**NPS Ecological Monitoring Framework**

The NPS Ecological Monitoring Framework is a systems-based,
heirarchical, organizational tool for promoting communication,
collaboration, and coordination among parks, networks, programs, and
agencies involved in ecological monitoring. Vital signs selected by
parks and networks for monitoring are assigned to the Level 3 category
that most closely pertains to that vital sign. For example, the vital
sign "Shoreline Change" is assigned to the Level 3 category of
"Coastal/oceanographic features and processes" within the Level 2
category of Geomorphology and Level 1 category of "Geology and Soils".
To promote collaboration among networks, a database has been developed
using the framework to show which parks and networks will implement
monitoring of vital signs within each Level 1, 2, and 3 category.

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  **Ecological                                             
  Monitoring                                               
  Framework**                                              
  -------------- ----------------- ----------------------- ------------------------
  **Level 1      **Level 2         **Level 3 Category**    **Comments**
  Category**     Category**                                

  Air and        Air Quality       Ozone                   
  Climate                                                  

                                   Wet and Dry Deposition  

                                   Visibility and          
                                   Particulate Matter      

                                   Air Contaminants        

                 Weather and       Weather and Climate     
                 Climate                                   

  Geology and    Geomorphology     Windblown Features and  
  Soils                            Processes               

                                   Glacial Features and    
                                   Processes               

                                   Hillslope Features and  
                                   Processes               

                                   Coastal/Oceanographic   
                                   Features and Processes  

                                   Marine Features and     
                                   Processes               

                                   Stream/River Channel    
                                   Characteristics         

                                   Lake Features and       
                                   Processes               

                 Subsurface        Geothermal Features and 
                 Geologic          Processes               
                 Processes                                 

                                   Cave/Karst Features and 
                                   Processes               

                                   Volcanic Features and   
                                   Processes               

                                   Seismic Activity        

                 Soil Quality      Soil Function and       
                                   Dynamics                

                 Paleontology      Paleontology            

  Water          Hydrology         Groundwater Dynamics    

                                   Surface Water Dynamics  

                                   Marine Hydrology        

                 Water Quality     Water Chemistry         

                                   Nutrient Dynamics       

                                   Toxics                  

                                   Microorganisms          

                                   Aquatic                 
                                   Macroinvertebrates and  
                                   Algae                   

  Biological     Invasive Species  Invasive/Exotic Plants  
  Integrity                                                

                                   Invasive/Exotic Animals 

                 Infestations and  Insect Pests            
                 Disease                                   

                                   Plant Diseases          

                                   Animal Diseases         

                 Focal Species or  Marine Communities      Includes coral
                 Communities                               communities

                                   Intertidal Communities  

                                   Estuarine Communities   

                                   Wetland Communities     Marshes, swamps, bogs

                                   Riparian Communities    

                                   Freshwater Communities  Standing water (inland
                                                           ponds and lakes) and
                                                           flowing water (rivers
                                                           and streams); emphasis
                                                           on aquatic biota

                                   Sparsely Vegetated      
                                   Communities             

                                   Cave Communities        Cave flora and fauna.
                                                           Physical and chemical
                                                           features and processes
                                                           should go under
                                                           Caves/Karst Features and
                                                           Processes

                                   Desert Communities      

                                   Grassland/Herbaceous    Includes tundra and
                                   Communities             alpine meadows, lichens,
                                                           fungi

                                   Shrubland Communities   

                                   Forest/Woodland         
                                   Communities             

                                   Marine Invertebrates    

                                   Freshwater              
                                   Invertebrates           

                                   Terrestrial             
                                   Invertebrates           

                                   Fishes                  

                                   Amphibians and Reptiles 

                                   Birds                   

                                   Mammals                 

                                   Vegetation Complex (use Catch-all category to be
                                   sparingly)              used in rare cases where
                                                           no other community type
                                                           can be used.

                                   Terrestrial Complex     Catch-all category to be
                                   (use sparingly)         used in rare cases where
                                                           no other category can be
                                                           used.

                 At-risk Biota     T&E Species and         
                                   Communities             

  Human Use      Point Source      Point Source Human      
                 Human Effects     Effects                 

                 Non-point Source  Non-point Source Human  
                 Human Effects     Effects                 

                 Consumptive Use   Consumptive Use         

                 Visitor and       Visitor Use             
                 Recreation Use                            

                 Cultural          Cultural Landscapes     
                 Landscapes                                

  Landscapes     Fire and Fuel     Fire and Fuel Dynamics  
  (Ecosystem     Dynamics                                  
  Pattern and                                              
  Processes)                                               

                 Landscape         Land Cover and Use      Includes landscape
                 Dynamics                                  pattern, fragmentation

                 Extreme           Extreme Disturbance     Records of floods,
                 Disturbance       Events                  windthrow, ice storms,
                 Events                                    hurricanes, etc., which
                                                           might also be placed in
                                                           Climate category.

                 Soundscape        Soundscape              

                 Viewscape         Viewscape/Dark Night    
                                   Sky                     

                 Nutrient Dynamics Nutrient Dynamics       

                 Energy Flow       Primary Production      
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Key Sources consulted during development of the framework: National
Vegetation Classification system; Parks Canada Ecological Integrity
Monitoring Framework; H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics
and the Environment. 2002. The State of the Nation\'s Ecosystems.
Cambridge University Press; M. A. Harwell et al. 1999. A framework for
an ecosystem integrity report card. BioScience 49(7):543-556; Noss, R.
F. 1990. Indicators for Monitoring Biodiversity. A Hierarchical
Approach. Conservation Biology 4:355-363; Cowardin Wetland
Classification System; EPA Framework for Assessing and Reporting on
Ecological Condition; European EUNIS Habitat Classification System.