Loamy Lowland
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1-2 More details
- Transition T1-3 More details
- Transition T1-4 More details
- Restoration pathway R 2-1 More details
- Transition T 2-3 More details
- Transition T 2-4 More details
- Transition T 3-4 More details
- Restoration pathway R 4-1,2,3 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
This state describes the range of vegetative community phases that occur on the Loamy Lowland site where the natural processes are mostly intact.
The Reference Community is a representation of the native plant community phase that occupies a site that has been minimally altered by management. The Degraded Native Grass Community and the Excessive Litter Community are the phases that result from management decisions that are unfavorable to a healthy Reference Community.
High perennial grass cover and production allows for increased soil moisture retention, vegetative production and overall soil quality.
Submodel
Description
This state has been degraded from the reference state and much of the native warm season grass community has been replaced by less desirable plants. The loss of tall and mid warm season grasses has negatively impacted energy flow and nutrient cycling. Water infiltration is reduced due to the shallow root system and rapid runoff characteristics of invaded grazing-evasive plant communities.
Submodel
Description
This threshold is crossed as a result of mechanical disturbance to facilitate production agriculture. If farming operations are suspended, the site can: be abandoned, which will result in the Naturally Reclaimed Community, or; be re-seeded to a desired perennial forage mixture, which is described as the Re-seeded Community.
Permanent alterations of the soil community and the hydrological cycle make restoration to the original native Reference Community extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Submodel
Description
This State is a result of the disruption of the natural fire regime, and lack of management in response to an increase in woody species. The native component of woody species increases, as do invading introduced exotic species.
Once the canopy cover reaches 15 percent with an average tree height exceeding 5 feet, the threshold is crossed to the Invaded Woody State.
Submodel
Mechanism
Continuous heavy grazing without adequate recovery periods will cause this plant community to lose a significant proportion of tall and mid warm season grass species and cross a threshold to the Native/Invaded State. Once this occurs it will require considerable time (more than 40 years) and expense to return this site to a more productive plant community. Water infiltration and other hydrologic functions will be reduced due to the root matting presence of sod-forming grasses.
Mechanism
The Reference State is significantly altered by mechanical tillage to allow the site to be placed into production agriculture. The disruption to the plant community, the soil and the hydrology of the system make restoration to a true reference state unlikely.
Mechanism
Disruption of the natural fire regime, and the introduction of exotic species such as Russian olive trees causes a major shift in the vegetative community. The resulting impacts to the system cross the threshold into the Invaded Woody State.
Mechanism
Development of a long-term management plan that includes an appropriate level of livestock grazing with adequate growing season rest, and strategically timed prescribed fire will return this state to the Reference State.
Mechanism
The State is significantly altered by mechanical tillage to allow the site to be placed into production agriculture. The disruption to the plant community, the soil and the hydrology of the system make restoration unlikely.
Mechanism
Disruption of the natural fire regime and the introduction of exotic species can cause this state to shift to the Invaded Woody State.
Mechanism
Encroachment of woody species, no grazing, and no fire will cause the Invaded Grass-Seeded State to transition to the Invaded Woody State.
Mechanism
Prescribed burning, wildfire, harvest,and brush management will move this plant community toward one of the herbaceous plant dominated plant communities. The forb component of a site with heavy tree density or canopy cover will initially increase following tree removal through mechanical brush management treatments and prescribed fire.
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.