Monitoring Riparian Communities:

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Monitoring Riparian Communities Principles,
Processes and Strategies
Prepared by Daniel Sarr, Dennis Odion, and Robert
Woodman
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Riparian Diversity ( climate, soil type,
hydrology, historical factors)
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Spatial Hydrologic Controls Flood frequency and
duration Moisture availability in dry
season Subsurface flowpaths
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Temporal Hydrologic Controls (weather,
watershed hydrogeology, watershed vegetation)
Flashy Small streams
Single storm patterns
Larger streams
Intraannual patterns
Interannual patterns
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Spatial Patterns in Geomorphic Processes
Sediment transport
Erosion
Transport
Deposition
Alluvial streams
Mountain streams
EROSION
DEPOSITION
CHANNEL MIGRATION ON A MEANDERING RIVER
EROSION
DEPOSITION
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Riparian Features along the River Continuum
Mountain stream
Large channel particles sizes Banks often
stable Flashy hydrology Debris flows
disturbance Little channel movement Exposed
bedrock common Turbulent flows Large wood very
important Vegetation dominated by upland
species Low to moderate light environment Wetlands
relatively uncommon
Valley Bottom alluvial stream
Small channel/bank particle sizes Banks actively
eroding More stable hydrology, longer
floods Flood disturbance dominates Large channel
movements typical Exposed bedrock rare Laminar
flows Large wood less important Vegetation
dominated by riparian species High light
environment Wetlands, sloughs common
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What should we monitor?
Riparian Vegetation
Riparian Functions
(After Gregory et al (1991) An Ecosystem
Perspective of Riparian Zones)
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Riparian Wildlife-Common Species
Aquatic Communities
Amphibians and Reptiles
Birds
Terrestrial Invertebrates
Mammals
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Rare Species
Pacific water shrew
Ivory billed woodpecker
Crawfords sedge
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Network Priorities
Parameter Percent of Networks Riparian Plant
Communities/Vegetation Composition 64.7 Riparian
Vegetation Structure 58.8 Riparian Threats
47.1 Water Quality 35.3 Wetlands or
Wet Meadows 29.4 Riparian Processes 23.5
Riparian Habitat 17.6 Stream
communities 17.6 Geomorphology 11.8 Rip
arian Wildlife 11.8 Landcover 11.8 See
ps, springs, tenajas 11.8 Riparian
Communities- Cumberlandian gravelbars 5.9
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Riparian Monitoring in the Phase III Networks
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Other Monitoring Programs EMAP
A key goal of the EMAP Western Pilot is to
develop local experience with a broad range of
ecological indicators Water Quality Physical
Habitat (including Riparian) Aquatic
Macroinvertebrate Assemblage Fish and Aquatic
Vertebrate Assemblage Periphyton
Sampling Systematic Nationwide Grid Local
placement using GRTS
EPAs Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Program (EMAP)
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Other Monitoring Programs USFS (web site
http//fhn.fs.fed.us) Recognition the Forest
Inventory and Analysis Program does not
adequately sample riparian zones Delaware
Pilot Started in 2001 by Northeast Research
Station Very few plots because of extensive
hydrologic sampling John Day (Oregon) Pilot Used
rectangular and circular vegetation plots
co-located with EPA EMAP sample reaches. Wyoming
Pilot Used remote sensing
FHM Web site http//fhm.fs.fed.us
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Klamath Network (ideas)
Upland
Riparian/Wetland Zone
Upland
Vegetation Monitoring (Whittaker Plots)
Aquatic Communities (EMAP Type Approach)
Bird Communities (Point Counts)
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What do you want to talk about?
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• Heartlands Network
• Protocol- Stream Habitat and Riparian Assessment
  for Prairie Streams
• Affected Vital signs
• Stream habitat/riparian assessment
• stream discharge
• core water quality parameters
• Monitoring Objectives
• Determine temporal variability (among sampling
  years) of habitat (e.g., substrate size, woody
  debris) and riparian conditions (e.g., bank
  vegetation cover, canopy coverage) of prairie
  streams.
• 2. Determine spatial variability (among riffles
  and stream stretches) of habitat (e.g., substrate
  size, woody debris) and riparian conditions
  (e.g., bank vegetation cover, canopy coverage) of
  prairie streams.
• Sampling approach
• Aquatic GRTS sample

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North Coast Cascades Network Protocol-Remote
Sensing Affected Vital Signs Forest Vegetation
- Remote Fire and fuel dynamics Landscape
dynamics Disturbance Riparian Vegetation Prairie
and Coastal Vegetation Channel Characteristics
Rivers Snow cover Monitoring Objectives
Through the use of aerial and satellite imagery,
determine long-term changes in the following 1.
Frequency, areal extent, and spatial patterns of
large-scale disturbance events, including fire,
disease pathogens, geologic processes, wind and
storm events, flooding, and timber harvest. 3.
Species composition of overstory trees in
riparian zones. . 8. Channel characteristics of
rivers.
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• Cumberland/Piedmont Network
• Protocol- Vegetation Communities
• Justification and Approach
• The monitoring of vegetation communities is a
  combined Vital Sign that captures multiple
  high-priority interests of CUPN parks.
  Significant natural communities of interest for
  this category include grasslands, riparian areas
  and wetlands, calcareous glades, granitic domes,
  various forest types, and clifflines. The
  preservation of vegetation communities is key to
  the primary mission of all CUPN parks..
• Monitoring Objectives (none are riparian
  specific)
• Determine the long-term trend in spatial
  distribution of selected vegetation communities.
  (all parks)
• Identify invasive plant species spreading into
  selected natural communities. (all Parks)
• Determine if forest pests are spreading into
  selected vegetation communities. (all Parks)
• Assist fire effects monitoring to determine if
  prescribed burn goals have been successful to
  reach a desired future condition. (at least 4
  parks are currently burning)

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• Northern Colorado Plateau Network
• Protocol Integrated Riparian
• Vital Signs
• Riparian Plant Communities
• Surface Water dynamics
• Stream/wetland hydrologic function
• Justification
• Riparian zones are critical landscape elements
  harboring disproportional biodiversity.
  Integrated monitoring Increases understanding of
  dynamics and condition of these ecosystems of
  high management concern.
• Monitoring Objectives
• Assess
• areal extent, cover, species composition and
  spatial structure of riparian vegetation
  (trees, shrubs, forbs, grasses)
• cover of exotic plants
• continuous stream flow/discharge
• bank stability, stream channel morphology (of
  surveyed cross

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Sampling approach The monitoring of riparian and
aquatic vital signs is integrated to target five
vital signs riparian vegetation structure and
composition, stream hydrologic function, ground
water dynamics, surface water dynamics, and
aquatic macro-invertebrates. Riparian and
aquatic vital signs are sampled using a
Network-based sampling method that delineates
elements of the target population as
equal-distance elements located on network
segments, and draws a probability sample with
unequal sampling probabilities and a split-panel
design. The sampling design relies on a
hierarchical process-based stream classification
system similar to that described by Montgomery
and Buffington (1998)).
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Figure 4-3. Illustration of a GRTS sample for
monitoring riparian and aquatic vital signs. A
sampling frame for the two reach types (main
stem, tributaries) of Courthouse Wash, Arches
National Park. All tributaries are classified as
the samereach type in this example. Frame
elements are spaced ca. 500 m on each
reachsegment. B a GRTS sample of 30 sampling
locations.
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San Francisco Bay Network Vital sign Riparian
habitat Justification Riparian habitat is
closely tied to the health of wetlands, streams
and stream fish assemblages. Characteristics of
riparian habitat structure are highly associated
with amount and type wildlife use.
Objectives Determine status and trend of
riparian habitat by measuring species
composition, habitat structure, and width along
streams in SFAN parks. Sampling design
approach To be determined. On the ground
measures to be linked with remote sensing.
Co-location with other vital signs, such as
birds, may occur.
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• Appalachian Highlands
• Vital sign Riparian communities-Cumberlandian
  cobblebars
• Justification
• The cobblebar and cliffline communities of APHN
  parks represent globally imperiled communities
  that support many Federally- and state-listed T/E
  species and are potentially threatened by water
  pollution, changes in river flow, and changes in
  disturbances regimes.
• Objectives
• Determine how vegetation species composition and
  structure (percent cover, density) are changing
  in focal communities (cobblebars, cliffline
  communities)
• Determine long-term trends in species composition
  and community structure (e.g., cover, density by
  height class of woody species) of cobblebar
  communities at BISO and OBRI.
• Detect at least a 20 change in successional
  patterns based on height of woody vegetation and
  species composition in the 1-2m size class.
• Detect a 50 change in bare (unvegetated)
  substrate, associated with recreational use.
• Determine long-term trends in plant species
  composition and structure at selected cliffline
  sites at BISO, BLRI, and OBRI, comparing trends
  at recreational rock-climbing sites with
  unclimbed control sites.

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Sampling approach Map the cobblebars in both
parks. Sampling units (the cobblebars) will
likely be selected using a stratified random
design, with major tributaries being assigned to
different strata according to the quality of
cobblebar habitat on each stream (mean cobblebar
size, for example). Sampling transects will be
laid out systematically on each cobblebar to
measure vegetation structure and composition. A
complete census of selected rare plants will also
be conducted at each site. A rotating panel
design will be used in order to determine status
of this community over a large spatial extent.
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• National Capital Region Network
• Vital signs
• Forest vegetation (including riparian)
• Landcover
• Justification
• The riparian and upland forests in NCRN include
  at least 28 unique vegetation communities
  identified by NatureServe. Stressors include air
  pollution, loss of habitat due to development,
  erosion, visitor use, invasive species, and
  whitetailed deer.
• Objectives
• Determine long-term trends or changes in
• species composition and community structure
  (e.g., cover, density by height class of woody
  species).
• percent cover of native and nonnative
  herbaceous species and woody vines in natural
  vegetation communities.
• stem density of native shrub and tree species
  in natural vegetation communities.
• stem density of exotic and invasive shrub and
  tree species in natural vegetation communities.
• effects of deer browse on stem density of
  seedlings, saplings, shrubs, and pole trees.
• riparian buffers along streams in NCRN parks
• Protocol FIA approach, remote sensing

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• Sonoran Desert Network
• Vital Sign
• Vegetation Community structure
• Objectives
• Determine changes in community composition and
  relative abundance of perennial species on SODN
  park lands across multiple temporal and spatial
  scales.
• 2. Document the spatial and temporal variation in
  community composition and
• relative abundance of perennial plant species.
• 3. Identify long-term trends in community
  composition and relative abundance of perennial
  plant species.
• 4. Identify other environmental variables that
  play a key role in community composition and
  dynamics.

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Samping Approach Aquatic and riparian vital
signs monitoring will be highly integrated on
SODN parks where perennial waters exist. Several
vital signs including channel morphology, aquatic
macroinvertebrates, riparian vegetation, core
water quality parameters, water chemistry
constituents (nutrient levels, pollutant metals),
and microorganisms will be co-located. The
sampling frame for a park unit consists of all
perennial stream segments within the park unit
and a distance of 100 m upstream and downstream
of the park boundary. Sampling locations will be
selected using GRTS. A sampling reach will be
established as 40 times the wetted width of the
stream, as recommended by the EPA EMAP program
for monitoring wadeable perennial streams
(Kaufmann et al. 1999). The reach will be divided
into 10 equally-sized segments. Aquatic
macroinvertebrates will be sampled at the end of
each segment Three channel morphology
cross-sections will be located at the top of the
nearest riffle to the top, middle, and bottom of
the sampling reach. Water quality parameter
samples will be taken at the midpoint of the
reach, and a vegetation community structure plot
will be located on either bank at the midpoint of
the reach. This design results in the nesting and
co-location of seven vital signs
(Whoa dude!!)
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Mediterranean Coast Network Vital sign Riparian
plant community
Sampling approach-stratified random. 3 year
sampling frequency?