Natural Resources
Conservation Service
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
Description
The reference state provides the greatest amount of ecological resilience. The plant community mix slightly favors shrubs over grasses with air-dry weight. Vegetation is patchy with open slick spot areas present throughout the site. Black greasewood is the dominant shrub while alkali sacaton is the dominant grass.The soil is stable with the A horizon intact.
Dominant plant species
greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus), shrub
alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides), grass
Submodel
Description
Palatable species such as alkali sacaton, western wheatgrass, and alkali cordgrass have become a remnant or are no longer present. The degraded state is sparsely dominated by shrubs such as greasewood and rubber rabbitbrush. There may be a remnant of inland saltgrass, and annuals. The degraded state is greater than 70 percent bare ground. Erosion and deposition have a significant negative impact, creating feedback loops that substantially decreases hydrologic function.
Submodel
Mechanism
A major long-term driver is repetitive defoliation at high utilization for plants throughout multiple growing seasons and especially during drought. Plant species such as alkali sacaton, alkali cordgrass, and western wheatgrass are greatly decreased and may be lost. Greasewood also gets grazed and starts to lose vitality over time. This in turn increases both erosion and deposition, causing a decrease in soil stability and hydrologic function. A trigger event, such as drought may snap the site across the degraded threshold by causing excessive mortality to plants with low vigor.
Mechanism
A regular accumulation of water over multiple years causes a species shift to more water tolerant plants such as inland saltgrass and baltic rush.
Mechanism
Restoration will take a long time as the site itself is harsh on plants and with an decrease in soil stability due to erosion hydrologic function is very low. A slow process of plant and soil building is necessary to restore ecological processes. In theory, renewed grazing management can be part of the restoration process. It would require planning and monitoring to allow for moderate frequency and intensity along with adequate recovery periods during the growing season. An abundance of litter and cover must be left during the dormant season to aid in moisture retention and slow erosion. Monitoring for plant and soil ecological processes is important for restoration success.
Mechanism
An end to water saturation followed by years of grazing management and monitoring that allows for the colonization of reference species. This state may take many years to restore depending on the amount of soil erosion and accumulated salts form years of irrigation.
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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