ESDs: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

Jamin Johanson, USDA-NRCS Richfield, UT

Dr. Thomas Monaco, USDA-ARS Logan, UT

Justin Williams, USDA-ARS Logan, UT

Succession of Crested Wheatgrass Seedings in the Great Basin

Crested Wheatgrass Seeding Diversity, Cover and Soils

• 4 modified Whittaker plots per study site

• 38 sagebrush sites

• 35+ years since seeding

• No disturbance since seeding

Soil Influences on Succession After Seeding to Crested Wheatgrass

ESD-based Analysis • 38 sagebrush sites

– 152 plots

• 3 MLRAs – Snake River Plains

(11) – Owyhee High

Plateau (25) – Great Salt Lake Area

(28A)

• 15 different ESDs

11

25

28

ESD-based Analysis

• Community composition by percent cover

MLRA 11 MLRA 25 MLRA 28

ESD-based Analysis

• Community composition by percent cover – Snake River Plains have consistently high native grass

ESD-based Analysis

• Community composition by percent cover – Snake River Plains have consistently high native grass

– All sites, except 1, have are at least 20% native shrubs

ESD-based Analysis

• Community composition by percent cover – Snake River Plains have consistently high native grass

– All sites, except 1, have are at least 20% native shrubs

– 3 sites are no longer dominated by Crested Wheatgrass

After 30-50 years: – 20-40% C.W.

– 20-40% Shrubs

– 15-25% Native grasses

– 10-15% Exotic Forbs

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

• Research can inform ESDs best when: – Data and/or photos are accessible – Data and/or photos are spatially referenced

(e.g. GPS coordinates, township and range, etc.)

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

• Research can inform ESDs best when: – Data and/or photos are accessible – Data and/or photos are spatially referenced

(e.g. GPS coordinates, township and range, etc.)

But Also….

* Researchers and ESD developers must work together

Use

Credibility

Accuracy

Site-specific documentation

Coordinated Effort

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

• We want people to use ESDs Use

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

• We want people to use ESDs,

• But, ESDs must be credible Use

Credibility

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

• We want people to use ESDs,

• But, ESDs must be credible,

and accurate.

Use

Credibility

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

Accuracy

• We want people to use ESDs,

• But, ESDs must be credible,

and accurate.

• Credibility and accuracy are both improved with ecological site-specific documentation

Use

Credibility

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

Accuracy

Site-specific documentation

• We want people to use ESDs,

• But, ESDs must be credible,

and accurate.

• Credibility and accuracy are both improved with ecological site-specific documentation,

• But, a group effort is required to maximize documentation

Use

Credibility

Bridging the Gap Between Research and Management

Accuracy

Site-specific documentation

Coordinated Effort

Appeal to Agencies and Land Managers

• If you want ESDs to be useful, get your monitoring data into the hands of an ESD developer

• Applications for STM development: – Document states

– hypothesize transitions

– at-risk community indicators

– Range Health process changes, etc.

Appeal to Researchers

• If you want your research to be used by land managers, get your data into ESDs and STMs.

1) Opportunistic research:

1) Take advantage of fenceline contrasts and known disturbances

2) Analyze (or re-analyze) other studies in an ESD context

2) Planned STM research: use existing data from agencies and land owners to generate hypotheses and design studies.

DWR Range Trend Study Proposal

Conclusions

• ESDs have the potential to bridge the gap between management and research.

• Appeal to increase ESD development networks between ESD developers, researchers, managers and other range professionals.

Questions?