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Photo by D. Atwood
Sources: ESRI, USGS, NOAA; D. Atwood
Creeping draba
Draba sobolifera
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G1
State (S-rank): S1
External links
Species range
Estimate from download of data from Utah Rare Plant Database on Nov 16th 2021.
Geocat 53 observations: Extent of Occurrence: 56.528 km2.
Alpine tundra and spruce-fir communities in talus or scree slopes of thermally modified ash-flow tuff of the Marysvale volcanic centrum, at 3050 to 3695 m in the Tushar Mts., Beaver and Piute cos.; a Southern Plateaus endemic (Welsh et al. 2015).
Threats or limiting factors
Numerous occurrences are within active grazing allotments on US Forest Service land. Grazing-related impacts of cattle and naturalized mountain goats may be a threat, however the severity of this threat is unknown and likely low due to the small stature of Drabas and their habitat being talus and scree slopes (UNHP 2021). Introduced mountain goats have apparently had a limited impact on this species (Franklin 2005).
Climate change is also a threat to this alpine endemic. Droughts and rapidly melting snowpack are occurring earlier than normal in our region (UNHP 2021). Ongoing drought: The Utah Division of Water Resources confirmed the Utah is now in "extreme" or "exceptional" drought.
Hiking and ORV use are present within this species' habitat and are potential threats (Tate pers. comm., 2005 cited by Franklin 2005).
