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At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
USGS2026

Interspecific brood parasitism of a greater sage-grouse brood by chukar in Nevada

Greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ; hereafter, sage-grouse) populations have declined across their range, resulting in high conservation concerns among state and federal wildlife managers. While interspecific nest parasitism by chukar ( Alectoris chukar ) on sage-grouse nests has been observed previously, the parasitic effects benefiting or harming the reproduction of either species are unknown. Additionally, while chukar eggs have been documented in sage-grouse nests previously, we know of no documented occurrences of chukar chicks parasitizing sage-grouse broods. Here, we report a novel observation of interspecific brood parasitism on a 9-day-old sage-grouse brood by a chukar chick in the Virginia Mountains of northwestern Nevada. Because chukar are an introduced exotic species whose western North American distribution largely overlaps sage-grouse distribution, understanding the dynamics and implications of brood parasitism may inform wildlife management strategies and conservation efforts for sage-grouse throughout their range.

Nevada↗
USGS2016

Waterfowl populations are resilient to immediate and lagged impacts of wildfires in the boreal forest

Summary 1. Wildfires are the principal disturbance in the boreal forest, and their size and frequency are increasing as the climate warms. Impacts of fires on boreal wildlife are largely unknown, especially for the tens of millions of waterfowl that breed in the region. This knowledge gap creates significant barriers to the integrative management of fires and waterfowl, leading to fire policies that largely disregard waterfowl. 2. Waterfowl populations across the western boreal forest of North America have been monitored annually since 1955 by the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (BPOP), widely considered the most extensive wildlife survey in the world. Using these data, we examined impacts of forest fires on abundance of two waterfowl guilds – dabblers and divers. We modelled waterfowl abundance in relation to fire extent (i.e. amount of survey transect burned) and time since fire, examining both immediate and lagged fire impacts. 3. From 1955 to 2014, >1100 fires in the western boreal forest intersected BPOP survey transects, and many transects burned multiple times. Nonetheless, fires had no detectable impact on waterfowl abundance; annual transect counts of dabbler and diver pairs remained stable from the pre- to post-fire period. 4. The absence of fire impacts on waterfowl abundance extended from the years immediately following the fire to those more than a decade afterwards. Likewise, the amount of transect burned did not influence waterfowl abundance, with similar pair counts from the pre- to post-fire period for small (1–20% burned), medium (21–60%) and large (>60%) burns. 5. Policy implications. Waterfowl populations appear largely resilient to forest fires, providing initial evidence that current policies of limited fire suppression, which predominate throughout much of the boreal forest, have not been detrimental to waterfowl populations. Likewise, fire-related management actions, such as prescribed burning or targeted suppression, seem to have limited impacts on waterfowl abundance and productivity. For waterfowl managers, our results suggest that adaptive models of waterfowl harvest, which annually guide hunting quotas, do not need to emphasize fires when integrating climate change effects.

Journal of Applied Ecology↗
USGS2008

Population structure of the alligator snapping turtle, macrochelys temminckii, on the western edge of its distribution

A mark-recapture project on Macrochelys temminckii was conducted between 1997 and 2000 at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Muskogee and Sequoyah counties, in eastern Oklahoma. Turtles were captured in all streams and exhibited equal sex ratios, marked sexual-size dimorphism, and population densities between 28 and 34 animals per km stretch of stream. There was evidence of past population perturbations, with very few large adults captured, and a cohort of subadults highly underrepresented. ?? 2008 Chelonian Research Foundation.

Chelonian Conservation and Biology↗
USGS1985

Organochlorine chemical residues in white pelicans and western grebes from the Klamath Basin, California

Samples were analyzed for 12 organochlorine chemicals. Concentrations of DDT + DDD and dieldrin in American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) eggs collected at the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges decreased from 1969 to 1981; DDE and polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) residues did not significantly change. Differences between PCB residues in eggs collected from Lower Klamath and Clear Lake colonies in 1969 suggest different migration routes or wintering areas between populations nesting at these two locations. White pelican and western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) PCB/DDE ratios were 0.13 and 1.58, respectively, suggesting different exposure patterns. White pelican eggshell thickness increased between 1969 and 1981, but remained significantly less than pre-1947 values. Western grebe shell thickness was not significantly different from pre-1947 values. Endrin caused some of the pelican mortalities in the Klamath Basin from 1975 to 1981. Pelicans may have acquired endrin in California, but possibly from areas outside of the Klamath Basin.

California↗
USGS2009

Economics of undiscovered oil and gas in the North Slope of Alaska: Economic update and synthesis

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has published assessments by geologists of undiscovered conventional oil and gas accumulations in the North Slope of Alaska; these assessments contain a set of scientifically based estimates of undiscovered, technically recoverable quantities of oil and gas in discrete oil and gas accumulations that can be produced with conventional recovery technology. The assessments do not incorporate economic factors such as recovery costs and product prices. The assessors considered undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in four areas of the North Slope: (1) the central North Slope, (2) the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA), (3) the 1002 Area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and (4) the area west of the NPRA, called in this report the 'western North Slope'. These analyses were prepared at different times with various minimum assessed oil and gas accumulation sizes and with slightly different assumptions. Results of these past studies were recently supplemented with information by the assessment geologists that allowed adjustments for uniform minimum assessed accumulation sizes and a consistent set of assumptions. The effort permitted the statistical aggregation of the assessments of the four areas composing the study area. This economic analysis is based on undiscovered assessed accumulation distributions represented by the four-area aggregation and incorporates updates of costs and technological and fiscal assumptions used in the initial economic analysis that accompanied the geologic assessment of each study area.

Alaska↗
USGS2005

Headwater riparian invertebrate communities associated with red alder and conifer wood and leaf litter in southeastern Alaska

We examined how management of young upland forests in southeastern Alaska affect riparian invertebrate taxa richness, density, and biomass, in turn, potentially influencing food abundance for fish and wildlife. Southeastern Alaska forests are dominated by coniferous trees including Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), with mixed stands of red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn.). Red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) is hypothesized to influence the productivity of young-growth conifer forests and through forest management may provide increased riparian invertebrate abundance. To compare and contrast invertebrate densities between coniferous and alder riparian habitats, leaf litter and wood debris (early and late decay classes) samples were collected along eleven headwater streams on Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, during the summers of 2000 and 2001. Members of Acarina and Collembola were the most abundant taxa collected in leaf litter with alder litter having significantly higher mean taxa richness than conifer litter. Members of Acarina were the most abundant group collected on wood debris and alder wood had significantly higher mean taxa richness and biomass than conifer wood. Alder wood debris in more advanced decay stages had the highest mean taxa richness and biomass, compared to other wood types, while conifer late decay wood debris had the highest densities of invertebrates. The inclusion of alder in young-growth conifer forests can benefit forest ecosystems by enhancing taxa richness and biomass of riparian forest invertebrates. ?? 2005 by the Northwest Scientific Association. All rights reserved.

Northwest Science↗
USGS2006

Linking landscape characteristics to mineral site use by band-tailed pigeons in Western Oregon: Coarse-filter conservation with fine-filter tuning

Mineral sites are scarce resources of high ion concentration used heavily by the Pacific Coast subpopulation of band-tailed pigeons. Over 20% of all known mineral sites used by band-tailed pigeons in western Oregon, including all hot springs, have been abandoned. Prior investigations have not analyzed stand or landscape level habitat composition in relation to band-tailed pigeon use of mineral sites. We used logistic regression models to evaluate the influence of habitat types, identified from Gap Analysis Program (GAP) products at two spatial scales, on the odds of mineral site use in Oregon (n = 69 currently used and 20 historically used). Our results indicated that the odds of current use were negatively associated with non-forested terrestrial and private land area around mineral sites. Similarly, the odds of current mineral site use were positively associated with forested and special status (GAP stewardship codes 1 and 2) land area. The most important variable associated with the odds of mineral site use was the amount of non-forested land cover at either spatial scale. Our results demonstrate the utility of meso-scale geographic information designed for regional, coarse-filter approaches to conservation in fine-filter investigation of wildlife-habitat relationships. Adjacent landcover and ownership status explain the pattern of use for known mineral sites in western Oregon. In order for conservation and management activities for band-tailed pigeons to be successful, mineral sites need to be addressed as important and vulnerable resources. Management of band-tailed pigeons should incorporate the potential for forest management activities and land ownership patterns to influence the risk of mineral site abandonment.

Natural Areas Journal↗
USGS2020

U.S. Geological Survey sagebrush ecosystem research annual report for 2020

The sagebrush ( Artemisia spp.) ecosystem extends across 251,473 square miles over portions of 13 western States. Affected by multiple stressors, including interactions among fire, invasive plants, and human land uses, this ecosystem has experienced significant loss, fragmentation, and degradation of landscapes once dominated by sagebrush. In turn, wildlife populations have declined following these deleterious conditions. Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and industry have been galvanized by declining wildlife populations to implement management actions to confront the impacts of these stressors and ensure the long-term availability of the sagebrush ecosystem for the broad range of uses critical to stakeholders in the Western United States. The sagebrush ecosystem provides habitat for more than 350 species of plants and animals that are dependent on sagebrush for all or part of their annual life history. The greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) stands out as an iconic species of this ecosystem. Sage-grouse populations occur in 11 States, and 2 Canadian Provinces and require relatively large expanses of sagebrush-dominated habitat to meet all their seasonal habitat needs. Recent management actions to conserve and maintain the sagebrush ecosystem have focused on the protection and restoration of sage-grouse habitat; however, each of the 350 species has a unique life history and differing area requirements (for example, large areas for mule deer [ Odocoileus hemionus ] and small areas for pygmy rabbit [ Brachylagus idahoensis ]), and some species, such as migratory birds, rely on various parts of the sagebrush ecosystem but only for part of the year (for example, Brewer’s sparrow [ Spizella breweri ]). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a broad research program focused on the sagebrush ecosystem, wildlife species within the ecosystem, and the species’ response to stressors and management actions. The program provides a foundation of scientific information for use in major land and resource management decisions in the sagebrush ecosystem. By providing the science to inform these decisions, the USGS is assisting land and resource managers at the Federal, State, Tribal, and local levels working towards the goal of sustainable wildlife populations and restored landscapes. This information can inform planning and management conducted by nongovernmental organizations as well. USGS research is tailored specifically to inform adaptive management, improve strategies for maintaining existing areas of intact sagebrush, and restoring degraded landscapes. Examples of research support for partners include providing information for actions such as the preclusion of the need to list the greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act and recent revisions to Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service resource management plans and land use. The USGS continues to provide foundational science to inform science-based decisions within the U.S. Department of the Interior and other Federal, State, and local agencies and their continued conservation, management, and restoration of the sagebrush ecosystem to help support local economies.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nev↗
USGS2019

Quantifying ecological integrity of terrestrial systems to inform management of multiple-use public lands in the United States

The concept of ecological integrity has been applied widely to management of aquatic systems, but still is considered by many to be too vague and difficult to quantify to be useful for managing terrestrial systems, particularly across broad areas. Extensive public lands in the western United States are managed for diverse uses such as timber harvest, livestock grazing, energy development, and wildlife conservation, some of which may degrade ecological integrity. We propose a method for assessing ecological integrity on multiple-use lands that identifies the components of integrity and levels in the ecological hierarchy where the assessment will focus, and considers existing policies and management objectives. Both natural reference and societally desired environmental conditions are relevant comparison points. We applied the method to evaluate the ecological integrity of shrublands in Nevada, yielding an assessment based on six indicators of ecosystem structure, function, and composition, including resource- and stressor-based indicators measured at multiple scales. Results varied spatially and among indicators. Invasive plant cover and surface development were highest in shrublands in northwest and southeast Nevada. Departure from reference conditions of shrubland area, composition, patch size, and connectivity was highest in central and northern Nevada. Results may inform efforts to control invasive species and restore shrublands on federal lands in Nevada. We suggest that ecological integrity assessments for multiple-use lands be grounded in existing policies and monitoring programs, incorporate resource- and stressor-based metrics, rely on publicly available data collected at multiple spatial scales, and quantify both natural reference and societally desired resource conditions.

Nevada↗
USGS2024

Incorporating projected climate conditions to map future riparian refugia

Identifying areas expected to remain buffered from climate change and maintain biodiversity and ecological function (i.e., climate refugia) is important for climate adaptation planning. As structurally diverse transitional zones between terrestrial and aquatic environments, riparian areas are often biological hotspots and provide critical corridors for species movement, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In our study region in the western and central USA, identifying riparian areas that could serve as climate refugia is a priority for wildlife managers. We mapped areas with connected riparian habitats that, based on landscape diversity and projected changes in summer temperatures and landscape runoff, are expected to serve as climate refugia. To incorporate uncertainty and balance the need for near- and long-term planning, we mapped potential refugia for 2 future time periods (2040–2069, 2070–2099) based on 2 climate models that represented divergent but plausible climate outcomes. The approach we developed is not constrained by physiology or behavior of target species and can be used to identify areas expected to fare comparatively well under a wide range of future climate scenarios. Our approach can also be used to identify areas where restoration could increase riparian connectedness and climate resilience.

Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, ↗
USGS2006

Evaluation of aerial survey methods for Dall's sheep

Most Dall's sheep ( Ovis dalli dalli ) population-monitoring efforts use intensive aerial surveys with no attempt to estimate variance or adjust for potential sightability bias. We used radiocollared sheep to assess factors that could affect sightability of Dall's sheep in standard fixed-wing and helicopter surveys and to evaluate feasibility of methods that might account for sightability bias. Work was conducted in conjunction with annual aerial surveys of Dall's sheep in the western Baird Mountains, Alaska, USA, in 2000–2003. Overall sightability was relatively high compared with other aerial wildlife surveys, with 88% of the available, marked sheep detected in our fixed-wing surveys. Total counts from helicopter surveys were not consistently larger than counts from fixed-wing surveys of the same units, and detection probabilities did not differ for the 2 aircraft types. Our results suggest that total counts from helicopter surveys cannot be used to obtain reliable estimates of detection probabilities for fixed-wing surveys. Groups containing radiocollared sheep often changed in size and composition before they could be observed by a second crew in units that were double-surveyed. Double-observer methods that require determination of which groups were detected by each observer will be infeasible unless survey procedures can be modified so that groups remain more stable between observations. Mean group sizes increased during our study period, and our logistic regression sightability model indicated that detection probabilities increased with group size. Mark–resight estimates of annual population sizes were similar to sightability-model estimates, and confidence intervals overlapped broadly. We recommend the sightability-model approach as the most effective and feasible of the alternatives we considered for monitoring Dall's sheep populations.

Alaska↗
USGS2019

Monitoring breeding and survival of ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) in the Sacramento Valley, Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, and Klamath Basin, northern California—Five-year summary, 2013–17

The U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, Pheasants Forever, Mandeville Island Duck Club, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife collaborated in a reconnaissance study to monitor populations of ring-necked pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus ) using radio-telemetry in the Sacramento Valley, Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, and Klamath Basin of northern California. The purpose of this study was to provide agencies and private landowners with a framework of decision-support tools to help manage pheasant populations in California. During winter, spring, and autumn of 2013–17, we radio- or Global Positioning System-marked 227 female pheasant across six study sites. Data collection was focused on investigating nest-site and brood-rearing habitat selection, examining avian predator composition, and estimating population vital rates to improve our understanding of pheasant population dynamics and to identify factors that may contribute to decreases in pheasant populations in California. The cumulative annual adult survival probability across all sites during 2013–17 was 27.6 percent (95-percent confidence interval [CI], 21.9–33.6), and the cumulative nest and brood survival probabilities were 34.5 percent (95-percent CI, 27.0–42.2) and 54.2 percent (95-percent CI, 43.7–63.5), respectively. Evidence from microhabitat surveys completed at nest-sites, brood locations, and random locations suggested that marked female pheasant tended to select increasing vertical cover and residual vegetation cover and tended to avoid areas of increasing bare ground cover regardless of life-history stage. However, females at nest-sites selected increasing grass cover and height, whereas brood-rearing females tended to select increasing forb cover and height. Only perennial grass cover and perennial grass height were shown to have a positive influence on nest survival, which suggests that increasing perennial grass cover in areas occupied by pheasant may increase nest survival. Analysis of environmental factors linked to vital rate information are ongoing and will continue with investigations at increased spatial scales (that is, macro-habitat) to develop integrated population models that can incorporate abundance estimates from crow count data with vital rates from telemetry data. This report includes results from 5 years of data collection and should be interpreted with caution, as these findings are preliminary.

California↗
USGS1983

Impacts of forest herbicides on wildlife: Toxicity and habitat alteration

This paper begins with a review of both laboratory and field studies on tbe possible direct toxic effects of herbicides on terrestrial vertebrates, primarily birds and mammals. Alteration of the palatability of forage and changes in reproductive success are also discussed. Emphasis is placed on the use of herbicides in forestry; studies dealing with agricultural systems are referenced where appropriate. The indirect effects of herbicides on wildlife-habitat are then conceptualized and quantified using data from a 3-year study on effects of phenoxy and glyphosate herbicides on bird and small mammal communities in western Oregon. Data on density and habitat use are presented and compared with data available from other geographic regions.

Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Na↗
USGS2019

U.S. Geological Survey sagebrush ecosystem research annual report for 2019

The sagebrush ( Artemisia spp.) ecosystem extends across a large portion of the Western United States. Affected by multiple stressors, including interactions among fire, exotic plant invasions, and human land uses, this ecosystem has experienced significant loss, fragmentation, and degradation of landscapes once dominated by sagebrush. In turn, wildlife populations have declined following these deleterious conditions. Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and industry have been galvanized by declining wildlife populations to implement management actions to confront the impacts of these stressors and insure the long-term availability of the sagebrush ecosystem for the broad range of uses critical to stakeholders in the Western United States. The sagebrush ecosystem provides habitat for over 350 species of plants and animals that are dependent on sagebrush for all or part of their annual life history. The greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ) stands out as the iconic species. Sage-grouse populations occur in 11 States and require relatively large expanses of sagebrush-dominated habitat to meet all their seasonal habitat needs. Recent management actions to conserve and maintain the sagebrush ecosystem have focused on the protection and restoration of sage-grouse habitat. However, each of the 350 species has a unique life history and differing area requirements (for example, large areas for Mule deer [ Odocoileus hemionus ] and small areas for pygmy rabbit [ Brachylagus idahoensis ]), and some species, such as migratory birds, only rely the sagebrush ecosystem for part of the year (for example, Brewer’s sparrow [ Spizella breweri ]). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has a broad research program focused on the sagebrush ecosystem and these species and their response to stressors and management actions. The research is tailored specifically to inform and improve strategies for maintaining existing areas of intact sagebrush and restoring degraded landscapes. By providing the science to inform these strategies, the USGS is assisting land and resource managers at the Federal, State, Tribal, and local levels working towards sustainable wildlife populations and restored landscapes. The USGS provides a foundation of scientific information for use in major land and resource management decisions in the sagebrush ecosystem. These have included such actions as the preclusion of the need to list the greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act and recent revisions to Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service resource management plans. The USGS continues to build on that foundation to inform science-based decisions within the U.S. Department of the Interior and other Federal, State, and local agencies and their continued conservation, management, and restoration of the sagebrush ecosystem to help support local economies.

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New↗
USGS2007

Longitudinal patterns of fish assemblages, aquatic habitat, and water temperature in the Lower Crooked River, Oregon

The Lower Crooked River is a remarkable groundwater-fed stream flowing through vertical basalt canyons in the Deschutes River Valley ecoregion in central Oregon (Pater and others, 1998). The 9-mile section of the river between the Crooked River National Grasslands boundary near Ogden Wayside and river mile (RM) 8 is protected under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1271-1287) for its outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, hydrologic, wildlife, and botanical values (ORVs), and significant fishery and cultural values. Groundwater springs flow directly out of the canyon walls into the Lower Crooked River and create a unique hydrologic setting for native coldwater fish, such as inland Columbia Basin redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri). To protect and enhance the ORVs that are the basis for the wild and scenic designation, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has identified the need to evaluate, among other conditions, fish presence and habitat use of the Lower Crooked River. The results of this and other studies will provide a scientific basis for communication and cooperation between the BLM, Oregon Water Resources Department, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and all water users within the basin. These biological studies initiated by the BLM in the region reflect a growing national awareness of the impacts of agricultural and municipal water use on the integrity of freshwater ecosystems. Biological surveys are needed to better understand the aquatic ecosystem of the Lower Crooked River. This baseline information will be valuable to public land managers whose task is to balance resource use while protecting the unique attributes (that is, ORVs) of the Lower Crooked River. The habitat requirements of coldwater fishes in this section of stream are of particular interest due to state and federal regulation of water temperature in order to protect and restore fish populations. Historical data on the distribution and abundance of stream fishes in the Lower Crooked River are limited to point observations by fishermen and local biologists because steep canyon walls have limited access to most of the river. Surveys of aquatic habitat (channel morphology and substrate composition) have been conducted for the BLM by the ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, 1997), U.S. Forest Service (United States Forest Service, 2003), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), but fish surveys using electrofishing gear have never been conducted in the isolated 11-mile section of the Crooked River Gorge, and visual observations with mask and snorkel have only been made at isolated point locations where hiking trails provide access to the river (K. Jones, Steve Marx, and Brett Hodgson, ODFW; P. Lickwar, USFWS; pers. comm.). Thus, there is a poor understanding of stream fish presence and distribution throughout Lower Crooked River. Information on fish assemblages is available for the Deschutes River basin and applies generally to the Lower Crooked River because the two rivers were connected historically (Zimmerman and Ratliff 2003). The construction of dams throughout the Deschutes River basin has eliminated historic runs of salmon and steelhead and prevented migration of bull trout and Pacific lamprey into the Crooked River system. Native fish species expected to occur in the Lower Crooked River include Columbia Basin redband trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri ), mountain whitefish ( Prosopium williamsoni ), sculpin ( Cottus spp.), two species of dace ( Rhinichthys spp.), two species of sucker ( Catostomus spp.), northern pikeminnow ( Ptychocheilus oregonensis ), chiselmouth ( Acrocheilus alutaceus ), and redside shiner ( Richardsonius balteatus ). Threespine stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ), a species native to western Oregon, also occurs in the basin but is believed to be introduced (D. Markle, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, personnel commun.). Extensive stocking of rainbow trout has contributed to a large population of naturalized fish of hatchery origin in the Lower Crooked River. Due to the difficulty of differentiating between wild redband trout and naturalized rainbow trout of hatchery origin, the general classification of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) is used throughout this report to describe the fish that were observed in the Lower Crooked River. Exotic fish species expected to occur in the Lower Crooked River include large- and smallmouth bass ( Micropterus spp.), yellow perch ( Perca flavescens ), and brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosis) (Zimmerman and Ratliff 2003). The goal of this project was to examine longitudinal patterns in fish assemblages, aquatic habitat, and water temperature in the Lower Crooked River during summer conditions. Specific objectives were to (1) characterize the spatial distribution of native and non-native fishes, (2) describe variation in channel morphology, substrate composition, and water temperature, and (3) evaluate the associations between fishes, aquatic habitat, and water temperature.

Oregon↗
USGS2026

Effects of fipronil bait pellets on two cricetid species: Potential implications for plague mitigation and wildlife conservation

We evaluated the effects of fipronil bait pellets on two cricetids that commonly occupy colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs ( Cynomys ludovicianus ; BTPDs): western deer mice ( Peromyscus sonoriensis ) and northern grasshopper mice ( Onychomys leucogaster ). In one experiment, bait pellets (0.96 mg fipronil/bait) were applied at 75 baits/ha to three 1.44-ha plots on a BTPD colony. Mouse abundance declined by 70% from before to 6-10 d after treatment. In a second experiment, bait pellets (0.46 or 1.52 mg fipronil/bait) were applied at 125 baits/ha to four plots (0.85-1.86 ha) on two BTPD colonies; two non-treated plots were baselines (1.09 and 2.06 ha). From before to 11-15 d after treatment, mouse abundance declined by 51%- 67% on the treated plots vs. a decline of 9% on the non-treated plots. Mouse survival from before to 11-15 d after treatment was 51% lower on the treated plots. In a third experiment, bait pellets (0.84 mg fipronil/bait) were applied at 125 baits/acre on two 1.44-ha plots on a BTPD colony; two 1.44-ha non-treated plots were baselines. Mouse survival from before to 30-44 d after treatment was 45% lower on the treated plots; the abundance of deer mice on the treated plots remained similar from before to 30-44 d after treatment, perhaps due to juvenile recruitment and/or immigration. In a laboratory experiment, 33 deer mice offered one bait pellet (0.86 mg fipronil/bait) consumed 27% of their bait, on average (range = 0-100%). Over 3 d, deer mouse mortality was estimated at 53%; mortality increased with fipronil dose, which averaged 11 mg fipronil/kg body mass (range = 3-46 mg/kg). Brain samples were available from 31 deer mice; all tested positive for fipronil sulfone, the primary mammalian metabolite of fipronil, at 19 to 61,205 ng fipronil sulfone/g. Additional experiments could determine if these findings scale up to larger landscapes.

South Dakota↗
USGS2024

Annotated bibliography of scientific research relevant to oil and gas reclamation best management practices in the western United States, published from 1969 through 2020

Integrating recent scientific knowledge into management decisions supports effective natural resource management and can lead to better resource outcomes. However, finding and accessing scientific knowledge can be time consuming and costly. To assist in this process, the U.S. Geological Survey has created a series of annotated bibliographies on topics of management concern for lands in the western United States (U.S.). Oil and gas development on public lands is a long-standing and substantial component of local and regional economies and has expanded in recent decades, particularly on public lands in the western U.S. This development is associated with extensive networks of pipelines, roads, and processing facilities, across which reclamation is Federally mandated following initial well pad development (“interim” reclamation) and once resource extraction is complete (“final” reclamation). Reclamation is critical for recovering ecological services to energy-affected lands, including vegetation productivity, wildlife habitat, water and air quality, and soil stability (for example, resistance to wind and water erosion). However, reclamation of oil and gas affected lands in the western U.S. has proved challenging due to an array of regulatory and environmental factors, such as minimally developed soils, short growing seasons, herbivory, high winds, invasive species, rugged terrain, and in particular, arid climates associated with low total precipitation, high evapotranspiration rates, and highly variable precipitation patterns. We compiled and summarized journal articles, government reports, technical reports, proceedings, and theses and dissertations relevant to oil and gas reclamation. We constrained our search to products published on or before December 31, 2020 but did not limit our search by a starting date; the earliest product resulting from this effort was published in March 1969. Second, we manually scanned the last 15 years (2005-2020) of tables of contents in journals, bibliographies, and proceedings of which we were aware would contain articles highly relevant to this bibliography. We carried out the search for these products through multiple means: (1) performing a structured search of two reference databases, (2) examining articles published since 2005 in highly relevant scientific journals and conference proceedings, and (3) reviewing additional material suggested by authors of products identified in steps 1 and 2. Our search was intentionally broad in order to identify as much relevant work as possible, much of which is professionally applied and tested within the industry of oil and gas reclamation, but which remains unpublished in scientific journals. We refined the initial list of products by removing: (1) duplicates, (2) products not written in English, (3) products that were not relevant to the arid ecosystems of western North America, (4) products that were not released as research, data products, or review articles in journals or as formal scientific reports, and (5) products with data which were not relevant to reclamation of oil and gas-affected lands, or for which the study did not present new data, findings, or syntheses relevant to reclamation of oil and gas-affected lands. We summarized each product using a consistent structure (background, objectives, methods, location, findings, and implications) and assigned standardized management topics to each. Management topics are intended to aid online searching within the bibliography and are described in more detail in the Methods Section of this report; they include what type of disturbance the product addresses (well pads, mining, pipelines), what aspect of oil and gas reclamation they pertain to (practices, standards, monitoring), what type of data are present in the product (for instance soil or vegetation recovery data), and an indication if the product were from a source other than a published, peer-reviewed outlet (such as dissertations or unpublished professional reports – these are identified as grey literature). The review process for this annotated bibliography included an initial internal colleague review of each summary, requesting input on each summary from an author of the original product, and a formal peer-review. Our initial searches resulted in 3,197 total products, of which 290 met our criteria for inclusion. “Reclamation Practices” is by far the management topic most addressed, followed by “Reclamation Monitoring,” for example, products assessing what and how monitoring methods are used to track and measure reclamation outcome. This document may be accessed at https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231068 or from the U.S. Geological Survey Publication Warehouse ( https://pubs.usgs.gov/ ). The 1-page product summaries herein will also be used to create a bibliography at https://apps.usgs.gov/science-for-resource-managers that includes links to each original product, where available, and in which subject matter will be searchable by topic, location, and year. The studies compiled and summarized here may inform planning and management actions that seek to reclaim landscapes across the western U.S. which have been affected by oil and gas development.

Open-File Report↗