Riparian Research and Management: Past, Present, Future: Volume 1
Riparian Research and Management: Past, Present, Future: Volume 1

Author: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2019-04-06

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 0359573770

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Fifty years ago, riparian habitats were not recognized for their extensive and critical contributions to wildlife and the ecosystem function of watersheds. This changed as riparian values were identified and documented, and the science of riparian ecology developed steadily. Papers in this volume range from the more mesic northwestern United States to the arid Southwest and Mexico. More than two dozen authors-most with decades of experience-review the origins of riparian science in the western United States, document what is currently known about riparian ecosystems, and project future needs. Topics are widespread and include: interactions with fire, climate change, and declining water; impacts from exotic species; unintended consequences of biological control; the role of small mammals; watershed response to beavers; watershed and riparian changes; changes below large dams; water birds of the Colorado River Delta; and terrestrial vertebrates of mesquite bosques.

Riparian Landscapes
Riparian Landscapes

Author: George Patrick Malanson

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1993-05-27

Total Pages: 308

ISBN-13: 0521384311

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Riparian Landscapes examines the ecological systems of streamside and floodplain areas from the perspective of landscape ecology. The specific spatial pattern of riparian vegetation is seen as a result of, and a control on, the ecological, geomorphological, and hydrological processes that operate along rivers. Riparian structures are controlled by the spatial dynamics of channels, flooding and soil moisture. These dynamics are part of integrated cascades of water, sediment, nutrients and carbon, to which animal and plant species respond in ways that illuminate community structure and competition. The role of the riparian zone in controlling species distribution and abundance is discussed. Intelligent management of these valuable ecological resources is highlighted. The potential for linking hydrological, geomorphological and ecological simulation models is also explored. This book will be of interest to graduate and professional research workers in environmental science, ecology and physical geography.

Colorado River Ecology and Dam Management
Colorado River Ecology and Dam Management

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1991-02-01

Total Pages: 287

ISBN-13: 0309045355

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This book contains 11 papers that review the extant information about the Colorado River from an ecosystem perspective and serve as the basis for discussion of the use of ecosystem/earth science information for river management and dam operations. It also contains a synopsis of the committee's findings and recommendations to the Bureau of Reclamation as the agency seeks to change its direction to the management of natural resources.

Invasive Exotic Species in the Sonoran Region
Invasive Exotic Species in the Sonoran Region

Author: Barbara Tellman

Publisher: University of Arizona Press

Published: 2002-05

Total Pages: 454

ISBN-13: 9780816521784

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All over the planet, organisms of many species are appearing outside of their natural habitatsÑoften carried by that particularly peripatetic species Homo sapiens. This book marks the first comprehensive attempt to address problems posed by expanding populations of exotic plant and animal species in the Sonoran Desert and adjacent grasslands and riparian areas. It describes the arrival and spread of non-native species as diverse as rats and saltcedar, covering both their impacts and the management of those impacts. It is estimated that as much as 60 percent of the vegetative cover of the Sonoita Creek-Patagonia Reserve, the first Nature Conservancy area designated in Arizona, is dominated by exotic plants, and that introduced fish pose a recurrent threat to the native fish of that area. Meanwhile at the Grand Canyon, invasives such as tamarisk, red brome, carp, and catfish are pervasive either in the Colorado River or in the patches of desert scrub along its shores. Throughout the Sonoran Desert and adjacent areas, from islands in the Sea of CortŽs to desert grasslands, some six hundred species of non-native plants and animals have become established, with bullfrogs and Mediterranean grasses now common where they once never existed. The book brings together contributors from academia, government, and nonprofit organizations, including such experts as Gary Paul Nabhan, Richard Mack, and Alberto Bœrquez-Montijo. They review historic and even prehistoric origins of non-native speciesÑnot only exotic plants, amphibians, and mammals but also insects, fish, and birds. They then examine significant problems in each major subregion and ecosystem and discuss control efforts. The volume contains the first compiled list of more than 500 naturalized exotic species in the Sonoran region. Invasive species issues are rapidly emerging as major environmental concerns both locally and worldwide. This book will assist professionalsÑecologists, conservation biologists, and policy makersÑinvolved in invasive species control in the Southwest and will be a rich resource for all concerned with protecting native species and their habitats.

Grand Canyon, A Century of Change
Grand Canyon, A Century of Change

Author: Robert H. Webb

Publisher: University of Arizona Press

Published: 2021-11-30

Total Pages: 311

ISBN-13: 0816547491

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Photographs made in Grand Canyon a century ago may provide us today with a sense of history; photographs made a century later from the same vantage points give us a more precise picture of change in this seemingly timeless place. Between 1889 and 1890, Robert Brewster Stanton made photographs every 1-2 miles through the river corridor for the purpose of planning a water-level railroad route and produced the largest collection of photographs of the Colorado River at one point in time. Robert Webb, a USGS hydrologist conducting research on debris flows in the Canyon, obtained the photographs and from 1989 to 1995 replicated all 445 of the views captured by Stanton, matching as closely as possible the original camera positions and lighting conditions. Grand Canyon, a Century of Change assembles the most dramatic of these paired photographs to demonstrate both the persistence of nature and the presence of humanity. Unexpected longevity of some plant species, effects of animal grazing, and expansion of cacti are all captured by the replicate photographs. More telling is evidence of the impact of Glen Canyon Dam: increased riparian vegetation, new marshes, aggraded debris fans, and eroded sand bars. In the accompanying text, Webb provides a thorough analysis of what each pair of photographs shows and places the project in its historical context. Complementing his narrative are six sidebar articles by authorities on Canyon natural history that further attest to a century of change. The level of detail obtained from the photographs represents one of the most extensive long-term monitoring efforts ever conducted in a national park; it is the most detailed documentation effort ever performed using repeat photography. Much more than simply a picture book, Grand Canyon, a Century of Change is an environmental history of the river corridor, a fascinating book that clearly shows the impact of human influence on Grand Canyon and warns us that its future is very much in our hands.

Monitoring Ecosystems
Monitoring Ecosystems

Author: David E. Busch

Publisher: Island Press

Published:

Total Pages: 476

ISBN-13: 9781597262644

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Often a commitment to large ecosystem initiatives is linked both conceptually and legally with requirements for ecological monitoring as a means of evaluating the effectiveness of management actions. Programs to determine ecosystem status and trends can contribute significantly to the resolution of difficult and contentious management questions, and can playa key role both in sharpening the focus of research questions and in developing adaptive approaches to resource management. Monitoring Ecosystems brings together leading scientists and researchers to offer a groundbreaking synthesis of lessons learned about ecological monitoring in major ecoregional initiatives around the United States. Contributors-Donald L. DeAngelis, Lance H. Gunderson, Barry R. Noon, John C. Ogden, Craig J. Palmer, Keith M. Reynolds, Paul L. Ringold, John R. Sauer, Lawrence E. Stevens, and many others-present insights and experiences gained from their work in designing, developing, and implementing comprehensive ecosystem monitoring programs in the Pacific Northwest, the lower Colorado River Basin, and the Florida Everglades. The book: outlines the conceptual and scientific underpinnings for regional-scale ecosystem monitoring, examines the role and importance of data management, modeling, and integrative analyses, considers techniques for and experience with monitoring habitats, populations, and communities Chapters by the editors synthesize and expand on points made throughout the volume and present recommendations for establishing frameworks for monitoring across scales, from local to international. Monitoring Ecosystems presents a critical examination of the lessons learned from direct experience along with generalized conclusions that canbe applied to monitoring programs in the United States and around the world. It is a vital contribution to science-based monitoring efforts thatwill allow those responsible for developing and implementing ecoregional initiatives to make use of knowledge gained in previous efforts, enabling them to focus their energies on system-specific questions and problems.