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At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS2024

Migrating whooping crane activity near U.S. Air Force bases and airfields in Oklahoma

The Aransas-Wood Buffalo population of Grus americana (Linnaeus, 1758; whooping cranes) migrates through the U.S. Great Plains, encountering places substantially altered by human activity. Using telemetry data from 2017 to 2022, we investigated whooping crane migration behavior around U.S. Air Force bases in Oklahoma. Our study focused on potential collision risks between whooping cranes and aircraft, a substantial concern for aviation safety. We determined that activity was greatest at Kegelman Air Force Auxiliary Airfield, near whooping crane critical habitat. On average, 61 percent of marked whooping cranes used locations west of Kegelman Air Force Auxiliary Airfield and Vance Air Force Base during autumn migration and 55 percent during spring migration, and few cranes approached within 5 kilometers of airfields. Flight characteristics revealed seasonal variations in altitude and timing; cranes flew at lower altitudes in autumn and had distinct flight patterns. Additionally, we assessed temporal aspects of migration, identifying average arrival and departure dates for spring and autumn migrations. Cranes indicated consistency in seasonal presence, which may aid in risk assessments. Our findings underscore the importance of monitoring potential interactions between whooping cranes and aircraft, particularly around whooping crane critical habitat like the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. Detailed summaries of migration patterns and flight behavior can be used to assist the U.S. Air Force in assessing collision risks and developing mitigation strategies. Furthermore, these summaries can provide insights for the conservation efforts of this endangered species managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and serve as a step towards mitigating risks to aviation safety and the recovery of whooping cranes.

Oklahoma↗
USGS2024

Spatial differences in soil nutrients along a hydrographic gradient on floodplains in Dongting Lake

The spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients is crucial for the water bird and whole floodplain wetland ecosystem in large lakes, and it is influenced by the dramatic water level changes and sedimentation progress in West Dongting Lake (WDL). Soil samples were collected at various soil depths along the Yuan River and Li River that feed into WDL. The concentrations of soil total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and soil grain size were tested. The stoichiometric ratios of C, N, P, and the mean value of soil grain size ( Mz ) were calculated. The differences of soil TOC, TN, TP and the stoichiometric ratio at different sites and soil depths were compared. Linear regression was used to explore the relationships of Mz and nutrient concentrations, and relationships between TOC, TN, and TP. Redundancy analysis was used to explore the relationship between soil nutrients, heavy metal concentrations, and plant community diversity. The results showed that the distributions of soil TOC, TN, and TP concentrations differed across regions in west Dongting Lake along the Yuan and Li Rivers. Total organic carbon concentration differed at different sedimentation depths. Soil grain size showed negative effect with soil TOC, TN, and TP concentrations in this region. Plant community diversity correlated positively with soil TOC and negatively with Hg. West Dongting Lake was N limited despite the high wet deposition of N. It could potentially be attributed to the insufficient presence of aerobic environments for microbes during intermittent flooding of the floodplain, coupled with feeble mineralization. This study can provide valuable insights for the conservation of water bird habitats and wetland ecosystems.

West Dongting Lake↗
USGS2015

Blackbrush ( Coleogyne ramosissima Torr. ): State of our knowledge and future challenges

Covering 130,000 square miles and a wide range of elevations from desert to alpine in Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, the Colorado Plateau has long fascinated researchers. The Colorado Plateau VI provides readers with a plethora of updates and insights into land conservation and management questions currently surrounding the region. The Colorado Plateau VI’s contributors show how new technologies for monitoring, spatial analysis, restoration, and collaboration improve our understanding, management, and conservation of outcomes at the appropriate landscape scale for the Colorado Plateau. The volume’s chapters fall into five major themes: monitoring as a key tool for addressing management challenges, restoration approaches to improving ecosystem condition and function, collaboration and organizational innovations to achieve conservation and management objectives, landscape-scale approaches to understanding, and managing key species and ecological communities. Focusing on the integration of science into resource management issues over the Colorado Plateau, this volume includes contributions from dozens of leading scholars of the region. The Colorado Plateau VI proves a valuable resource to all interested in the conservation management, natural history, and cultural biological resources of the Colorado Plateau.

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah↗
USGS2005

Threats, conservation strategies, and prognosis for suckers (Catostomidae) in North America: insights from regional case studies of a diverse family of non-game fishes

Catostomid fishes are a diverse family of 76+ freshwater species that are distributed across North America in many different habitats. This group of fish is facing a variety of impacts and conservation issues that are somewhat unique relative to more economically valuable and heavily managed fish species. Here, we present a brief series of case studies to highlight the threats such as migration barriers, flow regulation, environmental contamination, habitat degradation, exploitation and impacts from introduced (non-native) species that are facing catostomids in different regions. Collectively, the case studies reveal that individual species usually are not threatened by a single, isolated factor. Instead, species in general face numerous stressors that threaten multiple stages of their life history. Several factors have retarded sucker conservation including widespread inabilities of field workers to distinguish some species, lack of basic natural history and ecological knowledge of life history, and the misconception that suckers are tolerant of degraded conditions and are of little social or ecological value. Without a specific constituent group lobbying for conservation of non-game fishes, all such species, including members of the catostomid family, will continue to face serious risks because of neglect, ignorance, and misunderstanding. We suggest that conservation strategies should incorporate research and education/outreach components. Other conservation strategies that would be effective for protecting suckers include freshwater protected areas for critical habitat, restoration of degraded habitat, and design of catostomid-friendly fish bypass facilities. We believe that the plight of the catostomids is representative of the threats facing many other non-game freshwater fishes with diverse life-history strategies globally.

Biological Conservation↗
USGS2007

Genetic studies of freshwater turtle and tortoises: a review of the past 70 years

Powerful molecular techniques have been developed over many decades for resolving genetic relationships, population genetic structure, patterns of gene flow, mating systems, and the amount of genetic diversity in animals. Genetic studies of turtles were among the earliest and the rapid application of new genetic tools and analytical techniques is still apparent in the literature on turtles. At present, of the 198 freshwater turtles and tortoises that are listed as not extinct by the IUCN Red List, 69 species worldwide are listed as endangered or critically endangered, and an additional 56 species are listed as vulnerable. Of the ca. 300 species of the freshwater turtles and tortoises in the world, ca. 42% are considered to be facing a high risk extinction, and there is a need to focus intense conservation attention on these species. This includes a need to (i) assess our current state of knowledge regarding the application of genetics to studies of freshwater turtles and tortoises and (ii) determine future research directions. Here, we review all available published studies for the past 70 years that were written in English and used genetic markers (e.g. karyotypes, allozymes, DNA loci) to better understand the biology of freshwater turtles and tortoises. We review the types of studies conducted in relation to the species studied and quantify the countries where the studies were performed. We rack the changing use of different genetic markers through time and report on studies focused on aspects of molecular evolution within turtle genomes. We address the usefulness of particular genetic markers to answer phylogenetic questions and present data comparing population genetic structure and mating systems across species. We draw specific attention to whether authors have considered issues to turtle conservation in their research or provided new insights that have been translated into recommendations for conservation management.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2024

Pasture and diurnal temperature are key predictors of regional Plains Spotted Skunk (Spilogale interrupta) distribution

The Plains Spotted Skunk ( Spilogale interrupta ) is a small carnivore native to central North America that has experienced significant population reductions, and there is a lack of information about the species that could inform conservation. Our study aimed to address knowledge gaps about the distribution and habitat associations of the species in South Dakota using species distribution modeling. We used species location data collected from state natural resource managers, trappers, and members of online social media groups dedicated to hunting and wildlife conservation; environmental predictors; and 6 predictive modeling algorithms (i.e., artificial neural networks, artificial classification tree analysis, generalized boosting models, maximum entropy, multivariate adaptive regression splines, and random forests) to develop climate and landcover ensemble distribution models. The most important climate and landcover predictors were mean temperature diurnal range (i.e., average monthly differences between daily high and low temperatures) and proportion of area classified as pasture. Ensemble model concordance identified approximately 31,300 km 2 of potential Plains Spotted Skunk habitat primarily in eastern South Dakota and between the watersheds of the Missouri and James rivers. Our results offer insights that can guide conservation and inform effective management strategies for conserving Plains Spotted Skunk populations in the northern Great Plains. The promotion of low-intensity agricultural practices such as maintaining pastures, farm buildings, fences rows, and the management of woodland encroachment may improve habitat suitability and facilitate the recovery of plains spotted skunks in the region.

South Dakota↗
USGS2025

Climate change refugia hotspots for priority species: A case study in East Africa

Natural resource managers and policymakers need actionable climate data to guide conservation decisions. Conserving climate change refugia, areas relatively buffered from contemporary climate change, is increasingly considered an effective strategy for adaptation. Despite tropical species facing heightened vulnerability to climate change, the tropics remain underserved in climate adaptation research. We coproduced with Tanzanian partners the first comprehensive assessment of climate change refugia across Tanzania through extensive consultation, in-person conversations, and field visits to priority ecosystems, ensuring our analysis addressed local conservation needs and decision-making contexts. We developed species distribution models for 33 terrestrial animal species using maximum entropy and boosted regression tree algorithms. We projected future suitable habitats for SSP126 and SSP585, for 2011–2040 and 2071–2100, using GFDL Earth System and the UK Earth System models. More than half under SSP126 and 79% of focal species under SSP585 lost their suitable habitat by 2100. Serengeti National Park, Northern Highlands Forest Reserve, and the Eastern Arc Mountains emerged as key climate change refugia, while other protected areas, including Kigosi and Ugalla River National Parks, had no climate change refugia. This assessment provides actionable insights for Tanzania's conservation prioritization while identifying critical research gaps in western and montane ecosystems.

Conservation Science and Practice↗
USGS2014

Minimizing the cost of keeping options open for conservation in a changing climate

Policy documents advocate that managers should keep their options open while planning to protect coastal ecosystems from climate-change impacts. However, the actual costs and benefits of maintaining flexibility remain largely unexplored, and alternative approaches for decision making under uncertainty may lead to better joint outcomes for conservation and other societal goals. For example, keeping options open for coastal ecosystems incurs opportunity costs for developers. We devised a decision framework that integrates these costs and benefits with probabilistic forecasts for the extent of sea-level rise to find a balance between coastal ecosystem protection and moderate coastal development. Here, we suggest that instead of keeping their options open managers should incorporate uncertain sea-level rise predictions into a decision-making framework that evaluates the benefits and costs of conservation and development. In our example, based on plausible scenarios for sea-level rise and assuming a risk-neutral decision maker, we found that substantial development could be accommodated with negligible loss of environmental assets. Characterization of the Pareto efficiency of conservation and development outcomes provides valuable insight into the intensity of trade-offs between development and conservation. However, additional work is required to improve understanding of the consequences of alternative spatial plans and the value judgments and risk preferences of decision makers and stakeholders.

Conservation Biology↗
USGS2020

A century of pollen foraging by the endangered rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis): Inferences from molecular sequencing of museum specimens

In 2017 the rusty patched bumble bee ( Bombus affinis ) became the first bee listed under the Endangered Species Act in the continental United States due to population declines and an 87% reduction in the species’ distribution. Bombus affinis decline began in the 1990s, predating modern bee surveying initiatives, and obfuscating drivers of decline. While understood to be a highly generalist forager, little is known about the role that resource limitation or shifting floral community composition could have played in B. affinis decline. Determining which floral species support B. affinis could assist conservation efforts where B. affinis persists and identify floral species for restoration efforts. We constructed a historical foraging profile of B. affinis via DNA sequencing of pollen from museum specimens spanning seven states collected from 1913 to 2013. Molecular analysis revealed no temporal changes in the floral richness or composition of B. affinis pollen samples across our sampling period. Likewise, we found no temporal changes in the presence or proportion of native vs. introduced species in pollen samples, though we observed much greater use of introduced floral species than previously determined for B. affinis . Floral community composition was regionally dissimilar, inconsistent with patterns of B. affinis decline by state. Our results suggest B. affinis decline was unlikely to have been driven by spatial or temporal limitations of specific floral species. This work greatly expands the known forage of B. affinis and will provide managers with insight to aid the conservation of B. affinis .

Biodiversity and Conservation↗
USGS2023

Cryptic declines of small, cold-water specialists highlight potential vulnerabilities of headwater streams as climate refugia

Increasing temperatures and climate-driven disturbances like wildfire are a growing threat to many species, including cold-water specialists. Montane areas and cold streams are often considered climate refugia that buffer communities against change. However, climate refugia are often species-specific, and despite growing awareness that life histories and habitat requirements shape responses to change, small or non-game species are often under-represented in monitoring and planning programs. A recent study in Montana, USA, revealed much larger warming-related declines in occupancy for small, non-game slimy sculpin ( Cottus cognatus ) between 1993 and 1995 and 2011–2013 than for two socially valued salmonid fishes that shape regional conservation efforts. To broaden insight into climate change vulnerabilities of headwater stream communities, we analyzed data for Rocky Mountain tailed frogs ( Ascaphus montanus ) that were collected during those same electrofishing surveys for fishes from 241 stream reaches. Tailed frogs occupy small, cold streams and have several life-history traits that make them sensitive to environmental change. We used a Bayesian framework to estimate occupancy, colonization, and extinction dynamics relative to forest canopy, estimated stream temperature, and wildfire effects. Tailed frog occupancy decreased by 19 % from 1993 to 1995 to 2011–2013. Changes in occupancy were linked with increased extinction and reduced colonization where there were fire-driven reductions in canopy cover, and reduced colonization of stream reaches that warmed on average 0.8 °C during the study. Our results highlight extensive extirpations for oft-overlooked species and emphasize the importance of including species with diverse habitat requirements and life histories in conservation planning.

Idaho, Montana↗
USGS2006

Unionid habitat and assemblage composition in coastal plain tributaries of the Flint River (Georgia)

Effective conservation of mussels in streams of the lower Flint River basin, southwest Georgia, requires more rigorous understanding of mussel-habitat associations and factors shaping assemblage composition in stream reaches. We surveyed mussels and habitat conditions at 46 locations, and used regression, correlation and multivariate direct gradient analysis (Canonical Correspondence Analyses) to identify species-habitat relationships and characteristic species-assemblage types in Flint basin streams. Riparian wetland and catchment forest cover, average mid-channel depth, and drainage network position accounted for 49% of the variability in mussel species richness, 36% of the variability in unionid abundance, and 32% of the variability observed in Shannon-Wiener diversity across survey sites. Species were grouped into four assemblage types based on their habitat associations: large-river-riffle associates, slackwater associates, habitat generalists, and stream-run associates. Results are broadly concordant with anecdotal reports of mussel-habitat relationships and provide insight into the habitat conservation needs of mussels.

Southeastern Naturalist↗
USGS2024

The impact of future changes in climate on breeding waterfowl pairs in the US Prairie Pothole Region

Millions of small (< 10 ha) waterbodies embedded in grassland and agroecosystems in midcontinental North America provide breeding habitat to an estimated 50–80% of North America’s migratory ducks. Tens of millions of dollars are invested annually to conserve and enhance upland and wetland habitats for breeding ducks by prioritizing locations predicted to have high densities of breeding pairs under average precipitation conditions. An implicit assumption of this approach is that the distribution of breeding habitat remains relatively static. Climate change is an identified risk to this strategy. To assess this assumption and plan for potential forthcoming conditions, we estimated changes in potential breeding duck pairs under different climate scenarios by combining results of 1) a mechanistic hydrology model that simulates ecosystem processes for a subset of wetlands distributed across the U.S. Prairie Pothole Region (USPPR); 2) four downscaled climate model projections at mid- and late-century time horizons; and 3) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service multi-decadal datasets and predictive breeding waterfowl pair statistical models. We conducted virtual and in-person informational sessions with partners to inform them on the best practices of using downscaled global circulation models and approaches for climate scenario planning. This close coordination led to a joint presentation at a monthly North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center seminar. We are also co-developing simulated wetland- waterfowl responses under different climate futures for wetlands. Information from these robust predictions of waterfowl habitat and settling patterns in this region provides land-management agencies insights in prioritizing current conservation actions given uncertainty. In addition, understanding how many breeding pairs the USPPR might support in coming decades will likely influence overall breeding population sizes and sustainable harvest objectives across North America.

Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dak↗
USGS2022

Food web perspectives and methods for riverine fish conservation

Food web analyses offer useful insights into understanding how species interactions, trophic relationships, and energy flow underpin important demographic parameters of fish populations such as survival, growth, and reproduction. However, the vast amount of food web literature and the diversity of approaches can be a deterrent to fisheries practitioners engaged in on-the-ground research, monitoring, or restoration. Incorporation of food web perspectives into contemporary fisheries management and conservation is especially rare in riverine systems, where approaches often focus more on the influence of physical habitat and water temperature on fish populations. In this review, we first discuss the importance of food webs in the context of several common fisheries management issues, including assessing carrying capacity, evaluating the effects of habitat change, examining species introductions or extinctions, considering bioaccumulation of toxins, and predicting the effects of climate change and other anthropogenic stressors on riverine fishes. We then examine several relevant perspectives: basic food web description, metabolic models, trophic basis of production, mass-abundance network approaches, ecological stoichiometry, and mathematical modeling. Finally, we highlight several existing and emerging methodologies including diet and prey surveys, eDNA, stable isotopes, fatty acids, and community and network analysis. Although our emphasis and most examples are focused on salmonids in riverine environments, the concepts are easily generalizable to other freshwater fish taxa and ecosystems.

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews (WIREs): Water↗
USGS2014

Association, roost use and simulated disruption of Myotis septentrionalis maternity colonies

How wildlife social and resource networks are distributed on the landscape and how animals respond to resource loss are important aspects of behavioral ecology. For bats, understanding these responses may improve conservation efforts and provide insights into adaptations to environmental conditions. We tracked maternity colonies of northern bats ( Myotis septentrionalis ) at Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA to evaluate their social and resource networks and space use. Roost and social network structure differed between maternity colonies. Overall roost availability did not appear to be strongly related to network characteristics or space use. In simulations for our two largest networks, roost removal was related linearly to network fragmentation; despite this, networks were relatively robust, requiring removal of >20% of roosts to cause network fragmentation. Results from our analyses indicate that northern bat behavior and space use may differ among colonies and potentially across the maternity season. Simulation results suggest that colony social structure is robust to fragmentation caused by random loss of small numbers of roosts. Flexible social dynamics and tolerance of roost loss may be adaptive strategies for coping with ephemeral conditions in dynamic forest habitats.

Behavioural Processes↗
USGS2019

Effects of individual misidentification on estimates of survival in long-term mark–resight studies

All ecological measurements are subject to error; the effects of missed detection (false negatives) are well known, but the effects of mistaken detection (false positives) are less understood. Long-term capture–recapture datasets provide valuable ecological insights and baselines for conservation and management, but where such studies rely on noninvasive re-encounters, such as field-readable color bands, there is the potential to accumulate detection errors as the length of the study and number of tags deployed increases. We investigated the prevalence and effects of misreads in a 10-yr dataset of Red Knots ( Calidris canutus rufa ) marked with field-readable leg flags in Delaware, USA. We quantified the effects of misreads on survival estimation via a simulation study and evaluated whether removal of individuals only reported once in a year (potential misreads) influenced survival estimation from both simulated datasets and our case study data. We found overall apparent error rates of 0.31% (minimum) to 6.6% (maximum). Observer-specific error rates and the variation among observers both decreased with the number of flags an observer recorded. Our simulation study showed that misreads lead to spurious negative trends in survival over time, particularly for long-term studies. Removing all records in which a flag was only recorded once in a sampling occasion reduced bias and eliminated spurious negative trends in survival but also reduced precision in survival estimates. Without data filtering, we found a slight decrease in Red Knot annual survival probability from 2008 to 2018 (β = −0.043 ± 0.03), but removing all single-observation records resulted in no apparent trend (β = −0.0074 ± 0.02). Spurious trends in demographic rates could influence inference about population trajectories and resultant conservation decision-making. Data filtering could eliminate errors, but researchers should carefully consider the tradeoff between precision obtained by larger sample sizes and potential bias due to misreads in their data.

Delaware↗
USGS2004

Cloning, expression, cellular distribution, and role in chemotaxis of a C5a receptor in rainbow trout: The first identification of a C5a receptor in a nonmammalian species

C3a, C4a, and C5a anaphylatoxins generated during complement activation play a key role in inflammation. C5a is the most potent of the three anaphylatoxins in eliciting biological responses. The effects of C5a are mediated by its binding to C5a receptor (C5aR, CD88). To date, C5aR has only been identified and cloned in mammalian species, and its evolutionary history remains ill-defined. To gain insights into the evolution, conserved structural domains, and functions of C5aR, we have cloned and characterized a C5aR in rainbow trout, a teleost fish. The isolated cDNA encoded a 350-aa protein that showed the highest sequence similarity to C5aR from other species. Genomic analysis revealed the presence of one continuous exon encoding the entire open reading frame. Northern blot analysis showed significant expression of the trout C5a receptor (TC5aR) message in PBLs and kidney. Flow cytometric analysis showed that two Abs generated against two different areas of the extracellular N-terminal region of TC5aR positively stained the same leukocyte populations from PBLs. B lymphocytes and granulocytes comprised the majority of cells recognized by the anti-TC5aR. More importantly, these Abs inhibited chemotaxis of PBLs toward a chemoattractant fraction purified from complement-activated trout serum. Our data suggest that the split between C5aR and C3aR from a common ancestral molecule occurred before the emergence of teleost fish. Moreover, we demonstrate that the overall structure of C5aR as well as its role in chemotaxis have remained conserved for >300 million years.

Journal of Immunology↗
USGS2025

A case for assemblage-level conservation to address the biodiversity crisis

Traditional conservation efforts have centred on safeguarding individual species, but these strategies have limitations in a world where entire ecosystems are rapidly changing. Ecosystem conservation can maintain critical ecological functions, but often lacks the detail necessary for the effective conservation of threatened or endangered species. The conservation of such species is mandated by policies and remains a dominant focus of natural resource management. In this Perspective, we propose that assemblage-level conservation targeting groups of taxonomically related or functionally similar species can bridge the gap between species and ecosystems and help to address global biodiversity loss. This approach has previously been limited by data and methodological constraints, but the ongoing growth of biodiversity data, advances in ecological modelling and breakthroughs in computational power have now made effective assemblage-level conservation feasible. Community models provide insights at both the species level and the assemblage level while appropriately accounting for species variability in detection during sampling and uncertainty in biological inferences. Assemblage-level conservation can link both species-specific needs and broader ecological dynamics, ultimately enabling effective strategies for conserving threatened species, ecological communities and ecosystem functions.

Nature Reviews Biodiversity↗
USGS2015

The use of quantitative models in sea otter conservation

Sea otters are good indicators of ocean health. In addition, they are a keystone species, offering a stabilizing effect on ecosystem, controlling sea urchin populations that would otherwise inflict damage to kelp forest ecosystems. The kelp forest ecosystem is crucial for marine organisms and contains coastal erosion. With the concerns about the imperiled status of sea otter populations in California, Aleutian Archipelago and coastal areas of Russia and Japan, the last several years have shown growth of interest culturally and politically in the status and preservation of sea otter populations. Sea Otter Conservation brings together the vast knowledge of well-respected leaders in the field, offering insight into the more than 100 years of conservation and research that have resulted in recovery from near extinction. This publication assesses the issues influencing prospects for continued conservation and recovery of the sea otter populations and provides insight into how to handle future global changes.

Book chapter↗