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Best Job in the World
Get PDFBookmobile and Homebound services are combined into one department at our library in Fairbanks. My co-worker Karen and I do it all using that Bookmobile. Our office is lined with shelves that are labelled with the names of each Homebound patron or each Saturday run and they are stacked with a variety of materials we’ve chosen and checked out for each.The office is adjacent to the garage for easy access to the vehicle. My daughter has described us as superhero librarians along the lines of Batman. She imagines that we hear of a bookneed out in the community, look at each other dramatically and say, “To the Bookmobile!” before jumping into our tricked-out arctic wheels to fill the pressing need vanquishing boredom and listlessness everywhere.We work Tuesday through Saturday. On some weekdays, we load carts onto the vehicle with bags of books and other treasure to make individual door-to-door deliveries to Homebound people. On other days we set up mini-libraries in two State Housing Apartment buildings or visit our Pioneer Home, which is a State-run nursing home. We make door-todoor delivery there and also bring a bagful to the Activities Staff so they have something fresh to share with residents who can’t use and acquire their own materials because of Alzheimer’s or Dementia
Mycobacteriosis in a Bull Trout from Hungry Horse Reservoir, Montana
Get PDFAn angler-caught bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) from Hungry Horse Reservoir, MT with noticeably poor condition was examined to reveal liver nodules. Further investigation discovered acid-fast bacteria present in these granulomas making this a unique finding requiring further diagnostics. Molecular diagnostics revealed the infectious agent to be Mycobacterium fortuitum. This is a range and species expansion for this pathogen in fish. Further examination of additional fish from this water body did not reveal cases similar to this one, allowing for the possibility of this being a lone occurrence
Bat Activity in Riverine Stands of Native Plains Cottonwood and Naturalized Russian Olive in Southeastern Montana
Get PDFReplacement of native riverine gallery forests by woody exotics is a significant conservation issue throughout the western United States. Controversy surrounds the management of Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), a small Eurasian tree now naturalized in the west, because its detrimental effects to native vegetation are offset to some degree by resources (food and cover) it provides for some wildlife species. We examined the relative use by bats of plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and Russian olive by measuring bat activity with electronic bat detectors in stands dominated by each plant species (cottonwood: 12, Russian olive: 6) along the Yellowstone and Powder rivers in eastern Montana. Bats were detected in all stands, but activity was greatest in those dominated by cottonwood. Bat activity was also positively correlated with percent canopy cover of cottonwood. Snags and dead limbs, loose bark, and cavities, all important roosting habitat for bats, were most prevalent in cottonwood stands; cavity-making birds (woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees) were also significantly more evident in cottonwoods. We conclude that naturalized Russian olive in the northern Great Plains is inferior riverine habitat for bats relative to native cottonwood gallery forest
Citizen Scientists add to Our Understanding of Bird Populations and Status Across Montana
Get PDFMontana Audubon, our partners, Audubon Chapter members, and bird enthusiasts across the state are increasingly involved in contributing time and talents to understanding bird populations, habitat associations, and trends. Birders contribute sightings to eBird or Tracker, reporting their observations from field excursions and their backyards. This information helps inform Montana Species of Concern listings and influences bird conservation and science priorities in the state and beyond. Montana Audubon also encourages citizen monitoring projects for single species and guilds, from Black Swifts to nightjars. We are now home to the Greater Sage-grouse Adopt-a-Lek program which coordinates citizen scientists to monitor sage-grouse on over 50 breeding leks across Montana every spring. Finally, our Audubon chapters adopt and monitor Important Bird Areas across the state in order to conserve species of conservation concern and their habitats. Find out more about all these volunteer efforts
Predicting Prey Population Dynamics from Kill Rate, Predation Rate and Predator-Prey Ratios in three Wolf-Ungulate Systems
Get PDFPredation rate (PR), kill rate and predator-prey ratios are all thought to be fundamental statistics for understanding and managing predation. However, relatively little is known about how these statistics explain prey population dynamics. We assess these relationships across three systems where wolf–prey dynamics have been observed for 41 years (Isle Royale), 19 years (Banff) and 12 years (Yellowstone). Theoretical simulations indicate that kill rate can be related to PR in a variety of diverse ways that depend on the nature of predator–prey dynamics. These simulations also suggested that the ratio of predator to-prey is a good predictor of prey growth rate. The empirical relationships indicate that PR is not well predicted by kill rate, but is better predicted by the ratio of predator-to-prey. Kill rate is also a poor predictor of prey growth rate. However, PR and predator-prey ratio’s each explained significant portions of variation in prey growth rate for two of the three study sites. Our analyses offer two general insights. First, it remains difficult to judge whether to be more impressed by the similarities or differences among these 3 study areas. Second, our work suggests that kill rate and PR are similarly important for understanding why predation is such a complex process. We conclude with a review of potential management applications of predator-prey ratio’s and the assumptions required to understanding prey population dynamics
Estimation of Sustainable Mortality Thresholds for Grizzly Bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem
Get PDFHabitat management and limits on mortality have led to population growth and sizable range expansion for the federally-listed grizzly bear population in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE), Montana. Human-caused mortality has coincidentally increased, but it is not clear what level of human-caused mortality would cause the population to decline. A record of annual documented mortalities of independent (?2 years old) bears is maintained for the NCDE, from which an estimate of the total number of mortalities is generated. Our goal was to estimate sustainable survival rates for independent bears and to develop realistic thresholds for sustainable mortality, which could be applied to these annual estimates. We estimated survival and recruitment rates using 662 bear-years of telemetry data, performed stochastic modeling, and estimated the annual growth rate as 1.023 and annual population size as 765–960 during 2004–2014. We then evaluated minimum independent survival rates consistent with a stable to increasing trend, and integrated these sustainable rates with model-estimated population size and mean estimates of total annual independent bear mortality to establish mortality thresholds. During 2004–2014, estimates of total annual mortality were highly variable, but averaged 13.8 for females and 16.4 for males. For females and males, respectively, these estimates accounted for only 69% (range 28–168%) and 62% (28–121%) of sustainable mortality thresholds, indicating that approximately 6 and 10 additional annual mortalities could have been sustained without the population declining. Application and periodic reevaluation of mortality thresholds will help managers reach or maintain a target population size for grizzly bears in the NCDE
An Initial Assessment of the Potential of Genomic Analysis to Help Inform Bighorn Sheep Management
Get PDFGenetic research may be a useful approach for understanding factors that could impact productivity and restoration of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) herds. For example, genetic consequences of inbreeding in small populations can impact recruitment and local adaptations can influence translocation success. This modest pilot study quantified genetic attributes of bighorn sheep populations with a range of different herd histories in Montana and Wyoming to investigate genetic similarity and differences, genetic heterogeneity and genetic distance. Employing an Ovine array containing about 700,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with approximately 24,000 markers that are informative for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, we used whole genome genotyping to analyze genetic material. This technique represents a significant advancement in genetic analysis of bighorn sheep, as most previous studies have used microsatellites and less than 200 genetic markers. We analyzed approximately fifteen individuals from each of four different populations that we predicted would differ in genetic characteristics, due to population dissimilarities that potentially impacted their genetics, including origin (native/reintroduced), population size, bottleneck history, degree of connectivity, and augmentation history. We selected four populations that provided a spectrum of these herd attributes, including the Tendoys, Stillwater and Glacier National Park in Montana and the northeastern Greater Yellowstone Area in Wyoming. We present the results of this effort and examine expected and observed heterogeneity and genetic distance estimates to evaluate the potential for links between genetics and herd demography. We discuss the utility of genetic analyses in improving knowledge of bighorn sheep populations and potential implications for bighorn sheep management
Spion Kop Wind Farm: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks New Role in Wind Energy
Get PDFMontana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) has acquired a new role in working with NorthWestern Energy to plan and implement the post construction monitoring (PCM) at Spion Kop Wind Farm, located on the southern slopes of the Highwood Mountains near Geyser, Montana. The objectives of this project are not only to assess the bird and bat fatalities and impacts of habitat loss as a result of construction and operation, but to work together to make a standard for wind energy monitoring in Montana, implementing any further mitigation measures and research as determined by the outcome of the PCM, and eventually making all findings available to the public for reference. Using the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Land-Based Wind Energy Guidelines and Eagle Conservation Plan Guidance, FWP will estimate bird and bat fatalities through conducting formal fatality searches, assess the risk to eagles through standard eagle point counts, monitor all eagle nests within the project area, search for new nests through flight surveys, and monitor species of concern including bat activity, nesting of non-eagle raptors, and sharp-tailed (Tympanuchus phasianellus) grouse leks. Through early PCM work, an active Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nest was discovered just .70 miles away from the nearest wind turbine. This, as well as the challenges realized through pilot fatality searches, has made FWP have to adapt the PCM plan accordingly. Where the project is currently as well as the future goals and objectives are addressed
Evaluating Reproductive Success and Changes in Genetic Diversity of Grizzly Bears in Northwestern Montana
Get PDFCurrent range expansions of large terrestrial carnivores are occurring following anthropogenically-induced range contraction. Contractions are often incomplete, leaving small remnant groups in refugia throughout the former range. We know little about underlying eco-evolutionary processes that influence how remnant groups are affected during range expansion. We used data from a spatially-explicit, long-term genetic sampling effort of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) to identify the processes underlying spatial patterns of genetic diversity. We conducted parentage analysis to evaluate how reproductive success and migration contribute to spatio-temporal patterns of genetic diversity in remnant groups of grizzly bears existing in the southwestern (SW), southeastern (SE), and east-central (EC) regions of the NCDE. Highly skewed reproductive success and local inbreeding caused distinct signatures in remnants that eroded rapidly (~1 generation) during population expansion and migration into the regions. Our results highlight that individual-level genetic and reproductive dynamics play critical roles during genetic assimilation, and show that patterns of genetic distinctiveness on the leading edge of an expansion may result from historical demographic patterns that are highly ephemeral
Linking Landscape-Scale Differences in Forage to Ungulate Nutritional Ecology
Get PDFUnderstanding how habitat and nutritional condition affect ungulate populations is necessary for informing management, particularly in areas experiencing carnivore recovery and declining ungulate population trends. Variations in forage species availability, plant phenological stage, and the abundance of forage make it challenging to understand landscape-level effects of nutrition on ungulates. We developed an integrated spatial modeling approach to estimate landscape-level elk (Cervus elaphus) forage quality in two adjacent study areas that differed in coarse measures of habitat quality and related the consequences of differences in forage quality to elk body condition and pregnancy rates. We found no support for differences in dry matter digestibility between plant samples or in phenological stage based on ground sampling plots in the two study areas. Forage quality, measured as digestible forage biomass, varied among land cover types and between study areas. We found that altered plant composition following fires was the biggest driver of forage quality differences, suggesting that maintaining a mosaic of fire history and distribution will likely benefit ungulate populations. Study area, lactation status and year affected fall body fat of adult female elk. Elk in the study area exposed to lower quality summer range forage had lower nutritional condition entering winter. These differences in nutritional condition resulted in differences in pregnancy rate, with average pregnancy rates of 89% for elk exposed to higher quality forage and 72% for elk exposed to lower quality forage. Summer range forage quality has the potential to limit elk pregnancy rate and calf production, and these nutritional limitations may predispose elk to be more sensitive to the effects of harvest or predation. Wildlife managers should identify ungulate populations that are nutritionally limited and recognize that these populations may be more impacted by recovering carnivores or harvest than populations inhabiting more productive summer habitats