Quantifying effects of climate change in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

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Plots were selected based on the following parameters:

  • Meadows at least 100 x 100 m in size
  • Each meadow had to be classified with a moisture gradient: hydric, mesic or dry
  • At least 500 m from any adjacent site
  • No farther than 800 m from a trail
    		•

    Birds: A central location within each site served as the sampling point. Flagging was placed 50 m from this point in each cardinal direction. During 15-minute surveys, 2 field technicians stood at the center point and recorded all birds seen/heard within a 50 m radius.

    Butterflies: The sampling point used for bird surveys was used as the corner for each butterfly sampling quadrat. Each quadrat was a randomly selected 50 x 50 m plot. Two field technicians captured butterfly samples using butterfly nets. After each capture, the butterfly was placed in a glassine envelope as the field technicians continued capturing butterflies for 20 minutes. Then the butterflies were identified and released. Note: butterfly samples can only be conducted under sunny, cloudless skies and mild wind conditions.

    Plants: Three sampling scales were established a each site: 1 x 1 m, 20 x 20 m and 100 x 100 m. Vegetation was classified as grass, forb, or shrub and then identified by species. Other measurements included aerial percent cover of all plant species, percent bare ground and percent leaf litter, vegetation height and structure information, wet and dry biomass.

    Debinski - GYE - Survey Techniques

    Copyright © 2005, Diane Debinski. All rights reserved.