ohop bio blitz 2014
DESCRIPTION
Don Perry's presentation at the NRC August 2014 meeting. He updated the Council on the latest bio blitz in Ohop Valley.TRANSCRIPT
OHOP BIO-BLITZ 2014
OHOP BIO-BLITZ 2014
WHAT IS A BIO-BLITZ?
WHY WAS IT DONE AT OHOP CREEK?
HOW WAS IT ACCOMPLISHED?
WHAT WAS DISCOVERED?
WHAT IS A BIO-BLITZ?
• An intensive biological survey to develop a baseline inventory. • Much like Nature Mapping, but with more intense searching for taxa groups (botany, mammals, birds, reptiles/amphibians, inverts) and cataloguing them as they are discovered. • This survey lasted 6-hours. • Accomplished in two 3-hour phases.
HOW WAS IT ACCOMPLISHED?
• ORGANIZATION PARTNERS, Nisqually Stream Stewards, Nisqually Land Trust, Northwest Trek, Tacoma Nature Center.
• FUNDING (USF&WS Connecting People With Nature.
• TAXA-TEAM LEADERS (Jake Pool, NWT Botany; Mary Sue Gee, Botany; Chris Hoff, birds; Les Mead, amphibs/reptiles; Mallory Clark, mammals)
• VOLUNTEER HELP (30+ volunteers)
• CONVENIENT SCIENCE-CENTRAL FACILITY FOR PLANNING AND PROCESSING OF INFORMATION.
• FOCUS ZONES CREATED TO CONCENTRATE ON (INVASIVE PLANTS, WILDLIFE) • TAXA TEAMS WERE ASSIGNED SEARCH AREAS
Reed canary grass & Himalaya blackberry areas were delineated using GPS
SCIENCE CENTRAL
WHY WAS IT DONE AT OHOP CREEK?
• ESTABLISH DATABASE PRIOR TO RE-MEANDER CONSTRUCTION OF OHOP CREEK.
• NO PRIOR TAXA DATABASE ESTABLISHED AT LOWER OHOP VALLEY
• NEED TO BEGIN CATALOGING PRESENCE OF TAXA IN LOWER OHOP VALLEY.
WHY WAS IT DONE AT OHOP CREEK?
OHOP BIO-BLITZ 2014
VIEW TOWARD UPPER VALLLEY
OHOP BIO-BLITZ 2014
VIEW TOWARD LOWER VALLEY
Dense foliage, lower valley forest area
WHAT WAS DISCOVERED?
POOP (scat)
TRACKS
???
Northwestern salamander
Northwestern salamander
Northwestern salamander
Pacific tree frog
Egg masses (Pacific tree frog, Northwestern salamander)
Beaver activity
BEAVER SKULL
VERATRUM CALIFORNICUM (false hellebore)
Carex obnupta (slough sedge)
Angled bittercress (Cardamine angulate) Unexpected density observed
VERATRUM VIRIDE (green false hellebore)
Trillium ovatum
Trillium parviflorum
Trillium parviflorum
Designation S2/S3 Endangered/Threatened with possible extinction in local areas due to development.
Possibly only area in Ohop Valley known to exist, and extends its known existing range.
“In the Puget Sound lowlands, the first Western Trillium flowers coincide with the Robins’ first songs. Also known as the Wake Robin, it may be that the flower wakes the bird, or perhaps the other way around. Research shows that bird song may impact and even be necessary for the opening of blossoms. According to accounts, flower buds remained unopened in some orchards where heavy pesticide use had eradicated birds. After broadcasting recordings of bird songs in these orchards, the buds opened.”
Quote from: Medicine of Place, by Olympia residents Julia Brayshaw and Karen Lohmann.
300 different taxa present (plants, mammals, amphibians, birds).
Over 1,000 taxa encountered (heard, observed or evidence of).
?? QUESTIONS ??