjer spots because of reluctance of livestock to graze in water. Gullies can lower the watertable, greatly changing the moisture relationship, on sloping ground. 4. Total Annual Production Favorable years 4000 Pounds per Acre Air Dry Unfavorable years 2000 " " " " Median years 3000 " " " ." 5. Soils a. Soils are moderately deep to deep, very dark colored, highly organic, poorly drained,.and typically acid in reaction. They range from sandy loam to clay in texture and include pests and mucks. Peat has formed layers up to 6 inches thick at some locations. Cobbles are common, but depth is fairly effective. Soil moisture is plentiful throughout the growing season most years. Soils may become dry on the surface in some spots in late summer and fall or during unusually dry spells; other spots are nearly always wet. These soils are highly erodible when exposed following plant cover loss. b. Soils in this site are: J