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Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Saguaro ... - USGS

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Saguaro ... - USGS

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Cumulative number <strong>of</strong> species<br />

Cumulative number <strong>of</strong> species<br />

25<br />

20<br />

15<br />

10<br />

5<br />

0 5 10 15 20 25 30<br />

25<br />

20<br />

15<br />

10<br />

seems unlikely in the case <strong>of</strong> the Virginia<br />

opossum, which has been extending its range<br />

northward; the record from this study represents<br />

a significant range extension (Babb et al. 2004).<br />

The red bat <strong>and</strong> fulvous harvest mouse were both<br />

found only along Rincon Creek, in the expansion<br />

area that was added to <strong>Saguaro</strong> National Park<br />

during the 1990s. The red bat is a riparian<br />

obligate species <strong>and</strong> may occur in the district only<br />

in this area. Less is known about the fulvous<br />

Sample period<br />

Sample period<br />

harvest mouse, but the finding <strong>of</strong> this species in<br />

the district is noteworthy.<br />

Additional inventory work could also<br />

increase the number <strong>of</strong> bat species detected. In<br />

total, 18 bat species have been confirmed for the<br />

Rincon Mountain District. Ronnie Sidner, who<br />

collected data for this effort <strong>and</strong> is a regional<br />

expert on the distribution <strong>and</strong> ecology <strong>of</strong> bats,<br />

believes that an additional four species could be<br />

found with additional survey effort: California<br />

83<br />

Middle Elevation<br />

High Elevation<br />

Low elevation<br />

5<br />

0 10 20 30 40<br />

Figure 6.11. Species accumulation curve for infrared-triggered cameras, <strong>Saguaro</strong> National Park,<br />

Rincon Mountain District, 1999-2005. Each sample period for the low‑elevation stratum represents a<br />

r<strong>and</strong>omized combination <strong>of</strong> 50 observations. Each sample period for medium‑ <strong>and</strong> high‑elevation strata<br />

represents 20 observations.

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