NPS Sierra Nevada Network, Vital Signs Monitoring Plan 2007.Pdf

National Park Service Inventory & Monitoring U.S. Department of the Interior Devils Postpile National Monument Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks Yosemite National Park Sierra Nevada Network: Vital Signs Monitoring Plan Authors: Linda S. Mutch Meryl Goldin Rose Andi Heard Rosamonde R. Cook Gary L. Entsminger With contributions from Tony Caprio, Laura Clor, Athena Demetry, Annie Esperanza, Sandy Graban, Sylvia Haultain, Justin Hofman, Bill Kuhn, Scott Martens, Tani Meadows, Barbara Moristch, Lara Rachowicz, Tom Rodhouse, Peter Rowlands, Don Schweizer, Kirk Steinhorst, Sarah Stock, Leigh Ann Starcevich Leona Svancara, Steve Thompson, Liz van Mantgem, and Harold Werner. Data Management Plan Co-author and Contributors Pat Lineback (co-author), Bob Basham, Anne Birkholz, Ginger Bradshaw, Ward Eldredge, Patrick Flaherty, Paul Gallez, Bill Kuhn, Anne Pfaff, Dan Sohn, and Leona Svancara. Recommended Citation Mutch, L.S., M.Goldin Rose, A. Heard, R.R. Cook, and G. L. Entsminger. 2007. Sierra Nevada Network: Vital Signs Monitoring Plan. National Park Service. 30 September 2007 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Chapter 1: Introduction and Background The Sierra Nevada Network (SIEN), named after the mountain range in which these parks are located, comprises four park units: • Devils Postpile National Monument • Kings Canyon National Park • Sequoia National Park • Yosemite National Park Collectively, these four park units contain 657,980 hectares—89 percent of which is designated Wilderness. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks share a common border and are administered and managed jointly under one superintendent. The mission of the Sierra Nevada Network is to develop and implement ecological monitoring under the National Park Service (NPS) Vital Signs Monitoring program. The focus of the SIEN program will be to monitor ecosystems and biotic elements to detect long-term change in ecological condition. The most significant stressors affecting Sierra Nevada ecosystems are: (1) altered fire regimes, (2) non-native invasive species, (3) air pollution, (4) habitat fragmentation, and (5) rapid anthropogenic climatic change. Many additional, more localized, stressors present significant management issues. These are summarized in this monitoring plan. Because of the critical importance of Sierra Nevada water resources (both within our Network and to the region), the potential for climate change to alter hydrologic processes, and the national NPS Water Resources Division program to establish water quality monitoring in all networks, SIEN has placed particular emphasis on summarizing and evaluating existing information on water resources. Water quality monitoring is fully integrated within the SIEN monitoring program. Companion Appendix A, “Legislation”, Appendix B “Parks and Ecosystems”, Appendix C, “Air Resources”, Appendix D “Water Resources”, and Appendix E “Network Monitoring” provide additional information and detail. Chapter 2: Conceptual Models SIEN has developed conceptual models to guide the development of the monitoring program. We use overview models to (1) highlight the ecosystem factors that interact with processes to structure the physical environment and its biotic communities, (2) illustrate inputs and outputs that affect the Sierra Nevada landscapes, (3) emphasize the most important stressors for the Sierra Nevada and their interactions, and (4) highlight the focal systems and processes we target for monitoring. More specific, detailed conceptual models focus on our vital signs Companion Appendix F, “Conceptual Models”, provides additional information and detail. Sierra Nevada Network: Vital Signs Monitoring Plan, Mutch et al. (2007) ii Chapter 3: Vital Signs SIEN presents a list of 34 vital signs, representing a balance of ecosystem driving variables (e.g., weather, climate) and response variables (communities and species). These vital signs provide a focus for monitoring at different spatial and temporal scales, and they represent a mix of sensitive and early indicators with slower responding, integrative indicators. Although we realize it will not be possible to monitor all of these vital signs in the immediate future, they do represent a powerful and balanced guide for developing an integrated long term monitoring program. SIEN’s science committee has identified 13 vital signs for which monitoring protocols are being developed: Weather & Climate Snowpack Surface water dynamics Water chemistry Non-native invasive Plants Forest stand population dynamics Landscape mosaics Fire Regimes Wetland water dynamics Wetland plant communities Wetland macro-invertebrates Amphibians Birds Because funds are limited, we will strive to achieve monitoring of this subgroup through co-location and integration. Companion Appendix G, “Vital Signs”, provides additional information and detail. Chapter 4: Sampling Design The costs, benefits, and tradeoffs of sampling–particularly in SIEN ecosystems–are described in Chapter 4. Primarily, the use of survey/extensive sites (stratified random, spatially balanced)–enhanced by co-location and integration, and minimal index/sentinel sites (judgment-based), will be used by SIEN for vital signs’ monitoring. Because of our extensive and logistically challenging landscapes, cost-benefit analyses will be applied to all vital signs to determine the appropriate target population(s). Protocol Development Summaries (comprising 13 vital signs) appear in Appendix H, including brief narratives on sample design decisions. We include excerpts from the current sample design component of our Lake Monitoring Protocol (Heard et al., in prep) as an example of the level of thought and detail our monitoring protocols will contain. Chapter 5: Monitoring Protocols SIEN has created workgroups (for each protocol) whose purpose is to refine vital signs monitoring objectives, develop opportunities and methods for integration; workgroups are primarily composed of SIEN, SEKI, YOSE, and USGS-BRD staff, including subject- matter experts. A timeline for protocol development is included. Protocol Development Sierra Nevada Network: Vital Signs Monitoring Plan, Mutch et al. (2007) iii Summaries in Appendix H explain why the vital sign was selected as an “indicator of ecosystem condition”, our monitoring objectives, and describes our general approach for monitoring protocol development, including sampling design. As above (Chapter 4), we include excerpts from the current monitoring questions and objectives component of our Lake Monitoring Protocol (Heard et al., in prep) as an example of the level of thought and detail our monitoring protocols will contain. Companion Appendix H, “Protocol Development Summaries”, provides additional information and detail. Chapter 6: Data Management The Data Management Plan for the Sierra Nevada Network serves as the overarching strategy for ensuring data collected by the Inventory & Monitoring program are subjected to rigorous quality assurance and control procedures, and that data and information are made available to others for decision making, research, and education. SIEN’s Plan is unique in NPS: it has been developed to include detailed strategies for data and information management for its individual park resources management programs as well. A separate document, “Sierra Nevada Network Data Management Plan”, and accompanying appendices, is available. Chapter 7: Data Analysis and Reporting As part of the Inventory & Monitoring Program, the National Park Service is committed to promoting the conduct of high quality projects in national parks. An essential element of any science or research program is peer review, thus schedules for peer review of SIEN proposals, study plans, and monitoring protocols are described. As part of its monitoring program, SIEN will ensure data are regularly analyzed, interpreted, and reported to park managers and interested parties. Further, these data will be made available in formats appropriate for each audience (e.g., park managers, scientists, students, and interested public). As above (Chapter 4), we include excerpts from our current data analysis and reporting component of our Lake Monitoring Protocol (Heard et al., in prep) as an example of the level of thought and detail our monitoring protocols will contain. Chapter 8: Administration and Implementation of the Monitoring Program This chapter describes our plan for administering the SIEN monitoring program, including integration with individual park operations and other key partnerships (e.g., USGS). It describes a discussion of the SIEN Board of Directors, our Science Committee, and current and future roles (FY2007–F2011) in development of our Network monitoring program. It describes the Network location and organization; administrative structure and processes; our staffing plan; how Network operations will be integrated with other park operations; key partnerships; and periodic review processes for our program. Sierra Nevada Network: Vital Signs Monitoring Plan, Mutch et al. (2007) iv It also includes a discussion of the SIEN Board of Directors, our Science Committee, and current and future roles of Network and Park staff and cooperators in developing and implementing long-term monitoring. Chapter 9: Schedule A schedule for development, peer review, and implementation of each monitoring protocol is provided. The Network is developing eight protocols that encompass 13 vital signs over the next four years. Chapter 10: Budget In this chapter we present the budget for the SIEN monitoring program during the first year of implementation

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