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Site Type: Rangeland Sandy <br />MLRA: 67B - Central High Plains, Southern Part R067BY024CO <br />Plant Communities <br />Ecological Dynamics of the Site: <br />Continuous grazing without adequate recovery opportunities following each grazing event during the <br />growing season will cause blue grama to increase and eventually form a sodbound condition. Major <br />warm season grasses such as sand bluestem, yellow Indiangrass and switchgrass will decrease in <br />frequency and production. Key forbs and shrubs such as American vetch, purple prairie clover and <br />western sandcherry will decrease also. Red threeawn, annuals and bare ground will increase with <br />long term continuous grazing, heavy continuous grazing or excessive defoliation. Years of non-use <br />(rest) or lack of fire will cause litter to accumulate and reduce plant density. <br />The historic climax plant community (description follows the plant community diagram) has been <br />determined by study of rangeland relic areas, areas protected from excessive disturbance, seasonal <br />use pastures, short durationl/time controlled grazing and historical accounts. <br />The following diagram illustrates the common plant communities that can occur on the site and the <br />transition pathways (arrows) among communities. Bold lines surrounding each plant community or <br />communities represent ecological thresholds. The ecological processes are discussed in more detail <br />in the plant community descriptions following the diagram. <br />Plant Communities and Transitional Pathways <br />Red Threeawn, Annuals LTCG <br />Bare Ground <br />Sodbound Blue Drama wlo <br />Sand Bluestein, Indiangrass <br />and Switchgrass <br />CG I I RS \LTPG <br />Seeded Rangeland <br />CG I I RS <br />Go-back Land <br />HCG, Tilled and <br />ED abandoned <br />Any Community <br />Tilled and <br />abandoned <br />Eroded (Go-back Land) <br />RS <br />Eroded Seeded Rangeland <br />LTPG I I CG <br /> <br /> Increased Blue Grama <br /> PG CG <br />Elue Grimma <br />Prairie Sandreed <br />Sand Bluestein <br />IHCPCI <br />NU,NF PG <br />Low Plant Density, <br />Excessive Litter <br />I <br /> <br />CG - continuous grazing without adequate recovery opportunity, ED - excessive <br />defoliation, HCG - heavy continuous grazing, HCPC - Historic Climax Plant <br />Community, LTCG - long term continuous grazing (>25 yrs), LTPG - long term <br />prescribed grazing (>40 yrs), PG - prescribed grazing with adequate recovery period, <br />NF - no fire, NU - non-use, RS - range seeding <br />Technical Guide USDA NRCS <br />Section IIE 4 Rev. 3/04