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• 11. [Article] Influence of Wetland Landscape Structure on Duck Nest Success at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon

  The decline of waterfowl populations and their requisite wetland habitats remains a concern. Because migratory bird refuges are often artificial landscapes of actively managed wetlands, and wildlife populations ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Influence of Wetland Landscape Structure on Duck Nest Success at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Author: Craver, Daniel Robert Year: 2010 The decline of waterfowl populations and their requisite wetland habitats remains a concern. Because migratory bird refuges are often artificial landscapes of actively managed wetlands, and wildlife populations experience their greatest change during the breeding season, refuges should be designed to maximize breeding habitat. While past nest success studies have focused on at-nest variables, new approaches are needed to evaluate the effect of composition and configuration of plant communities at the landscape scale. This study aims to quantify landscape patterns within individual refuge management units to determine influence upon historical nesting success averages of ducks at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon. The Mayfield estimate of nest success for 8 duck species yields a survival rate of 25% for the years 1987-1998 with a range of 0-74% across 48 management units. FRAGSTATS was used to calculate a suite of 9 landscape pattern metrics per unit at the class-level for each of 3 wetland habitat classes, and at the landscape-level using all habitat types. These 36 variables were tested for association with survival rate using Pearson R correlation. Results suggest fragmentation of dry meadow habitat; patch size, complexity, and extensiveness of wet meadow habitat; and diversity of habitats across the landscape positively influence duck nest success at the scale of the individual management unit. Title: Influence of Wetland Landscape Structure on Duck Nest Success at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon Author: Craver, Daniel Robert Year: 2010 The decline of waterfowl populations and their requisite wetland habitats remains a concern. Because migratory bird refuges are often artificial landscapes of actively managed wetlands, and wildlife populations experience their greatest change during the breeding season, refuges should be designed to maximize breeding habitat. While past nest success studies have focused on at-nest variables, new approaches are needed to evaluate the effect of composition and configuration of plant communities at the landscape scale. This study aims to quantify landscape patterns within individual refuge management units to determine influence upon historical nesting success averages of ducks at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon. The Mayfield estimate of nest success for 8 duck species yields a survival rate of 25% for the years 1987-1998 with a range of 0-74% across 48 management units. FRAGSTATS was used to calculate a suite of 9 landscape pattern metrics per unit at the class-level for each of 3 wetland habitat classes, and at the landscape-level using all habitat types. These 36 variables were tested for association with survival rate using Pearson R correlation. Results suggest fragmentation of dry meadow habitat; patch size, complexity, and extensiveness of wet meadow habitat; and diversity of habitats across the landscape positively influence duck nest success at the scale of the individual management unit. Close

• 12. [Article] Differences in Sexual Dimorphism and Influences of Sexual Dichromatism on Crypsis Among Populations of the Jumping Spider Habronattus oregonensis

  Crypsis can be an important mechanism of predator avoidance for organisms. However, many species exhibit sexual dichromatism, in which the males possess a suite of colorations in order to attract female ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Differences in Sexual Dimorphism and Influences of Sexual Dichromatism on Crypsis Among Populations of the Jumping Spider Habronattus oregonensis Author: Bazzano, Jason Year: 2011 Crypsis can be an important mechanism of predator avoidance for organisms. However, many species exhibit sexual dichromatism, in which the males possess a suite of colorations in order to attract female attention. The resulting differences in crypsis between the males and females can provide insight into the relative strengths of the sexually and naturally selective forces shaping the coloration of the organism, as well as clues regarding potential sensory biases of the selecting sex. In this study, I examine variation in the coloration of four Pacific Northwest populations of the sexually dimorphic and dichromatic polygynous species of jumping spider Habronattus oregonensis and compare the coloration of different body regions of the spiders to their habitats. I also investigate differences in relative size of a male sexual ornament, the enlarged first leg tibia. Field work for this study was conducted in June and July of 2009. The three main foci of this study are 1) to compare the degree of color matching of females and their habitat to the degree of color matching of males and their habitat, evaluating whether sexual selection on males has reduced their degree of crypsis relative to that of females, 2) if there is indeed a difference in crypsis between the sexes, to gauge whether there are similar divergences from crypsis among the populations - both in the quantitative amount of divergences as well as the colorimetric direction of such divergences, and 3) whether there is any variation in sexual ornament size among populations. Male first leg tibia size is a sexual character that is presumably not influenced by habitat coloration; differences in male tibia allometry among populations would provide supporting evidence for the hypothesis that sexual selection is indeed maintaining phenotypic differences among the populations, regardless of habitat location and color. I found a high degree of conformity of hue and chroma between male and female spiders and their habitats, with three notable exceptions. The most extreme difference in coloration between spider and habitat was that of the Gorge and Siskiyou population male anteriors. The anteriors had proportionally less green and more ultraviolet reflectance than their habitat. Second, the Mt. Hood and Tillamook population male abdomens diverged from their habitat in a similar, although less pronounced manner to that of the Gorge and Siskiyou population male anteriors: they had proportionally less green and more UV reflectance. Third, female abdomens of all populations were highly variable in chroma, despite having hues that generally matched their habitat. Tibia area relative to body size of Gorge and Siskiyou population males was significantly smaller than that of Mt. Hood and Tillamook population males. The lower level of background hue matching among males compared to females implies that sexual selection has directly conflicted with natural selection, resulting in impaired crypsis. While the reduced crypsis of the Gorge and Siskiyou population males is centered on their anterior (the primary body region presented to the females during courtship), the deviations from crypsis in the Mt. Hood and Tillamook population males are highest on their abdomen, although the degree of contrast is lower than that of the Gorge and Siskiyou population anteriors. These differences in coloration between the Mt. Hood and Tillamook population male abdomens and their habitats are in the same colorimetric direction as those of the Gorge and Siskiyou population anteriors and their habitat; this may indicate a sensory bias of the females, conserved in all four populations, selecting for male reflectance with a higher UV to green ratio. The fact that Mt. Hood and Tillamook population male abdomens have a more modest reduction in background matching compared to Gorge and Siskiyou population male anteriors may be due to the search methods of flying predators (e.g., spider wasps); the dorsum would presumably be more conspicuous to predators than the anterior, and would thus be subject to more intense selection for crypsis despite sexual selection to the contrary. The variability of abdomen coloration of females of both morphs may indicate that selection for crypsis is less strong among females than among males. One possible reason for this would be if females spent less time in the exposed courtship habitat than males, a conclusion implied by a highly male-skewed sex ratio encountered during field collections. Like the differences in coloration between different males of different populations, the significant differences in male tibia size also imply variability in the intensity of sexual selection. Relative importance of male coloration and tibia size may be weighted differently among populations, operating under similar constraints on reductions in survival accrued by developing these characters. The high degree of variation found among the populations implies that there is a degree of reproductive isolation among the chromatically and morphologically dissimilar populations. However, the similarity of the environments in which the populations existed, the close geographic proximity of some of the dissimilar populations, and the lack of any substantial geographic boundaries between the populations imply that this isolation is not maintained through extrinsic factors. Rather, it would seem that the interpopulational diversity is maintained by sexual selection. However, evidence from morphology and coloration suggest that the generation of this diversity is not evolving exclusively under sexual selection pressure, but rather is constrained to a degree by natural selection. Title: Differences in Sexual Dimorphism and Influences of Sexual Dichromatism on Crypsis Among Populations of the Jumping Spider Habronattus oregonensis Author: Bazzano, Jason Year: 2011 Crypsis can be an important mechanism of predator avoidance for organisms. However, many species exhibit sexual dichromatism, in which the males possess a suite of colorations in order to attract female attention. The resulting differences in crypsis between the males and females can provide insight into the relative strengths of the sexually and naturally selective forces shaping the coloration of the organism, as well as clues regarding potential sensory biases of the selecting sex. In this study, I examine variation in the coloration of four Pacific Northwest populations of the sexually dimorphic and dichromatic polygynous species of jumping spider Habronattus oregonensis and compare the coloration of different body regions of the spiders to their habitats. I also investigate differences in relative size of a male sexual ornament, the enlarged first leg tibia. Field work for this study was conducted in June and July of 2009. The three main foci of this study are 1) to compare the degree of color matching of females and their habitat to the degree of color matching of males and their habitat, evaluating whether sexual selection on males has reduced their degree of crypsis relative to that of females, 2) if there is indeed a difference in crypsis between the sexes, to gauge whether there are similar divergences from crypsis among the populations - both in the quantitative amount of divergences as well as the colorimetric direction of such divergences, and 3) whether there is any variation in sexual ornament size among populations. Male first leg tibia size is a sexual character that is presumably not influenced by habitat coloration; differences in male tibia allometry among populations would provide supporting evidence for the hypothesis that sexual selection is indeed maintaining phenotypic differences among the populations, regardless of habitat location and color. I found a high degree of conformity of hue and chroma between male and female spiders and their habitats, with three notable exceptions. The most extreme difference in coloration between spider and habitat was that of the Gorge and Siskiyou population male anteriors. The anteriors had proportionally less green and more ultraviolet reflectance than their habitat. Second, the Mt. Hood and Tillamook population male abdomens diverged from their habitat in a similar, although less pronounced manner to that of the Gorge and Siskiyou population male anteriors: they had proportionally less green and more UV reflectance. Third, female abdomens of all populations were highly variable in chroma, despite having hues that generally matched their habitat. Tibia area relative to body size of Gorge and Siskiyou population males was significantly smaller than that of Mt. Hood and Tillamook population males. The lower level of background hue matching among males compared to females implies that sexual selection has directly conflicted with natural selection, resulting in impaired crypsis. While the reduced crypsis of the Gorge and Siskiyou population males is centered on their anterior (the primary body region presented to the females during courtship), the deviations from crypsis in the Mt. Hood and Tillamook population males are highest on their abdomen, although the degree of contrast is lower than that of the Gorge and Siskiyou population anteriors. These differences in coloration between the Mt. Hood and Tillamook population male abdomens and their habitats are in the same colorimetric direction as those of the Gorge and Siskiyou population anteriors and their habitat; this may indicate a sensory bias of the females, conserved in all four populations, selecting for male reflectance with a higher UV to green ratio. The fact that Mt. Hood and Tillamook population male abdomens have a more modest reduction in background matching compared to Gorge and Siskiyou population male anteriors may be due to the search methods of flying predators (e.g., spider wasps); the dorsum would presumably be more conspicuous to predators than the anterior, and would thus be subject to more intense selection for crypsis despite sexual selection to the contrary. The variability of abdomen coloration of females of both morphs may indicate that selection for crypsis is less strong among females than among males. One possible reason for this would be if females spent less time in the exposed courtship habitat than males, a conclusion implied by a highly male-skewed sex ratio encountered during field collections. Like the differences in coloration between different males of different populations, the significant differences in male tibia size also imply variability in the intensity of sexual selection. Relative importance of male coloration and tibia size may be weighted differently among populations, operating under similar constraints on reductions in survival accrued by developing these characters. The high degree of variation found among the populations implies that there is a degree of reproductive isolation among the chromatically and morphologically dissimilar populations. However, the similarity of the environments in which the populations existed, the close geographic proximity of some of the dissimilar populations, and the lack of any substantial geographic boundaries between the populations imply that this isolation is not maintained through extrinsic factors. Rather, it would seem that the interpopulational diversity is maintained by sexual selection. However, evidence from morphology and coloration suggest that the generation of this diversity is not evolving exclusively under sexual selection pressure, but rather is constrained to a degree by natural selection. Close

• 13. [Article] Koll Center Wetlands Natural Resources Maintenance Management Plan

  The intention of this plan is to provide a vision and guidelines for maintaining and improving the ecological health of Koll Center Wetlands in the short and long term. Although the plan will change over ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Koll Center Wetlands Natural Resources Maintenance Management Plan Author: Clayton, Meredith Year: 2006 The intention of this plan is to provide a vision and guidelines for maintaining and improving the ecological health of Koll Center Wetlands in the short and long term. Although the plan will change over time, the goal is to quantify natural resource needs spatially, temporally, and economically. Koll Center Wetlands is part of the Greenway/Fanno Creek/Koll Center Wetlands Park complex. The nearly 13 acre park is dominated by aquatic habitats that attract a wide variety of wildlife, particularly birds. The park grounds are not easily traversed and experience limited human use, but there are many viewpoints from which the park is easily and commonly observed by visitors. The park serves as valuable habitat for both local and migratory wildlife as it connects with the many other terrestrial and aquatic habitats of the park complex, forming a large wildlife corridor in an otherwise urban setting. The aquatic habitats respond to fluctuating water levels, creating seasonally diverse habitat conditions that support a variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles. A mixed forest grows on the southern slope of the park, housing a heron rookery and many well-established oaks and conifers. A weir located just past the south border of the property enables the wetlands to provide the services of storm detention and water filtration for runoff from the surrounding business park. Runoff from parking lots and landscaped areas can contain contaminants and nutrients capable of jeopardizing stream health. Settling and filtration of these compounds occurs as water travels north to south in the wetland, making the water that ultimately reaches Fanno Creek cleaner than it began. Since Koll Center Wetlands is located within a highly urbanized area, direct and indirect impacts to the natural areas from the surrounding region are considered in the maintenance management plan (MMP) for the park and its individual habitat units. These include, but are not limited to, direct human impacts, invasive plants and animals, and ongoing natural processes in plant communities. Title: Koll Center Wetlands Natural Resources Maintenance Management Plan Author: Clayton, Meredith Year: 2006 The intention of this plan is to provide a vision and guidelines for maintaining and improving the ecological health of Koll Center Wetlands in the short and long term. Although the plan will change over time, the goal is to quantify natural resource needs spatially, temporally, and economically. Koll Center Wetlands is part of the Greenway/Fanno Creek/Koll Center Wetlands Park complex. The nearly 13 acre park is dominated by aquatic habitats that attract a wide variety of wildlife, particularly birds. The park grounds are not easily traversed and experience limited human use, but there are many viewpoints from which the park is easily and commonly observed by visitors. The park serves as valuable habitat for both local and migratory wildlife as it connects with the many other terrestrial and aquatic habitats of the park complex, forming a large wildlife corridor in an otherwise urban setting. The aquatic habitats respond to fluctuating water levels, creating seasonally diverse habitat conditions that support a variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles. A mixed forest grows on the southern slope of the park, housing a heron rookery and many well-established oaks and conifers. A weir located just past the south border of the property enables the wetlands to provide the services of storm detention and water filtration for runoff from the surrounding business park. Runoff from parking lots and landscaped areas can contain contaminants and nutrients capable of jeopardizing stream health. Settling and filtration of these compounds occurs as water travels north to south in the wetland, making the water that ultimately reaches Fanno Creek cleaner than it began. Since Koll Center Wetlands is located within a highly urbanized area, direct and indirect impacts to the natural areas from the surrounding region are considered in the maintenance management plan (MMP) for the park and its individual habitat units. These include, but are not limited to, direct human impacts, invasive plants and animals, and ongoing natural processes in plant communities. Close

• 14. [Article] Rebuilding with Habitat: a Feasibility Study for a Portland Re-Store

  In September 1998 Habitat for Humanity's director asked our team to conduct a feasibility study on the possibility of opening a Habitat Re-Store in Portland, a store that would re-sell used building materials. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Rebuilding with Habitat: a Feasibility Study for a Portland Re-Store Author: Spevak, Eli, Newman, Rebecca, Linssen, Barbara, Wertz, Clint Year: 1999 In September 1998 Habitat for Humanity's director asked our team to conduct a feasibility study on the possibility of opening a Habitat Re-Store in Portland, a store that would re-sell used building materials. In addition to exploring that question in the traditional manner - considering issues of supply and demand, local competition and potential market niches -- we found ourselves compelled by a deeper exploration of the possibilities. Given that the store would be a Habitat for Humanity venture.... how could the store be utilized to improve people's lives... to empower and to educate... to both gain from and give back to the community? With the following report we hope we have answered the original question and raised some new ones. Title: Rebuilding with Habitat: a Feasibility Study for a Portland Re-Store Author: Spevak, Eli, Newman, Rebecca, Linssen, Barbara, Wertz, Clint Year: 1999 In September 1998 Habitat for Humanity's director asked our team to conduct a feasibility study on the possibility of opening a Habitat Re-Store in Portland, a store that would re-sell used building materials. In addition to exploring that question in the traditional manner - considering issues of supply and demand, local competition and potential market niches -- we found ourselves compelled by a deeper exploration of the possibilities. Given that the store would be a Habitat for Humanity venture.... how could the store be utilized to improve people's lives... to empower and to educate... to both gain from and give back to the community? With the following report we hope we have answered the original question and raised some new ones. Close

• 15. [Article] The effect of salinity on habitat selection of two Oregon chiton species (Katharina tunicata and Mopalia hindsii)

  Adult specimens of Katharina tunicata (mean weight = 10.23 grams) and Mopalia hindsii (mean weight = 10.90 grams) were tested for osmotic stress tolerance and oxygen consumption rates in a series of salinities ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The effect of salinity on habitat selection of two Oregon chiton species (Katharina tunicata and Mopalia hindsii) Author: Rostal, David Carl Year: 1986 Adult specimens of Katharina tunicata (mean weight = 10.23 grams) and Mopalia hindsii (mean weight = 10.90 grams) were tested for osmotic stress tolerance and oxygen consumption rates in a series of salinities (120%, 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% seawater) at 11°C and 16L:8D photoperiod. K. tunicata and M. hindsii displayed similar trends in percent body weight variation and volume regulatory responses to osmotic stress. However, K. tunicata experienced a significantly higher percent body weight increase than did M. hindsii in response to hypo-osmotic conditions (80%, 60%, and 40% seawater). The mean rates of oxygen consumption per salinity for the two species were not significantly different. Both species, however, showed reduced oxygen consumption rates and significantly increased weight gain in 40% seawater. SEM comparisons of radulae, ctenidia, and shape of the pallial groove revealed no significant differences between the species relevant to differences observed in habitat selection. Title: The effect of salinity on habitat selection of two Oregon chiton species (Katharina tunicata and Mopalia hindsii) Author: Rostal, David Carl Year: 1986 Adult specimens of Katharina tunicata (mean weight = 10.23 grams) and Mopalia hindsii (mean weight = 10.90 grams) were tested for osmotic stress tolerance and oxygen consumption rates in a series of salinities (120%, 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% seawater) at 11°C and 16L:8D photoperiod. K. tunicata and M. hindsii displayed similar trends in percent body weight variation and volume regulatory responses to osmotic stress. However, K. tunicata experienced a significantly higher percent body weight increase than did M. hindsii in response to hypo-osmotic conditions (80%, 60%, and 40% seawater). The mean rates of oxygen consumption per salinity for the two species were not significantly different. Both species, however, showed reduced oxygen consumption rates and significantly increased weight gain in 40% seawater. SEM comparisons of radulae, ctenidia, and shape of the pallial groove revealed no significant differences between the species relevant to differences observed in habitat selection. Close

• 16. [Article] A multi-gene phylogeny of Cephalopoda supports convergent morphological evolution in association with multiple habitat shifts in the marine environment

  The marine environment is comprised of numerous divergent organisms living under similar selective pressures, often resulting in the evolution of convergent structures such as the fusiform body shape of ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A multi-gene phylogeny of Cephalopoda supports convergent morphological evolution in association with multiple habitat shifts in the marine environment Author: Lindgren, Annie R., Pankey, Molly S., Hochberg, Frederick G., Oakley, Todd H. Year: 2012 The marine environment is comprised of numerous divergent organisms living under similar selective pressures, often resulting in the evolution of convergent structures such as the fusiform body shape of pelagic squids, fishes, and some marine mammals. However, little is known about the frequency of, and circumstances leading to, convergent evolution in the open ocean. Here, we present a comparative study of the molluscan class Cephalopoda, a marine group known to occupy habitats from the intertidal to the deep sea. Several lineages bear features that may coincide with a benthic or pelagic existence, making this a valuable group for testing hypotheses of correlated evolution. To test for convergence and correlation, we generate the most taxonomically comprehensive multi-gene phylogeny of cephalopods to date. We then create a character matrix of habitat type and morphological characters, which we use to infer ancestral character states and test for correlation between habitat and morphology. Our study utilizes a taxonomically well-sampled phylogeny to show convergent evolution in all six morphological characters we analyzed. Three of these characters also correlate with habitat. The presence of an autogenic photophore (those relying upon autonomous enzymatic light reactions) is correlated with a pelagic habitat, while the cornea and accessory nidamental gland correlate with a benthic lifestyle. Here, we present the first statistical tests for correlation between convergent traits and habitat in cephalopods to better understand the evolutionary history of characters that are adaptive in benthic or pelagic environments, respectively. Our study supports the hypothesis that habitat has influenced convergent evolution in the marine environment: benthic organisms tend to exhibit similar characteristics that confer protection from invasion by other benthic taxa, while pelagic organisms possess features that facilitate crypsis and communication in an environment lacking physical refuges. Features that have originated multiple times in distantly related lineages are likely adaptive for the organisms inhabiting a particular environment: studying the frequency and evolutionary history of such convergent characters can increase understanding of the underlying forces driving ecological and evolutionary transitions in the marine environment. Title: A multi-gene phylogeny of Cephalopoda supports convergent morphological evolution in association with multiple habitat shifts in the marine environment Author: Lindgren, Annie R., Pankey, Molly S., Hochberg, Frederick G., Oakley, Todd H. Year: 2012 The marine environment is comprised of numerous divergent organisms living under similar selective pressures, often resulting in the evolution of convergent structures such as the fusiform body shape of pelagic squids, fishes, and some marine mammals. However, little is known about the frequency of, and circumstances leading to, convergent evolution in the open ocean. Here, we present a comparative study of the molluscan class Cephalopoda, a marine group known to occupy habitats from the intertidal to the deep sea. Several lineages bear features that may coincide with a benthic or pelagic existence, making this a valuable group for testing hypotheses of correlated evolution. To test for convergence and correlation, we generate the most taxonomically comprehensive multi-gene phylogeny of cephalopods to date. We then create a character matrix of habitat type and morphological characters, which we use to infer ancestral character states and test for correlation between habitat and morphology. Our study utilizes a taxonomically well-sampled phylogeny to show convergent evolution in all six morphological characters we analyzed. Three of these characters also correlate with habitat. The presence of an autogenic photophore (those relying upon autonomous enzymatic light reactions) is correlated with a pelagic habitat, while the cornea and accessory nidamental gland correlate with a benthic lifestyle. Here, we present the first statistical tests for correlation between convergent traits and habitat in cephalopods to better understand the evolutionary history of characters that are adaptive in benthic or pelagic environments, respectively. Our study supports the hypothesis that habitat has influenced convergent evolution in the marine environment: benthic organisms tend to exhibit similar characteristics that confer protection from invasion by other benthic taxa, while pelagic organisms possess features that facilitate crypsis and communication in an environment lacking physical refuges. Features that have originated multiple times in distantly related lineages are likely adaptive for the organisms inhabiting a particular environment: studying the frequency and evolutionary history of such convergent characters can increase understanding of the underlying forces driving ecological and evolutionary transitions in the marine environment. Close

• 17. [Article] Green Roofs and Urban Biodiversity: Their Role as Invertebrate Habitat and the Effect of Design on Beetle Community

  With over half the world's population now living in cities, urban areas represent one of earth's few ecosystems that are increasing in extent, and are sites of altered biogeochemical cycles, habitat fragmentation, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Green Roofs and Urban Biodiversity: Their Role as Invertebrate Habitat and the Effect of Design on Beetle Community Author: Gonsalves, Sydney Marie Year: 2016 With over half the world's population now living in cities, urban areas represent one of earth's few ecosystems that are increasing in extent, and are sites of altered biogeochemical cycles, habitat fragmentation, and changes in biodiversity. However, urban green spaces, including green roofs, can also provide important pools of biodiversity and contribute to regional gamma diversity, while novel species assemblages can enhance some ecosystem services. Green roofs may also mitigate species loss in urban areas and have been shown to support a surprising diversity of invertebrates, including rare and endangered species. In the first part of this study I reviewed the literature on urban invertebrate communities and diversity to better understand the role of green roofs in providing habitat in the context of the larger urban mosaic. My review concluded that, while other factors such as surrounding land use and connectivity are also important to specific invertebrate taxa, local habitat variables contribute substantially to the structure and diversity of urban invertebrate communities. The importance of local habitat variables in urban green spaces and strong support for the habitat complexity hypothesis in a number of other ecosystems has led to proposals that "biodiverse" roofs--those intentionally designed with varied substrate depth, greater plant diversity, or added elements such as logs or stones--would support greater invertebrate diversity, but there is currently limited peer reviewed data to support this. In order to address the habitat complexity hypothesis in the context of green roofs, in the second part of this study I surveyed three roofs designed primarily for stormwater management, three biodiverse roofs, and five ground-level green spaces, from March until September of 2014 in the Portland metropolitan area. Beetles (Coleoptera) were sampled bi-weekly as representatives of total species diversity. Biodiverse roofs had greater richness, abundance, and diversity of beetle species compared to stormwater roofs, but were not more diverse than ground sites. Both biodiverse roofs and ground sites had approximately 20% native beetle species while stormwater roofs had only 5%. Functional diversity was also higher on biodiverse roofs with an average of seven trophic groups represented, while stormwater roofs averaged only three. Ground sites, biodiverse roofs, and stormwater roofs each grouped distinctively in terms of beetle community composition and biodiverse roof communities were found to be positively correlated with roof age, percent plant cover, average plant height, and plant species richness. These results support the findings of previous studies on the importance of local variables in structuring urban invertebrate communities and suggest that biodiverse design can reliably increase greenroof diversity, with the caution that they remain no replacement for ground level conservation. Title: Green Roofs and Urban Biodiversity: Their Role as Invertebrate Habitat and the Effect of Design on Beetle Community Author: Gonsalves, Sydney Marie Year: 2016 With over half the world's population now living in cities, urban areas represent one of earth's few ecosystems that are increasing in extent, and are sites of altered biogeochemical cycles, habitat fragmentation, and changes in biodiversity. However, urban green spaces, including green roofs, can also provide important pools of biodiversity and contribute to regional gamma diversity, while novel species assemblages can enhance some ecosystem services. Green roofs may also mitigate species loss in urban areas and have been shown to support a surprising diversity of invertebrates, including rare and endangered species. In the first part of this study I reviewed the literature on urban invertebrate communities and diversity to better understand the role of green roofs in providing habitat in the context of the larger urban mosaic. My review concluded that, while other factors such as surrounding land use and connectivity are also important to specific invertebrate taxa, local habitat variables contribute substantially to the structure and diversity of urban invertebrate communities. The importance of local habitat variables in urban green spaces and strong support for the habitat complexity hypothesis in a number of other ecosystems has led to proposals that "biodiverse" roofs--those intentionally designed with varied substrate depth, greater plant diversity, or added elements such as logs or stones--would support greater invertebrate diversity, but there is currently limited peer reviewed data to support this. In order to address the habitat complexity hypothesis in the context of green roofs, in the second part of this study I surveyed three roofs designed primarily for stormwater management, three biodiverse roofs, and five ground-level green spaces, from March until September of 2014 in the Portland metropolitan area. Beetles (Coleoptera) were sampled bi-weekly as representatives of total species diversity. Biodiverse roofs had greater richness, abundance, and diversity of beetle species compared to stormwater roofs, but were not more diverse than ground sites. Both biodiverse roofs and ground sites had approximately 20% native beetle species while stormwater roofs had only 5%. Functional diversity was also higher on biodiverse roofs with an average of seven trophic groups represented, while stormwater roofs averaged only three. Ground sites, biodiverse roofs, and stormwater roofs each grouped distinctively in terms of beetle community composition and biodiverse roof communities were found to be positively correlated with roof age, percent plant cover, average plant height, and plant species richness. These results support the findings of previous studies on the importance of local variables in structuring urban invertebrate communities and suggest that biodiverse design can reliably increase greenroof diversity, with the caution that they remain no replacement for ground level conservation. Close

• 18. [Article] A Landscape Approach to Determining and Predicting Juvenile Coho Salmon (<i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i>) Movement Timing and Growth Patterns Prior to Ocean Entry

  Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) rely on unique habitats during the winter season, which may dictate how much individuals may grow and when migration from freshwater rearing habitat to the ocean occurs. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: A Landscape Approach to Determining and Predicting Juvenile Coho Salmon (<i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i>) Movement Timing and Growth Patterns Prior to Ocean Entry Author: Johnson, Amelia Lee Year: 2016 Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) rely on unique habitats during the winter season, which may dictate how much individuals may grow and when migration from freshwater rearing habitat to the ocean occurs. Here I analyze movement timing and growth patterns for coho salmon through a field-based study and a literature review. For the field portion, I examined hatchery-stocked juvenile coho salmon across four stream basins in the Russian River watershed, California to determine the relative importance of climate, landscape, and fish size metrics in predicting movement and growth patterns over a winter rearing and spring smolt outmigration time period (December 2014-June 2015). I observed three unique movement strategies: winter parr movement, spring smolt movement, and inter-tributary movement. Movement was predicted in relation to daily temperature and precipitation, followed by in-stream and upslope basin conditions in random forest modeling. Specifically, fish that moved later were associated with basins that contained higher productivity and low-gradient floodplain habitats, while fish that moved earlier came from streams that lacked invertebrate prey and had limited low-gradient rearing habitat. Fish size and timing of movement were the primary predictors of growth, with relatively larger fish in the spring growing faster than fish that were relatively smaller prior to winter. These relationships suggest that hatchery-release fish are still highly influenced by environmental conditions once released, especially in terms of initial seasonal movement, and that watershed conditions should be considered when utilizing hatchery-rearing programs to supplement wild fish populations. In North America, coho salmon populations are distributed from Alaska through California, and may exhibit unique movement and growth patterns in relationship to population-scale vulnerability (Endangered Species Act listing), basin area, and availability and types of rearing habitat. For the second part of my thesis, I conducted a literature review to assess what factors are commonly considered in predicting movement and growth patterns for these fish, as well as the types (season and life stage) and number of movement strategies reported. Eighteen studies were summarized, of which sixteen identified unique movement strategies, ranging from one to four. Despite a wide range of basin areas and latitudes, winter parr and spring smolt movements were commonly observed, with authors primarily relating these behaviors to in-stream habitat and fish size metrics. Additionally, growth was linked positively and primarily with off-channel winter rearing, which may outweigh the importance of fish size in predicting growth when high quality rearing habitats are available during the winter season. Recognizing movement timing diversity and its drivers can help recover threatened coho salmon populations. More widely distributed populations may have unique phenotypic expressions based on localized genetic and environmental interactions, increasing diversity and overall stability across the population, a concept known as the portfolio effect. Understanding fish-habitat relationships can aid recovery efforts by providing a framework of climatic and watershed conditions that support unique behaviors, even in already severely limited populations. Title: A Landscape Approach to Determining and Predicting Juvenile Coho Salmon (<i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i>) Movement Timing and Growth Patterns Prior to Ocean Entry Author: Johnson, Amelia Lee Year: 2016 Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) rely on unique habitats during the winter season, which may dictate how much individuals may grow and when migration from freshwater rearing habitat to the ocean occurs. Here I analyze movement timing and growth patterns for coho salmon through a field-based study and a literature review. For the field portion, I examined hatchery-stocked juvenile coho salmon across four stream basins in the Russian River watershed, California to determine the relative importance of climate, landscape, and fish size metrics in predicting movement and growth patterns over a winter rearing and spring smolt outmigration time period (December 2014-June 2015). I observed three unique movement strategies: winter parr movement, spring smolt movement, and inter-tributary movement. Movement was predicted in relation to daily temperature and precipitation, followed by in-stream and upslope basin conditions in random forest modeling. Specifically, fish that moved later were associated with basins that contained higher productivity and low-gradient floodplain habitats, while fish that moved earlier came from streams that lacked invertebrate prey and had limited low-gradient rearing habitat. Fish size and timing of movement were the primary predictors of growth, with relatively larger fish in the spring growing faster than fish that were relatively smaller prior to winter. These relationships suggest that hatchery-release fish are still highly influenced by environmental conditions once released, especially in terms of initial seasonal movement, and that watershed conditions should be considered when utilizing hatchery-rearing programs to supplement wild fish populations. In North America, coho salmon populations are distributed from Alaska through California, and may exhibit unique movement and growth patterns in relationship to population-scale vulnerability (Endangered Species Act listing), basin area, and availability and types of rearing habitat. For the second part of my thesis, I conducted a literature review to assess what factors are commonly considered in predicting movement and growth patterns for these fish, as well as the types (season and life stage) and number of movement strategies reported. Eighteen studies were summarized, of which sixteen identified unique movement strategies, ranging from one to four. Despite a wide range of basin areas and latitudes, winter parr and spring smolt movements were commonly observed, with authors primarily relating these behaviors to in-stream habitat and fish size metrics. Additionally, growth was linked positively and primarily with off-channel winter rearing, which may outweigh the importance of fish size in predicting growth when high quality rearing habitats are available during the winter season. Recognizing movement timing diversity and its drivers can help recover threatened coho salmon populations. More widely distributed populations may have unique phenotypic expressions based on localized genetic and environmental interactions, increasing diversity and overall stability across the population, a concept known as the portfolio effect. Understanding fish-habitat relationships can aid recovery efforts by providing a framework of climatic and watershed conditions that support unique behaviors, even in already severely limited populations. Close

• 19. [Article] Modeling the Distribution of Bobcats and Areas of Reintroduction for Fisher in the Southern Washington Cascades

  The fisher (Martes pennanti) is a medium sized member of the mustelid family that once roamed the forests of Washington and whose historic range in the western United States once spread throughout the ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Modeling the Distribution of Bobcats and Areas of Reintroduction for Fisher in the Southern Washington Cascades Author: Halsey, Shiloh Michael Year: 2013 The fisher (Martes pennanti) is a medium sized member of the mustelid family that once roamed the forests of Washington and whose historic range in the western United States once spread throughout the northern Rocky Mountains, the Cascade and Coast Ranges, and the Sierra Nevada (Carroll, Zielinski, and Noss 1999; Powell 1993, Spencer et al. 2011). Due to pressures from trapping and habitat fragmentation, the abundance of the species in the western United States has decreased dramatically and is thought to be limited to several small, isolated populations. In 2008, fishers were reintroduced to the Olympic Peninsula; however, bobcat (Lynx rufus) predation in the first years is thought to have killed off a significant portion of the released fisher hindering their ability to establish a self-sustaining population (Lewis et al. 2011). Other studies in the western United States have shown that bobcats can be a dramatic force on small or isolated fisher populations. The coniferous forest of the southern Washington Cascades is the possible site of a release of currently extirpated fishers. My research examines the distribution of bobcats in the region and explores the implication this and the habitat variables of the area have for a future reintroduction of fisher. The workflow of the research was a stepwise process of: 1) surveying forested areas in the southern Washington Cascades for the presence and absence of bobcat and acquiring previously completed survey data 2) using a classification tree to model the correlation of bobcat presence or absence with forest variables and 3) applying these relationships to spatial analysis the creation of maps showing areas of high ranking fisher habitat. The classification tree modeled the correlation between the forest variables and the results of the surveys, which included 145 bobcat absence observations and 39 presence observations. The model highlighted a 95% probability of absence above 1,303 m in elevation, 73% probability of absence in areas under 1,303 m in elevation and with a tree diameter value under 43.45 cm, 57% probability of absence in areas between 1,070 m and 1,303 m in elevation and with a tree diameter value above 43.45 cm, and an 89% probability of bobcat presence in areas under 1,070 m in elevation with a tree diameter value above 43.45 cm. I applied an upper elevation limit of 1,676 meters as a threshold for suitable habitat and only considered habitat suitable in cells with a tree diameter above 29 cm. The three locations highlighted as the most suitable areas for reintroduction due to a large amount of the highest ranking habitat and the largest aggregations of suitable habitat cells were around the William O. Douglas Wilderness that straddles the border of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest (GPNF) and the Wenatchee National Forest, another location in the Norse Peak Wilderness northeast of Mount Rainier, and a third location in Indian Heaven Wilderness in the southern portion of the GPNF. Title: Modeling the Distribution of Bobcats and Areas of Reintroduction for Fisher in the Southern Washington Cascades Author: Halsey, Shiloh Michael Year: 2013 The fisher (Martes pennanti) is a medium sized member of the mustelid family that once roamed the forests of Washington and whose historic range in the western United States once spread throughout the northern Rocky Mountains, the Cascade and Coast Ranges, and the Sierra Nevada (Carroll, Zielinski, and Noss 1999; Powell 1993, Spencer et al. 2011). Due to pressures from trapping and habitat fragmentation, the abundance of the species in the western United States has decreased dramatically and is thought to be limited to several small, isolated populations. In 2008, fishers were reintroduced to the Olympic Peninsula; however, bobcat (Lynx rufus) predation in the first years is thought to have killed off a significant portion of the released fisher hindering their ability to establish a self-sustaining population (Lewis et al. 2011). Other studies in the western United States have shown that bobcats can be a dramatic force on small or isolated fisher populations. The coniferous forest of the southern Washington Cascades is the possible site of a release of currently extirpated fishers. My research examines the distribution of bobcats in the region and explores the implication this and the habitat variables of the area have for a future reintroduction of fisher. The workflow of the research was a stepwise process of: 1) surveying forested areas in the southern Washington Cascades for the presence and absence of bobcat and acquiring previously completed survey data 2) using a classification tree to model the correlation of bobcat presence or absence with forest variables and 3) applying these relationships to spatial analysis the creation of maps showing areas of high ranking fisher habitat. The classification tree modeled the correlation between the forest variables and the results of the surveys, which included 145 bobcat absence observations and 39 presence observations. The model highlighted a 95% probability of absence above 1,303 m in elevation, 73% probability of absence in areas under 1,303 m in elevation and with a tree diameter value under 43.45 cm, 57% probability of absence in areas between 1,070 m and 1,303 m in elevation and with a tree diameter value above 43.45 cm, and an 89% probability of bobcat presence in areas under 1,070 m in elevation with a tree diameter value above 43.45 cm. I applied an upper elevation limit of 1,676 meters as a threshold for suitable habitat and only considered habitat suitable in cells with a tree diameter above 29 cm. The three locations highlighted as the most suitable areas for reintroduction due to a large amount of the highest ranking habitat and the largest aggregations of suitable habitat cells were around the William O. Douglas Wilderness that straddles the border of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest (GPNF) and the Wenatchee National Forest, another location in the Norse Peak Wilderness northeast of Mount Rainier, and a third location in Indian Heaven Wilderness in the southern portion of the GPNF. Close

• 20. [Article] Impacts of Columbia River Discharge on Salmonid Habitat: 2. Changes in Shallow-Water Habitat

  This is the second part of an investigation that analyzes human alteration of shallow-water habitat (SWH) available to juvenile salmonids in the tidal Lower Columbia River. Part 2 develops a one-dimensional, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Impacts of Columbia River Discharge on Salmonid Habitat: 2. Changes in Shallow-Water Habitat Author: Jay, David A., Kukulka, Tobias Year: 2003 This is the second part of an investigation that analyzes human alteration of shallow-water habitat (SWH) available to juvenile salmonids in the tidal Lower Columbia River. Part 2 develops a one-dimensional, subtidal river stage model that explains ~90% of the stage variance in the tidal river. This model and the tidal model developed in part 1 (Kukulka and Jay, 2003) uncouple the nonlinear interaction of river tides and river stage by referring both to external forcing by river discharge, ocean tides, and atmospheric pressure. Applying the two models, daily high-water levels were predicted for a reach from rkm-50 to rkm-90 during 1974 to 1998, the period of contemporary management. Predicted water levels were related to the bathymetry and topography to determine the changes in shallow-water habitat area (SWHA) caused by flood control dikes and altered flow management. Model results suggest that diking and a >40% reduction of peak flows have reduced SWHA by ~62% during the crucial spring freshet period during which juvenile salmon use of SWHA is maximal. Taken individually, diking and flow cycle alteration reduced spring freshet SWHA by 52% and 29%, respectively. SWHA has been both displaced to lower elevations and modified in its character because tidal range has increased. Our models of these processes are economical for the very long simulations (seasons to centuries) needed to understand historic changes and climate impacts on SWH. Through analysis of the nonlinear processes controlling surface elevation in a tidal river, we have identified some of the mechanisms that link freshwater discharge to SWH and salmonid survival. Title: Impacts of Columbia River Discharge on Salmonid Habitat: 2. Changes in Shallow-Water Habitat Author: Jay, David A., Kukulka, Tobias Year: 2003 This is the second part of an investigation that analyzes human alteration of shallow-water habitat (SWH) available to juvenile salmonids in the tidal Lower Columbia River. Part 2 develops a one-dimensional, subtidal river stage model that explains ~90% of the stage variance in the tidal river. This model and the tidal model developed in part 1 (Kukulka and Jay, 2003) uncouple the nonlinear interaction of river tides and river stage by referring both to external forcing by river discharge, ocean tides, and atmospheric pressure. Applying the two models, daily high-water levels were predicted for a reach from rkm-50 to rkm-90 during 1974 to 1998, the period of contemporary management. Predicted water levels were related to the bathymetry and topography to determine the changes in shallow-water habitat area (SWHA) caused by flood control dikes and altered flow management. Model results suggest that diking and a >40% reduction of peak flows have reduced SWHA by ~62% during the crucial spring freshet period during which juvenile salmon use of SWHA is maximal. Taken individually, diking and flow cycle alteration reduced spring freshet SWHA by 52% and 29%, respectively. SWHA has been both displaced to lower elevations and modified in its character because tidal range has increased. Our models of these processes are economical for the very long simulations (seasons to centuries) needed to understand historic changes and climate impacts on SWH. Through analysis of the nonlinear processes controlling surface elevation in a tidal river, we have identified some of the mechanisms that link freshwater discharge to SWH and salmonid survival. Close