Past: Historical Ecosystems
LANDFIRE’s Biophysical Settings (BpSs)
BpS models represent the vegetation system that may have been dominant on the landscape prior to Euro-American settlement. These models are based on a combination of the current environment and an approximation of the historical disturbance regime. Read more.
Check out this 3-minute tutorial for a quick refresher on the basics of Biophysical Settings Models.
Use this page as a starting point to explore the most prevalent BpSs in the SRFSN Northern New Mexico Plateau Subregion. In addition to the charts and maps, the historical disturbance data can be directly accessed using this site.
Summary
- Prior to European colonization the top 10 BpSs covered almost all of the subregion, with the Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat being the most dominant at ~22%.
- The Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland had the most fire, with ~ 12,000 acres annually prior to European colonization.
- While fire was an important disturbance historically, the Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian Systems experienced the most disturbance with ~ 127,000 acres of ‘wind/weather/stress’ (i.e., flooding) occuring every year.
Scroll down to explore the “historical disturbances per ecosystem” using the interactive web app.
Most Prevalent Biophysical Settings
Historic Annual Acres Burned (per ecosystem)
Top Historical Fire Regimes
Historical Disturbances (per ecosystem)
Data Table
| ZONE | BPS_MODEL | BPS_NAME | GROUPVEG | FRI_REPLAC | FRI_MIXED | FRI_SURFAC | FRG_NEW | ACRES | REL_PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 11530_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat | Shrubland | 204 | NA | NA | V-A | 826,398 | 21.6 |
| 28 | 11260_6_12_17_18_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe | Shrubland | 49 | NA | NA | IV-A | 596,427 | 15.6 |
| 28 | 10801_21_22_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Basin Big Sagebrush | Shrubland | 72 | NA | NA | IV-A | 404,615 | 10.6 |
| 28 | 11590_28 | Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian Systems | Riparian | 270 | NA | 79 | III-A | 374,204 | 9.8 |
| 28 | 11350_15_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland | Grassland | 77 | 37 | NA | I-C | 321,245 | 8.4 |
| 25 | 11190_24_25 | Southern Rocky Mountain Juniper Woodland and Savanna | Conifer | 503 | 217 | 32 | I-C | 267,199 | 7.0 |
| 25 | 10804_6_12_15_16_17_18_23_24_25 | Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Upland | Shrubland | 120 | NA | NA | IV-B | 223,673 | 5.8 |
| 28 | 10160_15_28 | Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland | Conifer | 430 | 194 | 2,245 | III-B | 103,623 | 2.7 |
| 25 | 10590_25 | Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland | Conifer | 243 | 253 | 107 | III-A | 87,144 | 2.3 |
| 25 | 11270_16_23_24_25 | Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe | Shrubland | 105 | NA | NA | IV-B | 72,572 | 1.9 |
| 25 | 11330_25 | Chihuahuan Sandy Plains Semi-Desert Grassland | Grassland | 896 | NA | NA | V-B | 71,243 | 1.9 |
| 28 | 11270_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub-Steppe | Shrubland | 120 | NA | NA | IV-B | 63,837 | 1.7 |
| 25 | 11210_25 | Apacherian-Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Grassland and Steppe | Grassland | NA | 82 | NA | III-A | 54,742 | 1.4 |
| 25 | 11590_25 | Rocky Mountain Montane Riparian Systems | Riparian | 272 | NA | 79 | III-A | 48,584 | 1.3 |
| 28 | 11460_15_16_23_24_25_28 | Southern Rocky Mountain Montane-Subalpine Grassland | Grassland | 20 | NA | 21 | I-B | 39,313 | 1.0 |
| 25 | 11003_25 | Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thorn Scrub-Steppe | Shrubland | NA | NA | NA | NA | 32,884 | 0.9 |
| 25 | 11530_16_23_24_25_27 | Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat | Shrubland | 208 | NA | NA | V-A | 35,635 | 0.9 |
| NA | NA | Barren-Rock/Sand/Clay | Barren-Rock/Sand/Clay | NA | NA | NA | NA | 24,766 | 0.6 |
| NA | NA | Open Water | Open Water | NA | NA | NA | NA | 20,372 | 0.5 |
| 28 | 10510_28 | Southern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland | Conifer | 325 | 54 | 32 | I-C | 14,262 | 0.4 |
| 25 | 11002_25 | Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thorn Scrub-Shrubland | Shrubland | 841 | NA | NA | V-B | 15,374 | 0.4 |
| 25 | 11550_25 | North American Warm Desert Riparian Systems | Riparian | 225 | NA | NA | V-A | 14,237 | 0.4 |
| 28 | 10540_28 | Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland | Conifer | 505 | 159 | 24 | I-C | 12,980 | 0.3 |
| 28 | 11070_25_28 | Rocky Mountain Gambel Oak-Mixed Montane Shrubland | Shrubland | 50 | 171 | NA | III-A | 10,300 | 0.3 |
| 25 | 10160_16_23_24_25 | Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Woodland | Conifer | 435 | 195 | 2,265 | III-B | 11,687 | 0.3 |
| 25 | 10230_14_15_24_25 | Madrean Encinal | Conifer | 125 | 191 | 33 | I-C | 9,689 | 0.3 |
| 25 | 10540_15_25 | Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland | Conifer | 396 | 108 | 10 | I-B | 10,959 | 0.3 |
| 28 | 10110_28 | Rocky Mountain Aspen Forest and Woodland | Hardwood | 145 | 1,732 | 844 | IV-B | 7,220 | 0.2 |
| 28 | 10610_22_27_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Aspen-Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland | Hardwood-Conifer | 78 | 73 | 126 | I-C | 7,393 | 0.2 |
| 25 | 11040_13_14_25 | Mogollon Chaparral | Shrubland | 77 | NA | NA | IV-A | 8,572 | 0.2 |
| 25 | 11250_6_12_13_15_16_17_18_23_24_25_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe | Shrubland | 117 | NA | NA | IV-B | 2,334 | 0.1 |
| 28 | 10010 | Inter-Mountain Basins Sparsely Vegetated Systems | Sparse | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4,624 | 0.1 |
| 28 | 10520_28 | Southern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland | Conifer | 202 | 144 | 153 | III-A | 1,944 | 0.1 |
| 28 | 10860_28 | Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland | Shrubland | 73 | 210 | NA | III-A | 5,688 | 0.1 |
| 28 | 11170_13_15_28 | Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Savanna | Conifer | 368 | NA | 11 | I-B | 2,260 | 0.1 |
| 28 | 11190_28 | Southern Rocky Mountain Juniper Woodland and Savanna | Conifer | 501 | 212 | 32 | I-C | 3,925 | 0.1 |
| 25 | 10770_25_26 | Chihuahuan Succulent Desert Scrub | Shrubland | 160 | NA | NA | IV-B | 3,606 | 0.1 |
| 25 | 11220_25 | Chihuahuan Gypsophilous Grassland and Steppe | Grassland | 65 | NA | NA | IV-A | 4,818 | 0.1 |
| 25 | 11350_25 | Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland | Grassland | 26 | 1,011 | NA | II-C | 3,502 | 0.1 |
| NA | NA | Perennial Ice/Snow | Perennial Ice/Snow | NA | NA | NA | NA | 135 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 10010 | Inter-Mountain Basins Sparsely Vegetated Systems | Sparse | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 11490_28 | Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie | Grassland | 13 | 61 | NA | II-B | 1 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 11470_28 | Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland | Grassland | 12 | 79 | NA | II-B | 637 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 10720_28 | Wyoming Basins Dwarf Sagebrush Shrubland and Steppe | Shrubland | 125 | NA | NA | IV-B | 207 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 10060 | Rocky Mountain Alpine/Montane Sparsely Vegetated Systems | Sparse | NA | NA | NA | NA | 45 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 10500_16_23_28 | Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest | Conifer | 152 | NA | 640 | IV-B | 242 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 10550_15_28 | Rocky Mountain Subalpine Dry-Mesic Spruce-Fir Forest and Woodland | Conifer | 199 | 435 | NA | IV-B | 75 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 10570_28 | Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Limber-Bristlecone Pine Woodland | Conifer | 499 | 202 | NA | III-B | 62 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 10590_24_28 | Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland | Conifer | 435 | 200 | 1,930 | III-B | 1,798 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 10640_15_16_17_23_24_27_28 | Colorado Plateau Mixed Low Sagebrush Shrubland | Shrubland | 239 | 119 | NA | III-A | 0 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 10810_15_16_23_24_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub | Shrubland | 616 | NA | NA | V-B | 454 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 11150_28 | Inter-Mountain Basins Juniper Savanna | Conifer | 337 | 434 | 276 | III-B | 679 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 11450_22_24_28 | Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Mesic Meadow | Grassland | 40 | 161 | NA | II-C | 528 | 0.0 |
| 28 | 11600_15_28 | Rocky Mountain Subalpine/Upper Montane Riparian Systems | Riparian | 273 | NA | 80 | III-A | 161 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 10040 | North American Warm Desert Sparsely Vegetated Systems | Sparse | NA | NA | NA | NA | 51 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 10240_25_27 | Madrean Lower Montane Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland | Conifer | 60 | 30 | 11 | I-B | 38 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 10250_14_15_24_25_26 | Madrean Pinyon-Juniper Woodland | Conifer | 136 | 209 | 104 | III-A | 72 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 10510_15_16_17_22_23_24_25 | Southern Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland | Conifer | 90 | 77 | 14 | I-B | 407 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 10740_25_26 | Chihuahuan Creosotebush Desert Scrub | Shrubland | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1,017 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 10750_25 | Chihuahuan Mixed Salt Desert Scrub | Shrubland | 706 | 805 | NA | V-A | 72 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 11070_25_28 | Rocky Mountain Gambel Oak-Mixed Montane Shrubland | Shrubland | 50 | 171 | NA | III-A | 699 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 11160_15_25 | Madrean Juniper Savanna | Conifer | 136 | 208 | 106 | III-A | 1 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 11460_15_16_23_24_25_28 | Southern Rocky Mountain Montane-Subalpine Grassland | Grassland | 20 | NA | 21 | I-B | 7 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 11490_25 | Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie | Grassland | 19 | NA | NA | II-C | 420 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 15030_25_27 | Chihuahuan Loamy Plains Desert Grassland | Grassland | 15 | NA | NA | II-B | 382 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 15040_25_27 | Chihuahuan-Sonoran Desert Bottomland and Swale Grassland | Grassland | 10 | NA | NA | II-B | 1,196 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 10541_27 | Southern Rocky Mountain Ponderosa Pine Woodland-South | Conifer | 346 | NA | 11 | I-B | 0 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 10590_27_33 | Southern Rocky Mountain Pinyon-Juniper Woodland | Conifer | 327 | 406 | 566 | III-B | 43 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 10860_27_31_33 | Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland | Shrubland | 46 | NA | NA | IV-A | 1 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 10940_27_33 | Western Great Plains Sandhill Steppe | Shrubland | 23 | NA | NA | II-C | 42 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 11070_27_33 | Rocky Mountain Gambel Oak-Mixed Montane Shrubland | Shrubland | 50 | NA | NA | IV-A | 1 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 11190_27 | Southern Rocky Mountain Juniper Woodland and Savanna | Conifer | 495 | 228 | 33 | I-C | 58 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 11210_27 | Apacherian-Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Grassland and Steppe | Grassland | 13 | NA | NA | II-B | 26 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 11470_27_33 | Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland | Grassland | 24 | NA | NA | II-C | 50 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 11490_27_38 | Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie | Grassland | 22 | NA | NA | II-C | 108 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 11620_27_33 | Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems | Riparian | NA | 27 | NA | I-C | 3 | 0.0 |
| 25 | 10803_6_12_15_16_17_18_23_24_25 | Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland-Semi-Desert | Shrubland | 151 | NA | NA | IV-B | 280 | 0.0 |
| 27 | 10810_27_33 | Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub | Shrubland | 237 | NA | NA | V-A | 3 | 0.0 |