Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons^™

Characterizing Feral Swine Movement Across The Contiguous United States Using Neural Networks And Genetic Data, Rachael M. Giglio, Courtney F. Bowden, Ryan K. Brook, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Timothy J. Smyser

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Globalization has led to the frequent movement of species out of their native habitat. Some of these species become highly invasive and capable of profoundly altering invaded ecosystems. Feral swine (Sus scrofa × domesticus) are recognized as being among the most destructive invasive species, with populations established on all continents except Antarctica. Within the United States (US), feral swine are responsible for extensive crop damage, the destruction of native ecosystems, and the spread of disease. Purposeful human-mediated movement of feral swine has contributed to their rapid range expansion over the past 30 years. Patterns of deliberate introduction of …

Bayesian Integrated Species Distribution Models For Hierarchical Resource Selection By A Soaring Bird, Ryo Ogawa, Guiming Wang, L. Wes Burger, Bronson Strickland, J. Brian Davis, Fred L. Cunningham

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Migratory birds exhibit seasonal geographic range (hereafter, range) dynamics during the annual cycle. Few studies have examined how migratory birds select their habitats for range occupancy at the species level and space use at the individual level simultaneously. We hypothesized that environmental variables directly related to fitness components would affect the range occupancy probabilities of migrants, whereas environment variables related to movements and flights would affect the space use intensities of migrants. We built Bayesian integrated species distribution models (ISDMs) to evaluate the effects of climate conditions, wind conditions, and landcover compositions on the seasonal range dynamics of American white …

Raccoon Density Estimation From Camera Traps For Raccoon Rabies Management, Amy J. Davis, Wesley C. Dixon, Richard B. Chipman, Amy T. Gilbert, Jacob E. Hill, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Guha Dharmarajan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Density estimation for unmarked animals is particularly challenging, yet density estimates are often necessary for effective wildlife management. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are the primary terrestrial wildlife reservoir for Lyssavirus rabies within the United States. The raccoon rabies variant (RRVV) is actively managed at landscape scales using oral rabies vaccination (ORV) within the eastern United States. To effectively manage RRVV, it is important to know the density of raccoons to appropriately scale the density of ORV baits distributed on the landscape. We compared methods to estimate raccoon densities from camera‐trap data versus more intensive capture‐mark‐recapture (CMR) estimates across 2 …

Tallgrass Prairie Center 2023-2024 Highlights, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Annual Reports

Contents:

--- Staff
--- From Our Director
--- Iowa Roadside Management: Enhancing our public roadsides
--- Research and Restoration: Native seeds and methods for prairie reconstruction
--- Plant Materials: A prairie pedigree for Iowa’s roadsides and beyond
--- Prairie on Farms: Making prairie practical
--- Irvine Prairie: Restoring a piece of the original Iowa landscape
--- Prairie Roots Project: A deeper appreciation of the prairie ecosystem
--- A Hidden Gem - UNI's Biological Preserves: A legacy of service and partnership
--- Green Iowa AmeriCorps: Service members expand TPC capacity
--- Friends of the TPC: Critical support for the TPC mission …

Using Open-Path Dual-Comb Spectroscopy To Monitor Methane Emissions From Simulated Grazing Cattle, C. Weersekara, L. C. Morris, N. A. Malarich, F. R. Giorgetta Et Al.

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Nebraska Water Center Annual Report 2024

Nebraska Water Center: Administrative Materials

The report's highlights updates including ongoing research, know your well, and the Nebraska master irrigator launch.

Wics Conference 2024: Announcement, Wics Conference

Water and Integrated Cropping Systems Conferences

Announcement for the 2024 Water and Integrated Cropping Systems (WICS) Conference to be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, discussing the theme: Creating Connections Together with the goals of addressing Team Science.

What Is Known, Unknown, And Needed To Be Known About Damage Caused By Wild Pigs, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Kim M. Pepin, Seth M. Cook, Sophie Mckee, Abigail Pagels, Keely J. Kohen, Ingrid A. Messner, Michael P. Glow, Nathan P. Snow

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Damage assessments provide evidence for initiating and evaluating management programs that protect natural resources and human livelihoods against invasive species. Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) cause extensive damage in their native and non-native ranges, but the extent of current damage and efficacy of management of the damage (i.e., population control of wild pigs, exclusion fencing, etc.) remains poorly described. We conducted a systematic review of physical damage caused by wild pigs to summarize what is known and identify knowledge gaps for damage assessment. Wild pig damage assessments have been overwhelmingly qualitative (84% of studies) and measured differently across studies, …

Tracking Sero-Molecular Trends Of Swine Brucellosis In Hawai'i And The Central Pacific, Thi Hai Au La, Ian A. Mcmillan, Prashant Dahal, Andrew H. Burger, Mahdi Belcaid, Darrin M. Phelps, Samuel M. Goldstein, Vienna R. Brown, Michael H. Norris

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Introduction

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of mammals caused by bacterial species of the Brucella genus. The reservoir for disease is typically mammals, with species of Brucella found infecting amphibians, bats, and marine mammals. Brucella spp. can pass directly to humans through contact with infected animals or their products. Brucella spp. can cause chronic debilitating infections in mammals, including humans, and is associated with spontaneous abortions in infected animals, causing reduced fecundity. In Hawai‘i, terrestrial species that could harbor Brucella spp. include swine, cattle, horses, and axis deer among others. The numerous feral swine in Hawai‘i are known to carry …

Behaviour And Attitudes Of Non-Resident Waterfowl Hunters In Saskatchewan, Matthew P. Gruntorad, Mark P. Vrtiska, Christopher J. Chizinski

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The North American Trumpeter Swan Survey: Retain Or Find Something New?, Mark P. Vrtiska, J. A. Dubovsky, M. G. Anderson

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring Heterogeneity In Waterfowl Hunter Trip Preferences: A Discrete Choice Experiment, K. A. Sainsbury, H. W. Harshaw, D. C. Fulton, N. W. Cole, A. A. Dayer, J. N. Duberstein, A. H. Raedeke, R. M. Schuster, Mark P. Vrtiska

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Exploring Recruitment, Retention, And License Purchase Probability Of Waterfowl Hunters Using A Mark-Recapture Approach, K. A. Graham, Mark P. Vrtiska, D. H. Humburg, Larkin A. Powell, A. H. Raedeke, P. K. Devers, Christopher J. Chizinski

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Genetic Tracking Of A Rabid Coyote (Canis Latrans) Detected Beyond A Rabies Enzootic Area In West Virginia, Usa, Matthew W. Hopken, Crystal Gigante, Amy T. Gilbert, Richard B. Chipman, Jordana D. Kirby, Rene Edgar Condori, Samuel Mills, Chelsea Hartley, John Forbes, Lisa Dettinger, Dongxiang Xia, Yu Li, Bridgett Vonholdt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife translocation and cross-species transmission can impede control and elimination of emerging zoonotic diseases. Tracking the geographic origin of both host and virus (i.e., translocation versus local infection) may help determine the most effective response when high-risk cases of emerging pathogens are identified in wildlife. In May 2022, a coyote (Canis latrans) infected with the raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies virus variant (RRV) was collected in Lewis County, West Virginia, USA, an area free from RRV. We applied host population genomics and RRV phylogenetic analyses to determine the most likely geographic origin of the rabid coyote. Coyote …

Dam Dimensions And Surface Porosity Affect The Water Storage Capacity Of Beaver Dam Analogs Compared To Natural Beaver Dams, Sawyer Nagle

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Widespread stream incision in the Western United States, exacerbated by climate change and anthropogenic activities, necessitates effective restoration strategies. My study compares water retention by Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) to natural beaver dams and undammed control reaches. I compared how dam dimensions affect the hydraulic performance of both BDAs and beaver dams, revealing gaps in research on their comparative effectiveness. My study was conducted across eight watersheds in Washington state and two in Idaho. Hydraulic retention time (HRT), water travel time, and pool volume were response variables used to determine dam effectiveness. Dam height, thickness, length and porosity were the …

Speaking For The States: A Response To The Proposal Of Subnational Forest Federalization, Joseph White

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

The Hutton Project: Long-Term Agricultural Impacts On Soil Loss And Carbon Dynamics In Eastern South Dakota, Eli Halverson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Long-term and intensified agricultural land management has resulted in increased rates of soil erosion and has altered much of the carbon cycle at regional and global scales. Anthropogenic degradation of soil resources is a barrier to sustainable production, soil functioning, and ecosystem services. It is difficult to quantify the scope of pedogenic changes due to the lack of legacy data and short temporal scales. This study utilized decades to century-old soil information to quantify historical soil erosion losses and changes in soil carbon pools of eastern South Dakota soils. The results show that soils in the region have been significantly …

Effects Of Low-Cost, Low-Tech Tools For Riparian Restoration On Prairie Streams In Western South Dakota, James Andrew Joseph Bolyard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite making up less than two percent of the overall landscape in the arid and semi-arid western US, riparian areas are a crucial resource for agriculture, livestock, and wildlife. However, many have impaired function and reduced riparian cover. Low-Cost, Low-Tech Tools (LCLTT) are a subset of Process-Based Restoration (PBR) used for riparian restoration that were chosen for their cost-effectiveness and minimal technical requirements. LCLTT has been tested in mountainous areas of the western US but only recently implemented in the Northern Great Plains (NGP). Given their novelty as an approach toward restoration for the region, professional restoration and landowner communities …

Plant Available Water Drives Semi-Arid Forage Quality And Quantity In A Common Garden Greenhouse Experiment, Parker J. Witt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rangeland forage nutrition and biomass production are integral components of sustainable livestock grazing systems and are controlled by soil quality and precipitation. I examined the effects of precipitation on growth and nutrition of three forage species in four different soils that span the longitudinal moisture gradient in South Dakota. I grew little bluestem (Schizachyrum scoparium), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), and smooth brome (Bromus inermis) in soils representing the eastern tallgrass/mid-grass prairie (Brookings, 700 mm avg. precipitation.), an eastern mid-grass prairie (Highmore, 550 mm avg. precipitation.), a western mid-grass prairie (Cottonwood, 450 mm avg. precipitation.), and a western mid-grass/short-grass prairie (Sturgis, …

Africa’S Overlooked Top Predator: Towards A Better Understanding Of Martial Eagle Feeding Ecology In The Maasai Mara, Kenya, Richard Stratton Hatfield, Allison G. Davis, Ralph Buij, John J. Cox, Shiv Kapila, Lemein Parmuntoro, Simon Thomsett, Munir Z. Virani, Peter Njoroge, Frank Van Langevelde

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Raptors exert top-down influences on ecosystems via their effects on prey population dynamics and community composition. Most raptors are sympatric with other predators, thus complicating our understanding of their relative influence in these systems. Estimates of kill rates and prey biomass recycling have been used as predation metrics that allow quantitative comparison among species and assessment of the relative role of single species within complex food webs. Few studies have produced findings of kill rates or prey biomass recycling for raptors. We used a supervised machine learning algorithm to behaviourally classify high resolution accelerometer informed GPS locations of tagged adult …