Ecological Site Description System

Ecological Site Description

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

ECOLOGICAL SITE DESCRIPTION

ECOLOGICAL SITE CHARACTERISTICS

Site Type: Rangeland

Site Name: Loamy Sand

Site ID: R042XC003NM

Major Land Resource Area: 042 - Southern Desertic Basins, Plains, and Mountains

Physiographic Features
This site is on uplands, plains, dunes, fan piedmonts and in inter dunal areas. The parent material consists of mixed alluvium and or eolian sands derived from sedimentary rock. Slope range on this site range from 0 to 9 percent with the average of 5 percent. Low stabilized dunes may occur occasionally on this site. Elevations range from 2,800 to 5,000 feet.
Land Form:	(1)	Fan piedmont
	(2)	Alluvial fan
	(3)	Dune

	Minimum	Maximum
Elevation (feet):	2800	5000
Slope (percent):	0	9
Water Table Depth (inches):
Flooding:
Frequency:
Duration:	None	None
Ponding:
Depth (inches):
Frequency:
Duration:	None	None
Runoff Class:	Very low	Low
Aspect:	No Influence on this site

Climatic Features

The average annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 13 inches. Variations of 5 inches, more or less, are common. Over 80 percent of the precipitation falls from April through October. Most of the summer precipitation comes in the form of high intensity-short duration thunderstorms.
Temperatures are characterized by distinct seasonal changes and large annual and diurnal temperature changes. The average annual temperature is 61 degrees with extremes of 25 degrees below zero in the winter to 112 degrees in the summer.
The average frost-free season is 207 to 220 days. The last killing frost being late March or early April and the first killing frost being in later October or early November.
Temperature and rainfall both favor warm season perennial plant growth. In years of abundant spring moisture, annual forbs and cool season grasses can make up an important component of this site. Strong winds blow from the southwest from January through June, which accelerates soil drying during a critical period for cool season plant growth.

Climate data was obtained from http://www.wrcc.sage.dri.edu/summary/climsmnm.html web site using 50% probability for freeze-free and frost-free seasons using 28.5 degrees F and 32.5 degrees F respectively.

	Minimum	Maximum
Frost-free period (days):	180	221
Freeze-free period (days):	199	240
Mean annual precipitation (inches):	10.0	13.0

Monthly precipitation (inches) and temperature (°F):
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Precip. Min.	0.4	0.4	0.41	0.58	1.28	1.4	1.62	1.79	1.81	1.16	0.43	0.48
Precip. Max.	0.42	0.41	0.43	0.63	1.35	1.46	1.64	1.84	2.2	1.41	0.47	0.51
Temp. Min.	20.6	25.2	31.4	40.4	49.6	59.1	63.3	61.6	54.1	40.7	28.4	20.9
Temp. Max.	59.7	65.6	72.7	81.5	88.7	95.4	96.4	94.8	88.5	80.4	68.7	61.1

Climate Stations:	(1) NM0600, Artesia, NM. Period of record 1961 - 1990
	(2) NM0992, Bitter Lakes WL Refuge, NM. Period of record 1961 - 1990
	(3) NM1469, Carlsbad, NM. Period of record 1961 - 1990
	(4) NM293792, Hagerman, NM. Period of record 1961 - 1990
	(5) NM299563, Waste Isolation Plant, NM. Period of record 1961 - 1990
	(6) NM4346, Jal, NM. Period of record 1961 - 1990

Influencing Water Features

This site is not influenced from water from wetlands or streams.

Wetland Description:	System	Subsystem	Class

Representative Soil Features

Soils are moderately deep or very deep. Surface textures are loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, loamy very fine sand or gravelly sandy loam.

Subsurface is a loamy fine sand, coarse sandy loam, fine sandy loam or loam that averages less than 18 percent clay and less than 15 percent carbonates.

Substratum is a fine sandy loam or gravelly fine sandy loam with less than 15 percent gravel and with less than 40 percent calcium carbonate. Some layers high in lime or with caliche fragments may occur at depths of 20 to 30 inches.

These soils, if unprotected by plant cover and organic residue, become wind blown and low hummocks are formed.

Minimum and maximum values listed below represent the characteristic soils for this site.

Characteristic soils are:
Maljamar
Berino
Parjarito
Palomas
Wink
Pyote

Predominant Parent Materials:
Kind: Alluvium
Origin: Calcareous sandstone

Surface Texture:	(1) Fine sand
	(2) Fine sandy loam
	(3) Loamy fine sand

Subsurface Texture Group: Sandy

	Minimum	Maximum
Surface Fragments <=3" (% Cover):	0	10
Surface Fragments > 3" (% Cover):	0	0
Subsurface Fragments <=3" (% Volume):	4	12
Subsurface Fragments > 3" (% Volume):	0	0

Drainage Class: Well drained To Somewhat excessively drained

Permeability Class: Moderate To Moderately rapid

	Minimum	Maximum
Depth (inches):	40	72
Electrical Conductivity (mmhos/cm):	2	4
Sodium Absorption Ratio:	0	2
Calcium Carbonate Equivalent (percent):	3	40
Soil Reaction (1:1 Water):	6.6	8.4
Soil Reaction (0.01M CaCl2):
Available Water Capacity (inches):	5.0	7.0

Plant Communities

Ecological Dynamics of the Site

Overview

The Loamy Sand site intergrades with the Deep Sand and Sandy sites (SD-3). These sites can be differentiated by surface soil texture and depth to a textural change. Loamy Sand and Deep Sand sites have coarse textured (sands and loamy sand) surface soils while Sandy sites have moderately coarse textured (sandy loam and fine sandy loam) surfaces. Although Loamy Sand and Deep Sand sites have similar surface textures, the depth to a textural change is different—Loamy Sand sub-surface textures typically increase in clay at approximately 20 to 30 inches, and Deep Sand sites not until around 40 inches.

The historic plant community of Loamy Sand sites is dominated by black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda), dropseeds (Sporobolus flexuosus, S. contractus, S. cryptandrus), and bluestems (Schizachyrium scoparium and Andropogon hallii), with scattered shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) and sand sage (Artemisia filifolia). Perennial and annual forb abundance and distribution are dependent on precipitation. Litter and to a lesser extent, bare ground, are a significant proportion of ground cover while grasses compose the remainder. Decreases in black grama indicate a transition to either a grass/shrub or shrub-dominated state. The grass/shrub state is composed of grasses/honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), grasses/broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae), or grasses/sand sage. The shrub-dominated state occurs after a severe loss of grass cover and a prevalence of sand sage with secondary shinnery oak and mesquite. Heavy grazing intensity and/or drought are influential drivers in decreasing black grama and bluestems and subsequently increasing shrub cover, erosion, and bare patches. Historical fire suppression also encourages shrub pervasiveness and a competitive advantage over grass species (McPherson 1995). Brush and grazing management, however, may reverse grass/shrub and shrub-dominated states toward the grassland-dominated historic plant community.

Historic Climax Plant Community

Grassland: The historic plant community is a uniformly distributed grassland dominated by black grama, dropseeds, and bluestems. Sand sage and shinnery oak are evenly dispersed throughout the grassland due to the coarse soil surface texture. Perennial and annual forbs are common but their abundance and distribution are reflective of precipitation. Bluestems initially, followed by black grama, decrease with drought and heavy grazing intensity. Historical fire frequency is unknown but likely occurred enough to remove small shrubs to the competitive advantage of grass species. Fire suppression, drought conditions, and excessive grazing drive most grass species out of competition with shrub species.

Diagnosis: Grassland dominated by black grama, dropseeds, and bluestems. Shrubs, such as sand sage, shinnery oak, and mesquite are dispersed throughout the grassland. Forbs are present and populations fluctuate with precipitation variability.

Historic Climax Plant Community Plant Species Composition:

	Grass/Grasslike			Annual Production in Pounds Per Acre
Group	Group Name	Common Name	Scientific Name	Low	High
1 - Warm Season				61	123
		little bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium	61	123

2 - Warm Season				37	61
		sand bluestem	Andropogon hallii	37	61

3 - Warm Season				37	61
		cane bluestem	Bothriochloa barbinodis	37	61
		silver bluestem	Bothriochloa saccharoides	37	61

4 - Warm Season				123	184
		black grama	Bouteloua eriopoda	123	184
		bush muhly	Muhlenbergia porteri	123	184

5 - Warm Season				123	184
		thin paspalum	Paspalum setaceum	123	184
		plains bristlegrass	Setaria vulpiseta	123	184
		fringed signalgrass	Urochloa ciliatissima	123	184

6 - Warm Season				123	184
		spike dropseed	Sporobolus contractus	123	184
		sand dropseed	Sporobolus cryptandrus	123	184
		mesa dropseed	Sporobolus flexuosus	123	184

7 - Warm Season				61	123
		hooded windmill grass	Chloris cucullata	61	123
		Arizona cottontop	Digitaria californica	61	123

	Shrub/Vine			Annual Production in Pounds Per Acre
Group	Group Name	Common Name	Scientific Name	Low	High
8 - Warm Season				37	61
		New Mexico feathergrass	Hesperostipa neomexicana	37	61
		giant dropseed	Sporobolus giganteus	37	61

	Grass/Grasslike			Annual Production in Pounds Per Acre
Group	Group Name	Common Name	Scientific Name	Low	High
9 - Other Perennial Grasses				37	61
		Grass, perennial		37	61

	Shrub/Vine			Annual Production in Pounds Per Acre
Group	Group Name	Common Name	Scientific Name	Low	High
10 - Shrub				61	123
		sand sagebrush	Artemisia filifolia	61	123
		Havard oak	Quercus havardii	61	123

11 - Shrub				34	61
		fourwing saltbush	Atriplex canescens	37	61
		featherplume	Dalea formosa	37	61

12 - Shrub				37	61
		jointfir	Ephedra	37	61
		littleleaf ratany	Krameria erecta	37	61

13 - Other Shrubs				37	61
		Shrub (>.5m)		37	61

	Forb			Annual Production in Pounds Per Acre
Group	Group Name	Common Name	Scientific Name	Low	High
14 - Forb				61	123
		leatherweed	Croton pottsii var. pottsii	61	123
		firewheel	Gaillardia pulchella	61	123
		globemallow	Sphaeralcea	61	123

15 - Forb				12	37
		woolly groundsel	Packera cana	12	37

16 - Forb				61	123
		touristplant	Dimorphocarpa wislizeni	61	123
		woolly plantain	Plantago patagonica	61	123

17 - Other Forbs				37	61
		Forb (herbaceous, not grass nor grass-like)		37	61

Annual Production by Plant Type:

	Annual Production (lbs/AC)
Plant Type	Low	Representative Value	High
Forb	110	208	306
Grass/Grasslike	442	833	1224
Shrub/Vine	98	184	270
Total:	650	1225	1800

Structure and Cover:

Ground Cover (%)

Vegetative Cover						Non-Vegetative Cover
Grass/ Grasslike	Forb	Shrub/ Vine	Tree	Non-Vascular Plants	Biological Crust	Litter	Surface Fragments > 1/4 & <= 3"	Surface Fragments > 3"	Bedrock	Water	Bare Ground
28 to 28						50 to 50					22 to 22

Plant Growth Curve:
Growth Curve Number: NM2803
Growth Curve Name: HCPC
Growth Curve Description: SD-3 Loamy Sand - Warm season plant community

Percent Production by Month
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
0	0	3	5	10	10	25	30	12	5	0	0

Grass/Shrub

Grass/Shrub State: The grass/shrub state is dominated by communities of grasses/mesquite, grasses/snakeweed, or grasses/sand sage. Decreases in black grama and bluestem species lead to an increase in bare patches and mesquite which further competes with grass species. An increase of dropseeds and threeawns occurs. Grass distribution becomes more patchy with an absence or severe decrease in black grama and bluestems. Mesquite provides nitrogen and soil organic matter to co-dominant grasses (Ansley and Jacoby 1998, Ansley et al. 1998). Mesquite mortality when exposed to fire is low due to aggressive resprouting abilities. Herbicide application combined with subsequent prescribed fire may be more effective in mesquite reduction (Britton and Wright 1971).

Diagnosis: This state is dominated by an increased abundance of communities including grass/mesquite, grass/snakeweed, or grass/sand sage. Dropseeds and threeawns have a patchy distribution.

Transition to Grass/Shrub State (1a): The historic plant community begins to shift toward the grass/shrub state as drivers such as drought, fire suppression, interspecific competition, and excessive grazing contribute to alterations in soil properties and herbaceous cover. Cover loss and surface soil erosion are initial indicators of transition followed by a decrease in black grama with a subsequent increase of dropseeds, threeawns, mesquite, and snakeweed. Snakeweed has been documented to outcompete black grama especially under conditions of fire suppression and drought (McDaniel et al. 1984).
Key indicators of approach to transition:
• Loss of black grama cover
• Surface soil erosion
• Bare patch expansion
• Increased dropseed/threeawn and mesquite, snakeweed, or sand sage abundances

Transition to Historic Plant Community (1b): Brush and grazing management may restore the grassland component and reverse shrub or grass/shrub dominated states back toward the historic plant community.

Shrub Dominated

Shrub-Dominated State: The shrub-dominated state results from a severe loss of grass cover. This state’s primary species is sand sage. Shinnery oak and mesquite also occur; however, grass cover is limited to intershrub distribution. Sand sage stabilizes light sandy soils from wind erosion, which enhances protected grass/forb cover (Davis and Bonham 1979). However, shinnery oak also responds to the sandy soils with dense stands due to an aggressive rhizome system. Shinnery oak’s extensive root system promotes competitive exclusion of grasses and forbs. Sand sage, shinnery oak, and mesquite can be controlled with herbicide (Herbel et al. 1979, Pettit 1986).

Transition to Shrub-Dominated (2a): Severe loss of grass species with increased erosion and fire suppression will result in a transition to a shrub-dominated state with sand sage, Shin oak, and honey mesquite directly from the grassland-dominated state.

Key indicators of approach to transition:

• Severe loss of grass species cover
• Surface soil erosion
• Bare patch expansion
• Increased sand sage, shinnery oak, and mesquite abundance

Transition to Historic Plant Community (2b): Brush and grazing management may restore the grassland component and reverse shrub or grass/shrub dominated states back toward the historic plant community. In addition, seeding with native grass species will augment the transition to a grassland-dominated state.

Transition to Shrub-Dominated (3): If the grass/shrub site continues to lose grass cover with soil erosion, the site will transition to a shrub-dominated state with sand sage, shinnery oak, and honey mesquite.

Key indicators of approach to transition:

• Continual loss of dropseeds/threeawns cover
• Surface soil erosion
• Bare patch expansion
• Increased sand sage, shinnery oak, and mesquite/dropseed/threeawn and mesquite/snakeweed abundance

Ecological Site Interpretations

Animal Community:
This Ecological Site provides habitat which supports a resident animal community that is characterized by pronghorn antelope, desert cottontail, spotted ground squirrel, black-tailed prairie dog, yellow faced pocket gopher, Ord’s kangaroo rat, northern grasshopper mouse, southern plains woodrat, badger, roadrunner, meadowlark, burrowing owl, white necked raven, lesser prairie chicken, morning dove, scaled quail, Harris hawk, side blotched lizard, marbled whiptail, Texas horned lizard, western diamondback rattlesnake, dusty hognose snake and ornate box turtle.
Where mesquite has invaded, most resident birds and scissor-tailed flycatcher, morning dove and Swainson’s hawk, nest. Vesper and grasshopper sparrows utilize the site during migration.

Plant Preference by Animal Kind:

Animal Kind: Livestock Cattle

Common Name

Scientific Name

Plant Part

sand bluestem

Andropogon hallii

Entire plant

sand sagebrush

Artemisia filifolia

Entire plant

fourwing saltbush

Atriplex canescens

Entire plant

black grama

Bouteloua eriopoda

Entire plant

bush muhly

Muhlenbergia porteri

Entire plant

Havard oak

Quercus havardii

Entire plant

little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Entire plant

sand dropseed

Sporobolus cryptandrus

Entire plant

globemallow

Sphaeralcea

Entire plant

Legend: P = Preferred D = Desirable U = Undesirable N = Not consumed E = Emergency T = Toxic X = Used, but degree of utilization unknown

Hydrology Functions:
The runoff curve numbers are determined by field investigations using hydraulic cover conditions and hydrologic soil groups.
Hydrologic Interpretations
Soil Series Hydrologic Group
Berino B
Kinco A
Maljamar B
Pajarito B
Palomas B
Wink B
Pyote A

Recreational Uses:
This site offers recreation potential for hiking, borseback riding, nature observation, photography and hunting. During years of abundant spring moisture, this site displays a colorful array of wildflowers during May and June.

Wood Products:
This site has no potential for wood products.

Other Products:
This site is suitable for grazing by all kinds and classes of livestock at any time of year. In cases where this site has been invaded by brush species it is especially suited for goats. Mismanagement of this site will cause a decrease in species such as the bluestems, blsck grama, bush muhly, plains bristlegrass, New Mexico feathergrass, Arizona cottontop and fourwing saltbush. A corresponding increase in the dropseeds, windmill grass, fall witchgrass, silver bluestem, sand sagebrush, shinery oak and ephedra will occur. This will also cause an increase in bare ground which will increase soil erodibility. This site will respond well to a system of management that rotates the season of use.

Other Information:
Guide to Suggested Initial Stocking Rate Acres per Animal Unit Month
Similarity Index Ac/AUM
100 - 76 2.3 – 3.5
75 – 51 3.0 – 4.5
50 – 26 4.6 – 9.0
25 – 0 9.1 +

Supporting Information

Associated Sites:

Site Name	Site ID	Site Narrative
Sandy	R042XC004NM	Sandy
Deep Sand	R042XC005NM	Deep Sand

Similar Sites:

Site Name

Site ID

Site Narrative

State Correlation:
This site has been correlated with the following states:
TX

Inventory Data References:
Data collection for this site was done in conjunction with the progressive soil surveys within the Southern Desertic Basins, Plains and Mountains, Major Land Resource Areas of New Mexico. This site has been mapped and correlated with soils in the following soil surveys. Eddy County, Lea County, and Chaves County.

Type Locality:

Relationship to Other Established Classifications:

Other References:
Literature Cited:

Ansley, R. J.; Jacoby, P. W. 1998. Manipulation of fire intensity to achieve mesquite
management goals in north Texas. In: Pruden, Teresa L.; Brennan, Leonard A., eds. Fire in ecosystem management: shifting the paradigm from suppression to prescription: Proceedings, Tall Timbers fire ecology conference; 1996 May 7-10; Boise, ID. No. 20. Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station: 195-204.

Ansley, R. J.; Jones, D. L.; Tunnell, T. R.; [and others]. 1998. Honey mesquite canopy
responses to single winter fires: relation to herbaceous fuel, weather and fire temperature. International Journal of Wildland Fire 8(4):241-252.

Britton, Carlton M.; Wright, Henry A. 1971. Correlation of weather and fuel variables to
mesquite damage by fire. Journal of Range Management 24:136-141.

Davis, Joseph H., III and Bonham, Charles D. 1979. Interference of sand sagebrush
canopy with needleandthread. Journal of Range Management 32(5):384-386.

Herbel, C. H, Steger, R, Gould, W. L. 1974. Managing semidesert ranges of the
Southwest Circular 456. Las Cruces, NM: New Mexico State University, Cooperative Extension Service. 48 p.

McDaniel, Kirk C.; Pieper, Rex D.; Loomis, Lyn E.; Osman, Abdelgader A. 1984.
Taxonomy and ecology of perennial snakeweeds in New Mexico. Bulletin 711. Las Cruces, NM: New Mexico State University, Agricultural Experiment Station. 34 p.

McPherson, Guy R. 1995. The role of fire in the desert grasslands. In: McClaran, Mitchel
P.; Van Devender, Thomas R., eds. The desert grassland. Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona Press: 130-151.

Pettit, Russell D. 1986. Sand shinnery oak: control and management. Management Note
8. Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University, College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Range and Wildlife Management. 5 p.

Site Description Approval:

Author	Date	Approval	Date
Don Sylvester	7/12/1979	Durwood E. Ball	8/1/1979

Site Description Revision Approval:

Author	Date	Approval	Date
Quinn Hodgson	4/30/2003	George Chavez	4/30/2003

Reference Sheet

Author(s)/participant(s):

Contact for lead author:

Date: MLRA: 042X Ecological Site: Loamy Sand R042XC003NM This must be verified based on soils and climate (see Ecological Site Description). Current plant community cannot be used to identify the ecological site.

Composition (indicators 10 and 12) based on: Annual Production, Foliar Cover, Biomass

Indicators. For each indicator, describe the potential for the site. Where possible, (1) use numbers, (2) include expected range of values for above- and below-average years for each community and natural disturbance regimes within the reference state, when appropriate and (3) cite data. Continue descriptions on separate sheet.

Number and extent of rills:

Presence of water flow patterns:

Number and height of erosional pedestals or terracettes:

Bare ground from Ecological Site Description or other studies (rock, litter, standing dead, lichen, moss, plant canopy are not bare ground):

Number of gullies and erosion associated with gullies:

Extent of wind scoured, blowouts and/or depositional areas:

Amount of litter movement (describe size and distance expected to travel):

Soil surface (top few mm) resistance to erosion (stability values are averages - most sites will show a range of values):

Soil surface structure and SOM content (include type and strength of structure, and A-horizon color and thickness):

10.

Effect on plant community composition (relative proportion of different functional groups) and spatial distribution on infiltration and runoff:

11.

Presence and thickness of compaction layer (usually none; describe soil profile features which may be mistaken for compaction on this site):

12.

Functional/Structural Groups (list in order of descending dominance by above-ground weight using symbols: >>, >, = to indicate much greater than, greater than, and equal to) with dominants and sub-dominants and "others" on separate lines:
Dominant:
Sub-dominant:
Other:
Additional:

13.

Amount of plant mortality and decadence (include which functional groups are expected to show mortality or decadence):

14.

Average percent litter cover (%) and depth ( inches):

15.

Expected annual production (this is TOTAL above-ground production, not just forage production:

16.

Potential invasive (including noxious) species (native and non-native). List Species which BOTH characterize degraded states and have the potential to become a dominant or co-dominant species on the ecological site if their future establishment and growth is not actively controlled by management interventions. Species that become dominant for only one to several years (e.g., short-term response to drought or wildfire) are not invasive plants. Note that unlike other indicator, we are describing what in NOT expected in the reference state for the ecological site:

17.

Perennial plant reproductive capability:


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