Abstract
We conducted field surveys and laboratory analyses to test the effects of soil characteristics in habitat mitigation sites and natural sites on the growth and condition of blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), which is the sole host plant for the federally threatened Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus). Thirty mitigation and 16 natural sites were selected throughout the range of the beetle. We found that although plant relative growth rates were comparable between mitigation sites and a natural site, mitigation sites contained substantially less soil nutrients than mitigation sites. Within mitigation sites, elderberry health and growth were positively correlated with the amount of total nitrogen in soils and less strongly with other soil nutrients and soil moisture. Analyses demonstrated reductions in the relative growth rate of elderberry as mitigation sites aged, and that soil nutrients and soil moisture became depleted over time. For mitigation sites, it took approximately seven years to develop basal stem diameters that have been linked to successful beetle colonization. Mitigation sites have smaller shrubs than natural sites and growth slows as mitigation sites age, thus delaying convergence of conditions between natural and mitigation sites. Analyses of soil particle size and whether sites were within the 100-year floodplain (as an indicator of riparian conditions) were inconclusive. We recommend investigating fertilizing and optimum planting densities for elderberry at restoration and mitigation sites, as well as increasing the duration of irrigation and monitoring.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Rachel Zisook, Lauren Valverde, Peter Nilsson, Henning Gertz, and Karen Adler for assistance with field work. Assistance with mitigation site selection and access, and annual monitoring reports were provided by Kelly Kawsuniak, Sharon Stacey, Terry Marshal, Margaret Lawrence, and Christina Macias at California Department of Transportation (CalTrans). We thank the following for help with access to sites and/or reports: Jane Caputo, Nathan Higgins, and Hilary Dustin (Sequoia Riverlands Trust); Phil Deffenbaugh, Sidney Jones, and Larry Baker (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers); Andrew Fulks and J.P. Marie (Putah Creek Stream Keepers); Jones and Stokes Inc.; Annalena Bronson and Dwaine Cornett (Department of Water Resources); John Fitzpatrick (SunCal Companies); Sara Egan (E-Corp); Dave Camden (Greenhorn Creek Resort); Matt Gause (Wildlands, Inc); Susan P. Jones and Charlene Steeman (USFWS Sacramento Field Office). For GIS data we thank Diane Pierzinski (CalTrans) and Mary Meade (Office of Homeland Security). We thank Theresa S. Talley and John Callaway for their guidance and support. Funding for this project was provided by CalTrans contract 43A0067 Task Order 52.
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Koch-Munz and Holyoak: Appendix 1
Koch-Munz and Holyoak: Appendix 1
See Tables A1 and A2 that follow.
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Koch-Munz, M., Holyoak, M. An Evaluation of the Effects of Soil Characteristics on Mitigation and Restoration Involving Blue Elderberry, Sambucus mexicana . Environmental Management 42, 49–65 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-008-9074-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-008-9074-x