An Analysis of Potential Sensitive Plant Species For Long-Term Monitoring in Glacier National Park

Abstract

Monitoring of the natural resources available in parks is necessary to allow the National Park Service to develop long term management strategies for preservation of those resources for future generations. To this end, personnel at Glacier National Park (GLAC) determined that it was necessary to identify populations of plant species that might serve as indicators of environmental change. Preliminary data on locations of populations of sensitive plants was obtained by the park from work done by . Lesica (1984). However, basic life history data on these species had not been· collected and made available to park personnel in such a manner as to interface with existing park data bases. The acquisition of such data was seen . as a necessary step in developing a baseline data base that park personnel could use to base future assessments of biological change within the park.