Rapid Assessment Monitoring program developed as a component of my senior project

1. Invasive Plant Rapid
Assessment Monitoring
Randall Stevens

2. San Diego River
• Unique 52 mile ecosystem from Julian
area to Dog Beach
• One of few remaining riparian habitats
in the County

3. Goals of Project
• Habitat assessment
• Establish a baseline
• Collect data to plan for treatment and
removal

4. BIODIVERSITY
• What do we have?
• What is disappearing?
• What have we lost?

5. Native Flora Conservation
• Primary producers that provide ecosystem
stability
• San Diego is a “Hot Spot”
• Historical value of S.D. River

6. Salix lasiolepis (Arroyo Willow)

7. Methods
• Design Field Data Sheet and Protocol
• Establish Survey Method
• Determine Statistics to Analyze
• Test Run

8. Field Data Sheet Sample
Invasive Plant Rapid Assessment Monitoring
File #: 4_S1_02272008 GPS Unit: Garmin eTrex Legend____________
Date: 2/27/2008 Time In:10:15 am Time Out: 12:00 pm
Location: Mission Valley Preserve South Stand #: 1
Surveyors: R. Stevens
Stand Boundaries NE SE SW NW
Wypts. 043 058 005 059
N E S W
Structure River Eucalyptus OB Bike Path Coaster Track
Wypt. Plant ID # Ht (ft) dbh (in) Canopy (ft) Resprout Structure Access
6 3 15 2 5,5 N G E
12 5 35 30 12 N T1 E

9. Survey Statistics Example
SURVEY STATISTICS: FILE #: 4_S1_02272008
Species # Ind. Median Canopy (m2) Total Canopy (m2) % Cover
Schinus terebinthifolius 9 7.3 115.97 0.701
Ricinus communis 6 0.31 4.91 0.030
Arundo donax 3 58.06 176.51 1.070
Phoenix canariensis 29 29.19 1278.82 7.820
Washingtonia robusta 1 7.3 7.3 0.040
Carpobrotus edulis 3 9.29 35.3 0.210
TOTALS 51 1618.81 9.871
Species Median Ht (m) Height Range Median dbh dbh Range
(m) (cm) (cm)
Schinus terebinthifolius 3.66 1.83-6.10 7.62 2.54-12.70
Ricinus communis 0.91 0.91-1.83 2.54 2.54-2.54
Arundo donax 6.1 4.57-6.10 5.08 2.54-5.08
Phoenix canariensis 6.1 1.83-15.24 50.8 5.08-76.2
Washingtonia robusta 3.05 3.05-3.05 10.16 10.16-10.16
Carpobrotus edulis 0.31 0.31-0.31 2.54 2.54-2.54

10. Survey Statistics Example
% Canopy Cover: 4_S1_02272008
Nonnative
Cover
9.81%
% Composition of Nonnative Canopy Cover: 4_S1_02272008
S. terebinthifolis
7.10%
C. edulis
2.13%
Native Cover R. communis
90.19% 0.30%
W. robusta
0.41%
A. donax
10.84%
P. canariensis
79.22%

11. Plant ID List Example
INVASIVE PLANT ID # MASTER LIST
Plant ID # Species Date Added
1 Schinus terebinthifolius Brazilian Pepper Tree 12.01.2007
2 Phoenix canariensis Canary Island Date Palm 12.01.2007
3 Arundo donax Giant Reed 12.01.2007
4 Tamarisk ramosissima Salt Cedar 12.01.2007
5 Ricinus communis Castor Bean 12.01.2007
6 Eucalyptus spp. Eucalyptus 12.01.2007
7 Washingtonia robusta Mexican Fan Palm 12.01.2007
8 Carpobrotus edulis Hottentot Fig 12.01.2007
9 Mesembryanthemum crystallinum Ice Plant 3.01.2008
10 Cortaderia selloana Pampas Grass 3.01.2008
11 Foeniculum vulgare Fennel 3.01.2008
12 Brassica nigra Black Mustard 3.01.2008
13 Myoporum laetum Mousehole Tree 3.01.2008
14 Nicotiana glauca Tree Tobacco 3.01.2008
15 Salsola tragus Russian Thistle 3.01.2008
16
17

12. Final Product
• Field Data Sheet
• Survey Statistics Sheet and Charts
• Ariel image printout of location
• GIS map of distribution

13. Arundo donax (Giant Reed)