Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Calcareous Glade Monitoring: A Resampling of Baseline Transects Established in 1993 Final Report

Govus, Thomas; Lyons, Regan

A resampling of baseline monitoring transects established in 1993 within calcareous glades at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park shows a statistically significant increase in woody cover and a correlated decrease in density of herbaceous glade endemic plants. Total woody percent cover increased on average by 26% for the eleven glades sampled. Most of this increase was in the larger plants scattered within the glades, particularly Eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana), increasing by 11.37%. Nearly all species showed an increase in average percent cover including the non-native invasive shrub Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), which increased by over 4.63%. Chinese privet had the second largest percentage increase and now ranks third in average cover value for the glades (4.96 %). This species occurs in eight of the 11 glades sampled and has cover values ranging up to 14.3% in two of the glades. Plant density transects were sampled on five of the glades and showed an average total decrease in herbaceous glade endemic plants of -1.22 individuals/ m². Virtually all of the herbaceous glade endemics showed a decline in density measurements with the total of all twelve species sampled of -14.64 individual/ m². A one way paired t-test showed this variation to be statistically significant with p = 0.0012. Nashville breadroot (Pediomelum subacaule) showed the greatest decline (an average decrease of -2.98 individuals/ m²). Other species showing a decrease in density included limestone adders tongue (Ophioglossum engelmannii), glade violet (Viola egglestonii), Gattinger’s prairie clover (Dalea gattingeri), hairy wild petunia (Ruellia humilis), straggling St. Johnswort (Hypericum dolabriforme), pinnate prairie coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), Leonard’s skullcap (Scutellaria leonardii), Southern prairie-dock (Silphium pinnatifidum), balsam ragwort (Packera paupercula), Tennessee gladecress (Leavenworthia exigua) and prairie larkspur (Delphinium virescens or Delphinium carolinianum ssp. virescens). The evidence from this effort strongly suggests a decline in the natural integrity of these glade environments. Management suggestions for this park include the targeted removal of Chinese privet and an effort to re-introduce fire into the forest/woodland environment surrounding the glades to ensure the glades are not shaded in by aggressive shrub and tree species.

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park Calcareous Glade Monitoring: A Resampling of Baseline Transects Established in 1993 Final Report

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