WERC Highlights -- January 2003

Sonoran Desert: Fragile Land of Extremes: A new USGS HD video premiered January 23 at 9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. PT on HDNet Direct TV. Gila monsters hunt, male desert tortoises battle, and saguaro cacti loom in the unusually lush Sonoran Desert. Biologists with the U.S. Geological Survey and their colleagues and partners study how plants and animals live in this desert and how human impacts such as urban growth, diseases in tortoises, and fire are changing life in this special place. Beautiful images of reptiles, landscapes, and the cacti convey the unique beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Viewing information: The video is expected to air twice a day every other day for two weeks, then off and on after that. For those without access to Direct TV, check HD.net online for additional information on locations in your town where the HDNet signal is received (e.g., some electronics stores, sports bars, restaurants). You can call ahead to stores listed to verify that they get HDNet channel 199 of Direct TV in their home theater/high-end TV section. (Gloria Maender, Tucson, AZ, 520-670-5596, gloria_maender@usgs.gov)

Big Blazes: A new Publication Brief by USGS fire ecologist Jon Keeley of the Western Ecological Research Center summarizes recent research on large chaparral fires by Keeley and colleague C. J. Fotheringham of University of California, Los Angeles. “Past, Present, and Future Fire Regimes in Chaparral” is online at: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/keeleypbjan2003.html. An earlier brief by these two scientists, “Historical Fire Regime in Southern California,” was recently reprinted in the magazine Fire Management Today (vol. 63, issue 1, pages 8-9). All WERC publication briefs are available online at http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/index.html. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

It Was Built and They Came: One of the major goals in using created wetlands for mitigation purposes is the establishment of successfully reproducing populations. In a recent article in the Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society, USGS biologist T’Shaka Toure' of the Western Ecological Research Center and G. A. Middendorf of Howard University in Washington, D.C., documented herpetofaunal colonization of a newly created, 52-hectare wetland site in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. A total of 28 species, 16 amphibians and 12 reptiles, colonized the new wetland, comparable to the adjacent forest along the Patuxent River, a source site for colonizing herpetofauna. (T'Shaka Toure', Irvine, CA, 714-227-1109, ttoure@usgs.gov)

Dry Tortugas: How desert tortoises of the Mojave Desert survive their demanding environment is the subject of “Dry, Dry Again," a story in the Dec./Jan. issue of Natural History magazine. The story describes collaborative published research by an international team of scientists that includes Kristin Berry, a USGS herpetologist at the Western Ecological Research Center, and cites Berry’s leading role in current research to better understand the causes of diseases and death in wild tortoise populations. The story is featured online at: http://www.amnh.org/naturalhistory/. (Kristin Berry, Riverside, CA, 909-697-5361, kristin_berry@usgs.gov)

Nesting Murrelets: In a recent story on management of old growth forests and protected species, Environmental News Service cited a radio-tracking effort to locate nesting marbled murrelets, led by biologists at Humboldt State University and the USGS Western Ecological Research Center. In preliminary results of the study, all five murrelet nests located by the team were found in old-growth trees. The story is online at: http://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-16-06.asp. (William I. Boarman, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6880, william_boarman@usgs.gov)

Fires, saws, and sequoias: USGS researcher Nate Stephenson of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times about fire ecology, sequoia ecology, and management options being considered for the new Giant Sequoia National Monument, particularly tradeoffs among methods for reducing the probability of catastrophic fires. (Nate Stephenson, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3176)

As the Duck Flies South: Waterfowl research by USGS scientists Joe Fleskes and Mike Casazza of the Western Ecological Research Center is cited in an article in the current, December issue of California Fish and Game magazine. (Joe Fleskes, Dixon, CA, 707-678-0682 x628)

Tortoise Talks: Kristin Berry, a USGS research wildlife biologist at the Western Ecological Research Center will give an invited paper, "Trends in populations of desert tortoises at long-term study plots in California between 1979 and 2002: Causes of declines," at the Society for Range Management's special meeting on the threatened Mojave desert tortoise to be held in Laughlin, Nevada, on January 15, 2003. On January 21, Berry will give a public lecture titled "The Life and Changing Times of the Desert Tortoise" to celebrate the new exhibition on this species at the Palms Springs Desert Museum. (Kristin Berry, Riverside, CA, 909-697-5361)

Sound Bytes: USGS scientist John Takekawa was interviewed about salt ponds and shorebirds for the National Public Radio program spot, Earth and Sky. The interview will appear on a web page and a 90-second spot will be broadcast in March. (John Takekawa, Vallejo, CA, 707-562-2000)