Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Publications
Modeling the supporting ecosystem services of depressional wetlands
We explored how a geographic information system modeling approach could be used to quantify supporting ecosystem services related to the type, abundance, and distribution of landscape components. Specifically, we use the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs model to quantify habitats that support amphibians and birds, floral...
Mushet, David M.; Roth, Cali L.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
Keys to Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) management include providing short vegetation with protective nest cover and tailoring grazing systems to the type of grassland. Lark Buntings have been reported to use habitats with 6–72 centimeter (cm) average vegetation height, 2–11 cm visual obstruction reading, 13–71 percent grass cover, less...
Shaffer, Jill A.; Igl, Lawrence D.; Johnson, Douglas H.; Sondreal, Marriah L.; Goldade, Christopher M.; Zimmerman, Amy L.; Euliss, Betty R. Population and harvest dynamics of midcontinent sandhill cranes
Sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) inhabiting the midcontinent of North America have been hunted since the 1960s under management goals of maintaining abundance, retaining geographic distribution, and maximizing sustainable harvest. Some biologists have raised concerns regarding harvest sustainability because sandhill cranes have lower...
Pearse, Aaron T.; Sargeant, Glen A.; Krapu, Gary; Brandt, David A.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Merlin (Falco columbarius)
The key to Merlin (Falco columbarius) management is maintaining an interspersion of groves of deciduous or coniferous trees for nesting and open grasslands for hunting. Merlins do not build their own nests but rather use former nests of other bird species, including those of corvids (crows, ravens, and magpies) and accipitrids (hawks). In recent...
Konrad, Paul M.; Shaffer, Jill A.; Igl, Lawrence D.
The effects of management practices on grassland birds—Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii)
Keys to Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii) management include providing suitable grassland habitat, especially native prairie, with intermediate vegetation height and low visual obstruction, and controlling succession therein. Sprague’s Pipits have been reported to use habitats with no more than 49 centimeters (cm) average vegetation height, 4–14...
Shaffer, Jill A.; Igl, Lawrence D.; Johnson, Douglas H.; Sondreal, Marriah L.; Goldade, Christopher M.; Nenneman, Melvin P.; Wooten, Travis L.; Thiele, Jason P.; Euliss, Betty R.
A review of Cattail (Typha) invasion in North American wetlands
OverviewCattail (Typha) is an iconic emergent wetland plant found worldwide. By producing an abundance of wind-dispersed seeds, cattail can colonize wetlands across great distances, and its rapid growth rate, large size, and aggressive expansion result in dense stands in a variety of aquatic ecosystems such as marshes, ponds, lakes, and riparian...
Bansal, Sheel; Tangen, Brian; Lishawa, Shane; Newman, Sue; Wilcox, Douglas
Evaluation of survey methods for colonial waterbirds at Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota
Estimating the number of breeding pairs in a mixed-species waterbird colony is difficult because colonial waterbirds are vulnerable to human intrusion and their colonies are often in remote areas with limited access. We investigated methods to estimate the number of nests of waterbirds at a large, mixed-species colony at Chase Lake National...
Igl, Lawrence D.; Bartos, Alisa J.; Woodward, Robert O.; Scherr, Paulette; Sovada, Marsha A. Molecular sequencing and morphological identification reveal similar patterns in native bee communities across public and private grasslands of eastern North Dakota
Bees play a key role in the functioning of human-modified and natural ecosystems by pollinating agricultural crops and wild plant communities. Global pollinator conservation efforts need large-scale and long-term monitoring to detect changes in species’ demographic patterns and shifts in bee community structure. The objective of this project was...
Darby, Brian; Bryant, Russ; Keller, Abby; Jochim, Madison; Moe, Josephine; Schreiner, Zoe; Pratt, Carrie; Euliss, Ned; Park, Mia; Simmons, Rebecca; Otto, Clint R. V. Heterogeneity in migration strategies of the whooping crane
Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between breeding and wintering sites. Context for conservation and management can be provided by characterizing these strategies. Variations in strategy among and within individuals support population persistence in response to changes in land use and climate....
Pearse, Aaron T.; Metzger, Kristine L.; Brandt, David A.; Bidwell, Mark T.; Harner, Mary J.; Baasch, David M.; Harrell, Wade C. Temporospatial shifts in Sandhill Crane staging in the Central Platte River Valley in response to climatic variation and habitat change
Over 80% of the Mid-Continent Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) Population (MCP), estimated at over 660,000 individuals, stops in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) during spring migration from mid-February through mid-April. Research suggests that the MCP may be shifting its distribution spatially and temporally within the CPRV. From 2002...
Caven, Andrew J.; Brinley Buckley, Emma M.; King, Kelsey C; Wiese, Joshua D; Baasch, David M.; Wright, Greg D.; Harner, Mary J.; Pearse, Aaron T.; Rabbe, Matt; Varner, Dana; Krohn, Brice; Arcilla, Nicole; Schroeder, Kirk D; Dinan, Kenneth F Alternative stable states in inherently unstable systems
Alternative stable states are nontransitory states within which communities can exist. However, even highly dynamic communities can be viewed within the framework of stable‐state theory if an appropriate “ecologically relevant” time scale is identified. The ecologically relevant time scale for dynamic systems needs to conform to the amount of time...
Mushet, David M.; McKenna, Owen P.; Mclean, Kyle I. Invertebrate communities of Prairie-Pothole wetlands in the age of the aquatic Homogenocene
Simplification of communities is a common consequence of anthropogenic modification. However, the prevalence and mechanisms of biotic homogenization among wetland systems require further examination. Biota of wetlands in the North American Prairie Pothole Region are adapted to high spatial and temporal variability in ponded-water duration and...
Mclean, Kyle I.; Mushet, David M.; Jon N. Sweetman; Anteau, Michael J.; Wiltermuth, Mark T.