Seasonally Wet Terraces and Footslopes
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Tree removal, brush management, plantation tree establishment and management.
More details -
Transition T1B
Tree removal, mechanical and chemical woody vegetation suppression, tillage, introduce annual or perennial forage species.
More details -
Transition T2A
Woody species removal, prescribed fire, seeding, and grazing.
More details -
Transition T3A
Forage species suppression, brush management, plantation tree establishment and management.
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
The reference state is considered to be representative of the natural range of variability without major anthropogenic influences.
Drivers- Climate (decadal scale), insect and disease presence or establishment, wildlife grazing or browsing, and wildfire frequency and intensity.
Feedbacks- Water tolerant tree species dominate this ecological site, rare flooding events limit what species can grow and survive inundation.
Characteristics and indicators
The reference state consists of a bottomland hardwood forest. The common trees species for this state are oak, hickory, and hackberry.
Submodel
Description
The plantation state is characterized by the planting of merchantable trees species. The most common species for a plantation is loblolly pine. Community phases differ by tree type (softwood or hardwood) and the harvesting process.
Drivers: Prescribed fires, pest management, vegetation management, canopy density.
Feedbacks: Timber harvesting. Planted tree species dominate this ecological site, shading out other vegetation. Anthropogenic management decreases competition with other species and assists in growth.
Characteristics and indicators
A plantation state consists of tree species that are planted and managed to maximize the production of merchantable timber. The most common plantation species is loblolly pine, followed by hardwood trees. Community phases differ by tree type (softwood or hardwood), timber harvest method, management, and reforesting practices.
Submodel
Description
The Pasture State is characterized by the dominance of improved forage species. The quality and quantity of forb, grass, and legume species within this state will depend on the level of management inputs including seeding, weed management, and land uses. Species of both warm-season and cool-season grasses are feasible for these sites.
Drivers: Mechanical soil disturbance and seed planting, climate (decadal scale), seed dispersal, and wildlife or livestock grazing or browsing.
Feedbacks: Land managers use mechanical and chemical equipment to increase forage. Inputs of fertilizer and brush management are required to maintain high productivity. Wildlife and livestock grazing and browsing decrease the amount of available forage.
Characteristics and indicators
The Pasture State consists of species that are grown for specific management goals, mainly livestock grazing. Common pasture species include buffalograss, western wheatgrass, little bluestem, sideoats grama, Bermudagrass, and bahiagrass. Quality and quantity of forb, grass, and legume species within this state depend on the level of management inputs (seeding, weed management, and land uses). Species of both warm-season and cool-season grasses are feasible for these sites.
Submodel
Mechanism
Trigger: Merchantable tree planting, targeted vegetation suppression, prescribed fire, and fertilization.
Slow Variables: Increased production and management of merchantable trees. Tree thinning when appropriate.
Thresholds: Vegetation is removed and timber species are planted.
Mechanism
Trigger: Tree removal, mechanical and chemical woody vegetation suppression, tillage, introduce annual or perennial forage species.
Slow Variables: Increase production and management of forage species.
Thresholds: Changes in soil properties, such as structure, organic matter, and nutrient cycling, as well as changes in type and frequency of disturbance.
Mechanism
Trigger: Tree removal, mechanical and chemical woody vegetation suppression, tillage, introduce annual or perennial forage species.
Slow Variables: Increase production and management of forage species.
Thresholds: Changes in soil properties such as structure, organic matter, and nutrient cycling as well as changes in type and frequency of disturbance.
Mechanism
Trigger: Merchantable tree planting, targeted vegetation suppression, prescribed fire, and fertilization.
Slow Variables: Increased production and management of merchantable trees. Tree thinning when appropriate.
Thresholds: Introduced forage species are suppressed due to management strategies and shading.
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.