Concluding comments

Researchers and managers alike were challenged to better communicate with each other to facilitate more effective stewardship of resources in the Mojave Desert. Several themes emerged from the presentations.

1. It is important to protect processes, not the just the products of evolution (individual species). The complexity of ecosystems like the Mojave and the regulatory/monetary burden of single-species-oriented conservation necessitate a more holistic approach to effective conservation. Only by protecting habitats and the physical, chemical and biological processes that maintain them can we protect the species who depend on these processes. Dr. James Deacon emphasized this point with his research on desert fishes.
2. It is important to manage for the maintenance of natural variability, not stasis. The presentation by Dr. Tom Van Devender showed that the desert has undergone great change in the last 40,000 years. Only by understanding this variation and its importance to the development of the modern Mojave Desert ecosystem can we effectively manage the desert for future generations to enjoy.
3. Global change necessitates adaptive management. Climate change, increasing CO2, and increasing inputs of nitrogen from air pollution have subtle but sure impacts on ecosystems like the Mojave. Some species will prosper, others may decline. Effective management must consider the implications of these global factors. For example, increased nitrogen input may favor the proliferation of exotic annual grasses and their accompanying short fire cycles. In recognition of this cycle, managers may want to adopt aggressive fire suppression activities in the Mojave to protect the fire-sensitive long-lived perennial plant species therein.
4. Geological and associated ecological processes are slow, therefore research on these processes is by necessity long-term. Managers must support long-term research to get answers to many of their questions in the Mojave Desert.
5. Research with no practical applications and managers who don't make decisions based on good science don't play well with the public.

Research needs identified by the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service

• implementation of rangewide monitoring of the desert tortoise (BLM)
• effectiveness of active vs. passive recovery action s for the desert tortoise (BLM, FWS)
• effectiveness of restoration activities in degraded desert habitats (BLM, NPS)
• development of affordable and simple ecosystem monitoring protocols (BLM, NPS)
• identification of range of natural variation in desert ecological processes (NPS)
• more research on the impacts of exotic species including fire ants and Argentine ants (FWS, NPS)
• more research on air and water resources including aquatic systems (FWS, NPS)
• research on pollinators (FWS, NPS)
• research on amphibian populations (NPS)
• research on the effects of urbanization (NPS)
• research to aimed at keeping sensitive species off of the Endangered Species list (FWS)
• life history data on Gila monster, Inyo Mountain salamander, Amargosa toads, Panamint alligator lizard, flat-tailed horned lizard, and bear paw poppies (FWS)
• more research on demography and habitat requirements of sensitive desert species (FWS)