Publications
These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.
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Sources and implications of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on natural resources Sources and implications of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on natural resources
A technical review of lead sources that originate from hunting, shooting sports, and fishing activities was undertaken by the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society. The report addresses (1) sources of lead that originate from hunting, shooting sports, and fishing activities, (2) the hazard and risk that lead from these activities pose to natural resources, and (3) the...
Authors
Barnett A. Rattner, J. Christian Franson, Steven R. Sheffield, Chris I. Goddard, Nancy J. Leonard, Douglas Stang, Paul J. Wingate
Apparent tolerance of turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac Apparent tolerance of turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac
The nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug diclofenac is extremely toxic to Old World Gyps vultures (median lethal dose ∼0.1–0.2 mg/kg), evoking visceral gout, renal necrosis, and mortality within a few days of exposure. Unintentional secondary poisoning of vultures that fed upon carcasses of diclofenac‐treated livestock decimated populations in the Indian subcontinent. Because of the...
Authors
Barnett A. Rattner, M.A. Whitehead, G. Gasper, C.U. Meteyer, W.A. Link, M.A. Taggart, A.A. Meharg, O. H. Pattee, D.J. Pain
Objectives and metrics for wildlife monitoring Objectives and metrics for wildlife monitoring
Monitoring surveys allow managers to document system status and provide the quantitative basis for management decision-making, and large amounts of effort and funding are devoted to monitoring. Still, monitoring surveys often fall short of providing required information; inadequacies exist in survey designs, analyses procedures, or in the ability to integrate the information into an...
Authors
J.R. Sauer, M. G. Knutson
Monitoring in the context of structured decision-making and adaptive management Monitoring in the context of structured decision-making and adaptive management
In a natural resource management setting, monitoring is a crucial component of an informed process for making decisions, and monitoring design should be driven by the decision context and associated uncertainties. Monitoring itself can play >3 roles. First, it is important for state-dependent decision-making, as when managers need to know the system state before deciding on the...
Authors
J. E. Lyons, M.C. Runge, H. P. Laskowski, W. L. Kendall
Management concerns about known and potential impacts of lead use in shooting and in fishing activities Management concerns about known and potential impacts of lead use in shooting and in fishing activities
We present a summary of the technical review, jointly requested by the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, addressing the hazards to wildlife resulting from lead objects or fragments introduced into aquatic and terrestrial environments from the use of ammunition and fishing tackle. Impacts from lead are well documented in humans, as well as in terrestrial and aquatic...
Authors
C.I. Goddard, N.J. Leonard, D.L. Stang, P.J. Wingate, Barnett A. Rattner, J. C. Franson, S.R. Sheffield
Sediment ingestion rates in waterfowl (Anatidae) and their use in environmental risk assessment Sediment ingestion rates in waterfowl (Anatidae) and their use in environmental risk assessment
When waterfowl (Anatidae) ingest sediment as they feed, they are exposed to the environmental contaminants in those sediments. The rate of ingestion may be key to assessing environmental risk. Rates of sediment ingestion were estimated as from
Authors
W. Nelson Beyer, Matthew C. Perry, Peter C. Osenton
Effect of climate fluctuations on long-term vegetation dynamics in Carolina bay wetlands Effect of climate fluctuations on long-term vegetation dynamics in Carolina bay wetlands
Carolina bays and similar depression wetlands of the U.S. Southeastern Coastal Plain have hydrologic regimes that are driven primarily by rainfall. Therefore, climate fluctuations such as drought cycles have the potential to shape long-term vegetation dynamics. Models suggest two potential long-term responses to hydrologic fluctuations, either cyclic change maintaining open emergent...
Authors
C.L. Stroh, D. De Steven, G.R. Guntenspergen
Hierarchical Bayes estimation of species richness and occupancy in spatially replicated surveys Hierarchical Bayes estimation of species richness and occupancy in spatially replicated surveys
1. Species richness is the most widely used biodiversity metric, but cannot be observed directly as, typically, some species are overlooked. Imperfect detectability must therefore be accounted for to obtain unbiased species-richness estimates. When richness is assessed at multiple sites, two approaches can be used to estimate species richness: either estimating for each site separately...
Authors
M. Kery, J. Andrew Royle
Combining Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Count data to evaluate seasonal components of population change in Northern Bobwhite Combining Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Count data to evaluate seasonal components of population change in Northern Bobwhite
Annual surveys of wildlife populations provide information about annual rates of change in populations but provide no information about when such changes occur. However, by combining data from 2 annual surveys, conducted in different parts of the year, seasonal components of population change can be estimated. We describe a hierarchical model for simultaneous analysis of 2 continent...
Authors
W.A. Link, J.R. Sauer, D.K. Niven
Concentrations of metals in blood and feathers of nestling ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) in Chesapeake and Delaware Bays Concentrations of metals in blood and feathers of nestling ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) in Chesapeake and Delaware Bays
In 2000, 2001, and 2002, blood and feather samples were collected from 40–45-day-old nestling ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) from Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay and River. Concentrations of 18 metals, metalloids, and other elements were determined in these samples by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy, and Hg concentrations were measured by cold vapor atomic absorption...
Authors
Barnett A. Rattner, N. H. Golden, P. C. Toschik, P. C. McGowan, T. W. Custer
Field Marks of a Celebration: Roger Tory Peterson's Centennial Birthday Field Marks of a Celebration: Roger Tory Peterson's Centennial Birthday
A red letter day in my life was April 27, 1934, the day I first met Roger. A birding friend, Elisha Atkins, had invited Clinton Reynolds and me to dinner to meet a famous ornithologist. We would all be going on a field trip to Newburyport on the Massachusetts coast the next day. The dinner conversation revolved about a new field guide that Mr. Peterson had just completed and that would...
Authors
J. Dunlap, C.S. Robbins