Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Low Recharge Farming Systems. Case Studies On The South Coast, Arjen Ryder, Jamie Bowyer, Gerry Skinner, Clare Mccarron

Natural resources published reports

This booklet is intended as a guide to assist land managers to design or select low recharge farming systems. Options that increase water use are described with benefits and issues for each option.

Case studies describe the experiences of landholders who have had a go at establishing and managing such systems. Examples are included from different rainfall zones. The systems mentioned in this manual are only a guide.

Case studies describe the experiences of landholders who have hada go at establishing and managing such systems. Examples are included from different rainfall zones. The systems mentioned in this manual are only …

Biogeochemistry And Contaminant Geochemistry Of Marine And Estuarine Sediments, New Haven, Connecticut (Usa), Michael A. Kruge, Gaboury Benoit

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The urbanized shore areas of Long Island Sound in the vicinity of New Haven, Connecticut (USA) have a long history of exposure to point and non-point sources of pollution, New Haven having been one of the birthplaces of the industrial revolution. As an unintended consequence of such activities, the region's sedimentary systems have incorporated a complex mixture of organic and inorganic contaminants. With its long and varied pollution history and the multiplicity of sedimentary environments (fluvial, estuarine, intertidal, marsh, etc.) present in a compact geographical area, the region is ideal natural laboratory for field testing new contamination assessment techniques. The …

Horse Creek Fen, Birdwood Creek And Kelly Ranch Inventory, Robert F. Steinauer

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

Horse Creek Fen preserve is a complex of wetland communities (Sandhills fen, Sandhills freshwater marsh, and northern sedge wet meadow) associated with Horse Creek, a ditched stream that drains the Allen Valley fen. Fen vegetation on the preserve is limited to approximately 20 acres on the western boundary of the preserve where it abuts the eastern end of the Allen Valley fen (Steinauer et al. 1996). The fen vegetation is surrounded primarily by Sandhills freshwater marsh, which in turn is surrounded by northern sedge wet meadow. Additional Sandhills freshwater marsh occurs near the eastern boundary of the preserve. The eastern …

Simulation Of Daily And Monthly Stream Discharge From Small Watersheds Using The Swat Model, Crystal A. Spruill, Stephen R. Workman, Joseph L. Taraba

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was evaluated and parameter sensitivities were determined while modeling daily streamflows in a small central Kentucky watershed over a two-year period. Streamflow data from 1996 were used to calibrate the model and streamflow data from 1995 were used for evaluation. The model adequately predicted the trends in daily streamflow during this period although Nash-Sutcliffe R² values were –0.04 and 0.19 for 1995 and 1996, respectively. The model poorly predicted the timing of some peak flow values and recession rates during the last half of 1995. Excluding daily peak flow values from August …

Alternative Principal Components Regression Procedures For Dendrohydrologic Reconstructions, Hugo G. Hidalgo, Thomas C. Piechota, John A. Dracup

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Streamflow reconstruction using tree ring information (dendrohydrology) has traditionally used principal components analysis (PCA) and stepwise regression to form a transfer function. However, PCA has several procedural choices that may result in very different reconstructions. This study assesses the different procedures in PCA-based regression and suggests alternative procedures for selection of variables and principal components. Cross-validation statistics are presented as an alternative for independently testing and identifying the optimal model. The objective is to use these statistics as a measure of the model's performance to find a conceptually acceptable model with a low prediction error and the fewest number of …

Profiting From Adversity - Meeting The Challenge Of Salinity Through New Industry Development, Andrew Quinn, Tamara Law, Peter Rowe

Natural resources published reports

Salinity in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia is one of the most significant challenges facing the State's agricultural sector.

Efforts to manage the increasing effect of salt influenced and threatened farming land requires not only the implementation of new farming systems, but a new way of thinking and attitude to production more in tune with environmental and technological limitations.

While past environment lobby pressures have significantly focused on other production activities such as mining and forestry, the future is likely to see increased community interest in agricultural production systems.

Consumers World wide are becoming more environmentally sensitive, with global media …

Closing - Conference Summary, James E. Miller

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

It has been a distinct pleasure for me to have attended and participated in each of the previous eight Eastern Wildlife Damage Management Conferences, dating back to 1983, as a member of the planning committees, as well as for this first Wildlife Damage Management Conference. I have enjoyed participating, learning from each conference, as well as visiting with old friends and colleagues and meeting new colleagues. Although I have been around long enough to know that no matter how hard you try you can't please everyone, I ask those of you who enjoyed participating in this Conference to join me …

Communicating About Suburban Deer Management: Tailoring The Message To The Stakeholders, T. Bruce Lauber, Barbara A. Knuth

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Public input plays an important role in selecting suburban deer management alternatives. Agencies often communicate with the public to ensure that citizens have accurate information when judging management alternatives. Research has shown that suburban residents evaluate deer management alternatives on the basis of different sets of criteria (e.g., effectiveness, humaneness, etc.). We explored whether people's attitudes were more likely to be influenced by information if it addressed the criteria about which they were concerned. We conducted our research through two mail surveys of randomly selected residents of Irondequoit, New York, implemented 20 months apart. Some 512 people responded to both …

Turkey Damage Survey: A Wildlife Success Story Becoming Another Wildlife Damage Problem, James E. Miller, Brain C. Tefft, Robert E. Eriksen, Mike Gregonis

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) populations have been restored and enhanced through introductions and reintroductions in 49 of the 50 states to huntable populations within the last 30 years. Populations are presently estimated to exceed 4 million birds within the United States. In many states, wild turkey habitat includes woodlots interspersed with agricultural lands, and some of the highest known population densities of wild turkeys are found in such areas. This paper will report on existing research, examining perceived versus actual damage caused by wild turkeys. It will also provide information based on a recent survey of biologists from the State …

Seven Years Of White-Tailed Deer Immunocontraceptive Research At Penn State University: A Comparison Of Two Vaccines , Lowell A. Miller, Gary J. Killian

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

PZP and GnRH immunocontraceptive vaccines were each tested in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Vaccination with PZP produced reversible infertility lasting 1 to 4 years. The first two years of active immunization resulted in an 89% reduction in fawning. Reduction in fawning for the 7-year study containing 4 years of no boosting was 72%. PZP immunization resulted in multi-estrus behavior, with contracepted deer returning to estrus up to 7 times. A five year study of GnRH immunization was conducted in both male and female deer. Treatment of does led to reduced fawning rates, reduced estrus behavior and reduced concentrations of progesterone. …

Evaluation Of Moderate And Low-Powered Lasers For Dispersing Double-Crested Cormorants From Their Night Roosts, James F. Glahn, Greg Ellis, Paul Fioranelli, Brian S. Dorr

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

The double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is the primary avian predator on the southern catfish industry, estimated to cause $5 million in damage per year. To date, the most effective strategy for alleviating cormorant depredations in areas of intensive catfish production is coordinated dispersal of cormorant night roosts with pyrotechnics. Many of these night roosts are located in waterfowl refuges or wetland habitat leased for waterfowl hunting. Thus, there is an increasing concern about the effects of cormorant harassment efforts on waterfowl and other wildlife inhabiting these sites in cypress-swamp habitat. To address the need for a roost harassment device that …

What Will The Disease Issues Of The Future Be?, Robert G. Mclean

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

The major categories of diseases of the future involving wildlife are zoonotic diseases of public health importance, domestic animal diseases of economic importance, and wildlife diseases and health of wildlife importance. The existing patterns of these diseases include exotic, introduced diseases (West Nile virus - WNV), emerging diseases (Lyme disease), re-emerging diseases (animal rabies), and continuing diseases (leptospirosis). Some significant emerging public health diseases are WNV, hantavirus, Lyme disease, hemorrhagic E. coli 0157:H7, and antibiotic resistant bacteria. Emerging domestic animal diseases also include WNV, E. coli 0157:H7, salmonella enterica, and spongiform encephalopathies. Whereas, emerging wildlife diseases are WNV, particularly in …

The Use Of Border Collies In Avian And Wildlife Control Programs, Nicholas B. Carter

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Airports attract large numbers of wildlife primarily because they offer immense tracts of foraging and nesting habitats free from the threat of predation. Border collies can serve as an effective means of wildlife control in these environments by introducing a predator into the ecosystem. Many wildlife dispersal methods seek to imitate predators or the effect of predators and become increasingly ineffective as wildlife habituate to the stimuli. However, border collies are true predators, representing an actual, not perceived, threat to wildlife thereby eliminating the problems of habituation. Six airports and military bases have initiated use of border collies at their …

Is Translocation Effective For Reducing Raptor Strikes?, Laurence M. Schafer

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

From March 1996 to 31 December 1999, Wildlife Services (WS) personnel trapped and relocated 316 raptors from one of the nation's busiest airports: 147 American kestrels (Falco sparverius), 158 red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), 5 rough-legged hawks (Buteo lagopus), 4 peregrine falcons (Falcoper-egrinus), 1 northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), and 1 eastern screech owl (Otus asio). On 1 January 1999, the Federal Aviation Administration sponsored a 2-year study, in conjunction with the National Wildlife Research Center and WS-Illinois, to evaluate the efficacy of raptor relocation at the airport. This study began in September 1999 and (1) monitors the post release activity of …

Aversive And Disruptive Stimulus Applications For Managing Predation, John A. Shivik, Daniel J. Martin

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

The range expansion and reintroduction of mammalian predators (e.g., wolves, coyotes and bears) coupled with growing disfavor for traditional tools of wildlife management creates an immediate need for alternative, non-lethal, but effective techniques for managing predation on livestock. Scientists at the National Wildlife Research Center are using advanced technology and animal behavior concepts (e.g., aversive and disruptive stimuli) to develop new tools for the prevention of damage by large mammalian predators, and this paper is a review of our pilot studies investigating these techniques. Recently tested tools include behavior contingent disruptive stimulus devices for wolves and coyotes. Experiments indicate the …

Coding Spreadsheets For Intervention Decisions In Wildlife Damage Management, Ray T. Sterner, H. Nicole Lorimer

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Sterner (In press) described the use of a priori, theoretical analyses of crop/resource savings and benefit:cost ratios as a way of making intervention decisions in wildlife damage management. Iterative (1-variable-changed-at-a-time) calculations of these economic indices were computed for the use of zinc phosphide baits to control vole {Microtus spp.) populations in alfalfa (Medicago sativa). Results showed that indices displayed transitive effects — greater net savings and benefit:cost ratios were related to larger field-size, crop-damage and bait-effectiveness variables, but smaller bait-application fees. Ratios varied between 0.40 and 6.45, with -5-10% vole-caused damage required to produce returns on investments equal to the …

Community Bat Management, Jerry D. Hassinger, Calvin M. Butchkoski, Harold S. Korber

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

When a house bat colony (primarily Myotis lucifugus) is excluded from a traditional maternity roost, surviving bats add to nearby roosts or access new roosts in other buildings. To prevent this and the potential for attendant nuisance, and to conserve bats, the Pennsylvania Game Commission recommends using one or more bat boxes to attract the displaced colony. The "standard-sized" bat box used in Pennsylvania will house up to 250 little brown bats. This reactive technique has proved useful for managing single, small colonies (< 1,000 bats) in rural areas. We are, however, trying a different, proactive technique to manage large colonies or multiple colonies in a community. Newport, PA, for example, has multiple colonies in buildings within 200 meters of riparian habitat along the Juniata River. Over 7,000 bats were counted exiting a single building. To begin the process of managing these bats, the high school conservation club and town leaders were engaged and presented information about the value of bats. Programs were also presented to a school assembly and to the community. As a result, the conservation club was provided with a site at the community's water treatment plant to erect a bat condo. This site is within 1 km of at least 2 large bat colonies in old buildings. The condo is a 2.4 m square box on posts. It's 2.4 m tall with its bottom 3 m above the ground. Inside, 80 sheets of plywood provide roosting crevices for at least 2,500 bats. Supervised by the Wildlife Diversity Section of the Game Commission, the condo was built in late spring, 1999. A chain-link fence helps protect it from vandalism.

A Private Lands Approach To Controlling New Jersey's Deer Population, David Drake

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

In New Jersey, annual losses from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) depredation to agricultural crops have been estimated as high as $10 million. Additional problems caused by the state's overabundance of deer include increasing vehicle/deer collisions, possible human health concerns regarding increasing incidences of Lyme disease, and a loss of flora and fauna diversity. In an effort to reduce deer numbers and minimize damage, both non-lethal and lethal management practices have been used with limited success. Hunter access to private lands remains the biggest impediment to effective deer management in New Jersey. I propose an incentive-based program to increase lease and …

Efforts To Enhance Stakeholder Communications In North Carolina's Wildlife Damage Control Agent System, Peter T. Bromley, Carl W. Betsill

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

In 1995, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) established policy and rules for handling of nuisance wildlife by Wildlife Damage Control Agents (WDCA). The policy required a one-day long training session, culminating in an open book, certification examination. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service (NCCES) conducted the training and administered the examination. The certification-training program covered principles of wildlife damage management, wildlife laws and regulations, humane handling of animals and euthanasia, human health risks from exposure to wildlife, professional ethics, and sources of technical information. Between Octoberl995 and March 2000,7 certification-training sessions were held and 289 WDCA's were certified, with …

Landowners' Perceptions Of White-Tailed Deer Damage To Crops In Tennessee, Dawn L. Johnson, J. Mark Fly, Lisa Muller

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

We conducted a mail survey to determine Tennessee landowners' perceptions of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage to crops, their tolerance for damage and the effectiveness of damage control methods. Fifty-five percent of landowners had wildlife damage and 47% had deer damage. The majority had light or moderate damage. The majority of participants who had taken measures to prevent damage used hunting. State-issued depredation permits were rated the most effective method of controlling damage. Although most survey participants did not have substantial deer damage, landowners with serious deer damage problems may need further assistance.

Suburban Goose Management: Insights From New York State, Bryan L. Swift

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) conducted studies in suburban Rockland County, New York during 1993-2000 to help local officials develop strategies to alleviate conflicts associated with local-nesting or "resident" Canada geese {Branta canadensis). Annual counts indicated a relatively stable population of approximately 2,500-3,000 resident geese in the county, far fewer than anecdotal reports suggested. Counts tended to increase in towns where there was little or no goose management, whereas numbers declined in towns with active goose management efforts (i.e., egg-addling, capture and removal, or use of border collies). Egg-addling programs did not result in immediate reduction of …

Evaluations Of Nicarbazin-Treated Pellets For Reducing The Laying And Viability Of Canada Goose Eggs, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Michael J. Pipas, Kenneth L. Tope

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

The number of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) nesting in the United States is increasing rapidly, generating more complaints and problems associated with them. Overabundant geese can be a nuisance, threaten human health and safety, and cause damage to property. Nicarbazin (NCZ), a coccidiostat used in chicken production, has been documented to reduce egg production and viability. The reduction of reproduction through the use of NCZ could be a valuable aspect of an overall integrated goose management plan. We conducted studies at 5 sites in Nebraska in spring 2000 to evaluate the efficacy of NCZ-treated pellets for reducing the laying and …

Porcine Zona Pellucida Vaccine (Zonacon) As An Immunocontraceptive In Deer, Lowell A. Miller, Gary J. Killian, Paul D. Curtis

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Abstract: Research on a PZP contraceptive vaccine was performed at 2 sites; Penn State University and Seneca Army Depot in upper New York. The Penn State study included immune response, hormone analysis, fawning and behavioral analysis. The Seneca depot studied behavioral and fawning response in a semi-free ranging setting. At Penn State University, in a 7 year study, does were actively immunized for two years resulting in a 90% reduction in fawns. They were followed for 5 more years to determine if the effect was reversible. The reduction in fawning over the 7 years was 72%. Most deer returned to …

Effects Of Intense Deer Herbivory On The Herbaceous Understory At Trillium Trail, Tiffany Knight, Susan Kalisz, Lisa Smith, Joann Davis

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Due to a synergism of many human-mediated factors, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have increased dramatically throughout many forests throughout the northeastern North America over the last 50 years. The increase in deer populations negatively impacts plants through a variety of mechanisms, which can include increased consumption, trampling, and soil compaction. To preserve the plants in our forests, managers need to understand both how increases in the deer population impact the overall plant community as well as the individual plant species within the community. In general, the impact of deer presence on the overall plant community has been studied by …

Exhibitor List

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Exhibitor List for the Ninth Wildlife Damage Management Conference, October 2000.

The Ninth Wildlife Damage Management Conference: Proceedings Frontmatter & Contents

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NINTH WILDLIFE DAMAGE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, October 5-8, 2000 State College, Pennsylvania.
Edited by Margaret C. Brittingham, Jonathan Kays, Rebecka McPeake. Layout and design by Vicki Lucas.
Hosted by The School of Forest Resources, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University.
Co-sponsor: United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Contributors Humane Society of the United States, National Park Service, New Jersey Department of Agriculture, New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, Reed-Joseph International Company, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Woodstream Corporation, Jack …

History And Future Of Wildlife Damage Management Conference, Daniel J. Decker

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

The Eastern Wildlife Damage Management (EWDM) Conference was developed (1st conference held in 1983) to focus on people-wildlife interaction issues occurring in the eastern U.S. Developed as a Renewable Resources Extension Act activity, the purpose of the conference was to improve wildlife resource management and increase outputs of agricultural and forestry commodities. A primary planning issue for the 1st EWDM Conference was whether to represent the conference focus as wildlife damage "control" or "management." Control was selected initially, but the title evolved since then to be replaced by "management," reflecting the central role of wildlife conflict mitigation in wildlife management. …

Capsaicin-Treated Seed As A Squirrel Deterrent At Birdfeeders, Paul D. Curtis, Elizabeth D. Rowland, Gwen B. Curtis, Joseph A. Dunn

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) are considered to be a pest by many bird-lovers because they take significant quantities of seed from birdfeeders. None of the available methods of protecting birdseed against squirrels is completely effective. We assessed the efficacy of treating birdseed with capsaicin oleoresin as a means of deterring squirrels. Consumption of treated and untreated whole, black-oil sunflower seed was compared by carrying out one-choice feeding trials at 3 sites near Ithaca, New York, from 11 May to 24 June 1999. The heat strength of the treated seed was 40,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) (2,424 ppm) on the …

Survey Of Factors Affecting The Success Of Clemson Beaver Pond Levelers Installed In Mississippi By Wildlife Services, Dale L. Nolte, Seth R. Swafford, Charles A. Sloan

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Clemson beaver pond levelers were developed as a tool to enable land managers to manipulate water flow past beaver (Castor canadensis) dams. Wildlife Services has installed several of these devices in collaboration with landowners. We conducted a survey to determine if we could identify factors that impacted whether the devices were meeting landowner objectives. Fifty percent of the 40 levelers surveyed were still operating and regarded as successful. Factors considered in the survey included management objectives, time since the leveler was installed, watershed characteristics, physical attributes of the stream and of the beaver dam where the leveler was installed, and …

Gis Use In Oral Rabies Vaccine Programs, Patricia R. Bright, Elizabeth Schmidt, Francois Elvinger, Michelle M. Weisbarth, R. F. Bulley, Cynthia L. Mills

Wildlife Damage Management Conference Proceedings

Frequent human and domestic animal exposures to rabid wildlife have raised the public's awareness, leading to an increase in the number of wildlife submissions for rabies testing as well as an increase in the number of people requiring post exposure prophylaxis treatment. During 1998 and 1999, the Health and Human Services Department of a densely populated urban/suburban county in Virginia received a total of 955 animal submissions for rabies testing. Wildlife accounted for 714 of the submissions. Seventy-nine of the submitted wildlife were found dead, 445 were killed or euthanized for testing (190 unknown). Of the wildlife submissions, 152 (21%) …