Abstract
Research on plant and invertebrate communities of hanging gardens in five parks on the Colorado Plateau is at the half way point. Many interesting and somewhat unanticipated biological and geological questions have arisen, and we are progressing toward our initial research objectives. Plant diversity and community survey work is on schedule and providing insight into biogeographic and community patterns. Insect survey work is slightly behind due to the high abundance and diversity of taxa. Our research objectives for the 1992 field season were to (1) complete the survey of plant and invertebrate animal communities of hanging gardens in Zion National Park (ZION) and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (GLCA), and to begin a community survey of communities in Capitol Reef National Park (CARE), (2) map the geographic distribution of the endemics identified and determine levels of endemism within and among parks and (3) determine levels of similarity between each sampled hanging garden plant and insect community.