TWS-WS 2018 Annual Meetingtws-west.org/events/2018/2018_abstracts_by_presenter.pdfThe Amargosa vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis) is a highly endangered rodent endemic to small

TWS-WS

2018 Annual Meeting

ABSTRACTS

Abstracts sorted by Presenter’s last name

SPATIAL FORAGING PATTERNS OF NORTH AMERICAN PORCUPINES IN COASTAL DUNE HABITATS

Bayan W Ahmed; Humboldt State University; 2984 Mack Rd. Apt. C, Arcata, CA, 95521; 9167436600;

[email protected];

The foraging activities of North American porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) are known to have strong effects on the

regeneration of tree species within forested systems. Bark stripping often results in tree death, affecting forest

structure and tree recruitment. However, little is known about how porcupines interact with and potentially shape

coastal dune habitats. Therefore, I am conducting a study that describes the spatial foraging patterns of North

American porcupines in Tolowa Dunes State Park in Crescent City, California, USA. Since saplings offer high quality

forage and are more likely to grow outside and along the edges of patches, I expect evidence of bark foraging and

tree death to be concentrated between and at the edges of conifer patches. Furthermore, because porcupines are

arboreal species that prefer to forage in canopies, I expect foraged trees to have canopies lower to the ground

when compared to un-foraged trees. Movement data of porcupines may be used for further analysis of the spatial

relationship between areas of high use by porcupines and areas of high conifer damage. Study in Progress.

Poster Session Student Paper

MIGRATION AND WINTERING AREAS USED BY SWAINSON'S HAWKS BREEDING IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF

CALIFORNIA

Daniel A Airola; Northwest Hydraulic Consultants; 2600 Capitol Ave Suite 140, Sacramento, CA, 95816; 916-494-

1283; [email protected]; Richard Anderson, James A. Estep, Dave Krolick

We used satellite telemetry to assess migration and wintering patterns of Swainson's hawks (Buteo swainsoni) that

breed in California's Central Valley (CV). We tracked 20 birds captured on breeding sites near Sacramento for a

total of 30 fall and 31 spring migration trips and 28 winter seasons. CV hawks wintered in four regions spread

across 7,200 square kilometers: western Mexico (25%), Central America (15%), northern South America (40%), and

central South America (20%). Hawks wintering in southern locations spent more time migrating, arrived later at

wintering areas, departed earlier for spring migration, and arrived later at breeding areas. During fall migration,

hawks spent an average of 55 days at stopover locations, mainly in four areas: San Joaquin Valley, Sonoran Desert,

northwest coastal Mexico, and central-western Mexico. Spring migration was much more direct, with an average of

only three days of stopover. Most stopover and wintering areas were agricultural lands. Results suggest a recent

and ongoing shift in wintering areas to more northern agricultural lands. The migration routes and wintering areas

of CV hawks differ from, and are more diverse than, those of the much larger interior North American Swainson's

hawk population.

Ecology and Conservation of Birds I

LITTER TRANSLOCATIONS BY YELLOW-BELLIED MARMOTS, MARMOTA FLAVIVENTRIS

Jaclyn R Aliperti; University of California, Davis; 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616; 5169021860;

[email protected]; Aviva, J, Rossi, Kenneth, B, Armitage

Natal burrow selection is an important decision for ground-dwelling squirrels, as burrows provide shelter from

abiotic conditions such as inclement weather, and biotic conditions such as predators. If conditions surrounding a

natal burrow become risky or unsuitable, squirrels are known to move their litters to a different burrow. For

example, squirrels may translocate their litters when faced with the threat of infanticide, predation, or parasite

infestation. However, detailed accounts of litter translocation events are uncommon due to the infeasibility of

predicting when and where translocations will take place. Furthermore, factors contributing to litter translocations

likely differ among species that vary in life history characteristics such as sociality. We provide the first

documentation of natal burrow translocation by a female yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris), at the

Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, and we draw on 30 years of unpublished records of

litter translocations in this study system to better understand the causes and consequences of litter translocations

in this species.

Poster Session

INSIGHT INTO THE BIOLOGY, CAPTIVE MANAGEMENT, AND CONSERVATION OF THE ENDANGERED AMARGOSA

VOLE (MICROTUS CALIFORNICUS SCIRPENSIS)

Nora E Allan; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; UC Davis; 1320D Tupper Hall, University of California,

Davis, Davis, CA, 95616; 5307549740; [email protected]; Janet Foley, Deana Clifford, Risa Pesapane

The Amargosa vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis) is a highly endangered rodent endemic to small patches of

marsh habitat near Tecopa in Inyo County, California. Although it has survived in a naturally fragmented ecosystem

for thousands of years, climate change and upstream overuse have reduced habitat and further isolated the

species. Evidence suggests only 500 individuals still exist in the wild. As part of a multi-party conservation effort to

recover the species, we established a captive breeding population in 2014 to serve as an insurance colony, increase

our knowledge about Amargosa vole biology, and provide individuals for release as restored habitat becomes

available. Captive animals help answer questions about biology and behavior that are challenging to investigate in

the wild. Tracking development benchmarks provides a guide for accurately aging wild-caught individuals.

Observations about aggression inform decisions during captive-release attempts. Identifying common diseases

determines whether Amargosa voles may be more susceptible to certain pathogens. Investigating dietary

preferences and gut microbiomes help determine what resources are necessary for vole growth and survival. By

conducting applied research in captivity, we can continuously improve our captive management and use our

insights from the colony to benefit in situ Amargosa vole conservation efforts.

Endangered Species Recovery

SUNBATHERS, SNOWY PLOVERS, AND SEALS: NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL COLONY GROWTH AT POINT REYES,

CALIFORNIA, 1981-2017

Sarah G Allen; National Park Service; c/o Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956; 510-541-

4241; [email protected]; Sarah Codde, Ben Becker

Species recovery efforts for marine animals are complex and often ineffective, as supported in part by the limited

number of species that have been delisted over the past several decades. Among pinnipeds, though, researchers

have documented the unparalleled recovery of northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), with little active

management beyond protecting terrestrial sites. At Point Reyes, California, recovery over the past 35 years has

varied from an average annual growth rate of 35% (1981-1995) to around 7% (1995-2017). The Point Reyes

National Seashore diligently protects terrestrial habitats where seals breed, molt, and rest. The colony has

expanded from a remote cliff-backed beach to adjacent recreational beaches spanning nearly 20 kilometers.

Recovery, though, has been uneven, with elevated mortality events associated with high rainfall and El Nino

Southern Oscillation (ENSO) years and with sub-site differences in annual growth rates. The Seashore is now

challenged with how and where to facilitate further potential expansion into sensitive coastal dune habitats where

federally listed species such as snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus) occur and into high recreational use areas where

human interactions are increasing.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals I

USING 20 YEARS OF CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER SURVEY DATA TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE

MONITORING DURATION PERIODS

Jeff A Alvarez; The Wildlife Project; 774 5th Ave, Sacramento, CA, 95818; 916-441-0322;

[email protected];

Complete, long-term data sets, focused on a single species, and conducted with the involvement of a single

individual, are very rare. Although 20 years of data collected on California tiger salamander presence and

reproduction was not intended to be used to determine appropriate monitoring duration periods, this robust data

set allows for detailed analysis. These data were grouped in 16 sequential 5-year monitoring periods and 11

sequential 10-year monitoring periods. This type of analysis showed that each different monitoring period

indicated a different degree of decline, perceived increase, or relative stability. A plurality of the monitoring

windows indicated that the population was in decline. However, the 20-year monitoring window showed that the

population was stable or slightly increasing. These data suggest that longer monitoring periods provide a more

accurate representation of the overall population trends in California tiger salamanders in Central California.

Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles I

FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FAME FOR MONK SEALS: TURNING A COMMUNICATIONS CHALLENGE INTO A UNIQUE

OPPORTUNITY

Angela Amlin; NOAA-NMFS; 45-342 Lilipuna Road #309, Kaneohe, HI, 96744; 805-252-3061;

[email protected]; Aliza Milette-Winfree

Education and outreach are critical components of endangered species recovery efforts. Yet finding effective and

engaging ways to communicate science and conservation can be challenging. In June 2017, a Hawaiian monk seal

pup was born on Kaimana Beach. This was the first documented monk seal birth in Waikiki, one of the most

populated areas in Hawaii. Managers and scientists were suddenly faced with an unprecedented level of public

interest in these animals. The need to communicate human and seal safety to a massive number of beachgoers

became critical as the public attempted to observe the seals up close and swim near the protective mother. With

help from partners, personnel were on site sunrise to sunset educating the public about monk seal ecology and

how to avoid harmful human-seal interactions. In another first, a local news outlet began broadcasting live, round-

the-clock webcam footage of the seals. By taking advantage of social media platforms such as live-streamed

"Pupdates," where National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration staff engaged in question and answer

sessions with thousands of viewers globally, this challenging situation became a powerful opportunity to reach a

broad audience. The result was a new community of stewards championing the recovery of the Hawaiian monk

seal.

Communicating Science to Diverse Audiences

TWENTY YEARS OF EFFORTS TO PROTECT WILDLIFE OF THE SANTA CLARA RIVER: SUCCESS!

Ileene Anderson; Center for Biological Diversity; 660 Figueroa St., #1000, Los Angeles, CA, 90017; 323-654-5943;

[email protected]; John Buse, Aruna Prabhala

The Newhall Ranch is a large residential and commercial development along six miles of the Santa Clara River in Los

Angeles County, California. The development, first proposed in the 1980s, threatened to impact the California fully

protected and federally and state-listed as endangered unarmored threespine stickleback, the federally listed as

threatened arroyo toad, critical habitat for the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, and other rare species.

Subsequent surveys identified the recently rediscovered and now state-listed as endangered San Fernando Valley

spineflower, the newly discovered and described Newhall sunflower, and currently undescribed springsnails

present on the proposed project site. A coalition of conservation organizations challenged the project over the

years, ultimately prevailing at the California Supreme Court on rare species and greenhouse gas claims. While the

developer moved forward to address the issues in the successful court challenge, it also initiated negotiations with

the conservation organizations that ultimately resulted in a historic settlement. The settlement (1) ensures

development redesign to minimize impacts to the unarmored threespine stickleback and enhance protections for

the plants and snails, (2) conserves over 10,000 acres of habitat including river floodplain, (3) provides $25 million

dedicated to conservation of the Santa Clara River and watershed, and (4) guarantees a landmark greenhouse gas

"net zero" emissions project.

Urban Wildlife Management

PREDICTED HABITAT SELECTION OF THE INVASIVE ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET IN BAKERSFIELD, CA

Tina C Arthur; Humboldt State University; 335 Laurel Dr, Arcata, CA, 95521; 831 359 3713; [email protected];

Multiple parrot species have colonized North American cities as escapees or intentional releases. Species such as

the invasive rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri) has become increasingly more common in U.S. cities, but

information about their survival and potential negative impacts are yet to be fully understood. To predict where

rose-ringed parakeets might expand I created a habitat suitability model for Bakersfield, California. I selected layers

from NLCD for Kern County, CA based on criteria set from studies that researched invasive colonies outside of the

U.S. (Hardy 1973, Khan et al. 2004, Strubbe and Matthysen 2008). To select areas of importance, the tool

"Weighted Overlay" was used to reclassify layers based on the most suitable areas to the least. To compare

accuracy of the model, sightings from eBird were used to compare against the predicted suitability. Life history

traits such as survival rate, foraging methods, breeding habitats, and abundance are needed to better analyze how

this species is utilizing habitat in Bakersfield and how they may pose a threat to native species. Expanding this

model to areas such as Los Angeles, CA would also assist in understanding the extent of this species potential

range.


PRESENCE AND PREVALENCE OF HAEMOPROTEUS IN TWO HUMMINGBIRD SPECIES

Hanna E Baek; San Francisco State University; 285 Buckingham Way Apt #905, San Francisco, CA, 91326; 818-577-

6365; [email protected]; Ravinder Sehgal, Lisa Tell

Avian disease presence and prevalence in hummingbirds is severely understudied despite the strong presence of

hummingbirds in California. What is the estimated impact of disease on hummingbirds? This research is focusing

on haemosporidian parasites in the genus Haemoproteus, which are intracellular parasites that infect erythrocytes.

These parasites are transmitted by biting midges. PCR analysis of blood samples, collected using Nobuto strips, of

two species of hummingbird: the Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) and Allen's hummingbird (Selasphorus

sasin) is ongoing. Results are currently pending. The project's goal is to estimate the prevalence of these blood

parasites in these two species of hummingbird as well as to get a better idea of the

particular Haemoproteus species infecting hummingbirds.


DYNAMIC SURFACE WATER DISTRIBUTIONS MEDIATE MOVEMENTS OF NON-BREEDING SHOREBIRDS IN THE

CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA

Blake Barbaree; Point Blue Conservation Science; 3820 Cypress Drive #11, Petaluma, CA, 94954; 5417402337;

[email protected]; Matthew E. Reiter, Catherine M. Hickey, Gary W. Page, Nathan K. Elliot, Danica Shaffer-

Smith, Mark D. Reynolds

Movements by migratory shorebirds are inherently linked to dynamic water distributions. Characterizing this

relationship when shorebirds are not breeding or migrating can highlight effects of landscape management

strategies on shorebird populations as well as provide simple guidelines for conservation solutions that benefit

people and wetland-dependent wildlife. We tracked radio-tagged dunlin (Calidris alpina) and long-billed

dowitchers (Limnodromus scolopaceus) in the Central Valley of California to compare movements between

shorebirds wintering in regions with differing amounts and configurations of water on the landscape and

investigated associations between movements and variability in landscape structure at multiple temporal and

spatial scales. Shorebirds using a region with a widespread but highly variable water distribution moved between

regions more often and had longer movements on average than those wintering in a region characterized by a

single, mostly contiguous wetland complex with relatively stable landscape structure. Longer movements were

associated with decreasing average water availability on the landscape as well as increasing patch size and

decreasing aggregation of reliable surface water. Humans can mediate the energetically costly movements of

shorebirds by reliably flooding individual wetlands and agricultural lands and limiting variability in the configuration

of open water. The creation, restoration, and maintenance of flooded wetlands and agricultural lands will have

high conservation value, particularly during March and April in the Central Valley, along likely flight corridors, in

locations with frequent past flooding events, and areas that increase the spatial aggregation of surface water.

Ecology and Conservation of Birds III

STATUS OF FISHER POPULATIONS IN OREGON

Brent Barry; Oregon State University; 104 Nash Hall, 2820 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331; 8479973461;

[email protected]; Katie Moriarty, Taal Levi, David Green

Fishers (Pekania pennanti) are medium sized mustelids endemic to North America. Two fisher populations persist

in Oregon: an indigenous population in southwestern Oregon and a reintroduced population in the southern

Cascades. Despite its candidacy for listing under the Endangered Species Act, current information on fisher

populations in Oregon is scarce. We conducted surveys using motion-activated cameras and scat detecting dogs to

assess the distribution and detectability of fishers with an occupancy modeling framework. To quantify the

potential for the reintroduced population to expand, we used a spatially explicit reaction-diffusion equation. We

deployed >2000 camera survey stations equating to >500 sample units operational for >35 and >60 days during

winter and summer, respectively, collecting >4 million photographs (surveys 2015-2017, still in progress). Detection

dog teams surveyed >90 sample units. We detected fishers at 67 unique sample units and 121 individual survey

stations, confirming the presence of the indigenous and introduced populations. The southern Cascades

reintroduced population appears to have shifted or contracted. Population extent was less than expected, except

under our slowest growth model. We confirmed a larger indigenous population, but also with range reductions.

There was no evidence of population expansion into historically occupied forests despite predicted habitat

suitability.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals II Student Paper

USING AN OCCUPANCY MODEL TO DEVELOP AN EFFICIENT SAMPLING DESIGN FOR POPULATION ESTIMATION OF

TULE ELK USING FECAL DNA IN COLUSA AND LAKE COUNTIES, CALIFORNIA

Tom Batter; UC Davis; 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616; 4026302778; [email protected]; Joshua P. Bush, Dr.

Ben N. Sacks

Tule elk (Cervus elaphus nannodes) in Colusa and Lake Counties utilize habitats that are difficult to accurately

survey through site-based methods and their abundance is unknown. We designed a survey method to collect fecal

pellets for DNA-based monitoring, a method found to be effective for other ungulates. We used 1,207 elk-presence

locations to develop a MaxEnt model, which included vegetation type, vegetation cover, and mean diurnal

temperature range. We tested the model with independent data from GPS-collared elk (AUC = 0.885), then with

occupancy surveys on the Cache Creek herd. We employed 6-km triangle transects and 4.5-km linear transects in

33 random 2-km2 grid cells, 24 in predicted-presence habitat, and 9 in predicted-absence habitat. We documented

elk presence using fecal pellets and other elk sign at 92% (22 of 24) of the predicted presence cells and 44% (4 of 9)

of the predicted absence cells. Non-detection in predicted-presence cells coincided with high-intensity agriculture

(n = 2). Detections in predicted-absence cells were typically <0.5-km from a predicted presence location. Our use of

the habitat model to stratify the landscape increased our survey efficiency, resulting in a 76% reduction of the

landscape surveyed relative to a random survey.


ASSESSING BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC LIMITS TO SPECIES DISTRIBUTION UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE AND COMPARING

NICHE OVERLAP OF ISOLATED POPULATIONS OF AN ENDANGERED RODENT

Ivy V Widick; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst St., Arcata, CA, 95521; 8122022000;

[email protected]; William T. Bean

The dominant role of climate in species distribution modeling is supported by a large body of literature and is often

considered the single most important factor in limiting species' ranges. Other factors, such as biotic interactions,

are often assumed to be included via abiotic proxies. However, through climate change, these relationships could

be decoupled or species could adapt to novel environments, leaving gaps in predicted future niches. To test the

utility of including such factors, I modeled the distributions of two isolated populations of the endangered giant

kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens) and local California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi), a potential novel

competitor. Modeling current and future distributions of both species identified potential niche overlap. I

predicted that modeling the populations separately would improve the predictive accuracy of the models, as they

have adapted over time to altered climatic regimes. Niche overlap between the populations was low, indicating

that they experience slightly different climatic regimes. Thus, model accuracy would improve with population-level

modeling. Future projections of range are dependent on model scope, but retractions in currently occupied areas

will occur. We can use these future range estimates to protect critical habitat from further development, in hopes

that we can protect the giant kangaroo rat within an endangered ecosystem.

Wildlife and Climate Change

TWENTY YEARS OF HARBOR SEAL POPULATION DYNAMICS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Benjamin H Becker; Point Reyes National Seashore; 1 Bear Valley Road, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956; 415-464-

5187; [email protected]; Sarah A Codde, Sarah G Allen

Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) are the most abundant and only year-round resident pinniped in the

National Parks of the San Francisco Bay Area, California. Seals haul out, breed, and pup at 5 major (>400 seals) and

3 minor (<200 seals) colonies along the coastlines of Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National

Recreation Area. During the 1970s-1990s, after passage of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection act, populations

grew rapidly and logistically (Sydeman and Allen 1999). However, from the late 1990s to present, colony

attendance and pup production has fluctuated overall and within colonies. We investigated (1) oceanographic,

geomorphological, predatory, and anthropogenic factors associated with the observed population dynamics, (2)

predicted future population growth, and (3) assessed whether individual colonies operate in isolation or comprise

a larger regional population.Â


DEVELOPING AN EFFICIENT ENVIRONMENTAL DNA SAMPLING PROTOCOL FOR AQUATIC AMPHIBIANS

Mallory E Bedwell; 404 Heald Hall, Pullman, WA, 99164; 5593600871; [email protected]; Caren S

Goldberg

Capturing environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA), or genetic material shed into water, could help overcome

the challenge of determining the presence of species that are difficult to find using traditional surveys. To

determine the most effective eDNA sampling protocol in a stream system, we conducted a survey for two hard-to-

find species, the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae) and the foothill yellow-legged frog (R. boylii). We

collected samples at 100-meter intervals in two different volumes at seven points along several streams in Plumas

National Forest in California. We collected samples at four time points over the summer of 2016 using single-use

funnels with 0.45-micrometer filters and a vacuum pump for a total of 286 eDNA samples. We analyzed samples in

triplicate using species-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays we developed and validated.

Detection results were analyzed using generalized linear mixed effect models using a binomial response. Filtering

double the volume of water (2 liters) increased odds of detection five times and sampling later in the season

increased odds of detection by 1.016 per day. Over a 100-meter distance, the number of wells with a positive

eDNA signal decreased by 28%, indicating that sampling at close intervals is important for detecting these secretive

amphibians.

Genetic Techniques in Wildlife Research and Management Student Paper

SUMMER MOVEMENT PATTERNS AND FOURTH ORDER HABITAT SELECTION OF NORTH AMERICAN PORCUPINES

(ERETHIZON DORSATUM) IN A COASTAL DUNE SYSTEM

Pairsa N Belamaric; Humboldt State University; 1202 buttermilk lane, Arcata, CA, 95521; 2067184948;

[email protected]; William T. Bean, Cara L. Appel

Movement decisions made by North American porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) are driven by the distribution of

seasonally important dietary resources and perceived risk of predation. However, during the summer of 2015, we

observed porcupines making lengthy trips away from areas of high quality forage to visit areas typically used only

during winter, where available forage is highly defended and nutritionally depleted. Because winter is a nutritional

bottleneck for porcupines, we suspect these animals are exhibiting a prospecting behavior within home ranges

during summer to inform the future selection of critical winter habitat components. To explore this idea, we fitted

five porcupines with very high frequency/global positioning system (VHF/GPS) collars and deployed 30 camera

traps under winter foraging trees during the summer of 2017 in Tolowa Dunes State Park in northwestern

California. Animals were tracked and located via radio telemetry to measure physical and chemical characteristics

of individual trees used by and available to porcupines during summer. Results from this study describe habitat

use, microhabitat selection, and movement patterns of porcupines in a coastal dune forest during the 2015 and

2017 summer seasons. Implications of summer movement patterns and predictions of winter foraging selection

will be discussed.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals I Student Paper

WE WANT A SHRUBBERY! WHY INVASIVE CHEATGRASS MAY BE RUINING THE GREAT BASIN DESERT FOR

REPTILES

Gareth D Blakemore; University of Nevada, Reno; 1664 N. Virginia St. (MS 0314), Reno, NV, 89557; (775)432-4792;

[email protected]; Kristina M. Bozanich, Dr. Christopher R. Feldman

In the Great Basin, invasion by cheatgrass has altered landscape structure and ecosystem function. By usurping

resources and modifying habitat, cheatgrass has caused dramatic reductions in plant and wildlife abundance and

diversity. Though this pattern of biodiversity loss is clear, the mechanisms and landscape scale implications remain

unknown. There is little information on whether cheatgrass impacts reptile communities. We hypothesize that loss

of shrub cover in cheatgrass dominated areas will leave fewer thermal microhabitats and temperature gradients

for reptiles to thermoregulate. To test this, we developed operative temperature models based on Sceloporus

occidentalis to deploy at paired sites (cheatgrass vs. native shrub habitat) in northwestern Nevada. Cheatgrass

dominated sites are, on average, significantly hotter than shrub sites. Reptiles in the Great Basin rely on shrub

cover to avoid critically hot temperatures, the loss of such refuges may result in temperatures restrictive for

normal activity. Cheatgrass habitat may be thermally unsuitable and represent habitat loss for reptiles. We have

identified a plausible mechanism of biodiversity loss due to cheatgrass invasion: modified temperature regimes

and loss of thermal microhabitats. Given that 10% of the Great Basin has converted to cheatgrass monocultures,

we expect significant regional declines in reptile abundance, diversity and connectivity.

Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles II

TIME RELATED ALTERATIONS IN RESOURCE SELECTION OF DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP (OVIS CANADENSIS NELSONI)

Marcus E Blum; University of Nevada, Reno; 1664 N Virginia St, MS 186, Reno, NV, 89557; 9794503092;

[email protected]; Kelley M. Stewart, Mike Cox, Brian Wakeling

Understanding resource selection is essential for implementing management strategies that positively influence

the population dynamics of a species. Throughout the year, wildlife populations select resources that benefit

specific life history traits. Therefore, it is essential that biologists understand how species select resources

throughout the year and how much selection changes across these time periods. While seasonal habitat use is well

documented in desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni), there is limited information about the relationship

of selection and neonate age as well as how selection changes within commonly delineated seasons. To increase

understanding of sheep resource selection throughout the year, we captured and collared 30 adult female sheep

on Lone Mountain, Nevada, and translocated 15 of those to the Garfield Hills range. In addition to receiving collars,

all individuals were given vaginal implant transmitters to provide parturition timing information. Following

captures, we monitored parturition events, adult resource selection, and neonate survival. We used a machine

learning technique (random forest) to identify habitat selection throughout the year, including the selection of

resources associated with the presence of a neonate and as age of offspring progressed. Our results indicated that

adults shifted resource selection on a monthly basis.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals III Student Paper

VARIATION IN JUVENILE CHINOOK SALMON MACROINVERTEBRATE PREY IN THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER

RESTORATION AREA; IMPLICATIONS FOR CARRYING CAPACITY AND RESTORATION SUCCESS

Karen Boortz; CSU Fresno; 2851 N Filbert Ave, Fresno, CA, 93727; 5597604557; [email protected]; Steve

Blumenshine

Ecological restoration and species recovery programs are complex undertakings often involving multiple

government agencies, non-government organizations, and academic groups working towards a common goal. An

example of this is the San Joaquin River Restoration Project (SJRRP), which was created to restore flows to the river

from Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River and reestablish a self-sustaining population of salmon. A

crucial part of this project is the assurance that there is adequate macroinvertebrate prey available for the juvenile

Chinook salmon during their freshwater growth stage. In order to meet the program's salmon population goals, a

multi-year study is underway to characterize the macroinvertebrate assemblage and food web in the rearing

habitat of the San Joaquin River in California's Central Valley. Results show a significant difference in

macroinvertebrate abundance between study locations signaling a difference in habitat quality for juvenile Chinook

salmon with possible sub-optimal conditions for growth. This study is part of a larger effort to characterize the

spatial and temporal variation in these properties and guidance for revision of restoration goals.


GREATER SAGE-GROUSE CONSERVATION IN THE VYA REGION

Tim S Bowden; BLM; 602 Cressler Street, Cedarville, CA, 96104; 530-2792723; [email protected]; Andrew, A.,

Mueller, Elias, Flores

In 2015 the Bureau of Land Management amended Resource Management Plans across the western US to improve

conservation measures for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). This shift in policy paved the way for

projects such as the multi-million dollar Vya greater sage-grouse habitat improvement project in northwestern

Nevada and northeastern California. This collaborative project with the Natural Resources Conservation Service,

Nevada Department of Wildlife, and private land owners has removed more than 10,000 acres of juniper, adjusted

grazing practices to improve a large brood-rearing meadow system, and is establishing protective enclosures

around springs used during late brood-rearing. Results of this effort are beginning to manifest with sage grouse

moving into recently cut areas that provide increased native grass and forb cover. Sage grouse movements and

population fitness are being monitored in partnership with Oregon State University with satellite collars being

deployed in 2017. In addition, 2017 marked the first year of an investigation into non-target impacts of juniper

removal - monitoring changes in insect, reptile, small mammal, bird, and bat populations - being conducted by

University of Nevada, Reno. Taken together, these efforts are providing for the persistence of this iconic species

and would not be possible without a proactive policy for conservation.

Poster Session

EVALUATING THE USE OF NON-INVASIVE GENETIC SPATIAL CAPTURE-RECAPTURE FOR ESTIMATING ELK

POPULATION DENSITY

Jennifer L Brazeal; One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616; 5307547932; [email protected]; Cristen Langer,

Benjamin N. Sacks

Recently, the use of spatial capture-recapture models (SCR) to estimate wildlife population density has increased.

Non-invasive genetic sampling methods are particularly useful for obtaining sufficient sample sizes for SCR for

wide-ranging species. However, accuracy of SCR estimates for a given species is difficult to assess without

comparison to a known population number. In addition, current SCR models assume independence in animal

movement, an assumption that gregarious species (e.g., elk) violate. We used a tule elk (Cervus canadensis

nannodes) population of known size at the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge to test this approach in summer 2016.

We collected 484 fecal samples, from which we extracted elk DNA, and genotyped them, identifying 71 of the 72

elk in the population. The SCR abundance estimate was 72.3 (SE = 1.4) elk. We then assessed the effects of

sampling effort and density on precision of estimates by subsampling. SCR results were robust to violations of the

assumption of independence of movement, producing unbiased estimates at multiple sampling efforts and elk

densities. We found that the number of pellets collected was a good predictor of precision and would be a useful

measure for attaining a desired level of precision in fecal DNA SCR studies.


PELAGIC CORMORANT (PHALACROCORAX PELAGICUS) REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY AND

THE NORTH COAST SEABIRD PROTECTION NETWORK

Shannon E Brinkman ; BLM Arcata Field Office; 1695 Heindon Road, Arcata, CA, 95521; (707) 825-2318;

[email protected]; Leisyka Parrott

Variation in reproductive success is widely measured in seabird biology in an effort to indicate changes in the

marine environment, or understand basic questions about ecology or conservation of seabirds. Trinidad in

Humboldt County, California is a regionally important area along the California coast for nesting and roosting

seabirds. Seabird monitoring efforts have increased in Trinidad, since 2014, in an effort to identify and monitor the

key seabird breeding colonies, including annual variation in seabird reproductive success. Specifically, a Pelagic

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus) colony in Trinidad has been monitored annually, helping create a baseline for

seabird reproductive success in Humboldt County, while also documenting the variation in Pelagic Cormorant

reproductive success over a short period of time (2014-2017). The increased seabird monitoring in Trinidad is also

part of a larger effort, the North Coast Seabird Protection Network (NCSPN). The NCSPN was initiated by the Arcata

Field Office Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Humboldt State University (HSU), and focuses not only on

monitoring and research but also education and outreach. The NCSPN is an on-going program which aims to

protect, monitor, interpret and restore seabird populations along the north coast.

Poster Session

BATS AND MINE CLOSURES.

Patricia Brown; Brown-Berry Biological Consulting; 134 Eagle Vista, Bishop, CA, 93514; 760 920 3975;

[email protected];

Abandoned mines shelter bats and other wildlife. However, mines are often threatened with closure for human

safety and renewed mining in historic districts. Bat-compatible closures have been installed in thousands of mines

across North America to prevent human entry but allow bat entry. As white-nose syndrome (WNS) progresses

westward across the continent, protecting bat roosts can slow the spread via human transport of the deadly fungus

that causes WNS. If mines are to be permanently destroyed in renewed mining operations, bats should be evicted

at the appropriate season and replacement habitat should be installed with bat gates. The timing of surveys and

methods used influence the detectability of seasonal bat use of a mine. Many bat species use several roosts

throughout their annual cycle, as dictated by physiological and behavioral needs. When evaluating bat use of mines

recommended for closure, the goals should be to identify the most important mine roosts and avoid installing

incompatible closures that may cause roost abandonment. Not all types of mine closures are acceptable to all

species of bats at all times of year, and suitability may depend on colony size as well as closure size and design.

Some colonies do not accept corrugated culverts or even gates. After installing any bat-compatible closure, a

monitoring program should be implemented to assess its effectiveness.

Bat Mitigation

GENETIC SIGNATURES OF LOCAL ADAPTATION IN NATIVE DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP HERDS OF THE GREAT BASIN

Michael Buchalski; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; 1419 North Market Blvd., Suite #9, Sacramento, CA,

95834; 916 308 1385; [email protected]; Clinton Epps, Walter Boyce, Marjorie Matocq, Rachel

Crowhurst, Brandon Holton, Laura Thompson, Esther Rubin, James Cain

Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) occupy a diversity of desert ecosystems throughout the

southwestern United States. Significant climatic differences among these desert ecosystems suggests the potential

for adaptation to local conditions in this taxon. We tested for signatures of local adaption using 2b-RAD reduced

representation genotyping in conjunction with high resolution climate data for 30 native populations of desert

bighorn sheep (291 individuals) distributed throughout much of its North American range. Population

differentiation and ecological association tests on 11,303 SNPs identified outlier loci with alleles private to the

Great Basin of California and Nevada. Private allele frequencies were correlated with higher elevation and lower

annual mean temperature; logistic regression, P < 0.001. Outlier loci mapped to a ~ 5 Mb sequence on

chromosome 8 of the domestic sheep genome (Oar v3.0) encompassing the EPH receptor A7 gene and six other

undescribed protein coding genes. Our data suggest the few remaining desert bighorn herds native to the Great

Basin may represent a unique ecotype and should be managed accordingly. Understanding the range of adaptive

genetic variation present within desert bighorn sheep may prove instrumental in predicting how this taxon might

respond to global climate change.

Genetic Techniques in Wildlife Research and Management

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL DNA SAMPLING INTO LONG-TERM MONITORING STRATEGIES: A CASE STUDY

FOR DETECTING RANA SIERRAE IN STREAMS

Holly M Burger; Stillwater Sciences; 2855 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA, 94702; 510-599-2355;

[email protected]; Christina Buck, Erik De Silva, Mallory Bedwell, Caren S. Goldberg, Andie Herman

Environmental DNA (eDNA) detection techniques are gaining popularity as a means of surveying for rare and often

cryptic amphibians. Land managers and regulatory agencies are beginning to request collection of these data as

part of routine biological surveys for long-term monitoring, such as on hydroelectric relicensing projects. We

present methods and results of an initial trial for one season of eDNA sampling efforts on stream reaches in the

Plumas National Forest, targeting the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae), a federally endangered

species. We utilized both visual encounter surveys and eDNA riverine sampling to infer species presence/absence

on three high-gradient intermittent stream reaches. Results from eDNA sampling were consistent with lack of

detections in two reaches that were surveyed visually. At a third site, the species was detected visually but not with

eDNA in August, and with eDNA but not visual surveys in September. This highlights the importance of identifying

optimal methods for eDNA sampling based on site-specific environmental conditions, as well as the current

benefits of continued incorporation of traditional methods when making management recommendations that may

affect amphibian habitat.

Poster Session

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: WHERE BAT ROOSTS ARE INSTALLED CAN BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN

MITIGATING TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.

Jill M Carpenter; LSA Associates, Inc.; 20 Executive Park, Suite 200, Irvine, CA, 92614; 9493376103;

[email protected];

Efforts to minimize and mitigate impacts to bats from bridge widening, seismic retrofit, and replacement projects

include creating replacement roosts. While several replacement roost designs have been implemented

successfully, few monitoring studies have been conducted to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of these designs.

For this project, two types of roost structures were installed as mitigation at a bridge complex spanning the Santa

Ana River in southern California. Temperature data loggers were installed in a representative sampling of these

structures. Regular surveys were performed from March 2015 to August 2017 to determine whether roost

structure design or location affected roost temperature and bat occupancy. The results of this study are consistent

with other studies showing that thermal stability and high temperatures are important co-factors in maternity-

season roost selection. However, data indicate that bats preferred roosts with wider temperature fluctuations

during fall and winter, and the thermal stability of a roost structure was correlated more with the location of that

roost than with its design. Consequently, site selection on a bridge may be an important factor to consider when

mitigating for a maternity roost versus a migratory or overwintering roost.

Bat Mitigation

HOW DOES LANDSCAPE COMPOSITION AFFECT FORGING PATTERNS OF BARN OWLS (TYTO ALBA) IN AN URBAN-

AGRICULTURAL SETTING OF CALIFORNIA?

Xeronimo A Castaneda; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst St, Arcata, CA, 95521; 650-248-1668;

[email protected]; Matthew D. Johnson

Large-scale conversion of natural land to agriculture threatens wildlife and can diminish ecosystem services

provided by nature. Understanding how wildlife can provision ecosystem services may incentivize wildlife

conservation in agricultural landscapes. Attracting barn owls (Tyto alba) to nest on farms for pest management has

been documented worldwide but has not been thoroughly evaluated in vineyard agroecosystems. Napa Valley,

California is a renowned wine-grape growing region where viticulturists encourage barn owl occupancy to help

minimize plant damage from pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae) and voles (Microtus californicus). Our study aims

to establish a basis for revealing the abilities of a predator to provide an ecosystem service to farmers by modeling

space and time use of selected habitats. From location data obtained of nesting owls we constructed intensity of

use and home range-movement maps using a Time Local Convex Hull (T-LoCoH) analysis. Models determined barn

owls preferred natural habitats for foraging and used vineyards proportionally to their availability. Additionally,

models that decreased the amount of preferred natural habitat showed an increase in owl use of vineyards.

Therefore, there appears to be a trade-off from farmer and conservationist perspectives. Future modeling should

examine if there is an optimal landscape composition that balances the amounts of natural habitats and vineyard

foraging.


EFFECT OF DEVELOPMENT ON MAMMAL USE OF THE RIPARIAN HABITAT IN THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER

Petros Chrysafis; 692 E Keats Ave, Fresno, CA, 93710; 5599168846; [email protected]; Dr. Brian L.

Cypher, Dr. Steve Blumenshine, Dr. Paul R.Crosbie

Development occurs in varying degrees along the San Joaquin River upland habitat. Upland habitat alteration can

influence downslope areas such as river riparian zones, and thus wildlife use of these important terrestrial-aquatic

interfaces. Camera traps have been deployed on six sites along the river riparian habitat to observe mammal

response to development. Species response to development can be detrimental or beneficial depending on their

behavioral plasticity and sensitivity. Species can benefit from new food and shelter resources whilst others may be

expelled from their habitat due to higher sensitivity or lack of plasticity. Mammal response to development

including use of riparian habitat and activity time will be investigated using mammal assemblages in sites of varying

development and vegetation cover. First, mammal assemblages among sites will be compared to discern a

relationship with development, vegetation level, and their interaction. Second, the influence of development and

vegetation level on mammal mean activity time will be examined to discern relationships and whether thresholds

exist for tolerance to development and vegetation cover. Results from this study are important to conservation as

well as wildlife management.


SAVING THE AMARGOSA VOLE: A CASE STUDY IN RESEARCH-DRIVEN RECOVERY

Deana L Clifford; Wildlife Investigations Lab, CA Dept. Fish and Wildlife; 1701 Nimbus Road, Rancho Cordova, CA,

95670; 9163582378; [email protected]; Chris Otahal, Brian Croft, Robert C. Klinger, Tanya Henderson,

Susan Sorrells, Janet Foley

The Amargosa vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis) has one of the most restricted ranges of any mammal in North

America. Although this species was largely ignored for decades, a population survey in 2010 revealed precariously

low numbers remaining and raised concerns about population health. In response, a multiple-institution team

accelerated the pace of science-driven recovery actions. A series of studies on the vole's distribution, genetics,

demography, population dynamics, diet, habitat use, habitat condition, and disease are informing recovery

decision making. Recovery actions include the creation of a refuge/captive breeding population, translocations and

reintroductions, habitat creation and restoration, experimental field manipulations, and community engagement.

For the short-term, periodic population monitoring continues to evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of

different recovery actions. Longer-term, a range-wide habitat and population survey revealed that the entirety of

the vole's unique marsh habitat is threatened by decreasing water availability associated with climate change,

drought, and anthropogenic use. To ensure Amargosa vole conservation is sustainable, our near-term recovery

actions must be embedded within a larger strategy to increase the resiliency of the Amargosa basin's unique

habitats to changing climate and reduced water availability.


ADVERSE IMPACTS OF WILDFIRE ON GREATER SAGE-GROUSE POPULATIONS AND SCIENCE-DRIVEN TOOLS TO

SUPPORT MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

Peter S. Coates; U.S. Geological Survey; 800 Business Park Rd., Dixon, CA, 95618; 530-669-5073;

[email protected]; Mark A. Ricca, Brian G. Prochazka, Cali L. Roth, Brianne E. Brussee

Larger and more frequent wildfires are a primary threat to wildlife populations across sagebrush ecosystems in the

western United States. The threat is exacerbated by the invasion of annual grasses, which drives an accelerated

grass-fire cycle in the Great Basin and other areas and hinders recovery of fire-intolerant and slow-growing

sagebrush. Moreover, recent research has quantified how increasing rates of cumulative (rather than

instantaneous) area burned have long-term negative impacts on sage-grouse annual rates of population change. If

these rates of cumulative area burned continue unabated, projections indicate that populations of sage-grouse will

be reduced substantially in areas of their range over the next three decades. Thwarting these negative effects of

fire is now at the forefront of national conservation efforts. Accordingly, we present example management tools

aimed at offsetting adverse effects of wildfire on sage-grouse and other wildlife populations dependent on

sagebrush ecosystems. These examples include scenario-based simulations to inform targeted fire suppression

efforts at regional spatial scales, data-driven decision support tools to inform post-fire restoration actions at

regional and local spatial scales, and relative benefits of restoration and fire suppression at multiple

spatiotemporal scales.

Ecology and Conservation of Birds II

UTILIZATION OF RIPARIAN WOODLANDS BY CAVITY-NESTING BIRDS IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY

Leah J Cochran; CSU Chico; 400 W. 1st St, Chico, CA, 95929; 5309663800; [email protected];

Primary cavity-nesting birds serve as ecosystem engineers and play a vital role in the cavity-nesting bird community

by excavating cavities in dead tree limbs and snags. I surveyed restored riparian woodlands to assess their ability to

accommodate cavity-nesting birds as compared to remnant woodlands. This study provided clear information

about 1) what age restored forests in California's Sacramento Valley begin to accommodate cavity-nesting bird

species by providing large, mature trees and snags suitable for nest-excavation, 2) if the restoration forest planting

scheme has an effect on the vegetation structure over time that may encourage or discourage cavity-nesting bird

colonization, and 3) if remnant forests can be used as a reference for restoration success in regard to the cavity-

nesting bird guild. I found that remnant forests harbor more naturally formed cavities, that Fremont Cottonwood

(Populus fremontii) is a critical source of nesting substrate for excavating species, and that restored forests do not

provide suitable nesting habitat until they have reached a minimum of 13 years post-planting. However, bird

species richness was similar in all habitats, indicating that though younger forests may not provide nesting habitat,

they provide other resources such as food and cover.


EXAMINING THE INFLUENCES OF LANDSCAPE AND POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF

SPATIAL-TEMPORAL GENETIC PATTERNS

Amanda E Coen; University of California Davis; One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616; 818-324-0207;

[email protected];

Human land use affects how animals move across landscapes and how their populations are structured.

Understanding whether landscape resistance or population characteristics have greater influence on spatial

genetic patterns and the temporal speed with which they develop is important for wildlife management in an

increasingly human-modified environment. Detecting how landscape change impacts spatial and temporal genetic

patterns depends on the size and genetic diversity of a population, in addition to the degree that the landscape

resists movement. To examine this, gene flow between populations will be simulated for a landscape with two

habitat patches separated by an intervening matrix and a barrier for multiple generations. Landscape surfaces will

be tested at a gradient of resistances from low to high for both the landscape matrix and the linear barrier.

Populations will be simulated with different parameters, including effective population size (Ne), dispersal ability,

and genetic diversity (number of loci and number of alleles per locus). We expect to find that the strength of

spatial genetic patterns and the time for them to appear will be dependent on the size and diversity of the

population and the degree of resistance of the landscape to movement.


HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS OF BIRD AND BUMBLE BEE COMMUNITIES IN MONTANE RIPARIAN CORRIDORS

Jerry S Cole; The Institute for Bird Populations; P.O. Box 1346, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956; 4156631436;

[email protected]; Rodney B Siegel, Helen L Loffland, Morgan W Tingley

Riparian habitat is important for many wildlife taxa. After fire or other disturbance, riparian habitat is often actively

restored to benefit wildlife, though it is sometimes unclear how different taxa may respond to specific restoration

actions. We surveyed for bumble bees and riparian birds at 203 points in riparian corridors in and near the

footprint of the 2007 Moonlight Fire on Plumas National Forest in northeastern California during 2015 and 2016.

We developed a Bayesian multi-species occupancy modeling framework to model habitat effects on 12 riparian

focal bird species (selected a priori) and 9 bumble bee species. Nearly all bumble bee species had greater

occupancy in areas with higher floral richness, more forb cover, and less shrub cover, while riparian bird species

had no significant relationship to any of these variables. Bird species had greater occupancy in areas with more

willow (Salix spp.) cover and less overstory cover, while bumble bees had no significant relationship to either.

While bird and bumble bee occupancy are affected by different habitat variables, it may be possible to promote

rich communities of both taxa through restoration efforts that establish willow cover preferred by birds

interspersed with the rich forb communities preferred by bumble bees.


SNOWY PLOVERS BREED IN OPEN HABITATS WHERE THEIR PRODUCTIVITY DECREASES WITH ACTIVITY OF

CORVIDS AND HUMANS

Mark A Colwell; Wildlife Department, Humboldt State Univ.; 1 Harpst St., Arcata, CA, Mark; [email protected];

Matthew J. Lau, Elizabeth J Feucht

Conservation relies on accurate knowledge of factors that influence the distribution and abundance of species,

with the objective of managing these limiting factors. The western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) is

listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act owing to habitat loss and degradation, predation,

and human disturbance. We studied a color-marked population for 17 years along ~100 kilometers of ocean-

fronting beach and riverine habitat in northern California to examine the influence of food and extent of breeding

habitat, as well as the activity of predators and humans on the occurrence and reproductive success of plovers.

Plovers were patchily distributed within suitable habitat. The presence of breeding plovers was best explained by

width of beach or gravel bar, which is a surrogate for the open, sparsely vegetated habitats that plovers favor for

breeding. Across occupied habitats, average per capita fledging success of males varied greatly (0-3), and was

inversely correlated with activity of common ravens (Corvus corax) and humans. Our results indicate that although

restoration may enhance habitats that attract breeding plovers, a critical vital rate (productivity) essential for

population growth is compromised by corvid and human activity. We argue for additional efforts to manage these

limiting factors.


PRESERVE VIABILITY FOR THE ENDANGERED CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDER IN AN URBANIZING AREA

David G Cook; Sonoma County Water Agency; 404 Aviation Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA, 95403; 707 547-1944;

[email protected]; David Stokes, Julian Meisler

The Sonoma California tiger salamander (SCTS) is a federally endangered vernal pool-breeding distinct population

segment and the subject of conservation efforts consisting primarily of protecting existing populations in remnant

habitat patches (preserves) in a rapidly urbanizing landscape. We conducted a 14-year (2002-2015) study of SCTS

breeding activity at 112 pools on eight preserves encompassing all protected SCTS breeding sites at the time of

federal listing in 2003. Our standardized dip-net surveys show a significant decrease in total SCTS larval abundance

and number of pools used for breeding at preserves. Larval abundance was highly variable across years, with

variability inversely correlated with preserve size and number of pools. The decline in larval abundance, likely

indicative of a rapidly shrinking population, appears to result from habitat loss and fragmentation associated with

urbanization, increasingly dry conditions over the study period, and predation (mostly by non-native vertebrate

predators) in some deeper breeding pools. Our results suggest that a conservation strategy that only protects

remnant habitats and populations is unlikely to successfully conserve SCTS, and additional active conservation

management may be necessary to avoid extinction.


MOVEMENTS AND STAGING LOCATIONS OF CANVASBACK (AYTHYA VALISINERIA) IN THE PACIFIC FLYWAY

Nathan A Cook; University of Nevada, Reno; 1664 N. Virginia St. (186), Reno, NV, 89557; 540-384-1817;

[email protected]; Chris A. Nicolai, Kevin T. Shoemaker

Understanding the geographical extent and timing of wildlife movements enables resource managers to meet the

habitat needs of target species. waterfowl movements are derived primarily from mark-recovery banding data

which typically provide few data points for individuals, and therefore limits estimating migration paths, stopover

sites and timing of movements. Here, we use archival light-level geolocators to build a more complete

understanding of the geography and timing of migratory movements for canvasback (Aythya valisineria) in the

pacific flyway. During 2015-2016, 79 geolocators were attached on canvasback using two methods (leg-band and

nasal-saddle mounts) during spring migration near Reno, NV. Eleven geolocator-fitted canvasback, but only five

geolocators (all leg-band mounts) were recovered by hunters with four yielding data. Three of the four (2 males

and 1 female) migrated to breeding sites in southern Canada (Alberta and Saskatchewan), while one male migrated

to Alaska. During spring migration, canvasbacks stopped 4.25 times for 15.9 days, on average. During fall migration

, canvasback, on average, made 6 stops, lasting 19 days, on average, heading to winter in California. This study

demonstrates the value of geolocators for assessing year-round movements for waterfowl populations and

complements standard band-recovery approaches, to conserve habitats appropriately for the migratory species.

This paper is a work-in-progress.


BEEN THERE, TRAPPED THAT! TRAP SUCCESS OF PYGMY RABBITS IN THE GREAT BASIN

Miranda M Crowell; University of Nevada, Reno; 10640 N McCarran Blvd Apt F-342, Reno, NV, 89503; 425-223-

9932; [email protected]; Kevin T. Shoemaker, Marjorie D. Matocq

Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) are patchily distributed throughout sagebrush-steppe landscapes across

the Great Basin and because sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) dominates their diet year-round, baiting traps and

traditional trap lines are inefficient for capturing these small lagomorphs. Over 2 years, we set 100 traps around

13-17 of the most active burrow systems at 43 sites across Nevada and southeastern Oregon. In 2016, we trapped

a total of 310 individual pygmy rabbits and in 2017, we trapped 257 individuals within our 3 focal study regions,

Elko, Hart-Sheldon, and Austin. Here, we evaluate how trap location (e.g., trap in runway or burrow), sex, age,

recapture status, and abiotic factors influence the success of our exploration with trap positioning driven by the

distribution of active burrow systems. Preliminary results from this study show a total trap success of 5.8% for

16,401 trap nights over 2 years. Traps placed in the burrow facing outward (BO) had the highest success at 11.5%,

while traps placed near a burrow facing the entrance (BE) were the least successful at 2.9%. This trapping method

will ultimately allow us to monitor a cryptic specialist that does not respond to bait and relies on its burrow

systems year-round.


COMMUNICATING CHANGE: DEVELOPING CALIFORNIA'S 2017 CONCEPTUAL MOUNTAIN LION DEPREDATION

POLICY

Lynn M Cullens; Mountain Lion Foundation; PO Box 1896, Sacramento, CA, 95812; 916-606-1610;

[email protected]; Daniel Maher, Denise Peterson

In 2017, Californians responded seriously to public concerns about certain dwindling populations of mountain lions

(Puma concolor) affected by the practice of issuing permits to kill upon a property owner's request following

documented loss of domestic animals. The year-long story of what the California Department of Fish and Wildlife

termed a Conceptual Mountain Lion Depredation Policy highlights the parallel but distinct communication paths

and persuasive and informational messaging that form the basis for most wildlife policy change. An initial outcry

crystallized following repeated depredations in the Santa Monica Mountains and the issuance of a permit to kill

one lion, P-45. Opposing public positions became entrenched and increasingly vitriolic as news and social media

focused on the conflict. Those who experienced livestock losses, activists, scientists, local governments, and

nonprofits were caught in the crossfire. Within state government there seemed to be potential for consensus

change, but motivated communicators were constrained by structural, economic, statutory, and regulatory factors

as well as by the complexity of the issues. Legislators, agencies, lobbyists, nonprofits, agricultural associations, and

academic institutions struggled to crystalize communications to overcome misconceptions, bridge deep divides,

and re-evaluate existing policy based on facts, science, conservation goals, and the public good.


DEPREDATION DETERRENCE: FINDING COMMON GROUND BY RECOGNIZING THE OBSTACLES WE SHARE

Lynn M Cullens; Mountain Lion Foundation; PO Box 1896, Sacramento, CA, 95812; 916-606-1610;

[email protected]; Daniel Maher, Aaron Huelsman

Livestock operations and ecosystems would benefit from scientifically verified methods for deterring carnivores

from depredating across a variety of livestock species and management scenarios. However, there are substantial

systemic barriers to innovation, adoption, and validation of these deterrent methods. As part of a long-term

examination of the barriers to adoption, we identified six categories of entities that are engaged in adoption:

individual innovators, distributors and retailers, livestock and property owners, field researchers and academia,

government policy-makers and agencies, and wildlife nonprofits. All of these stakeholders bear the burden of

overcoming certain shared obstacles, including the cost in time, money, and relationships required to challenge the

status quo, the counter-intuitive complexity of many of the facts and much of the scientific research related to

depredation, inherent difficulties in assessing the efficacy of proposed deterrents, questions around the legitimacy

of research related to funding, internal and external perceptions and expectations that other stakeholders should

be held responsible, and responding effectively to generational conflicts and regional differences. Considering each

of these shared obstacles from the stakeholder's perspectives sets the stage for overcoming more stakeholder-

specific barriers and implementing effective depredation deterrents.

Wildlife Techniques and Technologies

MARTEN BOXES: SURROGATE CAVITY STRUCTURES FOR A CAVITY-OBLIGATE FOREST CARNIVORE

Matthew S Delheimer; USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station; 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis,

OR, 97331; 530-414-1779; [email protected]; Mark A. Linnell, Katie M. Moriarty

Collecting demographic data is time-consuming and expensive but allows monitoring of population trends. Further,

locating reproductive structures (e.g., nests, dens) can be difficult, especially for species that use cryptic locations

such as tree cavities. Surrogate cavity structures, or nest boxes, have commonly been used for conservation and

monitoring of birds, but have rarely been tested on cavity-using mammals. The Humboldt marten (Martes caurina

humboldtensis) is a cavity-obligate mustelid that has previously been proposed for federal endangered species

listing. However, little information exists on Humboldt marten demographics; our objective was to assess the

effectiveness of boxes as a population monitoring method. We designed marten-specific boxes and installed them

in trees in cavity-poor coastal dune forests in Oregon. We monitored boxes (n = 19) with a remote camera for 4-12

months, over a single reproductive season. Martens used 9 boxes (64%) with at least 1 box used by a female

marten and 1 kit. Three boxes had large numbers of scats (n = 7-45), inferring increased use. Boxes were also used

by marten prey species such as squirrels. Our box design appears to provide suitable surrogate cavity structures,

demographic and reproductive data, and scat to infer diet for an elusive forest carnivore.

Poster Session

DOES THE AQUATIC GARTERSNAKE (THAMNOPHIS ATRATUS) DEPEND ON INTRODUCED SALMONIDS OR NATIVE

AMPHIBIANS AT HIGH ELEVATIONS IN THE TRINITY ALPS WILDERNESS?

Justin A Demianew; Humboldt State University; 898 10th Street, Eureka, CA, 95501; (916)217-7583;

[email protected]; Adrian D. Macedo, Justin M. Garwood, Daniel C. Barton

Interactions between introduced and native consumers are often complex and cryptic, and actions designed to

highlight or mitigate the effects of introduced species can be difficult to accomplish or controversial to carry out.

We shed light on relationships between the introduced brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), imperiled Cascades frog

(Rana cascadae), and their shared predator, the aquatic gartersnake (Thamnophis atratus), using a treatment-

control removal experiment in a sub-alpine system of northern California. Specifically, we report changes in the

abundance and distribution of the aquatic gartersnake and Cascades frog following complete basin-wide

eradication of introduced brook trout. Our findings corroborate previous research suggesting aquatic gartersnake

abundance and distribution, as well as the resulting hyperpredation experienced by Cascades frogs, is largely

dependent on the presence of salmonids historically stocked for recreational angling. These results not only

demonstrate how a single introduced species can have drastic and unintended consequences in seemingly pristine

wilderness settings, but they also illustrate how restoration-based management can reshape native food webs.

Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles II Student Paper

UNEXPECTED MOVEMENTS AND MIGRATION BY BREEDING PEREGRINE FALCONS (FALCO PEREGRINUS) IN

PLUMAS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Colin P Dillingham; USDA Forest Service; 39696 Highway 70, Quincy, CA, 95971; 530-394-8219;

[email protected]; Jeff W Kidd, Scott E Thomas, Elizabeth F Morata

From 2016 to 2017, we attached five global positioning system (GPS) transmitters to peregrine falcons (Falco

peregrinus) in a previously unstudied population in the Sierra Nevada of Plumas County, California. This pilot study

was intended to help the U.S. Forest Service better understand movement ecology and use of various forest

habitats, including those areas that were subject to a devastating 65,000-acre forest fire in 2007. Breeding adult

falcons were captured near three different cliff nest sites using a dho-gaza with a live great horned owl (Bubo

viginianus) as the lure. Trapping was conducted in July of each year when adults were feeding young that were at

least four weeks of age. Three solar-powered satellite and two cellular-based GPS transmitters were attached in

the backpack position. Tracking data suggest adults travel up to 30 kilometers in each direction to forage during

the chick-feeding stage. During late summer and early fall, adult falcons moved to lower elevations in the

Sacramento Valley to winter while others migrated to downtown Los Angeles and as far as southern Mexico.


HABITAT SELECTION BY PYGMY RABBIT AT REGIONAL AND LANDSCAPE SCALES

Thomas E Dilts; University of Nevada Reno; 1664 N. Virgina St., Reno, NV, 89557; 775-784-1447;

[email protected]; Miranda Crowell, Marjorie Matocq, Kevin Shoemaker, Eveline Larrucea

Habitat selection occurs at multiple spatial scales ranging from fine-scale local selection to selection at the scale of

the entire species' range. Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) is a specialized burrowing rabbit that relies on

sagebrush for most of its diet and for cover from predators. Using a variety of occurrence datasets, we generated

multi-scale habitat selection models at the scale of the Great Basin and for three replicate landscapes: Hart-

Sheldon, Elko, and Austin. For each of these landscapes/scales we generated models using an integrated modeling

approach that incorporated both presence-absence and presence-background data and accounted for spatial

sampling bias. Preliminary results suggest that a wide range of topographic, climatic, and vegetation variables may

describe pygmy rabbit habitat. Our work has relevance to conservation and management of this sagebrush obligate

species, and habitat models derived from this study can be used to inform regional habitat connectivity planning.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals III

SEASONAL ACTIVITY OF THE PALLID BAT (ANTROZOUS PALLIDUS) IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Cameron Divoky; California State University, Chico; Department of Biological Sciences; 205 Holt Hall, Chico, CA,

95926; [email protected]; Trevor Moore, Colleen A. Hatfield, Shahroukh Mistry

Antrozous pallidus is a Species of Special Concern in California and listed as a State Vulnerable species. It is known

to roost in the crevices of rock-faces throughout western North America. Previous studies of A. pallidus have

focused mainly on behavior and roosting patterns, with limited information available on long-term seasonal

activity. The aim of this study is to examine the patterns of seasonal activity in A. pallidus at three sites in northern

California, ranging from the Central Valley (60m) to the Cascades (1550m). Antrozous pallidus activity was

documented daily using acoustic data loggers at the Eagle Lake Field Station, Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve

and the CSU Chico University Farm. We examined pallid bat acoustic activity across all three sites for a duration of

up to three years. Bat species identity was established using SonoBat software. Antrozous pallidus showed the

greatest seasonal activity in the summer (June-July) with minimal activity during the winter months (November -

February). This pattern was most noticeable at BCCER, with significantly lower activity levels at the other two sites.

This indicates seasonal migratory activity by pallid bats and a preference for oak woodland habitat, with adjoining

rock outcrops, over valley agricultural landscapes.


SHORT, CHEAP... & SWEET! INFORMING LOCAL GOVERNMENT REGARDING WILDLIFE ACTIVITY IN RECREATIONAL

AREAS THROUGH INEXPENSIVE AND NONINVASIVE TRAIL CAMERA METHODOLOGY

Korinna M Domingo; Mountain Lion Foundation; 1721 Stewart St, Aracata, CA, 95521; 818-415-0920;

[email protected];

Local governments value information about wildlife presence in order to reassure and inform residents about how

best to coexist in recreation areas and along the urban edge, to inform land-use planning, and to conserve

ecosystems. But most cities cannot afford elaborate peer-reviewed studies to document wildlife. This survey

identified certain species of mammals that live in the Verdugo Mountains in Burbank, and Glendale, California

using inexpensive, noninvasive techniques in collaboration with community college students. Little was known

about the activity of mammals likely to interact with recreating humans relative to time of day, temperature, moon

phase or habitat type along the primary trail system. Remote sensing cameras were deployed to compare results

on fire roads, hiking trails, game trails and in areas without apparent trails. A total of 162 mammal photos were

captured using motion-activated infrared cameras between January and June 2017. Of these, 33% were coyote

(Canis latrans), 17% bobcat (Lynx rufus), 14% gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), 12% striped skunk (Mephitis

mephitis), 10% mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), 8% opossum (Didelphimorphia), 5% mountain lion (Puma

concolor), and 1% other. The majority of the photos were captured from sunset to sunrise, demonstrating that

these urban mammals are primarily crepuscular or nocturnal.

Poster Session

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY PUSHES CHANGE IN THE PROCESS OF DATA COLLECTION, MANAGEMENT, AND

REPORTING: HOW TO DO IT

Kristen D Hazard; Wildnote; 872 Higuera St, San Luuis Obispo, CA, 93405; 805 550-1806;

[email protected]; Nancy L. Douglas, Nancy L Douglas

For centuries, the field notebook, clipboards with forms, and writing utensils have been used to collect data and

record research field notes. Transcribing hand-written notes and data into a computer and then manually

compiling, collating, and formatting data to generate a report remains the practice for completing the progression.

Current digital technology offers a more robust, streamlined methodology for data collection, management, and

reporting. Using a comprehensive digital approach is more efficient, but converting to a digital process can be

challenging. Change is filled with questions and concerns. Wildnote has worked with 353 organizations to make the

switch. We have guided these entities through the process to successfully re-orient their data collection,

management, and reporting methods. The process includes: (1) an understanding shift - how the technology works,

(2) a technical shift - using hardware and software in the field, (3) a practical shift - using hardware in remote

locations and in varied environments, and (4) a mental shift - to accept the new over the old and trust it will work.

Digital technology is not the future; it is the now. Change is here.


DISEASE SURVEILLANCE OF WILD AND PEN-REARED PHEASANTS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA

Ian A Dwight; U.S. Geological Survey; 800 Business Park Drive Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620; (916) 838-0351;

[email protected]; Peter S. Coates, Simone T. Stoute, C. Gabriel Senties-Cue, Radhika V. Gharpure, Maurice E.

Pitesky

The release of pen-reared ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) on wildlands is a common management

practice to augment local pheasant populations. However, this management practice may facilitate disease

transmission to wildlife populations at release sites. Studies focused on disease exposure of pen-reared pheasants

and the potential for disease transmission can help guide management actions aimed at protecting wildlife

populations. We investigated exposure to diseases in wild (n = 33) and pen-reared (n = 12) pheasants in the Central

Valley of California during 2014 and 2015. We found positive serology for antibodies against hemorrhagic enteritis

(HE, 58%), infectious bursal disease (IBD, 83%), and Newcastle disease (ND, 50%) in pen-reared pheasants. Wild

pheasants also showed positive serology for antibodies against HE (15%), IBD (70%), and ND (18%) as well as

infectious bronchitis virus (6%), infectious laryngotracheitis (3%), and Pasteurella multocida (9%). These results

suggest that both wild and pen-reared pheasants show historical exposure to the above-mentioned organisms and

appear to be potential disease reservoirs. Therefore, releasing pen-reared pheasants might put wild populations at

higher risk of disease exposure. Additional research would benefit our understanding of disease interaction

between pheasants and other bird species.

Wildlife Health and Disease Ecology Student Paper

HABITAT SUITABILITY MODELING FOR THE REINTRODUCTION OF CASCADES FROG (RANA CASCADAE) INTO

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK

Lauren M Enriquez; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst Street, Arcata, CA, 95521; 5622666987;

[email protected];

Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) populations were once prevalent throughout the southern Cascade Range,

including Lassen Volcanic National Park (LVNP). There is growing concern due to their rapid decline in these areas.

Recent local extinction at LVNP has been driven by the introduction of non-native fish, habitat loss, drought, and

chytridiomycosis. We aim to determine candidate areas in LVNP for the reintroduction of Cascades frogs. To

achieve this, we will use a modeling approach to assess habitat conditions throughout the southern Cascade

Range, where Cascades frogs are found breeding and identify sites with similar conditions within LVNP. Maxent

and HEMI will be used to create habitat suitability models using continuous variables, such as temperature, and

categorical variables, such as fish presence. The models generated will recommend suitable sites within LVNP for

the reintroduction of Cascades frogs. This paper is a work in progress.


SHELL-SHOCKED: COMPARING A WESTERN POND TURTLE POPULATION PRE- AND POST-DROUGHT

Hannah Fertel; East Bay Municipal Utility District; 500 San Pablo Dam Road, Orinda, CA, 94563; 5109867667;

[email protected]; Jessica Purificato, Jonathan Price, Bert Mulchaey

The Western Pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) is a mid-sized semiaquatic turtle found throughout Northern

California in reservoirs, ponds, and streams. Six perennial stock ponds on East Bay Municipal Utility District lands

have persistent Western pond turtle populations that are monitored annually using visual basking turtle counts. A

decline in the total number of turtles observed at these ponds annually coincided with California's most recent

drought, prompting a mark/recapture study to be carried out during the summer or 2017. A mark/recapture study

of similar scope and methodology was previously carried out at one of the monitored locations in 2011 as part of a

telemetry effort. Comparing the results of these two studies provides a "before and after" snapshot of turtle

demographics in one pond, following a severe drought. This project seeks to gauge effects of extended drought

conditions on a turtle population's age structure, physical demographics, survivorship, and breeding capacity by

analyzing data collected during the study. A cursory evaluation of capture data indicates a population shift towards

a younger, smaller demographic, with population estimates lower than previously recorded.

Poster Session

BACKGROUND MORTALITY: SETTING CONTEXT FOR AVIAN MORTALITY RATES AT SOLAR FACILITIES IN THE

CALIFORNIA DESERT

Amy L Fesnock; California BLM; 2800 Cottage Way, W-1928, Sacramento, CA, 95825; 916-978-4646;

[email protected]; Manuela Huso, Linda Allison

In the California deserts, avian monitoring studies documented collision-related fatalities at solar facilities. These

raw data are adjusted to correct for detection probabilities and scavenger removal to produce estimates of total

facility-caused mortality for all bird species. These estimates are used to determine potential impact of the solar

facility on birds. However, this approach ignores avian mortality that occurs naturally in the same environment,

i.e., the actual impact of the facility should be evaluated in terms of estimated facility-caused mortality that

exceeds background rates. While this is a potentially important factor, few studies have estimated the magnitude

of background fatality, and we are aware of no such studies from California deserts. Gathering background avian

mortality data was integrated into an existing study on desert tortoise populations. Transects were conducted

across the Mojave and Colorado desert in desert tortoise conservation areas, typically the least developed areas in

the region. The avian mortalities detected during surveys were corrected for detection probabilities and scavenger

pressure in the region to provide an estimate of background avian mortality (and 95% confidence interval) in

desert tortoise habitat during the monitoring period. This background rate is compared to mortality rates

documented at solar facilities.


COMMUNICATING SCIENCE THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS

Lisa E Fields; California State Parks; 2797 Truxtun Road, San Diego, CA, 92106; 619-221-7044;

[email protected];

Communicating science to non-scientists is critical to project success and occurs in many different settings and

formats, from informal interactions to formal presentations. A common type of formal presentation is the public

meeting, which is often used to disseminate information but can also be used to identify community concerns and

solve problems. Effectively communicating science in a public meeting setting can be difficult. Success is based on

many factors, and like collecting scientific information begins with correctly identifying the purpose and choosing

the appropriate tool (i.e., meeting method). Graphical and verbal data presentation methods also impact the

audience's understanding and acceptance of scientific data. Approaches used by California State Parks will be

presented to illustrate methods of scientific communication in public meetings.


EXCLUSIONARY FENCING FOR CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDERS: LESSONS LEARNED

Claudia A Funari; US Fish and Wildlife Service; 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA, 95682; 916-414-6646;

[email protected]; Sean Dexter (2nd presenter)

Construction projects conducted in California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) upland habitat generally

require minimization measures to reduce injury or mortality to individuals from ground disturbance caused by

heavy equipment use. In instances where significant or prolonged ground disturbance is planned, exclusionary

fencing and trapping have been used to minimize mortality of individuals in the enclosed area. Data collected at

two construction sites in the East Bay in California suggest that fencing in areas near known breeding sites with

large populations may require extensive biological monitoring or enhanced trapping to ensure minimal mortality

during construction. At one site, trapping was conducted over many years to remove all individuals in the fenced

area. However, there was no significant decline in individuals trapped per year. These data suggest that

exclusionary fencing in areas with extensive underground burrow systems may have minimal effect at reducing the

number of individuals in enclosed areas. At another site, a cohort of migrating juveniles was found desiccated at an

exclusion fence surrounding the construction area. This example also illustrates that exclusion fencing without

extensive trapping may have a detrimental effect on migrating individuals where fencing is installed close to

breeding ponds.


VERY HIGH DENSITIES OF MULE DEER (ODOCOILEUS HEMIONUS) ASSOCIATED WITH SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT

IN MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Brett J Furnas; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; 1701 Nimbus Road, Suite D, Rancho Cordova, CA, 95760;

530-227-3998; [email protected]; Russ H. Landers, Stuart S. Itoga, Benjamin N. Sacks

In contrast to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) of eastern North America, which are usually considered

over-abundant and at nuisance levels, concern typically expressed about mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in

California is that they have declined in abundance over the last 50 years. This may be true for some migratory

herds, but abundant deer near coastal cities pose potential for human-wildlife conflict. To examine potential

causes of high density in a coastal population of deer throughout Marin County, California, we used fecal DNA

surveys during 2015-2016 and spatial capture-recapture modeling. We estimated an average density of 18.9

(90%CI: 16.4-21.4) resident deer per square kilometer, which was four times greater than recently found for

migratory deer in interior mountains of the state. Deer density in Marin was positively associated with oak habitats

and human density up to approximately 500 people per square kilometer. Visual assessment of body condition

using cameras suggests deer were not limited nutritionally. Coyote detections from cameras were more strongly

correlated with fawns than adult deer. These results suggest the highest densities of deer found in southeastern

Marin were strongly associated with suburban development within oak woodlands. Future research should

investigate population growth rate and potential effects of coyote predation on recruitment.


LAYERING LANDSCAPES OF FEAR: THE ROLE OF PREDATION RISK AND HUMAN DISTURBANCE IN A CALIFORNIA

LARGE MAMMAL COMMUNITY

Kaitlyn M Gaynor; University of California - Berkeley; 1920 Stuart St, Berkeley, CA, 94703; 914-391-3962;

[email protected]; Alex McInturff, Justin Brashares

The "landscape of fear" has become a central topic of ecological research, furthering our understanding of

predator-prey interactions in heterogeneous landscapes. Spatial variation in predation can explain patterns of

animal behavior and distribution, and the fear associated with predation risk is a key driver of survival and

population dynamics. Using the landscape of fear framework, we studied how black-tailed deer experience,

perceive, and respond to layered risk from both hunters and natural predators. Our research site, the Hopland

Research and Extension Center in Mendocino County, California, is heterogeneous both in terms of habitat and

human footprint. This heterogeneity sets the stage for fear-driven interactions between deer, mountain lions,

bears, coyotes, and hunters. Deer alter their patterns of habitat selection, movement, and activity to avoid areas

and time periods of highest risk. Our research integrates a mix of spatial tools, including remote sensing and GIS,

GPS telemetry, camera traps, and controlled behavioral experiments. Using these tools, we have quantified spatial

and temporal patterns of predation risk as well as deer behavioral responses to better understand the role of fear

in human-altered ecosystems.

Poster Session

POPULATION GENETICS OF BIGHORN SHEEP (OVIS CANADENSIS) IN ARIZONA FOLLOWING DECADES OF

TRANSLOCATION MANAGEMENT

Daphne A Gille; California Department of Fish & Wildlife; 1701 Nimbus Rd, Suite D, Rancho Cordova, CA, 95670;

(530) 752-6351; [email protected]; Michael R. Buchalski, Dave Conrad, Esther S. Rubin, Amber M.

Munig, Brian Wakeling, Clinton W. Epps, Tyler G. Creech, Rachel Crowhurst, Brandon Holton, Ryan Monello, Walter

Boyce; Cecilia Penedo; Holly Ernest

Translocation has proven to be an effective tool in promoting re-establishment of populations of bighorn sheep

(Ovis canadensis) throughout the southwestern United States following severe decline due to anthropogenic

factors. However, the genetic consequences of over half a century of translocation management in Arizona are

largely unknown. Here, we used microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers to estimate intra- and inter-

population genetic parameters in 16 indigenous and translocated bighorn sheep populations statewide. We found

no reduction in genetic diversity between translocated and source populations from which we had samples.

Assignment tests confirmed the presence of three lineages of bighorn sheep (two desert: O. c. nelsoni and O. c.

mexicana, and one Rocky Mountain: O. c. canadensis) in Arizona and revealed hierarchical structure within each of

the two desert lineages. Two O. c. nelsoni metapopulations representing herds from the Black Mountains and

Grand Canyon were detected in northern Arizona while two O. c. mexicana metapopulations representing herds

from the Kofa Mountains range and the area below highway I-8 were identified in the southern part of the state.

To preserve genetic integrity and local adaptation in bighorn sheep in Arizona, our results suggest a departure from

current management strategies and that translocation should occur only within these genetically differentiated

metapopulations.


DISTRIBUTION OF ALEUTIAN DISEASE VIRUS-LIKE VIRUS IN FREE RANGING STRIPED SKUNKS (MEPHITIS

MEPHITIS) IN CALIFORNIA

Elle T Glueckert; University of California, Davis; 1320 Tupper Hall, Davis, CA, 95616; (574)993-2412;

[email protected]; Deana, L, Clifford, Maris, Brenn-White, Jennine, N, Ochoa, Mourad, W, Gabriel, Greta,

M, Wengert, Janet, E, Foley

Aleutian disease virus (ADV) is an amdoparvovirus with substantial health impacts on farmed mink worldwide, but

it is also capable of infecting a variety of related carnivores. In 2010-2013, an outbreak of Aleutian disease,

associated with severe neurological disease and fatalities, was documented in free-ranging striped skunks

(Mephitis mephitis) from the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California. To further investigate the extent of this

outbreak, we collected blood samples from skunks throughout California and tested for the presence of Aleutian

disease viremia using polymerase chain reaction. Aleutian disease viral DNA was detected in 140/216 (64.8%)

sampled skunks, and ADV-positive skunks were present in all 19 counties sampled and four designated geographic

zones, ranging as far north as Humboldt County and south to San Diego County. Testing of archived samples

collected prior to 2010 provided evidence for ADV infections in skunks dating back to 2004. Our results indicate a

skunk specific ADV strain or closely related virus is geographically widespread and that infected skunks were

present in the state prior to the 2010-2013 outbreak. Continued investigation of this virus in skunks is warranted as

is testing other at-risk species.

Wildlife Health and Disease Ecology

LANDSCAPE AND VEGETATION FEATURES IMPROVE RESTORATION SUCCESS FOR BIRDS: USING THE RIPARIAN

BIRD INDEX TO EVALUATE CREEK RESTORATION IN CALIFORNIA RANGELANDS

Kathleen E Grady; Sonoma State University; 1801 E. Cotati Blvd, Rohnert Park, CA, 94928; 4157288193;

[email protected]; Derek J Girman, Thomas Gardali

Grazing practices and development at ranches and dairies in coastal northern California have led to a decline in

riparian habitat and its associated benefits. However, stakeholders have been restoring riparian vegetation. We

examined avian response to riparian restoration on these private lands to measure restoration success. We used

avian surveys from 40 plots at 20 sites between 2001 and 2016. Sites ranged in age from 0 to 27 years since

revegetation. Surveys were scored using the Riparian Bird Index (RBI), a richness index that gives higher scores for

species closely associated with riparian vegetation. RBI scores were found to increase significantly with increasing

restoration age. Vegetation data were collected in 2016 to examine the effect of local vegetation on RBI score.

Canopy cover and non-willow canopy were found to be significant predictors of RBI score. We analyzed sites at the

landscape scale to understand what plot size and location variables best predict bird response. We found that

corridor width and size and proximity of the nearest protected area were significant. Our study shows that riparian

restoration in this study area has been successful for birds. We suggest that continued long-term monitoring is

crucial to understanding restoration success and to managing sites.

Ecology and Conservation of Birds II Student Paper

MIXED-SEVERITY WILDFIRES HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON FISHERS AND A POSITIVE EFFECT ON GRAY FOXES

David S Green; Oregon State University; Institute for Natural Resources/INR, Portland, OR, 97207; 6024814524;

[email protected]; Sean, M, Matthews, Laura, L, Finley, Roger, A, Powell

The combination of many years of fire suppression and global climate change is predicted to increase the

frequency and intensity of wildfires in certain parts of the world, especially in the western United States. Large-

scale wildfires have the capacity to reduce, fragment, or permanently change habitat and are a major source of

conservation and management concern for forest wildlife. We used data collected from a long-term monitoring

program to investigate the effects of a naturally-occurring mixed-severity wildfire on the populations of two

mesopredators in northern California and southern Oregon: fishers (Pekania pennanti) and gray foxes (Urocyon

cinereoargenteus). Using genetic data collected with hair snares, we applied spatial capture-recapture models to

estimate fisher and fox densities the year before the fire, the year of the fire, and the two years immediately

following the fire. Fisher populations declined significantly following the fire, most notably in the areas where there

was more than a 50% loss of canopy cover. In contrast to this pattern, gray fox populations increased significantly

following the fire and were also influenced by local fisher densities. Our findings provide further evidence that

fishers may suppress gray fox populations where they persist.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals II

A NOVEL BREAK-AWAY DEVICE FOR USE WITH RADIOCOLLARS ON FISHERS AND OTHER SMALL CARNIVORES

Rebecca E Green; USDA Forest Service, PSW Research Station; 54325 McKinley Grove Rd, Shaver Lake, CA, 93664;

559-974-4711; [email protected]; Kathryn L. Purcell, Craig M. Thompson

Radiotelemetry is a valuable technique available to wildlife biologists. In some cases, it is the only known or

logistically feasible approach to collect specific data to aid in the conservation of a rare species or address an

important research question. However, the attachment of radiotransmitters to animals is not always without

negative effects; in some cases, researchers may need ways to minimize potential impacts of transmitters on

individuals while still obtaining data to answer research questions. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is a species that

presents challenges to radiocollar attachment due to its slender morphology, fluctuations in neck size of males by

age and season, and inclination to use tight spaces and forested habitats with elements that can snag collars.

During a long-term fisher study in the southern Sierra Nevada, we developed and used handmade breakaway

devices that we attached to radiocollars in an effort to reduce potential neck injuries, provide opportunities for

animals to break free from the collar if stuck, and eventually allow the collar to drop off if the animal was never

recaptured. While the basic pattern and materials used were designed for fishers, this break-away pattern has the

potential to be adapted for use with other species.

Poster Session

RELOCATING A HISTORIC CORMORANT NESTING COLONY BY INSTALLING NESTING PLATFORMS ON THE NEW

EAST SPAN OF THE SAN FRANCISCO-OAKLAND BAY BRIDGE

Natalie P Greer; 300 Lakeside Dr, Suite 400, Oakland, CA, 94612; 5107355070; [email protected]; Stefan

Galvez, Melinda Schulze, Lauren Bingham, DJ Allison

Since 1984, double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) nesting has been documented on the original span

of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (SFOBB). By 2007, the SFOBB colony had grown to become one of the

largest in Northern California, with 800 nests. Following the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, the California

Department of Transportation (Caltrans) began planning the replacement of the original span. Recognizing that

demolition of the original span would remove a critical, local, nesting site for the species, Caltrans constructed

nesting platforms on the new span in the hopes that the colony would relocate. The nesting platforms were

completed in 2009 and enticements were installed with the goal of relocating the colony to the new location.

Enticements included decoys, audio broadcasts, nest boxes, and mirrors to mimic greater density on the platforms.

As demolition of the original span began in 2014, the new nesting platforms sat unused as the colony held onto the

remaining sections of the original span. On March 28, 2017, the final span of the original bridge was lowered,

removing the colony's historic habitat. On April 5, 2017, the first cormorant observations on the new platforms

were recorded. By May 2017, approximately 600-700 birds were observed roosting and nesting on the new

platforms. The cormorants observed are likely from the same population that were using the original span.


A GROVE WITH A VIEW: HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS OF MONARCH BUTTERFLY OVERWINTERING SITES IN SANTA

BARBARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Jessica L. Griffiths; Althouse and Meade, Inc.; 1602 Spring St, Paso Robles, CA, 93446; 847-334-1196; jg@alt-

me.com; Charis van der Heide, Daniel E. Meade, Francis X. Villablanca

Every fall, monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) west of the Rocky Mountains migrate to the California coast for

the winter. The monarch butterfly is currently under review by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for

possible listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. It is therefore crucial that habitat for this species be

conserved and properly managed. We conducted a comprehensive survey of monarch butterfly overwintering sites

in Santa Barbara County during the winter of 2016-2017 and completed standardized habitat assessments at 106 of

the 130 surveyed sites. We compared habitat characteristics (topography, canopy cover, presence of water, etc.)

between sites that did and did not have monarch aggregations. We also examined disturbances and threats to

habitat at each site. Overwintering sites with clustering monarchs had more tree and shrub cover, less bare soil,

lower average wind speeds, and higher relative humidity within the grove. The presence of eucalyptus leaf beetle

was the most prevalent threat to all sites, followed by drought stress. Information on habitat characteristics and

potential threats will inform overwintering habitat management decisions and allow for more effective habitat

restoration.


A NEW METHOD TO ESTIMATE MIGRATION TIMING

Mitchell A Gritts; Nevada department of wildlife; 6980 Sierra center parkway, Reno, Nv, 89509; 7756881405;

[email protected];

Methods for characterizing patterns and behaviors in movement ecology can be simple, classifying movement

strategy with net squared displacement, or complex, Bayesian partitioning of Markov models. However, estimating

the timing of migration with any of these methods tends to result in inconsistent or difficult to interpret results. For

instance, behavioral change point analysis is too sensitive and overestimates the number of states (migration or

non-migration), while the more complex methods are too computationally intensive for this simple task. At the

Nevada Department of Wildlife, we have deployed over 1600 collars in the last five years. To decrease the number

of hours spent manually estimating migration, we developed an algorithm that uses binary search of the net

squared displacement values. This method successfully identifies migration timing more often and with less human

input than other methods. Here we present a brief overview of the algorithm as well as its applications to mule

deer migrations in Nevada.


UNEXPECTED CONSPECIFIC LEUCOCYTOZOON INFECTION IN WOODPECKERS AND CORVIDS

Tierra C Groff; San Francisco State University; 1600 Holloway Ave, San Francisco , CA, 94132; 415-342-1337;

[email protected]; Teresa J Lorenz, Ravinder N Sehgal

Haemosporidians, protozoan blood parasites that cause malaria-like disease, have been studied in many wild bird

populations throughout the world. However, no basic prevalence studies have been done on woodpeckers in the

western United States. One genus of haemosporidian parasites that is commonly found in woodpeckers

is Leucocytozoon, which is spread by blackflies. It was previously thought that species of Leucocytozoon are order-

specific. Here we test the hypothesis that woodpeckers, which share habitats with many passerine birds, are

exposed to and harbor their common blood parasites. Blood samples were taken from 138 individuals, both

juveniles and adults, of six different species of woodpeckers. Analyses of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and

the morphology of infected white blood cells indicate these woodpeckers were infected with L. sarkharoffi or L.

berestneffi, which had previously been found only in corvids. The distinction between these two species

of Leucocytozoon is under review. Four distinct lineages were found in juvenile and adult northern flickers

(Colaptes auratus) and in one juvenile black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus). This is the strongest conclusive

evidence of a haemosporidian in the genus Leucocytozoon infecting birds from different orders.


IMPROVING AT-RISK SPECIES DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION TO SUPPORT FOREST PLANNING AND

MANAGEMENT

Healy Hamilton; NatureServe; 4600 N Fairfax Dr 7th Floor, Arlington, VA, 22203; 703-908-1889;

[email protected]; Regan Smyth

The United States Forest Service (USFS) 2012 Planning Rule includes a requirement to "provide for the diversity of

plant and animal communities", with a specific provision to "maintain a viable population of each species of

conservation concern (SCC) within the plan area." Implementing this important provision requires an

understanding of both which species are of conservation concern and whether their distribution occurs within the

planning area. While various conservation status assessment resources can help identify which species might be

listed "of concern", information about the potential distribution of SCCs within USFS jurisdiction is challenging to

acquire, is poorly standardized, and can often be highly subjective. Advances in methods of predictive species

distribution modeling and recent developments in the spatially explicit environmental covariates required to apply

this method now support a rigorous, standardized, and repeatable approach to evaluating the probability of at-risk

species occurrence in the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems managed by the USFS. Here we describe a proposed

national standard for predictive distribution modeling in management and regulatory contexts. We draw from

examples relevant to designations of SCCs on USFS lands. We demonstrate how a nationally standardized approach

to predicting at-risk species distributions can increase transparency, reduce conflict and uncertainty, and improve

conservation outcomes.

Public Policy and Wildlife Management

PLANNING RULE HISTORY, PURPOSE, AND APPROACH TO WILDLIFE

Meryl Harrell; Meryl Harrell LLC; 1102 St. Louis Place NE, Atlanta, GA, 30306; 9082956184;

[email protected];

Planning procedures dating from 1982 have guided the development of nearly all existing United States Forest

Service (USFS) land management plans (forest plans). However, the body of science that informs forest planning in

areas such as conservation biology and ecology has advanced considerably, along with a greater understanding of

the challenges and stressors, including climate change, that may impact national forests. In 2012, the USFS

adopted a new National Forest System land management planning rule, which guides the development,

amendment, and revision of forest plans for all 176 units of the National Forest System. The planning rule

established procedural and content requirements for forest plans to maintain and restore ecologically resilient

national forest landscapes and sustain at-risk wildlife populations, while providing for ecosystem services and

multiple uses. The planning rule adopts a science-based, complementary ecosystem and species-specific approach

to meet the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) requirement to provide for a "diversity of plant and animal

communities" in national forests. To inform development of the planning rule, the USFS convened a science forum,

and the rule requires the use of best available scientific information to inform planning and plan decisions and

provides an adaptive management framework for planning. It also supports working with land managers across

jurisdictional boundaries to address resource issues, including for habitat connectivity. Since 2012, forests have

begun to use the 2012 Planning Rule to revise land management plans. Effective and improved implementation of

the planning rule requires continued public engagement and adaptive management.


WILDLIFE MORTALITIES IN OPEN TOP PIPES IN THE SOUTH FORK KERN RIVER VALLEY, KERN COUNTY,

CALIFORNIA

Michelle L Harris; Humboldt State University & Southern Sierra Research Station; 1148 Joanna Ct., McKinleyville,

CA, 95519; 5596761700; [email protected];

Nearly 20 billion birds are killed in the United States each year by a number of anthropogenic causes, but one of

the lesser-known threats are metal and PVC pipes. Open top pipes are prevalent across the landscape, as they are

used for a multitude of agricultural, mining, and infrastructural purposes. Birds, herptiles, and small mammals are

attracted to the pipes as a site for nesting or shelter but soon become trapped by the smooth interior and small

diameter. Cavity-nesting birds are the most likely to enter these pipes, due to competition between species and a

shortage of tree cavities in their natural habitat. Peer-reviewed research focusing on open top pipes as a hazard for

wildlife is near nonexistent. I will inspect pipes on the land surrounding the Kern River Preserve in the South Fork

Kern River Valley, California a Globally Important Bird Area. The goal of this study is to obtain a dataset on the

presence/absence and taxa-specificity of wildlife mortalities in pipes, while measuring the influence of pipe

dimensions and adjacent habitat type. This study will contribute to insufficient research on the negative impacts of

these pipes that is necessary to support habitat restoration and pipe alteration projects.


BAT ACOUSTIC SURVEY APPROACHES: KEY CONSIDERATIONS IN A DEVELOPING FIELD

Leila S Harris; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; Wildlife Investigations Lab, 1701 Nimbus Road Suite D,

Rancho Cordova, CA, 95670; 650-455-6184; [email protected]; Michael R. Buchalski, Scott D. Osborn

In recent years, improved computing power and increased interest in bat conservation have generated numerous

technological options to record and analyze the ultrasonic vocalizations of bats. A growing number of biologists

and land managers use bat acoustic detection equipment and analysis software to inform impact assessments and

mitigation approaches, support monitoring needs, enhance interpretive programs, and answer research questions.

However, the physics of ultrasound, bat behavior, competing biotic and abiotic signals, weather conditions, the

technologies themselves, and the knowledge level of the user all present potentially confounding elements that if

not recognized could lead to spurious results in data collection and interpretation. As with other study methods,

defensible results are most likely to arise when investigators have a thorough understanding of the powers and

limitations of acoustic methods and combine this understanding with the best available science on the biology of

the species in question. This presentation will provide an introductory overview of key elements in the bat acoustic

detection puzzle and associated implications for survey choices, data interpretation, and management

applications.

Bat Mitigation

INFLUENCES ON FORAGING PREFERENCE DEVELOPMENT IN AN ENDANGERED SPECIES: IMPLICATIONS FOR A

NOVEL CONSERVATION STRATEGY

Brigit D Harvey; UCLA; 200 N El Camino Real SPC 395, Oceanside, CA, 92058; 5628957278;

[email protected]; Greg Grether, Debra Shier

Captive breeding and reintroduction programs can be challenged by a limited knowledge of the nutritional ecology

of the target species. This limited knowledge can sometimes result in an animal developing a preference for captive

diets and an inability to effectively forage after it is released. Additionally, historic landscapes are changing due to

the pervasiveness of invasive species that threaten to replace native food sources. A novel management strategy

to counteract these two factors is to expand the diet of a target species to include palatable and nutritious invasive

species, thereby increasing the foraging options of target species upon release and decreasing the spread of

invasive species being consumed. Using the captive breeding program for the endangered Pacific pocket mouse

(Perognathus longimembris pacificus), I am experimentally determining if historic exposure, exposure during early

developmental periods, and nutritional quality of two invasive plants, Erodium botrys and Bromus

madritensis ssp. rubens, influence foraging preferences of Pacific pocket mouse. Preferences are tested using the

standard Cafeteria Method design and the nutritional quality of seeds is determined with near infrared

spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis. This study will impact nutritional protocol and foraging training of Pacific pocket

mice, and insights from this management strategy may be applied to other captive breeding programs with a

similar conflict.

Endangered Species Recovery Student Paper

EVALUATING CONSERVATION STATUS: RISK ASSESSMENT IN LAND MANAGEMENT

Greg D Hayward; US Forest Service; 161 E. 1st Av., Door 8, Anchorage, AK, 99501; 907 743 9537;

[email protected];

Evaluating conservation status of populations has evolved over the past 40 years, providing practitioners with

sophisticated tools to support risk assessment. Recent application of survey sampling techniques combined with

stochastic population modeling for species like greater sage-grouse demonstrate the potential to evaluate

populations at multiple spatial scales, incorporating important population processes. Population modeling

facilitates risk assessments for only a small number of species for which sufficient data are available. The 2012

Forest Service Planning Rule, however, motivates examining conservation status of many populations in the

absence of information to support complex analytics. How should biologists evaluate numerous species to meet

regulatory demands and employ current science? Acceptable approaches must be repeatable, permit clear

documentation, employ current science, and be accessible to agency staff. Published rules of thumb suggest

specific abundance levels to highlight species at risk, but application of these thresholds has been challenged.

Systematic evaluation of species distribution, population and habitat trend, limiting factors and threats, and life

history, in a framework recognizing the key elements of population extinction, represents a tested approach.

Thorough species assessments documenting ecological knowledge supporting the risk assessment communicate

the science supporting the evaluation.


RESILIENCE OF TROPICAL LANDBIRDS TO STORM DISTURBANCE

Lauren W Helton; The Institute for Bird Populations; PO Box 1346, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956; 415-663-1436;

[email protected]; James F. Saracco, Christopher Murray

The Tropical Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (TMAPS) program was established in 2008 to provide

inferences about life history and demographic parameters of landbirds on Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands,

through pulses of mark-recapture effort during each annual wet and dry season. Prior to the wet season of 2015,

Typhoon Soudelor passed over Saipan as a Category 5 super-typhoon. Landbird populations declined between the

dry and wet seasons of 2015, likely because of direct and indirect impacts of Soudelor. Adult survival of Rufous

Fantail and Bridled White-eye declined after the storm, while Golden White-eye populations appeared to change

little. For Rufous Fantail, effects of Soudelor on survival varied by location. Survival was greater at locations with

relatively more native vegetation, and lower in more invaded locations. Temporary emigration also peaked for

Rufous Fantail and Golden White-eye in the period corresponding to Typhoon Soudelor. All three species

rebounded to levels observed prior to Soudelor by the 2016 dry season. These results represent a rare contribution

to our understanding of how bird populations respond to severe disturbances by elucidating vital rates and

changes in abundance while controlling for variation in capture and recapture probabilities associated with the

storm.

Poster Session

EVALUATION OF CALIFORNIA CONDOR (GYMNOGYPS CALIFORNIANUS) GPS TELEMETRY DATA IN RELATION TO

THE ELECTRICAL GRID USING GIS AND RISK SCORING METHODS

Andrea Henke; PG&E; 6111 Bollinger Canyon Rd. Bldg Y 3130I , San Ramon, CA, 94583; 925-451-1469;

[email protected]; Mike Best, Eszter Tompos, Laura Burkholder, Michele Barlow, Glen Lubcke, Joe Burnett, Mike

Stake

Endangered California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are often tracked with satellite (Argos) and cellular-

based (GSM) GPS telemetry in California, Baja, Utah, and Arizona. Although poisoning from ingested lead shot is

considered the leading mortality factor in wild populations, condors are also at risk from powerline interactions

including utility line collisions or electrocution events. Analysis of GPS telemetry data from a preliminary subset of

32 condors showed some movement patterns in proximity to utility right-of-ways. Telemetry data collected from

2003 to 2017 from 104 free-flying condors in Central and Southern California was evaluated and compared with

electrical infrastructure (grid maps) to identify fine-scale condor distribution and landscape use patterns in relation

to powerline corridors. Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis of the data and multiple factor scoring of the

GIS results enabled prioritization of specific utility facilities for avian-safe retrofits. A Google Earth risk assessment

tool was created that can display snapshots of these analyses. Findings are relevant for condor recovery and

electrical infrastructure management in California, and similar approaches throughout the condor's reintroduced

range could be implemented based on these methods.

Poster Session

TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR (GYMNOGYPS CALIFORNIANUS) TO PREDICT

HABITAT USE AND POTENTIAL INTERACTIONS WITH POWER LINES: AN INNOVA

Andi Henke; Pacific Gas & Electric Company; [email protected]; Michele Barlow, Mike Best, Eszter Tompos, Laura

Burkholder, Glen Lubcke, Lori Nielsen, Ryan Nielson, Andrew Telander, Ryan Anderson, Joe Burnett, Mike Stake;

Joseph Brandt

Portions of PG&E's electrical grid fall within the current and historical range of the California condor (Gymnogyps

californianus), one of the world's rarest avian species. The California condor's wingspan (~9-ft) is the largest in

North America, resulting in a risk of overhead power line or utility pole contacts. Over 1.9 million satellite

telemetry locations from 79 California condors in Central and Southern California were used to develop habitat use

models for two condor age classes (subadult vs. adult). Models compared condor use patterns within the condor's

re-introduced California range to desktop-level habitat characteristics using a generalized linear model and

negative binomial regression. Model results predicted future condor movement and expansion areas across

California. These predicted high-use areas along with assessments of condor movements in proximity to power

lines support California condor recovery efforts. The use of these risk assessments minimizes hazards to condors

from electric infrastructure design, construction, operation, and facility maintenance.


THE UPPER RIO GRANDE CONNECTIVITY INITIATIVE

Josh Hicks; The Wilderness Society; 1660 Wynkoop St. #850, Denver, CO, 80202; 3036501148; [email protected];

In 2012, the United States Forest Service adopted a new land management planning rule, governing the

development, revision, and amendment of national forest plans. The rule includes direction to manage national

forest landscapes to maintain and restore ecological connectivity to promote ecosystem resiliency and wildlife

persistence. Multiple government agencies, conservation organizations, and private landowners in Colorado and

New Mexico are working to create a network of connected wildlife habitats across the Upper Rio Grande

Watershed. Three national forests, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and other federal lands make up about 50

percent of the area with private, tribal, and state accounting for the rest. Over 750 miles of waterways support Rio

Grande cutthroat trout and other imperiled fish and provide riparian habitat for federally protected species

including the southwestern willow flycatcher, western yellow-billed cuckoo, and New Mexico meadow jumping

mouse. The area is home to wide-ranging wildlife such as federally listed as threatened Canada lynx and other

carnivores, pronghorn, elk, mule deer, and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. The Carson, Santa Fe, and Rio Grande

national forests and BLM's Rio Grande del Norte National Monument are revising their management plans,

providing an unprecedented opportunity to incorporate coordinated direction to promote cross-boundary wildlife

movement.


PREVALENCE OF INTERNAL PARASITES DETERMINED BY FECAL TESTING OF WILDLIFE AT A SONOMA COUNTY

REHABILITATION CENTER

Grant A Howard; SRJC/ Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue; 8916 Heritage Dr. , Windsor, CA, 95492; (707)327-8339;

[email protected]; Michelle E. McCorkell, Sarah Bessing, Daniel J. Famini

Internal parasites have a meaningful impact on wildlife health and pose a zoonotic health risk to humans. This

study aimed to measured the overall prevalence of parasites in native Sonoma County populations. Fecal samples

were collected from individuals presented for habilitation at the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue center in 2017.

Evidence of coccidia and pathogenic helminth infestations was determined using centrifugal fecal flotation

technique. Coccidia and pathogenic nematodes (hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms) were both found in

significant numbers. A total of 36% (117/324) of all individuals tested positive. Among positive individuals coccidia

was observed in 61% and one or more nematode species was observed in 50%, with similar trends across species

groups. Opossums had a relatively lower parasite incidence (17%, 14/83), whereas most other mammals including

raccoons, striped skunks, grey foxes and squirrels had a similar rate of overall parasitism (47%, 79/169). Within

avian species a marked difference was seen between raptors (43%, 15/35) and non-raptors (24%, 9/37). This study

confirms the ubiquity of internal parasitism in wildlife presented to a rehabilitation center, highlighting the relative

risk to wildlife professionals and others in close contact with wildlife and their natural habitats.


EVALUATING THE HEALTH OF MANAGED WETLANDS IN CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL VALLEY

Dustin Howland; Humboldt State University; 485 Augusta Street, Woodbridge, ca, 95258; 2097125057;

[email protected]; Sharon Kahara

The National Wildlife Refuge System and our current conservation easement standards are designed in part to

provide adequate habitat for vulnerable taxa. Colusa County in California's Central Valley not only includes the

seven-square-mile Colusa National Wildlife Refuge but also has more conservation easements than any other

county in the state. Most of these easements support managed freshwater wetlands. We evaluated biotic and

abiotic responses to different management and restoration practices at managed wetlands in Colusa County.

Water quality of the inflow, hydrology and temperature of standing water, flood timing and duration, and

vegetation management techniques influence the taxa present in managed wetlands. We will unravel these

variables and describe their effects on the presence of taxa in these wetlands.


DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF CLIMATE ON SURVIVAL RATES DRIVE HYBRID ZONE MOVEMENT

Elizabeth A Hunter; University of Nevada Reno; 1664 N. Virginia St., Mail stop 186, Reno, NV, 89557; 4023142742;

[email protected]; Marjorie D. Matocq, Peter J. Murphy, Kevin T. Shoemaker

The effects of climate change on the range limits of hybridizing species depends on the relative fitness of those

species under changing conditions. However, fitness is rarely linked to both climatic conditions and hybrid zone

movement, such that the relationship between climate change and hybrid zone dynamics remains tenuous. We

report how interactions between climate (seasonal precipitation) and competitor densities result in steep

differentials in survival, which in turn drive hybrid zone movement for two woodrat species (Neotoma

fuscipes and N. macrotis) in central California. Using six years of capture-mark-recapture data, we found that the

smaller-bodied species, N. macrotis, and hybrids had survival advantages over the larger-bodied N. fuscipes in the

contact region during dry winters and wet springs. This pattern of differential survival, with N. macrotis having a

consistent advantage over N. fuscipesduring our study period, matched the spatial dynamics of the hybrid zone,

which moved steadily north into N. fuscipes territory (~150 meters in six years). Although all study site areas

experienced the same climatic conditions, competitive effects created a complex spatial pattern of survival

differentials, which in turn influenced hybrid zone movement. Characterization of fitness differentials between

competitors should greatly improve our ability to understand and forecast climate-driven range dynamics.


URBAN MUSKOXEN IN NOME, ALASKA

Claudia Ihl; University of Alaska Fairbanks, NW Campus; 400 E Front Street, Nome, AK, 99762; 907 433 8417;

[email protected]; Hannah Beutler

The city of Nome in northwestern Alaska is increasingly facing issues created by muskoxen near roads and

residences during summer. While muskox populations on the Seward Peninsula overall are on the decline, muskox

numbers in and near Nome have increased. At least 25 dogs have been killed by muskoxen. Airport traffic has been

interrupted by the presence of muskoxen on the runway. Conversely, the presence of muskoxen close to roads

allows for increased opportunities for local wildlife viewing and tourism. The needs of different citizen groups must

be weighed when searching for a solution to Nome's urban muskox problem. During summer 2016, we assessed

vegetation cover, forage quality, and diet selection at muskox feeding sites in the city, at the airport runway, and in

outlying tundra habitats. We hypothesize that recently disturbed former mining areas within the Nome city limits

provide preferred foraging habitat because early successional stages of regrowth offer more preferred foraging

species at potentially higher nutritional value.


THE GENETIC LEGACY OF FORTY YEARS OF DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP TRANSLOCATIONS IN NEVADA

Joshua P Jahner; University of Nevada, Reno; 2769 Newburgh Way, Reno, NV, 89523; 7195223055;

[email protected]; Marjorie D. Matocq, Michael Cox, Peregrine Wolff, Mitchell Gritts, Thomas L. Parchman

Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) is an iconic western North American species that has been heavily

managed throughout its range. Once thought to be the most abundant large mammal in the state of Nevada,

dramatic declines in the mid 1900s reduced population sizes and restricted the range of desert bighorn sheep

primarily to southern Nevada, though a few remnant populations persisted in central Nevada. To restore central

Nevadan populations, the Nevada Department of Wildlife translocated several individuals from multiple southern

Nevada source populations, leading to the admixture of individuals with different genetic ancestry. Here, we used a

genotyping-by-sequencing approach to generate genetic information at several thousand loci for hundreds of

desert bighorn sheep individuals across the state of Nevada. We found evidence for strong population genetic

structure between the source populations in southern Nevada, suggesting that substantial genetic variation still

exists in the state. However, almost all central Nevada populations have genetic signatures that strongly resemble

those from their translocation source populations. Finally, one central Nevadan population was genetically distinct

from all other populations and is likely the last bastion of central Nevadan genetic ancestry remaining in the state.


A PROPOSED ANALYSIS OF DEER USE OF JUMPOUT RAMPS AND FELID USE OF CULVERTS ALONG HIGHWAYS

WITH WILDLIFE EXCLUSION FENCING

Alex J Jensen; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Biology; 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401; 909-283-0756;

[email protected]; John, D, Perrine (Cal Poly), Nancy, Siepel (CalTrans), Morgan, Robertson (CalTrans)

Highways can fragment habitat and be a significant mortality source for mammals. Wildlife exclusion fencing has

been shown to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions, but can also prevent animals from escaping from the corridor if

they enter at access roads or at fence ends. Earthen escape ramps, or "jumpouts" have been proposed as a

possible solution, but they remain relatively untested. We documented wildlife response at 4 jumpout ramps in a

2.5-mile wildlife exclusion fence project along Highway 101 near San Luis Obispo, California, from 2012-2017.

Preliminary analysis of the jumpouts indicated that Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionis) used the jumpouts, but the

data were confounded by pseudo replication. Additionally, there appeared to be variation between antlered and

non-antlered deer, which warrants deeper investigation. We also documented wildlife use of culverts. Mountain

lions (Puma concolor) and bobcats (Lynx rufus) are our focal species for the culverts because our study site crosses

a modeled mountain lion corridor in the Los Padres National Forest, and bobcats are an ecologically important

mesocarnivore. We propose a multivariate analysis of the factors influencing carnivore use of culverts including

culvert dimensionality, nearby habitat, and proximity to cover. The goal is to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions while

facilitating regional connectivity. This is a work in progress.


PILOT STUDY: AMPHIBIAN OCCURRENCE ON A MULTI-AGED MANAGED FOREST

Bethany Johnson; Collins Pine Company; 500 Main St./PO Box 796, Chester, CA, 96137; 530-258-2111 x7012;

[email protected];

Decades of research has been conducted on amphibians in managed forests, particularly intensively managed

forests. However, relatively little is still known about the use of managed forests by amphibians, especially

California forests practicing multi-aged silviculture. Large knowledge gaps still exist for forest managers for how to

best protect amphibians coming under review or that are currently listed under federal or state Endangered

Species Act in California, leaving forest managers without the proper guidance to avoid incidental take. In 2017,

property-wide amphibian surveys began as part of a long-term amphibian study by Collins Pine Company in multi-

aged silviculture across 95,000 ac of mixed conifer forest. Study sites included meadows, meadow ponds, streams,

and human-made waterholes. In 2017, 33 sites were surveyed for amphibians. Five amphibian and two reptile

species were detected, including two special-status amphibians, and 13 sites had evidence of breeding from three

species. Long-term goals of the study are to (1) Identify where amphibians are occurring and breeding across the

property, (2) Better understand landscape- and site-scale habitat selection, and (3) Assess influence of logging

history on amphibian occurrence. Continuation of surveys will allow for a better understanding of amphibian

occurrence in multi-aged forests of northern California.

Poster Session

MITIGATING FOR NOISE NEAR ROOSTS: WHAT FREQUENCY OF NOISE AND WHICH SPECIES OF BATS?

Dave S Johnston; H. T. Harvey & Associates; 983 University Ave Bldg D, Los Gatos, CA, 95032; 4084483226;

[email protected]; Gabe A. Reyes, Meredith Rodriguez, Kim Briones

Construction noise can negatively impact roosting bats, and mitigation needs to consider the frequency of noise

generated and the hearing sensitivity of bat species at risk. We present two case studies for potential noise impacts

to bats. At one project, a maternity colony of Eptesicus fuscus tolerated high decibel (dB) levels of low frequency

sounds generated by chain saws (75-86 dB) and large graders (85-89 dB) within 100 feet of their roost. However,

the colony abandoned their roost when workers used a high frequency (19-28 kHz) laser surveying instrument,

inaudible to the human ear. At a second project, we recorded ultrasonic noise generated by an auger drill at

distances of 10, 30, 60, and 90 feet. We graphed noise attenuation based on kHz values and used ambient noise

levels to determine buffer zones (e.g., noise recorded at 60 feet attenuated to 22 dB, the ambient noise level for 40

kHz; therefore, the buffer zone would be 60 feet for bats with a peak sensitivity of 40 kHz). Because many bat

species are more sensitive to higher frequency sounds, we suggest that careful attention be given to the high

frequency noise generated by equipment when planning mitigation.

Bat Mitigation

MICROCLIMATE SELECTION OF A HEAT RESTRICTED MAMMAL (APLODONTIA RUFA NIGRA)

Jennie K Jones Scherbinski; 1625 Chester Ave, Arcata, CA, 95521; 3035790016; [email protected]; Tim Bean

Shifts in distribution and abundance in response to climate change have been documented in a wide array of

species and ecosystems. Contemporary methods for predicting how a species will respond to climate change have

focused on creating correlative species distribution models of a species current range and projecting that into

future climate scenarios. This method has generally been successful at identifying distributions at a broad scale,

however, it is unable to assess fine scale distribution, due to a mismatch in spatial scale between climate data and

the scale at which most species experience their environment. As a species that is physiologically limited to areas

with cool, moist climate, the endangered Point Arena mountain beaver (PAMB; Aplodontia rufa nigra) is a model

organism for studying range restrictions based on microclimate variables. Using temperature data loggers and

LiDAR, I created downscaled climate layers and used them to create fine-scale distribution models for PAMB.

Additionally, I used broad scale distribution models to compare the climatic niche of the seven subspecies of

mountain beaver across the range. The fine scale models will help define critical habitat and comparing distribution

models of the different subspecies may provide insight on how the species has responded to past climate change.

Wildlife and Climate Change Student Paper

HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OF SMALL MAMMALS ALONG AN ELEVATION GRADIENT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Aviv Karasov-Olson; University of California, Davis; 1057 Academic Surge, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616;

6128192531; [email protected]; Douglas A. Kelt

Habitat associations combine with competitive interactions to play an important role in determining the

composition and structure of small mammal community assemblages. These associations can mediate responses to

climate change and vary across space and through time. Therefore, there is a need for complete studies spanning

an entire gradient. To improve our understanding of this relationship, we completed a comprehensive assessment

of species habitat associations across an extensive elevation gradient spanning 2,500 meters and eight distinct

habitats in southern California. Moreover, we are integrating this assessment with previous survey efforts to

evaluate how small mammal communities and their associations have changed. We used 10x10 trapping grids (15-

meter spacing) with 12-inch Sherman live traps to survey heteromyid and cricetid rodents in paired sites in eight

habitats along this gradient. Preliminary analysis using canonical correspondence analysis, a form of constrained

ordination, revealed strong relationships between community assemblages and key habitat metrics such as canopy

cover, litter depth, soil hardness, and shrub and herbaceous cover. A greater understanding of community

structure and habitat associations is critical to improving our ability to predict the response of small mammal

communities to climate change.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals IV Student Paper

FROM PLANNING TO ACTION: IMPLEMENTING HABITAT CONNECTIVITY

Annika Keeley; UC Berkeley; 1410 Spruce Ln, Davis, CA, 95616; 530-220-4324; [email protected]; Adina

Merenlender

Habitat corridors have been a solution for sustaining wildlife in fragmented landscapes for more than 40 years and

are now often suggested as a climate adaptation strategy. However, due to the inherent complexity of connectivity

conservation, implementing connectivity through on-the-ground action is often difficult. We reviewed the

literature and conducted a workshop and interviews with conservation professionals throughout California to

explore the challenges and opportunities encountered during connectivity project implementation. Challenges

practitioners face included a lack of data for locating the best corridor sites, short project time-lines, and a lack of

regulations requiring the protection of habitat connectivity. We found evidence that challenges can be overcome in

part through a common vision and effective communication, close collaboration with scientists, and public

enthusiasm for the project. While connectivity models can be difficult to communicate, animal movement paths

are intuitive and therefore effective for eliciting stakeholder participation. Addressing climate adaptation requires

a larger landscape approach and new policy instruments to facilitate long-term species range shifts. We discuss

necessary improvements to climate-wise connectivity planning as part of a framework outlining the key elements

to successful on-the-ground connectivity implementation to guide corridor conservation projects.


INTEGRATING MITIGATION, CARBON SEQUESTRATION, AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AT COMMUNITY-RELEVANT

SCALES

Steve Kohlmann; LSA Associates; 157 Park Pl, Point Richmond, CA, 94801; 5105661384; [email protected];

John Ko

Urban sustainability presents intertwined challenges of environmental integrity, economic viability, and social

equity. Sustainable cities need to incorporate social, economic, and environmental aspects into a sustainability

plan that ties together the natural and human environment including clean air, fresh water, safe food supplies,

climate resilience, access to nature, and proximity to recreational opportunities. Governments and municipalities

often treat natural resource mitigation and adaptation in isolation and do not take advantage of potential

synergies for community-level benefits if integrated into a larger context of ecosystem services to human

communities. We present an innovative conceptual framework of multifaceted and interconnected sustainability

planning that explicitly considers ecosystem services (e.g., habitat, carbon, water, climate, etc.) while mitigating for

habitat impacts, to benefit local communities, including marginalized segments of our society and disadvantaged

communities in highly urbanized counties in California. Our framework addresses sustainability of urban ecosystem

services in a comprehensive and regional manner to create a more livable environment, greater environmental

equality, and a climate-resilient urban landscape. We describe the current and potential opportunities for

synergies between advance mitigation planning, soil carbon sequestration, green infrastructure, and disadvantaged

community support.


INVESTIGATING RACCOON ABUNDANCE AND HOME RANGE: IMPLICATIONS FOR REINTRODUCING THE

CALIFORNIA RED-LEGGED FROG IN YOSEMITE VALLEY

Esther Kukielka; 1703 27th street, Apt3, Sacramento, CA, 95816; 5307608765; [email protected]; Katie

Patrick, Binta Wold, Rachel Mazur, Beatriz Martinez-Lopez

Information regarding the population of northern raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Yosemite National Park is limited.

Close human-raccoon interactions have been reported in Yosemite Valley, raising concerns about transmission of

zoonotic diseases such as baylisascariasis. Due to their dietary habits, raccoons may also effect efforts to

reintroduce vulnerable species such as the federally listed as threatened California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii)

into the park. In collaboration with the National Park Services, this project aims to estimate the raccoon

population, document home ranges, and determine the occurrence of the species in areas of importance for

California red-legged frog conservation in Yosemite Valley. Mark-resight and global positioning system/very high

frequency (GPS/VHF) collaring methods were used to achieve such aims. Preliminary results estimated a lower

abundance of raccoons than expected as well as limited overlap of raccoon and California red-legged frog habitats.

Final results will help assess whether it will be necessary to manage the raccoon population in Yosemite Valley.


THE INFLUENCE OF NATURAL SOUNDS ON CALIFORNIA GROUND SQUIRREL (OTOSPERMOPHILUS BEECHEYI)

VIGILANCE AND PREDATOR DETECTION

My-Lan T Le; California Polytechnic State University; 319 Ramona Drive, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93405; 4084203343;

[email protected]; Christopher, M, Garvin, Clinton, D, Francis

Many animals rely on the acoustical environment for essential functions including predator and prey detection.

Research suggests environmental acoustics can greatly influence the propagation and reception of biologically

relevant sounds, potentially interfering with the ability of animals to interact with their environment. We sought to

determine whether natural sounds influence vigilance and predator detection in California ground squirrels. A field

experiment recorded vigilance and foraging behavior under three noise playback conditions: river rapids, cicada

chorus, and a silent control. Within each treatment, we measured flight initiation distance (FID), which is defined as

the distance that an animal flees from an approaching threat. FIDs were measured using a robotic coyote to

simulate a common predator in the study area. Squirrels were more vigilant during river rapids playback relative to

control and cicada chorus treatments. We found mixed results regarding the influence of sound treatments on

foraging rates and no difference in FIDs among the three treatments. To our knowledge, our results are the first to

demonstrate that natural sounds can influence vigilance. Our results support recent studies demonstrating

increased vigilance in the presence of low-frequency background noise from traffic or wind farms. Whether natural

sounds influence other key behaviors is ripe for future studies.


DESCRIBING AVIAN SPECIES DISTRIBUTIONS ACROSS THE DROUGHT-STRICKEN CALIFORNIA CENTRAL VALLEY

THROUGH A STATEWIDE COLLABORATIVE MONITORING EFFORT

Stephanie D Leja; Humboldt State University and CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife; 1812 9th Street, Sacramento, CA,

95811; (530) 417-1059; [email protected]; Misty D. Nelson, Lindsey N. Rich, Brett J. Furnas

How have California wildlife and vegetation been affected by multi-year drought conditions? What habitats are

used by wildlife, and how is wildlife distribution and abundance affected by habitat conditions? To address these

questions, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) implemented a large-scale biodiversity

assessment in collaboration with Humboldt State University (HSU), U.C. Berkeley, and numerous partners

throughout the Great Valley and Mojave Desert ecoregions. Tremendous coordination was required to implement

this Terrestrial Species Stressor Monitoring Project, including extensive outreach efforts seeking diverse public and

private landowner participation, particularly in the Central Valley. In 2016 and 2017, CDFW and HSU researchers

collected field data using a variety of biological survey methods (including automated acoustic recorders, camera

traps, avian point counts, and vegetation assessments) to detect terrestrial wildlife and describe varying habitat

types at over 600 sites throughout the two ecoregions. These data were used to describe distribution and habitat

associations for avian species across the Central Valley landscape. The results of this analysis can be used not only

in the context of drought impacts, but also for evaluating baseline conditions and establishing effective resource

assessment and management strategies throughout California.


ESTABLISHING A LONG-TERM MONITORING PROGRAM TO CHARACTERIZE SPATIO-TEMPORAL CHANGES IN BAT

ASSEMBLAGE OF A TYPICAL CENTRAL VALLEY RIPARIAN HABITAT

Jessica Lin; University of California, Davis; Dept of WFCB, One Shields Avenue,, Davis, CA, 95616; 6264355698;

[email protected]; Leila S. Harris, Douglas A. Kelt, Melanie L. Truan, Andrew Engilis, Jr.

Despite their widespread distribution throughout the state, our understanding of California bats remains woefully

incomplete. We are conducting the first year-long systematic survey of bat communities along a typical riparian

corridor in the Central Valley to collect baseline data that could be used to inform future management decisions.

Eight acoustic recording stations equipped with Pettersson D500X full-spectrum detectors are established along a

30 mile span of Putah Creek, a riparian corridor flanked by agricultural lands. Detectors were deployed for one

week per month at each station, and will collect data for a year to capture both seasonal and spatial variations in

the bat assemblage. Recordings will be processed with SonoBat 4, with manual vetting to verify species

identification. We will inventory bat species richness on the creek, characterize spatial and temporal (diel and

seasonal) patterns of bat activities, and evaluate the efficiency of this monitoring protocol so to improve future

monitoring efforts. This information will allow investigations of more sophisticated questions concerning the

ecology and habitat preferences of select species, bat assemblage dynamics in a managed and highly impacted

ecological corridor, and the impact of anthropogenic activities (e.g., agriculture) and climate change on bat

assemblages over time.


FEMALE MULE DEER RESPONSE TO FORAGE AVAILABILITY AND PREDATION RISK IN A MOJAVE DESERT SKY-

ISLAND LANDSCAPE

Christopher E Lowrey; USGS; 160 North Stephanie St, Henderson, NV, 89074; 7025644537; [email protected];

Kathleen M. Longshore, David Choate, Daniel Thompson, Jyothy Nagol, Joseph Sexton

Forage availability and predation risk interact to affect habitat use of ungulates across many biomes. Within the

isolated sky-island habitats of the Mojave Desert, increased availability of diverse resources may provide ungulates

in this desert ecosystem with unique opportunities to extend forage availability or mitigate predation risk. We

addressed whether habitat use and foraging strategy of female mule deer (Odocoilus hemionus) responded to

Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI), NDVI rate of change (NDVIR or green-up), or the occurrence of

cougars (Felis concolor) in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge of southern Nevada. Female mule deer used

available green-up primarily in spring, although greening vegetation was also available during other seasons. Mule

deer and cougar shared similar habitat all year, and cougars had a consistent, negative effect on mule deer access

to greening vegetation. A seemingly late parturition date combined with diminishing forage quality during the

lactation period. Our findings suggest female mule deer were unwilling to increase perceived predation risk from

cougars to access the greater resources of Mojave Desert sky-islands.


PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF A RARE POPULATION OF TAILED FROGS IN THE TRINITY ALPS

Adrian D Macedo; Humboldt State University; 628 9th Street, Arcata, CA, 95521; 707-272-5518;

[email protected];

The coastal tailed frog (Ascaphus truei) is in the family Leiopelmatidae, which is the most basal lineage of all extant

anurans. The tailed frog is also one of just three anurans known to have internal fertilization. Research on the life

history of this unique amphibian is limited, oviposition sites in the field are rarely found, and larval development is

highly variable (Metter 1967). Metter (1967) identified differences in the larval life cycles between populations.

Inland populations and three Cascade populations had a three-year larval period, whereas populations along the

coastal slopes of the Cascades had a two-year larval period. Since then, Brown (1999) identified populations with a

four-year larval period in northwestern Washington, and Wallace and Diller (1998) found a population with a one-

year life cycle in the coastal redwood region of California. These observations illustrate a wide range in variation of

larval period across populations. The objective of this research was to describe aspects of life history of a rare

population of coastal tailed frogs in the Trinity Alps Wilderness in California. This paper describes preliminary data

on larval predation, larval age at metamorphosis, and both pre-and post-metamorphic functional morphology of

this rare population.

Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles I Student Paper

USING AN INDEPENDENT DOUBLE OBSERVER APPROACH TO ESTIMATE ABUNDANCE OF LIGHT-FOOTED

RIDGWAY'S RAIL (RALLUS OBSOLETUS LEVIPES) IN A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WETLAND

Michael Anguiano; AECOM; 401 West A Street, #1200, San Diego, CA, 92101; 619-610-7654;

[email protected]; Sheila V. Madrak, Cindy Kinkade, Doug Gibson, Barry Lindgren, Paul Doherty

San Elijo Lagoon in San Diego County, California represents a valuable coastal wetland with significant ecological

resources. The San Elijo Lagoon Restoration Plan (SELRP) intends to restore and improve the water quality and

ecological and hydrologic functions of the lagoon. Because San Elijo Lagoon is home to resident and migratory

federally and state-listed bird species, monitoring before and after restoration is critical to evaluating the success

of the restoration. The light-footed Ridgway's rail (Rallus obsoletus levipes,Ã‚ LFRR) is a resident breeder in San

Diego County, and San Elijo Lagoon represents important nesting habitat for this federally and state-listed

endangered species. We conducted LFRR surveys in San Elijo Lagoon between 15 March and 15 June in 2016 and

2017 using an independent double-observer survey approach to increase the number of repeated samples and

improve the overall detection probabilities for this cryptic species. Data were analyzed in Program Mark to

estimate abundance of LFRR in suitable habitat at San Elijo Lagoon. The pre-restoration abundance estimates will

be used as a baseline to compare restoration and post-restoration abundances, with a priori performance criteria

to determine if the SELRP may be deemed a success for LFRR.


MONITORING MULTIPLE WILDLIFE SPECIES: WHY AND WHY NOT

Patricia Manley; Us Forest Service; 2480 Carson Rd, Placerville, CA, 95667; 530-902-3431; [email protected];

Monitoring wildlife (and biological diversity overall) has perennially posed a challenge to management agencies.

Most public land agencies have mandates to maintain native species and communities, and yet effective multiple-

species monitoring programs are rare. Cost is often cited as a barrier to monitoring populations of more than a few

species, and yet attempts to justify a few species as representative of many species do not hold up under scientific

scrutiny. Many researchers have dedicated attention to how to overcome this conundrum, and there are multiple

success stories that we can learn from. The Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service (USFS)

asked a panel of scientists to address this very question "what options exist to be successful in monitoring wildlife

populations, communities, and habitats" and particularly what approaches would meet the intent of the updated

USFS 2012 Planning Rule regulations that call for monitoring ecosystem diversity. The recently released report

outlines objective-driven approaches that have been proven to be efficient and effective at identifying focal species

and sampling larger suites of species that are well-suited to meeting the mandates of public land stewardship.


RE-EVALUATING TRANSLOCATION OBJECTIVES: ESTABLISHING GROUSE CULTURAL AFFINITY TO THE

RESTORATION SITE TO ACHIEVE SELF-SUSTAINING POPULATION GROWTH

Steven R Mathews; U.S. Geological Survey; Idaho State University; 800 Business Park Dr, Dixon, CA, 95620;

5306505984; [email protected]; Peter, S, Coates, Shawn, P, Espinosa, David, J, Delehanty

Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus, CSTG) is a native prairie grouse of the

western United States that is now extirpated in California and Nevada. During restoration efforts, CSTG are

typically translocated and released into areas where they lack information about lek and nest sites, which could

adversely impact restoration success. We carried out a five-year reintroduction by translocating CSTG from Idaho

to Nevada and evaluated translocation methods aimed at promoting cultural and behavioral identity. Our objective

was to maximize reproduction with the goal of producing immediate offspring at the release site. We present

results of a novel approach using an integrated population model that accounts for demographic differences

among cohorts (i.e., newly translocated versus offspring at the release site). We present population projections of

CSTG using: (1) estimated parameters from translocated CSTG, (2) parameters from their offspring, and (3) lek

count survey data. Importantly, we demonstrate predictable differences in demographic parameters between

translocated GSTG and their offspring, which did not undergo the stressors of translocation and have presumably

experienced no loss of cultural information from the source population. Thus, we found that estimates of

population persistence could be drastically misleading without considering differences among cohorts.


FEMALE AGE AND FOREST COMPOSITION INFLUENCE FISHER REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS

Sean M Matthews; Oregon State University; Institute for Natural Resources, 234 Strand Agriculture Hall, Corvallis,

OR, 97331; 5303512418; [email protected]; David, S, Green, John, M, Higley, Rebecca, E, Green,

Kerry, M, Rennie, Caylen, Cummins

Planning for species of conservation concern requires an understanding of the biotic and abiotic factors that

influence fitness. Fitness in wild populations is measured through survival and reproduction. Understanding the

mechanisms that influence these population parameters is integral for elucidating links between habitat and

species conservation. We evaluated the influence of environmental characteristics and forest management impacts

on the reproductive success of fishers (Pekania pennanti) on the timber-managed forests of the Hoopa Valley

Indian Reservation in northwestern California. We evaluated the environmental characteristics in home ranges of

adult female fishers using generalized linear mixed-effects models on three measures of reproductive success:

denning attempts, the number of kits produced, and whether a female successfully raised a litter to weaning.

Results indicate middle-age (4-6 years old) female fishers were the most likely to attempt denning, produced the

greatest numbers of kits, and had the highest probabilities of successfully weaning litters. We also found females

with home ranges comprising higher proportions of forests greater than 80 years of age had an elevated

probability of denning. Managing for high rates of annual female survival and retaining older forests are key

components to the persistence and recovery of fisher populations.


ROAD MORTALITY MITIGATION: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MESH FENCING VERSUS ANIMEX FENCING

Carlos Milburn-Rodriguez; Scales Nature Park; [email protected]; Steve, M, Bega, Jeff Hathaway, Dean

Swensson, Darell Moffat, Kari Gunson, Travis McCleary

Roads built through or near wetlands cause significant mortality of reptiles and amphibians and create barriers to

migration and dispersal (Aresco 2005). Animal exclusion fencing that keeps animals off roads combined with

wildlife crossing structures can reduce these impacts. Many types of exclusion structures exist. However, little

research is known about what fencing types work best to exclude animals from roads. Therefore, the objective of

this research was to evaluate the behavioral response of amphibians and reptiles to two types of commonly used

fencing: mesh and Animex. A total of 14 turtles, 17 snakes, and 20 frogs were placed in an enclosure composed of

two sides of 0.25-inch mesh fence and two sides of Animex. Each individual animal was continuously monitored,

and its behavior, location, and interaction with the two fencing types were continuously recorded. The data were

then analyzed to calculate (1) the percentage of time an animal spent within each fence zone, (2) the number of

breaches and climbing attempts, and (3) the number of interactions (jumping, poking, clawing) with fencing.


HIGH-RESOLUTION GPS TRACKING OF HUNTERS AND BLACK-TAILED DEER IN CALIFORNIA

Alex McInturff; UC Berkeley; 1237 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA, 94107; 2054473741;

[email protected]; Kaitlyn M. Gaynor, Justin Brashares

Every year, millions of people in the United States become active participants in wildlife communities by hunting

deer. While the consequences of hunting on deer population dynamics have been well studied, we know

surprisingly little about how hunting shapes patterns of wildlife movement and behavior. Recent developments in

GPS technology now allow the collection of very high-resolution movement and activity data that can shed light on

these questions. At the 5,300 acre Hopland Research and Extension Center in northern California, we have

collected data from 360 hunters with wearing GPS units set at 5-second intervals. In collaboration with the

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), we have also begun deploying GPS collars on 20 legally

huntable black-tailed deer (O. hemionus columbianus) bucks, as well as 40 does. Collection of GPS data from both

hunters and deer support three major analyses. First, we examine whether and how deer alter their behavior and

movement during the course of the hunting season. Second, by collecting spatial data on both human predators

and prey, we examine the behavioral responses of deer to hunters in real time at an unprecedented resolution.

Finally, we use the spatial data collected from hunters and their kill sites to develop a statewide spatial model of

hunting pressure that will help CDFW improve the precision and application of its game management strategies.

Poster Session

ESTIMATING THE EFFECTS OF RESTORATION TO DENSITY OF BELDING'S SAVANNAH SPARROW (PASSERCULUS

SANDWICHENSIS BELDINGI) IN A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL WETLAND

Michael Anguiano; AECOM; 401 West A Street, #1200, San Diego, CA, 92104; 6196107654;

[email protected]; James McMorran, Sheila V. Madrak, Cindy Kinkade, Doug Gibson, Barry Lindgren,

Paul Doherty, James McMorran

The San Elijo Lagoon (SEL) Ecological Reserve located in San Diego County, California contains one of San Diego's

largest coastal wetlands and supports a number of sensitive resident and migrant avian species. The Belding's

savannah sparrow (BSSP), a California state-listed endangered species, is a non-migratory resident that nests in

dense marsh vegetation found at SEL. The SEL Restoration Project will commence December 2017 to improve

physical and ecological functions at SEL. One objective of the project is to enhance the tidal prism of SEL which

would result in loss of BSSP nesting habitat - temporary loss of greater than 50 percent and permanent loss of 15

percent. To establish a baseline density in SEL, we monitored the pre-restoration presence of BSSP during the

breeding season (March through May) and used distance sampling analyses to estimate density. These data will be

compared to monitoring data from BSSP during restoration and post-restoration to determine if restoration affects

BSSP density in SEL. It is anticipated BSSP will respond to the restoration as they do to seasonal variability, shifting

and contracting territory size to accommodate available habitat. We use specific performance standards

established a priori to evaluate the success of the restoration to BSSP density.

Poster Session

ENGAGING THE PUBLIC THROUGH A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE: CALIFORNIA NATURALISTS AND CLIMATE

STEWARDS

Adina Merenlender; University of California; 4070 University Road, Hopland, CA, 95449; 7077441424;

[email protected];

The California Naturalist Program (CalNat) is a new education program focused on communicating environmental

science across cultural boundaries. Participants become certified California Naturalists by completing a 40+ hour

course that combines classroom and field experiences in natural history, including information on plant and wildlife

communities, communication training, and community service. Survey based research from over 300 California

Naturalists from diverse ages and backgrounds revealed significant increases in participants' ecological knowledge,

scientific skills, and belief in their ability to address environmental issues. To address the need for contemporary

and locally relevant climate change science and opportunities to participate in local solutions, plans are underway

for a climate education and service program that will: (1) increase access to up-to-date climate science learning

locally relevant for California's bio-regions to improve climate literacy through a CalNat course module and

advance trainings; (2) improve self-efficacy and agency to improve science communication, civic engagement, and

conservation action on the ground; and (3) establish a community of Climate Stewards as a subset of the California

Naturalists community of practice for life-long shared learning. Ultimately, this training will prepare participants to

better engage with local climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.


EFFECTS OF DISTURBANCE ON MIGRATION BEHAVIOR OF A LARGE MIGRATORY UNGULATE

Jerrod L Merrell; University of Nevada, Reno; 11460 Silver Lane, Stagecoach, NV, 89429; 7752251857;

[email protected]; Kelley, M, Stewart, Shelley, D, Blair

Many animal species use migration behavior as an adaptive strategy to access favorable forage conditions, increase

fitness, and avoid predators. For ungulates in temperate areas migration consists of movements between high-

elevation summer range and low-elevation winter range. Anthropogenic and natural disturbance of migration

routes alters resource selection and can lead to population decline. A population of migratory mule deer

(Odocoileus hemionus) and black tail deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

navigate a range of disturbances during migration. These disturbances include recreational pressures associated

with developed campsites, OHV trails, and a hunting season that temporally overlaps the onset of migration. Sierra

Pacific Timber company (SPI) has operations in this area as does Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) with

its Upper American River hydroelectric system. Paved and unpaved roads are ubiquitous throughout this area. We

will use a Brownian Bridge Movement Model to identify the migration corridor. We will then evaluate how

movement speed and tortuosity is effected when encountering different types of disturbance patches. This is a

work-in-progress


SNOWY PLOVER NEST DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT CHANGES FOLLOWING COASTAL DUNE RESTORATION

Jamie K. Miller; Point Blue Conservation Science; 205 North H Street Suite 217, Lompoc, CA, 93436; 805-215-9881;

[email protected]; Daniel P. Robinette

Invasive plants impact coastal dune ecosystems worldwide, stabilizing dune habitat and reducing the dynamics

associated with an early successional state. Manual removal, herbicidal spray, and burning are employed to

remove invasive plants from dune habitats. Pernicious infestations may require mechanical contouring to remove

dead vegetation and extensive root systems. We assessed the effectiveness of coastal dune contouring in central

California by monitoring the nesting response of western snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), which rely on

early successional dune habitat. Two sections of beach were mechanically contoured in 2014 and 2015, opening

30.5 hectares of previously marginal habitat for nesting snowy plovers. We used a before-after-control-impact

(BACI) design to investigate changes in vegetation cover, nest distribution, nest density, and viewshed at two

contoured sites, two sites adjacent to the contoured sites, and a control site. Nest distribution clearly shifted from

adjacent sites into newly contoured sites, and nest densities overall increased at contoured sites. Vegetation cover

increased and viewshed significantly decreased following contouring, further indicating that vegetation cover was

increasing in years post-contouring. Beach contouring effectively creates early successional habitat that persists for

at least two to three years. However, maintenance through contouring is likely required at five-year intervals.


TULE ELK HABITAT SELECTION AT THE LOCAL AND LANDSCAPE SCALE

Adam S Mohr; Humboldt State University ; 628, Arcata, CA, 95501; 608-769-5980; [email protected]; Tim, T,

Bean

Tule elk are an iconic subspecies endemic to the warm, dry climate of the Central Valley in California. After

experiencing a population bottleneck of <10 individuals in the late 19th century, their populations have steadily

grown since widespread reintroduction efforts began in the 1970s. Little research has been done into tule elk

habitat selection, nor made use of GPS-collar technology and our improved understanding of resource selection

modeling. I used location data collected between 2005-2017 from GPS-collared tule elk located in and around the

Carrizo Plain National Monument to model the way elk respond to different environmental factors. I related their

locations to a variety of covariates including: vegetation type, vegetation structure, topography, grazing allotments,

solar farm installations, distance to roads, and distance to water. I compared use locations to available locations at

the local and landscape scale. My results will help managers address questions regarding spatial ecology of tule elk

and act as a blueprint for answering similar questions for other understudied elk populations.


WESTERN RED BAT (LASIURUS BLOSSEVILLII) ACTIVITY PATTERNS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Trevor A Moore; CSU Chico, Department of Biological Sciences; Holt Hall, Rm 205, Chico, CA, 95929; 5309135379;

[email protected]; Cameron Divoky, Colleen A. Hatfield , Shahroukh Mistry

Lasiurus blossevillii is a tree-roosting bat found throughout the western United States. In California, the species is

known to be present year-round in the Central Valley. However, the local seasonal migratory patterns in the state

are not well understood. The aim of this study is to examine the migratory patterns of L. blossevillii in Northern

California. Using acoustic data, we acquired the activity patterns of L. blossevillii from three different habitat types:

an agricultural area in the valley at 60m asl, canyon and ridge oak woodland at 600m, and a pine-juniper forest at

1554m. Long-term acoustic monitoring equipment was placed at each site to record nightly echolocation calls of

bats and the recordings were analyzed to identify species using SonoBat software. Lasiurus blossevilli had the

highest levels of activity during the months of June and July across all three sites, with the higher elevation pine-

juniper forest having the greatest activity. Both of the lower elevation sites retained low levels of activity

throughout the winter suggesting temperatures warm enough for occasional foraging. The agricultural site in the

valley showed a late-year increase in activity during October and November, possibly indicative of migratory

activity.

Poster Session

IDENTIFYING RESTING LOCATIONS OF SMALL, ELUSIVE, FOREST-DWELLING CARNIVORES USING GPS CLUSTERS

Katie M Moriarty; USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station; 1926 NW Lance Way, Corvallis, OR,

97330; 5303680658; [email protected]; Caylen Cummins, Bruce Hollen

Conservation of wildlife populations is aided when managers can identify and retain features correlated with

individual fitness. Fishers (Pekania pennanti) are forest-dependent carnivores that select habitat at multiple scales,

including rest and den structures (4th order selection). We collected location data intermittently at 15-minute

intervals on nine adult fishers in the Oregon Cascades from 2015-2017. We used algorithms to identify periods with

minimal movement and activity. From these clusters, we created an area that we presumed encompassed the

resting structure ("rest zone"). We tested our assumption with very high frequency (VHF) telemetry and by

randomly selecting rest zones and deploying remote cameras. Of the areas with both VHF and global positioning

system (GPS) telemetry, 42% of rest zones had a VHF identified resting structure. We photographed fishers at 92%

of the monitored rest zones. We identified 566 rest zones, 63 +/- 24 (mean +/- standard deviation) per individual

and 22.3 +/- 6.9 per individual per month. Reuse estimates were >46%, contrasting with reported estimates on five

occasions within a month, and 10% were used by >1 GPS collared fisher. Average nearest neighbor rest zones

distances were 378 meters (maximum = 2.8 kilometers). Our novel application using fine-scale GPS data provided a

complementary method to quantify the habits and habitat of an elusive forest carnivore.


THREATENED SAN CLEMENTE BELL'S SPARROW NESTS IN NEW MICRO-HABITATS AS THE ISLAND RECOVERS

FOLLOWING GOAT REMOVAL

Steven A Munoz; Institute for Wildlife Studies; 4417 McClintock Street, Apt.9, San Diego, CA, 92116; 573-330-6720;

[email protected]; Susan, Meiman, Emma, DeLeon, Melissa, A, Booker, Andrew, S, Bridges

The San Clemente Bell's sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli clementeae), a federally threatened sub-species, was thought

to nest almost exclusively in California boxthorn (Lycium californicum) habitat, which was thought to limit long-

term population viability. Recent monitoring efforts documented Bell's sparrows nesting in new habitats. We

investigated whether nest sites have similar vegetative structure and shrub cover in boxthorn habitat as in newly

occupied habitats. From 2014-2016, we sampled 215 Bell's sparrow nests and supporting habitats. We measured

shrub cover and vegetation height in a 15m radius around each nest and nest substrate height. We found shrub

cover was significantly (F2, 39.5 =16.6, P<0.001) greater surrounding nests located in sagebrush (Artemisa sp.;

mean=38.1, n=29) and boxthorn (mean=44.9, n=166) habitats than non-boxthorn/non-sagebrush (mean=25.5,

n=20) habitats. Average height of vegetation also differed (F2, 33.5=42.0, P<0.001) among habitat categories and

was highest in sagebrush (mean= 28.3cm, n=29) and lowest in boxthorn (mean=16.8cm, n=166). Nest shrubs were

significantly (F2, 35.2=22.8, P<0.001) shorter in boxthorn (mean=49.8cm, n=166) and non-boxthorn/non-sagebrush

(mean=53.6cm, n=20) habitats than in sagebrush (mean=80.9cm, n=29). Our findings reveal Bell's sparrows select

more diverse nest micro-habitats than previously thought, which may reduce vulnerability of Bell's sparrow

population to stochastic events and improve prospects for this sub-species' recovery.

Poster Session

CITIZEN SCIENCE AND SHARED PERSONAL NARRATIVES: KEYS TO COMMUNICATING SCIENCE TO DIVERSE

AUDIENCES

Lisa A Murphy; NPS - Yosemite; 712 E. Jackson St, Sonora, CA, 95370; 831-227-8923; [email protected];

Connecting data with an experiential activity and sharing personal experience narratives are powerful ways to

engage diverse audiences in science. Personal stories give people something to which they can relate. Once they

have connected through personal stories, you can engage them by sharing data. Inviting the public to become

directly involved with a project and create a shared experience is also powerful. We did just that by developing an

auditory bat monitoring citizen science project in Yosemite. We found the combination of personal experience and

shared narratives to be incredibly successful at engaging young to old across a diversity of cultures.


ON THE ROLLING BEHAVIOR OF THE MOUNT LYELL SALAMANDER: ESCAPE STRATEGY OR SCUTTLEBUTT?

Nicolette L Nelson; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst St, Arcata, CA, 95521; 2097683882; [email protected];

The Mount Lyell salamander (Hydromantes platycephalus) occupies high-elevation talus slopes in the Sierra

Nevada. Passive rolling behavior of H. platycephalus observed by Garcia-Paris and Deban (1995) was proposed as

an effective antipredator mechanism given the salamanders' rugged habitats. While the authors described

methods used to test H. platycephalus for rolling behavior, they excluded important details such as the level of

stimulus required for each salamander to roll. Therefore, I tested for the presence of rolling behavior in H.

platycephalus in situ. In order to replicate the tests performed by Garcia-Paris and Deban (1995), I placed

salamanders on a slanted surface and repeatedly tapped their heads and sides. After testing almost twice as

many H. platycephalus individuals (n=20) as Garcia-Paris and Deban (1995, n = 12), I observed 4.6 times less body

coiling (n=4) and did not witness any instances of passive rolling. I recommend additional tests to determine

whether stronger stimuli will elicit passive rolling behavior in H. platycephalus. However, I propose that the

behavior is less widespread than Garcia-Paris and Deban (1995) implied, and that it is likely an attempt to escape

from falling rocks rather than predators.


WILDLIFE PLANNING UNDER THE 2012 PLANNING RULE: KEY IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES

Peter Nelson; Defenders of Wildlife; 514 E. Cottonwood St., Bozeman, MT, 59715; 2062900267;

[email protected];

In 2012, the United States Forest Service (USFS) adopted a new land management planning rule, governing the

development, revision, and amendment of national forest plans. Detailed guidance supporting implementation of

the rule was finalized in January 2015. In addition, a national advisory committee was established to support

implementation of the planning rule to achieve social, economic, cultural, and ecological objectives. Over 20

national forests are currently revising their forest plans under the new rule. Several key implementation issues

associated with the rule's wildlife conservation standards have been identified, including the interpretation of

requirements to develop forest plan components that maintain viable populations of species of conservation

concern (SCC) and contribute to the recovery of species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Specifically, there has been considerable variation across forests in methods for determining the occurrence of SCC

on national forest lands, and differing interpretations of key decision-making criteria such as "capability to persist"

and "substantial concern." In addition, forests and stakeholders have wrestled with operationalizing complex

concepts associated with the "natural range of variation" and adaptive management. The USFS is working with

forest planning partners and the advisory committee to identify, resolve, and adapt to emerging implementation

challenges.


ANALYSIS OF ULTRASONIC BAT RECORDINGS FOR INCIDENTAL RODENT CALL DETECTIONS

David S Newton; CDFW; 1812 9th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95811; 916-833-9477; [email protected];

Katelyn P Harrison

During a two-year drought study conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, ultrasonic recordings

were collected at over 600 locations throughout the Great Valley and Mojave Desert ecoregions. These recordings

targeted chiropteran species' calls ranging from 6-125 kHz, and over three terabytes of triggered, full-spectrum

recordings were produced. During review of the data, many incidental recordings of potential rodent calls were

also observed. Given the importance of rodent species to biological communities as low-level consumers, prey, and

seed dispersers, development of techniques to discriminate these vocalizations was warranted. A representative

selection of triggered recordings were analyzed using the Kaleidoscope Pro 4.3 Cluster Analysis tool, a novel

technology that uses Hidden Markov Models to group similar acoustic signals. Clusters that best fit known rodent

vocalizations were refined and reapplied to the entire data set. Manual analysis of the results, as well as analysis of

recordings initially attributed to audible bat species, have verified rodent detections, including the genera

Onychomys and Peromyscus. Further work is necessary to expand California rodent call libraries, but with the

existing data available, the potential value of this emerging technique to detect ultrasonic and near-ultrasonic

rodents has been demonstrated.

Poster Session

ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS IN A HYBRID ZONE BETWEEN TWO SPECIES OF WOODRAT (GENUS NEOTOMA)

Danny Nielsen; University of Nevada, Reno; 1664 N, Virginia Street, Reno, NV, 89557;

[email protected]; Marjorie Matocq

Ecotones are areas of environmental transition where multiple biotic communities coincide and can provide insight

to study organismal response to environmental change. Hybrid zones occurring at such ecotones provide ideal

natural laboratories to study the mechanisms that generate and maintain biological diversity. We present research

from a hybrid zone between two species of woodrat in the genus Neotoma, and that occurs between western

Mojave Desert and southern Sierra woodland communities in southern California. Specifically, we investigated

dietary preference and spatial distribution of Neotoma lepida, Neotoma bryanti, and their respective hybrids

across a sharp ecotone in southern California where these species meet in secondary contact. We detected

differential dietary preference between these species for two different habitat-specific plant species that are

known to contain anti-herbivory properties. The spatial distribution of these two woodrat species largely

corresponded to the ecotonal boundary. However, N. lepida was present in the alternative habitat more frequently

than N. bryanti in the reciprocal habitat. Woodrats with hybrid genotypes were distributed more evenly across the

study site. Overall, we find ecological segregation in these two species of woodrat, and evidence for differential

adaptation across this sharp ecotone.


COARSE AND FINE-FILTER ASSESSMENTS UNDER THE FOREST SERVICE'S 2012 PLANNING RULE

Barry Noon; Colorado State University; 1474 Campus Delivery Attn: Dr. Barry Noon, Fort Collins, CO, 80523;

9704917905; [email protected];

Under the 2012 Planning Rule, the United States Forest Service is obligated to assess and manage for ecological

integrity as well as the viability of individual species. Effective biodiversity conservation planning requires an

appropriate balance between habitat-based, coarse-filter approaches and insights from fine-filter, species-level

assessments and monitoring. Striking a balance between coarse-filter and fine-filter assessments of biological

diversity has challenged land managers for decades. We suggest a combined coarse-filter and fine-filter approach,

with the latter focusing on monitoring threatened, at-risk, and rare species, along with a modest number of focal

species selected with complementary and comprehensive functional roles. Systematic approaches exist for

identifying and prioritizing a subset of species for fine-filter assessment and monitoring. Indirect estimates of a

species' status and trend based on its spatial distribution can provide defensible surrogate measures. Focusing on

the dynamics of species' distributions, rather than traditional measures of population size and growth rate,

increases the efficiency of broad-scale monitoring programs. Advancements in wildlife monitoring, based on

detection/non-detection data, including the use of sign surveys, genetic evaluation, and historical presence-

absence survey data decrease the cost of monitoring changes in distribution, which can be inferred from the

proportion of sample units at which species are detected.


SPATIALLY-EXPLICIT MODELING OF COMMON RAVEN DENSITY AND OCCURRENCE ACROSS SAGEBRUSH

ECOSYSTEMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR GREATER SAGE-GROUSE REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS

Shawn T. O'Neil; U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center; 800 Business Park Dr. Suite D., Dixon,

CA, 95620; 701-741-4361; [email protected]; Peter S. Coates, Brianne E. Brussee, David J. Delehanty, Pat Jackson,

Kristy B. Howe, Lee Foster, Ann Moser

Anthropogenic subsidies often contribute to population increases in generalist predators. The common raven

(Corvus corax) is a ubiquitous predator in sagebrush ecosystems and potentially contributes to reduced nest

success and recruitment in greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Ravens have expanded in distribution

and abundance, in large part due to increased resource subsidies from human infrastructure and land-use

activities. Yet, specific influential environmental covariates driving this expansion are still largely unknown. We

quantified raven density and occurrence in Great Basin sagebrush ecosystems during 2007-2016, using >15,000

point-count surveys to estimate detection probability and account for imperfect detection. We used Bayesian

hierarchical occupancy models to estimate probability of raven occurrence, conditional on natural and

anthropogenic landscape covariates. Raven occurrence across all surveys was ~0.80, and raven density commonly

exceeded 0.50 ravens per square kilometer. Raven occurrence was greatest at low elevations with open cover

types and greener vegetation and was strongly associated with agriculture, road densities, landfills, and roadside

rest areas. Raven detections also increased when livestock were present. Our results provide empirical evidence

that anthropogenic subsidies drive widespread raven occurrence throughout the Great Basin, enabling better

understanding of potential interactions between raven and sage-grouse populations across broad landscapes.


WHAT'S IN A PELLET? A DIET ANALYSIS OF DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS USING PELLETS IN SOUTH

HUMBOLDT BAY, CALIFORNIA

Karen Oakden; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst St, Arcata, CA, 95521; 9165170470; [email protected];

There are many different ways of studying diet and how the diet of certain organisms will impact different

ecosystems in the world. Studying diet can be important to understand the interactions between animals and the

world around them. The Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), is a type of seabird that subsists on

primarily fish, crustaceans, and other aquatic fauna in their foraging habitat. Recently in East Sand Island, OR there

has been evidence that assisted in the implementation of a management plan to kill and harass the cormorants at

their colony due to the cormorants eating a lot of endangered Salmonid species in that area. I have started to

conduct an overall diet analysis of Double-Crested Cormorants to determine if a management plan on cormorants

should be implemented in Humboldt Bay, CA. I have dissected pellets that the cormorants routinely regurgitated

and will be primarily focusing on the identifying the otoliths, fish ear bones, down to species to see if the

cormorants' diet consists of large proportions of endangered species in the area. This is an ongoing study that will

conclude in December of 2017.


USE OF NONINVASIVE DNA TO DETERMINE GENETIC SUBDIVISIONS AMONG ECOREGIONAL COYOTE

POPULATIONS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA

Julia D Owen; University of California, Davis; UC Davis, One Shields Ave / Old Davis Rd, Davis, CA, 95616;

6199330774; [email protected]; Cate, B, Quinn, Benjamin, N, Sacks

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are generalist predators continuously distributed in California across a wide range of

ecological landscapes. Their presence has been shown to impact population dynamics of specialist species with

more restricted distributions. Previous data from 2011-2015 suggests coyotes occupy high-elevation portions of

the Sierra Nevada range where a small population of an endangered species candidate Sierra Nevada red fox

(Vulpes vulpes necator; SNRF) occurs. However, it is unclear whether these high-elevation coyotes are part of a

stable population, or transient individuals that opportunistically move upslope during years of low snowpack. To

answer this question and determine whether the Sierra Nevada range is a significant factor structuring coyote

populations, we noninvasively collected DNA from coyotes throughout the greater Sierra Nevada region, including

the western slope, the high-elevation crest, and east side. For a wider geographic reference, we also included

samples from the western foothills and the Great Basin in Nevada. We used microsatellites to genotype the

samples and analyzed them for subdivisions related to elevation and geographic region. We discuss implications of

coyote presence and dispersal into SNRF range and propose further research steps.


VARIATION IN APPARENT SURVIVAL ESTIMATES OF WESTERN SNOWY PLOVER IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Nora C Papian; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst St, Arcata, CA, 95521; 7143266571; [email protected];

Mark A Colwell, Daniel C Barton

Survival is the most critical vital rate for population viability in birds. However, survival is difficult to study and

manage in many species, especially those that are threatened or endangered. We used mark-resight observations

of uniquely banded snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), a population listed as threatened under the federal

Endangered Species Act, to quantify seasonal and annual variation in survival. The return of individuals to non-

breeding flocks was high (75-81%) between years. Apparent survival varied seasonally, with the lowest estimates

(0.881 +/- 0.01) occurring during late winter (i.e., February-March) and highest during the breeding season (0.967

+/- 0.005). Annual apparent survival estimates were higher than previously reported for other populations along

the Pacific Coast, with estimates similar to return rates. We discuss the conservation implications of our findings in

the context of population viability and management of factors that may affect seasonal variation in survival.

Ecology and Conservation of Birds III Student Paper

EFFECTS OF FOREST MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES ON BAT HABITAT USE

Carolyn P Paul; Temple University; 1900 N 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122; 6095582581;

[email protected]; Lisa Powers, Christopher Hauer, Shannon Henry, Tim Haydt, Brent J. Sewall

Bats are currently facing a host of threats, including habitat destruction, wind power, and white nose syndrome.

With drastic population declines and impending species listings, it is imperative to gain a greater understanding of

the habitat needs of bats. Although the habitat preferences of many bat species have been well studied, it remains

unclear what impacts current forestry practices, such as prescribed fire and thinning, have on bat species

composition and richness in a managed, temperate forest community. The objective of this study is to assess the

impacts of forest management techniques on bat habitat use at Fort Indiantown Gap-National Guard Training

Center in south-central Pennsylvania. Data on forest composition, management treatments, and bat species

presence has been collected on site since 2003. Additional presence data was collected using a combination of

passive acoustic monitoring, mist-netting, and radio telemetry to examine changes in bat species composition

within different forest treatment types over time. We hypothesize that bat habitat use will positively correlate with

the use of forest management techniques. Investigating this relationship can prove beneficial to further our

understanding of bat habitat use, and to better inform land managers on best practices needed to manage bat

roosting and foraging habitats.

Poster Session

CO-PRODUCING SCIENCE TO SUPPORT CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

Kat W Powelson; California Landscape Conservation Cooperative; 3020 State University Drive East Modoc Hall,

Suite 2007 , Sacramento, CA, 95819; 916.278.9448 ; [email protected]; Claudia Mengelt, Debra

Schlafmann

The California Landscape Conservation Cooperative (CA LCC) is a management-science partnership created to

inform and promote integrated science, natural resource management, and conservation to address impacts of

climate change and other stressors within and across California's ecosystems. This novel program has spent the last

five years working to improve communication and coordination between scientists and resource managers to

enhance conservation outcomes. This presentation focuses on a collection of case studies that highlights the

diversity of challenges, strategies, and benefits of incorporating co-production of science into natural resource

conservation.


ASSESSING SELECTIVE INTROGRESSION OF NONNATIVE RED FOX GENES INTO THE GENOMIC BACKGROUND OF

THE NATIVE SACRAMENTO VALLEY RED FOX

Sophie Preckler-Quisquater; University of California, Davis; 1311 Tulane Drive, Davis, CA, 95616; 4152694018;

[email protected]; Stacy, Anderson, Michael, Buchalski, Ben, N, Sacks

The Sacramento Valley red fox (SVRF, Vulpes vulpes patwin) is endemic to the northern Central Valley of California,

and is considered a State Species of Greatest Conservation Need due to the apparent decline in abundance from

historic levels, the recognition of its low genetic effective population size (n=50), and its restricted and sparse

distribution. Along with habitat loss, hybridization with nonnative red foxes of captive-bred origin has been

identified as one of the most significant threats to the persistence of the SVRF. Through genetic monitoring (2007-

2017) and the use of microsatellite markers, we observed low level (neutral) gene flow across a stable zone of

hybridization. However, if particular genes are positively selected for across the two populations, they could be

transferred at a far greater rate than were observed for neutral genes and become fixed. Possible genes under

selection may include those associated with the nonnative population's long history in captivity (e.g. tameness), or

those conferring local adaptation in the native SVRF. Selective introgression of nonnative genes could reduce long-

term fitness of the SVRF and affect its role in the greater ecological community. Thus, we propose using a genome-

wide approach to elucidate potential candidate genes under selection in this system.


THE STATUS AND TRAJECTORY OF A REMNANT NATIVE RED FOX POPULATION IN THE CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA

Cate B Quinn; University of California, Davis; One Shields Ave / Old Davis Rd, Davis, CA, 95616; 703-489-5350;

[email protected]; Benjamin N Sacks

The small size of critically endangered populations causes them to be inherently volatile. Minor perturbations can

rapidly shift demography and genetic composition, potentially outpacing the capacity of conservation research and

management to detect and respond. Here we summarize seven years of noninvasive genetic sampling of an insular

population of Sierra Nevada red fox (Vulpes vulpes necator), estimated at <10 breeding pairs, in the central Sierra

Nevada. We used noninvasive fecal DNA approaches to monitor genetic and demographic aspects of the

population during 2010-2017, including genetic assignment, pedigree reconstruction, and temporal and spatial

capture-recapture density estimation. Notably, at the start of our study we observed no evidence of nonnative

introgression over the past century. Yet in 2012, we began detecting emigration of nonnative foxes originating

from the Great Basin region and subsequent interbreeding with native foxes. This unexpected series of events

afforded an opportunity to observe how fundamental characteristics of the population shifted following

outbreeding, including observed vital rates, density, genetic composition and diversity, and distribution limits. Our

results highlight the dynamism of small populations and the importance of maintaining long-term monitoring

programs.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals III Student Paper

FORAGING HABITAT OF BATS ACROSS MARIN COUNTY OPEN SPACES

Gabriel A Reyes; US Geological Survey; 800 Business Park Dr, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 94530; (510)207-9498;

[email protected]; Catey D Ritchie, Elizabeth M Edson, Brian J Halstead

Bat species distributions are affected by landscape level and microhabitat features that operate on many scales.

Understanding habitat characteristics that drive species richness of bats or restrict habitat suitability for certain

species may provide for opportunities to improve habitat management for bats. We conducted a multi-species

occupancy study across lands managed by four open-space agencies in Marin County, California, where 13 bat

species potentially occur. We placed acoustic detectors (Pettersson D500x) at 50 randomly selected points across

the study area, for at least seven nights per location, to examine bat occupancy in relation to landscape-level and

microhabitat covariates. Detection probabilities and occupancy varied across the region by both species-specific

characteristics (e.g., call intensity) and habitat covariates (e.g., vegetative clutter and broad habitat type).

Understanding the distributions of bat species in relation to habitat features can inform habitat management

actions to support individual species, guilds, or overall species richness across the region. Multi-species occupancy

analysis provides a powerful tool to examine the relationship between habitat covariates and bat distributions

using acoustic monitoring. Wider adoption of this method will provide a more complete understanding of how bat

communities use the landscape.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals IV

MULTI-SPECIES TO MULTI-TAXA: SIMULTANEOUSLY EVALUATING MAMMAL AND SONGBIRD DISTRIBUTIONS IN

THE MOJAVE DESERT

Lindsey N Rich; University of California, Berkeley; 6 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3114; 970-214-1442;

[email protected]; Brett Furnas, Justin Brashares, Misty Nelson, Steven R. Beissinger

Developing management strategies aimed at addressing the multitude of threats and stressors faced by wildlife

requires an empirical understanding of species' distributions and their changes over time. Consequently, in 2016,

the California Department of Fish and Wildlife initiated Terrestrial Species Stressor Monitoring (TSM) surveys

across drought-stricken regions of the state. TSM surveys collect baseline wildlife occurrence data and associations

with climate and habitat features. As part of this effort, we deployed camera traps and acoustic detectors at 218

sites across the Mojave Desert ecoregion. We used data from these sensors and multi-species occupancy models to

evaluate the distributions of 15 mammal species and 34 songbird species in the Mojave Desert. Black-tailed

jackrabbit, kit fox, black-throated sparrow, and horned lark were among the mammal and songbird species with

the highest estimated occupancies. Mammal occupancy was positively associated with artificial water provisioning

sites, and both mammal and bird communities were positively associated with elevation and negatively associated

with temperature. Our research is among the first to use multiple sensor types, both visual and acoustic, to collect

information on diverse taxa. We demonstrate the utility of this approach for monitoring biodiversity at landscape

levels and tracking management actions aimed at addressing risks to wildlife persistence.


TERN TOWN: A CASE STUDY IN SHOREBIRD RESTORATION

David L Riensche; East Bay Regional Park District, Oakland, California; 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, Ca, 94605;

510-544-2319; [email protected];

Nestled along the eastern shoreline of the San Francisco Bay is a sanctuary for three special-status birds, built by

thousands of citizen scientists. After twelve years of success, the Hayward Regional Shoreline supports the second

largest California least tern (Sternula antillarum browni) colony north of Ventura County, and it also provides

nesting habitat for the western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), black skimmer (Rynchops niger), and six

other waterbird species. Averaging 279.6 California least tern nests per hectare, "Tern Town" supports one of the

highest breeding densities of California least terns on the West Coast. Likewise, this area supports high densities of

nesting western snowy plovers, ranging from 4.1 to 32 nests per hectare. Topics to be shared during this case study

will include: island construction, substrate enhancement, social attractants, invasive noxious weed control

partnerships, implementing and managing a predator control program, reproductive trends of nesting species, diet

studies, and kleptoparasitism. Lastly, this presentation will highlight the trials, triumphs, and teaching approaches

that have communicated science to the public, policy makers, and peers, while generating more than 25,000 hours

of volunteer help to assist in the recovery of these endangered and threatened birds.


DIET TRENDS AND NESTING SUCCESS OF TWO SYMPATRIC TERNS BREEDING IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY

David L Riensche; East Bay Regional Park District; 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA, 94605; 510-544-2319;

[email protected]; Meredith L. Elliott, Sarah K. Riensche, Rebekah E. Riensche, Brittany N. Pace, Andrew. W.

P. Taylor

The Hayward Regional Shoreline, located along the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, provides nesting habitat

for two sympatric terns. The endangered California Least Tern nests in close proximity with a newly established

Forster's Tern colony. Their diets overlap slightly. Kleptoparasitism by the larger Forster's Terns on California Least

Terns has been observed at this location. Diet trend data, gathered by collecting dropped fish at both species'

colonies in 2015 and 2016 showed they forage on members of the Gobiidae (gobies), Engraulidae (anchovies),

Cyprinidae (goldfish) and Atherinopsidae (silversides) families. Statistical analysis using two-sample t-tests and chi-

squared goodness-of-fit tests showed a significant difference between their diets, with silversides making up a

much larger portion of the California Least Terns prey. To understand the effect of kleptoparasitism by Forster's

Terns on California Least Terns, reproductive success data was collected at both colonies. Statistical analysis using

unpaired t-tests revealed no significant difference in nesting or fledgling success between these two colonies.

While kleptoparasitism may affect the individual fitness of a single bird in terms of time and energy spent avoiding

parasitism, there is no statistical evidence indicating aerial "piracy" by Forster's Terns has resulted in negative

effects on California Least Terns due to reduced food availability to their chicks, or their reproductive productivity

at this site.

Poster Session

PACIFIC MARTEN (MARTES CAURINA) REPRODUCTIVE CHRONOLOGY IN THE LASSEN NATIONAL FOREST,

CALIFORNIA

Alyssa M Roddy; U.S. Forest Service Research Participation Program, ORISE; PO BOX 424, Westwood, CA, 96137;

5135324032; [email protected]; Katie M. Moriarty, Matthew S. Delheimer

Reproductive success is crucial to the persistence of wildlife, yet the timing of critical reproductive periods (i.e.,

giving birth to and rearing dependent young) may be unknown for cryptic species. Our objective was to describe

reproductive chronology (natal den initiation, litter size, kit development) and characteristics of reproductive

structures (natal dens, maternal dens, and maternal rest structures) of female Pacific martens (Martes caurina).

We used VHF telemetry and remote cameras to monitor 6 martens over 2 reproductive periods (2016 and 2017) in

the Lassen National Forest, California. Of 8 reproductive attempts by 6 individuals, 86% were successful. Natal den

initiation occurred between 21 April and 13 May with litter sizes of 1.8 ±.69 (x ±SD) kits. Martens used 7.8 ±2.1

reproductive structures and stayed at natal dens longest (19.4 ±15.5 days). Martens exclusively used live trees and

snags (103.4 ±19.9 cm diameter) with cavity microsites for natal dens. Kits moved freely by mid June (~44 days),

traveled independently by late July (~82 days), and started to disperse by mid-September. We suspect the most

vulnerable period for kit development occurred from den initiation to independent travel (late April-late-July). Our

research may provide forest managers with baseline information for minimizing disturbance to a sensitive wildlife

species.

Poster Session

DISEASE THREAT POSED BY NON-NATIVE COLUMBIDS IN CALIFORNIA

Krysta H Rogers; California Deptment of Fish and Wildlife; 1701 Nimbus Road, Suite D, Rancho Cordova, CA, 95670;

9163581662; [email protected]; Asli Mete, Beate Crossley

Eurasian collared-dove (Streptopelia decaocto), a non-native columbid, has established populations throughout the

United States since it was introduced in Florida in the 1980s. Pigeon paramyxovirus-1 (PPMV1) first emerged in

collared-doves in Florida in 2001, causing mass mortality of collared-doves. Since 2009, similar outbreaks

(sometimes also affecting native doves) were reported in eight states. In 2014, mortality events involving collared-

doves were reported in Riverside County, California. Affected doves displayed neurological symptoms. Post-

mortem exams revealed encephalitis and renal necrosis. Pigeon paramyxovirus-1 was confirmed by polymerase

chain reaction (PCR) and sequence analysis. Subsequent outbreaks have been confirmed in four and suspected in

three counties during 2015 and 2016. Additionally, in 2016, PPMV1 was confirmed in non-native rock pigeons

(Columba livia) in Sacramento County. In 2017, outbreaks in collared-doves were confirmed in seven and suspected

in three counties, reaching northern California. Dead native mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) were reported at

two locations. PPMV1 was not detected by PCR in one mourning dove, and the cause of death remains

undetermined. While collared-dove and rock pigeon populations are not expected to be impacted by these

diseases, they may pose a threat to declining populations of native columbids. We recommend monitoring native

and non-native columbids for PPMV1 and other pathogens.

Wildlife Health and Disease Ecology

INTEGRATING CAPTURE-MARK-RECAPTURE AND INDIVIDUAL GROWTH MODELS REVEALS SIZE-DEPENDENT

SURVIVAL IN AN ELUSIVE SNAKE

Jonathan P Rose; Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey; 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D,

Dixon, CA, 95620; 530-669-5078; [email protected]; Glenn D. Wylie, Michael L. Casazza, Brian J. Halstead

Estimating survival for many species is difficult because recapture rates are low, and the fate of marked individuals

is often unknown. Low recapture rates also make it difficult to evaluate the importance of individual and

environmental covariates for survival. Individual covariates such as size are challenging to include in capture-mark-

recapture models because the state of the individual is unknown when it is not captured. We integrated a von

Bertalanffy growth model with a robust-design Cormack-Jolly-Seber model to test for a relationship between body

size and survival in the threatened giant gartersnake, Thamnophis gigas. We estimated the size of an individual

when it was not captured using a Bayesian model, which fully propagates uncertainty in this unobserved covariate.

We found clear support for a positive relationship between snake size and annual survival. Survival increased with

size up to a peak for adult snakes and declined slightly for the largest individuals. Survival of giant gartersnakes was

also positively related to the abundance of fish and the cover of emergent and floating vegetation at a site. Our

results have implications for the management of this threatened species and illustrate the utility of hierarchical

Bayesian models to the study of survival in elusive species.


GROWTH RATE VARIATION AMONG JUVENILE CHINOOK SALMON COHORTS DUE TO REARING CONDITIONS

Elianna Y Rosenthal; California State University, Fresno ; 5241 N Maple, Fresno , CA, 93740; 651-767-2864;

[email protected]; Dr. Steve Blumenshine

The construction of Friant Dam and its water diversion canals in 1942 has caused degradation of extended portions

of the San Joaquin River (SJR), and has eliminated one of the largest Chinook salmon runs on the West Coast.

Water diversions mainly for agricultural purposes resulted in reduced flows to the SJR, causing stretches of the San

Joaquin River to run dry. The anadromous life cycle of salmon is dependent on a connected river for migration. The

San Joaquin River Restoration Program was created in 2006 to mitigate the negative effects. To ensure successful

Chinook reintroduction into the SJR, it is crucial to know the optimum diet and hydrological conditions for fish

growth to create a sustainable population. Fish growth rates from otoliths are useful integrators of habitat

conditions. How different river hydrology influences growth rates of SJR cohorts from 2014 and 2016 will be

compared. Juvenile Chinook growth rates will also be compared to other populations, including from the adjacent

Merced River. Growth rates of juveniles from the Salmon Interim Research Facility in Friant were also processed to

serve as a control with known parameters. This information can help us inform bioenergetics models for SJR

population and water policy management.


COMPARISON OF NICHES OF THREE SYMPATRIC HIGH-ELEVATION GROUND-DWELLING SQUIRRELS

Aviva J Rossi; University of California, Davis; 1088 Academic Surge, One Sheilds Ave., Davis, CA, 95616; 415-295-

2290; [email protected]; Robert Klinger, Dirk Van Vuren

Species that overlap in physical space are often separated along niche space parameters. We evaluated the niche

space of three sympatric high-elevation ground-dwelling squirrels, yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris),

Belding's ground squirrel (Urocitellus beldingi), golden-mantled ground squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis). Our

survey area encompassed the alpine and subalpine region of the Sierra Nevada in California, from Alpine County to

the southern end of Inyo County. We used Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) to quantify multivariate niche by

an index of marginality and specialization, along access several climate and habitat variables. This allowed us to

identify which of those variables are important predictors of each species presence. We also compared species use

of niche space, as well as identified areas of niche space overlap and differentiation between the three considered

species. This poster presents the results of the ENFA.


IDENTIFYING ECOLOGICAL TRAPS FOR TARGETED PINYON-JUNIPER REMOVAL IN GREATER SAGE-GROUSE

HABITAT

Cali L Roth; U.S. Geological Survey; 800 Business Park Drive Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620; 330-592-9319;

[email protected]; Peter S. Coates, K. Ben Gustafson, Mark A. Ricca, Michael P. Chenaille

Pinyon (Pinus monophylla) and juniper (Juniperus osteosperma, J. occidentalis) trees (pinyon-juniper) have

increased significantly in the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems of the Great Basin since the late 1800s. This

expansion represents a primary threat to sagebrush obligate species, including the Greater Sage-grouse

(Centrocercus urophasianus, sage-grouse), an important indicator species repeatedly considered for listing under

the Endangered Species Act. Recent research has shown that even scattered trees (i.e., cover < 2%) in otherwise

intact sagebrush negatively impacts lek persistence and sage-grouse survival, especially in productive higher

elevation habitats that are important for brood-rearing. Such areas may function as ecological traps that convey

attractive resources but adversely affect population vital rates, and could be prioritized for pinyon-juniper removal.

We identified ecological traps across the entire range of sage-grouse habitat in Nevada and California by

intersecting areas of high productivity as defined by soil temperature and moisture regimes with <10% pinyon-

juniper cover using a unique object-based image analysis derived, 1-m resolution percent canopy cover conifer

classification product. We prioritized sites for pinyon-juniper removal by overlaying ecological traps with areas of

high-index value for sage-grouse that provide managers with a maps identifying targeted removal zones that could

be highly beneficial to sage-grouse.

Poster Session

LONG-TERM AQUATIC MONITORING OF STREAM-BREEDING AMPHIBIANS OF THE GEYSERS REGION OF SONOMA

AND LAKE COUNTIES

Brian T. Pittman; ESA; 1425 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, CA, 94954; 707.795-0900 ; [email protected]; Liza

Ryan, Mike Podlech, Liza Ryan

Aquatic monitoring of fish and amphibians in The Geysers region of Lake and Sonoma Counties was initiated in past

decades to monitor in-stream fisheries health and water quality within an active geothermal field. Since 1998, six

stream reaches have been studied in the Bear Canyon/West Ford Flat (BC/WFF) area in Lake County and six

reaches in the Squaw Creek/Big Sulphur Creek aquatic monitoring program in Sonoma County. The six BC/WFF

sites were within the footprint of the 2015 Valley Fire in Lake County. Data are collected in late summer on stream

flow rates, stream condition, temperature, conductivity, contaminants, and benthic macroinvertebrates, in

addition to fish and amphibian population sampling. Population data on foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii)

and California giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus) have been collected since 1999 using standard

electrofishing methods, and will be collected on an ongoing basis. Our findings indicate consistent habitat use by

in-stream amphibian populations despite changes in the physical environment, including canopy changes due to

fire and reduced flow regimes in response to drought. In the future, they will allow us to examine responses to

altered habitat and water quality conditions following severe fire.

Poster Session

GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A RECENTLY ESTABLISHED COYOTE POPULATION IN SAN FRANCISCO

Camilo J Sanchez; UC Davis; 2718 Anza Ave., Davis, CA, 95616; 5304003865; [email protected]; Katherine

Marquez, Stevi L Vanderzwan, Ben N Sacks

Though coyotes have historically populated San Francisco, they have been absent in the city for the last 75 years.

As recently as 2003, however, coyotes began to repopulate the Presidio and other parks, possibly linking the

genetically distinct populations of coyotes living to the north and south. Radiotelemetry and genetic studies

confirmed the earliest colonists dispersed across the Golden Gate Bridge from Marin County. In this study, we

sequenced (mtDNA) and genotyped (microsatellites) canid fecal samples collected in the San Francisco parks in

2007-2008 as part of a citizen science initiative to determine the following: (1) proportion that were dog versus

coyote, (2) genetic diversity of coyotes, (3) minimum number of founders. Mitochondrial sequencing identified 32

dog and 15 coyote samples. Of the coyote samples, we identified two cytochrome b haplotypes. Based on

microsatellites, we will address questions 2 and 3 above.


PLANNING FOR SPECIES CONSERVATION IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

Sarah C Sawyer; US Forest Service; 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA, 94592; 7079808651; [email protected];

Together with partners, the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service is in the process of

compiling science (Conservation Assessments) and developing conservation measures (Conservation Strategies) for

two old-forest dependent species of conservation interest: Pacific fisher and California spotted owl. The goal is to

use compiled scientific information and proposed conservation measures, as part of a broader ecological

framework, to plan for effective and adaptive species conservation in the development of forest management

plans and activities. This complex endeavor has been made even more challenging by: (1) rapidly changing

environmental conditions (extended extreme drought and resulting tree mortality), (2) rapidly evolving and

incomplete scientific information (the majority of information comes from fire-excluded habitats as an era of

mega-fires gets underway), and (3) perceived tradeoffs between long-term ecosystem integrity and diversity

conservation/sustainability (coarse filter) and near-term species needs (fine-filter). This talk will discuss some of

the challenges and initial lessons learned in this ongoing conservation planning effort.


ROLE OF LAND BANKING IN COMPENSATORY MITIGATION FOR LOSS OF BAT HABITAT IN CALIFORNIA

Robert Schell; WRA, Inc.; [email protected]; Ben Guillon

Conservation banks have played an important role in California to offset impacts on federally and state-regulated

species and resources. Over the last 20 years, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has approved nearly

80 banks, which provide convenient and efficient mitigation solutions for project proponents. These banks are as

biologically diverse as they are geospatially distributed. They are preserved in perpetuity and endowed for

management and monitoring. Creation of long-lived bat roost habitat at existing and future banks, within the

matrix of high-quality open spaces, could provide solutions for loss of regional roosting resources. Although

impacts to terrestrial species and habitats are readily quantifiable (e.g., acres, linear feet, etc.), quantifying impacts

to roosting resources is more complicated, and forming consensus around possible crediting schema has proven

difficult. I invite the Western Bat Working Group to weigh in on this issue to determine if land banking could play a

role in the conservation of bats in California.

Bat Mitigation

USING CONSPECIFIC SONGS AS A SPECIES RESTORATION TECHNIQUE FOR WILLOW FLYCATCHERS

Lynn N Schofield; Institute for Bird Populations; PO Box 1346, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956; 612-799-8630;

[email protected]; Helen L Loffland, Rodney B Siegel, Chris Stermer

Willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) populations have been in decline across California since before formal

surveys were initiated in the 1970s. The California population is currently below 500 pairs. Population declines

continue despite extensive conservation efforts, partially because willow flycatchers rarely recolonize sites once

they have been extirpated, regardless of apparent habitat suitability. This may be because prospecting willow

flycatchers assess habitat suitability by the presence of conspecifics, making them unlikely to consider unoccupied

habitat as potential breeding grounds. If true, broadcasting conspecific vocalizations at unoccupied sites could help

facilitate recolonization. During the 2016 and 2017 breeding seasons, we conducted an experiment to assess the

effectiveness of this technique as a means of restoring willow flycatchers to suitable, unoccupied habitat. We

compared recolonization rates at experimental sites where conspecific songs were broadcast during the settlement

and breeding periods and at control sites where no broadcasts took place. We observed willow flycatchers at five

of fourteen experimental sites during the breeding season and at one of fifteen control sites. These results suggest

that broadcasting conspecific songs may be an effective way to encourage willow flycatcher recolonization where

habitat has been restored.


BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC EFFECTS ON COFFEE BERRY BORER (HYPOTHENEMUS HAMPEI) ABUNDANCE AND

DISTRIBUTION ON COFFEE FARMS IN KENYA

Sarah L Schooler; Humboldt State University; 750 Bayside Road, Arcata, CA, 95521; 6086984770;

[email protected]; Tim Bean, Matt Johnson

The coffee berry borer (CBB; Hypothenemus hampei) is the costliest pest for coffee production worldwide, costing

more than $500 million annually. Though CBB infestation rates are lower in shade-grown coffee than sun-grown

coffee, it is unclear if this trend is due to abiotic factors or predation pressure. Extensive research in East Africa has

shown that temperature significantly influences CBB presence and population growth, supporting bottom-up

control of CBB abundance. However, in the neo-tropics, bird and ant predation have significant impacts on CBB

populations, and avian insectivore richness is higher in shade than in sun, indicating top-down control. It is

unknown if birds and ants consume CBB in East Africa. To provide solutions for coffee farmers in the future with a

changing climate, it is crucial to determine exactly what restricts CBB abundance, severity and distribution. I plan to

sample bird, CBB, and ant populations on sun and shade coffee farms across an elevation gradient in Kiambu

County, Kenya in winter 2017. I will use combination mechanistic and correlative spatial models to determine

which factors determine CBB infestation and abundance. Once these interactions are fully understood, we can

predict the effects of CBB on coffee into the future.


DEVELOPING AND VALIDATING A QPCR ASSAY FOR THE THREATENED CALIFORNIA RED-LEGGED FROG (RANA

DRAYTONII)

Gregg Schumer; Genidaqs; 3300 Industrial Blvd., Suite 100, West Sacramento, CA, 95691; 916-231-1681;

[email protected]; Robert Schell, WRA, Inc.

California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii, CRLF) is a visually evasive species living at low densities, which results in

low detection probability using standard field survey methods such as traps or visual encounter surveys. The loss of

historical habitat for CRLFÂ has resulted in extirpations or serious declines throughout its former range.

Management actions are sub-optimal if current distribution and occupancy information is unreliable. Enhancing

survey method sensitivity would improve compliance monitoring and recovery planning for the species under the

Endangered Species Act. We designed and validated a species-specific diagnostic qPCR assay for identifying a 61bp

fragment of the Cytochrome B (CytB) mitochondrial gene of CRLF. The CytB CRLF qPCR assay specificity was shown

to reliably detect CRLF DNA and not amplify or cross react with DNA from other species of Rana, includingÂ R.

luteiventris, R. pretiosa, R. aurora, and R. cascadae. We tested several environmental DNA (eDNA) samples from

sites with documented CRLF populations. Samples from sites with known CRLF occupation tested positive for CRLF

DNA. Samples from sites with no documented CRLF and negative field controls were negative for CRLF DNA. The

CytB CRLF qPCR-based DNA species specific detection coupled with eDNA sampling methods provide a means to

obtain critical population metrics from this otherwise cryptic and hard to study organism.


COMPARING INDICES AND ADVANCED MODELS FOR DETECTING POPULATION TRENDS FROM MARK-RECAPTURE

DATA FOR ISLAND DEER MICE (PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS) OVER TWO DECADES

Catherin A Schwemm; Institute for Wildlife Studies; PO Box 133, Tomales, CA, 94971; 805-258-9328;

[email protected]; Charles Drost, John Orrock, Thomas Stanley, Timothy Coonan

Mark-recapture methods are commonly used to estimate abundance and density of wild animal populations.

Advanced statistical models have been developed to analyze mark-recapture data, but for several reasons these

models may not be appropriate for all long-term monitoring programs. For example, while in many cases wildlife

monitoring programs are staffed by very experienced field personnel, agencies often do not have consistent access

to people proficient in advanced modeling techniques. In this study, we investigated whether a simple population

index, easily generated from mark-recapture field data, might be sufficient for determining long-term trends of

deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) populations on the California Channel Islands. Using mark-recapture data

from five sites that span 18 years, we compared density estimates obtained from several commonly used mark-

recapture models and further compared these estimates to index counts. Densities calculated by the models and

the index showed similar patterns of population variation and trend over time for all five sites. For long-term

population monitoring and communication purposes, our findings suggest that the use of a simple index may

provide adequate understanding of population changes in island deer mice, and we present examples of how our

results have contributed to a greater understanding of island ecology.


EVALUATING THE SPECIES DISTRIBUTION FOR THE GIANT KANGAROO RAT (DIPODOMYS INGENS)

Alyssa Semerdjian; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst St, Arcata, CA, 95521; 8583427474;

[email protected]; Tim, Bean

Understanding a species' range is fundamental to enacting effective management strategies. This is especially

relevant when it comes to the protection and recovery of endangered species. The giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys

ingens) (GKR), an endangered keystone species endemic to California's central valley is an example of a species

with a range in need of clarification. The currently accepted range map, drawn in 1992, covers the two largest GKR

populations as well as some smaller populations that are not well studied. In the 25 years since this map was no

one has formally assessed whether changes have occurred at the boundaries or investigated the status of potential

populations at the center of the GRK range. This study assesses the current distribution for GKR, including areas

that have so far received very little attention. These methods include surveys using satellite imagery, manned and

unmanned flight surveys, non-invasive transect surveys and traditional live-trapping. This poster will feature the

findings of each of these survey techniques and the range map that is created when they are combined.


SHRINKING GIANTS? ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL FOR CLIMATE DRIVEN MORPHOMETRIC CHANGE IN THE GIANT

KANGAROO RAT (DIPODOMYS INGENS)

Alyssa Semerdjian; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst St, Arcata, CA, 95521; 8583427474;

[email protected]; Ivy Widick, Tim Bean, Laura Prugh

It is generally agreed that there are three ways that species can react to drastic environmental change. They can

move with the conditions that are suitable for them, adapt to meet the new conditions, or go extinct. Whether a

species can shift spatially or morphologically is an important question for anyone interested in predicting how

species will respond to climate change. An increasing number of studies have documented changes in rodent body

size corresponding to changes in climate, which has important implications for the behavioral and physiological

processes of those species. The giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingnes, GKR) is a grassland specialist that occurs in

areas with very specific temperature and precipitation ranges. Due to its specific habitat needs and small range

ringed by agriculture and oil fields, a distribution shift is not likely for the GKR. If the GKR is to persist under climate

change, morphological changes may be necessary. To assess whether GKR is undergoing measurable change, I will

use museum specimens spanning 100 years and GKR live-trapping data collected over a period of 10 years to

assess whether GKR body size has responded to short- and long-term climate shifts.

Wildlife and Climate Change Student Paper

EFFECTS OF GPS TRACKING DEVICES ON SAGE-GROUSE SURVIVAL

John P. Severson; U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center; 1100 Valley Road, Reno, NV, 89512;

530-908-2546; [email protected]; Brian G. Prochazka, Peter S. Coates, Mark A. Ricca

Understanding the effects that wildlife researchers have on their study animals is crucial to interpreting the results

of the studies and implementing conservation actions based on those results. The increased use of global

positioning system (GPS) tracking devices on greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in recent years has

contributed to our understanding of fine-scale movements and habitat use compared with the traditionally-used

very high frequency (VHF) transmitters. However, GPS units differ from VHF units in ways that may negatively

affect grouse behavior and survival and therefore yield biased results. We evaluated differences in seasonal

survival in >1000 sage-grouse marked with VHF and GPS tracking devices throughout their distribution in California

and Nevada. We observed decreased survival for GPS-marked birds compared to VHF-marked birds for both sexes,

all age classes, and all seasons. This difference was likely related to features of the GPS units that include greater

weight, a rump-mount harness attachment, and a reflective solar panel, all of which may increase an animal's

susceptibility to predation. While GPS units produce useful movement data, we recommend that grouse marked

with currently available GPS packages not be used in demographic analyses. Future research should assess new

designs that reduce negative impacts on sage-grouse and limit biased results.


INTEGRATING MACHINE-LEARNING WITH CLASSICAL WILDLIFE RESOURCE SELECTION ANALYSES

Kevin T Shoemaker; University of Nevada, Reno; 1664 N. Virginia St, mail stop 186, Reno, NV, 89557; 7756827449;

[email protected]; Levi J. Heffelfinger, Nathan J. Jackson, Marcus E. Blum, Tony Wasley, Kelley M.

Stewart

Resource selection functions (RSFs) are tremendously valuable tools for ecologists and resource managers because

they quantify spatial patterns in use of resources by wildlife, thereby facilitating identification of critical habitat

areas and characterizing habitat features that are selected or avoided. RSFs discriminate between used and

available resource units based on an array of environmental features and are generally performed using logistic

regression. However, logistic regression has some notable limitations, such as difficulties accommodating non-

linear relationships and complex interactions. Increasingly, ecologists are turning to flexible machine-learning

methods to overcome these limitations. We investigated the seasonal resource selection patterns of mule deer

(Odocoileus hemionus) by pairing a logistic regression analysis with random forest (RF), a popular machine-learning

algorithm. RF models detected strong non-linear relationships and complex, non-linear interactions that would

otherwise have been difficult to discover and characterize. RF models exhibited improved predictive skill versus

linear models and provided unique insights about resource selection patterns. We recommend that researchers

harness the strengths of machine learning tools in addition to "classical" tools like logistic regression for evaluating

wildlife resource selection patterns.


IMPACT OF NESTING MICROHABITAT AND FORAGING HABITAT ON COLONY LOCATIONS OF THE NORTHERN

BLACK SWIFT (CYPSELOIDES NIGER BOREALIS)

Alex J Single; California State University, Fresno; 311 Cherry Lane, Clovis, CA, 93612; 559-908-9893;

[email protected]; Kim Potter, Caroline Gunn, Tricia Van Laar

The northern black swift (Cypseloides niger borealis) is an insectivorous bird which nests in small colonies in

western North America. Previous research has focused almost entirely on nesting locations, and foraging habitat is

largely unresearched due to the difficulty of detecting foraging black swifts. We conducted focused black swift

surveys in the southern Sierra Nevada and collected records from previous surveys in Colorado. During these

surveys we collected data on six aspects of black swift nesting microhabitat: Water flow, vertical relief, aerial

access, shade, nesting niches, and moss cover. Scores for each of these variables were summed to provide a total

microhabitat score. We also summed the total area covered by standing water and wetlands within five kilometers

of each colony, as standing water and wetlands are a major source of prey in the form of emergent insects. These

two scores were used as independent variables in a logistic regression to determine their relative effect on the

occurrence of black swifts at each colony. Our results suggest that foraging habitat is not a driver of nesting site

selection, but further data should be collected including radio telemetry data from breeding black swifts.


HABITAT MEDIATES INTERACTIONS BETWEEN HUMBOLDT MARTENS AND BOBCATS: EVIDENCE FROM DIET,

HABITAT SELECTION, AND GRADIENTS IN LANDSCAPE COMPOSITION

Keith M Slauson; US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station; 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, CA, 95521;

707-825-2931; [email protected];

Humboldt marten (Martes caurina humboldtensis) research has focused on direct effects of habitat to meet daily

needs (rest structures) and annual needs (home ranges). However, indirect effects influencing sensitive

demographic characteristics can affect populations. Bobcats are an important marten predator, and survival most

influences marten population growth. Using multiple lines of evidence, I retrospectively evaluated the role habitat

plays in indirectly mediating marten-bobcat interactions. Important marten prey such as chipmunks and tree

squirrels are associated more with mature, late seral forests with dense shrub cover, whereas important bobcat

prey such as woodrats and rabbits are associated with early seral forests. Martens select large patches of late seral

forest or serpentine habitat with dense shrub layers. Bobcats select for early seral forests (<30 years old) and are

nearly absent in landscapes where early seral habitat in lacking. Where martens and bobcats co-occur, and where

~25% of the landscape consisted of early seral forest, bobcats killed 45% of martens monitored over a two-year

period. Where early seral stands increased to >50% of the landscape over time, marten distribution contracted.

These results suggest landscape composition mediates interactions between these species by affecting their

distributions, increasing marten predation when bobcats are present, and reducing marten survival and

distribution in landscapes increasingly composed of younger stands.


HUMAN DIVERSITY: WHAT IS IT AND WHY DOES IT MATTER TO YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WILDLIFE

CONSERVATION EFFORTS?

Katie Smith; UC Davis, CDFW; 1328 Empire Street, Fairfield, CA, 94533; 530-400-7729; [email protected];

What do financial institutions like the World Bank, government institutions like the National Institutes of Health,

prestigious universities like Yale University, and The Wildlife Society have in common? They all understand the

immense value of human diversity in the workplace and beyond. With diversity getting so much buzz lately, you

may be wondering why it should matter to you. From making businesses more profitable, to curing more diseases,

to saving more endangered species, a diverse workforce gets the job done faster and better. By spotting each

other's blind spots, providing creative ideas and perspectives, and connecting with stakeholders, a diverse team is

more effective. And while The Wildlife Society is working to improve diversity throughout our organization, we

have a lot of work to do. Check out this talk to learn about diversity in our organization, hear examples of how

diversity improves wildlife conservation, and learn tools to diversify and improve your own work.

Communicating Science to Diverse Audiences Student Paper

SITE SELECTION IN A POPULATION MONITORING PROGRAM FOR TOWNSEND'S BIG-EARED BATS: DOES CAVE

MORPHOLOGY PREDICT ABUNDANCE OF HIBERNATING BATS?

Katrina J. Smith; Humboldt State University; 1 Harpst Street , Arcata, CA, 95521; [email protected]; Daniel C.

Barton, David A. Riggs

Efficient sampling of a large proportion of a population is a key feature of a powerful trend monitoring program.

Here, we use adaptive sampling to revise a monitoring program for Townsend's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus

townsendii) hibernating in volcanic caves at Lava Beds National Monument in northeastern California. Although

dozens of known cave hibernacula are surveyed annually, additional effort to locate new hibernation sites is

limited by the number (n = 423) of unsurveyed caves. Abundance of bats within hibernacula is negatively

correlated with cave temperature (n = 31 caves over 4 years), but comprehensive temperature measurement is not

feasible for so many caves. Instead, we investigated the connection between cave morphology and microclimate to

identify caves with cold, stable temperatures potentially used by hibernating bats. We built and validated a model

using direct measurements of cave morphology (trench depth, entrance area, passage constriction area) to predict

bat abundance and assessed model performance at a coarser scale, assigning cave types (bridge, surface tube,

talus, and lava tube). Hibernacula surveys completed in January 2018 will validate the predictive model, potentially

influencing site selection for future surveys. Improvement in power and efficiency of bat population monitoring is

critical to understanding potential impacts of the fatal disease white-nose syndrome.


WHY IS THERE A LEAD POISONING THREAT FOR CALIFORNIA CONDORS EVEN AFTER THE LEAD AMMUNITION

BAN?

Mike M Stake; Ventana Wildlife Society; 19045 Portola Drive Suite F-1, Salinas, CA, 93908; 8318007423;

[email protected]; Kelly, J, Sorenson, Joe, Burnett

The prospects of recovery for California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) improved when legislation banned the

use of lead ammunition within their California range in 2008. Yet, lead poisoning remains a threat to condors.

While hunters in California are transitioning to copper ammunition, some shooters are challenged by inconsistent

availability of non-lead .22 long rifle (LR) ammunition, commonly used by ranchers to control vermin. Condors

regularly scavenge on private ranches in central California, where they find rancher-shot ground squirrel and

coyote carcasses. In 2012, we discovered a .22-caliber lead bullet in the digestive tract of a lead-poisoned condor,

supporting the role of vermin shooting as a continued source of lead poisoning. Currently, only one non-lead .22 LR

brand is available, and it has been difficult to find in local stores. Access to this product will be further limited when

the California Safety For All Act requires face to face transactions, thereby restricting internet sales. While we

facilitate access to non-lead .22 LR by giving hundreds of free boxes to local landowners, the long-term success of

the lead ban in eliminating the lead threat will depend on a greater selection and more consistent availability of .22

LR ammunition.


WESTERN YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO NEST SITE SELECTION IN THE SOUTH FORK KERN RIVER VALLEY

Patti J Wohner; Southern Sierra Research ; 7872 Fay Ranch Road, Weldon, CA, 93283; [email protected];

Jenna E Stanek, Jenna Stanek

The western distinct population segment of the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus, YBCU) has shown

steady declines resulting in listing as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Although a recovery

plan has not yet been developed, the proposed listing decision states that the main threats to YBCU is habitat loss

and degradation. The once thriving South Fork Kern River Valley (KRV) population of YBCU has recently seen

dramatic declines, possibly due to forest maturation and concomitant lack of early successional stage nesting

habitat and prolonged drought. We received funding to enhance maturing riparian forest in the KRV and expect to

continue managing for high quality habitat in the future. To provide guidelines for enhancing riparian forest for

YBCU, we compared 11 years of historical (1985-1996) YBCU nest site vegetation data in the KRV (n = 95) with

available vegetation data using logistic regression in a Bayesian framework. Selection analyses based on high

quality sites elsewhere in the western United States have determined that nest site selection is positively

correlated with medium sized trees (8-inch diameter at breast height) and willow density. YBCU selected similar

nest site characteristics in the KRV and we will use results of this analysis to plan future restoration.


USING AUTOMATED BIRD RECORDERS TO DETERMINE DIFFERENCES IN BIRD OCCUPANCY OF FOUR

SILVICULTURE TREATMENTS IN A POST-FIRE SETTING

Anastasia M Stanish; CAL FIRE; 6105 Airport Road, Redding, CA, 96002; [email protected];

(Jeff Davis approved edits to abstracts due to Sonoma Fire impact on getting paper polished in time) Forest fires

play an important ecological role for California's wildlife. However, in recent years, high severity wildfires have

become uncharacteristically large, severe, and spatially contiguous. Forest managers utilize salvage harvesting as a

mechanism to recover the value of timber lost to these fires and to prepare the area for restocking with conifer

seedlings. Past studies have shown that there is an increase in cavity-nesting, insectivorous bird species such as

woodpeckers in post-fire landscapes. California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been operating passive bird

recorders as part of the Eco-Regional Biodiversity Monitoring project to determine occupancy and diversity of bird

species across large geographic landscapes in northern California for several years and, more recently, broadly

across the State. CAL FIRE's study complements that work by focusing on collecting baseline bird occurrence and

diversity for stands subject to different disturbance and/or management treatments following wildfire, with the

goal of determining if significant differences exist between treatments. This study utilizes four replicates in four

different silviculure stand types on Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest (BMDSF), located in Lake County in

the northern part of the California Coast Range.

Poster Session

DIFFERENTIATION OF RELICT POPULATIONS OF THE ENDANGERED GIANT KANGAROO RAT PREDATES

AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION IN THE SAN JOAQUIN DESERT

Mark Statham; UC Davis; One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616; 5307547932; [email protected]; Tim Bean,

Nathan Alexander, Mike Westphal, Ben Sacks

The endangered giant kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ingens, GKR) is a keystone species restricted to the San Joaquin

Desert of California, whose range has been reduced to 3% of historical, largely due to habitat loss to irrigated

agriculture. The main remaining populations of the GKR are divided into two distinct and fragmented populations

150 km apart: the northern GKR of the Ciervo-Panoche natural area and the southern GKR of the Carrizo Plain. To

aid in conservation efforts we sought to understand the demographic history of the species, the historical

relationship between the major remaining populations, and to determine how the genetic diversity of the species

is partitioned across the range. We set out to achieve this by examining >275 GKR at two mitochondrial DNA

regions (>800 bp) and 17 nuclear microsatellites. We estimated that the main populations of GKR split 774-5,600

years ago, prior to agricultural intensification during the 20th century. Within the northern Ciervo-Panoche area we

resolved multiple distinct subpopulations, and identified the Tumey Hills as a major source population.

Identification of geographically discrete populations of giant kangaroo rats and the relationships among them will

aid in conservation decision making by management agencies.


ASSESSING THE RESPONSE OF THE ALAMEDA WHIPSNAKE TO FUELS MANAGEMENT AND HABITAT VARIATION IN

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Ricka E Stoelting; Swaim Biological Inc.; 4435 First St., PMB #312, Livermore, CA, 94551; 925-455-8770;

[email protected]; Brian J Halstead, Christopher R Swaim, Karen E Swaim, Douglas A Bell

The Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus), a medium-sized colubrid listed as threatened at state

and federal levels, resides in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area where designated critical habitat is concentrated

around patchy scrublands at risk of succumbing to high-intensity wildfires. Under contract with the East Bay

Regional Park District, we implemented a Before-After-Control-Impact trapping and radio-telemetry study designed

to measure the effects of fuel-load-reducing vegetation treatments on occupancy response and habitat selection of

these snakes and analyzed the results in a Bayesian framework. First-year results indicate (1) potential tolerance of

low-intensity treatments, (2) significant negative relationships with percent cover of tree species (in general for

occupancy and specific to oak woodland for radio-telemetry) and percent cover of annual grassland (occupancy

only), and (3) positive relationships with southwest-facing slopes (occupancy only, but trend toward southeasterly

in radio-telemetry) and "developed" habitat (i.e., utility tower platforms) within a matrix of undisturbed habitat

(radio-telemetry only). However, caveats of low sample size and sample bias must be kept in mind when

interpreting these results. Data are preliminary, from the first year of a five-year study, and should be viewed in

that context.


STUDYING HABITAT USE OF THE RIPARIAN BRUSH RABBIT (SYLVILAGUS BACHMANI RIPARIUS) IN SAN JOAQUIN

RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WITH CAMERA TRAPS

Celia M Tarcha; CSU Stanislaus Ecology and Sustainability Program; 2900 Andre Lane, Apartment 248, Turlock, CA,

95382; 408-668-5653; [email protected]; Patrick A. Kelly

The riparian brush rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani riparius; RBR) is a state- and federally-listed species found in just a

few areas of the northern San Joaquin Valley of central California. It requires the dense brush associated with

riparian areas for food and for protection from predators. Loss of habitat to agriculture and urban development

restricted its range to two locations in San Joaquin County requiring its reintroduction in 2002 to the San Joaquin

River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). There has been relatively little research on the fine scale behavioral ecology

of brush rabbits. This project studied the behavioral ecology of RBR on San Joaquin River NWR using camera traps.

The goal was to study their use of refuge habitat, and subsequently their use of feed piles deployed following

flooding events during the winter and spring of 2017. We also studied RBR intraspecific and interspecific

interactions. Initial results showed an increase in interactions between RBR and other species at feeding locations.

There was an increased number of RBR at feed piles when food availability was low. However, there was less

visitation to these artificial food sources once the flooding subsided and the natural vegetation recovered. Paper is

a work in progress.


SUCCESSFULLY MITIGATING LOSS OF BRIDGE ROOST HABITAT

Greg Tatarian; Wildlife Research Associates; 1119 Burbank Ave., Santa Rosa, CA, 95407; 707-544-6273;

[email protected];

It is well documented that bridges offer substantial amounts of roost habitat for millions of bats. Many bridges

provide temporal and environmental stability, which makes them highly suitable for use by bats during seasonal

periods of bat activity and in some cases also during winter. Bridges are usually large structures that can support

large colonies, often with a variety of roost features and characteristics that make them attractive to multi-species

assemblages. Bats that use bridges vary in size as well as preference of roost feature characteristics. The author

provides design criteria, including bridge- and species-specific details, of successfully-occupied replacement, in-

structure roost habitat, which he has developed and refined over many years for bridges in California. The author

also discusses the iterative, cooperative processes involved in working with bridge engineers and architects to

incorporate important biological requirements into construction plans and completed bridges.

Bat Mitigation

COMPARISON OF HARD AND SOFT RELEASE TECHNIQUES IN A FOUNDER POPULATION OF NORTHERN WESTERN

POND TURTLES (ACTINEMYS MARMORATA)

Dana Terry; Sonoma State University; 1801 E Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park, CA, 94928; 925-212-4720; [email protected];

Past attempts at reintroducing herpetofauna to parts of their native range from which they have been extirpated

have had mixed results, with some successes and many failures. Soft release techniques, whereby individuals can

acclimate to the reintroduction area prior to full release, are frequently employed with the intention of improving

outcomes. However, the effectiveness of soft release techniques is difficult to quantify. This study compared the

growth rates of soft and hard released individuals in a founder population of northern western pond turtles

(Actinemys marmorata) introduced into an urban lake in the Presidio of San Francisco, California. The soft release

treatment group was held in the study lake in an enclosed pen for several days and provisioned with food prior to

full release. The hard release group was placed directly into the lake with no acclimation period. Morphometric

measurements were taken immediately prior to release, and for approximately five months following release,

turtles were recaptured and measured to determine growth rates.


DETERMINING DRIVERS OF BUMBLE BEE DISTRIBUTIONS IN MONTANE MEADOW SYSTEMS OF NORTHERN

CALIFORNIA

Naomi Terry; California Department of Fish and Wildlife; 1812 9th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95811; (916) 445 2626;

[email protected]; Adam Hoeft, Erin Elsey, Helen Loffland, Rodney Siegel, Chris Stermer

Field surveys conducted in the summers of 2016 and 2017 in a selection of montane wet meadow systems aim to

assess how different abiotic and botanical features affect abundance and species richness of bumble bee

(Bombus spp.) populations. The meadows surveyed include undisturbed, degraded and restored wet meadows in

four regions of the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades of California, at elevations ranging from 3500ft-

8000ft. Additionally, we aim to assess vulnerability of bumble bees to drought through a paired analysis of data

collected during and after recent drought conditions in California. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive

survey of bumble bees in these systems. In total 762 bumble bees were captured via non-lethal survey methods.

Fifteen different species were detected, with the majority being yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii),

associated with at least 50 flowering plant species. With mounting evidence that bumble bee distributions are

sensitive to climate change and habitat degradation, monitoring this pollinator community will help determine

their current status. This will allow us to determine whether bumble bees could act as an indicator species for

meadow health in the montane regions of California, and thus feed into management strategies for sensitive

meadow systems.

Poster Session

MULTI-REGION, MULTI-SCALE, MESCOCARNIVORE MONITORING: DEVELOPING A SCIENTIFICALLY DEFENSIBLE

BROAD-SCALE MONITORING FRAMEWORK

Jody M Tucker; U.S. Forest Service; 1839 S. Newcomb Street, Porterville, CA, 93257; 209-962-7825 x547;

[email protected]; Katie M Moriarty (presenter), Jessie D Golding (presenter), Michael K Schwartz, Kevin S

McKelvey

Over the past decade, there have been many local and regional monitoring efforts for rare carnivores. Yet, these

species persist in populations or meta-populations that extend to scales well beyond individual management units

(e.g., project area, hunting district, National Forest, state). Although local efforts provide valuable information

about presence of individuals, such efforts incorporated within a biologically-driven and statistically-robust

monitoring plan would increase capacity to understand population trends. Prior technology restricted efficient

large-scale monitoring of mesocarnivores, as it can be incredibly difficult to detect such species that often persist at

low densities and that move extensively within large home ranges. We will describe the development a

collaborative, multi-partner effort to create a comprehensive, scientifically defensible, broad-scale, multi-species

mesocarnivore monitoring plan. Our vision is based on flexible survey methods, executed purposely at multiple

scales, with a state-space occupancy modeling framework which can describe the status and trends of rare

carnivores across states and regions. Our plan will provide a broader-scale context to make better informed

conservation strategies and decisions, help fulfill legal requirements (e.g., the Forest Service's 2012 Planning Rule),

and help ensure the persistence of these rare species by providing predictive spatially-explicit information to alert

biologists to species-level trends.


USING LIDAR TO DESCRIBE PACIFIC MARTEN RESTING HABITAT AT MULTIPLE SPATIAL SCALES

Patrick J Tweedy; Oregon State University; 280 Peavy Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331; (605) 661-4221;

[email protected]; Katie M. Moriarty, John D. Bailey, Clinton W. Epps, Brian Wing

Conservation of wildlife populations on managed landscapes requires planning at the appropriate spatial scale,

since scale dramatically affects results and thus interpretation. We examined multi-scale habitat relationships at

Pacific marten (Martes americana) rest structures in Lassen National Forest using fine-resolution vegetation data

(30-meter airborne Light Detection and Ranging [LiDAR]). Using a moving-window framework to compare

selection, we optimized 14 covariates at 12 spatial scales (30 meters-990 meters) centered on each rest structure.

We monitored martens from 2009-2012 and 2015-2017 (n = 312 resting structures, 31 martens), and then

compared used versus randomly sampled locations (n-rand = 624) to develop multivariate habitat selection

models. Our top model included trees per acre (990-meter scale) and elevation (900 meter), suggesting that

martens select for increased tree cover at higher elevations at the home range scale. Increased structural

complexity and stand density surrounding rest structures (270 and 180 meters, respectively) increased probability

of selection. Because martens selected locations with vegetation characteristics optimized at 180-270 meters, 270

meters may be an appropriate scale to consider for management, for instance, establishing leave islands or focal

areas for restoration. We provide the first evaluation of marten habitat using LiDAR, which can be broadly and

accurately extrapolated for prioritizing management planning and restoration.

Ecology and Conservation of Mammals II Student Paper

EFFECTS OF MAMMALIAN APOSEMATIC PATTERN AND CONTRAST VARIATION ON PREDATOR AVOIDANCE

LEARNING

Kathy Vo; California State University, Long Beach; 1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA, 90840; 7143571163;

[email protected]; Theodore Stankowich

Aposematic coloration makes prey defenses easier for predators to learn and remember, and reduces mistaken

attacks. While we know a great deal about predator learning and the evolution of aposematism in avian predators

on aposematic invertebrates, mammalian predators and aposematic mammalian prey have been mostly ignored.

Coyotes (Canis latrans) overlap in range with and are potential predators of striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), an

aposematic prey animal found widely across North America. To determine how contrast intensity and pattern

structure influence the speed of avoidance learning in canid predators, we are initially conditioning captive coyotes

to attack brown benign, baited prey models and subsequently presenting them with noxious spraying prey models

that vary in pattern structure and contrast intensity. Differences in the latency to interact with the novel spraying

models are compared with respect to the contrast intensity and pattern structure of the model. Preliminary

findings suggest that coyote subjects demonstrate greater latency to attack all black-and-white (maximum

contrast) models, regardless of pattern structure, compared to the black-and-gray (minimal contrast) model. If

supported by further data, these early results may explain the consistent use of black-and-white coloration, but

large variation in pattern structure, exhibited by skunks in the continental United States. This paper is a work-in-

progress.


ANNUAL AND SEASONAL VARIABILITY IN LEK ATTENDANCE RATES OF GREATER SAGE-GROUSE IN NEVADA

Gregory T Wann; U.S. Geological Survey; Reno Satellite Station, 1100 Valley Road, Reno, NV, 89512; 9704493773;

[email protected]; Peter S. Coates, Brian G. Prochazka

Counts of males displaying on breeding grounds are commonly used to assess population trends in lekking grouse

species. Lek attendance (i.e., the proportion of males on leks available for detection) is thought to be a major

contributing factor to variation in counts. However, attendance rates are rarely quantified. We assessed

attendance rates of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) at eight study sites in Nevada to better

understand the utility of lek counts as an index to population abundance. We used daily location data collected

from 81 male sage-grouse marked with global positioning system (GPS) transmitters over five lekking seasons

(2013-2017) to estimate seasonal and annual variability in attendance rates using generalized additive models and

lek boundaries mapped following lek counts. Average timing of peak attendance occurred on 8 April but varied

from 20 March (2014) to 17 April (2016). Average peak attendance was 54.0% and varied from 25.4% (2015) to

74.4% (2017). Overall, adult males attended leks at higher rates (63.2% at peak) and earlier in the season (peak on

5 April) than subadults (31.7% at peak on 24 April). Our results indicate attendance rates are more variable than

previously thought and provide new insights on individual behavior during a critical monitoring period.


YEAR-ROUND CHANGES IN BODY CONDITION IN THREE SPECIES OF BATS PROVIDE CLUES TO THEIR

OVERWINTERING STRATEGIES

Theodore J Weller; USDA Forest Service, PSW Research Station; 1700 Bayview Drive, Arcata, CA, 95521; 707-825-

2955; [email protected]; Matthew J, Lau

In temperate-zone mammals, decisions about energy allocation are often governed by seasonal changes in

weather and food availability. In addition, energy allocation strategies usually differ between males and females.

The study of energy allocation is challenging for bats, especially those that do not roost in areas known or

accessible to humans. We evaluated year-round changes in body condition for three species of bats in northern

California: silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans), California myotis (Myotis californicus), and Yuma myotis

(Myotis yumanensis). The two species of myotis are considered resident species that do not migrate. Silver-haired

bats are considered migratory species, with females likely migrating farther than males. Body mass of all species

peaked in late autumn and were at a minimum during spring. There were significant differences in body mass

between sexes and among seasons in all three species. We used sex- and season-specific multiple linear regression

models of change in body condition to quantify these changes. Interspecific comparisons provided valuable insights

into the energy allocation and overwintering strategies of these species and are important first steps toward

understanding their ecology over the full annual cycle.


THE CASE FOR DRAWING DOWN FISHLESS PONDS: PREDATION ON CALIFORNIA RED-LEGGED FROG EGGS BY

OVERWINTERING NEWT LARVAE

Michael F Westphal; US Bureau of Land Management; 940 2nd Avenue, Marina, CA, 93933; 831-582-2229;

[email protected]; Eva Gruber, Karen Kiemnec-Tyburczy, Max Westphal, Christopher Lortie

In February 2017, we observed unusually large salamander larvae eating the eggs of California red-legged frogs

(Rana draytonii) in an artificial stock pond on the coastal slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains at Cotoni Coast Dairies

National Monument. Using mitochondrial DNA, we determined the presence of larvae of two species of

salamander, the California newt (Taricha torosa) and the rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa), and determined

the large larvae to be individuals of T. granulosa that had likely overwintered. Further sampling throughout the

following 12 months determined that T. torosa larvae appeared at approximately the same time as eggs of R.

draytonii were deposited and did not attain large size soon enough to pose a risk to frog eggs. Newly hatched T.

granulosa larvae appeared for the first time in May. Overwintering newt larvae appear to pose a unique threat to

successful R. draytonii reproduction that can potentially be managed by drying down ponds in late fall. However,

overwintering in T. granulosaexpresses natural variation in the reproductive cycle of that species that may warrant

conservation itself, posing a potential tradeoff in conservation priorities between two native species.


MONITORING NATIVE TREE SQUIRRELS WITH CITIZEN SCIENCE IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Jessica N Whalen; Honor's Thesis for undergrad at HSU; 2018 Nelson Rd , McKinleyville, CA, 95519; 775-287-8960;

[email protected];

Previous studies have found that tree squirrels are the most preferred and disliked urban wildlife by humans,

depending on their activity. Douglas squirrels (Tamiasciurus douglasii) and Western grey squirrels (Sciurus griseus)

are native tree squirrels, known to occur throughout the Pacific northwest, in coastal old-growth and second-

growth forests, where they defend territories with high food abundance. I used citizen science to monitor native

tree squirrel abundance and behavior, and human perceptions towards them in Humboldt County neighborhoods

with a website and door-to door surveys in the major urban neighborhoods of Arcata and Eureka that contained

trees. I found that human perceptions towards squirrels and wildlife, in general, was positive for Humboldt County

residents. In addition, residents were more concerned that their cats would harm the squirrels, than the squirrels

would cause damage to their homes. In general, I noticed a difference in free-roaming cats and perceived squirrel

presence in Arcata compared to Eureka. Most residents in both Eureka and Arcata neighborhoods expressed that

they wish to see more squirrels in their neighborhoods. My results will help inform management decisions

regarding native tree squirrels in urban environments in Humboldt County, California.

Poster Session

ANTHROPOGENIC NIGHTLIGHT AND NOISE EFFECTS ON FEEDERWATCH BIRD ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

Ashley A Wilson; California Polytechnic Institute; 1 Grand Ave, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93407; 520-339-9852;

[email protected]; Clinton D. Francis, Neil H. Carter, Jesse R. Barber

Anthropogenic nightlight and noise (ANLN) alter animal physiology, behavior, and life history by masking

biologically relevant cues. Whether these changes scale up to affect broad-scale patterns of distributions with

respect to ANLN exposure is an open question. We used continental-wide geospatial ANLN data obtained from the

National Park Service's Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division to determine whether these stimuli alter

distributions of species at bird feeders measured through Project FeederWatch from 2004-2012. We controlled for

several macroecological variables that reflect urbanization impacts, such as human population density from the

Gridded Population of the World (GPWv4) dataset and percent impervious surface from the National Landcover

Database. By comparing long-term patterns of spatial and temporal variation in bird species, we expect to see a

general decline in habitat use and abundance in areas with greater ANLN disturbance for most bird species.

Preliminary analyses suggest that noise negatively affects the distributions of most species and was consistently a

stronger predictor of abundance than other measures of urbanization. Managers can improve habitat quality by

modifying anthropogenic activities to decrease the amount of disturbance birds experience.

Ecology and Conservation of Birds I Student Paper

THE IMPACT OF WILDFIRE AND CHANGING SEASONAL CLIMATE VARIABLES ON TERRESTRIAL AMPHIBIANS AND

REPTILES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: PATTERNS IN COMMUNITY COMPOSITION

Julie L Wittmann; Sonoma State University; 1801 E Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park, CA, 94928;

[email protected]; Conner Cimmiyotti, Michelle Halbur, Eric Cecil, Julianne Bradbury, Derek Girman

A series of large wildfires swept through northern California in October 2017, burning over 245,000 acres. The

Tubbs Fire, which grew to become the most destructive wildfire in the history of California, burned large swaths of

protected lands in the Mayacamas Mountains and elsewhere. In 2015, we established amphibian and reptile

sampling plots at the Pepperwood Preserve in the Mayacamas Mountains within what became the footprint of the

Tubbs Fire as well as at the Fairfield Osborn Preserve on Sonoma Mountain. These sampling plots were placed at

and near four ephemeral ponds in three habitat types: grassland, forest canopy edge, and forest. To investigate the

effects of wildfire and other environmental variables on the amphibian and reptile communities of these areas, we

compared two years of data on herpetofauna community composition from immediately before the fire with data

we collected immediately after the fire.


LONG TERM AVIAN ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY ON THE STONE LAKES NWR

Stan Wright; Sacramento City College; 3835 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento,, CA, 95822; 530-878-0420;

[email protected]; Beatrix Treiterer, Regina Dingler, Robert Meyer

During the past twenty years over 26,450 birds from 124 species have been captured and banded on the Stone

Lakes National Wildlife Refuge using a continuous effort mist net program. The Refuge bird banding station

samples birds associated with riparian/grassland ecotones. The Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, located east

of Elk Grove, California was established in 1994 and comprises over 2,600 ha in the Stone Lakes Basin. The Refuge

has two ancient oxbow lakes, seasonal and permanent wetlands and associated riparian and grasslands which

provide habitat for resident and migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. The Refuge bird banding station began

sampling birds in 1996 and has continued throughout the restoration period of these wetlands and riparian

habitats. From the capture and recapture data we analyzed capture diversity, abundance, age structure, and

recruitment in both resident, winter and summer birds over time and relative to annual changes in rainfall on the

Refuge. Our findings indicate there were changes in recruitment in three resident species wrentit, song sparrow

and spotted towhee over time corresponding with changes in rainfall patterns. We divided rainfall years into

drought, average and flood conditions to compare age structure, capture diversity and recruitment.

Poster Session

REMOTE CAMERA USE ON RANGELAND: METHODS TO KEEP YOUR CAMERA INTACT WHEN ITCHY CATTLE

ABOUND

Andrea K Wuenschel; H.T. Harvey and Associates; 983 University Avenue, Building D, Los Gatos, CA, 95032; 650-

465-0751; [email protected];

Remote cameras are commonly used to monitor a variety of wildlife species for behavioral studies, document

wildlife presence/absence, and to record scavenging events during carcass persistence trials for fatality monitoring

projects. While performing a remote camera study on rangeland in the San Francisco Bay Area during the fall of

2016, it was discovered that cattle were knocking over cameras by rubbing on the camera or the camera post,

often breaking the camera brackets and rendering the camera useless until repaired. Several changes to the

remote camera setup were made over the course of several months, including a deterrent in the form of four T-

posts surrounding the camera, changing out the nylon straps for zip ties, and hanging the camera loosely on the

post instead attaching it tightly. After much experimentation with materials and observations of cattle behavior, a

final configuration completely eliminated camera brackets being broken by cattle and additionally greatly

decreased the number of events where cameras were knocked over.

Poster Session

TWS-WS 2018 Annual Meetingtws-west.org/events/2018/2018_abstracts_by_presenter.pdfThe Amargosa vole (Microtus californicus scirpensis) is a highly endangered rodent endemic to small

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