Natural Resources Monitoring at Tumacácori National Historical Park

Sonoran Desert Network scientists monitor key resources and weather at Tumacácori National Historical Park by taking measurements throughout the year, which helps us notice changes over time. This report summarizes weather, groundwater, and springs data from Water Year 2022. The data indicate the park's groundwater is rising slightly. WY2022 was warm and wet overall, though most precipitation was due to three extreme months of rainfall making up for otherwise dry conditions.

How did indigenous peoples of the Sonoran Desert stay cool? What is vernacular architecture and why is it relevant today? This article explores the history of ramada use by the Akimel O’odham and Tohono O’odham, describes the ramada built at the Desert Research Learning Center, and highlights the importance of constructing living spaces in harmony with the natural environment.

When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change.

In the US Southwest, climate change is making it harder to preserve historic adobe structures for future generations. Using adobe test walls and rainshower simulators, staff at the Desert Research Learning Center are evaluating the potential for increased erosion, and testing the effectiveness of different treatments methods to protect against it. The results will help park managers tailor their preservation methods to better protect culturally valuable resources.

A recent experiment sought to help National Park Service managers understand the possible effects of climate change on historic adobe structures. An interdisciplinary team built adobe brick test walls, then subjected them to rain simulations at different lengths and intensities. LiDAR scanning revealed specific, quantitative thresholds of rainfall at which we can expect major loss of abode materials.

Across the Intermountain Region, Inventory & Monitoring Division ecologists are helping to track the effects of climate change, provide baseline information for resource management, evaluate new technologies, and inspire the next generation of park stewards. This article highlights accomplishments achieved during fiscal year 2021.

Fireflies in Arizona? At Tumacácori NHP, dark skies and special environmental circumstances create habitat for a variety of glowing insects. Across the US, the dark, protected landscapes of the National Park System are crucial to invertebrate conservation. Learn more about our most ubiquitous and most important—but probably also most overlooked and maligned—wildlife, and why our future depends on theirs.

The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. In this issue, find out how eDNA inventories may change what we thought we knew about SODN springs. Learn about the new technology that will improve our streams monitoring, and the lasting contributions of our IVIPs to projects across multiple networks. Get caught up on our latest reports and the status of ongoing projects, and find out what’s happening at the DRLC.

The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. This issue features stories on how we adapted our operations to minimize field work lost to the covid-19 pandemic, vegetation mapping at Saguaro NP, and communication improvements and opportunities for network parks. We also probe the minds of our interns and celebrate a high honor for our program manager.

The Heliograph is the newsletter of the Sonoran Desert Network and Desert Research Learning Center. This issue shares predictive tools and planning processes that can help park managers make proactive decisions in the face of climate change. We also explore some explanations for this spring's highly unusual saguaro bloom, celebrate our staff members, and provide updates on our monitoring projects.