Treesearch

The traditional Western Apache home lies largely within the Madrean Archipelago. The natural resources of the region make up the basis of the Apache home and culture. Profound landscape changes in the region have occurred over the past 150 years. A survey of traditional Western Apache place names documents many of these changes. An analysis of the history and Apache places in the Wheatfields area in southeastern Arizona illustrates the loss of Apache natural resources. Traditional Apache elders attribute the loss of these resources to disrespectful land management practices, resulting in...

Varmint control has a long history in the area, going back at least to the 18th century. More than 125 years of systematic varmint control in Cochise County has had mixed success. Two large predators, the grizzly bear and the Mexican wolf, were eliminated from the area. Coyotes have maintained their numbers despite hundreds killed annually. While organized government efforts have played a major role, individual efforts by hunters, farmers, homeowners, and others have been far more significant.

Ecosystem water and carbon fluxes were monitored over a riparian grassland, mesquite-invaded grassland, and mesquite woodland to understand the consequences of woody plant encroachment. Water use and carbon gain were largest at the woodland site. Results suggest that the deep roots of mesquite will lead to a decoupling of ecosystem water sources as the invading mesquites mature in former grasslands. The ability of mesquite to rely on stable groundwater sources rather than precipitation enhanced net carbon uptake in the dry periods and net carbon loss in rainy periods. These results...

Successful control of invasive species requires a clear picture of the spatial extent of infestations. The latest mapping technology involves coupling global position systems and handheld computers running geographic information systems software in the field. A series of workshops applying this technology to mapping weeds was developed and presented to Weed Management Areas across Arizona. Workshops were designed to be robust, flexible, and inexpensive. Participants were strategically selected to enhance material retention and to foster networking outside of formal instruction. Workshop...

The abundance of tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima and related species) along the San Pedro and Gila River flood plains varies with differences in stream flow regimes. Tamarisk abundance, relative to Fremont cottonwood and Goodding willow, is greater at sites with more intermittent stream flows and deeper and more fluctuating ground-water levels. Tamarisk abundance is further increased below Coolidge Dam, where both flood and low flow patterns have been altered. Shifts from cottonwood-willow to tamarisk parallel other changes in the riparian community: as rivers are dewatered and flood regimes...

The scientific community has recently emphasized the importance of ecological process, structure, and scale in the maintenance of biological diversity. Humans have affected most natural landscapes, and many naturally occurring processes, structures, and species may not rebound to naturally sustaining function without intervention. Ecosystem management relies on science and its transcendence into public policy to assure long-term ecosystem sustainability. This approach is defined, implemented, and understood in vastly different ways. This paper (1) summarizes ecosystem management history...

Cave temperature and moisture levels are important factors in the environmental health of Kartchner Caverns. Monitoring indicates the cave has warmed and moisture levels have fallen over the past 14 years. Timing and patterns of change within the cave suggest that changes are due to development as a show cave. However, changes in other caves, surface temperature and precipitation, and in shallow local aquifers suggest that cave changes relate to regional patterns. Changes at Kartchner Caverns represent a combination of anthropogenic and regional natural causes. Separating these different...

The multi-partner Greater Huachuca Mountains fire planning effort involves over 500,000 acres of public and private lands. This large area supports distinct landscapes that have evolved with fire. Utilizing GIS as a tool, the United States Forest Service (USFS), General Ecosystem Survey (GES), and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Soil Geographic Database (STATSGO) maps were refined using digital elevation model derived data, geology maps, existing vegetation maps, and expert knowledge. The resulting seamless map coverage will help define and characterize fire management...

Tree squirrels are excellent indicators of forest health yet the taxon is understudied. Most tree squirrels in the Holarctic Region are imperiled with some level of legal protection. The Madrean Archipelago is the epicenter for tree squirrel diversity in North America with 5 endemic species and 2 introduced species. Most species of the region are poorly studied in keeping with an international dearth of data on this taxon; 3 of the 5 native species are the subject of

This paper describes a network monitoring program for “high priority” water bodies in the Sonoran Desert Network of the National Park Service. Protocols were developed for monitoring selected waters for ten of the eleven parks in the Network. Park and network staff assisted in identifying potential locations of testing sites, local priorities, and how water quality sampling might be integrated into overall vital signs monitoring and park operations. Several criteria were used to determine the priority of these water bodies. These include ecological and perceptual threats to public and...