Choppy Sands
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
-
Transition T1A
Introduction of exotic species
More details -
Transition T2A
No-use, no fire
More details -
Transition T2B
Heavy season-long grazing, extended periods of no use, no fire
More details -
Restoration pathway R3A
Brush control, perhaps followed by range planting
More details -
Transition T3A
Brush control (i.e. herbicide, mechanical, prescribed burning)
More details -
Restoration pathway R4A
Prescribed grazing and prescribed burning
More details -
Transition T4A
No-use, no fire
More details -
Restoration pathway R5A
Successful range planting
More details -
Restoration pathway R5B
Failed range planting
More details -
Transition T6A
Cessation of annual cropping
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
Transition from Reference State (State 1)
T1 to Native/Invaded State (State 2)
This state represents the natural range of variability that dominated the dynamics of this ecological site. This state was dominated by warm-season grasses with minor amounts of cool-season grasses and forbs. The primary disturbance mechanisms for this site in the reference condition included frequent fire and grazing by large herding ungulates. Timing of fires and grazing coupled with weather events dictated the dynamics that occurred within the natural range of variability. Mid and tall statured grass species would have declined with a corresponding increase in short statured warm-season grasses and cool-season grass-like species. Due to their fire tolerance, scattered, single stem oak trees would have been present on the site in all plant community phases. However, oak regeneration would have been reduced in the active blowout phase. Blowouts would have occurred as a result of prolonged drought and/or adjacent to areas of high animal impact, such as near perennial water sources.
Slight shifts would have occurred in the timing of energy capture, hydrologic function and nutrient cycling between plant community phases 1.1 and 1.2 within State 1. Hydrologic function, energy capture and nutrient cycling would have been reduced in community phase 1.3 but would not have departed beyond the point of recovery.
Submodel
Description
This state is similar to State 1: Reference State but has now been colonized by the exotic cool-season grasses, commonly Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, quackgrass, and/or crested wheatgrass which are now present in small amounts. Although the state is still dominated by native grasses, an increase in these exotic cool-season grasses can be expected.
These exotic cool-season grasses can be quite invasive on the site and are particularly well adapted to heavy grazing. They also often form monotypic stands. As these exotic cool-season grasses increase, both forage quantity and quality become increasingly restricted to late spring and early summer due to the monotypic nature of the stand even though annual production may increase. Native forbs generally decrease in production, abundance, diversity, and richness compared to that of State 1: Reference State.
These exotic cool-season grasses have been particularly and consistently invasive under extended periods of no use and no fire. To slow or limit the invasion of these exotic grasses it is imperative that managerial options (e.g. prescribed grazing, prescribed burning) be carefully constructed and evaluated with respect to that objective. If management does not include measures to control or reduce these exotic cool-season grasses, the transition to State 4: Invaded State should be expected.
Annual production of this state can be quite variable, in large part due to the amount of exotic cool-season grasses. Production may, however, be expected to be similar to that of State 1: Reference State (i.e. 1500-2700 pounds per acre).
Characteristics and indicators
The presence of trace amounts of exotic cool-season grasses indicates a transition from State 1 to State 2. The presence of exotic biennial or perennial leguminous forbs (i.e. sweet clover, black medic) may not, on their own, indicate a transition from State 1 to State 2 but may facilitate that transition.
Resilience management
To slow or limit the invasion of these exotic grasses, it is imperative that managerial options (e.g. prescribed grazing, prescribed burning) be carefully constructed and evaluated with respect to that objective.
Grazing management should be applied that enhances the competitive advantage of native grass and forb species. This may include: (1) grazing when exotic cool-season grasses are actively growing and native cool-season grasses are dormant; (2) applying proper deferment periods allowing native grasses to recover and maintain or improve vigor; (3) adjusting overall grazing intensity to reduce excessive plant litter (above that needed for rangeland health indicator #14 – see Rangeland Health Reference Worksheet); (4) incorporating early heavy spring utilization which focuses grazing pressure on exotic cool-season grasses and reduces plant litter provided that livestock are moved when grazing selection shifts from exotic cool-season grasses to native grasses.
Prescribed burning should be applied in a manner that maintains or enhances the competitive advantage of native grass and forb species. Prescribed burns should be applied as needed to adequately reduce/remove excessive plant litter and maintain the competitive advantage for native species. Timing of prescribed burns (spring vs. summer vs. fall) should be adjusted to account for differences in annual growing conditions and applied during windows of opportunity to best shift the competitive advantage to the native species.
Submodel
Description
This state historically existed as small patches of trees and/or shrubs scattered across the site, particularly when close to wooded areas where trees and shrubs could have encroached onto the site vegetatively (e.g. rhizomes, root sprouts) or provided a seed source for colonization of the site. Variations in fire frequency enabled woody plant species in some areas (i.e. period of infrequent fire) to grow large enough to escape the next fire event. As trees increased in size, canopy cover increased which altered micro-climate and reduced fine fuel amounts resulting in reduced fire intensity and frequency. This would have been the primary pathway under the historic disturbance regime and would have resulted in a mosaic pattern of small wooded patches interspersed within herbaceous plant community phases. A marked increase in non-use management and active fire suppression since European influence has enabled this state to expand and become more widespread.
Smooth sumac or poison ivy often initially become the dominant shrubs within the herbaceous portion of the site. Remnant warm-season and cool-season grasses and forbs are still found within these shrubs but in reduced amounts due to increased shading. Kentucky bluegrass is often present but may or may not be the dominant herbaceous species. Chokecherry and Saskatoon serviceberry thickets become more common near the edges of the bur oak mottes as do young trees such as green ash and hackberry.
Submodel
Description
This state is often characterized by an almost total dominance of Kentucky bluegrass and leafy spurge or perhaps other exotic cool-season grasses (e.g. quackgrass, smooth brome, crested wheatgrass) and leafy spurge. Remnant native species may still be found on the site but in only minor amounts. The exotic cool-season grasses can be quite invasive on the site and are particularly well adapted to heavy grazing. They also often form monotypic stands. As these exotic cool-season grasses increase, both forage quantity and quality become increasingly restricted to late spring and early summer due to the monotypic nature of the stand even though annual production may increase. Native forbs generally decrease in production, abundance, diversity, and richness compared to that of State 1: Reference State. Common forbs often include white heath aster, goldenrod, common yarrow, and white sagebrush. Shrubs such as western snowberry and rose may, however, show marked increases. Once the state is well established, prescribed burning and grazing techniques have been largely ineffective in suppressing or eliminating these three species even though some short-term reductions may appear successful.
Annual production of this state may vary widely, in part due to variations in the extent of invasion by exotic cool-season grasses. However, annual production may be in the range of 2300-3300 pounds per acre with the exotic cool-season grasses accounting for the bulk of the production.
Characteristics and indicators
This site is characterized by exotic cool-season grasses constituting greater than 30 percent of the annual production and native grasses constituting less than 40 percent of the annual production.
Resilience management
Light or moderately stocked continuous, season-long grazing or a prescribed grazing system which incorporates adequate deferment periods between grazing events and proper stocking rate levels will maintain this State. Application of herbaceous weed treatment, occasional prescribed burning and/or brush management, may be needed to manage noxious weeds and increasing shrub (e.g. western snowberry) populations.
Submodel
Description
This state is highly variable depending on the level and duration of disturbance related to the T6A transitional pathway. In this MLRA, the most probable origin of this state is overgrazing with extended drought or human disturbance (e.g. off-road vehicle use). This plant community will initially include a variety of annual forbs and grasses, some of which may be noxious weeds and need control. Over time, the exotic cool-season grasses Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, quackgrass, and/or crested wheatgrass will likely predominate.
Submodel
Description
Cropland State results from planting and production of annual crops. This plant community is most commonly associated with cropped fields. Soil conditions can be quite variable on the site, in part due to variations in the management/cropping history (e.g. development of tillage induced compaction, erosion, fertility, herbicide/pesticide carryover). Thus, soil conditions should be assessed when considering restoration techniques..
Mechanism
This is the transition from the State 1: Reference State to the State 2: Native/Invaded State due to the introduction and establishment of exotic cool-season grasses, typically Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, quackgrass, and/or crested wheatgrass. This transition was probably inevitable and corresponded to a decline in native warm-season and cool-season grasses. This transition may have been exacerbated by chronic season-long or heavy late season grazing. Complete rest from grazing and suppression of fire could also have hastened the transition. The threshold between states was crossed when Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, quackgrass, crested wheatgrass, or other exotic species became established on the site.
Constraints to recovery
Current knowledge and technology will not facilitate a successful restoration to Reference State.
Mechanism
This transition from the State 2: Native/Invaded to State 3: Wooded State generally occurs during extended periods of no use or very light grazing and no fire. Complete rest from grazing and elimination of fire are the two major contributors to this transition. Removal of these two disturbances shifts the competitive advantage within the herbaceous component of the plant community to exotic species such as Kentucky bluegrass and leafy spurge. The lack of repeated fire events permits shrubs such as smooth sumac, poison ivy, and/or chokecherry to expand from the edges of oak mottes into the adjacent herbaceous communities. Once established, this facilitates further expansion of the tree and shrub components. As shrub and tree canopy cover increases, the potential for disturbance by fire decreases due to lack of rime fuel and reduction of fire behavior.
Constraints to recovery
Labor and financial cost of removal/control of woody species either through repeated prescribed burns, mechanical and/or chemical treatment.
Context dependence
Societal norms have accepted woody invasion as positive for wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, aesthetics, etc. Livestock managers may not understand the loss of production due to woody invasion and loss of native grass species. Wildlife managers may need to manage woody habitat for exotic wildlife species such as ring-necked pheasants instead of sharp-tailed grouse or other grassland nesting birds which are intolerant to woody species invasion.
Mechanism
The Transition from State 2: Native/Invaded State to State 4: Invaded State occurs with heavy season-long grazing or perhaps non-use. It can also occur with extended periods of no use and no fire. Leafy spurge is a frequent invader of the site. As leafy spurge becomes established on the site, it limits use by livestock and changes the micro-climate at the soil surface, facilitating a shift from the native herbaceous species to a community dominated by introduced grass and forb species. It is speculated the application of certain herbicides in an effort to control leafy spurge may facilitate an increase in Kentucky bluegrass.
Mechanism
This restoration pathway from State 3: Wooded State to State 2: Native/Invaded State can be accomplished with brush control. Initial use of herbicides and/or mechanical brush control to reduce smooth sumac and other shrubs will permit adequate fine fuel loads to establish, permitting the application of prescribed fire to further control sprouting shrubs species. However, depending upon level of remnant native grasses and forbs, a range planting may also be necessary to re-establish the herbaceous plant community.
A combination of mechanical brush management, chemical treatment, and prescribed burning is necessary to remove the woody vegetation and, if necessary, to prepare the seedbed for a successful range planting. Once this is accomplished, it may be possible using selected plant materials and agronomic practices to approach something very near the functioning of State 2: Native/Invaded State. Application of chemical herbicides and the use of mechanical seeding methods using adapted varieties of the dominant native grasses are possible and can be successful. The application of several prescribed burns may be needed at relatively short intervals in the early phases of this restoration process, in part because many of the shrubs (e.g. western snowberry) sprout profusely following one burn. After establishment of the native plant species, management objectives must include the maintenance of those species, the associated reference state functions, and continued treatment of exotic grasses. Due to the resprouting nature of woody species within MLRA 56 repeated treatments will be necessary for a transition from this state.
Following the removal of woody species, other restoration practices such as range planting, prescribed burning, and prescribed grazing may be necessary to complete the restoration. The prescribed grazing should include adequate recovery periods following each grazing event and stocking levels which match the available resources. If properly implemented, this will help suppress any exotic cool-season grasses on the site.
Context dependence
Prescribed burning should be applied in a manner that enhances the competitive advantage of native grass and forb species over the exotic species. Prescribed burns should be applied at a frequency which mimics the natural disturbance regime or more frequently as is ecologically (e.g. available fuel load) and economically feasible. Burn prescriptions may need adjustment to: (1) account for change in fuel type (herbaceous vs. shrub vs. tree), fine fuel amount and orientation ; (2) fire intensity and duration by adjusting ignition pattern (e.g. backing fires vs head fires); (3) account for plant phenological stages to maximize stress on woody and exotic species while favoring native species (both cool- and warm-season grasses).
The method of brush management will be site specific but generally the goal would be to apply the pesticide, mechanical control or biological control, either singularly or in combination, in a manner that shifts the competitive advantage from the targeted species to the native grasses and forbs. The control method(s) should be as specific to the targeted species as possible to minimize impacts to non-target species.
A successful range planting will include proper seedbed preparation, weed control (both prior to and after the planting), selection of adapted native species representing functional/structural groups inherent to the State 1, and proper seeding technique. Management (e.g. prescribed grazing, prescribed burning) during and after establishment must be applied in a manner that maintains the competitive advantage for the seeded native species. Adding non-native species can impact the above and below ground biota. Some evidence suggests the addition of exotic legumes to the seeding mixture may favor exotic cool-season grass expansion/invasion.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
|
Brush Management |
|
|
Prescribed Grazing |
|
|
Invasive Plant Species Control |
Mechanism
This transition from State 3: Wooded State to State 4: Invaded State can be accomplished with brush control. Initial use of herbicides and/or mechanical brush control to reduce smooth sumac and other shrubs will permit adequate fine fuel loads to establish, permitting the application of prescribed fire to further control sprouting shrubs species.
Mechanism
This restoration pathway from State 4: Invaded State to State 2: Native/Invaded State may be accomplished with the implementation of long-term prescribed grazing and prescribed burning, assuming there is an adequate component of native grasses to respond to the treatments.
Both prescribed grazing and prescribed burning are likely necessary to successfully initiate this restoration pathway, the success of which depends upon the presence of a remnant population of native grasses in Community Phase 4.1. That remnant population, however, may not be readily apparent without close inspection. The application of several prescribed burns may be needed at relatively short intervals in the early phases of this restoration process, in part because many of the shrubs (e.g. western snowberry) sprout profusely following one burn. Early season prescribed burns have been successful; however, fall burning may also be an effective technique.
The prescribed grazing should include adequate recovery periods following each grazing event and stocking levels which match the available resources. If properly implemented, this will shift the competitive advantage from the exotic cool-season grasses to the native cool-season grasses.
Mechanism
This Transition from State 4: Invaded State to State 3: Wooded State occurs during periods of no use and no fire. This enables shrubs such as smooth sumac and poison ivy to expand from the edges of bur oak mottes into the adjacent herbaceous communities. Once established, this facilitates further expansion of the tree and shrub components. As shrub and tree canopy cover increases, the potential for disturbance by fire decreases due to lack of fine fuels and reduction in fire behavior.
Mechanism
This Restoration from State 5: Go-Back State to State 2: Native/Invaded State can be accomplished with a successful range planting. Following seeding, prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, haying, or use of herbicides will generally be necessary to achieve the desired result and control any noxious weeds.
It may be possible using selected plant materials and agronomic practices to approach something very near the functioning of State 2: Native/Invaded State. Application of chemical herbicides and the use of mechanical seeding methods using adapted varieties of the dominant native grasses are possible and can be successful. After establishment of the native plant species, prescribed grazing should include adequate recovery periods following each grazing event and stocking levels which match the available resources; management objectives must include the maintenance of those species, the associated reference state functions, and continued treatment of exotic grasses.
Mechanism
A failed range planting and/or secondary succession will lead to State 3: Invaded State.
Model keys
Briefcase
Add ecological sites and Major Land Resource Areas to your briefcase by clicking on the briefcase (
) icon wherever it occurs. Drag and drop items to reorder. Cookies are used to store briefcase items between browsing sessions. Because of this, the number of items that can be added to your briefcase is limited, and briefcase items added on one device and browser cannot be accessed from another device or browser. Users who do not wish to place cookies on their devices should not use the briefcase tool. Briefcase cookies serve no other purpose than described here and are deleted whenever browsing history is cleared.
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.