Sand Dunes Provisional Ecological Site Group (R/F)
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
catastrophic events, multiple or continuous disturbances
More details -
Restoration pathway R2A
time, stabilization, potential seeding and protection
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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 characteristic plant community or reference plant community for the Stable Sand Dunes State is an open forest of aspen-paper birch woodland and is the latest successional stage and the presumed potential vegetation. The open forest overstory community consists of birch (Betula papyrifera), and aspen (Populus tremuloides) with tree density less than 30 percent. A diverse shrub community of labrador tea and bunchberry dominate the shrub understory with high bush cranberry, prickly rose, twinflower, blue joint grass and fireweed prominent in the community. Mosses, lichens, and other bryophytes are common.
Submodel
Description
The characteristic plant community or reference plant community for the Active Dunes and Ridges State is a sparse grass and scrub community. Mosses, lichens, and other bryophytes are minimal.
Submodel
Mechanism
Catastrophic events or multiple events, continuous disruption by equipment, vehicles, or recreational activities result in the loss of deep-rooted perennial vegetation, fires especially. With the loss of the stabilizing roots and vegetative cover, sands and silts are exposed to winds and water. These erosional forces can quickly start actively moving the soils and eroding a site, reactivating dunes creating blowouts.
Mechanism
Given time without surface disturbance, successional processes will slowly stabilize the sands and silts, allowing perennial deep rooted plants to establish. In some instances, practices to reshape and manually stabilize slopes may be necessary to expedite the process. Seeding, and use protection may also be required to allow healing to begin.
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.