The Midden the Resource Management Newsletter of Great Basin National Park
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Great Basin National Park Park News National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior The Midden The Resource Management Newsletter of Great Basin National Park Index Fossils Found by Gorden Bell, Environmental Protection Specialist The first taxonomically identifiable fossils from Great Basin National Park were discovered last August by park staff Mark Pepper and Jonathan Reynolds in a stream Photo by Gorden Bell, NPS. in the southern part of the park. While they were walking along the streambed, assessing it for reintroduction of native fishes, they noticed an unusual shape and pattern on one of the pebbles in the This fossil algae is known as Receptaculties oweni and was found in the park last August. streambed. A short distance away they found a similarly sized pebble examples is the arrangement of seeds first well-preserved fossils were with the same pattern and brought it within the central disc of sunflowers. found. It was even more fun to back to the office. find the next ones. Even this small Two weeks later other park staff and I amount of information will help the Both pebbles turned out to went back to the same stream, where Resource Management staff plan be excellent examples of a we found yet another characteristic how and where to begin the park’s type of fossil algae known as index fossil for Middle Ordovician paleontological inventory, a process Receptaculites oweni. This species rocks, a section of a cephalopod shell that will likely document numerous is found widely in North America, known as Orthoceras. Unlike modern fossil localities, if the first few mainly in limestones formed during cephalopods, such as octopi and discoveries are any indication of the the Middle Ordovician Period from squids, these Orthoceras (meaning potential fossil richness within the about 471 to 462 million years ago. “straight horn”) had a long, tapering, park. Because it is known to occur in cylindrical shell that protected their many places through a very short soft body. All species currently geologic interval, it is referred to referred to this genus are known In This Issue as an index fossil and it enables from rocks formed during that time. A check of the geologic map for the paleontologists to confidently New Freshwater Shrimp...................2 date the rocks wherever it is park indicates that Middle Ordovician Remote Cameras..............................2 encountered. The telltale pattern that rocks crop out in the headwaters of Rock Art Styles.....................................4 allows such easy recognition, and this drainage, so it is most likely Recent Publications..........................5 the one the biological technicians these fossils washed downstream N e w V e g e t a t i o n M a p S h o w s noticed, is a supporting framework from that area. Restoration Needs...........................6 of closely spaced rods arranged in New Alpine Bristletail Species........8 a “double helix” pattern. This type As the geologist and paleontologist Weed Management........................9 of pattern has been found to occur at my previous park, it was very Subalpine Lakes...............................10 in many groups of plants. One of exciting to have arrived at Great Upcoming Events............................10 the best and most familiar modern Basin National Park just as the Summer 2011 Issue 11 Volume 1 Cave Freshwater Shrimp Named by Gretchen Baker, Ecologist Stygobromus albapinus. The species name albapinus refers to A species new to science was White Pine County, the only known recently described and named in an county where the shrimp lives. In article in Subterranean Biology by fact, the amphipod has only been Steve Taylor and John Holsinger. found in Model Cave within the park, and it is unlikely to occur in The species was found by park adjacent mountain ranges. staff in a muddy pool deep in Model Cave. This cave has both Photo by Steve Taylor, INHS The nearest known Stygobromus groundwater and surface water amphipod is found in the Ruby The newest species known to the park is Marshes, over 150 miles distant. inputs, and sections of the cave are Stygobromus albapinus, a freshwater shrimp. only accessible during parts of the The genus does not have eyes year due to flooding. about a half dozen trips until more or pigmentation. This particular could be found. species lives in underground Park staff collected several waterways. specimens of the tiny (5 mm) Following intense scrutiny, it was white crustacean and sent them determined that the freshwater A link to the Subterranean Biology to Dr. Steve Taylor. He requested shrimp, or amphipod, was a article is available on the park additional specimens, but it took new species, which they named website’s publication page. Remote Camera Surveys Target Mesocarnivores By Meg Horner, Biological mesocarnivores, spotted skunk Science Technician and Bryan (Spilogale gracilis), ringtail Remote cameras are useful tools Hamilton, Wildlife Biologist (Basssaricus astutus), ermine for inventorying and monitoring (Mustela erminea), long-tailed mammals because they can verify Sixty-seven species of mammals weasel (Mustela frenata) and the presence of a species, provide occur in Great Basin National striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), a photo voucher, allow for reliable Park and vicinity (Rickart 2007). were targeted for remote camera species identification, provide Surveys to document and monitor surveys. For two of these species, distribution data, and document ungulates and small mammal ringtail and ermine, the park lies behavior. Rare or cryptic animals populations are on-going; however, at the outer extent of their known are difficult to sample using little is known about the presence range (Hall 1946, Reid 2006); and conventional methods (ocular or distribution of mesocarnivores for ermine, extinction is predicted surveys or traps) because chances (medium-sized carnivores) at the within this part of its range under of visual observation are remote, park. These species are difficult an assumed climate change but using camera traps increases to sample due to their presumed model (McDonald and Brown the chance of detection by allowing rarity and secretive life histories, 1992). In addition to climate for use of baits, longer sampling but information on the presence change, there are concerns about periods, and remote sensing (Long and distribution of these carnivores changes in riparian habitat due to et al 2008). Remote cameras is important because of their groundwater development and its serve as a non-invasive, cheap, designation as park sensitive potential effects on wildlife. Data and reliable survey alternative to species and because they play collected from this project will standard trapping methods. important roles as predators, document target species presence scavengers, and prey. and distribution, determine what The following data represent habitat types these species occupy, sampling between January 2010 and establish the proportion of and March 2011. Seventy-five Starting in January 2010, use between riparian and upland remote cameras were deployed five species of sensitive habitats. (38 riparian and 37 upland). Seven 2 The Midden Remote Camera Surveys (continued) carnivore species were recorded Table 1. Total captures for the seven carnivore species encountered during sampling at 33 sites (17 riparian and 16 and the minimum number of individuals known alive (MNKA) from remote camera surveys, January 2010-March 2011. Total captures include recaptures of individuals upland). Only six sites documented that revisited camera sites. target species. Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargentus) were the most Species # sites Total Captures MNKA common species followed by Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) 3 7 4 mountain lions (Puma concolor). Coyote (Canis latrans) 2 5 2 Ringtail and striped skunk were recorded at three sites. Only one Bobcat (Lynx rufus) 3 34 3 site recorded spotted skunk, and Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) 3 11 3 neither species of weasel were Mountain lion (Puma concolor) 11 24 11 recorded (Table 1). Total trap nights Spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis) 1 1 1 for this sampling period were Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargentus) 20 279 24 2,496, resulting in 1,457 animal photos or captures. therefore harder to detect with motion sampled areas of the park. Following sensor cameras. And because of their the conclusion of surveys in January There were no obvious trends in prey base, both ermine (short-tailed) 2012, further data analyses will captures between riparian and and long-tailed weasels have high be conducted to determine habitat upland sites for target species. fidelity to meadows and wetlands preferences, species distributions and There were a total of 11 captures of which are limited habitat types. differences in habitat use between target species (ringtail and striped The park is dominated by upland riparian and upland sites. skunk) at riparian sites (n=4), and vegetation; riparian habitat types 9 total captures of target species account for only one percent of the References (spotted skunk and striped skunk) park’s total area. However, there were -Hall, E. Raymond. 1946. Mammals of Nevada. University of Nevada Press. at upland sites (n=2) (Figure 1). more total captures of carnivores at Ringtails were the only target -Long, R. A., P. McKay, W. J. Zielinski, riparian sites, and these sites had a and J. C. Ray, editors. 2008. Noninvasive species missing from upland sites, higher capture rate for carnivores. survey methods for carnivores. Island Press, and spotted skunks were the only Washington. -McDonald, K. A. and J. H. Brown. target species not documented at This summer we will focus our efforts riparian sites. The same number 1992. Using montane mammals to at higher elevations and in under- model extinctions due to global change. of carnivore species (n=6) were Conservation Biology 6(3): 409-415. documented at both riparian and -Reid, F. A. upland sites, but the total number 2006. Peterson of carnivore captures was greater field guide at riparian sites (Figure 1). The to mammals of North number of carnivores captured America.