WERC Highlights -- February 2004

Wildland Fire: USGS scientist Jon Keeley of the Western Ecological Research Center will be presenting a poster titled "Lessons Learned From the 2003 Wildfires in Southern California" at the joint Wildland Fire 2004 and National Fire Plan Conference, to be held on Mar. 3-5 in Reno, Nevada. Wildland Fire 2004 will bring together fire service leaders from the local, state and federal levels to address the problem of fire at the wildland/urban interface, and is co-sponsored by the International Association of Wildland Fire, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the USDA Forest Service, and the U.S. Department of the Interior. For more information: http://www.iafc.org/conferences/wildland/index.asp. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Wetland Restoration and Wintering Pintail Distribution: USGS scientist Joe Fleskes of the Western Ecological Research Center was quoted in the January/February 2004 issue of the newsletter “Grassland Today” regarding how recent wetlands restoration in the Tulare Basin could help to not only increase the abundance of pintails and other wintering ducks in the basin but also in the Grassland Ecological Area to the north as birds from the basin move through there during mid and late season. (Joe Fleskes, Dixon, CA, 707-678-0682 x628, joe_fleskes@usgs.gov)

Invasive Species and Fire: On Mar. 1, 2004, USGS scientist Matt Brooks of the Western Ecological Research Center will teach a module on fire and invasive species in the Fire in Ecosystems Management course to be held at the National Advanced Resource Training Center in Pinal County, Arizona. For more information http://nartc.net/courseinfo/fiem/. (Matt Brooks, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4615, matt_brooks@usgs.gov)

Desert Restoration: On Mar. 2-3, 2004, USGS scientists Matt Brooks, Todd Esque, Lesley DeFalco, Melissa Trader, Sara Scoles, Bridget Lair, and JR Matchett of the Western Ecological Research Center will give presentations at the 2004 Restoration Meeting of the Desert Managers Group in Barstow, California. Their topics are tortoise restoration, roadside invasion of Sahara mustard, fire ecology zones of the California Desert, post-fire seeding in the pinion-juniper ecosystem, road restoration monitoring, Mojave road ecology, and off-highway vehicle use at Dove Springs OHV area and vegetation response to OHV use. (Matt Brooks, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4615, matt_brooks@usgs.gov; Todd Esque, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4506, todd_esque@usgs.gov; Lesley DeFalco, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4507, lesley_defalco@usgs.gov)

Mojave Research Awards: USGS scientist Matt Brooks of the Western Ecological Research Center recently received highest honors from two nonprofit organizations in recognition of the extensive research he has conducted on disturbance effects in the Mojave Desert. He was recognized specifically for how the studies have helped to better manage habitat for the desert tortoise, a federally threatened species. On Feb. 21, the Desert Tortoise Council presented Brooks its "Annual Award," during the council’s 29th symposium in Las Vegas (as plenary speaker at this meeting he also reviewed his research of the past 15 years). Brooks also received the "Golden Tortoise Award" from the Desert Tortoise Preserve Committee on Jan. 24. Since the late 1980s, Brooks’ research has helped shed light on desert plant invasions, how they have affected native species and how they have shifted fuel structure and fire regimes beyond their natural range of variation, leading to a loss of desert vegetation and perpetuating a cycle of plant invasion and fire. Tortoise habitat occurs in the lower elevation zones of the Mojave Desert and is among the most sensitive to damage from fire. Tortoises are killed directly by fire, but there are indirect effects too from loss of cover sites and native forage due to fire and competition from alien plants. (Matt Brooks, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4615, matt_brooks@usgs.gov)

Lead in Wetlands: In wetlands that are former skeet ranges or popular hunting areas, lead pellet density may be quite high. Understanding the distribution of lead throughout wetlands biota will help in management and remediation decisions. In recent publications, USGS scientist Clifford Hui investigated the distribution of lead in the soil, flora, and fauna of a wetland that had been used as a skeet range. Over time, metallic lead in pellets combines with various chemical components in soil, leading to significant correlation between the density of shotgun pellets and the amount of trace lead dissolved in the soil. Sampling soil, plants, and invertebrates at different distances from the shooting position, Hui found that lead was thoroughly integrated throughout the biological community, but amounts varied in different plants and different invertebrates at the same site. Wildlife that forages at contaminated sites may be exposed to lead without ingesting any pellets. A summary of recent publications and management implications are available at: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/huipbjan2004.html. Citations: Hui, Clifford A. 2002. Lead distribution throughout soil, flora, and an invertebrate at a wetland skeet range. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A 65:1093–1107. Hui, Clifford A. 2002. Lead burdens and behavioral impairments of the lined shore crab Pachygrapsus crassipes. Ecotoxicology 11:417–421. (Cliff Hui, Sacramento, CA, 916-379-3790, cliff_hui@usgs.gov)

Marine Reserves: During a recent trip to the Galapagos Islands, USGS scientist Kevin Lafferty of the Western Ecological Research Center was invited by the Galapagos National Park to give a presentation (in Spanish) on the effects of marine reserves on marine communities. Lafferty had traveled there to assist with a project on the effects of marine reserves in the Galapagos that is being conducted by an Ecuadoran graduate student whom he is co-directing. (Kevin Lafferty, Santa Barbara, CA, 805-893-8778, klafferty@usgs.gov)

Fires: USGS scientist Jon Keeley of the Western Ecological Research Center was invited to speak on “Fire Ecology and Management of California Forests and Scrublands” at the Orange County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society meeting on Feb. 19, 2004 in Irvine, Calif. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Fires: USGS scientist Jon Keeley of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed for the San Diego Union-Tribune story on Feb. 13, 2004 about the ineffectiveness of fuel manipulations in stopping fires that are driven by Santa Ana winds. Keeley was also interviewed about the same topic on Feb. 13 on KFMB TV (San Diego, CBS affiliate). (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Mountain Lions: USGS scientist Lisa Lyren of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed for an upcoming story in the Orange County Register about mountain lions and the current research in southern California, including an effort led by USGS and California Department of Fish and Game to form a statewide collaborative mountain lion project to more effectively address managers’ information needs for different regions and habitats in the state. (Lisa Lyren, Corona, CA, 909-735-0773, llyren@usgs.gov)

South Bay Restoration Program: USGS scientist John Takekawa of the Western Ecological Research Center will participate in a news interview (planned for Feb. 20) on KGO TV (San Francisco, ABC affiliate) as a cooperator with the State Coastal Conservancy in the South Bay Restoration program. The piece will highlight USGS banding studies of western sandpipers to examine movements of migratory birds, and to demonstrate USGS work to map the bathymetry of former salt ponds. (John Takekawa, Vallejo, CA, 707-562-2000, john_takekawa@usgs.gov)

Canvasbacks: USGS scientist John Takekawa of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed about changes in populations of canvasbacks in the San Francisco Bay estuary for an upcoming story in the Alameda Sun. He discussed declining populations of canvasbacks in the region and the possible relationship to habitat conditions and contaminants. (John Takekawa, Vallejo, CA, 707-562-2000, john_takekawa@usgs.gov)

Tule Goose: USGS scientist John Takekawa of the Western Ecological Research Center provided background information for the Feb. 21 edition of West Coast Live, a show on the Public Broadcasting System. He was interviewed to explain how radio and satellite telemetry was used to locate the breeding grounds of the subspecies of greater white-fronted goose (Tule Goose) that winters in the Sacramento Valley, and how information of species and populations may help to conserve intraspecific diversity. (John Takekawa, Vallejo, CA, 707-562-2000, john_takekawa@usgs.gov)

Southwest Alaska Sea Otter Decline: On Feb. 11, 2004, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published in the Federal Register a proposed rule to list the southwest Alaska distinct population segment of the northern sea otter as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, because of precipitous declines in their abundance in recent years. The proposed rule includes the portion of sea otters that live in the Aleutian Islands to Cook Inlet, including waters adjacent to the Aleutian Islands, the Alaska Peninsula, and the Kodiak archipelago. Sea otters of southeast and south-central Alaska are believed to be stable or increasing and are not listed in the proposed rule. As of 2001, sea otters throughout southwest Alaska had declined by up to 92% percent over the past 10 to 15 years, and recent surveys indicate the decline is continuing. USGS has been providing science support to USFWS by carrying out otter surveys and conducting research on northern sea otters throughout Alaska, and scientists are continuing investigations related to possible causes for the decline. Web link to the proposed rule: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-2844.pdf. (James A. Estes, Santa Cruz, CA, 831-459-2820, jim_estes@usgs.gov and James L. Bodkin, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3550, james_bodkin@usgs.gov)

Tortoises: Many aspects of tortoise ecology and management will be discussed by presenters from several agencies and universities from across the country and internationally at the Desert Tortoise Council 29th Annual Meeting and Symposium, to be held on Feb. 20-22, 2004, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Presentations on tortoises in western and eastern United States will be made and cover topics ranging from predation to drought, disease, immune systems, shell color, behavior, invasive species, modeling, new techniques, and recovery actions. USGS scientists presenting or coauthors of papers include several researchers at the Western Ecological Research Center: Kristin Berry (symposium organizer), Matt Brooks (plenary address), William I. Boarman, Todd Esque, Andrea Demmon and Kevin Keith. Boarman chairs a special session on effects of roads on wildlife and habitat that addresses problems, solutions, and mitigation. For more information: http://www.deserttortoise.org/symposia.html. (Kristin H Berry, Moreno Valley, CA, 909-697-5361, kristin_berry@usgs.gov; William I. Boarman, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6880, william_boarman@usgs.gov)

California Fires: USGS scientist Jon Keeley of the Western Ecological Research Center was quoted in a Feb. 10, 2004 story in the San Diego Union-Tribune that fire suppression cannot be blamed for the large wildfires that burned in southern California shrublands last fall. He was also interviewed by the Union-Tribune about brush removal for an upcoming story. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Reducing River Sediment: Mary Ann Madej, a USGS research geologist at the Western Ecological Research Center, has been invited to speak at the Trinity River Sediment Symposium, to be held Feb. 9-10, 2004 in Weaverville, California. The purpose of the symposium is to evaluate sediment management strategies in the Trinity River basin in northern California. Madej will outline approaches to sediment reduction strategies in watersheds having a wide mix of land use, bedrock geology, and land ownership, and methods to assess such strategies. Increased sediment has degraded spawning and rearing habitats needed for successful salmon reproduction and growth. (Mary Ann Madej, Arcata, CA, 707-825-5148, mary_ann_madej@usgs.gov)

Burn Tour: Southern California news media from newspapers and TV joined scientists, university researchers, nonprofit agencies and government agencies, on a 3-hour, burn-site tour near the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center in San Bernardino County, California, on Feb. 5, 2004, to examine ecosystem impacts of recent fires. The burn-site tour is part of a two-day, multi-agency planning workshop to determine the extent of impact of recent fires. Leading the discussion and the tour were David Neff, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; Tom Scott and Rich Minnich, UC Riverside; Ruth Wenstrom, U.S. Forest Service; and USGS scientist Jon Keeley of the Western Ecological Research Center. (Gloria Maender, Tucson, AZ, 520-670-5596, gloria_maender@usgs.gov).

Ravens and Landfills: USGS scientist William I. Boarman was quoted in a Feb. 5, 2004 story in the Palm Springs Desert Sun about how the proposed Eagle Mountain Landfill may affect common raven predation on threatened Mojave desert tortoises. In a recently published study, Boarman and William B. Kristan of California State University San Marcos estimated that around landfills, which attract large numbers of ravens, the risk of raven predation on young tortoises is 100 percent. (William I. Boarman, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6880, william_boarman@usgs.gov)

2003 Southern California Wildfires: A story by the Center for Biological Diversity reporting on the effects of the recent wildfires in southern California on endangered species, which appeared Feb. 3, 2004 on the Environmental News Network, made a reference to USGS research on fire in chaparral ecosystems. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Feral Dogs: USGS scientist Kristin Berry of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed for the Feb. 3 Los Angeles Times about feral dogs running loose in southern California, and any potential risks to humans. (Kristin Berry, Moreno Valley, 909-697-5361, kristin_berry@usgs.gov)