Vegetation - Point Mugu [ds1500]

Vegetation classification and mapping was conducted at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Point Mugu, California using the National Vegetation Classification Standard (NVCS) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program. Objectives were to: (1) survey, map and classify vegetation communities in order to produce a product that is consistent, repeatable, and translatable to regional/national levels; and (2) provide a vegetation community classification and resultant map based on a floristic vegetation classification to Point Mugu.

The vegetation map classes represent the association-level of the NVCS. A total of 68 vegetation associations were mapped on the installation using a 1/16 acre Minimum Mapping Unit (MMU) for a total of 4307.3 acres mapped. Surveys were conducted within select vegetation communities during four sampling periods between January and July 2012. No surveys were conducted during several months in the spring to avoid potential impacts to breed federal and state-listed bird species. A total of 110 plots were surveyed which included 42 vegetation associations. Approximately 30 vegetation associations support or have the potential to support species of special interest, including federal and state-listed threatened and endangered species. Additionally, some of the same vegetation communities that support these species are components of tidal wetlands, a sensitive and biodiverse ecosystem.

Other than developed/landscaped/unvegetated areas (30.3 percent) mapped on Point Mugu, Salicornia pacifica Frankenia salina Association was the most common association with 12.6 percent of the land area. The next most common mapped association was open water with 8.6 percent. Approximately 33.8 percent of Point Mugu is dominated by native vegetation while 17.5 percent is dominated by nonnative vegetation. In addition, approximately 6.8 percent was mapped as tidal/sand/mudflats.

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