HOW GISGPS TECHNOLOGY HELPS US MONITOR RARE PLANTS

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HOW GIS/GPS TECHNOLOGY HELPSUS MONITOR RARE
PLANTS

• Dr. Chris Ulrey, Plant Ecologist
• Division Resource Management
• Blue Ridge Parkway

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Elements of Plant Demographic Monitoring

• Individual plants (genets or ramets) are
  evaluated over time.
• Each plant is relocated annually.
• Each plant is uniquely marked.
• Measurements are recorded about each plant
  (growth, fecundity, survivorship)
• Information used to project future population
  growth and health.

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Example species Hellers Blazing Star

• Federally threatened species - perennial
  herbaceous plant, endemic to the Southern
  Appalachians.
• Occurs at high elevation rock outcrops.
• Challenge Marking tags must be hidden from park
  visitors or else they will be vandalized
  (populations are highly visible) makes
  relocation difficult during monitoring.
• Solution map individual plants.

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Numbered metal tags used to mark plants tags
will be pushed into soil after data is recorded.
Yellow pins are marking seedlings. These are not
mapped.
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Digital Compass
Laser Rangefinder with inclinometer
Data cable sends x,y,z from laser/compass to GPS
unit
Tribrach w/optical plummet
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Summary

• Individual plant locations are mapped with high
  accuracy.
• ArcPad simplifies data capture in the field
  laser rangefinder support in latest version.
• Because data are now stored in shapefiles it
  opens up many possibilities
• Spatial queries and relationships in a field
  setting.
• Ability the check-in/out data to incorporate
  changes.
• Ability to record non-spatial data via ArcPad
  forms.
• Can attach images to features.