An Evaluation of Biological Inventory Data Collected at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park: Vertebrate and Vascular Plant Inventories

Moore, Bill

An important function of the National Park Service (NPS) is protecting and maintaining the biological diversity found within parks. In an effort to assist parks in documenting vascular plants and vertebrates, the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program (I&M) provided funding and technical assistance through its 32 I&M Networks. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (CUGA) is within the Cumberland Piedmont Network (CUPN). In cooperation with CUGA, CUPN compiled existing information on vertebrates and vascular plants (i.e., species lists with related attribute and spatial data) and initiated additional field investigations in an effort to document at least 90% of the species of vertebrates (amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles) and vascular plants believed to occur on CUGA. All data were entered and certified in NPSpecies, the NPS master database for documenting species status.A total of 1,212 organisms were categorized as Present in Park (i.e., occurrence in park is documented) on CUGA’s Local List, with an additional 36 categorized as Probably Present (very high confidence of occurrence in park but undocumented). Based on the numbers in these two categories, 97% of CUGA’s vertebrates and vascular plants are documented. While this percentage is not exact (i.e., it will vary as additional information is gained), it is apparent that substantial gains have been made in documenting vertebrates and vascular plants on CUGA. However, this is not to imply that additional efforts are unlikely to document additional organisms. Potential priorities for follow-up inventory efforts are noted within this report, including the need for inventories to be conducted within the newly acquired Fern Lake watershed. Inventory results are also briefly discussed within the context of long-term monitoring and management.With 33 ecological community types and over 1,000 organisms documented within its borders, CUGA supports a wide diversity of common and rare organisms. The blackside dace (Phoxinus cumberlandensis) and Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) are the only federally listed species known to occur on the park. But, 134 organisms categorized as Present in Park are state listed, federally listed and/or listed as critically imperiled or imperiled (S1, S2, G1, or G2) by NatureServe. Park managers face a number of challenges in their efforts to conserve these resources, not the least of which is aggressive exotic plants. A total of 122 exotic vascular plants are currently known to occur on CUGA. Additional threats include forest pests and climate change. CUPN’s long-term monitoring efforts will be focused on providing information on these and other threats to park managers.

An Evaluation of Biological Inventory Data Collected at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park: Vertebrate and Vascular Plant Inventories

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