Publications
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center staff publish results of their research in USGS series reports and in peer-reviewed journals. Publication links are below. Information on all USGS publications can be found at the USGS Publications Warehouse.
Filter Total Items: 1907
Mapping anuran habitat suitability to estimate effects of grassland and wetland conservation programs
The conversion of the Northern Great Plains of North America to a landscape favoring agricultural commodity production has negatively impacted wildlife habitats. To offset impacts, conservation programs have been implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies to restore grassland and wetland habitat components. To evaluate effects of these efforts on anuran habitats, we used
Authors
David M. Mushet, Ned H. Euliss, Craig A. Stockwell
Ungulate management in national parks of the United States and Canada
Enabling legislation—that which gives appropriate officials the authority to implement or enforce the law—impacts management of ungulates in national parks of
Canada and the United States (U.S.). The initial focus of such legislation in both countries centered on preserving natural and culturally significant areas for posterity. Although this objective remains primary, philosophies and practices
Authors
S. Demarais, L. Cornicelli, R. Kahn, E. Merrill, C. Miller, J.M. Peek, W.F. Porter, G.A. Sargeant
Local and landscape associations between wintering dabbling ducks and wetland complexes in Mississippi
Landscape features influence distribution of waterbirds throughout their annual cycle. A conceptual model, the wetland habitat complex, may be useful in conservation of wetland habitats for dabbling ducks (Anatini). The foundation of this conceptual model is that ducks seek complexes of wetlands containing diverse resources to meet dynamic physiological needs. We included flooded croplands, wet
Authors
Aaron T. Pearse, Richard M. Kaminski, Kenneth J. Reinecke, Stephen J. Dinsmore
Spring snow goose hunting influences body composition of waterfowl staging in Nebraska
A spring hunt was instituted in North America to reduce abundance of snow geese (Chen caerulescens) by increasing mortality of adults directly, yet disturbance from hunting activities can indirectly influence body condition and ultimately, reproductive success. We estimated effects of hunting disturbance by comparing body composition of snow geese and non-target species, greater white-fronted gees
Authors
Aaron T. Pearse, Gary L. Krapu, Robert R. Cox
The treatment of missing data in long-term monitoring programs
No abstract available.
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, Michael B. Soma
Monitoring that matters
Monitoring is a critically important activity for assessing the status of a system, such as the health of an individual, the balance in one's checking account, profits and losses of a business, the economic activity of a nation, or the size of an animal population. Monitoring is especially vital for evaluating changes in the system associated with specific known impacts occurring to the system. It
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson
Time-specific patterns of nest survival for ducks and passerines breeding in North Dakota
In many bird species, survival can vary with the age of the nest, with the date a nest was initiated, or among years within the same nesting area. A literature review showed that patterns of survival vary in relation to nest age and date and are often contradictory. Inconsistencies could be a result of temporal variation in the environment or life-history differences among species. We examined pat
Authors
Terry L. Shaffer, Todd A. Grant
Estimating abundance of mountain lions from unstructured spatial sampling
Mountain lions (Puma concolor) are often difficult to monitor because of their low capture probabilities, extensive movements, and large territories. Methods for estimating the abundance of this species are needed to assess population status, determine harvest levels, evaluate the impacts of management actions on populations, and derive conservation and management strategies. Traditional mark–reca
Authors
Robin E. Russell, J. Andrew Royle, Richard Desimone, Michael K. Schwartz, Victoria L. Edwards, Kristy P. Pilgrim, Kevin S. Mckelvey
Model of whooping crane energetics as foundation for development of a method to assess potential take during migration
A whooping crane energetic model was developed as a component of a larger effort to ascertain potential take, as defined by the Endangered Species Act, of whooping cranes from proposed development of wind-energy infrastructure in the Great Plains of North America. The primary objectives of this energetic model were to (1) predict extra flight energy that whooping cranes may require to find suitabl
Authors
Aaron T. Pearse, Sarena M. Selbo
Nest survival of piping plovers at a dynamic reservoir indicates an ecological trap for a threatened population
In the past 60 years, reservoirs have reshaped riverine ecosystems and transformed breeding habitats used by the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus; hereafter plover). Currently, 29% of the Northern Great Plains plover population nests at reservoirs that might function as ecological traps because reservoirs have more diverse habitat features and greater dynamics in water levels than habi
Authors
Michael J. Anteau, Terry L. Shaffer, Mark H. Sherfy, Marsha A. Sovada, Jennifer H. Stucker, Mark T. Wiltermuth
Hatching and fledging times from grassland passerine nests
Accurate estimates of fledging age are needed in field studies to avoid inducing premature fledging or missing the fledging event. Both may lead to misinterpretation of nest fate. Correctly assessing nest fate and length of the nestling period can be critical for accurate calculation of nest survival rates. For researchers who mark nestlings, knowing the age at which their activities may cause you
Authors
Pamela J. Pietz, Diane A. Granfors, Todd A. Grant
A multi-refuge study to evaluate the effectiveness of growing-season and dormant-season burns to control cattail
Proliferation of invasive cattails (for example, Typha x glauca, T. angustifolia) is a concern of wetland managers across the country, and numerous methods have been used to control the spatial extent and density of the plant. To date, however, no single method has proven widely or consistently effective at reducing the long-term growth and spread of these species. We performed a multi-refuge stud
Authors
Robert A. Gleason, Brian A. Tangen, Murray K. Laubhan, Socheata Lor