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Biotic Communities of the Nevada Test Site

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Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series Volume 2 Number 2 Article 1 2-1963 Biotic communities of the Nevada Test Site Dorald M. Allred D Elden Beck Clive D. Jorgensen Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib Part of the Anatomy Commons, Botany Commons, Physiology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Allred, Dorald M.; Beck, D Elden; and Jorgensen, Clive D. (1963) "Biotic communities of the Nevada Test Site," Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series: Vol. 2 : No. 2 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib/vol2/iss2/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. £? - Mf^-T^^ov^ ?.;in ( t^R? BIOLOGICAL SERIES — VOLUME II, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY, 1963 BIOTIC COMMUNITIES OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE by DORALD M. ALLRED, D ELDEN BECK and CLIVE D. JORGENSEN Brigham Young University Science Bulletin -•^ » ,* >-:.^ «^i 4 .*^ UC"} BIOLOGICAL SERIES — VOLUME II, NUMBER 2 FEBRUARY, 1963 BIOTIC COMMUNITIES OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE fay DORALD M. ALLRED, D ELDEN BECK and CLIVE D. JORGENSEN Brigham Young University Science Bulletin PREFACE This paper constitutes a terminal report to the United States Atomic Energy Commission for Contract AT( 11-1) 786, It provides a listing of the fauna known to occur at the Nevada Test Site, with designation of ecological distribution and relative density. It is designed to serve as the basic faunistic reference source, in subsequent studies, related to geographical and ecological features at the test site. tablf: of contents Page INTRODUCTION 1 EXTENT AND GENERAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE 1 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 4 HISTORY 5 PROCEDURES AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 9 BIOTIC COMMUNITIES - 11 Plant Communities 12 LarreaFranseria Community 12 Grayia-Lyc'ium Community 12 Coleogyne Community 12 Atriplex-Kochia Community 16 Salsola Community 16 Pinyon-Juniper Community 16 Other Habitats 17 Animal Iniiabitants 17 Scorpions 18 Spiders 18 Solpugids 18 Phalangids 18 Isopods 18 Grassiioppers and Crickets 21 Beetles 21 Ants 22 Chilopods 25 Millipeds 26 Lizards 26 Snakes 27 Birds 27 Rabbits 27 Rodents 27 Carnivores 27 Artiodactyls 31 Discussion 31 LITERATURE CITED 32 APPENDICES I. Some common plants of the major commmunities and other habitats at the Nevada Test Site - 35 II. Check-list of animals showing their known distribution by community and other areas at the Nevada Test Site 37 III. Information on new species, including data on locality, date, author, publication, and repository for each species 51 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Geographic location of the Nevada Test Site and the approximate boundary between the Great Basin and Mohave deserts 2 2. Typical landscape of southern Nevada 3 3. Playa of Frenchman Flat 3 4. Principal collecting sites of vertebrates 6 5. Permanent sites for year-round studies of animals and principal sampling stations of invertebrates 7 6. Young-type rodent trap 8 7. Museum Special, break-back traps 8 8. Oneida-Victor carnivore trap 8 9. Can pit-trap 8 10. Berlese funnel 9 11. Grid arrangement of collecting stations at permanent study sites 10 12. Radiating transect arrangement of collecting stations at permanent study and sampling sites 10 13. Paired transect arrangement of collecting stations at sampling sites 10 14. Larrea-Franseria Community 13 15. Grayia-Lycium Community 13 16. Coleogyne Community 14 17. Atriple.x-Kochia Community 14 18. Salsola Community 15 19. Pinyon-Juniper Community 15 20. Cane Springs 16 21. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of solpugids and scorpions 17 22. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of scorpions 18 23. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of phalangids and spiders 19 24. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of spiders 19 25. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of solpugids 20 26. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of isopods and phalangids 20 27. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of isopods, millipeds, and chilopods 21 28. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of grasshoppers and crickets 21 29. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of grasshoppers and crickets 22 30. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of darkling beetles 22 31. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of darkling beetles 23 32. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of ants 24 33. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of ants 24 34. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of chilopods and millipeds 25 35. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of lizards and snakes 25 36. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of snakes and lizards 26 37. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of birds 27 38. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of birds 28 39. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of rabbits, carnivores, and artiodactyls 29 40. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of rabbits 29 41. Distribution by community and relative abundance of predominant species of rodents 29 42. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of rodents 30 43. Seasonal occurrence and relative abundance of predominant species of carnivores and artiodactyls 31 44. E.xtent of the major plant communities at the Nevada Test Site 53 BIOTIC COMMUNITIES OF Till: NF.VADA TKST SITI-: INTRODUCTION Since the fii'st nuclear detonation at the testing; and (2) establish techniques of pro- Nevada Test Site in January, 1951, many cedure so that studies may be made in similar weapons and experimental devices have been ecological situations where nuclear detonations tested in southern Nevada. The native plants have occurred or may occur. and animals have been disturbed to varying Dining the three years from 1959 to 1962 degrees by the thermal, radiation, and other (hat these studies were in progress, large num- physical effects of these tests. bers of animals were captiued and studied, and In August, 1959, Brigham Young Univer- volumes of data were gathered. The initial sity initiated an ecological survey of the fauna analysis of these data was dependent upon the at the Nevada Test Site to study the effects identification of the organisms collected. Spe- which these nuclear tests have had on the cialists were employed to classify the many native animals. Inasmuch as no basic ecological taxonomic groups. In some groups of the in- investigations were made at the test site before vertebrates specialists were not available who tuiclcar testing commenced, our studies were could identify the species. Some vertebrate ani- designed to develop standards of measurement mal groups were studied in detail, and some of to determine past imclear effects, so far as pos- these data have been published. sible, as well as to measure the effects of future As a basis for reports which are to follow, tests. Subsequently, study sites were established it is the objective of this report to (1) identify, in (1 ) test areas where visible effects of nuclear delineate, and describe the major plant com- detonations were obvious, (2) contiguous areas nnmities of the Nevada Test Site, (2) include a where no physical effects were evident, and (3) listing of the ])redominant animals occurring in areas several miles distant from centers of nu- these connnunities. with a designation of their clear detonations (ground zeros). Principal ob- relative abundance and seasonal occurrence, and jectives of our project were to determine the ( 3 ) list phylogenetically all the species of ani- kinds, population, seasonal occurrence, geo- mals known from the test site and the com- graphic and ecological distribution, migration, munities in which they are found. home range, and related habits of native ani- The delineation of the plant communities is mals in these areas. This woidd facilitate (1) rather general and does not include certain selection of species of animals which would plant associations. Detailed botanical studies serve as standards of measurement to determine continued over several years will perhaps neces- how the ecological structure in a selected com- sitate a refinement of our present plant com- nnmity had been affected by the thermal, radi- mimity designation. Nevertheless, the present ation, and other physical factors in nuclear arrangement fits the needs of the present study. EXTENT AND GENERAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE NEVADA TEST SITE The Nevada Test Site (proving grounds) is LInited States Geological Survey maps of the situated approximately 70 miles northwest of test site area were also used. Figures 4, 5, and Las Vegas, Nevada, in the southeastern part of 44 are composites from these sources which Nye County. It lies alongside northwestern show mountain ranges, valleys, and our desig- Clark
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  • Sistemática Y Ecología De Las Hormigas Predadoras (Formicidae: Ponerinae) De La Argentina

    Sistemática Y Ecología De Las Hormigas Predadoras (Formicidae: Ponerinae) De La Argentina

    UNIVERSIDAD DE BUENOS AIRES Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Sistemática y ecología de las hormigas predadoras (Formicidae: Ponerinae) de la Argentina Tesis presentada para optar al título de Doctor de la Universidad de Buenos Aires en el área CIENCIAS BIOLÓGICAS PRISCILA ELENA HANISCH Directores de tesis: Dr. Andrew Suarez y Dr. Pablo L. Tubaro Consejero de estudios: Dr. Daniel Roccatagliata Lugar de trabajo: División de Ornitología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia” Buenos Aires, Marzo 2018 Fecha de defensa: 27 de Marzo de 2018 Sistemática y ecología de las hormigas predadoras (Formicidae: Ponerinae) de la Argentina Resumen Las hormigas son uno de los grupos de insectos más abundantes en los ecosistemas terrestres, siendo sus actividades, muy importantes para el ecosistema. En esta tesis se estudiaron de forma integral la sistemática y ecología de una subfamilia de hormigas, las ponerinas. Esta subfamilia predomina en regiones tropicales y neotropicales, estando presente en Argentina desde el norte hasta la provincia de Buenos Aires. Se utilizó un enfoque integrador, combinando análisis genéticos con morfológicos para estudiar su diversidad, en combinación con estudios ecológicos y comportamentales para estudiar la dominancia, estructura de la comunidad y posición trófica de las Ponerinas. Los resultados sugieren que la diversidad es más alta de lo que se creía, tanto por que se encontraron nuevos registros durante la colecta de nuevo material, como porque nuestros análisis sugieren la presencia de especies crípticas. Adicionalmente, demostramos que en el PN Iguazú, dos ponerinas: Dinoponera australis y Pachycondyla striata son componentes dominantes en la comunidad de hormigas. Análisis de isótopos estables revelaron que la mayoría de las Ponerinas ocupan niveles tróficos altos, con excepción de algunas especies arborícolas del género Neoponera que dependerían de néctar u otros recursos vegetales.