27th Annual Meeting and Symposium of the
Desert Tortoise Council, March 22-24, 2002
Abstracts

Desert Tortoise Research at the University of Redlands in the Context of the Fort Irwin Proposed Expansion

Jill S. Heaton
Redlands Institute, University of Redlands, 1200 E. Colton Ave, Duke 211, Redlands, California 92373-0999

The Redlands Institute (RI) for Environmental Design, Management and Policy, which is housed within the Center for Environmental Studies at the University of Redlands, is beginning a three year project to study certain aspects of desert tortoise ecology and management in the Mojave Desert. Studies will be centered within the context of, but not limited to, the Ft. Irwin National Training Center (NTC) and its proposed expansion study area. The RI research team will attempt to optimize methods and technologies for the collection, compilation, analysis, management, synthesis, and visualization of desert tortoise-related data by blending environmental science and information science. Our research agenda can be described in the context of an integrated research framework intended to 1) evaluate the effects of spatial and temporal threats on the long-term sustainability of the desert tortoise; 2) assist the NTC in establishing baseline desert tortoise information needs within the expansion study area; and, 3) provide a context for which to compare pre- and post-expansion conditions given baseline information and the existence of spatial and temporal threats. To address these issues we will employ a variety of traditional methods and advanced technologies including GIS, remote sensing, visualization software, knowledge management, environmental modeling and simulation software, and decision support tools. In addition, we have and will continue to develop ties with interested desert tortoise biologists and managers, universities and other interested parties. Specific aspects of our developing research agenda will be discussed.