Tropical Climates May Be Suitable for Endangered Desert Tortoise Exhibits, Rescues, Adoptions

Governmental, educational, environmental and other nonprofit organizations have placed efforts on conservation action for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). While federal and state institutions have focused on the desert tortoise in its native habitat of the southwestern United States, there are other conservation groups whose work has been dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, rescue, placement and adoption of the desert tortoise in civilian homes and neighborhoods as well as sanctuaries, reserves and exhibits. AWAKE Community (AWAKE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to natural wildlife habitats and endangered species, has focused its research on desert tortoises in captivity. The California Turtle and Tortoise Club (CTTC), the official adoption arm of California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), has provided instruction on methods of care for desert tortoises raised in captivity including housing, feeding, sexing, health and hibernation for both adults and hatchlings. AWAKE’s research has been aimed at benefiting and supplementing the guidelines provided by CTTC, specifically for coastal climates. AWAKE’s research has also aimed to provide insight to be considered for expanding adoption possibilities to other locations, specifically tropical climates, as adoption needs for desert tortoises have increased. This manuscript presents an analysis of one coastal and one tropical climate that can serve as a basis for: 1) understanding and evaluating climate in both existing and potential habitats for desert tortoise adoptions, rescues and exhibits, 2) providing insight and special instruction for desert tortoise adoptions in coastal communities, and 3) expanding awareness around desert tortoise needs in captivity.

Numerical Experiments of the Effects of Initial Desert Moisture on the Climate Change

A numerical model with the p-sigma incorporated coordinate system and primitive equations is used to simulate the effect of initial soil moisture in desert areas on the climate change. The results show that the present deserts have a tendency to expand. When the initial soil moisture in the desert regions increases,the desert areas will shrink but can not disappear. The small deserts may not remain any longer when there are sources of water vapour around. Both the land-sea contrast and the topography are the background conditions of the present desert distribution through the mechanism of the downdrafts and the rare precipitation over the desert regions. The increase of the initial desert soil moisture will weaken the summer monsoon circulation and, consequently, the monsoonal precipitation.

Influence of aerial seed banks on germination response in three desert plant species

Aims To determine if the germination response of desert plant species to a period of aerial storage in field conditions(i.e.mature seeds that remain attached to the parent plant)is comparable to seeds harvested at maturity and stored in ambient laboratory conditions,to better understand the role of aerial seed bank in the germina-tion ecology of desert plants,using one annual and two perennial species.Methods Seeds of three desert plants(Anastatica hierochuntica,Blepharis ciliaris and Scrophularia deserti)that matured in June 2014,were collected from wild plants in June and November 2014,and ger-minated under two photoperiods(0,12 hours light)and three ther-moperiods(night/day temperatures of 15/25,20/30 and 25/35°c).Important Findings Seeds of B.ciliaris and S.deserti had significantly higher germination percentages when harvested and stored for five months,compared to being stored in the aerial seed bank.Germination percentages of these two species increased with decreasing temperature and in the presence of light.These results indicate that these species use a com-bination of aerial and soil seed banks to maintain a percentage of viable seeds through favourable germination periods.Germination percentages of A.hierochuntica were high under all tested circum-stances,indicating that this species relies mainly on the aerial seed bank to maintain a percentage of viable seeds through favourable germination periods.This study shows that the population survival strategies of an aerial seed bank are species-specific.These results have practical implications for conservation and habitat restoration for these species,and also for their propagation since early collec-tion of mature fruits and ex situ storage will result in greater germi-nation percentages of some species.