Limy Upland 12-17" PZ
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Absence of disturbance and natural regeneration over time, coupled with excessive grazing pressure and drought conditions
More details -
Transition T1B
Absence of disturbance, excessive grazing pressure, and introduction of non-native species
More details -
Restoration pathway R2A
Adequate rest from defoliation and removal of woody canopy, followed by reintroduction of historic disturbance regimes
More details -
Transition T2A
Absence of disturbance, excessive grazing pressure, and introduction of non-native species
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
State 1
Grassland State
Description
The interpretive or "reference" plant community for this site is the Midgrass/Shortgrass Community (1.1). This site is dominated by a good mixture of midgrasses and shortgrasses (>95 percent). Sideoats grama is the dominant midgrass with blue grama and black grama the dominant shortgrass species. There are very few perennial forbs which make up (<5 percent) of the total plant community. Only traces of woody plants could be found with yucca and broom snakeweed the primary woody species.
The Midgrass/Shortgrass/Shrub Community (1.2) occurs when long-term grazing abuse continues and revolves into a shortgrass dominant site. This will lead to a decline in the vigor of sideoats grama and other desirable midgrass species. Low vigor three-awns, blue grama, buffalograss, and hooded windmillgrass will dominate the site. Yucca will increase and broom snakeweed will often gain a major foothold on the site.
Submodel
Description
In this Shortgrass/Shrubland State, the typical vegetation will be threeawn with small colonies of low vigor, sodbound blue grama and buffalograss. Low quality shortgrasses will become the dominant grass species as the more desirable grasses are removed. Bare areas will increase with annuals filling the voids. The loss of herbaceous cover and increased bare ground encourages accelerated erosion. Broom snakeweed and yucca will increase dramatically with mesquite invading and establishing on many of the limy upland sites.
Submodel
Description
This Introduced Grass/Shrubland State has been invaded by Lehman lovegrass to the point that it is the dominant grass species with few if any native species remaining. Once this lovegrass has become well established, returning the site to the reference state would be expensive and generally not very successful or practical.
Submodel
Mechanism
With Heavy Continuous Grazing, No Fires, Long-term Droughts, no Brush Management, and no Pest Management, the Grassland State can be converted into a Shortgrass/Shrubland State.
Mechanism
With Heavy Continuous Grazing, Invasion of Introduced Grass Species, No Fires, No Brush Management, and No Pest Management, the Grassland State can be converted into the Introduced Grass/Shrubland State.
Mechanism
This plant community is so degraded that it cannot reverse retrogression without extensive energy and management inputs. Prescribed grazing with rest periods during the growing season, re-seeding with and integrated used adapted native grass species, chemical and/or mechanical brush management, and some form of pest management may be needed. With the reduced amounts of grass fuel, prescribed burning is usually not an option in this state.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
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Brush Management |
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Prescribed Grazing |
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Range Planting |
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Integrated Pest Management (IPM) |
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.