Wet Meadow
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1 More details
- Restoration pathway R1 More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
There may be few examples of good condition Wet Meadow remaining in MLRA 8, as most sites have been converted to other land uses or altered by farming practices.
State 1 Narrative:
State 1 represents Wet Meadow with no invasive or exotic weeds species. This has been reconstructed because there are few to no examples of pristine Wet Meadow remaining.
Reference Community 1.1 is dominated by native bunchgrasses, sodforming grasses, and native sedges and rushes.
Community 1.2 is mainly native increasers.
Reference State Community Phases:
1.1 The main species are tufted hairgrass, slender wheatgrass, bluejoint, northern reedgrass,
1.2 the main species are Baltic rush, silverweed cinquefoil, clustered field sedge, Rocky Mtn. iris, and camas
At-risk Communities:
All communities in the reference state are at risk because of heavy grazing pressure, tillage, and other human manipulations to meadows.
Submodel
Description
State 2 Narrative:
State 2 represents communities of invasive species that have crossed a biological threshold. Virtually all the native functional, structural groups have been replaced.
Common invasive grass species for State 2 include Kentucky bluegrass, Canada bluegrass, quackgrass, redtop and reed canarygrass. Invasive broadleaf weeds include Canada thistle, bull thistle, houndstongue.
Community Phases for State 2: there is only one community in State 2
Description
State 3 Narrative:
State 3 represents a site that has been seeded to desirable grasses &/or legumes.
Common seeded species include orchard grass, tall fescues, smooth brome, intermediate wheatgrass, and legumes
Pathways within State 3: there is only one community in State 3
Mechanism
Transitions from State to State
T1 Result: Shift from Reference State with native species and no invasive species to State 2 which is dominated by invasive species. The plant community that has crossed a biological threshold. Virtually all the native functional, structural groups are missing.
Primary Trigger: tillage, other farming practices and grazing pressure (heavy grazing or season-long grazing) to native grasses. The transition from State 1 to State 2 occurs as Community 1.2 declines until it crosses the biological threshold.
Ecological process: with continued defoliation pressure native species have low vigor, shrinking crowns and mortality. This gives invasive species the opportunity to invade, then expand its cover and eventually become dominant.
Indicators: the presence of invasive species where none has existed before. Declining cover for native species and increasing cover for invasive species.
Mechanism
R1 Transition from State 2 (a community dominated by invasive rhizomatous grasses and broadleaf weeds) to State 3, which is predominately introduced grasses and legumes.
This restoration transition does not occur without significant time and inputs to control weeds, prepare a seedbed, seed desirable species, and post-seeding weed control and management. This can require a commitment of two years or more for weed control. Care must be taken to maintain soil structure. Seed placement must be managed to achieve seed-soil contact at very shallow depth (about 1/8-1/4 inch is desired). Proper grazing management is essential to maintain the stand post-seeding. Species such as orchardgrass, tall fescue, intermediate wheatgrass and clovers are highly adapted to the Wet Meadow ecological site.
The actual transition occurs when the seeded species have successfully established and are outcompeting the invasive species for cover and dominance of resources.
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. Pages 156-161 Inter-Mountain Basin Big Sagebrush.
Rouse, Gerald, MLRA 8 Ecological Sites as referenced from Natural Resources Conservation Service-Washington FOTG, 2004
Rouse, Gerald, Wet Meadow 10-16 PZ, draft Provisional ESD, this was never completed, approved nor loaded onto FOTG, date unknown.
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
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Ecological site groups
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