WERC Highlights -- February 2005

USGS to Participate at NMFWA Workshop: USGS scientist A. Keith Miles from the Western Ecological Research Center will give a presentation at the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association annual training session to be held in Arlington, Virginia, March 14-17, 2005. Miles will present findings of a study to determine if pickleweed colonization could be enhanced by experimental manipulation on a wetlands restoration project at Suisun Bay, California. For more: http://www.nmfwa.org/2005_Meeting/index.htm. (A. Keith Miles, Davis, CA, 530-752-5365, keith_miles@usgs.gov)

Science in the Parks: USGS scientists of the Western Ecological Research Center will give presentations at the George Wright Society 2005 conference on parks, protected areas, and cultural sites. Jan van Wagtendonk will present a paper on the history and status of computer-based simulation modeling in park and wilderness planning and management, and will be a panelist for a session on forest health, fire, and biodiversity. Erin Boydston will discuss space utilization, activity patterns, and distribution of carnivores in the Presidio of San Francisco. Peggy Moore will discuss the LEWISIA model, a tool for maximizing plant survey efficiency where mapped populations and GIS data are available for input. She will also discuss the invaluable information regarding biodiversity that is contributed by the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program, including new species discoveries in previously surveyed national parks. During the conference, Jan van Wagtendonk will receive the George Melendez Wright Award for Excellence. For more: http://www.georgewright.org/. (Jan van Wagtendonk, El Portal, CA 209-379-1306, jan_van_wagtendonk@usgs.gov; Erin Boydston, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4504, eboydston@usgs.gov; Peggy Moore, El Portal, CA, 209-379-1309, peggy_moore@usgs.gov)

Greater Sage Grouse: On March 3, USGS scientist Mike Casazza of the Western Ecological Research Center will present an evening talk for the Quail Unlimited Local Chapter in Bishop, California. The talk, “Ecology of Greater Sage Grouse on the Edge of the Great Basin,” will focus on early results from an ongoing telemetry study in the region. (Mike Casazza, Dixon, CA, 707-678-0682 ext. 629, mike_casazza@usgs.gov)

Examining Trends in Ocean Disease: With rising human stresses placed on the environment, understanding disease dynamics is vital to conserving marine ecosystems. Many environmental factors, including climate warming, pollution, exotic species, and fishing, can have complex effects on disease. In recent publications, USGS scientist Kevin D. Lafferty and colleagues investigated whether marine diseases appear to be on the increase as has been theorized, and discussed factors that can affect increases and decreases in disease. For more: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/laffertypbfeb2005.html. (Kevin Lafferty, Santa Barbara, CA, 805-893-8778, lafferty@lifesci.ucsb.edu)

Desert Tortoises: On Feb. 16, USGS scientist Kristin Berry of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed by Tucson public radio, KUAT-FM for a story highlighting the Desert Tortoise Council symposium, which was held in Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 18-21. On Feb. 24, she was interviewed by the Los Angeles Daily News about injuries to desert tortoises in the Mojave Desert by domestic and feral dogs. (Kristin Berry, Moreno Valley, CA, 951-697-5361, kristin_berry@usgs.gov)

Southern California Rain: On Feb. 24, USGS scientist Barbara Kus of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed by the North Country Times (Escondido, Calif.) for a story on the effects of high rainfall and reservoir filling on endangered species (least Bell’s vireo and southwestern willow flycatcher) using the riparian habitat above the Lake Hodges Dam: http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/02/27/special_reports/science_technology/10_12_222_26_05.prt. (Barbara Kus, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6881, barbara_kus@usgs.gov)

New Species Named after USGS Scientist: USGS research zoologist Robert N. Fisher, Western Ecological Research Center, was recently recognized by colleagues from Pennsylvania State University and Whittier College in the naming of a new species of nematode, Spinicauda fisheri. Fisher was the first scientist to collect the nematode while conducting a routine examination for parasitic worms in Palau wrinkled ground frogs, an endemic species of the Palau Islands, Republic of Palau. These researchers published their findings on this and other endoparasites of the Palau wrinkled ground frog in the Journal of Parasitology. Fisher has been studying the historic biogeography of the Pacific Basin islands and the effects of humans on the distribution of species in this region. Incidentally, the Palau Islands are the location for the new “Survivor” series premiering on TV this week. (Robert N. Fisher, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6882, rfisher@usgs.gov)

Fire Effects on a Mountain Beaver Population: In 1995, a 5,000-hectare wildlands fire on the Point Reyes peninsula, California, provided researchers an opportunity to assess the pre-fire distribution and population size of mountain beavers within the burn area and evaluate their survival and recovery. The fire burned 40% of the known range of the Point Reyes mountain beaver, including most of what was believed to be prime habitat of this isolated subspecies. Less than 2% of an estimated 5,000 mountain beavers survived the fire, and the researchers estimate recovery may take 15-20 years. Findings of this study were published in the Journal of Wildlife Management by USGS scientist Gary M. Fellers of the Western Ecological Research Center and coauthors David Pratt of Point Reyes National Seashore and Jennifer L. Griffin, consultant. For more: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/fellerspbfeb2005.html. Citation: Fellers, Gary M., David Pratt, and Jennifer L. Griffin. 2004. Fire Effects on the Point Reyes Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa phaea) at Point Reyes National Seashore. Journal of Wildlife Management 68(3):503–508. (Gary Fellers, Point Reyes, CA, 415-464-5185, gary_fellers@usgs.gov)

Predicting Non-native Plant Invasions: Using non-native plant distribution information, GIS data on current habitat conditions, and modeling techniques, investigators from USGS and University of California, Davis, predicted a relatively low level of non-native plant invasion in Yosemite National Park. Predicted occurrence maps can help managers plan for early detection and monitoring to protect park ecosystems. An article stemming from this work with the National Park Service Inventory & Monitoring Program was published recently in the journal Diversity and Distributions in a special issue on Plant Invasion Ecology. For more: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/moorepbfeb2005.html. (Peggy Moore, El Portal, CA, 209-379-1309, peggy_moore@usgs.gov) Citation: Underwood, E. C., R. Klinger and P. E. Moore. 2004. Predicting patterns of non-native plant invasions in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. Diversity and Distributions 10:447–459. (Link: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/servlet/useragent?func=showIssues&code=ddi

Mountain Climate Science Conference: The first biennial MTNCLIM conference, dedicated to mountain climate sciences and effects of climate variability on ecosystems, natural resources, and conservation in western North American mountains, will be held March 1-4, 2005, in Pray, Montana. Several USGS scientists from multi-disciplines will be among presenters of invited and contributed papers and posters. There will also be action-oriented working-group sessions; and a post-conference workshop organized by USGS, “Climate 101,” will address implications of climate variability and change to natural resource managers. Along with several other agencies and individuals, the USGS global change research program's Western Mountain Initiative has been involved in planning this conference. A poster presentation will discuss empirical evidence from the Western Mountain Initiative Network regarding effects of climatic variability and change on forest ecosystems. The conference is sponsored by CIRMOUNT, the Consortium for Integrated Climate Research in Western Mountains. For more: http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/mtnclim/. (Nate Stephenson, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3176, nstephenson@usgs.gov)

USGS Presents Yosemite National Park Science: USGS scientists will be participating in the Yosemite National Park 2005 lecture series, designed to bring different subject matter experts on the evolving scientific knowledge of the Sierra Nevada to Yosemite National Park staff and the general public through monthly interactive lectures featuring topics of interest to Park professionals, as well as to Yosemite National Park visitors. The USGS scientists will be presenting information about the interaction of Sierra Nevada climate and hydrology on October 11, and the spotted owl population in Yosemite National Park on December 13. The 2005 Yosemite Forum is a cooperative effort between Yosemite National Park, The Yosemite Fund, the USGS Western Ecological Research Center's Yosemite Field Station, the University of California Sierra Nevada Research Institute, and the USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station's Sierra Nevada Research Center. (Gloria Maender, Tucson, AZ, 520-670-5596, gloria_maender@usgs.gov)

Desert Tortoise Research and Management: Papers and posters on USGS desert tortoise research will be presented by scientists from the Western Ecological Research Center and Southwest Biological Science Center at the 30th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the Desert Tortoise Council, to be held on Feb. 18-21, 2005, in Tucson, Arizona. These include papers and posters with Kristin Berry, William Boarman, H. Douglas Chamblin, Andrea Demmon, Cristina Jones, Cecil Schwalbe, and Todd Esque as authors. Research manager Karen Phillips (WERC) will represent the USGS on a government panel discussing recovery actions for the threatened Mojave population of the desert tortoise. Kristin Berry of WERC is Symposium Chair. For more: http://www.deserttortoise.org/symposium/2005/index.html. (Kristin Berry, Moreno Valley, CA, 951-697-5361, kristin_berry@usgs.gov)