WERC Highlights -- July 2005

USGS Research on Endangered Birds at Camp Pendleton: Scientists Barbara Kus and Jodie Falcone of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center were interviewed July 28, 2005, by the Orange County Register for an article on endangered species at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (expected in a couple of weeks on Sunday). In addition to discussing their research on Least Bell's Vireos and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers at the Base, the scientists took the reporter out in the field to watch them mist-net a Least Bell's Vireo and color-band it. Color-banded birds are followed throughout their lifetimes to collect demographic data used to guide recovery plans. (Barbara Kus, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6881, barbara_kus@usgs.gov)

Telling Bones: Ecologist Tom McGinnis of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed for a July 27, 2005, story in the Visalia Times-Delta regarding a preliminary study by USGS and Northern Arizona University of Mid-Holocene mammals and herpetofauna from Bear Den Cave in Sequoia National Park. Skeletal remains that have accumulated in caves such as Bear Den can indicate past climates and ecosystem changes. Determining the amount and rate of change in the past can contribute to a better understanding of what to expect in the future. Results from this preliminary study indicate that a larger paleoecological study is warranted in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050727/NEWS01/507270328/1002 http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050727/NEWS01/507270338&SearchID=73215441735755 http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050727/NEWS01/507270301/1002 (Tom McGinnis, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-4262, tmcginnis@usgs.gov)

California Sea Otters: A July 26, 2005, story in the Los Angeles Times Outdoors section reported on the USGS spring 2005 survey of California sea otters, with a quote from scientist Jim Estes of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center on spotting sea otters. The story also included URLs for the USGS WERC sea otter research home page and the USGS video “Precipice of Survival: The Southern Sea Otter.” http://www.latimes.com/features/outdoors/la-os-otter26jul26,1,6111235.story?coll=la-utilities-outdoors (Jim Estes, Santa Cruz, CA, 831-459-2820, jim_estes@usgs.gov)

Desert Fires: In a July 24, 2005, story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, scientist Matt Brooks of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center discussed USGS research on fire and invasive plants in desert ecosystems. http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Jul-24-Sun-2005/news/26935578.html (Matt Brooks, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4615, matt_brooks@usgs.gov)

Least Bell’s Vireo: Scientist Barbara Kus of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center is quoted in the summer 2005 issue of the Observer, the quarterly journal of PRBO conservation science, about riparian restoration in the Central Valley and the return of nesting endangered least Bell’s vireos. (Barbara Kus, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6881, barbara_kus@usgs.gov)

Ravenous: Emeritus scientist William I. Boarman of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed about raven predation of desert tortoises for a story on increasing numbers of ravens in California and their threat to other animals, in the summer 2005 issue of California Wild, the magazine of the California Academy of Sciences. http://www.calacademy.org/calwild/2005summer/stories/ravens.html (William I. Boarman, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6880, william_boarman@usgs.gov)

Learning from Fires: Two related articles by USGS fire ecologist Jon Keeley in the fall issue of the USDA Forest Service magazine Fire Management Today will discuss lessons that can be learned from the massive, Santa Ana wind-driven fires of October 2003 in southern California. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Bringing Science to Superintendents: USGS scientist Nate Stephenson of the Western Ecological Research Center is an invited speaker at the annual meeting of Superintendents of the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service (NPS): Caring for Parks, Caring for People, Acting for the Future, July 19-21 in Portland, Oregon. Stephenson will use research results to examine the NPS natural resources mission in light of pervasive and rapid global changes. Are ongoing environmental changes of such a nature that NPS goals may evolve from restoring and maintaining naturally-functioning ecosystems toward enhancing or maintaining ecosystems that are best able to resist and recover from stresses? (Nate Stephenson, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3176, nstephenson@usgs.gov)

Fire and Invasive Plants: Scientist Matt Brooks of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed July 8 by the Riverside Press-Enterprise for an upcoming story about fire and invasive plants (expected July 15). (Matt Brooks, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4615, matt_brooks@usgs.gov)

California Sea Otter Survey: California sea otter numbers dipped to 2,735 in the 2005 spring survey led by USGS, a 3.2 percent decrease in otters from the 2004 record high of 2,825. Despite the dip in this year’s tally, the overall population trend, assessed by using 3-year running averages, is up 8 percent over the previous average, to almost 2,700 sea otters. During this year’s survey, there were large numbers of sea otters counted at the southern end of the range. For more about the sea otter survey: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/otters/ca-surveydata.html (Spring Surveys, 1983-2005) http://www.werc.usgs.gov/otters/ca-survey3yr.html (Spring Surveys, 3-year averages) USGS news release: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=724. (Brian Hatfield, San Simeon, CA, 805-927-3893, brian_hatfield@usgs.gov)

Locating Surf Scoter Nests in the Northern Boreal Forest: : In a pioneering study, a USGS-led team (partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supported by the Calfed Ecosystem Restoration Program) has tracked a surf scoter from its coastal wintering area in San Francisco Bay to pinpoint its nest, 2,000 miles away in the vast northern boreal forest of interior Canada. By marking individual surf scoters with satellite and radio transmitters while these sea ducks wintered in San Francisco Bay, the team has been able to document the birds’ spring migration from wintering grounds to breeding grounds. Cross-seasonal linkages may be vital to understanding alarming declines in sea ducks of the past few decades, and could also help to better determine wintering populations that are vulnerable to emerging threats in the breeding areas. Samples from this scoter nest and others like it will be tested to see if contaminants from southern wintering regions may be having effects on reproduction of migratory birds breeding in the north. The San Francisco Bay area supports the largest wintering population of surf scoters in the Pacific Flyway. Habitats in the bay are impaired by pollutants including mercury. Surf scoters found in the bay have elevated mercury levels, but little is known about the effects of this contaminant on their breeding success. For more on the USGS surf scoter study: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/scoter/2005/index.html. (John Takekawa, 707-562-2000, john_takekawa@usgs.gov)

California Sea Otters: Scientist Brian Hatfield of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed on July 5 about results of the 2005 spring survey of California sea otters for stories in several newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Monterey County Herald, San Luis Obispo Tribune. A story by the Associated Press appeared in several California newspapers and TV. Hatfield and USGS scientist Jim Estes were also interviewed for a July 7 story in the New Times, a San Luis Obispo County weekly newspaper. Web links to some of the stories: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/07/06/BAG5GDJEUP1.DTL&hw=sea+otter&sn=002&sc=666 http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/local/12065515.htm http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2005/July/06/local/stories/06local.htm http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/12065042.htm http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/science/20050705-1731-ca-ottercount.html http://www.theksbwchannel.com/news/4686728/detail.html http://www.newtimesslo.com/index.php?p=showarticle&id=1198 (Gloria Maender, Tucson, AZ, 520-670-5596, gloria_maender@usgs.gov)

Endangered Birds in Restored Riparian Habitat: Scientist Barbara Kus of the USGS Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed July 7 by Estuary, the newsletter of the Friends of San Francisco Estuary, about the recent nesting of the least Bell's vireo in restored habitat at the San Joaquin National Wildlife Refuge. Discovered by PRBO biologists conducting bird counts at the refuge, this is the first documented nesting by this species in the Central Valley since the species was extirpated from the area over 50 years ago, and is a significant step towards recolonization of this part of the vireo's historic range. Kus is an expert on neotropical migratory birds in restored woodlands, with a special emphasis on the endangered least Bell’s vireo and southwestern willow flycatcher in southern California. (Barbara Kus, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6881, barbara_kus@usgs.gov)