HR: 11:30h
AN: NB32C-05    [Abstracts]
TI: An Examination of References for Ecosystems in a Watershed Context: Results of a Scientific Pulse in Redwood National and State Parks, California
AU: * Lisle, T E
EM: tel7001@humboldt.edu
AF: USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, CA 95521 United States
AU: Cummins, K
EM: kwc7002@humboldt.edu
AF: Institute for River Ecosystems, Humboldt State University, 592 14th Street, Arcata, ca 95521 United States
AU: Madej, M A
EM: mary_ann_madej@usgs.gov
AF: US Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, 1655 Heindon Road, Arcata, ca 95521 United States
AB: A multidisciplinary pulse examined three pristine streams in old-growth redwood forests in northern California to motivate discussions about the characteristics of reference sites for stream and riparian ecosystems. We concluded that useful reference sites need not be pristine, but must be rich in data linking physical and biological processes and frame conditions in a watershed context. It is particularly important that the data constitute the present status of an historical array. Not requiring pristine conditions allows data-rich watersheds with a spectrum of conditions to be incorporated into a regional reference framework. Reference watersheds offer real-world examples of how ecosystems function over time. Reference parameters taken from various locations in a region offer first-cut comparisons that can lead to deeper, more contextual analyses. Analytical references can reveal disturbance-related departures from conditions predicted with simple assumptions about some aspects of system behavior. All three reference types (reference sites, reference parameters, analytical references) have their strengths and weaknesses and can be used in combination to inform management decisions regarding these complex systems.
DE: 0400 Biogeosciences
SC: North American Benthological Society [NB]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly