When utility-scale solar facilities are built, the land is scraped of vegetation and fenced. People often make the mistake of thinking that the desert is indestructible because it looks so harsh, but it’s actually quite delicate. That development would have consequences. Many of the targeted lands included important habitat for threatened species, such as the desert tortoise, and had been largely undisturbed by humans. On top of that, California is requiring that 33 percent of its energy production come from low-carbon, renewable sources by 2020. And nowhere is more attractive for solar power-in terms of sunshine, space and access to markets-than the Mojave, which spans 32 million acres in four states. Nationwide, the government has prioritized the development of utility-scale renewable-energy facilities by offering billions of dollars in federal loan guarantees and incentives.

Now big changes are coming to the desert, and quickly. In a place like the Mojave, where life is already pushed to its limits, even small changes to natural systems can have major effects. And still, it thrives, as it has for thousands of years, eating algae, plant matter and insects. The Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish lives in waters up to 92 degrees and can survive in water only a half-inch deep! In the summer, much of this fish’s habitat dries up as daytime temperatures soar to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. They can be easily viewed along a boardwalk in Death Valley National Park. Their habitats are salty streams and warm water temperatures – conditions that would turn a trout belly up in minutes. The Salt Creek pupfish, for instance, lives in water three times as salty as the ocean. About 30 pupfish species are now found throughout the Southwest. Essentially desert springs became habitat islands. As happens on small islands, species rapidly evolved to adapt to specific conditions. Once, in prehistoric times, pupfish in the Southwest probably consisted of only one species. As the climate became hotter, the lakes and rivers began drying up, leaving only isolated springs, pools and rivers. The pupfish became isolated in these little pockets of remaining water. They are known for surviving harsh environments. Send us feedback.Pupfish are killifish - small, colorful, knuckle-sized fish found on three continents. These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pupfish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Midland Reporter-telegram, Houston Chronicle, 16 June 2020 See More National Geographic, 22 July 2020 The springs are perfect habitat for numerous species of aquatic animals, including two small, endangered desert fishes - the Pecos gambusia and the Comanche Springs pupfish, according to the release. habitat for two endangered species, the Sonoyta pupfish and Sonoran mud turtle. 2012 The Quitobaquito Springs also has been the only U.S.

Peter Byrne, Scientific American, 27 Mar. 2022 This shallow recess is home to 100 much-studied adult Devils Hole pupfish, or Cyprinodon diabolis. 2022 There are now thousands of pupfish in a network of artificial ponds, which are planted with three-square bulrush and give a convincingly timeless appearance.Īlex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2022 The pupfish’s decline was precipitated when its natural habitat was encroached upon by developers.ĭaisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, 21 Apr. Mary Forgione, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2022 Before the 1990s, there were about 200 pupfish since then, their numbers have fallen as low as 90.

Los Angeles Times, The Tecopa pupfish, a native of the hot springs of the Mojave Desert, has the distinction of being the first animal declared extinct under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act of 1973.ĭaisy Hernandez, Popular Mechanics, 21 Apr. Recent Examples on the Web Hole pupfish has paddled back from the brink in a hellish desert domain.

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