Digital Commons Network^™

Terrestrial Ecosystem Classification In The Rocky Mountains, Northern Utah, Antonin Kusbach

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Currently, there is no comprehensive terrestrial ecosystem classification for the central Rocky Mountains of the United States. A comprehensive classification of terrestrial ecosystems in a mountainous study area in northern Utah was developed incorporating direct gradient analysis, spatial hierarchy theory, the zonal concept, and concepts of diagnostic species and fidelity, together with the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification approach used in British Columbia, Canada.

This classification was derived from vegetation and environmental sampling of both forest and non-forest ecosystems. The SNOwpack TELemetry (SNOTEL) and The National Weather Service (NWS) Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) weather station network were used to approximate climate of …

The Effect Of In-Line Lakes On Dissolved Organic Matter Dynamics In Mountain Streams, Keli J. Goodman

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research combines observation, experimentation, and modeling to evaluate the influence of lakes on dissolved organic matter (DOM) quantity, quality and export in subalpine watersheds of the Sawtooth Mountain Lake District, central Idaho.

First, I conducted an empirical study of the hydrologic and biogeochemical controls on DOM dynamics in stream-lake fluvial networks. I hypothesized that lakes would decrease temporal variability (i.e., buffer) and alter the characteristics of DOM from inflow to outflow. I tested these hypotheses by evaluating DOM temporal patterns and measuring annual export in seven-paired lake inflows and outflows. I then evaluated how ultraviolet (UV) exposure affected DOM …

Greater Sage-Grouse Seasonal Ecology And Responses To Habitat Manipulations In Northern, Utah, Eric T. Thacker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Declining greater sage-grouse populations (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) have led to increased concern regarding the long-term stability of the species. Previous research has identified factors contributing to the observed population declines. Habitat degradation and loss have been implicated as major factors in population declines. Although much is known about sage-grouse biology, more information is needed about population responses to specific management actions. This research was conducted to document sage-grouse responses to site-specific management actions. Additionally, I evaluated sage-grouse temporal and seasonal habitat-use and the comparability of techniques used by range and wildlife managers to measure vegetation responses of …

Movements, Habitat Selection, Associations, And Survival Of Giant Canada Goose Broods In Central Tennessee, Eric M. Dunton, Daniel L. Combs

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The brood-rearing period in giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) is one of the least-studied areas of goose ecology. We monitored 32 broods in Putnam County, Tennessee, from the time of hatching through fledging (i.e., when the goslings gained the ability to fly) and from fledging until broods left the brood-rearing areas during the spring and summer of 2003. We conducted a fixed-kernel, home-range analysis for each brood using the Animal Movement Extension in ArcView® 3.3 GIS (ESRI, Redlands, Calif.) software and calculated 95% and 50% utilization distributions (UD) for each brood. We classified 25 broods as sedentary …

European Starling Preferences For Bait Substrates Used In Drc-1339 Applications, H. Jeffrey Homan, George M. Linz, Scott Beckerman, Anthony G. Duffiney, Thomas D. Halstead

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Additional bait substrates for the avicide, DRC-1339 Concentrate (3-chloro-4- methylaniline hydrochloride), could provide USDA/Wildlife Services with more fl exibility when managing nuisance populations of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) at livestock facilities. From January 11 to 21, 2008, we conducted 11 2-choice preference tests with 6 bait types at a feedlot in central Kansas. The baits included cracked corn mixed with lard (2 concentrations), 2 forms of distiller’s grain (wet powder and pellets), 2 types of livestock feed (calf-starter pellet and sweet-feed mix), and a custom-produced poultry pellet (carrier pellet) made by USDA specifically for baiting starlings. We evaluated …

Estimating Relative Distribution Of Raccoons, Opossums, Skunks, And Foxes Using Animal Control Data, Christine Klinkowski-Clark, Michael J. Kutilek, John O. Matson, Paula Messina, Kevin Earley, Shannon M. Bros-Seemann

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We used indices of animal control reports per capita and areas of land covers to assess the relative habitat-use of raccoons (Procyon lotor), opossums (Didelphis virginiana), skunks (Spilogale putorius and Mephitis mephitis), and foxes (Vulpes vulpes and Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We used confirmed (hereafter, verified) calls made to Brevard Animal Services, Florida, and assessed potential human demographic influences associated with unconfirmed (hereafter, unverified) reports where it was uncertain whether or not an animal was present. To estimate habitat use, we performed quadrat sampling using a geographic information system (GIS) and obtained areas of …

Loss Of Foundation Species Increases Population Growth Of Exotic Forbs In Sagebrush Steppe, J S. Prevey, M J. Germino, Nancy J. Huntly

Biology Faculty Publications

The invasion and spread of exotic plants following land disturbance threatens semiarid ecosystems. In sagebrush steppe, soil water is scarce and is partitioned between deeprooted perennial shrubs and shallower-rooted native forbs and grasses. Disturbances commonly remove shrubs, leaving grass-dominated communities, and may allow for the exploitation of water resources by the many species of invasive, tap-rooted forbs that are increasingly successful in this habitat. We hypothesized that exotic forb populations would benefit from increased soil water made available by removal of sagebrush, a foundation species capable of deep-rooting, in semiarid shrub-steppe ecosystems. To test this hypothesis, we used periodic matrix …

Commentary Euthanasia Methods In Field Settings For Wildlife Damage Management, Timothy J. Julien, Stephen M. Vantassel, Scott R. Groepper, Scott E. Hygnstrom

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Ecological Effects Of Genotypic Diversity On Community And Ecosystem Function, Megan K. Kanaga

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Genotypic diversity within populations can have important evolutionary consequences, but the ecological effects of intraspecific genetic variation on community and ecosystem function have only been studied in a few systems. I present the results of a three-year study designed to address the ecological impacts of genotypic diversity in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), using aspen genotypes planted across genotypic diversity levels (monoculture and mixture) and watering treatment levels (well-watered and water-limited). First, I demonstrated that significant variation exists among genotypes for a wide range of growth, morphological and physiological traits, and quantified high heritability and coefficient of genetic variation …

Alabama Wildlife Damage Management Website, J. Armstrong, D. Hesterman, M. Smith

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Alabama population growth rates have begun to soar in the last decade. A surge of new communities now exist where wildlands once stood; bringing humans into unexpected and unwanted wildlife encounters. Increasingly, citizens look to state agencies to remove unwanted animals that cause property damage or are perceived to be a threat to humans. While state agencies can provide assistance in some cases, they are not equipped to dispatch personnel to meet every individual's need. The Alabama Wildlife Damage Management website is presented as a resource for citizens to learn solutions for common wildlife damage problems in our area, learn …

Managing Meadow Vole Damage On A Natural Area Restoration Site, R. Collins, L. Humberg, G. Witmer, H. Forgione, J. Mclaughlin

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) can cause extensive damage to nursery and orchard plantings when food is scarce. Historically, significant research has been devoted to managing vole populations in agricultural or horticultural settings. Restoration of a former New York City municipal landfill to a native ecosystem has been hampered due to expanding vole populations. Due to location and sensitivity of the site, traditional methods of managing vole populations were restricted. In the fall of 2008 zinc phosphide-treated oats were applied to the site using PVC bait stations. Snap-trapping efforts indicate that the use of bait stations and zinc phosphide …

Numerically Common, Functionally Rare: Difficulties In Detecting Urban Coyotes For Population Monitoring, Daniel A. Bogan, Paul D. Curtis, Geriann F. Albers

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

When monitoring wildlife for research and management, researchers must cope with methodological limitations associated with idiosyncrasies of animal behavioral ecology and operational constraints. In addition to wildlife behavioral limitations, urban lands present hurdles to researchers because of fragmentation of land ownership, and limited access to land parcels, which may preclude appropriate sampling strategies. Across the coyote's (Canis latrans) range, it is difficult to detect animals for robust, yet inexpensive population monitoring. We tested the efficacy of howling surveys to estimate coyote presence in an urbanized landscape, Westchester County, New York. This was an inexpensive, non-invasive sampling technique that …

Fostering Greater Professionalism With Firearms In The Wildlife Arena, Joe N. Caudell, Ben C. West, Bob Griffin, Keith Davis

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Wildlife biologists often use firearms in a professional capacity. However, few wildlife professionals receive in-depth or specialized training in the use of firearms. Other professionals who use firearms in the course of their duties (i .e., law enforcement or the military) receive extensive training appropriate to the level of their intended use. But, in general, there are no such requirements or recommendations for wildlife professionals. In addition, the information that is often available regarding firearm selection, maintenance, and use, terminal ballistics on various species of wildlife, humaneness of shot placement, and other aspects related to the use of firearms on …

Behavioral Ecology And Management Of Suburban Coyotes In Westchester County, New York, D. Bogan, P. Curtis, G. Batcheller

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The coyote (Canis latrans) is now established as a relatively common inhabitant of nearly all landscapes in the northeastern United States. However, the ecology and management of this larger, mid-sized carnivore in urban areas is poorly understood, and creates much uncertainty for residents and wildlife managers alike. Detailed behavioral ecology studies are important to understand the role of the coyote in urbanized landscapes and their interactions with humans. We are studying the behavioral ecology of coyotes in Westchester County, N.Y., a predominantly urban county directly north of New York City. We investigated the diet of coyotes through trail-based …

Vegetation Characteristics Of Wyoming Big Sagebrush Communities Historically Seeded With Crested Wheatgrass In Northeastern Great Basin, Usa, Justin Rodney Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum [L.] Gaertn.) is one of the most commonly seeded grass species in the western United States and dominates thousands of hectares in the Great Basin. Although many degraded Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) plant communities have been seeded with crested wheatgrass, successional pathways, influence of soil attributes, and cultivation history on the vegetation of these communities have not been fully characterized. I sought to identify community phases, vegetative differences, and soil attributes that explain variation among 35 Wyoming big sagebrush communities historically seeded with crested wheatgrass. All communities were more than …

Seed Banks Of Sagebrush Communities Seeded With Crested Wheatgrass, Kevin L. Gunnell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum [L.] Gaertn.) is one of the most commonly seeded exotic species in the western United States. Although many degraded Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) plant communities have been seeded with crested wheatgrass during rehabilitation efforts, seed banks of these communities have not been characterized. I sought to characterize and explain the variation among 33 seeded communities in the northeastern Great Basin. Hierarchical clustering and principal components analysis identified four possible seed bank categories in these communities. Seed bank categories varied from high to low crested wheatgrass dominance. The crested wheatgrass-dominated category …

Effects Of Targeted Grazing And Prescribed Burning On Fire Behavior And Community Dynamics Of A Cheatgrass (Bromus Tectorum)-Dominated Landscape, Joel M. Diamond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Studies were conducted to determine the effectiveness of using targeted grazing and prescribed burning as tools to reduce fire hazards and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) dominance on rangelands in the northern Great Basin. A field study, with four grazing-burning treatments (graze and no-burn, graze and burn, no-graze and burn, and no-graze and no-burn), was conducted on a B. tectorum-dominated site near McDermitt, Nevada from 2005-2007. Cattle removed 80-90% of standing biomass in grazed plots in May 2005 and 2006 when B. tectorum was in the boot (phenological) stage. Grazed and ungrazed plots were burned in October 2005 and …

Consequences Of Vegetation Change On The Dynamics Of Labile Organic Matter And Soil Nitrogen Cycling In A Semiarid Ecosystem, Toby D. Hooker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Sagebrush-dominated ecosystems are being transformed by wildfire, rangeland improvement techniques, and exotic plant invasions. These disturbances have substantial effects on the composition and structure of native vegetation, but the effects on ecosystem C and N dynamics are poorly understood. To examine whether differences in dominant vegetation affect the quantity and quality of plant organic matter inputs to soil, ecosystem C and N pools and rates of plant turnover were compared among historically grazed Wyoming big sagebrush, introduced perennial crested wheatgrass, and invasive annual cheatgrass communities. Since low soil moisture during the summer may inhibit the microbial colonization of plant detrital …

Application Of Electrified Fladry To Decrease Risk Of Livestock Depredation By Wolves (Canis Lupus), Nathan J. Lance

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Wolf (Canis lupus) predation on livestock can cause economic and emotional hardships for livestock producers, complicating the balance of wolf conservation with other human interests. New management tools that decrease risk of predation may offer additional flexibility or efficiency for both livestock producers and management agencies. I examined 1) the efficacy of electrified fladry compared to fladry at protecting a food source from wolves in captivity, 2) the efficacy of electrified fladry for reducing wolf use of pastures and preventing depredations, and 3) the applicability of electrified-fladry. In captivity I tested the reaction from 15 groups (46 wolves) …

Evaluation Of Macroinvertebrates As A Food Resource In The Assessment Of Lotic Salmonid Habitat, Nicholas P. Weber

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Criteria used to characterize lotic salmonid habitat are often based on observed correlations between physical habitat characteristics and salmonid abundances. A focus on physical habitat features ignores other habitat components, such as an adequate supply of food that set the physiological limitations on salmonid growth and survival. This study outlines the development of a habitat assessment approach that focuses on how invertebrate food availability interacts with stream temperatures to determine salmonid growth potentials. Abundances of benthic and drifting invertebrate communities, stream temperatures, and juvenile steelhead trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) summer growth rates and abundances were measured within 10 …

Methods To Quantify Variable Importance: Implications For Theanalysis Of Noisy Ecological Data, Kim Murray, Mary M. Conner

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Determining the importance of independent variables is of practical relevance to ecologists and managers concerned with allocating limited resources to the management of natural systems. Although techniques that identify explanatory variables having the largest influence on the response variable are needed to design management actions effectively, the use of various indices to evaluate variable importance is poorly understood. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we compared six different indices commonly used to evaluate variable importance; zero-order correlations, partial correlations, semipartial correlations, standardized regression coefficients, Akaike weights, and independent effects. We simulated four scenarios to evaluate the indices under progressively more complex circumstances …

Farmington Bay Wetlands Of Great Salt Lake: Nutrient Criteria, Macroinvertebrate Studies And Beneficial Uses, Theron G. Miller, Heidi M. Hoven, John F. Cavitt

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues

No abstract provided.

Dust Emission At Franklin Lake Playa, Mojave Desert (Usa): Response To Meteorological And Hydrologic Changes 2005-2008, Richard L. Reynolds, Rian Bogle, John Vogel, Harland Goldstein, James Yount

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues

Playa type, size, and setting; playa hydrology; and surface-sediment characteristics are important controls on the type and amount of atmospheric dust emitted from playas. Soft, evaporite-rich sediment develops on the surfaces of some Mojave Desert (USA) playas (wet playas), where the water table is shallow (< 4 m). These areas are sources of atmospheric dust because of continuous or episodic replenishment of wind-erodible salts and disruption of the ground surface during salt formation by evaporation of ground water. Dust emission at Franklin Lake playa was monitored between March 2005 and April 2008. The dust record, based on day-time remote digital camera images captured during high wind, and compared with a nearby precipitation record, shows that aridity suppresses dust emission. High frequency of dust generation appears to be associated with relatively wet periods, identified as either heavy precipitation events or sustained regional precipitation over a few months. Several factors may act separately or in combination to account for this relation. Dust emission may respond rapidly to heavy precipitation when the dissolution of hard, wind-resistant evaporite mineral crusts is followed by the development of soft surfaces with thin, newly formed crusts that are vulnerable to wind erosion and (or) the production of loose aggregates of evaporite minerals that are quickly removed by even moderate winds. Dust loading may also increase when relatively high regional precipitation leads to decreasing depth to the water table, thereby increasing rates of vapor discharge, development of evaporite minerals, and temporary softening of playa surfaces. The seasonality of wind strength was not a major factor in dust-storm frequency at the playa. The lack of major dust emissions related to flood-derived sediment at Franklin Lake playa contrasts with some dry-lake systems elsewhere that may produce large amounts of dust from flood sediments. Flood sediments do not commonly accumulate on the surface of Franklin Lake playa because through-going drainage prevents frequent inundation and deposition of widespread flood sediment.

A Review Of The Potential Of Fertility Control To Manage Brushtail Possums In New Zealand, Weihong Ji

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) were introduced into New Zealand from Australia in the mid-1800s and became a major invasive pest. They damage native biodiversity by browsing and predation, and they are a disease risk to the livestock industry by acting as vectors of bovine tuberculosis (TB). Management of possums includes their eradication from some offshore islands and control by trapping, shooting, and poisoning on the mainland. Possums have been eradicated successfully from some islands and greatly reduced in abundance in other areas of high conservation value or where they are infected with TB. However, possums are still at …

A Decade Of U.S. Air Force Bat Strikes, Suzanne C. Peurach, Carla J. Dove, Laura Stepko

Human–Wildlife Interactions

From 1997 through 2007, 821 bat strikes were reported to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Safety Center by aircraft personnel or ground crew and sent to the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, for identification. Many samples were identified by macroscopic and or microscopic comparisons with bat specimens housed in the museum and augmented during the last 2 years by DNA analysis. Bat remains from USAF strikes during this period were received at the museum from 40 states in the United States and from 20 countries. We confirmed that 46% of the strikes were caused by bats, but we …

The Taxonomic Designation Of Eriogonum Corymbosum Var. Nilesii (Polygonaceae) Is Supported By Aflp And Cpdna Analyses, M. W. Ellis, J. M. Roper, R. Gainer, J. P. Der, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

We examined populations of perennial, shrubby buckwheats in the Eriogonum corymbosum complex and related Eriogonum species in the subgenus Eucycla, to assess genetic affiliations of the recently named E. corymbosum var. nilesii. The known populations of this varietyare all located in Clark County, Nevada, U. S. A. We compared AFLP profiles and chloroplast DNA sequences of plants sampled from populations of E. corymbosum var. nilesii with those of plants representing other E. corymbosum varieties and related Eriogonum species from Colorado,Utah, northern Arizona, and northern New Mexico. We found evidence of genetic cohesion among the Clark County populations as well astheir …

Historical Review Of Elk-Agriculture Conflicts In And Around Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada, Ryan K. Brook

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Conflicts between elk (Cervus elaphus) and farmers have been occurring since the 1880s when agriculture began around what is now Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP). Initially, the conflicts were related to low elk numbers caused primarily by unregulated harvest of elk. The creation of RMNP in 1930 and the associated ban on hunting allowed elk numbers to reach critically high levels. Since farming began, elk have been associated with considerable damage to fences and crops around RMNP, with annual damage often >$240,000. Hunting on agricultural lands has been the most common approach to mitigating elk impacts, despite its …

Forensic Bird-Strike Identification Techniques Used In An Accident Investigation At Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma, 2008, Carla J. Dove, Nor Faridah Dahlan, Marcy Heacker

Human–Wildlife Interactions

On March 4, 2008, a Cessna Citation 1 (Model 500) crashed in a wooded area near Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma, killing all 5 people on board. This paper describes the detailed forensic methods and expertise used by the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Lab to identify the bird that caused this bird-strike incident. We used standard methods of whole-feather analysis, microscopic examination, and DNA barcoding in this case to identify American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) as the bird species involved in this fatal crash. We also report the importance of proper field investigation and evidence collection for accurate results, …

Measurement Of Fine Spatial Scale Ecohydrologic Gradients In A Pinyon-Juniper Ecosystem, Matthew David Madsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With the dramatic expansion of pinyon-juniper woodlands over the last century, improved understanding of how these woodlands modify infiltration properties is needed, in order for land managers to make informed decisions on how to best manage their specific resources. However, current methods for measuring soil infiltration are often limited by low sample sizes and high experimental error, due to constraints associated with remote, non agricultural settings. This thesis first presents a scheme for automating and calibrating two commercially available infiltrometers, which allows collection of a large number of precise unsaturated infiltration measurements in a relatively short period of time. Secondly, …

Sex-Biased Predation On Taricha By A Novel Predator In Annadel State Park, Amber Noelle Brouillette

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Newts of the genus Taricha have long been studied due to the powerful neurotoxin found in their skin. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) acts by blocking receptors in sodium channels, ultimately resulting in death via asphyxiation. The only documented predators of species in this genus have been snakes of the genus Thamnophis. Recently, predation on Taricha in Ledson Marsh in Annadel State Park, Santa Rosa, CA was discovered. Predation was in the form of laceration or evisceration, and tracking of predation from 1998-2008 showed that it was male-biased. Two species of Taricha were found living sympatrically at this location, the California newt …