Ecological Sites - Hardland or Claypan 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

Hardland or Claypan Prairie

Nearly level to gently sloping upland soils with fine or medium-textured topsoils and moderately deep impervious subsoils within 20 inches of the surface. This site is a mid and short grass dominant vegetation on gentle slopes. The site contains forbs, legumes, and grasses. Roots seldom penetrate the claypan. 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%

sideoats grama 25 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

blue grama 20 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

buffalograss 10 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

dropseed 5 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

big bluestem
Indiangrass 5 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

little bluestem 5 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

western wheatgrass
vine mesquite
Scribner's panicum
fall witchgrass
other natives
15 ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

invasives 0 ______ ______ ______ ___0__ ___0__ ___0__

Forbs and Legumes
leadplant
tickclover
purple prairie clover
groundplum
catclaw sensitivebrier
Illinois bundleflower
wild indigo
milkweed
sagewort
dotted gayfeather
prairie coneflower
halfshrub sundrop
goldenrod
other natives
invasives

14%
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Woodies
mesquite
other natives
invasives

1%
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100%

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