Monitoring Long-term Change in Coastal Prairies of the Marin Headlands
Wrubel E and Denn M. 2018. Monitoring Long-term Change in Coastal Prairies of the Marin Headlands. Grasslands. 28(4):6-11
We present monitoring results from the first three consecutive sampling years in coastal prairies of the Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Area. These years, 2015-2017 coincided with historic precipitation extremes. California’s most severe drought in a millennium occurred from 2012-2015, and was followed by above average precipitation in 2016 and 2017. Grassland structure varied markedly between the driest and wettest years, driven primarily by increased cover of non-native annual grasses and forbs in the wet years, while cover of native perennials remained relatively stable, supporting the results of previous studies in California grasslands. Grassland composition also varied between wet and dry years, showing a significant increase in species richness and diversity with increased precipitation, and indicating that grassland diversity studies should span at least several years to be comprehensive.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Wrubel, Eric; Denn, Marie
- Units
- GOGA , SFAN
- Keywords
- bald hills prairies, coastal prairies, grasslands, invasive plants, monitoring, plant communities, plant community change, precipitation
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants , Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Grassland/Herbaceous Communities