The North Carolina Vegetation Survey

1
The North Carolina Vegetation Survey

• Robert K. Peet, Michael P. Schafale, Alan S.
  Weakley, Thomas R. Wentworth, Peter S. White

2
What is the NCVS?

• A collaborative research program with the general
  goal of characterizing the natural vegetation of
  North Carolina and adjacent states (especially
  South Carolina)

3
What is the Gang of Seven (GOS)?

• NCVS had its origins in a meeting held at the
  North Carolina Botanical Garden in November,
  1987
• Seven individuals were present
• Norman Christensen Alan Weakley
• Robert Peet Thomas Wentworth
• Michael Schafale Peter White
• Rob Sutter

4
Who is the NCVS?

• The Gang of only four (GOOF)
• Robert Peet, University of North Carolina
• Convenor, data management, fieldwork
  coordination
• Thomas Wentworth, North Carolina State University
• Secretary, lodging, fieldwork logistics
• Michael Schafale, North Carolina Heritage Program
• Site identification and access
• Alan Weakley, Association for Biological
  Information
• Taxonomic information services
• Partners in crime e.g. Cecil Frost, Pat
  McMillan, Dan Pittillo, Richard Porcher, Chris
  Ulrey
• Volunteers about 400 volunteers have worked
  over 2260 days

5
NCVS Objectives

• Description, classification, and inventory of
  natural vegetation
• Interpretation of vegetation-environment
  relationships
• Long-term monitoring of ecosystem conditions

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Vision

• On the web The Carolina Vegetation Database
• Revision of the National Vegetation
  Classification
• A book The Vegetation of the Carolinas

7
The NCVS Protocol - Goals

• Consistent methodology
• Appropriate for most vegetation types
• FGDC compliant and broadly compatible
• Scale transgressive
• Flexible in intensity of use and commitment of
  time
• Easily resampleable
• Includes total floristics and tree population
  structure
• Includes major site variable, including soil
  attributes

8
The NCVS Protocol - Specifics

• Castanea 1998 63262-274
• 10 x 10 m ( 1 are) basic module
• 10 module preferred configuration
• Species presence in nested quadrats
• Stem tally area adjustable

9
Data Management Tools

• SAS-based quality control procedures
• Access database
• Carolina species codes
• Nomenclature follows Kartesz 1999

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The Pulse Approach

• Based on community collaboration
• Intense regional focus for one week
• Bootcamp for botanists?
• Botanical Woodstock?

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What Pulse Participants Receive

• Free T-shirt (usually)
• Free lodging (usually)
• Access to sites rarely available
• Botanical and ecological experience
• Taxonomic training
• Contacts with regional field biologists
• Insect bites, exercise, etc.

12
Past Pulses (1166 plots)

• 1988 NC Maritime Forest 93 plots
• 1989-90 NC Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodlands
  122 plots
• 1991-93 NC Coastal Plain Longleaf Pine
  Woodlands 201 plots
• 1994 NC Piedmont Vegetation Uwharrie Nat.
  Forest 78 plots
• 1995 NC Pisgah Nat. Forest Roan Grandfather
  Mts 74 plots
• 1996 NC Nantahala Nat. Forest Nantahala Mts
  91 plots
• 1997 NC Highlands Plateau Balsam Mountains
  93 plots
• 1997-99 SC Coastal Fringe Shell and Marl
  Forests 133 plots
• 1998 NC Hickory Nut Gorge Hot Springs Window
  74 plots
• 1999 NC Amphibolite mts Ashe Watauga
  Counties 75 plots
• 2000 NC Gorges State Park 76 plots
• 2000 SC Longleaf Pine Maritime Forest 56
  plots

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Supplementary Studies (1384 plots)

• Roanoke River Floodplain Steve Rice 142
  plots
• Linville Gorge Wilderness Claire Newell 181
  plots
• Shinning Rock Wilderness Claire Newell 160
  plots
• Joyce Kilmer - Slick Rock Wilderness Claire
  Newell 185 plots
• Ellicott Rock Wilderness Karen Patterson 57
  plots
• Montane Cedar Bluffs Christine Small 20
  plots
• Sandhills Longleaf Woodlands Richard Duncan
  67 plots
• SC Longleaf Woodlands Eric Kjellmark 131
  plots
• High-elevation Rock Outcrops Susan Wiser 154
  plots
• Carolina Bays Tim Nifong 287 plots
• Mountain Rivers Becky Brown plots pending

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Results Species frequencies2285 species in
2491 plots
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Who is missing?

• Rare species
• Weeds of fields and waste places
• Plants of marshes and wetlands
• Plants of special habitats

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Occurrences of Carolina Milkweedsrare,
uncommon (Weakley 2000)
31 Asclepias amplexicaulis 1 Asclepias perennis
9 Asclepias cinerea 0 Asclepias purpurascens
1 Asclepias connivens 13 Asclepias quadrifolia
58 Asclepias exaltata 3 Asclepias rubra
18 Asclepias humistrata 0 Asclepias syriaca
4 Asclepias incarnata 6 Asclepias tomentosa
3 Asclepias lanceolata 28 Asclepias tuberosa
27 Asclepias longifolia 14 Asclepias variegata
13 Asclepias michauxii 24 Asclepias verticillata
1 Asclepias obovata 2 Asclepias viridiflora
9 Asclepias pedicellata 0 Asclepias viridis
17
Case StudyFire-maintained Pine Woodlands

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Top 6 species in 521 pine-woodland plots

• 91 Pinus palustris (Longleaf pine)
• 75 Gaylussacia dumosa (Dwarf Huckleberry)
• 72 Pityopsis graminifolia (Grass-leaved
  Goldenaster)
• 63 Vaccinium tenellum (Small Black
  Blueberry)
• 63 Diospyros virginiana (Persimmon)
• 59 Ilex glabra (Inkberry Holly)

19
Top 7 herbs in 521 pine-woodland plots

• 72 Pityopsis graminifolia (Grass-leaved
  Goldenaster)
• 56 Aristida stricta (Carolina Wiregrass)
• 54 Pteridium aquilinum (Bracken Fern)
• 50 Solidago odora (Anise-scented Goldenrod)
• 43 Rhexia alifanus (Savannah Meadow-beauty
• 42 Ionactis linariifolius (Stiff-leaved
  Aster
• 42 Xyris caroliniana (Carolina
  Yellow-eyed-grass)

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Case StudyForests of the Nantahala Mountains

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Top 6 species in 1240 mountain plots

• 73 Acer rubrum (Red Maple)
• 58 Quercus rubra (Red Oak)
• 51 Smilax rotundifolia (Common Greenbrier)
• 48 Kalmia latifolia (Mountain-laurel)
• 47 Tsuga canadensis (Canada Hemlock)
• 46 Smilax glauca (Whiteleaf Greenbrier)

22
Top 6 herbs in 1240 mountain plots

• 40 Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas
  Fern)
• 38 Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit)
• 38 Solidago curtisii (Curtis Goldenrod)
• 37 Polygonatum biflorum (King
  Solomons-seal)
• 33 Ageratina altissima (White Snakeroot)
• 33 Maianthemum racemosum (Canada Mayflower)

23
Case StudyLower Roanoke River Floodplain

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Top 7 species in 652 Coastal Plain forest plots

• 48 Toxicodendron radicans (Poison-ivy)
• 44 Acer rubrum (Red Maple)
• 44 Parthenocissus quinquefolia
  (Virginia-creeper)
• 41 Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine)
• 41 Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum)
• 35 Smilax rotundifolia (Common Greenbrier)
• 34 Smilax bona-nox (Catbrier)
• (15 of the top 50 are vines)

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NCVS Report Card

• North Carolina Pulses 13
• South Carolina Pulses 4
• Numerous affiliated projects
• Total plots gt 2500
• Total species gt 2300

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Financial Support

• US Forest Service Savannah River Site (Longleaf
  Pine)
• US Forest Service Clean Air Program (NC
  Mountain Wilderness Areas)
• US Forest Service National Forests in NC
  (1994-1999 Pulses)
• The Nature Conservancy (Roanoke River Mellon
  Foundation)
• NC Heritage Trust Fund NC State Parks
  (1999-2000 Pulses)
• NC Agricultural Research Service (NCSU projects)
• National Park Service (Great Smoky Mountains)
• National Science Foundation (Data management)

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What Pulse costs annual expenses
Data management 9,000
Soil analysis 5,000
Lodging 2,500
T-shirts 700
Vehicle use 1000
Supplies equipment 1000
TOTAL 19,200
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The future of the U.S. National Vegetation
Classification

• Continuously updated
• Perfectly archived
• Plot-based
• Open process
• Primary literature

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The National Plots Database

• Broadly flexible input output
• Web-accessible
• Local client
• Easily searchable

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National Taxonomic Database?

• Concept-based
• Party-neutral
• Synonymy and lineage tracking
• Upgrade for ITIS USDA PLANTS?

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An Invitation

• June 2-9, 20012001 SC Coastal Fringe
  Grasslands, Marshes, Shrublands
• July 14-22, 2001Western NC Piedmont Adjacent
  Blue Ridge Escarpment
• Contact Bob Peet peet_at_unc.edu Tom Wentworth
  tom_wentworth_at_ncsu.edu