Sierra Nevada Network
Monitoring:Vital Signs
Thirteen Vital Signs: Forest Population Dynamics
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| Giant Sequoias and understory of White Fir, Sequoia National Park. The ancient Sequoia overstory may not be affected as quickly by climate change. NPS Photo |
Below is more detailed information on the thirteen vital signs that the Sierra Nevada Network will pursue for protocol development. Several Vital Signs are grouped according to the wider ecosystem being studied. Current sampling designs and protocols are found in the Sierra Nevada Network: Vital Signs Monitoring Plan (2007).
Abbreviations:
SIEN Sierra Nevada Network
DEPO Devils Postpile National Monument
SEKI Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Park
YOSE Yosemite National Park
Forest Population Dynamics
Vital Signs: Forest tree population dynamics, lichen communities,
or specific taxon Bryoria fremontii (which will be considered
as an additional vital sign if feasible).
Justification: Forests occupy a significant portion of the
vegetated area of Sierra Nevada parks, and giant sequoias are part
of the enabling legislation for the parks’ establishment. Forest
tree population dynamics, or primarily, establishment, growth and death
rates of trees are sensitive to changes in two major drivers in the
Sierra Nevada: climate and fire. While there are other aspects of forest
vegetation we will consider monitoring (e.g., lichen communities),
we focus primarily on forest tree population dynamics because: 1) there
is a successful track record of doing this kind of work already in
these parks, and a wealth of baseline data exists; 2) forest tree population
dynamics data are interpretable, and changes are often closely tied
to drivers and/or stressors whose effects we seek to better understand
(fire, climate, pollution and non-native species); and 3) trees comprise
a keystone life form, creating the array of microclimates and habitats
that entrain other ecosystem components and processes (such as wildlife
and hydrology). Forests provide humans with irreplaceable resources
and services; climatic change will profoundly affect forests; and forests
may profoundly affect climatic change because they sequester the majority
of the terrestrial biosphere’s carbon, and they affect surface
albedo and the hydrologic cycle.
Parks: SEKI, YOSE (DEPO to be included if species selected
for monitoring occur in the monument).
Monitoring Objectives:
Giant sequoia, sugar pine, and whitebark pine were the species initially identified
as highest priority.
- Determine trends in populations of selected tree species (birth, growth, death rates). Add growth form to this list if monitoring whitebark pine.
- Monitor trends in causes of tree death.
- Monitor trends in white pine blister rust prevalence in five-needle pine populations.
Evaluate feasibility of adding this objective/vital sign:
Detect changes in the relative abundance of selected lichen taxa. [Bryoria fremontii, macrolichen communities in several vegetation types].
Current planning status is found in the
Sierra Nevada Network: Vital Signs Monitoring Plan (2007).
Learn More
Climate Change
Habitat Fragmentation and Human Use
Altered Fire Regime
Air Contaminants and Atmospheric Deposition
Non-native Species
New Climate Monitoring Station at Devils
Postpile National Monument