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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Biological Inventories
Project Overview
Inventory: A point-in-time effort to document the
resources present in an area.
In the early 1990s, responding to criticism that it
lacked basic knowledge of natural resources
within parks, the National Park Service (NPS)
initiated the Inventory and Monitoring Program
(NPS 1992). The purpose of the program is to
increase scientific research in NPS units and to
detect long-term changes in biological resources
(NPS 1992). At the time of the program’s
inception, basic biological information, including
lists of plants and animals, were absent or
incomplete for many parks (Stohlgren et al. 1995).
Species inventories have both direct and
indirect value for management of the park.
Species lists facilitate resource interpretation and
visitor appreciation of natural resources.
Knowledge of which species are present,
particularly sensitive species, and where they
occur is critical for making management decisions
(e.g., locating new facilities). Inventories are also
a cornerstone of long-term monitoring. Thorough
biological inventories provide a basis for choosing
parameters to monitor and can provide initial data
(i.e., a baseline) for monitoring ecological
populations and communities. Inventories can also
test sampling strategies, field methods, data
collection protocols, and provide estimates of
variation that are essential in prospective power
analysis.
Goals
The purpose of this study was to complete basic
inventories for vascular plants, birds, and
mammals at Fort Bowie National Historic Site
(NHS). This effort was part of a larger biological
inventory of eight NPS units in southern Arizona
and southwestern New Mexico (Davis and
Halvorson 2000, Powell et al. 2003, 2004, 2005a).
The results presented in this report supersede
those reported by Powell et al. (2003, 2004, and
2005b).
1
The goals of our biological inventory of
Fort Bowie NHS were to:
1. Conduct field surveys to bring the current
species lists for vascular plants, birds, and
mammals to at least 90% of the species
expected to occur at the park.
2. Use repeatable sampling designs and survey
methods (when appropriate) that allow
estimation of parameters of interest with
associated estimates of precision.
3. Compile historic occurrence data for plants
and vertebrates (including amphibians and
reptiles) from three sources: museum
records (specimen vouchers), previous
studies, and park records.
4. Create resources useful to park managers,
including detailed species lists, maps of
study sites, and high-quality digital images
for use in resource interpretation and
education.
The bulk of our effort addressed goals
number 1 and 2. To maximize efficiency (i.e., the
number of species recorded by effort) we used field
techniques designed to detect multiple species. We
did not undertake single-species surveys for
threatened or endangered species.
Administrative History
The original study plan for this project was
developed, and an inventory of one Sonoran Desert
Network (SDN) park (Tumacácori National
Historical Park) was completed, through a
cooperative agreement between NPS, UA, and the
USGS. This project comprises biological inventories
for seven additional parks and was funded through
Task Agreements UAZ-03, -05, -06, and -07 (under
Colorado Plateau CESU cooperative agreement
number 1200-99-009). The National Park Service
thereafter obligated additional funds for
administration, management, and technical oversight
of the biological inventories through the Colorado
Plateau CESU (UAZ-07) and the Desert Southwest
CESU (cooperative agreement number CA 1248-00-
002, reference UAZ39, -77, -87, -97, and 128).