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
Response of nesting ducks to predator exclosures and water conditions during drought
We investigated whether small predator exclosures might be a useful tool for increasing duck recruitment. During a period of increasing drought from 1987 to 1991, we monitored populations of dabbling ducks on 9 51-km2 study areas, 3 of which contained a centrally located 25-ha predator exclosure and 3 of which served as control areas. We did not detect an increase in duck pairs per treated area/pa
Authors
Lewis M. Cowardin, Pamela J. Pietz, John T. Lokemoen, H. Thomas Sklebar
Mallard duckling growth and survival in relation to aquatic invertebrates
Identification and assessment of the relative importance of factors affecting duckling growth and survival are essential for effective management of mallards on breeding areas. For each of 3 years (1993-95), we placed F1-generation wild mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) females on experimental wetlands and allowed them to mate, nest, and rear broods for 17 days. We manipulated invertebrate densities by
Authors
R. R. Cox, M.A. Hanson, C.C. Roy, N.H. Euliss, D. H. Johnson, Malcolm G. Butler
Professionals in environmental education: Helping kids learn about forestry
A K--8 school in a suburb of St. Paul has formed a partnership with natural resource professionals to create a school forest for environmental education in the field. The university and agency professionals worked with students to teach them the skills necessary to map and inventory their school grounds. Students then used the inventory data to develop a school forest plan. Over the past four year
Authors
D.H. Anderson, J.L. Thompson, P.J. Jakes
Effects of food supplementation on depredation of duck nests in prairies by striped skunks
We examined provision of supplemental food as a method for reducing depredation of upland-duck nests, especially by striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis). Predators negatively influence duck recruitment in grassland ecosystems. Managers are in search of methods, particularly nonlethal methods, for reducing nest depredation. We conducted this study on 24 areas managed for wildlife production in the Pr
Authors
R. J. Greenwood, D.G. Pietruszewski, R.D. Crawford
Checklist and "Pollard Walk" butterfly survey methods on public lands
Checklist and “Pollard Walk” butterfly survey methods were contemporaneously applied to seven public sites in North Dakota during the summer of 1995. Results were compared for effect of method and site on total number of butterflies and total number of species detected per hour. Checklist searching produced significantly more butterfly detections per hour than Pollard Walks at all sites. Number of
Authors
Ronald A. Royer, Jane E. Austin, Wesley E. Newton
Interdecadal variations of annual precipitation in the central United States
Century-long annual precipitation time series at 168 stations in the central United States are analyzed with special attention given to interdecadal variations. The results show statistically significant precipitation variations of interdecadal timescales in the region. In particular, one variation has a quasi 20-yr period, and another one possesses a quasi 12-yr period.
Authors
Q. Hu, C.M. Woodruff, S.E. Mudrick
Effects of capture and handling on survival of female northern pintails
Identification of capture and handling procedures that influence survival of waterfowl has important research and management implications. We captured 347 female Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) using rocket nets, fitted them with harness (backpack-type) radio transmitters, and monitored their survival during the first 10 d following release. Females were 16 times more likely to die during the first
Authors
R. R. Cox, A. D. Afton
Survival of female northern pintails wintering in southwestern Louisiana
Abstract has not been submitted
Authors
R. R. Cox, A. D. Afton, R. M. Pace
Effects of the herbicide atrazine on Ambystoma tigrinum metamorphosis: duration, larval growth, and hormonal response
We exposed larval tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) reared in the laboratory from eggs collected from a prairie wetland in North Dakota to three concentrations of atrazine (0, 75, and 250 i??g/L) in a static renewal test to determine the pesticide's effect on (1) plasma corticosterone and thyroxine concentrations, (2) larval size, and (3) days-to-stage at stages 2 and 4 of metamorphic climax.
Authors
Diane L. Larson, Susan McDonald, Steven J. Hamilton, Albert J. Fivizzani, Wesley E. Newton
Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis)
Abstract not submitted to date
Authors
J. E. Austin, Christine M. Custer, A. D. Afton
Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Baird's Sparrow
Information on the habitat requirements and effects of habitat management on grassland birds were summarized from information in more than 5,500 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the relative densities of the species in North America, based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated, the maps a
Authors
Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Melvin P. Nenneman, Betty R. Euliss