Wednesday, October 16, 2002 Part II Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service 50 CFR Part 17 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Final Designation of Critical Habitat for Holocarpha macradenia (Santa Cruz Tarplant); Final Rule VerDate 0ct<09>2002 21:43 Oct 15, 2002 Jkt 200001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4717 Sfmt 4717 E:\FR\FM\16OCR2.SGM 16OCR2 63968 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 16, 2002 / Rules and Regulations DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR one of only four species of the genus of dormant seeds, generally found in the Holocarpha. All four are geographically soil) in the field, and germination may Fish and Wildlife Service restricted to California. The plant is be delayed for many years until further rigid with lateral branches that grow to environmental cues break their 50 CFR Part 17 the height of the main stem, which is 10 dormancy (Bainbridge 1999). RIN 1018–AG73 to 50 centimeters (cm) (4 to 20 inches The disc achenes usually fall from the (in)) tall. The lower leaves are broadly receptacle to the ground below the Endangered and Threatened Wildlife linear and up to 12 cm (5 in) long; the parent plant, while the ray achenes are and Plants; Final Designation of upper leaves are smaller, with rolled enclosed in a sticky glandular phyllary Critical Habitat for Holocarpha back margins, and are truncated by a (leaf-like structure) which aides macradenia (Santa Cruz Tarplant) distinctive craterform (open pitted) dispersal by attaching to animals. Those gland. The yellow daisy-like flower animals likely to assist in seed dispersal AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, head is surrounded from beneath by include, but are not limited to, mule Interior. individual bracts (small leaf-like deer (Odocoileus hemionus), gray foxes ACTION: Final rule. structures associated with the flower (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), coyotes head) that have about 25 stout gland- (Canis latrans), black-tailed jackrabbits SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and tipped projections (Keil 1993). H. (Lepus californicus), bobcats (Felis Wildlife Service (Service), designate macradenia is distinguished from other rufus), striped skunks (Mephitis critical habitat pursuant to the members of the genus by its numerous mephitis), opossums (Didelphis Endangered Species Act of 1973, as ray flowers and black anthers. virginiana), racoons (Procyon lotor), and amended (Act), for Holocarpha Holocarpha macradenia, like other other small mammals and small birds. macradenia (Santa Cruz tarplant). closely related tarplants in the genus The Holocarpha macradenia seed Approximately 1,175 hectares (2,902 Deinandra, is self-incompatible, bank is important to the species’ year- acres) of land in Contra Costa, Santa meaning that individuals will not to-year and long-term survival Cruz, and Monterey Counties, produce viable seeds without cross (Bainbridge 1999). A seed bank includes California, fall within the boundaries of pollinating with other individuals (B. all seeds in a population and generally the critical habitat designation. This Baldwin, in litt., 2001). Gene flow from covers a larger area than the extent of critical habitat designation provides individual to individual and from observable plants seen in a given year. additional protection under section 7 of population to population increases the The extent of seed bank reserves is the Act with regard to actions carried likelihood of viability through the variable from population to population. out, funded, or authorized by a Federal maintenance of genetic diversity; For example, in 1999 at the Twin Lakes agency. Section 4 of the Act requires us therefore gene flow is important for the population of H. macradenia in Santa to consider economic and other relevant long-term survival of self-incompatible Cruz, the seed bank density averaged impacts when specifying any particular species (Ellstrand 1992). Gene flow 240 seeds per square meter (m 2) (10 area as critical habitat. We solicited data often occurs through pollen movement square feet (ft 2)); at the Watsonville and comments from the public on all between populations, and likely occurs Airport, the seed bank density averaged aspects of the proposed rule, including over short distances; most of the native 887 seeds per m 2 (10 ft 2); at the Porter data on economic and other impacts of insects thought to pollinate H. Ranch population in northern Monterey the designation, and our approaches for macradenia generally travel less than County, the seed bank density averaged handling any future habitat 0.5 kilometers (km) (0.3 miles (mi)) at 40,000 seeds per m 2 (10 ft 2) (Bainbridge conservation plans. one time (Waser, in litt., 2002). Clusters 1999; S. Bainbridge, pers. comm., 2001). DATES: This rule becomes effective on of small populations of H. macradenia The number and location of standing November 15, 2002. may facilitate greater gene flow; plants (observable plants) in a therefore, even the conservation of small population varies annually. For ADDRESSES: Comments and materials occurrences may be critical to example, the Graham Hill population received, as well as supporting maintaining genetic diversity in this near Santa Cruz comprised 12,000 documentation, used in the preparation species. Native bees, bee flies, and standing plants in 1994 and 550 in 2001 of this final rule, will be available for wasps have been observed visiting H. (V. Haley, consultant, Felton, CA, pers. public inspection, by appointment, macradenia flowers (Sue Bainbridge, comm., 2001); the Apple Hill during normal business hours at the Jepson Herbarium, University of population near Watsonville comprised Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. California, Berkeley, pers. comm., 2001). 0 standing plants in 1999; 4,049 in 2000; Fish and Wildlife Service, 2493 Portola Seed production in Holocarpha and 1,330 in 2002 (T. Edell, in litt., Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003. macradenia is highly variable. A large, 2000; 2002). This annual variation in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: multi-branched individual may produce standing plants is due to a number of Connie Rutherford, Ventura Fish and 25 seed heads with up to 15 seeds per factors, including the amount and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife head, while individuals growing in timing of rainfall, temperature, soil Service, telephone 805/644–1766; crowded conditions may be unbranched conditions, and extent and nature of the facsimile 805/644–3958. Information and produce only one seed head (S. seed bank. regarding this proposal is available in Bainbridge, pers. comm., 2001). Floral Management activities can affect the alternate formats upon request. heads produce two kinds of achenes balance between the number of standing SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (seeds), disc and ray. The disc achenes plants and the extent of seed bank readily germinate under field and lab reserves. Burning, mowing, and Background conditions, but appear to lose viability scraping habitat for Holocarpha Holocarpha macradenia (Santa Cruz within 18 months of production macradenia have been utilized to tarplant) is an aromatic annual herb in (Bainbridge 1999; S. Bainbridge, pers. enhance populations at several sites, the aster family (Asteraceae) that is comm., 2001). In contrast, the ray including Graham Hill, Arana Gulch, restricted to coastal terrace prairie achenes do not germinate readily under Twin Lakes, Tan, and Apple Hill, with habitat along the coast of central field and lab conditions; they represent variable results. At the Watsonville California. Holocarpha macradenia is the persistent soil seed bank (a reserve Airport site, H. macradenia habitat VerDate 0ct<09>2002 21:43 Oct 15, 2002 Jkt 200001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\16OCR2.SGM 16OCR2 Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 16, 2002 / Rules and Regulations 63969 adjacent to runways has been mowed, dissected, and H. macradenia The distribution of Holocarpha disced, and grazed to maintain visibility populations historically occurred on the macradenia has been severely reduced for airport operations. While this alluvium resulting from terrace deposits due to continuing destruction and management has increased the density (Palmer 1986). alteration of coastal prairie habitat. All of H. macradenia, the vigor of In Santa Cruz County, where most of the native San Francisco Bay area individual plants appears to be in the remaining native populations of populations have been extirpated. The decline, and the seed bank reserve may Holocarpha macradenia occur, the soils last remaining native population in this be becoming depleted (Deb Hillyard, most typically found on marine terraces area, known as the Pinole Vista California Department of Fish and Game and the alluvial deposits derived from population, consisting of 10,000 plants, (CDFG), pers. comm., 2001). them are of several soil series (Brabb was eliminated in 1993 by commercial Habitat for Holocarpha macradenia 1989; SCS 1978, 1980). The Watsonville, development (CDFG 1997). historically consisted of grasslands and Tierra, Elkhorn, and Pinto soil series are Along Monterey Bay in Santa Cruz prairies found on coastal terraces below most frequently associated with and Monterey Counties, approximately 100 meters (m) (330 feet (ft)) in occurrences of H. macradenia. These 13 populations are extant. According to elevation, from Monterey County north loams and sandy loams are deep and CNDDB, an additional nine populations to Marin County (CNDDB 2001). In the range from well drained to somewhat along the Monterey