Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

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

Killing of a muskox, Ovibos moschatus, by two wolves, Canis lupis, and subsequent caching Killing of a muskox, Ovibos moschatus, by two wolves, Canis lupis, and subsequent caching

The killing of a cow Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) by two Wolves (Canis lupus) in 5 minutes during summer on Ellesmere Island is described. After two of the four feedings observed, one Wolf cached a leg and regurgitated food as far as 2.3 km away and probably farther. The implications of this behavior for deriving food-consumption estimates are discussed.
Authors
L. David Mech, Layne G. Adams

Influence of agriculture on aquatic invertebrate communities of temporary wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, USA Influence of agriculture on aquatic invertebrate communities of temporary wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota, USA

We evaluated the influence of intensive agriculture on invertebrate communities of temporary wetlands as indicated by aquatic invertebrate resting eggs, shells, and cases remaining after wetlands dried. To facilitate the comparison, we sampled 19 wetlands within cropland areas and 19 wetlands within grassland areas. We found resting eggs, shells, and cases of significantly more taxa and...
Authors
Ned H. Euliss, David M. Mushet

Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Wilson's Phalarope Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Wilson's Phalarope

Information on the habitat requirements and effects of habitat management on grassland birds were summarized from information in more than 4,000 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the relative densities of the species in North America, based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated...
Authors
Jill A. Dechant, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Amy L. Zimmerman, Betty R. Euliss

Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Burrowing Owl Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Burrowing Owl

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 relative densities of the species in North America, based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated...
Authors
Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Paul A. Rabie, Betty R. Euliss

The insignificance of statistical significance testing The insignificance of statistical significance testing

Despite their use in scientific journals such as The Journal of Wildlife Management, statistical hypothesis tests add very little value to the products of research. Indeed, they frequently confuse the interpretation of data. This paper describes how statistical hypothesis tests are often viewed, and then contrasts that interpretation with the correct one. I discuss the arbitrariness of P...
Authors
Douglas H. Johnson

Wood duck brood movements and habitat use on prairie rivers in South Dakota Wood duck brood movements and habitat use on prairie rivers in South Dakota

Wood duck (Aix sponsa) populations have been increasing in the Central Flyway, but little is known about wood duck brood rearing in prairie ecosystems. We compared movements and habitat use of radiomarked female wood ducks with broods in South Dakota on 2 rivers with contrasting prairie landscapes. The perennial Big Sioux River had a broad floodplain and riparian forest, whereas the...
Authors
D. A. Granfors, Lester D. Flake

Survival of postfledging mallards in northcentral Minnesota Survival of postfledging mallards in northcentral Minnesota

Effective, economical management of waterfowl populations requires an understanding of age-, sex-, and cause-specific forces of mortality. We used radio telemetry to estimate survival rates of immature mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) from fledging to autumn migration in northcentral Minnesota. We monitored 48 females and 42 males during 1972-74 and observed 31 deaths during 2,984 exposure...
Authors
Ronald E. Kirby, Glen A. Sargeant

Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Western Meadowlark Effects of management practices on grassland birds: Western Meadowlark

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 relative densities of the species in North America, based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated...
Authors
Jill A. Dechant, Marriah L. Sondreal, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Amy L. Zimmerman, Betty R. Euliss

Foods of American badgers in west-central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota during the duck nesting season Foods of American badgers in west-central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota during the duck nesting season

Although the American badger (Taxidea taxus) is common in grasslands and preys on a wide diversity of foods including birds, little is known about badger diet in areas where nesting ducks are common. Small mammals, primarily Muridae and Geomyidae, were the most common food items in the diet of badgers collected from west-central Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota during April-July...
Authors
M.A. Sovada, J.M. Roaldson, A.B. Sargeant

Estimated costs of maintaining a recovered wolf population in agricultural regions of Minnesota Estimated costs of maintaining a recovered wolf population in agricultural regions of Minnesota

The annual costs of maintaining Minnesota gray wolves (Canis lupus), now numbering about 2,500, under 2 plans are compared: (1) maintaining a population of about 1,400 primarily in the wilderness and semi-wilderness as recommended by the Eastern Timber Wolf Recovery Plan, and (2) allowing wolves to continue colonizing agricultural areas for 5 years after removal from the endangered...
Authors
L.D. Mech
Was this page helpful?