DRY MEADOW
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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- Transition T2 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
This state is representative of the natural variability under pre-Euro settlement conditions. This site is highly productive and vegetation is tolerant of saturation in the soil profile.
Due to inherent soil fertility, high productivity, high percentage of rhizomatous plants and the relatively flat slopes, the state is fairly resistant following disturbance. Community phase changes are primarily driven by prolonged drought and periods of below normal temperatures. Fire has had little influence on the development of the site. This site normally burns in conjunction with an adjacent upland site. The estimate fire return intervals range from 20 to 40 years.
Characteristics and indicators
Depth to water table and species composition with any complex of meadow sites can be highly variable. Conditions may vary within the site at a given location due to a minor changes in soils, flooding frequency and duration, seasonal water table fluctuations, and competition between plants that are mostly rhizomatous.
Submodel
Description
This state is characterized by lowering of the water table and disconnection from the natural floodplain due to anthropogenic impacts such as road building, water diversion and up-stream channelization. Non native species are present and may be increasing or dominant. Seasonal water table is significantly lower than the reference state or absent. Season flooding frequency and duration is truncated spatially and temporally. Soil is active eroding.
Characteristics and indicators
If this site has experienced prolonged excessive utilization perennial grass will decline. Sedges, rushes and forbs increase due to lack of competition. Continued improper grazing management will result in dominance by Kentucky bluegrass, rushes, and Louisiana sagewort. Loss of deep-rooted and rhizomatous perennial grasses reduced the ability of the community to withstand seasonal flooding and results in down cutting of adjacent streams.
Resilience management
The drained state of the dry meadow is very stable. The ability to restore this state back to the reference state is dependent geomorphic characteristics and disturbance history. Resilience management includes maintaining cover of perennial native species and preventing dominance by non-native annuals.
Mechanism
Trigger: Significant anthropogenic disturbance (road building, water diversion and up-stream channelization) resulting in introduction of non-native species and loss of seasonal flooding.
Slow variables: Lowering of the water table and loss of seasonal flooding allows dryland species to establish and out compete native species that prefer saturation in the soil profile. This transition may also be coupled with introduction of non-natives, prolonged drought and/or inappropriate grazing management.
Threshold: Seasonal flooding is spatially and temporally truncated. Seasonal high water table is absent due to resulting from soil erosion and down cutting of the adjacent streams. Soil moisture is not sufficient to support vegetation characteristic of the reference state.
Constraints to recovery
Prolonged excessive utilization results in dominance by Kentucky bluegrass, sedges and rushes. Loss of deep-rooted perennial grasses reduced the ability of the community to withstand seasonal flooding, this results in active soil erosion and down cutting of adjacent streams. The drained state of the dry meadow is very stable.
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.