OFFROAD VEHICLE IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
by Robert C. Stebbins in “The California Desert” edited by Latting and Rowlands, 1995
"Luckenbach and Bury (1983) studied the impact of offroad vehicles on the plant and animal life of the Algodones Dunes southeast of the Salton Sea, in an area of heavy ORV use. The portion of this dune system in the California desert is some 40 miles long, averages about 5 to 6 miles wide, and rises to a height of around 300 feet. It has a northwest-southwest oriented long axis. State Highway 78 crosses the dunes about 12 miles from their northern tip. Most of the dunes on the north side of the road are closed to offroad vehicles, whereas those on the south side are open. The open area has been used by dune-buggies and other ORVs with increasing intensity since the 1960s. Although the dunes on the north side were used somewhat by ORVs prior to their closure, use was light and little damage to the biota occurred during that period. Luckenbach and Bury compared the abundance and diversity of animals in 6 paired plots (one member of each pair in the impacted area, the other in the control area) along Highway 78 and Gecko Road, on the west side of the dunes. Their findings indicate disastrous effects on both plants and animals in the areas of heavy offroad vehicle use and a reduction of biota in areas of even minor ORV use. In the combined control areas, all animals studied were far more abundant than in the impacted areas. Arthropods, chiefly beetles, averaged 24 times more abundant , kangaroo rats 2 times, cottontail rabbits 10 times, kit foxes 2 times, lizards over 3 times and the specialized "sand swimming" fringe-toed lizards, confined to areas of fine, loose sand, 5 times more abundant. The lizards and kangaroo rats were sampled directly, but the arthropod, rabbit and kit fox densities were based on sweeping long, 1 1/2 foot wide swaths across the dunes at dusk and counting tracks the next morning. On several of the impacted plots the vertebrate animals had nearly been eliminated."
this was admittedly quite a few years ago. have conditions for animals improved since then?
Great so where doing our job then...
quote:
Originally posted by Bluesky:
...edited by Latting and Rowlands, 1995
I think this explains alot.... it looks like another case taking data out of context and presenting it as a fact.
-D
Nice try Bluesky... old study, probably biased, PLUS, there is 32,000 acres of wilderness north of Hwy 78 that all the little critters can play in all they want.
I posted that because I was asked to show proof that off-roading was bad for the environment.
Can you refute the proof? Or are you just gonna say it was biased and let it go at that?
Can you refute the proof? Or are you just gonna say it was biased and let it go at that?
But isn't it better for the enviroment to have OHV area's like Glamis? I don't ride anywhere except designated OHV areas and neither do any of my friends or anyone I know and I have NEVER seen anyone try to ride in the wilderness area of Glamis north of 78
What?
Blue sky it is only proof that all creatures are the same. The lizards, rabbits, toads,kangaroos, and koalas left our play area because there is less going on in the north side of the dunes. It is not because we are killing them. All the wild life is thriving out there.The creatures just moved away just like we move out of the cities.
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blue is better
[This message has been edited by blue streak (edited 04-06-2002).]
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blue is better
[This message has been edited by blue streak (edited 04-06-2002).]
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bluesky asks for us to refute his supposed proof, the one thing he HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO!!!!!!!! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!
I read a study done by Wellman and Nixon (2000) in which they stated that the plant and animal activity in the open riding area of Glamis is thriving and the PMV is more abundant now than it was 30 years ago. I read it so it must be true.
I believe that these animals are very inteligent. They have survived for thousands of years. They have learned to adapt, overcome and improvise in there surroundings. As Blue Streak said these animals left the open side of the dunes because it's much nicer over on the other side.
Who says they ever even left. Even Daniel Patterson is admitting now that the ecosystem north of 78 is very different than that south of 78 because they receive different ammounts of rainfall:
quoteQUOTEDifferent amounts of rain make the wilderness area to the north and this closed area in the middle of the dunes two very different ecosystems, Patterson said.
http://www.yumasun.com/artman/publish/story_875.shtml
And before you get too twisted up about that article here's the other half of it that ran on the same spread in the newspapger:
http://www.yumasun.com/artman/publish/story_874.shtml
I'm not sure I like this approach to reporting, it would work if both sides would stick to facts and the truth - but Pattersons inability to choose a story and stick with it makes this kind of reporting much less effective. I would have rather seen one story that covered facts rather than two stories that have a mix of facts and heresay. Still it's an interesting approach and I commend Luke for his attempts at unbiased reporting.
[This message has been edited by jhitesma (edited 04-08-2002).]
I'd like to hear more about the "Wellman and Nixon" study. Funny, a google search didn't turn up anything.
If you searched for the author of the article I posted, you'll come across his name as the author of several books and a university professor.
[This message has been edited by Bluesky (edited 04-08-2002).]
If you searched for the author of the article I posted, you'll come across his name as the author of several books and a university professor.
[This message has been edited by Bluesky (edited 04-08-2002).]
Does anyone remember the seen from Braveheart where the nobles are arguing over which clan has the right to name the successor? Both sides holding (biased) documents, *****ing about how everyone else is lying and there's no way to prove it? All the while, I'm sitting there watching and thinking they're all a bunch of idiots. No amount of posts, threads, or yelling is going to get either side to change their mind. Most of us will go out of our way to help keep Mother G clean and safe. Most "greenies" will do the same. We've got to find this common ground and work productively, or the Duners will be screwed because of a few of the bad apples. My two cents.
ps...Can't we all just get along?
ps...Can't we all just get along?
quoteQUOTECan't we all just get along?
Well, as a matter of fact, NO!
Never, ever, compromise with a green. It's not a word they understand or honor.
[This message has been edited by Washroad (edited 04-09-2002).]
i found that wellman nixon too, but i dont remember where, i think ill go look now though
Question for bluesky and blue streak, are you two related?
Sorry bluesky, I didn't do a google search. All I can tell you is I read an article written by people named Wellman and Nixon in which they stated that the plant and animal life is thriving in the open riding area and the PMV is more abundant now than it was 30 years ago. I think it was an Arizona based magazine that I read it in.
[This message has been edited by cr500cop (edited 04-10-2002).]
[This message has been edited by cr500cop (edited 04-10-2002).]
Sorry bluesky, I didn't do a google search. All I can tell you is I read an article written by people named Wellman and Nixon in which they stated that the plant and animal life is thriving in the open riding area and the PMV is more abundant now than it was 30 years ago. I think it was an Arizona based magazine that I read it in.
[This message has been edited by cr500cop (edited 04-10-2002).]
[This message has been edited by cr500cop (edited 04-10-2002).]
quote:
Originally posted by Bluesky:
I'd like to hear more about the "Wellman and Nixon" study. Funny, a google search didn't turn up anything.
If you searched for the author of the article I posted, you'll come across his name as the author of several books and a university professor.
[This message has been edited by Bluesky (edited 04-08-2002).]
Does that mean that every person who ever wrote a book is right about everything? It's only that person's opinion. Because something is written in a book does not make it so.
my question is does the wellman nixon report even exist? there's no evidence of it or of the existence of the writers, right or wrong.
Regarding BlueSky's inability to find the Wellman & Nixon article; It just dawned on me...if its not on the internet it doesn't exist. Furthermore, if it is on the internet it must be accurate. Here's a tip; if I remember my college days, there once was a building with the work "Library" on it. I recall that it was filled with written works such as books, magazines, etc... Some with large print, some even with pictures. Maybe you should search one out and look at what is commonly refered to as the "card catalog".
If you have any trouble, feel free to ask the nice lady behind the desk for some help. Her name is Ms. Librarian.
If you have any trouble, feel free to ask the nice lady behind the desk for some help. Her name is Ms. Librarian.
Dunetamer,
If Wellman and Nixon are authors and have published articles, don't you think there would be some mention of their names out of the billions of websites that Google accesses?
If Wellman and Nixon are authors and have published articles, don't you think there would be some mention of their names out of the billions of websites that Google accesses?
well, my apologies to all> I found a book by author J. Douglas Wellman PHD who writes about recreation policy. I ordered his book and will read it when it comes. here's a link to his homepage
http://www.ncsu.edu/fctl/Staff/Wellman/
http://www.ncsu.edu/fctl/Staff/Wellman/
quote:
Originally posted by Bluesky:
Dunetamer,
If Wellman and Nixon are authors and have published articles, don't you think there would be some mention of their names out of the billions of websites that Google accesses?
well geeze maybe cr500 cop spelt it wrong, maybe you should speel it with one l or try other things, i doubt people are gonna lie about that kinda crap.
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DJ~DesertViper
Blue is the only way to go~YZ250
Bluesky, I realy did read an article written by Wellman and Nixon. I don't know who they are and I'm sorry if you can't find anything on them on your Google search. I do have a question for you. Have you ever ridden in a dunebuggy out in the dunes?
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