Limy Upland
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1A More details
- Transition T1B More details
- Transition T1C More details
- Restoration pathway R2A More details
- Transition T2A More details
- Transition T2B More details
- Transition T2C More details
- Restoration pathway R3A More details
- Restoration pathway R3B More details
- Restoration pathway R3C More details
- Restoration pathway R4A More details
- Transition T4A More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
The Reference State describes the range of vegetative communities that occur on the Limy Upland site where the natural processes are mostly intact. The Reference and the Degraded Native Grass Communities are representative of the native plant communities historically maintained by frequent fire and herbivory(grazing) with adequate recovery periods. The At-Risk Native Grass and Excessive Litter Communities result from management decisions that are unfavorable for the plant community and soil health. High perennial grass cover and production allows for increased soil moisture retention, vegetative production, and overall soil quality.
Submodel
Description
This state has been degraded from the Reference State and much of the native warm-season grass community has been replaced by less desirable plants. The loss of warm-season tall- and midgrasses has negatively impacted energy flow and nutrient cycling. Water infiltration is reduced due to the shallow root system and rapid runoff characteristics of Kentucky bluegrass and blue grama plant communities.
Submodel
Description
The spatial extent of eastern redcedar encroachment has expanded and individual trees have grown substantially. The areas under and near individual eastern redcedar have experienced altered function through shading, evergreen litter, and suppressed herbaceous understory. The woody overstory now dictates certain disturbance responses, and prescribed fire options become increasingly problematic as any fire will be largely carried by the volatile evergreen canopy instead of the herbaceous understory.
Submodel
Description
Introduced cool-season invasion has progressed to the point that native species comprise a negligible portion of the community and the aggressively rhizomatous invasive smooth brome preclude native germination and seedling survival. The native component may be completely absent, and the site then will resemble a seeded pasture.
Submodel
Description
The Sodbusted State is a result of mechanical disturbance to facilitate production agriculture. If farming operations are suspended, the site can be abandoned or seeded to a perennial grass mixture. When tilled and abandoned the Natural Reclamation Community will result. When seeded the resulting community will be either the Reseeded Native Grass Community or the Seeded Pasture Community depending upon the type of seeding implemented.
Nutrient cycling, hydrologic function and/or soil stability have been severely altered and possibly compromised. This is a highly variable state in which the specific observed plants will depend largely on the original community and the nature of the disturbance. Permanent alterations of soils and hydrology make restoration to the Reference State extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Submodel
Mechanism
Continuous grazing without adequate recovery periods will cause the Reference State to cross a threshold and shift to the Native/Invaded Grass State. Continued defoliation without adequate recovery periods will significantly reduce the proportions of the midgrass species and begin to increase the proportions of shortgrass species.
Mechanism
Encroachment of woody species with no fire will cause the Reference State to transition to the Invaded Woody State.
Mechanism
Continuous heavy grazing or grazing without adequate recovery periods can allow smooth brome to invade the plant communities of the Reference State and cause it to transition to the Native Shortgrass/Invaded Grass State.
Mechanism
Prescribed grazing with adequate recovery periods between grazing events will gradually restore the Native Shortgrass/Invaded Grass State to the Reference State. A shift to the Reference State could take many years to achieve.
Mechanism
Encroachment of woody species with no fire will cause the Native Shortgrass/Invaded Grass State to transition to the Invaded Woody State.
Mechanism
Continuous heavy grazing or grazing without adequate recovery periods will cause smooth bromegrass to continue to invade the plant communities of the Native Shortgrass/Invaded Grass State and cause it to transition to the Invaded Grass State.
Mechanism
The site has been significantly altered by mechanical tillage to facilitate production agriculture. The disruption to the plant community, the soil and the hydrology of the system make restoration to a true reference state unlikely.
Mechanism
Restoration from the Invaded Woody State toward the Reference State will require aggressive intervening actions to simultaneously recolonize native grasses and suppress vigor in undesirable species. Restoration can be achieved with brush management and/or prescribed burning for eastern redcedar control. If resprouting species such as honeylocust or Siberian elm are present, stumps must be treated after mechanical removal. Ongoing brush management such as hand cutting, chemical spot treatments or periodic prescribed burning is required.
Mechanism
Restoration from the Invaded Woody State toward the Native Shortgrass/Invaded Grass State will require aggressive intervening actions to simultaneously recolonize native grasses and suppress vigor in undesirable species. Prescribed burning, brush management, and prescribed grazing will be needed to return the site to the previous state. Ongoing brush management will be needed to maintain the herbaceous state.
Mechanism
Aggressive intervening actions will be required to simultaneously recolonize native grasses and suppress vigor in undesirable species. Prescribed burning, brush management, and prescribed grazing can cause the Invaded Woody State to transition to the Invaded Grass State. Ongoing brush management will be needed to maintain the herbaceous state.
Mechanism
Restoration from the Invaded Grass State to the Native Shortgrass/Invaded State can be achieved if significant native remnants exist. Prescribed fire, chemical treatments, targeted grazing of undesired species with adequate recovery periods over an extended period of time will eventually return the site to the Native/Invaded State.
Mechanism
The presence of an invasion source coupled with fire exclusion allows eastern redcedar seeds to germinate and establish within the herbaceous stand. This typically begins near fencerows, woody draws, and windbreaks, and accelerates outward as propagules increase. Lack of intervening action allows cedar expansion to continue and tree sizes to increase. Eastern redcedar will eventually modify site function in ways that promote further encroachment such as rainfall interception and stemflow, heavy duff litter and shading of the herbaceous understory.
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.