Invasive exotic plant monitoring at Golden Spike National Historic Site: 2010 field season
Perkins DW. 2011. Invasive exotic plant monitoring at Golden Spike National Historic Site: 2010 field season. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2011/458. National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. Fort Collins, Colorado
Invasive exotic plant (IEP) species are one of the biggest threats to natural ecosystem integrity and biodiversity, and controlling them is a high priority for the National Park Service. The Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN) selected the early detection of IEPs as one of 10 monitoring protocols to be implemented as part of its long-term monitoring program. This report represents work completed during the 2010 field season at Golden Spike National Historic Site (GOSP). On July 21–23, 2010, twenty-five IEP species were detected on monitoring routes and plots that covered all major roads, trails, and riparian areas at GOSP. IEPs are widespread at GOSP, with at least one IEP present on every monitoring route and monitoring transect. Four IEP taxa are widespread and may be beyond management control: crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum), cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), and redstem storksbill (Erodium cicutarium). Several other species are present in small, localized invasions that have a greater chance of being successfully controlled through management actions. Infestation rates in 2010, as measured by infestations detected along monitoring routes and percent cover detected in monitoring transects, were very similar to rates estimated in 2008. The network will return to GOSP for a third year of monitoring in 2012.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Perkins, Dustin
- Date of Issue
- 2011-06
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science
- Units
- GOSP , NCPN , NRSS
- Keywords
- Exotic Species, Exotic/Invasive Species - Plants, Invasive Species, Monitoring, NCPN Invasive Plants Monitoring, Plant Studies