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Soil: Las Animas fine sandy loam <br />Map Unit: Lm <br />General Description: This is a deep, somewhat poorly drained soil that formed on bottomlands in loamy <br />alluvium. The permeability is moderately rapid and the available water capacity is high. The soil is <br />moderately alkaline to strongly alkaline. Rooting is deep. <br />Related Soils: Bankard sand makes up about 20% of the acreage; Apishapa silty clay occurs in narrow <br />meandering channels and composes about 5% of the acreage. <br />Range Site: Salt Meadow <br />General Characteristics -The seasonally high water table affects the kind and amount of <br />vegetation produced on these soils. In good condition, production can be about 2,500 lbs. <br />of air-dry herbage per acre during good years and about 1,800 lbs. in other years. About <br />90% of the forage is suitable for cattle. <br />Major Plant Species -The potential plant community: 30% alkali sacaton, 20% <br />switchgrass, 15 % western wheatgrass, 10% saltgrass, 5 %alkaligrass, 5% sedges, 5 <br />rushes, 5% alkali bluegrass, and 5% perennial forbs. <br />After heavy grazing the composition changes to blue grama, saltgrass, sedges, and <br />rushes with the switchgrass, alkaligrass, and alkali sacaton decreasing or even dying out. <br />Extreme grazing results in annual forbs (weeds), marsh muhly, and perennial forbs. <br />Wildlife Habitat Suitability: <br />Suitability of soil for elements of wildlife habitat - <br />Grain and seed crops: Poor <br />Grasses and legumes: Fair <br />Wild herbaceous plants: Good <br />Hardwood trees: Fair <br />Coniferous plants: ------- <br />Shrubs: Fair <br />Wetland plants: Good <br />Shallow water areas: Good <br />Suitability of soil for kinds of wildlife - <br />Openland: Poor <br />Woodland: ------- <br />Wetland: Good <br />Rangeland: Fair <br />