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Factors controlling threshold friction velocity in semiarid and arid areas of the United States Factors controlling threshold friction velocity in semiarid and arid areas of the United States

A physical model was developed to explain threshold friction velocities u*t for particles of the size 60a??120 I?m lying on a rough surface in loose soils for semiarid and arid parts of the United States. The model corrected for the effect of momentum absorption by the nonerodible roughness. For loose or disturbed soils the most important parameter that controls u*t is the aerodynamic...
Authors
Beatrice Marticorena, G. Bergametti, Jayne Belnap

Holocene vegetation and historic grazing impacts at Capitol Reef National Park reconstructed using packrat middens Holocene vegetation and historic grazing impacts at Capitol Reef National Park reconstructed using packrat middens

Mid- to late-Holocene vegetation change from a remote high-desert site was reconstructed using plant macrofossils and pollen from 9 packrat middens ranging from 0 to 5400 yr in age. Presettlement middens consistently contained abundant macrofossils of plant species palatable to large herbivores that are now absent or reduced, such as winterfat (Ceratoides lanatd) and ricegrass (Stipa...
Authors
K.L. Cole, N. Henderson, D.S. Shafer

Supervised classification of Landsat thematic mapper imagery in a semi-arid rangeland by nonparametric discriminant analysis Supervised classification of Landsat thematic mapper imagery in a semi-arid rangeland by nonparametric discriminant analysis

In this article the authors used a nonparametric discriminant function in a supervised classification of Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite imagery of a ~240,000-ha semi-arid region in the Snake River Plains, southwestern Idaho. First, agriculture pixels were classified by distance from the soil baseline and water pixels by the thermal band value. Next, successive nonparametric...
Authors
Steven T. Knick, J.T. Rotenberry, T.J. Zarriello

Population identification of western hemisphere shorebirds throughout the annual cycle Population identification of western hemisphere shorebirds throughout the annual cycle

Identification of relationships among geographically distinct populations of migratory species can provide an understanding of breeding and natal philopatry, migration pathways, and population mixing during winter. We used random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses to search for markers specific to difficult‐to‐differentiate shorebird species (e.g. long‐billed dowitcher Limnodromus
Authors
Susan M. Haig, C. L. Gratto-Trevor, Thomas D. Mullins, M. A. Colwell

Spatial use and habitat selection of golden eagles in southwestern Idaho Spatial use and habitat selection of golden eagles in southwestern Idaho

We measured spatial use and habitat selection of radio-tagged Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) at eight to nine territories each year from 1992 to 1994 in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area. Use of space did not vary between years or sexes, but did vary among seasons (home ranges and travel distances were larger during the nonbreeding than during the breeding...
Authors
J.M. Marzluff, Steven T. Knick, M.S. Vekasy, Linda S. Schueck, T.J. Zarriello

Productivity of golden eagles wearing backpack radiotransmitters Productivity of golden eagles wearing backpack radiotransmitters

We examined the association between the presence of backpack radiotransmitters and Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) reproduction (percentage of occupied territories producing young, and number of nestlings produced) over three years. The association between radio-tagging and nesting success and the number of nestlings produced varied significantly among years. A negative association with...
Authors
J.M. Marzluff, M.S. Vekasy, Michael N. Kochert, Karen Steenhof

Influence of basin-scale physical variables on life history characteristics of cutthroat trout in Yellowstone Lake Influence of basin-scale physical variables on life history characteristics of cutthroat trout in Yellowstone Lake

Individual spawning populations of Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri differ in life history characteristics associated with broad spatial and temporal environmental patterns, but relationships between specific life history characteristics of Yellowstone cutthroat trout and physical aspects of the environment are poorly understood. We examined basin-scale physical
Authors
Robert E. Gresswell, W.J. Liss, Gary L. Larson, Patrick J. Bartlein

The influence of habitat, prey abundance, sex, and breeding success on the ranging behavior of Prairie Falcons The influence of habitat, prey abundance, sex, and breeding success on the ranging behavior of Prairie Falcons

We studied the ranging behavior and habitat selection of radio-tagged Prairie Falcons (Falco mexicanus) during the breeding season in southwestern Idaho. The distribution and numbers of Townsend's ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii), the primary prey of Prairie Falcons in our study area, varied in response to drought during the study period. Prairie Falcons ranged over large areas...
Authors
J.M. Marzluff, Bryan A. Kimsey, Linda S. Schueck, Mary E. McFadzen, M.S. Vekasy, James C. Bednarz

Shorebird-prey interactions in South Carolina coastal soft-sediments Shorebird-prey interactions in South Carolina coastal soft-sediments

We investigated the simultaneous influence of benthic prey (primarily insect larvae, oligochaetes, and polychaetes) on spring-migrating shorebirds (Charadriiformes) and shorebirds on prey in brackish managed wetlands of South Carolina. We proposed that positive correlations between shorebird and prey densities and between prey reduction and shorebird density might result in a negative...
Authors
Louise M. Weber, Susan M. Haig

Use of burrow entrances to indicate densities of Townsend's ground squirrels Use of burrow entrances to indicate densities of Townsend's ground squirrels

Counts of burrow entrances have been positively correlated with densities of semi-fossorial rodents and used as an index of densities. We evaluated their effectiveness in indexing densities of Townsend's ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii) in the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (SRBOPNCA), Idaho, by comparing burrow entrance densities to densities of ground...
Authors
Beatrice Van Horne, Robert L. Schooley, Steven T. Knick, Gail S. Olson, Kenneth P. Burnham

Nitrogen metabolism of sheep and goats consuming Acacia brevispica and Sesbania sesban Nitrogen metabolism of sheep and goats consuming Acacia brevispica and Sesbania sesban

We described the effects of two East African browses, Acacia brevispica and Sesbania sesban, on nitrogen metabolism of sheep and goats. The A. brevispica had a substantial amount of proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins); S. sesban did not. The browses were fed at three levels in combination with vetch (Vicia dasycarpa) and teff straw (Eragrostis abyssinica). Fecal N, N balance, and...
Authors
A. Woodward, J.D. Reed
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