A major goal of conservation biology is to elucidate the population genetic structure in threatened species and assess the relative importance of the evolutionary forces that shape that population genetic structure. I conducted three studies in the declining amphibian Rana cascadae to assess levels of population genetic differentiation and the...
This study examined the question of whether a big island can be divided into many smaller
islands with the same pattern of area-species curve as that of the complete island. To address
this question, this study used data on the number and distribution of amphibians and
reptiles on Puerto Rico...
Dispersal of juvenile northern spotted owls (Strix occidentalis caurina) was studied in western Oregon from 1982-1985. The study was initiated to document the pattern of juvenile spotted owl dispersal, survival, habitat use, and possible effects of forest fragmentation
on the dispersing juveniles in the Pacific Northwest Douglas-fir Region. Forty-eight juveniles...
Literature and museum records have been reviewed to
provide a summary on the distribution, habitat
associations and biology of six western North American
Dicosmoecinae genera and the single eastern North
American genus, Ironoquia. Results of this survey are
presented and discussed for Allocosmoecus, Amphicosmoecus
and Ecclisomvia.
Field studies were conducted...
Hypotheses of phylogenetic and historical zoogeographic relationships of glyptocephalines (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus, G. zachirus, G. stelleri, Microstomus kitt, H. pacificus, H. achne,
Embassichthys bathybius, and Tanakius kitaharae) were constructed based on comparative anatomy and external morphology. The phylogenetic approach was cladistic and character polarity was
determined by using out-group comparison. One...
The fishes of Upper Klamath Lake appeared to distribute
themselves in three general groups during the summers of 1964
and 1965: (1) the chubs--unrestricted as to distribution with slight
seasonal variations; (2) rainbow trout and yellow perch -- restricted
to certain water conditions that exist only along the northern marsh...
In addition to standard spawning surveys for coho salmon, this report contains additional sampling in the Yaquina River, at the Salmon River Hatchery and tributaries of Coos Bay "to document straying of private hatchery coho salmon from the Oregon Aqua-Foods (OAF) facility at South Beach, Yaquina Bay, and Anadromous, Inc.,...
Forest carnivores such as the fisher have frequently been the target of conservation concern due to their association with older forests and assumed sensitivity to landscape-level habitat alteration. Although the fisher has been extirpated from most of its former range in the western U.S., it is still found throughout much...
“Internal Report GS-73-1.” Includes hand-drawn maps of estuaries studied with seining locations shown. Species identified are listed for each estuary. Appendix A outlines a proposed study program to determine the importance of estuaries as rearing areas for juvenile fish, emphasizing juvenile English sole. 19 p.
Many problems in ecology and conservation biology can be formulated and solved using machine learning algorithms for multi-label classification. This dissertation addresses three topics related to predicting the distributions of multiple species. It improves existing methods and proposes a new modeling paradigm to address the multi-species, multi-label problem. The first...
In arid and semi-arid deserts, soils are commonly covered with biological soil crusts. The
study of arid biocrusts and their ecological function has become increasingly common in
the literature over the last several decades. Interestingly, no mention is made of
biological soil crusts in forested ecosystems, raising the question as...
Although nearshore macroinvertebrates are integral members of high
mountain lentic systems, knowledge of ecological factors influencing their
distributions is limited. Factors affecting distributions of nearshore
macroinvertebrates were investigated, including microhabitat use and
vertebrate predation, in the oligotrophic lakes of North Cascades National
Park Service Complex, Washington, USA, and the conformity...
The microsporidian parasite Nadelspora canceri infects Dungeness crabs, Cancer magister, along the United States Pacific Northwest coast. The prevalence and seasonal variation of N. canceri in Dungeness crabs from Alsea Bay, Oregon, are described based on examination of 2991 crabs collected at monthly intervals from October, 1991 to June, 1993....
Visual estimation techniques were used to quantify habitat characteristics,
habitat type (pool, riffle) use and longitudinal distribution of steelhead
(Oncorhynchus mykiss), cutthroat trout (0. clarki), and coho salmon (0. kisutch)
in spring, summer and fall in 8.8 km of Cummins Creek, a basin in the central coast
of Oregon. Fish...
The Pacific Northwest has a relatively low diversity of primary freshwater fishes with most of the endemism and diversity in the Columbia River and Klamath River. However, the Oregon Coastal Subprovince defined as the coastal rivers from Miami River in the north to Sixes River in the south, has a...
This report contains the data gathered at Ocean Station "P" in late June and early July of 1971 on the "SUBARCTIC-A" cruise of R/V YAQUINA. The data include: 1) temperature, salinity, and oxygen profiles; 2) estimates of zooplankton displacement volumes at different depths; and 3) estimates of the numerical density...
An average of approximately 200,000 pounds of bay clams were harvested annually in Oregon for the years 1943-49, inclusive. The commercial harvest of bay clams is composed of the gaper, cockle, and softshell clams. The recreational, or noncommercial, harvest of bay clams is composed mainly of the gaper, cockle, softshell,...
The spatial distribution and abundance patterns of benthic infauna result from interactions with a host of environmental variables including sediment characteristics (percent silt-clay, grain size, total organic carbon), depth, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. This thesis focuses on the association of bivalve assemblages and species with potentially influential environmental variables along...
"The value of marine surveys in obtaining critical information on the biology of the Marbled Murrelet has recently been appreciated, largely due to the decline of the species and the need to develop recovery and management plans (Ralph et al. 1995, USFWS 1997). This report summarizes the results of 1997...
Leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) were surveyed in Western Oregon vineyards in 1999. Four sites were sampled for leafhoppers using a sticky trap method, and 29 vineyards were sampled for leafhoppers using a sweep net method in the summer of 1999. The sticky trap and sweep net methods were chosen based on...
Introduction:
On July 1, 1969, the Oregon Fish Comnission began a one-year study to assess the movements and abundance of pink shrimp (P. jordani) in a specific area off Oregon. The principal objectives of the study were as follows:
1) Determine the benthic movements of pink shrimp in the area...
This report summarizes program progress in FY 1973. Activities were directed entirely at completing the second phase of the work started in 1971, i.e., to complete the resource survey of the continental shelf off Oregon between the Columbia River and Cape Blanco. Objectives of the survey were to obtain estimates...
This report summarizes program progress in FY 1974. Activities were directed entirely at completing the third of four phases of work started in 1971. The survey conducted in September 1973 was the second run over the continental shelf off the northern Oregon coast. Objectives of the survey were to obtain...
This report summarizes project progress in FY 1974. Activities were directed entirely at completing the fourth and final phase of work started in 1971, i.e., to survey groundfish resources on the continental shelf off Oregon between the Columbia River and Cape Blanco. Objectives of the survey were to obtain estimates...
This report summarizes program progress in FY 1972. Activities were directed almost entirely toward the groundfish survey of the continental shelf off Oregon between the Columbia River and Cape Blanco. Since the area was too large to be surveyed in one cruise, it will be surveyed over a two year...
“This report summarizes project progress in FY 1976 on the first phase of a survey on the continental shelf and upper continental slope off the coast of Washington. The second and final phase is a replicate survey scheduled for FY 1977. Objectives of the survey were to obtain estimates of...
Groundfish surveys off Oregon were conducted over a four year period (1971-74)
between the Columbia River and Cape Blanco. Primary purpose of the surveys was to obtain estimates of biomass of important groundfish occupying the continental shelf and upper continental slope.
Survey design was based on a 5 x 5...
Groundfish surveys off the Washington coast were conducted in September of 1975 and 1976 between Cape Flattery and the Columbia River. The primary purposes of the surveys were to obtain estimates of biomass and further our knowledge on population parameters of important groundfish species, especially flatfish, occupying the continental shelf...
Information on the range and distribution of forest trees has far-reaching practical usefulness in addition to its value to botanists, naturalists, teachers, and others whose work or interests are with trees. It is a valuable tool for the forester, the lumberman, and the manufacturer in search of raw materials. It...
This study examined the logbook record of the Oregon trawl fishery using a geographic information system (GIS) to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of English sole, Pleuronectes vetulus. The original logbook data for the years 1981,1982,1994,1995,1996 were filtered twice to provide both a general description of trends in the...
This report summarizes the results of the research contract,
"Species Composition and Distribution of Marine Nekton in the Pacific
Ocean off Oregon" (AT(45-1)1726) for the two-year period from September
1, 1961, to September 1, 1963.
The movement of Chinook salmon through space and time, across political boundaries, and through fisheries, creates one of the most complex marine resource management problems in the world. Information garnered from the recovery of coded-wire tags (CWTs) has been used since the 1970s to direct management decisions. Growing concern surrounding...
Viability analysis of well-selected focal species can complement other types of conservation planning by revealing thresholds in habitat area and landscape connectivity that may not be evident from ecosystem-level evaluations. I used focal species analysis of five carnivores to suggest conservation planning guidelines for the Rocky Mountains and adjacent areas...
This study examined the abundance, size, growth, and age of advance regeneration
Douglas-fir, beneath an eighty year-old overstory at a single site on plots subjected to different overstory thinning treatments. Treatments consisted of keeping overstory basal area within upper and lower limits for periods of 12-17 years which, depending upon...
Stream systems in the Pacific Northwest have come to be understood in the absence of beaver (Castor canadensis). To understand the effect of beaver upon riparian plant communities, four basins in the lower Alsea drainage were examined to determine the effect of beaver and their impoundments on streamside herbaceous/shrub and...
The Pacific Northwest produces over 95% of the nation’s processed red raspberries, valued at over $65 million. Two of the major soilborne pathogens effecting the production of raspberry in this region are the oomycete Phytophthora rubi, which causes root rot in red raspberry plants, and the plant-parasitic nematode Pratylenchus penetrans,...
This study examines the spatial and temporal distribution and life history of the "offshore" component of the Northeastern Pacific spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) population. Distribution was examined in relation to latitude, depth, the Columbia River plume and large-scale climate changes. Fishery and survey data indicate that the Northeastern Pacific spiny...
Farmlands, grasslands, and savannas in semi-arid sub-Sahelian Africa have the potential to store
carbon (C) in soil. There is a great need to manage ecosystems to increase C storage in semipermanent
soil pools. This will improve soil quality, impede desertification and by reducing
atmospheric CO₂ levels, will slow climate change....
I analyzed the relationship between avian abundance and landscape structure at five spatial resolutions for 30 subbasins in the central Oregon Coast Range using remotely sensed data and a geographic information system (GIS). I developed maps of forest successional stages from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data at a spatial resolution...
Northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) are a dominant forage fish in the California Current large marine ecosystem (CCLME). However, little is known about northern anchovy abundance, distribution, age structure, or population fluctuations relative to ocean conditions in the eastern boundary upwelling system off the U.S. West Coast. This thesis includes three...
I studied abundance patterns and habitat use of eight cavitynesting bird species in the Coast Ranges of Western Oregon during the
spring and summer of 1985 and 1986. Three age classes of unmanaged Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) stands were selected for study:
young (40-80 yrs), mature (80-200 yrs), and old-growth (>200...
Incidental bycatch in commercial fisheries has been identified as a threat to black-footed albatrosses (Phoebastria nigripes) and Laysan albatrosses (P. immutabilis). Effective long-term conservation of these albatrosses necessitates a thorough understanding of their marine distribution, which marine habitats are selected during foraging, and where they are most likely to interact...
Aquatic ecological investigation is expanding to encompass considerations of
multiple scales across large landscapes. Much of the analysis included in this work
focuses specifically on coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in multiple subbasins on
the Oregon coast. Coho salmon were chosen for an investigation of spatial scales,
network connections, and life...
Juvenile walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) are one of the primary prey items for bird and mammal predators in the Bering Sea and support a large commercial fishery. An understanding of the environmental factors that determine the horizontal and vertical distribution of juvenile pollock is needed to estimate the effects that...
Fishers (Pekania pennanti) are medium sized mustelids endemic to North America. Two fisher populations persist in Oregon: an indigenous population in southwestern Oregon, and a reintroduced population in the southern Cascade Mountains. Despite candidacy for listing under the Endangered Species Act, current information on fisher populations in Oregon is scarce....
Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx) is a species with high phenotypic plasticity and a broad distribution that, in the last decade, has experienced climate stress-induced mortality called Sudden Aspen Decline (SAD). In order to help mitigate the effects of SAD in the future, we need a better understanding of aspen’s...
“During the report period, two survey cruises were completed off Oregon; 96 tows were made in the fall of 1966 and 173 in the spring of 1967. Cruise reports were written for each cruise. In addition, logs showing tow location, length, catch, and other data were distributed to interested fishermen...
The objectives of this study were to (1) describe
physical environmental conditions and species composition
at several sites along an Upstream/downstream gradient in a
number of tributaries of the Willamette River in western
Oregon; and (2) identify possible relationships between
species distributional patterns and physical habitat
parameters using detrended correspondence...
"In the past 6 years research effort on the Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) has increased in response to an apparent dramatic decline in their numbers on the west coast south of British Columbia (Marshall, 1988, Carter and Erickson 1992, Nelson et al. 1992). Their recent listing as a federally threatened...
Pendent Usnea species were collected in western Oregon and examined.
Character states, such as cortex-medulla-axis ratio; fibril length; papilla diameter;
branching patterns; and presence or absence of fibrils, papillae, soredia, isidia; plus
chemistry, were recorded and analyzed by inspection for differences. Historical
names were researched in the literature. A comparison...
The Sultanate of Oman has 1700 km of coastline extending from the Arabian Gulf
south to the Arabian Sea. The demersal fish distributions and assemblages have not previously
been well defined. In winter, variations in the oceanography of the area are minimal. In
summer, however, the Arabian Sea is strongly...
Demographic characteristics of juvenile Dover sole
(Microstomus pacificus) were examined in relation to
physical and biotic factors to develop a hypothesis
explaining annual variations in recruitment. Surveys were
conducted along the Oregon continental shelf at depths
between 50-400 m bimonthly during 1989 and annually (in
March) between 1990 and 1993....
Riparian zones are critical habitats for management because of their importance
for both cattle production and wildlife, and a high potential for resource conflicts.
Riparian management should address habitat and microhabitat features that sustain both
livestock production and wildlife diversity. I conducted a study to determine how small
mammal distributions...
Small herds of cows were observed and spatially mapped over continuous twenty-four hour periods. Treatments were implemented that investigated the effect of water site and supplementation on animal distribution patterns. A series of six observation periods constituted each observation series. Observation series were repeated winter (January) and summer (July) for...
Two studies were conducted to determine the factors influencing distribution of cattle on northeastern Oregon mixed-conifer forested rangelands. The objective of the first study was the quantification of differences in distribution of cattle of different ages. Beginning in 1991, and continuing through 2001, radio telemetry collars were placed on a...
Plantago ovata Forssk. (Plantaginaceae) is a winter annual species which, in North America, inhabits desert and Mediterranean habitats of the southwest United States, northwest Mexico and the Channel Islands of California and Mexico. In the eastern hemisphere P. ovata inhabits desert regions ranging from the Canary Islands, across northern Africa...
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure igc
1. World distribution of Plantago ovata
Microorganisms play key roles in ocean biogeochemistry. However, several
predominant groups of uncultured bacterioplankton thought to contribute to
important biogeochemical processes in the oceans are known primarily from gene
cloning studies. Although these studies have greatly expanded our view of
microbial diversity in the oceans, they are not quantitative and...
Dungeness crab migration along the coast and movement in and out of bays and estuaries has been studied by Cleaver (1949) in Washington, Waldron (1958), and Snow and Wagner (1965) in Oregon. Tagged crabs were recovered up to 133 miles from the point of release and a free interchange between...
“The purpose of the 1979 survey was to obtain standing stock biomass estimates of shrimp off Oregon in the area between 35-145 fm from Cape Blanco (lat 42°54′ N) to the Columbia River (Lat 46°15′ N) and to determine age and sex composition and average size (count per pound) of...
From the Introduction: “The management policy of the Fish Commission of Oregon concerning the Pacific pink shrimp. (Pandalus jordani) has resulted in regulations which apply to all shrimp along the Oregon coast and do not recognize separate populations. There are several shrimp grounds along the 300-mile length of the continental...
The marine climate of the Galapagos is spatially and seasonally
heterogeneous. A taxonomically comprehensive study of Galapagos zooplankton has
never been done. This study is an initial effort to establish the distribution and
community structure of zooplankton in the Archipelago. I collected zooplankton
samples by vertical tows over the Galapagos...
South Pacific humpback whales were devastated by commercial whaling in their Antarctic feeding areas during the 20th century. Understanding migratory connections and current abundance of these isolated breeding stocks is crucial for the allocation of historical Antarctic catches in population dynamic models used to assess current recovery. However, only a...
Most reserves fail to capture the habitat heterogeneity necessary to maintain viable populations of wide-ranging species. Methods to determine defensible dimensions of reserves and reserve networks are needed. The primary goal of this study was to develop such methods for lowland tropical forests by examining habitat- and spatial-use patterns of...
This study evaluates the functional organization of stream fish assemblages in response to streamflow factors and biotic interactions across a range of spatial scale. The study area for this project includes 109 stream reaches located on tributaries to the upper Missouri River in the northern Great Plains. Fish distribution data...
Plankton and surface sediment samples from the Gulf of California
were analyzed to determine the present geographic distribution of silicoflagellate
species in this area. Variations in the composition of the
silicoflagellate assemblage are related to water mass distributions.
Seven species and three forms were identified in these samples. Octactis
pulchra...
New approaches are needed to quantify and understand spatial patterns of stream fishes and their environment. Concepts in riverine ecology emphasize the importance of thermal zones and gradual longitudinal changes in physical habitat and biota, but little is known about spatial variability within the river continuum. I present a conceptual...
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Longitudinal surveys of fish distribution and stream habitat ...............166
Geographical
Grape phylloxera, Daktulosp/iaira vitfoliae (Fitch) development was studied under field and laboratory conditions. The aphid-like insect feeds on Vitis vinfera L. roots producing swellings that decay and lead to vine decline. The only long-term economic solution for control of grape phylloxera (GP) is to plant vines grafted onto a resistant...
Two North American subspecies of Snowy Plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) have been described: the Cuban Snowy Plover (C. a. tenuirostris) and the Western Snowy Plover (C. a. nivosus). Coastal populations of the Western Snowy Plover are listed as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, while populations of the Cuban Snowy...
The encroachment of western juniper into mountain big sagebrush plant communities and the subsequent development of juniper stands results in significant changes in vegetation structure and complexity. This study described and compared vegetative structure and bird community measures among four cover types representing a broad range of structural stages among...
Landscape models for elk distribution developed at Starkey Experimental Forest and Range from 1993-1995 were tested on another landscape during 2003-2005 at Sled Springs Wildlife Demonstration Area. Using location data obtained from 23 wild elk captured and fitted with GPS telemetry collars, 8 spatial resource selection function models representing 8...
Historically, least terns (Sterna antillarum) were one of the most common tern species in North America. However, population declines have resulted from direct and indirect anthropogenic pressures on their breeding and foraging habitat. Three subspecies of least terns have been described within the United States: California least tern (S. a....
North American sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems are suffering from
reductions in habitat extent and quality. Only about 50% of sagebrush remains
from pre-settlement conditions, and much of the remaining habitat is
fragmented or degraded by invasive species, fire suppression and overgrazing.
Sagebrush-obligate species are experiencing population declines as a result...
Spatial variation in the diet of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) influences owl home ranges, and understanding this relationship will aid managers in forest management prescriptions that influence spotted owl recovery. This study describes the spatial variation in owl diet based on 4183 prey collected at 114 owl...
Nearshore hypoxia within the Northern California Current (NCC) system is a seasonal phenomenon caused by coastal upwelling and occurs mainly during late-summer and early fall. The effects of low oxygen levels on fish and invertebrate communities, particularly during early-life history stages, however, are poorly known for this area. I investigated...
Short-tailed albatrosses (Phoebastria albatrus, hereafter "STAL") migrate throughout the North Pacific, overlapping with multiple large scale fisheries. In the Bering Sea, documented bycatch of this species is a focal conservation concern, due to the fact that this species is listed as "endangered" under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. We conducted...
The known distribution of beluga whales ranges from sub-Arctic to Arctic waters where they migrate in pods in response to environmental factors such as the presence of sea ice and prey. This study uses bivariate and multivariate analysis techniques to measure how environmental covariates are associated with the spatial-temporal distribution...
Longitudinal patterns of fish and benthic invertebrate distribution and
habitat use were similar in Thomas Creek, Oregon but clarity of these patterns
differed. I studied fish and aquatic invertebrates simultaneously, at multiple
scales, and used multivariate statistical techniques to compare responses to the
same environmental conditions. Both types of organisms...
In the fall through spring of 2002/03 and 2003/04, the composition of fish and amphibian communities were examined in intermittent streams in the upper Willamette river basin in western Oregon. I recorded standard aquatic habitat variables and water nutrient concentrations (nitrate and phosphate) and correlated them with fish and amphibian...
Species' distributions across the landscape are perhaps the least understood yet most conspicuous features of life on earth. Ecologists have long studied species' distributions; yet, many questions remain about why species occur where they do. Such questions persist largely because species' distributions are complex systems with challenging properties like non-linearity,...
Old-growth in the Pacific Northwest is generally defined as trees that are more
than 200 years old. A great deal of analysis and discussion about old-growth forests in
western Oregon, however, has focused on the relatively widespread 400 to 500 year
age class of primarily Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) trees. The...
In eastern boundary current upwelling ecosystems, mesoscale circulation features such as eddies and upwelling filaments play a prominent role in the transfer of water and the associated plankton from the productive nearshore to the oligotrophic deep sea. The relationship between mesoscale circulation, zooplankton distributions, and the across-shelf transport of coastal...
We conducted capture and acoustic surveys for bats in six areas along a latitudinal gradient in Southeast Alaska from mid-May to September in 2005 and we continued surveys on Prince of Wales Island from mid-May to September in 2006. We determined the level of effort required to catch each species...
From a landscape ecology perspective, meadows are often seen as landscapes in
transition. Succession and change in meadows may be investigated by considering the
physical and anthropogenic factors that influence the landscape through time. What is
often unknown is how changes occur and how physical and anthropogenic factors
contribute to...