Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Population Dynamics: The Foundation Of Wildlife Damage Management For The 21st Century, Richard A. Dolbeer

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

To justify and defend lethal or reproductive control programs to solve vertebrate pest problems, wildlife biologists must have a sound understanding of the population status and dynamics of the problem species. Models are essential to project how populations will respond to proposed management actions, providing a scientific foundation to counter the emotional debates that often arise. Four population models (PM1 to PM4) for predicting population responses are described. PM1 and PM2 explore the relative efficacy of reproductive and lethal control for vertebrate species over 10-year intervals. PM3 simulates population responses to actual management actions through 10-year intervals. PM4 simulates population …

Wildlife Information Sources And Search Methods On The Internet, Diana L. Dwyer

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Vertebrate pest damage information is pulled from a variety of disciplines ranging from wildlife management to psychology. The Internet has opened the door to what seems to be an unending number of information sources. Researchers can become overwhelmed by the choices and different levels of information available. The correct use of search engines and a checklist of criteria to evaluate the quality of information obtained can help to eliminate the extraneous information and make the time spent on the Internet more productive. There are a large number of wildlife, biology, environmental, and other related sites that are especially useful to …

Status Of Aphis Vertebrate Pesticides And Drugs, Kathleen A. Fagerstone, Edward W. Schafer Jr.

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

The Wildlife Services (WS) Program manages wildlife/human conflicts by using an integrated approach employing some vertebrate pesticides. These are used in such small quantities that private industry cannot afford to register and produce them profitably. On behalf of WS, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains about 30 federal and state pesticide registrations, containing seven active ingredients, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These include: the Compound 1080 Livestock Protection Collar, DRC-1339 Concentrates (Starlicide), Gas Cartridges (carbon and sodium nitrate), the M-44 (sodium cyanide), and a number of baits and concentrates containing Strychnine Alkaloid and Zinc Phosphide. …

Rat Management For Endangered Species Protection In The U.S. Virgin Islands, Gary W. Witmer, Earl W. Campbell Iii, Frank Boyd

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Introduced roof rats (Rartus rattus) pose a substantial threat to the fauna and flora of many tropical islands. In the Caribbean, there is concern about rat impacts to several endangered species, including the Atlantic hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the least tern (Sterna antillarum). The authors surveyed the rat population on Buck Island, Buck Island Reef National Monument, U .S. Virgin Islands in February 1998. Based on three nights of trapping, rats were of low to moderate abundance during the sampling period when compared to results from other Caribbean islands. The impact of …

The Use Of Aerosol Repellents As An Avian Deterrent Strategy, Gwen R. Stevens, Larry Clark, Richard A. Weber

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Traditional protective measures to keep wildlife away from areas include exclusion by use of netting, hazing, and chemical repellents. The primary problem with most hazing systems is that wildlife quickly habituate to the devices if their use falls into a predictable pattern. Repellent substances cause wildlife species to avoid otherwise attractive or palatable resources by creating a disincentive to visit a specific area or consume a particular resource. Chemical repellents, both lethal and non-lethal, are typically used for agricultural and horticultural purposes, but in addition may provide a strategy to deter wildlife in other contexts. Aerosol delivery of chemical repellents …

The Bait Surcharge Program: Research Improves Zinc Phosphide Use For Vole Control In Alfalfa, Ray T. Sterner

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

This paper describes several unexpected benefits of rodenticide-registration research funded by The California Bait Surcharge Program. An enclosure-type study was conducted to determine efficacy of single, pre- and test-bait broadcasts (10 lb./ac.) of 0% and 2% zinc phosphide (Zn₃P₂, CAS #1314-84-7) steam-rolled-oat (SRO) groats to control voles (Microtus spp.) in alfalfa (Medicago sariva). Unexpected research spinoffs resulted from the use of: 1) eight randomly-located, sieved-dirt plots per enclosure to monitor bait distribution, bait removal, and rodent/avian (non-target) activity; 2) a bait-weathering plot and bait-sample analyses to monitor Zn₃P₂ biodeterioration; and …

Research And Management Of Bird Depredations At Catfish Farms, Mark E. Tobin

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Depredations by fish-eating birds are a major constraint on production at commercial catfish facilities in the southeastern United States. A recent survey of catfish farmers estimated total losses due to direct predation by birds and costs associated with employing preventive measures at $17 million, or 4% of national sales. In 1988, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) established a research station in Mississippi to develop more effective methods for reducing the impact of birds on southeastern aquaculture farms. This paper describes the impact of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus, DCCO) on the catfish industry, …

The Impact Of Timber Management On The Phytochemicals Associated With Black Bear Damage, Dale L. Nolte, Bruce A. Kimball, Georg J. Ziegltrum

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Black bears forage on Douglas-fir vascular tissue in the spring, and this behavior can be severely detrimental to the health and economic value of a timber stand. Foraging is selective in that not all stands are damaged and, within a stand, one tree may be stripped while its neighbor is ignored or minimally sampled. A series of studies was conducted to assess whether bear selectivity is affected by chemical constituents within vascular tissue, and whether these constituents are affected by silvicultural practices. The results are interpreted to identify forest practices that may alleviate damage, or at least predict where damage …

Managing Island Biotas: Brown Treesnake Control Using Barrier Technology, Gad Perry, Earl W. Campbell Iii, Gordon H. Rodda, Thomas H. Fritts

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis), accidentally introduced to the previously snake-free U.S. island of Guam after World War 11, decimated the island's naive wildlife. Today, it periodically stows away on craft going to other islands where the ecological damage may be repeated. Barriers offer an effective tool for keeping the snakes out of areas from which they can disperse off-island, as well as sites identified as critical for the protection of human health, conduct of economic activity, or conservation of endangered species. The authors have developed a variety of barrier designs which repulse at least 95% of snake …

Effects Of Taste Stimuli (Quinine And Sucrose) In Pelleted Granulated, And Wax Block Baits On Feeding Preferences Of Northern Pocket Gophers (Thomomys Talpoides), Stephen A. Schumake, Geraldine R. Mccann

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

A two-choice, taste preference study was conducted using 18 northern pocket gophers to evaluate pelleted sorghum, granulated sorghum, and wax block baits containing either 0.01 to 0.05 % quinine or 0.10 to 5.0 % sucrose. Bait consumption was significantly higher across treatments (P≤.001) for granulated sorghum, followed by pelleted sorghum, and wax blocks. Gophers also showed a high frequency of moving the granulated bait in their cheek pouches to be deposited at alternate locations within their cages. Although increasing sucrose concentration did not produce significantly (P ≥.10) enhanced consumption for any of the baits, a trend toward increasing preference with …

Evaluation Of Acrolein As A Fumigant For Controlling Northern Pocket Gophers, George H. Matschke, Geraldine R. Mccann, Rebecca A. Doane

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Baker Performance Chemical Incorporated entered into a cooperative agreement with the National Wildlife Research Center to evaluate acrolein as a fumigant for controlling northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides). In October 1996, a 44.5 ha (110 acre) irrigated alfalfa hay field was selected as the study site in Franklin County, Washington. Eight treatment units (TUs), six fumigated and two control, were established on the study site. On the six fumigated TUs, 58.9% of the sample plots were inactive, whereas, all sample plots (100%) on the two control TUs were active. The 58.9% mean reduction in pocket gopher activity on …

Comparison Of White Mineral Oil And Corn Oil To Reduce Hatchability In Ring-Billed Gull Eggs, Patrica A. Pochop, John L. Cummings, Christi A. Yoder, John E. Steuber

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Oiling eggs is a potential management method for controlling nuisance or depredating populations of ring-billed gulls, Canada geese, and other bird species. However, no registration for an oiling compound currently exists with the Environmental Protection Agency. Efficacy data were collected for white mineral oil and corn oil to reduce the hatchability of ring-billed gull eggs. Egg failure was 99% in corn oil, 96% in white mineral oil, and 35% in control eggs. Most treated eggs that hatched were treated early in the incubation period, 1 to 8 days after clutch completion. A Wildlife Service Technical Note on the use of …

Mammal Repellents: Options And Considerations For Development, J. Russell Mason

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Repellents include chemical substances, visual displays, and sonic and ultrasonic deterrent systems. The use of electric shock also can be considered as a repellent category. Each of these categories is discussed, together with their respective utilities, constraints on their usefulness, and possibilities for future development. Economic considerations that may impede or expedite the development of new strategies are presented. Repellent effectiveness depends upon a complex of variables, including the palatability of protected and alternative foods, weather conditions, and the number of animals causing problems. Invariably, repellents are most useful when used as components of integrated pest management strategies

Tracing The History Of Blackbird Research Through An Industry's Looking Glass: The Sunflower Magazine, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

The Sunflower magazine, the voice of the National Sunflower Organization, featured articles in January 1978 and December 1996 that began with these words, "If Old King Cole was a merry old soul, it was probably because he had only four and twenty blackbirds to contend with, and they were all out of commission!" This quotation captures the sentiments of sunflower growers, who have identified blackbirds as a major production problem since the 1960s. The National (formerly Denver) Wildlife Research Center, a unit within the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services, is charged with both …

Porcupine Damage And Repellent Research In The Interior Pacific Northwest, Gary W. Witmer, Michael J. Pipas

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

Porcupines (Erethizon dorsatum) rely on trees and shrubs for winter food and can cause serious, localized damage to conifers. Twenty-two percent of ponderosa trees (Pinus ponderosa) examined in southeastern Washington were damaged by porcupines. Most damage involved complete girdling of the mid- to upper boles of the larger trees (12 to 30 cm dbh) in the stand. Preliminary repellent trials with captive porcupines suggested that several materials might reduce tree damage, especially predator-associated odors. Field trials are needed to assess efficacy and duration of protection under ambient winter conditions.

Deer On Airports: An Accident Waiting To Happen, Sandra E. Wright, Richard A. Dolbeer, Andrew J. Montoney

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 18th (1998)

The authors analyzed data on civil aircraft strikes with wild ungulates (deer [Odocoileus spp.], elk [Cervus canadensis] and moose [Alces alces]) in the U.S. from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Wildlife Strike Database and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident Database for 1983 to 1997. Prior to 1991, the FAA Form 5200-7 for reporting strikes was designated solely for bird strike data, thus, strike reports for non-avian species prior to 1991 are underrepresented. A total of 343 ungulate strikes was reported, 48 from 1983 to 1990 and 295 from 1991 to 1997. Forty-four …

Tsw Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter:Spring 1998 - Volume 5(2) - Election Issue

TWS Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter

Forward -- Scott Hygnstrom Postdoctoral Position With The Jack Berryman Institute; 1998 Winners Of The Jack H. Berryman Institute Awards; Preliminary Program For The Wildlife Society 5th Annual Conference, September 22-26, 1998, Buffalo, Ny; Candidates For The Working Group Executive Board Future Newsletter; Contributions; From Around The World!; Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Ballot - May 1998 ; Plenary Abstracts From The 18th Vertebrate Pest Conference, 2-5 March 1998, Costa Mesa, Ca; Available Publications; Future Events Of Interest; Next Edition Deadline; Application For Membership / The Wildlife Society; Contributors To This Issue

Evaluation Of Toxicity, Bioavailability And Speciation Of Lead, Zinc And Cadmium In Mine/Mill Wastewaters, Mujde Erten-Unal, Bobby G. Wixson, Nord Gale, Jerry L. Pitt

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The toxicity of common compounds of lead, cadmium and zinc was evaluated in waters similar to that found in the world's largest lead producing area in Missouri. Static, acute toxicity tests were performed using fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and water fleas (Daphnia magna) respectively. Test organisms were subjected to varying amounts of sulfide, carbonate, chloride and sulfate salts of lead, zinc and cadmium mixed in hard, alkaline waters typical to this region. Median lethal concentrations were calculated using nominal versus measured metal concentrations. Measured metal concentrations included four different metal fractionation (extraction/filtration) techniques at different pH …

Phosphorus In The Landscape: Diffuse Sources To Surface Waters. Land And Water Resources Research And Development Corporation. Occasional Paper 16/98, Richard Davis, Anne Hamblin, E O'Loughlin, Nic Austin, R Banens, P Cornish, P Hairsin, M Mcculloch, Phil Moody, J Olley, B Prove, I Smalls, David Weaver

All other publications

The National Eutrophication Management Program (NEMP) and Environment Australia convened a workshop to develop a coherent overview of the sources and transport of diffuse phosphorus in Australian catchments based on the latest knowledge. The Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation (LWRRDC) and the Murray–Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) jointly fund NEMP. A select group of scientists attended the workshop and developed a coherent statement about phosphorus sources and transport in Australian catchments. The group did not extend this statement to include recommended management practices. This paper reports the findings from the workshop. State governments have developed algal and nutrient …

The Determination Of The Potential Of Australian Native Plants To Phytoremediate Lead, Desmond Dev Menon

Theses : Honours

Industrial activities and natural occurrences of mineral ores can both result in the presence of high concentrations of heavy metals in the soil. These toxic metals have been shown to adversely affect human health and the environment. Currently, three main technologies are being used to solve this problem of soil contamination. These are incineration, landfill construction and physico-chemical treatments. The economic and environmental costs of each of these technologies tend to outweigh the merits of their application, especially where contaminated areas are small. These techniques do not necessarily remove the heavy metals from the soil, and can also inhibit biological …

Reefs As Contributors To The Diversity Of Epiphytic Algal Communities In Seagrass Meadows, B. R. Van Elvan

Theses : Honours

It has recently become dogma that reef systems arc a source of diversity to algal epiphyte communities in adjacent seagrass meadows. While this theory had not been tested, it was often cited as the reason for unexpected results in algal studies and marine pollution monitoring. This study examined whether reefs do in fact contribute to the diversity of seagrass epiphytes by testing the effect of distance from reef on seagrass epiphyte communities. The study was conducted in the vicinity of Carnac and Garden Islands and Parmelia Bank, off the coast of Fremantle, Western Australia. Three habitat types were selected as …

Land Transformation, Highly Governed Landscapes And Landscape Health: A Case Study Of The Lower Piave Area Of Northeastern Italy, Pietro Bertollo

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation examines the issue of biophysical landscape health. Its primary objective is to produce an interpretation of biophysical landscape health for the highly governed landscapes of the Lower Piave area of northeastern Italy. Highly governed landscapes are considered to be those which are highly controlled by humans to an even greater degree than normal cultural landscapes. An example is reclaimed agricultural landscapes such as those of the northeastern Italian coastal belt, from which the Lower Piave case study is drawn. These landscapes are highly governed because without constant human intervention, they would revert back to their former marsh state. …

Emisja Metali Ciężkich Ze Spalania Odpadów Niebezpiecznych, Robert Oleniacz, Marian Mazur, Marek Bogacki

Robert Oleniacz

The paper presents the results of measurements of air emissions of heavy metals from hazardous waste incineration in a multiple hearth furnace and a rotary kiln incinerator equipped with a single wet flue gas cleaning systems. In the multiple hearth furnace an industrial sewage sludge (from coke industry) was being incinerated. In the rotary kiln such wastes were being incinerated as: waste paints, varnish and lubricant, coal tars waste, contaminated cleaning rags, sawdust and used gloves, waste resins and plastics, rubber waste, outdated pharmaceuticals and medicines, and hospital waste. The research allowed us to determine the levels of pollutant concentrations …

The Migration Of Arsenic And Lead In Surface Sediments At Three Kids Mine Henderson, Nevada, Douglas Brian Sims

Publications (WR)

This study focused on the distribution of arsenic and lead in surface sediments at Three Kids Mine in Henderson, Nevada. The mine site encompasses approximately 470 acres of desert and is situated above two developing communities (Lake Las Vegas and Calico Ridge) and the Las Vegas Valley's water source (Lake Mead).

Transport of arsenic and lead appears to have occurred within a limited range in both the eastern and western washes on the eastern and western sides of Three Kids Mine. Concentrations of arsenic range between 20 mg/kg (ppm) and 1130 mg/kg and between 20 mg/kg and 8400 mg/kg for …

Development Of An Atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustor (Afbc), William Orndorff

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The relatively recent interest in the U.S. in the development of atmospheric fluidized bed combustion (AFBC) has been preceded by two main factors. First of these is the ever present problem of acid rain and growing public support for cleaner burning fossil fuels. Second is the increasing demand on public landfills and subsequent need for burning of municipal solid waste. From these factors and their corresponding influences, Western Kentucky University has the impetus and has received the financial assistance necessary to build and develop a laboratory scale AFBC system. A brief history of the events leading to this development, as …

A Plan For Characterizing Waste For The Defense Special Weapons Agency At The Nevada Test Site, Tiffany A. Hatcher

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 1976, Congress adopted the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to govern hazardous waste. The Act was amended in 1984 with the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments in order to further define the requirements of RCRA. RCRA is meant to protect human health and the environment from the effects of hazardous waste, promote waste minimization, and encourage material recycling and recovery. For this purpose, regulations are implemented that cover every aspect of the hazardous waste problem, including generation, transport, treatment, storage, and disposal.

Generators of waste are the most important part of this chain. As defined in RCRA, a …

The Legal Roles And Responsibilities Of A Community Concerning Crop Depredation By White-Tailed Deer, Eric G. Darracq, Stephen R. Chapman

Eighth Eastern Wildlife Damage Management Conference (1997)

The interwoven issues of the legal roles and responsibilities that landowners (i.e., farmers, foresters, and hunters) and a state agency have to control deer densities in rural areas that directly affect crop depredation and various stakeholders will be addressed in this paper. Because unmanaged deer populations severely can damage agricultural crops, the financial cost of this deer damage is borne entirely by individual private landowners. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is the regulatory state agency in South Carolina responsible for annually promulgating rules and regulations pertaining to white-tailed deer harvest by hunters. Even though deer are property …

An Evaluation Of Farmer Applications Of Deer Damage Controls, Peter Fritzell Jr., Glenn Dudderar, R. Ben Peyton

Eighth Eastern Wildlife Damage Management Conference (1997)

Damage to agricultural crops caused by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) continues to be a significant concern of farmers in Michigan and elsewhere in the United States. Policy changes that promise to reduce deer numbers may be long in coming, but better application of available damage control techniques may be an immediate alternative for farmers awaiting relief. Conversations with farmers, extension agents, and wildlife professionals suggest that some damage control techniques are underutilized by Michigan farmers, whereas other techniques are applied with little success despite promising field trials. We investigated producers’ practices to identify common weaknesses in how deer …

Wildlife Damage To Agricultural Crops In Pennsylvania: The Farmers’ Perspective, Margaret C. Brittingham, Walter M. Tzilkowski, James M. Zeidler, Matthew J. Lovallo

Eighth Eastern Wildlife Damage Management Conference (1997)

Agricultural damage by wildlife is a major concern for both agricultural and wildlife agencies at the state and federal level. Our objective was to estimate wildlife damage to agricultural crops on a statewide basis. We sent questionnaires to 4,958 farmers and 1,003 were returned after 2 mailings. Twenty-five percent of farmers responding to our survey rated the level of wildlife damage to their crops as severe or very severe, 46% as moderate, and 29% had none or very little. Mean levels of crop loss to wildlife ranged from 6% for wheat to 10% for corn grain, and white-tailed deer ( …

Double-Crested Cormorant And Ring-Billed Gull Damage Management On Lake Champlain: Are Basin-Wide Objectives Achievable?, Richard Chipman, Dennis Slate, Larry Garland, David Capen

Eighth Eastern Wildlife Damage Management Conference (1997)

Ring-billed gulls ( Larus delewarensis) and double-crested cormorants ( Phalacrocorx auritus) have nested on Lake Champlain since 1949 and 1982, respectively. Recent increases in cormorant nesting populations and pioneering activities of both species to previously uncolonized islands have resulted in impacts related to accumulation of bird guano and interspecific competition with less common species. Of primary concern are: decreases in wildlife and plant diversity on islands; reduced aesthetics and property values of island associated with the loss of trees; and predation or competition for nesting space with other species such as the state-endangered common tern (Sterna hirundo …