Threats assessment of four rare plants inhabiting the Palouse Prarie and Snake River Canyon Grasslands of southeastern Washington

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This report is an assessment of threats to Aster jessicae, Haplopappus liatriformis, Astragalus riparius, and Rubus nigerrimus. Results are based primarily on field surveys conducted by the author during the summer of 2005. <br> The Palouse Prairie and Snake River Canyon Grasslands are located in northwestern Idaho, southeastern Washington, and northeastern Oregon. The Palouse Prairie, which supports the Washington State Endangered Aster jessicae and Washington State Theatened Haplopappus liatriformis, is a critically imperiled ecosystem with less than 1% of the original vegetation remaining, primarily as a result of conversion to agriculture. It is thus not surprising that habitat loss and fragmentation/isolation are the biggest threats to both A. jessicae and H. liatriformis in Washintgon. Non-native species invasion, herbicide spraying/drift, small population size, and lack of protection are also significant threats to the persistence of these Palouse Prairie endemics. <br> The Canyon Grasslands occur to the south of the Palouse Prairie in association with the Snake River and its tributaries. These grasslands, which support the Washington State Endangered Astragalus riparius and Rubus nigerrimus, have been subjected to a long history of grazing. The most significant threats to A. riparius and R. nigerrimus are non-native species invasion, livestock grazing, small population size, and lack of protection.

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Reference Code: U05KEM05IDUS <br>

Full Citation: Kemper, Tyson. 2005. Threats assessment of four rare plants inhabiting the Palouse Prairie and Snake River Canyon Grasslands of southeastern Washington: Aster jessicae, Haplopappus liatriformis, Astragalus riparius, Rubus nigerrimus. Report prepared for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service through Section 6 funding USFWS Region 1. December 2005. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Asset Management and Protection Division, Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, Washington. 22 pp plus appendices. <br>

Location: ELECTRONIC FILE - BOTANY: MULTIPLE SPECIES <br>

Keywords: Aster jessicae, Astragalus riparius, Haplopappus liatriformis, Rubus nigerrimus, Threats, Palouse Prarie, Snake River Canyon, southeastern Washington <br>