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Peatlands on National Forests of the Northern Rocky Mountains: Ecology and Conservation

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Peatlands on National Forests of the Northern Rocky Mountains: Ecology and Conservation United States Department Peatlands on National Forests of of Agriculture Forest Service the Northern Rocky Mountains: Rocky Mountain Ecology and Conservation Research Station General Technical Report Steve W. Chadde RMRS-GTR-11 J. Stephen Shelly July 1998 Robert J. Bursik Robert K. Moseley Angela G. Evenden Maria Mantas Fred Rabe Bonnie Heidel The Authors Acknowledgments Steve W. Chadde is an Ecological Consultant in Calu- The authors thank a number of reviewers for sharing met, MI. At the time of this research project he was their expertise and comments in the preparation of this Ecologist with the USDA Forest Service’s Northern Region report. In Montana, support for the project was provided Natural Areas Program. by the Natural Areas Program of the Northern Region/ Rocky Mountain Research Station, U.S. Department of J. Stephen Shelly is a Regional Botanist with the USDA Agriculture, Forest Service. Dan Svoboda (Beaverhead- Forest Service’s Northern Region Headquarter’s Office Deerlodge National Forest) and Dean Sirucek (Flathead in Missoula, MT. National Forest) contributed portions of the soils and Robert J. Bursik is Botanical Consultant in Amery, WI. geology chapters. Louis Kuennen and Dan Leavell At the time of this research he was a Botanist with the (Kootenai National Forest) guided the authors to sev- Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Conservation eral interesting peatlands. Mark Shapley, hydrologist, Data Center in Boise, ID. Helena, MT, volunteered his time and provided insights Robert K. Moseley is Plant Ecologist and Director for the into the hydrology and water chemistry of several rich Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Conservation fens. Dr. Diana Horton, University of Iowa identified a Data Center in Boise, ID. number of moss collections. In Idaho, most of the peatland studies were conducted Angela G. Evenden is a Botanical Consultant and through the University of Idaho, with funding from the former Natural Areas Program Manager with the USDA C. R. Stillinger Trust and the Idaho Conservation Data Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station in Center, with funding from the following United States Missoula, MT. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service offices: Idaho Maria Mantas is Forest Botanist with the Flathead Na- Panhandle, Targhee, and Sawtooth National Forests, tional Forest in Kalispell, MT. Intermountain Region, and the Rocky Mountain Re- search Station. Bob Shackleford and Jill Blake, both Fred Rabe is an Aquatic Biologist and retired professor formerly with the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, and from the University of Idaho in Moscow, ID. Nancy Shaw from the Rocky Mountain Research Station Bonnie Heidel is Botanist with the Montana Natural were especially helpful. Other scientists who contributed Heritage Program in Helena, MT. to the inventory and research of peatlands in Idaho include Douglass Henderson, University of Idaho (de- ceased), Peter Mehringer, Washington State University, Research Summary Peter Van de Water, Arizona State University, John Rumely, Montana State University (retired), Charles Peatlands are an uncommon landscape feature in the Wellner, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Northern Rocky Mountains of the United States and (retired), Michael Mancuso and Steven Caicco, Idaho provide habitat for a number of plant and animal species Conservation Data Center, and Linda Cazier, Palouse- dependent on these environments. As such, peatlands Clearwater Environmental Institute. Russell C. Biggham are an important contributor to local and regional biologi- contributed to the invertebrate descriptions. John Christy, cal diversity. Peatlands also have considerable scientific Oregon Natural Heritage Program, identified Idaho moss value (via coring) as repositories of pollen and ash collections. deposits, providing insight into postglacial vegetation Peter Lesica, Stephen Cooper, Dr. Joe Elliott, and Dr. and climates. Included in this report are a description of Steve Arno reviewed the final manuscript and provided the physical components, vegetation, vascular and many useful comments. Joe Elliott also provided valu- nonvascular flora, and invertebrate fauna associated able moss information for a number of peatlands. with peatlands on National Forests in northeastern Wash- ington, Idaho, and Montana. Also included are descrip- tions of 58 sites representative of the diversity of peatlands present within the study area. Research needs and conservation tools to protect peatlands are discussed. Rocky Mountain Research Station (formerly Intermountain Research Station) 324 25th Street Ogden, UT 84401 Contents Page Page Introduction ................................................................1 Peatland Vegetation and Flora.................................16 Objectives ..................................................................2 Vascular Flora .......................................................16 Methods .....................................................................2 Bryophyte Flora ....................................................17 Site Selection ..........................................................2 Classification of Plant Community Types .............17 Plant Community Sampling ....................................3 Rare Vascular Flora ..............................................21 Site Evaluation and Ranking ...................................3 Photographs of the Different Types of Peatland Distribution ..................................................4 Peatland Environments ......................................23 Idaho and Northeastern Washington ......................6 Photographs of Common and Rare Peatland Montana ..................................................................6 Plants .................................................................26 Northwestern Wyoming...........................................6 Peatlands as Historical Archives ..............................29 Physical Setting..........................................................6 Peatland Fauna ........................................................30 Climate ....................................................................6 Invertebrates .........................................................30 Geology ..................................................................7 Vertebrates ...........................................................31 Terrestrial Vegetation .............................................7 Peatland Conservation .............................................31 Peatland Types ..........................................................8 Threats ..................................................................32 Poor Fens ...............................................................9 Management of Peatlands on National Forests .....32 Rich and Extremely Rich Fens .............................10 Site Protection Through Special Area Ombrotrophic Bogs ...............................................10 Designations .......................................................33 Peatland Formation ..................................................10 Site Evaluation and Ranking .................................33 Lake-Fill or Basin Peatlands .................................11 Research and Monitoring Needs..............................35 Flow-Through or Slope Peatlands ........................11 Inventory ...............................................................35 Patterned Fens .....................................................11 Classification .........................................................35 Paludification ........................................................12 Monitoring .............................................................36 Peatland Soils ..........................................................12 Research ..............................................................36 Classification of Peatland Soils .............................13 Education ..............................................................36 Peat Profiles .........................................................13 Glossary ...................................................................36 Peatland Water Chemistry ....................................13 References ...............................................................40 Peatland Components..............................................14 Appendix A: Vascular and Nonvascular Plant Floating Mats ........................................................14 Species of Peatlands in Idaho and Western Carr .......................................................................14 Montana ..............................................................44 Paludified Forest ...................................................14 Appendix B: Peatland Site Descriptions...................54 Lakes and Ponds ..................................................15 Appendix C: Invertebrates Associated with Stream ..................................................................15 Peatlands in the Northern Rocky Mountains ......73 Beaver Activity ......................................................15 Palsa .....................................................................16 You may order additional copies of this publication by sending your mailing information in label form through one of the following media. Please specify the publication title and General Technical Report number. Ogden Service Center Fort Collins Service Center Telephone (801) 625-5437 (970) 498-1719 FAX (801) 625-5129, Attn: Publications
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