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ARS Home » Plains Area » Mandan, North Dakota » Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421467
Research Project: Transdisciplinary Research that Improves the Productivity and Sustainability of Northern Great Plains Agroecosystems and the Well-Being of the Communities They Serve

Location: Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory

Title: Using knowledge of land potential and ecological dynamics to guide intervention strategies

Author
item Toledo, David
item Herrick, Jeffrey - Jeff

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2024
Publication Date: 11/15/2024
Citation: Toledo, D.N., Herrick, J.E. 2024. Using knowledge of land potential and ecological dynamics to guide intervention strategies. Meeting Abstract. 1.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The ability of a site to naturally support distinctive kinds and amounts of vegetation and its ability to respond to management actions and natural disturbances is largely dictated by the interaction of climate, soils, and topography. This land potential and associated vegetation dynamics can be visualized through State and Transition Models (STMs). States can include one or more biological communities and are defined by thresholds that reflect large differences in, among others, soil and site stability, hydrologic function, and biotic integrity. Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health (IIRH) uses 17 indicators to assess soil and site stability, hydrologic function, and biotic integrity and is the most widely used field assessment method on USA arid lands . In this talk, we will use a case study approach to illustrate the states and indicators associated with a degradation–restoration process and how a combination of STMs, science-based rangeland health indicators, and management can lead to successful restoration outcomes.