RESPONSES OF MULE DEER TO EXPERIMENTAL MANIPULATION OF WATER IN MOJAVE PRESERVE

• Sponsoring Institution: State Agricultural Experiment Station
• Project Status: TERMINATED
• Funding Source: STATE
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0213958
• Project No.: NEV052SN
• Project Start Date: Jan 1, 2008
• Project End Date: Dec 31, 2013

Project Director
STEWART, KE, M.

Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA
(N/A)
RENO,NV 89557

Performing Department
Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences

Non Technical Summary
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) occupy a variety of habitats throughout western North America and require relatively large areas to assure persistence of viable populations, especially in the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Mojave, and Great Basin deserts. Mule deer are dependent upon resources, including water and forage, adequate to meet the demands of growth, reproduction, and lactation. Resources that often are assessed to determine the distribution of desert mule deer are availability of forage, nutritional quality of forage, cover, mating sites, natal sites, and availability of water. In arid regions, mule deer are dependent on free water, and often are located close to sources of water, particularly during dry seasons. Indeed, physiological demands may dictate that during times of water scarcity, ungulates remain close to water rather than ranging widely to forage. Mule deer in the Sonoran Desert tended to remain close to sources of water during the hot-dry season when water was most scarce, a common occurrence in the southwestern United States. Moreover, water developments in Arizona received heavy use by desert mule deer, primarily during hot summer months. Thus, distribution, abundance, and seasonal availability of water affect the distribution of mule deer across the landscape. The longer that water sources remain available the more use they receive by mule deer and other species of wildlife.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
111	3899	1070	100%

Knowledge Area
111 - Conservation and Efficient Use of Water;

Subject Of Investigation
3899 - Other animals, general;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;

Keywords

water source manipulation

mule deer

mojave national preserve

arid ecosystems

Goals / Objectives
The purpose of this investigation is to assess responses of mule deer inhabiting the eastern Mojave Desert to the provision of water at locations where it had been, but is no longer available. Secondarily, we address interactions between mule deer and vegetation as influenced by availability of surface water. This project will test 4 hypotheses. H1: Provision of permanent, year around water will be beneficial to mule deer populations. H2: Provision of water at historic wells will not be detrimental to habitat for other wildlife species. H3: Availability and quality of forage for mule deer and other species will be greatest in areas around developed water, seeps, and springs than away from sources of water or water catchments that are not functional. H4: Mule deer will actively select for areas near permanent sources of water and home range size of mule deer will be smaller in areas with permanently available water.

Project Methods
Assessment of hypothesis 1 will entail capturing 30 female and 10 male mule deer in the area which has permanent water available including developed springs and wells reinstated by NPS and 30 female and 10 male mule deer in areas without permanent, developed water sources. Capture effort will be concentrated on female mule deer, and males will be equipped with radio collars opportunistically. Individuals will be captured either using net guns from a helicopter or clover traps placed near water sources. All individuals will be eartagged to obtain individual marks, fitted with a small standard VHF transmitter, and a subsample of individual females will be equipped with additional GPS radio collars to record their locations up to 7 times/day. VHF collars on animals equipped with GPS collars will remain on the individual after the GPS collar drops off of the animal. For hypothesis 2,we will monitor vegetation to assess potential impacts of increased wildlife use areas near permanent water (developed springs and wells). Shrub cover will be estimated for each transect using the line intercept method, annually. Treatment and control sites will be compared using a repeated measures design, with specific locations treated as random effects. Differences between treatment and control sites for shrub cover will be interpreted as evidence for an impact on shrub habitat. For hypothesis 3,we will sample biomass of forbs and shrubs 2 times per year (spring-wet and summer-dry season) at locations of treatment sites (permanent water) and control (wells not reinstated) and random sites located a minimum distance of 250 m from known site.Treatment and random sites will be compared using a repeated measures design, with specific locations treated as random effects. Differences between treatment and control sites in trend for shrub cover will be interpreted as evidence for an impact on shrub habitat. For hypothesis 4, we will use locations in combination with a GIS database maintained by the National Park Service. We will obtain random locations in each of the study areas and compare variables such as vegetation type, slope, aspect, elevation, distance to permanent water, distance to developed and undeveloped springs, in locations randomly selected from the GIS database to locations obtained from mule deer in each study area. Random locations will be used to characterize availability of habitats and locations of mule deer will characterize those used by mule deer.

Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/13

Outputs
OUTPUTS: For additional information, please contact Kelley Stewart at 775-784-4314 or [e-mail] PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
For additional information, please contact Kelley Stewart at 775-784-4314 or [e-mail]

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: This study is designed to investigate the effects of provision of water to the population in Mojave National Preserve. We are examining the effects of permanent sources of water on survival and productivity of mule deer. We are comparing areas with permanently available water to those where permanent sources of water are not available. We captured 15 mule deer this year and equipped them with GPS radio collars. We captured deer in March and applied GPS radio collars. We collected vegetation data in the field and located females to determine if they had young at heel. We analyzed 2 years worth of data to compare survival among our study areas. We began to disseminate information by presenting at poster presentation at the Annual Wildlife Society poster session and a oral presentation at the Nevada Chapter of the Wildlife Society Meeting. We also preseted an update on the project to the Safari Club International and California Deer Association. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Kelley Stewart is the principal investigator on the project and Dr. Jim Sedinger is a co-investigator. Cody McKee is the Master's level graduate student on the project and has spent the last 3 summers in Mojave Preserve collecting vegetation and observation data on mule deer. Dr. Becky Pierce and Dr. Vern Bleich are investigators and Dr. Ben Gonzales is the veternarian and serve as liason's with California Department of Fish and Game. Dr. Debra Hughson and Neal Darby of National Park Service serve as liasons with NPS. Several undergraduate technicians have worked on the project. During 2010, Joe Zwiefel, was the summer technician that aided in data collection in the field. TARGET AUDIENCES: TARGET AUDIENCES: Water developments are used throughout the west as a management strategy for aiding populations of willdife. Information obtained from this project will be provided to management agencies and biologists, and general public interested in wildlife conservation in arid environments. In addition this project will provide information to range managers and producers that use provision of water to aid wildlife populations or provision livestock on rangelands throughout the west. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
We analyzed data for survival and determined that our control area 'Cima dome' had higher survival than the other 2 study areas, where we turned water on (midhills) or where water was not provided (New York Mountains). Although survival was high overall in all study areas survival was > 85%. We also determined that deer in the water provided treatments had smaller home ranges and movements than deer in the water limited or Cima area treatments.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: This study is designed to investigate the effects of provision of water to the population in Mojave National Preserve. We are examining the effects of permanent sources of water on survival and productivity of mule deer. We are comparing areas with permanently available water to those where permanent sources of water are not available. We captured 15 mule deer this year and equipped them with GPS radio collars. In general we capture deer in January during cold times of the year and we collect data on pregnancy and body condition, in addition to application of radio collars. This year, because of a helicopter accident in January which claimed the lives of 3 biologists we were unable to capture deer until late April. Because of the nearness to partuirition we did not collect data on body condition or pregnancy, we simply applied radio collars and released the animals. We did not want the stress of capture to affect reproductive status of those animals. We did collect movement data on those animals. We collected vegetation data in the field and located females to determine if they had young at heel. We analyzed 2 years worth of data to compare survival among our study areas. We began to disseminate information by presenting at poster presentation at the Annual Wildlife Society meeting in the 'work in progress' poster session. The student won the best poster award for that session. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Kelley Stewart is the principal investigator on the project and Dr. Jim Sedinger is a co-investigator. Cody McKee is the Master's level graduate student on the project and has spent the last 2 summers in Mojave Preserve collecting vegetation and observation data on mule deer. Dr. Becky Pierce and Dr. Vern Bleich are investigators and serve as liason's with California Department of Fish and Game. Dr. Debra Hughson and Neal Darby of National Park Service serve as liasons with NPS. Several undergraduate technicians have worked on the project. During 2010, Ian Knight and Jow Zwiefel, were the summer technicians that aided in data collection in the field. TARGET AUDIENCES: Water developments are used throughout the west as a management strategy for aiding populations of willdife. Information obtained from this project will be provided to management agencies and biologists. In addition this project will provide information to range managers and producers that use provision of water to aid wildlife populations or provision livestock on rangelands throughout the west. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
We analyzed data for survival and determined that our control area 'Cima dome' had higher survival than the other 2 study areas, where we turned water on (midhills) or where water was not provided (New York Mountains). Although survival was high overall in all study areas survival was > 85%. We are in the process of analyzing data on physical condition and productivity, and we suspect that the effects of provision of water will have a stronger effect on physical condition and reproduction in these mule deer.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: This year we continue our study of the effects of permanently available water on demographics of mule deer in Mojave Preserve. We captured and attached GPS radio collars to 27 female mule deer during January 2009. Those radio collars were distributed among 3 study areas, control (9 collars), water provided where wells were activated (10 collars), and no artificial water sources available (7 collars). Those deer were equipped with GPS store-on-board radio transmitters that also contained a separate VHF signal for location of individual mule deer. Data were collected on body condition, pregnancy and fetal rates of those adult female mule deer that we captured. Movements of those mule deer were monitored throughout the year and we have just begun to obtain the data from GPS collars. Twelve collars dropped off deer during November 2009, the remainder of the collars are scheduled to drop during February 2009. Data analysis of movements of mule deer will begin when all collars have been retrieved. In addition, a graduate student was hired on the project during January 2009 that student and 3 technicians were in Mojave Preserve collecting data on vegetation characteristics at water sites and random sites for comparison and to document habitat selection by mule deer. The student and technicians also located each female with a radio collar to determine if she had produced a fawn and if it survived > 2 weeks post parturition. They also collected pellets of mule deer to determine dietary quality and selection by mule deer in Mojave National Preserve. PARTICIPANTS: This project is a collaborative effort between Kelley M. Stewart and James S. Sedinger from Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science at University of Nevada Reno with Safari Club International, California Department of Fisha and Game, and National Park Service. Vernon C. Bleich, adjunct faculty in NRES at UNR, has been working on this project as well as Debra Hughson and Neal Darby from the National Park Service. Matt Eckert from Safari Club International also is collaborating on this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: This project resulted from an Environmental Assessment for a science-based research project to determine if providing water for mule deer and other wildlife is an appropriate management action on Mojave National Preserve. The National Park Service was interested in the effect of provision of permanently available water on population demographics of mule deer in Mojave National Preserve and if this management action should occur. Our research is designed to address this question. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
2008 was a pretreatment year on this project. The water sites were activated during September and October 2008. We have just begun to analyze data collected during the 2009 field season. No outcomes have been reported yet.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: This year we began our study of the effects of permanently available water on demographics of mule deer in Mojave Preserve. We captured and attached radio collars to 18 mule deer during January 2008. Those deer were equipped with either GPS store-on-board radio transmitters or standard VHF transmitters. Data were collected on body condition, pregnancy and fetal rates of those adult female mule deer that we captured. Movements of those mule deer were monitored throughout the year and we have just begun to obtain the data from GPS collars. No analyses have been run at this time. In addition, 6 sources of water were activated in the park in our experimental treatment that provides permanently available water for mule deer and other wildlife; those water sources were livestock watering tanks that had been decommissioned with the retirement of grazing allotments in Mojave National Preserve. I gave several presentations about the project. I gave a presentation at the National Safari Club International convention about the project goals and methods. I also presented information to several other conservation organizations including board meeting of Nevada Bighorns Unlimited, Fraternity of the Desert Bighorn, Mule Deer Foundation Nevada Chapter, and the Nevada Chapter of Safari Club International. PARTICIPANTS: This project is a collaborative effort between Kelley M. Stewart and James S. Sedinger from Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science at University of Nevada Reno with Safari Club International and National Park Service. Vernon C. Bleich, adjunct faculty in NRES at UNR, has been working on this project as well as Debra Hughson and Neal Darby from the National Park Service. Matt Eckert and Anna Seidman from Safari Club International also are collaborating on this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: This project resulted from an Environmental Assessment for a science-based research project to determine if providing water for mule deer and other wildlife is an appropriate management action on Mojave National Preserve. The National Park Service was interested in the effect of provision of permanently available water on population demographics of mule deer in Mojave National Preserve and if this management action should occur. Our research is designed to address this question. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
This project is in the beginning stages, no data has been analyzed and we have not yet begun to report findings.

Publications

• No publications reported this period