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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

Managing inland wetlands for wildlife Managing inland wetlands for wildlife

No abstract available.
Authors
M.K. Laubhan, S.L. King, L.H. Fredrickson

Species abundance in a forest community in South China: A case of poisson lognormal distribution Species abundance in a forest community in South China: A case of poisson lognormal distribution

Case studies on Poisson lognormal distribution of species abundance have been rare, especially in forest communities. We propose a numerical method to fit the Poisson lognormal to the species abundance data at an evergreen mixed forest in the Dinghushan Biosphere Reserve, South China. Plants in the tree, shrub and herb layers in 25 quadrats of 20 m??20 m, 5 m??5 m, and 1 m??1 m were...
Authors
Z.-Y. Yin, H. Ren, Q.-M. Zhang, S.-L. Peng, Q.-F. Guo, G.-Y. Zhou

Does choice of estimators influence conclusions from true metabolizable energy feeding trials? Does choice of estimators influence conclusions from true metabolizable energy feeding trials?

True metabolizable energy (TME) is a measure of avian dietary quality that accounts for metabolic fecal and endogenous urinary energy losses (EL) of non-dietary origin. The TME is calculated using a bird fed the test diet and an estimate of EL derived from another bird (Paired Bird Correction), the same bird (Self Correction), or several other birds (Group Mean Correction). We evaluated...
Authors
M. H. Sherfy, R. L. Kirkpatrick, K. E. Webb

Landscape composition, patch size, and distance to edges: Interactions affecting duck reproductive success Landscape composition, patch size, and distance to edges: Interactions affecting duck reproductive success

Prairies and other North American grasslands, although highly fragmented, provide breeding habitat for a diverse array of species, including species of tremendous economic and ecological importance. Conservation and management of these species requires some understanding of how reproductive success is affected by edge effects, patch size, and characteristics of the landscape. We examined...
Authors
David Joseph Horn, Michael L. Phillips, Rolf R. Koford, William R. Clark, Marsha A. Sovada, Raymond J. Greenwood

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
Kenneth L. Jones, Gary Krapu, David A. Brandt, Mary V. Ashley

Habitat and nesting of Le Conte's Sparrows in the northern tallgrass prairie Habitat and nesting of Le Conte's Sparrows in the northern tallgrass prairie

Little is known about the breeding biology of the Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii), probably because of its secretive nature. We provide new information on several aspects of Le Conte's Sparrow breeding biology, including rates of nest parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) and potential factors affecting breeding densities and nesting success of the species. Our...
Authors
Maiken Winter, Jill A. Shaffer, Douglas H. Johnson, Therese M. Donovan, W. Daniel Svedarsky, P.W. Jones, Betty R. Euliss

Does choice of estimators influence conclusions from true metabolizable energy feeding trials? Does choice of estimators influence conclusions from true metabolizable energy feeding trials?

True metabolizable energy (TME) is a measure of avian dietary quality that accounts for metabolic fecal and endogenous urinary energy losses (EL) of non-dietary origin. The TME is calculated using a bird fed the test diet and an estimate of EL derived from another bird (Paired Bird Correction), the same bird (Self Correction), or several other birds (Group Mean Correction). We evaluated...
Authors
Mark H. Sherfy, R. L. Kirkpatrick, K. E. Webb

Yellowstone elk calf mortality following wolf restorations: Bears remain top summer predators Yellowstone elk calf mortality following wolf restorations: Bears remain top summer predators

Based on 151 neonate elk calves radio-tagged in YNP, bears accounted for 55-60% of deaths, coyotes, 10-15%, and wolves 10-15%. More than 70% of this predation occurred within the calves' first 15 days.
Authors
S.M. Barber, L.D. Mech, P.J. White

Inter-species variation in yolk steroid levels and a cowbird-host comparison Inter-species variation in yolk steroid levels and a cowbird-host comparison

We examined variability in yolk hormone levels among songbird species and the role of yolk steroids as a mechanism for enhanced exploitation of hosts by the parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater. Within-clutch variation in yolk steroids has been found in several avian species in single species studies, but few comparisons have been made among species. We found a large range of...
Authors
D. Caldwell Hahn, Jeffrey S. Hatfield, Mahmoud A. Abdelnabi, Julie M. Wu, Lawrence D. Igl, Mary A. Ottinger
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