Sandy Coastal Grasslands and Forests
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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Transition T1A
Community Destroying Disturbance Event
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Transition T1B
Introduction and Establishment of Invasive / Non-Native / Undesirable Species
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Transition T1C
Human Alteration and Human Transportation of Soils Materials
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Restoration pathway R2A
Vegetation Establishment
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Transition T2A
Human Alteration and Human Transportation of Soils Materials
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Restoration pathway R3A
Invaded / Non-Native/ Undesirable Species Removal and Restoration
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Transition T3A
Human Alteration and Human Transportation of Soils 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
This state consists of reference coastal non-forested and forested communities. Changes in community phase will follow succession as distance from saline influence increases.
Resilience management
This state develops usually in one of two ways: either as a barrier island builds seaward, developing new beach dune ridges along the shore, protecting the inland ridges from sand burial and salt spray, or as a beach recovers from a storm event as a new foredune protects the overwashed area from sand burial and sea spray. Distance from the coast and the physical barrier of the first dune ridge above the beach (foredune) diminish the intensity of sand burial and salt spray, which affect the coastal grassland community to a lesser extent than they do the beach dune community. Once a new foredune ridge builds up above the beach and plant cover inhibits further sand movement behind this ridge, other herbaceous species can colonize and occur with the coastal pioneer species to form the coastal grassland community.
Submodel
Description
This state encompasses unconsolidated unvegetated substrate primarily consisting of sand and shell fragments. This community shift is typically driven by the destruction of a dune system during a storm event, when storm waves breach a dune and spread sand over the coastal grassland, killing the existing species through intensive burial and prolonged inundation of saltwater. Amount of substrate is dependent on the local intensity and destruction of the storm.
Resilience management
Once a new foredune ridge builds up above the beach and plant cover inhibits further sand movement behind this ridge, other herbaceous species can colonize and occur with the coastal pioneer species to reform the coastal grassland community.
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 a new 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, Canaveral 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
This transition is driven during high intensity storm events when the protective dune system is destroyed, the storm surge deposits overwash of marine deposits. This deposition of sediment and prolong inundation of salt water will kill existing reference species and replace the area with unconsolidated substrate. Distance from the coast and the physical barrier of the first dune ridge above the beach diminish the intensity of sand burial and salt spray.
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 restoration is often driven naturally due to an abundance of salt tolerant seeds present in these communities. For vegetation establishment to thrive in these systems, a dune system must first be rebuilt to protect these communities that form immediately behind it.
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.
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.