Biodiversity

NPS photo/S. Surdyk

Our geographic position combined with an environment unique in the southeastern Alaska rainforest, has led many ecologists to postulate the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park area as a biodiversity "hot spot." Certain animals more common to the interior, such as the pika and arctic ground squirrel, are known to occur in the park valleys. Some botanists propose the head of the Lynn Canal, near Skagway, as the "greatest centre for plant diversity in Alaska" (Pojar & MacKinnon, 1994).

 

The Chilkoot Trail changes from coastal forest at sea level to high alpine near the summit and boreal forest toward the Lake Bennett end.

NPS image/M. Lemke

Biodiversity is an important natural resource at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The natural resources also include the Park's scenic, glacial valleys - and the geologic and environmental processes that are still at work molding the landscape. They include the plants and animals that use the valleys now, and those plants and animals that may naturally expand into the valleys in the future. They also include the natural progression of growth and decay, and the effects of these processes upon the remains of past human endeavors. Finally, they are the setting for people to experience the natural sounds, sights, smells and feel of a special coastal ecosystem.

 

Learn more about

• animals
• plants
• birds
• amphibians
• bats
• lichens

in the park, or explore the lists of known species identified by the National Park Service at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

 

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

Select a Park:

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

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Species attribute definitions

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