Plant community composition and structure monitoring for Devils Tower National Monument: 2017 data report
Manuel RM. 2018. Plant community composition and structure monitoring for Devils Tower National Monument: 2017 data report. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/NGPN/NRDS—2018/1148. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
This report presents the results of the Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network’s vegetation monitoring at Devils Tower National Monument (DETO) in 2017. This was the seventh year that the Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network (NGPN) conducted field work at DETO. The NGPN field crew visited eight long-term plant community monitoring (PCM) plots to collect data on the plant communities at DETO. This work is part of a long-term monitoring effort designed to provide a better understanding of the condition of the vegetation community at DETO and how it changes over time. NGPN staff measured species richness, herb-layer height, native and non-native species abundance, ground cover, and site disturbance at each of the eight plots. In plots where woody species were present, tree regeneration, tall shrub density, tree density, and woody fuel loads were also measured. Monitoring crews identified 107 species in eight monitoring plots visited in 2017. Of those species, 19 were exotic species. Generally, upland PCM plots had higher native species diversity than riparian PCM plots, however, exotic species were common in all eight plots. None of the exotic species identified in 2017 were on the target list for the early detection and rapid response program in the Northern Great Plains Network parks. Tree regeneration was observed at two of the eight plots. The most common disturbances observed were the results of prescribed fire and animal use.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Manuel, Ryan
- Date of Issue
- 2018-02
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- DETO , NGPN , NRSS
- Keywords
- Forests, Grasslands, mixed-grass prairie, Monitoring, monitoring report, plant community monitor, Plant community monitoring, Plant diversity, Vegetation