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Reporting the Forest Ecological Integrity of Northeastern National Parks

Reporting the Forest Ecological Integrity of Northeastern National Parks. Geri Tierney SUNY-ESF Brian Mitchell NPS Don Faber-Langendoen NatureServe James Gibbs SUNY-ESF. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network. Natural Resource Challenge

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Reporting the Forest Ecological Integrity of Northeastern National Parks

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  1. Reporting the Forest Ecological Integrity of Northeastern National Parks Geri Tierney SUNY-ESF Brian Mitchell NPS Don Faber-Langendoen NatureServe James Gibbs SUNY-ESF

  2. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network • Natural Resource Challenge • Inventory and Monitoring Program • Vital Signs Monitoring

  3. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network • Northeast Temperate Network • Vital Signs Monitoring Plan • Protocols: • Forest Health • Lakes and Streams • Forest/Grassland Birds • Wetlands • Rocky Intertidal • Coastal Birds

  4. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Forest Monitoring Goals Monitor trends in structure, function, and composition of forested ecosystems, including soils and key stressors Interpret and report condition (ecological integrity) of forested systems

  5. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network What is “Ecological Integrity”? Ecosystem structure, composition and function in relation to natural or historical variation and perturbations imposed by natural or anthropogenic agents of change (Karr and Dudley 1981) Dominant ecological characteristics occurring within natural ranges of variation and able to withstand and recover from most perturbations imposed by natural dynamics or human disruptions (Parrish et al. 2003)

  6. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network What is “Ecological Integrity”? A set of measures of ecosystem structure, function, and composition Reference to the range of natural variation and resistance to perturbation Ensure links with management needs

  7. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Steps to EI Reporting Conceptual Model: Conceptual understanding of system that identifies important characteristics, processes, and stresses

  8. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Steps to EI Reporting Metric Selection: Choose key structural, functional, and compositional attributes that are informative, have low response variability, and are cheap to collect

  9. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Steps to EI Reporting Define Levels: Base levels on existing literature, pilot testing, or first years of monitoring Levels should separate acceptable from undesired conditions Assign confidence to levels to assist interpretation Levels can vary by habitat or location Consider developing a complementary management goals report

  10. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Steps to EI Reporting Generate Report: Convey status and trend of key parameters in a meaningful way

  11. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Forest Monitoring Objectives Defined for structural, functional, and composition metrics at multiple scales (landscape, stand, tree) For example: Functional metric: Soil chemistry (acid stress) Objective: Determine trend in Ca:Al ratio Unacceptable Level: Molar ratio below one indicates significant acid stress

  12. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Sampling Design Population: All upland forests and woodlands within park boundaries Sample Size: 350 permanent plots (10 to 176 per park) Site Selection: By park, GRTS (spatially balanced and randomized) Temporal Schedule: 4 rotating panels (4 years for complete cycle)

  13. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network 15 m CWD 1 m UC UL UR S4 2 m S2 4 m 2 m 4 m S1 MR ML S3 B Upslope or N S5 BC BR BL 15 m CWD 15 m CWD 15 m (ACAD); 20 m (NHP) Figure 1: NETN plot layout showing square tree plot with 3 nested 2-m radius regeneration microplots, 8 1-m2 veg quadrats, and 3 15-m CWD transects. Sx is location of soil sample. Plot Sampling • Measures: • Stand structure • Snag abundance • CWD • Canopy Closure • Tree condition • Tree growth • Tree mortality • Tree regeneration • Understory diversity • Biotic homogenization • Soil chemistry • Landscape context

  14. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Data Analysis Status: Snapshot of metrics during each 4-year interval for each park Trend: Linear trends of metrics using GLM or hierarchical models (investigating other methods, including non-linear models) Ecological Integrity: Summary reports for managers that present metrics and interpret their meaning for ecosystem structure, function, and composition yij = b0 + b1 (tj - t0) + ηi + εij y(i + n),j = b0 + b1 (t(i + n),j - tij) + b2 (x(i + n),j - xjj) + b3 (t(i + n),j - tij)(x(i + n),j - xij) + ηij + εij

  15. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Examples with 2006 Data Composition: Invasive Exotic Plant Indicator Species Detection of 20 priority exotic species, based on eight 1-m2 quadrats and a 15 minute timed search of the plot Good: < 0.5 species per plot Caution: >= 0.5 and < 3.5 species per plot Significant Concern: >= 3.5 species per plot Sample Size 38 (ACAD) 12 (MABI) 16 (SARA)

  16. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Examples with 2006 Data Structure: Snag Abundance Abundance of snags by park or habitat Good: >= 10% standing trees and >= 10% med-lg trees are snags Caution: < 10% standing trees or large snags under-represented Significant Concern: < 5 med-lg snags per ha

  17. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Examples with 2006 Data Function: Soil Chemistry (Acid Stress) Minimum molar Ca:Al ratio of O and A horizons, measured at one site per plot (composite of 3 samples) Good: Ratio >= 4 Caution: Ratio >= 1 and < 4 Significant Concern: Ratio < 1 Sample Size 38 (ACAD) 12 (MABI) 16 (SARA)

  18. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Examples with 2006 Data Function: Soil Chemistry (Nitrogen Saturation) Minimum C:N ratio of O and A horizons, measured at one site per plot (composite of 3 samples) Good: Ratio >= 25 Caution: Ratio >= 20 and < 25 Significant Concern: Ratio < 20 Sample Size 38 (ACAD) 12 (MABI) 16 (SARA)

  19. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Examples with 2006 Data Landscape: Forest Patch Size Size (hectares) of contiguous forest patch surrounding each plot Good: >= 50 ha Caution: < 50 ha Significant Concern: Not defined

  20. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Acadia NP 2006 EI Report “At-a-glance” summary of each metric Results could be post-stratified by geography or ecosystem type Scorecard report includes details and interpretation

  21. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Current Status 2006 & 2007 Field Work: 86 (2006) and 83 (2007) plots Review of EI Methods: EI reporting documents ready for external review EI Manuscript: In draft form NPS Collaboration: Working with eastern NPS programs on monitoring and reporting Other Collaboration: Working with state and federal agencies on regional efforts

  22. Inventory & Monitoring Program Northeast Temperate Network Conclusions Science Based: Our Ecological Integrity report is scientifically sound, flexible, and transparent Interpretive: Simple summary format is helpful for non-technical audiences Not a Replacement: Still need rigorous trend and other analyses of raw metrics

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