Adaptive Management & Monitoring Regions 1 and 4, Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) FY01 Progress Report and FY02 Plans- October 1, 2001 Project Category: Watershed, Soils, and Riparian Project Title: Key Question #2: How are riparian systems affected by wildfire, particularly where fire has been excluded? Can we manage riparian areas to achieve RMO's? Project Leader: Kerry Overton and Gina Lampman Participating Research Contacts: Participating Forests/Grassland Contacts: Jim Whelan (Fishlake), Cheri Howell (Humboldt-Toiyabe), Tom Bandolin (Sawtooth), Peri Suenram (Beaverhead-Deerlodge) Funds - Total Project Cost and Timeframe (1-5 years):     2001: 0           Carryover: $0     2002: $225,000     2003-2005: (remaining costs...itemize if available) Progress in 2001: Field work did not begin in 2001 because of timing of funding. During summer 2001, gathered information on various protocols (R2, COE, NRST) available for use during the study. Scheduled NRST training on lentic riparian properly functioning condition assessment for spring 2002. Will try to coordinate PFC training with amphibian inventory training in R1. Plans for 2002: Field work will be conducted, beginning in spring, including classification, physical and biotic data collection, and PFC assessment. Analysis will begin. Products and/or tech transfer expected in 2002: none in 2002 Update: P71 now includes the Beaverhead-Deerlodge to expand study to R1. Field work and analysis is condensed to 1 year, if possible, with second year if follow-up needed. KEY QUESTION #2 STUDY DESIGN: For riverine and non-riverine riparian ecosystems, the study will provide comparisons of biotic and abiotic properties among the following situations: burned and unburned conditions under natural and less than natural fires frequency. SAMPLE DESIGN: (Non-riverine) To control for major influential factors (e.g. climate, geology, latitude), sampling will be in 4 separate regions: Northern Rockies/Upper Snake (Sawtooth), East Great Basin (Fishlake), Great Basin/Mojave (Humboldt-Toiyabe), Northern Rockies/Upper Missouri (Beaverhead/Deerlodge). Samples will be conducted on springs, lakes, or ponds similar in size, type and temperature (cool or thermal), one combination per region. At least 3 sites per region will be sampled for each of the following fire histories: fires 20-30 yrs ago, fire 30 yrs ago, fire 2 yrs ago and between 20-30 yrs ago, fire 2yrs ago and previous fire 30 yrs ago. If prescribed fire is planned, site can be used for direct comparison of some categories. DATA COLLECTION/ANALYSIS [In office: fire history in subbasins, other activities in subwatershed, aquifer maps, existing survey data, IWWI (watershed vulnerability, geomorphic integrity).] Field collections/Analysis What Method Variables for comparison Amphibian/fish Nets, traps Species composition, relative abundance, life history profiles per taxon   Ocular Breeding activity, est. breeding population Periphyton/Macro Invertebrates Scrub, grab, pick (springsnails) Species composition, biomass, BC1, B1, functional groups (e.g. shredders, predators), lifeUnknown taxa to taxa experts Other vertebrates Ocular Presence or evidence of presence Vegetation-riparian and aquatic Transects across systems Species composition, relative abundance, ht. of shrubs & trees, downed wood, & bareground Hydrology Hach or meters Physical/chemical properties (pH, DO, calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, phosphorus, specific conductivity, temperature, surface area, inflow, volume) Soils-submerged Sieved grabs Substrate particle size Soils-riparian Core Current area of hydric soils Soils-surrounding Core Extent of hydric soils (past evidence) Also,for HUC5 that contains spring or extent of aquifer up to HUC4. Vegetation-upland Various measurements by cover type/structural stage (a la Saab et al.) Upland veg conditions that can affect riparian contitions, semi-aquatic organisms, & aquifers Soils-upland Infiltration & water repellency (tie to P21, 22, 23) Upland soil conditions that can affect aquifer recharge & substrate particle size Assessmemts (for determining future utility as surrogate time-savers:)   Lentic assessment for riparian properly functions condition Unless recently done R4 riparian rapid assessment Unless recently done R4 upland rapid assessment Unless recently done WHO: Three person crew per Region (study area) covering knowledge in soils, hydrology, riparian vegetation, wildlife/fisheries biology; taxa experts for periphyton (lab), macroinvertebrates (lab for general), and springsnails (lab). TIMING: From beginning of amphibian breeding to end of September; weekly (amphibian and fish breeding period), biweekly (periphyton and macroinvertebrates), monthly (hydrology, soils), and mid-summer (vegetation, springsnails). ANALYSIS: ANOVA, multi-variate, non-parametric. PRODUCTS: Reports to all field units R1/R4 and on web sites; taxa and distribution information to Natural Heritage and USFWS. COSTS: Crew 4 crews x 3 people x $600/wk x 10 wk $72,000 Per diem $25d x 12 people x 4 day x 10 wks 12,000 Vehicle 4 crews x $200/wk x 10 wks 8,000 Travel/training PFC assessment 4 crews x 3 people x $400/travel 5,000 Lab Periphyton 12 sites x 4 areas x $200 x 5 collections 48,000   Macroinverts 12 sites x 4 areas x $125 x 5 collections 30,000   Springsnails: 12 sites x 4 areas x $200 x 1 collection 10,000 Equipment/Supplies Water chemistry meters x 4 crews 20,000   Nets, traps, grab, jars x 4 crews 6,000 Overhead   14,000,000 TOTAL $225,000

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