Capulin Volcano National Monument Exotic Plants Monitoring Summary—2022
Owen M, Pingatore A, Barry C, Valentine-Darby P. 2023. Capulin Volcano National Monument Exotic Plants Monitoring Summary—2022. National Park Service, Southern Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network, Pecos, New Mexico.
Each year, the Southern Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network (SOPN) monitors pathways of exotic plant introduction at Capulin Volcano National Monument (NM) (CAVO) and other network parks. The areas sampled are typically linear transects along roads, trails, boundary lines, and stream channels that are at high risk for exotic plant invasion and infestation. The transects for each park are divided into three panels, with one panel sampled each year. In select years, exotic plant data are also collected at predetermined grid points spaced 100 meters (m) apart, covering the entire park acreage minus any areas excluded for safety or difficulty of access. Grid-point surveys are done to determine the extent and distribution of exotic plants within the park interior landscape. The Southern Plains Network surveys for a short list of species that is customized to each park. Our intent is to document infestations for which we recommend treatment, and to monitor species of high concern. The monitoring list for CAVO was drawn from the park’s Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA), completed by Bennetts et al. (2012). In the NRCA, exotic plants found in 2009–2010 CAVO surveys were ranked across a series of factors, following a system designed by Hiebert and Stubbendieck (1993). Factors included the plant’s level of impact (current abundance, distribution, and known or perceived ecological effect), its innate pest potential (reproductive abilities, germination requirements, and competitive abilities), and the feasibility of control (the plant’s abundance versus the ease of applying control measures). The six highest ranking plants were designated as high priority species for the park, all of which are included in our monitoring. For further detail, see the CAVO NRCA (Bennetts et al. 2012).
- Type
- Resource Brief
- Authors
- Owen, Merran; Pingatore, A.; Barry, C.; Valentine-Darby, P.
- Date of Issue
- 2023-01
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Southern Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network, Pecos, New Mexico.
- Units
- CAVO , SOPN
- Keywords
- Exotic Plant Brief, Exotic Plant Monitor, exotic plant monitoring, Exotic plants, monitoring
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants