Office of the Regional Executive for Biology - Central Region
 |
| About USGS / Science Topics / Maps, Products & Publications / Partnerships / Education / Newsroom / Jobs |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Research Needs
SUBMITTING BUREAU: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Originating Office: Region 2
DATE SUBMITTED: March 30, 1995
BIN NUMBER: FWS08CR99
BRD REGION: Central
DESCRIPTION OF NEED: There is no available and consistent mapping and analysis of the distribution of southwestern riparian habitats. Trends of habitat loss, although evident on a gross level, are not exact and of sufficient rigor upon which to base management decisions and Section 7 consultations. A coordinated effort to map, on consistent scales, using the same methodologies, is required to address the health, distribution and resiliency of southwestern riparian habitats. Life cycle requirements of southwestern riparian species that depend on wetland and associated edaphic conditions need to be researched in order that jurisdictional determinations can be made for resource protection.
MANAGEMENT PROBLEM WITH NEED: Riparian habitats have long been recognized in the arid southwest as one of the most limited and vulnerable plant communities. As resource managers confront more intensive uses within and adjacent to these riparian areas, biologically valid and defensible information is going to be critically important. Riparian areas perform many of the same functions as classical wetlands do but do not possess the hydric soils or the hydrology to be defined as wetlands under the Federal Manual for the Identification and Delineation of Wetlands even though they are classified as palustrine forested or palustrine scrub by the Natural Wetlands Inventory. Criteria for identifying riparian lands similar to criteria for defining classical wetlands should be developed through research so that riparian areas can be identified and designated as "special aquatic sites" as defined in the Clean Water Act.
BUREAU CONTACT: Kathy Granillo (505)-248-6818,
Wayne King (Region 6), 303-236-8155 ext 256, wayne_king@fws.gov;
Stephanie Jones (Region 6), 303-236-8145 ext 608,
stephanie_jones@fws.gov;
Sam Spiller (Region 2), 602-640-2720, R2FWE_PH@fws.gov;
David Dall (Region 2), 505-248-6668, david_dall@fws.gov.
BRD PRIMARY CENTER: MESC
BRD CENTER CONTACT: Butch Roelle
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY99): This information need was discussed with the bureau contacts listed above between July 30 and October 22, 1997. Representatives of the two FWS Regions had somewhat different perspectives concerning the details of the need. Region 6 personnel believe that existing riparian maps are probably adequate for most purposes, but there is a need for additional information to assess the quality of riparian sites in order to identify those that are worthy of protection and those that are somewhat degraded but might be successfully restored. I advised Region 6 personnel of two studies that will provide information relevant to this need. First, under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with The Nature Conservancy and the Colorado Heritage Program, MESC staff member Ron Osborn is creating a CD-ROM containing characterization abstracts and photos of Colorado riparian communities. Based on TNC=s western vegetation classification, these abstracts are the result of detailed sampling of sites stratified on the basis of stream order and elevation. While no comprehensive inventory of riparian habitats is involved, this data set provides some information on both the commonness/rarity of habitat types and their quality. Second, MESC staff member Murray Laubhan is initiating a study that will provide basic information on the ecology of several exotic plants (e.g., saltcedar, tall whitetop) that can be important in riparian areas and will test various strategies for controlling these species in the context of other management actions (e.g., moist-soil management, regeneration of cottonwoods and willows) and herbivory. Such information should be very useful in assessing the potential for restoring riparian habitats.
In Region 2, and particularly Arizona, the concern is more related to the definition of riparian habitat (i.e., what is included) and the fact that adequate maps do not exist. In particular, past mapping efforts [e.g., those by the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI)] have usually been limited to cottonwood-willow habitats on the first terrace of relatively large streams. Such maps ignore other habitats, including velvet mesquite bosque typically found on second terraces and desert hackberry-mesquite-ironwood associations along ephemeral washes, that are important to a variety of species and are much less abundant than in the past. These communities are unique not so much in terms of their species composition, but rather in terms of their growth forms, having larger and more robust individuals than drier sites on poorer soils. Second-terrace mesquite bosque and adjacent saguaro cactus, for example, may provide important habitat for the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl, recently listed as endangered. I pointed out to personnel from Region 2 that NWI had recently (July 1997) distributed for review an operational draft of a document entitled "Riparian Inventory and Mapping Conventions for the Western United States." The riparian definition contained in this document is broader than most previous definitions, to include vegetation associated with ephemeral streams and vegetation that differs from adjacent areas only in terms of growth form. David Dall, the National Wetlands Inventory Coordinator in FWS Region 2, believes that this definition will encompass the habitats of concern in Arizona and other parts of the Southwest. The definition and riparian mapping conventions are now being revised in response to comments received on the operational draft. Once these are finalized, NWI will begin to map riparian habitats in conjunction with routine wetland mapping, but there are currently no plans for a comprehensive, independent inventory of riparian areas. Thus, while it appears that NWI is poised to provide the information requested in this need, it is not clear what the time frame will be.
May 15, 1998: David Dall reports that the riparian mapping protocol has been signed and adopted by FWS, but that little riparian mapping is being done because NWI is now working mostly on a cost-share basis. Sam Spiller reports that, to the best of his knowledge, NWI has done no recent riparian mapping in Arizona, though the need still exists. In a telephone conversation, we discussed the possibility that funds might be available from the new Southwest Strategy. Ron Osborn indicates that he has not been contacted by FWS Region 6 regarding the possible utility of information from the Colorado Natural Heritage Program in identifying riparian areas suitable for protection or restoration. I have asked Ron to initiate this contact himself.
November 19, 1998: The Western Region of BRD now lists WERC as the lead center for this BIN. I assume that someone from WERC will follow up with the contacts in Arizona. The Fish and Wildlife Service (National Wetlands Inventory) has finalized and published the riparian mapping protocol in document entitled "A System for Mapping Riparian Areas in the Western United States." I talked to Stephanie Jones in Region 6 of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Due to lack of funds, there has been no progress on this BIN in Region 6. Stephanie reiterated that the need in Region 6 is not so much for maps, but for additional information that would allow assessment of the quality of riparian sites, their suitability for protection, and their potential for restoration. Stephanie indicated that she is aware of the work (noted above) by the Colorado Heritage Program and added that similar work is being done in a couple of other states. However, she believes that the utility of that work from a regional perspective is limited because of differing approaches among states. Stephanie also indicated that, even if funding should become available, this BIN should be revisited and updated before any work is done. Unless the funding situation changes, there appears to be little reason to follow up on this BIN in the future.
DATE SUBMITTED TO REGIONAL OFFICE: October 24, 1997.
PREPARED BY: James E. Roelle, Landscape and Habitat Analysis Section, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO; 970-226-9435; email: butch_roelle@usgs.gov.
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY98): This information need was discussed with the bureau contacts listed above between July 30 and October 22, 1997. Representatives of the two FWS Regions had somewhat different perspectives concerning the details of the need. Region 6 personnel believe that existing riparian maps are probably adequate for most purposes, but there is a need for additional information to assess the quality of riparian sites in order to identify those that are worthy of protection and those that are somewhat degraded but might be successfully restored. I advised Region 6 personnel of two studies that will provide information relevant to this need. First, under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding with The Nature Conservancy and the Colorado Heritage Program, MESC staff member Ron Osborn is creating a CD-ROM containing characterization abstracts and photos of Colorado riparian communities. Based on TNC’s western vegetation classification, these abstracts are the result of detailed sampling of sites stratified on the basis of stream order and elevation. While no comprehensive inventory of riparian habitats is involved, this data set provides some information on both the commonness/rarity of habitat types and their quality. Second, MESC staff member Murray Laubhan is initiating a study that will provide basic information on the ecology of several exotic plants (e.g., saltcedar, tall whitetop) that can be important in riparian areas and will test various strategies for controlling these species in the context of other management actions (e.g., moist-soil management, regeneration of cottonwoods and willows) and herbivory. Such information should be very useful in assessing the potential for restoring riparian habitats.
In Region 2, and particularly Arizona, the concern is more related to the definition of riparian habitat (i.e., what is included) and the fact that adequate maps do not exist. In particular, past mapping efforts [e.g., those by the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI)] have usually been limited to cottonwood-willow habitats on the first terrace of relatively large streams. Such maps ignore other habitats, including velvet mesquite bosque typically found on second terraces and desert hackberry-mesquite-ironwood associations along ephemeral washes, that are important to a variety of species and are much less abundant than in the past. These communities are unique not so much in terms of their species composition, but rather in terms of their growth forms, having larger and more robust individuals than drier sites on poorer soils. Second-terrace mesquite bosque and adjacent saguaro cactus, for example, may provide important habitat for the cactus ferruginous pygmy owl, recently listed as endangered. I pointed out to personnel from Region 2 that NWI had recently (July 1997) distributed for review an operational draft of a document entitled "Riparian Inventory and Mapping Conventions for the Western United States." The riparian definition contained in this document is broader than most previous definitions, to include vegetation associated with ephemeral streams and vegetation that differs from adjacent areas only in terms of growth form. David Dall, the National Wetlands Inventory Coordinator in FWS Region 2, believes that this definition will encompass the habitats of concern in Arizona and other parts of the Southwest. The definition and riparian mapping conventions are now being revised in response to comments received on the operational draft. Once these are finalized, NWI will begin to map riparian habitats in conjunction with routine wetland mapping, but there are currently no plans for a comprehensive, independent inventory of riparian areas. Thus, while it appears that NWI is poised to provide the information requested in this need, it is not clear what the time frame will be.
DATE SUBMITTED TO REGIONAL OFFICE: October 31, 1997
PREPARED BY: James E. Roelle, Landscape and Habitat Analysis Section, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO; 970-226-9435; email: butch_roelle@usgs.gov.
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://biology.usgs.gov/cro/98fws-8.htm
Page Contact Information:
tlwilliams@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified:
