Inventory of Plant Species of Special Concern and the General Taxa of Dinosaur National Monument

Transcription

1 University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report Volume th Annual Report, 987 Article nventory of Plant Species of Special Concern and the General Taxa of Dinosaur National Monument David Kuntz Susan Galatowitsch Tamara Naumann Steven O'Kane Elizabeth Neely Follow this and additional works at: Recommended Citation Kuntz, David; Galatowitsch, Susan; Naumann, Tamara; O'Kane, Steven; and Neely, Elizabeth (987) "nventory of Plant Species of Special Concern and the General Taxa of Dinosaur National Monument," University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report: Vol., Article 6. Available at: This Dinosaur National Monument is brought to you for free and open access by Wyoming Scholars Repository. t has been accepted for inclusion in University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report by an authorized editor of Wyoming Scholars Repository. For more information, please contact scholcom@uwyo.edu.

2 Kuntz et al.: nventory of Plant Species of Special Concern and the General Tax NVENORY OF PU\NT SPECES OF SPECAL CONCERN AND 'HE GENERAL TAXA OF DNOSAUR NATONAL K>NUMEN' David Kuntz Susan Galatowitsch Tamara Naumann Steven O'Kane Elizabeth Neely Colorado Natural Areas Program Colorado Departnent of Natural Resources Denver Approximately one-third of Dinosaur National M::>nUirent was surveyed in 987 for rare plants, general flora and high quality vegetation sites. The inventory focused on areas containing habitat with the highest probability of supporting rare plant ~ies south of the Yampa River. Objectives 'hree objectives of the research project will assist park managers in managenent and protection of rare plants in Dinosaur National M:>nunent:. Conplete a systematic ootanical inventory of the M::>nwoont to document threatened, endangered and special concern plant species7 2. Prepare a checklist of the flora of the M:>nUirent, conpiled from field work, literature and museum sources 7 and 3. Provide baseline data and managenent recommendations for use in plant resource and natural area conservation, managerrent and research in the M::>nUirent and within the region. Dinosaur National Monument represents a unique conservation and management opportunity within the Uinta Basin and can 'be viewed regionally as an island surrounded by areas with similar biological characteristics, but different uses. ~thods '!he field inventory began in mid-may and ended in early July. Plant phenology required the inventory to proceed from drier, lower elevation areas to higher elevation, nore nesic areas. Two botanists conducted the survey, averaging about 4 square miles per person per field day. Potential habitat within each section was reviewed prior to establishing transect routes using aerial photographs and geologic and topographic -33- Published by Wyoming Scholars Repository, 987

3 University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report, Vol. [987], Art. 6 maps. Unusual geologic exposures, topographic conditions, soils, hydrologic regines, and vegetation having the greatest potential of containing rare taxa were examined in detail. Transects were designed to cover all geologic formations and vegetation types. Areas examined were delineated on 7. 5 minute field maps. A base map ( :62500) was prepared showing daily coverage and rare plant and high quality vegetation sites. Approximately one-third of Dinosaur National M:>nunent was inventoried in 987 on a section-by-section basis. Areas nost likely to contain identified rare plants received inventory focus. Forty-seven (47) target ~ies were included in the 987 survey. Standard plant collecting techniques were used. Conplete sets of specimens were deposited at Dinosaur National M:>nunent and at the University of Colorado herbarium. A database was developed to accommodate new records generated by the study and existing records from herbaria and literature sources. Results One thousand twenty-six ( 026) collections representing 336 taxa were made during the 987 field season. Sixteen (6) of these taxa are considered of special concern to the State of Colorado. Five ( 5) of these taxa represent new records for the M:>nunent. Six ( 6) of these species are rare throughout their range, six (6) are rare in Colorado, three (3) have uncertain status, and one () has a limited distribution, but appears secure. '\t«:> ( 2) species found during the 987 field season, Astragalus hamiltonii and Enceliopsis nudicaulis, are new records for Colorado. Trifolium andimum, Oenothera acutissima, Cirsium owenbyi, Astragalus hamiltonii, and Oxytropis besseyi were found in 987 and are new records for Dinosaur National M:>nunent. Dinosaur National Monunent lies at the eastern edge of the Uinta Basin, a large natural depression rimmed on the north by the anticlinal ~lift of the Uinta Mountains and on the south by the Tavaputs Plateau uplift. A large number of geologic formations are e~sed in Dinosaur National Monument, ranging in age from the Precambrian Uinta Mountain group to Quaternary alluvium. The diversity of the landscape, with representative plant communities from the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain ecoregions, is largely due to the geologic and topographic variability in the Monument. Plant collection records were sorted by geologic formation (Figure ) and by plant cormnunity (Figure 2). Data on several high quality vegetation sites were collected during the inventory. These sites have rich species diversity, a robust understory, and have not been heavily grazed by dom3stic livestock. Three pinyon-juniper woodlands, a mixed nountain shrubland, and a limestone barren were described during the survey

4 -.. :,' : '(. ;, ' Kuntz et al.: nventory of Plant Species of Special Concern and the General Tax FLORA BY GEOLOGC SUBSTRA.TE 987 SU :~ VEY ijl i.j.! 0 ~ ~ r '; v(~ / /i l~<l ~:' /,, : ; / i r.:. i,.,!.: / :- ~~ >/ / f v/,. o,. :l. ~.../ i./, '. V / v //!,' / /.'= J/ 'r----" 70 :--o ' / '! / /.' /,. - v : lr... ' v : v / i l;// //! [t /' [/ -' : ',. i //V/'. v/; Ji i/>!;///!,/>! (/;! y; f l Y/j Yl ::J} il ;il / / i/ /l i ;/;l i,';' '(/ /,.,,. ', =.- ~!,.,..., i / 'l j''// ' ~- v ' v / ( ~ t / ~,: :l,. /,... ti ( /,j!.' : ~ c,...:.:'/ : // :: ;:.i/i!//: \l/!, - - '.'. r / ; r / ( / i r ' '.'. '!.' i i / ' i ' / ',!/ ' = / ~'.. ; '/,'!,, i ; -;,-, ;' : v.) J.' : l : :. j ' i ',,. : t : /! : ' ;! vt' r//,. ~~~ r/'"/l'f'/i t/ ' 'll!/! ' ' l o,, ' = i ' i / :; '' : /. '. '.. : ll,,, i jo /. : v '. t! ::;/ / :' '; /! - /'/ / -, / ' / l/ v -~ y.. -= 0 '/ i /.,/i : / / A.- :!l! / ;! i,' / i ;jl, ; i /!l!!! :/ / ~., :.. ' ~,... /,~ :;,. V. ",,,, -.,n.;.,. :, v ~ /,.. r,; r;' i ~,~ /.. " /! /! /! / / 0, j '! J, : 0 G i.. Jm :- JTRG TRC TRhl?P /,,~ r ~~~.,t / ~ rv/ ~,,~, ', rv,.~,.~~ r ~/, r/ ~ f / /l CL Y J - 5e!".si.;:.:..ve Ss;eci.es,_~ Ot:te~ S:::e:::.2s LEGEND: Qa=Alluvium Tbp=Browns Park Frn Jrn=Morrison Frn JTRG=Glen Canyon SS TRC=Chinle Fm TRN=Moenkopi Fm PP=Park City Fm Pw=Weber Fm PM=Morgan Fm Prv=Round Valley Fm Nrn=Hadison Limestone CL-Lodore Fm Yu=Uinta Mountain SS Yus=Uinta Mountain shale Figure. The number of sensitive plant species and all other plant species collected is totalled for each geologic substrate. r:..-.:.35- Published by Wyoming Scholars Repository, 987 3

5 ' University of Wyoming National Park Service Research Center Annual Report, Vol. [987], Art. 6 \/ 0 ~ j 0.!\J : '- '\ t"\ \! ' \! L U ;vl't u "!. i ' i :.,.f (/,j ~/ / ', '.' ';'/!., :. /. ; ~~ --- -~, -. - /.. ~'... :: ' t! :" /: : : : : //' ; / i /; ~/> :/: /.. :.-..! / /. :/. i '.i... :'! / :"'"-.',t;, J '' : :, / ' /,: ;,.. '~ , '; /,: : :! / /'' '... f 0, : /. :!,',': :' / i,,,,,,!..;...! -;...,,..,, ~.. ' ' ',,.~r ~... ~,.. -,.. /; ~.,..; ~.:.. < ~:'> : ~/ /r /// v... : >'>i ~/>j :l ::' :: ;/! -.-.!/..., ]!,, 'V.. _ _. -' _:_ _',_ _. _ _;,~_;., ~ '.' '~......:.. i...:.'_ '...:...;,/ ;!.:..:..:... /: r /.j :. r--; i,.,, ' ', j ' _:_ ; :..:.. / _.; ' :... _:_V; _' '_:_...:.'...: _ ':... '.:..i_:! Figure 2. :P~=~i?arian deciduous forest FUCD=douglas fir forest?l~=as?en forest ~T?=?onderosa pine woodland i,7.;-=?inyon-juniper,.;oodlar.d STDB=cold desert bottomland shrubland SLC=low elevation riparian shrubland STJ=tall desert shrublands SLS=low el~;ation shrubland SMH=mixed mountain shrubland S~!S=r:ountain sagebrush AEHL=low elevation er:ergent ~vet A.E:~!=:nontane emergent,...-etlands TSVB=barrens TSVC=cli f s The number of sensitive plant species and all other plant species collected is totalled for each plant cammunity. "'/ \ \ -,

6 Kuntz et al.: nventory of Plant Species of Special Concern and the General Tax Management recommendations for the Monument included a research natural area designation for Johnson Canyon based on its hanging gardens, its habitat for 5 rare plant ~ies, its perennial spring, and its link to the canyon floras of the Colorado River drainage. ~st rare plant species require no active manage~nt. 'he effects of domestic livestock grazing should be evaluated for selected rare plant habitats and grazing renoved if inpacts occur. Grazing should oot be attracted to these areas and fire should be limited to natural events. Prescribed burns should be limited until a fire history of the area has been established. Conclusions The Landscape diversity of Dinosaur National Monument has resulted in a potential richness of rare. plant species unrivaled anywhere in the region. Floristic information will enable park managers to protect rare plant species and manage baseline areas to conserve and restore the native ecosystems of the Monurnent. Literature Cited Goodrich, s. and E. Neese. ntermountain Region Uinta Basin Flora. 320 pp. Hansen, W. R., P. D. Rowley, and P. E. Carrara Geol03ic map of Dinosaur National Monurnent and Vicinity, Utah and Colorado. Misc. nvestigations Series. Map u.s. Geol. Surv. Welsh, S. L., D. N. At\«XXl, S. Goodrich and L. C. Higgins A Utah Flora. Great Basin Nat. ~noirs. Vol. 9. usm For. Serv Published by Wyoming Scholars Repository, 987 5