Sevilleta NWR
APRIL 2006 RESEARCH PERMIT APPLICATION: Sevilleta LTER Program
Note: Sub-projects addressed within the April 2006 Sevilleta NWR research permit amendment for the Sevilleta Long Term
Ecological Research Program are divided into 3 categories: I. Ongoing research with changes, and II. New SevLTER Research.
Overall Information
1. Principal Investigator (last-first-middle initial)
Collins, Scott L.
2. Mailing Address (street/PO box, city, state, zip)
Department of Biology
MSC03 2020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
3. University/Department or Agency/Sponsor
Telephone (505-277-6328)
UNM Department of Biology & National Science Foundation
n/a
Fax (505-277-5355)
Email scollins@sevilleta.unm.edu
For graduate students, Major Professor Name & Phone
4. Sub-Permittee/Assistant Names
See attached spreadsheet list. The persons included are those persons directly associated with research outlined in this permit. The
permitee list will have to be amended regularly to reflect summer Research Experience for Undergrates students, new part-time
technicians and visiting researchers not currently associated with ongoing or proposed research on the Sevilleta NWR. The SevLTER
will immediately notify the Sevilleta NWR staff as to any amendments or removals to the permittee list.
5. Project Title
Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research Program
6. Funding Source(s) & Amount(s)
National Science Foundation, $700,000 / year with additional funding as noted for sub-projects included here-in, as well as funding
sources and amounts specified for each sub-project
7. Site clean-up Plan (include budget and expected completion date)
The Sevilleta LTER and associated research activities have a long history on the Sevilleta NWR. As such, there is a complex array of
field study sites and associated infrastructure on the Refuge. The practical reality of long term research is a legacy of field site
markers and associated materials which may be an experimental manipulation that is visited only once every 5 or 10 years. Sevilleta
LTER maintains an accurate inventory of field activities and is committed to timely site remediation.
7. Applicant’s Signature
8. Date
Friday, April 14, 2006
Category I: Ongoing SevLTER Research with changes
I.1
1. Sub-Project Title
Restoration of degraded Chihuahuan desert grassland
2. Principal Investigator (last-first-middle initial)
Calabrese, Laura B.
3. Mailing Address (street/PO box, city, state, zip)
Department of Biology
MSC03 2020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
4. University/Department or Agency/Sponsor
University of New Mexico
Telephone (505-277-1727)
Fax (505-277-5355)
Email lcalabr@sevilleta.unm.edu
For graduate students, Major Professor Name & Phone
Scott L. Collins
505-277-6303
5. Sub-Permittee/Assistant Names
Scott Collins, Mike Friggens
6. Funding Source(s) & Amount(s)
University of New Mexico ($8,122), T & E, Inc. ($2,171)
7. Project Location
West of the Creosote drought plots, near the black grama and creosote core study sites along pipeline road. GPS coordinates are
forthcoming.
8. Purpose/Needs/Scope
The invasion of black grama grassland by creosote has led to the following changes that reduce the probability of perennial grasses
reestablishing in the shrubland: the creation of ‘resource islands’ beneath shrubs (due to greater availability of N, P, and K) relative to
intershrub spaces, lower water infiltration into the soil (except directly beneath shrubs), a decrease in cover and diversity of perennial
grasses and annual forbs, and the loss of soil and nutrients via wind and water. The results of this study could improve our
understanding of what is driving the conversion of black grama grasslands into this alternative stable state shrubland, and help us to
determine whether it is possible for them to be converted back into native Chihuahuan desert grassland. The application of different
treatment combinations will be necessary to do this.
9. Procedure (include equipment/materials)
The five treatments that were applied include: creosote removal, addition of native perennial grass seed (Bouteloua eriopoda and
Sporobolus cryptandrus), addition of nitrogen fertilizer, mixing of soil (top 10 cm) to increase the infiltration of water, and the
addition of activated carbon. Creosote was removed by clipping the aboveground biomass and applying herbicide by hand to the
remaining stems. The herbicide will serve to prevent resprouting and to kill the roots, which will limit belowground competition that
could occur with other forbs and grasses. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied in order to temporarily homogenize the distribution of this
limiting nutrient in the shrubland (until vegetation can become established and N cycling can be restored in the intershrub spaces),
while the mixing of topsoil in the intershrub spaces was to increase water infiltration into the soil in these areas. Activated carbon was
applied in order to neutralize any allelopathic chemicals (produced by creosote that may be harmful to other plant species) present in
the top 1-2cm of soil (where most seeds germinate).
There are currently 10 – 48 m2 plots, 5 of which will have creosote removed from them and 5 of which are controls (and still contain
creosote). The remaining four treatments are crossed and nested within those plots, in 2 x 2 m subplots. All plots are delineated with
rebar, pvc, and flagging. Seed bank samples were taken prior to seed addition to evaluate the composition of viable seeds in the soil.
Soil samples are taken twice annually to analyze nutrient content (inorganic N), soil moisture, and soil organic matter in areas under
shrubs and in intershrub spaces. The change in plant species composition over time will also be monitored over time to evaluate
whether the treatments are effective.
This spring I hope to expand this project into two other areas of black grama grassland/creosote shrubland in order to include areas in
different stages of shrub encroachment (i.e., with a range of creosote densities) in the study. These new sites would have similar
experimental setups and treatments as the initial site. The inclusion of these other sites will hopefully yield more generalizeable
results.
10. Time Frame (if possible, include an image/photo of project location in “before” installing markers, etc.)
Project Start Date: May 2005
Projected Field Season Dates/Months: Spring and fall, annually
Projected Completion Date: Ongoing, at least through 2008
Projected # site visits/year: 6
Projected # of workers/visit: 1
11. Site clean-up Plan (include budget and expected completion date)
Please refer to overall SevLTER site clean-up statement
Project Relationships
12. Project’s Relationship to Other Research Projects (note whether other projects are on/off Sevilleta NWR)
Study is located near the black grama and creosote core study areas, and could be an important addition to our understanding of grassshrub interactions
13. Project Relationship to Refuge Goals (see introduction)
This study relates to research management to encourage research by graduate students, research institutions, and agencies on the
refuge, and will provide information to assist in grassland management at the Sevilleta NWR.
Interim Report
14. Site Visits
# of visits to project site in…
# in group per visit (average if necessary): 1
January:
July:
February:
August:
March:
September:
April:
October: 2
May: 2
November:
June: 2
December:
15. Project Progress Report (include preliminary results, attach maps, etc. as appropriate, note problems/challenges)
At this point, the pilot study plots have been installed (5/2005), pre-treatment data (soil and vegetation) has been taken in all plots
(6/2005), the treatments have been applied (6/2005), and fall post-treatment data have been collected (10/2005).
The plants that dominate the community in these plots are Larrea tridentata, Bouteloua eriopoda and Gutierrezia sarathrae.
Common forbs also include Chamaesyce lata, Astragalus missouriensis, Lesquerella fendleri, and Cryptantha crassisepla, while two
other common grasses are Erioneuron pulchellum, and Bouteloua eriopoda.
Seed bank samples taken prior to treatment indicate that there are low densities of perennial grass seed and few species of grasses in
general that have viable seeds in the seed bank. The seed bank is composed primarily of four annual forbs: Nama hispidum,
Chamaesyce serpyllifolia, Cryptantha crassisepala, and Descurainia obtusa.
In removal plots, creosote cover was reduced from a mean of 26% to 0% and there was a substantial increase in inorganic N content of
the soil. Ammonia-nitrogen was significantly higher beneath shrubs than in intershrub spaces in all plots, but organic matter and soil
moisture content of the soil did not differ based on location. Further shifts in nutrient distribution and species composition are
expected but will require long-term monitoring.
Category I: Ongoing SevLTER Research with changes
I.2
1. Sub-Project Title
Effects of pulse events at different spatial scales on arid land stream ecosystems.
2. Principal Investigator (last-first-middle initial)
Vicenç Acuña Salazar
3. Mailing Address (street/PO box, city, state, zip)
Department of Biology
MSC03 2020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
4. University/Department or Agency/Sponsor
Telephone (505-277-2850)
University of New Mexico & National Science Foundation
n/a
Fax (505-277-5355)
Email vicenc@sevilleta.unm.edu
For graduate students, Major Professor Name & Phone
5. Sub-Permittee/Assistant Names
Cliff Dahm, Jim Thibault
6. Funding Source(s) & Amount(s)
National Science Foundation, $700,000 / year Sevilleta LTER Project
7.
Project Location
This installation will be located in the Rio Salado Box. Exact
location unknown at this time.
8. Purpose/Needs/Scope
Ecosystem metabolism of streams and rivers mainly includes gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (ER). Natural
and human-induced disturbances such as flow extremes, hydraulic and hydrological alterations, enhanced nutrient inputs, and
changing land use in the riparian zone or the catchment affect ecosystem metabolism (e.g. Garnier and Mouchel 1999). Ecosystem
metabolism can be used to evaluate stability at the ecosystem level because it integrates the flow of energy through all biotic
compartments of an ecosystem (Odum 1968). Stability encompasses the capacity of minimum response to disturbance (resistance) and
the ability to recover rapidly after disturbance (resilience) (Webster et al. 1983). Flow extremes such as floods and droughts are
common natural disturbances in many lotic ecosystems (e.g., Fisher et al. 1982, Reiners 1983, Resh et al. 1988, Grimm and Fisher
1989, Boulton et al. 1992). Floods have been shown to reduce metabolism rates (low resistance) and transiently shift the balance
between ER and GPP towards heterotrophy. Recovery, however, from disturbance is usually fast (Fisher et al. 1982, Young and Huryn
1996, Uehlinger and Naegeli 1998, Uehlinger 2000).
Despite several disturbance studies in streams, information is still lacking concerning how floods affect stream metabolism, especially
in arid land river ecosystems.
The primary research objective is to study the effect of flow pulses on river ecosystem stability in arid lands. Stream metabolism, a
key ecosystem property, will be used to evaluate stability.
The project will provide information on:
1. Temporal variability of stream metabolism.
2. Stability of lotic ecosystems.
3. Effect of the timing of floods.
4. Effect of disturbance frequency.
5. Organic matter export to downstream systems.
6. Hydrologic variability.
Additionally, this study will develop a model that includes disturbance by floods and droughts. Models considering floods are
restricted to periphyton (Uehlinger et al. 1996) or the general relationships between algae, grazers and floods. Combining modeling
and fieldwork described in this project will significantly increase knowledge of the dynamics of stream and river metabolism in arid
regions of the world and mechanisms controlling ecosystem stability. Integration of both approaches is considered to be one of the
greatest strengths of modeling in ecosystem research (Fitz et al. 1996).
9. Procedure (include equipment/materials)
The study site is the Rio Salado, a tributary of the Rio Grande in New Mexico, USA. The area is dominated by non-native salt cedar
(Tamarix chinensis) and Russian olive (Eleagnus angustifolia) and native cottonwood (Populus deltoides), willow (Salix goodingi),
and salt grasses. This system has been selected for several reasons:
1. The natural flow regime of this type of system is preserved due to the absence of diversions or similar alterations within
the catchment. There is great interest in characterizing the effects of floods in order to improve management procedures and to
efficiently restore a more natural flow regime to promote native vegetation in similar systems that have been altered.
2. An ecosystem approach to carbon fluxes will complement existing research on nitrate uptake and retention and
evapotranspiration (ET) rates at these sites.
The study reach is a constrained section located on the Sevilleta NWR of the Río Salado (Figures 1 and 2). The following parameters
will be measured during a 12-month period upstream of a permanent stream metabolism station that will be installed at the end of the
reach:

Hydrologic characteristics, such as discharge, average velocity and transient storage, will be determined with different
hydrologic conditions using short-term conservative solute addition experiments (Gordon et al. 1992).

Channel geometry (width, depth, and bank inclination) will be determined twice during the study.

Determination of gas re-aeration coefficients will be based on measurements of the exchange rate of an inert tracer gas (SF6,
Uehlinger & Naegeli 1998), the nighttime method (Hornberger and Kelly 1975), and, if necessary, empirical equations (e.g.
Owens et al. 1964, Tsivoglou and Neal 1976).

Macroscopic distribution of substrata will be mapped along transects in order to determine the percentage of streambed covered
by the different inorganic substrata, algal patches, and detritus.

Nutrient content (N-NO3, N-NH4 and SRP) and DOC will be determined biweekly.

Organic matter in transport will be measured biweekly at the study reach.
ADENDUM: A permanent station will be installed at the end of the study reach for measurement of oxygen, temperature,
conductivity, turbidity, PAR and pH at the Rio Salado this winter. This installation would include a small protective casing
(30x15 cm) for the probes in the stream at a bedrock location we scouted out October 27, 2005, a waterproof data logger unit
(90 x 70 x 25 cm) on a cliff face a few meters above the active channel, and a solar panel to power the data logger (see Annex
1). Both the waterproof logger unit and the encased probes will be anchored to the rock using cement and a jack-hammer. The
cables between the encased probes and the waterproof logger will go through a PVC pipe underground (The connection will
be around 6m length and 20 cm deep), so that the use of a jack-hammer and cement will be necessary (see Figure 6a for an
analog installation and Figure 5c for the exact location of the installation).
ANNEX 1
This installation would include a small protective casing for the probes in the stream (similar to that shown in Figure 4) at a bedrock
location we scouted out recently (see Figure 5), a waterproof data logger unit on a cliff face a few meters above the active channel
(similar to that shown in Figure 6), and a solar panel to power the data logger. The spatial configuration will be as shown in Figure 3.
Material
Code
Enclosure
EN 12/14
Logger
XT CR 1000
SC 110
230.00
1485.00
15.00
CR 1000 KD
Software
Cost ($)
230.00
Logger Net 3x
PConnect
545.00
230.00
Battery
PS 100
210.00
Solar Panel
MSX 10
200.0
Conductivity and water temperature
CS 547A-L
A-547
Dissolved Oxygen
100.00
CS 511L
Agitator CS 511
PAR
322.24
400.70
340.08
LI 190 SB-L, LI-2003S Base & CM225 Solar Stand
614.68
Water column depth
CS 420L
653.16
Turbidity
OBS-3-L
2454.20
Compact Flash
XT-CFM 100
302.50
Card Memory (2x)
17405 (2x)
250.00
Communication cable RS232 to USB
SC-USB
195.00
Communication cable RS232 to IR
SC-IRDA
175.00
PDA T5
TUNGSTEN T5
TOTAL
350
$9302
a.
b.
Figure 4. a) detailed and b) general view of the casing for the probes in the Fuirosos, an intermittent stream near Barcelona, Europe.
a.
b.
c.
Figure 5. a) downstream end of the reach and proposed location of the permanent station, b) downstream end of the reach and c)
proposed location of the permanent station. White arrows indicate the exact proposed position for the probes in Figures a and c.
a.
b.
Figure 6.a) General and b) detailed views of the waterproof casing for battery, datalogger and related accessories in the Fuirosos, an
intermittent stream near Barcelona, Europe.
10. Time Frame (if possible, include an image/photo of project location in “before” installing markers, etc.)
Project Start Date: Install station winter 2005-06
Projected Field Season Dates/Months: year round, most frequent
Projected Completion Date: Ongoing, permanent installation
visits March through November
Projected # site visits/year: 16
Projected # of workers/visit: 2
11. Site clean-up Plan (include budget and expected completion date)
Please refer to overall SevLTER site clean-up statement. This project will have minimal needs with regards to cleanup and will be
completed once data collection has terminated.
Project Relationships
12. Project’s Relationship to Other Research Projects (note whether other projects are on/off Sevilleta NWR)
Directly related to MRGB evapotranspiration studies
13. Project Relationship to Refuge Goals (see introduction)
This study relates to research management to encourage research by research institutions, agencies, and individuals on the refuge.
Interim Report
14. Site Visits
# of visits to project site in…
# in group per visit (average if necessary): 2
January: 1
July: 2
February: 2
August: 2
March: 3
September: 2
April: 2
October: 2
May: 2
November: 2
June: 2
December: 2
15. Project Progress Report (include preliminary results, attach maps, etc. as appropriate, note problems/challenges)
REFERENCES
Boulton, A.J., and P.S. Lake. 1992. Benthic organic matter and detritivorous macroinvertebrates in two intermittent streams in southeastern Australia. Hydrobiologia 241: 107-118.
Fisher, S.G., L.J. Gray, N.B. Grimm, and D.E. Busch. 1982. Temporal succession in a desert stream ecosystem following flash
flooding. Ecological Monographs 52: 93-110.
Fitz, H.C., E.B. DeBellevue, R. Costaza, R. Boumans, T. Maxwell, L. Wainger, and F.H. Sklar. 1996. Development of a general
ecosystem model for a range of scales and ecosystems. Ecological Modelling 88: 263-295.
Garnier, J., and J.M. Mouchel. 1999. A basin framework for the study of human pressure on river system functioning. Hydrobiologia
410: 9-12.
Gordon, N.D., T.A. McMahon, and B.L. Finlayson. 1992. Stream Hydrology. An Introduction for Ecologists. Wiley, Chichester.
United Kingdom.
Grimm, N.B., and S.G. Fisher. 1989. Stability of periphyton and macroinvertebrates to disturbance by flash floods in a desert stream.
Journal of the North American Benthological Society 8: 293-307.
Hornberger, G. M. and M. G. Kelly. 1975. Atmospheric reaeration in a river using productivity analysis. J. Env. Eng. Div. ASCE 101.
Huxman TE, Snyder KA, Tissue D, Leffler AJ, Pockman W, Ogle K, Sandquist D, Potts DL, Schwinning S. 2004. Precipitation pulses
and carbon balance in semi-arid and arid ecosystems. Oecologia 141:254-268.
Odum, E.P. 1968. Energy flow in ecosystems: a historical review. American Zoologist 8: 11-18.
Owens, M., R.W. Edwards, and J.W. Gibbs. 1964. Some reaeration studies in streams. International Journal of Air and Water
Pollution 8: 469-486.
Reiners, W.A. 1983. Disturbance and basic properties of ecosystem energetics. Pages 83-98 in Disturbance and Ecosystems. SpringerVerlag, Berlin (incomplete reference – need editors of book).
Resh, V.H., A.V. Brown, A.P Covich, M.E Gurtz, H.W. Li, G.W. Minshall, S.R. Reice, A.L. Sheldon, J.B. Wallace, and R.C.
Wissmar, 1988. The role of disturbance in stream ecology. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 7: 433-455.
Tsivoglou, E.C., and L.A. Neal. 1976. Tracer measurement of reaeration III. Predicting the reaeration capacity of inland streams.
Journal of the Water Pollution Control Federation 48: 2669-2689.
Uehlinger, U., and M.W. Naegeli. 1998. Ecosystem metabolism, disturbance, and stability in a prealpine gravel bed river. Journal of
the North American Benthological Society 17: 165-178.
Uehlinger, U., H. Bührer, and P. Reichert. 1996. Periphyton dynamics in a floodprone prealpine river: evaluation of significant
processes by modelling. Freshwater Biology 36: 249-263.
Uehlinger, U. 2000. Resistance and resilience of ecosystem metabolism in a flood-prone river system. Freshwater Biology 45: 319332.
Webster, J.R. 1983. The role of benthic macroinvertebrates in detritus dynamics of streams: A computer simulation. Ecological
Monographs 53: 383-404.
Young. 1996. Interannual variation in discharge controls ecosystem metabolism along a grassland river continuum. Canadian Journal
of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 53: 2199-2211.
Category I: Ongoing SevLTER Research with changes
I.3
1. Sub-Project Title
Quantifying ecological energetics and the emergent life history phenomena of a lizard community
2. Principal Investigator (last-first-middle initial)
Wolf, Blair
3. Mailing Address (street/PO box, city, state, zip)
Department of Biology
MSC03 2020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
4. University/Department or Agency/Sponsor
Telephone (505-277-4122)
UNM Department of Biology & National Science Foundation
n/a
Fax (505-277-0304)
Email wolf@.unm.edu
For graduate students, Major Professor Name & Phone
5. Sub-Permittee/Assistant Names
Robin Warne (505-277-1297, rwarne@unm.edu)
6. Funding Source(s) & Amount(s)
National Science Foundation, $700,000 / year Sevilleta LTER Project
7. Project Location
Study location is approximately 0.5 km SE from the 5-Points
intersection on the east side of Sevilleta NWR.
Study sites are GPS’ed but data is not yet archived.
8. Purpose/Needs/Scope
Introduction. The relative allocation of finite resources to the competing demands of reproduction, somatic growth, and storage has
been a central focus of studies on life history evolution for at least six decades. Models built upon this tenet of trade-offs in resource
allocation have been very successful in advancing life history theory, but empirical measurements of energy allocation among these
parameters remains a challenge (Karasov and Anderson 1984, Bernardo 1994, Bonnet et al. 1998).
In most studies, the acquisition and relative allocation of energy to these life history parameters have been determined by subsampling populations to determine average clutch and egg size relative to body mass of individuals (Tinkle and Ballinger 1972,
Bernardo 1994). These data are often then combined with data on the age at first breeding, instantaneous mortality, and growth rates
to test predictions from life history theory and complex trade-off models (Charnov 1993). However, in many studies the data
quantifying individual clutch and egg size have often been obtained using destructive methods.
This approach has many shortcomings. Although these data provide a measure of the average reproductive investment at the
population level, they provide only limited insight into individual variation (either in egg size, clutch size, or clutch number) in
reproductive effort, at both intra-annual and inter-annual time scales. In addition, on an annual basis many species of lizards sequester
extensive energy stores in the form of discrete abdominal fat bodies that have been shown to influence the allocation of energy to
reproduction (Pond 1978). In an ideal system, one would quantify energy acquisition, reproductive investment (egg size, clutch size
and clutch number), and the dynamics of internal energy storage at intra- and inter-annual time scales in an individual animal. Most
studies, by necessity, have simply scaled the values for reproductive investment obtained from destructive sampling of individuals to
the population level. Reproductive effort in free living individuals is thus inferred by the crude measure of relative clutch mass, which
is determined by pre- and post-oviposition changes in female body mass. Further, the existence of fat bodies, their dynamics, and
relative contribution to total clutch energy during the period of egg maturation are treated as a black box and are either ignored or
grossly oversimplified.
In a recent review, this approach was shown to mask the expected negative trade-offs among competing life history demands (Zera
and Harshman 2001). Thus, without an intimate knowledge of somatic lipid reserves these life history demands can appear to be
positively correlated. In their review, they highlight a study by Doughty and Shine (1997) in which inter-annual variation in lipid
reserves was indexed by measuring tail-base width in individual lizards (Eulamprus tympanum). They found that quantifying this
variation unmasked the previously obscured negative association between lipid reserves and reproductive effort. Doughty and Shine
(1997) demonstrated that somatic fat reserves, stored in the tail, can affect even a small animal’s reproductive effort over time scales
of years rather than weeks or months.
Beyond this study, little research effort has been invested in examining the influence of energy stores on the allocation decisions of
animals. Our understanding of how these decisions are also influenced by environmental fluctuations in precipitation, temperature
and primary production, is far from complete. Tinkle and Ballinger (1972) allude to how species of differing reproductive strategies
may respond to environmental conditions, but no community level studies have yet been undertaken.
Clearly, further examination of the effects of fat reserves on both current and future reproduction is needed, especially within an
ecological context. Implicit to the understanding of these trade-offs is the examination of how seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations
in food resources influence the allocation decisions made by organisms (Doughty and Shine 1998, Bonnet et al. 2001). The aim of
our research is to address these issues by conducting a four year study at the Sevilleta LTER, correlating the extensive productivity
data of the creosote - black gramma ecosystem with individual life history phenomena of a lizard community. We propose to make
use of portable ultrasonography to non-invasively quantify and track the size, number, and by extension, the energy content, of
abdominal fat bodies and eggs in individual lizards seasonally and inter-annually.
Ultrasonography
The continuous process of increasing miniaturization and capability in medical electronics now make it possible to take
ultrasonography into the field, where it will undoubtedly have valuable ecological applications. These high resolution, batterypowered, clipboard-sized instruments are currently revolutionizing the diagnosis and treatment of battlefield injuries and have the
potential to revolutionize our ability to quantify life history traits in small animals. The Sonosite 180 plus ultrasound instrument has an
optical resolution of approximately 0.1mm and a single unit can record 120 high resolution images that can be downloaded to a
portable computer. Measurements can be taken directly from images, which can make it possible to quantify egg, follicle, and fat body
size very accurately. The technology has been successfully used in the laboratory to measure changes in organ size in migrating
shorebirds (Dietz et al. 1999, Dekinga et al. 2001). The methodology for using the Sonosite 180 to quantify and correlate clutch, egg
and fat body size with the energy content of these structures is currently being validated at the Blair Wolf’s Lab, UNM Biology
Department. This proposed study will be the first to utilize this cutting edge technology to non-invasively make life history
measurements in the field.
Abiotic drivers and constraints on life histories of a Sevilleta LTER lizard community
In the next few paragraphs, we provide a brief sketch of some questions that are the driving impetus for this proposal. We are
interested in how animals with very different life histories vary their investment in reproduction, somatic growth, and energy storage
in response to intra- and inter-annual variations in the environment. Further, we would like to understand how lizards in a desert
ecosystem with a bimodal rainfall pattern (winter rains and summer monsoon) respond to these discrete pulses of resources. The
reproductive phenology of many lizard species tends towards early-season reproduction that is tied to increases in insect abundance
(associated with winter rains and the growth of C3 plants) and often leads to early hatching dates. While energy storage (fat
deposition) occurs in the late summer and appears to be tied to insect productivity associated with monsoonal rains (associated with
the growth of C4 plants). Because plants with differing photosynthetic pathways have very different isotopic signals, and these signals
persist in the tissues of consumers, sampled eggs and fat bodies will reflect the origins of nutrients in these structures.
A central question is how species with diverse life histories integrate seasonal pulses of nutrients to make decisions about the
allocation of energy to reproduction, somatic growth, and storage. We would also like to understand how environmental variation,
and variation in somatic lipid reserves, interact to influence trade-offs associated with the allocation of resources to reproduction.
Environmental variation, such as the absence or significant reduction in winter precipitation, leads to very different predictions of
reproductive allocation for short and long-lived species. For example, in small, short-lived lizards such as Uta stansburiana, life
history theory predicts a large investment in reproduction using stored resources, in spite of the immediate lack of food resources
during spring emergence. In contrast, a large, long-lived species such as Gambelia wislizeni might be expected to forgo reproduction
or to reduce clutch size in response to the lack of abundant spring resources and use stored energy to facilitate survival and increase
chances of future reproduction.
The Sevilleta LTER is perfectly situated to support this study. The comprehensive measurements available- precipitation, NPP,
seasonal ground-dwelling arthropod abundance and diversity, grasshopper abundance and diversity-as well as a diverse and abundant
saurafauna make the Sevilleta desert grassland an ideal place to examine how abiotic drivers constrain lizard life histories, energetics
and function.
The research outlined below is for a four year study, with the first season (2005) designed to be exploratory in nature. All species of
lizard inhabiting the study area will be caught by pit fall trap or manually using a noose pole. Three to five focal species will be
selected based on their relative abundance on the site.
Expected results: I expect increased food levels to increase the level of fat stores in lizards, with concomitant increases in the
proportion of resources from fat stores used to provision eggs as measured by egg δ 13C. Within species life history traits of clutch size
and breeding time should also increase with increased fat levels and body size. If true, these results will provide a critically needed
mechanistic understanding of how fat storage mitigates the fitness effects of environmental and resource fluctuations through
regulating a lizard’s reproductive effort and overall life history. Beyond these predictions, and especially relevant in the face of
continuing global change, my study and resulting data will increase our predictive power for the dynamics and viability of reptile
populations and their complex desert communities.
9. Procedure (include equipment/materials)
Lizard Capture
Pitfall traps. We will install 100 pit fall traps in a rectangular array 50 X 200m in extent, with each trap spaced at 10m intervals.
These pitfall traps will be constructed from 20L (30 cm dia. X 40 cm tall) gallon plastic buckets, with 12mm x 50cm x50cm inch
plywood covers. These covers will provide shade to animals in the traps when they are open, and will act as lids when the traps are
closed. The covers will have blocks attached into each corner to support the covers over the traps when open, when closed a rock will
be placed on top to securely close the traps. Inside the buckets a layer of hardware cloth, or wire mesh with 12mm sized openings will
isolate animals of different sizes. To install these traps we will use a hand held, gas powered auger to bore holes in the ground of
sufficient depth to bury the buckets with the top lip level with the ground surface.
Mitigation. When the pitfall traps are installed we will use landscape cloth to bundle and store the material we remove from the
ground. These bundles will be stored onsite, when the study is complete this material will be used to back fill the holes created for the
traps.
Capture Effort. The traps will be opened bi-monthly, for six consecutive days, with the plywood covers raised, and supported by
wood blocks, approximately 25mm above the opening. All traps will be checked every 48 hours. On the sixth day of trapping the
traps will be closed with the plywood lids. Regular sweeps will be made during these trapping periods to catch lizards manually by
using noose poles. We also will conduct standardized transects for density and richness analyses.
Lizard Measurements. Morphometric measurements of snout-vent length, mass, sex, age, and breeding condition will be taken for
each captured lizard. Each lizard will also be toe clipped with a unique combination for identification in subsequent recaptures.
Breeding lizards will be examined non-invasively with the portable Sonosite 180 ultrasound device to quantify clutch, egg and fat
body size.
Isotopes
We will use naturally occurring stable isotopes present at the Sevilleta LTER to track resource use in this lizard community. Our
research will rely on the fact that plants that use C3 photosynthesis produce carbon structures with distinct isotope signatures relative
to plants using the C4 photosynthetic pathway. These distinct isotope values serve as markers to track the movement of material
through consumers and to upper trophic levels in food webs (Post 2002, Wolf and Martinez Del Rio 2003). Over the course of a year
plants of differing photosynthetic (C3 or C4) pathways will leaf out in response to winter or summer monsoonal rains. As a result of
these rains isotopically distinct pulses of carbon will be separated seasonally and will be incorporated into different lizard tissues (e.g.
egg or fat) as lizards transition through life stages, and individually respond to physiological and environmental conditions. Our
isotope analysis will encompass different trophic levels, ranging from plants, and insects, to lizards.
Plant Sampling. Plant leaf tissue of all species on the study site will be sampled throughout the year. Leaf sampling will be conducted
in conjunction with a food web study currently being developed and submitted to the Sevilleta LTER by Alaina Pershall and Blair
Wolf.
Lizard Sampling. For the majority of lizards, blood samples will be for isotope analysis. Blood will be extracted, either from a caudal
vein, using a sterile syringe (BD 1cc, 27G allergy syringe) or suborbitally, using a micro capillary tube (Fisherbrand heparinized 50
micro-liter capillaru tubes). Blood will be spun down in a centrifuge to separate plasma from hematocrit, allowing us to examine their
diet over different time scales, because these tissues will integrate the diet of the lizards over scales of days to weeks.
Egg and Fat Tissue Biopsy. Using the Sonosite 180 we will conduct ultrasound guided biopsies of fat body, and egg tissues in order
to track provisioning of eggs from either fat stores or current diet. These biopsies will be conducted using sterile field techniques to
prevent infection and subsequent injury to the lizards.
Isotope Analysis. All samples will be dried, ground and loaded into tin capsules. These capsules will then be analyzed at the UNM
Earth and Planetary Sciences mass spectrometry lab.
Doubly Labeled Water. Over the course of the study, we will capture approximately 40 to 50 lizards (10 from 4 or 5 species) for
doubly labeled water analysis. The captured lizards will be injected IP with doubly labeled water consisting of 99% 18O and 2H.
One hour afterwards a blood sample will be taken, caudally or suborbitally, to provide a baseline for the injected isotope
concentration. Approximately three weeks later an intensive effort will be applied to recapture these individuals to acquire a second
blood sample. These blood samples will give a direct measurement of these animals’ field metabolic rates. These metabolic rates will
provide estimates of the energy demands of differing life stages (e.g. growth or reproduction) and the condition of animals within the
context of environmental fluctuations.
Lizard Enclosures (new proposed component):
Life history analysis: Lizards of the genus Sceloporus, including S. undulatus, have successfully bred in outdoor enclosures. Thus,
with my experimental enclosures established over native vegetation and soil, I am confidant that both lizard species will successfully
reproduce multiple times over the season, and hibernate over the winter. With this study design I will be able to examine how
differing levels of food might affect the size of fat stores and the concomitant allocation of resources by these lizards to both multiple
clutches across a single season and winter hibernation to a subsequent season. The quantification of reproductive effort (clutch/egg
size) and timing of breeding-clutch development will be non-destructive and conducted continuously using a portable ultrasound
device.
Carbon13isotope manipulations: Females will be wild-caught bimonthly for blood sampling for isotope analysis, and monitoring of
their reproductive status. Approximately ten lizards of each species will also be sacrificed for the calibration of a baseline isotope
value of non-polar body fat. In addition to monitoring natural populations of S. undulatus and S. magister, I will establish ten 3x3
meter enclosures at the Sevilleta LTER with four females and one male lizard per enclosure, for each species. These will be
constructed of one-quarter inch hardware cloth strung over all four sides and the roof of the enclosures and supported by four posts,
with a door in one wall. Thirty six inch tall metal flashing will also be strung around the base and buried four inches into the ground
to prevent climbing and burrowing by the lizards. The enclosures will be split into four treatment groups: two species groups and a
high and low food treatment for each species. I will collect the reproductive lizards for this experiment in early spring upon
emergence from hibernation. Considering that natural populations show an enrichment in δ13C plasma values during the late summer
and fall, and that fat deposition occurs in these same seasons, it logically follows that fat deposits of these lizards must have a similar
signal. By feeding crickets and mealworms raised on a C3 diet (δ 13C) to these lizards, which will be different from the isotope value
for their fat deposits, I will be able trace which source the lizards are using to provision their developing eggs. Lizards will be fed
daily and blood samples will be taken bi-monthly. I will take an in utero biopsy of yolk material when females are at the end of
ovulation with eggs that are fully provisioned with yolk. These biopsies will be conducted under anesthesia and under sterile field
conditions using an 18-gauge syringe and an ultrasound device for guidance of the biopsy needle.
ADENDUM: Research Addendum to November 2006 Sevilleta LTER Permit
Quantifying ecological energetics and the emergent life history phenomena of a lizard community
Robin Warne, Blair O. Wolf, Department of Biology
I am requesting an amendment to the field protocol to quantify how lizards of differing life histories use fat stores to provision
egg development. This is an extension of the on-going study that has been made possible by preliminary isotope results. As
outlined in our 2005 research permit we trapped lizards at the Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research Station (LTER) from
April to September 2005. Blood samples were collected from more than 150 lizards of ten species for stable carbon isotope
analyses. Briefly, these samples were taken as part of an on-going foodweb and lizard reproduction study, in which we are
examining the importance of plant functional groups to consumers. The summer monsoonal rains characteristic to this
Chihuahuan Desert site support the growth of C4 plants, a functional plant group with a unique form of photosynthesis that
produces carbon isotope signatures distinct from spring dominant C3 plants (C4 δ13Carbon~ -14‰ vs C3~ -24‰). Because
isotope signals persist in the tissues of plant consumers, we have been able to show that with an increased summer abundance
of C4 plants the carbon isotope signatures of the tissues of lizard consumers, via insects, increasingly reflect a signature derived
from C4 plants. Specifically, monthly lizard blood samples show a shifting dominance of C3 to C4 plants in these lizards with a
highly significant 4‰ enrichment (May δ13Carbon ~ -22.5‰ to September~ -18.5‰, P<0.001).
Energy sources for lizard reproduction: Decades of research on lizard reproduction have shown energy/fat stores in lizards to
decrease from the spring to mid-summer, seemingly in response to increased egg production. No study, however, has actually
quantified the degree to which fat stores are used by different lizard species to develop their eggs.
Because lizards develop fat stores in late summer/fall, and they appear to use these stores for reproduction in the
following spring/summer, I predict that their fat stores and eggs should have isotope signatures derived from C 4 plants.
Results in support of this hypothesis will address this gap in our knowledge by showing the degree to which lizards with
differing life history traits depend on stored resources to integrate temporally ephemeral resources to fuel reproduction.
Methods
During the summers of 2006 and 2007 I will quantify fat store development in the fall, and usage for egg
development in the spring via isotope analysis. Over a four day period of each month from May to September a total of three
females of five lizard species (see Table 1) will be hand caught with a noose pole at the Five Points and McKenzie Flats regions
of the Sevilleta LTER.
Following the guidelines of the Herpetological Animal Care and Use Committee (HACC) blood, abdominal fat
stores, liver and egg samples will be collected after these captured lizards have been euthanized by sodium pentobarbitol
injection.
Table 1. Number and species of lizards proposed for capture and removal from the Sevilleta LTER for isotope quantification
of routing to reproduction. These will all be adult female lizards, captured from May to September of 2006 and 2007.
Common
Name
Genus / species
Estimated Total
No.
15/year
Lesser Earless Lizard
Holbrookia maculata
Prairie Lizard
Sceloporus undulatus
(3/month x 5
months)
Roundtail Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma modestum
(3/month x 5
months)
Little Striped Whiptail
Aspidoscelus inornatus
(3/month x 5
months)
Crotaphytus collaris
(3/month x 5
months)
(3/month x 5
months)
15/year
15/year
15/year
15/year
Collared Lizard
Benefits and Justification
These tissue samples to be collected are critical to understanding how a lizard routes diet and fat stored resources to
egg production. Because of high carbon turn over rates of approximately seven days blood plasma reflects an animals’
current diet. While abdominal fat stores, as mentioned above, are generally developed in the late summer and used during
reproduction in the spring. The liver integrates lipids derived from fat stores as well as current diet to produce vitellogenin,
which is the yolk precursor. This vitellogenin is then processed in the oviduct to produce the yolk of a developing egg.
This study quantifies the importance of stored and current energy sources to the reproductive dynamics of lizards
of differing body sizes, life spans and energetic requirements. This data will provide insight into how resource dynamics may
affect the reproductive effort and subsequent population patterns of desert lizards. The numbers of animals proposed for
sampling in Table 1 are the minimum practical number that will allow for statistical support of isotope quantification of
reproductive routing of resources.
10. Time Frame (if possible, include an image/photo of project location in “before” installing markers, etc.)
Project Start Date: Spring 2005
Projected Field Season Dates/Months: Spring/Fall
Projected Completion Date: October 2008.
Projected # site visits/year: We visit the site for 84 days a year,
assuming 12 visits a month, for seven months. However, during the
summer months (May through August) effort will likely be increased (24
visits/month), bringing the yearly effort to 102 days per year.
11. Site clean-up Plan (include budget and expected completion date)
Projected # of workers/visit: 2
Please refer to SevLTER overall site clean-up statement and mitigation statement in methods
Project Relationships
12. Project’s Relationship to Other Research Projects (note whether other projects are on/off Sevilleta NWR)
This study of the temporal effects of precipitation and primary productivity on lizard life history ties into the population level studies
currently conducted at the Sevilleta LTER, especially those examining plant, and arthropod populations and phenology. In addition,
this study will be intimately tied with a study currently being proposed by Alaina Pershall and Blair Wolf, examining material flux
through a terrestrial food web located at a nearby study site on the Sevilleta LTER. This three year study will also be my dissertation
research, and I fully expect that the data culminating from this study will result in at least three manuscripts, published in peer
reviewed journals. Finally, this study, and the resulting data will further strengthen interactions and collaborations between the
Sevilleta LTER, the University of New Mexico Biology Department and likely other institutions upon my presenting of this research
at national and international meetings.
13. Project Relationship to Refuge Goals (see introduction)
This study relates to research management to encourage research by research institutions, agencies, and individuals on the refuge
Interim Report
14. Site Visits
# of visits to project site in…
# in group per visit (average if necessary): 2
January:
July: 24
February:
August: 24
March:
September: 12
April: 12
October:
May: 24
November:
June: 24
December:
15. Project Progress Report (include preliminary results, attach maps, etc. as appropriate, note problems/challenges)
This past year we successfully established the site and collected baseline data regarding plant community composition and spatial
distribution. The lizard community was sampled and laboratory analyses are underway. Preliminary results indicate a significant shift
from C3 to C4 food resources from spring to fall during the first year.
Literature Cited
Bernardo, J. 1994. Experimental-analysis of allocation in 2 divergent, natural salamander populations. American Naturalist 143:14-38.
Bonnet, X., D. Bradshaw, and R. Shine. 1998. Capital versus income breeding: An ectothermic perspective. Oikos 83:333-342.
Bonnet, X., G. Naulleau, R. Shine, and O. Lourdais. 2001. Short-term versus long-term effects of food intake on reproductive output
in a viviparous snake, vipera aspis. Oikos 92:297-308.
Charnov, E. L. 1993. Life history invariants. Some explorations of symmetry in evolutionary ecology. Oxford University Press,
Oxford.
Dekinga, A., M. W. Dietz, A. Koolhaas, and T. Piersma. 2001. Time course and reversibility of changes in the gizzards of red knots
alternately eating hard and soft food. Jounal of Experimental Biology 204:2167-2173.
Dietz, M. W., A. Dekinga, T. Piersma, and S. Verhulst. 1999. Estimating organ size in small migrating shorebirds with
ultrasonography: An intercalibration excercise. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 72:28-37.
Doughty, P., and R. Shine. 1998. Reproductive energy allocation and long-term energy stores in a viviparous lizard (eulamprus
tympanum). Ecology 79:1073-1083.
Karasov, W., and R. Anderson. 1984. Interhabitat differences in energy acquisition and expenditure in a lizard. Ecology 65:235-247.
Miles, D. B., B. Sinervo, and W. A. Frankino. 2000. Reproductive burden, locomotor performance, and the cost of reproduction in
free ranging lizards. Evolution 54:1386-1395.
Pond, C. M. 1978. Morphological aspects and the ecological and mechanical consequences of fat deposition in wild vertebrates.
Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 9:519-570.
Post, D. M. 2002. Using stable isotopes to estimate trophic position: Models, methods, and assumptions. Ecology 83:703-718.
Tinkle, D. W., and R. E. Ballinger. 1972. Sceloporus undulatus: A study of the intrspecific comparative demography of a lizard.
Ecology 53:571-584.
Wolf, B. O., and C. Martinez Del Rio. 2003. How important are columnar cacti as sources of water and nutrients for desert
consumers? A review. Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies 39:53-67.
Zera, A., and L. Harshman. 2001. The physiology of life history trade-offs in animals. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics
32:95-126.
Category II: New SevLTER Research
I.2
1. Sub-Project Title
Hydraulic mechanisms of survival and mortality during drought in piñon-juniper woodlands of southwestern USA.
2. Principal Investigator (last-first-middle initial)
Pockman, William T.
3. Mailing Address (street/PO box, city, state, zip)
Department of Biology
MSC03 2020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
4. University/Department or Agency/Sponsor
Telephone (505-277-2224)
University of New Mexico & Department of Energy/LANL
n/a
Fax (505-277-0304)
Email pockman@unm.edu
For graduate students, Major Professor Name & Phone
5. Sub-Permittee/Assistant Names
Nate McDowell, James Elliott, Jennifer Johnson, Enrico Yepez, Clif Meyer, Jennifer Plaut, Sue Ann White
6. Funding Source(s) & Amount(s)
Department of Energy, Program in Ecosystem Research, Peer-reviewed Award to Nate McDowell (Los Alamos Nat’l Lab) and Will
Pockman (via subcontract to UNM). January 2006 – December 2008, $1.7 million.
7. Project Location
East side of refuge just inside refuge gate off of county road.
PJ Drought Experiment
Plots to be located in area surrounding N 34 23.270’ W 106
31.468’ (NAD 27 datum). Twelve plots will be installed in this
area. Maximum plot size is 40 m x 40 m. Three plots will be
assigned to each of four treatments (untreated control, rainout
structure for 50% reduction of ambient, rainout control with
structure that does not divert water, water addition with pole
mounted rainfall simulators to add seven significant events).
The center of this area is located 1.2 miles (direct) up Goat
Draw from the Goat Ranch well so all plots should well beyond
the 0.25 mile buffer zone around that wildlife water source.
±
0
95
190
Meters
380
8. Purpose/Needs/Scope
Purpose:
Recent drought in southwestern USA has led to mortality of as much as 40 to 95% of piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and 2-25% of juniper
(Juniperus monosperma) (Breshears et al. in review b). This mortality has significantly decreased woody plant cover and altered
species distributions throughout the region. Although the final cause of mortality has been attributed to bark beetle infestation (e.g.
Ips confuses), the common belief is that a hydraulic mechanism underlies piñon susceptibility to attack. Climate models agree that
future droughts may become more frequent and severe in the southwest. Thus, there is high likelihood of future mortality events of
similar or greater magnitude than the current event. Unfortunately, we lack the mechanistic knowledge required to predict responses
of woodland ecosystems to future droughts. Therefore, our goal is to determine the hydraulic mechanisms of piñon and juniper
survival and mortality during drought in the southwestern USA. We propose a two-pronged approach to achieving this objective:
Scope:
1)
We will use a large-scale manipulative experiment in piñon-juniper woodland to assess species-specific responses to
precipitation. Rainfall diversion, control and rainfall addition treatments will simulate the spectrum of past and future
precipitation regimes. Detailed soil and plant physiological measurements will be used to test hypotheses regarding the
role of water transport capacity and failure for species-specific survival and mortality in response to drought.
2)
We will synthesize our hydraulic measurements using a mechanistic hydraulic model (Sperry et al 1998, 2002). This
model allows synthesis of the interactions of soil and atmospheric drought with tree hydraulic capacity. We will integrate
this water relations model with a new carbon assimilation sub-model validated via photosynthesis and carbon isotope
discrimination measurements, allowing us to estimate impacts of drought on carbon assimilation and water-use efficiency.
Model synthesis will facilitate hypothesis testing and provides a tool for future predictions of piñon and juniper response to
drought.
Needs:
The implementation of this project requires 12 plots of substantial size in vegetation where piñon-juniper are roughly co-dominant.
The plots must be large because the experimental treatments manipulate the amount of water reaching the soil and the root systems of
these species are large. Thus, to be confident that our treatments affect entire root systems the plots must encompass the entire root
system of at least several of each species. Plots will be selected with consistent slope, aspect and position on the landscape (likely the
high ground between small arroyos) to avoid introducing differences among the treated plots. Accessibility by road is an important
site attribute because our water addition treatments are likely to require delivery of low-salinity water by truck. It is understood that
the expectation is that the FWS will not provide any road maintenance or modification that might be necessary as a result of this study.
We believe that the site identified above meets these criteria and can be used for the study with minimum lasting impact to the
ecosystem and the wildlife resources that occur in this area and many favorable benefits through increased understanding of ecosystem
responses to climate extremes and the land management implications of these outcomes.
9. Procedure (include equipment/materials)
Preimplementation
Based on extensive surveys of the area listed above, plot locations will be chosen for consistency among plots in number of trees and
vegetation structure. Once proposed plot locations are identified, but before the start of any treatment or sensor installation, a contract
archaeologist will be hired to survey the proposed sites for artifacts and/or ruins of previous human settlement. Given the distance
from the Rio Grande and other sources of perennial water, it is unlikely that such evidence will be identified. If no archaeological
sites of interest are identified, plot installation will begin with the understanding that all work will be stopped immediately if any such
evidence should be detected at any time during the project. Moreover, it is understood that if evidence of prior human settlement is
identified, we will seek other locations for the proposed research, either on or off of the refuge.
Once the site is approved for the project (after the archaeological survey), we will mark the plot boundaries and will identify areas
along roads where vehicles are to be parked, footpaths to be traveled between plots and areas where individuals working on the project
should gather. By marking and using the same paths consistently, we hope to concentrate our impact in a limited area rather than
gradually trampling the entire site with foot traffic (no motorized vehicles will be used away from existing roads). We will strive to
establish these trails on relatively level surfaces to minimize erosion at these locations. We currently envision that the maximum plot
size will be 40 x 40 m but this could be made smaller if vegetation density is high enough to treat the required number of trees in each
plot while using a smaller plot.
Access to sites will utilize existing roads. The current sites under investigation provide adequate access with the added advantage of a
convenient turn around for larger trucks (see water addition section). It is understood that these roads are presently in good condition
and that the investigators will be responsible for the maintenance of these roads as needed.
Infrastructure components of the project will be prototyped at the Sevilleta Field Station before implementation. Once prototyping is
complete, personnel will be trained thoroughly in the deployment of the project’s infrastructure in order to develop a single-sweep,
install-all protocol to minimize disturbance.
Except for the possible setting of large water storage tanks (which might be most efficiently accomplished with equipment), all
installation procedures will be done with the use of hand tools only. We do not anticipate the use of gas-powered generators to provide
continuous power during installation, which might have been a concern for wildlife in the surrounding area.
Water Exclusion (Rainout) Plots
Rainout plots will be constructed to reduce the amount of precipitation reaching the soil surface, and thus the amount of water
available to piñon and juniper. Unlike rainout structures used in other studies, these structures will be low in stature (maximum 1.5 m
tall) to minimize wind damage and to simplify construction. To remove 50% of ambient rainfall, 50% of the plot surface area will be
covered with UV resistant plastic panels 24” in width to intercept and divert rainfall (design modified from Yahdjian and Sala 2002,
Oecologia. Two types of structure will be built (3 plots of each type for a total of six plots). True rainout shelters using the above
design will be installed over three plots. In three additional plots, rainout treatment control shelters will be installed (plastic panels
etc) to control for the effects of these structures on soil temperature, light reaching the soil and other factors.. These shelters are very
similar to the true rainout shelters but they do not remove precipitation because troughs are installed in an inverted orientation,
causing water to drain off onto the plot.
One strength of our design is that it avoids large structural
elements that require the use of heavy equipment, replacing
heavy structural elements like steel I-beams with steel cord
suspended over small posts. Wherever possible, we will use
lightweight “off the shelf” items to streamline the installation
process, facilitating not only installation but also easy removal
at the end of the study (see clean-up plan). The design will
not require augering holes for the installation of small support
posts but rather these posts will be pounded directly into the
soil to reduce disturbance and simplify installation. Initial site
reconnaissance has demonstrated that this is a viable approach
given the conditions at the site. To further minimize impact
and to increase the efficiency of the installation, our
prototyping efforts at the Sevilleta Field Station will allow us
to develop the procedures to be followed and to train
personnel so that installation goes quickly the first time.
We expect that the design of the true rainout structures will
allow us to collect rainwater and divert it into storage tanks
for subsequent re-application to our water addition plots (see
below). This water collection will not only reduce impact by
limiting the number of deliveries of water that are required but
will also offer an opportunity for mitigation of the impact of
the project on local wildlife. Our water collection system will
be used to supply water to drinkers for local wildlife. Because
the drinkers will be located at some distance away from the
plots (to prevent disturbance from preventing their use) the
exact location of the wildlife drinkers will be determined
through discussion with refuge staff. We will then maintain
the water level in these using water delivered via pickup
truck.
Water Addition Plots
Three water addition plots will be constructed to measure the
effects of extended periods of above-average water
availability to piñon and juniper. Water will be applied to the
plots using four pole-mounted rainfall simulators located in each plot. Each simulator consists of one upward-facing nozzle mounted
at the top of the pole to spray water into the air allowing it fall back to earth with drop-sizes that approximate precipitation (design
modified from Brad Wilcox, Texas A&M). Application rates generated by this system minimize the chances of increased erosion
compared to application directly to the soil surface with a hose or with higher application rates.
Water for the water addition will be obtained either from rainfall harvested from the rainout shelters as described above or water
delivered by truck to the site. Water trucked to the site will be Albuquerque municipal water that has been additionally treated with a
reverse-osmosis system and stored on the UNM campus prior to pickup and transport to the Sevilleta NWR. This facility already
exists at UNM and is used for other rainfall manipulation projects in the area. Local well water is not useful for this purpose because
its high salt content would either salinize our experimental plots or would waste significant quantities of water during treatment to
reach sufficient purity. Thus the water sources used will be the same as the water reaching untreated areas (rain water) or low salt
water that will not negatively impact the plots where it is applied.
Water storage will be in green or black polypropylene water storage tanks. Tank sizes will be negotiated with FWS refuge staff while
keeping in mind that one large tank may require heavy equipment to install versus smaller tanks that can be walked in by a small crew
and then plumbed in series. The arrangement of these tanks is also subject to negotiation with and approval of refuge staff. It is likely
that one or more tanks staging would be located near the truck delivery site to accept water from the delivery vehicle. Once unloaded
at the site, water could be redistributed to storage tanks by each water addition plot prior to application to the plots. However,
whenever possible, water will be delivered directly to storage tanks beside each water addition plot to minimize the total number of
tanks required for the project.
As part of our mitigation efforts, we will install and provide water for one or more wildlife drinkers located away from our
experimental plots. The specific location will be chosen after discussion with refuge staff. This will benefit wildlife at a location
away from the experimental plots rather than attracting them to an area with increased activity. After the study is complete and site
clean up is finished we will leave the drinkers and tanks in place if refuge staff are able to continue to supply water to these sites.
From the plot storage tanks, plot plumbing will include a pump station with a binary branching system into the plot. While a binary
branching system may require additional pipe, such a system keeps the runs from pump to nozzles equal, eliminating the need for flow
limiters while reducing system maintenance.
Beginning at the pump, the first two branches of the system will consist of 2.5 to 3.0 inch galvanized steel pipe (size here is dependent
on prototype development) followed by 2.0 inch black polybutylene pipe. Black pipe resists UV radiation, is lower in cost and weight
and connections can be made using mechanical fitting systems. Other materials, such as 2.5 and 3.0 inch black pipe, have been ruled
out because their heat-fusion fittings were not appropriate for field use due to risk of fire.
Nozzles will be attached to vertical masts high enough to clear tree canopies with drop sizes compatible to rain. Prototyping will
determine the height and number of masts per plot. If possible, four masts per plot will be used with each mast centered above one
quadrant of the plot. If coverage using this method is not complete then each quadrant will be divided in quadrants again for a total of
sixteen subplots.
Regardless of whether four or sixteen masts per plot are used, the target event rate is approximately 0.4mm/min (2.4 cm/hr or less than
1 inch/hr).We believe that at this rate the soil surface (coarse sand and shale) will not reach saturation and then runoff the plot. Runoff
may not only damage the landscape by causing erosion but would also defeat the purpose of the addition itself.
Irrigation events will last approximately fifty minutes at the proposed rate. Watering will be conducted as early as possible to
minimize evaporation and latent cooling of the plots and, since each plot will have a dedicated pump, watering will occur
simultaneous at each plot. This will not only reduce the duration of the noise associated with watering but will also make for better
science. We estimate the total run time for each pump (plot pumps and staging tank to plot storage tanks) to be less than ten hours per
year, minimizing noise disturbance to wildlife.
All plumbing will be installed for the duration of the project. A stilt system will be developed and used to insure that water (surface
flow) may pass beneath pipes as well as any wildlife. However, such surface flow will be from actual rainfall since treatment events
will be closely monitored and halted should runoff become significant. The permanent install, we believe, will be cause less
disturbance to the landscape than the regular deployment of hoses and their collection after an event.
Erosion concerns with true rainout and water-addition plots.
The true rainout and water addition treatments raise concerns about the impact of runoff at the site. Rainout shelters of this size will
generate significant quantities of water during sizeable storms. This water must be controlled and diverted in such a way that erosion
of surrounding soil surfaces does not occur. We will avoid erosion damage associated with the rainout plots by capturing as much
diverted water as possible for application to the water addition plots. If storage tanks should be full during a rainstorm (unlikely given
our low precipitation), excess water will be diverted into the many arroyos that dissect the site. These arroyos typically handle the
high flow rates generated during large storms and their surfaces are frequently re-worked so impacts from our use will be small.
Cover-effect rainout shelters will be oriented so the diverted water does not channel between strips by orienting the covers across the
natural gradient of the terrain. This will not only prevent the erosion channeling but will help to redistribute water on the plots. True
rainout plots will be similarly oriented.
As noted above, erosion concerns at the water addition plots will be minimized by controlling application rates of irrigation events.
To prevent erosion across the site, we will locate footpaths used to access plots and to move within plots in positions to
minimize erosion as much as possible. If we detect areas where erosion is occurring on the paths (especially off the
experimental plots) we will attempt to stabilize them using gravel, water bars or other manipulations to decrease the rate of
water movement in these areas.
Sensors
The 12 plots to be created during this project will be instrumented at one of two levels. Four plots (one of each treatment) will be
designated as intensively measured plots and will receive substantial instrumentation to document the detailed responses of piñon and
juniper to our rainfall manipulations. The remaining eight plots will be instrumented at a reduced level to document the conditions
and consequences of our rainfall manipulation in a less detailed manner. To allow us to begin data collection as early as possible and
to provide symmetry in the start date of treatments, our installation will be organized to install one block of four plots (1 of each
treatment) before moving on to the next block.
All plots:
On all plots we will make automated measurements of soil water content and soil and air temperature using sensors
connected to dataloggers. Sensors will be installed at the same time that the plots are installed to minimize disturbance and
dataloggers will be connected to the Sevilleta LTER wireless network to enable remote access to data, avoiding the need for personnel
to visit the site simply to confirm the operation of this equipment. All sensors and dataloggers will be powered using solar power.
Intensive plots:
Four of the 12 plots (one of each treatment) will be identified as intensive plots and will be used to provide in-depth
measurements of the physiological consequences of our rainfall manipulation for piñon and juniper. Automated measurements will
include vertical profiles of soil moisture probes (installed in a single hole created by a small auger and backfilled using original soil),
plant water status sensors (installed on woody roots underneath the canopy of some trees), soil water content measurements (inserted
directly into the soil), and plant sap flow measurements (sensors consist of needles inserted in the stem to track the movement of heat
applied to one of the needles – these methods measure the amount of water carried away by water flowing through the stems/roots).
Concerns regarding sensor impacts
The primary impact of sensor installation will be low because sensors can be installed and left to function for long periods
of time. Soil moisture and soil water potential sensors will be installed in holes and backfilled using the original soil with some effort
to retain vertical stratification (shallow soil is returned to shallow depths). This approach has been very successful in grassland and
shrubland ecosystems and we expect it to work equally well here. Sap flow sensors in stems are inserted in hole less than 1/8” in
diameter and have little impact on the trees. Sensors will be periodically replaced but their small size means that the impact on the
tree remains small even over an extended study. Sap flow sensors and stem/root psychrometers will be installed on roots requiring
limited excavation of roots at the base of study trees. Here again, the excavation will be backfilled and stabilized to prevent erosion.
All sensors are connected to dataloggers via wiring. We are presently investigating the availability of wireless sensor systems to
reduce the amount of wire deployed at the site however it is likely that these systems will be phased into use because they cannot meet
our needs at the start of the project. Particular attention will be devoted to wiring harnesses in order to conduit cables to reduce trip
hazards and minimize consumption of wire insulation by local rodent populations.
Harvesting twigs and branches
Installation of our rainout shelters will require a limited amount of trimming small branches. We will minimize this by
using PVC pipe to carry water through the tree canopy rather than creating a large enough opening to allow the rainfall collector to
pass through the tree canopy. To maintain the rainout treatment, collectors will be placed on the ground under the trees where they
will not interfere with tree branches and can be easily accessed. These under canopy collectors will not be connected to the water
collection system but will instead trap water and allow it to evaporate after storms. Our data collection will also require harvesting
some twigs and branches as we measure plant water status, photosynthesis, resin production and productivity. This sampling will be
minimized as much as possible by using non-destructive methods for measuring productivity. This non-destructive sampling will be
calibrated with destructive samples of twigs and branches spread across a large number of trees on the plots and in the surrounding
area. This minimizes the impact per tree and allows rapid recovery from sampling.
10. Time Frame (if possible, include an image/photo of project location in “before” installing markers, etc.)
Project Start Date: June 1, 2006
Projected Field Season Dates/Months: Year round visits with
Projected Completion Date: December 31, 2012
increased activity April – October
Projected # site visits/year: 150 during year 1 and 75 per year
Projected # of workers/visit: 3-10 during year 1, 2-5 thereafter.
during subsequent years of the project
11. Site clean-up Plan (include budget and expected completion date)
Because the goal of the project is to understand the long term responses of piñon-juniper vegetation to extend periods of above- and
below- average precipitation, the end date of the project is dependent on research outcomes. We anticipate that this study will
continue beyond the current funding cycle because the treatments are intended to experimentally mimic the long term extremes of
precipitation in the region. The project could be extended even longer if the experimental results are strong and there is good reason
to monitor the recovery of the site after the initial set of treatments. Thus, funding for the clean up is not included in the current award
because there is no mechanism to set aside these funds at UNM until such time as they are needed. Clean-up costs are unknown but
are well within the scope of the budget for future years of the project. Most costs are to cover the labor required to dismantle and
remove our experimental infrastructure. These costs will be included in renewal funding for this project and the Sevilleta LTER
program has agreed to meet any shortfalls in this funding (see attached memo from Scott Collins, Sevilleta LTER PI).
Our design for the experimental infrastructure will facilitate easy removal by using only structures that can be broken down into pieces
that can be handled by one person. This will be accomplished by using small easily-handled component parts assembled on site rather
than large, heavy and unwieldy components that require special equipment and additional labor to remove. In addition, we will
minimize the use of concrete and other materials that create a lasting impact or that are difficult to remove from the site once installed.
This approach has a huge benefit toward the clean-up plan because it avoids the need to plan for removal of items larger than can be
handled by one or two people. The only items in this category would be the water storage tanks. These will be removed using the
same resources used at installation.
During site clean-up we will determine whether refuge staff would like for us to leave the drinkers installed as part of our mitigation
activity in place for future use. If this is desireable, we will leave these systems intact rather than removing them from the refuge.
Plan:
Clean up will be ongoing to keep the amount of materials and equipment at the site at a minimum. Items will be stored in a trailer to
avoid a cluttered appearance or scattering of these items by wind. This will also provide some security for small portable items since
the site is near the refuge boundary.
All structural elements will be dismantled and removed from the refuge. To avoid large impacts of handling these materials, they will
be removed from the site in small batches and delivered to recycling companies (metal structural pieces), to the Sevilleta field station
(components that can be reused in future studies) or the Socorro county landfill. If the study is to continue during a post-treatment
monitoring phase, the infrastructure required for the treatments will be removed and sensor arrays and other data collection equipment
left in place during the subsequent phase of the research. At the conclusion of the project, no equipment will be left at the site except
plot markers to identify where the experimental plots were located and tree tags to identify individuals used in the study.
Project Relationships
12. Project’s Relationship to Other Research Projects (note whether other projects are on/off Sevilleta NWR)
The goals and findings of this study will be strongly linked to to other studies of climate-mediated changes in vegetation at the
Sevilleta LTER, including the rainfall manipulation in grassland and shrubland (Pockman and Small), NuClimX experiments to alter
rainfall frequency in grassland (Collins et al), warming project (Fargione, Elliott, Collins and Pockman), and for comparative purposes
to numerous other studies at other locations and in other ecosystems (far too numerous to mention). Additional studies of ecosystem
carbon and water exchange, located an LANL and the Valles Caldera, will also benefit from the findings of the proposed research.
While none of these projects are formally tied to the proposed research, the findings from all of these projects will contribute different
perspectives to precipitation responses in semiarid ecosystems.
13. Project Relationship to Refuge Goals (see introduction)
This study relates to research management to encourage research by research institutions, agencies, and individuals on the refuge.
Interim Report
14. Site Visits
# of visits to project site in…
# in group per visit (average if necessary): 5
January:
July: 20
February:
August: 20
March:
September: 20
April:
October: 20
May:
November: 20
June: 20
December:
15. Project Progress Report (include preliminary results, attach maps, etc. as appropriate, note problems/challenges)
Goal 1: threatened and endangered species management
No significant effect – these species do not occur at the proposed research site.
Goal 2: Wildlife and habitat management
Any significant effects will be addressed by mitigation efforts: Plots could impact wildlife inhabiting the area immediately
surrounding the experimental plots through increased human activity at the site, through minor structural changes in the characteristics
of the plot due to experimental infrastructure, and through changes in water availability to wildlife and plants on some experimental
plots. Efficient installation procedure will minimize the number of visits to the sites. Installation procedures for components like
water hose will minimize the impact of structural changes by ensuring that small mammals have easy routes through the site.
Supplying water for drinkers away from the site will favor wildlife activity in other areas to avoid interaction with experimental
equipment. In addition, we are open to leaving these drinkers in place if that is desireable to refuge staff. Additional details regarding
mitigation activity is included in the FWS compatibility determination prepared specifically for the PJ rainfall manipulation project.
Because bark beetles have been implicated in the mortality of piñon during drought, we will collaborate with other researchers to
survey the experimental plots for bark beetles and other key insect groups 1-2 times per year. In addition we will measure the effect
of our treatments on resin production by piñon and juniper to assess how the treatments might affect their sensitivity to insect activity.
These data will provide information about background levels of bark beetle and insect activity on our control plots, as well as any
changes caused by our treatments, that may contribute to habitat management.
The proposed research should make significant contributions to the Refuge in the form of a baseline database of the structure and
function of piñon-juniper ecosystems and their response to the extremes of climate variability.
Goal 3: Research
This project will directly fulfill goal 3 by providing a mechanistic study of the impact of extreme drought and increased water
availability on the structure and function of this important ecosystem. This project will also present an opportunity for education
activities and outreach both through visits by groups from the community and by outreach via the web to a larger community.
We expect that this project will continue a mutually beneficial relationship by forging a partnership that provides useful management
information and positive publicity for the refuge while supplying data that advance our understanding of plant and ecosystem
responses to climate variability.
Category II: New SevLTER Research
I.3
1. Sub-Project Title
Ecological Monitoring & Environmental Education in Riparian Forest: The Sevilleta LTER K-12 Program & Bosque Ecosystem
Monitoring Project (BEMP)
2. Principal Investigator (last-first-middle initial)
Crawford, Clifford S.
3. Mailing Address (street/PO box, city, state, zip)
Department of Biology
MSC03 2020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
4. University/Department or Agency/Sponsor
Telephone (505-277-0758)
University of New Mexico & National Science Foundation
EPSCOR
n/a
Fax (505-277-6318)
Email ccbosque@juno.com
For graduate students, Major Professor Name & Phone
5. Sub-Permittee/Assistant Names
Kim D. Eichhorst, Jennifer F. Schuetz, Daniel C. Shaw, Les and Beth Crowder
6. Funding Source(s) & Amount(s)
US Army Corps of Engineers $90,000, US Fish and Wildlife Service (BIG) $30,000, Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District $5,000,
schoolyard LTER/NSF $50,000, PNM Foundation $10,000, others pending
7. Project Location
In NAD83 Lat-Long: center well: N 34 15.520 W 106 53.002;
north well: N 34 15.531 W 106 53.012; west well: N 34 15.519
W 106 53.025; east well: N 34 15.528 W 106 52.977; south
well: N 34 15.501 W 106 52.992
Located in close proximity to the ET tower (see map in main
2006 SevLTER approved permit)
8. Purpose/Needs/Scope
The Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) is long-term ecological research using volunteers (mainly K-12 teachers and their
students) to monitor key indicators of structural and functional change in the Middle Rio Grande riparian forest, or “bosque.” Starting
with fewer than 200 students in 1997, BEMP now has over 2,000 students participating in field data collection, lab processing, and
follow-up classroom activities – all helping to increase their understanding and appreciation of science and the riparian ecosystem and
all supporting science education reform efforts.
Students from over 40 schools have been involved with BEMP either directly through their school or through such institutions as the
Rio Grande Nature Center and NM Museum of Natural History, from Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Bernalillo, Valencia, Socorro, and
McKinley Counties. BEMP involves traditional public, charter, parochial, private, and home school students. Specifically, a home
school monitors the BEMP site on the Sevilleta LTER.
Abiotic data collected and analyzed includes groundwater level, water quality, river flow, water level in ditches, precipitation, and air
and soil temperatures. Biotic data include native plant and exotic plant productivity, surface-active arthropod activity, vegetation cover,
and woody debris/fuel loading. Such monitoring provides insight into the biological quality and hydrologic connectivity of the (at
present) 22 BEMP sites spanning 140 miles of the Rio Grande.
9. Procedure (include equipment/materials)
The third Tuesday of each month, one group of home-schooled students and their parents who live near Bernardo, NM collect litterfall
from 10 tubs located at the center of 10 vegetation plots randomly situated in the site (see figure). Water levels in rain gauges are
recorded, and gauges are emptied. Groundwater depths are recorded in five wells using a Solinst Water Level Meter.
Four times a year groundwater from five wells is sampled to analyze groundwater
chemistry. A Geopump is used to pump water from the wells, and pH, dissolved oxygen,
conductivity, turbidity and temperature are measured. We also obtain samples of
groundwater to measure levels of chloride, bromide, ammonium, nitrate, phosphate and
sulfate in the Biology Annex laboratory at the University of New Mexico.
Three times a year surface-active ground arthropods are collected at the site using pitfall
traps. Once a year the amount of dead and down wood is measured at the site, and fire
potential is calculated.
Some of our data can be found at: http://www.bosqueschool.org/bemp.datasets.htm.
10. Time Frame (if possible, include an image/photo of project location in “before” installing markers, etc.)
Project Start Date: April 2003
Projected Field Season Dates/Months: Year round
Projected Completion Date: Ongoing
Projected # site visits/year: 25
Projected # of workers/visit: 4-8
11. Site clean-up Plan (include budget and expected completion date)
Please refer to overall SevLTER site clean-up statement. Very little infrastructure to consider.
Project Relationships
12. Project’s Relationship to Other Research Projects (note whether other projects are on/off Sevilleta NWR)
BEMP has a total of 22 sites, one of which is located on the Sevilleta LTER. These sites range from Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo
in the north to Lemitar in the south. We collaborate with the New Mexico State Forestry Department, City of Albuquerque Open Space,
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Corps of Engineers, Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, and many other groups. In particular, our
groundwater chemistry data will be used in the Upper Rio Grande Water Operations Model to .
For projects on the Sevilleta LTER, we collect some similar groundwater depth measurements as the evapotranspiration study and
collaborate with them at the University of New Mexico.
13. Project Relationship to Refuge Goals (see introduction)
Results from this research have been used to evaluate fire potential in the riparian forest along the Rio Grande, to evaluate the effect of
changes in river flow on the shallow aquifer, to assess resulting changes in vegetation after a clearing or fire event in the bosque, and to
evaluate the impact of groundwater chemistry on vegetation health. In doing so, this research will provide information for wildlife and
habitat managers to restore and/or maintain native plant diversity along the river and protect the integrity of the riparian habitat.
This project involves over 2,000 students in New Mexico from over 40 schools in Rio Arriba, Sandoval, Bernalillo, Valencia, Socorro,
and McKinley Counties. Students collect data in the field and process samples in the laboratory. They learn from our environmental
outreach coordinator and UNM undergraduate and graduate students about the aquifer, data interpretation and graphing, and vegetation
and wildlife at the site.
Interim Report
14. Site Visits
# of visits to project site in…
# in group per visit (average if necessary):
January: 3
July: 6
February: 4
August: 4
March: 3
September: 6
April: 4
October: 3
May: 6
November: 6
June: 3
December: 3
15. Project Progress Report (include preliminary results, attach maps, etc. as appropriate, note problems/challenges)
Monitoring at the Sevilleta LTER site began in April 2003. BEMP data from all sites show new cottonwood growth within some
sections of the bosque and some areas remaining with more than 95% native vegetation. BEMP has also documented the ascendancy of
exotic plant communities and tracked the impacts of various
intervention and management strategies such as exotic plant
removal and mowing. Most BEMP sites have a significant
hydrologic connection between the groundwater and river
flow, while a few have a significant connection between
groundwater and water in the nearby ditches and drains.
Resource managers and researchers attempting to restore
cottonwood-dominated sites can use BEMP data to locate
suitable areas and determine the most appropriate strategy.
Water chemistry analyses from November 2005 and
February 2006 are complete. Specific conductance, sulfate,
bromide, and chloride show similar trends in groundwater
from north to south with a relatively high mean value at the
northern most site Ohkay Owingeh (except for chloride),
relatively low mean values through Albuquerque, and
increasing values for the southern sites, with a spike at
Sevilleta, just below the San Acacia dam. The same trend
(data are not included for Ohkay Owingeh north of
Albuquerque) of low values in Albuquerque with slight
increases to the south hold for surface water samples, both ditch and river. Phosphate values in both groundwater and surface water
follow this same trend with a few exceptions: high groundwater values start occurring at the Harrison site in Albuquerque, just 1 mile
north of the waste water treatment plant.
The first BEMP report (Eichhorst et al. 2001), now widely distributed and covering the years 1997-2000, summarizes up to four years
of site monitoring data. The first supplement to that report (Eichhorst et al. 2002) covered the year 2001 and was printed in 2002. The
second supplement covered years 2002-2003 and was printed in 2004. All reports can be accessed on the BEMP web site at
http://www.bosqueschool.org/BEMP/bemp.htm.