Nutritional condition of elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

We tested the hypothesis that elk in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) were at ecological carrying capacity by determining herd-specific levels of nutritional condition and fecundity. Ingesta-free body fat levels in adult cows that were lactating were 10.6% ( s = 1.7; range = 6.2-15.4) and 7.7% ( s = 0.5; range = 5.9-10.1) in November 2001 for the Horseshoe and Moraine Park herds, respectively. Cows that were not lactating were able to accrue significantly more body fat: 14.0% ( s = 1.1; range = 7.7-19.3) and 11.5% ( s = 0.8; range = 8.6-15.1) for the Horseshoe and Moraine Park herds, respectively. Cow elk lost most of their body fat over winter (April 2002 levels were 3.9% [ s = 0.4] and 2.9% [ s = 0.4] for the Horseshoe and Moraine Park herds, respectively). Nutritional condition indicated that both Horseshoe Park and Moraine Park elk were well below condition levels elk can achieve on very good-excellent nutrition (i.e., > 15% body fat; Cook et al. 2004) and were comparable to other free-ranging elk populations. However, condition levels were higher than those expected at a ""food-limited"" carrying capacity, and a proportion of elk in each herd were able to achieve condition levels indicative of very good-excellent nutrition. Elk in RMNP are likely regulated and/or limited by a complex combination of density-independent (including significant heterogeneity in forage conditions across RMNP's landscape) and density-dependent processes, as condition levels contradict a simple density-dependent model of a population at ecological carrying capacity.     

Deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, and associated rodent fleas (Siphonaptera) in the arctic-alpine life zone of Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Peromyscus maniculatus and related small rodents have been examined for ectoparasites in the tundra region of the Rocky Mountain National Park 1974–1979. One hundred and ninety-four P. maniculatus were examined from two tundra sites. Flea infestation rates were 1.9 fleas per mouse examined and 4.1 fleas per infested mouse. Species taken in significant numbers were Monopsyllus thambus (51 percent), Peromyscopsylla hesperomys (34 percent), Malaraeus euphorbi (9 percent), and Catallagia calisheri (4 percent). Peromyscus maniculatus host/flea relationships in the tundra are compared with those in other life zones in the park.       

Benthos recovery after an episodic sediment release into a Colorado Rocky Mountain river

During late September 1996, approximately 7000 m 3 of clay- to gravel-sized sediment was flushed from Halligan Reservoir, Larimer County, Colorado, into the North Fork Cache la Poudre River during dam inspections. Approximately 9.6 km of this river was partially or completely affected by this episodic sediment release. Pools up to 3.2 km downstream from the dam lost 50% of their volume. Hess samples taken from October 1996 to September 1997, 100 m downstream from the dam (site 1) and 3.2 km downstream (site 2), revealed effects of sediment on recovery patterns of benthic communities. A 2-way ANOVA was used to determine significant interactions using site and date as main factors. Pairwise differences were then compared using least squares means to determine significant dates within and between sites. Ten days after the sediment release, both density and taxa richness at site 1 (55 organisms per m 2 , 5 taxa) were significantly lower ( P 2 , 25 taxa). These differences remained until June when species richness and densities increased. Plecoptera and Trichoptera colonized from June to September after being eliminated at site 1 and reduced at site 2. No permanently flowing tributaries exist within the study area; therefore, passive downstream drift from such inputs apparently did not influence recovery. Increased densities of taxa such as Baetidae, Hydroptilidae, Hydropsychidae, Chironomidae, Simuliidae, and Oligochaeta occurred plausibly by rapid reproduction. Based on pre-event data, community function completely changed at site 2 from a scraper community to one dominated by collector-gatherers.     

Scorpions are a food item of American black bears in Sonora, Mexico

The remains of the scorpion Diplocentrus peloncillensis Francke were found in 7 scats of black bears ( Ursus americanus ) collected in the Sierra de San Luis, Sonora, Mexico. The collection data and previously reported black bear population estimates for the study area suggested that, although scorpions are not a large part of black bear diets in Sonora, feeding on scorpions is not restricted to a single individual or family unit and is apparently a relatively common behavior in the population. Also, the discovery of D. peloncillensis in Sonora represents a new country record.     

Home range of the western jumping mouse, Zapus princeps, in the Colorado Rocky Mountains

Western jumping mice, Zapus princeps, were live - trapped during the summer of 1975 in an aspen forest in the Front Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Home range sizes were calculated using the exclusive boundary strip method, and it was discovered that males had larger home ranges (298 – 3315 m 2 , x = 1743 m 2 ) than females (680 – 1275 m 2 , x = 1041 m 2 ). Mean range length was 96.5 m for males and 78.5 m for females. Spatial relationships showed that females tended to be more territorial than males, based on the females' higher percentage of exclusive home ranges, greater distance between centers of activity, and more uniform spacing.     

Notes on the birds of Cold Spring Mountain, northwestern Colorado

Observations are presented on 117 bird species seen in a 250-km 2 area of northwestern Colorado adjacent to Utah and Wyoming. Three previously unreported species and seven status changes are listed for the Rangely, Colorado, latilong block.     

Observations of captive Rocky Mountain mule deer behavior

Observations were made on the behavior of a captive herd of Rocky Mountain mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus hemionus ). Comparisons in general behavior patterns were made between captive and wild deer. Similar behavior was exhibited by captive and wild deer. Captive deer (as well as other species) may be useful for study of certain behavioral aspects of their wild counterparts.     

Pinyon-juniper woodlands in Zion National Park, Utah

Juniperus osteosperma-Pinus monophylla or P. edulis (P-J) woodlands are the most widespread plant community in Zion National Park (ZNP), southwestern Utah. These woodlands dominate nearly half of the park's land area. Our study of this vegetational complex is based on a sample consisting of 115 macroplots (each 0.01 ha in area) objectively distributed across the entire area of ZNP. We recognize 3 subtypes within the P-J complex: Juniperus osteosperma (Utah juniper) alone, juniper with P. monophylla (single-leaf pinyon), and juniper with P. edulis (two-leaf pinyon). The 2 pinyon pines rarely occur together, and thus the foregoing subtypes do not overlap geographically to a significant extent. The first 2 subtypes occur primarily below 1800 m elevation, while the latter is most commonly found above that elevation. Because of the scarcity of sizable expanses (over ～ 10 ha) of well-developed soils in ZNP, the P-J complex occurs primarily on sites where exposed bedrock covers a large portion of the habitat. As a result, over 90% of stands assigned to the P-J complex support less than 50% tree canopy cover (64% have less than 25% tree cover). Shrub cover increases along the woodland successional gradient. Pinyon cover increases faster than juniper cover. Microbiotic soil crust cover is consistently greater in J. osteosperma-P. monophylla woodlands than in J. osteosperma-P. edulis woodlands, but total living cover increases significantly along the successional gradient in both communities. To enhance plant and animal biodiversity, we recommend that pinyon-juniper woodlands of Zion National Park be managed so that late seral stages do not dominate large tracts.     

Sequence of epiphyseal fusion in the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep

Sequence and timing of epiphyseal fusion of the postcranial skeleton of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis canadensis ) was examined. Ages up to four years can be determined. Slight differences were found in the time of fusion between males and females. These do not prevent determining the age of a skeleton within a period of two or three months, an accuracy comparable to existing techniques that involve tooth eruption schedules, horn annulations, or incisor cemental annulations.     

Reproductive attributes of some Rocky Mountain subalpine herbs in successional context

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Selected reproductive attributes of herbaceous plant species were compared among three stages of a sere in the subalpine zone of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains: herbaceous meadow, aspen grove, spruce-fir forest. No successional trends in seed size or inferred mode of seed dispersal were detected. We ascribe the deviation of these findings from those of most other studies to differences in climate, life-form composition, or community age between our sere and those of other studies. A variety of flower colors were found in the meadow stage, grading into a predominance of white flowers under conifers. Animal vectors of pollen, capable of effecting plant outcrossing, were most abundant in the meadows and an order of magnitude less abundant under aspen.       

Patterns of macroinvertebrate colonization in an intermittent Rocky Mountain stream in Utah

Colonization of macroinvertebrates in a headwater mountain stream was monitored using basket and Surber samplers. Taxa showed differences in colonization ability based both on dispersal ability and feeding strategy. Collector - gatherer feeding groups that could actively enter the water, i.e., Baetis mayflies, were the first organisms to colonize bare or new substrate. The slowest colonizers were heptageniid mayflies that colonized primarily from upstream migration. All organisms examined increased drifting behavior in response to decreases in discharge.         

Freshwater ostracods (Crustacea) from Tiantong National Forest Park and Dongqian Lake,eastern China,with descriptions of two new species

In this study, 192 samples were collected and analyzed from diverse water bodies in the Tiantong National Forest Park and Dongqian lake in Zhejiang Province, China. Twenty living ostracod species were identified, belonging to four families, eight subfamilies and 15 genera. Among them, two species are new, belonging to the genera Ilyocypris and Schellencandona; seven species, including Dolerocypris ikeyai Smith and Kamiya, 2006, Pseudocandona abei Smith and Janz, 2008, Stenocypris hirutai Smith and Kamiya, 2006, S. viridis Okubo, 1990, Tanycypris alfonsi Nagler et al., 2014, T. centa Chang et al., 2012 and Vestalenula cornelia Smith et al., 2006, are new records for China; nine species are reported only from Asia: Candonopsis (Candonopsis) transgrediens Brehm, 1923, Chrissia dongqianhuensis Kong et al., 2014, Dolerocypris ikeyai Smith and Kamiya, 2006, Ilyocypris dui n. sp., Pseudocandona abei Smith and Janz, 2008, Schellencandona dui n. sp., Stenocypris hirutai Smith and Kamiya, 2006, S. viridis Okubo, 1990 and Vestalenula cornelia Smith et al., 2006. Of the above species, the two new species, Schellencandona dui n. sp. and Ilyocypris dui n. sp., are described and illustrated, and Stenocypris viridis is re-described.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2D679051-CBA2-4B09-BCF0-E0152EBC2694     

Co-occupancy of a den by a pair of Great Basin black bears

An adult male and an adult female black bear ( Ursus americanus ) were found in the same den in the Carson Range of the Sierra Nevada in Nevada. Co-occupancy of dens is very rare, and such behavior has never been previously reported for adult bears of opposite sex.     

Insect communities and faunas of a Rocky Mountain subalpine sere

Insect faunas and communities are characterized for herbaceous and tree canopy layers in meadow, aspen, and spruce/fir stages of a northern Utah sere. A greater percentage of species were in Thysanoptera in both aspen strata, and a greater percentage of individuals were in Lepidoptera in aspen canopy. Our sites were quite similar to a wide variety of other terrestrial sites in their distribution of species or individuals among orders or metamorphosis categories. Insects/m 2 peaked in the aspen stage, but declined in the herbaceous layer with succession. Insects/plant biomass in the herbaceous layer increased with succession. Insects/m 2 and insects/foliar biomass were higher in aspen canopies than in conifer canopies. Insect species/m 2 peaked in the aspen stage. This statistic was comparable in meadow and aspen understory, and lower in conifer understory. Insects/m 2 in the tree canopies were similar to the values in their respective understories. Insect species/plant biomass increased in the herbaceous layer with succession, but decreased in tree canopies with succession. Species evenness in both strata increased with succession. Adult body length was greatest for meadow species, least for conifer species. Adult body length per individual was greatest in aspen. Life cycle complexity was greatest in aspen. Insects on trees were more likely to have complex life cycles than those on herbs.         

Algae of Devils Hole, Nevada, Death Valley National Park

We examined algal flora in the aquatic system of Devils Hole, Nevada. The water is seasonally warm, near neutral in pH, and rich in dissolved carbonate, indicative of deeply circulating groundwater flowing through carbonate rock. Most algae were benthic, with only a few planktonic representatives. Eighty-four terminal identifications in 44 genera were recorded, with diatoms and blue-green algae the most speciose groups. Diatoms were major contributors to the grazing food web. Large, mat-forming filamentous algae have an important influence on the physicochemical and general structure of the benthic substrates in Devils Hole.     

Habitat evaluation procedure for Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in the Intermountain West

Several habitat evaluation procedures have been developed for bighorn sheep. However, none of these procedures specifically addresses the Rocky Mountain subspecies nor analyzes both the quantity and quality of potential bighorn habitat with regard to minimum viable population (MVP) criteria. This bighorn habitat evaluation procedure combines (1) a quantitative assessment of bighorn range to determine if there are adequate quantities of resources to support an MVP of bighorn sheep, and (2) a qualitative assessment of a range to predict the probable density of bighorns the range can support. Extensive literature review, intensive bighorn research, and a modeling tool, pattern recognition (PATREC), facilitate critical analysis of proposed bighorn reintroduction sites. The resultant stepwise approach to bighorn habitat evaluation enhances the ability of wildlife biologists to make timely and accurate bighorn habitat assessments.     

Holocene bison from Arches National Park, southeastern Utah

An artifact constructed from a bison ( Bison bison ) hornsheath was recovered from the surface of a sandstone shelter also containing skeletal remains of bison and bighorn ( Ovis Canadensis ). Radiocarbon dating of bison, bighorn, and the artifact indicate that all co-occurred on the central Colorado Plateau, southeastern Utah, either between A. D. 1405 and A. D. 1420, or between A. D. 1535 and A. D. 1605. Skeletal remains of the bison imply that the animal was of the local faunal community during the transition between Protohistoric and Historic time.     

Soil nematodes of northern Rocky Mountain ecosystems: genera and biomasses

Soil nematode populations were larger and more diverse in two grasslands than in three forests of the northern Rocky Mountains. As we moved from Festuca idahoensis grassland through progressively higher zones of vegetation dominated by Artemisia tridentata , Populus tremuloides , and Pseudotsuga menziesii , and then to Abies lasiocarpa forests, numbers of nematode genera declined from 31 to 26 to 20 to 21 to 13; numbers of individuals in the top 50 cm of the soil were 6.0, 5.3, 1.7, 1.5, and 1.6 million/m 2 , and biomasses of nematodes in the top 50 cm of the soil were 0.83, 0.88, 0.58, 0.35, and 0.19 g/m 2 . Biomasses of nematodes were often well correlated with root biomass as well as soil depth; of the nematodes in the 0-50-cm horizon, 38 to 70% were in the 0-20-cm layer. The effects of light grazing on nematode populations were small or nonexistent.     

Land snail diversity in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Eighty-two soil samples and additional hand-collection in Wind Cave National Park yielded over 2000 terrestrial gastropod specimens. The specimens represent 26 different species, including a South Dakota species of concern, Vertigo arthuri . New South Dakota state records for Gastrocopta pellucida and Vertigo tridentata were recorded. Samples from grassland habitats were less likely to contain snails and had lower species richness than samples from either forest or shrubland habitats. Canyons, creek beds, bases of limestone cliffs, and shrublands are important habitats for snails in the park.     

Unusual tooth wear in elk at Glacier National Park, Montana

An unusual wear pattern in the cheek teeth of elk-wapiti, in which the third premolars and first molars of the upper jaw wear excessively into corresponding teeth in the lower jaw, was found in a Glacier National Park, Montana, elk skull. This unusual wear pattern was previously reported from elk of the Yellowstone-Jackson, Wyoming, herd.