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Publications

These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.

Filter Total Items: 16731

Constructing Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) for Searching the Marine Realms Information Bank Constructing Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) for Searching the Marine Realms Information Bank

The Marine Realms Information Bank (MRIB) is a digital library that provides access to free online scientific information about the oceans and coastal regions. To search its collection, MRIB uses a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) program, which allows automated search requests using Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). This document provides an overview of how to construct URLs to execute...
Authors
Guthrie A. Linck, Alan O. Allwardt, Frances L. Lightsom

Preliminary results of the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project, northeast United States and Maritime Provinces of Canada Preliminary results of the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project, northeast United States and Maritime Provinces of Canada

The results of a soil geochemical survey of the Canadian Maritime provinces and the northeast states of the United States are described. The data presented are for the
Authors
Eric C. Grunsky, David B. Smith, Peter W.B. Friske, Laurel G. Woodruff

Mineral resource of the month: diamond Mineral resource of the month: diamond

The article presents information on diamond, which is regarded as the world's most popular gemstone. It states that there is strength in the covalent bonding between its carbon atoms, resulting to the strength of its physical properties. The presence of colors in diamonds may be attributed to the impurities that settle in the crystal lattice. Diamonds have been used as decorative items...
Authors
Donald W. Olson

Demographics of an experimentally released population of elk in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Demographics of an experimentally released population of elk in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We assessed the potential for reestablishing elk (Cervus elaphus) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), USA, by estimating vital rates of experimentally released animals from 2001 to 2006. Annual survival rates for calves ranged from 0.333 to 1.0 and averaged 0.592. Annual survival for subadult and adult elk (i.e., ≥1 yr of age) ranged from 0.690 to 0.933, depending on age and...
Authors
Jennifer L. Murrow, Joseph D. Clark, E. Kim Delozier

Estuarine water quality in parks of the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network: Development and early implementation of vital signs estuarine nutrient-enrichment monitoring, 2003-06 Estuarine water quality in parks of the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network: Development and early implementation of vital signs estuarine nutrient-enrichment monitoring, 2003-06

This report documents results of pilot tests of a protocol for monitoring estuarine nutrient enrichment for the Vital Signs Monitoring Program of the National Park Service Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network. Data collected from four parks during protocol development in 2003-06 are presented: Gateway National Recreation Area, Colonial National Historic Park, Fire Island National...
Authors
Blaine S. Kopp, Martha Nielsen, Dejan Glisic, Hilary A. Neckles

[book review] Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds -- Les Christidis and Walter E. Boles. Collingwood, VIC, Australia: CSIRO Publishing, 2008 [book review] Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds -- Les Christidis and Walter E. Boles. Collingwood, VIC, Australia: CSIRO Publishing, 2008

Systematists argue that the importance of our work lies not only in the elucidation of evolutionary relationships, but also in the incorporation of evolutionary information into classifications and the use of these classifications by government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, professional scientists, and others interested in biodiversity. If this is true, and I think that it is...
Authors
R. Terry Chesser

A cautionary note on substituting spatial subunits for repeated temporal sampling in studies of site occupancy A cautionary note on substituting spatial subunits for repeated temporal sampling in studies of site occupancy

1. Assessing the probability that a given site is occupied by a species of interest is important to resource managers, as well as metapopulation or landscape ecologists. Managers require accurate estimates of the state of the system, in order to make informed decisions. Models that yield estimates of occupancy, while accounting for imperfect detection, have proven useful by removing a...
Authors
William L. Kendall, Gary C. White

Salamander occupancy in headwater stream networks Salamander occupancy in headwater stream networks

1. Stream ecosystems exhibit a highly consistent dendritic geometry in which linear habitat units intersect to create a hierarchical network of connected branches. 2. Ecological and life history traits of species living in streams, such as the potential for overland movement, may interact with this architecture to shape patterns of occupancy and response to disturbance. Specifically...
Authors
E.H.C. Grant, L.E. Green, W.H. Lowe

Hierarchical models for estimating density from DNA mark-recapture studies Hierarchical models for estimating density from DNA mark-recapture studies

Genetic sampling is increasingly used as a tool by wildlife biologists and managers to estimate abundance and density of species. Typically, DNA is used to identify individuals captured in an array of traps ( e. g., baited hair snares) from which individual encounter histories are derived. Standard methods for estimating the size of a closed population can be applied to such data...
Authors
B. Gardner, J. Andrew Royle, M.T. Wegan

Climate trends of the North American prairie pothole region 1906-2000 Climate trends of the North American prairie pothole region 1906-2000

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is unique to North America. Its millions of wetlands and abundant ecosystem goods and services are highly sensitive to wide variations of temperature and precipitation in time and space characteristic of a strongly continental climate. Precipitation and temperature gradients across the PPR are orthogonal to each other. Precipitation nearly triples from...
Authors
B. Millett, W.C. Johnson, G. Guntenspergen

Monitoring multiple species: Estimating state variables and exploring the efficacy of a monitoring program Monitoring multiple species: Estimating state variables and exploring the efficacy of a monitoring program

Monitoring programs have the potential to identify population declines and differentiate among the possible cause(s) of these declines. Recent criticisms regarding the design of monitoring programs have highlighted a failure to clearly state objectives and to address detectability and spatial sampling issues. Here, we incorporate these criticisms to design an efficient monitoring program...
Authors
S.D. Mattfeldt, L.L. Bailey, E.H.C. Grant

Conservation of northern bobwhite on private lands in Georgia, USA under uncertainty about landscape-level habitat effects Conservation of northern bobwhite on private lands in Georgia, USA under uncertainty about landscape-level habitat effects

Large-scale habitat enhancement programs for birds are becoming more widespread, however, most lack monitoring to resolve uncertainties and enhance program impact over time. Georgia?s Bobwhite Quail Initiative (BQI) is a competitive, proposal-based system that provides incentives to landowners to establish habitat for northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). Using data from monitoring...
Authors
J.E. Howell, C. T. Moore, M.J. Conroy, R.G. Hamrick, R.J. Cooper, R.E. Thackston, J.P. Carroll
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