Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Natural Resources and Conservation Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

9,800 Full-Text Articles 19,169 Authors 4,675,223 Downloads 217 Institutions

All Articles in Natural Resources and Conservation

Faceted Search

9,800 full-text articles. Page 127 of 307.

Rabies Management Implications Based On Raccoon Population Density Indexes, Dennis Slate, Brandi D. Saidy, Ashlee Simmons, Kathleen M. Nelson, Amy Davis, Timothy P. Algeo, Stacey A. Elmore, Richard B. Chipman 2020 USDA, APHIS & Chippewa Bay Wildlife Art and Science LLC

Rabies Management Implications Based On Raccoon Population Density Indexes, Dennis Slate, Brandi D. Saidy, Ashlee Simmons, Kathleen M. Nelson, Amy Davis, Timothy P. Algeo, Stacey A. Elmore, Richard B. Chipman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

An estimate or index of target species density is important in determining oral rabies vaccination (ORV) bait densities to control and eliminate specific rabies variants. From 1997–2011, we indexed raccoon (Procyon lotor) densities 253 times based on cumulative captures on 163 sites from Maine to Alabama, USA, near ORV zones created to prevent raccoon rabies from spreading to new areas. We conducted indexing under a common cage trapping protocol near the time of annual ORV to aid in bait density decisions. Unique raccoons (n = 8,415) accounted for 68.0% of captures (n = 12,367). We recaptured raccoons 2,669 times. We …


Economic Estimates Of Invasive Wild Pig Damage To Crops In 12 Us States, Sophie McKee, Aaron Anderson, Keith Carlisle, Stephanie A. Shwiff 2020 USDA/APHIS/WS National Wildlife Research Center & Colorado State University

Economic Estimates Of Invasive Wild Pig Damage To Crops In 12 Us States, Sophie Mckee, Aaron Anderson, Keith Carlisle, Stephanie A. Shwiff

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We report the results of a survey on invasive wild pig (Sus scrofa L.) damage and control in 12 US states (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas). The crops chosen for this study represent the “second-tier” in terms of economic importance after the six crops that were the subject of Anderson et al. (2016). The survey was distributed by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (NASS) in the summer of 2019 to a sample of producers in each of the states (except California) of the following six crops: hay, pecans (Carya …


Habitat Patchiness, Ecological Connectivity And The Uneven Recovery Of Boreal Stream Ecosystems From An Experimental Drought, Amelie Truchy, Romain Sarremejane, Timo Muotka, Heikki Mykra, David G. Angeler, Kaisa Lehosmaa, Ari Huusko, Richard K. Johnson, Ryan A. Sponseller, Brendan G. McKie 2020 Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Habitat Patchiness, Ecological Connectivity And The Uneven Recovery Of Boreal Stream Ecosystems From An Experimental Drought, Amelie Truchy, Romain Sarremejane, Timo Muotka, Heikki Mykra, David G. Angeler, Kaisa Lehosmaa, Ari Huusko, Richard K. Johnson, Ryan A. Sponseller, Brendan G. Mckie

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Ongoing climate change is increasing the occurrence and intensity of drought episodes worldwide, including in boreal regions not previously regarded as drought prone, and where the impacts of drought remain poorly understood. Ecological connectivity is one factor that might influence community structure and ecosystem functioning post-drought, by facilitating the recovery of sensitive species via dispersal at both local (e.g. a nearby habitat patch) and regional (from other systems within the same region) scales. In an outdoor mesocosm experiment, we investigated how impacts of drought on boreal stream ecosystems are altered by the spatial arrangement of local habitat patches within stream …


Individual And Population Fitness Consequences Associated With Large Carnivore Use Of Residential Development, Heather Johnson, David L. Lewis, Stewart W. Breck 2020 Alaska Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 4210 University Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508 USA Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Individual And Population Fitness Consequences Associated With Large Carnivore Use Of Residential Development, Heather Johnson, David L. Lewis, Stewart W. Breck

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Large carnivores are negotiating increasingly developed landscapes, but little is known about how such behavioral plasticity influences their demographic rates and population trends. Some investigators have suggested that the ability of carnivores to behaviorally adapt to human development will enable their persistence, and yet, others have suggested that such landscapes are likely to serve as population sinks or ecological traps. To understand how plasticity in black bear (Ursus americanus) use of residential development influences their population dynamics, we conducted a 6-yr study near Durango, Colorado, USA. Using space-use data on individual bears, we examined the influence of use of residential …


Risk And Cost Assessment Of Nitrate Contamination In Domestic Wells, Pongpun Juntakut, Erin M.K. Haacker, Daniel D. Snow, Chittaranjan Ray 2020 University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Risk And Cost Assessment Of Nitrate Contamination In Domestic Wells, Pongpun Juntakut, Erin M.K. Haacker, Daniel D. Snow, Chittaranjan Ray

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This study combines empirical predictive and economics models to estimate the cost of remediation for domestic wells exceeding suggested treatment thresholds for nitrates. A multiple logistic regression model predicted the probability of well contamination by nitrate, and a life cycle costing methodology was used to estimate costs of nitrate contamination in groundwater in two areas of Nebraska. In south-central Nebraska, 37% of wells were estimated to be at risk of exceeding a threshold of 7.5 mg/L as N, and 17% were at risk of exceeding 10 mg/L as N, the legal limit for human consumption in the United States. In …


Ecological Risk Assessment Of The Shark Bay Invertebrate Fisheries, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development 2020 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia

Ecological Risk Assessment Of The Shark Bay Invertebrate Fisheries, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

WA Marine Stewardship Council report series

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD, Department) in Western Australia (WA) uses an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach that considers all relevant ecological as well as social, economic and governance issues to deliver community outcomes (Fletcher et al. 2010; 2012). Ecological risk assessments (ERAs) are undertaken periodically to assess the impacts of fisheries on all the different components of the aquatic environments in which they operate.


Ecological Risk Assessment Of The Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development 2020 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia

Ecological Risk Assessment Of The Exmouth Gulf Prawn Managed Fishery, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

WA Marine Stewardship Council report series

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD, Department) in Western Australia (WA) uses an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach that considers all relevant ecological as well as social, economic and governance issues to deliver community outcomes (Fletcher et al. 2010; 2012). Ecological risk assessments (ERAs) are undertaken periodically to assess the impacts of fisheries on all the different components of the aquatic environments in which they operate.


Ecological Risk Assessment Of The Abrolhos Islands And Mid-West Trawl Managed Fishery, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development 2020 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia

Ecological Risk Assessment Of The Abrolhos Islands And Mid-West Trawl Managed Fishery, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

WA Marine Stewardship Council report series

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD, Department) in Western Australia (WA) uses an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) approach that considers all relevant ecological as well as social, economic and governance issues to deliver community outcomes (Fletcher et al. 2010; 2012). Ecological risk assessments (ERAs) are undertaken periodically to assess the impacts of fisheries on all the different components of the aquatic environments in which they operate.


Agricultural Drought Assessment In East Asia Using Satellite-Based Indices, Dong-Hyun Yoon, Won-Ho Nam, Hee-Jin Lee, Eun-Mi Hong, Song Feng, Brian D. Wardlow, Tsegaye Tadesse, Mark D. Svoboda, Michael Hayes, Dae-Eui Kim 2020 Hankyong National University

Agricultural Drought Assessment In East Asia Using Satellite-Based Indices, Dong-Hyun Yoon, Won-Ho Nam, Hee-Jin Lee, Eun-Mi Hong, Song Feng, Brian D. Wardlow, Tsegaye Tadesse, Mark D. Svoboda, Michael Hayes, Dae-Eui Kim

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Drought is the meteorological phenomenon with the greatest impact on agriculture. Accordingly, drought forecasting is vital in lessening its associated negative impacts. Utilizing remote exploration in the agricultural sector allows for the collection of large amounts of quantitative data across a wide range of areas. In this study, we confirmed the applicability of drought assessment using the evaporative stress index (ESI) in major East Asian countries. The ESI is an indicator of agricultural drought that describes anomalies in actual/reference evapotranspiration (ET) ratios that are retrieved using remotely sensed inputs of land surface temperature (LST) and leaf area index (LAI). The …


Incorporating Wildlife Connectivity Into Forest Plan Revision Under The United States Forest Service's 2012 Planning Rule, Matthew A. Williamson, Tyler G. Creech, Gunnar Carnwath, Beverly Dixon, Virginia Kelly 2020 Boise State University

Incorporating Wildlife Connectivity Into Forest Plan Revision Under The United States Forest Service's 2012 Planning Rule, Matthew A. Williamson, Tyler G. Creech, Gunnar Carnwath, Beverly Dixon, Virginia Kelly

Human-Environment Systems Research Center Faculty Publications and Presentations

The United States Forest Service promulgated new planning regulations under the National Forest Management Act in 2012 (i.e., the Planning Rule). These new regulations include the first requirements in U.S. public land management history for National Forests to evaluate, protect, and/or restore ecological connectivity as they revise their land management plans. Data and resource limitations make single-species, functional connectivity analyses for the myriad species that occur within the 78 million ha the Forest Service manages implausible. We describe an approach that relies on freely available data and generic species, virtual species whose profile consists of ecological requirements designed to reflect …


Effects Of Deepwater Horizon Oil On Feather Structure And Thermoregulation In Gulls: Does Rehabilitation Work?, Katherine Horak, Nicole L. Barrett, Jeremy W. Ellis, Emma M. Campbell, Nicholas G. Dannemiller, Susan A. Shriner 2020 USDA APHIS National Wildlife Research Center

Effects Of Deepwater Horizon Oil On Feather Structure And Thermoregulation In Gulls: Does Rehabilitation Work?, Katherine Horak, Nicole L. Barrett, Jeremy W. Ellis, Emma M. Campbell, Nicholas G. Dannemiller, Susan A. Shriner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Impacts of large-scale oil spills on avian species are far-reaching.While media attention often focuses on lethal impacts, sub-lethal effects and the impacts of rehabilitation receive less attention. The objective of our study was to characterize effects of moderate external oiling and subsequent rehabilitation on feather structure and thermoregulation in gulls. We captured 30 wild ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) and randomly assigned each individual to an experimental group: 1) controls, 2) rehabilitated birds (externally oiled, rehabilitated by washing), or 3) oiled birds (externally oiled, not rehabilitated). We externally oiled birds with weathered MC252 Deepwater Horizon oil (water for controls) …


Migratory Flyways May Affect Population Structure In Double‐Crested Cormorants, Steven J.A. Kimble, Brian S. Dorr, Katie C. Hanson-Dorr, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Travis L. Devault 2020 Towson University

Migratory Flyways May Affect Population Structure In Double‐Crested Cormorants, Steven J.A. Kimble, Brian S. Dorr, Katie C. Hanson-Dorr, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Travis L. Devault

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Double‐crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) recovered from a demographic bottleneck so well that they are now considered a nuisance species at breeding and wintering grounds across the United States and Canada. Management of this species could be improved by refining genetic population boundaries and assigning individuals to their natal population. Further, recent radio‐telemetry data suggest the existence of Interior and Atlantic migratory flyways, which could reduce gene flow and result in substantial genetic isolation. In this study, we used 1,784 individuals collected across the eastern United States, a large panel of microsatellite markers developed for this species, and individuals banded as …


Optimal Bait Density For Delivery Of Acute Toxicants To Vertebrate Pests, Kim M. Pepin, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. VerCauteren 2020 USA National Wildlife Research Center, USDA-APHIS

Optimal Bait Density For Delivery Of Acute Toxicants To Vertebrate Pests, Kim M. Pepin, Nathan P. Snow, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Oral baiting is a fundamental method for delivering toxicants to pest species. Planning baiting strategies is challenging because bait-consumption rates depend on dynamic processes including space use and demographics of the target species. To determine cost-effective strategies for optimizing baiting, we developed a spatially explicit model of population dynamics using field-based measures of wild-pig (Sus scrofa) space use, bait consumption, and mortality probabilities. The most cost-effective baiting strategy depended strongly on the population reduction objective and initial density. A wide range of baiting strategies were cost-effective when the objective was 80% population reduction. In contrast, only a narrow range of …


Perspectives Of Global Warming, Diomaris Padilla Dr. 2020 CUNY City College

Perspectives Of Global Warming, Diomaris Padilla Dr.

Open Educational Resources

This course is designed to foster an interest in global environmental issues by informing the student of both the anthropogenic and natural causes for climate change. While focusing on the scientific aspects of climate change, a broader study will include issues pertaining to global policy and economics in order to engage the student in public policy debates.


Brodifacoum Residues In Fish Three Years After An Island-Wide Rat Eradication Attempt In The Tropical Pacific, Shane R. Siers, Aaron B. Shiels, Steven F. Volker, Kristen Rex, William C. Pitt 2020 USDA, APHIS, WS, National Wildlife Research Center

Brodifacoum Residues In Fish Three Years After An Island-Wide Rat Eradication Attempt In The Tropical Pacific, Shane R. Siers, Aaron B. Shiels, Steven F. Volker, Kristen Rex, William C. Pitt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Invasive rats are known to threaten natural resources and human health and safety. Island-wide rat eradication attempts have been increasing in number and scale during the past several decades, as has the frequency of eradication success. The most common method to remove all rats from an island is to broadcast anticoagulant rodenticide bait into every rat’s home range on the island. Broadcast of toxicants can put humans and other nontarget species in marine and terrestrial environments at risk of exposure. The persistence of anticoagulant residues is somewhat unknown, particularly in marine environments. Three years after ~ 18,000 kg of 25 …


Centering Equity In Oregon’S 100 Year Water Vision: A Student-Led Policy Paper Prepared By The Oregon Water Stories Team At Portland State University, Clare T. McClellan, Sadie Boyers, Victoria Cali de Leon, Tony Cole, Laura Cowley-Martinson, Shersten Finley, Dustin Lanker, Julia Seydel, Aakash Nath Upraity, Janet Cowal, Melissa Haeffner 2020 Portland State University

Centering Equity In Oregon’S 100 Year Water Vision: A Student-Led Policy Paper Prepared By The Oregon Water Stories Team At Portland State University, Clare T. Mcclellan, Sadie Boyers, Victoria Cali De Leon, Tony Cole, Laura Cowley-Martinson, Shersten Finley, Dustin Lanker, Julia Seydel, Aakash Nath Upraity, Janet Cowal, Melissa Haeffner

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this report is to provide evidence for the need to further intentionally incorporate equity into Oregon’s 100 Year Water Vision. Four case studies contextualize this need and highlight the variety of water issues throughout the state, supported by linguistic analyses of local newspapers. As Oregon policy-makers are responsible for ensuring working water systems for all Oregonians, we also suggest implementable criteria for the evaluation of equity in water issues and decision-making. This student-led and interdisciplinary report comes from the Haeffner-Cowal Oregon Water Stories research lab at Portland State University.


Statistical Analysis Of Nutrient Loads From The Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (Marb) To The Gulf Of Mexico, Phyllis Okwan, Yi Zhen, Huan Feng, Shinjae Yoo, Murty S. Kambhampati, Abreione Walker, Shayne Boykin, Joe Omojola, Noel Blackburn 2020 Southern University and A & M College

Statistical Analysis Of Nutrient Loads From The Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (Marb) To The Gulf Of Mexico, Phyllis Okwan, Yi Zhen, Huan Feng, Shinjae Yoo, Murty S. Kambhampati, Abreione Walker, Shayne Boykin, Joe Omojola, Noel Blackburn

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study investigated the annual and seasonal variations in nutrient loads (NO2 + NO3 and orthophosphate) delivered to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) and examined the water quality variations. The results indicate that (1) annually, the mean NO2 + NO3 and orthophosphate loads showed a steady increase during 1996–1999, a persistent level during 2000–2007, and a moderate increase during 2008–2016; (2) seasonally, NO2 + NO3 and orthophosphate in MARB in spring and summer were higher than those in autumn and winter. Analysis of …


The American Association Of State Climatologists' Recommendations And Best Practices For Mesonets, Christopher Fiebrich, Kevin R. Benson, Nathan L. Edwards, Stuart A. Foster, Rezaul Mahmood, Christopher A. Redmond, Megan Schargorodski, Jeffrey A. Andresen, Xiaomao Lin 2020 University of Oklahoma

The American Association Of State Climatologists' Recommendations And Best Practices For Mesonets, Christopher Fiebrich, Kevin R. Benson, Nathan L. Edwards, Stuart A. Foster, Rezaul Mahmood, Christopher A. Redmond, Megan Schargorodski, Jeffrey A. Andresen, Xiaomao Lin

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Over recent decades, mesoscale networks of automated, in-situ stations for weather monitoring have been developed across diverse regional settings. These networks, commonly referred to as mesonets, have originated independently, are funded at various levels and through various mechanisms, and serve a variety of constituencies and needs. While sharing commonalities, each network has unique strategic, design, and operational elements. As sensor and communications technologies evolve and the demand for environmental data to support decision making grows, mesonets are expected to play an increasing role in support of weather and climate services. Currently, there exists inconsistent functional practices and metadata reporting among …


A Hydrometeorological Assessment Of The Historic 2019 Flood Of Nebraska And Iowa, Paul Flanagan, Rezaul Mahmood, Natalie Umphlett, Erin Hacker, Chittaranjan Hacker, William Sorensen, Crystal J. Stiles, David Pearson, Paul Fajman 2020 University of Nebraska-Lincoln

A Hydrometeorological Assessment Of The Historic 2019 Flood Of Nebraska And Iowa, Paul Flanagan, Rezaul Mahmood, Natalie Umphlett, Erin Hacker, Chittaranjan Hacker, William Sorensen, Crystal J. Stiles, David Pearson, Paul Fajman

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

During early 2019, a series of events set the stage for devastating floods in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. When the floodwaters hit, dams and levees failed, leaving towns cut off, while destroying roads, bridges, and rail lines, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Lives were lost and cattle were stranded. Preliminary estimates indicate that the cost of the flooding has topped $3 billion, with this number expected to rise. After a warm and wet start to the winter, eastern Nebraska and western Iowa endured an extended pattern characterized by extremely low temperatures and record-breaking snowfall. By early March, rivers were …


Primary Atmospheric Drivers Of Dry And Wet Periods Over The U.S. Great Plains Within Cmip5 Models, Paul Flanagan, Jeffrey B. Basara, Elinor Martin, Rezaul Mahmood, Jason C. Furtado 2020 USDA ARS, El Reno, OK

Primary Atmospheric Drivers Of Dry And Wet Periods Over The U.S. Great Plains Within Cmip5 Models, Paul Flanagan, Jeffrey B. Basara, Elinor Martin, Rezaul Mahmood, Jason C. Furtado

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Precipitation variability is critical to the economic and ecosystem health of the United States Great Plains (GP). Whether from wet or dry extremes, changes in annual precipitation can lead to impacts on the health of the ecosystem and overall crop yield in a given year. To this end, wet and dry extremes have been investigated using the ERA-20C and CMIP5 dataset on an annual timescale to determine the ability of climate-scale simulations to resolve atmospheric drivers of precipitation variability. Results from the ERA-20C analysis show that specific atmospheric circulation anomalies can be detected which relate eddy geopotential height (EGH) anomalies …


Digital Commons powered by bepress