Distribution, habitat and habits of the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the eastern Mojave Desert

Conference · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:7101664

Esque, T C; Bury, R B ^[1]; Medica, P A ^[2]

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1. National Ecology Research Center, Fort Collins, CO (USA)
2. Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co., Inc., Mercury, NV (USA)

The desert tortoise is widely distributed across most of southern Nevada below 1500 meters elevation and then ranges northeast into the Arizona Strip and southwestern Utah. There are several large populations, but also many isolated groups of desert tortoises due to the rugged topography and, possibly, unsuitable soils. We suggest that the greatest threats to tortoises in the eastern Mojave Desert are with peripheral populations. Tortoises in the eastern Mojave Desert occupy a wide variety of habitats from flats and bajadas in lower elevation to rocky slopes bordering on blackbrush and juniper woodland. In winter they use shallow burrows near Las Vegas but frequent deep caves in the northeast edge of their range. Tortoises in all areas may occur in steep, rocky habitats. Climatic extremes are frequent in this region and rainfall can be spotty due to several major mountain ranges that cause rain shadows. Forage is highly variable and this species can be an opportunistic herbivore. 11 refs., 13 figs.

• Research Organization: Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Co., Inc., Mercury, NV (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: AC08-89NV10630
• OSTI ID: 7101664
• Report Number(s): CONF-9006200-1; ON: DE90012517
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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ANIMALS
ARID LANDS
DESERTS
FEDERAL REGION IX
HABITAT
INFORMATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
NORTH AMERICA
PLANTS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
REPTILES
US DOE
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
VERTEBRATES