The grassland state is supported by empirical data, historical data, and local expertise. This state is defined by three plant communities that are a result of periodic fire, drought, and grazing. These events are part of the natural disturbance regime and climatic process. The Reference Plant Community consists of salt tolerant, cool season sod forming grasses, warm season sod and bunchgrasses, shrubs, and a small amount of forbs. Plant Community 1.2 is dominated by alkali sacaton. Community 1.3 is white or black alkali, bare ground, and/or annuals. Salt accumulations are elevated.
The tillage state consists of abandoned cropland that has been naturally revegetated (go-back), planted/seeded to grassland or annual crops. Many reseeded plant communities were planted with a local seeding mix under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or were planted to a monoculture of sideoats grama. Go-back communities are difficult to define due to the variability of plant communities that exist. Many of these communities are represented by the genus Aristida (three-awns).
This is an alternative state because the ecological functions, i.e. dynamic soil properties and plant communities, are not fully restored to that of the Reference State. Tillage can destroy soil aggregation. Soil aggregates are an example of dynamic soil property change. Aggregate stability is critical for infiltration, root growth, and resistance to water and wind erosion (Brady, Weil).
This transition is triggered by a management action as opposed to a natural event. Tillage or breaking the ground with machinery for crop production will move the grassland state to a tillage state.
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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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