The effects of estrogen on the reproductive tract involve cell proliferation, migration, and diff... more The effects of estrogen on the reproductive tract involve cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation, which need to be well coordinated. Polypeptide growth factors are believed to play a vital role in a number of these cellular processes. Among the growth factors now documented to be associated with estrogen action are epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1), TGF beta 2, TGF beta 3, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) are also potent mitogens, which consist of two peptide chains, denoted A and B, that dimerize to isoforms (PDGF-AA, -AB, and -BB) which differ in their functional properties, secretory behavior, receptor binding, and physiological effects. To study the role of the PDGF-A and -B chains and the PDGF receptor subunits, alpha and beta, during estrogen action in the mouse reproductive tract, time-dependent changes in the expression of these genes were examined by Northern and in situ RNA analyses and by immunohistochemistry after a single treatment of immature CD-1 (17- to 19-day-old) mice with the synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES). Our results demonstrate estrogen modulation of the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein for the PDGF ligands and receptors in both the uterus and vagina of the mouse. Northern and in situ RNA analyses demonstrate time-dependent estrogen induction of the mRNA levels for these genes in both tissues within 3 h after treatment. However, distinctive mRNA expression profiles for the PDGF ligand and receptor genes are exhibited by the uterus and vagina in response to DES, especially in that the induction of transcripts for PDGF-A and both receptor subunits is more transient in the vagina than in the uterus. Steroid specificity studies demonstrate predominant estrogen-specific regulation of mRNA induction for these genes. Analysis of cell-specific RNA expression by in situ hybridization reveals prominent induction of transcripts for the PDGF chains and receptor subunits in the uterine and vaginal epithelium after estrogen treatment, although enhanced expression of mRNA is also noted in the stroma, particularly for the PDGF receptor subunit genes. Cellular localization of the PDGF ligand and receptor protein molecules by immunohistochemistry detected significant immunostaining for all of these proteins in both the uterus and vagina of control animals. After DES treatment, the uterus exhibits a significant decrease in the level of PDGF ligand and receptor proteins immunostained within 6 h, whereas less dramatic effects ar observed in the vagina.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
current disturbances, potential future disturbances, and uncertainty in drought conditions. There... more current disturbances, potential future disturbances, and uncertainty in drought conditions. Therefore, dynamic models describing potential costs associated with risk-averse behaviors resulting from future developments can inform proactive conservation before population impacts occur.
Wild egg collection can be a powerful tool in avian conservation management. It can be used to es... more Wild egg collection can be a powerful tool in avian conservation management. It can be used to establish and augment captive breeding programs for conservation translocations, mitigate low productivity during incubation in wild populations, and further research on reproductive and environmental biology. Such benefits need to be balanced against potential risks, like detrimental demographic effects on source populations and disease transfer. A lack of thorough consideration and evaluation of associated benefits, risks, and trade-offs may prevent conservation managers from effectively utilising this powerful conservation tool, and may lead to poor management outcomes for wild populations. Structured decision making (SDM) can offer a framework for making decisions in the presence of uncertainty about how a system will respond to different management alternatives. We therefore advocate for the use of SDM to explore whether an egg collection program is a desirable management tool and, if so, to assess how new data iteratively informs decisions throughout all stages of the recovery program. Here, we review the current literature evaluating the practice of wild egg collection, provide an overview of the SDM process, and then use the whooping crane (Grus americana) as an example of how to conduct such an evaluation. Our overall aim is to provide guidance on how SDM can help develop best practice for responsible egg collection from wild populations to enable efficient and effective recovery of endangered avian species. 2. Wild egg collection in avian conservation Wild egg collection has been predominately used for captive breeding and release programmes, spanning the avian orders: Falconiformes (Jone et al., 1995); Accipitriformes (Toone and Risser,
Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between b... more Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between breeding and wintering sites. Context for conservation and management can be provided by characterizing these strategies. Variations in strategy among and within individuals support population persistence in response to changes in land use and climate. We used location data from 58 marked Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) from 2010 to 2016 to characterize migration strategies in the U.S. Great Plains and Canadian Prairies and southern boreal region, and to explore sources of heterogeneity in their migration strategy, including space use, timing, and performance. Whooping Cranes completed ~3,900-km migrations that averaged 29 days during spring and 45 days during autumn, while making 11-12 nighttime stops. At the scale of our analysis, individual Whooping Cranes showed little consistency in stopover sites used among migration seasons (i.e. low site fidelity). In contrast, individuals expressed a measure of consistency in timing, especially migration initiation dates. Whooping Cranes migrated at different times based on age and reproductive status, where adults with young initiated autumn migration after other birds, and adults with and without young initiated spring migration before subadult birds. Time spent at stopover sites was positively associated with migration bout length and negatively associated with time spent at previous stopover sites, indicating Whooping Cranes acquired energy resources at some stopover sites that they used to fuel migration. Whooping Cranes were faithful to a defined migration corridor but showed less fidelity in their selection of nighttime stopover sites; hence, spatial targeting of conservation actions may be better informed by associations with landscape and habitat features rather than documented past use at specific locations. The preservation of variation in migration strategies existing within this species that experienced a severe population bottleneck suggests that Whooping Cranes have maintained a capacity to adjust strategies when confronted with future changes in land use and climate.
This report provides results from the 2011 International Census of Piping Plovers (Charadrius mel... more This report provides results from the 2011 International Census of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus). Distribution and abundance data for wintering and breeding Piping Plovers are summarized in tabular format. An appendix provides census data for every site surveyed in every state, province, and island. The 2011 winter census resulted in the observation of 3,973 Piping Plovers. Expanded coverage outside of the United States led to the discovery of more than 1,000 Piping Plovers wintering in the Bahamas. The breeding census detected 2,771 birds in Atlantic Canada and the Plains, Prairies, and Great Lakes regions of the United States and Canada. Combining the census count with the U.S. Atlantic "window census" provides a total minimum estimate of 5,723 breeding birds for the species. State/Province Adults Census (percent) Region (percent) Breeding pairs Sites surveyed Linear kilometers surveyed Participants Coordinator Northern Great Plains/Prairies Appendix 1 5 development (5 percent), invasive species (2 percent), industry (2 percent), and dredged material (1 percent). Most disturbances fell into the "other" category (19 percent), with comments suggesting impacts from human recreation, dogs, ATVs, garbage, encroaching vegetation, erosion, etc., all of which were exacerbated in some instances by flood conditions.
Climate change is already having impacts on nature, ecosystem services and people in southwestern... more Climate change is already having impacts on nature, ecosystem services and people in southwestern Colorado and is likely to further alter our natural landscapes in the coming decades. Understanding the potential changes and developing adaptation strategies can help ensure that natural landscapes and human communities remain healthy in the face of a changing climate. An interdisciplinary team consisting of social, ecological and climate scientists developed an innovative climate planning framework and worked with the Social-Ecological Climate Resilience Project (SECR) and other stakeholders in the Colorado's San Juan River Basin to develop adaptation strategies for two large landscapes, pinyon juniper woodlands and seeps, springs and wetland resources under three climate scenarios between2035 and 2050. This report summarizes the planning framework and results for the seeps, springs and wetland resources (the pinyon-juniper woodlands results are provided in a separate report). This framework can be utilized to develop strategies for other landscapes at local, state, and national scales. Diagrams, narrative scenarios, and maps that depict climate scenarios and the social-ecological responses help us portray the climate story in the face of an uncertain future. Interviews and focus group workshops with agency staff and stakeholders who are users of public lands identified several important opportunities to improve the adaptation planning process for developing strategies that meet both social and ecological needs. Planning techniques that include or directly relate to specific resources, such as water and forage, or to activities, such as recreation or grazing, provide avenues for engaging diverse stakeholders into the process. Utilizing the stories to understand the impacts to our social and ecological landscapes, three overarching landscape-scale adaptation strategies were developed. Each of these strategies has a suite of potential actions required to reach a desired future condition. The three key strategies are: 1) identify and protect persistent ecosystems as refugia, 2) proactively manage for resilience, and 3) accept, assist, and allow for transformation in non-climate refugia sites. If the framework and strategies developed from this project are adopted by the local community, including land managers, landowners, and users, the risk of adverse climate change impacts can be reduced, allowing for a more sustainable healthy human and natural landscape.
Climate change is already having impacts on nature, ecosystem services and people in southwestern... more Climate change is already having impacts on nature, ecosystem services and people in southwestern Colorado and is likely to further alter natural landscapes in the coming decades. Understanding the potential changes and developing/implementing adaptation strategies can help ensure that natural landscapes and human communities remain healthy in the face of a changing climate. An interdisciplinary team, consisting of social, ecological and climate scientists, developed an innovative climate planning framework and applied it with the Gunnison Climate Working Group and other stakeholders in the Upper Gunnison River Basin to develop adaptation strategies for two significant landscapes, spruce-fir forests and sagebrush shrublands, under three future (2020-2050) climate scenarios. This report summarizes the planning framework and results for the spruce-fir landscape (see separate report for sagebrush results). This framework can be utilized to develop strategies for other landscapes at local, state, and national scales. Diagrams, narrative scenarios and maps that depict climate scenarios and the social-ecological responses helped portray the climate story in the face of an uncertain future. Interviews and focus groups with managers, agency staff and stakeholders, users of the spruce-fir landscape, provided important context and to improve the planning process for developing strategies that meet both social and ecological needs. Utilizing the climate stories to understand the impacts to social and ecological landscapes, the team worked with stakeholders to develop three overarching landscape scale adaptation strategies for the spruce-fir landscape. Each of these strategies has a suite of potential actions required to reach a desired future condition. The two primary disturbances of concern that are likely to be exacerbated by climate change in the spruce-fir forest are wildfire and insect outbreaks; the impacts of greatest concern to this landscape are altered fire regime and altered species composition. The three key strategies developed through this project to address these and other climate impacts are: 1) identify and protect climate refugia sites (persistent areas), 2) maintain or enhance the resilience of the climate refugia sites, and 3) accept, assist, and allow for transformation in non-climate refugia sites. If adopted by the local community, including land managers and landowners, the framework and strategies resulting from this project can help to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change, allowing for a more sustainable human and natural landscape.
The expansion of human infrastructure has contributed to novel risks and disturbance regimes in m... more The expansion of human infrastructure has contributed to novel risks and disturbance regimes in most ecosystems, leading to considerable uncertainty about how species will respond to altered landscapes. A recent assessment revealed that whooping cranes (Grus americana), an endangered migratory waterbird species, avoid wind-energy infrastructure during migration. However, uncertainties regarding collective impacts of other types of human infrastructure, such as power lines, variable drought conditions, and continued construction of wind energy infrastructure may compromise ongoing recovery efforts for whooping cranes. Droughts are increasing in frequency and severity throughout the whooping crane migration corridor, and the impacts of drought on stopover habitat use are largely unknown. Moreover, decision-based analyses are increasingly advocated to guide recovery planning for endangered species, yet applications remain rare. Using GPS locations from 57 whooping cranes from 2010 thro...
Electricity generation from renewable‐energy sources has increased dramatically worldwide in rece... more Electricity generation from renewable‐energy sources has increased dramatically worldwide in recent decades. Risks associated with wind‐energy infrastructure are not well understood for endangered Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) or other vulnerable Crane populations. From 2010 to 2016, we monitored 57 Whooping Cranes with remote‐telemetry devices in the United States Great Plains to determine potential changes in migration distribution (i.e., avoidance) caused by presence of wind‐energy infrastructure. During our study, the number of wind towers tripled in the Whooping Crane migration corridor and quadrupled in the corridor’s center. Median distance of Whooping Crane locations from nearest wind tower was 52.1 km, and 99% of locations were >4.3 km from wind towers. A habitat selection analysis revealed that Whooping Cranes used areas ≤5.0 km (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.8–5.4) from towers less than expected (i.e., zone of influence) and that Whooping Cranes were 20 times (95% ...
These data were developed to support an effort to understand how whooping cranes select stopover ... more These data were developed to support an effort to understand how whooping cranes select stopover habitat in the presence of wind-energy infrastructure. Location and associated data came from whooping cranes from the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population, 2010-2016. We marked a sample of 57 whooping cranes with leg-mounted transmitters that acquired locations via the global positioning system (GPS) network and transmitted those data through the Argos satellite system. Cranes were captured either at their natal areas in and adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada or at their winter terminus along the Texas Gulf Coast. Data herein include 9,347 ground locations used by whooping cranes during migration coupled with 19 potentially available locations for each used location (see processing steps for more information). Predictor variables hypothesized to explain variation in space use were included for all locations (used and available).
The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a bird species in North America currently protected under ... more The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a bird species in North America currently protected under federal endangered species legislation in the United States and Canada. The only self-sustaining and wild population of whooping cranes nests in and around Wood Buffalo National Park near the provincial border of Northwest Territories and Alberta, Canada. Cranes from this population migrate through the Great Plains of North America and winter along the Gulf Coast of Texas at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding lands. These data support efforts to delineate a migration corridor for this population that can be used for conservation planning activities, including targeting conservation, mitigation, and recovery actions and assessing threats.
The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a listed endangered species in North America, protected un... more The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a listed endangered species in North America, protected under federal legislation in the United States and Canada. The only self-sustaining and wild population of Whooping Cranes nests at and near Wood Buffalo National Park near the provincial border of Northwest Territories and Alberta, Canada. Birds from this population migrate through the Great Plains of North America and winter along the Gulf Coast of Texas at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding lands. These data represent migration corridors and precision estimates for this population that can be used for conservation planning activities, including targeting conservation, mitigation, and recovery actions and assessing threats.
Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between b... more Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between breeding and wintering sites. Context for conservation and management can be provided by characterizing these strategies. Variations in strategy among and within individuals support population persistence in response to changes in land use and climate. We used location data from 58 marked Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) from 2010 to 2016 to characterize migration strategies in the U.S. Great Plains and Canadian Prairies and southern boreal region, and to explore sources of heterogeneity in their migration strategy, including space use, timing, and performance. Whooping Cranes completed ~3,900-km migrations that averaged 29 days during spring and 45 days during autumn, while making 11–12 nighttime stops. At the scale of our analysis, individual Whooping Cranes showed little consistency in stopover sites used among migration seasons (i.e. low site fidelity). In contrast, individuals expres...
Wild egg collection can be a powerful tool in avian conservation management. It can be used to es... more Wild egg collection can be a powerful tool in avian conservation management. It can be used to establish and augment captive breeding programs for conservation translocations, mitigate low productivity during incubation in wild populations, and further research on reproductive and environmental biology. Such benefits need to be balanced against potential risks, like detrimental demographic effects on source populations and disease transfer. A lack of thorough consideration and evaluation of associated benefits, risks, and trade-offs may prevent conservation managers from effectively utilising this powerful conservation tool, and may lead to poor management outcomes for wild populations. Structured decision making (SDM) can offer a framework for making decisions in the presence of uncertainty about how a system will respond to different management alternatives. We therefore advocate for the use of SDM to explore whether an egg collection program is a desirable management tool and, if so, to assess how new data iteratively informs decisions throughout all stages of the recovery program. Here, we review the current literature evaluating the practice of wild egg collection, provide an overview of the SDM process, and then use the whooping crane (Grus americana) as an example of how to conduct such an evaluation. Our overall aim is to provide guidance on how SDM can help develop best practice for responsible egg collection from wild populations to enable efficient and effective recovery of endangered avian species. 2. Wild egg collection in avian conservation Wild egg collection has been predominately used for captive breeding and release programmes, spanning the avian orders: Falconiformes (Jone et al., 1995); Accipitriformes (Toone and Risser,
Defining and identifying changes to seasonal ranges of migratory species is required for effectiv... more Defining and identifying changes to seasonal ranges of migratory species is required for effective conservation. Historic sightings of migrating whooping cranes (Grus americana) have served as sole source of information to define a migration corridor in the Great Plains of North America (i.e., Canadian Prairies and United States Great Plains) for this endangered species. We updated this effort using past opportunistic sightings from 1942-2016 (n = 5,055) and more recent (2010-2016) location data from 58 telemetered birds (n = 4,423) to delineate migration corridors that included 50%, 75%, and 95% core areas. All migration corridors were well defined and relatively compact, with the 95% core corridor averaging 294 km wide, although it varied approximately ±40% in width from 170 km in central Texas to 407 km at the international border of the United States and Canada. Based on historic sightings and telemetry locations, we detected easterly movements in locations over time, primarily due to locations west of the median shifting east. This shift occurred from northern Oklahoma to central Saskatchewan at an average rate of 1.2 km/year (0.3-2.8 km/ year). Associated with this directional shift was a decrease in distance of locations from the median in the same region averaging-0.7 km/year (-0.3-1.3 km/year), suggesting a modest narrowing of the migration corridor. Changes in the corridor over the past 8 decades suggest that agencies and organizations interested in recovery of this species may need to modify where conservation and recovery actions occur. Whooping cranes showed apparent plasticity in their migratory behavior, which likely has been necessary for persistence of a wetland-dependent species migrating through the drought-prone Great Plains. Behavioral flexibility will be useful for whooping cranes to continue recovery in a future of uncertain climate and land use changes throughout their annual range.
The effects of estrogen on the reproductive tract involve cell proliferation, migration, and diff... more The effects of estrogen on the reproductive tract involve cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation, which need to be well coordinated. Polypeptide growth factors are believed to play a vital role in a number of these cellular processes. Among the growth factors now documented to be associated with estrogen action are epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF beta 1), TGF beta 2, TGF beta 3, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) are also potent mitogens, which consist of two peptide chains, denoted A and B, that dimerize to isoforms (PDGF-AA, -AB, and -BB) which differ in their functional properties, secretory behavior, receptor binding, and physiological effects. To study the role of the PDGF-A and -B chains and the PDGF receptor subunits, alpha and beta, during estrogen action in the mouse reproductive tract, time-dependent changes in the expression of these genes were examined by Northern and in situ RNA analyses and by immunohistochemistry after a single treatment of immature CD-1 (17- to 19-day-old) mice with the synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES). Our results demonstrate estrogen modulation of the expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein for the PDGF ligands and receptors in both the uterus and vagina of the mouse. Northern and in situ RNA analyses demonstrate time-dependent estrogen induction of the mRNA levels for these genes in both tissues within 3 h after treatment. However, distinctive mRNA expression profiles for the PDGF ligand and receptor genes are exhibited by the uterus and vagina in response to DES, especially in that the induction of transcripts for PDGF-A and both receptor subunits is more transient in the vagina than in the uterus. Steroid specificity studies demonstrate predominant estrogen-specific regulation of mRNA induction for these genes. Analysis of cell-specific RNA expression by in situ hybridization reveals prominent induction of transcripts for the PDGF chains and receptor subunits in the uterine and vaginal epithelium after estrogen treatment, although enhanced expression of mRNA is also noted in the stroma, particularly for the PDGF receptor subunit genes. Cellular localization of the PDGF ligand and receptor protein molecules by immunohistochemistry detected significant immunostaining for all of these proteins in both the uterus and vagina of control animals. After DES treatment, the uterus exhibits a significant decrease in the level of PDGF ligand and receptor proteins immunostained within 6 h, whereas less dramatic effects ar observed in the vagina.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
current disturbances, potential future disturbances, and uncertainty in drought conditions. There... more current disturbances, potential future disturbances, and uncertainty in drought conditions. Therefore, dynamic models describing potential costs associated with risk-averse behaviors resulting from future developments can inform proactive conservation before population impacts occur.
Wild egg collection can be a powerful tool in avian conservation management. It can be used to es... more Wild egg collection can be a powerful tool in avian conservation management. It can be used to establish and augment captive breeding programs for conservation translocations, mitigate low productivity during incubation in wild populations, and further research on reproductive and environmental biology. Such benefits need to be balanced against potential risks, like detrimental demographic effects on source populations and disease transfer. A lack of thorough consideration and evaluation of associated benefits, risks, and trade-offs may prevent conservation managers from effectively utilising this powerful conservation tool, and may lead to poor management outcomes for wild populations. Structured decision making (SDM) can offer a framework for making decisions in the presence of uncertainty about how a system will respond to different management alternatives. We therefore advocate for the use of SDM to explore whether an egg collection program is a desirable management tool and, if so, to assess how new data iteratively informs decisions throughout all stages of the recovery program. Here, we review the current literature evaluating the practice of wild egg collection, provide an overview of the SDM process, and then use the whooping crane (Grus americana) as an example of how to conduct such an evaluation. Our overall aim is to provide guidance on how SDM can help develop best practice for responsible egg collection from wild populations to enable efficient and effective recovery of endangered avian species. 2. Wild egg collection in avian conservation Wild egg collection has been predominately used for captive breeding and release programmes, spanning the avian orders: Falconiformes (Jone et al., 1995); Accipitriformes (Toone and Risser,
Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between b... more Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between breeding and wintering sites. Context for conservation and management can be provided by characterizing these strategies. Variations in strategy among and within individuals support population persistence in response to changes in land use and climate. We used location data from 58 marked Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) from 2010 to 2016 to characterize migration strategies in the U.S. Great Plains and Canadian Prairies and southern boreal region, and to explore sources of heterogeneity in their migration strategy, including space use, timing, and performance. Whooping Cranes completed ~3,900-km migrations that averaged 29 days during spring and 45 days during autumn, while making 11-12 nighttime stops. At the scale of our analysis, individual Whooping Cranes showed little consistency in stopover sites used among migration seasons (i.e. low site fidelity). In contrast, individuals expressed a measure of consistency in timing, especially migration initiation dates. Whooping Cranes migrated at different times based on age and reproductive status, where adults with young initiated autumn migration after other birds, and adults with and without young initiated spring migration before subadult birds. Time spent at stopover sites was positively associated with migration bout length and negatively associated with time spent at previous stopover sites, indicating Whooping Cranes acquired energy resources at some stopover sites that they used to fuel migration. Whooping Cranes were faithful to a defined migration corridor but showed less fidelity in their selection of nighttime stopover sites; hence, spatial targeting of conservation actions may be better informed by associations with landscape and habitat features rather than documented past use at specific locations. The preservation of variation in migration strategies existing within this species that experienced a severe population bottleneck suggests that Whooping Cranes have maintained a capacity to adjust strategies when confronted with future changes in land use and climate.
This report provides results from the 2011 International Census of Piping Plovers (Charadrius mel... more This report provides results from the 2011 International Census of Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus). Distribution and abundance data for wintering and breeding Piping Plovers are summarized in tabular format. An appendix provides census data for every site surveyed in every state, province, and island. The 2011 winter census resulted in the observation of 3,973 Piping Plovers. Expanded coverage outside of the United States led to the discovery of more than 1,000 Piping Plovers wintering in the Bahamas. The breeding census detected 2,771 birds in Atlantic Canada and the Plains, Prairies, and Great Lakes regions of the United States and Canada. Combining the census count with the U.S. Atlantic "window census" provides a total minimum estimate of 5,723 breeding birds for the species. State/Province Adults Census (percent) Region (percent) Breeding pairs Sites surveyed Linear kilometers surveyed Participants Coordinator Northern Great Plains/Prairies Appendix 1 5 development (5 percent), invasive species (2 percent), industry (2 percent), and dredged material (1 percent). Most disturbances fell into the "other" category (19 percent), with comments suggesting impacts from human recreation, dogs, ATVs, garbage, encroaching vegetation, erosion, etc., all of which were exacerbated in some instances by flood conditions.
Climate change is already having impacts on nature, ecosystem services and people in southwestern... more Climate change is already having impacts on nature, ecosystem services and people in southwestern Colorado and is likely to further alter our natural landscapes in the coming decades. Understanding the potential changes and developing adaptation strategies can help ensure that natural landscapes and human communities remain healthy in the face of a changing climate. An interdisciplinary team consisting of social, ecological and climate scientists developed an innovative climate planning framework and worked with the Social-Ecological Climate Resilience Project (SECR) and other stakeholders in the Colorado's San Juan River Basin to develop adaptation strategies for two large landscapes, pinyon juniper woodlands and seeps, springs and wetland resources under three climate scenarios between2035 and 2050. This report summarizes the planning framework and results for the seeps, springs and wetland resources (the pinyon-juniper woodlands results are provided in a separate report). This framework can be utilized to develop strategies for other landscapes at local, state, and national scales. Diagrams, narrative scenarios, and maps that depict climate scenarios and the social-ecological responses help us portray the climate story in the face of an uncertain future. Interviews and focus group workshops with agency staff and stakeholders who are users of public lands identified several important opportunities to improve the adaptation planning process for developing strategies that meet both social and ecological needs. Planning techniques that include or directly relate to specific resources, such as water and forage, or to activities, such as recreation or grazing, provide avenues for engaging diverse stakeholders into the process. Utilizing the stories to understand the impacts to our social and ecological landscapes, three overarching landscape-scale adaptation strategies were developed. Each of these strategies has a suite of potential actions required to reach a desired future condition. The three key strategies are: 1) identify and protect persistent ecosystems as refugia, 2) proactively manage for resilience, and 3) accept, assist, and allow for transformation in non-climate refugia sites. If the framework and strategies developed from this project are adopted by the local community, including land managers, landowners, and users, the risk of adverse climate change impacts can be reduced, allowing for a more sustainable healthy human and natural landscape.
Climate change is already having impacts on nature, ecosystem services and people in southwestern... more Climate change is already having impacts on nature, ecosystem services and people in southwestern Colorado and is likely to further alter natural landscapes in the coming decades. Understanding the potential changes and developing/implementing adaptation strategies can help ensure that natural landscapes and human communities remain healthy in the face of a changing climate. An interdisciplinary team, consisting of social, ecological and climate scientists, developed an innovative climate planning framework and applied it with the Gunnison Climate Working Group and other stakeholders in the Upper Gunnison River Basin to develop adaptation strategies for two significant landscapes, spruce-fir forests and sagebrush shrublands, under three future (2020-2050) climate scenarios. This report summarizes the planning framework and results for the spruce-fir landscape (see separate report for sagebrush results). This framework can be utilized to develop strategies for other landscapes at local, state, and national scales. Diagrams, narrative scenarios and maps that depict climate scenarios and the social-ecological responses helped portray the climate story in the face of an uncertain future. Interviews and focus groups with managers, agency staff and stakeholders, users of the spruce-fir landscape, provided important context and to improve the planning process for developing strategies that meet both social and ecological needs. Utilizing the climate stories to understand the impacts to social and ecological landscapes, the team worked with stakeholders to develop three overarching landscape scale adaptation strategies for the spruce-fir landscape. Each of these strategies has a suite of potential actions required to reach a desired future condition. The two primary disturbances of concern that are likely to be exacerbated by climate change in the spruce-fir forest are wildfire and insect outbreaks; the impacts of greatest concern to this landscape are altered fire regime and altered species composition. The three key strategies developed through this project to address these and other climate impacts are: 1) identify and protect climate refugia sites (persistent areas), 2) maintain or enhance the resilience of the climate refugia sites, and 3) accept, assist, and allow for transformation in non-climate refugia sites. If adopted by the local community, including land managers and landowners, the framework and strategies resulting from this project can help to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change, allowing for a more sustainable human and natural landscape.
The expansion of human infrastructure has contributed to novel risks and disturbance regimes in m... more The expansion of human infrastructure has contributed to novel risks and disturbance regimes in most ecosystems, leading to considerable uncertainty about how species will respond to altered landscapes. A recent assessment revealed that whooping cranes (Grus americana), an endangered migratory waterbird species, avoid wind-energy infrastructure during migration. However, uncertainties regarding collective impacts of other types of human infrastructure, such as power lines, variable drought conditions, and continued construction of wind energy infrastructure may compromise ongoing recovery efforts for whooping cranes. Droughts are increasing in frequency and severity throughout the whooping crane migration corridor, and the impacts of drought on stopover habitat use are largely unknown. Moreover, decision-based analyses are increasingly advocated to guide recovery planning for endangered species, yet applications remain rare. Using GPS locations from 57 whooping cranes from 2010 thro...
Electricity generation from renewable‐energy sources has increased dramatically worldwide in rece... more Electricity generation from renewable‐energy sources has increased dramatically worldwide in recent decades. Risks associated with wind‐energy infrastructure are not well understood for endangered Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) or other vulnerable Crane populations. From 2010 to 2016, we monitored 57 Whooping Cranes with remote‐telemetry devices in the United States Great Plains to determine potential changes in migration distribution (i.e., avoidance) caused by presence of wind‐energy infrastructure. During our study, the number of wind towers tripled in the Whooping Crane migration corridor and quadrupled in the corridor’s center. Median distance of Whooping Crane locations from nearest wind tower was 52.1 km, and 99% of locations were >4.3 km from wind towers. A habitat selection analysis revealed that Whooping Cranes used areas ≤5.0 km (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.8–5.4) from towers less than expected (i.e., zone of influence) and that Whooping Cranes were 20 times (95% ...
These data were developed to support an effort to understand how whooping cranes select stopover ... more These data were developed to support an effort to understand how whooping cranes select stopover habitat in the presence of wind-energy infrastructure. Location and associated data came from whooping cranes from the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population, 2010-2016. We marked a sample of 57 whooping cranes with leg-mounted transmitters that acquired locations via the global positioning system (GPS) network and transmitted those data through the Argos satellite system. Cranes were captured either at their natal areas in and adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada or at their winter terminus along the Texas Gulf Coast. Data herein include 9,347 ground locations used by whooping cranes during migration coupled with 19 potentially available locations for each used location (see processing steps for more information). Predictor variables hypothesized to explain variation in space use were included for all locations (used and available).
The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a bird species in North America currently protected under ... more The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a bird species in North America currently protected under federal endangered species legislation in the United States and Canada. The only self-sustaining and wild population of whooping cranes nests in and around Wood Buffalo National Park near the provincial border of Northwest Territories and Alberta, Canada. Cranes from this population migrate through the Great Plains of North America and winter along the Gulf Coast of Texas at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding lands. These data support efforts to delineate a migration corridor for this population that can be used for conservation planning activities, including targeting conservation, mitigation, and recovery actions and assessing threats.
The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a listed endangered species in North America, protected un... more The whooping crane (Grus americana) is a listed endangered species in North America, protected under federal legislation in the United States and Canada. The only self-sustaining and wild population of Whooping Cranes nests at and near Wood Buffalo National Park near the provincial border of Northwest Territories and Alberta, Canada. Birds from this population migrate through the Great Plains of North America and winter along the Gulf Coast of Texas at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding lands. These data represent migration corridors and precision estimates for this population that can be used for conservation planning activities, including targeting conservation, mitigation, and recovery actions and assessing threats.
Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between b... more Migratory birds use numerous strategies to successfully complete twice-annual movements between breeding and wintering sites. Context for conservation and management can be provided by characterizing these strategies. Variations in strategy among and within individuals support population persistence in response to changes in land use and climate. We used location data from 58 marked Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) from 2010 to 2016 to characterize migration strategies in the U.S. Great Plains and Canadian Prairies and southern boreal region, and to explore sources of heterogeneity in their migration strategy, including space use, timing, and performance. Whooping Cranes completed ~3,900-km migrations that averaged 29 days during spring and 45 days during autumn, while making 11–12 nighttime stops. At the scale of our analysis, individual Whooping Cranes showed little consistency in stopover sites used among migration seasons (i.e. low site fidelity). In contrast, individuals expres...
Wild egg collection can be a powerful tool in avian conservation management. It can be used to es... more Wild egg collection can be a powerful tool in avian conservation management. It can be used to establish and augment captive breeding programs for conservation translocations, mitigate low productivity during incubation in wild populations, and further research on reproductive and environmental biology. Such benefits need to be balanced against potential risks, like detrimental demographic effects on source populations and disease transfer. A lack of thorough consideration and evaluation of associated benefits, risks, and trade-offs may prevent conservation managers from effectively utilising this powerful conservation tool, and may lead to poor management outcomes for wild populations. Structured decision making (SDM) can offer a framework for making decisions in the presence of uncertainty about how a system will respond to different management alternatives. We therefore advocate for the use of SDM to explore whether an egg collection program is a desirable management tool and, if so, to assess how new data iteratively informs decisions throughout all stages of the recovery program. Here, we review the current literature evaluating the practice of wild egg collection, provide an overview of the SDM process, and then use the whooping crane (Grus americana) as an example of how to conduct such an evaluation. Our overall aim is to provide guidance on how SDM can help develop best practice for responsible egg collection from wild populations to enable efficient and effective recovery of endangered avian species. 2. Wild egg collection in avian conservation Wild egg collection has been predominately used for captive breeding and release programmes, spanning the avian orders: Falconiformes (Jone et al., 1995); Accipitriformes (Toone and Risser,
Defining and identifying changes to seasonal ranges of migratory species is required for effectiv... more Defining and identifying changes to seasonal ranges of migratory species is required for effective conservation. Historic sightings of migrating whooping cranes (Grus americana) have served as sole source of information to define a migration corridor in the Great Plains of North America (i.e., Canadian Prairies and United States Great Plains) for this endangered species. We updated this effort using past opportunistic sightings from 1942-2016 (n = 5,055) and more recent (2010-2016) location data from 58 telemetered birds (n = 4,423) to delineate migration corridors that included 50%, 75%, and 95% core areas. All migration corridors were well defined and relatively compact, with the 95% core corridor averaging 294 km wide, although it varied approximately ±40% in width from 170 km in central Texas to 407 km at the international border of the United States and Canada. Based on historic sightings and telemetry locations, we detected easterly movements in locations over time, primarily due to locations west of the median shifting east. This shift occurred from northern Oklahoma to central Saskatchewan at an average rate of 1.2 km/year (0.3-2.8 km/ year). Associated with this directional shift was a decrease in distance of locations from the median in the same region averaging-0.7 km/year (-0.3-1.3 km/year), suggesting a modest narrowing of the migration corridor. Changes in the corridor over the past 8 decades suggest that agencies and organizations interested in recovery of this species may need to modify where conservation and recovery actions occur. Whooping cranes showed apparent plasticity in their migratory behavior, which likely has been necessary for persistence of a wetland-dependent species migrating through the drought-prone Great Plains. Behavioral flexibility will be useful for whooping cranes to continue recovery in a future of uncertain climate and land use changes throughout their annual range.
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