Four New Cestode Species from the Spiral Intestine of the Round Stingray, \u3ci\u3eUrobatis halleri\u3c/i\u3e, in the Northern Gulf of California, Mexico

The spiral intestines of 40 specimens of Urobatis halleri from the northern Gulf of California, Mexico, were examined for cestodes. Four new species, Rhinebothrium chollaensis n. sp., Rhinebothrium gravidum n. sp., Eutetrarhynchus cortezensis n. sp., and Prochristianella minima n. sp., are described. This is the first record of these 3 genera in the Gulf of California and the first report of Eutetrarhynchus in U. halleri

Assessing the Climate Change Vulnerability of Ecosystem Types of the Southwestern U.S.

Climate change is challenging scientists and decision-makers to understand the complexities of climate change and to predict the related effects at scales relevant to environmental policy and the management of ecosystem services. Extraordinary change in climate, and the ensuing impacts to ecosystem services, are widely anticipated for the southwestern United States. Predicting the vulnerability of Southwest ecosystems and their components has been a priority of natural resource organizations over the past decade. Supplementing vulnerability assessments in the region with geospatial inputs of high thematic and spatial detail has become vital for supporting local analyses, planning, and decisions. In this context has come the opportunity to build upon a framework of major ecosystem types of the Southwest and to assess vulnerability to climate change for each type. Herein are presented three studies that set the backdrop for vulnerability assessment, detail a novel correlative modeling procedure to predict the location and the magnitude of vulnerability to familiar vegetation patterns, and then explore applications of the resulting geospatial vulnerability surface: 1) considerations for evaluating or designing a vulnerability assessment; 2) an overview of the vegetation and climate of major ecosystem types, and 3) a climate change vulnerability assessment for all major ecosystem types of the Southwest. This work has resulted in a regionwide vulnerability surface of greater extent and higher spatial and thematic resolution than previous modeling efforts, giving local managers information on the location and degree of climate risk to vegetation resources

Implications of Climate Change for Bird Conservation in the Southwestern U.S. under Three Alternative Futures.

Future expected changes in climate and human activity threaten many riparian habitats, particularly in the southwestern U.S. Using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt3.3.3) modeling, we characterized habitat relationships and generated spatial predictions of habitat suitability for the Lucy's warbler (Oreothlypis luciae), the Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) and the Western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus). Our goal was to provide site- and species-specific information that can be used by managers to identify areas for habitat conservation and/or restoration along the Rio Grande in New Mexico. We created models of suitable habitat for each species based on collection and survey samples and climate, biophysical, and vegetation data. We projected habitat suitability under future climates by applying these models to conditions generated from three climate models for 2030, 2060 and 2090. By comparing current and future distributions, we identified how habitats are likely to change as a result of changing climate and the consequences of those changes for these bird species. We also examined whether land ownership of high value sites shifts under changing climate conditions. Habitat suitability models performed well. Biophysical characteristics were more important that climate conditions for predicting habitat suitability with distance to water being the single most important predictor. Climate, though less important, was still influential and led to declines of suitable habitat of more than 60% by 2090. For all species, suitable habitat tended to shrink over time within the study area leaving a few core areas of high importance. Overall, climate changes will increase habitat fragmentation and reduce breeding habitat patch size. The best strategy for conserving bird species within the Rio Grande will include measures to maintain and restore critical habitat refugia. This study provides an example of a presence-only habitat model that can be used to inform the management of species at intermediate scales

Rehfeldt (2006; 2012) projections for biomes (Brown, 1998) for three time periods in the study area within New Mexico.

<p>Projections were made for habitats under an A2 emission scenario.</p

Current and mid-century projections of suitable habitat for three bird species, Lucy’s warbler, Southwestern willow flycatcher, and Yellow-billed cuckoo.

<p>Colors indicate predicted habitat for one (yellow), two (orange), or all three (red) species in current and future time periods. Each species’ predicted suitable habitat is based on a 2/3 consensus model (see text). Inset: Expanded area shows the largest suitable patch area for all three species under future climate conditions is found within and adjacent to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. BLM = Bureau of Land Management, FS = U.S. Forest Service, FWS = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.</p

Change in suitable habitat for three bird species under three climate scenarios.

<p>A) Lucy’s Warbler; B) Southwestern willow flycatcher; C) Western yellow-billed cuckoo.</p

Availability of suitable habitat for three bird species under three climate scenarios.

<p>A) Lucy’s Warbler; B) Southwestern willow flycatcher; C) Western yellow-billed cuckoo. Habitat predictions are shown for the most important (>50% area) land management or ownership categories. For all three species, the greatest proportion of suitable habitat is found on privately owned land. BLM = Bureau of Land Management, BOR = U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, DOD = U.S. Department of Defense, FS = U.S. Forest Service, FWS = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NPS = National Park Service.</p

Variable importance for 12 predictors of suitable habitat for three bird species.

<p>Importance indicates contribution of variable to model fit.</p