A NATURAL FEATURES INVENTORY OF THE SMOKY HILL ANG RANGE , KANSAS Open-file Report No. 137 September 15, 2007 Kansas Biological Survey 2101 Constant Ave. Lawrence, KS 66047 A NATURAL FEATURES INVENTORY OF THE SMOKY HILL ANG RANGE, KANSAS PREPARED FOR AIR NATIONAL GUARD READINESS CENTER 3500 FETCHET AVENUE ANDREWS AFB, MD 20762-5157 AND SMOKY HILL AIR NATIONAL GUARD RANGE 8429 WEST FARRELLY ROAD SALINA, KS 67401-9407 SEPTEMBER 15, 2007 Citation: Busby, W. H., J. M. Delisle, C. C. Freeman, K. Kindscher, H. Loring, D. E. Nimz, and C. J. Schmidt. 2007. A natural features inventory of the Smoky Hill ANG Range, Kansas. Open-file Report No. 137. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence, KS. 403 pp. Assume corporate authorship for chapters and appendices except where stated otherwise. Chapters and appendices with individual authors may be cited as in the following example: Kindscher, K., and H. Loring. 2007. Plant communities and landscape features. Pp. 11—34. In Busby, W. H., J. M. Delisle, C. C. Freeman, K. Kindscher, H. Loring, D. E. Nimz, and C. J. Schmidt. 2007. A natural features inventory of the Smoky Hill ANG Range, Kansas. Open-file Report No. 137. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence, KS. 403 pp. Cover Photo: Smoky Hill ANG Range Landscape. Hillary Loring. TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………………… i List of Figures………………………………………………………………………………. iv List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………….. vi Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………. viii Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………… ix Chapter 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………….. 1 1.1. Project Background …………………………………………………………………. 1 1.2. Study Objectives…………………………………………………………………….. 1 1.3. Study Area…………………………………………………………………………… 4 1.4. Overview of Ecological History, Current Conditions, and Land Management Recommendations ………………………………………………………………….. 7 1.4.1. Management goals and philosophy………………………………………………... 7 1.4.2. Historical ecological conditions……………………………………………………. 7 1.4.3. Current Ecological Conditions……………………………………………………... 7 1.4.4. Current Land Management………………………………………………………… 8 1.4.5. Land Management Discussion and Recommendations…………………………… 8 Chapter 2. Plant Communities and Landscape Features…………………………………… 11 2.1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………….. 11 2.1.1. Management Areas on the Smoky Hill ANGR……………………………………. 11 2.1.2. Past Land Uses…………………………………………………………………….. 13 2.1.3. Objectives of Community Vegetation Data Collection…………………………… 15 2.2. Methods……………………………………………………………………………… 15 2.2.1. Community Assessments………………………………………………………….. 15 2.2.2. Percent Cover of Plant Species……………………………………………………. 15 2.2.3. Condition Grades………………………………………………………………….. 20 2.2.4. Floristic Quality Assessment and Shannon Diversity Index………………………. 20 2.2.5. Soils………………………………………………………………………………... 21 2.2.6. Rangeland Areas Adjacent to Smoky Hill ANGR………………………………… 21 2.2.7. Riparian Area……………………………………………………………………… 21 2.3. Results……………………………………………………………………………….. 23 2.3.1. Former Crop Fields and Historic Landscape……………………………………… 23 2.3.2. Plant Communities and Landscape Features……………………………………… 23 2.3.3. Plant Community Data from Tallgrass Prairie…………………………………….. 26 2.3.4. Riparian Woodland Results……………………………………………………….. 33 2.4. Conclusions………………………………………………………………………….. 34 Chapter 3. Floristic Surveys………………………………………………………………... 35 3.1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………….. 35 3.2. Methods……………………………………………………………………………… 36 3.3. Results and Discussion………………………………………………………………. 38 3.3.1. General Surveys…………………………………………………………………… 38 3.3.2. Rare Vascular Plants………………………………………………………………. 42 3.3.2.1. Federal-listed Species…………………………………………………………… 42 i 3.3.2.2. State-rare Species………………………………………………………………... 42 3.3.3. Floristic Surveys…………………………………………………………………... 45 3.3.4. Weed Surveys……………………………………………………………………... 50 3.4. Conclusions………………………………………………………………………...... 56 Chapter 4. Animal Surveys………………………………………………………………… 58 4.1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………...... 58 4.2. Rare and Endangered Animal Species………………………………………………. 59 4.2.1. Methods……………………………………………………………………………. 59 4.2.2. Results and Discussion…………………………………………………………….. 59 4.2.2.1. Federal-listed Species…………………………………………………………… 59 4.2.2.2. State-listed and Rare Species……………………………………………………. 62 4.3. General Vertebrate Surveys…………………………………………………………. 73 4.3.1. Reptiles and Amphibians………………………………………………………….. 73 4.3.1.1. Materials and Methods…………………………………………………………... 73 4.3.1.2. Results…………………………………………………………………………… 78 4.3.1.3. Discussion……………………………………………………………….………. 80 4.3.1.4. Species Accounts………………………………………………………………... 82 4.3.1.5. Potential Species………………………………………………………………… 103 4.3.2. Mammal Surveys………………………………………………………………….. 103 4.3.2.1. Materials and Methods…………………………………………………………... 103 4.3.2.2. Results…………………………………………………………………………… 106 4.3.2.3. Discussion……………………………………………………………………….. 112 4.3.2.4. Species Accounts………………………………………………………………... 113 4.3.2.5. Potential Species………………………………………………………………… 129 4.3.3. Bird Surveys……………………………………………………………………….. 129 4.3.3.1. Materials and Methods…………………………………………………………... 129 4.3.3.2. Results and Discussion…………………………………………………………... 131 4.3.3.3. Potential Species………………………………………………………………… 138 4.4. Abundances of Breeding Birds According to Fire, Hay, or Cattle Grazing Management…………………………………………………………………………. 138 4.4.1. Materials and Methods…………………………………………………………….. 138 4.4.2. Results and Discussion…………………………………………………………….. 141 4.4.3. Management Recommendations…………………………………………………... 145 Chapter 5. Evaluation of Range Management Practices…………………………………… 151 5.1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………….. 151 5.2. Range Tour Notes…………………………………………………………………… 152 5.3. Overview of Recommendations……………………………………………………... 154 5.4. Post-Tour Comments from Evaluation Team Members…………………………….. 157 Chapter 6. Preparation of Recommendations and Action Plan for Control and Abatement of Invasive and Non-Native Species…………………………………………… 160 6.1. Background………………………………………………………………………….. 160 6.1.1. Study Ojectives…………………………………………………………………….. 160 6.2. Tasks………………………………………………………………………………… 160 6.2.1. Background Rsearch………………………………………………………………. 160 6.2.2. Analyze and Evaluate Database…………………………………………………… 161 6.2.3. Identify Data Gaps………………………………………………………………… 161 ii 6.2.4. Methodology Development………………………………………………………... 161 6.2.5. Classification of Vegetative Community Types…………………………………... 162 6.2.6. Field Verify Plant Community Mapping Units……………………………………. 162 6.2.7. Delineate Boundaries of Critical Habitat and Stands of Non-Native Plants………. 162 6.2.8. Conduct Qualitative Surveys for the Presence of Non-native and Invasive Species 162 6.2.9. Integrate Updated Plant Community Mapping into Current ANG GIS Database… 163 6.2.10. Prepare a Report of Recommendations and Action Plan for Control and Abatement of Invasive and Non-native Species………………………………….. 163 Literature Cited……………………………………………………………………………... 164 Appendix A.1. Average percent cover for species found in grassland habitats……………. 169 Appendix A.2. Average percent cover for species found in riparian plots………………… 175 Appendix B. Vascular plants documented in Saline County and on Smoky Hill ANGR…. 177 Appendix C. Checklist of birds reported in Saline County and on Smoky Hill ANGR…… 195 Appendix D. Results of breeding bird surveys conducted on Smoky Hill ANGR from 2003 to 2006…………………………………………………………… 205 Appendix E. Data layers provided in ArcView GIS format……………………………….. 208 Appendix F.1. Report on Land Use History……………………………………………….. 210 Appendix F.2. U. S. Military Training in Saline County--Unit Histories…………………. 286 Appendix G. Report on Invasive and Non-native Species………………………………… 310 iii LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1.1. Map of Smoky Hill ANGR showing major roads and streams………….. 5 FIGURE 1.2. Management units at Smoky Hill ANGR. Unit boundaries conform to those of section lines………………………………………………….. 6 FIGURE 2.1. Land use by agricultural lease agreement at Smoky Hill ANGR……….. 12 FIGURE 2.2. Map of public land survey of 1859……………………………………… 14 FIGURE 2.3. Land use at Smoky Hill ANGR in the late 1930s……………………….. 16 FIGURE 2.4. Locations of all vegetation plots on Smoky Hill ANGR………………... 17 FIGURE 2.5. Locations of permanent vegetation plots………………………………... 19 FIGURE 2.6. Locations of vegetation plots sampled from adjacent private ranches…... 22 FIGURE 2.7. Plant communities and landscape features………………………………. 24 FIGURE 2.8. Mean richness values (average of all species by plot) and standard errors by management type……………………………………………… 27 FIGURE 2.9. Comparison of mean condition grades assigned to plots by management type………………………………………………………… 29 FIGURE 2.10. Comparison of mean floristic quality indices by management type…….. 30 FIGURE 2.11. Comparison of mean Shannon’s Diversity indices by management type.. 31 FIGURE 2.12. Soil nutrients in hay, impact, and pasture areas…………………............. 32 FIGURE 3.1. Weed survey form used on Smoky Hill ANGR in 2006………………… 39 FIGURE 3.2. Locations of major plant collection sites on Smoky Hill ANGR; 2003—2006……………………………………………………………… 40 FIGURE 3.3. Kansas distribution of six state-rare plant species documented on or near Smoky Hill ANGR………………………………………………. 46 FIGURE 3.4. Distribution of alien status ranks among introduced vascular plants in Saline County and on Smoky Hill ANGR………………………………. 48 FIGURE 3.5. Distribution of coefficients of conservatism among vascular plant taxa in Saline County and on Smoky Hill ANGR……………………….. 50 FIGURE 3.6. Populations of Carduus nutans documented on Smoky Hill ANGR