Site Description for Ecological Research Evaluation
Comal County 2
Acreage: Approximately 383 acres
County: Comal
Nearest Town: Fischer
General Property Location: FM 32 approximately 6 miles east of Fischer.
Photo 1: Mature juniper-oak woodland on top of level ridge.
Photo 2: More recent regrowth juniper on ridge with minimal oak component.
Photo 3: Mature juniper-oak woodland.
Photo 4: Small opening on slope.
Photo 5: Regrowth juniper on steep slope.
Photo 6: Recent clearing and reseed area on level ridge.
Photo 7: Deciduous woodland near creek with recent (2+ ya) removal of young juniper. Location is on adjacent property and is part of the total area available.
Photo 8: Open pasture on stream bench on adjacent property.
Site Description
The roughly 383-acre property is located in northeastern Comal County off FM 32, approximately 6 miles east of Fischer. Approximately 75 acres in the northwestern corner of the property is a necessary portion of the research site, but the entire 383 acres is available and open to potential researchers. The boundary is irregular and forms a roughly triangular shape. A first order seasonal stream runs through the center of the property. A second stream flows south near the eastern boundary. Small dams on each of these waterways support small permanent water ponds, though most of the creeks remain dry much of the year. Topography varies from steep slopes and canyons to nearly level ridgelines and stream benches. Elevation ranges from over 1340 ft MSL at the highest point along the southwestern ridgeline to less than 1000 ft MSL along the southern boundary where the creeks leave the property. The northern ridge sits at approximately 1300 ft MSL. Three, gently sloped ridges run perpendicular to the southern side of the main ridgeline in the north. Slopes on either side of the ridges are very steep and elevation falls quickly to less than 1100 ft MSL along the seasonal stream. Level benches run parallel to the stream and widen as elevation decreases.
Habitat Description
The site supports several habitat types. Closed canopy juniper-oak woodlands dominate the canyons and riparian area with an increase in deciduous hardwoods and shrub diversity as elevation and slopes decrease. The ridges support areas of mature live oak-juniper woodlands and juniper invaded oak savanna. The steep, exposed slopes are relatively open and support strong stands of herbaceous growth with juniper invading. Multiple large, open pastures are present on the level stream benches adjacent to the riparian area.
The juniper-oak woodland is dominated by live oak and mature juniper with Texas madrone, Texas oak, shin oak, Escarpment black cherry, ash, walnut, and cedar elm becoming more common in the moist canyons and along the creek. White boneset, evergreen sumac, Texas barberry, wafer ash, hackberry, greenbriar, and yaupon are present in the understory along the creeks with several ferns at seeps along limestone outcroppings. Browse pressure appears fairly high and oak recruitment is low. Herbaceous cover is limited under the canopy, but Dichantheliums, wintergrass, frostweed, cedar sedge, and turk’s cap are present. Openings support sideoats grama, King Ranch bluestem, Lindheimer’s senna, dropseeds, threeawns, silver bluestem, croton, cudweed, and scattered little bluestem. The woodland habitat on the slopes and in the riparian area offers potential habitat for rare and endangered migratory songbirds. The strong deciduous component at lower elevations suggests good quality habitat at present.
The pastures on the stream benches are dominated by invasive King Ranch bluestem with forbs such as croton, Lindheimer’s senna, and other colonizing species. Even areas reseeding after clearing have been taken over by KR bluestem. Some area show invasion by willow baccharis. The bottomland pastures are grazed by a small number of horses and some areas show signs of overgrazing near favored locations. The grasslands on the steep slopes are composed of seep muhly, hairy grama, sideoats grama, sotol, twisted leaf yucca and scattered little bluestem. Juniper is invading the slopes.
Soil Descriptions
There are three soil types that occur on the property:
- CrD - Comfort-Rock outcrop complex, undulating
- BtG - Brackett -Rock outcrop- Real complex, 8 to 30 percent slopes
- BrB – Bolar clay loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes
Comfort soils dominate the tops of the ridges with Brackett soils along the steep slopes. Bolar clay loam lines the seasonal stream.
The CrD soil complex is mostly composed of Comfort very stony clay and consists of shallow clayey soils on hilltops and ridges. Cobbles and stones frequently cover nearly 45% of the surface of these areas. Overall soil depth is typically 13 inches. CrD soils are mildly alkaline (pH 7.4 – 7.8), well drained and slowly permeable with a very low available water capacity and shallow rooting depth. Runoff is slow to moderate and the hazard of water erosion is slight. The CrD complex is classified in the Low Stony Hills ecological site. Climax vegetation is live oak, shin oak, sumac, kidneywood; with little bluestem, indiangrass, sideoats grama, fall witchgrass, wildrye, sprangletop, orange zexmenia, sagewort, dalea, woollywhite, bushsunflower, snoutbean, sundrop, and Engelmann daisy.
The Brackett soil complex (BtG) is composed of shallow, loamy and occasionally
clayey soils interspersed with limestone bedrock outcroppings. It is moderately
alkaline (pH 7.9 – 8.4) and contains a high percentage of calcium. These soils
range from 11 – 17 inches in total depth. It is well drained, has a moderately
slow permeability with very low available water capacity and a shallow rooting
zone. Runoff is rapid and water erosion is a severe hazard. A distinguishing
feature of these soils is a benched or stair-stepped appearance due to the
bands of rock outcrop. BtG is in the Steep Adobe range site. Climax vegetation
is savannah of little bluestem, indiangrass, tall grama, sideoats grama; seep,
canyon, and lindheimer muhlys; Texas oak, live oak, sumac, catclaw, madrone,
juniper, blackfoot, gayfeather, sundrop, zexmenia, and dalea.
Bolar clay loam is a well drained, deep to very deep, moderately permeable, friable clay soil of uplands. The surface layer is a moderately alkaline clay loam with a total soil depth of 20-40 inches. The soil has high natural fertility, medium to high water holding capacity, fair to good plant-soil-moisture relationship, and high production potential. Map unit BrB is classified in the Clay Loam range site. Climax plants are predominantly little bluestem with indiangrass, big bluestem, switchgrass, vine-mesquite, sideoats grama, elm, live oak, hackberry; and many forbs such as maximilian sunflower, Engelmann daisy, bushsunflower, halfshrub sundrop, and ratany.
Shane Kiefer
Senior Wildlife Biologist
Plateau Land & Wildlife Management
October 5, 2006
