Vegetation changes in Jasper National Park assessed from resampling of ecological land classification plots established in the 1970s

Canada’s mountain ecosystems are changing as a result of climate change and a host of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Understanding the kinds, rates, and causes for those changes is important for informed ecosystem management. To assess changes in the vegetation of Jasper National Park (JNP), we documented changes in plant community composition by resampling 41 ecological land classification (ELC) plots first assessed in the 1970s. In 2023, we documented the presence and percent cover of vascular, hepatic, moss, and lichen species within each plot and compared those data to the 1970s data. Within each plot, we determined the change in cover for each taxon. The communities have become more species rich since the 1970s and community type diversity has increased. Despite rates of species turnover that exceed 50%, plant diversity shows no signs of decline. Multidecadal succession, perhaps influenced by climatic change and human disturbances, is altering the vegetation composition independent of wildfire and mountain pine beetle. Ecologically important species that decreased over time included <i>Pinus contorta, Rosa acicularis, Vaccinium cespitosum, V. scoparium</i>, and <i>V. vitis-idaea</i>. Important increasers included <i>Picea glauca, Pseudotsuga menziesii</i>, and <i>Hylocomium splendens</i>. Younger and drier sites changed more than did older and moister sites.