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Rangeland > Rangeland Physical Characteristics > Flashcards

Rangeland Physical Characteristics Flashcards

1
Q

What is site potential?

A

inherent ability of a site’s productivity

used to estimate present conditions vs. what it might support

influences planning/imp/assessing process

used to predict feasibility of restoration efforts

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2
Q

3 abiotic factors that drive site potential

A
  1. climate (long term)/weather (localized)
  2. Terrain
  3. Soil
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3
Q

Climate

A

-temperature
-precipitation

Timing (seasons) and amount (avg annual) of the above impact climate

Think about: Avgs vs. max/min temps - length at which a given place stays at one extreme matters just as much as avg.

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4
Q

Event Characteristics of Climate

A

rain vs snow
convectional storms then dry
steady, gentle rain
frontal storms

*extreme events can alter landscape

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5
Q

Aridity Indices

A

quantitative indicator of degree of water deficiency at a location

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6
Q

Terrain

A
  1. slope (steeper than 30% can limit machines, moisture retention, grazing etc)
  2. aspect (direction facing)
  3. rocky soils/bedrock
  4. location in landscape (top vs bottom)
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7
Q

Geologic Def’n Soil

A

Loose surface of the earth as distinguished from solid bedrock (doesn’t need to support plant life)

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8
Q

Purpose Def’n of Soil

A

material which nourishes/supports growing plants. can include rock, water, snow, air.

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9
Q

Component Def’n Soil

A

mixture of mineral matter (45%), organic matter (5%), water (25%) and air (25%)

*organic matter component of soil is most easily managed over large areas

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10
Q

4 types of soil formations/processes

A
  1. Additions (adding organic/inorganic particles)
  2. Losses (removal of particles)
  3. Translocations (movement of particles)
  4. Transformations (chemical/physical changes to particles)
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11
Q

5 forces that create soil

A

CLORPT

CL: climate
O: organisms
R: relief
P: parent material
T: time

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12
Q

CLORPT (CL part)

A

temp speeds up or slows down chemical reactions

precip levels increase/decrease leaching of minerals

Higher Precip:
Acidity
Leaching
Nitrogen
Clay
(all increase)

Higher Temps:
leaching of bases
decrease in N
low organic matter at extremes
(all increase)

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13
Q

CLORPT (O part)

A

ex: burrowing animals
growing plant groups
enzyme secreting bacteria/fungi
(all above chemically/physically alter/mix the soil)

impacts:
nitrogen fixation
decomp
aeration
removing/changing nutrients
holding moisture

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14
Q

CLORPT (R part)

A

amount of soil on landscape
amount of water that enters soil

topography - the slope and aspect influences sunlight, water runoff, erosion, organic matter, runnoff/buildup

*soil depth matters for mgmt because it impacts type of root growth which impacts vegetation (shallow soil/shallow roots)

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15
Q

CLORPT (P part)

A

texture (sand, silt, clay)
mineral nutrients (K, P, Na)
can be the underlying bedrock but usually sediment carried in from water/wind

influences infiltration rate, organisms, aeration, susceptibility to erosion etc.

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16
Q

CLORPT (T part)

A

SLOW (thousands of years)
older soils are more weathered
tropical soils are older (not impacted by glaciers)

17
Q

Soil Texture

A

size of mineral particles

from small to large:
clay - silt - fine sand - course sand - fine gravel - course gravel.

impacts drainage, water holding capacity, aeration, erosion, organic matter content)

18
Q

Soil Structure

A

arrangement/organization of mineral particles

granular
platy
blocky (angular, subangular)
wedge
prismatic
columnar

influences rate water enters the soil

*soil organic matter CAN change structure (but not texture)

19
Q

3 soil orders in Rangelands

A

Aridisols (dry, low organic matter) - southwest

Entisols (young, no diagnostic horizons) - rocky mtns

Mollisols (deep, high organic matter, developed horizon) - grasslands/praries

20
Q

Soil Organic Matter

A

plant and animal residues, partially decayed and synthesized

< 1-6% of soil

21
Q

How does terrain (slope/aspect) interacts with climate and/or soils to influence site potential in range mgmt?

A

Terrain is driving factor of site potential v/c influeces movement of soils, erosion, water holding etc. Climate could aid or be detrimental - severe weather event can exasperate conditions for plant growth and therefore usage plans

22
Q

Humus

A

Good
supplies nutrients
helps prevent leaching
food for microorganisms

23
Q

Plants on rangelands houses…

A

most carbon, which is major component of restoration efforts

24
Q

Why are plants important to range management?

A

only source of energy for grazing animals

25
Q

Plant Structure (Pattern)

A

can see it - plant morphology (size, shape, arrangement of parts)

has abiotic (temp, light, water) and biotic (plants, animals, bacteria) components

26
Q

Plant Function (process)

A

can’t see it

3 processes: physiology, phenology, life cycle

27
Q

Plant Physiology

A

mechanisms at work w/in living system

  1. photosynthesis (light –> chemical energy)
  2. transpiration (water mvmt and evaporation)
28
Q

Plant Phenology

A

periodic plant/animal life cycle events influenced by seasonal/interannual variations in climate/habitat

29
Q

Plant Life Cycle

A

changes in form that organism undergoes, returning to starting state

30
Q

Plant Photosynthetic Pathways

A

C3: 90-95% (cool season)

C4: 3-5% vascular plants, reduced photo respiration (warm season)

CAM 3-7% vascular plants, run photosynthesis by time (night/day), reduced phototranspiration

31
Q

2 plant growth forms: Monocots

A

Monocots (grasses/grass-like plants)

grasses:
herbaceous
non-showy flowers
variable size
jointed stems
hollow stems
parallel veins
fibrous, shallow roots
ex: sod forming, bunchgrasses

grass-like:
not jointed
solid stems
otherwise same
ex: rushes, sedges

*shallow roots good for controlling surface erosion

32
Q

2 plant growth forms: Dicots

A

Dicots: forbs and shrubs

Forbs:
herbaceous
showy flowers
solid stems
broad leaves
taproots

Shrubs:
woody
several stems
broad leaves
taproots

33
Q

Annual Plants

A

once cycle/year
ex: invasive grasses like cheatgrass

34
Q

Perennial Plants

A

multiple cycles

*knowing whether a plant is perennial or annual informs grazing mgmt

35
Q

2 modes of reproduction: seeds

A

sexual reproduction
annual
r selected (invest considerable energy and resources into repro)

36
Q

2 modes of reproduction: vegetatively

A

repro by sets that root at nodes or rhizomes
ex: western wheatgrass (shrubs/trees)
k selected (invest resources into growth)

long term recovery
low diversity
spreaders/stable

Rangeland (10 decks)

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