2011 estero americano preserve herbarium book

8/3/2019 2011 Estero Americano Preserve Herbarium Book

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ESTERO AMERICANO PRESERVE

Herbarium Book

JANUARY, 2011


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Herbarium Book WWW.SONOMA LAND TRUST.ORGP1

SUMMARY

Tis herbarium book contains scanned plant specimens collected rom the Estero AmericanoPreserve, which is located near the town o Bodega, Caliornia. Tis project arose out o thegrassland monitoring project designed to evaluate the eectiveness o cattle grazing or coastalgrassland enhancement. During the spring to summer months o 2009 and 2010 specimenswere collected, pressed, veried or identication, labeled, and scanned, so that uture partici-pants working on the monitoring project will have a helpul aid or noting species present at

the Preserve.


Te Sonoma Land rusts Estero Americano Preserve is a scenic and biologically diverse 127-acre property located near the town o Bodega along the Estero Americano, a tidal estuary thatextends rom Valley Ford to the Pacic Ocean. Te Preserve was acquired in 1997 and 2001 inpartnership with Caliornia State Coastal Conservancy and the Sonoma County AgriculturalPreservation and Open Space District. Te Preserve was purchased with the goal o protectingthe coastal estuary, upland environments and other sensitive resources; allowing or restorationo habitat areas; and providing limited public access.


Herbarium Book Introduction

The Estero Americano is a scenic tidal estuary that stretches rom Valley Ford to the Pacic Ocean. Photo by Stephen Joseph Photography.


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Herbarium BookWWW.SONOMA LAND TRUST.ORG P2

COASTAL GRASSLAND ASSESSMENT

A 2007 coastal grassland assessment by local consulting botanists identied much o the grasslandarea o the Preserve as coastal prairie. Coastal prairie is a perennial-grass dominated communitywith at least 10-15% relative cover o native grasses and orbs. Some o the native plant speciesound on the Preserve include: Caliornia oatgrass, purple needlegrass, tuted hairgrass, june-grass, lupine, harlequin lotus, early blue violet, Douglass iris, and Caliornia blackberry. Teseplant species persist among non-native annual and perennial grasses and orbs that arrived in

the area some years ago.

CATTLE GRAZING FOR COASTAL PRAIRIE ENHANCEMENT

Coastal grassland systems are threatened by shrub and tree encroachment, invasion and domi-nance by non-native annual and perennial grasses, and habitat loss due to housing development.Management activities such as mowing, grazing and prescribed burning can mimic benecialdisturbance regimes, control brush encroachment and the negative impacts o non-native speciesas well as promote native species. Grazing is oten the most economical, practical and reliablemethod or managing grasslands at a large scale.

Drawing on previous research across Caliornia grassland ecosystems, SL is working under theassumption that livestock grazing will benet native fora ound in the Estero grasslands byreducing the biomass and cover o exotic grasses, such as wild oats and brome grasses. Centralto this management assumption is that native species are limited by competition with exoticgrasses, and that properly-timed grazing will decrease exotic grass cover and biomass and cor-respondingly increase the abundance o native species.

Douglass iris; blue wildrye; harlequin lotus. Photos by Shanti Wright.

The Estero Americano. Photo by Stephen Joseph Photography.


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PARTNERSHIPS

o better understand the role o livestock grazing and other management activities at the Estero,SL is working with multiple partners to assess the coastal grasslands, improve grazing inra-structure, and develop plans or grazing management and ecological monitoring or the coastalprairie grassland ound on the property. Te State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), Gold RidgeResource Conservation District (RCD) the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS),and the U.S. Fish and Wildlie Service (USFWS) have provided unding and technical assistanceor coastal grassland management and water quality enhancement projects. SL is also col-laborating with the Coastal Prairie Enhancement Feasibility Study (CPEFS) to utilize grazingexclosures or the study the cattle grazing impacts on invasive velvetgrass (holcus lanatus).

GRAZING PLAN AND GRASSLAND MONITORING PLAN

Gold Ridge RCD has generously supported SL with the development o both a grazingmanagement plan and a grassland monitoring plan to guide and track livestock management

activities at the Estero Americano Preserve or years to come. Certied Rangeland ManagerLisa Bush assessed the Preserve to determine grassland production values and appropriatestocking levels or the grazing management plan and Dr. Caroline Christian developed the

grassland monitoring plan to evaluate the eectiveness o cattle grazing in achieving SLsconservation goals or the Preserve. Livestock are managed by local operator Joe Pozzi, recentlyhonored with the Farm Bureaus rst Luther Burbank Conservation Award or his eorts to

protect the countys natural resources.

Tese plans set clear management goals and provide an opportunity to manage the propertyadaptively based on inormation rom the monitoring program. Te grazing management andmonitoring plans are aimed at highlighting conservation values, such as the preservation onative species, healthy soils, and water quality, while at the same time supporting a workinglandscape that promotes historical uses o the land.


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GRASSLAND MONITORING PROJECT

Each spring, SL works with volunteers and Sonoma State University interns to measure vari-ous aspects o the grassland vegetation at 29 permanent one square meter monitoring plotsthroughout the preserve. Examples o the variables monitored include: percent cover and re-quency and richness (number) o all native and exotic plant species. Measurement o thesevariables helps to provide a more complete picture about the health o the grasslands throughtime and help SL sta determine i invasive plant species like velvet grass are increasing ordecreasing in abundance.

EXOTIC SPECIES

As with all grasslands ound throughout Caliornia, exotic grasses both perennial and exoticdominate the Estero grasslands. Overall, 80% o the grassland is covered by exotic species,mostly annual grasses. Although this number may seem high to those unamiliar with grass-lands, grassland ecosystems have been hit hard by invasive species, leaving little room or native

plant species to thrive. Te monitoring program is designed to look at several noxious grass-land weeds and to detect the arrival o new exotic species.

NOTABLE NATIVES

Given the dominance o invasive grasses, the team was pleased to learn that the Preserve has aphenomenal amount o native perennial grass, rush and sedge species, which together com-prise on average over 20% o the vegetation cover in the grasslands. During the spring, tallstands o Caliornia hairgrass, purple needlegrass, and Caliornia brome undulate across thehillsides as coastal breezes sweep in rom the Estero. Some notable native wildfowers also

ound in the spring include bulbs, such as ground brodiaea, blue-eyed grass, and Ithurielsspear, and orbs, such as Caliornia acaena, lupine, and a multitude o clovers.

Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District sta Brittany Heck and Noelle Johnson (let) and Sonoma State University interns Connor Ross andKara Doolin (right) provided assistance with data collection; Dr. Caroline Christian leading the grass identication training (center). Photos byShanti Wright.


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many individuals contributed to the success o the grassland monitoring project and herbariumbook. Special thanks go to Dr. Caroline Christian o Sonoma State University whose visionand guidance made these eorts possible. Dr. Christian authored the monitoring plan and con-tinues to provide direction or its implementation. Gold Ridge Resource Conservation Districtgenerously supported the development o the grazing management and grassland monitoringplans, and RCD sta Noelle Johnson, Brittany Heck, and Sierra Cantor assisted with data andplant specimen collection. Liz Parsons and Michael Hogan o the CNPS Milo Baker Chapterhelped identiy plant species during the 2009 monitoring and Peter Warner, botanical con-sultant, identied specimens in 2010 and veried all o the samples within the herbarium.Sonoma State University interns Karissa Westphal and ammie Lindstrom and volunteer AprilOwens spent many hours preparing the plant specimens or this book. Te monitoring projectand herbarium book eort was coordinated by Shanti Wright, Sonoma Land rusts Steward-ship Project Manager or the Estero Americano Preserve.

Te herbarium book introduction was prepared by Dr. Caroline Christian, aculty with theEnvironmental Studies and Planning Department at Sonoma State University, in collaborationwith Shanti Wright. Te herbarium book is a work in progress that will expand over time. Forupdates to this document, or or additional inormation about vegetation management activitiesoccurring at the Estero Americano Preserve, please contact Sonoma Land rust at: (707) 526-6930 or visit www.sonomalandtrust.org.


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Ester

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ane

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36 35

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1716

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0 500 1,000250Feet

Legend

Property Boundary

Study Points

40 ft contours

Estero Americano Preserve

Parcels are approximate only.Source: RCA parcel lines 2008.Aerial Imagery: Digital Globe 2009.Map: SLT 12/10.

Vegetation Monitoring Plots

51


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GROUP FAMILY SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME Former Family orLatin Binomial

NATIVE Page #

Blechnaceae Woodwardia mbriata giant chain ern yes 12

Dennstaedtiaceae Pteridium aquilinum bracken ern Pteridium aquilinum-var. pubescens

yes 13

Dryopteridaceae Polystichum munitum western sword ern yes 14

Equisetaceae Equisetum telmateia ssp.braunii

giant horsetail yes 15

Woodsiaceae Athyrium lix-emina common lady ern Dryopteridaceae yes 16

Cupressaceae Hesperocyparismacrocarpa

Monterey cypress Cupressus macro-carpa

no

Pinaceae Pinus radiata Monterey pine no

Anacardiaceae Toxicodendron diversilobum western poison oak yes

Apiaceae Conium maculatum poison hemlock no 17

Daucus pusillus rattlesnake weed yes 18

Eryngium armatum armed coyote thistle yes 19

Heracleum lanatum cow parsnip yes

Ligusticum apiiolium celerylea licorice-root yes

Lomatium utriculatum spring gold lomatium yes 20

Sanicula crassicaulis Pacic sanicle yes

Torilis nodosa knotted hedge parsley no

Asteraceae Achillea milleolium yarrow yes 21

Anaphalis margaritacea pearly everlasting yes

Artemisia douglasiana Douglass mugwort yes 22

Baccharis pilularis coyote brush yes 23

Bellis perennis English daisy no 24

Carduus pycnocephalus Italian thistle no 25

Cirsium quercetorum brownie thistle yes 26

Cirsium vulgare bull thistle no 27

Cotula coronopiolia brass buttons no 28

Loga gallica narrowlea cottonrose Filago gallica no 29

Gamochoeta purpurea purple cudweed Gnaphalium pur-pureum

yes 30

Grindelia stricta gumplant yes 31

Hemizonia congesta ssp.lutescens

hayeld tarweed H. congesta ssp.congesta

yes

Helenium puberulum sneeze-weed yes 32

Hypochaeris glabra smooth cats-ear no

Hypochaeris radicata rough cats-ear no 33

Jaumea carnosa marsh jaumea yes 34

Madia gracilis slender tarweed yes 35

Madia sativa coast tarweed yes 36

FERNSAN

DALLIES

GYMNOSPERMS

ANGIOSPERMS/DICOTS

ESTERO AMERICANO PRESERVE PLANT LISTPrepared by: Linda Esposito and Kathleen Krat, 2007.

Plant list additions and Jepson name changes provided by Peter Warner, 2010.


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NATIVE Page #

Asteraceae(continued)

Matricaria matricarioides pineapple weed Chamomilla sua-veolens

no 37

Microseris acuminata silverpus yes 38

Microseris bigelovii coastal silverpus yes

Psilocarphus tenellus var.tenellus

woolly marbles yes

Psuedognaphaliumramosissimum

pink cudweed Gnaphalium ramo-sissimum

yes 39

Sonchus asper ssp. asper prickly sow thistle no

Symphyotrichum chilense creeping aster Aster chilensis yes

Wyethia augustiolia mules ears yes

Boraginaceae Heliotropium curassavicum salt heliotrope yes 40

Myosotis discolor changing orget-me-not

no 41

Brassicaceae Nasturtium ocinale watercress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum

yes 42

Caprioliaceae Symphoricarpos albus var.laevigatus

snowberry yes 43

Caryophyllaceae Cerastium glomeratum mouse-ear chickweed no

Silene gallica windmill pink no 44

Spergularia rubra red sand-spurrey no 45

Chenopodiaceae Atriplex triangularis at hen yes 46

Salicornia virginica pickleweed yes 47

Convolvulaceae Calystegia collina ssp.collina

Coast Range alsebindweed

yes

Calystegia purpurata ssp.purpurata

purple westernmorning-glory

yes

Calystegia subacaulis short-stemmed

morning-glory

yes 48

Convolvulus arvensis bindweed no 49

Crassulaceae Dudleya arinosa powdery live-orever yes 50

Cucurbitaceae Marah oreganus coast man-root yes 51

Fabaceae Acmispon parviforus miniature lotus Lotus micranthus yes 52

Acmispon americanus var.americanus

Spanish clover Lotus purshianusvar. purshianus

yes 53

Acmispon wrangelianus cal lotus Lotus wrangelianus yes

Hosackia gracilis harlequin lotus Lotus ormosissimus yes 54

Lathyrus hirsutus Caley pea no 55

Lotus angustissimus slender lotus no 56

Lotus corniculatus birds-oot treoil no 57

Lupinus bicolor miniature lupine yes 58

Lupinus variicolor variable-coloredlupine

yes 59

Lupinus microcarpus var.microcarpus

chick lupine yes

Triolium albopurpureum rancheria clover yes

Triolium barbigerum var.barbigerum

bearded clover yes

ANGIOSPERMS/DICOTS


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NATIVE Page #

Plantaginaceae Veronica americana American speedwell Scrophulariaceae yes 85

Polemoniaceae Navarretia squarrosa skunkweed no

Polygonaceae Eriogonum latiolium coast buckwheat yes 86

Eriogonum nudum nude buckwheat yes

Rumex acetosella sheep sorrel no 87

Rumex pulcher ddle dock no 88

Rumex conglomeratus clustered dock no 89

Ranunculaceae Ranunculus caliornicus Caliornia buttercup yes 90

Rosaceae Acaena pinnatida var.caliornica

Caliornia acaena yes 91

Fragaria vesca wood strawberry yes

Horkelia caliornica Caliornia horkelia yes 92

Physocarpus capitatus ninebark yes 93

Potentilla anserina spp.pacica

silverweed cinqueoil yes 94

Rosa eglanteria eglantine rose no

Rubus ursinus Caliornia blackberry yes 95

Rubiaceae Sherardia arvensis eld madder no 96

Scrophulariaceae Scrophularia caliornica bee plant yes 97

Violaceae Viola adunca early blue violet yes 98

Agavaceae Chlorogalum pomeridianum soap plant Liliaceae yes 99

Cyperaceae Carex barbarae Santa Barbara sedge yes 100

Carex densa dense sedge yes 101

Carex gynodynama Olneys hairy sedge yes 102

Carex harordii Harords sedge yes

Carex obnupta slough sedge yes 103

Carex subbracteata smallbract sedge yes 104

Carex tumulicola oothill sedge yes 105

Iridaceae Iris douglasiana Douglass iris yes 106

Sisyrinchium bellum blue-eyed grass yes 107

Juncaceae Juncus bolanderi Bolanders rush yes

Juncus buonius var.buonius

toad rush yes 108

Juncus capitatus leaybract dwar rush no

Juncus eusus var. brunneus sot rush yes 109

Juncus occidentalis western rush yes 110

Juncus patens spreading rush yes 111

Juncus phaeocephalus brownhead rush yes 112

Luzula comosa hairy wood rush yes 113

Liliaceae Calochortus tolmiei pussy ears yes

Poaceae Agrostis gigantea redtop bentgrass no 114

Agrostis sp. bentgrass ?

Agrostis hallii Halls bentgrass yes 115

ANGIOSPERMS/MONOCOTS


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NATIVE Page #

Poaceae(continued)

Aira caryophyllea silver Europeanhairgrass

no 116

Anthoxanthum odoratum sweet vernal grass no 117

Avena barbata slender wild oat no 118

Brachypodium distachyon alse brome no 119

Briza maxima rattlesnake grass no 120

Briza minor little quaking grass no 121

Bromus carinatus var.carinatus

Caliornia brome yes 122

Bromus diandrus ripgut brome no 123

Bromus hordeaceus sot chess no 124

Bromus madritensis ssp.madritensis

oxtail chess no

Cynosurus echinatus hedgehog dogtail no 125

Dactylis glomerata orchard grass no 126

Danthonia caliornica var.caliornica Caliornia oatgrass yes 127

Deschampsia cespitosa ssp. tuted hairgrass yes 128

Deschampsia cespitosa ssp.holciormis

tuted hairgrass yes

Distichlis spicata saltgrass yes 129

Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus blue wildrye yes 130

Ehrharta erecta panic veldtgrass no 131

Festuca idahoensis Idaho escue yes

Holcus lanatus velvet grass no 132

Hordeum brachyantherumssp. brachyantherum

meadow barley yes 133

Hordeum marinum ssp.gussoneanum

Mediterranean barley no 134

Hordeum murinum mouse barley no 135

Koeleria macrantha Junegrass yes 136

Lolium multiforum Italian ryegrass no

Lolium perenne perennial ryegrass no 137

Nassella lepida oothill needlegrass yes

Nassella pulchra purple needlegrass yes 138

Poa annua annual bluegrass no

Poa pratensis ssp. pratensis Kentucky bluegrass no 139

Poa unilateralis ocean-blu bluegrass yes

Polypogon monspeliensis annual beard grass no 140

Rytidosperma penicillatum hairy oatgrass no 141-142

Schedonorus arundinaceus tall escue no

Taeniatherum caput-medusae Medusahead no

Vulpia bromoides six-weeks escue no 143

Themidaceae Brodiaea terrestris ssp.terrestris

ground brodiaea Liliaceae yes 144

Triteleia laxa Ithuriels spear Liliaceae yes 145

ANGIOSPERMS/MONOCOTS


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Copyright 2011 Sonoma Land rust

2011 estero americano preserve herbarium book

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