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The Prairie Naturalist, Volume 42, No. 1/2 June 2010, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

CHANNEL CATFISH DIETS INCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL VEGETATION IN A MISSOURI RIVER RESERVOIR • J. D. Dagel, M. R. Wuellner, and D. W. Willis

USE OF LATE SEASON STANDING CORN BY FEMALE WHITE-TAILED DEER IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS DURING A MILD WINTER • T. W. Grovenburg, C. N. Jacques, C. C. Swanson, R. W. Klaver, and J. A. Jenks

COMPARISON OF TWO ZOOPLANKTON SAMPLING GEARS IN SHALLOW, HOMOGENOUS LAKES • M. E. Livings, C. W. Schoenebeck, and M. L. Brown

VEGETATION TRENDS ON A WASTE ROCK REPOSITORY CAP IN THE NORTHERN BLACK HILLS • A. C. Korth, G. E. Larson, L. …

Channel Catfish Diets Include Substantial Vegetation In A Missouri River Reservoir, Jonah D. Dagel, Melissa R. Wuellner, David W. Willis

The Prairie Naturalist

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) are native to Lake Sharpe, a Missouri River mainstem reservoir, and are common in angler catches. Channel catfish growth has declined since the formation of the reservoir in 1963. Mean lengths at time of capture for channel catfish ages 9, 10, II, and 12 have decreased by 69, 55, 115, and 21S mm, respectively, since impoundment. The objective of this study was to document monthly food habits of channel catfish throughout the growing season (May-August) in Lake Sharpe to assess potential effects of diet on growth. Although channel catfish consumed both macro invertebrates and …

Observations Of Little Blue Herons Nesting In North Dakota, And An Instance Of Probable Natural Hybridization Between A Little Blue Heron And A Cattle Egret, Alisa J. Bartos, Lawrence Igl, Marsha A. Sovada

The Prairie Naturalist

The little blue heron (Egretta caerulea) is native to North America and most commonly breeds along the coast of the southeastern United States and the Gulf of Mexico through Central America and into South America (Rodgers and Smith 1995). In North America, little blue herons rarely nest outside their coastal range. However, nesting has been documented at several locations in the northern plains including Brown, Kingsbury, and Charles Mix counties, South Dakota (Naugle et al. 1996, Tallman et al. 2002); Pope County, Minnesota (Green and Janssen 1975); and possibly in southeastern Saskatchewan (Nero and Lein 1971, Smith et al. 1996). …

Bat Survey Along The Missouri River In Central South Dakota, Alyssa M. Kiesow, Joshua A. Kiesow

The Prairie Naturalist

ats are efficient predators of night-flying insects (Whitaker 1993), particularly in urban, agricultural, and forested areas in South Dakota (Kiesow 2004). In South Dakota, 6 bat species are considered rare and presently monitored by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program (SDNHP; South Dakota Natural Heritage Program 2002). Because bats serve a vital ecosystem function there is an increased need to conserve bats and their habitats. Hence, the objectives of this project were to determine bat species richness along the Missouri River in central South Dakota. We conducted surveys of bats using mist-nets and acoustic detection from early May to early …

Use Of Late Season Standing Corn By Female White-Tailed Deer In The Northern Great Plains During A Mild Winter, Troy W. Grovenburg, Christopher N. Jacques, Christopher C. Swanson, Robert W. Klaver, Jonathan Jenks

The Prairie Naturalist

Winter habitat and resource use of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been studied extensively throughout their northern range. However, limited information exists on deer use of late season standing corn. We evaluated standing corn use by female white-tailed deer on winter range in north-central South Dakota during winter 2005-2006. Results indicate that cover type selection occurred at the population (P < 0.001) and home range (P < 0.001) levels. PopUlation level analysis indicated selection for standing corn (vi> = 4.31) and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands (vi> = 2.81). Similarly, at the home range level, deer selected for standing corn (vi> = 1.35) and CRP grasslands (vi> = 1.44). Deer disproportionately increased use of standing corn and CRP …

Potential Importance Of Competition, Predation, And Prey On Yellow Perch Growth From Two Dissimilar Population Types, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Michael L. Brown

The Prairie Naturalist

Our objective was to describe the influence of population dynamics, inter- and intra-specific competition, predation, prey abundance, and prey size structure on yellow perch (Perca flavescens) growth for two perch population types (high-quality and low-quality) commonly found in South Dakota glacial lakes. We selected Lake Cochrane as a low quality yellow perch population and Lake Madison as a high quality perch population. Sunfish (Lepomis spp.) relative abundance was greater (P < 0.05) in Lake Cochrane than Lake Madison, suggesting interspecific competition may have a large influence on yellow perch growth. Indices of available sizes and densities of zooplankton were lower (P < 0.05) in Lake Cochrane than Lake Madison, suggesting that increased competition for large zooplankton may have reduced zooplankton size structure and density. Zooplankton may be a limiting resource in South Dakota glacial lakes when both yellow perch and sunfish are feeding primarily on zooplankton which may explain differences in perch growth rates between population types .

Climatological Factors Influencing Yellow Perch Production In Semi-Permanent Wetlands, Christopher M. Longhenry, Michael L. Brown, Todd R. St. Sauver

The Prairie Naturalist

Climatological factors such as temperature, wind, and precipitation have been reported to affect fish reproduction and recruitment in large lakes; however, little is known about these relationships in shallow, semi-permanent wetlands. We utilized age-O yellow perch (Perca flavescens) aquacultural harvest data to model climate effects on variability of juvenile yellow perch year class strength in semi-permanent wetlands. Overall, March through May precipitation, April air temperature, and a wetland parameter (i.e., intrinsic characteristics) provided the best-supported model. These results potentially indicate that spring weather patterns have an influence on yellow perch year class strength in semi-permanent wetlands.

Comparison Of Two Zooplankton Sampling Gears In Shallow, Homogeneous Lakes, Maude E. Livings, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Michael L. Brown

The Prairie Naturalist

We compared two zooplankton collection gears, Wisconsin nets and column samplers, to evaluate the effectiveness of each gear in quantifying inshore and offshore zooplankton density and size structure in shallow, homogeneous lakes. Zooplankton densities (within gear) did not differ (P > 0.05) between inshore and offshore sites in either study lake, with the exception of Wisconsin-netted Cyclops sp. in Lake Goldsmith. Wisconsin net samples produced a higher mean zooplankton density than column samplers for Bosmina sp., Cyclops sp., and Daphnia sp. in East Oakwood Lake and for Cyclops sp. (inshore), Daphnia sp., and Diaptomus sp. in Lake Goldsmith. Zooplankton densities had …

Evaluating The Impacts Of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs On Vegetation In Traditional And Non-Traditional Habitats, Erin M. Lehmer, Laurel Hartley, Jesse Lanci, Charlie Kolb

The Prairie Naturalist

The wildland-urban interface (WUI), defined as areas where human development meets undeveloped wildland (Radeloff et al. 2005), is a focal area for humanwildlife interactions in many communities of the western United States, particularly in those areas that have experienced rapid and expansive human population growth. Since 1960, conversion of rural to urban land has more than doubled in the United States (Theobald 2001). The eastern front range of the Rocky Mountains has experienced one of the most rapid urban expansions in the country, with approximately 110,000 hectares of undeveloped rural land being converted to human-developed land every year between 1992 …

Influences Of Environmental Education Programs On The Participant's Affinity For Nature, Justin Alan Schmillen

Master's Theses

This study was conducted to determine the change, and the factors influencing the change, in the participant’s affinity for nature resulting from an environmental education experience. In addition, this study also examined the change and factors of change in aspects of the participant’s affinity for nature that directly relate to marine and coastal resources and environments. An adapted version of the Affinity for Nature scale, an outcome measuring instrument used by the American Camp Association was used to collect data from participants (n=529) at Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School and Camp Ocean Pines, whose experience included an overnight component and …

Treatment Of Displaced Indigenous Populations In Two Large Hydro Projects In Panama, Mary Finley-Brook, Curtis Thomas

Geography and the Environment Faculty Publications

The World Commission on Dams provided an analytical overview of the cumulative effects of years of dam development. A lack of commitment or capacity to cope with displacement or to consider the civil rights of, or risks to, displaced people led to the impoverishment and suffering of tens of millions and growing opposition to dams by affected communities worldwide. However, after the WCD, little has changed for the better in terms of resettlement policies. In fact, the standards of key agencies, like the Asian Development Bank, have been lowered and diluted compared to prior policies. Dam-induced development and displacement are …

Recent Advances In The Climate Change Biology Literature: Describing The Whole Elephant, A. Townsend Peterson, Shaily Menon, Xingong Li

Peer Reviewed Publications

Climate change biology is seeing a wave of new contributions, which are reviewed herein. Contributions treat shifts in phenology and distribution, and both document past and forecast future effects. However, many of the current wave of contributions are observational and correlational, and few are experimental in nature, and too often a conceptual framework in which to contextualize the results is lacking. An additional gap is the lack of effective cross-linking among areas of research, for example, connection of sea-level rise and climate change implications for distributions of species, or evolutionary adaptation studies with distributional shift studies. Although numerous important contributions …

The Textural Discontinuity Hypothesis And Its Relation To Nomadism, Migration, Decline, And Competition, Aaron L. Alai

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The causes of nomadism, migration, and decline in vertebrates are debated issues in the ecological sciences. Literature suggests nomadism may arise in species that specialize in granivory, nectivory, or the utilization of rodent outbreaks. Migration is thought to arise as a result of the exploitation of certain scarce or variable food resources. Species decline is hypothesized to be the result of many different factors as well; large species, island species and specialists may be more prone to decline.

A fresh perspective regarding the causes for species nomadism, migration, and decline is being investigated utilizing the ideas within the Textural Discontinuity …

Evaluating Captive-Breeding Techniques And Reintroduction Success Of The California Condor (Gymnogyps Californianus), Amy C. Utt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In this dissertation, I present two original research studies on the behavior and survival of the critically endangered California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus). I also provide a comprehensive review of the role of captive-rearing to the conservation of birds.

The first study examined the behavioral differences of puppet- and parent-reared condor juveniles reared in captivity. This study further defined and examined the behaviors of adult conspecific mentors and their interactions with juveniles. Dominance hierarchy analyses for two cohorts of juveniles and their adult mentors indicated the establishment of a linear hierarchy. Although puppet-reared juveniles engaged in fewer social behaviors in …

Outcomes Of A One-Week Teaching Training In Community-Based Ecological Research, Kara Gonsler

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The goal of this project was to expand on potential audiences and partnerships within the Teaching Ecological Complexity Project, by creating a one-week teacher training workshop in collaboration with a local natural resource management partner. The training sought to increase teachers’ understanding of ecology and qualitative conceptual models through immersion in field research and partnerships with local scientists and natural resource managers. Ecological knowledge was measured by comparing pre and post qualitative conceptual models, which were scored with a rubric and analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test. Classroom implementation of an inquiry-based ecological research project was expected of participants. …

Are Biotechnology And Sustainable Agriculture Compatible?, David E. Ervin, Leland L. Glenna, Raymond Adelard Jussaume

Economics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Agricultural biotechnology has been largely opposed by advocates in the sustainable agriculture movement, despite claims by the technology’s proponents that it holds the promise to deliver both production (economic) and environmental benefits, two legs of the sustainability stool. We argue in this paper that participants in this polarized debate are talking past each other because assumptions about biotechnology and sustainability remain simplistic and poorly defined. Genetically engineered (GE) herbicide-resistant and insect-resistant crop varieties are the most visible current forms of agricultural biotechnology, and thus the form of biotechnology that many in the sustainability movement react to. However, these crops represent …

Fire: Ecology & Prevention, Justin R. Frey

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Poisonous Rangeland Plants In San Luis Obispo County, Sara Litten, Amanda Ou

Animal Science

Poisonous Rangeland Plants in San Luis Obispo County is a comprehensive educational guide to rangeland plants that are toxic to domestic livestock. This guide begins with an exploration of how the biological systems are affected by the poisonous plant toxins. The biochemistry behind these toxins is included in the discussion. Next, reference material for fourteen plants that inhabit San Luis Obispo County is provided. This information includes specific toxins found in poisonous plants, affected animals, symptoms of poisoning, stages of growth, lethal dose, and distribution of the plant in California. This section of the guide is filled with helpful photos …

A Sea Change For Aquatic Sustainability : Meeting The Challenge Of Fish Resources Management And Aquatic Sustainability In The 21st Century, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Occasional Publications

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Two Potential Streamgage Locations On Scott Creek At Swanton Pacific Ranch, California, Matthew C. Scrudato

Master's Theses

Two locations on Scott Creek, located 12 miles north of Santa Cruz California, are being considered for the installation of a streamgage to measure discharge. Each location offers unique considerations and challenges in gage construction and discharge measurement capabilities. A detailed flood frequency analysis was completed using a direct watershed comparison, direct equations developed by Waananen and Crippen, a Log Pearson Type III Frequency Distribution, a regional analysis, and two-station comparisons. Final results indicate a 100-year recurrence interval of 6,310 ft3/s at the Upper Scott Creek location and 6,520 ft3/s at the lower location. A detailed indirect measurement revealed that …

A Review Of Existing And Potential New World And Australasian Vertebrate Pesticides With A Rationale For Linking Use Patterns To Registration Requirements, Charles T. Eason, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, John D. Eisemann, Simon Humphrys, Jeanette R. O’Hare, Steven J. Lapidge

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Registration is a necessarily sophisticated evaluation process applied to vertebrate pesticide products. Although conducted to minimize any potential impacts upon public health, the environment and food production, the all-encompassing process of registration can stifle innovation. Vertebrate pesticides are rarely used to control pest animals in food crops. In contrast to agrochemicals, relatively small amounts of vertebrate pesticides are used (50.1%), usually in solid or paste baits, and generally by discrete application methods rather than by broad-scale spray applications. We present a hierarchy or sliding scale of typical data requirements relative to application techniques, to help clarify an evolving science-based approach …

In Situ Development Of Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Seeds, Protocorms, And Seedlings In Grazed And Non-Grazed Prairie Habitat, Bonnie Warner Alexander, Donald Kirby, Mario Biondini, Edward Dekeyser

The Prairie Naturalist

In 1989, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara) as threatened. Although this orchid has been monitored for years, there is little scientific documentation of its biology, ecology, and phenology, nor the impacts of management activities on its populations. Our objectives were to document seed germination and seedling production rates after one year in situ, and compare seed germination in grazed and non-grazed prairie habitat in the Sheyenne National Grassland (SNG) in southeastern North Dakota. Of 18,717 planted seeds, we recovered 1,561 swollen embryos, 94 protocorms, and 51 seedlings. We documented no difference …

Ring-Necked Pheasant Nest Parasitism Of Sharp-Tailed Grouse Nests In Southwest North Dakota, Benjamin A. Geaumont, Kevin K. Sedivec, Christopher S. Schauer

The Prairie Naturalist

Numerous investigators have reported observations of ring-necked pheasant (RNP; Phasianus colchicus) eggs in nests of other gamebirds and waterfowl species (Errington and Hamerstrom 1938, Westemeier et al. 1998, Hagen et al. 2002, Krakauer and Kimball 2009). Previously recorded hosts include wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo; Schmutz 1988), northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; Westemeier et al. 1989), greater prairie-chickens (Tyrnpanuchus cupido; Westemeier et al. 1998), and lesser prairie-chickens (T. pallidicinctus; Hagen et al. 2002). The reported occurrence of nest parasitism during these studies has generally been low with the highest reported occurrences found in …

Early Winter Feeding On Elm Bark By Eastern Fox Squirrels Near The Western Range Terminus, Dessa K. Montgomery, Raymond S. Matlack

The Prairie Naturalist

Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) feed on >30 different types of food across their extensive range ~Korschgen 1981) including tree buds, flowers, fruits, seeds, and, on occasion, bark. For a large portion of the year, fox squirrels rely heavily on tree seeds (Koprowski 1991). For three consecutive years (2007-2009), we observed fox squirrels feeding on bark of elm trees ( Ulmus sp.) on the campus of West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas. Squirrels began feeding on bark in late November shortly after leaves had fallen off the trees and continued almost daily throughout the winter. In late February, when …

Assessment Of Healthcare Waste Management In The Uae With Emphasis On Radioactive Waste, Maryem Ahmad Joan Al-Dahiri

Theses

During coastline cleaning campaign carried out in the UAE in 1993, various amounts of waste classified as medical waste were identified. As a result, public concern has been raised concerning the handling and disposal of medical waste in the country. Despite that, little work has been conducted to assess medical waste management in the UAE and no published work has been found that assesses the management of radioactive medical waste. The main objective of this research was to assess the process of implementation of medical waste management applied at major hospitals in the UAE in comparison with the guidelines established …

Mississippi Canyon 252 Incident Nrda Tier 1 For Deepwater Communities, Gregory Boland, Gary Brewer, Erik Cordes, Amanda Demopoulos, Chuek Fisher, Chris German, Ken Sulak

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is geologically diverse basin, described as the most complex continental slope region in the world. Regional topography of the slope consists of basins, knolls, ridges, and mounds derived from the dynamic adjustments of salt and the introduction of large volumes of sediment over long time scales. More than 99% of the sea floor in the GOM consists of soft sediment made up of various mixtures of primarily silt and clay. These wide-spread soft bottom communities are described in reports from major MMS studies by Gallaway et al. (1998) and Rowe and Kennicutt (2009). Relative …

Robin Lite 3d Fmcw Bird Radar: Revolutionizing Airport Birdstrike Prevention, Addy Borst

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 11th (2009)

Table of Contents:
The avian radar arena
A new kid in town: ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW avian radar
Our roots in radar technology
Our roots in avian radars
From raw radar data to realtime info bird movements
ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW: System design requirements driven by users
Main avian radar system requirements
System design conclusions ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW
ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW implementation
ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW: Horizontal radar
ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW: Vertical radar
ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW: Data acquisition electronics
ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW Signal/image processing
ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW ground clutter filter
ROBIN Lite 3D FMCW …

Evaluation Of Freshwater Mussel Conservation Strategies At Multiple Scales: Macro-Molecules,Behavior, Habitat, And Policy., Andrew J. Peck

Student Theses and Dissertations

Freshwater mussels are the second most imperiled taxonomic group in North America. In the United States, the most threatened mussel species receive special protection under the Endangered Species Act, among others, which requires implementation of a conservation action strategy to ameliorate potential impacts to protected populations and their habitats. This dissertation evaluates the response of freshwater mussels, through condition indicators, individual behavior, and community metrics, to conservation strategies. The first strategy evaluated is the effect of relocation on an endangered mussel species, Potamilus capax (Green 1832). As relocation requires identification of safe harbor habitats, a methodology is proposed to identify …

Establishment And Partial Characterization Of A Cell Line From Burbot Lota Lota Maculosa: Susceptibility To Ihnv, Ipnv And Vhsv, Mark P. Polinski, John D. Drennan, William N. Batts, Susan C. Ireland, Kenneth D. Cain

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

This study describes the development and partial characterization of a continuous fibroblastic-like cell line (BEF-1) developed from late stage embryos of North American burbot Lota lota maculosa. This cell line has been maintained for over 5 yr and 100 passages in vitro. Cells were cultured using Eagle’s minimum essential medium with Earle’s salts (MEM) supplemented with GlutaMAX ™, and 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), pH 7.4. The addition of penicillin-streptomycinneomycin (PSN) antibiotic mixture (0.05, 0.05, 0.1 mg ml–1, respectively) did not negatively influence cell replication; however, the antimycotic Fungizone™ (2.5 μg ml–1, amphotericin B) caused cell rounding and …

The Hydro-Ecology Of Everyday Life: Assessing The Social And Environmental Determinants Of Water Use In The Portland Region, Vivek Shandas

Systems Science Friday Noon Seminar Series

Driven in part by the imminent threats of population growth and climate destabilization, recent studies suggest that urban areas face severe water scarcity, with some areas in Australia and the United States already instituting moratoria on water use. While water managers traditionally avoid such crises by developing demand forecasts based on population estimates, technological developments, and weather predictions, their analysis are often at a regional scale with aggregate measures of water consumption. To date, there exists limited empirical evidence about how urban spatial structure and concomitant socio-demographic and temperature characteristics mutually interact to affect water demand at the scale of …