National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Ninety Six National Historic Site Natural Resource Report NPS/NISI/NRR—2012/523 ON THE COVER Ninety Six NHS Reenactor Cannon Crew Photograph by: NPS Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Ninety Six National Historic Site Natural Resource Report NPS/NISI/NRR—2012/523 Luke Worsham, Gary Sundin, Nathan P. Nibbelink, Michael T. Mengak, Gary Grossman Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia 180 E. Green St. Athens, GA 30602 May 2012 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 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 high-priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive issues of management applicability. 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. Printed copies of reports in these series may be produced in a limited quantity and they are only available as long as the supply lasts. This report is also available from the Integrated Resource Management Applications website (http://irma.nps.gov) and the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/). Please cite this publication as: Worsham, L., G. Sundin, N. Nibbelink, M. Mengak, and G. Grossman. 2012. Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Ninety Six National Historic Site. Natural Resource Report NPS/NISI/NRR—2012/523. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 463/114155, May 2012 ii Contents Page Figures........................................................................................................................................... vii Tables ............................................................................................................................................. ix Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... xiii Prologue ....................................................................................................................................... xiii Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................ xv Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... xvii Purpose ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Ranking Methodology .................................................................................................................... 3 Data Description ............................................................................................................................. 7 Park Resources and Introduction .................................................................................................. 11 Park Location and Significance ............................................................................................. 11 Park Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 11 Climate, Geology, and Soils .................................................................................................. 11 Hydrology .............................................................................................................................. 13 History and Park Significance ............................................................................................... 14 Natural Resources and NPS Vital Signs ................................................................................ 15 Natural Resource Conditions ........................................................................................................ 21 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 21 Ozone ................................................................................................................................ 21 Foliar Injury ...................................................................................................................... 23 Hydrology .............................................................................................................................. 27 Water Chemistry ............................................................................................................... 27 Microorganisms ................................................................................................................ 34 iii Contents (continued) Page Hydrology ......................................................................................................................... 36 Invasive Species ..................................................................................................................... 37 Infestations and Disease ........................................................................................................ 41 Southern Pine Beetle ......................................................................................................... 41 Ips Beetle .......................................................................................................................... 41 Gypsy Moth ...................................................................................................................... 42 Forest Communities ............................................................................................................... 44 Classification..................................................................................................................... 44 Accuracy Assessment ....................................................................................................... 44 Significant Communities .................................................................................................. 45 Wetland Communities ...................................................................................................... 49 Fish Communities .................................................................................................................. 53 Bird Communities .................................................................................................................. 58 Mammal Communities .......................................................................................................... 61 Herpetofaunal Community .................................................................................................... 65 Rare Plants ............................................................................................................................. 68 Landscape Dynamics ............................................................................................................. 73 Landcover Class Comparisons .......................................................................................... 73 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 75 Summary ................................................................................................................................ 75 Natural Resource Conditions ................................................................................................. 75 Ozone ................................................................................................................................ 75 Foliar injury ...................................................................................................................... 76 iv Contents (continued) Page Hydrology ......................................................................................................................... 76 Invasive Plants .................................................................................................................. 77 Insect Pests ........................................................................................................................ 77 Vegetation Communities .................................................................................................