Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris)

Greetings from the sunny desert of the Mojave! Our juvenile desert tortoise forage characterization project is going well!

The temperature has been steadily increasing over the last few weeks. The tortoises have been spending less time outside (more time in their burrows), which is well-timed, as the forage is beginning to senesce. As a result, I have greatly improved in my ability to identify senesced plants (and tiny desert annuals at that!), a practice also known here as “forensic botany.”  One USGS researcher observing juvenile tortoise forage behavior noted that the tortoises select certain senesced plants to eat. The forage available for the juveniles this time of year is critical information to obtain as the wind begins blowing away the senesced forage material. Even after a short desert rain we noticed many small annuals had washed away.

Allium nevadense (prior to senescing!)

We have begun weighing forage biomass samples, and as you know when working with tortoises – slow and steady wins the race!

I have also met a number of hares running around, but perhaps the tortoises accomplish more in the end?

Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) on the go!

Another neat component of the project has been collecting samples of known juvenile tortoise forage species for genotyping. We will then be able to analyze scat samples for the plants they eat. This of course means collecting scat samples! It is always exciting to encounter scat in the field, especially if it is directly related to one’s project!

A couple weeks ago we had the great opportunity to help out on another researcher’s Joshua Tree pollination project! Searching Joshua Tree flowers for their obligate pollinators, the moth species Tegeticula synthetica and T. antithetica, was a fascinating experience!

Notes about our upcoming project next time!

Amanda

Henderson, NV