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M. E. Richmond

Publications and source records attributed to M. E. Richmond.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2009

Using occupancy models of forest breeding birds to prioritize conservation planning

As urban development continues to encroach on the natural and rural landscape, land-use planners struggle to identify high priority conservation areas for protection. Although knowing where urban-sensitive species may be occurring on the landscape would facilitate conservation planning, research efforts are often not sufficiently designed to make quality predictions at unknown locations. Recent advances in occupancy modeling allow for more precise estimates of occupancy by accounting for differences in detectability. We applied these techniques to produce robust estimates of habitat occupancy for a subset of forest breeding birds, a group that has been shown to be sensitive to urbanization, in a rapidly urbanizing yet biological diverse region of New York State. We found that detection probability ranged widely across species, from 0.05 to 0.8. Our models suggest that detection probability declined with increasing forest fragmentation. We also found that the probability of occupancy of forest breeding birds is negatively influenced by increasing perimeter-area ratio of forest fragments and urbanization in the surrounding habitat matrix. We capitalized on our random sampling design to produce spatially explicit models that predict high priority conservation areas across the entire region, where interior-species were most likely to occur. Finally, we use our predictive maps to demonstrate how a strict sampling design coupled with occupancy modeling can be a valuable tool for prioritizing biodiversity conservation in land-use planning. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd.

Biological Conservation↗
USGS2007

Daily foraging patterns of adult Double-crested Cormorants during the breeding season

We recorded the daily presence of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) at the nesting island on Oneida Lake, New York, by monitoring the activities of 15 radio-tagged adults from July through September, 2000, using an automated data-logging receiver. A total of 24,464 acceptable detections was obtained for adult cormorants actively attempting to nest on the lake. Tagged cormorants had a bimodal dally activity pattern during the first month, with the fewest birds detected on the island at 09.00 h and 15.00 h Eastern daylight time. The pattern of activity appeared to change slightly in the second month of the study, representative of a post-breeding period for the colony, with a shift from a less synchronous pattern of departures to a greater focus on morning activity also centered around 09.30 h. These results correspond with daily observations of Great Cormorant (P. carbo) foraging activities reported for colonies in Africa and Poland. The data also support the possibility of nocturnal foraging activity, not previously reported for this species on their summer breeding grounds. No correlation was found between total number of daily detections and climatalogical factors or events.

Waterbirds↗
USGS2005

Field determination of optimal dates for the discrimination of invasive wetland plant species using derivative spectral analysis

Mapping invasive plant species in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems helps to understand the causes of their progression, manage some of their negative consequences, and control them. In recent years, a variety of new remote-sensing techniques, like Derivative Spectral Analysis (DSA) of hyperspectral data, have been developed to facilitate this mapping. A number of questions related to these techniques remain to be addressed. This article attempts to answer one of these questions: Is the application of DSA optimal at certain times of the year? Field radiometric data gathered weekly during the summer of 1999 at selected field sites in upstate New York, populated with purple loosestrife ( Lythrum salicaria L.), common reed ( Phragmites australis (Cav.)) and cattail ( Typha L.) are analyzed using DSA to differentiate among plant community types. First, second and higher-order derivatives of the reflectance spectra of nine field plots, varying in plant composition, are calculated and analyzed in detail to identify spectral ranges in which one or more community types have distinguishing features. On the basis of the occurrence and extent of these spectral ranges, experimental observations suggest that a satisfactory differentiation among community types was feasible on 30 August, when plants experienced characteristic phenological changes (transition from flowers to seed heads). Generally, dates in August appear optimal from the point of view of species differentiability and could be selected for image acquisitions. This observation, as well as the methodology adopted in this article, should provide a firm basis for the acquisition of hyperspectral imagery and for mapping the targeted species over a broad range of spatial scales.

Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing↗
USGS2004

Cormorant predation and the population dynamics of walleye and yellow perch in Oneida Lake

Double-crested Cormorants ( Phalacrocorax auritus ) increased dramatically in North America during the 1990s, providing the opportunity to study the effects of an increase of a top predator on an existing predator-prey system. In Oneida Lake, New York, USA, Double-crested Cormorants were first observed nesting in 1984 and had increased to over 360 nesting pairs by 2000. Concomitant with this increase in piscivorous birds was a decrease in the adult walleye ( Stizostedion vitreum ) and yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ) populations. Analysis of a 40-yr data series shows higher mortality of subadults (age 1-2 yr perch and age 1-3 yr walleye) for both species in the 1990s compared to the previous three decades. Cormorant diet was investigated from 1995 to 2000 using a combination of cast pellets, regurgitants, and stomach analysis. Walleye and yellow perch were a major portion of the cormorant diet during these years (40-82% by number). The number of subadult walleye and yellow perch consumed by cormorants suggests that the increase in subadult mortality can be explained by predation from cormorants. Mean mortality rates of adult percids attributed to cormorant predation were 1.1% per year for walleye and 7.7% per year for yellow perch. Our analysis suggests that predation by cormorants on subadult percids is a major factor contributing to the decline in both the walleye and the yellow perch populations in Oneida Lake. Other ecosystem changes (zebra mussels, lower nutrient loading, decrease in alternate prey) are not likely explanations because the potential mechanisms involved are not consistent with auxiliary data from the lake and would not affect subadult mortality. The likely impact of bird predation on percid populations in Oneida Lake occurs because cormorants feed on larger fish that are beyond the size range where compensatory mechanisms are important.

New York↗
USGS2003

Track plate enclosures: Box designs affecting attractiveness to riparian mammals

We examined the efficacy of four track plate enclosure designs for monitoring the abundance of small and medium-sized mammals along 10 streams in New York State. Box size and clarity of view through the box were evaluated as factors affecting visitation. We checked track plate stations weekly from September 1999 to March 2000. Eleven mammalian species or species groups visited the track plate stations. Raccoons ( Procyon lotor ) (P = 0.020) and feral cats ( Felis catus ) (P = 0.008) visited large enclosures significantly more than small enclosures. Feral cats visited clear-view enclosures significantly more than obstructed-view enclosures (P = 0.025). Enclosure size and view did not significantly affect visitation by other species; however, a large box with a clear view was the most effective design.

American Midland Naturalist↗
USGS2001

Managing birds and controlling aircraft in the Kennedy Airport-Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge complex: The need for hard data and soft opinions

During the 1980s, the exponential growth of laughing gull ( Larus atricilla ) colonies, from 15 to about 7600 nests in 1990, in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and a correlated increase in the bird-strike rate at nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York City) led to a controversy between wildlife and airport managers over the elimination of the colonies. In this paper, we review data to evaluate if: (1) the colonies have increased the level of risk to the flying public; (2) on-colony population control would reduce the presence of gulls, and subsequently bird strikes, at the airport; and (3) all on-airport management alternatives have been adequately implemented. Since 1979, most (2987, 87%) of the 3444 bird strikes (number of aircraft struck) were actually bird carcasses found near runways (cause of death unknown but assumed to be bird strikes by definition). Of the 457 pilot-reported strikes (mean = 23 ± 6 aircraft/yr, N = 20 years), 78 (17%) involved laughing gulls. Since a gull-shooting program was initiated on airport property in 1991, over 50,000 adult laughing gulls have been killed and the number of reported bird strikes involving laughing gulls has declined from 6.9 ± 2.9 (1983–1990) to 2.6 ± 1.3 (1991–1998) aircraft/yr; nongull reported bird strikes, however, have more than doubled (6.4 ± 2.6, 1983–1990; 14.9 ± 5.1, 1991–1998). We found no evidence to indicate that on-colony management would yield a reduction of bird strikes at Kennedy Airport. Dietary and mark–recapture studies suggest that 60%–90% of the laughing gulls collected on-airport were either failed breeders and/or nonbreeding birds. We argue that the Jamaica Bay laughing gull colonies, the only ones in New York State, should not be managed at least until all on-airport management alternatives have been properly implemented and demonstrated to be ineffective at reducing bird strikes, including habitat alterations and increasing the capability of the bird control unit to eliminate bird flocks on-airport using nonlethal bird dispersal techniques. Because the gull-shooting program may be resulting in a nonsustainable regional population of laughing gulls (>30% decline), we also recommend that attempts be made to initiate an experimental colony elsewhere on Long Island to determine if colony relocation is a feasible management option.

New York↗
USGS2001

Changes in the nesting populations of colonial waterbirds in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, New York, 1974-1998

The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR) represents the largest protected area for over 300 species of migratory and resident birds on Long Island (LI), New York, and occupies a key position along the Atlantic flyway. We identified changes in nesting populations for 18 species of colonial waterbirds in JBWR and on LI, during 1974 - 1998, to provide a basis for future wildlife management decisions in JBWR and also at nearby John F. Kennedy International Airport. None of the populations was stable over the past 25 years in JBWR or on LI. Some populations in JBWR increased (Laughing Gull L. atricilla Linnaeus, Great Black-backed Gull L. marinus Linnaeus, Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri Nuttall) while others decreased (Herring Gull Larus argentatus Coues, Snowy Egret Egretta thula Molina), but only Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis Linnaeus) have disappeared from the refuge. Common Tern (S. hitundo Linnaeus), Least Tern (S. antillarum Lesson), Roseate Tern (S. dougallii Montagu), Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger Linnaeus), Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax Linnaeus) and Great Egret (Ardea alba Linnaeus) populations all increased on LI over the sampling period although the Common Tern colonies in JBWR have been declining since 1986. The continued protection of the colony sites, particularly saltmarsh islands, in JBWR will be important to the conservation efforts of many colonial waterbird populations on Long Island. The JBWR colonies may serve as a source of emigrants to other Long Island colonies, and in some cases, act as a 'sink' for birds immigrating from New Jersey and elsewhere.

Northeastern Naturalist↗
USGS1994

Requirement of rainbow trout for dietary phosphorus and its relationship to the amount discharged hatchery effluents

Fingerling rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss with initial mean weights of 9 g (small fish) and 35 g (large fish) were fed diets adequate in all known nutrients except phosphorus (P). In two experiments, triplicate lots of rainbow trout were fed basal diets containing either 0.14 or 0.41% non‐phytin P, with or without graded levels of supplemental P. Deficiency of P reduced growth, feed efficiency (weight gained/weight fed), bone ash, and whole‐body ash contents. The requirement for non‐phytin P by small trout for maximum growth and feed efficiency was not more than 0.41% of diet: The requirement by large trout was between 0.34 and 0.54% of diet. The requirement of non‐phytin P for maximum bone ash development was about 0.51% of diet for small trout and more than 0.54% for large trout. Whole‐body phosphorus content of small trout suggested a requirement above 0.51% but not more than 0.61% non‐phytin phosphorus. Although an effect of size of trout on the requirement was not clearly demonstrated, these results show that trout required more dietary P for bone mineralization than for weight gain. The minimum dietary requirement for non‐phytin P for bone mineralization was probably between 0.54 and 0.61% of diet. Discharges of P into effluent water increased significantly as trout were fed increasing levels of P. When trout were fed 0.61% available P, approximately 67% of P consumed was retained, and discharges of soluble P in effluents were 2.0 g P/kg weight gain or 1.8 g P/kg feed fed.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗