Spruce- Moss (Microhexura Montivaga) Monitoring Plan

Christopher Sacco, 5 June 2020

I. Introduction

On June 20, 2019, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced it would conduct a 5-year status review of the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider as part of the process mandated by the Endangered Species Act.1 Although the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider has been listed as endangered since 1994, minimal research has been done on its basic ecology, and there is presently no long-term monitoring plan in place. This inhibits proper management of the species (USFWS 2019).

It is also worth noting that few field surveys have been done on the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider because there are only a handful of people with sufficient experience and skill to find and identify this cryptic species2, and because frequent surveys would disturb the spider’s limited and fragile habitat. Furthermore, given the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider’s endangered status, observers must employ non-lethal survey methods. Traditional methods that kill the target species would undermine conservation efforts (Lecq et al. 2015). This further complicates research on the species.

In light of these challenges, as well as limited availability of human and material resources, this plan focuses on occupancy rather than abundance. Compared to abundance studies, occupancy studies tend to be more cost effective and also more appropriate for cryptic species (Dibner et al. 2017).

I hope that the information presented here will contribute in some small way to the development of a long-term monitoring plan for this difficult to monitor, endangered species.

II. Natural History & Conservation Status Overview

The Spruce-Fir Moss Spider’s known range is limited to 23 peaks in the Southern of western , eastern , and southwest Virginia (Coyle 2009; Seaborn 2014; Seaborn & Catley 2016; USFWS 2019). There are 6 known montane populations. The spider lives in fir and spruce-fir forests only on the highest mountains (typically over 6,000 feet in elevation) and on slopes with northern aspects. It lives in damp, but well-drained moss mats growing on rocks and boulders in well-shaded areas within these forests (Coyle 2009; USFWS 2019).

1 USFWS listed the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider as endangered on February 6, 1995, produced a recovery plan in 1998, and designated critical habitat on July 6, 2001. 2 Dr. Frederick A. Coyle is recognized as the preeminent expert on the Spruce Fir Moss Spider. Unfortunately, Dr. Coyle recently retired.

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 1 The Spruce-Fir Moss Spider’s limited range and very specific habitat requirements make it vulnerable to habitat loss, human disturbance, air pollution and other threats. Climate change represents a potentially existential threat to the species because it is exacerbating most of these threats and creating new ones. Specifically, climate change’s negative impacts on the spruce-fir forests – increasing pest pressures, extreme weather events (e.g., drought and severe rain events), and changing weather variables (including maximum temperature, minimum relative humidity and annual rain-free days) – are serious threats to the spider (USFWS 2019).

As the spruce-fir forest decreases in health and size, the thinning and death of the canopy can result in dramatic changes to the microclimate (USFWS 2019). The increased temperatures and decreased moisture dry out the moss mats that the spider depends on for its survival; it is very sensitive to desiccation and therefore requires high and constant humidity. As the mats dry out, so does the spider. Thus, the dwindling forest patches and loss of the mossy habitats they harbor could result in the extinction of this species (USFWS 1998; Seaborn & Catley 2016).

In this context, effectively monitoring the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider and its fragile habitat are critical to conservation efforts.

III. Survey Protocol Overview

This standardized monitoring program is designed to systematically and consistently monitor the status and track trends in occupancy of the federally endangered Spruce-Fir Moss Spider, evaluate the health of its habitat, and guide future conservation and management decisions.

Monitoring Goals:

1. Establish a standardized and robust survey protocol to assess status and trends in habitat occupancy of the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider and to monitor the health of the spruce/fir forest and bryophyte mats essential to the species survival.

2. Use the monitoring information to evaluate progress towards recovery criteria.

3. Use monitoring information to evaluate current and potential stressors and inform conservation and management decisions.

Monitoring Objectives:

1. Monitor naïve occupancy at previously surveyed sites every 5 years in order to assess population status with the power to detect a 30% decline (with 80% confidence) in the number of sites occupied by the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider.

2. Observe and document population demographics at all survey locations, including stage of development (spiderlings, small, medium or large juvenile, and adults);

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 2 sex of adult ; and, signs of reproduction (egg sacs and spiderlings) and recruitment.

3. Observe and document habitat health at all survey locations, including percent canopy cover, bryophyte mat thickness, evidence of trampling, canopy cover decline, or other noticeable environmental or anthropogenic stresses.

The Spruce-Fir Moss Spider survey, when conducted according to the guidelines provided here, will help determine presence or probable absence and trends in occupancy at 74 sites with suitable spider habitat and which have been previously surveyed. It will not provide sufficient data to determine population size or structure.

This monitoring plan is designed around the concept of naïve occupancy, which is defined as the ratio of number of sites where a species is detected compared to the total number of sites surveyed, without correcting for imperfect detection (Ewing & Gangloff 2016). This methodology does not directly test for changes in abundance, yet because occupancy and abundance are usually strongly correlated, naïve occupancy is the best approach with the resources available (Ewing & Gangloff 2016).

IV. Sampling Design

• Survey area: Observers will survey 74 of the 81 sites surveyed by Dr. Coyle between 2007 and 2009 (Annex B). Seven of the previously surveyed sites will be excluded from the monitoring effort because they lack suitable habitat.

• Sampling units: Moss “pulls” on rock outcrops with suitable moss mat habitat (at the right elevation and aspect and sufficiently thick and moist) will serve as the sampling units.

• Sample size: USFWS will hire a statistician to determine the number of sampling units (moss pulls) required to detect a 30% decline, with 80% confidence, in Spruce-Fir Moss Spider occupancy at all 74 previously surveyed sites.

• Sample selection method: Observers will engage in opportunistic sampling. Though this method limits our inference ability, random selection is unrealistic given the extremely limited number of rock outcrops that are accessible and the number of moss mats that are likely to serve as spider habitat.

• Survey timing and frequency: Site visits will be conducted during the most biologically productive, warmest and wettest time of year to increase detection potential (Wynne et al. 2018). Monitoring will be conducted every 5 years.

• Search time and effort: Observers will dedicate between 1- and 5-days surveying sites at each of the 6 mountain ranges where the 74 sites are located. Mountain ranges with more sites and which are more difficult to access will require the most number of search days.

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 3

• Sources of error: Unaccounted false absences are the main potential source of error because they result in an underestimation of the true level of occupancy. Repeat surveys on a regular interval, every 5 years, will reduce the impact of this source of error while also minimizing habitat disturbance. Additionally, to avoid the statistical bias that could arise if observers only survey sites where the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider was previously detected, all previously surveyed sites (whether the spider was present historically or not) will be re-surveyed every 5 years (Ewing & Gangloff 2016). This will allow observers to determine if the spider now occurs in some sites where it was previously not detected, indicating that status may therefore be stable or increasing (Strayer & Smith 2003).

V. Field Methods

• Pre-survey logistics and preparation:

o Equipment/supplies: To ensure the safety and effectiveness of observers during field surveys, each person on the survey team should carry the following equipment and supplies:

§ Safety: Map of the search area; appropriate clothing and footwear; headlamp; backpack; any required medications; sufficient food and water; and signaling equipment, including a whistle and cell phone (or radio where there is no cell coverage).

§ Data collection and recording: Survey forms; pen and pencil; ruler (with millimeters and centimeters); GPS unit (to measure latitude, longitude, and elevation); hand lens, forceps, headlamp, compass, densiometer; camera (or cell phone with a camera); aspirator; jars; and, funnel.

• Selection of sites and sampling units:

§ Locating survey sites: Observers will survey 74 sites over a 5-year period. Approximately one fifth of the survey sites (15) will be surveyed in any given year to allow observers to invest more search effort on those sites, thus increasing detection probability (MacKenzie & Royle 2005). Observers will locate the general survey site on each mountain peak using the GPS coordinates contained in the fourth column of the table in Annex B.

§ Selecting sampling units: At each of the 74 sites in the survey area, observers will identify rock outcrops at the right elevation (above 6,000 feet) and with the right aspect (north facing). Then observers will select moss mats on each outcrop that appear to be suitable habitat for the spider based on their thickness and moistness. Please see Annex F: Photos of Representative Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Microhabitats (Coyle 2009).

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 4 § Marking rock outcrops: Observers should record the latitude and longitude of all the rock outcrops they survey. Additionally, prior to or during the first round of surveys at each site, USFWS biologists will use rebar to mark a subset of the rock outcrops surveyed to facilitate long-term photomonitoring. Additionally, microclimate data loggers will be installed at these same sites to monitor temperature and humidity.

• Data collection procedures: At each survey site, observers should perform active searches of the highest potential moss mats. Observers will search moss mats until they positively identify a Spruce-Fir Moss Spider, or they conduct the pre- determined number of moss pulls, whichever comes first. The number of sampling units (moss pulls) will be determined by USFWS in consultation with a statistician, and this monitoring plan will be updated accordingly. Observers must follow these protocols during the active search:

§ Moss mat lifting: Observers should carefully lift a portion of the moss mat (an area approximately the size of 2 fists) away from the rock face starting at the top and leaving the bottom attached to the rock to limit soil loss and allow for reattachment. This technique will be taught during a pre-survey training session if any non-expert observers participate in the field work.

§ Spider identification: Observers should visually search for candidate spiders, and when one is found, they place it carefully into a clear vial and compare it to laminated photographs they are provided to help with identification. Please see Annex E: Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Identification Guide and Natural History (Coyle 2009).

§ Avoiding lethal take: Surveyors must follow appropriate moss lifting and spider identification protocols to avoid inadvertent lethal take. Activities that could result in lethal take while conducting invertebrate surveys include: collecting individuals; crushing individuals inadvertently; and, compacting habitat and oviposition sites.

§ Recording date and location: Prior to commencing the active search for spiders at any survey site, observers should record the following information on a survey form:

a) Date the survey is undertaken using the month, day, year format (mm/dd/yyyy);

b) Name of state and county where the survey is undertaken;

c) Name of the mountain range and mountain and survey site # from the third column in the table in Annex B; and,

d) Observer’s first and last name.

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 5

§ Assessing weather variables: Prior to commencing the active search at any individual survey site, observers should record the following information on the day of the active search period:

a) Air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F);

b) Cloud cover and precipitation using the Sky Codes found in Annex D; and,

c) Wind speed using the Wind Codes found in Annex D.

Additionally, temperature and humidity (within and outside of moss mats) will be monitored at a subset of survey sites using HOBO loggers and iButtons, which are data loggers that record and store time, temperature, and humidity levels for later analysis. The locations of the loggers and iButtons will be determined by USFWS and annexed to this plan.

§ Conducting active searches: At each rock outcrop surveyed, observers should make the following observations:

o Time, location and habitat:

a) Search start and stop times;

b) Latitude and longitude of the rock outcrop at a level of precision of five decimal points (0.00000), which provides a level of accuracy to ± 1.11 m;

c) Elevation at the latitude and longitude above in meters;

d) Rock face aspect in cardinal – north (N), east (E), south (S), west (W), or, if appropriate intercardinal direction – northeast (NE), southeast (SE), southwest (SW) and northwest (NW);

e) Rock face angle in intervals of 30 degrees: 0° to 30°; 31° to 60°; 61° to 90°; and, greater than 90°;

f) Percent canopy cover using a densiometer;

g) Moss mat thickness in centimeters;

h) Moss mat composition (circle all that apply):

• Dicranodontium; • Polytrichum

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 6 • Bazzania; • Dicranum; and, • Other (if known, list in the Notes section on the survey form).

i) Canopy composition (circle all that apply):

• Fraser fir (Abies fraseri); • Red spruce (); • Hardwood species, such as Yellow birch () and American mountain-ash (Sorbus Americana); • Evergreen shrubs, such as Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) and Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia L.); and, • Other (if known, list in the Notes section on the survey form).

j) Presence of other (circle all that apply):

• Pseudo scorpion; • Other spider; • Beetle; • Other (if known, list in the Notes section on the survey form); and, • Unknown.

§ Spider identification, location, and collection method: During each moss pull, observers should make the following observations:

a) Size of each spider in millimeters;

b) Sex of each spider (male or female);

c) Whether or not each female spider carried an egg sac (yes or no);

d) Presence of spiderlings (yes or no);

e) Specific location of each spider when observed (check all that apply):

• On web; and/or • On top of moss mat; and/or • Under moss mat; and/or, • Other.

f) Collection method used to identify each spider (check all that apply):

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 7 • Aspirator; • By hand into container; and/or, • Other.

§ Specimen release: At the end of each moss pull, observers must return all specimens to the moss mat where they were found, and then carefully reattach the moss mat to the rock face.

• Photographing of specimens and habitat: Observers should take the following photographs during each search:

a) Each positively identified spider;

b) Each moss matt lifted;

c) Rock outcrop where moss mats are lifted; and,

d) Field view of the area around rock outcrop.

Please follow these procedures when taking photographs for the survey:

a) Ensure your camera is set to its highest quality setting;

b) At the start of each photo set, take a photograph of the observation section of the survey form associated with the rock outcrop and moss mat being photographed; and,

c) As soon as possible after the field work is complete, please organize image files into folders according to a meaningful, pre-determined convention, such as: “May2020_MtMitchel_Sacco_Observation1”.

• Photo-monitoring plots: Photo-monitoring will be used to assess changes in habitat at a subset of sites and where temperature/humidity data loggers are established. Once set up by USFWS, these sites will be annexed to this monitoring plan.

• Processing of lethal take: We do not expect lethal take to occur and every effort should be taken to minimize negative impacts to spiders during observation. Nevertheless, if there is mortality, the observer should collect the specimen in a jar. The jar should be labeled with the following information:

a) Date of lethal take using mm/dd/yyyy format;

b) Observer’s first and last name;

c) Survey site including the name of the range and mountain and survey site # from the third column of Annex B; and,

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 8

d) Survey site latitude and longitude recorded during the survey (not the coordinates included in Annex B).

VI. Reporting

A Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Survey Form is provided in Annex C. Observers should use this format whenever possible, but in the event that copies are unavailable, they may use their own data sheet format as long as the required information is collected.

At the conclusion of each field season, the lead observer should prepare and submit a final report that contains the following information:

1. A summary table of the findings from each survey day organized according to the requirements outlined in the Field Methods section above (and on the survey form);

2. Digital copies of all individual survey forms; and,

3. Digital photographs associated with each observation and survey site organized by folder using the established naming convention.

For questions or additional guidance regarding the report requirements, survey protocols or anything else related with conducting spider surveys, please contact the USFWS lead biologist, Sue Cameron, at:

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Asheville Field Office 160 Zillicoa Street Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 258-3939 ext. 42224 (phone) (828) 258-5330 (fax) [email protected]

VII. Data Management & Analysis

After field data is submitted by observers, USFWS staff will enter the data into a Microsoft Access database at least once per year at the end of the survey season. This data entry may be done by interns under the supervision of USFWS biologists, who will verify its accuracy.

USFWS staff will analyze the data with support from qualified statisticians to draw conclusions related to the monitoring goals and objectives.

The database and the source materials – field season summary file, survey forms and photographs – will be backed up on USFWS secure servers.

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 9 VIII. Personnel Requirements

Studies of other cryptic species suggests that the probability that a survey or series of surveys will lead to the discovery of an existing Spruce-Fir Moss Spiders increases with an experienced observer (MacKenzie & Royle 2005). Their cryptic nature, difficult to access habitat and similarity to other spider species living in the same habitat, make the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider hard to find and identify. These spiders also live in fragile ecosystems that are easily damaged by less experienced observers. Due to these factors, surveys must be conducted by a qualified biologist having the required federal and state permits, as well as previous experience conducting cryptic invertebrate surveys, and, ideally, Spruce-Fir Moss Spider surveys under the supervision of an experienced field biologist. If an observer does not meet these minimum qualifications, s/he should be accompanied by a qualified observer who will serve as the primary observer. Even in cases of qualified observers, and where staff resources allow it, having 2 observers at the same survey site can increase the probability of positively identifying the species.

IX. Operational Requirements

At a minimum, 20 staff days per year should be allocated to conducting field surveys. This assumes 2 observers (10 days each) to survey approximately 15 sites per year for 5 years. The observation team should typically be able to cover 2 to 3 sites per day. This will allow USFWS to survey all 74 survey sites with suitable habitat that were previously searched by Dr. Coyle between 2007 and 2009.

Staff time represents the main cost. However, the agency will also purchase 2 sets of survey data collection and recording equipment outlined in the Field Methods section at a cost of approximately $500. Additionally, based on the travel required to reach 15 survey sites per year, at least 1,000 vehicle miles should be budgeted (Coyle 2009).

Prior to conducting site surveys, USFWS will coordinate with the state or national parks or the private landowner that controls the land where the survey will take place. USFWS will obtain any required permits in advance of any field work. In the event that surveys are to be undertaken by observers without the presence of USFWS biologists, the observers should contact Sue Cameron at the USFWS Asheville Field Office well in advance of scheduling the survey.

X. Annexes

Annex A: Sources

Annex B: Survey Sites

Annex C: Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Survey Form

Annex D: Sky and Wind Codes

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 10 Annex E: Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Identification Guide and Natural History (Coyle 2009)

Annex F: Photos of Representative Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Microhabitats (Coyle 2009)

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 11 Annex A: Sources

Coyle, Frederick A. 2009. Status Survey of The Spruce-Fir Moss Spider, Microhexura Montivaga - Report to US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Dibner, Reilly R., Doak, Daniel F., & Murphy, Melanie. 2017. Discrepancies in Occupancy and Abundance Approaches to Identifying and Protecting Habitat for an At-Risk Species. Ecology and Evolution 7: 5692–5702.

Ewing, T. & Gangloff, M. 2016. Using Changes in Naïve Occupancy to Detect Population Declines in Aquatic Species; Case Study: Stability of Greenhead Shiner in North Carolina. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 3:1–5.

Lecq, S., Loisel, A., & Bonne, X. 2015. Non-Lethal Rapid Biodiversity Assessment. Ecological Indicators 58: 216–224.

MacKenzie, Darryl I., Nichols, James D., Lachman, Gideon B., Droege, Sam, Royle, J. Andrew, & Langtimm, Catherine A. 2002. Estimating Site Occupancy Rates When Detection Probabilities Are Less Than One. Ecology 83(8): 2248-2255.

MacKenzie, Darryl I. & Royle, J. Andrew. 2005. Designing Occupancy Studies: General Advice and Allocating Survey Effort. Journal of Applied Ecology 42 (6): 1105-1114.

Seaborn, Travis J. 2014. Developing A Predictive Model of The Autecology of The Spruce-Fir Moss Spider, Microhexura Montivaga Crosby And Bishop 1925 (Araneae: ). M.Sc. Thesis. Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC.

Seaborn, Travis & Catley, Kefyn. 2016. Abiotic Microhabitat Parameters of the Spruce– Fir Moss Spider, Microhexura Montivaga Crosby and Bishop (Araneae: Dipluridae). Southeastern Naturalist 15(1): 61-75.

Strayer, D.L. & Smith, D.R. 2003. A Guide to Sampling Freshwater Mussel Populations. American Fisheries Society, Monograph 8, Bethesda, Maryland.

US Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Recovery Plan for the Spruce-fir Moss Spider (Microhexura montivaga). Atlanta, Georgia: US Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 4. Available from https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/980911b.pdf

US Fish and Wildlife Service. 2013. How to Develop Survey Protocols, a Handbook (Version 1.0). Fort Collins, Colorado: US Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge System, Natural Resource Program Center.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2019. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conducts Five-Year Status Reviews of 53 Southeastern Species. Available from https://www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2019/06/us-fish-and-wildlife-service-conducts-five- year-status-reviews-of-53-southeastern-species/

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2019. Spruce-Fir Moss Spider. Atlanta, GA. Available from https://www.fws.gov/southeast/wildlife/arachnid/spruce-fir-moss-spider/

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 12 Wynne, J. Judson, Sommer, Stefan, Howarth, Francis G., Dickson, Brett G., & Voyles, Kyle D. 2018. Capturing Diversity in Complex Cave Systems. Diversity and Distributions 24:1478–1491.

Wynne, J. Judson, Howarth, Francis G., Sommer, Stefan, & Dickson, Brett G. 2019. Fifty Years of Cave Arthropod Sampling: Techniques and Best Practices. International Journal of Speleology 48(1): 33-48.

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 13 Annex B: Survey Sites

Range Mountain Site # Coordinates 045327E PM1 405687N Pine Mountain 045270E PM2 405654N 045128E MR1 405713N 045124E MR2 405714N 045110E MR3 405714N Mount Rogers 045133E MR4 Virginia Balsam 405711N Mountains 045130E MR5 405711N 045119E MR6 405723N 044552E WT1 405483N 044550E WT2 405483N Whitetop Mountain 044548E WT3 405481N 044551E WT4 405487N 042698E G1 399643N 042661E G2 399611N 042625E G3 399563N 042617E G4 Grandfather Grandfather 399555N Mountain Mountain 042617E G5 399553N 042599E G6 399537N 042594E G7 399542N 042520E G8 399484N 039680E R1 399467N 039686E R2 399469N Roan Mountain Roan Mountain 039692E R3 399473N 039778E R4 399581N R5 039783E

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 14 399585N 039823E R6 399622N 039869E R7 399591N 040026E R8 399629N 040027E R9 399636N 040306E R10 399514N 040294E R11 399506N 038725E B1 396815N Celo Knob 038724E B2 396811N 038708E Gibbs Mountain B3 396656N 038713E Winter Star Mountain B4 396423N 038686E Potato Hill B5 396254N 038644E Cattail Pk. B6 396225N 038648E Balsam Cone B7 396122N 038648E B8 396119N 038619E B9 396032N Big Tom 038616E B10 396014N Black Mountains 038593E Mount Craig B11 395983N 038580E B12 395895N 038587E B13 395834N 038589E B14 395838N 038590E B15 395822N 038603E B16 395811N 038609E B17 395803N 038613E B18 395796N 038469E Mount Hallback B19 395670N 038410E Mount Gibbes B20 395600N Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 15 038374E B21 395571N 038379E B22 395559N 038384E B23 395560N 038321E Potato Knob B24 395453N 038076E B25 395550N 038076E B26 395551N Blackstock Knob 038074E B27 395555N 038065E B28 395557N 030855E PB1 392635N 030847E Mount Lynn Lowry PB2 392634N 030843E PB3 Plott Balsam 392632N Mountains 030659E PB4 392626N 030656E Browning Knob PB5 392638N 030632E PB6 392631N 029502E GS1 395161N 029469E GS2 395150N Mount Chapman 029444E GS3 395144N 029463E GS4 395147N Great Smoky 027950E GS5 Mountains 394814N Mount LeConte 027936E GS6 394817N 027422E GS7 393858N Mount Love 027399E GS8 393854N 027285E Mount Buckley GS9 393812N

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 16 Annex C: Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Survey Form

DATE, LOCATION & OBSERVER

Date (mm/dd/yyyy): State and County: Range / Mountain / Site # (see Annex B): Observer’s Name:

WEATHER Air Temp (°F): Sky Code (See Annex D): Wind Code (See Annex D)

OBSERVATIONS ROCK OUTCROP #1 Search Start Time: Search Stop Time: Latitude (0.00000): Longitude (0.00000): Elevation: Rock Aspect / Angle: % Canopy Cover: Mat Thickness (cm): Canopy Composition (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Fir Spruce Hardwoods Evergreen Shrubs Other* Moss Mat Composition (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Dicranodontium Polytrichum Bazzania Dicranum Other* Other Arthropods Present (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Pseudo scorpion Other Spider Beetle Other* Unknown Spider Identification (Circle or check ALL that apply): Location: Collection Method: Size Egg Spider- # Sex: (mm): Sac: lings: On On Under Aspir- Cont- Other Other Web Mat Mat ator ainer 1 M F Y N Y N 2 M F Y N Y N Notes (Please described anything noteworthy about the spider’s habitat or behavior):

ROCK OUTCROP #2 Search Start Time: Search Stop Time: Latitude (0.00000): Longitude (0.00000): Elevation: Rock Aspect / Angle: % Canopy Cover: Mat Thickness (cm):

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 17 Canopy Composition (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Fir Spruce Hardwoods Evergreen Shrubs Other* Moss Mat Composition (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Dicranodontium Polytrichum Bazzania Dicranum Other* Other Arthropods Present (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Pseudo scorpion Other Spider Beetle Other* Unknown Spider Identification (Circle or check ALL that apply): Location: Collection Method: Size Egg Spider- # Sex: (mm): Sac: lings: On On Under Aspir- Cont- Other Other Web Mat Mat ator ainer 1 M F Y N Y N 2 M F Y N Y N Notes (Please described anything noteworthy about the spider’s habitat or behavior):

ROCK OUTCROP #3 Search Start Time: Search Stop Time: Latitude (0.00000): Longitude (0.00000): Elevation: Rock Aspect / Angle: % Canopy Cover: Mat Thickness (cm): Canopy Composition (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Fir Spruce Hardwoods Evergreen Shrubs Other* Moss Mat Composition (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Dicranodontium Polytrichum Bazzania Dicranum Other* Other Arthropods Present (Circle ALL that apply; * List “Other” below in Notes): Pseudo scorpion Other Spider Beetle Other* Unknown Spider Identification (Circle or check ALL that apply): Location: Collection Method: Size Egg Spider- # Sex: (mm): Sac: lings: On On Under Aspir- Cont- Other Other Web Mat Mat ator ainer 1 M F Y N Y N 2 M F Y N Y N Notes (Please described anything noteworthy about the spider’s habitat or behavior):

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 18 Annex D: Sky and Wind Codes

Sky Codes 0 Few clouds 1 Partly cloudy (scattered or variable sky) 2 Cloudy or overcast 4 Fog or smoke 5 Drizzle or light rain 7 Snow 8 Showers

Wind Codes 0 Calm (<1 mph); smoke rises vertically 1 Light air (1-3 mph); smoke drifts, weathervane inactive 2 Light breeze (4-7 mph); rustle, can feel wind on face 3 Gentle breeze (8-12 mph); leaves and twigs move around, small flag extends 4 Moderate breeze (13-18 mph); moves thin branches, raises loose papers 5 Fresh breeze (19 mph); small begin to sway

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 19 Annex E: Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Identification Guide and Natural History

Please see attached document.

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 20 Annex F: Photos of Representative Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Microhabitats

Please see attached document.

Spruce-Fir Moss Spider Monitoring Plan 21