Conservation of aquatic SGCN wildlife in the Trans-Pecos Ecoregion of Texas

Authors: Russell Martin

Year: 2019

Abstract

The Texas Conservation Action Plan’s (TCAP) purpose is to provide a statewide “roadmap” for research, restoration, management, and recovery projects addressing Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and important habitats (TPWD 2012). There are 6 herps, 27 freshwater fishes, 30 invertebrates, and 27 plants SGCN’s in the Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion that are aquatic-obligate or associated and another 5 mammals, 11 birds, 1 herp, and 1 invertebrate that are riparian-associated. Many of these species are dependent on groundwater-fed springs along the Rio Grande or it’s tributaries. Significant cross-taxa conservation threats and opportunities exist where multiple SGCN species occupy overlapping aquatic habitats such as the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande or Dolan Falls on the Devil’s River.