Exploring the Mojave Desert with WISDOM

As part of the Women In Science Discovering Our Mojave internship, we collected data at Vernandyles and Teresa Springs in Mojave Trails National Monument between September 2023 and February 2024. This is a record of the biodiversity found at the springs, as well as our personal observations and recordings.

WISDOM: Women In Science Discovering Our Mojave 

• MDLT internship that provides women from underrepresented communities with opportunities in STEM fields by gaining experience and conducting scientific research
  • Connects selected participants with mentors and other women in their field 
• WISDOM is supported by the Conservation Lands Foundation & is a collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management(BLM)
  • The internship was established in 2019

Hi! I'm a third year student studying archaeology and GIS at Cal Poly Pomona. I have a great passion for environmental sustainability and cultural preservation, and I hope to pursue a graduate degree in urban planning and law. I love to read, make collages, and puzzle (the NYT connections and crosswords are my favorite)!

I am currently completing my first year as a full-time college student at Copper Mountain College in Joshua Tree. In the fall of 2025, I will transfer to a UC to double major in biochemistry and neuroscience; I will then go on to obtain an MD/PHD to work in the medical field. I spend my spare time snowboarding and reading, in addition to being involved on campus as a tutor and the student trustee. :)

I graduated from CSUSB in December of 2021 with a B.A degree in Environmental Studies - Sustainability Concentration. Since obtaining my degree, I have taken various jobs to gain experience in the environmental field. In my free time, I enjoy arts & crafts, hiking, journaling, and traveling.

• Common mediterranean grass(Schismus barbatus)
  • Native to North America, mediterranean region, and Africa
  • A annual grass that grows in small clumps, often in disturbed areas and deserts
• Engelmann's hedgehog cactus(Echinocereus engelmannii)
  • Also known as the strawberry hedgehog cactus
  • Known for its large, often very fragrant, night-blooming flowers, which are one of the largest flowers in the cactus family
  • The red, inch-long fruit produced is editable & tastes similar to strawberries — often enjoyed by birds and rodents
• Desert bluebells(Phacelia campanularia)
  • In United States, these plants are native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts
  • Have wide, bell-shaped, deep-blue flowers with reddish-brown steams
  • Bloom between February and April

• Dark-eyed junco(Junco hyemalis)
  • Very common sparrow, often seen in San Diego County
  • Shades of feather vary based on habitat(Ex. Rocky Mountains)
  • Grey under-belly with dull brown back and black head
• Lesser goldfinch(Spinus psaltria)
  • Related to American Goldfinch(Spinus tristis) [We also encountered these.]
  • Tiny, stub-billed songbirds with long, pointed wings, and short, notched tails
  • Yellow bellow with dull backs. Tails are black with white edges/corners
• House finch(Haemorhous mexicanus)
  • Medium-sized finch, common throughout the U.S., parts of Canada, and Mexico
  • Permanent residents, therefore they do not migrate(some Eastern species do migrate)
  • Brown or dull-brown color across the back with deep grey shading on the wing feathers, and commonly have streaks on their belly

• Desert grasshopper(Spaniacris deserticola)
  • Known as Coachella Valley grasshopper
  • Small brownish gray grasshopper with front wings that extend to or beyond the ends of their body
  • Live for 3-5 months and prefer to lay their eggs in damp soil(breed more when there is increased rainfall)
• Southern dogface(or doghead) butterfly(Zerene cesonia)
  • Bright yellow butterflies with dull-yellow edging and a few black spots
  • The black spot on the upper wings(when closed) would be the eye of the “face” and the shading completes the shape of the dog—which gives the insect its name
  • In 1972, the dogface butterfly was designated the California state insect!

• Desert trumpet(Eriogonum inflatum)
  • Very small yellow and pink flowers & a very distinct inflated stem
  • Provide a food source for various butterfly species
  • The hallow steams have been recorded to be used as pipes or drinking tubes
• Trailing windmills(Allionia incarnata)
  • A vine that grows along the ground and can extend up to 10 feet!
  • Flowers bloom in shades of pink and purple
  • The flowers and stems are sticky, and it is common to find dirt stuck inside the flowers
• Desert fivespot(Eremalche rotundifolia)
  • This plant is a dicot & is an annual herb, meaning it completes its life cycle in one growing season
  • Known as the lantern flower, because it resembles a lantern when sunlight passes though the closed petals
  • Flowers are five lilac round/heart-shaped petals with dark red spots at the base, when the flower is in full bloom

• White-lined sphinx(Hyles lineata)
  • Have a wide range of color phenotypes but show consistent adult coloration(pictures below of the larvae we saw!)
  • The adults are covered in fuzzy hairs and are great pollinators!
  • Though their appearance and loud humming sound may be intimidating, these insects are harmless to humans

• Red-spotted toads(Anaxyrus punctatus)
  • Tadpoles take 6-8 weeks to mature to adults
  • Burrow underground until mating season in March-June
  • Roughly 3 inches long & tadpoles are 1.5 inches
  • Males participate in wrestling matches to establish territory
  • Adapted to survive up to a 40% loss of water in their environment

• Cholla skeletons do not actually “jump” towards people! Chollas have very shallow root systems that remain near the surface, which allow them to easily absorb water from rainfall. By stepping along a cholla’s roots, you force the cactus to lean towards you; this lead to the nickname “jumping chollas.” Make sure to be careful, because the barbs are painful and difficult to remove.

• Cholla cacti have wood skeletons that provide the structural integrity of the plant. Once the water evaporates and any critters evacuate, after the plant dies, the skeleton will remain. The skeletons are used to make artwork, walking sticks, home decor, among many other things!

• Tarantula & Tarantula Hawk
  • The tarantula hawk’s sting was rated the second most painful sting the world, second only to the Bullet Ant on Schmidt Pain Index. Don’t worry though, they are not aggressive towards humans! Female tarantula hawks paralyze the tarantula with a sting, and proceed to lay a single egg on its abdomen. Once the larva hatches, it will feed on the immobilized spider.

• Lichen is a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership of two separate organisms, a fungus and an algae, which grows very slowly! It can take upwards of 50 years for pockets of lichen to grow to roughly the size of a quarter. Lichen comes in a variety of colors to protect from too much direct sunlight and low temperatures. Over 700 organic chemical compounds have been isolated from lichens (90% of which are not known elsewhere in nature).

• The bees create nests underground by making small conical piles that lead to underground tunnel systems that resemble the above ground hives. Western honey bees are the most common of the 7–12 species worldwide and is one of the first domesticated insect species in the world! A colony could contain around 30,000-80,000 bees, including the queen, drones, and workers.

We acknowledge that the land we worked on is part of the unceded ancestral homeland of the Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone), Vanyumẻ, Yahaaviatam Maarenga’yam (Serrano), Nüwüwü (Chemehuevi), Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute), and Pipa Aha Macav (Mojave) nations. These tribes have a strong relationship with the California Desert, particularly lands surrounding the springs we had the privilege of visiting. The Mojave National Preserve is a federally protected area in Southern California; the springs we collected our data from are specifically located within the Trilobite Wilderness.

The Mojave Desert is the smallest of the four major North American deserts, but it is extremely important biologically and is significantly protected. The Mojave shelters a huge range of plants and animals that require the intensity of the environment to survive. While it is easy to assume that such a hot, dry area can not have much living in it, it is quite the opposite; the majority of the organisms in the Mojave could not survive elsewhere.

The biological balance the Mojave Desert provides can not be replicated. Deserts are at greater risk to irreplaceable consequences from climate change. Small changes in the desert’s traditional hot days and cool nights disrupt the balance of the environment.

• Secure your trash so ravens, and other critters, can not access it.
• Do not release mylar balloons into the atmosphere. They are incredibly harmful to the environment.
• Avoid making, and using previously made, illegal off-roading routes.
• Be cautious when making campfires/bonfires, especially in areas with significant vegetation.
• Reduce the amount of water waste in your household.
• Do not litter! & pick up trash you see(be mindful of your own safety first, of course).

All in all, be mindful of your actions. The positive habits you’re willing to incorporate into your daily life will help preserve the Mojave Desert long-term, in addition the countless organisms that inhabit it.

WISDOM has shown me how much beauty and life lies within the desert. As an archaeological student, it was such an incredible experience to walk through the same areas that indigenous communities used as travel pathways through the mountains, find lithic scatters, and observe desert biodiversity. It was a truly humbling and unique experience, and I’m thankful I was able to participate. 

Growing up in the Mojave, I have always been envious of those with immediate access to sandy beaches or bright green forests. WISDOM has given me a new appreciation and respect for the Mojave Desert. I am grateful to be from an area with such diverse plants and animals. I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned from MDLT staff, while expanding my experience applying STEM concepts outside of the classroom.

WISDOM has taught me how much potential a desert environment has. Also, how much biodiversity it holds!  I am grateful to have been given this opportunity to do hands-on field work in these historic lands.