High Elevation Volcanic Mountain Slopes

Home / Esd catalog / MLRA 022A / Ecological site R022AC200CA / Interactive models

List model

Ecosystem states

State 1

Reference

State 2

Altered State, White Pine Blister Rust

State 3

Insufficient Cone Production

2782

Circle-spoke model

Ecosystem states

State 1

State 2

State 3

2782

Scenario model

Ecosystem states

Current ecosystem state

Select a state

State 1
Reference
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State 2
Altered State, White Pine Blister Rust
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State 3
Insufficient Cone Production
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Management practices/drivers

Select a transition or restoration pathway

Transition T1a
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Restoration pathway R2a
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Transition T2a
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Restoration pathway R3a
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described

Target ecosystem state

Select a state

State 1
Reference
More details
State 2
Altered State, White Pine Blister Rust
More details
State 3
Insufficient Cone Production
More details

2782

State 1
Reference

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Description

This state represents the reference conditions for this ecological site. This state occurs in stands of whitebark pine where WPBR is not evident, but it is limited in extent, and most of this ecological site presently exists in the WPBR altered State 2.

Submodel

1.1. Whitebark pine with forbs

1.2. Disturbance- regeneration

1.3. Young whitebark pine forest

1.4. Mountain pine beetle outbreak

State 2
Altered State, White Pine Blister Rust

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Whitebark pine and forbs

Whitebark pine and forbs WPBR

Description

This state has developed with the introduction of the non-native white pine blister rust. The majority of this ecological site has high incidence and infection rates of WPBR, and exists in this altered state.

Submodel

2.1. Whitebark pine forest

2.2. Regeneration- Disturbance

2.3. Young whitebark pine forest

2.4. Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak

State 3
Insufficient Cone Production

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Description

This state occurs, when there is insufficient regeneration of whitebark pine due to WPBR infection to maintain the stand viability. One whitebark pine stand surveyed on Rifle Peak was below the threshold cone production (Maloney et al. 2012). Cone production varies, but this area may be transitioning into State 3.

Submodel

3.1. Declining whitebark pine

Transition T1a

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Mechanism

This transition is triggered by infection of whitebark pine by Cronartium ribicola, cause of white pine blister rust (WPBR), within this ecological site.

WPBR affects the crown and cone producing limbs of mature trees, reducing cone production, and can kill younger trees within a year. The decrease in cone production and high mortality of young trees threatens the regenerative success of this species (Maloney et al. 2012). Repeat waves of infection by WPBR under favorable climatic conditions can worsen the situation.

Reduced seed production affects the presence and abundance of Clark’s nutcracker, and thus the number and distribution of seed caches (Tomback and Resler 2007, Keane et al. 2012). This can lead to recruitment below the threshold required to sustain populations (McKinney et al. 2009).

Restoration pathway R2a

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Mechanism

Restoration practices that have been experimented with include spraying pesticides for mountain pine beetle, and planting of hopeful, disease resistant whitebark pine.

Transition T2a

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Mechanism

This transition occurs when WPBR infestation reduces cone production to less than 1000 cones/ Ha and basal area is < .5 m2/ acre. Below this threshold there may be insufficient seeds for dispersal by Clark’s nutcracker (McKinney et al. 2009).

Restoration pathway R3a

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Mechanism

Restoration practices that have been experimented with include aerial spraying pesticides for mountain pine beetle, out-planting of genetically diverse whitebark pine seedlings, and potential WPBR resistant whitebark pine seedlings.

Model keys

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High Elevation Volcanic Mountain Slopes

List model

Circle-spoke model

Scenario model

Current ecosystem state

Management practices/drivers

Target ecosystem state

State 1
Reference

Description

Submodel

State 2
Altered State, White Pine Blister Rust

Description

Submodel

State 3
Insufficient Cone Production

Description

Submodel

Transition T1a

Mechanism

Restoration pathway R2a

Mechanism

Transition T2a

Mechanism

Restoration pathway R3a

Mechanism

Model keys

Briefcase

Ecological sites

Major Land Resource Areas