A call to action for inventory and monitoring of cliff ecosystems to support conservation

Authors: HARRISON, GEORGIA; BOGGESS, LAURA - North Carolina Department Of Agriculture; MCCORD, SARAH; MARCH-SALAS, MARTI - Goethe University

Submitted to: Basic and Applied Ecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/28/2024
Publication Date: 9/5/2024
Citation: Harrison, G.R., Boggess, L.M., McCord, S.E., March-Salas, M. 2024. A call to action for inventory and monitoring of cliff ecosystems to support conservation. Basic and Applied Ecology. 80:31-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2024.07.006.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2024.07.006

Interpretive Summary: This paper highlights the importance of cliffs as special and diverse ecosystems that need our attention and protection. Cliffs are home to unique plants and animals, but they are facing increased threats from human activities and changes in the climate. Cliffs are often overlooked because they are challenging to study—they're diverse, spread out, and not easy to reach. To bridge this gap in information, we suggest that we should start keeping track of what's happening on cliffs through surveys and monitoring. The authors showcase three examples where monitoring was successful: tracking rare plants, taking photos of specialized cliff plants, and studying peregrine falcons. We provide methods and recommendations for starting cliff monitoring programs and urge for the proliferation and development of cliff monitoring programs to support diversity conservation.

Technical Abstract: Cliffs harbor unique and specialized biodiversity that warrants attention and conservation. At the same time, cliffs are under increased threat from anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. Since cliffs are highly heterogeneous, spatially isolated, and often inaccessible compared to nearby habitats, land managers require up-to-date and site-specific information to protect them. Cliffs are often overlooked due to the technical and logistical challenges posed by surveying these environments, but field inventorying and monitoring can fill this gap. We present three case studies of cliff monitoring in action: mapping populations of an endemic rare plant in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (US), photo-sampling of cliff specialist plants in Spain, and surveying peregrine falcons in Western North Carolina (US). These case studies highlight the application of various monitoring techniques, the possibilities for collaboration among stakeholders, and some ways that data from monitoring can inform cliff conservation and stewardship. To facilitate the development of easy-to-implement monitoring, we outline three approaches and associated best practices for monitoring cliff plants. Methods range from simple photo point monitoring to more in-depth species inventories and could be implemented by community scientists alongside a broader audience interested in providing up-to-date data on cliff environments. We call for action, urging the expansion and advancement of cliff biodiversity monitoring.