Proposed Sampling Design for Springs, Seeps, and Hanging Gardens Monitoring in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network.

摘要

In 2003, NCPN staff solicited input on natural resources of concern and ecosystem indicators, known as vital signs, from more than one hundred NPS staff and regional and national experts (ODell et al. 2005). Potential vital signs were evaluated for management significance and utility, ecological significance, scientific validity, feasibility and cost of implementation, and signal-to-noise ratio. Because of the scarcity of water on the Colorado Plateau and its disproportionately high use by flora and fauna, springs and seeps were quickly identified as an ecosystem of concern for the NCPN. After a set of network-wide vital signs were chosen, park managers were asked to select their top priorities for monitoring. Four parks identified springs and seeps monitoring as one of their highest priorities: Arches National Park (NP), Canyonlands NP, Hovenweep National Monument (NM), and Natural Bridges NM. This report describes the proposed sampling design for springs monitoring at these four parks, all of which are managed by the NPS Southeast Utah Group (SEUG). It also details our ability to detect a specified trend in annual median flow under various sampling frequencies using a power analysis of pilot data, defines the affordable effort for NCPN monitoring, and details sample site selection and a revisit strategy to meet monitoring goals.