Songbird Inventory for Arkansas Post National Memorial

Two geographically separate units of Arkansas Post National Memorial were surveyed via fixed-radius plots to document songbird species composition, richness, and diversity by migratory status and nesting guild. At the Memorial Unit, 60 species vere recorded with the Brown-headed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, and Northern Cardinal being most common. individuals of these three species comprised 30% of the total number of birds recorded despite representing only 5% of the species encountered. About 2 1/2 times more resident birds were recorded than migratory birds. However, species richness and diversity of resident and migratory species were similar. The number of individuals, species richness, and diversity of canopy nesting species were greater than other nesting guilds. At the Osotouy Unit, 42 species were recorded with the most common species encountered being the Indigo Bunting, Carolina Wren, and Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Individuals of these 3 species comprised 30% of the total number of birds recorded despite representing only 7% of the species encountered. About 50% fewer resident birds were recorded than migratory birds. Migratory birds represented approximately 40% more species than resident birds. Likewise, diversity was greater for migratory species than for resident species. As in the Memorial Unit, the number of individuals, species richness, and diversity of canopy-nesting species were greater than other nesting guilds. No federal or state threatened or endangered species were documented, but 8 species currently tracked by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission were documented. These results have implications for future park management activities, particularly in respect to potential development plans at the Osotouy Unit

Assessment of Thermal Infrared Detection Rates Using White-Tailed Deer Surrogates

As thermal infrared imaging technology has improved, it has increasingly been used for estimating sizes of wildlife populations. The greatest bias of thermal infrared surveys is the lack of known detection rates to adjust for visibility bias. As with visual surveys, a measure of detection rate is needed to provide unbiased estimates. We assessed the detection rate of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) using a thermal infrared sensor (1.2 - 5.9 /an) from an aerial platform. Similar characteristics between thermal signatures of people and deer allowed us to use people in a reclined or horizontal position as surrogates for deer. We conducted a census of 2.56 km2 within which 20 people were randomly placed. We detected 75.0% of the people (n = 20) across the area and 93.8% of the people (n= 16) when the effect of water was taken into consideration. Thermal signatures of people and deer occupying flooded areas were likely masked by the surrounding thermal signature of water. We found the method worked well in bottomland hardwood forests under dry conditions. As with visual aerial population counting methods, detection rates for an area should be developed to provide unbiased estimates

Long-Term White-Tailed Deer Harvest Trends for the Southcentral United States

White-tailed deer herd size across the southcentral states continues to increase. Concurrent with this increase has come a total harvest level increase for most states. Southcentral states have increased bag limits on antlerless deer to insure that herd health is maintained as herd sizes approach total carrying capacity. Harvest growth rates, however, show irregularities from year to year. The cyclic pattern of harvest (and population) growth rate is of shorter duration than would be expected in a large ungulate population. An exogenous influence is suspected. Cyclic patterns in harvest growth rates move opposite the growth rate of epizootic hemorrhagic disease incidence in southcentral counties. Initial results suggest causality between disease incidence and harvest growth rate. As herds approach carrying capacity on many southern sites, management challenges increase

Shock processing of interstellar dust and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the supernova remnant N132D

We observed the oxygen-rich Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) supernova remnant N132D (SNR 0525-69.6), using all instruments onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope, IRS, IRAC, and MIPS (Infrared Spectrograph, Infrared Array Camera, Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer). The 5-40 micron IRS spectra toward the southeastern shell of the remnant show a steeply rising continuum with [NeIII] and [OIV] as well as PAH emission. We also present the spectrum of a fast moving ejecta knot, previously detected at optical wavelengths, which is dominated by strong [NeIII] and [OIV] emission lines. We interpret the continuum as thermal emission from swept-up, shock-heated dust grains in the expanding shell of N132D, which is clearly visible in the MIPS 24 micron image. A 15-20 micron emission hump appears superposed on the dust continuum, and we attribute this to PAH C-C-C bending modes. We also detect the well-known 11.3 micron PAH C-H bending feature, and find the integrated strength of the 15-20 micron hump about a factor of seven stronger than the 11.3 micron band in the shell of the remnant. IRAC 3-9 micron images do not show clear evidence of large-scale, shell-like emission from the remnant, partly due to confusion with the ambient ISM material. However, we identified several knots of shocked interstellar gas based on their distinct infrared colors. We discuss the bright infrared continuum and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon features with respect to dust processing in young supernova remnants.Comment: Accepted by Ap

Discovery of superthermal hydroxyl (OH) in the HH211 outflow

We present a 5-37 micron infrared spectrum obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope toward the southeastern lobe of the young protostellar outflow HH211. The spectrum shows an extraordinary sequence of OH emission lines arising in highly excited rotational levels up to an energy E/k~28200K above the ground level. This is, to our knowledge, by far the highest rotational excitation of OH observed outside Earth. The spectrum also contains several pure rotational transitions of H2O (v=0), H2 (v=0) S(0) to S(7), HD (v=0) R(3) to R(6), and atomic fine-structure lines of [Fe II], [Si II], [Ne II], [S I], and [Cl I]. The origin of the highly excited OH emission is most likely the photodissociation of H2O by the UV radiation generated in the terminal outflow shock of HH211.Comment: ApJ Letters, in pres

Effects of Retained Pine and Hardwood Basal Areas on Percent Cover of Plants Utilized by Bobwhite Quail

Percent cover of seven forage species utilized by bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) was determined before thinning and 2 and 4 years after thinning a 35-year-old loblolly pine-hardwood stand. Combinations of three loblolly pine (15, 18, and 21 m2/ha) and three hardwood (0, 3.5, and 7 m2/ha) basal areas were replicated three times. Percent cover was determined for American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), blackberry (Rubus spp.), tick trefoil (Desmodium spp.), lespedeza (Lespedeza spp.), panic grass (Panicum spp.), yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta), and three-seeded mercury (Acalypha spp.). Percent cover of American beautyberry and blackberry increased with time. Tick trefoil and panic grass were negatively related to time after thinning. However, lespedeza, yellow wood sorrel, and three-seeded mercury were not influenced significantly by time after thinning. Blackberry and panic grass were negatively related to pine basal area, while all other plant species were not affected. Three-seeded mercury was the only species not negatively related to hardwood basal area. Canopy cover and relative light intensity in the understory demonstrated an inverse relationship

Using a Geographical Information System to Evaluate Contributing Factors to Deer-Vehicle Collisions

An expanding human population combined with a growing white-tailed deer (Odocoifeus virginianus) population has resulted in an increase of deer-vehicle collisions in Arkansas. In response to this increase, we are using spatially explicit datasets integrated within a geographic information system (GIS) to identify county-level and site-specific factors contributing to deer-vehicle collisions. County-level information, such as human population densities /urbanization, deer density indices, and road densities, is being evaluated for use in identifying potential aggregations of deer-vehicle collisions. Site-specific information being evaluated includes physical factors such as landcover composition and arrangement, topography, and road characteristics. By incorporating these multi-scale data sets in a GIS, spatial intersections of variables indicating potential current or future hotspots of deer-vehicle collisions can be identified and mapped. This information can then be used to aid administrators and natural resource managers in identifying locations where deer-vehicle collisions may be concentrated