Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Upland Gravelly Loam (Bonneville big sagebrush) South
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
- Transition T1a More details
- Transition T1b More details
- Transition T2a More details
- Transition T2b More details
- Transition T2c More details
- Transition T3b More details
- Transition T3a More details
- Transition T4a More details
- Transition T5a More details
- Restoration pathway R6a More details
- Transition T6a 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
The Reference State (1) includes the plant communities that were best adapted to the unique combination of factors associated with this ecological site prior to European settlement. The site was in a natural dynamic equilibrium with the historic biotic, abiotic, and climatic factors at the time of European immigration and settlement. The dominant aspect of the plant community is Bonneville big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass.
Characteristics and indicators
This state will only have native species in the plant community.
Submodel
Description
The Current Potential State (2) includes the biotic communities that would become established on the ecological site if all successional sequences were completed without human interference under the present environmental conditions. Natural disturbances are inherent in its development. This State may include acclimatized, naturalized, or invasive non-native species. There is no known way to effectively remove these plants from the site once they have become established. The level of occurrence of these plants is such that careful management can prevent their domination of the site. This site is irreversibly changed. Plant communities within the Current Potential State (2) may be managed and used for various purposes without significant alteration in plant community composition or production. It includes all of the plant communities that exist in the Reference State (1) with the inclusion of species that are non-native to this ecological site.
All of these scenarios are very interrelated and dependent on weather patterns and events as well as fire frequency and intensity. The fire interval frequency is approximately 30 to 55 years. Any set of events that are strong enough to force the plant community out of this pattern can push it over a threshold and into another ecological state.
Characteristics and indicators
This state will be similar in community composition and dynamics to the Reference State with the exception of the inclusion of non-native species.
Submodel
Description
The plant community moves to the Utah Juniper/Invasive Annual State (3) when there is a lack of fire, and a source of Utah juniper and pinyon seed. The dominate aspect of the plant community is Utah juniper and cheatgrass brome. This State can persist for a long time until an extreme event such as a fire or other management treatment such as overgrazing occurs.
Characteristics and indicators
This state will have noticeable presence of Utah juniper.
Submodel
Description
The Bonneville Big Sagebrush/Broom Snakeweed State (4) occurs when the site is overgrazed for a prolonged period of time. Drought, fire, mechanical disturbance, and other like disturbances will speed up the process.
Submodel
Description
The Yellow Rabbitbrush/Invasive Annuals State (5) plant community occurs when it has been overgrazed and/or in a drought condition; and then burned (wild or controlled) and not seeded. The dominant aspect of the plant community is cheatgrass brome, yellow rabbitbrush, with a very small amount of Bonneville big sagebrush. The community will usually be made up of 70 percent cheatgrass brome, 10 percent forbs, and 20 percent yellow rabbitbrush with minor components of other shrubs.
Submodel
Description
The Seeded Range State (6) exists when the site is cultivated and/or burned, and then planted to introduced and/or native grasses and forbs.
Characteristics and indicators
This state consists of predominantly non-native seeded range species.
Submodel
Mechanism
This transition occurs when there is an introduction of non-native species into the ecosystem.
Mechanism
This pathway occurs when disturbances such as fire, insects, prolonged drought, pathogens, and/or overgrazing reduce the dominant shrub overstory. Fire and overgrazing are the most common of these disturbances.
Mechanism
This transition takes place when the sagebrush canopy is so heavy that it destroys the perennial grass and forb understory and the fire interval frequency increases to 60 to 90 years from an average of 20 to 40 years. Disturbances such as prolonged drought, overgrazing, and extreme lengthening of the fire interval frequency contribute to the introduction of Utah juniper on to the site.
Mechanism
This transition occurs due to prolonged drought and/or prolonged overgrazing.
Mechanism
This transition occurs due to continued overgrazing and an increase of fire frequency over a prolonged period of time.
Mechanism
This transition occurs due to continued overgrazing and an increase of fire frequency over a prolonged period of time.
Mechanism
This transition occurs due to disturbances caused by humans such as mechanical treatment and seeding, and/or chemical treatment and seeding.
Mechanism
This transition occurs due to disturbances caused by humans such as mechanical treatment and seeding, and/or chemical treatment and seeding.
Mechanism
This transition occurs due to disturbances caused by humans such as mechanical treatment and seeding, and/or chemical treatment and seeding.
Mechanism
This restoration pathway takes approximately 25 to 50 years. Time, along with proper management that favors the native plants may return them to the site. The time frame depends on management and on the precipitation amounts. If the site is at the 15- to 16-inch zone it will respond quicker than at the 14-inch level. Proper grazing management along with rest periods for the site may reduce the time it takes the restoration process.
Relevant conservation practices
| Practice | External resources |
|---|---|
|
Prescribed Grazing |
|
|
Grazing Management Plan - Applied |
Mechanism
This transition takes place when the sagebrush canopy is so heavy that it destroys the perennial grass and forb understory and the fire interval frequency increases to 60 to 90 years from an average of 20 to 40 years. Prolonged drought, overgrazing, and extreme lengthening of the fire interval frequency are disturbances that contribute to the introduction of Utah juniper to the site.
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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