Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons^™

Current Status Of The Khulan (Equus Hemionus) In The Trans-Altai Gobi, Enkhbileg Dulamtseren, Adiya Yadamjav, Dovchindorj Ganbold, Mijidorj Batmunkh

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Since 1975, 25 wildlife surveys have been conducted in the Trans-Altai Gobi. In this paper we summarize results from the last 11 surveys, conducted between October 2000 and April 2005, and discuss our findings together with results from previous surveys.

Assessment Of Non-Metric Skull Characters And Age Determination In The Asiatic Wild Ass Equus Hemionus: A Methodological Approach, Hermann Ansorge, Annegret Stubbe, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Michael Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The report presents the first information on the use of non-metric skull characters and age determination by tooth section for Asiatic wild asses. It was initiated by a collection of more than 400 skulls of the Asiatic wild ass from the Bordzongijn-Gobi 2002-2004. The methodological overview gives a first research prospect in Asiatic Wild Ass concerning the use of non-metric skull characters as a morphological tool for assessing genetic variability, determining epigenetic divergences and evaluating fluctuating asymmetry. The time course of tooth eruption and replacement in the Asiatic wild ass is described with regard to its use for age determination. …

Territorial Behaviour Of Kiang (Equus Kiang Moorcroft, 1841) In Ladakh (India), Natalia V. Paklina, Chris Van Orden

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The observations of kiang behavior were made in Navokar Valley northeast of Tso Kar Lake (Ladakh, India) between July 30 and November 22, 2001. In the breeding season (end of July until the end of August) adult kiang males kept not overlapping, protected territories (about 10 km²), and marked by single defecation and urination marks. There were adult females with and without offspring on the territories (up to 12 animals, including the male). The distance between male and females on the territories was usually hundred times bigger, then a distance between stallion and his harem in horses. Females …

Semi-Wild Population Of Kulans In The Bukhara Breeding Centre And Their Co-Habitation With Przewalski’S Horses, Karim Bahloul, Olga B. Pereladova, Natalia V. Soldatova, Ekaterina V. Sidorenko, Antoine J. Sempere

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Asiatic wild asses and Przewalski's horses initially inhabited steppe, semi-desert and desert areas, but Przewalski's horses became extinct in the wild, and kulans are under threat of disappearance. The Bukhara Breeding Centre (Uzbekistan) was created in 1976 for conservation and reintroduction of wild ungulate species. In 1977-1978, five kulans (two males and three females) from Barsa-Kelmes Island on the Aral lake were introduced to the reserve. The group increased to 25-30 animals in 1995-1998, when five Przewalski's horses from Moscow and St. Petersburg zoos were introduced to the same territory. We analyzed the home ranges, preferred habitats and social interactions …

Social Networks In Wild Asses: Comparing Patterns And Processes Among Populations, Daniel I. Rubenstein, Siva Sundaresan, Ilya Fischhoff, David Saltz

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Asiatic wild asses inhabit some of the most arid environments in the world. All live in fissionfusion societies, but demography varies and the deserts in which they live often differ in subtle ways. Characterizing details of social structure of wild ass populations has been a challenge and has made it difficult to determine causes and consequences of any differences that might exist. We use network theory to compare the social structures of two populations of Asiatic asses/ onagers inhabiting the Negev desert, Israel and khur of the Little Rann of Kuch, India and show that populations differ in important structural …

An Overview On The State Of Equus Hemionus In Whole China, Weikang Yang

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The wild ass in China is divided into two species: Gobi khulan (Equus hemionus) and kiang (Equus kiang). Maps and charts of the distribution and population sizes in China and Mongolia of each species are shown from the 1980s through the early 2000s.

Possible Use Of Foresight, Understanding, And Planning By Wolves Hunting Muskoxen, L. David Mech

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

On Ellesmere Island in 2006, arctic wolves (Canis lupus arctos) were observed making a two-pronged approach to a herd of muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and, on another occasion, ambushing muskoxen. Both observations seemed to provide evidence that the wolves were using foresight, understanding, and planning. Although the possible use of insight and purposiveness has been documented in captive wolves, the present report is one of the few to document the possibility that freeranging wolves use these other three mental processes.

En 2006, sur l’île Ellesmere, des loups arctiques (Canis lupus arctos) ont été observés en …

Annual Arctic Wolf Pack Size Related To Arctic Hare Numbers, L. David Mech

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

During the summers of 2000 through 2006, I counted arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos) pups and adults in a pack, arctic hares (Lepus arcticus) along a 9 km index route in the area, and muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) in a 250 km² part of the area near Eureka (80° N, 86° W), Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada. Adult wolf numbers did not correlate with muskox numbers, but they were positively related (r² = 0.89; p < 0.01) to an arctic hare index. This is the first report relating wolf numbers to non-ungulate prey.

Pendant les étés 2000 à 2006, j’ai compté les jeunes loups arctiques et les adultes (Canis lupus arctos …

Eastward Ho: Phylogeographical Perspectives On Colonization Of Hosts And Parasites Across The Beringian Nexus [Guest Editorial], Eric Waltari, Eric P. Hoberg, Enrique P. Lessa, Joseph A. Cook

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

The response of Arctic organisms and their parasites to dramatic fluctuations in climate during the Pleistocene has direct implications for predicting the impact of current climate change in the North. An increasing number of phylogeographical studies in the Arctic have laid a framework for testing hypotheses concerning the impact of shifting environmental conditions on transcontinental movement. We review 35 phylogeographical studies of trans-Beringian terrestrial and freshwater taxa, both hosts and parasites, to identify generalized patterns regarding the number, direction and timing of trans-continental colonizations. We found that colonization across Beringia was primarily from Asia to North America, with many events …

Chlorophacinone Baiting For Belding’S Ground Squirrels, Craig A. Ramey, George H. Matschke, Richard M. Engeman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The efficacy of using 0.01% chlorophacinone on steam-rolled oat (SRO) groats applied in CA alfalfa by spot-baiting/hand baiting around burrow entrances (~11.5 g) to control free-ranging Belding's ground squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi) were compared in 6 randomly assigned square treatment units (TUs). Four TUs were given the rodenticide and 2 treated with placebo bait. Each TU was a 0.4 ha square surrounded by a similarly treated 5.5 ha square buffer zone. Baits were applied on May 13 and re-applied, on May 20 and May 22, after 7 days of un-forecasted cool wet weather greatly reduced their above ground activity. Pesticide (EPA …

Hydrologic Connectivity And The Contribution Of Stream Headwaters To Ecological Integrity At Regional Scales, Mary C. Freeman, Catherine M. Pringle, C. Rhett Jackson

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Cumulatively, headwater streams contribute to maintaining hydrologic connectivity and ecosystem integrity at regional scales. Hydrologic connectivity is the water-mediated transport of matter, energy and organisms within or between elements of the hydrologic cycle. Headwater streams compose over two-thirds of total stream length in a typical river drainage and directly connect the upland and riparian landscape to the rest of the stream ecosystem. Altering headwater streams, e.g., by channelization, diversion through pipes, impoundment and burial, modifies fluxes between uplands and downstream river segments and eliminates distinctive habitats. The large-scale ecological effects of altering headwaters are amplified by land uses that alter …

Evaluation Of Habitat Enhancement Structure Use By Spotted Bass, Stanley L. Proboszcz, Christopher S. Guy

The Prairie Naturalist

Habitat enhancement is a common and effective method used to positively influence fish populations. However, there is a paucity of speciesspecific evaluations of stream habitat enhancement structures for warmwater fishes. We evaluated use of half-log, rootwad enhancement structure, and simulated undercut bank (LUNKERS) by adult and juvenile spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) in natural and experimental streams. Enhancement structures were installed in Otter Creek, Kansas. Adult spotted bass use of natural and enhancement structure was documented weekly during summer and fall of 2001 and 2002 with radiotelemetry. Mean total length (TL) of adult fish was 292 mm (SE = …

Plant Reproductive Allocation Predicts Herbivore Dynamics Across Spatial And Temporal Scales, Tom E. X. Miller, Andrew J. Tyre, Svata M. Louda

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Life-history theory suggests that iteroparous plants should be flexible in their allocation of resources toward growth and reproduction. Such plasticity could have consequences for herbivores that prefer or specialize on vegetative versus reproductive structures. To test this prediction, we studied the response of the cactus bug (Narnia pallidicornis) to meristem allocation by tree cholla cactus (Opuntia imbricata). We evaluated the explanatory power of demographic models that incorporated variation in cactus relative reproductive effort (RRE; the proportion of meristems allocated toward reproduction). Field data provided strong support for a single model that defined herbivore fecundity as a …

Ecophysiology Of Two Native Invasive Woody Species And Two Dominant Warm-Season Grasses In The Semiarid Grasslands Of The Nebraska Sandhills, Kathleen D. Eggemeyer, Tala Awada, David A. Wedin, F. Edwin Harvey, Xinhua Zhou

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Populations of Pinus ponderosa and Juniperus virginiana are expanding into semiarid Sandhills grasslands in Nebraska. To evaluate the physiological basis of their success, we measured the seasonal course of leaf gas exchange, plant water status, and carbon isotope discrimination in these two native trees and two native C₄ grasses (Schizachyrium scoparium and Panicum virgatum). Compared to the trees, grasses had higher net photosynthetic rates (A_net) and water use efficiency (WUE) and more negative predawn and midday water potentials (Ψ) in June and July. While leaf Ψ and rates of leaf gas exchange declined for all …

Artificial Burrows And The Deer Mouse: Do Number Of Entrances Influence Use?, Glennis A. Kaufman, Donald W. Kaufman

The Prairie Naturalist

We examined use of artificial burrows by the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) in mixed grass prairie in north central Kansas. We predicted differential use of burrows, such that the deer mouse would prefer two entrance burrows in non-winter months when predatory snakes were active, but prefer one entrance burrows in winter when cold, windy conditions existed. We installed 20 pairs of artificial burrows (one single entrance and one double entrance) in summer 1988. We examined these burrows on seven dates from autumn 1988 to autumn 1989. All mice (n = 70) used two entrance burrows at least …

Christmas Bird Counts For North Dakota 2005, Robert N. Randall

The Prairie Naturalist

Twenty areas were included in the North Dakota Christmas Bird Counts. One area that had been included during the previous four years was canceJled due to extreme icy conditions and could not be rescheduled.

There were 216 observers in the field and 41 additional participants counting the birds, which visited their feeders. The field observers were out for about 522.25 hours, 109.75 on foot and 412.5 in cars. Feeder watchers added 97.5 hours to the total. The field observers covered 121.2 miles on foot and 5,648.7 miles in vehicles. Some additional effort was spent in six of the areas where …

Bats In A Human-Made Forest Of Central Nebraska, Keith Geluso

The Prairie Naturalist

Increases in wooded habitats have led to expansion in distributions of woodland mammals in the Great Plains. Herein, I report on the occurrence of bats in a human-made forest consisting of over 8,000 hectares in central Nebraska. The forest consisted of monocultures of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), and jack pine (Pinus banksiana). Individuals of the eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) and hoary bat (L. cinereus) were captured in coniferous plantations during summer, and females of both species bore and raised young in the area. …

Observations Of Interactions Between Swift Fox And American Badger [Notes], David E. Ausband, Elizabeth A. Ausband

The Prairie Naturalist

Swift fox (Vulpes velox) and American badger (Taxidea taxus) are sympatric inhabitants of some prairie regions in North America. Although the American badger has been found to prey on swift fox, (Carbyn et al. 1994, Ausband 2005) we report three observations of species interactions made during the summer of 2004 that did not involve predation by the American badger. All three observations are from a reintroduced population of swift fox and occurred on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Glacier County, Montana. The Blackfeet Tribe and Defenders of Wildlife reintroduced 123 captive-reared swift fox from 1998 to 2002 …

Prevalence And Serovars Of Salmonella In The Feces Of Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) In Nebraska, David G. Renter, David P. Gnad, Jan M. Sargeant, Scott E. Hygnstrom

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

To determine the prevalence and serovars of Salmonella in free-ranging deer, we cultured feces from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvested by hunters during a regular firearm season in southeastern Nebraska (USA). We recovered Salmonella from 5 (1%; 95% confidence interval: 0.37– 2.20%) of 500 samples and identified four different Salmonella enterica serovars [Litchfield (1), Dessau (1), Infantis (2), and Enteritidis (1)]. Although the prevalence of Salmonella in free-ranging deer appears to be low, the serovars recovered are known to be pathogenic to humans and animals.

Ecology Of The Missouri River. Progress Report, Dingell-Johnson Project F-75-R-24, Supplement I - Missouri River Creel Survey, Camp Creek To Kansas State Line, 1 April Through 13 October 2006., Gerald Mestl

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

This report describes Missouri River activities and results related to a channelized Missouri River creel survey conducted from 29 March through 10 October 2003. This is the fourth of a planned annual creel survey to be conducted on alternating sections of the channelized Missouri River to measure changes in recreational fishing activity, especially those changes due to large scale habitat restoration efforts. Future reports will contain additional analyses of these data. Anglers spent over 30,000 hours fishing the Missouri River from Camp Creek (rk 883.5) to the Kansas state line (rk 790.2) during the survey period. Effort peaked during the …

Urine-Marking And Ground-Scratching By Free-Ranging Arctic Wolves, Canis Lupus Arctos, In Summer, L. David Mech

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

Urine-marking and ground-scratching were observed in an Arctic Wolf (Canis lupus) pack on Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Canada, during 16 summers between 1986 and 2005. All previously known urination postures and ground-scratching by breeding males and females were seen, and incidence of marking and scratching was greatest when non-pack wolves were present. Observations of urine-marking of food remains supported the conclusion from a captive Wolf study that such marking signals lack of edible food.

Parelaphostrongylus Odocoilei In Columbia Black-Tailed Deer From Oregon, Jack A. Mortenson, Arthur Abrams, Benjamin M. Rosenthal, Detiger Dunams, Eric P. Hoberg, Robert J. Bildfell, Richard L. Green

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Documenting the occurrence of Parelaphostrongylus odocoilei has historically relied on the morphological examination of adult worms collected from the skeletal muscle of definitive hosts, including deer. Recent advances in the knowledge of protostrongylid genetic sequences now permit larvae to be identified. Dorsal-spined larvae (DSLs) collected in 2003–2004 from the lung and feces of six Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) from Oregon were characterized genetically. The sequences from unknown DSLs were compared to those from morphologically validated adults and larvae of P. odocoilei at both the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA and the mitochondrial cytochrome …

Results Of The Alcoa Foundation-Suriname Expeditions. Xiv. Mammals Of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname, Burton K. Lim, Mark D. Engstrom, Hugh H. Genoways, François M. Catzeflis, Kelly A. Fitzgerald, Sandra L. Peters, Marijem Djosetro, Sandra Brandon, Sutrisno Mitro

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

An inventory of mammals in the vicinity of Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname, incorporated a number of different sampling methods including examining museum voucher specimens, an animal-rescue operation, transect surveys, camera photo-traps, and interviews with local inhabitants. We document a total of 125 mammal species present in the Park. These include ten opossums, five pilosans, four armadillos, 58 bats, eight monkeys, 13 carnivores, one tapir, four artiodactyls, and 22 rodents. Nine of these species are reported for the first time from Suriname: one mouse opossum (Marmosops pinheiroi); one naked-backed moustached bat (Pteronotus gymnonotus); four fruit-eating bats ( …

Celastrina Serotina (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae): A New Butterfly Species From The Northeastern United States And Eastern Canada, Harry Pavulaan, David M. Wright

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

A new light-venter Azure species, Celastrina serotina, is described from the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. The flight period of this univoltine spring species is interpolated (allochrony) between its sympatric congeners, C. lucia Auctorum (not Kirby) and C. neglecta (Edwards). In this regard it is similar to C. neglectamajor Opler & Krizek in the southern Appalachians and C. idella Wright & Pavulaan on the New Jersey coastal plain. In a significant portion of its range, C. serotina larvae feed on eriophyid mite-formed galls on the upper surface of Black Cherry Prunus serotina Ehrh. …

Guide To Nebraska’S Wetlands And Their Conservation Needs: Second Edition, 2005, Ted Lagrange

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

Wetlands — a source of great interest, and at times conflict. Wetlands represent different things to different people. At times they’re viewed as shallow, muddy nuisances while at other times they’re viewed as wonderful, varied and productive assets. This is because wetlands take on many roles as part of a complex and dynamic system. Understanding wetlands and wetland issues requires understanding the complex and varying roles that wetlands can play. To aid in this understanding, this guide defines wetlands, discusses their importance and dynamics, identifies threats and losses, describes conservation programs, and takes an in-depth look at Nebraska’s regional wetland …

Differences In Pah Tolerance Between Capitella Species: Underlying Biochemical Mechanisms, Lis Bach, Annemette Palmqvist, Lene Juel Rasmussen, Valery E. Forbes

Valery Forbes Publications

The polychaete Capitella capitata consists of a species complex within which differences in tolerance to tox­icants have been observed. For example, it has been shown that Capitella sp. S is more sensitive (e.g., in terms of survival, growth and reproduction) to PAH and other stressors than the more opportunistic Capi­tella sp. I, which is able to take up and biotransform the PAH fluoranthene (Flu). In the present study, an in­vestigation was performed to examine whether differences in tolerance between Capitella species sp. I and sp. S are due to differences in biotransformation, measured as the amount of Flu-metabolites produced by …

Ecology Of The Missouri River: Missouri River Creel Survey, Bellevue Bridge To Camp Creek, 3 April Through 29 May 2004, Gerald Mestl

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's strategic plan has stated the following management goal for the Missouri River: Restore, protect, and maintain the diversity of historic Missouri River habitats, resources, and ecosystem functions in order that present and future generations may enjoy consumptive and non-consumptive outdoor recreational opportunities (NGPC 1996). To accomplish this goal the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission identified the following five objectives: • To restore terrestrial and aquatic floodplain habitat types by 2008. This would include old oxbows, chutes, side channels, sand bars, backwaters, wetlands, and other shallow water habitats. To restore ftows that reflect the natural …

Taxonomic Analysis Of The Genus Megisto (Satyridae) In The Eastern United States, Part I: Types, Type Localities, And Taxonomic Relationships Of The Available Names, Ronald R. Gatrelle

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The genus Megisto Hübner, 1819 in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada is currently comprised of the original epithets Papilio eurytus Fabricius, 1775, Papilio cymela Cramer, 1777, Papilio eurytris, Fabricius, 1793, and Neonympha eurytris viola Maynard, 1891. Because the eastern Megisto is considered by some, including the present author, to contain two or more sibling species, the types and type localities of each of these names were studied. Where no type was found and no type locality fixed, typification was established by lectotypification or neotypification and a type locality was fixed. The taxonomic relationship of these taxa were …

The International Lepidoptera Survey Newsletter, April 2005, International Lepidoptera Survey, Kenneth E. Davenport, Ray E. Stanford, Robert L. Langston

International Lepidoptera Survey Newsletter

Contents (pages 1-66)

Title

Flight Periods of California Butterflies for “Resident Species,” Subspecies and Most Strays to the State (2005)

Authors

Kenneth E. Davenport, Ray E. Stanford and Robert L. Langston

Abstract

Normal flight periods and early/late records for resident species, subspecies and regular strays of butterflies of California are presented below.. Many subspecies or populations in the state are distinctive and may prove to merit species recognition by specialists in the future.

Immature Stages Of Estigmene Acrea From Guatemala (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), Jack Harry

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The immature stages of Estigmene acrea Drury are described and figured. The larval host utilized was Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis (cauliflower).