Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report - USGS

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Appendix C: Global and Local Plant Community Descriptions C.5 Sparse C.5.4. Zuckia brandegeei Sparse Vegetation Base map class NatureServe common name NatureServe code Arizona.Siltbush.Sparse.Vegetation Siltbush.Sparse.Vegetation CEGL002493 Summary: This sparsely vegetated association is common on plateaus at Petrified Forest National Park but occurs elsewhere on plains, alluvial fans, steep colluvial and badlands slopes, or shale hogbacks in the Colorado Plateau of northern Arizona and eastern Utah. Elevation ranges from 1341-1890 m (4397- 6200 ft). The soil is a rapidly drained clay loam derived from shales such as the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation or Chinle, Moenkopi and Curtis formations. The unvegetated surface typically has high cover of shale chips, sandstone rocks, basalt gravel, conglomerate, or petrified wood forming a desert pavement surface. Exposure of bare soil is low. The vegetation has a sparse canopy consisting of Zuckia brandegeei with scattered Atriplex confertifolia and Gutierrezia microcephala. The herbaceous layer is low in diversity and provides sparse cover. The bunch grasses Leymus salinus and Pleuraphis jamesii are present. Forbs include Platyschkuhria integrifolia and Xylorhiza venusta. Classification confidence: 2 - Moderate. Classification comments: Globally. Data are not available. Petrified Forest National Park. Zuckia brandegeei Sparse Vegetation was classified based on the sparse badland vegetation, as well as having a low cover of Zuckia brandegeei. This association did commonly contain another badland indicator species, Atriplex obovata; however, Atriplex obovata never dominates the vegetation. During the classification fieldwork, the Zuckia species was identified to the subspecies level as Zuckia brandegeei var. arizonica, a species endemic to northeastern Arizona and the southern Colorado Plateau. However, since an NVCS association already existed for Zuckia brandegeei at the species level, we decided to include these relevés in this pre-defined association. It is interesting to note, however, that this species is unique to this area and could be defined as a unique association if classified beyond the species level. Vegetation hierarchy: Physiognomic class VII Sparse.Vegetation Physiognomic subclass VII.C. Unconsolidated.material.sparse.vegetation Physiognomic group VII.C.3. Sparsely.vegetated.soil.slopes Physiognomic subgroup VII.C.3.N. Natural/Semi-natural.sparsely.vegetated.soil.slopes Formation name VII.C.3.N.b. Dry.slopes Alliance name Zuckia brandegeei Sparse.Vegetation.Alliance.(A.2653),. Siltbush.Sparse.Vegetation.Alliance Ecological systems placement: Ecological system unique ID CES304.789 Ecological system name Inter-Mountain.Basins.Shale.Badland NatureServe conservation status: Global rank. GNR (29-Mar-2005). C107
Vegetation Classification and Distribution Mapping Report: Petrified Forest National Park Distribution: Globally. This association is known from Arches, Capitol Reef, and Petrified Forest national parks but is also likely widespread in the Painted Desert and canyonlands regions of the Colorado Plateau in eastern Utah and northern Arizona. Petrified Forest National Park. Zuckia brandegeei Sparse Vegetation was identified from 17 relevés within Petrified Forest National Park and on the Navajo Nation. This common association occurred mostly on plateaus, with one stand occurring on a bajada and another in the plains. The relevés in Petrified Forest National Park were located in the northern wilderness area northwest of Nizhoni Point, southwest of Lacey Point, in the Black Forest, north of Onyx Bridge and the Black Forest, and southwest of Chinde Mesa. This association was also identified from the northern half of the project boundary east of Lithodendron Wash and west of Lacey Point. Several of the stands were located near The Flattops, including east of The Flattops in the southern wilderness area, in The Flattops north of the main park road, southwest of The Flattops and south of the main park road, and north of Jim Camp Wash and west of The Flattops. In the southern half of the project boundary, this association is also found west of Dry Wash and the main park road, in the Crystal Forest in the southern wilderness area, west of the main park road in the Jasper Forest, south of the main road and north of Long Logs, and in the Rainbow Forest west of Giant Logs. The relevé that was sampled on the Navajo Nation land was located on the northeastern slopes of Chinde Mesa. Environmental summary: Globally. This sparsely vegetated association is common on plateaus at Petrified Forest National Park but occurs elsewhere on plains, alluvial fans, steep colluvial and badlands slopes, or shale hogbacks in the Colorado Plateau of northern Arizona and eastern Utah. Elevation ranges from 1341-1890 m (4397-6200 ft). The soil is a rapidly drained clay loam derived from shales. Parent materials include the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation; Chinle, Moenkopi and Curtis formations; or mixed colluvium. The unvegetated surface typically has high cover of shale chips, sandstone rocks, basalt gravel, conglomerate, or petrified wood forming a desert pavement surface. Exposure of bare soil is low. Petrified Forest National Park. This association was sampled between the elevations of 1660 and 1790 m (5430-5880 ft). Slope ranged from none to moderately high (0-19%, average 6%). Most of the stands had surface rocks that included petrified wood and desert pavement; two had conglomerate and basalt gravel surface rocks. USFWS wetland system: Not applicable. Vegetation description: Globally. This association has a sparse canopy consisting of Zuckia brandegeei with scattered Artemisia bigelovii, Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex obovata, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, Coleogyne ramosissima, Ericameria nauseosa, Eriogonum corymbosum, Eriogonum leptocladon, Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra viridis, Xylorhiza glabriuscula, Gutierrezia microcephala, and Gutierrezia sarothrae. The herbaceous layer is low in diversity and provides sparse cover. The bunch grasses Achnatherum hymenoides, Leymus salinus, and Pleuraphis jamesii are present. Forbs include Arabis holboellii, Cryptantha sp., Cymopterus acaulis, Eriogonum inflatum, Galium coloradoense, Penstemon barbatus, Platyschkuhria integrifolia, and Xylorhiza venusta. The exotic annual grass Bromus tectorum may be present in some stands. Petrified Forest National Park. Seventeen relevés were classified as Zuckia brandegeei Sparse Vegetation with total vegetation cover ranging from 1 to 6% (average 2%). The vegetation cover consisted of a shrub stratum with 0.5-4% cover (average 2%) and an herbaceous stratum with 0.5-3% cover (average 1%). The species diversity ranged from 4 to 23 species (average 11 species). Zuckia brandegeei was commonly the dominant species; however, it could also act as an indicator species in these sparsely vegetated areas. It ranged in cover from 0 to 3% (average 1%). C108
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National Park Service U.S. Departme
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Vegetation Classification and Distr
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The National Park Service, Natural
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Acronyms and Abbreviations AA ac AP
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Executive Summary The classificatio
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Acknowledgments Behind the authors
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Axis 3 Axis 2 Vegetation Classifica
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20 Table 5. continued Plant communi
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40 Table 13. Base map class summary
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56 Table 22. Summary statistics for
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Literature Cited ties: Terrestrial
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B2 Appendix B Plant Community 2003
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B4 Appendix B .continued Plant Comm
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Appendix C: Global and local plant
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Page 239 and 240: G4 B1 Cottonwood / Rubber Rabbitbru
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G14 B11 Iodine Bush Shrubland Figur
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G16 B13 Sandsage Colorado Plateau S
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G18 B15 Tamarisk Shrubland Figure.G
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G20 B17 Winter-fat / Blue Grama Dwa
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G22 B19 Alkali Sacaton - Blue Grama
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G24 B21 Blue Grama Herbaceous Veget
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G26 B23 Galleta - Alkali Sacaton He
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G28 B25 New Mexico Saltbush / Alkal
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G30 B27 Russian Thistle Sand Dune V
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G32 B29 Arizona Siltbush Sparse Veg
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G34 B31 Slender Buckwheat Sparse Ve
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G36 B33 Airstrip Figure.G65..Photos
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G38 B35 Barren Wash Figure.G68..Gro
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G40 B37 Park Sites Figure.G71..Phot
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G42 B39 Residences Figure.G73..Phot
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G44 B41 Run-off Control Feature Fig
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G46 B43 Stock Ponds Figure.G77..Pho
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G48 B45 Vegetated Wash Complex Figu
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Appendix H: Accuracy Assessment Dat
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Table H-4. Contingency table: Manag
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The Department of the Interior prot
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