Vital Signs

The Pacific Island Network identified a list of Vital Signs for which monitoring protocols were to be developed. The final list was found to be beyond the program’s resource capabilities, so only the following Vital Sign protocols will be implemented by the Pacific Island Network:

Vital Sign Monitoring to be Implemented by the Pacific Island Network
	Benthic marine community	Protocol
	Climate	Protocol
	Fish harvest	Protocol
	Focal terrestrial plant communities	Protocol
	Freshwater animal communities - streams	Protocol
	Freshwater animal communities - anchialine pools	Protocol
	Groundwater dynamics	Protocol
	Invasive plants - early detection	Protocol
	Invasive plants - status & trends of established species	Protocol
	Landbirds	Protocol
	Landscape dynamics	Protocol
	Marine fish	Protocol
	Hawaiian petrel	Protocol
	Water quality	Protocol

The Pacific Island Network developed monitoring protocols for the following Vital Signs. Due to the program's limited resources, these protocols will not be implemented by the network. Individual parks may implement these protocols depending on their needs. These draft protocols are available upon request.

Vital Sign Monitoring not Implemented by the Pacific Island Network
	Common low-elevation seabirds at National Park of American Samoa
	Threatened & endangered seabirds of Kalaupapa National Historical Park
	Insectivorous Bats	Pilot Project
	Frugivorous Bats	Pilot Project

The following Vital Signs were identified as important ecological indicators, but were not developed into monitoring protocols due to the program's limited resources.

Vital Sign
	Cave community
	Erosion & deposition
	Invasive invertebrates - early detection
	Terrestrial invertebrate communities

Vital Sign monitoring protocols must be prepared according to National Program standards:

• National Monitoring Program: Vital Sign protocol information
• Required Protocol content and format (pdf file)
• Protocol development process (MSWord file)
• Required Protocol Development Summary (PDS) documents (MSWord file)
  

After preparing a 'Protocol Development Summary' (above), each Vital Sign must also prepare a detailed Study Plan:

• Study Plan Guidelines (MSWord file)

Peer review and approval of our Vital Sign monitoring protocols is under the jurisdiction of the Pacific West Region, Inventory and Monitoring Program Coordinator. Guidance documents for this process are below:

• Planning for External Peer Review of Monitoring Plan Protocols (MSWord file)
• The Process of Vital Signs Protocol Review (MSWord file)
• Protocol Review File Checklist (MSWord file)
• Protocol Review Content Checklist (MSWord file)
• Management Acknowledgement of Protocol Review, form (MSWord file)
• Protocol Review Approval, form (MSWord file)

Additional Vital Signs identified in our Monitoring Plan as already being monitored by NPS partners and cooperators, do not currently have formal protocols to Inventory and Monitoring Program standards, including:

• Visibility and Particulate Matter
• Seismicity
• Volcanic Ground Deformation and Lava Flows