Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Shallow Sandstone Slopes
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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- Transition T1 More details
- Transition T2 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 is characterized by a blackbrush mixed shrub community. This ecological site is at the lower and warmer elevations of blackbrush habitat. Once blackbrush is removed from this plant community, it is replaced by other shrubs and unlikely blackbrush will return.
Submodel
Description
Introduced annuals such as red brome, schismus and redstem stork's bill have invaded the reference plant community and have become a dominant component of the
herbaceous cover. This invasion of non-natives is attributed to a combination of factors including surface disturbances, changes in the kinds of animals and their grazing patterns, drought, and changes in fire history. Following wet years, dried non-natives annuals can provide enough fuel to carry wildfires where large, intense wildfires historically have been infrequent.
Submodel
Description
This state is characterized by the inability of blackbrush to return to site following a fire, due to insufficient climatic conditions and the lack of an available seed source. In the absence of ideal conditions blackbrush will not return to the site. Species will consist of fire tolerant shrubs with high growth rates and high reproductive capacities.
Submodel
Mechanism
Introduction of non-native species due to a combination of factors including; surface disturbance, changes in the kinds of animals and their grazing patterns, drought, changes in fire history or any other type of vegetation removal. Non-natives can alter disturbance regimes significantly from their natural or historic range and change ecological processes therefore creating an unlikely scenario to restore the site back to reference.
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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