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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? PRBO Conservation Science 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). PRBO Conservation Science 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 PRBO Conservation Science 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) PRBO Conservation Science 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) PRBO Conservation Science 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 PRBO Conservation Science 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 PRBO Conservation Science 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. PRBO Conservation Science Riparian habitat provides corridors for bird movement PRBO Conservation Science 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 PRBO Conservation Science 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. PRBO Conservation Science 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 PRBO Conservation Science 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