Sagehen Creek Basin Biodiversity's Journal

I thought I should just make a running list of the new plants added to the basin master list from your iNaturalist observations. Keep up the good work! It's amazing that you are still finding so many new species of plants and animals, given that scientists and students have been searching all over the basin for over 70 years. There's just no substitute for more eyeballs!

If you are interested in live observations of one of the plants on our list, search the Sagehen iNat records for the species of interest. It should be said that a few of these plants may have been collected for the Sagehen Herbarium in the past. However, there have been many taxonomic splits in the intervening decades, and we are in an ongoing process of "discovering" these old specimens all over again! If you would like to help with our herbarium IDs of these and other species, please see our records at CCH2.org (deselect all, then select "SCFS" and search on "California" to show all our basin records from both Nevada and Sierra County (we straddle the line).

There are also many plants that were collected at Sagehen in the past that apparently no longer exist here. This is at least in part due to forest succession after the 1960 Donner Ridge Fire that wiped out 1/3 of the basin forest. With the Sagehen Forest Project thinning and prescribed fire treatments, some of these plants (and animals) have been spotted again in recent years!

Notes:

1. * indicates a plant that I’m certain is represented in the Sagehen herbarium. Un-starred plants may or may not be. Check our digital records in CCH2.org to confirm.
2. I add the plants to this list under the year they were identified, which is sometimes long after they were observed. In that case, I make a note of the year these observations were originally added to iNat. 2023 was a great year largely thanks to a moss workshop at the station, and Shane Hanofee's work on a new flora for Nevada County--thanks @sapienshane! And there are a few observers who are just disproportionately productive: @phantom-sweattb and @chrisophylla stand out--thanks for your sharp eyes!
3. Also, if you need a programming project, it would be great to have a tool for comparing the Sagehen plant lists on iNaturalist, Calflora, Symbiota. As it stands, I have to just make a manual note when I see something that I recognize as new pop up, and we are probably missing a lot.

2024
Crepis pleurocarpa (observed in 2022)
Ericameria greenei (observed in 2021)
*Phacelia ramosissima (observed in 2014)

2023
Lomatium fusiformis (observed in 2019)
Navarretia leucocephala
Nothocalais troximoides (observed in 2019)
Philonotis caespitosa
Plagiomnium medium
Potentilla breweri (observed in 2016)
Ptychostomum weigelii
Rhizomnium gracile
Riccia sorocarpa
Trifolium monanthum ssp. parvum (observed in 2018)
Trifolium monanthum ssp. monanthum* (observed in 2019)
Trifolium monanthum ssp. tenerum (observed in 2021)

2022
Lepidium campestre (observed in 2016)

2021
Trifolium beckwithii

2020
Mentzelia laevicaulis
Potentilla millefolia

2019
Allophyllum capilaris
Allophyllum gilioides
Epilobium campestre
*Potentilla biennis
Veronica peregrina

2018
*Agastache urticifolia
*Equisetum hyemale
Narcissus poeticus
*Phoradendron juniperinum
*Pyrola dentata
*Sanguisorba occidentalis

2017
*Arceuthobium abietinum
*Clarkia rhomboidea
*Navarretia breweri
Utricularia minor

2016
Allium obtusum
Hieracium triste
Lithospermum ruderale
Maianthemum racemosum
Senecio hydrophyllus

2015
Actaea rubra
Asclepius speciosa
Ceanothus cordulatus (part of the Harrison plant assemblage)
Sonchus oleraceus

2013
Crepis occidentalis
Grindelia camporum
Hypericum anagalloides
*Populus trichocarpa
*Securigera varia
Spiranthes x stellata

2012
Antennaria geyeri
Cordylanthus tenuis
*Elodea canadensis
Epilobium howellii
Ptychostomum pseudotriquetrum
Ranunculus aquatilis
Sarmentypnum exannulatum

Anyone interested in helping a scientist with Ichneumonid wasp research this spring and summer? Brandon Claridge is a graduate student at USU and makes the following request:

For anyone interested in making a significant research contribution, I'm looking for help sampling ichneumoninae biodiversity, particularly in the western US. It's not hyperbole to say that no matter where you are you will collect an undescribed species. Ichneumoninae is the largest ichneumonid subfamily, yet it is very poorly known in the Nearctic and there are potentially hundreds of undescribed species. The vast majority of species in the western US are undescribed. There are even some undescribed species in the northeastern US, where a decent bit of taxonomic effort has been spent by Gerd Heinrich. If you are interested, send me a message for more details. The easiest way to collect ichneumonines is with a Malaise (flight intercept) trap which I would be happy to provide. Specimens caught using other methods (rearing, sweeping, aerial net, etc.) would be much appreciated as well.

Also, I'm looking for people to trade any by-catch Diptera, Chalcidoidea, etc. for ichneumonids!

Here's a link to all the Ichneumonid observations at Sagehen.

Summer 2021 has been a great one for new Sagehen discoveries by iNaturalists! Here are a few of the stand-outs. One thing that is interesting is how many of these sudden occurrences of new animals and plants could be related to the Sagehen Forest Project thinning and prescribed fire treatments in the basin:

1. Belding's Ground Squirrel (Urocitellus beldingi): while formerly common in the basin and the subject of study in the 1980's, these squirrels vanished from Sagehen until @chrisophylla photographed one this summer: the first time they've been reported in 40 years.
2. Threeleaf Lewisia (Lewisia triphylla): we also have chrisophylla to thank for locating the first example of these lovely flowers since the 1970's. Back then, 1/3 of the basin was recovering from the stand-replacing 1960 Donner Ridge fire; chrisophylla found this plant in an area where Sagehen Forest Project thinning had occurred, so the treatments to create openings in the forest would seem to be releasing plants as hoped! Maybe that's also why the Belding's Ground Squirrel showed up? Central Sierran east-slope conifer forests, lovely as they are, will choke out everything else--including other trees--without regular, low-intensity fire to keep the stands healthy, diverse, and resilient.
3. Morels (Morchella snyderi): these mushrooms are uncommon at Sagehen and this is the first iNat ob of a true morel in many years. But they are known to be released by forest fire in pine forests...again, perhaps a result of recent prescribed fire in the basin?
4. Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis): this hawk was spotted at Sagehen by @nhbirdlaw, despite never having been reported in the basin in the past. It's not even on the species list of suspects. The hawk *is* on the Nevada County species list, so they've never been too far away. These raptors generally feed on squirrels and other rodents (though they'll also eat snakes, birds and other prey). Perhaps the Belding's Ground Squirrels aren't the only prey species on the upswing (or moving higher)?

5. Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (Dermacentor andersoni): and finally, some potentially less good news. Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks are rare in CA, but found consistently in several high Sierra locations, including along Lower Sagehen Creek below HWY-89. Here's some information from @megsquitophd, who found the tick:
   

   These ticks haven't been tested by CDPH (yet) but will be in the future for Colorado Tick Fever Virus. The CDPH-VBDS 2020 annual report will be published soon for the most up to date testing information on infection rates in different counties. Other site of interest for TBD's would be https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Tick-Borne-Diseases.aspx. If interested in Lyme disease specifically we have an interactive Lyme Disease story map.

Erica and I have also spent lots of time and energy this year getting our Sagehen Collections digitization projects wrapped up. As part of that effort, I've updated the Sagehen Flora taxonomy and content, so our plant list should be very current and accurate at this point, and a very useful tool for identifying plants in the basin.

Photo of Belding's Ground Squirrel at Sagehen by chrisophylla, 2021.

UPDATE: a mustard observed along Sagehen Creek in 2016 has finally been identified as Lepidium campestre. This is a new species to the basin and it's an interesting one, even though a weed. The plant is edible as a green or a spice, and can grow productively in virtually any soil, even degraded ones and those within a few dozen kilometers of the Arctic Circle. The species is being studied in Sweden as a food and oil plant for the far north.

Despite the Covid difficulties, folks are getting out and posting iNat observations from the basin. Thanks for the great work, everyone!

There are even some new additions to the lists, which always amazes me. Sagehen has been the focus of scientific research and observation for just under 70 years: you'd think that everything would have been found already! Here are some things that you have turned up this summer:

• Sugar Stick (Allotropa virgata): while this fascinating parasite was collected in the basin in the early 1970's, it hasn't been reported here since.
• Feather Cinquefoil (Potentilla millefolia): this little strawberry relative is an uncommon CA native with only a few iNaturalist observations from anywhere.
• Diamond Clarkia (Clarkia rhomboidea): this lovely little flower actually turned up once before in 2017, but this ob makes a nice confirmation of a new addition to the basin list.
• Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea): though it’s on the historic species list, in 19 years I’ve never seen this lizard at Sagehen and this is just the second iNat ob of it in the basin. Great find!

Insect folks! A researcher needs your help this summer collecting a cicada that lives at Sagehen.

From Will Chatfield-Taylor:

"Thank for passing the message along! O. arboraria is kind of a nightmare to collect. Aptly named, they don't usually come down from the very tops of trees and they are pretty much endemic to the river corridor there [at Sagehen]. We'll be doing our field season in Utah trying to pick up a few remaining taxa, but if any of you can get one, it would help our research immensely.

Dr. Jeff Cole and I are revising the genus and it includes a molecular phylogeny as well as a morphological revision and new species descriptions. iNaturalist has been amazing in helping us acquire specimens from collectors across the western US and get in touch with people who will be looking for us this coming year."

iNaturalist has developed some super cool new interactive visualizations for your data. Take a look at the 2017 stats for the entire iNaturalist site, then use the link at the bottom of that page to chart your own!

Of course the outreach benefits are great, but I thought it would be a good idea to list some ways that your observations on iNaturalist are helping Sagehen meet its research mission...

• Increasing our knowledge of the basin: researchers and students have been collecting at Sagehen for 68 years now, but iNaturalist has helped us discover previously unreported species of plants, insects, fungus, and even higher animals. There's just no substitute for more eyes on the ground!
• Triggering more research requests: researchers can use iNaturalist to find the taxa that interest them. We've hosted researchers who found us from your observations of Lupinus, Ceanothus, Mimulus, Silene, and other taxa.
• Generating new scientific publications: your research-grade iNaturalist observations are reported to GBIF, where they are used in scientific work around the world. There are now hundreds of recent publications using Sagehen's iNaturalist observations (and our other digitized collections data). That's work that is helping us understand our planet which simply wouldn't have happened without this data.
• Providing a mechanism for targeted Citizen Science: researchers can work with us to recruit observations of specific phenomena, like anther-smut fungus, various plant subspecies, or volunteer insect collection.
• Improving ID tools: researchers used iNaturalist observations to identify hybrids, collect voucher specimens, then update the plant keys.
• Providing background information about species distribution in the basin: this observation data will be useful in tracking changes in the decades to come.

So keep your observations coming!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the 2016 Sagehen Creek Field Station BioBlitz! Sagehen California Naturalists Lynn Hori and Ashley Phillips did a fantastic job organizing the event this year.

Yet again, we had a tremendous event, with 21 participants recording 246 observations of 107 species. This exceeded the numbers for 2015's inaugural BioBlitz and pushed our total species over 800, and our basin observations above 5,000. We even discovered and vouchered a plant that is new to the basin list.

Our total observations are now hovering just under 6,000. It would be great to pass that milestone before the end of the year, so get out there before the snow starts sticking, and if you are sitting on any old observations, please get them in.

This week, I posted highlights from researcher Katie Moriarty's 2008 camera trap photos. These are the same traps that discovered the first wolverine documented in California since 1922. The cameras also turned up a cute new mammal for the basin: a spotted skunk! Given that observers and researchers have been crawling all over this place for over 65 years, it's remarkable that no one ever documented (or even suspected) this fellow before. And it speaks to how powerful your iNaturalist observations can be!

You bring your smartphone and enthusiasm, and together we’ll look for birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies, insects, spiders, trees, and flowers within the Sagehen Creek Field Station. A BioBlitz is a detailed study of biodiversity in a specific location over a specified period of time, bringing experts and volunteers together. People of all ages and skill levels are welcome! Here is a link to video of last year's Bioblitz.

We’ll enter our observations in iNaturalist and maintain eBird lists. To check out some of the cool stuff we may see click here. Don't have an iNat account yet? No problem! Sign up for an iNaturalist account, then download the app: iPhone | Android. Want a little more help? Check out these videos: iNaturalist.org Video Tutorials.

Full Event Details...

Date: Saturday, June 25th

Time: 8:30-4:00 (Two sessions offered throughout the day! Come for one or stay all day!)

• Morning Session: 8:30-12:00
• Afternoon Session 12:30-4:00

Location: UC Berkeley's Sagehen Creek Field Station. (11 miles of north of Truckee, off highway 89). Carpooling encouraged!!

Who: People of all ages and skill level are welcome! During the Bioblitz, participants will be seperated into small groups and partnered with a California Naturalist who will guide and assist with making observations using your smart phones or a camera. You may also be joined by an additional experts in plants, insects or birds.

How: All participants, regardless of age, need to register. Registered participants will recieve a follow up email with more details and logistics for the event.

What to Bring:

• Smart phone or tablet with iNaturalist application installed and camera capabilities
• Sierra Nevada Field Guide (optional: Laws Sierra Nevada Field Guide recommended)
• Camera (optional)
• Sturdy walking shoes & appropiate clothing for working outdoors
• Sunscreen
• Waterbottle
• Snacks & Lunch (if staying all day)

Questions: Contact Lynn Hori at: lynnhori@gmail.com or Ashley Phillips at: ashley@4swep.org

Come help us document life in the Sagehen Creek Basin!

The goal of this citizen science project is to confirm the Field Station's plant and animal lists with actual, geo-referenced observations for use by the greater scientific community. So far, we have only documented 399 of 1366 taxa assumed to exist in the Basin. Using smart phones and cameras, volunteers accompanied by a California Naturalist will work together to find and identify as many different species as possible within Sagehen Creek Basin – everything from ants to Lodgepole Pines. Our observations will be recorded using iNaturalist.org.

2015 Summer Season:

BioBlitz Pre-Event Practice Session: 10-1pm, Saturday, June 20th, Trip Leaders: Kaitlin Backlund and Reenie McMains-Meet at the Entrance gate at 10am. Not required for participating in the BioBlitz, but available for those who want the practice using iNaturalist.org or have technical questions. For more information or to register, go to http://sagehenbioblitz.eventbrite.com/

Plants and Wildflowers-iNaturalist Field Day at Sagehen with California Naturalist Rick Ramos: 10-1pm, Saturday, June 27th, Meet at the entrance gate to the field Station at 10am. Email sagehen.programs@gmail.com to sign up.

Sagehen BioBlitz: July 11-July 12. You bring your smart phone and tons of enthusiasm. We’ll rally some experts and folks who know the plants and animals of Sagehen Creek Basin. Together we’ll make some science! Registration required. http://sagehenbioblitz.eventbrite.com/

Plants and Butterflies-iNaturalist Field Day at Sagehen with California Naturalist Janet Zipser Zipkin: 10-1pm, Saturday, July 25th. Meet at the entrance gate to the Field Station at 10am. Email sagehen.programs@gmail.com to sign up.

Don't have an iNat account yet? No problem! Sign up here: http://www.inaturalist.org,
If you have a smart phone, you will want to download the app:
iPhone | Android

Want a little more help? Check out these videos.
iNaturalist.org Video Tutorials