A natural features inventory of the Smoky Hill ANG Range, Kansas

Abstract

A five-year study of the biological resources on the Smoky Hill Air National Guard Range was conducted from 2003—2007 by the Kansas Biological Survey. The three primary objectives of the project were to conduct biological inventories for animals, plants, and natural communities; document the land use history and past management of the installation; and prepare recommendations and an action plan for the control and abatement of invasive and non-native species.

Surveys for rare and endangered species revealed no evidence of federal or state listed threatened or endangered species inhabiting the installation. Several federal endangered bird species migrate through central Kansas and occasionally may visit Smoky Hill ANGR for short periods of time, including Whooping Crane, Bald Eagle, Piping Plover, and Least Tern. The installation (or private land immediately adjacent to it) does support populations of six species of state-rare plants and eight species of state-rare animals. General floristic and faunistic studies documented many new species for the installation. Terrestrial elements of the flora are generally what one would predict for a tallgrass-dominated site in the eastern Smoky Hills physiographic province. A dearth of riverine and aquatic habitats on the site probably limits mesophytic and aquatic elements of the flora. Roughly 700 specimens representing 412 species of vascular plants were collected on or near the installation. Voucher specimens for all plant species documented on the installation have been deposited in the R. L. McGregor Herbarium at the University of Kansas. Vertebrate surveys documented seven species of amphibians, 27 species of reptiles, 28 species of mammals, and 150 species of birds. As expected from the habitats available, the diversity of grassland species was high, and species affiliated with aquatic and forested habitats were relatively few. Plant community studies confirmed three major types of natural communities. The dominant plant community on the installation is Dakota Hill Tallgrass Prairie. The size and generally good condition of this largely unfragmented tallgrass prairie makes it a valuable reservoir of biological diversity for the Great Plains. Vegetation condition was assessed to be highest in the Impact Area and in the hay leases. Plant surveys conducted on Smoky Hill ANGR provided a quantitative assessment of the effects of current management practices on plant diversity and plant community quality. Permanent plots provide valuable baseline data on the condition of the vegetation and can be used to track changes over time. Sound management of Smoky Hill ANGR has resulted in a generally good quality of grassland communities throughout the property. The absence of any major weed infestation attests to the quality of the range, its management, and good grazing practices. The Impact Area is unique. It contains a low component of weedy species and the highest percent cover of conservative plant species. Hay meadows exhibit the greatest species richness, the highest average cover of vegetation, the least bare ground, and the highest floristic quality index of the three management types. Grasslands on Smoky Hill ANGR support large populations of breeding birds. The x relative abundances of species varied among the four habitats studied: grazed, hayed, unburned/ungrazed, and burned/ungrazed. Burned sites attracted the fewest species and lowest overall relative abundances; the three other habitats were similar to one another. Unburned/ungrazed sites were important to Henslow’s Sparrow and Bell’s Vireo, two species of conservation concern. A review of range practices by a team of range and wildlife experts was conducted in 2004. The team generally made favorable comments about current range practices. Many suggestions for ways to improve management were offered, although the practicality of any alterations in light of the military mission and lease system needs to be evaluated by ANG staff. The majority of the suggestions dealt with incorporating mixed management--that is varying management type and intensity over time. Information on invasive and non-native species was collected in conjunction with other biological studies. Many non-native species have become established at Smoky Hill ANGR. For example, 16% of the vascular plant documented on the installation are non-native. However, few of these are considered highly invasive species that pose management concerns. Muskthistle, a Kansas noxious weed, is widely distributed in grazing leases, but population densities are generally extremely low. Management recommendations for control of musk-thistle and other invasive species are provided. Invasion of prairies by native and non-native tree species is a problem that is being addressed under current management. However, more attention to this issue is recommended. A report on the environmental history of the area (Appendix F) discusses the changing land use practices from the time of European-American arrival and settlement to the present. Agricultural development of the prairie, transition to military ownership, and recent history are presented. Aerial photography from 1938, shortly before military training operations were initiated in the area, was obtained from the National Archives and digitally analyzed for land use practices. Results are discussed in Chapter 2 and provided as GIS shape files. A invasive and non-native species plan is contained in Appendix G. The plan reviews regulations covering invasive species; discusses the status, threat level, and control methods for 17 invasive species of plants and vertebrates and one vegetation type (woody plants) present on Smoky Hill ANGR; and present a 5-year implementation plan for invasive species.