Another "new" find

[MarvB]

Well with all these new and/or extint species now being (re)discovered around the globe (and no, Tom, Bush didn't have anything to do with it ) looks like they found one right here in my own backyard:

NEW SPECIES OF SALAMANDER FOUND IN SISKIYOU MNTS.
Rare species discovery highlights the biological richness of the Klamath-Siskiyou Ecoregion
News Release – For Immediate Release – May 16, 2005

For more information:
Joseph Vaile, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center (KS Wild) (541) 488.5789
Noah Greenwald, Center for Biological Diversity (503) 243-6643
Dave Clayton, U.S. Forest Service (541) 858-2276

Yreka CA– Researchers in the Klamath-Siskiyou region of northern California and southern Oregon discovered new populations of salamanders that represent a new and distinct species. A new species, the Scott Bar salamander (Plethodon asupak), was thought to be a Siskiyou Mountain salamander (Plethodon stormi) until genetic work revealed its unique evolutionary lineage.

“Everyone talks about how biologically rich the tropics are, but we are still discovering species right here in the Klamath-Siskiyou,” said Joseph Vaile of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, a conservation group. The species is considered a Pleistocene (a geologic epoch from 1.8 million to 10,000 years ago) and survived the last ice age. “This is really an exciting discovery,” said Vaile.

The Scott Bar salamander occurs in extreme northwestern California on rocky slopes under mature and old-growth forest. The dense canopies of such forest help retain moisture that is key for the survival of the salamander, which is highly sensitive to drying out. The species has no lungs; instead it breathes directly through it’s skin. Logging of old-growth forest is the principal threat to this salamander’s survival and some populations occur on private industrial forestland.

Conservation organizations petitioned the Siskiyou Mountains Salamander and any distinct populations (including those that now represent this new species) for listing under the Endangered Species Act in June of last year. The Bush administration missed the 90-day preliminary deadline and is approaching the one-year requirement for responding to the petition.

The new species has one of the smallest distributions of any salamander in North America. The rarity of the salamander, along with its extreme habitat specialization, makes it more vulnerable to natural and human threats. Protection under the Endangered Species Act for both the new species and the Siskiyou Mountains Salamander would provide essential habitat protection and ensure that adequate resources are made available for recovery efforts.

“Siskiyou Mountain Salamanders have survived for two million years in the Klamath-Siskiyou,” states Noah Greenwald, conservation biologist with the Center for Biological Diversity and primary author of the petition to protect the species. “If we protect this fascinating salamander under the Endangered Species Act it may yet survive another two million years.”

The word Asupak is the Shasta Indian name for Scott Bar, an area near the confluence of the Scott River and the Klamath River. The Scott River and Valley area was visited by various bands the Shasta Indians and eventually inhabited by the Karuk Tribe. The Karuk refer to indicator species in their understanding of nature and viewed salamanders as having the specific function of water purifier and as an omen of good luck.

 

[Tom]

Are you sure?

"Siskiyou Mountain Salamanders have survived for two million years in the Klamath-Siskiyou" and they just find them now, with the help of the US Forest Service and some activist groups' research.

 

[Curly]

Hey Marv, sorry to change the subject but I thought you might know the answer since you must live close to the Klamath basin: how are the farmers doing in the Klamath area? Did they get the irrigation issues settled down there? Last I heard all of their irrigation water got diverted or something and there crops were all drying up.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I am kind of surprised all of these new (old) species have been starting to reappear after being extinct for so long...

Darwinism must be replacing the plants and animals to their former glory...

 

[MarvB]

Tom, am I sure about what? Just posted what was in the local rag...I wasn't out looking for the bass bait myself

Curly- still a big issue/problem. Combination of long-term water rights for the potato, garlic, and onion farmers in the valley vs. Indian rights for protection of traditional grounds and a "threatened" sucker fish and snail figure into the mix there somewhere. They are talking salmon run impacts now as well because the lowly sucker didn't get enough PR since he's not the prettiest of fish. You've got all the other issues regarding subsidized (at times) farm crops, undervalued water costs, lag time for well permits, etc., etc., all sides are parts to the problem and the "solution" isn't happening anytime soon as there has been little compromise. It's been pretty volatile over the past few years- even had Federal marshals called in when some local folks cut the locks on the valves and diverted water in the irrigation canals.

I used to belong to a duck club up there. Had long term water rights on the property but were third in the allocation "cue". We did A LOT of wildlife enhancement projects on the property (for all species not just the ducks/geese we hunted) and saw deer, pheasant, cottontail, etc. populations increase fairly steadily for the ten years I was involved.
Then when the water issue hit they 100% pulled the plug on our property- turned into a alkali dust bowl worth about forty cents on the dollar. Ya roll the dice and sometimes you loose. We even tired to negotiate more water via a bidding process but that ended up being shut down as well.

Sad thing is that the NWR suffers as well when they cut back the water to keep more in the lake....the sucker spawns in the upper reaches of the lake in the marsh area so at times its kind of like they forsake the many (again wildlife) to protect the few. Again its extremely complex- complex enough that the Interior Dept. has budgeted $60+ million for the area in 2006.

IMHO, the Lower Klamath-Tule Lake ecosystem is one of the fascinating areas of Pacific NW whether you are a hunter, bird watcher, etc.

 

[BigHornRam]

Marv,

Your using that "complex" word again! The word is only used by those that see all sides of a difficult issue. BTW I think you would make one heck of a politician for the "Common Sense" party. Or at least a good arbitrator for these complex issues.

 

[MarvB]

Paul LOL!

Compromise is a funny thing. Some view it as a sellout-others beat the chit out of that win-win phrase. I guess that I've just been involved in too many contract negotiations over the years and in different venues to know that if you just draw a line in the sand you rarely get much done.

Not to say that you have to prostitute your ideals/morals to get something done its just that there are often a lot more sides and components to an issue than people often want to see and hear. Funny about the win-win bit though....lots of times BOTH parties leave the table thinking they been screwed

The politics aspect though I'll keep at home...a run a 4:1 minority in my own house of representatives

 

[BigHornRam]

Yeh,

But at least you carry the "big stick"!

 

[Curly]

Marv, thanks for all the information regarding the Klamath Basin area. I went to college down there and I had a great time fly fishing on the Klamath River, Williamson, etc. Also did some duck and goose hunting there. It really is a nice place (or at least was)...........hopefully it doesn't all turn into a dust bowl. I'll have to get back down there one of these days and do some fly fishing.

 

[MarvB]

Curly great fishing on the Williamson isn't it? I also used to fish parts of the Sprague at times...both hold some football sized 'bows.

When I was a practicing forester I was often holed up in the Chemult-Chiloquin areas and down around K-Falls as well. Did you go to OIT?

 

[Curly]

Yes, I graduated from OIT in 1991. I haven't been back since; just haven't made the time to go down there. I'd like to take my wife down there and show her around.