Dale Goble as a Builder of Bridges

Ecological scientists and legal scholars think and talk in different ways. The “gulf of mutual incomprehension” that results can impede efforts to address shared problems. Dale Goble bridged this gulf by teaming with ecologists to interpret the Endangered Species Act and develop the concept of conservation-reliant species—species that require ongoing, long-term management to address the factors that threaten them. Most imperiled species are conservation reliant and conservation resources are limited. Meeting the long-term needs of conservation-reliant species will require the blending of ecological science, societal context, and law that Dale Goble has long promoted

Do olfactory cues mediate interactions between rodents on northern shortgrass prairie?

Includes bibliographical references (pages 231-232).Abstract in English and French.We counted captures of free-ranging deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) in odor-baited traps to determine whether deer mice use olfactory cues to detect and evade grasshopper mice (Onychomys leucogaster), a predator and possible competitor on northern shortgrass prairie. Avoidance was measured using the frequency of captures in traps containing grasshopper mouse odors compared with that in traps containing odors of an innocuous rodent (Reithrodontomys megalotis) and in clean traps. We predicted that deer mice would be most deterred by odors in areas where grasshopper mice were common, and during winter, when alternative prey for grasshopper mice are less abundant. We also expected reproductive females to show greater avoidance because of the vulnerability of litters in burrows. Surprisingly, deer mice showed no evidence of avoidance in any experiments. These results are consistent with trapping records from capture–recapture studies on our site. We assert that the presence of grasshopper mice may affect the surface activity of deer mice, but that deer mice apparently do not use olfactory cues to avoid grasshopper mice. Taken with other studies noting the lack of avoidance of predator odors by deer mice and similar species, our results suggest that the response of rodents to predator odors is more variable than was previously appreciated

Recreational shooting: how are sites selected and what are the implications for Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) reproduction?

The SGS-LTER research site was established in 1980 by researchers at Colorado State University as part of a network of long-term research sites within the US LTER Network, supported by the National Science Foundation. Scientists within the Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, and Biology Department at CSU, California State Fullerton, USDA Agricultural Research Service, University of Northern Colorado, and the University of Wyoming, among others, have contributed to our understanding of the structure and functions of the shortgrass steppe and other diverse ecosystems across the network while maintaining a common mission and sharing expertise, data and infrastructure.Declines in burrowing owl populations are inextricably linked to human activity and associated disturbances. Habitat loss and rodent control programs are the primary cause of observed declines (Butts 1973). Recreational shooting, harassment, and other human disturbances may exacerbate this decline by promoting mortality and nest failure in local populations. The extent and magnitude of these effects, however, remain unknown (Haug et al. 1993, Holroyd 1998)

Influence of prey use and habitat on burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) reproduction, The

The SGS-LTER research site was established in 1980 by researchers at Colorado State University as part of a network of long-term research sites within the US LTER Network, supported by the National Science Foundation. Scientists within the Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, and Biology Department at CSU, California State Fullerton, USDA Agricultural Research Service, University of Northern Colorado, and the University of Wyoming, among others, have contributed to our understanding of the structure and functions of the shortgrass steppe and other diverse ecosystems across the network while maintaining a common mission and sharing expertise, data and infrastructure.Food, competition, and predation dictate habitat use (Schmutz et al. 1991) and ultimately reproduction. Avian reproduction is frequently food-limited (Wellicome 2000), and predation is the primary cause of nest failure (Martin 1993). Selection of prey and habitat features which minimize these effects should therefore enhance reproduction. We examined this issue using the Burrowing Owl, a declining species of the Great Plains

Dale Goble as a Builder of Bridges

Ecological scientists and legal scholars think and talk in different ways. The “gulf of mutual incomprehension” that results can impede efforts to address shared problems. Dale Goble bridged this gulf by teaming with ecologists to interpret the Endangered Species Act and develop the concept of conservation-reliant species—species that require ongoing, long-term management to address the factors that threaten them. Most imperiled species are conservation reliant and conservation resources are limited. Meeting the long-term needs of conservation-reliant species will require the blending of ecological science, societal context, and law that Dale Goble has long promoted

Can Shrub Cover Increase Predation Risk for a Desert Rodent?

Previous research indicates that predation risk may influence activity patterns, habitat partitioning, and community structure of nocturnal desert rodents. Shrub microhabitat is typically considered safer than open microhabitat for these small mammals. We investigated predation risk for Townsend\u27s ground squirrels (Spermophilus townsendii), which are diurnal desert rodents that detect predators visually and use burrows for refuge. Our results suggested that shrub cover may increase risk for these squirrels by decreasing their ability to escape from predators. Our field experiment indicated that running speeds of juvenile squirrels were lower in shrub (Ceratoides lanata) habitat than in open areas. Shrub cover was also associated with shorter predator-detection distances (mammalian and avian) and fewer refuges (burrow entrances per hectare) than in open areas in one year but not in another. Our study demonstrated that the visual and locomotive obstruction of vegetative cover may increase predation risk for diurnal desert rodents and that elements of habitat-dependent risk may be temporally dynamic

Comparative Analysis of Monitoring Devices for Particulate Content in Exhaust Gases

The installation and operation of continuous particulate emission monitors in industrial processes has become well developed and common practice in industrial stacks and ducts over the past 30 years, reflecting regulatory monitoring requirements. Continuous emissions monitoring equipment is installed not only for regulatory compliance, but also for the monitoring of plant performance, calculation of emissions inventories and compilation of environmental impact assessments. Particulate matter (PM) entrained in flue gases is produced by the combustion of fuels or wastes. The size and quantity of particles released depends on the type of fuel and the design of the plant. The present work provides an overview of the main industrial emission sources, a description of the main types of monitoring systems offered by manufacturers and a comparative analysis of the currently available technologies for measuring dust releases to atmosphere