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: 1964
Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Prairie Project: bird list Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Prairie Project: bird list
No abstract available.
Authors
Lawrence D. Igl
A fresh look at the taxonomy of midcontinental sandhill cranes A fresh look at the taxonomy of midcontinental sandhill cranes
The midcontinental population of sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) includes about 500,000 birds and provides valuable recreational crane-watching and hunting opportunities in Canada and the United States. It comprises three subspecies, one of which (G. c. rowani) was of uncertain taxonomic status and another of which (G. c. tabida) merited protection from excessive harvest due to its...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, Jane E. Austin, Jill A. Shaffer
A retrospective perspective: evaluating population changes by repeating historic bird surveys A retrospective perspective: evaluating population changes by repeating historic bird surveys
Acquiring an accurate picture of the changes in bird populations often involves a tradeoff between the time and effort required to complete the surveys and the number of years spent surveying the bird populations. An alternative approach to long-term monitoring efforts is to collect current data and contrast those with data collected earlier in a similar fashion on the same study site(s)...
Authors
Lawrence D. Igl, Douglas H. Johnson
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
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
Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem processes: Implications for ecosystem management Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem processes: Implications for ecosystem management
No abstract available.
Authors
D.U. Hooper, F. S. Chapin, J.J. Ewel, A. Hector, P. Inchausti, W.K. Lauenroth, S. Lavorel, D.M. Lodge, M. Loreau, S. Naeem, B. Schmid, H. Setala, A.J. Symstad, J. Vandermeer, D.A. Wardle
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
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
Possible cryptic invasion through "back introduction"? Possible cryptic invasion through "back introduction"?
No abstract available.
Authors
Qinfeng Guo
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
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
What hypothesis tests are not: a response to Colegrave and Ruxton What hypothesis tests are not: a response to Colegrave and Ruxton
No abstract available.
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson