LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model Biophysical Setting 1510910 Sonoran Mid-Elevation Desert Scrub

This BPS is lumped with: This BPS is split into multiple models:

General Information Contributors (also see the Comments field) Date 10/18/2005 Modeler 1 Mike Babler [email protected] Reviewer Modeler 2 Keith Schulz keith_schulz@natureserve Reviewer .org Modeler 3 Reviewer

Vegetation Type Dominant Species Map Zone Model Zone EFRA2 Upland Shrubland 15 Alaska Northern Plains ERLI6 California N-Cent.Rockies General Model Sources ISTE2 Great Basin Pacific Northwest Literature CAHO3 Great Lakes South Central Local Data GUTIE Hawaii Southeast Expert Estimate SICH Northeast S. Appalachians LATR2 Southwest

Geographic Range The northern edge of the Sonoran Desert in an elevational band along the lower slopes of the Mogollon Rim/Central Highlands region. Also in the Bradshaw, Hualapai and Superstition mountains. Biophysical Site Description Between 750-1300m. Sites range from a narrow strip on steep slopes to very broad areas such as the Verde Valley. Climate is too dry for chaparral species to be abundant, and freezing temperatures during winter are too frequent and prolonged for many of the frost-sensitive species that are characteristic of Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub. Substrates are generally rocky soils derived from parent materials such as limestone, granitic rocks or rhyolite. Vegetation Description The vegetation is typically composed of an open shrub layer of Larrea tridentata, Ericameria linearifolia or Eriogonum fasciculatum with taller shrub such as Canotia holacantha (limestone or granite) or Simmondsia chinensis (rhyolite). The herbaceous layer is generally sparse.

Disturbance Description Fire is unusual in this BpS.

Adjacency or Identification Concerns Above Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub (CES302.761) and below Mogollon Chaparral (CES302.741) in elevation.

Non-native, weedy annuals may be present to dominant in Class A.

**Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity.

Thursday, February 06, 2014 Page 1 of 4 Native Uncharacteristic Conditions

Scale Description 50-2000 ha

Issues/Problems

Comments This model was missing height information (discovered March 15, 2007). Height information was estimated by Brendan Ward at MFSL.

Vegetation Classes

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class A 15 % Canopy Position Min Max Early Development 1 Open ERFA2 Cover 010%% Upper Layer Lifeform All Height Shrub 0m Shrub 3.0m Herbaceous ERLI6 Tree Size Class No Data All Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model ISTE2 All GUTIE Description All High percent bare ground, with shrub seedlings or resprouts. Patchy burn may result in scattered larger plants remaining from original community. ISTE2 and GUTIE are highest percentage. Remains in class A for 50yrs. Fire does not occur in this class.

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) 85 % Class B Canopy Position Min Max Late Development 1 Closed ERFA2 Cover 11%% 30 Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Shrub 0m Shrub 3.0m Herbaceous CAHO3 Tree Size Class No data Upper Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model SICH 1 Upper LATR Description Upper Acacia may occur in patches. Sparse herbaceous layer, high percent of bare ground. Larrea, Eriogonium, Simmondsia, Ericameria amd Canotia species, found throughout. Fire is very rare in this system, modeled at 300yrs.

**Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity.

Thursday, February 06, 2014 Page 2 of 4 Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class C 0 % Canopy Position Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover %% Height Upper Layer Lifeform Tree Size Class Herbaceous Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Shrub Tree Fuel Model

Description

Indicator Species and Class D 0 % Canopy Position Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover %% Upper Layer Lifeform Height Herbaceous Tree Size Class Shrub Tree Fuel Model Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform.

Description

Class E Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) 0 % Canopy Position Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover %% Upper Layer Lifeform Height Herbaceous Tree Size Class Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model

Description Disturbances

**Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity.

Thursday, February 06, 2014 Page 3 of 4 Fire Intervals Fire Regime Group**: V Avg FI Min FI Max FI Probability Percent of All Fires Replacement 350 0.00286 99 Historical Fire Size (acres) Mixed Avg Surface Min All Fires 350 0.00288 Max Fire Intervals (FI): Fire interval is expressed in years for each fire severity class and for all types of fire Sources of Fire Regime Data combined (All Fires). Average FI is central tendency modeled. Minimum and Literature maximum show the relative range of fire intervals, if known. Probability is the inverse of fire interval in years and is used in reference condition modeling. Percent of all Local Data fires is the percent of all fires in that severity class. Expert Estimate Additional Disturbances Modeled Insects/Disease Native Grazing Other (optional 1) Wind/Weather/Stress Competition Other (optional 2)

References Carey, J.H. 1994. Gutierrezia microcephala. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2005, October 4].

Dick-Peddie, W.A. 1993. New Mexico vegetation: past, present, and future. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press. 244 pp.

Humphrey, R.R. 1974. Fire in the deserts and desert grassland of North America. In: T.T. Kozlowski and C.E. Ahlgren, eds. Fire and ecosystems. New York: Academic Press: 365-400.

NatureServe. 2005. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 4.5. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available http://www.natureserve.org/explorer. (Accessed: September 16, 2005

NatureServe. 2007. International Ecological Classification Standard: Terrestrial Ecological Classifications. NatureServe Central Databases. Arlington, VA. Data current as of 10 February 2007.

Tirmenstein, D. 1999. Gutierrezia sarothrae. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2005, October 13].

USDA-NRCS. 2005. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). Data compiled from various sources by Mark W. Skinner. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

**Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity.

Thursday, February 06, 2014 Page 4 of 4