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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: 1919

Effects of nest exclosure on nest and adult survival of piping plover (Charadrius melodus) in the lower Platte River System, Nebraska Effects of nest exclosure on nest and adult survival of piping plover (Charadrius melodus) in the lower Platte River System, Nebraska

Conservation of imperiled species often includes management strategies intended to improve specific vital rates. However, some management practices can have unforeseen consequences that negate the intended benefit. For example, nest exclosures are often used for ground-nesting avian species to reduce nest predation but may increase depredation of adults. Tradeoffs between nest survival...
Authors
Elsa M. Forsberg, Joel G. Jorgensen, Rose J. Swift, Larkin A. Powell, Mark P. Vrtiska

Not all spatially structured populations are metapopulations: Re-examining paradigms for a threatened shorebird Not all spatially structured populations are metapopulations: Re-examining paradigms for a threatened shorebird

For at-risk species, understanding population vital rates is imperative for developing informed conservation strategies and population models. Managers often assume that species that are spatially distributed among patches of suitable habitat meet the criteria of a metapopulation. Metapopulation dynamics are determined not only by within-patch birth and death processes but also by...
Authors
Rose J. Swift, Michael J. Anteau, Kristen S. Ellis, Garrett J. MacDonald, Megan M. Ring, Mark H. Sherfy, Dustin L. Toy, David N. Koons

U.S. Geological Survey Pollinator Science Strategy, 2025–35—A Review and Look Forward U.S. Geological Survey Pollinator Science Strategy, 2025–35—A Review and Look Forward

This “U.S. Geological Survey Pollinator Science Strategy, 2025–35—A Review and Look Forward” (“Pollinator Science Strategy”) describes the science vision of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to support management, conservation, and policy decisions on animal pollinators and their habitats. As the science arm of the Department of the Interior, the USGS has a primary role in providing...
Authors
Clint R.V. Otto, Tabitha A. Graves, Desi Robertson-Thompson, Ian Pearse, Wayne E. Thogmartin, Caroline Murphy, Lisa Webb, Sam Droege, Melanie Steinkamp, Ralph Grundel

Small waterbodies of large conservation concern: Towards an integrated approach to more accurately measuring surface water dynamics Small waterbodies of large conservation concern: Towards an integrated approach to more accurately measuring surface water dynamics

Millions of small waterbodies are dispersed throughout the middle of the North American continent, and billions of dollars have been invested to conserve, restore, and manage these waterbodies in the 20th and 21st centuries. Small waterbody conservation has been supported by different stakeholders aiming at improving water quality, enhancing floodwater storage, and supporting migratory...
Authors
Owen P. McKenna, Audrey Claire Lothspeich, Sara Vacek, Dawn MacDonald, Josh D. Eash, Melanie K. Vanderhoof, Elyssa C. McCulloch, Caryn D. Ross, Sadia Sabrina, Joseph F. Knight

Integrating data to assess occupancy patterns of an endangered bumble bee Integrating data to assess occupancy patterns of an endangered bumble bee

There is growing interest in integrating community science data with structured monitoring data to estimate changes in distribution patterns of imperiled species, including pollinators. However, significant challenges remain in determining how unstructured community science data should be incorporated into formal analyses of species distributions. We developed a dynamic framework for...
Authors
Kristen S. Ellis, Clint R.V. Otto, Larissa L. Bailey, Tamara A. Smith, Steven J. Choy, Lauren Hatch

Developing research tools for demographic study of Rhynchophanes mccownii (thick-billed longspurs) Developing research tools for demographic study of Rhynchophanes mccownii (thick-billed longspurs)

Like numerous other North American grassland bird species, Rhynchophanes mccownii (thick-billed longspur) has experienced severe population declines in the last 50 years. Little is known about population-limiting factors, and knowledge gaps limit conservation efforts on the species; however, before research studies aimed at improving conservation and management actions can be developed...
Authors
Megan M. Ring, Rose J. Swift, Michael J. Anteau, Lawrence D. Igl, Mark E. Seamans, Scott G. Somershoe, Jay A. VonBank, John M. Yeiser, Garrett J. MacDonald

The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

Keys to Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) management include providing shrub-dominated edge habitat adjacent to grasslands or grasslands with a shrub component (both of which must include dense grass and moderately high litter cover) and avoiding disturbances that eliminate woody vegetation. Field Sparrows have been reported to use habitats with 16–134 centimeters (cm) vegetation height...
Authors
Jill A. Shaffer, Lawrence D. Igl, Douglas H. Johnson, Marriah L. Sondreal, Christopher M. Goldade, Barry D. Parkin, Betty R. Euliss

Metabolic interactions underpinning high methane fluxes across terrestrial freshwater wetlands Metabolic interactions underpinning high methane fluxes across terrestrial freshwater wetlands

Current estimates of wetland contributions to the global methane budget carry high uncertainty, particularly in accurately predicting emissions from high methane-emitting wetlands. Microorganisms drive methane cycling, but little is known about their conservation across wetlands. To address this, we integrate 16S rRNA amplicon datasets, metagenomes, metatranscriptomes, and annual methane...
Authors
Emily Bechtold, Jared B. Ellenbogen, Jorge A. Villa, Djennyfer K. de Melo Ferreira, Angela M. Oliverio, Joel E. Kostka, Virginia I. Rich, Ruth K. Varner, Sheel Bansal, Eric J. Ward, Gil Bohrer, Mikayla A. Borton, Kelly C. Wrighton, Michael J. Wilkins

Factors regulating the potential for freshwater mineral soil wetlands to function as natural climate solutions Factors regulating the potential for freshwater mineral soil wetlands to function as natural climate solutions

There are increasing global efforts and initiatives aiming to tackle climate change and mitigate its impacts via natural climate solutions (NCS). Wetlands have been considered effective NCS given their capacity to sequester and retain atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) while also providing a myriad of other ecosystem functions that can assist in mitigating the impacts of climate change...
Authors
Shizhou Ma, Purbasha Mistry, Pascal Badiou, Sheel Bansal, Irena F. Creed

Terrestrial ecosystem health and biodiversity Terrestrial ecosystem health and biodiversity

No abstract available.
Authors
Stephen D. LeDuc, James N. Carleton, Alison Duff, Tara Greaver, Henriette Jager, S. Douglas Kaylor, Leigh C. Moorhead, Clint R.V. Otto, R. Byron Rice

A case for occupancy as a state variable for wild bee monitoring A case for occupancy as a state variable for wild bee monitoring

Reports of widespread pollinator declines, data deficiencies, and inabilities to assess status and trends underscore the need for wild bee monitoring. Chief among the challenges with wild bee monitoring is identifying monitoring objectives and state variables. Here we make the case for considering occupancy, the proportion of area occupied, as a primary state variable of interest for...
Authors
Clint R.V. Otto, S. Hollis Woodard, Larissa L. Bailey

Bee habitat, but not bee community structure, varies across grassland management in four national parks in the Mid-Atlantic, USA Bee habitat, but not bee community structure, varies across grassland management in four national parks in the Mid-Atlantic, USA

National parks in the U.S. play a large role in providing habitat for native pollinators. In parks that are established to preserve cultural landscapes, park managers recognize an opportunity to improve pollinator habitat while maintaining historically accurate conditions. In this study we document floral resources and native bees within managed park grasslands, with the goal of...
Authors
Diane L. Larson, Andrew P Landsman, Michael Simanonok, Jennifer L. Larson, Cora Davies, Clint R.V. Otto
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