Location: Northwest Watershed Research Center
Project Number: 2052-13610-015-007-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2025
End Date: Oct 31, 2026
Objective:
The purposes of this research are to (1) improve agroecosystem sustainability and productivity and (2) enhance security of life, property, and natural resources along the rangeland-to-dry forest continuum. Specific objectives include (1) quantify impacts of wildfire, woody plant encroachment, and the beneficial effects of land management practices (including fuels management) on vegetation community dynamics and productivity, soils, hydrologic function, and soil erosion processes, and (2) provide knowledge and tools to ranchers, other producers, and land managers to improve agroecosystem sustainability and delivery of products and services.
Approach:
A suite of standardized vegetation, ground cover, and soil physical property measures will be paired with rainfall simulation and/or infiltrometer experimental data to quantify the impacts of various changes in vegetation cover/structure, ground surface conditions, and soils on hydrologic function and erosion risk and the general delivery of agroecosystem services. The respective data will come from existing databases and from new field studies and will be used in context with hydrology and erosion modeling, where necessary, to assess and predict hillslope scale hydrologic function and erosion risks associated with broadly occurring ecological changes (increased woody fuels, invasive weeds, frequent wildfires) on rangelands, woodlands, and forests in the western US and with implementation of conservation practices. The resulting knowledge and tools will assist ranchers, other producers, and land managers in improving agroecosystem sustainability and delivery of products and services.