The Nature Conservancy - Conservation by Design Research Program

2008
Research Needs Identified within Conservation Area
Plans and regional staff (For the CBD Grants Program)

Chihuahuan Desert: Davis Mountains Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Survey and status of fishes in perennial Davis Mountains streams
Inventory	Survey for unique and rare montane, subalpine high elevation plants
Botanical Research	Viability of relict aspen stands ( Populus tremuloides ) in the Davis Mountains
	Causes and consequences of shifting montane grassland community composition to expanding Pinyon–Juniper-Oak (evergreen woodland) communities in the Davis Mountains
Zoological Research	Western pine beetles ( Dendroctonus brevicomus ) in the Davis Mountains : a threat to ponderosa pine communities?
	Effect of aoudads ( Ammotragus lervia ) on native ungulate populations in the Davis Mountains
	Distribution, abundance, and viability of Western burrowing owls ( Athene cunicularia hypugea ) in the Davis Mountains
	Mountain lion ( Felis concolor ) movement, distribution, and population dynamics and size in the Davis Mountains
	Distribution and habitat use by grassland birds in the Davis Mountains
Zoological Research	Validation of GIS-based habitat models for Mexican Spotted Owls in the Davis Mountains
Zoological Research	Establishing a systematic breeding bird inventory in the Davis Mountains evergreen communities
Other Research	Hydrology of the Davis Mountains (recharge, discharge, contributing aquifers)
	Climate change in the Davis Mountains and its effect on key habitats and species
	Air pollution in the Davis Mountains and its effect on key habitats and species
	Changes in flood behavior in streams of the Davis Mountains and its effect on riparian communities

Chihuahuan Desert: Independence Creek Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Inventory upland areas for baseline species composition and identification of rare plants
Botanical Research	Recruitment, size and distribution of live oak mottes along Independence Creek and the Lower Pecos corridor
Zoological Research	Composition and ecology of Independence Creek native fish community
Zoological Research	Distribution and abundance of Black-capped Vireos and their nesting habitat along the Lower Pecos corridor
Inventory	Inventory upland areas for baseline species composition and identification of rare plants
Botanical Research	Recruitment cycles in live oak mottes along Independence Creek
Zoological Research	Use of Independence Creek by native fishes and mollusks

Chihuahuan Desert : Diamond Y Spring Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Zoological Research	Conservation genetics and habitat augmentation for the Leon Springs Pupfish
Zoological Research	Impacts of the exotic Melanoides snail on the rare native snails
Ecological Research	Application and conservation efficacy of managed fire in restoring cienega sacaton grasslands

Crosstimbers and Southern Tallgrass Prairie: Clymer Meadow Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Insect inventory (leafhoppers and lepidoptera already done)
Botanical Research	Tallgrass prairie revegetation and restoration: methods
	Expected yields and costs of native tallgrass prairie hay production
	Seasonal bison grazing effects in Blackland Prairie systems
	Prescribed fire effects in Blackland Prairie systems
Other Research	Changes in producer attitudes and practices resulting from programs promoting native grass-based agriculture

Crosstimbers and Southern Tallgrass Prairie: Lennox Woods Preserve

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Hydrology of Lennox Woods
	Botanical inventory of South Pecan Bayou

Edwards Plateau: Bandera Canyonlands and Love Creek Preserve

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Inventory of area streams (especially Love, Elam, Duncan, Carpenter, Jackson, Clark, and Mill Creeks, and headwaters of Sabinal River) to catalogue, identify aquatic species present and assess population viability.
Botanical Research	Population dynamics of Ancistrocactus tobuschii
Other Research	Functional attributes of streams in Bandera Canyonlands, and comparison of intact and altered watersheds over time.
	Long-term effect of juniper and brush removal on ecosystem function and wildlife habitat.

Edwards Plateau: Blanco River Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Other Research	Hydrological function and capacity within the Blanco River watershed
	Costs and benefits of various sustainable, low-impact residential development scenarios.
Ecological processes	A Riparian zone condition assessment of the Blanco River mainstem and major tributaries

Edwards Plateau: Devils River Conservation Area (w/ Dolan Falls Preserve)

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Aquatic communities in the Devils River Conservation Area
Botanical Research	Limiting factors for recruitment of Texas snowbells ( Styrax plantanifolius ssp. texanus )
Zoological Research	Female fecundity in black-capped vireos ( Vireo atricapilla ) in the Devils River Conservation Area
	Causes of parasitism of black-capped vireo nests
	Habitat characterization for black-capped vireos in the Devils River conservation area
Other Research	Hydrological function and capacity within the Devils River basin

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes: Columbia Bottomlands (a.k.a. Austin's Woods)

Category	Project Description
Botanical Research	Carbon sequestration potential
	Ecological characterization of the Nash Prairie and other grassland types in the region
Zoological Research	Identification and prioritization of areas most used by neotropical migrants within Columbia Bottomlands
	Long-term trends in neotropical migrant use, and relationship to trends seen rangewide
	Aquatic fauna: community composition and viability

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes: Laguna Madre Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Inventory of mammals in the Coastal Sandplain
	Inventory of birds in the Coastal Sandplain
	Inventory of reptiles, amphibians in the Coastal Sandplain
	Inventory of plant communities in the Coastal Sandplain
Zoological Research	Population dynamics of wintering waterfowl in Laguna Madre and coastal depressional wetlands
	Numbers, species, population levels of wintering grassland birds
	Impact of mariculture effluent on laguna systems
	Status, distribution, variability of freshwater potholes in the Laguna Madre area

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes: Mad Island Marsh Conservation Area (w/ MIM Preserve)

Category	Project Description
Zoological Research	Trends in oyster populations in Matagorda Bay
Other Research	Freshwater inflow dynamics in Matagorda Bay

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes: Mustang Island Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Botanical Research	Plant community changes in and near urban development on Mustang Island
Zoological Research	Avian use of Mustang Island's freshwater and brackish wetlands
Other Research	Ecologically compatible beach maintenance techniques
	Distribution and coverage of plant communities on Mustang Island

Coastal Prairie: Refugio-Goliad Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Botanical Research	Community dynamics in coastal prairie in relation to flooding/drought
	Ecology of coastal prairie endemics
	Ecology of invasive grasses
	Control techniques for invasive grasses
	Prairie restoration and re-vegetation methods
Zoological Research	Grassland bird dynamics in relation to fire and grazing (both wintering and breeding communities)
	Evaluating the success of reintroduced Attwater's Prairie Chicken
	Habitat overlap between Northern bobwhite and Attwater's prairie chicken
	Effects of fencing on reintroduced Attwater's prairie chicken
Other Research	Land use change on the Refugio-Goliad Prairie
	Climate change in the coastal zone and its effect on key habitats and species
	Economics of wildlife-based agriculture

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes: Texas City Prairie Preserve

Category	Project Description
Botanical Research	Coastal prairie restoration methods
	Control of invasive plants to facilitate coastal prairie restoration
Zoological Research	Limiting factors in survival and nest success among Attwater's prairie chickens
	Causes of release success/failure in Attwater's prairie chickens

Gulf Coast Priaries and Marshes: West Galveston Bay Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Botanical Research	Role of seagrasses and marshes as nursery grounds for key commercial species in West Galveston Bay

Tamaulipan Thornscrub: Boscaje de la Palma Conservation Area (w/ Southmost Preserve)

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Community composition in resacas
	Occurrence and distribution of exotic plant species at Southmost Preserve
Botanical Research	Plant species composition in undisturbed sabal palm communities
	Methods for native brush restoration

West Gulf Coastal Plain: Big Thicket/ Sandylands Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Location, abundance, composition of aquatic communities in Mill Creek, Cypress Creek, Walton's Branch and Village Creek
	Status of rare fish and invertebrate populations in Village Creek
	Surveys for Bartonia texana and Bartonia verna
	Baseline vertebrate and invertebrate surveys for Big Thicket Bogs & Pinelands, Little Rocky, Timber Lake ,and Wier Woods Preserves.
Zoological Research	Feasibility of red-cockaded woodpecker re-introductions in the conservation area
	Locate and characterize bat roost sites including rare bats (Myotis austroriparius) and (Plecotus rafinesquii) on Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Preserve and Temple-Inland Conservation Easement lands
	Breeding bird census , Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Preserve
	Browse survey-white-tailed deer, Roy E. Larsen Sandyland Preserve
Other Research	Costs and benefits of longleaf pine restoration
	Assessment of ephemeral ponds and stream systems
	Fuel loading assessment –all preserves

West Gulf Coastal Plain: Longleaf Ridge Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Inventory	Presence, population status, and distribution of endemic aquatic invertebrates and fishes in Longleaf Ridge
	Aquatic assessment of Little Rock and Rock Creeks, Little Rocky Nature Preserve, Jasper County
Other Research	Analysis of real and perceived socioeconomic impacts of conservation efforts on local communities, and vice versa

West Gulf Coastal Plain: San Augustine Glades Conservation Area

Category	Project Description
Botanical Research	Soil requirements of white bladderpod and golden gladecress