Some types of vegetation in relation to the soil profile in northern Colorado
1928
Hanson, H.C. | Smith, F.B.
A large variety of soils occur in the Fort Collins region. These vary from a variety of alluvial deposits, residual sandstones, shales, and limestones to wind blown material. The tall grasses such as porcupine grass, sleepy grass, wild rye, as well as western wheat grass, grow well on deep loam and clay soils, often containing considerable sand or gravel, provided the moisture penetrates sufficiently deep for the growth of the roots. Such conditions occur in the valleys between the foothills and on the plains immediately adjacent to the foothills. The short grasses, grama grass, buffalo grass, and ring muhlen-bergia, are dominant on compact soils that contain available moisture during part of the growing season in only the surface 6 to 24 inches. This kind of soil is found on the plains a few miles east of the foothills. Taller grasses do not occur except in depressions where western wheat grass and porcupine grass may be found. The so-called hardpan layer was found to impede or prevent downward growth of roots on the plains in places. The depth and hardness of the cemented layer was indicated by the character and density of the vegetation. A thin stand of grama grass and ring muhlenbergia indicated shallow well-developed hardpan-like structure. Denser stands of grama with little or no muhlenbergia indicated a deeper and often more weakly cemented layer.
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