WALNUT CREEK CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH ( WCCER) BIOLOGICAL INVENTORY Preface The Walnut Creek Center for Education and Research (WCCER) is located within the western portion of the Prescott National Forest, Chino Ranger District. Emplaced 40 miles northwest of Prescott in Yavapai County, this sector of the District includes the Santa Maria and Juniper Mountains, adjacent valleys and foothills, and Chino Valley to the east. No major highways or large population centers occur in the area at this time. Regional topography is commonly extreme and ranges from 4,070 feet at the bottom of Smith Canyon to 7,270 feet at Hyde Mountain. WCCER is located within the lower floodplain of Walnut Creek that is a major headwater of the Verde River. Both Walnut Creek (Juniper Mountains drainage) and Apache Creek (Santa Maria Mountains drainage) converge on the site. Stream flows are mostly perennial (intermittent during extended droughts) with greatest surface flows usually occurring during the winter-spring months and summer monsoons. Zones of Riparian Deciduous Forest, Grassland, Interior Chaparral, and Juniper- Pinyon communities occur within the Center. A well developed Cottonwood-Willow gallery forest and Scrub Willow community occurs adjacent to the active channel. Patches of Arizona Walnut with an understory of diverse grasses stretch across the more level floodplain proper. The unique riparian forest appears to be a relict community, particularly the Walnut association, and reflects a contraction of a more widespread distribution during the past. Extensive second growth Junipers and Pinyons cover the northern foothills and mosaics of Interior Chaparral-Juniper-Pinyon occupy the more rugged rocky southern hills. Due to the diversity of available habitats, food resources, and moisture, the WCCER site promotes a diversity of resident, seasonal, and visiting wildlife species. Many obligate and facultative vertebrate and invertebrate species benefit directly or indirectly on riparian microclimates and macroclimates for food, cover, and reproduction. The Center is chartered and managed by the Walnut Creek Education and Research Partnership, This unique union of educational and research institutions is comprised of Yavapai College, Prescott College, Northern Arizona University, and Sharlot Hall Museum. The site is leased from the Prescott National Forest, Chino District, under a special use permit. Presently, the infrastructure consists of three main buildings and four outbuildings: a house, a barn, and a pump-house. The house and barn, with attached corral, are listed on the National Historic Register. A water storage tank north of the house provides adequate water. The existing septic system can accommodate 40 people. Six sites with electrical, water, and septic hook-ups are also available for future use. The Partnership intends to employ WCCER as a natural rural base to offer hands-on educational experiences to a variety of students and the public in areas such as riparian ecology, field biology, geology, and cultural history. The site also offers limitless research opportunities. In addition, the Partnership seeks to develop a working relationship with neighbors and land managers (three ranching families and the Forest Service). The purpose of this study was to carry out a two-year ecological study of the 280- acre Walnut Creek Center site. The study was designed to collect baseline information and to assist in the establishment and management of the site. Briefly, physical components of stream geomorphology, topography, and soils were investigated, plant collections were accomplished, and ecological studies of vegetation, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals were performed. Acknowledgements Special recognition is due to the wealth of individuals who participated in this collaborative effort, many of which, labored long hours in the field and often in adverse weather conditions. - Principal investigator: Ken Abbott (fauna, manuscript, and liaison) - Co-principal investigator: Eric Glomski (flora and geomorphology) - Flora and geomorphology : Paul Sneed, Michael Byrd, Jeff Hogue, Romie Haberle, Marc Baker - Fauna: Bonnie Pranter, Johnava Duryea, Rebecca Davis, Matt Spille, Al Frank, Neil Cobb, Dan Carroll, Marchele Dickey, Gene Drollinger, Chris Davis, Nathan Zorich, Lisa Gelcziz, Kaibab Gelcziz, Tyler Williams, Josh Keith, Sparky Keith, Carolyn Petty -Yavapai College: Doreen Daily, Neil Goodell, Jeff Rose and staff, Brent-Boone Roberts Don Yeager, Caye Patton, Ruth Lilly, Carol Clayton - Arizona Game and Fish: Mike Robbie, Mike Shredl, Tim Snow, Bill vanPelt - Chino Ranger District: Mark Johnson, Pete James, Sue Schuhardt, Cara Staab, Elaine Zamora - Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission: Ruth Valencia, Rodney Held This research was supported by agreements between the Department of Biology, Yavapai College, and the Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission (No. 97-030WPF), Additional support was provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Control and Prevention, 'Longitudinal Studies of Rodent Reservoirs of Hantavirus in the Southwestern United States' (U50/CCU913429-02). CONTENTS Preface i Contents Hi Tables iv Figures v Photo Points vii Geomorphology Contents - Geomorphology 1 Geomorphology 2 Plant Survey and Collection Contents - Plant Survey and Collection 19 Plant Survey and Collection 20 Vegetation Mapping Contents - Vegetation Mapping 36 Vegetation Mapping 37 Volumetric (Structural) Vegetation Survey Contents - Volumetric Vegetation Survey 43 Volumetric (Structural) Vegetation Survey 44 Reptile and Amphibian Survey Contents - Reptile and Amphibian Survey 81 Reptile and Amphibian Survey 82 Bird Survey Contents - Bird Survey , 89 Bird Survey 90 Bat Survey Contents - Bat Survey 121 Bat Survey 122 Large Mammal Survey Contents - Large Mammal Survey 127 Large Mammal Survey 128 Small Mammal Survey Contents - Small Mammal Survey 133 Small Mammal Survey 134 References 153 Photo Appendices Contents - Photo Appendices 156 Photo Appendices 157 175 in TABLES Geomorphol ogy Table 1 GPS data for geomorph cross sections-Valley 10 Table 2 Pebble count data 10 Table 3 Geomorphology photo log 11 Plant Survey and Collection Table 1 Walnut Creek plant list 1998-1999 (by genera) 22 Table2 Walnut Creek plant list 1998-1999 (by family) 29 Volumetric (Structural) Vegetation Survey Table 1 GPS data for FHD transects (Walnut Creek) 49 Table 2 Foliar height distribution-photo log 50 Reptile and Amphibian Survey Table 1 Reptile & amphibian species list and relative abundance for Walnut Creek Education and Research Station 84 Bird Survey Table 1. Avian species list for Walnut Creek (22 months), 01/98 - 10/99 109 Table 2 Habitat, food, and seasonal preferences of obligate riparian and facultative avian species Ill Table 3 Avian neotropical migrant species and monthly occurrence, Walnut Creek, 05/98-10/99 113 Table 4 Avian species seasonal and monthly occurrence, 18 months, Walnut Creek, 05/98-10/99 114 Table 5 Number of total and seasonal avian species observed during survey periods and percent total.. 117 Table 6 Seasonal and spatial data, Walnut Creek, 05/98-10/99 118 Table 7 Avian species observed exclusively on Grid A or Grid B, Walnut Creek, 05/98-10/99 119 Table 8 Total number of birds identified as fly-overs, audibles, and visuals, Walnut Creek 120 Table 9 Riparian, floodplain, and grid analysis summary, Walnut Creek, 18 months 108 Bat Survey Table 1 Bat species list and monthly occurrence for Walnut Creek 124 Table 2 Ecological traits of bat species observed at Walnut Creek 124 Large Mammal Survey Table 1 Mammal species list and relative abundance for Walnut Creek 131 Small Mammal Survey Table 1. Walnut Creek: Number of Samples, Individuals, Virus Prevalence, and Captures 140 Table 2. Species composition as percent total/month for total trapping period, low and high density .... 142 Table 3. Population densities, infection, and antibody prevalence in P. boy lit at two webs 142 Table 4 Antibody persistence and seroconversions in P. boylii 150 Table 5 Walnut Creek: Monthly serological data and infection indices 151 IV FIGURES Geomorphology Fig, 1 Map of geomorphic cross sections 5 Fig, 2 Geomorphic cross sectins - valley wide 6 Fig. 3 Geomorphic cross sectins - bankful & floodprone 7 Fig, 4 Channel materials for cross sections 8 Fig. 5 Profile graphs 9 Vegetation Mapping Fig. 1 Map of WCCER vegetation associations. 41 Fig. 2 Map of mixed deciduous broadleaf association 42 Volumetric (Structural) Vegetation Survey Fig. 1 Map of foliar height density transect locations 48 Reptile and Amphibian Survey Fig. 1 Locations of pit-fall arrays and reptile boards, Avian A-Grid: Walnut Creek 83 Fig. 2 Locations of pit-fall arrays and reptile boards, Avian B-Grid; Walnut Creek 84 Fig. 3 Distributions of the Lowland leopard frog and Arizona toad, Walnut Creek: 1998-1999 86 Fig. 4 Distributions of selected lizards and rattlesnakes, Walnut Creek: 1998-1999 87 Bird Survey Fig. 1 B-Grid: general locations of Walnut and Apache Creeks, riparian and floodplain stations,..cont-., 92 Fig. 2 A-Grid: general locations of Walnut and Apache Creeks, riparian and floodplain stations,..cont-. 93 Fig. 3 Number of species associated with major habitats-Walnut Creek 95 Fig. 4 Species habitat types and percent food preferences-Walnut Creek 95 Fig. 5 Avian occupancy trends - Walnut Creek ( 131 species) 96 Fig. 6 Number of avian species and seasonal occurence- Walnut Creek (18 months) 97 Fig. 7 Monthly percent totals of seasonal species- Walnut Creek