3D Thermal Constraints: Subterranean Microclimate and the Ecophysiology of Bipes biporus in Response to El Niño Rainfall Pulses

Extreme El Niño events completely reshape the desert soil by changing how it retains moisture and heat. For Bipes biporus, a unique subterranean reptile endemic to Baja California Sur, these shifts dictate where and how they can survive.

Our project aims to document exactly how this massive rainfall pulse alters the underground microclimate and impacts the species' ecology. To do this, we are setting up a permanent sensor network at different depths (5, 10, 20, and 30 cm) in the sandy soils of El Comitán, La Paz, to create a continuous baseline of the subterranean climate.

In the spring of 2027, my team of biology students from Universidad de la Sierra will run an intensive field expedition. We will track down active individuals, record their body temperatures, and note their exact capture depths. By matching our field observations with the climate data from our sensors, we will build spatial models to see if the unusual moisture expands their habitat or forces them to move to avoid physiological stress.

Beyond the ecological findings, this satellite expedition is a great opportunity to train the next generation of field biologists in northwestern Mexico while building a long-term monitoring network for fossorial biodiversity.