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Understanding Vole Problems In Direct Seeding — Strategies For Management, Gary W. Witmer, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Crop fields can provide habitat to a variety of wildlife and crop damage can result (Wywialowski 1996, 1998; Conover 1998). Among the vertebrates, damage can occur from numerous species of birds and mammals. Worldwide concern, however, has focused on rodents and a large number of species cause substantial agricultural losses each year (Witmer et al. 1995). After the advent of effective herbicides and "clean farming" practices in North America, however, many rodent problems became insignificant (Hines and Hygnstrom 2000). This is, in large part, because the fields were plowed each year, disrupting burrows and removing ground cover. The fields often …

Understanding Vole Problems In Direct Seeding-Strategies For Management, Gary W. Witmer, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Crop fields can provide habitat to a variety of wildlife and crop damage can result (Wywialowski 1996,1998; Conover 1998). Among the vertebrates, damage can occur from numerous species of birds and mammals. Worldwide concern, however, has focused on rodents and a large number of species cause substantial agriculture losses each year (Witmer et al, 1995). After the advent of effective herbicides and "clean farming" practices in North America, however, many rodent problems became insignificant (Hines and Hygnstrom 2000). This is, in large part, because the fields were plowed each year, disrupting burrows and removing ground cover. The fields often lay …

Local Removal Of Red-Winged Blackbirds: Potential For Blackbird Management?, Richard . S. Sawin, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Fall flocks of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are well known for their ability to damage crops such as sunflower (Linz and Hanzel 1997). In response, wildlife managers have considered local population reduction as a strategy for reducing blackbird damage. Male red-winged blackbirds are logistically easier to remove than females because of their conspicuous behavior. However, they exhibit a polygynous breeding system, and male removals may be ineffective if a large population of floaters exists to replace removed birds. We present data from an experimental removal project in two North Dakota townships and discuss the implications for local blackbird …

Coyote Responses To Changing Jackrabbit Abundance Affect Sheep Predation, L. Charles Stoddart, Richard E. Griffiths, Frederick F. Knowlton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Domestic sheep ranchers generally perceive abundances of natural prey and coyotes (Canis latrans) as important factors affecting coyote predation rates on sheep. To determine the effect of a changing natural prey base on coyote predation rates, we estimated coyote density and predation rates on ewes and lambs during part of 1 cycle of black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) abundance on a 2,300 km² area of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in south-central Idaho from 1979–1985. We used 100, 1.6-km scat collection lines and 80, 1.6-km flushing transects to assess coyote and jackrabbit densities, respectively. Ewe and …

2001 Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium Proceedings

Water Current Newsletter

Over 75 people braved the wintry weather to attend the Eleventh Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium that convened in Kearney on 27 February 2001. Icy roads lead to cancellation of only 2 papers. Seventeen papers were presented and 5 posters were on display. Nebraska Public Radio and NTV News covered the event. The presentations were excellent and participants were well satisfied with not only the program but also the food. This year the symposium broadened its charge to include more discussion on community-based environmental protection, sustainable development, and policy-making. The Symposium was sponsored by the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension …

Land Use Patterns In Relation To Lake Water Quality In The Lake George And Oaks Pond Watersheds, Problems In Environmental Science Course (Biology 493), Colby College, Colby Environmental Assessment Team, Colby College

Colby College Watershed Study: Other Area Studies

There has always been an inexplicable wonder associated with the beauty of Maine lakes. In addition to their aesthetic value, lakes and ponds provide important habitats for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. The attraction of the lake's natural beauty, however, can increase recreational pressures that may lead to human induced eutrophication. Lake George and Oaks Pond were chosen as the Colby Environmental Assessment Team's (CEAT) study sites due to the concern about potential human induced eutrophication of both water bodies. Lake George and Oaks Pond are situated in southern Somerset County, Maine, and experience heavy recreational and developmental uses. Neither water …

Bollgard Cotton: An Assessment Of Global Economic, Environmental, And Social Benefits, Julie M. Edge, John H. Benedict, John P. Carroll, H. Keith Reding

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Insect-protected crops like Bollgard (Monsanto Company, St. Louis) Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton are bringing cotton growers new alternatives to broad-spectrum insecticide use in integrated pest management. After five years (1996-2000) of commercial use, a number of benefits of Bt cotton technology to growers, the environment, and society at large have been reported; however, the benefits of the technology have not been examined to date from a holistic point of view. Accordingly, the objectives of this paper were to examine the potential economic, environmental, and social benefits of Bt cotton compared with broad-spectrum insecticide use, as reported in current literature, …

Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Free-Ranging Deer In Nebraska, David G. Renter, Jan M. Sargeant, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Jeff D. Hoffmann, Jerry R. Gillespie

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In order to determine the prevalence and distribution of the human pathogen, Escherichia coli O157:H7, in free-ranging deer, hunters were asked to collect and submit fecal samples from deer harvested during a regular firearm season (14–22 November 1998). Prior to the season, 47% of the hunters with permits in the southeastern Nebraska (USA) study area indicated a willingness to participate in the study. Approximately 25% of successful hunters in the area submitted deer fecal samples. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was cultured from four (0.25%) of 1,608 total samples submitted. All of the fecal samples that were properly identified (1,426) and all …

A Site Specific Impact Study: Valley Fill Construction Impacts On Water Chemistry And Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages, Terry Morton Tomasek

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Downstream impacts of contour surface mining and valley fill construction were evaluated utilizing both water chemistry and EPA approved Rapid Bioassessment Protocol III. Wiley Branch was sampled in February of 1999 before mining perturbation. Five downstream stations were established with benthic macroinvertebrates and water samples collected seasonally for a period of sixteen months. Water chemistry parameters, pH, total aluminum, iron, and manganese, total suspended solids, total dissolved solids, sulfates, alkalinity, acidity and specific conductivity fluctuated but generally remained within acceptable governmental limits. Initially, benthic macroinvertebrate communities were well balanced within the stream. There was a high abundance of EPT individuals …

Calculating Available Forage, Mindy Pratt, G. Allen Rasmussen

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Report Of The State Nuclear Safety Advisor Submitted To The Governor And 120th Legislature As Of January 15, 2001, Paula M. Craighead

Maine Collection

Report of the State Nuclear Safety Advisor submitted to the Governor and 120th Legislature As of January 15, 2001

Paula M. Craighead, State Nuclear Safety Advisor, Executive Department, Maine State Planning Office, Augusta, Maine, 2001.

Contents: Introduction and Executive Summary / I. Maine Yankee Decommissioning / II. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) / III. Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) / IV. High Level Radioactive Waste / V. Transport Routes and Safety Response / VI. Shipments / VII. Status of Federal and State Legal and Administrative Proceedings / References and Resources / Glossary

Estimating Abundance Of Galliformes: Tools And Application, Michael J. Conroy, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

A large number of techniques are available for assessing populations of vertebrates. However, application of many of those techniques to Galliformes is hampered by a variety of constraints. These problems are often magnified by poor understanding of the biology of many species of concern, and an absence of valid estimates of abundance and demographic parameters. Researchers interested in developing estimates of Galliformes populations must address a number of key issues before collecting field data, to avoid biases in the resulting population estimates. General guidance exists for the identification of appropriate population estimation techniques, and a dichotomous key has been developed …

Environmental Fairs: An Examination Of The 1999 Inland Empire Environmental Expo, Bruce Vincent Broxson

Theses Digitization Project

This project articulates the foundational purpose for environmental fairs and how they encourage an environmentally literate and responsible citizenry.

Working For The Environment: Pathways To Environmental Careers, Carol Aline Devault

Theses Digitization Project

Fifteen professionals in a variety of environmental occupations in the United States were interviewed in a structured, open-ended format. Job profiles were developed from the interviews. The philosophy of these environmental professionals is expressed in their own words and offers insights into influences upon career choice, professional training and personal fulfillment. In addition, environmental related career activity guides were developed to help students and their parents and teachers gain an awareness of the occupations available in this field.

The X-33 And The X-38 Experimental Aircraft: Environmental Connections With Aerospace Science, Elandriel Jean Martin

Theses Digitization Project

The purpose of this project fosters in students a sense of place and connection with their home area. It also provides students a real-world basis upon which to study the concepts of weather and geography.

Final General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement. (Visitor Management And Resource Protection Plan) Zion National Park., U.S. National Park Service

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

This document describes the path the National Park Service intends to follow in managing Zion National Park over the next 20 years, providing a framework for proactive decision-making on such issues as visitor use, natural and cultural resource management and park development.

The Obispeno Chumash Indians: San Luis Obispo County's First Environmentalists, Sharon L. Marks

Theses Digitization Project

The primary focus of this project is with the interaction between nature and people. How did the Obispeno Chumash affect their surroundings and what was the outcome? Did changes occur in the environment when other people took over the care of the land? Over the last 250 years, the Obispeno Chumash land has evolved from an ecologically green dominion under their stewardship to the present day where the area is noted for its mission, recreational value, wealth of opportunity, and a nuclear power plant located between Morro Bay and Point Buchon along the ocean.

Teaching And Learning In The School Garden, Elizabeth Lynn Waddell

Theses Digitization Project

This project was created to encourage educators to establish school site gardens. Gardens provide the opportunity to introduce environmental topics, and can become hands-on learning centers for subjects across the course of study.

An Environmental Education Field Guide For Mystic Lake Wetland Habitats, Linda Jean Ellingston

Theses Digitization Project

This curriculum guide is for grades four through six. It examines how wetlands, wildlife, and people interact and depend upon each other. The San Jacinto Valley wetland area is used as an example of wetland habitat destruction from population pressures that have changed the natural landscape. It is also used as an example of what habitat reconstruction can do to restore vital habitats. Through student contact with the wetlands increased awareness of the fragile interrelationships between the physical and biological components of a wetland habitat is gained. Students can use ecological themes to help them assimilate collected and given data …

Plant Materials For Wildlife, Donald Surrency, Charles M. Owsley, United States Department Of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service

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

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) was created by the 1996 Farm Bill, the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act (FAIRA). WHIP will provide technical and financial assistance to landowners to apply and maintain wildlife conservation practices. Enhancement, creation, or restoration of habitats for upland and wetland wildlife species, threatened and endangered species, fish and other types of wildlife are the program's primary purposes.

The NRCS Plant Materials Centers and Plant Materials Specialists in the Southeast Region have prepared a description of plant materials that should be considered for WHIP. The plant materials technology includes information on native and introduced …

Riparian Area Management: A Guide To Managing, Restoring, And Conserving Springs In The Western United States, United States Bureau Of Land Management

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

The purpose of this technical reference is to provide information on the characteristics of springs in the Western U.S. and to identify techniques for managing spring habitats that will allow use, maintain biological integrity, and rehabilitate or restore degraded habitats. Spring management goals are outlined and methods for prioritizing management actions are discussed.

Integrated Noxious Weed Management After Wildfires, Natural Resources Conservation Service

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

The ecosystems of the west are adapted to a long history of wildland fires that varied in frequency and severity. Over the last 100 years or more, though, fire suppression efforts, human settlement patterns and other land use practices have changed the composition and structure of the forests and grasslands of the West. Where once we typically had periodic low-intensity fires of low severity, we now experience damaging fires that can be both intense and severe. Severe fires can substantially affect the environment. Lack of vegetation on burned hillsides increases the likelihood of flooding and soil erosion from rain and …

Determining Your Stocking Rate, Mindy Pratt, G. Allen Rasmussen

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Monitoring Rangelands: Interpreting What You See, G. Allen Rasmussen, Michael P. O'Neill, Lisa Schmidt

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Ant–Seed Mutualisms: Can Red Imported Fire Ants Sour The Relationship?, Jennifer A. Zettler, Timothy P. Spira, Craig R. Allen

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Invasion by the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, has had negative impacts on individual animal and plant species, but little is known about how S. invicta affects complex mutualistic relationships. In some eastern forests of North America, 30% of herbaceous species have ant-dispersed seeds. We conducted experiments to determine if fire ants are attracted to seeds of these plant species and assessed the amount of scarification or damage that results from handling by fire ants. Fire ants removed nearly 100% of seeds of the ant-dispersed plants Trillium undulatum, T. discolor, T. catesbaei, Viola rotundifolia, and Sanguinaria canadensis. …

Effects Of Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) On Hatching Turtles And Prevalence Of Fire Ants On Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches In Florida, Craig R. Allen, Elizabeth A. Forys, Kenneth G. Rice, Daniel P. Wojcik

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta Buren) have increasingly been observed in loggerhead (Caretta caretta L.) and green (Chelonia mydas L.) sea turtle nests in Florida, and in the nests of freshwater turtles. They may be attracted to the disturbance, mucous and moisture associated with turtle nesting and establish foraging tunnels into turtle nests shortly after egg-laying, thus increasing the vulnerability of hatchlings to fire ant predation. We conducted experiments on a freshwater turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni Carr) to determine the potential impacts of S. invicta on turtle hatchlings. Over 70% of hatchlings were killed by …

Blackwood Catchment : Katanning Zone (Zone 6) : Catchment Appraisal 2001, Henry Brockman, Blackwood Rapid Catchment Appraisal Team (Wa)

Resource management technical reports

The aim of this report is to document the extent of salinity and land degradation within the Katanning zone, Western Australia, and management options aimed at reducing recharge and land degradation.

Integrating Environmental Education Into The Curriculum Through Environmental Community Service Learning, Jay Allen Westover

Theses Digitization Project

The goal of environmental education is to increase individuals' ecological knowledge, awareness of associated environmental problems, and motivation to evaluate and implement solutions. This project combined the concepts of environmental education with community service learning to create a new method of curriculum integration: environmental community service learning. The California state standards for environmental education, service learning, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies were integrated into four thematic units using the teaching methodologies of cooperative learning, authentic assessment, and reflection. The integrated, thematic units of this project could be used by educators in a multi-disciplinary, team teaching scenario on in …

Environmental Assessment For The Seminoe Road Coalbed Methane Pilot Project, Carbon County, Wyoming, United States Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Land Management

Environmental Assessments (WY)

Analysis of the environmental consequences has led to the determination that this proposed project, with the appropriate mitigating measures, will not have a significant effect on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement will not be required. Pending the results of a public review of this document, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will prepare a formal Decision Record.

Decision Record And Finding Of No Significant Impact For The Atlantic Rim Coalbed Methane Project, Sun Dog Pod, Carbon County, Wyoming, United States Department Of The Interior, Bureau Of Land Management

Record of Decisions (WY)

Petroleum Development Corporation (PEDCO) of Gillette, Wyoming, notified the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Rawlins Field Office, that the company proposes to explore and potentially develop coalbed methane (CBM) wells in the Sun Dog Pod Project Area (SDPA) of the Atlantic Rim Project Area (ARPA) in southcentral Wyoming. The Sun Dog proposal is part of the exploration drilling activities that will be considered for the acquisition of data necessary to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) within the ARPA. Coalbed methane development is very new in the Green River Basin. Public concern has been brought forth regarding the unknowns about …