Coryphantha Scheeri Var. Robustispina)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ECOHYDROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTRIBUTION AND PHENOLOGY OF THE PIMA PINEAPPLE CACTUS (Coryphantha scheeri var. robustispina) by Amí L. Kidder ____________________________ A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2015 1 | P a g e STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: Amí Lynne Kidder APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: ______________________________________________01/13/2015 _____________ Shirley Anne Papuga Date Professor, Watershed Management and Ecohydrology ______________________________________________01/13/2015______________ David D. Breshears Date Professor, Watershed Management and Ecohydrology 2 | P a g e ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was possible due to project funding provided by the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center environmental compliance team supporting Air Force Plant 44. Additional support was provided by Raytheon Missile Systems Environmental, Health, Safety, and Sustainability Department, as well as NSF Critical Zone Observatory (NSF-EAR-1331408). I would like to thank my advisors Dr. Shirley Papuga and Dr. David Breshears, both of whom guided me through this project and were patient while I learned. I am also thankful for my committee members Dr. Mitchel McClaran and Dr. Darin Law who each provided me with unique guidance and were always willing to share their insights with me. I would also like to thank Dr. D. Phillip Guertin and Dr. Prakash Dhakal for their help when I needed to expand my programming and lab skills. Additional thanks to Katherine Belzowski and Toni Flora for their review and advice on the final manuscript. I owe special thanks to the members of the Papuga and Breshears labs for all their help through the years in learning new skills and discussing new ideas: Cianna, Jason, Juan, Mallory, Zulia, MaPilar, Zack, Bhaskar, Jessica, Daphne, Adam, Daniel, Matt, Rachel, and Vanessa. I would also like to thank the Raytheon Environmental and Industrial Hygiene team for all their support through this project: Heather, Kate, David, Dianna, Katie, Richard, and Christine. 3 | P a g e DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to the many people who have helped me along the way, and without whom I would not be who I am today. To my parents and siblings who love me: I am ever thankful for your support, encouragement, and Jeep loans. To Tom, who supported me through the rough patches and is the best field-companion I could ask for: here’s to finding C. scheeri where it’s supposed to be and to bringing Irish Folk music to the desert. And finally, to really good hiking boots: I could not have endured my many crossings of the “Land of Cholla” without you. 4 | P a g e Table of Contents List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. 6 List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... 7 Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ 8 Chapter 1: Context ......................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 Climate Change .................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Precipitation Pulse Dynamics .............................................................................................. 11 1.3 Phenology ............................................................................................................................ 13 1.4 Endangered Species ............................................................................................................. 13 1.5 Pima Pineapple Cactus ......................................................................................................... 14 1.6 Thesis Format ...................................................................................................................... 17 Chapter 2: Present Study ................................................................................................................ 19 2.1 Summary of Results ............................................................................................................. 20 2.2 Summary of Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 21 2.3 Future Research Opportunities............................................................................................. 22 2.3.1 Soil moisture as an indicator of spatial distribution ..................................................... 22 2.3.2 Shifting phenology as an additional threat to endangered species ............................... 23 2.3.3 Shifting phenology and resource distribution in alternate ecosystem types ................. 23 References ...................................................................................................................................... 25 APPENDX A: CLASSIFICATION TREE ESTIMATION OF THE CLIMATE CHANGE VELOCITY GAP FOR LITTLE-STUDIED, SLOW-DISPERSING ENDANGERED SPECIES ....................................................................................................................................................... 34 APPENDIX B: ECOHYDROLOGICAL CONTROLS ON CACTUS FLOWERING PHENOLOGY AND PLANT REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS: A TWO YEAR OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF AN ENDANGERED SPECIES .............................................. 72 APPENDIX C: SUPPLEMENTAL DATA FROM SANTA RITA EXPERIMENTAL RANGE ON PLANT PHYISCAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ASSOCIATED ABIOTIC CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................. 106 5 | P a g e List of Figures Figure 1: Map of Coryphantha scheeri var. robustispina distribution, reproduced from: Baker, Marc, 2004 USGS Report. Within this report, Coryphantha scheeri var. robustispina is named Coryphantha robustispina var. robustispina…………………….14 Figure 2: Photo of C. scheeri flowering…………………………………………………15 6 | P a g e List of Tables Table 1: Journal publications and theses on C. scheeri and other species in the genus; also included non-comprehensively are some relevant reports……………………………….33 7 | P a g e Abstract Climate changes in temperature and precipitation are already occurring and are projected to further exhibit increasing temperature and precipitation extremes and increasing variation. Such increased temperature variation and decreased precipitation are likely to have a profound impact on vegetation communities, particularly in regions that are dominated by extreme temperatures and strongly seasonal precipitation events. Both temperature and precipitation are tightly linked to vegetation growth and distribution, and in regions such as the U.S. desert southwest, there are a number of rare and endangered species that have a particularly tight knit relationship with their environment. Here, I examine the relationship between these ecohydrological drivers and a specific, little- researched cactus: the Pima Pineapple Cactus (Coryphantha scheeri var. robustispina). C. scheeri is a small, hemispherical cactus that resides in the Santa Cruz and Altar Valleys of Southern Arizona, and very little is known about the conditions that promote C. scheeri distribution and growth. To provide information that may aide in managing this species, I investigate aspects of the distribution and the phenology of this species. With respect to distribution, I hypothesize that (H1) C. scheeri locations are associated with spatial physical and climatic data within its geographic limits. A framework describing the climatic associations of C. scheeri would enable species managers to take advantage of suitable habitat when opportunities arise. With respect to phenology, within established C. scheeri habitat we lack a clear understanding of the impact ecohydrological factors can have on reproduction and size. Therefore, I also hypothesize (H2) that C. scheeri flowering phenology is triggered by available moisture, which may be in the form of precipitation, humidity, or soil moisture. My results indicate that 8 | P a g e through the use of the classification tree, C. scheeri habitat is strongly associated with climatic and physical variables at a state-wide scale; these associations indicate large losses of suitable habitat under future projected climate scenarios. Additionally, I find that C. scheeri flowering phenology appears to be associated with