Type 1: Douglas Fir/Mountain Snowberry (.1 percent of monument)

This type is found on relatively steep, north-facing slopes of older cinder cones. Douglas fir is the dominant tree with occasional limber pines present. Generally, more than 50% of the soil surface is devoid of vegetation, but it is covered by a layer of litter. The dominant understory shrub is mountain snowberry. Common chokecherry is widespread, especially in areas of bright light. Willow species are also present. Common forbs include broadleaf bluebell, sharpleaf valerian, and sticky cinquefoil. Common grasses include Sandberg bluegrass, Idaho fescue, and slender wheatgrass.

Type 2: Antelope Bitterbrush/Great Basin Wildrye (.4 percent of monument)

Found on slopes of medium-aged and older cinder cones. The dominant shrub in this type is antelope bitterbrush. Other common shrubs include rubber rabbitbrush, mountain snowberry, and Wyeth eriogonum. Wax currant and mountain big sagebrush occur as scattered individuals. Common forbs include arrowleaf balsamroot, Holboell rockcress, sulfur buckwheat, and stoneseed. Desert parsley forms a relatively dense understory, especially where grass density is low. The most conspicuous grass is great basin wildrye, although bluebunch wheatgrass occurs in much higher densities than wildrye in many areas of this type.

Type 3: Mountain Big Sagebrush/Bluebunch Wheatgrass (5.2 percent of monument)

Occurs on older lava flows and south slopes of medium aged and older cinder cones, which have more highly developed soils. The type is widespread in the monument and diverse in composition. The dominant shrub is mountain big sagebrush and bluebunch wheatgrass is the most common grass. Antelope bitterbrush is common and in some areas occurs in higher densities than sagebrush. Mountain snowberry and saskatoon serviceberry are common in moister sites, as are nettle-leaf horsemint and onion grass.

Type 4: Low Density Lava Flows (57.8 percent of monument)

These flows of a'a, pahoehoe, and block lava are generally the youngest in the monument and have relatively low plant cover. Shrubs provide less than five percent of the total cover and include tansybush, ocean spray, mockorange, and dwarf goldenweed. On more favorable microsites, antelope bitterbrush and lava phlox are common. Common forbs include scabland penstemon, desert parsley, fernleaf fleabane, sulfur buckwheat, thistle, narrowleaved skeletonweed, and sticky cinquefoil. The most common grasses are Sandberg bluegrass and squirrel tail.

Type 5: Limber Pine/Antelope Bitterbrush (5.6 percent of monument)

This type is found on young to medium-age cinder cones. Antelope bitterbrush is the dominant shrub, with rubber rabbitbrush and wax currant also common. Mountain big sagebrush occurs on more favorable sites. Common forbs include sulfur buckwheat, dwarf buckwheat, dwarf monkeyflower, and deceptive groundsmoke. Grasses include Thurber needlegrass, squirrel tail, and Sandberg bluegrass. Bluebunch wheatgrass is limited to more favorable microsites.

Type 6: Cinder Gardens (2.2 percent of monument)

A cinder surface and low total plant cover (generally less than five percent in mid-summer) separate this community from all others. It is dominated by dwarf buckwheat, which is conspicuous due to its persistent leaves. Species common into mid-July include silverleaf phacelia, bristly cryptantha, hoary aster, Douglas chaenactis, thorn skeleton plant, and narrowleaved skeletonweed. In June, when growing conditions are most favorable, dwarf monkeyflower, Sukdorf's mimulus, dwarf onion, and bitterroot lewisia are common. Some areas of this type are devoid of higher plants due to extremely harsh conditions.

1. Divide the class into six groups and assign each to one of the six areas shown on the map. The groups should work simultaneously to conserve time. If you are travelling by bus, drop off each group and then have the bus return to pick them up in the same order, so each group has an equal amount of time to complete their work. If you are travelling by car, each group can car pool to their location, and the entire group can reconvene at a specified time.

3. In each habitat, mark out an area 10m by 15m using stakes and surveyors tape. Photograph the site for later reference during the discussion at school.

4. Complete the work sheet, recording environmental conditions and plants observed. If students are unable to identify certain plants with the resource materials provided, they may simply include a description.

5. After returning to school, quantify your results. You may post the following chart on the wall and have each group complete their portion.

6. Then have students prepare a series of graphs to display the above data. These can be done in a large format and posted so that everyone can compare results in a group discussion. Assign each group to do two graphs. The first should show percentage of different types of plant cover for their habitat type. Have them post one or more of the photos they took of their habitat type with this graph. Here is an example of such a graph:

The other should summarize data for all groups on one variable (soil surface temperature, percent of shaded ground, soil moisture, lava age, number of species, or number of individual plants). Assign one variable to each group so there is no overlap. Here is an example of one such graph:

7. Have students assign their habitat type a name based on the plants they found to be most numerous or conspicuous there. You may then share with them the descriptions of their habitat types from the vegetative mapping project (included in the background information above).

8. Have students jot down answers to the following questions. Then lead a group discussion of their results. What factors appear to determine the types of plants found in an area? Which habitat type is most diverse? Least diverse? How does the age of a lava deposit affect the plants found there? Why do plant communities change through time? How does northern versus southern exposure effect plant communities? Why?