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Full-Text Articles in Biology
An Investigation Into Historical And Contemporary Breeding Occurrence Of The Ferruginous Hawk In Kansas, Erica Clark
An Investigation Into Historical And Contemporary Breeding Occurrence Of The Ferruginous Hawk In Kansas, Erica Clark
Master's Theses
The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) is the largest Buteo species occurring in grasslands, nesting along bluffs, buttes and isolated trees. In Kansas, the Ferruginous Hawk is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need, Tier II. A previous study on Ferruginous Hawks nesting in Kansas during the years of 1979 to 1987, with sporadic visits from the 1990s to 2000, revealed that the most productive nesting territories were inaccessible to predators, placed on rocky ledges and the surrounding landscape was over 50% rangeland. I revisited 82 of the 111 historic nest territories in the summers of 2019 and …
Incorporating Multi-Spectral Imaging Into Long-Term Upland Breeding Bird Monitoring, Kyle William Schumacher
Incorporating Multi-Spectral Imaging Into Long-Term Upland Breeding Bird Monitoring, Kyle William Schumacher
Master's Theses
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas, United States partnered with Fort Hays State University Hays, KS in 2014 to begin a collaborative research project that aimed to develop a long-term monitoring protocol guided by the Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the refuge published in 2013. This plan identified specific wildlife taxa underrepresented in management impact assessments throughout the property. As a result of this plan, surveys were established to monitor interactions between upland breeding birds and the vegetation community. I conducted point count surveys in 2016, 2017, and 2018 for 122 observation points across four transects. I measured seventeen vegetation variables …
Occupancy Modeling Of Herpetofauna And Grassland Nesting Birds At Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Kasandra A. Brown
Occupancy Modeling Of Herpetofauna And Grassland Nesting Birds At Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Kasandra A. Brown
Master's Theses
Only about 11% of native grasslands remain in the United States (North America Bird Conservation Initiative, 2011). Grasslands are a considerable source of biodiversity and play a crucial role in nutrient cycling (Suttie et al. 2005; Holechek et al. 2011). Stewards, such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, are essential to grassland conservation, especially in Kansas, where less than one percent of land is under federal stewardship or public trust (Holechek et al. 2011). Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, an 8,900 hectare refuge located in Stafford County, has traditionally been managed as a stopover for migratory birds, but is now …
Nest Survival Of Grassland Breeding Birds In A Southern Mixed-Grass Prairie Wetland, Clinton Helms
Nest Survival Of Grassland Breeding Birds In A Southern Mixed-Grass Prairie Wetland, Clinton Helms
Master's Theses
As a group, grassland birds have been declining significantly since European settlement of the prairie. The subsequent plowing of the prairie by settlers was compounded by fire suppression, resulting in a patchwork of cultivated fields with intermittent tracts of overgrown grassland. Over an interval of ~200 years, these practices lead to an estimated decline of 96 % of native tallgrass prairie habitat. Due to the imperiled status of grassland birds, an emphasis has been placed on managing for this particular group throughout the southern mixed-grass prairie region. I investigated the effects of adaptive three-pasture rotational grazing treatments (3ROT) versus traditional …
Habitat Associations Of Grassland Birds Along A Gradient Of Eastern Red Cedar Succession In Central Kansas, Scott W. Schmidt
Habitat Associations Of Grassland Birds Along A Gradient Of Eastern Red Cedar Succession In Central Kansas, Scott W. Schmidt
Master's Theses
Grassland birds have declined more rapidly than any other avian taxa in North America. While woody encroachment is often cited as a threat, some grassland-dependent species requiring habitat with scattered trees or shrubs also are declining at statistically significant rates. To better understand the ecological costs and benefits of woody vegetation from a brush management perspective, I studied bird-habitat associations along a canopy cover gradient of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Habitat associations were tested by the comparing the relative abundance of breeding birds between 3 habitat treatment levels (0% eastern red cedar canopy cover [open grassland], < 5% eastern red cedar canopy cover [light encroachment], and > 5-25% eastern red …