Type: report

Article abstract: Our research is focused on understanding the demography of amphibian taxa in southern California. Specifically, we investigate responses of these taxa to large scale threats, such as drought, wildfire, nonnative taxa, and loss or degradation of habitat. Our data provide land managers with results that inform their decision making. This document summarizes data collected for the purpose of understanding arroyo toad population persistence in seven major watersheds in southern California. Data were collected between 2015 and 2016 to compare with observations and records of arroyo toad locations documented in past years (before and up to 2010). Being a stream-breeding habitat specialist, this species has likely been negatively impacted by the persistent drought conditions between 2011 and 2014 in southern California. The arroyo toad also has specific aquatic habitat requirements for breeding; therefore, effects of upland urban development were examined, water temperature and relative conductivity were continually logged, and the presence/absence of non-native species was recorded. The scope of this document is not to provide a comprehensive report and interpretation of the data but to present a short narrative of our findings with the data itself in graphical or cartographic form for the reader to interpret as needed. As such, there are extensive appendices presenting maps, toad locations, site photos, and graphs of the water quality measured over time at each of 75 surface water monitoring locations. We also provide a protocol of how to program, install, and download data from the water quality loggers we used.