State Beaches Rare Plant Surveys By California Native .

State Beaches Rare Plant Surveys by California Native Plant Society RarePlant Survey Committee, Spring 2011Frank Landis, PhDAugust 16, 2011SUMMARYBetween March 18 and May 6, 2011, California Native Plant Society (CNPS) volunteers, led by Dr. FrankLandis, searched for sensitive, rare, and endangered plants at Silver Strand State Beach, Black's Beach,Torrey Pines State Reserve, and Cardiff State Beach. This search was part of a larger 2011 effort to findrare coastal dune plants in San Diego County, focusing on beaches that had not been recently surveyed.CNPS volunteers collectively spent 70.6 person-hours on the surveys.Volunteers mapped twenty occurrences of five sensitive plant species:Brand's phacelia (Phacelia stellaris) a CDFG list 1B species. Between 4,358 and 4,458 plants werefound at Silver Strand State Beach.Nuttall’s lotus (Lotus nuttallianus or Acmispon prostratis in the upcoming Jepson Manual revision), aCDFG list 1B species. Between 18,939 and 24,939 were found at Silver Strand State Beach, TorreyPines State Reserve, and Cardiff State Beach.Coast woollyheads (Nemacaulis denudata var. denudata), a CDFG list 1B species. Between 518,494719,494 plants were found at Silver Strand State Beach and Torrey Pines State Reserve.Red sand verbena (Abronia maritima), a CDFG list 4 species. Between 300 and 320 were found atBlack's Beach.Woolly seablite (Suaeda taxifolia), a CDFG list 4 species. Between 800 and 850 were found at Black'sBeach.All data collected (including a kmz file for Google Maps) are available from Frank Landis, as is contactinformation for the volunteers, in case this is needed for volunteer effort reports.The document below details the survey methods and results by location.

INTRODUCTIONThe Rare Plant Committee of the San Diego chapter of the California Native Plant Society performsannual surveys of rare, sensitive, or endangered plants, as its name suggests. Its mission is to findspecies and populations that are "falling through the cracks," plants that have not been recentlysurveyed or that occur in areas where systematic sampling or specimen collection is difficult. In thesesurveys, we fill a valuable role, checking on rare plants that are not typically monitored.All work is performed by volunteers, led and supervised by Dr. Frank Landis, a trained botanist and plantecologist. The survey protocol is basic: volunteers are recruited and trained to identify the plants underfield conditions, and populations are either counted or numbers estimated, depending on what is found.The data are recorded on forms from the California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) of theDepartment of Fish and Game (DFG). Data are shared with the landowner, state CNPS, CNDDB, CDFG,and other interested parties on request.In 2011, the Rare Plant Survey Committee chose to survey dune plants, because there was a consensusamong informed participants that we had insufficient information on a number of species. In contactinglandowners and studying existing records, the committee narrowed down potential survey locations toSilver Strand State Beach, Silver Strand Elementary School Beach, Fiesta Island, Black's Beach, TorreyPines State Reserve, San Elijo Lagoon, Cardiff State Beach, and Batiquitos Lagoon.This document details the surveys on State Parks Land. The sites include Silver Strand State Beach,Black's Beach, Torrey Pines State Reserve, and Cardiff State BeachSilver Strand State BeachSilver Strand State Beach was surveyed on March 18 and 20, 2011. On March 18, the followingvolunteers spent three hours surveying: Frank Landis, James Soe Nyun, Mike Gonzales, Tim Chumley, D.Gail Delalla. On March 20, another survey crew spent three hours surveying the rest of the beach. Thissecond crew included: Frank Landis, Kye Ok Kim, Zarina Hackney, Cindy Burrascano, Tim Chumley, FrankLandis, David Varner, Marty Blake-Jacobson. Contact information for these volunteers is available fromFrank Landis.Survey methods differed by species, due to the number of plants present. In most areas, we countedBrand's phacelia (Table 1, Figure 1), except for 0318C, where the population was estimated as describedbelow. Both Nuttall's lotus (Table 2, Figure 2) and coast woollyhead (Table 3, Figure 3) were eitherestimated or counted, depending on area. Estimates were created by counting the number of plants ina square foot in repeated areas, calculating an average density, and calculating the size of the polygon.For Nuttall's lotus (0320A), the plants occurred both as individuals and as contiguous mats composed ofmultiple plants. We visually estimated the area of the mats, then estimated the number of plantsassuming four plants per square meter. In general, multiple volunteers worked in each polygon, eachperson working on a separate species.In general, all three species occurred in areas that were not covered by non-native plants, often in areasthat had been gently disturbed by human activity. Brand's phacelia most often occurred around parkbenches, along logs, and clustered around similar microtopographic relief. Nuttall's lotus also occurred

most often between park benches, and at the northern end of 0320E, around the boats. Coastwoollyheads occurred throughout, on open sand where few or no other plants were present.Table 1. Phacelia stellaris at Silver Strand State BeachScientific NamePhacelia stellarisMap ID0318CNumber Found100-200Habitat DescriptionLocation is Silver Strand state beach, bay side, picnic area east of Hwy 75and south of access tunnel. 75% of Phacelia flowering. Habitat is coastalback dune in and around picnic area. Vegetative cover variable. Commonspecies include Lotus nuttallianus, Cakile maritima, Camissiopsischeiranthifolia, Nemacaulis denudata var. denudata, non-native myoporumand palms around picnic tables. Major threats are trampling andCarpobrotus edulis.Phacelia stellaris0318G606Phacelia stellaris0320A3290Location is Silver Strand State Beach, bay side, area between the pavedroad and the dirt road closer to the least tern area. 85% of Phaceliaflowering. The other two edges were defined by sight lines that line up withthe northern and southern boundaries of the nesting site. Habitat is beach,fairly open, low cover of annuals. The main plant in that area was Medicago(lupulina), plus some Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia and small numbers ofother species. Trampling may be keeping the vegetation open and allowingplants to persist. The major threats are weeds, especially Carpobrotusedulis, and possible soil issues (too many nutrients).Location is Silver Strand State Beach, bay side, picnic area north of accesstunnel. Area around picnic benches, fairly loose sand, covered densely withLotus nuttallianus, Nemacaulis denudata var. denudata, Erodium sp., andother plants. Trampling may be keeping the vegetation open and allowingplants to persist. The major threats are weeds, especially Carpobrotusedulis, and possible soil issues (too many nutrients).Phacelia stellaris0320D362Location is Silver Strand State Beach, bay side. 60% of Phacelia areflowering. Habitat is flat sandy beach, with a mix of open plants, patches ofMedicago sp., Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia, and similar plants. The majorthreats are trampling, weeds such as medicago, possible soil issues (toomany nutrients)

Fig. 1. Polygons surveyed for Phacelia stellaris at Silver Strand State Beach

Table 2. Lotus nuttallianus at Silver Strand State BeachScientific NameLotus nuttallianusMap ID0318BNumber Found325Habitat DescriptionLocation is Silver Strand State Beach, picnic area with dune scrub, on loosesandy soil possibly disturbed by foot traffic. 90 percent of Lotus flowering.Veg cover low, 10%. Other plants include Nemacaulis denudata, Distichlisspicata, Cakile maritima, Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia, and Medicago sp.Lotus nuttallianus0318E9Lotus nuttallianus0318F23Location is Silver Strand State Beach, bay side, area roped off for leasttern/snowy plover breeding by beach. All Lotus flowering. Area wassurveyed from outside rope. Habitat is east-facing sandy slope in roped-offarea 15 feet above high tie line along bay. Other species include Batismaritima, Frankenia sp., Limonium californicum, Camissoniopsischeiranthifolia, Nemacaulis denudata. Trampling may be keeping thevegetation open and allowing plants to persist. Major threats are weeds,especially Carpobrotus edulis, and possible soil issues (too many nutrients).Location is Silver Strand State Beach bay side, area between the pavedroad and the dirt road closer to the least tern area. 95% of Lotus flowering.The other two edges were defined by sight lines that lined up with thenorthern and southern boundaries of the nesting site Beach. Habitat is fairlyopen, low cover of annuals. The main plant in that area was the Medicago(lupulina), plus some Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia and smaller numbers ofa few other species. Trampling may be keeping the vegetation open andallowing plants to persist. Major threats are weeds, especially Carpobrotusedulis, and possible soil issues (too many nutrients).Lotus nuttallianus0320B378Lotus nuttallianus0320E18,000-24,000Location is Silver Strand State Beach, bay side, picnic area north of accesstunnel. See polygon on accompanying map Area around picnic benches,fairly loose sand, covered densely with Lotus nuttallianus, Nemacaulisdenudata var. denudata, Erodium sp., and other plants. Trampling may bekeeping the vegetation open and allowing plants to persist. The majorthreats are weeds, especially Carpobrotus edulis, and possible soil issues(too many nutrients).Location is Silver Strand State Beach, bay side. 80% of Lotus areflowering. Habitat is flat sandy beach, with a mix of open plants, patches ofMedicago sp., Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia, and similar plants. The majorthreats are trampling, weeds such as medicago, possible soil issues (toomany nutrients)

Aug 16, 2011 · Pines State Reserve, San Elijo Lagoon, Cardiff State Beach, and Batiquitos Lagoon. This document details the surveys on State Parks Land. The sites include Silver Strand State Beach, Black's Beach, Torrey Pines State Reserve, and Cardiff State Beach Silver Strand State Beach Silver Strand State Beach was surveyed on March 18 and 20, 2011.