Great Basin National Park Park News National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior The Midden The Resource Management Newsletter of Great Basin National Park

Amazingly Successful Summer Paleontology Inventory

During my first year after moving to GRBA, I had found a few good indications in the park’s backcountry. Also, park staff had recognized in some of the remote

drainages (see the Summer 2011 NPS NPS Photo Midden article, “Significant index NPS Photo fossils found in park”).

Some of the more than 1000 In addition, geologic maps indicated specimens found this summer included these brachiopods, Orthambonites broad areas of rock outcrops within michaelis; Kanosh Shale, Ordovician the park where there was high An internal mold of a complete coiled Period. potential for fossils to be found. nautiloid cephalopod surprisingly similar to the living chambered nautilus. The dark By Gorden Bell, Supervisory These rocks are of the same age mass in the center is a bryozoan colony Environmental Protection Specialist and formations that are extremely that encrusted the shell after it fell to the and Paleontologist fossiliferous near Crystal Peak, Utah, seafloor; Lehman Formation, Ordovician Period. and in central Nevada. So, as the park If one were to judge the potential of is situated directly between those began to build an inventory of Great Basin National Park (GRBA) areas, it would seem likely that our paleontological resources heretofore to possess a significant amount of rocks might have the same kinds and unknown within the park. Over the paleontological resources based quantities of fossils. course of the summer we added 38 on available scientific literature, new paleontology localities to the it would not appear to be a good This past summer we were able to database, represented by 476 GPS bet. As part of my collateral test that possibility when we brought positions and more than 1000 fossil duties, I had been given the task in two Geoscientists-in-the Parks specimens. of first assessing the likelihood of interns (GIPs) through a program significant paleontological resources sponsored jointly by the NPS and So, what types of fossils are present being present within the park and the Geological Society of America in the park? Continued on Page 2 then searching for them if the results GeoCorps program. The two GIPs, appeared promising. Linda Sue Lassiter and Spencer Holmes, are enrolled in geology In This Issue My survey of the literature had degree programs at the University of turned up only one publication that Northern Arizona and California State Paleontology Inventory...... 1 identified fossil localities inside University - Chico, respectively. Rattlesnake Relocations...... 4 the park boundaries. Another three Lehman Cave Restoration...... 5 identified fewer than a half-dozen During an intense 12-week internship, 2012 Diptera BioBlitz...... 6 fossil localities in the southern these two intrepid students and I Forest Health...... 8 Snake Range but outside of the park. covered approximately 600 hectares Johnson Lake Mine Recorded.....10 However, numerous publications (1500 acres) of the park, searching Fire Needed...... 11 detailed exciting discoveries in the rock outcrops for fossils and using Remote Cameras...... 12 mountain ranges to the east, south, GPS units and cameras to document 2011 BioBlitz Update...... 14 and west of the park. what we found. Gradually, we Upcoming Events...... 14

Winter 2012/2013 Issue 12 Volume 2 2012 Summer Paleoinventory Results (continued) Most of the fossils are organisms. We also spotted many Probably one of the most exciting and plants that lived in a marine types of molluscs, including some finds was a thick bed of corals at an environment in a relatively shallow clams, many of marine elevation of almost 3350 m (11,000 sea that alternately covered and then snails, and plenty of straight ft), north of Granite Peak. About receded from this area many times nautiloids, which are cephalopods 470 million years ago during the over. Most are very old, spanning like squids and octopi but which Ordovician Period, living corals portions of the Cambrian and had a long conical external shell. may have covered the local sea Ordovician geologic periods from We did find one coiled nautiloid, floor like a patchwork blanket that about 510 to 470 million years ago. which does not appear to be much stretched for many kilometers. different than the chambered Geologists would call this type We found strange types of algae nautilus living in modern oceans of accumulation a “biostrome.” called receptaculitids that have today. While the bed we found would mineralized rod-shaped spicules not technically qualify as a reef forming an internal skeleton like because it only stood one to two that found in some sponges. One metes (three to six feet) above the type, Receptaculites, as shown in the seafloor, it nonetheless must have Summer 2011 issue of The Midden, functioned as reef-like habitat. The is shaped like a biscuit while another NPS Photo corals that grew in this biostrome, type, called Calathium, is conical Eofletcheria and Foerstephyllum, like an empty ice cream cone and are two of the three earliest forms often formed mounded colonies. The straight shell of a type of nautiloid of corals known in the fossil record. cephalopod, sometimes called an orthoceracone; Lehman Formation, Both are classified as members of We found plenty of trilobites, which Ordovician Period. a stem group known as tabulate are common in the surrounding corals. Corals would have to evolve areas, including a couple of tiny We were even lucky enough to pick blind forms called agnostids. up a single plate from an known as a chiton, a slug-shaped mollusc with a row of eight hard plates armoring its back. We found

lots of stalked echinoderms, aka NPS Photo NPS NPS Photo “sea lilies,” such as crinoids that stood well above the sea floor to This large trilobite tail is an undescribed catch food particles floating in the species of Cybelopsis (the quarter used water and cystoids that scooted Crowded and overgrown masses of the as scale is exactly an inch in diameter); coral, Eofletcheria, indicating a reefy Lehman Formation, Ordovician Period. around in the bottom muds to find type of habitat; Lehman Formation, food. Ordovician Period.

We also found brachiopods, which much greater complexity and have bivalved shells. Some of these longevity before they could grow lived in muddy burrows and have into the massive shapes we know phosphatic shells, while others as true reefs. We were able to trace had calcium carbonate shells and one unbroken outcrop of this bed attached themselves to various NPS Photo of coral for a distance of about living animals or dead shells. We 370 m (1200 ft) where its edges located bryozoans, distantly related are interrupted by erosion or by to brachiopods but living in tiny faulting. We could pick it out again coral-like colonies that either grew A single plate from a cystid echinoderm, in nearby outcrops at about the probably Hadrocystis; Pogonip Group, independently or encrusted other Ordovician Period. Continued on Page 3

2 The Midden 2012 Summer Paleoinventory Results (continued) same horizon, suggesting it was indeed connected while growing. As it turns out, Eofletcheria has been reported as biostromal accumulations at about the same stratigraphic level

in outcrops from Crystal Peak, in NPS Photo Utah all the way to the White Pine Range at the western edge of White Pine County in Nevada, a distance of more than 160 km (100 mi) today (map figure). The first vertebrate fossil from the park, a partial fin spine of an acanthodian fish Based on calculations of the amount tentatively identified as Nodocosta denisoni; Sevy Dolomite, Devonian Period. of geological extension that has As a final note, the occurrence of specimen is shown above and occurred during faulting in the Great Foerstephyllum at GBNP is only the is a fragmentary fin spine of an Basin, that distance would have been second record from Nevada – the acanthodian fish. It was tentatively approximately 100 km (60 mi) at the first being from the Ordovician rocks identified by Dr. David Elliot of time the coral was growing. Other of the Pioche area. Northern Arizona University as observations note that Eofletcheria Nodocosta denisoni. The specimen is found in float blocks at about the And last but not least, this summer was found on outcrops of the Sevy same stratigraphic level not far north we also found the first vertebrate Dolomite which is Early Devonian of Big Springs on the southern end fossil from the park! It is not much age and is about 405-400 million of the Snake Range. This suggests to look at and is only 13 mm (0.5 years old. Appropriately, the that the coral patch habitat might in) long, but some people place Devonian Period of geologic time is have originally grown in an east-west more significance on vertebrate also known as the “Age of Fishes.” trending tract at least 100 km (60 fossils than invertebrate fossils. Our mi) long and 16 km (10 mi) wide. So, in reflection, the amount and quality of fossil resources we found in such a short amount of time is amazing given so little indication in the scientific literature. This is due in large part to the efforts and dedication of our two GIPs, Linda Sue and Spencer. I want to extend a rousing round of thanks to them. It is also appaerent that GRBA contains a wealth of paleontological resources, but had simply been overlooked by researchers. After this past summer I am confident that we will make even more exciting discoveries next summer and that this paleontological inventory may very well spark a new era of geological and paleontological research at Great Basin National Distribution map of coral biostrome localities in the uppermost Lehman Formation Park. updated with GRBA records (other data from Lehi Hintze, 1952, “Lower Ordovician Trilobites from Western Utah and Eastern Nevada,” Utah Geological and Mineral Survey Bulletin 48).

The Midden 3 Investigating Ideal Rattlesnake Relocation Distances by Bryan Hamilton, Wildlife Original Capture Site Biologist

Rattlesnakes are important predators in ecosystems. As our understanding of rattlesnakes has grown, relocating rattlesnakes away from people has become a preferred management technique over killing the snakes.

Several studies have shown that rattlesnakes moved outside of their home ranges (>1000 m) have substantially lower survival rates than snakes moved short distances within their home ranges (~100 m). Great Basin National Park has initiated a study to learn more about rattlesnake-human interactions and Figure 1. Movement of one male rattlesnake over three years; dots indicate where the snake was located, and lines in between extrapolate movement. 2009 is shown in black, specifically to test the hypothesis 2010 in blue, and 2011 in red. Male rattlesnake home ranges tend to be larger than females. that rattlesnakes relocated short Males are less likely to return to their capture sites than females. distances would not return to their capture sites. to survive the harsh winters of the illegal in national parks, which are Great Basin. Females were more mandated under the Organic Act to Twenty-six Great Basin rattlesnakes likely than males to return to their protect all native wildlife unimpaired. (Crotalus lutosus) were implanted capture site. Males have larger home with radio transmitters and located ranges than females and are less Safety concerns for both people every two weeks during the active social (Figure 1). Female recidivism and rattlesnakes have resulted in a season. On average snakes were seems to occur primarily at rookery rattlesnake relocation policy in parks moved 25.1 m from their capture sites, which are social centers for designed to balance human and sites (range 0 - 242 m). Following breeding, gestation, and birthing. rattlesnake safety. Outside of parks, relocation, nine snakes returned to human acceptance of rattlesnakes within 10 meters of their capture site While short distance translocations is the best way for coexistence to (35%), 10 within 30 meters (38%) alleviate the immediate danger of a occur. Interest in relocating rather and 15 within 100 meters (58%). rattlesnake and reduce the probability than killing rattlesnakes shows the of a harmful interaction between heightened level of interest in snake Twenty-seven instances of a rattlesnake and person, they do conservation. Continued education, recidivism (returning to previous not eliminate the possibility that a avoiding deliberate interaction with behavior) were recorded at 10 translocated snake will return to its rattlesnakes, and short-distance meters, 32 at 30 meters and 60 at capture site. snake relocations are the best way to 100 meters. Snakes captured at protect both rattlesnakes and humans. den sites always returned to their Rattlesnakes are not aggressive capture site. This is not surprising animals and bite humans only in self- Learn more about snakes! given that Great Basin rattlesnakes defense. Most snake bites occur as Join wildlife biologists for the have extremely high fidelity to their a result of humans trying to kill or annual kingsnake survey, winter dens. capture rattlesnakes, and rattlesnakes May 20-27, 2013. Contact are far more likely to be killed or [email protected] Winter dens are crucial for large injured in a human-snake encounter to sign up. bodied ectotherms, like rattlesnakes, than a person. Killing rattlesnakes is 4 The Midden Lehman Cave Restoration By Gretchen Baker, Ecologist The results What happens when over 30,000 were noticeable people visit Lehman Caves each immediately. year? It gets dirty. The dirt, The staircases hair, lint, and other debris that now gleam, and accidentally gets left behind in the strands of hair cave can cover cave formations, no longer dangle detracting from the beauty of the under every step. cave. The dirt can alter the growth Formations appear of cave formations, changing how brighter. The park calcite-laden water flows. It can appreciates greatly also provide an unnatural food the effort of these source for cave biota. volunteers.

Fortunately, part of the cave was More of the cave cleaned recently. Several members remains to be of the Southern Nevada Grotto cleaned. Would spent their Thanksgiving vacation you like to help at Great Basin National Park. In restore the cave? addition to continuing their survey The park will hold project, they also cleaned cave a lint camp in passages. February. Contact Gretchen_Baker@ These dedicated volunteers spent nps.gov to sign over 120 hours in the cave. They up or for more removed 36.5 pounds of dirt, lint, information. GF48 Photos of a cave formation before and after cleaning. The hair, and debris from the entrance formations are much easier to clean when they are dry than and exit tunnels and from the Music when they are wet. Room to the Lodge Room. The primary methods included using paintbrushes to dust the lint and other debris off the formations, stairs, and trail. A shop vac was Lehman Cave used to suck up the fine material Lint Camp that escaped going into the bags held under the paintbrushes. February 8-9, 2013

Help restore the cave!

The nylon bristles on paintbrushes have A Southern Nevada grotto member dusting a slight electrical charge and pick up lint lint off part of a cave passage. easily.

The Midden 5 2012 Diptera BioBlitz By Rebecca Clement, C. Riley we all assembled to hear a campfire Nelson, and Matthew D. Otis, talk entitled, “Desert are Department of Biology, Brigham Voluptuous,” featuring Dr. Riley Young University Nelson. The talk was geared around dispelling the myth that flies are Each summer for the past few years repulsive. The next evening, Dr. Great Basin National Park has hosted Ken Kingsley favored us with a a Bioblitz to target a specific group NPS Photo by Gretchen Baker talk called, “Through a ’s Eyes” of invertebrates.They have invited Dr. Riley Nelson led the BioBlitz with some particularly interesting activities, beginning with a workshop scientists, volunteers and families the first morning. He provided field information about mosquitoes. to go to every conceivable place in identifications and took specimens back the park and catch everything they to Brigham Young University for further On Thursday morning, we took identification. could. Habitats in the park range from a jovial little hike up to the alpine at 3900 meters (13,000 ft) to water bottles supplied by the park’s bristlecone pine forest and collected salt desert shrublands at 1600 meters volunteer program. We received more flies as we enjoyed the beauty (5,300 ft). advice from Gretchen Baker, the of 3982 m (13,063 ft) towering park ecologist, on how to adequately Wheeler Peak, the serene Teresa This year Diptera was the focus record localities with a grid system Lake, and the groves of 3,000-5,000 of the extensive frenzy from June and GPS. After being equipped, the year old bristlecones. We collected 19-21. With the help of several participants were then unleashed hundreds of anthomyiids and entomologists and a group of into the 310-square-kilometer (120- ephydrids at the lake. One sweep of energetic volunteers, the 2012 Bioblitz square-mile) park with high hopes the net and it was black with flies! was a great success. Thousands of and fly dreams of glory. It was also amazing to be collecting flies were collected, adding many asilids and syrphids under the old, new families, genera, and species to Over fifty Bioblitz team members gnarled branches of the ancient the park’s list. And good times were searched during the next 48 hours. bristlecone pines. had by all. The Bioblitz officially This may not have been the largest Bioblitz in the park’s history, but it turned out to be the most international group the Park has ever had, including a from Hungary, a volunteer from Oman, and an expert

dipterist from Germany. The Nevada NPS Photo by G. Baker State Entomologist and his team Young BioBlitz participants proved came. All were enthusiastic about adept at sorting the from vegetative matter. Further sorting was

NPS NPS Photo by Gretchen Baker this variation from their routine work. done by entomologists and students. Park rangers Anna Snyder and The participants gathered the Jonathan Jackson help a junior ranger After half a day of collecting collect Diptera during the park’s fourth morning of 21 June to sort their annual Bioblitz. findings. At noon, the Great Basin National Park Foundation provided a farewell luncheon, started with a talk by Dr. Riley Nelson with the Western National Parks from Brigham Young University Association providing raffle prizes. introducing the fly families, the At the conclusion of the luncheon goals of the trip, and the collection

NPS NPS Photo by G. Baker Riley Nelson presented the methods to be used. Participants preliminary results of the Bioblitz were equipped with nets, vials, NPS Coordinator Sally Plumb helps look for Diptera, along to volunteers. plastic bags, and some spiffy green with a volunteer from Oman. Continued on Page 7

6 The Midden 2012 Diptera BioBlitz 2012 Diptera BioBlitz (Continued) The 2012 Diptera Bioblitz added which added 19 new families to the The results remain incomplete as a number of new families, genera, park list. There were four families we continue to sort and identify the and species to Great Basin National known to the park that we didn’t numerous samples. Check future Park’s repertoire of flies. In the 48 find, but our additions brought the issues of The Midden for updates. hours allotted to the Bioblitz, team total number of Diptera families to For more pictures visit http://www. members gathered over 125 samples 51! (Table 1). flickr.com/groups/gbnp_bioblitz/ of flies from 47 different families, pool/

Table 1. Flies of Great Basin National Park. “1” indicates present, “0” indicates absent. Scale of numbers in samples: abundant>common>rare>one. Family Before During How Family Before During How Bioblitz Bioblitz many? Bioblitz Bioblitz many?

Agromyzidae 1 1 common 0 1 one 1 1 abundant 1 1 common 0 1 common 0 1 rare 0 1 rare 1 1 rare 1 1 common 0 1 one 1 1 common 0 1 one 1 0 rare Sarcophagidae 1 1 common 1 1 common 1 1 common 1 1 common 0 1 one 0 1 rare 1 1 common 1 1 abundant 0 1 common 1 1 common 1 1 common 0 1 one Simuliidae 1 1 rare 1 1 one 1 1 rare Culicidae 1 0 rare 0 1 rare 0 1 rare 1 0 rare 1 1 common Syrphidae 0 1 common 1 1 rare Tabanidae 0 1 one 1 1 common 1 1 common 1 1 abundant 1 1 common 1 1 rare Tethinidae 0 1 one 0 1 rare 1 1 rare 0 1 one Tipulidae 1 1 common 0 1 one 1 0 rare 1 1 abundant 0 1 rare 1 1 one Total Families 32 47

Join us July 8-10, 2013 for the Great Basin National Park Arachnid BioBlitz. Help us find spiders, mites, scorpions, pseudoscorpions, and more. The event includes a workshop, talks, walks, and a collecting period. Contact [email protected] to be added to the mailing list.

The Midden 7

Forest Service Assists Park with Forest Health Issues USFS USFS Photo by D. Reboletti

Tip moth damage on dying piñon pine. USFS USFS Photo by Danielle Reboletti

The fading and dead piñon pine located along the Park’s main entrance road in July 2012. By Danielle Reboletti, Forest park staff, determining that a suite of Service Entomologist and Gretchen factors was causing the die-off next

Baker, Park Ecologist to the road corridor. USFS USFS Photo by D. Reboletti

In early summer, it became The fading trees were showing some Sawfly feeding damage on piñon pine. noticeable that piñon trees along signs of piñon sawfly (Neodiprion the park entrance road were turning edulicolus) damage; this , brown and dying. The park did while not in an epidemic stage, not know the cause, so asked for did cause light feeding damage assistance from the Forest Service on needles and premature needle Forest Health Protection Lab. cast. Pitch mass borer (Dioryctria Located in Ogden, Utah, the group sp.) and pine tip moth (Dioryctria albovitella) activity were noted as

assists federal agencies in a multi- USFS Photo by D. Reboletti state area. A forest entomologist well. Piñon tip moth has little effect arrived and examined the trees with on overall tree health. In addition, Piñon pine dwarf mistletoe. high infestations of piñon dwarf mistletoe were observed in several weakened from salt and roadway trees. However, because fading stress, park managers, biologists, and foliage was concentrated near the ecologists opted to be proactive with roadway, we determined the cause their management efforts. The dead of tree damage to be roadway stress, trees along the park entrance road were with salt as a contributing factor. removed, which also allowed visitors Currently, we are waiting for the to concentrate more on the beautiful results of foliar and soil lab tests. views around them.

The concern of park staff was The good news was that the piñon Ips the tendency for piñon Ips (Ips beetle was not the cause. Piñon Ips confusus), a native bark beetle, to can have up to four generations in one

USFS USFS Photo by Danielle Reboletti increase populations in slash and year, spreading rapidly from tree to weakened trees and cause high tree. This insect has the ability to cause levels of tree death on the landscape. major economic losses when it reaches Despite not finding current piñon epidemic levels. Piñon Ips epidemics A typical dead piñon pine tree have been witnessed in the examined for piñon Ips, but showing Ips damage, but also knowing that a no signs of a biotic cause for death. large portion of trees were already Continued on Page 9

8 The Midden Forest Service Assists Park with Forest Health Issues Forest Service Assists Park with Forest Health Issues (continued) southwestern US, and are capable of kill an Engelmann spruce, but there occurring throughout the range of are some cases where these bark this insect. beetles can cause spruce death.

Piñon Ips bark beetles have four The park aims to protect high life stages: egg, larvae, pupae and value trees, including those in adult. The adult males bore into campgrounds, at trailheads, and along a susceptible tree and release a some roads, by using pheromone pheromone that attracts female pouches to deter the beetles. The piñon Ips. Once joined by females, pheromones are attached to the the males mate with several female trees and send out a chemical beetles. The females then bore message that the tree is already full

galleries and lay their fertilized eggs. USFS Photo by Danielle Reboletti of beetles. Pheromone protection Once the eggs hatch, the larvae works well as an integrated approach begin to feed outward, also boring to bark beetle management; an or etching a trail-like system in the integrated approach should include trees’ inner bark/water and nutrient removing infested material, thinning, conducting system (phloem). Once pheromone protection, and insecticide the larvae complete their feeding, This piñon pine is infested with piñon Ips, applications where warranted. they bore a pupal chamber where please note the red pitch tubes located at the site where the insect entered the tree. they complete their growth and Currently, there is no pheromone later emerge as adults. When we are pouch available for spruce beetle, experiencing drought conditions, Other bark beetles are affecting although spraying trees with the weakened trees are most susceptible additional tree species in the park. insecticide carbaryl has been effective to this insect. In the Wheeler Peak campground, in other areas. The park needs to mountain pine beetles and spruce complete NEPA compliance before beetles have both been identified any spraying commences. in older dead trees and in live trees (typically called “green infested How can you help? The park is at trees”). risk of having non-native diseases and insects brought into the park. One of the primary ways is from NPS NPS Photo by G. Baker Spruce beetles attack Engelmann campers bringing in wood from Piñon Ips bark beetles in the inner spruce trees, causing them to die bark of a piñon tree. within 1-2 years of infestation. Spruce other areas that might contain other beetle has the ability to destroy large pests. To maintain forest health, it populations of Engelmann spruce is best to obtain firewood locally. Piñon Ips was found later in the across the landscape. The striking Also, please do not touch or remove summer, when two Forest Service effects of this bark beetle are currently pheromone packets or damage trees in entomologists examined the picnic most evident in the Uinta’s (northern campgrounds with hatchets. Hatchet area near the Lehman Caves Visitor UT, Wolf Creek Pass). damaged trees are more susceptible to Center. Piñon Ips beetles are bark beetle attack. attacking a number of trees there. Mountain pine beetles attack limber Due to the park’s desire to retain and ponderosa pines within the park. For more information about forest some shaded picnic areas, the park Mountain pine beetles were also health, ask at one of the visitor centers is going to remove the infested trees seen attacking Engelmann spruce at for a brochure or visit http://www. and dispose of the wood in the hopes Wheeler Peak campground. In most fs.fed.us/foresthealth/. that additional trees in the picnic area cases, mountain pine beetle will not are not infested.

The Midden 9 Re-Discovering Abandoned Mine Lands: The Johnson Lake Mine by Karla Jageman, Archeologist located. These included a corral, and Eva Jensen, Cultural Resource four tent/loading platforms, a privy Program Manager depression, a shaving station, five wooden mining claims (Figure The Great Basin National Park 1), six stacked rock cairns, fifteen Cultural Resource Management prospects, and an adit (Figure 2). (CRM) staff continued to work with Great Basin Natural Resource crews With this new information, park to identify, locate, and document archeologists are beginning to the features of historic abandoned understand why numerous structures mine lands during the 2012 field were built at the Johnson Lake season. Prior to beginning field work, Mine. The addition of claims, historic documents, early maps, cairns, prospects, and an adit to the NPS Photo by Karla Jageman and aerial photos were compared archeological record indictate that and geo-referenced with current mining operations were much more satellite imagery to identify known intense than previously reported. Figure 1. Example of a wooden mining mining features and potential areas Tent platforms indicate temporary claim found at the Johnson Lake Mine. for previously undocumented sites. lodging for miners, and the corrals During 2011-2012, archeologists show that more animals were about how long the site was used and recorded 16 previously undocumented needed for hauling supplies and where suppliers were located. Types mining sites and updated records for 5 moving ore to the mill and out of of artifacts and even high cut stumps previously documented sites. the canyon. might indicate a seasonal occupation. GIS mapping could reveal if the site Mining sites often have a variety of The park will continue to record was one planned building episode features and artifacts; these contribute and begin to stabilize the historic or if it was slow and haphazard to the archeologists’ understanding structures at Johnson Lake Mine as the mining activity expanded. of the miners’ daily lives and the over the next five years. Beginning With this new information, CRM techniques they used to mine the in the 2013 field season artifact staff will help assure park staff and ore. During the 2011 and 2012 field scatters will be recorded in detail visitor safety, and enhance the visitor seasons, archeologists recorded and mapped using GIS, which will understanding of the Johnson Lake mining claims, stacked rock cairns, provide details of use areas. Artifact Mine and other historic abandoned prospects, adits, shafts, artifacts such analysis can provide information mine lands in the park. as cans and glass, living quarters, and animal facilities.

As part of this project, CRM staff spent several weeks in the backcountry recording mining features located within the Johnson Lake Mine Historic District. Among the known features previously recorded at Johnson Lake Mine were six standing structures, a collapsed structure, an earthen dam, three tent/ NPS Photo by Nick Arndt loading platforms, a depression, an aerial tramway, two prospecting trenches, and an adit.

During the 2012 field season, numerous additional features were Figure 2. Adit found during the 2012 field season at Johnson Lake Mine. 10 The Midden Re-Discovering Abandoned Mine Lands: The Johnson Lake Mine Fire Needed to Maintain Healthy Ecosystems by Bryan Hamilton, Wildlife Biologist

In the Great Basin, fire is an important agent of change. Fire has a cleansing effect on plant communities, removing dead and dense vegetation, invigorating plant growth, and maintaining grass dominated communities like sagebrush steppe grasslands, basin wildrye, and aspen.

Without fire, plant communities become choked with vegetation and allow conifers to invade. As the time between fires increases, conifer canopies extend and expand, outcompeting grasses and shrubs Post fire recovery of vegetation at higher elevations in the Great Basin is rapid and for sunlight and eliminating aspen improves habitat for sensitive species such as bighorn sheep and sage grouse. regeneration. Over time grasses and shrubs slowly disappear and aspen to support life. Extreme fires such as resilient ecosystems. We also trees become decadent and die. The this set the stage for invasion by non- recognize the inherent ecological plant community has now shifted native plants like cheatgrass. risks now present because of past from a more productive herbaceous fire exclusion and non-native understory to conifer-dominated The Nature Conservancy recently plants like cheatgrass. In an effort woodland or forest with little completed a spatial modeling to restore fire as a tool of change understory. Evidence of this change exercise in the park using best- in maintaining healthy ecosystems is testified by sagebrush “skeletons” available science to understand the and plant communities we have still present in piñon and juniper ecological health of park ecosystems undertaken several sagebrush woodlands and aspen stands now and how these systems could benefit steppe restoration projects. towered over by white fir. from management. The key result was that sagebrush and aspen plant The goal of these projects is The ecological implications of fire communities in the park require two-fold: to reduce excessive exclusion are profound. Woodlands active restoration to restore them to fuel loads and to restore healthy, and forests are less productive and natural conditions. resilient plant communities. If support fewer plants and animals these goals can be met, fire may than sagebrush and aspen habitats. Restoration would utilize a variety of be reintroduced back into the Fire exclusion is responsible for management techniques, including system, reducing the potential shifting sagebrush steppe grasslands prescribed fire, wildland fire use, for a catastrophic fire and the to piñon-juniper woodlands and mechanical thinning, chipping, potential for cheatgrass invasion. open aspen woodlands to closed slash pile burns, reseeding native It should be kept in mind that the canopy fir forest. Once these shifts vegetation and weed management goal of these projects is to correct have occurred fire becomes a threat with herbicides and inventories. a human- induced problem (fire instead of an ally to the ecosystem. These actions would restore plant suppression) to allow fire back Excessive fuel loads and ladder communities to their natural range of into the system in a safe and fuels allow fire to easily move into variation. ecologically sound fashion. In tree canopies where it burns with order to allow natural change to extreme intensity, killing all plants Great Basin National Park recognizes work on landscapes, we must first and compromising the soils’ ability the role of fire in maintaining healthy, correct the human-induced change.

The Midden 11 Determining Carnivore Occurrence with Remote Cameras by Meg Horner, Supervisory Biological Science Technician and Bryan Hamilton, Wildlife Biologist

Great Basin National Park (GRBA) is the only national park located entirely within the physiographic Great Basin region. This region is highlighted by a distinct geology, dramatic elevation gradients, and an arid climate, all of which have resulted in a unique biological diversity (Hall 1946 and Grayson 1993).

Sixty-seven species of mammals occur in GRBA and vicinity including 13 species of carnivores: coyote, gray fox, kit fox, red fox, ringtail, raccoon, ermine, long- tailed weasel, badger, striped skunk, spotted skunk, bobcat and mountain lion (Rickart 2007) (Figure 1).

The nominal precipitation and arid climate of the Great Basin is reflected on the landscape by limited riparian habitat. Streams and springs are often ephemeral. Perennial water sources are restricted in area, forming narrow corridors of riparian habitat. The park is no exception; it is dominated by upland vegetation with riparian habitat accounting for less than one percent of the Figure 1. Remote camera carnivore photos. a) striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) b) spotted park’s total area. Despite its limited skunk (Spilogale gracilis) c) gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) and d) mountain lion area, riparian habitat is essential to (Puma concolor). many species of wildlife because but we hypothesized carnivores was divided into 31,710 one-hectare it contains higher biodiversity and would utilize riparian habitat grid cells, and grid cells intersecting provides access to water, cover, more than upland habitat, despite a perennial water source were and prey species. differences in area, because of the considered riparian. ecosystem services it provides. The question we addressed was Upland sites were at least 300 meters whether carnivore occurrence is We used baited remote cameras from the nearest perennial water. The influenced by habitat type – riparian to detect carnivores. Sampling park was also stratified by elevation. or upland – using remote cameras. sites were characterized by their For winter sampling, site selection Little was known about carnivore proximity to perennial water as was constrained below 2,450 meters. occurrence or habitat use at GRBA, either riparian or upland. The park Continued on Page 13

12 The Midden Determining Carnivore Occurrence with Remote Cameras (continued) Within that elevation range, a grid cell was randomly selected that intersected a perennial water source (spring or stream). Each riparian cell was paired with a randomly selected upland site.

For the summer sampling period, site selection was constrained above 2,450 meters, and grid cells were randomly selected. To ensure independence, no grid cells were selected within a distance of 700 meters from another sampling point. Each camera was deployed for at least 27 nights – our target was 28 trap nights. We used logistic regression to test habitat-species interactions after accounting for differences in trap nights. Figure 2. Carnivore occurrence by habitat type. The two skunk species were lumped because of limited capture data. A total of 133 remote cameras traps were installed at 65 riparian habitats. Limited occurrence data and 68 upland sites between Habitat type (riparian or upland) (n total = 100), especially for the January 2010 and January 2012. was not a strong indicator of skunk species, limited our ability Sixty-seven sites were surveyed occurrence for park carnivores. The to confidently infer differences in during summer months (May only species with high fidelity to habitat use for park carnivores. through October) and 66 were riparian sites were ringtail. Gray Additional sampling of riparian and surveyed during the winter fox were more likely to occur at upland sites with remote cameras (November through April). Remote riparian sites, but they were not may reveal relationships our existing cameras were deployed for a total restricted to it (Figure 2). dataset did not. of 4,295 trap nights. There were Our data did not support our 2,320 photos (total captures) of hypothesis that carnivore occurrence References 29 different species of mammals would be greater in riparian habitat. Grayson. 1993. The desert’s past: a and birds and 972 total captures Instead, the data show the relatively natural prehistory of the Great Basin. of seven carnivore species. Total even occurrence of carnivores in Hall. 1946. Mammals of Nevada. carnivore captures were greater at both upland and riparian habitat. Rickart and Robson. 2007. A guide riparian sites. to the mammals of Great Basin Only ringtail were strongly National Park. Gray fox were the most commonly associated with riparian habitat. detected carnivore. Ringtails were Low fidelity to riparian sites by absent from our upland sites; and all but one carnivore species Wanted: Wildlife Observations we failed to detect either weasel in our study may be related to species. No species was limited If you see carnivores or other available area. Riparian habitat is animals in the park, please fill by season or elevation. Even greatly restricted even in montane species typically associated with out a wildlife observation form, regions of the Great Basin forcing available in either visitor center. lower elevations (e.g. coyote) were species to use xeric, upland documented above 3,000 meters.

The Midden 13 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Hymenoptera BioBlitz Update By Ken Kingsley, NPS Volunteer Entomologist The Midden is the Resource Management newsletter for Great Basin National Park. The 2011 Bioblitz focused on the insect A spring/summer and fall/winter issue order Hymenoptera—the ants, bees, and are printed each year. The Midden is wasps. Over 80 participants collected also available on the Park’s website at www.nps.gov/grba. specimens and made observations. Dr. James Pitts and his graduate students We welcome submissions of articles at Utah State University took the or drawings relating to natural and cultural resource management and specimens back to the lab and identified research in the park. They can be sent most of them to . to: Resource Management, Great Basin National Park, Participants in the 2011 Hymenoptera Baker, NV 89311 BioBlitz at Great Basin National Park Or call us at: (775) 234-7331 found 32 families and more than 120 Superintendent species. Most of these had never been A review of the 2011 Hymenoptera BioBlitz at Great Andy Ferguson Basin National Park is now available on the park documented previously in the park. A website. Chief of Resource Management list of these identifications was sent out Tod Williams to participants by email in August 2012. Amy Gaiennie, and I. The document Editor & Layout For those who are entomologists with includes the number of species in Gretchen Baker extensive training in this order, that list each Family collected during the was quite interesting. Bioblitz, identifications to genus and species where available, and additional For those who would like to know more information. and might not know an Ichneumonid from a Crabonid, I compiled a This document is available as a free pdf document that includes descriptions, download from the Park website: http:// ecological roles, and number of species www.nps.gov/grba/naturescience/great- known for each family in North basin-bioblitz.htm Please check it out. America. Many of the families are It is a work in progress, so if you have What’s a midden? illustrated with photographs by David additions, corrections, photographs, or A midden is a fancy name for a pile of Hunter, a professional photographer information that might make it more trash, often left by pack rats. Pack rats who worked the Bioblitz, and by useful, please contact Gretchen Baker: leave middens near their nests, which my wife, Zion National Park Ranger [email protected]. may be continuously occupied for hundreds, or even thousands, of years. Each layer of trash contains twigs, seeds, Upcoming Events: animal bones and other material, which February 8-9: Lehman Caves Lint Camp. Help clean and restore the cave. Contact is cemented together by urine. Over [email protected] for more information. time, the midden becomes a treasure trove of information for plant ecologists, May 20-27: Kingsnake Survey. Contact [email protected] for more climate change scientists and others information. who want to learn about past climatic conditions and vegetation patterns May 25 & 26 : Memorial Day Weekend Star Party. Enjoy the dark skies! dating back as far as 25,000 years. Great Basin National Park contains numerous July 8-10: Arachnid BioBlitz. Join Dr. Paula Cushing, other entomologists, and middens. volunteers for a fun three-day event to document spiders and other arachnids in the park. See http://www.nps.gov/grba/naturescience/great-basin-bioblitz.htm

August 5-14: GLORIA resurvey efforts. Volunteer botanists are welcome to assist. Contact [email protected] for more info.

14 The Midden