Ponded Floodplain Prairie
Scenario model
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
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Description
This state is typical of wet depressional prairies and marshes that experience full horizon saturation (endosaturation) for extended periods during the growing season. Long duration flooding regimes are common during some years.
This state is very rare. Nearly all sites have been converted to intensive agriculture cropland along with some cool season grassland.
Submodel
Description
This state is typical of wet depressional prairies and marshes that experience full horizon saturation (endosaturation) for extended periods during the growing season. Long duration flooding regimes are common during some years.
Two phases can occur that will transition back and forth depending on ponding and flooding frequencies. Longer ponding and flooding intervals with periods of open water will reduce woody species such prairie willow, dogwoods and false indigo. When ponding and flooding intervals shorten these woody species will increase or re-establish.
This state is very rare. Nearly all sites have been converted to intensive agriculture cropland along with some cool season grassland.
Submodel
Description
Degraded reference states that have experienced reduced ponding and flooding reduction for 20 or more years will transition to this state.
With reduced ponding and flooding, woody species such as willow, silver maple and dogwood will begin to increase transitioning this state from a prairie to a Woody Invaded Prairie. Native ground cover will also decrease. Transition from this state to cool season grasslands (State 3) or intensive cropland (State 4) was very common.
Submodel
Description
Conversion of other states to non-native cool season species such as Reed canarygrass, white clover, and red top occurs infrequently. Occasionally, these pastures will have scattered bur oaks or pecan.
Transitioning to a Cropland State to help eliminate non-native grassland species and then restoring to a reference state is usually the easiest and most useful method of restoration from this state.
Submodel
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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.