Report - Environmental Study_Flora Fauna_Sch A_Hwy-384.pdf

Flora and Fauna

Endangered Species and Possible Impacts

LANDSLIDE AND ROAD DAMAGE

EVALUATION AND REPAIR RECOMMENDATIONS

PROJECT – PR-5568 - KM 0.70

Corozal, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Highway Authority # ER-HWY-384

Submitted to:

Eng. Rafael Rosa Castro

Torres – Rosa Consulting Engineers

PO Box 9023763

San Juan, Puerto Rico 00902-3763

Submitted by:

Héctor E. Quintero Vilella Ph.D., Ecology

PO Box 5100 - 61

San Germán, Puerto Rico 00683

Tel.(787) 487-5204

E-mail: hequintero@yahoo.com

December, 2018

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

Table of Contents

Page

1.0 Introduction 3

1.1 Location 3

2.0 Methods 5

2.1 Plant Species Survey 5

2.2 Animal Species Survey 5

3.0 Results 5

3.1 Flora 5

3.2 Fauna 7

4.0 Endangered and Critical Species 10

4.1 Plants 10

4.2 Animals 10

5.0 Possible Impacts 10

5.1 Direct Impacts 11

5.1.1 Mammals 11

5.1.2 Birds 11

5.1.3 Reptiles and Amphibians 11

5.2 Indirect Impacts and Cumulative Impacts 11

5.2.1 Mammals 11

5.2.2 Birds 11

5.2.3 Amphibians and Reptiles 12

5.2.4 Fish and Aquatic Decapods 12

6.0 References 13

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

1.0 Introduction

This report covers the results of a flora and fauna survey needed to comply with the possible environmental effect of a proposed project to restore highway PR-5568 at KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico. This is project number ER-HWY-384 of the Puerto Rico Highway Authority. The report also presents the results of a survey of the endangered species as well as the possible impacts.

1.1 Location

The study area is located on highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 in the municipality of Corozal, Puerto

Rico. The NAD83 coordinates for the site are, X=208,994.2807, Y=253,018.8486, Figure 1. Figure 2 presents an aerial view of the study site. The area of the site is 2,700 Sq. M.

Figure 1. Topographic map of the study area, from USGS Corozal Quadrangle.

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

Figure 2. Aerial photo of study site.

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

2.0 Methods

Field work was conducted on November 23, 24, 26, 2018. One nocturnal survey was made to increase the likelihood of locating rare and protected species such as the Puerto Rican Boa (Epicrates inornatus), and the Virgin Islands Tree Boa (Epicrates monensis). These species are more active during dusk or after dark. To analyze the different habitat types recent aerial photos were used along with field recognition.

The different habitat types occurring within and immediately adjacent to the project boundaries were determined.

2.1 Plant Species Survey

All the plants within these areas were determined to prevent impact to protected species. If any plant could not be identified in the field, portions of a single specimen were collected for later identification at the laboratory. Plant nomenclature follows Liogier and Martorell (2000).

2.2 Animal Species Survey

The survey for animal species was performed during the same time frame as the general vegetation field surveys. Point surveys as described by Brower et al. (2004) were made. Observations were made in the morning and afternoon. The vertebrate fauna was determined by visual and acoustic means. Rocks and fallen branches were frequently turned to detect cryptic species. The river fauna was made by direct observation. Any skeletal or skin remains were identified. Nomenclature for the herpetofauna follows

Rivero (1998) and Raffaele et al. (1998) for the avifauna.

3.0 Results

3.1 Flora

The field investigation of the site revealed that the study area is not currently being used for agricultural or industrial purposes. In some portions of Cibuco River and the small creek to the south the vegetation at the margins was impacted by record floods caused by the path of hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017.

Impact of the high winds can be observed in other species in the area, there are trees that were partially knocked down and they also lost many branches. Now, the surviving trees are recuperating, Figures 3-4.

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

The plant species found were:

Table 1. Flora VC – very common

C – common

Herbaceous Plants and Vines NC – not common

Scientific name Common name Abundance

Aeschynomene americana Moriviví bobo C

Amaranthus dubius Blero NC

Asclepias curassavica Algodoncillo NC

Bidens alba Margarita blanca C

Blechnum occidentale Helecho de barranco C

Centrosema pubescens Flor de pito C

Chamaecrista aeschymomene Moriviví bobo C

Chloris radiata Paragüita blanca NC

Cissus verticilata Bejuco de caro NC

Colocasia esculenta Malanga NC

Commelina diffusa Cohitre C

Cynodon dactylon Bermuda grass NC

Cyperus rotundus Coquí VC

Dissotis rotundifolia Disotis C

Eleusine indica Pata de Gallina C

Ipomoea triloba Bejuquillo de puerco C

Ipomooa setifera Bejuco de puerco C

Mimosa pudica Moriviví NC

Momordica charantia Cundeamor NC

Petiveria alliaceae Anamú NC

Pueraria phaseoloides Kudzu tropical VC

Pytyrogramma calomelano Helecho plateado NC

Ricinus communis Higuereta NC

Setaria geniculata Cepillo de diente NC

Syngonium podophyllum Arrowhead vine C

Thelypteris deltoidea Helecho orejudo NC

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

Scientific name Common name Abundance

Thumbergia alata Susana NC

Urulochoa maximum Yerba de guinea VC

Verbesina alata Capitaneja NC

Shrubs and Trees

Casearia sylvestris Cafeillo NC

Cecropia schreberiana Yagrumo hembra NC

Cordia sulcata Moral C

Guarea guidonia Guaraguao VC

Inga vera Guaba VC

Myrcia deflexa Cieneguillo C

Myrcia splendens Hoja menuda C

Roystonea borinquena Palma Real NC

Schefflera morototoni Yagrumo macho NC

3.2 Fauna

Since the study area is small (2,700 Sq. M.) the number of animal species is low. Birds moving through the area are the most abundant group. The species observed at the site are:

Table 2. Fauna VC – very common

C – common

NC – not common

Mammals

Scientific name Common name Abundance

Molossus mollossus* Velvety Free-tailed Bat NC

Rattus norvegicus Brown rat NC

*this is a common species, bats were not caught and identified.

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

Birds

Buteo jamaicensis Guaraguao colirrojo NC

Casmerodius albus Garza real C

Coereba flaveola Reinita VC

Columbia squamosa Paloma turca NC

Columbina passerina Rolita VC

Lonchura cucullata Diablito VC

Loxigilla portoricencis Come ñame NC

Margarops fuscatus Zorzal pardo VC

Serius motacilla Pizpita de río C

Spindalis zena Reina mora C

Todus mexicanus San Pedrito C

Vireo latimeri Bien-te-veo C

Reptiles

Scientific name Common name Abundance

Ameiva exul Siguana NC

Anolis cristatellus Lagartijo común VC

Anolis krugi Lagartijo de Montaña NC

Anolis pulchelus Lagartijo jardinero VC

Sphaerodactylus macrolepsis Salamanquita C

Amphibians

Scientific name Common name Abundance

Bufo marinus Sapo común C

Leptodactylus albilabris Ranita de labio blanco VC

Eleutherodactylus coqui Coquí común VC

Eleutherodactylus antillensis Coquí churí NC

Eleutherodactylus brittoni Coquí de las hierbas C

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

Aquatic Fauna

Puerto Rico’s river fauna consists mainly of bony fish, decapod crustaceans (shrimp, chagaras and buruquena), insects and their larvae, mollusks and other smaller groups such as sponges. Hildebrand

(1935) reported nine species of native freshwater fishes in Puerto Rico. According to Burgess and Franz

(1989) in Puerto Rico there are no native freshwater fish and indicate that the island has 24 species and some peripherals introduced marine invaders. Erdam (1972) reports that there are 59 native species and

19 introduced species. This publication covers species from lagoons, rivers, estuaries and creeks and includes many euryhaline marine species.

In the Encyclopedic Compendium of Natural Resources (Department of Natural Resources, unpublished) 32 species of freshwater fish are reported. A report by Yoshioka (1996) on a study by J.

Holmquist reported six native fish and five exotic species. In the same publication 14 species of decapod crustaceans are reported, 13 catadromous and one that does not migrate, the buruquena or freshwater land crab.

The aquatic species that could be found at Cibuco River are:

Fish

Scientific name Common name

Gobimorus dormitor Guavina

Hypostomus plecostomus Suckermouth Catfish

Anguilla rostrata Anguilla

Eleotris pisonis Morón

Awaous tajasica Saga

Scydium plumieri Olivo, chupa piedra

Agonostomus monticola Dajao

Joturus pichardi Lisa morón

Poecilia reticulata Guppie

Ictalurus punctatus Barbudo

Tilapia nilotica. Tilapia del Nilo

Xiphophorus helleri Cola espada

Puntius conchonius Minó rosado

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

Crustaceans

Scientific name Common name

Macrobachium carcinus Camarón común

Macrobachium acanthurus Silgao

Macrobachium heterochirus Langostino

Macrobachium faustinum Camarón, 3"

Mycratya poeyi Camarón pequeño, 1"

Atya scabra Chagara

Atya lanipes Guabara

Xiphocaris elongatus Chirpi (chirpe)

Potimirrin mexicana No common name

Potimirrin americana No common name

Potimirrin glabra No common name

Jonga serrei No common name

4.0 Endangered and Critical Species

4.1 Plants

No endangered or critical plant species was found at the study site or adjacent habitats. Therefore, this project will not impact any endangered of critical plant species.

4.2 Animals

No endangered or critical animal species was found at the study site or adjacent habitats. Therefore, this project will not impact any endangered of critical animal species.

5.0 Possible Impacts

Because this issue has generated a broad range of terms, concepts and interpretations it is necessary to define the most common use of some that will be used in this report. Since this report is focused on the impact on a natural system, the definitions have that approach. These are:

Action - human activity that causes an effect in a natural system either a change in the flow of energy or materials.

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

Effect - changes in the environment caused by an action.

Direct effect - change in the environment that occurs in the same time and space that the action causing it.

Indirect effect - change in the environment that occurs after the action or in an area distant from the action.

Cumulative effect - changes in the environment resulting from the sum of individual effects or synergism of direct and indirect impacts and possible future impacts.

Stressor - causative agent of change to natural processes.

Impact - effect of an action on the environment, impact = effect.

Synergism - combined effect of two or more actions.

5.1 Direct Impacts

5.1.1 Mammals

The size of the impact area is small, 2,700 Sq. M., therefore the direct impact to mammal species, especially bats is insignificant. No direct impact is expected to mammal species.

5.1.2 Birds

The size of the impact area is small, 2,700 Sq. M, therefore the direct impact to bird species low. One possible impact is the loss of nests and foraging habitat due to the loss of tree species.

5.1.3 Reptiles and Amphibians

The direct impact of the construction of the project will be low and limited to the destruction of small portion of their habitat.

5.2 Indirect Impacts and Cumulative Impacts

No cumulative impacts are anticipated by the construction and operation of the proposed project. The reconstruction will have a minimal impact on natural communities.

5.2.1 Mammals

Since the construction activities at the site circumscribe to a small area no indirect or cumulative impact is expected to mammal species.

5.2.2 Birds

Since the construction activities at the site circumscribe to a small area no indirect or cumulative impact is expected to bird species.

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

5.2.3 Amphibians and Reptiles

Since the construction activities at the site circumscribe to a small area no indirect or cumulative impact is expected to amphibian and reptile species.

5.2.4 Fish and Aquatic Decapods

The construction of the proposed project could have an indirect impact on the aquatic fauna. Water sedimentation could increase during the reconstruction activities in the river and adjacent areas.

Sediment barriers should be placed along the temporary access road to prevent sediments entering the river. This project will have a temporary negative impact to the river fauna but it will have a positive permanent impact by decreasing the quantity of sediments that now are entering the river due to the damage to the highway and bridge affected by the flood caused by Hurricane María.

Figures 3 and 4. Partial view of the vegetation at the study site.

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

6.0 References

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. 2003. Bejucos y Plantas Trepadoras de Puerto Rico e Islas Vírgenes. Smithsonian

Institution U.S. National Herbarium. Natl. Museum of Natural History. MRC-166, Washington, DC 20560, USA. 491p

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. 1996. Flora of St. John U.S. Virgin Islands. Bronx, New York: The New York

Botanical Garden. 581 p.

Erdam, D.S. 1972. Los Peces de las Aguas Interiores de Puerto Rico. Publicación especial del

Departamento de Agricultura de Puerto Rico. IV.2 96p

Ewel, J. S. and J. L. Whitmore. 1973 Ecological Life Zones of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

USDA – Forest Serv. Res. Paper ITF-18. 72 p.

Gannon, M.R., Kurta, A., Rodríguez-Duran, A. and M.R. Willing, 2005. The Bats of Puerto Rico. Texas

Tech University Press, Lubbock, Texas, 239pg.

Hildebrand, S.F. 1935. An Annotated List of Fishes of the Fresh Waters of Puerto Rico. Copeia 2,7/16, p49-56

Joglar, R.L. 1998. Los Coquíes de Puerto Rico: Su Historia Natural y Conservación. Editorial de la

Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, PR. 232 pg.

Joglar, R. Ed. 2005. Biodiversdiad de Puerto Rico: Vertebrados terrestres y ecosistemas. Instituto de

Cultura Puertorriqueña, San Juan, PR563pp.

Liogier, H.A. 1985. Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands, Vol 1. Río Piedras, PR:

Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 357 p.

Liogier, H.A. 1988. Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands, Vol 2. Río Piedras, PR:

Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 481 p.

Liogier, H.A. 1991. Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands, Vol 3. Río Piedras, PR:

Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 461 p.

Liogier, H.A. 1995. Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands, Vol 4. Río Piedras, PR:

Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 617 p.

Liogier, H.A. 1997. Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands, Vol 5. Río Piedras, PR:

Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 436 p.

Liogier, H.A., and L.F. Martorell. 2000. Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands: A Systematic

Synopsis. San Juan, PR: Editorial de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 382 p.

Flora and Fauna, Endangered Species, Impacts Landslide and Road Damage Evaluation and Repair Recommendation

Highway PR-5568 KM 0.7 Corozal, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Highway Authority Project # ER-HWY-384

Little, E. L., F. H. Wadsworth y J. Marrero. 1977. Árboles Comunes de Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes.

Editorial Universitaria, UPR, Río Piedras, P.R. 731pp.

Más, E. G. & M. de L. Lugo-Torres. 2013. Malezas Comunes en Puerto Rico & Islas Vírgenes

Americanas/Common Weeds in Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands. Universidad de Puerto Rico, University of Puerto Rico, Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez/Mayagüez Campus. USDA

Servicio de Conservación de Recursos Naturales. Natural ResourcesConservation Service.

Área del Caribe/ Caribbean Area

Más E. G. y O. García Molinari, 1990. Guía Ilustrada de Yerbas Comunes en PuertoRico. U.P.R.- R.U.M.

Servicio de Extensión Agrícola, Mayagüez, PR. 103pg

Más, E.G. 1994. Caribbean Area Grasses: Identification Field Guide. 113pg. Soil Conservation Service, San Juan, Puerto Rico..

Raffaele, H.A. 1989. Una Guía a las Aves de Puerto Rico y las Islas Virgenes. Princeton NJ: Princeton

University Press. 274 p.

Raffaele, H., Wiley, J., Garrido, O., Keith, A., Raffaele, J. 1998. A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies.

Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. 511 p.

Rivero, J. A. 1998. Los Anfibios y Reptiles de Puerto Rico. San Juan, P R: Editorial Universitaria. 510 p.

Schwartz, A., and R.W. Henderson. 1991. Amphibians and Reptiles of the West Indies: Descriptions, Distributions, and Natural History, Gainesville, Fl: University Florida Press. 720 p.

Tsunokawa, K. y C. Hoban, Editors, 1997. Roads and the Environment, A Handbook. World Bank Tech.

Paper No. 376. The World Bank Press, Washington DC, 225 p

Yoshioka, B. 1996. Puerto Rican River Fauna Study. Summary Report. From Holmquist, J. Cooperative

Agreement, US Fish and Wildlife Service. 52p