Salt Flats
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1A More details
- Restoration pathway R2A More details
-
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
This state includes alkali sacaton, western wheatgrass, vine-mesquite, and fourwing saltbush.
Resilience management
This site will respond well to intensive grazing for short periods of time.
Submodel
Description
increasers: inland saltgrass, alkali muhly, buffalograss, and shadscale.
Characteristics and indicators
Site deterioration results in a decline in alkali sacaton, western wheatgrass, vine-mesquite, and fourwing saltbush, with an increase in inland saltgrass, alkali muhly, buffalograss, and shadscale. This causes a decrease in production and ground cover. Under continued deterioration, woody species will dominate the site and erosion will increase.
Resilience management
This site will respond well to intensive grazing for short periods of time.
Mechanism
Season-long grazing providing little rest and recovery for preferred grazed plants during critical growing periods, coupled with high utilization.
Mechanism
Legacy Statement:
"Restoration pathway resulting from the implementation of prescribed grazing."
It should be noted that the legacy statement does not specify a timescale, not does it indicate other practices or factors that might be required. Future work should seek to clarify this.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
|
Grazing Management Plan - Applied |
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.