forestservice
The effect of forest management
activities on the population persistence of rare plant Appalachian
Jacob's ladder (Polemonium vanbruntiae)
in the Green Mountain National Forest
A challenge
cost-share agreement with the University of Vermont and
United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Green
Mountain/Finger Lakes National Forests
The purpose of the collaboration is to monitor and evaluate the rare
populations of Polemonium
vanbruntiae (Appalachian Jacob’s ladder) in the Green
Mountain
National Forest. Specifically, this research will determine what
effects forest management activities and disturbance may have on P. vanbruntiae prior to management
activities.
It is important to determine what effects disturbance will have on
threatened and endangered plant populations prior to management
activity. Potential management activities affecting P. vanbruntiae
populations include forest road maintenance (grading, mowing, etc.) and
timber-harvesting within the Green Mountain National Forest.
Disturbance as a result of these activities include the introduction of
invasive species via road corridors, altered hydrology, and
white-tailed deer browsing.
Study Objectives:
- To collect 3-5 years of information on the
demography, life-cycle
transition probabilities, and population dynamics of 8 natural
populations of Appalachian Jacob’s ladder occurring on Green
Mountain
National Forest land in Vermont.
- To use this demographic data to build matrix
population models to
determine future population growth rates and extinction risk under
various disturbance regimes (i.e., road maintenance, canopy-opening,
deer herbivory, invasive species).
- To build informative models to indicate
potential habitats to
search for new populations of Appalachian Jacob’s ladder.
A key to determining the impact of disturbance on a population is
to
analyze how disturbance interacts with population dynamics to affect
the population’s response. We can predict long-term
population
trends under various management and disturbance scenarios by developing
population viability analyses using matrix population modeling.
We also are using ArcGIS to target areas of suitable habitat within the
Green Mountain National Forest. The Forest Service will target
efforts in searching for new populations of Appalachian Jacob's ladder
at these sites.
We have completed 1 year of field data collection and ArcGIS modeling.
We are gearing up for the 2009 field season and working with
students in the School of Natural Resources at the University of
Vermont to refine the layers and accuracy of our GIS maps.
Please email Dr. Laura Hill
Bermingham if you would like more information on this project.
Last modified February 01 2009 12:34 PM
