Update –Rangeland Ecological Site Descriptions

Jeffrey P. ReppRangeland Management SpecialistWest National Technology Support

CenterJune 2008June 2008

ESD Activities/Efforts• Interagency Rangeland ESD MOU • ESIS – ESD• ESIS – ESI – Range Database• State & Transition Models • Riparian Site Complexes• Wetland Site Complexes

Interagency Rangeland ESD MOU• Signed 05/2005

– BLM, USFS, NRCS• Interagency team developed 1st draft

Ecological Site Description Handbook 12/2006

• Interagency policy document and final draft ESD Handbook due in 2008

ESIS - ESD

• ESD Sections

• Minimum ESD Criteria

• ESIS/ESD National Progress

• 2008 ESIS/ESD Upgrade Changes

• Draft ESIS User Guide

• ESD Sections

• Minimum ESD Criteria

• ESIS/ESD National Progress

• 2008 ESIS/ESD Upgrade Changes

• Draft ESIS User Guide

ESD Sections• General Information• Physiographic Features• Climatic Features• Water Features• Representative Soil Features• Community Phase Data• Ecological Site Interpretations• Supporting Information• Rangeland Health Reference Sheet

Minimum ESD Criteria - Phase 1All sections of ESD except:• Community Phase Data (partial)

– State & Transition Model– Data for reference state – Data for reference plant community phase– Narratives for other states– Photos

• Ecological Site Interpretations

ESIS/ESD National Progress• 17 states have approved ESDs• More states beginning to develop ESDs

– IA, IL, MN, WI, NJ, MO• National Implementation Strategy

– Centralized MLRA Leadership– Phased Approach– Training Assistance– Interdisciplinary & Interagency Approach

2008 ESIS/ESD Upgrade Changes• Rangeland Health Reference Sheets• Community Phase Data

– States (reference and alternative)– Community Phases– State Transitions – Restoration Pathways– Community Pathways

ESIS – Draft ESD User Guide

Understanding the Ecological Site Information System Database

Basic ESIS User Guide

ESIS – ESI – Range Database• Version 1.4 currently available

– USDA-ARS-Jornada Experimental Range• Approval to integrate PEDON with

Range DB• 3-Tier approach to site data collection

– Reconnaissance/Traverse– Ocular Estimates/Step Transects– Point-data Collection at Type Locations

http://usdahttp://usda--ars.nmsu.edu/monit_assess/rangedb_main.phpars.nmsu.edu/monit_assess/rangedb_main.php

State & Transition Models• Developed by Teams• Peer Reviewed• Reference & Alternative States• Transitions• Community Phases and Pathways

– At-Risk Community Phases• Triggers• Thresholds

1.1 1.1 Green Needlegrass/Green Needlegrass/Western WheatgrassWestern Wheatgrass

1. Reference State1. Reference State

2.1 2.1 Green Needlegrass/Green Needlegrass/

Western Wheatgrass/Western Wheatgrass/Kentucky BluegrassKentucky Bluegrass

2.22.2Kentucky Bluegrass/Kentucky Bluegrass/Blue Grama/SedgeBlue Grama/Sedge

2.32.3Kentucky Bluegrass/Kentucky Bluegrass/Western Wheatgrass/Western Wheatgrass/Green NeedlegrassGreen Needlegrass

2. Invaded State2. Invaded State

3.13.1Kentucky Bluegrass/Kentucky Bluegrass/

Smooth BromeSmooth Brome3.2 3.2

Smooth BromeSmooth Brome

3. Introduced Grass State3. Introduced Grass State

T1aT1a

T2aT2aR3aR3a

3.1a3.1a

2.1a2.1a

2.1b2.1b 2.2b2.2b

2.2a2.2a

1.21.2Big Bluestem/Big Bluestem/

Sideoats Grama/Sideoats Grama/Western WheatgrassWestern Wheatgrass

1.1a1.1a

Community Phase Community Phase 1.11.1 – Reference

Community

Transition 1a.Transition 1a. “…the invasionof introduced cool season

Introduced grasses…chronic season long grazing…”

Community pathway 2.2bCommunity pathway 2.2b – “Complete rest from grazing and no fire will initiate…nutrient cycling will increase with rooting depth…infiltration rates will increase with increased rooting depth…”

Community Phase 2.3Community Phase 2.3 – “…increase in cool season sod forming grasses…as Kentucky bluegrass increases this community phase is at risk of a transition that will lead to a state threshold…”

Community Pathway 3.1aCommunity Pathway 3.1a –“…energy flow restricted by monotypic composition…nutrient cycling limited to root depth …infiltration decreased by compaction layer…”

Restoration pathway R3aRestoration pathway R3a –

“…selected plant material and agronomic practices…

chemical herbicide and seeding…management objective for maintenance of function…”

Loamy Rangeland Ecological Site Loamy Rangeland Ecological Site –– R055BY011NDR055BY011ND

1.2a1.2a

Deep Sand Savannah Ecological Site Deep Sand Savannah Ecological Site –– R070XC123NMR070XC123NM

2.1 2.1 -- OneOne--seed juniper > 5seed juniper > 5’’ talltallShrubs, warm season tall and Shrubs, warm season tall and

mid grassesmid grasses

1.1 1.1 -- Warm season tall Warm season tall and mid grassesand mid grasses

1.2 1.2 -- Warm season mid Warm season mid and tall grasses and and tall grasses and

oneone--seed juniper < 5seed juniper < 5’’ talltallShrubsShrubs

1.0 Reference State1.0 Reference State

2.0 Juniper/Shrub State2.0 Juniper/Shrub State

2.2 2.2 -- OneOne--seed juniperseed juniperShrubs and warm season Shrubs and warm season

mid grassesmid grasses

3.0 Eroded State3.0 Eroded State

3.1 3.1 -- OneOne--seed juniperseed juniperactive wind and water erosionactive wind and water erosion

1.1a1.1a

1.2a1.2aT1aT1a R1aR1a

R3bR3b

T2aT2a

2.1a2.1a2.2a2.2a

R3aR3a

Reference StateReference State:: Two community phases maintained by frequent fire and weather fluctuations (drought and wet years).IndicatorsIndicators: High perennial grass cover and production. Litter accumulation.FeedbacksFeedbacks: Organic matter inputs allows for increased soil moisture, production, root turnover and litter increasing soil surface stability.AtAt--risk Community Phaserisk Community Phase:: Either community phase is at risk when bare ground increases and organic matter inputs decline.TriggerTrigger:: Elimination of fire and overgrazing causing increase juniper canopyThresholdThreshold:: Increasing bare ground > ??% and increase in juniper canopy cover to 15%.Restoration PathwayRestoration Pathway: Decrease juniper canopy cover, increase organicmatter inputs.

Alternative State 2Alternative State 2:: Juniper canopy cover controls the soil moisture, herbaceous production and organic matter inputs. Management practices applied to maintain current canopy cover and herbaceous production. Manipulation of brush species and prescribed fire and grazing management planned to maintain or improve warm season mid grass production.IndicatorsIndicators: Juniper canopy cover>15%, bare ground > 35%.FeedbacksFeedbacks: Juniper use of moisture, decreasing herbaceous production, decreasing organic matter inputs.AtAt--risk Community Phaserisk Community Phase:: Either community phase is at risk if juniper seedling increase and canopy cover increases.TriggerTrigger:: Juniper seedling established.ThresholdThreshold:: Bare ground > 50% and soil surface stability <3.0.

Alternative State 3Alternative State 3:: Active wind and water erosion taking place. Active sand dunes with juniper trees.IndicatorsIndicators: Juniper canopy closed, soil surface stability indicators <3.0, active wind and water erosion prevalent.FeedbacksFeedbacks: Juniper use of all available moisture, eliminates organic matterinputs, decreases soil surface stability.Restoration PathwayRestoration Pathway:: Management and restoration practices planned mustdecrease juniper canopy with little or no surface disturbance, grazing must plan for increasing herbaceous production and allow for litter accumulation to improve organic matter inputs to stabilize soil surface.

2.1 2.1 -- OneOne--seed juniper seed juniper > 5> 5’’ tall shrubstall shrubs

warm season tall and mid grasseswarm season tall and mid grasses

1.2 1.2 -- Warm season mid and tall Warm season mid and tall grasses and onegrasses and one--seed juniper seed juniper

< 5< 5’’ tall shrubstall shrubs

1.1 Warm season mid and tall grasses1.1 Warm season mid and tall grasses

1.0 Reference State1.0 Reference State

2.0 Juniper/Shrub State2.0 Juniper/Shrub State

2.2 2.2 -- OneOne--seed juniperseed junipershrubsshrubs

and warm season mid grassesand warm season mid grasses

3.0 Eroded State3.0 Eroded State

3.1 - One-seed juniperactive wind and water erosion

1.1a1.1a 1.2a1.2a

T1aT1aR2aR2a

2.2a2.2a 2.1a2.1a

T2aT2aR3aR3a

Deep Sand Savannah Ecological SiteDeep Sand Savannah Ecological Site

Riparian Ecological Site Complexes• Valley Type & Channel Type (Rosgen)• Climate / Elevation Characteristics• Extends from steam outward to limit of

riparian/wetland soil processes• Includes plant community types linked by

hydrological processes• Community Phases are compilations of

Plant Community Types in different temporal and spatial arrangement

floodplain low terrace

intermediateterrace

low terrace

Lower Cosumnes River, Sacramento County, CALower Cosumnes River, Sacramento County, CA

N

Wetland Ecological Site Complexes• Includes Sub-Aqueous, Emergent, &

Peatlands sites• Soil surfaces are often organic material• Boundaries of complexes less obvious?• Zonation & Diversity

– Hydrology, Fertility, Disturbance, Competition, Herbivory, Burial (sedimentation)

Mountain Fen (poorMountain Fen (poor--moderate rich) New Mexicomoderate rich) New Mexico

Riparian eco site, or Wetland eco site?Riparian eco site, or Wetland eco site?How many different eco sites?How many different eco sites?

What/where are the complexes?What/where are the complexes?

Numbers represent Numbers represent different groupings of different groupings of plant community typesplant community types

Aerial photography 1981 Aerial photography 1981 Sycan Marsh, ORSycan Marsh, OR

At the headwatersAt the headwaters……Wetland eco sites?Wetland eco sites?

How many different eco sites?How many different eco sites?What/where are the complexes?What/where are the complexes?

Mucky peat Mucky peat [Beaked & [Beaked &

Inflated Sedge]Inflated Sedge]Floating peat mat Floating peat mat [Lodgepole pine, [Lodgepole pine, sedge, sundew]sedge, sundew]

Beach ridge Beach ridge [Basin wild rye][Basin wild rye]

Marsh [Soft & Hard Marsh [Soft & Hard stem bulrush]stem bulrush]

Wet meadow Wet meadow [Nebraska sedge][Nebraska sedge]

Moist meadow Moist meadow [Tufted hairgrass][Tufted hairgrass]

Aerial photography 1981 Aerial photography 1981 Sycan Marsh, ORSycan Marsh, OR

West National Technology Support Center

Jeffrey P. Repp 503-273-2431 jeff.repp@por.usda.gov

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June 2008

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