Hurricane Rita struck the coast of southwest Louisiana in September 2005. The storm generated an enormous tidal surge of approximately four meters in height that inundated many thousands of acres of the coastal marsh with full strength seawater. The initial surge resulted in the deaths of a number of alligators and severely stressed those who survived. In addition, a prolonged drought (the lowe...

Two programs within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service‟s Habitat Credit Trading Program currently exist to allow for “banking” of habitat credits: traditional Conservation Banking and the recently introduced Recovery Crediting System (RCS). Both of these mechanisms embody the intent of Executive Order 13352 on Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation and the environmental stewardship and stream...

Annual field surveys were conducted from 1999–2004 within the Seney National Wildlife Refuge in northern Michigan to determine if ambient ozone levels at this remote location were great enough to injure refuge vegetation. Ozone injury was observed on sensitive bioindicator plants during each survey year; however, the incidence (percentage) of plants exhibiting symptoms was low and varied among ...

Climate-change adaptation planning for managed wetlands is challenging under uncertain futures when the impact of historic climate variability on wetland response is unquantified. We assessed vulnerability of Modoc National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) through use of the Basin Characterization Model (BCM) landscape hydrology model, and six global climate models, representing projected wetter and drie...

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and severity as a result of climate change inmany ecosystems; however, effects of altered disturbance regimes on wildlife remain poorly quantified. Here, we leverage an unexpected opportunity to investigate how fire affects the occupancy and abundance of a climate-sensitive habitat specialist, the American pika (Ochotona princeps). We determine the effects ...

During December 1983 and early January 1984, about 200 Canada geese (Branta canadensis) died of lead poisoning at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island, Massachusetts. In an effort to determine the source of lead, 100 bottom samples were taken from a refuge impoundment where much of the mortality/morbidity occurred. An average of 157,150 pellets/ha was found with a range of 64,58...

In this essay, I examine the 2016 takeover of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The principal instigators occupation, Bundy family Nevada, pointed to federally owned public lands as primary reason for their takeover, citing allegedly unconstitutional government ownership these lands. contend that Bundys’ arguments about exemplify rhetorical strategies further one ends settler colonialism; remak...

Whooping Crane (Grus americana) fecal samples were collected from Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) during winter and fall of 1993-94 (Winter-1; n = 59), and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) during winter and fall of 1993-94 (n = 102) and 1994-95 (Winter-2; n = 257) to study crane diets and compare patterns of food use in these areas. Food items varied between areas, acro...