Conservation Strategy for Tahoe Yellow Cress (Rorippa Subumbellata)
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Conservation Strategy for Tahoe yellow cress (Rorippa subumbellata) Sarah Kulpa/USFWS Prepared by Alison E. Stanton and the Tahoe yellow cress Adaptive Management Working Group and Executive Committee For the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station Domestic Grant 13-DG-11272170-010 October 23, 2015 Conservation Strategy for Tahoe yellow cress 2015 Acknowledgements Several members of the Adaptive Management Working Group (AMWG) have been involved since the implementation of the Conservation Strategy for Tahoe yellow cress in 2002 and deserve special recognition: Jan Brisco, Tamara Sasaki, Roland Shaw, and Mike Vollmer. Other long-time AMWG members made significant contributions of time and resources: Steve Caicco, Jody Fraser, Eric Gillies, Shana Gross, Sarah Kulpa, Susan Levitsky, and Peter Maholland. Current members of the AMWG participated in the development of this document: Jason Brand, Jan Brisco, Janel Johnson, Sarah Kulpa, Patrick Moeszinger, Dana Olson, Jason Ramos, Stuart Roll, Courtney Rowe, Tamara Sasaki, Mark Sedlock, Roland Shaw, Mike Vollmer, Selena Werdon, and Svetlana Yegorova. Past participants in the AMWG logged thousands of hours in the implementation of the conservation strategy from 2003 to 2014: Leslie Allen, Cheryl Beyer, Daniel Burmester, Eileen Carey, Dana Dapolito, Gail Durham, Gretchen Eichar, Jacqui Grandfield, Jay Howard, Gretchen Huie, Adam Lewandowski, Myrnie Mayville, James Navicky, Jennifer Newmark, Tim Nosal, Stu Osbrack, Jerry Owens, Rick Robinson, Jane Schmidt, Coleen Shade, and Dan Shaw. Dr. Bruce Pavlik developed the first Conservation Strategy for Tahoe yellow cress and dramatically increased understanding of the species. He compiled survey and monitoring data from all of the partner agencies and applied novel analysis techniques that dramatically improved understanding of the species. Funding for the development of this document came from the Bureau of Land Management through a grant from the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) administered by U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station staff, Jonathan Long and Tiffany van Huysen. Citation: Stanton, A., and Tahoe yellow cress Adaptive Management Working Group and Executive Committee. 2015. Conservation strategy for Tahoe yellow cress (Rorippa subumbellata). USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, Albany, California. 130 pp. + appendices. Photos: All photos by Alison E. Stanton, unless otherwise stated. 2 Conservation Strategy for Tahoe yellow cress 2015 Table of Contents List of Figures .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6 List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................................................ 9 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 Background .................................................................................................................................................................. 13 1.2 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.0 TYC Ecology .................................................................................................................................................................... 15 2.1 Species description and taxonomy .................................................................................................................... 15 2.2 Growth and reproduction ...................................................................................................................................... 16 2.3 Genetics ......................................................................................................................................................................... 19 2.4 TYC distribution ......................................................................................................................................................... 21 2.5 TYC population dynamics ...................................................................................................................................... 28 2.6 Population size and persistence .......................................................................................................................... 30 2.7 Ranking TYC populations for conservation .................................................................................................... 33 2.8 TYC habitat in the Lake Tahoe shorezone ....................................................................................................... 40 2.8.1 Shoreline geomorphology ............................................................................................................................. 40 2.8.2 Hydrology ............................................................................................................................................................. 43 2.8.3 Competition ......................................................................................................................................................... 46 2.8.4 Effect of fencing on persistence .................................................................................................................. 48 3.0 Threats to TYC .............................................................................................................................................................. 49 3.1 Water management .................................................................................................................................................. 49 3.2 Recreation .................................................................................................................................................................... 50 3.3 Development ............................................................................................................................................................... 52 3.4 Climate change ........................................................................................................................................................... 54 4.1 Pre-2000 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 58 4.1.1 Educational institutions and non-profit and private entities ......................................................... 58 4.1.2 Regional and federal agencies ..................................................................................................................... 59 4.1.2 State and local agencies .................................................................................................................................. 60 4.2 Adaptive management 2000–2014 ................................................................................................................... 60 4.2.1. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) ................................................................................................ 61 4.2.2 Adaptive management framework ............................................................................................................ 62 4.2.3 Lake-wide monitoring .................................................................................................................................... 64 4.4 Key Management Question framework ........................................................................................................... 67 3 Conservation Strategy for Tahoe yellow cress 2015 4.4.1 Field research 2003 to 2010 ........................................................................................................................ 68 4.4.2 Capacity for TYC outplanting and translocation .................................................................................. 72 4.4.3 Research gaps ..................................................................................................................................................... 73 5.0 Management Goals and Action ............................................................................................................................ 74 5.1 Goals ............................................................................................................................................................................... 74 5.2. Objectives .................................................................................................................................................................... 75 5.3 Management Actions ............................................................................................................................................... 79 5.3.1 Fences and enclosures .................................................................................................................................... 79 5.3.2 Refuge Areas ....................................................................................................................................................... 82 5.3.3 Education and outreach ................................................................................................................................