Thin Upland
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1A More details
- Transition T1B More details
- Transition T1C More details
- Transition T1D More details
- Transition T2a More details
- Transition T2A More details
- Restoration pathway R3 More details
- Transition T3A, T3B More details
- Transition T3C More details
- Restoration pathway T4A More details
- Transition T4C More details
- Transition T4B More details
- Restoration pathway T5A More details
- Restoration pathway T5B, T5D More details
- Restoration pathway T5C More details
- Transition T5E More details
- Restoration pathway T6A More details
- Restoration pathway T6B, T6C More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
The Reference State represents the natural range of variability that dominated the dynamics of this ecological site (ES). This state was dominated by warm-season grasses with cool-season grasses being subdominant. Prior to European settlement in North America, the primary disturbance mechanisms for this site in the Reference condition included periods of below and above average precipitation, periodic fire, and herbivory by insects and large ungulates. Timing of fires and herbivory coupled with weather events dictated the dynamics that occurred within the natural range of variability. In some locations, this site likely received relatively heavy grazing pressure. Tall warm-season grasses would have declined and cool-season bunchgrasses and short to mid-statured warm-season grasses would have increased. Today, a similar state, the Native/Invaded State (State 2) can be found on areas that are properly managed with grazing and/or prescribed burning, and sometimes on areas receiving occasional short periods of rest.
Submodel
Description
The Degraded State is the result of heavy, continuous grazing and the absence of periodic fire due to fire suppression. This state is dominated by little bluestem, blue grama, and sideoats grama. The blue grama can form a sod-like layer that effectively blocks introduction of other plants into the system. Taller cool-season species will decline and a corresponding increase in short statured grass will occur.
Submodel
Description
The Native Invaded State represents the more common range of variability that exists with higher levels of grazing management, but in the absence of periodic fire due to fire suppression. This state is dominated by cool- and warm-season grasses. It can be found on areas that are properly managed with grazing and/or prescribed burning and sometimes on areas receiving occasional short periods of rest. Taller warm-season species can decline and a corresponding increase in short statured grass will occur.
Submodel
Description
The Invaded State is a result of encroachment mainly by invasive introduced cool-season grasses. The ecological processes are not functioning, especially the biotic processes and the hydrologic functions. The introduced cool-season grasses cause reduced infiltration and increased runoff. Preliminary studies would tend to indicate this threshold may exist when Kentucky bluegrass exceeds 30 percent of the plant community and native grasses represent less than 40 percent of the plant community composition. The opportunity for high intensity spring burns is severely reduced by early green up and increased moisture and humidity at the soil surface and grazing pressure cannot cause a reduction in sodgrass dominance. Production is limited to the sod forming species. Infiltration continues to decrease and runoff increases and energy capture into the system is restricted to early season low producing species. Nutrient cycling is limited by root depth of the dominant species.
Submodel
Description
This state is dominated (canopy exceeds 20 percent of total surface area) by areas where trees have become established or have encroached onto the site due to the absence of periodic fire. This state is dominated by eastern redcedar or Rocky Mountain juniper with cool-season grasses being subdominant. The plant community can develop into a closed canopy that impedes the reproductive capability of the major native perennial grass species. A single eastern redcedar tree with a seven foot crown diameter eliminates the equivalent of three pounds of forage. Further, the forage potential of a pasture with 250 mature eastern redcedar trees per acre (or one tree every thirteen feet) is reduce by 50 percent. It is suggested that reducing stocking rates by 10 percent for every 50 trees per acre. The increase in tree canopy which is a result of a disruption of the natural and human related fire regimes that occurred prior to European settlement of North America, which kept trees from encroaching much of the grasslands.
Submodel
Mechanism
Heavy, continuous grazing (stocking levels well above carrying capacity for extended portions of the growing season, and often at the same time of year each year, typically beginning early in the season) will convert this plant community to the 2.1 Little Bluestem-Blue Grama-Sideoats Grama Plant Community Phase within the Degraded State (State 2).
Mechanism
Non-use and/or no surface fire for extended periods of time (typically for 10 or more years causing litter levels to become high enough to reduce native grass vigor, diversity, and density), heavy, continuous grazing, or invasion of non-native plant species will lead this state over a threshold resulting in the Native/Invaded State (State 3).
Mechanism
Non-use and/or no surface fire for extended periods of time (typically for 10 or more years causing litter levels to become high enough to reduce native grass vigor, diversity, and density), heavy, continuous grazing, and invasion of conifer will likely lead this state over a threshold leading to the 5.1 Eastern Redcedar-Rocky Mountain Juniper/Little Bluestem Plant Community Phase within the Conifer/Invaded State (State 5).
Mechanism
Tillage will cause a shift over a threshold leading to the 6.1 Annual Crops Plant Community Phase within the Crop Production State (State 6).
Mechanism
Non-use and no fire for extended periods of time (typically for 10 or more years) will likely lead this state over a threshold resulting in the 3.1 Smooth Bromegrass/Kentucky Bluegrass/Forbs/Shrubs Plant Community Phase within the Invaded State (State 3).
Mechanism
Tillage will cause a shift over a threshold leading to the 6.1 Annual Crops Plant Community Phase within the Crop Production State (State 6).
Mechanism
Long-term prescribed grazing (moderate stocking levels coupled with adequate recovery periods, or other grazing systems such as high-density, low-frequency intended to treat specific species dominance, or periodic light to moderate stocking levels possibly including periodic rest) may lead this plant community phase over a threshold to the Native/Invaded State (State 2). Pest management (i.e., herbicide) may also be needed to suppress cool-season invasive grasses. This will likely take a long period of time possibly up to 10 years or more, and recovery may not be attainable. Success depends on whether native reproductive propagules remain intact on the site. A seeding of native species may be the only avenue to restore this plant community to one resembling a community within the Native/Invaded State (State 2).
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
|
Prescribed Grazing |
Mechanism
T3A – Non-use and/or no surface fire for extended periods of time (typically for 10 or more years) causing litter levels to become high enough to reduce native grass vigor, diversity, and density, will likely lead this state over a threshold leading to the 4.1 Smooth Bromegrass-Kentucky Bluegrass-Forbs/Shrubs Plant Community Phase within the Invaded State (State 4).
T3B – Heavy, continuous grazing (stocking levels well above carrying capacity for extended portions of the growing season and often at the same time of year each year), will likely lead this state over a threshold leading to the 4.2 Kentucky Bluegrass-Quackgrass-Little Bluestem Plant Community Phase within the Invaded State (State 4). Grazing repeatedly in the early growing season can expedite this shift by causing mechanical disturbance due to trampling.
Mechanism
Tillage will cause a shift over a threshold leading to the 6.1 Annual Crops Plant Community Phase within the Crop Production State (State 6).
Mechanism
Long-term prescribed grazing (moderate stocking levels coupled with adequate recovery periods, or other grazing systems such as high-density, low-frequency intended to treat specific species dominance, or periodic light to moderate stocking levels possibly including periodic rest) coupled with prescribed burning occurring at relatively frequent intervals (every 3 to 5 years) and a return to normal disturbance regime levels may lead this plant community phase over a threshold to the Native/Invaded State (State 3).
Mechanism
No surface fire for extended periods of time (typically for 10 or more years causing litter levels to become high enough to reduce native grass vigor, diversity, and density) and invasion of conifer will likely lead this state over a threshold leading to the 5.2 Eastern Redcedar-Rocky Mountain Juniper/Kentucky Bluegrass Plant Community Phase within the Conifer/Invaded State (State 5).
Mechanism
Tillage will cause a shift over a threshold leading to the 6.1 Annual Crops Plant Community Phase within the Crop Production State (State 6).
Mechanism
Brush management which would include the mechanical removal of the conifers, coupled with prescribed burning occurring at relatively frequent intervals (every 3 to 5 years) and a return to normal disturbance regime levels may lead this 5.1 Eastern Redcedar-Rocky Mountain Juniper/Little Bluestem Plant Community Phase within the Conifer/Invaded State (State 5) over a threshold to the Reference State (State 1).
Mechanism
T5B – Brush management which would include the mechanical removal of the conifers, coupled with prescribed burning occurring at relatively frequent intervals (every 3 to 5 years) and a return to normal disturbance regime levels may lead this 4.2 Eastern Redcedar-Rocky Mountain Juniper/Kentucky Bluegrass Plant Community Phase within the Conifer/Invaded State (State 4) over a threshold to the Native/Invaded State (State 2).
T5D – Brush management which would include the mechanical removal of the conifers, coupled with prescribed burning occurring at relatively frequent intervals (every 3 to 5 years) and a return to normal disturbance regime levels may lead this 5.3 Eastern Redcedar-Rocky Mountain Juniper Plant Community Phase within the Conifer/Invaded State (State 5) over a threshold to the Native/Invaded State (State 3).
Mechanism
Brush management which would include the mechanical removal of the conifers may lead this 5.2 Eastern Redcedar-Rocky Mountain Juniper/Kentucky Bluegrass Plant Community Phase within the Conifer/Invaded State (State 5) over a threshold to the Invaded State (State 4).
Mechanism
Brush management which would include the mechanical removal of the conifers, coupled with tillage will cause a shift over a threshold leading to the 5.1 Annual Crops Plant Community Phase within the Crop Production State (State 5).
Mechanism
Seeding may lead this Crop Production State (State 6) over a threshold to the Native/Invaded State (State 3).
Mechanism
T6B – Seeding may lead this Crop Production State (State 6) over a threshold to the Invaded State (State 4).
T6C – Cropping followed by abandonment may lead this plant community phase over a threshold to the 4.3 Annual Pioneer- Perennial Pioneer Plant Community Phase within the Invaded State (State 4).
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.