UCSB Biogeography Lab

UCSB Biogeography Laboratory Projects

Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project

The Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project (SNEP) is an assessment of the entire Sierra Nevada ecoregion (California and western Nevada). The study was requested by Congress in 1992, was completed in June, 1996, and was funded by Congress and the U.S. Forest Service. This ecosystem evaluation undertakes, as specifically requested by Congress, a scientific review of late-successional forests, key watersheds, and significant natural areas (e.g., areas with sensitive species) on federal lands of the Sierra Nevada ecoregion, and also broadly evaluates the entire set of Sierra Nevada ecosystems, including their social, economic, and ecological components. The overall goal of the Project is to provide an accurate ecosystem assessment. This will enable managers to identify, measure and monitor key structural components, functional processes, and ranges of variability in order to manage these ecosystems for sustainability.

The Biogeography Lab collaborated with SNEP to produce a Sierra Nevada-wide assessment of the distribution and management status of widespread terrestrial plant communities and vertebrate species. This analysis, undertaken as part of the Gap Analysis of California, provided 1) digital distribution maps of plant communities and land management units; 2) tabular summaries of the ownership and management status of communities; 3) analyses to identify communities that are potentially vulnerable based on their current management status; 5) and identification of potential biodiversity management areas to reduce the vulneraility of communities.

FTP site for UCSB-SNEP GIS Data is ftp://ftp.biogeog.ucsb.edu/pub/org/biogeog/data/snep

The Biogeography Lab produced two of the chapters in the final SNEP report. These are:

Davis, F. W., and D. M. Stoms, 1996. Sierran vegetation: A gap analysis. Pages 671-689 in Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final Report to Congress, vol. II, Assessments and scientific basis for management options. Davis: University of California, Centers for Water and Wildlands Resources.
Abstract Full Chapter

Davis, F. W., D. M. Stoms, R. L. Church, W. J. Okin, and K. N. Johnson, 1996. Selecting biodiversity management areas. Pages 1503-1528 in Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final Report to Congress, vol. II, Assessments and scientific basis for management options. Davis: University of California, Centers for Water and Wildlands Resources.
Abstract Full Chapter

We also presented a paper on the BMAS model in 1996 which is also on-line:

Church, R. L., D. M. Stoms, F. W. Davis, and B. J. Okin, 1996. Planning management activities to protect biodiversity with GIS and an integrated optimization model, in Proceedings of the Third International Conference/Workshop on Integrating GIS and Environmental Modeling. National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, Santa Barbara, CD and WWW.
Full paper

For information about ordering or viewing the SNEP reports, for access to SNEP GIS data sets, and to learn more about the project in general, check at the California Environmental Resources Evaluation System.



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	UCSB Biogeography Laboratory Projects Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project The Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project (SNEP) is an assessment of the entire Sierra Nevada ecoregion (California and western Nevada). The study was requested by Congress in 1992, was completed in June, 1996, and was funded by Congress and the U.S. Forest Service. This ecosystem evaluation undertakes, as specifically requested by Congress, a scientific review of late-successional forests, key watersheds, and significant natural areas (e.g., areas with sensitive species) on federal lands of the Sierra Nevada ecoregion, and also broadly evaluates the entire set of Sierra Nevada ecosystems, including their social, economic, and ecological components. The overall goal of the Project is to provide an accurate ecosystem assessment. This will enable managers to identify, measure and monitor key structural components, functional processes, and ranges of variability in order to manage these ecosystems for sustainability. The Biogeography Lab collaborated with SNEP to produce a Sierra Nevada-wide assessment of the distribution and management status of widespread terrestrial plant communities and vertebrate species. This analysis, undertaken as part of the Gap Analysis of California, provided 1) digital distribution maps of plant communities and land management units; 2) tabular summaries of the ownership and management status of communities; 3) analyses to identify communities that are potentially vulnerable based on their current management status; 5) and identification of potential biodiversity management areas to reduce the vulneraility of communities. FTP site for UCSB-SNEP GIS Data is ftp://ftp.biogeog.ucsb.edu/pub/org/biogeog/data/snep The Biogeography Lab produced two of the chapters in the final SNEP report. These are: Davis, F. W., and D. M. Stoms, 1996. Sierran vegetation: A gap analysis. Pages 671-689 in Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final Report to Congress, vol. II, Assessments and scientific basis for management options. Davis: University of California, Centers for Water and Wildlands Resources. Abstract Full Chapter Davis, F. W., D. M. Stoms, R. L. Church, W. J. Okin, and K. N. Johnson, 1996. Selecting biodiversity management areas. Pages 1503-1528 in Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final Report to Congress, vol. II, Assessments and scientific basis for management options. Davis: University of California, Centers for Water and Wildlands Resources. Abstract Full Chapter We also presented a paper on the BMAS model in 1996 which is also on-line: Church, R. L., D. M. Stoms, F. W. Davis, and B. J. Okin, 1996. Planning management activities to protect biodiversity with GIS and an integrated optimization model, in Proceedings of the Third International Conference/Workshop on Integrating GIS and Environmental Modeling. National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis, Santa Barbara, CD and WWW. Full paper For information about ordering or viewing the SNEP reports, for access to SNEP GIS data sets, and to learn more about the project in general, check at the California Environmental Resources Evaluation System.
	Email stoms@bren.ucsb.edu