Kristy Cummings has been working as a Biologist for the USGS Southwest Biological Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona since 2017.
Kristy's interests include, but are not limited to, conservation and ecology of Agassiz's Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of California and the southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida) in the Mojave Desert of California. She is also a Certified Veterinary Technician in the State of Arizona working in the veterinary field for 17 years prior to coming to USGS. She graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a certificate in Wildlife Management.
Science and Products
Injury and abnormality data for southwestern pond turtles (Actinemys pallida) from 3 sites along the Mojave River, California from separate surveys in 1998-1999 and 2017-2019
These data were compiled to assess the size, structure, and health of various populations of Actinemys pallida along the length of the Mojave River. Objective(s) of our study were to determine the extent of injuries and abnormalities within our Actinemys pallida populations (including statistical analyses comparing injuries with turtle sex and size) and estimate the cause(s) of the injuries and ab
Agassiz's desert tortoise and egg data from the Sonoran Desert of California (1997-2000, 2015-2018)
These data were compiled to evaluate reproductive output of Agassiz's desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizzi) in relation to environmental and individual-level variables. We collected data from four study sites in the Sonoran Desert of California, including two separate populations within Joshua Tree National Park, one population located on the northern versant of the Orocopia Mountains, and one pop
High female desert tortoise mortality in the western Sonoran Desert during California’s epic 2012–2016 drought
We conducted population surveys for desert tortoises Gopherus agassizii at 2 nearby sites in the western Sonoran Desert of California, USA, from 2015-2018, during the driest ongoing 22 yr period (2000-2021) in the southwestern USA in over 1200 yr. We hypothesized that drought-induced mortality would be female-biased due to water and energy losses attributable to egg production during protracted pe
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, Michele (Shellie) R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings, Terence R. Arundel, Michael S. Vamstad, Kathleen D. Brundige
Injuries and abnormalities of the southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida) in the Mojave River of California
The southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida) is a semiaquatic turtle that occasionally spends time on land to bask, oviposit, make intermittent overland movements, and overwinter in terrestrial locations. Use of both aquatic and terrestrial environments exposes semiaquatic turtles to increased risk of injury or mortality from floods, predation attempts, and other environmental hazards (e.g., h
Authors
Kristy L. Cummings, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Michele (Shellie) R. Puffer, Sarah Greely, Christopher D Otahal, James Gannon
Western pond turtles in the Mojave Desert? A review of their past, present, and possible future
=The western pond turtle (WPT) was formerly considered a single species (Actinemys or Emys marmorata) that ranged from southern British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, México. More recently it was divided into a northern and a southern species. WPTs are found primarily in streams that drain into the Pacific Ocean, although scattered populations exist in endorheic drainages of the Great Basin
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, George T. Jefferson, Robert E. Reynolds, Peter A. Scott, H. Bradley Shaffer, Shellie R. Puffer, Sarah Greely, Kristy L. Cummings, Robert N. Fisher, Kathie Meyer-Wilkins, Doug Gomez, Morgan Ford, Christopher D Otahal
Gopherus Agassizii (Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise). Overwinter movement
No abstract available.
Authors
Kristy L. Cummings, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Shellie R. Puffer
‘Unscrambling’ the drivers of egg production in Agassiz’s desert tortoise: Climate and individual attributes predict reproductive output
ABSTRACT: The ‘bet hedging’ life history strategy of long-lived iteroparous species reduces short-term reproductive output to minimize the risk of reproductive failure over a lifetime. For desert-dwelling ectotherms living in variable and unpredictable environments, reproductive output is further influenced by precipitation and temperature via effects on food availability and limits on activity. W
Authors
Corey I. Mitchell, Derek A. Friend, Lauren T. Phillips, Elizabeth A. Hunter, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Mickey Agha, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings, Philip A. Medica, Todd C. Esque, Kenneth E. Nussear, Kevin T. Shoemaker
Micro-geographic variation in burrow use of Agassiz’s desert tortoises in the Sonoran Desert of California
Little has been published regarding the burrowing habits of Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) in the Sonoran Desert of California. We monitored the interactions of tortoises with their burrows, and other tortoises, via radio-telemetry at two nearby sites between the Cottonwood and Orocopia Mountains, from 2015-2018. We examined how annual cycles of drought and non-drought years, beha
Authors
Kristy L. Cummings, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Shellie R. Puffer, Terence R. Arundel, Kathleen D. Brundige
Refining genetic boundaries for Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the western Sonoran Desert: The influence of the Coachella Valley on gene flow among populations in southern California
Understanding the influence of geographic features on the evolutionary history and population structure of a species can assist wildlife managers in delimiting genetic units (GUs) for conservation and management. Landscape features including mountains, low elevation depressions, and even roads can influence connectivity and gene flow among Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, Taylor Edwards, Kristin H. Berry, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings, Ennen Joshua R., Mickey Agha, Rachel Woodard, Kathleen D. Brundige, Robert W. Murphy
Establishing an Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise monitoring program within the Coachella Valley multiple species habitat conservation plan area: Final report to the Coachella Valley conservation commission on work performed near the Orocopia Mountains
In support of the goals of the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP/NCCP), a population of Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) was marked and studied to establish a desert tortoise monitoring program near the Orocopia Mountains beginning in early 2017 and ending in the summer of 2018, following the epic drought of
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings
An introduced breeding population of Chrysemys picta marginata in the Kaibab National Forest, northern Arizona
The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is widely distributed from coast to coast in North America with each of four subspecies generally occupying different regions. In the southwestern USA and northern Mexico, where C. p. bellii is the expected native race, populations are small and widelyscattered. Introduced populations of other painted turtle subspecies are reported from various locations in the
Authors
Jeffrey E. Lovich, Bruce L. Christman, Kristy L. Cummings, Jenna Norris, Shellie R. Puffer, Christina Jones
Biodiversity of amphibians and reptiles at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area, Mojave Desert, California and comparisons with other desert locations
We examined the biodiversity of amphibian and reptile species living in and near constructed ponds in the riparian area at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area (CCWA) in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, based on field work from 1998-1999, 2016-2017, review of the literature, and searches for museum specimens using VertNet.org. A total of 11 species (201 captures), including two frogs
Authors
Kristy L. Cummings, Shellie R. Puffer, Jenny B. Holmen, Jason K. Wallace, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Kathie Meyer-Wilkins, Chris Petersen, Robert E. Lovich
Science and Products
- Data
Injury and abnormality data for southwestern pond turtles (Actinemys pallida) from 3 sites along the Mojave River, California from separate surveys in 1998-1999 and 2017-2019
These data were compiled to assess the size, structure, and health of various populations of Actinemys pallida along the length of the Mojave River. Objective(s) of our study were to determine the extent of injuries and abnormalities within our Actinemys pallida populations (including statistical analyses comparing injuries with turtle sex and size) and estimate the cause(s) of the injuries and abAgassiz's desert tortoise and egg data from the Sonoran Desert of California (1997-2000, 2015-2018)
These data were compiled to evaluate reproductive output of Agassiz's desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizzi) in relation to environmental and individual-level variables. We collected data from four study sites in the Sonoran Desert of California, including two separate populations within Joshua Tree National Park, one population located on the northern versant of the Orocopia Mountains, and one pop - Multimedia
No results found.
- Publications
High female desert tortoise mortality in the western Sonoran Desert during California’s epic 2012–2016 drought
We conducted population surveys for desert tortoises Gopherus agassizii at 2 nearby sites in the western Sonoran Desert of California, USA, from 2015-2018, during the driest ongoing 22 yr period (2000-2021) in the southwestern USA in over 1200 yr. We hypothesized that drought-induced mortality would be female-biased due to water and energy losses attributable to egg production during protracted peAuthorsJeffrey E. Lovich, Michele (Shellie) R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings, Terence R. Arundel, Michael S. Vamstad, Kathleen D. BrundigeInjuries and abnormalities of the southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida) in the Mojave River of California
The southwestern pond turtle (Actinemys pallida) is a semiaquatic turtle that occasionally spends time on land to bask, oviposit, make intermittent overland movements, and overwinter in terrestrial locations. Use of both aquatic and terrestrial environments exposes semiaquatic turtles to increased risk of injury or mortality from floods, predation attempts, and other environmental hazards (e.g., h
AuthorsKristy L. Cummings, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Michele (Shellie) R. Puffer, Sarah Greely, Christopher D Otahal, James GannonWestern pond turtles in the Mojave Desert? A review of their past, present, and possible future
=The western pond turtle (WPT) was formerly considered a single species (Actinemys or Emys marmorata) that ranged from southern British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, México. More recently it was divided into a northern and a southern species. WPTs are found primarily in streams that drain into the Pacific Ocean, although scattered populations exist in endorheic drainages of the Great BasinAuthorsJeffrey E. Lovich, George T. Jefferson, Robert E. Reynolds, Peter A. Scott, H. Bradley Shaffer, Shellie R. Puffer, Sarah Greely, Kristy L. Cummings, Robert N. Fisher, Kathie Meyer-Wilkins, Doug Gomez, Morgan Ford, Christopher D OtahalGopherus Agassizii (Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise). Overwinter movement
No abstract available.AuthorsKristy L. Cummings, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Shellie R. Puffer‘Unscrambling’ the drivers of egg production in Agassiz’s desert tortoise: Climate and individual attributes predict reproductive output
ABSTRACT: The ‘bet hedging’ life history strategy of long-lived iteroparous species reduces short-term reproductive output to minimize the risk of reproductive failure over a lifetime. For desert-dwelling ectotherms living in variable and unpredictable environments, reproductive output is further influenced by precipitation and temperature via effects on food availability and limits on activity. WAuthorsCorey I. Mitchell, Derek A. Friend, Lauren T. Phillips, Elizabeth A. Hunter, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Mickey Agha, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings, Philip A. Medica, Todd C. Esque, Kenneth E. Nussear, Kevin T. ShoemakerMicro-geographic variation in burrow use of Agassiz’s desert tortoises in the Sonoran Desert of California
Little has been published regarding the burrowing habits of Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) in the Sonoran Desert of California. We monitored the interactions of tortoises with their burrows, and other tortoises, via radio-telemetry at two nearby sites between the Cottonwood and Orocopia Mountains, from 2015-2018. We examined how annual cycles of drought and non-drought years, beha
AuthorsKristy L. Cummings, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Shellie R. Puffer, Terence R. Arundel, Kathleen D. BrundigeRefining genetic boundaries for Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the western Sonoran Desert: The influence of the Coachella Valley on gene flow among populations in southern California
Understanding the influence of geographic features on the evolutionary history and population structure of a species can assist wildlife managers in delimiting genetic units (GUs) for conservation and management. Landscape features including mountains, low elevation depressions, and even roads can influence connectivity and gene flow among Agassiz’s desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populationsAuthorsJeffrey E. Lovich, Taylor Edwards, Kristin H. Berry, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy L. Cummings, Ennen Joshua R., Mickey Agha, Rachel Woodard, Kathleen D. Brundige, Robert W. MurphyEstablishing an Agassiz’s Desert Tortoise monitoring program within the Coachella Valley multiple species habitat conservation plan area: Final report to the Coachella Valley conservation commission on work performed near the Orocopia Mountains
In support of the goals of the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan (CVMSHCP/NCCP), a population of Agassiz’s desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) was marked and studied to establish a desert tortoise monitoring program near the Orocopia Mountains beginning in early 2017 and ending in the summer of 2018, following the epic drought ofAuthorsJeffrey E. Lovich, Shellie R. Puffer, Kristy L. CummingsAn introduced breeding population of Chrysemys picta marginata in the Kaibab National Forest, northern Arizona
The painted turtle (Chrysemys picta) is widely distributed from coast to coast in North America with each of four subspecies generally occupying different regions. In the southwestern USA and northern Mexico, where C. p. bellii is the expected native race, populations are small and widelyscattered. Introduced populations of other painted turtle subspecies are reported from various locations in theAuthorsJeffrey E. Lovich, Bruce L. Christman, Kristy L. Cummings, Jenna Norris, Shellie R. Puffer, Christina JonesBiodiversity of amphibians and reptiles at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area, Mojave Desert, California and comparisons with other desert locations
We examined the biodiversity of amphibian and reptile species living in and near constructed ponds in the riparian area at the Camp Cady Wildlife Area (CCWA) in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, based on field work from 1998-1999, 2016-2017, review of the literature, and searches for museum specimens using VertNet.org. A total of 11 species (201 captures), including two frogsAuthorsKristy L. Cummings, Shellie R. Puffer, Jenny B. Holmen, Jason K. Wallace, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Kathie Meyer-Wilkins, Chris Petersen, Robert E. Lovich - News