Southwest Arroyo Restoration: Expansion of a Hydro-Ecological Resource Cañada Bonita, NM

Abstract: Developing and restoring moisture retaining areas or patches in arid Southwest landscapes has gained importance in recent decades. Arroyos, specifically those on high desert plateaus, may through cost-effective restoration provide a resilient hydro- ecological niche during uncertain precipitation and prolonged droughts. This research addresses two questions related to this role: 1. what are the microclimatic differences between an arroyo and the adjacent upland and the relationships between soil moisture and reduced sun and wind exposure; and 2.

Stream hydrology limits recovery of riparian ecosystems after wolf reintroduction

Efforts to restore ecosystems often focus on reintroducing apex predators to re-establish coevolved relationships among predators, herbivores and plants. The preponderance of evidence for indirect effects of predators on terrestrial plant communities comes from ecosystems where predators have been removed. Far less is known about the consequences of their restoration. The effects of removal and restoration are unlikely to be symmetrical because removing predators can create feedbacks that reinforce the effects of predator loss.