Interbedded Sedimentary Uplands
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition A More details
- Transition B More details
- Transition A More details
- Restoration pathway 3 More details
- Transition 3 More details
- Restoration pathway A More details
-
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
According to NatureServe classification, this PES loosely corresponds to the following description:
This system encompasses dry hardwood forests on predominately acidic substrates in the Allegheny and Cumberland plateaus, and ridges in the southern Ridge and Valley. Its range is more or less consistent with the "Mixed Mesophytic Forest Region" of Braun (1950) and Greller (1988), although it is not a mesic forest type. These forests are typically dominated by Quercus alba, Quercus falcata, Quercus prinus, Quercus coccinea, with lesser amounts of Acer rubrum, Carya glabra, and Carya alba. Small inclusions of Pinus echinata and/or Pinus virginiana may occur, particularly adjacent to escarpments or following fire. In addition, Pinus strobus may be prominent in some stands in the absence of fire. It occurs in a variety of situations, including on nutrient-poor or acidic soils. Sprouts of Castanea dentata can often be found where it was formerly a common tree.
Submodel
Description
Managed pasture for a variety of livestock is a typical land-use on this site. Species composition and productivity are largely dependent on local conditions and management strategies.
Submodel
Description
This state results when land has been put in crops or pasture and abandoned. Pine and weedy species usually colonize. Depending on the rate and intensity of invasion, it may naturally return to an upland forest or it might need management.
Submodel
Description
These plantations are chiefly loblolly pine, which has been planted north of it's native range. Many of these stands have experienced significant damage from the southern pine beetle. They are in various age classes and would have to be approached on an individual basis but to restore to a condition resembling the reference state, a suite of forestry practices would need to be employed, potentially including regeneration harvest with reserves (cut-and-remove) and regeneration cutting with reserves (cut-and-leave) treatments and the establishment/maintenance of native woodlands. A professional forester would need to make management recommendations at the stand level.
Submodel
Mechanism
Forest clearing, herbicide application where needed and establishment of pasture plants
Mechanism
Forest clearing (clear-cut), site preparation, planting, fertilization as needed
Mechanism
Natural succession, management (invasive plant control, tree planting in some cases)
Mechanism
Regeneration harvest with reserves (cut-and-remove) and regeneration cutting with reserves (cut-and-leave) treatments and the establishment/maintenance of woodlands. Natural regeneration and artificial regeneration with desirable native pine/hardwood species; weed control (herbicide site preparation)
Model keys
Briefcase
Add ecological sites and Major Land Resource Areas to your briefcase by clicking on the briefcase (
) icon wherever it occurs. Drag and drop items to reorder. Cookies are used to store briefcase items between browsing sessions. Because of this, the number of items that can be added to your briefcase is limited, and briefcase items added on one device and browser cannot be accessed from another device or browser. Users who do not wish to place cookies on their devices should not use the briefcase tool. Briefcase cookies serve no other purpose than described here and are deleted whenever browsing history is cleared.
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.