An Inventory and Monitoring Program of the Vegetation in the Breaks, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah: Volume I-Introduction, Program Details, Data, and Discussion and Volume II-Transect Locations, Plot Locations, and Tree Maps
Spence JR. 1992. An Inventory and Monitoring Program of the Vegetation in the Breaks, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah: Volume I-Introduction, Program Details, Data, and Discussion and Volume II-Transect Locations, Plot Locations, and Tree Maps. Manzanita Biostudies. Torrey, UT
With the probable advent of anthropogenic climate change in the next 5-20 years (cf. Abrahamson 1989), long-term monitoring of biotic ecosystems will become critical. Only through such monitoring can we directly measure and understand the effects climate change will have on natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. Furthermore, resource managers on public lands in the US will require hard data in order to make informed decisions on resources on lands under their management during a climate change regime. The National Park Service has prepared initial statements on the feasibility of climate change studies on the Colorado Plateau (National Park Service 1990). These kinds of studies have yet to be initiated on the Plateau. Until such time as region-wide interdisciplinary monitoring programs are established, individual national parks and Forest Service and BLM districts, on the Plateau, must take the initiative and begin local monitoring programs. In 1991, the resource management division of Bryce Canyon National Park (henceforth BRCA) requested funds from the BRCA Natural History Association to initiate a monitoring program on the vegetation in the BRCA breaks. Resource personnel felt that the breaks was one of the most heavily visited natural features in the region, as well as being world famous, any changes that could affect its visual scenic character need to be anticipated and under. The BRCA breaks are an ideal system to study the effects of climate change on vegetation. Because of the harsh conditions, including nutrient poor soils, high erosion rates, and drought conditions, many plant species are near their tolerance limits. Any changes in climate, that in turn could bring about changes in soil moisture levels or erosion rates, may have a rapid effect on the vegetation in the breaks.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Spence, John
- Date of Issue
- 1992-02-10
- Publisher
- Manzanita Biostudies
- Units
- BRCA
- Keywords
- Atmospheric Sciences, Climate, Climatology, Database, Forest, Formation (Geologic), Inventory, Inventory & Monitoring, Monitoring, Natural Resources, Physical Sciences, Plant Communities, Plant Studies, Plants, Plots, Research & Studies, Shrubs, Slides, Soil Science, Soils, Transects, Trees, Vegetation, Vegetation Types