Land managers are increasingly turning to a new tool for visually depicting, analyzing, and communicating the technical aspects of forestry, specifically in the area of timber harvest and unit design. This tool is computer-based image editing software. In the 1980's, it was referred to as image capture technology, or ICT....
Animal pollination is critical to plant reproduction in agricultural and wildland ecosystems. Much of the production of seeds and fruits in natural areas, which underlie many food webs, depends on pollination services by insects. The taxon responsible for delivering the bulk of these services in most temperate systems is bees....
Juniper (Juniperus spp.) encroachment into the sagebrush steppe ecoregion is one of the main causes of sagebrush degradation and can alter the understory vegetative community by outcompeting native shrubs and grasses, which reduces the available forage and cover for small mammals. Coyotes (Canis latrans) are generalist, omnivorous predators in the...
Wildlife managers often use species distribution models (SDMs) as an initial tool in conservation planning. Managers and researchers have made efforts to model the habitat and distribution of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) across their historic range since the species was proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act (USFWS 2003)....
Riparian zones are ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Processes in streams are strongly influenced by riparian forest communities, age, stage and structure. Temperate forests across much of North America, including riparian areas, are recovering from historic land clearing with many stands in the stem-exclusion phase of development in which...
Little is known about the fall and winter ecology of hibernating bats in western North America. Filling knowledge gaps for these populations has become more urgent with the westward spread of the white-nose syndrome, a disease that infects bats during hibernation. Due to the thermal requirements of the fungal pathogen...
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations in south-central Oregon are near their lowest levels since census efforts began in 1961. I investigated fawn survival, cause-specific mortality, and factors contributing to mortality from 2010 – 2012 to identify potential causes for the decline. I also explored pre-parturition and parturition site characteristics.
I...
Humans have drastically altered the physical habitat and food web structure of stream ecosystems. Two major impacts humans have had on Pacific Northwest streams are modification of streamside forests (as a result of agriculture, land development, and timber harvest), and declines in the return of wild anadromous salmon to headwater...
The process of land acquisition for the conservation of plants or wildlife habitat
can raise controversial issues, issues often perceived differently by the individuals and groups
involved. After the land acquisition process is completed, there is rarely an opportunity to
analyze the differing perceptions of the issues and their relative...
