Ecological Site: A distinctive kind of land with specific physical characteristics that differs from other kinds of land in its ability to produce a distinctive kind and amount of vegetation, and in its ability to respond to management actions and natural disturbances. Ecological Site Descriptions (ESDs) describe a) biophysical properties of ecological sites b) Vegetation of reference conditions c) state-and-transition model graphics and text d) a description of ecosystem services provided by the ecological site and other interpretations. ** Ecological Sites tied to soil data accessible through Web Soil Survey
Define Area of interest Part 1: Ecological Site Development: Approach What are the reference conditions for different parts of the landscape? What ecological processes are necessary to maintain the reference condition? Figure out Reference Conditions Background research/ Reconnaissance Develop Initial Ecological Site Concepts: Geophysical, plant community Existing Data, Literature, Expert input Test Ecological Site Concepts Collected Data Reject Accept Ecological Site Description
Ecological Site Concepts based on: Soil Properties (fertility, texture, profile, drainage) Soil map units Landscape position / topography Climate Vegetation: Reference sites Clayey soil (basin floor)receives water and sediment: low risk The MLRA-level model Loamy soil(active piedmont) Susceptible to water erosion and grass loss: vulnerable/restorable Sandy soil(relict basin floor) Erodible surface soils once grasses removed Gravelly soil(shallow, relict piedmont) Surface soil water limited, high risk for grass loss and erosion
Part 2: Ecological Site Description and Management Interpretations 1) Development of State and Transition Model 2) Identify Indicators of Reference conditions, states, and treshholds 3) Identify and describe management activities that affect phases and states T1 Shrub invasion Phase: D Reference: A Phase C Phase: B R1 Fire, Shrub control Phase: E STATE 2: Savanna STATE 1: Grassland State F STATE 3: Shrubland
Part 1: Example of Development of Ecological Site Concepts: Pine Uplands of the Lower Atlantic Coast Flatwoods Using existing vegetation data as Reference Sites as a start MLRA 153A Create distinguishable site concepts Correlate those to soil map units (one-many)
Uplands P9 P42 P15 P34 P37 P32 P43 P41 P44 P56 P99 P45 P39 P8 P7 P10 P16 P71 P33 P35 P48 P38 P3 P36 P47 P62 P58 P14 P20 P21 P50 P46 P59 P97 P53 P17 P52 P2 P55 P54 P49 P51 P98 P65 P85 P6 P4 P24 P72 P25 P19 P91 P30 P26 P60 P31 P96 P83 P18 P22 P64 P90 P67 P12 P94 P61 P66 P89 P28 P27 P13 P70 P68 P73 P1 P5 P29 P84 P23 P77 P88 P78 P79 Example of Development of Ecological Site Concepts: Reference site data for MLRA 153A Defining Ecological Site concepts from data (cluster and indicator species analysis) P75 P74 P69 In this case, upland pineland communities only P81 P80 P82 P92 P95 P93 P87 P86 Pinus palustris-turkey(bluejack) oak Sandhills Pinus palustris-saw palmetto- Curtis dropseed flatwoods Pinus palustris-mixed forb-bluestem flatwoods
Develop Ecological Site concept Indicator plant species for MLRA pine upland reference sites Turkey Oak (Q. laevis) Bluejack Oak (Q. incana) Ordination Axis 2 Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) Shiny blueberry (Vaccinium myrsinites) Pinus palustris-turkey(bluejack) oak Sandhills Pinus palustris-saw palmetto- Curtis dropseed flatwoods Ordination Axis 1
Develop Ecological Site concept Site Soil Correlations Pinus palustris-turkey(bluejack) oak Sandhills Psamments and Grossarenic Paleudults Thick sandy epipedon (sand pile) Excessively to well drained Large depth to water table Pinus palustris-mixed forb-bluestem flatwoods Paleaquullts and Aquic Paleudults Aquic conditions part of year Poorly to moderately well drained Pinus palustris-saw palmetto- Curtis dropseed flatwoods Spodosols Leached albic horizon Spodic horizon high in organic matter
Initial Hypotheses about community soil / landscape relationships Now we can: Examine more existing data (vegetation mapping, FNAI, FWC) Assemble experts, task force More field work validation of Ecological Site concepts Expand the Ecological Site model to include other site concepts Start working on Ecological Site Descriptions for specific Ecological Sites
Part 2: Example - State and Transition Models / Indicators Xeric Sandhill Scrub, North Carolina Sandhills region Source: NatureServe draft ESD, 2012
Identify and describe management activities that affect phases and states: Example from grasslands in Jornada Basin, New Mexico Shrub savanna state Grass cover is > 15%, only small bare patches Keep on doing what you re doing, Fire management if possible Shrub-dominated state Shrub cover >12%, few grass patches: Summer grazing rest, Shrub control to increase grasses Shrubland state Shrub cover >12% absence of perennial grasses, Long-term rest to take advantage of very rainy years, Shrub control
Ecological Site Description Process: Applications for Public Land Management Ecological Site Reference concept useful as benchmark for restoration goals Ecological Site Description Spatially explicit information re: plant communities and successional trajectories for landowners and agencies Management Interpretations information about how to affect succession based on land manager s objectives Largest natural resource database, accessible to everyone We can t do this alone.