Portable quadrats are one tool for monitoring vegetation and soils.
NPS
Scientific research is key to protecting the natural and cultural wonders of our national parks. To make sound decisions, park managers need accurate information about the resources in their care. They also need to know how and why systems and landscapes change over time, and what amount of change is normal.
Like a physician monitoring a patient's heartbeat and blood pressure, scientists with the Sonoran Desert Network collect long-term data on park “vital signs"—key resources that can indicate overall ecosystem health. At Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, they monitor air quality, climate, groundwater, and vegetation and soils. Then they analyze the results and report them to park managers. Knowing if and how key resources are changing can provide managers with early warning of potential problems, when they are easier—and less expensive—to fix. It can also help them to make decisions and plan more effectively.
Studying park vital signs is only part of the picture. Scientific research is also conducted by park staff, other state and federal scientists, university professors and students, and independent researchers. Because many parks prohibit activities that occur elsewhere, scientists can use the parks as "control" areas for determining the effects of these activities where they do occur. Especially in the American West, national park lands often serve as the best model for what a relatively undisturbed landscape looks like.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Amistad National Recreation Area, Antietam National Battlefield, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Arches National Park, Assateague Island National Seashore, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Badlands National Park, Bandelier National Monument, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Big Bend National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Hole National Battlefield, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Big Thicket National Preserve, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Biscayne National Park, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Bryce Canyon National Park, Buffalo National River, Cabrillo National Monument, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Capitol Reef National Park, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Chamizal National Memorial, Channel Islands National Park, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Chiricahua National Monument, Colorado National Monument, Congaree National Park, Coronado National Memorial, Cowpens National Battlefield, Crater Lake National Park, Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Death Valley National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Devils Postpile National Monument, Devils Tower National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Dry Tortugas National Park, Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Effigy Mounds National Monument, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Everglades National Park, Fire Island National Seashore, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Fort Union National Monument, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Fossil Butte National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Glacier National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Golden Spike National Historical Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Teton National Park, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Great Basin National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Hovenweep National Monument, Indiana Dunes National Park, Isle Royale National Park, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Jewel Cave National Monument, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, John Muir National Historic Site, Joshua Tree National Park, Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lava Beds National Monument, Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park, Mammoth Cave National Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, Missouri National Recreational River, Mojave National Preserve, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Mount Rainier National Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Muir Woods National Monument, Natchez Trace Parkway, National Capital Parks-East, Natural Bridges National Monument, Navajo National Monument, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Niobrara National Scenic River, Noatak National Preserve, Obed Wild & Scenic River, Olympic National Park, Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Padre Island National Seashore, Pecos National Historical Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Petroglyph National Monument, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Pipe Spring National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, Redwood National and State Parks, Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, Rock Creek Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Saguaro National Park, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Shenandoah National Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Tonto National Monument, Tule Lake National Monument, Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Voyageurs National Park, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, White Sands National Park, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Wind Cave National Park, Wupatki National Monument, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Yucca House National Monument, Zion National Parkmore »
Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios.
Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park.
Locations:Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Acadia National Park, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, American Memorial Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Anacostia Park, Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve, Antietam National Battlefield, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Arches National Park, Arkansas Post National Memorial, Assateague Island National Seashore, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Badlands National Park, Bandelier National Monument, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Big Bend National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Hole National Battlefield, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Big Thicket National Preserve, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Biscayne National Park, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park, Buffalo National River, Cabrillo National Monument, Canaveral National Seashore, Cane River Creole National Historical Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Capitol Reef National Park, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Channel Islands National Park, Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Chiricahua National Monument, City Of Rocks National Reserve, Colonial National Historical Park, Colorado National Monument, Congaree National Park, Coronado National Memorial, Cowpens National Battlefield, Crater Lake National Park, Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Death Valley National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Denali National Park & Preserve, Devils Postpile National Monument, Devils Tower National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Effigy Mounds National Monument, Eisenhower National Historic Site, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, Everglades National Park, Fire Island National Seashore, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Fort Caroline National Memorial, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Fort Frederica National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Fort Matanzas National Monument, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, Fort Union National Monument, Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Fort Washington Park, Fossil Butte National Monument, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve, Gateway Arch National Park, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, George Washington Carver National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Glacier National Park, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Golden Spike National Historical Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Teton National Park, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Great Basin National Park, Great Falls Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Greenbelt Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Haleakalā National Park, Harmony Hall, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Homestead National Historical Parkmore »
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Pacific Island Inventory & Monitoring Network, Rocky Mountain Inventory & Monitoring Network, San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sierra Nevada Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sonoran Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network, South Florida Caribbean Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southeast Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southeast Coast Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southern Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southwest Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network, Upper Columbia Basin Inventory & Monitoring Networkmore »
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
Sonoran Desert Network scientists take measurements of key resources at Casa Grande Ruins to understand how natural resources in the park may be changing over time. This report summarizes analyses of weather and groundwater data from water year 2022. The data indicate the park is in mild drought though groundwater levels remain stable. Temperatures were warmer than average. Ten months had below average rainfall, but two months experiencing extreme precipitation.
Locations:Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Navajo National Monument, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Petrified Forest National Park, Pipe Spring National Monument, Saguaro National Park, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Tonto National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Wupatki National Monumentmore »
Lesser long-nosed bats have been in scientific focus since the late 1900's. These unique animals face different obstacles in their changing environment, but researchers are at work in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, learning more about these bats. Through research here and throughout Central America, scientists are understanding better how to protect these animals and their environment.
Locations:Arches National Park, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Big Bend National Park, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Channel Islands National Park, Chiricahua National Monument, Colorado National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Fossil Butte National Monument, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Golden Spike National Historical Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Joshua Tree National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Natural Bridges National Monument, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Pecos National Historical Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Petroglyph National Monument, Pipe Spring National Monument, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, Rocky Mountain National Park, Saguaro National Park, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Tonto National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, White Sands National Park, Wupatki National Monument, Yucca House National Monument, Zion National Parkmore »
When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change.
Locations:Aztec Ruins National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, Death Valley National Park, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Fort Union National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Joshua Tree National Park, Manzanar National Historic Site, Mojave National Preserve, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Pecos National Historical Park, Saguaro National Park, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Parkmore »
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Sonoran Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network
In the US Southwest, climate change is making it harder to preserve historic adobe structures for future generations. Using adobe test walls and rainshower simulators, staff at the Desert Research Learning Center are evaluating the potential for increased erosion, and testing the effectiveness of different treatments methods to protect against it. The results will help park managers tailor their preservation methods to better protect culturally valuable resources.
Locations:Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Amistad National Recreation Area, Arches National Park, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Big Bend National Park, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Chiricahua National Monument, Colorado National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Dinosaur National Monument, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Fort Union National Monument, Fossil Butte National Monument, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Glacier National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Spike National Historical Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Natural Bridges National Monument, Navajo National Monument, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Pecos National Historical Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Petroglyph National Monument, Pipe Spring National Monument, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, Rocky Mountain National Park, Saguaro National Park, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Tonto National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, White Sands National Park, Wupatki National Monument, Yellowstone National Park, Yucca House National Monument, Zion National Parkmore »
Across the Intermountain Region, Inventory & Monitoring Division ecologists are helping to track the effects of climate change, provide baseline information for resource management, evaluate new technologies, and inspire the next generation of park stewards. This article highlights accomplishments achieved during fiscal year 2021.
Although it was built close to 700 years ago, the Casa Grande remains one the tallest structures in the town of Coolidge, Arizona. The Casa Grande is probably the most significant surviving example of Hohokam building techniques and architecture made from caliche, a concrete-like mixture of sand, clay, and calcium carbonate (limestone).
Locations:Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Saguaro National Park, Tonto National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tuzigoot National Monumentmore »
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Sonoran Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network
The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. In this issue, find out how eDNA inventories may change what we thought we knew about SODN springs. Learn about the new technology that will improve our streams monitoring, and the lasting contributions of our IVIPs to projects across multiple networks. Get caught up on our latest reports and the status of ongoing projects, and find out what’s happening at the DRLC.
Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.
Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.
Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.
Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.
Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.
Occurrence Tags
Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.
False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.
Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.
Abundance
Abundant:
Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.
Common:
Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.
Uncommon:
Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.
Rare:
Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.
Occasional:
Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).
Unknown: Abundance unknown
Nativeness
Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.
Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.
Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.
List Differences
The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.
The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.
The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.
Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know.
Last updated: November 24, 2020
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Contact Info
Mailing Address:
1100 W. Ruins Drive
Coolidge,
AZ
85128
Phone:
520 723-3172
General park contact number includes a phone tree for finding the employee you wish to contact. Callers may dial zero for the phone attendant. Voicemail is available for many of the extensions.
