Long-term Wildfire Response of the Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata)

Students: Jenna Spain

Faculty Mentor: Derek Girman

Biology

College of Science, Technology, and Business

California ecosystems are not unfamiliar with wildfires, many species are adapted to not only survive but thrive in response to these events. In recent years, however, climate change and poor fire management have resulted in an increase in wildfire severity. Often, animal species are able to respond to wildfires by moving around them or avoiding affected areas. A number of species, however, have lower mobility and remain in burned areas after surviving a fire in place. This is particularly true for reptiles and amphibians that occupy regional forests in northern California. We conducted a study to examine responses to wildfire by the Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) in order to improve our understanding of how these types of species react to the changing phenology and severity of wildfire. As part of a long-term coverboard monitoring project at the Pepperwood Preserve, we compared the short-term and long-term capture rates of alligator lizards in response to the Tubbs and Kincade wildfires, examining habitat preference before, directly after, and more than five years after experiencing wildfires. Special thanks to Julianne Bradbury and Julie Whittman for establishing and maintaining this long-term herpetofauna observational study at the Pepperwood Preserve.