Mucky Swamp
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1A More details
- Transition T1B More details
- Restoration pathway R2A More details
- Transition T2A More details
- Restoration pathway R3B More details
- Restoration pathway R3A More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
This site occurs in relatively flat areas (0-2% slopes) near the bottom of watersheds where water saturates deep organic muck deposits for most of the growing season. These organic soils are very poorly-drained and often underlain by mineral deposits at depths greater than 16 inches. The water table is within a few inches of the surface. This site often has pit and mound topography, with ponding typical in the pits, and slightly drier soil conditions on the mounds where most trees are rooted. This site is dominated by northern white cedar, often with black spruce, balsam fir, red maple, yellow birch, white pine, and/or brown ash present in small amounts. Most trees are rooted in the poorly-drained soil mounds rather than the very poorly-drained soil depressions. The understory is diverse with sphagnum moss, creeping snowberry, and three-seed sedge common.
Resilience management
Treethrow and altered hydrology are common disturbances on this site. Small openings created by treethrow, which is very common on these unstable soils, are typically colonized by species already present in the community and may persist as canopy openings dominated by herbaceous species for a long time.
Persistent ponding caused by beavers, man-made structures (such as roads, dams, etc.), or increased runoff in the watershed above can cause water levels to rise and kill cedar trees, resulting in an open ponded or marsh condition. If hydrology is restored to reference conditions, the site is likely to transition through a marsh and/or early seral forest phase before eventually returning to cedar dominance.
Logging is limited on this site and requires winter harvest methods when the ground is frozen. Cedar removal may result in an early seral phase dominated by balsam fir, grey birch, red maple, and other colonizers before eventually reverting to cedar dominance. This may take a very long time to occur.
Submodel
Description
Shifts in ecological site composition, functionality, and dynamics driven by natural disturbances, processes, and pressures (may have some anthropogenic drivers). More research is needed to determine the extent of the Semi-natural state associated with this ecological site.
Submodel
Description
Shifts in ecological site composition, functionality, and dynamics that are primary driven by anthropogenic disturbances and pressures (may have some associated natural drivers). More research is needed to determine the extent of the cultural state associated with this ecological site.
Submodel
Mechanism
climate change, hydrological alteration, increased nutrients or chemicals (pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer) transported to surface water, significant increase in flooding events and annual precipitation, introduction of invasive species, pests, and pathogens
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
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Monitoring and Evaluation |
Mechanism
hydrologic alteration (barrier, obstruction, dam, diversion), landscape alteration, mechanical soil disturbance, landscape alteration
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
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Dam |
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Land Clearing |
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Precision Land Forming |
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Irrigation Land Leveling |
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Land Smoothing |
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Drainage Water Management |
Mechanism
remediation of hydrologic alteration, management of invasive species, pests, and pathogens, restoration of key native plant species, restoration of terrestrial and aquatic habitat
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
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Riparian Herbaceous Cover |
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Riparian Forest Buffer |
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Aquatic Organism Passage |
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Obstruction Removal |
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Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining Habitats |
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Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management |
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Upland Wildlife Habitat Management |
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Shallow Water Development and Management |
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Early Successional Habitat Development/Management |
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Wetland Restoration |
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Wetland Enhancement |
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Restoration and Management of Natural Ecosystems |
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Native Plant Community Restoration and Management |
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Pathogen Management |
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Invasive Plant Species Control |
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Pathogen Management |
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Invasive Species Pest Management |
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Precision Pest Control Application |
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Shallow water habitat |
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Non-forested riparian zone enhancement for fish and wildlife |
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Riparian forest buffer, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat |
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Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats |
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Multi-species Native Perennials for Biomass/Wildlife Habitat |
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Establish pollinator habitat |
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Habitat Development for Beneficial Insects for Pest Management |
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Biological suppression and other non-chemical techniques to manage brush, weeds and invasive species |
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Biological suppression and other non-chemical techniques to manage herbaceous weeds invasive species |
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Monitoring and Evaluation |
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Herbaceous Weed Control |
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Aquatic Organism Passage Barrier Removal |
Mechanism
hydrologic alteration (barrier, obstruction, dam, diversion), landscape alteration, mechanical soil disturbance, landscape alteration
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
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Land Clearing |
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Precision Land Forming |
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Irrigation Land Leveling |
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Land Smoothing |
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Drainage Water Management |
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Floodproofing |
Mechanism
remediation of hydrologic alteration, seeding, planting, significant flooding events and increase in annual precipitation, compacted soil, establishment of key native plant species
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
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Critical Area Planting |
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Obstruction Removal |
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Vegetated Treatment Area |
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Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining Habitats |
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Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management |
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Upland Wildlife Habitat Management |
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Shallow Water Development and Management |
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Early Successional Habitat Development/Management |
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Wildlife Watering Facility |
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Constructed Wetland |
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Wetland Restoration |
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Wetland Creation |
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Wetland Enhancement |
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Restoration and Management of Natural Ecosystems |
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Native Plant Community Restoration and Management |
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Shallow water habitat |
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Non-forested riparian zone enhancement for fish and wildlife |
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Riparian forest buffer, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat |
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Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats |
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Multi-species Native Perennials for Biomass/Wildlife Habitat |
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Monitoring and Evaluation |
Mechanism
remediation of hydrologic alteration, seeding, planting, significant flooding events and increase in annual precipitation, compacted soil, establishment of key native plant species
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
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Obstruction Removal |
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Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining Habitats |
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Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management |
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Upland Wildlife Habitat Management |
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Shallow Water Development and Management |
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Early Successional Habitat Development/Management |
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Constructed Wetland |
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Wetland Restoration |
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Wetland Creation |
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Wetland Enhancement |
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Restoration and Management of Natural Ecosystems |
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Native Plant Community Restoration and Management |
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Restoration of Compacted Soils |
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Shallow water habitat |
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Non-forested riparian zone enhancement for fish and wildlife |
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Riparian forest buffer, terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitat |
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Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats |
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Multi-species Native Perennials for Biomass/Wildlife Habitat |
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Establish pollinator habitat |
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Monitoring and Evaluation |
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.