State 1
Rangeland (Loess mixed grass prairie)

Management interpretations

Community 1.1
Loess Mixed Grass Prairie

Community 1.2
Native/Invaded Grass State

Community 1.3
Invaded Grass State

Community 1.4
Invaded Woody State

Pathway P
Community 1.1 to 1.2

Loess Mixed Grass Prairie

Native/Invaded Grass State

Pathway P
Community 1.1 to 1.3

Loess Mixed Grass Prairie

Invaded Grass State

Pathway P
Community 1.1 to 1.4

Loess Mixed Grass Prairie

Invaded Woody State

Pathway P
Community 1.2 to 1.1

Native/Invaded Grass State

Loess Mixed Grass Prairie

Pathway P
Community 1.2 to 1.3

Native/Invaded Grass State

Invaded Grass State

Pathway P
Community 1.2 to 1.4

Native/Invaded Grass State

Invaded Woody State

Pathway P
Community 1.3 to 1.1

Invaded Grass State

Loess Mixed Grass Prairie

Pathway P
Community 1.3 to 1.2

Invaded Grass State

Native/Invaded Grass State

Pathway P
Community 1.3 to 1.4

Invaded Grass State

Invaded Woody State

Pathway P
Community 1.4 to 1.2

Invaded Woody State

Native/Invaded Grass State

State 2
Cropland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Management interpretations

Community 2.1
Optimum Cropland State

1. Sheet and rill erosion: 0-2 tons, no ephemeral gullies in drainage courses, optimum soil properties (high organic matter), granular soil structure, no sediment deposition on and off-site, Positive SCI 0.5 or higher (optimum biodiversity and soil structure) Water: Minimal runoff, little moisture loss, excellent surface water quality (optimum water and nutrient cycles) Plants: Well above average crop yields, IPM utilized, high fertilizer use efficiency. (optimum productivity) Animals Adequate food, cover, and shelter for upland wildlife. (optimum WHI) In field Indicators: high soil organic matter (dark color), well developed surface layer, no compaction, crusting and crumbly soil structure; no gullies, no evidence of erosion/runoff and no sediment deposition; excellent crop vigor

Resilience management. Optimum Cropland State: Conservation Practices 329: Continuous No-till 328: Diverse crop rotation C-SB-W/CC rotated from perennial hayland 330: Contour Farming 340: Cover Crops 528: Prescribed Grazing 386: Field Borders 600: Terraces 412: Grassed Waterway 620: Underground Outlets 590: Nutrient Management (soil testing, zone mgt liming, 4Rs) 595: Pest Mgt (Scouting, Thresholds, Herbicide Resistance Management)

Community 2.2
Average Cropland State

2. Sheet and rill erosion: 5 tons, Some ephemeral gullies in drainage courses/repair needed, average soil conditions (average organic matter), average soil structure, some sediment deposition on and off-site, SCI 0.0 +/- 0.5 Water: Moderate runoff, some soil moisture loss Plants: Average crop yields, moderate level of IPM, average fertilizer use efficiency. Animals Average food, cover, and shelter for upland wildlife. In field Indicators: average soil organic matter (slightly dark color), average surface layer depth, moderate compaction layer, average soil structure; some evidence of sheet and rill erosion runoff and sediment deposition; average crop vigor

Community 2.3
Degraded

Figure . High Erosion

Figure 1. High Erosion

3. Sheet and rill erosion: 3-4 times tolerable level, ephemeral gullies in drainage courses, poor soil conditions (low organic matter), crusting, compaction layer, sediment deposition on and off-site, Negative SCI, low soil organic matter, poor soil tilth/aggregate stability Water: Excess runoff, excessive moisture loss, surface water contamination of sediment and herbicides. Plants: Low crop yields, excessive annual broadleaf and grass weeds, nutrients are not available as needed (low pH causes poor legume yield), high weed pressure. Animals: Lack of food, cover, and shelter for upland wildlife. Air: Excessive Particulate Matter (wind erosion) In field Indicators: low soil organic matter (light color), surface layer eroded away, compaction, crusting and poor soil structure; gullies, evidence of erosion runoff and sediment deposition; poor crop vigor

Community 2.4

Community 2.5

Pathway T1A
Community 2.1 to 2.2

Optimum Cropland State

Average Cropland State

Tillage, residue removal, less crop diversity

Pathway T2A
Community 2.2 to 2.1

Average Cropland State

Optimum Cropland State

Long term SHMS (cover crop, cont NT, diverse rotations, livestock grazing), optimum soil moisture management and permanent gully erosion control measures

Pathway T2B
Community 2.2 to 2.3

Average Cropland State

Degraded

Conventional tillage, excessive fertilization, less cropping diversity, no gully erosion control measures, residue removal, poor soil moisture mgt, long term drought, or excessive rainfall

Pathway T3A
Community 2.3 to 2.2

Degraded

Average Cropland State

Reduce tillage, retain all crop residue, diversify rotation

State 3
Pastureland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Management interpretations

Community 3.1
Dryland Pasture (Loamy Plains)

Resource Concerns in Degraded State: SOIL EROSION:Sheet and rill erosion, ephemeral erosion, concentrated flow erosion SOIL QUALITY DEGRADATION: SOM degradation, Compaction WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION: sediments, nutrients, pathogens DEGRADED PLANT CONDTION: weed infestation, over grazed, reduced yield LIVESTOCK: inadequate feed/forage, inadequate water supply WILDLIFE HABITAT: cover Adapted Cool-Season Grasses Creeping meadow foxtail Meadow brome Smooth brome Orchardgrass Canada wildrye Tall fescue Western wheatgrass Intermediate wheatgrass Tall wheatgrass Adapted Warm-Season Grasses Big bluestem Sideoats grama Switchgrass Little bluestem Indiangrass Adapted Legumes Cicer milkvetch Illinois ticktrefoil Birdsfoot deervetch Alfalfa Red clover

Community 3.2
Irrigated Pasture (Loamy Plains)

Resource Concerns in Degraded State: SOIL EROSION:Sheet and rill erosion, ephemeral erosion, concentrated flow erosion SOIL QUALITY DEGRADATION: SOM degradation, Compaction WATER QUALITY DEGRADATION: sediments, nutrients, pathogens WATER QUANTITY: inefficient use of water DEGRADED PLANT CONDTION: weed infestation, over grazed, reduced yield LIVESTOCK: inadequate feed/forage, inadequate water supply WILDLIFE HABITAT: cover Grasses adapted to mix with alfalfa (from FSGs): Meadow brome, smooth brome, orchardgrass, tall fescue, western wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass

Pathway P
Community 3.1 to 3.2

Dryland Pasture (Loamy Plains)

Irrigated Pasture (Loamy Plains)

Pathway P
Community 3.2 to 3.1

Irrigated Pasture (Loamy Plains)

Dryland Pasture (Loamy Plains)

State 4
Forest

Community 4.1
Optimum woody state

WHI high

Community 4.2
Average woody state

WHI med

Community 4.3
Degraded

WHI low Resource Concerns in Degraded State: DEGRADED PLANT CONDTION: low production value, invasive species infestation WILDLIFE HABITAT: food & cover

Pathway P
Community 4.1 to 4.2

Pathway P
Community 4.2 to 4.1

Pathway P
Community 4.2 to 4.3

Pathway P
Community 4.3 to 4.2

Transition T1
State 1 to 2

Rangeland (Loess mixed grass prairie)

Cropland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Cultivation (Irrigation Well and Irrigation Application System if irrigated)

Transition T2
State 1 to 3

Rangeland (Loess mixed grass prairie)

Pastureland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Cultivation and reseeding, abandoned, or combination of fertilizer, seeding, heavy summer grazing

Transition T3
State 1 to 4

Rangeland (Loess mixed grass prairie)

Forest

Encroachment by red cedar and lack of fire or brush management; Tree planing and Forest stand management

Transition T6
State 2 to 3

Cropland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Pastureland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Pasture seeding

Transition T5
State 2 to 4

Cropland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Forest

Abandonment and tree encroachment; Tree planting and Forest stand management

Transition T9
State 3 to 2

Pastureland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Cropland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Cultivation, (Irrigation well and Irrigation application system if irrigated)

Transition T7
State 3 to 4

Pastureland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Forest

Encroachment by red cedar and lack of fire or brush management, Tree planting and Forest stand management

Transition T4
State 4 to 2

Forest

Cropland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Clearing and cultivation

Restoration pathway T8
State 4 to 3

Forest

Pastureland (Irrigated and rain fed)

Clearing and Pasture seeding