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Confirmation Of The Presence Of Microtus Californicus In Baja California, México, Aldo Guevara-Carrizales, Anny Peralta-García, Jorge H. Valdez-Villavicencio, Clark R. Mahrdt, Gorgonio Ruiz-Campos
Confirmation Of The Presence Of Microtus Californicus In Baja California, México, Aldo Guevara-Carrizales, Anny Peralta-García, Jorge H. Valdez-Villavicencio, Clark R. Mahrdt, Gorgonio Ruiz-Campos
Western North American Naturalist
We provide a record and field observations of California vole (Microtus californicus) based on a specimen collected on 5 June 2013 in riparian habitat from Arroyo San Rafael, northwestern Sierra San Pedro Mártir, Baja California, México. The last known record of this species in México was in 1974. This species was suspected to be extirpated from México; however, our recent record confirms its present occurrence in this country.
Proveemos un registro y observaciones de campo del meteoro de California (Microtus californicus) con base en un espécimen recolectado el 5 de junio de 2103 en hábitat ribereño …
Netleaf Hackberry Seeds Planted Near Boulders In The Foothills Of The Wasatch Mountains: Germination, Survival, And Patterns Of Establishment, Michael T. Stevens, Daniel L. Holland, Nathan V. Tanner
Netleaf Hackberry Seeds Planted Near Boulders In The Foothills Of The Wasatch Mountains: Germination, Survival, And Patterns Of Establishment, Michael T. Stevens, Daniel L. Holland, Nathan V. Tanner
Western North American Naturalist
Netleaf hackberry (Celtis reticulata) is a deciduous shrub native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Previous field observations have shown limited numbers of juvenile hackberries in the wild. This could be due to low germination and survival rates, but field germination trials have not been done. In the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, hackberry shrubs have been shown to grow in association with boulders, likely using them as nurse objects. This experimental study field-tested germination and survival rates around boulders in this area. We located 26 boulders and planted 25 hackberry seeds on the …
Behavioral Ecology Of American Pikas (Ochotona Princeps) At Mono Craters, California: Living On The Edge, Andrew T. Smith, John D. Nagy, Constance I. Millar
Behavioral Ecology Of American Pikas (Ochotona Princeps) At Mono Craters, California: Living On The Edge, Andrew T. Smith, John D. Nagy, Constance I. Millar
Western North American Naturalist
The behavioral ecology of the American pika (Ochotona princeps) was investigated at a relatively hot south-facing, low-elevation site in the Mono Craters, California, a habitat quite different from the upper montane regions more typically inhabited by this species and where most prior investigations have been conducted. Mono Craters pikas exhibited a behavioral profile that contrasted significantly with that of pikas found in upper montane regions. Mono Craters pikas were less surface active than pikas in studies at high-elevation sites, although their rate of short-call vocalizations was similar. Mono Craters pikas did not exhibit typical foraging behavior: they fed …
Record Of A Live Ocelot (Leopardus Pardalis) At La Michilía Biosphere Reserve, Durango, Mexico, Jorge Servín, Luis E. Aguilar-Jiménez, Edgar F. Hernández-Reyes, Joaquín Tinoco, Jesús Sanchez-Robles
Record Of A Live Ocelot (Leopardus Pardalis) At La Michilía Biosphere Reserve, Durango, Mexico, Jorge Servín, Luis E. Aguilar-Jiménez, Edgar F. Hernández-Reyes, Joaquín Tinoco, Jesús Sanchez-Robles
Western North American Naturalist
The first confirmed record of a live ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in the state of Durango, and in La Michilía Biosphere Reserve, is reported here. This record is based on a photograph of an adult taken during a 2015 winter phototrapping survey. This noteworthy record extends the ocelot’s geographic distribution by >120 km from the nearest record in Sinaloa, Mexico. The record locality is also in oak forest at an unusually high altitude of 2750 m asl for an ocelot in Mexico.
Se informa del primer registro confirmado de Ocelote vivo (Leopardus pardalis) en el estado de …
Mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) Of Conservation Concern In Montana: Status Updates And Management Needs, David M. Stagliano
Mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) Of Conservation Concern In Montana: Status Updates And Management Needs, David M. Stagliano
Western North American Naturalist
Montana is home to 133 documented species of mayflies (Insecta: Ephemeroptera) from 55 genera in 16 families. This study reports on the conservation status, critical habitat, and management needs of 7 mayfly species that are currently listed as Montana species of concern (SOC) and 2 species that are currently listed as potential species of concern (PSOC). Six (67%) of these listed mayflies (Anepeorus rusticus, Analetris eximia, Homoeoneuria alleni, Lachlania saskatchewanensis, Macdunnoa nipawinia, and Raptoheptagenia cruentata) are associated with the sand and gravel benthic habitats of large prairie rivers. Two other mayfly species, Caurinella idahoensis (SOC) and Caudatella edmundsi …
Habitat And Fish Assemblage Associations And Current Status Of Northern Leatherside Chub Lepidomeda Copei In Western Wyoming, Luke D. Schultz, Peter A. Cavalli, Hilda Sexauer, David Zafft
Habitat And Fish Assemblage Associations And Current Status Of Northern Leatherside Chub Lepidomeda Copei In Western Wyoming, Luke D. Schultz, Peter A. Cavalli, Hilda Sexauer, David Zafft
Western North American Naturalist
Human activities have extensively altered native fish assemblages and their habitats in the western United States. Conservation and restoration for long-term persistence of these fishes requires knowledge of their distributional patterns and life history requirements. Northern leatherside chub Lepidomeda copei (hereafter northern leatherside) is a cyprinid native to the Snake and Bear River Basins of Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah, and it is believed to have declined in distribution relative to historical records. To address information gaps in the species’ ecology and assess its status in the state, the objectives of this study were first to document the distribution (2010–2011) …
Evaluating The Efficacy Of Brood Flush Counts: A Case Study In Two Quail Species, Jeremy P. Orange, Craig A. Davis, R. Dwayne Elmore, Evan P. Tanner, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Eric T. Thacker
Evaluating The Efficacy Of Brood Flush Counts: A Case Study In Two Quail Species, Jeremy P. Orange, Craig A. Davis, R. Dwayne Elmore, Evan P. Tanner, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Eric T. Thacker
Western North American Naturalist
Taking brood flush counts is a common sampling method that has been used for decades to estimate brood and chick survival in many gallinaceous bird species. However, brood survival estimates based upon flush counts may be biased because of low detection probabilities, occurrence of brood amalgamations, brood abandonment, and brooding adult mortality. Given that brood flush counts are still commonly used to estimate brood survival, and in some cases extrapolated to provide an estimate of chick survival, it is important to evaluate biases associated with this method. Therefore, we evaluated the use of brood flush counts to estimate brood survival …
Survey Of The Bat Fauna, Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, Thomas J. O'Shea, Christy Klinger, Lindsay A. Smythe, Laura Wilkinson, John P. Dumbacher
Survey Of The Bat Fauna, Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada, Thomas J. O'Shea, Christy Klinger, Lindsay A. Smythe, Laura Wilkinson, John P. Dumbacher
Western North American Naturalist
We conducted a survey of the bat fauna of Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR) in Nevada during 2008–2014. Our objectives were (1) to determine the species present at DNWR by mist-netting at likely bat drinking areas; (2) to compare the bat fauna at White Spot Spring at DNWR to the fauna documented there in 1962–1967; and (3) to assess the possible importance of artificial water sources to bats on this highly arid landscape in relation to an ongoing drought. We captured 480 bats of 10 species in mist nets over drinking water sources; species identifications are documented by voucher specimens. …
Current Population Status Of A Locally Endemic Springsnail (Hydrobiidae: Pyrgulopsis Bedfordensis) In Montana, David M. Stagliano
Current Population Status Of A Locally Endemic Springsnail (Hydrobiidae: Pyrgulopsis Bedfordensis) In Montana, David M. Stagliano
Western North American Naturalist
The Bedford springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bedfordensis) is one of only 2 species of the genus Pyrgulopsis discovered east of the northern Continental Divide and appears restricted to one spring in central Montana. Due to its endemism, this species was placed on the Montana Species of Concern list as S1, critically imperiled. Despite the snail’s rarity, nothing was known of this population’s characteristics; it was last sampled in 1999. In 2015, I quantitatively sampled this population using a Hess sampler (n = 3) over a 40-m reach to determine the snail’s benthic density and describe the associated macroinvertebrate community. …
Recent Desiccation-Related Ecosystem Changes At Lake Abert, Oregon: A Terminal Alkaline Salt Lake, Ron Larson, Joseph Eilers, Keith Kreuz, Wolf T. Pecher, Shiladitya Dassarma, Steve Dougill
Recent Desiccation-Related Ecosystem Changes At Lake Abert, Oregon: A Terminal Alkaline Salt Lake, Ron Larson, Joseph Eilers, Keith Kreuz, Wolf T. Pecher, Shiladitya Dassarma, Steve Dougill
Western North American Naturalist
Lake Abert, a terminal alkaline salt lake in south central Oregon, has been a key staging area for migratory waterbirds along the Pacific Flyway. In 2014, the lake shrank to about 5% of its maximum size, and its salinity increased from 75 g · L–1 to 250 g · L–1. This resulted in a major ecosystem shift from one dominated at higher trophic levels by invertebrates and waterbirds to one composed primarily of hypersaline-adapted microbes. A large variety of halophilic bacteria and archaea were also detected using 16S rRNA metagenomic sequence analysis. The loss of prey and …
Reproduction By Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs And Black-Footed Ferrets: Effects Of Weather And Food Availability, Shaun M. Grassel, Janet L. Rachlow, Christopher J. Williams
Reproduction By Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs And Black-Footed Ferrets: Effects Of Weather And Food Availability, Shaun M. Grassel, Janet L. Rachlow, Christopher J. Williams
Western North American Naturalist
Food availability is one of the most important factors influencing reproduction in mammals. Reproductive success of some species can be negatively affected when body reserves are depleted during long periods of adverse weather conditions. We investigated the relationship of forage availability and weather variables on reproduction by black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) and the effects of black-tailed prairie dog reproduction on reproduction by black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes), a prairie dog specialist predator. Prairie dogs draw on stored energy reserves to support reproduction (i.e., capital breeding), while ferrets likely rely on availability of prey during the reproductive …
Fine-Scale Genetic Structure In Female Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus), Cortney W. Noble, Jeremy M. Bono, Helen K. Pigage, David W. Hale, Jon C. Pigage
Fine-Scale Genetic Structure In Female Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus), Cortney W. Noble, Jeremy M. Bono, Helen K. Pigage, David W. Hale, Jon C. Pigage
Western North American Naturalist
Fine-scale genetic structure in animal populations can have important consequences for evolutionary processes and can influence conservation and management decisions. Cervids often live in matrilineal social groups, and this spatial grouping can create fine-scale genetic structure among females. We used DNA and radio-location data at Fort Carson Military Reservation in south central Colorado, USA, to determine whether female mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) living in close proximity were more likely to be related. Spatial data were obtained over an 18-month period using data transmitted from GPS collars. Average positions for each animal were correlated with relatedness estimates calculated using …
Small Mammal Abundance In Mountain Big Sagebrush Communities After Fire And Vegetation Recovery, Aaron L. Holmes, W. Douglas Robinson
Small Mammal Abundance In Mountain Big Sagebrush Communities After Fire And Vegetation Recovery, Aaron L. Holmes, W. Douglas Robinson
Western North American Naturalist
Managing fire for the conservation of biodiversity is a widespread challenge. An important disturbance mechanism in big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) communities, fire has well-known effects on vegetation structure but poorly described consequences for sagebrush wildlife communities. We estimated the abundance of small mammals in relation to fire history in mountain big sagebrush (A. t. ssp. vaseyana) communities by way of a chronosequence approach that included 3 wildfires and adjacent unburned areas. We compared patterns of mammal community succession with expectations of the habitat accommodation model by associating responses of mammals to change over time in vegetation …
A Field Inventory And Collections Summary Of Herpetofauna From The Sutter Buttes, An "Inland Island" Within California's Great Central Valley, Eric O. Olson, Jackson D. Shedd, Tag N. Engstrom
A Field Inventory And Collections Summary Of Herpetofauna From The Sutter Buttes, An "Inland Island" Within California's Great Central Valley, Eric O. Olson, Jackson D. Shedd, Tag N. Engstrom
Western North American Naturalist
The Sutter Buttes (Buttes) are a small, isolated mountain range in the Great Central Valley of California. Systematic study of the fauna and flora of this unique habitat has been limited by the private ownership of the entire mountain range. As a result, much of our knowledge about the herpetofauna of the Buttes is based on isolated observations and scattered museum records, most over 4 decades old. In this study, we present an updated inventory of the herpetofauna of the Buttes, based on a 2-year field survey within the boundaries of the first publicly protected property within the Buttes (Sutter …
Physiological Response Of Tamarix Ramosissima (Tamaricaceae) To A Biological Control Agent, Evan B. Craine, Ann Evankow, Katherine Bibee Wolfson, Kathryn Dalton, Holly Swedlund, Casey Bowen, M. Shane Heschel
Physiological Response Of Tamarix Ramosissima (Tamaricaceae) To A Biological Control Agent, Evan B. Craine, Ann Evankow, Katherine Bibee Wolfson, Kathryn Dalton, Holly Swedlund, Casey Bowen, M. Shane Heschel
Western North American Naturalist
Within the last century, the floristic composition of riparian communities in the Southwest has drastically changed following introduction of the exotic tree Tamarix ramosissima. In an attempt to control Tamarix populations, the tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) has been utilized as a biological control agent. Three years of data collection at our study sites along Fountain Creek (Fountain, CO) allowed us to characterize the response of Tamarix to invasion by the biological control agent. In analyzing data collected before, during, and after the beetle invasion, we observed a significant effect of foliar herbivory on Tamarix physiology and life …
Grazing Effects On Precipitation-Driven Associations Between Sagebrush And Perennial Grasses, Maike F. Holthuijzen, Kari E. Veblen
Grazing Effects On Precipitation-Driven Associations Between Sagebrush And Perennial Grasses, Maike F. Holthuijzen, Kari E. Veblen
Western North American Naturalist
While many studies have addressed the effect of individual stresses on plant–plant associations, few have addressed the effects of co-occurring stresses. We therefore investigated how associations between Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) and 2 native grasses (Poa secunda and Elymus elymoides) responded to different combinations of grazing and moisture stresses in the Great Basin, USA. Positive (i.e., facilitative) interactions between nurse plants and their beneficiaries are predicted to increase with increasing moisture limitation and grazing stress, but these interactions may break down at extreme levels of stress. We hypothesized that (1) competitive interactions and …
Snow Duration Effects On Density Of The Alpine Endemic Plant Packera Franciscana, James F. Fowler, Steven Overby
Snow Duration Effects On Density Of The Alpine Endemic Plant Packera Franciscana, James F. Fowler, Steven Overby
Western North American Naturalist
Packera franciscana (Greene) W.A. Weber and Á. Löve (Asteraceae) (San Francisco Peaks ragwort) is an alpine-zone endemic of the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona. Previous studies have shown that P. franciscana is patchily distributed in alpine-zone talus habitats. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between snow duration and P. franciscana abundance. We established trailside transects through P. franciscana habitat along the Weatherford Trail to estimate the abundance of P. franciscana ramets. Snow-free and snowbed sample segments were chosen based on a 17 May 2013 snow photograph taken from within the Inner Basin of the San …
The Intestinal Parasites Of An Assemblage Of Stream Fishes In Central Utah, Matthew Rambo, Ashlee N. Smith, Mehmet Cemal Oguz, Mark C. Belk
The Intestinal Parasites Of An Assemblage Of Stream Fishes In Central Utah, Matthew Rambo, Ashlee N. Smith, Mehmet Cemal Oguz, Mark C. Belk
Western North American Naturalist
Parasite communities of stream fish assemblages in the western United States are poorly known. We investigated the intestinal parasites of an assemblage of stream fishes in Spanish Fork River in central Utah, USA. Two species, mottled sculpin (Cottus bairdii) and redside shiner (Richardsonius balteatus), had no observable parasites. In the other 3 species, southern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda aliciae), mountain sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus), and longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae), we identified metacercia of an unidentified trematode. We found adult cestodes in southern leatherside chub only. Prevalence and intensity of parasites was highest …
Directional Floral Orientation In Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia), Steven D. Warren, L. Scott Baggett, Heather Warren
Directional Floral Orientation In Joshua Trees (Yucca Brevifolia), Steven D. Warren, L. Scott Baggett, Heather Warren
Western North American Naturalist
Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia Engelm.) is a large, arborescent member of the yucca genus. It is an endemic and visually dominant plant in portions of the Mojave Desert, USA. We document the unique and heretofore unreported directional orientation of its flower panicles. The flower panicles grow primarily at the tips of branches that are oriented to the south. When branches with flower panicles are not oriented in a southerly direction, the flower panicles themselves tend to bend or tilt toward the south. This strategy maximizes exposure of the panicles to direct solar radiation, which, within the latitudes where the …
Sagebrush, Greater Sage-Grouse, And The Occurrence And Importance Of Forbs, Victoria E. Pennington, Daniel R. Schlaepfer, Jeffrey L. Beck, John B. Bradford, Kyle A. Palmquist, William K. Lauenroth
Sagebrush, Greater Sage-Grouse, And The Occurrence And Importance Of Forbs, Victoria E. Pennington, Daniel R. Schlaepfer, Jeffrey L. Beck, John B. Bradford, Kyle A. Palmquist, William K. Lauenroth
Western North American Naturalist
Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) ecosystems provide habitat for sagebrush-obligate wildlife species such as the Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). The understory of big sagebrush plant communities is composed of grasses and forbs that are important sources of cover and food for wildlife. The grass component is well described in the literature, but the composition, abundance, and habitat role of forbs in these communities is largely unknown. Our objective was to synthesize information about forbs and their importance to Greater Sage-Grouse diets and habitats, how rangeland management practices affect forbs, and how forbs respond to changes in temperature …
Aspects Of The Reproductive Ecology Of Female Turtles In New Mexico, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Mickey Agha, Charles W. Painter, Levi Cole, Austin Fitzgerald, Kevin Narum, Randy D. Jennings
Aspects Of The Reproductive Ecology Of Female Turtles In New Mexico, Jeffrey E. Lovich, Mickey Agha, Charles W. Painter, Levi Cole, Austin Fitzgerald, Kevin Narum, Randy D. Jennings
Western North American Naturalist
Data on reproductive ecology of turtles in New Mexico are limited, and some species living there are among the least studied in the United States. We trapped 4 native species of turtles (Apalone spinifera, Chrysemys picta, Pseudemys gorzugi, and Trachemys gaigeae gaigeae) in the Rio Grande and Black River (Pecos River drainage) of New Mexico in June 2012 and 2013 to collect data on female reproductive ecology, including clutch size, egg size, timing of egg production, and percentage of gravid females. During our sampling, we found shelled eggs via X-radiography in only 3 native species: C. picta, P. …
Nutrient Recycling By Eared Grebes In The Great Salt Lake, Anthony J. Roberts, Michael R. Conover
Nutrient Recycling By Eared Grebes In The Great Salt Lake, Anthony J. Roberts, Michael R. Conover
Western North American Naturalist
Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling in lakes can be impacted by numerous abiotic and biotic factors. Large animals, such as birds and mammals, may recycle nutrients within a system or bring them in from surrounding habitats or different landscapes. Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) congregate in large numbers in the fall on the Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah, and may have an important role in recycling nutrients from macroinvertebrates back into the water column. We evaluated the role of Eared Grebes in N and P cycling within the GSL by estimating the magnitude of their nutrient recycling capacity. …
Conspecific Pollen On Insects Visiting Female Flowers On The Oak Parasite Phoradendron Coryae (Viscaceae), William Wiesenborn
Conspecific Pollen On Insects Visiting Female Flowers On The Oak Parasite Phoradendron Coryae (Viscaceae), William Wiesenborn
Western North American Naturalist
Phoradendron coryae (Viscaceae) is a dioecious, parasitic plant on oak trees and shrubs in Quercus (Fagaceae), and it occurs from Arizona to Texas and into northern Mexico. The species produces minute spherical flowers during summer. Dioecious flowering requires pollinating insects to carry pollen from male to female plants. I investigated the pollination of P. coryae parasitizing Quercus turbinella shrubs at 3 sites at different elevations in the Cerbat Mountains of northwestern Arizona during August–September 2015. I examined pollen from male flowers, aspirated insects landing on female flowers, and counted conspecific pollen grains carried by insects. The tricolpate pollen of P. …
Helminth Infections Across A Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) Annual Cycle In Fisher County, Texas, Stacie M. Villarreal, Andrea Bruno, Alan M. Fedynich, Leonard A. Brennan, Dale Rollins
Helminth Infections Across A Northern Bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) Annual Cycle In Fisher County, Texas, Stacie M. Villarreal, Andrea Bruno, Alan M. Fedynich, Leonard A. Brennan, Dale Rollins
Western North American Naturalist
Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations in Texas have been declining during the past several decades. Declines have been attributed to habitat loss, but other causes and potential contributing factors (e.g., parasites, disease) have been posited. Little is known about helminth parasites in bobwhites from Texas. Previous studies often used bobwhites collected during the hunting season, which only samples individuals that survive after the summer breeding season. Our objectives were to (1) assess the prevalence, intensity, and abundance of helminths in bobwhites from Fisher County, Texas, during an annual cycle; (2) identify which species are known to be pathogenic; …
Nomenclatural Adjustments In Phacelia Sect. Glandulosae (Hydrophyllaceae, Boraginales), Genevieve K. Walden, Laura M. Garrison, Robert Patterson
Nomenclatural Adjustments In Phacelia Sect. Glandulosae (Hydrophyllaceae, Boraginales), Genevieve K. Walden, Laura M. Garrison, Robert Patterson
Western North American Naturalist
Three taxa are recognized at the rank of species based on molecular phylogenetic studies in Phacelia sect. Glandulosae (Hydrophyllaceae, Boraginales). Results of those studies did not support a monophyletic Phacelia crenulata Torr. ex S. Watson, because 3 varieties of that species were supported as distinct lineages based on molecular (nuclear and chloroplast) and morphological characters. Typification and status is clarified for P. corrugata A. Nelson and P. orbicularis Rydb. A new nomenclatural combination for P. crenulata var. angustifolia N.D. Atwood is established to elevate that variety to species rank, as Phacelia angustifolia (N.D. Atwood) Walden, comb. et stat. nov.
Tres …
Noninvasive Identification Of Individual American Badgers By Features Of Their Dorsal Head Stripes, Robert L. Harrison
Noninvasive Identification Of Individual American Badgers By Features Of Their Dorsal Head Stripes, Robert L. Harrison
Western North American Naturalist
Identification of individual animals is a valuable and often essential procedure for studies of animal behavior and population size. I present evidence that individual American badgers (Taxidea taxus) may be identified by natural features of their dorsal head stripes.
La identificación individual de los animales es un procedimiento importante y, a menudo, esencial para estudiar el comportamiento animal y el tamaño de las poblaciones. Presento evidencia de que los individuos de tejón americano (Taxidea taxus) pueden ser identificados por características naturales como sus rayas dorsales en la cabeza.