Vascular plant species discoveries in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: update for 2008–2011
Fertig W, Topp S, Moran M, Hildebrand T, Ott J, Zobell D. 2012. Vascular plant species discoveries in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network: update for 2008–2011. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2012/582. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
In late 2008 and early 2009, the National Park Service (NPS) published a series of annotated vascular plant species checklists for each of the 16 park units in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN). These reports were based on reviews of existing herbarium collections and field work associated with rare plant surveys, weed monitoring, vegetation mapping, and general floristic studies conducted from 2004 to 2007. Since the appearance of these annotated checklists, additional studies have taken place in all 16 network parks, resulting in the discovery of new plant species in each park unit. This report summarizes all of the new species discoveries and changes in status made in each NCPN park from 2008 to 2011. In just four years, nearly 700 changes to park checklists have been necessary to keep up with new research. Since 2008, 432 new vascular plant species have been added to the floras of the 16 NCPN units. Zion National Park has seen the greatest increase, with 83 new plant taxa, followed by Dinosaur National Monument (57), Pipe Spring National Monument (56), and Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument (both with 41). Over this same time period, the status of another 102 species has been changed. In most cases, species that were formerly classified as reported or historical in a park have been rediscovered and verified by a specimen, photograph, or confirmed observation (although this list also includes a small number of species shown to be falsely reported on further examination). All told, 534 changes have been made to the annotated checklists of the 16 network parks in the last four field seasons (2008–2011). In addition, recent nomenclatural changes have affected 48 Utah species represented by 159 park records.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Fertig, Walter; Topp, Sarah; Moran, Mary; Hildebrand, Terri; Ott, Jeff; Zobell, Derrick
- Date of Issue
- 2012-05
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- ARCH , BLCA , BRCA , CANY , CARE , CEBR , COLM , CURE , DINO , FOBU , GOSP , HOVE , NABR , NCPN , NRSS , PISP , TICA , ZION
- Keywords
- NCPN Vascular Plant Inventory, Plant Studies, Vascular Plants, Vegetation