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Publications

These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.

Filter Total Items: 16785

Tidal marshes as disequilibrium landscapes? Lags between morphology and Holocene sea level change

Historical acceleration in the rate of global sea level rise and recent observations of marsh degradation highlight the importance of understanding how marshes respond to sea level change. Here, we use an existing numerical model to demonstrate that marsh morphology, and its effect on biological productivity and vertical accretion, could lag century-scale sea level rise rate oscillations by sever
Authors
M. L. Kirwan, A.B. Murray

Prevalence of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in stream and wetland amphibians in Maryland, USA

The amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, responsible for the potentially fatal amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, is known to occur in a large and ever increasing number of amphibian populations around the world. However, sampling has been biased towards stream- and wetland-breeding anurans, with little attention paid to stream-associated salamanders. We sampled three frog and
Authors
Evan H. Campbell Grant, Larissa L. Bailey, Joy L. Ware, Karen L. Duncan

Presence-nonpresence surveys of golden-cheeked warblers: detection, occupancy and survey effort

Surveys to detect the presence or absence of endangered species may not consistently cover an area, account for imperfect detection or consider that detection and species presence at sample units may change within a survey season. We evaluated a detection?nondetection survey method for the federally endangered golden-cheeked warbler (GCWA) Dendroica chrysoparia. Three study areas were selected a
Authors
C.A. Watson, F.W. Weckerly, J. S. Hatfield, C.C. Farquhar, P.S. Williamson

A new species of Percina (Perciformes: Percidae) from the Apalachicola River drainage, southeastern United States

Percina crypta, the Halloween Darter, is described as a new species endemic to the Chattahoochee and Flint River systems in Georgia and Alabama. Percina crypta differs from sympatric Percina nigrofasciata in having narrowly separated dorsal saddles (inter-saddle spaces typically less than or equal to saddle width, compared to frequently wider than saddle width in P. nigrofasciata), in usually poss
Authors
Mary C. Freeman, B. J. Freeman, N.M. Burkhead, C.A. Straight

Movement of reservoir-stocked riverine fish between tailwaters and rivers

The movement of fish from onstream impoundments into connected streams and rivers has traditionally been overlooked in fish stocking decisions but is critical to the ultimate impact of stocking riverine species into reservoirs. Hybrid saugeyes (female walleye Sander vitreus x male sauger S. canadensis) stocked into Deer Creek Reservoir, Ohio, readily move from the reservoir to the tailwater below
Authors
J.A. Spoelstra, R.A. Stein, J. Andrew Royle, E.A. Marschall

Annual recapture and survival rates of two non-breeding adult populations of Roseate Terns Stema dougallii captured on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, and estimates of their population sizes

Capture-recapture data from two disparate breeding populations of Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii) captured together as non-breeding individuals from 2002 to 2007 in the southern Great Barrier Reef. Australia were analyzed for both survival rate and recapture rate. The average annual survival rate for the birds from the Asian population (S. d. bangsi) (0.901) is higher than that of the other pop
Authors
P. O'Neill, C.D.T. Minton, I.C.T. Nisbet, J. E. Hines

Evaluation of specimen preservatives for DNA analyses of bees

Large-scale insect collecting efforts that are facilitated by the use of pan traps result in large numbers of specimens being collected. Storage of these specimens can be problematic if space and equipment are limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of various preservatives (alcohol solutions and DMSO) on the amount and quality of DNA extracted from bees (specifically Halictidae, Api
Authors
M. Frampton, Sam Droege, T. Conrad, S. Prager, M.H. Richards

Temporal variation in adult survival rates of Roseate Terns during periods of increasing and declining populations

We used 19 years of mark-recapture/resighting data collected on 11, 020 birds from 1988-2006 at five colony sites in Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut, USA, to examine temporal variation in the survival rates of adult Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii) during periods of overall population increase (1988-2000) and decline (2000-2006). Roseate Terns nested at only one colony site in Buzzards B
Authors
J. A. Spendelow, J. E. Hines, J. D. Nichols, I.C.T. Nisbet, G. Cormons, H. Hays, J.J. Hatch, C.S. Mostello

A double-observer method to estimate detection rate during aerial waterfowl surveys

We evaluated double-observer methods for aerial surveys as a means to adjust counts of waterfowl for incomplete detection. We conducted our study in eastern Canada and the northeast United States utilizing 3 aerial-survey crews flying 3 different types of fixed-wing aircraft. We reconciled counts of front- and rear-seat observers immediately following an observation by the rear-seat observer (i.
Authors
M.D. Koneff, J. Andrew Royle, M.C. Otto, J.S. Wortham, J.K. Bidwell

Seasonal movements and migration of Pallas's Gulls Larus ichthyaetus from Qinghai Lake, China

We studied the seasonal movements and migration often Pallas's Gulls Larus ichthyaetus trom Qinghai Lake to assess migratory routes and stopover areas. Each individual was captured and equipped with an 18 g solar-powered Platform Transmitter Terminal (PIT) to track its movements from September 2007 to May 2008. Six individuals remained near Qinghai Lake until the PTTs stopped transmitting. Thre
Authors
S.B. Muzaffar, John Y. Takekawa, D.J. Prosser, David C. Douglas, B. Yan, Z. Xing, Y. Hou, E.C. Palm, S. H. Newman

Apparent tolerance of turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac

The nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug diclofenac is extremely toxic to Old World Gyps vultures (median lethal dose ∼0.1–0.2 mg/kg), evoking visceral gout, renal necrosis, and mortality within a few days of exposure. Unintentional secondary poisoning of vultures that fed upon carcasses of diclofenac‐treated livestock decimated populations in the Indian subcontinent. Because of the widespread use
Authors
Barnett A. Rattner, M.A. Whitehead, G. Gasper, C.U. Meteyer, W. A. Link, M.A. Taggart, A.A. Meharg, O. H. Pattee, D.J. Pain