| Scientific Name | Gopherus flavomarginatus |
| Category | L |
| Taxon | Reptiles |
| Climate Change Vulnerability Score | Extremely Vulnerable |
The Bolson's Tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus) is the largest tortoise in North America, as large as 13 kg (29 lb) with a 46 cm (18 in) shell. It spends over 95% of its time in its burrow. It occupies habitats dominated by creosote bush (Larrea tridenata), mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), tobosagrass (Pleuraphis mutica), and other Chihuahuan Desert plants. The Bolson’s Tortoise will experience a high degree of climate exposure and has a low adaptive capacity. Overall, it has a Climate Change Vulnerability Index ranking of Extremely Vulnerable under both Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and RCP 8.5 Scenarios. The Bolson’s Tortoise’s climate change vulnerability is impacted by factors related to distribution, movement, demography, life history, evolutionary potential, and abiotic niche, which influence its ability shift in space, persist in place, and respond to climate change impacts. It is also impacted by barriers, land-use changes, and other anthropogenic and biologic factors that could increase the effects of climate change.
Ecoregions
Threats and Conservation Actions
Result for:
All
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Assess the synergistic effects between climate change and other threats to SGCN and their habitats (e.g., Friggens et al. 2019, Parks et al. 2019). Incorporate appropriate climate adaptation strategies and frameworks into projects designed to address these synergistic effects. This may include enhancing connectivity (CEQ 2023), facilitating a species’ innate adaptive capacity (Thurman et al. 2022), enhancing genetic diversity (Powell 2023), considering local adaptation (Meek et al. 2023), or considering whether it is most appropriate to resist, accept, or direct ecosystem transformation (Lynch et al. 2021, Stevens et al. 2021). Projects should acknowledge ecosystem dynamism and incorporate indigenous knowledge (e.g., Roos et al. 2022, Eisenberg et al. 2024), nature-based solutions (Warnell et al. 2023), and experimentation (Guiterman et al. 2022) when appropriate. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, USFS, USFWS, USGS, universities, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Assess the synergistic effects between climate change and other threats to SGCN and their habitats (e.g., Friggens et al. 2019, Parks et al. 2019). Incorporate appropriate climate adaptation strategies and frameworks into projects designed to address these synergistic effects. This may include enhancing connectivity (CEQ 2023), facilitating a species’ innate adaptive capacity (Thurman et al. 2022), enhancing genetic diversity (Powell 2023), considering local adaptation (Meek et al. 2023), or considering whether it is most appropriate to resist, accept, or direct ecosystem transformation (Lynch et al. 2021, Stevens et al. 2021). Projects should acknowledge ecosystem dynamism and incorporate indigenous knowledge (e.g., Roos et al. 2022, Eisenberg et al. 2024), nature-based solutions (Warnell et al. 2023), and experimentation (Guiterman et al. 2022) when appropriate. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, USFS, USFWS, USGS, universities, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Assess the synergistic effects between climate change and other threats to SGCN and their habitats (e.g., Friggens et al. 2019, Parks et al. 2019). Incorporate appropriate climate adaptation strategies and frameworks into projects designed to address these synergistic effects. This may include enhancing connectivity (CEQ 2023), facilitating a species’ innate adaptive capacity (Thurman et al. 2022), enhancing genetic diversity (Powell 2023), considering local adaptation (Meek et al. 2023), or considering whether it is most appropriate to resist, accept, or direct ecosystem transformation (Lynch et al. 2021, Stevens et al. 2021). Projects should acknowledge ecosystem dynamism and incorporate indigenous knowledge (e.g., Roos et al. 2022, Eisenberg et al. 2024), nature-based solutions (Warnell et al. 2023), and experimentation (Guiterman et al. 2022) when appropriate. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, USFS, USFWS, USGS, universities, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Balance irrigation and groundwater demands with the needs of aquatic communities, particularly those supporting native fish, amphibian, and springsnail populations. This may include promoting a transition from irrigated to dryland farming in areas where groundwater pumping and water scarcity threaten SGCN and their habitats. Potential collaborators: BOR, NRCS, USACE, NMOSE, non-profit organizations, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers, water-management districts.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Collaborate with interested and willing land managers and private landowners to designate protected areas or implement conservation easements for lands that encompass important SGCN habitats. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, NRCS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, non-profit organizations, private landowners.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Collaborate with interested and willing land managers and private landowners to designate protected areas or implement conservation easements for lands that encompass important SGCN habitats. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, NRCS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, non-profit organizations, private landowners.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Collaborate with interested and willing land managers and private landowners to designate protected areas or implement conservation easements for lands that encompass important SGCN habitats. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, NRCS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, non-profit organizations, private landowners.
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Determine how regional and global climate change will affect SGCN, vegetation patterns (e.g., Davis et al. 2019, Coop et al. 2020, Guiterman et al. 2022, Davis et al. 2023), and community (e.g., Rosenblad et al. 2023) and ecosystem processes and dynamics, including disturbance regimes. This includes identifying SGCN (e.g., Glick et al. 2011) and associated habitats that are most likely to be negatively affected by climate change, including impacts on travel corridors, habitat connectivity, and species and habitat ranges. Identification of environmental conditions or thresholds that could limit SGCN is especially important. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, USFS, USFWS, USGS, EMNRD, SLO, universities.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Determine how timing, intensity, and duration of livestock grazing affect SGCN and their habitats, including the interactions among grazing, fire, and the spread of invasive and problematic species and among grazing, soil erosion (e.g., Pilon et al. 2017), and native riparian vegetation growth (e.g., Lucas et al. 2004). Potential collaborators: BLM, NRCS, USFS, NMDA, SLO, universities, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Determine life history needs, ecology, distribution, movements, status, and trends of and threats to SGCN (especially invertebrates that are not currently monitored, riparian-obligate species, herpetofauna [Pierce et al. 2016, Olson and Pilliod 2022], and rare native fishes) and their habitats. Consider full annual cycles for migratory species when appropriate and logistically feasible (KFF 2021) and interactions with lower trophic levels that may drive SGCN status (e.g., EPA 2023). Use this information to develop and implement effective monitoring protocols and conservation actions, including actions to mitigate identified threats. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, universities, non-profit organizations, private industry, species working groups, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Determine life history needs, ecology, distribution, movements, status, and trends of and threats to SGCN (especially invertebrates that are not currently monitored, riparian-obligate species, herpetofauna [Pierce et al. 2016, Olson and Pilliod 2022], and rare native fishes) and their habitats. Consider full annual cycles for migratory species when appropriate and logistically feasible (KFF 2021) and interactions with lower trophic levels that may drive SGCN status (e.g., EPA 2023). Use this information to develop and implement effective monitoring protocols and conservation actions, including actions to mitigate identified threats. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, universities, non-profit organizations, private industry, species working groups, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Determine life history needs, ecology, distribution, movements, status, and trends of and threats to SGCN (especially invertebrates that are not currently monitored, riparian-obligate species, herpetofauna [Pierce et al. 2016, Olson and Pilliod 2022], and rare native fishes) and their habitats. Consider full annual cycles for migratory species when appropriate and logistically feasible (KFF 2021) and interactions with lower trophic levels that may drive SGCN status (e.g., EPA 2023). Use this information to develop and implement effective monitoring protocols and conservation actions, including actions to mitigate identified threats. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, universities, non-profit organizations, private industry, species working groups, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Determine where habitat restoration would benefit SGCN and work with federal, state, Tribal, and private landowners to restore degraded rangelands to good or excellent condition. Monitor restoration results to develop and initiate any identified improvements to restoration practices. Potential collaborators: BLM, USFS, SLO, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Develop new species recovery plans that consider the current status of and limiting factors for species, as well as projected future conditions for both species and their habitats. Consider full life cycles for migratory species when feasible (e.g., KFF 2021). Potential collaborators: USFWS, non-profit organizations, species working groups.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Employ existing incentive programs to promote persistence of productive wildlife habitat and native vegetation on private lands, SGCN conservation, and retirement of agricultural fields and water rights where feasible. Support maintenance and growth of incentive programs. Potential collaborators: BLM, NRCS, USFWS, NMDA, SLO, private landowners.
Biological Resource Use
Enforce laws that protect SGCN populations that are often collected illegally, especially reptiles and amphibians. Longer-lived species, such as turtles, may be especially threatened by over-collection (Fitzgerald et al. 2004). Potential collaborators: BLM, DOD, NPS, USFS, USFWS, SLO.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Establish baseline composition, condition, disturbance regimes, and function of major range habitats to inform habitat-restoration actions, particularly for piñon (Pinus spp.)-juniper (Juniperus spp.), sagebrush, and riparian habitats. Includes addressing tree invasion into grassland meadows and shrub invasion into historic grasslands. Potential collaborators: BLM, USFS, SFD, SLO, universities, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Evaluate the effectiveness of public education and outreach efforts regarding threats to SGCN and their habitats and the ways that the public can assist in threat mitigation (KFF 2021). Modify outreach activities as needed in response to evaluation outcomes. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USACE, USFS, USFWS, USGS, NMED, NMSP, SFD, SLO, universities, local governments, municipalities, non-profit organizations.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Evaluate the effectiveness of public education and outreach efforts regarding threats to SGCN and their habitats and the ways that the public can assist in threat mitigation (KFF 2021). Modify outreach activities as needed in response to evaluation outcomes. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USACE, USFS, USFWS, USGS, NMED, NMSP, SFD, SLO, universities, local governments, municipalities, non-profit organizations.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Evaluate the effectiveness of public education and outreach efforts regarding threats to SGCN and their habitats and the ways that the public can assist in threat mitigation (KFF 2021). Modify outreach activities as needed in response to evaluation outcomes. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USACE, USFS, USFWS, USGS, NMED, NMSP, SFD, SLO, universities, local governments, municipalities, non-profit organizations.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Gather and assess current information on grazing practices and determine how the Department can support landowners that provide habitat for SGCN. Potential collaborators: BLM, NRCS, USFS, NMDA, SLO, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Identify and implement actions to mitigate the effects of climate change on SGCN and their habitats. These may include actions that assist in enhancing carbon sequestration in natural environments (e.g., appropriate forest [Mo et al. 2023] and grassland [Bai and Cotrufo 2022] conservation and management [Mo et al. 2023]), improving climate resilience of species and communities (e.g., Dyshko et al. 2024), or climate-smart projects that help maintain, or accommodate for or facilitate climate-related shifts in (e.g., Stanturf et al. 2024, USFWS 2024a), the distribution and natural functioning, including disturbance regimes, of these impacted species and habitats. Potential collaborators: BLM, DOD, NPS, USFS, USFWS, USGS, EMNRD, SLO, universities, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Identify climate change (e.g., Michalak et al. 2020) or disturbance refugia (e.g., Rodman et al. 2023) for SGCN and their habitats and implement conservation actions to conserve, expand, or enhance these refugia. As appropriate, consider refugia when implementing conservation actions (e.g., focus on refugia when planting native plants to encourage reforestation following a fire) (Hennessy et al. 2024). Potential collaborators: BOR, USFS, USGS, universities.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Identify human-constructed water-retention structures (e.g., stock tanks, water troughs, and drinkers) that provide habitat for aquatic SGCN and other wildlife, particularly amphibians. Remove invasive species (e.g., bullfrogs [Rana (Aquarana) catesbeiana]) from these structures that may threaten native aquatic wildlife. Potential collaborators: BLM, USFS, universities, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Identify or develop an accessible, jointly used database to document the status and condition of, threats to, and conservation actions implemented across aquatic, riparian, and upland habitats. Identify data gaps (e.g., Ganey et al. 2017) and implement standardized methods to gather habitat data (e.g., Vollmer et al. 2018, Shirk et al. 2023) and to monitor the success of conservation actions (e.g., Davis and Pinto 2021), including impacts on local SGCN populations. Synthesize existing information (e.g., Jain et al. 2021) and apply modeling techniques to aid in evaluating success when appropriate (e.g., Parks et al. 2018). Adjust future conservation actions as needed based on observed outcomes. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USACE, USFS, USFWS, USGS, NMED, SFD, SLO, universities.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Identify or develop an accessible, jointly used database to document the status and condition of, threats to, and conservation actions implemented across aquatic, riparian, and upland habitats. Identify data gaps (e.g., Ganey et al. 2017) and implement standardized methods to gather habitat data (e.g., Vollmer et al. 2018, Shirk et al. 2023) and to monitor the success of conservation actions (e.g., Davis and Pinto 2021), including impacts on local SGCN populations. Synthesize existing information (e.g., Jain et al. 2021) and apply modeling techniques to aid in evaluating success when appropriate (e.g., Parks et al. 2018). Adjust future conservation actions as needed based on observed outcomes. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USACE, USFS, USFWS, USGS, NMED, SFD, SLO, universities.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Biological Resource Use
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Identify or develop an accessible, jointly used database to document the status and condition of, threats to, and conservation actions implemented across aquatic, riparian, and upland habitats. Identify data gaps (e.g., Ganey et al. 2017) and implement standardized methods to gather habitat data (e.g., Vollmer et al. 2018, Shirk et al. 2023) and to monitor the success of conservation actions (e.g., Davis and Pinto 2021), including impacts on local SGCN populations. Synthesize existing information (e.g., Jain et al. 2021) and apply modeling techniques to aid in evaluating success when appropriate (e.g., Parks et al. 2018). Adjust future conservation actions as needed based on observed outcomes. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, NPS, USACE, USFS, USFWS, USGS, NMED, SFD, SLO, universities.
Biological Resource Use
Inform natural-resource law enforcement staff of the distribution, life history, and habitat needs of SGCN. Partner with them to enforce laws to protect SGCN populations and habitats. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, USFS, USFWS.
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Inform the public about the potential adverse effects of continued climate change on SGCN and their habitats and encourage development of, and data collection under, citizen and community science projects focused on SGCN and their habitats. Potential collaborators: BOR, USFS, USFWS, USGS, NMSP, SLO, universities, non-profit organizations.
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Monitor SGCN to determine long-term trends that correlate to ecosystem dynamics and habitat changes (e.g., Shirk et al. 2023). If feasible, identify potential limiting factors and develop and implement strategies to mitigate them. Potential collaborators: BLM, BOR, DOD, NPS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, universities, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Promote expanded use of appropriate, cost-effective grazing practices that ensure long-term ecological sustainability for SGCN and their habitats (especially riparian habitats). These include actions such as rest-rotation grazing management and conservation easements (Gripne 2005) that contribute to recovery of rangelands impacted by drought and allow restoration activities to be completed. May also include the use of virtual fencing to keep livestock in desired locations and out of sensitive areas (USFS 2024). Potential collaborators: BLM, USFS, SLO, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Promote grazing systems that address local needs of livestock and for SGCN habitat, including riparian areas. When particular habitat components need improvement, coordinate with ranchers and resource managers to identify and implement modifications that would provide the desired habitat outcomes. BLM, USFS, SLO, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Promote grazing systems that incorporate rested pastures and help improve overall range condition and enhance wildlife habitat health and function. In upland areas, these systems may include rest-rotation and/or deferred-rotation. In riparian areas, beneficial grazing practices may also include grazing in early spring and restricting summer grazing and redistribution practices such as herding and developing drinking water sources in upland areas. Especially during times of drought, rested pastures can provide forage reserves and relieve pressure on grazed pastures or allotments. Potential collaborators: BLM, NRCS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Promote land-management practices, standards, and guidelines to conserve and/or restore structure and function of corridors that provide important habitat for SGCN and ability for animals to move as climate conditions change. This should include both mesic and xeric riparian communities that serve as important migratory corridors for birds and other wildlife while providing ecosystem services and wildlife corridors that link isolated mountain ranges (Powledge 2003) and coniferous forest patches. Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, USFS, USFWS, SLO, universities, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Promote use of ecoregion-appropriate agricultural practices that provide habitat or resources or protect habitat quality (e.g., reduce erosion) for SGCN, including planting rows of trees between crops (McCarthy 2024) and pollinator-friendly practices such as planting pollinator habitat along field margins and underutilized areas, revegetating retired farmland with wildflowers, including pollinator-friendly forbs in cover-crop seed mixes (O’Brien and Arathi 2021), waiting to mow along acequias or other areas until after pollinator-friendly plants finish flowering (e.g., Xerces Society 2018), and conserving semi-natural habitat near agricultural fields (Shi et al. 2024). Potential collaborators: NRCS, USFWS, NMDA, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Biological Resource Use
Support programs that educate the public about the importance of not illegally collecting or harassing SGCN, especially reptiles and amphibians (Pierce et al 2016). Potential collaborators: BLM, DOD, NPS, USFS, USFWS, SLO.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Where appropriate, incorporate native, pollinator-friendly plants (Glenny et al. 2022) or native plants adapted to projected future climatic conditions at the restoration site (e.g., Meek et al. 2023, Stanturf et al. 2024) into seed mixes and live plantings used in the restoration of lands affected by grazing, fire, resource extraction, energy development, or urban development. Consider reclamation site conditions, genetic diversity, and resilience to local threats when producing seedlings (Davis and Pinto 2021) and consider appropriate climate analogs when identifying appropriate seed sources (e.g., Richardson et al. 2024). When focused on benefiting pollinators, prioritize plants that are attractive to pollinators, especially SGCN; support pollinators throughout the growing season (Glenny et al. 2023); provide food for caterpillars of insect SGCN (e.g., Dumroese et al. 2016); and produce pollen with high nutritional diversity (Vaudo et al. 2024). Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, NRCS, USFS, SFD, SLO, energy and mining companies, non-profit organizations, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Climate Change and Severe Weather
Where appropriate, incorporate native, pollinator-friendly plants (Glenny et al. 2022) or native plants adapted to projected future climatic conditions at the restoration site (e.g., Meek et al. 2023, Stanturf et al. 2024) into seed mixes and live plantings used in the restoration of lands affected by grazing, fire, resource extraction, energy development, or urban development. Consider reclamation site conditions, genetic diversity, and resilience to local threats when producing seedlings (Davis and Pinto 2021) and consider appropriate climate analogs when identifying appropriate seed sources (e.g., Richardson et al. 2024). When focused on benefiting pollinators, prioritize plants that are attractive to pollinators, especially SGCN; support pollinators throughout the growing season (Glenny et al. 2023); provide food for caterpillars of insect SGCN (e.g., Dumroese et al. 2016); and produce pollen with high nutritional diversity (Vaudo et al. 2024). Potential collaborators: BLM, NPS, NRCS, USFS, SFD, SLO, energy and mining companies, non-profit organizations, private landowners, Tribal natural-resource managers.
Biological Resource Use
Work with landowners and land-management agencies to use forests, woodlands (including piñon-juniper woodlands), and savannas in a manner that maintains healthy, and returns degraded, vegetation to an improved composition and function for SGCN, while protecting grassland communities surrounding piñon-juniper woodlands from woody plant invasion. Potential collaborators: BLM, DOD, NPS, USFS, SFD, SLO, private landowners.
Agriculture and Aquaculture
Work with private landowners to improve irrigation processes and infrastructure to conserve water. Includes promoting the use of devices and models that improve water conservation and irrigation efficiency (Schaible and Aillery 2012, Wang 2019) to help conserve the structure and function of aquatic and riparian habitats. Potential collaborators: NRCS, NMOSE.
