Habitat characteristics, distribution, and pollinator habitat of the rare, endemic Pediocactus paradinei

Colombo, Sarah Catherine (2023) Habitat characteristics, distribution, and pollinator habitat of the rare, endemic Pediocactus paradinei. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

The Southwestern United States is predicted to face some of the most rapid effects of anthropogenically-driven climate change. The Colorado Plateau is known for its high rates of endemism of rare, threatened, and endangered plants. Being characterized by large expanses of semi-arid landscapes and decades of megadrought, the Plateau is expected to experience increased temperatures and aridity with changing climate, threatening these already vulnerable species. Prioritizing the conservation of endemic cacti is critical in maintaining biodiversity as their populations are particularly vulnerable from their slow recovery rates and high habitat specificity in contrast to non-endemic native and introduced species. Our study focuses on the habitat of a rare, endemic cactus, Pediocactus paradinei, a species of concern with an active conservation agreement. We utilized a multi-faceted approach for this study which included field surveys and species distribution modeling to understand current habitat and pollinator habitat characteristics, identify changes in the species’s range utilizing data from a previous assessment conducted in 2005, and examine projections for the future distribution of the species under the impending effects of climate change. Since the previous assessment, our findings include a stark decrease in species richness of plants that share flowering phenology with P. paradinei, possibly signaling a change in forage opportunities for pollinators. This study offers a limited examination of the cactus's associated pollinator habitat; further research is needed to supplement. Additional pollinator observations and sampling are a vital next step toward insights into the area's active visitors and the broader community. Weighted ensemble species distribution models identified elevation, isothermality, precipitation seasonality, and precipitation of the wettest month as the most important limiting factors to the cactus' distribution. We developed the models for progressing time frames using three distinct shared socioeconomic pathways, which illustrated significant contracting and shifting of suitable habitat in contrast to the current distribution. These results may act as a proxy for the closely related and highly rare and endangered Pediocactus peeblesianus var. fickeiseniae, whose limited populations pose a challenge for a comprehensive habitat assessment. It is critical for land managers to prioritize additional research to continue to identify constraints for both Pediocactus species, considering the possible severity of habitat loss indicated by our results. Continued monitoring of known P. paradinei sites is crucial to identify the progression of habitat changes.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	Colorado Plateau; Endemic Cactus; Pediocactus; Pollinator Habitat; Rare Plants; Species Distribution Model; Endanagered species
Subjects:	Q Science > QK Botany
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences > School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability
Date Deposited:	29 Aug 2023 17:43
Last Modified:	29 Aug 2023 17:43
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6100

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