Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Use Of Sulfometuron In Hybrid Popular Energy Plantations, Daniel A. Netzer

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Biomass Of Food Available To Beavers On Five Minnesota Shrubs, Richard R. Buech, David J. Rugg

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Proceedings Of A Symposium On Sustaining Rangeland Ecosystems, W. Daniel Edge, Sally L. Olson-Edge

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Does Competition Drive Community Structure? An Analysis Of Grasshopper Competition, H. Joseph Lachowski

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

lnterspecific competition has been broadly defined as a negative-negative relationship between species that share a limiting resource. The impact of competition on ecological communities is a widely debated topic (Schoener 1982). Thus community structure is very complex and, in addition to competition, can be influenced by many factors, including climate, disease, parasites, and predation (Hairston et al. 1960; Stower & Greathead 1969; Wiens 1977). The importance of competition depends upon the importance of other processes (Welden & Slauson 1986).

The Effect Of Climate And Spittlebug (Aeneolamia Albofasciata) On Buffelgrass (Cenchrus Ciliaris L.) Productivity In The Sonoran Desert, Martha H. Martin-Rivera

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I conducted field studies during 1984-1988 to determine how (1) precipitation amount and distribution affect buffelgrass [Cenchrus ciliaris L. (Link) l productivity, (2) summer rainfall amount and distribution and temperature influenced the spittlebug (Aeneolamia albofasciata Lalleman) life cycle, and (3) summer burning affects spittlebug densities and buffelgrass productivity.

Experiment I was conducted from 1985 through 1988. Forage samples collected at 15-day intervals were separated into live, recent-dead standing, old-dead standing, and litter. There was a positive relationship between the summer precipitation and the live biomass. Recent-dead standing and old-dead standing decomposed during the summer, fall, or spring.

Experiment …

A Walk On The Wild Side: Conceptual Master Plan And Vegetation Management Plan For The Ogden Nature Center, Beth G. Pyle

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

This report provides an introduction describing: 1) Ogden Nature Center site planning history; 2) background of the problem a) lack of a conceptual master plan which responds to current management objectives, b) lack of a vegetation management plan, and; 3) thesis objectives and methodology for the creation of conceptual master plan and vegetation management plan for the Ogden Nature Center. Chapter 2 presents a written discussion of the Ogden Nature Center site inventory drawings and site analysis. Chapter 3 delineates strategies for management of weedy vegetation including; a general discussion of management techniques, general criteria for the selection of weedy …

Factors Influencing The Rates, Processes And Magnitude Of Accumulation Of Carbon In Desert Soils, United States, National Aeronautics And Space Administration

Natural Resources-Planning, Management, and Conservation

In 1991, the Soil Landscape Climate Program (SLCP) was organized as part of the Solid Earth Sciences Program at NASA. Part of the research to be conducted in the SLCP included studies of the systematics of carbon storage and flux in the terrestrial environment, specifically terrestrial soils. This report summarizes the results of the research funded through the SLCP that supported our efforts focussed on the nature of carbon behavior in arid environments, where the majority of the carbon is present as inorganic carbon stored as pedogenic carbonate in desert calcic soils.

Hydraulic Lift And Soil Nutrient Heterogeneity, Martyn M. Caldwell, John H. Manwaring

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

Water released at night from roots into upper portions of the soil profile in the process of hydraulic lift may contribute to reducing spatial soil nutrient heterogeneity. A manipulative field experiment was conducted in a semiarid shrub stand to determine if circumvention of hydraulic lift, by nighttime illumination of the shrub canopy, would result in greater soil nutrient heterogeneity than if the hydraulic lift process was allowed to operate. Nutrient-enriched patches were superimposed on the existing soil heterogeneity and after 40 days, the patches and interspaces were sampled for ions of different mobility and for root mass. There was no …

Stratospheric Ozone Reduction, Solar Uv-B Radiation And Terrestrial Ecosystems, Martyn M. Caldwell, Stephan D. Flint

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

Stratospheric ozone reduction is occurring and will continue to increase in magnitude into the next century. Yet, the consequences for terrestrial ecosystems of the increased solar W-B (280-320 nm) radiation resulting from total column ozone reduction are not understood. Based on studies of higher plant response to UV-B, several possible consequences for ecosystems include decreased primary production, altered plant species composition, and altered secondary chemistry with implications for herbivory, litter decomposition and biogeochemical cycles. However, like the assessment of increased atmospheric CO2, extrapolation from studies with isolated plants to ecosystem function is very tenuous at best. Very few UV-B studies …

Sustaining Our Aspen Heritage Into The Twenty-First Century, Charles W. Cartwright, Denver P. Burns

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Population Regulation Of The Jackson Elk Herd, Bruce L. Smith

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Influence Of The Ruminant Digestive Process On The Germinability Of Range Forage Species, Mohammed S. Al-Mashikhi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ingestion and dispersal of seeds of desirable species by domestic livestock is potentially important as a range improvement practice, but the passage of seed by livestock has only been studied in a fragmented way, particularly for species adapted to rangelands of western North America. The objectives of this research were to examine the effects of different periods of exposure to in vitro and in vivo digestion processes in cattle on the germinability of several grass species, and determine if the in vitro incubation technique is a good predictor of seed fate following passage through the ruminant digestive tract.

Seeds of …

Important Pests Of Ornamental Aspen, Fred A. Baker, Karen Shotwell, Diane Alston, Sherman Thomson

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Relationships Among Birds, Willows, And Native Ungulates In And Around Northern Yellowstone National Park, Sally Graves Jackson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although the impacts of livestock and human activities on riparian zones and associated wildlife have been well documented, little is known about the impacts that browsing by large native ungulates such as elk and moose may have. In the northern Yellowstone area, some willow stands experience intense browsing by elk and moose whereas others experience medium or very low amounts of browsing. The objectives of this study were (1) to compare the species and densities of birds among willow stands that have experienced different intensities of browsing by native ungulates, (2) to measure the relationship between five species of birds …

Optimization Of Ranch Management Alternatives In Utah, Scott G. Evans

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the optimum combination of various cattle production, range forage, and crop harvesting alternatives available to ranch owners and managers in Utah. While many promising alternatives are available, determining which alternatives to implement is difficult because the total ranch operation must be considered.

Linear programming (LP) is a tool available to ranch managers which allows the profit maximizing combination of improvements to be easily determined. LP allows ranchers to examine the entire ranch operation and to reduce the amount of risk and uncertainty involved in the decision making process.

The typical Utah ranch …

Dynamic Multi-Species Animal Habitat Modeling With Forest Succession Models, Stephen A. Compton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research determines and demonstrates the ability to simulate dynamic multi-species animal habitat suitability with forest succession models. A literature review of dynamic animal habitat models is presented. The structure of an existing forest simulation model (MASS10) was modified from a basal area-based model to a volume-based model (DYNAM10). The forest model was calibrated using data from permanent-plot growth and vegetation samples collected by USDA Forest Service Forest Survey procedures. The theoretical growth parameters used to simulate stand development were validated. Predictions of DBH and height growth, as well as stand-level behavior, were verified. A subroutine, VEGDYN, was added to …

Effects Of Polyacrylamide On Rangeland Soils And Plants, Saud Leily R. Al-Rowaily

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of two forms of polyacrylamide (PAM) conditioners (Cross-linked and Non-cross-linked PAM) on evaporation, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water retention, crust and crack formation of soils, seed germination, and seedling and tubeling growth.

The two PAM conditioners, 0.2% concentration by weight, were mixed with seven soils of different textures (sandy loam, silt, silty clay loam, silt loam, fine sand, medium sand, and coarse sand) to investigate the effects on evaporation, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water retention. Soil samples of different textures were brought to field capacity and placed in a growth chamber …

Attraction Of Douglas-Fir Beetle, Spruce Beetle And A Bark Beetle Predator (Coleoptera: Scolytidae And Cleridae) To Enantiomers Of Frontalin, B. S. Lindgren

The Bark Beetles, Fuels, and Fire Bibliography

In three separate experiments, Douglas-fir beetles, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins, preferred traps baited with either (S)-(-)- or racemic (R,S)-(±)-frontalin over those baited with the (R)-(+)-enantiomer. Spruce beetles, D. rufipennis (Kirby), appeared to be attracted equally to both the (S)-(-)- and (R)-(+)-enantiomers, but low catches and high variance made interpretation of the data tenuous. For both species racemic frontalin was as attractive as the preferred enantiomer alone. The bark beetle predator,Thanasimus undatulus (Say), was attracted preferentially to (S)-(-)-frontalin over (R)-(+)- or (R,S)-(±)-frontalin in a Douglas-fir stand, while both enantiomers were equally attractive in a spruce stand.

Cliff Lake Bench Research Natural Area: Problems Encountered In Monitoring Vegetation Change On Mountain Grasslands, Walter F. Mueggler

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Armillaria Root Rot In The Canadian Prairie Provinces, K. I. Mallett

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Raptors And Racing Pigeons: An Analysis Of Avian Predation On Domestic Pigeons, James B. Armstrong

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Relationships among pigeons, raptors, and man are well documented. However, there has been little effort to study the conflict between pigeon fanciers and raptors that prey upon racing pigeons. A questionnaire concerning the characteristics of raptor predation on pigeons was distributed to members of the American Racing Pigeon Union (ARPU). Three hundred and sixty-seven responses were received from ARPU members in 39 states. Cooper's hawks were the most often implicated raptor. Lofts located at the edge of wooded areas experienced the most attacks (n = 182). Most fanciers (n = 154) indicated that raptor attacks were distributed throughout …

Landowner Attitudes Regarding Pennsylvania's Extended Antlerless Deer Season On Deer-Damaged Farms, Robert C. Boyd, William L. Palmer

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

The Pennsylvania Game Commission authorized an extension of the 1990-91 antlerless white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) season to reduce deer abundance on farms having excessive crop damage. A mail survey of the 574 participating landowners was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the program. After 2 mailings 93% (n = 531) responded, and 444 returns had complete information for numbers of hunters, hectares, and harvested deer. Based on landowner responses, an estimated 2,674 deer were harvested by 35,181 hunters on 58,525 ha. An average of 4.6 deer were harvested/km² of huntable land, which compared to a statewide …

Perspectives On Wildlife Nuisance Control: Results Of A Wildlife Damage Control Firm's Customer Survey, Lynn A. Braband, Kevin D. Clark

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Customers of Critter Control, Inc. offices were surveyed in 1990 and 1991 to examine their views and experiences with nuisance wildlife. Most of the survey respondents were having problems with raccoons (Procyon lotor), squirrels (Sciurus spp.), skunks (Mephitis mephitis), woodchucks (Marmata monax), and moles (Talpidae). Approximately 25% of the respondents attempted to control the nuisance situation themselves before contacting Critter Control. Most customers approved of the lethal control of rats/mice (Muridae), moles, snakes, bats (Chiroptera), pigeons (Columba livia), and skunks. Most disapproved of the lethal control of deer (Odocoileus spp.), …

Public Involvement In Wildlife Damage Management: The Situation In Wisconsin, Scott R. Craven

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Wisconsin currently supports record populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Canada geese (Branta canadensis), and wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). These species are real or perceived causes of substantial wildlife damage, and many sectors of the public (i.e., farmers, motorists, suburbanites, etc.) are impacted. Thus public interest, both in a broad sense and in the form of special interest groups, is intense.

Pen Tests Of Methyl Anthranilate As A Bird Repellent In Water, Richard A. Dolbeer, Larry Clark, Paul P. Woronecki, Thomas W. Seamans

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Two commercial (ReJeX-iT^® brand) formulations of methyl anthranilate (MA), at concentrations of 0.10-0.50% (0.06-0.32% active ingredient [a.i.]), were highly effective in repelling mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) from pools of water in pen tests. For mallards, pool entries and bill contacts with water in MA-treated pools were 1.4 and 4.0% of the levels in untreated pools during a 2-choice test, and 4.2 and 8.8% of the levels in untreated pools during a 1-choice test. For gulls, the repellency levels were even higher, with activity levels in treated pools being < 1% of levels in untreated pools during 1-and 2-choice tests. We recommend further pen tests to determine minimum effective concentration levels and a field test to determine responses of free-ranging birds.

Modification Of Raccoon Food Resources In Parks To Reduce Rabies Risks To Humans, Stephen C. Frantz

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

In May 1990, the mid-Atlantic raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies epizootic crossed New York State's southern border. By the end of the year, 84 rabid raccoons had been identified from a 400-km "front" in the State's southern tier of counties. By about mid-February 1991, the number of confirmed rabid raccoons increased to 134. Major metropolitan areas are threatened and predictions for the future indicate a pressing need for information and services by various government agencies. High-risk areas currently are park camp grounds, but will be extended as the outbreak progresses to include urban parks and those residential communities having …

A Cost-Effective Method For Applying And Removing Bird-Exclusion Netting In Commercial Vineyards, Lawrence D. Fuller-Perrine, Mark E. Tobin

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Bird-exclusion netting can be highly effective for reducing bird damage to agricultural crops, but the high cost of materials and perceived difficulty of applying and removing it has discouraged many growers from using this technique. The expectation of extensive damage to a high-value crop may warrant the implementation of costly protection measures such as bird-exclusion netting. During 1987, we evaluated a method for applying and removing bird-exclusion netting in 4 commercial vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island, New York. The method involved altering a hydraulically-operated, front-end bucket-loader to accommodate loading and applying 5.2-m-wide nets directly over rows of …

Effects Of Chronological Deer Damage On Corn Yields, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Jan R. Hygnstrom, Kurt R. Vercauteren, Nancy S. Foster, Susan B. Lembezeder, Dale J. Hafer

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

To examine the relationship between the timing of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage and subsequent yields of field corn, we conducted 2 studies in 2 cornfields in eastern Nebraska during 1989 and 1991.

United Conservation Alliance, Laurence R. Jahn

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

We gather here and reflect on successes in wildlife conservation, restoration, and management; and make plans for more beneficial actions. Significant achievements have been made in public education and wildlife management, as shown by increases in some wildlife populations. But a continuing pressing challenge involves responding to some wildlife population declines, as well as wildlife damage and nuisance situations, as the human population increases and dominates the landscape.

Ecological Considerations In The Management Of Wildlife Damage, Robert K. Swihart

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Strategies for managing wildlife damage may be divided into 3 broad categories: direct manipulation of populations, manipulation of behavioral or ecological traits of pest species, and manipulation of environmental features. For each of these categories, I review the importance of ecological considerations in determining the effectiveness of management strategies. Proper incorporation of ecological information is important to the success of management strategies in all 3 categories. I predict that future demands will increase for ecologically-based strategies that require minimal intervention, and for integration of management strategies that simultaneously address problems posed by both vertebrate and invertebrate pests. Several recent ecologically-based …