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 . 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. 4th. per trap night was almost three ed. Houghton times greater at riparian sites (0.2 Mifflin,Boston. captures/trap night) than upland -Rickart, E. A., and S. L. sites (0.07 captures/trap night). Robson. 2007. A guide to the Gray fox were widespread, mammals of probably due to their abundance, Great Basin National Park. mobility, and large home range Utah Museum of size. We failed to detect either of Natural History, the weasel species. Both species University of Utah, Salt Lake have relatively small home ranges Figure 1. Total captures at riparian and upland sites for three groups: all species, City, UT. and smaller body sizes making carnivore species and target species by remote camera traps from January to March 2011. Total captures represent the total number of photos taken at all sampling sites them less conspicuous and within each habitat type. Multiple captures of the same individual are included.

The Midden 3 Rocks of the Ages: Rock Art Culture Affiliation and Styles By Nicole Lohman, Archaeologist classes. Park archaeologists record grooved circle and monitor the condition of these If you have driven through the rock art sites. o Cupule- pecked depressions West, there is a good chance you ranging from 3mm to as deep as have either visited a rock art site or Through the use of digital image 30mm at least seen one advertised. Ever enhancement, park archaeologists wonder who made it and when? are able to see pigments and o Great Basin Curvilinear Archaeologists have been studying carvings that have faded over Abstract and rock art for decades to answer the course of time, sometimes Representational- meandering these questions. revealing new pictographs and lines, circles, sun disks, petroglyphs at sites. Their research wavy lines, serpentine forms, Rock art can be divided into two provides further insight into the anthropomorphic (human- general classes, petroglyphs and style and cultural affiliation of rock like figures) and zoomorphic pictographs. Petroglyphs are art sites in the park. This, in turn, (animal-like) figures are also carved or pecked into rocks and furthers the understanding of rock common can be found on canyon walls, rock art in the Great Basin region. o Great Basin Rectilinear outcroppings, and even on small Abstract- dots, rectangular portable stones. Pictographs are Rock art comes in many different grids, rakes, crosshatching painted and are usually located in styles. Seven styles have been areas that are less exposed to the identified in the South Snake o Great Basin Scratched- created elements than petroglyphs; they are Range, with the following six dated by scratching or carving a stone commonly located in and near rock to the Great Basin Desert Archaic with a harder, sharper stone; shelters and on vertical cliff faces. period which spanned from around more common at end of Archaic 9,000 B.C. to 500 A.D.: period There are several petroglyph and Great Basin Painted- red and pictograph sites located within o Pit and Groove- shallow o Great Basin National Park, some pecked pits connected by black pictographs of circles, of which contain both rock art grooved lines or enclosed by a sun disks, dots, zigzags, parallel lines, short vertical lines, blobs

A later style tied specifically to one distinct culture group is the Parowan Fremont style, named after the culture of the same name. The Parowan Freemont Culture lasted from approximately 500 A.D. to 1,300 A.D. The Parowan Fremont rock art style is very distinct and recognizable. Figures in this style

NPS NPS Photo can be found in either pictograph or petroglyph form. Many of the pictographs dating to this time period and consistent with this style are found on rock shelter walls. This is the style that is prevalent at Upper Pictograph Cave within Great Basin National Park: Boulder with Great Basin Curvilinear Abstract Petroglyphs.

4 The Midden Rocks of the Ages (continued) • Parowan Fremont- petroglyphs or red pictographs; anthropomorphs with stylized triangular bodies, occasionally black charcoal tally lines and meanders

After the collapse of the Fremont NPS Photo Culture around 1,300 A.D., Southern Paiute and Western Shoshone moved into and utilized the area around Great Basin National Park. Historically these peoples subsisted by hunting small mammals and harvesting small plant bulbs and seeds. Parowan Fremont Style Pictograph from Upper Pictograph Cave. Naked Eye image on left, digital color enhanced image on right. While no distinct rock art style has were products of a society with visiting and refrain from carving been attributed to these people, no written records. Without your own figures or name. Please historical records indicate that they understanding the symbolism do not take rubbings or chalk used many of the same areas as within the culture that created rock art elements; both of these previous cultures and occupied rock the art, no interpretation can be methods are very damaging. If shelters with rock art dating to earlier considered “correct.” Rock art you are having a difficult time periods. It would not be unlikely that means something different to each taking photos of petroglyphs try these people added to the existing viewer, the same as with any other coming back in the early morning rock art in the area. Descendants of art form. or late afternoon or try drawing these groups still live in the area. a sketch. Also, please refrain Numerous publically accessible from touching rock art elements Rock art is fascinating and its true rock art sites are scattered as the oil in your skin can cause meaning will likely remain an throughout the Great Basin area. increased degradation of already enigma. Very little interpretation Please remember that these fragile and ancient art forms. can be made of figures and rock sites are special areas to Native art panels, as the cultural meaning Americans. Be respectful when and the reasons behind its creation Recent Publications about Great Basin National Park

Asch, T. H. and D. S. Sweetkind. 2011. Audiomagnetotelluric characterization of range-front faults, , Nevada. Geophysics 76(1): B1-B7.

Taylor, S. J., and Holsinger, J.R. 2011. A new species of the subterranean amphipod crustacean genus Stygobromus (Crangonyctidae) from a cave in Nevada, USA. Subterranean Biology, 8: 39-47.

Halford, K.J., and R. W. Plume. 2011. Potential effects of groundwater pumping on water levels, phreatophytes, and spring discharges in Spring and Snake Valleys, White Pine County, Nevada, and adjacent areas in Nevada and Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2011-5032, 52 p. Available at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/ sir/2011/5032/.

The Midden 5 New Vegetation Map Reveals Need for Restoration By Louis Provencher, The aspen-subalpine conifer forests. use” in most areas of the park. Nature Conservancy & Bryan The original park’s FRCC map Hamilton, Wildlife Biologist was based on a map of natural Findings. TNC mapped 21 communities dominated by montane potential natural communities In 2008, The Nature Conservancy and subalpine conifer forests based on pixels spanning 2.4 (TNC) approached the park (>30,000 acres). In the absence meters (Figure 1). Nine were to conduct mapping of park of natural disturbances, aspen slightly departed from the natural vegetation. The proposed becomes dominated by conifers, range of variability, 10 were map would be based on field- even leading to the permanent loss moderately departed, and only interpreted high resolution satellite of aspen clones. (2) TNC’s early 2 smaller systems were highly imagery and computer models analysis of ecological departure of departed. The primary cause of of all major potential natural remote sensing data revealed that ecological departure was due to communities. With funding from the majority of natural communities sagebrush systems which lacked TNC’s Fire Learning Network, were moderately departed, but the earliest succession classes and the park and TNC developed 21 not highly departed as previously aspen-conifer systems which were computer models that represented mapped. This detail led to the park over-represented by late succession the reference condition: the pre- adopting “beneficial wildland fire classes. Two small systems European settlement condition of the landscape.

In 2009, with funding from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act-Eastern Nevada Landscape Restoration Initiative, Great Basin National Park and TNC collaborated with the contractor Spatial Solutions to create new, highly detailed maps of potential natural plant communities, the vegetation classes within each community, and ecological departure from reference condition. The park also funded TNC to simulate various management actions, such as prescribed fire and mechanical thinning, and budget that would be required to reach reference condition.

Every project has “light bulb” moments and this project had two before the maps were created. (1) A new soil survey by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service revealed that the majority of the conifer forests were, in fact, aspen-mixed conifer and Figure 1. Map of Great basin National Park’s potential natural communities, also called biophysical settings.

6 The Midden New Vegetation Map Reveals Need for Restoration (continued) (antelope bitterbrush and basin * Riparian, wet wildrye) were highly departed due meadow, and basin primarily to the presence of conifer wildrye systems – encroachment and non-native invasion by exotic cheatgrass. forbs. A variety of strategies Eleven natural communities were were modeled not targeted for active management for each natural in the park because they were community targeted for projected to benefit from periodic management. Multiple wildfires imbedded in the computer strategies were required simulations. These natural for most ecosystems: communities included curl-leaf mountain mahogany, pinyon- * Sagebrush juniper woodland, spruce, limber- management strategies bristlecone pine, montane sagebrush included: prescribed steppe-subalpine sites, mixed fire to restore early conifer, aspen woodland, montane- succession classes subalpine grassland, ponderosa pine, (Figure 2); chainsaw riparian, ponderosa pine, mountain lopping of encroached shrub, and subalpine riparian. conifer trees; chainsaw thinning of late Ten natural communities were succession classes chosen for specific management or tree-encroached actions that would be computer sagebrush, variously simulated over 50 years within the combined with Figure 2. Map of recommended prescribed fire areas (shaded areas) for different ecological systems. constraints of reasonable budgets. chipping, mastication, The key ecological management pile burning, effective management actions issues included: herbicide and/or seeding of native achieved lower ecological species; and varied applications of departure for all 10 focal natural * Sagebrush systems (montane herbicide and/or native seeding to communities. Many actions, sagebrush-upland sites, black uncharacteristic vegetation classes. however, were implemented fully sagebrush, low sagebrush steppe, * Aspen-conifer management in the first years of simulation and, antelope bitterbrush, basin wildrye) strategies included prescribed fire with additional funding, greater – lack of early succession classes, to prevent transition to conifers and ecological benefits were predicted pinyon-juniper encroachment, and loss of aspen clone. to be achieved. prediction of increased cheatgrass cover. * The mesic limber-bristlecone The next step of the collaboration pine forest management strategy between the park and TNC is to * Aspen-conifer systems (aspen- included prescribed fire to reduce update simulated management subalpine conifer and aspen- the area of late-succession classes actions given that climate mixed conifer) -- high percentage and increase those of early and change may affect the natural of conversion to conifers and mid-succession classes. communities’ ability to reach target permanent loss of aspen clones. conditions. * Riparian and wet meadow management strategies included * Mesic limber-bristlecone pine – cyclic weed inventory and spot high percentage of late-succession application of herbicides classes at the expense of mostly mid-succession forests. Computer simulations of cost-

The Midden 7 A New Jumping Insect and Its Genes By Alan de Queiroz, University of Nevada, Reno

In rockpiles above the treeline in the Snake Range you can find inch- long insects that look vaguely like shrimp, jump like grasshoppers, and are covered with scales like those on the wings of a butterfly. My colleagues John Gatesy and Cheryl Hayashi, biologists at the University of California at Riverside, and I Photo by Alan de Queiroz, UNR first came across these creatures in the summer of 2005 on the summit of Cleve Creek Baldy in the Schell Creek Range (the range to the west This jumping bristletail is a member of a newly discovered species that is widespread in the Great of Great Basin National Park, across Basin. The new species has been found in the park above the treeline on Mt. Wheeler and Bald Spring Valley) and later found them Mountain. on and Bald Mountain discovered in the park are mostly pseudogene sequences has revealed within the park. confined to just one or a few caves a surprising amount of mating (see page 2). However, the newly between individuals that differed Marshal Hedin of San Diego State discovered bristletail, in the genus substantially in their genetic makeup. University identified our specimens Mesomachilis, can be found across It may be that this history of genetic as jumping bristletails, members almost the entire Great Basin, from mixing reflects the merging of of an obscure, wingless group that the White Mountains of California distinct populations as the climate branched off from the rest of the to the Wasatch Range east of and landscape of the Great Basin has insects more than 400 million years Salt Lake City. More than likely, changed over the last few million ago. Eventually we all became it had gone undetected because years. familiar with them and began there are so few biologists who studying the genetics and evolution would recognize a potentially new Our encounters with Mesomachilis of the Great Basin species. bristletail if they ran across one. bristletails in eastern Nevada eventually got us hooked on Our genetic studies, headed by Our study has focused on genes bristletails in general. As a result, another colleague, Laura Baldo, that have lost their function, we are now using DNA sequences to revealed that the Snake Range so-called “pseudogenes.” The determine how different taxonomic bristletails are part of a new species, bristletail pseudogenes we groups within this insect order are a finding that Marshal painstakingly examined represent extra copies related to each other. When this corroborated by discovering a of one particular genetic region work is done, we will have a much subtle difference in the shape of and are especially useful for better idea of exactly where the a small protuberance on the legs evolutionary studies because each Snake Range bristletails fit in the of males compared to the most copy carries information about evolutionary tree of life. similar known species. Most new the state of the original “parent” species that are being discovered genetic region at the time the Come help find new species in the Great Basin had previously pseudogene was created. In other gone unnoticed because they are words, the pseudogenes are like to the park (and possibly to only found within small areas. For windows allowing glimpses of science) at the Hymenoptera instance, as an extreme example, past genetic variation within (bees, wasps, and ants) Bioblitz the new cave arthropods recently the species. Examining these August 1-3, 2011!

8 The Midden Weed Management through Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by Patrick Mingus, Biological and map new outbreaks, prioritize by before flowering followed by Science Technician size, scale and likelihood of spread herbicide applications has been used (2) Determine which control successfully against knapweed in the Invasive plants pose a serious threat methods are best - manual, biological, park. Many options exist: manual, to native landscapes in many areas cultural, chemical, or a combination of mechanical, biocontrols, herbicides, of the Great Basin and around the treatment techniques and promoting competition. Each world. The good news is that many (3) Develop a treatment plan to treatment has different advantages, plant invasions can be reversed, restore conditions - consider post- impacts, risks, and costs. A weed and even badly infested areas can treatment seeding or replanting native control program is best viewed be restored to healthy, native plant plants to augment healthy plant as part of an overall restoration communities. This requires taking communities in disturbed areas program, so we focus on replacing action to control and manage (4) Monitor and assess effectiveness invasive species, rather than invasive plants. Here is some basic - compare results of different strategies simply eliminating the weed. When information about the planning, over time, modify, and start the selecting treatment methods, keep tools, and techniques for controlling management cycle again. in mind that the ultimate purpose of weeds in natural areas. this work is to preserve native plant Most often, successful weed control species and communities. Before embarking on a weed requires the combination and management program, it is important sequential use of several methods. to develop an action plan: This approach is called Integrated Pest (1) Target an invasive plant - Management (IPM). For example, observe known infestations, scout cutting and bagging invasive plants Featured Weed: Cardaria draba, Whitetop

Roots: Wide spreading and deep; thick Native Range/ Probable Entry: It and producing side shoots from the originally came from Eurasia early in rootstocks. the 1900’s along the Eastern U.S., and gradually infested the entire nation, Stems/Leaves: Grows from 1.5 to except for lower California east to 3 feet and slightly hairy. Stems are lower Mississippi. It is thought to have medium, upper leaves clasp the stem arrived as seed in the soil ballast of with two lobes. The leaves are gray- sailing ships, or it came as an impurity green in color, serrated, alternate, in mattress stuffing in 1909. or staggered. They are irregular and lance-shaped. Methods of control: Chemical: 2,4- D herbicide applied two times a year Flowers: Small, white, four-petaled, for three consecutive years. Cultural: producing a flat-topped appearance. Flooding the affected area before Blooms from late April to late June at Whitetop produces seed can drown the park. infests pastures, roadsides, and waste the rootstock and slow the spread. Fruits/Seeds: Heart-shaped reddish- areas. It favors alkaline soil, disturbed Manual removal by shoveling is not brown pods. soils, and areas where native plants recommended. are not established. It increases soil How to Prevent Spread: Wash your Methods of Reproduction: erosion and decreases desirable plants. vehicle undercarriage immediately It reproduces by rootstock, It aggressively produces monocultures. after leaving an infested area. Dispose creeping roots, and seeds. Root It pushes out native plants. It can be of seeds and plant fragments from your fragments are the most efficient means spread by grazing wildlife. of reproduction. Do not till or disturb car, shoes, and pets before entering this plant! It is a perennial weed. It another area.

The Midden 9 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Year-Round Hydrologic Monitoring of Lakes By Gretchen Baker, Ecologist

The Midden is the Resource Management newsletter for Great How much do lakes in Great Basin Basin National Park. National Park fluctuate? How long are A spring/summer and fall/winter issue they frozen in the winter? These are are printed each year. The Midden is just two of the questions that the park also available on the Park’s website at www.nps.gov/grba. and the Mojave Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network (MOJN) wanted We welcome submissions of articles to answer. or drawings relating to natural and cultural resource management and research in the park. They can be sent To do this, HOBO U-20 dataloggers Photo by Gretchen Baker, NPS. to: Resource Management, were installed in four lakes in 2009, Great Basin National Park, capable of recording daily temperature Baker, NV 89311 and pressure (depth of water). They Or call us at: (775) 234-7331 Dead Lake was added to the subalpine lake were recovered in September 2010. monitoring network in 2010.­­ Superintendent The dataloggers showed that the Andy Ferguson maximum water levels occurred in had some temporary freezing in Chief of Resource Management early June for both Baker and Johnson September and October, but it wasn’t Tod Williams lakes, with minimums in November until November 13 that they froze Editor & Layout and December, decreasing lake for the winter. The lakes remained Gretchen Baker elevation by up to 1.5 m. ice-covered for over six months, until between May 31 and June 3, The daily maximum temperature 2010. This was the first time that the (about 15 C) occurred in late July and duration of ice cover for the park’s August for all lakes. Daily minimum sub-alpine lakes has been quantified. temperatures occurred from December (Teresa Lake) to April (Baker Lake). Monitoring will continue on all lakes The dataloggers showed that Baker, to learn more about their levels and Johnson, Teresa, and Stella lakes temperatures. What’s a midden? Upcoming Events: A midden is a fancy name for a pile of trash, often left by pack rats. Pack rats July 23 & 24: Great Basin Star Party. Special program & night sky viewing with leave middens near their nests, which telescopes. See http://www.nps.gov/grba for more details. may be continuously occupied for July 28-30: 2nd Annual Astronomy Festival. Join hundreds of star gazaers hundreds, or even thousands, of years. for a fun filled weekend. Excellent sky-viewing opportunities and a variety of Each layer of trash contains twigs, seeds, programs and talks offered. See http://www.nps.gov/grba for more details. animal bones and other material, which is cemented together by urine. Over August 1-3: Hymenoptera Bioblitz. Help collect ants, bees, and wasps to add time, the midden becomes a treasure to the baseline data on invertebrates in the park. Email [email protected] trove of information for plant ecologists, for more details. climate change scientists and others who want to learn about past climatic September 3-5: Great Basin Star Party. Special program & night sky viewing conditions and vegetation patterns with telescopes. See http://www.nps.gov/grba for more details. dating back as far as 25,000 years. Great Basin National Park contains numerous October 27: Great Basin National Park’s 25th Anniversary. middens. Lehman Cave Tours daily at 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM. Additional tours are added during busy periods. Visitor Center open daily except Thanksgiving, 12/25 & 1/1.

10 The Midden