erika nowak & trevor b. persons
DESCRIPTION
Inventory of Reptiles and Amphibians at Death Valley NP Manzanar NHS Mojave NP. Erika Nowak & Trevor B. Persons. USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado Plateau Field Station. The Crew. Scott Hillard Shawn Knox AJ Monatesti Bob Parker Jason Pilarski Justin Schofer - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Erika Nowak & Trevor B. Persons
USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Colorado Plateau Field Station
Inventory of Reptiles and Amphibians at
Death Valley NPManzanar NHS
Mojave NP
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The Crew
Laura Cunninghamand Erika
Trevor Persons
Scott HillardShawn KnoxAJ MonatestiBob ParkerJason PilarskiJustin SchoferEric Zepnewski
Kevin EmmerichBryan HamiltonKris Heister/I&M Network David MorafkaDana York & all NPS staff CPFS administrative staff
Thanks to:
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2. Maximize the probability of detecting new species in certain areas (fill in holes in park species lists)
Potential Inventory ObjectivesPotential Inventory Objectives
1. Provide a basis for statistical inference about species richness (provide rigor and repeatability)
-OR-
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2. Maximize the probability of detecting new species in certain areasTargeted sampling
(DEVA, MOJA)
Potential Inventory ObjectivesPotential Inventory Objectives
1. Provide a basis for statistical inference about species richness
Stratified grid-constrained random sampling (MANZ)
-AND-
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OUR OBJECTIVES
• Inventory and document the occurrence of reptile and amphibian species – Within identified priority sampling locations (DEVA and
MOJA)– Within all of MANZ– Provide one voucher specimen for each species if not
previously collected
• Estimate inventory completeness at each park (Master List)
• Enter species data into NPSpecies and provide other deliverables
http://sbsc.wr.usgs.gov/products/ofr
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METHODS• Time-recorded visual encounter surveys (VES, NVES)
• Road driving (ROAD)
• Random encounters (RE)
• One hour - one hectare time-area constrained VES (TACS; MANZ)
• 100 m-long lizard line transects (LL; MANZ)
• Pitfall traps (PF; DEVA, MANZ)
• Data mining (museum searches, literature review, contact area experts)
– estimate inventory completeness
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Owlshead PSA
Owlshead PSA
Greenwater PSA
DEVAPriority Sampling Areas (6)
2002-2004
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DEVA: NOTABLE SPECIES
LIZARDS (16 species)• *Southern Alligator Lizard (1)
(Elgaria multicarinata)– Scotty’s Castle
• Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma scoparia)– state species of concern– Ibex Dunes
SNAKES (16 species)• *Ring-necked Snake (1)
(Diadophis punctatus)– near Scotty’s Castle
• Rosy Boa (Charina trivirgata)– rare, collected by poachers
– Darwin Falls
* = new park record
L. Cunningham
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DEVA: NOTABLE SPECIES
DESERT TORTOISE(Gopherus agassizii)• Federally threated
– Greenwater range
AMPHIBIANS (4 species)
• Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
– Saline Valley and Furnace Creek golf course
• Odd-looking Western toads (Bufo boreas) hybrids??
– Darwin Falls
• No salamanders documented (Batrachoseps seen outside park in Waucoba Canyon)
B. Parker
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MANZ: COMPARISON OF METHODS2002-2003
# Species
TACS LL VES/
NVES
PF ROAD RE
Total
(per
pers-hr)
7
(0.36)
6
(0.11)
6
(0.09)
4
(245
t-days)
7
(0.09)
5
Lizards 5 4 6 4 5 5
Snakes 2 2 0 0 2 0
** NO ONE METHOD CAUGHT ALL SPECIES
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MANZ: NOTABLE SPECIES
LIZARDS (7 species)• Southern Alligator Lizard
(Elgaria multicarinata)– apparently rare
SNAKES (3 species)Nothing unusual:• Gophersnake (Pituophis
catenifer)• Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans)• Coachwhip (Masticophis
flagellum)
AMPHIBIANS• NONE!!!!!
T. Persons
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MOJA PRIORITY SAMPLING AREAS (4) 2004-2005
• Clark Range
• Piute Range• Piute Creek
• Cornfield Spring(Providence Mtns)
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MOJA: NOTABLE SPECIES
LIZARDS (15 species)• Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma scoparia)
– Kelso Dunes• Did not find Gila Monster
(Heloderma suspectum) – seen in 2005 by tourist bet.
Clark and Kingston ranges
SNAKES (14 species)• Nothing unusual except high
road mortality
DESERT TORTOISE• federally threatened
– Not uncommon
AMPHIBIANS (1 species found)• Red-spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus)
– deformities in Piute Creek (post-fire)
• Did not find Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla)– introduced at ZZYZX
T. Persons
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OVERALL RESULTS
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OVERALL RESULTS: % INVENTORY COMPLETENESS
DEVA MANZ MOJA
Overall 92 50 95-100
Amphibians 73 0 67-100
Reptiles 95 54 97-100
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DISCUSSION: TIMING ISSUES
• 2002-2004: Impact of drought on survey results– Likely decrease in numbers of individuals detected and
esp. on detected amphibian species richness
– Possible longer-term effects on age class structure
• 2005: WET!– Limited surveys done at MOJA
• Importance of longer-term studies– Done by park-based researchers
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• Detectability near zero for some: – Secretive snakes– Rain-breeding amphibians
• Patchy spatial / temporal distribution– Does not support detection at randomly-generated plots
• Over half of rare species added by random encounters outside
standard methods
–
DISCUSSION: RARE SPECIES
J. Pilarski
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DISCUSSION: SAMPLING ISSUES
• VES surveys most efficient for limited $$ inventories
• TACS and lizard line transects have limited utility for species inventory– TACS could be useful for monitoring if properly
stratified
• Pitfalls useful if long monitoring periods (or inventory if $$$$)– Will occasionally detect rare or
secretive species– **MUST BE CHECKED
FREQUENTLY**
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DISCUSSION: HERP ISSUES
• Monitor/control non-native or introduced species – Bullfrogs (eat everything)– Fish/crayfish (eat amphibian eggs/larvae)
• Monitor amphibians at springs– Toad deformities at MOJA Piute Creek– Salamanders in DEVA Panamints??
• Throw money at surveys in wet years
• More general surveys at MANZ• Road mortality of snakes at MOJA
B. Parker
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•There are several “populations” of herp species that differ primarily by detectability relative to method used
• Use a variety of methods for documentation• Random points are inefficient for inventories:
• largely document common, already listed species • Time, luck, cameras needed to detect rare species
•Herp inventories uncompleted in Mojave and other Network Parks
• Relative abundance estimable only for common species• Droughts necessitate longer
inventory periods• Park-funded best
CONCLUSIONS I: Implications for Future Herpetofauna Inventories
T. Persons
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• Statistical inference or specific sample designs should not become ends in themselves
• Don’t confuse inventory and monitoring methods/objectives
• Documentation (of new species or locations) is simple!• Easily done by park-based NPS staff or tourists
• Need camera, GPS, date http://sbsc.wr.usgs.gov/products/ofr
CONCLUSIONS II: Implications for Future Herpetofauna Inventories
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J. Pilarski
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DEVA: EFFORT BY METHOD
VES
NVES
ROAD
PF
RE
TOTALS
Survey Hours
693.7
30.1
225.1
N/A
N/A
948.9
Person-hours
939.8
31.7
306.3
N/A
N/A
1,277.8
Kilometers Driven
N/A
N/A
8,413
N/A
N/A
8,413
Trap Days N/A
N/A
N/A
4,850
N/A
4,850
PFs at Hummingbird Springs, Mahogany Flats (also Cunningham and Emmerich traps at Scotty’s Castle and Last Chance Range)
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MOJA: EFFORT BY METHOD
VES
NVES
ROAD
RE
TOTALS
# Surveys 92
8
40
123
263
Person-hours
192.2
4.3
115.7
N/A
312.1
Kilometers Driven
N/A
N/A
3487
N/A
3487
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MANZ Random Plots*
(*TACS & LL)
2002-3003
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DEVA Potential Reptile Species List Review
• long-tailed brush lizard• tree lizard• northern alligator lizard• southern alligator lizard• gila monster• ringneck snake • Mojave rattlesnake• western rattlesnake • western diamondback
rattlesnake • rubber boa• western terrestrial garter
snake
• previously seen in Greenwater Valley• not likely present – out of range• low probability of presence in N. mtns• we documented at Scotty’s Castle • not likely present- out of range• we documented at Scotty’s Castle• high probability of presence in S. • high probability of presence in N. mtns• not likely present- out of range
• not likely present- out of range• low probability of presence
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DEVA Other Potential Species
• western skink• Mediterranean or house
gecko • CA mountain kingsnake• slender salamanders
(Batrachoseps)• ensatina (Ensatina
escholtzii) or web-toed salamander (Hydromantes)
• northern leopard frog
• Great Basin spadefoot • black toad
• specimen misidentified- not likely• unconfirmed reports at Scotty’s Castle-
unlikely• possibly present in moist habitats• slight probability of presence in canyons
of Panamint Mountains• previously recorded on Telescope Peak,
low probability of finding it
• likely present historically, low probability of presence in wetlands
• low-fair probability of presence• introduced in the Saline Valley Marsh
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MANZ Potential Species List- Amphibians
• Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps sp.)
• Owens Valley web-toed salamander (Hydromantes sp.)
• Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana)
• Boreal (Western) Toad (Bufo boreas)
• Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla)
• low probability of presence along Bairs Creek
• not likely present – out of elevational range
• good probability of presence
• fair probability of presence
• low probability of presence along creek
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MANZ Potential Species List- Lizards
• Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)
• Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis)
• Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores)
• Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)
• Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)
• Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus)
• high probability of presence
• good probability of presence
• low probability of presence
• low probability of presence
• low probability of presence
• fair probability of presence
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MANZ Potential Species List - Snakes
• Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus)
• Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus)
• Longnose Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)
• Western Patchnose Snake (Salvadora hexalepis)
• Ground Snake (Sonora semiannulata)
• low probability of presence along Bairs Creek
• high probability of presence
• high probability of presence
• high probability of presence
• high probability of presence
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Manz Potential Species List – More Snakes
• Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans)
• Western Aquatic Garter Snake (Thamnophis couchii)
• Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata)
• Southwestern Black-headed Snake (Tantilla hobartsmithi)
• Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)
• Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchelli)
• low probability of presence along Bairs Creek
• not likely present- unsuitable habitat
• high probability of presence
• good probability of presence
• high probability of presence
• high probability of presence