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: 1934
Simulating the impact of human land use change on forest composition in the Great Plains agroecosystems with the Seedscape model Simulating the impact of human land use change on forest composition in the Great Plains agroecosystems with the Seedscape model
The expansion and contraction of marginal cropland in the Great Plains often involves small forested strips of land that provide important ecological benefits. The effect of human disturbance on these forests is not well known. Because of their unique structure such forests are not well-represented by forest gap models. In this paper, the development, testing and application of a new...
Authors
W.E. Easterling, J.R. Brandle, C.J. Hays, Q. Guo, D.S. Guertin
Lack of reproduction in muskoxen and arctic hares caused by early winter? Lack of reproduction in muskoxen and arctic hares caused by early winter?
A lack of young muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) and arctic hares (Lepus arcticus) in the Eureka area of Ellesmere Island, Northwest Territories (now Nunavut), Canada, was observed during summer 1998, in contrast to most other years since 1986. Evidence of malnourished muskoxen was also found. Early winter weather and a consequent 50% reduction of the 1997 summer replenishment period appeared...
Authors
L. David Mech
The wolves of Minnesota: howl in the heartland The wolves of Minnesota: howl in the heartland
No abstract available.
Authors
L. David Mech
Delineation of sandhill crane subspecies Delineation of sandhill crane subspecies
No abstract available.
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, J. E. Austin
Holocene climate in the western Great Lakes national parks and lakeshores: Implications for future climate change Holocene climate in the western Great Lakes national parks and lakeshores: Implications for future climate change
We reconstruct Holocene climate history (last 10,000 years) for each of the U.S. National Park Service units in the western Great Lakes region in order to evaluate their sensitivity to global warming. Annual precipitation, annual temperature, and July and January temperatures were reconstructed by comparing fossil pollen in lake sediment with pollen in surface samples, assuming that...
Authors
Margaret Davis, Christine Douglas, K.L. Cole, Marge Winkler, Robyn Flaknes
Prolonged winter undernutrition and the interpretation of urinary allantoin:creatinine ratios in white-tailed deer Prolonged winter undernutrition and the interpretation of urinary allantoin:creatinine ratios in white-tailed deer
The urinary allantoin:creatinine (A:C) ratio (expressed in micromoles of allantoin to micromoles of creatinine) has shown potential as an index of recent winter energy intake in preliminary controlled studies of elk (Cervus elaphus) involving mild condition deterioration (up to 11% loss of body mass). To ensure reliable nutritional assessments of free-ranging cervids by measuring A:C...
Authors
Glenn D. DelGiudice, Ken D. Kerr, L. David Mech, Ulysses S. Seal
Declines of greater and lesser scaup populations: issues, hypotheses, and research needs Declines of greater and lesser scaup populations: issues, hypotheses, and research needs
The population estimate for greater (Aythya marila) and lesser (Aythya affinis) scaup (combined) has declined dramatically since the early 1980s to record lows in 1998. The 1998 estimate of 3.47 million scaup is far below the goal of 6.3 million set in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP), causing concern among biologists and hunters. We summarize issues of concern...
Authors
J. E. Austin, A. D. Afton, M.G. Anderson, R. G. Clark, Christine M. Custer, J. Lawrence, J.B. Pollard, J.K. Ringelman
Weather monitoring protocol for two prairie parks Weather monitoring protocol for two prairie parks
No abstract available.
Authors
F.A. Akyuz, P. Guinan, G.D. Willson
The North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformations The North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformations
No abstract available.
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson, S.C. Fowle, J.A. Jundt
Predictable interregional movements by female northern pintails during winter Predictable interregional movements by female northern pintails during winter
Factors influencing initiation of regional and interregional movements by nonbreeding ducks are poorly understood, especially during winter. During winters 1990-1991 through 1992-1993, we radiotagged 347 female Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) in southwestern Louisiana and monitored their movements to three regions: (1) the Gulf Coast Region of Louisiana and Texas (outside of southwestern...
Authors
R. R. Cox, A. D. Afton