Small Mammal Microhabitat Use And Species Composition At A Wildlife Crossing Structure Compared With Nearby Forest,
2018
Central Washington University
Small Mammal Microhabitat Use And Species Composition At A Wildlife Crossing Structure Compared With Nearby Forest, Lindsay Millward, Kristina Ernest
All Master's Theses
Expanding transportation corridors have fragmented ecosystems throughout the world, restricting the movement of organisms or acting as complete connectivity barriers. Wildlife crossing structures (WCS) can increase the permeability of roads, allowing animals to move safely between habitats. Small mammals are especially vulnerable to the effects of reduced connectivity because of their limited mobility; however, few studies have evaluated their use of WCS. This study was conducted at a WCS under I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington. Our objective was to evaluate the small mammal species composition at the wildlife undercrossing in comparison to adjacent restoration sites and to the nearby forest. …
Hunter Harvest Effect On The Breeding Bird Population Of Northern Pintail Anas Acuta In North America,
2018
Bemidji State University
Hunter Harvest Effect On The Breeding Bird Population Of Northern Pintail Anas Acuta In North America, Matthew Wang
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Hunter harvest and the effects that it can have on population dynamics is a relationship used by wildlife professionals when making management decisions. Hunter harvest can be compensatory or additive on wildlife populations and instances where hunter harvest has been a key role in a population decline, and sometimes demise, is an occurrence studied in wildlife management. Waterfowl numbers in North America have increased 17% since 1960, but during that same time frame the Northern Pintail population has decreased 40%. Hunter harvest data has been recorded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1961, while they have simultaneously been …
Wild Horse Demography: Implications For Sustainable Management Within Economic Constraints,
2018
Montana State University
Wild Horse Demography: Implications For Sustainable Management Within Economic Constraints, Robert A. Garrott
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Management of wild horse (Equus ferus caballus ) populations on western U.S. rangelands has been a challenge since horses were given legal protection through the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA) in 1971. Horses have no eff ective predators, and unmanaged populations can double in 4–5 years and triple in 6–8 years. In order to meet the multiple-use paradigm for managing public rangelands, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has limited horse population growth through the periodic capture and removal of animals. While the WFRHBA mandates disposal of captured horses through placement into private ownership and …
A Call For Proactive Human–Bear Conflict Mitigation,
2018
Duke University
A Call For Proactive Human–Bear Conflict Mitigation, Annabella R. Helman
Human–Wildlife Interactions
This commentary serves as a call to action for the creation of proactive mitigation efforts to lessen human–bear conflict based on comprehensive predictive data models.
Lessons Learned From A 20-Year Collaborative Study On American Black Bears,
2018
Wildlife Conservation Society
Lessons Learned From A 20-Year Collaborative Study On American Black Bears, Jon P. Beckmann, Carl W. Lackey
Human–Wildlife Interactions
In the 1980s, black bears (Ursus americanus) began expanding into historic habitats in northwestern Nevada, USA. Over a period of >30 years, black bears recolonized areas where human populations have also increased. Our research represents one of, if not the longest-running and earliest comparative studies of a black bear population at wildland–urban interface and wildland areas in North America. As the population increased, we observed: 1) increasing human–bear conflicts in areas where several generations of people had lived in almost total absence of bears (70–80+ years); 2) changes in attitudes by the public toward bears and in the …
Conservation Of Threatened Canada-Usa Trans-Border Grizzly Bears Linked To Comprehensive Conflict Reduction,
2018
Birchdale Ecological
Conservation Of Threatened Canada-Usa Trans-Border Grizzly Bears Linked To Comprehensive Conflict Reduction, Michael F. Proctor, Wayne F. Kasworm, Kimberly M. Annis, A. Grant Machutchon, Justin E. Teisberg, Thomas G. Radandt, Chris Servheen
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Mortality resulting from human–wildlife conflicts affects wildlife populations globally. Since 2004, we have been researching conservation issues and implementing a comprehensive program to reduce human–bear conflicts (Ursus spp.; HBC) for 3 small, fragmented, and threatened grizzly bear (U. arctos) populations in the trans-border region of southwest Canada and northwest USA. We explored the temporal and spatial patterns of conflict mortality and found that HBC contributed significantly to the threatened status of these populations by causing decline, fragmentation, and decreased habitat effectiveness. Our program to reduce HBCs primarily included strategic private lands purchased to reduce human density in …
Life On The Edge: Risk Of Predation Drives Selection Of Habitat And Survival Of Neonates In Endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep,
2018
University of Montana
Life On The Edge: Risk Of Predation Drives Selection Of Habitat And Survival Of Neonates In Endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep, Shannon Forshee
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Long-term viability of endangered populations requires development of effective management strategies that target the population vital rate with the highest potential to influence population trajectories. When adult survival is high and stable, juvenile recruitment is the vital rate with the greatest potential to improve population trajectories. For my thesis I examined how lactating Sierra Nevada Bighorn sheep (Ovis Canadensis sierra) balance forage and predation risk during the neonatal period. I first identified resource selection strategies employed by lactating females to promote survival of neonates and then determined the primary factors affecting survival of neonates. I found lactating females selected for …
Wild Horse Country: The History, Myth, And Future Of The Mustang,
2018
Utah State University
Wild Horse Country: The History, Myth, And Future Of The Mustang, Seth J. Dettenmaier
Human–Wildlife Interactions
No abstract provided.
Anticoagulant Rodenticide Residues In Game Animals In California,
2018
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Anticoagulant Rodenticide Residues In Game Animals In California, Stella C. Mcmillin, Robert H. Poppenga, Shannon C. Chandler, Deana L. Clifford
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are used to control rodents around homes, buildings, and in agriculture. They have been found widely in predatory and scavenging wildlife as a result of secondary exposure and less commonly in herbivores and omnivores from primary exposure. While predators and scavengers have been monitored for AR exposure, very little information is available about AR residues in edible muscle tissue of game animals. Game animals may be exposed to ARs through direct consumption of bait, ingestion of contaminated food or vegetation, or consumption of contaminated prey items. Carcasses of three species of game animals (black bear, wild pigs, …
Quantifying False Positives In Avian Survey Data,
2018
University of Montana
Quantifying False Positives In Avian Survey Data, Kaitlyn M. Strickfaden
Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts
Imperfect detection is a known issue when conducting count-based surveys in wildlife studies. False positive detections, observed occurrences of individuals that truly are not present, are often assumed to not occur. This assumption can bias detection rates and create misleading results when calculating population estimates. Survey methods such as the dependent double-observer method are suggested to reduce the occurrence of false positives (Nichols et al. 2000). My study quantified and compared rates of false positives in a single-observer method and a dependent double-observer method using computer-generated auditory surveys. I categorized volunteer observers as either inexperienced or experienced and asked them …
The Role Of Sociality And Disturbance In Shaping Elk (Cervus Canadensis) Population Structure,
2018
University of Kentucky
The Role Of Sociality And Disturbance In Shaping Elk (Cervus Canadensis) Population Structure, Brittany L. Slabach
Theses and Dissertations--Biology
Investigating how and why individuals interact is an important component to understanding species ecology. The type and patterning of relationships (social structure) provides pertinent insight into how ecological factors such as spatial heterogeneity of resources and predation influence associations between individuals. Many taxa exhibit temporally fluid association patterns, where individuals associate with a variety of others at different rates. Ungulate species exhibit prime examples of highly fluid grouping patterns and individuals form both temporary and long-term associations. The effects of human disturbance on ungulate behavior are well documented and these changes are further exacerbated during the hunting season. Species such …
The National Wildlife Strike Database:
A Scientific Foundation To Enhance Aviation Safety,
2018
US Department of Agriculture
The National Wildlife Strike Database: A Scientific Foundation To Enhance Aviation Safety, Richard A. Dolbeer, Michael J. Begier, John R. Weller
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) National Wildlife Strike Database (NWSD) documents reports of civil aircraft collisions with wildlife in USA. The NWSD has been managed by the Wildlife Services Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture through an interagency agreement since its inception. Although the NWSD includes about 170,000 reports of civil aircraft collisions with wildlife (97% birds) from 1990-2015 (14,000 in 2015), the overriding focus has been the quality control of data entered for over 90 variables ranging from species and numbers of wildlife struck, location and time of day, phase and height of flight, aircraft type, components …
To Live And Fly In La: Using Bird Strike And Management Program Information To Improve Safety At Airports In The Los Angeles Basin,
2018
USDA APHIS Wildlife Services
To Live And Fly In La: Using Bird Strike And Management Program Information To Improve Safety At Airports In The Los Angeles Basin, Todd J. Pitlik, Elizabeth Hermann, Eric Peralta, Brian E. Washburn
United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications
Wildlife-aircraft collisions (wildlife strikes) pose a serious safety risk to aircraft. Wildlife strikes can be evaluated at different levels, include efforts to examine these problems at the national, regional, or state level, or for an individual airport. Similarly, wildlife strikes involving individual wildlife species or guilds can be examined at varying scales. Although wildlife strike analyses at the national, regional, or species/guild level are valuable, airport-specific analyses are essential for the effective implementation and evaluation of integrated wildlife damage management programs as these actions are conducted at the airport level. The species that present hazards to safe aircraft operations varies …
Searching The Internet To Estimate Deer Population Trends In The U.S., California, And Connecticut,
2018
San Jose State University
Searching The Internet To Estimate Deer Population Trends In The U.S., California, And Connecticut, G. Webb
Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity
Information for decision making may be publicly available, but costly to obtain. As an experiment in environmental scanning, the internet was searched on a daily basis over several years to collect information and provide analysis related to decisions on deer management. The process discovered that, contrary to common assumptions, the U.S. deer population has apparently been falling since about the year 2000 based on analysis of available state data that had not been aggregated. In some cases, state population estimates were created using standard procedures on available data. Results indicate that differences in survey methods appear to be relatively constant …
The Effect Of Self-Recognition In The Competition Between Genets Of Solidago Altissima,
2018
Eastern Illinois University
The Effect Of Self-Recognition In The Competition Between Genets Of Solidago Altissima, Charles Jaques
Masters Theses
Competition is a major driving force in the abundance, distribution, and diversity within any biological system. Plants are more likely to suffer reductions in fitness as a consequence of competition, as they typically occur in dense communities. Individuals within these populations must respond to both inter- and intraspecific competition. Recent studies suggest that the ability to distinguish kin from non-kin may play an integral role in the success of individuals within different plant populations and communities. However, a less known interaction is that between individual clones within a genet as they grow, spread, and begin to interact with nearby rival …
Evaluation And Demographic Response Of The Shovelnose Sturgeon Commercial Caviar Fishery In The Wabash River,
2018
Eastern Illinois University
Evaluation And Demographic Response Of The Shovelnose Sturgeon Commercial Caviar Fishery In The Wabash River, Jessica L. Thornton
Masters Theses
Shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus Rafinesque) are considered one of the last commercially viable options for sturgeon roe harvest. Due to the collapse of several marine sturgeon fisheries and the Similarity of Appearances provision which protect shovelnose sturgeon in only a part of their range, the caviar fishery in the Wabash River remains an important point of supply for this lucrative natural resource. In this thesis, I presented an evaluation of the shovelnose sturgeon commercial caviar fishery in the Wabash River. More specifically, I described the demographic response of this population to continued exploitation over a 10-year period. Additionally, I …
Potential For Climate Induced Methane Hydrate Dissociation,
2018
Pomona College
Potential For Climate Induced Methane Hydrate Dissociation, Graham Macwilliams
Pomona Senior Theses
Methane hydrates are frozen deposits of methane and water found in high pressure or low temperature sediments. When these deposits destabilize, large quantities of methane can be emitted into the atmosphere. This is significant to climate change because methane has 25 times more greenhouse gas potential than Carbon Dioxide. Worldwide, it is estimated there are between 2500 and 10000 gigatons of methane stored in hydrate deposits. This represents more carbon than all fossil fuels on Earth. It is estimated that between 200 and 2000 gigatons of methane are stored in hydrates in Arctic waters acutely vulnerable to greenhouse warming. Over …
Lewis’S Woodpecker Nest Success And Habitat Selection In Cottonwood Floodplain Versus Burned Conifer Forests,
2018
University of Montana, Missoula
Lewis’S Woodpecker Nest Success And Habitat Selection In Cottonwood Floodplain Versus Burned Conifer Forests, William M. Blake
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Breeding habitat selection influences reproductive outcomes. Habitat selection may be adaptive and benefit populations, but it can also be maladaptive with negative consequences for populations. Understanding habitat selection and its influence on reproductive success, especially in species of concern, is critical for effective management. Lewis’s Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) is a Species of Concern that has experienced national population declines. We studied its abundance and reproductive success in two commonly selected breeding forest types (i.e., cottonwood floodplain and mixed-conifer burned), and nest-site characteristics (nest availability, food availability, and vegetation attributes) that have the potential to yield strong differences in …
Molecular And Evolutionary Analysis Of Cyanobacterial Taxonomic Methods,
2018
University of North Florida
Molecular And Evolutionary Analysis Of Cyanobacterial Taxonomic Methods, Chelsea Denise Villanueva
UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Cyanobacteria are a group of photo-oxygenic bacteria found in nearly every ecosystem, but much cyanobacterial diversity, in various habitats, has yet to be explored. Cyanobacteria are often conspicuous components of photosynthetic flora, providing significant carbon and nitrogen inputs to surrounding systems. As possible primary colonizers of stone substrates not native to this region, cyanobacteria isolated from headstones may provide biogeographically informative data. An exploratory study of lichen-dominated microbial consortia, growing on headstones, was conducted to isolate and identify novel microaerophytic cyanobacteria, and resulted in the establishment of four novel cyanobacterial taxa. Phylogenetic analyses of photobionts in one tripartite lichen revealed …
Natural And Anthropogenic Drivers Of Tree Evolutionary Dynamics,
2018
Virginia Commonwealth University
Natural And Anthropogenic Drivers Of Tree Evolutionary Dynamics, Brandon M. Lind
Theses and Dissertations
Species of trees inhabit diverse and heterogeneous environments, and often play important ecological roles in such communities. As a result of their vast ecological breadth, trees have become adapted to various environmental pressures. In this dissertation I examine various environmental factors that drive evolutionary dynamics in threePinusspecies in California and Nevada, USA. In chapter two, I assess the role of management influence of thinning, fire, and their interaction on fine-scale gene flow within fire-suppressed populations of Pinus lambertiana, a historically dominant and ecologically important member of mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada, California. Here, I find evidence …
