Botany Commons^™

Third Report Of The North Dakota Bird Records Committee: 2004-2005, Dan Svingen, Ron E. Martin

The Prairie Naturalist

Since 1979, North Dakota's bird records committee has collected, evaluated, and archived documentations of rare bird occurrences in the state. In 2004 and 2005, this committee resolved 189 rare bird records. On the basis of these record reviews, six species were ad~ed to the North Dakota state bird list: mottled duck (Anas fulvigula), yellow-billed loon (Cavia adamsii), white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus), little stint (Calidris minuta), glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens), and great black-backed gull (Larus marinus). Four species were added to the list of nesting species within the state: snowy …

Effect Of Drought And Agriculture On Ring-Necked Pheasant Abundance, Nebraska Panhandle, Charles J. Randel Iii

The Prairie Naturalist

The objectives of my study were to detennine the effects of drought (e.g., Palmer Modified Drought Severity Index; PMDI, Bridges et at. 2001) and/or agricultural practices (e.g., conversion) on RNP abundance in the Nebraska Panhandle (NP).

My RNP survey data were found to be correlated negatively to drought condition (PMDI) in January, February, and April. This was supported by Snyder (1984) and Riley (1995), both of whom reported that decreased precipitation in spring affected RNP production in the western Great Plains and Iowa, respectively. Late winter and early spring drought affect subsoil moisture and decrease primary production (Kiesselbach et al. …

The Prairie Naturalist Manuscript Submission Guidelines, Christopher N. Jacques, Troy W. Grovenburg, Jonathan Jenks

The Prairie Naturalist

These guidelines present The Prairie Naturalist (PNAT) policies and procedures for submitting scientific manuscripts for consideration for publication. In January 2009, a change in Editorial staff occurred and these guidelines address the ongoing transition and update the online "Suggestions for Contributors" guidelines provided on the PNAT website (http://www.fhsu.edu/biology/pn/prairienat.htm); these instructions supersede all previous guidelines. Tables and appendices are included for common word expressions with superfluous wording, examples of correct format and style guidelines for tables accompanying manuscripts, guidance in properly preparing Research Articles and Notes, citing literature, and mandatory abbreviations for tables, figures and parenthetical expressions.

Common Raven Nests In North Dakota After 100-Year Hiatus, Melvin P. Nenneman, Todd A. Grant, Ron E. Martin

The Prairie Naturalist

Our observations represent the first documented nesting by the common raven in North Dakota since the late 1800's. Houston (1977) suggested that the expansion of the American crow onto the Canadian prairies was limited by the scarcity of trees for nest sites, which also might have limited the extent of the common raven. Aspen woodland has increased substantially in and around J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge since European settlement, due primarily to fire suppression and extirpation of large herbivores (Grant and Murphy 2005). Thus, plausibly these increases in woodland habitat might be providing nest sites necessary for the common …

Factors Associated With Duck Use Of Impounded And Natural Wetlands In Western South Dakota, Jane E. Austin, Deborah A. Buhl

The Prairie Naturalist

Many wetlands in the northern Great Plains west of the Missouri River are stock ponds, created by impoundment of natural drainages or excavation of existing wetlands to provide water for livestock or improve habitat for waterfowl. We evaluated factors influencing use of wetlands by breeding duck pairs and broods relative to modification, water regime, size, and hydrological location on United States Forest Service lands within the Grand River National Grassland in northern South Dakota (2003 and 2004). Responses for both indicated pairs and broods were related positively to wet area, total wetland area within 4 km, emergent edge cover, and …

Brood Parasitism In A North American Population Of White-Faced Ibis, Mark E. Clark

The Prairie Naturalist

In 2007 while monitoring reproductive success among various overwater nesting birds at J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota, I observed parasitism of a white-faced ibis nest by a cattle egret. I located a nest on 23 May 2007 that contained four white-faced ibis eggs and one cattle egret egg. The nest was located in the middle of a small colony of nesting white-faced ibis (approximately 35 pairs) and black-crowned night herons (approximately 30 pairs). On 3 June 2007 all of the eggs were still present in the nest, but two of the white-faced ibis eggs began hatching …

A Case Study Of A Successful Lake Rehabilitation Project In South-Central Nebraska, Peter J. Spirk, Brad Newcomb, Keith D. Koupal

The Prairie Naturalist

Cottonmill Lake, a 17.4 ha impoundment located in Buffalo County, Nebraska, was a fishery dominated by common carp (Cyprinus carpio). As a result of the poor sportfish populations, angler participation in May and June of 1993 was low (503 ± 210 angler hours) and angler catch rates for all fish species (0.5 ± 0.4 fish/angler hour) was less than desired. In 1995, before rehabilitation, bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) trap net catch per unit effort (CPUE) was 1.5 ± 0.9, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) catch per hour of electrofishing was 8.0 ± 0.5, and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) …

The Prairie Naturalist. Volume 40, No. 3/4 September/December 2008, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

WINTERKILL AND BIOMASS OF THE PAINTED TURTLE IN A SOUTH DAKOTA WETLAND. S. G. Platt, Z. Fast Horse, W. Cross, S. Mannel, and T. R. Rainwater

NON-BLACKBIRD AVIAN OCCURRENCE AND ABUNDANCE IN NORTH DAKOTA SUNFLOWER FIELDS. O. A. Schaaf, G. M. Linz, C. Ooetkott, M. W. Lutman, and W. J. Bleier

USING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND REMOTE SENSING TO MAP KNOWN AND POTENTIAL PRAIRIE-CHICKEN DISTRIBUTION IN KANSAS. M. E. Houts, R. O. Rodgers, R. D. Applegate, and W. H. Busby

A CASE STUDY OF A SUCCESSFUL LAKE REHABILITATION PROJECT IN SOUTH-CENTRAL NEBRASKA. P. J. Spirk, B. A. Newcomb, and K. O. …

Non-Blackbird Avian Occurrence And Abundance In North Dakota Sunflower Fields, Dionn A. Schaaf, George M. Linz, Curt Doetkott, Mark W. Lutman, William J. Bleier

The Prairie Naturalist

Sunflower fields are well-documented as foraging habitat for fallmigrating blackbirds (Family Icteridae). There is, however, a paucity of information on the use of sunflower fields by non-blackbirds. We assessed non-blackbird use of 12 ripening sunflower fields in the Prairie Pothole Region of central North Dakota. From mid-August to mid-October 2000, we counted 4,129 individual birds, consisting of 22 families and 61 species, in the sample fields and within 5 m of the field edges. We saw the largest number of birds from 18 September to 27 September. The Family Emberizidae (sparrows) accounted for 26% of the species and 20% of …

Winterkill And Biomass Of The Painted Turtle In A South Dakota Wetland, Steven G. Platt, Zannita Fast Horse, Warren Cross, Sylvio Mannel, Thomas R. Rainwater

The Prairie Naturalist

Winterkill occurs when drought conditions expose hibernating turtles to desiccation and lethaly cold temperatures. Winterkill is thought to represent a major source of mortality in northern populations of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta), but few field observations are available. We herein reported on catastrophic winterkill among western painted turtle (C. pieta bellii) at Limestone Butte Lake (LBL) in western South Dakota during the winter of 2003-2004. Additionally, we used the carcasses of winterkilled turtles (n = 86) to estimate the standing crop biomass of the painted turtle at LBL (0.6 kg/ha). This was the only estimate …

Using Local Knowledge And Remote Sensing To Map Known And Potential Prairie-Chicken Distribution In Kansas, Michael E. Houts, Randy D. Rodgers, Roger D. Applegate, William H. Busby

The Prairie Naturalist

The greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) and lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) have experienced considerable fluctuations in their range and distribution over time. Having current range maps would help wildlife managers and policy makers with decisions regarding prairie-chicken habitat. To create an updated and accurate map of the Kansas prairie-chicken range, a two-pronged approach was implemented. First, a map of potential habitat was created by using known habitat preferences and avoidance factors. Second, a preliminary map showing the distribution of greater and lesser prairie-chickens was created and mailed to regional experts for comments and edits. The returned edits …

Nest Site Preference And Nesting Success Of Upland Sandpiper On Grazing Systems In East Central North Dakota-, Blane A. Klemek

The Prairie Naturalist

require ranchers to move their cattle throughout the range from one paddock to another, thereby allowing formerly grazed paddocks to regenerate. This is beneficial in a number of ways: overgrazing is reduced, cattle weight-gains are improved, suitable nesting cover for ground nesting birds is produced, and the overall health of the grassland is enhanced (Sedivec and Barker 1991). The objectives of my study were to investigate nesting success of the upland sandpiper as a function of grazing regime. Specifically, I was interested in comparing nesting success between RGS and non-rotational grazing systems (NRGS) and to examine relationships between nest site …

Semi-Melanistic White-Tailed Deer In Northern Wisconsin, Christopher N. Jacques, Keith R. Mccaffery, Jonathan Jenks, John T. Baccus

The Prairie Naturalist

Melanistic color morphs of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are differentiated from other recognized color morphs by having uniform black hairs on the dorsal surface with subdued black hairs on the ventral surface, dark face and ears, a distinctive mid-dorsal stripe extending from the head to the apex of the tail, and a tail with black dorsally and white ventrally (Baccus and Posey 1999). Melanism results from the overproduction of the skin pigment melanin and is considered rare in white-tailed deer populations (Severinghaus and Cheatum 1956, Sauer 1984, Smith et al. 1984). Semi-melanistic deer have the same dark pelage …

The Prairie Naturalist 2008, Volume 40: Reviewers, Author Index, & Subject Index

The Prairie Naturalist

No abstract provided.

Paddlefish Egg Deposition In The Lower Yellowstone River, Montana And North Dakota, Shannon E. Miller, Dennis L. Scarnecchia, Steven R. Fain

The Prairie Naturalist

We used passive egg collectors during May, June, and July of2003 and 2004 in the lower 50 river kiiometers (rkm) of the Yellowstone River, eastern Montana and western North Dakota, to detect egg deposition by spawning paddle fish (Polyodon spathula). Sampling yielded 292 eggs (46 in 2003 and 246 in 2004). All egg collections in 2003 occurred on the descending limb of the spring hydrograph but 99% of egg collections in 2004 occurred before the spring hydrograph began to descend. Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) in 2004 was about four times that of 2003. A combination of river conditions, in addition …

West Nile Virus Antibodies In Breeding North Dakota Icterids, Jennifer L. Newbrey, Wendy L. Reed

The Prairie Naturalist

Exotic infectious diseases can have devastating effects on the distribution and abundance ofnaYve wildlife species (Friend et al. 2001). West Nile Virus (WNV) is an exotic disease that was introduced into North America in 1999 and has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of birds (Marra et al. 2004). The natural cycle of WNV involves Culex spp. mosquitoes as principle vectors and birds as principle hosts, although humans, horses, and other mammals can become incidental hosts (Lanciotti et al. 2000). Because the virus can be fatal, outbreaks have become a national health concern for the human population, an …

Review Of Basic Texas Birds: A Field Guide By Mark W. Lockwood, Thomas M. Langschied

The Prairie Naturalist

Texas has an incredible diversity of birds. This diversity is a result of its geographic location, size, and diversity of habitats. Given this wealth of birds, there is a wonderful opportunity in Texas for both residents and visitors alike to learn and appreciate the birdlife found there. Basic Texas Birds has been written to provide a foundation for anyone who is either new to bird-watching or has been bird-watching casually for several years. The book covers 161 commonly occurring birds in Texas and includes an additional 23 species that are considered Texas specialty birds, those that occur regularly in Texas …

The Prairie Naturalist. Volume 40, No. 112 March/June 2008, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

LOW REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS OF MALLARDS IN A GRASSLAND-DOMINATED LANDSCAPE IN THE SANDHILLS OF NEBRASKA. J. A. Walker, Z. J. Cunningham, M. P. Vrtiska, S. E. Stephens, and L. A. Powell

USE OF PASSIVE INTEGRATED TRANSPONDERS IN HATCHLING TEXAS HORNED LIZARDS. S. E. Henke

INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE AND DISCHARGE ON REPRODUCTIVE TIMING OF COMMON CARP IN A NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS RIVER. T. Resseguie and S. Kelsch

RAPTOR USE OF ARTIFICIAL PERCHES AT NATURAL AREAS, CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. G. Witmer, M. Pipas, P. Burke, D. Rouse, D. Dees, and K. Manci

WEST NILE VIRUS ANTIBODIES IN BREEDING NORTH DAKOTA ICTERIDS. …

Review Of Oology And Ralph's Talking Eggs By Carrol L. Henderson, Kristin R. Johnson

The Prairie Naturalist

Ralph Handsaker was an Iowan farmer whose "ravenous curiosity" (page 4) about the natural world inspired him to become an oologist, or egg collector. This book tells the story of Handsaker's eggs, contained in two large cabinets that remained hidden in the living room of his boarded-up house after his death in 1969, until they were rediscovered in 2003 and shown to the author, wildlife conservationist, and photographer, Carrol Henderson. Ralph's eggs can "talk" by virtue of Henderson's chronicle-using the eggs as guides-of not only Ralph's own passion for natural history and egg collecting, but also the history of conservation …

Influence Of Temperature And Discharge On Reproductive Timing Of Common Carp In A Northern Great Plains River, Tim Resseguie, Steve Kelsch

The Prairie Naturalist

Reproductive timing of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) was examined in the Red River of the North and compared with environmental factors that might have triggered spawning during 1999 and 2000. We estimated spawn dates for individual common carp larvae collected in the drift by back-calculating from datc of capture and by accounting for developmental stage at capture and water temperature during the period of egg incubation. Reproductive timing was compared with discharge and water temperature to determine which of these likely might be a synchronizing cue for spawning of common carp in the Red River basin. In both years of …

Review Of Roger Tory Peterson: A Biography By Douglas Carlson, Laura Erickson

The Prairie Naturalist

August 28, 2008, marks the centennial of Roger Tory Peterson's birth, and books related to the most prominent naturalist of the twentieth century have been sprouting up everywhere. I was disappointed that Douglas Carlson shied away from examining Peterson's personal life to provide insights into the forces and relationships that shaped, and were shaped by, this man so consumed with birds. Instead, Carlson focuses almost entirely on Peterson's work, writing, "Because his death is so recent, there are many who have a personal investment in his story; beyond a request for an interview, no attempts have been made to invade …

Breeding By The Snowy Plover In North Dakota And South Dakota, Carol Aron, Paul Van Ningten, Michael Rabenberg, Cheryl Jacobs, Greg Pavelka, Ricky D. Olson

The Prairie Naturalist

The snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) is a small shorebird that breeds on unvegetated beaches along coastlines, rivers, and alkaline lakes. In North America, its breeding distribution extends along the coasts of California, Oregon, and southern Washington, where the population is listed as federally threatened (USFWS 1993), and an interior population occurs on wetlands in western and central states and central Mexico (Page et al. 1995). There have been rare breeding reports in Montana, Wyoming, and Saskatchewan (Page et al. 1995), but no documented breeding records in North Dakota or South Dakota. However, the United States Army Corps of Engineers reported …

Raptor Use Of Artificial Perches At Natural Areas, City Of Fort Collins, Colorado, G. W. Witmer, Michael Pipas, Patrick Burke, David Rouse, Donna Dees, Karen Manci

The Prairie Naturalist

The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) remains a critical element of the prairie ecosystem even though its numbers and occupied range have declined dramatically since the arrival of Europeans in North America (Antol in et al. 2002). Prairie dog colonies are used by many species of wildlife and help maintain high levels of biodiversity (Kotliar et al. 1999). In the urban-suburban setting, the occurrence of prairie dog colonies also provides opportunities for wildlife viewing and environmental education. Unfortunately, prairie dogs also can come into conflict with humans, especially in the urban-suburban setting, where they cause vegetation and property …

Low Reproductive Success Of Mallards In A Grassland-Dominated Landscape In The Sandhills Of Nebraska, Johann A. Walker, Zach J. Cunningham, Mark P. Vrtiska, Scott E. Stephens, Larkin Powell

The Prairie Naturalist

The Sandhills of Nebraska comprise approximately 5,000,000 ha of native grassland interspersed with numerous groundwater-fed wetlands. A substantial population of the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) nests in this region. Previous investigations of nest survival probability of ducks in the Sandhills have estimated surprisingly low rates of nest survival for a grassland-dominated landscape. These investigations were conducted on public lands and most nest searching took place near wetlands where activity of nest predators might be highest. We predicted that mallards would nest at varying distances from wetlands and that survival probability of a representative sample of duck nests would increase …

A Watershed Analysis Of Pattee Pond: Implications For Water Quality And Land Use Management, Problems In Environmental Science Course (Biology 493), Colby College, Colby Environmental Assessment Team, Colby College

Colby College Watershed Study: Pattee Pond (2008, 1992)

The Colby Environmental Assessment Team (CEAT) investigated the impact of land use patterns on the water quality of Pattee Pond in Winslow, Maine, during the summer and fall of 2008. Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of water quality were analyzed to evaluate the current health of the lake. Data collected were compared with previous studies conducted by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and CEAT to examine changes in water quality and land use over time. Trends in Pattee Pond water quality suggest an improvement since the 1970s. However, the lake is still experiencing algal blooms resulting from phosphorus …

Use Of Passive Integrated Transponders In Hatchling Texas Horned Lizards, Scott E. Henke

The Prairie Naturalist

The Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) is a Texas state-threatened species and acquisition of data related to the species' ecology is essential. To accomplish this task individual animals need to be marked. Many marking techniques are available for lizards, however the majority of techniques have been tested on adults only. Studies involving hatchling and juvenile horned lizards are scarce due to problems associated with marking and relocating individuals in these age classes. I demonstrated that injection of passive integrated transponders (PIT's) can safely be used as a marking method in young Texas horned lizards. Thirty-two captive bred hatchling lizards were …

Mortality Of An American Marten From An Off-Highway Vehicle, Joshua B. Smith, Jonathan A. Jenks

The Prairie Naturalist

While there are several reviews of the effects of OHVs and recreational activity on wildlife populations (Knight and Gutzwiller 1995, Joslin and Youmans 1999), most studies have focused on physiological (Creel et al. 2002) or behavioral (Van Dyke et al. 1986, Riley et al. 2003) responses to disturbance; none have addressed the potential for direct mortality. In 2005, we documented the death from an OHV of a juvenile, female American marten (F299) that had been radiocollared during a study documenting the distribution and abundance of American marten in the Black Hills, South Dakota (Smith 2007); the Institutional Animal Care and …

Sex-Specific Feeding Rates And Provisioning Of Fruit To Nestling Bell's Vireo, Greg H. Farley

The Prairie Naturalist

Provisioning of fruit to nestlings and possible sex-specific differences in feeding rate have not been reported for Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii; Brown 1993). While studying nesting ecology of Bell's vireo on Konza Prairie Biological Station, Geary and Riley counties, Kansas, I quantified feeding rate by sex and food type delivered to nestlings. Sex was determined by capturing adults with mist-nets and inspecting for a cloacal protuberance, as well as conducting behavioral observations of uniquely-marked individuals. Males sing regularly while moving around territories, as well as during incubation (Nolan 1960). I assigned "female" to the individual in these socially …

The Prairie Naturalist, Volume 39, No. 2 June 2007

The Prairie Naturalist

USING DISTANCE SAMPLING TO ESTIMATE DENSITIES OF WHlTE-TAILED DEER IN SOUTH-CENTRAL MINNESOTA, M. A. LaRue, C. K. Nielsen, and M. D. Grund

BURROWING OWL ASSOCIATIONS WITH BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG COLONIES IN SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS AND SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO, S. L. Winter and J. F. Cully, Jr.

OPTIMAL FORAGING IN EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: FOOD SIZE MATTERS FOR A GENERALIST FORAGER, R. Tatina

IN MEMORIAM: ROBERT N. RANDALL. C. Talkington

Editor's Note regarding Christmas Bird Count

OCCURRENCES OF SMALL MAMMAL SPECIES IN A MIXEDGRASS PRAIRIE IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA, R. K. Murphy, R. A. Sweitzer, and J. D. Albertson

SILPHIDAE (INSECTA: COLEOPTERA) COLLECTED IN …

Burrowing Owl Associations With Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Colonies In Southwestern Kansas And Southeastern Colorado, Stephen L. Winter, Jack F. Cully Jr.

The Prairie Naturalist

We quantified the use of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies as habitat for the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) in southwestern Kansas and southeastern Colorado. We used incidental sightings and breeding season avifauna surveys to document the presence of the burrowing owl on black-tailed prairie dog colonies, non-colonized rangeland, and cropland during the spring and early summer. Burrowing owl rarely was observed on noncolonized rangeland and cropland sites, and black-tailed prairie dog colonies appear to be used substantially as a habitat type for the burrowing owl in the region encompassing Cimarron and Commanche National Grasslands in …