NCCN Alpine and Subalpine Vegetation Monitoring Sample Design Geodatabase
Rochefort R, Acker S, Beirne K. 2014. NCCN Alpine and Subalpine Vegetation Monitoring Sample Design Geodatabase. National Park Service. North Coast and Cascades Network
The geodatabase represents the sampling design used to meet the project's purpose. The sampling design relies upon spatially balanced GRTS sampling. Geodatabase representing the sample design for the North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN) subalpine and alpine vegetation monitoring project. The geodatabase represents the sample design for the subalpine and alpine vegetation monitoring project. The goal of Alpine and Subalpine Monitoring data collection is to provide accurate information regarding the status and trends of vegetation in the alpine treeline ecotone in order to inform management decisions affecting these areas. The project objectives are to: 1. Determine the status and trends in vegetation composition and structure of alpine vegetation in Mount Rainier National Park (MORA), North Cascades National Park (NOCA), and Olympic National Park (OLYM). 2. Determine the status and trends in vegetation composition and structure of subalpine vegetation in MORA, NOCA, and OLYM. 3. Determine the status and trends in vegetation composition and structure of legacy (historic, non-random) vegetation plots in MORA. 4. Determine the status and trends in soil temperature and snow cover period in subalpine and alpine communities in MORA, NOCA, and OLYM and at legacy plots in MORA. 5. Determine status and trends in the structure and condition of whitebark pine stands in MORA, NOCA, and OLYM. 6. Optional: Determine status and trends in vegetation composition and structure of sentinel alpine peaks in MORA, NOCA, and OLYM as a participant in the Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments (GLORIA). The protocol used Generalized Random Tessellation Stratification (GRTS) methods, using the spsurvey package, to determine sites at which to monitor status and trends of vegetation, soil temperature, and snow pack in subalpine and alpine zones. The target population includes subalpine and alpine areas on gentle slopes within 1.5 km of trails and roads. Boundaries of target populations were developed to include the range of environmental variation in the alpine treeline ecotone while keeping safe travel times to monitoring sites within reasonable hiking distances.
- Type
- Geospatial Dataset
- Authors
- Rochefort, Regina; Acker, Steven; Beirne, Katherine
- Date of Issue
- 2014-06
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- MORA , NOCA , OLYM
- Keywords
- Alpine, Biology, Biota, Design, Ecology, Elevation, Forest Health, generalized random tesselation stratified, Geodatabase, GRTS, I&M, Inventory And Monitoring, Monitoring, MORA, Mount Rainier National Park, NCCN, NOCA, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, North Coast and Cascades Network, OLYM, Olympic National Park, Plants, R, R package, Resource Management, Sampling, Spatial data, spsurvey, Stratification, Subalpine, Vegetation, Washington State
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Infestations and Disease | Insect Pests , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Infestations and Disease | Plant Diseases , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Grassland/Herbaceous Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Forest/Woodland Communities , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Vegetation Complex