Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Juniper Sandy Slopes 8-11 PZ
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1A
Prolonged improper grazing management
More details -
Transition T1B
Catastrophic fire, prolonged inappropriate grazing management
More details -
Restoration pathway R2A
Extended rest from grazing, possible reseeding of native grasses
More details -
Transition T2B
Continued improper grazing management, catastrophic fire
More details -
No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
Severe fire is relatively infrequent in this state and the community will be maintained by periodic mortality of young juniper caused by mixed severity fire, drought, insects windthrow and disease (Chadwick and Eglitis 2007). Given the likelihood that this state, even in the best condition and highest potential, will almost always include at least some component of exotic species regardless of management inputs, this may also be referred to as the “current potential state”. In this document, the term “reference state” is used synonymously with “current potential state” for the sake of simplicity.
Dominant plant species
western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), tree
basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata), shrub
Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), grass
needle and thread (Hesperostipa comata ssp. comata), grass
Submodel
Description
In this state, the site is being managed for livestock grazing. This may lead to altered plant community composition and production where plants adapted to grazing disturbance may increase while those sensitive to disturbance may decrease. Additionally, impacts to the abiotic conditions of the site may occur as soil is compacted due to hoof trampling or eroded due to an increase in bare ground.
Dominant plant species
western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), tree
squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), grass
beardless wildrye (Leymus triticoides), grass
Thurber's needlegrass (Achnatherum thurberianum), grass
Submodel
Description
In this state much of the native herbaceous vegetation has been replaced by exotic annual grasses which at high levels may create positive feedbacks that alter fire regimes and promote prolonged invasion.
Dominant plant species
western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), tree
cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), grass
Submodel
Mechanism
Prolonged improper grazing management
Mechanism
Catastrophic fire, prolonged inappropriate grazing management
Context dependence
Invasive species must be present onsite or within a sufficiently close distance for dispersal from nearby invaded sites
Restoration pathway R2A
Extended rest from grazing, possible reseeding of native grasses
Mechanism
Extended rest from grazing, possible reseeding of native grasses and other practices such as seedbed preparation
Context dependence
Excessive grazing leading to a loss of plant species diversity, plant reproductive output or altered abiotic conditions such as compacted or eroded soil, for example, will not recover by rest alone and will require additional inputs
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.
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