Montana State University Library Open Journal Systems
Not a member yet
2608 research outputs found
Sort by
Influence of Boulder Size on Occupancy and Detection of Hoary Marmots (Poster)
Get PDFHoary marmots (Marmota caligata) can be found in boulder fields throughout alpine areas of western Montana, but we know little about their specific habitat requirements. We sought to determine the influence of boulder size on occupancy and detection probability of the hoary marmot during occupancy surveys. We conducted 532 visual occupancy surveys of 147 sites between June and September 2015. We estimated variation in occupancy and detection probability based on four size categories of boulders. We did not detect differences in occupancy of marmots as the size composition of boulders changed. Detection probability was most influenced by medium and large boulders. Probability of detecting a marmot was 38% (95% CI=0.24–0.53) when medium boulders were absent, but decreased to 3% as the proportion of medium boulders increased to 60% (95% CI=0–0.15). Probability of detecting a marmot was 16% when large boulders were absent (95% CI=0.1–0.24) but increased to 92% when just 5% of the site consisted of large boulders (95% CI=0.61–0.99). Accounting for this variation in detection probability with changes in boulder size will be important for designing a long-term monitoring protocol that can produce accurate estimates of occupancy for hoary marmots. A monitoring protocol incorporating key habitat requirements would be valuable for the future management and conservation of a species living in harsh alpine environments where climate change is predicted to occur rapidly
The Association of Lexile Level and Reading Comprehension While Multitasking
Get PDFThe purpose of this study is to provide data to examine the use of cellphones, specifically texting, in relation to reading comprehension, and analyzing the relationship with Lexile scores. The Lexile framework quantifies reading comprehension of the reader and of the text. Initially, 47 participants completed leveled reading comprehension tests, one without texting and one while texting. Students performed 9% worse on reading comprehension while textingcompared to non-texting and performed 6% worse on long-term memory questions on the material while texting. We conclude this is due to increasing the cognitive load by texting. As a follow up, 57 participants texted during both tests, one test at their Lexile and one test at a Lexile 250L lower. Participants performed 56% better on reading comprehension when the material was 250L below their level and 28% better on long-term memory questions. Overall, texting while completing reading comprehension tests had an adverse impact on performance, but decreasing the Lexile led to a statistically significant improvement over what should be expected through just decreasing the Lexile score by decreasing the cognitive load These results identify this relationship for more research and eventually might affect what reading level textbooks are written at to increase comprehension
The Effects of a Large River Impoundment on River Channel Complexity: Implications for Macroinvertebrate Community Structure (Poster)
Get PDFNearly all major rivers are affected by impoundments or other forms of flow regulation. Downstream of dams, river geomorphology is often altered by changes in sediment load and flow regime, which may influence key habitats for biota. Our study examined the impact of Fort Peck Dam on downstream habitat complexity (i.e. proportion of off-channel habitats), and associated macroinvertebrate communities in the Missouri River, MT. We used aerial imagery and GIS software to quantify habitat complexity at four sites between Fort Peck Dam and Lake Sakakawea. Additionally, macroinvertebrates were sampled in the main channel and off-channel habitats in April and July 2015 at the same locations as habitat quantification. Following sampling, macroinvertebrates were taken to the laboratory where they were counted, identified to the lowest practical taxonomic level (usually genus), and measured to the nearest millimeter to estimate biomass using length-mass regressions. Preliminary data indicate that the number and area of off-channel habitats were significantly reduced immediately beneath the dam. Additionally, off-channel habitats contained unique macroinvertebrate communities that had higher abundance and biomass estimates compared to macroinvertebrates in the main-channel. These communities were primarily dominated by oligochaetes and chironomid midges
Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to Develop Physiological Profiles for Bighorn Sheep (Poster)
Get PDFThis study employs new techniques using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to assess the relative health, physiological condition, and reproductive function of wild bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in Montana and Wyoming. Ongoing bighorn studies in Montana and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem are focused on herd attributes and the population dynamics which are affected by disease, climate, habitat and physiology. Indices of herd health and physiological status are typically obtained through expensive and time consuming lab assays and field measurements. Recently, NMR spectroscopy has been used to revolutionize the assessment of human metabolic health, and we expect that there is similar potential for studies of wildlife populations. Using NMR spectroscopy to assess metabolites associated with disease, nutrition and stress may eliminate the need for many traditional assays and techniques used today. NMR can be used to evaluate a large suite of metabolites associated with a variety of physiological functions from as little as 500 uL of serum or plasma. Blood samples from 242 sheep from 13 different herds were collected during the winters of 2013-14 and 2014-15 to develop a comprehensive metabolite panel for bighorn sheep. We have used a recently developed statistical program known as MetaboAnalyst™ to begin to analyze and evaluate differences in NMR metabolic profiles among herds and across the fall-winter season when nutritional and physiological stress is expected to be acute. We will be presenting the results of this preliminary study and discussing the potential for application in wildlife management
Analyzing Climate Data for Wildlife Studies
Get PDFClimate is one of the driving forces affecting wildlife and fisheries. Access to daily data from SNOTEL stations in the mountains and Climatological stations in the valleys provides data on temperature, precipitation and snow that can be interpreted to help understand response to climate variables. Dates of spring and fall green-up, growing degree-days and forage production can be derived. Snow water equivalent (SWE) can be estimated from Climatological stations. Start of snow accumulation, maximum accumulation and date of maximum SWE, and date of melt-out can be determined for each station. Critical temperatures are different for each species and accumulated effect of cold temperatures can be determined from daily minimum temperatures. Long-term trends and annual variations can help explain fluctuation in population, reproduction, predation and mortality. Relationships have been developed relating plant phenology to climatic variables for lilacs (which have been used as a surrogate for estimating growing seasons) and Whitebark Pine. SWE can be related to migration and predation Keetch Byram Drought Index (KBDI) was developed for fire spread analysis but can also be used as an index to soil moisture. Index of Winter Severity (IWS) can be calculated for various areas and species using a combination of SWE, forage production and critical temperatures. Streamflows can be related to SWE, soil moisture, spring precipitation and temperatures
Application of Structured Decision Making to Elk Archery Regulation Decisions in Montana
Get PDFPrior to 2008, 22 hunting districts (HDs) in Montana had limited-draw, either-sex rifle permits, while the archery season was open for either-sex hunting to anyone possessing a general elk license. In addition, an unlimited number of hunters could obtain an either-sex archery elk permit in the 7 Missouri River Breaks HDs, where rifle hunting of bull elk is also limited. In 2008 the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) Commission implemented limited-draw archery regulations in these districts. These regulations have been very controversial since they were implemented. Certain public sectors have argued fervently for changes to these limited regulations in every MFWP season-setting process since 2008, and legislation that would reverse these regulations was introduced and defeated in the last two legislative sessions. In response to the contentious debate on this topic, in 2011 MFWP staff and the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit facilitated a 10-citizen working group composed of landowners, public sporting interests and commercial/fee hunting perspectives. Using a Structured Decision Making (SDM) process, the working group developed a problem statement, fundamental objectives and assessed the performance of multiple archery season options relative to the fundamental objectives to arrive at an elk archery season proposal. In December of 2011 the MFWP Commission used these results as a basis for tentative season proposals that they distributed for wider public input and comment. Here we present the results of the SDM process and the working group proposal, as well as subsequent MFWP Commission action relative to the proposal
A Comparison of Wolf Depredation Sites in Areas With Migratory and Resident Elk
Get PDFAs large carnivores recover in many wilderness areas and mixed-use landscapes, wildlife management agencies must seek ways to minimize private property damage while maintaining viable populations. Although much is known about carnivore-livestock conflicts, drivers of these processes in the Northern Rocky Mountains are still emerging amid the dynamic conditions of recovering predator populations (gray wolves [Canis lupus] and grizzly bears [Ursus arctos horribilis]), declining elk productivity, and the re-distribution of migratory and resident elk subpopulations. There has been little research to date that examines the influence of fine-scale elk distribution and movements on patterns of livestock depredation. In this study, we analyze four years of cattle depredation data, two years of summer and fall wolf predation data (n = 4 wolves), and three years of elk movement data (n= 86 elk) to assess the influence of migratory and resident prey on the location and occurrence of wolf depredations on cattle. Wolves living in migratory elk areas face low densities of their preferred prey in summer, when elk depart for higher elevations inside Yellowstone National Park (YNP), while wolves living in the resident elk area have access to abundant elk year round. Wolves living in both areas have the potential to interact with several thousand head of cattle. We used logistic regression to compare the relative influence of landscape features on the risk of livestock depredation in the migratory and resident elk areas. Locations of wolf-killed cattle showed differences between the migratory elk area and the resident elk area. Depredation sites in the resident elk area were associated with habitats closer to roads and with high elk density, while depredation sites in the migratory elk area were associated with dens, streams, and open habitat away from the forest edge. Our findings indicate that knowledge of ungulate distributions and migration patterns can help understand and predict hotspots of wolf conflict with livestock
Documenting Basline Winter Activity Levels of Bats in Montana with Acoustic Monitoring
Get PDFWe deployed acoustic monitoring stations at 3 locations (Lewis & Clark Caverns, Toeckes Cave, and McDonald Mine) in Montana from January through mid-May, 2011. The goal of this monitoring effort was to document winter base-line activity data to potentially use acoustic monitoring as a surveillance tool for White-nose syndrome (WNS). Each monitoring station was equipped with an Anabat detector, temperature data logger, and solar panel array to allow long-term, remote monitoring. The monitoring stations recorded bat activity (bat passes) and temperature outside of hibernacula. External monitoring minimized potential human disturbance to the hibernating bats or any potential spread of Geomyces destructans, the fungus responsible for WNS. Studies conducted by Bat Conservation International at White-nose syndrome affected hibernacula in the eastern U.S., have shown dramatic increases in activity levels at WNS vs. non-infected WNS sites during the hibernation period. If this pattern also holds true in the western U.S., documenting pre-WNS baseline activity levels may allow for acoustic monitoring as a surveillance tool for potential spread of WNS
Evaluating Bottom-Up and Top-Down Effects on Elk Survival and Recruitment: A Case Study in the Bitterroot Valley
Get PDFUnderstanding the contribution of recruitment rates to overall growth rate in ungulate populations is a fundamental challenge in wildlife management. Ungulate populations with low recruitment rates may result in population level declines over time. In the southern Bitterroot Valley of western Montana, the decline of elk (Cervus elaphus) populations and calf recruitment occurred concurrently with wolf (Canis lupus) recovery. However, a multitude of abiotic, bottom-up and top-down factors likely affect recruitment rates and the relative affects of these factors on elk calf survival rate likely vary temporally throughout the first year. We studied cause-specific mortality of elk calves to understand the role of competing mortality risk on calf recruitment in the East Fork and West Fork of the Bitterroot Valley, Montana. A total of 66 neonatal elk calves were captured in spring 2011 and an additional 31 6-month olds in late November2011. We will analyze survival using a Weibull parametric survival model, and cause-specific mortality using a competing risks framework. Preliminary analyses suggest the potential for competing risks between black bears, mountain lions, and wolves. As the study progresses into the second year, we will evaluate the role of summer range nutritional resources on maternal condition, lactation performance, and calf birth weights and survival. Our study will fill a gap regarding the role of summer vs winter mortality in elk and the role of nutrition in first year survival. The study will complement previous studies on elk population dynamics and inform elk population management following carnivore recovery