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5 <br />In addition to habitat alterations, disease may be influencing Bradshaw's lomatium, <br />pa icularly smaller populations. A fungus that causes a brown spot disease occurs <br />sporadically, destroying aboveground portions of the plants. Seeds on fungus- infected <br />plants seldom reached maturity before the plants died back. Aphids and spittle bugs also <br />parasitize Bradshaw's lomatium. Parasites were found exclusively on plants with seeds <br />(K agan 1980). Parasitized plants had a significantly higher incidence of aborted fruits. <br />Paq sitization and resulting fruit abortion can severely reduce the size of, or, eliminate a <br />Habitat conditions and environmental stressors, such as drought and parasitism, may limit <br />the survival and recovery of Bradshaw's lomatium populations. All currently known sites <br />are relatively disjunct, separated by agricultural or urban development, substantial <br />di'st nce, and/or topography. Most sites also have relatively few, plants and/or are small in <br />area.. The results of such habitat fragmentation (i.e., isolation, low seed dispersal, and <br />reduced numbers of pollinators) may combine with other factors (i.e., disease or <br />parasitism) to further threaten Bmdshaw's lomatium. <br />The conservation area is primarily used for recreational purposes. Therefore; past <br />management of the conservation area has focused on recreational uses. Grassy areas, <br />incl ading wet prairie habitat, are often Mowing may have both beneficial and <br />adverse affects on Bradshaw's lomatium and other native plants. Although regular <br />mowing may prevent succession, native grasses and forbs may be adversely affected <br />when mowing is conducted before seeds have set in late summer. At times, early mowing <br />may have reduced seed production in the Upper Amazon Basin. <br />Veh cle and pedestrian traffic may adversely affect Bradshaw's lomatium in the <br />con ervation area. Damage may be most substantial after flowers have formed but <br />befc re seeds have matured. Impacts of this type have been noted in Amazon Park. For <br />example, population impacts and habitat fragmentation from construction of Amazon <br />Partway may have caused loss of individuals but the extent of impacts are not known <br />because of the lack of complete surveys at the time. Public education may also increase <br />awareness of the plant and its habitat within the Upper Amazon Basin. <br />As reviously described, isolation and cumulative loss of habitat continue to threaten <br />Bradshaw's lomatium. The Recovery Plan identifies tasks necessary, to downlist the <br />plant. Several of these tasks relate to establishment of management areas within four <br />identified recovery areas: North Central Willamette Valley, Central Willamette Valley, <br />Sou heastern Willamette Valley, and West Eugene. Within these four areas and using <br />information on extant locations, ownership, and willing landowners,'ten management <br />areas were to be selected. Four lie within the West Eugene Area, which encompasses the <br />