Applying knowledge co-production to identify Mojave desert tortoise stressors across time, space, and agency missions

Abstract

Considerable progress has been made in understanding the effects of stressors on Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) populations, yet information about how stressors may vary across jurisdictions, space, and time is lacking. We engaged in knowledge-sharing interviews and a workshop with natural resource managers from multiple jurisdictions located throughout the tortoise's range. This knowledge co-production approach allowed us to learn managers' perceptions of which local to range-wide stressors, synergistic interactions, and important actions impact tortoise populations. We co-produced a list of priority stressors that included Common Raven (Corvus corax) predation, roads, climate change/drought, wildfires, and off-highway vehicle routes. Yet, some temporal, spatial, and organizational differences existed in priority stressors. Participants identified important interactions between (1) climate change/drought, invasive plants, and wildfire and (2) human presence and predation from human-subsidized predators. Key actions for tortoise recovery included invasive plant removal, education and outreach, surveys, and habitat restoration, which did not always address prioritized stressors, partially because of logistical and monetary constraints. A co-production approach was vital to learning which stressors managers perceived as most important and varying over space and time, and the logistical constraints associated with managing these stressors.