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The primary objective is to provide guidance to conservation agencies and programs such as Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Louisiana Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 2 and 4 National Wildlife Refuges, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Office Region 2 to focus banding activities (i.e., where and when) and minimum sample sizes necessary to meet harvest management objectives for mottled ducks. A secondary objective is to investigate alternate marking techniques (e.g., PIT tags, NANO tags) to supplement or replace assessments derived from band recoveries. The banding needs assessment will be a two part analysis. The first part will use multi-state simulation...
In Texas, the USFWS is currently reviewing 11 mussel species for ESA protection and several of these species (e.g., Cyclonaias petrina, Texas Pimpleback, and Lampsilis bracteata, Texas Fatmucket) have been the primary focus of controlled propagation by several federal hatcheries. To date, information on genetic diversity within and across known populations for these species is incomplete and so the justification for their controlled propagation is unclear, and a genetic management plan to guide propagation activities does not exist. These unknowns raise serious questions about whether any of the 11 proposed species are truly in need of and would benefit from controlled propagation. The overall goal of this project...
Pectis imberbis A. Gray is an endemic plant species native to southern Arizona with fewer than 400 known individuals in existence. A total of 6 putative populations, each consisting of between ca. 10 and 180 individuals, occur at elevations of 1100-1700 m in a variety of habitats, including oak woodlands, desert grasslands, oak savannas, and disturbed areas in Arizona (road cuts, arroyos) (USFWS 2012). In the past, populations were also identified in Mexico (Keil 1978, USFWS 2012); however, Mexican populations have not been relocated in recent years (Keil 1982, Falk and Warren 1994, Sanchez-Escalante 2018a, 2018b). Resurveys of known P. imberbis sites suggest significant decline in abundance over the last two decades...
The purpose of this project is to determine if a newly formed rapid on the Colorado River is acting as a barrier to invasive non-native fish moving upstream from Lake Mead into the Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP). These non-native fish would threaten native desert fishes upstream to include the endangered Razorback Sucker and the Humpback Chub. The project will fill knowledge gaps on fish movement, species composition, and population dynamics in this minimally studied section of the Colorado River, and inform managers on whether active management actions (e.g. native fish translocations; non-native removals) may be required to conserve native fishes in the western Grand Canyon.
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, accepted
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This is a grant to support the continuation of the Fishes of Texas Program. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and their recipient, University of Texas at Austin, manage the Fishes of Texas program and the Native Fish Conservation Network (NFCN). This funding will support staff (i.e., research associate) operations that are required for continued stewardship of these important resources that are utilized by state and federal agencies as well as private and academic institutions. This effort has five main Objectives:For Objective 1, the research associate will compile and collate all research, monitoring, and restoration projects conducted within the 20 Texas Native Fish Conservation Areas (NFCAs) since the...
The mottled duck is a resident dabbling duck that is distributed throughout the western Gulf Coast, primarily in Louisiana and Texas (WGC population), and also in a second population in peninsular Florida (Florida population). Within the WGC, several indices of abundance suggest that the mottled duck has declined over the last several decades, but the ability of many of these indices to detect changes in mottled duck abundance is unknown. Additionally, the surveys often provide different and sometimes conflicting results, causing confusion in interpreting WGC population trends. Also, differences in timing and coverage of surveys further complicate our understanding of the population trend. Overall, none of the surveys...
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, onGoing
This project is intended to provide conservation science support across Arizona through development of conservation case studies and synthesis products and support for data entry for listed species in Arizona (the yellow-billed cuckoo). One full-time Research Specialist and one ¼-time student research assistant will synthesize best practices best practices for managing invasive aquatic species and invasive plants in grasslands. The recipient will work collaboratively with Arizona Game and Fish Department and FWS to identify shared species of concern and develop useful synthesis products (case studies and publications). One student Research Assistant will be tasked with increasing communication across FWS programs...
Non-native crayfish threaten native aquatic and semi-aquatic species via modification of aquatic habitats and food webs, and via depredation and competition. In Arizona and New Mexico, management of crayfish is challenged by a paucity of knowledge about factors governing their distribution and population dynamics in space and time. Virile (Faxonius virilis) and red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) have been documented in at least 22 of 84 HUC8 watersheds within the Lower Colorado River Basin, largely through opportunistic surveying efforts. However, systematic population surveys conducted across key environmental gradients are needed (1) to identify the environmental conditions that predict occupancy, local...
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, onGoing
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This project will refine the hierarchical prioritization within and across the Texas Native Fish Conservation Areas (NFCAs) for integration into the comprehensive revisions of the Texas Conservation Action Plan in 2025. Research products (SDMs and hierarchical prioritization of NFCAs) will guide efforts that result in long-term focus for management and make the most efficient use of limited conservation resources for maintaining or improving conditions for Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) fishes. Research products can subsequently be used to support efforts such as: updating Species Status Assessments used to inform revisions of the SGCN and State Threatened and Endangered species lists, refining the...
This project will evaluate occupancy and habitat relationships at San Bernard NWR. This project will consider several factors that may include prescribed fire, forage conditions, impacts from Hurricane Harvey. The project will build upon previous work funded through Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Comptroller’s Office.
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, onGoing
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This project builds off an ongoing effort to develop a suite of spatial products intended to assist regional stakeholders in planning and delivering conservation services (Tarbox et al. 2018c). The preceding project has been conducted in a participatory manner, with extensive stakeholder engagement and feedback. Upon completion, the spatial tools that comprise the conservation blueprint will be made accessible on ScienceBase, along with extensive documentation. The proposed project will make potential end users familiar with how these tools were developed, how they work, and how to best use them to guide their decision-making processes. Due to the complexity of some of the tools, intensive meetings and workshops...
The goals of this study are to: (1) generate a genetic toolset (80-90 microsatellite loci per species) for long term genetic monitoring of both wild and captive populations of each threatened gartersnake species (THEQ & THRU) that inhabit Arizona and New Mexico; (2) conduct field surveys at Saliz Creek to assess the genetic, demographic, and life history effects of a 2012 wild translocation event for THRU to better assess the strategies of genetic management and success of translocations; (3) conduct targeted surveys for both species at key sites to collect additional samples from geographic gaps and increase sample sizes at previously sampled sites to further evaluate connectivity and genetic diversity of these...
The application of ecological modeling can demonstrate robust, objective, and transparent biological analysis. The Austin Ecological Service Field Office has a multitude of challenging Species Status Assessments (SSA) to complete to support upcoming ESA classification decisions. Previously the Service has invested in development and use of a range of quantitative analytical tools to use in population analysis for SSAs culminating in a recent training class, Species Status Assessment 200 – Strategic use of data: describing population trends for Species Status Assessments. We now seek to apply these tools for more generalized use for a variety of species situations. With this proposed research, population-modeling...
The whooping crane is one of the most iconic and endangered migratory birds in the world and the wild population’s wintering grounds and migration corridor overlaps a significant portion of the USFWS southwest region. Rapidly developing wind energy in the Gulf Coast (wintering habitat), East Texas, Oklahoma and Great Plains (migratory habitat) has the potential to impact whooping crane habitat use and shift seasonal mortality. Balancing wind energy with species conservation is also a Regional Conservation Priority. This work will provide information about the potential impacts and mitigations of risks of whooping cranes with energy exploration, development and production activities across their wintering area and...
The narrow-headed gartersnake (Thamnophis rufipunctatus, hereafter THRU) is a federally threatened species endemic to the Mogollon Rim of central Arizona and western New Mexico. This species has undergone marked declines throughout its range due primarily to introduced fish and crayfish and loss or degradation of riparian and within-stream habitat. There is currently no THRU species recovery plan and in 2020 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formally began the most recent Species Status Assessment (SSA) for THRU, which is anticipated to form the basis for the species recovery plan. However, there is relatively little empirical data available on the movement ecology and population dynamics of THRU, which span multiple...
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, accepted
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Managers typically estimate wildlife abundance using surveys within a timeframe that favors increased detectability; however, the ability to account for probabilities of inclusion, detection, and/or presence within a given sampling area is often limited. Cranes provide a good opportunity to research count accuracy because they are large, conspicuous, and often congregate during part of the year, typically on staging areas (i.e., fall and spring) or on wintering grounds. The objectives of this paper are twofold: (1) to evaluate how environmental factors influence crane movement in and out of crane survey areas to identify the best window of availability for annual survey counts, and (2) to evaluate environmental...
Caves in the Ozarks of eastern Oklahoma are known to be inhabited by the rare Oklahoma cave crayfish (Cambarus tartarus), the Delaware cave crayfish (C. subterraneus), and the federally listed threatened Ozark cavefish (Amblyopsis rosae). These species utilize ground/subsurface water present in the caves. Because these caves occur in fractured limestone rock landscapes (karst), there is a strong surface water connection with any ground/subsurface water present in the caves. Consequently, actions on the land surface have the potential to influence groundwater quality in these caves. Delineating the recharge areas for these caves is an important initial step in protecting water quality and minimizing surface disturbances...
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, accepted
In Texas, there are currently 15 species listed as state threatened, of which 5 are candidates for protection under the Endangered Species Act (TPWD 2010; USFWS 2009, 2011). For many of these species it is unknown how habitat quality and quantity is influenced by changes in flow, whether it be extreme low or high flows. Thus, the emphasis of this study will be to begin summarizing the effects of disruptive flow events on mussels to help inform ongoing conservation assessments by USFWS. The anticipated outcome of this project is a review of mussel-hydrologic relationships that USFWS can use to aide in their conservation and recovery activities for Texas mussel species.
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, accepted
Piñon-juniper woodlands are the most abundant woodland type across the southwestern United States, yet one of the least studied ecosystems. Obligate and semi-obligate piñon-juniper bird species are an important natural resource, and some are at-risk species of greatest conservation need in western states. Basic information gaps exist regarding habitat preferences and requirements for these species, which presents problems when habitat management is planned or undertaken. We propose a partner-driven collaborative project between the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service; this approach will build on complimentary...
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, onGoing
Started as a Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative project, this effort has been identified as a continued high priority by state wildlife agencies and other land managers. The purpose of this project is to analyze landscape-scale indicators across the three warm deserts of North America with a focus on three geographies in the Southwestern US and northern Mexico: the eastern recovery unity for the Mojave Desert Tortoise (California and Nevada), the Madrean Archipelago (Arizona and Sonora, Mexico), and Big Bend region of the Rio Grande and lower Rio Conchos (Texas, Chihuahua). The deliverables of this project are landscape-scale ecosystem indicator reports for these three geographies, and data layers made available...
Categories: Data, Project; Tags: Project, onGoing


map background search result map search result map Outreach and end-user support to implement shared conservation priority actions from the Edwards Plateau to the Gulf of Mexico Watershed-Based Conservation Planning to Inform Restoration and Recovery of Texas Threatened and Endangered Freshwater Fishes Species Distribution Modeling and Native Fish Conservation Area Prioritization to Guide Landscape-Level Conservation Linking Ecological Processes and Animal Movements to Inform Timing of Long-term Surveys of a Migratory Game Bird Outreach and end-user support to implement shared conservation priority actions from the Edwards Plateau to the Gulf of Mexico Species Distribution Modeling and Native Fish Conservation Area Prioritization to Guide Landscape-Level Conservation Watershed-Based Conservation Planning to Inform Restoration and Recovery of Texas Threatened and Endangered Freshwater Fishes Linking Ecological Processes and Animal Movements to Inform Timing of Long-term Surveys of a Migratory Game Bird