Area Economically Depressed 

 10 percent 



CHAPARRAL-MOUNTAIN SHRUB 



Vegetation 

 The vegetation of the ecosystem consists of 

 dense to open brush or low trees. Deciduous, 

 semideciduous, and evergreen species are repre- 

 sented in the types. Some of the brush tyi^es 

 are so dense that understory vegetation is 

 practically eliminated while other types support 

 a highly productive understory. Recent activi- 

 ties of man have altered the types to a degree 

 that reconstruction of their original state would 

 be difficult. 



Kilchler Communities 



K-27 Oak- juniper woodland 



K-28 Transition between oak-juniper wood- 

 lands (K-27) and Mountain mahoganv-oak 

 scrub (K-31) 



K-29 Chaparral 



K-30 Coastal sagebrush 



K-31 Mountain mahogany-oak scrub 



Rare and Endangered Species 

 Light-footed clapper rail 



Area Economically Depressed 

 35 percent 



PINYON-JUNIPER 



Vegetation 



The name "pygmy forest" characterizes the 



pinyon-juniper woodlands. The trees occur as 



dense to open woodland and savanna woodland. 



Trees may grow to a height of 30 feet but are 



generally less than 15 feet. The form of the 



tree is bushy, being almost as wide as it is tall. 



Kiichhr Communities 



K-21 Juniper-pinyon woodland 



Area Economically Depressed 

 65 percent 



MOUNTAIN GRASSLANDS 



Vegetation 

 Although mountain grasslands range from 

 foothills at northerly latitudes to high mountain 

 sites, they are characterized by bunchgrasses 

 such as the fescues and wheatgrasses. Produc- 

 tivity classes are related to total precipitation, 

 the abundance of precipitation during the 

 growing season, and soil factors. Desirable 

 forbs are abundant on some of the more pro- 

 ductive sites. 



Kiichler Comrjttinities 

 K-40 Fescue-oatgrass 

 K-43 Fescue-wheatgrass 

 K-44 Wheatgrass-bluegrass 



K-46 Fescue-mountain muhly prairie 

 K-56 Foothills prairie 



Kare and Endangered Species 

 Utah prairie dog 



Area Economically Depressed 

 10 percent 



MOUNTAIN MEADOWS 



Vegetation 

 Grasses, sedges, rushes, and in some cases 

 phreatophytic shrubs dominate the meadow. In 

 best condition 70 percent of the ground is cov- 

 ered by vegetation; more than three-fourths of 

 this may be perennial grasses. Sedges may con- 

 stitute as much as 15 percent of the cover. 

 Perennial forbs constitute only about 10 per- 

 cent of the cover. Proportions of the various 

 growth forms are easily manipulated by graz- 

 ing pressure. 



Kilchler Communities 

 (Not recognized by Kiichler; included in 

 FRES because of their significance to range 

 management. ) 



Rare and Endangered Species 

 Utah prairie dog 



Area Economically Depressed 

 10 percent 



DESERT GRASSLANDS 



Vegetation 

 A grass life form predominates on these 

 plateaus between dominant shrub life forms 

 above and below this ecosystem. Transition 

 zones show shrubs giving way to galleta in the 

 southern extensions of this ecosystem in Texas 

 and three awn becomes the dominant in the 

 northern extensions in Utah. This ecosystem is 

 also a more open grassland with low shrubs in 

 the northern extensions. 



Kiichler Communities 

 K-47 Grama-galleta steppe 

 K-48 Grama-tobosa prairie 

 K-51 Galleta-three awn shrubsteppe 



Rare and Endangered Species 

 Sonoran pronghorn 



Area Economically Depressed 

 20 percent 



ANNUAL GRASSLANDS 



Vegetation 

 The vegetation is of grass life form. Annual 

 grasses (most are considered introduced) now 

 dominate the cover. The dominant species are: 

 wild oats, several species of brome, wild barley, 

 and fescue. Perennials are scarce or absent at 



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