The Core Group produced the following list of managers' information needs that can be addressed by research. A list of current research activities is included in Appendix B. The research list is cross referenced to the information needs that each activity could addressed, partially or completely.

A. Fire:

1. What are the characteristics of fire within a natural system, and when do human-induced changes to the natural fire regime exceed the tolerances of native plants and animals to re-establish after fire events?

2. What is the effectiveness of the following techniques to reduce or modify fuel loads:
   1. Fuel modification
   2. Prescribed burns
   3. Mechanical removal
   4. Chemical treatment
   5. Grazing

3. What is the effect of fire on small reserves which are isolated from other habitat areas?

4. What is the optimal frequency of fires for different vegetation types?

1. What are the criteria for success of the reserve system and how are they measured and monitored?

2. How can mitigation and monitoring programs for specific target species and habitat types be designed to yield maximize benefit to the plurality of management research needs identified in this document?

3. How can we coordinate monitoring and management activities to address within- and between-site variation? How can we collect data to enable comparisons with other studies and provide feedback to specific management efforts?

4. What potential research strategy would include establishment of coastal sage scrub control studies in northwest Baja California?

1. Can population viability analysis be used to improve estimates of temporal and geographic variability in demographic parameters and regularly reassess species extinction risks?

2. What factors determine temporal and geographic variability in population demographics, and what are the implications relative to identifying source or sink populations?

3. How are demographic parameters (especially reproductive success, survivorship, dispersal behavior) affected by various edge effects (including adjacent land uses such as low density residential, high density residential, industrial, commercial, roads, landfills, recreational facilities)?

4. How are demographic parameters (especially reproductive success, survivorship, dispersal behavior) affected by human-related disturbances on the reserve itself (including recreational use, military activities, utilities maintenance)?

5. How are demographic parameters (especially reproductive success, survivorship, dispersal behavior) affected by different management activities (including grazing, fire, mechanical disturbances, etc.)?

6. What are the relationships between species persistence and environmental variables (examined at both local and landscape levels)?

7. What are ecological characteristics of functioning corridors that influence the persistence of selected species, and how is corridor effectiveness influenced by adjacent land uses?

8. What methods are appropriate for using baseline genetic data to study metapopulation structure and dispersal?

1. How can a regularly updated and available data base be best established?

2. How can the current state of knowledge be best synthesized and communicated for use by the managers who need it?

3. How can interactive processes among researchers, managers, and administrators be best established?

4. How can research inform management of the important issue peculiar to or largely focused on the urban/wildland interface zone?

5. How can consensus building, maps, criteria, and other tools be used in planning and establishing preserves?

1. What are the impacts of exotics and invasives, particularly cowbirds, on species other than those that are threatened and endangered?

2. What is the role of exotics and invasives in community function?
   1. Which kinds of invasives potentially lead to cascading community affects at higher trophic levels?

   2. What are the warning signs for monitoring programs to detect these problems?

   3. How many of these invasives are really edge effects and how many can actually displace intact interior communities?

3. How can we develop and monitor methods for the control of exotic plants and animals (e.g., fennel, tocalote, tree tobacco, and black mustard)?

4. How can exotic vegetation be most effectively controlled, particularly in associated riparian areas?

5. What is the effect of predators on species of concern and the predator/habitat relationship?

6. How can future problems with invasives be prevented?

1. What is the impact of varying intensities of different types of human activity (such as equestrian, mountain bike, and pedestrian use) on coastal sage scrub resources?
   1. Is there a threshold level of public activity that has measurable negative impacts on CSS resources (e.g., on nesting success of any particular native species)?

   2. What are temporal factors (seasonal, time of day) that may make public uses compatible or incompatible with managing identified coastal sage scrub species and habitat types?

   3. What is the cumulative impact of multiple public uses on habitats?

   4. How can the effects of recreation use on priority species and habitats be monitored so that land managers can effectively manage public access based on empirical data?

2. What is the impact of the following public infrastructure projects on the viability of reserves of different sizes and how does reserve size effect the level of impact?
   1. Dirt roads
   2. Paved roads
   3. Utility corridors, such as buried pipelines and transmission lines
   4. Reservoirs
   5. Water transport system projects

3. What data can indicate the level of damage caused by requested uses?

1. What is the extent of nitrogen deposition region-wide, and its effects on reserve management?

2. How do nutrients cycle through these ecosystems under "natural" conditions, what changes have occurred and what are the possible implications for land management?

3. How do individual species influence community dynamics within a system?
   1. What is the relationship of selected individual species to the community as a whole?

   2. What is the validity of "umbrella" species concept as applied to coastal ecosystems in southern California?

   3. How does specific-species management affect other species and overall community composition?

1. How do we apply information about metapopulation dynamics of species selected by managers to reserve planning and management?

2. How can we monitor the variation of these selected species within and between sites?

3. How does connectivity relate to conservation goals?
   1. How does the need for connectivity relate to reserve size for selected species?

   2. For selected species, what landscape features serve as movement corridors and what features act as barriers to movement?

4. How does fragmentation affect resources?

5. What is the relationship between minimum viable population and the size of reserves?

1. What are the comparative benefits and drawbacks of active vs. passive restoration?

2. Can we create or restore the cactus wren breeding habitat to increase viability of this species?

3. What are the biological and ecological feasibility of methods for restoring functioning coastal sage scrub that is able to withstand natural processes such as fire and drought over the long term?

4. What is the feasibility of propagating seed crops of native herbaceous annuals and fire followers for use in coastal sage restoration efforts?

5. What can be done to increase the productivity of CSS habitats for identified species?

6. Can gnatcatcher habitat and populations be enhanced by manipulating plant species composition or structure?

7. Can coastal sage scrub habitat be enhanced by planting, mowing, pruning or other mechanical means?

8. Can and should water be added to the system artificially to make habitat more healthy?

9. Is there a place for created vernal pools or other wetlands in CSS?

10. Why do some areas support much denser populations of gnatcatchers and other species?

11. What is the effectiveness of prescribed burns as a tool in the restoration of coastal sage scrub?

12. What are the real costs and chances of success for restoration and revegetation?

1. What species exhibit high levels of sensitivity to edge effects, and are therefore likely to be useful indicators for purposes of monitoring reserve integrity?

2. What umbrella species (broad distribution throughout CSS with limited distribution in other habitat types) could be used to evaluate overall health of community?

3. What species closely associated with coastal sage scrub require further autecological research?

1. How does prior land use affect subsequent ability to establish or restore coastal sage scrub and associated habitats?

2. How can historical records help determine whether given areas are appropriate for protection of target species?

1. What are the effects of livestock grazing (intensity and duration) on sensitive habitats?
   1. Under what circumstances can cattle grazing be accommodated on habitat (coastal sage scrub, annual grasslands, other habitat types)?

   2. What are the circumstances where cattle grazing or perhaps other economic uses of land can be tolerated or even an effective management tool?

   3. What are the responses of selected plant and animal species to grazing regimes?

2. What are the community succession characteristics of the major natural communities that occur within CSS areas throughout southern California?

3. What are the guidelines for when a particular resource goal should be attempted? When is it appropriate to manage for a single species or overall biodiversity?

1. What are the impacts of the following adjoining land uses on the viability of habitats within reserves?
   1. Golf courses and urban parks
   2. Agriculture
   3. Housing
   4. Industrial
   5. Others

2. What is the impact of the following factors on ecosystem health, and to what extent do surrounding land uses affect the minimum size of reserves necessary to retain habitat values and attain conservation objectives?
   1. Point source pollution
   2. Change in microclimate
   3. Altered densities of rodents
   4. Feral species (ants, cats, etc.)
   5. Noise
   6. Fire
   7. Light

3. What types of adjacent land use should be encouraged and discouraged?