Digital Commons Network^™

Influence Of Environmental Stress And Anthropogenic Disturbance On The Energy Expenditure Of Wintering Northern Pintails (Anas Acuta), Dustin P. Taylor, Daniel A. Dvorett, John N. Vradenburg, Loren M. Smith

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

Winter conditions impose hardships on waterfowl, impacting how they apportion energy and time. Human disturbances may affect this energetic balance, influence lipid reserves, and potentially survival. Objectives of this study were to determine effects of environmental and anthropogenic factors on energetic expenditure (kcal/day) of Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) in behaviors commonly associated with a disturbance response (alert, locomotion, and flight) during winter 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico, USA. The refuge is a frequently visited ecotourism destination with over 170,000 visitors each winter. Thermoregulatory cost, time-of-winter, amount of natural and anthropogenic disturbances, …

Potential Of Prebiotic Butyrogenic Fibers In Parkinson’S Disease, Thaisa M. Cantu-Jungles, Heather Rasmussen, Bruce R. Hamaker

Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Recent evidence supports the involvement of the gastrointestinal tract in PD pathogenesis, including alterations in microbiota and intestinal permeability. Apart from being the preferred energy source for colonic epithelial cells, butyrate is involved in anti-inflammatory, enteroendocrine and epigenetic mechanisms that influence colonic and systemic health, including brain function. A few studies using oral administration of sodium butyrate indicate beneficial effects in PD animal models; however, prebiotic fibers that generate butyrate locally in the gut may be more effective. The design and selection of …

Candida Albicans Quorum-Sensing Molecule Farnesol Modulates Staphyloxanthin Production And Activates The Thiol-Based Oxidative-Stress Response In Staphylococcus Aureus, Taissa Vila, Eric F. Kong, Ahmed Ibrahim, Kurt Piepenbrink, Amol C. Shetty, Carrie Mccracken, Vincent Bruno, Mary Ann Jabra-Rizk

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Microbial species utilize secreted-signaling molecules to coordinate their behavior. Our previous investigations demonstrated a key role for the Candida albicans-secreted quorum-sensing molecule farnesol in modulating Staphylococcus aureus response to antimicrobials in mixed biofilms. In this study, we aimed to provide mechanistic insights into the impact of farnesol on S. aureus within the context of inter-species interactions. To mimic biofilm dynamics, farnesol-sensitized S. aureus cells were generated via sequential farnesol exposure. The sensitized phenotype exhibited dramatic loss of the typical pigment, which we identified as staphyloxanthin, an important virulence factor synthesized by the Crt operon in S. aureus. Additionally, farnesol exposure …

Probabilistic Modeling Of Personalized Drug Combinations From Integrated Chemical Screen And Molecular Data In Sarcoma, Noah E. Berlow, Rishi Rikhi, Mathew Geltzeiler, Jinu Abraham, Matthew N. Svalina, Lara E. Davis, Erin Wise, Maria Mancini, Jonathan Noujaim, Atiya Mansoor, Michael J. Quist, Kevin L. Matlock, Martin W. Goros, Brian S. Hernandez, Yee C. Doung, Khin Thway, Tomohide Tsukahara, Jun Nishio, Elaine T. Huang, Susan Airhart, Carol J. Bult, Regina Gandour-Edwards, Robert G. Maki, Robin L. Jones, Joel E. Michalek, Milan Milovancev, Souparno Ghosh, Ranadip Pal, Charles Keller

Department of Statistics: Faculty Publications

Background: Cancer patients with advanced disease routinely exhaust available clinical regimens and lack actionable genomic medicine results, leaving a large patient population without effective treatments options when their disease inevitably progresses. To address the unmet clinical need for evidence-based therapy assignment when standard clinical approaches have failed, we have developed a probabilistic computational modeling approach which integrates molecular sequencing data with functional assay data to develop patient-specific combination cancer treatments. Methods: Tissue taken from a murine model of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma was used to perform single agent drug screening and DNA/RNA sequencing experiments; results integrated via our computational modeling approach identified …

Synthesis Paper: Targeted Livestock Grazing: Prescription For Healthy Rangelands, Derek W. Bailey, Jeffrey C. Mosley, Richard E. Estell, Andres F. Cibils, Marc Horney, John R. Hendrickson, John W. Walker, Karen L. Launchbaugh, Elizabeth A. Burritt

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

Targeted livestock grazing is a proven tool for manipulating range land vegetation, and current knowledge about targeted livestock grazing is extensive and expanding rapidly. Targeted grazing prescriptions optimize the timing, frequency, intensity, and selectivity of grazing (or browsing) in combinations that purposely exert grazing/ browsing pressure on specific plant species or portions of the landscape. Targeted grazing differs from traditional grazing management in that the goal of targeted grazing is to apply defoliation or trampling to achieve specific vegetation management objectives,whereas the goal of traditional livestock grazing management is generally the production of livestock commodities. A shared aim of targeted …

A Crash In The Night, Mary Ann Steiner, Sam Taylor, Judy Diamond

Zea E-Books Collection

The illustrations in this book describe a wildlife encounter. Wild animals, like people, have challenges in life. They are adaptable and inventive, and they find new ways of solving problems to help them survive. As you turn the pages, describe what you see. How would you solve this wildlife challenge?

Mary Ann Steiner: Working on this story was exciting to me because I believe at any age, we can notice what is happening around us and make decisions to protect and enjoy nature! In this story, the kids see an exciting new character in the community. Once they figure out …

Wyoming Wildlife: A Natural History, Paul Johnsgard, Thomas D. Mangelsen

Zea E-Books Collection

This book surveys Wyoming’s mammal, bird, reptile, and amphibian faunas. In addition to introducing the state’s geography, geology, climate, and major ecosystems, it provides 65 biological profiles of 72 mammal species, 195 profiles of 196 birds, 9 profiles of 12 reptiles, and 6 profiles of 9 amphibians. There are also species lists of Wyoming’s 117 mammals, 445 birds, 22 reptiles, and 12 amphibians. Also included are descriptions of nearly 50 national and state properties, including parks, forests, preserves, and other public-access natural areas in Wyoming. The book includes a text of more than 150,000 words, nearly 700 references, a glossary …

Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda Smith) Feeding Elicits Differential Defense Responses In Upland And Lowland Switchgrass, Nathan A. Palmer, Saumik Basu, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Jeffrey D. Bradshaw, Gautam Sarath, Joe Louis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a low input, high biomass perennial grass being developed for the bioenergy sector. Upland and lowland cultivars can differ in their responses to insect herbivory. Fall armyworm [FAW; Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)] is a generalist pest of many plant species and can feed on switchgrass as well. Here, in two different trials, FAW larval mass were significantly reduced when fed on lowland cultivar Kanlow relative to larvae fed on upland cultivar Summer plants after 10 days. Hormone content of plants indicated elevated levels of the plant defense hormone jasmonic acid (JA) and its …

Trichinella Pseudospiralis In A Wolverine (Gulo Gulo) From The Canadian North, Rajnish Sharma, Peter Thompson, Brett Elkin, Robert Mulders, Marsha Branigan, Jodie Pongracz, Brent Wagner, Brad Scandrett, Eric Hoberg, Benjamin Rosenthal, Emily Jenkins

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

Species of Trichinella are a globally distributed assemblage of nematodes, often with distinct host ranges, which include people, domestic, and wild animals. Trichinella spp. are important in northern Canada, where dietary habits of people and methods of meat preparation (drying, smoking, fermenting as well as raw) increase the risk posed by these foodborne zoonotic parasites. Outbreaks in the arctic and subarctic regions of Canada and the United States are generally attributed to T. nativa (T2) or the T6 genotype, when genetic characterization is performed. We report the discovery of Trichinella pseudospiralis (T4), a non-encapsulated species, in a wolverine (Gulo gulo) …

Failure Of Oxysterols Such As Lanosterol To Restore Lens Clarity From Cataracts, Damian M. Daszynski, Puttur Santhoshkumar, Ashutosh S. Phadte, K. Krishna Sharma, Haizhen A. Zhong, Marjorie F. Lou, Peter F. Kador

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The paradigm that cataracts are irreversible and that vision from cataracts can only be restored through surgery has recently been challenged by reports that oxysterols such as lanosterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol can restore vision by binding to αB-crystallin chaperone protein to dissolve or disaggregate lenticular opacities. To confirm this premise, in vitro rat lens studies along with human lens protein solubilization studies were conducted. Cataracts were induced in viable rat lenses cultured for 48 hours in TC-199 bicarbonate media through physical trauma, 10 mM ouabain as Na+/K+ ATPase ion transport inhibitor, or 1 mM of an experimental compound that induces water …

Diversification Of Mitogenomes In Three Sympatric Altica Flea Beetles (Insecta, Chrysomelidae), Rui‐E Nie, Jing Wei, Shou‐Ke Zhang, Alfried P. Vogler, Ling Wu, Alexander S. Konstantinov, Wen‐Zhu Li, Xing‐Ke Yang, Huai‐Jun Xue

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

The Asian flea beetles Altica cirsicola, Altica fragariae and Altica viridicyanea are broadly sympatric and morphologically highly similar but feed on distantly related host plants. They have been suggested as a model for ecological speciation stud- ies. However, their phylogeny and species limits remain uncertain. In this study, we added mitochondrial genomes from multiple individuals of each species to the grow- ing database. Phylogenetic analyses based on 15 genes showed clear interspecific divergences of A. fragariae from the other species, but A. cirsicola and A. viridi- cyanea were not distinguishable by distance‐based or tree‐based methods of species delimitation due to …

Biomethane Production From Distillery Wastewater, Zachary Christman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Distillery wastewater treatment is a great ecological problem, for example, India produces 2.7 billion liters of alcohol that results in 40 billion liters of wastewater. However, this material can be seen as a resource since 11 million cubic meters of biogas at 60% methane could be produced in addition to cleaning the water. The distillery has two options of what to do with the biogas. The first is to use the biogas to fuel the distillery making the production plant more energy efficient and removing some of the need to buy natural gas. The other is to upgrade the biogas …

Cell Wall Enzymes In Zygnema Circumcarinatum Utex 1559 Respond To Osmotic Stress In A Plant-Like Fashion, Elisabeth Fitzek, Lauren Orton, Sarah Entwistle, W. Scott Grayburn, Catherine Ausland, Melvin R. Duvall, Yanbin Yin

Department of Food Science and Technology: Faculty Publications

Previous analysis of charophyte green algal (CGA) genomes and transcriptomes for specific protein families revealed that numerous land plant characteristics had already evolved in CGA. In this study, we have sequenced and assembled the transcriptome of Zygnema circumcarinatum UTEX 1559, and combined its predicted protein sequences with those of 13 additional species [five embryophytes (Emb), eight charophytes (Cha), and two chlorophytes (Chl) as the outgroup] for a comprehensive comparative genomics analysis. In total 25,485 orthologous gene clusters (OGCs, equivalent to protein families) of the 14 species were classified into nine OGC groups. For example, the ChaCEmb group contains 4,174 OGCs …

Estimating Offsets For Avian Displacement Effects Of Anthropogenic Impacts, Jiill A. Shaffer, Charles R. Loesch, Deborah A. Buhl

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

Biodiversity offsetting, or compensatory mitigation, is increasingly being used in temperate grassland ecosystems to compensate for unavoidable environmental damage from anthropogenic developments such as transportation infrastructure, urbanization, and energy development. Pursuit of energy independence in the United States will expand domestic energy production. Concurrent with this increased growth is increased disruption to wildlife habitats, including avian displacement from suitable breeding habitat. Recent studies at energy-extraction and energy-generation facilities have provided evidence for behavioral avoidance and thus reduced use of habitat by breeding waterfowl and grassland birds in the vicinity of energy infrastructure. To quantify and compensate for this loss in …

Serotonin And Motherhood: From Molecules To Mood, Jodi L. Pawluski, Ming Li, Joseph S. Lonstein

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Emerging research points to a valuable role of the monoamine neurotransmitter, serotonin, in the display of maternal behaviors and reproduction-associated plasticity in the maternal brain. Serotonin is also implicated in the pathophysiology of numerous affective disorders and likely plays an important role in the pathophysiology of maternal mental illness. Therefore, the main goals of this review are to detail: 1) how the serotonin system of the female brain changes across pregnancy and postpartum; 2) the role of the central serotonergic system in maternal caregiving and maternal aggression; and 3) how the serotonin system and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications (SSRIs) …

A Spatially Enhanced Data‐Driven Multimodel To Improve Semiseasonal Groundwater Forecasts In The High Plains Aquifer, Usa, A. Amaranto, Francisco Munoz-Arriola, D. P. Solomatine, G. Corzo

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The aim of this paper is to improve semiseasonal forecast of groundwater availability in response to climate variables, surface water availability, groundwater level variations, and human water management using a two‐step data‐driven modeling approach. First, we implement an ensemble of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for the 300 wells across the High Plains aquifer (USA). The modeling framework includes a method to choose the most relevant input variables and time lags; an assessment of the effect of exogenous variables on the predictive capabilities of models; and the estimation of the forecast skill based on the Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) index, the normalized …

Meta-Analysis Of Yield Response Of Foliar Fungicide-Treated Hybrid Corn In The United States And Ontario, Canada, Kiersten A. Wise, Damon Smith, Anna Freije, Daren S. Mueller, Yuba Kandel, Tom Allen, Carl A. Bradley, Emmanuel Byamukama, Martin Chilvers, Travis Faske, Andrew Friskop, Clayton Hollier, Tamra Jackson-Ziems, Heather Kelly, Bob Kemerait, Paul Price Iii, Alison Robertson, Albert Tenuta

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Foliar fungicide applications to corn (Zea mays L.) occur at one or more application timings ranging from early vegetative growth stages to mid-reproductive stages. Previous studies indicated that fungicide applications are profitable under high disease pressure when applied during the tasseling to silking growth stages. Few comprehensive studies in corn have examined the impact of fungicide applications at an early vegetative growth stage (V6) compared to late application timings (VT) for yield response and return on fungicide investment (ROI) across multiple locations.

Extreme Site Fidelity As An Optimal Strategy In An Unpredictable And Homogeneous Environment, Brian D. Gerber, Mevin B. Hooten, Christopher P. Peck, Mindy B. Rice, James H. Gammonley, Anthony D. Apa, Amy J. Davis

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

1. Animal site fidelity structures space use, population demography and ultimately gene flow. Understanding the adaptive selection for site fidelity patterns provides a mechanistic understanding to both spatial and population processes. This can be achieved by linking space use with environmental variability (spatial and temporal) and demographic parameters. However, rarely is the environmental context that drives the selection for site fidelity behaviour fully considered.

2. We use ecological theory to understand whether the spatial and temporal variability in breeding site quality can explain the site fidelity behaviour and demographic patterns of Gunnison sage‐grouse (Centrocercus minimus). We examined female site fidelity …

Alterations In Cortical Activation Among Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability During Single-Limb Postural Control, Adam B. Rosen, Jennifer M. Yentes, Melanie L. Mcgrath, Arthur C. Maerlender, Sara A. Myers, Mukul Mukherjee

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Context: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is characterized by repetitive ankle sprains and perceived instability. Whereas the underlying cause of CAI is disputed, alterations in cortical motor functioning may contribute to the perceived dysfunction.

Objective: To assess differences in cortical activity during single-limb stance among control, coper, and CAI groups.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Biomechanics laboratory.

Patients or Other Participants: A total of 31 individuals (10 men, 21 women; age = 22.3 ± 2.4 years, height = 169.6 ± 9.7 cm, mass = 70.6 ± 11.6 kg), who were classified into control (n = 13), coper (n = 7), and CAI …

Quantitative Modelling Biology Undergraduate Assessment, Robert Mayes, Kent Rittschof, Joseph Dauer, Bryon Gallant

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The Quantitative Modelling Biology Undergraduate Assessment (QM BUGS Version II) assesses undergraduate biology students’ quantitative modelling abilities and confidence. The assessment is intended to be given in undergraduate biology courses where instructors are engaging students in quantitative modelling within biological contexts. The assessment consists of 36 questions: 25 multiple choice questions addressing four subcategories within quantitative modelling understanding (Quantitative Act, Quantitative Interpretation, Quantitative Modelling, and Meta-Modelling) and 11 Likert questions addressing student confidence about modelling in biology within the four subcategories. QM BUGS assessments were piloted in multiple undergraduate biology courses at both a research intensive university and regional university …

Extinction Vortex Dynamics Of Top Predators Isolated By Urbanization, John F. Benson, Peter J. Mahoney, T. Winston Vickers, Jeff A. Sikich, Paul Beier, Seth P.D. Riley, Holly B. Ernest, Walter M. Boyce

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Extinction risk is elevated in small, isolated populations due to demographic and genetic interactions. Therefore, it is critical to model these processes realistically in population viability analyses (PVA) to inform local management and contribute to a greater understanding of mechanisms within the extinction vortex. We conducted PVA’s for two small mountain lion populations isolated by urbanization in southern California to predict population growth, extinction probability, and loss of genetic diversity with empirical data. Specifically, we (1) provide the first PVA for isolated mountain lions in the Santa Ana Mountains (SAM) that considers both demographic and genetic risk factors and (2) …

Ambient Conditions Disordered-Ordered Phase Transition Of Two-Dimensional Interfacial Water Molecules Dependent On Charge Dipole Moment, Chunlei Wang, Chonghai Qi, Yusong Tu, Xuechuan Nie, Shanshan Liang

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Phase transitions of water molecules are commonly expected to occur only under extreme conditions, such as nanoconfinement, high pressure, or low temperature. We herein report the disordered-ordered phase transition of two-dimensional interfacial water molecules under ambient conditions using molecular-dynamics simulations. This phase transition is greatly dependent on the charge dipole moment, production of both charge values, and the dipole length of the solid surface. The phase transition can be identified by a sharp change in water-water interaction energies and the order parameters of the two-dimensional interfacial water monolayer, under a tiny dipole moment change near the critical dipole moment. The …

Environmental And Occupational Impacts From U.S. Beef Slaughtering Are Of Same Magnitude Of Beef Foodborne Illnesses On Human Health, Shaobin Li, Jeyamkondan Subbiah, Bruce Dvorak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Foodborne pathogens and occupational hazards are two primary safety concerns for U.S. beef slaughterhouses. The anthropogenic environmental impacts due to intensive resource use and pollution also exert threats to human health. Quantifying human health impacts from various sources remain a grand sustainability challenge for U.S. beef industry. We develop a framework to systematically estimate and compare human health impacts associated with U.S. beef foodborne illnesses from major pathogens and environmental impacts and occupational hazards from U.S. beef slaughtering on a common metric, disability-adjusted life year (DALY). Foodborne illnesses and occupational hazards are estimated by synthesizing published data and methodologies while …

Environmental And Occupational Impacts From U.S. Beef Slaughtering Are Of Same Magnitude Of Beef Foodborne Illnesses On Human Health, Shaobin Li, Jeyamkondan Subbiah, Bruce Dvorak

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Foodborne pathogens and occupational hazards are two primary safety concerns for U.S. beef slaughterhouses. The anthropogenic environmental impacts due to intensive resource use and pollution also exert threats to human health. Quantifying human health impacts from various sources remain a grand sustainability challenge for U.S. beef industry. We develop a framework to systematically estimate and compare human health impacts associated with U.S. beef foodborne illnesses from major pathogens and environmental impacts and occupational hazards from U.S. beef slaughtering on a common metric, disability-adjusted life year (DALY). Foodborne illnesses and occupational hazards are estimated by synthesizing published data and methodologies while …

The Adaptive Cycle: More Than A Metaphor, Shana M. Sundstrom, Craig R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The adaptive cycle and its extension to panarchy (nested adaptive cycles) has been a useful metaphor and conceptual model for understanding long-term dynamics of change in ecological and social–ecological systems. We argue that adaptive cycles are ubiquitous in complex adaptive systems because they reflect endogenously generated dynamics as a result of processes of self-organization and evolution. We synthesize work from a wide array of fields to support this claim. If dynamics of growth, conservation, collapse and renewal are endogenous dynamics of complex adaptive systems, then there ought to be signals of system change over time that reflect this. We describe …

Bird Monitoring At Homestead National Monument Of America, Nebraska, Status Report 2009–2017, David G. Peitz, Lloyd W. Morrison, Kristen L. Mecke

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

In 2009, the Heartland Inventory Monitoring Network initiated breeding bird surveys on Homestead National Monument of America, Nebraska, to address two objectives: (1) to monitor changes in bird community composition and abundance, and (2) to improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and habitat, and the effects of management actions on those relationships. This report evaluates trends in the park’s breeding bird populations in the context of trends observed within the North American Bird Conservation Initiative’s (NABCI) Central Mixed Grass Prairie Bird Conservation Region, the region in which the park is located. By doing so, we can …

Bird Monitoring At Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa, Status Report 2005–2017, David G. Peitz, Lloyd W. Morrison, Kristen L. Mecke

United States National Park Service: Publications

Executive Summary

In 2005, the Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network initiated breeding bird surveys on Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa, to address two objectives: (1) to monitor changes in bird community composition and abundance, and (2) to improve our understanding of relationships between breeding birds and habitat, and the effects of management actions on those relationships. This report evaluates trends in the park’s breeding bird populations in the context of trends observed within the North American Bird Conservation Initiative’s (NABCI) Eastern Tallgrass Prairie Bird Conservation Region , the region in which the park is located. By doing so, we …

Spring Field Report, March - May 2019, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

There were many significant reports, including high and low numbers, early and late dates, out-of-range sightings including nesting, and, of course, rarities. High numbers were led by geese; an amazing 1.7 million Snows were estimated by acreage (!) and counts of 10,000 Greater White-fronted and 100,000 Canada Geese were near-record high counts for spring. A bit surprising as record spring counts were 3000 European Starlings and 3000 American White Pelicans. Nightjar surveys by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and others yielded an amazing 40+ Chuck-will’s-widows in the southeast; Ruddy Turnstones put on a show with 85 in Platte Co; 127 …

Book Review: Sparrows Of North America By Rick Wright, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This book is a tour de force.

Not only is it a comprehensive summary of field identification, range, and taxonomy of species of the New World family Passerellidae, but the introductory paragraphs for each species, which describe the provenance of the English and Latin species names we know today, read like a historical novel that is a perfect vehicle for Wright to display his well-known erudition and could quite justifiably stand alone. Wright’s extensive research into often obscure places and sources that may be penetrated and interpreted only by one with his classical literary background is clear in these historical …

Review Of A Field Guide To The Natural World Of The Twin Cities By John J. Moriarty, Photography By Siah L. St. Clair, Douglas H. Johnson, Bonnie Sample

The Prairie Naturalist

A Field Guide to the Natural World of the Twin Cities has two foci: natural areas in the Twin Cities of Minnesota and the species that live in each. The geographical scope is the seven counties that envelop Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The author describes nine major habitat types that can be found there: prairie, savanna, big woods, oak woods, wetlands (marshes and swamps), fens and bogs, lakes, rivers, and urban and suburban. It is useful to know that “big woods” are not just woods that are large in extent, but woodlands that occur in Minnesota and western Wisconsin dominated …