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At least 919 records · Page 51Linked to original sources
USGS1999

Fish losses to double-crested cormorant predation in Eastern Lake Ontario, 1992-97

We examined 4,848 regurgitated digestive pellets of double-crested cormorants ( Phalacrocorax auritus ) over a 6-year period (1992–97) to estimate annual predation on sport and other fishes in the eastern basin of Lake Ontario. We found more than 51,000 fish of 28 species. Using a model that incorporates annual colony nest counts; fledgling production rates; adult, immature, and young-of-year residence times (seasonal); estimates of mean number of fish per pellet and mean fish size; and a fecal pathway correction factor (4.0 percent), we estimate total annual number of fish consumed by cormorants in the eastern basin of Lake Ontario to range from 37 million to 128 million fish for 1993–97. This fish loss equates to an estimated 0.93 million to 3.21 million kg (mean 2.07 million kg) of fish consumed per year, principally alewife ( Alosa pseudoharengus , 42.3 percent) and yellow perch ( Perca flavescens , 18.4 percent). Forage fish (alewife, cyprinids, trout-perch [ Percopsis omiscomaycus ], and other minor components) accounted for 65 percent of the diet, and panfish contributed 34 percent of the diet for the 5-year period. Game fish were minor components of the diet, in view of an average estimated annual consumption of 900,000 smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieui , 1.1 percent) and 168,000 salmonines (mostly lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush , 0.2 percent). Cormorant predation on lake trout fingerlings stocked in May 1993 and June 1994 was estimated through the use of coded wire tag recoveries from pellets collected on Little Galloo Island 1 and 4 days after stocking events. We estimated losses of 13.6 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively, of the fish stocked for the two events, an average of 11.2 percent. Such losses may be reduced through alteration of existing stocking practices.

Lake Ontario;Little Galloo Island↗
USGS2000

Cassin's Sparrow (Aimophila cassinii) status assessment and conservation plan

Executive Summary Cassin’s Sparrow ( Aimophila cassinii ) is a grassland species endemic to the southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico. Its behavior and ecology have been shaped by these arid ecosystems and the health of its populations is dependent on the availability of grasslands that contain a shrub component. Populations of many grassland birds have experienced dramatic declines due to the loss and deterioration of grassland habitats, and there has been concern about the trends in Cassin’s Sparrow populations. Without better information about population trends, ecology, and effects of management activities, and without a stronger emphasis on grassland management, Cassin’s Sparrows and other grassland species may continue to experience declines. Little information exists about historic Cassin’s Sparrow population levels, and current population estimates for states in the breeding range are unknown. Significant survey-wide declines are documented by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) between 1966 and 1996. However, closer examination of these data suggest that the survey-wide trends are driven by population declines in the Edwards Plateau and South Texas Brushlands in Texas. No other areas within the core of its range or on the periphery show consistent, significant trends. In fact, there is consensus that in the core of its range in New Mexico Cassin’s Sparrow remains the most abundant breeding bird in grasslands with a shrub component. Understanding of population patterns in this species is complicated by large yearly fluctuations in distribution and numbers at any particular location, apparently in response to precipitation. This is particularly obvious in the periphery of its range. These dramatic fluctuations have hampered a clear assessment of population status, and our understanding has been confounded by the fact that the timing of BBS data collection does not always coincide with the peak breeding season of this species. The lack of information about the Cassin’s Sparrow’s status, ecology, and response to management activities, and the apparent declines indicated by BBS data, have been cause for concern. Habitat disturbance and degradation, mainly due to grazing and rangeland management practices such as shrub control, fire management, and planting of exotics, pose threats to Cassin’s Sparrow populations, as does habitat conversion through suburban development and agriculture. There is evidence that heavy grazing negatively affects populations, but the information is primarily available from the southwestern portion of its range (Arizona) and may not be applicable throughout the Cassin’s Sparrow’s entire range. Any management practice that results in complete removal of the shrub component, or loss of grass cover and an increase in shrub density beyond a threshold preferred by the species, also poses a threat. Lack of standardized or coordinated studies of Cassin’s Sparrow ecology and response to management practices in different geographic portions of its range has made it difficult to assess its status and make specific management recommendations. Limited data are available from the wintering grounds, and from its range (both breeding and wintering) in Mexico. The greatest needs are for determining of the causes of significant declines where they occur, determining of the effects of various management activities on Cassin’s Sparrow throughout its range, improved assessments of population and trends, and a better understanding of the annual population and distribution dynamics of this species, which shows such dramatic annual distributional fluctuations.

Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma,Texas, New Mex↗
USGS1981

Growth and mortality of fry of Lake Michigan lake trout during chronic exposure to PCB's and DDE

Fry hatched from eggs of Lake Michigan lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) were exposed (beginning about 1 week after hatching) to contaminant concentrations of PCB's and DDE similar to those in water and plankton in southeastern Lake Michigan (1X level), and to concentrations about 5 (5X) and 25 (25X) times greater. Body concentrations of contaminants in fry (I?g/g) decreased at 1X levels of PCB's and at 1X and 5X levels of DDE, but generally increased at all other contaminant exposure levels. Uptake of PCB's and DDE was evident from increases in body burden (I?g/fish) of the contaminants at all exposure levels and the controls. Growth was not significantly affected by any of the contaminant exposures. Mortalities of fry exposed to the lower concentrations (1X and 5X) were significantly less than those of control fry before day 56; however, between days 57 and 136, mortality rates increased dramatically and were significantly higher in all nine exposed groups than in the control group. For the last 40-day period (days 137-176), mortality was low and leveled off, but continued to be significantly higher in all exposed fry (except those in 1X and 5X PCB's) than in control fry. By the end of the 176-day study, the total cumulative mortality ranged from 30.5 to 46.5% in the exposed groups and was 21.7% in the control group.

Technical Paper↗
USGS1981

Temperature selection by young lake trout after chronic exposure to PCB's and DDE

Temperature selection tests were conducted with fry of Lake Michigan lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) exposed to PCB's, DDE and a combination of these contaminants in food and water at levels 25 times the ambient levels in plankton and water in Lake Michigan. The observed effect of the contaminants was a lowering of the preferred temperature. After 98 days of exposure, mean preferred temperatures were 10.3A?C for fry exposed to PCB's, 9.8A?C for those exposed to DDE, and 8.7A?C for those exposed to PCB's + DDE, as compared with 11.2A?C for control fry. Frequency distributions of residence temperatures were significantly (P < 0.01) different among all treatments. Such a change in the preferred temperature caused by a contaminant could reduce the energetic efficiency of a fish and thereby reduce growth and survival.

Technical Paper↗
USGS1981

Swimming performance of young lake trout after chronic exposure to PCBs and DDE

Swimming performance was measured in fry of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) exposed to PCB's, DDE, and a combination of these two contaminants in both food and water at concentrations equal to, and 5 and 25 times higher than, levels found in Lake Michigan water and plankton. Fry were tested after about 50, 110, and 165 days of exposure. We measured swimming performance by forcing the fry to swim through a continuous series of incrementally increased velocities until the fish were exhausted. Although we observed significant differences in swimming performance between a few test groups, we detected no relation between swimming performance of the fry and exposure to PCB's or DDE, or both, at the concentrations tested. Inasmuch as swimming performance apparently was not affected by the levels of contamination by PCB's and DDE in Lake Michigan, impairment of swimming by these contaminants cannot account for the failure of lake trout reproduction in Lake Michigan.

Technical Paper↗
USGS1974

Age, growth, sexual maturity, and food of channel catfish in central Lake Oahe, 1968-69

Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus , were collected with gill nets, trawl, and trap nets at three localities in Lake Oahe for the study of year-class strength, growth in length and weight, age composition, sexual maturity, and food. Fish were recruited to all the collection gears at age II. Relatively strong year classes were produced in 1962, 1965, and 1966. Youngest fish were captured in the upper end of the Moreau River embayment, which apparently serves as a nursery area. Growth of age 0 fish was poor probably because the growing season was short; optimum spawning temperature were not reached until mid-summer. Growth of age II and older fish reached a peak in 1963 and declined rather steadily in 1964-68. Males began to mature at age VIII, and all fish of both sexes were mature at age XI. The diet changed from zooplankton to fish as channel catfish increased in length; aquatic insects (primarily chironomid larvae and pupae) were important foods for fish of all sizes. Fish less than 300 mm long selected large zooplankters -- Leptodora kindtii and Daphnia spp -- over smaller copepods. Larger channel catfish ate principally yellow perch, Perca flavescens .

Technical Paper↗
USGS2005

The five elements process: Designing optimal landscapes to meet bird conservation objectives

In February 2004 at Port Aransas, Texas, Partners in Flight (PIF) and representatives from the other NABCI bird initiative met to discuss the process of stepping down PIF continental population objectives (Rich et al. 2004) to regional and local scales. Participants also discussed rolling up local population estimates and targets to assess the feasibility of the landscape changes necessary to meet continental objectives. Since the process of stepping-down/rolling-up population objectives shifts focus from identifying priority species to formulating quantitative estimates of how much habitat was needed, where, and by when the Port Aransas group called the stepping-down/rolling-up process a??stepping forward.a?? Participants agreed that stepping forward objectives was the beginning of an inevitably iterative dialog necessary to evaluate the assumptions of PIF population estimates and objectives as well as the methods used to monitor local implementation. To facilitate the translation of continental population objectives into biologically sound, measurable regional and local population-based habitat targets the Port Aransas group recommended a process no commonly referred to as the Five Elements Processa?|

Partners in Flight Technical Series↗
USGS2006

Making connections for bird conservation: linking states, provinces & territories to important wintering and breeding grounds

To effectively conserve migratory landbirds, we need to be involved in conservation beyond our political borders. This has been a central tenet of Partners in Flight (PIF) since the initiative began in 1990 with a focus on Nearctic-Neotropical migrants. Implementation of this concept has also been fundamental to the success of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (e.g., NAWMP 2004). Actions by individual states, provinces and territories are key to the success of PIF efforts at the continental scale, and great progress has been made in recent years though various initiatives. Currently, U.S. state Wildlife Action Plans are outlining a vast array of actions to benefit priority species. However, it is also very important to take action in regions that support these same species at the other end of their migratory movements, to ensure effective protection year-round (Rappole et al. 1983, Webster and Marra 2005, Elliott et al. 2005). For instance, conservation action is needed on the wintering grounds for many birds that breed in Canada and the U.S. but spend a large portion of their annual cycle in Mexico, the West Indies, Central and/or South America. In this document we use maps to summarize migratory connections between individual U.S. states, Canadian provinces & territories and the regions that support the same birds at the other end of migration. The maps give a general picture of where birds go, providing a starting point for targeting action. With this information in hand, decision-makers can explore partnerships and mechanism that would help further conservation action outside their bordersa?|

Partners in Flight Technical Series↗
USGS1974

Invertebrate macrobenthos of Lake Oahe, 1968-69

The benthos in Lake Oahe, as determined from about 450 bottom samples collected during the open water season in 1968 and 1969, was dominated by oligochaetes and chironomids; Caenis (Ephemeroptera) and Chaoborus (Diptera) were occasionally abundant. Total benthos was estimated at 3,600 organisms/mA? with an ash-free dry weight of about 2.2 g/mA? (about 33 kg/hectare dry weight). Estimated biomass was 1.3 g/mA? (about 18.5 kg/hectare dry weight) and depths of 0.5-10 m and 3.5 g/mA? (about 52.5 kg/hectare dry weight) at greater depths.

Technical Paper↗
USGS1973

History of salmon in the Great Lakes, 1850-1970

This history of the salmon in the Great Lakes describes the decline and extinction of the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Lake Ontario in the 1800's; the failure to establish, by salmon culture, permanent or sizable populations of Atlantic or Pacific salmon in any of the Great Lakes in 1867-1965; and the success of the plantings of coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and chinook salmon (O. tshawytsha) in the Great Lakes, in 1966-70 -- particularly in Lake Michigan. Despite plantings of 5 million fry and fingerlings from Lake Ontario stocks in 1866-84, the native Atlantic salmon in Lake Ontario became extinct in the late 1800's primarily because tributaries in which they spawned were blocked by mill dams. Plantings of 13 million chinook salmon and landlocked and anadromous forms of Atlantic salmon in Lake Ontario and the other Great Lakes in 1873-1947 failed completely. The first species to develop a self-sustaining population was the pink salmon (O. gorbuscha), which was planted in Lake Superior in 1956; however, it has not become abundant. A salmon fishery finally was established when 15 million coho salmon and 6 million chinook salmon were planted as smolt in the Great Lakes in 1966-70. In 1970, for example, 576,000 coho salmon (12% of those planted in 1969) were caught by anglers in Lake Michigan. Most weighed 5 to 10 pounds (2.3-4.5 kg). Sport fishing for salmon was fair in Lakes Superior and Huron, and poor in Lakes Erie and Ontario. By 1970, natural reproduction of coho, chinook, pink, and kokanee (O. nerka) salmon had occurred in some tributaries of one or more of the upper three Great Lakes. It is expected, however, that the sport fishery will continue to be supported almost entirely by planted fish.

Technical Paper↗