Habitat and Vegetation Assessment - 2017 - Terrestrial Species Stressor Monitoring [ds2828]

Vegetation surveys were conducted at each Great Valley and Mojave Desert study site between March and June 2017. The surveys followed the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Vegetation Reconnissance Field Protocol and were representative of either the lifeform for which the survey site was selected, or the dominant vegetation type encountered on site, if the preassigned lieform was not found. These reconnaissance vegetation surveys are based on a representative stand with a subset of dominant or characteristic plant species and their cover values recorded rather than a plot based survey. Field crews determined the primary alliance for the stand and identified the dominant species present, along with percent cover and phenology information. If there was any uncertainty in keying to alliance, a secondary alliance was also described, along with any details to aid in later determination. The CDFW Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program reviewed and confirmed or corrected all field assessments herein.