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: 1934
Estimated areal extent of colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs in the northern Great Plains Estimated areal extent of colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs in the northern Great Plains
During 1997–1998, we undertook an aerial survey, with an aerial line-intercept technique, to estimate the extent of colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in the northern Great Plains states of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. We stratified the survey based on knowledge of colony locations, computed 2 types of estimates for each stratum, and...
Authors
John G. Sidle, Douglas H. Johnson, Betty R. Euliss
International endeavor in response to global climate change International endeavor in response to global climate change
No abstract available.
Authors
F. Gao, Q. Guo
Impact of the Conservation Reserve Program on duck recruitment in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region Impact of the Conservation Reserve Program on duck recruitment in the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) resulted in the conversion of about 1.9 million ha of cropland to perennial grass cover in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, South Dakota, and northeastern Montana by 1992. Many wildlife managers believed this cover would provide benefits to wildlife, including upland nesting ducks. During 1992-1995...
Authors
Ronald E. Reynolds, Terry L. Shaffer, Randy W. Renner, Wesley E. Newton, Bruce D.J. Batt
Standing over and hugging in wild wolves Standing over and hugging in wild wolves
During six summers, I observed standing over (SO) and hugging in a pack of wild Wolves (Canis lupus) habituated to me. In SO, one Wolf positions its groin above a recumbent Wolf's nose. I observed SO among all yearling and older Wolves for 1-180 seconds (X? = 69 ¨± 46 S.D.; N = 16). SO appeared to be primarily female-oriented and may inform each Wolf of the reproductive status of the...
Authors
L. David Mech
Area requirements of grassland birds: A regional perspective Area requirements of grassland birds: A regional perspective
Area requirements of grassland birds have not been studied except in tallgrass prairie. We studied the relation between both species-occurrence and density and patch size by conducting 699 fixed-radius point counts of 15 bird species on 303 restored grassland areas in nine counties in four northern Great Plains states. Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl
Alien plant invasion in mixed-grass prairie: effects of vegetation type, stochiasticity, and anthropogenic disturbance in two park units Alien plant invasion in mixed-grass prairie: effects of vegetation type, stochiasticity, and anthropogenic disturbance in two park units
The ability of alien plant species to invade a region depends not only on attributes of the plant, but on characteristics of the habitat being invaded. Here, we examine characteristics that may influence the success of alien plant invasion in mixed-grass prairie at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, in western North Dakota, USA. The park consists of two geographically separate units with...
Authors
Diane L. Larson, Patrick J. Anderson, Wesley E. Newton
Demographic response of black bears at Cold Lake, Alberta, to the removal of adult males Demographic response of black bears at Cold Lake, Alberta, to the removal of adult males
Previous reports described an increase in population density following the removal of 23 adult male black bears (Ursus americanus) from a 218-km2 study area near Cold Lake, Alberta (the CLSA). This finding plays a central role in continuing debates over population regulation in bears, but has recently been criticized because density estimates were based on assumptions that were not met...
Authors
Glen A. Sargeant, Robert L. Ruff
Statistics for wildlifers: how much and what kind? Statistics for wildlifers: how much and what kind?
Quantitative methods are playing increasingly important roles in wildlife ecology and, ultimately, management. This change poses a challenge for wildlife practitioners and students who are not well-educated in mathematics and statistics. Here we give our opinions on what wildlife biologists should know about statistics, while recognizing that not everyone is inclined mathematically. For...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, T.L. Shaffer, W.E. Newton
Use of macroinvertebrates to identify cultivated wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region Use of macroinvertebrates to identify cultivated wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region
We evaluated the use of macroinvertebrates as a potential tool to identify dry and intensively farmed temporary and seasonal wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region. The techniques we designed and evaluated used the dried remains of invertebrates or their egg banks in soils as indicators of wetlands. For both the dried remains of invertebrates and their egg banks, we weighted each taxon...
Authors
Ned H. Euliss, David M. Mushet, Douglas H. Johnson
Frequency of egg and nestling destruction by female brown-headed cowbirds at grassland nests Frequency of egg and nestling destruction by female brown-headed cowbirds at grassland nests
Researchers have suggested that Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) destroy nest contents of potential hosts to induce renesting and thus enhance future opportunities for parasitism. Although cowbird destruction of passerine nests has been witnessed and surmised, few data are available on frequency of those events. We used miniature video-cameras at nests of grassland passerines and...
Authors
Diane A. Granfors, Pamela J. Pietz, Lisa A. Joyal