Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Desert Southwest CESU

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The USGS Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC) is offering a funding opportunity for research investigating the modelling of the Tamarisk (Saltcedar) beetle-bird interactions on Southwestern rivers. Four populations of saltcedar beetles (Diorhabda spp.) have been released in western riparian zones. The northern population, Diorhabda carinulata, is especially important to model and monitor. It has colonized nearly all the rivers in the upper Colorado River basin and in the past five years has moved down the Virgin River to Lake Mead. Its progress in moving further south, into the lower Colorado River basin, has been slowed, perhaps due to day-length controls on its diapause stage. Further releases of Diorhabda spp. have been prohibited due to concerns for its impact on southwestern willow flycatchers and other riparian-dependent birds that use saltcedar for nesting. However, the existing populations are poised to enter prime Southwestern Willow Flycatcher habitat in Arizona. The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher is an endangered species.

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