Vegetation Monitoring Summary: Overstory in the goat prairie sites at Effigy Mounds National Monument
Leis SA. 2023. Vegetation Monitoring Summary: Overstory in the goat prairie sites at Effigy Mounds National Monument. National Park Service. Republic, MO
The canopy became more uniformly closed across the goat prairie sites over time. Mean tree basal area and density were similar through time in these sites. However, tree stem density was more heterogenous across sites. While tree basal area measures indicate a glade savanna mosaic and forest community type, stem density indicates a dense forest type (Hanberry et al. 2014). Ash species (Fraxinus sp.) may be declining in the goat prairie sites, although we do not have data to describe the source of the decline. Standing dead tree basal area and density vary widely among the sites, obscuring a collective trend. Fire continues to be absent from these sites. We were unable to analyze ground flora for trends as a result of the reduction in substrate stability over time. See Leis (2020) for the most recent trend report on the ground flora.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Leis, Sherry
- Date of Issue
- 2023-07
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- EFMO
- Keywords
- Forest, Goat Prairie, HTLN Plant Communities Monitoring, Long-term monitoring, Monitoring, Plant community.
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Forest/Woodland Communities
See also
- Vegetation community monitoring protocol for the Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network: Narrative, Version 4.0
- Plant Community Monitoring Project History: 1.2, 2023