Stony south aspect, 4000-6000 feet
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1 More details
-
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
State 1 Narrative:
State 1 represents shrub steppe with no invasive or exotic weed species. Each functional, structural group has one or more native species.
Dominate Reference State Species: Bluebunch wheatgrass and Idaho fescue
Submodel
Description
State 2 Narrative:
State 2 represents an altered state. Native grasses, dominant in State 1, are now a minor component. Mountain big sagebrush has increased and is in a dominant position. Native forbs are mainly Angelica and other unpalatable forb species. Invasive sodforming grasses (Canada/Kentucky bluegrass) have invaded and increased to a position of dominance. Once the invasive sodforming grasses colonizes a site, the chance of going back to State 1 is small.
Dominate State 2 Species: Canada/Kentucky bluegrass, mountain big sagebrush.
Community Phases for State 2:
Sodforming grass – Shrub Canada/Kentucky bluegrass – mountain big sagebrush
Submodel
Mechanism
Transitions from State to State
T1 Result: transition from Reference State to State 2 The Reference State does not have invasive species while State 2 has the invasive Canada/Kentucky bluegrass.
Primary Trigger: Grazing pressure from livestock (heavy grazing intensity, season long grazing or frequent critical period grazing) to native grasses (Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and other palatable species).
Ecological process: defoliation pressure to native grasses results in poor vigor, shrinking crowns and plant mortality, and this releases resources and niche space. Mountain big sagebrush makes a moderate increase. Invasive sodforming grasses invade the site and expand to a dominant position in the community.
Indicators: The occurrence of Canada or Kentucky bluegrass on sites where it had been absent. The cover of native bunchgrasses has declined to a minor position in the community
Constraints to recovery
Recovery
We do not have experience in trying to restore these sites.
References:
Boling M., Frazier B., Busacca, A., General Soil Map of Washington, Washington State University, 1998
Daubenmire, R., Steppe Vegetation of Washington, EB1446, March 1968
Davies, Kirk, Medusahead Dispersal and Establishment in Sagebrush Steppe Plant Communities, Rangeland Ecology & Management, 2008
Environmental Protection Agency, map of Level III and IV Ecoregions of Washington, June 2010
Miller, Baisan, Rose and Pacioretty, “Pre and Post Settlement Fire regimes in mountain Sagebrush communities: The Northern Intermountain Region
Natural Resources Conservation Service, map of Common Resource Areas of Washington, 2003
Rapid Assessment Reference Condition Model for Wyoming sagebrush, LANDFIRE project, 2008
Rocchio, Joseph & Crawford, Rex C., Ecological Systems of Washington State. A Guide to Identification. Washington State Department of Natural Resources, October 2015.
Rouse, Gerald, MLRA 8 Ecological Sites as referenced from Natural Resources Conservation Service-Washington FOTG, 2004
Soil Conservation Service, Range Sites for MLRA 8 from 1980s and 1990s
Tart, D., Kelley, P., and Schlafly, P., Rangeland Vegetation of the Yakima Indian reservation, August 1987, YIN Soil and Vegetation Survey
Model keys
Briefcase
Add ecological site groups and Major Land Resource Areas to your briefcase by clicking on the briefcase (
) icon wherever it occurs. Drag and drop items to reorder. Cookies are used to store briefcase items between browsing sessions. Because of this, the number of items that can be added to your briefcase is limited, and briefcase items added on one device and browser cannot be accessed from another device or browser. Users who do not wish to place cookies on their devices should not use the briefcase tool. Briefcase cookies serve no other purpose than described here and are deleted whenever browsing history is cleared.
Ecological site groups
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.