Incorporating diversity measures into Ecological Site Descriptions to manage biodiversity on heterogeneous landscapes

Abstract

On the Ground • We examined whether diversity metrics could be incorporated into the Ecological Site Descriptions and State and Transition Models (ESD-STM) framework to manage multiple goals including biodiversity on heterogeneous landscapes. • We evaluated plant diversity in two vegetation states (i.e., grassland and shrubland) across three ecological sites in Southern California and found that alpha diversity differed by ecological site and vegetation state. • Functional diversity remained similar across our three ecological sites. • Beta diversity between vegetation states was higher than that within each state—in other words, two states support more dissimilar vegetation communities than one state alone. • Describing both biodiversity metrics and forage values in ESD-STM may help guide conservation planning on working ranches, such as the Tejon Ranch in Southern California.