LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model

LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model Biophysical Setting 2510760 Chihuahuan Stabilized Coppice Dune and Sand Flat Scrub This BPS is lumped with: This BPS is split into multiple models:

General Information Contributors (also see the Comments field) Date 9/11/2006 Modeler 1 Mike Babler [email protected] Reviewer Dave Anderson [email protected]. mil Modeler 2 Reviewer Phil Smith [email protected] Modeler 3 Reviewer Tim Christiansen [email protected]

Vegetation Type Dominant Species Map Zone Model Zone PRGL2 Upland Shrubland 25 Alaska Northern Plains ATCA2 California N-Cent.Rockies General Model Sources EPTO Great Basin Pacific Northwest Literature EPTR Great Lakes South Central Local Data POIN3 Hawaii Southeast Expert Estimate RHMI3 Northeast S. Appalachians Southwest

Geographic Range Chihuahuan desert. Biophysical Site Description Coppice dunes and sandsheets found in the Chihuahuan Desert. Most moisture occurs during intense, short duration, late summer thunderstorms Vegetation Description Dominated by Prosopis glandulosa but includes Atriplex canescens, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra trifurca, Poliomintha incana and Rhus microphylla coppice sand scrub with 10-30% total vegetation cover. Yucca elata, Gutierrezia sarothrae and Sporobolus flexuosus are commonly present. Disturbance Description Mesquite is top killed by fire but resprouts and also regenerates from seed. FEIS has a MFRI of 35-100yrs. Fire return interval may be on the average more like 35yrs. McPherson identified a 7-10yr fire return interval in grasslands now dominated by mesquite. Shussman and Gori identify some desert scrubs as invaded desert grasslands that when grasslands have a MFRI at 7-10yrs. Model 20yr MFRI based on compromise between 7-10yrs, and minimum 35yrs in FEIS. Adjacency or Identification Concerns See issues for possible effects of early extensive grazing which may have impacts on identification. Native Uncharacteristic Conditions

**Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity.

Monday, March 10, 2014 Page 1 of 4 Scale Description Large Patch.

Issues/Problems Heavy grazing in late 1800s and early 1900s may have caused mesquite to increase. Christiansen agrees with model overall. The fire interval depends on amount, if any, of fine fuel to spread a fire. On WSMR there is almost no fine fuel so the fire return interval is almost nonexistent except for the very rare shrub fire which has not yet been recorded on WSMR for this system.

Comments New model for this mapzone. See disturbance section for discussion on fire return interval. Needs confirmation this is correct interval.

Final QA/QC conducted by D. Johnson 03/26/2007.

Vegetation Classes

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class A 25 % Canopy Position Min Max Early Development 1 Open PRGL2 Cover 020%% Upper Layer Lifeform All Height Shrub 0m Shrub 0.5m Herbaceous ATCA2 Tree Size Class None All Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model

Description Early growth stage. Significant amounts of bare soil and dune conditions result in low percent canopy closure.

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) 75 % Class B Canopy Position Min Max Late Development 1 Open PRGL2 Cover 11%% 30 Upper Layer Lifeform All Height Shrub 0.6m Shrub >3.1m Herbaceous ATCA2 Tree Size Class None All Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model

Description Mesquite becomes established, may establish clones.

Monday, March 10, 2014 Page 2 of 4 Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class C 0 % Canopy Position Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover %% Height Upper Layer Lifeform Tree Size Class Herbaceous Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Shrub Tree Fuel Model

Description

Indicator Species and Class D 0 % Canopy Position Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover %% Upper Layer Lifeform Height Herbaceous Tree Size Class Shrub Tree Fuel Model Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform.

Description

Class E Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) 0 % Canopy Position Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover %% Upper Layer Lifeform Height Herbaceous Tree Size Class Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model

Description Disturbances

Monday, March 10, 2014 Page 3 of 4 Fire Intervals Fire Regime Group**: II Avg FI Min FI Max FI Probability Percent of All Fires Replacement 20 7 100 0.05 100 Historical Fire Size (acres) Mixed Avg 0 Surface Min 0 All Fires 20 0.05002 Max 0 Fire Intervals (FI): Fire interval is expressed in years for each fire severity class and for all types of fire Sources of Fire Regime Data combined (All Fires). Average FI is central tendency modeled. Minimum and Literature maximum show the relative range of fire intervals, if known. Probability is the inverse of fire interval in years and is used in reference condition modeling. Percent of all Local Data fires is the percent of all fires in that severity class. Expert Estimate Additional Disturbances Modeled Insects/Disease Native Grazing Other (optional 1) Wind/Weather/Stress Competition Other (optional 2)

References Bowers, J.E. 1982. The plant ecology of inland dunes in western North America. Journal of Arid Environments 5: 199-220.

Bowers, J.E. 1984. Plant geography of southwestern sand dunes. Desert Plants 6(1): 31-42, 51-54.

Comer, P., D. Faber-Langendoen, R. Evans, S. Gawler, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, M. Pyne, M. Reid, K. Schulz, K. Snow and J. Teague. 2003. Ecological systems of the United States: A working classification of U.S. terrestrial systems. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.

Dick-Peddie, W.A. 1993. New Mexico vegetation: Past, present, and future. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 244 pp.

Schussman, H. and D. Gori 2004. An Ecological Assesment of the Bureau of Land Management's current fire management plans: Materials and recommendations for future fire planning. The Nature Conservancy, Arizona Chapter.

Muldavin, E., Y. Chauvin and G. Harper. 2000b. Vegetation of White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico: Volume I Handbook of vegetation communities. Final Report to White Sands Missile Range by New Mexico Natural Heritage Program, University of New Mexico, NM. 192 pp.

NatureServe. 2006. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 5.0. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available http://www.natureserve.org/explorer. (Accessed: August 21, 2006 ).

NatureServe. 2007. International Ecological Classification Standard: Terrestrial Ecological Classifications. NatureServe Central Databases. Arlington, VA. Data current as of 10 February 2007.

Steinberg, P. 2001. Prosopis glandulosa. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [2006, August 21].

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