Mammal Inventory of the Mammal Inventory of the Mojave Network ParksMojave Network Parks

Charles Drost and and Jan HartUSGS Southwest Biological Science

CenterColorado Plateau Research Station

Mojave Network ParksMojave Network Parks

ObjectivesObjectivesFor each area, determine or provide data For each area, determine or provide data

on:on: mammal species composition mammal species composition

distribution and abundancedistribution and abundance

biological & natural history informationbiological & natural history information

spatial data on sampling spatial data on sampling

museum voucher specimens, as museum voucher specimens, as appropriate appropriate

Targeted AreasTargeted Areas

Targeted HabitatsTargeted Habitats

Death Valley National ParkDeath Valley National Park Greenwater Range and Greenwater ValleyGreenwater Range and Greenwater Valley Owlshead MountainsOwlshead Mountains Inyo RangeInyo Range Ibex HillsIbex Hills Argus Range / Darwin PlateauArgus Range / Darwin Plateau Springs (Cottonwood and Panamint Springs (Cottonwood and Panamint

Mountains)Mountains) Joshua Tree National ParkJoshua Tree National Park

Little San Bernardino MountainsLittle San Bernardino Mountains Pinto Wash/Pinto DunesPinto Wash/Pinto Dunes Coxcomb / Eagle MountainsCoxcomb / Eagle Mountains Quail Springs WatershedQuail Springs Watershed Fan Palm OasesFan Palm Oases Lost Horse and Hidden ValleysLost Horse and Hidden Valleys

Lake Mead National Recreation AreaLake Mead National Recreation Area Shivwits PlateauShivwits Plateau Newberry MountainsNewberry Mountains Black MountainsBlack Mountains Gold ButteGold Butte SpringsSprings Sandy benches near waterSandy benches near water

Manzanar National Historic SiteManzanar National Historic Site Riparian CommunityRiparian Community Cottonwood GroveCottonwood Grove Blackbrush ScrubBlackbrush Scrub

Mojave National PreserveMojave National Preserve Springs and SeepsSprings and Seeps Piute RangePiute Range Limestone Substrates and Sand DunesLimestone Substrates and Sand Dunes High elevation areasHigh elevation areas

Methods:Methods:

Literature and Museum Literature and Museum

SpecimensSpecimens

Published AccountsPublished Accounts

Museum specimensMuseum specimens

NPS Record cardsNPS Record cards

Other Local Data and Other Local Data and

ResourcesResources

Museum Specimen ReviewMuseum Specimen Review

Museum Specimen ReviewMuseum Specimen Review

Field MethodsField Methods

Live TrapsLive Traps Sherman (rodents)Sherman (rodents) Tomahawk (medium-sized mammals) Tomahawk (medium-sized mammals)

Visual SurveysVisual Surveys Automatic CamerasAutomatic Cameras Methods for BatsMethods for Bats

Mist NettingMist Netting Ultrasonic SurveysUltrasonic Surveys

Small Mammal TrappingSmall Mammal Trapping

Medium-size MammalsMedium-size Mammals

Mist NettingMist Netting

AnabatAnabat

Mammal Sampling EffortMammal Sampling Effort

# of Visits Person-days Trap-nights# of Visits Person-days Trap-nights DEVADEVA 10 10 112 112 2,397 2,397 JOTRJOTR 10 10 92 92 1,492 1,492 LAMELAME 5 5 71 71 1,313 1,313 MANZMANZ 6 6 28 28 604 604 MOJAMOJA 10 10 93 93 1,538 1,538 Total:Total: 41 41 396 396 7,344 7,344

Rainfall PatternRainfall Pattern

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

W01

Su01

W02

Su02

W03

Su03

W04

Su04

W05

Su05

Season / Year

Pre

cip

ita

tio

n (

inc

he

s)

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

4

4.55

W01

Su01

W02

Su02

W03

Su03

W04

Su04

W05

Su05

Season / Year

Pre

cip

itat

ion

(in

ches

)

Joshua TreeJoshua Tree

Death ValleyDeath Valley

Total Mammal Species at Each Total Mammal Species at Each ParkPark

DocumentedDocumentedProbableProbable

Death ValleyDeath Valley 5959 11

Joshua TreeJoshua Tree 5050 44

Lake MeadLake Mead 5959 88

ManzanarManzanar 1919 11 11

MojaveMojave 5050 33

““Probable” Species Mostly Edge-of-Probable” Species Mostly Edge-of-RangeRange

General Species AbundanceGeneral Species Abundance

Cumulative Captures, All Parks:Cumulative Captures, All Parks:

Cactus MouseCactus Mouse 229229 Merriam’s Kangaroo RatMerriam’s Kangaroo Rat 170170 Canyon MouseCanyon Mouse 166166 Desert WoodratDesert Woodrat 159159 Deer MouseDeer Mouse 130130 Desert Pocket MouseDesert Pocket Mouse 74 74

Pallid BatPallid Bat 55 55 Western PipistrelleWestern Pipistrelle 35 35

Some Other Results:Some Other Results:

“New Species” “New Species”

Rare / Special Concern SpeciesRare / Special Concern Species

Non-native SpeciesNon-native Species

Final Report and DataFinal Report and Data

Draft Reviewed by ParksDraft Reviewed by Parks

Suggest Adding Annotated Species Suggest Adding Annotated Species SectionSection

Taxonomic ChangesTaxonomic Changes

DocumentationDocumentation

Distribution and AbundanceDistribution and Abundance

Known Population Trends Known Population Trends

Other NotesOther Notes

Monitoring ConsiderationsMonitoring Considerations

Small Mammals as Monitoring Small Mammals as Monitoring

SubjectsSubjects

Response to Expected ChangeResponse to Expected Change

Possible Focus on Edge-of-Range Possible Focus on Edge-of-Range

SpeciesSpecies

Potential “Repeat Inventory” Potential “Repeat Inventory”

ApproachApproach

Monitoring Habitat vs. Monitoring Monitoring Habitat vs. Monitoring

Organisms within Habitat Organisms within Habitat

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

Special thanks to NPS staff, including Linda Special thanks to NPS staff, including Linda Greene, Linda Manning, and Dana York (Death Greene, Linda Manning, and Dana York (Death Valley National Park), Hank McCutchen, Harold De Valley National Park), Hank McCutchen, Harold De Lisle, Amy Fesnock, and Jane Rodgers (Joshua Tree Lisle, Amy Fesnock, and Jane Rodgers (Joshua Tree National Park), Kent Turner, Ross Haley, and Libby National Park), Kent Turner, Ross Haley, and Libby Powell (Lake Mead National Recreation Area), Powell (Lake Mead National Recreation Area), Frank Hays (Manzanar National Historic Site), and Frank Hays (Manzanar National Historic Site), and Larry Whalon, Debra Hughson, and Kitty Jensen Larry Whalon, Debra Hughson, and Kitty Jensen (Mojave National Preserve). Darla Sidles (Mojave National Preserve). Darla Sidles (Parashant National Monument) assisted with (Parashant National Monument) assisted with access to the Shivwits Plateau area of Lake Mead access to the Shivwits Plateau area of Lake Mead NRA and the adjacent Parashant NM. Jim Andre NRA and the adjacent Parashant NM. Jim Andre (University of California Granite Mountains (University of California Granite Mountains Reserve) aided us in our sampling of the Granite Reserve) aided us in our sampling of the Granite Mountains area of Mojave NP.Mountains area of Mojave NP.