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12/9/2019 ESD Printable Report <br /> Seeded Community <br /> This plant community can vary considerably depending on how eroded the soil was,the species seeded,the stand that was established,how <br /> long ago the stand was established,and the management of the stand since establishment. <br /> The Seeded plant community is represented by applying the conservation practice of Rangeland Seeding on go-back land or recently cropped <br /> land for the purpose od converting it to permanent vegetation.Plant species native to the site are used throughout the MLRA due to their <br /> suitability to the semi-arid climate.Native species are the most adapted to site conditions and therefore can be sustained in the MLRA. <br /> Improved cultivars(named varieties)of plant materials are used to enhance seeding establishment and meet specific reclamation resource <br /> objectives. <br /> There are several factors that make seeded rangeland a different grazing resource <br /> than native rangeland.Factors such as species selected,stand density,varieties and <br /> harvest efficiency all impact the production level and palatability.This results in uneven utilization when both seeded and native rangelands <br /> are in the same grazing unit.Therefore,the seeded rangeland should be managed as a separate grazing unit <br /> if possible. <br /> Species diversity on seeded rangeland is often lower than that of the reference plant community and native forb species will generally take <br /> longer to re-establish. <br /> At Risk Community <br /> This plant community evolved with recurring seasonal herbivory,without adequate recovery opportunity,reduced fire frequency and/or <br /> extended drought.Recognition of this plant community will enable the land user to implement key management decisions before a significant <br /> economic/ecological threshold is crossed.The at-risk community phase is vulnerable to degradation.It is most vulnerable to exceeding the <br /> resilience limits of the state and transitioning to an alternative state.This community phase is considered to be a stage in a transition process <br /> that is reversible if the ecological processes that caused the shift are changed. <br /> Key species such as western wheatgrass,green needlegrass,American vetch,fourwing saltbush and winterfat have been reduced in <br /> amounts.Blue grama and galleta have increased in abundance in the community.Sand dropseed,red threeawn,sixweeks fescue, <br /> bottlebrush squirreltail and hairy goldaster have also increased.This plant community is at risk of reducing or losing western wheatgrass, <br /> green needlegrass,American vetch,fourwing saltbush and winterfat. <br /> Continuous spring grazing with summer deferment will reduce the cool season component(western wheatgrass,green needlegrass&sun <br /> sedge)of this plant community and increase the warm season component.Continuous summer grazing with spring deferment will reduce the <br /> warm season component(sideoats grama&alkali sacaton)of this plant community and increase the cool season component. <br /> The risk of losing key cool season grasses,important forbs and shrubs is a major concern.Prescribed grazing with adequate recovery periods <br /> between grazing events together with proper stocking will enable the land user to maintain the vegetation or move it toward the reference <br /> state.Continuous grazing will take this plant community past an ecological/economic threshold resulting in costly revegetation practices or <br /> require many years of prescribed grazing to reverse the process. <br /> Blue grama is increasing at the expense of the cool season grasses and deep-rooted shrubs.Water cycle,nutrient cycle and energy flow are <br /> becoming impaired due to a shift in root structure and species composition.Less litter is being produced.This is an early stage of <br /> desertification. <br /> Total aboveground carbon has been reduced due to decreases in forage and litter production.Reduction of rhizomatous wheatgrass,nitrogen <br /> fixing forbs,shrub component and increased warm season short-grasses has begun to alter the biotic integrity of this community.Water and <br /> nutrient cycles are impaired.This is an early stage of desertification. <br /> Total annual production,during an average year,ranges from 100 to 700 pounds per acre air-dry weight and will average 400 pounds. <br /> Low Plant Density, Excessive Litter <br /> This plant community occurs when grazing is removed for long periods of time in the absence of fire.Plant composition is similar to the <br /> Reference Plant Community,however individual species production and frequency will be lower. <br /> Much of the nutrients are tied up in excess litter.The semiarid environment and the absence of animal impact&herd effect to break down <br /> litter,slows nutrient recycling.Aboveground litter also limits sunlight from reaching plant crowns.Many plants,especially bunchgrasses die off. <br /> Thick litter and absence of grazing or fire reduce seed germination and establishment. <br /> In advanced stages,plant mortality can increase and erosion may eventually occur if bare ground increases.This plant community is at risk of <br /> losing many key species and if ungrazed or ungrazed without fire can go to a vegetative state resembling the Increased Bare Ground State. <br /> This plant community will change rapidly with the return of natural disturbances(grazing and/or fire).This plant community is uncommon in <br /> the natural range of variability. <br /> Total annual production can vary from 200 to 1000 pounds of air-dry vegetation per acre and will average 600 pounds during an average year. <br /> https://esis.sc.egov.usda.gov/ESDReport/fsReportPrt.aspx?id=R069XY042CO&rptLevel=all&approved=yes&repType=regular&scrns=&comm= 8/16 <br />