Ecological Sites - Clay Prairie, The National Rangeland Judging Contest, Judging Rangeland for Livestock and Wildlife Values

The National Rangeland Judging Contest
Judging Rangeland for Livestock and Wildlife Values

Clay Prairie

Upland clay soils greater than 20 inches deep, on rolling and broken topography with some gentle slopes. This site is moderately productive and generally has a midgrass or short grass aspect. The site contains forbs, grasses, and legumes. This site has little or no woody vegetation on it. The vegetation was formed under migratory grazing and heavy impact from bison and other native wildlife, with fires in both the dormant and growing season.
Site Composition Maximum Observed Composition Percent Counted Toward SI

Vegetation Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 1 Site 2 Site 3

Grasses 70%

little bluestem 25 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

sideoats grama 25 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

buffalograss
blue grama 10 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

big bluestem
Indiangrass 10 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

tall dropseed
hairy grama
other natives 15 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

invasives 0 ______ ______ ______ ___0__ ___0__ ___0__

Forbs and Legumes
purple prairie clover
catclaw sensitivebrier
scurfpea
Illinois bundleflower
tephrosia
wild indigo
groundplum
sagewort
black samson
dotted gayfeather
Texas croton
compassplant
halfshrub sundrop
blackeyed susan
other natives
invasives

14%
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________

__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________

__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
__________
____0_____

Woodies
buckbrush
other natives
invasives

1%
__________
__________

__________
__________
__________
__________
100%

__________
__________
__________
____0_____