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: 1961
Invertebrate communities of Prairie-Pothole wetlands in the age of the aquatic Homogenocene Invertebrate communities of Prairie-Pothole wetlands in the age of the aquatic Homogenocene
Simplification of communities is a common consequence of anthropogenic modification. However, the prevalence and mechanisms of biotic homogenization among wetland systems require further examination. Biota of wetlands in the North American Prairie Pothole Region are adapted to high spatial and temporal variability in ponded-water duration and salinity. Recent climate change, however, has...
Authors
Kyle I. McLean, David M. Mushet, Jon N. Sweetman, Michael J. Anteau, Mark T. Wiltermuth
Alternative stable states in inherently unstable systems Alternative stable states in inherently unstable systems
Alternative stable states are nontransitory states within which communities can exist. However, even highly dynamic communities can be viewed within the framework of stable‐state theory if an appropriate “ecologically relevant” time scale is identified. The ecologically relevant time scale for dynamic systems needs to conform to the amount of time needed for a system's community to...
Authors
David M. Mushet, Owen P. McKenna, Kyle I. McLean
The relative importance of wetland area versus habitat heterogeneity for promoting species richness and abundance of wetland birds in the Prairie Pothole Region, USA The relative importance of wetland area versus habitat heterogeneity for promoting species richness and abundance of wetland birds in the Prairie Pothole Region, USA
Recent work has suggested that a tradeoff exists between habitat area and habitat heterogeneity, with a moderate amount of heterogeneity supporting greatest species richness. Support for this unimodal relationship has been mixed and has differed among habitats and taxa. We examined the relationship between habitat heterogeneity and species richness after accounting for habitat area in...
Authors
Lisa H. Elliott, Lawrence Igl, Douglas H. Johnson
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Thick-billed Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii) The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Thick-billed Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii)
The key to Thick-billed Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii) management is providing short, sparsely vegetated native grasslands of adequate size. Mixed-grass prairies can be made suitable for breeding Thick-billed Longspurs by implementing moderate-to-heavy or season-long grazing. Thick-billed Longspurs have been reported to use habitats with 5–42 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height...
Authors
Jill A. Shaffer, Lawrence D. Igl, Douglas H. Johnson, Marriah L. Sondreal, Christopher M. Goldade, Paul A. Rabie, Travis L. Wooten, Betty R. Euliss
Resiliency of native prairies to invasion by Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, and woody vegetation Resiliency of native prairies to invasion by Kentucky bluegrass, smooth brome, and woody vegetation
Since Euro-American settlement of the region, biological diversity of the northern Great Plains has been adversely affected, mainly by agricultural conversion. The role of invasive plants in degradation of remaining prairies has gained attention in recent years but remains poorly understood. Floristic composition of US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) prairies is significantly altered...
Authors
Todd A. Grant, Terry L. Shaffer, Bridgette Flanders
Roosting habitat use by sandhill cranes and waterfowl on the North and South Platte Rivers in Nebraska Roosting habitat use by sandhill cranes and waterfowl on the North and South Platte Rivers in Nebraska
Migration ecology and habitat use of spring migrating birds using the Central Platte River is a well-explored topic, yet less is known about use of the North and South Platte rivers (NSPR) in western Nebraska. The efficiency and effectiveness of conservation efforts in the NSPR could be greatly improved with access to information about where and when birds roost and landscape...
Authors
Dana M Varner, Aaron T. Pearse, Andrew Bishop, Jonas Davis, John Denton, Roger Grosse, Heather M. Johnson, Emily Munter, Kirk D Schroeder, Robert E. Spangler, Mark P. Vrtiska, Angelina Wright
A draft decision framework for the National Park Service Interior Region 5 bison stewardship strategy A draft decision framework for the National Park Service Interior Region 5 bison stewardship strategy
The Department of the Interior Bison Conservation Initiative calls for its bureaus to plan and implement collaborative American bison conservation and to ensure involvement by tribal, state, and local governments and the public in that conservation. Four independently managed and geographically separated National Park Service (NPS) units in Interior Region 5 (IR5) preserve bison and...
Authors
Amy Symstad, Brian W. Miller, Tanya M Shenk, Nicole D Athearn, Michael C. Runge
Synergistic interaction of climate and land-use drivers alter the function of North American, Prairie-pothole Wetlands Synergistic interaction of climate and land-use drivers alter the function of North American, Prairie-pothole Wetlands
Prairie-pothole wetlands provide the critical habitat necessary for supporting North American migratory waterfowl populations. However, climate and land-use change threaten the sustainability of these wetland ecosystems. Very few experiments and analyses have been designed to investigate the relative impacts of climate and land-use change drivers, as well as the antagonistic or...
Authors
Owen P. McKenna, Samuel Richard Kucia, David M. Mushet, Michael J. Anteau, Mark T. Wiltermuth
Do the quality and quantity of honey bee-collected pollen vary across an agricultural land use gradient? Do the quality and quantity of honey bee-collected pollen vary across an agricultural land use gradient?
Pollen is the source of protein for most bee species, yet the quality and quantity of pollen is variable across landscapes and growing seasons. Understanding the role of landscapes in providing nutritious forage to bees is important for pollinator health, particularly in areas undergoing significant land-use change such as in the Northern Great Plains (NGP) region of the United States...
Authors
Michael P. Simanonok, Clint R.V. Otto, Matthew D. Smart
Using morphological measurements to predict subspecies of Midcontinent sandhill cranes Using morphological measurements to predict subspecies of Midcontinent sandhill cranes
The Midcontinent population of sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) has historically been classified into 3 putative subspecies, but genetic analyses have identified only 2 genetically distinct subspecies. Previous studies have successfully used morphometrics in combination with an individual's sex to differentiate subspecies of sandhill cranes that had been inferred based on breeding...
Authors
Jay A VonBank, David A. Brandt, Aaron T. Pearse, David B. Wester, Bart M Ballard
Adult monarch (Danaus plexippus) abundance is higher in burned sites than in grazed sites Adult monarch (Danaus plexippus) abundance is higher in burned sites than in grazed sites
Much of the remaining suitable habitat for monarchs (Danaus plexippus) in Minnesota is found in tallgrass prairies. We studied the association of adult monarch abundance with use of fire or grazing to manage prairies. Sites (n=20) ranged in size from 1 to 145 hectares and included land owned and managed by the Minnesota DNR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, and...
Authors
Julia B. Leone, Diane L. Larson, Jennifer L. Larson, Patrick Pennarola, Karen Oberhauser