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Burton Pendleton; USDA Forest ServiceDebbie Soukup, Donovan Craig; UNLV

Nita Tallent-Halsell; MOJN Jean Pan, Dana Robinson, Jennifer Burke, Bob Truitt; MOJN

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The 2004 Vital Signs Workshop drafted a preliminary list of 27 Vital Signs. The final list of 20 Vital Signs was selected during a network-wide meeting on November 28-29, 2005. The IU protocol addresses 7 of the 20 vital signs.

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2) Vegetation change3) Occurrence of invasive

plants 9) Soil chemistry and nutrient

cycling **10) Soil hydrologic function11) Soil erosion and deposition12) Soil disturbance13) Biological soil crust

dynamics

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How is structure and composition of vegetation changing over time in network parks?

What are the regeneration and mortality rates of the dominant and subdominant perennial species?

How are soil surface properties, chemistry, and hydrologic function changing over time?

How are the abundance, structure, and composition of biological crusts changing over time?

What relationships are observed between soil properties, invasive species, and plant community characteristics? (Invasive/Exotic Plants)

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Determine long-term trends in composition, structure, mortality, relative abundance, and regeneration of the dominant and subdominant shrub species within selected shrub communities of MOJN parks.

Determine status and trends in abundance and composition of biological soil crusts in selected shrub communities.

Determine status and trends in soil chemistry and nutrients (particularly nitrogen), the magnitude and extent of soil erosion and surface disturbance, and soil hydrologic function within selected shrub communities.

Determine long-term trends in distribution and abundance of selected non-native plant species in selected shrub communities. (Invasive/Exotic Plants)

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Cover by life form Shrub cover by species Cryptobiotic soil crust cover Bare ground Rock Litter Soil pH Soil electrical conductivity Soil consistence, texture and strength Presence/absence of selected exotic species

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LAKE – creosote-bursageDEVA – creosote mixed desert shrubGRBA – montane sage steppePARA – pinion/juniper/sagebrushMANZ – mixed desert shrub/rabbitbrush JOTR - joshua tree/blackbrushMOJA – joshua tree/blackbrush

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Joshua Tree

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Lake Mead

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Mojave

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Death Valley

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Manzanar

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Parashant

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Great Basin

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Permanent macroplots of 100m X 100m3, 50m transects per macroplotEach transect sampled using line interceptCryptobiotic soil crusts sampled

concurrently with vegetation Soil measurements taken adjacent to

macroplots

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0 m

0 m

0 m 50 m

50 m

50 mTransect 1

Transect 2

Transect 3

downslope

origin end

●

centroid

•Three 50 m transects •Separated by 25 m each •50 m x 50 m macroplot

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Primary IU field season – October to AprilOrder in which Parks will be sampled and

the frequency of sampling is not yet finalized

Start date of IU sampling is not final, but may overlap with riparian springs first year sampling

Vegetation and soil sampling methods will be field tested by early calendar year 2011

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A field crew will consist of 2 crew members and a crew leader

We will work towards cross-training crews so that protocols can share field crews

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2010September October November December

Soil/vegetation SOPs drafts

Protocol narratives relevant to soil and vegetation sampling

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Drafts of vegetation and soil crust sampling SOPs will be completed by October 1

Soil sampling SOPs are being prepared and near drafts will be completed by Oct 30

I will submit vegetation and soil SOPs and their corresponding narratives before the end of the calendar year

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Park input on procedures for marking and maintaining permanent plots will be requested

Permits for the collection of voucher specimens, soils samples etc… will be requested from each park

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Point Intercept Data Sheet Data entered by: Data verified by:

MOJN Upland Monitoring

Park Code: PlotID: Date:

Observer: Recorder: Transect: 1 2 3

Point (m) Top Canopy

Lower canopy Soil Surface Disturb.

Point (m) Top Canopy

Lower canopy Soil Surface Disturb.1 2 1 2

0.5          13         

1          13.5         

1.5          14         

2          14.5         

2.5          15         

3          15.5         

3.5          16         

4          16.5         

4.5          17         

5          17.5         

5.5          18         

6          18.5         

6.5          19         

7          19.5         

7.5          20         

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SOP to examine the level of disturbance created by repeat sampling has been drafted

Each year we will use standard training protocols Data collected will be reviewed for quality and

accuracy

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We have made considerable progress since last years technical committee meeting and we are working hard to complete the IU protocol document as soon as possible.

The questions and objectives are defined and the metrics, methods, and communities to be sampled have been determined.

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For questions regarding sampling methodology, sampling rational, metrics, and plant community selection etc…, you can talk to me today or contact me.

Dr. Burton PendletonUSDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station505-724-3674bpendleton01@fs.fed.us