Sul Ross State University

Baseline Inventory of Flora and Fauna
at Black Gap Wildlife Management Area

by Betty Ackerson, Justin Foster, Lisa Green, Kristian McIntyre,
Tom VanZant (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department) and Louis A. Harveson

Baseline inventories of fauna communities are an important step in developing management strategies.

Historically in North America, nongame species management has received little attention compared to game species management. In fact, the effects of game management practices on nongame or nontarget species is rarely considered when prescribed or practiced.

Recently, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has concentrated efforts in establishing baseline inventories (species presence, absence and abundance) on all Texas Parks and Wildlife Department lands to better understand fauna community dynamics before and after management practices. Our objectives are to determine species presence, richness and diversity for rodents, bats, reptiles, amphibians and plants at Black Gap Wildlife Management Area (BGWMA).

Twenty permanent transects have been established throughout BGWMA. Herp arrays, line intercepts and Shermann traps will be used to document species presence, richness and diversity.

Funding provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.