Chapter Ii – Cookhouse Meadow Restoration Project
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CHAPTER II – COOKHOUSE MEADOW RESTORATION PROJECT Written in conjunction with the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and Kathi L. Borgmann1, Julie Groce2, and Michael L. Morrison2 _______________ 1Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, 104 Biological Sciences East, the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721. Email: [email protected] 2Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, 210 Nagle Hall, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2258. Email: [email protected], [email protected] 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................ 7 INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................12 PROJECT GOALS ........................................................................................................................13 Riparian conservation strategies ....................................................................................... 13 Specific project goals and objectives ................................................................................ 14 Hydrological and vegetation objectives ............................................................................ 14 Vegetation objectives ........................................................................................................ 14 Wildlife objectives ............................................................................................................ 15 RESTORATION ACTIONS .......................................................................................................... 15 CONTROL SITE DESCRIPTIONS ............................................................................................... 16 EFFECTIVENESS MONITORING METHODS ........................................................................... 17 OBJECTIVES AND ASSOCIATED WILDLIFE METRICS, METHODS, AND ANALYSIS .. 17 Vegetation objectives .......................................................................................................... 17 Butterflies ............................................................................................................................ 18 Reptiles and amphibians ..................................................................................................... 19 Birds .................................................................................................................................... 19 Owls .................................................................................................................................... 20 Bats ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Small mammals ................................................................................................................... 21 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ..................................................................................................... 23 Vegetation objectives .......................................................................................................... 23 Butterflies ............................................................................................................................ 25 Reptiles and amphibians ..................................................................................................... 27 Birds .................................................................................................................................... 27 Owls .................................................................................................................................... 34 Bats ..................................................................................................................................... 34 Small mammals ................................................................................................................... 36 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................. 40 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................................. 41 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................................... 42 LIST OF TABLES 2.1. Species richness and relative frequency of use by desired condition bat species detected at Cookhouse and associated control sites, Big Meadow, and Grass Lake, 2004–2007............................................................................................................... 35 2.2. Number of small mammals trapped per 100 trap nights (i.e., relative frequency) in meadow and upland areas at Cookhouse and associated control sites, Big Meadow, and Grass Lake, 2004–2007. No desired condition species were detected at Grass Lake. The sixth small mammal desired condition species, broad-footed mole, was not detected at any site in any year ............................................ 36 Chapter II – Cookhouse Restoration Project 2 LIST OF FIGURES 2.1. Percent of Cookhouse Meadow containing dry soils, moist soils, and standing water throughout the summer months post-restoration (2007). The percentage of the meadow containing moist soil decreased throughout the season and more than half of the meadow was dry by 20 June 2007 ............................................................ 23 2.2. Butterfly species richness at Cookhouse from pre-restoration (2004-2006) and post-restoration (2007) compared to the number of butterfly species detected at the control sites (Big Meadow and Grass Lake). The arrow indicates when restoration occurred. Restoration actions did not appear to alter butterfly species richness .................................................................................................................. 26 2.3. Desired condition butterfly species richness at Cookhouse Meadow pre- restoration (2004-2006) and post-restoration (2007) compared to control sites (Big Meadow and Grass Lake). The arrow indicates when restoration occurred. Desired butterfly species richness was similar at Cookhouse and Big Meadow pre- and post-restoration suggesting that restoration did not affect richness of desired butterfly species ................................................................................... 26 2.4. Abundance of desired condition butterfly species corrected for size of meadow area surveyed at Cookhouse (6 ha), Big Meadow (19 ha), and Grass Lake (2.75 ha), pre-restoration (2004-2006) and post-restoration (2007). The arrow indicates when restoration occurred ................................................................................... 27 2.5. Number of songbird species detected within 50 m of point-count stations pre- restoration (2004-2006) and post-restoration (2007) at Cookhouse Meadow relative to two control sites (Big Meadow and Grass Lake). The arrow indicates when restoration occurred. One year, post restoration, species richness increased by 38% at Cookhouse ........................................................................... 28 2.6. Number of desired condition songbird species detected within 50 m of point- count stations pre-restoration (2004-2006) and post-restoration (2007) at Cookhouse Meadow relative to two control sites (Big Meadow and Grass Lake). The arrow indicates when restoration occurred. One year, post restoration, richness of desired condition species increased at Cookhouse compared to control sites .................................................................................................... 29 2.7. Abundance of desired condition songbird species (± SE) detected per point at Cookhouse pre-restoration (2004, 2005, and 2006) and post-restoration (2007) compared to abundance of desired condition species detected at the control sites (Big Meadow and Grass Lake). The arrow indicates when restoration occurred. Abundance of desired condition bird species detected post restoration did not change at Cookhouse and all three sites showed an increase in abundance in 2007 .......................................................................................................... 29 Chapter II – Cookhouse Restoration Project 3 2.8. Daily nest survival of Dusky flycatchers (a), Wilson’s warblers (b), and warbling vireos (c) at Cookhouse Meadow and control sites (Big Meadow and Grass Lake) pre-restoration (2004-2006) and post-restoration (2007). Numbers above the bars indicate the number of nests monitored and the arrow indicates when restoration occurred .................................................................................................. 32 2.9. Percentage of dusky flycatchers (a), Wilson’s warblers (b), and warbling vireo (c) nests parasitized by brown-headed cowbirds pre-restoration (2004-2006) and post-restoration (2007) at Cookhouse Meadow and two control sites (Big Meadow and Grass Lake). Number above the bars indicates the number of nests monitored and the arrow indicates when restoration occurred .................................. 33 2.10. Owl species richness at Cookhouse, Big Meadow, and Grass Lake, 2004–2007. Numbers include species detected during nocturnal broadcast surveys and incidentally (e.g., during songbird nest searching). The arrow indicates when restoration occurred .........................................................................................................