Download Long-term monitoring in riparian habitats in the context of climate

Long-term monitoring in riparian habitats in the context of climate
change
Stella Moss, Sacha Heath, Geoffrey Geupel
November, 2008
PRBO Conservation Science
Presentation Goals
• Riparian habitat is critical for
avian conservation in
California
• Long-term monitoring
demonstrates that riparian
restoration enhances bird
habitat
• What does climate change
mean for riparian restoration
and bird populations?
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The importance of riparian areas as bird habitat
• Riparian areas account for < 1%
of the western U.S., but provide
habitat for disproportionately
more bird species than
surrounding uplands (Knopf et
al. 1988).
• degradation of riparian habitat
has been implicated in declines
of western North American birds
(Terborgh 1989, DeSante and
George 1994, Ohmart 1994).
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Riparian restoration is widespread in the United States
>37,000 river restoration
projects across U.S.
> billion $ annually since 1990
Only 10% of projects
document monitoring, little
effort assessing the ecological
effectiveness of restoration
activities
Bernhardt et al. 2005. Synthesizing U.S.
River Restoration Efforts. Science.
Bird monitoring is one tool
for assessing the ecological
effectiveness of riparian
restoration
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Bird response to riparian restoration
• Different species have a wide
variety of nesting and foraging
needs
• Riparian areas are variable and
dynamic and so is the native
avifauna
• Yellow Warblers are quick to
respond to restoration
Heath in press, Krueper et al. (2002),
Taylor and Littlefield (1985)
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Yellow Warbler California state species
of special concern
• 1944: “common breeders” in CA (Grinnell, 1944)
• 1985: “absent as nesters” on lower Rush Creek (Gaines and
Mandelbaum pers. comms. In Jones and Stokes Assoc. 1993)
• 1991: Frequently encountered on Rush and Lee Vining Creeks
(Jones and Stokes Assoc. 1993)
• 2000 – 2005: Rush Creek harbors most abundant and densest
breeding population documented in California (Heath in press)
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Riparian bird diversity over time
2.0
Territories/hectare
canopy nesters
1.0
0.0
2001
2002
2003
2004
cavity nesters
1.0
0.0
2005
2001
2002
6.0
Territories/hectare
Territories/hectare
2.0
5.0
ground and shrub nesters
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
Lee Vining
Rush
0.0
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2003
2004
2005
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What does climate change mean for riparian
restoration?
Lots of uncertainty, but general consensus for:
1. Warmer air temperatures
2. More rain, less snow
3. More extreme events
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Riparian Areas as Thermal Refugia
• Riparian area absorb heat and buffer organisms against
extreme temperatures (Naiman et al. 2007)
• Vegetation shades water from sunlight (Cassie 2006)
• Groundwater infusion helps maintain pockets of cool
water (Chu et al. 2008)
• Conclusion:
Restoring vegetation and protecting groundwater
resources will enhance resistance of riparian ecosystems
to the effect of climatic change.
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Riparian habitat provides corridors for bird
movement
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Reaching the Threshold
•
All organisms and species have a limit to their
environmental tolerance
•
If the environment changes the options are:
- Move
- Adapt
- Or Die
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What can we do to prepare for climate change?
Three ways to deal with thresholds:
1. Develop early warning systems
2. Maintain and mine long-term data sets
3. Develop management practices to forestall thresholds or
soften the transition
Most importantly: Make the options and consequences clear
to the public and decision-makers
John A. Wiens. Conservation in a changing World.
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Quick Review
• Riparian areas are the most critical
habitat for avian conservation in
California
• Birds tell us about the ecological effects of habitat
restoration
• Climate changes will shift the context of restoration
• We must become proactive resource managers
anticipating changes to ecological systems rather
then reacting to them
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Acknowledgments
Funding and in-kind support
Advanced Energy Group
Audubon California
Bureau of Land Management - Bishop Field Office
California Department of Fish and Game
Cornell University
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Devils Postpile National Monument
Eastern Sierra Audubon Society
Ecosystem Sciences
Inyo National Forest
Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua
Mono Lake Committee
Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve
Mono Market
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
National Resources Conservation Services
North American Fund for Environmental Collaboration
PRBO donors
Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab
UC Berkeley – Mark Hauber
University of Nevada – Reno
USFS Region 5 and Region 4 Partners in Flight
USGS
White Mountain Research Station (ESICE)
Field Biologists
2005: Selena Humphreys, Megan Kefauver, Jeff
Maurer, Stella Moss, Kristie Nelson, Libby Porzig,
Chris Tonra, Wendy Willis, Ben Winger, and Colin
Woolley.
2004: Heidi Black, H. River Gates, Quresh
Latif, Jeff Maurer, Brian Scavone, Ben Snead,
Carin Sorisio, Tamathy Stage, Chris Tonra, Ben
Winger, and Colin Woolley.
2003: Kiera Freeman, H. River Gates, Gernot
Huber, Jennifer Kendrick, Quresh Latif, David
Lukas, Jeff Maurer, Chris Tonra and Simone
Whitecloud.
2002: Tia Adams, H. River Gates, Noah Hamm,
Robin Hirsch-Jacobson, Gernot Huber, Quresh
Latif, Yen Luc, Kristie Nelson, and Chris Tonra.
2001: Noah Hamm, Andrew Jobes, Heidi Kirk,
Quresh Latif, Kristie Nelson, Mike Palladini, Mark
Pollock, and Sue Prentice.
2000: Keith Barnes, Dan Calvert, Kristie Nelson,
Zach Smith, Charmian Traynor, and Crow White.
1999: Gretchen Jehle, Chris Mccreedy, Mindy
Spiegel, Andrew Stempel, Will Richardson, and
Crow White.
1998: Will Richardson, Emilie Strauss
Sacha Heath, Chris McCreedy, Leah
Culp, Chris Tonra, Quresh Latif, Grant
Ballard and Geoff Geupel