USGS Occupancy Surveys for Dixie Valley Toads, Anaxyrus williamsi, in Churchill County, Nevada from April 2018 to May 2021
Desert spring wetlands host many endemic species that require aquatic habitat and are isolated by the surrounding xeric terrestrial habitat. The Dixie Valley Toad (Anaxyrus williamsi) is a recently described anuran species endemic to desert spring wetlands in the Dixie Valley, Churchill County, Nevada, USA. Given this species was only recently recognized as distinct from Anaxyrus boreas, little is known about its ecology and habitat requirements. These data represent the results of surveys for Dixie Valley Toads conducted from April 2018 to May 2021 in Churchill County, Nevada, USA and associated covariates from surveys and study sites. The potential wetland habitat for the Dixie Valley Toad was divided into 20 meter by 20 meter cells, and 60 cells were selected for sampling using a Generalized Random Tessellation Stratified design. The data were collected following an occupancy study design, with repeated (secondary) surveys of each cell during each primary period (6 total periods). For each cell in each survey, the detection or nondetection of adult and larval Dixie Valley Toads was recorded. Adult Dixie Valley Toads were detected in 75 percent of cells during at least one survey, and larval Dixie Valley Toads were detected in 20 percent of cells during at least one survey. Data on water temperature, air temperature, percent of the cell with surface water, water depth, and emergent vegetation cover were also recorded during surveys.
These data support the following publication:
Rose, J.P., Kleeman, P.M., and Halstead, B.J., In Review. Hot, wet, and rare: modeling the occupancy dynamics of the narrowly distributed Dixie Valley Toad.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Title | USGS Occupancy Surveys for Dixie Valley Toads, Anaxyrus williamsi, in Churchill County, Nevada from April 2018 to May 2021 |
| DOI | 10.5066/P9QCIC87 |
| Authors | Jonathan P Rose, Patrick M Kleeman, Brian J Halstead |
| Product Type | Data Release |
| Record Source | USGS Digital Object Identifier Catalog |
| USGS Organization | Western Ecological Research Center - Headquarters |
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Hot, wet and rare: Modelling the occupancy dynamics of the narrowly distributed Dixie Valley toad
Patrick M Kleeman
Supervisory Ecologist
Brian Halstead
Research Wildlife Biologist
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Hot, wet and rare: Modelling the occupancy dynamics of the narrowly distributed Dixie Valley toad
Context: Small population sizes and no possibility of metapopulation rescue put narrowly distributed endemic species under elevated risk of extinction from anthropogenic change. Desert spring wetlands host many endemic species that require aquatic habitat and are isolated by the surrounding xeric terrestrial habitat.Aims: We sought to model the occupancy dynamics of the Dixie Valley toad (AnaxyrusAuthorsJonathan P. Rose, Patrick M. Kleeman, Brian J. Halstead - Connect
Patrick M Kleeman
Supervisory EcologistEmailPhoneBrian Halstead
Research Wildlife BiologistEmailPhone