Riparian and wetland plant associations of southwestern Idaho : with a focus on the Bureau of Land Management's Lower Snake River District PDF
Preview Riparian and wetland plant associations of southwestern Idaho : with a focus on the Bureau of Land Management's Lower Snake River District
BLM LIBRARY RIPARIAN AND WETLAND IDAHO PLANT ASSOCIATIONS CONSERVATION DATA CENTER OF SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO QK 156 with a Focus on the J358 . Bureau of Land Management’s 2001 c . 3 Lower Snake River District BLM/ID/ST-01/019+1730 iSC, ,vi3S8 Qoo\ cTt- Riparian and Wetland Plant Associatons OF Southwestern Idaho With a Focus on THE Bureau of Land Management’s Lower Snake River District Idaho Department of Fish and Game Idaho Conservation Data Center Compiled by Mabel Jankovsky-Jones Plant Research Ecologist Idaho Conservation Data Center Chris Murphy Wildlife Technician Idaho Conservation Data Center Cyndi Coulter Wildlife Technician Idaho Conservation Data Center with important contributions by Robert K, Moseley Former Plant Research Ecologist Idaho Conservation Data Center Copies ofthis publication may be ordered from: Bureau ofLand Management Publication Management Distribution Service Budding 41, E-16 (BC-650B) Denver, Colorado 80255+0047 THE COMPILERS Mabel Jankovsky-Jones is a Plant Research Ecologist for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Conservation Data Center in Boise, Idaho. Her work has focussed on inventory ofwetland and riparian habitat throughout Idaho. Prior tojoining the Conservation Data Center in 1995 she had a brief stint with the Wyoming Natural Diversity Data Base and worked with the Colorado Natural Heritage program to develop a riparian classification. The classification was completed as a masters thesis through the University ofWyoming Department of Geography. Chris Murphy is a Botanical Technician with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Conservation Data Center. He has a B.S. degree in Environmental Science from Western Washington University. For the last seven years, he has conducted vegetation, rare plant, and wildlife surveys throughout southwest Idaho. Prior tojoining the CDC, he worked on vegetation and wildlife studies in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, surveyed forests and rangelands for the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, and performed vegetation studies, as well as avian and herp surveys, for Idaho Power Company in Hells Canyon. With the CDC, he has worked on inventories of riparian and upland vegetation, and surveyed for rare plants, on the Owyhee Plateau, in the North Fork Clearwater, Snake, Boise, and Payette River drainages, and elsewhere. Cyndi Coulter is a Wildlife Technician for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Conservation Data Center in Boise, Idaho. She is currently nearing completion of a B.A. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Boise State University. She has assisted Dr. Dorothy Douglas of Boise State University with Pseudostuga menz/es/Vfield research and served an internship with Bureau of Land Management Boise District Botanist Ann DeBolt. Shejoined the Conservation Data Center in Boise during the 2000 field season. RESEARCH SUMMARY The low elevation riparian and wetland habitats of southwestern Idaho are the least studied of anywhere in the state in terms of classification of plant associations. Although, many wetland and riparian classifications from adjacent, mostly higher-elevation portions of Idaho and surrounding states may be applicable, unique environmental and physical conditions contribute to the formation of undescribed types. Currently, Bureau of Land Management managers in southwestern Idaho have no useful communication tool (/.e., standardized classification) to compare successional states ofdifferent watersheds, to characterize reference sites in high ecological condition, to understand site potential for Proper Functioning Condition assessments, to communicate with managers in surrounding areas, or to set ecological goals for riparian and watershed health. This project assessed the diversity ofwetland and riparian plant associations on the Lower Snake River District through field inventory and sampling. High quality references areas, such as Bureau of Land Management Areas of Critical Environmental Concern and Research Natural Areas, and private conservation lands of The Nature Conservancy were sampled. From these inventories, a guide to the riparian plant associations of southwestern Idaho including a key to their identification and supporting descriptive material was compiled. This modest project involved three phases that began in 1998 with a riparian community inventory of 14 reference areas managed by the Bureau of Land Management in southwestern Idaho (Moseley 1998). It was expanded with Phase 2 in 1999 to include three additional studies whose objectives included: 1) a second year of inventory work in 16 selected reference areas; 2) a study of the stream and riparian conditions on the Rocking M Wildlife Conservation Easement Area in Hells Canyon; and 3) an ecological assessment of the 45 Ranch Allotment funded by The Nature Conservancy (Moseley 1999). The final and third phase of the project presented here includes data from inventories at additional reference areas and integration of data from related projects in southwest Idaho (Jankovsky-Jones et at. 2000, Rust et al. 2000 ). Multivariate analysis of riparian plot data, along with subjective evaluation of community observations, was used to identify plant associations within the study area. Ninety-nine plant associations were identified in southwestern Idaho during the three phases of this project. Ofthese, 23 are considered tentative, where confidence in their classification certainty is low. This report is a guide to the wetland and riparian plant associations in southwestern Idaho. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The first two phases of this project were completed by Robert (Bob) K. Moseley formerly of the Idaho Conservation Data Center. Much ofthe information was originally summarized by Bob in previous reports to the Bureau of Land Management and is reproduced here with minor edits. In previous reports Bob acknowledged the assistance of Jim Klott, Jack LaRocco, and John Doremus from the Lower Snake River District of the Bureau of Land Management, and Jerry Scholten of the Idaho Department of Fish and Game for assistance in identification of reference areas. Most of the field inventories were completed by Bob with the assistance of Michael Mancuso and Chris Murphy of the CDC. Additional data from related projects provided by Steve Rust and Mabel Jankovsky- Jones contributed to the description ofwetland and riparian habitats in southwestern Idaho. The compilation of this report was a team effort carried out by several staff members at the CDC. Cyndi Coulter entered field data and formatted association descriptions, photos, and stand tables for this document. Association descriptions were prepared by Bob, Chris, and Mabel. Chris also completed numerous sections of text including the study area description, several tables, the species list, the key to plant associations, and the bibliography. Mabel conducted the data analysis and interpretation, developed stand tables, completed sections ofthe report, and managed the many little details related to production. Careful editorial review was provided by Terry Vernholm of Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Ann Debolt with the Bureau of Land Management. Renai Brogden of Idaho Department of Fish and Game designed the document cover. Jared Hodges of Idaho Department of Fish and Game provided technical computer support. Bart Butterfield of Idaho Department of Fish and Game helped with the GIS map in Figure 1 Melinda Rittacco with the Bureau of Land Management provided assistance with preparation of . this document for priniting. A final acknowledgement is extended to the Bureau of Land Management for funding and supporting the production of this document. II TABLE OF CONTENTS THE COMPILERS I RESEARCH SUMMARY I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS II TABLE OF CONTENTS Ml LIST OF TABLES VI LIST OF FIGURES VI LIST OF APPENDICES VI INTRODUCTION 1 OBJECTIVES 2 STUDY AREA 2 GEOPOLITICAL LOCATION 2 Geographic, Ecoregional, Geologic, and Climatic Setting 2 METHODS 6 Field Methods 6 Reference Areas and Sample Sites 6 Field Data Collection 11 Office Methods 11 Data Analysis 11 Site and CommunityData Bases 12 Clarification ofTerms 12 RIPARIAN AND WETLAND FLORA 13 RIPARIAN AND WETLAND VEGETATION 14 KEY TO PLANT ASSOCIATIONS. COMMUNITY TYPES, AND DOMINANCE TYPES 21 Keyto major hydrologic groups 21 Keyto dominance groups 22 Keyto needle-leaved evergreen forestandwoodland types 22 Key to broad-leaved deciduous foresttypes 23 Keyto scrub-shrubtypes 24 Key to Salix spp. types 24 Keyto other scrub-shrubtypes 26 Keyto herbaceous types 28 Key to graminoid types 28 Keyto forbtypes 32 Ephemeral riparianandwetland types 33 PLANT ASSOCIATION DESCRIPTIONS 36 FORESTED ASSOCIATIONS 37 ALNUS RHOMBIFOLIA/PHILADELPHUS LEWISII 37 POPULUS TREMULOIDES/CORNUS SERICEA 39 POPULUS trichocarpa/Crataegus douglasii 42 POPULUS TRICHOCARPA/ROSAWOODSII 43 POPULUStrichocarpa/Salix lasiandra 45 POPULUS trichocarpa/Salix lutea 47 POPULUS trichocarpa/Symphoricarposalbus 48 POPULUS trichocarpa/Acerglabrum 50 Salixamygdaloides 51 Miscellaneous forested plantassociations 51 Unclassified Populustremuloides/ tallshrub communities 51 POPULUS TRICHOCARPA/POA PRATENSIS COMMUNITYTYPE 52 Populus trichocarpa/Barren PlantAssociation 53 Forested plantassociations expectedto occur or noted but not sampled 54 Woodlandassociations 55 JUNIPERUS OCCIDENTALIS EPHEMERAL DRAINAGE 55 JUNIPERUS SCOPULORUM/ELYMUS GLAUCUS 57 JUNIPERUS SCOPULORUM/EQUISETUM SPP 59 PSEUDOTSUGA menziesii/Acer glabrum-Physocarpus MALVACEUS floodlplain 61 PSEUDOTSUGA MENZIESIl/CORNUS SERICEA 62 TALL SHRUB ASSOCIATIONS 64 BETULA OCCIDENTALIS/CORNUS SERICEA 64 Betula occidentalis/Mesic forb 66 BETULA OCCIDENTALIS/PHILADELPHUS LEWISII 68 Betula occidentalis/Poa pratensis 70 Crataegus douglasii/Rosawoodsii 71 CORNUS SERICEA 73 PHILADELPHUS LEWISII 75 Prunus virginiana 77 PRUNUSVIRGINIANA/ELYMUS GLAUCUS 79 Rhus trilobata shrubland 81 Salix exigua/Barren 82 Salix exigua/Mesic graminoid 84 Salix geyeriana/Carex utriculata 86 Salix geyeriana/Mesic forb 88 Salix geyeriana/Mesic graminoid 91 Salix lasiandra/Bench 94 Salix lasiandra/Cornus sericea 96 Salix lasiolepis 98 Salix lasiolepis/Barren 101 Salix lemmonii/Bench 103 Salix lutea/Rosawoodsii 105 Miscelianeous Tall Shrub PiantAssociations 107 Ribesaureum 107 Prunus emarginata 107 Salix fxigua/Mesic forb 107 Salix exigua/Poa pratensis 108 Salix exigua/Rosawoodsii 108 Salix geyeriana-Salix boothii/Rosawoodsii 109 Salix lasiandra/Mesic forb 109 Sai IX lutea/Poa pratensis 110 Salix i.utea/Barren 110 IV 1 Salix lutea/Bench 110 Tall shrub plantAssociations Expectedto Occuror Noted but Not Sampled 11 LOW SHRUB ASSOCIATIONS 112 Artemisiacanassp. viscidula/Dry graminoid 112 Artemisia cana ssp. viscidula/Festuca idahoensis 114 Artemisia cana/Muhlenbergia richardsonis 116 Artemisia papposa 118 Artemisiatridentata ssp. tridentata/Elymus cinereus 120 Sarcobatusvermiculatus/Distichlis spicata 122 Sarcobatusvermiculatus/Elymuscinereus 124 Miscellaneous lowshrub plantassociations 125 ArtemisiaARBUSCULA (longiloba) ephemeral drainage 125 Artemisia cana/Mesic graminoid 127 UnclassifiedArtemisiatridentata ssp. tridentataassociations 127 Sarcobatusvermiculatus/Poasecundaassociation 128 LowSHRUB PLANTASSOCIATIONS EXPECTEDTO OCCUROR NOTED BUT NOTSAMPLED 128 GRAMINOID ASSOCIATIONS 129 Agropyron smithii 129 Carex lanuginosa 130 Carex nebrascensis 132 Carex praegracilis 134 Carex siMULATA 135 Carex utriculata 137 Danthoniacalifornica 139 DISTICHLIS SPICATA 141 Eleocharis PALUSTRIS LOTIC 143 ELEOCHARIS PALUSTRISVERNAL POOL 145 Eleocharis rostellata 147 Glyceria grandis 149 Hordeum brachyantherum 151 Juncus balticus 153 Phragmitesaustralis 155 SCIRPUSACUTUS (VALIDUS) 157 SCIRPUSAMERICANUS 159 SCIRPUS PUNGENS 161 Sporobolusairoides 163 Miscellaneous graminoid plantassociations 164 Alopecurus sp. vernal pool 164 Carex douglasii 164 Carex SHELDONii 164 Carexvulpinoidea 165 Elymustriticoides 165 Juncus EFFusus 165 Muhlenbergia richardsonis 166 Paspalum DISTICHUM 167 POA NEVADENSIS 167 POA PRATENSIS (PALUSTRIS) 168 SCIRPUS MICROCARPUS 169 SCIRPUS PALLIDUS 169 Unclassifiedvernal poolassociations 169 Graminoid dominated plantassociations expectedto occur or noted butnotsampled 171 FORB ASSOCIATIONS 172 Artemisia ludoviciana 172 Berula erecta 174 CAMASSIACUSICKIl SEEP 176 V LEPIDIUM DAVISII 178 Polygonum amphibium (coccineum) 180 Typha latifolia 181 Miscellaneous forb pla,ntassociations 182 Mimulus guttatus 182 Forb plantassociations expected to occur or noted but not sampled 82 1 REFERENCES 183 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Reference areas sampled in southwestern Idaho for riparian, wetland, and ephemeral , WETLAND plantASSOCIATIONS 8 Table 2. Plant Species of Special Concern documented fromwetlandand riparian habitat in the SURVEYAREA 15 Table 3. Riparian andwetland plantassociations documented from southwestern Idaho during 1997-2000 16 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Location of referenceareas sampled in southwestern Idaho. 3 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A. Plants encountered in riparian, wetland, aquatic, and ephemeralareas within the SHADSCALE, SAGEBRUSH STEPPE, JUNIPER, AND LOWER MONTANEZONES OF SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO. Appendix B. List of plantassociationsandacronyms used inappendix C. Appendix C. Constancyand canopy cover of plant species. Appendix D. CDC siteand community reporting forms. Appendix E. Photo Credits. VI
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