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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: 1930

Seasonal changes in spatial patterns of two annual plants in the Chihuahuan Desert, USA Seasonal changes in spatial patterns of two annual plants in the Chihuahuan Desert, USA

Spatial pattern of a biotic population may change over time as its component individuals grow or die out, but whether this is the case for desert annual plants is largely unknown. Here we examined seasonal changes in spatial patterns of two annuals, Eriogonum abertianum and Haplopappus gracilis, in initial (winter) and final (summer) densities. The density was measured as the number of...
Authors
Z.-Y. Yin, Q. Guo, H. Ren, S.-L. Peng

Spatial-temporal population dynamics across species range: From center to margin Spatial-temporal population dynamics across species range: From center to margin

Understanding the boundaries of species’ ranges and the variations in population dynamics from the centre to margin of a species’ range is critical. This study simulated spatial-temporal patterns of birth and death rates and migration across a species’ range in different seasons. Our results demonstrated the importance of dispersal and migration in altering birth and death rates...
Authors
Qinfeng Guo, Mark L. Taper, M. Schoenberger, J. Brandle

[Book review] The quintessential companion for North American birders, by Christopher W. Leahy [Book review] The quintessential companion for North American birders, by Christopher W. Leahy

Book review: The Birdwatcher’s Companion to North American Birdlife. Christopher W. Leahy. 2004. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 1039 pages. $39.50 (cloth).
Authors
L.D. Igl

Variability in vegetation effects on density and nesting success of grassland birds Variability in vegetation effects on density and nesting success of grassland birds

The structure of vegetation in grassland systems, unlike that in forest systems, varies dramatically among years on the same sites, and among regions with similar vegetation. The role of this variation in vegetation structure on bird density and nesting success of grassland birds is poorly understood, primarily because few studies have included sufficiently large temporal and spatial...
Authors
Maiken Winter, Douglas H. Johnson, Jill A. Shaffer

Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning: a consensus of current knowledge Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning: a consensus of current knowledge

Humans are altering the composition of biological communities through a variety of activities that increase rates of species invasions and species extinctions, at all scales, from local to global. These changes in components of the Earth's biodiversity cause concern for ethical and aesthetic reasons, but they also have a strong potential to alter ecosystem properties and the goods and...
Authors
D.U. Hooper, F. S. Chapin, J.J. Ewel, A. Hector, P. Inchausti, S. Lavorel, J.H. Lawton, D.M. Lodge, M. Loreau, S. Naeem, B. Schmid, H. SetSlS, A.J. Symstad, J. Vandermeer, D.A. Wardle

Population genetic structure in migratory sandhill cranes and the role of Pleistocene glaciations Population genetic structure in migratory sandhill cranes and the role of Pleistocene glaciations

Previous studies of migratory sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) have made significant progress explaining evolution of this group at the species scale, but have been unsuccessful in explaining the geographically partitioned variation in morphology seen on the population scale. The objectives of this study were to assess the population structure and gene flow patterns among migratory...
Authors
K.L. Jones, Gary L. Krapu, D.A. Brandt, M.V. Ashley

Ecosystem maturity and performance Ecosystem maturity and performance

Arising from: Bai, Y., Han, X., Wu, J., Chen, Z. & Li, L. Nature, 431, 181–184 (2004); see also communication from Wang et al.; Bai, Y., Han, X., Wu, J., Chen, Z. & Li, L. reply.The effect of maturity, or successional stage, on ecosystem performance (measured as productivity or stability, for example) is important for both basic ecology and ecosystem management. On the basis of the...
Authors
Q. Guo

Markov Chain Monte Carlo estimation of species distributions: A case study of the swift fox in western Kansas Markov Chain Monte Carlo estimation of species distributions: A case study of the swift fox in western Kansas

Accurate maps of species distributions are essential tools for wildlife research and conservation. Unfortunately, biologists often are forced to rely on maps derived from observed occurrences recorded opportunistically during observation periods of variable length. Spurious inferences are likely to result because such maps are profoundly affected by the duration and intensity of...
Authors
Glen A. Sargeant, Marsha A. Sovada, Christiane C. Slivinski, Douglas H. Johnson
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