Reports and Publications
Ecosystem and Wildlife Implications of Brush:
Management Systems Designed to Improve Water Yield
The State of Texas adopted a program to study and implement brush management
systems across the state to improve the water availability in streams,
rivers, reservoirs and aquifers, as well as to improve the rangelands. The
purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in hydrology and
biological diversity associated with brush management in two watersheds
where significant data was available. It focused on assessing the aquatic
and terrestrial species implications related to specified brush management
strategies over time. This involved an integrated analysis including
modeling of the landscape, assessing biological diversity and developing
economic implications for the two watersheds (Twin Buttes and Edwards
regions).
Population Status and Threat Analysis for the Black-capped Vireo
The black-capped vireo (BCVI; Vireo atricapilla) is a migratory bird with a known breeding occurrence throughout portions of central Texas, the state of Coahuila in Mexico, and isolated areas in Oklahoma. The former breeding range includes a portion of north-central Texas, most of central Oklahoma, and south-central Kansas. The bird’s wintering range is on the Pacific slope in western Mexico. On November 5, 1987, the species was listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended. The primary threats supporting the decision to list the species were habitat loss from development; habitat destruction from the grazing of sheep, goats and exotic livestock; and nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), as determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (Ratzlaff 1987). A recovery plan was developed in 1991 (USFWS 1991), but critical habitat has not been designated, and a status review has not been conducted since the listing. The USFWS initiated the review process for the BCVI in February 2005 by issuing a notice of review and request for information on the species. The purpose of the scientific review effort is to evaluate all scientific and commercial information available on the present status of the BCVI. This evaluation will provide the USFWS with the data needed for making determinations under a status review as required by Section 4(c)(2) of the ESA.
Houston Toad Bibliography
Stacey Allison, Texas A&M University
Neal Wilkins, Texas A&M University
As Bastrop County moves forward with its mission to implement
a countywide Habitat Conservation Plan to protect the Houston toad, a comprehensive
database of relevant literature will be needed. This bibliography includes some
sources of scientific information that may be useful in the development of this
plan, and is for the use of the Biological Advisory Team for the Houston Toad
Conservation Project.
Land Fragmentation Briefing
Ownership
fragmentation is the division of rural lands into smaller parcels that remain
in rural use Ownership fragmentation may result in rural parcel sizes generally
too small to maintain the economy-of-scale for traditional farming, ranching,
and forestry uses. Potential impacts of ownership fragmentation include loss
of open space; a localized loss of farm, ranch, and forest production; higher
demand for public services from rural areas; and a reduction of effective wildlife
habitat.
United States Grasslands and Related Resources: An Economic and Biological Trends Assessment.
Historically
the greatest threat to grasslands in the US has been the plow. Over the past
several decades the United States has seen a dramatic decrease in this beneficial
and diverse resource. Changing land use, increasing demands for lands for development,
and shifts in agricultural production contribute to the removal of grasslands
from their historic uses. This report explores these trends and focuses on policies
and mechanims to facilitate grassland retention and restoration.
Texas Rural Lands: Trends and Conservation Implications for the 21st Century
This report describes the key findings of an analysis of the status and recent changes in ownership size, land use and property values of private farms, ranches and forestlands in Texas. The goal of this work is to provide public and private decision makers with the data they need to plan for the conservation of working rural lands in Texas. Included in this report are four summaries describing results of technical analyses upon which many of our conclusions are based.
Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin: A Bibliography
The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin drains some of the harshest terrain in
North America. The river and its tributaries are major drainages for the
plateau shrub lands of central New Mexico, the Chihuahuan Desert and the
Tamaulipan Mezquital. The Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico, Texas and Mexico
ranks as the world's most biologically diverse desert ecoregion,
supporting a species richness of more than 100 mammals, 250 birds, 100
reptiles and 20 amphibians.