Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)

Lichen Inventory for the Southwest Alaska Network

Project ID: P12AC15015

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: Oregon State University

Fiscal Year: 2012

Initial Funding: $135,000

Total Funding: $211,882

Project Type: Technical Assistance

Project Disciplines: Biological

National Park: Alaska Region

Principal Investigator: McCune, Bruce

Agreement Technical Representative: Miller, Amy

Abstract: This Task Agreement will support an inventory of lichens in Lake Clark (LACL) and Katmai (KATM) National Parks and Preserves in a collaborative effort by the National Park Service (NPS) and Oregon State University (OSU). As part of this project, NPS and OSU will: (1) complete field inventories in LACL and KATM based on collection gaps identified by NPS and OSU; (2) compile the taxonomic data into an MS Access database and associated geospatial database, and (3) provide supplementary information regarding species’ functional traits. The primary objectives of the inventory are to deliver a set of lichen collections for LACL and KATM, and to compile an ecologically relevant species list for each park that is representative of the major habitats in the park. The deliverables from this project will supplement nonvascular cover and frequency data collected during ongoing vegetation monitoring (2009-present), as well as park species lists compiled during the vascular plant inventories (2001-2005). Depending upon the outcome of this project and the availability of funds in the future, this Task Agreement may be modified to conduct additional work, including but not limited to inventory work in Kenai Fjords National Park. The results of the inventory will provide baseline data on lichen occurrence that may be used in resource condition assessments, vulnerability assessments, long-term ecological monitoring, and resource management. The project reports will be publicly available through either peer-reviewed journal article(s), and/or the NPS Natural Resource Technical Report Series

Deliverables: