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Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Savannah Sparrow, David A. Swanson

United States Geological Survey: Effects of Management Practices on Grassland Birds

Information on the habitat requirements and effects of habitat management on grassland birds were summarized from information in more than 4,000 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the relative densities of the species in North America, based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated, the maps are intended to show areas where managers might concentrate their attention. It may be ineffectual to manage habitat at a site for a species that rarely occurs in an area. The species account begins with a brief capsule statement, which …

Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Henslow’S Sparrow, James R. Herkert

United States Geological Survey: Effects of Management Practices on Grassland Birds

were summarized from information in more than 4,000 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the relative densities of the species in North America, based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated, the maps are intended to show areas where managers might concentrate their attention. It may be ineffectual to manage habitat at a site for a species that rarely occurs in an area. The species account begins with a brief capsule statement, which provides the fundamental components or keys to management for the species. A section …

Annual Review Of The World Pheasant Association 2001/2002, World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Reports and Other Materials

Chairman of Trustees' report, Richard P. Howard

The way ahead, Dick Potts

Treasurer's report and accounts, Ian F. Hoggarth

Conservation activities in 2001/2002 (including South Asia Office), Philip J. K. McGowan and Rahul Kaul

Pheasant Specialist Group report, Peter J. Garson

Partridge, Quail and Francolin Specialist Group report, John P. Carroll

Grouse Specialist Group report, Ilse Storch

Megapode Specialist Grouse report, René W. R. J. Dekker

Cracid Specialist Group report, Daniel M. Brooks

Conservation Breeding Activities, Han Assink, John Corder, and Gary Robbins

Plight of prairie grouse in Kansas, R. J. Robel

Bruijn's brush-turkey observed in the wild for the …

Analyzing Anthropogenic Landscapes With Gis And Remote Sensing: A Literature Review, Andi O. Kraft

Nebraska Anthropologist

Anthropogenic landscapes are those that have been modified, to varying degrees, by human. Their development is affected by the over-use of natural landscapes in the past such as overgrazing, frequent fires, or excessive depletion of forests. Anthropologists analyzing land-use intensification are now realizing the promise of geographical information systems (GIS) and remote sensingfor their research. A literature review of case studies done on varying anthropogenic landscapes will highlight how GIS can give practical integration of geographic spatial structures (habitation, soils, river drainage) to past and current relationships between the environment and human systems when combined with local-level knowledge. Research of …

Strategies For Controlling House Fly Populations Resistant To Cyromazine, Diana C. Crespo, Roberto E. Lecuona, Jerome Hogsette

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The objectives of this study were to compare, from both biological and economic viewpoints, the impact of various control strategies and evaluate their effect on cyromazine-resistant Musca domestica L., and beneficial house fly pupal parasitoids on caged-layer farms (240,000 hens) in Argentina. The strategies evaluated were: chemical, chemical + cultural, and chemical + cultural + biological (integrated management). The products used were: cyromazine 1% and 50%, DDVP, azamethiphos with and without z-9-tricosene, lime, and the parasitoids Spalangia endius Walker and Muscidifurax raptor Girault & Sanders. In the absence of control measures, fly density increased quickly and the average parasitism rate …

Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Willet, Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Barry D. Parkin, Betty R. Euliss

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus):
Breeding range
Suitable habitat
Area requirements
Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism
Breeding-season phenology and site fidelity
Species’ response to management
Management Recommendations
Habitat Characteristics

Plumeless Thistle (Curled Thistle, Bristly Thistle), L.-T. Kok, A. Gassmann

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Plumeless thistle, Carduus acanthoides L., is an introduced Eurasian noxious weed in pastures, rangelands, croplands, and along highways in 19 of the contiguous states in the United States (Frick, 1978). Carduus acanthoides and Carduus nutans L. in the northeastern United States often occupy the same habitats, such as overgrazed pastures and disturbed roadsides, and these species sometimes occur as mixed stands.

Assemblages Of Breeding Birds As Indicators Of Grassland Condition, Sharon Freshman Browder, Douglas H. Johnson, I. J. Ball

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

We developed a measure of biological integrity for grasslands (GI) based on the most influential habitat types in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota. GI is based on proportions of habitat types and the relationships of these habitat types to breeding birds. Habitat types were identified by digital aerial photography, verified on the ground, and quantified using GIS. We then developed an index to GI based on the presence or abundance of breeding bird species. Species abundance data were obtained from 3 min roadside point counts at 889 points in 44, 4050 ha study plots over a 2-year period. …

Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Dickcissel, Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Amy L. Zimmerman, Betty R. Euliss

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Dickcissel (Spiza americana):
Breeding range
Suitable habitat
Area requirements
Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism
Breeding-season phenology and site fidelity
Species’ response to management
Management Recommendations
Habitat Characteristics

Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Sedge Wren, Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Barry D. Parkin, Betty R. Euliss

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis):
Breeding range
Suitable habitat
Area requirements
Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism
Breeding-season phenology and site fidelity
Species’ response to management
Management Recommendations
Habitat Characteristics

Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Northern Harrier, Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Melvin P. Nenneman, Betty R. Euliss

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus):
Breeding range
Suitable habitat
Prey habitat
Area requirements
Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism
Breeding-season phenology and site fidelity
Species’ response to management
Management Recommendations
Habitat Characteristics

Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Loggerhead Shrike, Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Melvin P. Nenneman, Amy L. Zimmerman, Betty R. Euliss

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus):
Breeding range
Suitable habitat
Area requirements
Prey habitat
Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism
Breeding-season phenology and site fidelity
Species’ response to management
Management Recommendations
Habitat Characteristics

Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Grasshopper Sparrow, Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Melvin P. Nenneman, Betty R. Euliss

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum):
Breeding range
Suitable habitat
Area requirements
Brown-headed Cowbird brood parasitism
Breeding-season phenology and site fidelity
Species’ response to management
Management Recommendations
Habitat Characteristics

Species Richness, Latitude, And Scale-Sensitivity, S. Kathleen Lyons, Michael R. Willig

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The latitudinal gradient of species richness is well documented for a variety of taxa in both terrestrial and aquatic environs. Moreover, a number of recent attempts to assess the effects of scale on the relationship have concluded that the latitudinal pattern is scale-invariant. Nonetheless, the power of those approaches is predicated on precise knowledge of the forms of the latitudinal gradient, the area relationship, and their interaction. We used a model developed by J. Pastor, A. Downing, and H. E. Erickson for assessing the effects of scale on the productivity–diversity gradient to avoid such complications. More specifically, for 253 sets …

The Impact Of Buffer Strips And Stream-Side Grazing On Small Mammals In Southwestern Wisconsin, Erik W. Chapman, Christine A. Ribic

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The practice of continuously grazing cattle along streams has caused extensive degradation of riparian habitats. Buffer strips and managed intensive rotational grazing (MIRG) have been proposed to protect and restore stream ecosystems in Wisconsin. However, the ecological implications of a switch from traditional livestock management to MIRG or buffer strip establishment have not been investigated. Differences in small mammal communities associated with riparian areas on continuously grazed and MIRG pastures, as well as vegetative buffer strips adjacent to row crops, were investigated in southwestern Wisconsin during May–September 1997 and 1998. More species (mean of 6–7) were found on the buffer …

Uncertainties In Sediment Quality Weight-Of-Evidence (Woe) Assessments, Graeme E. Batley, G. Allen Burton, Peter M. Chapman, Valery E. Forbes

Valery Forbes Publications

Uncertainties in sediment quality assessments are discussed in five categories: (1) sediment sampling, transport and storage; (2) sediment chemistry; (3) ecotoxicology; (4) benthic community structure; and (5) data uncertainties and QA/QC. Three major exposure routes are considered: whole sediments, and waters in sediment pores and at the sediment-water interface. If these uncertainties are not recognized and addressed in the assessment process, then erroneous conclusions may result. Recommendations are provided for addressing the identified uncertainties in each of the key areas. The purpose of this paper is to improve the reporting of sediment quality assessments.

New Species Of Hemiphileurus Kolbe (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) From Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, And Brazil, Brett C. Ratcliffe

University of Nebraska State Museum: Entomology Papers

The following new species of Hemiphileurus are described: H. bispinosus Ratcliffe from Brazil, H. deslislesi Ratcliffe from Colombia, H. quadridentatus Ratcliffe from Guatemala, and H. warneri Ratcliffe from Mexico. The parameres of H. rugulosus Endrödi (Venezuela and Colombia) are illustrated to enable easier identification of this species, and H. kahni Dupuis and Dechambre is redescribed and recorded from Brazil for the first time. Diagnostic illustrations of the male parameres are provided for the above taxa. A checklist for all the species in the genus is given.

Se describen las siguientes nuevas especies de Hemiphileurus: H. bispinosus Ratcliffe de Brasil, …

Abundance And Habitat Associations Of Birds Wintering In The Platte River Valley, Nebraska, Craig Davis

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

The abundance and habitat associations of overwintering birds in Platte River Valley of central Nebraska may influence their long-term survival. I observed a total of 51 species over a three-year period in shrub-grassland, forest, grassland, and cropland habitats during the winter. Grassland habitats had the lowest abundance of wintering birds, while abundances in shrub-grassland, forest, and cropland habitats were higher and similar. Species richness was highest in forests ( x= 2.97 species) and lowest in grasslands (x = 0.73 species) and croplands (x = 0.57 species). Overall, horned larks (Eremophila alpestris), American tree sparrows (Spizella arborea), …

Review Of Standard Soil Methods For Long-Term Ecological Research Edited By G. Philip Robertson, David E. Coleman, Caroline S. Bledsoe, And Phillip Sollins, Mary Ann Vinton

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

Standard Soil Methods for Long-Term Ecological Research is the second in a series of books dedicated to summarizing the research results and methods of ecological studies being conducted at sites around North America and Antarctica under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation's Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program. The twenty-one sites range from arctic tundra to hot desert and from natural tropical rainforest to urban and suburban areas.

Habitat Fragmentation Effects On Birds In Grasslands And Wetlands: A Critique Of Our Knowledge, Douglas Johnson

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

Habitat fragmentation exacerbates the problem of habitat loss for grassland and wetland birds. Remaining patches of grasslands and wetlands may be too small, too isolated, and too influenced by edge effects to maintain viable populations of some breeding birds. Knowledge of the effects of fragmentation on bird populations is critically important for decisions about reserve design, grassland and wetland management, and implementation of cropland set-aside programs that benefit wildlife. In my review of research that has been conducted on habitat fragmentation, I found at least five common problems in the methodology used. The results of many studies are compromised by …

Winter Severity And Wolf Predation On A Formerly Wolf-Free Elk Herd, L. David Mech, Douglas W. Smith, Kerry M. Murphy, Daniel R. Macnulty

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

We studied wolf (Canis lupus) predation on elk (Cervus elaphus) in Yellowstone National Park from 17 March to 15 April 1997 (severe winter conditions) and from 2 to 31 March 1998 (mild winter conditions) 2-3 years after wolves were reintroduced to the park. Elk composed 91% of 117 kills. Data comparisons for 1997 versus 1998 were: hunting success rate, 26% versus 15%; kill rate, 17.1 kg/wolf/day versus 6.1; percent of kill consumed in first day, 7 versus 86; percent femur marrow fat of adult kills, 27 versus 70; calf:adult ratios of kills, 2:33 versus 17:23; sex …

The Role Of Predation In Wildlife Population Dynamics, Eric M. Gese, Frederick F. Knowlton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The role predation plays in the dynamics of prey populations is controversial. Our understandings of predator-prey relationships is complicated by a multitude of factors in the environment and a general lack of knowledge of most ecological systems. Various other factors, besides predation, may regulate or limit prey populations, and various factors influence the degree to which predation affects prey populations. Furthermore, some factors may create time lags, or even cause generational effects, that go unnoticed. Herein, we review the role of predation in wildlife population dynamics, some of the factors influencing predator-prey interactions, and attempt to indicate where the professional …

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre, Volume 8-1, Summer 2001

Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre: Newsletters and Publications

Raptor Carcasses Needed for Assessment of Lead Exposure: CWS and CCWHC cooperative project
Radio-telemetry for Detecting and Understanding Disease
Update on West Nile Virus in North America
French heartworm in red fox and domestic dogs in Newfoundland
Raccoon Rabies Reaches New Brunswick
Neurological Disease in Moose in Nova Scotia
Brain Abscesses in White-tailed Deer
Suspected predation by ravens on nesting painted turtles
Marine Mammals in British Columbia
Chronic Wasting Disease in free-ranging mule-deer in Saskatchewan

The Physiology Of Life History Trade-Offs In Animals, Anthony J. Zera, Lawrence G. Harshman

Anthony Zera Publications

The functional causes of life history trade-offs have been a topic of interest to evolutionary biologists for over six decades. Our review of life history trade-offs discusses conceptual issues associated with physiological aspects of trade-offs, and it describes recent advances on this topic. We focus on studies of four model systems: wing polymorphic insects, Drosophila, lizards, and birds. The most significant recent advances have been: (a) incorporation of genetics in physiological studies of trade-offs, (b) integration of investigations of nutrient input with nutrient allocation, (c) development of more sophisticated models of resource acquisition and allocation, (d) a shift to more …

Introduced Wildlife Of Oregon And Washington , Gary W. Witmer, Jeffrey C. Lewis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Each species of wildlife occurs as part of an ecosystem, interacting in many ways with other plant and animal species in that system as well as with the abiotic components such as soil, air, water, and other substrates. The array of wildlife species around the globe has been shaped by geological and climatological events as well as by eons of evolution and natural selection. Species have come and gone and those remaining have, in most cases, co-evolved or co-adapted with many other species so that relatively stable, and often complex, relationships exist. Usually, a great many niches have been carved …

Carbon And Nitrogen Isotopes In Archeological Bison Remains As Indicators Of Paleoenvironmental Change In Southern Alberta, Jeremy J. Leyden, Gerald Oetelaar

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

Between 1995 and 1997, archeological excavations in northwest Calgary, Alberta, uncovered cultural materials from several occupations dating back 8,500 years. Samples of bison bone recovered at the sites were chemically prepared and analyzed for isotopic ratios. Using the resultant carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, we reconstructed the diet of bison from four different cultural occupations spanning the last 8,500 years. Based on current and established models of bison subsistence behavior, this dietary information was used to infer large-scale environmental changes during this time interval in our study area. The inferred changes in vegetation and climate were compared with paleoenvironmental reconstructions …

What The Past Can Provide: Contribution Of Prehistoric Bison Studies To Modern Bison Management, Kenneth Cannon

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

For over 100 years, bison in the Greater Yellowstone Area have been managed intensely. Even during the years of "natural regulation," bison herds have been heavily managed by culling. One of the fundamental goals of the plan for the Greater Yellowstone Area is to maintain the ecosystem's integrity using sound science. In order to reach this goal, it must be recognized that it is a dynamic system, continually undergoing change. However, our knowledge of such changes is extremely limited. In the case of bison, our knowledge is based on nonsystematically collected historic records and modern studies of small, isolated populations. …

American Society Of Parasitologists Newsletter, V. 23, No. 1, January 2001, Scott Lyell Gardner

American Society of Parasitologists: Newsletter

An issue of the American Society of Parasitologists' quarterly newsletter, also called the Journal of Parasitology Newsletter.

Preliminary Checklist Of The Orthopteroid Insects (Blattodea, Mantodea, Phasmatodea,Orthoptera) Of Texas, John A. Stidham, Thomas A. Stidham

Insecta Mundi

Texas has one of the most diverse orthopteroid assemblages of any state in the United States, reflecting the varied habitats found in the state. Three hundred and eighty-nine species and 78 subspecies of orthopteroid insects (Blattodea, Mantodea, Phasmatodea, and Orthoptera) have published records for the state of Texas. This is the first such comprehensive checklist for Texas and should aid future work on these groups in this area.

Wpa News 64 (2001), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (February 2001), number 64

Published by the World Pheasant Association