Treesearch

Light traps have been shown to be valuable in the conservation and monitoring of endemic desert fishes. To use this method sampling in Rio San Bernardino, Sonora, Mexico, a trap was developed that is of a robust, power-efficient design. This trap disassembles and nests into itself for safe storage and transport and can be easily assembled in the field without tools. Using two lithium coin cells as a power source, light from a light emitting diode is diffused by the translucent high-density polyethylene quatrefoil trap body. Initial field tests indicate this to be an effective design and a...

Cave definition is ambiguous, limited and depends on our personal perspective and knowledge about the subterranean systems and habitats. Speleological groups focus on several cavities such as caves, caverns, lava tubes and mines, which are all described as caves, despite their diverse origin, dimensions and environmental conditions. Classification systems have been proposed for all the subterranean habitats even though no single definition has been accepted. Nevertheless, there are basic categories that could guide us on fieldwork. The Pioneer Speleological Group of Sonora (G-PES, in...

Watersheds within the Madrean Archipelago have been severely degraded by a combination of both anthropogenic and natural processes, including unsustainable grazing and timber harvests, long-term droughts, and acute flooding events. We are investigating the effectiveness of various holistic watershed restoration techniques, used by land managers to combat the negative effects of these processes. Our study site, Smith Canyon, located in the Sonoita Creek Watershed and part of the Nogales Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest in Arizona, U.S.A., consists of numerous (~90) structurall...

The beaver (Castor canadensis) inhabits a riparian ecosystem surrounded by grasslands, desert thickets and mountain ranges in the so-called Sky Islands. In the period from December 2015 to November 2016, monitoring was carried out to determine relative abundance by photo trapping and density using the direct observation method. We identified five sites with presence of the species. The first data of relative abundance and density for the area was reported. This work represents a joint effort for beaver conservation among civil society organizations, academics and government agencies; this...

The distributions and diversity of Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) in Arizona have been rapidly changing (Figure 1). Most of the species that were present in the state 60 years ago are still resident. But many other species of these aquatic flying insects are newcomers to Arizona, flying in to exploit available niches and in doing so establishing new populations. In writing this paper, we are calling attention to seven species of odonata that seem to have become Arizona residents, to one degree or another. We are attempting to document their changes in distribution during the years...

The Area de Protección de Flora y Fauna (APFF) Bavispe is one of the oldest protected areas in Mexico (decreed in 1936-39). It was created to protect eight sky island mountain ranges, of great biological diversity in high elevation areas, separated by lowland valleys with desert grasslands and foothills thornscrub in northeastern Sonora. Sierra Los Ajos is part of APFF Bavispe Division 4. El Chilicote is in the middle of the Sierra Los Ajos at 35.2 airline kilometers westnorthwest of Fronteras. Elevations range from 1,928 to 2,206 m. Three old mine pits in the area have a high probability...

La determinación de la riqueza faunística en el predio “El Corralito”, municipio de Moctezuma, se obtuvo mediante trampas cámara y avistamientos directos por transectos. El estudio se llevó a cabo a partir del 15 de agosto al 3 de diciembre de 2016. La metodología utilizada en el presente trabajo consistió en el uso de métodos directos e indirectos. Fueron colocadas ocho cámaras en tres campañas mensuales, la primera sin el uso de atrayentes y la dos posteriores usando vainilla y sardina como cebo atrayente. Simultáneamente se realizaron seis transectos en longitudes de 630 a 1,345 m. Como...

Rancho La Montosa, se localiza en el municipio de Moctezuma, es conocido en Sonora por su actividad cinegética y recorridos ecoturísticos. Para la licenciatura en biología de la Universidad de la Sierra es un lugar único para la realización de prácticas y salidas de campo. La vegetación es mezquital, bosque de mezquite-encino y bosque de encino. Realizar una caminata en práctica de campo por Cañada La Carabina en un trayecto ascendente de cinco kilómetros, es posible encontrar anfibios y reptiles fácilmente, ya que, en el recorrido se encuentran varias pozas por toda la cañada, resultado...

Gila Monsters (Heloderma suspectum) are symbolic species of the desert landscapes of the southwestern United States and Mexico. These large, venomous lizards appear to be rather uncommon throughout their range, but our understanding of their population status is complicated by the fact that they spend most of their lives underground rather than actively moving through their preferred upland habitat. Personnel and volunteers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have opportunistically monitored Gila Monsters in the vicinity of San Bernardino and Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuges in...

The Tucson shovel-nosed snake (Chionactis annulata klauberi) is a small specialized colubrid associated with sandy loams of the elevated portions of the Lower Colorado River Valley Sonoran Desert in central Arizona. This taxon is a recently redefined subspecies based on genetic data, and may be extirpated in the Tucson region, including the type locality. A recent (USFWS 2014) decision against protecting it was based in part on an expansive definition of its geographic range and a habitat model. Here, we redefine the subspecies distribution by uniting published results of mitochondrial and...