Publications
FORT scientists have produced more than 2000 peer reviewed publications that are registered in the USGS Publications Warehouse, along with many others prior to their work at the USGS or in conjunction with other government agencies.
Filter Total Items: 2376
Behavioral differences following ingestion of large meals and consequences for management of a harmful invasive snake: A field experiment Behavioral differences following ingestion of large meals and consequences for management of a harmful invasive snake: A field experiment
Many snakes are uniquely adapted to ingest large prey at infrequent intervals. Digestion of large prey is metabolically and aerobically costly, and large prey boluses can impair snake locomotion, increasing vulnerability to predation. Cessation of foraging and use of refugia with microclimates facilitating digestion are expected to be strategies employed by free‐ranging snakes to cope...
Authors
Shane R. Siers, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Robert Reed
The relationship between invader abundance and impact The relationship between invader abundance and impact
The impacts of invasive species generally increase with their abundance, but the form of invader abundance–impact relationships remain poorly described. We highlight the utility of abundance–impact curves for three questions. First, abundance–impact relationships can clarify whether prevention and management should focus on the species likely to become abundant or those likely to cause...
Authors
Helen Sofaer, Catherine S. Jarnevich, Ian S. Pearse
Increasing connectivity between metapopulation ecology and landscape ecology Increasing connectivity between metapopulation ecology and landscape ecology
Metapopulation ecology and landscape ecology aim to understand how spatial structure influences ecological processes, yet these disciplines address the problem using fundamentally different modeling approaches. Metapopulation models describe how the spatial distribution of patches affects colonization and extinction, but often do not account for the heterogeneity in the landscape between...
Authors
Paige E. Howell, Erin L. Muths, Blake Hossack, Brent Sigafus, Richard Chandler
Quantifying functional connectivity: The role of breeding habitat, abundance, and landscape features on range‐wide gene flow in sage‐grouse Quantifying functional connectivity: The role of breeding habitat, abundance, and landscape features on range‐wide gene flow in sage‐grouse
Functional connectivity, quantified using landscape genetics, can inform conservation through the identification of factors linking genetic structure to landscape mechanisms. We used breeding habitat metrics, landscape attributes, and indices of grouse abundance, to compare fit between structural connectivity and genetic differentiation within five long‐established Sage‐Grouse Management...
Authors
Jeffery R. Row, Kevin E. Doherty, Todd B. Cross, Michael K. Schwartz, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Dave E. Naugle, Steven T. Knick, Bradley C. Fedy
Development of an aerial population survey method for elk (Cervus elaphus) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Development of an aerial population survey method for elk (Cervus elaphus) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Executive Summary Since the early 1990s, substantial effort and funding have been expended to conduct research to guide development of a 20-year Elk and Vegetation Management Plan for Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in Colorado. One goal of the plan is to maintain the elk (Cervus elaphus) population size at the lower end of the natural range of variation. To implement management...
Authors
Kathryn A. Schoenecker, Bruce C. Lubow, Therese L. Johnson
Temporal records of diet diversity dynamics in individual adult female Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) vibrissae Temporal records of diet diversity dynamics in individual adult female Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) vibrissae
Detailed information on the nutrition of free-ranging mammals contributes to the understanding of life history requirements, yet is often quite limited temporally for most species. Reliable dietary inferences can be made by analyzing the stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotopic values (δ13C and δ15N) of some consumer tissues; exactly which tissue is utilized dictates the inferential...
Authors
Andrew C. Doll, Brian D. Taras, Craig A. Stricker, Lorrie D. Rea, Todd M. O'Hara, Andrew P. Cyr, S. Mcdermott, T.M. Loomis, Brian S. Fadely, Michael B. Wunder
Habitat type and structure affect trap capture success of an invasive snake across variable densities Habitat type and structure affect trap capture success of an invasive snake across variable densities
Detection represents an important limitation of accurately estimating population size, abundance, and habitat suitability for wildlife, which can be especially true for cryptic animals. Moreover, for reptiles, juveniles are often less likely to be detected than later life stages. In the case of invasive species, preventing false negatives early in the invasion process can be critical for...
Authors
Melia G. Nafus, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Page E. Klug, Gordon H. Rodda
Spatial relationships of levees and wetland systems within floodplains of the Wabash Basin, USA Spatial relationships of levees and wetland systems within floodplains of the Wabash Basin, USA
Given the unique biogeochemical, physical, and hydrologic services provided by floodplain wetlands, proper management of river systems should include an understanding of how floodplain modifications influence wetland ecosystems. The construction of levees can reduce river–floodplain connectivity, yet it is unclear how levees affect wetlands within floodplains, let alone the cumulative...
Authors
Ryan R. Morrison, Erin N. Bray, Fernando Nardi, Antonio Annis, Quan Dong
Limits to ponderosa pine regeneration following large high-severity forest fires in the United States Southwest Limits to ponderosa pine regeneration following large high-severity forest fires in the United States Southwest
High-severity fires in dry conifer forests of the United States Southwest have created large (>1000 ha) treeless areas that are unprecedented in the regional historical record. These fires have reset extensive portions of Southwestern ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Lawson & C. Lawson var. scopulorum Engelm.) forest landscapes. At least two recovery options following high-severity fire...
Authors
Collin Haffey, Thomas D. Sisk, Craig D. Allen, Andrea E. Thode, Ellis Margolis
Drivers and mechanisms of tree mortality in moist tropical forests Drivers and mechanisms of tree mortality in moist tropical forests
Tree mortality rates appear to be increasing in moist tropical forests (MTFs) with significant carbon cycle consequences. Here, we review the state of knowledge regarding MTF tree mortality, create a conceptual framework with testable hypotheses regarding the drivers, mechanisms and interactions that may underlie increasing MTF mortality rates, and identify the next steps for improved
Authors
Nate G. McDowell, Craig D. Allen, Kristina Anderson‐Teixeira, Paulo M. Brando, Roel Brienen, Jeff Chambers, Brad Christoffersen, Stuart J. Davies, Chris Doughty, Alvaro Duque, Fernando Espirito-Santo, Rosie A. Fisher, Clarissa G. Fontes, David Galbraith, Devin Goodsman, Charlotte Grossiord, Henrik Hartmann, Jennifer Holm, Daniel J. Johnson, Abd. Rahman Kassim, Michael Keller, Charles Koven, Lara Kueppers, Tomo’omi Kumagai, Yadvinder Malhi, Sean M. McMahon, Maurizio Mencuccini, Patrick Meir, Paul R. Moorcroft, Helene C. Muller-Landau, Oliver L. Phillips, Thomas M. Powell, Carlos A. Sierra, John Sperry, Jeff Warren, Chonggang Xu, Xiangtao Xu
Nestling development and aging of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow Nestling development and aging of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow
We studied breeding Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus) status and distribution, natural and life history, habitat use, and nest survival from 2004 through 2014 in southeastern Arizona. In this paper we present descriptions and photographs of known-age nestlings that will assist field biologists to identify Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow nestlings to species, more...
Authors
Janet M. Ruth, Jason Kitting
Reproductive response of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows to weather patterns and habitat structure Reproductive response of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows to weather patterns and habitat structure
Avian species endemic to desert grasslands of North America contend with significant ecological challenges, including monsoonal rains, droughts, and variable temperatures. These birds have evolved physiological and behavioral means of coping with such extremes, but ongoing changes to temperature and precipitation patterns are affecting their breeding phenology, reproductive success, and...
Authors
Janet M. Ruth, Susan K. Skagen