Silty Shallow 10-14" p.z.
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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- Transition T1A More details
- Restoration pathway R2A 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 is a warm season grassland and low growing shrub plant community that occurs on footslopes and summits of structural benches. Grasses such as Galleta, Indian ricegrass and alkali sacaton are the major grasses. The low growing dominate shrubs are Bigelow sagebrush, shadscale and winterfat.
Submodel
Description
The general aspect of this state is a grass and shrub plant community, but with exotic annuals introduced into the site. Once these exotic annuals have been introduced into the plant community they cannot be removed completely. There is still a dominance of warm season grasses with a mix of half shrubs. This state has a loss of biotic integrity and soil site stability function with an increase of half shrubs (shadscale, broom snake weed, and bigelow sage), increases in native forbs, decrease of cool season grass with establishment of annual grasses and forbs.
Submodel
Mechanism
Prolonged drought, continuous heavy grazing, severe surface disturbance, introduction of non-native annuals. Improper grazing management along with drought can reduce perennial grass species and promote shrub dominance. Increased surface disturbance allows for the germination and establishment of introduced annuals.
Model keys
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Ecological sites
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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.