Status of the Preston White River springfish ( Crenichthys baileyi albivallis )

We determined the distribution and estimated population number of Preston White River springfish ( Crenichthys baileyi albivallis ) in summer 1998 and winter 1999. The total population was < 5000 fish persisting in only 4 of 6 spring systems from which it had been previously captured. To improve its status, we recommend conservation measures.     

A fish survey of the White River, Nevada

In spring and summer 1991 and 1992, we surveyed fishes of the White River system, Nye and White Pine Counties, Nevada, to determine the status of natives. There are 5 known native fishes to the White River: Lepidomeda albivallis (White River spinedace), Crenichthys baileyi albivallis (Preston White River springfish), Crenichthys baileyi thermophilus (Moorman White River springfish), Catostomus clarki intermedius (White River desert sucker), and Rhinichthys osculus ssp. (White River speckled dace). All 5 had declined in range. Lepidomeda albivallis had experienced the greatest decline, with less than 50 remaining, and these were restricted to a 70-m stream reach. Rhinichthys osculus spp. was most widespread, found in 18 spring systems. Cottus bairdi (mottled sculpin) was collected for the 1st time from the White River system, where it was probably native. Protective measures should be implemented to conserve all native White River fishes to include C. bairdi.     

Aquatic birds of the White River, Uintah County, Utah

Abundance, seasonal use, and species composition of waterfowl and other aquatic birds are described along a 32.8 km stretch of the White River, Uintah County, Utah, at the site of the proposed White River Dam. Fourteen species of waterfowl and eight other species of aquatic birds were recorded. Waterfowl populations along the river were highest in April, but densities were much lower than on lakes and reservoirs at nearby Ouray National Wildlife Refuge. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;     

Conservation, status, and life history of the endangered White River spinedace, Lepidomeda albivallis (Cyprinidae)

Lepidomeda albivallis (White River spinedace), a fish species endemic to the White River, Nevada, appeared headed toward extinction. In 1991 only 1 population remained, and it comprised fewer than 50 individuals in a 70-m stream reach. We monitored population recruitment and distribution and studied life history and habitat use from 1993 through 1998. We determined that L. albivallis was not reproducing and was continuing to decline, and as an emergency measure we relocated the population (14 in spring 1995 and 6 in spring 1996) downstream 200 m to a secure habitat that we judged more favorable for reproduction. The relocated population reproduced, and by September 1998 it had increased to 396 individuals that inhabited more than 1 km of stream including both pond and stream habitats. In streams they oriented near the bottom but frequently moved up in the water column to strike at drift items. Gut analysis of museum specimens indicated L. albivallis is omnivorous but feeds primarily upon aquatic invertebrates. Conservation of L. albivallis will require reestablishing additional populations within its former range.     

Field observations on the response of the Railroad Valley springfish ( Crenichthys nevadae ) to temperature

The presence of Crenichthys nevadae Hubbs is verified from 37.8 to 18.3 C in the Big Springs aquatic system.     

Effects of convict cichlids on growth and recruitment of White River springfish

Observations of changes in population density of native White River springfish ( Crenichthys baileyi ) in Pahranagat Valley led to the following hypothesis: introduced convict cichlids ( Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum ) cause reduced growth and recruitment; cover reduces the magnitude of the effect. The hypothesis was tested by establishing sympatric and allopatric groups of the two species in experimental aquaria with and without cover. Change in volume (= mass) and length of the two species over a three-month period in spring 1986 and 1987 was measured and analyzed using 2 × 2 factorial analyses. Convict cichlids caused reduced growth and eliminated recruitment of springfish under the experimental conditions. Cover did not influence growth but positively affected recruitment of springfish in allopatry. It is likely that a portion of the reduced springfish population densities in nature can be attributed to adverse effects from introduced cichlids.     

Breeding biology and flower visitors of the rare White River penstemon, Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis (Scrophulariaceae)

We studied the breeding system and flower visitors of White River penstemon, a rare endemic from the Uintah Basin of eastern Utah and western Colorado. Bagging treatments and hand-pollination treatments showed that Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis has a mixed mating system: while some seeds and fruits are produced through selfpollination (both autogamy and geitonogamy), significantly more are produced when flowers are cross-pollinated. The primary flower visitors, and likely pollinators, were several species of native twig- and ground-nesting bees in the families Apidae, Halictidae, and Megachilidae. We found no differences in fruit or seed production between open-pollinated controls and hand-outcrossed flowers, suggesting that pollinator visits were sufficient to maximize female reproductive success. Management plans to conserve White River penstemon must recognize that full reproductive success of this rare plant taxon relies on a suite of pollinating bees, and that the species richness and abundances of bee visitors should be maintained.     

Foods and weights of the Rock Ptarmigan on Amchitka, Aleutian Islands, Alaska

We examined the crop contents from 129 Rock Ptarmigan ( Lagopus mutus ) collected between 1967 and1971 on Amchitka, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. On a yearly basis two plant species, Empetrum nigrum and Equisetum arvense , made up 87% of the diet. Only in July and August were they less than 90% of the diet, and in those months they constituted 65% of the diet. During the warmer months (May-October) when a variety of plant species were available, the Amchitka ptarmigan fed upon growth forms of plants high in nutritive value (particularly Equisetum strobili ). Its main winter food was the vegetative portions of Empetrum , one of the few abundant evergreen vascular plants on the island.     

Comparative ecology of Sarcobatus baileyi and Sarcobatus vermiculatus in estern California

Greasewood ( Sarcobatus ) is a succulent-leaved, halophytic shrub of North American origin. The genus comprises 2 species: Sarcobatus baileyi and Sarcobatus vermiculatus. Sarcobatus vermiculatus is common throughout much of western North America, but S. baileyi is much more limited in distribution and was previously thought to be endemic to Nevada. Here we document and describe a S. baileyi population in eastern California, comparing its morphology and ecology to an adjacent S. vermiculatus population. Morphologically, S. baileyi is smaller in stature but produces larger seeds; however, fewer S. baileyi seeds germinated and survived a 20-day laboratory incubation compared to seeds of S. vermiculatus. Sarcobatus baileyi has higher leaf Na concentrations and operates at much lower plant water potentials than S. vermiculatus under field conditions; however, no significant differences were observed between the 2 species in long-term water-use efficiency as measured by leaf &delta;13C. Leaf Na concentrations were very low in both species. Overall, these species differ greatly in a number of traits that are consistent with the upland, nonphreatophytic character of S. baileyi, which is in stark contrast to the phreatophytic character of S. vermiculatus. Both species, however, are very salt tolerant and have low leaf N concentrations, indicating the low nutrient availability and the potentially high salinity of their extreme habitats. Further investigation of comparable desert ridge environments should be conducted to determine the extent of S. baileyi in eastern California, and common garden comparisons of the 2 species should be conducted to compare their ecophysiological traits. El ";greasewood&rdquo; ( Sarcobatus ) es un arbusto halof&iacute;tico de origen norteamericano con hojas suculentas. El g&eacute;nero consta de dos especies: Sarcobatus baileyi y Sarcobatus vermiculatus. Aunque S. vermiculatus es com&uacute;n en gran parte del oeste de Norteamerica, S. baileyi tiene una distribuci&oacute;n mucho m&aacute;s limitada. Se pensaba anteriormente que S. baileyi era end&eacute;mico a Nevada, pero aqu&iacute; documentamos y describimos una poblaci&oacute;n en el este de California, comparando su morfolog&iacute;a y ecolog&iacute;a con las de una poblaci&oacute;n adyacente de S. vermiculatus. Morfol&oacute;gicamente, S. baileyi es m&aacute;s peque&ntilde;a de altura, pero produce semillas m&aacute;s grandes. Sin embargo, menos semillas de S. baileyi germinaron y sobrevivieron a una incubaci&oacute;n en laboratorio de 20 d&iacute;as, comparado con S. vermiculatus. Sarcobatus baileyi opera con potenciales de agua mucho m&aacute;s bajos que los de S. vermiculatus en condiciones de campo y tiene mayores concentraciones de Na en sus hojas. No obstante, no se observaron diferencias significativas en la eficiencia del uso de agua a largo plazo, medida en t&eacute;rminos de &delta;13C entre las 2 especies. Las concentraciones de N en las hojas fueron muy bajas en ambas especies. En general, estas especies difieren mucho en varios rasgos que son consistentes con el car&aacute;cter no freatof&iacute;tico de S. baileyi de tierras altas, el cual contrasta claramente con el car&aacute;cter freatof&iacute;tico de S. vermiculatus. Ambas especies, sin embargo, son bastante tolerantes a la sal y tienen concentraciones bajas de N en hojas, lo cual indica la baja disponibilidad de nutrientes y la potencial alta salinidad en sus h&aacute;bitats extremos. Investigaciones adicionales en ambientes comparables de bordes des&eacute;rticos deber&aacute;n llevarse a cabo para determinar la extensi&oacute;n S. baileyi en el este de California, adem&aacute;s de comparaciones de las dos especies en jard&iacute;n para comparar sus rasgos ecofisiol&oacute;gicos.     

Home-range fidelity and use of historic habitat by adult Colorado pikeminnow ( Ptychocheilus lucius ) in the White River, Colorado and Utah

Twelve wild adult Colorado pikeminnow ( Ptychocheilus lucius ), captured in the tailwaters of Taylor Draw Dam on the White River, Colorado, were implanted with radio transmitters and their movement patterns monitored from 1992 to 1994. The spawning migration of these fish was extensive. In 1993, the only full year of the study, the fish migrated an average of 658 km from the White River to spawning sites in the Yampa or Green rivers and back to the White River. Eight of these fish were translocated in the river upstream of the dam in April 1993. These fish and the 4 others below the dam remained in the river until May 1993. All 12 had migrated down the White River to spawning sites in the Green and Yampa rivers by July 1993. The fish that were located above the dam successfully passed over the dam during their downstream migration. Seven fish migrated upstream toward the Yampa River Canyon spawning site and 5 migrated downstream toward the Green River Desolation/Gray Canyon spawning site. Five of 7 Yampa River fish were found at the spawning site. The other 2 were found 5-8 km downstream of the site. One of 5 Green River fish was found at the spawning site, the other 4 between 16 and 62 km upstream of the site. All fish migrated back to the White River by August 1993 and were found near the dam by October 1993. Two fish were recaptured and translocated above the dam in September 1993. Five fish were located below the dam and 2 above the dam in April 1994. By July 1994 seven of the same fish that had migrated toward the Yampa River in 1993 were found at the Yampa Canyon spawning site. At the same time, 3 of 5 fish that migrated toward the Green River in 1993 were found at the Desolation/Gray Canyon spawning site. This included 2 fish that had been found upstream of the site in 1993. The 12 fish traveled an average of 6 km d -1 (range: 4-10 km d -1 ) during the migration period from May through October 1993. Generally, fish moved faster to the spawning site than back from the site to the White River. These fish moved very little within their home ranges in the White River. Six fish tagged in 1992 moved only 0.1-2.3 km in the tailwater reach below Taylor Draw Dam from September 1992 through April 1993. All fish, after their spawning runs, had moved up to or near the dam by October 1993. These fish were not tracked again until April 1994. Their movement patterns in April 1994 were similar to those observed in April 1993. The greatest amount of fish movement in the White River was displayed by the 8 fish placed above Taylor Draw Dam in April 1993 and the 2 placed in Kenney Reservoir in September 1993. They moved 1.1-40.6 km in the river before and after their spawning migration in spring and autumn 1993. These spawning migrations suggest that adult Colorado pikeminnow in the White River were recruited from both Green and Yampa river spawning populations and were presumably imprinted to these respective spawning sites. Those fish placed above Taylor Draw Dam established home ranges in habitats previously occupied by Colorado pikeminnow before the dam was completed. They remained there until they migrated downstream during the spawning period. Although we did not study fish passage, our study demonstrates that adult Colorado pikeminnow will use habitat if access is provided. Translocation of wild adult fish into historic but unoccupied habitats may be a valuable recovery option.     

Distribution and abundance of birds in the White Mountains, California

This paper quantifies the distribution and abundance of birds in the White Mountains, Inyo and Mono counties, California, during spring-summer 1989-91, to establish a baseline for monitoring the area's avifauna. Overall 58 species were encountered in the single-leaf pinyon-Utah juniper ( Pinus monophylla-Juniperus osteosperma ) zone, and 61 species in the bristlecone-limber pine ( P. longaeva-P. flexilis ) zone. The bristlecone-limber pine zone had a significantly greater overall bird abundance relative to the pinyon-juniper. Both zones were characterized by few very abundant species, a few moderately abundant species, and numerous rare species. The Black-throated Gray Warbler (scientific names in tables), Gray Flycatcher, and Pinyon Jay were the most abundant species in the pinyon-juniper whereas the Clark's Nutcracker, Mountain Chickadee, and Cassin's Finch were the most abundant species in the bristlecone-limber pine. There were few ecological or taxonomic replacements of species between zones, with the differences in distribution and abundance related primarily to the interaction between elevation and vegetation. Significant inter-year variation in abundance was found for about 20 species in each zone—more species showed declining rather than increasing trends. The Mountain Chickadee and White-breasted Nuthatch declined, whereas the Gray Flycatcher and Rock Wren increased across years in both zones. Reasons for declines in some species might be the severe drought that continued throughout this study.     

Classification and ordination of the alpine plant communities of Railroad Ridge, White Cloud Peaks, Idaho

Alpine vegetation of Railroad Ridge in the White Cloud Peaks, Custer County, Idaho, was investigated to ascertain native communities and describe their distribution with respect to important environmental factors. Percent cover of all species and environmental information were recorded for 69 plots. Data were analyzed by TWINSPAN and CANOCO, which provided a classification and an ordination, respectively. Predominant communities are dominated by (1) Phlox pulvinata , (2) Carex elynoides , and (3) Ceum rossii , and other communities of lesser importance are dominated by (4) Artemisia campestris , (5) Eriogonum ovalifolium and Silene acaulis , and (6) Ivesia gordonii . Although the Artemisia campestris community occupies a relatively small portion of the study area, it is noteworthy because it is a community type not previously known for Idaho. The community co-dominated by Eriogonum ovalifolium and Silene acaulis is also unique and has not been documented in other Idaho alpine studies. Community distribution showed the strongest correlation with exposure, substrate type, and slope. In general, the study area supports fellfield communities that are representative of alpine areas in Idaho and some Great Basin mountain ranges, and dense turflike communities similar to ones found throughout western North America's temperate alpine regions.     

Effects of dwarf mistletoe on spruce in the White Mountains, Arizona

Mortality of spruce in mixed conifer stands moderately to heavily infested with western spruce dwarf mistletoe was two to five times greater than in healthy stands in the White Mountains, Arizona. Ten-year volume growth loss for heavily infected spruce trees ranged from 25&#37; to 40&#37;. Estimates of growth loss for spruce on a stand basis ranged from 10&#37; to 20&#37; in heavily infested stands. Because western spruce dwarf mistletoe is prevalent in the White Mountains and causes increased mortality and reduced growth, its control should be included in management of mixed conifer stands there.     

High-elevation records for Neotoma cinerea in the White Mountains, California

New records for bushy-tailed wood rat ( Neotoma cinerea ) on the White Mountains of eastern California increase the elevation from which this animal is known on the White Mountains, outside of human habitation, from 3,120 to 3,648 m. These records, coupled with archaeological data, suggest that the isolated bouldery outcrops occupied by bushy-tailed wood rats above timberline here are true habitat islands, occasionally colonized by dispersing individuals and characterized by frequent local extinction.     

Nesting phenology and productivity of birds in the White and Inyo Mountains, California, as assessed with nest-boxes

Nest-boxes were monitored from 1988 to 1992 on 5 grids in the pinyon-juniper ( Pinus-Juniperus ) woodlands of the White and Inyo Mountains, California, to determine breeding phenology and productivity of cavity-nesting birds, and characteristics of used and non-used nest-boxes. We found a total of 112 nests of 6 species. Bewicks Wrens ( Thryomanes bewicki i; 64 nests), Mountain Chickadees ( Poecile gambeli ; 18), Ash-throated Flycatchers ( Myiarchus cinerascens ; 12), and Juniper Titmice ( Baeolophus ridgwayi ; 11) were the most common species utilizing the boxes. Nest phenology and numbers of young were similar to values reported elsewhere in the literature for the species, although nesting success for Mountain Chickadees appeared lower in our study. Chickadees were associated with relatively dense, mature vegetation on southern slopes. Juniper Titmice used areas with tall juniper shrubs and generally sparse vegetation. Bewicks Wrens used areas with short trees, sparse vegetation, and many stumps. Nest-boxes were underutilized (< 15% use) by most species relative to their availability and relative to detected abundances of the species. We suggest that nest-boxes can provide valuable breeding biology information and can potentially increase the productivity of rare and cavity-limited species.     

Floristics of the upper Walker River, California

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} A checklist of the vascular flora of the upper Walker River is presented. Listed are 1078 taxa from this 4000 km 2 area. The upper Walker River encompasses a portion of the boundary between the Intermountain and Sierra Nevada floristic regions, and hence displays much floristic diversity within a relatively small area. Due to its location along the east slope of the Sierra Nevada, the Walker River drainage is unique in that it contains much elevational variation eastward into the Intermountain Region. This elevational extension is due to the presence of large mountain ranges including the Sweetwater Mountains, the Bodie Hills, and the Wassuk Range. As a result of this elevational variation, there is much overlapping of the two floristic regions. Additionally, the easternmost exposures of the Sierran granodiorites occur within the Walker River basin and may enhance the eastward migration of Sierran plants. The 90 percent floristic similarity (Sorenson&rsquo;s) between the Sweetwater Mountains, lying to the east of the Sierra, and the east slope of the Sierra Nevada (within the Walker River drainage) indicates the Sweetwaters to be more affiliated with the Sierran flora instead of the Intermountain flora. &nbsp;     

Bats of the White and Inyo Mountains of California-nevada

We surveyed bats throughout the White and Inyo Mountains of California and Nevada. From December 1990 to November 1996, we surveyed hibernating bats, and foraging bats from June 1992 to September 1996. The White-Inyo Range rests in a unique biogeographical junction between the Sierra Nevada, Mojave Desert, and Great Basin Regions. Elevational gradients of 305-4340 m, combined with limited human development, further enhance the interest of natural history and faunal distributions in this range. We found 13 bat species in the course of 2668 observations. Three of these species, the spotted bat ( Euderma maculatum ), silver-haired bat ( Lasionycteris noctivagans ), and hoary bat ( Lasturus cinereus ), have no previous records from the White-Inyo Range. We found bats in all vegetation zones except alpine, 3500-4342 m. Despite an abundance of mines in this range, only Townsend's big-eared bat ( Corynorhinus townsendii ) and western small-footed myotis ( Myotis ciliolabrum ) used them routinely. Our data also indicated the importance of surface water to bat populations in arid regions.     

The periodicity of isosporan oocyst discharge in the greenfinch (Carduelis chloris)

Over a five-month period 404 faecal samples from greenfinches (Carduelis chloris L.) from Corby, Northants were examined for coccidian oocysts. Of these, 101 were positive for isosporan oocysts. By recording the time that each sample was taken the daily periodicity of oocyst discharge was shown. Only one of the 133 samples was positive from 7 am to noon, whereas 100 of 271 (37%) were positive from noon to 6 pm, the peak being between 2 pm and 5 pm when 71.5% of the samples contained oocysts.     

A taxonomic and ecologic study of the riverbottom forest on St. Mary River, Lee Creek, and Belly River in southwestern Alberta, Canada

The riverbottom forest community of St. Mary River, Lee Creek, and Belly River in southwestern Alberta, Canada, is a unique ecological entity characterized by poplar species having their major Alberta distribution along these streams. Stands in the community are dominated by three tree species, six shrub species, and nine herb species. Establishment of the community is dependent on climate and substrate; destruction is the result of progressive lateral stream-flow erosion. Soils are sandy loams above gravel, with pH values of 7.7 to 8.0 and soluble salt concentrations of 176 to 458 parts per million. Trees in mature stands averaged 23.0 cm in diameter and 40 years in age; maximum tree age was 250 years. The vascular flora consists of 291 species of which 41 are woody and 250 herbaceous. One species ( Prunus nigra Ait.) new to Alberta and range extensions for 12 species are cited. There are no true community endemic species. Recreational and livestock-raising uses are present community modifiers. Fire is not important in current forest dynamics.