bridging the gap between research and managementesds: bridging the gap between research and...
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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
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
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 – 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
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,
• 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.
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.
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