Determining the Status and Trends of Key Invasive Plant Species in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Eichelberger BA and Perles SJ. 2009. Determining the Status and Trends of Key Invasive Plant Species in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Technical Report NPS/NER/NRTR—2009/134. National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Northeast Region. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Invasive exotic plants pose a serious threat to natural resources of many national parks. Data regarding invasive species were collected for the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area (DEWA) during vegetation mapping efforts from 2003 through 2006. Eleven species and one vegetation community type were selected for parkwide predictive modeling based on the species' current distribution and abundance, the severity of the species' potential ecological impact, the species' life history traits and its ability to spread, and difficulty in managing or eradicating the species. Overall, the accuracy assessment and modeling data suggests invasive exotic species are not completely ubiquitous but, certainly present within DEWA. None of the individual models predicted greater than 35% of the park as potential suitable habitat for each given species. However, collectively, the distribution models predicted 59% of the park as potential habitat. The results suggest the park is in need of extensive invasive species management.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Eichelberger, Bradley; Perles, Stephanie
- Date of Issue
- 2009-02
- Publisher
- National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Northeast Region
- Units
- DEWA , ERMN
- Keywords
- Invasive Species, Inventory, Plants, Status, Trends, Vegetation
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Invasive Species | Invasive/Exotic plants