Deep Sandy over Loamy Maritime Forests
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Intense Saline Intrusion
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Transition T1B
Land Use Conversion and Pasture Development
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Transition T1C
Land Use Conversion and Agricultural Development
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Transition T1D
Introduction and Establishment of Invasive / Non-Native / Undesirable Species
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Transition T1E
Human Alteration & Human Transportation of Soil Materials
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Restoration pathway R2A
Dilution of Salt / Species Regrowth
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Transition T2A
Introduction and Establishment of Invasive / Non-Native / Undesirable Species
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Transition T2B
Human Alteration & Human Transportation of Soil Materials
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Restoration pathway R4A
Hydrologic and Natural Vegetation Reestablishment
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Transition T3A
Land Use Conversion and Agricultural Field/ Grove Development
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Transition T3B
Introduction and Establishment of Invasive / Non-Native / Undesirable Species
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Transition T3A
Human Alteration & Human Transportation of Soil Materials
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Restoration pathway R4A
Hydrologic and Natural Vegetation Reestablishment
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Transition T4A
Land Use Conversion and Pasture Development
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Transition T4B
Introduction and Establishment of Invasive / Non-Native / Undesirable Species
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Transition T4C
Human Alteration & Human Transportation of Soil Materials
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Restoration pathway R5A
Invaded / Non-Native/ Undesirable Removal & Restoration
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Restoration pathway R5B
Invaded / Non-Native/ Undesirable Removal & Restoration
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Restoration pathway R5C
Invaded / Non-Native/ Undesirable Removal & Restoration
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Transition T5A
Human Alteration and / or Human Transportation of Soil Materials
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
Closed canopy mature maritime forests are the reference state on these soils along the Atlantic coast. Classic succession is generally accepted as long-term stabilized dune ridges which with periods of glacial formation and recession, led to a shifting Florida coastline and allowed for a maritime forest to develop. It is highly unlikely that these forests will ever transition with increased sea level rise to an active dune system, and with intense disturbance events will transition to a ghost forest or shrub thicket.
Resilience management
The main threats to these habitats include intense fragmentation and urbanization, as well as intense disturbance events which may change community structure. Management of these habitats should be directed primarily towards reducing forest fragmentation and protecting its ecological integrity.
Submodel
Description
This state represents a standing dead maritime forest in which a storm event has deposited excessive sand and salt through storm surges and extreme winds. While these species of maritime forests are tolerant of the influence of sea spray, prolonged salt exposure may kill the root system, leaving behind the standing dead tree, often giving the appearance of a standing dead forest. This may also be seen along the edge of fragmented areas (i.e. road cutting through the maritime forest) as sea spray from onshore winds may kill the exposed edge, creating a standing dead forest of the canopy species until shearing and regrowth form a early successional maritime thicket. These areas are characterized by standing dead trees with little to no living vegetation. Arboreal epiphytes such as airplants (Tillandsia spp.) may be present on the limbs.
Description
Pasture is a land use type having vegetation cover comprised primarily of introduced or enhanced native forage species that is used for livestock grazing. Pasture vegetation can consist of grasses, legumes, other forbs, shrubs or a mixture. The majority of these forages are introduced, having originally come from areas in other states or continents. Most are now naturalized and are vital components of pasture based grazing systems. Pasture lands provide many benefits other than forage for livestock. Wildlife use pasture as shelter and for food sources. Well managed pasture captures rainwater that slowly infiltrates into the soil which helps recharge groundwater. Many small pasture livestock operations are near urban areas providing vistas for everyone to enjoy. It is especially important as livestock managers continues to experience extraordinarily high fuel and other input costs.
Overgrazed pastures can lead to soil compaction and numerous bare spots, which may then become focal points of accelerated erosion and colonization sites of undesirable plants or weeds. It is strongly advised that consultation with State Resource Conservationist and District Conservationists at local NRCS Service Centers be sought when assistance is needed in developing management recommendations or prescribed grazing practices. This grassland / pastureland state correlates with the 2013 Florida Forage Suitability Group G155XB211FL (Sandy over Loamy Soils on Knolls and Ridges of Mesic Uplands).
Resilience management
Due to the effect from wind-borne sea spray, saline tolerant grass species may be utilized to get maximum production out of these areas.
Submodel
Description
The agriculture industry includes cultivated crops, aquaculture, and apiculture. Cultivated cropland includes areas used for the production of adapted crops for harvest. These areas comprise of land in row crops or close-grown crops that are in a rotation with row or close-grown crops. Primary exports from Florida consist of fruits, greenhouse and nursery products, sugar cane, and the signature export of citrus. Aquaculture includes the cultivation and maintenance of aquatic plants, aquatic reptiles, crustaceans, food/ ornamental fish, shellfish, and other miscellaneous species for harvesting. Apiculture includes the maintenance of honeybees and hives to provide beeswax, honey/ other edible bee products, crop pollination services, and sales of bees to other beekeepers. These areas have been modified resulting in land clearing practices and hydrologic management to fit the growers needs. It is strongly advised that consultation with State Agronomist and District Conservationists at local NRCS Service Centers be sought when assistance is needed in developing management recommendations.
Resilience management
Major natural resource concerns facing cropland include: (1) erosion by wind and water, (2) maintaining and enhancing soil quality, (3) water quality from nutrient and pesticides runoff and leaching, and (4) managing the quantity of water available for irrigation. For more specific information regarding cropland please contact your local NRCS office.
Submodel
Description
This state represents the dominance of one or multiple non-native or exotic species which outcompetes the native natural community and may significantly alter the composition and structure of the invaded stand by overshading the canopy and understory components and preventing regeneration of native species.
Submodel
Description
These areas include soils that were intentionally and substantially modified by humans for an intended purpose, commonly for terraced agriculture, building support, mining, transportation, and commerce. The alteration is of sufficient magnitude to result in the introduction of anew parent material (human-transported material) or a profound change in the previously existing parent material (human-altered material).They do not include soils modified through standard agricultural practices or farmed soils with unintended wind and water erosion. When a soil is on or above an anthropogenic landform or microfeature, it can be definitely be associated with human activity and is assigned to a unique taxa, usually found as an "Urban land complex" within that communities' natural soil properties (e.g, Cocoa fine sand-Urban land complex, 0 to 2 percent slopes).
Characteristics and indicators
Evidence of these areas include soils with manufactured items (e.g. artifacts) present in the profile, human altered-materials (e.g., deeply excavated or deeply plowed soil) or human-transported material (e.g., fill), and position on or above anthropogenic landforms (e.g., flood-control levees) and microfeatures (e.g., drainage ditches). Detailed criteria regarding the identification of anthropogenic (artificial) landforms, human-altered materials, and human-transported material are in the "Keys to Soil Taxonomy" (Soil Survey Staff, 2014).
Submodel
Mechanism
Intense saline intrusion may be sufficient to kill mature trees in a maritime forest. This most often happens in two ways:
1) Extreme storm events may create a breakthrough of the dune system, flooding the communities protected behind it, allowing for the storm surge to deposit sand and salt-water to enter the maritime forest. This deposit of salt into the system can kill the roots of the mature trees, leaving behind standing dead trees.
2) Fragmentation of the maritime forest may expose the forest to a more intense wind-borne sea spray which causes a shearing effect on the canopy, giving it a pruned look. This newly exposed edge may die back and leave behind the standing dead trees.
Constraints to recovery
Precipitation will dilute the salt out of the system over time, allowing for the growth of early successional maritime species, often creating a thicket of low, pruned shrubby species.
Mechanism
Actions required to convert native habitat to pasture or forage production include herbicide application, seedbed preparation, and the establishment of desired plants. Decisions to convert native land to pastureland on this site should be made carefully and continuously evaluated before, during, and after conversion activities. This site is extremely susceptible to soil compaction and erosion. The decision to proceed with this action should be done so in close communication with and guidance from local NRCS Service Centers.
Mechanism
Actions required to convert native habitat to agricultural land include herbicide application, seedbed preparation, and the establishment of desired plants. Decisions to convert native land to agriculture on this site should be made carefully and continuously evaluated before, during, and after conversion activities. The decision to proceed with this action should be done so in close communication with and guidance from local NRCS Service Centers
Mechanism
This transition represents proliferation and dominance of an invasive species. Soil mechanical disturbances can compound this effect and create suitable conditions for invasive species.
Mechanism
This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.
Mechanism
As salt is diluted out of the system via seasonal precipitation, more saline tolerant shrub species are able to grow and form a maritime thicket.
Mechanism
This transition represents proliferation and dominance of an invasive species. Soil mechanical disturbances can compound this effect and create suitable conditions for invasive species.
Mechanism
This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.
Mechanism
This mechanism is driven by restoring natural hydrologic flow to the area (dependent on level of alteration) to meet the natural hydroperiod once supported by these communities. This can be done via blocking or filling in previously made ditches used to drain and channelize water flow out of the system for pasture management. Other management practices such as replanting native grasses, shrubs, and trees must be implemented to return the to the natural state. Local site conditions and disturbances may determine existing plant seed banks and community composition of managed grasslands/ pastures. The decision to proceed with this action should be done so in close communication with and guidance from local NRCS Service Centers.
Mechanism
Actions required to convert altered land use to agricultural land include herbicide application, seedbed preparation, and the establishment of desired plants. Decisions to convert land to agriculture on this site should be made carefully and continuously evaluated before, during, and after conversion activities. The decision to proceed with this action should be done so in close communication with and guidance from local NRCS Service Centers.
Mechanism
This transition represents proliferation and dominance of an invasive species. Soil mechanical disturbances can compound this effect and create suitable conditions for invasive species.
Mechanism
This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.
Mechanism
This mechanism is driven by restoring natural hydrologic flow to the area (dependent on level of alteration) to meet the natural hydroperiod once supported by these communities. This can be done via blocking or filling in previously made ditches used to drain and channelize water flow out of the system for pasture management. Other management practices such as replanting native grasses, shrubs, and trees must be implemented to return the to the natural state. Local site conditions and disturbances may determine existing plant seed banks and community composition of managed grasslands/ pastures. The decision to proceed with this action should be done so in close communication with and guidance from local NRCS Service Centers.
Mechanism
Actions required to convert altered land use to pasture or forage production include herbicide application, seedbed preparation, and the establishment of desired plants. Decisions to convert to pastureland on this site should be made carefully and continuously evaluated before, during, and after conversion activities. This site is extremely susceptible to soil compaction and erosion. The decision to proceed with this action should be done so in close communication with and guidance from local NRCS Service Centers.
Mechanism
This transition represents proliferation and dominance of an invasive species. Soil mechanical disturbances can compound this effect and create suitable conditions for invasive species.
Mechanism
This transition is driven by the alteration and/ or transportation of materials via anthropogenic means.
Mechanism
The establishment of, or a return to, natural habitat conditions following a previous invasive / non-native / undesirable species infestation may be possible in some areas. Successful actions will require relentless efforts that include removal of the species via chemical or mechanical or biological means. In some extreme cases, restoration attempts could result in greater erosion and worsening of local conditions. Please consult with District and Soil Conservationists at local NRCS Field Offices for advice and guidance on land restoration attempts on invaded areas.
Mechanism
The establishment of, or a return to, altered land use conditions following a previous invasive / non-native / undesirable species infestation may be possible in some areas. Successful actions will require relentless efforts that include removal of the species via chemical or mechanical or biological means. In some extreme cases, restoration attempts could result in greater erosion and worsening of local conditions. Please consult with District and Soil Conservationists at local NRCS Field Offices for advice and guidance on land restoration attempts on invaded areas.
Mechanism
The establishment of, or a return to, altered land use conditions following a previous invasive / non-native / undesirable species infestation may be possible in some areas. Successful actions will require relentless efforts that include removal of the species via chemical or mechanical or biological means. In some extreme cases, restoration attempts could result in greater erosion and worsening of local conditions. Please consult with District and Soil Conservationists at local NRCS Field Offices for advice and guidance on land restoration attempts on invaded areas.
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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.