Saline Subirrigated
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Continuous season long grazing or continuous seasonal grazing in the summer. Annual haying.
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Transition T1B
Tillage to facilitate production agriculture.
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Restoration pathway R2A
Long-term (>15 years) rotational haying or prescribed grazing with adequate growing season recovery periods. This restoration will take an extended amount of time and may not be feasible.
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Transition T2A
Tillage to facilitate production agriculture.
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
The Reference State (1) describes the range of vegetative communities that occur on the Subirrigated ecological site where the range of natural variability under historic conditions and disturbance regimes is mostly intact. The Reference State developed under the combined influences of climatic conditions, periodic fire activity, grazing by large herbivores, and impacts from small mammals and insects. High perennial grass cover and production allows for increased soil moisture retention, vegetative production, and overall soil quality.
The Reference State includes three community phases which are the Reference Community (1.1), the At-Risk Community (1.2), and the Excessive Litter Community (1.3). The Reference Community serves as a description of the native plant community that naturally occurs on the site when the natural disturbance regimes are intact or closely mimicked by management practices. The At-Risk and Excessive Litter Communities result from management actions that are unfavorable for a healthy Reference Community.
Submodel
Description
The Shortgrass Sod State (2) transitioned from the Reference State (1) and much of the native warm-season tall- and midgrass components have been replaced by shortgrasses. This transition occurs with long term grazing management that did not provide adequate recovery time for warm-season tall- and midgrasses. This management is typically heavy, continuous, season long grazing but heavy, rotational grazing with inadequate growing season recovery periods can also cause this transition. Over time, repeated annual haying during the rapid growth period of warm-season tallgrasses will also cause this transition.
The loss of the tall- and midgrasses negatively impacts energy flow, nutrient cycling, and hydrologic function. Runoff is higher and infiltration is lower than the Reference State. This state is very resistant to change. The Shortgrass Sod State includes the Shortgrass Sod Community (2.1).
Submodel
Description
The threshold to the Sodbusted State (3) is crossed as a result of mechanical disturbance to facilitate production agriculture. If farming operations are suspended, the site can be seeded to native grasses resulting in the Reseeded Native Grass Community (3.1), be seeded to a tame pasture forage mixture resulting in the Seeded Pasture Community (3.2) or be abandoned with no seeding resulting in the Natural Reclamation Community (3.3). Permanent alterations of the soil, plant community, and hydrologic cycle make restoration to the Reference State (1) extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Submodel
Mechanism
The Reference State (1) will transition to the Shortgrass Sod State (2) with long-term continuous season long grazing, long-term continuous seasonal grazing in the summer, or rotational grazing with inadequate growing season recover time between grazing occupations. Heavy grazing will accelerate this process. Annual haying during the same time frame each year will also cause this transition.
Mechanism
The Reference State (1) has been significantly altered by tillage to facilitate production agriculture. When the land is no longer cropped, the resulting state is the Sodbusted State (3). The disruption to the plant community, the soil, and the hydrology of the system prevent restoration to a true Reference State.
Mechanism
Long-term (greater than 15 years) prescribed grazing with adequate growing season recovery periods between grazing events may move the Shortgrass Sod State (2) to the Reference State (1). This restoration may not be feasible. The feasibility of the restoration depends upon the amount of tall- and midgrasses remaining in the plant community and the extent of degradation to the soil and site stability and hydrologic function.
Mechanism
The Shortgrass Sod State (2) has been significantly altered by tillage to facilitate production agriculture. When the land is no longer cropped, the resulting state is the Sodbusted State (3). The disruption to the plant community, the soil, and the hydrology of the system prevent restoration to a true Reference State.
Model keys
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The Ecosystem Dynamics Interpretive Tool is an information system framework developed by the USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and New Mexico State University.