Invasive exotic plant monitoring at Golden Spike National Historic Site: 2016 field season
Perkins D. 2017. Invasive exotic plant monitoring at Golden Spike National Historic Site: 2016 field season. Natural Resource Report. NPS/NCPN/NRR—2017/1513. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
Invasive exotic plant (IEP) species are one of the biggest threats 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 11 monitoring protocols to be implemented as part of its long-term monitoring program. This report represents work completed during the 2016 field season at Golden Spike National Historic Site (NHS). On July 5–6, 2016, six priority IEP species were detected on monitoring routes that covered all major roads, trails, and riparian areas at Golden Spike NHS. Three additional non-priority species were recorded only in transects. Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium), field bindweed, and rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) were the most prevalent species, representing 85% of all invasions found. Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa) was recorded for the first time in the park. A specimen was collected so it will be added to the park list as present. Exotic-plant patches of priority species that were on the list in all years declined from 97 in 2014 to 67 in 2016. This decline was largely driven by a decline in rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) patches, from 32 to 12. Quackgrass (Elymus repens), broad-leaf pepperwort (Lepidium latifolium), Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), and Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica) were all found in 2014, but were not found in 2016. The highest densities of plant patches were recorded along the Last Cut drainage, Hydro 1 drainage, Facility Road, Pacific Track Grade, County Road, and Poulsons Road. These were also the most prevalent species, representing 85% of all invasions found. Eighty-five percent of the patches detected were present in small, localized invasions that have a good chance of being successfully controlled through management actions. The network will return to Golden Spike NHS for a sixth year of monitoring in 2018.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Perkins, Dustin
- Date of Issue
- 2017-09
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- GOSP , NCPN , NRSS
- Keywords
- Exotic Species, Exotic/Invasive Species - Plants, Invasive Species, Monitoring, NCPN Invasive Plants Monitoring, Plant Studies