Alpine vegetation composition, structure, and soils monitoring for Rocky Mountain National Park: 2010 summary report

Ashton, Isabel

Alpine ecosystems are important monitoring targets for the Rocky Mountain Inventory and Monitoring Network (ROMN) for a number of reasons, including their value to park visitors, wildlife, and water resources in the West. Alpine ecosystems are also particularly vulnerable to climate change. Here, we present a summary of our efforts in 2010 to monitor vegetation composition, structure, and soils at four sentinel sites in the alpine of Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO). This was not a full monitoring event; instead we spent time piloting new methods and adding confidence to our species lists. This report is intended to provide a timely release of basic data sets and data summaries. We expect to produce reports with more in-depth data analysis and interpretation when we do the second full sample event (5 years) or as needed for park management and interpretation. We found the following: (1) We found between 63-71 vascular plant species on each of the four summits. The lowest summit is smaller in area than the other three summits and has a higher diversity per area. We found 8 new species in 2010 that were not recorded during 2009 GLORIA sampling.(2) The optional method of 100 m2 plots took about 2 hours per plot for 2 researchers. In areas with low plant diversity (typically the rocky western slopes), 1 m2 plots sufficiently estimated diversity and cover. However, 100 m2 plots did increase our detection of species in more heterogeneous areas with high vascular plant cover. (3) Soil chemistry and texture was similar across all four summits and aspects in the GLORIA target region. We found soil texture to be a sandy clay loam at all peaks. Soil pH and carbon to nitrogen ratios were similar to values documented in alpine of the Front Range. (4)Soil temperature loggers have been deployed in 16 locations since 2008. The 2010 growing season in the alpine (as defined by above freezing temperatures) began in the last few days of May at all four sites which was about 10 days later than in 2009. Continued monitoring of the vegetation and temperature at sentinel sites will allow us to determine whether climate change correlates with changes in biodiversity in select locations in ROMO’s alpine. Warmer temperatures may contribute to the extinction of some plant species while simultaneously increasing the elevation and latitudinal limitations of other species.

Alpine vegetation composition, structure, and soils monitoring for Rocky Mountain National Park: 2010 summary report

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