The Distribution and Abundance of Desert Tortoises on the Nevada Test Site

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5770333· OSTI ID:5770333

Rautenstrauch, K. R. ^[1]

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1. EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc., Goleta, CA (United States). Santa Barbara Operations

This report presents the results of transect studies conducted from 1981--1986 to determine the distribution and abundance of desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) on the Nevada Test Site (NTS) and summarizes the current understanding of the distribution of this species on NTS. Seven hundred fifty-nine transect having a total length of 1,190.7 km were walked and 380 sign of tortoises were counted. The abundance of tortoises on NTS is low to very low relative to the other areas within this species' range. Tortoises appear to be more abundant on NTS on the bajadas and foothills of limestone and dolomite mountains than on mountains of volcanic origin. Sign of tortoises were found were 880 to 1600 m and sign was more abundant at higher elevations (>1200 m) than has been reported previously for Nevada. The scale of classification of vegetation associations available for NTS is too large to be useful for predicting tortoise abundance. Tortoises were found only in approximately the southern third of NTS. They probably do not occur in Yucca Flat or anywhere else north of the Control Point. A map of the northern boundary of the range of desert tortoises on NTS is presented and additional studies of the distribution and abundance of tortoises on NTS are recommended.

• Research Organization: EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc., Goleta, CA (United States). Santa Barbara Operations
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-88NV10617
• OSTI ID: 5770333
• Report Number(s): EGG--10617-2081; ON: DE91014914
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540250 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (1990-)
550100* -- Behavioral Biology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
CLIMATES
ECOSYSTEMS
ENDANGERED SPECIES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GEOLOGY
HABITAT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
PLANTS
POPULATION DENSITY
REPTILES
SOILS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TOPOGRAPHY
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
VERTEBRATES