Recent ccb items

Carbon Balance in California Deserts: Impacts of Widespread Solar Power Generation

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Carbon Balance in California Deserts: Impacts of Widespread Solar Power Generation

Autecology of Coastal Sage Scrub Birds and Small Mammals

Tue, 4 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0000

The principal purpose of this work, jointly funded by the US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, and the California Department of Fish and Game, was to establish quantifiable baseline information on habitat associations and environmental variables that may be useful in predicting the presence or absence of a variety of birds and small mammals in coastal sage scrub of southern California.

The primary database consisted of four sets of data associated with up to 240 replicate points at a up to 22 coastal sage scrub sites in Riverside, Orange, and San Diego counties (not all points and sites were sampled in all years for all attributes). For each point, we collected information on: (1) the species composition and structure of vegetation in the near vicinity of the point, (2) the landscape context of each point (for example, the proportion of urban land use within a 500-1000m radius), (3) the species of birds recorded at each point during spring and fall...

Solar Power in the Desert: Are the current large-scale solar developments really improving California’s environment?

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

California deserts are faced with unprecedented anthropogenic change. Impact factors range from expanding urban centers and military bases, to potential significant habitat loss from solar and thermal power expansions (including ground water exploitation and depletion beyond recovery, land stripping for power generation units, and fragmentation from power and associated transportation corridors), and climate change. Together these factors threaten remaining suitable habitat for endangered and for other endemic desert species. Our goal here is to outline the scope of environmental changes that are underway, and to outline research needs necessary to provide long-term sustainability of federally- and state-listed species and their habitats, ensuring that energy developments are also fully compliant with the letter and intent of state and federal resource protection statutes. We identified several topic areas that are of concern to land managers and project developers in the California...

2005-2006 Coachella Valley MSHCP Monitoring Framework Priorities: Impacts of Exotic Weed Species including Saharan Mustard (Brassica TournefortiiI)

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

In 2002, the Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) of the University of California at Riverside initiated a multi-year collaboration with the Coachella Valley Association of Governments to develop a monitoring framework for the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (CV MSHCP) (see Allen et al 2005). This final report reflects the findings for the 2005-2006 project period (September 1, 2005 – December 31, 2006), undertaken by the CCB’s Desert Studies Initiative, to initiate an analysis of the impacts of the exotic weed, Saharan mustard (Brassica tournefortii) with regard to the conservation goals of the CV MSHCP. 2005 marked the most severe outbreak of Saharan mustard in more than a decade. Concern over the impacts of this weed not only with regard to the CV MSHCP, but in the entire southwestern desert region was the impetus for initiating this research. In particular, the questions addressed were the following, and are answered in the next section:

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California State Department of Transportation and Center for Conservation Biology: WRC MSCHP Niche Model Task Order

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000

The goal of this research contract was to provide Caltrans with niche models for the assessment of the conservation potential of lands within the delineated Criteria Areas of the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (WRC MSHCP). Caltrans could then use these results to prioritize lands for further evaluation and potential acquisition in order to meet their Implementing Agreement commitments under the WRC MSHCP.

Core 2 Refinement Workshop Report

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

The County of Riverside and the City of Murrieta requested that the Regional Conservation Authority (RCA) consider a Criteria Refinement for Core 2 in Western Riverside County’s Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (WRC MSHCP). The purpose of this action is to determine if Core 2 can be sustained as a reserve and if WRC MSHCP funds could be more efficiently used in other core areas. The RCA requested a review of the biological research from the Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) that could be brought into their decision-making process. The CCB convened a distinguished group of scientists to review the implications of a Core 2 Criteria Refinement to biological resources. The group evaluated three general topics at a two-day workshop in order to provide this assessment.

Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan Monitoring Program: 2002-2005 Progress Report

Fri, 14 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0000

This report presents the first three years of research pertaining to the design, development and implementation of the monitoring program of the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan.

CCB 2005: Towards developing a monitoring framework for Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plans. Part I.

Wed, 1 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0000

CCB 2005: Towards developing a monitoring framework for Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plans. Part I.

Scientific Review Panel Review of: Final Draft Western Riverside County MSHCP Document

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 00:00:00 +0000

The Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan has been presented to the public as a complete draft having been reviewed and modified as a result of comments from resource agencies, the Scientific Review Panel (SRP), local stakeholder groups, cities, and numerous other individuals at key intervals in the planning process. The goal is to develop a land-use plan that preserves open space for individual species of concern, protects existing natural communities that sustain the biodiversity of the planning region, and creates constraints for planned growth and development of the region that respect the rights of property owners. It seeks to use the “Best Available Science” as an approach to the planning process. This document is a review of the "science" in the final draft of the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan, by the Science Review Panel assembled by the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of California,...

Evaluation of Critical Habitat for the California red-legged frog (Rana aurora draytonii)

Sat, 1 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0000

The recovery plan for the California red-legged frog was reviewed. There are two main elements for our region in southern California. The first is the designation of critical habitat for recovery of this species. We suggest that the criteria for designation of critical habitat should be explicitly defined and listed. The map boundaries should then result from those criteria. This would reduce the maps to those specific areas with habitat in which recovery efforts could be made. Requiring large regions to await evaluation on an individual project basis undermines the support for the ESA and creates controversy where likely none should exist. The second element is restoration of the populations. While we support this effort, we are concerned with the use of extensive substrate disturbance in the survey for exotic pest species and the restrictive use of a single “genotype” used in recovery. Instead of seining to remove pests, we recommend careful evaluation of the literature with...

Perspectives in Conservation Biology in Southern California: I. Current Extinction Rates and Causes

Tue, 25 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0000

Perspectives in Conservation Biology in Southern California: I. Current Extinction Rates and Causes