Regional Monitoring and Assessment of Invasive Plant Species

Nonnative and Invasive Plant Species Surveys:
Regional Inventory and Assessment of Noxious Weeds

The objective of earth-surface surveys is to accurately identify and delineate areas with attributes of interest, such as nonnative invasive species populations or wood resources. Questions usually addressed are those of what, where, and how much exists. Scientists and managers conduct inventories to predict areas likely to contain the attributes, how they got there, and the ways they interact with their environment. All such information is used to develop, implement and evaluate management plans; assess economic impacts, and increase public awareness and education about needed control, planning, and research efforts. Repeated inventories monitor attributes over an extended time period.

With noxious plant species, inventories provide information about the geographic range of species populations and the density of infected resources. A sample-based inventory is applied over a large area to estimate attributes with a stated range of confidence, and baseline information for estimating change over time. An Operational Inventory (OI) estimates populations or resources within a given management area so that effective treatments can be accomplished. A Strategic Inventory (SI) estimates populations or resources to gain information about efficient allocation of management activities. A Strategic Multipurpose Resource Inventory (SMRI) estimates two or more populations, such as the wood resource and the population of organisms affecting the resource.

Strategic Multipurpose Resource Inventories (SMRI) Operational Inventories (OI)

(SMRI) Probability Detection Using Systematically-Arranged Permanent Sample Plots

These strategic, sample-based inventories can be used to satisfy several objectives, to (1) evaluate associations with associated attributes, (2) estimate the extent and range of species occurrences, (3) identify areas for further study, (4) model suitability, risk, or vulnerability, and (5) describe species occurrence hot spots.

USDA Forest Service - Inventory and Monitoring Program: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)

Example: Southeastern United States (White=<25% forested), 1989-1995 surveys

Nonforest Land - No Measurement

Forest Land - Measurements

Sample-based Detection Protocol, go to the manual website, scroll to Section 4, and within that, to Item R401http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/fia/manual/p2manual.htm

Nonnative Invasive Species Lists and FIA Contacts (PDF)

Four-Season FIA Species ID Guide: Southern U.S.

Early Results-States containing the Southern Appalachians

Early Results-11 Southern States

(OI) Detection and Mapping of Infested Areas, Revisits to Infected Locations

USDA Forest Service National Forest System - Noxious Weed Strategy (PDF)

Inventory, Mapping, and Monitoring (page 16)

Selected State Programs:

Colorado http://www.ag.state.co.us/DPI/weeds/mapping/CWMProgram.html

Montana http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/pubs/mt9613.html

Assembled by Vic Rudis 
November 5, 2003