Botanical Inventory

Introduction | Search Our Herbarium

Plants are the cornerstone of a biological community, often dictating the species of animals that will be present there. In arid deserts, riparian habitat can account for as much as 75% of the biological diversity in the area. Thus, a botanical inventory (i.e., identifying and mapping plants in a specific area) is often the first step in any biological investigation. Wildlife studies that are currently under way in the Las Vegas Wash (Wash) include a reference to habitat so that we can associate the animals with the plant communities in which they are found. Additionally, botanical inventories are also necessary to identify rare and sensitive plant species, as well as to highlight species that are particularly beneficial, or harmful to the ecosystem.

The Las Vegas Wash Project Coordination Team (Wash Team) has been conducting botanical inventories in and around the Wash since the fall of 2002. More than 180 plants have been identified. Several habitat types have been examined, including wetland, riparian, and upland. Many of the plants that were found during field investigations were collected and made into herbarium specimens. These herbarium specimens are kept at the Wash Team office and serve as a permanent record of plant occurrences in the Wash. A pair of index card sized specimens is also produced for each plant collected. The index card sized specimens are used for public education and outreach events and activities The purpose of this study is to document the plant species that are found near the Wash by creating species lists and to prepare herbarium specimens of these plants. As restoration and enhancement activities move forward in the Wash, resource managers will be challenged to determine a long-term goal or "climax state" for wildlife resources in the Wash. These resources ultimately depend on the plants and plant communities that are found near the Wash and an inventory of this basic ecological component is valued.