Foraging patterns of cavity-nesting birds in fire-suppressed and prescribe-burned ponderosa pine forests in montana

Fuel-reduction/forest restoration treatments that consist of thinning followed by prescribed burning are becoming increasingly important land management actions that likely affect various wildlife species. To assess potential effects on bark-gleaning birds, we compared the foraging patterns of five cavity-nesting species in thinned and burned ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest sites and control sites. We recorded foraging behavior, location on forage tree, and tree characteristics that may be important in the selection of foraging substrates. Foraging surveys were conducted on three replicate 20-ha thinned/burned plots located within larger treatments that ranged from 60 - 250 ha, paired with three replicate control plots. Red-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta canadensis) foraged more often in control sites. Mountain Chickadees (Poecile gambeli) foraged at similar rates on both treatment types. Black-backed Woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus), Hairy Woodpeckers (P. villosus) and White-breasted Nuthatches (Sitta carolinensis) foraged almost exclusively in thinned/burned sites. Overall, all species selectively foraged on larger diameter trees. In control sites, Red-breasted Nuthatches selected larger ponderosa pine trees and Mountain Chickadees selected larger, live trees. In thinned/burned sites, Red-breasted Nuthatches selected larger, live trees, Mountain Chickadees selected larger trees with more canopy connections, Black-backed Woodpeckers selected trees with beetle evidence present and Hairy Woodpeckers selected recently dead trees. These results suggest fuel reduction/forest restoration treatments in dry ponderosa pine forests may be compatible with providing foraging substrates for cavity-nesting species often present in post-fire habitats.</p

NETLAKE guidelines for automated monitoring system development. How to deploy a low cost option (Factsheet 003).

In this factsheet, we give an overview of one “low cost” platform system

NETLAKE guidelines for automated monitoring system development. Factsheet 007: Communication options.

The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide some advice on the available methods to communicate with and retrieve data from your automated monitoring system

NETLAKE guidelines for automated monitoring system development. Factsheet 001: options for buoy design.

In this factsheet, we describe some of the options that can be used to house an automatic monitoring station (AMS) on a lake

Diversity and structure of Bettongia tropica: using population genetics to guide reintroduction and help prevent the extinction of an endangered Australian marsupial

Conservation translocations can restore populations and prevent extinction of threatened species. Sourcing adequate genetic diversity is an essential consideration when planning reintroductions, because it influences individual fitness and long-term persistence of populations, yet available populations of threatened species may lack diversity. We estimated population genetic parameters for one of Australia’s most threatened mammals, the northern bettong, Bettongia tropica, to select source populations for reintroduction. Individuals from sites across the species’ extant range in the Wet Tropics of north Queensland were genotyped, using 6,133 informative SNPs. We found that samples clustered into four populations: an isolated northern population at Mt Spurgeon and three connected southern populations in the Lamb Range. Most of the species’ genetic diversity was dispersed across the Lamb Range populations in approximately equal proportions. Populations showed an isolation-by-distance effect, even over short distances within continuous habitat. Admixture of populations was high at distances 11 km, and there was asymmetrical gene flow between the two closest neighboring populations. All populations had small effective sizes and experienced drift, but connectivity appears to have mitigated drift and stabilized population sizes within the Lamb Range. The Mt Spurgeon population had a very small effective population size and low genetic diversity. We use our findings to weigh up the risks and benefits of mixing sources for reintroduction, and we recommend a mixed source approach. We do not currently recommend sourcing individuals from Mt Spurgeon and conservation efforts to preserve this population are urgently required

Examination of change factor methodologies for climate change impact assessment

Citation: Anandhi, A., Frei, A., Pierson, D. C., Schneiderman, E. M., Zion, M. S., Lounsbury, D., and Matonse, A. H. ( 2011), Examination of change factor methodologies for climate change impact assessment, Water Resour. Res., 47, W03501, doi:10.1029/2010WR009104.A variety of methods are available to estimate values of meteorological variables at future times and at spatial scales that are appropriate for local climate change impact assessment. One commonly used method is Change Factor Methodology (CFM), sometimes referred to as delta change factor methodology. Although more sophisticated methods exist, CFM is still widely applicable and used in impact analysis studies. While there are a number of different ways by which change factors (CFs) can be calculated and used to estimate future climate scenarios, there are no clear guidelines available in the literature to decide which methodologies are most suitable for different applications. In this study several categories of CFM (additive versus multiplicative and single versus multiple) for a number of climate variables are compared and contrasted. The study employs several theoretical case studies, as well as a real example from Cannonsville watershed, which supplies water to New York City, USA. Results show that in cases when the frequency distribution of Global Climate Model (GCM) baseline climate is close to the frequency distribution of observed climate, or when the frequency distribution of GCM future climate is close to the frequency distribution of GCM baseline climate, additive and multiplicative single CFMs provide comparable results. Two options to guide the choice of CFM are suggested. The first option is a detailed methodological analysis for choosing the most appropriate CFM. The second option is a default method for use under circumstances in which a detailed methodological analysis is too cumbersome

Varicella Zoster Virus in Saliva of Patients With Herpes Zoster

Background. VZV DNA is present in saliva of healthy astronauts and patients with Ramsay Hunt syndrome (geniculate zoster). We hypothesized that a prospective analysis of patients with zoster would detect VZV in saliva independent of zoster location. Methods. We treated 54 patients with valacyclovir. On the first treatment day, 7- and 14-days later, pain was scored and saliva examined for VZV DNA. Saliva from six subjects with chronic pain and 14 healthy subjects was similarly studied. Results. Follow-up data was available for 50/54 patients. Pain decreased in 43/50 (86 percent), disappeared in 37 (74 percent), recurred after disappearing in three (6 percent) and increased in four (8 percent). VZV DNA was found in every patient the day treatment was started, decreased in 47/50 (94 percent), transiently increased in three (6 percent) before decreasing, increased in two (4 percent) and disappeared in 41 (82 percent). There was a positive correlation between the presence of VZV DNA and pain, as well as between the VZV DNA copy number and pain (P<0.0005). Saliva of two patients was cultured, and infectious VZV was isolated from one. VZV DNA was present in one patient before rash and in four patients after pain resolved, and not in any control subjects. Conclusion. VZV DNA is present in saliva of zoster patients

Lake-size dependency of wind shear and convection as controls on gas exchange

High-frequency physical observations from 40 temperate lakes were used to examine the relative contributions of wind shear (u*) and convection (w*) to turbulence in the surface mixed layer. Seasonal patterns of u* and w* were dissimilar; u* was often highest in the spring, while w * increased throughout the summer to a maximum in early fall. Convection was a larger mixed-layer turbulence source than wind shear (u */w*-1 for lakes* and w* differ in temporal pattern and magnitude across lakes, both convection and wind shear should be considered in future formulations of lake-air gas exchange, especially for small lakes. © 2012 by the American Geophysical Union.Jordan S. Read, David P. Hamilton, Ankur R. Desai, Kevin C. Rose, Sally MacIntyre, John D. Lenters, Robyn L. Smyth, Paul C. Hanson, Jonathan J. Cole, Peter A. Staehr, James A. Rusak, Donald C. Pierson, Justin D. Brookes, Alo Laas, and Chin H. W