Type: report

Article abstract: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began work on SANDAG TransNet Environmental Mitigation Program Land Management Grant Agreement 5001140 to conduct southwestern pond turtle restoration and invasives removal at Sycuan Peak Ecological Reserve (SPER). The USGS in conjunction with the San Diego Zoo and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) have continued work begun on the southwestern pond turtle by USGS in 2002 in efforts to enhance and restore the population at the SPER. This is the largest population within the MSCP but had no detectable recruitment in recent (2002-2003) surveys (MaddenSmith et al. 2005). Southwestern pond turtles (and other native aquatic species) are heavily impacted by nonnative species in the riparian habitat which include bullfrogs, largemouth bass, sunfish, crayfish and nonnative turtles. Much like nonnative plants, these aquatic nonnatives can spread throughout the riparian areas and directly impact the natives through predation and also indirectly through competition (Holland 1991; Brattstrom & Messer 1988). Similar to revegetation efforts, successful pond turtle restoration efforts include removal of nonnatives and headstarting of the native turtles (Spinks et al. 2003).