Four years of vegetation change following the Outlet Fire, North Rim Grand Canyon National Park: Effects of fire and firefighting activities
Crawford JA and Whitchurch GK. 2003. Four years of vegetation change following the Outlet Fire, North Rim Grand Canyon National Park: Effects of fire and firefighting activities
The Outlet Fire of Grand Canyon National Park's (GRCA) north rim in 2000 presented an excellent opportunity for study of vegetation response following the disturbances of fire and fire suppression activities in southwestern ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forests. In an attempt to develop a management strategy for the possible invasion of exotic plants into areas impacted by fire and fire suppression activities, a baseline survey of these areas was performed between September 26th and October 8th, 2000 (Murov, 2000). Surveys involved creation of plant lists, repeat photography, reading of point line transects, and completion of Southwest Exotic Mapping Project (SWEMP) data sheets. From May through October of 2001 and 2002, surveys were performed four times throughout each field season with the intent of identifying vegetation throughout the growing season (Eisenberg and others, 2001; Eisenberg and Watters, 2002). In 2003, surveys were conducted once, in late July, during the peak of vegetative growth. The results from the 2003 survey, along with comparisons to the surveys of previous years are the subject of this report.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Crawford, Julie; Whitchurch, Geoff
- Date of Issue
- 2003-12
- Units
- GRCA
- Keywords
- Disturbance, FIRE, Forests, Invasive Species, Monitoring, Vegetation