Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp
Branchinecta lynchi
Photo: Ivan Parr
Introduction
Status
Ecological Requirements
RCIS Regions: Inner Coast Range, San Antonio Valley (CDFW 2020)
RCIS Natural Communities: Vernal Pool (CDFW 2020; USFWS 2005b).
Occurs in cool-water vernal pools or vernal pool-like habitats (CDFW 2020; USFWS 2005b, 2007b)
Threatened by incompatible grazing regimes and mosquito abatement programs (USFWS 2007b).
Upland and buffer habitat important for vernal pool integrity (USFWS 2005).
Full species account available: California Natural Diversity Database, RareFind 5 (CDFW 2020) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2007 5-Year Review for vernal pool fairy shrimp (USFWS 2007b)
RCIS Conservation Target: Moderate (large range; modeled suitable habitat is designated critical habitat)
Associated Non-Focal Species
Range and Modeled Habitat
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2007 5-Year Review for vernal pool fairy shrimp (USFWS 2007c) projects potential climate change impacts to vernal pool fairy shrimp and vernal pool communities in California and many of these impacts are closely connected to the availability of water. More rainfall through intense precipitation events could result in an increase in suitable vernal pool habitat that would benefit vernal pool fairy shrimp. Or if a more hot and dry global circulation model occurs, the resulting droughts could negatively affect the amount of vernal pool habitat and increase the frequency of vernal pools drying before vernal pool fairy shrimp have completed their life cycle, or cause pool temperatures to exceed suitable temperatures for breeding.
Conservation Strategies
Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp Goals, Objectives, and Actions
There are 28 proposed actions. For complete goals, objectives and actions explanations see the complete table of conservation strategies in the RCIS PDF.
Species Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal VPFS 1
Promote persistence of vernal pool fairy shrimp's populations in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat.Objective VPFS 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable vernal pool fairy shrimp habitat in the RCIS area. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres enhanced.Action VPFS 1.2.1
Enhance hydrology of vernal pools or vernal pool complexes that are currently reducing in size (USFWS 2005).
Action VPFS 1.2.2
Provide suitable upland habitat buffers to protect pollinators of vernal pool plants, dispersal of vernal pool plants and animals, and local watersheds, and sustain important predators of herbivores (USFWS 2005).
Action VPFS 1.2.3
Create and implement managed grazing plans in/adjacent to vernal pools and vernal pool complexes (USFWS 2005).
Action VPFS 1.2.4
Assist local governments develop habitat conservation plans and assist private landowners in developing landowner agreements (USFWS 2005).
Action VPFS 1.2.5
Develop and implement adaptive management plans based on monitoring data and best available science (USFWS 2005).
Action VPFS 1.2.6
Implement education and outreach programs to inform partners and public about recovery needs and opportunities to vernal pool ecosystems (USFWS 2005).
Action VPFS 1.2.7
Limit use of mosquitofish as mosquito abatement in vernal pools with known occurrences and adjacent habitat (USFWS 2007b).
Objective VPFS 1.3
Restore occupied and suitable vernal pool fairy shrimp habitat in the RCIS area. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres restored and occupied by vernal pool fairy shrimp.Action VPFS 1.3.1
Reintroduce vernal pool fairy shrimp to suitable or newly created habitat (USFWS 2005, 2007b).
Regional Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal RC 1
Sustain resilient, connected natural communities for the full range of native species, habitats, and ecological functions in the RCIS area through the protection of large blocks of continuous habitat supporting sensitive species.Objective RC 1.1
Protect and preserve existing intact non-marine habitats and resources and allow for expansion of habitat by protecting suitable or occupied habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of acres of habitat and adjacent/associated acres protected.Action RC 1.1.1
Acquire parcels with suitable habitat through fee title purchase or conservation easement.
Action RC 1.1.2
Conduct surveys using eDNA and/or traditional survey methods in suitable or potentially suitable habitat to locate undocumented occurrences of focal species and other conservation elements and opportunities for habitat protection, enhancement, restoration, and creation (USFWS 2008).
Action RC 1.1.3
Create and sustain long-term funding for protected areas maintenance.
Action RC 1.1.4
Establish an incentive program for private landowners to protect occurrences and manage habitat.
Action RC 1.1.5
Protect populations from impacts from construction, vegetation management, and/or activities, including by surveying areas such as roads/trails and implementing species protection measures.
Objective RC 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by number of acres of habitat enhanced and/or occupied.Action RC 1.2.1
Manage current and future recreation access including off-road vehicles, biking, equestrian, foot traffic, and unleashed pets to reduce impacts and disturbance to sensitive species and habitats. Ensure recreation is compatible with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences. Enforcement and fencing may be used to prevent illegal off-road vehicle use (USFWS 2010).
Action RC 1.2.10
Work with private landowners and stakeholders to research species biology, threats, populations, densities, and/or ranges.
Action RC 1.2.11
Create/enhance connections between ecologically required habitat types, such as between aquatic breeding and upland dispersal habitats.
Action RC 1.2.2
Control non-native invasive species from occupied and/or suitable habitat, and areas designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as critical habitat throughout the RCIS area.
Action RC 1.2.3
Reduce/eliminate pesticide, rodenticide (especially first- and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides), and herbicide use, including for roadside vegetation removal projects as part of integrated pest management efforts in identified suitable habitat, and sensitive natural communities. Promote alternative pest reduction methods, such as promoting natural predator populations (Ventura County Public Works Agency 2017).
Action RC 1.2.4
Minimize impacts from native and non-native predator populations that have increased due to anthropogenic factors, including through educational outreach and trainings on how to safely coexist with native predators and predator removal programs where appropriate.
Action RC 1.2.5
Reduce anthropogenic impacts on habitat, including infrastructure construction and maintenance, inappropriate grazing, uncontrolled grazing, or overgrazing, off-road vehicles, foot traffic, fire suppression, recreational development and activities, non-native plants, and sand mining
Action RC 1.2.6
Manage infrastructure construction and maintenance projects, including transportation, solar energy facilities and projects on military properties, to be compatible for sensitive species.
Action RC 1.2.7
Manage grazing, including the installation of wildlife-friendly fencing, to ensure it is compatible with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences. Grazing in sensitive natural communities, public lands should be reduced.
Action RC 1.2.8
Reduce trash dumping in areas with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences.
Action RC 1.2.9
Enhance and restore native vegetation in occupied habitat and suitable but unoccupied habitat.
Water Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal Water 1
Improve conditions of water resources, aquatic and riparian habitats, and connectivity throughout the RCIS area through enhancement and restoration.Objective Water 1.1
Improve freshwater aquatic and riparian habitat conditions in areas with sensitive species and habitats. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the improvement and restoration of aquatic and riparian conditions (inundation duration, water depth, water chemical composition, stream substrate composition and/or stream characterization, habitat structure, native species diversity, percent cover), water quality, and connectivity of water resources.Action Water 1.1.1
Reduce water pollutants such as fine sediments, pesticides, herbicides, sewage effluent, and other non-point and point source waste discharges, including through development and implementation of stormwater policy and infrastructure.
Action Water 1.1.5
Minimize impacts to water resources from construction, military activities, and agricultural practices.
Action Water 1.1.7
Improve and expand existing riparian and upland buffers and create new buffers where they are lacking around stream and wetland habitats, as well as connectivity corridors between heterogeneous habitats. A qualified biologist and the best available science should determine buffer distances.
Action Water 1.1.8
Preserve and protect intact aquatic and riparian resources where protection is lacking.