Saline Subirrigated (SS) Wind River Basin Wet
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T 1-2
Repeated year-long and season-long grazing, drought, and compaction leads to the transition to a sod-bound community.
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Transition T 1-3
Soil disturbances, drought, and flooding provide seed sources and opportunity for invasive species to dominate the community.
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Restoration pathway R 2-1
Prescribed grazing with treatment of greasewood aids in the recovery of this community over time.
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Transition T 2-3
Soil disturbances, flooding, drought, animal and human impacts are all potential sources for seed and provides the opportunity for invasion of undesirable (noxious) species.
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Restoration pathway R 3-4
Removal of invasive cover, soil preparations, and seeding create an Altered State.
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Transition T 4-3
Failure of the seeding, failure in management, or continued disturbances provides opportunity when seed source is present for re-invasion.
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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State 1
Reference
Submodel
Description
Degradation of the tall- and mid-stature grasses by herbivory, drought, gullying, and other soils disturbances creates an opportunity for sod-forming (tillering) grasses to increase in the community. With time, the community shifts to a sod-dominant community.
Characteristics and indicators
Inland saltgrass is the major canopy cover in this system. Greasewood and rubber rabbitbrush will persist but is not able to develop into a monocultural stand of shrubs due to the integrity and density of inland saltgrass.
Resilience management
The channeling characteristic of sod-grasses creates open areas of bare ground that are prone to rills and erosion, but the integrity of the sod root structure creates a community resistant to change, as well as resilient to further disturbance. The bare ground does expose risk of invasion by undesirable weeds.
Submodel
Description
Soil disturbance within this ecological site opens the soil and provides the opportunity for invasive species to establish. Woody invasive species are the most dominant invasive species for these communities.
Characteristics and indicators
The presence and dominance of Tamarisk (saltcedar), Russian olive, swainsonpea or Canada thistle is the key indicator of a transition to the Invaded State. Foxtail barley, curly dock, and Russian Thistle are also common weedy invaders that occur in this community.
Resilience management
The Invaded State is resilient following further major disturbances. The extensive seed bank that most invasive species develop makes eradication or maintenance of extent difficult. Degradation of the State will occur with expanding populations of invasive species, most prominently Russian olive and Tamarisk (saltcedar).
Submodel
Description
Mining, energy development, irrigation conveyance lines, irrigation, and livestock operating facilities are a few activities that have created a change to this ecological site. The soil disturbance, removal of greasewood and other vegetation, as well as impacts to the hydrology of this ecological site has left scars on the landscape.
Characteristics and indicators
Outside of the visible evidence of soil movement, seeding, or development the altered/disturbed community is comprised of non-native or improved varieties and varying successional species such as weedy annuals (Russian thistle, sunflower or other asters) and foxtail barley.
Resilience management
Frequency of disturbance, species established, level of management, and remaining hydrology determines the resistance and resiliency of the Altered State.
Submodel
Mechanism
Repeated year-long and season-long grazing weakens the tall- and mid-stature grasses providing an advantage for tillering species to establish and increase in dominance in the community. Drought exacerbates this transition. High traffic areas, compaction, aids the speed of the transition as well.
Constraints to recovery
The dense root structure alters the hydrology and increases the erosion potential between vegetative cover reducing the ability for other more preferred species from establishing in the community. The dense root structure also is resilient to continued disturbance as well as removal of pressure, so it is difficult to shift the community without major impacts.
Mechanism
Increases in bare ground, drought, and soil disturbances provides a mechanism when invasive seed sources are present to allow weedy species to invade a community. Russian olive and saltcedar are both advantageous species that are quick to establish and out-compete native species for space and resources, as are herbaceous invaders. Soil disturbances by vehicles, animal hoof action, flooding, and other disasters provide opportunity and potential for transport of seed sources to the community. Drought weakens native competitors allowing establishment in the community.
Constraints to recovery
Invasive (noxious) weed control is difficult, time consuming, and costly. In several species, complete eradication and maintenance following removal inhibits the ability to fully recover a community. This inability to completely eradicate all invasive species is the major constraint to recovery. In some instances, the means to eradicate a species may require extensive soil disturbances and seeding of the community, leading to an Altered State.
Mechanism
Reducing the use and pressure on the tall- and mid-stature grasses, allowing alkali sacaton and basin wildrye to recover, with the use of grazing management strategies begins the recovery for this community. incorporating periods of rest during the growing season will allow these species to respond and increase again, will also aid in the stabilization of the channel. Removal or thinning of greasewood and potentially rubber rabbitbrush furthers this process. Care to minimize soil disturbance in the removal of species and weed control is needed to prevent a further degradation of the community.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
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Brush Management |
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Critical Area Planting |
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Stream Habitat Improvement and Management |
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Prescribed Grazing |
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Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment |
Mechanism
The sod-bound community has increased bare ground and erosion between vegetative patches, increasing the risk for invasion by undesirable species. Intensive use by livestock or wildlife, as well as other soil disturbances including drought and flooding, will open this community further to the pressures of invasion. Animal movement through the community, flood water, wind, and human presence in area are all sources to carry in weedy and invasive species seed sources. Drought will exacerbate this process.
Constraints to recovery
The extreme difficulty, cost, and limitations of weed control, especially eradication, is the major constraint to recovery. Although this is very species specific, the general knowledge is that weed control is costly, requires long term commitment and awareness, and has a high failure rate.
Mechanism
The process of treating or eradicating the invasive species, specifically Russian olive and saltcedar, will require the removal of woody debris and roots. This generally will create extensive soil disturbance, especially in extremely dense cover. The preparation of a seedbed, treatment and removal of invasive and undesirable herbaceous cover, and seeding will physically alter the upper portion of the soil profile and may require deeper ripping and tillage depending on invasive species being dealt with. Improved varieties of species provide the best defense for establishment and competition with weedy species, and offer the best success to outcompete and prevent a re-infestation. This process leads to an Altered State.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
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Brush Management |
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Channel Bank Vegetation |
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Critical Area Planting |
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Stream Habitat Improvement and Management |
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Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment |
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Range Planting |
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Heavy Use Area Protection |
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM) |
Mechanism
Seeding failure, lack of post-establishment management, or a re-occurrence of a disturbance or on-going disturbances are mechanisms that trigger a re-infestation of invasive species. Although the Saline Subirrigated ecological site provides a better opportunity for successful seedings in this arid and challenging climate. There is an inherent risk, especially in the flood-zone of these riparian areas. When a seeding fails, the bare ground and exposure to possible seed sources (rather imported with equipment and seed, or lasting seedbanks from previous infestations), provides a great opportunity for invasive species to re-establish. If proper timing for establishment and hardening is not provided, grazing impacts can severely weaken or damage a newly established community.
Constraints to recovery
The constraint to recovery is directly associated with the ability to eradicate or out compete the invasive species that establish in the community. Eradication is difficult to unforeseeable. Maintenance length and cost are also inhibiting to this process.
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.