Shallow Stony
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
-
Transition T1
grazing pressure
More details -
Transition T2
grazing pressure
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
State 1 Narrative:
State 1 represents grassland with no invasive or exotic weed species. All functional and structural groups are present.
Reference community 1.1 is dominated by Idaho fescue
Reference State Community Phases:
1.1 Reference Idaho fescue – bluebunch wheatgrass – native forbs
1.2 Heavy Forb Native forbs – Idaho fescue – bluebunch wheatgrass
Dominant Reference State Species: Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, native forbs
At-risk Communities:
• Any community in the reference state is at risk of moving to State 2. The seed source of annual grasses is nearby and moving into most sites annually.
• The Reference community for Shallow Stony is quite stable
Submodel
Description
State 2 Narrative
State 2 represents a moderate invasion by invasive species. Native species are present and dominant, but invasive species have gained a foothold. Grazing pressure weakens the stand of native species allowing the invasive species to colonize and establish themselves in the community.
The community is about evenly distributed between native forbs, invasive species and native bunchgrasses.
Community Phases for State 2:
2.1 Native community with invasive species: bluebunch wheatgrass – native forbs – invasive species
Dominant Species in State 2: native forbs, invasive species & native bunchgrasses
Submodel
Description
State 3 Narrative:
State 3 represents sites that are dominated by invasive species and has crossed a biological threshold. State 3 is rare for Shallow Stony sites. The main species include bulbous bluegrass, tarweed and ventenata.
Invasive annual grasses such as ventenata, are not as competitive on Shallow Stony North as on adjoining deeper ecological sites. But a micro-burst of annual grass and weeds can occur. Annual grass seed blows onto Shallow Stony sites annually. In a year with heavy snowfall and early spring rain, such as 2017, the site has far more moisture than the plant community can utilize. This is the opportunity for cheatgrass seed to germinate and produce a huge flush of cheatgrass plants. In following years when moisture is normal or below normal cheatgrass seed will not germinate or make viable plants. So, these micro-bursts are episodic and mostly a temporary condition on Stony Shallow. Within a couple of years annual grasses and weeds will be nonexistent to at most a very minor component.
Submodel
Mechanism
T1 Transition from Reference State with no invasive species to State 2 a with a mixed stand of native plants with some invasive species. Previously the stand has not had alien species. The result of this transition is the presence of invasive species. Depending on seeds in the soil bank and what is growing nearby, bulbous bluegrass, tarweed, ventenata or other invasives enter the stand of native species.
Primary Trigger: grazing pressure (heavy grazing intensity, season long grazing or frequent late spring grazing) to Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and other palatable grasses species
Ecological process: with consistent grazing pressure bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue and other palatable species exhibit poor vigor, shrinking crowns and plant mortality. The release of resources and niche space provide invasive species the opportunity to colonize and establish.
Indicators: decreasing cover of palatable native species and the occurrence of invasive species on sites where they had been absent.
Mechanism
T2 Result: shift from State 2 of native species with some invasive plants to State 3 which is dominated by invasive species. This transition occurs once the cover of invasive species is dominate and the cover of dominant native species are minor.
Primary Trigger: grazing pressure (heavy grazing intensity, season long grazing or frequent late spring grazing) to Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and other palatable species.
Ecological Process: with consistent defoliation pressure Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass and other palatable species have poor vigor, shrinking crowns and plant mortality. In a series of retrogressions palatable native species are weakened, and the invasive species increase to fill the void. This continues until the stand is dominated by invasive species rather than natives. Also, the site has lost its primary species that stabilize and protect the soil from wind and water erosion and has also lost the ability to retain adequate soil moisture for many of the native perennial species.
Indicators: Decreasing cover of Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass and increasing cover of invasive species. Increasing distance between perennial bunchgrass crowns.
Recovery
State 3 is considered non-reversible. Due to shallow soil depth, surface rock and rock within the soil profile, and the equipment limitations thereof, seeding is not practical for the Shallow Stony ecological site.
Restoration of bluebunch wheatgrass, sagebrush, native forbs and the soil biotic crust would be very problematic at best on Shallow Stony. Seeds must germinate. Seedlings and plugged plants need soil moisture and time to become established. In most years, seeds and plugs may not have a chance as site conditions on Shallow Stony can change quickly. Drying winds and bright sun can turn a snowy or muddy site into a hard crust before plants are established. So, the timing of all recovery efforts would have an extremely narrow window of opportunity on Shallow Stony. Perhaps the only avenue for recovery would be to plant plugs of native species which is a very costly and risky proposition.
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
Liston, A, B.L. Wilson, W.A. Robinson, P.S. Doescher, N.R. Harris, and T. Svejar. 2003. The Relative Importance of Sexula Reproduction Versus Clonal Spread in an Arid Bunchgrass. Oecologia 137:216-225
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
Soil Conservation Service, Range Sites for MLRA 8 from 1980s and 1990s
Vallentine, John F. 1971. Range Development and Improvement. BYU Press, Provo, Utah
Model keys
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