WERC Highlights -- April 2007

Mountain Yellow-legged Frogs: On May 2, 2007, scientists Tandora Grant from the San Diego Zoo’s Conservation and Research for Endangered Species (CRES) center and Robert Fisher from USGS will give a presentation at the Amphibian Taxon Advisory Group meeting during the 2007 “Herp” TAG meetings to be held by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in Omaha, Nebraska, April 28-May 4, 2007. Their topic will be the multi-agency conservation partnership in southern California that is striving to keep a healthy captive population of endangered mountain yellow-legged frogs for future repopulation in the wild. The partnership (USGS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Game, and CRES) is looking for participation by additional zoos in this conservation effort as several dozen tadpoles currently under the care of CRES begin to attain adulthood and breeding age. (Robert Fisher, San Diego, CA, 619-225-6422, rfisher@usgs.gov)

Spatial Patterns of Large Natural Fires in Sierra Nevada Wilderness Areas: Natural fire plays a critical role in shaping landscapes by promoting heterogeneity among vegetation types and age class patches. In the absence of fire throughout much of the California Sierra Nevada, and more generally the western United States, landscapes have become homogenized. The results from a study published in the April edition of Landscape Ecology by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and USGS characterize the spatial properties and factors driving the patterns of more natural fire-induced vegetation change. Based on these factors, managers can anticipate the effects of management ignited and naturally ignited fires. See: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/vanwagtendonkpbapr2007.html. (Jan van Wagtendonk, El Portal, CA, 209-379-1306, jan_van_wagtendonk@usgs.gov) Citation: Collins, B. M., N. M. Kelly, J. W. van Wagtendonk, and S. L. Stephens. 2007. Spatial patterns of large natural fires in Sierra Nevada wilderness areas. Landscape Ecology 22: 545–557.

The role of fuel breaks in the invasion of nonnative plants: Reduction of hazardous fuels has become a priority for federal, state, local, and private land managers in the United States. Federal initiatives, including the National Fire Plan and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (HR 1904), have extended the scope of pre-fire fuel manipulations to include a wide range of vegetation types and treatment prescriptions, and have dramatically increased the number of acres treated to reduce fuels. In U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5185 (http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/sir20065185), USGS scientists Kyle Merriam (currently with the USFS) and Jon Keeley and USFS colleague Jan Beyers report that an unintended result of these fuel modification programs can be the introduction and spread of nonnative invasive plant species. Their study focused on forests and shrublands throughout California and included fuel breaks in sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodland, and coniferous forest vegetation types. Their study also included a range of construction methods, maintenance regimes, and fire histories. See: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/keeleypbapr2007.html. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov) Citation: Merriam, K.E., Keeley, J.E., and Beyers, J.L., 2007, The role of fuel breaks in the invasion of nonnative plants: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5185, 69 p.

USGS Waterbird Research: On April 25, 2007, USGS scientist John Takekawa was contacted by KQED (public broadcasting, San Francisco) for a potential story on the new QUEST science and education program about USGS waterfowl and other waterbird research involving satellite and radio tracking of birds in the San Francisco Bay area and beyond. (John Takekawa, Vallejo, CA, 707-562-2000, john_takekawa@usgs.gov)

USGS Carnivore Research Highlighted in Presidio Publication: “Science at the Presidio,”a new brochure by the Presidio Trust showcases research at the Presidio of San Francisco. The opening section, on wildlife research, leads with a summary by USGS scientist Erin Boydston on results of the first study of carnivores in the Presidio, conducted during 2003-2004. (Erin Boydston, Irvine, CA, 714-508-4704, eboydston@usgs.gov)

Bobcat Research: An article in the April 19, 2007, Daily Pilot (Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, CA) mentioned that a GPS-collared female bobcat that has been photographed in the area with three kittens is one whose movements are being tracked in a study by the USGS in conjunction with Colorado State University and The Nature Conservancy. As part of Earth Day events, the Newport Bay Naturalists and Friends will have volunteer/naturalist Dick Newell explaining about GPS-collaring and demonstrating how the researchers radio-track the bobcats. http://www.dailypilot.com/articles/2007/04/19/opinion/dpt-soundingoff19.txt (Erin Boydston, Irvine, CA, 714-508-4704, eboydston@usgs.gov)

Student Mentoring on Fire Research: USGS scientist Jon Keeley has helped mentor David Cohn III, a middle school student conducting postfire chaparral studies in southern California. Last year, as a 7th grader, Cohn took overall first place in junior division in the California State Science Fair (and $5,000) with a study following the 2003 Cedar Fire in southern California. This year, he returns with a follow-up study of species diversity after fire, which has already racked up awards in county competition with a first place in the botany division and three professional society awards at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair. The 56th annual California State Science Fair, sponsored by the California Science Center, will be held in Los Angeles on May 21-22, 2007. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Salt Pond Restoration, Avian Influenza: On April 11, 2007, USGS scientist John Takekawa was interviewed by Bay Nature magazine about salt pond restoration and bird research in San Francisco Bay, and by a freelance producer working on a potential story about avian influenza and sampling in wild birds for the program “Dan Rather Presents.” (John Takekawa, Vallejo, CA, 707-562-2000, john_takekawa@usgs.gov)

River Channel Responses to Large Sediment Inputs: USGS scientist Mary Ann Madej is presenting results of a flume experiment at the annual Association of American Geographers meeting to be held in San Francisco, April 16-20, 2007. The experiment consisted of creating sediment pulses in a 12-m long flume to mimic large sediment inputs in rivers, such as from large landslides. Channel responses documented in a controlled flume setting can then be used to test models of river changes and predict recovery times of disturbed rivers. (Mary Ann Madej, Arcata, CA, 707-825-5148 mary_ann_madej@usgs.gov)

Beyond Naturalness: On April 3-5, USGS scientist Nate Stephenson was an invited speaker at a workshop on “Beyond Naturalness,” sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service's Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, Missoula, Montana. The workshop explored potential new approaches to protected areas management in an era of rapid, pervasive global changes. Stephenson spoke on “What should protected areas managers start doing NOW in the face of ongoing global changes?” (Nate Stephenson, Three Rivers, CA, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3176, nstephenson@usgs.gov)

Fire: On April 6, 2007, USGS scientist Jon Keeley was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times for an upcoming article on fire management in the western United States. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Bobcat Study: On April 3, 2007, USGS scientist Erin Boydston provided bobcat photos to Fox 11 News (KTTV-TV, Los Angeles) to accompany a story on a bobcat study of their movement patterns in the greater San Joaquin Hills in Orange County conducted by researchers at USGS and Colorado State University in coordination with The Nature Conservancy, City of Irvine, State Parks, County Parks, and the Irvine Company. An April 1 story, with video and slide show online, by the Orange County Register, documented a bobcat captured by the research team and fitted out with a GPS tracking collar, ear tag, and microchip. An Associated Press story (April 1) on the study was picked up by several newspapers (San Diego Union-Tribune, North County Times, Ventura County Star, Fresno Bee, San Luis Obispo Tribune, Monterey County Herald, San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times) and TV stations including KCAL (CBS affiliate, Irvine); KESQ (ABC affiliate, Los Angeles), and KSBY (San Luis Obispo). (Erin Boydston, Irvine, CA, (Erin Boydston, Irvine, CA, 714-508-4704, eboydston@usgs.gov)