Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Early Detection And Rapid Response In Thwarting Amphibian And Reptile Introductions In Floridalorida, Todd S. Campbell

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

Prevention is the best policy for dealing with introduced species. However, biologists often spend an inordinate amount of time studying their spread and impacts rather than focusing on what should be done to thwart their establishment in the first place. Amphibian and reptile introductions are reaching epidemic proportions in Florida, largely due to irresponsible behavior by pet owners and the pet industry, but also due to ineffective preventive policies and actions. Prevention of additional amphibian and reptile introductions in Florida will require a comprehensive approach involving legal restrictions of certain problematic species, a massive public education effort, and a well-funded …

Wildlife Contraception: Targeting The Oocyte, Richard E. Mauldin, Lowell A. Miller

Managing Vertebrate Invasive Species

The USDA’s National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) has successfully researched and developed a number of chemical and immunologically-based wildlife contraceptives. Diazacon™ interferes with cholesterol metabolism and disrupts steroidogenesis, while nicarbazin (registered as OvoControl-P® and OvoControl-G®) disrupts the structure of the vitelline membrane of bird eggs. Immunologically-based agents act to stimulate targeted antibody production. GonaCon™ causes the host’s immune system to bind gonadotropin releasing hormone, preventing ovulation, while SpayVac™ prevents fertilization of the postovulatory oocyte. This kind of target specificity can be highly advantageous. A number of oocyte-only control contraceptive strategies are currently being researched at the NWRC. 4-Vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) …

Slides: A Case Study Of The Roan Plateau Area, Mary Viviano

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

Presenter: Mary Viviano, EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.

14 slides

Nicarbazin Ovocontrol G Bait Reduces Hatchability Of Eggs Laid By Resident Canada Geese In Oregon, Kimberly Bynum, John D. Eisemann, Gary C. Weaver, Christi A. Yoder, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Lowell A. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Expanding populations of resident Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are resulting in increased conflicts with humans. Nonlethal and humane means are needed for managing Canada goose flocks at a variety of sites, including golf courses, industrial parks, government sites, and city parks. Decreased egg production and hatching are side effects of nicarbazin, a veterinary drug used to treat coccidiosis in chickens. Capitalizing on these effects, we developed nicarbazin as a reproductive inhibitor for Canada geese and conducted a field efficacy study. We recruited study sites in 2002 and 2003. Following laboratory testing, we conducted a field efficacy trial of …

A Sustainable Future For Fishing On Christmas Island. A Draft Five-Year Strategy For Managing Commercial, Recreational And Charter Fishing., Department Of Fisheries Western Australia.

Fisheries Management Papers

This draft strategy was developed by the Department of Fisheries, Western Australia, hereafter known as the “Department of Fisheries” which has responsibility for managing fish resources (within Territorial waters out to 12 nautical miles) on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services (DoTARS), through the applied Fish Resources Management Act (FRMA) (WA)(CI) (the “Applied Act”). The Applied Act provides a legislative framework that allows for management arrangements to be developed specifically for Christmas Island. The management of fisheries in Western Australia uses an adaptive approach which balances the need for the effective management of fish stocks with …

Physical Property And Chemical Characteristics Of Surface Sediment Grab Samples From Narragansett Bay And The Providence And Seekonk Rivers, D. W. Murray, W L. Prell, C E. Rincon, E Saarman

Narragansett Bay Collection

This document contains data tables, maps, plots, and documentation on Brown

University’s Narragansett Bay Sediment Project compiled by David W. Murray, Brown

University, for the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission with

support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The data were compiled and

analyzed as part of a New England pilot project exploring the development of a

biological condition gradient applicable to estuarine systems.

Wmi Outdoor News Bulletin * January 2007, Volume 61, No. 1

Wildlife Management Institute Outdoor News Bulletin

Contents:

• Aquatic Nuisance Species and Predator-Prey workshops at North American Conference

• Ruffed grouse have a plan

• Cellulose may soon take the starch out of ethanol

• Proposal for year-round drilling on critical big game range gains momentum and contention

• Reports of National Bison Range agreement demise prove to be greatly exaggerated

• 76th (2011) North American Conference slated

• Moguls may preempt habitat for threatened lynx

• WMI launches new Website

• Worth reading: The Golden Spruce

Drive-By Netting: A Technique For Capturing Grebes And Other Diving Waterfowl, Joe A. Caudell, Michael R. Conover

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We describe a new method (drive-by netting) for capturing grebes (Podiceps spp.) and other birds that dive under water to escape capture. We used a floating gill net to capture 203 eared grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) in 20 days in 1999 on the Great Salt Lake (GSL), 652 eared grebes in 41 days on the GSL in 2000, and 409 grebes in 20 days in 2001. Other species captured during the 2000 and 2001 fi eld seasons included 1 western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis), 9 ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis), and 1 Canada goose (Branta …

Light Environment And Seasonal Dynamics Of Microalgae In The Annual Sea Ice At Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea, Antarctica, L. Lazzara, I. Nardello, C. Ermanni, O. Mangoni, V. Saggiomo

OES Faculty Publications

We investigated the physical conditions of the Spring pack ice environment at Terra Nova Bay to understand their influence on the structure and physiology of sympagic microalgae. Bio-optical methods were used to study the availability and spectral quality of solar radiation, both inside and underneath the ice cover. Pack ice thickness was around 2.5 m, with a temperature between -2 and -7°C. On average, only 1.4% of surface PAR penetrated to the bottom ice and less than 0.6% below platelet ice level. Surface UV-B radiation under the bottom ice was 0.2-0.4%. Biomass concentrations up to 2400 mg Chl a m- …

Revegetation Of Reconstructed Reaches Of The Provo River, Heber Valley, Utah, John A. Rice

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

Prior to the 1950s, the middle Provo River in Utah offered outstanding fish and wildlife habitat. This was due in part to the Provo River freely meandering through the Heber Valley. These bends in the river provided deep holes for fish and a dense streamside forest for many species of birds. This productive habitat was altered in the 1940s and 1950s when the river was dammed, channelized, and forced between dikes (figure 1). These dikes were constructed by the USDI Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to contain high flows that came from additional water added to the Provo River from transbasin …

Evaluation Of Nicarbazin As A Potential Waterfowl Contraceptive Using Mallards As A Model, C. A. Yoder, J. K. Graham, L. A. Miller, K. S. Bynum, J. J. Johnston, M. J. Goodall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Contraception may provide a useful nonlethal management tool to reduce wild bird populations. We tested the efficacy of nicarbazin (NCZ) as a contraceptive for waterfowl and assessed health effects of NCZ, using domestic mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) as a model for Canada geese (Branta canadensis). Mallards were given gelatin capsules containing 0, 8.5, 17.0, or 33.75 mg of NCZ/kg of BW perorally once daily for 14 d. Fecal 4,4′- dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) and fluorescein were evaluated as potential markers of plasma and egg DNC levels. Plasma, egg, and fecal DNC levels differed among treatment groups in a dose …

Molecular Effects Of Nicarbazin On Avian Reproduction, C. A. Yoder, J. K. Graham, L. A. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nicarbazin (NCZ) is an anticoccidial drug routinely used in the poultry industry that can negatively affect reproduction by reducing egg production, egg weight, and egg hatchability. The molecular mechanisms by which NCZ affects reproduction are unknown. Lipoprotein lipase, vitellogenin, transglutaminase, and calcium are all involved in egg formation and embryogenesis. Therefore, in vitro assays were used to evaluate 4 potential mechanisms of action of NCZ on egg formation and embryogenesis. First, a lipoprotein lipase assay was conducted to determine if NCZ increases lipoprotein lipase activity. Second, vitellogenin phosphorylation was evaluated to determine if NCZ acts as a vitellogenin phosphatase. Third, …

The Runnins Report

Watershed Access Lab Projects

For the past 4 years, students in AP Biology have performed summer Ecology research studies at Burr’s Pond in Seekonk. One goal of the summer research has been to provide the students with a relevant, meaningful inquiry-based learning experience. At the start of the school year, the students measure the dissolved oxygen as part of the required AP Laboratory Exercise 12. A second goal of the summer research has been to sustain an annual evaluation of the dissolved oxygen as well as the diversity and distribution of organisms in and around the pond. Unfortunately, the data is not very accurate …

Conservation Of Castanea Dentata Genetic Resources Of The Southeastern United States, Mark Thomas Alexander

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The ongoing effort by the American Chestnut Foundation to breed and reintroduce a blight resistant, locally adapted variety of American chestnut (Castanea dentata) requires a broad genetic base. To ensure adequate genetic diversity, genetic resources must be collected from throughout the native range of the species. Finding and breeding surviving C. dentata stump sprouts is problematic due to the relatively short life span of blooming stems and their often remote forest habitat. To facilitate more efficient location of surviving trees in the southeastern U.S., we used a Geographic Information System (GIS) to overlay soil, topography, and satellite imagery for the …

Development Of Nicarbazin As A Reproductive Inhibitor For Resident Canada Geese, Kimberly Bynum, Christi Yoder, John D. Eisemann, John Johnston, Lowell Miller

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Expanding populations of resident Canada geese that remain in suburban and urban areas year-round often result in increased conflicts with humans. Non-lethal and humane means are needed for managing the size of Canada goose flocks residing near or on airports, golf courses, industrial parks, government sites, and city parks. A side effect of nicarbazin, a veterinary drug used to control coccidiosis in chickens, is decreased egg production and hatching. Exploiting this side effect, studies of nicarbazin for reducing the hatchability of eggs from Canada geese were conducted. An initial study in Coturnix quail verified reduction in hatchability in a species …

Comparison Of Nicarbazin Absorption In Chickens, Mallards, And Canada Geese, C. A. Yoder, L. A. Miller, K. S. Bynum

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Nicarbazin (NCZ), a coccidiostat commonly used in the poultry industry, causes reduced hatchability and egg quality in layer hens at a concentration of 125 ppm (8.4 mg/kg) in the feed. Although this effect is undesirable in the poultry industry, NCZ could provide a useful wildlife contraception tool for waterfowl, particularly urban geese. We tested the absorption of NCZ in chickens (Gallus gallus), mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and Canada geese (Branta canadensis) gavaged with 8.4 mg of NCZ/kg per bird each day for 8 d. Plasma levels of 4,4′-dinitrocarbanilide (DNC) differed significantly among species. Peak plasma …

West Nile Virus Infection In Farmed American Alligators (Alligator Mississippiensis) In Florida, Elliott R. Jacobson, Pamela E. Ginn, J. Mitchell Troutman, Lisa Farina, Lillian Stark, Kaci Klenk, Kristen L. Burkhalter, Nicholas Komar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Terrestrial Movements And Habitat Use Of Gopher Frogs (Rana Capito) At Fort Benning, Georgia, Jonathan H. Neufeldt

Theses and Dissertations

Gopher frogs (Rana capito) were radio-tracked between the 2000 and 2001 breeding seasons to study their terrestrial movements and habitat use in a longleaf pine- sandhill area on the Fort Benning Military Reservation, Georgia. The telemetry research was conducted in response to the need for biological data concerning gopher frog terrestrial habits. Ultimately the data could aid biologists and land managers in describing critical habitat and the development of a management or recovery plan. Twelve gopher frogs were caught at a herpetofaunal array surrounding two neighboring breeding ponds during a post breeding migration, implanted with miniature transmitters, released and radio-tracked …

Feasibility Of Mapping Benthic Biotopes In The Hudson River, Nicole P. Maher, Robert M. Cerrato

School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

Successful management of aquatic resources requires comprehensive maps that identify the spatial distribution and extent of potentially vulnerable habitats and their resident biota (e.g., essential fish habitat). We illustrate a technique that describes submerged landscapes not only in terms of geophysical properties, but also in terms of the resident biotic communities. Biological community distribution was highly correlated with the geophysical provinces initially identified by Bell et al. (2000). However, fewer groups of stations (created mainly by combining provinces) explained almost as much of the variation in benthic community structure and was a better description of the major biotopes in this …

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Pilbara Region, Western Australia, A M E Van Vreeswyk, K A. Leighton, A L. Payne, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Pilbara region, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia between 1995 and 1999, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the natural area’s resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The area surveyed covers about 181 723 km². Seven …

Flow Recommendations To Benefit Endangered Fishes In The Colorado And Gunnison Rivers, Charles W. Mcada

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

No abstract provided.

Diets Of Baird’S Beaked Whales, Berardius Bairdii, In The Southern Sea Of Okhotsk And Off The Pacific Coast Of Honshu, Japan, William A. Walker, James G. Mead, Robert L. Brownell Jr.

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

Stomach contents were analyzed from 127 Baird’s beaked whales, Berardizls bairdii, taken in coastal waters of Japan. During late July-August of 1985- 1987, 1989, and 1991, 107 samples were collected from off the Pacific coast of Honshu. An additional 20 samples were collected from whales taken in the southern Sea of Okhotsk during late August-September of 1988 and 1989. Prey identification using fish otoliths and cephalopod beaks revealed the whales fed primarily on deep-water gadiform fishes and cephalopods in both regions. Prey species diversity and the percentage of cephalopods and fish differed between the two regions. Off the Pacific …

Fisheries Research Report No. 134, Volume 2 - Towards An Assessment Of The Natural And Human Use Impacts On The Marine Environment Of The Abrolhos Islands, C F. Chubb, F J. Webster, C J. Dibden

Fisheries Research Reports

These proceedings form the second of two public documents resulting from the project “Towards an assessment of the natural and human use impacts on the marine environment” funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (project no. 2000/166). Volume 1, a summary of existing information and assessment of current levels of human use, was presented at a Public Forum in Geraldton on July 11, 2001.

A two-day workshop was held immediately after the forum and was attended by invited representatives from professional fishing and recreational groups together with research and management experts. The issues identified in Volume 1, and those …

Management Plan

National Invasive Species Council

Farmers, ranchers, scientists, State officials, and many others have urged the Federal Government to consider invasive species issues a priority and to develop a coordinated national effort to address the problem. In response, the President issued Executive Order 13112 on Invasive Species (Order) in February 1999. The Order established the National Invasive Species Council (Council), co-chaired by the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Interior; and includes the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, and Transportation, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Order directs the Council to form a non-Federal Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC) to advise the …

Cruise Reveals History Of Holocene Larsen Ice Shelf, Eugene Domack, Amy Leventer, Robert Gilbert, Stefanie Brachfeld, Scott Ishman, Angelo Camerlenghi, Kathleen Gavahan, David Carlson, Athen Barkoukis

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Red Imported Fire Ants: Impact On Biodiversity, Daniel P. Wojcik, Craig R. Allen, Richard J. Brenner, Elizabeth A. Forys, Donald P. Jouvenaz, R. Scott Lutz

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (hereafter referred to as imported fire ant), long considered a regional problem, is receiving renewed attention nationwide, with infestations found in Arizona, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, and Virginia (Mitchell 1996). Recently, infestations discovered in several regions of California caused great public concern (Brennan 1999, Schrader 1999). Initially, infestations appeared to be isolated in almond groves in Kern County; presumably these infestations originated from bee hives transported interstate for the purpose of pollinating crops. Separately, ornamental plants arriving in Las Vegas, NV, were infested with fire ants, and records showed that the point …

The Endangered Species Act And Private Landowner Incentives, Jeffrey A. Michael

Human Conflicts with Wildlife: 2002 Symposium

While intended to increase the habitat available to endangered species, the restrictions of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) increase the costs of harboring an endangered species to private landowners and create incentives for private landowners to reduce habitat. This paper illustrates the incentive for habitat destruction with a simple model of private land use under the ESA, and uses it to predict the effects of changes in policy or biological conditions on private landowner incentives. Many anecdotal accounts and recent empirical research support the predictions of the model. Because of the ESA’s perverse incentives, many have proposed replacing the punitive …

Fisheries Research Report No. 121 - Synopsis Of The Biology And Exploitation Of The Blue Swimmer Crab, Portunus Pelagicus Linnaeus, In Western Australia, Mervi I. Kangas

Fisheries Research Reports

This report summarises the existing studies which have provided information on the biology, population characteristics and exploitation of the blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus, in Western Australia. Gaps in the existing knowledge are also highlighted to assist in targeting new research initiatives. Portunus pelagicus matures at about one year and in temperate regions females mate only once a year. This is because mature crabs moult only once a year. It appears from studies to date that Western Australian crabs are one genetic population. This is being further investigated. Migration of the blue swimmer crab occurs between estuaries and the ocean …

Tws Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter: Winter 2000 – Volume 7(1) – Elections Issue!

TWS Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter

Forward - Scott Craven; Candidates for The Working Group Officers – March 2000 ;Stupid Pest Tricks (Or What Your Best Extension Call Was All About); Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Ballot – March 2000; Wisconsin DNR Won’t Bite On Compensating Muskie Victim; 3rd European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference; Symposia, Workshop, And Special Poster Sessions; Application For Membership / The Wildlife Society

Hunting And Social Behaviour Of Leopard Seals (Hydrurga Leptonyx) At Seal Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, Lisa M. Hiruki, Michael K. Schwartz, Peter L. Boveng

United States Department of Commerce: Staff Publications

The hunting behavior of leopard seals Hydrurga leptonyx was monitored opportunistically at Seal Island, South Shetland Islands, during the austral summers from 1986/87 to 1994/95. Leopard seals used several methods to catch Antarctic fur seal pups Arctocephalus gazella and chinstrap penguins Pygoscelis antarctica, and individuals showed different hunting styles and hunting success. One to two leopard seals per year were responsible for an average of 60% of observed captures of fur seal pups. Leopard seals preyed on penguins throughout the summer, but preyed on fur seal pups only between late December and mid-February. Hunting behavior differed significantly between different …