LIZRDPIT Jornada Basin LTER

Box 30003, MSC 3JER 2995 Knox Street, Room 200 Las Cruces NM 88003 US

575-646-7918 575-646-5889 datamanager@jornada.nmsu.edu http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu Dr. David C Lightfoot Jornada Basin LTER

Sevilleta LTER 167 Castetter Hall Albuquerque NM 87131-1091 US

505-277-8949 505-277-0304 dlightfo@unm.edu http://search.lternet.edu/directory_view.php?personid=9617&query=Lightfoot Dr. Walt Whitford Jornada Basin LTER

Retired, EPA USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range Las Cruces NM 88003-8003 US

575-646-8032 wawhitfo@nmsu.edu ORG0000001 PE00000006 Responsible Investigator 2005 English In conjunction with net primary production studies, consumer and faunal studies are conducted at or near NPP sites using pitfall traps. We use live traps, not employing ethylene glycol or other killing/preservative agents, with traps checked once a week at the minimum. Sampling-with-replacement is used with the lizards. Variables measured include species, sex, recapture status, snout-vent length, total length, weight, and whether tail is broken or whole. Chihuahuan Desert Las Cruces NM Southwest USA Dona Ana County New Mexico JRN Jornada Basin LTER LTER lizards animals consumers populations pitfall traps

Data will be made publicly available no later than 2 years after submission of the data unless an earlier date is specified by the principal investigator. In the event that an extension of the 2 year period is necessary, the principal investigator may petition the Jornada Basin LTER Executive Committee for a longer protected period.

Individuals and institutions utilizing data from the Jornada Basin LTER database are requested to place the following acknowledgment in any publication in which these data are mentioned: Data sets were provided by the Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) projects. Funding for these data was provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grants DEB-92-40261 and DEB 94-11971). Please send 1 copy of any publication that cites Jornada Basin LTER data to: John P. Anderson Jornada Experimental Range P.O. Box 30003, MSC 3JER New Mexico State University Las Cruces, NM 88003-0003

The Jornada Basin LTER Information Management System provides protocol and services for data collection, verification, organization, archives, and distribution.

All data collected during a calendar year should be submitted to the Jornada Basin LTER data manager prior to July first of the following year. Data must be submitted with standard Jornada Basin LTER forms (both Project Abstract and Data Set documentation) which include objectives of the study, methods, as well as format and content of the data.

Data managers interact with researchers during the entire scientific process--from the initial planning of sampling designs and field data collection to archiving and distribution of long-term data. The goal of data management is to build and maintain an archive of Jornada Basin LTER data files that are fully documented, error free, and organized in useful ways. Our protocol for data collection and processing seeks maximum interaction between researchers and data management personnel to avoid confusion and potential loss of data or problems with integrity of data. The data manager helps researchers to construct data forms that allow convenient data entry and analysis. Data documentation forms are completed by principal investigators prior to data entry. Data are entered into computer data files by data entry personnel using programs that error- check and verify the data as it is entered. Computer files are subjected to further verification by graphing and/or error-checking programs, and/or examination by field investigators. Error-checked data files are stored with associated documentation files on floppy disks and on a hard-disk database. Back-up data files are maintained as "hard-copy," on multiple floppy disks, and on read/write 30- year magneto-optical disks. Various sets of these data are stored at different sites on the NMSU campus. The final responsibility for quality assurance (both in data and documentation content) rests with the principal investigator who submits the data for inclusion in the Jornada Basin LTER Information Management System. To facilitate quality assurance, the data management staff will provide copies of data and documentation submitted by a principal investigator to that investigator upon request.

http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu/datacat.php Jornada Basin,Chihuahuan Desert, 17 miles NE of Las Cruces, NM, USA -107.002148 -106.502641 32.831393 32.428919 1188 2658 meter 1989-06-16 2009-03-26 Study lizard population dynamics

16JUN89 - 23AUG91: 2-week period every month Post-August 1991: 2-week period quarterly (Feb, May, Aug, Oct)

---------------------------------------------------------------- Data set title - Lizard pitfall trap data (LTER-II, LTER-III) Data set file name - LIZRDPIT.DSD ---------------------------------------------------------------- mm/dd/yyyy - Date of Comment Int - Initials of person making Comment KJL = Kevin J. La Fleur JPA = John P. Anderson DCL = David C. Lightfoot KR = Ken Ramsey JL = Jim Lenz Changes/Updates - List any changes made to document mm/dd/yyyy Int Changes/Updates ---------- --- ----------------------------------------------- 02/13/1990 JPA Form completed by investigator 12/04/1996 JPA Converted data set document file to new format. 03/08/1997 DCL Updated LTER-II setup to LTER-III; establishment of sites and M-NORT and G- SUMM, establishment of separate pitfall traps for arthropods. 09/20/1999 JPA Clarified site description. 10/12/2000 KR Updated the attributes measured, treatment of data, and data entry files sections to reflect that data is entered using the QuickBasic program and uses tail marking instead of toe marking beginning 03/16/95. 11/10/2000 JPA Added protocol file names 06/13/2002 JL Added Dataset ID and Project ID sections. 07/08/2003 JPA Received cleaned dataset from DCL. 07/08/2003 JPA Corrected misalignment of some records in data set and added header information to revised data set received from DCL. 07/11/2003 JPA Updated lizard species list file name. 02/27/2004 KR Changed format for Attributes and Associated Files section. Moved Dataset and Project IDs to top of form. Removed Missing/Questionable data section and incorporated into Attributes section. 07/26/2007 KR Updated Responsible Investigators and Researchers sections to reflect dates associated with dataset.

Data Manager Jornada Basin LTER

Box 30003, MSC 3JER 2995 Knox Street, Room 200 Las Cruces NM 88003 US

575-646-7918 575-646-5889 datamanager@jornada.nmsu.edu http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu PE00000006 ORG0000001 Las Cruces, NM US JORNADA LTER II: Protocol for Lizard Pitfalls OVERVIEW. A grid of 16 pitfall traps is located at each consumer plot. Each trap is 40 cm deep and contains an inner plastic container and funnel. A ceramic tile is placed over each trap. For a 2-week period each sample period, the tiles are raised on one side, and the traps are checked every 3 days in summer and once a week in winter. Individual lizards are taken from the traps, identified, sexed, measured, and weighed. Each lizard was clipped with a unique number using the codes on the diagram on the field data sheets. Toe clipping was done from 1989 to 1995. Starting in March 1995 toe clipping was terminated and lizards were instead marked with a black sharpie marking pen to provide a temporary mark to determine recapture status over a particular 2-week trapping period. A black mark is made posterior to the cloaca on the ventral base of the tail. Trapping grid is a 4x4 with 15 meter interval between traps. I. INTRODUCTION. In conjunction with net primary production studies, consumer and faunal studies are conducted at or near NPP sites using pitfall traps. We use live traps, not employing ethylene glycol or other killing/preservative agents, with traps checked once a week at the minimum. Sampling-with-replacement is used with the lizards but without replacement for the arthropods; thus any released arthropods, when possible, should not be let go in the immediate vicinity of the pitfall grids (Note: separate pitfall traps for arthropods were established in 1995 for LTER-III). Lizard pitfall studies are conducted quarterly over a period of two weeks: in February-March (following winter NPP), in May-June (following spring NPP), in August, and in October-November (following fall NPP). A. LOCATION: Pitfall grids consist of sixteen stations (four rows of four traps) located at the following ll sites (the old code, no longer used, is given in parentheses following each site*): T-WEST (TBA), T-EAST (TBB), M-RABB-A (MDA), M-NORT (formerly M-RABB-C (MDC), moved to M-NORT in 1995), M-WELL (MDB), G-IBPE-C (GLC), G-SUMM (formerly G-IBPE-A (GLA), moved to G-SUMM in 1995) G-BASN (GLB), C-SAND-B (CBB), C-CALI (CBA), and C-GRAV (CBD). Pitfalls formerly located at MB (mixed basin slope NE of weather trailer) and C-SAND-C (CBC) have been closed. No pitfalls are directly associated with the following NPP sites: P-COLL, P-SMAL, P-TOBO (because of flooding potential), T-TAYL, or G-SUMM. The pitfall for C-SAND is located NW of the NPP site (see site map). The location of each trap is marked by a rebar bearing a numbered aluminum tag. * (old codes may still be found in data books and vial labels) B. CONSTRUCTION: The LTER pitfall traps are walled by two large vegetable cans, 6\\\\\" diameter; size 10 tomato cans (6 lbs, 3 oz, ca. 6 l/2\\\\\" high) are most common. The ends of the cans are cut out and the cans stacked so that the top of the upper can is nearly flush with the ground. Similar-sized coffee cans may be used; the funnel (see below) should fit the can with little excess space. The collection container is a slightly tapered plastic beverage cup 5 l/2\\\\\" deep with top diameter of 4 l/2\\\\\"; several small (ca. l/16\\\\\") holes are drilled in the bottom of each cup to facilitate drainage. A polypropylene funnel with top diameter of 5 l/2\\\\\" is placed in the cup to seal the trap and prevent escapes; the stem and lower funnel are cut off about 4\\\\\" below the top, making a lower hole of ca. l l/2- 1 3/4\\\\\" diameter. The cups are supported on small stones or wooden blocks to raise the top of the funnel nearer the top of the can (it should not be flush); elevation of cups is especially important in poorly drained sites. When not in use, the traps are sealed by a ceramic tile with dirt packed along sides (see procedure below). Trap numbers (l-16) originally were stamped on a small aluminum block fastened to a rebar next to each pit. Many of these blocks are now missing. More recently, sites have been numbered with aluminum tags attached to the rebar. If both the block and tag are missing, the number can be determined by counting from the northeast corner of the grid (l-4 north-south, 5-8 next line south-north, etc.). However, some sites, notably BASN, have a different numbering scheme so always check adjacent trap numbers if unsure. A SITE MAP IS INCLUDED WITH THIS PROTOCOL II. PROCEDURE: Traps are usually opened on a Friday; the tiles are excavated and propped open l to 2\\\\\" at one end using wooden blocks or stones. Be sure the tile covers the trap as completely as possible. During spring and summer, collections are made the Tuesday and Friday the week after opening and again Tuesday and Friday (close) of the next week. In fall and winter, collections on Fridays are sufficient. Take care to look under the cup; both lizards and arthropods (especially scorpions and crickets) will readily hide there. Any lizards found are carefully grasped (don't grab tail!) and subjected to the measurements detailed in section A below. Be sure to use forceps on venemous arthropods. Note special procedures for juvenile lizards. Before leaving for the field, make certain that you have the bag with measuring equipment (below) and a box with labelled cups (w/lids) for the eleven pitfall sites plus an additional unlabelled cup for each participant. The data book should be on a clipboard which has a list of lizard species codes and identification information affixed. IMPORTANT: the clipboard should also had an updated list of the identification numbers previously used in toe marking for the period prior to 1995. Equipment for processing lizards includes a metric ruler, scales, forceps, plastic bags, black sharpie markers, pencils, and a reptile field guide. The scale is a PESOLA (l00 gram) spring-type; it is expensive so should be kept out of the dirt. Equipment kept in a zippered bag either in FH 117 or 236. The following information is recorded in the Jornada LTER II Lizard Pitfall data book for each lizard: l. Pit number (see above). 2. Species code: Lizard species are recorded using a four letter code (first two letters of generic and species names). Cnemidiphorus tigris is thus CNTI, etc. 3. Sex: record an M, F, or J (juvenile) for each lizard. The field guide and clipboard information may assist in sexing, which differs in different families. 4. Rec.: If individuals have been previously marked with a black 5. sharpie marker, record an R (recapture). Record an N for unmarked adults. 6. Markings. Prior to 1995: Toe mark: For newly captured adults, toes are clipped according to the numbering system shown on each page of the data book. Note that the ventral side of the lizard is shown in the diagram. With scissors, clip the first 2 mm or so of the required toes. As lizards have only five toes, numbers 6-9 are not used in the codes. Upon reaching number \\\\\"6\\\\\" one should skip to the next availble combination (e.g. HOMA \\\\\"2046\\\\\" would skip to 2050; UTST \\\\\"56\\\\\" would skip to 100. Close attention should be given to avoid toe clipping errors. It is also imperative that accurate and updated records be kept (on provided clipboard sheet) of numbers used; be sure this sheet is brought to the field each time. Severe problems have occurred in the past with skipped and duplicated numbers. In general, JUVENILES, especially small ones, should not be toe clipped as the required handling may injure them. Put a dash across the \\\\\"toe mark\\\\\" space for small juveniles. After 1995: Each new lizard is marked with a back sharpie marker at the ventral base of the tail posterior to the cloaeca. 7. S-V: record length (in mm) from snout apex to vent for each lizard. Exercise great care in handling juveniles for any measurements. Estimates might be better for very small juveniles; the handling needed to position the lizard for measurement may be injurious. If the juvenile is not too active it can be measured in the cup. 8. Total length: record total length in mm from snout to tail tip for each lizard. 9. Weight: place lizard in plastic bag and clip bag to the scale. Keeping bag out of wind if possible, note weight in grams (subtract bag weight) and record in data book. Very small to small juveniles can be estimated at l gram. 10. Tail: record as whole (W) or broken (B). If tail is broken and regrown, record as broken and make a note at the bottom of the page. A SAMPLE LIZARD DATA BOOK PAGE IS INCLUDED WITH THIS PROTOCOL III. CLOSING PITFALLS: on the last day of collections, close the pitfalls by lowering the tiles to the ground surface and covering the pitfall as well as possible, and then packing soil or sand tightly around the edges and top of the tile. Soil on top may discourage coyotes and help assure tight closure. A shovel or trowel is useful in closing the traps. Be sure to place a stone atop the tile or it may be difficult to find the trap again. Sloppily closed pitfalls will be deathtraps for any organisms getting in, so take time to seal them. IV. GENERAL PROBLEMS l. Poor drainage (or flooding) is a problem in several areas, especially tarbush and BASN. If traps and cups are flooded, pour the cup onto a flat surface and try to recover as many organisms as possible (note in book any not kept). Using the cup, bail as much water out of the trap as possible. 2. Broken tiles: this has been a problem at the RABB sites which are open to grazing. Tiles from the LTER I transect have been used as replacements. An extra tile is usually kept with the pitfall box and a box of tiles has been kept in the annex. 3. Broken funnels: plastic funnels eventually begin to crack and must be replaced. If broken funnels are noticed make a note for immediate replacement. Some funnels are available in the FH236 lab. 4. Natural toe loss in lizards may have affected the toe marking system. If new captures had lost toes (usually only one foot will be affected), attempts were made to incorporate the digit into the marking scheme. Toe losses in marked recaptures may be told by reference to the marking lists and should be noted in the data book. 5. Escapees: large, active lizards are easily capable of escaping from one's grip and occasionally from untended traps with the tile off. Beware of lizards running up your arm as you attempt to pull them from traps- a quick grab is safer than \\\\\"slow fishing.\\\\\" If a lizard escapes, note as much information as you can about it and then write \\\\\"escaped\\\\\" across the rest of the row.

Data was entered from field data sheets using LOTUS 123 spreadsheet add-in, D.A.V.E., which is a data entry and verification program, prior to 03/16/1995. Beginning 03/16/2000, data is entered and validated from field data sheets using a QuickBasic v4.5 data entry program.

M-NORT grid installed 03/03/1995. Moved from M-RABB-C site as per Nancy Stotz. G-SUMM grid installed 06/06/1995. Moved from G-IBPE-A site as per Nancy Stotz.

PE00000006 Responsible Investigator Methods and locations. Pitfall trap grids have been installed at three creosotebush sites, three grassland sites, and three mesquite sites, and two tarbush sites. Each grid consists of 4 x 4 rows of traps at 10 meter intervals. Each pitfall trap is 40 cm deep, and lined with tin can cylinders. A polyethylene funnel is set on a container in each trap. Each trap has a ceramic tile cover which is used to close the trap during non-sampling periods. Traps were opened for two consecutive weeks every month for the period 16 June 1989 to 23 August 1991. For the period post-August 1991, traps were opened for two consecutive weeks quarterly (Feb, May, Aug, Oct). During the summer traps are checked every three days, during the winter they are checked once each week. Lizards are removed from the containers and information is recorded on data sheets. Objectives. Desertification is hypothesized to have altered the spatial and temporal availability of resources required by the biota. Results of desertification on the Jornada include changes to shrub dominated communities and major soil changes. We hypothesize that these shifts in vegetation have changed resources temporally for many of the consumers. If grassland systems respond to rainfall without significant lags, but shrub systems do not, then consumer species should reflect these differences. In addition, shifts from grassland to shrubland results in greater structural heterogeneity of the habitats. We have hypothesized that consumer populations, diversity, and densities of some consumers will be higher in grasslands than in shrublands. Diversity and/or densities are hypothesized to be related to the NPP of the sites. Data will be collected for the duration of the LTER program in order to provide data to test these hypotheses.

NSF/LTER

LTERII, LTER III

Dr. Debra P Peters

USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range P.O. Box 30003, MSC 3JER Las Cruces NM 88003-0003 US

575 646 2777 575 646 5889 debpeter@nmsu.edu http://usda-ars.nmsu.edu/peters/index.htm Lead Principal Investigator PE00000002 Information Manager Historical Perspective: The Chihuahuan Desert , similar to many arid and semiarid ecosystems of the world, has experienced dramatic changes in vegetation structure and ecosystem processes over the past several centuries. The reasons for the expansion of woody plants and decrease in perennial grasses are numerous and controversial, including livestock grazing, drought, climate change, reduction in fire frequency, and change in small animal populations. The problem is further complicated by the existence of interactions among these factors that feature positive feedbacks and that create threshold behavior and nonlinearity in ecosystem responses. A general consensus does not exist regarding the key factors that control the desertification process or the conditions that explain varying patterns of shrub invasion or grass persistence under similar conditions. It is also unclear why many attempts to remediate shrublands back to grasslands have failed whereas some methods have worked well, but with long time lags. Site History: The Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program (JRN LTER), supported by major funding from the National Science Foundation, has been investigating desertification processes since 1982. We benefit from a legacy of long-term data available from 1912 onwards, thanks to collaboration with our research partner, the Jornada Experimental Range Agricultural Research Service (JER ARS). Significant progress has been made in understanding the causes and consequences of desertification, although important problems still remain. In particular, several key questions are unresolved, including (1) can we predict spatial and temporal variation in ecosystem properties related to desertification and grass recovery? (2) how do we integrate diverse observations about vegetation, climate, soils, hydrology, and animal populations to accomplish this prediction? This integration is the focus of current LTER studies. Research Topics: desertification; ecosystem indicators and vegetation dynamics; geomorphology and wind; ecohydrology; animal interactions; factors affecting primary production; animal-induced soil disturbances; direct and indirect consumer effects; vertebrate and invertebrate population dynamics; grazing effects on ecosystem structure and function; biodiversity and ecosystem. Jornada Basin Climate and Vegetation NSF Award DEB-0080412 description. U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant DEB-0080412) Lizrdpit.dat Data file Lizrdpit.dat column 10 1 1 10 4 12 1 17 2 22 4 25 1 33 1 35 4 41 3 49 3 56 4 62 1 67 1 77 distribution.DSL2002038 coverage.DSL2002038 Date last modified: Jan 05 2007 12:00AM DATE Date data was collected (mm/dd/yy, where mm=Month, dd=Day, and yy=Year) mm/dd/yy 1 ZONE Vegetation Zone Vegetation zone Vegetation zone SITE Site Name Site name Site name PLOT Plot Identifier Plot identifier Plot identifier PIT Pitfall Trap Number Pitfall trap number Pitfall trap number SPP Species 4-letter code Species 4-letter code, see LIZRDSPP.LST file for acceptable values Species 4-letter code, see LIZRDSPP.LST file for acceptable values SEX Sex (gender) Sex (gender) Sex (gender) RCAP Recapture Recapture Recapture TOE# Toe Mark number NOTE: Toe mark number replaced by tail mark beginning 03/16/1995. NOTE: Toe mark number replaced by tail mark beginning 03/16/1995. SV-L Snout-vent length Snout-vent length Snout-vent length T-L Total Length Total length Total length WT Body weight Body weight Body weight TAIL Tail condition Tail condition Tail condition PC Problem Code Problem code, 0 = No problem; 1 = Problem, see history log: LIZRDPIT.HIS Problem code, 0 = No problem; 1 = Problem, see history log: LIZRDPIT.HIS