Botrychium simplex E. Hitchcock (little grapefern) - Colorado Natural ...

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..............................................................................................................................................2
AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................................................2
COVER PHOTO CREDIT .............................................................................................................................................2
SUMMARY OF KEY COMPONENTS FOR CONSERVATION OF BOTRYCHIUM SIMPLEX ...............................3
Status..........................................................................................................................................................................3
Primary Threats..........................................................................................................................................................3
Primary Conservation Elements, Management Implications and Considerations.....................................................3
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ...............................................................................................................................6
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................................................7
Goal of Assessment....................................................................................................................................................7
Scope of Assessment..................................................................................................................................................7
Treatment of Uncertainty in Assessment ...................................................................................................................7
Treatment of This Document as a Web Publication...................................................................................................8
Peer Review of This Document .................................................................................................................................8
MANAGEMENT STATUS AND NATURAL HISTORY .............................................................................................8
Management Status ....................................................................................................................................................8
Existing Regulatory Mechanisms, Management Plans, and Conservation Strategies...............................................8
Adequacy of current laws and regulations ............................................................................................................8
Adequacy of current enforcement of laws and regulations...................................................................................9
Biology and Ecology..................................................................................................................................................9
Classification and description................................................................................................................................9
Taxonomic status ..............................................................................................................................................9
Description .....................................................................................................................................................13
Sources for keys photographs, illustrations, and descriptions........................................................................16
Distribution and abundance.................................................................................................................................19
Population trend ..................................................................................................................................................34
Habitat .................................................................................................................................................................35
Habitat descriptions and characterization.......................................................................................................35
Region 2 habitat descriptions .........................................................................................................................35
Varietal differences in habitat.........................................................................................................................36
Elevation, slope, and aspect............................................................................................................................37
Soil..................................................................................................................................................................37
Moisture..........................................................................................................................................................37
Disturbance as a habitat attribute ...................................................................................................................38
Fire..................................................................................................................................................................38
Meadows.........................................................................................................................................................38
Mycorrhizae as a habitat attribute ..................................................................................................................39
Reproductive biology and autecology.................................................................................................................39
Reproduction ..................................................................................................................................................39
Phenology.......................................................................................................................................................40
Fertility ...........................................................................................................................................................40
Dispersal.........................................................................................................................................................41
Cryptic phases ................................................................................................................................................41
Mycorrhizae....................................................................................................................................................41
Hybridization..................................................................................................................................................42
Demography ........................................................................................................................................................43
Community ecology ............................................................................................................................................45
CONSERVATION.........................................................................................................................................................50
Threats......................................................................................................................................................................50
Influence of management activities and natural disturbances on individuals and habitat ..................................51
Ski area development and maintenance .........................................................................................................51
Road and trail construction and maintenance.................................................................................................51
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