Sands 14-17" PZ
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Frequent and severe defoliation, land disturbance, wind erosion.
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Transition T1B
Long-term (> 10 years), continuous season-long grazing or rotational grazing with inadequate recovery periods.
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Transition T1C
Woody encroachment with no fire or brush management.
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Transition T1D
Tillage to facilitate production agriculture.
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Restoration pathway R2A
Removal of disturbance with long-term (> 10 years) prescribed grazing.
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Transition R2B
Removal of disturbance with long-term (> 10 years) prescribed grazing.
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Transition T2A
Woody encroachment with no fire or brush management.
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Transition T2B
Tillage to facilitate production agriculture.
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Restoration pathway R3A
Long-term (>15 years) prescribed grazing with adequate growing season recovery time. This restoration may not be feasible.
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Transition T3A
Frequent and severe defoliation, land disturbance, wind erosion.
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Transition T3B
Woody encroachment with no fire or brush management.
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Transition T3C
Tillage to facilitate production agriculture.
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Restoration pathway R4A
Prescribed burning, timber harvest, brush management.
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Restoration pathway R4B
Prescribed burning, timber harvest, brush management.
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Restoration pathway R4C
Prescribed burning, timber harvest, brush management.
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Restoration pathway R4D
Prescribed burning, timber harvest, brush management.
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Transition T5A
Frequent and severe defoliation, land disturbance, wind erosion.
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Transition T5B
Woody encroachment with o fire or brush management.
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
The Reference State (1) describes the range of vegetative communities that occur on the Sands 14-17" PZ ecological site where the range of natural variability under historic conditions and disturbance regimes is mostly intact. The Reference State developed under the combined influences of climatic conditions, periodic fire activity, grazing by large herbivores, and impacts from small mammals and insects. High perennial grass cover and production allows for increased soil moisture retention, vegetative production and overall soil quality.
The Reference State includes three community phases which are the Reference Community (1.1), the At-Risk Community (1.2) and the Excessive Litter Community (1.3), The Reference Community serves as a description of the native plant community that occurs on the site when the natural disturbance regimes are intact or closely mimicked by management practices. The At-Risk Community results from management actions that are unfavorable for a healthy Reference Community. The Excessive Litter Community occurs when herbivory and fire are eliminated from the landscape.
Submodel
Description
The Eroded State (2) can be reached from any other plant community in the Reference State (1), the Shortgrass Sod State (3), or the Sodbusted State (4). This state is the result of heavy disturbance, usually frequent and severe defoliation. The Eroded State can also occur with vehicle traffic, livestock trailing or other heavy disturbances. Long-term drought or dormant season wildfire coupled with the heavy disturbance will accelerate the move to the Eroded State.
The Eroded State (2) includes two plant communities which are the Blowout Community (2.1) and the Early Seral Community (2.2).
Submodel
Description
The Shortgrass State (3) transitioned from the Reference State (1) and much of the native warm-season tall- and midgrass components have been replaced by warm-season shortgrasses and upland sedges. Non-native cool-season grasses may have invaded the site. This State is the result of long-term grazing management that did not provide adequate recovery time for warm-season tall- and midgrasses and mid-statured cool-season grasses. The management that results in the Shortgrass State is typically heavy, continuous, season long grazing but heavy rotational grazing with inadequate growing season recovery periods can also cause this transition.
The loss of warm-season tall- and midgrasses negatively impacts energy flow and nutrient cycling and alters hydrologic function. Runoff is higher and infiltration is lower than the Reference State. This state is very resistant to change. The Shortgrass State includes the Shortgrass Community (3.1).
Submodel
Description
The Invaded Woody State (4) is the result of woody encroachment. Once the tree canopy cover reaches 15 percent with an average tree height exceeding five feet, the threshold to the Invaded Woody State has been crossed. Woody species are increasing due to the lack of
prescribed fire, brush management, or other woody tree removal. Typical ecological impacts are a loss of native grasses, reduce diversity of functional and structural groups, reduced forage production, and reduced soil quality. Prescribed burning, wildfire, timber harvest and brush management will move the Invaded Woody State toward a grass dominated state. If the Invaded Woody State transitioned from Eroded State (2), the Shortgrass State (3) or the Sodbusted State (5), the land cannot return to the Reference State (1) as the native plant community, soils, and hydrologic function had been too severely impacted prior to the woody encroachment to allow the return to the Reference State through woody species removal alone. The Invaded Woody State includes one community, the Invaded Woody Community (4.1).
Submodel
Description
The threshold to the Sodbusted State (5) is crossed as a result of mechanical disturbance to facilitate production agriculture. If farming operations are suspended, the site can be seeded to native grasses resulting in the Reseeded Native Grass Community (5.1), be seeded to a tame pasture forage mixture resulting in the Seeded Pasture Community (5.2) or be abandoned with no seeding which will result in the Natural Reclamation Community (5.3). Permanent alterations of the soil, plant community, and hydrologic cycle make restoration to the Reference State (1) extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Submodel
Mechanism
The Eroded State (2) can be reached from any plant community of the Reference State (1). The Eroded State occurs with frequent and severe defoliation. Heavy, continuous grazing most often causes this transition, but it can also occur with rotational grazing when plants are not given adequate growing season recovery time before the paddocks or pastures are re-grazed. This process is accelerated when accompanied by additional disturbances, such as dormant season wildfire or extended drought. Heavy disturbance, such as vehicle traffic or livestock trailing can also cause this transition. The reduction in plant canopy and litter cover allows wind erosion to develop, creating large areas of blowing sand.
Mechanism
The Reference State (1) transitions to the Shortgrass State (3) in response to long-term (greater than ten years), heavy, repeated defoliation of the key forage species (sand bluestem and prairie sandreed) by grazing or haying. This change typically occurs with long-term heavy, continuous season long grazing but heavy rotational grazing without adequate recovery periods may also cause this transition.
The Reference State loses a significant proportion of warm-season, tall- and midgrasses and crosses a threshold to the Shortgrass Sod State. Deep rooted plants are replaced by shallow rooted, sod- forming grasses which tend to form root mats and water infiltration is reduced. Forage production and plant species diversity has declined. Initially, the plant community will be a mosaic, with shortgrass and mixed grass communities intermingled but as the management continues the plant community becomes dominated by shortgrasses.
Mechanism
Long-term (more than ten years) disruption of the natural fire regime and the encroachment of invasive exotic and native woody species with no woody species management can cause the Reference State (1) to transition to the Invaded Woody State (4).
Mechanism
The Reference State (1) has been significantly altered by tillage to facilitate production agriculture. When the land is no longer cropped, the resulting state is the Sodbusted State (5).
Mechanism
The Eroded State (2) can be restored to the Reference State (1) with long term (10 or more years) grazing management that incorporates adequate growing season recovery periods (deferment). When either human-caused disturbance or livestock concentration caused the transition from the Reference State, removal of the disturbance along with appropriate grazing management is needed. With long term prescribed grazing, succession progresses, and the land will eventually return to the Reference State.
Mechanism
The Eroded State (2) can be returned to the Shortgrass State (3) with long term (10 or more years) grazing management that incorporates adequate growing season recovery periods (deferment). When either human-caused disturbance or livestock concentration caused the transition from the Shortgrass Sod State, removal of the disturbance along with appropriate grazing management is needed. With long term prescribed grazing, succession progresses, and the land will eventually return to the Reference State.
Mechanism
Long-term (more than ten years) disruption of the natural fire regime and the encroachment of invasive exotic and native woody species with no woody species management can cause the Eroded State (2) to transition to the Invaded Woody State (4).
Mechanism
The Eroded State (2) can be returned to the Sodbusted State (5) with long term (10 or more years) prescribed grazing. Initially, grazing management that incorporates concentrated short- term animal impact (such as feeding hay on the blowout) will encourage growth of early successional grasses and forbs. When either human-caused disturbance or livestock concentration caused the transition to the Eroded State, removal of the disturbance along with appropriate grazing management is needed. With long term prescribed grazing, succession progresses, and the land will eventually return to the Sodbusted State. Re-seeding may be needed to return to any community other than the Natural Reclamation Community (5.3).
Mechanism
Long-term (more than 15 years) prescribed grazing with adequate growing season recovery periods will move the Shortgrass State (3) toward the Reference State (1). The amount of time required for, and feasibility of this restoration depends upon the abundance of warm-season tall- and midgrasses and cool-season bunch grasses remaining in the plant community. This restoration may not be feasible.
Mechanism
The Shortgrass State (3) transitions to the Eroded State (2) with frequent and severe defoliation. Heavy, continuous grazing often causes this transition, but it can also occur with rotational grazing when plants are not given adequate growing season recovery time before the paddocks or pastures are re-grazed. This process is accelerated when accompanied by additional disturbances, such as dormant season wildfire or extended drought. Heavy disturbance, such as vehicle traffic or livestock trailing can also cause this transition. The reduction in plant canopy and litter cover allows wind erosion to develop, creating large areas of blowing sand.
Mechanism
Long-term (more than ten years) disruption of the natural fire regime and the encroachment of invasive exotic and native woody species with no woody species management can cause the Shortgrass State (3) to transition to the Invaded Woody State (4).
Mechanism
The Shortgrass State (3) has been significantly altered by tillage to facilitate production agriculture. When the land is no longer cropped, the resulting state is the Sodbusted State (5).
Mechanism
The Invaded Woody State (4) can be restored to the Reference State (1) through prescribed burning, wildfire, timber harvest, or brush management. The forb component may initially increase following tree removal. Ongoing brush management such as hand cutting, chemical spot treatments, or periodic prescribed burning is required to prevent a return to the Invaded Woody State. The heavier the existing canopy cover, the greater the energy input required to return to the Native/Invaded Grass State by management practices. The amount of time required for this restoration to occur depends on the severity and duration of the encroachment.
Land that transitioned to the Invaded Woody State from the Eroded State (2), the Shortgrass State (3), or the Sodbusted State (5) cannot be restored to the Reference State through the removal of woody species as the native plant community, soils, and hydrologic function have been too severely impacted for that restoration to occur with removal of woody species alone.
Mechanism
The Invaded Woody State (4) can be restored to the Eroded State (2) through prescribed burning, wildfire, timber harvest, or brush management. The forb component may initially increase following tree removal. Ongoing brush management such as hand cutting, chemical spot treatments, or periodic prescribed burning is required to prevent a return to the Invaded Woody State. The heavier the existing canopy cover, the greater the energy input required to return to the Native/Invaded Grass State by management practices. The amount of time required for this restoration to occur depends on the severity and duration of the encroachment.
Land that transitioned to the Invaded Woody State from the Eroded State (2) cannot be restored to the Reference State through the removal of woody species as the native plant community, soils, and hydrologic function have been too severely impacted for that restoration to occur with removal of woody species alone.
Mechanism
The Invaded Woody State (4) can be restored to the Shortgrass State (3) through prescribed burning, wildfire, timber harvest, or brush management. The forb component may initially increase following tree removal. Ongoing brush management such as hand cutting, chemical spot treatments, or periodic prescribed burning is required to prevent a return to the Invaded Woody State. The heavier the existing canopy cover, the greater the energy input required to return to the Native/Invaded Grass State by management practices. The amount of time required for this restoration to occur depends on the severity and duration of the encroachment.
Land that transitioned to the Invaded Woody State from the Shortgrass State (3) cannot be restored to the Reference State through the removal of woody species as the native plant community, soils, and hydrologic function have been too severely impacted for that restoration to occur with removal of woody species alone.
Mechanism
The Invaded Woody State (4) can be restored to the Sodbusted State (5) through prescribed burning, wildfire, timber harvest, or brush management. The forb component may initially increase following tree removal. Ongoing brush management such as hand cutting, chemical spot treatments, or periodic prescribed burning is required to prevent a return to the Invaded Woody State. The heavier the existing canopy cover, the greater the energy input required to return to the Sodbusted State by management practices. The amount of time required for this restoration to occur depends on the severity and duration of the encroachment.
Land that transitioned to the Invaded Woody State from Sodbusted State cannot be restored to the Reference State (1) through the removal of woody species as the native plant community, soils, and hydrologic function have been too severely impacted for that restoration to occur with removal of brush alone.
Mechanism
The Sodbusted State (5) will transition to the Eroded State (2) with frequent and severe defoliation. Heavy, continuous grazing often causes this transition, but it can also occur with rotational grazing when plants are not given adequate growing season recovery time before the paddocks or pastures are re-grazed. This process is accelerated when accompanied by additional disturbances, such as dormant season wildfire or extended drought. Heavy disturbance, such as vehicle traffic or livestock trailing can also cause this transition. The reduction in plant canopy and litter cover allows wind erosion to develop, creating large areas of blowing sand.
Model keys
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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.