Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops

Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops Photo courtesy of WGFD Table of Contents Habitat Description ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops Wildlife .......................................................................................... 5 Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops Habitat Threats ............................................................................ 7 Current Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops Conservation Initiatives ............................................... 9 Recommended Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops Conservation Actions .................................... 10 Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops Monitoring Activities ................................................................ 12 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 Wyoming State Wildlife Action Plan – 2017 Page III – 2 - 1 Habitat Section Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops Much of the information for this section pertaining to consistently found here than in surrounding caves and bats was derived from A Conservation Plan habitats (Larson et al. 2000). Erosion by wind, for Bats in Wyoming (Hester and Grenier 2005). water, and the force of gravity are the primary Those desiring additional information on bat natural disturbances in cliff habitats. The lack of conservation not covered in this section should consult this vegetation on many sites protects them from document. fire. Caves and/or rock shelters are associated with Habitat Description cliffs, canyons, and rock outcrops. A cave is any naturally-occurring cavity, recess, or system Cliffs, canyons, and rock outcrops are common of interconnected passageways beneath the features of the mountainous West. Formation surface of the earth or within a cliff or ledge of the Rocky Mountains by uplift and that is large enough to be traversed by humans volcanism, followed by erosion by glacial and (Kerbo 2002). In Wyoming, caves are found in other forces, led to the development of a widely scattered locations, from 4,000 to 11,000 landscape with high topographic relief (Hester ft. in elevation. Although at least 23 different and Grenier 2005). This habitat type is found types of caves exist, including lava tubes, across a wide elevational range―from high, wet, tectonic fractures, sea caves, and ice caves cold alpine landscapes all the way down to dry (Kerbo 2002), caves in Wyoming have primarily desert and warm plains environments. Cliffs, karst and pseudokarst features. Karst caves are canyons, caves, and rock outcrops are unique formed by dissolution of rock rather than habitats that can provide topographic diversity mechanical erosion, and they occur most in otherwise homogeneous landscapes. frequently in limestone and dolomite. Caves similar to karst, but occurring in nonsoluble Cliffs are steep rocky outcrops with greater than rocks are classified as pseudokarst caves which 65° in slope and 4 ft in height (New Hampshire are formed by the process of piping. Cavities Fish and Game Department 2005). Cliffs are form by the action of certain clays that swell exposed to the elements, do not accumulate sig- and contract with the presence or absence of nificant amounts of snow pack, and may be water (Hester and Grenier 2005). Although protected from runoff by overhangs. Vegetation most caves in Wyoming have karst features, of cliffs and outcrops is typically sparse, and pseudokarst features are common in Wyoming’s often restricted to shelves, cracks, and crevices basins (Hill et al. 1976). in the rock, or other areas where soil accumulation allows growth (Colorado Natural Caves generally provide an overall climate that is Heritage Programs 2010). Larson et al. (2000) less variable than at the surface, with stable describe three basic parts of a cliff habitat: 1) temperatures, high humidity levels, low the relatively level plateau at the top, 2) the evaporation rates, and an absence of light vertical or near-vertical cliff face, and 3) the (Washington Department of Wildlife 1994). pediment or talus at the bottom of the face. Most have temperatures between 30–50 °F (Hill These three elements share some physical et al. 1976). Although relatively constant, not all characteristics, are linked by similar ecological cave temperatures are similar, and may be processes, and often support similar plants and influenced by a number of factors, including the animals (Larson et al. 2000). Within larger cliffs, number, size, and position of portals; the size, a mosaic of microhabitats can occur including slope, and contour of passages; the cave’s steep slopes, small terraced ledges, overhangs, overall volume; the seasonality and dynamics of and cracks and crevices, which contribute to the airflow; and water intrusion (Washington biodiversity that cliffs can support (Graham and Department of Wildlife 1994). Cave habitats Knight 2004). On the faces of cliffs, there is may be simple or complex, and often include less hydraulic pressure retaining water than many smaller tubes, cracks, and fissures within the rock, so liquid water is more Wyoming State Wildlife Action Plan - 2017 Page III – 2 - 2 Habitat Section Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops (Washington Department of Wildlife 1994; Altenbach et al. 2002). Caves are irreplaceable natural resources, taking centuries to form, having limited distributions, and containing unique biological communities. Additionally, about 25% of the groundwater in the U.S. is located in cave and karst regions, further increasing their value for society (Kerbo 2002). Wyoming State Wildlife Action Plan - 2017 Page III – 2 - 3 Habitat Section Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops FIGURE 3. Wyoming Cliffs, Canyons, and Rock Outcrops (Note: This map does not depict the location of any caves which were not represented as a NatureServe Ecological System) TABLE 3. Wyoming Cliffs, Canyons, and Rock Outcrops NatureServe Ecological Systems1 1. Rocky Mountain Cliff, Canyon, and Massive Bedrock 2. North American Alpine Ice Field 3. Rocky Mountain Alpine Bedrock and Scree 4. Western Great Plains Cliff and Outcrop 5. Inter-Mountain Basins Cliff and Canyon 6. Rocky Mountain Alpine Fell-Field 1 Descriptions of NatureServe Ecological Systems which make up this habitat type can be found at: NatureServe Explorer: an online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. http://www.natureserve.org/explorer. Wyoming State Wildlife Action Plan - 2017 Page III – 2 - 4 Habitat Section Wyoming Game and Fish Department Cliffs, Canyons, Caves, and Rock Outcrops TABLE 4. Wyoming Cliffs, Canyons, results in entirely different communities during Caves, and Rock Outcrops Species of the breeding season compared with adjacent Greatest Conservation Need habitats, increasing overall species richness and diversity (Hester and Grenier 2005). Cliffs, Mammals canyons, caves, and rock outcrops benefit birds American Pika Bighorn Sheep and mammals directly by providing shelter and Canyon Mouse breeding sites, and indirectly by providing Cliff Chipmunk diverse vegetation structure. For example, some Dwarf Shrew shrub species, such as skunkbush sumac, Eastern Spotted Skunk chokecherry, currant, and juniper, are primarily Fringed Myotis associated with rock outcrops. Little Brown Myotis Long-eared Myotis The wildlife that use these habitats are highly Long-legged Myotis specialized and are often dependent upon cliffs, Northern Long-eared Myotis rock outcrops, or canyons for reproduction, Pallid Bat Piñon Mouse foraging, or predator avoidance. The stability Plains Harvest Mouse and persistence of cliff, rock, and canyon Ringtail formations encourage the repeated use of Spotted Bat specific areas as breeding habitat. Well-known Townsend’s Big-eared Bat cliff-nesting raptors include the peregrine Uinta Chipmunk falcon, prairie falcon, golden eagle, and turkey Western Small-footed Myotis Western Spotted Skunk vulture. Big game species such as bighorn Wolverine sheep and mountain goat feed on the vegetation Yuma Myotis found on cliffs, canyons, and rock outcrops and also use these habitats to escape predators such Birds as mountain lions. Pika, dwarf shrew, canyon Black Rosy-finch mouse, cliff chipmunk, bushy-tailed woodrat, Brown-capped Rosy-finch and spotted skunks are examples of smaller Canyon Wren mammals found in this habitat type. Permanent Clark’s Nutcracker snow and ice in proximity to exposed rock are Golden Eagle Peregrine Falcon important features of breeding habitat for black rosy finches and brown-capped rosy finches, as Reptiles well as wolverine, the latter using snow drifts to Great Basin Gophersnake cache food. Rock shelters also provide very Great Basin Skink important roosts for several species of bats Midget Faded Rattlesnake (Hester and Grenier 2005). In southern Northern Tree Lizard Sweetwater County in proximity to juniper Plains Black-headed Snake habitats, rock outcrops are particularly valuable Plateau Fence Lizard to several SGCN mammals. The distribution of Prairie Lizard Prairie Rattlesnake the cliff chipmunk, canyon mouse, and piñon mouse is restricted to this portion of the state. Important habitat components include high Cliffs, Canyons,

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