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openCC0Aug 2021View details →

2003 Prescribed Burn Effect on Chihuahuan Desert Grasses and Shrubs at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico: Grass Recovery Study (2003-2018)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife's plan to apply a prescribed burn to a large portion of McKenzie Flats was deemed an opportunity to study the effects of fire on the vegetation at the boundary between shrubland and grassland. This study actually was undertaken on an area that had prescribed fire applied to 8 of 16 (300 m x 300 m) plots 10 years before in 1993. This previous study had also examined the effects of fencing to exclude the indigenous prong-horn antelope. In the 2003 study the prescribed fire was applied to the northeastern half of the 16 plots while the southwestern plots were intentionally protected. Sampling prior to the prescribed burn included quantification of fuel load (ie. the standing biomass of all grasses and forbs in the area to be burned). These measurements were made using Daubenmire quadrat frames that are 5 cm x 20 cm and delineate a 0.1 square meter area. Four samples were taken adjacent to the six 3 m x 4 m quadrats in each of the eight plots that were to be burned. Quadrat frames were laid down over the vegetation and all vegetation rooted within the frame was clipped at ground level. This material was bagged, oven-dried and weighed. Following the prescribed burn, re-measurements were made every fall of from 2004 until 2012 when vegetation had reached its annual peak biomass. Data were not collected from 2014-2017, but were collected again in 2018.

openCC0Aug 2021View details →

2003 Prescribed Burn Effect on Chihuahuan Desert Grasses and Shrubs at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico: Species Composition Study (2004-2018)

Disturbance from fire can affect the abundance and distribution of shrubs and grasses in arid ecosystems. In particular, fire may increase grass and forb production while hindering shrub encroachment. Therefore, prescribed fires are a common management tool for maintaining grassland habitats in the southwest. However, Bouteloua eriopoda (black grama), a dominant species in Chihuahuan Desert grassland, is highly susceptible to fire resulting in death followed by slow recovery rates. A prescribed fire on the Sevilleta National Wildlife refuge in central New Mexico in 2003 provided the opportunity to study the effects of infrequent fires on vegetation in this region. This study was conducted along a transition zone where creosote bushes (Larrea tridentata) are encroaching on a black grama grassland. Before and after the fire, above ground plant productivity and composition were monitored from 2003 to present. Following the prescribed fire, there were fewer individual grass clumps and less above ground grass cover in burned areas compared to unburned areas. This decrease in productivity was primarily from a loss of B. eriopoda. Specifically, B. eriopoda density and cover were significantly lower following the fire with a slow recovery rate in the five years following the fire. Other grasses showed no such adverse response to burning. Data were collected from 2004-2013 and 2018. Data were not collected for 2014-2017.

openOpenJan 2020View details →

Effect of Long-Term Nitrogen Fertilization on Mycorrhizal Fungi Associated with a Dominant Grass in a Chihuahuan Desert Grassland at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (2005)

We studied the diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in a semiarid grassland and the effect of long-term nitrogen (N) fertilization on this fungal community. Root samples of Bouteloua gracilis were collected at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (New Mexico, USA) from control and N-amended plots that have been fertilized since 1995. Small subunit rDNA was amplified using AMF specific primers NS31 and AM1. The diversity of AMF was low in comparison with other ecosystems, only seven operational taxonomic units (OTU) were found in B. gracilis and all belong to the genus Glomus. The dominant OTU was closely related to the ubiquitous G. intraradices/G. fasciculatum group. N-amended plots showed a reduction in the abundance of the dominant OTU and an increase in AMF diversity. The greater AMF diversity in roots from N-amended plots may have been the result of displacement of the dominant OTU, which facilitated detection of uncommon AMF. The long-term implications of AMF responses to N enrichment for plant carbon allocation and plant community structure remain unclear.

openOpenJan 2020View details →

Coyote Scat Surveys in Chihuahuan Desert Grassland and Shrubland Sites, Spring, Summer and Fall at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (2008-2009)

This data set contains information regarding carnivore scat surveys that were performed at sites in grama grassland and both creosote and mesquite shrubland habitats at the Sevilleta NWR. A total of nine surveys were carried out along road-based transects, each of which is a mile long, during one season in 2008 (June-July) and three seasons in 2009: spring (April-May), summer (July-August), and fall (October-November). There were 10 transects in grassland areas and 10 in shrubland areas in 2008. All 20 transects, as well as two additional transects in grassland areas, were surveyed in 2009. For more information on the structure of the vegetation surrounding these road based transects, see the "Vegetation surveys in grassland and shrubland sites that are associated with coyote scat surveys at the Sevilleta NWR, 2008-2009" data set. Scat samples were identified in the field and collected for genetic and stable carbon isotope analysis. Field recorded variables include: scat freshness, maximum diameter, length, and GPS coordinates, as well as the field-based species identification for the sample. Information on the lab based species and individual identification results are also presented.This data was collected in order to obtain information on the size and feeding ecology of the coyote populations in grassland vs. shrubland habitats in three seasons (spring, summer and fall) and two years (2008 and 2009) at the Sevilleta NWR. A mark recapture analysis can be performed on the data from 2009 since two surveys were carried out for each scat transect in each of the three seasons and coyote scats were run through a genetic analysis to determine individual identity of the coyotes. A rough assessment of coyote habitat use can also be performed using the individual identity and coyote scat location information. Future isotope analysis will indicate whether the base of the food chain is C4 (grass) vs. C3 (shrubs) plants in grassland vs. shrubland habitats in each of the three

openCC (other)May 2023View details →

Monsoon Rainfall Manipulation Experiment (MRME) Meteorology Data from a Chihuahuan Desert Grassland at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico

The Monsoon Rainfall Manipulation Experiment (MRME) is to understand changes in ecosystem structure and function of a semiarid grassland caused by increased precipitation variability, which alters the pulses of soil moisture that drive primary productivity, community composition, and ecosystem functioning. The overarching hypothesis being tested is that changes in event size and variability will alter grassland productivity, ecosystem processes, and plant community dynamics. In particular, we predict that many small events will increase soil CO2 effluxes by stimulating microbial processes but not plant growth, whereas a small number of large events will increase aboveground NPP and soil respiration by providing sufficient deep soil moisture to sustain plant growth for longer periods of time during the summer monsoon. Â These data were collected at a meteorological station at the Monsoon Site.

FIG. 6 in The ways of fish beyond the sea: fish circulation and consumption in the Atacama desert, northern Chile, during the Formative period (500 cal B.C. - 700 cal A.D.)

FIG. 6. — Headless dried fish offered to a 4-6 years old infant in the route of Calate-Loa River mouth.

FIG. 7 in The ways of fish beyond the sea: fish circulation and consumption in the Atacama desert, northern Chile, during the Formative period (500 cal B.C. - 700 cal A.D.)

FIG. 7. — Composite food made of two kind of fishes tied together by a braided rope: a complete anchoveta and a boneless fillet of a bigger fish. Topater 01 cemetery (Gallardo 2017: fig. 2). Scale bar: 5 cm.

FIG. 9 in The ways of fish beyond the sea: fish circulation and consumption in the Atacama desert, northern Chile, during the Formative period (500 cal B.C. - 700 cal A.D.)

FIG. 9. — Graphic that indicates the relation between cranial and postcranial skeletal units in routes, Quillagua and interior oasis sites from the Atacama Desert during the Formative period. Both inferior bars show the same relation in reference skeletons from Trachurus murphyi Nichols, 1920 (60 cranial and 41 postcranial elements) and Cilus gilberti (Abbott, 1899) (60 cranial and 42 postcranial elements). Abbreviation: NISP, number of identified specimens.

FIG. 2 in The ways of fish beyond the sea: fish circulation and consumption in the Atacama desert, northern Chile, during the Formative period (500 cal B.C. - 700 cal A.D.)

FIG. 2. — Altitudinal profile of the region with the position from the different localities mentioned in the article. Sites in italics: main geographical landmarks. Ab- breviation: m a.s.l., meters above sea level.

FIG. 4 in The ways of fish beyond the sea: fish circulation and consumption in the Atacama desert, northern Chile, during the Formative period (500 cal B.C. - 700 cal A.D.)

FIG. 4. — Radiocarbon datations from the Formative sites of the Atacama Desert considered in this study. Marine and human material samples were excluded. Calibration made by SHCAL13 curve (Hogg et al. 2013) using Calib 704 (Stuiver et al. 2005).

opencc-by-4.0Jul 2018View details →

Figures 15–18. Big Bend desert scrubland habitat. 15 in The dung beetle fauna of the Big Bend region of Texas (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

Figures 15–18. Big Bend desert scrubland habitat. 15) Rocky hillside, Pinto Canyon (Presidio Co.). 16) Rio Grande valley, southeast corner of Presidio Co. (Mexico to the left; United States to the right). 17) Scrub hillside, south Brewster Co. 18) Creek bed, Chinati Hot Springs (Presidio Co.).

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2009View details →

Figure 1 in How extensive is the effect of modern farming on bird communities in a sand dune desert?

Figure 1. Dendrogram of F- and C-transects, using group-average clustering from Bray-Curtis similarities on log-transformed bird abundances. Similarity coefficient in percent.

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Phylogenetic signals in host-parasite associations for Neotropical bats and Nearctic desert rodents

Hosts and their parasites have strong ecological and evolutionary relationships, with hosts representing habitats and resources for parasites. In the present study, we use approaches developed to evaluate the statistical dependence of species trait values on phylogenetic relationships to determine whether host–parasite relationships (i.e. parasite infections) are contingent on host phylogeny. If host–parasite relationships are contingent on the ability of hosts to provide habitat or resources to parasites, and if host phylogeny is an effective surrogate for among-host variation in habitat and resource quality, host–parasite relationships should evince phylogenetic signals (i.e. be contingent on host phylogeny). Because the strength of ecological relationships between parasites and their hosts may affect the likelihood of phylogenetic signals occurring in host–parasite relationships, we hypothesized that (1) host specificity would be positively correlated with the strength of phylogenetic signals and (2) the strength of phylogenetic signals will be greater for parasites that rely more on their host throughout their life cycle. Analyses were conducted for ectoparasites from tropical bats and for ectoparasites, helminths, and coccidians from desert rodents. Phylogenetic signals were evaluated for parasite presence and for parasite prevalence. The frequency of phylogenetic signal occurrence was similar for parasite presence and prevalence, with a signal detected in 24–27% of cases at the species level and in 67% and 15% of cases at the genus level for parasites of bats and rodents, respectively. No differences in signal strength or the likelihood of detecting a signal existed between groups of parasites. Phylogenetic signal strength was correlated with host specificity, suggesting that mechanisms increasing host specificity also increase the likelihood of a phylogenetic signal in host use by parasites. Differences in the transmission mode did not affect signal strength or the likelihood of detecting a signal, indicating that variation in host switching opportunities associated with the transmission mode does not affect signal strength.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2016View details →

Data for "Water (or the Lack Thereof), Management, and Conservation of an Endangered Desert Wetland Obligate, Lilaeopsis schaffneriana var. recurva"

Raw and RData forms of data for "Water (or the Lack Thereof), Management, and Conservation of an Endangered Desert Wetland Obligate, Lilaeopsis schaffneriana var. recurva". Consists of six Excel files, with names corresponding to the type of data. <ol> <li>field_ecology_data.xlsx </li> <li>experiment_randomization.xlsx </li> <li>experiment_entered_data.xlsx </li> <li>resilience_days_to_critical.xlsx </li> <li>resilience_experiment_data.xlsx </li> <li>resilience_leaf_density_data.xlsx </li> </ol> Four RData files of the loaded Excel data, and one text file to explain the coding of the drought experiment data.

Fig. 17 in Characterizing Late Pleistocene and Holocene Stone Artefact Assemblages from Puritjarra Rock Shelter: A Long Sequence from the Australian Desert

Fig. 17. Retouched artefacts from the Holocene levels of Puritjarra rock shelter. All are from units 1a and 1b except M10/11-1 (unit 1c). Steep-edged scrapers: N11/9-2, N6/5-3, N10/5-3. Notched implements: N9/4-3, QR9/1-9, N10/4-8. Endscraper: M10/11-1.

Fig. 18. Group 2 in Characterizing Late Pleistocene and Holocene Stone Artefact Assemblages from Puritjarra Rock Shelter: A Long Sequence from the Australian Desert

Fig. 18. Group 2 retouched artefacts from the Holocene levels of Puritjarra rock shelter. All are from units 1a and 1b. Geometric microliths: top row (1–8). Thumbnail scrapers: QR9/3-4, N10/3-1, Z10/2-1, N9/3-11, M9/2-14. Tula adze slugs: M10/1-4, M9/2-3, N5/4-1. (M10/1-4 is the largest tula in this assemblage). Burren adze slug: Z9/9-2. Endscrapers: N6/3-2, Z9/5-2. (Z9/5-2 has usepolish and rounding on the distal end, and fine overhang removal scars along the platform edge).

Fig. 16 in Characterizing Late Pleistocene and Holocene Stone Artefact Assemblages from Puritjarra Rock Shelter: A Long Sequence from the Australian Desert

Fig. 16. Large flake implements from late Pleistocene levels of Puritjarra rock shelter. All are from unit 2a, except N13/20-1 (unit 2b). Steep-edged scrapers: N11/19-1, N11/22-2, QR9/8-11, N12/14-3. Amorphous retouched artefacts: N5/15-12, M11/18-1, N11/19-3. Notched implements: N13/20-1, N11/21-2. Saws: N10/9-1, N5/19-1.

Fig. 15 in Characterizing Late Pleistocene and Holocene Stone Artefact Assemblages from Puritjarra Rock Shelter: A Long Sequence from the Australian Desert

Fig. 15. Large flake implements from late Pleistocene levels of Puritjarra rock shelter. All are from unit 2a. Steep-edged scrapers: QR9/8-2, N5/15-11. Amorphous retouched implement: M10/22-2. QR9/8-1 is a large formal implement with extensive shallow invasive flaking and a thin convex working edge.

Fig. 13 in Characterizing Late Pleistocene and Holocene Stone Artefact Assemblages from Puritjarra Rock Shelter: A Long Sequence from the Australian Desert

Fig. 13. Artefacts from the palaeosurface at c. 32,000 B.P. N13/24-1 is a large sandstone flake typical of the larger component of the flake assemblage. N13/25-3 shows a sandstone flake detached from a rotated core. Bottom two rows show small finely-made silcrete flakes. N12/26-1, M11/ 27-5 and M11/27-6 are made on exotic silcrete. M11/27-2 (2) is a chalcedony flake with a short length of retouch or edge damage. M11/27-4 (4) is a trimming flake detached from the retouched edge of a chalcedony implement.

Fig. 2 in Characterizing Late Pleistocene and Holocene Stone Artefact Assemblages from Puritjarra Rock Shelter: A Long Sequence from the Australian Desert

Fig. 2. Plan of Puritjarra rock shelter showing layout of excavation trenches. Also shown are spot heights (m below