State 1
Reference State: Native Grassland

This ecological state can be broadly defined as any mixed species grassland (potentially with a few trees) on thin calcareous uplands that have not been modified for pasture, hay production, or cropland. Evidence suggests that this ecological state initially occurred as a result of rotational burning done by the Native American Tribes in the region. Native grasslands were described by many of the early explorers of this region; however, they are seldom, if ever, seen in pristine condition in modern times. Most remnants of the native grasslands occur in small patches between 1-10 acres, and almost all of these remnants now contain non-native and invasive species. Anthropogenic effects, such as changes in land management, introduction of non-native species, and soil erosion, have all led to the degradation and diminishing representation of this ecological state.

Characteristics and indicators. This state is characterized by a mixture of grasses, forbs, sedges, and other herbaceous plants with relatively few trees. Additionally, there may be areas of exposed chalk where there is little to no plant life.

Resilience management. This ecological state requires regular disturbance to be maintained. This disturbance predominantly occurs as burning or mowing. If an area growing as a native grassland is not being managed it will transition into a redcedar forest over time.

Community 1.1
Native Prairie

This community is comprised of native grasses, flowers, shrubs, and other native herbaceous plants, with the potential for a few trees spread around the Prairie. This community likely does not exist in the Blackland Prairie anymore as much of the land has been converted for agricultural purposes. Additionally, the areas of prairie that do still exist have an abundance of introduced and invasive species. Returning disturbed areas of this ecological site to near pristine prairie conditions would restore the historic habitat of many native wildlife species including the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopovo), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), a variety of pollinator species, migratory birds, and many others.

Resilience management. It takes an immense amount of management to maintain a pristine prairie. It would require burning or mowing the area ranging from annually to once every few years to prevent the prairie from turning into a redcedar forest. Additionally, maintaining a pristine prairie would require regular use of selective herbicide or manual removal to minimize invasive species.

State 2
Wooded Thicket

This ecological state is commonly seen adjacent to cropland and pasture, and it frequently occurs on steeper areas and along property lines, areas that are less likely to be disturbed by agricultural processes. Historic documentation indicates that wooded thickets used to be comprised of species such as Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia), hawthorns (Crataegus engelmannii), and crab apple (Malus angustifolia). Furthermore, these records indicate that prior to European settlement there was very little eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) on these sites. Today theses wooded thickets are dominated by eastern redcedar, white ash (Fraxinus americana), and Osage orange (Maclura pomifera). The understory is typically still comprised of grasses and other herbaceous species, but these will not be nearly as prolific in this ecological state as they are in native grassland.

Characteristics and indicators. This state is characterized by having a majority of eastern redcedar trees mixed with a few other species all growing in close proximity to each other.

Resilience management. This state will likely be maintained so long as there is no disturbance. There is a possibility, assuming there is no disturbance and soil conditions are adequate, that post oak (<a class="species-link" href="https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=QUST" target="_blank" title="Open in plants.usda.gov"><i>Quercus stellata</i></a>) and other hardwoods will take over (community change). To change ecological states it would require burning or clearcutting.

Community 2.1
Historical Forest Community

Historic documentation indicates that wooded thickets used to be comprised of species such as Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia), hawthorns (Crataegus engelmannii), and crab apple (Malus angustifolia). Furthermore, these records indicate that prior to European settlement there was very little eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) on these sites. This community is virtually never seen today.

Resilience management. In order to achieve this community it would require planting the desired tree species in a cleared location, preventing large scale disturbance to this area to allow these species to grow, and removing red cedar trees from the area.

Community 2.2
Redcedar Invasion

This community occurs when there is not enough disturbance in a grassland community to prevent the growth of redcedar trees. This community is still primarily grasses but has young redcedar trees growing throughout the area.

Resilience management. This community will grow into a redcedar forest if it is left undisturbed. If the area is burned, mowed, or has the trees clear-cut it will revert to a mixed introduced and native grass community.

Community 2.3
Redcedar Thicket

This community is dominated by eastern redcedar, white ash (Fraxinus americana), and Osage orange (Maclura pomifera). The understory is typically still comprised of grasses and other herbaceous species, but these will not be nearly as prolific in this ecological state as they are in native grassland. This phase is by far the most common variant for this state for this ecological site.

Resilience management. This state will likely be maintained so long as there is no disturbance. There is a possibility, assuming there is no disturbance and soil conditions are adequate, that post oak (<a class="species-link" href="https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=QUST" target="_blank" title="Open in plants.usda.gov"><i>Quercus stellata</i></a>) and other hardwoods will take over (a community change).

Community 2.4
Hardwood Forest

There is a chance that post oak (Quercus stellata) and other hardwoods will take over on these sites, assuming there is no disturbance for an extended period of time (approximately 25 years) and that soil conditions are just right . This community is seldom seen on these ecological sites due to the pH and shallow depth of the soil.

Resilience management. Leave the site undisturbed.

Pathway 2.1.2
Community 2.1 to 2.2

This is the natural progression without disturbance.

Pathway 2.2.1
Community 2.2 to 2.1

This would require planting desired species, preventing the area from burning, and removing eastern redcedar trees.

Pathway 2.2.3
Community 2.2 to 2.3

Over time the redcedar trees will grow and outcompete the grassland species.

Pathway 2.3.4
Community 2.3 to 2.4

This community will only occur on these sites under specific circumstances, namely having deeper and more acidic soils for this ecological site. Additionally, the area will need to allow for targeted management, including preventing fire and other large scale disturbance for about twenty five years.

State 3
Pasture/ Non-Native Grassland

Pasture is a grassland that occurs as a result of heavy land management changes (clearcutting, herbicide, grazing, planting etc.) in order to produce livestock or hay. Pasture differs from native grassland as the plant species in the pasture are typically selected and planted specifically for forage quality as opposed to allowing livestock to graze on the existing native plant community. Livestock can greatly alter the plant community if proper grazing practices are not followed.

Resilience management. In areas with shallow soils these practices can lead to erosional problems that if left unchecked can turn into chalk gullies.

Community 3.1
Mixed Grassland and Pasture

This community is characterized by a combination of native grasses and grasses introduced as forage. This community depends upon disturbance, and thus, can be susceptible to invasive species that similarly thrive with regular disturbance.

Resilience management. In general, invasive species thrive off of ecosystem disturbance. As regular disturbance is an important aspect of maintaining a prairie, it is logical to conclude that invasive species will be highly successful in this environment. If there is no disturbance this ecological site will trend towards redcedar forest. Targeted use of herbicides can be used to control the spread of invasive species.

State 4
Cropland

Cropland occurs as a result of heavy land management changes (clearcutting, herbicide, tilling, etc.) in order to produce crops. This ecological site is not ideal for growing crops due to the shallow depth and alkaline chemistry of the soil, but there is a small percentage of acres where grains and oil seed are grown. 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. In areas with shallow soils these practices can lead to erosional problems that if left unchecked can turn into chalk
gullies.

Resilience management. In areas with shallow soils these practices can lead to erosional problems that if left unchecked can turn into chalk gullies.

Community 4.1
Cropland

This ecological state is used for crop production.

State 5
Conservation Area

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 native grassland that experiences regular disturbance.

Resilience management. This will require managing for specific native prairie species and incorporating a regular burning or mowing regiment.

Community 5.1
Conservation Area

State 6
Gullied Land

Gullied Land is an ecological state occurring on steeper portions of this ecological site in areas where soils are especially shallow. Different farming and grazing practices allow the soils to compact creating an impermeability of the soil. This impermeability combined with the steepness of the slopes allows for runoff that erode the soils down to the chalk parent material. If this process continues the landscape can turn into steep chalk gullies that do not support plant life. If the erosion is not addressed the issue will proliferate. Solutions to addressing these issues depend on the initial cause (i.e. cattle wearing down the soil, water runoff, etc.), location, severity, and steepness. Possible solutions include less invasive methods such as mulching, hay planting, and implementation of vegetative barriers, to more invasive methods such as dikes, diversions, sediment basins, streambank and shoreline protection, rock check dams, and grade stabilization structures. Consult NRCS engineering in your area to determine best practices.

Community 6.1
Gullied Land

This community supports little to no plant life due to the exposed chalk.

Transition T1-2
State 1 to 2

This is the natural progression for this ecological site. If a grassland is left undisturbed it will trend to a redcedar thicket.

Transition T1-3
State 1 to 3

Pasture is a grassland that occurs as a result of heavy land management changes (clearcutting, herbicide, tilling, grazing, planting etc.) in order to produce livestock or hay.

Transition T1-4
State 1 to 4

Cropland occur as a result of heavy land management changes (clearcutting, herbicide, tilling, etc.) in order to produce crops.

Transition T2-3
State 2 to 3

Clearcut or burn trees and plant it to pasture.

Transition T2-4
State 2 to 4

Clearcut or burn trees and plant desired crops.

Transition T2-5
State 2 to 5

Remove trees and plant a diverse variety of native prairie species. Once this state is established it will require intermittent disturbance to maintain.

Transition T3-2
State 3 to 2

This is the natural progression for this ecological site if it is left undisturbed.

Transition T3-4
State 3 to 4

Manage for crop production

Transition T3-5
State 3 to 5

Clear pasture species and plant a diverse variety of native prairie species. Once this state is established it will require intermittent disturbance to maintain.

Transition T3-6
State 3 to 6

Different land management practices can wear down the soil in especially shallow areas.

Transition T4-3
State 4 to 3

Plant desired forage species

Transition T4-5
State 4 to 5

Remove crops and plant a diverse variety of native prairie species. Once this state is established it will require intermittent disturbance to maintain.

Transition T4-6
State 4 to 6

Different land management practices can wear down the soil in especially shallow areas.

Transition T5-2
State 5 to 2

This progression occurs when there is not enough disturbance to maintain the restored prairie.

Transition T5-3
State 5 to 3

Clear prairie and plant desired forage species.

Transition T5-4
State 5 to 4

Clear prairie species and plant desired crops.

Transition T6-2
State 6 to 2

In some situations, given enough time, redcedars can establish themselves on the gullies. It is more likely to be successful if measures are taken to prevent further erosion.