Vascular Plant Inventory of North Cascades National Park Service Complex tabular data

Vascular plant inventory tabular data for North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 2001-2007. The vascular plant inventory of North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA) was conducted between 2000 and 2008. The initial step was to compile a potential species occurrence list by reviewing and editing an existing list for the North Cascades ecosystem created by George Douglas and Dorothy and Ralph Naas. The potential list included 1,402 species. Of this list, 62% of species were verified either by voucher specimen (47%), scientific study (14%), or observation (1%). Voucher specimens in the initial calculation of verification included specimens from five herbaria in addition to those curated at NOCA. Field surveys were conducted as part of the inventory for two reasons: 1) to verify the presence of 17 state listed species that had been previously documented in NOCA and 2) to increase the level of verification of the potential species list. Nine of the state listed species were located in previously documented locations, 8 could not be relocated. Field surveys were conducted in cooperation with the University of Washington utilizing both volunteers and NPS personnel and were targeted at under-surveyed areas. A total of 5,246 specimens were collected in the botany forays between 2002 and 2008 documenting 576 species including 57 new species, 40 that had been documented by observation or scientific study. The final vascular plant list for NOCA totaled 1,381 species and with 71% of the species verified by vouchers, 11% verified by scientific study and less than 1% verified by observation.

The purpose of this study is to accurately document the diversity and distribution of the vascular plant flora of North Cascades National Park (NOCA). To accomplish this, plant specimens were collected in the field, and brought back to the University of Washington Herbarium for proper identification. Once identified, each specimen received a label indicating the scientific name applied, the collection date, name of collector, and the locality where collected. Associated habitat data were included along with UTM and elevation data. One replicate of each specimen will be deposited at the NOCA Herbarium, another replicate at the University of Washington Herbarium, and a third replicate at another regional institution with partnership in the Cooperative Ecosystems Study Unit (CESU). Field collecting trips are led jointly by NOCA and University of Washington Herbarium staff. Field trips are supported by University of Washington Herbarium Volunteers.

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Organization: Department of the Interior