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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: 1952

Annotated bibliography of fire literature relative to northern grasslands in south-central Canada and north-central United States Annotated bibliography of fire literature relative to northern grasslands in south-central Canada and north-central United States

Natural resource managers have greatly increased the use of fire to manage grassland habitats during the past two decades in the northern Great Plains region of the United States and Canada. In support of these efforts, we have compiled this annotated bibliography to provide a condensed reference of fire literature for those managers with an interest in fire ecology. References are...
Authors
Kenneth F. Higgins, David P. Fellows, J. Mike Callow, Arnold D. Kruse, James L. Piehl

Breeding canvasbacks: a test of a habitat model Breeding canvasbacks: a test of a habitat model

Schroeder (1984) proposed a habitat suitability model for breeding canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) based on the size, water regime, and emergent vegetation of wetlands. We evaluated the model with data from surveys of canvasbacks on 2265 wetlands in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. The model proved inadequate as a predictor of canvasback pair density; the correlation between...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, M.C. Hammond, T. L. McDonald, C.L. Nustad

Estimating carcass fat and protein in northern pintails during the nonbreeding season Estimating carcass fat and protein in northern pintails during the nonbreeding season

I used northern pintails (Anas acuta) collected from August through March 1979-82 in the Sacramento Valley, California to derive equations to predict ether-extracted carcass fat, carcass protein, and skeletal lean dry weight. Ether-extracted carcass fat was best predicted by total fat depot weight (wet skin, abdominal fat, and intestinal fat) (r2 = 0.94) and estimates based on carcass...
Authors
Michael R. Miller

Importance of individual species of predators on nesting success of ducks in the Canadian prairie pothole region Importance of individual species of predators on nesting success of ducks in the Canadian prairie pothole region

We followed 3094 upland nests of several species of ducks. Clutches in most nests were lost to predation. We related daily nest predation rates to indices of activity of eight egg-eating predators, precipitation during the nesting season, and measures of wetland conditions. Activity indices of red fox (Vulpes vulpes), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), and raccoon (Procyon lotor)...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, Alan B. Sargeant, Raymond J. Greenwood

Effects of fire in the Northern Great Plains Effects of fire in the Northern Great Plains

This publication is a review of selected literature about prescribed burning in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) for management of wildlife. It also will be useful to other resource managers and researchers and to persons interested in the NGP. It is more 'descriptive' than 'interpretative.'The publication is a joint effort of the South Dakota State Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research...
Authors
Kenneth F. Higgins, Arnold D. Kruse, James L. Piehl

Wetland bird seasonal abundance and habitat use at Lake Earl and Lake Talawa, California Wetland bird seasonal abundance and habitat use at Lake Earl and Lake Talawa, California

A study of wetland bird composition, seasonal abundance, and habitat use was conducted on Lake Earl and Lake Talawa in Del Norte County, California from July 1974 through February 1976. Ninety-five species were recorded. Most birds occurred from October to December and during March and April. Diving ducks occurred primarily during fall and winter and were more abundant than surface...
Authors
S.L. Funderburk, P. F. Springer

Carbonate deposition on tail feathers of ruddy ducks using evaporation ponds Carbonate deposition on tail feathers of ruddy ducks using evaporation ponds

Substantial carbonate deposits were observed on rectrices of Ruddy Ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) collected during 1982-1984 on evaporation ponds in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Carbonate deposits were composed of about 75% aragonite and 25% calcite, both polymorphous forms of CaCO3. Significantly more carbonate deposits were observed on Ruddy Ducks as length of exposure to...
Authors
N.H. Euliss, R. L. Jarvis, D.S. Gilmer

Vegetation of wetlands of the prairie pothole region Vegetation of wetlands of the prairie pothole region

Five themes dominate the literature dealing with the vegetation of palustrine and lacustrine wetlands of the prairie pothole region: environmental conditions (water or moisture regime, salinity), agricultural disturbances (draining, grazing, burning, sedimentation, etc.), vegetation dynamics, zonation patterns, and classification of the wetlands.The flora of a prairie wetland is a...
Authors
H.A. Kantrud, J.B. Millar, A.G. Van Der Valk
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