New Astragalus (Leguminosae) from the Goose Creek Drainage, Utah - Nevada

A new species, Astragalus anserinus Atwood, Goodrich, & Welsh, is described from specimens taken from tuffaceous outcrops in the Goose Creek drainage of Box Elder County, Utah and Elko County Nevada.        

Ecological studies of a regulated stream: Huntington River, Emery County, Utah

A 36.9x10 6 m 3 reservoir constructed on Huntington River, Emery County, Utah, resulted in changes in physical habitat, water quality, temperature, and flow regime. The greatest changes in physical habitat resulted from: (1) sediment additions from dam and road construction plus erosion of reservoir basin during filling; and (2) changing stream flow from a spring high runoff regime to a moderated flow regime. Elimination of spring nutrient concentration peaks and overall reduction of total dissolved nutrient availability in the river plus moderate reductions in pH were the most apparent water quality changes below the reservoir. Water temperature changes were an increased diurnal and seasonal constancy, summer depression, and winter elevation, generally limited to a 10–12 km reach below the dam. Physical and chemical changes altered macroinvertebrate community structure, with changes greatest near the dam and progressively less as distance downstream increased. Below the dam: (1) more environmentally tolerant taxa increased their dominance; (2) relative numbers of smaller sized individuals increased in relation to larger individuals; and (3) filter feeding, collector/gatherers, and scrapers gained an advantage over shredders. Insect taxa such as Rhithrogena robusta, Pteronarcella badia, and Ephemerella doddsi were eliminated from stream reaches near the dam, and other taxa such as Arctopsyche grandis, Chironomidae, and Simuliidae increased in numbers. Late spring to early summer egg hatch proved to be a disadvantage to Brachycentrus occidentalis, and B. americanus, with a fall hatch, was less impacted by altered river flow patterns. Macroinvertebrate taxa with small instar larvae present from late summer to early fall were negatively impacted by the unnaturally high July and August flows. The reservoir became a physical barrier to downstream larval drift and upcanyon and downcanyon immigration of adults, resulting in reduced numbers of several species above and below the reservoir.         

On Cowania and its intergeneric hybrids in Arizona

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Differential effects of cattle and sheep grazing on high mountain meadows in the Strawberry Valley of central Utah

Species diversity, niche metrics, cover, frequency, and soil relationships were studied on high mountain meadows on adjacent cattle and sheep allotments in Strawberry Valley, Wasatch County, Utah. The cattle allotment vegetation was predominantly Mountain bluebell (Mertensia ciliata) , and the sheep allotment vegetation was predominantly Smallwing sedge (Carex microptera) . Other species of importance on both areas included Letterman needlegrass (Stipa lettermanii) , Mountain bromegrass (Bromus carinatus) , and Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) . Tall forbs were most abundant on the cattle allotment, and low forbs, perennial grasses, and sedges were most abundant on the sheep allotment. Vegetation composition on the two allotments was significantly different.         

Aquatic birds of the White River, Uintah County, Utah

Abundance, seasonal use, and species composition of waterfowl and other aquatic birds are described along a 32.8 km stretch of the White River, Uintah County, Utah, at the site of the proposed White River Dam. Fourteen species of waterfowl and eight other species of aquatic birds were recorded. Waterfowl populations along the river were highest in April, but densities were much lower than on lakes and reservoirs at nearby Ouray National Wildlife Refuge.         

Note on the diet of long-billed Curlew chicks in western Idaho

The diet of Long - billed Curlew chicks is described for the first time. Five insect orders and one arachnid order were identified from nine stomach contents samples. Grasshoppers and carabid beetles were dominant prey items.      

Methods and materials for capturing and monitoring flammulated owls

Techniques for locating, capturing, and monitoring activities and movements of Flammulated Owls were developed during four years of study. Adults responded to imitated territorial song throughout the nesting season. Nests were found by noting vocalizations and behaviors associated with courtship-feeding and food transfers between the sexes. After fledging, broods were difficult to follow, unless the young or adults were radio-tagged. Adults and young were captured with noose poles, hoop nets, and mist nets. Backpack harnesses and tail-mounted transmitters were used on adults and backpacks on fledglings. Transmitter life was 30–40 nights.         

Electrophoretic study of cutthroat trout populations in Utah

Thirty - nine Utah streams were sampled for cutthroat trout. Of these, 31 contain cutthroat or cutthroat / rainbow hybrid populations. By using starch gel electrophoresis, these populations were segregated into three groups. One group consisted predominately of fish from the Sevier River (of the Bonneville Basin) and Colorado drainages. A second was primarily populations from the Bear River Drainage (Bonneville Basin) as well as some scattered populations along the Wasatch Front (Bonneville Basin). The third consisted of Wasatch Front populations and populations that have hybridized with rainbow trout. Since different subspecies of cutthroat trout are native to the Colorado and Bonneville drainages, one would expect the populations from within the Bonneville Basin to be more similar to one another and less similar to the Colorado River populations. That this did not occur raises questions concerning the evolutionary relationships of the subspecies and the populations. It is clear that at least a northern (Bear River) and southern (Sevier River) form of the Bonneville cutthroat exists. The Wasatch Front may represent an intermediate zone where these two forms intergrade.         

Stinger utilization and predation in the scorpion Paruroctonus boreus

The utilization of the stinger and the predatory technique of the scorpion, Paruroctonus boreus, was studied under laboratory conditions. During the study, 83 feedings were observed. Age of the scorpions and the percentage of prey stung by them were used to classify the scorpions into groups. The scorpions aged 13–61 days always stung prey. After 62 days the scorpions began to selectively utilize the stinger. Utilization declined until it reached 30 percent in the adult stage. The stinger is apparently necessary for prey capture only in the early life stages.