Cover title; Includes draft: Species conservation strategy: pumice grape fern, 1992, botrychium pumicola cov. in underw, Deschutes National Forest sensitive plant program
1 SUMMARY The objective of this conservation strategy is to protect, enhance or restore the pumice grape fern habitat to ensure long term species viability. Legal Status and Population Size The pumice grape fern (Botrychium pumicola Cov. in Underw.) is an inconspicuous fern-like species that occurs in recent (less than 6700 year-old), pale pumice (or dark pumice from South Sister) at high elevations in the Oregon Cascades and in a scattered distribution pattern in Mazama or Newberry pumice plume areas of Central Oregon which are typified as lodgepole basins or frost pockets. The pumice grape fern is endemic with a fragmented distribution pattern extending from Crater Lake National Park on the south to Broken Top in the Three Sisters Wilderness to a sage steppe/lodgepole pine habitat 65 miles east of Crater Lake. Land on which the plants have been located are managed by federal agencies which include the Deschutes, Winema and Fremont National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, Crater Lake National Park, Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and Bonneville Power Administration. At this time there are 110 documented sites of pumice grape fern in seven known locales: Crater Lake National Park, Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, Newberry Crater area, and three general montane lodgepole basin areas of central Oregon. Plant counts per site range from one to 1500 or more, and it is estimated that the total population size of this central Oregon endemic species is a conservative 13,000 plants. It is designated by the Forest Service as Sensitive, federally listed as a Category 1 species and considered threatened throughout its known range by the Oregon Natural Heritage Data Base; listing by the State of Oregon is pending. Distribution Within its overall range, pumice grape fern exhibits a scattered and patchy distribution. The greatest concentrations are found on open exposed rocky or pumice slopes in alpine locales at Crater Lake, Broken Top, and Newberry Crater and in some montane frost pockets of lodgepole pine openings in Central Oregon. The distribution is hypothesized as being closely linked to pumice substrate from Mt. Mazama, Newberry and South Sister eruptions and the cold temperature regimes associated with the habitats. The only known dispersal mechanism available to the plant is wind dispersal of spores, although animals/insects may indirectly assist in movement of spores on fur, hooves, feet, or other means. Life History and Threats What we know: The life history characteristics of the pumice grape fern apparently limit it to habitats which provide for the restricted growth and propagation patterns exhibited by this fern-like plant. * A gametophyte stage which develops in darkness (under snow cover or underground but never observed.) * Requirement of moisture for fertilization of egg by swimming sperm. * A mycorrhizal association to assist in gametophyte development and * 2 probably help maintain the sporophyte when, and if, it does not produce a photosynthetic frond. * Production of spores by an irregularly dehiscing sporangia, i.e. spores shed and dispersed primarily by gravity and air currents, and not "flung" from the sporangiophore by a more typical "advanced" fern sporangium, * Apparently best adapted to open full sun habitats, cold temperatures and pumice substrate associated with the 6-7,000 year old Mazama, 1350 year old Newberry pumice plumes, or 1600 year old South Sister (Devils Hill) plumes. * The plants are apparently self-fertilized, providing little means for genetic variability and adaptability. These aspects of the species' life history may contribute directly to the species' rarity. The biological requirements of the plant in association with fungal mycorrhiza and the delicate nature of the subterranean perennial leaf primordia are hypothesized as being the species' weak links. This may also be related to its preference for the restricted and rare habitat of youthful high-silica pumice substrate. pects of our current forest management pose a threat to the viability of the ecies when combined with the life history requirement of the pumice grape rn. * Absence of natural fire has created closed canopies, heavy fuel accumulations and vegetative competition in frost pocket openings of the forest habitats. * The recent epidemic of the pine bark beetle (Dendroctonus brevicomis) through central Oregon lodgepole pine forests has resulted in heavy accumulation of dead lodgepole pine in and around the frost pocket habitats of pumice grape fern. Danger of wildfire with resulting intense heat and longer duration could reduce the pumice grape fern population. * Ground disturbing activities such as machine salvage harvesting activity of the beetle-killed lodgepole pine, with associated methods of site preparation, slashpile piling and burning, machine skidding, would cause severe ground disturbance to plants and further fragment or permanently destroy the population at the forested montane sites. * Recreational activities such as by alpine hikers, mountain bikers and off-road vehicle users who enter pumice grape fern habitat have been observed to cause damage to exposed fronds which would reduce survival and sporulation. Vehicle churning of pumice flats and frost pockets is also detrimental to the underground perennial structure and causes soil compaction. * Construction of new facilities, roads and trails in potential or existing habitat fragments populations and permanently eliminates habitats for the species. * 3 What we do not know: Many aspects of the life history of pumice grape fern are unknown. Effects of most management treatments on the populations are uncertain. Determining the answers to the questions below would greatly enhance our ability to "manage habitats for pumice grape fern." Listed in order of importance: * Times of year when leaf primordia are most susceptible to damage. * What timber salvage harvest operations can proceed without further fragmentation of the population or reduction of reproductive viability? * Do plants emerge from the same rhizome every year and when does emergence begin? * What effect do habitat/climatic changes (traffic, compaction, fire, litter cover, animal activity, and measurable global warming trends) have on population fragmentation and reproductive viability? * What is the mycorrhizal fungus associated with this species and what is its link to other ecosystem interactions in the alpine and montane habitats? * How does reproductive viability respond to interspecific competition which results from harvesting or other site disturbance? * Are the plants of uniform or mixed age classes? Can we determine plant age in the field? What parameters can be used to indicate reproductive viability? * What factors promote recruitment of plants - spore germination, development of gametophyte, mycorrhizal association, fertilization, length of time before rhizome able to develop fronds and sporangiophore? * Response to climate change? Is the species neo-endemic or paleo-endemic? Conservation Strategy As of October 1992, there were 99 sites for an estimated 13,000 known pumice grape ferns located, mapped, and prepared for indication on GIS mapping. Two sets of populations have been selected as "protected populations" and "managed populations" to meet objectives outlined below: * Protected populations: To achieve long term species viability by maintaining existing genetic variance and promoting reproductive success (by protecting healthy populations throughout the species range). With the exception of a few, all populations have been omitted from unsupervised or unrestricted ground disturbing activities. Any manipulations of the habitats will be designed to specifically maintain, enhance or restore these protected population sites. Permanent loss of habitat will not be allowed. Loss of individual plants is restricted, although this may be accidental until all possible habitats have been surveyed and resurveyed in successive years to ensure completeness of population figures. Habitat 4 enhancement treatments employed will be those which have been shown through effectiveness monitoring in "managed populations" to have successfully achieved the desired results. * Managed populations: To develop a set of maintenance, enhancement and restoration methodologies through experimentation in "managed populations" and the effects of which are measured by censusing. The census process over time will provide data to help determine if our current stewardship is benefitting the species: a) if it is increasing or maintaining a high level of reproduction, b) maintaining numbers at appropriate levels, or c) assisting the establishment phase. (Sutter, 1986) The remainder of the known populations are designated as "managed populations." In these populations management treatment or effectiveness monitoring studies can be initiated to establish how to diminish the most important threats and management conflicts to pumice grape fern habitats on National Forest lands. Loss of plants during these studies is not recommended, but may occur as a result of management treatment. Purposeful loss of habitat from severe ground disturbing activities is not allowed.
1 SUMMARY The objective of this conservation strategy is to protect, enhance or restore the pumice grape fern habitat to ensure long term species viability. Legal Status and Population Size The pumice grape fern (Botrychium pumicola Cov. in Underw.) is an inconspicuous fern-like species that occurs in recent (less than 6700 year-old), pale pumice (or dark pumice from South Sister) at high elevations in the Oregon Cascades and in a scattered distribution pattern in Mazama or Newberry pumice plume areas of Central Oregon which are typified as lodgepole basins or frost pockets. The pumice grape fern is endemic with a fragmented distribution pattern extending from Crater Lake National Park on the south to Broken Top in the Three Sisters Wilderness to a sage steppe/lodgepole pine habitat 65 miles east of Crater Lake. Land on which the plants have been located are managed by federal agencies which include the Deschutes, Winema and Fremont National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, Crater Lake National Park, Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and Bonneville Power Administration. At this time there are 110 documented sites of pumice grape fern in seven known locales: Crater Lake National Park, Mt. Bachelor, Broken Top, Newberry Crater area, and three general montane lodgepole basin areas of central Oregon. Plant counts per site range from one to 1500 or more, and it is estimated that the total population size of this central Oregon endemic species is a conservative 13,000 plants. It is designated by the Forest Service as Sensitive, federally listed as a Category 1 species and considered threatened throughout its known range by the Oregon Natural Heritage Data Base; listing by the State of Oregon is pending. Distribution Within its overall range, pumice grape fern exhibits a scattered and patchy distribution. The greatest concentrations are found on open exposed rocky or pumice slopes in alpine locales at Crater Lake, Broken Top, and Newberry Crater and in some montane frost pockets of lodgepole pine openings in Central Oregon. The distribution is hypothesized as being closely linked to pumice substrate from Mt. Mazama, Newberry and South Sister eruptions and the cold temperature regimes associated with the habitats. The only known dispersal mechanism available to the plant is wind dispersal of spores, although animals/insects may indirectly assist in movement of spores on fur, hooves, feet, or other means. Life History and Threats What we know: The life history characteristics of the pumice grape fern apparently limit it to habitats which provide for the restricted growth and propagation patterns exhibited by this fern-like plant. * A gametophyte stage which develops in darkness (under snow cover or underground but never observed.) * Requirement of moisture for fertilization of egg by swimming sperm. * A mycorrhizal association to assist in gametophyte development and * 2 probably help maintain the sporophyte when, and if, it does not produce a photosynthetic frond. * Production of spores by an irregularly dehiscing sporangia, i.e. spores shed and dispersed primarily by gravity and air currents, and not "flung" from the sporangiophore by a more typical "advanced" fern sporangium, * Apparently best adapted to open full sun habitats, cold temperatures and pumice substrate associated with the 6-7,000 year old Mazama, 1350 year old Newberry pumice plumes, or 1600 year old South Sister (Devils Hill) plumes. * The plants are apparently self-fertilized, providing little means for genetic variability and adaptability. These aspects of the species' life history may contribute directly to the species' rarity. The biological requirements of the plant in association with fungal mycorrhiza and the delicate nature of the subterranean perennial leaf primordia are hypothesized as being the species' weak links. This may also be related to its preference for the restricted and rare habitat of youthful high-silica pumice substrate. pects of our current forest management pose a threat to the viability of the ecies when combined with the life history requirement of the pumice grape rn. * Absence of natural fire has created closed canopies, heavy fuel accumulations and vegetative competition in frost pocket openings of the forest habitats. * The recent epidemic of the pine bark beetle (Dendroctonus brevicomis) through central Oregon lodgepole pine forests has resulted in heavy accumulation of dead lodgepole pine in and around the frost pocket habitats of pumice grape fern. Danger of wildfire with resulting intense heat and longer duration could reduce the pumice grape fern population. * Ground disturbing activities such as machine salvage harvesting activity of the beetle-killed lodgepole pine, with associated methods of site preparation, slashpile piling and burning, machine skidding, would cause severe ground disturbance to plants and further fragment or permanently destroy the population at the forested montane sites. * Recreational activities such as by alpine hikers, mountain bikers and off-road vehicle users who enter pumice grape fern habitat have been observed to cause damage to exposed fronds which would reduce survival and sporulation. Vehicle churning of pumice flats and frost pockets is also detrimental to the underground perennial structure and causes soil compaction. * Construction of new facilities, roads and trails in potential or existing habitat fragments populations and permanently eliminates habitats for the species. * 3 What we do not know: Many aspects of the life history of pumice grape fern are unknown. Effects of most management treatments on the populations are uncertain. Determining the answers to the questions below would greatly enhance our ability to "manage habitats for pumice grape fern." Listed in order of importance: * Times of year when leaf primordia are most susceptible to damage. * What timber salvage harvest operations can proceed without further fragmentation of the population or reduction of reproductive viability? * Do plants emerge from the same rhizome every year and when does emergence begin? * What effect do habitat/climatic changes (traffic, compaction, fire, litter cover, animal activity, and measurable global warming trends) have on population fragmentation and reproductive viability? * What is the mycorrhizal fungus associated with this species and what is its link to other ecosystem interactions in the alpine and montane habitats? * How does reproductive viability respond to interspecific competition which results from harvesting or other site disturbance? * Are the plants of uniform or mixed age classes? Can we determine plant age in the field? What parameters can be used to indicate reproductive viability? * What factors promote recruitment of plants - spore germination, development of gametophyte, mycorrhizal association, fertilization, length of time before rhizome able to develop fronds and sporangiophore? * Response to climate change? Is the species neo-endemic or paleo-endemic? Conservation Strategy As of October 1992, there were 99 sites for an estimated 13,000 known pumice grape ferns located, mapped, and prepared for indication on GIS mapping. Two sets of populations have been selected as "protected populations" and "managed populations" to meet objectives outlined below: * Protected populations: To achieve long term species viability by maintaining existing genetic variance and promoting reproductive success (by protecting healthy populations throughout the species range). With the exception of a few, all populations have been omitted from unsupervised or unrestricted ground disturbing activities. Any manipulations of the habitats will be designed to specifically maintain, enhance or restore these protected population sites. Permanent loss of habitat will not be allowed. Loss of individual plants is restricted, although this may be accidental until all possible habitats have been surveyed and resurveyed in successive years to ensure completeness of population figures. Habitat 4 enhancement treatments employed will be those which have been shown through effectiveness monitoring in "managed populations" to have successfully achieved the desired results. * Managed populations: To develop a set of maintenance, enhancement and restoration methodologies through experimentation in "managed populations" and the effects of which are measured by censusing. The census process over time will provide data to help determine if our current stewardship is benefitting the species: a) if it is increasing or maintaining a high level of reproduction, b) maintaining numbers at appropriate levels, or c) assisting the establishment phase. (Sutter, 1986) The remainder of the known populations are designated as "managed populations." In these populations management treatment or effectiveness monitoring studies can be initiated to establish how to diminish the most important threats and management conflicts to pumice grape fern habitats on National Forest lands. Loss of plants during these studies is not recommended, but may occur as a result of management treatment. Purposeful loss of habitat from severe ground disturbing activities is not allowed.