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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: 1934

Habitat characteristics and nest success of snowy plovers associated with California least tern colonies Habitat characteristics and nest success of snowy plovers associated with California least tern colonies

Nest success of Snowy Plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) was estimated at six sites in San Diego County, California, to determine the effects of habitat characteristics and social factors on predation risk. Egg predation was expected to be lower for plovers nesting among Least Terns (Sterna antillarum) because of benefits associated with nesting under the “protective umbrella” of a...
Authors
Abby N. Powell

Range expansion of pileated woodpecker in North Dakota Range expansion of pileated woodpecker in North Dakota

Natural history writings from explorers such as M. Lewis, W. Clark, J. J. Audubon, S. F. Baird, and E. Coues failed to mention the pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus ) in North Dakota throughout the 1800's. The first published reference to the species was in the early 1900's in the valley of the Red River of the North, part of the Agassiz Lake Plain of eastern North Dakota...
Authors
Jill A. Dechant

Book review: Research techniques in animal ecology: Controversies and consequences, by Luigi Boitani and Todd K. Fuller Book review: Research techniques in animal ecology: Controversies and consequences, by Luigi Boitani and Todd K. Fuller

Review of: Research Techniques in Animal Ecology: Controversies and Consequences. Edited by Luigi Boitani and Todd K. Fuller. Columbia University Press, New York, USA. 2000. xxxii + 442 pp., index. $75.00, ISBN 0231113404 (cloth); $32.00, ISBN 0231113412 (paper).
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson

Coefficients of conservatism for the vascular flora of the Dakotas and adjacent grasslands Coefficients of conservatism for the vascular flora of the Dakotas and adjacent grasslands

Floristic quality assessment can be used to identity natural areas, to facilitate comparisons among different sites, to provide long-term monitoring of natural area quality, and to evaluate habitat management and restoration efforts. To facilitate the use of floristic quality assessment in North Dakota, South Dakota (excluding the Black Hills), and adjacent grasslands, we developed a...
Authors

Wetland restoration in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America: A literature review Wetland restoration in the Prairie Pothole Region of North America: A literature review

The landscape of the prairie pothole region (PPR), a grassland biome of the northern U.S. Great Plains and parts of Canada, has been greatly altered by land use since the 1800's. Conversion of grassland to cropland and drainage of wetlands has resulted in wetland losses of up to 90% in some areas. Besides the area providing critical habitat to various wildlife, breeding waterfowl, and...
Authors
Gregory A. Knutsen, Ned H. Euliss

Measurement of bovine sperm nuclear shape using Fourier harmonic amplitudes Measurement of bovine sperm nuclear shape using Fourier harmonic amplitudes

An objective method for measuring bovine sperm nuclear shape was developed. Digital images of bovine sperm stained with propidium iodide were collected and Fourier functions used to describe the perimeters of individual sperm nuclei. Harmonic amplitudes from Fourier functions were first shown to be independent of sperm orientation during digitization. Sperm from 12 different bulls were...
Authors
G.C. Ostermeier, G.A. Sargeant, B.S. Yandell, D.P. Evenson, J.J. Parrish

Surveys of calling amphibians in North Dakota Surveys of calling amphibians in North Dakota

Amphibians have received increased attention in recent years from the scientific community and general public alike. Many populations throughout the world have declined, or have been extirpated, often without an apparent cause. Concern about the status of amphibians has translated into a growing interest in systematic and statistically sound monitoring programs. Several extensive efforts...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, R.D. Batie

Suggestions for presenting the results of data analyses Suggestions for presenting the results of data analyses

We give suggestions for the presentation of research results from frequentist, information-theoretic, and Bayesian analysis paradigms, followed by several general suggestions. The information-theoretic and Bayesian methods offer alternative approaches to data analysis and inference compared to traditionally used methods. Guidance is lacking on the presentation of results under these...
Authors
David R. Anderson, William A. Link, Douglas H. Johnson, Kenneth P. Burnham

Biomonitoring for deposited sediment using benthic invertebrates: A test on 4 Missouri streams Biomonitoring for deposited sediment using benthic invertebrates: A test on 4 Missouri streams

The response of stream benthic invertebrates to surficially deposited fine sediment was investigated in 4 Missouri streams. Twenty to 24 sampling sites in each stream were selected based on similarities of substrate particle-size distributions, depths, and current velocities but for differences in amounts of deposited sediment, which ranged from 0 to 100% surface cover. Deposited...
Authors
L.D. Zweig, Charles F. Rabeni

Duck populations as indicators of landscape condition in the Prairie Pothole Region Duck populations as indicators of landscape condition in the Prairie Pothole Region

The Prairie Pothole Region of the northern Great Plains is an important region for waterfowl production because of the abundance of shallow wetlands. The ecological significance of the region and impacts from intensive agriculture prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to select it as one of the first areas for developing and evaluating ecological indicators of wetland...
Authors
Jane E. Austin, Thomas K. Buhl, Glenn R. Guntenspergen, Wayne Norling, H. Thomas Sklebar
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