Plant community composition and structure monitoring for Theodore Roosevelt National Park: 2012 annual report
Ashton IW, Prowatzke M, Wilson SK. 2013. Plant community composition and structure monitoring for Theodore Roosevelt National Park: 2012 annual report. Natural Resource Technical Report. NPS/NGPN/NRTR—2013/686. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
The Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network surveyed 27 long-term monitoring plots in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (THRO) in 2012 as part of an effort to better understand the condition of plant communities in the park. We measured plant diversity, vegetative cover, and woody species density; looked for the presence of exotic species that are of concern to park management; and evaluated the amount of human and natural disturbance at all plots. This effort was the second year in a multiple-year venture to document the current status and long-term trends in plant communities in THRO. At the end of five years, there will be an indepth report describing the status of the plant community. In this report, we provide a simple summary of our results from sampling in 2012. From the 27 plots we visited in 2012, we found that Theodore Roosevelt National Park has a moderate diversity of native plants. The mixed-grass prairie has a higher diversity than riparian areas in the park. Average cover of exotic species was high with 18 of 27 sites above 10% exotic cover. Kentucky bluegrass was the most widespread and abundant exotic species in the plots we visited. Across all plots, leafy spurge was in low abundance, but some plots in the south unit have cover greater than 10%. To retain ecological integrity in THRO and the high diversity of native plants, it is important to continue efforts to reduce the cover of invasive plants. Continued monitoring efforts will be critical to track changes in the condition of the vegetation communities at THRO.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Ashton, Isabel; Prowatzke, Michael; Wilson, Stephen
- Date of Issue
- 2013-02
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- NGPN , NRSS , THRO
- Keywords
- Cottonwood, Grasslands, juniper woodlands, mixed-grass prairie, Monitoring, monitoring report, plant community monitor, Plant community monitoring, Plant diversity, riparian forests, Vegetation
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Forest/Woodland Communities