Research & Recovery in Vernal Pool Landscapes Research & Recovery in Vernal Pool Landscapes. Edited by. D G. Alexander , R A. Schlising . 2011. Studies From The Herbarium, No. 16. California State University. Chico, CA. 175 pp. ISBN: 978-0-9761774-3-2. Pr

2012·1.5 MB·English

by  C Matt Guilliams

Madrono, Vol. 59, No. 3, pp. 164-165, 2012
REVIEWS
Research & Recovery in Vernal Pool Landscapes. (Limnanthesfloccosa ssp. californica) by Sloop; a
Edited by D. G. Alexander and R. A. Schlising. far-reaching study of the ecology and evolution
2011. Studies From The Herbarium, No. 16. of vernal pool Lasthenia species by Emery et al.;
California State University. Chico, CA. 175 pp. and an ecological study by Leong examining the
ISBN 978-0-9761774-3-2. Price: $12.00, paper- relationship between a vernal pool endemic plant
back. species (Blennosperma bakeri) and its pollinators
in naturally occurring and created vernal pools.
The Animals section comprises three research
Vernal pools are seasonally ephemeral wet- articles: the first is a methodologically innovative
land ecosystems, generally of regions with a study of the migration distance of terrestrial-
Mediterranean climate. Vernal pool basins be- phase California tiger salamanders (Anibystoma
come inundated during the winter, support a californiense) by Searcy and Shaffer; the second is
colorful procession of highly specialized plants a contribution by Bogiatto et al. quantifying the
and animals through the spring, and then become usage of inundated vernal pools by geese and
completely dry by summer. These charismatic swans; and the third is an editors' summary ofthe
ecosystems have intrigued scientists from a varie- presentation given by Rogers on macroinverte-
ty of disciplines: evolutionary biology, ecology, brate bioassessment.
genetics, taxonomy, geology, hydrology, and (in- The Vernal Pools Geography and Soils sec-
creasingly) conservation biology. This broad tion is composed of two papers. The first is a
spectrum of workers has produced a large and continuation of the important work of Holland
diverse body of literature pertaining to vernal to document the distribution and areal extent of
pools, much of which has been first presented vernal pool landscapes in the Central Valley. In
to the scientific community in a series of vernal this Herculean study, Holland prepared maps of
pool symposia and subsequent proceedings (Jain vernal pool landscapes by manually photointer-
1976b; Jain and Moyle 1984; Ikeda and Schlising preting high-resolution (1-m) National Agricul-
1990; Witham et al. 1998; Schlising and Alexander tural Imaging Program (NAIP) imagery in a
2007). In the introduction to the proceedings from Geographic Information System (GIS). Using the
the first vernal pool symposium at the University resulting GIS layer, Holland calculated vernal
of California at Davis, editor Subodh Jain ac- pool extent as of 2005, overall loss since baseline
knowledged that he and other symposium orga- conditions were evaluated (1976-1995), loss by
nizers wondered if "there is enough known about county, and loss to various land-use types. Three
vernal pools to hold such a meeting" (Jain 1976a). color figures nicely illustrate the method em-
Many dozens of academic papers, six vernal pool ployed, and a fold-out, full-color plate showcases
conferences (counting the first), and 35 years later, the resulting map ofvernal pool landscapes ofthe
scientists who study vernal pool ecosystems have Central Valley. Also in this section is a paper
again contributed original papers toward a con- prepared by the editors that summarizes an oral
ference proceedings: Research & Recovery in presentation by Conlin on substrates encountered
Vernal Pool Landscapes (Alexander and Schlising during the Butte Area Natural Resources Con-
2011). As with previous vernal pool conference servation Service Soil Survey. Although brief, this
proceedings, this most recent volume presents paper is nicely illustrated and informative.
timely research on this important and imperiled The Management and Preservation History
California Floristic Province ecosystem. and Recovery Plans sections together comprise
The 14 contributed papers in this volume are five papers. Bauder and Bohonak describe a pro-
arranged into five sections: Plants, Animals, Geo- mising new method for vernal pool functional
logy and Soils, Management, and Preservation assessment in southern California; Schohr high-
History and Recovery Plans. lights the growing coalition of individuals and
The Plants section begins with a paper by groups that support managed grazing of CaH-
keynote address speaker Ellen Bauder, a plant fornia landscapes (including vernal pool land-
ecologist who has studied the vernal pools of scapes); and the editors provide a summary of a
southern California for over 20 years. Drawing talk by Witham on the planning process associ-
UC
upon this experience, Bauder provides guidance ated with the construction of Merced. These
on the topic of appropriate experimental design sections conclude with two papers on the topic of
in vernal pool ecosystems, which can be highly vernal pool conservation planning in California
variable spatially and temporally. The three other and adjacent Oregon: one by a long-time water
papers in this section include a population ge- rights activist and vernal pool conservationist,
netics analysis of Butte County meadowfoam and the other by a biologist from the U.S. Fish
BOOK REVIEW
2012] 165
CA
and Wildlife Service. These contributions provide University of California, Berkeley 94720-
an interesting insight into the process, and yes, 2465; [email protected].
politics, of conservation planning.
This volume would be a solid addition to the Literature Cited
bhiosotkosrhyelovfesweosftearnnyoNnoertihntAermeesrtiecda,in atshemanantyuraolf AlexReasnedaercrhD.&G.reacnovderRy. Ain. Svecrhnlailsipnogol(edlsa.)n.ds(c2a0p1es1)..
the contributed papers are of general biological Studies from the Herbarium No. 16. California
interest. For those who study vernal pools, how- State University, Chico, CA.
ever, this book is the latest in a series of in- Ikeda D. H. and R. a. Schlising (eds.). (1990).
dispensable vernal pool conference proceedings Vernal pool plants, their habitat and biology.
that together constitute a substantial portion of Studies from the Herbarium No. 8. California
the research on these fascinating ecosystems. The State University, Chico, CA.
volume is not perfect; for example, some might Jain S. 1976a. Foreword in: Vernal pools: their ecology
and conservation. Institute of Ecology Publication
question the editors' choice to include summaries
No. 9. University of California, Davis, CA.
of oral presentations where the original presenter
(ed.). (1976b). Vernal pools: their ecology and
elected to not contribute a paper. But consider-
conservation. Institute of Ecology Publication
ing the strength of the contributed papers, the No. 9. University of California, Davis, CA.
very low price ($12.00 + tax, shipping), and the Jain S. and P. Moyle (eds.). (1984). Vernal pools and
fact that any income from sales beyond the cost intermittent streams. Institute of Ecology Publica-
of printing benefits the non-profit organization tion No. 28. University of California, Davis, CA.
Studies From the Herbarium, any minor critiques Schlising R. A. and D. G. Alexander (eds.). (2007).
seem immaterial. Vernal pool landscapes. Studies From the Herba-
Additional information on this volume can be rium No. 14. California State University, Chico,
CA.
found
at: WiTHAM C. W., E. T. Bauder, D. Belk, W. R.
http://www.csuchico.edu/herbarium/index.shtml
Ferren Jr., and R. Ornduff (eds.). (1998).
http://www.csuchico.edu/herbarium/studies/
Ecology, conservation, and management of vernal
detailed-book-list.shtml pool ecosystems. Proceedings from a 1996 Confer-
-C. MATT GUILLIAMS, UC/JEPS Her- ence. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento,
&
baria Department of Integrative Biology, CA.