Sierra Nevada Network high elevation white pine monitoring: 2017 annual report

Nesmith, Jonathan

Five-needle white pines (Family Pinaceae, Genus Pinus, Subgenus Strobus), and in particular whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), limber pine (P. flexilis), and foxtail pine (P. balfouriana) are foundation species in upper subalpine and treeline forests of several National Park Service Pacific West Region parks, including Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (SEKI) and Yosemite National Park (YOSE). The Sierra Nevada Network Inventory & Monitoring Program, in collaboration with the Klamath Network and the Upper Columbia Basin Network have implemented a joint long-term monitoring protocol to assess the current status and future trends in high elevation white pine communities. Key demographic parameters within white pine forest communities will be estimated by monitoring individual trees within permanent plots through time. This report documents the results of the 2017 field season, which is the sixth year of monitoring in SEKI and YOSE. The 2017 goal was to complete installation of the third of three rotating panels (Panel 3) and perform the first re-read of previously installed plots in this panel for each species-park population: YOSE-whitebark pine, SEKI-whitebark pine, and SEKI-foxtail pine. Each panel consists of 12 permanent 50 x 50 m (2,500 m2) plots that were randomly selected for each of the three populations. Thus, there will be a total of 36 whitebark pine plots in YOSE, 36 whitebark pine plots in SEKI, and 36 foxtail pine plots in SEKI. Data from plot surveys will be used to characterize white pine forest community dynamics in SEKI and YOSE, including changes in tree species composition, forest structure, forest health, and demographics. This is the third year where previously installed plots have been re-measured to track changes in white pine populations through time. Parameters estimating rates of change are not reported in this report, however, as currently only a small subset of Panel 3 plots have been visited twice. In addition, 2017 was the third and final year of data collection for a separate but related project to examine changes in white pine blister rust severity and distribution within SEKI. SIEN employed one additional employee to collect data on the remaining blister rust monitoring plots. The results of that project are not included in this report. Other work performed by the forest crew in 2017 included installation of a blue oak demography plot in SEKI, re-measure of sugar pine monitoring plots in YOSE, and outlet sampling of two SIEN lakes monitoring sites in SEKI (2017 was a reduced sampling year for the SIEN Lakes crew). The inclusion of this additional work was necessitated by the extremely high snowpack of 2017 that limited access to our high elevation monitoring plots well into the field season. In total, the crew visited 36 sites during the 2017 field season and completed installation or re-reads of 27 of 36 Panel 3 plots. An additional two plots were partially installed. Within these completed plots, they measured 5,124 trees. Species composition, forest structure, and factors affecting tree health and reproduction including incidence and severity of white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) infection, mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) infestation, dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium spp.) infection, canopy kill, and female cone production were recorded. During the 2017 field season crews not only noted the presence or absence of female cones, but counted the total number of mature cones per tree for whitebark and foxtail pine. In addition, individual seedlings were tagged instead of just being counted by size class and will be tracked through time, similar to trees taller than 1.37 m. A final addition to the protocol that was tested in 2017 was the use of crown condition codes to assess crown health.

Sierra Nevada Network high elevation white pine monitoring: 2017 annual report

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