ATTACHMENT SS2 REGION 2 SENSITIVE SPECIES EVALUATION FORM Species: Agoseris lackschewitzii / Pink Agoseris Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations Region 2 harbors the southeastern segment of rangewide distribution for Pink • Dorn 2001 1 B Agoseris. Within Region 2, it is only known from Wyoming, where it is documented Distribution • Fertig 1993 within R2 from Bighorn and Shoshone National Forests, occurring in the Beartooth, Wind River, • Fertig et al. 1994 and Bighorn ranges (Big Horn, Fremont, Johnson, Park, Sheridan, and Washakie • Fertig 1997 counties). • Fertig 1998 • Fertig 1999 The Region 2 distribution and that in adjoining southcentral Montana also represent • Fertig 2000a, b the upper end of species' elevation range. It occupies perennially wet montane and • Hartman 1996 subalpine meadows, marshes, and swales or at the edge of meadows and Abies • Markow 1994 lasiocarpa/Picea engelmannii forest at 8000-10,600 feet elevation. These habitats represent a range of substrates and vegetation types but are sparse and • Markow and Fertig 1993 discontinuous across the landscape, so its distribution is characterized as somewhat • Mills and Fertig 1996a, b patchy. • Rosenthal 1999 • University of Wyoming 1998 Confidence in Rank High Pink Agoseris is a regional endemic of east-central Idaho, western, central and • Henderson et al. 1990 2 B southcentral Montana, northwestern Wyoming, and barely reaching southern Alberta. Distribution • Montana Natural Heritage 2001 outside R2 In Wyoming, it also occurs outside of Region 2, in the Gros Ventre and Wind River ranges (Sublette and Teton counties). Confidence in Rank High 3 C Wind-borne seeds of Pink Agoseris readily disperse across unsuitable habitat. • - Dispersal Capability Confidence in Rank High USDA-Forest Service R2 Sensitive Species Evaluation Form Page 1 of 5 ATTACHMENT SS2 Species: Agoseris lackschewitzii / Pink Agoseris Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations The species is ranked as "S3" in Wyoming with over 45 recent collection sites since it • Fertig 2000a 4 BC was first recognized in the Wyoming flora in 1993, with at least half of these on Abundance in • University of Wyoming Bighorn National Forest and at least 10 on Shoshone National Forest. It is not tracked R2 1998 as a state species of special concern because of its number of population records and low degree of threat. It remains as a watch species because it is a regional endemic and on the Region 2 U.S. Forest Service sensitive species list. Population estimates are lacking for many occurrences, but those that have been sampled typically average 25-50 individuals in small areas of sufficiently wet habitat. The largest known populations have several thousand plants. Confidence in Rank Medium Trend data are lacking for nearly all occurrences, but they are probably stable at the • - 5 D present time. Long-range trends, however, are probably downward given the amount Population Trend in R2 of historical loss of riparian habitats. Confidence in Rank High Historic habitat loss and alteration is inferred, based on patterns of past mining, • - 6 BD grazing, and impoundment activities in montane riparian habitat. It is likely that this Habitat Trend in R2 trend has diminished or stabilized in recent decades with revisions to U.S. Forest Service management policy and Forest plans as they involve riparian habitat. Confidence in Rank Low Threats are probably low. Some Wind River and Bighorn Range populations are found 7 C near trails where trampling by hikers and horses is a potential threat. Populations in Habitat • Fertig 2000a Vulnerability the Bighorns have been observed to persist in disturbed areas. Grazing by livestock is • Jones and Fertig 1999a or also a potential threat in some grazing allotment areas, depending on accessibility. • Jones and Fertig 1999b Modification • Welp et al. 1998 At least 15 occurrences are protected within designated Wilderness Areas (North • Welp et al. 2000 Absaroka, Cloud Peak, Gros Ventre, and Bridger) or in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Populations also occur within the potential McLain Lake, Line Creek, Beartooth Butte, and Lake Creek Research Natural Areas on Bighorn and Shoshone National Forest. Confidence in Rank Medium USDA-Forest Service R2 Sensitive Species Evaluation Form Page 2 of 5 ATTACHMENT SS2 Species: Agoseris lackschewitzii / Pink Agoseris Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations Pink Agoseris is a perennial that flowers in June-July. It flowers more than once in its • Fertig 2000a 8 D life cycle. Vegetative plants have rosettes of basal leaves. Life History and Demographics Additional information on the species, including life history, population structure, longevity, mortality, pollination biology and seed biology, are not available. Confidence in Rank High Initial Evaluator(s): Date: 12 October 2001 Bonnie Heidel National Forests in the Rocky Mountain Region where species is KNOWN (K) or LIKELY(L)1 to occur: Colorado NF/NG Kansas NF/NG Nebraska NF/NG South Dakota Wyoming NF/NG NF/NG y y y y y Known Likel Known Likel Known Likel Known Likel Known Likel Arapaho-Roosevelt NF Cimmaron NG Samuel R.McKelvie NF Black Hills NF Shoshone NF X White River NF Halsey NF Buffalo Gap NG Bighorn NF X Routt NF Nebraska NF Ft. Pierre NG Black Hills NF Grand Mesa, Ogalala NG Medicine Bow NF Uncompahgre, Gunnison NF San Juan NF Thunder Basin NG Rio Grande NF Pike-San Isabel NF Comanche NG 1 Likely is defined as more likely to occur than not occur on the National Forest or Grassland. This generally can be thought of as having a 50% chance or greater of appearing on NFS lands. USDA-Forest Service R2 Sensitive Species Evaluation Form Page 3 of 5 ATTACHMENT SS2 Literature cited Dorn, R.D. 2001. Vascular Plants of Wyoming, third edition. Mountain West Publishing, Cheyenne, WY. Fertig, W. 1993. Pink agoseris (Agoseris lackschewitzii), a newly discovered sensitive plant species from the west slope of the Wind River Range, Bridger-Teton National Forest. Addendum to Fertig's 1992 Checklist of the flora and Sensitive species of the Wind River Mountains on the Bridger-Teton NF. Report prepared by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. Fertig, W. 1997. Plant species of special concern on Shoshone National Forest: 1996 survey results. Unpublished report prepared by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. Fertig, W. 1998. The status of rare plants on Shoshone National Forest: 1995-97 survey results. Report prepared by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. Fertig, W. 1999. The status of rare plants in the Bighorn Landscape. Report prepared for The Nature Conservancy Wyoming Field Office by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, Wyoming. Fertig, W. 2000a. State Species Abstract: Agoseris lackschewitzii. Wyoming Natural Diversity Database. Available on the internet at www.uwyo.edu/wyndd Fertig, W. 2000b. Rare vascular plant species in the Wyoming portion of the Utah-Wyoming Rocky Mountains Ecoregion. Prepared for the Wyoming Nature Conservancy by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. Fertig, W., C. Refsdal, and J. Whipple. 1994. Wyoming Rare Plant Field Guide. Wyoming Rare Plant Technical Committee, Cheyenne Wyoming. Hartman, R.L. 1996. General floristic/sensitive plant species survey of the Gros Ventre area and the Mount Leidy Highlands, Wyoming. Unpublished report prepared for Bridger-Teton National Forest by the Rocky Mountain Herbarium, University of Wyoming. 18 pp + appendices. Henderson, D.M., R.K. Moseley, and A.F. Cholewa. 1990. A new Agoseris (Family: Asteraceae) from Idaho and Montana. Systemic Botany 15(3): 462- 465. Jones, G.P. and W. Fertig. 1999a. Ecological evaluation of the potential Beartooth Butte Research Natural Area within the Shoshone National Forest, Park County, Wyoming. Unpublished report prepared for the Shoshone National Forest, USDA Forest Service by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming. Jones, G.P. and W. Fertig. 1999b. Ecological evaluation of the potential Lake Creek Research Natural Area within the Shoshone National Forest, Park County, Wyoming. Unpublished report prepared for the Shoshone National Forest, USDA Forest Service by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming. Markow, S. 1994. A floristic survey of the Targhee National Forest and vicinity, East-Central Idaho and West-Central Wyoming. Unpublished Master's Thesis, Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY. USDA-Forest Service R2 Sensitive Species Evaluation Form Page 4 of 5 ATTACHMENT SS2 Markow, S. and W. Fertig. 1993. Report on a general floristic survey of vascular plants of Targhee National Forest and vicinity. Unpublished report prepared for Targhee National Forest by the Rocky Mountain Herbarium and the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. Mills, S. and W. Fertig. 1996a. Survey of plant species of special concern on the Shoshone National Forest, 1995. Unpublished report prepared for Shoshone National Forest by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. Mills, S. and W. Fertig. 1996b. Field guide to rare and Sensitive plants of the Shoshone National Forest. Report prepared by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, Laramie, WY. Rosenthal, D.M. 1999. A floristic survey of selected areas in Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming. Master's Thesis, Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY. University of Wyoming – Rocky Mountain Herbarium. 1998. Atlas of the Flora of Wyoming. Posted electronically through 1998 at: http://www.esb.utexas.edu/tchumley/wyomap/