Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Saguaro ... - USGS

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Figure 3.3. Locations of modified-Whittaker plots and point-intercept transects (line transect), Saguaro National Park, Rincon Mountain District, 2001. 50 m 925 m 825 m Point-intercept transects Effort We surveyed along each of the 17 random transects (Fig. 3.3) in the spring of 2001. We typically worked in groups of two or three field personnel, but sometimes had as many as five field personnel. We surveyed a total of 300 points along most transects. Additional points 525 m 425 m Distance from focal point 18 125 m 25 m Focal point (beginning of transect) Figure 3.4. Typical layout of point-intercept transects, Saguaro National Park, Rincon Mountain District, 2001. were surveyed on a subset of transects when time permitted; transects with difficult terrain resulted in fewer than 300 points being surveyed. Analysis We calculated percent cover and percent composition for each species in each height category. Percent cover is the number of times a 0 m
species was encountered along the entire length of the transect divided by effort (in most cases a maximum of 300 intercepts per height category) and multiplied by 100. We calculated percent composition of each species in each height category as the number of times a species was encountered divided by the number of times all other species were encountered. If there was at least a single species encountered along a transect (in each height category), the total percent composition equaled 100 percent. Community Types We sought to identify plant communities within the district and to compare characteristics among them. We did not use the original stratification of random transects for this analysis because we were more interested in classifying communities than drawing inference to a larger area. To group transects, we used Ward’s hierarchical cluster analysis using data from point-intercept transects. Cluster analysis is a multivariate technique that groups like entities (in our case transects) that share similar values. We used the total number of point intercepts by the most common plant species in all four height categories for this analysis. A detailed summary of point-intercept data will be available along with other archived materials (see Chapter 1). Results We collected 741 specimens representing 523 species from the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park (Appendix A). We found 39 species that had not previously been documented in the district, almost one-half of them (n = 19) during the course of surveying at point-intercept and/or modified-Whittaker plots. The list of new species that we found included five non-native species, most notably African sumac (Rhus lancea). Native species of note that we added to the flora included cleftleaf wildheliotrope (Phacelia crenulata), Arizona dewberry (Rubus arizonensis), and American black nightshade (Solanum americanum). Based on a thorough review of past studies, floras, and collections located at the 19 University of Arizona, there have been a total of 1,170 specific and intraspecific taxa documented at the district, of which 78 (6.7%) are non native. Excluding eight species in the UA collection that Bowers and McLaughlin (1987) cite as likely extirpated from the district, there have been 1,120 species (1,162 including intraspecific taxa) documented since the early 1980s (Appendix A). Of these species, six were thought to be extirpated by Bowers and McLaughlin (1987) but were found by other studies: purple scalystem (Elytraria imbicata), Lemmon’s hawkweed (Hieracium lemmonii), alderleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus), Baltic rush (Juncus balticus), poverty rush (J. tenius), and common barley (Hordeum vulgare) (Appendix A). Community Types Based on our interpretation of the cluster analysis using data from point-intercept transects, there are four communities (i.e., clusters) represented: • Sonoran Desertscrub. Five lowelevation transects (112, 115, 130, 138, and 139) and one middle elevation transect (121). Mixed cacti and paloverde (Parkinsonia spp.), with some velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina), especially in the dry washes. • Oak Savannah. Four middle-elevation transects (101, 106, 189, and 111). Open areas dominated by perennial grasses with scattered trees, mostly oaks. • Pine-oak Woodland. Two middle (125 and 120) and three high (107, 155, and 128) elevation transects. Most transects had dense stands of manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.) and oaks, interspersed with some pine trees, mostly pinon and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). • Conifer Forest. Two high elevation random transects (113 and 191). Tall forests of ponderosa pine, Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and some oaks, especially Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii).
Page 1: Powell, Halvorson, Schmidt Vascular
Page 4 and 5: U.S. Department of the Interior DIR
Page 7 and 8: Table of Contents Report Dedication
Page 9 and 10: Table 5.8. Number of breeding behav
Page 11 and 12: Figure 6.5. Locations of non-random
Page 13 and 14: Report Dedication Eric Wells Albrec
Page 15 and 16: Acknowledgements Thanks to Saguaro
Page 17 and 18: Executive Summary This report summa
Page 19 and 20: Chapter 1: Introduction to the Inve
Page 21 and 22: them out. This information, in conj
Page 23 and 24: communities and is especially usefu
Page 25 and 26: Chapter 2: Park Overview Brian F. P
Page 27 and 28: Figure 2.2. Aerial photograph showi
Page 29 and 30: Figure 2.4. Diagram of the major ve
Page 31: Non-native Species and Changes to V
Page 34 and 35: General Botanizing Methods We colle
Page 38 and 39: Focal-points: General Patterns We f
Page 40 and 41: Percent 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Plant
Page 42 and 43: well (Swantek et al. 1999). The mos
Page 45 and 46: Chapter 4: Amphibian and Reptile In
Page 47 and 48: Figure 4.2. Locations of intensive
Page 49 and 50: features. We based extensive survey
Page 51 and 52: B). Reptilian species included two
Page 53 and 54: Table 4.6. Relative abundance (mean
Page 57 and 58: Cumulative number of species 50 40
Page 59 and 60: elevation range of the district all
Page 61: in recent years due to sedimentatio
Page 64 and 65: Spatial Sampling Designs We establi
Page 66 and 67: Figure 5.2. Location of section bre
Page 68 and 69: the relative abundance by repeat-vi
Page 70 and 71: Analysis We report relative abundan
Page 72 and 73: with some pine trees, mostly pinyon
Page 74 and 75: Riparian Sonoran Desertscrub Oak Pi
Page 76 and 77: Table 5.5. Mean relative abundance
Page 80 and 81: Nest Adults carrying objects Other
Page 82 and 83: Cumulative number of species Cumula
Page 84 and 85: can impact other native plant and v
Page 87 and 88:
Chapter 6: Mammal Inventory Don E.
Page 89 and 90:
Figure 6.3. Locations of random (fo
Page 91 and 92:
calculated relative abundance by pl
Page 93 and 94:
Figure 6.5. Locations of non-random
Page 95 and 96:
(2) Receiver triggers camera to tak
Page 97 and 98:
Excluding the results for the white
Page 99 and 100:
Table 6.5. Number of photographs of
Page 101 and 102:
Cumulative number of species Cumula
Page 103 and 104:
point out that the pond at Manning
Page 105 and 106:
There is some suggestion that popul
Page 107 and 108:
Chapter 7: Literature Cited Albrech
Page 109 and 110:
Davis, R., and C. Dunford. 1987. An
Page 111 and 112:
Kirkpatrick, C., C. J. Conway, and
Page 113 and 114:
Rice, J., B. W. Anderson, and R. D.
Page 115:
orderlands. Pp. 15-16. In effects o
Page 118 and 119:
100 Family Scientific name Common n
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
130 Order Voucher Specimen (S), Fam
Page 150 and 151:
132 UA survey type Survey or specie
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
138 Survey type Documentation type
Page 158 and 159:
Voucher Collection type Taxon Speci
Page 160 and 161:
Appendix F. List of existing vouche
Page 162 and 163:
Taxon Common name Collectiona Colle
Page 164 and 165:
Appendix G. Mean frequency of detec
Page 166 and 167:
Species Total transects observed Lo
Page 168 and 169:
Oak Savannah Pine-oak Woodland Coni
Page 170 and 171:
Appendix I. Details of small-mammal
Page 172 and 173:
Random or Camera Number of Number o
Page 174:
156
show all

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Saguaro ... - USGS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?