Biodiversity Commons^™

Lichens Of Iller Creek: A Checklist For The Iller Creek Unit, A Division Of Dishman Hills Conservation Area, Spokane Valley, Wa, Devin M. Mumey, Giovanna Bishop, Jessica L. Allen

2023 Symposium

The field of biodiversity documentation encompasses a broad range of research including new species discovery and description, compilation of species present in a given area, and investigation of interspecies interaction. In an era of increasingly devastating and rapid environmental change, documenting biodiversity has become increasingly important. Anthropogenic effects on urban-adjacent natural areas are especially significant, as they can cause numerous, often drastic, responses in ecosystems. Our objective here was to document the lichen biodiversity in a large urban-adjacent protected area: the Iller Creek Unit of the Dishman Hills Conservation Area in Spokane Valley, Washington. This unit encompasses a diversity of …

Flora Of Doe Mountain Recreation Area, Johnson County, Tennessee, Benjamin Mccullough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A botanical inventory of Doe Mountain Recreation Area (DMRA) in northeastern Tennessee was conducted to help guide conservation-based management. A total of 484 species were found in DMRA, comprising 94 families, and 285 genera, 10 species listed in the state rare plant list, and 76 exotic species. Two species, Liatris virgata and Lycopodiella inundata, were new state records. Water in the Lycopodiella seep was an order of magnitude more acid than at other sites. An analysis of the wildland-urban interface showed that only 13% of the area was classified as uninhabited. The inventory-invasion index, introduced to quantify the relative …

Lepidopteran Granivory Reduces Seed Counts In A Rare Species Of Riparian Scour Prairies, Cheyenne Moore, Angela J. Mcdonnell, Scott Schuette, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

In Pennsylvania Baptisia australis var. australis is found along only four waterways: the Allegheny River, Youghiogheny River, Clarion River, and Red Bank Creek. Because of its limited distribution and small number of extant populations, the species is considered state-threatened in Pennsylvania. In addition, the riparian prairie habitat that Pennsylvania Baptisia australis var. australis is restricted to is also in decline and considered vulnerable. Because of these conservation concerns, insights into the natural history of the taxon in the state is valuable and will inform conservation efforts. Field surveys and fruit collections along the Allegheny River and herbarium collections were used …

Impacts Of Invasive Rats On Hawaiian Cave Resources, Francis G. Howarth, Fred D. Stone

International Journal of Speleology

Although there are no published studies and limited data documenting damage by rodents in Hawaiian caves, our incidental observations during more than 40 years of surveying caves indicate that introduced rodents, especially the roof rat, Rattus rattus, pose significant threats to vulnerable cave resources. Caves, with their nearly constant and predictable physical environment often house important natural and cultural features including biological, paleontological, geological, climatic, mineralogical, cultural, and archaeological resources. All four invasive rodents in Hawai‘i commonly nest in cave entrances and rock shelters, but only the roof rat (Rattus rattus) habitually enters caves and utilizes areas …

The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary: An Exploration Of Changing The Discourse On Conservation, Arielle Ben-Hur

Pitzer Senior Theses

In 2015, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council submitted a National Marine Sanctuary Nomination to establish the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary– a means by which to ensure the protection of one of the most culturally and biologically diverse coastlines in the world. On October 5, 2015, John Armor of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) responded to the nomination, adding it to the inventory of areas NOAA may consider in the future for national marine sanctuary designation.

In my thesis, I explore how the nomination of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary acts as a platform from which Traditional …

The Population Genetics Of Morro Bay Eelgrass (Zostera Marina), Julia Gardner Harencar

Master's Theses

Seagrass populations are in decline worldwide. Zostera marina (eelgrass), one of California’s native seagrasses, is no exception to this trend. In the last 8 years, Morro Bay, California has lost 95% of its eelgrass. Eelgrass is an ecosystem engineer, providing important ecosystem services such as sediment stabilization, nutrient cycling, and nursery habitats for fish. The failure of recent restoration efforts necessitates a better understanding of the causes of eelgrass decline in this estuary. Previous research on eelgrass in California has demonstrated a link between population genetic diversity and eelgrass bed health, ecosystem functioning, and resilience to disturbance and extreme climatic …

Historic Distribution And Ecology Of Tall-Grass Prairie In Western Canada, Darcy C. Henderson, Nicola Koper

The Prairie Naturalist

Rapid settlement and agricultural development of western Canada in the late 1800s and early 1900s nearly eliminated the tall-grass prairie, and pre-empted a detailed description by ecologists. A combination of literature review and historical ecological analysis of soils, climate, and composition data are applied to estimate the historic distribution, and area occupied by tall-grass prairie in southern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. The resulting area estimate of 20,830 km² is more than three times any previously reported value. Some confusion of terms from the first half of the 1900s, and the impact of invasive species on vegetation patterns observed …

Monteverde: Ecology And Conservation Of A Tropical Cloud Forest - 2014 Updated Chapters, Nalini M. Nadkarni, Nathaniel T. Wheelwright

Bowdoin Scholars' Bookshelf

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has captured the worldwide attention of biologists, conservationists, and ecologists and has been the setting for extensive investigation over the past 40 years. Roughly 40,000 ecotourists visit the Cloud Forest each year, and it is often considered the archetypal high-altitude rain forest. “Monteverde: Ecology and Conservation of a Tropical Cloud Forest”, edited by Nalini Nadkarni and Nathaniel T. Wheelwright (Oxford University Press, 2000 and Bowdoin’s Scholar’s Bookshelf. Book 1 ), features synthetic chapters and specific accounts written by more than 100 biologist and local residents, presenting in a single volume everything known in 2000 about …

A Revision Of Erythranthe Montioides And Erythranthe Palmeri (Phrymaceae), With Descriptions Of Five New Species From California And Nevada, Usa, Naomi S. Fraga

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The genus Erythranthe (Phrymaceae) continues to be a source of floristic novelty, especially in the American West, as evidenced by recent discoveries presented here. Two species in Erythranthe section Paradantha (E. montioides and E. palmeri) have long been a source of taxonomic confusion. Recent research reveals that a total of ten species have previously been treated as part of these two species. Here I present a revised taxonomy for E. montioides and E. palmeri including clarification of species circumscriptions (E. montioides, E. palmeri), recognition of three species that have previously been treated as synonyms …

The Flora Of Greater San Quintín, Baja California, Mexico (2005–2010), Sula E. Vanderplank

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The plants of San Quintín (Baja California, Mexico) were documented through intensive fieldwork and collection of herbarium specimens to create a checklist of species. The region is located near the southernmost extent of the California Floristic Province, and the flora is influenced by the adjacent desert to the south. A total of 435 plant taxa were documented, of which 82% are native plants. Almost one in three native plant taxa in Greater San Quintín is a sensitive species, here documented as rare and/or locally endemic, and many taxa have yet to be evaluated fully for rarity and threats. Four major …

Plants Of The Colonet Region, Baja California, Mexico, And A Vegetation Map Of Colonet Mesa, Alan B. Harper, Sula Vanderplank, Mark Dodero, Sergio Mata, Jorge Ochoa

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The Colonet region is located at the southern end of the California Floristic Province, in an area known to have the highest plant diversity in Baja California. A preliminary list of vouchered specimens is developed for the area, and a vegetation map for Colonet Mesa is presented. The Colonet region has at least 435 vascular plant taxa, of which 383 are native to Baja California, and 52 are endemic or nearly endemic. This list includes five local endemic taxa known only from the Colonet region, 18 taxa on the California Native Plant Society List 1B of taxa that are "rare, …

Notes On Native Vascular Plants From Mima Mound-Vernal Pool Terrain And The Importance Of Preserving Coastal Terraces In Orange County, California, Richard E. Riefner Jr., Steve Boyd, Roy J. Shlemon

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We report the following noteworthy collections of native vascular plants from mima mound fields in coastal Orange County, California: Deschampsia danthonioides, Lepidium strictum, and Sagina saginoides (new county records), Lepidium oblongum var. oblongum (previously excluded from the flora), Deinandra paniculata, Holocarpha virgata subsp. elongata, and Navarretia prostrata (new localities in the county), and Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. californicum (uncommon species of local interest). A herbarium study, preparation of voucher specimens, and a generalized distribution, facultative wetland status, and taxonomic notes, where appropriate, are cited for each taxon. An overview of the mima mound micro-relief associated with coastal …

Burrowing Owl Associations With Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Colonies In Southwestern Kansas And Southeastern Colorado, Stephen L. Winter, Jack F. Cully Jr.

The Prairie Naturalist

We quantified the use of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies as habitat for the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) in southwestern Kansas and southeastern Colorado. We used incidental sightings and breeding season avifauna surveys to document the presence of the burrowing owl on black-tailed prairie dog colonies, non-colonized rangeland, and cropland during the spring and early summer. Burrowing owl rarely was observed on noncolonized rangeland and cropland sites, and black-tailed prairie dog colonies appear to be used substantially as a habitat type for the burrowing owl in the region encompassing Cimarron and Commanche National Grasslands in …

Vascular Flora Of Van Horn Woods, Plainfield Township, Will County, Il, Joseph Traina

Faculty Publications & Research

The vascular flora at Van Horn Woods Park was surveyed during the 1998-2000 growing seasons. This park is a 30 hectare site located in Plainfield Township, Will County, Illi- nois (SE1/4 S27 T36N R9E). A total of 246 taxa, representing 160 genera and 67 fami- lies, were identified within or immediately adjacent to the park. Seventy-one percent of these taxa were native. Four taxa were collected and submitted to the Morton Arboretum as new county records for Will County. The quality of this site as a natural area was also assessed using quantitative methods based on floral composition and diversity. …

Procedures For The Administration And Assessment Of Clearing And Protection Of Native Vegetation In Western Australia, Alexander Mcrae Holm

Soil conservation survey collection

It is Department of Agriculture policy that regulation is only used when all other approaches to address land degradation have failed. Our thrust is to encourage land holders to move towards using land within its capabilities as they continue to adopt sustainable farming systems. Underlying this approach is a self regulatory philosophy with land conservation district committees playing an important management and coordination role. Nevertheless the community expects that land degradation will be controlled and legislation is available to underpin or complement the good intentions of most land holders. The Soil and Land Conservation Act is the legislation used to …

Maine's Endangered And Threatened Plants, Maine State Planning Office

Maine Collection

Maine's Endangered and Threatened Plants

Executive Department, Maine State Planning Office, Critical Areas Program, 1990.

Rare Vascular Plants Of Maine : A Critical Areas Program Report, Susan C. Gawler, L. M. Eastman

Maine Collection

Rare Vascular Plants of Maine : A Critical Areas Program Report

Based on Rare Vascular Maine Plants (1978) with Additional Herbarium Data and Rare Plants Information by L.M. Eastman.

Introduction, Criteria, Annotated Rare Plant List, Species Accounts, Additional Herbarium Data, County & Town Index Editing by Susan C. Gawler.

Executive Department, State Planning Office, 189 State Street, Augusta, Maine, 04333 (June 1981).

Contents: Acknowledgements / List of Tables / List of Figures / Part One: Introduction / Part Two: List of the Rare Vascular Plants of Maine / Part Three: Species Accounts / Part Four: Subspecific Taxa / Appendices / …