Moist Clay Rises and Flats
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Lack of fire
More details -
Transition T1B
Land use conversion
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Transition T1C
Salinization
More details -
Transition T2A
Reintroduction of fire
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Transition T2B
Land use conversion
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Transition T2C
Salinization
More details -
Transition T3A
Restoration
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Transition T3B
Salinization
More details -
Transition T4A
Salinization
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
On this site, this vegetation community ranges from an open overstory to a nearly closed canopy. This clayey longleaf pine type is characterized by a dense shrub layer and a sparce to absent herbaceous layer. Fire helps to establish and maintain a more open canopy, but, on this site, some locations with a frequent fire return interval maintain a nearly closed canopy. This vegetation community on this site is exceptionally rare today, due mostly to landuse conversion to agriculture.
(Peat and Allard, 1993; Schafale and Weakley, 1990)
Description
Mixed hardwood forests are closed canopy forests dominated by deciduous hardwoods. These forests tend to occur at locations protected from fire. These forests are typically uneven aged with regeneration establishing in canopy gaps. Pines and shade tolerant hardwoods tend to occur in areas that have experienced disturbance.
(FNAI, 2010; Peat and Allard, 1993; Schafale and Weakley, 1990)
Submodel
Description
Restoration efforts might include revegetation and reintroduction of periodic fire. There is increased interest in restoration of longleaf pine and it's associated vegetation communities including the application of prescribed and controlled fire. However, it is unclear whether or not the full historical range of fire behavior and fire seasonality can be restored on the modern landscape, and the limited scope of modern fire application may impact full restoration to historical conditions.
Description
Any community on this site that has become salinized by the impacts of salt water inundation or intrusion. Saltwater intrusion is the movement of saltwater into freshwater systems. The process occurs mostly by lateral flow into areas adjacent to coastal waters or ditch systems that connect saltwater bodies. These ditch systems are designed to drain freshwater off of a site, but sea level rise and extreme tidal events push saltwater up these ditch systems and expose more of the landscape to salinization processes. Salinization can also occur as storm surge and/or extreme high tides push saltwater over the top of these terrestrial freshwater systems.
Mechanism
Lack of fire, or a fire return interval that exceeds 10 years on a consistent basis for a long period of time.
Mechanism
Sea level rise, tidal inundation, and soil saltwater intrusion.
Mechanism
Sea level rise, tidal inundation, and soil saltwater intrusion.
Mechanism
Restoration of vegetation community and application of managed fire on a 2 to 10 year fire return interval.
Mechanism
Sea level rise, tidal inundation, and soil saltwater intrusion.
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.