A review of environmental hazards and vertebrate biodiversity of upper San Marcos river, Texas, USA

  • Authors

    • Amtyaz Safi University of Karachi
    • Muhammad Usman Ali Hashmi
    2021-02-27
    https://doi.org/10.14419/jes.v3i1.31411
  • San Marcos River, Texas, Vertebrate Biodiversity, Threats.

  • Abstract

    The San Marcos River arises in a series of springs in Hays County, Texas. This is the second largest and important spring system in Texas, which has more environmental stability and a diverse known biotic diversity of any other ecosystems in the southwestern United States of America. The upper San Marcos River contains a relatively larger number of protected biota, including the vertebrate fauna like San Marcos salamander (Eurycea nana) and the fountain darter (Etheostoma fonticola). Many environmental hazards are increasing day by day due to human’s development and groundwater extraction. This area receives a great deal of conservation efforts to protect/ enhance habitats, protect biodiversity and ecological condition of the river but still much more priority actions are needed.

     

     

  • References

    1. [1] Beaty, H. E. 1972. Zizania texana Hitchc. (Texas wild rice): A rare and endangered species. Unpublished. Baylor Univ., Waco, Texas. 31 pp.

      [2] Brown, W. H. 1953. Introduced fish species of the Guadalupe River basin. Tex. J. Sci. 5:245-251.

      [3] Brown, B. C. 1967. Eurycea nana. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles, p. 35.

      [4] Bowles DE, Arsuffi TL. 1993. Karst aquatic ecosystems of the Edwards Plateau of central Texas, USA: a consideration of their importance, threats to their existence, and efforts for their conservation. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 3: 317–329. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3270030406.

      [5] Collette, B. B., and L. W. Knapp. 1966. Catalog of type specimens of the darters (Pisces, Percidae, Etheostomatini). Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 119:1-88. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.119-3550.1.

      [6] Evermann, B. W. and W. C. Kendall. 1894. Fishes of Texas and the Rio Grande basin, considered chiefly with reference to their geographic distribution. Bull. U.S. Fish Comm. for 1892: p. 57-126.

      [7] Francis L. Rose. 2000. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Freeman Ranch, Hays County, Texas. Freeman Ranch Publication Series No. 2-2000 June, 2000.

      [8] Gilbert, C. H. 1887. Descriptions of new and little known Etheostomatoids. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 10:47-64. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.10-607.47.

      [9] Hubbs, C. and Peden, E. (1969) Gambusia georgei sp. nov. from San Marcos, Texas. Copeia 1969, 357–364. https://doi.org/10.2307/1442086.

      [10] Hubbs, C., et al., 1978 Survival and abundance of introduced fishes near San Antonio, Texas. Texas J. Sci., 30(4):369–76.

      [11] Jordan, D. S. and C. H. Gilbert. 1886. List of fishes collected in Arkansas, Indian Territory, and Texas, in September 1884, with notes and descriptions. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 9:1-25. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00963801.549.

      [12] Jordan, D. S. and B. W. Evermann. 1896. The America: a descriptive catalogue of the vertebrates found in the waters of North Isthmus of Panama. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. fishes of North and Middle species of fish-like America, north of the 47:1-1240.

      [13] Khan, I. S., Safi A, Hashmi, M. U. A and Latif, T. A. 2017. A review of vertebrate biodiversity and environmental pollution on Keenjhar Lake: A Ramsar site. Canadian Journal of Pure & Applied Sciences. 11(1): 4091-4102.

      [14] Longley, G. 1981, The Edwards aquifer—Earth’s most diverse groundwater ecosystem: International Journal of Speleology, no. 11, p. 123–128. https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.11.1.12.

      [15] Safi A, Hashmi MUA and Smith JP. 2020. A review of distribution, threats, conservation and status of freshwater turtles of Ontario, Canada. Journal of Environmental sciences. 2(1) (2020): 36-41.

      [16] Schenck JR, Whiteside B (1977) Food habits and feeding behavior of the fountain darter, Etheostoma fonticola (Osteichthyes: Percidae). The Southwestern Naturalist 21: 487–492.

      [17] Raymond, C. and Mathews, Jr. 2005. Fishery Inventory and Habitat Assessment of Spring Lake at Aquarena Center. Texas Water Development Board 1700 North Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78711-3231.

      [18] Rosen, D. E., and R. M. Bailey. 1963. The poeciliid fishes (Cyprinodontiformes), their structure, zoogeography, and systematics. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Mist. 126:1-176.

      [19] Texas Water Development Board. 1968. Reconnaissance of the chemical qualities of the surface waters of the Guadalupe River Basin, Texas. Report 88. Austin, Texas.

      [20] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1984. San Marcos River Recovery Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, New Mexico. pp. v + 109.

      [21] U.S. Department of Interior. 1967-71. Water resource data for Texas. Part I. Surface water records. U.S. Geol. Surv., Federal Bldg., Austin, Texas.

      [22] https://www.edwardsaquifer.net/species.html.

      [23] https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2018-01-15/san-marcos-fights-to-protect-its-river-and-parks-from-littering.

      [24] https://www.iucn/redlist.org/species.

  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Safi, A., & Usman Ali Hashmi, M. (2021). A review of environmental hazards and vertebrate biodiversity of upper San Marcos river, Texas, USA. SPC Journal of Environmental Sciences, 3(1), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.14419/jes.v3i1.31411

    Received date: 2021-01-23

    Accepted date: 2021-02-19

    Published date: 2021-02-27