Systems Biology Commons^™

Early Winter Feeding On Elm Bark By Eastern Fox Squirrels Near The Western Range Terminus, Dessa K. Montgomery, Raymond S. Matlack

The Prairie Naturalist

Fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) feed on >30 different types of food across their extensive range ~Korschgen 1981) including tree buds, flowers, fruits, seeds, and, on occasion, bark. For a large portion of the year, fox squirrels rely heavily on tree seeds (Koprowski 1991). For three consecutive years (2007-2009), we observed fox squirrels feeding on bark of elm trees ( Ulmus sp.) on the campus of West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas. Squirrels began feeding on bark in late November shortly after leaves had fallen off the trees and continued almost daily throughout the winter. In late February, when …

Vegetation Trends On A Waste Rock Repository Cap In The Northern Black Hills, Andrew C. Korth, Gary E. Larson, Lan Xu, Thomas E. Schumacher

The Prairie Naturalist

We assessed successional trends, long-term vegetation sustainability, and soil surface protection during the 2005-2007 growing seasons on the 32-ha Ruby Gulch Waste Rock Repository cap. The cap consisted of 150 cm of rock and soil covering a polyethylene membrane which in turn covered mining waste rock in order to prevent leaching of heavy metals and acidic water into streams. Following construction in 2003, a contractor applied a grass-forb seed mixture to provide soil-surface protection especially for steeply sloped portions of the cap. In 2005, we established 56, 1-m² plots, and 20, 20-m transects to annually measure canopy cover, basal …

Joint Fire Science Program – Lake Mead National Recreation Area Revegetating Burned Arid Lands: Identifying Successful Native Species Using Trait And Competition Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, Time Period: January 1 — April 30, 2010, Margaret N. Rees

Fire Science

• Article entitled “Competitive Hierarchy of Native Desert Plants with Red Brome (Bromus rubens): Towards Identifying Invasion-Reducing Species" was submitted to the Invasive Plant Science and Management journal
• Maintained nursery plots and added installment of nitrogen treatment.
• Took measurements in nursery (competition) plots and harvested biomass.

29 Years Of Vegetation Community Change Across Environmental Gradients In A Mojave Desert Mountain Range, Christopher L. Roberts, James S. Holland, Scott R. Abella

Graduate Research Symposium (2010 - 2017)

There is a great deal of uncertainty as to how biological communities respond to changes in land use and climate change, a situation particularly relevant in protected areas such as national parks that were designated to conserve specific biological features. Utilizing extant vegetation data sets with repeatable methodology can provide opportunities for insight into previous vegetation change and provide base line data for long-term monitoring projects useful for modeling vegetation community trajectories. We have relocated and resurveyed 106 sites from a vegetation community study initiated in 1979 in the Newberry Mountains, southern Nevada, within Lake Mead National Recreation Area managed …

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Final Project Report, Scott R. Abella, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Vegetation Monitoring and Analysis at Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA) was funded by the Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan, Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program, and Lake Mead NRA base-funds. This Cooperative Task Agreement was awarded to the Public Lands Institute (PLI) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) on September 30, 2006 with the term ending December 31, 2009, as modified. The primary purpose of this Task Agreement was to work within an interagency framework towards the accomplishment of three main vegetation management objectives. These three goals were to: (1) inventory, research …

Biotic Responses To Climate Change In The Great Basin And Mojave Desert: Vegetation, David Charlet, Patrick Leary

2010 Annual Nevada NSF EPSCoR Climate Change Conference

84 PowerPoint slides Convener: Franco Biondi, UNR & Michael Young, DRI Session 4: Ecological Change and Water Resources Abstract: -The Problem -To detect changes in vegetation as it responds to changes in climate, we must first know where the vegetation is now -GAP (Geographic Approach to Protection of Biodiversity) map --National project to map land cover throughout the US. --Nevada map (Edwards et al. 1996) -Southwest ReGAP map --Land cover map for southwestern US (Prior-Magee et al. 2007) to correct problems identified in GAP map

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Western Australian Part Of The Nullarbor Region, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, A K. Gardner, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 2005 and 2007, describes and maps the natural resources of the region. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area's natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The Nullarbor region has …

Joint Fire Science Program – Lake Mead National Recreation Area Revegetating Burned Arid Lands: Identifying Successful Native Species Using Trait And Competition Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, Time Period: October 1 — December 31, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Fire Science

• Article accepted for publication in Journal of Arid Environments.

• Recharged irrigation gel packs for outplanting and watered seed plots at Goodsprings site.

• Completed full year of seed granivory trials at Goodsprings site.

• Presented information on this Task Agreement to 4th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress.

• Maintained nursery plots and added installment of nitrogen treatment.

Patterns Of Bison Hair Use In Nests Of Tallgrass Prairie Birds, Bryan R. Coppedge

The Prairie Naturalist

I examined patterns of bison (Bison bison L.) hair use by passerine birds nesting in the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Osage County, Oklahoma, 2002-2004. I collected and dissected 103 nests of 15 species into their constituent components. Nests were predominately composed of herbaceous material such as grass stems and leaves. Woody material and mud were rarely used. Bison hair was the most prominent zoological material used in nests, with lesser amounts and occurrence of arthropod silk, snake skin, feathers, jack rabbit (Lepus californicus Oray) fur, and man-made materials such as cellophane and string. At least one nest of 13 …

Long Distance Molt Migration By A Giant Canada Goose From Eastern South Dakota, Bobby J. Anderson, Charles D. Dieter

The Prairie Naturalist

To reduce crop damage by resident giant Canada geese (Schaible et al. 2005), the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) initiated a program to reduce goose nesting success in eastern South Dakota. One management tool used by SDGFP personnel was the destruction of giant Canada goose nests. When a giant Canada goose has its nest destroyed, they are known to initiate a molt migration (Mykut 2002, Luukkonen et aI. 2008). We attached Platform Transmitting Terminals (PTT; model ST -19) to document and describe molt migrations of giant Canada geese following nest destruction. We captured 3 adult nesting …

Monitoring Meadows With A Modified Robel Pole In The Northern Black Hills, South Dakota, Daniel W, Uresk, Daryl E. Mergen, Ted A. Benzon

The Prairie Naturalist

We used a modified Robel pole to measure vegetation for a study conducted in the northern Black Hills, South Dakota. Objectives were to determine the relationship between visual obstruction readings and clipped standing herbage, and develop guidelines for monitoring standing herbage. The relationship between visual obstruction readings and standing herbage was linear and regression coefficients were significant (P≤ 0.001). Herbage ranged from 140 to 3313 kg· ha-1 with a mean of 1386 kg· ha^-1 (SE = 320 kg· ha^-1) for 123 transects. Visual obstruction readings (VOR) ranged from 0.6 to 30.4 (number of 1.27 cm bands …

Observations Of Badgers Preying On Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs, Daniel S. Licht

The Prairie Naturalist

American badgers (Taxidea taxus) often visit black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies, most likely in search of prey (Lomolino and Smith 2004, Shaughnessy and Cifelli 2004). Badgers are well suited to hunting fossorial prey such as prairie dogs by excavating burrows and capturing individuals belowground (Lindzey 2003). However, the ecological literature is sparse regarding details of how badgers hunt and capture prairie dogs underground. Eads and Biggins (2008) documented three occurrences of a badger excavating prairie dogs. That badger (apparently the same individual) had a den within the prairie dog town where captures occurred. This note …

Mortality Of Cranes (Gruidae) Associated With Powerlines Over A Major Roost On The Platte River, Nebraska, Gregory D. Wright, Timothy J. Smith, Robert K. Murphy, Jeffery T. Runge, Robert R. Harms

The Prairie Naturalist

Two 69-kilovolt powerlines spanning the Platte River in south central Nebraska are suspected to cause substantial mortality to sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) and pose a threat to endangered whooping cranes (G. americana) that roost overnight on the river during spring and fall migrations. Most studies of crane collisions with powerlines in the region have focused on counts of carcasses away from night roosts on the river and none have accounted for potential biases in detecting carcasses. We found 61 carcasses of sandhill cranes below over-river segments of the two powerlines during 4 March to 7 April …

Noteworthy Winter Prey Of Short-Eared Owls In Southern Texas: A Case Study, Damon Williford, Marc C. Woodin, Mary Kay Skoruppa

The Prairie Naturalist

The winter range of North American short-eared owls (Asio flammeus) encompasses much of the United States, including southern Texas, where it is a common winter resident (Oberholser 1974, Rappole and Blacklock 1985). Winter food habits of short-eared owls are relatively weJl documented, but the majority of investigations have been conducted in eastern Canada and northeastern U.S. (Clark 1975, Holt 1993); midwestern U.S. (Colvin and Spaulding 1983); and British Columbia and Pacific northwestern U.S. (Bogiatto et al. 2001). The short-eared owl has a narrow trophic niche, generally preying on small mammals, with voles (Microtus spp.) and deer mice …

Bed Site Selection Of Fawn Pronghorn In Custer State Park, South Dakota, Chad P. Lehman, Jamin D. Hartland, Barbara J. Keller, Joshua J. Millspaugh, Gary C. Brundige

The Prairie Naturalist

We evaluated pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawn bedding site characteristics on a prairie and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) landscape interface in Custer State Park, South Dakota. We radio-marked 16 adult female pronghorn and collected bed site information from their fawns during 2007~2008. We compared bed site selection with random sites (n = 74) during 2 periods; the early hiding phase when fawns were 1 ~28 days of age (n = 23 bed sites) and the later group phase when fawns were 29~60 days of age (n = 52 bed sites). During the hiding phase fawns selected dry …

A Partial Inventory Of Islands In North Dakota: Potential For Breeding Waterfowl Management, Michael L. Szymanski

The Prairie Naturalist

Islands can provide secure nesting habitat for ducks and other waterbirds, especially in agriculturally dominated landscapes. I inventoried natural and man-made islands in the portion of North Dakota covered by the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV). I mapped 1,305 islands in this area; up to 46% of which could provide enhanced nest success with management (e.g., predator removal or establishment of brushy cover). Management of islands for breeding ducks may be an important method for achieving desired reproductive rates in the PP JV as substantial areas of perennial grass cover are lost from federal conservation programs, primarily the Conservation Reserve …

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, July 1, 2009 To September 30, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• Weed Sentry staff surveyed over 55 miles and 311 acres (most of which was conducted by foot) this quarter.
• Planning for future Brassica tournefortii research projects has been implemented through collaboration between PLI and NPS staff.
• Preliminary results from ongoing Brassica tournefortii projects indicate little effect of disturbance on abundance of the species, but, as expected, the species benefitted with increased water availability
• Rare plant data monitoring and data entry for this season is complete.
• Pre-planning activities for the upcoming Northshore Road restoration plantings and evaluation were initiated.
• Gypsum restoration research is ongoing, data are being analyzed and …

The Prairie Naturalist. Volume 41, No. 3/4, September/December 2009, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

THE PRAIRIE NATURALIST MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION GUIDELINES. C. N. Jacques, T. W. Grovenburg, and J. A. Jenks

A PARTIAL INVENTORY OF ISLANDS IN NORTH DAKOTA: POTENTIAL FOR BREEDING WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT. M. L. Szymanski

BED SITE SELECTION OF FAWN PRONGHORN IN CUSTER STATE PARK, SOUTH DAKOTA. C. P. Lehman, J. D. Hartland, B. J. Keller, J. J. Millspaugh, and G. C. Brundige

PATTERNS OF BISON HAIR USE IN NESTS OF TALL GRASS PRAIRIE BIRDS B. R. Coppedge

MORTALITY OF CRANES (GRUIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH POWERLINES OVER A MAJOR ROOST ON THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER, NEBRASKA. G. D. Wright, T. J. Smith, R. K. …

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, April 1, 2009 To June 30, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• The Weed Sentry program surveyed over 187 miles (1,342 acres) of federal land by vehicle and foot in Clark County for incipient populations of exotic plants.
• Weed Sentry staff continue to survey never before surveyed sites, and trails and regions within Upper Las Vegas Wash CTA and Sloan Canyon NCA as requested by BLM managers
• In 2009 rare plant monitoring was completed. Data entry and analysis are in progress.

Joint Fire Science Program – Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Revegetating Burned Arid Lands: Identifying Successful Native Species Using Trait And Competition Analysis, Quarterly Progress Report, April 1 — June 30, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Fire Science

• Initiated a competitive hierarchy study.
• Monitored and maintained outplanting at Goodsprings.
• Completed more seed granivory trials at Goodsprings.
• Mentored student to completion of undergraduate research project.
• Monitored and maintained nursery plots.
• Revising article submitted to Journal of Arid Environments.

Joint Fire Science Program – Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Revegetating Burned Arid Lands: Identifying Successful Native Species Using Trait And Competition Analysis, Quarterly Progress Report, January 1— March 31, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Fire Science

• Monitored and watered native plants in nursery plots.

• Exotic grasses seeded into nursery plots.

• Nitrogen treatment applied to nursery plots.

• Granivory study trials performed each month and corresponding abstract submitted to ESA.

• Competitive hierarchy study germination trials are underway.

• Monitored seeding and outplanting experiments at Goodsprings.

• Submitted article to Mojave Applied Ecology Notes newsletter updating on JFS work.

• Mentoring UNLV undergraduate student in research project for ENV 492.

• Prepared presentation materials for two scientific meetings.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, January 1, 2009 To March 31, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• The Weed Sentry program surveyed over 126 miles (981 acres) of federal land by vehicle and foot in Clark County for incipient populations of exotic plants.
• Weed Sentry staff continue to survey never before surveyed sites, and trails and regions within Red Rock and Sloan Canyon NCAs requested by BLM managers.
• The 2009 rare plant monitoring was initiated and in progress.
• Northshore Road reconstruction monitoring was initiated and active monitoring and care of salvaged plants was performed by UNLV staff.
• Rana onca vegetation monitoring and reporting was completed.

The Prairie Naturalist, Volume 41, No. 1/2 March/June 2009, The Great Plains Natural Science Society

The Prairie Naturalist

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DUCK USE OF IMPOUNDED AND NATURAL WETLANDS IN WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. J. E. Austin and D. A. Buhl

THIRD REPORT OF THE NORTH DAKOTA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE: 2004-2005 D. Svingen and R. E. Martin

EFFECT OF DROUGHT AND AGRICULTURE ON RING-NECKED PHEASANT ABUNDANCE, NEBRASKA PANHANDLE. C. J. Randel 55

COMMON RAVEN NESTS IN NORTH DAKOTA AFTER 1OO-YEAR HIATUS. M. P. Nenneman, T. A. Grant, and R. E. Martin

Suggestions for Contributors

Editorial Policy

Keeping Fountain Grass Out Of The Mojave Desert, Curt Deuser

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum) is an escaped ornamental perennial bunchgrass from Africa that has invaded parts of Hawaii and the Sonoran Desert. It is adapted to fire and increases hazardous fuels causing wildfires in areas that may not have historically occurred. It was detected in the late 1990’s within the Mojave Desert at Joshua Tree NP and along the Colorado River corridor on the shores of Lake Mohave. The extent of these populations was limited and a rapid response was necessary to keep it from spreading out of control. If no action is taken then fountain grass would spread by …

Athel (Tamarix Aphylla) And Athel Hybrid (Tamarix Aphyllax Tamarix Ramosissima)Establishment And Control At Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Carrie Norman, Curt Deuser, Joshua Hoines

Lake Mead Science Symposium

Athel is a large evergreen ornamental tree that has been planted throughout the Southwest since the 1950’s. Athel was considered benign because it was thought to produce non-viable seed unlike its invasive relative, tamarisk. However, athel began establishing in the wild from seed on Lake Mead in 1983. Lake Mead NRA has been actively controlling athel since November 2004 along the high water mark of Lake Mead shoreline (439 miles) to prevent it from spreading throughout the Colorado River Drainage. The NPS contracts Nevada Conservation Corp crews and the Lake Mead Exotic Plant Management Team to implement the control efforts …

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Lower Murchison River Area, Western Australia, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the lower Murchison River area, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 2002 and 2003, describes and maps the natural resources of the region’s pastoral leasehold land. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the natural area’s resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. This survey report presents …

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 …