Nature & Science

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is located in the Gila Wilderness within the Gila National Forest. Within a few miles of the cliff dwellings, elevations range from around 5,700 to 7,300 feet above sea level. In the immediate vicinity of the cliff dwellings, elevations range from 5,700 to about 6,000 feet. The terrain is rugged, with steep-sided canyons cut by shallow rivers and forested with ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Douglas fir, New Mexico juniper, pinyon pine, and alligator juniper (among other plants).

The climate is dry, with July and August as the rainy months. During the rainy months there is a possibility of short but intense rain each day. Monthly rainfall can vary from almost three inches in August to one-third of an inch in May, the driest month. Precipitation in winter ranges from about half an inch per month to an inch and a half.

During the summer, daytime highs average in the 90s F, while nighttime lows can reach into the 50s F. During the winter, daytime highs can be in the 50s F, while nighttime lows can reach into the teens.

The most common large mammals encountered are mule deer and elk. Black bear and mountain lion are in the area, but are seldom seen. Coyotes can sometimes be heard at night. Because the Gila National Forest plays a role in the reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolf, wolves may be in the area, but it is rare to encounter them. The most common birds in the vicinity of the monument are turkey vultures, ravens, hawks, hummingbirds, and various songbirds.

Check out our species observations on iNauralist here: NPS - Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument · iNaturalist

 

 

Ecological monitoring helps track stream health.

NPS

To protect the treasures in their care, park managers need accurate information about what kinds of resources are in the park, how and why they are changing over time, and what amount of change is normal. Like a physician monitoring a patient's heartbeat and blood pressure, ecologists with the Sonoran Desert Network collect long-term data on key resources that can indicate overall ecosystem health. When park managers have early warning of potential problems, they have a better chance of dealing with them before they become harder and more expensive to fix. At Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, the network monitors air quality, climate, springs, streams, terrestrial wildlife, and vegetation and soils.

Studying park vital signs is only part of the picture. Other field work is conducted by park staff, graduate students, or independent researchers. Because many parks prohibit activities that occur elsewhere, scientists can use the parks as "control" areas for determining the effects of these activities where they do occur. Especially in the American West, national park lands often serve as the best model for what an undisturbed landscape looks like.

 

 

Published Research on Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

Source: NPS DataStore Saved Search 3680 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the NPS DataStore.

 

Park Species Lists

 

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

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Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

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Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

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Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

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List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

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Species attribute definitions

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