USGS WERC Ecology Research Update: November 2015
USGS Western Ecological Research Center newsletters are posted on our blog. Check back for a rundown of new research and events on ecology and wildlife science in California and Nevada.
USGS Western Ecological Research Center newsletters are posted regularly on our blog. Check back for a rundown of new research and events on ecology and wildlife science in California, Nevada and the Pacific West. To add your name to our email subscription list, please contact xrojas-rocha@usgs.gov.
Download the current issue 4.14 (PDF | 0.891 MB)
HEADLINE
The 2015 South Bay Science Symposium
Over a decade after 15,100 acres of industrial salt ponds were purchased from Cargill Inc., the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project brought together biologists, ecologists, geologists, and the public for its Biennial Science Symposium. The project aims to restore 50 to 90% of the salt ponds to tidal wetlands by 2053. To reach this goal, managers began enhancing ponds for water birds like ducks and shorebirds, and have been studying which management practices attract and benefit the most birds. The Biennial Science Symposium was an opportunity for project managers and audience members to take stock of how the project has progressed, and how researchers’ findings will determine its path forward.
USGS Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) scientists including Josh Ackerman, Alex Hartman, and Susan De La Cruz presented their research on highly toxic methylmercury in the restored wetlands, birds’ use of artificial islands in the remaining enhanced, managed ponds, and those enhanced ponds’ effects on bird abundances. Their results show that birds have high levels of methylmercury, but may return to pre-restoration levels; long and slender islands are better than round islands as bird nesting habitat; and overall bird numbers have doubled across the managed ponds since the project’s genesis in 2003.
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/southbayrestoration
http://www.southbayrestoration.org/science/2015symposium/index.html
NEW JOURNAL ARTICLES
Meyer, MD, SL Roberts, R Wills, ML Brooks, EM Winford. 2015. Principles of effective USA Federal fire management plans. Fire Ecology 11(2): 59-83.
doi:10.4996/fireecology.1102059
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5340
Millar, CI and NL Stephenson. 2015. Temperate forest health in an era of emerging megadisturbance. Science 349:823-826. doi:10.1126/science.aaa9933
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5348Ariel
Halstead, BJ, SM Skalos, GD Wylie, ML Casazza. 2015. Terrestrial ecology of semi-aquatic giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas). Herpetological Conservation and Biology 10(2):633-644.
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5383
Carver, S, Bevins, SN, Lappin, MR, Boydston, EE, Lyren, LM, Alldredge, MW, Logan, KA, Sweanor, LL, Riley, SPD, Serieys, LEK, Fisher, RN, Vickers, TW, Boyce, WM, McBride, R, Cunningham, MC, Jennings, M, Lewis, JS, Lunn, T, Crooks, KR, VandeWoude, S. In press. Pathogen exposure varies widely among sympatric populations of wild and domestic felids across the United States. Ecological Applications. doi:10.1890/15-0445.1
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5349
van Mantgem, P and DA Sarr. 2015. Structure, diversity, and biophysical properties of old-growth forests in the Klamath Region, USA. Northwest Science89(2): 170-181. doi:10.3955/046.089.0208
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5387
Casazza, ML, PS Coates, CT Overton, KB Howe. 2015. Intra-annual patterns in adult band-tailed pigeon survival estimates. Wildlife Research 42(5): 454-459.
doi:10.1071/WR14199
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5391
NEW DATABASE REPORTS
Tinker, MT and B Hatfield. 2015. Southwest U.S. Southern sea otter annual range-wide census results: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release, doi:10.5066/F7F47MFC
https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/55e6043de4b05561fa2087c6
EVENTS
November 4-8, 2015 (Sacramento, CA)
Todd Esque, Robert Fisher, Kathy Longshore, Diego Johnson, Matt Simes, and Jeff Traceywill have their research presented at the 2015 Raptor Research Foundation Conference.
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/Event.aspx?ID=224
IN THE NEWS
Bird Populations Doubled Since 2003 in Vast Salt Pond Restoration Area (San Jose Mercury News)
Paul Rogers, a reporter with the San Jose Mercury News, quotes Susan De La Cruz in an online article that opens with her findings that overall bird numbers have doubled across South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project lands since 2003.
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_29008935/san-francisco-bay-bird-populations-doubled-since-2003
Shark Attacks Still Take a Bite Out of Sea Otter Population (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Writer Samantha Clark interviewed Tim Tinker on the annual California Sea Otter Census’ findings that sea otter numbers have increased in central regions but declined in northern and southern regions.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/environment-and-nature/20150917/survey-shark-attacks-still-take-bite-out-of-sea-otter-population
Drought Stressing California’s Giant Sequoias (The Associated Press)
An article from The Associated Press quotes Adrian Das as he describes how studying drought stress in giant sequoias can help researchers create a map of the groves that are most vulnerable to the combined effects of drought and wildfire.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/05697342fa4f4ac2a95bd0ce0c72418a/scientists-drought-stressing-californias-giant-sequoias
California Drought Crippling the Mighty Sequoias (Al Jazeera America)
Nate Stephenson describes the effects of the unprecedented California drought and warming temperatures on giant sequoias in an online news piece. While the stressed sequoias are losing many of their leaves, other tree types in the Sierra Nevada show more worrying trends.
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/live-news/2015/9/california-drought-crippling-the-mighty-sequoias.html
OUTREACH NEWS
New Teaser Video on USGS-Nevada National Security Site Work with Cougars and Bighorn Sheep
Biologists from the USGS and Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) are collaborating to study predator-prey dynamics between cougars and bighorn sheep on NNSS lands. WERC ecologist David Choate and others team up to track, capture, and place radio collars on cougars to learn more about them.
http://gallery.usgs.gov/videos/949#.Vjp6rX6rRhE
Nate Stephenson Talks Giant Sequoias on National TV
Nate Stephenson appeared on PBS News Hour on October 14 to talk about his research on drought stress in Sierra Nevada giant sequoias. The current drought in California has caused significant diebacks in the sequoias’ foliage. Despite this, the sequoias are surviving the heat, unlike other, less hardy species like firs, pines, and oaks. The researchers are studying the drought’s effects on sequoias to pinpoint which groves of these gargantuan trees are most vulnerable to drought stress.
Photo credit: PBS News Hour
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/stephenson
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365583339/
Phil van Mantgem: Can Our Forests Take the Heat?
On Friday night, October 23, 40 people packed into the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center in Arcata, CA, to attend a free, public lecture given by ecologist . The talk was part of the center’s Forest Ecology Fall Lecture Series and gave the audience a preview of what might happen to forests exposed to the combined effects of drought and climate change. van Mantgem’s research with WERC investigates how a changing climate might affect forests across northern California and southern Oregon, and hones in on ways to preserve these and other groves across the western U.S.
Photo credit: Gretchen O'Brien/Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/vanmantgem
http://www.cityofarcata.org/node/2282
This newsletter is produced as a service to USGS WERC staff, colleagues, partners and the interested public. To add your email address to the mailing list or to report errors/suggestions, please contact xrojas-rocha@usgs.gov. Download the current issue (4.14).
- Overview
USGS Western Ecological Research Center newsletters are posted on our blog. Check back for a rundown of new research and events on ecology and wildlife science in California and Nevada.
USGS Western Ecological Research Center newsletters are posted regularly on our blog. Check back for a rundown of new research and events on ecology and wildlife science in California, Nevada and the Pacific West. To add your name to our email subscription list, please contact xrojas-rocha@usgs.gov.
Download the current issue 4.14 (PDF | 0.891 MB)
HEADLINE
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media DetailsPhoto credit: Ariel Ambruster/California State University, Sacramento The 2015 South Bay Science Symposium
Over a decade after 15,100 acres of industrial salt ponds were purchased from Cargill Inc., the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project brought together biologists, ecologists, geologists, and the public for its Biennial Science Symposium. The project aims to restore 50 to 90% of the salt ponds to tidal wetlands by 2053. To reach this goal, managers began enhancing ponds for water birds like ducks and shorebirds, and have been studying which management practices attract and benefit the most birds. The Biennial Science Symposium was an opportunity for project managers and audience members to take stock of how the project has progressed, and how researchers’ findings will determine its path forward.
USGS Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) scientists including Josh Ackerman, Alex Hartman, and Susan De La Cruz presented their research on highly toxic methylmercury in the restored wetlands, birds’ use of artificial islands in the remaining enhanced, managed ponds, and those enhanced ponds’ effects on bird abundances. Their results show that birds have high levels of methylmercury, but may return to pre-restoration levels; long and slender islands are better than round islands as bird nesting habitat; and overall bird numbers have doubled across the managed ponds since the project’s genesis in 2003.
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/southbayrestoration
http://www.southbayrestoration.org/science/2015symposium/index.htmlNEW JOURNAL ARTICLES
Meyer, MD, SL Roberts, R Wills, ML Brooks, EM Winford. 2015. Principles of effective USA Federal fire management plans. Fire Ecology 11(2): 59-83.
doi:10.4996/fireecology.1102059
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5340
Millar, CI and NL Stephenson. 2015. Temperate forest health in an era of emerging megadisturbance. Science 349:823-826. doi:10.1126/science.aaa9933
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5348Ariel
Halstead, BJ, SM Skalos, GD Wylie, ML Casazza. 2015. Terrestrial ecology of semi-aquatic giant gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas). Herpetological Conservation and Biology 10(2):633-644.
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5383
Carver, S, Bevins, SN, Lappin, MR, Boydston, EE, Lyren, LM, Alldredge, MW, Logan, KA, Sweanor, LL, Riley, SPD, Serieys, LEK, Fisher, RN, Vickers, TW, Boyce, WM, McBride, R, Cunningham, MC, Jennings, M, Lewis, JS, Lunn, T, Crooks, KR, VandeWoude, S. In press. Pathogen exposure varies widely among sympatric populations of wild and domestic felids across the United States. Ecological Applications. doi:10.1890/15-0445.1
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5349
van Mantgem, P and DA Sarr. 2015. Structure, diversity, and biophysical properties of old-growth forests in the Klamath Region, USA. Northwest Science89(2): 170-181. doi:10.3955/046.089.0208
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5387
Casazza, ML, PS Coates, CT Overton, KB Howe. 2015. Intra-annual patterns in adult band-tailed pigeon survival estimates. Wildlife Research 42(5): 454-459.
doi:10.1071/WR14199
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=5391
NEW DATABASE REPORTSTinker, MT and B Hatfield. 2015. Southwest U.S. Southern sea otter annual range-wide census results: U.S. Geological Survey Data Release, doi:10.5066/F7F47MFC
https://www.sciencebase.gov/catalog/item/55e6043de4b05561fa2087c6
EVENTS
November 4-8, 2015 (Sacramento, CA)
Todd Esque, Robert Fisher, Kathy Longshore, Diego Johnson, Matt Simes, and Jeff Traceywill have their research presented at the 2015 Raptor Research Foundation Conference.
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/Event.aspx?ID=224
IN THE NEWS
Bird Populations Doubled Since 2003 in Vast Salt Pond Restoration Area (San Jose Mercury News)
Paul Rogers, a reporter with the San Jose Mercury News, quotes Susan De La Cruz in an online article that opens with her findings that overall bird numbers have doubled across South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project lands since 2003.
http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_29008935/san-francisco-bay-bird-populations-doubled-since-2003
Shark Attacks Still Take a Bite Out of Sea Otter Population (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
Writer Samantha Clark interviewed Tim Tinker on the annual California Sea Otter Census’ findings that sea otter numbers have increased in central regions but declined in northern and southern regions.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/environment-and-nature/20150917/survey-shark-attacks-still-take-bite-out-of-sea-otter-population
Drought Stressing California’s Giant Sequoias (The Associated Press)
An article from The Associated Press quotes Adrian Das as he describes how studying drought stress in giant sequoias can help researchers create a map of the groves that are most vulnerable to the combined effects of drought and wildfire.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/05697342fa4f4ac2a95bd0ce0c72418a/scientists-drought-stressing-californias-giant-sequoias
California Drought Crippling the Mighty Sequoias (Al Jazeera America)
Nate Stephenson describes the effects of the unprecedented California drought and warming temperatures on giant sequoias in an online news piece. While the stressed sequoias are losing many of their leaves, other tree types in the Sierra Nevada show more worrying trends.
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/live-news/2015/9/california-drought-crippling-the-mighty-sequoias.html
OUTREACH NEWS
New Teaser Video on USGS-Nevada National Security Site Work with Cougars and Bighorn Sheep
Biologists from the USGS and Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) are collaborating to study predator-prey dynamics between cougars and bighorn sheep on NNSS lands. WERC ecologist David Choate and others team up to track, capture, and place radio collars on cougars to learn more about them.
http://gallery.usgs.gov/videos/949#.Vjp6rX6rRhE
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media DetailsPhoto credit: PBS News Hour Nate Stephenson Talks Giant Sequoias on National TV
Nate Stephenson appeared on PBS News Hour on October 14 to talk about his research on drought stress in Sierra Nevada giant sequoias. The current drought in California has caused significant diebacks in the sequoias’ foliage. Despite this, the sequoias are surviving the heat, unlike other, less hardy species like firs, pines, and oaks. The researchers are studying the drought’s effects on sequoias to pinpoint which groves of these gargantuan trees are most vulnerable to drought stress.
Photo credit: PBS News Hour
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/stephenson
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365583339/
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. View Media DetailsPhoto credit: Gretchen O'Brien/Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center. Phil van Mantgem: Can Our Forests Take the Heat?
On Friday night, October 23, 40 people packed into the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center in Arcata, CA, to attend a free, public lecture given by ecologist . The talk was part of the center’s Forest Ecology Fall Lecture Series and gave the audience a preview of what might happen to forests exposed to the combined effects of drought and climate change. van Mantgem’s research with WERC investigates how a changing climate might affect forests across northern California and southern Oregon, and hones in on ways to preserve these and other groves across the western U.S.
Photo credit: Gretchen O'Brien/Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/vanmantgem
http://www.cityofarcata.org/node/2282
This newsletter is produced as a service to USGS WERC staff, colleagues, partners and the interested public. To add your email address to the mailing list or to report errors/suggestions, please contact xrojas-rocha@usgs.gov. Download the current issue (4.14).