Quantifying Impacts of Groundwater Withdrawal on Avian Abundance, Species Richness and Reproductive Success on Rincon Creek

Conway, Courtney; LaRoche, Dominic; Swann, Don

Riparian woodlands in the desert regions of the southwestern U.S. provide habitat for many species of wintering, breeding, and migratory birds. For example, 213 bird species were recently detected in riparian woodlands in southeastern Arizona during spring and early summer (Conway et al., unpublished data). Over 50% of the breeding bird species in the southwestern U.S. are thought to be dependent upon riparian woodlands even though this rare vegetation community accounts for <1% of the landscape in the southwest (Johnson et al. 1977). In addition, riparian woodlands provide critical stopover habitat for many species of long-distance, neotropical migratory birds (Skagen et al. 1998). Unfortunately, riparian woodlands are under increasing threat from groundwater pumping, water diversions, clearing for agriculture and development, grazing, and recreation (Szaro 1989). In addition to this suite of anthropogenic threats, riparian woodlands may also be adversely affected by climate change; most climate models predict that severe droughts will become more common in the southwestern U.S. We currently know surprising little about the effects of these changes on the health and persistence of avian communities that depend on riparian woodlands.

Quantifying Impacts of Groundwater Withdrawal on Avian Abundance, Species Richness and Reproductive Success on Rincon Creek

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