Biodiversity Commons^™

Fidelity And Survival Of Breeding Mallards In The Nebraska Sandhills, Zachary J. Cunningham, Larkin Powell, Mark P. Vrtiska

The Prairie Naturalist

Assessment of demographic parameters of a population allows managers to better understand factors affecting populations and increase efficiency of conservation efforts. Few data on demographics exist for mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) breeding in the Nebraska Sandhills. Thus, we used banding data to estimate probabilities of fidelity, survival, band recovery, and recapture of mallards banded in the eastern Sandhills, 2005–2008. Our recapture probability estimate for mallards was 0.074 (95% CI: 0.033–0.158), and the recovery probability estimate was 0.300 (95% CI: 0.156–0.497). Mallard annual survival was 0.795 (95% CI: 0.609–0.906) with a fidelity probability of 0.618 (95% CI: 0.283–0.868). High annual …

Review Of Following The Wild Bees: The Craft And Science Of Bee Hunting By Thomas D. Seeley, Katrina Klett

The Prairie Naturalist

Since the media’s coverage of the sudden losses of worker bee populations in many honeybee colonies during the winter of 2006-07 (a phenomenon that was later termed the Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD), there have been increasingly high levels of popular interest in bees and beekeeping in the United States. While a number of books have followed this wave of interest, Following the Wild Bees: The Craft and Science of Bee Hunting by Thomas Seeley is a fundamentally unique contribution to popular honeybee literature. The focus of the book is not on the current synergy of effects that are leading …

Madagascar’S Mangroves: Quantifying Nation-Wide And Ecosystem Specific Dynamics, And Detailed Contemporary Mapping Of Distinct Ecosystems, Trevor G. Jones, Leah Glass, Samir Gandhi, Lalao Ravaoarinorotsihoarana, Aude Carro, Lisa Benson, Harifidy Rakoto Ratsimba, Chandra Giri, Dannick Randriamanatena, Garth Cripps

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Mangrove ecosystems help mitigate climate change, are highly biodiverse, and provide critical goods and services to coastal communities. Despite their importance, anthropogenic activities are rapidly degrading and deforesting mangroves world-wide. Madagascar contains 2% of the world’s mangroves, many of which have undergone or are starting to exhibit signs of widespread degradation and deforestation. Remotely sensed data can be used to quantify mangrove loss and characterize remaining distributions, providing detailed, accurate, timely and updateable information. We use USGS maps produced from Landsat data to calculate nation-wide dynamics for Madagascar’s mangroves from 1990 to 2010, and examine change more closely by partitioning …

Grouse News 51-60 (2016-2020), Iucn/Ssc Galliformes Specialist Group

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

Issue 51 (May 2016)

From the Editor

From the Chair of the Grouse Group and from the Galliformes Specialist Group

Research Reports

Our view: Greater sage-grouse habitat restoration: Sound science or wishful thinking?

Grouse News

Developing an Index to Sooty Grouse Abundance in Western Oregon, USA

Dusky and sharp-tailed grouse project starting near Clinton, BC addressing the effects of biosolids on grouse behavior and diet

Grouse research in North America: revisiting the forgotten forest grouse

New national survey of capercaillie in Scotland

Conferences 6th International Symposium on Galliformes 2016

The 16th NKV Congress

The 33rd IUGB and 14th Perdix Congress, …

Wpa News 101 (2016), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Winter 2016), number 101

Published by the World Pheasant Association

The Impact Of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals On Wildlife Conservation, Eda Reed

Honors Theses

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as those from plastics and pesticides, have been hypothesized to affect wildlife populations. According to the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, EDCs ‘are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects in both humans and wildlife.’ A growing number of studies suggest wildlife are being exposed to EDCs, but how EDCs affect wildlife health and wildlife conservation is less well-understood. Through scientific literature analysis and a survey of wildlife conservationists and practitioners, this study aims to determine the current state of knowledge and data …

Genetic Structure And Diversity Of Channel Catfish (Ictalurus Punctatus) In Three Large Midwestern Rivers, Vaclav Alexei Sotola

Masters Theses

Little information is available regarding the genetic structure and diversity of sportfishes in large rivers, which can be vital to continuing the sustainable exploitation of these fisheries. Additionally, impoundments often have vast impacts on riverine systems. These impacts include altering the flow regime, changing the nutrient load, and preventing migratory fish from reaching their spawning grounds. If fishes are prevented from reaching their spawning grounds, their genetic diversity and structuring could begin to change relative to historic measures, potentially decreasing their fitness and ability to survive. I screened microsatellite loci to assess the genetic population structure and diversity of channel …

The Influence Of Balanced And Imbalanced Resource Supply On Biodiversity–Functioning Relationship Across Ecosystems, Aleksandra M. Lewandowska, Antje Biermann, Elizabeth T. Borer, Miguel A. Cebrián-Piqueras, Steven A.J. Declerck, Luc De Meester, Ellen Van Donk, Lars Ganfeldt, Daniel S. Gruner, Nicole Hagenah, W. Stanley Harpole, Kevin P. Kirkman, Christopher A. Klausmeier, Michael Kleyer, Johannes M. H. Knops, Pieter Lemmens, Eric M. Lind, Elena Litchman, Jasmin Mantilla-Contreras, Koen Martens, Sandra Meier, Vanessa Minden, Joslin L. Moore, Harry Olde Venterink, Eric W. Seabloom, Ulrich Sommer, Maren Striebel, Anastasia Trenkamp, Juliane Trinogga, Jotaro Urabe, Wim Vyverman, Dedmer B. Van De Waal, Claire E. Widdicombe, Helmut Hillebrand

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Numerous studies show that increasing species richness leads to higher ecosystem productivity. This effect is often attributed to more efficient portioning of multiple resources in communities with higher numbers of competing species, indicating the role of resource supply and stoichiometry for biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships. Here, we merged theory on ecological stoichiometry with a framework of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning to understand how resource use transfers into primary production. We applied a structural equation model to define patterns of diversity– productivity relationships with respect to available resources. Meta-analysis was used to summarize the findings across ecosystem types ranging from aquatic ecosystems to grasslands …

Seasonal Dimorphism In Gastropod Hatchling Size: What Can We Learn From Egg Mass Morphology And Deposition Site Conditions?, Lily A. Harrison

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Egg size is one of the most important features of marine invertebrate reproduction because it provides insight into developmental patterns, offspring size, and adult investment per offspring. Intraspecific variation in egg size and the resulting hatchling size may depend on many factors including environmental and maternal conditions and geographic location. Therefore, both the season in which eggs are laid and the spatial heterogeneity of deposition sites may influence egg size and hatchling size. Natica chemnitzii deposits egg masses on sandy beaches along the coast of the Bay of Panama. During the wet (non-upwelling) season hatchling size is unimodal. However, monthly …

Characteristics Of Sandhill Crane Roosts In The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta Of California, Gary L. Ivey, Bruce D. Dugger, Caroline P. Herziger, Michael L. Casazza, Joseph P. Fleskes

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) region of California is an important wintering region for 2 subspecies of Pacific Flyway sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis): the Central Valley Population of the greater sandhill crane (G. c. tabida) and the Pacific Flyway Population of the lesser sandhill crane (G. c. canadensis). During the winters of 2007-08 and 2008-09 we conducted roost counts, roadside surveys, aerial surveys, and tracked radio-marked birds to locate and assess important habitats for roosting cranes in the Delta. Of the 69 crane night roosts we identified, 35 were flooded cropland sites and 34 were wetland sites. We found that …

Ten-Year Status Of The Eastern Migratory Whooping Crane Reintroduction, Richard P. Urbanek, Sara E. Zimorski, Eva K. Szyskoski, Marianne M. Wellington

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

From 2001 to 2010, 132 costume-reared juvenile whooping cranes (Grus americana) were led by ultralight aircraft from Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in central Wisconsin to the Gulf Coast of Florida on their first autumn migration (ultralight-led or UL), and 46 juveniles were released directly on Necedah NWR during autumn of the hatch year (direct autumn release or DAR). Return rate in spring was 90.5% for UL and 69.2% for DAR, the lower value of the latter attributable to 1 cohort with migration problems. Overall population survival 1 year and from 1 to 3 years post-release was 81% and 84%, …

Observations Of Molt In Reintroduced Whooping Cranes, Anne Lacy, Dan Mcelwee

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping cranes (Grus americana, WHCR) complete a full flightless molt of primary flight feathers every 2-3 years. The flightless period may represent an important component of the annual cycle; however, molt patterns in WHCR are poorly understood. WHCR undergo a flightless period following ecdysis (feather loss) making them more vulnerable to predation threats, and likely changing their habitat selection from open wetlands to areas with a higher concentration of cover. Studies of molt in wild birds can then be compared to associated habitat needs at that critical time and inform the selection of future release sites elsewhere.

selection of future …

Chromic And Iron Oxides As Fecal Markers To Identify Individual Whooping Cranes, Megan E. Brown, Robert C. Doyle, Jane N. Chandler, Glenn H. Olsen, John B. French Jr., David E. Wildt, Sarah J. Converse, Carol L. Keefer, Nucharin Songsasen

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The whooping crane (Grus americana) is listed as endangered under the IUCN Red List, the United States Endangered Species Act, and the Canadian Species at Risk Act (BirdLife International 2012, CWS and USFWS 2007). A major focus of recovery efforts for this endangered species is reintroduction to establish new populations (CWS and USFWS 2007). Captive populations are critical as a source of individuals for reintroduction efforts and also serve as insurance populations. Currently, there are a total of 157 whooping cranes held in captive breeding centers across North America, with the largest at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC) …

Sandhill Crane Collisions With Wind Turbines In Texas, Laura Navarrete, Kerry L. Griffis-Kyle

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The High Plains of the United States have been experiencing a large increase in wind energy generation sites with the American Wind Energy Association reporting an increase across America from 10 total installed gigawatts in 2006 to 60 total installed gigawatts in 2012. (American Wind Energy Association 2012). The High Plains also coincides with the Central Flyway in North America which is used by numerous bird species during migration, some with large bodies and high wing loading including the sandhill cranes (Grus canandensis), whooping cranes (G. americana), and waterfowl. Species such as these tend to be more vulnerable to mortality …

Proceedings Of The Thirteenth North American Crane Workshop Frontmatter, David A. Aborn, Richard Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

List of previous Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshops

Suggested citation formats

PREFACE: The North American Crane Working Group (NACWG) is an organization of professional biologists, aviculturists, land managers, non-professional crane enthusiasts, and others interested in and dedicated to the conservation of cranes and crane habitats in North America. Our group meets approximately every 3 years to exchange information pertaining to sandhill cranes and whooping cranes and occasionally reports about some of the other cranes species. Our meeting in Lafayette, Louisiana, 14-17 April 2014, celebrated the return of whooping cranes to Louisiana for the first time in 60 years. …

Winter And Migratory Habitat Use Of Six Eastern Greater Sandhill Cranes, Hillary L. Thompson, Anne E. Lacy

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

To better understand non-breeding ecology of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida), we harnessed 6 satellite GPS transmitters to adult cranes from 1 central Wisconsin breeding area. Using location data from these transmitters, we investigated non-breeding movements, including the routes and timing of migration. By combining satellite GPS data with a national land cover dataset, we also described habitat use on stopovers and wintering areas. Sandhill cranes tended to use larger home ranges on long stopovers (>3 days) than on short stopovers (3 days or less). The durations of northward migrations were longer and had more stopovers than …

The Utility Of Census Or Survey For Monitoring Whooping Cranes In Winter, Bruce H. Pugesek, Thomas V. Stehn

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We discuss recent changes in the monitoring program for endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana) on their winter habitat in Texas. A 61-year annual census was replaced in the winter of 2011-2012 with a distance sampling procedure. Justification for the change was, in part, based on criticism of the previous methods of counting cranes and the assessment of crane mortality on the wintering grounds. We argue here that the arguments, methods, and analyses employed to discount the census procedure and mortality estimates were applied incorrectly or with flawed logic and assertions. We provide analysis and logical arguments to show …

Protocol And Results From The First Season Of Captive-Rearing Whooping Cranes For A Non-Migratory Release In Louisiana, Glenn H. Olsen, Jane N. Chandler

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The principal historic range of the whooping crane (Grus americana) consisted of the tall grass prairies and wetlands of southwest Louisiana, Texas, and parts of Mexico (Allen 1952). Whooping cranes migrated there from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Dakotas, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and breeding grounds of the remnant flock in and near Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada.

Habitat Selection By Breeding Sandhill Cranes In Central Wisconsin, Tamara P. Miller, Jeb A. Barzen

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We used compositional analysis to describe habitat use for a dense population of breeding sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) in central Wisconsin at 2 spatial scales: selection of home range within a study area and selection of habitats within the home range. Habitat use and home range size were estimated from radio-telemetry data from 12 breeding sandhill crane pairs. Research in Wisconsin that was performed on the landscape level suggests that breeding cranes depend on wetlands and do not select upland habitats. Evaluating habitat selection at different spatial levels, such as during different stages of the breeding season, …

Historic And Recent Winter Sandhill Crane Distribution In California, Gary L. Ivey, Caroline P. Herziger, David A. Hardt, Gregory H. Golet

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Understanding the geographic distribution and long-term dynamics of winter foraging areas and night roost sites of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) is important to their conservation and management. We studied sandhill crane distribution in California’s Central Valley from December 2012 through February 2013. We mapped observed flock and night roost locations. Flock locations occurred between Tehama County in the north and Kern County in the south. Flocks were concentrated in the northern Sacramento Valley, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the northern San Joaquin Valley south of Tracy to Mendota (including the lower Stanislaus and Tuolumne River floodplains and the Grasslands …