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Premise: The glacial cycles of the Pleistocene period likely had a profound impact on the genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns of numerous plant taxa in North America. However, the genetic diversity of rare, limestone-endemic woody species has not been highlighted. This study assesses genetic diversity in Paxistima canbyi A. Gray (Canby’s mountain lover or rat stripper), a rare limestone endemic small woody plant. Methods: We investigated the genetic diversity of P. canbyi using genomic Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) data from 165 individuals from 14 populations sampled from across the entire range distribution. We first; de novo assembled the SNP dataset using ipyrad and then estimated Ploidy levels of P. canbyi using the observed heterozygosity and the ratio of DNA sequences through a Bayesian assignment method-based R package, gbs2ploidy. We subsequently use a hard-filtered SNP dataset containing only biallelic SNPs to make inferences on the genetic diversity of the extant P. canbyi populations. Results: Our results reveal P. canbyi is a polyploid species. Also, genetic diversity within the extant populations seems to be moderately high with observed heterozygosity higher than expected. Also, there appears to be a significant level of differentiation between populations with the overall FST calculated to be 0.390. Except for two populations in West Virginia who (even with large numbers of individuals) appear to be inbred, most P. canbyi populations are not inbred as heterozygotes were observed to be abundant (FIS = -0.273). Using a cross-entropy criterion in a population structure analysis, we also identified fourteen genetic clusters with all populations except four, which form two unique genetic clusters. Conclusion: Almost all P. canbyi populations are distinct genetic units that share some ancestral genetic variation even under genetic isolation. Despite promising inferences regarding the genetic health of the species, some populations may not

Es sintetitzen els treballs d’avaluació i seguiment de la flora d’interès especial fets al Parc Natural del Cadí-Moixeró en els darrers 25 anys. La llista de plantes d’interès especial del Parc consta actualment de 50 tàxons (endemismes d’àrea petita, espècies protegides i/o amenaçades a Catalunya, espècies amb poblacions d’interès biogeogràfic gran). Fins a 2022, 31 tàxons han estat objectiu de treballs i per a 13 es realitza un seguiment (anual en 6 espècies)., This paper summarizes the assessment and monitoring of flora of special interest carried out in the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park over the last 25 years. The list of plants of special interest of this Park currently has 50 taxa (narrow endemics, protected and/or threatened species, species with populations of high biogeographical interest). Until 2022, 31 taxa have been the target of works and 13 are regularly monitored (6 species annually).

Arable plant species diversity has been on a decline, with many species dependent on arable land becoming threatened. At the same time, attempts at defining the drivers of arable plant diversity have proven difficult and results are often contradictory. Much of the available data come from surveys that are small-scale and with great variability in methodology, leading to difficulties comparing them. In this study, I have used survey data from Gotland to examine how arable plant diversity is influenced by management, field size, soil texture and standing crop. I found a negative trend of diversity with increasing field size, and a suggested effect of management and soil texture on the presence of red listed arable plants. This study also evaluates the use of small datasets when examining plant diversity, and the limitations associated with it. It shows that while a small dataset cannot be analysed to the extent a more comprehensive one can, it is possible to identify trends and patterns with it, which may inform further studies.

Data from the PERDIVER and INTERACTOMA projects. The goal of the projects was to characterize the communities of species that interact with seven rare or endangered plants in Aragón and if those communities changed between isolated and non-isolated plant populations. The aboveground was surveyed in 2016, 2017, and 2018 during the flowering season of the host plant. All individual animals, visiting any part of flowering and non-flowering plants over an area covered visually by the observer were either visually identified or sampled, if needed to confirm identification. All animals trapped by the sticky leaves of pinlon were also identified. Sampling area and length of surveys varied among plant species, depending on size of plants and frequency of interactions, but ≥ 20 surveys were performed at each site, resulting in a total of > 9,000 minutes and 638 surveys. Sampling investment varied among plant species, because they differed in interaction detectability. However, sampling effort was always similar among patches of the same plant species. Other methods like Berlese funnnel traps, fruit sampling or cafeteria experiments were used to unveil interactions that are not easily visible, like those by small or camouflaged animals. Below ground microbial communities were characterized for each plant population with three samples composed of root material from different individuals.

List of species of with the greatest conservation need in Utah.

A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham's and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Uintah County, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The team will implement multiple conservation measures required by a July 2014 conservation agreement signed by the parties. Protections given to the two plant species under the agreement were determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preclude the need for the USFWS to list Graham's and White River beardtongue penstemon as ‘threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both species are endemic to the Uinta Basin. SITLA and Uintah County have imposed regulatory limits on state trust and private lands within conservation areas established by the agreement to ensure protection of the plants.

When studying each rare species of plant, the study of them on the basis of a certain order, that is, into a certain group, increases the efficiency. For example: a distributed area is a common, similar to a living environment, or a factor that multiplies in a similar way or, on the contrary, affects a decrease, etc. In this article, the generality of the families of plants was taken as a unit. The reasons for this are several: in plants belonging to the same family, basically the living environment, the distribution area and even the factor that affects the decrease will also be similar.

When studying each rare species of plant, the study of them on the basis of a certain order, that is, into a certain group, increases the efficiency. For example: a distributed area is a common, similar to a living environment, or a factor that multiplies in a similar way or, on the contrary, affects a decrease, etc. In this article, the generality of the families of plants was taken as a unit. The reasons for this are several: in plants belonging to the same family, basically the living environment, the distribution area and even the factor that affects the decrease will also be similar. In this work, we study the rare species of the family Alliaceae, which are distributed in the Fergana Valley.

List of species of with the greatest conservation need in Utah.

List of species of with the greatest conservation need in Utah.

A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham's and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Uintah County, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The team will implement multiple conservation measures required by a July 2014 conservation agreement signed by the parties. Protections given to the two plant species under the agreement were determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preclude the need for the USFWS to list Graham's and White River beardtongue penstemon as ‘threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both species are endemic to the Uinta Basin. SITLA and Uintah County have imposed regulatory limits on state trust and private lands within conservation areas established by the agreement to ensure protection of the plants.

List of species of with the greatest conservation need in Utah.

A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham's and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Uintah County, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The team will implement multiple conservation measures required by a July 2014 conservation agreement signed by the parties. Protections given to the two plant species under the agreement were determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preclude the need for the USFWS to list Graham's and White River beardtongue penstemon as ‘threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both species are endemic to the Uinta Basin. SITLA and Uintah County have imposed regulatory limits on state trust and private lands within conservation areas established by the agreement to ensure protection of the plants.

List of species of with the greatest conservation need in Utah.

The study of species of rare plants in the Fergana Valley suggests that the representatives of the taxis Lilliaceae form a large proportion of such species. The purpose of this theoretical work, taking into account the large area of the distribution area across the valley by family representatives Namangan and the factor of the reduction of this family, is aimed at studying the flower structure, which is the main morphofunctional cognition of the representatives of the liliaceae rare scattered throughout the Namangan region and their comparative analysis.

At the same time, one of the most pressing issues facing humanity is to reduce regression in the plant kingdom and ensure the sustainability of the species population. Of the species distributed in the Fergana Valley, 45 are endemic or subendemic. Of these species, 23 are listed in the Red Book [9]. This shows that the Fergana Valley is one of the protected areas. The main task of this scientific research is to eliminate this.

A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham's and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Uintah County, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The team will implement multiple conservation measures required by a July 2014 conservation agreement signed by the parties. Protections given to the two plant species under the agreement were determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preclude the need for the USFWS to list Graham's and White River beardtongue penstemon as ‘threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both species are endemic to the Uinta Basin. SITLA and Uintah County have imposed regulatory limits on state trust and private lands within conservation areas established by the agreement to ensure protection of the plants.

Species distribution models (SDMs) have become an essential tool in focusing conservation efforts for species with incomplete distribution records. SDMs enable conservation managers to increase field survey efficiency by prioritizing areas to invest time and financial resources. This application is invaluable for historical species which remain suspended between extant and extirpated, having not been documented in many years, but lack sufficient evidence to be determined extirpated. Identifying suitable habitat and previously unknown locations for species of conservation-concern has historically represented an overwhelming and often impractical task, however the development of model-based sampling approaches has made this task more feasible. Here, SDMs are trained using digitized herbarium specimens to identify suitable habitat and therefore, the potential distribution of 16 historical plant species in Tennessee. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide conservation managers with an effective tool for guiding sampling strategies, enabling the rediscovery of Tennessee’s lost plant species.

The role of individual plant species, including those that are rare or invasive, in the structure of plant–pollinator networks will depend on how connected the plants are to pollinator species and when they flower. Plant species visited by a high diversity of pollinators that visit few other species during a particular time period are thought to provide high value to the insect community. Here, we examined the role of plant species in a plant–pollinator network across the entire flowering season and across dune and adjacent woodland habitats in Wisconsin, USA. We found strong turnover of plants, pollinators, and their interactions in time and space. Both native and exotic species play important structural roles in plant–pollinator networks. Simulations reveal that the loss of the early‐flowering rare plant, Cirsium pitcheri, would result in a disproportionate loss of pollinator species. Furthermore, the critical role that this species plays in the network is not replaced by its exotic relative, Centaurea stoebe. Our research demonstrates that consideration of temporal and spatial variability in networks allows for critical plant species to be identified within a plant–pollinator network that might otherwise be overlooked.

Protected areas are critical for conserving California’s many sensitive plant species but their future role is uncertain under climate change. Climate-driven species losses and redistributions could dramatically affect the relevance of protected areas for biodiversity conservation this century. Focusing on the University of California Natural Reserve System (NRS), we predicted the future impact of climate change on reserve effectiveness with respect to sensitive plant protection. First, we evaluated the historical representation of sensitive plant species in the NRS reserve network by compiling species accounts from checklists, floras, and spatial queries of occurrence databases. Next, we calculated projected climate change exposure across the NRS reserve network for the end of the 21st century (2070–2099) relative to baseline (1971–2000) conditions under five future climate scenarios. We then predicted statewide changes in suitable habitat for 180 sensitive plant taxa using the same future climate scenarios in a species distribution modeling approach. Finally, from these predictions we evaluated suitable habitat retention at three spatial scales: individual NRS reserves (focal reserves), the NRS reserve network, and the surrounding mosaic of protected open space. Six reserves—Sagehen Creek Field Station, McLaughlin Natural Reserve, Jepson Prairie Reserve, Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve, Sedgwick Reserve, and Boyd Deep Canyon Desert Research Center—were selected as focal reserves for analyses.

A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham's and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Uintah County, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The team will implement multiple conservation measures required by a July 2014 conservation agreement signed by the parties. Protections given to the two plant species under the agreement were determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preclude the need for the USFWS to list Graham's and White River beardtongue penstemon as ‘threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both species are endemic to the Uinta Basin. SITLA and Uintah County have imposed regulatory limits on state trust and private lands within conservation areas established by the agreement to ensure protection of the plants.

In recent decades, programs within the Utah Department of Natural Resources have worked closely with many external partners to proactively conserve Utah's wildlife. One of the primary goals of these partnerships is to prevent the need for species listings under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA often have extremely low population numbers, and their recovery can be difficult. A listing also increases the regulatory burdens that affect state and local communities. During the last 25 years, 21 species with Utah populations have been petitioned for listing — some multiple times — but the vast majority have received "Not Warranted" decisions because of the state's effective partnerships and ongoing conservation efforts. Utah's successes are the result of committed conservation partnerships that require people, funding, planning and support. These efforts are helping species in need, preventing additional ESA listings and demonstrating that even sensitive wildlife populations can persist alongside well-planned and carefully managed development.

A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham's and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Uintah County, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The team will implement multiple conservation measures required by a July 2014 conservation agreement signed by the parties. Protections given to the two plant species under the agreement were determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preclude the need for the USFWS to list Graham's and White River beardtongue penstemon as ‘threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both species are endemic to the Uinta Basin. SITLA and Uintah County have imposed regulatory limits on state trust and private lands within conservation areas established by the agreement to ensure protection of the plants.

In recent decades, programs within the Utah Department of Natural Resources have worked closely with many external partners to proactively conserve Utah's wildlife. One of the primary goals of these partnerships is to prevent the need for species listings under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA often have extremely low population numbers, and their recovery can be difficult. A listing also increases the regulatory burdens that affect state and local communities. During the last 25 years, 21 species with Utah populations have been petitioned for listing — some multiple times — but the vast majority have received "Not Warranted" decisions because of the state's effective partnerships and ongoing conservation efforts. Utah's successes are the result of committed conservation partnerships that require people, funding, planning and support. These efforts are helping species in need, preventing additional ESA listings and demonstrating that even sensitive wildlife populations can persist alongside well-planned and carefully managed development.

In 2014, the Conservation Agreement Strategy for Graham's beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River beardtongue (Penstemon albifluvis [=Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis]) was signed, and included a requirement that a long-term demographic monitoring plan will be developed and implemented (Penstemon Conservation Team [PCT] 2014). Specifically, the Agreement states that the conservation team will develop and implement a scientifically valid monitoring plan to capture range-wide variation in habitat, climate, and population processes.

A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham's and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Uintah County, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The team will implement multiple conservation measures required by a July 2014 conservation agreement signed by the parties. Protections given to the two plant species under the agreement were determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preclude the need for the USFWS to list Graham's and White River beardtongue penstemon as ‘threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both species are endemic to the Uinta Basin. SITLA and Uintah County have imposed regulatory limits on state trust and private lands within conservation areas established by the agreement to ensure protection of the plants.

The purpose of this Seed Management Strategy (hereafter, Strategy) is to guide the development and implementation of an ex situ seed bank conservation strategy for Graham's and White River beardtongues in accordance with the requirements outlined in the Penstemon Conservation Agreement (hereafter, Agreement) (PCT 2014). The objectives of this Strategy are to 1) describe the importance of an ex situ seed bank for conservation, 2) identify the key principles for developing a seed bank, 3) develop a strategic approach for future collections, and 4) provide the logistical details required for implementation of this plan. This Strategy fulfills the commitment to develop a seed bank, as described in Table 4 action 16 of the Agreement, and provides standardized procedures for the development and implementation of seed collection and seed storage for Graham's and White River beardtongues.

The Red Cliffs NCA is currently managed under the St. George Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (RMP, 1999), as modified by the designation language of OPLMA, at Subtitle O, Title 1, sec. 1974, which mandated the preparation of a new comprehensive management plan. Through OPLMA, Congress segregated the public lands of the NCA from entry under the General Mining Law, the Mineral Leasing Act, the Fluid Minerals Leasing Act, subject to any valid existing rights, and from disposal under the public land laws.

The Beaver Dam Wash NCA is currently managed under the goals, objectives, and management decisions identified for the public lands within the NCA by the St. George Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (RMP, 1999), as modified by the designation language of OPLMA, at Subtitle O, Title 1, sec. 1975.

The purpose of this Seed Management Strategy (hereafter, Strategy) is to guide the development and implementation of an ex situ seed bank conservation strategy for Graham's and White River beardtongues in accordance with the requirements outlined in the Penstemon Conservation Agreement (hereafter, Agreement) (PCT 2014). The objectives of this Strategy are to 1) describe the importance of an ex situ seed bank for conservation, 2) identify the key principles for developing a seed bank, 3) develop a strategic approach for future collections, and 4) provide the logistical details required for implementation of this plan. This Strategy fulfills the commitment to develop a seed bank, as described in Table 4 action 16 of the Agreement, and provides standardized procedures for the development and implementation of seed collection and seed storage for Graham's and White River beardtongues.

The Beaver Dam Wash NCA is currently managed under the goals, objectives, and management decisions identified for the public lands within the NCA by the St. George Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (RMP, 1999), as modified by the designation language of OPLMA, at Subtitle O, Title 1, sec. 1975.

The Red Cliffs NCA is currently managed under the St. George Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (RMP, 1999), as modified by the designation language of OPLMA, at Subtitle O, Title 1, sec. 1974, which mandated the preparation of a new comprehensive management plan. Through OPLMA, Congress segregated the public lands of the NCA from entry under the General Mining Law, the Mineral Leasing Act, the Fluid Minerals Leasing Act, subject to any valid existing rights, and from disposal under the public land laws.

In the Alpine mountains, mire systems are found in the form of small, scattered landscape units. Nevertheless, they maintain noticeably high diversity in terms of plant specialists and community types. A unique, species-rich example in the central Pyrenees, Bassa Nera, is analysed here by describing the major gradients that drive species composition and their relationship with abiotic drivers. We studied the specific vegetation composition, water chemistry and seasonal dynamics of the water table at 35 sampling points. The floristic data confirmed the uniqueness of Bassa Nera in relation to similar Pyrenean mire systems, both in terms of total species richness and regionally rare mire specialists. We distinguished seven plant community types and identified the depth to the water table as the principal driver of the variation in species composition. The water chemistry determined smaller composition shifts, since variations in pH and cationic contents were moderate. Flooded areas were species poor whereas soligenous sub-alkaline fens supported the highest numbers of species. However, the harshest mire habitats (floating Sphagnum carpets and Sphagnum hummocks) stood out as they included the highest number of rare plants within relatively species-poor assemblages. Therefore, the high species richness and uniqueness of the Bassa Nera system mirrors a combination of a wide range of hydrological conditions and a moderate variation in water chemistry. This case study reveals how a few mire systems stand out as exceptional sites. Thus, in Alpine ranges a thorough survey on mire vegetation is needed to select and effectively protect these threatened relict ecosystems.

Стверджується доцільність застосування спеціального аналізу популяційної структури лісового фонду на етапі пошуку та діагностики. Для оцінки характеру рідкісності лісових угруповань, представлених в регіоні дослідження на незначних площах, обов’язковим є встановлення їх територіального розташування за картосхемами лісів. Проведено натурні дослідження для виявлення їх раритетних компонентів, регіональних списків видів, що підлягають охороні, ендемиків тощо, а також залучення інших додаткових ознак., It is alleged the feasibility of a special analysis of populationthe structure of forest during search and diagnostics. To assess the naturerarity forest communities represented in the regional study on smallsquares, it is mandatory to establish their territorial location formap forests.

A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham's and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Uintah County, and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. The team will implement multiple conservation measures required by a July 2014 conservation agreement signed by the parties. Protections given to the two plant species under the agreement were determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to preclude the need for the USFWS to list Graham's and White River beardtongue penstemon as ‘threatened' under the federal Endangered Species Act. Both species are endemic to the Uinta Basin. SITLA and Uintah County have imposed regulatory limits on state trust and private lands within conservation areas established by the agreement to ensure protection of the plants.

Myosotis L., the forget-me-nots, is a genus of about 100 species distributed in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. There are two centres of diversity, Eurasia and New Zealand. The New Zealand species are a priority for taxonomic revision, as they comprise many threatened species and taxonomically indeterminate entities. This thesis includes a taxonomic revision of the native New Zealand Myosotis pygmaea subgroup, followed by an exploration of the genetic effects of rarity, and implications for conservation management. Species delimitation follows the general lineage model, in which multiple lines of evidence are analysed to identify evolutionary lineages. The morphological data collected from herbarium specimens and live plants grown in a common garden were used to delineate the M. pygmaea group and identify several groups within it that nearly matched the current taxonomy. High levels of plasticity were also uncovered. Microsatellite loci were developed as polymorphic markers for the M. pygmaea group for species delimitation and conservation genetics. Over 500 individuals were genotyped, mostly focusing on the M. pygmaea group but including several outgroup species for comparison. Several genetic clusters were identified showing morphological or geographic patterns. Considering both the genetic and morphological data, as well as novel ecological niche modelling, there is evidence for three main lineages within the M. pygmaea group which are formally recognised as M. antarctica, M. brevis and M. glauca. M. antarctica is further subdivided into two subspecies based on allopatry and morphology, namely subsp. antarctica and subsp. traillii (formerly M. drucei + M. antarctica and M. pygmaea, respectively). Using this new taxonomic framework to explore genetic variation relative to rarity shows very little difference among species. This is most likely due to the confounding effect of high levels of self-fertilization and low dispersal, which means that the majority o

The monitoring and adaptive management approach prescribed here is intended to guide the development and implementation of the criteria for calculating baseline and new surface disturbance for Graham's beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River beardtongue (P. scariosus var. albifluvis); see section 6.5 of the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Graham's Beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River Beardtongue (P. scariosus var. albifluvis) (Penstemon Conservation Team 2014), which is hereafter referred to as the Agreement. Implementation of adaptive management will be the responsibility of the Penstemon Conservation Team. Therefore, the Penstemon Conservation Team anticipates that changes to this plan may be required based on new information as it becomes available.

The monitoring and adaptive management approach prescribed here is intended to guide the development and implementation of this livestock grazing management plan for Graham's beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River beardtongue (P. scariosus var. albifluvis); see section 6.5 of the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Graham's Beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River Beardtongue (P. scariosus var. albifluvis) (Penstemon Conservation Team 2014), which is hereafter referred to as the Agreement. Implementation of adaptive management will be the responsibility of the Penstemon Conservation Team. Therefore, the Penstemon Conservation Team anticipates that changes to this plan may be required based on new information as it becomes available.

In July 2014, the Agreement was developed to identify, avoid, minimize, and mitigate the potential threats to Graham's and White River beardtongues and their habitats as identified in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed rule to list Graham's beardtongue and White River beardtongue under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (USFWS 2013) and to ensure the conservation of both species (Penstemon Conservation Team 2014). The signatories to the Agreement are the USFWS; the Utah and Colorado Bureau of Land Management (BLM); the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration; Uintah County, Utah; Rio Blanco County, Colorado; the Governor's Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, and the Utah Division Wildlife Resources. This mitigation plan fulfills the Agreement commitment to provide standardized procedures for the development and implementation of appropriate mitigation for impacts to Graham's and White River beardtongues.

The project area is located approximately 4.5 miles west of the Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake County, Utah. The property is one of two sites being considered for the relocation of the Utah State Prison that is currently located in Draper. The project site is located in Section 20, Township 1 North, Range 2 West.

The monitoring and adaptive management approach prescribed here is intended to guide the development and implementation of this weed management plan for Graham’s beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River beardtongue (P. scariosus var. albifluvis); see section 6.5 of the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Graham’s Beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River Beardtongue (P. scariosus var. albifluvis) (Penstemon Conservation Team 2014), which is hereafter referred to as the Agreement. Implementation of adaptive management will be the responsibility of the Penstemon Conservation Team. Therefore, the Penstemon Conservation Team anticipates that changes to this plan may be required based on new information as it becomes available.

The Red Bluff Area of Critical Concern (ACEC), just outside St. George, is known for its fun and flowy mountain bike trails. It also happens to be one of the few places where the Dwarf Bear Claw Poppy thrives. After consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and through an Environmental Assessment, the Dwarf Bear Claw Poppy was determined endangered and necessary measures would be needed to save the species, or the ACEC would be limited or closed to recreationalists. In an effort to conserve the endangered species and the Bear Claw Poppy Mountain Biking Trail, the BLM enlisted the help of an American Conservation Experience (ACE) crew. Through hard manual labor, the crew installed split rail fences to minimize impacts to the endangered Dwarf Bear Claw Poppy while maintaining access for recreational public lands users. "Erosion, invasive plants, and wildfire greatly impact critical seed banks found in the soil—and that's what we're trying to protect," said John Kellam, BLM-Utah St. George Field Office Wildlife Biologist. But the project goal is twofold, "We're trying to mitigate and protect the habitat and allow for recreational use along the trail system".

Small populations and rare species offer unique opportunities to study fundamental evolutionary questions, but many rare species are threatened by disturbance and climate change. Molecular population genetics enable biologists to examine evolutionary processes while simultaneously assessing levels of genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow that can help shape management plans for rare species. However, developing molecular markers can be an expensive, time-consuming process, especially if little is known about the genomes of the species of interest. A new technique, Genotyping by Sequencing (GBS), requires little to no prior information to develop SNP markers. Here I employ this technology to develop hundreds of markers in two rare, serpentine soil-endemic Monardella (Lamiaceae) plant species and a common congener. Using the SNP markers, I investigate population structure, genetic diversity, and hybridization between species. I also use a soil dataset to determine whether species and hybrid zones occur on divergent soils. I find low levels of genetic diversity and little population structure in the two rare species, as expected by rapid genetic drift in small populations. I find evidence of hybridization and introgression among species at sites where multiple species co-occur. Further, Bayesian assignment finds mixed ancestry in one of the rare species. The soil data show that the soils inhabited by the two species are divergent, but not significantly different. Some hybrids occur on soils that seem to be intermediate between the two parental species, but others do not. I synthesize these data with ecological surveys to provide species management recommendations to the USDA Forest Service.

The purpose of this Agreement is to identify, avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential threats to Graham's and White River beardtongues and their habitats, and to promote the species' long-term persistence, thereby preventing the need for listing either species. This Agreement formalizes the objectives, timelines, and administration of conservation protocols for these species between the USFWS, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), SITLA, Uintah County, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR), the Governor's Public Lands Policy Coordination Office (PLPCO), and private landholders. The signatories to this Agreement are the USFWS, BLM, SITLA, Uintah County, PLPCO, and DWR.

The Beaver Dam Wash NCA is currently managed under the goals, objectives, and management decisions identified for the public lands within the NCA by the St. George Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (RMP, 1999), as modified by the designation language of OPLMA, at Subtitle O, Title 1, sec. 1975.