Laserfiche WebLink
ERO Resources <br />• <br />b, .7NIPER ON'1 T <br />(i) location and Distribution: <br />Open Utah juniper vroodlande ocoupy ridge crests, rocky knolls and portions <br />of the broad uplands on the permit area at higher elevationF (>1,500m). <br />The major feature determining the distribution of the woodlands is the <br />corresponding occurrence of shallow to moderately shallow, coarse-loamy to <br />rocky soils (Table 4). The predominance of Utah juniper in lieu of a <br />mixed wooc:land that also supports Rocky Mountain juniper and pinyon pins <br />can by attributed to ernironmental factors that favor Utah juniper. Soil <br />textures are more coarse than thoce that favor pinyon pine proliferation <br />and the soil moisture regimes may be too droughty for pinyon (Tueller and <br />Clark 19751. Rocky Mountain juniper is more common on rocky soils with <br />high calcium carbonate concentrations. A principal reason for the <br />predominance of Utah juniper in the extensive woodlands is that this <br />species once occurred in small patohes on relatively rocky knolls and has <br />spread significantly due to surface disturbances that loxered competition <br />• xith perennial grasws and shrubs. This type occupies 1.5 acres of the <br />total affected area tTable 5). <br />l2) Ctructure and C+~moositien: <br />r1 <br />LJ <br />The juniper woodlands are sparse and open. Mean ground cover values for <br />the affected area sampled along the Haul Road are bryophytes - (lx, litter <br />- 39x, rock - <lx, soil - 57x and woody species - <lx (Table 6). The <br />corresponding reference site for the juniper xoodlands ie the <br />Sagebrush-Wheatgrass reference area. Ground cover values in this <br />reference area are bryophytes - lx, litter - 30X, rock - 2x, soil - 57x <br />and xoody species - 17X. Figure 4 graphically summarizes these values. <br />The herbaceous layer of the juniper woodlands is poorly developed. The <br />most important grass species present are cheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, <br />squirraltail grass, needle-and-thread grass and western wheatgrass. <br />Important fortis include baby blue eyes (Oollinsia narviflora), fleabane <br />II.F-25 <br />