Closed Upland Depression
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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- Transition T1-2 More details
- Transition T1-3 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
The Reference State is a dynamic state that encompasses the reference community, and the phases it may undergo in response to alterations in the environment.
It serves as the base state for the subsequent States depicted in the model.
The spatial fluctuation of the borders between the two described vegetative zones of the reference community is directly linked to the duration and depth of ponding. This is driven seasonally, and by local rainfall events.
On the outer rim of the depression, where ponding is infrequent, mid and short grasses dominate the site. Western wheatgrass and buffalograss are the major grass species , and forb diversity is low. Deeper into the playa, as ponding increases, the amount of perennial grasses decreases and water-tolerant forbs, sedges, and annuals increase. Some of these areas may pond water long enough to drown out vegetation leaving bare soil during dry cycles or sparse annual vegetation.
Human induced activities such unregulated grazing by domestic livestock, or interruption of the natural disturbance processes can result in community phase changes within the reference state.
More severe disturbances, such as plowing, ditching or excavating can negatively impact the hydrological, soil and vegetative components of the system to the degree that they cross a threshold to a more degraded state.
Submodel
Description
This state is a result of sod-busting native grasslands to facilitate farming practices.
The initial mechanical disturbance of the soil, and the repeated tillage associated with farming impacts the soil properties and disrupts the hydrological cycle to the degree that the threshold between the reference state and the sod disturbance state is crossed. It is unlikely that complete restoration of the ecological processes to the reference state is possible.
Submodel
Description
This site has often been mechanically altered to either drain it to allow the land to be placed into production agriculture, or excavated to increase the water holding capacity of the basin as a re-use pit.
These actions disrupt the ecological balance of the site to a degree that forces the site across the state threshold to the mechanically altered state. The magnitude of disruption of the soil processes and the hydrological cycle make it unlikely that the a return to the reference state is possible.
Mechanism
Sodbusting to convert this site to production agriculture significantly degrades the soil properties to the degree that a full recovery to the reference state is unlikely.
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.