A Decision Tool To Identify Population Management Strategies For Common Ravens And Other Avian Predators,
2021
U.S. Geological Survey
A Decision Tool To Identify Population Management Strategies For Common Ravens And Other Avian Predators, Andrea F. Currylow, Brenda J. Hanley, Kerry L. Holcomb, Timothy Shields, Stephen Boland, William I. Boarman, Mercy Vaughn
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Some avian species have developed the capacity to leverage resource subsidies associated with human manipulated landscapes to increase population densities in habitats with naturally low carrying capacities. Elevated corvid densities and new territory establishment have led to an unsustainable increase in depredation pressure on sympatric native wildlife prey populations as well as in crop damage. Yet, subsidized predator removal programs aimed at reducing densities are likely most effective longer-term when conducted in tandem with subsidy control, habitat management, and robust assessment monitoring programs. We developed decision support software that leverages stage structured Lefkovitch population matrices to compare and identify treatment …
Monograph Reduced Box Price: Managing Human–Deer Conflicts,
2021
Utah State University
Monograph Reduced Box Price: Managing Human–Deer Conflicts
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Order form for HWI monograph, Methods for Managing Human–Deer Conflicts in Urban, Suburban, and Exurban Areas. This monograph identifies challenges and benefits associated with many human–deer conflict mitigation actions as well as methods to monitor the response of deer populations to management actions. Deer exploit urban, suburban, and exurban areas where human populations provide anthropogenic attractants, either intentionally or inadvertently, which often leads to human–deer conflicts. Mitigating actions have varying degrees of efficacy and may not be effective or accepted in every situation. Wildlife and municipal managers must work together to seek methods to reduce attractants, mitigate conflicts, and perpetuate …
Does Adaptation To High Altitude Affect Hypoxia-Dependent Structural Plasticity Of The Placenta?,
2021
University of Montana, Missoula
Does Adaptation To High Altitude Affect Hypoxia-Dependent Structural Plasticity Of The Placenta?, Hannah C. Johnson, Kathryn Wilsterman, Jeffrey M. Good, Zachary A. Cheviron
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
High altitude residence causes fetal growth restriction (FGR) during pregnancy in lowland mammals. Highland-adapted mammals do not experience this altitude-dependent FGR, suggesting that adaptation to altitude has produced some protective mechanisms. However, the specific mechanisms by which highland-adapted mammals preserve fetal growth at altitude remain unknown. We hypothesized that highland-adapted populations protect fetal growth through structural changes to the placenta that increase surface area for nutrient and gas exchange. We tested this hypothesis using deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), from populations native to low [400 m, Lincoln, NE] and high [4300 m, Mt. Evans, CO] altitudes. We predicted structural …
Spatial And Non-Spatial Patterns Of Genetic Diversity In Neotropical Bats,
2021
CUNY City College
Spatial And Non-Spatial Patterns Of Genetic Diversity In Neotropical Bats, Andrea J. Calderon Brito
Dissertations and Theses
Macroecological studies that predict genetic diversity and its correlation with other biodiversity dimensions are essential to conservation in a rapidly changing environment. However, in bats (order Chiroptera), studies associating abiotic or ecological traits that could help to predict genetic diversity are scarce, even for singular species. In the Neotropics, the highest concentration of mammal and amphibian genetic diversity has been found in the Andes mountains and the Amazon Rainforest, yet it is an open question whether bat genetic diversity is also higher in these regions, or even if any abiotic factors are correlated with bat genetic diversity. Additionally, it is …
Molecular And Genetic Studies On A Sipd/Ipad-Related Virulence Spike Protein From Immune-Suppressive Particles Of A Drosophila Parasitoid,
2021
CUNY City College
Molecular And Genetic Studies On A Sipd/Ipad-Related Virulence Spike Protein From Immune-Suppressive Particles Of A Drosophila Parasitoid, Carlo Miguel A. Sevilla
Dissertations and Theses
Parasitoid wasps are effective biological control agents that have evolved intricate host immune suppression strategies to overcome host immune defenses. The most important anti-parasite defense mechanism is encapsulation, where the host’s blood cells surround the wasp egg. In the Drosophila/Leptopilina host-parasitoid system, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are oviposited along with the wasp egg. The EVs possess spikes and contain hundreds of proteins, some of which enable wasp eggs to escape encapsulation by changing the morphology and function of hemocytes, or killing them. Previous studies have identified an abundant surface/spike protein (SSp40) from Leptopilina heterotoma EVs. While p40, a predicted …
In The News,
2021
Utah State University
Monitoring The Wetland Landscape: White-Faced Ibis (Plegadis Chihi) Breeding Habitat As A Model Assemblage,
2021
University of Montana, Missoula
Monitoring The Wetland Landscape: White-Faced Ibis (Plegadis Chihi) Breeding Habitat As A Model Assemblage, Shea P. Coons
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Wetlands structure landscape biodiversity by providing critical habitat to numerous fish and wildlife species. However, climate change, growing human populations, and shifting land use practices strain limited water supplies that sustain wetlands in the semi-arid western US. Conserving a wetland network with prominent value to wildlife is paramount to ensure future security of habitat and ecosystem processes. Here, I use white-faced ibis (Plegadis chihi; hereafter ‘ibis’) breeding colonies as a model system to identify and monitor a landscape-scale wetland network across the semi-arid western US. Ibis serve an important role in marking ecologically important wetland networks because they require a …
Do Beaver Dam Analogues Act As Passage Barriers To Juvenile Coho Salmon And Juvenile Steelhead Trout?,
2021
Cal Poly Humboldt
Do Beaver Dam Analogues Act As Passage Barriers To Juvenile Coho Salmon And Juvenile Steelhead Trout?, Christopher G. O'Keefe
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
In the Pacific Northwest, the human-caused reduction of quality and quantity of freshwater rearing habitat is a limiting factor for Pacific Salmon populations. Beaver dam analogues (BDAs) increase suitable rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids and promote the restoration of critical stream processes. Installing BDAs is an increasingly popular alternative to more intensive restoration techniques, due to the relatively low cost and effort required to install BDA structures. However, widespread installation of BDAs has been slowed by regulatory agencies’ concerns that BDAs may impede fish passage. Few studies have empirically assessed the extent to which BDAs impede fish passage, and no …
Oldest Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois Volitans/P. Miles) Recorded From The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico,
2021
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Oldest Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois Volitans/P. Miles) Recorded From The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Raven D. Blakeway, Alexander Q. Fogg, Glenn A. Jones
Gulf and Caribbean Research
Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) were first detected off the coast of Florida in the 1980s, with aquaria release being the most likely mechanism for introduction. Since then, lionfish have proliferated through the Western Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Here, we report the oldest lionfish aged on record in the Western Atlantic, removed from Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) in the GOM. In August 2018, a research expedition removed 745 lionfish from FGBNMS, of which a subset were retained for age and growth estimation. The oldest lionfish was a 10 y old male, …
Measuring The Success Of A Coastal Sand Dune Restoration On Tybee Island: Plant Growth, Sand Accretion, And Implications For Management,
2021
Georgia Southern University
Measuring The Success Of A Coastal Sand Dune Restoration On Tybee Island: Plant Growth, Sand Accretion, And Implications For Management, Shannon Matzke
College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations
Coastal communities are developing rapidly in the face of increased risks of sea level rise and hurricanes stemming from anthropogenic climate change. In the US, erosion is projected to cost $530 million/year in property loss, but beaches and dune systems can minimize these losses. Dunes are vital to coastal protection, particularly when they are colonized by native plant species that stabilize sand with their root systems and accumulate sand by trapping particles with their stems and leaves. Dune construction can be used as a nature-based solution to climate change, but more studies are needed to fully understand the best practices …
The Mechanisms And Consequences Of Shrub Encroachment On The Virginia Barrier Islands,
2021
Virginia Commonwealth University
The Mechanisms And Consequences Of Shrub Encroachment On The Virginia Barrier Islands, Lauren K. Wood
Theses and Dissertations
Shrub encroachment is a global phenomenon driven by direct and indirect anthropogenic influence which alters plant communities and ecosystem function. Many studies have investigated drivers and consequences of woody plant establishment, but mesic landscapes are underrepresented in the literature. My objective was to assess the mechanisms of Morella cerifera encroachment into coastal mesic grassland, the potential for self-reinforcement, and consequences on community composition, nutrients, and landscape productivity. I studied temperature and water microclimate modification by Morella cerifera presence and removal to understand ecosystem engineering and community composition changes. Additionally, I examined the influence of shrubs on surrounding grassland species traits …
Covid-19: The Spearpoint Of Human–Wildlife Interactions,
2021
Utah State University
Covid-19: The Spearpoint Of Human–Wildlife Interactions, Terry A. Messmer
Human–Wildlife Interactions
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2021
Utah State University
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Human–Wildlife Interactions
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Follow Us On Social Media,
2021
Utah State University
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Human–Wildlife Interactions
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Cover, Editorial Staff, Journal Information,
2021
Utah State University
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Human–Wildlife Interactions
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Table Of Contents,
2021
Utah State University
Occurrence, Resource Use, And Demography Of The Common Raven In North America: A Research Synthesis,
2021
Idaho State University
Occurrence, Resource Use, And Demography Of The Common Raven In North America: A Research Synthesis, William C. Webb, Peter S. Coates, Seth J. Dettenmaier, David J. Delehanty
Human–Wildlife Interactions
We reviewed the scientific literature to inventory existing studies of common raven (Corvus corax; raven) ecology in western North America. We conducted an intial literature review between June 2015 and March 2018. Prior to completing our review, we revisited the published literature for any additional relevant studies in July 2021. Our goal was to identify knowledge gaps and to synthesize the current understanding of environmental features that may support raven populations that pose general threats to biodiversity and sensitive species in particular. We focused our review on studies with direct conservation applications related to 3 processes of raven …
Spatial Modeling Of Common Raven Density And Occurrence Helps Guide Landscape Management Within Great Basin Sagebrush Ecosystems,
2021
U.S. Geological Survey
Spatial Modeling Of Common Raven Density And Occurrence Helps Guide Landscape Management Within Great Basin Sagebrush Ecosystems, Sarah C. Webster, Shawn T. O'Neil, Brianne E. Brussee, Peter S. Coates, Pat J. Jackson, John C. Tull, David J. Delehanty
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Common ravens (Corvus corax; ravens) are a behaviorally flexible nest predator of several avian species, including species of conservation concern. Movement patterns based on life history phases, particularly territoriality of breeding birds and transiency of nonbreeding birds, are thought to influence the frequency and efficacy of nest predation. As such, predicting where on the landscape territorial resident and non-territorial transient birds may be found in relation to the distribution of sensitive prey is of increasing importance to managers and conservationists. From 2007 to 2019, we conducted raven point count surveys between mid-March and mid-September across 43 different field …
Common Raven Impacts On The Productivity Of A Small Breeding Population Of Snowy Plovers,
2021
Point Reyes National Seashore, National Park Service
Common Raven Impacts On The Productivity Of A Small Breeding Population Of Snowy Plovers, Matthew J. Lau, Benjamin H. Becker, David T. Press
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Common ravens (ravens; Corvus corax), an adaptable, synanthropic generalist, have thrived coincident with increasing human landscape modifications and fragmentation, consequently affecting their prey, which are often sensitive native and protected species. Ravens are a conservation concern for the protected western snowy plover (plover; Charadrius nivosus nivosus), causing low nest and chick survival in some breeding areas along the Pacific coast of North America. We used a long-term dataset from a breeding snowy plover monitoring program in Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS) to investigate potential impacts of ravens on snowy plover nest and fledging success. Between 2002 and 2020, …
A Novel Technique To Improve Capture Success Of Common Ravens,
2021
Oregon State University
A Novel Technique To Improve Capture Success Of Common Ravens, Lindsey R. Perry, Terrah M. Owens, Zachary T. Slick, Jimmy D. Taylor, Jonathan B. Dinkins
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Traditional trapping techniques for common ravens (Corvus corax; raven) require significant effort, often produce low capture rates, and cannot be used in some situations. We designed a 3-m noose pole to secure ravens from nocturnal roost locations while using a strobe spotlight to temporarily disorient them. We collected measures of trapping efficiency and contrasted them with padded leghold traps also used in the study. We effectively implemented our noose pole method in July and August of 2018, 2019, and 2020 in the Baker and Cow Lakes sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Priority Areas of Conservation in eastern Oregon, …
