Biological Resources of the Sonoran Desert National Monument Biological Resources of the Sonoran Desert National Monument, Arizona Working Draft June 2001 Drylands Institute PMB 405, 2509 North Campbell, Tucson, AZ 85719 Richard S. Felger Drylands Institute Dale S. Turner School of Renewable Natural Resources University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 Linda Leigh Drylands Institute Kathryn Mauz Arid Lands Resource Sciences, Office of Arid Lands Studies University of Arizona Carianne S. Funicelli Drylands Institute Robert X. Barry 56th Range Management Office Luke Air Force Base, AZ 85309 Robert Bezy Herpetology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Los Angeles, CA 90007 Erik Enderson 3234 East Patricia St, Tucson, AZ 85712 Jim Malusa Renewable Natural Resources, Sonoran Desert Field Station University of Arizona Tom Van Devender Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 2021 Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85743 Michael F. Wilson Drylands Institute ii In memory of Constantine S. Niarchos iii Acknowledgments This report is a cooperative effort. Kathryn Mauz contributed the passages on physiography, geology, and geography. Erik Enderson and Robert Bezy contributed the section on amphibians. Dale Turner is responsible for the text on reptiles. Robert X. Barry furnished the section on birds. Botanical information was written primarily by Richard Felger, Kathryn Mauz, Michael F. Wilson, and Carianne Funicelli. Richard Felger, Dale Turner, Kathryn Mauz, Carianne Funicelli and Jim Malusa collaborated on the introduction and overview. Tom Van Devender wrote the deep history of the region. Linda Leigh wrote the systems analysis that is presented in Volume 2 of this document. Many friends and colleagues provided additional data and insight for this report, including: Charles Bowden, George Bradley, Bill Broyles, Michael Chamberland, Paul Frank, David Griffin, John Gunn, Paul Hardy, Peter Holm, Phil Jenkins, Jeff Maurer, Phil Rosen, Sue Rutman, Sarah Schmidt, Lyn Wilson, Michael Wilson, and Betsy Wirt. We appreciate the use of image processing facilities at the Arizona Remote Sensing Center, and the resources and generous help of the staff of the University of Arizona Herbarium. We acknowledge support from the Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation, in memory of Constantine S. Niarchos. Drylands Institute also acknowledges support from the Wallace Research Foundation. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. iii VOLUME 1: Biological Resources Executive Summary................................................................................................................. vi Introduction................................................................................................................................1 A brief history of Sonoran Desert National Monument.................................................3 PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE .......................................................................................................5 Areas within the Monument...........................................................................................5 Maricopa Mountains..........................................................................................7 Little Rainbow Valley, Mobile Valley, and Espanto Mountain ........................7 Table Top Mountains.........................................................................................7 Vekol Valley: the valley named after the color of grass....................................8 Sand Tank Mountains ......................................................................................10 Physiography................................................................................................................11 Bedrock geology ..............................................................................................11 Alluvial geology...............................................................................................14 CONSERVATION ..................................................................................................................15 Biological issues to be considered...............................................................................15 Bigger is better.................................................................................................15 Wilderness protects wildlife............................................................................15 Corridors enhance reserves..............................................................................15 Major threats to biological resources...........................................................................16 Grazing.............................................................................................................16 Off-road vehicles.............................................................................................16 Other threats.....................................................................................................18 ANIMALS ...............................................................................................................................18 Amphibians..................................................................................................................18 Reptiles ........................................................................................................................20 Desert tortoise..................................................................................................20 Red-backed whiptail........................................................................................21 Rosy boa...........................................................................................................21 Rattlesnakes .....................................................................................................22 Yellow mud-turtle............................................................................................22 Mammals......................................................................................................................22 Desert bighorn sheep........................................................................................22 Sonoran pronghorn...........................................................................................22 Bats ..................................................................................................................23 v Birds.............................................................................................................................23 New or uncommon observations .....................................................................24 Special status species.......................................................................................24 Seasonal and habitat relationships ...................................................................25 PLANTS ..................................................................................................................................27 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................27 Ice Ages in the desert.......................................................................................28 Modern plant communities ..............................................................................28 Non-native plants.............................................................................................31 Flora of the Sonoran Desert National Monument........................................................32 Ferns and fern relatives....................................................................................32 Gymnosperms ..................................................................................................34 Angiosperms ....................................................................................................34 Literature Cited and Bibliography ...........................................................................................91 Tables 1. Special status species known or expected within the Sonoran Desert Natioanl Monument ........................................................................................................98 2. Amphibians documented within the Sonoran Desert National Monument ........................98 3. Reptiles documented within the Sonoran Desert National Monument...............................99 4. Mammals documented within the Sonoran Desert National Monument..........................101 5. Bird species list for Sonoran Desert National Monument and vicinity, Arizona .............102 6. Distribution indices, breeding status codes, and migratory status of bird species known or likely to occur in Sonoran Desert National Monument..................................106 7. Documented location information for bird species in the Sonoran Desert National Monument.......................................................................................................................110 8. Non-native plants in the Sonoran Desert National Monument.........................................117 Figures 1. Location and land management status for the vicinity of Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona.........................................................................................................4 2. Major physiographic features of the Sonoran Desert National Monument. .........................6 3. Generalized geologic map of the Sonoran