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A monitoring study of vertebrate community ecology in the northern Sonoran Desert, Arizona Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Rosen, Philip Clark Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 04/10/2021 03:10:08 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/289117 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. 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Bell & Howell Infomiation and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Art)or, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 A MONITORING STUDY OF VERTEBRATE COMMUNITY ECOLOGY IN THE NORTHERN SONORAN DESERT, ARIZONA by Philip Clark Rosen Copyright ® Philip Clark Rosen 2000 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2000 UMI Number: 9965915 Copyright 2000 by Rosen, Philip Clark Ail rights reserved. UMI' UMI Microform 9965915 Copyright 2000 by Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17. United States Code. Bell & Howell Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA ® GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Final Examination Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Philip Clark Rosen entitled A Monitoring Study of Vertebrate Community Ecology in the Northern Sonoran Desert, Arizona and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Date Robert jj. Frypi^r /J A/ Date ' , m hmuMM 2 //S //t Lundberg J Date^' ^"1:0 ^ 0- o O nez^el Rio Date . /O hd ''Michael L. Ros'^n^eig / Date I.U.M Cecil R. Schwalbe Date Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate's submission of the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. % t ¥- Dissertation Director ^ Date 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for e.xtended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The National Park Service established and funded the monitoring study. Natural Resources Management monitoring staff at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (Jonathan Arnold, James Barnett. Charles Conner. Roy Irving. Ami Pate. Jim Petterson) organized and carried out much of the monitoring reported on here. In addition to carrying out much of the monitoring with great precision and timeliness. NPS provided housing, tleld assistance and information, and protected the study from effects of vandalism and economic encroachment. The impressive monitoring efforts of Charles Conner and Ami Pate are primarily responsible for the datasets on mammals, lizards, and climate. Yet others played an indispensable role in e.xtending the monitoring efforts, and in providing important natural history detail and continuity: Peter Holm. Michael Lee. David Parizek. Shawn Sartorius. Elizabeth Wirt. Many others played major roles assisting with tleld work, including Steve Booth. Roger Eagan. Cal Lowe. Margaret Marshall, Daniel Mello, Julia Rosen; and many more have participated more occasionally. This was important for sustaining the scope of the work. The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology supported me during this long project, including with funding to purchase trap materials. Many outside my own department have a.ssisted during this project, especially through the Cooperative Park Studies Unit (now in the U.S. Geological Survey) and elsewhere in the School of Renewable Natural Resources. University of Arizona, in particular helping administratively on many projects contributory to the monitoring: Brenda Carbajal. Joan Ford. Cecily McCleave. Sandra Mosoff. Mary Greene. Carole Wakely. Projects funded by the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Heritage Grants Program for work at ORPI allowed my monitoring efforts to continue. My committee members have encouraged and sustained me through an unusually long graduate career, and have been a source of intellectual challenge and striving for e.xcellence: Robert Frye. Lee Graham, John Lundberg. Carlos Martinez del Rio. Michael Rosenzweig, Cecil Schwalbe. David Vleck. Yar Petrysyzn not only designed the mammal monitoring protocol, but served as a de facto committee member by providing insight into functioning of the mammal assemblage. Dr. Schwalbe deserves many more thanks for years of protection from the hierarchy, as well as for advisement and collaboration on many projects, including the monitoring program. Charles H. Lowe, my committee chairman and mentor made this work possible. His ability to create opportunities where obstacles stood; to drive, stimulate, encourage and support; his demand for ecological realism; and his love for and knowledge of the desert and its workings have made this period one of great enjoyment for me. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES 9 LIST OF FIGURES 13 ABSTRACT 16 INTRODUCTION TO THE DISSERTATION 18 OUTLINE OF THE DISSERTATION STRUCTURE 18 THE STATUS OF COMMUNITY ECOLOGY 18 CONNECTION BETWEEN ECOLOGY AND MONITORING 21 THE ORPI ECOSYSTEM MONITORING PROGRAM 22 I. SMALL MAMMAL POPULATION TRENDS 25 CHAPTER SUMMARY 25 INTRODUCTION 27 METHODS 30 STUDY AREA 30 LANDSCAPE STRUCTURE OF THE SMALL MAMMAL FAUNA 34 MONITORING METHODS 37 Sherman Trap Grids 37 Drift-fence Traps 39 Road Transect Method 40 Time-Constrained Search (TCS) 41 RESULTS 42 NOCTURNAL RODENTS 42 Dipodomys nierriami 42 Chaetodipiis penicillatus 55 Perognatlius ampins 57 Neotoma albigida 58 Other Nocturnal Rodent Species 59 DIURNAL RODENTS 60 LAGOMORPHS 60 CORRELATION AMONG METHODS 62 DISCUSSION 64 METHODS EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 64 Road-Cruising, Drift-Fence Trapping, and Visual Search 64 Live-Trapping Protocoi 66 CAUSES OF POPULATION CHANGES 71 Climatic Effects, and Literature Comparisons 71 Life Historical and Inter-specific Competitive Effects 76 Predation and Assemblage Dynamics 79 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS -- Continued Predation and Community Structure 84 Summary of Predation Effects 88 II. POPULATION MONITORING OF LIZARDS 90 CH.\PTER SUM.VI.\RY 90 INTRODUCTION 91 METHODS 93 STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION 93 Setting. Climate. Landscape and Vegetation Structure 93 Ecological Factors and Interactions Important for Lizards 97 Climate Methodology and History 100 LIZARD MONITORING METHODS LOL Transect Methods 102 Intensive Study Area: Trapping Methods 104 Time-Constrained Search (TCS) 105 Handling. Measurement and Marking 105 COMPUTATIONS AND STATISTICS 106 Analysis of Transect Results 106 Data Reduction and Analysis of Trap Captures 107 RESULTS 108 LINE TRANSECTS 108 Landscape Structure of the Fauna 108 All Sites Combined 110 Intensive Study Area (OSSA) 114 DRIFT FENCE TRAPS 118 CORRELATIONS AMONG METHODS 123 DISCUSSION 123 MONITORING METHODS 123 POPULATION RESPONSES TO CLIMATE AND BIOTIC INTERACTIONS 129 III. ENDOTHERMIC PREDATOR TRENDS. WITH A LITERATURE-BASED ESTIMATE OF DIET 136 CHAPTER SUMMARY 136 INTRODUCTION 137 METHODS 140 STUDY AREA 140 MONITORING METHODS 141 ESTIMATION OF DIETS FROM THE LITERATURE 143 RESULTS 146 COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE OF THE FAUNA 146 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued TEMPORAL TRENDS OF PREDATOR ABUNDANCE 151 DIET CHARACTERISTICS OF PREDATORS 154 TEMPORAL CHANGE IN THE PREDATOR ASSEMBLAGE 160 DISCUSSION 163 IV. MONITORING TRENDS FOR SNAKES 166 CHAPTER SUMMARY 166 INTRODUCTION 167 METHODS 169 STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION 169 Habitat and Climatic