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Synopsis: Classical demographic methods applied to life history data on the northern spotted owl yield an estimate of the annual geometric rate of increase for the population of λ = 0.96 ± 0.03, which is not significantly different from that for a stable population (λ = 1.00). Sensitivity analysis indicates that adult annual survivorship has by far the largest influence on λ, followed by the probability that juveniles survive dispersal, and the adult annual fecundity. Substantial temporal fluctuations in demographic parameters have little effect on the long-run growth rate of the population because of the long adult life expectancy. A model of dispersal and territory occupancy that assumes demographic equilibrium...
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Synopsis: This paper summarizes significant findings from literature related to the effect of noise on wildlife, emphasizing the effects of road traffic noise on birds. Many studies from the United States and the Netherlands indicate that road noise has a negative effect on bird populations, particularly during breeding season in a variety of species. In this paper, ‘effect distances’—distances at which bird density decreases—are reported at a range of two to three thousand meters from the road. Effect distances tend to increase with traffic density, being the greatest near large, multilane highways. In a study of woodland species, 26 of 43 (60%) were found to show a decrease in population densities with effect...
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Conclusions: Frogs and toad species were more abundant and diverse where habitat patch diversity was high or where there were forested wetland edges. Relative abundances of amphibian populations correlated positively with metrics such as the length of edge between forest and wetland, and negatively with the presence of agricultural and urban land. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: This study examined landscape-level relationships for frogs and toads by measuring associations between relative abundance and species richness based on survey data derived from anuran calls and features of land cover maps for Iowa and Wisconsin. Relative abundances correlated positively with metrics such as the length of edge between forest...
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Conclusions: Few species were in fact influenced by grassland amount or fragmentation. In contrast, distance to edge and local vegetation characteristics had significant effects on densities and nest success of many species. Thresholds/Learnings: Great Plains toads thrive when >75% of the landscape is composed of native prairie components (i.e. shrubs, graminoids, riparian areas, lakes, wetlands, and trees) . Synopsis: In Alberta, Great Plains toads are found in the dry mixed grass of the southeastern corner of the province. Typical breeding habitat tends to be in shallow ponds with relatively fresh, clear water in sandy soil. In this report habitat suitability was evaluated for the Great Plains toad according...
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On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico as a category 4 storm. Heavy rainfall caused landslides in mountainous regions throughout the territory. This data release presents geospatial data describing the concentration of landslides generated by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. We used post-hurricane satellite and aerial imagery collected between September 26, 2017 and October 8, 2017 to visually estimate the concentration of landslides over nearly the whole territory. This was done by dividing the territory into a grid with 4 square km cells (2 km x 2 km). Each 4 square km grid cell was classified as either containing no landslides, fewer than 25 landslides/ square km or more than...
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Conclusions: Caribou mortalities attributed to wolf predation were generally closer to a corridor, indicating that linear corridors may enhance wolf predation efficiency. Therefore, caribou existing closer to linear corridors are at a higher risk of depredation than those farther from corridors. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: This study tested the hypothesis that linear corridors affect caribou and wolf activities by examining the distribution of telemetry locations of caribou and wolves, as well as locations of caribou mortality and caribou predation by wolves relative to linear corridors caused by roads, seismic lines, power lines, and pipeline rights-of-way. Caribou mortalities attributed to wolf predation...
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Conclusions: When isolated, larger patch size correlates with higher species density and occurence in area-sensitive grassland birds Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: This paper examines the influence of landscape fragmentation and isolation of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands on grassland breeding bird populations in the northern Great Plains states. The study explores the relationship between species occurrence and density, and patch size by tracking 15 bird species on 303 restored grassland areas. Locating CRP grassland fields near existing grasslands, or establishing one large CRP field rather than several small fields, benefits area-sensitive grassland bird species. Caveats: Inconsistent findings...
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Conclusions: Valleys are the only areas capable of sustaining sufficient habitat for the butterfly species, Weidemeyer's Admiral. Consequently, all other areas (i.e. plains, uplands, benches, escarpments, plateaus) were deemed unsuitable. Additionally, areas devoid of shrub cover did not meet the habitat requirements of this specialized species. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: Two variables were selected to model potential habitat for the butterfly species, Weidemeyer's Admiral. Topographical features derived from the Agricultural Region of Alberta Soils Inventory Database (AGRASID) and percent shrub cover derived from the Native Prairie Vegetation Baseline Inventory developed by Alberta Environment were used to...
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Conclusions: Summarizes findings from a review of literature intended to identify critical thresholds for conservation based in empirical studies of landscape fragmentation. Presents a conceptual overview of landscape fragmentation and habitat loss, as well as guidelines and thresholds relating to landscape indicators such as patch size, habitat amount, edge effects, riparian buffers, and habitat connectivity. Thresholds/Learnings: Many. See Kennedy et al. 2003. Synopsis: This report summarizes findings from a review of literature intended to identify critical thresholds for conservation based in empirical studies of landscape fragmentation. In presenting a conceptual overview of landscape fragmentation and habitat...
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Synopsis: The objective of this study was to examine initial effects of the 2003 Lost Creek wildfire (southwestern Rocky Mountains of Alberta) on concentrations and production (yield and total export) of several nitrogen (N) forms, and to explore initial recovery of these effects within the first 3 years after the fire. During the first postfire year, nitrate (NO3–), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations in severely burned watershed streams were 6.5, 4.1, and 5.3 times greater, respectively, than those in reference streams. Weaker effects were evident for concentrations of ammonium (NH4+; 1.5 times) and total particulate nitrogen (TPN; 3.0 times). A rapid decline in mean watershed...
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Conclusions: Elk consistently selected for big basin sagebrush, greasewood, and tree cover; and consistently selected against Wyoming sagebrush, mixed shrub, and bare ground/sand. Selection patterns were similar during the winter, except big basin sagebrush and mixed shrubs were selected in proportion to their availability. Elk tend to prefer areas characterized by edge habitat where quality forage and cover habitats are in close proximity to one another. Thresholds/Learnings: Elk use was highest in summer in areas characterized by diverse habitats and >2800m away from major roads. High use areas during winter were similar, although elk tended to use areas slightly closer to roads (>2100m away), which is largely...
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A bi-national team was convened in 1998 to compile and analyze biological and ecological data for the 55-million acre (22 million ha) Sonoran Desert Ecoregion, which comprises parts of Arizona, California, Sonora, and Baja, California. The objective of this project was to use a science-based approach to identify a network of Conservation Sites throughout the Ecoregion that, with proper management, would ensure the long-term persistence of the Ecoregion's biodiversity, including rare and common species, native vegetation communities, and the ecological processes needed to maintain these elements of biodiversity. The technical team convened to compile and analyze data included staff from The Nature Conservancy, Sonoran...
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Conclusions: At small spatial scales, where extirpation risks are high, landscape fragmentation will likely have long-term negative consequences on the genetic variation of individual assemblages of coastal cutthroat trout. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: This study aimed to determine if coastal cutthroat trout were genetically structured within streams and to assess the effects of habitat fragmentation on coastal cutthroat trout genetic variation. Habitat fragmented by roads and other human disturbances acted as dispersal barriers, which strongly influenced coastal cutthroat trout genetic structure, diversity, and differentiation. At range-wide spatial scales, fragmentation potentially contributes to coastal cutthroat...
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Conclusions: There was a significant reduction in ovenbird pairing success at compressor sites (77%) compared with noiseless wellpads (92%). These differences were apparent regardless of territory quality or individual male quality. Noise interferes with a male's song, such that females may not hear the male's song at greater distances and/or females may perceive males to be of lower quality because of distortion of song characteristics Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: Anthropogenic noise is rapidly increasing in wilderness areas as a result of industrial expansion. This study assessed pairing success and age distribution of male ovenbirds, Seiurus aurocapilla, in the boreal forest of Alberta, Canada, in areas around...
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Conclusions: Prescribed burns did not supply the stream ecosystem with potentially important nutrient pulses that are often observed after wildfires. Prescribing higher severity burns to more closely mimic wildfires would enhance N cycling in productivity in N-limited headwater watersheds. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: This study aimed to compare the short-term effects of spring prescribed burns and wildfires on Nitrogen cycling dynamics in headwater watersheds of central Idaho. Fire affected N dynamics in both terrestrial and aquatic components of the watershed ecosystem after wildfires but were limited to the terrestrial ecosystem after prescribed burns. Streamwater NO3 concentrations were affected significantly...
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Conclusions: The nature of the surrounding matrix contributes significantly to the degree of patch isolation; matrix modification may improve habitat connectivity and genetic distribution in fragmented landscapes. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: This study challenges traditional assumptions about the uniform nature of the matrix, and the reliance on distance alone as an indicator of patch isolation, by testing whether the type of inter-patch matrix contributes significantly to patch isolation in butterfly populations. The author tracked the movement of six butterfly species between patches of meadow habitat through two natural matrix types (conifer forest and willow thicket). All taxa of butterflies studied responded...
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Conclusions: Although there was not a detectable decrease in bird communitiy species richness resulting from experimental forest fragmentation, community structure was altered, and maintaining connections between fragments significantly mitigated these effects. Thresholds/Learnings: Synopsis: This study examined the effects of forest fragmentation on the richness, diversity, turnover, and abundance of breeding bird communities in old boreal mixed-wood forest by creating experimental forest fragments of 1, 10, 40, and 100 ha. Connected fragments were linked by 100 m wide buffer strips. The study detected no significant change in species richness as a result of forest harvesting, except in the 1 ha connected fragments...
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Synopsis: This study monitored the response of a species of pine bark beetle, Trypodendron lineatum, to direct and indirect measures of habitat availability in a forest subjected to various levels of harvest intensities. Four stand types (conifer dominated, mixed, deciduous dominated, and deciduous dominated with conifer understory) were treated with four levels of harvest intensity (unharvested, 50%, 80%, and 90% harvested). Prior to harvest, the pine bark beetle was most abundant in stands with many host trees (conifer dominated stands). In the first and second summers after harvest, pine beetle abundance increased exponentially with percent spruce cover and the number of spruce stumps in the stand. Beetles were...
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Emerging applications of ecosystem resilience and resistance concepts in sagebrush ecosystems allow managers to better predict and mitigate impacts of wildfire and invasive annual grasses. Soil temperature and moisture strongly influence the kind and amount of vegetation, and consequently, are closely tied to sagebrush ecosystem resilience and resistance (Chambers et al. 2014). Soil taxonomic temperature and moisture regimes can be used as indicators of resilience and resistance at landscape scales to depict environmental gradients in sagebrush ecosystems that range from cold/cool-moist sites to warm-dry sites. We aggregated soil survey spatial and tabular data to facilitate broad-scale analyses of resilience and...
Categories: Data, Publication; Types: Citation, Map Service, OGC WFS Layer, OGC WMS Layer, OGC WMS Service; Tags: California, Colorado, EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > LANDSCAPE, Greater sage-grouse, Greater sage-grouse, All tags...
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Results of a citizen science effort in which students and instructors at the McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS) collected snow observations every 1-4 weeks at their field site within Ponderosa State Park (elevation 1540 m), adjacent to Payette Lake, ID. Students documented snow cover within forested versus open areas at each site via photographs and estimates of the continuity of snow cover. Additionally, snow depth and density were measured via snow pits in the forest and the open. Data were entered via a Google Form, and the results recorded in this table. Site Data Citation for full description of the field campaign and sites. Field photographs are archived along with these data, sorted by site name, with timestamp...
map background search result map search result map Effects of landscape composition and wetland fragmentation on frog and toad abundance and species richness in Iowa and Wisconsin, USA. Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus) Are boreal birds resilient to forest fragmentation? An experimental study of short-term community responses. Chronic industrial noise affects pairing success and age structure of ovenbirds Seiurus aurocapilla. Area requirements of grassland birds: a regional perspective. The matrix matters: effective isolation in fragmented landscapes. Weidemeyer's Admiral Distribution of caribou and wolves in relation to linear corridors Conservation Thresholds for Land Use Planners Influences of barriers to movement on within-watershed genetic variation of coastal cutthroat trout Effects of spring prescribed burning and wildfires on watershed nitrogen dynamics of central Idaho headwater areas Seasonal distribution and habitat use patterns of elk in the Jack Morrow Hills Planning Area Synthesis of noise effects on wildlife populations. Distribution of bark beetle, Trypodendron lineatum in a harvested landscape Demographic models of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) Wildfire Impacts on nitrogen concentration and production from headwater streams in southern Alberta's Rocky Mountains. Journal Article: Soil Temperature and Moisture Regimes across Sage-Grouse Range An Ecological Analysis of Conservation Priorities in the Sonoran Desert Ecoregion Citizen science snow observations at the McCall Outdoor Science School, McCall, ID Map data showing concentration of landslides caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico Influences of barriers to movement on within-watershed genetic variation of coastal cutthroat trout The matrix matters: effective isolation in fragmented landscapes. Citizen science snow observations at the McCall Outdoor Science School, McCall, ID Wildfire Impacts on nitrogen concentration and production from headwater streams in southern Alberta's Rocky Mountains. Are boreal birds resilient to forest fragmentation? An experimental study of short-term community responses. Seasonal distribution and habitat use patterns of elk in the Jack Morrow Hills Planning Area Effects of spring prescribed burning and wildfires on watershed nitrogen dynamics of central Idaho headwater areas Map data showing concentration of landslides caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico Distribution of bark beetle, Trypodendron lineatum in a harvested landscape Distribution of caribou and wolves in relation to linear corridors An Ecological Analysis of Conservation Priorities in the Sonoran Desert Ecoregion Effects of landscape composition and wetland fragmentation on frog and toad abundance and species richness in Iowa and Wisconsin, USA. Demographic models of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) Great Plains Toad (Bufo cognatus) Chronic industrial noise affects pairing success and age structure of ovenbirds Seiurus aurocapilla. Area requirements of grassland birds: a regional perspective. Journal Article: Soil Temperature and Moisture Regimes across Sage-Grouse Range Synthesis of noise effects on wildlife populations. Conservation Thresholds for Land Use Planners