Saline Subirrigated
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1-2 More details
- Transition T1-3 More details
- Transition T2-3 More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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State 1
Reference State
Description
This state describes the range of vegetative community phases that occur on the Saline Subirrigated site where the natural processes are mostly intact. The Marsh Zone is a semi-permanently flooded portion of the site, while the The Wet meadow Zone is a representation of the native plant community phase that occupies the seasonally wet areas of the site that have been minimally altered by management. The At-Risk and the Excessive Litter Communities are the phases that result from management decisions that are unfavorable for a healthy Reference Community. The Ephemeral Forb Community is the result of a high-intensity disturbance event.
High perennial grass cover and production allows for increased soil moisture retention, vegetative production, and overall soil quality.
Submodel
States 2 and 5 (additional transitions)
1.2. Wet-meadow Zone
1.5. Ephemeral Forb Phase
Description
This state has been degraded from the Reference State and much of the native warm-season grass community has been replaced by less desirable plants. The loss of tall and mid- warm-season grasses has negatively impacted energy flow and nutrient cycling. A compaction layer may be present due to excessive livestock hoof action.
Permanent alterations of the soil community and the hydrologic cycle make restoration to the original native Reference Community extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Mechanism
Heavy grazing or haying without adequate recovery periods will cause this state to lose a significant proportion of tall and mid- warm-season grass species and cross a threshold to the Degraded State. Water infiltration and other hydrologic functions will be reduced due to the root-matting presence of sod-forming grasses. With the decline and loss of deeper-penetrating root systems, soil structure and biological integrity are catastrophically degraded to the point that recovery is unlikely. Once this occurs, it is highly unlikely that grazing management alone will return the community to the Reference State.
Mechanism
The Reference State is significantly altered by mechanical tillage to allow the site to be placed into production agriculture. The disruption to the plant community, the soil, and the hydrology of the system make restoration to a true reference state unlikely.
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.