ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY ASSESSMENTS: MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF WILDLIFE AREAS IN WASHINGTON Michael A. Schroeder, Rex C. Crawford, F. Joseph Rocchio, D. John Pierce, and Matt Vander Haegen (this is just a draft list) Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife August 2011 Draft 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 8 Overview of Ecological Integrity Assessments ........................................................................... 10 Definitions.............................................................................................................................. 11 Ecological Integrity .......................................................................................................... 11 Ecological Condition ....................................................................................................... 11 Desired Ecological Condition .......................................................................................... 11 Best Attainable Condition ................................................................................................ 11 Management Assessment Points ...................................................................................... 12 Importance of Ecological Classification ................................................................................ 12 Classification and Natural Range of Variation ................................................................ 12 National Vegetation Classification Standard ................................................................... 12 Integration of NVCS and Ecological Integrity Assessment ............................................ 13 Conceptual Ecological Models .............................................................................................. 14 Ecological Indicators and Metrics ......................................................................................... 14 Use of Indicators and Metrics in This Report .................................................................. 14 Selecting Metrics ............................................................................................................. 15 Three Level Approach to Metric Development ..................................................................... 16 Definitions of the Ecological Integrity Ranking Scale .......................................................... 19 Natural Range of Variation and Reference Conditions ......................................................... 21 Development of Metric Rankings .......................................................................................... 22 Stressor Checklist................................................................................................................... 22 Protocol for EIA metrics .............................................................................................................. 23 Landscape Context ................................................................................................................. 23 Buffer and Edge Length, Width, and Condition .............................................................. 23 Connectivity ..................................................................................................................... 26 Landscape Condition ....................................................................................................... 28 Relative and Absolute Size .............................................................................................. 29 Patch Diversity ................................................................................................................. 31 Vegetation Condition ............................................................................................................. 32 Cover of Native Species (Understory Plants) .................................................................. 32 Cover of Native Bunchgrass ............................................................................................ 33 Cover of Invasive Species ................................................................................................ 34 Cover of Native Increasers ............................................................................................... 35 Species Composition ........................................................................................................ 37 Shrub Cover ..................................................................................................................... 37 Canopy Cover and Condition .......................................................................................... 38 Regeneration of Woody Species ...................................................................................... 40 Course Woody Debris ...................................................................................................... 41 Organic Matter Accumulation ......................................................................................... 42 Biological Soil Crust ........................................................................................................ 43 Physicochemical and Hydrology ........................................................................................... 43 Soil Surface Condition ..................................................................................................... 43 Water Quality ................................................................................................................... 45 2 Water Source .................................................................................................................... 46 Channel and Streambank Stability ................................................................................... 46 Water Table ...................................................................................................................... 48 Hydrological Alteration ................................................................................................... 49 Hydroperiod ..................................................................................................................... 50 Hydrological Connectivity ............................................................................................... 51 Sand Dynamics ................................................................................................................ 53 Natural Disturbance Regime .................................................................................................. 53 Forest Pathogens .............................................................................................................. 53 Fire Condition Class ........................................................................................................ 54 On Site Land Use ............................................................................................................. 54 General Application of EIA ......................................................................................................... 56 Development of the EIA Model ............................................................................................. 56 Initial Development ......................................................................................................... 56 Field Testing .................................................................................................................... 56 Validation ......................................................................................................................... 57 General Application of the EIA for Monitoring and Assessment .......................................... 57 Communication and Reporting: The EIA Scorecard ....................................................... 58 Desired Ecological Conditions ........................................................................................ 60 Level 1 Assessment .......................................................................................................... 60 Level 2 Assessment .......................................................................................................... 62 Level 3 Assessment .......................................................................................................... 62 Integrated Monitoring Framework ................................................................................... 63 Specific Application of the EIA for Monitoring and Assessment ......................................... 64 Specific Ecosystems ......................................................................................................... 64 Specific Wildlife Areas .................................................................................................... 65 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................................ 68 Appendix A: Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................. 89 Appendix B: Scientific Names ..................................................................................................... 92 Plants .....................................................................................................................................