Cool Wet Prairie
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
- Restoration pathway R2A More details
- Transition T2A More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
The soils which support this native plant community typically occur on floodplains or in depressional areas with high water tables, often remnant shallow lake basins or other waterlaid sediments. The soils generally have a water table at or near the soil surface for much of the winter and spring, and the watertable is often within a few feet of the soil surface for the remainder of the year. A soil series this site may occur on is Coupeville. These areas were historically kept free of extensive brush and tree cover by burning. These ecosites occur in areas with warmer spring weather and warmer summer nights, resulting in more available heat units for plant growth and soil warming. Typical native plant species include Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa), Great Camas (Camassia leichtlinii), and various sedge species (Carex spp.)
Submodel
Submodel
Mechanism
This transition occurs when uncontrolled disturbance is persistent in the system, such as: overgrazing; mowing in the wrong season, wrong height, or at the wrong frequency; vehicle use which causes vegetation damage; or too-frequent fire. In addition, non-native plant seeds or propagules or present on or near the site.
Mechanism
No fire or other disturbance – This pathway/transition occurs when disturbances, either natural or man-made, are reduced or eliminated through actions such as fire control, or cessation of activities such as mowing, soil perturbation grazing or vehicle access.
Mechanism
Restoration – removal of non-native species and restoration or the original plant community through methods such as prescribed fire, brush control, invasive plant control, mowing, thatching, grazing, and/or soil aeration and reseeding.
Model keys
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Ecological sites
Major Land Resource Areas
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.