National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Photo Monitoring of High-Elevation Plants in Shenandoah National Park Natural Resource Report NPS/SHEN/NRR—2017/1542 ON THIS PAGE High-elevation Sibbaldiopsis tridentata site at Betty’s Rock Photograph by: Lea Korsmeyer, NPS ON THE COVER High-elevation Sibbaldiopsis tridentata site at Little Stony Man Photograph by: Lea Korsmeyer, NPS Photo Monitoring of High-Elevation Plants in Shenandoah National Park Natural Resource Report NPS/SHEN/NRR—2017/1542 Abigail R. Hyduke and Wendy B. Cass National Park Service Shenandoah National Park 3655 US Hwy 211 East Luray, VA November 2017 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate comprehensive information and analysis about natural resources and related topics concerning lands managed by the National Park Service. The series supports the advancement of science, informed decision-making, and the achievement of the National Park Service mission. The series also provides a forum for presenting more lengthy results that may not be accepted by publications with page limitations. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. This report received informal peer review by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available in digital format from the National Park Service Data Store and the Natural Resource Publications Management website. To receive this report in a format that is optimized to be accessible using screen readers for the visually or cognitively impaired, please email [email protected]. Please cite this publication as: Hyduke A. R., and W. B. Cass. 2017. Photo monitoring of high-elevation plants in Shenandoah National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/SHEN/NRR—2017/1542. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 134/140555, November 2017 ii Contents Page Figures.................................................................................................................................................... v Tables ..................................................................................................................................................... v Appendices ............................................................................................................................................ vi Abstract ................................................................................................................................................ vii Acknowledgments ...............................................................................................................................viii List of Terms ......................................................................................................................................... ix Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Methods .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Study Areas .................................................................................................................................... 3 Huperzia appalachiana Sampling Areas .................................................................................... 3 Sibbaldiopsis tridentata Sampling Areas ................................................................................... 6 Site Weather and Climate ............................................................................................................... 7 Plot Selection and Setup ................................................................................................................. 7 Data Collection ............................................................................................................................... 8 Site Data .................................................................................................................................... 8 Plot Data .................................................................................................................................... 8 Photography ............................................................................................................................... 9 Data Analysis................................................................................................................................ 11 Results and Discussion ........................................................................................................................ 14 Huperzia appalachiana Sites ....................................................................................................... 14 Crescent Rocks Site 3 .............................................................................................................. 14 Hawksbill Site 2 ...................................................................................................................... 14 Old Rag Site 1 ......................................................................................................................... 15 Pinnacles Site 1........................................................................................................................ 15 Pinnacles Site 2........................................................................................................................ 15 Sibbaldiopsis tridentata Sites ....................................................................................................... 15 Betty’s Rock Site 1 .................................................................................................................. 15 Crescent Rocks Site 1 .............................................................................................................. 16 iii Contents (continued) Page Crescent Rocks Site 2 .............................................................................................................. 17 Hawksbill Site 1 ...................................................................................................................... 17 Hawksbill Site 3 ...................................................................................................................... 17 Little Stony Man Site 1............................................................................................................ 17 Summary of Plant Cover Changes, 2010-2014 ............................................................................ 18 Exposure .................................................................................................................................. 18 Sensitivity ................................................................................................................................ 19 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................................... 21 Literature Cited .................................................................................................................................... 22 iv Figures Page Figure 1. Photographs of Huperzia appalachiana (left) and flowering Sibbaldiopsis tridentata (right). .................................................................................................................................... 1 Figure 2. Map of the project sampling areas with in Shenandoah National Park. ................................ 4 Figure 3. Example of locator plots (Sibbaldiopsis tridentata plot (left) and Huperzia appalachiana plot (right)). ..................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 4. Example of datum photos (S. tridentata plot (left) and H. appalachiana plot (right)). ................................................................................................................................................. 10 Figure 5. A top-down photo of Huperzia appalachiana and plot frame. ........................................... 12 Figure 6. A top-down photo of Sibbaldiopsis tridentata and plot frame. ........................................... 13 Figure 7. Percent cover of Huperzia appalachiana at monitoring sites that have information for both 2010 to 2014. ...................................................................................................... 14 Figure