Recipient Organization
NAVAJO TECHNICAL COLLEGE
PO BOX 849
CROWNPOINT,NM 87313
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) is a critical component of the pinyon-juniper woodland ecosystem, the third largest vegetation type in the US. The decline of P. edulis over the past two decades due to drought and associated wildfire is having significant impacts on Native American communities who utilize P. edulis as a food, timber, cultural, and medicinal resource, and also on the pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), a highly social member of the crow family that depends on pinyon seeds for food. Pinyon jay populations have declined precipitously over the past two decades, resulting in its consideration for addition to the US Endangered Species List. We propose to assess pinyon cone production and seed viability and pinyon jay abundance on the Navajo Nation. Our project has five objectives: 1) develop Navajo expertise in climate change impacts on wildlife, 2) to assess cone production and seed viability across the Navajo Nation and to relate variation in cone production to other plant traits including short-term and long term-growth, beneficial fungal associations and degree of herbivore and pathogen damage; 3) To scale up local measurements to the region and link them to climate data including monsoon rain activity over the last five years using weather station data, modelled climate data, and NEXRAD precipitation estimation; 4) to monitor cones and pinyon jay populations across the Navajo Nation using the methods adopted by the Audubon Southwest Audubon and Great Basin Bird Observatory and 5) increase tribal member engagement in environmental data collection. Students at NTU will benefit from these activities by learning a range of new techniques (tree ring analysis, cone and pinyon jay assessments, use of NEXRAD radar) while also engaging in a broader citizen science program with the Southwest Audubon where they have the opportunity to engage their local communities.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
30%
Applied
50%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
Our project has five broad goals: 1) develop Navajo expertise in climate change impacts on wildlife, 2) to assess cone production across the Navajo Nation and to relate variation in cone production to other plant traits including growth form, growth rate, beneficial fungal associations and degree of herbivore damage; 3) To scale up local measurements to the region and link them to climate data including monsoon rain activity using weather station data, modelled climate data, and NEXRAD precipitation estimation; 4) to monitor cones and pinyon jay populations on the Navajo Nation using the methods adopted by the Audubon Southwest and Great Basin Bird Observatory and 5) increase tribal member engagement in environmental data collection and community science.
Project Methods
Hypotheses and field sampling design:For the time series analysis (Science Objective 1) we have data starting 1992 across 12 sites surrounding Flagstaff, AZ. Originally each site monitored a minimum of 60 tree. We have extensive trait data for these trees including size, architecture, growth rate, and cone production. We will extend data collection at these sites by updating the cone time series by counting cone scars up to the present on 10 trees per site. For the same ten trees we will add assessment of mycorrhizal colonization by Geopora. Hypothesis 1: Drought conditions must say below moderate threshold for the entire time course of development of cones to obtain a moderate or large cone crop. Hypothesis 2: Trees must be above a size threshold to produce a moderate cone crop. Hypothesis 3: Shorter, wider trees with more Geopora will produce fewer cones in very wet periods and more cones in moderate drought conditions.For the landscape analysis (Science Objectives 2 and 3) we will sample 50 sites across the Navajo Nation. At each site we will assess size, architecture, growth, cones, and mycorrhizal colonization. Validation of the landscape analysis predictions will be done by checking against the independent data set of community science data. Hypothesis 4: Sites with lower levels of drought stress due to higher precipitation or soils with better water holding capacity will have more consistent cone production.For the pinyon jay-cone model (Science Objective 4) we will use the community science data. Hypothesis 5: Greater average cone crops will correspond with larger pinyon jay populations. Hypothesis 6: Consistency of cone crops will be more important in maintaining pinyon jay populations than average of peak production.Method specifications:Pinyon traits: Tree architecture (basal trunk diameter, two canopy width measures, and tree height), growth (annual stem elongation of 10 shoots) have already been measured for the long-term study trees. We assess these traits on three trees at each of the 50 Navajo Nation landscape study sites.Cone crop assessment: We will use three methods for cone crop assessment. 1) Whenever we can be a site during cone maturation, we will conduct cone counts with tally counters. Each tree is counted by two individual researchers and the numbers are averaged to estimate cone. This method has been used for the long-term data collection (ref). 2) For the long-term time series analysis and for the Navajo Nation 50-site survey we will also apply the cone scar method. This method requires collecting a sample of branches from each study tree. The branches are returned to the laboratory where hey are examined under a dissecting scope to count the scars left when a cone falls off the tree. This method has been shown to yield predictive estimates of cone production using data from our long-term study site (Redmond et al 2016). 3) Community science data collection will follow the GBBO community science methods (GBBO: Pinyon Pine Cone Availability Assessment Protocol 2020) which involves the designation of an area, cone estimation for individual trees, and then estimating the average per tree cone crop. We will ensure that calibration among methods is achieved by doing all three measurement types for a minimum of 20 of the landscape survey sites.Mycorrhizal fungi: We propose to collect root samples from the three trees at each of the 50 sites selected for sampling on the Navajo Nation and from trees at the 12 sites with long-term cone data . We will collect a small root sample from the north side of each tree as in Gehring et al. (2020). Samples will be stored on ice until their return to NTU and NAU laboratories. NTU students will learn how to distinguish roots colonized by ectomycorrhizal fungi from those that are not, and also to distinguish Geopora ectomycorrhizas from other taxa by their size, color, mantle texture and the characteristics of their emanating hyphae. At least 100 root tips will be scored per tree using a dissecting microscope. Data on ectomycorrhizal abundance (measured as % colonization) and Geopora abundance (measured as % Geopora of living mycorrhizas) will then be related to other tree traits, including cone production as described in Figure X. A subset of ectomycorrhizas from each site will be analyzed using DNA sequencing with the Sanger method, as described in Gehring et al. (2020) to verify identification.Pinyon jay monitoring: Pinyon jay monitoring allows registered users to record presence or absence of pinyon jays (https://pinyon-jay-community-science-gbbo.hub.arcgis.com/pages/surveys ). "Absence" requires at least 10 minutes spent stationary and observing in one location. Location, date, time, and the number of birds observed are also recorded. There are several options also for describing the activities of the observed birds.Community Science: We will use the community science framework set up by Southwest Audubon and the Great Basin Bird Observatory. These entities already host a website with the methods and an online data entry portal. We will have NTU students lead outreach efforts to schools and chapter houses to engage and train community participants. We will also tie in the the outreach activities run by NNDGF and assist them in recruiting additional community science participants. We will work with all partners to facilitate participation by those limited by devices or data connections.