Protocol for long-term monitoring of mountain lakes in the North Coast and Cascades Network: Version July 9, 2012
Glesne RS, Fradkin SC, Samora BA, Boetsch JR, Holmes RE, Christoe B. 2012. Protocol for long-term monitoring of mountain lakes in the North Coast and Cascades Network: Version July 9, 2012. Natural Resource Report. NPS/NCCN/NRR—2012/549. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
This protocol describes the rationale, objectives, sampling design, field and laboratory methods, data analysis and data management procedures for long-term monitoring of mountain lakes in the North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN). Monitoring will occur at three NCCN parks: Mount Rainier National Park (MORA), North Cascades National Park Complex (NOCA), and Olympic National Park (OLYM). We use a cost efficient comprehensive approach, applying multiple indicators representing key physical, chemical, and biological attributes which will serve to address current management issues as well as future emerging issues at park-wide and region-wide scales. Mountain lakes and ponds are essential ecosystems in the NCCN, both culturally and ecologically. The NCCN contains over 1,200 mountain lakes and ponds. These waters are popular visitor destinations due to their aesthetic and natural characteristics. Mountain lakes are tightly linked to their terrestrial environments, as critical breeding sites for many amphibian and insect species, and as watering holes and feeding grounds for wildlife. These sensitive ecosystems have physical, chemical, and biological processes that respond to and integrate a suite of key environmental stressors. Mountain lakes function as “Petri dishes in the sky,” integrating the effects of global climate change, atmospheric deposition, visitor impacts, amphibian declines, and exotic species introductions. Ecosystem drivers influencing NCCN mountain lakes, in addition to natural disturbances, include anthropogenic disturbances resulting from atmospheric pollutant deposition, climate change, introduced species, and disturbances related to human activities both within and adjacent to park boundaries. Natural disturbances affecting NCCN mountain lakes include episodic floods, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, fire, wind, insect infestations and glacial activity. Many of these drivers are interrelated and reflect the interaction of natural processes and human influences; their effects are intensifying with the rapid expansion of the population in the Pacific Northwest. The goal of this project is to determine status and detect trends in key ecosystem parameters (Vital Signs) to assess whether mountain lakes are being negatively affected by anthropogenic stressors. The selected Vital Signs represent physical, chemical, and biological components of lake ecosystems that characterize the quality and natural function of these ecosystems. The protocol is designed to detect changes in Vital Signs more as an early warning system rather than identify causal agents of trends. Discovery of significant trends should serve as a trigger for further research to identify causes and determine appropriate management actions. The sampling design was developed to monitor high forest/subalpine lakes in each of the three NCCN parks. Six lakes at MORA and NOCA and eight lakes at OLYM were selected randomly from a subset of the entire population of lakes at each park such that trends in Vital Signs could be inferred for all lakes in the target populations of each park. The subset, or sample frame, is based on a set of criteria that standardizes the type of lake monitored by size, elevation, depth, and access. After applying the criteria, the final representation will allow statistical inference to 163 NCCN lakes that are accessible on foot, found in high forest and subalpine zones, range in size from 0.4 - 6.0 ha, and have maximum depths >2.5 m. All sample units will be visited once during the late summer and early fall period (August through September) each year. Field crews will primarily access lakes on foot, traveling on trails and off-trail under challenging backcountry conditions. Helicopters are generally used to access monitoring sites at NOCA.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Glesne, Reed; Fradkin, Steven; Samora, Barbara; Boetsch, John; Holmes, Ronald; Christoe, Bret
- Date of Issue
- 2012-07
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- IMDP , MORA , NOCA , NRSS , OLYM
- Keywords
- Acid Neutralizing Capacity, Algae, Amphibian, Anion, Anthropogenic Disturbance, Atmospheric Deposition, benthic macroinvertebrate, Cation, clarity, Climate Change, Dissolved Oxygen, Ecosystem, Fish, Habitat, Hydrology, Introduced Species, Monitoring, Mount Rainier National Park, Mountain Lake, mountain lakes monitoring, NCCN Monitoring Protocol, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, North Coast and Cascades Network, Olympic National Park, pH, Pond, Riparian, specific conductance, Status, Temperature, Total Dissolved Solids, Trend, Water Quality, Zooplankton
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Geomorphology | Lake Features and Processes , Ecological Framework: Water | Hydrology | Surface Water Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Water Chemistry , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Nutrient Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Water | Water Quality | Aquatic Macroinvertebrates and Algae , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Freshwater Invertebrates , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Fishes , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Amphibians and Reptiles