Natural Resources
Conservation Service
Deep Poorly Drained To Somewhat Poorly Drained Fine Silty Acid Flatwoods Uplands
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
Select a state
Management practices/drivers
Select a transition or restoration pathway
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Transition T1-2
No fire disturbance
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Transition T1-3
Intense disturbance
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Transition T2-3
Intense disturbance
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Transition T2-7
Manage for fire dependent forest
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Transition T3-2
Prevent fire and other disturbances
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Transition T3-4
Plant and manage for desired silviculture community
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Transition T3-5
Manage for pasture
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Transition T3-6
Manage for crops
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Transition T3-7
Manage for fire dependent forest
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Transition T4-2
Leave unmanaged
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Transition T4-3
Clear the trees, ensure the desired area has a wetland determination
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Transition T4-5
Mange for pasture
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Transition T4-6
Mange for crops
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Transition T4-7
Mange for crops
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Transition T5-3
Any significant disturbance
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Transition T5-4
Manage for silviculture community
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Transition T5-6
Manage for crops
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Transition T5-7
Manage for fire dependent forest
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Transition T6-3
Any significant disturbance can cause this shift
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Transition T6-4
Manage for silviculture
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Transition T6-5
Mange for pasture
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Transition T6-7
Manage for historic forest community
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Transition T7-2
Prevent disturbance
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Transition T7-3
Intense disturbance
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Transition T7-4
Manage for desired silviculture community
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Transition T7-5
Manage for desired tree species
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Transition T7-6
Manage for desired crops
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
Select a state
Description
Fire Dependent Forest are characterized by having predominantly blackjack oaks and shortleaf pines, with other oak and hickory species occurring to a lesser extent, interspaced by a herbaceous understory. This community was common on the acidic uplands of the Blackland Prairie before regular fire suppression and heavy land management. Blackjack oaks are highly resistant to fire and pines grow more rapidly than most hardwood species giving them an advantage over other tree species in areas experiencing common disturbance from fire. In the time since fire suppression has become more common the representation of this community has greatly decreased with post and white oak replacing blackjack oak. Pine trees are still common.
Resilience management
A regular fire regime is required to maintain this community.
Submodel
Description
Fire Suppressed Forest communities are comprised of post oak, white oak, southern red oak, hickories, sweetgum, shortleaf pine, and loblolly pine interspaced by a herbaceous understory. These forests can occur in two phases, “wetter” and “drier”. In the “wetter” hardwoods are predominant with a few pine trees. In the “drier” phase the inverse is true, with pines occurring more regularly and hardwoods to a lesser extent. For the provisional phase of ecological site development, it is difficult to determine which of these phases is typical for this site. In future stages of ESD development, when there is more data, it will be possible to determine how common these phases occur on this ecological site.
Resilience management
This state thrives when there is little disturbance on the landscape.
Submodel
Description
Temporary Post Disturbance Grassland occurs after a large-scale disturbance on these sites. This disturbance can be either management driven (clearcutting, abandonment,…) or naturally occurring (fire…). This phase is temporary. If management continues the landscape will shift into whatever state is being managed for. If a site is not being managed post disturbance it will likely transform into a forest community. Plants that occur on this site depend largely on what was growing prior to the disturbance.
Resilience management
This community is dependent on a large scale disturbance or change in management.
Submodel
Description
The Silviculture community is a managed forest used for wood production and wildlife habitat. Most silviculture communities in this area are planted loblolly pine, but in some instances hardwoods are planted. Silviculture is best suited to the Interior Flatwoods LRU of MLRA 135A, but it can be implemented in the other LRUs. Before committing to silviculture, it would be best to consult an NRCS area forester to ensure that it is a viable option for a given site.
Resilience management
Common practices for maintaining this state are tree thinning, herbicide, and fire.
Submodel
Description
Pasture is a grassland that occurs as a result of heavy land management changes (clearcutting, herbicide, grazing, planting etc.) in order to produce livestock forage or hay. Pasture differs from native grassland as the plant species in the pasture are typically selected and planted specifically for forage quality. Livestock grazing can greatly alter the plant community.
Resilience management
Plant and manage for desired species.
Submodel
Description
Cropland occur as a result of heavy land management changes (clearcutting, herbicide, tilling, etc.) in order to produce crops. Common crops for this ecological site are cotton, corn, and soybeans. There are different management styles used for cropland communities including conventional till, no till, cover crop, double crop, and others. Some of these practices are mutually exclusive, but others can be combined.
Resilience management
Plant and manage for desired crops.
Submodel
Description
Conservation areas are sites set aside to try and recapture the historical plant and animal communities of the reference state. These states will never be a perfect replication because of anthropogenic and natural changes to the ecological system. Some of these changes include fire suppression, changes in hydrology (channeling waterways...), extinction of species, introduced species, invasive species, altering landscapes (farming practices and urbanization) and probable changes to the soil microbial communities. These sites are meant to be the best representation possible for these historical communities given the changes that have occurred. For this ecological site a restoration area would be a forested area that maintained a regular burning regiment.
Submodel
Mechanism
Prevent fire and other large scale disturbance. This is a slow transition.
Mechanism
If a fire is intense enough to kill even the fire resistant trees or if the forest is clear-cut, it will transition into a temporary grassland.
Mechanism
Any major disturbance that kills the trees in the forest will cause it to transition to a temporary grassland.
Mechanism
Clear trees and plant and manage for the historical fire dependent forest. These sites will never be a perfect representation of the historical community.
Mechanism
Prevent fire and other disturbances and a forest will grow.
Mechanism
Plant and manage for desired forest community.
Mechanism
Plant and manage for desired forage species.
Mechanism
Plant and manage for the historical fire dependent forest. These sites will never be a perfect representation of the historical community.
Mechanism
If the site is not managed it could transition into a Fire Suppressed Forest.
Mechanism
Clear the trees.
Mechanism
Clear the trees and then plant and mange for desired forage species.
Mechanism
Clear the trees and then plant and mange for desired crops.
Mechanism
Clear trees and plant and manage for the historical fire dependent forest. These sites will never be a perfect representation of the historical community.
Mechanism
Any significant natural or management disturbance can cause this shift.
Mechanism
Clear forage species and plant and manage for desired forest community.
Mechanism
Clear forage species and plant and manage for desired crops.
Mechanism
Plant and manage for the historical fire dependent forest. These sites will never be a perfect representation of the historical community.
Mechanism
Any significant natural or management disturbance can cause this shift.
Mechanism
Clear crops and plant desired forest species.
Mechanism
Clear crop species and plant and mange for desired forage species.
Mechanism
Plant and manage for the historical fire dependent forest. These sites will never be a perfect representation of the historical community.
Mechanism
Prevent fire and other large scale disturbance.
Mechanism
If a fire is intense enough to kill even the fire resistant trees or if the forest is clear-cut, it will transition into a temporary grassland.
Mechanism
Clear forest and plant desired tree species.
Mechanism
Clear forest and plant and mange for desired forage species.
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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