Two Decades of Restoration in the Middle Rio Grande
Ondrea C. Hummel1*
1Tetra Tech Inc., Albuquerque, NM, USA
This chapter from The Codex of the Endangered Species Act, Volume II: The Next Fifty Years describes how genetic information is used to inform decision-making for the Endangered Species Act. In one section of this chapter (page 4 of the PDF, page 162 of the book), the use of genomics to differentiate between subspecies of willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) is described.
This article describes how researchers discovered that southwestern willow flycatchers in southern California have evolved in response to climate change. Southwestern willow flycatcher (SWFL) populations are threatened by climate change and habitat loss. By sequencing DNA from historical SWFL samples and comparing these to modern samples, researchers determined that modern SWFL were more likely to have beneficial genes that help them cope with changing climate.
Document for planning and reporting on invasive treatment
Form for planning and documenting revegetation actions on a restoration site.
A template for prioritizing site retreatment needs based on quantifying data from the Rapid Monitoring Protocol.
An Integrated Pest Management Plan for the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. This plan outlines the biological degradation of native riparian forest habitat along the Lower Colorado River and the invasive species management actions needed to protect and restore riparian forests and marshlands of the Bill Williams River.
DeRango, B., 2023. Integrated Pest Management Plan Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge.
A look at the evolutionary response to climate change in the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) using whole-genome comparisons between historic and modern specimens from California. While introgression led genomes of neighboring E. traillii extimus populations (California and Arizona) to become more similar, the specific loci linked to climate shifted in a way consistent with climate adaptation rather than becoming more similar to those of neighboring populations.
A look into the use of invasive Tamarix (saltcedar, tamarisk) as habitat for birds in the southwestern United States and its implications for Tamarix control. While Tamarix habitat supports fewer birds than native habitat, data from Arizona Breeding Bird Atlas and Birds of North America demonstrate that 49 bird species use Tamarix as breeding habitat. The use and quality of Tamarix as bird habitat varies depending on geographic location and species and few studies have quantified the effects of Tamarix habitat on bird survivorship and productivity.
A look into the response of riparian vegetation in the Upper Gila River Watershed to climate change and its implications for restoration work. Researchers used remote sensing to develop maps to identify areas at increased risk of degradation and analyze changes in riparian vegetation using climate as a framework. They found that despite intensifying drought throughout the watershed, vegetation greenness has increased. However, there has been increased stress and rates of wildfire and other disturbances in the lower watershed within the past 5 years.
From the abstract:
An understanding of trait-environment relationships is particularly important in the case of invasive species which may alter abiotic conditions and available resources. This study is the first to measure the functional response of riparian plant communities to biocontrol of an invasive species.
Poster by Megan M. Friggens and Deborah M. Finch documenting a maximum entropy (maxent) model to predict future habitat along the Rio Grande for SWFL, yellow-billed cuckoo, and Lucy’s warbler.
Detailed report of the development of a satellite model utilizing flycatcher breeding territory data from six states as well as five years of tamarisk beetle defoliation data from the Lower Virgin River. Change detection showed a large shift in predicted habitat due to drought. A spatially explicit analysis showed a 94% decrease in predicted flycatcher habitat due to beetle defoliation on the Lower Virgin River. However, the model predicts that after beetle defoliation 64% and 45% of habitat will remain in the Lower Colorado and Gila River systems respectively.
Final report on population surveys for SWFL and YBCU in 2018 and 2019, apply existing habitat models to illustrate and predict past, current, and future habitat suitabilities for these two species, and update and standardize classification and mapping of riparian vegetation to reflect recent conditions along the lower 50 miles of the Santa Clara River.