Monitoring Reports - Vegetation

 

Floristic Quality Index

A useful method for determining the floristic quality of an area is through an analysis of the conservatism and diversity of species appearing in a plant inventory. Conservatism represents the degree to which an experienced field botanist has confidence that a given species is representative of a high-quality, remnant habitat (i.e., those natural areas with intact presettlement structure, composition, and processes). Native plants of a given region exhibit an observable range of conservatism. Therefore, each native species can be assigned a coefficient of conservatism (C value) ranging from 0 to 10, weedy to conservative, reflecting this disposition.

The Mean C is the average coefficient of conservatism for a site. The floristic quality index (FQI) is a statistic derived by multiplying Mean C by the square root of the number of species inventoried. In general, sites with FQI values less than 20 are degraded or derelict plant communities, or are very small habitat remnants. Sites with FQI values in the twenties through low thirties suffer from various kinds of disturbance, but generally have potential for habitat restoration and recovery. When sites have FQI values in the middle thirties or higher, one can be confident that there is sufficient native character present for the area to be at least regionally noteworthy. Sites with indices in the middle forties and higher are often also statewide significant natural areas (Wilhelm and Masters, 1996).

In addition to a general floristic inventory, woody species greater than 4" dbh (diameter at breast height) were recorded within each plot, and those less than 4" in diameter were recorded within a 10 meter by 10 meter (0.01 hectare) nested plot. This information was analyzed to record woody demography (Appendix 32) and can be used to compare with future years' results.

 

Floristic Quality Inventory data based on plot and transect inventory data of the entire site, remnant areas (Transect 1-7), and new native landscapes (Transects 8-12) from 1997 through 2000. In 1997, data was collected from reconnaissance surveys, not from transects.

 

Native Mean C based on plot and transect inventory data for the entire site, remnant areas (Transects 1-7), and new native landscapes (Transects 8-12) from 1997 through 2000. Transect data was not collected in 1997.

 

Floristic Quality Inventory of the remnant areas (Transects 1-7) based on transect data sampled at Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve from 1998 through 2000.

 

Native Mean C values for the remnant areas (Transects 1-7) based on transect data sampled at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve from 1998 through 2000.

 

Total species in the remnant areas (Transects 1-7) based on transect data sampled at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve from 1998 through 2000.

 

Floristic Quality Inventory of the new native landscape areas (Transects 8-12) based on transect data sampled at Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve from 1998 through 2000.

 

Native Mean C of the new native landscape areas (Transects 8-12) based on transect data sampled at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve from 1998 through 2000.

 

Percent native species in the new native landscape areas (Transects 8-12) based on
transect data sampled at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve from 1998 through 2000.

 

Total species in the new native landscape areas (Transects 8-12) based on transect
data sampled at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve from 1998 through 2000.

 

Total species in the new native landscape areas (Transects 8-12) based on transect
data sampled at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve from 1998 through 2000.