Ecologically-based STMs and

the Value of ESDs

Roger L. Sheley

Site availability

Species

availability

Species

performance

Time

Points

Managing ecological mechanisms and processes that direct succession is central to rangeland management & restoration.

Successional Management is a process-based ecological theory that is useful for making management & restoration decisions.

Successional Management can provide a process-based predictive component for the transitions in STMs.

ESDs can be used to inform Successional Management by providing 1) ecological boundaries for making objectives, 2) ecological information for comparison during rangeland health assessment, 3) a unit of scale on which ecological principles apply to management

Infrequent fire

Frequent

fire

Sage/bunchgrass Bunchgrass

Annual grassSage/annual grass

Yellow starthistle/annual grassAnnual grass

Trashed Land

State and Transition Models

Ecological principles

Objectives

Functional diversity

Maximum productivity

Invasion resistance

ESDs provide the specific information

used as targets for management and

places boundaries on what plant

communities are reasonable targets

Plant Communities Always

Change

What

caused

this?

What can

we do to

cause this?

Managing Causes

Using our understanding

of the mechanisms and

processes that drive plant

communities dynamics to

direct its trajectory

Malheur Wildlife Refuge

Use Rodeo or alter water regime?

Plant Community Desired State

Site availability

Species

availability

Species

performance

Time

Plant Community

Undesired State

Site

availability

Species

availability

Species

PerformancePlant Community

Desired State

size

severity

time intervals

patchiness

predisturbance

history

dispersal

mechanisms

landscape

features

land use

disturbance

interval

species life

history

soil

topography

climate

site history

microbes

litter retention

germination

requirements

assimilation rates

growth rates

genetic

differentiation

reproduction

timing

Ecological Theory Useful for Management

herbivory,

competition

allelopathy

resource availability

ColonizationDisturbance Multiple

Rangeland Health

Assessment

Can use ESD information as comparison

healthy conditions

Disturbance

Principle Treatment

Create safe sites for desired species 3 X disking

Dispersal/Reproduction

Principle Treatment

Match desired species seed numbers

with available safe sites

2 to 3 X seeding rate

(50% spring; 50% fall)

Decrease seed production by cheatgrass Plateau 6 to 8 oz

Remove fire as a disturbance Plant later maturing species that

can resist burning; forage kochia

Stress

Principle Treatment

Apply stress to cheatgrass Early spring grazing prior to desired

species emergence

Remove stress for desired species Minimize grazing for first 2 years

Resource acquisition

Principle Treatment

Mange for low nutrient status Disking will be very shallow

Maximize niche occupation Seed a diverse seed mix including all

Functional groups and growth forms

e.g. Sandberg’s bluegrass,

crested wheatgrass,

bluebunch wheatgrass,

intermediate wheatgrass,

squirreltail, yarrow,

forage kochia, small burnett,

sagebrush

Seed with cover crop

Interference

Principle Treatment

Species with similar traits as

cheatgrass will be most competive

Sandberg’s bluegrass, six weeks fescue

Annual forbs

Initial Plant

Community

Designed

Disturbance

Controlled

Species

Performance

Controlled

Colonization

Final Plant

Community

3x shallow

disking

Plant kochia

to minimize

burning

Drill Seed

a diverse seed

mixture at 3x

½ in spring; ½

in fall

Reduce soil

Fertility using

cover crop;

Cereal rye

Repeated

Spring

Grazing

Seed Sandberg’s bluegrass, six

weeks fescue and annual for to

compete with cheatgrass

EBIPM for cheatgrass infested rangeland

Rest

Plateau

The big question????

Do ecological principles apply

consistently between states within an

ESD.

Summary

Managing ecological mechanisms and processes that direct succession is central to rangeland management & restoration.

Successional Management is a process-based ecological theory that is useful for making management & restoration decisions.

Successional Management can provide a process-based predictive component for the transitions in STMs.

ESDs can be used to inform Successional Management by providing 1) ecological boundaries for making objectives, 2) ecological information for comparison during rangeland health assessment, 3) a unit of scale on which ecological principles apply to management

Ecological Site Description

ESIS ESDESI

Forestland

ESI Rangela

nd

Data Access

Return to Reports Selection Screen

Report Selections

General

Physiographic Features

Climate Features

Water Features

Soil Features

Plant Communities

Site Interpretations

Supporting Information

Rangeland Health Reference Sheet

Complete Report

HTML Printable Format

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

ECOLOGICAL SITE DESCRIPTION

ECOLOGICAL SITE CHARACTERISTICS

Site Type: Rangeland

Site Name: LOAMY 12-14 PZ

Site ID: R008XY120OR

Major Land Resource Area: 008 - Columbia Plateau