The genus Actinemys includes two species, Actinemys marmorata (Northwestern Pond Turtle) and A. pallida (Southwestern Pond Turtle). Both species are found in different wetland locations in the Mojave Desert of California. Southwestern Pond Turtles are restricted to scattered populations along the Mojave River. The Northwestern Pond Turtle population is currently restricted to a small but unknown number of turtles in Piute Ponds, Edwards Air Force Base, in the terminal endorheic basin of Amargosa Creek near Rosamond, California. Historically, there was a breeding population living in the upper reaches of Amargosa Creek that varied between roughly 78 and 104 individuals from 1997 to 2003. Annual survival was relatively high (0.87 +/- 0.04) during the study with variation in abundance driven by a recruitment pulse early in the study. From 2000 to 2003 recruitment was much lower and numbers dropped sharply, coincident with the beginning of a multi-decadal megadrought that caused the extirpation of another large population in nearby Elizabeth Lake by 2015. Only a small number of turtles are known to survive at Piute Ponds. Given the disappearance of the rest of Amargosa Creek upstream of Piute Ponds due to drought, recolonization of the upper basin is unlikely without human intervention.

Dr. Jeff Lovich is a Research Ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. His research on the ecology and taxonomy of turtles spans 40 years including 200 scientific publications and five books. His studies have taken him throughout the United States, as well as to Ethiopia, Morocco, Japan, and the Galápagos. He is a Fulbright Scholar and an elected Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, the world’s oldest active biological society. Continuing research focuses on all aspects of turtle ecology and the impacts wind and solar energy development on wildlife.

In May 2017, large numbers of California tiger salamander (CTS; Ambystoma californiense) metamorphs were observed on one of the active runways at Travis Air Force Base in Solano County, California. This was noteworthy given that fewer than a half dozen CTS had been recorded on the 5,100-acre base prior to 2017. The Air Force responded by implementing a number of actions to study and protect CTS on the base. These actions included drift fence with pitfall trap studies, road and runway checks, and breeding pond surveys to characterize the movement patterns and size of the CTS population. Over the past seven years, these studies have recorded over 6,500 juvenile and adult CTS on the base. This talk will cover what we’ve learned about the Travis AFB CTS population including population size variability; movement patterns and the factors that influence CTS movement; and best practices for CTS management and monitoring.

Dr. Jaymee Marty is an independent Ecologist with over 25 years of academic, military and professional experience in the fields of ecology and conservation biology. She specializes in research, restoration and management of riparian, vernal pool, and grassland habitats including the wildlife associated with these habitat types.

Salamanders of the genus Batrachoseps are notable for deep evolutionary divergences and species radiations that reflect the movements of geologic plates over millions of years. In 2006, a new species within the Pacificus group was discovered on Vandenberg Space Force Base, which was formally described as B. wakei in 2020. The results of extensive surveys between 2006 and present indicate that this species likely only exists as an isolated, disjunct population with a very small range. It is currently known from less than 200 records within a narrow strip of coastal scrublands largely infested by invasive iceplant species. Molecular analysis showed that it is a relict species with closest relatives in the Los Angeles Basin and on the Channel Islands, with more distantly related taxa in San Luis Obispo County. B. wakei shows extremely little genetic variation, suggesting it has undergone population contractions in the recent past, potentially a result of ocean level rise and retraction of the coastal plain since the last glacial maximum. This species’ constricted range, lack of genetic variation, and susceptibility to climate change make it extremely vulnerable and worthy of further study and conservation stewardship.

Morgan Ball is a conservation biologist with 25 years of experience working in coastal California including the Channel Islands. He has a bachelors of science degree in ecology and evolution from the University of California Santa Barbara where he worked for a decade as a vertebrate collections associate at Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration. Morgan initially specialized in avian and herpetological studies. However, experiences gained working in support of Vandenberg Space Force Base’s natural resource program since 1998 illuminated the need for a broader understanding of the landscape that support these creatures. He now specializes in habitat management of a wide range of federally endangered plant and animal species.

Naval Base Coronado (NBC) has managed federally endangered California least tern (Sternula antillarum browni; CLTE) and federally threatened western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus; WSPL) populations since the species' listings in 1970 and 1993, respectively. The NBC tern and plover program, born out of Navy mission and regulatory requirements, has grown into a large, dynamic team. We employ an adaptive management approach that includes: habitat restoration and maintenance, nest monitoring, winter WSPL monitoring, ecosystem-based predator control, captive rearing, outreach, and law enforcement. Our team conducts and collaborates on research critical for species conservation and mission support. Data collected informs local and region-wide conservation and recovery efforts. NBC harbors the largest CLTE breeding population in California; though populations are mirroring region-wide declines. NBC WSPL populations are gradually increasing, with breeding birds meeting the USFWS recommended recovery goal for over a decade. Partners include: US Fish and Wildlife Service, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Wildlife Innovations, American Eagle Research Institute, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, and SeaWorld. Funding for the program directly comes from Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), and Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC), with extensive collaboration across Navy bases, organizations, USFWS and CDFW.

Melanie Colón has degrees in Biology, Animal Behavior, and Wildlife And Fisheries Sciences. She has conducted extensive research in wildlife-habitat relationships and investigated the effects of natural and anthropogenic factors on avian behavior and reproduction. Dr. Colón is currently the Conservation and Planning Branch Head at Naval Base Coronado, where she oversees the Navy’s Natural Resources Program at nine military installations.