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: 1909
Community maturity, species saturation and the variant diversity- productivity relationships in grasslands
Detailed knowledge of the relationship between plant diversity and productivity is critical for advancing our understanding of ecosystem functioning and for achieving success in habitat restoration efforts. However, effects and interactions of diversity, succession and biotic invasions on productivity remain elusive. We studied newly established communities in relation to preexisting homogeneous v
Authors
Q. Guo, T. Shaffer, T. Buhl
Factors influencing soil invertebrate communities in riparian grasslands of the central platte river floodplain
In the Platte River Valley of central Nebraska, USA, riparian grasslands (also known as wet meadows) have been severely impacted by a reduction in river flows, causing lower ground-water levels and altered seasonal hydroperiods. The potential impacts of these hydrologic changes, as well as the environmental factors that influence wet meadow soil invertebrate communities, are not well understood. A
Authors
C.A. Davis, J. E. Austin, D. A. Buhl
Canada thistle biological control agents on two South Dakota wildlife refuges
We monitored populations of Canada thistle biocontrol agents Cassida rubiginosa, Ceutorhynchus litura, Larinus (= Hadroplantus) planus, Urophora cardui, Orellia (= Terellia) ruficauda, and Rhinocyllus conicus on Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) at two national wildlife refuges in South Dakota from 1999 through 2003. C. litura, U. cardui, O. ruficauda, and R. conicus were present on both refuges. A
Authors
C.C. Reed, D. L. Larson, J.L. Larson
North American prairie wetlands are important nonforested land-based carbon storage sites
We evaluated the potential of prairie wetlands in North America as carbon sinks. Agricultural conversion has resulted in the average loss of 10.1 Mg ha- 1 of soil organic carbon on over 16 million ha of wetlands in this region. Wetland restoration has potential to sequester 378 Tg of organic carbon over a 10-year period. Wetlands can sequester over twice the organic carbon as no-till cropland on o
Authors
N.H. Euliss, R.A. Gleason, A. Olness, R.L. McDougal, H.R. Murkin, R.D. Robarts, R.A. Bourbonniere, B.G. Warner
Diet shifts of lesser scaup are consistent with the spring condition hypothesis
We compared diets of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis (Eyton, 1838)) in the springs of 2000 and 2001 to those reported in the 1970s and the 1980s to determine whether forage quality has declined as predicted by the spring condition hypothesis. In Minnesota, we found that the current aggregate percentage of Amphipoda (an important food item) in lesser scaup diets was 94% lower than that reported from t
Authors
M.J. Anteau, A. D. Afton
Distributions of exotic plants in eastern Asia and North America
Although some plant traits have been linked to invasion success, the possible effects of regional factors, such as diversity, habitat suitability, and human activity are not well understood. Each of these mechanisms predicts a different pattern of distribution at the regional scale. Thus, where climate and soils are similar, predictions based on regional hypotheses for invasion success can be test
Authors
Q. Guo, H. Qian, R. E. Ricklefs, W. Xi
Seed germination of Cirsium arvense and Lepidium latifolium: implications for management of montane wetlands
No abstract available.
Authors
M.K. Laubhan, T.L. Shaffer
Determinants of mallard and gadwall nesting on constructed islands in North Dakota
Constructed islands with adequate nesting cover provide secure nesting sites for ducks because islands restrict access by mammalian predators. These islands are costly to construct and should be placed in areas that ensure the greatest use by nesting ducks. We studied mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and gadwall (A. strepera) nesting on constructed islands in North Dakota in 1996 (n = 20) and 1997 (n
Authors
Terry L. Shaffer, Ann L. Dahl, Ronald E. Reynolds, Kathy L. Baer, Michael A. Johnson, Glen A. Sargeant
North American prairie wetlands are important nonforested land-based carbon storage sites
We evaluated the potential of prairie wetlands in North America as carbon sinks. Agricultural conversion has resulted in the average loss of 10.1 Mg ha- 1 of soil organic carbon on over 16 million ha of wetlands in this region. Wetland restoration has potential to sequester 378 Tg of organic carbon over a 10-year period. Wetlands can sequester over twice the organic carbon as no-till cropland on o
Authors
N.H. Euliss, R.A. Gleason, A. Olness, R.L. McDougal, H.R. Murkin, R.D. Robarts, R.A. Bourbonniere, B.G. Warner
A 3-decade dearth of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in a wolf (Canis lupus)-dominated ecosystem
Some 30 years after wolves (Canis lupus) were implicated in decimating wintering white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in a 3000-km2 area of northeastern Minnesota, winter deer still have not recolonized the area. Although habitat in the study area generally remains poor, some regeneration has taken place, and deer have increased adjacent to the area. However, wolf numbers have persisted by p
Authors
M.E. Nelson, L. D. Mech
Age-related body mass and reproductive measurements of gray wolves in Minnesota
Based on 65 free-ranging gray wolves (Canis lupus) of known age and 25 of estimated age examined during summers of 1970-2004 in northeastern Minnesota, body mass of both males and females peaked at 5 or 6 years of age, with mean masses of 40.8 kg and 31.2 kg, respectively. Testis size varied as a function of age and month through at least 8 years of age, with length plus width ranging from 1.9 to
Authors
L. D. Mech
Insect visitation and pollen deposition in an invaded prairie plant community
No abstract available.
Authors
D. L. Larson, R.A. Royer, M.R. Royer