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The North Carolina Vegetation Survey

The North Carolina Vegetation Survey. Robert K. Peet, Michael P. Schafale, Alan S. Weakley, Thomas R. Wentworth, & Peter S. White. What is the NCVS?.

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The North Carolina Vegetation Survey

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  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

  6. 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 63:262-274 • 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

  10. The Pulse Approach • Based on community collaboration • Intense regional focus for one week • “Bootcamp for botanists”? • “Botanical Woodstock”?

  11. 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

  13. 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

  14. Results: Species frequencies2285 species in 2491 plots

  15. Who is missing? • Rare species • Weeds of fields and waste places • Plants of marshes and wetlands • Plants of special habitats

  16. Occurrences of Carolina Milkweeds**=rare, *=uncommon (Weakley 2000)

  17. Case Study:Fire-maintained Pine Woodlands

  18. 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)

  20. Case Study:Forests of the Nantahala Mountains

  21. 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 Solomon’s-seal) • 33% Ageratina altissima (White Snakeroot) • 33% Maianthemum racemosum (Canada Mayflower)

  23. Case Study:Lower Roanoke River Floodplain

  24. 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)

  25. NCVS Report Card • North Carolina Pulses: 13 • South Carolina Pulses: 4 • Numerous affiliated projects • Total plots: > 2500 • Total species: > 2300

  26. 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)

  27. What Pulse costs – annual expenses

  28. The future of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification • Continuously updated • Perfectly archived • Plot-based • Open process • Primary literature

  29. The National Plots Database • Broadly flexible input & output • Web-accessible • Local client • Easily searchable

  30. National Taxonomic Database? • Concept-based • Party-neutral • Synonymy and lineage tracking • Upgrade for ITIS & USDA PLANTS?

  31. 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@unc.edu Tom Wentworth: tom_wentworth@ncsu.edu

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