Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Vascular Plant Inventory Final Technical Report

Carlson, Matthew; Boggs, Keith; Lipkin, Robert; Michaelson, Julie

The Inventory and Monitoring Program (I&M) of the National Park Service supported vascular plant inventories to document the occurrence, distribution, and relative abundance of plants occurring in the Southeast Alaska Park Network. The Southeast Alaska Park Network includes Sitka National Historical Park (SITK), Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park (KLGO), and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GLBA). The inventory was developed to provide baseline information for future monitoring and management of natural resources within the park network. In 2001, 2002, and 2003 the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), Alaska Natural Heritage Program (AKNHP) conducted field inventories in SITK, KLGO, and GLBA under Cooperative Agreement No. 1443CA991000013, Modifications 18 and 22. The primary goal was to document 90% or more of the vascular plant species expected to occur within the parks and significantly improve our understanding of current species distributions. The inventories targeted diverse habitat types and poorly sampled areas. This report covers inventories in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Discussions of inventories in the other Southeast Alaska units are covered in separate reports (Carlson et al. 2004, Lipkin et al. in prep.). Following an analysis of previous floristic surveys, we noted that most collections were from late seral stages at low elevations in Glacier Bay proper, nearest to Icy Strait, and extending to the more recently deglaciated Muir Inlet. Sporatic collections were noted from the West Arm, Dundas Bay/Cape Spencer, and the outer coast at Lituya Bay and Dry Bay. Large ecogeographic areas had not been inventoried, and after discussions with National Park Service personnel, private consultants, and the Alaska Plant Inventory Working Group, gaps were identified and florisitic sampling areas targeted. Floristic gaps included wetlands, alpine and subalpine communities, avalanche chutes, talus slopes, dry rocky cliffs, nunataks, the Alsek River corridor, the Dry Bay forelands, and periglacial communities. Increasing our understanding of plant communities receiving heavy impacts from backcountry use, exotic species, and potential threats to natural communities were also identified as priorities. This information was taken into account when identifying sites to inventory. Eight floristic regions were outlined for study prior to the 2001 field season. The sites included: coastal and alpine flora of the Fairweather Range, riverine and alpine flora of the Alsek River Valley, Cape Spencer, Dundas River flats, Salmon River Hills, Adams Inlet, Tarr Inlet, and the Dry Bay Forelands. In 2001, we visited these regions in a project combining vegetation landcover mapping and botanical survey initiatives (see Boggs et al. in prep). There were four regions where 2001 sampling was relatively weak, so supplemental floristic work in 2003 was directed towards filling in gaps in these locations or other locations where there was a high probability of encountering plant taxa new to the park. In 2003 we attempted to visit two areas that had high diversity of lithologies, elevations, and climates, but had been poorly sampled historically and in 2001; these were the Alsek River corridor and calcareous outcrops along Excursion Ridge. We were unable to access Excursion Ridge due to inclement weather. While at the remote collection regions, techniques of inventory involved hiking to as many habitat types and geographic areas as possible and collecting specimens that were known to be new records or considered significant. Upon collection of specimens, data were gathered on site characteristics, including latitude and longitude to associated species and soil conditions. Plants were then pressed and dried and catalogued with the Alaska Natural Heritage Program. Final taxonomic determinations and herbarium mounting were conducted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Museum.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Vascular Plant Inventory Final Technical Report

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