Springs in the Mojave Desert Network—vegetation monitoring at selected large springs: Narrative version 1.0

Hupp, Nicole; Lehman, Mark; Wright, Sarah

The Mojave Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program (MOJN) is one of 32 National Park Service (NPS) inventory and monitoring (I&M) networks nationwide. These networks monitor vital signs– indicators of ecosystem health – to assess the condition of park ecosystems. MOJN monitors natural resources in nine park units in Arizona, California, and Nevada: Castle Mountains National Monument, Death Valley National Park (DEVO), Great Basin National Park, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (PARA), Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR), Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LAKE), Manzanar National Historic Site, Mojave National Preserve (MOJA), and Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. In 2002, the MOJN I&M program, in consultation with the MOJN parks, identified and prioritized vital signs for monitoring (Chung-MacCoubrey et al. 2008). Through this process, park superintendents and resource managers agreed that monitoring the vegetation at rivers and springs is a high priority resource management concern. Monitoring this vital sign will take place at the MOJN parks that have identified desert springs as a priority resource: DEVA, JOTR, LAKE, MOJA, and PARA. The purpose of this monitoring protocol is to gather baseline data about desert spring vegetation and document changes in community composition in Mojave Desert springs. To achieve these goals, this protocol asks two monitoring questions: 1) What are the status and trends in plant community composition at select desert springs in MOJN parks? 2) How is species diversity and richness associated with human-related and natural disturbances changing over time? To address these questions, the measurable objectives are: 1. Determine status and long-term trends in plant species composition and richness (e.g., percent cover, number of different species) in selected springs of management concern in MOJN parks. 2. Determine status and long-term trends in the distribution and abundance (e.g. plant cover, number of plants) of target invasive plant species at selected springs in MOJN parks. 3. Determine status and long-term trends in the distribution and abundance (e.g., canopy, tree size) of overstory tree species of special management interest at selected springs in MOJN parks. 4. Determine status and long-term trends of natural and anthropogenic disturbances measured by the percentage of the site impacted by some human activity (e.g., grazing, recreational vehicles, other disturbances) at selected springs in MOJN parks.

Springs in the Mojave Desert Network—vegetation monitoring at selected large springs: Narrative version 1.0

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