Fort Davis National Historic Site

Gabriel Turner

Pollard Cole

Co. A of the 10th U.S. Cavalry was stationed at Fort Larned from April 1867 to January 1869. Although they served with dedication, their time at the fort was troubled by racial prejudice.

When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change.

Following the Civil War, permanent African American regiments were constructed in the United States Army. Although segregated due to race, these regiments served with honor and distinction, and helped to tame the Wild West.

Three park units in the Chihuahuan Desert Network, Big Bend National Park (NP), Carlsbad Caverns NP, and Guadalupe Mountains NP are designated as Class I air quality areas under the Clean Air Act. Class I areas receive the highest protection under the act, and degradation of air quality must be minimal. Air quality concerns include atmospheric deposition effects and visibility impairment from fine particle haze.

The Chihuahuan Desert Network is currently developing protocols to monitor several vital signs that may reflect current and future impacts of climate change. This brief offers a summary of how Chihuahuan Desert Network monitoring will detect future change.

Climate is one of many ecological indicators monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Climate data help scientists to understand ecosystem processes and help to explain many of the patterns and trends observed in other natural-resource monitoring. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor climate using the scientific protocol described here.

Climate and hydrology are major drivers of ecosystem structure and function, particularly in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. The Chihuahuan Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors climate at Fort Davis National Historic Site and groundwater wells near the park. Understanding climate and water resources is an important part of assessing the condition of park biota and cultural resources.

Climate and hydrology are major drivers of ecosystem structure and function, particularly in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. The Chihuahuan Desert Inventory and Monitoring Network monitors climate at Fort Davis National Historic Site and groundwater wells near the park. Understanding climate and water resources is an important part of assessing the condition of park biota and cultural resources.