Prepared in cooperation with The University of Arizona, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Nauman Geospatial, National Park Service, and the U.S. Marine Corps An Inventory and Monitoring Plan for a Sonoran Desert Ecosystem: Barry M. Goldwater Range–West Open-File Report 2011–1232 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: Photograph of the Tinajas Altas Mountains partially obscured by dust during a high-wind event, October 27, 2009. Photograph by Miguel L. Villarreal. An Inventory and Monitoring Plan for a Sonoran Desert Ecosystem: Barry M. Goldwater Range–West By Miguel L. Villarreal, Charles van Riper III, Robert E. Lovich, Robert L. Palmer, Travis Nauman, Sarah E. Studd, Sam Drake, Abigail S. Rosenberg, Jim Malusa, and Ronald L. Pearce Prepared in cooperation with The University of Arizona, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Nauman Geospatial, National Park Service, and the U.S. Marine Corps Open-File Report 2011–1232 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior KEN SALAZAR, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Marcia K. McNutt, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2011 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Suggested citation: Villarreal, M.L., van Riper, Charles, III, Lovich, R.E., Palmer, R.L., Nauman, Travis, Studd, S.E., Drake, Sam, Rosenberg, A.S., Malusa, Jim, and Pearce, R.L., 2011, An inventory and monitoring plan for a Sonoran Desert ecosystem; Barry M. Goldwater Range–West: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011–1232, 103 p., available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2011/1232/. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material contained within this report. Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and Scope ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.0 Introduction and Background ................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.1.1 Barry M. Goldwater Range: Environmental Setting ....................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Land Management .......................................................................................................................................13 1.1.3 Review of Range Status, Stressors and Drivers ...........................................................................................14 1.2 Inventory and Monitoring Program Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................15 1.2.1 Inventory, Monitoring, and Adaptive Management .......................................................................................15 1.2.2 Inventory and Monitoring Program Goals and Objectives ............................................................................16 BMGR Management Policy Goals .....................................................................................................................17 BMGR Resource Management Goals ...............................................................................................................17 BMGR–West Management and Monitoring Objectives ......................................................................................19 1.2.3 Sonoran Desert Regional Monitoring Partnerships.......................................................................................20 Barry M. Goldwater Range Executive Committee and Interagency Executive Committee ................................20 Barry M. Goldwater Range–East .......................................................................................................................21 National Park Service Sonoran Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring Program .........................................21 Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument ............................................................................................................21 Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge .............................................................................................................21 Sonoran Desert National Monument ..................................................................................................................22 Yuma Proving Ground .......................................................................................................................................22 2.0 Methods ..................................................................................................................................................................23 2.1 Workshop and Surveys .......................................................................................................................................23 2.2 Review of Existing Protocols and Protocol Development ....................................................................................24 2.3 Monitoring Priority Matrix ....................................................................................................................................24 2.4 Sampling Design Considerations for the Inventory and Monitoring Program ......................................................26 2.5 Monitoring Databases .........................................................................................................................................26 3.0 Background Information on Monitoring Protocols for the Inventory and Monitoring Plan ........................................28 3.1 Vegetation, Soils, Water, and Climate .................................................................................................................28 3.1.1 Vegetation Inventory and Mapping ...............................................................................................................28 Plant Inventory and Species Checklist ...............................................................................................................29 Regional Monitoring Status ................................................................................................................................30 3.1.2 Invasive Species ..........................................................................................................................................30 Regional Monitoring Status ................................................................................................................................33 3.1.3 Vegetation Community and Soils .................................................................................................................33 Regional Monitoring Status ................................................................................................................................34 3.1.4 Soil Inventory and Upland Erosion Monitoring ..............................................................................................34 Regional Monitoring Status ................................................................................................................................36 3.1.5 Stream-Channel Erosion Monitoring.............................................................................................................36 Regional Monitoring Status ................................................................................................................................37 3.1.6 Tinajas, Tanks, and Developed Waters ........................................................................................................37 Regional Monitoring Status ................................................................................................................................39 3.1.7 Climate .........................................................................................................................................................39 Regional Monitoring Status ................................................................................................................................41 3.2 Birds, Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles .........................................................................................................42 3.2.1 Bird Monitoring .............................................................................................................................................42 iii Regional Monitoring Status ................................................................................................................................43 3.2.2 Small Mammals and Nocturnal Rodents ......................................................................................................43