SPECIES: Scientific [common] Erigeron humilis [Arctic-alpine fleabane; low fleabane] Forest: Salmon–Challis National Forest Forest Reviewer: Jessica M Dhaemers; Brittni Brown; John Proctor Date of Review: 09/26/2017; 15 February 2018; 13 March 2018 Forest concurrence (or YES recommendation if new) for inclusion of species on list of potential SCC: (Enter Yes or No) FOREST REVIEW RESULTS: 1. The Forest concurs or recommends the species for inclusion on the list of potential SCC: Yes_X__ No___ 2. Rationale for not concurring is based on (check all that apply): Species is not native to the plan area _______ Species is not known to occur in the plan area _______ Species persistence in the plan area is not of substantial concern _______ FOREST REVIEW INFORMATION: 1. Is the Species Native to the Plan Area? Yes_X__ No___ If no, provide explanation and stop assessment. 2. Is the Species Known to Occur within the Planning Area? Yes_X__ No___ If no, stop assessment. Table 1. All Known Occurrences, Years, and Frequency within the Planning Area Year Number of Location of Observations (USFS Source of Information Observed Individuals District, Town, River, Road Intersection, HUC, etc.) 1991 800 Lost River Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence Kane Lake Cirque EO Number: 1 The Kane Lake Cirque proposed EO_ID: 2532 Special Interest Botanical Area is located at the northern end of Moseley, R.K., and S. Bernatas. the Pioneer Mountains, 1992. Vascular flora of Kane Lake approximately 13 miles Cirque, Pioneer Mountains, Idaho. northeast of The Great Basin Naturalist, 335- Ketchum 343. 1997 200 Lost River Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence Meadow Canyon Research EO Number: 2 Natural Area EO_ID: 665 Year Number of Location of Observations (USFS Source of Information Observed Individuals District, Town, River, Road Intersection, HUC, etc.) Bell Mountain is along the crest of the Lemhi Range east of the Little Lost River Valley; north side of Bell Mountain 1979 No data Lost River Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence Peak 10,358 EO Number: 3 Approximately 2.5 miles EO_ID: 2774 southeast of Sunset Peak and east of Elbow Canyon; 0.25 mile north of Peak 10,358 on ridge, Lost River Range 1950 50+ Challis Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence West Fork Pahsimeroi River EO Number: 4 Headwaters EO_ID: 2055 Lost River Range, northwest base of Leatherman Peak, on a small bench below (north side of) Leatherman Pass 1979 No data Challis Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence Lake 9682 East Fork Pahsimeroi EO Number: 5 River EO_ID: 3299 Headwaters East Fork Pahsimeroi River, edge of Lake 9682 1979 No data Lost River Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence Upper Lake Castle Peak EO Number: 6 East slope Lost River Range, EO_ID: 1070 uppermost lake above and south of Castle Peak 1987 400 Lost River Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence Rock Creek Cirque EO Number: 7 Rock Creek Cirque proposed EO_ID: 2634 Special Interest Botanical Area is located below the north face of Borah Peak in the central Lost River Range, approximately 17 miles northwest of Mackay 1997 None found Challis Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence Merriam Lake Basin Research EO Number: 8 Natural Area EO_ID: 2405 Upper Merriam Lake Basin, 1.2 miles southeast of Borah Peak, Lost River Range 1994 400 Lost River Ranger District IDFG Element Occurrence Year Number of Location of Observations (USFS Source of Information Observed Individuals District, Town, River, Road Intersection, HUC, etc.) Boulder Creek Cirque EO Number: 9 984 feet south of Boulder Lake EO_ID: 3247 at the head of Boulder Creek, Wildhorse drainage, Pioneer Mountains a. Are all Species Occurrences Only Accidental or Transient? Yes___ No_X__ If yes, document source for determination and stop assessment. b. For species with known occurrences on the Forest since 1990, based on the number of observations and/or year of last observation, can the species be presumed to be established or becoming established in the plan area? Yes__X_ No___ If no, provide explanation and stop assessment c. For species with known occurrences on the Forest predating 1990, does the weight of evidence suggest the species still occurs in the plan area? Yes___ No___ Provide explanation for determination N/A. Occurrences have been recorded since 1990. If determination is no, stop assessment d. Map 1, Arctic alpine fleabane range in Idaho (NRCS 2017) NRCS (United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service). 2017. Erigeron humilis Graham. Arctic alpine fleabane. Internet website: https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ERHU. Accessed on September 1, 2017. e. Map 2, Arctic alpine fleabane occurrences on the Salmon–Challis National Forest (Idaho Fish and Wildlife Information System [January 2017]) 3. Is There Substantial Concern for the Species’ Capability to persist Over the Long-term in the Plan Area Based on Best Available Scientific Information? Table 2. Status summary based on existing conservation assessments Entity Status/Rank Global Rank G5—Secure (Common; widespread and abundant)1 State Rank S2—Imperiled (At high risk of extinction due to very restricted range, very few populations [often 20 or fewer], steep declines, or other factors)1 USDA Forest Region 1: Not listed2 Service Region 4: Not listed3 USDI FWS Not listed as a candidate species4 Other Idaho Native Plant Society: 2016 – on list, not yet ranked5; 2011 – State Monitor (Taxa common within a limited range in Idaho, as well as those which are uncommon, but have no identifiable threats)6 BLM: Not listed7 1. Idaho Natural Heritage Program. 2016. IDNHP Tracked Plant Species 2016. Accessed January 12, 2018 2. USFS Region 1. 2011. 2011 Sensitive Species List Idaho and Montana. Website: http://fsweb.r1.fs.fed.us/wildlife/wwfrp/TESnew.htm. Accessed January 10, 2017. 3. USFS Region 4. 2016. Proposed, Endangered, Threatened, and Sensitive Species List. On file. Accessed January 11, 2017. 4. USFWS. 2017. Candidate species believed to or known to occur in Idaho. Website: https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/reports/species-listed-by-state-report?state=ID&status=candidate. Accessed January 12, 2018. 5. Idaho Native Plant Society. 2016. INPS Rare Plant List May 2016. https://idahonativeplants.org/rare-plants-list/ Accessed January 10, 2018. 6. Idaho Native Plant Society. 2011. Results of the twenty-fifth Idaho Rare Plant Conference – The Idaho Native Plant Society rare plant list. Website: https://idahonativeplants.org/rpc/pdf/2011_Results_IRPC_v2.2.pdf. Accessed on January 11, 2018. 7. BLM. 2016. Bureau of Land Management Idaho Special Status Plants List Aug 2016. On file. Accessed 15 January, 2018. Table 3. Status summary based on best available scientific information. Species (Scientific and Common Name): Erigeron humilis (Arctic alpine fleabane) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations 1 A2 E. humilis is known from nine occurrences on the SCNF, all in the Lost IDFG. 2017. Idaho Fish and Wildlife Distribution on River and Challis Ranger Districts (IDFG 2017). Although, a floristic Information System, Species Diversity Salmon–Challis inventory of the SCNF took place (Irwin 2014), targeted systematic Database, Idaho Natural Heritage National Forest surveys have not been conducted. Potential habitat for this species (see Data. Accessed on February 27, 2017. Criterion 6) is patchy and often isolated on the Forest (Rank A). Irwin, J. J. 2014. “A Floristic Inventory of East-Central Idaho, U.S.A.” Master’s Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low thesis, University of Wyoming, Laramie. 2 C E. humilis is a circumpolar species. In North America, it extends south to Fertig, W. 2000. Erigeron humilis Low Distribution in high elevations in the Rocky Mountains, including: southern British fleabane. State Species Abstract. surrounding Columbia, northwest Montana, northern Wyoming, and Colorado (Fertig Wyoming Natural Diversity Database. geographic area 2000). In Idaho, the only known occurrences are on the SCNF. Surveys have been conducted in adjacent Targhee National Forest in the Moseley, R.K. 1989. Field investigations of seven rare alpine southern Lemhi Range and Beaverhead Mountains, but populations were plant species in the southern Lemhi not discovered (Moseley 1989). Due to the wide distribution of E. humilis Range and Beaverhead Mountains, in Canada and other circumpolar countries, a criterion of C is given. Dubois Ranger District, Targhee National Forest. Idaho Department of Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low Fish and Game. 3 B E. humilis is a perennial, rhizomatous plant with wind dispersed seeds FNA (Flora of North America) Editorial Dispersal (FNA 2006). The species is known to flower from June to August Committee, eds. 1993+. Erigeron Capability depending upon conditions. Little else is known regarding the humilis Graham, Edinburgh New reproductive ecology of the species, but it likely is only capable of Philos. J. Flora of North America North dispersing through suitable habitat (Rank B). of Mexico. 20+ vols. New York and Oxford. vol. 20, 2006; pg. 326. Internet website: Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.asp x?flora_id=1&taxon_id=250066612. Accessed on September 8, 2017. 4 B On the SCNF, there are nine known occurrences of E. humilis. In the IDFG. 2017. Idaho Fish and Wildlife known occurrences of E. humilis, populations are relatively small; the Information System, Species Diversity Species (Scientific and Common Name): Erigeron humilis (Arctic alpine fleabane) Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations Abundance on the largest populations recorded are 200-800 individuals (IDFG 2017; Database, Idaho Natural Heritage Salmon–Challis Moseley 1989). The current abundance is likely large enough that Data. Accessed on February 27, 2017. National Forest demographic stochasticity is not likely to lead to rapid local extinction, but, in combination with highly variable environmental factors, could pose a threat, this criterion is given a B ranking. Since no occurrences have been recorded since 1997, confidence for this ranking is low. Confidence in Rank: High, Medium, or Low 5 B Species specific monitoring has not been conducted for this species.