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Moving from awareness to action: Advancing climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning for Idaho and Montana National Forests Moving from awareness to action: Advancing climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning for Idaho and Montana National Forests

The rugged landscapes of northern Idaho and western Montana support biodiverse ecosystems, and provide a variety of natural resources and services for human communities. However, the benefits provided by these ecosystems may be at risk as changing climate magnifies existing stressors and allows new stressors to emerge. Preparation for and response to these potential changes can be most...
Authors
Jessi Kershner, Andrea Woodward, Alicia A. Torregrosa

Reservoirs and water management influence fish mercury concentrations in the western United States and Canada Reservoirs and water management influence fish mercury concentrations in the western United States and Canada

Anthropogenic manipulation of aquatic habitats can profoundly alter mercury (Hg) cycling and bioaccumulation. The impoundment of fluvial systems is among the most common habitat manipulations and is known to increase fish Hg concentrations immediately following impoundment. However, it is not well understood how Hg concentrations differ between reservoirs and lakes at large spatial and...
Authors
James J. Willacker, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Michelle A. Lutz, Michael T. Tate, Jesse M. Lepak, Joshua T. Ackerman

Decomposition drives convergence of forest litter nutrient stoichiometry following phosphorus addition Decomposition drives convergence of forest litter nutrient stoichiometry following phosphorus addition

Background and aims Nutrient levels in decomposing detritus and soil can influence decomposition rates and detrital nutrient dynamics in differing ways among various detrital components of forests. We assessed whether increased phosphorus (P) levels in litter and soil influenced decomposition rates and litter nutrient dynamics of foliage, fine roots, and twigs in nitrogen (N)-rich...
Authors
Tiff L. van Huysen, Steven Perakis, Mark E. Harmon

Transition of vegetation states positively affects harvester ants in the Great Basin, United States Transition of vegetation states positively affects harvester ants in the Great Basin, United States

Invasions by non-native plants can alter ecosystems such that new ecological states are reached, but less is known about how these transitions influence animal populations. Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) ecosystems are experiencing state changes because of fire and invasion by exotic annual grasses. Our goal was to study the effects of these state changes on the Owyhee and western...
Authors
Joseph D. Holbrook, David S. Pilliod, Robert Arkle, Janet L. Rachlow, Kerri T. Vierling, Michelle M. Wiest

Does resolution of flow field observation influence apparent habitat use and energy expenditure in juvenile coho salmon? Does resolution of flow field observation influence apparent habitat use and energy expenditure in juvenile coho salmon?

This study investigated how the resolution of observation influences interpretation of how fish, juvenile Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), exploit the hydraulic environment in streams. Our objectives were to evaluate how spatial resolution of the flow field observation influenced: (1) the velocities considered to be representative of habitat units; (2) patterns of use of the hydraulic
Authors
Desiree D. Tullos, Cara Walter, Jason B. Dunham

Identifying key climate and environmental factors affecting rates of post-fire big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) recovery in the northern Columbia Basin, USA Identifying key climate and environmental factors affecting rates of post-fire big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) recovery in the northern Columbia Basin, USA

Sagebrush steppe of North America is considered highly imperilled, in part owing to increased fire frequency. Sagebrush ecosystems support numerous species, and it is important to understand those factors that affect rates of post-fire sagebrush recovery. We explored recovery of Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp.wyomingensis) and basin big sagebrush (A. tridentata ssp...
Authors
Douglas J. Shinneman, Susan McIlroy

Habitat and fish assemblage associations and current status of northern leatherside chub Lepidomeda copei in western Wyoming Habitat and fish assemblage associations and current status of northern leatherside chub Lepidomeda copei in western Wyoming

Human activities have extensively altered native fish assemblages and their habitats in the western United States. Conservation and restoration for long-term persistence of these fishes requires knowledge of their distributional patterns and life history requirements. Northern leatherside chub Lepidomeda copei (hereafter northern leatherside) is a cyprinid native to the Snake and Bear...
Authors
Luke Schultz, Pete Cavalli, Hilda Sexauer, David Zafft

Mercury cycling in the Hells Canyon Complex of the Snake River, Idaho and Oregon Mercury cycling in the Hells Canyon Complex of the Snake River, Idaho and Oregon

Introduction The Hells Canyon Complex (HCC) is a hydroelectric project built and operated by the Idaho Power Company (IPC) that consists of three dams on the Snake River along the Oregon and Idaho border (fig. 1). The dams have resulted in the creation of Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon Reservoirs, which have a combined storage capacity of more than 1.5 million acre-feet and span about...
Authors
Gregory M. Clark, Jesse Naymik, David P. Krabbenhoft, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, George R. Aiken, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Reed C. Harris, Ralph Myers

Assessing potential health risks to fish and humans using mercury concentrations in inland fish from across western Canada and the United States Assessing potential health risks to fish and humans using mercury concentrations in inland fish from across western Canada and the United States

Fish represent high quality protein and nutrient sources, but Hg contamination is ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems and can pose health risks to fish and their consumers. Potential health risks posed to fish and humans by Hg contamination in fish were assessed in western Canada and the United States. A large compilation of inland fish Hg concentrations was evaluated in terms of potential...
Authors
Jesse M. Lepak, Mevin Hooten, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Michael T. Tate, Michelle A. Lutz, Joshua T. Ackerman, James J. Willacker, Allyson K. Jackson, David C. Evers, James G. Wiener, Colleen Flanagan Pritz, Jay Davis

Age- and season-specific variation in local and long-distance movement behavior of golden eagles Age- and season-specific variation in local and long-distance movement behavior of golden eagles

Animal movements can determine the population dynamics of wildlife. We used telemetry data to provide insight into the causes and consequences of local and long-distance movements of multiple age classes of conservation-reliant golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the foothills and mountains near Tehachapi, California. We estimated size and habitat-related correlates of 324 monthly 95 %...
Authors
Sharon A. Poessel, Peter H. Bloom, Melissa A. Braham, Todd E. Katzner

Spatiotemporal patterns of mercury accumulation in lake sediments of western North America Spatiotemporal patterns of mercury accumulation in lake sediments of western North America

For the Western North America Mercury Synthesis, we compiled mercury records from 165 dated sediment cores from 138 natural lakes across western North America. Lake sediments are accepted as faithful recorders of historical mercury accumulation rates, and regional and sub-regional temporal and spatial trends were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Mercury accumulation...
Authors
Paul Drevnick, Colin A. Cooke, Daniella Barraza, Jules M. Blais, Kenneth Coale, Brian F. Cumming, Chris Curtis, Biplob Das, William F. Donahue, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Daniel R. Engstrom, William F. Fitzgerald, Chad V. Furl, John R. Gray, Roland I. Hall, Togwell A. Jackson, Kathleen R. Laird, W. Lyle Lockhart, Robie W. Macdonald, M. Alisa Mast, Callie Mathieu, Derek C.G. Muir, Peter Outridge, Scott Reinemann, Sarah E. Rothenberg, Ana Carolina Ruiz-Fernandex, Louis, Rhea Sanders, Hamed Sanei, Elliott Skierszkan, Peter C. Van Metre, Timothy Veverica, Johan A. Wiklund, Brent B. Wolfe
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