DRAFT Status of natural resources databases in national parks: western region
Stohlgren TJ and Quinn JF. 1991. DRAFT Status of natural resources databases in national parks: western region. Technical Report GTR-44. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of California. Davis
In conjuction with Phase I of the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Project, we conducted an inventory and evaluation of natural resources databases of 40 park areas in the Western Region of the NPS. Better information is available for vascular plants, mammals and birds than for other biological groups (reptiles, amphibians, fish, terrestrial invertebrates, aquatic invertebrates, and non-vascular plants). Although many parks have 'species lists' for some biological groups, the accuracy and completeness of most of the lists are questionable. None of the lists resulted from park-wide systematic surveys. For nearly all parks and biological groups, the actual status of information is difficult to assess due to: (1) lack of readily available information on past studies of resources; (2) lack of standardization in recording procedures; (3) missing or poorly maintained voucher specimens; and (4) disproportionate attention to 'popular' taxa. Most park herbaria are incomplete, inconsistent and poorly organized. Our knowledge of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians is based largely on poorly evaluated 'wildlife observations' or on range maps not validated by within-park surveys. While 85%, 52.5% and 65% of the 40 parks surveyed had maps of vegetation, soils and geology, respectively, none of these maps have been systematically checked for accuracy. Staffs of large parks tend to know more about their natural resources than those of smaller parks that historically have received less funding for research and resource management activities. We outline some strategic considerations need to rank I&M needs, standardize recording techniques, test model I&M systems in selected parks, and develop a framework to synthesize I&M information over large spatial and long temporal scales.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Stohlgren, Thomas; Quinn, James
- Date of Issue
- 1991-02
- Publisher
- Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of California
- Units
- CHIR , SODN , TONT
- Keywords
- Administration (Resource Management Planning), Data, Inventory And Monitoring, National Park Service, Natural Resource Management, Natural Resources, Research (principles philosophy general methods), Studies, Surveys, western region