Effects of Surface Water Depletion

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Effects of SurfaceWater Depletion Groundwater
Withdrawal on Arizonas Riparian Bird Communities
Chris Kirkpatrick Courtney J. Conway School of
Natural Resources University of Arizona
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Outline of Presentation

• Overview of objectives and methods of long-term
  research project initiated in 2006
• Preliminary results from first field season (data
  from Rincon Creek and Cienega Creek study sites
  only)

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Arizonas Riparian Woodlands

• Cover lt1 of the States landmass
• Support gt50 of breeding bird species, including
  birds of conservation concern
• Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
• Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo

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Riparian Bird Species
Yellow Warbler
Summer Tanager
Aberts Towhee
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Riparian Bird Species
Yellow-breasted Chat
Gray Hawk
Bells Vireo
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Threats to Riparian Woodlands

• Reduction in groundwater levels considered to be
  one of the greatest threats to low-elevation
  riparian woodlands in Arizona

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Study Objectives

• Understand connections between groundwater,
  surface water, and the health of riparian bird
  communities in Arizona
• Examine underlying ecological processes (e.g.,
  availability of food resources) that may
  influence these connections

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Study Objectives

• Develop a model to predict how abundance,
  diversity, and breeding success of riparian birds
  will be affected by future changes in ground and
  surface water levels

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Study Area in Southeastern Arizona
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• 17 Replicate Riparian Study Sites

• 1) Arivaca Creek
• 2) Santa Cruz River
• 3) Brown Creek
• 4) Upper Hot Springs Creek
• 5) Lower Hot Springs Creek
• 6) Aravaipa Creek
• 7) San Pedro River (Hunter Wash)
• 8) San Pedro River ( Gray Hawk)
• 9) Cienega Creek (Pima Co.)
• 10) Rincon Creek
• 11) Posta Quemada Creek
• 12) Beuhman Creek
• 13) Upper Sabino Creek
• 14) Lower Sabino Creek
• 15) Cienega Creek (BLM)
• 16) San Pedro River (Fairbanks)
• 17) San Pedro River (Boquillas)

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• 17 Replicate Riparian Study Sites

• 1) Arivaca Creek
• 2) Santa Cruz River
• 3) Brown Creek
• 4) Upper Hot Springs Creek
• 5) Lower Hot Springs Creek
• 6) Aravaipa Creek
• 7) San Pedro River (Hunter Wash)
• 8) San Pedro River ( Gray Hawk)
• 9) Cienega Creek (Pima Co.)
• 10) Rincon Creek
• 11) Posta Quemada Creek
• 12) Beuhman Creek
• 13) Upper Sabino Creek
• 14) Lower Sabino Creek
• 15) Cienega Creek (BLM)
• 16) San Pedro River (Fairbanks)
• 17) San Pedro River (Boquillas)

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Range of Conditions Across Sites
Arivaca Creek
Rincon Creek
Cienega Creek
Perennial Surface Water Healthy Vegetation
Intermittent Surface Water Healthy Vegetation
No Surface Water Dead Dormant Vegetation
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Hypotheses to be Tested

• Sites with more surface water and healthier, more
  extensive riparian vegetation will have
• 1) Greater abundance and diversity of birds
• 2) Increased food resources (e.g., insects)
• 3) Lower levels of nest predation
• 4) Higher growth rates for nestlings
• 5) Greater reproductive success
• 6) Higher annual return rates of adults

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Methods - Bird Surveys

• Estimating bird abundance and diversity during
  breeding season.
• 5 replicate bird surveys from April to June at
  each study site

A. Walther/VIREO
Black Phoebe
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Methods - Nest Monitoring

• Estimating reproductive success, rates of nest
  predation, clutch size, and nestling growth rates
• Monitor nests of all riparian bird species every
  2 days from April to July at 4 study sites

Yellow-breasted Chat nest
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Methods - Bird Banding

• Estimate annual return rates of a sub-set of
  adult birds
• Trap and color-band birds (re-sights in
  subsequent years)

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Methods - Food Resources

• Estimating insect abundance, diversity, and
  biomass
• Sticky traps hung from trees at 6 study sites to
  sample aerial insects

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Methods - Surface Water Vegetation

• Estimating volume of surface water at each site
  every 3 weeks during breeding season
• Estimating volume of riparian vegetation using
  point-line-intercept method

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Preliminary Results

• Comparison of data collected at Rincon Creek and
  Cienega Creek in 2006
• Comparison of data collected at Rincon Creek in
  2006 with data collected at Rincon Creek during a
  previous study in 2004 (Powell 2004).

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Bird Surveys (Cienega vs. Rincon)

• Total of 67 species detected at Cienega Creek vs.
  59 species detected at Rincon Creek
• Average of 14 more birds detected per survey
  point at Cienega Creek vs. Rincon Creek

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  Mean Birds Mean Birds
Species Cienega Rincon Mean Diff. SE Diff. t P
More Abundant at Rincon Creek
Mourning dove 0.27 1.60 -1.33 0.29 -4.57 0.001
Gila woodpecker 1.07 2.20 -1.13 0.37 -3.09 0.005
Ladder-backed woodpecker 0.47 1.20 -0.73 0.29 -2.56 0.018
Northern flicker 0.00 0.40 -0.40 0.16 -2.45 0.037
Lucys warbler 2.33 3.50 -1.17 0.56 -2.07 0.050
Rufous-winged sparrow 0.13 1.00 -0.87 0.27 -3.17 0.009

More Abundant at Cienega Creek
Black phoebe 0.60 0.00 0.60 0.16 3.67 0.003
Northern beardless-tyrannulet 0.73 0.00 0.73 0.25 2.95 0.010
Bells vireo 1.67 0.30 1.37 0.31 4.38 lt0.001
Bewicks wren 2.67 1.40 1.27 0.41 3.08 0.006
Phainopepla 0.93 0.00 0.93 0.27 3.50 0.004
Yellow-breasted chat 1.47 0.00 1.47 0.36 4.04 0.001
Yellow warbler 2.67 0.10 2.57 0.35 7.38 lt0.001
Summer tanager 2.07 0.60 1.47 0.37 3.92 0.001
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Nests (Cienega vs. Rincon)
Species Cienega Rincon
More Nests at Rincon Creek
Mourning Dove 2 5
Brown-crested Flycatcher 1 6
Gila Woodpecker 1 5
Lucy's warbler 4 13

More Nests at Cienega Creek
Bells Vireo 26 1
Yellow Warbler 3 0
Yellow-breasted Chat 13 0
Verdin 25 10

Total 160 90
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Relative Abundance of Large (gt4 mm) Insects
(Cienega vs. Rincon)
Mean insects Mean insects
Order Cienega Rincon Mean Diff. SE Diff. t P
More Abundant at Cienega Creek Coleoptera 1.8 1.0 0.87 0.35 2.50 0.016
Diptera 5.4 2.0 3.43 1.17 2.92 0.005
Hemiptera 0.2 0.0 0.18 0.10 1.72 0.096
Homoptera 0.7 0.3 0.46 0.21 2.22 0.032

Total 8.8 3.7 5.09 1.39 3.65 0.001
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Tree Die-off at Rincon Creek Reduction in
Surface Water (2004-2006)
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Reductions in Abundance (2004-2006)

• 2004 Yellow Warblers common (at least 5-6 pairs
  present throughout breeding season)
• 2006 Yellow Warblers rare (only 1 bird detected
  during a single survey)

B. Henry/VIREO
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Reductions in Breeding (2004-2006)

• lt 2004 9 Bells Vireos nests found along Rincon
  Creek
• 2004 Breeding of Bells Vireos confirmed again
  at Rincon Creek
• 2006 Single, failed nest attempt by Bells Vireos

S S Rucker/VIREO
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Reductions in Habitat?
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Conclusions

• Does situation at Rincon Creek represent future
  for other riparian areas in Arizona?
• Are the apparent changes due to reductions in
  surface water, the decline in health of riparian
  vegetation, or some combination of both?
• Future analyses of our data will help to answer
  these questions.

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Thanks to

• Field Assistants Moez Ali, James Barr, Gavin
  Bieber, Kylan Frye, Zach Holderby, Dominic
  LaRoche, Patrick Rainbolt, Eli Rose, Nicholle
  Stephens, and Sarah Taos.
• Project Support Sheridan Stone (DOD), Sally
  Gall, Mary Hunnicutt, Kathie Senter (BANWR), Bill
  Childress, Mark Lambert, Patrick ONeil, Keith
  Hughes, Jeff Simms, Mark Fredlake (BLM), Brian
  Powell (UA), Bob Rogers, Susan Crask, Rob
  Marshall, Mark Haverstitch (TNC), Kerry Baldwin,
  Martie Meirhauser, Don Carter, Staffan Shorr
  (Pima Co.), Don Swann, Ann Rasor, Natasha Kline,
  Matt Daniels (NPS), Josh Taiz, Jim Sutton (CNF),
  and Douglas Kooi.

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Funding Logistical Support Provided by