Bosque del Apache NWR - Poster Abstracts 2009
(For a much more complete listing of Research Projects and poster downloads, please see : Project List)
(Alphabetical order based on principle investigator’s name; abstracts for all posters were not available at the time of printing.)
Water Use (Evapotranspiration) Reduction Studies of Saltcedar at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and Surrounding Area (Poster pdf)
A. Salim Bawazir*, Gina Dello Russo†, Zohrab Samani*, Max Bleiweiss* and J. Phillip King*
*New Mexico State University, †Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Abstract: Exotic saltcedar is known to dominate vast areas of land in the Middle Rio Grande riparian regions. It is also known to consume large amounts of water per year (~4.5 acre-ft/acre per year). To better manage the water in these areas, several acres of saltcedar were cleared by Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and other soil and water management agencies as part of restoration project of native vegetation. A study was conducted to determine if there was a reduction in water consumption or evapotranspiration (ET) in the areas where saltcedar was cleared. Evapotranspiration (ET) trend from 2002 through 2007 for riparian region of Bosque del Apache National Wildlife refuge and surrounding areas was estimated by remote sensing using Regional Evapotranspiration Estimation Model (REEM) and was also determined as a residual from energy balance from ground measurements. In 2006, ET at a dense saltcedar treated site decreased by about 50% when the site was bare and had no vegetation. In 2007, the ET started to increase again as vegetation emerged but was less than the ET at the nearby dense saltcedar site.
Trematode diversity in snail hosts, with a focus on avian schistosomes at Bosque del Apache, New Mexico (Poster pdf)
Sara Brant and Eudora Claw, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, NM 87131
In this study we collected aquatic snails at Bosque del Apache in New Mexico with two goals; first was to document by images and DNA the trematode parasites found in the collected snails, and second, as part of a broader study, to discover and describe avian schistosomes, causative agent of cercarial dermatitis, or, swimmer's itch. Adult schistosomes typically live in the mesenteric blood vessels of birds and mammals. Bosque del Apache represents one of the big concentrations of migratory waterfowl in New Mexico. From previous studies, we know that most of the species of waterfowl using BdA have been reported to harbor avian schistosomes. We presume that most of the transmission of these parasites occurs in the northern latitudes. However, what remains unclear is what proportion of the species harbored by waterfowl is maintained in the southwest? Snails are ideal as they do not migrate and harbor the population of parasites found in the birds, or any vertebrate host that uses the area. To maximize our efforts, we are also cataloging the other trematodes that are found in the snails we collect. These data also illustrate the types of hosts using the habitat as well as the 'health' of the habitat. To this date we have collected (May-October, 2009) about 1200 individual snails representing 3 species, Physa acuta (Physidae), Fossaria bulimoides (Lymnaeidae) and Helisoma trivolvis (Planorbidae). Physa acuta is the most abundant snail and is also the snail that harbors this highest diversity of trematodes. This is also the species that harbored the only species of avian schistosome, Trichobilharzia physellae, known to cause swimmer's itch. This species is commonly found in diving ducks and occasionally mallards. It was surprising that only one schistosome was found, as 12 have been collected in NM. The other trematodes found mainly use birds as definitive hosts; one is also a blood trematode but occurs exclusively in turtles.
Major earthquakes on the Bosque del Apache: Preliminary results from the BDA fault trench
C. Cikoski, Earth and Environmental Science Department, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM, 87801, ccikoski@nmt.edu
The Bosque del Apache (BDA) fault is a northwest-trending, down-to-the-northeast normal fault that extends at least from the BDA National Wildlife Refuge headquarters to the base of the Chupadera Mountains. The fault is associated with a fault scarp in a ~120,000 year old piedmont surface, indicating that the fault is still active and has ruptured the surface at least once since that time. In order to ascertain the seismic hazard associated with this fault, the Refuge trenched the fault scarp in the winter of 2008-09 and I logged the sediments and soils associated with the scarp sediments. In these sediments and soils is a record of the number and timing of surface rupturing events, from which the seismic risk of the fault can be estimated. The logging revealed two buried soils in the scarp sediments, indicating at least two surface rupturing events along the BDA fault in the past 120,000 years. On-going work includes laboratory analyses of the soils in the scarp to better constrain the timing of the two events.
The last 15 million years of landscape evolution on the Bosque del Apache NWR, Rio Grande rift
C. Cikoski and R. Chamberlin, Earth and Environmental Science Department and New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resource, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM, 87801, ccikoski@nmt.edu
New geologic mapping of Miocene to recent basin fill on the Indian Well Wilderness quadrangle in the Rio Grande rift provides insight into the evolution of the local landscape over the past 15 million years. Initially, a widespread piedmont from a highland to the east of the quadrangle blanketed the area with west-transported fluvial (water-lain) conglomerates and pebbly sandstones. These coarse eastern piedmont deposits appear to migrate eastward upsection, and finer-grained fluvial and eolian (windblown) sandstones replace them on the west side of the study area, suggesting eastward retreat of the piedmont through time. This shift is accompanied by an upsection change in conglomerate clast suite from rhyolite tuff- to andesite lava-dominated, suggesting degradation of the eastern source highland. By around 11 to 9 Ma (million years ago), an erg, or large dune field, had developed at the toe of the piedmont that lapped eastward against the piedmont. Basalt flows dated at 9.7 and 8.6 Ma intercalate with the youngest deposits of the eastern piedmont in the area. Soon after the younger flow, a western piedmont advanced eastward into the area and replaced the eastern piedmont. Later, the ancestral Rio Grande entered the area, establishing a similar depositional environment to that of today. This research is useful to the public as understanding the gelogic history helps in predicting the location of, extent of, and connectivity between potential aquifer units.
Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Population Monitoring (1993-2008)
Robert K. Dudley and Steven P. Platania, American Southwest Ichthyological Researchers &
Division of Fishes, Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico (Poster pdf)
Rio Grande silvery minnow densities (1993-1997, 1999-2008) were significantly different among sampling years (df=14, F=17.66, p=<0.0001) with the highest densities in 2005 and the lowest densities in 2003. The San Acacia Reach yielded the highest density of Rio Grande silvery minnow in October of 2008, followed by the Angostura Reach, and the Isleta Reach. Density increased significantly (p<0.001) with maximum spring discharge (using Albuquerque Gauge data) and all combinations of number of days with discharge exceeding established threshold values. The relationship that explained the most variation (82%) in mean catch rate was number of days with discharge >3,000 cfs during spring; similar patterns were noted using San Marcial gauge data. In contrast, there were strong negative relationships (p<0.001) between the number of low flow days in the San Acacia Reach (either days<200 cfs or days<100 cfs) and mean October catch rates. Spatial correlation models revealed a compound symmetry covariance structure for year and a spatial power (or exponential) covariance structure for site (AICc=2,372.6, rho=0.95, and practical range=55.99 km), indicating that correlation among sites is low enough to ignore (i.e., autocorrelation<0.05) when the distance between sites is <60 km. This corresponds roughly to the minimum length between sites within the shortest fragmented reach (i.e., Angostura Reach sites were 59.7 km apart) and indicates that strong correlations among sites could be driven by reach-specific effects (e.g., discharge patterns, water operations, ichthyofaunal community structure etc.). While recent management strategies (e.g., population augmentation, pumping water back into the river from irrigation drains, population salvage efforts etc.) are essential to prevent short-term catastrophic losses of fish, a renewed focus on issues that could lead to self-sustaining populations of Rio Grande silvery minnow in the wild (e.g., natural flow regime, river connectivity, functional floodplains etc.) will assist in achieving the ultimate goal of long-term recovery.
Characterizing Variation of the Influenza Receptor Across the Class Aves
Mark Jankowski1, Kirsten McCabe1, Dave Kimball1, Miriam Cohen2, Nissi Varki2, Pascal Gagneux2 & Jeanne Fair1
1Los Alamos National Laboratory & 2University of California-San Diego (Poster pdf)
Massive worldwide efforts to monitor and reduce the movement of avian influenza virus (H5N1) in the environment are limited by our knowledge regarding avian species most capable of quietly carrying this or other highly pathogenic viruses. Further, it is not known which avian species can carry both human and avian viruses and thus serve as mixing vessels that could become the source of potentially pandemic strains. Without this knowledge, important strains might not be detected and birds can become victims of unnecessary sampling and culling efforts in the name of public health. Wildlife managers thus require specific knowledge to protect wildlife and educate public health professionals as they work to protect human populations. The receptor for influenza viruses is a combination of a fat, sugar and protein tipped by sialic acid. Avian influenzas prefer the α2-3 sialic acid linkage while human viruses prefer α2-6 linkages; this difference may drive influenza host range. The objective of this project is therefore to characterize the form of sialic acid that is important for flu infection (Neu5Ac or Neu5Gc and whether these are linked to galactose in the α2-3 or α2-6 configuration) across each family in the class aves. This will be used as a phylogenetic influenza host range guide map for surveillance efforts. This project will directly enhance global influenza surveillance by helping to target field sampling to those avian species most likely to carry a given influenza strain or become “mixing vessels” (carry both human and avian adapted viruses). Targeted surveillance can reduce distress to birds, indiscriminate culling of birds, and burdensome sampling protocols for managers.
A GPS Telemetry Animal Tracking System: Filling the Critical Knowledge Gap in Avian Migration and Avian Influenza Distribution
Kalli J. Lambeth 1, Corey Jefferson1, Randalyn Young1, Jeanne Fair2, Kathryn A. Hanley1, Timothy F. Wright1,
1Biology Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM; 2Los Alamos National Labs, Los Alamos, NM (Poster pdf)
The ongoing Swine Flu epidemic has heightened public awareness of the risks posed by the Influenza A virus to humans and its other animal hosts. Influenza A is a genetically variable virus that infects some mammals (mainly birds, pigs and humans), and many bird species. Different strains are characterized by their hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) subtypes (e.g H5N1). Most strains are specific to their host; however they occasionally jump to different hosts, introducing the opportunity for genetic recombination and emergence of novel strains such as the newly-emerged H5N1 and H1N1 strains. These novel strains are of great concern because of the potential for emergence of highly-pathogenic strains capable of causing human pandemics. Birds are of particular importance for understanding influenza evolution and emergence of novel strains, as they can be infected with all HA and NA subtypes of influenza A. In addition, influenza is easily transmitted among birds, both domestic and wild, through saliva, nasal secretions, & feces and infected migratory birds can carry influenza long distances. Thus it is important to monitor the movements and infection rates of migratory birds to better predict movements of influenza strains locally and around the world. In this project, NMSU and LANL have teamed up under the NMSU-LANL Memorandum of Understanding to achieve the following goals: 1. Develop a GPS-based telemetry system for deployment on larger waterfowl, 2. Monitor migratory movements of waterfowl species that overwinter in New Mexico, and 3. Quantify the prevalence of avian influenza in mallards, pintails, and snow geese at Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico. Novel GPS telemetry devices are currently in the design phase; deployment is anticipated for February, 2010. To survey influenza diversity, cloacal and oropharyngeal samples are being taken from migratory waterfowl at the Bosque del Apache, New Mexico, and analyzed for AI using RT-PCR. Positive samples will be sequenced at LANL to identify subtype and strain and subsequently sent to the USDA for pathogenicity assessment.
Survey for Avian Influenza A Virus in the Rio Grande River
B.A. Strietelmeier, A. Craine and G.B. Smith, Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003 (Poster pdf)
Avian Influenza A virus (AIV) is found as Low-Pathogenicity (LPAI) and High-Pathogenicity (HPAI) Avian Influenza species. Two viral proteins determine the pathogenicity: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). These two proteins are used to classify AIV, with the H5N1 subtype being primarily responsible for extreme virulence in HPAI-infected species. This subtype has caused illness and death in domestic birds (e.g. chickens, turkeys) and wild birds (e.g. mallards, pintails, snow geese) in Southeast Asia and elsewhere since 1996. Subsequently, the virus has spread over Asia, Northern Europe and even to Africa, through several mechanisms, including live-bird markets and wild-bird migration. It appears several species are adapting to this virulence, allowing birds to survive and potentially spread AIV (as “Trojan ducks”) worldwide. The rate at which AIV has spread is causing concern in many countries, especially those close to migratory pathways, such as the Rio Grande fly-way. This study attempts to utilize concentrated water from ponds/lakes frequented by migratory birds to detect AIV. The scientific literature reports use of the matrix (M) gene, which codes for the matrix protein (it surrounds and protects the viral RNA genome), in detection of AIV by RT-PCR. Water has been obtained from Bosque del Apache preserve and used to further develop methods for ultrafiltration/concentration of samples to obtain protozoa, bacterial and viral fractions for analysis. We describe here preliminary sampling, ultrafiltration and RT-PCR results, as well as efforts to design new PCR primers for the matrix gene, using current sequences from the NCBI database. The data used includes a large, representative sample of M-gene sequences of viruses obtained from more than 60 species of infected birds (>6400 sequences).
Water Tables, Evapotranspiration, and Climate Variability: A Decade of Observations From a Semi-Arid Riparian Ecosystem
J.R. .Thibault, J.R. Cleverly, and C.N. Dahm, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Native (Rio Grande cottonwood) riparian ecosystems in the semi-arid Rio Grande floodplain of central New Mexico are threatened by hydrologic alterations and highly competitive invasive vegetation (saltcedar, Russian olive). Climate change is expected to alter surface runoff in the southwestern United States and exacerbate water scarcity. Depletions are likely to increase in this agricultural riverine corridor downstream of the rapidly growing Albuquerque metropolitan area. Long-term monitoring of shallow alluvial water tables (WTs) and evapotranspiration (ET) in native, non-native, and mixed communities along the river has provided critical information to help understand how water availability affects these ecosystems during a decade of extreme climate variability. Here, we present several observations, with implications for restoration. WTs ranged from several meters depth to flood stage and from relatively stable to highly dynamic, which can influence recruitment of native vegetation and ecosystem functioning. Annual ET declined with deeper WTs across sites, with robust correlations where WTs were dynamic. Riparian communities responded differently to drought cycles and to restorative flooding during peak runoff at the onset of the growing season. Annual ET in a native-dominated system was reduced following removal of non-native understory vegetation, but returned to previous levels when regrowth was left unmanaged. Long-term data are valuable assets that can help optimize efforts to sustain and restore native ecosystems amid the challenges of a changing climate.
Bees of the Bosque: What can they tell us about our restoration efforts?
K. Wetherill, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001. (Poster pdf)
Throughout the southwest, tamarisk has taken over riparian areas to form dense, monospecific stands leaving no room for the native vegetation. Before the tamarisk invasion, the Bosque was an area of high floral diversity. Huge efforts have been taken to physically remove tamarisk from the bosque to allow the native vegetation to recolonize. Due to the physical aspects of tamarisk removal, reintroduction of native vegetation (through seeding or natural recolonization) is a process that can take years to stabilize.
Many types of adult insects, such as bees, wasps, flies, and beetles, use nectar as a source of energy. However bees don’t just drink nectar, they also use the pollen as a source of nutrition on which to rear their offspring. Tamarisk is an incredibly good source of nectar, but is a lousy source of pollen. Since it is wind pollinated, the pollen grains are small and not very nutritious. Insect pollinated plants on the other hand provide both nectar and nutritious pollen. Many of these native plants also have very tight relationships with their respective bees, in which case one species of bee may only pollinate a single genus of plant. Native bees interact closely with their host plants and therefore, can be
good indicators of habitat diversity and health. Bee traps are a low maintenance and low time commitment way of monitoring bees.
This study was designed to monitor and compare pollinator communities between areas where tamarisk has been removed and areas where tamarisk remains in dense thickets.
The Endangered Meadow Jumping Mouse in the Rio Grande Valley: Observations of Decline, Habitat, and Behavior (Poster pdf)
Greg D. Wright and Jennifer K. Frey, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Ecology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003
The New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (Zapus hudsonius luteus) is a riparian specialist listed as endangered in New Mexico and listed as a high priority candidate for federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. The most well studied population is located at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in the Middle Rio Grande Valley. In 2009 we captured and radio-tracked jumping mice in an attempt to document the status of the population and the influence of management practices on habitat use. Herein, we present preliminary data on historical changes in distribution and abundance, habitat associations, and feeding behavior. Past studies on the refuge demonstrated the mouse to be uncommon but widely distributed, having been documented in 12 (40%) of 30 management units surveyed. We captured jumping mice in only 2 (11%) of 19 units surveyed, neither of which had previous records of jumping mice. Further, relative abundance of mice (mice/100 trap-nights) declined from 1.57 in 1987, to 0.56 in 1992, and to 0.22 in our study. Radio-collared mice were found in close association with several wetland plants and were observed using the herbaceous canopy for feeding activities and associated movements, often > 1 m above ground. Plants contributing to canopy structure included dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum), Baltic rush (Juncus balticus), willow (Salix exigua), dock (Rumex), and smartweed (Polygonum), while mice were observed feeding on seeds of interspersed common threesquare (Schoenoplectus pungens) and knotgrass (Paspalum distichum). We hypothesize that jumping mice are particularly vulnerable during critical life-history stages, and rely not only on specific vegetation composition, but also specific vegetative structure.
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