Section 6 Grants: Traditional Grants

Fiscal Year 2013 Request for Proposals:
Focal Species and Topics

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Plants

• Black lace Cactus (Echinocereus reichenbachii var. albertii):
• Develop and test habitat model;
• Genetic studies of black lace cactus and other closely related varieties to determine phylogeographic structure and taxonomic status;
• Land owner contact for known populations with the goal of conservation agreements or easements; and,
• Demographic monitoring of known populations to document population trends, including assessments of mortality, recruitment, and dispersal.

• Neches River rose-mallow (Hibiscus dasycalyx):
• Develop and test habitat model;
• Genetic studies to determine population structure and gene flow, specifically the amount, extent, and possible threat from hybridization with co-occurring Hibiscus species;
• Identification of effective pollinators and their habitat requirements;
• Evaluation of various management practices (prescribed fire, mowing, herbicide use, prescribed grazing) and invasive species within its habitat; and,
• Identification of insect herbivores and evaluation of the damage inflicted.

• Texas golden gladecress (Leavenworthia texana):
• Extensive, systematic surveys to include associates, for both extant and new populations;
• In order to maintain an open herbaceous glade/prairie flora, competing vegetation will need to be periodically removed for Texas golden gladecress populations to persist. Various methods (prescribed fire, controlled herbicide use, seasonal mowing, and prescribed grazing) need to be evaluated to determine which method or combination works to maintain suitable habitat for this species; and,
• Identification of hydrological requirements for management within known and potential sites.

Invertebrates

• Endemic insects of the Monahans Dune System, Texas:
• Status surveys (distribution, population trends, habitat, etc) for:
• Anomala suavis
• Epitragosoma arenari
• Nicagus occultus
• Polyphylla monahansensis
• Polyphylla pottsorum
• Prionus arenarius
• Prionus spinnipenis
• Stenopelmatus monahansensis
• Trigonoscutoides texanus
• Freshwater Mussels
• Any listed (state and/or federal) species focusing on any of first three bullets in “Broad category topics.”

Fish

• Any listed (state and/or federal) species focusing on any of first three bullets in “Broad category topics.”

Amphibians and Reptiles

• Impacts of fragmentation and habitat change:
• Texas tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri)
• Reticulate collared lizard (Crotaphytus reticulatus)
• Spot-tailed earless lizard (Holbrookia lacerata)
• Texas indigo snake (Drymarchon melanurus erebennus)
• Texas garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectens)
• Western glass lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus attenuatus)
• Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
• Central Texas salamanders (Eurycea spp.)

• Status surveys:
• Spot-tailed earless lizard (Holbrookia lacerata)
• Texas garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis annectens)
• Western hog-nosed snake (Heterodon nasicus)
• Strecker’s chorus frog in Eastern portion of Texas’ range (Pseudacris streckeri)
• Woodhouse’s toad (Anaxyrus woodhouseii)
• Alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)
• Round-tailed horned lizard (Phrynosoma modestum)

• Methods to enhance populations:
• Louisiana pine snake (Pituophis ruthveni)
• Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)

• Delineation of groundwater flow paths and biologically critical habitat (i.e. spring sheds) critical habitat designations currently being considered by USFWS:
• All listed and candidate Eurycea from Central Texas

Birds

• Lesser Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus)
• Role of Conservation Reserve Program lands as habitat (nesting, brooding, wintering) and importance of scale in a cropland mosaic
• Presence and distribution of West Nile virus across range, particularly with respect to water development projects for prescribed grazing.

• “Western” Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus):
• This Distinct Population Segment (DPS) from the western U.S., being considered for listing, is known from Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, and Presidio counties, Texas, but systematic surveys in this area of the Trans-Pecos ecoregion are lacking. If possible, searches should include Southwestern Willow Flycatcher as baseline occurrence data are virtually nonexistent, despite persistent suspicion that there may be extant populations in Texas.

• Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii)
• More information needed on wintering ecology (distribution, habitat requirements, conservation threats) in Texas.

Mammals

• All native bat species:
• White-Nose Syndrome:
• Distribution and trend information, especially related to species potentially affected;
• Coordinate a list of working group members to update and finalize a White Nose Syndrome response plan.
• Coordination with other entities (e.g., Texas Speleological Society, local grottos, Texas Cave Management Association, Bat Conservation International, others) to review occurrence data for all bat species in the Texas Natural Diversity Database and update with information relevant to natural (non-bridge) habitats (Section 6 contracts offer various levels of confidentiality).