Checklist of the mosses of the Intermountain West, USA

A revised list of the mosses of the Intermountain West, including all of Utah and Nevada and parts of surrounding states, is presented. Recorded are 342 species in 122 genera and 39 families in this region. Nomenclatural and taxonomic changes as well as floristic additions since the publication of Seville Flowers's book are included.     

Status of white pine blister rust in the Intermountain West

During 1995-1997 we conducted a white pine blister rust (WPBR) disease survey in white pines of the Intermountain West. Incidence of WPBR in white pines was 59% overall, 73% in the northern Rocky Mountains, 55% in the middle Rocky Mountains, and 67% in the Sierra Nevada sample stands. Intensity within infected stands averaged 35% and ranged from 2% to 100%. Southward spread of the disease along the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains appears to have slowed or stopped, and the disease was found at the northern and western edges of, but not within, the Great Basin region. Smaller-diameter trees infected with WPBR sustained more severe damage than larger-diameter trees. Mortality and top kill caused by WPBR were very low across the entire study area, but incidence and intensity of the disease appear to have increased substantially in the northern and middle Rocky Mountains since the 1960s.     

Reptiles and amphibians of Idaho, No 2

For about 20 years Richard P. Erwin collected amphibians and reptiles in southwestern Idaho. This report is an attempt to indicate some of his herpetological activities, and to list the numerous individuals, universities, and museums that were recipients of his collections.     

Gap analysis of the vegetation of the Intermountain Semi-Desert ecoregion

A conservation gap analysis was conducted for the Intermountain Semi-Desert ecoregion to assess the representation of land-cover types within areas managed primarily for biodiversity objectives. Mapped distributions of plant communities were summarized by land-management status categories. The total amount of land permanently protected in the ecoregion is < 4%, and most types that are characteristic of the region have < 10%. Of 48 land-cover types, 20 were found to be particularly vulnerable to potential loss or degradation because of low level of representation in biodiversity management areas and the impact of expected land-use activities. Gap analysis data and findings will be useful in providing a regional perspective in project impact assessment and future conservation planning within this ecoregion.     

Late Pleistocene mollusks from the southern Black Hills, South Dakota

Pleistocene-age mollusks recovered from the Nelson-Wittenberg Site and Mammoth Site provide information on paleoenvironments of the southern Black Hills, South Dakota. New mollusk records for the Mammoth Site include Vertigo modesta, Catinella sp., and Gyraulus parvus . The presence of V. modesta, Columella columella alticola , and Pupilla muscorum at the Nelson-Wittenberg Site suggests cooler than modern conditions in the Black Hills during the Pleistocene. Although the majority of identified taxa are consistent with previous interpretations of an arid, shrubsteppe environment for the Black Hills during the Wisconsin Glaciation, V. modesta and C. c. alticola suggest the presence of at least some isolated, local mesic areas.     

Lichens of soil crust communities in the Intermountain Area of the western United States

Lichens are common components of microbiotic soil crusts. A total of 34 species from 17 genera are reported from soil crust communities throughout the Intermountain Area. Distribution of terricolous lichens is determined by various physical and biological factors: physical and chemical characteristics of the soil, moisture regimes, temperature, insolation, and development and composition of the vascular plant community. Some species demonstrate a broad ecological amplitude while others have a more restricted distribution. All growth forms are represented; however, the vast majority of soil crust lichens are squamulose (minutely foliose). Fruticose species are least abundant. In exposed, middle-elevation sites vagrant (detached) species are common. This paper describes and discusses terricolous lichen communities of desert habitats of the intermountain western United States. Effects of various human-related activities including grazing, wildfire, air pollution, and recreation vehicles on soil crust lichens are discussed. Gypsoplaca macrophylla (Zahlbr.) Timdal, a rare squamulose lichen which occurs on gypsifersous soils, was recently collected in Emery County, Utah, and is reported as new to the state.     

Habitat evaluation procedure for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in the Intermountain West

Several habitat evaluation procedures have been developed for bighorn sheep. However, none of these procedures specifically addresses the Rocky Mountain subspecies nor analyzes both the quantity and quality of potential bighorn habitat with regard to minimum viable population (MVP) criteria. This bighorn habitat evaluation procedure combines (1) a quantitative assessment of bighorn range to determine if there are adequate quantities of resources to support an MVP of bighorn sheep, and (2) a qualitative assessment of a range to predict the probable density of bighorns the range can support. Extensive literature review, intensive bighorn research, and a modeling tool, pattern recognition (PATREC), facilitate critical analysis of proposed bighorn reintroduction sites. The resultant stepwise approach to bighorn habitat evaluation enhances the ability of wildlife biologists to make timely and accurate bighorn habitat assessments.     

Biogeographic significance of low-elevation records for Neotoma cinerea from the northern Bonneville Basin, Utah

The existence of low-elevation populations of Neotoma cinera in the northern Bonneville Basin shows either that these mammals can survive thousands of years in xeric habitats or that they can move across xeric lowlands far more readily than has been appreciated, or both. Current models of Great Basin small mammal biogeography are far too static to encompass properly the interaction of the wide range of geographical and biological variability that has produced the modern distribution of those mammals that have, for several decades, been treated as ""montane"" within the Great Basin.     

Distributional changes and population status of amphibians in the eastern Mojave Desert

Several amphibian species historically inhabited sparsely distributed wetlands in the Mojave Desert of western North America, habitats that have been dramatically altered or eliminated as a result of human activities. The population status and distributional changes of amphibians were investigated over a 20,000-km 2 area in the eastern Mojave Desert in 2 ways. For upland sites (i.e., sites outside of major valleys and river floodplains), where wetland habitat is almost exclusively springs, encounter surveys were conducted at 128 sites in 1997-1999, and results were compared to historical (pre-1970) locality records. For lowland sites (i.e., sites within major valleys and river floodplains), locality records and field surveys in 1995-2004 were reviewed to detect changes in distribution over time. Amphibians were found at 79% of upland sites. By far the most common species was the red-spotted toad ( Bufo punctatus , 73% of sites), followed by the Pacific chorus frog ( Pseudacris regilla ), Woodhouse's toad ( B. woodhousii ), relict leopard frog ( Rana onca ), and the introduced American bullfrog ( R. catesbeiana ). Taxa observed or collected in the lowlands since 1990 were Woodhouse's toad, Pacific chorus frog, American bullfrog, and the introduced tiger salamander ( Ambystoma tigrinum ). Four taxa (Vegas Valley leopard frog [ Rana sp.], Arizona toad [ B. microscaphus ], Great Plains toad [ B. cognatus ], and Great Basin spadefoot [ Spea intermontana ]) had historical records but no evidence of occurrence in the study area within the past 5 decades. The amphibian fauna of the study area has changed dramatically in the past century, primarily at lowland sites where habitat loss and modification have been extreme. Striking changes are the nearly complete replacement of native leopard frogs (i.e., Vegas Valley and relict leopard frogs) with the introduced bullfrog, and the complete replacement of the Arizona toad in Las Vegas Valley with Woodhouse's toad or hybrids with predominantly Woodhouse's traits. In contrast, the distributions of 2 species characteristic of upland springs, red-spotted toad and Pacific chorus frog, appear to have changed little from their historical distributions, despite habitat modification at many sites.     

Sexual selection and mating system variation in anuran amphibians of the Arizona-Sonoran Desert

Mating system variation in anuran amphibians of the Arizona - Sonoran Desert was reviewed. Male density and breeding period duration were negatively correlated in seven bufonids and pelobatids. Variation in male mating behavior and ability of females to freely select their mates unhindered by active - searching males also was related directly to male density. These observations support hypotheses relating ecological factors to mating system organization. It is suggested that male calling behavior, and anuran lek mating systems in general, may be significantly influenced by predation on vocalizing males. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;     

Biogeographic and conservation implications of late Quaternary pygmy rabbits ( Brachylagus idahoensis ) in eastern Washington

Five implications of a biogeographic model of pygmy rabbits ( Brachylagus idahoensis ) in eastern Washington proposed in 1991 are confirmed by 11 new late-Quaternary records. Pygmy rabbits from eastern Oregon colonized eastern Washington during the late Pleistocene and occupied their largest range during the middle and late Holocene. Disjunction of the eastern Washington population from that in eastern Oregon occurred during at least the late Holocene. Nineteenth-century cattle grazing and 20th-century agricultural practices reduced habitat preferred by pygmy rabbits. Conservation of the small remaining population of pygmy rabbits will necessitate altered land use practices.     

Biogeographic and taxonomic relationships among the mountain snails (Gastropoda: Oreohelicidae) of the central Great Basin

Described here are 4 species of mountain snails, Oreohelix , isolated on mountains in the central Great Basin of Nevada and Utah since the end of the Pleistocene. Forty-three mountains were searched during an 18-year period, resulting in 24 mountains found with no oreohelicids present. One population, Oreohelix loisae (19 mm to 23 mm in shell diameter), is described here as a new species related to, but geographically isolated from, the species Oreohelix nevadensis (17 mm to 22 mm diameter). Oreohelix loisae is present only in the Goshute Mountains while O. nevadensis is represented in 3 geographically adjacent ranges in the central Great Basin. These 2 species are possibly related to the Oreohelix haydeni group from the northern Wasatch Range. The subspecies Oreohelix strigosa depressa (15 mm to 21 mm diameter) is present on 11 ranges from western Utah west to east central Nevada. This subspecies is closely related to populations found today in the northern Wasatch Mountains of Utah. The smallest species in diameter (8 mm to 14 mm), Oreohelix hemphilli , is centered in the central Great Basin and found on 16 ranges often in sympatry with 1 or 2 of the larger conspecifics. Both qualitative and quantitative information on shell characters and soft anatomy is provided here for these 4 species. Shell characters, soft anatomy, geographical isolation, and statistical analysis suggest that 4 distinct species inhabit the central Great Basin today. Xeric and calciphilic species include O. hemphilli and O. loisae , while O. strigosa and O. nevadensis typically are associated with permanent water and both metamorphic and limestone mountains.     

Year-round activity patterns in a hyperdiverse community of rainforest amphibians in Madagascar

Madagascar hosts a high diversity of amphibians estimated at over 500 species, nearly all of them endemic. Surprisingly few data are available on the activity cycles of this fauna, despite its importance for ecological, evolutionary and conservation research. Here we report the results of a year-round survey of amphibians along a transect bordering the Analamazaotra forest near Andasibe in central eastern Madagascar. During 120 transect walks evenly spaced through the year, a total of 2530 individuals of 40 species of anurans was observed. Abundance was higher during the warm/rainy season (December to April) and peaked in February. Of the five climatic predictors measured, only mean temperature and relative humidity showed high importance values, and multi-model averages indicate that these two variables have a strong effect on amphibian abundance along the transect. Species richness showed no evident peak during the study period and was best explained by a model including average temperature and rainfall. Canonical correspondence analysis indicates that Boophis sibilans, B. tephraeomystax, B. boehmei and Plethodontohyla notosticta were more frequently encountered along the transect on cold and humid days while Plethodontohyla mihanika, Gephyromantis boulengeri and Spinomantis aglavei were distinctly more abundant on cold and dry days, and Paradoxophyla palmata on warm and dry days. The results of our study flag a number of species as suitable candidates for future monitoring initiatives and suggest that a simple combination of visual and acoustic surveys can estimate amphibian activity with high sample sizes in Madagascar’s rainforests.     

Biogeographic analysis of the ant genus Gnamptogenys Roger in South-East Asia-Australasia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae)

The distribution range of ants of the genus Gnamptogenys is analysed, with special reference to the Old World species, and two closely related genera: Rhytidoponera and Ectatomma. The study is based upon a cladistic biogeographic analysis, recognizing the following areas of endemism: Central America, South America, Philippine Islands, New Guinea, Australia, Solomons/Fiji and South-East Asia. These results are followed by a consensus of different information sources (phylogenetic, natural history, past and present distribution, palaeogeographical and palaeoclimatological) for explaining the present and past distribution of Gnamptogenys and related genera. The area cladogram shows repeated instances of sister relations between Old World and New World taxa at different depths within the tree. Subtree analysis further suggests a common sister relation between Gondwanan landmasses. The distribution of the Gnamptogenys is interpreted as a product of vicariance, starting with the separation of Gondwana, and subsequent dispersal into South-East Asia and Melanesia via rafting on the Australian craton. The desiccation of Australia during the Oligocene was detrimental to the presence of Gnamptogenys but favoured expansion of Rhytidoponera. The study illustrates that a cladistic biogeographic scenario may be supported by a consensus of data from various sources, and also suggests a pre-Tertiary diversification of ant fauna.