Poorly Drained Fine Mixed Floodplain
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
- Restoration pathway R2 - 1 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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Description
The reference forest state described is one of several similar vegetation communities within the Central Appalachian River Floodplain System as defined by NatureServe (NatureServe, 2009). Due to the long history of human activity, the associations listed below may in reality reflect the current naturalized, minimally managed, post disturbance state rather than the historic, pre-European settlement condition. These areas will have a mixture of mesophytic (moisture loving) hardwood and hemlock forests, but the primary conditions described below will be wetland associations. Due to the heterogeneity and the broadness of this provisional ecological unit, they are not intended to cover every situation nor the full range of conditions and species. There are no transition pathways designated between the two communities in the reference state because their relationship is not clearly understood.
Submodel
Mechanism
Logging, clearing, installation of drainage systems, tillage and conversion to agricultural practices like row cropping or managed pasture.
Mechanism
Exclude grazing, plant native seeds and seedlings, eliminate and manage nonnative and aggressive species. Return to the reference or post logged minimally managed state may require a very long term series of costly management options and stages. Many species may need to be planted or seeded heavily to restore the system. Depending on the existing seed bank and the proximity of a mature forest from which to recruit seeds, ruderal forests may regain a mixed forest stand. Nevertheless, sites that have been cleared may have significant soil disturbance including compaction, erosion, loss of native soil structure, loss of soil organic matter, disruption of soil microorganisms, all which affect the soil’s nutrient availability and water holding capacity (Duiker and Myers, 2005). These characteristics favor recolonization by plant species that have wind dispersed seeds (verses those that propagate through underground roots called rhizomes, or which have heavy seeds that stay near the parent tree), are shade intolerant, and have rapid to moderate growth rates (Dyer, 2010). Aggressive control of nonnative species and invasives will be ongoing.
The following conservation practices from the Natural Resources Conservation Service Field Office Technical Guide can be used for restoration efforts (FOTG-USDA): Brush Management-314; Critical Area Planting-342; Early Successional Habitat Development-647; Fence-382; Forest Stand Improvement-666; Herbaceous Weed Control-315; Tree/Shrub site Preparation-490; Wetland restoration-657; Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management-644; Riparian Forest Buffer-391.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
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Brush Management |
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Critical Area Planting |
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Fence |
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Riparian Forest Buffer |
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Tree/Shrub Site Preparation |
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Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management |
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Early Successional Habitat Development/Management |
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Wetland Restoration |
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Forest Stand Improvement |
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Herbaceous Weed Control |
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.