Invasive exotic plant monitoring at Dinosaur National Monument: 2010 field season
Perkins DW. 2011. Invasive exotic plant monitoring at Dinosaur National Monument: 2010 field season. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/NCPN/NRDS—2011/177. National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. Fort Collins, Colorado
Invasive exotic plant (IEP) species are a significant threat 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. During surveys conducted from July 5–12 and July 18–25, 2010, NCPN staff detected 13 Priority 1 IEP species and 5 additional IEP species on monitoring routes and quadrats along 234 kilometers (383 hectares) of the Green and Yampa rivers (includes both sides). Almost the entire riparian corridor along the Yampa and upper Green rivers, and limited portions the lower Green River, was monitored in 2010. Tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis), broadleaf pepperwort (Lepidium latifolium), and yellow sweetclover (Melilotus offi cinalis) were widespread along all three monitored sections (upper Green, lower Green, and Yampa) of the river corridor. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) was widespread on the upper Green River, while Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) was widespread along the westernmost portion of the lower Green River. NCPN crews will return in 2011 to complete monitoring of the entire river corridor at Dinosaur National Monument.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Perkins, Dustin
- Date of Issue
- 2011-06
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science
- Units
- DINO , NCPN , NRSS
- Keywords
- Exotic Species, Exotic/Invasive Species - Plants, Invasive Species, Monitoring, NCPN Invasive Plants Monitoring, Plant Studies