A ten-year monitoring record of the western prairie fringed orchid at Pipestone National Monument...

A ten-year monitoring record A ten-year monitoring record of the western prairie fringed of the western prairie fringed orchid at Pipestone National orchid at Pipestone National

MonumentMonument

Gary D. Willson, Craig C. Young, and F. Gary D. Willson, Craig C. Young, and F. Adnan AkyuzAdnan Akyuz

Pipestone National MonumentPipestone National Monument

Location: SW MinnesotaLocation: SW Minnesota

Size: 282 acresSize: 282 acres


Protect quarries of Protect quarries of

pipestone used by nativepipestone used by native

Americans from prehistoricAmericans from prehistoric

times to the presenttimes to the present

Preserve remnants ofPreserve remnants of

tallgrass prairie and Sioux quartzite prairietallgrass prairie and Sioux quartzite prairie


Fire history in unit 2Fire history in unit 2

Apr 23, 1973Apr 23, 1973

?, 1976?, 1976

May 5, 1983May 5, 1983

May 2, 1986May 2, 1986

May 2, 1988May 2, 1988

May 5, 1990May 5, 1990

May 8, 1992May 8, 1992

May 4, 1994May 4, 1994

May 30,May 30, 19971997

May 2, 2002May 2, 2002

Western Prairie Fringed OrchidWestern Prairie Fringed Orchid

Monitoring ObjectivesMonitoring Objectives– Track changes in number and distribution of flowering plants Track changes in number and distribution of flowering plants

through timethrough time– Track changes in plant height as an indicator of plant vigor and Track changes in plant height as an indicator of plant vigor and

number of flowers per plant as an indicator of reproductive number of flowers per plant as an indicator of reproductive potentialpotential


Monitoring HistoryMonitoring History– 19851985 Orchid “discovered” in unit 2 Orchid “discovered” in unit 2– 19931993 Monitoring initiated in units 2 and 3 (2 person, random Monitoring initiated in units 2 and 3 (2 person, random

search)search)– 19951995 Monitoring method revised (4-7 person, systematic Monitoring method revised (4-7 person, systematic

search)search)– 20002000 Monitoring protocol written (4-7 person, systematic Monitoring protocol written (4-7 person, systematic

search)search)


Monitoring datesMonitoring dates19 July, 199519 July, 199522-23 July, 199622-23 July, 199623 July, 199723 July, 199723 July, 199823 July, 199829 July, 199929 July, 199911 July, 200011 July, 200014 July, 200114 July, 200116 July, 200216 July, 200215 July, 200315 July, 200313 July, 200413 July, 2004


Monitoring MethodsMonitoring Methods– Systematic search and countSystematic search and count

– Map locationsMap locations

Laser theodolite (Nikon Total Station)Laser theodolite (Nikon Total Station)

GPSGPS


Monitoring MethodsMonitoring Methods– Plant dataPlant data

Measure plant height (stem plus inflorescence)Measure plant height (stem plus inflorescence)

Count no. of flowers including flower budsCount no. of flowers including flower buds

No. of Flowering OrchidsNo. of Flowering Orchids

0

50

100

150

200

250

1995 199619971998 19992000 200120022003 2004

# Floweringorchids

Burn5/30

Burn5/2

Mean Plant Height and Mean No. of Flowers Mean Plant Height and Mean No. of Flowers per Plantper Plant

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

19951996 1997 19981999 2000 20012002 2003 2004

Mean plantheight (cm)

Mean no. offlowers per plant


Monitoring SummaryMonitoring Summary– Large range in no. of flowering plants, 0 (1998) – 221 (2003); Large range in no. of flowering plants, 0 (1998) – 221 (2003);

possible upward trend in nos.possible upward trend in nos.– Population clustered in 2 (low and wet) locations with outliersPopulation clustered in 2 (low and wet) locations with outliers– Significant difference in mean ht. of plants; no significant Significant difference in mean ht. of plants; no significant

difference in no. of flowers per plantdifference in no. of flowers per plant– Inconsistent response following Rx fire (burn 30 May, 1997, Inconsistent response following Rx fire (burn 30 May, 1997,

followed by 3 flowering plants that year and 0 in 1998; in followed by 3 flowering plants that year and 0 in 1998; in contrast burn 2 May, 2002, followed by 124 flowering plants that contrast burn 2 May, 2002, followed by 124 flowering plants that year and 221 in 2003)year and 221 in 2003)

– Inconsistent precipitation response (1997, driest year 1995-Inconsistent precipitation response (1997, driest year 1995-2004, followed by 3 flowering plants that year; in contrast 1995 2004, followed by 3 flowering plants that year; in contrast 1995 wettest year 1995-2004) followed by 37 flowering plants that wettest year 1995-2004) followed by 37 flowering plants that year) year)

A ten-year monitoring record of the western prairie fringed orchid at Pipestone National Monument...

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