Avian use of Norris Hill Wind Resource Area, Montana

This document presents results of a study of avian use and mortality in and near a proposed wind resource area in southwestern Montana. Data collected in autumn 1995 through summer 1996 represented preconstruction condition; it was compiled, analyzed, and presented in a format such that comparison with post-construction data would be possible. The primary emphasis of the study was recording avian migration in and near the wind resource area using state-of-the-art marine surveillance radar. Avian use and mortality were investigated during the breeding season by employing traditional avian sampling methods, radiotelemetry, radar, and direct visual observation. 61 figs., 34 tabs

Perspectives and challenges for the use of radar in biological conservation

Radar is at the forefront for the study of broad-scale aerial movements of birds, bats and insects and related issues in biological conservation. Radar techniques are especially useful for investigating species which fly at high altitudes, in darkness, or which are too small for applying electronic tags. Here, we present an overview of radar applications in biological conservation and highlight its future possibilities. Depending on the type of radar, information can be gathered on local- to continental-scale movements of airborne organisms and their behaviour. Such data can quantify flyway usage, biomass and nutrient transport (bioflow), population sizes, dynamics and distributions, times and dimensions of movements, areas and times of mass emergence and swarming, habitat use and activity ranges. Radar also captures behavioural responses to anthropogenic disturbances, artificial light and man-made structures. Weather surveillance and other long-range radar networks allow spatially broad overviews of important stopover areas, songbird mass roosts and emergences from bat caves. Mobile radars, including repurposed marine radars and commercially dedicated ‘bird radars’, offer the ability to track and monitor the local movements of individuals or groups of flying animals. Harmonic radar techniques have been used for tracking short-range movements of insects and other small animals of conservation interest. However, a major challenge in aeroecology is determining the taxonomic identity of the targets, which often requires ancillary data obtained from other methods. Radar data have become a global source of information on ecosystem structure, composition, services and function and will play an increasing role in the monitoring and conservation of flying animals and threatened habitats worldwide

Computational Analysis of the Stereochemical Outcome in the Imidazolidinone-Catalyzed Enantioselective (4 + 3)-Cycloaddition Reaction.

Computations show why the catalytic, asymmetric (4 + 3)-cycloaddition reaction developed in the Harmata laboratories proceeds with facial selectivity opposite to that for models proposed for related catalyzed Diels-Alder reactions. Computations with M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) show that iminium ions derived from MacMillan's chiral 2-tert-butyl-5-benzylimidazolidinone and siloxypentadienals undergo (4 + 3)-cycloadditions with furans preferentially on the more crowded face. Conformational reorganization of the benzyl group, to avoid intramolecular interaction with the silyl group, is responsible for differentiating the activation barriers of top- and bottom-face attack