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Predation Risk And Elk-Aspen Foraging Patterns, C.A. White, M.C. Feller

Aspen Bibliography

Elk-aspen foraging patterns may be influenced by cover type, distance from roads or trails, the type of user on road or trail (park visitor, human hunter, or predator), and two general states of aspen condition (open-grown or thicket). Pellet group and browse utilization transects in the Canadian Rockies showed that elk were attracted to roads used by park visitors and avoided by wolves, and that elk possibly avoided aspen and conifer patches near backcountry trails used by wolves. In high predation risk landscapes, aspen stands were dense, lightly browsed, and rarely entered by elk. As risk decreased, elk density and …

Aspen Restoration In The Blue Mountains Of Northeast Oregon, D.M. Shirley, V. Erickson

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Predicting Nest Success From Habitat Features In Aspen Forests Of The Central Rocky Mountains, H.M. Struempf, D.M. Finch, G. Hayward, S. Anderson

Aspen Bibliography

We collected nesting data on bird use of aspen stands in the Routt and Medicine Bow National Forests between 1987 and 1989. We found active nest sites of 28 species of small nongame birds on nine study plots in undisturbed aspen forests. We compared logistic regression models predicting nest success (at least one nestling) from nest-site or stand-level habitat predictors. Most common species used nest sites in aspen trees in forest interior locations (distance to edge >100 m), with dense trees (opening >100 m away) despite no apparent positive correlation with use of these habitat features and nest success rates. …

The Effect Of Aspen Wood Characteristics And Properties On Utilization, Kurt H. Mackes, Dennis L. Lynch

Aspen Bibliography

This paper reviews characteristics and properties of aspen wood, including anatomical structure and characteristics, moisture and shrinkage properties, weight and specific gravity, mechanical properties, and processing characteristics. Uses of aspen are evaluated: sawn and veneer products, composite panels, pulp, excelsior, post and poles, animal bedding, animal food supplements, fuel applications, and novelties. Aspen is a preferred species for paneling, veneer products including matchsticks and chopsticks, waferboard and oriented strandboard (OSB), fiberboard, pulp, excelsior, research animal bedding, animal food supplements, and tourist or gift items.

Growth And Phenology Of Hybrid Aspen Clones (Populus Tremula L. X Populus Tremuloides Michx.), Qibin Yu, P.M.A. Tigerstedt, Matti Haapenen

Aspen Bibliography

Height, basal diameter, diameter at breast height, bud burst, and leaf development were recorded in a 5-year-old hybrid aspen clonal trial. The field trial consisted of four aspen hybrid clones (Populus tremula x Populus tremuloides) and one local P. tremula seedling source. Phenological traits were observed in the 3rd year. Growth patterns were recorded during the 3rd and 4th years. Phenological traits were explored in relation to hybrid vigor expressed as growth traits. Differences were observed for phenological and growth traits among hybrid clones and P. tremula. The growth period varied from 143–158 days for the four hybrid clones, and …

Aspen's Ecological Role In The West, William H. Romme, Lisa Floyd-Hanna, David D. Hanna, Elisabeth Bartlett

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen exhibits a variety of ecological roles. In southern Colorado, the 1880 landscape mosaic contained a range of stand ages, of which half were >70 years old and half were younger. Pure aspen stands in southern Colorado are widespread and may result from previous short fire intervals that eliminated local conifer seed sources. Aspen regeneration in northern Yellowstone Park is controlled by ungulate browsing pressure and fire, so it has been limited since 1920. However, an episode of aspen seedling establishment occurred after the 1988 fires. We urgently need additional detailed, local case studies of aspen ecology to inform management …

Do Pine Trees In Aspen Stands Increase Bird Diversity, Mark A. Rumble, Todd R. Mills, Brian L. Dystra, Lester D. Flake

Aspen Bibliography

In the Black Hills of South Dakota, quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is being replaced by conifers through fire suppression and successional processes. Al- though the Black Hills National forest is removing conifers (primarily ponderosa pine [Pinus ponderosa])toincreasetheaspencommunitiesinsomemixedstands,ForestPlan guidelines allow four conifers per hectare to remain to increase diversity in the remaining aspen stand. We compared bird species richness in pure ponderosa pine, mixed stands dominated by ponderosa pine with quaking aspen, mixed stands dominated by aspen

with ponderosa pine, and pure aspen stands. Stands dominated by ponderosa pine had lower (P

Nitrogen Mineralization In Aspen/Conifer Soils After A Natural Fire, M.C. Amacher, D.L. Bartos, T. Christopherson, A.D. Johnson, D.E. Kutterer

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Persistence Of Aspen Regeneration Near The National Elk Refuge And Gros Ventre Valley Elk Feedgrounds Of Wyoming, D.T. Barnett, T.J. Stohlgren

Aspen Bibliography

We investigated aspen (Populus tremuloides) regeneration in the Gros Ventre River Valley, the National Elk Refuge, and a small part of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, to see if elk (Cervus elaphus) browsing was as damaging as previously thought. We conducted a landscape-scale survey to assess aspen regeneration across gradients of wintering elk concentrations using 68 randomly selected aspen stands in the 1,090 km2 study area. Forty-four percent of the stands sampled supported regeneration of saplings (stems greater than 2 m in height but less than 10 cm in diameter). There were no significant differences of regeneration across elk winter …

Aspen Ecosystems: Objectives For Sustaining Biodiversity, R.B. Campbell, D.L. Bartos

Aspen Bibliography

Recognizing the historical abundance of major vegetation cover types is the foundation for estimating the magnitude and significance of conversion from one cover type to another and the proportion of existing cover types that are in properly functioning condition. Techniques to determine desired conditions are discussed. Existing situations for the need to treat ecosystems where aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) occur are prioritized: highest—mixed-conifer with aspen but where conifers comprise greater than 50% of the canopy; high—aspen/sagebrush transition; and moderate—aspen dominated landscapes. Though aspen stands are evaluated, aspen landscapes are discussed in the context of aggregations of many stands. Within …

Ecology And Management Of Aspen: A Lake States Perspective, D.T. Cleland, L.A. Leefers, D.I. Dickmann, L.G. Eskew

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen has been an ecologically important, though relatively minor, compo- nent of the Lake States (Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) forests for millennia. General Land Office records from the 1800s indicate that aspen comprised a small fraction of the region’s eastern forests, but was more extensive on the western edge. Then Euro-American settlement in the 1800s brought land clearing, timber harvesting, and subsequent widespread wildfires that increased aspen-birch acreages consider- ably. Although aspen-birch acreage has declined since the 1930s, it remains the region’s second most prevalent forest type. Aspen management is probably the most contentious issue confronting forest managers in the …

Changes In Landscape Patterns And Associated Forest Succession On The Western Slope Of The Rocky Mountains, Colorado, Daniel James Manier, Richard D. Laven

Aspen Bibliography

Using repeat photography, we conducted a qualitative and quantitative analysis of changes in forest cover on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. For the quantitative analysis, both images in a pair were classified using remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technologies. Comparisons were made using three landscape metrics: total relative cover, mean relative patch size, and number of patches per major vegetation type. We noted several important changes in the pattern of the landscape and the structure of the forests. The relative area covered by interspersed, nonforested rangelands has decreased significantly, and the total forest cover …

Quaking Aspen Reproduce From Seed After Wildfire In The Mountains Of Southeastern Arizona, Ronald D. Quinn, Lin Wu

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen regenerated from seed after a stand replacement wildfire in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The wildfire had created gaps in the canopy so that aspen were able to establish from seed. Seedlings were found at a mean density of 0.17 m–2, 30 m or more from the nearest potential seed trees. Six clumps of aspen seedlings contained 18–186 trees, occupying areas of 145–500 square meters at densities of 0.09-0.27 m–2. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) browsed 14.3% of the seedlings. Occasional sexual reproduction of aspen may be a general trait of the species throughout the western portion of …

Long-Term Aspen Exclosures In The Yellowstone Ecosystem, Charles E. Kay

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen has been declining in the Yellowstone Ecosystem for more than 80 years. Some authors have suggested that aspen is a marginal plant community in Yellowstone and that recent climatic variation has adversely affected aspen, while others contend that excessive browsing by native ungulates is primarily responsible for aspen’s widespread decline. To test these hypotheses, I measured all the long-term aspen exclosures (n = 14) in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. Aspen stands inside all exclosures successfully produced new stems greater than 2 m tall without fire or other disturbance, while few outside stands successfully regenerated due to repeated browsing. Understory species …

Aspen Overstory Recruitment In Northern Yellowstone National Park During The Last 200 Years, Eric J. Larsen, William J. Ripple

Aspen Bibliography

Using a monograph provided by Warren (1926) and two sets of aspen increment cores collected in 1997 and 1998, we analyzed aspen overstory recruitment in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) over the past 200 years. We found that successful aspen overstory recruitment occurred on the northern range of YNP from the middle to late 1700s until the 1920s, after which it essentially ceased. We hypothesized why the browsing influence of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) may be different now than it was historically. At a landscape scale, elk hunting outside YNP may be a significant factor changing elk foraging behavior. At …

Evaluation Of Burned Aspen Communities In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Charles E. Kay

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen has been declining in Jackson Hole for many years, a condition generally attributed to the fact that lightning fires have been aggressively suppressed since the early 1900s. It is also believed that burning will successfully regenerate aspen stands despite high elk numbers. To test this hypothesis, I evaluated 467 burned and 495 adjacent, unburned aspen stands at eight different locations within Jackson Hole. Aspen suckering was stimulated by burning, but most aspen stands still failed to produce new stems greater than 2 m tall where ungulate use was moderate or high. Only when elk use was low were burned …

Sustaining Aspen In Western Landscapes: Symposium Proceedings, Wayne D. Shepperd, Dan Binkley, Dale L. Bartos, Thomas J. Stohlgren, Lane G. Eskew

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Exclusionary Methods To Reduce Predation On Ground Nesting Birds And Their Nests, J. E. Jimenz, Michael R. Conover, Terry A. Messmer

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

High predation rates on ground-nesting birds and their eggs are a serious problem in many parts of North America. The concern is that predation rates have increased as nesting habitat quality and quantity have declined (Cowardin et al. 1985, Wilcove 1985, Sargeant et al. 1993, Greenwood et al. 1995). In North America, the most serious nest predators are habitat and diet generalists which thrive in human-modified environments (Harris and Saunders 1993). Examples include the American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and raccoon (Procyon lotor).

Effects Of Recording Media On Echolocation Data From Broadband Bat Detectors, Ethan P. White, S. D. Gehrt

Biology Faculty Publications

Bat detectors are an important tool for ecological studies of bats. However, the quality and quantity of data may be affected by the recording devices used to record the output from the detector. We compared recordings of bat activity from audiocassette recorders and computers. Numbers of calls/hour, passes/hour, identifiable passes/hour, and feeding buzzes/hour were similar (all P’s > 0.1) between recording devices. All call characteristics, except for the minimum frequency and characteristic frequency, differed (P < 0.05) between tapes and computers. Species identification with discriminate function analysis was less reliable with tape data than with computer data, particularly when the model built with computer-recorded reference calls was tested with tape-recorded calls. Therefore, we suggest when tape recorders are used for field recording that they also are used to record reference calls.

Density-Dependent Invariance, Dimensionless Life-Histories And The Energy-Equivalence Rule, E. L. Charnov, J. P. Haskell, S.K. Morgan Ernest

Biology Faculty Publications

It is suggested that Damuth’s ‘energy-equivalence rule’ for mammal populations follows from a particular population dynamics invariance rule, one which leads to similar population dynamics when various species are viewed in a particular density and rate-of-change space.

A Critical Evaluation Of Research Techniques In Animal Ecology, Michelle A. Baker

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

High Frequency Of Extra-Pair Paternity In Eastern Kingbirds, D. L. Rowe, M. T. Murphy, R. C. Feischer, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

Genetic parentage in the socially monogamous and territorial Eastern Kingbird( Tyrannust tyrannus) was examined in a central New York population by multilocus DNA fingerprinting. Extra-pair young were identified in 60% (12 of 20) of nests. Of the 64 nestlings profiled, 42% were sired by extra-pair males, but no cases of conspecific brood parasitism were detected. These results are markedly different from a previous electrophoretic study of the same species in a Michigan population, which reported 39% of nestlings were unrelated to one (typically the mother, quasiparasitismo)r both (conspecificb roodp arasitism) of the putative parents. In the New York population, extra-pairp …

Remediation Simulation/Optimization Demonstrations, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Applications of simulation/optimization (S/0) software to develop contamination remediation strategies include formal remediation optimization using heads and gradients (hydraulics-based) and concentrations (risk-based) constraints. The six reported cases involve pump and treat systems, or pump, treat and re-inject systems, together termed PAT systems. We used S/0 modeling to perform hydraulic optimization for two of the sites and transport optimization for four. For four of the six sites, other parties used normal simulation (S) modeling alone to develop pumping strategies. Comparing the S/0 model-developed strategies with the S model-developed strategies showed S/0 modeling benefits ranging up to: (a) 25 percent reduction in …

Simulation/Optimization Applications And Software For Optimal Ground-Water And Conjunctive Water Management, Richard C. Peralta

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Diverse water management simulation/optimization (S/O) experiences promoted the development of many S/O modeling approaches and models. Several of these are being incorporated within the Simulation/Optimization Modeling System (SOMOS). Non-modeler water scientists or engineers can apply one SOMOS module to optimize field-scale groundwater and conjunctive water management. Experienced groundwater modelers can apply other modules to optimally manage complex heterogeneous aquifer and stream-aquifer systems. SOMOS employs a variety of simulation models and approaches and optimization algorithms to optimize flow and contaminant management. SOMOS or its precursor modules have been well proven in real-world projects. Designed for use by consultants, students, academics, and …

Currents, A 'Berry' Good Addition To Your Garden, Dennis Hinkamp

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Intermountain Planting Guide, Kevin Jensen, Howard Horton, Ron Reed, Ralph Whitesides

All Current Publications

The first consideration prior to seeding is to determine the present level of management being applied to the proposed site. Many sites will recover or improve without seeding if proper management is implemented. Soil is the primary natural resource and its conservation is the most important consideration in seedings.

Insecticides: Ask Questions First, Shoot Later, Dennis Hinkamp

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Low-Cost, Self-Calibrating Stream Gaging Station, Gilberto Urroz, Robert C. Leines, Garryn L. Perret, Jared M. Holland, Brian E. Hunsaker

Reports

Executive Summary: The present report presents a review of the state-of-the-art technologies for the development of a low-cost, self-calibrating stream gaging station. The research was conducted by the Utah Water Research Laboratory with funding provided by the Utah Division of Water Resources through Project RP 110080, March 1998. The report presents a review of the current practices in stream gaging and how technologies such as remote data telemetry through the use of satellite, cellular phone communications, and radio telemetry can be used for the real-time transmission of data. The study also includes the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) for …

The Utah Statesman, December 6, 2000, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Insights, Fall, 2000, Utah State University

Discovery Magazine

Bi-annual alumni newsletter for the College of Science of Utah State University in Logan.