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Publications

FORT scientists have produced more than 1,500 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: 2219

Food habits of Nyctinomops macrotis at a maternity roost in New Mexico, as indicated by analysis of guano

We examined 56 fecal pellets from under a maternity colony of big free-tailed bats (Nyctinomops macrotis) in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. The most important food items, listed in order of decreasing percent volume, were Cicadellidae, leafhoppers (26.7% volume, 58.9% frequency); Ichneumonidae, Ichneumon wasps (19.3% volume, 35.7% frequency); and Lepidoptera, moths (17.2% volume, 82.1
Authors
D. W. Sparks, E.W. Valdez

Treatment of black-tailed prairie dog burrows with deltamethrin to control fleas (Insecta: Siphonaptera) and plague

Burrows within black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies on the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado, were dusted with deltamethrin insecticide to reduce flea (Insecta: Siphonaptera) abundance. Flea populations were monitored pre- and posttreatment by combing prairie dogs and collecting fleas from burrows. A single application of deltamethrin significantly reduc
Authors
D.B. Seery, D.E. Biggins, J.A. Montenieri, R.E. Enscore, D.T. Tanda, K.L. Gage

Relating geomorphic change and grazing to avian communities in riparian forests

Avian conservation in riparian or bottomland forests requires an understanding of the physical and biotic factors that sustain the structural complexity of riparian vegetation. Riparian forests of western North America are dependent upon flow-related geomorphic processes necessary for establishment of new cottonwood and willow patches. In June 1995, we examined how fluvial geomorphic processes and
Authors
M.L. Scott, S. K. Skagen, M.F. Merligliano

Planning for population viability on Northern Great Plains national grasslands

Broad-scale information in concert with conservation of individual species must be used to develop conservation priorities and a more integrated ecosystem protection strategy. In 1999 the United States Forest Service initiated an approach for the 1.2× 106 ha of national grasslands in the Northern Great Plains to fulfill the requirement to maintain viable populations of all native and desirable int
Authors
F. B. Samson, F.L. Knopf, C.W. McCarthy, B.R. Noon, W.R. Ostlie, S.M. Rinehart, S. Larson, G. E. Plumb, G.L. Schenbeck, D.N. Svingen, T.W. Byer

Monitoring the shorebirds of North America: Towards a unified approach

The Program for Regional and International Shorebird Monitoring (PRISM) has recently developed a single blueprint for monitoring shorebirds in Canada and the United States in response to needs identified by recent shorebird conservation plans. The goals of PRISM are to: (1) estimate the size of breeding populations of 74 shorebird taxa in North America; (2) describe the distribution, abundance, an
Authors
S. K. Skagen, J. Bart, B. Andres, S. Brown, G. Donaldson, B. Harrington, V. Johnston, S.L. Jones, R. I. G. Morrison

Do ungulates accelerate or decelerate nitrogen cycling?

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for plants and animals, and N may be limiting in many western US grassland and shrubland ungulate winter ranges. Ungulates may influence N pools and they may alter N inputs and outputs (losses) to the ecosystem in a number of ways. In this paper we compare the ecosystem effects of ungulate herbivory in two western national parks, Rocky Mountain National Park (
Authors
F. J. Singer, K.A. Schoenecker

Of grassland birds and fire

No abstract available.
Authors
J. M. Ruth

Science for avian conservation: Priorities for the new millennium

Over the past decade, bird conservation activities have become the preeminent natural resource conservation effort in North America. Maturation of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP), establishment of Partners in Flight (PIF), and creation of comprehensive colonial waterbird and shorebird conservation plans have stimulated unprecedented interest in, and funding for, bird conservat
Authors
J. M. Ruth, D. R. Petit, J.R. Sauer, M. D. Samuel, F.A. Johnson, M.D. Fornwall, C. E. Korschgen, J. P. Bennett

Small-mammal density estimation: A field comparison of grid-based vs. web-based density estimators

Statistical models for estimating absolute densities of field populations of animals have been widely used over the last century in both scientific studies and wildlife management programs. To date, two general classes of density estimation models have been developed: models that use data sets from capture–recapture or removal sampling techniques (often derived from trapping grids) from which sepa
Authors
R.R. Parmenter, Terry L. Yates, D.R. Anderson, K.P. Burnham, J.L. Dunnum, A.B. Franklin, M.T. Friggens, B. C. Lubow, Michael Miller, G.S. Olson, Cheryl A. Parmenter, J. Pollard, E. Rexstad, T.M. Shenk, T.R. Stanley, Gary C. White

A radio transmitter belt for small ranid frogs

Radio telemetry is a useful technique for gathering information about amphibians when associated caveats are applied (Bartelt and Peterson 2000). A number of designs for transmitter attachment are available for larger anurans including a harness-type attachment (van Nuland and Claus 1981) and various belt designs (Bartelt and Peterson 2000; Rathbun and Murphey 1996; Waye 2001). Attaching radios to
Authors
E. Muths

Lake-specific responses to elevated atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, U.S.A

We explored variability among subalpine lakes sharing very similar climate and atmospheric conditions, but differing in watershed characteristics, hydrology, and food web structure. Special attention was given to nitrogen (N) dynamics because the study area receives some of the highest levels of atmospheric N deposition in the Rocky Mountains. We asked if the effect of regional N deposition would
Authors
K. R. Nydick, B. M. LaFrancois, Jill Baron, B. M. Johnson