North Cascades National Park Complex vegetation classification and mapping project report

A forest cover type classification was developed for the North Cascades National Park Service Complex in north central Washington, U.S.A., based on 425 reconnaissance-level plots. Detrended correspondence analysis (DECORANA) was used to ordinate the data. Temperature and available moisture were identified as primary environmental gradients. Two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) was used to classify the data, resulting in eight forest cover types: ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), whitebark pine – subalpine larch (Pinus albicaulis – Larix lyallii), mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and hardwood forest. The coniferous forest cover types, with the exception of ponderosa pine, were defined to have open and closed canopy components; each cover type includes a variety of plant associations. The cover types were integrated into a geographic information system used to create a cover type map that was 85% accurate. The forest cover types of the park complex are unique not so much for within-community diversity as for the close juxtaposition of cover types with interior and coastal climatic influences.

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Do dams also stop frogs? Assessing population connectivity of coastal tailed frogs (Ascaphus truei) in the North Cascades National Park Service Complex

Conservation Genetics ◽

10.1007/s10592-016-0919-1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 439-451 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jared A. Grummer ◽

Adam D. Leaché

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

National Park Service ◽

Population Connectivity ◽

North Cascades ◽

Ascaphus Truei ◽

The North ◽

Park Service

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Whitebark Pine in the Northern Cascades: Tracking the Effects of Blister Rust on Population Health in North Cascades National Park Service Complex and Mount Rainier National Park

10.20944/preprints201802.0148.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Regina Rochefort ◽

Shay Howlin ◽

Lacey Jeroue ◽

John Boetsch ◽

Lise Grace

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

National Park Service ◽

Mortality Rates ◽

Whitebark Pine ◽

North Cascades ◽

Blister Rust ◽

Mountain Pine ◽

Mount Rainier ◽

Mount Rainier National Park ◽

Park Service

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.) is a key component of subalpine and alpine ecosystems in the northern Cascades. The species survival is threatened by white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetles, fire exclusion, and climate change. Trees were monitored in permanent plots in two national parks three times between 2004 and 2016. The proportion of trees showing signs of blister rust infection increased in North Cascades National Park Service Complex from 32% in 2004 to 51% in 2016 and from 18% to 38% in Mount Rainier National Park. Mortality increased from 7% to 21% in North Cascades National Park Service Complex and 38% to 44% in Mount Rainier National Park. Annual mortality rates were calculated for three time periods: 2004-2009, 2009-2015/2016, and 2004-2015/2016. Mortality rates, annualized across the entire study period, were 1.47% in Mount Rainier National Park and 2.27% in North Cascades National Park Service Complex; these rates decreased between the first time period and the second, which could reflect blister rust resistance. Signs of mountain pine beetle were rare and limited to a few trees in individual plots. Although reproductive trees were found in most stands, densities were low and regeneration was dominated by subalpine fir.

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