Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Montane Coniferous Ponderosa Pine/rough fescue-Idaho fescue
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
- Restoration pathway R2A More details
- Restoration pathway R3A More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Submodel
Communities 1, 5 and 2 (additional pathways)
1.1. Reference
1.5. Post Fire Disturbance
1.2. Mature patchy phase
Mechanism
T1A – Introduced grasses and/or weedy species dominate the understory with overstory of Ponderosa pine. This occurs with the introduction of these introduced/weedy species (through human or livestock use, proximity to development or other means), establishment and dominance of the native perennial bunchgrass community.
Mechanism
T1B - Fire exclusion over long periods allowing stands to grow into homogenous, dense, multi-storied stands. This dense forest structure can increase fuel loads of ladder fuels in live trees, standing dead trees and woody and herbaceous litter on the ground. This increase in fuel loading and dense forest structure can change fire severity once fire occurs. In transitional areas close to Douglas fir forests, there may be thickets of Douglas fir occurring in ponderosa pine stands.
Mechanism
R2A – Range management practices to convert introduced grass and/or weedy species dominated understory to native perennial bunchgrasses. This may not be feasible if the native plant composition is less than 10% and may be economically infeasible. As well, feasibility is dependent on the type of weed species and amount i.e. extreme cheatgrass or smooth brome coverage may be impossible to restore; soil condition and ability to restore must be taken into account.
Mechanism
R3A – Forest stand structure, composition and historical fire regime restored by overstory thinning, ground and ladder fuels reduction, and prescribed fire. This may be economically infeasible, and is completely dependent on site conditions and will require numerous entries into a forest stand.
Model keys
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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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