Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
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Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument Final Report February 17, 2005 Brian F. Powell Eric W. Albrecht William L. Halvorson Cecilia A. Schmidt Kathleen Docherty Pamela Anning USGS Southwest Biological Science Center Sonoran Desert Research Station and School of Natural Resources University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona Gila Cliff Dwellings NM Plant and Vertebrate Inventory Report – Table of Contents i TABLE OF CONTENTS In Memoriam........................................................................................................................................ ix Acknowledgements................................................................................................................................ x Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 1: Introduction to the Biological Inventories at Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument ......................................................................................................................... 3 Project Overview............................................................................................................................. 3 Goals .......................................................................................................................................... 3 Administrative History............................................................................................................... 4 Report Format and Data Organization.............................................................................................4 Spatial Data ................................................................................................................................ 5 Species Conservation Designations............................................................................................ 5 Databases and Data Archiving ................................................................................................... 5 Verification and Assessment of Results ..........................................................................................5 Photograph Vouchers ................................................................................................................. 5 Specimen Vouchers.................................................................................................................... 5 Assessing Inventory Completeness............................................................................................ 6 Technical Concepts ......................................................................................................................... 6 Habitat ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Sampling Design ........................................................................................................................ 6 Estimates of Abundance............................................................................................................. 7 Chapter 2: Monument Overview ......................................................................................................... 8 Monument Area and History ........................................................................................................... 8 Natural Resources Overview........................................................................................................... 8 Physiography, Geology, and Soils ............................................................................................. 8 Hydrology................................................................................................................................... 8 Climate ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Vegetation ................................................................................................................................ 12 Other Inventories-Fish Surveys..................................................................................................... 12 Natural Resource Management Issues........................................................................................... 12 Visitor Use................................................................................................................................ 12 Forest Fires............................................................................................................................... 14 Air Quality................................................................................................................................ 14 Non-native Species................................................................................................................... 14 Aircraft Noise........................................................................................................................... 14 Chapter 3: Plant Inventory ................................................................................................................ 15 Previous Research ......................................................................................................................... 15 Methods......................................................................................................................................... 15 Spatial Sampling Designs......................................................................................................... 15 General Botanizing................................................................................................................... 16 Field Methods ..................................................................................................................... 16 Effort ................................................................................................................................... 16 Analysis............................................................................................................................... 16 Results and Discussion .................................................................................................................. 16 Inventory Completeness ................................................................................................................ 17 Gila Cliff Dwellings NM Plant and Vertebrate Inventory Report – Table of Contents ii Chapter 4: Amphibian and Reptile Inventory.................................................................................. 18 Previous Research ......................................................................................................................... 18 Study Area..................................................................................................................................... 18 Methods......................................................................................................................................... 19 Notes on Species Identifications .............................................................................................. 19 Spatial Sampling Design .......................................................................................................... 19 Community Types and Locations............................................................................................. 20 Intensive Surveys ..................................................................................................................... 20 Field Methods ..................................................................................................................... 20 Effort ................................................................................................................................... 20 Analysis............................................................................................................................... 21 Extensive Surveys .................................................................................................................... 21 Field Methods ..................................................................................................................... 21 Effort ................................................................................................................................... 21 Analysis............................................................................................................................... 22 Pitfall-trap Array ...................................................................................................................... 22 Field Methods ..................................................................................................................... 22 Effort ................................................................................................................................... 23 Analysis............................................................................................................................... 23 Road Transect Surveys............................................................................................................. 23 Effort ................................................................................................................................... 23 Analysis..............................................................................................................................