Bedrock Controlled Upland Prairies
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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Transition T1A
Transition to agriculture; tillage; seeding; continued management
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
The Bedrock Controlled Upland Prairies ecological site reference plant community is native prairie with grasses and forbs tolerant of dry conditions. Community phases in the model are dependent upon the impacts of fire. Frequent fire maintains the grassland community.
A secondary trigger for maintenance or change is grazing. Intensive grazing can reduce the extent of highly palatable species thereby allowing the growth of less desirable plants to increase. Grazing management guidelines vary by site depending on specific site characteristics and management objectives.
High-quality, undisturbed, native prairie remnants are extremely uncommon. Many areas currently managed as prairie were previously disturbed. It is therefore likely that many native prairie species were extirpated even from these sites.
Resilience management
Prescribed fire and managed grazing are key resilience management practices. Prescribed grazing incorporates periods of grazing rest during the growing season which benefits tallgrass maintenance. Excessive grazing can quickly impact the vegetative composition and negatively impact soil stability. Prescribed fire is the controlled application of fire to modify vegetation structure and influence ecological processes.
Submodel
Description
The Agricultural State is characterized by grazing, hay production, or row crops. Only lower slope sites, usually those with moderately deep soils, are feasible for row crops. Many areas in this ecological site are not appropriate for row crop production due to slope and/or shallow soils.
On those sites that are tilled, the dynamic soil properties such as bulk density, structure, organic carbon content, and saturated hydraulic conductivity are altered. Certain practices can mitigate the impacts of traditional tillage agricultural practices on soil health. Conservation tillage minimizes soil disturbance and can improve soil structure and overall soil health. Corn or soybean plantings and a cover crop rotation can build soil structure, improve infiltration rates, reduce runoff and erosion, and protect water quality.
Some areas have been seeded to cool-season or warm-season grasses. Native warm-season grass planting is often conducted under conservation programs such as the NRCS Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Although highly beneficial to wildlife, these sites generally lack the species diversity in a high-quality reference state. Cool-season grasses are also feasible for some areas. Species selection will depend on the landowner's objectives and site specifics.
Resilience management
Disturbance management and harvest management are resilience management practices. The maintenance of this state requires that the intensity, frequency, duration, and timing of agricultural practices (disturbances) be managed to control or modify vegetation structure.
Submodel
Mechanism
Transition T1A is the conversion of native prairie to agricultural production.
Constraints to recovery
Tillage precludes a return to State 1. Previously tilled areas may seeded with warm-season grasses, but will not exhibit the natural species diversity or ecological resilience of State 1.
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.