Soil Survey of Jackson County, Texas Page: 45
vii, 147, [2] p., 50 folded p. of plates : ill., maps (some col.) ; 28 cm.View a full description of this book.
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Jackson County, Texas
Approximately 70 percent of the annual growth
occurs in April, May, and June, when rainfall and
moderate temperatures are favorable. A second period
of growth usually occurs in September and October
during periods of autumn rainfall and gradually cooling
temperatures.
Range management requires a knowledge of the
kinds of soil and of the climax vegetation. It also
requires an evaluation of the present range condition.
Range condition is determined by comparing the
present plant community with the climax vegetation on a
particular range site. The more closely the existing
community resembles the climax vegetation, the better
the range condition.
A primary objective of good range management is
keeping the range in excellent or good condition and
thus conserving water, improving yields, and protecting
the soil. The main management concern is recognizing
important changes that occur in the kind of cover on a
range site. These changes take place gradually and can
be misinterpreted or overlooked. Plant growth that
occurs because of heavy rainfall can lead to the
conclusion that the range is in good condition when the
plant community actually has a large percentage of
weeds and the long-term trend is toward lower
production. On the other hand, some rangeland that has
been closely grazed for short periods under careful
supervision may have a degraded appearance that
temporarily conceals its quality and ability to recover.
Range Sites and Condition Classes
A range site is a distinctive kind of rangeland that
produces a characteristic vegetation that differs from
the climax vegetation on other range sites in kind,
amount, or proportion of range plants. Soils that
produce about the same kinds and amounts of forage
make up a range site. Soil properties that affect
moisture supply and plant nutrients have the greatest
influence on the productivity of range plants. Soil
reaction, salt content, and a seasonal high water table
are also important.
The climax vegetation on the range site is the
stabilized plant community that reproduces itself and
changes very little as long as the environment remains
unchanged. Throughout the county the climax
vegetation consists of the plants that grew in the area
before settlement. The most productive combination of
forage plants on a range site is generally the climax
vegetation.
Decreasers are plants in the climax vegetation that
decrease in relative amount under close grazing. They
generally are the tallest and most productive perennial
grasses and forbs and the most palatable to livestock.
Increasers are plants in the climax vegetation thatincrease in relative amount as the more desirable
decreasers are reduced by close grazing. They are
commonly shorter than decreasers and are generally
less palatable to livestock.
Invaders are plants that increase in abundance as
the decreasers and increasers decline. They cannot
compete with the climax vegetation for moisture,
nutrients, and light. They have little value for grazing.
Range condition is judged according to standards
that apply to the particular range site. It expresses the
present kind and amount of vegetation in relation to the
climax plant community for that site.
Four range condition classes are used to indicate the
degree of departure from the potential, or climax,
vegetation brought about by grazing or other uses. The
classes show the present condition of the native
vegetation on a range site in relation to the native
vegetation that could grow there. A range is in excellent
condition if 76 to 100 percent of the vegetation is of the
same kind as that in the climax stand, in good condition
if the percentage is 51 to 75, in fair condition if the
percentage is 26 to 50, and in poor condition if the
percentage is 25 or less.
Potential forage production depends on the range
site. Current forage production depends on the range
condition and the moisture available to plants during
their growing season.
If range is subject to years of prolonged overuse, it
loses the seed sources for desirable vegetation. Under
these conditions, the vegetation must be reestablished
before management can be effective. The condition of
the range can be improved by controlling brush, range
seeding, fencing, developing water sources, or applying
other mechanical treatment to revitalize stands of native
plants. Thereafter, deferred grazing, proper grazing use,
and a planned grazing system can help to maintain or
improve the range.
Good management results in the optimum production
of vegetation, conservation of water, and control of
erosion. Sometimes, however, a range condition
somewhat below the potential meets grazing needs.
Table 6 shows, for each soil, the range site and the
potential annual production of vegetation in favorable,
average, and unfavorable years. Only those soils that
are suited to use as rangeland are listed.
Potential annual production is the amount of
vegetation that can be expected to grow annually on
well managed rangeland that is in excellent condition. It
includes the current year's growth of leaves, twigs, and
fruits of woody plants, but does not include the increase
in stem diameter of trees and shrubs. It is expressed in
pounds per acre of air-dry vegetation for favorable,
average, and unfavorable years. In a favorable year,
the amount and distribution of precipitation and the45
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Miller, Wesley L. Soil Survey of Jackson County, Texas, book, May 1997; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth224539/m1/55/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.