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16th Wildland Shrub Symposium Threats To Shrubland Ecosystem Integrity 2010 May 18-20 Logan, Ut, Thomas A. Monaco, Eugene W. Schupp, Rosemary L. Pendleton, Stanley G. Kitchen, Patsy K. Palacios

Natural Resources and Environmental Issues

Abstract: The 29 papers in this proceedings are divided into the main organized sessions of the 16th Wildland Shrub Symposium, including the plenary session to introduce the theme of threats to shrubland ecosystem integrity, impacts of energy development and reclamation on ecosystem function, invasive plant ecology. wildlife habitats: impacts and restoration opportunities, historical perspectives in shrublands, ecosystem threats due to fire in the Mojave Desert, and modeling and monitoring of shrubland ecosystems. An overarching goal of the symposium was to make linkages between research and management.

La Oligarquía Violada: Etnografía Naturalista, Xenofobia Y Alarma Social En La Última Novela De Eugenio Cambaceres, En La Sangre (1887), David Mauricio Solodkow

Decimonónica

En el corpus de la literatura decimonónica finisecular de la República Argentina, es posible leer, entre las preocupaciones más importantes de la élite letrada porteña, la proliferación de un conflicto recurrente a lo largo del siglo XIX y principios del XX: el problema de la identidad racial y cultural de los ciudadanos. La literatura, como parte funcional de los dispositivos discursivos e institucionales de la época, vendrá a aportar sus soluciones propias y originales del “problema.”² Mediante el análisis de esta literatura es posible entender cómo las tensiones en torno al problema de la identidad se complejizan, se extreman …

Aspen Crown Dieback And Mortality On The Williams Ranger District, Kaibab National Forest, Arizona, Thomas J. Zegler

Aspen Bibliography

Crown dieback and mortality of quaking or trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) were extensive within pine-oak and mixed conifer forest types of the Williams Ranger District, Kaibab National Forest in northern Arizona. I collected data from 48 aspen sites to determine if predisposing site and stand factors and contributing damaging agents were associated with aspen crown dieback and mortality. Overstory aspen mortality averaged 50% by stems per hectare and 44% by basal area. Based upon univariate relationships, elevation was the most significant site factor related to both overstory aspen crown dieback (R2 = 0.15, P = 0.0069) and overstory aspen mortality …

Anthro Mountain Greater Sage- Grouse Population, O. Duvuvuei, Terry A. Messmer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Protocols For Investigating The Effects Of Tall Structure On Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus), Terry A. Messmer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus Urophasianus) Habitat Selection And Use Patterns In Response To Vegetation Management Practices In Western Box Elder County, Utah, S. Graham, Terry A. Messmer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Lakes As Buffers Of Stream Dissolved Organic Matter (Dom) Variability: Temporal Patterns Of Dom Characteristics In Mountain Stream-Lake Systems, K. J. Goodman, Michelle A. Baker, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Lakes within fluvial networks may affect dissolved organic matter (DOM) dynamics in streams by dampening spring DOM snowmelt flushing responses and/or by increasing summer DOM production. We assessed the temporal variability of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and DOM characteristics (specific ultraviolet absorbance (SUVA254); DOC:dissolved organic nitrogen (DOC:DON)), as well as DOC export in seven paired lake inflows and outflows in the Sawtooth Mountain lake district, Idaho. We hypothesized that lakes would decrease stream DOM temporal variability and increase DOM export as a result of autotrophic production. We correlated DOM variability with landscape factors to evaluate potential drivers of DOM …

Moderate-Scale Mapping Methods Of Aspen Stand Types : A Case Study For Cedar Mountain In Southern Utah, Chad M. Oukrop, David M. Evans, Dale L. Bartos, R. Douglas Ramsey, Ronald J. Ryel

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) are the most widely distributed tree species across North America, but its dominance is declining in many areas of the western United States, with certain areas experiencing rapid mortality events over the past decade. The loss of aspen from western landscapes will continue to profoundly impact biological, commercial, and aesthetic resources associated with aspen. However, many options are available for its restoration. Advances in remote sensing technologies offer cost-effective means to produce spatial and quantitative information on the distribution and severity of declining aspen at many scales. This report describes the development and application of …

Review Of The Potential Effects Of Climate Change On Quaking Aspen (Populus Tremuloides) In The Western United States And A New Tool For Surveying Aspen Decline, Toni L. Morelli, Susan C. Carr

Aspen Bibliography

We conducted a literature review of the effects of climate on the distribution and growth of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) in the Western United States. Based on our review, we summarize models of historical climate determi- nants of contemporary aspen distribution. Most quantitative climate-based models linked aspen presence and growth to moisture availability and solar radiation.

We describe research results pertaining to global climate change effects on aspen distribution and vigor. In addition, we present potential interactive effects related to climate change and natural disturbances and insect and pathogen outbreaks. Finally, we review the phenomenon of sudden aspen decline …

Multicentury Fire And Forest Histories At 19 Sites In Utah And Eastern Nevada, Emily K. Heyerdahl, Peter M. Brown, Stanley G. Kitchen, Marc H. Weber

Aspen Bibliography

Our objective is to provide site-specific fire and forest histories from Utah and eastern Nevada that can be used for land management or additional research. We systematically sampled fire scars and tree-recruitment dates across broad gradients in elevation and forest type at 13 sites in Utah and 1 in eastern Nevada to characterize spatial and temporal variation in historical fire regimes as well as forest structure and composition. We collected similar data non-systematically at five additional sites in Utah. These 19 sites include a broad range of forest types (from pinyon-juniper woodlands to spruce-fir forests) and fire regime types. In …

Commentary On Immune System Associated Diseases Caused Byviruses: The Role Of Ebv, Dale L. Barnard, J. K. Li

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

In her review using the human Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) as an example, Dr. Chen intends to illustrate how host immune systems have evolved in response to pathogens or in many cases co-evolved with pathogens. She discusses why EBV in most people causes what appears to be a self-limiting lymphoproliferative disease (or is it? See her discussion of autoimmune diseases and EBV), but in a very small proportion of individuals the virus causes malignant diseases of severe consequence. She reviews some of the plausible explanations that may include interactions of environmental and host genetic factors resulting in EBV associated malignancies. She …

Canada Goose Crop Damage Abatement In South Dakota, Troy M. Radtke, Charles D. Dieter

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) can cause considerable damage to crops during summer when geese are flightless. We evaluated the effectiveness of a program designed to alleviate crop damage on soybeans by Canada geese in South Dakota, USA. The applications of electric fences, feeding stations, and propane cannons reduced the area of crop damage by 90% in 2006 and 80% in 2007, but the timing was important. Fields where abatement practices were applied early in the growing season had less damage than fields where they were applied later. Abatement practices that were properly applied as soon as damage started …

Survival Analysis And Computer Simulations Of Lethal And Contraceptive Management Strategies For Urban Deer, Marrett D. Grund

Human–Wildlife Interactions

I monitored survival of 34 female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Bloomington, Minnesota, from October 1996 to December 1999. Twenty deer died: nineteen were killed by vehicles, and one was killed in a deer-removal program conducted by an adjacent suburb. Summer survival was high and varied little over the 3 years of study (range = 0.93 to 0.95). Fall survival ranged from 0.84 to 1.00, and winter survival was generally high during the 3 years of study, except during a severe winter (range = 0.72 to 0.95). I calculated population growth rates (λ) from Leslie matrix projections, using …

A Rat-Resistant Artificial Nest Box For Cavity-Nesting Birds, William C. Pitt, Laura C. Driscoll, Eric A. Vanderwerf

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The puaiohi or small Kauai thrush (Myadestes palmeri) is an endangered bird endemic to the island of Kauai, Hawaii. The sole population of about 500 birds is currently restricted to remote, higher elevation areas of the Alakai Plateau. Puaiohi nest primarily on steep streamside cliffs, and their distribution and abundance are limited by availability of suitable nesting sites. Black rats (Rattus rattus) cause nest failure and mortality of nesting female puaiohis, and ground-based rodent control has not been effective at reducing nest predation. In 2007, we investigated whether artificial nest structures might be a viable alternative …

Rock Pigeon Use Of Livestock Facilities In Northern Colorado: Implications For Improving Farm Bio-Security, James C. Carlson, Larry Clark, Michael F. Antolin, Mo D. Salman

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Rock pigeons (Columba livia) have been implicated in the spread of pathogens within commercial livestock facilities. Currently, there is no data characterizing pigeon habitat use and movement patterns within and among commercial livestock facilities. To better understand the capacity for pigeons to spread pathogens, we used radio-telemetry techniques to estimate the home-range, travel distance, activity, and habitat use of pigeons roosting on and off dairies and feedlots in western Weld County, Colorado. Our observations suggest that pigeons roosting on (resident) and off (nonresident) livestock facilities use habitat differently. Nonresident pigeons used larger home-range areas than did resident pigeons. …

Using Whatman Fta® Cards To Collect Dna For Bird-Strike Identifications, Carla J. Dove, Nor Faridah Dahlan, Marcy A. Heacker, James F. Whatton

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Identification of species of birds is fundamental to implementation of all management and mitigation issues involving bird–aircraft collisions (bird strikes). Methods of identifying bird remains have recently been enhanced to include the use of molecular techniques but the degraded condition of the fi eld sample remains problematic. The Whatman FTA® card is a novel way to instantly fi x DNA and inhibit degradation of DNA samples post-collection. During 2008–2009, we analyzed >200 FTA cards containing tissue blots, body fluids, or blood samples from bird strikes to evaluate the performance of these cards in real-time situations. We analyzed the success of …

Condition, Survival, And Productivity Of Mule Deer In Semiarid Grassland-Woodland In East-Central New Mexico, Louis C. Bender, Jon C. Boren, Heather Halbritter, Shad Cox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are an economically important species to wildlife enterprises throughout New Mexico and the western United States, but populations are declining, limiting recreational and revenue potential to private and public wildlife managers. We documented body condition, survival, production of fawns, and trends in population size of a declining mule deer population on the Corona Range and Livestock Research Center (CRLRC), a multiple-use research ranch in east-central New Mexico owned by New Mexico State University. Mule deer females were in poor condition, characterized by accrual of little body fat or lean tissue (muscle mass) reserves. Annual …

Comparison Of Fencing Designs For Excluding Deer From Roadways, Daniel W. Stull, William D. Gulsby, James A. Martin, Gino J. D'Angelo, George R. Gallagher, David A. Osborn, Robert J. Warren, Karl V. Miller

Human–Wildlife Interactions

We evaluated the efficacy of several fencing designs for restricting movements of 18 captive, female white-tailed deer (Odocoelus virginianus), including standard wovenwire fencing (1.2-m, 1.5-m, 1.8-m, 2.1-m, and 2.4-m tall), opaque fencing (1.2-m, 1.5-m, and 1.8-m tall), and an outrigger fence (i.e., 0.6-m outriggers attached to a 1.2-m-tall wire fence angled at 45º). We recorded the number of successful fence crossings for each deer and characterized behaviors associated with each failed crossing attempt. No deer crossed the 2.4-m fence, whereas all deer crossed the 1.2-m fence. We observed no differences in crossing success between woven-wire and opaque fencing …

Response To Rogers And Mansfield (2011) And Stringham (2011), Valerius Geist

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Using Stable Isotope Analysis To Quantify Anthropogenic Foraging In Black Bears, Jerod A. Merkle, Jonathan J. Derbridge, Paul R. Krausman

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Deciding whether to monitor, aversively condition, relocate, or destroy a problem black bear (Ursus americanus) can be difficult for wildlife managers. Understanding the extent of anthropogenic foraging within bear populations can provide insight for management decisions about black bears. An innovative way to estimate opportunistically the amount of anthropogenic food in an individual or a population of bears is through stable isotope analysis (SIA), where hair samples can provide an index of assimilated nutrients (i.e., diet) for the period of hair growth. Our objective was to use SIA to determine whether there was a difference between diets of …

General Catalog 2011-2012, Utah State University

University Catalogs

This catalog contains information on the Academic Departments and Programs as well as Course Descriptions for the above school year at Utah State University. To avoid large file downloads, the Academic Departments and Programs information is located in this file. The Course Description information is located in the secondary file.

Coyote Capture Vulnerability Relative To Space Use And Trap Density, Ryan R. Wilson, Julie K. Young, John Shivik

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are reported to be less vulnerable to capture in familiar areas of territories, however, most studies do not control for trap density across the territory. We determined if accounting for trap density provided a better explanation of observed capture rates. Based on a sample of 24 captured coyotes (6 inside core areas and 18 on peripheries of occupied areas) the best fitting model describing capture location only accounted for trap density and not relative time spent in each region. Our results suggest that coyote capture rates are a function of trap density in an area …

Utah Adaptive Resources Management Greater Sage- Grouse Local Working Groups 2010-2011 Accomplishment Report, Terry A. Messmer, T. Black, Shandra Nicole Frey, S. Lupis, R. Hart

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Climate Influences The Demography Of Three Dominant Sagebrush Steppe Plants, Harmony Dalgleish, David N. Koons, Melvin Hooten, Corey Moffet, Peter B. Adler

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Climate change could alter the population growth of dominant species, leading to profound effects on community structure and ecosystem dynamics. Understanding the links between historical variation in climate and population vital rates (survival, growth, recruitment) is one way to predict the impact of future climate change. Using a unique, long-term dataset from eastern Idaho, we parameterized Integral Projection Models for Pseudoroegneria spicata, Hesperostipa comata, and Artemisia tripartita to identify the demographic rates and climate variables most important for population growth. We described survival, growth and recruitment as a function of genet size using mixed effect regression models that …

Estimation Of Dairy Particulate Matter Emission Rates By Lidar And Inverse Modeling, C. C. Marchant, K. D. Moore, M. D. Wojcik, R. S. Martin, R. L. Pfeiffer, J. H. Pruger, J. L. Hatfield

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Particulate matter (PM) emissions from agricultural operations are an important issue for air quality and human health and a topic of interest to government regulators. PM emission rates from a dairy in the San Joaquin Valley of California were investigated during June 2008. The facility had 1,885 total animals, including 950 milking cows housed in free‐stall pens with an open‐lot exercise area, and 935 dry cows, steers, bulls, and heifers housed in open lots. Point sensors, including filter‐based aerodynamic mass samplers and optical particle counters (OPC), were deployed at select points around the facility to measure optical and aerodynamic particulate …

Factors Affecting White-Tailed Deer-Browsing Rates On Early Growth Stages Of Soybean Crops, Gregory M. Colligan, Jacob L. Bowman, Joseph E. Rogerson, Bruce L. Vasilas

Human–Wildlife Interactions

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginanus) damage to soybean crops is a concern for soybean producers. Although researchers have documented decreases in the intensity of deer-browse on soybean plants as the growing season progresses, an understanding of the mechanisms driving the decrease in deer-browse is necessary for reduction and mitigation of deer damage to soybean crops. We tested 4 hypotheses to determine why deer-browse rates decrease 3 weeks after plant emergence: (1) plant phenology affects plant palatability; (2) diet change occurs; (3) deer damage induces a plant response making soybean leaves less palatable: and (4) deer consume fewer leaves but …

Commentary Using Dietary Analyses To Reduce The Risk Of Wildlife–Aircraft Collisions, Brian E. Washburn, Glen E. Bernhardt, Lisa A. Kutschbach-Brohl

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Rodent Population Management At Kansas City International Airport, Gary W. Witmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Birds pose serious hazards at United States airports because of the potential for collisions with aircraft. Raptors, in particular, are hazardous to aircraft safety due to their size, hunting behavior, and hovering and soaring habits. Reduction of rodent populations at an airport may decrease raptor populations in the area and, therefore, reduce risk that raptors pose to aircraft. Rodent populations can be reduced by population management (i.e., use of rodenticides) or by habitat management (i.e., vegetation and land-use management) that reduces the area’s carrying capacity for rodents. I found that zinc phosphide-treated oats reduced rodent populations by >94% at the …

Does Diversionary Feeding Create Nuisance Bears And Jeopardize Public Safety?, Lynn L. Rogers

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Diversionary feeding of black bears (Ursus americanus) around campgrounds and residential areas has received little study because of concerns that it might create nuisance bears and jeopardize public safety. To evaluate those concerns and assess its effectiveness in mitigating human–bear conflict, we studied diversionary feeding, habituation, and food conditioning at a U.S. Forest Service campground and residential complex near Ely, Minnesota. During 1981 to 1983, 6 bears (2/year) had been removed from this area as nuisances; but during 8 years of diversionary feeding (1984 to 1991), the only removals were 2 bears that had newly immigrated to the …

Commentary Wildlife Risk To Aviation: A Multi-Scale Issue Requires A Multi-Scale Solution, James A. Martin, Jerrold L. Belant, Travis L. Devault, Bradley F. Blackwell, Loren W. Burger Jr., Samuel K. Riffell, Guiming Wang

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.