Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Ghost Tiger Beetle (Cicindela Lepida): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the ghost tiger beetle, a.k.a. white tiger beetle, (Cicindela lepida) as a Tier I at-risk species of high conservation priority. Some general management recommendations are made here regarding ghost tiger beetles; however, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge …

Buchholz Black Dash (Euphyes Conspicua Buchholzi): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the Buchholz Black Dash (Euphyes conspicua buchholzi) as a Tier I at-risk species of high conservation priority. The Buchholz Black Dash (BBD) is a subspecies of the Black Dash (Euphyes conspicua). Survival of BBD is likely to be highly influenced by available habitat in Nebraska. Some general management recommendations are made here regarding the BBD; however, conservation practitioners will need to use …

Mccown’S Longspur (Rhynchophanes Mccownii): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the McCown’s Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii) as a Tier I at-risk species. Some general management recommendations are made here regarding the McCown’s Longspur (MCLO); however, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of MCLO that will aid in the decision-making …

Review Of Conspecific Attraction And Area Sensitivity Of Grassland Birds, David R.W. Bruinsma, Nicola Koper

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Many species of grassland birds are area sensitive, which may exacerbate the ecological effects of the extensive loss and fragmentation of grasslands that has taken place across the northern Great Plains. However, the reasons for this area sensitivity are unclear, as vegetation structure, matrix composition, and restriction of movements among patches do not seem to provide viable explanations for species native to grasslands. Con specific attraction, whereby species are behaviorally stimulated to select habitat or establish territories near individuals of the same species, may help explain this area sensitivity. We review and discuss theoretical and empirical research on avian conspecific …

Plains Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys Montanus Griseus): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the plains harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys montanus griseus) as a Tier I at-risk species of high conservation need. Some general management recommendations are made here regarding the plains harvest mouse; however, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of the plains harvest mouse …

Topeka Shiner (Notropis Topeka): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka) as a Tier I at-risk species of high priority for conservation. Some general management recommendations are made here regarding Topeka shiners; however, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of the Topeka shiner that …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of September Hunting Seasons On Canada Geese In Nebraska, Scott R. Groepper, Mark P. Vrtiska, Larkin A. Powell, Scott E. Hygnstrom

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Populations of temperate-nesting Canada geese (Branta canadensis) have increased in Nebraska, USA, resulting in an increased number of nuisance and damage complaints. September hunting seasons were initiated in southeastern Nebraska in 2004 to reduce populations of Canada geese. We analyzed band recoveries from Canada geese banded in southeastern Nebraska during their hatch-year (HY) or after-hatch-year (AHY) to determine whether September hunting seasons affected survival, harvest, and recovery rates. Survival analyses revealed that HY geese had higher survival than AHY geese (SAHY = 0.696, 95% CI = 0.679–0.713; SHY = 0.896, 95% CI = 0.786–0.953) and September seasons did …

Life Cycle Boundaries And Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Beef Cattle, Quentin M. Dudley

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Beef cattle are estimated to directly contribute 26% of U.S. agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and future climate change policy may target reducing these emissions. Life cycle assessment (LCA) of GHG emissions from U.S. feedlot beef cattle was conducted to compare methods of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a more complete evaluation of emissions. The inclusion of emissions from crop production for feed, associated land use change, and other minor factors nearly doubled GHG emissions associated with beef feedlots from the EPA Annual Inventory estimate of 1611 kgCO₂e hd^-1 yr^-1 to 3182 ± 167 …

Validation Of Pcr-Based Assays And Laboratory Accreditation For Environmental Detection Of Aquatic Invasive Species, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

This white paper provides:

a) Background information on the use, accuracy and reliability of PCR-based assays such as environmentally sampled DNA (eDNA) for early detection of aquatic invasive species (AIS) and;

b) Recommendations for establishing a system for validating assays and accrediting laboratories that report on the presence or absence of AIS.

This white paper was developed by the members of ISAC and discusses the need for developing validation requirements for Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and other DNA-based molecular assays that are increasingly being used to detect AIS. It does not provide a simplified checklist for evaluation of their ability …

Invasive Species And E-Commerce, Invasive Species Advisory Committee

National Invasive Species Council

ISSUE

Internet commerce (hereafter e-commerce) is a growing and vital part of the United States economy. Total e-commerce sales in the United States for 2011 totaled $194 billion, an increase of 16% over 2010. From 2002 to 2011, the proportion of reported e-commerce sales in the U. S. grew from about 1.4% to 5.5% of total retail sales (United States Census Bureau News 2012). Globally, e-commerce is expected to increase at a rate of 13.5% annually, amounting to $1.4 trillion in yearly sales by 2015 (Enright 2011). A portion of this activity includes the sale and trade of living organisms. …

A Conceptual Model To Facilitate Amphibian Conservation In The Northern Great Plains, David M. Mushet, Ned H. Euliss Jr., Craig A. Stockwell

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

As pressures on agricultural landscapes to meet worldwide resource needs increase, amphibian populations face numerous threats including habitat destruction, chemical contaminants, disease outbreaks, wetland sedimentation, and synergistic effects of these perturbations. To facilitate conservation planning, we developed a conceptual model depicting elements critical for amphibian conservation in the northern Great Plains. First, we linked upland, wetland, and landscape features to specific ecological attributes. Ecological attributes included adult survival; reproduction and survival to metamorphosis; and successful dispersal and recolonization. Second, we linked ecosystem drivers, ecosystem stressors, and ecological effects of the region to each ecological attribute. Lastly, we summarized information on …

Reproduction And Population Characteristics Of White-Tailed Jackrabbits In South Dakota, Charles Dieter, Dustin Schaible

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

We evaluated the reproductive biology of314 white-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) in 44 counties throughout South Dakota from June 2004 to September 2005. We classified jackrabbits as juveniles or adults based on the closure of the proximal epiphysis of the humerus using X-ray analysis. We determined annual reproductive activity through fluctuations in measured weights of reproductive organs for both sexes. The 2005 breeding season started in late February and proceeded until mid-July, approximately 142 days, allowing for females to potentially produce 3.3 litters. We found four distinct breeding periods by the overlap of estimated conception and parturition dates. Mean …

2012 Interior Least Tern And Piping Plover Monitoring, Research, Management, And Outreach Report For The Lower Platte River, Nebraska, Mary Bomberger Brown, Joel G. Jorgensen, Lauren R. Dinan

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

This document reports on our monitoring, research, management, and outreach activities during the past 12 months (2012). We prepared it to inform our partners, cooperating agencies, funding sources, and other interested parties of our activities and to provide a preliminary summary of our results.

The Lower Platte River and its major tributaries provide important nesting habitat for two state and federally protected bird species, the Interior Least Tern (Sternula antillarum athalassos) and Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus). The Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership (TPCP), based at the University of Nebraska-School of Natural Resources, and the Nongame Bird …

Mid-Contract Management Of Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands Provides Benefits For Ring-Necked Pheasant Nest And Brood Survival, Ty W. Matthews, J. Scott Taylor, Larkin A. Powell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields may provide good habitat for nesting and brood-rearing ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) during early stages of succession. But, the success of hens in early successional CRP, relative to late successional CRP and other grassland habitats, has yet to be evaluated. The reproductive period is especially critical for populations of pheasants, and CRP’s benefits to hens and chicks may decrease as fields age because of loss of vegetative diversity, decrease in vegetation density, and accumulation of residual litter. During 2005– 2006, we evaluated spatial and temporal variation in nest and brood survival for radio-marked hen pheasants …

Rural Inhabitant Perceptions Of Sandhill Cranes In Wintering Areas Of Northern Mexico, Ingrid Barcelo, Juan Carlos Guzmán-Aranda, Felipe Chávez-Ramírez, Larkin A. Powell

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Trends in the mid-continent population of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) indicate that the species is increasing. A large proportion of this population winters in northern Mexico where possible conflicts between local inhabitants and cranes can occur. We conducted interviews of 40 rural inhabitants living near wetlands used by cranes in three Mexican states. All interviewees had knowledge of cranes and were capable of describing them. The arrival of cranes affected 43% of interviewees. The negative effects were mainly destroyed crops with a subsequent diminished production. Seventy percent of those affected implemented scare tactics to deter the birds, while others (15%) …

Buchrezension – Book Review: Jan Bemmann (Herausgeber) (2012): Steppenkrieger. Reiternomaden Des 7.–14. Jahrhunderts Aus Der Mongolei, Primus Verlag Darmstadt, Format Din A4, 416 Seiten, Zahlreiche Farbfotos Und Zeichnungen, Michael Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Book review of Jan Bemmann (Herausgeber) (2012): Steppenkrieger. Reiternomaden des 7.–14. Jahrhunderts aus der Mongolei. Primus Verlag Darmstadt, Format DIN A4, 416 Seiten, zahlreiche Farbfotos und Zeichnungen, Preis 39,90 Euro. ISBN: 978-3-86312-011-5.

Erforschung Biologischer Ressourcen Der Mongolei, Band 12 = Exploration Into The Biological Resources Of Mongolia, Volume 12: Front Matter And Table Of Contents, Annegret Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The title page, front matter, and table of contents for volume 12 of the Erforschung journal (i.e. the Black journal) of the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle Wittenberg, Halle (Saale).

Morphology And Variation Of The Asiatic Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus Hemionus), Kati Schöpke, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Renate Schafberg

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

A collection of recent skeletal remains from the Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus hemionus PALLAS) was prepared and stored in the Museum of Domesticated Animals “JULIUS KÜHN” in Halle, Germany.

The collection is based on carcass remains sampled between 2001 and 2006 under the leadership of Michael Stubbe during joint Mongolian-German Biological Expeditions

Skeletal remains of 43 individual specimens were studied (18 mares, 15 stallions, and 10 juvenile asses). The determination of sex and age was initially based on carcass information from observations made in situ in the field. Subsequently, skull traits, including dentition and development of canine teeth …

Biodiversity And Evolutionary Development Of Oligocene-Pliocene Lagomorphs (Lagomorpha, Mammalia) Of Mongolia, M. A. Erbajeva

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Lagomorphs (pikas and hares) are an ancient group of small mammals originated in Asia in the Paleocene-Eocene. The earliest evidence of their presence in Mongolia is dated to the Early Oligocene. The taxa flourished during the Late Oligocene, Miocene and Pliocene; at the Late Pliocene they were reduced both in their diversity and in abundance. No data on lagomorph are known from the Pleistocene and Holocene, though there are 7 taxa of lagomorphs present in the modern fauna. Altogether, more than 50 lagomorph species, extinct at present, are known to have existed in Mongolia since the Oligocene through the Late …

50 Years Mongolian-German Biological Expeditions And Their Future = Fifty Years Mongolian-German Biological Expeditions And Their Future, Michael Stubbe, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Annegret Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

First two paragraphs:

In 2012 we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mongolian-German Biological Expeditions. The roots can be found in the old German-Russian scientific relationships in the history of the University Halle-Wittenberg in connection with August Hermann Francke (1663–1727) and his Foundations (founded in 1698). It’s a long tradition, dating back to the 18th century when early researchers as Georg Wilhelm Steller (1709 –1746) or Peter Simon Pallas (1741–1811) reached the northern border of Mongolia. Other sources of close connections between Halle and Russia are given by persons as the physician Friedrich Hoffmann (1660–1742), the mathematician Christian Wolff (1679-1754) …

Home Range Characteristics Of Corsac And Red Foxes In Mongolia, Tserendorjiin Munkhzul, J. D. Murdoch, R. P. Reading

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Red (Vulpes vulpes) and corsac foxes (V. corsac) live sympatrically throughout most of Mongolia, but few details of their home range characteristics exist. We captured and radio-tagged 13 red fox (♂ = 5, ♀ = 8) and 15 corsac foxes (♂ = 8, ♀ = 7) between 2004 and 2008. We tracked their movements to estimate home range sizes and examined the effects of four factors on home range size, including sex, age, season, and year. We determined mean home range size for 12 red and 10 corsac foxes that had sufficient data using fixed kernel …

Ochotona Daurica Pallas, 1776: Modern And Past Distribution Area In Mongolia And The Transbaikal Region, M. A. Erbjeva, N. V. Alexeeva, T. V. Kisloschaeva

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Ochotona daurica Pallas, 1776 is one of the ancient species among modern taxa having an origination in Transbaikalia possible at the end of Pleistocene. Review on the Late Pleistocene- Holocene-Recent area of distribution of this species is given on the base of new evidences and detail analysis of the previous data.

Long-Term Research On Biodiversity In West Khentey, Northern Mongolia, Michael Mühlenberg

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Biodiversity is studied at ecosystem, community, and species level around Khonin Nuga, where the University Goettingen supports a research station since 15 years (established 1997 in cooperation with the National University of Mongolia). In that period 39 scientists have been involved and 67 students graduated with theses (7 PhD) about field work at that station. Inventories started at 1998 for several taxa and are now compiled in a book, which will be printed 2012 in Ulaanbaatar. It covers fungi, lichens, plants, several insect groups, spiders, crustaceans, and all vertebrate classes. For all taxa adequate experts proved the species lists. Because …

First Stable Isotope Analysis Of Asiatic Wild Ass Tail Hair From The Mongolian Gobi, Micha Horacek, Petra Kaczensky, Merina Burnik Sturm

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Stable isotope analysis has become a powerful tool to study feeding ecology, water use or movement pattern in contemporary, historic and ancient species. Certain hair and teeth grow continuously, and when sampled longitudinally can provide temporally explicit information on dietary regime and movement pattern. In an initial trial, we analysed a tail sample of an Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus) from the Mongolian Gobi. We found seasonal variations in H, C, and N isotope patterns, likely being the result of temporal variations in available feeds, water supply and possibly physiological status. Thus stable isotope analysis shows promise to …

Pleistocene Faunal Fossils From Bayangol I Site, Bulgan Aimag, Mongolia, Takao Sato, Fedora Khenzykhenova, Toshiaki Tsurumaru, Masao Ambiru, Jun Takakura, Yoshiaki Otsuka, Shigeo Iida, Natalya Schepina, Batmunkh Tsogtbaatar

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

During excavation of the Bayan-gol I Palaeolithic site in the Bulgan Aimak, Mongolia, some faunistic remains were recovered attributable to Aves (two species), Anura (two species), and mammals (three species). The fossil remains bear a considerable similarity to the corresponding species of today in Mongolia.

Long-Term Ecology Of Asiatic Wild Ass (Equus H. Hemionus Pallas) In Central Asia, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Ravčigijn Samjaa

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The main population of the nominate form Equus hemionus hemionus Pallas, 1775 occurs in the south-east Gobi desert of Mongolia. From 2003 to 2012 we studied the reproductive ecology and mortality of dschiggetajs or khulans (English also ‘hulan’). During these years, the rate of reproduction was variable, ranging from 6.4% to 23.0% depending on climate, feeding conditions, and fitness of the mares. Our research shows that there appears to be a relationship between minimum temperatures in June (main foaling time) and rate of successful reproduction. The primary cause of decline in the numerical density of the population of E. hemionus …

Morphological Disparity Among Rock Voles Of The Genus Alticola From Mongolia, Kazakhstan And Russia (Rodentia, Cricetidae), V. N. Bolshakov, I. A. Vasilyeva, A. G. Vasilyev

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The Central Asian high-mountain or rock voles of the genus Alticola Blanford, 1881 are one of the least studied groups of rodents. Taxonomic status of various geographic forms is not yet established until our days. This genus is not enough examined by biochemical and molecular genetic methods. We analyzed morphological disparity among rock voles of the genus Alticola from 8 localities. The samples studied represent 7 nominal species: A. semicanus Allen, 1924 (East Mongolia), Alticola argentatus Severtzov, 1879 (East Kazakhstan), A. tuvinicus Ognev, 1950 (Russia: Tuva), A. olchonensis Litvinov, 1960 (Russia: Olchon Island), A. macrotis Radde, 1861 (Russia: Khamar-Daban ridge), …

Herpetological Diversity Of Mongolia And Its Conservation Issues, Khorloo Munkhbayar, M, Munkhbaatar

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

From the viewpoint of evolution, the classes of amphibians and reptiles could be considered as relicts, and because they are poikilothermic animals, it’s very difficult for these species to live under the dry and cold climatic conditions in Mongolia. Even species diversity is poor, Mongolian herpetological composition is unique, highly adopted to the country’s harsh climate and originated a long time ago.

In Mongolia, six species of amphibians belong to four genera, four families and two orders and the recorded 21 species of reptiles belong to 13 genera in six families of two suborders.

Ecology And Behaviour Of The Black-Billed Capercaillie (Tetrao Urogalloides Stegmanni) In The Khentej Mountains, Mongolia, Siegfried Klaus, Karl-Heniz Schindlatz, Alexander V. Andreev, Hans-Heiner Bergmann

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Introduction

A common inhabitant of East Siberian larch forests, the Siberian or black-billed capercaillie (Tetrao urogalloides) ranges south to the limits of the boreal forests in the northern Mongolian mountains and east to the very coast of the Asian continent (KLAUS et al. 1989). Tetrao urogalloides MIDDENDORF (1851) has priority over T. parvirostris BONAPARTE (1856). Therefore, we prefer the T. urogalloides.

The subspecies T.u. stegmanni was first described on the basis of morphological differences by POTAPOV (1985) using specimens collected during Russian expeditions by KOZLOVA (1930). This description was based on 18 males in the collection at …

Diversity And Distribution Of Mongolian Fish: Recent State, Trends And Studies, Yuri Dgebuadze, Bud Mendsaikhan, Ayurin Dulmaa

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The studies in recent years (2000-2011) have allowed to make more precise the list and ranges of Mongolian fish. This is connected with new findings as well as the continuing process of invasion of alien species. Climate change and increase of human impact transformed ranges and local distribution of fish during last 30 years. Bias on ratio of ecological guilds, number of pathological findings are increasing, and declining of local diversity, rate of growth and fecundity of many species of fish are observed. In the course of long-term observation was confirmed periodically drying of waters of the Central Asian Lake …