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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 5, 2021 / Proposed Rules Reported habitats have included coastal grasslands Koontz and Warnock 2012, as well as grassy slopes and benches, open grassy terraces, and chaparral and oak woods Warnock 1993 in USFWS
2008a. Currently, SCI larkspur occurs primarily on the east side of the island on gentle slopes with northern, northwestern, and eastern exposures.
The higher-elevation plateau supports grasslands dominated by the native perennial bunch-grasses interspersed with annual forbs while the midand lower-elevation grasslands tend to be less floristically diverse and dominated by introduced annual grasses. They are primarily found within vegetation communities dominated by Artemisia californica, nonnative grasslands, and Baccharis pilularis Vanderplank et al., in prep..
Flower production in Delphinium can be highly variable and may be dependent upon quite localized weather conditions Lewis and Epling 1959, p.
512 and soil moisture Inouye et al.
2002, pp. 545, 549. Plants may not flower until reaching 2 to 3 years of age e.g., Waser and Price 1985, p. 1727 in reference to D. nelsonii.
SCI larkspur generally flowers from March to April California Native Plant Society 2001, in USFWS 2008a, but has been documented flowering from January to April Koontz and Warnock 2012. Blue and white flowered Delphinium species are largely pollinated by bumblebees Waser and Price 1983, p. 343; Waddington 1981, p.
154. Several different species of pollinators have been observed visiting SCI larkspur USFWS 2020c, p. 28;
Junak and Wilken 1998, p. 120; Munson 2019, pers. comm.; SERG 2015b, p. 13.
Given the spur-length of San Clemente Island larkspur, bumblebees or hummingbirds may be the primary pollinators Jabbour et al. 2009, p. 814.
Successful outcrossing within island populations indicates that pollination is effective; therefore, populations of pollinators are likely to be ample.
Like most other California larkspurs, SCI larkspur can survive below ground when conditions are unfavorable and may remain dormant and not appear above-ground for one or more years. The species begins to go dormant shortly after flowering, remaining dormant until early in the rainy season. Although we have no information on the lifespan of SCI larkspur, based on information regarding other species of larkspurs, it is likely that the subspecies is relatively long-lived USFWS 2020c, p. 28.
Because of the species ability to go dormant, and additionally because flower production in Delphinium can be highly variable and may be dependent
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upon quite localized weather conditions, exact numbers of individuals are difficult to locate and count.
In comparison with other endemic plant species, Delphinium variegatum appears to be typical in its pattern of genetic diversity relative to its geographic range at both the population and taxon levels Dodd and Helenurm 2002, p. 619. However, in comparison with other Delphinium, the genetic variation observed for the insular taxa of D. variegatum appears to be low. The data suggest that there is a higher level of gene flow among adjacent populations. If estimates of historical gene flow are indicative of current patterns, then gene flow among the 24
island populations studied appears to be high enough to prevent genetic differentiation among them. This is consistent with the general low level of genetic differentiation found among populations of other species in the genus Delphinium Dodd and Helenurm 2002, pp. 619620.
Little is known regarding the fire tolerance of SCI larkspur. However, its dormancy period roughly May or June through November and the fire season generally coincide OConnor 2019, pers. comm.; Navy 2009, p. 4.22. The possible benefits of fire to SCI larkspur include reduction in competitive shading and/or nutrient uptake, which would likely increase flowering and possibly visibility to pollinators.
Recovery Criteria Section 4f of the Act directs us to develop and implement recovery plans for the conservation and survival of endangered and threatened species unless we determine that such a plan will not promote the conservation of the species. Recovery plans must, to the maximum extent practicable, include objective, measurable criteria which, when met, would result in a determination, in accordance with the provisions of section 4 of the Act, that the species be removed from the Lists.
Recovery plans provide a roadmap for us and our partners on methods of enhancing conservation and minimizing threats to listed species, as well as measurable criteria against which to evaluate progress towards recovery and assess the species likely future condition. However, they are not regulatory documents and do not substitute for the determinations and promulgation of regulations required under section 4a1 of the Act. A
decision to revise the status of a species, or to delist a species, is ultimately based on an analysis of the best scientific and commercial data available to determine
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whether a species is no longer an endangered species or a threatened species, regardless of whether that information differs from the recovery plan.
There are many paths to accomplishing recovery of a species, and recovery may be achieved without all of the criteria in a recovery plan being fully met. For example, one or more criteria may be exceeded while other criteria may not yet be accomplished. In that instance, we may determine that the threats are minimized sufficiently and that the species is robust enough that it no longer meets the definition of an endangered species or a threatened species under the Act. In other cases, we may discover new recovery opportunities after having finalized the recovery plan. Parties seeking to conserve the species may use these opportunities instead of methods identified in the recovery plan.
Likewise, we may learn new information about the species after we finalize the recovery plan. The new information may change the extent to which existing criteria are appropriate for identifying recovery of the species.
The recovery of a species is a dynamic process requiring adaptive management that may, or may not, follow all of the guidance provided in a recovery plan.
In 1984, we published the Recovery Plan for the Endangered and Threatened Species of the California Channel Islands recovery plan that addresses the five species addressed in this proposed rule, plus some additional species USFWS 1984. The recovery plan preceded the 1988 amendments to the Act outlining required elements of recovery plans. As such, the recovery plan does not include recovery criteria, but followed guidance in effect at the time it was finalized. Rather than including specific criteria for determining when threats have been removed or sufficiently minimized, the recovery plan identifies six objectives to achieve recovery of the Channel Island species. Given the threats in common to the species addressed, the recovery plan is broad in scope and focuses on restoration of habitats and ecosystem function. The six objectives identified in the recovery plan are:
Objective 1: Identify present adverse impacts to biological resources and strive to eliminate them.
Objective 2: Protect known resources from further degradation by:
a Removing feral herbivores, carnivores, and selected exotic plant species; b controlling erosion in sensitive locations; and c directing military operations and adverse
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