Loamy Upland
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1A More details
- Transition T1B More details
- Restoration pathway R2A More details
- Transition T2A More details
- Transition T2B More details
- Transition T3A More details
- Restoration pathway R4A More details
- Restoration pathway R4B More details
- Restoration pathway R4C More details
- Transition T5A More details
- Restoration pathway R6A 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 describes the range of vegetative community phases that occur on the Loamy Upland site where the range of natural variability under historic conditions and disturbance regimes is mostly intact. The vegetation is predominately native, mixed-grass prairie.
The Reference Community is representative of the native plant community historically maintained by frequent fire and herbivory (grazing) with adequate recovery periods. The Degraded Native Grass Community results from management decisions that are unfavorable for the plant community and soil health.
High perennial grass cover and production allows for increased soil moisture retention, vegetative production, and overall soil quality.
Submodel
Description
The Native/Invaded Grass State has been degraded from the Reference State and much of the native warm-season tall- and midgrass community has been replaced by less productive plants. The dominant grasses are native shortgrasses and introduced cool-season grasses which have invaded the site. Forb diversity is low, and Cuman ragweed is the dominant forb species.
Submodel
Description
The Sodbusted State is a result of mechanical disturbance to facilitate production agriculture. If farming operations are suspended, the site can be abandoned or seeded to a perennial grass mixture. When tilled and abandoned the Natural Reclamation Community will result. When seeded the resulting community will be either the Reseeded Native Grass Community or the Seeded Pasture Community depending upon the type of seeding implemented.
Permanent alterations of soils and hydrology make restoration to the Reference State extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Submodel
Description
The Invaded Woody State can develop when brush management, harvest, prescribed burning, and wildfire are absent over an extended period of time. Generally, this state is very conducive to eastern redcedar encroachment. Eastern redcedars will eventually dominate the site, over time resulting in a closed canopy. This will reduce grass production and limit grazing potential. In southern and eastern portions of the MLRA, honeylocust encroachment may occur.
Submodel
Description
The Woody Draw State consists of three community phases that represent a progressive increase in the amount of woody species present. The community phases range from a mixture of shrub, tree seedlings, and grasses to a phase dominated by shrubs and immature trees, to a plant community dominated by mature trees and shrubs.
Submodel
Description
The Savannah State consists of the Deciduous Savanna Community which is a result of continuous season long grazing or continuous seasonal grazing of the Woody Draw State communities. There is little regeneration of trees mainly due to grazing of seedlings and saplings.
Submodel
Mechanism
Continuous heavy grazing without adequate recovery periods will cause the Reference State to lose a significant proportion of warm-season tallgrass species and cross a threshold to a Native/Invaded Grass State. Once this occurs it will require more than 40 years and considerable 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
Encroachment of woody species, no grazing, and no fire will cause an increase of eastern red cedar and deciduous trees such as honeylocust in the plant community transitioning the Reference State to the Invaded Woody State.
Mechanism
Prescribed Grazing with adequate recovery periods, will allow perennial plants to increase and move toward the Reference State long as there is a remnant warm-season plant component within the plant community. This restoration will require 20 to 40 or more years to return the site to a more productive state.
Mechanism
The site has been significantly altered by mechanical tillage to allow the site to be converted to production agriculture. The disruption to the plant community, soils, and hydrology of the system make restoration unlikely. This transition can also occur when the site has been altered by long-term extremely heavy grazing. The loss of perennial vegetation will increase the potential for soil erosion, and negatively impact the water, biotic, soil, and hydrologic systems.
Mechanism
Encroachment of woody species, no grazing, and no fire will cause the Native/ Invaded Grass State to transition to the Invaded Woody State
Mechanism
Encroachment of woody species, no grazing, and no fire will cause the Sod-Busted State to transition to the Invaded Woody State.
Mechanism
Timber harvest, wildfire, prescribed burning, or brush management of eastern redcedar and other woody plants will return the site to the Reference State and control woody plant encroachment. Eastern redcedar control can usually be accomplished with a prescribed burn while the trees are six foot tall or less and fine fuel production is over 1,500 pounds per acre. Mechanical removal followed by a chemical treatment on stumps is effective on honeylocust. Prescribed grazing or targeted grazing with browsing animals may also help maintain an herbaceous plant community.
Mechanism
Timber harvest, wildfire, prescribed burning, or brush management of eastern redcedar and other woody plants will return the site to the Native/Invaded Grass State and control woody plant encroachment. Eastern redcedar control can usually be accomplished with a prescribed burn while the trees are six foot tall or less and fine fuel production is over 1,500 pounds per acre. Mechanical removal followed by a chemical treatment on stumps is effective on honeylocust. Prescribed grazing or targeted grazing with browsing animals may also help maintain an herbaceous plant community.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
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Brush Management |
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Prescribed Burning |
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Prescribed Grazing |
Mechanism
Timber harvest, wildfire, prescribed burning, or brush management of eastern redcedar and other woody plants will return the site to the Sod-Busted State and control woody plant encroachment. Eastern redcedar control can usually be accomplished with a prescribed burn while the trees are six foot tall or less and fine fuel production is over 1,500 pounds per acre. Mechanical removal followed by a chemical treatment on stumps is effective on honeylocust. Prescribed grazing or targeted grazing with browsing animals may also help maintain an herbaceous plant community.
Mechanism
Long term prescribed grazing, wildfire, prescribed burns, and heavy browsing can all cause the Woody Draw State to transition to the Savannah State.
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.