A prototype application of state and transition simulation modeling in support of grassland management

The Great Plains grasslands of North America provide a multitude of ecosystem services including clean water, forage, habitat, recreation, and pollination of native and agricultural plants. A general lack of quantitative information regarding the effects of varied management strategies on these spatially heterogeneous landscapes complicates our understanding of the processes within them. Given the paucity of studies in the western Great Plains, it is difficult to quantify the interaction of environmental (e.g. drought) influences and managerial strategies, such as grazing intensity and seasonality or fire frequency and behavior. This presents unique challenges to managers seeking to understand, explain, and justify desired management strategies.