Population Biology Commons^™

Observations On A 40-Year January Bird Census In Boone County, Nebraska, 1978–2017, Wayne Mollhoff

Zea E-Books Collection

For 40 years Wayne Mollhoff conducted a personal bird census every January. He explains: "After having run several Breeding Bird Survey routes, and participated in several Christmas Bird Counts, I became curious to see what might be found on a winter count under the more tightly controlled parameters of a census, as contrasted with Christmas counts done with variable numbers of observers."

The count was set up similarly to the USGS Breeding Bird Survey routes with 50 stops, one-half mile (800 meters) apart, all birds counted for 3 minutes, with birds counted at one stop not counted again at following …

Pronghorn Survival And Resource Selection In Western Nebraska's Agriculturally Dominated Landscape, Katie Piecora

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nebraska’s pronghorn population has been stable over the last decade, yet their presence on the landscape remains a contentious subject amongst private landowners. Conversion of grassland for crop production and increased anthropogenic activity has drastically altered pronghorn behavior throughout their current range, however basic ecology and resource use by pronghorn in Nebraska remains poorly understood. Establishing baseline population metrics and seasonal patterns of resource use for this population at the eastern periphery of the species range is critical to guide management actions. We deployed GPS collars on 110 adult pronghorn to quantify survival, mortality risk, and seasonal resource selection in …

The Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys Volans) In Lincoln, Nebraska, Melissa J. Panella, Shaun M. Dunn, Thomas E. Labedz, Hugh H. Genoways

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) is considered a species of greatest conservation need in Nebraska and listed as threatened in the state. Historically, the geographic range of the southern flying squirrel in Nebraska has been restricted to five eastern counties from a northern suburb of Omaha, Douglas Co., southward in the four counties of Sarpy, Otoe, Nemaha, and Richardson, all bordering the Missouri River on the east. In late November of 2018, a resident of Lincoln, Lancaster Co., Nebraska, contacted the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission about an animal found dead in his yard. This animal proved …

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 …

One Step Closer To A Better Starling Trap, James R. Thiele

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive species in the United States that damage agriculture, personal property, and threaten human health and safety. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services provides technical support to mitigate damage by controlling starling populations at concentrated animal feeding operations, landfills, utilities, and urban areas. Wildlife Services uses DRC-1339, a registered toxicant, to reduce starling populations. Trapping can also be an effective tool but requires more time at a higher cost than DRC-1339. Trapping starlings, however, may be needed to provide a viable alternative to mitigate damage in areas where toxicant use may …

Hitching A Ride: First Record Of A Least Chipmunk (Tamias Minimus) In Eastern Nebraska, Keith Geluso, Michael L. Forsberg

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

On 10 October 2016, a Least Chipmunk (Tamias minimus) was discovered in a residential area of Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. The closest populations of Least Chipmunks reside > 640 km to the west in northwestern Nebraska and southeastern Wyoming. The most parsimonious explanation for this unusual observation is that the chipmunk was transported to the city by humans. A likely scenario is that the chipmunk hitched a ride to Lincoln in a motor vehicle on 2 October 2016, when one of us drove 1500 km in a single day from Jackson, Teton County, Wyoming, after residing in that area …

Longevity Of Mineral Supplements Within The Soil And Associated Use By White-Tailed Deer, Brian C. Peterson, Keith D. Koupal, Andrew K. Schissel, Cody M. Siegel

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Humans have baited wildlife such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) for generations with the primary purpose of increasing hunting harvest success. Baiting regulation changes are often considered by state management agencies as they pertain to hunting opportunity, fair chase, and disease risk. Cervids require a variety of minerals to supplement biological processes, especially sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and phosphorus (P). We developed artificial mineral supplement sites set in front of trail cameras to monitor deer use. Pooled soil samples were collected at mineral sites and compared to the surrounding area to determine the longevity of elevated minerals levels …

Distributional Expansion Of The Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon Hispidus) Into Dawson County, Nebraska, Jennifer D. Frisch, Keith Geluso, Joseph T. Springer

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

In the last century, the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) has moved northward in central parts of the United States, reaching Nebraska in the late 1950s. Recent surveys demonstrate Hispid Cotton Rats inhabit counties across southern parts of Nebraska south of the Platte River. Herein, we report on captures of S. hispidus from a new county (Dawson County), its seasonal occurrence at our study site, and the first known record of the Hispid Cotton Rat north of channels of the Platte River. Our captures represent one of the northern-most records in Nebraska.

Exploitation Of Channel Catfish In Nebraska Flood-Control Reservoirs, Christopher Lee Wiley

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, is a popular sportfish in North America, and is the third most-sought fish species in Nebraska. Exploitation rates of channel catfish populations have been estimated to be substantial in states neighboring Nebraska. Despite the popularity of channel catfish, little is known about the exploitation of channel catfish populations in Nebraska. The objectives of this study were to estimate the exploitation rates of channel catfish populations, identify the length bias of angling for channel catfish, and identify the self-imposed length limits for channel catfish at flood-control reservoirs of Nebraska. The software package Program Mark was used to …

The Birds Of Nebraska, Revised Edition 2013, Paul A. Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

This summary of the birds of Nebraska has been restricted to those species that have been convincingly reported at least once in Nebraska from historic time to the present. It has also been modified in its current revision to conform very closely in that regard to the most recent Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union’s “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska” (Brogie, 2010; NOU Records Committee, 2011 and annual updates). The N.O.U.’s official state list of birds (455 species as of 2013, including 329 “regular” species, 42 of “casual” occurrence, 68 accidentals, and six extinct or extirpated species) is based on actual …

Historical Biogeography Of Nebraska Pronghorns (Antilocapra Americana), Justin D. Hoffman, Hugh H. Genoways, Rachel R. Jones

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

Archeological and paleontological records indicate that the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) have a history of at least 20,000 years of occurrence within the current boundaries of Nebraska. Pronghorns occurred throughout the state for much of its history. With the evidence at hand we concluded that the eastern boundary of the geographic distribution of the pronghorn south of the Niobrara River in Nebraska at the beginning of the 19th century was along the western perimeter of the eastern deciduous forest and tallgrass prairie. This excluded most of the easternmost tier of counties in the state. This geographic arrangement persisted throughout …

Sandhill Crane Staging And Whooping Crane Migratory Stopover Dynamics In Response To River Management Activities On The Central Platte River, Nebraska, Usa, Felipe Chavez-Ramirez

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) is a critical stopover for migrating whooping cranes (Grus americana) and the most important staging area for sandhill cranes (G. canadensis) in North America. Due to reduced water flows caused by human activities, the Platte River no longer follows its traditional hydrograph which consisted of high spring flows that produced scouring action that eliminated vegetation. To provide adequate crane roosting habitat during stopover and staging periods, annual and woody vegetation has been mechanically cleared on eastern portions of the CPRV since 1980. Staging sandhill crane riverine roosting area has decreased …

Management Of Lands Along The Platte River Fromelmcreek To Lexington, Nebraska, As Crane Habitat, James J. Jenniges, Mark M. Peyton

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

To meet Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license requirements for the operation of 5 hydroelectric power plants on the North Platte and Platte Rivers in Nebraska, the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) and The Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (Central) together have become the second largest owners and managers of lands for the conservation of endangered species and migratory waterbirds along the central reach of the Platte River. We describe here the management activities on the properties, success of the management in achieving objectives, and the response of sandhill (Grus canadensis) and whooping cranes (G. …

Is Magnitude Of Fat Storage By Spring-Staging Sandhill Cranes Declining In The Central Platte River Valley , Nebraska?, David A. Brandt, Gary L. Krapu

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Proximate analyses of carcasses of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) collected in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV), Nebraska, during spring 1999 indicated a marked decline in fat levels from springs 1978 and 1979. Concern that amounts of fat cranes stored by their spring departures from the CPRV may have further declined prompted this evaluation. For our assessment, we made use of morphological measurements (culmen post nares, tarsus, flattened wing chord) along with body mass on each of 810 sandhill cranes that were collected for proximate analysis or captured with rocket nets at widely distributed sites in the CPRV during 1978-1979 …

Temporal Dynamics And Flock Characteristics Of Sandhill Cranes In The Platte River Valley , Nebraska, Felipe Chavez-Ramirez

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

I gathered information on crane flocks in the Platte River Valley during spring staging of 2002-2004. The objective of
this work was to evaluate hypotheses regarding flock size and formation using sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) flocks observed in
the Platte River Valley. Specifically, I wanted to: (a) evaluate the effect of period of migration, geographical location, and habitat
type on flock size, and (b) evaluate predictions regarding ecological theories of flock formation and behavior based on concentrated
resources, accessibility, social facilitation, and potential predation response. Flock size overall was influenced negatively by period
of migration (P < 0.001) and positively by geographical location (P < 0.01). Total crane abundance (55%) of flocks were located
in corn fields, but …

Is The Annual March Survey Of The Midcontinental San Dhill Crane Population Appropriately Timed To Reliably Estimate Population Size?, Gary L. Krapu, David A. Brandt

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service relies on an annual aerial photo-corrected survey conducted on the fourth Tuesday of March each year in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) and North Platte River Valley (NPRV) of Nebraska to estimate size of the midcontinental population (MCP) of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) to help guide population management. Wide unaccounted for annual fluctuations in survey counts over the past 25 years have raised concerns that many cranes either have left the Platte before the survey, have not yet arrived, or over fly the Platte entirely in some years. As a result, …

A Landscape Perspective Of Whooping Crane Migration Through Nebraska: Conservation And Management Implications, Felipe Chavez-Ramirez, Chris Helzer, Paul Tebbel

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Past and current discussions of conservation of whooping crane (Grus americana) stopover habitat in Nebraska have long been focused on the Platte River. We evaluated the distribution of whooping crane stopover sites in Nebraska in a broader context to (a) determine the distribution of whooping crane stopover sites on the Platte River relative to other landscapes and (b) use whooping migratory behavior data to systematically define and explain patterns of stopover clusters. The distribution of stopover clusters suggests rainwater basin wetlands and the Platte River may be used interchangeably by migrating whooping cranes. The Rainwater Basin and Platte River appear …

Nocturnal Roost Site Selection And Diurnal Habitat Use By Sandhill Cranes During Spring In Central Nebraska, Craig A. Davis

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

During spring 1998 and 1999, the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust conducted ground and aerial surveys of staging sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis; hereafter, cranes) to detennine roost site selection and habitat-use patterns along a l20-Ian stretch of the Platte River in south-central Nebraska. Cranes peaked at 232,023 during 22-28 March 1998 and 206,074 during 28 Februaty-6 March 1999 in the study area, a portion of the total crane staging area in the Platte River Valley. Diurnal observations showed that 48% of the cranes were in com fields, 34% in lowland grasslands, 13% in alfalfa fields, and 5% …

Platte River Cooperative Agreement And Proposed Program: Efforts To Protect, Restore, And Manage Habitat For Whooping Cranes, Least Terns, And Piping Plovers, Clayton Derby, Dale Strickland

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

On 1 July 1997 the states of Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado and the U.S. Department of the Interior signed the "Cooperative Agreement for Platte River Research and Other Efforts Relating to Endangered Species Habitats Along the Central Platte River, Nebraska" (Cooperative Agreement). In the Cooperative Agreement, the four parties set forth a "Proposed Platte River Recovery Implementation Program" (Program). The proposed incremental Program uses adaptive management to provide benefits to whooping cranes (Grus americana), least terns (Sterna albifrons), and piping plovers (Charadrius melodus). The proposed Program will also test the assumption that it is possible …

Tracking Sandhill Crane Migration From Saskatchewan To The Gulf Coast, Dale G. Hjertaas, David H. Ellis, Brian W. Johns, Stacie L. Moon

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Four adult sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis rowani) were captured in east-central Saskatchewan, equipped with transmitters, and tracked by satellite to detennine if their migration routes and wintering areas would allow their use as guide birds to establish a new migratory flock of whooping cranes (G. americana). Two birds captured near Yorkton died or their transmitters were lost before migration. Two adults from the Overflowing River moved to staging areas in southern Saskatchewan in September. By 29 September, Crane A left Saskatchewan and moved to North Dakota where it remained until late October. By 21 December, it …

Population Genetics Of Midcontinent Sandhill Cranes, Jessica L. Petersen, Richard Bischof, Allen L. Szalanski

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Midcontinent Sandhill Crane Population is comprised of 3 subspecies, lesser (Grus canadensis canadensis), Canadian (G. c. rowani), and greater (G. c. tabida) sandhill cranes. In conjunction with the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, we studied the extent of genetic variation between and within each race of the Midcontinent Sandhill Crane Population. DNA was extracted from 150 feather and dried blood samples collected from 1995-99 from sandhill cranes in the Platte River Valley, central Nebraska. Parsimony and maximwn likelihood analysis of the mtDNA D-loop sequences (ca 675 bp amplified using PCR) from 29 …

Availability Of Stopover Habitat For Migrant Whooping Cranes In Nebraska, Dale W. Stahlecker

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Four stratified random samples of 512 National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps within the central Nebraska portion of the Wood Buffalo-Aransas whooping crane (Grus americana) migration corridor were used to evaluate the availability of wetland roost sites. Wetlands were eliminated as potential roosts if visibility was obscured by vegetation or slope, if certain human activities occurred within 100-800 ro, or if water < 30 em deep was not available. Seasonal emergent wetlands, available as roosts primarily in spring, dominated all samples, particularly in the nortb. Sixty-five percent of all wetlands >0.04 ha passed map review and 52 % passed when ground-truthed. NWI map review was a good predictor of both suitability (63 % correct) and unsuitability (73 % correct). More than one-half of all open and emergent …

Do Worm Lizards Occur In Nebraska?, Louis A. Somma

Papers in Herpetology

Amphisbaenids, or worm lizards, are a small enigmatic suborder of reptiles (containing 4 families; ca. 140 species) within the order Squamata, which include~ the more speciose lizards and snakes (Gans 1986). The name amphisbaenia is derived from the mythical Amphisbaena (Topsell 1608; Aldrovandi 1640), a two-headed beast (one head at each end), whose fantastical description may have been based, in part, upon actual observations of living worm lizards (Druce 1910). While most are limbless and worm-like in appearance, members of the family Bipedidae (containing the single genus Bipes) have two forelimbs located close to the head. This trait, and …

The Ecology Of Native Grassland Macroinvertebrates And Feeding Ecology Of Sandhill Cranes, Craig A. Davis, Paul A. Vohs

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The ecology of native grassland macroinvertebrates along the Platte River in central Nebraska and their role in the feeding ecology of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) was examined on 3 native grasslands along the Platte River during late winter-early spring, 1989 and 1990. Four hundred forty-four soil samples from the study area were sorted for macroinvertebrates. Environmental factors such as soil moisture, water table depth, soil texture, and plant species composition were recorded from each soil collection site. Fifteen sandhill cranes, observed feeding for 40 minutes, were collected from 1 of the study areas. Maeroinvertebrates were collected from 4 …

Contaminant Residues In Sandhill Cranes Killed Upon Striking Powerlines In Central Nebraska, Timothy E. Fannin

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

In 1989 and 1990, 58 sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) were collected along the central Platte River in Nebraska during a study of mortality caused by powerline impact. Brains were assayed for acetylcholinesterase activity; gut contents were analyzed for residues of 25 organophosphate and 6 carbamate compounds; and livers were analyzed for 20 inorganics (including lead, mercury, and boron) and 22 organochlorine chemicals. Brain acetylcholinesterase activities appeared to be within normal ranges, and no measurable organophosphate or carbamate residues were found in the gut contents of 5 birds with the lowest brain enzyme activities. Heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane. p,p' -DDE, …

Distribution Of Sandhill Cranes In The North Platte River Valley: 1980 And 1989, Martin J. Folk, Thomas C. Tacha

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We observed the abundance, diurnal distribution, and habitat use of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) in the North Platte River Valley (NPRV) in 1989 for comparisons to similar data from 1979 to 1980. Sandhill cranes traveled farther from nocturnal roosts to diurnal feeding sites and use of the NPRV was lower in 1989 as compared to 1979~80. Presence of cranes in corn stubble and pasture increased from 1980 to 1989, while presence in alfalfa and palustrine wetlands decreased. Plowing of corn stubble fields and drought conditions in 1989 may have influenced crane distribution, abundance, and habitat use.

Temporal Patterns Of Sandhill Crane Roost Site Use In The Platte River, Bradley S. Norling, Stanley H. Anderson, Wayne A. Hubert

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Temporal patterns of daily arrival and departure of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) at roost sites were examined along the Platte River in Nebraska during spring 1990. Departure times were earliest and arrival times were latest during the beginning of the 8taging season (9-21 March). Date within the staging season was the primary variable associated with time of initial departure and arrival, but arrival and departure times were also influenced by climatic factors. Departure times correlated positively with fog and precipitation (P < 0.05) and negatively with air temperature (P < 0.05), whereas arrival times correlated positively with both cloud cover and air temperature (P < 0.05).

Vegetation Patterns In Relation To Topography And Edaphic Variation Nebraska Sandhills Prairie, P. W. Barnes, A. T. Harrison, S. P. Heinisch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Detailed studies on soil texture and moisture retention indicate a close association between edaphic features and the distribution and composition of plant communities along topographic gradients at Arapaho Prairie, a typical, semi-arid Nebraska Sandhills prairie. The vegetation characteristics of three major habitat types (ridge, slope, and valley) and several minor subtypes (swale, stable ridge, and eroding ridge) are recognized and quantitatively described. Texture analysis indicates that the soils of dune slopes and ridges are largely azonal and are very coarse with substantially lower fine fractions (silt-clay ~ 13-15%) than soils of the more lowland swale and valley sites where surfact …

Distributions, Densities, And Relative Abundances Of Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) In A Nebraska Sandhills Prairie, Anthony Joern

Entomology Papers from Other Sources

Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae) represent a conspicuous and often important component of grassland systems (Odum et al. 1962, Smalley 1960, Sinclair 1975, Van Hook 1971, Wiegert 1965). Often, assemblages of grasshoppers are quite diverse and may, on occasion, consume a large fraction of the available vegetation (Hewitt 1977, Hewitt et al. 1976, Mitchell and pfadt 1974). As such, grasshoppers have the potential of being very important in the nutrient and energy flow in grassland ecosystems. However, to understand the impact of grasshoppers at the ecosystem level requires that the densities and fluctuations of populations as well as the species composition of …

Nebraska Deer, William Bailey Jr., George Schildman, Phillip Agee, C. G. Pritchard

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

IN COMMON with the experience of most states, Nebraska's deer herds were reduced to a very low level by excessive harvests in our early history. Most American big-game animals were overharvested in the early history of this nation because of commercialization. Buffalo were killed for their hides, deer for their meat. This slaughter continued as long as the hunter (or poacher) could sell his take at a profit. Modem game management and public opinion reversed this trend. Deer are on the way back all over America, and in some states the protection-complex was so strong that deer were restored to …