Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
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Located on six hundred acres along the James River Valley near Jamestown, North Dakota, the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center is one of seventeen USGS Science Centers that develop and disseminate the scientific information needed to understand, conserve, and manage the Nation’s rich biological resources.
Migratory-bird center of excellence
The Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center is known for its long history of meeting the migratory-bird research needs of Department of the Interior and the Nation.
Migratory BirdsInsect pollinators of the Great Plains
Pollinators support both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Northern Prairie scientists are studying factors affecting the health of insect pollinators across the northern Great Plains.
Pollinator ResearchMinimizing impacts to wildlife and ecosystems
Providing information needed to reduce the impacts of oil, gas, biofuel and wind energy development in the northern Great Plains is a focus of several research efforts at NPWRC.
Species StressorsNews
Honey Bee Helpers: It Takes a Village to Conserve a Colony
Do you eat fruits and vegetables? What about nuts? If so, you can thank an insect pollinator, usually a honey bee. These small insects play a major role in pollinating the world’s plants, including those we eat regularly. They also increase our nation’s crop values each year by more than 15 billion dollars.
Scientists Collecting Bird Data on Grasslands in Montana this Spring
Now through late July, 2018, U.S. Geological Survey scientists will conduct fieldwork on public lands in Phillips and Valley counties near Malta and Glasgow, Montana, as part of a grassland bird project.
Public Invitation: Jamestown Science Center Opens Doors for Interactive Experience
The public is invited to attend a free, family-friendly open house at a local U.S. Geological Survey center for ecology research on Saturday, September 16.
Publications
Response of vegetation in open and partially wooded fens to prescribed burning at Seney National Wildlife Refuge
The health and function of northern peatlands, particularly for fens, are strongly affected by fire and hydrology. Fens are important to several avian species of conservation interest, notably the yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis). Fire suppression and altered hydrology often result in woody encroachment, altering the plant community and...
Austin, Jane E.; Newton, Wesley E.
Demographic responses of least terns and piping plovers to the 2011 Missouri River flood—A large-scale case study
A catastrophic flood event on the Missouri River system in 2011 led to substantial changes in abundance and distribution of unvegetated sand habitat. This river system is a major component of the breeding range for interior Least terns (Sternula antillarum; “terns”) and piping plovers (Charadrius melodus; “plovers”), both of which are Federally...
Anteau, Michael J.; Sherfy, Mark H.; Shaffer, Terry L.; Swift, Rose J.; Toy, Dustin L.; Dovichin, Colin M.
Whooping crane use of riverine stopover sites
Migratory birds like endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana) require suitable nocturnal roost sites during twice annual migrations. Whooping cranes primarily roost in shallow surface water wetlands, ponds, and rivers. All these features have been greatly impacted by human activities, which present threats to the continued recovery of the...
Baasch, David M.; Farrell, Patrick D.; Howlin, Shay; Pearse, Aaron T.; Farnsworth, Jason M.; Smith, Chadwin B.