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

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Analysis We report relative abundance as the mean number of observations. Incidental and Breeding Observations Field Methods When we were not conducting formal surveys and we encountered a rare species, a species in an unusual location, or an individual engaged in breeding behavior, we recorded UTM coordinates, time of detection, and (if known) the sex and age class of the bird. We recorded all breeding observations using the standardized classification system developed by the North American Ornithological Atlas Committee (NAOAC 1990), which characterizes breeding behavior into one of nine categories: nest building, occupied nest, used nest, adult carrying nesting material, adult carrying food or fecal sac, adult feeding young, adult performing distraction display, or fledged young. We made breeding observations during standardized surveys and incidental observations. Analysis We report frequency counts of incidental and breeding observations. Vegetation Sampling at Non-random VCP Stations Field Methods We quantified vegetation characteristics along random transects (see Chapter 3 for details). In 2002 we sampled vegetation associated with each of the repeat-visit, non-random transects. At each station we sampled vegetation at five subplots located at a modified random direction and distance. Each plot was located within a 72° range of the compass from the station (e.g., Plot 3 was located between 145° and 216°) to reduce clustering of plots. We randomly placed plots within 75 m of the stations to correspond with truncation of data used in estimating relative abundance. At each plot we used the point-quarter method (Krebs 1998) to sample vegetation by dividing the plot into four quadrants along 52 cardinal directions. We applied this method to plants in one size category: potential cavitybearing vegetation (> 20 cm diameter at breast height), and three height categories: sub-shrubs (0.5–1.0 m), shrubs (> 1.0–2.0 m), trees (> 2.0 m). If there was no vegetation for a given category within 25 m of the plot center, we indicated this in the species column. For each individual plant, we recorded distance from the plot center, species, height, and maximum canopy diameter (including errant branches). Association of a plant to a quadrant was determined by the location of its trunk, regardless of which quadrant the majority of the plant was in; no plant was recorded in more than one quadrant. Standing dead vegetation was recorded only in the “potential cavity-bearing tree” category. On rare occasions when plots overlapped we repeated the selection process for the second plot. Within a 5-m radius around the center of each plot, we visually estimated percent ground cover by type (bare ground, litter, or rock); and percent aerial cover of vegetation in each quadrant using three height categories: 0–0.5 m, > 0.5–2.0 m, and > 2.0 m. For both estimates we used one of six categories for percent cover: 0 (0%), 10 (1–20%), 30 (21–40%), 50 (41–60%), 70 (61–80%), and 90 (81–100%). Analysis Using point-quarter data, we calculated mean density (number of stems/ha) for all species in each of the four height/size categories. We used the computer program Krebs to calculate density (Krebs 1998). We collected these data to characterize gross vegetation characteristics around survey stations. Results We made over 15,000 observations of birds and found 173 species from 2001 to 2003 (Appendix C). We found 10 species that had not previously been found in the district including the sulphurbellied flycatcher, elegant trogon, and pinyon jay. Among the 173 species that we observed, there were a number with special conservation designations including the northern goshawk, yellow-billed cuckoo, Mexican spotted owl,
and buff-breasted flycatcher. Unusual sightings included a nest of the sulphur-bellied flycatcher, a singing male buff-breasted flycatcher, and sightings of the wild turkey, common black hawk, and yellow-breasted chat. We recorded three non-native species, including the rock pigeon, a new species for the district. We recorded the most species during incidental observations (n = 154) and VCP surveys (n = 149) and fewest during nocturnal surveys (n = 9). Community Types We performed cluster analysis on bird and vegetation data and found almost complete congruency of results for the random transects (we did not include vegetation data from nonrandom transects into the cluster analysis for plants; see above). Interpreting data from both analyses, we found there to be five communities (Fig. 5.3). Based on the bird data, we grouped the Happy Valley Saddle transect differently than we expected; it was originally classified as Oak Savannah, but we assigned it to the Pine-oak Woodland vegetation community. Oak Savannah Pine/oak Woodland Conifer Forest Sonoran Desertscrub Riparian 101 106 189 111 Happy Valley Saddle 107 125 155 120 128 113 Rincon Peak 191 112 115 121 130 138 139 Box Canyon Upper Loma Verde Wash Lower Rincon Creek Upper Rincon Creek 53 • Riparian. All low-elevation non-random transects (Lower and Upper Rincon Creek, Box Canyon, and Loma Verde Wash). Creeks and washes lined by thick vegetation such as Fremont cottonwood, Arizona sycamore, and willow (except Loma Verde Wash), velvet ash, and bordered by Sonoran Desertscrub. • Sonoran Desertscrub. Five lowelevation random transects (112, 115, 130, 138, and 139) and one middle elevation transect (121). Mixed cactus, succulents, and palo verde, with some velvet mesquite, especially in the dry washes. • Oak Savannah. Four middle-elevation random transects (101, 106, 189, and 111). Open areas dominated by perennial grasses with scattered trees, mostly oaks. • Pine-Oak Woodland. Two middle- (125 and 120) and three high- (107, 155, and 128) elevation random transects and one non-random transect (Happy Valley Saddle). Most transects had dense stands of manzanita and oaks, interspersed Figure 5.3. Dendrogram of bird community groups from Ward’s hierarchical cluster analysis, Saguaro National Park, Rincon Mountain District, 2001 and 2002. See text for descriptions of bird communities and data used in analysis.
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Powell, Halvorson, Schmidt Vascular
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U.S. Department of the Interior DIR
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Table of Contents Report Dedication
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Table 5.8. Number of breeding behav
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Figure 6.5. Locations of non-random
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Report Dedication Eric Wells Albrec
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Acknowledgements Thanks to Saguaro
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Executive Summary This report summa
Page 19 and 20: Chapter 1: Introduction to the Inve
Page 21 and 22: them out. This information, in conj
Page 23 and 24: communities and is especially usefu
Page 25 and 26: Chapter 2: Park Overview Brian F. P
Page 27 and 28: Figure 2.2. Aerial photograph showi
Page 29 and 30: Figure 2.4. Diagram of the major ve
Page 31: Non-native Species and Changes to V
Page 34 and 35: General Botanizing Methods We colle
Page 36 and 37: Figure 3.3. Locations of modified-W
Page 38 and 39: Focal-points: General Patterns We f
Page 40 and 41: Percent 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Plant
Page 42 and 43: well (Swantek et al. 1999). The mos
Page 45 and 46: Chapter 4: Amphibian and Reptile In
Page 47 and 48: Figure 4.2. Locations of intensive
Page 49 and 50: features. We based extensive survey
Page 51 and 52: B). Reptilian species included two
Page 53 and 54: Table 4.6. Relative abundance (mean
Page 57 and 58: Cumulative number of species 50 40
Page 59 and 60: elevation range of the district all
Page 61: in recent years due to sedimentatio
Page 64 and 65: Spatial Sampling Designs We establi
Page 66 and 67: Figure 5.2. Location of section bre
Page 68 and 69: the relative abundance by repeat-vi
Page 72 and 73: with some pine trees, mostly pinyon
Page 74 and 75: Riparian Sonoran Desertscrub Oak Pi
Page 76 and 77: Table 5.5. Mean relative abundance
Page 80 and 81: Nest Adults carrying objects Other
Page 82 and 83: Cumulative number of species Cumula
Page 84 and 85: can impact other native plant and v
Page 87 and 88: Chapter 6: Mammal Inventory Don E.
Page 89 and 90: Figure 6.3. Locations of random (fo
Page 91 and 92: calculated relative abundance by pl
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Page 95 and 96: (2) Receiver triggers camera to tak
Page 97 and 98: Excluding the results for the white
Page 99 and 100: Table 6.5. Number of photographs of
Page 101 and 102: Cumulative number of species Cumula
Page 103 and 104: point out that the pond at Manning
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Page 107 and 108: Chapter 7: Literature Cited Albrech
Page 109 and 110: Davis, R., and C. Dunford. 1987. An
Page 111 and 112: Kirkpatrick, C., C. J. Conway, and
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130 Order Voucher Specimen (S), Fam
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132 UA survey type Survey or specie
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138 Survey type Documentation type
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Voucher Collection type Taxon Speci
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Appendix F. List of existing vouche
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Taxon Common name Collectiona Colle
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Appendix G. Mean frequency of detec
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Species Total transects observed Lo
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Oak Savannah Pine-oak Woodland Coni
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Appendix I. Details of small-mammal
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Random or Camera Number of Number o
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