Nebraska Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit: Annual Reports

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit—USGS: REPORT OF ACTIVITIES October 2010 – October 2011

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 07:23:35 PDT

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1

PERSONNEL AND COOPERATORS ...................................................................... 2

Unit Personnel ............................................................................. 2

Coordinating Committee Members .............................................................. 4

Cooperators ............................................................................... 5

MILESTONES ...................................................................................... 8

THESES AND DISSERTATIONS ......................................................................... 8

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS ........................................................................ 9

OUTREACH ACTIVITIES ............................................................................. 10

RESEARCH PROJECTS............................................................................... 11

Adaptive Management for the Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan ........................................ 12

Angler Behavior in Response to Management Actions on Nebraska Reservoirs ........................... 13

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Program ................................................ 15

Assessing Local and Landscape Constraints on Habitat Management for Upland Birds..................... 16

Assessing the Relationship between Stable Isotopes and Grassland Bird Productivity on Great Plains National Park Service Properties ....................................................................... 17

Cross–Scale Structure and Scale Breaks in Complex Systems ......................................... 18

The Effect of Common Reed on River Otter Habitat Use ............................................. 19

The Effects of Altered Stopover Habitat on Resource Availability, Habitat Selection, and Stopover Behaviors... 20

Estimating North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) Population Size Using DNA from Scat ............ 21

Evaluating the Benefits of Higher Diversity CRP Plantings for At-Risk Species ............................ 22

Influence of Trout Stocking on Tier I/II Fishes ..................................................... 23

Making Adaptive Management Meaningful: Translating Science Learning into Policy Decision-Making........ 24

Missouri River Mitigation: Implementation of Amphibian Monitoring and Adaptive Management for Wetland Restoration Evaluation ................................................................... 25

Monitoring, Mapping, Risk Assessment, and Management of Invasive Species in Nebraska ................. 26

Population Assessment of Channel Catfish in Nebraska ............................................. 27

Recruitment of Walleye and White Bass in Irrigation Reservoirs ...................................... 28

The Relationship between Diversity and Ecological Functions ........................................ 29

River Otter Home Range and Habitat Use ........................................................ 30

Scenarios of Climate Change and Land Use Change and Biological Invasions in the High Plains .............. 31

SE Prairies Biologically Unique Landscape and Sandstone Prairies BUL Research .......................... 32

Wetland Condition Assessment ................................................................ 33

Wind and Wildlife Project ................................................................... 34

OTHER AFFILIATED RESEARCH PROJECTS ............................................................... 35

Quantifying Uncertainty in Missouri River Adaptive Management Processes ............................ 35

Subsurface Investigation for Eolin and Interdune Deposits near Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge ....... 36

Total Vegetation Control on Sandbars along the Missouri River Utilizing Lime and Herbicides ............... 37

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES .......................................................................... 38

Teaching ................................................................................ 38

Graduate Committee Service................................................................. 38

Professional and Faculty Service ............................................................... 39

Other Professional Service ................................................................... 39

Training Assistance, Workshops and Outreach Activities ............................................ 40

Peer-Reviewed Publications ................................................................. 42

Presentations at Scientific Meetings ............................................................ 44

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Report of Activities July 2004 – October 2006

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 13:00:29 PST

Contents
Personnel and Cooperators . 1
Coordinating Committee Members. 1
Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Staff . 1
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Faculty Cooperators. 2
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Cooperators. 2
Federal Agency Cooperators . 2
State Agency Cooperators . 2
Private Sector Cooperators . 3
Other Faculty Cooperators . 3
Graduate Degree Candidates . 3
Post-Doctoral Research Associates . 4
Research Technicians. 4
Federal Work-Study Students . 4
Other Cooperative Unit Staff . 4
Projects in Fisheries Science. 5
Projects in Wildlife Science. 11
Teaching . 23
Training and Workshops . 25
Professional Activities. 27
Peer-Reviewed Publications . 27
Presentations at Scientific Meetings. 29
Graduate Committee Service . 34
Professional and Faculty Service . 34
Professional Awards. 34

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit—USGS: REPORT OF ACTIVITIES October 2007 – October 2008

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:58:33 PST

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . 1
PERSONNEL AND COOPERATORS . 3
Unit Personnel . 3
Coordinating Committee Members . 5
Cooperators. 6
MILESTONES . 9
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS . 10
THESES AND DISERTATIONS . 10
PROJECTS IN FISHERY SCIENCE . 13
Geographic Trends in Contamination of Nebraska’s Surface Waters as Indexed by Sex Steroids of Common Carp . 15
Impact of White Perch on Walleye at Branched Oak and Pawnee Reservoirs . 16
Population Assessment of Channel Catfish in Nebraska . 17
Predators of White Perch at Branched Oak and Pawnee Reservoirs . 18
Recruitment of Walleye and White Bass in Irrigation Reservoirs . 19
OTHER RESEARCH IN FISHERY SCIENCE . 20
Multi-Criteria Assessment of Habitat Restoration for the Missouri River . 20
PROJECTS IN WILDLIFE SCIENCE .23
Assessing the Relationship between Stable Isotopes and Grassland Bird Productivity on Great Plains National Park Service Properties . 25
Cross Scale Structure and Scale Breaks in Complex Systems . 26
Evaluation of the Nebraska Landowner Incentives Program for Species at Risk . 27
Monitoring, Mapping and Risk Assessment for Non-Indigenous Invasive Species in Nebraska . 28
The Relationship between Diversity and Ecological Functions . 29
River Otter Home Range and Habitat Use . 30
Southeast Prairies and Sandstone Prairies Research. 31
Spatial Relations Between Amphibian Occurrence and Diversity and Landscapes . 32
Spatial Risk Assessment of Invasive Species Impacts on Native Species in Nebraska . 33
Understanding Invasions and Extinctions . 34
OTHER RESEARCH IN WILDLIFE SCIENCE . 35
An Adaptive Management Approach for Selecting Habitat Improvement Targets in the Shortgrass Prairie Ecosystem . 35
Individual-Based Models to Predict the Spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in Nebraska . 36
Productivity and Biology of Ducks Nesting in the Sandhills of Nebraska . 37
Stable Isotope Determination in Deer and Mountain Lion Tissue . 38
Total Vegetation Control on Sandbars along the Missouri River Utilizing Lime and Herbicides . 39
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES . 41
Teaching . 41
Training and Workshops . 41
Peer-Reviewed Publications . 42
Presentations at Scientific Meetings . 43
Graduate Committee Service . 44
Professional and Faculty Service . 44

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit—USGS: REPORT OF ACTIVITIES October 2008 – October 2009

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:56:09 PST

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .. 1
PERSONNEL AND COOPERATORS . 2
Unit Personnel .. 2
Coordinating Committee Members . 4
Cooperators .. 5
MILESTONES .. 7
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS .. 8
THESES AND DISERTATIONS .. 8
PROJECTS IN FISHERY SCIENCE . 9
Angler Behavior in Response to Management Actions on Nebraska Reservoirs . 10
Geographic Trends in Contamination of Nebraska’s Surface Waters as Indexed by Sex Steroids of Common Carp .. 11
Impact of White Perch on Walleye at Branched Oak and Pawnee Reservoirs . 12
Latitudinal Influence on Age Estimation of Bluegill . 13
Predators of White Perch at Branched Oak and Pawnee Reservoirs . 14
Population Assessment of Channel Catfish in Nebraska . 15
Recruitment of Walleye and White Bass in Irrigation Reservoirs . 16
PROJECTS IN WILDLIFE SCIENCE . 17
Assessing the Relationship between Stable Isotopes and Grassland Bird Productivity on Great Plains National Park Service Properties . 18
Climate Change as a Challenge to Bird Conservation in Arid and Semi-arid Regions of North America . 19
Cross–Scale Structure and Scale Breaks in Complex Systems . 20
The Effect of Common Reed on River Otter Habitat Use . 21
Identifying Socio-Ecological Factors Determining Invasions and Extinctions . 22
Missouri River Mitigation: Implementation and Adaptive Management for Wetland Restoration Evaluation . 23
Monitoring, Mapping and Risk Assessment for Non-Indigenous Invasive Species in Nebraska . 24
The Relationship between Diversity and Ecological Functions . 25
River Otter Home Range and Habitat Use . 26
Southeast Prairies BUL and Sandstone Prairies BUL Research . 27
Spatial Risk Assessment of Invasive Species Impacts on Native Species in Nebraska . 28
Understanding Invasions and Extinctions . 29
OTHER AFFILIATED RESEARCH PROJECTS . 30
Multi-Criteria Assessment of Habitat Restoration for the Missouri River . 30
Productivity and Biology of Ducks Nesting in the Sandhills of Nebraska . 30
Quantifying Uncertainty in Missouri River Adaptive Management Processes . 31
Stable Isotope Determination in Deer and Mountain Lion Tissue . 32
Total Vegetation Control on Sandbars along the Missouri River Utilizing Lime and Herbicides . 32
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES .. 33
Teaching .. 33
Training and Workshops .. 33
Peer-Reviewed Publications . 33
Presentations at Scientific Meetings . 35
Graduate Committee Service . 37
Professional and Faculty Service . 37

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit—USGS: REPORT OF ACTIVITIES October 2009 – October 2010

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:53:12 PST

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .. 1
PERSONNEL AND COOPERATORS .. 2
Unit Personnel .. 2
Coordinating Committee Members . 4
Cooperators .. 5
MILESTONES .. 8
GOLDEN PILLAR AWARD .. 9
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS .. 11
THESES AND DISERTATIONS .. 11
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES .. 12
RESEARCH PROJECTS.. 13
Angler Behavior in Response to Management Actions on Nebraska Reservoirs . 14
Assessing Local and Landscape Constraints on Habitat Management of Upland Birds . 16
Assessing the Relationship between Stable Isotopes and Grassland Bird Productivity on Great Plains National Park Service Properties .. 17
Avian Conservation in the Prairie Pothole Region: Understanding the Links Between Climate, Ecosystem Processes, Wetland Management, and Bird Communities. 18
Cross–Scale Structure and Scale Breaks in Complex Systems . 19
The Effect of Common Reed on River Otter Habitat Use . 20
Estimating North American River Otter (Lontra Canadensis) Population Size Using DNA from Scat . 21
Making Adaptive Management Meaningful: Translating Science Learning into Policy Decision-Making. 22
Missouri River Mitigation: Implementation and Adaptive Management for Wetland Restoration Evaluation . 23
Monitoring, Mapping and Risk Assessment for Non-Indigenous Invasive Species in Nebraska . 24
Monitoring, Mapping, Risk Assessment and Management of Invasive Species in Nebraska . 25
Platte River Watershed Ecosystems Services on Native and Restored Grasslands. 26
Population Assessment of Channel Catfish in Nebraska . 27
Recruitment of Walleye and White Bass in Irrigation Reservoirs . 28
The Relationship between Diversity and Ecological Functions . 29
River Otter Home Range and Habitat Use . 30
Scenarios of Climate Change and Land Use Change and Biological Invasions in the High Plains . 31
Southeast Prairies BUL and Sandstone Prairies BUL Research . 32
Wetland Condition Assessment . 33
OTHER AFFILIATED RESEARCH PROJECTS . 34
Quantifying Uncertainty in Missouri River Adaptive Management Processes . 34
Total Vegetation Control on Sandbars along the Missouri River Utilizing Lime and Herbicides . 35
USGS Subsurface Investigation for Eolin and Interdune Deposits near Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge . 35
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES .. 36
Teaching .. 36
Training, Workshops and Outreach Activities . 36
Peer-Reviewed Publications .. 37
Presentations at Scientific Meetings . 39
Graduate Committee Service.. 42
Professional and Faculty Service . 42