CITIZEN MONITORING OF SPRINGS VALUE TO WILDLIFE IN MADREAN LANDSCAPE LINKAGES AND OTHER FOCAL AREAS 2018 Springs Ecosystem Symposium Scott Wilbor, Conservation Science Director Sami Hammer, Conservation Biologist Meagan Bethel, Conservation Intern Value of Springs Goal: Assess use of springs by wildlife in critical landscape linkages between Madrean Sky Islands Oasis of water in a dry environment for wildlife in movement Indicators of linkage value & ecosystem health Focus Area: Bi-national Madrean Sky Island Region SIA Integrated Programs Started Adopt-A-Spring Monitoring Program in 2014 Combined Springs and Wildlife Linkage Monitoring in 2016 9 Linkages monitored, 7 with springs Seasonal Monitoring Does flow change seasonally? How is climate change affecting flow & other aspects? More complete data on flora & fauna Pre/Post restoration project assessment *(New) How do wildlife respond to springs and their conditions over the primary seasons of the year, over time, and in various landscape positions? *(New) Can we use our collected data to guide management in order to protect these critical ecosystem resources Citizen Science - Methods Team-based Survey 5 times a year (3 week “survey windows”) Winter, Spring, Dry Summer, Monsoon, Fall SSI Level 2 Survey: Water quality, flow, soil moisture, flora and fauna Data entered into SSI database Camera data collected and submitted to SIA, we apply metadata and analyze Citizen Science - Participation Adopt-A-Spring Surveyors: 23 Wildlife Camera Monitors: 27 Overlap of participants: 13 Wildlife and Water Wildlife Cameras to remotely monitor biodiversity, added July 2017 6 wildlife cameras at spring sites (plus 2 more recently) Cameras checked on same seasonal schedule (cover time period since previous survey) Results: Wildlife Cameras at Springs Linkage: S. Huachuca Mtns to Sierra Chivato, MX Parker Schoolhouse Spring Black bear Bobcat Number of photos by species by survey Cattle season for Parker Schoolhouse Spring 100 Coyote 145 1323 174 442 90 black bear 80 bobcat Dog cow 70 coyote Javelina 60 dog 50 human Raccoon hunter # of photos # 40 raccoon 30 Turkey rider 20 turkey White-tailed deer 10 white-tailed deer mt. lion 0 monsoon fall winter Spring javelina Survey Season Linkage: Pajarito Mtns to Cibuta, MX Alamo Canyon Spring Bobcat Coyote Number of photos by species by survey Dog season for Alamo 1008 5446 Javelina 200 180 Mountain lion 160 140 bobcat White-nosed coati 120 dog White-tailed deer 100 javelina mountain lion # of photos # 80 white-nosed coati 60 white-tailed deer 40 20 0 Monsoon Fall Winter Spring Linkage: Santa Rita Mtns to Rincon Mtns, S. Davidson Canyon Spring Black vulture Bobcat Number of photos by species by survey Coyote season for South Davidson Grey fox 100 244 175 Grey hawk 90 Great-horned owl 80 bobcat mt. lion 70 Hooded skunk coyote Javelina 60 grey fox hooded skunk 50 Mountain lion mule deer Mule deer of Photos # 40 raccoon javelina 30 Raccoon great horned owl Red-tailed hawk 20 black vulture 10 grey hawk White-tailed deer red tailed hawk 0 Monsoon Fall Winter Survey Season Linkage: Santa Rita Mtns to Rincon Mtns, N. Davidson Canyon Spring Black bear Bobcat Dog Number of photos by species by survey season for North Davidson Grey fox 100 Mule deer 90 80 black bear 70 Raven bobcat 60 dog Turkey vulture 50 grey fox insect # of Photos # 40 Human traffic mule deer 30 raven +400 each season 20 rider 10 turkey vulture 0 Monsoon Fall Winter Spring Survey Season Linkage: S. Huachuca Mtns to Sierra Chivato, MX Oak Spring Black bear Bobcat Number of photos by species by survey Coyote season for Oak Spring 100 446 235 311 Dog 90 80 Javelina 70 bear White-nosed coati 60 bobcat 50 coati coyote White-tailed deer of Photos # 40 javelina 30 white-tailed deer 20 dog 10 0 Monsoon Fall Winter Spring Survey Season Linkage: Rincon Mtns to Galiuro Mtns, Lower Turkey Creek Many small bird species Bobcat Cottontail Number of photos by species by survey Cattle season for Lower Turkey Creek Grey fox 1000 900 bird Hooded skunk bobcat 800 Hog-nosed skunk cow 700 dog Ringtail 600 human white-tailed deer Roadrunner 500 Striped skunk Rock squirrel of photos # 400 hooded skunk Striped skunk 300 hog nosed skunk desert cottontail 200 White-nosed coati rock squirrel White-tailed deer 100 white-nosed coati 0 grey fox Monsoon Winter Spring ringtail Season Nocturnal wildlife species use of springs Number of Species by Elevation 14 12 10 8 6 Spring Site 4 # of Species Detected of# Species 2 0 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 Elevation (m) Number of Species detected by season, Spring sites increasing in elevation 12 10 8 6 Monsoon 2017 Fall 2017 Winter 2018 Number of of Species Number Spring 2018 4 2 0 1021 1073 1319 1357 1491 1896 North Davidson South Davidson Alamo Lower turkey Schoolhouse Oak Elevation of each spring (m) Results: AAS Observer Detections - Fauna Species Richness Data Accumulation for AAS Sites 35 30 25 20 Alamo Lower turkey creek Oak creek 15 South Davidson Number of species Number North Davidson 10 5 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Survey Visits Preliminary Spring Health Indicators for Madrean LCD Monitoring Spring-dependent Species: amphibians, Sonoran mud turtles, spring snails, other aquatic inverts, riparian vegetation Flow: Discharge, extent wetted area, persistence of flow Human use: Disturbance/Development/Wildlife accessibility Animal use: Herbivory impact/Livestock presence Invasive species: e.g., Bullfrogs Spring-shed condition: Departure from fire regime, local hydrology alteration, local soils condition Depth to groundwater: Sub-watershed level Acknowledgements Field Assistance: Bryon Lichtenhan, Sky Island Alliance Aaron Mrotek, Northern Arizona University Support: Scott Wilbor, Conservation Sci. Dir. [email protected] THANK YOU!.