scholarly journals Abundance and Habitat Preferences of Gray Vireos (Vireo Vicinior) on the Colorado Plateau

The Auk ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-44
Author(s):  
Scott Schlossberg

Abstract The Gray Vireo (Vireo vicinior; hereafter “vireo”) is a little-studied songbird with small breeding and wintering ranges. Because of uncertainty about vireo populations, conservationists are concerned about the future of this species. The goal of the present study was to provide new data on the ecology of the vireo to help determine its conservation status. During May and June 2001, I studied breeding habitat selection by vireos on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona and southern Utah. I surveyed for vireos and collected vegetation data on 31 transects in pinyon-juniper (Pinus edulis-Juniperus spp.) woodlands throughout this region. Estimated density of vireos was 0.064 ± 0.011 (mean ± SE) birds ha−1. Analysis at two scales showed that the vireo’s primary habitat preference was for areas where junipers predominate over pinyon pine. Vireos also preferred areas with some shrub cover, and they increased with the prevalence of sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) among shrubs. Additionally, vireos were more common at lower elevations, an effect that was largely independent of vegetation characters. Habitats preferred by vireos are widespread in the southwestern United States and may be increasing in extent as woodlands expand into grasslands and shrublands. On the basis of these results, I suggest that vireo populations are relatively safe, at least for the short term. Additional data on vireo demography are needed to ensure the long-term conservation of this species. Abundancia y Preferencias de Hábitat de Vireo vicinior en la Planicie de Colorado

1994 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 239 ◽  
Author(s):  
DL Peterson ◽  
SS Sackett ◽  
LJ Robinson ◽  
SM Haase

The effect of repeated prescribed burning on long term growth of Pinus ponderosa in northern Arizona was examined. Fire treatments for hazard reduction were initiated in 1976, acid growth was evaluated in 1988 for fire rotations of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 years. Dendroecological analysis shows that there were only small changes in tree growth (compared to controls) in the first few years after the initial fire treatment despite large fuel reductions and thinning, and that annual precipitation was positively correlated with growth. Moderate changes in growth relative to that of control trees were apparent after 1984. The 1-, 2-, 8-, and 10-year treatments had lower growth than controls after this date, while 4- and 6-year treatments had slightly higher growth. Although additional data are needed to determine long term growth effects in the longer fire rotations, a fire treatment interval of 4 to 6 years appears to provide adequate fuel reduction without reducing long term growth in Southwestern P. ponderosa forests.


2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (No. 7) ◽  
pp. 272-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajad Ghanbari ◽  
Kiomars Sefidi ◽  
Matthew Aghai

Yew (Taxus baccata L.) is one of the most important and threatened tree species in the Arasbaran region of northwestern Iran. To understand the natural stand structure of yew forests to inform forest management, we assessed the structural characteristics and composition of yew communities using the nearest neighbour and full callipering method at three sites with different conservation histories. Within a one-hectare sampling area, tree species identity, diameter, height, and crown diameter were measured. In each of these sampling areas, 56 sample points were surveyed in a 25 m × 25 m grid for tree species identity, diameter, height, and distance from reference to neighbour trees. To quantify the structural characteristics in areas of different conservation status, some indices were calculated including mingling, distance between reference tree and its nearest neighbouring trees, diameter and height differentiation, uniform angle, and Clark-Evans index. Results revealed that four species – hornbeam (68%), maple (8%), yew (7%), and oak (5.2%) – composed 88% of the tree species. The majority of trees had a short distance (2–3 m) between neighbours. The mean diameter differentiation index for long-term and short-term conservation areas was 0.59 and 0.06, respectively. The uniform angle index showed that there was no class value = “1” at all three sites. In the long-term enclosed area, Clark-Evans index was 1.18. In short-term enclosed areas, it was less than 1 (0.82). At all sites, yew trees were in the least vital class. We conclude that enclosing affects the yew stand structure, specifically in long-term periods of enclosure.


The Condor ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 322-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Pavlacky ◽  
Stanley H. Anderson

Abstract We investigated habitat preferences for five pinyon-juniper specialists during the 1998 and 1999 breeding seasons in Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) woodlands of southwestern Wyoming. We compared avian use and availability of vegetation features using univariate and multivariate analysis to detect selection for vegetative features of pinyon-juniper specialists near the northeastern range boundary of pinyon-juniper habitat on the Colorado Plateau. Gray Flycatchers (Empidonax wrightii), Juniper Titmice (Baeolophus griseus), and Bewick's Wrens (Thryomanes bewickii) preferred woodlands with high overstory juniper cover. The Juniper Titmouse was associated with senescent trees, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) with rock outcrops and shrubs in the family Rosaceae, and Black-throated Gray Warbler (Dendroica nigrescens) with pinyon pine (Pinus edulis). We suggest the geographic distribution of four of five pinyon-juniper specialists is limited by the occurrence of pinyon pine in semiarid woodlands on the northeastern Colorado Plateau. The geographic limit for Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in this region may correspond to the presence of mountain mahogany in the woodland understory. The conservation of pinyon-juniper specialists in southwestern Wyoming will benefit from the maintenance of successional processes, particularly those that perpetuate mature woodlands with a pinyon pine component.


Acrocephalus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (150-151) ◽  
pp. 127-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolai Petkov

Abstract The Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca and Pochard A. ferina are both regular breeders in Bulgaria. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Ferruginous Duck was a widely distributed and abundant breeding species in Bulgaria, while Pochard was first confirmed to breed in the country only in the 1950s. Breeding habitat characteristics of Ferruginous Duck and Pochard were assessed in 2002 during a national census of the former species in 30 and 23 wetlands, respectively, where the species were present. Preferred habitat characteristics were determined based on vegetation cover, water depth, and the presence of mosaic vegetation, bank side vegetation, floating vegetation, shallow or steep banks, shallow mudflats, shallow vegetated areas and woodland along the banks. In 2002, the Ferruginous Duck population in Bulgaria was restricted more to artificial wetlands, like fishponds and micro-reservoirs, while Pochard preferred more natural wetlands, predominantly natural marshes. The altitude of wetlands with Ferruginous Ducks varied markedly, with breeding recorded up to 880 m a.s.l., while Pochard bred at lower altitudes, mostly below 300 m a.s.l. Analysis revealed that Ferruginous Ducks preferred well-vegetated, comparatively shallow wetlands with well-structured mosaic vegetation and a diversity of microhabitats, like shallow mudflats and floating vegetation. The Pochard was found to be more of a generalist in wetland selection, significantly correlated with fewer wetland parameters, and showed preference only for larger, open-water bodies. These results could help explain and give some insight into the reasons for the differences in range size, numbers and distribution of the two species and their respective conservation status in Europe and worldwide. The Pochard, whilst close to the limits of the breeding range in Bulgaria, expands its range in Europe, occupying a variety of wetlands and thus having a favourable status. The Ferruginous Duck is more of a habitat specialist, which limits its distribution and makes it more susceptible to habitat changes. These habitat preferences and the deterioration of the wetland habitats in many parts of its range could probably explain the Ferruginous Duck decreasing population and shrinking breeding range, and thus its current unfavourable conservation status.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary C. Potter

AbstractRapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) of words or pictured scenes provides evidence for a large-capacity conceptual short-term memory (CSTM) that momentarily provides rich associated material from long-term memory, permitting rapid chunking (Potter 1993; 2009; 2012). In perception of scenes as well as language comprehension, we make use of knowledge that briefly exceeds the supposed limits of working memory.


Author(s):  
D.E. Loudy ◽  
J. Sprinkle-Cavallo ◽  
J.T. Yarrington ◽  
F.Y. Thompson ◽  
J.P. Gibson

Previous short term toxicological studies of one to two weeks duration have demonstrated that MDL 19,660 (5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,4-dihydro-2,4-dimethyl-3Hl, 2,4-triazole-3-thione), an antidepressant drug, causes a dose-related thrombocytopenia in dogs. Platelet counts started to decline after two days of dosing with 30 mg/kg/day and continued to decrease to their lowest levels by 5-7 days. The loss in platelets was primarily of the small discoid subpopulation. In vitro studies have also indicated that MDL 19,660: does not spontaneously aggregate canine platelets and has moderate antiaggregating properties by inhibiting ADP-induced aggregation. The objectives of the present investigation of MDL 19,660 were to evaluate ultrastructurally long term effects on platelet internal architecture and changes in subpopulations of platelets and megakaryocytes.Nine male and nine female beagle dogs were divided equally into three groups and were administered orally 0, 15, or 30 mg/kg/day of MDL 19,660 for three months. Compared to a control platelet range of 353,000- 452,000/μl, a doserelated thrombocytopenia reached a maximum severity of an average of 135,000/μl for the 15 mg/kg/day dogs after two weeks and 81,000/μl for the 30 mg/kg/day dogs after one week.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 710-727
Author(s):  
Beula M. Magimairaj ◽  
Naveen K. Nagaraj ◽  
Alexander V. Sergeev ◽  
Natalie J. Benafield

Objectives School-age children with and without parent-reported listening difficulties (LiD) were compared on auditory processing, language, memory, and attention abilities. The objective was to extend what is known so far in the literature about children with LiD by using multiple measures and selective novel measures across the above areas. Design Twenty-six children who were reported by their parents as having LiD and 26 age-matched typically developing children completed clinical tests of auditory processing and multiple measures of language, attention, and memory. All children had normal-range pure-tone hearing thresholds bilaterally. Group differences were examined. Results In addition to significantly poorer speech-perception-in-noise scores, children with LiD had reduced speed and accuracy of word retrieval from long-term memory, poorer short-term memory, sentence recall, and inferencing ability. Statistically significant group differences were of moderate effect size; however, standard test scores of children with LiD were not clinically poor. No statistically significant group differences were observed in attention, working memory capacity, vocabulary, and nonverbal IQ. Conclusions Mild signal-to-noise ratio loss, as reflected by the group mean of children with LiD, supported the children's functional listening problems. In addition, children's relative weakness in select areas of language performance, short-term memory, and long-term memory lexical retrieval speed and accuracy added to previous research on evidence-based areas that need to be evaluated in children with LiD who almost always have heterogenous profiles. Importantly, the functional difficulties faced by children with LiD in relation to their test results indicated, to some extent, that commonly used assessments may not be adequately capturing the children's listening challenges. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12808607


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Alyssa Dufour ◽  
Setareh Williams ◽  
Richard Weiss ◽  
Elizabeth Samelson

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Jothydev Kesavadev ◽  
Shashank Joshi ◽  
Banshi Saboo ◽  
Hemant Thacker ◽  
Arun Shankar ◽  
...  

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