Life Sciences Commons^™

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 36, No.4 December 2004

The Prairie Naturalist

ROADSIDE BIAS IN POINT COUNT SURVEYS AT ARROWWOOD NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, NORTH DAKOTA ▪ J. S. Dieni and P. Scherr

HISTORY OF GREATER SAGE-GROUSE IN THE DAKOTAS: DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION TRENDS ▪ . J. T. Smith, L. D. Flake, K. F. Higgins, and G. D. Kobriger

PATCH USE BY A MONOPHAGOUS HERBIVORE IN FRAGMENTED PRAIRIE LANDSCAPES ▪ . M. J. St. Pierre and S. D. Hendrix

SNOWSHOE HARE OCCURRENCE AND WINTER HABITAT ON THE MISSOURI COTEAU IN NORTH DAKOTA ▪ R. K. Murphy 243

HIGH ABUNDANCE OF NESTING LONG-EARED OWLS IN NORTH DAKOTA ▪ R. K. Murphy, L. J. Rosenfield, …

Endangered Species Bulletin, December 2004 - Vol. Xxix No. 2

Endangered Species Bulletin

In this issue:
4 The Prairie Wetlands Learning Center
6 Reaching Out to “Save our Snakes”
8 Eider Journey
10 Slowing the Flow
12 Creative Partners, Creative Solutions
14 Teaching the Children: A Hawaiian Tradition
16 All it Takes is a Little Mussel
18 Bird Watchers Flock to Michigan
20 The Year of the Fish
23 The Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan for Kids
24 The Sewee Earth Stewards
26 This Bird is No Chicken
28 In Our Dreams….
30 Raising Awareness of Sea Turtle Habitat
32 Sea Turtle Trails
33 “Habitat Trunks” Delight Teachers
34 Welcome to Wildlife University
35 …

Phylogeography And Genetic Ancestry Of Tigers (Panthera Tigris), Shu-Jin Luo, Jae-Heup Kim, Warren E. Johnson, Joelle Van Der Walt, Janice S. Martenson, Naoya Yuhki, Dale Miquelle, Olga Uphyrkina, John M. Goodrich, Howard Quigley, R. Tilson, Gerald Brady, Paolo Martelli, Vellayan Subramaniam, Charles Mcdougal, Sun Hean, Shi-Qiang Huang, Wenshi Pan, Ullas K. Karanth, Melvin Sunquist, James L. D. Smith, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Eight traditional subspecies of tiger (Panthera tigris), of which three recently became extinct, are commonly recognized on the basis of geographic isolation and morphological characteristics. To investigate the species' evolutionary history and to establish objective methods for subspecies recognition, voucher specimens of blood, skin, hair, and/or skin biopsies from 134 tigers with verified geographic origins or heritage across the whole distribution range were examined for three molecular markers: (1) 4.0 kb of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence; (2) allele variation in the nuclear major histocompatibility complex class II DRB gene; and (3) composite nuclear microsatellite genotypes based on 30 loci. Relatively …

A Comparison Of Behavioural Change In Drosophila During Exposure To Thermal Stress, Angel G. Fasolo, Robert A. Krebs

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

In order to understand how adaptive tolerance to stress has evolved, we compared related species and populations of Drosophila for a variety of fitness relevant traits while flies directly experienced the stress. Two main questions were addressed. First, how much variation exists in the frequency of both courtship and mating among D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. mojavensis when each are exposed to a range of temperatures? Second, how does variation in these same behaviours compare among four geographically isolated populations of D. mojavensis, a desert species with a well defined ecology? Our hierarchical study demonstrated that mating success under …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 36, No.3 September 2004

The Prairie Naturalist

OVERLAND MOVEMENTS AND HABITAT USE OF MALLARD BROODS DEPARTING OVERWATER NESTING STRUCTURES ▪ J. D. Stafford, L. D. Flake, and P. W. Mammenga

NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF EASTERN WILD TURKEY IN NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA ▪ R. D. Shields and L. D. Flake

WHITE-TAILED DEER INFECTEUWITH STAPHYLOCOCCUS HYICUS IN SOUTH DAKOTA ▪ T. J. Zimmerman, J. A. Jenks, and A. E. Pillatzki

CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS TYPE A IN A FREE-RANGING FAWN? ▪ T. J. Brinkman, J. A. Jenks, C. S. DePerno, and B. S. Haroldson

BUFFLEHEAD BREEDING ACTIVITY IN SOUTH-CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA ▪ G. A. Knutsen and J. C. King

POTENTIAL MULTIPLE …

Historical Biogeography Of The Woodchuck (Marmota Monax Bunkeri) In Nebraska And Northern Kansas, Zachary P. Roehrs, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Discusses the historical biogeography of the Woodchuck (Marmota monax bunkeri) in Nebraska and northern Kansas.

First paragraph:

Jones et al. described the western limit of Marmota monax in the United States as the eastern edge of the northern Great Plains in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas. Mengel introduced the idea of the Great Plains grasslands as a barrier to contact between birds of eastern and western North American forests. In his studies of bird biogeography on the Platte River, Knopf reported that this barrier has eroded with development of riparian forests along river courses of the Great …

Endangered And Threatened Wildlife And Plants; Final Designation Of Critical Habitat For The Topeka Shiner; Final Rule

Endangered Species Bulletin

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), designate critical habitat for the Topeka shiner (Notropis Topeka) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are designating as critical habitat a total of 83 stream segments, representing 1,356 kilometers (km) (836 miles (mi)) of stream in the States of Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska. We exclude from designation all previously proposed critical habitat in the State of Missouri under authority of sections 3(5)(A) and 4(b)(2) of the Act, and in the States of Kansas and South Dakota under authority of section 4(b)(2) of the Act. …

What Causes The Decrease In Haematocrit During Egg Production?, T. D. Williams, W. O. Challenger, J. K. Christians, M. Evanson, O. Love, F. Vezina

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

1. Anaemia has been reported in wild animals, typically associated with traumatic events or ill health. However, female birds routinely become 'anaemic' during egg-laying; we sought to determine the causes of this reduction in haematocrit. 2. Haematocrit in female European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus) decreased between pre-breeding and egg-laying in 3 out of 4 years (the decrease was marginally non-significant in the fourth year). This was independent of changes in ambient temperature altering the metabolic requirements for thermoregulation. 3. There was a positive relationship between haematocrit and plasma levels of the yolk precursor vitellogenin among egg-laying birds, supporting the hypothesis …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 36, No.2 June 2004

The Prairie Naturalist

PREDICTING NEONATAL AGE OF WHITE-TAILED DEER IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS . . T. J. Brinkman, K. L. Monteith, J. A. Jenks, and C. S. DePemo

DUCK NESTING ON ROTATIONAL AND CONTINUOUS GRAZED PASTURES IN NORTH DAKOTA . R. K. Murphy, D. J. Schindler, and R. D. Crawford

MORPHOLOGY OF LESSER PRAIRIE-CHICKENS IN KANSAS ▪ C. A. Hagen, J. C. Pitman, R. J. Robel, and R. D. Applegate

DAILY AND SEASONAL BEHAVIOR OF BISON ON AN OKLAHOMA TALLGRASS PRAIRIE . E. J. Maichak, K. L. Schuler, and M. E. Payton

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS FOR NORTH DAKOTA 2003 ▪ R. N. …

Slides: Nepa And Adaptive Management, Denise A. Dragoo

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Denise A. Dragoo, Partner, Snell & Wilmer L.L.P., Salt Lake City, UT

22 slides

Slides: Lessons Learned From The Development And Implementation Of An Adaptive Management Plan At Three Hydropower Plants In Northeastern Washington State, Bob Dach

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Bob Dach, Federal Activities Specialist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region, Lakewood, CO

11 slides

Slides: Lessons From The Pinedale Anticline Adaptive Management Process, Peter Aengst

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Peter Aengst, Regional Associate, The Wilderness Society, Northern Rockies Office

24 slides

Slides: Adaptive Management, Tim Salt

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Tim Salt, Western Regional Staff Assistant, U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

19 slides

Slides: Industry's View Of 'Lessons Learned' From Pinedale Anticline Eis Adaptive Management, Robin Smith

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Robin Smith, Mountaintop Consulting, LLC

19 slides

Slides: Pinedale Anticline Project Area: The Adaptive Management Process, Prill Mecham

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Prill Mecham, Pinedale BLM Field Manager

35 slides

Slides: Adaptive Management: Pros, Cons, And Lessons Learned, Pete Morton

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Pete Morton, Ph.D., The Wilderness Society

21 slides

Agenda: Best Management Practices And Adaptive Management In Oil And Gas Development, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Agenda includes summaries of speakers' presentations

Workshop held May 12-13, 2004 at the University of Colorado School of Law and sponsored by the Natural Resources Law Center with support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, BP America and Calpine Corporation

Government agencies, industry and others are beginning to apply the concepts of best management practices and adaptive management to oil and gas development. This free workshop will examine what is going on in the Rocky Mountain Region with these innovative management approaches. This timely workshop will be kicked off with a presentation on the Western Governors' Association Coalbed Methane …

Slides: Technologies To Reduce Methane Emissions From Natural Gas Production Activities, Roger Fernandez

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Roger Fernandez, EPA Gas STAR Program

31 slides

Slides: Bpi Best Practices Initiative: A Collaborative Approach To Leadership For Improving Management Practices On The Working Landscape, Peter Zimmerman

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Peter Zimmerman, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society

19 slides

Slides: Adaptive Management And Best Management Practices On The Southern Ute Indian Reservation, Bob Zahradnik

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Bob Zahradnik, Red Willow Production Company

38 slides

Higgins Eye Pearlymussel (Lampsilis Higginsii) Recovery Plan: First Revision

Endangered Species Bulletin

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
DISCLAIMER

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I. INTRODUCTION

Description of Lampsilis higginsii
Taxonomy and Systematics
Morphological Description
Historical and Present Distributions
Recent Reintroductions
Essential Habitat Areas
Critical Habitat
Biology, Ecology and Life History
Reproduction
Feeding
Habitat
Substrate
Stream Flow/Current/Hydrologic Variability
Water Quality
Water Quality Data Gaps
Community Associations
Non-human Predators
Genetics
Reasons for listing
Present Threats
Zebra Mussels and other Invasive Species
Habitat Alteration
Water Quality
Commercial Harvest
Conservation Measures
Ten-Year Field Studies in Essential Habitat Areas
Development of Relocation (Translocation) Techniques
Development of Artificial Propagation Techniques
Development of Uniform Regulations Concerning Clam Harvesting Methods
Summary of Current State Mussel …

Rare, Threatened And Endangered Species Of Oregon (2004), James S. Kagan, Sue Vrilakas, Eleanor P. Gaines, Cliff Alton, Fern Mcarthur, Kuuipo Walsh, Eric Scheuering, John A. Christy, Jon Hak, Claudine Tobalske, Annie Weiland, Theresa Koloszar, Oregon Natural Heritage Information Center

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Extinction is a natural process. Today, however, plant and animal species are disappearing world-wide at an accelerated pace. Based on current trends, half of the species on earth will be extinct within the next 100 years. The major cause of this phenomenon is large-scale destruction of native habitats, which has increased since European settlement began in the mid 1800's - in Oregon and throughout the New World.

Once lost, a species can never be recovered, and there is no way of knowing how useful it may have been. We do know that human beings and many of their industries depend …

Ten Suggestions To Strengthen The Science Of Ecology, Gary E. Belovsky, Daniel B. Botkin, Todd A. Crowl, Kenneth W. Cummins, Jerry F. Franklin, Malcolm L. Hunter, Anthony Joern, David B. Lindenmayer, James A. Macmahon, Chris R. Margules, J. Michael Scott

Papers in Ecology

There are few well-documented, general ecological principles that can be applied to pressing environmental issues. When they discuss them at all, ecologists often disagree about the relative importance of different aspects of the science’s original and still important issues. It may be that the sum of ecological science is not open to universal statements because of the wide range of organizational, spatial, and temporal phenomena, as well as the sheer number of possible interactions.We believe, however, that the search for general principles has been inadequate to establish the extent to which generalities are possible.We suggest that ecologists may need to …

Re-Assessment Of Carrying Capacities In The Ashburton River Catchment, Alan L. Payne, A M E Van Vreeswyk, K A. Leighton

Agriculture reports

Potential carrying capacities for land systems in the catchment of the Ashburton River were first estimated in 1983 as a result of a rangeland survey of the area undertaken during 1976, 1977 and 1978. Potential carrying capacity (termed capability capacity in the 1988 report) is a suggested sustainable level of use assuming that all pastures are in good range condition, the entire station is adequately watered for the effective management of livestock and seasonal conditions are average. The Ashburton Land Conservation District Committee had previously requested a re-assessment of carrying capacities for Ashburton stations following the widespread establishment of buffel …

Endangered And Threatened Wildlife And Plants; Designation Of Critical Habitat For Topeka Shiner

Endangered Species Bulletin

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening of a 30-day public comment period for the proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the Topeka shiner (Notropis Topeka) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposed rule to designate critical habitat in the States of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota was published on August 21, 2002 (67 FR 54261). We herein propose critical habitat segments for Missouri and one additional segment for South Dakota, and discuss potential exclusions from critical habitat designation under the authority of section 4(b)(2). We …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 36, No.1 March 2004

The Prairie Naturalist

DUCK NESTING SUCCESS IN NORTH DAKOTA ROAD RIGHT-OF-WAYS ▪ J. Walker, S. S. Stephens, M. S. Lindberg, and J. 1. Rotella

DID TALLGRASS PRAIRIE EXTEND INTO PENNSYLVANIA? ▪ D. C. Laughlin

INFLUENCE OF PREY ABUNDANCE ON RAPTORS IN TALLGRASS PRAIRIE ▪ A. W. Reed, G. A. Kaufman, D. A. Rintoul, and D. W. Kaufman

AMERICAN BITTERN NESTING IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA ▪ L. C. Carroll and F. A. de Szalay

THE FLORA OF THE COTTONWOOD LAKE STUDY AREA, STUTSMAN COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA ▪ . D. M. Mushet, N. H. Euliss Jr., S. P. Lane, and C. M. Goldade …

A New Subspecies Of Cicindela Nevadica Leconte (Coleoptera: Carbidae: Cicindelinae) From The Badlands Of South Dakota, Stephen M. Spomer

University of Nebraska State Museum: Entomology Papers

A new subspecies of Cicindela nevadica LeConte, Cicindela nevadica makosika Spomer, is described from the South Dakota Badlands. Geographically, the population occurs at the periphery of the range of C. nevadica knausii Leng. However, this new population is geographically isolated from the nearest C. n. knausii populations, which occur ca. 100 air miles north and over 100 air miles south. Phenotypically, C. n. makosika appears most similar to C. n. tubensis Cazier from northeast Arizona. A possible threat to this population is habitat destruction by cattle.

Endangered Species Bulletin January/February 2004 - Vol. Xxix No. 1

Endangered Species Bulletin

In this issue:
4 Partnerships for Plant Conservation in Texas
6 The Upper San Pedro Partnership
10 Joining Forces for an Island of Biodiversity
12 Giving Nature a Second Chance
14 One Step Closer to Key Deer Recovery
16 Agencies Streamline Permit Process
18 Working Together
20 Partners Restore Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat
22 How the Swift Fox Escaped the List
24 A Partnership to Grow Plovers on the Plains
26 Why all the Fuss Over a Frog?
28 Recovery Planning in the 21st Century
31 Restoring the Columbian White-tailed Deer

Agroforestry, Elephants, And Tigers: Balancing Conservation Theory And Practice In Human-Dominated Landscapes Of Southeast Asia, Philip J. Nyhus, R L. Tilson

Faculty Scholarship

Large mammal populations theoretically are best conserved in landscapes where large protected areas are surrounded by buffer zones, connected by corridors, and integrated into a greater ecosystem. Multi-use buffer zones, including those containing complex agroforestry systems, are promoted as one strategy to provide both economic benefits to people and conservation benefits to wildlife. We use the island of Sumatra, Indonesia to explore the benefits and limitations of this strategy. We conclude that conservation benefits are accrued by expanding the habitat available for large mammals but more attention needs to be focused on how to reduce and respond to human–wildlife conflict …

Record High Wolf, Canis Lupus, Pack Density, L. David Mech, Shawn Tracy

USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

This report documents a year-around Wolf (Canis lupus) density of 18.2/100 km² and a summer density of 30.8/100 km², in a northeastern Minnesota Wolf pack. The previous record was a summer density of 14.1/100 km², for a Wolf pack on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.