Rare Plants and Establishing the GLORIA Long-Term Climate Change Monitoring... in the Alpine Sweetwater Mountains of Mono County, California
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Rare Plants and Establishing the GLORIA Long-Term Climate Change Monitoring Protocol in the Alpine Sweetwater Mountains of Mono County, California Mark 1 Darrach , Adelia 2 Barber , Elizabeth 1Corydalis 3 Bergstrom , Constance 4 Millar Consulting, Pendleton, OR, of California, Santa Cruz, CA 3USDA Forest Service, Humboldt-Toiyabe N.F., Carson City, NV, 4USDA Forest Service, Sierra Nevada Research Center, Albany, CA 2University Abstract The GLORIA alpine climate monitoring program is a worldwide effort aimed at documenting precise vegetation changes - both compositional and as a function of cover - over time in alpine settings using a set protocol with permanent monumented multi-summit plots across a low to high alpine elevational gradient below the nival zone. While the program is still in its nascent stages in North America, several permanent GLORIA stations are now established in the California Sierra Nevada target region, including the White Mountains, Mt. Dunderberg, and Freel Peak south of Lake Tahoe. The GLORIA effort now includes a newly-established station in the Sweetwater Mountains of Mono County, California as of mid-July 2012. The Sweetwater Mountains comprise a spectacular suite of summits above timberline that offer the opportunity to observe the temporal and spatial progression of climate-induced modifications to vegetation on a unique geological substrate. Above timberline the Sweetwater Mountains displays one of the most botanically diverse and significant concentrations of rare vascular plants in an alpine setting in the continental United States, if not all of North America. The novel geologic setting of highly geothermally argillized acidic volcanic rocks at high elevation has allowed for the presence of a robust clay component in soils throughout the alpine portion of the range. This is in a setting where typical rock weathering processes that produce clay mineral assemblages are kinetically limited. This clay component, with attendant elevated moisture retention capacity, provides for a rich and varied alpine flora that is of importance for understanding how vegetation responds to climate modification in this unusual setting. The alpine Sweetwater Mountains vegetation presents complex and challenging conservation issues from both direct human impacts - e.g. off-road vehicle damage - and indirect anthropogenic climate-induced perspectives. Sweetwater Mtns. Rare Taxa GLORIA Climate Monitoring Table 1. Rare Plant Taxa In Alpine Sweetwater Mountains Overview Above timberline the Sweetwater Mountains of Mono County, California harbor an unusually diverse suite of vascular plant species and infraspecific taxa. Hunter and Johnson (1983) document 173 species in the alpine portions of the range. Subsequent surveys have increased this number to perhaps 200 – several of which are rare (Table 1 and Figures 1 – 5). The underlying reasons for this robust diversity have not been adequately discussed in the literature. Recent botanical surveys in the range above timberline have included attention to geologic substrates and the general geologic history of the area. It has become apparent that widespread low– temperature hydrothermal argillic (e.g. clay-forming) alteration plays a guiding role in allowing for the diverse flora, with the broad suite of lithologies that occur in the range likely playing a secondary role. Argillic alteration has produced voluminous amounts of moisture-retaining clays (Figures 6 and 7) creating an unusual, and perhaps novel, high elevation soil type where weathering processes would otherwise be kinetically limited. The uniqueness of the vegetation and substrates in the Sweetwater Mountains, the ease of access, combined with the extensive relief above timberline, provide an appropriate setting for establishment of a long term multi-summit GLORIA climate monitoring site. In this regard the Sweetwater Mountains GLORIA target area was established in July of 2012 with permanent monumented plots installed on three summits (Figures 8, 9 and map). The ease of access to the alpine Sweetwater Mountains has also attracted illegal off-road vehicle activity (Figure 10) that is actively destroying the vegetation over broad areas of the range. This illegal activity presents major management and regulatory challenges for the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in a time of severe budgetary constraints. Clearly there is a significant need for finding solutions to this ongoing loss of a unique and priceless resource via partnering with other advocacy organizations that have a vested interest in maintaining the ecological integrity of the alpine reaches of the Sweetwater Mountains. Astragalus platytropis Boechera bodiensis Claytonia megarhiza Claytonia umbellata Draba breweri var. cana Draba incrassata Festuca minutiflora Oreocarya sp. nov. Common Name Heritage Status broad-keeled milkvetch Bodie Hills rockcress alpine springbeauty Great Basin springbeauty hoary draba Sweetwater Draba small-flowered fescue Sweetwater cryptantha CNPS list 2.2 CNPS list 1B.3 CNPS list 2.3 CNPS list 2.3 CNPS list 2.3 CNPS list 1B.3 CNPS list 2.3 CNPS likely list 1B.2 Polemonium chartaceum Mason’s sky pilot CNPS list 1B.3 Senecio pattersonensis CNPS list 1B.3 Mount Patterson ragwort Townsendia condensata* cushion townsendia • • CNPS list 2.3 Townsendia parryi Parry’s townsendia CNPS – likely list 2.2 *possibly undescribed taxon presently undergoing molecular genetic analysis at the University of British Columbia by Christopher Lee • Fig 1. Polemonium chartaceum Fig 2. Astragalus platytropis photo credit Rebecca Stubbs photo credit Mark Darrach • • Fig 3. Townsendia cf. condensata photo credit Mark Darrach Fig 4. Senecio pattersonensis photo credit Mark Darrach • • Methods Select three (four) mountain summits within a single bioclimatic target region. Elevations of the summits ideally progress from treeline to the nival zone (Figure 8). For the Sweetwater Mountains target region, we chose the three summits of Wheeler Peak, and two unnamed subordinate lower elevation summits near Belfort town site and south of Wheeler Peak respectively (see map). Summit elevations range from 3143 – 3554 m. Surface area of GLORIA macroplots vary greatly as a function of summit geography and percent slope. Lay out a nested monitoring design on each summit, photo document, and monument high summit point and corners (Figure 9). The design emphasizes a geographic hierarchy of plot sizes, from 0.01m plots to 5m and 10m elevational sections on each summit. Compile a synoptic vascular species list and separate vascular species lists for each summit section; measure specified variables for plant cover, frequency, and abundance within the nested regions of each summit Place temperature data loggers at depth of 10cm at center of 3m x 3m quadrat clusters. Data loggers record temperature hourly for 5years Archive plant specimens with herbaria, and archive photos and data with GLORIA international database Resurvey every 5-years Fig 10. GLORIA Crew 2012 On Summit of Wheeler Peak in Sweetwater Mtns. Fig 8. GLORIA Summits – From Treeline to the Subnival Zone Results 70 Sweetwater Mtns. Mid-Elevation Summit clay-rich substrate 60 Species Richness Scientific Name GLORIA – Global Observation & Research In Alpine Environments 50 1st Survey Data 40 5 years later 30 20 10 Data Credit: Adelia Barber 0 3000 3500 4000 Elevation (meters) Carson Range 2006 & 2011 Sweetwater Mtns. 2012 Great Basin NP 2008 Sierra Dunderberg 2004 & 2009 White Mtns. Quartzites 2004 & 2009 White Mtns. Dolomites 2005 & 2010 4500 Species Richness By Elevation Across California and Nevada GLORIA Clusters 2004 through 2012 GLORIA Plot Locations in the Sweetwater Mountains Vascular Plant Taxa Documented on Sweetwater Mountains GLORIA Plots Fig 6. Clay soil induced frost polygons photo credit Mark Darrach Fig 7. Close-up of frost polygons photo credit Mark Darrach Fig 5. Draba incrassata photo credit Mark Darrach Fig 9. GLORIA Summit Plot Layout Management Concerns – How To Curb Illegal OHV Usage? Rampant illegal off-road vehicle use of the alpine portions of the Sweetwater Mtns. is inflicting massive damage to the fragile alpine tundra. Motorcycle and ATV usage during the summer is typically very high – particularly on weekends. This illegal activity is presently largely unmonitored by the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Hundreds to perhaps thousands of vehicle tracks are present across the high elevation reaches of the range (Figure 11). Rare plant populations (Townsendia condensata in Fig. 11) are being impacted and are clearly at great risk. How does the USFS find the most effective strategies for halting the ongoing damage in a time when financial resources for law enforcement are increasingly limited. Are volunteer partnering arrangements appropriate in this setting? Suggestions are welcome. Table 2. Species Richness Data GLORIA Species GLORIA Species Cluster Richness Cluster Richness Sweetwater Mountains White Mountains Quartzites Fig 11. Severe Off-Road Vehicle Damage How does the USFS control this Illegal Abuse in a Remote Setting? Suggestions Welcome... photo credit Mark Darrach White Mountains Dolomites 63 taxa Sierra Dunderberg 59 taxa 44 taxa Carson Range 38 taxa 56 taxa Great Basin Natl. Park ~55 taxa Family Apiaceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Boraginaceae Boraginaceae Boraginaceae Scientific Name Cymopterus cinerarius Antennaria rosea Artemisia dracunculus Artemisia nova Artemisia rothrockii Chaenactis douglasii var. alpina Ericameria discoidea Ericameria parryi ssp. monocephala Ericameria sufruiticosa Erigeron algidus Erigeron clokeyi Erigeron compositus Erigeron pygmaeus Eriophylum lanatum Hymenoxys cooperi var. cansecens Northocalais alpestris Packera cana Packera werneriifolia Oreocarya humilis Oreocarya sp. Oreocarya sp. novum Family Montiaceae Brassicaceae Brassicaceae Brassicaceae Brassicaceae Brassicaceae Brassicaceae Brassicaceae Brassicaceae Brassicaceae Caryophllaceae Caryophyllaceae Cyperaceae Fabaceae Fabaceae Fabaceae Fabaceae Grossulariaceae Hydrophyllaceae Junaceae Linaceae Acknowledgments: Scientific Name Cistanthe monosperma Anelsonia eurycarpa Arabis depauperata Arabis lemmonii Arabis pendulocarpa Arabis platysperma Draba breweri Draba densifolia Draba subumbellata Physaria kingii Arenaria kingii ssp. glabrescens Minuartia nuttallii spp. gracilis Carex rossii Astragalus kentrophyta var. daneus Astragalus platytropis Astragalus purshii Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii Ribes cereum var.. cereum Phacelia leptosepala Juncus balticus Linum lewisii Family Pinaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Poaceae Polemoniaceae Polemoniaceae Polemoniaceae Polemoniaceae Polygonaceae Polygonaceae Rosaceae Scrophulariaceae Scrophulariaceae Scrophulariaceae Selaginellaceae Scientific Name Pinus albicaulis Achnatherum occidentale ssp. occidentale Achnatherum pinetorum Elymus elymoides ssp. brevifolius Festuca brachyphylla ssp. breviculmis Koeleria macrantha Leucopoa kingii Muhlenbergia richardsonis Poa cusickii ssp. epilis Poa secunda ssp. secunda Ipomopsis congesta var. palmifrons Linanthus pungens Phlox condensata Phlox diffusa Eriogonum ovalifolium var. nivale Eriogonum rosense Potentilla pensylvanica Castilleja nana Castilleja pilosa Scrophularia lanceolata Selaginella watsonii partially funded by the Humboldt-Toiyabe N.F. and Corydalis Consulting, and to all the legions of dedicated Gloriateers who make this worldwide effort of approximately 350 GLORIA data collection sites possible!
