Vegetation classification at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Mojave National Preserve, Castle Mountains National Monument, and Death Valley National Park: Final report
Interpreting Fire and Life History Information in the Manual of California Vegetation
ire is a pervasive force impact-ing the composition and struc-ture of vegetation throughout most ... more ire is a pervasive force impact-ing the composition and struc-ture of vegetation throughout most of California. As discussed throughout this issue of Fremontia, fire has shaped our state’s flora and is one of the major natural processes regularly affecting our ability to co-exist with nature. Here we consider changes in The Manual of California Vegetation (MCV2) as they relate to fire.F Two contrasting vegetation alliances with chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) and whiteleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos viscida). Chamise will both resprout from the base and germinate from seeds while this manzanita only germinates from seeds following fires. Photograph by T. Keeler-Wolf.
Desert water courses are topographically distinct features with periodic flooding, which are flor... more Desert water courses are topographically distinct features with periodic flooding, which are floristically rich and structurally complex. This study was undertaken to determine if plant species and vegetation types change along desert water courses as environmental gradients are crossed. In four granitic and four calcareous water courses, vegetation patterns were classified and described for 262 samples in the eastern Mojave Desert, California. In a broad altitudinal range from mountain slope to bajada, vegetation samples were systematically taken at 300 m intervals in a 9 km distance of each water course. A total of 15 alliances and 32 associations were delineated using Ward's method cluster analysis and Twinspan and were validated by Bray-Curtis ordination. The classification included alliances of one forest, two woodlands, two intermittently flooded shrublands, two temporarily flooded shrublands, and eight shrublands. Of these alliances, ten were at the canyon position, seven were at the arroyo position, and six were at wash position. Alliances dominated by Acacia greggii, Chilopsis linearis, and Prunus fasciculata were the most widely distributed, at more than one topographic position and on both granitic and calcareous substrates; however, these alliances had more than double the number of associations found specifically on limestone as compared to granite. Environmental gradients showed strong relationships to the overall vegetation patterns as expressed by multi-response permutations procedures, Indicator Species analyses, and Bray-Curtis ordinations. Vegetation types appear to be expressions of moisture and temperature gradients, nutrient availability, and regional locations as iii functions of aspect, elevation, geologic substrate, geographic position, surface rock cover, and topographic position. The influence of topography and geologic substrate was apparent across all watercourses. Each water course had differential species and at least one distinct alliance per topographic position, and the water courses had differential species and vegetation types depending on geologic substrate. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I thank John Sawyer, my major professor, for his faithful support and guidance. I have greatly benefited from his organizational and editorial skills as well as his research expertise. I also thank Dawn Goley and Michael Mesler, two committee members, for their valuable insights and constructive comments. I extend further thanks to Todd Keeler-Wolf, a third committee member, for providing inspiration, data collection design, technical support, and insightful review of this manuscript. I am also thankful for the gracious support from the following entities. Peter Stine of the U.S. Geological Survey of Biological Resources Division and Humboldt State University of Biological Sciences contributed financial support and equipment. Additionally, the California Native Plant Society provided financial support. Jim Andre and Claudia Luke of the University of California at Granite Mountains Reserve contributed housing, lab facilities, research design, and field assistance. The Mojave National Preserve granted office support and equipment as well as access to study sites and collection of plants. Mitchell Caverns State Park granted access to the Gilroy Canyon study site and collection of plants. Andy Sanders of the University of California at Riverside Herbarium and Jim Andre assisted in plant identification. I am grateful to numerous other people who have given support and field assistance. My parents provided financial support during my graduate studies. Jeffrey Cox assisted with research design, reconnaissance, and data management. Alex Evens and Jane Melville assisted in field work. Lastly, I thank my family and friends for their enduring emotional support that allowed me to stay focused and determined.
Appendix 2. List of plants identified in the MCOSD surveys with scientific names and nativity sta... more Appendix 2. List of plants identified in the MCOSD surveys with scientific names and nativity status accepted by UCB (2009) and codes and common names by USDA-NRCS (2009). 206 LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL DESCRIPTION Elevation: 239 ft. Slope: 5.0 degrees Small Rock Cover: 3.0% Large Rock Cover: 0.2% Litter Cover: 61.0% Bare Ground: 30.0% Stands of this association occur in Mount Burdell Preserve. SITE IMPACTS This association has an average non-native plant cover of 72.9%. SAMPLES USED TO DESCRIBE ASSOCIATION (n=1) Rapid Assessment(s): MOSD0260 Releve(s): none Arbutus menziesii Alliance This alliance is represented by four associations in the study area. Arbutus menziesii occurs in pure stands as well as in mixed evergreen stands with other broadleaf tree species, while A. menziesii is usually highest in cover. Additional variation is seen in one sample, in which the shrub layer was welldeveloped with Arctostaphylos glandulosa and Vaccinium ovatum. Stands are commonly seen in Marin County, especially on upland, rounded northerly and neutral slopes. Arbutus menziesii Association Pacific Madrone Association LOCAL VEGETATION DESCRIPTION Stands of Arbutus menziesii Woodland/Forest form an intermittent tree layer (35.0-45%, mean 40.0%), with hardwoods at 5-10m tall (35.0-45%, mean 40.0%). Understory trees form a sparse cover (0.2-3%, mean 1.6) and are 1-5m tall. The shrub layer is sparse (1.0-10%, mean 5.5%) with heights of 1-2m. The herbaceous layer is sparse to open (5.0-20%, mean 12.5%) at 0-0.5m tall. Total vegetation cover is 40.0-90%, mean 65.0%.
A consistent and hierarchical classification of vegetation, such as the U.S. National Vegetation ... more A consistent and hierarchical classification of vegetation, such as the U.S. National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system, supports comprehensive conservation and management of natural ecosystems. At a detailed level, the NVC alliance is defined by diagnostic species and composition. Maps at this level of classification are often produced at local to regional scales (areas < 25,000 km 2) with costly manual to semi-automated interpretation of high resolution imagery. The main objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of machine learning for automated, per-pixel (30 m) mapping of forest alliances with multi-seasonal hyperspectral imagery from a future satellite mission (HyspIRI), as simulated from Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer Classic (AVIRIS-C) data. The study area was the San Francisco (S.F.) Bay Area, California, where we mapped forest alliances at regional and county scales. We implemented the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier in a twostage approach, first mapping regional land cover followed by forest alliances in closed-canopy tree pixels. Predictor variables were reflectance bands and hyperspectral metrics based on indices, derivatives and absorption-fitting techniques applied to reflectance spectra, with data grouped into summer and three-season (spring, summer, fall) sets. For forest alliances, hyperspectral metrics improved overall accuracy of classifications by 2.9 to 6.4% relative to classifications based on the original reflectance bands. Multi-seasonal data improved overall accuracy by 1.3 to 6.2% relative to summer-only data. Using multi-seasonal metrics, the S.F. Bay Area regional classification with 21 alliances had an overall accuracy of 65.7% (Kappa 0.63), while the Sonoma County classification with 16 alliances had an accuracy of 75.9% (Kappa 0.72). Most forest alliances had internal variation in lifeform, species and structural properties that increased within-class spectral-temporal variation and complicated discrimination. Despite this challenge, classification accuracies were similar to regional NVC alliance reference data. We conclude that a hyperspectral satellite, with its repeat and global image acquisitions, has strong potential for accurate and economical mapping and monitoring the Earth's vegetation communities.
Keeping this species in check at this time will prevent the spread of the species. The banks of t... more Keeping this species in check at this time will prevent the spread of the species. The banks of the Stanislaus River are prime habitat for this species and may be a focal point for control. Carduus pycnocephalus (Italian Thistle) Cal-IPC List B. Carduus pycnocephalus is an annual thistle, introduced from the Mediterranean with reports of its occurrence as early as 1912 (Bossard et al. 2000). It is widespread in the grasslands and oak woodlands within the study area. It is considered less invasive than some other species of thistle but once established it can come to dominate a site. It is the most abundant of the exotic thistles within the study area. It was found in 30 associations, ranging in absolute cover from <1% to as high as 40%. Control may center on identifying those areas of heaviest infestation. Research of the literature seems to indicate that mechanical control and grazing are the most effective methods. Treatment, however, requires being persistent over a period of several years. Centaurea melitensis (Maltese Star-thistle) Cal-IPC List B Centaurea melitensis is an annual thistle, first introduced to California during the Spanish mission period. Dense infestations can displace native plants and animals (Bossard et al. 2000). Though placed on Cal-IPC List B, it is noted that this species may be more widespread than realized. It is often mistaken for C. solstitialis. The plant can be toxic to horses if ingested over long periods. Little work has focused on the control of C. melitensis with more focus given to C. solstitialis. With similar life-forms and habit, control methods used for C. solstitialis may be effective on C. melitensis (Bossard et al. 2000). Control may center on identifying those areas of heaviest infestation. It is the second most abundant of the exotic thistle species. It occurs in 24 associations ranging in absolute cover from <1% to as high as 20%. Centaurea solstitialis (Yellow Star-thistle) Cal-IPC-List A-2 Centaurea solstitialis is considered one of the most noxious weeds in the state. It can form dense impenetrable stands diminishing the quality of rangelands and displacing other vegetation. It has spread rapidly since the mid-1900s and has come to infest 15-20 million acres throughout California. It is believed to have begun invading the Sierra foothills in the 1930s and 1940s (The Nature Conservancy 2004). Like C. melitensis, the plant is toxic to horses. 5000-Deciduous Shrubland 5400-Winter Rain Drought Deciduous Shrubland 5401-Poison Oak Alliance 5500-Seasonally Flooded Deciduous Shrubland 5501-Mixed Riparian Shrub Mapping Unit (including Salix spp., Calycanthus occidentalis, Rhamnus tomentella, etc) 6000-Perennial Herbaceous (Graminoid-Forbs) 6100-Bunch Forming Grasses 6101-Serpentine Native Wet Perennial Grassland (Hordeum brachyantherum, Carex spp., Juncus spp.
In 2017 we held the election of the chairman of the Youth South Manggarai in a conventional way, ... more In 2017 we held the election of the chairman of the Youth South Manggarai in a conventional way, Which were displayed many members who did not came.There are many causes that are still unused ballots and the results of the voting are calculated Relatively long Also have a risk in the results of voting. With the existence of such contradictions, then to Utilize technology has been developed that makes the Electronic Voting author system.However application, the public did not trust e-voting, there will be manipulation of the results approved by each candidate. For that reason, the system can guarantee results of voting using RSA security, public key and private key to approve when you do the voting. Built using the method with waterfall SDLC. The validation test results concluded that the system is valid. Algorithm testing is done by the user entering the first odd value of 15 and the second odd value of 13 getting the value of m 168 and public key 169 from the calculation of the FPB the which is Relatively prime to m. If the public key is inputted Correctly then the user can vote.The voting results show that candidate # 2 has 32 votes, the candidate 1 has 20 votes and the others is non-voters.
NatureServe in partnership with the State Natural Heritage Program of the Department of Fish and ... more NatureServe in partnership with the State Natural Heritage Program of the Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and the California Native Plant Society (CNPS). A first edition of the national classification provides a thorough introduction to the classification, its structure, and the list of vegetation units known in the United States (Grossman et al. 1998). Refinements to the classification have occurred during its application, and these refinements are best seen using the NatureServe Web site at http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/. Vegetation mapping has been done regionally in adjacent National Park units under the auspices of the National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring program, in cooperation with the US Geological Survey (USGS) Biological Resources Division. The mapping has been done in accordance with standards established by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) for vegetation mapping on federal lands. The FGDC website (http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standardsprojects/vegetation/vegclass.pdf) explains the development of the classification standards currently used for mapping and classifying vegetation in national parks. The USGS Biological Resources Division-NPS Vegetation Mapping project's website (http://biology.usgs.gov/npsveg/standards.html) has additional information on vegetation mapping in national parks. The mapping project associated with this project is being done in the same contexts as the adjacent NPS lands of Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Water District. Three non-contiguous administrative units are included within the study area: Nicasio Reservoir (approximately 1,600 acres), Soulajule Reservoir (approximately 1,100 acres), and the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed (18,985) acres). Both Nicasio and Soulajule Reservoirs are situated in the rural western portion of Marin County and are completely surrounded by agricultural lands. The Mt. Tamalpais Watershed is located in southern Marin County's urban-wildland interface. It is bounded to the south and east by the urban communities of Mill Valley,
Identification and Mapping of Rare Plant Communities— State of Knowledge and Adoption of Standardized Techniques
Knowledge and protection of natural plant assemblages are key objectives of the California Native... more Knowledge and protection of natural plant assemblages are key objectives of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS). The CNPS Vegetation Program has a floristic classification system to define and map vegetation in the state, including rare and common vegetation. Rare vegetation represents important and distinctive assemblages of biodiversity, and over 60% of the described vegetation alliances in California are rare or threatened. Since development pressures, climate change, invasive species, and other disturbances continue to threaten their existence, we need effective and efficient tools to identify and protect these rare types. CNPS is working collaboratively to establish a multi-step process to identify, map, and track rare vegetation throughout the state. Through an ad hoc committee, CNPS is adopting standardized techniques to collect reliable data, to evaluate rarity and monitor threats for each described vegetation type, to better inform agencies and land managers, and to ...
Identification and Mapping of Rare Plant Communities—State of Knowledge and Adoption of Standardized Techniques
... Having knowledge of the range and extent of this alliance, the Water District can adaptively ... more ... Having knowledge of the range and extent of this alliance, the Water District can adaptively manage and reduce ... Regional vegetation mapping projects have begun to make headway in this effort, with CNPS being involved in various projects ... 323 p. MCCUNE, B. AND JB GRACE ...
The Vegetation Program of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) has developed a floristic cl... more The Vegetation Program of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) has developed a floristic classification of alliances and associations within the Great Valley Ecoregion Section of the USDA Ecological Subregions of California (Miles and Goudey 1997). This study area encompasses a wide range of plant communities from vernal pool grasslands and alkali flats to densely wooded riparian corridors. The resulting vegetation classification is supported by both new and compiled data from this region including 808 surveys collected across 2010-2011 by staff of Chico State University’s Geographical Information Center (GIC) and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). The CNPS-CDFG Combined Vegetation Rapid Assessment and Relevé protocol was implemented for these new field surveys. An additional 1807 field surveys, collected across 2001-2011, have been collated and merged with the new data, and a total of 2615 surveys have been used to develop a floristic classification analysis.
The vegetation classification has been produced using the National Vegetation Classification System’s hierarchy of alliances and associations. The plant communities are floristically and environmentally defined, following the format of A Manual of California Vegetation (Sawyer et al. 2009). In this report, vegetation types are summarized within a key and descriptions that differentiate 138 alliances and 242 finer-level associations. Of the vegetation alliances currently identified within the Great Valley Ecoregion, 6 are newly described types (with at least 10 samples) and 13 are new provisional types (with fewer than 10 samples).
The floristic vegetation classification was translated into a mapping classification to produce a fine-scale map of the natural vegetation features in this region. The resulting map can serve as a baseline for future climate-change monitoring, environmental assessment, fire/fuels modeling, rare and invasive species management, and a host of other valuable analyses.
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The vegetation classification has been produced using the National Vegetation Classification System’s hierarchy of alliances and associations. The plant communities are floristically and environmentally defined, following the format of A Manual of California Vegetation (Sawyer et al. 2009). In this report, vegetation types are summarized within a key and descriptions that differentiate 138 alliances and 242 finer-level associations. Of the vegetation alliances currently identified within the Great Valley Ecoregion, 6 are newly described types (with at least 10 samples) and 13 are new provisional types (with fewer than 10 samples).
The floristic vegetation classification was translated into a mapping classification to produce a fine-scale map of the natural vegetation features in this region. The resulting map can serve as a baseline for future climate-change monitoring, environmental assessment, fire/fuels modeling, rare and invasive species management, and a host of other valuable analyses.