Abstract
In arid landscapes where fresh water is a limiting resource, the expression of groundwater in springs sustains important landscape functions, globally-recognized biodiversity hotspots, and both aquatic endemic and wide-ranging terrestrial species. Desert springs and associated groundwater dependent ecosystems are threatened by unsustainable groundwater pumping, and the Mojave Desert has seen extinctions of species due to the human use and modification of springs. To support changes in policy and management that would address the vulnerabilities of springs to unsustainable groundwater extraction and other threats, a better understanding of current spring condition is needed. Here we present the results of a comprehensive survey of Mojave Desert springs including hydrological and ecological observations, and an eDNA pilot study. Together, these investigations provide information about the present status of Mojave Desert springs, conservation challenges that they face, and needs that must be met to protect them. We also provide an overview of the current state of federal and state policy that could be used to better manage these critical freshwater resources.
Highlights
Fresh water is rare, covering just 0.8% of the Earth’s surface
Desert springs and associated groundwater dependent ecosystems are threatened by unsustainable groundwater pumping, and the Mojave Desert has seen extinctions of species due to the human use and modification of springs
We present the results of a comprehensive survey of Mojave Desert springs including hydrological and ecological observations, and an Environmental DNA (eDNA) pilot study
Summary
Fresh water is rare, covering just 0.8% of the Earth’s surface. It is ecologically important, as freshwater habitats support about 9.5% of all known animal species, and 65% of described species (Dudgeon et al 2006; Balian et al 2008). Springs and the groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs) (Brown 2011) they support can be examples of small natural features—places that provide disproportionate ecological importance in comparison with their size (Hunter 2017). In deserts, these systems play an important role in supporting both aquatic biota and migratory and wide-ranging terrestrial animals (Davis et al 2017). These systems play an important role in supporting both aquatic biota and migratory and wide-ranging terrestrial animals (Davis et al 2017) Springs and their associated GDEs sustain a number of important landscape functions (Cohen et al 2016), and are globally-recognized biodiversity hotspots (Suhling et al 2006; Stevens and Meretsky 2008; Fensham et al 2011; Cantonati et al 2012; Murphy et al 2015) that support locally endemic species. The areas of highest local endemism in North America are found at desert springs (Stevens and Meretsky 2008)
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