@article {6024, title = {Predation, parasitism, and drought counteract the benefits of patch-burn grazing for the reproductive success of grassland songbirds}, journal = {Ornithological Applications}, volume = {124}, year = {2022}, pages = {1{\textendash}22}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1093/ornithapp/duab066}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/condor/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ornithapp/duab066/6506482}, author = {Verheijen, B.H.F. and Erickson, Amy N and W.A. Boyle and Leveritte, Kiana S and Sojka, Jennifer L and Spahr, Lauren A and Williams, Emily J and Winnicki, Sarah K and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ002000, title = {Longevity records show that Upland Sandpipers are long-lived birds}, journal = {Wader Study}, volume = {127}, year = {2020}, pages = {60 -64}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, issn = {20588410}, doi = {10.18194/ws.00177}, url = {https://www.waderstudygroup.org/article/13459/}, author = {Sandercock, B.K. and Kramos, Greg} } @article {KNZ001937, title = {Effects of patch-burn grazing on breeding density and territory size of Dickcissels}, journal = {Avian Conservation and Ecology}, volume = {14}, year = {2019}, month = {Jan-01-2019}, pages = {7}, abstract = {

Ongoing habitat loss and intensification of management of remaining grasslands have led to large population declines of grassland songbirds in North America. As an alternative to intensive and homogeneous use of rangelands, patch-burn grazing creates heterogeneity in vegetative structure across the landscape by restoring the historical interaction of fire and grazing by large ungulates. Patch-burn grazing can increase diversity and abundance of grassland songbirds, but effects on local breeding density and territory size remain unknown, despite both being important in regulating population dynamics of species. Understanding patterns of density and territory size across the landscape is especially important for species experiencing steep declines in breeding habitat, such as grassland songbirds. During a two-year field study, we tested how densities and territory sizes of Dickcissels (Spiza americana), a common grassland songbird, varied among treatment units that were managed with patch-burn grazing or annual burning with or without grazing at a tallgrass prairie site in northeastern Kansas. We found that local densities of male Dickcissels did not differ among management regimes. However, within the patch-burn grazing treatment, densities were highest in the patch that was burned the previous year and lowest in the most recently burned patch. Furthermore, densities of male Dickcissels were lower in 2013 than in 2014, especially in burned and grazed units that had little vegetative structure and nest cover after the drought conditions of the previous two years. Territory size was not affected by rangeland management, while local densities of Dickcissels only explained ~10\% of the variation in territory size. Our results show that patch-burn grazing does not negatively impact densities of breeding Dickcissels compared to annual burning and grazing. Moreover, Dickcissel populations might benefit from patch-burn grazing if males preferentially settle in unburned patches with high forb cover, especially during or directly following drought conditions.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, distance sampling, grassland, songbird, Spiza americana, tallgrass prairie, territoriality}, doi = {10.5751/ACE-01343-140107}, url = {http://www.ace-eco.org/vol14/iss1/art7/}, author = {Verheijen, B.H.F. and Clipp, H.L. and Bartolo, A.J. and Jensen, W.E. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001968, title = {Habitat selection and space use of Upland Sandpipers at nonbreeding grounds}, journal = {Avian Conservation and Ecology}, volume = {14}, year = {2019}, pages = {14:art18}, abstract = {

Habitat requirements of migratory birds can be dynamic during the annual cycle, and understanding habitat use during the nonbreeding season is important for conservation planning. In grassland birds, habitat selection is often determined by features of vegetative structure that are associated with predation risk, food resources, or thermal environments. And, these habitats are affected by anthropogenic influences such as agriculture conversion and production of livestock. In our four-year field study, we examined the space use and habitat selection of Upland Sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) during the nonbreeding season in an area of private grasslands managed for livestock production within the Northern Campos ecoregion of Uruguay. We radio-tracked sandpipers during the nonbreeding season to test the hypothesis that space use, habitat selection, and flock size were determined by vegetative structure in managed grasslands with different grazing and agricultural management regimes. We captured and tagged 62 sandpipers during the nonbreeding season in the austral summer, and recorded a total of 506 locations for our sample of radio-marked birds. Foraging Upland Sandpipers primarily selected two types of native grasslands associated with shallow, rocky soils. The vegetation configuration of disturbed pastures were open landscapes that were good for detection of arthropod prey but offered little cover for avoidance of predators. Sandpipers were usually found in small groups of 2\–20 birds, and the largest flocks of 40\–50 birds were found in pastures with relatively short grass cover (20 to 40\% tall grass cover). Low to moderate stocking densities of domestic livestock created variation in vegetation height and cover in large areas and allowed for coexistence of grassland birds with different habitat requirements. Upland Sandpipers preferred disturbed areas, which may not support the needs of other species of grasslands birds. Our results emphasize the need for habitat heterogeneity and disturbance forces such as grazing in grassland systems. Our research contributes new information on the ecology of migratory grassland birds and provides insights for biodiversity conservation on private lands used for livestock production.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.5751/ACE-01461-140218}, url = {https://brage.nina.no/nina-xmlui/handle/11250/2632763}, author = {M. Alfaro-Barrios and Liguori, L. and Sandercock, B.K. and Berazategui, M. and Arim, M.} } @article {KNZ001976, title = {Migration patterns of upland sandpipers in the western hemisphere}, journal = {Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution}, volume = {7}, year = {2019}, pages = {426}, abstract = {

Integrated models of the ecology of migratory species require tracking of individual migratory organisms throughout the annual cycle. Here, we report the first information on the movement patterns of nine Upland Sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) that were captured at breeding sites in Kansas and Massachusetts, and tracked with GPS and PTT tags to non-breeding sites in South America. Upland Sandpipers were extreme migrants that regularly made non-stop flights that were \>5,000 km in length and lasted up to 7 days. Sandpipers traveled up to 20,000 km per year in their annual movements. Our project resulted in a series of new discoveries. Sandpipers regularly crossed major ecological barriers during migration, which included long oceanic flights, high elevation mountains, and tropical forests. Migrating birds used known stopover sites in the central flyway of North America and eastern slope of the Andes in South America, and a subset of birds wintered in core non-breeding sites in the Pampas ecoregion of Uruguay and Argentina. We documented new staging sites at canefields in the mountain valleys of Colombia, grasslands in the Llanos of Venezuela, and at airports along the Atlantic Coast of the US. Unexpectedly, some sandpipers spent the non-breeding season on river islands in the Amazon basin, and pastures in the Cerrado ecoregion of Brazil; areas not previously known to host overwintering Upland Sandpipers. Like many other migratory birds in the Western Hemisphere, Upland Sandpipers had elliptical migration routes within the Southern Hemisphere, moved among separate activity areas during the non-breeding season, migrated faster during northbound than southbound migration, and spent more time at non-breeding than breeding sites. Collectively, the birds used sites across much of northern South America as a broad front migrant. Overall, the migratory patterns of Upland Sandpipers were more similar to migratory landbirds than to shorebirds that typically stage at wetlands and coastal estuaries. Upland Sandpipers should be buffered against habitat loss and degradation at local sites within their migratory range, but it may be difficult to protect specific sites or broad landscapes that would be needed to conserve a high percentage of the global population.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Bartramia longicauda, elliptical migration, full annual cycle, long-distance migration, seasonal, Space use, transoceanic flight}, doi = {10.3389/fevo.2019.00426}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2019.00426/full}, author = {Hill, Jason M. and Sandercock, B.K. and Renfrew, Rosalind B.} } @article {KNZ001860, title = {Body condition and feather molt of a migratory shorebird during the non-breeding season}, journal = {Journal of Avian Biology}, volume = {49}, year = {2018}, pages = {jav-01480}, abstract = {

Migratory shorebirds have some of the highest fat loads among birds, especially species which migrate long distances. The Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) makes long-distance migrations twice a year, but variation in body condition or timing of feather molt during the non-breeding season has not been studied. Molt is an important part of the annual cycle of migratory birds because feather condition determines flight performance during migration, and long-distance movements are energy costly. Howerver, variation in body condition during molt has been poorly studied. The objective of our field study was to examine the timing and patterns of feaher molt of a longo distance migratory shorebird during the non-breeding season and test for relationships with body size, fat depots, mass, and sex. Field work was conducted at four ranches in the Northern Campos of Uruguay (Paysand{\'u} and Salto Departments). We captured and marked 62 sandpipers in a 2-month period (Nov-Jan) during four non-breeding season (2008-2012). Sex was determinded by genetic analyses of blood samples taken at capture. Molt was measured in captured birds using rank scores based on published standards. Body mass and tarsus length measurements showed female-biased sexual size dimorphism with males smaller than females. Size-corrected body mass (body condition) showed a U-shaped relationship with the day of the season, indicating that birds arrived to non-breeding grounds in relatively good condition. Arriving in good body condition at non-breeding grounds is probably important because of the energetic demands due to physiological adjustments after migration and the costs of feather molt.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1111/jav.01480}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jav.01480}, author = {M. Alfaro-Barrios and Sandercock, B.K. and Liguori, Luciano and Arim, Matias} } @article {KNZ001848, title = {Effects of rangeland management on survival of female greater prairie-chickens}, journal = {The Journal of Wildlife Management}, year = {2017}, abstract = {

Identifying relationships between habitat selection and population processes is important for habitat management and wildlife conservation. For prairie-obligate species, space use and demography in extant grasslands are influenced by habitat conditions caused by rangeland management practices associated with livestock production. Greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) are an indicator species for native tallgrass prairie ecosystems, but populations have declined in the Flint Hills ecoregion of eastern Kansas, USA because of intensification of rangeland management practices, including annual prescribed fire and high stocking densities. Patch-burn grazing is a rotational system that provides heterogeneous habitats and can improve productivity of grassland birds, but the effects of grazing systems on habitat use or survival of greater prairie-chickens are unknown. We used 3 types of survival analyses to investigate impacts of rangeland management on female greater prairie-chickens in the central Flint Hills during 2011\–2013: Kaplan\–Meier models and Cox proportional hazards to examine factors affecting annual survival rates, hazard functions to assess seasonal patterns of mortality, and Andersen\–Gill models to explore the links between habitat selection and cause-specific mortality risk. Females captured at properties managed with patch-burn grazing had annual survival rates (0.61\ \±\ 0.07\ SE) that were 35\% higher than females on properties managed with annual burning and intensive early cattle stocking (0.45\ \±\ 0.06). Moreover, females that selected habitats associated with intensive management had increased mortality risk and were particularly vulnerable to avian predators, whereas females that selected habitats created by patch-burn grazing experienced lower overall mortality risk but were more vulnerable to mammalian predators. Overall mortality risk was significantly reduced under patch-burn grazing management, and widespread implementation of annual spring burning and intensive early stocking is likely depressing survival of greater prairie-chickens in the Flint Hills ecoregion. Our results join a growing body of evidence that patch-burn grazing can provide higher quality grassland habitats for native wildlife species than current rangeland management associated with intensive cattle production. \© 2017 The Wildlife Society

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1002/jwmg.21331}, url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.21331}, author = {Winder, Virginia L. and McNew, Lance B. and Pitman, James C. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001772, title = {Habitat guild drives variation in apparent survival of landbirds in the Great Plains}, journal = {Wilson Journal of Ornithology}, volume = {129}, year = {2017}, pages = {259-270}, abstract = {

Many species of songbirds in the United States have shown widespread declines in population numbers during the last five decades. To understand ongoing declines and plan for conservation, researchers need reliable estimates of adult survival and site fidelity. However, variation in adult survival and site fidelity within and among species is substantial and could have consequences for management. Estimates of adult survival are lacking for many bird species and ecoregions, including the Great Plains. In this field study, we used Cormack-Jolly-Seber mark-recapture models to analyze encounter histories of 17 species of birds captured with a 13-year systematic mist-netting effort in northeast Kansas. We estimated annual rates of apparent adult survival (/) and corrected for the probability of capture (p), and tested for effects of sex and breeding habitat guild. We present the first estimates of apparent survival for six species of songbirds, and the first estimates from the Great Plains for 13 species. Apparent survival tended to be higher for males than for females, and we found a sex effect on the probability of capture for one species. Unexpectedly, grassland- and shrubland-breeding species had higher estimates of apparent survival than forest-breeding species. Our results did not support the prevailing viewpoint that birds breeding in dynamic landscapes, such as frequently burned grasslands, should show lower apparent survival than species that breed in woody habitats. We demonstrate that habitat plays an important role in the survival and site fidelity of songbirds, and that regional differences in habitat structure could drive variation in demography. Understanding the drivers of true survival and site fidelity of songbirds will allow region-specific management for species of conservation concern.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Cormack-Jolly-Seber models, habitat guilds, site fidelity, songbird, tallgrass prairie, woodpe}, doi = {10.1676/16-017.1}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1676/16-017.1}, author = {Verheijen, B.H.F. and Rintoul, D.A. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001807, title = {Space use of female greater Prairie-Chickens in response to fire and grazing interactions}, journal = {Rangeland Ecology \& Management}, volume = {70}, year = {2017}, pages = {165{\textendash}174}, abstract = {Ecological interactions between fire and grazing have shaped the evolutionary history of grassland ecosystems. Currently, grassland birds have experienced ongoing population declines, following widespread implementation of intensive rangeland management practices that reduce habitat heterogeneity. Patch-burn grazing is an alternative rangeland management strategy that promotes habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity. We conducted a 3-yr. field study in the central Flint Hills of Kansas to compare the spatial ecology of female Greater Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) in rangelands managed with intensive rangeland management versus patch-burn grazing. This is the first study on the effects of patch-burn grazing on the space use decisions of Greater Prairie-Chickens at the home range scale. We used seasonal estimates of home range for 6-mo breeding and nonbreeding periods, as well as resource utilization functions to investigate the response of female prairie chickens to landscape metrics describing fire, grazing, and proximity to anthropogenic structures or lek sites. In our analysis of all radio-marked females, distance to lek was consistently the strongest predictor of space use during both breeding and nonbreeding seasons. Females captured at properties managed with patch-burn grazing selected areas with low stocking rates and high fire frequencies, and they avoided recently burned areas. Our study provides new evidence that patch-burn grazing can improve grassland habitat for Greater Prairie-Chickens, an umbrella species in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Patch-burn grazing created preferred habitats for female Greater Prairie-Chickens, with a relatively frequent fire return interval, a mosaic of burned and unburned patches, and a reduced stocking rate in unburned areas avoided by grazers. Widespread implementation of patch-burn grazing could result in significant improvements in habitat quality for wildlife in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Home range, intensive early stocking, patch-burn grazing, prescribed fire, resource utilization function, Tympanuchus cupido}, doi = {10.1016/j.rama.2016.08.004}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550742416300720?via\%3Dihub}, author = {Winder, Virginia L. and McNew, Lance B. and Pitman, Jim C. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @phdthesis {KNZ001735, title = {Of mice and coyotes: mammalian responses to rangeland management practices in tallgrass prairie}, volume = {PhD Dissertation}, year = {2016}, school = {Kansas State University}, type = {Ph.D. Thesis}, address = {Manhattan, KS}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/32731}, author = {Ricketts, A.M.} } @article {KNZ001731, title = {Patch-burn grazing increases habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity of small mammals in managed rangelands}, journal = {Ecosphere}, volume = {7}, year = {2016}, pages = {e01431}, abstract = {

Habitat heterogeneity is a key driver of biodiversity in many ecosystems. Wildlife inhabiting the native prairies of North America evolved in a heterogeneous mosaic of habitat conditions created by fire and grazing by native ungulates. Current rangeland management practices in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem evenly distribute fire and grazing across management units and promote homogeneous habitat conditions. Patch-burn grazing is a rangeland management strategy that seeks to restore heterogeneity to rangelands via fire-grazing interactions. Our 3.5-year study tested the effects of patch-burn grazing on habitat heterogeneity and small mammal community dynamics in the Flint Hills ecoregion of eastern Kansas. To study the ecological effects of patch-burn grazing, we sampled habitat conditions and the small mammal community. We assessed habitat conditions once each growing season in a negative control that was annually burned and grazed, a positive control that was burned every four years and ungrazed, and within each of three units of a patch-burn grazing experiment (PBG) managed with rotational fire. Habitat conditions were significantly different among treatments, and a principal components analysis showed that the patch-burn grazing treatment had higher canopy cover of forbs and habitat heterogeneity than our two control units. To sample the small mammal community, we conducted monthly live trapping of small mammals on two randomly located trap grids in each of our two controls and three units of our PBG treatment. Small mammal diversity was significantly higher in the patch-burn grazing treatment and in the positive control, vs. the negative control. Moreover, a canonical correspondence analysis showed that a fire-grazing interaction was the major driver structuring small mammal communities. Patch-burn grazing is an effective strategy for restoring heterogeneity to vegetative structure and composition, and can increase biodiversity of small mammals in managed rangelands in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1002/ecs2.1431}, url = {https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.1431}, author = {Ricketts, A.M. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001717, title = {The diet of upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) in managed farmland in their neotropical non-breeding grounds}, journal = {Ornitolog{\'\i}a Neotropical}, volume = {26}, year = {2015}, pages = {337-347}, abstract = {

The Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) is a migratory shorebird that inhabits grasslands at the breeding and non-breeding grounds. The trophic ecology of the species is poorly known, but it is thought to be insectivorous. In this study, we describe the diet of the Upland Sandpiper and its temporal variation in grasslands of northern Uruguay. From 2008 to 2012, we collected 67 feces at nine different sites in the Departments of Salto and Paysand{\'u}. The diet consisted mainly of insects (present in 98\% of the feces) belonging to three orders: Coleoptera (in 80\% of feces), Orthoptera (79\%), and Hymenoptera (48\%). Consumption of Orthoptera and Hymenoptera varied among years. Plant remains and stones were also recorded in feces. Vegetation may have been consumed secondarily while stones could be used in food processing in the gizzard. Our study demonstrates that Upland Sandpipers are diet generalists and probably forage opportunistically, depending on resource availability and focusing on the most abundant prey items.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Bartramia longicauda; diet; fecal analysis; food preference; grasslands; insects; Nearctic migrant; Scolopacidae; Upland Sandpiper; Uruguay; wintering grounds}, author = {M. Alfaro-Barrios and Sandercock, B.K. and Liguori, L. and Arim, M.} } @article {KNZ001677, title = {Effects of grazing and prescribed fire on resource selection and nest survival of upland sandpipers in an experimental landscape}, journal = {Landscape Ecology}, volume = {30}, year = {2015}, pages = {325 -337}, abstract = {

Context Conservation of grassland vertebrates requires a mechanistic understanding of the effects of landscape heterogeneity on habitat selection and demographic performance. Objectives Our goal was to investigate the effects of rangeland management on resource selection and nest survival of upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda). Methods We conducted our project at Konza Prairie, a Long-Term Ecological Research site. The station has 60 experimental units with replicated grazing and fire treatments that create a heterogeneous landscape of different habitat patches. We radio-tracked sandpipers for two breeding seasons (2003\–2004, n = 37 birds) and monitored sandpiper nests for eight seasons (2001\–2008, n = 246 nests). We used resource utilization functions to examine resource selection with respect to five landscape features. Results Home ranges of sandpipers were large in contiguous prairie (x\¯=8.4km2x\¯=8.4km2) and explain area-sensitive occurrence in fragmented prairie. Upland sandpipers selected grazed and burned sites with short vegetation within their home range. In contrast, nest site selection was influenced by fire frequency and birds selected infrequently burned sites with greater vegetative structure. Settlement decisions affected fitness because nest survival was low in burned and grazed sites (0.068), but higher in unburned and ungrazed sites (0.201\–0.247). Conclusions Our results raise concerns for conservation because private rangelands managed for livestock production are often homogeneous landscapes with heavy grazing and frequent fires. Rotational grazing and fire could be used to restore heterogeneity to grasslands but the duration of rotation, patch size, and optimal configuration require further investigation.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Bartramia longicauda, fire, grassland, Habitat selection, Home range, Landscape heterogeneity, Nest survival, Radio-telemetry, Resource utilization functions, tallgrass prairie}, doi = {10.1007/s10980-014-0133-9}, url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007\%2Fs10980-014-0133-9}, author = {Sandercock, B.K. and M. Alfaro-Barrios and Casey, A.E. and Johnson, T.N. and Mong, T.W. and Odom, K.J. and Strum, K.M. and Winder, V.L.} } @article {KNZ001773, title = {Factors affecting female space use in ten populations of prairie chickens}, journal = {Ecosphere}, volume = {6}, year = {2015}, pages = {art166}, abstract = {

Conservation of wildlife depends on an understanding of the interactions between animal movements and key landscape factors. Habitat requirements of wide-ranging species often vary spatially, but quantitative assessment of variation among replicated studies at multiple sites is rare. We investigated patterns of space use for 10 populations of two closely related species of prairie grouse: Greater Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) and Lesser Prairie-Chickens (T. pallidicinctus). Prairie chickens require large, intact tracts of native grasslands, and are umbrella species for conservation of prairie ecosystems in North America. We used resource utilization functions to investigate space use by female prairie chickens during the 6-month breeding season from March through August in relation to lek sites, habitat conditions, and anthropogenic development. Our analysis included data from 382 radio-marked individuals across a major portion of the extant range. Our project is a unique opportunity to study comparative space use of prairie chickens, and we employed standardized methods that facilitated direct comparisons across an ecological gradient of study sites. Median home range size of females varied ~10-fold across 10 sites (3.6\–36.7 km2), and home ranges tended to be larger at sites with higher annual precipitation. Proximity to lek sites was a strong and consistent predictor of space use for female prairie chickens at all 10 sites. The relative importance of other predictors of space use varied among sites, indicating that generalized habitat management guidelines may not be appropriate for these two species. Prairie chickens actively selected for prairie habitats, even at sites where ~90\% of the land cover within the study area was prairie. A majority of the females monitored in our study (\>95\%) had activity centers within 5 km of leks, suggesting that conservation efforts can be effectively concentrated near active lek sites. Our data on female space use suggest that lek surveys of male prairie chickens can indirectly assess habitat suitability for females during the breeding season. Lek monitoring and surveys for new leks provide information on population trends, but can also guide management actions aimed at improving nesting and brood-rearing habitats.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1890/ES14-00536.1}, url = {https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1890/ES14-00536.1}, author = {Winder, V.L. and Carrlson, K.M. and Gregory, A.J. and Hagen, C.A. and David A. Haukos and Kesler, D.C. and Larsson, L.C. and Matthews, T.W. and McNew, L.B. and Patten, M.A. and Pitman, J.C. and Powell, L.A. and Smith, J.A. and Thompson, T. and Wolfe, D.H. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001599, title = {Effects of sexual dimorphism and landscape composition on the trophic behavior of Greater Prairie-Chickens}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {8}, year = {2013}, pages = {79986 -}, abstract = {

Partitioning of ecological niche is expected in lekking species that show marked sexual size dimorphism as a consequence of sex-specific ecological constraints. However, niche partitioning is uncertain in species with moderate sexual dimorphism. In addition, the ecological niche of a species may also be affected by landscape composition; particularly, agricultural fragmentation may greatly influence the trophic behavior of herbivores. We studied trophic niche variation in Greater Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido), a grouse species that shows moderate sex-dimorphism. Greater Prairie-Chickens are native to tallgrass prairies of North America, although populations persist in less natural mosaics of cropland and native habitats. We used stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen in blood, claws and feathers to assess seasonal differences in trophic niche breadth and individual specialization between male and female Greater Prairie-Chickens, and between birds living in continuous and fragmented landscapes. We found that females showed broader niches and higher individual specialization than males, especially in winter and autumn. However, differences between females and males were smaller in spring when birds converge at leks, suggesting that females and males may exhibit similar feeding behaviors during the lekking period. In addition, we found that birds living in native prairies showed greater annual trophic variability than conspecifics in agricultural mosaic landscapes. Native habitats may provide greater dietary diversity, resulting in greater diversity of feeding strategies.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Blood, diet, Ecological niches, Ecosystems, Feathers, habitats, Mating behavior, Stable isotopes}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0079986}, url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0079986}, author = {Blanco-Fontao, B. and Sandercock, B.K. and Obeso, J.R. and McNew, L.B. and Quevedo, M.} } @booklet {KNZ001600, title = {Environmental impacts of wind power development on the population biology of Greater Prairie-Chickens. U.S. Department of Energy, Final Project Report for Award DOE/EE0000526 (technical report)}, journal = {Final Project Report for Award DOE/EE0000526}, year = {2013}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, author = {Sandercock, B.K. and Wisely, S.M. and McNew, L.B. and Gregory, A.J. and Winder, V.L. and Hunt, L.M.} } @article {KNZ001508, title = {Spatial heterogeneity in habitat selection: nest site selection by Greater Prairie-Chickens}, journal = {Journal of Wildlife Management}, volume = {77}, year = {2013}, pages = {791 -801}, abstract = {

Ecological relationships of animals and their environments are known to vary spatially and temporally across scales. However, common approaches for evaluating resource selection by animals assume that the processes of habitat selection are stationary across space. The assumption that habitat selection is spatially homogeneous may lead to biased inference and ineffective management. We present the first application of geographically weighted logistic regression to habitat selection by a wildlife species. As a case study, we examined nest site selection by greater prairie-chickens at 3 sites with different ecological conditions in Kansas to assess whether the relative importance of habitat features varied across space. We found that 1) nest sites were associated with habitat conditions at multiple spatial scales, 2) habitat associations across spatial scales were correlated, and 3) the influence of habitat conditions on nest site selection was spatially explicit. Post hoc analyses revealed that much of the spatial variability in habitat selection processes was explained at a regional scale. Moreover, habitat features at local spatial scales were more strongly associated with nest site selection in unfragmented grasslands managed intensively for cattle production than they were in fragmented grasslands within a matrix of farmland. Female prairie-chickens exhibited spatial variability in nest site selection at multiple spatial scales, suggesting plasticity in habitat selection behavior. Our results highlight the importance of accounting for spatial heterogeneity when evaluating the ecological effects of habitat components. \© 2013 The Wildlife Society.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, geographically weighted regression (GWR), greater prairie-chicken, Habitat selection, nest site selection, resource selection function (RSF), Tympanuchus cupido}, doi = {10.1002/jwmg.493}, url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.493}, author = {McNew, L.B. and Gregory, A.J. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001485, title = {Demography of Greater Prairie-Chickens: regional variation in vital rates, sensitivity values, and population dynamics}, journal = {Journal of Wildlife Management}, volume = {76}, year = {2012}, pages = {987 -1000}, abstract = {

Intensification of rangeland management has coincided with population declines among obligate grassland species in the largest remaining tallgrass prairie in North America, although causes of declines remain unknown. We modeled population dynamics and conducted sensitivity analyses from demographic data collected for an obligate grassland bird that is an indicator species for tallgrass prairie, the greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), during a 4-year study in east-central Kansas, USA. We examined components of reproductive effort and success, juvenile survival, and annual adult female survival for 3 populations of prairie-chickens across an ecological gradient of human landscape alteration and land use. We observed regional differences in reproductive performance, survivorship, and population dynamics. All 3 populations of prairie-chickens were projected to decline steeply given observed vital rates, but rates of decline differed across a gradient of landscape alteration, with the greatest declines in fragmented landscapes. Elasticity values, variance-scaled sensitivities, and contribution values from a random-effects life-table response experiment all showed that the finite rate of population change was more sensitive to changes in adult survival than other demographic parameters in our declining populations. The rate of population change was also sensitive to nest survival at the most fragmented and least intensively grazed study site; suggesting that patterns of landscape fragmentation and land use may be affecting the relative influences of underlying vital rates on rates of population growth. Our model results indicate that 1) populations of prairie-chickens in eastern Kansas are unlikely to be viable without gains from immigration, 2) rates of population decline vary among areas under different land management practices, 3) human land-use patterns may affect the relative influences of vital rates on population trajectories, and 4) anthropogenic effects on population demography may influence the regional life-history strategies of a short-lived game bird. \© 2012 The Wildlife Society.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, contributions, elasticity, land use and land cover change (LULCC), Leslie matrix, life-table response experiment (LTRE), population viability, prospective analysis, variance-scaled sensitivities}, doi = {10.1002/jwmg.369}, url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.369}, author = {McNew, L.B. and Gregory, A.J. and Wisely, S.M. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001407, title = {Effects of rangeland management on the site occupancy dynamics of prairie-chickens in a protected prairie preserve}, journal = {Journal of Wildlife Management}, volume = {76}, year = {2012}, pages = {38 -47}, abstract = {

We investigated the site occupancy dynamics of greater prairie-chickens at Konza Prairie Biological Station, a protected site in northeastern Kansas that is managed for ecological research. We surveyed the site during mid-Mar to mid-May, 1981\–2008, and recorded detections of birds in a grid of 6.3\ ha survey plots (n\ =\ 187 plots). We used multiseason occupancy models to estimate the probabilities of occupancy (ψ) and detection (p), and tested whether land cover in woody vegetation, and land use with prescribed fire or grazing management influenced the dynamic processes of site colonization and local extinction. Probability of detection per site was consistently \<1 and varied among years (p\ =\ 0.12\–0.82). Site occupancy of prairie-chickens declined 40\% over the study period from a high of ψ\ =\ 0.19\ \±\ 0.02\ SE in 1981 to a low of 0.11\ \±\ 0.03 in 2008, despite protection from disturbance at leks and losses to harvest. We found that different sets of environmental factors impacted the probabilities of colonization and local extinction. Probability of colonization for an unoccupied site was negatively associated with the proportion of site occupied by woodland cover (β\ =\ \−1.25), and was lower for grazed sites (β\ =\ \−0.62). In contrast, probability of local extinction was affected by a weak interaction between grazing and average frequency of prescribed fire (β\ =\ \−1.01), but model-averaged slope coefficients were not statistically different than 0. To conserve prairie-chickens, we recommend prairies be managed with combinations of prescribed fire and grazing that maintain a heterogeneous mosaic of prairie habitats, while preventing woody encroachment. To assess biotic responses to land management practices, field sampling should be based on occupancy models or similar techniques that account for imperfect detection. \© 2011 The Wildlife Society.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, colonization, detection probabilities, greater prairie-chicken, Kansas;Konza Prairie Biological Station, local extinction, occupancy modeling, Tympanuchus cupido}, doi = {10.1002/jwmg.237}, url = {https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.237}, author = {McNew, L.B. and Prebyl, T.J. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001368, title = {Demography of female Greater Prairie-Chickens in unfragmented grasslands in Kansas}, journal = {Avian Conservation and Ecology-Ecologie et Conservation des Oiseaux}, volume = {6}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Populations of Greater Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) have been declining because of loss and fragmentation of tallgrass prairie habitats, and management plans require contemporary demographic data. Our objectives were to determine whether maternal nutrition or predation were determinants of nesting success and female survival. We captured and radio-marked 43 females at four leks in natural, unfragmented prairie during a 4-year study. Reproductive potential was high because females laid large clutches (10.9 {\textpm} 0.3 eggs, n = 24), renested following clutch loss (22.2\%, n = 27 females), and had high egg viability (88.6 {\textpm} 5.0\% of eggs hatched; n = 7 nests), but reproductive traits were not correlated with female morphometrics (mass, or tarsus and keel lengths). Daily survival rate of nests was low (0.928, n = 34 nests) resulting in a predicted nest success rate of 7.4\% for a 35-day exposure period. We used known fate models to estimate weekly survival from telemetry data for 40 females. Weekly survival was 0.970 and the extrapolated survival rate for the 6-month breeding season was 45.7\%. Using time-since-marking Cormack-Jolly-Seber models for live encounter data to control for transience, annual apparent survival was 0.277 {\textpm} 0.081 SE for 55 marked females after initial capture, and 0.424 {\textpm} 0.139 during subsequent intervals. Survival of females was 1.6 to 2.0 times higher during the nonbreeding season than the breeding season, presumably because females are susceptible to predation during incubation and brood-rearing. Predation of nests and females may be the main demographic factors limiting population viability because predation, and not maternal nutrition, accounted for unexpectedly low nesting success and breeding season survival of Greater Prairie-Chickens in natural habitats. Future research should investigate rangeland practices that increase residual nesting cover or reduce predator impacts.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.5751/ACE-00429-060102}, url = {http://www.ace-eco.org/vol6/iss1/art2}, author = {Augustine, J.K. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001337, title = {Genetic parentage and local population structure in the socially monogamous Upland Sandpiper}, journal = {Condor}, volume = {113}, year = {2011}, pages = {119 -128}, abstract = {

For a single lineage of birds, the diversity of mating systems and parental care among shorebirds (Charadrii) is high, which has made them an important group for investigations of the evolution of social mating systems. From 2003 to 2007, we studied a population of the Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) at Konza Prairie Biological Station in northeastern Kansas. Our objectives were to determine the genetic mating system of this socially monogamous shorebird and to determine whether spatial patterns of philopatry and nest placement might affect opportunities for extra-pair mating. We used six microsatellite markers to estimate rates of extra-pair paternity in 58 family groups (107 parents, 184 offspring). We found that 30\% of broods contained extra-pair offspring, representing 15\% of chicks, the highest rate of extra-pair paternity ever reported in a socially monogamous shorebird. High rates of extra-pair paternity were not due to the degree of relatedness between partners in mated pairs, and they did not result in greater diversity among broods with extra-pair young. We used a spatial genetic-autocorrelation analysis and found evidence for relatedness among females nesting \<1 km apart. The Upland Sandpiper might have a high rate of extra-pair paternity because related females nest synchronously and in close proximity, but the probability of extra-pair young was not related to nest density or distance to nearest nest. Female-biased natal philopatry is unusual among birds but is consistent with the mate-defense mating system of the Upland Sandpiper.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Bartramia longicauda, dispersal, Extra-pair paternity, genetic structure, mating systems, natal philopatry, shorebirds, Upland Sandpiper}, doi = {10.1525/cond.2011.100100}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1525/cond.2011.100100}, author = {Casey, A.E. and Sandercock, B.K. and Wisely, S.M.} } @article {KNZ001297, title = {Hierarchical modeling of lek habitats of Greater Prairie-Chickens}, journal = {Studies in Avian Biology}, volume = {39}, year = {2011}, pages = {21 -32}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/documents/R2ES/LitCited/LPC_2012/Gregory_et_al_2011.pdf}, author = {Gregory, A.J. and McNew, L.B. and Prebyl, T.J. and Sandercock, B.K. and Wisely, S.M.} } @article {KNZ001299, title = {Human-mediated selection on life-history traits of Greater Prairie-Chickens}, journal = {Studies in Avian Biology}, volume = {39}, year = {2011}, pages = {255 -266}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {https://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/landbirds/pdfs/McNew_etal_2011_sab2.pdf}, author = {McNew, L.B. and Gregory, A.J. and Wisely, S.M. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @phdthesis {KNZ001428, title = {The influence of behavioral and landscape ecology on Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) genetic structure and evolution}, volume = {PhD Dissertation}, year = {2011}, pages = {1 -129}, school = {Kansas State University}, type = {Ph.D. Thesis}, address = {Manhattan, KS}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/8530}, author = {Gregory, A.J.} } @article {KNZ001298, title = {Reproductive biology of a southern population of Greater Prairie-Chickens}, journal = {Studies in Avian Biology}, volume = {39}, year = {2011}, pages = {209 -221}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {https://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/landbirds/pdfs/McNew_etal_2011_sab1.pdf}, author = {McNew, L.B. and Gregory, A.J. and Wisely, S.M. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001296, title = {Testosterone mediates mating success in Greater Prairie-Chickens}, journal = {Studies in Avian Biology}, volume = {39}, year = {2011}, pages = {195 -208}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, author = {Augustine, J.K. and Millspaugh, J.J. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @phdthesis {KNZ001338, title = {An analysis of greater prairie-chicken demography in Kansas: the effects of human land use on the population ecology of an obligate grassland species}, volume = {PhD Dissertation}, year = {2010}, school = {Kansas State University}, type = {Ph.D. Thesis}, address = {Manhattan, KS. 149 pp}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/4316}, author = {McNew, L.B.} } @article {KNZ001282, title = {Exposure of nonbreeding migratory shorebirds to cholinesterase inhibiting contaminants in the Western Hemisphere}, journal = {The Condor}, volume = {112}, year = {2010}, pages = {15 -28}, abstract = {

Migratory shorebirds frequently forage and roost in agricultural habitats, where they may be exposed to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides. Exposure to organophosphorus and carbamate compounds, common anti-cholinesterases, can cause sublethal effects, even death. To evaluate exposure of migratory shorebirds to organophosphorus and carbamates, we sampled birds stopping over during migration in North America and wintering in South America. We compared plasma Cholinesterase activities and body masses of individuals captured at sites with no known sources of organophosphorus or carbamates to those captured in agricultural areas where agrochemicals were recommended for control of crop pests. In South America, plasma acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase activity in Buff-breasted Sandpipers was lower at agricultural sites than at reference sites, indicating exposure to organophosphorus and carbamates. Results of plasma Cholinesterase reactivation assays and foot-wash analyses were inconclusive. A meta-analysis of six species revealed no widespread effect of agricultural chemicals on Cholinesterase activity. However, four of six species were negative for acetylcholinesterase and one of six for butyrylcholinesterase, indicating negative effects of pesticides on Cholinesterase activity in a subset of shorebirds. Exposure to Cholinesterase inhibitors can decrease body mass, but comparisons between treatments and hemispheres suggest that agrochemicals did not affect migratory shorebirds\&$\#$39; body mass. Our study, one of the first to estimate of shorebirds\&$\#$39; exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides, suggests that shorebirds are being exposed to cholinesterase-inhibiting pesticides at specific sites in the winter range but not at migratory stopover sites. Future research should examine potential behavioral effects of exposure and identify other potential sites and levels of exposure.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, carbamate, nonbreeding, organophosphate, population declines, sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis, waders}, doi = {10.1525/cond.2010.090026}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1525/cond.2010.090026}, author = {Strum, K.M. and Hooper, M.J. and Johnson, K.A. and Lanctot, R.B. and Zaccagnini, M.E. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001288, title = {Estimating the stage of incubation for nests of Greater Prairie-chickens using egg flotation: a float curve for grousers}, journal = {Grouse News}, volume = {38}, year = {2009}, pages = {12 -14}, abstract = {Introduction Researchers often require accurate estimates of incubation stage for back-calculating the timing of nest initiation or predicting the date of hatching to capture young, to determine the durations of egg-laying, incubation and the construction of breeding phenologies, and to calculate nest productivity. Estimates of nest age are also critical for assessment of the influence of temporal variation in nest survival, and to model daily nest survival as a function of individual-or time-specific covariates (Dinsmore et al. 2002). For example, the timing of nest losses is often related to nest success and the probability of renesting (Schroeder 1997, Pitman et al. 2006, McNew et al. in press). Egg flotation is one of the most common methods employed for estimating stage of embryo development with egg flotation-development relationships documented for many species of birds (Hays \& LeCroy 1971, Dunn et al. 1979, Fisher and Sengel 1991, Custer et al. 1992, Brua \& Machin 2000, Liebezeit et al. 2007). To our knowledge, there are no published techniques to estimate stage of incubation for nests of grouse. Field biologists estimating stage of incubation for eggs of grouse nests have often used a modified version of an egg flotation technique developed for captive ring-neck pheasants Phasianus colchicus and gray partridges Perdix perdix (Westerskov 1950, Martin \& Cooke 1987). It is unknown whether egg flotation can be used to accurately assess age of grouse nests under field conditions. As part of a larger study on the breeding ecology of greater prairie-chickens Tympanuchus cupido; (hereafter "prairie-chickens"), McNew et al. (in press) developed a regression model to accurately predict the stage of incubation for nests from egg flotation angles and egg buoyancy. Methods Prairie-chickens were captured with walk-in traps and drop-nets at leks during March{\textendash}May of 2006{\textendash}2008 at three study sites in eastern Kansas, USA (Schroeder \& Braun 1991, Silvy et al. 1990). Females were fitted with radio transmitters and located via triangulation >4 times/week during the nesting period (April{\textendash}July), and daily once it was determined from movement patterns that a female was nesting. Once a female had localized in an area for 3 successive days, we located and flushed the bird so that the eggs could be counted and the nest location recorded with a GPS unit. Females with nests were monitored daily from a distance of >100 m. Nest sites were revisited during incubation to assess clutch size and incubation stage. Figure 1. Estimating the float angle or height of a greater prairie-chicken egg. This egg is floating at ~90{\textdegree} and is not yet buoyant. }, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228517269_Estimating_the_stage_of_incubation_for_nests_of_Greater_Prairie-Chickens_using_egg_flotation_a_float_curve_for_grousers}, author = {McNew, L.B. and Gregory, A.J. and Wisely, S.M. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001194, title = {Heteroduplex molecules cause sexing errors in a standard molecular protocol for avian sexing}, journal = {Molecular Ecology Resources}, volume = {9}, year = {2009}, pages = {61 -65}, abstract = {

Molecular methods are a necessary tool for sexing monomorphic birds. These molecular approaches are usually reliable, but sexing protocols should be evaluated carefully because biochemical interactions may lead to errors. We optimized laboratory protocols for genetic sexing of a monomorphic shorebird, the upland sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), using two independent sets of primers, P2/P8 and 2550F/2718R, to amplify regions of the sex-linked CHD-Z and CHD-W genes. We discovered polymorphisms in the region of the CHD-Z intron amplified by the primers P2/P8 which caused four males to be misidentified as females (n = 90 mated pairs). We cloned and sequenced one CHD-W allele (370 bp) and three CHD-Z alleles in our population: Z\° (335 bp), Z\′ (331 bp) and Z\″ (330 bp). Normal (Z\°Z\°) males showed one band in agarose gel analysis and were easily differentiated from females (Z\°W), which showed two bands. However, males heterozygous for CHD-Z alleles (Z\′Z\″) unexpectedly showed two bands in a pattern similar to females. While the Z\′ and Z\″ fragments contained only short deletions, they annealed together during the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process and formed heteroduplex molecules that were similar in size to the W fragment. Errors previously reported for molecular sex-assignment have usually been due to allelic dropout, causing females to be misidentified as males. Here, we report evidence that events in PCRs can lead to the opposite error, with males misidentified as females. We recommend use of multiple primer sets and large samples of known-sex birds for validation when designing protocols for molecular sex analysis.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, 2550F/2718R, Bartramia longicauda, CHD-Z, molecular sexing, P2/P8, Upland Sandpiper}, doi = {10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02307.x}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02307.x}, author = {Casey, A.E. and Jones, K.L. and Sandercock, B.K. and Wisely, S.M.} } @article {KNZ001138, title = {Cowbird removals unexpectedly increase productivity of a brood parasite and the songbird host}, journal = {Ecological Applications}, volume = {18}, year = {2008}, pages = {537 -548}, abstract = {

Generalist brood parasites reduce productivity and population growth of avian hosts and have been implicated in population declines of several songbirds of conservation concern. To estimate the demographic effects of brood parasitism on Bell\&$\#$39;s Vireos (Vireo bellii), we removed Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in a replicated switchback experimental design. Cowbird removals decreased parasitism frequency from 77\% and 85\% at unmanipulated plots to 58\% and 47\% at removal plots in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Vireo productivity per pair was higher at cowbird removal plots when years were pooled (mean = 2.6 \± 0.2 [SE] young per pair) compared to unmanipulated plots (1.2 \± 0.1). Nest desertion frequency was lower at cowbird removal plots (35\% of parasitized nests) compared to unmanipulated plots (69\%) because removal of host eggs was the proximate cue for nest desertion, and vireos experienced lower rates of egg loss at cowbird removal plots. Nest success was higher among unparasitized than parasitized nests, and parasitized nests at cowbird removal plots had a higher probability of success than parasitized nests at unmanipulated plots. Unexpectedly, cowbird productivity from vireo pairs was higher at cowbird removal plots (mean = 0.3 \± 0.06 young per pair) than at unmanipulated plots (0.1 \± 0.03) because fewer parasitized nests were deserted and the probability of nest success was higher. Our study provides the first evidence that increases in cowbird productivity may be an unintended consequence of cowbird control programs, especially during the initial years of trapping when parasitism may only be moderately reduced. Thus, understanding the demographic impacts of cowbird removals requires an informed understanding of the behavioral ecology of host\–parasite interactions.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1890/07-0984.1}, url = {https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1890/07-0984.1}, author = {Kosciuch, K.L. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001139, title = {Demographic sensitivity of population change in the Northern Bobwhite}, journal = {Journal of Wildlife Management}, volume = {72}, year = {2008}, pages = {970 -982}, abstract = {

The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is an economically important gamebird that is currently undergoing widespread population declines. Despite considerable research on the population ecology of bobwhites, there have been few attempts to model population dynamics of bobwhites to determine the contributions of different demographic parameters to variance of the finite rate of population change (λ). We conducted a literature review and compiled 405 estimates of 9 demographic parameters from 49 field studies of bobwhites. To identify demographic parameters that might be important for management, we used life-stage simulation analyses (LSA) to examine sensitivity of λ to simulated variation in 9 demographic parameters for female bobwhites. In a baseline LSA based on uniform distributions bounded by the range of estimates for each demographic parameter, bobwhite populations were predicted to decline (λ = 0.56) and winter survival of adults made the greatest contribution to variance of λ (r2 = 0.453), followed by summer survival of adults (r2 = 0.163), and survival of chicks (r2 = 0.120). Population change was not sensitive to total clutch laid, nest survival, egg hatchability, or 3 parameters associated with the number of nesting attempts (r2 \<0.06). Our conclusions were robust to alternative simulation scenarios, and parameter rankings changed only if we adjusted the lower bounds of winter survival upwards. Bobwhite populations were not viable with survival rates reported from most field studies. Survival rates may be depressed below sustainable levels by environmental conditions or possibly by impacts of capture and telemetry methods. Overall, our simulation results indicate that management practices that improve seasonal survival rates will have the greatest potential benefit for recovery of declining populations of bobwhites.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Colinus virginianus, fecundity, life-stage simulation analysis, population model, quail, survival}, doi = {10.2193/2007-124}, url = {https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-wildlife-management/volume-72/issue-4/2007-124/Demographic-Sensitivity-of-Population-Change-in-Northern-Bobwhite/10.2193/2007-124.short}, author = {Sandercock, B.K. and Jensen, W.E. and Williams, C.K. and Applegate, R.D.} } @article {KNZ001178, title = {Effects of experimental cowbird removals on brood parasitism and nest predation in a grassland songbird}, journal = {Auk}, volume = {125}, year = {2008}, pages = {820 -830}, abstract = {

Brood parasitism and predation are two factors that limit seasonal fecundity in grassland songbirds. We removed Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in a switchback experiment to examine the effects of brood parasitism and nest predation on the productivity of Dickcissels (Spiza americana). Nesting Dickcissels were monitored at four study plots in northeast Kansas in a two-year study. Brown-headed Cowbirds were captured with drop-in traps at two removal plots, two unmanipulated plots were reference plots, and treatments were reversed between years. To evaluate the effect of Brown-headed Cowbird removals, we compared the percentage of nests parasitized, rates of multiple parasitism, clutch size, daily nest survival rates, and overall productivity per nest between removal and reference plots. Removals of Brown-headed Cowbirds successfully reduced the probability of parasitism and rates of multiple parasitism, but only in one of two years. Brown-headed Cowbirds did not appear to contribute to nest losses, given that few nests were abandoned because of cowbird activity and that the probabilities of nest parasitism and nest survival declined simultaneously over the breeding season. Overall, nest productivity showed no difference between treatments in either year, despite reduced rates of parasitism at removal plots in 2004. High rates of nest predation minimized the potential benefits of Brown-headed Cowbird removals for increasing productivity of Dickcissels. Our results demonstrate that removals can reduce parasitism levels but that the success of removal programs may vary annually, particularly in regions where Brown-headed Cowbirds and nest predators are abundant. Management actions that minimize parasitism and predation by modifying habitat structure may provide better alternatives to programs based on removals.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, brown-headed cowbird, Dickcissel, fecundity, management, Molothrus ater, productivity, Spiza americana}, doi = {10.1525/auk.2008.06155}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/auk/article/125/4/820/5148206}, author = {Sandercock, B.K. and Hewett, E.L. and Kosciuch, K.L.} } @article {KNZ001177, title = {Phenotypic correlates and survival consequences of male mating success in lek-mating Greater Prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido)}, journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology}, volume = {62}, year = {2008}, pages = {1377 -1388}, abstract = {

Female choice and male\–male aggression are two modes of sexual selection that can lead to elaboration of male morphological and behavioral traits. In lek-mating species, male mating success is often strongly skewed, and it is puzzling why variation in male traits is still observed given directional female choice. If male traits correlated with reproductive success are honest signals of male quality, there may be survival costs associated with the expression of those traits. In this study, we examined whether morphological, behavioral, and territorial traits are correlated with male mating success and survival in the lek-mating greater prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus cupido). We introduce a novel application of multinomial discrete choice models for analysis of female mate choice behavior. We found that behavioral and territorial attributes showed 6.5 times more variability among males than morphological traits. Both display and aggressive behaviors were strong predictors of male mating success, suggesting that both female choice and male\–male aggression were important in determining mating success among male greater prairie-chickens. Moreover, annual survival of male prairie-chickens was independent of mating success and male traits. Females appear to be choosing males based on behavioral traits where large variation exists between males (coefficient of variation \>30\%). Behavioral traits were the most important factor in determining mating success of male prairie-chickens, but the mechanism underlying this relationship is unknown. In the future, experimental manipulations of male hormones or parasite loads could bridge the proximate mechanisms and ultimate consequences of factors mediating male mating success in lek-mating grouse.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Galliformes, Life history trade-off, mate choice, reproduction, Sexual selection}, doi = {10.1007/s00265-008-0566-8}, url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007\%2Fs00265-008-0566-8}, author = {Nooker, J.K. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001159, title = {Plasma cholinesterases for monitoring pesticide exposure in Nearctic-Neotropical migratory shorebirds}, journal = {Ornitholog{\'\i}a Neotropical}, volume = {19 (Suppl)}, year = {2008}, pages = {641 -651}, abstract = {Organophosphorus (OP) and carbamate (CB) pesticides are commonly used agrochemicals throughout the Western Hemisphere. These pesticides have caused mortalities in migratory birds and adverse physiological effects in trials with captive birds. Migratory shorebirds use a variety, of habitats during the austral summer in temperate South America and during migration through the Great Plains of the United States. Habitats where risk of exposure is high include rice fields and turf grass farms where agrochemicals are used. Cholinesterase (ChE) is a specific biomarker for monitoring OP and CB exposure and can be measured using standard laboratory procedures. Plasma ChE activity is useful as a non-lethal means of monitoring avian exposure to OP and CB pesticides. Many variables can affect enzyme activity and reactivation assays are not always possible, thus reference ChE values are a necessary component of monitoring exposure. During northbound migration in 2006, we sampled four upland and five wetland shore-bird species at four pesticide-free sites in North America, characterizing and measuring plasma ChEs in all shorebird species. Small-bodied species had higher levels of ChE activity in plasma than large-bodied species. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme whose inhibition leads to poisoning symptoms, showed less inter-specific variation than butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Plasma ChE activities varied with date of capture in three of five species. Sex differences were significant in one of two species tested. Our baseline ChE values for migratory shorebirds provide a framework for future ecotoxicological studies of Nearctic-Neotropical migrant shorebirds.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254414753_Plasma_cholinesterases_for_monitoring_pesticide_exposure_in_Nearctic-Neotropical_migratory_shorebirds}, author = {Strum, K.M. and Alfaro, M. and Haase, B. and Hooper, M.J. and Johnson, K.A. and Lanctot, R.B. and Lesterhuis, A.J. and L{\'o}pez, L. and Matz, A.C. and Morales, C. and Paulson, B. and Sandercock, B.K. and Torres-Dowdall, J. and Zaccagnini, M.E.} } @article {KNZ001197, title = {Reovirus associated with mortality of an Upland Sandpiper}, journal = {Wader Study GroupBulletin}, volume = {115}, year = {2008}, pages = {60 -61}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, author = {Sandercock, B.K. and Casey, A.E. and Green, D.E. and Ip, H.S. and Converse, K.A.} } @article {KNZ001212, title = {Responses of two bunchgrasses to nitrogen addition in tallgrass prairie: the role of bud bank demography}, journal = {American Journal of Botany}, volume = {95}, year = {2008}, pages = {672 -680}, abstract = {Growth of tallgrass prairie plants, many of which maintain substantial bud banks, can be limited by nitrogen (N), water, and/or light. We hypothesized that tallgrass prairie plants respond to increases in N through demographic effects on the bud bank. We tested the effects of a pulse of N on (1) bud bank demography, (2) plant reproductive allocation, and (3) ramet size. We parameterized matrix models, considering each genet as a population of plant parts. Nitrogen addition significantly impacted bud bank demography in two subdominant species of bunchgrass: Sporobolus heterolepis (a C4 grass) and Koeleria macrantha (a C3 grass), but had no effect on the size of individual ramets. Emergence from the bud bank and ramet population growth rates (λ) were significantly higher in S. heterolepis genets that received supplemental N. Nitrogen addition also affected the bud demography of K. macrantha, but N addition decreased rather than increased λ. Prospective and retrospective demographic analyses indicated that bud bank dynamics were the most important demographic processes driving plant responses to nutrient availability. Thus, the variation in productivity in these tallgrass prairie species is driven principally by the demography of the bud bank rather than by the physiology and growth of aboveground tillers. Improved understanding of bud bank dynamics may lead to improved predictive models of grassland responses to environmental changes such as altered N deposition and precipitation.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, kansas, Koeleria macrantha, Konza Prairie Long-Term Ecological Research Site, Meristem, Poaceae, Sporobolus heterolepis}, doi = {10.3732/ajb.2007277}, author = {Dalgleish, H.J. and Kula, A.R. and D.C. Hartnett and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001132, title = {Stable isotopes identify the natal origins of a generalist brood parasite, the brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater}, journal = {Journal of AvianBiology}, volume = {39}, year = {2008}, pages = {364 -367}, abstract = {

Identifying the natal origins of brood parasites is a major challenge that usually requires labor-intensive searching for nests of host species. Stable isotope analysis of feathers and other body tissues of parasitic young could be a possible tool for determining natal origins if tissues reflect the isotopic composition of the diet fed to nestlings. We measured the carbon (13C) and nitrogen (15N) isotope compositions of feathers for two age-classes of brown-headed cowbirds Molothrus ater at the Konza Prairie Biological Station near Manhattan, Kansas: nestlings raised by five species of songbird hosts in two different habitats, and juveniles captured after independence. Isotope values from cowbird nestlings did not differ among host species and we were unable to assign juvenile cowbirds to their natal hosts. However, nestlings raised in grassland habitat had feathers that contained significantly higher δ13C values and lower δ15N values than nestlings raised in shrub habitats. In addition, independent juveniles had isotopic signatures that were similar to cowbird nestlings raised on shrub habitats. Although dickcissel Spiza americana comprised the majority of samples from shrub habitats, our conclusions reflect the natural pattern of parasitism at the site and should be representative of cowbirds raised at Konza. We conclude that stable isotope analysis of feathers is effective for determining the natal origins of parasitic young if isotope values from nestlings are isotopically distinct among habitats.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {10.1111/j.0908-8857.2008.04170.x}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0908-8857.2008.04170.x}, author = {Kosciuch, K.L. and Rivers, J.W. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001076, title = {Demographic response of a grassland rodent to environmental variability}, journal = {Journal of Mammalogy}, volume = {88}, year = {2007}, pages = {982 -988}, abstract = {We used stage-structured matrix population models, derived from 3 years with disparate levels of precipitation, to assess the potential effects of climate change on annual population growth (λ) of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). Populations of deer mice increased during a year of normal precipitation (λ = 1.69 {\textpm} 0.02 SE) and a wet year (λ = 1.03 {\textpm} 0.02), but declined in a dry year (λ = 0.34 {\textpm} 0.02). Life-table response experiment analyses indicated that reduced survival of adults in the dry year, and reduced survival of pups and juveniles in the wet year, exerted the greatest influence on variation in population growth. Stochastic models that projected populations of deer mice for a 50-year period predicted that populations would not be able to persist if mean annual precipitation was reduced >=11\% by increasing the frequency of dry years. Furthermore, the stochastic population growth rate declined more quickly when the probability of a normal year was reduced, simulating increased variability in rainfall, relative to other scenarios examined. Our stochastic models indicate that a relatively small reduction in mean precipitation could result in substantial population declines of P. maniculatus in the mixed-grass prairie of central North America.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Climate change, deer mouse, life-table response experiment, matrix model, Peromyscus maniculatus, prairie, stochastic model}, doi = {10.1644/06-MAMM-A-109R.1}, author = {Reed, A.W. and Kaufman, G.A. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001041, title = {Optimizing radio retention andminimizing radio impacts in a field study of Upland Sandpipers}, journal = {Journal ofWildlife Management}, volume = {71}, year = {2007}, pages = {971 -980}, abstract = {Two challenges in wildlife telemetry are optimizing the duration of transmitter attachment and minimizing the impacts of radios on the behavior and demography of the study animal. We tested 4 methods of radio attachment for a breeding population of upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) under natural conditions at a tallgrass prairie site in Kansas, USA. To estimate radio retention and weekly survival rates, we used the nest survival model of Program MARK. Radio retention was lowest at the start and the end of the breeding period. The expected duration of radio retention was 1.8 years for a leg-loop harness, 40 days for radios glued to clipped feathers, 26 days for radios glued directly to feathers, and 7 days for radios glued to bare skin. Few radiomarked birds died during our study, but 4 of 8 mortality events were discovered within one week of radiomarking. Both glue and harnesses increased predation risk immediately after radio attachment. The weekly probability of survival was high after a 1-week acclimation period, and the expected survival for a 10-week breeding period was similar in males and females. Attachment of radios with glue had no effect on annual return rates. However, attachment of radios with leg harnesses resulted in lower return rates among radiomarked birds than birds without radios. Radios attached with glue were shed in <1 year but radios attached with harnesses were retained for up to 1{\textendash}2 years. Our results indicate a tradeoff between optimizing radio retention and minimizing impacts on demography. Glue techniques had retention rates that were suitable for only short-term studies, but attachment with glue had no long-term effect on annual return rates. Leg harnesses provided effective radio retention that had little effect on survival rates during the stationary breeding period, but resulted in lower annual return rates. Robust estimates of radio retention and survival will assist researchers in selecting attachment techniques that best meet the study goals of future telemetry projects.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Bartramia longicauda, glue, harness, kansas, radio attachment, shorebird, survival, Upland Sandpiper}, doi = {10.2193/2005-775}, author = {Mong, T.W. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001079, title = {Effects of rangeland management on community dynamics of the herpetofauna of the tallgrass prairie}, journal = {Herpetologica}, volume = {62}, year = {2006}, pages = {378 -388}, abstract = {The Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma are the largest remaining tracts of tallgrass prairie in North America. This area has undergone major changes in land management practices in the past 30 years. Traditional season-long cattle stocking with variable burn schedules has diversified to include intensive-early cattle stocking accompanied by annual burning. To understand how different land management practices affect the herpetofauna of a tallgrass prairie, we used mark-recapture statistics to analyze herpetofaunal community dynamics. We analyzed survey data collected over a 15-year time span (1989{\textendash}2003) from a rangeland site in Cowley County, KS, USA. A modified Jolly-Seber open population model, POPAN-5, was used to estimate four community parameters: probability of species loss (φ'), probability of detection (P), probability of entry (Pent), and species richness (N). The top models included burn status as a covariate for species loss rate, while cattle stocking received moderate support as a covariate. Rates of species loss were higher during burn years (φ'  =  0.04, 95\% CI: 0.02 to 0.08) than nonburn years (φ'  =  0.00, 95\% CI: 0.00 to 0.01). Analysis of the impacts of different management practices was difficult due to confounding effects of changes in both burning and grazing. Declines in species richness tended to be steepest during a period of season-long stocking, but results were not statistically significant. Though our limited data set does not allow us to draw strong conclusions on the effects of land management on herpetofaunal populations, the mark-recapture models illustrated in our study should prove to be a valuable tool in future analyses of similar data.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Amphibians, Flint Hills, Mark-recapture, POPAN, Reptiles, Species loss}, doi = {10.1655/0018-0831(2006)62[378:EORMOC]2.0.CO;2}, author = {Wilgers, D.J. and Horne, E.A. and Sandercock, B.K. and Volkmann, A.W.} } @article {KNZ001078, title = {Estimation of demographic parameters from liveencounter data: a summary review}, journal = {Journal of Wildlife Management}, volume = {70}, year = {2006}, pages = {1504 -1520}, abstract = {Estimation of demographic parameters is central to research questions in wildlife management, conservation, and evolutionary ecology. I review the 7 major classes of mark{\textendash}recapture models that investigators can use to estimate apparent survival and other parameters from live-encounter data. Return rates are the product of 4 probabilities: true survival (S), site fidelity (F), site propensity (δ), and true detection (p*). Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) models improve upon return rates by separating apparent survival (ϕ = S {\texttimes} F) from the probability of encounter (p = δ {\texttimes} p*). The main drawback to mark{\textendash}recapture models based on live-encounter data is that the complement of apparent survival (1 - ϕ) includes losses to mortality and to permanent emigration, and these 2 ecological processes are difficult to disentangle. Advanced mark{\textendash}recapture models require additional sampling effort but estimate apparent survival with greater precision and less bias, and they also offer estimates of other useful demographic parameters. Time-since-marking or transient models control for individuals not encountered after the occasion they are first marked, a common feature of wildlife populations. Temporal symmetry models combine forward- and reverse-time modeling to estimate recruitment (f) and the finite rate of population change (λ). Multi-strata models include dynamic categorical information and offer state-specific estimates of apparent survival and encounter rates, as well as probabilities of changing states (Ψ). Robust design models subdivide sampling occasions into shorter periods, and they partition encounter rates (p) into estimates of temporary emigration (γ = 1 - δ) and true detection (p*). Joint models combine live encounters with other sources of information, including dead-recovery data, and decompose apparent survival into estimates of true survival (S) and site fidelity (F). Cormack-Jolly-Seber and multi-strata models have a large literature, but many of the advanced models have not yet received widespread use. In the future, wildlife ecologists should design field studies that take advantage of the best possible statistical procedures now that a range of alternative models and software tools are available.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, apparent survival, Cormack-Jolly-Seber, joint model, multi-strata, population change, recruitment, return rate, robust design, temporal symmetry, transient}, doi = {10.2193/0022-541X(2006)70[1504:EODPFL]2.0.CO;2}, author = {Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ001077, title = {Nest desertion bya cowbird host: an anti-parasite behavior or a response to egg loss?}, journal = {Behavioral Ecology}, volume = {17}, year = {2006}, pages = {917 -924}, abstract = {Natural selection can favor songbirds that desert nests containing eggs of the parasitic brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater). However, the high variability in desertion of parasitized nests within species is perplexing in light of the typically high costs of parasitism. Because nest desertion can also be a response to partial clutch predation, we first asked if Bell{\textquoteright}s vireos (Vireo bellii) deserted nests in response to the presence of cowbird eggs (antiparasite response hypothesis) or to egg removal by predators and female cowbirds (egg predation hypothesis). Second, we asked whether variation in nest desertion was due to intrinsic differences among individuals or to variation in nest contents. We monitored a large number of nests (n = 494) and performed a clutch manipulation experiment to test these hypotheses. The number of vireo eggs that remained in a nest was a strong predictor of desertion both within and among pairs. Neither the presence of a single cowbird egg, which leads to nest failure for this host, nor the number of cowbird eggs received in a vireo nest influenced nest desertion. Furthermore, vireos did not desert experimental nests when we immediately exchanged cowbird eggs for vireo eggs but deserted if we removed vireo eggs and replaced them with cowbird eggs the following morning. Desertion of parasitized nests by Bell{\textquoteright}s vireos can be almost entirely explained as a response to partial or complete clutch loss and does not appear to have been altered by selection from brood parasitism.}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ, Bell{\textquoteright}s Vireo, brown-headed cowbird, egg predation, evolutionary lag, host{\textendash}parasite coevolution, Molothrus ater, Vireo bellii}, doi = {10.1093/beheco/arl025}, author = {Kosciuch, K.L. and Parker, T.H. and Sandercock, B.K.} } @article {KNZ00850, title = {Predation by gray catbird on brown thrasher eggs}, journal = {Southwestern Naturalist}, volume = {49}, year = {2004}, pages = {101 -103}, abstract = {

The gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) has been documented visiting and breaking the eggs of artificial nests, but the implications of such observations are unclear because there is little cost in depredating an undefended nest. During the summer of 2001 at Konza Prairie Biological Station, Kansas, we videotaped a gray catbird that broke and consumed at least 1 egg in a brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) nest. Our observation was consistent with egg predation because the catbird consumed the contents of the damaged egg after breaking it. The large difference in body mass suggests that a catbird (37 g) destroying eggs in a thrasher (69 g) nest might risk injury if caught in the act of predation and might explain why egg predation by catbirds has been poorly documented. Our observation indicated that the catbird should be considered as an egg predator of natural nests and that single-egg predation of songbird nests should not be attributed to egg removal by female brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) without additional evidence.

}, keywords = {LTER-KNZ}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909(2004)049<0101:PBGCOB>2.0.CO;2}, author = {Rivers, J.W. and Sandercock, B.K.} }