The landscape impact of unmaintained rangeland water control structures in southern Arizona, USA

Nichols, Mary; Degginger, T.

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2021.105201

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…A similar effect has been observed with berms; across four sites in Arizona, degraded berms were associated with the development of concentrated flow pathways (Nichols et al., 2021). Previous work suggests that almost half of lateral channel berms may be breached (Nichols & Degginger, 2021), so an important part of mapping berm locations is noting their state of repair. The results of this study indicate that berms in poor repair may be detected differently by persistence from those in good repair.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Automated Earthwork Detection Using Topological Persistence

Lapides,

Grindstaff,

Nichols

2024

Water Resources Research

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For thousands of years, humans have altered the movement of water through construction of earthworks. These earthworks remain in landscapes, where they continue to alter hydrology, even where structures have long since been abandoned. Management of lands containing earthworks requires an understanding of how the earthworks impact hydrology and knowledge of where the structures are located in the landscape. Various methods for detecting topographic features exist in the literature, including a set of rule and threshold‐based techniques and machine learning methods. These tools are either labor‐intensive or require special pre‐processing or a priori assumptions about structures that limit generalizability. Here, we test a topological analysis tool called “persistence” to determine if it is useful for earthwork detection in rangelands. We found that persistence can be used to detect earthworks with 83% precision and 64% accuracy. Breached berms and berms with significant upslope sedimentation are most likely not to be detected using persistence. These results indicate that persistence can be useful for terrain analysis, and it has the potential to substantially reduce manual effort in feature detection by identifying regions where berms may be found.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Automated Earthwork Detection Using Topological Persistence

Lapides,

Grindstaff,

Nichols

2024

Water Resources Research

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“…Usually, tanks are constructed using a bulldozer that scoops a shallow basin in the path of seasonal runoff water with an earthen dam created downslope. As water flows downslope, it collects in these earthen basins until reaching an average water depth of 1–1.5 m (Nichols & Degginger, 2021 ). Average nearest neighbor distance among all stock tanks in the valley is 760 ± 877 m. We focused our study at three stock tanks that typically have some water during all seasons (perennial tanks) in the San Rafael Valley with a history of relatively high presence of terrestrial morphs of Sonoran tiger salamander (>2%), Dan Tank, Upper 13 Reservoir, and Huachuca Tank (Collins et al., 1988 ) (Figure 1 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Areas whose streams prior to 1880 coursed unimpeded across alluvial fills in shallow, braided channels, often through lush marshes, have been reduced in size, artificially maintained, or variously modified with stabilization of flow by upstream dams, channelization, and desiccation by diversion and pumpage (Hendrickson & Minckley, 1985 ). This has resulted in a great reduction of natural stream communities in the desert of the Southwest (Hendrickson & Minckley, 1985 ) and has led to the construction in the landscape of earthen impoundments (hereafter, stock tanks) for water supply in locations that altered water distribution to align the distribution of free‐ranging livestock and forage (Nichols & Degginger, 2021 ). With the continuing disappearance of the natural stream communities, stock tanks have now become important for biodiversity of arid regions by providing additional aquatic habitat and stepping stones for connectivity (Brainwood & Burgin, 2009 ), despite often poor water quality (McIntyre et al., 2016 ; Schmutzer et al., 2008 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The high cost of movement in an arid working landscape for an endangered amphibian

Brocka,

Mazzamuto,

Koprowski

2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Connectivity is essential for the maintenance of genetic diversity and stability of wildlife populations. Drought and changing precipitation regimes have caused natural aquatic amphibian breeding habitats to disappear or become isolated and have led to the replacement of natural surface water with artificial livestock water tanks. Terrestrial movement is the only means of responding to aquatic threats in arid landscapes and to allow population connectivity. Aridity may present an impenetrable barrier in hydrologically fragmented environments. We used a facultatively paedomorphic and federally endangered salamander to assess the challenges of movement across arid working lands. Sonoran tiger salamanders (Ambystoma mavortium stebbinsi) are endemic to the San Rafael Valley of southeastern Arizona, United States of America, where they depend on livestock water tanks as breeding habitat. The ecology of this species' metamorphs outside of stock tanks is virtually unknown. To assess survival on the landscape during terrestrial movement we used radio‐transmitters to track 78 adult metamorphosed salamanders over 2 years. Sonoran tiger salamanders moved up to 1 km from the tank edge, and average distances moved of over 400 m were higher than most Ambystoma species. However, during the study period, none reached neighboring stock tanks. We found high mortality due to predation and desiccation. Individuals that dispersed to terrestrial habitat in summer survived longer than individuals that dispersed in spring. High mortality suggests terrestrial movement is exceptionally risky and may contribute to isolated subpopulations and elevated levels of inbreeding. Conservation actions that improve and maintain artificial aquatic habitats as well as increase connectivity may improve long‐term management for pond‐breeding amphibians in arid regions.

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South American Dry Chaco rangelands: Positive effects of cattle trampling and transit on ecohydrological functioning

Magliano

Breshears

Murray

et al. 2023

Ecological Applications

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Livestock production in drylands requires consideration of the ecological applications of ecohydrological redistribution of water. Intensive cattle trampling and the associated increase of surface runoff are common concerns for rangeland productivity and sustainability. Here, we highlight a regional livestock production system in which cattle trails and trampling surrounding an artificial impoundment are purposely managed to enhance redistribution and availability of water for cattle drinking. Based on literature synthesis and field measurements, we first describe cattle production systems and surface water redistribution in the Dry Chaco rangelands of South America, and then develop a conceptual framework to synthesize the ecohydrological impacts of livestock production on these ecosystems. Critical to this framework is the pioshere-a degraded overgrazed and overtrampled area where vegetation has difficulties growing, usually close to the water points. The Dry Chaco rangelands have three key distinctive characteristics associated with the flat sedimentary environment lacking fresh groundwater and the very extensive ranching conditions: (1) cattle drinking water is provided by artificial impoundments filled by runoff, (2) heavy trampling around the impoundment and its adjacent areas generates a piosphere that favors runoff toward the impoundment, and (3) the impoundment, piosphere, and extensive forage areas are hydrologically connected with a network of cattle trails. We propose an ecohydrological framework where cattle transit and trampling alter the natural water circulation of these ecosystems, affecting small fractions of the landscape through increased runoff (compaction in piosphere and trails), surface connectivity (convergence of trails to piosphere to impoundment), and ponding (compaction of the impoundment floor) that operate together making water harvesting and storage possible. These effects have likely generated a positive water feedback on the expansion of livestock in the region with a relatively low impact on forage production. We highlight the role of livestock transit as a geomorphological agent capable of reshaping the hydrology of flat sedimentary rangelands in ways that can be managed positively for sustainable ranching systems. We suggest that the Dry Chaco offers an alternative

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The landscape impact of unmaintained rangeland water control structures in southern Arizona, USA

Cited by 5 publications

References 30 publications

Automated Earthwork Detection Using Topological Persistence

Automated Earthwork Detection Using Topological Persistence

The high cost of movement in an arid working landscape for an endangered amphibian

South American Dry Chaco rangelands: Positive effects of cattle trampling and transit on ecohydrological functioning

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