Upland Sand (Black Greasewood, Indian Ricegrass)
Scenario model
Current ecosystem state
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Management practices/drivers
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- Transition T1A More details
- Transition T2A More details
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No transition or restoration pathway between the selected states has been described
Target ecosystem state
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Description
The Reference State represents the plant communities and ecological dynamics of the Upland Sand (Black greasewood/Indian ricegrass) site. This state includes the biotic communities that become established on this ecological site when all successional sequences are completed under a natural disturbance regime. This Reference State has one community phase. Generally, black greasewood, Wyoming big sagebrush and shadscale dominate the shrub layer. Indian ricegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail and saltgrass dominate the herbaceous layer.
These Reference State communities are self sustaining and resistant to change due to high resistance to natural disturbances and high resilience following natural disturbances. When natural disturbances occur, the rate of recovery is variable due to disturbance intensity. Once invasive plants become established, return to the reference state may not be possible.
Reference State: Black greasewood/Indian ricegrass state with natural fluctuations that allow either species to dominate at any given location depending on the natural disturbance history.
Indicators: A healthy community dominated by black greasewood and Indian ricegrass.
Feedbacks: Improper livestock grazing of perennial grasses and/or other disturbances that may allow for the establishment of invasive species.
At-risk Community Phase: This state is at risk when native plants are stressed and nutrients become available for invasive plants to establish.
Trigger: The establishment of invasive plant species.
Submodel
Description
The Current Potential State is similar to the Reference State, however invasive grasses and/ or forbs are now present in all community phases. This state is still dominated by a shrub canopy of black greasewood, however depending on disturbance history, green and/or rubber rabbitbrush may be prominent on the site. Indian ricegrass and saltgrass are still the primary perennial grass species however, cheatgrass, annual sunflower, ragweed and other less palatable species now make up a larger portion of the herbaceous layer.
Primary disturbance mechanisms where this site is still rangeland include native herbivore grazing and domestic livestock grazing. Timing of these disturbances dictates the ecological dynamics that occur. The Current Potential State is still self sustaining; but is losing resistance to change due to lower resilience following disturbances. When disturbances occur, the rate of recovery is variable depending on severity. Much of this site has been converted to cropland and urbanland.
Current Potential State: Black greasewood/ Indian ricegrass state with variations of green and/or rubber rabbitbrush shrubs present. Invasive plants are present.
Indicators: A community dominated by a mixture of native perennial grassses and forbs. Invasive grasses and/or forbs are also present.
Feedbacks: Frequent disturbances that may allow annual invasive species such as cheatgrass to dominate.
At-risk Community Phase: As increased disturbance frequency allows for the dominance of annual grasses, such as cheatgrass, this community is at great risk.
Trigger: Reocurring disturbance that results in a dominance of annual grasses in the herbaceous layer.
Submodel
Description
The Cropped/Urbanland State occurs when this site is converted to another land use. The most common uses include irrigated or dryland cropland; urbanland that includes homes, businesses, etc. The majority of this site that occurs on non-oolitic soils has been converted to these other uses.
Trigger: The decision that rangeland is not the most important use of this site.
Submodel
Mechanism
This transition is from the native perennial warm and cool season grass and grasslike understory in the Reference State to states that contain non-native, invasive species. Events may include the establishment of invasive grasses and forbs, and an increase in black greasewood, basin big sagebrush and/or rubber rabbitbrush. Factors that drive such events include, improper livestock grazing of perennial grasses, prolonged drought, and the presence of a seed source for invasive species. Fire may also be a driver for this change in some instances. Invasive species such as cheatgrass however have been known to invade intact perennial plant communities with little to no disturbance. Once invasive species are found in the plant community a threshold has been crossed.
Model keys
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