Wetlands of Lassen Volcanic National Park: An assessment of vegetation, ecological services, and condition

Adamus, Paul; Bartlett, Cheryl

From the authors’ Summary: “During 2005, we visited and assessed the health of 68 wetlands throughout Lassen Volcanic National Park (LAVO), covering an area equal to 39% of the park’s wetland area. Of the wetlands visited, 47 were selected using a statistical procedure that drew a spatially balanced randomized sample from an existing map of LAVO wetlands. Among the visited wetlands, we surveyed a total of 78 plots dominated by herbaceous wetland vegetation and 15 plots dominated by wetland shrubs or trees. We also characterized soil profiles and observed hydrologic conditions. Before beginning the field work, we used GIS and a variety of existing spatial data layers to quantitatively characterize all mapped LAVO wetlands. Wetlands in LAVO occur in a variety of settings, including stream riparian areas, pond margins, alder covered slopes, springs, montane meadows, and snowmelt depressions. Based on the hydrogeomorphic (HGM) classification system, about 45% of the wetlands are Depressions or Flats, 38% are Slope wetlands, 7% are Riverine, and 1% are Lacustrine Fringe. Based on the Cowardin classification system, 34% of the LAVO wetlands area is emergent vegetation, 24% is scrub shrub, 7% is forested, and the remainder is open water or aquatic bed. Slightly fewer than one third of the wetlands retain some surface water year round. At least one plant species characteristic of fens (an uncommon type of mossy groundwater fed wetland) was found in 23 of the wetlands, but soil profiles provided definitive evidence of fen conditions in only two of the visited wetlands. We discovered three wetlands that appear to be a type – acid geothermal fen – that is rare globally and apparently had not been documented previously in the Sierra Cascade system. Many factors define wetland health (or integrity), including contaminants in air, soil, vegetation, and water that were not measured by this study. Few indicators of wetland health can be estimated rapidly and at reasonable cost across a large number of wetlands. When health is defined solely by the prevalence of native plant species and scores from the California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM), most LAVO wetlands appear to be relatively healthy. We found 19 disturbance associated plant species (6% of all species we encountered) among 44 of the 68 wetlands we visited. From zero to six such species were found per wetland, but never dominated the vegetation cover. They were more frequent near roads but not trails. Our sample of just 68 wetlands detected 51% of LAVO’s known wetland flora, and added six species to the LAVO plant list. Among the 338 plant taxa (both wetland and upland) we found in the visited wetlands were at least two that are listed by the California Native Plant Society as rare or having limited distribution. In most wetlands, more than 30 plant species were found, and most of the 100 m 2 herbaceous plots we surveyed had more than 13, with a maximum of 43. The plant species composition tended to be more unique in wetlands that were dominated by emergent (herbaceous) vegetation, not on lakeshores, at lower elevations, and intercepted by streams. Wetlands in LAVO perform a variety of ecological services. In each visited wetland, we visually assessed presumed indicators of nine of the most common ecological services (functions). Based on that, we found that more of LAVO’s wetlands are likely to support native invertebrates, birds, and mammals at a high capacity than are likely to effectively support fish, filter suspended sediments, or maintain surface water temperatures.”

Wetlands of Lassen Volcanic National Park: An assessment of vegetation, ecological services, and condition

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