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Use Of Sensory Cues By Fish Crows Corvus Ossifragus Preying On Artificial Bird Nests, Leonard Santisteban, Kathryn E. Sieving, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

How predators locate avian nests is poorly understood and has been subjected to little experimental inquiry. We examined which sensory stimuli were important in the nest-finding behavior of fish crowsCorvus ossifragus, a common nest predator in the southeastern United States. Using an array of potted trees in a large enclosure, we presented artificial nests to captive crows and quantified responses to visual, auditory, and olfactory nest cues, and nest position. Partial ranks of nest-treatment preferences were analyzed using log-linear models. Nest visibility significantly increased the likelihood of predation by fish crows and increasing nest height was a marginally significant influence …

Beaver Herbivory And Its Effect On Cottonwood Trees: Influence Of Flooding Along Matched Regulated And Unregulated Rivers, Stewart W. Breck, Kenneth R. Wilson, Douglas C. Andersen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We compared beaver (Castor canadensis) foraging patterns on Fremont cottonwood (Populus deltoides subsp. wislizenii ) saplings and the probability of saplings being cut on a 10 km reach of the flow-regulated Green River and a 8.6 km reach of the free-flowing Yampa River in northwestern Colorado. We measured the abundance and density of cottonwood on each reach and followed the fates of individually marked saplings in three patches of cottonwood on the Yampa River and two patches on the Green River. Two natural floods on the Yampa River and one controlled flood on the Green River between …

Evaluation Of Flight Control® To Reduce Blackbird Damage To Newly Planted Rice In Louisiana, John L. Cummings, Patricia A. Pochop, Richard M. Engeman, James E. Davis Jr., Thomas M. Primus

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Blackbirds cause extensive damage to newly planted and ripening rice. To date there is not a registered bird repellent for reducing this damage. We evaluated Flight Control®, a 50% anthraquinone product, as a potential repellent to blackbirds in cage and field tests in Louisiana. In one- and no-choice cage tests, brown-headed cowbird and red-winged blackbird consumption of 2%) Flight control® treated rice seed was significantly reduced. In a subsequent field test. 2% Flight control® was effective in reducing blackbird damage (P = 0.001 ) to newly planted rice seed. Chemical residues at 7 days post-planting averaged 0.66% anthraquinone. Further …

Potential Hazards Of Drc- 1339 Treated Rice To Non-Target Birds When Used At Roost Staging Areas In Louisiana To Reduce Local Populations Of Depredating Blackbirds, John L. Cummings, James F. Glahn, E. Allen Wilson, James E. Davis Jr.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Hazards of DRC-1339 treated brown rice to non-target birds were assessed during an operational baiting program near Point Blue, Louisiana, USA. The predominant non-target birds using DRC-1339 bait sites and surrounding habitat were savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), mourning doves (Zenaida macroura), killdeers (Charadrius rociferus), and unidentified sparrows (Fringillidae). Systematic searches of DRC-1339 bait sites and adjacent habitat for non-target dead or affected birds produced 1 northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). There was no mortality of potential non-target species, savannah sparrows, white-crown sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys), field sparrows (Spizella pusilla …

Seasonal Marking Efficacy Of Dupont Oil Blue A Dye On Steam-Rolled Oat Groat Baits For Valley Pocket Gophers, Craig A. Ramey, George H. Matschke, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We examined if Valley pocket gophers (Thomomys bottae) exhibited a seasonal preference for consuming steamed-rolled oat (SRO) groat bait treated with 1.6% Dupont oil blue A (fat-marking dye). Field tests were conducted in California alfalfa fields during winter, summer, and fall, and in walnut orchards during winter and summer. Five treatment units (TUs) were established each with 60 burrows for each season and habitat studied during 1997–1999. SRO groat marker bait (4 g) was placed inside each active burrow. All bait sites were re-opened about 96 h later and examined for the presence (all or some) or absence …

Safe Efficacy Of Three Strychnine Alkaloid Bait Concentrations For Hand-Baiting Control Of Plains Pocket Gophers, Craig A. Ramey, George H. Matschke, Paul L. Hegdal, Geraldine R. Mccann, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In November 1990, field efficacy studies using milo baits formulated with 0.35%, 0.75%, or 1.30% strychnine alkaloid were compared to a placebo (0.0% strychnine) for controlling plains pocket gophers (Geomys bursarius) near Pleasanton, Texas. These data were required by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as partial fulfillment for the maintenance of the rodenticide registrations of the US Department of Agriculture. Each of four treatment units (TUs) within a block (2) was randomly assigned one of the four baits. Within each TU, 15 gophers were captured (balanced roughly for gender) and instrumented with radio transmitters. Following a pretreatment …

Wildlife Damage Management Research Needs: Perceptions Of Scientists, Wildlife Managers, And Stakeholders Of The Usda/Wildlife Services Program, Richard L. Bruggers, Richard Owens, Thomas Hoffman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

This paper presents the results of a nationwide research needs assessment of the important wildlife-human conflict issues and associated research needs of the USDA:APHIS-Wildlife Services (WS) program and its stakeholders. Thirty-six WS State Directors, 23 WS/National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) scientists and 6 members of the National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee (NWSAC) to the US Secretary of Agriculture responded to a request for participation. This paper compares these current research needs with previous regional and national research needs assessments for wildlife damage management in the United States. Important national problems identified included issues related to aviation, timber, agriculture, aquaculture, and …

Sustained Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Detector Dogs For Locating Brown Tree Snakes In Cargo Outbound From Guam, Richard M. Engeman, Daniel S. Vice, Darryl York, Kenneth S. Gruver

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The accidental introduction of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) to Guam has resulted in the extirpation of most of the island's native terrestrial vertebrates, has created a health hazard to infants and children, and has resulted in economic losses. The high brown tree snake population densities on Guam, the species' adaptations for successful dispersal, and Guam's position as a focal point for commercial and military cargo shipments have created a high level of concern that brown tree snakes could spread from Guam to colonize other vulnerable locations. Cargo inspections using teams of handlers and their detector dogs …

Estimating Deer Damage Losses In Cabbage, Richard M. Engeman, Brian K. Maedke, Scott F. Beckerman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A standardized procedure for estimating deer damage in cabbage is used to settle claims for compensation of losses in the state of Wisconsin. By completely enumerating all damaged heads of cabbage in a field. We validated the standard procedure for accuracy. The general paradigm used for assessing losses requires a subjective examination of the field to define strata with and without damage, obtaining representative samples of undamaged heads in each strata with 3 quadrants. then converting the difference in density of undamaged heads between strata into an estimate of damage for the entire field. Weighing a sample of undamaged heads …

An Ecological Basis For Managing Giant Sequoia Ecosystems, Douglas D. Piirto, Robert R. Rogers

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

A strategy for management of giant sequoia groves is formulated using a conceptual framework for ecosystem management recently developed by Region Five of the USDA Forest Service. The framework includes physical, biological, and social dimensions. Environmental indicators and reference variability for key ecosystem elements are discussed in this paper. The selected ecosystem elements include: 1) attitudes, beliefs, and values; 2) economics and subsistence; 3) stream channel morphology; 4) sediment; 5) water; 6) fire; 7) organic debris; and 8) vegetation mosaic. Recommendations are made for the attributes of environmental indicators that characterize these elements. These elements and associated indicators will define …

Cranbrook-Toolbrunup : Catchment Appraisal Report 2001, Tim D. Overheu, Western South Coast Catchment Appraisal Team (Wa)

Resource management technical reports

This report covers the eastern junction of both the Pallinup North Stirling and Kent Frankland sub-regions, comprising of six amalgamated sub-catchments of Pingelup Creek, Solomons Creek, Racecourse Lake, Lake Toolbrunup, Twolganup Brook and Hamilla Hill (west). This report primarily focuses on the agricultural and natural resources at risk within the study area and attempts to identify options to manage the potential risks.

Fisheries Research Report No. 138 - Historical Diving Profiles For Pearl Oyster Divers In Western Australia, H M A Lulofs, Neil R. Sumner

Fisheries Research Reports

The annual value of the pearl oyster fishery off the north coast of Western Australia is in the vicinity of 153 million dollars. Most pearl oyster fishing occurs in the Broome area. This area is managed on a quota system with a total allowable catch of 512,000 shells in 1996, during which 511,716 shells were taken. This required 12,775 hours of dive time at a catch rate of 40 shell per hour.

Drift diving practices in the Western Australian pearling industry over the last eighteen years are described and related to the number of medical incidents. The study provides a …

Monitoring The Prey-Field Of Marine Predators: Combining Digital Imaging With Datalogging Tags, Sascha Hooker, Ian L. Boyd, Mark Jessop, Oliver Cox, John Blackwell, Peter Boveng, John Bengston

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

There is increasing interest in the diving behavior of marine mammals. However, identifying foraging among recorded dives often requires several assumptions. The simultaneous acquisition of images of the prey encountered, together with records of diving behavior will allow researchers to more fully investigate the nature of subsurface behavior. We tested a novel digital camera linked to a time-depth recorder on Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella). During the austral summer 2000-2001, this system was deployed on six lactating female fur seals at Bird Island, South Georgia, each for a single foraging trip. The camera was triggered at depths greater …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 2 - Scientific Workshop On The Margaret River Marron, Brett Molony

Fisheries Occasional Publications

Purpose of the Workshop

To gather together and review the scientific evidence around genetic and sustainability issues necessary for the management of Margaret River Marron (MRM)

The outcomes of the day will be to provide scientific advice, options and priorities to the relevant Programs within the Department of Fisheries to promote the sustainability of marron within MR.

* Introduction to, and comparison of, genetic techniques available to researchers. Presenter - Phil Vercoe

* What do we know about the genetic diversity of marron and other Cherax? Presenter - Chris Austin

* Morphology and Hybrids Presenter - Craig Lawrence

* The …

The Probe, Issue 223 – July/August 2002

The Probe: Newsletter of the National Animal Damage Control Association

• Suburban Invasion! By Wildlife? -- Michelle L. Shuey, Southwest Texas State University
• What are the health risks of consuming meat from deer or elk infected with Chronic Wasting Disease ?
• The 68th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference is set for March 26-30, 2003, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Book Review: Living in the Shadows: How to Help the Stray Cat in Your Life (Without Adding to the Problem) by Ann K. Fisher.--“I was impressed with her chapter on taming feral cats. It would certainly take a dedicated soul to put that much work into taming …

Comparison Of Water Quality, Zooplankton Density, And Cover In Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen Texanus [Abbott]) Spawning Areas Of Lake Mead And Lake Mohave, Michael E. Golden, Paul B. Holden, Southern Nevada Water Authority

Publications (WR)

Las Vegas Bay and Echo Bay in Lake Mead have small, self-sustaining populations of razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus [Abbot]). Increased productivity and cover have been hypothesized as reasons for successful recruitment of razorback sucker in Lake Mead. Conversely, reproduction has been documented on Lake Mohave, another lower Colorado River reservoir, but no recruitment has been observed. In 2000, BIO-WEST, Inc. was contracted by the Southern Nevada Water Authority to design and implement a study to examine nutrient levels, zooplankton density, and cover in areas with and without razorback sucker recruitment success. We sampled Echo Bay, Las Vegas Bay, and …

Scwds Briefs: Volume 18, Number 2 (July 2002)

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

• Chronic wasting disease (CWD) recently has been identified in more free-ranging and captive cervids at additional locations in New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Colorado.
• An outbreak of low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus apparently has been contained in domestic poultry in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
• West Nile Virus Continues to Spread
• Update on Cryptosporidium and Giardia in Wildlife
• The accurate diagnosis of epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) in white-tailed deer
• In June of 2002, the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund made a contribution to help support SCWDS' continuing investigations of avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM).
• …

Monitoring Of Air Quality In Abu-Dhabi City 1998-2001, Fatima Yahya Abdullah Ahmed Al-Aidrous

Theses

Documentation of air pollution and sources in the emirate of Abu Dhabi has never been reviewed in terms of its effect on health. No research by means of a population-based study has been conducted in order to define the important epidemiological characteristics of air pollution in human health. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the levels of air pollutants in the environment of Abu Dhabi Emirate, and the effects of air pollution on human health. Additionally, a comprehensive time-series analysis was performed on the air quality data for a period of four years (1998-2001)

The study was undertaken …

Scoping Comment Summary Report For The Vegetation Treatments Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, United States Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Land Management

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

No abstract provided.

State Of The Fisheries Report 2001/2002, Jim W. Penn

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

The State of the Fisheries document is designed as an essential supplement to the Annual Report to Parliament and provides a more detailed level of information to support the Department of Fisheries' non-financial performance measures. by summarising management changes, compliance activities and research data including stock assessments and breeding stock levels, this document provides a valuable reference point for Western Australian fisheries of major importance to the commercial and recreational sectors. Information relevant to the State's developing aquaculture industries and the Department's Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program Is also provided. This year's State of the Fisheries Report has continued …

Caffeine As A Repellent For Slugs And Snails, Robert G. Hollingsworth, John W. Armstrong, Earl Campbell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Most commercial products for snail and slug control contain either metaldehyde or methiocarb as the active ingredient, the residues of which are not permitted in food crops in the United States. We have discovered that solutions of caffeine are effective in killing or repelling slugs and snails when applied to foliage or the growing medium of plants. Because caffeine is a natural product and is classified by the United States Food and Drug Administration as a GRAS (‘generally recognized as safe’) compound, it has potential as an environmentally acceptable alternative toxicant for the control of slugs and snails on food …

A Comparison Of Four Rodent Control Methods In Philippine Experimental Rice Fields, Md. Sayed Ahmed, Lynwood A. Fiedler

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Four rodent control techniques-sustained baiting (SB) with coumachlor. pulsed baiting (PB) with brodifacoum. a lethal electrified barrier (LEB), and a nonlethal electrified barrier (NLEB)-were evaluated on the experimental farm of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines. A fifth treatment (no experimental rodent control) was established for reference. Mean tiller damage and rodent activity, respectively. near harvest were 1.00%1 and 1.5% in the LEB plots, 1.6% and 18.0% in the SB plots, 2.1% and 16.0 % in the PB plots, and 4.1% and 32.5% in the NLEB plots. Highest mean tiller damage (9.3%) and rodent activity (56.0%) occurred …

The Okavango River Basin In Southern Africa: A Case Study Of Transboundary Resource Management Issues, Robert K. Hitchcock

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

21 pages.

Contains references (pages 18-21).

Managing Water Resources For A Sustainable Future: Law, Policy And Methodology Of China, Xi Wang, Xiaobo Zhang, Wenkai Li, Dejin Gu, Yanfang Zhou

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

37 pages (includes color illustrations).

Contains references (pages 36-37).

Water Of Life: Our Common Future, Marcos Terena

Allocating and Managing Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from Around the World (Summer Conference, June 11-14)

6 pages.