Wet Meadow
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition 1 to 3 More details
- Restoration pathway 2 to 1 More details
- Restoration pathway 3 to 1 More details
- Transition 3 to 2 More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
The Grassland State is supported by empirical data, historical data, local expertise, and photographs. This state is defined by three native plant communities that are a result of periodic fire, drought, and grazing. These events are part of the natural disturbance regime and climatic process. The Reference Plant Community consists of both warm- and cool-season, tall- and midgrasses, forbs, and shrubs. Plant Community 2 consists of warm-season tallgrass and grass-likes. Plant Community 3 consists of decadent plants or excessive litter, and few remnant native grasses and forbs.
Submodel
Description
The Exotic State is supported by empirical data, historical data, local expertise, and photographs. This state represents a plant community change, as well as changes to the energy flow and nutrient cycling processes. This state is defined by one plant community.
Submodel
Description
The Annual/Pioneer State is supported by empirical data, historical data, local expertise, and photographs. This state represents a plant community change as well as changes to the energy flow and nutrient cycling processes. This state is defined by one plant community.
Submodel
Mechanism
Excessive defoliation (e.g., areas of heavy animal concentration) or cropped go-back land with continuous grazing will convert the plant community to the Annual/Pioneer Perennial Plant Community.
Mechanism
Long-term prescribed grazing with adequate recovery periods following each grazing event and proper stocking, over long periods of time, will move this plant community toward the Spikerush/Baltic Rush/Prairie Cordgrass Plant Community. This plant community may eventually return to the Reference Plant Community or associated successional communities, assuming an adequate seed/vegetative source is available. This process may take greater than 20 years.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
|
Prescribed Grazing |
Mechanism
Under long-term prescribed grazing and/or removal of disturbance, including adequate rest periods, this plant community will move through the successional stages, and may eventually lead to a plant community resembling the Prairie Cordgrass/Northern Reedgrass Plant Community. Depending on the slope, aspect, and size, and if adequate perennial plants exist, this change can occur more rapidly. This process will likely take a long period of time (20+ years).
Range seeding after removal of disturbance with deferment and prescribed grazing can convert this to a plant community resembling the Prairie Cordgrass/Northern Reedgrass Plant Community.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
|
Prescribed Grazing |
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.