Laserfiche WebLink
EXHIBIT J-1 <br /> weaken the pinyon trees, beetle kills can become quite extensive, especially after the droughts. Drought periods can <br /> also weaken and reduce the understory. Plant establishment is mainly limited by the available moisture. Biological <br /> crusts can be highly developed and diversified in the large interspaces between trees. <br /> When the tree canopy ranges from 15 to 30 percent, a wide variety of grasses,forbs, and shrubs will also be <br /> present in addition to the pinyon pine and Utah juniper. During this tree canopy stage, diversity of plant and animal <br /> species will reach its peak. <br /> Community Phase Pathway 1.1A <br /> This pathway occurs when events create a wetter climate cycle,favor pinyon and perennial bunch grass <br /> establishment. Following several favorable precipitation years and lack of surface disturbances, native perennial <br /> plants will reestablish. <br /> Community Phase Pathway 1.1 B <br /> This pathway is very unlikely but can occur when a fire is able to move through the community.Two situations can <br /> make this occur: 1)a fire can carry in the understory after several wet years allow fine fuels to accumulate, or 2)as <br /> the woodland approaches the later stages of development where canopies become dense and crown sizes have <br /> increased, and thus community phase becomes susceptible to crown fires. <br /> Community Phase 1.2: Mature Pinyon-Juniper Woodland <br /> Mature pinyon and Utah juniper woodland characterized this community phase.When weather patterns favor an <br /> increase of pinyon and Utah juniper canopy with the associated understory of shrubs, grasses and forbs. <br /> Depending on the timing of precipitation, cool season grasses, like Indian ricegrass or warm season grasses like <br /> galleta could be dominant. Interspaces supporting highly developed biological crusts are common. <br /> Community Phase Pathway 1.2A <br /> This pathway occurs during and after events such as drought or insect/pathogen outbreaks. Droughts and insects <br /> can kill the trees, increasing nutrient availability in the system. Due to the natural conditions of drought, grasses <br /> typically do not take up the extra nutrients in the long term. In the short term,grasses and forbs may increase for a <br /> few years until juniper and pinyon recover. <br /> Community Phase Pathway 1.213 <br /> This pathway is very unlikely but can occur when a fire is able to move through the community phase. Two <br /> situations can make this occur: 1)a fire can carry in the understory after several wet years allow fine fuels to <br /> accumulate, or 2)as the woodland approaches the later stages of development where canopies become dense and <br /> crown sizes have increased, and thus community phase becomes susceptible to crown fires. <br /> Community Phase 1.3: Perennial Grassland/Sh ru bland with scattered PJ <br /> The overall aspect of this community phase is grasses and shrubs with scattered pinyon and Utah juniper.The <br /> herbaceous understory has a mix of grasses and forbs.This community phase is a result of a crown fire or <br /> sufficiently large and hot ground fire that will kill many of the trees, combined with sufficient seed-banks and <br /> moisture for reestablishment of grasses and forbs. It is common that after a crown fire many patches of trees will <br /> remain unburned, because of fire's unpredictability and broken topography.This leaves a seed bank for the burned <br /> areas.This community phase is very short lived in comparison to the other community phases in this state. <br /> When the tree canopy ranges from 0- 15 percent; grasses,forbs, and shrubs will produce approximately 80 to 90 <br /> percent of the total production.When the tree canopy level is reduced by fire, chaining and/or application of <br /> herbicides,forage production will be at its highest level for big game animals as well as domestic livestock. <br /> Community Phase Pathway 1.3A <br /> This pathway occurs when the climate favors the establishment and growth of trees. More energy is taken-up and <br /> stored in the trees as the length between fires and droughts increase. In addition,when shrubs establish on the site <br /> they can provide safe-sites for tree establishment furthering the presence of trees. <br /> Transition T1A <br /> This transition from the native perennial bunchgrass and shrub understory in the reference state to a state that has <br /> been invaded by naturalized species such as crested wheatgrass(blown in or seeded), cheatgrass, annual <br /> wheatgrass and other introduced or exotic plants.This transition occurs as natural and/or management actions <br />