The North Carolina Vegetation Survey Robert K. Peet, Michael P. Schafale, Alan S. Weakley, Thomas R. Wentworth, & Peter S. White

What is the NCVS? A collaborative research program with the general goal of characterizing the natural vegetation of North Carolina and adjacent states (especially South Carolina)

What is the Gang of Seven (GOS)? NCVS had its origins in a meeting held at the North Carolina Botanical Garden in November, 1987 Seven individuals were present: Norman Christensen Alan Weakley Robert Peet Thomas Wentworth Michael Schafale Peter White Rob Sutter

Who is the NCVS? The Gang of only four (GOOF) Robert Peet, University of North Carolina Convenor, data management, fieldwork coordination Thomas Wentworth, North Carolina State University Secretary, lodging, fieldwork logistics Michael Schafale, North Carolina Heritage Program Site identification and access Alan Weakley, Association for Biological Information Taxonomic information & services Partners in crime – e.g. Cecil Frost, Pat McMillan, Dan Pittillo, Richard Porcher, Chris Ulrey Volunteers – about 400 volunteers have worked over 2260 days

NCVS Objectives Description, classification, and inventory of natural vegetation Interpretation of vegetation-environment relationships Long-term monitoring of ecosystem conditions

Vision On the web: The Carolina Vegetation Database Revision of the National Vegetation Classification A book: The Vegetation of the Carolinas

The NCVS Protocol - Goals Consistent methodology Appropriate for most vegetation types FGDC compliant and broadly compatible Scale transgressive Flexible in intensity of use and commitment of time Easily resampleable Includes total floristics and tree population structure Includes major site variable, including soil attributes

The NCVS Protocol - Specifics Castanea 1998 63:262-274 10 x 10 m (= 1 are) basic module 10 module preferred configuration Species presence in nested quadrats Stem tally area adjustable

Data Management Tools SAS-based quality control procedures Access database Carolina species codes Nomenclature follows Kartesz 1999

The Pulse Approach Based on community collaboration Intense regional focus for one week “Bootcamp for botanists”? “Botanical Woodstock”?

What Pulse Participants Receive Free T-shirt (usually) Free lodging (usually) Access to sites rarely available Botanical and ecological experience Taxonomic training Contacts with regional field biologists Insect bites, exercise, etc.

Past Pulses (1166 plots) 1988 NC Maritime Forest * 93 plots 1989-90 NC Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodlands * 122 plots 1991-93 NC Coastal Plain Longleaf Pine Woodlands * 201 plots 1994 NC Piedmont Vegetation – Uwharrie Nat. Forest * 78 plots 1995 NC Pisgah Nat. Forest – Roan & Grandfather Mts * 74 plots 1996 NC Nantahala Nat. Forest – Nantahala Mts * 91 plots 1997 NC Highlands Plateau & Balsam Mountains * 93 plots 1997-99 SC Coastal Fringe – Shell and Marl Forests *133 plots 1998 NC Hickory Nut Gorge & Hot Springs Window * 74 plots 1999 NC Amphibolite mts – Ashe & Watauga Counties *75 plots 2000 NC Gorges State Park * 76 plots 2000 SC Longleaf Pine & Maritime Forest *56 plots

Supplementary Studies (1384 plots) Roanoke River Floodplain – Steve Rice * 142 plots Linville Gorge Wilderness – Claire Newell * 181 plots Shinning Rock Wilderness – Claire Newell * 160 plots Joyce Kilmer - Slick Rock Wilderness – Claire Newell * 185 plots Ellicott Rock Wilderness – Karen Patterson * 57 plots Montane Cedar Bluffs – Christine Small * 20 plots Sandhills Longleaf Woodlands – Richard Duncan * 67 plots SC Longleaf Woodlands – Eric Kjellmark * 131 plots High-elevation Rock Outcrops – Susan Wiser * 154 plots Carolina Bays – Tim Nifong * 287 plots Mountain Rivers – Becky Brown * plots pending

Results: Species frequencies 2285 species in 2491 plots

Who is missing? Rare species Weeds of fields and waste places Plants of marshes and wetlands Plants of special habitats

Occurrences of Carolina Milkweeds **=rare, *=uncommon (Weakley 2000) 31 Asclepias amplexicaulis 1 ** Asclepias perennis 9 Asclepias cinerea Asclepias purpurascens Asclepias connivens 13 Asclepias quadrifolia 58 Asclepias exaltata 3 * Asclepias rubra 18 Asclepias humistrata Asclepias syriaca 4 Asclepias incarnata 6 Asclepias tomentosa Asclepias lanceolata 28 Asclepias tuberosa 27 Asclepias longifolia 14 Asclepias variegata Asclepias michauxii 24 Asclepias verticillata Asclepias obovata 2 Asclepias viridiflora Asclepias pedicellata Asclepias viridis

Case Study: Fire-maintained Pine Woodlands

Top 6 species in 521 pine-woodland plots 91% Pinus palustris (Longleaf pine) 75% Gaylussacia dumosa (Dwarf Huckleberry) 72% Pityopsis graminifolia (Grass-leaved Goldenaster) 63% Vaccinium tenellum (Small Black Blueberry) 63% Diospyros virginiana (Persimmon) 59% Ilex glabra (Inkberry Holly)

Top 7 herbs in 521 pine-woodland plots 72% Pityopsis graminifolia (Grass-leaved Goldenaster) 56% Aristida stricta (Carolina Wiregrass) 54% Pteridium aquilinum (Bracken Fern) 50% Solidago odora (Anise-scented Goldenrod) 43% Rhexia alifanus (Savannah Meadow-beauty 42% Ionactis linariifolius (Stiff-leaved Aster 42% Xyris caroliniana (Carolina Yellow-eyed-grass)

Case Study: Forests of the Nantahala Mountains

Top 6 species in 1240 mountain plots 73% Acer rubrum (Red Maple) 58% Quercus rubra (Red Oak) 51% Smilax rotundifolia (Common Greenbrier) 48% Kalmia latifolia (Mountain-laurel) 47% Tsuga canadensis (Canada Hemlock) 46% Smilax glauca (Whiteleaf Greenbrier)

Top 6 herbs in 1240 mountain plots 40% Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern) 38% Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit) 38% Solidago curtisii (Curtis’ Goldenrod) 37% Polygonatum biflorum (King Solomon’s-seal) 33% Ageratina altissima (White Snakeroot) 33% Maianthemum racemosum (Canada Mayflower)

Case Study: Lower Roanoke River Floodplain

Top 7 species in 652 Coastal Plain forest plots 48% Toxicodendron radicans (Poison-ivy) 44% Acer rubrum (Red Maple) 44% Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia-creeper) 41% Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine) 41% Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum) 35% Smilax rotundifolia (Common Greenbrier) 34% Smilax bona-nox (Catbrier) (15 of the top 50 are vines)

NCVS Report Card North Carolina Pulses: 13 South Carolina Pulses: 4 Numerous affiliated projects Total plots: > 2500 Total species: > 2300

Financial Support US Forest Service – Savannah River Site (Longleaf Pine) US Forest Service – Clean Air Program (NC Mountain Wilderness Areas) US Forest Service – National Forests in NC (1994-1999 Pulses) The Nature Conservancy (Roanoke River & Mellon Foundation) NC Heritage Trust Fund & NC State Parks (1999-2000 Pulses) NC Agricultural Research Service (NCSU projects) National Park Service (Great Smoky Mountains) National Science Foundation (Data management)

What Pulse costs – annual expenses Data management $9,000 Soil analysis $5,000 Lodging $2,500 T-shirts $700 Vehicle use $1000 Supplies & equipment TOTAL $19,200

The future of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification Continuously updated Perfectly archived Plot-based Open process Primary literature

The National Plots Database Broadly flexible input & output Web-accessible Local client Easily searchable

National Taxonomic Database? Concept-based Party-neutral Synonymy and lineage tracking Upgrade for ITIS & USDA PLANTS?

An Invitation June 2-9, 2001 2001 SC Coastal Fringe – Grasslands, Marshes, & Shrublands July 14-22, 2001 Western NC Piedmont & Adjacent Blue Ridge Escarpment Contact Bob Peet: peet@unc.edu Tom Wentworth: tom_wentworth@ncsu.edu