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2004

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Flight Muscle–Specific Expression Of Act88f: Gfp In Transgenic Culex Quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae), Margaret L. Allen, Bruce M. Christensen Jan 2004

Flight Muscle–Specific Expression Of Act88f: Gfp In Transgenic Culex Quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae), Margaret L. Allen, Bruce M. Christensen

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A strategy to engineer a strain of Culex mosquitoes refractory to filarial transmission is described. A requirement for success of the strategy is identification of a flight muscle–specific promoter that functions in the mosquito. A GFP marker gene under the control of the promoter region of the Drosophila melanogaster act88F gene was inserted into the genome of Culex quinquefasciatus. Transformation was confirmed by Mendelian genetics. Hy-bridization of a genomic Southern blot to a radiolabeled probe verified that the entire donor plasmid integrated into the mosquito genome. GFP expression in the transgenic mosquitoes was restricted to the flight muscles.


Supercooling Differences In The Eastern Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), Brian J. Cabrera, Shripat T. Kamble Jan 2004

Supercooling Differences In The Eastern Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), Brian J. Cabrera, Shripat T. Kamble

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Supercooling points were determined for untreated field-collected and untreated laboratory-maintained Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) workers and soldiers. Workers treated with antibiotics or had their hindgut-protozoa removed by exposing them to oxygen under pressure to determine the effects of absence of the hindgut fauna on supercooling. Supercooling points were compared be-tween live and freshly killed workers to determine whether supercooling in this species might be simply due to the biochemical properties of body fluids. Laboratory-maintained workers were also subjected to desiccation, starvation, or atmospheric pressure to determine their effects on supercool-ing. Supercooling points were lowest for laboratory workers treated with antibiotics and …


Impact Of Ceutorhynchus Litura Feeding On Root Carbohydrate Levels In Canada Thistle (Cirsium Arvense), Gary L. Hein, Robert G. Wilson Jan 2004

Impact Of Ceutorhynchus Litura Feeding On Root Carbohydrate Levels In Canada Thistle (Cirsium Arvense), Gary L. Hein, Robert G. Wilson

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Canada thistle is a serious perennial weed found throughout the northern regions of the United States and Canada. The weevil, Ceutorhynchus litura (F.), was first released in Canada in 1965 as a potential biological control agent for Canada thistle; however, its impact as a control agent has been sporadic. The objective of this study was to characterize C. litura impacts on the carbohydrate profile in Canada thistle roots through the growing season and to evaluate the potential for this biological control agent in causing stress to Canada thistle. Field plots, infested with C. litura, were established and extensively sampled …


Natural Distribution Of Hymenopteran Parasitoids Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae In Mexico, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, James E. Carpenter, Roberto Lezama-Gutiérrez, John E. Foster, Martín González-Ramírez, César Andres Angel-Sahagún, Javier Farías-Larios Jan 2004

Natural Distribution Of Hymenopteran Parasitoids Of Spodoptera Frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae In Mexico, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, James E. Carpenter, Roberto Lezama-Gutiérrez, John E. Foster, Martín González-Ramírez, César Andres Angel-Sahagún, Javier Farías-Larios

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Se llevó a cabo un inventario de parasitoides de larvas del gusano cogollero, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (FAW) colectadas principalmente de maizales en estado de verticilio en seis estados mexicanos durante Agosto y Septiembre de 2000. Trece géneros de parasitoides himenópteros fueron recuperados, representando a tres familias, Braconidae: Aleoides, Chelonus, Cotesia, Glyptapanteles, Homolobus, y Meteorus); Ichneumonidae: Campoletis, Eiphosoma, Ophion, y Pristomerus; y Eulophidae: Aprostocetus, Euplectrus, y Horismenus. De un total de 5591 larvas colectadas, 772 produjeron parasitoides, para una tasa de parasitismo de 13.8%. La tasa de parasitismo más alta para una colecta simple fué …


Phospholipase A2 In Salivary Glands Isolated From Tobacco Hornworms, Manduca Sexta, Hasan Tunaz, David W. Stanley Jan 2004

Phospholipase A2 In Salivary Glands Isolated From Tobacco Hornworms, Manduca Sexta, Hasan Tunaz, David W. Stanley

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

We describe a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) associated with the salivary glands of tobacco hornworms, Manduca sexta. This enzyme is able to hydrolyze arachidonic acid from the sn-2 position of PLs. Addition of the calcium chelator, EGTA, or calcium, to the Tris reaction buffer impaired the PLA2 activity, from which we infer the enzyme requires very low concentrations of calcium or perhaps other ions for optimal activity. PLA2 activity was sensitive to protein concentration (highest activity at 25 μg protein per μl), reaction time (optimal at 30 min), buffer pH (optimal at pH 8–10), …


An Entomopathogenic Bacterium, Xenorhabdus Nematophila, Inhibits Hemocytic Phospholipase A2 (Pla2) In Tobacco Hornworms, Manduca Sexta, Youngjin Park, Yonggyun Kim, Hasan Tunaz, David W. Stanley Jan 2004

An Entomopathogenic Bacterium, Xenorhabdus Nematophila, Inhibits Hemocytic Phospholipase A2 (Pla2) In Tobacco Hornworms, Manduca Sexta, Youngjin Park, Yonggyun Kim, Hasan Tunaz, David W. Stanley

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The entomopathogenic bacterium, Xenorhabdus nematophila, induces immunodepression in target insects and finally leads to lethal septicemia of the infected hosts. A hypothesis has been raised that the bacteria inhibit eicosanoid-biosynthesis pathway to interrupt immune signaling of the infected hosts. Here, we show direct evidence that X. nematophila inhibits the activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), the initial step in the eicosanoid-biosynthesis pathway. Inhibition of PLA2 was dependent on both incubation time with X. nematophila and the bacterial concentration in in vitro PLA2 preparations of Manduca sexta hemocytes. While living bacteria inhibited PLA2 activity, heat-killed X. nematophila rather increased PLA2 activity. X. …


A Study In Modeling Low-Conservation Protein Superfamilies, Chang Wang, Stephen Scott, Jun Zhang, Qingping Tao, Dmitri E. Fomenko, Vadim N. Gladyshev Jan 2004

A Study In Modeling Low-Conservation Protein Superfamilies, Chang Wang, Stephen Scott, Jun Zhang, Qingping Tao, Dmitri E. Fomenko, Vadim N. Gladyshev

School of Computing: Technical Reports

We present several algorithms for identification of new proteins in superfamilies with low primary sequence conservation. The low conservation of primary sequence in protein superfamilies such as Thioredoxin-fold (Trx-fold) makes conventional methods such as hidden Markov models (HMMs) difficult to use. Therefore, we use structural properties to build our classifiers. These structural properties include secondary structure patterns as well as various properties of the residues in the protein sequences. We use this information to model proteins via hidden Markov models, support vector machines and algorithms in the multiple-instance learning model. In 20-fold jack-knife tests, some of our models performed well, …


The Flora Of The Cottonwood Lake Study Area, Stutsman County, North Dakota, David M. Mushet, Ned H. Euliss Jr., Stephen P. Lane, Christopher M. Goldade Jan 2004

The Flora Of The Cottonwood Lake Study Area, Stutsman County, North Dakota, David M. Mushet, Ned H. Euliss Jr., Stephen P. Lane, Christopher M. Goldade

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

The 92 ha Cottonwood Lake Study Area is located in south-central North Dakota along the eastern edge of a glacial stagnation moraine known as the Missouri Coteau. The study area has been the focus of biological and hydrological research since the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service purchased the site in 1963. We studied the plant communities of the Cottonwood Lake Study Area from 1992 to 2001. During this time period, the vascular flora of the study area consisted of 220 species representing 52 families. Over half of the species were perennial forbs (117 species). Perennial grasses (26 species) and …


Effects Of Distance From Cattle Water Developments On Grassland Birds, Andrea L. Fontaine, Patricia L. Kennedy, Douglas H. Johnson Jan 2004

Effects Of Distance From Cattle Water Developments On Grassland Birds, Andrea L. Fontaine, Patricia L. Kennedy, Douglas H. Johnson

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

Many North American grassland bird populations appear to be declining, which may be due to changes in grazing regimes on their breeding areas. Establishment of water developments and confining cattle (Bos taurus L.) to small pastures often minimizes spatial heterogeneity of cattle forage consumption, which may lead to uniformity in vegetative structure. This increased uniformity may provide suitable habitat for some bird species but not others. We assessed how cattle use, vegetative structure, and bird population densities varied with increasing distance from water developments (0-800 m) on the Little Missouri National Grassland (LMNG) in North Dakota. Lark buntings ( …


Impacts Of Water Development On Aquatic Macroinvertebrates, Amphibians, And Plants In Wetlands Of A Semi-Arid Landscape, Ned H. Euliss Jr., David M. Mushet Jan 2004

Impacts Of Water Development On Aquatic Macroinvertebrates, Amphibians, And Plants In Wetlands Of A Semi-Arid Landscape, Ned H. Euliss Jr., David M. Mushet

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

We compared the macroinvertebrate and amphibian communities of 12 excavated and 12 natural wetlands in western North Dakota, USA, to assess the effects of artificially lengthened hydroperiods on the biotic communities of wetlands in this semi-arid region. Excavated wetlands were much deeper and captured greater volumes of water than natural wetlands. Most excavated wetlands maintained water throughout the study period (May to October 1999), whereas most of the natural wetlands were dry by June. Excavated wetlands were largely unvegetated or contained submergent and deep-marsh plant species. The natural wetlands had two well-defined vegetative zones populated by plant species typical of …


Invertebrate Egg Banks Of Restored, Natural, And Drained Wetlands In The Prairie Pothole Region Of The United States, Robert A. Gleason, Ned H. Euliss Jr., Daniel E. Hubbard, Walter G. Duffy Jan 2004

Invertebrate Egg Banks Of Restored, Natural, And Drained Wetlands In The Prairie Pothole Region Of The United States, Robert A. Gleason, Ned H. Euliss Jr., Daniel E. Hubbard, Walter G. Duffy

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

Analogous to ‘seed banks,’ ‘egg banks’ are important for seasonal succession and maintenance of invertebrate species diversity throughout wet and dry cycles in the prairie pothole region. Further, recruitment of invertebrates from relic egg banks in the sediments and dispersal of eggs into wetlands is believed to be important for reestablishment of invertebrates in recently restored wetlands. Although tens-of thousands of wetlands have been restored in the prairie pothole region of the United States, studies have not been conducted to evaluate the recovery of invertebrate egg banks in restored wetlands. We used taxon richness and abundance as indicators of potential …


Genetic Diversity And Structure Of The Fisher (Martes Pennanti) In A Peninsular And Peripheral Metapopulation, Samantha M. Wisely, Steven W. Buskirk, Gregory A. Russell, Keith B. Aubry, William J. Zielinsky Jan 2004

Genetic Diversity And Structure Of The Fisher (Martes Pennanti) In A Peninsular And Peripheral Metapopulation, Samantha M. Wisely, Steven W. Buskirk, Gregory A. Russell, Keith B. Aubry, William J. Zielinsky

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

Evolutionary processes can be strongly affected by landscape features. In vagile carnivores that disperse widely, however, genetic structure has been found to be minimal. Using microsatellite DNA primers developed for other mustelids, we found that populations of a vagile forest carnivore, the fisher (Martes pennanti), exhibit high genetic structure (FST = 0.45, SE = 0.07) and limited gene flow (Nm < 1) within a .1,600-km narrow strip of forested habitat; that genetic diversity decreases from core to periphery; and that populations do not show an equilibrium pattern of isolation-by-distance. Genetic structure was greater at the periphery than at the core of the distribution and our data fit a 1-dimensional model of stepping-stone range expansion. Multiple lines of paleontological and genetic evidence suggest that the fisher recently (<5,000 years ago) expanded into the mountain forests of the Pacific coast. The reduced dimensionality of the distribution of the fisher in western coastal forests appears to have contributed to the high levels of structure and decreasing diversity from north to south. These effects were likely exacerbated by human-caused changes to the environment. The low genetic diversity and high genetic structure of populations in the southern Sierra Nevada suggest that populations in this part of the geographic range are vulnerable to extinction.


Trends In Fire Patterns In A Southern African Savanna Under Alternative Land Use Practices, Andrew T. Hudak, Dean H.K. Fairbanks, Bruce H. Brockett Jan 2004

Trends In Fire Patterns In A Southern African Savanna Under Alternative Land Use Practices, Andrew T. Hudak, Dean H.K. Fairbanks, Bruce H. Brockett

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

Climate, topography, vegetation and land use interact to influence fire regimes. Variable fire regimes may promote landscape heterogeneity, diversification in vegetation pattern and biotic diversity. The objective was to compare effects of alternative land use practices on landscape heterogeneity. Patch characteristics of fire scars were measured from 21 annual burn maps produced from 1972 to 2001 Landsat imagery. Trends in fire patterns under alternative land use practices were compared across a 250,000 ha savanna in southern Africa partitioned into three land use zones. Zone 1, Madikwe Game Reserve (MGR), has had mostly prescribed fires since 1993. Zone 2, cattle farms …


Cd46-Mediated Transduction Of A Species D Adenovirus Vaccine Improves Mucosal Vaccine Efficacy, Zenaido T. Camacho, Mallory A. Turner, Michael A. Barry, Eric A. Weaver Jan 2004

Cd46-Mediated Transduction Of A Species D Adenovirus Vaccine Improves Mucosal Vaccine Efficacy, Zenaido T. Camacho, Mallory A. Turner, Michael A. Barry, Eric A. Weaver

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The high levels of preexisting immunity against Adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) have deemed Ad5 unusable for translation as a human vaccine vector. Low seroprevalent alternative viral vectors may be less impacted by preexisting immunity, but they may also have significantly different phenotypes from that of Ad5. In this study we compare species D Ads (26, 28, and 48) to the species C Ad5. In vitro transduction studies show striking differences between the species C and D viruses. Most notably, Ad26 transduced human dendritic cells much more effectively than Ad5. In vivo imaging studies showed strikingly different transgene expression profiles. The …


Phylogenetic Analyses Of Texas Isolates Indicate An Evolving Subtype Of The Clade B Feline Immunodeficiency Viruses, Eric A. Weaver, Ellen W. Collisson, Margaret Slater, Guan Zhu Jan 2004

Phylogenetic Analyses Of Texas Isolates Indicate An Evolving Subtype Of The Clade B Feline Immunodeficiency Viruses, Eric A. Weaver, Ellen W. Collisson, Margaret Slater, Guan Zhu

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Rigorous phylogenetic analyses were used to compare the nucleotide sequences of feline immunodeficiency virus strains isolated from Texas and throughout the world. The envelope V3-V4 sequences and capsid gene of the Texas isolates formed a cluster between subtypes B and E. Statistical comparisons with other published sequences confirmed that the Texas group is a unique cluster, possibly a new subtype, arising from subtype B.


Guidelines For Managing Lesser Prairie-Chicken Populations And Their Habitats, Christian A. Hagen, Brent E. Jamison, Kenneth M. Giesen, Terry Z. Riley Jan 2004

Guidelines For Managing Lesser Prairie-Chicken Populations And Their Habitats, Christian A. Hagen, Brent E. Jamison, Kenneth M. Giesen, Terry Z. Riley

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

Lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus paidicinctus) populations have declined by >90% since the 1800s. These declines have concerned both biologists and private conservation groups and led to a petition to list the lesser prairie-chicken as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Most of the land in the current range of the lesser prairie-chicken is privately owned, and declines have been primarily attributed to anthropogenic factors. Conversion of native rangeland to cropland and excessive grazing have been implicated as leading causes in the species' decline. Periodic drought probably has exacerbated these problems. Little research on habitat requirements was conducted prior to …


Patterns Of Variation In Clutch Sizes In A Guild Of Temperate-Nesting Dabbling Ducks, Gary Krapu, Ronald Reynolds, Glen Sargeant, Randy Renner Jan 2004

Patterns Of Variation In Clutch Sizes In A Guild Of Temperate-Nesting Dabbling Ducks, Gary Krapu, Ronald Reynolds, Glen Sargeant, Randy Renner

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

We investigated patterns and causes of variation in clutch sizes in a guild of five species of temperate-nesting dabbling ducks (Mallard [Anas platyrhynchos], Northern Pintail [“pintail,” A. acuta], Gadwall [A. strepera], Blue-winged Teal [“teal,” A. discors], and Northern Shoveler [“shoveler,” A. clypeata]) during 1993–1995 in the Prairie Pothole Region of midcontinental North America. Clutch sizes (mean ± SE) were largest for teal (10.80 ± 0.03), followed in descending order by those of shoveler (10.31 ± 0.05), Gadwall (9.92 ± 0.04), Mallard (8.91 ± 0.04), and pintail (7.66 ± 0.06). In Mallard, pintail, and …


Bird Depredation, James F. Glahn, D. Tommy King Jan 2004

Bird Depredation, James F. Glahn, D. Tommy King

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

A survey of catfish producers by the United States Department of Agriculture, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH) in 1996 indicated that the two primary sources of catfish losses in commercial operations were disease (45%) and wildlife (37%) (CEAH 1997a). A variety of avian and mammalian predators are amracred to aquaculture facilities in the United States (Parkhurs: er al. 1992) because ponds and open raceways provide a constant and readily accessible food supply for these animals. However, the mere presence of these predators arcund aquaculture faciliries does not necessarily mean that significant depredation problems are occurring. At catfish farms, …


Less Waste Corn, More Land In Soybeans, And The Switch To Genetically Modified Crops: Trends With Important Implications For Wildlife Management, Gary L. Krapu, David A. Brandt, Robert R. Cox Jr. Jan 2004

Less Waste Corn, More Land In Soybeans, And The Switch To Genetically Modified Crops: Trends With Important Implications For Wildlife Management, Gary L. Krapu, David A. Brandt, Robert R. Cox Jr.

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

American agriculture has provided abundant high-energy foods for migratory and resident wildlife populations since the onset of modern wildlife management. Responding to anecdotal evidence that corn residues are declining in cropland, we remeasured waste corn postharvest in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) of Nebraska during 1997 and 1998 to compare with 1978. Post-harvest waste corn averaged 2.6% and 1.8% of yield in 1997 and 1998, respectively. After accounting for a 20% increase in yield, waste corn in 1997 and 1998 was reduced 24% and 47% from 1978. We also evaluated use of soybeans by spring-staging sandhill cranes ( Grus …


Tracking Of White-Tailed Deer Migration By Global Positioning System, Michael Nelson, L. David Mech, Paul F. Frame Jan 2004

Tracking Of White-Tailed Deer Migration By Global Positioning System, Michael Nelson, L. David Mech, Paul F. Frame

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

We used global positioning system (GPS) radiocollars on female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to document details of onsets of migrations, rates of travel, patterns of travel, durations of migrations, and distances traveled by 8 deer in spring and 4 deer in autumn in northeastern Minnesota in 1998, 1999, and 2001. In spring, deer migrated 23–45 km during 31–356 h, deviating a maximum 1.6–4.0 km perpendicular from a straight line of travel between their seasonal ranges. They migrated a minimum of 2.1–18.6 km/day over 11–56 h during 2–14 periods of travel. Minimum travel during 1-h intervals averaged 1.5 km/h …


Is Climate Change Affecting Wolf Populations In The High Artic?, L. David Mech Jan 2004

Is Climate Change Affecting Wolf Populations In The High Artic?, L. David Mech

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

Gobal climate change may affect wolves in Canada’s High Arctic (80◦ N) acting through three trophic levels (vegetation, herbivores, and wolves). A wolf pack dependent on muskoxen and arctic hares in the Eureka area of Ellesmere Island denned and produced pups most years from at least 1986 through 1997. However, when summer snow covered vegetation in 1997 and 2000 for the first time since records were kept, halving the herbivore nutrition-replenishment period, muskox and hare numbers dropped drastically, and the area stopped supporting denning wolves through 2003. The unusual weather triggering these events was consistent with global-climate-change phenomena.


Seasonal Activity Areas Of Coyotes In The Bear River Mountains Of Utah And Idaho, Glen F. Gantz, Frederick F. Knowlton Jan 2004

Seasonal Activity Areas Of Coyotes In The Bear River Mountains Of Utah And Idaho, Glen F. Gantz, Frederick F. Knowlton

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We studied the seasonal movement patterns and dispersal of coyotes (Canis latrans) in the Bear River Mountains of northern Utah and southern Idaho to determine whether coyotes in this montane region exhibit an altitudinal migration on a seasonal basis. We used 3 locational parameters to assess whether a seasonal altitudinal migration was evident, including overlap in seasonal activity areas, distance between harmonic mean centers of activity, and seasonal differences in mean elevations of locations. Winter and summer activity areas of every mature coyote overlapped, with mean distances between harmonic centers of seasonal activity of 1.5 km (range = 0.4–3.3 km). …


Temporal Dynamics Of Leafy Sspurge (Euphorbia Esula) And Two Species Of Flea Beetles (Aphthona Spp.) Used As Biological Control Agents, Diane L. Larson, James B. Grace Jan 2004

Temporal Dynamics Of Leafy Sspurge (Euphorbia Esula) And Two Species Of Flea Beetles (Aphthona Spp.) Used As Biological Control Agents, Diane L. Larson, James B. Grace

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

The goal of this study was to evaluate the biological control program of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) in a large natural area, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, western North Dakota, USA. Aphthona lacertosa and Aphthona nigriscutis have been released at more than 1800 points in the 18,600-ha South Unit of the park beginning in 1989; most releases have occurred since 1994. We established permanent vegetation plots throughout the infested area of the park and determined stem counts and biomass of leafy spurge and abundance of the two flea beetle species at these plots each year from 1999 to 2001. …


Pest Control: Rodents, Mark E. Tobin, Michael W. Fall Jan 2004

Pest Control: Rodents, Mark E. Tobin, Michael W. Fall

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rodents are an important and ubiquitous group of mammals that occur as indigenous or introduced species throughout the world. The populations of a relatively few species that live in close association with humans sometimes cause economic damage or become threats to the health of humans or domestic animals. When rodent control efforts are contemplated, the type of problem and the objectives of these efforts should be carefully defined. Successful management of rodent problems depends upon correct identification of the rodent species involved and on obtaining information on the biology, ecology, and behavior of the species in the ecological setting where …


Coyote And Wolf Habitat Use In Northwestern Montana, Wendy M. Arjo, Daniel H. Peltscher Jan 2004

Coyote And Wolf Habitat Use In Northwestern Montana, Wendy M. Arjo, Daniel H. Peltscher

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Being a habitat generalist is an adaptation suategy that has allowed the coyote to expand its range. As wolves reestablish, or are reintroduced, resident populations of coyotes may change habitat use. We compared habitat use between coyotes and wolves in Glacier National Park after successful recolonization by wolves. Two wolf oacks and nine coyotes were monitored from June 1994 throueh June 1997 to determine habitat use in northwestern Montana. Wolves used habitat types within their home ranges in proportion to availability during the winter, but not the summer when more open areas and burned forests were used. Most coyotes used …


Evaluating Population Management Scenarios: Crunching The Numbers Before Going To The Field, Bradley F. Blackwell, Brian E. Washburn, Michael J. Begier Jan 2004

Evaluating Population Management Scenarios: Crunching The Numbers Before Going To The Field, Bradley F. Blackwell, Brian E. Washburn, Michael J. Begier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Effolts to mitigate wildlife-human conflicts tpically involve management of unacceptably abundant populations. Increasingly, however, reduction of dense or increasing populations of certain wild species evokes both support and contention kom the public. Management decisions involving population reduction, particularly those directed at highly visible species, should therefore be based on quantitative evaluation of potential outcomes prior to implementation. The purpose of th~sp aper is to revisit a call for use of population modeling in management decisions by reviewing basic aspects of population analysis and the use of publicly available long-term data sets in environmental assessments and impact statements. Our objectives are …


Managing Wolf Depredation In The United States: Past, Present, And Future, Stewart W. Breck, Tom Meier Jan 2004

Managing Wolf Depredation In The United States: Past, Present, And Future, Stewart W. Breck, Tom Meier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

With the successful recolonization and reintroduction of wolves (Canis lupus) in parts of the western United States (Bangs and Fritts, 1996; Bangs et al., 1998) and the natural expansion of wolves in the upper Midwest (Fuller et al., 1992; Thiel, 2001), managing conflicts between wolves and livestock is a growing issue for livestock producers, resource professionals, and the general public (Mech, 1996). Unlike the coyote, (Canis latrans) where a great deal is known regarding the biology and ecology of depredation and methods for managing it (Knowlton et al., 1999), very little is known regarding patterns and processes of wolves preying …


Relationship Of Raccoon Road-Kill Data To High-Density Marine Turtle Nesting, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, William J.B. Miller Jan 2004

Relationship Of Raccoon Road-Kill Data To High-Density Marine Turtle Nesting, Richard M. Engeman, Henry T. Smith, William J.B. Miller

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Four ycars of data from a hiyh-density n~arine turtle nesting hcach at John D. MacArthur Beach Statc Park, Florida wcrc examined along with data on raccoon (Procyon lotor.) ruad-kills from adjaccnt roads, and data on park attendance (as an index of local traffic) to make infcrcnces about raccoon activity patterns relative to turtle ncsting. Raccoon road-kills were found Lo diminish subsiantially during turtle nesting, even though local traffic was constant or increasing. Opossums (Didelphis virginiana). the only other maminal consistcntly foluid as road-kills, did not show a decrease during ti~rtlen esting season, but they are not known as a primary …


Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: American Bittern, Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Amy L. Zimmerman, Betty R. Euliss Jan 2004

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

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

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


Using Geographic Information System (Gis) Software To Predict Blackbird Roosting Locations In North Dakota, Ryan L. Wimberly, Tony A. Slowik, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry Jan 2004

Using Geographic Information System (Gis) Software To Predict Blackbird Roosting Locations In North Dakota, Ryan L. Wimberly, Tony A. Slowik, H. Jeffrey Homan, Linda B. Penry

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Cattail stands provide roosting and staging areas for large congregations of blackbirds in North Dakota in late summer and early fall. Since 1991, the U.S. Depamnent of Agriculture, Ammal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (WS) program has conducted a cattail management program in North Dakota to alleviate blackbird damage to ripening sunflower. To extend the capabilities of the program, a geographical mformation system (GIS) will be incorporated to help WS personnel find blackbird roosts more effectively. We will use the GIs to construct field maps showing the association between areas of moderate to hgh sunilower damage (>5%) …