Malpais Upland
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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- Transition T1A More details
- Restoration pathway R2A 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
Palatable plants are well-represented in this state, and may include little bluestem, yellow Indiangrass, western wheatgrass, and New Mexico feathergrass. Blue grama is present, but is neither dominant nor sod-bound.
Submodel
Mechanism
Season-long grazing providing little rest and recovery for preferred grazed plants during critical growing periods, coupled with high utilization.
Continuous grazing during the growing season will cause the more desirable forage plants such as little bluestem, western wheatgrass, big bluestem, sideoats grama, Indiangrass, switchgrass, needleandthread, New Mexico feathergrass and hairy mountainmahogany to decrease. Species most likely to invade are sleepygrass, buffalograss, broom snakeweed, plains pricklypear cactus and senecio. Species most likely to increase are blue grama, threeawn, galleta and sagebrush. As the ecological condition deteriorates, it is accompanied by a sharp increase in blue grama. Continuous heavy grazing causes blue grama to form a low, dense turf which is low in productivity.
Model keys
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Ecological sites
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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.