Hoosier Farmland Wildlife Notes: Enhancing Your Farm for Northern Bobwhite Quail

Northern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) are a nonmigratory, small game bird found throughout Indiana and the eastern United States. Once very common throughout the agricultural landscape, recent population indices of this native species continue to be at or near historical lows in Indiana (Figure 1). Loss of habitat is most likely responsible for the declines in bobwhite quail over the past half century. A shift in agricultural practices during this time is the primary cause. When quail populations in Indiana and the Midwest were much higher in the 1950s, farming practices were different than today. Farms were generally divided into smaller parcels, field sizes were smaller and divided by fencerows, and production was more evenly distributed among row crops, small grains, and pastures. Today, clean farming dominates the agricultural landscape (Figure 2)

Hoosier Farmland Wildlife Notes: Warm Season Grasses, Why All the Fuss?

Many wildlife professionals are encouraging landowners to include planting warm season grasses in their wildlife management plans. The purpose of this publication is to describe the many benefits of warm season grasses, especially their benefits to wildlife

Hoosier Farmland Wildlife Notes: Windbreaks for Farms and Wildlife

A home or farmstead windbreak is a strip of vegetation, generally consisting of multiple rows of trees and/or shrubs that shelters a residence and related structures from the negative effects of wind. While windbreaks can provide excellent food and cover for a variety of wildlife species, their primary function is to reduce wind velocity on the leeward side of the windbreak. The degree of protection depends upon the density and height of the windbreak. However, windbreaks will typically protect an area on their leeward side of 10 times the height of the windbreak (Figure 1). Benefits of windbreaks may even extend to a distance of 20-30 times the height of the windbreak

Working With Wildlife: Urban Canada Goose Management

Warmer temperatures and longer days of spring also bring an increase in the activities of many species of wildlife, including Canada geese (Branta canadensis). At the turn of the 20th century, Canada geese were almost extirpated from most parts of North America. However, populations of Canada geese have rebounded dramatically, primarily due to the concerted efforts of wildlife mangers across the country and the ability of Canada geese to adapt to habitats found in urban and suburban areas. As human populations increase, so do the conflicts associated with urban/suburban sprawl; and because of this, complaints of goose droppings, lawn damage, and aggressive geese are commonplace every year

Short-Term Forest Management Effects on a Long-Lived Ectotherm

Timber harvesting has been shown to have both positive and negative effects on forest dwelling species. We examined the immediate effects of timber harvests (clearcuts and group selection openings) on ectotherm behavior, using the eastern box turtle as a model. We monitored the movement and thermal ecology of 50 adult box turtles using radiotelemetry from May–October for two years prior to, and two years following scheduled timber harvests in the Central Hardwoods Region of the U.S. Annual home ranges (7.45 ha, 100% MCP) did not differ in any year or in response to timber harvests, but were 33% larger than previous estimates (range 0.47–187.67 ha). Distance of daily movements decreased post-harvest (from 22 m±1.2 m to 15 m±0.9 m) whereas thermal optima increased (from 23±1°C to 25±1°C). Microclimatic conditions varied by habitat type, but monthly average temperatures were warmer in harvested areas by as much as 13°C. Animals that used harvest openings were exposed to extreme monthly average temperatures (~40°C). As a result, the animals made shorter and more frequent movements in and out of the harvest areas while maintaining 9% higher body temperatures. This experimental design coupled with radiotelemetry and behavioral observation of a wild ectotherm population prior to and in response to anthropogenic habitat alteration is the first of its kind. Our results indicate that even in a relatively contiguous forested landscape with small-scale timber harvests, there are local effects on the thermal ecology of ectotherms. Ultimately, the results of this research can benefit the conservation and management of temperature-dependent species by informing effects of timber management across landscapes amid changing climates

Producers\u27 Opinions on What Makes Demonstrations Effective

Despite the widespread and long-standing use of demonstration sites in Extension, there is little empirical evidence to inform how best to design them. We report data from 513 producers in three regions of Indiana whom we surveyed about sources of information for farm management decisions, the usefulness of demonstrations, and preferences and factors that influence their attendance at demonstrations. In general, respondents had positive opinions about demonstration events and high levels of agreement regarding their usefulness. Lack of awareness of demonstrations was the greatest single factor leading to nonattendance. We provide recommendations for organizing demonstration events based on the preferences of producers we surveyed

Combining a thermal-imaging diagnostic with an existing imaging VISAR diagnostic at the National Ignition Facility (NIF)

Optical diagnostics are currently being designed to analyze high-energy density physics experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Two independent line-imaging Velocity Interferometer System for Any Reflector (VISAR) interferometers have been fielded to measure shock velocities, breakout times, and emission of targets having sizes of 1–5 mm. An 8-inch-diameter, fused silica triplet lens collects light at f/3 inside the 30-foot-diameter NIF vacuum chamber. VISAR recordings use a 659.5-nm probe laser. By adding a specially coated beam splitter to the interferometer table, light at wavelengths from 540 to 645 nm is spilt into a thermal-imaging diagnostic. Because fused silica lenses are used in the first triplet relay, the intermediate image planes for different wavelengths separate by considerable distances. A corrector lens on the interferometer table reunites these separated wavelength planes to provide a good image. Thermal imaging collects light at f/5 from a 2-mm object placed at Target Chamber Center (TCC). Streak cameras perform VISAR and thermal-imaging recording. All optical lenses are on kinematic mounts so that pointing accuracy of the optical axis may be checked. Counter-propagating laser beams (orange and red) are used to align both diagnostics. The red alignment laser is selected to be at the 50 percent reflection point of the beam splitter. This alignment laser is introduced at the recording streak cameras for both diagnostics and passes through this special beam splitter on its way into the NIF vacuum chamber

Genome-wide Analyses Identify KIF5A as a Novel ALS Gene

To identify novel genes associated with ALS, we undertook two lines of investigation. We carried out a genome-wide association study comparing 20,806 ALS cases and 59,804 controls. Independently, we performed a rare variant burden analysis comparing 1,138 index familial ALS cases and 19,494 controls. Through both approaches, we identified kinesin family member 5A (KIF5A) as a novel gene associated with ALS. Interestingly, mutations predominantly in the N-terminal motor domain of KIF5A are causative for two neurodegenerative diseases: hereditary spastic paraplegia (SPG10) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2 (CMT2). In contrast, ALS-associated mutations are primarily located at the C-terminal cargo-binding tail domain and patients harboring loss-of-function mutations displayed an extended survival relative to typical ALS cases. Taken together, these results broaden the phenotype spectrum resulting from mutations in KIF5A and strengthen the role of cytoskeletal defects in the pathogenesis of ALS.Peer reviewe