Stony Hills
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition 1A More details
- Transition 1B More details
- Transition 2A More details
- Transition 3A More details
- Restoration pathway 3A 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 State represents what is believed to be the natural range of variability that dominated the dynamics of this ecological site prior to European settlement. This site is dominated by warm-season grasses. Cool-season grasses are sub-dominant. In pre-European times the primary disturbances included fire and grazing by large ungulates and small mammals. Favorable growing conditions occurred during the spring, and warm months of June through August. Routine and/or occasional fires, reduced tree cover and contributed to the ecological processes that maintained the reference plant community. Today this State can be found in areas where proper livestock use has occurred and where encroachment of trees, especially ponderosa pine, has been limited and Kentucky bluegrass occurs in minor amounts.
Submodel
Description
This State has a mixture of native warm and cool-season grasses and non-native cool-season grasses. It resembles the Reference State, but Kentucky bluegrass has altered the dynamics of site. Kentucky blue grass typically will not exceed 20 percent of the plant community, so the site will not likely be dominated by bluegrass. Once the reference plant communities have transitioned to this State, is unlikely that it will return to the Reference State. Proper grazing management and periodic burning will maintain the productivity of this State. Heavy grazing without adequate recovery, or non-use and no fire, will tend to result in an increase in bluegrass and conifers.
Submodel
Description
This State is dominated by conifers or deciduous trees mixed with conifers. Conifer encroachment is common on north- and east-facing slopes, and is very common in the northern LRU (A). This State can be confused with a forest site, except it will not exhibit woodland soil characteristics with an āEā horizon. The Conifer/Invaded State is most likely to occur on the Shirttail series and, to a lesser extent, on the Hilger soils. The midstory and understory may also resemble a forest plant community with shade-tolerant shrubs, grasses, grass-likes, and forbs. Because this plant community transitioned form the Native/Invaded State, Kentucky bluegrass will be well established and may make up at least 20 percent of the herbaceous plant community.
Submodel
Description
This State is dominated by conifers or deciduous trees mixed with conifers. Conifer encroachment is common on north- and east-facing slopes, and is very common in the northern LRU (A). This State can be confused with a forest site, except it will not exhibit woodland soil characteristics with an āEā horizon. The Conifer Encroached State is most likely to occur on the Shirttail series and, to a lesser extent, on the Hilger soils. The midstory and understory may also resemble a forest plant community with shade-tolerant shrubs, grasses, grass-likes, and forbs.
Submodel
Mechanism
Heavy season-long grazing above carrying capacity, and invasion or introduction of non-native cool-season grasses, or no use and no fire can cause a transition to the Native Invaded State (2.0).
Mechanism
Encroachment of conifers and no fire will cause a transition to the Conifer State (4.0). No use or heavy season-long grazing also can facilitate or accelerate this transition. The Conifer State is most likely to occur on the Shirttail series and to a lesser extent on Hilger soils.
Mechanism
Encroachment of conifers, introduction of non-native cool-season grasses and no fire will cause a transition to the Conifer/Invaded State (3.0). No use or heavy season-long grazing also can facilitate or accelerate this transition. The Conifer State is most likely to occur on the Shirttail series and, to a lesser extent, on the Hilger soils.
Mechanism
Fire, prescribed burning, or mechanical brush management followed by long-term prescribed grazing can transition this plant community to the Native/Invaded State (2.0). This process can take an extended period of time, especially if mid-stature cool- and warm-season species make up only a small percentage of the plant community. Kentucky bluegrass may increase and become a dominant species in the plant community.
Mechanism
Fire, prescribed burning, or mechanical brush management followed by long-term prescribed grazing that provided adequate recovery time and change in season of use can restore this plant community to the Reference State (1.0). This process can take an extended period of time, especially if mid-stature cool- and warm-season species make up only a small percentage of the plant community. If Kentucky bluegrass invades PCP 4.1 the transition will most likely be towards the Native Invaded State (2.0) and not towards the Reference State (1.0).
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.