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

2. 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)

3. 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

4. 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

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

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

7. 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

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

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

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

11. 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.

12. Past Pulses (1166 plots) 1988 NC Maritime Forest * 93 plots
NC Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodlands * 122 plots
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
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

13. 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

14. Results: Species frequencies 2285 species in 2491 plots

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

16. 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

17. Case Study: Fire-maintained Pine Woodlands

18. 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)

19. 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)

20. Case Study: Forests of the Nantahala Mountains

21. 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)

22. 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)

23. Case Study: Lower Roanoke River Floodplain

24. 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)

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

26. 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 ( Pulses)
The Nature Conservancy (Roanoke River & Mellon Foundation)
NC Heritage Trust Fund & NC State Parks ( Pulses)
NC Agricultural Research Service (NCSU projects)
National Park Service (Great Smoky Mountains)
National Science Foundation (Data management)

27. 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

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

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

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

31. An Invitation
June 2-9, SC Coastal Fringe – Grasslands, Marshes, & Shrublands
July , 2001 Western NC Piedmont & Adjacent Blue Ridge Escarpment
Contact Bob Peet: Tom Wentworth: