Estimates of density, detection probability, and factors influencing detection of burrowing owls in the Mojave Desert
D.E. Crowe, K.M. Longshore
2010, Journal of Raptor Research (44) 1-11
We estimated relative abundance and density of Western Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) at two sites in the Mojave Desert (200304). We made modifications to previously established Burrowing Owl survey techniques for use in desert shrublands and evaluated several factors that might influence the detection of owls. We tested the...
Stress response of brown pelican nestlings to ectoparasite infestation
L.M.F. Eggert, P.G.R. Jodice, K. M. O’Reilly
2010, General and Comparative Endocrinology (166) 33-38
Measurement of corticosterone has become a useful tool for assessing the response of individuals to ecological stressors of interest. Enhanced corticosterone levels can promote survival of stressful events; however, in situations where a stressor persists and corticosterone levels remain elevated, the adrenocortical response can be detrimental. A potential ecological stressor...
The 2009 Samoa-Tonga great earthquake triggered doublet
T. Lay, C.J. Ammon, H. Kanamori, L. Rivera, K.D. Koper, Alexander R. Hutko
2010, Nature (466) 964-968
Great earthquakes (having seismic magnitudes of at least 8) usually involve abrupt sliding of rock masses at a boundary between tectonic plates. Such interplate ruptures produce dynamic and static stress changes that can activate nearby intraplate aftershocks, as is commonly observed in the trench-slope region seaward of a great subduction...
Variation in Lake Michigan alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) thiaminase and fatty acids composition
Dale C. Honeyfield, Donald E. Tillitt, John D. Fitzsimons, Scott B. Brown
2010, Journal of Freshwater Ecology (25) 65-71
Thiaminase activity of alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) is variable across Lake Michigan, yet factors that contribute to the variability in alewife thiaminase activity are unknown. The fatty acid content of Lake Michigan alewife has not been previously reported. Analysis of 53 Lake Michigan alewives found a positive correlation between thiaminase activity...
Upper Cambrian chitons (Mollusca, polyplacophora) from Missouri, USA
J. Pojeta Jr., M.J. Vendrasco, G. Darrough
2010, Bulletins of American Paleontology (2010) 1-88
Numerous new specimens reveal a greater presence of chitons in Upper Cambrian rocks than previously suspected. Evidence is presented showing that the chiton esthete sensory system is present in all chiton species in this study at the very beginning of the known polyplacophoran fossil record. The stratigraphic occurrences and paleobiogeography...
Applying the silver-tube introduction method for thermal conversion elemental analyses and a new δ2H value for NBS 22 oil
Tyler B. Coplen, Haiping Qi
2010, Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry (24) 2269-2276
The δ2HVSMOW–SLAP value of total hydrogen of the international measurement standard NBS 22 oil was determined by a new method of sealing water in silver tubes for use in a thermal conversion elemental analysis (TC/EA) reduction unit. The isotopic fractionation of water due to evaporation is virtually non-existent in this...
Active shoreline of Ontario Lacus, Titan: A morphological study of the lake and its surroundings
S. Wall, A. Hayes, C. Bristow, R. Lorenz, E. Stofan, J. Lunine, Gall A. Le, M. Janssen, R. Lopes, L. Wye, L. Soderblom, P. Paillou, O. Aharonson, H. Zebker, Tom Farr, Giuseppe Mitri, R. Kirk, Ken Mitchell, C. Notarnicola, D. Casarano, B. Ventura
2010, Geophysical Research Letters (37)
Of more than 400 filled lakes now identified on Titan, the first and largest reported in the southern latitudes is Ontario Lacus, which is dark in both infrared and microwave. Here we describe recent observations including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images by Cassini's radar instrument (??= 2 cm) and show...
Post-eruption legacy effects and their implications for long-term recovery of the vegetation on Kasatochi Island, Alaska
Stephen S. Talbot, Sandra Looman Talbot, Lawrence R. Walker
2010, Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research (42) 285-296
We studied the vegetation of Kasatochi Island, central Aleutian Islands, to provide a general field assessment regarding the survival of plants, lichens, and fungi following a destructive volcanic eruption that occurred in 2008. Plant community data were analyzed using multivariate methods to explore the relationship between pre- and post-eruption plant...
Mussel remains from prehistoric salt works, clarke county, Alabama
S.W. McGregor, A.A. Dumas
2010, Southeastern Naturalist (9) 105-118
Archaeological research at salt springs in Clarke County, AL (Tombigbee River drainage), documented bivalve mollusk exploitation by late prehistoric American Indians. A total of 582 valves representing 19 species of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) and an estuarine clam (Mactridae) from the Lower Salt Works Site (ca. A.D. 900-1550) and 41 valve...
Paleomagnetic results from Tertiary volcanic strata and intrusions, Absaroka Volcanic Supergroup, Yellowstone National Park and vicinity: Contributions to the North American apparent polar wander path
S. S. Harlan, L. A. Morgan
2010, Tectonophysics (485) 245-259
We report paleomagnetic and rock magnetic data from volcanic, volcaniclastic, and intrusive rocks of the 55-44Ma Absaroka Volcanic Supergroup (AVS) exposed along the northeastern margin of Yellowstone National Park and adjacent areas. Demagnetization behavior and rock magnetic experiments indicate that the remanence in most samples is carried by low-Ti titanomagnetite,...
A palynological biozonation for the uppermost Santonian and Campanian Stages (Upper Cretaceous) of South Carolina, USA
R. A. Christopher, D.C. Prowell
2010, Cretaceous Research (31) 101-129
Five palynological biozones are proposed for the uppermost Santonian and Campanian Stages of South Carolina. In ascending stratigraphic order, these highest-occurrence interval zones are the Osculapollis vestibulus (Ov) Biozone, the Holkopollenites propinquus (Hp) Biozone, the Holkopollenites forix (Hf) Biozone, the Complexiopollis abditus (Ca) Biozone, and the Osculapollis aequalis (Oa) Biozone....
Mapping elevations of tidal wetland restoration sites in San Francisco Bay: Comparing accuracy of aerial lidar with a singlebeam echosounder
N.D. Athearn, John Y. Takekawa, B. Jaffe, B.J. Hattenbach, A.C. Foxgrover
2010, Journal of Coastal Research (26) 312-319
The southern edge of San Francisco Bay is surrounded by former salt evaporation ponds, where tidal flow has been restricted since the mid to late 1890s. These ponds are now the focus of a large wetland restoration project, and accurate measurement of current pond bathymetry and adjacent mud flats has...
Statistical assessment of DNA extraction reagent lot variability in real-time quantitative PCR
R.N. Bushon, C.M. Kephart, G. F. Koltun, D.S. Francy, F. W. Schaefer III, H.D. Alan Lindquist
2010, Letters in Applied Microbiology (50) 276-282
Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the variability in lots of a DNA extraction kit using real-time PCR assays for Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis and Vibrio cholerae. Methods and Results: Replicate aliquots of three bacteria were processed in duplicate with three different lots of a commercial DNA...
Agricultural wetlands as potential hotspots for mercury bioaccumulation: Experimental evidence using caged fish
Joshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith
2010, Environmental Science & Technology (44) 1451-1457
Wetlands provide numerous ecosystem services, but also can be sources of methylmercury (MeHg) production and export. Rice agricultural wetlands in particular may be important sites for MeHg bioaccumulation due to their worldwide ubiquity, periodic flooding schedules, and high use by wildlife. We assessed MeHg bioaccumulation within agricultural and perennial wetlands...
Space use and habitat selection of migrant and resident American Avocets in San Francisco Bay
Scott A. Demers, John Y. Takekawa, Joshua T. Ackerman, N. Warnock, N.D. Athearn
2010, Condor (112) 511-520
San Francisco Bay is a wintering area for shorebirds, including American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana). Recently, a new resident population of avocets has emerged, presumably because of the development of tidal marshes into salt-evaporation ponds. In habitat restoration now underway, as many as 90% of salt ponds will be restored to...
The influence of maximum magnitude on seismic-hazard estimates in the Central and Eastern United States
C.S. Mueller
2010, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (100) 699-711
I analyze the sensitivity of seismic-hazard estimates in the central and eastern United States (CEUS) to maximum magnitude (mmax) by exercising the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) probabilistic hazard model with several mmax alternatives. Seismicity-based sources control the hazard in most of the CEUS, but data seldom provide an objective basis...
Standards for documenting and monitoring bird reintroduction projects
W.J. Sutherland, D. Armstrong, S.H.M. Butchart, J.M. Earnhardt, J. Ewen, I. Jamieson, C.G. Jones, R. Lee, P. Newbery, J.D. Nichols, K.A. Parker, F. Sarrazin, P.J. Seddon, N. Shah, V. Tatayah
2010, Conservation Letters (3) 229-235
It would be much easier to assess the effectiveness of different reintroduction methods, and so improve the success of reintroductions, if there was greater standardization in documentation of the methods and outcomes. We suggest a series of standards for documenting and monitoring the methods and outcomes associated with reintroduction projects...
Limited evidence of trans-hemispheric movement of avian influenza viruses among contemporary North American shorebird isolates
John M. Pearce, Andrew M. Ramey, S. Ip, Robert E. Gill Jr.
2010, Virus Research (148) 44-50
Migratory routes of gulls, terns, and shorebirds (Charadriiformes) are known to cross hemispheric boundaries and intersect with outbreak areas of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Prior assessments of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) among species of this taxonomic order found some evidence for trans-hemispheric movement of virus genes. To specifically...
Influence of elevated temperature and acid mine drainage on mortality of the crayfish Cambarus bartonii
K.J. Hartman, C.D. Hom, P. M. Mazik
2010, Journal of Freshwater Ecology (25) 19-30
Effects of elevated temperature and acid mine drainage (AMD) on crayfish mortality were investigated in the Stony River, Grant County, West Virginia. During summers 2003 and 2004, four-week in situ bioassays were performed along a thermal and AMD gradient with the native crayfish Cambarus bartonii. Crayfish mortality was analyzed in conjunction with temperature and...
On possible plume-guided seismic waves
B.R. Julian, J.R. Evans
2010, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (100) 497-508
Hypothetical thermal plumes in the Earth's mantle are expected to have low seismic-wave speeds and thus would support the propagation of guided elastic waves analogous to fault-zone guided seismic waves, fiber-optic waves, and acoustic waves in the oceanic SOund Fixing And Ranging channel. Plume-guided waves would be insensitive to geometric...
Identifying sources of stream water sulfate after a summer drought in the Sleepers River watershed (Vermont, USA) using hydrological, chemical, and isotopic techniques
B. Mayer, J. B. Shanley, S.W. Bailey, M.J. Mitchell
2010, Applied Geochemistry (25) 747-754
In many forested headwater catchments, peak SO42 - concentrations in stream water occur in the late summer or fall following drought potentially resulting in episodic stream acidification. The sources of highly elevated stream water SO42 - concentrations were investigated in a first order stream at the Sleepers River watershed (Vermont,...
Empirical evaluation of predator-driven diel vertical migration in Lake Superior
J.D. Stockwell, T.R. Hrabik, O.P. Jensen, D.L. Yule, M. Balge
2010, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (67) 473-485
Recent studies on Lake Superior suggest that diel vertical migration (DVM) of prey (generalized Coregonus spp.) may be influenced by the density of predatory siscowet (Salvelinus namaycush). We empirically evaluated this hypothesis using data from acoustic, midwater trawl, and bottom trawl sampling at eight Lake Superior sites during three seasons...
11-Deoxycortisol is a corticosteroid hormone in the lamprey
D.A. Close, S.-S. Yun, S. D. McCormick, A.J. Wildbill, W. Li
2010, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (107) 13942-13947
Corticosteroid hormones are critical for controlling metabolism, hydromineral balance, and the stress response in vertebrates. Although corticosteroid hormones have been well characterized in most vertebrate groups, the identity of the earliest vertebrate corticosteroid hormone has remained elusive. Here we provide evidence that 11-deoxycortisol is the corticosteroid hormone in the lamprey,...
Land changes and their driving forces in the Southeastern United States
Darrell E. Napton, Roger F. Auch, Rachel Headley, Janis Taylor
2010, Regional Environmental Change (10) 37-53
The ecoregions of the Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain, Southeastern Plains, Piedmont, and Blue Ridge provide a continuum of land cover from the Atlantic Ocean to the highest mountains in the East. From 1973 to 2000, each ecoregion had a unique mosaic of land covers and land cover changes. The forests...
Multi-species occurrence models to evaluate the effects of conservation and management actions
E.F. Zipkin, Royle J. Andrew, D.K. Dawson, S. Bates
2010, Biological Conservation (143) 479-484
Conservation and management actions often have direct and indirect effects on a wide range of species. As such, it is important to evaluate the impacts that such actions may have on both target and non-target species within a region. Understanding how species richness and composition differ as a result of...
