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Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Nebraska

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Use Of Soapweed Yucca (Yucca Glauca) By Rodents And Other Vertebrates In Western Nebraska, Michael L. Rohde, Keith Geluso, Carter Kruse, Mary J. Harner Sep 2021

Use Of Soapweed Yucca (Yucca Glauca) By Rodents And Other Vertebrates In Western Nebraska, Michael L. Rohde, Keith Geluso, Carter Kruse, Mary J. Harner

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Soapweed Yucca (Yucca glauca) is a conspicuous and common shrub in the Great Plains of North America, characterized by tall woody flower stalks, large flowers and seed pods, and dense masses of ground-level evergreen leaves. These plant structures can provide a variety of resources or functions to animals. In general, studies focus on single species associated with Y. glauca. We examined three groups of vertebrates that interacted with Y. glauca and the functions this plant provided for organisms in western Nebraska. We experimentally examined small mammals in areas with and without Y. glauca, and we descriptively …


Observations On The Distribution And Status Of Selected Nebraska Mammals, Zachary P. Roehrs, Russell A. Benedict, Thomas E. Labedz, Hugh H. Genoways Feb 2021

Observations On The Distribution And Status Of Selected Nebraska Mammals, Zachary P. Roehrs, Russell A. Benedict, Thomas E. Labedz, Hugh H. Genoways

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Information on the distribution and current status of 25 species or subspecies of mammals occurring in Nebraska are presented. The species covered include one shrew, an armadillo, eight bats, 10 rodents (including two subspecies of one species), three carnivores, and one artiodactyl. Distributional information reported includes the first state record for one species (Sorex nanus) and new county records for 18 species. In Nebraska, we know that mammals are shifting their geographic ranges with some extending populations into the state, whereas others are expanding their geographic ranges within the state. The current status of six additional mammalian taxa …


Range Extension For Dekay’S Brownsnake (Storeria Dekayi) In South-Central Nebraska, Macy K. Cool, Keith Geluso Feb 2020

Range Extension For Dekay’S Brownsnake (Storeria Dekayi) In South-Central Nebraska, Macy K. Cool, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Dekay’s Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi) generally occurs in southeastern parts of the state, where the species was known from 16 counties. Herein, we update the distribution of S. dekayi in the state and briefly comment on habitat and abundance from observations in September and October 2018. We documented 7 new county records that extend its distribution in south-central Nebraska. We observed that S. dekayi does not only reside in mesic wooded habitats in Nebraska but also occupies open environments, including areas with upland grasslands and row-crop agriculture. Dekay’s Brownsnake currently is listed as a species of concern …


Habitat Selection By The Northern Long-Eared Myotis (Myotis Septentrionalis) In The Midwestern United States: Life In A Shredded Farmscape, Jeremy A. White, Patricia Freeman, Cliff A. Lemen Jan 2017

Habitat Selection By The Northern Long-Eared Myotis (Myotis Septentrionalis) In The Midwestern United States: Life In A Shredded Farmscape, Jeremy A. White, Patricia Freeman, Cliff A. Lemen

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Populations of the Northern Long-Eared Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) have declined dramatically in recent years in eastern North America due to white-nose syndrome. Although M. septentrionalis was once common in parts of eastern North America, few studies have examined habitat selection of this species in an agricultural landscape. We used acoustical methods to quantify bat activity and construct a habitat model of M. septentrionalis in an intensively farmed area in the Midwestern United States, where mortality from white-nose syndrome has not yet been observed. Our study confirms that M. septentrionalis prefers forest and avoids open habitats in this agricultural …


Winter Activity Of Myotis Septentrionalis: Role Of Temperature In Controlling Emergence From A Hibernaculum, Cliff A. Lemen, Patricia Freeman, Jeremy A. White Sep 2016

Winter Activity Of Myotis Septentrionalis: Role Of Temperature In Controlling Emergence From A Hibernaculum, Cliff A. Lemen, Patricia Freeman, Jeremy A. White

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

We acoustically monitored a small mine in southeastern Nebraska known to be a hibernaculum for the Northern Long-eared Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) for two winters (2014-2015 and 2015-2016). Some M. septentrionalis emerged on nights with mild temperatures throughout both winters. There was an 89% probability of detecting this species when temperature at sunset was >5°C. Our results indicated that acoustical surveys outside mines or caves in winter, particularly on nights with mild temperatures, are an effective method of identifying hibernacula of M. septentrionalis and potentially other species without disturbing individuals by entering the hibernaculum or by netting individuals as …


Fifth Specimen Of The Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus Novemcinctus) From Nebraska, Keith Geluso, Greg D. Wright, Angelina E. Wright Apr 2014

Fifth Specimen Of The Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus Novemcinctus) From Nebraska, Keith Geluso, Greg D. Wright, Angelina E. Wright

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) has moved northward in the Great Plains in the last century, reaching distributional limits in Nebraska for pioneering individuals. Herein, we report on the fifth specimen from Nebraska. A male individual was obtained from Lincoln County representing a new county record for Nebraska and one of the northwestern-most specimens in the United States.


Reexamination Of Herpetofauna On Mormon Island, Hall County, Nebraska, With Notes On Natural History, Keith Geluso, Mary J. Harner May 2013

Reexamination Of Herpetofauna On Mormon Island, Hall County, Nebraska, With Notes On Natural History, Keith Geluso, Mary J. Harner

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Platte River in central Nebraska, USA, was historically surrounded by mixed grass and tallgrass prairies and wet meadows, but many of those habitats were lost or altered during the last century with unknown effects on animals that reside in them. Researchers first surveyed herpetofauna on part of a large island preserve in the Platte River, Mormon Island, Hall County, Nebraska, in 1980 when the land was protected for conservation. They documented 10 species, including three species of amphibians and seven species of reptiles. We inventoried herpetofauna after 30 years of conservation management on Mormon Island and adjacent Shoemaker Island. …