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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 Presentation
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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
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:
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-
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-
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
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
Owlshead PSA
Owlshead PSA
Greenwater PSA
DEVAPriority Sampling Areas (6)
2002-2004
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
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
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
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
MOJA PRIORITY SAMPLING AREAS (4) 2004-2005
• Clark Range
• Piute Range• Piute Creek
• Cornfield Spring(Providence Mtns)
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
OVERALL RESULTS
OVERALL RESULTS: % INVENTORY COMPLETENESS
DEVA MANZ MOJA
Overall 92 50 95-100
Amphibians 73 0 67-100
Reptiles 95 54 97-100
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
• 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
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**
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
•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
• 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
J. Pilarski
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)
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
MANZ Random Plots*
(*TACS & LL)
2002-3003
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
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
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
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
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
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