Post on 04-Aug-2020
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Demonstrate broad range of scales & topics to which AIM data are applicable
• Monitoring goals/applications• How sites were selected?• What indicators were measured?• Initial results
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• Monitoring goal
– Report on the status and condition of renewable resources on federal rangelands managed by the BLM and make available to the public
National Scale: BLM Rangeland Resource Assessment
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• National‐level reporting of rangeland condition (and trend)
• Low‐intensity sampling network across all BLM lands in lower 48– Landscape Monitoring Framework– Partnership between BLM, NRCS, Iowa State Univ.– Annual report of status– Trend reports every 5 years– 2011 report in review/revision
• AIM Core methods provide consistency, value to local monitoring efforts
National Scale: BLM Rangeland Resource Assessment
National Scale: BLM Rangeland Resource Assessment
• Sample Design– Probability‐based design
( 900 pts)
• Target Population– BLM rangelands
(lower 48)
• Stratification– Level II, III, or
combination of Level III EPA Ecoregions
• Data Collection– Funded by WO
– NRCS Crews
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National Scale: BLM Rangeland Resource Assessment
How were the sites selected?
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• Core Indicators– Vegetation composition
– Non‐native, invasive plant species
– Inter‐canopy gaps
– Vegetation height
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Line‐Point Intercept
• Contingent Indicators– Soil aggregate stability
• Supplemental Indicators– Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland
Health
National Scale: BLM Rangeland Resource Assessment
What were measured?BLM
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Percent of BLM Rangelands with Canopy Gaps > 2m
National Scale: BLM Rangeland Resource Assessment
2011 Results:
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Percent of BLM rangelands with presence of non‐
native invasive plant species
National Scale: BLM Rangeland Resource Assessment
2011 Results:BLM
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Stepping down National level data to assist in local decisions
5,043 total LMF Points from 2011‐
2014
2,000 points every year from 2015
onward
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BLM
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Stepping down National level data to assist in local decisions
BLM
Assessm
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IM) Stra
tegy• Establish quantitative, baseline conditions
– Sage Grouse Habitat Assessment Framework (HAF)
• Maintain sage grouse habitat– E.g., native perennial herbaceous plant cover on all sagebrush
habitats remains above 15% after 10 years with 80% confidence
Sage Grouse Habitat Assessments
Monitoring goals and applications:
Regional Scale: LUP Effectiveness
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• Sagebrush Cover• Forb/Grass Cover• Sagebrush Height• Forb/Grass Height• Forb Diversity
• Sagebrush Shape• Canopy Gaps• Special Status Species
• Soil Stability
AIM Core Indicators
HAF Indicators(Site Scale – Level 4)
AIM Core Indicators vs. HAF Indicators
Determine Habitat Suitability
• Define habitat indicator objectives
• Calculate indicatorvalues for sample locations
• Determine suitability for individual indicators
• Determine overall habitat suitability by sample location
Define or map GRSGseasonal habitats
Identify lands that can produce GRSG Habitat
Select project area & reporting units
sample Gather/evaluate sample data & point weights
Summarize by reporting unit
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Nesting/Early Brood‐rearing Habitat BLM
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Summer Habitat
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Supplemental IndicatorsBLM
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BLM
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• Use AIM quantitative to determine reclamation success in White River FO, Colorado
• Reclamation success criteria– E.g., Vegetation with 80% similarity to desired foliar cover, bare
ground, and shrub and/or forb density in relation to the identified Desired Plant Community.
Disturbance & Reclamation Monitoring
Monitoring goals and applications:
Regional Scale: Reclamation/Treatment Effectiveness
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Oil & Gas Surface Disturbance
Regional Scale: Reclamation/Treatment Effectiveness
AIM Monitoring Design
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• Core Indicators– Vegetation Composition
– Vegetation Height
– Bare Ground
– Canopy Gap
– Species Richness
– Soil Stability
• Supplemental Indicators– Shrub/Forb Density
Disturbance & Reclamation Monitoring
Regional Scale: Reclamation/Treatment Effectiveness
Seed rows
Transects
• Plot Layout Mods– Perpendicular to seed rows
• Sampling Design– AIM data as reference
– Desired Plant Comm. (DPC)
– DPC Specified in Plans
– DPC from AIM data on same ecological sites
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Disturbance & Reclamation Monitoring
Regional Scale: Reclamation/Treatment Effectiveness
Results – Pinyon Juniper range site
Criteria Indicators Values
Foliar Cover 37%
Bare Ground 27%
Shrub/Forb density(stems/acre)
5,370
Reclamation
Criteria Indicators Values
Foliar Cover 27%
Bare Ground 17%
Shrub/Forb density(stems/acre)
4,156
Nearby Undisturbed #1
>>>
Foliar cover and shrub/forb density are all within 80% of success criteria.
Bare ground requires a decrease of 7% to achieve success.
BLM
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Disturbance & Reclamation Monitoring
Regional Scale: Reclamation/Treatment Effectiveness
Results – Pinyon Juniper range site
Criteria Indicators Values
Foliar Cover 37%
Bare Ground 27%
Shrub/Forb density(stems/acre)
5,370
Reclamation
Criteria Indicators Values
Foliar Cover (n=27) 51% ± 3%
Bare Ground (n=27) 15% ± 1%
Shrub/Forb density(stems/acre) (n=6)
4,795 ± 1,292
All Similar PJ AIM Sites
<>>
• Foliar cover too low.• Bare ground too high.• Shrub/forb density is within
80% of success criteria.
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• Establish baseline conditions prior to permitting activities in the NPR‐A
• Provide consistent indicators and data collection approach for engaging multiple partners
• Understand the NPR‐A system and design an effective, efficient monitoring program for multiple indicators (Extended Pilot Study)
National Petroleum Reserve ‐ Alaska
Initial Monitoring goals and applications:
Regional Scale: LUP Effectiveness, Condition & Trend
Regional Mitigation Climate ChangeWildlife
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NPR‐A Indicators
Regional Scale: LUP Effectiveness, Condition & Trend
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NPR‐A Results – Strata Evaluation
Regional Scale: LUP Effectiveness, Condition & Trend
Example of homogeneous strata
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NPR‐A Results
Regional Scale: LUP Effectiveness, Condition & Trend
‐60.0
‐50.0
‐40.0
‐30.0
‐20.0
‐10.0
0.0
10.0
20.0
Coastal PlainWetland
Sand SheetWetland
Coastal PlainMoist Tundra
Sand SheetMoist Tundra
Foothills WetMeadow
FoothillsTussockTundra
Foothills LowShrub Tundra
Depth in
cm
Active Layer Depth & Moss/Duff Thickness
Moss DuffThickness
Active Layer Depth
FoothillsCoastal Plain
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NPR‐A Next Steps
Regional Scale: LUP Effectiveness, Condition & Trend
• Short term:– Develop range of variation for each stratum
– Move from pilot phase to implementation
– Implement remote sensing component
• Long‐Term:– Change detection
• Re‐measure plots
• Evaluate direction and magnitude of change
• Identify drivers (climate warming, development)
– Expand protocols for monitoring across Alaska?
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• BLM monitoring programs/projects are not islands
• Consistent data collected using consistent methods can be used by various audiences with different objectives (as seen in examples)
• AIM provides a framework for collecting unbiased data at different scales to facilitate combination and reuse of monitoring data
Conclusion:
National Scale
Regional Scale
LocalScale
LocalScale
LocalScale