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Sceloporus Arenicolus

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Sceloporus Arenicolus Status and Habitat of the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard at the Proposed Site for the International Isotopes Fluorine Products Facility in Lea County, New Mexico PREPARED FOR International Isotopes Fluorine Products, Inc. PREPARED BY Terry Scarafiotti, Wildlife Biologist GL ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. P.O. BOX 1746 LAS VEGAS, NM 87701 (505) 454-0830 IIFP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 3 M ETHODS ............................................................................................................................ 3 R ESULTS .............................................................................................................................. 3 S ite D e scrip tio n ........................................................................................................................... 3 Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Habitat Description ......................................................................... 3 C ONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................... 4 PHOTOS AND FIGURES ................................................................................................. 5 Photo 1. Shortgrass prairie with interm ittent m esquite .......................................................... 6 Photo 2. Shortgrass prairie with interm ittent m esquite .......................................................... 6 Photo 3. Sandy-loam soil type ................................................................................................ 7 Photo 4. Sandy-loam soil type ................................................................................................ 7 Photo 5. Dunes sagebrush lizard .......................................................................................... 8 Photo 6. Dunes sagebrush lizard habitat ............................................................................... 8 Figure 1. Expected range of Sceloporus arenicolus.............................................................. 9 R EFERENCES ................................................................................ ..................................... 10 GL Environmental, Inc. 2 November 11,2010 IIFP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey Introduction The purpose of this report is to evaluate the proposed construction site for the International Isotopes Fluorine Products, Inc. (IIFP) facility for the possible presence of the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus). The dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus),often called the sand dune lizard, occurs in Lea County, is listed on the State of New Mexico Endangered Species list, and is a candidate for the federal Endangered Species list (Photo 5). This report will evaluate proposed site's biological features and compare them to the habitat requirements of the dunes sagebrush lizard. Methods Field work for this study was conducted on November 1 0 th, 2010. GL Environmental staff conducted a visual walk-through of the proposed IIFP site. Observations were made for habitat comparison required for the sand dune lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus). Photographs of the vegetative type along with the soil type were taken for documentation of the habitat that occurs on the proposed site. Results Site Description The proposed site is located in Section 27, Township 18S, Range 36E. The approximate center of the IIFP Site is located approximately at 32"43'N and 103'20'W. The site is approximately 10 miles west of Hobbs, New Mexico on NM Highway 483 and 1 mile north of the Carlsbad Hobbs Highway (US 180). The proposed site for the IIFP is comprised of a shortgrass prairie with intermittent mesquite (Photos 1 and 2). Shortgrass prairies are comprised of several herbaceous plant-soil associations including side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), and buffalograss (Biichloe dactyloides) on well drained soils or rocky slopes and blue grama/hairy grama and (Bouteloua hirsuta) on loamy or sandy soils. The IIFP site contains sandy loam soils (Photos 3 and 4). Dunes Sagebrush Lizard HabitatDescription The Dunes Sagebrush lizard is endemic to the Shinnery Oak Dune Habitat (Photo 6) and sand blowout areas within the shinnery oak (Sais, 2003). The dunes sagebrush lizard uses the shinnery oak roots for their burrows. The lizard retreats, to these burrows when threatened or for thermoregulation when the sand becomes too hot or too cold. Individuals predominantly occupy non-vegetated sand dune blowouts and utilize blowouts with particular physical characteristics due to thermoregulatory, reproduction, and foraging requirements (Chan, Fitzgerald, & Zamudio, 2009). GL Environmental, Inc. 3 November 11, 2010 IIFP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey According to Charles Painter, herpetologist for New Mexico Game and Fish, the habitat requirements for the dunes sagebrush lizard are as follows: Sceloporus arenicolus is *a small, terrestrial lizard restricted to sand dune formations inhabited by shinnery oak (Quercus havardii). Shinnery oak dunes support dense patches of shinnery oak and scattered sand sage (Artemisiafilifolia) as co-dominant plant species and patches of open sand and wind-created sandy blowouts. Throughout the range in New Mexico and Texas elevation varies from ca. 780-1400 m (ca. 2550-4595 ft). There are significant differences in the composition of sand between sites occupied and unoccupied by S. arenicolus, with occupied sites having slightly coarser sand than unoccupied sites (Painter, 2005). The habitat needed for S. arenicolus is further described in Amphibians & Reptiles of New Mexico as "restricted to the vicinity of active and semi-stabilized sand dunes within the Mescalero Sands. These dunes occur to an elevation of 1190 m above sea level and support scattered strands of Quercus havardii and Artemisia filifolia as co-dominant plant species" (Degenhardt, Painter and Price, 1996) . The median sand grain size of 0.201mm was found in these habitats occupied by S. arenicolus. Photo 6, taken in southwestern Lea County, New Mexico, is an example of the habitat needed to support the dunes sagebrush lizard. Dense vegetation with open sand blowout sites provides the microhabitat needed for the survival of this lizard. Conclusion The lack of the shinnery oak on the proposed location leads to the conclusion that the dunes sagebrush lizard does not exist at this site. The site does not support shinnery oak or have the required sand blowouts which comprise the dune sagebrush lizard's primary habitat. In addition to the lack of appropriate soil types, there are not enough sand particles in the appropriate size range to meet the habitat needs of this species. The habitat needed for this species is approximately 7 miles south of the proposed site. The lack of the shinnery oak and sand dunes on the proposed location makes it unlikely that the dunes sagebrush lizard exists at this location. GL Environmental, Inc. 4 November 11, 2010 IIFP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey Photos and Figures GL Environmental, Inc. 5 November 11, 2010 IIFP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey Photo 1. Shortgrass prairie with intermittent mesquite Photo by Terry Scarafiotti Photo 2. Shortgrass prairie with intermittent mesquite Photo by Terry Scarafiotti GL Environmental, Inc. 6 November 11, 2010 IIFP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey Photo 3. Sandy-loam soil type Photo by Terry Scarafiotti. Photo 4. Sandy-loam soil type Photo by Terry Scarafiotti. GL Environmental, Inc. 7 November 11, 2010 IIFP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey Photo 5. Dunes sagebrush lizard Photo by Michael T. Hill. Photo 6. Dunes sagebrush lizard habitat Photo by Don Sias. GL Environmental, Inc. 8 November 11, 20 10 IIFP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey Figure 1. Expected range of Sceloporus arenicolus 0 10 20 40 60 60 L--ý -IIMiles 0 125 25 so 75 Ion ,Ilometer• Expected Range of the Sand Dune Lizard Sceloporus arenicolus GL Environmental, Inc. 9 November 11,20 10 UlP Dunes Sagebrush Lizard Survey References Biota Information System of New Mexico (BISON). (2009, August 26). Retrieved from http://www.bison-m.org/reports.aspx?rtype= 13&status=%27201%27,%27202%27. Degenhardt, W, Painter, C, & Price, A. (1996). Amphibians & Reptiles of New Mexico. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. Chan, L, Fitzgerald, L, & Zamudio, K. (2009). The scale of genetic differentiation in the dunes sagebrush-I izard. Conservation Genetics, 10: 131-142. Retrieved from http://herpetology.tamu.edu/Fitzgerald/Fitzgeraldfi les/ChanFitzgeraldZamudio%2OSa renicolus%20ConsGen2009.pdf doi: DOI 10.1007/s 10592. Painter, C. (2005). Conservation of the sand dune lizard. Retrieved from http://www.wildlife. state.nm. us/conservation/habitathandbook/documents/SandDuneLizardRecom mendatio ns. Sias, D.S. 2003. The status of the sand dune lizard, Sceloporus arenicolus and its habitat in Eddy County, New Mexico on CBS Operating Corporation leases northeast of Loco Hills. Submitted to the Bureau of Land Management (Carlsbad office) andCBS Operating Corpration. CBS Operating Corp., 300 W Louisiana, STE.200, P.O. Box 2236, Midland, TX 79702. GL Environmental, Inc. I0 November H, 20 10 November 29, 2010 Department of the Army Albuquerque District Corp of Engineers Las Cruces Regulatory Office Mr. Richard Gatewood 505 South Main Street, Suite 142 Las Cruces, NM 88001 Las Cruces, NM RE: Waters of the U.S. Determination Dear Mr. Gatewood: The purpose of this letter is to request
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