# Overview of Threatened and Endangered Species Studies in the Ti

juana River Watershed Chris Brown and Robert Fisher San Diego Field Station We stern Ecological Research Center

USGS

# Who Is WERC?

http://www.werc.usgs.gov

# • What are the regional patterns of diversity across southern California?
• What is the autecology of some of the sensitive species?
• How can we best maintain the diversity on reserve lands?
• What species may need additional regulatory attention, and which species are adequately protected in the current planning of permanently preserved habitats? 

# What we do...

# Fragmentation of Terrestrial Systems

# Sampling **Design** • **Use standard sampling protocols**
• **Identify wildlife crossing sites along**  **highways**
• **Quantitatively describe vegetation**  **communities**
• **Quantitative measurement of wildlife species richness and relative abundance** 
• **Repeated long -** **term sampling at fixed sample points** 

# Inventory **and Monitoring Data** 

• **Monitoring Pr otocol Development**  • **Reptile and amphibians (terr estrial)**  • **Bats, carnivor es, birds, ants**  •**Amphibians and fish (aquatic)** • **Data Management Needs/Requir ements**  • **Use of PDA ’s**  • **Consistent forms** • **Database structur e** 

# Riparian Habitat

# >95% Riparian Habitat Lost

# Population Ecology and Demography of

Endangered Birds

Least Bell’

s V ir eo Southwestern W illow Flycatcher

# Brown-headed Cowbird Parasitism

**© VIREO**

# Resear**ch Focus**

• **Habitat requirements**  • current distribution • breeding habitat • wintering habitat


# • **Ecology and behavior**  • foraging ecology (Miner 1989) • territory size (Newman 1993) • vocalizations and song repetoire (Embree 1992, Beck 1996) • mating system

(Spiegelberg 1997)

# Resear**ch Focus** (continued

)
• **Life History and**  **Demography** • reproductive success and productivity (Peterson in prog.) • im pact of cowbird parasitism (Sharp in prog.) • recruitment and dispersal • population viability 

# • **Data management** • repository for annual survey data • maintain statewide database

# Habitat Restoration

# Habitat Restoration

## Number of Territories < 5 5 - 10 11 - 25 > 25 Owens Valley

Kern River Mojave River San Bernardino Mtns. Temecula Creek Upper San Luis Rey River Sweetwater River San Dieguito River Lower San Luis Rey River Camp Pendleton Prado Basin Santa Clara River Santa Ynez River 

# Southw **estern Wi** **llow Fly**  **catcher N**  **umbers in California: 2000**

# Least Bell’s Vireo Population

1986 2000 300 males 2500+ males

# Amphibian **Resear ch**  **and Monitoring** 

# Aquatic Amphibians Being Monitored

# Reptile and **Amphibian Diversity** **— Inventory and**  **Monitoring**

# Long**- term Monitoring**  • Trigger points for adaptive management

– Changes in diversity of snakes

– Reduction in recruitment in reptiles

– Lack of recruitment in amphibians

– Occurrence of exotics that may ef fect native species

– Reduced counts of sensitive species

# Results:

• 46 species captured (18 families represented) • >36,000 captures • Study sites have 9 - 33 species present • Arrays have up to 22 species present

# Results: • 13 species occur at 24 - 31 sites (type 1) represented by 220 - >8800 captures • 12 species occur at 10 - 19 sites (type 2) represented by 42 - 730 captures • 17 species occur at 1 - 8 sites (type 3) represented by 1 - 130 captures

# Comparison of large “core” areas to fragments (established reserves) Can use snakes of San Diego County Excellent historic record from Klauber (collected 1920’ s - 1940’ s)

# 0

**10,000,000 20,000,000**  **30,000,000 40,000,000**  **50,000,000 60,000,000**  **70,000,000 80,000,000**  **90,000,000 100,000,000** 

**1938 1975**  **1995 2015** 



# Source: Klauber 1939; SANDAG 1998Miles/day 

# V **ehicle Miles Driven per**

**day in San Diego County** 

### San Diego County Sites Only **Camp Marron**  **Rancho Elliot**  **Little Torrey**  **Chula Tijuana**  **Chula Point**  **Pend WAP**  **Valley SD**  **Reserve Cedar**  **Pines Vista II**  **Estuary Vista I**  **Loma** Klauber Total # 34 Array

s 20 Array

s 9 Array

s 10 Array

s 17 Array

s 9 Array

s 15 Array

s 9 Array

s 15 Array

s 7 Array

s 17 Array

s number Difference Species of sites 80 day s 130 day

s 105 day

s 95 day

s 135 day

s 94 day

s 80 day

s 90 day

s 10 day

s 90 day

s 90 day

s of sites Hist/present Lampropeltis getulus 11 X X X X X X X X X X X 11 0 Crotalus viridis 11 X X X X X X X X X X X 11 0 Pituophis melanoleucas 11 X X X X X X X X X X 11 0 Masticophis lateralis 11 X X X X X X X X X X X 11 0 **Crotalus ruber *** 8 X X X X X X X X 11 3 Rhinocheilus lecontei 6 X X X X X X 11 5 **Thamnophis hammondii *** 7 X X X X X X X 10 3 Masticophis flagellum 7 X X X X X X X X 10 3 **Lichanura trivirgata *** 5 X X X X X 10 5 **Diadophis punctatus *** 7 X X X X X X X 9 2 Hyp siglena torquata 7 X X X X X X X 8 1 **Salvadora hexalepis *** 5 X X X X X 6 1 Coluber constrictor 3 X X X 5 2 Leptoty phlops humilis 6 X X X X X X 4 -2 Crotalus mitchellii 4 X X X X 4 0 Tantilla planiceps 6 X X X X X X 3 -3 Trimorphodon biscutatus 3 X X X 3 0 Arizona elegans 1 X 3 2 **Thamnophis sirtalis *** 1 X 2 1 **Lampropeltis zonata *** 0 1 1 Total number of species present = 19 19 16 14 12 12 10 8 8 9 6 6 Total number of species historic = 20 19 18 15 15 14 15 16 12 13 11 10

Difference = 0 2 1 3 2 N/A 8 4 4 5 4 *** = considered sensitive or protected by USFWS or CDFG Sites in green are core areas; sites in red are isolated or fragments**  

# Recent and historic occurrence of snakes at San Diego Study sites

# Comprehensive Biodiversity Studies

# Carnivore Track Station

# • **Management Implications**

–Importance of Monitoring (examples from field studies)

–Point Loma/T

orrey Pines/Tijuana River

# Response and Recovery **o f Plants and Animals to**  **2003 and 2007 San Diego Wildfires: Research**  **Objectives and Management**  **Implications**

**U.S. Department of**  **the Interior**  **U.S. Geological Survey** 

# Background Massive 2003 southern Calif ornia wildfires • Burned a pprox imately 750,000 acres of mostly wildlands in southern Calif ornia • 300,000 acres in Cedar and Otay F ires , San Die go County • Largeportion of San Die goCounty MSCP reserve area

# Followed by Massive 2007 Southern California Wi ldfires

# Background (cont.) Short and long term impacts on plants , inverte brates , and verte brates • Direct mortality, ha bitat loss , loss of plant and animal f ood re sources , soil erosion and stream siltation (loss of amphibian breeding ha bitat) • Ha bitat con version

– Shrublands converted to grasslands

– Closed vs . open ha bitats

– Natives displaced by non - natives

# Research **Objectives: Overview**

Measure response/recovery of plants , inverte brates , and verte brates • Pre - burn data from fi ref ootprint

– Pitf all Arrays

– Fo cused T & E species studies

– Multi -taxa studies • Controls

# Research **Objectives: Overview (**  **cont.)**

• Ground -dwelling verte brate and inverte brate communities in San Die goCounty • Nesting and migratory birds in San Die goCounty • Fo rag ing and roosting bats in San Die goCounty

# Conclusions and Management

**Implications** • Fire as ecosystem driver • Time scales necessary f or recovery • Ef fects on reserve design; covered species

– Viability of reserve(s)

– Local, state , and f

ederal g overnments leg al re quirements

– Ada ptive mana ge ment

– Alter reserve design if necessaryP r e P o s t P r e P o s t P r e P o s t P r e P o s t C o mmo n N a m e S c i e n t i f i c N a m e W e s t e r n T o a d B u fo b o r eas 209 3 1 279 2 7 6 1 2 1 4 0 S o u t h w e s t e r n To a d B u fo c a l i fo r n i c u s 2 P a c i fi c C h o r u s F r o g Hyl a r e g i lla 113 6 8 0 8 1 2 1 2 B u llf r o g R a na c a t e s b e i ana 9 1 1 W e s t e r n S p adefoot S c aphi opus h a m m o ndi i 4 7 1 2 6 A f ric an C l a w ed F r o g X e nopus l aev i s 1 O r ange- T h r o a t ed L i z a r d C n e m i d ophor u s h y p e r y t h r u s 5 3 9 2 331 226 2 2 1 9 6 W e s t e r n W h i p t a i l C n e m i d ophor u s ti g r i s 5 3 114 3 2 5 3 1 1 3 3 2 5 3 3 W e s t e r n B a nded L i z a r d C o l e ony x va rie gat u s 8 4 S o u t her n A l lig a t o r L i z a r d E l gar i a m u l t i c a rin a t a 5 0 1 3 7 5 2 2 4 1 2 2 8 4 7 G i l b e r t ' s S k i n k E u m e c e s g i l b e r t i 7 9 3 3 W e s t e r n S k i n k E u m e c e s ski l t oni anus 9 1 2 1 146 4 8 1 5 3 7 3 5 3 3 C o a s t H o r ned L i z a r d P h r y nos o m a c o r o nat u m 155 2 5 2 7 1 3 2 2 W e s t e r n F e n c e L i z a r d S c e l opor u s o cci dent a l i s 296 292 264 318 9 9 263 170 271 G r ani t e S p i n y L i z a r d S c e l opor u s o r c u t t i 2 1 2 2 5 8 1 1 5 2 S i de- B l o t c h ed L i z a r d U t a s t ans bur i a n a 3 6 102 5 5 8 6 4 2 6 0 1 3 2 4 G r ani t e N i g h t L i z a r d X a n t u s i a h ens haw i 1 1 4 G a r d en S l ender S a l a m ander B a t r a c hos eps p a c i f i c u s 8 4 6 5 3 0 1 6 M o n t e r e y S a l a m ander E n s a t i na e s c h sch o l t z i i 1 8 1 5 R a c e r C o l u ber c ons t r i c t o r 1 5 9 1 2 6 6 S p e c k l ed R a ttl e s nak e C r o t a l u s m i t c h e l lii 2 2 R e d D i a m ond R a ttl e s nak e C r o t a l u s r uber 1 4 4 1 W e s t e r n R a ttl e s nak e C r o t a l u s v irid i s 1 0 4 1 1 8 1 4 4 R i ngnec k S n a k e D i adophi s punc t a t u s 6 1 4 3 1 1 3 1 N i ght S nak e Hyp s i g l ena t o r q uat a 7 4 4 1 1 1 C o mmo n K i ngs nak e Lam p r opel t i s get u l u s 1 8 3 2 3 1 2 5 1 4 2 4 W e s t e r n B l i n d S n a k e Lept o t y p h l ops h u m ilis 8 1 3 1 3 3 2 R o sy B o a L i c h anur a t r ivirg a t a 1 C o a c h w h i p M a s t i c ophi s fl agel l u m 3 1 3 3 6 C a lifo r n i a W h i p s n a k e M a s t i c ophi s l a t e r a lis 1 9 1 4 2 2 2 0 1 1 1 3 G o pher S nak e P i t u ophi s c a t e n i fe r 2 0 5 2 5 5 3 1 1 1 6 Long- N o s e d S n a k e R h i n o c hei l u s l e c o n t e i 4 1 1 1 1 W e s t e r n P a t c hed- N o s e d S n a k e S a lva dor a hex a l epi s 1 6 6 C a lifo r n i a B l a c k - H e aded S n a k e T a n t illa p l a n i c e p s 1 1 1 0 1 3 1 5 T w o - S t rip ed G a r t e r S nak e T h a m nophi s ham m o ndi i 6 2 6 5 1 L y r e S nak e T r i m o r phodon b i scu t a t u s 1FrogLizardSal.Snake CHA P C S S GRASS W R 

# Reptile and Amphibian Captures
— Pre vs. Post Burn by Habitat

# Reptile and Amphibian Diversity

# Arroyo To ad Response to Fire **4 Wa** **tersheds**
• San Dieguito • San Diego • Sweetwater • Ti juana

# Arroyo To ad in Ti juana River

# Below Te cate Creek

# No Fish No Am phibians

# Cottonwood Creek above Te cate Creek

# 3 Fish 4 Am phibians

# Arroyo To ad in Ti

juana River Habitat indicated as suitable pre -burn Extent of arroyo toad detections 2008 Dynamic system... What happens with a border fence?

# What’ **s Next? Continued**  **monitoring** Other toads have shown initial positive response to fire, then disappear (Hossack 2007) Document aquatic habitat change over time (where does suitable habitat appear/disappear)

# Acknowledgements:
• Barbara Kus (riparian bird information) • Carlton Rochester/Drew Stokes (post fire overview) • Tritia Matsuda, Meg Snyder, Denise Clark (SDFS Project and Field Support)