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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: 1952

Den site activity patterns of adult male and female Swift Foxes, Vulpes velox, in northwestern Texas Den site activity patterns of adult male and female Swift Foxes, Vulpes velox, in northwestern Texas

Activity of Swift Foxes (Vulpes velox) at den sites was studied in northwestern Texas during pup rearing seasons in 2000 and 2001 to determine role of males in parental care. Twenty-four percent of radio-collared females with a potential to breed successfully raised pups to eight weeks of age. We intensively monitored presence and absence of male and female Swift Foxes at two den sites...
Authors
P.R. Lemons, W.B. Ballard, R.M. Sullivan, M.A. Sovada

Invertebrate egg banks of restored, natural, and drained wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States Invertebrate egg banks of restored, natural, and drained wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States

Analogous to ‘seed banks,’ ‘egg banks’ are important for seasonal succession and maintenance of invertebrate species diversity throughout wet and dry cycles in the prairie pothole region. Further, recruitment of invertebrates from relic egg banks in the sediments and dispersal of eggs into wetlands is believed to be important for reestablishment of invertebrates in recently restored...
Authors
R.A. Gleason, N.H. Euliss, D.E. Hubbard, W.G. Duffy

Does presence of permanent fresh water affect recruitment in prairie-nesting dabbling ducks? Does presence of permanent fresh water affect recruitment in prairie-nesting dabbling ducks?

In the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota, USA, American mink (Mustela vison) are a major predator of ducklings. Mink populations plummet during severe droughts, but some mink survive where permanent fresh water is available. In 1992–1993, we evaluated whether development of a permanent water body, the 125-km McClusky Canal (MC), had affected survival of gadwall (Anas strepera)...
Authors
Gary L. Krapu, P.J. Pietz, D.A. Brandt, R. R. Cox

Why I support federal wolf delisting Why I support federal wolf delisting

This article details why the delisting of the gray wolf that is about to be proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should be supported.
Authors
L.D. Mech

Comparison of detection rates of breeding marsh birds in passive and playback surveys at Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota Comparison of detection rates of breeding marsh birds in passive and playback surveys at Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge, South Dakota

We compared detection rates of passive and playback breeding bird survey techniques on elusive marsh birds - Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus), Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), and Sora (Porzana carolina) - during a two-year study at Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge, in southwestern South Dakota. We...
Authors
T. Allen, S. L. Finkbeiner, Douglas H. Johnson

Effects of distance from cattle water developments on grassland birds Effects of distance from cattle water developments on grassland birds

Many North American grassland bird populations appear to be declining, which may be due to changes in grazing regimes on their breeding areas. Establishment of water developments and confining cattle (Bos taurus L.) to small pastures often minimizes spatial heterogeneity of cattle forage consumption, which may lead to uniformity in vegetative structure. This increased uniformity may...
Authors
A.L. Fontaine, P.L. Kennedy, Douglas H. Johnson

Nutritional condition of Northern Yellowstone Elk Nutritional condition of Northern Yellowstone Elk

We estimated nutritional condition for 96 female northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) during mid- to late winter 2000, 2001, and 2002. Neither year nor capture location significantly influenced any measure of condition (body fat, body mass, and longissimus dorsi thickness; P ≥ 0.14). Overall, age = 8.9 years ± 0.4 SE, body fat = 9.5% ± 0.4, body mass = 235.1 kg ± 2.2, and...
Authors
R.C. Cook, J.G. Cook, L.D. Mech

The wetland continuum: A conceptual framework for interpreting biological studies The wetland continuum: A conceptual framework for interpreting biological studies

We describe a conceptual model, the wetland continuum, which allows wetland managers, scientists, and ecologists to consider simultaneously the influence of climate and hydrologic setting on wetland biological communities. Although multidimensional, the wetland continuum is most easily represented as a two-dimensional gradient, with ground water and atmospheric water constituting the...
Authors
N.H. Euliss, J. W. LaBaugh, L.H. Fredrickson, D.M. Mushet, Murray K. Laubhan, G.A. Swanson, T. C. Winter, D.O. Rosenberry, R.D. Nelson

Less waste corn, more land in soybeans, and the switch to genetically modified crops: Trends with important implications to wildlife management Less waste corn, more land in soybeans, and the switch to genetically modified crops: Trends with important implications to wildlife management

American agriculture has provided abundant high-energy foods for migratory and resident wildlife populations since the onset of modern wildlife management. Responding to anecdotal evidence that corn residues are declining in cropland, we remeasured waste corn postharvest in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) of Nebraska during 1997 and 1998 to compare with 1978. Post-harvest waste...
Authors
Gary L. Krapu, D.A. Brandt, R. R. Cox
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