Recognizing how climate change will impact populations can aid in making decisions about approaches for conservation of endangered species. The blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila) is a federally endangered species that, despite protection, remains in extremely arid, hot areas and may be at risk of extirpation due to climate change. We collected data on the field-active body temperatures, preferred body temperatures and upper thermal tolerance of G. sila. We then described available thermal habitat using biophysical models, which allowed us to (i) describe patterns in lizard body temperatures, microhabitat temperatures and lizard microhabitat use; (ii) quantify the lizards’ thermoregulatory accuracy; (iii) calculate the number of hours they are currently thermally restricted in microhabitat use; (iv) project how the number of restricted hours will change in the future as ambient temperatures rise; and (v) assess the importance of giant kangaroo rat burrows and shade-providing shrubs in the current and projected future thermal ecology of G. sila. Lizards maintained fairly consistent daytime body temperatures over the course of the active season, and use of burrows and shrubs increased as the season progressed and ambient temperatures rose. During the hottest part of the year, lizards shuttled among kangaroo rat burrows, shrubs, and open habitat to maintain body temperatures below their upper thermal tolerance, but, occasionally, higher than their preferred body temperature range. Lizards are restricted from staying in the open habitat for 75% of daylight hours and are forced to seek refuge under shrubs or burrows to avoid surpassing their upper thermal threshold. After applying climatic projections of 1 and 2°C increases to 2018 ambient temperatures, G. sila will lose additional hours of activity time that could compound stressors faced by this population, potentially leading to extirpation.

Globally, no species is exempt from the constraints associated with limited available habitat or resources, and endangered species in particular warrant critical examination. In most cases, these species are restricted to limited locations, and the relative likelihood of resource use within the space they can access is important. Using Gambelia sila, one of the first vertebrate species listed as endangered, we used resource selection function analysis of telemetry and remotely sensed data to identity key drivers of selected versus available locations for this species in Carrizo Plain National Monument, USA. We examined the probability of selection given different resource types. Increasing shrub cover, lower and relatively more flat sites, increasing normalized difference vegetation index, and solar radiation all significantly predicted likelihood of observed selection within the area sampled. Imagery data were also validated with fine-scale field data showing that large-scale contrasts of selection relative to available location patterns for animal species are a useful lens for potential habitat. Key environmental infrastructure such as foundation plant species including shrubs or local differences in the physical attributes were relevant to this endangered species.

Identifying and establishing the relative importance of different anthropogenic pathways of invasive non-native species (INNS) introduction is critical for effective management of their establishment and spread in the long-term. Angling has been identified as one of these pathways. An online survey of 680 British anglers was conducted to establish patterns of movement by British anglers abroad, and to establish their awareness and use of biosecurity practices. The survey revealed that 44% of British anglers travelled abroad for fishing, visiting 72 different countries. France was the most frequently visited country, accounting for one-third of all trips abroad. The estimated time taken to travel from Western Europe into Great Britain (GB) is within the time frame that INNS have been shown to survive on damp angling equipment. Without biosecurity, it is therefore highly likely that INNS could be unintentionally transported into GB on damp angling gear. Since the launch of the Check, Clean Dry biosecurity campaign in GB in 2011, the number of anglers cleaning their equipment after every trip has increased by 15%, and 80% of anglers now undertake some form of biosecurity. However, a significant proportion of the angling population is still not implementing sufficient, or the correct biosecurity measures to minimize the risk of INNS dispersal on damp angling equipment. With the increase in movement of anglers abroad for fishing, further work is required to establish the potential for INNS introduction through this pathway.

Repopulation and protection of endangered species are driving factors for many restoration and conservation practices globally. For successful habitat protection and restoration, we must understand (1) species distribution within suitable habitat and (2) how that habitat is utilized-daily and seasonally (Elith et al., 2006;Eyre et al., 2022;Guisan & Thuiller, 2005). The relationship between animal species and their interactions with plants provides key insights into how managing plant communities can better support animal species Zwolak et al., 2022). In arid/semi-arid deserts and scrublands, animal species experience greater stress due to extremes in temperature and precipitation (Barrows, 2011;

Numerous pressures influence the ecological capacity and health of drylands globally. Shrubs are often a critical component of these systems and can function positively as foundation species through facilitation of other species. Nonetheless, limited attention has been paid to the potential negative and indirect effects of shrubs. Here, we tested the hypothesis that plant facilitation can both accelerate the invasion process and amplify the negative effects of an invader on the native community. The invasive species Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens capitalized on facilitation by resident native shrub species. This in turn further degraded California mixed grasslands by negatively impacting other annual protégé plant species in these specific microhabitats. Indirect shrub‐mediated interactions were thus a critical component of the ecological community assembly processes, and this suggests that we need to move beyond pairwise interactions to more rapidly advance grassland management and restoration theory.