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
Extermination and recovery of red wolf and grey wolf in the contiguous United States Extermination and recovery of red wolf and grey wolf in the contiguous United States
About 150 years ago, the grey wolf (Canis lupus) was distributed throughout the contiguous United States, except for in southeastern US from central Texas to the Atlantic coast, where the red wolf (Canis rufus) occurred. Conflict with agricultural interests resulted in government-supported eradication campaigns beginning in colonial Massachusetts in 1630. Over the next 300 years, the...
Authors
Michael K. Phillips, Edward E. Bangs, L. David Mech, Brian T. Kelly, Buddy B. Fazio
Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Greater Sage-Grouse Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Greater Sage-Grouse
Information on the habitat requirements and effects of habitat management on Greater Sage-Grouse was summarized from information in more than 5,500 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the current range of Greater Sage-Grouse (adapted from Schroeder et al. 2004). Although birds may be observed outside the breeding range indicated, the maps are intended to...
Authors
Mary M. Rowland
Writing refuge management goals and objectives: a handbook Writing refuge management goals and objectives: a handbook
Goals and objectives are the unifying elements of successful refuge management. They identify and focus management priorities, provide a context for resolving issues, guide specific projects, provide rationale for decisions, and offer a defensible link among management actions, refuge purpose(s), Service policy, and the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System) mission. Pursuant to...
Authors
Robert S. Adamcik, Elizabeth Bell, Don C. DeLong, John H. Schomaker, David B. Hamilton, Murray K. Laubhan, Richard L. Schroeder
Trapping and shooting light geese on migration and wintering areas Trapping and shooting light geese on migration and wintering areas
No abstract available.
Authors
R. R. Cox, C.D. Ankeny
Comparative ecology and conservation priorities of swift and kit foxes Comparative ecology and conservation priorities of swift and kit foxes
No abstract available.
Authors
A. Moehrenschlager, B.L. Cypher, K. Ralls, R. List, M.A. Sovada
Nesting ecology of waterbirds at Grays Lake, Idaho Nesting ecology of waterbirds at Grays Lake, Idaho
Montane wetlands provide valuable habitat for nesting waterfowl and other waterbirds in the western United States, but relatively little information is available about the nesting ecology of their waterbird communities. We describe the general nesting ecology of breeding waterbirds at a large, shallow montane wetland in southeast Idaho during 1997-2000. Habitats included upland...
Authors
J. E. Austin, W.H. Pyle
Linking surface- and ground-water levels to riparian grassland species along the Platte River in central Nebraska Linking surface- and ground-water levels to riparian grassland species along the Platte River in central Nebraska
Nearly all the techniques used to quantify how plants are linked to environmental gradients produce results in general terms, such as low to high elevation, xeric to mesic, and low to high concentration. While ecologists comprehend these imprecise scales, managers responsible for making decisions affecting these gradients need more precise information. For our study, we preserved the...
Authors
R.J. Henszey, K. Pfeiffer, J.R. Keough
Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Merlin Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Merlin
Information on the habitat requirements and effects of habitat management on grassland birds were summarized from information in more than 5,500 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the breeding, year-round, and nonbreeding ranges in the United States and southern Canada. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated, the...
Authors
Paul M. Konrad
Secondary invasion following the reduction of Coronilla varia (Crownvetch) in sand prairie Secondary invasion following the reduction of Coronilla varia (Crownvetch) in sand prairie
I investigated the effect of Coronilla varia invasion and subsequent reduction on the plant community and soil nitrogen availability in a degraded Illinois sand prairie. The presence of C. varia significantly increased soil nitrogen availability and significantly decreased native species richness and cover, but neither helped nor hindered a common non-native grass, Poa pratensis. One...
Authors
Amy J. Symstad
Is climate change affecting wolf populations in the high Arctic? Is climate change affecting wolf populations in the high Arctic?
Global climate change may affect wolves in Canada's High Arctic (80° N) acting through three trophic levels (vegetation, herbivores, and wolves). A wolf pack dependent on muskoxen and arctic hares in the Eureka area of Ellesmere Island denned and produced pups most years from at least 1986 through 1997. However when summer snow covered vegetation in 1997 and 2000 for the first time since...
Authors
L.D. Mech
Tracking of white-tailed deer migration by Global Positioning System Tracking of white-tailed deer migration by Global Positioning System
We used global positioning system (GPS) radiocollars on female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to document details of onsets of migrations, rates of travel, patterns of travel, durations of migrations, and distances traveled by 8 deer in spring and 4 deer in autumn in northeastern Minnesota in 1998, 1999, and 2001. In spring, deer migrated 23–45 km during 31–356 h, deviating a...
Authors
M.E. Nelson, L.D. Mech, P.F. Frame
Unusual behavior by Bison, Bison bison, toward Elk, Cervus elaphus, and wolves, Canis lupus Unusual behavior by Bison, Bison bison, toward Elk, Cervus elaphus, and wolves, Canis lupus
Incidents are described of Bison (Bison bison) in Yellowstone National Park mauling and possibly killing a young Elk (Cervus elaphus) calf, chasing wolves (Canis lupus) off Elk they had just killed or were killing, and keeping the wolves away for extended periods. During one of the latter cases, the Bison knocked a wolf-wounded Elk down. Bison were also seen approaching wolves that were...
Authors
L.D. Mech, R.T. McIntyre, D.W. Smith