Floral richness, phytogeography, and conservation on islandsin Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja California, Mexico Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors West, Patricia A. 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 25/09/2021 21:46:57 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/278789 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has l)een 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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ProGKjest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 FLORAL RICHNESS, PHYTOGEOGRAPHY, AND CONSERVATION ON ISLANDS IN BAHIA DE LOS ANGELES, BAJA CALIFORNL\, MEXICO by Patricia A. West A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the SCHOOL OF RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE WITH A MAJOR IN RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES STUDIES In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2002 UMI Number; 1409490 (g> UMI UMI Microform 1409490 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. 60x1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in paitial 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 thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, perm luthor. SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS COMMITTEE This thesis has been approved on the date shown below. William L. Halvorson Date Professor of Renewable Natural Resources ^2 OZ William W. Shaw Date Professor of Renewable Natural Resources o Steven Smii Date AssocialSProfessorAssociaSP of Renewable Natural Resources 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is my pleasure and privilege to thank the following people and organizations for their support encouragement, and assistance: Betty Armbruster, Tina Ayers, Xavier Basurto, Joe Seals, Drew Held, April Boulton, Codey Carter, Tiffany & Richard Cudney, Jose Delgadillo, Adam Duerr, Caroline Shepard Espinoza, Exequiel Ezcurra, Earthwatch Institute, Judy Gibson, Wolfgang Griinberg, Roy Hobbs, Gary Huxell, Christobal Jackson, Phil Jenkins, John Kupfer, Steve McLaughlin, Laurie Monti, Gary P. Nabhan, Paco Sanchez-Pifiero, Jon Rebman, Antonio & Beti Resendiz, Ben Rodriguez, Michael Rose, Mike Schroff, Cecil Schwalbe, SEMARNAT, Mary Soltero, Paul Stapp, Bob Steidl, Mark J. Spalding, Drew & Theresa Talley, Stuart Wolf, and the many field assistants and volunteers who helped me, especially Frances Gibson-Smith who provided late-night laughs and too many margaritas. I give special thanks to the fishermen and other residents of the town of Bahi'a de los Angeles, especially Martin de Cortes for his tireless smile and bottomless fiierba buena tea. I am indebted to Dave Humphrey and Amanda Subalusky for making preliminary lists of bay island plants, as well as for their friendship. There are not enough words to thank Gary Polis, my unofficial advisor and the inspiration and driving force behind this work. I will miss you. I am especially grateful to my advisor. Bill Halvorson, for his assistance and encouragement throughout my research and writing, and the other members of my committee. Bill Shaw (for the maps, too!) and Steve Smith, for their continued efforts and kindness. Thanks to the students, faculty and staff of the Department of Renewable Natural Resources for their family-like support. Richard Felger has been a mentor, friend and consultant and identified plants. Brooke Gebow graced this work with her writing expertise and inspired me with her courageous good cheer in the face of huge challenges. The generous support of the Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs, and the assistance of their scholarship directors Christie Bininger and Mary Jo Wall made my work and any resulting conservation possible. This project was also partially funded and supported through Vanderbilt University, University of California at Davis, the Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum, the National Science Foundation, and Laurie Shomo-Brown. Loving thanks to my friends, especially Caren Goldberg for late nights of work, fun and crying, Cristina Jones for early morning sanity and cookies, and Rebecca Prescott for excessive silliness. Thank you to Nancy Laney for adopting me into her beautiful home and vast heart. Thanks to my parents, Walter and Marie West, who gave me the sense, curiosity and restlessness to follow my heart, which has brought me many places, including the Gulf of California and these beautiful islands that they were not lucky enough to see. Thanks to my sisters, Bink and Jennifer West who gave me home and Yoo Hoo when I needed them most and to Gramma for fun money, caring, and updates on family news. Endless thanks to my Arizona family, the Gunns, for always giving me a place to land especially on holidays; and my California family, Laura and Billy Southworth and Geoff King, for showers, salads, and dancing after fieldwork. In spite of the efforts of all these people, mistakes are inevitable and they are all my own. 4 DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis with love to Julian Archer, my nephew who loves flowers, in the hope that when he is old enough to visit them, the flowers will still be on the islands, and to the memories of my dear island-loving friends Michael Rose and Gary Polis. "...those we love, those who love us, contribute to our work in ways too countless, too precious to explain." -Rebecca Wells (1996; P. 2) 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 LIST OF FIGURES 7 2 LIST OF TABLES 9 3 ABSTRACT 10 4 INTRODUCTION II 4.1 Phytogeography 12 4.1.1 Floristic Setting 12 4.1.2 Island Biogeography Theory 14 4.2 Human Occupation and Development in Baja California 15 4.3 Management of the Islands in the Gulf of California 18 4.4 Study Area - Islands in Bahfa de los Angeles 19 4.4.1 Location 19 4.4.2 Geography 20 4.4.3 Geology 21 4.4.4 Climate 22 4.4.5 Scientific Research 23 4.4.6 Phytogeography 24 4.4.7 Human Use 25 4.4.8 Management and Conservation of the Islands in Bahfa de los Angeles 26 4.5 Research Objectives 27 5 METHODS 29 5.1 Floristic Analysis 29 5.1.1 Floristic Inventory 29 5.1.2 Plant Community Characterization 31 5.1.3 Biogeographical Analysis 34 5.2 Human Impacts 37 5.3 Potential Threats 37 6 RESULTS 41 6.1 Floristic Analysis 41 6.1.1 Floristic Inventory 41 6.1.2 Plant Community Characterization 43 6.1.3 Biogeographical Analysis 47 6.2 Human Impacts 49 6.3 Potential Threats 53 7 DISCUSSION 56 7.1 Floristic Analysis 56 7.1.1 Native Species of Concern 58 7.1.2 Target Areas of Concern 64 7.2 Biogeographical Analysis 65 7.3 Human Impacts 69 7.4 Non-native Species 69 7.4.1 Plants 70 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) 7.4.2 Animals 74 7.4.3 Managing for Non-native Species 76 7.5 Future Analyses 77 8 APPENDIX A - LIST OF ACRONYMS AND TRANSLATIONS 79 9 APPENDIX B - MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION TIMELINE OF THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA 81 10 APPENDDC C - COMMON NAMES FOR PLANTS MENTIONED IN THE TEXT AND APPENDICES 87 11 APPENDDC D: GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ISLANDS IN BAfflA DE LOS ANGELES 93 12 APPENDDC E - SPECIES RICHNESS, PRESENCE AND INFLUENCES FROM ANIMALS 94 13 APPENDIX F - PLANT SPECIES LIST FOR ISLANDS IN BAHIA DE LOS ANGELES 95 14 APPENDDC G - PHOTO-ESSAY OF BAHIA DE LOS ANGELES 107 14.1 The Town of Bahia de los Angeles 107 14.2 Coronado/Smith Island 109 14.3 Ventana Island 112 14.4 Cabeza de Caballo Island 117 14.5 Piojo Island 118 14.6 Mitlan Island 120 14.7 Pata Island 120 14.8 Flecha Island 122 14.9 Bota Island 122 14.10 Coronadito Island 123 14.11 Gemelito East Island 125 14.12 Jorobado Island 125 14.13 Cerraja Island 125 14.14 Llave Island 126 14.15 Gemelito West 127 15 APPENDIX H - NON-NATIVE PLANT SPECIES AND PREDICTED THREAT TO ISLANDS 129 16 REFERENCES 132 7 1 LIST OF FIGURES Figure I.