Erika Nowak

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Erika Nowak Trevor B. Persons
Inventory of Reptiles and Amphibians at
Death Valley NP Manzanar NHS Mojave NP
USGS Southwest Biological Science Center
Colorado Plateau Field Station
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The Crew
Scott Hillard Shawn Knox AJ Monatesti Bob
Parker Jason Pilarski Justin Schofer Eric
Zepnewski
Thanks to
Trevor Persons
Laura Cunningham and Erika
Kevin Emmerich Bryan Hamilton Kris Heister/IM
Network David Morafka Dana York all NPS staff
CPFS administrative staff
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Potential Inventory Objectives
1. Provide a basis for statistical inference
about species richness (provide rigor and
repeatability)
-OR-
2. Maximize the probability of detecting new
species in certain areas (fill in holes in
park species lists)
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Potential Inventory Objectives
1. Provide a basis for statistical inference
about species richness
Stratified grid-constrained random sampling
(MANZ)
-AND-
2. Maximize the probability of detecting new
species in certain areas Targeted
sampling (DEVA, MOJA)
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OUR OBJECTIVES

• Inventory and document the occurrence of reptile
  and amphibian species
• Within identified priority sampling locations
  (DEVA and MOJA)
• Within all of MANZ
• Provide one voucher specimen for each species if
  not previously collected
• Estimate inventory completeness at each park
  (Master List)
• Enter species data into NPSpecies and provide
  other deliverables
• http//sbsc.wr.usgs.gov/products/ofr

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METHODS

• Time-recorded visual encounter surveys (VES,
  NVES)
• Road driving (ROAD)
• Random encounters (RE)
• One hour - one hectare time-area constrained VES
  (TACS MANZ)
• 100 m-long lizard line transects (LL MANZ)
• Pitfall traps (PF DEVA, MANZ)
• Data mining (museum searches, literature review,
  contact area experts)
• estimate inventory completeness

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DEVA Priority Sampling Areas (6) 2002-2004
Greenwater PSA
Owlshead PSA
Owlshead PSA
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DEVA NOTABLE SPECIES

• LIZARDS (16 species)
• Southern Alligator Lizard (1) (Elgaria
  multicarinata)
• Scottys Castle
• Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard (Uma scoparia)
• state species of concern
• Ibex Dunes
• SNAKES (16 species)
• Ring-necked Snake (1)
• (Diadophis punctatus)
• near Scottys Castle
• Rosy Boa (Charina trivirgata)
• rare, collected by poachers
• Darwin Falls

new park record
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DEVA NOTABLE SPECIES

• DESERT TORTOISE
• (Gopherus agassizii)
• Federally threated
• Greenwater range

• AMPHIBIANS (4 species)
• Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
• Saline Valley and Furnace Creek golf course
• Odd-looking Western toads (Bufo boreas) hybrids??
• Darwin Falls
• No salamanders documented (Batrachoseps seen
  outside park in Waucoba Canyon)

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MANZ COMPARISON OF METHODS2002-2003
NO ONE METHOD CAUGHT ALL SPECIES
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MANZ NOTABLE SPECIES

• LIZARDS (7 species)
• Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)
• apparently rare
• SNAKES (3 species)
• Nothing unusual
• Gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer)
• Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans)
• Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum)

• AMPHIBIANS
• NONE!!!!!

T. Persons
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MOJA PRIORITY SAMPLING AREAS (4) 2004-2005

• Clark Range
• Piute Range
• Piute Creek
• Cornfield Spring
• (Providence Mtns)

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MOJA NOTABLE SPECIES

• AMPHIBIANS (1 species found)
• Red-spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus)
• deformities in Piute Creek (post-fire)
• Did not find Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla)
• introduced at ZZYZX

• LIZARDS (15 species)
• Mojave Fringe-toed Lizard
• (Uma scoparia)
• Kelso Dunes
• Did not find Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum)
• seen in 2005 by tourist bet. Clark and Kingston
  ranges
• SNAKES (14 species)
• Nothing unusual except high road mortality
• DESERT TORTOISE
• federally threatened
• Not uncommon

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OVERALL RESULTS
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OVERALL RESULTS INVENTORY COMPLETENESS
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DISCUSSION TIMING ISSUES

• 2002-2004 Impact of drought on survey results
• Likely decrease in numbers of individuals
  detected and esp. on detected amphibian species
  richness
• Possible longer-term effects on age class
  structure
• 2005 WET!
• Limited surveys done at MOJA
• Importance of longer-term studies
• Done by park-based researchers

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DISCUSSION RARE SPECIES

• Detectability near zero for some
• Secretive snakes
• Rain-breeding amphibians
• Patchy spatial / temporal distribution
• Does not support detection at randomly-generated
  plots
• Over half of rare species added by random
  encounters outside standard methods

J. Pilarski
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DISCUSSION SAMPLING ISSUES

• VES surveys most efficient for limited
  inventories
• TACS and lizard line transects have limited
  utility for species inventory
• TACS could be useful for monitoring if properly
  stratified
• Pitfalls useful if long monitoring periods (or
  inventory if )
• Will occasionally detect rare or secretive
  species
• MUST BE CHECKED FREQUENTLY

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DISCUSSION HERP ISSUES

• Monitor/control non-native or introduced species
• Bullfrogs (eat everything)
• Fish/crayfish (eat amphibian eggs/larvae)
• Monitor amphibians at springs
• Toad deformities at MOJA Piute Creek
• Salamanders in DEVA Panamints??
• Throw money at surveys in wet years
• More general surveys at MANZ
• Road mortality of snakes at MOJA

B. Parker
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CONCLUSIONS I Implications for Future
Herpetofauna Inventories

• There are several populations of herp species
  that differ primarily by detectability relative
  to method used
• Use a variety of methods for documentation
• Random points are inefficient for inventories
• largely document common, already listed species
• Time, luck, cameras needed to detect rare
  species
• Herp inventories uncompleted in
• Mojave and other Network Parks
• Relative abundance estimable only for common
  species
• Droughts necessitate longer inventory periods
• Park-funded best

T. Persons
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CONCLUSIONS II Implications for Future
Herpetofauna Inventories

• Statistical inference or specific sample designs
  should not become ends in themselves
• Dont confuse inventory and monitoring
  methods/objectives
• Documentation (of new species or locations) is
  simple!
• Easily done by park-based NPS staff or
  tourists
• Need camera, GPS, date
• http//sbsc.wr.usgs.gov/products/ofr

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J. Pilarski
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DEVA EFFORT BY METHOD
PFs at Hummingbird Springs, Mahogany Flats (also
Cunningham and Emmerich traps at Scottys Castle
and Last Chance Range)

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MOJA EFFORT BY METHOD
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MANZ Random Plots (TACS LL) 2002-3003
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DEVA Potential Reptile Species List Review

• long-tailed brush lizard
• tree lizard
• northern alligator lizard
• southern alligator lizard
• gila monster
• ringneck snake
• Mojave rattlesnake
• western rattlesnake
• western diamondback rattlesnake
• rubber boa
• western terrestrial garter snake

• previously seen in Greenwater Valley
• not likely present out of range
• low probability of presence in N. mtns
• we documented at Scottys Castle
• not likely present- out of range
• we documented at Scottys Castle
• high probability of presence in S.
• high probability of presence in N. mtns
• not likely present- out of range
• not likely present- out of range
• low probability of presence

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DEVA Other Potential Species

• western skink
• Mediterranean or house gecko
• CA mountain kingsnake
• slender salamanders (Batrachoseps)
• ensatina (Ensatina escholtzii) or web-toed
  salamander (Hydromantes)
• northern leopard frog
• Great Basin spadefoot
• black toad

• specimen misidentified- not likely
• unconfirmed reports at Scottys Castle- unlikely
• possibly present in moist habitats
• slight probability of presence in canyons of
  Panamint Mountains
• previously recorded on Telescope Peak, low
  probability of finding it
• likely present historically, low probability of
  presence in wetlands
• low-fair probability of presence
• introduced in the Saline Valley Marsh

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MANZ Potential Species List- Amphibians

• Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps sp.)  
• Owens Valley web-toed salamander (Hydromantes
  sp.)  
• Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana)
• Boreal (Western) Toad (Bufo boreas) 
• Pacific Treefrog (Hyla regilla)  
•  

• low probability of presence along Bairs Creek
• not likely present out of elevational range
• good probability of presence
• fair probability of presence
• low probability of presence along creek

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MANZ Potential Species List- Lizards

• Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)  
• Desert Night Lizard (Xantusia vigilis)  
• Great Basin Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus
  bicinctores)  
• Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) 
• Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus)  
• Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus)  

• high probability of presence
• good probability of presence
• low probability of presence
• low probability of presence
• low probability of presence
• fair probability of presence

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MANZ Potential Species List - Snakes

•  Ringneck Snake (Diadophis punctatus) 
• Common Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus)
• Longnose Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)
• Western Patchnose Snake (Salvadora hexalepis)
• Ground Snake (Sonora semiannulata)  

• low probability of presence along Bairs Creek
• high probability of presence
• high probability of presence
• high probability of presence
• high probability of presence

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Manz Potential Species List More Snakes

• Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis
  elegans)
• Western Aquatic Garter Snake (Thamnophis couchii)
• Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata) 
• Southwestern Black-headed Snake (Tantilla
  hobartsmithi)  
• Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)  
• Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchelli)

• low probability of presence along Bairs Creek
• not likely present- unsuitable habitat
• high probability of presence
• good probability of presence
• high probability of presence
• high probability of presence