Information Transfer Update Research and Development Office of Information Transfer
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INFORMATION TRANSFER UPDATE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE OF INFORMATION TRANSFER Selecting Means to Measure Range Condition and Trend Ronald E. Kirby U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Information Tran sfer 1025 Pennock Place Fort Collins, CO 80524 December 1, 1987 United States Department of the Interior FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OFFICE OF INFORMATION TRANSFER 1025 PENNOCK PLACE, SUITE 212 FORT COLLINS, COLORADO 80524 M2,norandum To: Selected Fish and Wildlife Service Personnel From: Chief, Office of Information Transfer Subject: Information Transfer Update This Information Transfer Update memorandum is provided to disseminate timely natural resources data important to management of the nation's fish and wildlife Resources. It is provided by Service Research and Development Scientists for your use. Updates are developed in response to specific needs voiced by the management arms of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The intended audience is Regional staff and field station personnel in each of the Service's major areas of emphasis. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel may obtain further information by contacting the Office of Information Transfer (FTS 323-5401; commercial 303/493-8401). SELECTING MEANS TO MEASURE RANGE CONDITION AND TREND Ronald E. Kirby Office of Information Transfer U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1025 Pennock Place, Suite 212 Fort Collins, Colorado 80524 December 1, 1987 V Nothing in this review is meant to suggest policy for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with regard to range management, and where the text could be construed to suggest conflict with established Service policy, the latter shall be taken as having precedence. Regional Directors remain the sole arbiters of the suitability of this discussion to Regional management programs. V V SUMMARY This report briefly reviews the concepts of measurement of range condition and trend. Its primary purpose is to introduce the topics and to provide suggestions from the current literature on means to coherently address range management issues. A "cookbook" for range surveys thus is not provided, but sufficient discussion and reference to the literature is provided to permit review of current or initiation of new range condition and trend assessments on National Wildlife Refuges. Suggestions for obtaining additional information are provided, and an Appendix containing five recently published reviews of the topic is attached. iii CONTENTS Summary .................................................................. iii Introduction............................................................. 1 Acknowledgments • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • . • • . • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • . • . • • . • • • • • • • 2 A Basic Reference for Range Inventories and Monitoring ••••••••••••••••••• 3 Why Monitor Range Condition and Trend? .................................. 3 Range Condition and Trend Terminology.................................... 4 Determining Range Condition and Trend: The Process...................... 5 Determining Range Condition and Trend: Techniques....................... 7 Sources of Additional Assistance......................................... 8 Stati stfcal Advice . 8 Range Assessment Techniques • • • . • • • . • . • . • • . • • • . • • . • • . • • . • . • . • • • • • • • • 8 Additional Readings and References.................................. 9 Literature Cited .•..•.••••••••• ~ .•••••..••.•.••••••••.•.....•..•••••••••. 10 Appendix--Pertinent Papers From the Literature ••••..•.•..•.•••••••••••••• 13 Range Inventory Standardization Committee (RISC). 1983. Guidelines and terminology for range inventories and monitoring. Report presented to the Board of Directors, Society for Range Management, Albuquerque, NM. February, 1983. 13 pp. Risser, P.G. 1984. Methods for inventory and monitoring of vegetation, litter, and soil surface condition. Pages 647-690 in National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences CB. Delworth Gardner, Chairman). Developing Strategies for Rangeland Management. Westview Press, Inc. Boulder, CO 80301. Piepper, R.O. 1984. A critique of "Methods for inventory and monitoring of vegetation, litter, and soil surface condition. Pages 691-701 in National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences (B. Delworth--i;-ardner, Chairman). Developing Strategies for Rangeland Management. Westview Press, Inc. Boulder, CO 80301. Bonham, C.O. 1984. Sampling and statistical considerations in range resource inventories. Pages 773-787 in National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences (B. Delworth Gardner, Chairman). Developing Strategies for Rangeland Management. Westview Press, Inc. Boulder, CO 80301. Menke, J.W., and M.F. Miller. 1984. "Sampling and statistical considerations in range resource inventories": comment and discussion. Pages .789-807 in National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences· (B. Del worth Gardner, Chairman). Developing Strategies for Rangeland Management. Westview Press, Inc. Boulder, co 80301. V INTRODUCTION Staff of several National Wildlife Refuges have requested assistance in selecting means to measure range condition and trend. This is a timely topic for at least four reasons: l. Recent controversy surrounding methods of evaluating range condition and trend has not universally been a part of management revtew in the Fish and Wildlife Service. 2. Nonetheless, Fish and Wi1dlife Service policy (cf Refuge Manual 6RM5) requirtt management of grassland habitats to meet wildlife objectives and to maintain quality of natural and manipulated grais1and communities. 3. Management on many lands, particularly western Refuges, involves use of grazin9 1 contro11P.d burning, haying, 1eeding; . mechanica1 soi1 treatments, terti1itation, brush control, and M)(fou!i w1ed contro1 u agents of change in the rang~ ecosystem. All of these treatments are ideally applied in response to identified deficiencies in the habitat, each of which is determined by range condition and trend surveys. 4. Further, grazing and haying activities on Refuges are permitted on a primary basis only when they "enhance, support, and contribute to established wildlife management objectives"; and on a secondary basis when they "wisely utilize a renewable natural resource and do not conflict with established wildlife management activities" (Refuge Manual 6RM9.l). Establishing criteria for permitting these activities requires knowledge of range condition and trend. Integration of range and wildlife management priorities and selection of proper management tools for the range ecosystem are thus intimately dependent upon ability to characterize the "status" of the management unit (range). Therefore, means to efficiently evaluate condition and trend are an integral part of National Wildlife Refuge System habitat management. The fol lowing review provides introductory guidance for those interested in measures of range status. The purposes of this review are to 1 a) outline reasons for measuring range condition and trend, b) provide a review of selected means of measuring condition and trend, and c) suggest '-,I sources of additional assistance. The reader should bear the following in mind when reviewing this material, however, for this review is purposely narrow in its treatment of these topics. First, although pertinent literature is reviewed and Appendix material provides comprehensive supplementary guidance, this review only provides comment on the first steps in range survey up to and including the collection of data. The interpretation of range measurement data for management and planning purposes is a separate process, and this review cannot substitute for review of original literature or consultation with professional range managers. Second, experience, common sense, general knowledge, and professional judgment all play important roles in the art and science of range management. Most importantly, determining range condition and trend is not a once-a-year process, but rather a portion of ongoing management throughout the year. Finally, following surveys, action must be initiated to develop the range as desired. Range improvements are not a portion of this review; see Vallentine (1980) for a recent presentation of range management practices useful for meeting specific range management objectives. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This Information Transfer Update was prepared in response to a series of questions initially raised by Refuge Managers and staff in Region 2. Their clear outline of the problems faced by range managers and their patience in waiting for a review was much appreciated. Constructive comments during initial review of this topic or upon one of several early drafts were obtained from C.D. Bonham, S.S. Berlinger, D.L. Franzen, W. McCoy, J. Neaville, and J.L. Oldemeyer; D.H. Cross provided editorial assistance. J. Neaville is particularly thanked for his assistance in review of practical range mangement techniques. The cooperation of the Society for Range Management in providing at cost to the Service copies of the Range Inventory Standardization Committee (1983) report for distribution to field personnel is acknowledged. 2 A BASIC REFERENCE FOR RANGE INVENTORY AND MONITORING In May, 1978, the Society for Range Management established the Range Inventory Standardization Committee (RISC) to promote uniform terminology and methodology for range inventories and assessments. A report representing a consensus viewpoint (RISC Guidelines and Terminology for Range Inventories and Monitoring. 1983) presented substantial discussion of