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• 1. [Article] Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California

  Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California Author: Bross, Lesley Crandell Year: 2015 Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to monitor the progress of such projects. This study evaluated the utility of using Landsat Thematic Mapper remotely-sensed data from 2002 and 2009 to monitor vegetation change induced by instream flow restoration to the Lower Owens River in central California. This study compared the results of an unsupervised classification with an NDVI threshold classification to appraise the resources required and effectiveness of each analysis method. The results were inspected by creating standard remote sensing accuracy error matrices and by correlating landscape pattern metrics with bird indicator species. Both sets of classified maps show a noticeable increase in riparian vegetation in the study area following flow restoration in 2006, indicating an improvement of the quality of bird habitat. The study concluded that analyzing vegetation change using the unsupervised classification technique required more effort, expert knowledge, and supplementary data than using the NDVI threshold method. If these prerequisites are met, the output from the unsupervised classification process produces a more precise map of land cover change than the NDVI threshold method. However, if an analyst is lacking either resources or ground verification data, the NDVI threshold technique is capable of providing a generalized, but still valid evaluation of vegetation change. This conclusion is supported by higher correlations between indicator bird species under the unsupervised classification method than were found with the NDVI threshold method. Title: Using Landsat TM Imagery to Monitor Vegetation Change Following Flow Restoration to the Lower Owens River, California Author: Bross, Lesley Crandell Year: 2015 Rehabilitating river corridors to restore valuable riparian habitat consumes significant resources from both governments and private companies. Given these considerable expenditures, it is important to monitor the progress of such projects. This study evaluated the utility of using Landsat Thematic Mapper remotely-sensed data from 2002 and 2009 to monitor vegetation change induced by instream flow restoration to the Lower Owens River in central California. This study compared the results of an unsupervised classification with an NDVI threshold classification to appraise the resources required and effectiveness of each analysis method. The results were inspected by creating standard remote sensing accuracy error matrices and by correlating landscape pattern metrics with bird indicator species. Both sets of classified maps show a noticeable increase in riparian vegetation in the study area following flow restoration in 2006, indicating an improvement of the quality of bird habitat. The study concluded that analyzing vegetation change using the unsupervised classification technique required more effort, expert knowledge, and supplementary data than using the NDVI threshold method. If these prerequisites are met, the output from the unsupervised classification process produces a more precise map of land cover change than the NDVI threshold method. However, if an analyst is lacking either resources or ground verification data, the NDVI threshold technique is capable of providing a generalized, but still valid evaluation of vegetation change. This conclusion is supported by higher correlations between indicator bird species under the unsupervised classification method than were found with the NDVI threshold method. Close

• 2. [Article] Analyzing Dam Feasibility in the Willamette River Watershed

  This study conducts a dam-scale cost versus benefit analysis in order to explore the feasibility of each the 13 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commissioned dams in Oregon’s Willamette River network. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Analyzing Dam Feasibility in the Willamette River Watershed Author: Nagel, Alexander Cameron Year: 2017 This study conducts a dam-scale cost versus benefit analysis in order to explore the feasibility of each the 13 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commissioned dams in Oregon’s Willamette River network. Constructed between 1941 and 1969, these structures function in collaboration to comprise the Willamette River Basin Reservoir System (WRBRS). The motivation for this project derives from a growing awareness of the biophysical impacts that dam structures can have on riparian habitats. This project compares each of the 13 dams being assessed, to prioritize their level of utility within the system. The study takes the metrics from the top three services (flood regulation, hydropower generation and recreation) and disservices (fish mortality, structural risk and water temperature hazards) and creates a rubric that scores the feasibility of each dam within the system. Within a range between 0 to 3 for three dam services and 0 to -4.5 for two disservices, the overall calculated score elucidates for each structure whether its contribution to the WRBRS is positive or negative. Further analysis searches for spatiotemporal trends such as anomalous tributaries or magnified structural risk for structures exceeding a certain age. GIS data from the National Inventory of Dams (NID), U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) water measurements, raw data from USACE, and peer-reviewed studies comprise the statistics that generate results for this analysis. The computed scores for each dam yield an average overall score of -1.31, and nine of the 13 structures have negative results, indicating that the WRBRS faces challenges going forward. The study seeks to contribute to the increasingly relevant examination of dam networks at the watershed scale. Title: Analyzing Dam Feasibility in the Willamette River Watershed Author: Nagel, Alexander Cameron Year: 2017 This study conducts a dam-scale cost versus benefit analysis in order to explore the feasibility of each the 13 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commissioned dams in Oregon’s Willamette River network. Constructed between 1941 and 1969, these structures function in collaboration to comprise the Willamette River Basin Reservoir System (WRBRS). The motivation for this project derives from a growing awareness of the biophysical impacts that dam structures can have on riparian habitats. This project compares each of the 13 dams being assessed, to prioritize their level of utility within the system. The study takes the metrics from the top three services (flood regulation, hydropower generation and recreation) and disservices (fish mortality, structural risk and water temperature hazards) and creates a rubric that scores the feasibility of each dam within the system. Within a range between 0 to 3 for three dam services and 0 to -4.5 for two disservices, the overall calculated score elucidates for each structure whether its contribution to the WRBRS is positive or negative. Further analysis searches for spatiotemporal trends such as anomalous tributaries or magnified structural risk for structures exceeding a certain age. GIS data from the National Inventory of Dams (NID), U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) water measurements, raw data from USACE, and peer-reviewed studies comprise the statistics that generate results for this analysis. The computed scores for each dam yield an average overall score of -1.31, and nine of the 13 structures have negative results, indicating that the WRBRS faces challenges going forward. The study seeks to contribute to the increasingly relevant examination of dam networks at the watershed scale. Close

• 3. [Image] Verrucaria praetermissa

  	Perithecial section; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Verrucaria praetermissa Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Perithecial section; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria praetermissa det. Breuss 2014. Title: Verrucaria praetermissa Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Perithecial section; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria praetermissa det. Breuss 2014. Close

• 4. [Image] Verrucaria praetermissa

  	Spores; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria praetermissa ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Verrucaria praetermissa Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Spores; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria praetermissa det. Breuss 2014. Title: Verrucaria praetermissa Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Spores; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria praetermissa det. Breuss 2014. Close

• 5. [Image] Verrucaria praetermissa

  	Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria praetermissa ...
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Verrucaria praetermissa Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria praetermissa det. Breuss 2014. Title: Verrucaria praetermissa Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Rock, dark outcrop by creek; Elevation: 112 meters; Notes: Verrucaria praetermissa det. Breuss 2014. Close

• 6. [Image] Lecanora allophana

  	Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Lecanora allophana Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters. Title: Lecanora allophana Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters. Close

• 7. [Image] Lecanora allophana

  	Apothecial section POL; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Lecanora allophana Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Apothecial section POL; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters. Title: Lecanora allophana Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Apothecial section POL; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters. Close

• 8. [Image] Lecanora allophana

  	Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Lecanora allophana Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters. Title: Lecanora allophana Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Habit; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters. Close

• 9. [Image] Lecanora allophana

  	Apothecial section; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters.
  	Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Lecanora allophana Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Apothecial section; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters. Title: Lecanora allophana Author: McCune, Bruce Year: 2014 Apothecial section; Habitat: Riparian forest with Populus, Betula, and Picea; Location: Headwaters Creek, SW of Malone Lake; Substrate: Bark, Populus; Elevation: 112 meters. Close

• 10. [Article] Behavioral Observation and Paternal Investment of Eastern Kingbirds at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

  We have been studying the population of Eastern Kingbirds breeding in riparian habitats in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (eastern Oregon) since 2002. These efforts have created an ideal research environment ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Behavioral Observation and Paternal Investment of Eastern Kingbirds at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Author: Chutter, Christopher Michael Year: 2014 We have been studying the population of Eastern Kingbirds breeding in riparian habitats in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (eastern Oregon) since 2002. These efforts have created an ideal research environment wherein most adults in the population have been color banded and DNA sampled and, as part of other research projects, nearly all broods since 2003 have been paternity tested. I decided to use behavioral video recordings of parental nest behavior undertaken between 2003 and 2010 for two unrelated projects. First, I tested the effectiveness of video sampling nesting behavior (see below and chapter 2). Second, I tested whether male kingbirds were able to affect their level of paternal investment in accordance with their level or realized paternity (see below and chapter 3). Chapter 2 was split into three distinct questions: 1) are parental nesting behaviors repeatable, 2) is a one hour sample sufficient to capture variability in these behaviors, and 3) is the first hour of recording sufficient to capture variability in these behaviors. I found overwhelming evidence that the behaviors I measured were repeatable. This is truly important, for if repeatability was disproven, it would call into question the use of sampling throughout the field of animal behavior. I similarly found strong evidence that a one hour sample was sufficient to capture variability in parental behaviors. From this I was able to suggest that further sampling effort would be better spent increasing sample size rather than observation length. Testing whether the first hour of recording was sufficient to capture variability in parental behavior found more muddled results. While there generally was correlation between behavioral values in the first hour and those over a longer observation period, most behaviors were found to have significantly lower values in the first hour. I tested whether this was the result of a lingering observer effect or a natural effect of time of day and concluded that an observer effect was the more likely explanation. In chapter 3, I ran one of the more in depth and complicated tests for a relationship between paternal investment and realized paternity that I was able to find in the literature. I used the standard male feeding rate as a measure of male investment as well as a far more nuanced measure derived from the first Eigenvector of an analysis of six different paternal behaviors. These were both tested using Akaike's Information Criterion against a number of variables likely to affect parental behavior, including realized paternity. Ultimately, I found no evidence that kingbirds were able to affect paternal investment in response to lost paternity, and conclude that they likely had no means to assess realized paternity within the nest of their social mate. However, from the other parameters tested I was able to find that males increased their investment as brood size increased and as the female spent more time attending, but not feeding, the nestlings. Also, male investment decreased as territory density increased and flight feather length increased. Theory surrounding the variability of extrapair paternity in birds can be used to account for these results. In a denser population males are predicted to reduce paternal effort for one of two reasons: increased likelihood of paternity loss in his own nest and an increased investment in pursuing extrapair copulations of his own. Longer flight feathers are a sign of age and quality in kingbirds, so males with this trait are expected to spend more time pursuing extrapair copulations as they are more likely to be successful in this endeavor. Title: Behavioral Observation and Paternal Investment of Eastern Kingbirds at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Author: Chutter, Christopher Michael Year: 2014 We have been studying the population of Eastern Kingbirds breeding in riparian habitats in Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (eastern Oregon) since 2002. These efforts have created an ideal research environment wherein most adults in the population have been color banded and DNA sampled and, as part of other research projects, nearly all broods since 2003 have been paternity tested. I decided to use behavioral video recordings of parental nest behavior undertaken between 2003 and 2010 for two unrelated projects. First, I tested the effectiveness of video sampling nesting behavior (see below and chapter 2). Second, I tested whether male kingbirds were able to affect their level of paternal investment in accordance with their level or realized paternity (see below and chapter 3). Chapter 2 was split into three distinct questions: 1) are parental nesting behaviors repeatable, 2) is a one hour sample sufficient to capture variability in these behaviors, and 3) is the first hour of recording sufficient to capture variability in these behaviors. I found overwhelming evidence that the behaviors I measured were repeatable. This is truly important, for if repeatability was disproven, it would call into question the use of sampling throughout the field of animal behavior. I similarly found strong evidence that a one hour sample was sufficient to capture variability in parental behaviors. From this I was able to suggest that further sampling effort would be better spent increasing sample size rather than observation length. Testing whether the first hour of recording was sufficient to capture variability in parental behavior found more muddled results. While there generally was correlation between behavioral values in the first hour and those over a longer observation period, most behaviors were found to have significantly lower values in the first hour. I tested whether this was the result of a lingering observer effect or a natural effect of time of day and concluded that an observer effect was the more likely explanation. In chapter 3, I ran one of the more in depth and complicated tests for a relationship between paternal investment and realized paternity that I was able to find in the literature. I used the standard male feeding rate as a measure of male investment as well as a far more nuanced measure derived from the first Eigenvector of an analysis of six different paternal behaviors. These were both tested using Akaike's Information Criterion against a number of variables likely to affect parental behavior, including realized paternity. Ultimately, I found no evidence that kingbirds were able to affect paternal investment in response to lost paternity, and conclude that they likely had no means to assess realized paternity within the nest of their social mate. However, from the other parameters tested I was able to find that males increased their investment as brood size increased and as the female spent more time attending, but not feeding, the nestlings. Also, male investment decreased as territory density increased and flight feather length increased. Theory surrounding the variability of extrapair paternity in birds can be used to account for these results. In a denser population males are predicted to reduce paternal effort for one of two reasons: increased likelihood of paternity loss in his own nest and an increased investment in pursuing extrapair copulations of his own. Longer flight feathers are a sign of age and quality in kingbirds, so males with this trait are expected to spend more time pursuing extrapair copulations as they are more likely to be successful in this endeavor. Close