Known and Potential Impacts of Physical Disturbance From Maneuver Training on Threatened and Endangered Species.

Abstract

Kno11Vn and Potential Impacts of Physical Disturbance From Maneuver Training on Threatened and Endangered Speciesi. General Comments. (Indicate what you think should be changed to make this report and future reports of this type more responsive to your needs, more usable, improve readability, etc.) 5. If you would like to be contacted by the personnel who prepared this report to raise specific questions or discuss the topic, please fill in the following information.

Assessing the Impact of Maneuver Training on NPS Pollution and Water Quality

“…This study shows there is strong evidence of a difference in vegetation condition between areas subjected to varying intensities of military training. This finding is supported by other work on military lands (Anderson et al, 1999;Bartsch et al, 2002;Houston et al, 2001;Trame, 1997;Tweedale et al, 2000). The combined use of Landsat TM and MODIS NDVI imagery in this project was able to measure a significant difference in greenness between the training area and impact area control study sites.…”

“…Various military training activities, and the intensity of those training events, on installation lands will negatively impact vegetation Houston et al, 2001;Trame, 1997;Warren and Bagley, 1992). Vegetation is an important factor to control erosion by minimizing raindrop impacts on the soil and holding soil in place with extensive root systems.…”

“…Military land managers now contend with environmental issues whose management often requires a short or long-term reduction in amount of land available for training. Frequent disturbance of soil and flora that accompany military maneuvers can further limit the land area needed to sustain the army's readiness (Houston et al, 2001, Trame, 1997.…”

“…Removal of vegetation can damage key soil properties (e.g., nutrients, organic matter) making large areas less habitable for plants. Less vegetation and lower water infiltration rates due to compaction increases surface runoff, especially highly erosive concentrated flows (Trame, 1997). Sediments transported down slope can be detrimental to riparian vegetation and if not trapped effectively by that vegetation, enter streams and degrade surface water quality (Bartsch et al, 2002).…”