Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report, Timpanogos Cave National Monument
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report, Timpanogos Cave National Monument Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2009/210 ON THE COVER American Fork River riparian vegetation, Timpanogos Cave National Monument (Photograph by Janet Coles) Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project Report, Timpanogos Cave National Monument Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2009/210 Janet Coles National Park Service Moab, Utah Jim Von Loh engineering-environmental Management, Inc. Englewood, Colorado Aneth Wight National Park Service Moab, Utah Keith Schulz NatureServe Boulder, Colorado Angie Evenden National Park Service Moab, Utah April, 2009 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Timpanogos Cave National Monument The Natural Resource Publication series addresses natural resource topics that are of interest and applicability to a broad readership in the National Park Service and to others in the management of natural resources, including the scientific community, the public, and the NPS conservation and environmental constituencies. Manuscripts are peer-reviewed to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and is designed and published in a professional manner. The Natural Resource Technical Report series is used to disseminate the peer-reviewed results of scientific studies in the physical, biological, and social sciences for both the advancement of science and the achievement of the National Park Service’s mission. The reports provide contributors with a forum for displaying comprehensive data that are often deleted from journals because of page limitations. Current examples of such reports include the results of research that addresses natural resource management issues; natural resource inventory and monitoring activities; resource assessment reports; scientific literature reviews; and peer reviewed proceedings of technical workshops, conferences, or symposia. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations and data in this report are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior, NPS. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the National Park Service. Printed copies of reports in these series may be produced in a limited quantity and they are only available as long as the supply lasts. This report is available from the Northern Colorado Plateau I&M Network website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/im/units/NCPN) or the Natural Resource Publications Management Web site (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/NRPM) on the Internet. Please cite this publication as: Coles, J., J. Von Loh, A. Wight, K. Schulz, and A. Evenden. 2009. Vegetation classification and mapping project report, Timpanogos Cave National Monument. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NCPN/NRTR—2009/210. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS D-40, April 2009 ii USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Timpanogos Cave National Monument Contents Summary.....................................................................................................................................ix Acknowledgments .....................................................................................................................xi Introduction .................................................................................................................................1 Vegetation Classification and Mapping Project, Timpanogos Cave National Monument ......1 The USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program .....................................................................1 Northern Colorado Plateau Network Inventory and Monitoring Program...............................1 Vegetation Mapping Program Standards...............................................................................2 National Vegetation Classification Standard..........................................................................2 Other Standards.....................................................................................................................4 Project Area Description ............................................................................................................5 Location and Setting ..............................................................................................................5 Topography............................................................................................................................6 Climate...................................................................................................................................7 Geology and Vegetation ........................................................................................................9 Soils .....................................................................................................................................16 Hydrology and Water Resources .........................................................................................17 Land Use and Settlement History ........................................................................................17 Previous Vegetation Studies................................................................................................18 Project Overview.......................................................................................................................21 Partner Roles and Timeline .................................................................................................21 Aerial Photography ..............................................................................................................21 Project Boundary and Map Extent .......................................................................................22 Park Features of Special Interest.........................................................................................23 Minimum Mapping Unit ........................................................................................................23 Ecological System Classification .........................................................................................23 Vegetation Classification and Description .............................................................................25 Pre-Field Methods................................................................................................................25 Preliminary Classification List.....................................................................................25 Field Methods ......................................................................................................................25 Field Sampling Approach ...........................................................................................25 Plot Data Collection....................................................................................................25 Observation Points .....................................................................................................28 Data Processing and Analysis....................................................................................28 Classification Data Analysis.................................................................................................29 iii USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Timpanogos Cave National Monument Classification Results...........................................................................................................29 Plant Community Descriptions.............................................................................................31 Forest and Woodland Associations............................................................................31 Shrubland Associations..............................................................................................31 Herbaceous Associations...........................................................................................31 Riparian Associations.................................................................................................31 Field Key Preparation ..........................................................................................................32 Fuels Data Collection ...............................................................................................................33 Vegetation Mapping..................................................................................................................35 Methods ...............................................................................................................................35 Field Reconnaissance ................................................................................................35 Map Class and Polygon Attribute Development .........................................................35 Park Specials..............................................................................................................37 Mapping......................................................................................................................37 Spatial Database Development..................................................................................37 Map Classes...............................................................................................................37