State-and-Transition Simulation Models, parameters, input data, and simulation results

This is a spatially-explicit state-and-transition simulation model (STSM) of sagebrush-steppe vegetation dynamics for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Priority Areas for Conservation (PACs) in the Great Basin. The STSM was built using the ST-Sim platform and uses an integrated stock-flow submodel (STSM-SF) to simulate and track continuous vegetation component cover changes caused by annual growth, natural regeneration, and post-fire sagebrush seeding and planting restoration. Spatially explicit models were built for three sage-grouse PACs (Klamath Oregon/California [KLAM], NW Interior Nevada [NWINV], Strawberry Utah [STRAW]) that differed in historic wildfire patterns and the amounts of various component vegetation cover present (sagebrush, annual grass, pinyon-juniper percent cover), and represented a range of possible variation in annual area burned (fire size, frequency), annual grass invasion, conifer encroachment and simulated potential for habitat restoration. Thirteen restoration scenarios representing a combination of three revegetation alternatives (no restoration, seeding, planting) under three effort levels (post-fire treatment area), and two durations (single-year, multi-year) were simulated for each PAC landscape. Seeding and planting effort levels were based on historic treatment area polygon data (median size) for sagebrush seeding (6 km2) and planting (4 km2). Planting scenarios represented the sagebrush cover gains of planting 4 plants/m2 (low-density; LD planting) and 8 plants/m2 (high-density; HD planting). A combination seeding-planting scenario representing single-year gains from seeding and multi-year gains from HD planting was also simulated to compare with single- and multi-year seeding or planting scenarios.

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  "010:12"
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  "Geospatial"
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