Gravelly Hills
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition 1 to 2 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 supported by empirical data, historical data, and local expertise. The Grassland State is defined by two native plant communities that are a result of periodic fire, drought, and grazing. These events are part of the natural disturbance regime and climatic process. The Reference Plant Community is dominated by warm season mid grasses. The At-risk Plant Community is dominated by a warm season sod-forming shortgrass with decreasing amounts of warm season mid grasses.
Submodel
Description
The Grassland State ecosystem has been driven beyond the limits of ecological resilience and has crossed a threshold into a Sod state. The designation of the Sod state denotes changes in plant community composition. This change in plant composition affects hydrologic function of the system.
This alternative state should be treated as a hypothesis that will be tested through long term observation of ecosystem behavior and repeated application of conservation and restoration practices. This state should be re-evaluated and refined continually.
Submodel
Mechanism
The following management and environmental factors affect the transition from the Reference State toward the Sod State.
Long term, heavy, continuous grazing, with no forage and animal balance to allow adequate recovery periods between grazing events will convert the reference plant community to a community of blue grama sod. Drought, in combination with this type of management will quicken the rate at which the reference community pathways to the sod bound community.
Restoration to the reference state is not well documented. Implicit restoration activities include management that incorporates long-term prescribed grazing (>40 years), a forage and animal balance, and adequate rest and recovery periods. A change to the state and transition model will be made as documentation and existence of restoration becomes evident.
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.