Life Sciences Commons^™

Joint Fire Science Program – Lake Mead National Recreation Area Revegetating Burned Arid Lands: Identifying Successful Native Species Using Trait And Competition Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, Time Period: October 1 — December 31, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Fire Science

• Article accepted for publication in Journal of Arid Environments.

• Recharged irrigation gel packs for outplanting and watered seed plots at Goodsprings site.

• Completed full year of seed granivory trials at Goodsprings site.

• Presented information on this Task Agreement to 4th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress.

• Maintained nursery plots and added installment of nitrogen treatment.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, July 1, 2009 To September 30, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• Weed Sentry staff surveyed over 55 miles and 311 acres (most of which was conducted by foot) this quarter.
• Planning for future Brassica tournefortii research projects has been implemented through collaboration between PLI and NPS staff.
• Preliminary results from ongoing Brassica tournefortii projects indicate little effect of disturbance on abundance of the species, but, as expected, the species benefitted with increased water availability
• Rare plant data monitoring and data entry for this season is complete.
• Pre-planning activities for the upcoming Northshore Road restoration plantings and evaluation were initiated.
• Gypsum restoration research is ongoing, data are being analyzed and …

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, April 1, 2009 To June 30, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• The Weed Sentry program surveyed over 187 miles (1,342 acres) of federal land by vehicle and foot in Clark County for incipient populations of exotic plants.
• Weed Sentry staff continue to survey never before surveyed sites, and trails and regions within Upper Las Vegas Wash CTA and Sloan Canyon NCA as requested by BLM managers
• In 2009 rare plant monitoring was completed. Data entry and analysis are in progress.

Joint Fire Science Program – Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Revegetating Burned Arid Lands: Identifying Successful Native Species Using Trait And Competition Analysis, Quarterly Progress Report, April 1 — June 30, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Fire Science

• Initiated a competitive hierarchy study.
• Monitored and maintained outplanting at Goodsprings.
• Completed more seed granivory trials at Goodsprings.
• Mentored student to completion of undergraduate research project.
• Monitored and maintained nursery plots.
• Revising article submitted to Journal of Arid Environments.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, January 1, 2009 To March 31, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• The Weed Sentry program surveyed over 126 miles (981 acres) of federal land by vehicle and foot in Clark County for incipient populations of exotic plants.
• Weed Sentry staff continue to survey never before surveyed sites, and trails and regions within Red Rock and Sloan Canyon NCAs requested by BLM managers.
• The 2009 rare plant monitoring was initiated and in progress.
• Northshore Road reconstruction monitoring was initiated and active monitoring and care of salvaged plants was performed by UNLV staff.
• Rana onca vegetation monitoring and reporting was completed.

Joint Fire Science Program – Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Revegetating Burned Arid Lands: Identifying Successful Native Species Using Trait And Competition Analysis, Quarterly Progress Report, January 1— March 31, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Fire Science

• Monitored and watered native plants in nursery plots.

• Exotic grasses seeded into nursery plots.

• Nitrogen treatment applied to nursery plots.

• Granivory study trials performed each month and corresponding abstract submitted to ESA.

• Competitive hierarchy study germination trials are underway.

• Monitored seeding and outplanting experiments at Goodsprings.

• Submitted article to Mojave Applied Ecology Notes newsletter updating on JFS work.

• Mentoring UNLV undergraduate student in research project for ENV 492.

• Prepared presentation materials for two scientific meetings.

Keeping Fountain Grass Out Of The Mojave Desert, Curt Deuser

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum) is an escaped ornamental perennial bunchgrass from Africa that has invaded parts of Hawaii and the Sonoran Desert. It is adapted to fire and increases hazardous fuels causing wildfires in areas that may not have historically occurred. It was detected in the late 1990’s within the Mojave Desert at Joshua Tree NP and along the Colorado River corridor on the shores of Lake Mohave. The extent of these populations was limited and a rapid response was necessary to keep it from spreading out of control. If no action is taken then fountain grass would spread by …

Athel (Tamarix Aphylla) And Athel Hybrid (Tamarix Aphyllax Tamarix Ramosissima)Establishment And Control At Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Carrie Norman, Curt Deuser, Joshua Hoines

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Athel is a large evergreen ornamental tree that has been planted throughout the Southwest since the 1950’s. Athel was considered benign because it was thought to produce non-viable seed unlike its invasive relative, tamarisk. However, athel began establishing in the wild from seed on Lake Mead in 1983. Lake Mead NRA has been actively controlling athel since November 2004 along the high water mark of Lake Mead shoreline (439 miles) to prevent it from spreading throughout the Colorado River Drainage. The NPS contracts Nevada Conservation Corp crews and the Lake Mead Exotic Plant Management Team to implement the control efforts …