:

S.Parkesa

Vegetation Criteria and Indicators to Assess Forests

within the Niagara Escarpment Plan

aFaculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, 33 Wilcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S3B3

Introduction:

The Vegetation Sampling Protocol (VSP) is a plot based, quantitative and standard

vegetation sampling method for settled landscapes of southern Ontario.

It is a spatial and repeatable method for best inventory and monitoring practices.

VSP field data are used to create a number of comparable, precise, efficient

and objective vegetation criteria and indicators.

Methods:

The VSP(1) protocol was used to collect data from 56 Carolinian

forest plots in the Niagara Escarpment.

Each fixed area (400m2 ) plot is circular.

The VSP entails a comprehensive full species list, tree and snag

measurements, regeneration, and soil texture.

Preliminary Results:

Standard field data has allowed development of vegetation criteria and indices such as:

Biodiversity, Indicators species, Invasive Species, Forest Characteristics, Forest Regeneration,

Mature and Old growth forests, Forest Structural , and Wildlife Habitat

Cross-comparison of criteria and indices is being also tested for the Lake Simcoe

Protection Plan.

Across 56 NE

Plots

Average # of

Species Per Plot

Total Species

Richness

227 25.96

Total Native

Species Richness

169 21.83

Total Non-Native

Species Richness

38 3.77

Plot Carolinian Indicator

Species

43, 44, 21, 54 Tulip tree (2)

49 Sassafras(2)

7, 8, 9, 22, 30, 32, 40,

51

Witch hazel(2)

36 Prickly Ash(2)

Conclusion:

The VSP allows the creation of standardized, measurable and repeatable

criteria and indices that are capable of detecting small changes in the

ecosystem over space and time.

VSP information supports evidence based: conservation and land use

planning practices; wildlife habitat, invasive species and forest management;

and better understanding of vegetation composition and structure

VSP could become a standard for inventory and monitoring of

vegetation that is necessary for conservation and natural resources

management and land-use planning.

The range of derived criteria and indicators can be used to inform

performance of the Niagara Escarpment Plan in 2015 and its revision.

Figure 1. VSP field measurements can be

used to estimate wildlife habitat in the

NE. Percent of all snags (143) by

Diameter class found across all 56 plots

in the NE

Figure 2. VSP field data enables

estimate of structural attributes

within a plot. Gradients of total

biomass (kg) in three plots in the

NE show that some forest types

have eight folds more stored

carbon than others.

Figure 3. VSP field data is used

to estimate biodiversity within a

plot. Gradients of mean

Coefficients of Conservatism for

four plots in the NE.

Table 1. VSP derived information provides a range

of biodiversity indicators. Data shows that non-natives

make 18% of total species richness, and some of these

are invasive species.

Table 2. VSP derived information identifies indicator species

characteristic of Carolinian forest.

OMNR-

U of T

Partnership

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

< 8 8 to 23 23.1-38 38.1-53 >53

Per

cen

t(%

)

Diameter Class DBH(cm)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

Plot 46 Plot 55 Plot 21

Tota

l B

iom

ass

in

Kil

ogra

ms(

kg)

Niagara Escarpment Plot Number

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

Plot 10 Plot 11 Plot 19 Plot 5

Mea

n N

ati

ve C

oef

fici

ents

of

Con

serv

ati

sm

Plot Number

The Percentage of Each Diameter Class DBH(cm)

of All Snags in 56 Plots in the NE The Mean Native Coefficients of

Conservatism

Of Four Plots in the NE

The Total Tree Biomass (kg) in Three NE Plots

11.28m

400m2

Carolinian Indicator Species Found in 56 NE Plots Total Species Richness, Native and Non-Native

Species Richness in 56 NE Plots

Supervisor:

D. Puric-Mladenovica

Acknowledgements:

This research was supported by the OMNR & Faculty of Forestry, U of T, Partnership, the Niagara Escarpment Commission, and

Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Fund. A big thank-you to Danijela Puric-Mladenovic for her advice and guidance throughout this project!

(1) Puric-Mladenovic, D., Bradley, D., Strobl, S., and MacIntosh, A. 2011. Vegetation Sampling Protocol, Retrieved: Nov 1, 2012; http://www.forestry.utoronto.ca/imsa/VSP/ (2) Carolinian Canada. 2011. Carolinian Canada Indicator Species, Retrieved Nov 1, 2012; http://www.carolinian.org/FactSheets_IndSpecies.htm

To know

more: Steven Parkes

(647) 973-4913

s.parkes@

mail.utoronto.ca

References: