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This is Alice Wondrak Biel for the Sonoran Desert Network. Today's date is
January 25, 2010
This report summarizes our visits to Saguaro National Park's Rincon Mountain
District for uplands monitoring during the 2009 field season
Vital signs sampled during this visit included vegetation cover, plant
associations, species lifeform frequency , and soil aggregate stability and bulk
density
Field crews established 13 plots during this field season. Plots were
established in four elevation zones
Three plots were established in thornscrub, at an elevation of 2,501 to0:00:33.820,0:00:37.8793,700 feet. Two plots were established
in semi-desert grassland and chaparral, at an elevation of 3,701 to 0:00:41.979,0:00:46.2604,500 feet. Five plots were established 0:00:46.260,0:00:49.890in Madrean evergreen woodland, at an elevation of 4,501 to
6,000 feet, and three plots were established in temperate
deciduous forest and coniferous forest , at an elevation of more than 6,000
feet
Two invasive plant species, buffelgrass and Lehmann lovegrass, were detected during
this sampling season
A new species for the park, mountain ragwort, was collected near Plot 502.007 0:01:09.520,0:01:13.550 The specimen was verified by the University of
Arizona herbarium and entered into their permanent collection
Needle grama, a plant that may be essential to the rufous-winged sparrow, was
present in Plot 402.002
Evidence of fire was present at four plots. Now, here's a look ahead. By the end
of June 2010, network staff will analyze the data collected during this
field season and complete a report summarizing the results. Also in 2010 0:01:37.810,0:01:42.080 network staff will sample biological soil crust collected at all
plots established during the 2009 field season
In 2011, we will establish an additional 12 plots at Saguaro
adding another 12 plots each year until a total of 65 have been
established
In 2012, the network will publish a status and trends report
and in 2013, field crews will return to resample plots
established during this 2009 field season
This concludes this trip summary of uplands monitoring at Saguaro National
Park's Rincon Mountain District during 2009 0:02:13.070,0:02:16.830 For more details about this trip, see the written trip report posted on our
website or contact project manager Sarah Studd
either by phone at 520-343-8845 or by
e-mail at Sarah underscore Studd@nps.gov
Thank you for your interest in Sonora Desert Network uplands monitoring