bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Death Anxiety in Adolescents: The Contributions of Bereavement and Religiosity
Authors: Ens Carla , Bond John B.
Published: September 2007

Possible relationships between bereavement and religiosity to death anxiety levels of adolescents were investigated. Scales measuring religiosity, bereavement, and death anxiety were incorporated into one questionnaire. Two hundred and twenty-six adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 participated in the study based in urban and rural private schools within Manitoba. Females exhibited significantly higher death anxiety levels than did males; differences between the death anxiety levels of adolescents having a no-previous-death-experience death and those who had experienced a familial death were not significant; while religiosity levels were significantly higher for students attending religion-based schools, the relationships between measurements of religiosity and death anxiety were weak. Grief due to bereavement was the major factor in determining death anxiety for the adolescent.
The “Moment of Death”
Authors: Valentine Christine
Published: September 2007

The “moment of death,” once a dominant concept in preparing for a “good death,” has been eclipsed by a focus on the wider concept of the “dying trajectory.” However, findings from interviews with 25 bereaved individuals suggest that dying loved ones' final moments may still be experienced as highly significant in their own right. In some accounts the dying individual's final moments did not feature or made little impression, either because the survivor was not present, or there was no obviously definable moment, or because other, usually medical factors, such as whether to resuscitate the person, took precedence. However, in six cases such moments were constructed as profound, special, and memorable occasions. These constructions are explored in relation to achieving a good death, the dying trajectory as a whole, and making sense of the bereavement experience. Their implications for sociological theories of identity and embodiment are also considered.
Diets of Introduced Predators Using Stable Isotopes and Stomach Contents
Authors: MECKSTROTH ANNE M. , MILES A. KEITH , CHANDRA SUDEEP
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  In a study of predation on ground‐nesting birds at South San Francisco Bay (South Bay), California, USA, we analyzed stomach contents and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to identify commonly consumed prey. We obtained the stomach contents from 206 nonnative red foxes (Vulpes vulpes regalis) collected in the South Bay area and Monterey County during 1995–2001 and from 68 feral cats (Felis silvestris) from the South Bay area during 2001–2002. We determined prey identity, biomass, and frequency, described seasonal diet trends, and derived an Index of Relative Importance. Avian species were the most frequent prey we found in the stomachs of red foxes from South Bay (61%), whereas small rodents were most frequent for red foxes from Monterey County (62%). Small rodents were the most frequent prey we found in feral cats (63%). Carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures for foxes supported stomach content findings. However, isotope results indicated that cats received a majority of their energy from a source other than rodents and outside the natural system, which differed from the stomach content analysis. We demonstrated the utility of both stable isotope and stomach content analyses to establish a more complete understanding of predators' diets. This information aids natural resource managers in planning and evaluating future predator‐removal programs and increases our understanding of the impacts of nonnative foxes and cats on native species.
Pintail and Mallard Survival in California Relative to Habitat, Abundance, and Hunting
Authors: FLESKES JOSEPH P. , YEE JULIE L. , YARRIS GREGORY S. , MILLER MICHAEL R. , CASAZZA MICHAEL L.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  The influence of habitat, waterfowl abundance, and hunting on winter survival of waterfowl is not well understood. We studied late August‐March survival of 163 after‐hatch‐year (AHY) and 128 hatch‐year (HY) female mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) radiotagged in Sacramento Valley (SACV) and 885 AHY female northern pintails (A. acuta) radiotagged throughout the Central Valley of California, USA, relative to flooded habitat (HAB), January abundance of each species (JMAL or JPIN), hunter‐days (HDY), and a hunting pressure index (HPI) that combined these variables. From EARLY (1987–1994) to LATE (1998–2000), HAB increased 39%, JPIN increased 45%, JMAL increased 53%, HDY increased 21%, duck‐hunting season increased from 59 days to 100 days, and the female daily bag limit doubled to 2 for mallards but remained 1 for pintails. Survival (± SE) was greater during LATE versus EARLY for pintails radiotagged in each region (SACV: 93.2 ± 2.1% vs. 87.6 ± 3.0%; Suisun Marsh: 86.6 ± 3.2% vs. 77.0 ± 3.7%; San Joaquin Valley: 86.6 ± 3.1% vs. 76.9 ± 4.1%) but not for SACV mallards (AHY: 70.6 ± 7.2% to 74.4 ± 7.7% vs. 80.1 ± 7.2% to 82.8 ± 5.6%; HY: 48.7 ± 9.1% [1999–2000 only] vs. 63.5 ± 8.8% to 67.6 ± 8.0%). Most pintail (72%) and mallard (91%) deaths were from hunting, and lower HPI and higher JPIN or JMAL were associated with reduced mortality. Increased HAB was associated with reduced winter mortality for pintails but not for SACV mallards. Pintail survival rates that we measured were within the range reported for other North American wintering areas, and during LATE were higher than most, even though our study duration was 68–110 days longer. Winter survival rates of SACV mallards were also within the reported range. However, with higher bag limits and longer seasons, mallard survival during LATE was lower than in most other wintering areas, especially during 1999–2000, when high winds on opening weekend resulted in high hunting mortality. Habitat conservation and favorable agriculture practices helped create a Central Valley wintering environment where natural mortality of mallards and pintails was low and survival varied with hunting mortality. We recommend regulations and habitat management that continue to minimize natural mortality while allowing sustainable harvest at a level that helps maintain strong incentive for management of Central Valley waterfowl habitats, including the large portion that is privately owned.
Space Use, Survival, Movements, and Reproduction of Reintroduced Louisiana Black Bears
Authors: BENSON JOHN F. , CHAMBERLAIN MICHAEL J.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Studies of reintroduced animals are beneficial to evaluate the success of reintroduction programs and to understand factors influencing fitness of reintroduced individuals. The geographic distribution of the federally threatened Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) has been reduced to 3 isolated populations due to habitat loss and excessive harvest. We reintroduced 23 adult female Louisiana black bears and their cubs to east‐central Louisiana, USA, and documented postrelease space use, survival, movements, and reproduction. Individual females used larger home ranges after reintroduction than they had in the source population (P = 0.037). Spring ranges of reintroduced females were smaller than summer, autumn, and annual ranges (all P < 0.09), which did not differ from each other (all P > 0.60). Survival of reintroduced females did not differ between their first (S = 0.933) and second (S = 1.00) year after release or from annual survival of females in the source population (S = 0.964–1.00). Mean straight‐line distance traveled by females from their release sites to the center of established home ranges or last recorded locations was 22.7 km. Six females reproduced after reintroduction and produced 15 cubs. Mean postrelease litter size of parturient reintroduced females (2.5) was similar to reported mean litter size of females in the source population (2.4). Our results suggest that the Louisiana reintroduction program is proceeding favorably; however, future studies should continue to monitor survival and reproduction of reintroduced females in Louisiana. Additional demographic parameters (i.e., cub survival) should be estimated to allow for population viability analysis to determine if the new population is self‐sustaining.
Invertebrate Abundance at Rio Grande Wild Turkey Brood Locations
Authors: RANDEL CHARLES J. , AGUIRRE RAYMOND , PETERSON MARKUS J. , SILVY NOVA J.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT Abundance of Rio Grande wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) has declined in the southeastern Edwards Plateau (EP) of Texas, USA, whereas abundance has remained stable in the northwestern EP. Invertebrates are a critical protein source for poults < 6 weeks posthatch. We collected invertebrates at brood and paired locations in both the stable and declining regions. Our objective was to determine if differences in invertebrate abundance existed in regions typified by declining versus stable Rio Grande wild turkey abundance. We found no difference in invertebrate abundance between brood or paired locations within regions, but invertebrate abundance, whether measured as dry mass or frequency, was greater in the stable region. Decreased invertebrate abundance may have contributed to the decline in Rio Grande wild turkey abundance in the southeastern Edwards Plateau.
Reproduction and Survival of Yellowstone Bison
Authors: FULLER JULIE A. , GARROTT ROBERT A. , WHITE P.J. , AUNE KEITH E. , ROFFE THOMAS J. , RHYAN JACK C.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  The conservation of bison (Bison bison) from near extinction to >4,000 animals in Yellowstone National Park has led to conflict regarding overabundance and potential transmission of brucellosis (Brucella abortus) to cattle. We estimated survival and birth rates from 53 radiocollared adult female bison during 1995–2001, and we used calf:adult (C:A) ratios to estimate reproduction with the combined effects of pregnancy, fetal loss, and neonatal mortality during 1970–1997. Annual survival of adult females was high (0.92; 95% CI = 0.87‐0.95) and constant. Birth rates differed by brucellosis status and age. Birth rates were 0.40 calves per female (95% CI = 0.15‐0.65) for brucellosis‐positive 3 year olds, 0.63 (95% CI = 0.39‐0.87) for individuals testing negative, and 0.10 (95% CI = 0.00‐0.24) for individuals contracting brucellosis that birth year (sero‐converters). Birth rates were 0.64 (95% CI = 0.52‐0.76) for brucellosis‐positive individuals ≥4 years old, 0.81 (95% CI = 0.73‐0.89) for brucellosis‐negative individuals, and 0.22 (95% CI = 0.00‐0.46) for sero‐converters. Spring C:A ratios were negatively correlated with snow pack (β = −0.01 to −0.03, R2 = 0.26‐0.60, P < 0.05). Growth rate was highly elastic to adult survival (0.51), and juvenile survival (0.36) was 3 times more elastic than fecundity (0.12). Simulations suggested brucellosis eradication via vaccination would result in increased birth rates and a 29% increase in population growth (γ = 1.09), possibly leading to more bison movements outside the park. Our results will help park managers evaluate bison population dynamics and explore consequences of management actions and disease control programs.
Possible Generational Effects of Habitat Degradation on Alligator Reproduction
Authors: FUJISAKI IKUKO , RICE KENNETH G. , WOODWARD ALLAN R. , PERCIVAL H. FRANKLIN
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Population decline of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) was observed in Lake Apopka in central Florida, USA, in the early 1980s. This decline was thought to result from adult mortality and nest failure caused by anthropogenic increases in sediment loads, nutrients, and contaminants. Reproductive impairment also was reported. Extensive restoration of marshes associated with Lake Apopka has been conducted, as well as some limited restoration measures on the lake. Monitoring by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) has indicated that the adult alligator population began increasing in the early 1990s. We expected that the previously reported high proportion of complete nest failure (θ0) during the 1980s may have decreased. We collected clutches from alligator nests in Lake Apopka from 1983 to 2003 and from 5 reference areas from 1988 to 1991, and we artificially incubated them. We used a Bayesian framework with Gibbs sampler of Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation to analyze θ0. Estimated θ0 was consistently higher in Lake Apopka compared with reference areas, and the difference in θ0 ranged from 0.19 to 0.56. We conducted change point analysis to identify and test the significance of the change point in θ0 in Lake Apopka between 1983 and 2003, indicating the point of reproductive recovery. The estimated Bayes factor strongly supported the single change point hypothesis against the no change point hypothesis. The major downward shift in θ0 probably occurred in the mid‐1990s, approximately a generation after the major population decline in the 1980s. Furthermore, estimated θ0 values after the change point (0.21) were comparable with those of reference areas (0.07–0.31). These results combined with the monitoring by FFWCC seem to suggest that anthropogenic habitat degradation caused reproductive impairment of adult females and decreases in θ0 occurred with the sexual maturity of a new generation of breeding females. Long‐term monitoring is essential to understand population changes due to habitat restoration. Such information can be used as an input in planning and evaluating restoration activities.
Representation of Landcover Along Breeding Bird Survey Routes in the Northern Plains
Authors: NIEMUTH NEAL D. , DAHL ANN L. , ESTEY MICHAEL E. , LOESCH CHARLES R.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is used extensively to make inferences about populations of many North American bird species and is increasingly being used for avian conservation planning. How well BBS routes represent the landscape is poorly known, even though accuracy of representation could significantly affect inferences made from BBS data. We used digital landcover data to examine how well landcover within 400‐m buffers around BBS routes represented the surrounding landscape (the route neighborhood) for 52 routes in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota and South Dakota. Differences in composition between landcover along BBS routes and the route neighborhood were not statistically significant for upland cover classes. The area of temporary and seasonal wetland basins was accurately represented by BBS routes in our study area, but the area of semipermanent and permanent wetland basins was significantly underrepresented along BBS routes. Number of wetland basins and upland patches was higher along routes. Area of urban, forest, and hay landcover classes was higher along routes, although differences were not statistically significant. Amount of bias in landcover representation was negatively correlated with the proportion of each landcover type in the study area, but bias was not correlated with area of the route neighborhoods. Differences between landcover along BBS routes and the route neighborhood were primarily attributable to increased anthropogenic activity along roads and siting of roads away from relatively large, deep water bodies. Our results suggest that inferences made from BBS data in our study region are likely biased for species that are associated with deeper‐water habitats or are strongly influenced by landscape fragmentation. Inferences made from BBS data for species associated with uplands or shallow wetlands are less likely to be biased because of differences in landcover composition.
Nomograms Aid Interpretation of Complex Regression Models
Authors: GITZEN ROBERT A. , MILLSPAUGH JOSHUA J.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Ecologists often develop complex regression models that include multiple categorical and continuous variables, interactions among predictors, and nonlinear relationships between the response and predictor variables. Nomograms, which are graphical devices for presenting mathematical functions and calculating output values, can aid biologists in interpreting and presenting these complex models. To illustrate benefits of nomograms, we developed a logistic regression model of elk (Cervus elaphus) resource selection. With this model, we demonstrated how a nomogram helps scientists and managers interpret interactions among variables, compare the relative biological importance of variables, and examine predicted shapes of relationships (e.g., linear vs. nonlinear) between response and predictor variables. Although our example focused on logistic regression, nomograms are equally useful for other linear and nonlinear models. Regardless of the approach used for model development, nomograms and other graphical summaries can help scientists and managers develop, interpret, and apply statistical models.
Does Management for Duck Productivity Affect Songbird Nesting Success?
Authors: KOPER NICOLA , SCHMIEGELOW FIONA K. A.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Habitat management for ducks has significantly influenced prairies and wetlands used by other species. However, the effects of management on other species have not been clearly assessed. We present the first study to compare the nesting success of ducks with the productivity of coexisting passerines. We evaluated effects of cattle grazing, subdivision of fields, habitat edges, year, and vegetation structure on duck and songbird nesting success in 32 mixed‐grass prairie fields in southern Alberta, Canada. Duck and songbird nesting success were not correlated. Duck nesting success was influenced by timing of grazing and vegetation structure, and tended to be higher in wetter years, whereas nesting success of most songbirds was not influenced by vegetation structure or grazing, and was sometimes higher in drier years. Local habitat management for ducks cannot be assumed to benefit songbirds. However, some management strategies, such as those that promote tall grass and short litter, might benefit both taxa.
Evaluation of Accuracy and Precision of Downing Population Reconstruction
Authors: DAVIS MICHELLE L. , BERKSON JIM , STEFFEN DAVID , TILTON MARY K.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Downing population reconstruction uses harvest‐by‐age data and backward addition of cohorts to estimate minimum population size over time. Although this technique is currently being used for management of black bear (Ursus americanus) and white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations, it had not undergone a rigorous evaluation of accuracy. We used computer simulations to evaluate the impacts of collapsing age classes and violating the assumptions of this technique on population reconstruction estimates and trends. Changes in harvest rate or survival over time affected accuracy of reconstructed population estimates and trends. The technique was quite robust to collapsing age classes as far as 3+ for bears and deer. This method would be suitable for estimating population growth rate (λ) for populations experiencing no trend in harvest rate or natural mortality rate over time. Our evaluation showed Downing population reconstruction to be a potentially valuable tool for managing harvested species with high harvest rates and low natural mortality, with possible application to black bear and white‐tailed deer populations.
Effects of Traffic on Elk Use of Wildlife Underpasses in Arizona
Authors: GAGNON JEFFREY W. , THEIMER TAD C. , DODD NORRIS L. , MANZO AMANDA L. , SCHWEINSBURG RAYMOND E.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  We used video surveillance at 4 wildlife underpasses along 27 km of Arizona State Route 260, USA, to monitor elk (Cervus elaphus) responses to traffic volume and traffic type during underpass use. Passage rates at the highest traffic category (>10–27 vehicles/min) were not lower than passage rates when no vehicles were present, whereas passage rates at low, intermittent traffic volume (>0–1 vehicles/min) were 15% lower. Once elk entered an underpass, semi‐trailer trucks were 4 times more likely than passenger vehicles to cause flight behavior when traffic levels were intermittent versus when traffic was continuous. Overall, traffic volumes of >10–27 vehicles per minute did not decrease the effectiveness of wildlife underpasses as a means of mitigating elk population subdivision. However, if flight away from underpasses at intermediate traffic levels causes elk to cross the highway at other points and thereby increases the potential for costly elk‐vehicle collisions, we recommend that managers consider measures to reduce traffic noise and visual stimuli, especially those caused by semi‐trailer trucks.
Bighorn Sheep Response to Road‐Related Disturbances in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Authors: KELLER BARBARA J. , BENDER LOUIS C.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) use of Sheep Lakes mineral site, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA, has decreased since 1996. Officials were concerned that human disturbance may have been contributing to this decline in use. We evaluated effects of vehicular traffic and other road‐related disturbance on bighorn use of Sheep Lakes in the summers of 2002 and 2003. We found that the time and number of attempts required by bighorn to reach Sheep Lakes was positively related to the number of vehicles and people present at Sheep Lakes. Further, the number of bighorn individuals and groups attempting to visit Sheep Lakes were negatively affected by disturbance associated with the site. The number of vehicles recorded the hour before bighorn tried to access Sheep Lakes best predicted an animal's failure to cross Fall River Road and reach Sheep Lakes. We conclude that human and road‐related disturbance at Sheep Lakes negatively affected bighorn use of the mineral site. Because Sheep Lakes may be important for bighorn sheep, especially for lamb production and survival, the negative influence of disturbance may compromise health and productivity of the Mummy Range bighorn sheep.
Moose Movement Rates Along Highways and Crossing Probability Models
Authors: DUSSAULT CHRISTIAN , OUELLET JEAN‐PIERRE , LAURIAN CATHERINE , COURTOIS RÉHAUME , POULIN MARIUS , BRETON LAURIER
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  We developed and validated a density‐adjusted spatial model to predict moose (Alces alces) highway‐crossing probability to see if the model could be used as an index of moose‐vehicle collision risk. We installed Global Positioning System telemetry collars on 47 moose in the north of the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, Québec, for 2–36 months. We recorded only 84 highway crossings in spring (0.29% of 28,967 2‐hr steps) and 122 crossings in summer (0.18% of 68,337 2‐hr steps), despite a high sampling effort and having captured moose close to highways. Moose movement rates during movement steps crossing a highway were on average 3 times higher than during the steps preceding or following highway crossing. Paths used by moose when crossing a highway were characterized by a high proportion of food stands, low proportion of lakes and rivers, and topography typical of a valley. Highway‐crossing sites were located in valleys with brackish pools and forest stands providing coniferous cover but a low proportion of lakes and rivers. We adjusted moose crossing probability for local variation in moose density using aerial survey data and assessed crossing probability along the highways in the entire Laurentides Wildlife Reserve. We tested the model using moose‐vehicle accident data from 1990 to 2002. The relationship between the density‐adjusted crossing probability and number of accidents was relatively loose at the 1‐km scale but improved markedly when using longer highway sections (5–15 km; r > 0.80). Our results demonstrate that roads and their surroundings are perceived as low‐quality habitat by moose. We also conclude that road segments installed along secondary valleys could be a highly strategic site to deploy mitigation measures such as fences and that it could be desirable to increase the width of road shoulders to reduce forest cover and to eliminate brackish pools to reduce cervid‐vehicle collisions. We suggest using empirical data such as location of vehicle‐wildlife collisions to plan mitigation measures at a fine scale.
Data‐Mining Discovery of Pattern and Process in Ecological Systems
Authors: HOCHACHKA WESLEY M. , CARUANA RICH , FINK DANIEL , MUNSON ART , RIEDEWALD MIREK , SOROKINA DARIA , KELLING STEVE
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT Most ecologists use statistical methods as their main analytical tools when analyzing data to identify relationships between a response and a set of predictors; thus, they treat all analyses as hypothesis tests or exercises in parameter estimation. However, little or no prior knowledge about a system can lead to creation of a statistical model or models that do not accurately describe major sources of variation in the response variable. We suggest that under such circumstances data mining is more appropriate for analysis. In this paper we 1) present the distinctions between data‐mining (usually exploratory) analyses and parametric statistical (confirmatory) analyses, 2) illustrate 3 strengths of data‐mining tools for generating hypotheses from data, and 3) suggest useful ways in which data mining and statistical analyses can be integrated into a thorough analysis of data to facilitate rapid creation of accurate models and to guide further research.
Fine‐Scale Analysis of Mount Graham Red Squirrel Habitat Following Disturbance
Authors: WOOD DAVID J. A. , DRAKE SAM , RUSHTON STEVE P. , RAUTENKRANZ DOUG , LURZ PETER W. W. , KOPROWSKI JOHN L.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT Habitat destruction and degradation are major factors in reducing abundance, placing populations and species in jeopardy. Monitoring changes to habitat and identifying locations of habitat for a species, after disturbance, can assist mitigation of the effects of human‐caused or ‐amplified habitat disturbance. Like many areas in the western United States, the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona, USA, have suffered catastrophic fire and large‐scale insect outbreaks in the last decade. The federally endangered Mt. Graham red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis) is only found in the Pinaleño Mountains, and to assess effects of forest disturbance on habitat we modeled their potential habitat by identifying characteristics of cover surrounding their centrally defended middens. We classified high‐spatial resolution satellite imagery into ground cover classes, and we used logistic regression to determine areas used by squirrels. We also used known midden locations in conjunction with slope, elevation, and aspect to create a predictive habitat map. Squirrels selected areas of denser forest with higher seedfall for midden sites. Among active middens, those in the densest and least damaged forests were occupied in more seasons than those in more fragmented and damaged areas. The future conservation of red squirrels and the return of healthy mature forests to the Pinaleño Mountains will rely on preservation of mixed conifer zones of the mountain and active restoration of spruce‐fir forests to return them to squirrel habitat. Our ability to evaluate the spectrum of fine‐ to coarse‐scale disturbance effects (individual tree mortality to area wide boundaries of a disturbance) with high‐resolution satellite imagery shows the utility of this technique for monitoring future disturbances to habitat of imperiled species.
Success of Delayed Translocation of Loggerhead Turtle Nests
Authors: ABELLA E. , MARCO A. , LÓPEZ‐JURADO L. F.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Sea turtle embryo mortality in natural nests due to environmental and anthropogenic factors can be very high. To increase hatching success of these endangered species, nest translocation to hatcheries immediately after egg‐laying is a common management tool. To test the viability of delayed translocation, we moved 50 loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests to a beach hatchery after various times (0–96 hr) after egg‐laying at Boavista Island (Republic of Cabo Verde, western Africa). We transported eggs in a rigid plastic container, being careful to maintain their original vertical orientation. Delayed translocation times of 0 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 84 hours, or 96 hours after egg‐laying did not have any effect on hatching success, incubation period, or hatchling size and mass. Delayed translocation slightly increased the duration of the translocation process because of extra precautions taken (e.g., maintaining axial orientation, protecting eggs from mechanical shocks). We conclude that delayed nest translocation can be done in a safe and effective way, thereby increasing the efficiency of the whole monitoring program. Finally, delayed translocation, accompanied by an evaluation of fertility, would seem to permit the removal of undeveloped eggs and to facilitate their subsequent exploitation by local communities without affecting turtle nesting success.
Seasonal Habitat Associations of the Wolverine in Central Idaho
Authors: COPELAND JEFFREY P. , PEEK JAMES M. , GROVES CRAIG R. , MELQUIST WAYNE E. , MCKELVEY KEVIN S. , MCDANIEL GREGORY W. , LONG CLINTON D. , HARRIS CHARLES E.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Although understanding habitat relationships remains fundamental to guiding wildlife management, these basic prerequisites remain vague and largely unstudied for the wolverine. Currently, a study of wolverine ecology conducted in Montana, USA, in the 1970s is the sole source of information on habitat requirements of wolverines in the conterminous United States. The Montana study and studies conducted in Canada and Alaska report varying degrees of seasonal differences in wolverine habitat use. This article provides an empirical assessment of seasonal wolverine habitat use by 15 wolverines (Gulo gulo) radiotracked in central Idaho, USA, in 1992–1996. We controlled for radiotelemetry error by describing the probability of each location being in a habitat cover type, producing a vector of cover type probabilities suited for resource selection analysis within a logistic regression framework. We identified variables that were important to presence of wolverines based on their strength (significance) and consistency (variability in coeff. sign) across all possible logistic regression models containing 9 habitat cover types and 3 topographic variables. We selected seasonal habitat models that incorporated those variables that were strong and consistent, producing a subset of potential models. We then ranked the models in this subset based on Akaike's Information Criterion and goodness‐of‐fit. Wolverines used modestly higher elevations in summer versus winter, and they shifted use of cover types from whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) in summer to lower elevation Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziezii) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) communities in winter. Elevation explained use of habitat better than any other variable in both summer and winter. Grass and shrub habitats and slope also had explanatory power. Wolverines preferred northerly aspects, had no attraction to or avoidance of trails during summer, and avoided roads and ungulate winter range. These findings improve our understanding of wolverine presence by demonstrating the importance of high‐elevation subalpine habitats to central Idaho wolverines.
Coyote Abundance, Sheep Predation, and Wild Prey Correlates Illuminate Mediterranean Trophic Dynamics
Authors: SACKS BENJAMIN N. , NEALE JENNIFER C. C.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Sheep predation by coyotes (Canis latrans) is a major problem for sheep producers in North America. Solutions are facilitated by a basic understanding of the trophic dynamic context of this problem, one that likely varies geographically in important qualitative ways. Little is known about vertebrate trophic dynamics in Mediterranean ecosystems, where prey are diverse and their biomass is strongly influenced multi‐annually by variable rainfall. We used long‐term data sets from north‐coastal California, USA, to investigate whether wild prey fluctuations caused immediate negative effects on sheep predation via a reduction in the coyote functional response or delayed positive effects on sheep predation via a numerical response by coyote predators. Because we could not measure prey biomass directly, we used variables associated with lower trophic levels (e.g., annual plant productivity, vole abundance, rainfall) as proxies for wild prey biomass. Coyote population growth rate was positively correlated with lower‐trophic‐level variables of the previous year, suggesting a numerical response, and sheep (ad F + lambs) predation was positively correlated with coyote abundance in the current year. Sheep predation also was negatively correlated with lower‐trophic‐level variables of the current year, suggesting an immediate buffering effect of wild prey on sheep predation. Together, coyote abundance and lower‐trophic‐level variables explained 47% of the multi‐annual variation in sheep kills. The negative pathway between lower‐trophic‐level variables and sheep predation was stronger than the positive pathway, possibly due to the erratic nature of multi‐annual fluctuations in lower‐trophic‐level variables, which could prevent the numerical response from reaching its full potential. Monthly analyses revealed a type III functional response of coyotes to lambs, which is expected to enhance buffering effects of wild prey on sheep predation. Our findings suggest the dominant effect of wild prey biomass on sheep predation by coyotes in this Mediterranean‐type community is as a buffer.
Exposure of California Condors to Lead From Spent Ammunition
Authors: CADE TOM J.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  The scientific evidence that California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are frequently sickened and killed by lead poisoning from spent ammunition supports the conclusion that current levels of lead exposure are too high to allow reintroduced condors to develop self‐sustaining populations in the wild in Arizona and, by inference, in California. The evidence for lead poisoning and its source comes from the following sorts of data: 1) 18 clinical necropsies revealing high levels of lead in body tissues and (or) presence of lead shotgun pellets and bullet fragments in digestive tracts; 2) moribund condors showing crop paralysis and impending starvation with toxic levels of lead in their blood; 3) widespread lead exposure among free‐flying condors, many with clinically exposed or acute levels; 4) temporal and spatial correlations between big game hunting seasons and elevated lead levels in condors; and 5) lead isotope ratios from exposed condors showing close similarity to isotope ratios of ammunition lead but isotope ratios in less exposed condors being similar to environmental background sources, which are different from ammunition lead. Simple population models reveal harmful demographic impacts of unnatural mortality from lead on population trajectories of reintroduced condors. Recent innovations in the manufacture of nonlead shotgun pellets and bullets with superior ballistics now provide for a simple solution to the problem of lead ingestion by condors, many other species of wildlife, and human beings: substitute nontoxic forms of ammunition for traditional lead‐based ammunition. The substitution of nontoxic ammunition would be highly efficacious for hunting, economically feasible, and the right thing to do.
The Abundance and Distribution of Wolverines in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: LOFROTH ERIC C. , KREBS JOHN
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT The abundance and distribution of carnivores and their habitat are key information needed for status assessment, conservation planning, population management, and assessment of the effects of human development on their habitat and populations. We developed a habitat quality rating system, using existing wolverine (Gulo gulo) distribution, wolverine food, ecosystem mapping, and human development data. We used this and empirically derived estimates of wolverine density to predict wolverine distribution and abundance at a provincial scale. Density estimates for wolverines in high‐quality habitat averaged 6.2 wolverines/1,000 km2(95% CI = 4.2–9.5). We predicted mean densities ranging from 0.3/1,000 km2in rare‐quality habitat to 4.1/1,000 km2in moderate‐quality habitat. Our predicted population estimate for wolverines in British Columbia was 3,530 (95% CI = 2,700‐4,760). We predicted highest densities of wolverines in interior mountainous regions, moderate densities in interior plateau and boreal forest regions, and low densities in mainland coastal regions and drier interior plateaus. We predicted that wolverines would be rare on Vancouver Island, along the outer mainland coast, and in the dry interior forests, and absent from the Queen Charlotte Islands, interior grassland environments, and areas of intensive urban development.
Assessment of the Sustainability of Wolverine Harvest in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: LOFROTH ERIC C. , OTT PETER K.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  Wolverines (Gulo gulo) are distributed across much of northern and western Canada and Alaska, USA, and they extend south into the mountainous western United States. Wolverines occur in most regions of British Columbia, Canada, with the highest population densities occurring in the interior mountainous areas. Wolverine populations in British Columbia have been primarily managed to provide a sustainable harvest for trappers and hunters. We used spatially based population estimates, population vital rate data, and spatially based harvest data to evaluate the sustainability of wolverine harvest (trapping and hunting) from 1985 to 2004. The median annual provincial wolverine harvest from 1985 to 2004 was 172 wolverines per year ( = 174.8), which was less than the median simulated estimate of provincial recruitment (195.9 wolverines/yr; = 209.7). Harvests in individual population units ranged from 0 to 280 over the 20‐year period. Spatially, wolverine harvest was likely to have been unsustainable in 15 of the 71 population units with wolverines, and it was likely to have been sustainable in the remaining population units. Harvest in 5 of the other 56 population units was marginally sustainable and thus of potential management concern. To improve harvest management of wolverines in British Columbia, wildlife managers should focus on improved data collection and monitoring at a provincial scale, and they should work with trappers and hunters at regional scales to address issues specific to individual population units. Further research is required to improve the reliability of wolverine vital rate and population data.
Multiscale Habitat Use by Wolverines in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: KREBS JOHN , LOFROTH ERIC C. , PARFITT IAN
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT Wolverine (Gulo gulo) distribution in British Columbia, Canada, includes multiple‐use lands where human use and resource extraction may influence habitat selection. We evaluated seasonal habitat use by resident adult wolverines using radiotelemetry locations from 2 multiple‐use landscapes in British Columbia. Food, predation risk, and human disturbance hypotheses were considered in logistic regression analyses of used and random landscapes. Male wolverine habitat associations were most supported by the food hypothesis in both summer and winter. Moose (Alces alces) winter ranges, valley bottom forests, and avalanche terrain were positively associated with winter male wolverine use. Habitat use by male wolverines in winter was also negatively associated with helicopter skiing areas in the Columbia Mountains. Habitat associations of females were more complex; combinations of variables supporting food, predation risk, or human disturbance hypotheses were included in most supported models from both summer and winter in both study areas. Females were associated with alpine and avalanche environments where hoary marmot (Marmota caligata) and Columbia ground squirrel (Spermophilus columbianus) prey are found in summer. Roaded and recently logged areas were negatively associated with female wolverines in summer. In the Columbia Mountains, where winter recreation was widespread, females were negatively associated with helicopter and backcountry skiing. Moose winter ranges within rugged landscapes were positively associated with females during winter. Our analysis suggests wolverines were negatively responding to human disturbance within occupied habitat. The population consequences of these functional habitat relationships will require additional focused research. Our spatially explicit models can be used to support conservation planning for resource extraction and tourism industries operating in landscapes occupied by wolverines.
Statistical Versus Biological Hypothesis Testing: Response to Steidl
Authors: SLEEP D.J.H. , DREVER M.C. , NUDDS T.D.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  In spite of the wide use and acceptance of information theoretic approaches in the wildlife sciences, debate continues on the correct use and interpretation of Akaike's Information Criterion as compared to frequentist methods. Misunderstandings as to the fundamental nature of such comparisons continue. Here we agree with Steidl's argument about situation‐specific use of each approach. However, Steidl did not make clear the distinction between statistical and biological hypotheses. Certainly model selection is not statistical, or null, hypothesis testing; importantly, it represents a more effective means to test among competing biological, or research, hypotheses. Employed correctly, it leads to superior strength of inference and reduces the risk that favorite hypotheses are uncritically accepted.
Persistent Controversy in Statistical Approaches in Wildlife Sciences: A Perspective of Students
Authors: BUTCHER JERROD A. , GROCE JULIE E. , LITUMA CHRISTOPHER M. , COCIMANO M. CONSTANZA , SÁNCHEZ‐JOHNSON YARA , CAMPOMIZZI ANDREW J. , POPE THERESA L. , REYNA KELLY S. , KNIPPS ANNA C. S.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  The controversy over the use of null hypothesis statistical testing (NHST) has persisted for decades, yet NHST remains the most widely used statistical approach in wildlife sciences and ecology. A disconnect exists between those opposing NHST and many wildlife scientists and ecologists who conduct and publish research. This disconnect causes confusion and frustration on the part of students. We, as students, offer our perspective on how this issue may be addressed. Our objective is to encourage academic institutions and advisors of undergraduate and graduate students to introduce students to various statistical approaches so we can make well‐informed decisions on the appropriate use of statistical tools in wildlife and ecological research projects. We propose an academic course that introduces students to various statistical approaches (e.g., Bayesian, frequentist, Fisherian, information theory) to build a foundation for critical thinking in applying statistics. We encourage academic advisors to become familiar with the statistical approaches available to wildlife scientists and ecologists and thus decrease bias towards one approach. Null hypothesis statistical testing is likely to persist as the most common statistical analysis tool in wildlife science until academic institutions and student advisors change their approach and emphasize a wider range of statistical methods.
Wolverine Conservation and Management
Authors: RUGGIERO LEONARD F. , MCKELVEY KEVIN S. , AUBRY KEITH B. , COPELAND JEFFREY P. , PLETSCHER DANIEL H. , HORNOCKER MAURICE G.
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT  This Special Section includes 8 peer‐reviewed papers on the wolverine (Gulo gulo) in southern North America. These papers provide new information on current and historical distribution, habitat relations at multiple spatial scales, and interactions with humans. In aggregate, these papers substantially increase our knowledge of wolverine ecology and population dynamics in North America, in many cases replacing previous speculations and informed judgments with empirical information. North American wolverines occur primarily in tundra, taiga, and subalpine environments. These environments become increasingly fragmented at southern latitudes, where wolverine populations occur at low densities and are potentially vulnerable to human‐caused mortality. The combination of highly fragmented habitat, demographic sensitivity to adult mortality, and low population densities make local wolverine populations difficult to monitor and easy to overharvest. Where populations are fragmented, persistence is critically dependent on dispersal between habitat islands. Although dispersal dynamics are poorly understood, high levels of genetic structure observed in both current and historical populations indicate that dispersal between mountain ranges is limited. Wolverine biology remains poorly understood, and many fundamental issues need additional research.
Health Effects of Low Level Radiation: When will We Acknowledge the Reality?
Authors: Cuttler J. M.
Published: September 2007

The 1986 April 26th Chernobyl event was the worst nuclear power accident—it killed 31 people. Its significance was exaggerated immensely because of the pervasive fear of ionizing radiation that has been indoctrinated in all of humanity. In reality, our environment includes radiation from natural sources, varying widely in intensity, to which all living things have adapted. The effect of radiation on organisms is primarily on their damage control biosystem, which prevents, repairs and removes cell damage. Low doses stimulate this system, while high doses inhibit it. So low doses decrease the incidences of cancer and congenital malformations; high doses have the opposite effect. Efforts by radiation protection organizations to lower exposures to (human-made) radiation to as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) provide no benefit. They only create inappropriate fear—barriers to very important applications of nuclear technology in energy production and medicine.
Child Care and Multiculturalism: A Site of Governance Marked by Flexibility and Openness
Authors: Pacini-Ketchabaw Veronica
Published: September 2007

This article explores how child care acts as a zone of governance for immigrant young children, enacted through discourses of multiculturalism implied to be flexible and open. It draws on an analysis of early childhood educators' interpretations and understandings of their own practices when working with racialized young immigrant children and families. It disentangles discourses of sensitivity, tolerance, and acceptance of difference that characterize Canadian multiculturalism, as well as discourses of flexibility presented as a condition for performing acts of sensitivity, acceptance, and tolerance when working with young immigrant children.
W(H)Ither the Early Childhood Teacher: Tensions for Early Childhood Professional Identity between the Policy Landscape and the Politics of Teacher Regulation
Authors: Woodrow Christine
Published: September 2007

Over the last decade teachers, teachers' work and teacher education across all domains of education have been subject to increasing surveillance and regulation. Recent developments in the Australian regulatory context are signalling the emergence of a strengthening bifurcation between prior-to-school and schooling contexts that is forcing a narrowing construction of ‘teaching’ as work that is only undertaken in schooling contexts. This trend seems likely to have serious implications for the professional identity, status and professional preparation of early childhood teachers and the potential to reposition early childhood contexts as marginalised and non-pedagogical spaces. This article traces some recent developments in teacher regulation and locates an analysis of possible implications for the field of early childhood against a backdrop of emerging trends in the early childhood policy landscape. The emerging tensions invite questions about the potential gains and losses should the current trends become entrenched. The article concludes with a consideration of naming and framing as elements of possible action.