To return to the Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference website, go to http://www.midwestfw.org/ The following schedule and room names are subject to change (as of February 1, 2017). Please check back for updates.
Presenters: Presenters for technical presentations are either the primary author (the first name listed in the abstract), or are indicated with an asterisk next to their name. Please note: the conference schedule is hosted by Sched.org which allows you to search within the schedule, and filter the schedule to show sessions only occurring on a certain date or within a track. You can also build your own schedule by creating a free account with Sched.org by selecting "SIGN UP" in the top right corner.
AUTHOR: Angela Kujawa, Grand Valley State University ABSTRACT: American marten (Martes americana) are slender-bodied mesocarnivores in the mustelid family. Across their range, marten have experienced habitat loss and fragmentation due to logging and fire, coupled with overharvesting. These factors led to marten being extirpated from Michigan’s Lower Peninsula (LP) in 1911, with reintroduction efforts beginning in 1985. Marten are commonly considered habitat specialists, associating with old-growth forests with a coniferous component. In Michigan’s Northern LP, marten have been found to utilize areas with large diameter trees, high basal areas and ~70% or greater canopy closure. Although marten are known to inhabit the LP, their range in not fully known. This study aims to determine habitat preferences of known marten populations in the LP to create a habitat suitability model across the Northern LP. Marten locations in the area, that have been collected since 2011 via radio-telemetry and GPS collars, will be used to delineate habitat preferences. These variables will be applied across the Northern LP to obtain a gradient of low to high quality marten habitat. Noninvasive sampling methods will be used to validate the model. A unit of one female’s home range in Michigan’s LP (6.24km2) will be used as the unit of measurement during validation. This study will provide novel research that managers can use to improve degraded habitat and conserve adequate habitat, benefitting Michigan’s marten populations.
AUTHOR: Brennan Dow, UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences ABSTRACT: This ongoing research targets fishery improvement in Milwaukee Harbor through an ecosystem approach that includes an assessment of the diversity and location of existing forage, spawning habitat and development of a layered map that fills knowledge gaps with currently unknown habitat information (spawning and nursery areas, substrate, vegetation, bathymetry, forage, etc.). Both public and more detailed maps suitable for stakeholders designing fish friendly and land to water interfaces are currently being developed. By providing information about harbor habitat conditions to the project's stakeholders (i.e. WIDNR, Harbor District, Milwaukee Estuary AOC) in order to achieve the goals of these organizations, our final product will play an important role in the leading efforts to improve harbor conditions both economically and ecologically. As a result, we are looking for reasonable opportunities to increase diversity and abundance of desirable flora and fauna by supporting and connecting hot spots of biological activity by laying out a series of guidelines that partners can use to guide harbor revitalization efforts and planning documents that will produce the best results for the Milwaukee Estuary.
AUTHOR: Logan Anderson, Morningside College ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the success of the establishment of butterfly habitat on land formerly used as cropland and compare cropland butterfly abundance with butterfly abundance on native upland dry prairies. In June, July and August of 2016 three native tall grass prairies and two croplands restored specifically for butterfly habitat were surveyed using the “Pollard Walk” in Plymouth and Monona counties of western Iowa. Results were compared for total number of butterflies and total number of species detected per hour. Restored croplands had significantly more butterflies detected per hour (p < 0.01); however there was no significant difference in the number of species detected per hour between the two habitat types. In addition, the restored cropland surveys encountered mostly generalist species (e.g. orange sulfurs, red admirals, etc.), while all of the native prairies included regal fritillaries, a species typically found in native dry-mesic to xeric prairies in Iowa. Our results suggest that croplands specifically restored as habitat for butterflies can be successful attractants for many lepidopteran species, especially those considered as generalists. This would include the monarch (Danaus plexippus), a species whose recent decline has been reported in the scientific literature and one we found frequently in the restored butterfly habitat.
AUTHOR: Kevin Carpenter, University of Nebraska - Lincoln ABSTRACT: Reservoirs are subjected to routine fluctuations in water level as a result of natural (e.g., precipitation) or human (e.g., hydropower) related events. Consequences of these water level fluctuations are largely unknown within a social-ecological context, especially within recreational fisheries. Previous ecological research has demonstrated considerable impact throughout the aquatic food web and across multiple trophic levels. Therefore, it is hypothesized that this should also influence angler behavior. Angler behavior may be modified by restricting access (e.g., boat ramps), a change in catch rates, or some combination of social and ecological mechanisms. I will use standardized creel survey and fishery independent information to explore the effects of water level fluctuation on angler behavior across Nebraska reservoirs. The results will leverage our understanding of complex systems and provide insight for effective management and conservation efforts.
AUTHOR: Caleb Artz, Ball State University ABSTRACT: Stream flashiness refers to the ability of a stream to manage varying flow altering events. Flashy streams are characterized by the rapid changes in stream discharge. Less flashy streams maintain steady discharge during these flow events. The Richards- Baker Flashiness index was established to characterize short term changes in a stream that can be quantified over time to observe trends in stream discharge. The objectives of this study were to establish long-term Richards-Baker Flashiness Index values (R-B values) for the West Fork of the White River in Muncie, Indiana. Using methods described by Baker et al. (2004), daily discharge data was obtained from USGS gage station #03347000 and used to calculate R-B values. After R-B values were established the next objective was to analyze and explore the long-term data set for any patterns or trends. Daily R-B values were averaged for each water year (October 1st – September 30th) from 1932-2016. West Fork White River R-B values ranged from 0.18-0.34. Graphically, temporal changes were observed and indicate that stream flashiness is decreasing. Historic changes to an existing White River impoundment could also influence stream flashiness because of its proximity to the USGS gage station. Future studies should be conducted to determine if yearly R-B values have affected the fish community of West Fork White River through Muncie.
AUTHOR: Joseph LaRose, University of Missouri ABSTRACT: North American tallgrass prairies and their obligate inhabitants, which before mechanized agriculture occupied a large swath of central North America, now face the combined challenges of habitat loss and fragmentation. In the Upper Osage Grasslands of Missouri and the southern Central Dissected Plains, several hundred hectares of tallgrass prairie have been restored near tracts of remnant native prairie. To evaluate the effectiveness of prairie reconstructions in restoring grassland invertebrate communities, we used sweep nets and bee bowls to sample two guilds of terrestrial invertebrates: native bees (superfamily Apoidea), and grasshoppers (Acrididae). Remnant prairie sites with adjacent or nearby reconstruction plantings were chosen in order to compare community composition and species richness between the two habitat types. We swept a total of 134 transects at five conservation or natural areas between June and September of 2016. Bee bowls were deployed at 101 of those transects during the three sampling periods. Species richness and community composition were also used to evaluate the effects of reconstruction patch size and age. We hypothesized that grasshopper and bee species richness will be greater in remnant prairies than in reconstructed prairies, and that reconstructions will be characterized by a distinct suite of invertebrate species. These characteristic species are probably more capable of colonization due to above average mobility or their ability to survive in the surrounding matrix. Preliminary results suggest that diversity and abundance trends across prairie type may vary across invertebrate guilds.
AUTHOR: Katelin Goebel, University of Minnesota Twin Cities ABSTRACT: Increasing evidence suggests that acute toxicity to pesticides may be a greater threat to grassland wildlife than habitat loss due to agricultural intensification. In Minnesota, many of the remaining grasslands are highly fragmented and surrounded by row crops, including over 3 million hectares of soybeans. The primary insecticides used to combat soybean aphids in Minnesota’s agricultural region, namely chlorpyrifos, lambda-cyhalothrin, and bifenthrin, have been shown to be highly toxic to non-target organisms such as birds and pollinators. Members of the public and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wildlife managers have observed fewer birds and insects after these insecticides are applied in late summer, raising concerns regarding the impacts of these chemicals on populations of grassland wildlife. However, little is known about the deposition of these chemicals in grasslands in an agricultural matrix under typical application conditions. The objectives of our research project are to assess the direct and indirect exposure risks of grassland birds and their insect food resources to soybean aphid insecticides in Minnesota’s farmland region. Our study sites will be located in southwestern and south-central Minnesota, and sampling will take place during summer 2017. Our research will allow us to inform decision-making by land managers and private landowners so they can better design areas managed for wildlife and grass buffers, thus reducing the impacts of spray drift on grassland wildlife.
AUTHOR: James Hansen, The Ohio State University ABSTRACT: Home range size and survival are not well known for species of secretive marshbirds. Sora and Virginia rails are of particular interest in Ohio because of their status as game birds with relatively liberal harvest regulations. There are no estimates of abundance for sora and Virginia rails in Ohio, and knowledge of home range size and survival is lacking. We equipped 34 sora and 64 Virginia rails with radio-transmitters from May-August 2016. Rails were tracked from the date of capture until they died or departed from the study site. Seventy-three of 98 rails (44 Virginia rail and 29 sora) departed the study area while marsh units were being flooded and drawn down. The mean number of days from initial capture to departure was 9.8 (SD = 8.6). We tracked 28 Sora and 58 Virginia rails over 449 and 1256 exposure days, respectively. Three radio-marked Virginia rails and one sora were found dead, resulting in an approximate daily survival rate of 99.8% for both species. Minimum convex polygons were generated for birds with 15-47 locations. Mean home range size was 1.92 ha (1.78-2.1) for sora and 3.5 ha (0.78-12.6) for Virginia rail. Although mortality was relatively low, small home range sizes suggest rails did not move in response to changing water levels, suggesting that small-scale changes in habitat conditions, such as declining water levels may have caused rails to depart the study site. Some of the departing birds may have been migrants that did not establish home ranges. Rails departed during the first, second, and third National marshbird survey window, revealing that the population was not closed, which creates problems for estimating abundance. Work during the next two breeding seasons will lend greater understanding of population dynamics and habitat management of Sora and Virginia rails in this managed coastal marsh system.
AUTHOR: Brittany Dueker, University of Nebraska - Lincoln ABSTRACT: Juniperus virginiana is a woody invasive species managed primarily with prescribed fire and mechanical/hand cutting. A number of agencies in Nebraska have implemented cost-share programs to address grassland invasion, however these programs have not been assessed. There is concern that they are not meeting the goals of the funding agencies, namely an overall reduction of J. virginiana cover on private lands. The social theory used to structure these programs focuses on supporting landowner goals to improve participation, but this focus doesn’t specifically account for management scale, ecological needs, or funding agency goals. A two-part approach involving an ecological assessment and a landowner survey will allow me to elucidate how the human dimension affects the ecological impact of these programs on a broad scale.
AUTHOR: Jeff Williams, Univeristy of Wiscosin-Stevens Point Wildlife Society ABSTRACT: The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is an important game species in Wisconsin. We trapped and radio-marked male grouse at drumming sites near Tomahawk, Wisconsin as part of a UW- Stevens Point TWS chapter research project. We located radio-marked grouse from April through August 2016 to identify home range sizes. Next, we identified the number of drumming logs within each grouse’s home range. We also identified logs within home ranges that were not being used for drumming. We compared the following variables between used and unused logs: log species, log dimensions, level of decay, surface of the log (moss or bark), and indicators of grouse activity. Our findings can be used to identify potential limiting factors with regard to log characteristics at our study area.
AUTHOR: Zachary Laughlin, Ball State University ABSTRACT: Large Midwestern U.S. rivers were invaded by Silver Carp (Hypophthalmicthys molitrix) during the past several decades. This invasive consumes and potentially alters phytoplankton communities, competes with native fishes, and likely contributed to a shift in functional trophic assemblage structure of native fishes. Recent research suggests that this invasive species affects food web structure by benthic subsidy of a novel food source via fecal matter, potentially increasing fitness of benthic consumers. We tested for effects of Asian carp fecal matter on growth and survival of rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) in mesocosm experiments. One crayfish was added to each of 18 experimental mesocoms. Half of the mesocosms received chironimid larvae as food sources, and the other half received the same mass of Silver Carp fecal matter. Our results provide increased understanding for Silver Carp effects on river ecosystems.
AUTHOR: Eric Bruster, University of Nebraska - Lincoln ABSTRACT: The Black-tailed Prairie Dog has been a staple of the Great Plains, and Nebraska without exception. Currently over 98 percent of the land in Nebraska is privately owned, creating a situation were Prairie Dogs exist on the private lands of an agricultural state. This investigation into the attitudes of Nebraskans towards Prairie Dogs is being completed to answer human dimensions questions related to interaction, knowledge of Prairie Dogs, perceived value of Prairie Dogs, New Environmental Paradigm and demographic questions. Data is being collected by mail survey to include property owners in over 80 Nebraska counties. The results of this survey are expected to show an inverse relationship between rurality and attitude toward Prairie Dogs. Identifying the attitudes and value orientation that Nebraskans have towards Prairie dogs will create a better understanding of the various stakeholder groups and increase the potential for collaborative management within the state
AUTHOR: Sarah Gaughan, University of Nebraska - Omaha ABSTRACT: Invasive species such as Bighead and Silver Carp pose major risks to the Mississippi River Basin including exerting novel selection pressures on native fish species. Hybridization may be one intrinsic method to facilitate this invasion within the Mississippi River Basin. Whole genome sequencing will reveal intrinsic genetic factors which have facilitated hybridization and invasion in the Mississippi River Basin. Population genetic sequencing will identify which genotype is most prevalent across the basin and may provide insight into which native species are the most susceptible to the invasion. Combining biological data, such as total length, and genetic approaches, such as RNA/DNA ratios may help determine which genotype has the highest fitness and therefore poses the greatest threat to native species within the Mississippi River Basin. Ultimately this project will provide novel insights as to how eroding species’ barriers through hybridization facilitated this successful invasion and which native species may be particularly susceptible.
AUTHOR: Christine Ruskamp, University of Nebraska - Lincoln ABSTRACT: Anglers are an important component of a recreational fishery, even being referenced as agents of change. An angler’s mobile nature, driven by a desire to participate in angling, coupled with the seasonality of a year, creates assumed fluctuations in participation at a waterbody. Despite this, there is little understood about angler behavior, especially spatiotemporal participation on patch and ecosystem scales. The aim of my research will be to link angler geographic information (e.g., residence) to angler behavior information among reservoirs. This approach will allow assessment of spatiotemporal patterns and dynamics at multiple scales presumably important for understanding social-ecological relationships within recreational fisheries. I will use on-site interview data collected from anglers at prominent Nebraska reservoirs to construct “anglersheds” or areas of influence for those reservoirs. I will then use demographic information, waterbody information, and catch information to attempt to explain (anticipated) temporal dynamics in anglersheds that occur within and among years. Ultimately, I hope to improve understanding of angler behavior at the landscape level to inform management decisions.
AUTHOR: Hannah Olenik, Bowling Green State University ABSTRACT: Since European settlement, prairie ecosystems have been in decline due to increasing anthropogenic use of these landscapes, principally for cultivation. However, a common feature of cultivated landscapes is the occurrence of remnant natural or near natural vegetation found as linear habitat features along ditches and field margins. Quixotically, given the prevalence of these features, they may actually be the best native vegetation reserve remaining in northwest Ohio. We examined the degree to which these marginal natural vegetation remnants contain and preserve native biodiversity relative to existing reserve areas across northwest Ohio. In the summer of 2016, we collected data from 46 ditches in Wood and Lucas County and 10 sample sites within the Dorr-Irwin Prairie Reserve at the Toledo Metroparks in Ohio. We sampled herbaceous vegetation diversity using point intercept methodology, and vegetation composition/density using Daubenmire Frame and Robel Pole sampling schemes. We found that linear natural vegetation remnants had higher native species richness than reserves, with ditches and field margins containing 46 native species and reserves containing 31 native species. However, reserve sites did contain a significantly higher concentration of native species compared to ditches. Because our study system of ditches and field margins is highly interconnected, our findings can have possible contributions to Meta-population biology, investigating whether reserve areas do serve as sources of native diversity found in, or whether this dendritic system of linear habitat features is autonomous and drives its own diversity. Our data also can contribute to the SLOSS debate, by adding further empirical evidence to long-standing theoretical findings.
[Note: presentation has already been accepted and is on schedule]
AUTHOR: Stephen Jones, South Dakota State University ABSTRACT: The streams of western South Dakota represent the last frontier in terms of relatively undisturbed prairie streams in the United States and have been minimally altered in comparison to the large-scale disturbance seen across the landscape in prairie stream systems in surrounding states. Our objective was to assess the population dynamics of Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus, Flathead Chub Platygobio gracilis, Western Silvery Minnow Hybognathus argyritis, Plains Minnow Hybognathus placitus, and the Sand Shiner Notropis stramineus in five Missouri River tributaries in western South Dakota. A length stratified subsample was collected for each species from each of the five rivers (Grand, Moreau, Cheyenne, Bad, and White rivers). Channel catfish growth was slow and fell around the 5th to 25th percentile in comparison with the national averages. Catch per unit of effort was high compared to other published studies in the region. Residuals from catch curve regressions suggest little recruitment variability. There are several factors likely contributing to the slow growth of these western South Dakota Channel Catfish populations, high densities of juvenile catfish, poor forage due to mostly homogenous sand substrate, habitat homogeneity, and environmental harshness. Further analysis of habitat characteristics, fish assemblage, and the diet of these populations, in conjunction with the population dynamics of the dominant cyprinid species, will give more insight into the mechanisms driving these populations. In the face of continued landuse change, understanding how these populations behave under relatively unaltered conditions will provide valuable knowledge for the further conservation of prairie stream fishes.