Search

Search Results

• 91. [Article] Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy

  The condition of the sagebrush ecosystem has been declining in the Western United States, and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a sagebrush-obligate species, has experienced concurrent decreases ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy Author: Manier, Daniel J. , Hanser, Steven E. The condition of the sagebrush ecosystem has been declining in the Western United States, and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a sagebrush-obligate species, has experienced concurrent decreases in distribution and population numbers. This has prompted substantial research and management over the past two decades to improve the understanding of sage-grouse and its habitats and to address the observed decreases in distribution and population numbers. The amount of research and management has increased as the year 2015 approaches, which is when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is expected to make a final decision about whether or not to protect the species under the Endangered Species Act. In 2012, the Sage-Grouse Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) requested that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) lead the development of a Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy (hereafter Research Strategy). This request was motivated by a practical need to systematically connect existing research and conservation plans with persisting or emerging information needs. Managers and researchers also wanted to reduce redundancy and help focus limited funds on the highest priority research and management issues. The USGS undertook the development of this Research Strategy, which addresses information and science relating to the greater sage-grouse and its habitat across portions of 11Western States. This Research Strategy provides an outline of important research topics to ensure that science information gaps are identified and documented in a comprehensive manner. Further, by identifying priority topics and critical information needed for planning, research, and resource management, it provides a structure to help coordinate members of an expansive research and management community in their efforts to conduct priority research. Title: Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy Author: Manier, Daniel J. , Hanser, Steven E. The condition of the sagebrush ecosystem has been declining in the Western United States, and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a sagebrush-obligate species, has experienced concurrent decreases in distribution and population numbers. This has prompted substantial research and management over the past two decades to improve the understanding of sage-grouse and its habitats and to address the observed decreases in distribution and population numbers. The amount of research and management has increased as the year 2015 approaches, which is when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is expected to make a final decision about whether or not to protect the species under the Endangered Species Act. In 2012, the Sage-Grouse Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) requested that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) lead the development of a Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy (hereafter Research Strategy). This request was motivated by a practical need to systematically connect existing research and conservation plans with persisting or emerging information needs. Managers and researchers also wanted to reduce redundancy and help focus limited funds on the highest priority research and management issues. The USGS undertook the development of this Research Strategy, which addresses information and science relating to the greater sage-grouse and its habitat across portions of 11Western States. This Research Strategy provides an outline of important research topics to ensure that science information gaps are identified and documented in a comprehensive manner. Further, by identifying priority topics and critical information needed for planning, research, and resource management, it provides a structure to help coordinate members of an expansive research and management community in their efforts to conduct priority research. Close

• 92. [Article] Marine protected areas : gathering stakeholder input via an internet-based survey

  Conservation efforts have been increasing in recent years to help preserve threatened coastal and ocean resources. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool to protect and conserve ocean resources. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Marine protected areas : gathering stakeholder input via an internet-based survey Author: Demirdjian, Renee Conservation efforts have been increasing in recent years to help preserve threatened coastal and ocean resources. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool to protect and conserve ocean resources. The MPA Center was established to take the lead in developing a framework for a national system of MPAs. The Natural Science Research Strategy (NSRS) for MPAs is a document being created to provide common ground among MPAs and MPA managers across the U.S. It will be a general document discussing the natural science considerations for establishing MPAs e.g., larval dispersal, critical habitat, proximity to land (runoff), etc. The MPA Center wants to engage stakeholders in the process of identifying regional design criteria and research needs for MPAs. An online survey has been chosen to gather this stakeholder input. Hypothetical draft questions regarding MPA design criteria and research needs were developed, survey methodologies were reviewed emphasizing web-based strategies, and a prototype survey developed online. This report outlines the work described above and suggests ways that the MPA Center can move forward with this process. Title: Marine protected areas : gathering stakeholder input via an internet-based survey Author: Demirdjian, Renee Conservation efforts have been increasing in recent years to help preserve threatened coastal and ocean resources. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool to protect and conserve ocean resources. The MPA Center was established to take the lead in developing a framework for a national system of MPAs. The Natural Science Research Strategy (NSRS) for MPAs is a document being created to provide common ground among MPAs and MPA managers across the U.S. It will be a general document discussing the natural science considerations for establishing MPAs e.g., larval dispersal, critical habitat, proximity to land (runoff), etc. The MPA Center wants to engage stakeholders in the process of identifying regional design criteria and research needs for MPAs. An online survey has been chosen to gather this stakeholder input. Hypothetical draft questions regarding MPA design criteria and research needs were developed, survey methodologies were reviewed emphasizing web-based strategies, and a prototype survey developed online. This report outlines the work described above and suggests ways that the MPA Center can move forward with this process. Close

• 93. [Article] Evaluation of data-poor and age-structure management strategies for west coast rockfish

  Management strategies to prevent overfishing while achieving optimum yield vary according to the available data and life history of the fished stock. I evaluated two sets of management strategies for Pacific ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Evaluation of data-poor and age-structure management strategies for west coast rockfish Author: Arnold, Linsey M. Management strategies to prevent overfishing while achieving optimum yield vary according to the available data and life history of the fished stock. I evaluated two sets of management strategies for Pacific coast rockfish: strategies to set harvest limits for data-poor stocks, and strategies intended to protect the age structure of fished stocks. Setting Harvest Limits for Data-poor Stocks - The collapse of canary rockfish, Sebastes pinniger, in the northeast Pacific began more than two decades before the stock was officially declared overfished. The 2006 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires a scientifically-based harvest limit for all fished stocks, including those with data limited to catch. Two such "data-poor" methods are currently in use for the management of west coast stocks, depletion-corrected average catch (DCAC) and depletion-based stock reduction analysis (DB-SRA). To evaluate the performance of each method when challenged with catch and biological uncertainty, I retrospectively applied the methods to the catch and biological data available at the time of the first and second canary rockfish stock assessments in 1984 and 1990. In 1980 canary rockfish would be classified as "data-poor", and in 1990 as "data-rich". To evaluate the sensitivity of DCAC and DB-SRA to error in the catch data, harvest limits were estimated using both the historic catch data from each assessment, and the reconstructed catch data from the most recent stock assessment. In addition, harvest limits were estimated using simulated catch data sets for the years 1916 to 1983 with increasing variability around the true catch. DCAC and DB-SRA estimated harvest limits were significantly lower than the catch recommended in both the data-poor and data-rich stock assessments, but higher than the "true" overfishing limit. Use of current catch data improved the estimated harvest limit when the stock was data-poor, but not when the stock was data-rich. The simple methods responded to increasing error in the catch time series with decreasing mean estimates of the harvest limit, indicating that these methods are highly precautionary for this species, when the catch time series is the only source of error. Age Structure Management Strategies - In a variable oceanographic environment, a population with many reproductive age classes benefits not only from the increased fecundity of older fish; but also, in some species, an increase in larval fitness. Older females may also spawn at different times or over longer periods than younger females, increasing the probability of larvae encountering favorable environmental conditions. Despite the accumulating evidence for the importance of age structure to long-term population viability in harvested fish populations, long-lived west coast rockfish (Genus Sebastes) are managed with a biomass-based harvest control rule. I compared three strategies for age structure management, and evaluated the strategies relative to the status quo, biomass-based harvest control rules, across three rockfish life histories. I examined the tradeoff between yield and traditional management reference points, as well as performance measures that could serve as management reference points for age structure. Yield was reduced by strategies that maintain "old growth" age structure, but annual variation in the catch and the probability of becoming overfished were also reduced. The longest-lived rockfish benefited the most from strategies that maintained older fish in the population through dome-shaped selectivity. The shorter-lived rockfish benefited from adjustments in the catch limit based on the age composition of the catch one year previous. Achieving "pretty good yield" with management strategies that also decrease the potential for overexploitation is an important goal for stocks that are well-studied and those that are poorly understood; these investigations contribute to a growing literature on alternative approaches to sustainable fisheries management. Title: Evaluation of data-poor and age-structure management strategies for west coast rockfish Author: Arnold, Linsey M. Management strategies to prevent overfishing while achieving optimum yield vary according to the available data and life history of the fished stock. I evaluated two sets of management strategies for Pacific coast rockfish: strategies to set harvest limits for data-poor stocks, and strategies intended to protect the age structure of fished stocks. Setting Harvest Limits for Data-poor Stocks - The collapse of canary rockfish, Sebastes pinniger, in the northeast Pacific began more than two decades before the stock was officially declared overfished. The 2006 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires a scientifically-based harvest limit for all fished stocks, including those with data limited to catch. Two such "data-poor" methods are currently in use for the management of west coast stocks, depletion-corrected average catch (DCAC) and depletion-based stock reduction analysis (DB-SRA). To evaluate the performance of each method when challenged with catch and biological uncertainty, I retrospectively applied the methods to the catch and biological data available at the time of the first and second canary rockfish stock assessments in 1984 and 1990. In 1980 canary rockfish would be classified as "data-poor", and in 1990 as "data-rich". To evaluate the sensitivity of DCAC and DB-SRA to error in the catch data, harvest limits were estimated using both the historic catch data from each assessment, and the reconstructed catch data from the most recent stock assessment. In addition, harvest limits were estimated using simulated catch data sets for the years 1916 to 1983 with increasing variability around the true catch. DCAC and DB-SRA estimated harvest limits were significantly lower than the catch recommended in both the data-poor and data-rich stock assessments, but higher than the "true" overfishing limit. Use of current catch data improved the estimated harvest limit when the stock was data-poor, but not when the stock was data-rich. The simple methods responded to increasing error in the catch time series with decreasing mean estimates of the harvest limit, indicating that these methods are highly precautionary for this species, when the catch time series is the only source of error. Age Structure Management Strategies - In a variable oceanographic environment, a population with many reproductive age classes benefits not only from the increased fecundity of older fish; but also, in some species, an increase in larval fitness. Older females may also spawn at different times or over longer periods than younger females, increasing the probability of larvae encountering favorable environmental conditions. Despite the accumulating evidence for the importance of age structure to long-term population viability in harvested fish populations, long-lived west coast rockfish (Genus Sebastes) are managed with a biomass-based harvest control rule. I compared three strategies for age structure management, and evaluated the strategies relative to the status quo, biomass-based harvest control rules, across three rockfish life histories. I examined the tradeoff between yield and traditional management reference points, as well as performance measures that could serve as management reference points for age structure. Yield was reduced by strategies that maintain "old growth" age structure, but annual variation in the catch and the probability of becoming overfished were also reduced. The longest-lived rockfish benefited the most from strategies that maintained older fish in the population through dome-shaped selectivity. The shorter-lived rockfish benefited from adjustments in the catch limit based on the age composition of the catch one year previous. Achieving "pretty good yield" with management strategies that also decrease the potential for overexploitation is an important goal for stocks that are well-studied and those that are poorly understood; these investigations contribute to a growing literature on alternative approaches to sustainable fisheries management. Close

• 94. [Article] Least-Cost Bycatch Reduction Through the Biodiversity Mitigation Hierarchy

  Suggested Bibliographic Reference: NAAFE Forum 2017 Proceedings, March 22-24, 2017. Compiled by Ann L. Shriver with assistance from Stefani Evers. North American Association of Fisheries Economists (NAAFE), ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Least-Cost Bycatch Reduction Through the Biodiversity Mitigation Hierarchy Author: Garcia, Serge, Squires, Dale Suggested Bibliographic Reference: NAAFE Forum 2017 Proceedings, March 22-24, 2017. Compiled by Ann L. Shriver with assistance from Stefani Evers. North American Association of Fisheries Economists (NAAFE), Corvallis, 2017. Title: Least-Cost Bycatch Reduction Through the Biodiversity Mitigation Hierarchy Author: Garcia, Serge, Squires, Dale Suggested Bibliographic Reference: NAAFE Forum 2017 Proceedings, March 22-24, 2017. Compiled by Ann L. Shriver with assistance from Stefani Evers. North American Association of Fisheries Economists (NAAFE), Corvallis, 2017. Close

• 95. [Article] Building on Two Decades of Ecosystem Management and Biodiversity Conservation under the Northwest Forest Plan, USA

  Correction: We discovered two typos and a change in a sentence needed in our published manuscript. Regarding the typos: timber estimates in Section 2 of the NWFP’s Long-Term Objectives should have been ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Building on Two Decades of Ecosystem Management and Biodiversity Conservation under the Northwest Forest Plan, USA Author: DellaSala, Dominick A., Baker, Rowan, Heiken, Doug, Nelson, S. Kim, et al. Correction: We discovered two typos and a change in a sentence needed in our published manuscript. Regarding the typos: timber estimates in Section 2 of the NWFP’s Long-Term Objectives should have been 2.34 million cubic meters annually instead of 234 million cubic meters annually and ~1.78 million cubic meters instead of 178 million cubic meters annually. The statement regarding murrelet populations—“Trends were downward (but not significant) in other NWFP states” should be deleted in this paper [1]. The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused to the readers by these changes. Title: Building on Two Decades of Ecosystem Management and Biodiversity Conservation under the Northwest Forest Plan, USA Author: DellaSala, Dominick A., Baker, Rowan, Heiken, Doug, Nelson, S. Kim, et al. Correction: We discovered two typos and a change in a sentence needed in our published manuscript. Regarding the typos: timber estimates in Section 2 of the NWFP’s Long-Term Objectives should have been 2.34 million cubic meters annually instead of 234 million cubic meters annually and ~1.78 million cubic meters instead of 178 million cubic meters annually. The statement regarding murrelet populations—“Trends were downward (but not significant) in other NWFP states” should be deleted in this paper [1]. The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused to the readers by these changes. Close

• 96. [Article] Strategies for efficient irrigation water use

  Published July 2001. Revised March 2013. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Strategies for efficient irrigation water use Author: Shock, B. M., Oregon State University. Extension Service, Shock, C. C. (Clinton C.), Welch, Teresa Published July 2001. Revised March 2013. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog Title: Strategies for efficient irrigation water use Author: Shock, B. M., Oregon State University. Extension Service, Shock, C. C. (Clinton C.), Welch, Teresa Published July 2001. Revised March 2013. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog Close

• 97. [Article] Overcoming Barriers to Effective Ecological Education: A Malagasy Case Study

  Honko Mangrove Conservation and Education is a Western non-governmental organization based in Madagascar that serves as a source of public science education and caters to diverse audiences. My thesis examines ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Overcoming Barriers to Effective Ecological Education: A Malagasy Case Study Author: Preston, Kimberley Honko Mangrove Conservation and Education is a Western non-governmental organization based in Madagascar that serves as a source of public science education and caters to diverse audiences. My thesis examines barriers of culture, language and epistemology that may constrain Honko’s ability to conduct effective public education, if they decide to expand their organization. Honko should implement a three-pronged action plan that includes a dynamic epistemological model drawing from Western and Traditional Knowledge Systems and an strategy to actively identify changing audience and stakeholder bases. These two steps plus a shift towards constructivist educational philosophy that encourages reflection and incorporates social-context into science could help Honko attain their educational goals and overcome cultural barriers to ecological and public education. Title: Overcoming Barriers to Effective Ecological Education: A Malagasy Case Study Author: Preston, Kimberley Honko Mangrove Conservation and Education is a Western non-governmental organization based in Madagascar that serves as a source of public science education and caters to diverse audiences. My thesis examines barriers of culture, language and epistemology that may constrain Honko’s ability to conduct effective public education, if they decide to expand their organization. Honko should implement a three-pronged action plan that includes a dynamic epistemological model drawing from Western and Traditional Knowledge Systems and an strategy to actively identify changing audience and stakeholder bases. These two steps plus a shift towards constructivist educational philosophy that encourages reflection and incorporates social-context into science could help Honko attain their educational goals and overcome cultural barriers to ecological and public education. Close

• 98. [Article] Methods to develop a crediting strategy for transportation and metropolitan planning agencies: White paper

  White paper from the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) is an Oregon University System institute located at Oregon State University and Portland State University.

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Methods to develop a crediting strategy for transportation and metropolitan planning agencies: White paper Author: Gaines, Lisa, Kagan, Jimmy White paper from the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) is an Oregon University System institute located at Oregon State University and Portland State University. Title: Methods to develop a crediting strategy for transportation and metropolitan planning agencies: White paper Author: Gaines, Lisa, Kagan, Jimmy White paper from the Institute for Natural Resources (INR) is an Oregon University System institute located at Oregon State University and Portland State University. Close

• 99. [Article] Ecological strategies predict associations between aquatic and genetic connectivity for dryland amphibians

  This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Ecological Society of America and can be found at: http://www.esajournals.org/loi/ecol

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Ecological strategies predict associations between aquatic and genetic connectivity for dryland amphibians Author: Lytle, David A., Olden, Julian D., Kirk, Emily E. Hartfield, Mims, Meryl C., Phillipsen, Ivan C. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Ecological Society of America and can be found at: http://www.esajournals.org/loi/ecol Title: Ecological strategies predict associations between aquatic and genetic connectivity for dryland amphibians Author: Lytle, David A., Olden, Julian D., Kirk, Emily E. Hartfield, Mims, Meryl C., Phillipsen, Ivan C. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Ecological Society of America and can be found at: http://www.esajournals.org/loi/ecol Close

• 100. [Article] Can We Stabilize Fisheries' Benefits from a Fluctuating Stock? A Bioeconomic Assessment of The Pacific Whiting Fishery

  Research Paper

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Can We Stabilize Fisheries' Benefits from a Fluctuating Stock? A Bioeconomic Assessment of The Pacific Whiting Fishery Author: Punt, Andre E., Huppert, Daniel D., Ishimura, Gakushi Research Paper Title: Can We Stabilize Fisheries' Benefits from a Fluctuating Stock? A Bioeconomic Assessment of The Pacific Whiting Fishery Author: Punt, Andre E., Huppert, Daniel D., Ishimura, Gakushi Research Paper Close