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• 21. [Article] Reviving Whychus Creek: Averting Collisions between the Endangered Species Act and Agricultural Water Use through Proactive Streamflow Restoration

  In the wake of policies catalyzing settlement through agrarian-based land ‘improvement’, private property rights absorbed water resources through Western water law. Consequently, these dominant user regimes ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Reviving Whychus Creek: Averting Collisions between the Endangered Species Act and Agricultural Water Use through Proactive Streamflow Restoration Author: Dengel, Jeff In the wake of policies catalyzing settlement through agrarian-based land ‘improvement’, private property rights absorbed water resources through Western water law. Consequently, these dominant user regimes and the doctrine of prior appropriation allocated nearly 80 percent of freshwater resources to agricultural use. Following enactment of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973 agricultural water users and the federal government were set on a collision course, as private property was now subject to regulatory imposition. Within Western states water bodies contiguous to private agrarian lands host the majority of aquatic species listed under the ESA. Of all the effects associated with agricultural water use, streamflow depletion constitutes the primary source of species imperilment. Customary irrigation practices often dewater streams completely or render aquatic habitat inhospitable. Consequently, curtailment of water use is increasingly sought during enforcement of ESA regulations. Encounters between ESA regulation and impositions upon agricultural water use are largely reactionary, litigious, and costly; this begs the question of remedy. Responses attending to the matter indicate collaborative and precautionary measures as prospective solutions. Within the context of streamflow-based habitat modification the answer consistently indicates transactional mechanisms reallocating water to instream use. Due to priority-based allocation developed through the doctrine of prior appropriation acquisition of senior water rights is imperative for streamflow restoration. Within Oregon's Whychus Creek agricultural water users employed a series of water right transactions serving to bolster instream flow to avert ESA regulation. Many of these transactions have been implemented through Oregon's Conserved Water Program; a unique statute providing benefits for the environment and agricultural water users alike. Through these transactions senior water rights have been reallocated to instream use and are being met, resulting in a robust presence of instream flow. Title: Reviving Whychus Creek: Averting Collisions between the Endangered Species Act and Agricultural Water Use through Proactive Streamflow Restoration Author: Dengel, Jeff In the wake of policies catalyzing settlement through agrarian-based land ‘improvement’, private property rights absorbed water resources through Western water law. Consequently, these dominant user regimes and the doctrine of prior appropriation allocated nearly 80 percent of freshwater resources to agricultural use. Following enactment of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973 agricultural water users and the federal government were set on a collision course, as private property was now subject to regulatory imposition. Within Western states water bodies contiguous to private agrarian lands host the majority of aquatic species listed under the ESA. Of all the effects associated with agricultural water use, streamflow depletion constitutes the primary source of species imperilment. Customary irrigation practices often dewater streams completely or render aquatic habitat inhospitable. Consequently, curtailment of water use is increasingly sought during enforcement of ESA regulations. Encounters between ESA regulation and impositions upon agricultural water use are largely reactionary, litigious, and costly; this begs the question of remedy. Responses attending to the matter indicate collaborative and precautionary measures as prospective solutions. Within the context of streamflow-based habitat modification the answer consistently indicates transactional mechanisms reallocating water to instream use. Due to priority-based allocation developed through the doctrine of prior appropriation acquisition of senior water rights is imperative for streamflow restoration. Within Oregon's Whychus Creek agricultural water users employed a series of water right transactions serving to bolster instream flow to avert ESA regulation. Many of these transactions have been implemented through Oregon's Conserved Water Program; a unique statute providing benefits for the environment and agricultural water users alike. Through these transactions senior water rights have been reallocated to instream use and are being met, resulting in a robust presence of instream flow. Close

• 22. [Article] Movement Patterns of Rockfishes at the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve, Oregon

  The effects of Marine protected areas (MPAs) on adult fish populations depend on the degree of protection provided, which is partly a function of MPA size and the spatial extent of fish movements. The ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Movement Patterns of Rockfishes at the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve, Oregon Author: Calvanese, Thomas P. The effects of Marine protected areas (MPAs) on adult fish populations depend on the degree of protection provided, which is partly a function of MPA size and the spatial extent of fish movements. The Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve (RRMR) and MPA, located on the south coast of Oregon near Port Orford, went into effect on January 1, 2012. The boundaries of the RRMR were informed by the experience of local fishermen, but without explicit knowledge of the movement patterns of individual fish. One of the intended effects of this reserve was to provide protection for Pacific rockfishes that had been targeted there by the live fish fishery. We conducted a 17- month acoustic telemetry study to document the movement patterns of 20 individuals (6-7 each) of China Rockfish (Sebastes nebulosus), Quillback Rockfish (S. maliger), and Copper Rockfish (S. caurinus) at Redfish Rocks, Oregon. Objectives were to (1) estimate residence times for individuals of each species, (2) evaluate spatial and temporal movement patterns, and (3) analyze the relationship between habitat attributes and movement patterns. Our results demonstrated that this small (6.78 km2) no-take marine reserve provides refuge for a substantial portion of the local population of these demersal residential fishes, due to those species’ high site fidelity to this patch of high relief rocky reef habitat located within the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve. Title: Movement Patterns of Rockfishes at the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve, Oregon Author: Calvanese, Thomas P. The effects of Marine protected areas (MPAs) on adult fish populations depend on the degree of protection provided, which is partly a function of MPA size and the spatial extent of fish movements. The Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve (RRMR) and MPA, located on the south coast of Oregon near Port Orford, went into effect on January 1, 2012. The boundaries of the RRMR were informed by the experience of local fishermen, but without explicit knowledge of the movement patterns of individual fish. One of the intended effects of this reserve was to provide protection for Pacific rockfishes that had been targeted there by the live fish fishery. We conducted a 17- month acoustic telemetry study to document the movement patterns of 20 individuals (6-7 each) of China Rockfish (Sebastes nebulosus), Quillback Rockfish (S. maliger), and Copper Rockfish (S. caurinus) at Redfish Rocks, Oregon. Objectives were to (1) estimate residence times for individuals of each species, (2) evaluate spatial and temporal movement patterns, and (3) analyze the relationship between habitat attributes and movement patterns. Our results demonstrated that this small (6.78 km2) no-take marine reserve provides refuge for a substantial portion of the local population of these demersal residential fishes, due to those species’ high site fidelity to this patch of high relief rocky reef habitat located within the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve. Close

• 23. [Article] 1978 Annual Report: Wildlife Division

  This document is a summary of the activities of the Wildlife Division for the period of July 1, 1977 to June 30, 1978. It includes numbers of hunting licenses, increased prices of furs, and both large ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: 1978 Annual Report: Wildlife Division Author: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife This document is a summary of the activities of the Wildlife Division for the period of July 1, 1977 to June 30, 1978. It includes numbers of hunting licenses, increased prices of furs, and both large and small game statistics including elk, bears, pheasants, and quail. The document also discusses the nongame wildlife program initiated in 1976, as well wildlife habitat improvements completed during the time. Title: 1978 Annual Report: Wildlife Division Author: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife This document is a summary of the activities of the Wildlife Division for the period of July 1, 1977 to June 30, 1978. It includes numbers of hunting licenses, increased prices of furs, and both large and small game statistics including elk, bears, pheasants, and quail. The document also discusses the nongame wildlife program initiated in 1976, as well wildlife habitat improvements completed during the time. Close

• 24. [Article] Bird Abundance and Microhabitat Associations with Oak Mistletoe in Willamette Valley Oak Woodlands

  In the last 200 years there have been significant declines in the amount and structural complexity of oak-dominated forests and savannahs in the Pacific Northwest. Restoring oak systems often involves ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Bird Abundance and Microhabitat Associations with Oak Mistletoe in Willamette Valley Oak Woodlands Author: Pritchard, Kyle R. In the last 200 years there have been significant declines in the amount and structural complexity of oak-dominated forests and savannahs in the Pacific Northwest. Restoring oak systems often involves selectively thinning stands of oaks in order to reduce competition for sunlight. In choosing which trees to cut, land managers often remove trees with obvious signs of disease or infection. One such infection is the parasitic mistletoe Phoradendron villosum, commonly referred to as Oak Mistletoe. However, the consequences of removing mistletoe-laden trees from the woodlands for oak-associated wildlife have not been studied. Mistletoe species play an important role in ecosystems globally, by providing habitat resources for wildlife, but the role of Oak Mistletoe in an oak-dominated ecosystem is almost completely undocumented. In order to investigate relationships between Oak Mistletoe and bird abundance and diversity, I quantified breeding bird use of Oregon White Oaks (Quercus garryana) with mistletoe loads between zero and 112 plants per tree, at five study sites in the Willamette Valley in the spring of 2014. In addition, I quantified six microhabitat features related to mistletoe infection, including branch swellings, dead wood, loose/missing bark, natural cavities, excavated cavities, deep cracks in the bole, and bole coverage by Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum). My results suggest that 1) structural heterogeneity within the crown of the tree and 2) bird abundance, species richness, and use of trees are positively associated with mistletoe load. In order to investigate the use of Oak Mistletoe fruits as a wildlife food resource, I recruited citizen scientists to record observations of birds feeding on mistletoe fruits in the fall of 2014 and winter of 2015 in western Oregon. In addition, I installed six camera traps in Oregon White Oak trees in order to capture additional observations of birds and other wildlife feeding on Oak Mistletoe fruits. My results suggest that Oak Mistletoe is a fall and winter food resource for Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana), American Robins (Turdus migratorius), Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), and Western Grey Squirrels (Sciurus griseus). In this study, Western Bluebirds were observed to feed on mistletoe fruits up to 14 times more frequently than other bird species. By retaining some trees with mistletoe in the crown, land managers may be able to maintain the habitat quality for some wildlife species that use the microhabitat features and fruit resources associated with mistletoe. Title: Bird Abundance and Microhabitat Associations with Oak Mistletoe in Willamette Valley Oak Woodlands Author: Pritchard, Kyle R. In the last 200 years there have been significant declines in the amount and structural complexity of oak-dominated forests and savannahs in the Pacific Northwest. Restoring oak systems often involves selectively thinning stands of oaks in order to reduce competition for sunlight. In choosing which trees to cut, land managers often remove trees with obvious signs of disease or infection. One such infection is the parasitic mistletoe Phoradendron villosum, commonly referred to as Oak Mistletoe. However, the consequences of removing mistletoe-laden trees from the woodlands for oak-associated wildlife have not been studied. Mistletoe species play an important role in ecosystems globally, by providing habitat resources for wildlife, but the role of Oak Mistletoe in an oak-dominated ecosystem is almost completely undocumented. In order to investigate relationships between Oak Mistletoe and bird abundance and diversity, I quantified breeding bird use of Oregon White Oaks (Quercus garryana) with mistletoe loads between zero and 112 plants per tree, at five study sites in the Willamette Valley in the spring of 2014. In addition, I quantified six microhabitat features related to mistletoe infection, including branch swellings, dead wood, loose/missing bark, natural cavities, excavated cavities, deep cracks in the bole, and bole coverage by Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum). My results suggest that 1) structural heterogeneity within the crown of the tree and 2) bird abundance, species richness, and use of trees are positively associated with mistletoe load. In order to investigate the use of Oak Mistletoe fruits as a wildlife food resource, I recruited citizen scientists to record observations of birds feeding on mistletoe fruits in the fall of 2014 and winter of 2015 in western Oregon. In addition, I installed six camera traps in Oregon White Oak trees in order to capture additional observations of birds and other wildlife feeding on Oak Mistletoe fruits. My results suggest that Oak Mistletoe is a fall and winter food resource for Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana), American Robins (Turdus migratorius), Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), and Western Grey Squirrels (Sciurus griseus). In this study, Western Bluebirds were observed to feed on mistletoe fruits up to 14 times more frequently than other bird species. By retaining some trees with mistletoe in the crown, land managers may be able to maintain the habitat quality for some wildlife species that use the microhabitat features and fruit resources associated with mistletoe. Close

• 25. [Article] Potential barriers to movements and habitat selection of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) after experimental translocation

  I assessed potential barriers to dispersal using homing tendency and investigated the movements and settlement site selection of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) after short distance translocations ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Potential barriers to movements and habitat selection of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) after experimental translocation Author: Lawes, Timothy J. (Timothy James) I assessed potential barriers to dispersal using homing tendency and investigated the movements and settlement site selection of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) after short distance translocations in southeastern Oregon from June – December 2008. I captured, radio marked, and translocated 59 pygmy rabbits 1-2 km across landscapes with (1) continuous big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) cover (n = 19), (2) fragmented patches of big sagebrush cover (n = 19), or (3) continuous big sagebrush cover bisected by a road (n = 21). Radio telemetry was used to monitor the movements and document the fates of translocated individuals. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of homing among landscapes after accounting for sex and displacement distance of individuals. Geographic information systems (GIS) analysis and spatial analysis software (FRAGSTATS) were used to explore the post-release movements and settlement site selection of pygmy rabbits that failed to home. Only 15% of translocated pygmy rabbits successfully homed to ˂ 150 m of their original capture locations. Individuals translocated across fragmented landscapes with little cover of big sagebrush were the most likely to home, whereas rabbits translocated across continuous big sagebrush cover bisected by a road were least likely to home. Of the pygmy rabbits that did not home, those translocated across fragmented landscapes moved the farthest (x¯ = 0.95 km, SE = 0.29 km) from their release sites prior to settlement. Individuals that were transported across continuous big sagebrush cover, with and without roads, settled an average of 0.45 (SE = 0.06 km) and 0.35 km (SE = 0.05 km) from their release sites, respectively. There was a general trend of pygmy rabbits settling closer to their release sites as big sagebrush cover increased. Pygmy rabbits also settled on sites that, on average, had greater big sagebrush cover, higher landscape connectivity, and fewer but larger patches of big sagebrush than were present at their capture sites. Current or past presence of conspecifics also appeared to be a factor in selection of settlement sites by pygmy rabbits. Results of this study indicated that pygmy rabbits were capable of making long distance movements across landscapes with fragmented big sagebrush cover. In addition, pygmy rabbits were observed crossing secondary roads, but they often settled in the dense big sagebrush along road edges where there was increased risk of coyote (Canis latrans) predation. Results of this study suggested that successful translocation of wild pygmy rabbits will require selection of release locations with continuous big sagebrush cover and a history of pygmy rabbit presence. Managers should expect to lose a percentage of pygmy rabbits to homing attempts, post-release dispersal, and predation after translocation, so the release of large numbers of individuals may be required to establish resident populations. Title: Potential barriers to movements and habitat selection of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) after experimental translocation Author: Lawes, Timothy J. (Timothy James) I assessed potential barriers to dispersal using homing tendency and investigated the movements and settlement site selection of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) after short distance translocations in southeastern Oregon from June – December 2008. I captured, radio marked, and translocated 59 pygmy rabbits 1-2 km across landscapes with (1) continuous big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) cover (n = 19), (2) fragmented patches of big sagebrush cover (n = 19), or (3) continuous big sagebrush cover bisected by a road (n = 21). Radio telemetry was used to monitor the movements and document the fates of translocated individuals. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of homing among landscapes after accounting for sex and displacement distance of individuals. Geographic information systems (GIS) analysis and spatial analysis software (FRAGSTATS) were used to explore the post-release movements and settlement site selection of pygmy rabbits that failed to home. Only 15% of translocated pygmy rabbits successfully homed to ˂ 150 m of their original capture locations. Individuals translocated across fragmented landscapes with little cover of big sagebrush were the most likely to home, whereas rabbits translocated across continuous big sagebrush cover bisected by a road were least likely to home. Of the pygmy rabbits that did not home, those translocated across fragmented landscapes moved the farthest (x¯ = 0.95 km, SE = 0.29 km) from their release sites prior to settlement. Individuals that were transported across continuous big sagebrush cover, with and without roads, settled an average of 0.45 (SE = 0.06 km) and 0.35 km (SE = 0.05 km) from their release sites, respectively. There was a general trend of pygmy rabbits settling closer to their release sites as big sagebrush cover increased. Pygmy rabbits also settled on sites that, on average, had greater big sagebrush cover, higher landscape connectivity, and fewer but larger patches of big sagebrush than were present at their capture sites. Current or past presence of conspecifics also appeared to be a factor in selection of settlement sites by pygmy rabbits. Results of this study indicated that pygmy rabbits were capable of making long distance movements across landscapes with fragmented big sagebrush cover. In addition, pygmy rabbits were observed crossing secondary roads, but they often settled in the dense big sagebrush along road edges where there was increased risk of coyote (Canis latrans) predation. Results of this study suggested that successful translocation of wild pygmy rabbits will require selection of release locations with continuous big sagebrush cover and a history of pygmy rabbit presence. Managers should expect to lose a percentage of pygmy rabbits to homing attempts, post-release dispersal, and predation after translocation, so the release of large numbers of individuals may be required to establish resident populations. Close

• 26. [Article] Emerging infectious disease in lentic environments : the ecology and biogeography of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, with perspectives on water quality, limnology, and chemical contaminants

  Biodiversity losses in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems are accelerating at a global scale and the most threatened vertebrate taxa are those associated with freshwater habitats. The causes of ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Emerging infectious disease in lentic environments : the ecology and biogeography of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, with perspectives on water quality, limnology, and chemical contaminants Author: Chestnut, Tara Biodiversity losses in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems are accelerating at a global scale and the most threatened vertebrate taxa are those associated with freshwater habitats. The causes of biodiversity losses are often complex and include synergistic effects of natural and human-induced stressors, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, urbanization, invasive species, contaminants, global climate change, and emerging infectious diseases. In the last 35 years, the amphibian extinction rate has been estimated to exceed 105 times the baseline expected rate for all species and in the USA, the number of occupied amphibian sites has been reported to be declining by 3.7% per year. Among the many threats to amphibians, the role of disease in population declines has been recognized increasingly over the last two decades. Numerous amphibian diseases have been identified and attributed to mass mortality events. Chytridiomycosis, the emerging infectious disease caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is implicated as a causal agent in many recent global amphibian population declines and extinctions. To understand the pathology and conservation implications of Bd, a greater understanding of its ecology, life history, and distribution in the wild is of paramount importance. Although it has an impact on the persistence of selected amphibian populations around the world, the full scope of the effects of chytridiomycosis on global amphibian population declines are not well understood. Most Bd research efforts have focused on Bd in amphibian hosts per se, with little attention to understand the environmental associations and dynamics of free-living Bd outside of the amphibian host. In particular, information on Bd responses to climatic variation outside of hosts is a research gap. Furthermore, as a microorganism within an aquatic environment, studies are lacking of potential water quality associations, how Bd may interact with other members of their biological communities, and how Bd responses to chemical contaminants found in aquatic environments. My research begins to fill these gaps by studying the basic ecology of free-living Bd in field settings, and investigating factors that may influence its distribution at a landscape scale, occurrence at a regional scale, and detection at a site scale. Herein, I describe spatial and temporal patterns in the detection and density of free-living Bd in aquatic habitats in two different geographic regions of the United States, Alaska (Chapter 2) and Oregon (Chapter 3). The Alaska work examines Bd ecology at the northernmost extent of amphibian occurrence in North America, where climate associations may be particularly relevant and where Bd occurrence may be representative of one of the most novel pathogen-host systems in the world. I also describe (Chapter 2) experimental results of Bd and amphibian response to extreme cold temperatures they may experience in continental settings, at high elevations, and at high latitudes. My Oregon studies (Chapter 3) focus on multivariate associations of free-living Bd occurrences with a suite of aquatic environmental factors, both abiotic and biotic in nature. In Chapter 4, I describe how amphibians and Bd respond to agricultural chemicals (fungicides) that they may be exposed to in field settings. These results are specific to Bd, but might also warrant consideration as fungicidal treatments for a newly described chytrid affecting salamanders; both of these amphibian chytrids have been detected in captive animals and solutions to treat trade animals for the pathogen are gaining relevancy. Finally, in Chapter 5, I reflect upon the journey of conservation biologists and herpetologists for 25 years of amphibian decline research, with global losses becoming widely recognized in 1989. In this context, my research significantly advances understanding of the geographic distribution and ecology of one potential threat factor to amphibian populations on Earth, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. The factors that I report to both promote or limit free-living Bd distribution and abundance will further inform pathogen dynamics research. Title: Emerging infectious disease in lentic environments : the ecology and biogeography of the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, with perspectives on water quality, limnology, and chemical contaminants Author: Chestnut, Tara Biodiversity losses in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems are accelerating at a global scale and the most threatened vertebrate taxa are those associated with freshwater habitats. The causes of biodiversity losses are often complex and include synergistic effects of natural and human-induced stressors, such as habitat loss and fragmentation, urbanization, invasive species, contaminants, global climate change, and emerging infectious diseases. In the last 35 years, the amphibian extinction rate has been estimated to exceed 105 times the baseline expected rate for all species and in the USA, the number of occupied amphibian sites has been reported to be declining by 3.7% per year. Among the many threats to amphibians, the role of disease in population declines has been recognized increasingly over the last two decades. Numerous amphibian diseases have been identified and attributed to mass mortality events. Chytridiomycosis, the emerging infectious disease caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is implicated as a causal agent in many recent global amphibian population declines and extinctions. To understand the pathology and conservation implications of Bd, a greater understanding of its ecology, life history, and distribution in the wild is of paramount importance. Although it has an impact on the persistence of selected amphibian populations around the world, the full scope of the effects of chytridiomycosis on global amphibian population declines are not well understood. Most Bd research efforts have focused on Bd in amphibian hosts per se, with little attention to understand the environmental associations and dynamics of free-living Bd outside of the amphibian host. In particular, information on Bd responses to climatic variation outside of hosts is a research gap. Furthermore, as a microorganism within an aquatic environment, studies are lacking of potential water quality associations, how Bd may interact with other members of their biological communities, and how Bd responses to chemical contaminants found in aquatic environments. My research begins to fill these gaps by studying the basic ecology of free-living Bd in field settings, and investigating factors that may influence its distribution at a landscape scale, occurrence at a regional scale, and detection at a site scale. Herein, I describe spatial and temporal patterns in the detection and density of free-living Bd in aquatic habitats in two different geographic regions of the United States, Alaska (Chapter 2) and Oregon (Chapter 3). The Alaska work examines Bd ecology at the northernmost extent of amphibian occurrence in North America, where climate associations may be particularly relevant and where Bd occurrence may be representative of one of the most novel pathogen-host systems in the world. I also describe (Chapter 2) experimental results of Bd and amphibian response to extreme cold temperatures they may experience in continental settings, at high elevations, and at high latitudes. My Oregon studies (Chapter 3) focus on multivariate associations of free-living Bd occurrences with a suite of aquatic environmental factors, both abiotic and biotic in nature. In Chapter 4, I describe how amphibians and Bd respond to agricultural chemicals (fungicides) that they may be exposed to in field settings. These results are specific to Bd, but might also warrant consideration as fungicidal treatments for a newly described chytrid affecting salamanders; both of these amphibian chytrids have been detected in captive animals and solutions to treat trade animals for the pathogen are gaining relevancy. Finally, in Chapter 5, I reflect upon the journey of conservation biologists and herpetologists for 25 years of amphibian decline research, with global losses becoming widely recognized in 1989. In this context, my research significantly advances understanding of the geographic distribution and ecology of one potential threat factor to amphibian populations on Earth, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. The factors that I report to both promote or limit free-living Bd distribution and abundance will further inform pathogen dynamics research. Close

• 27. [Article] Astragalus peckii Population Establishment: Developing Protocols for Seed Germination, Seedling Cultivation, and Planting

  Astragalus peckii Piper is a threatened Oregon endemic in the pea family (Fabaceae). This species faces extinction due to loss of habitat. Recovery efforts include augmenting existing populations and creating ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Astragalus peckii Population Establishment: Developing Protocols for Seed Germination, Seedling Cultivation, and Planting Author: Pearson, Tabitha Astragalus peckii Piper is a threatened Oregon endemic in the pea family (Fabaceae). This species faces extinction due to loss of habitat. Recovery efforts include augmenting existing populations and creating new ones. The purpose of this study was to determine the best methodology for population augmentation of Astragalus peckii by evaluating methodologies for 1) seed germination and seedling cultivation, and 2) transplant survival and seed emergence. Older seeds required manual scarification to induce germination while younger seeds germinated without treatment. Seedlings were placed in three soil treatments with varying ratios of potting mix and native soil. Seedlings experienced high rates of mortality unrelated to treatment. Seeds and seedlings were planted in the fall along four transects of varying disturbance and previous species occupation. Spring survival rates provided little evidence for an increase in population size of Astragalus peckii in the four transects after planting. Title: Astragalus peckii Population Establishment: Developing Protocols for Seed Germination, Seedling Cultivation, and Planting Author: Pearson, Tabitha Astragalus peckii Piper is a threatened Oregon endemic in the pea family (Fabaceae). This species faces extinction due to loss of habitat. Recovery efforts include augmenting existing populations and creating new ones. The purpose of this study was to determine the best methodology for population augmentation of Astragalus peckii by evaluating methodologies for 1) seed germination and seedling cultivation, and 2) transplant survival and seed emergence. Older seeds required manual scarification to induce germination while younger seeds germinated without treatment. Seedlings were placed in three soil treatments with varying ratios of potting mix and native soil. Seedlings experienced high rates of mortality unrelated to treatment. Seeds and seedlings were planted in the fall along four transects of varying disturbance and previous species occupation. Spring survival rates provided little evidence for an increase in population size of Astragalus peckii in the four transects after planting. Close

• 28. [Article] North coast explorer: a north coast basin prototype website for natural resource information management

  West Bounding Coordinate: -124.353159; East Bounding Coordinate: -122.942592; North Bounding Coordinate: 46.261906; South Bounding Coordinate: 43.719034

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: North coast explorer: a north coast basin prototype website for natural resource information management Author: Institute for Natural Resources West Bounding Coordinate: -124.353159; East Bounding Coordinate: -122.942592; North Bounding Coordinate: 46.261906; South Bounding Coordinate: 43.719034 Title: North coast explorer: a north coast basin prototype website for natural resource information management Author: Institute for Natural Resources West Bounding Coordinate: -124.353159; East Bounding Coordinate: -122.942592; North Bounding Coordinate: 46.261906; South Bounding Coordinate: 43.719034 Close

• 29. [Article] A new model to simulate climate-change impacts on forest succession for local land management

  To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Ecological ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A new model to simulate climate-change impacts on forest succession for local land management Author: Bolte, John P., Bridgham, Scott D., Neilson, Ronald P., et al., Yospin, Gabriel I. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Ecological Society of America and can be found at: http://www.esajournals.org/loi/ecap. Title: A new model to simulate climate-change impacts on forest succession for local land management Author: Bolte, John P., Bridgham, Scott D., Neilson, Ronald P., et al., Yospin, Gabriel I. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Ecological Society of America and can be found at: http://www.esajournals.org/loi/ecap. Close

• 30. [Article] Fire effects on wetland prairie species: final report

  Project No. 14-48-0001-96749

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Fire effects on wetland prairie species: final report Author: Wilson, Mark V., Clark, Deborah Louise, 1950- Project No. 14-48-0001-96749 Title: Fire effects on wetland prairie species: final report Author: Wilson, Mark V., Clark, Deborah Louise, 1950- Project No. 14-48-0001-96749 Close