State 1
Reference State

The Linear Meadow site typically occurs in drainageways. The Reference State represents the natural range of variability that dominates the dynamics of this ecological site (ES). This state is typically co-dominated by cool-season grass and grass-like species, and warm-season grasses. Before European settlement in North America, the primary disturbance mechanisms for this site in the reference condition included sporadic fire and grazing by large herding ungulates. Ungulate grazing coupled with weather events dictated the dynamics that occurred within the natural range of variability. Today, the primary disturbance is from a lack of fire and concentrated livestock grazing. Grasses that are desirable for livestock and wildlife can decline and a corresponding increase in less desirable grasses will occur.

Community 1.1
1.1 Sedge/Prairie Cordgrass/Reedgrass

This community evolved with grazing by large herbivores, occasional prairie fires and relatively frequent flooding and can be found on areas that are properly managed with grazing and/or prescribed burning, and sometimes on areas receiving occasional short periods of rest. The potential vegetation is about 40 percent grasses, 40 percent grass-like species, 15 percent forbs, and 5 percent shrubs by air-dry weight. Water sedge is typically the dominant grass-like species. Prairie cordgrass is the dominant tall warm-season grass occupying this plant community. Reedgrasses are the dominant tall cool-season species. A variety of sedges and rushes occur throughout this community as well as fowl mannagrass, switchgrass, reed canarygrass, plains bluegrass, and fowl bluegrass. Key forbs include broadfruit burreed, giant goldenrod, New England aster, Maximilian sunflower, white panicle aster, and cinquefoil. This plant community phase is diverse, stable, and productive, and is well adapted to the Northern Great Plains. The high water table supplies much of the moisture for plant growth. Community dynamics, nutrient cycle, water cycle, and energy flow are functioning properly. Plant litter is properly distributed with very little movement off-site and natural plant mortality is very low. The diversity in plant species allows for the variability of both the fluctuations of water table and reoccurring flooding. This is a sustainable plant community in terms of soil stability, watershed function, and biologic integrity.

Community 1.2
Sedge/Rush/Prairie Cordgrass/Reed Canarygrass

This community develops with periods of heavy continuous grazing with lack of adequate recovery periods during the growing season following periods of below normal precipitation. Lack of litter and reduced plant heights result in higher soil temperatures and reduced water infiltration rates. Recognition of this plant community will enable the land user to implement key management decisions before a significant ecological threshold is crossed. Prairie cordgrass has been reduced in this plant community, but still persists. Sedge, rush, and other grass-like species are dominant. The grass-like species have increased while the reedgrass species have been significantly reduced. Switchgrass may be removed at this stage. Reed canarygrass may begin to increase significantly. Forb species would include asters, goldenrod, and cinquefoil, as well as, a possible invasion of Canada thistle. Plant production and frequency have been reduced. The water cycle, nutrient cycle, and energy flow are slightly reduced but continue to function adequately.

Pathway 1.1a
Community 1.1 to 1.2

Heavy continuous grazing which includes herbivory at moderate to heavy levels at the same time of year each year without adequate recovery periods, or during periods of below normal precipitation when grazing frequency and intensity increases on these sites due to limited forage availability on adjacent upland sites will shift this community to the 1.2 Sedge/Rush/Prairie Cordgrass/Reed Canarygrass Plant Community Phase.

Pathway 1.2a
Community 1.2 to 1.1

Prescribed grazing (alternating season of use and providing adequate recovery periods) or periodic light to moderate grazing possibly including periodic rest will convert this plant community to the 1.1 Sedge/Prairie Cordgrass/Reedgrass Plant Community Phase. This pathway could also occur with a return to more normal precipitation levels and frequencies.

State 2
Invaded State

The Invaded State is characterized by the degradation of the biotic integrity of the site due to excessive disturbance resulting in dominance by highly competitive species such as reed canarygrass, and possibly the invasion of non-native species. Loss of diversity and reduction of plant vigor and production have negatively impacted energy flow and nutrient cycling. Infiltration is reduced and native plant mortality is increased. As the disturbance level increases, native plant density decreases even more, giving way to annual species, invasive perennial species, and an increase in bare ground.

Community 2.1
Reed Canarygrass/Spikerush/Bluegrass

This plant community phase develops either with increased sedimentation, heavy continuous grazing, or with a long-term lack of grazing and/or fire. In each case, native plant vigor is reduced allowing the increase of competitive species and eventually the introduction of nonnative species. Spikerush and other grass-like species, as well as, bluegrasses will increase. The more competitive forbs will also increase. Reed canarygrass often will increase to the point of dominance while prairie cordgrass will diminish significantly. Other invasive plants such as creeping meadow foxtail or Canada thistle may become prevalent if a seed source is present or nearby. Nutrient cycling will be greatly diminished and the energy flow will shift significantly and be reduced as well. Infiltration will be reduced somewhat compared to the Reference State. This plant community is somewhat resistant to change. The combination of both grazing and fire is most effective in moving this plant community towards the Reference State.

Community 2.2
2.2 Annual/Pioneer Perennial

This plant community develops under severe disturbance, typically abandonment after cropping. The dominant vegetation includes pioneer annual or perennial grasses, forbs, invaders, and early successional biennial and perennial species. Grasses may include inland saltgrass, foxtail barley, barnyardgrass, quackgrass, fowl bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, Baltic rush, and sedges. The dominant forbs may include cocklebur, Canada thistle, and other early successional species. The community is susceptible to invasion of non-native species due to severe soil disturbances and relatively high percent of bare ground. This plant community is resistant to change as long as soil disturbance or severe vegetation defoliation persists, thus holding back secondary plant succession. Significant economic inputs, management, and time would be required to move this plant community toward a higher successional stage. Secondary succession is highly variable, depending upon availability and diversity of a viable reproductive source of higher successional species. This plant community may be renovated to improve the production capability but management changes would be needed to maintain the new plant community. The total annual production ranges from 500 to 1,500 lbs./ac. (air-dry weight) depending upon growing conditions. No growth curve has been assigned to this plant community phase due to the highly variable nature of the plant community.

Pathway 2.1a
Community 2.1 to 2.2

Heavy continuous grazing which includes herbivory at moderate to heavy levels at the same time of year each year without adequate recovery periods, or during periods of below normal precipitation when grazing frequency and intensity increases on these sites due to limited forage availability on adjacent upland sites will shift this community to the 2.2 Plant Community Phase.

Pathway 2.2a
Community 2.2 to 2.1

This community pathway occurs with the passage of time as successional processes take place and perennial plants gradually begin to establish on the site again. This pathway will lead to the plant community phase 2.1.

Community 3

Community 4

Transition T1a
State 1 to 2

Sedimentation beyond normal levels due to increased flooding, or non-use and no fire for extended periods of time (typically for 10 or more years) causing litter levels to become high enough to reduce native grass vigor, diversity, and density, or heavy continuous grazing will likely lead this state over a threshold resulting in State 2.

Restoration pathway R2a
State 2 to 1

Long-term prescribed grazing (moderate stocking levels coupled with adequate recovery periods, or other grazing systems such as high-density, low-frequency intended to treat specific species dominance, or periodic light to moderate stocking levels possibly including periodic rest), may lead this plant community phase over a threshold to the Reference State (State 1). Wetland restoration techniques may be necessary to restore biotic integrity and plant diversity and productivity.