Wet Sandy Depressions
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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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 has two main phases, one is dominated by hardwoods, and the other is conifer dominant. The shrub layer is also prominent on this site; speckled alder is by far the most common shrub species and can form dense thickets. In closed canopy areas, mountain maple is the more common shrub. The understory on both phases is species rich, with both obligate wetland plants and facultative wetland plants adapted to this site.
Submodel
Description
The Cutover State is less common on this site than on drier upland sites, although there is demand for high quality trees of just about any species, including black ash and balsam fir. Balsam fir is used mainly as pulpwood as it is too brittle to use as lumber, but black ash has value as lumber for cabinetry and paneling, neither of those uses created a logging boom as seen in days past, nor can they sustain a large modern industry. However, local demand has led to logging on, once again, the high quality sites.
Submodel
Description
The Ponded State is common on this site. In this state, ponding persists long enough to drown most terrestrial wetland vegetation, thus aquatic vegetation, both emergent and submergent, becomes dominant. The causes are both natural and man-made. Natural causes of ponding include beaver dams which can back up water outside the confines of the streams normal floodplain. However, man-made causes are more common, especially in areas with a higher road density. Roads, even with effective culverts, tend retard water flow out of wetlands. This creates a commonly observed “wet-side, dry-side” effect. Cattails growing in the road ditch are a good indicator of the effect.
Submodel
Description
The Converted State represents a small fraction of this site, however the consequences of converting wetlands to non-wetland are undesirable. Invasive species are more likely to gain a foothold on converted sites, and spread from there. Fully functional wetlands provide valuable ecosystem services to the public, however private interests may be different. Therefore, programs have been developed to preserve or restore wetlands which provide incentives to landowners. Roads and trails are the main conversion in this region, since they occur on a public right-of-way, different mitigation programs handle those situations.
Submodel
Model keys
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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.