The California Islands are an archipelago located off of the coast of California and Baja California within the California Floristic Province (CFP). The islands, are a biodiversity hot-spot and home to hundreds of plant and animal species not found anywhere else in the world. Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the eight Channel Islands in southern California, has more than 650 vascular plant species, three-quarters of which are endemic. However, anthropogenic impacts from activities such as ranching and from the introduction of non-native fauna and flora has left the island’s landscapes degraded and its endemic species vulnerable to climate change and other stressors. Invasive flora and fauna in particular are responsible for substantial loss of biodiversity – introduced vertebrates have overgrazed natural vegetation and predation from these invasive species nearly eradicated the island’s top predator, the Santa Cruz Island Fox. Roughly three-quarters of the CFP’s overall original habitat has been lost.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), along with the Islands of the Californias Botanical Collaborative (ICBC), has been working to restore the degraded landscapes. However, much of the local flora across the island chain is struggling to return to its native habitats. Our Practicum team is working with TNC and ICBC to help evaluate current information on species reintroductions in island environments and develop a framework for reintroduction of extirpated species for the Channel Islands using Santa Cruz Island as a case study site. The results of this project will be able to be implemented by land managers to aid in restoring native vegetation and provide an example for similar situations around the world.
Student Team: Logan Dalton, Chloe Fuson, Olivia Hurst, Cicely Luna, Evan Melendez, Sydney Parrone, Diana Saucedo, and Mackenzie Tassiello
Client: The Nature Conservancy
Advisor: Professor Travis Longcore