PERMFILE113664 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

' G24 Sandy Plains M.RA 67 and 77 c. If ecological retrogression is cattle-induced, desirable grasses will decrease. However, if retrogression is sheep-induced, desirable forbs, shrubs and grasses may be reduced. Deteriora- __. tion of the site will decrease prairie sandreed, needle and ~\ thread, sun sedge, little bluestem, prairie junegrass, sand bluestem, ewitchgrase, yellow Indiangrasa, thickspike whealgrass and sun sedge. Deterioration of the site will increase bluegrama, sand dropseed, red threeavn, sand paspalum, fringed sagebrush, Louisiana sagebrush, plains pricklypear, spreading buckwheat, western ragweed, broom snakeveed and•vormwood. Plant species likely to invade this site and become part of the plant community when the range is in a deteriorated condition, are cheatgrass, foxtail barley, tumblegrass, common sunflower, puncture vine, Russian thistle, lambsquarters gooaefoot, Kochia and other plants ecologically undesirable [o the site: d. Vegetation density ?/ is approximately 15 to 20 percent. 4. Annual Production If the range is in excellent condition, the approximate total annual ' production (air-dry) ranges are: Favorable years 2800 kg)ha ' Normal years 1800 kglha Unfavorable years 900 kg/ha Of this production, 10 to 15 percent will likely be unpalatable to grazing animals. 5. Soils i a. The soils in this site are moderately deep to deep and well drained, with a light brownish-gray (sit-dry) surface layer. The underlying layers are coarse to moderately-fine textured and in places contain some gravel. These soils are on terraces, hills, aide slopes, floodplains, ridges, alluvial fans and on gently to moderately sloping uplands . that frequently parallel river channels. They are formed in material weathered from soft sandstone on uplands, arkosic sandy loam deposlte and aeolian or partly wind-reworked alluvial parent ' materials. Intake rate ie moderate to rapid, and water movement through the soil is rapid. Roots penetrate the soils readily. These soils have a moderate to high available water capacity, ranging from 10 to 26 centimeters in a 1.5-meter profile, with the exception of the Terry aeries. The surface and subsurface layers of Chia series rests on sandstone and has a low available water-holding capacity of 9 to 10 centimeters in a .66-meter profile. Rock fragments are variable throughout most of the 2/ Vegetation density ~ basal area. This is the area of ground surface covered by the stem or stems. Usually, this is measured 1 inch above the soil in contrast to the full spread of perennial foliage. i -3