Riparian Complex Perennial II/E4 (Nebraska Sedge/Baltic Rush)
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition 1A
Change in vegetation on the banks to shallow rooted species, decrease in bank stability and bank sloughing causing a change in channel geometry to a wider shallower channel
More details -
Transition 2A
Vegetation re-establishment on streambanks and floodplain, rest from grazing pressure
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
State 1
Reference State
Description
The Reference State for this site is a riparian area with two plant community components and a stream with a gradient between 1.5 to 3 percent, low sinuosity, and very low width to depth ratio. The valley is typically narrow with a small area for the stream channel to meander. All plant communities can be present in this state.
Submodel
State 2
Degraded State
Description
The Degraded State is characterized by a shift in the composition of plant community components due to season-long grazing pressure. The sedges and willow typically found on the streambanks are particularly palatable to livestock and can be grazed at a level that weakens the plant eventually leading to loss from the site (i.e. Northwest Territory sedge). Kentucky bluegrass often replaces these sedges along the streambank (see Ecological Dynamics section). Bank sloughing is prevalent.
Submodel
Description
State 3 is characterized by riparian areas that have down cut and reestablished floodplains at a lower elevation. The riparian area is narrower than reference condition, and includes phases that are not found in the reference state. The B4 channel occurs because downcutting has occurred and the channel is steeper and less sinuous. The C4 phase occurs as sediment is deposited and plants establish on the floodplain. The E4 phase represents the riparian area that functions similarly to the Reference State and Community Phase.
Submodel
Mechanism
Change in vegetation on the banks to shallow rooted species, decrease in bank stability and bank sloughing causing a change in channel geometry to a wider shallower channel
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.