WERC Highlights -- September 2004

Fire Workshop: USGS scientist Jon Keeley of the Western Ecological Research Center is an invited speaker at an international fire workshop that will reexamine fire management methods and policy of the Mediterranean coastal area of France, where devastating forest fires have occurred recently. Keeley will contribute insight into reducing impacts of fire at the urban/wildland interface with his talk titled “The California Perspective on Catastrophic Fire Management.” The Conservatoire du Littoral (Coastal Conservation Agency), the French public agency charged with management of 40,000 hectares of Mediterranean forests in southern France, is hosting the workshop, to be held on Oct. 14-16, 2004, on the French Riviera. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

A Year after the Fires: USGS scientist Robert N. Fisher of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed for an upcoming anniversary story on KGTV 10 (San Diego) on the Cedar and Paradise fires of October 2003. Fisher was interviewed regarding the initial effects and lasting impacts of the fires on San Diego county native wildlife. (Robert N. Fisher, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6882, rfisher@usgs.gov)

Invasive Plants: USGS scientists of the Western Ecological Research Center will give presentations at the 2004 California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) symposium on invasive plants and the wildland/urban interface, to be held in Ventura, California Oct. 7-9. On Oct. 7, Kyle Merriam will speak on “The role of pre-fire fuel manipulations in the invasion of alien plants.” On Oct. 8, Jon Keeley will present “Fire management practices and alien plant invasions.” For more info: http://groups.ucanr.org/ceppc/2004%5FSymposium/. The California Invasive Plant Council is dedicated to finding solutions to problems caused by non-native pest plant invasions of the state's wildlands; members include public and private land managers, ecological consultants and researchers, planners, volunteer stewards, and concerned citizens. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Fire Symposium: Two USGS scientists of the Western Ecological Research Center are invited speakers for a fire symposium by the Anza Borrego Institute in partnership with California State Parks titled “The Cedar Fire and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park One Year Later: Recovery Expectations and Realities, on October 16-17, 2004 at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park in the heart of the burn area. The two-day symposium will provide an overview of the ecological damage to the park and an update on the recovery process to an audience that will include land managers, biologists, archaeologists, teachers, students, park volunteers, the general public, and other stakeholders. On October 16, Jon Keeley will speak on “Historical and Contemporary Contrasts between Forest Fires and Chaparral Fires,” and Robert N. Fisher will speak on “Impact of Wildfires on Reptiles/Amphibians.” Each will participate in a panel discussion and Q&A at the end of their respective session. For more info: http://www.theabf.org/events.php. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov; Robert N. Fisher, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6882, rfisher@usgs.gov)

Sea Otters in High Definition: On Sunday, Sept. 19 in San Jose, California, the new USGS video “Precipice of Survival: The Southern Sea Otter” will be screened in high definition as part of the Digital Showcase, presented by the Association of Science-Technology Centers during its annual conference. The ASTC is an organization of science centers and museums dedicated to furthering the public understanding of science among increasingly diverse audiences. USGS scientist Alisha Kage of the Western Ecological Research Center, who appears in the video, will be on hand to answer viewer questions about sea otter research at a reception following the screening. For more info: http://www.astc.org/conference/index.htm (Stephen Wessells, Henderson, LV, 702-564-4626, smwess@usgs.gov; Alisha Kage, Santa Cruz, CA, 831-459-2357, akage@usgs.gov)

Sea Otters: USGS scientists Jim Estes and Brian Hatfield of the Western Ecological Research Center were interviewed recently about current research efforts and status of the threatened southern sea otter, for an article expected to appear in the fall 2004 issue of Defenders of Wildlife Magazine. Hatfield was interviewed Sept. 8 for an upcoming story in the Oregonian about a lone sea otter that has been observed near Charleston, Oregon for a few months. A French film crew working on a TV documentary geared towards teenagers in France and possibly Canada, filmed a sea otter capture in Monterey Bay, and interviewed and filmed Hatfield; the film crew also worked with staff from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Greg Sanders of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The film is expected to air in late fall 2004. (Brian Hatfield, San Simeon, CA, 805-927-3893, brian_hatfield@usgs.gov)

Sea Otter Awareness Week: USGS scientist Jim Estes of the Western Ecological Research Center is an invited speaker for the Defenders of Wildlife’s Sea Otter Awareness Week, a week-long series of free public events around Monterey Bay, Sept. 27 – Oct. 2, 2004. The Sept. 28 event “Sea Otters: Science, Policy, & The Future,” features a presentation by Jim Estes about research efforts and status of the threatened southern sea otter. Introductory remarks will be by Mike Sutton, director for the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s new Center for the Future of the Oceans, with additional conservation discussion by Greg Sanders of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the Southern Sea Otter Recovery Plan and newly formed Southern Sea Otter Recovery Implementation Team. The event will be at 6:30 p.m. in the Monterey Bay Aquarium main auditorium. On Sept. 30 in Santa Cruz, California Department of Fish and Game wildlife veterinarians Dave Jessup and Melissa Miller will discuss sea otter health, causes of sea otter diseases in recent years, and contaminants. For more: http://www.defenders.org/seaotter/awareness/ or contact Jim Curland, 831-726-9010 or jcurland@defenders.org. Seating for these two lectures is free but limited; to reserve seat, RSVP to Jim Curland. (Jim Estes, Santa Cruz, CA, 831-459-2820, jim_estes@usgs.gov)

Wildland Fire Seminar Presentations: Two USGS scientists of the Western Ecological Research Center are invited speakers on fire ecology for the Humboldt State University Wildland Fire Seminar, fall 2004 semester. On September 27, Jan van Wagtendonk will speak on “Fire Ecology in Yosemite National Park.” On October 11, Matt Brooks will speak on “Fire Ecology in Desert Ecosystems and the Effects of Invasive Plants.” Each engagement includes a round-table discussion with federal managers/regulators at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office in Arcata, Calif., followed by a presentation for faculty, students, and public at Humboldt State University. Sponsors are the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region and National Park Service Pacific West Region. (Jan van Wagtendonk, El Portal, CA, 209-379-1306, jan_van_wagtendonk@usgs.gov; Matt Brooks, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4615, matt_brooks@usgs.gov)

New Point Loma Book: USGS scientists Robert N. Fisher and Kathryn McEachern of the Western Ecological Research Center authored chapters in a new book titled Understanding the Life of Point Loma, published by the Cabrillo National Monument Foundation. McEachern’s chapter is “A Mediterranean Place: Plant Communities,” and photographs include one by her. Fisher’s chapter is “Life on the “Island”: Animals” and includes 17 photographs by USGS scientist Chris Brown. Fisher and McEachern plan to be on hand at the foundation’s book launch, scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 19 at the Point Loma Library, 3701 Voltaire Street, San Diego, Calif. The 184-page paperback will retail for $16.95. (Robert N. Fisher, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6882, rfisher@usgs.gov; Kathryn McEachern, Ventura, CA, 805-658-5753, kathryn_mceachern@usgs.gov)

Pintail Action Group: USGS scientist Joe Fleskes of the Western Ecological Research Center will co-chair the Second Annual Meeting of the Pintail Action Group on Sept. 18 in Calgary, Canada. This recently created group of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan pools activities of government and state agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and academic institutions to address pintail declines that have occurred over the past several decades. (Joe Fleskes, Dixon, CA, 707-678-0682 x628, joe_fleskes@usgs.gov)

The Wildlife Society Meeting: USGS scientists from across the country will have presentations on a plethora of topics at The Wildlife Society annual meeting in Calgary, Canada, Sept. 18-22. Presentations that involve scientists from the Western Ecological Research Center and their coauthors range from pintail spring migration routes and habitat use to greater sage grouse ecology and movement patterns in Mono County, California; contaminant studies on aquatic birds in San Francisco Bay, and on sea ducks in the eastern Aleutian Islands; American avocet survival and productivity in Tulare Basin, California; bullfrog diet and predation on giant garter snakes at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, California; and bald eagle food habits in the Aleutians relative to the decline of the sea otter population there. For more info: http://www.wildlife.org/. (Joe Fleskes, Dixon, CA, 707-678-0682 x628, joe_fleskes@usgs.gov)

Sea Otter Video is Online: California’s threatened sea otters are the focus of collaborative ongoing studies by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and their colleagues. This effort is described by these dedicated researchers in a recent USGS video, “Precipice of Survival: The Southern Sea Otter,” USGS General Information Product 3. You can now view the video on demand online at this new web page: http://online.wr.usgs.gov/outreach/index.html. (Gloria Maender, Tucson, AZ, 520-670-5596, gloria_maender@usgs.gov)

West Mojave Desert Ravens: Dramatic increases in common raven numbers in the Mojave Desert over the past 30 years have become a concern to resource managers, because raven prey includes the threatened desert tortoise. A generalist diet allows ravens to take advantage of a smorgasbord of foods that are associated with different human developments in the West Mojave Desert, such as landfills, ponds, roads, according to USGS researchers and colleagues investigating raven diet composition, nesting success, and juvenile survival. They found the highest raven fledging success to be associated with the evidence of trash in raven pellets--such as telltale paper, styrofoam, foil, upchucked indigestible items that ravens consumed with food. Additionally, juveniles of ravens nesting close to human subsidies and earlier in the season had higher survival rates both before and after departure from nests than those farther away. Nearness to these human-provided resources may reduce the effort of foraging, and may allow adult ravens to increase both their food delivery rates to their nestlings and vigilance against predators of their young. Ravens are both opportunistic foragers and predators. Results of this research were recently published in the Wildlife Society Bulletin and The Condor. For more: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/boarmanpbaug2004.html and http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/boarmanpbaug2004b.html. (William I. Boarman, San Diego, CA, 858-637-6880, william_boarman@usgs.gov) Citations: Kristan, W. B., III, W. I. Boarman, and J. J. Crayon. 2004. Diet composition of common ravens across the urban-wildland interface of the West Mojave Desert. Wildlife Society Bulletin 32:244-253. Webb, W. C., W. I. Boarman, and J. T. Rotenberry. 2004. Common raven juvenile survival in a human-augmented landscape. Condor 106:517-528.

Contaminant Risk Assessment: TCE and PCE contaminant exposure may compromise an animal’s physical condition and ultimately cause population changes such as decreased reproduction or increased susceptibility to disease or predation. USGS scientist A. Keith Miles and biologist Sarah Spring of the Western Ecological Research Center conducted a field validation study on the effects of volatile organic compounds on desert wildlife at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), California as part of an ecological risk assessment for EAFB. Results of this study are published in the September issue of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. The scientists measured organic soil vapor concentrations at three sites with aquifers containing large plumes of TCE or PCE contamination (5–77 ppm) and two reference sites (i.e., free of TCE, PCE). They compared small-mammal population estimates and small-mammal and reptile histopathology between sites to determine if indicators of ecological health and population dynamics were affected by chronic inhalation of TCE or PCE. Their study results of similar population abundance among sites and a paucity of pathological evidence suggest that lower and subsequently higher food web organisms probably were not affected by the presence of TCE or PCE in groundwater at EAFB. This study provides a baseline for ecological risk assessment of the effects of TCE or PCE inhalation on burrowing animals in a natural environment. For more info: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/milespbaug2004.html. (Sarah Spring, Davis, CA, 530-752-0485, sarah_spring@usgs.gov; A. Keith Miles, Davis, CA, 530-752-5365, keith_miles@usgs.gov) Citation: S. E. Spring, A. K. Miles, and M. J. Anderson. 2004. Effects of trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene on wild rodents at Edwards Air Force Base, California, USA. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 23(9):2162-2169.