1 / 28

STATE & TRANSITION MODELS IN THE WEST REGION

STATE & TRANSITION MODELS IN THE WEST REGION. Diversity in 2006…. Historic Climax Plant Community Natural variability – Includes natural disturbances (fire, grazing, etc.), all functional groups present in varying quantities. Seeded Range High management & economic inputs required).

peyton
Download Presentation

STATE & TRANSITION MODELS IN THE WEST REGION

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. STATE & TRANSITION MODELS IN THE WEST REGION Diversity in 2006…

  2. Historic Climax Plant Community Natural variability – Includes natural disturbances (fire, grazing, etc.), all functional groups present in varying quantities. Seeded Range High management & economic inputs required). Disturbance State 1 Deep rooted perennial grass functional groups are lost. Disturbance State 2 Shallow rooted perennial grass functional groups and Biotic Crusts are lost. Probable path Disturbance State 3 Annual grasses & invasive species w/ increased woody species cover. May degrade further (abiotic threshold) with irreversible changes to soil profile. Improbable path Threshold GENERAL MODEL FOR COOL-SEASON BUNCHGRASS RANGELANDS A General Model

  3. JSS JSS PFG PFG SS SS (fireproof) (fireproof) JW JW (closed) (closed) JSS JSS RT1 RT1 IRT1 IRT1 fireprone fireprone ) ) ( ( State 2 State 2 RT2 RT2 IRT2 IRT2 State 1 State 1 JW JW Eroded phase Eroded phase Plant Community Phases State 3 State 3 PFG Perennial forb and grass SS Sagebrush steppe JSS Juniper – Sagebrush steppe JW Juniper woodland A Conceptual Model

  4. A Model For A Group Of Sites

  5. Shale (Sh) 7-9GR R034AY154WY Site Type: Rangeland MLRA: 34A-Cool Central Desertic Basins and Plateaus GARDNERS SALTBUSH/ RHIZOMATOUS WHEATGRASS HCPC SHC HCSLG BARE GROUND/ ANNUAL FORB BMA – Brush Management (all methods) NF – No Fire BMC – Brush Management (chemical) NS – Natural Succession BMF – Brush Management (fire) NWC – Noxious Weed Control BMM – Brush Management (mechanical) NWI – Noxious Weed Invasion CSP – Chemical Seedbed Preparation NU – Nonuse CSLG – Continuous Season-long Grazing P&C – Plow & Crop (including hay) DR – Drainage PG – Prescribed Grazing CSG – Continuous Spring Grazing RPT – Re-plant Trees HB – Heavy Browse RS – Re-seed HCSLG – Heavy Continuous Season-long Grazing SGD – Severe Ground Disturbance HI – Heavy Inundation SHC – Severe Hoof Compaction LPG – Long-term Prescribed Grazing WD – Wildlife Damage (Beaver) MT – Mechanical Treatment (chiseling, ripping, pitting) WF - Wildfire

  6. Site Type: Rangeland Loamy 10-14” P.Z. MLRA: 58B – Northern Rolling High Plains R058BY122WY HCPC Rhizomatous wheatgrasses, Needleandthread, Blue grama BM + PG MCSLG + Na NU, NF Heavy Sagebrush Greasewood MCSLG BM + PG MCSLG + Na Mixed Sagebrush/Grass BM + Freq. & Severe Grazing BM + Freq. & Severe Grazing MCSLG Western wheatgrass Cheatgrass LTPG GLMT + PG From any State Freq. & Severe Yearlong Grazing Freq. & Severe Grazing GLMT +MCSLG Blue grama, Plains pricklypear, Bare ground Go-back Land Blue grama Sod LTPG BM - Brush Management (fire, chemical, mechanical) Freq. & Severe Grazing - Frequent and Severe Utilization of the Cool-season Mid-grasses during the Growing Season GLMT - Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment LTPG - Long-tem Prescribed Grazing MCSLG - Moderate, Continuous Season-long Grazing NU, NF - No Use and No Fire PG - Prescribed Grazing (proper stocking rates with adequate recovery periods during the growing season) VLTPG - Very Long-term Prescribed Grazing (could possibly take generations) Na - found adjacent to a saline site

  7. An EarlyModel Go-back Silty 17-22” P.Z. MLRA 64 Blue grama/ Buffalograss Understory Blue grama/ Buffalograss Sod CPC Juniper/Pine Closed Canopy Threeawn/ Annuals Western wheatgrass/ Bluegrass

  8. The Model Evolves Loamy/Silty MLRA 64 Abandoned farm land (from various plant communities) Go-back Short-lived perennials & annuals Threeawn/ annuals PG Low vigor, litter imbalance Warm-season grasses NU PG OG Short-lived perennials & annuals SOG Blue grama/ buffalograss sod Rest, PG, M NU CSG PG SOG Woody Lower canopy cover Cheatgrass Rest, PG, M I, NU SOG PG CPC NU PG, PF Threeawn/ annuals OG Woody Higher canopy cover CSG PG NU Western wheatgrass- cool-season grasses HSTG, PG WF CSLG PG, NG ISTG HSLG Kentucky bluegrass/ annuals Cheatgrass Climate Short-lived perennials & annuals PG - Prescribed grazing; NG - no grazing; SOG - Seasonal overgrazing; CSLG - Continuous season-long grazing I - Invasion; OG - Overgrazing; M - Mechanical treatment; WF - Wildfire; CSG - Continuous seasonal grazing NU - Non-use, no fire; PF - Prescribed fire; ISTG - Intensive short-term grazing; HSTG - Heavy short-term grazing

  9. Silty (Si) 11-14 PZ R058AC040MT

  10. State A (1, 2a, 2b): Natural variability within HCPC State B (3 & 4): Deep-rooted perennial grass functional group lost State C ? (5 & 6): Warm season/annual grasses dominant – medium grasses lost (6)& shrubs lost (both for 5)

  11. Fire? No Fire?

  12. Silty (Si) 11-14 PZ - R058AC040MT • Plant Community 1: Tall Grasses/ Forbs/ Shrubs (HCPC): • The diversity of grass stature and life forms, along with scattered shrubs and a variety of forbs, provides habitat for many bird species including the upland sandpiper, sharp-tailed grouse, loggerhead shrike, grasshopper and savanna sparrow, chestnut-collared longspur and western meadowlark. This community is especially favorable for ground-nesting birds because of the abundant residual plant material and litter available for nesting, escape, and thermal cover. • Plant Community 2A: Medium and Short Grasses and Sedges/ Half-shrubs: • The partial loss of structural diversity makes this plant community somewhat less attractive to the variety of wildlife species using the HCPC or PPC. A decrease in residual plant material and litter cover is usually associated with degradation of the HCPC, which makes this community less attractive for ground-nesting birds. • Plant Community 2B: Medium and Short Grasses and Sedges/ Shrubs and Half-shrubs: • Wyoming big sagebrush, with canopy cover of 15-30%, and an understory of grasses and forbs, is excellent nesting, winter, brood rearing, and foraging habitat for sage grouse. Other obligate sagebrush-grassland species, notably Brewer’s sparrow, also benefit from an increase in sagebrush cover. (TRANSITIONAL COMMUNITY?)

  13. 2b 2b

  14. NF, NG Subhumid Tallgrass (Interpretive Community) Guineagrass, glycine, ekoa. Dense Shrubland Dense Christmasberry stand. F, BM CG PG Mid-Seral Mid-Grass Pitted beardgrass, lesser amounts of Rhodesgrass, rattail, wiregrass, Natal redtop. A Model for Tropical Grassland (Naturalized – Native or HCPC Unknown) CG PG, BM Low Seral Shortgrass Bermudagrass, lantana, apple sodom.

  15. A Forest Model Figure 5. Ecological Site (common name): Western redcedar-Douglas-fir/oceanspray/swordfern Clearing and seeding for cropland or pasture (PC#’s 5 or 6) PC*#: 5 Common Name: cultivated cropland Structure: Annual herbaceous groundcover PC*#: 2 Common Name: Douglas-fir-grand fir/oceanspray/sword fern Structure: One or two-story overstory with openings Age range: 25-125 years (some remnant older trees) PC*#: 1 (HCPC*) Common Name: Western redcedar-Douglas-fir/oceanspray/sword fern Structure: Multi-story Age: 125 years + Windstorm Growth and conifer infill Abandon-ment (alder seed source present) Site preparation and cropland planting Site preparation and pasture planting Harvesting, scarification and no conifer reforestation Harvesting, scarification and conifer tree planting (to PC#4 if no conifer planted) Harvesting/ Wildfire plus conifer establishment Shade-tolerant conifer species infill (time period of 100+ years) PC*#: 6 Common Name: pasture (improved) Structure: Grass sod ground cover Growth through structural stages (sapling, pole, mature) and natural infill of shade-tolerant conifers PC*#: 3 Common Name: Douglas-fir Structure: Single-story Age range: Regeneration; < 3 years Site preparation and conifer tree planting Lack of invasive grass/forbs control Lack of alder control and/or heavy animal damage to conifers PC*#: 4 Common Name: red alder/salmonberry/sword fern Structure: Single-story Age range: < 5 years Site preparation, pasture or cropland planting, and control of invasive plants PC*#: 7 Common Name: Invasive grass/other species (e.g., Himalaya blackberry) Structure: Ground cover Clearing and development Non-native Condition Clearing and development PC*#: 8 Built-up *HCPC = Historic Climax Native Plant Community, PC = Plant Community Optimum Wood Fiber Quality/Quantity Condition = Draft – 4April2005 Pacific Northwest Soils

  16. Hairy grama Native Mid-Grassland Sideoats grama Mesquite, Lehmann Lehman lovegrass Blue grama Mesquite, Natives Purple threeawn Dense Mesquite Honey mesquite

  17. PFG SS SC2-SC4 JSS (fireproof) SH4 SC > 36% SC ~ 3% Io ~ 9 cm/hr Io ~ 3 cm/hr JW (closed) SC < 2% JSS (fireprone) SM2 SM1 SM4 Io < 3 cm/hr SC > 18% SH1-SH3 Io ~ 6 cm/hr SM3 State 1 State 2 South-facing Slope JW Eroded phase SC < 1% PFG Perennial forb and grass Io < 3 cm/hr Sagebrush steppe SS Juniper – Sagebrush steppe JSS Juniper woodland JW State 3 A Model for Juniper Invasion South-facing Model From Petersen, 2005

  18. PFG SS EC1-EC4 JSS (fireproof) EH2 SC > 31% SC ~ 2.1% Io ~ 9 cm/hr Io ~ 4.6 cm/hr JW (closed) EH4 SC < 2% JSS (fireprone) EM1 EM3 Io < 4 cm/hr EM2 SC > 13% EH1 EH3 Io ~ 7 cm/hr State 1 State 2 East-facing Slope JW Eroded phase SC < 1% PFG Perennial forb and grass Io < 4 cm/hr Sagebrush steppe SS Juniper – Sagebrush steppe JSS Juniper woodland JW State 3 A Model for Juniper Invasion East-facing Model From Petersen, 2005

  19. PFG SS WC1- WC4 WH3 WH4 JSS(fireproof) SC > 41% SC ~ 2.4% Io ~ 9 cm/hr Io ~ 3.5 cm/hr WM1 JW (closed) SC < 2% JSS (fireprone) Io < 3 cm/hr SC > 13% WM2 WM3 Io ~ 7 cm/hr WM4 State 1 State 2 WH2 West-facing Slope WH1 JW Eroded phase SC < 1% PFG Perennial forb and grass Io < 3 cm/hr Sagebrush steppe SS Juniper – Sagebrush steppe JSS Juniper woodland JW State 3 A Model for Juniper Invasion West-facing Model From Petersen, 2005

  20. PFG SS NC1- NC4 JSS (fireproof) SC ~ 54% Io > 9 cm/hr ? JW (closed) JSS (fireprone) NM2 SC > 28% NM1 NM3-4 Io > 9 cm/hr State 1 State 2 North-facing Slope PFG Perennial forb and grass Sagebrush steppe SS Juniper – Sagebrush steppe JSS Juniper woodland JW A Model for Juniper Invasion North-facing Model From Petersen, 2005

  21. Riparian Ecosystems Is the model appropriate ? State B Community Transition • Processes: • Nutrient Cycling • Energy Capture • Water Cycle • ? Hydrology • channel morphology • influent - effluent Threshold Transitional community State A

  22. Riparian Ecosystems Is the model appropriate ? Community Indicators ? Proper Functioning Condition (USDI, BLM TR 1737-9) Monitoring the Vegetation Resources in Riparian Areas (USDA, USFS, RMRS-GTR-47) Channel Classification (Rosgen 1996) Transitional community State A Indicator sensitivity ? Process capacity ? Process change ?

  23. SABO2/SALU2/ Sedge, Rush, and Grass Understory Booth Willow/Yellow Willow/ Sedge, Rush, and Grass Understory SABO2/SALU2/PHAR3 Booth Willow/Yellow Willow/ Reed Canarygrass Channel straightened, Willows removed Willows removed Meanders reconnected, Willows planted Willows Planted PHAR3/ALPR3 Reed Canarygrass/Meadow Foxtail (Stable) Characteristics: Flood plain Well Connected Low Gradient Meanders E Channel Type Sinuosity >1.5 Gradient <0.2’/100’ Width/Depth ratio <12 Point Bars Sand/Silt Sedge and Bulrush initially dominates With Coyote Willow Bank Stability Outside curves with moderately stable Overhanging banks Stream Shade Channel straightened Meanders restored PHAR3/ALPR3 Reed Canarygrass/Meadow Foxtail (unstable) Characteristics: Flood plain Disconnected Moderate Gradient Meanders C Channel Type Sinuosity <1.5 Gradient >0.2’/100’ Width/Depth ratio >12 Point Bars Sand/Silt Scattered Coyote Willow initially dominates Bank Stability Outside curves with unstable Overhanging banks Stream Shade Summer mid-day shade <1% Dashed line indicates that intensive treatment is needed for recovery.

  24. Riparian Subirrigated (Rsb), North Rocky Mountain Valleys, 15-19-Inch (Typically occurs along riffle-pool streams (i.e., Rosgen C type). 1. (Obligate and Facultative Wetland) Tall and Medium Shrubs, Tall and Medium Grasses & Sedges, Forbs: (Historic Climax/Potential Plant Community) PG NPG (3) (Facultative Wetland, Obligate)Medium and Short Sedges & Grasses, Rushes, Forbs, Mature Willows (2) (Facultative Wetland/Obligate) Willows, Sedges, Mid Grasses, Rush, & Forbs NPG PG Restore Watershed Hydrology*** Upland Encroachment** NPG Channel Recovery Stages * (4) (Facultative and Facultative Upland) Non-Native Grasses, Forbs, Shrubs May be a drop in water table level, no change in stream type NPG Stream Braids (becomes Rosgen D type), or Incises (becomes Rosgen G or F type) (5) Early Seral Community Colonizing grasses, spikerushes, rushes, and willow (6) “Stream Terrace “ecological site (depending on depth to water table, and flooding frequency), or can be an Upland Site (e.g., Sy, Si, Cy, SwG)] Grasses, Forbs, Tall Trees

More Related