Nunatak vegetation monitoring in the Southwest Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network: Summary report, 2005–2016
Walton J and Miller AE. 2020. Nunatak vegetation monitoring in the Southwest Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network: Summary report, 2005–2016. Natural Resource Report. NPS/SWAN/NRR—2020/2138. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2274367
This report presents results of nunatak vegetation monitoring efforts in 2016 at Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ) and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (LACL) by the Southwest Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network (SWAN). In 2005, the SWAN implemented a long-term monitoring program to assess status and trends in nunatak vegetation in KEFJ and LACL. The SWAN field crew visited eight sites to collect data relating to species richness, frequency, and vegetation structure. The 2016 field season marked the first revisit (second sampling event) at seven of the eight sites. Vascular species richness remained relatively stable over the first ten years of monitoring, with most sites showing a gain or loss of only two to three taxa. Vascular species turnover was highest at lower-elevation sites, suggesting that there may be an influx of new species establishing at these sites, and a loss of previously recorded species. Three low-elevation sites (Petrof, Tuxedni, South Double Glacier) recorded net species losses, while the remaining sites recorded species gains, in terms of vascular species counts. At the lowest of these sites (Petrof), we recorded one new exotic species, the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), which had not been observed in 2005.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Walton, James; Miller, Amy
- Date of Issue
- 2020-06
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2274367
- Units
- KEFJ , LACL , NRSS , SWAN
- Keywords
- alpine, flora, glacial refugia, KEFJ, LACL, lichens, liverworts, mosses, nonvascular, species composition, vascular plants