How much trampling can a flower take?

Hieraceum albiflorum, July 15, 2021

Hieraceum albiflorum, July 15, 2021

Common & scientific name
White hawkweed, Hieraceum albiflorum

Family
Sunflower, Asteraceae

Location
Difficult Trail, 8,400’

Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Another dandelion-like flower (ray florets only), but white, rather spindly, and considered a “weedy” species in some places, as it readily recolonizes disturbed ground (e.g., post-fire or logging). On the Pass it occurs infrequently on dry, open soil.  

As a subject of the US Forest Service’s Fire Effects study, it was learned that “White hawkweed is susceptible to high levels of human trampling. A study from western Montana revealed that white hawkweed has low (<10% increase) resilience in terms of short- and long-term recovery of relative cover after being trampled. Its resistance is listed as moderate (200 to 400 passes/year required to reduce frequency). It can tolerate light (75 to 100 passes/year) trampling and still recover.” 

Please don’t trample the daisies!