Riparian corridors in the California Central Coast Region

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Summary

Riparian habitats support a large number of species when compared to other landscapes. They are often utilized by wildlife for movement, and buffered stream zones have been documented to facilitate dispersal of animals. Designating protected buffer zones around streams and rivers is an important tool toward preserving connectivity in a region, particularly in a fragmented landscape.

Location

The issue likely occurs in most watersheds to some degree, but is particularly interesting in fragmented landscapes. It is an especially important topic in the California Central Coast due to the topography and the mixed land uses in the area. The Coastal Mountain Ranges of Santa Cruz Mts. to the north, and the Santa Lucia range to the south, are separated from each other and the Gabilan range to the east by Salinas Valley. Maintaining connectivity between the those ranges is seen as an important conservation measure for wide ranging species such as mountain lions, especially for the Santa Cruz Mts. population, as it is believed the area is too small to support a viable population. Corridors connecting those ranges have been identified, but no studies have been done to prove or disprove their utility. In Salinas Valley, where most land use is agriculture, there is little cover for animals to transverse across the valley, and waterway channels and riparian habitats are likely being utilized by traveling animals.

Resource/s at stake

Primary resource at stake is biodiversity, but other benefits from buffering riparian zones exist. Streamside vegetation slows the runoff into waterways, and increases the infiltration of water by soil. Floodplain forests and riparian wetlands minimize the effects of floods by storing the flood water. Streamside vegetation stabilizes stream banks and beds, as well as traps and filters pollutants and sediments entering the waterways. Riparian vegetation also serves as a water temperature regulator by shading the stream surface.

Stakeholders

In the central coast region the stakeholders would comprise of private and public land owners whose lands border or contain riparian habitats, governmental agencies such as Fish and Wildlife service, Forest Service, National and State Parks, conservation agencies such as Nature Conservancy, and agriculture interest groups.

Laws, policies, & regulations

California Assembly Bill No. 2785 (approved by Gov. Sep 26, 2008) revises the Significant Natural Areas Program "to investigate, study, and identify those areas in the state that are most essential as wildlife corridors and habitat linkages and prioritize vegetative data development in those areas". The funds would be provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board from the moneys made available by The Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal protection Bond Act of 2006.

The Natural Community Conservation Planning (NCCP) Act of 1991 (AB 2172) provides for multi-species habitat conservation planning (MSHCP), which is recognized as an effective way to preserve the species while minimizing economic disruptions. Several MSHCP’s have been developed in California, with the cooperation of developers, federal and state agencies, and local communities. Different habitats including riparian zones and species can be protected under MSHCPs.

Systems

The issue deals with the hydrological system, and the riparian ecosystem surrounding it. Specifically it deals with aquatic and terrestrial biota. Ecological sytems on the landscape level are at stake here, as large traveling predators often greatly effect populations of other species.

Science

Hilty and Merenlender (2004) found that mammalian predators in norhtern California were 11 times more likely to be found in riparian habitats then in the upland vineyards.

Crome et al. (1994) demonstrated riparian habitats harbor more bird species then human planted windbreaks.

Harris et al. (1996) showed that buffered zones around streams facilitate movements of animals such as black bears and forest dependent birds.

Tools

Several different models are used in establishing corridors and determining connectivity. Those are least cost path modeling, individual based movement models, graph theory, spatially explicit population models, circuit theory, and network flow models.

Future research

It is difficult to conclude from the few studies on the subject whether all riparian habitats facilitate connectivity.

A MS thesis on wildlife presence/absence across different habitats/landscapes in the Salinas Valley would shed a light on the degree of connectivity local waterways provide.

A thorough monitoring program of the California Central Coast waterways would give a good understanding of which characteristics of riparian zones and surrounding landscapes facilitate connectivity. There is a growing concern about maintaining connectivity between the Santa Lucia range and the Gabilan Range across the Salinas valley. It is very likely that waterways are being utilized by wide ranging species to cross the Salinas valley, but there is no documentation to support this theory. Automatic photo-monitoring could establish frequency of use of corridors by different animals. A useful thesis would be an economic cost-feasibility study of different methods to establish connectivity, and easements or lands that might be available for such a purpose.

References

Chrome F, Isaacs J, Moore L. 1994. Modeling Florida panther movements in response to human attributes of the landscape and ecological settings. Ecological Modeling 140:51-80.

Harris LD, Hoctor T, Maehr D, Sanderson J. 1996. The role of networks and corridors in enhancing th evalue and protection of parks and equivalent areas. In national parks and protected areas, ed Wright RG, pages 173-197. Cambridge, England: Blackwell Science.

Hilty JA, Marenelender AM. 2004. Use of riparian corridors and vineyards by mammalian predators in northern California. Conservation Biology 18:126-135.

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Disclaimer

This page may contain student work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessary reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.