The Grassland State is supported by empirical data, historical data, local expertise, and photographs. This state is defined by three 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 consists of cool-season sod-forming grasses, warm-season sod and bunchgrasses, and forbs. Plant community 1.2 Inundation/Saturation consists primarily of spikerush and barnyardgrass, with little barley or water. Community 1.3 is made up of bare ground and/or annuals. Water has evaporated and/or percolated through the soil profile and early successional plants are establishing.
The Tillage State consists of abandoned cropland that has been naturally revegetated (go-back), planted/seeded to grassland or annual crops. Many reseeded plant communities were planted with a local seeding mix under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), or were planted to a monoculture of sideoats grama. Go-back communities are difficult to define due to the variability of plant communities that exist. Many of these communities are represented by the genus Aristida (three-awns).
This is an alternative state because the ecological functions (i.e. dynamic soil properties) and plant communities are not fully restored to that of the Reference State. Tillage can destroy soil aggregation. Soil aggregates are an example of dynamic soil property change. Aggregate stability is critical for infiltration, root growth, and resistance to water and wind erosion (Brady and Weil, 2008).
This transition is triggered by a management action as opposed to a natural event. Tillage or breaking the ground with machinery for crop production will move the grassland state to a tillage state.
Model keys
Briefcase
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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.
) icon wherever it occurs. Drag and drop items to reorder. Cookies are used to store briefcase items between browsing sessions. Because of this, the number of items that can be added to your briefcase is limited, and briefcase items added on one device and browser cannot be accessed from another device or browser. Users who do not wish to place cookies on their devices should not use the briefcase tool. Briefcase cookies serve no other purpose than described here and are deleted whenever browsing history is cleared.
