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Between 2009 and 2019, I studied the distribution and ecology of the Inyo Mountains salamander (IMS; Batrachoseps campi). The IMS is a rarely studied species endemic to the Inyo Mountains of California, and 1 of only 2 extant salamanders whose range is restricted to desert ecosystems. I found 2 new localities, increasing the documented localities to 21. I calculated a minimum convex polygon distributional range size of 458 km2 and estimated that in the Inyo Mountains there are ca. 15,200 linear meters of IMS riparian habitat, the most common habitat for the species. IMS occurred across an elevation gradient from 523 to 2625 m, mostly ≤2 m from surface water. However, I found 3 IMS individuals 200–500 m from the nearest surface water; along with a previous record, my observations suggest that small populations may occur at other high-elevation sites without permanent surface water. Riparian habitat supporting salamanders included a diverse mix of herbaceous and woody species, although IMS also occurred in areas with little vegetation. I found gravid females between 6 October and 5 November and between 18 March and 20 May. Some geographical variation in coloration occurred, with silver individuals common at 1 northwestern locality and very dark individuals predominating at 3 southern localities; individuals with intermediate amounts of dorsal silver were common elsewhere. Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) was absent from 36 IMS tested. Long-term drought and intense flash flooding have impacted IMS habitat. Between 2010 and 2018, I observed decreased flow from 10 permanent water sources in the Inyo Mountains; 7 (33% of documented localities) support IMS. Although these declines generally appear small, continued drought could put small, localized populations at risk. Flash floods caused by convectional storms damaged riparian habitat in 38% of documented IMS localities, sometimes severely, and I failed to find IMS at 3 of these. However, I found little evidence for widespread IMS population decline across the species' range. Because all documented populations occur in federally designated wilderness and many are difficult to reach, direct human interference with the species is unlikely, as long as federal and state regulatory authority is maintained. To provide better data for properly managing the IMS, a standardized monitoring program should be implemented. Monitoring could occur at 5-year intervals and involve gathering presence/absence data at a subset of localities that are relatively easy to reach and search. Entre 2009 y 2019 estudié la distribución y ecología de la salamandra de las Montañas Inyo (IMS por sus siglas en inglés; Batrachoseps campi). La IMS es una especie raramente estudiada, endémica de las Montañas Inyo de California, y una de las dos únicas salamandras existentes cuya área de distribución está restringida a ecosistemas desérticos. Encontré dos nuevas localidades, aumentando las localidades documentadas a 21. Calculé un tamaño mínimo de polígono convexo de 458 km2 y estimé que en las Montañas Inyo hay unos 15,200 m de hábitat ribereño de IMS, el hábitat más común de la especie. Las IMS se encuentran en un gradiente de elevación de 523 a 2625 m, principalmente a ≤2 m del agua superficial. Sin embargo, encontré tres IMS a 200–500 m del agua superficial más cercana. Aunado con un registro previo, mis observaciones sugieren que pueden existir pequeñas poblaciones en otros sitios de gran elevación sin agua superficial permanente. El hábitat ribereño que soportaba a las salamandras incluía una mezcla diversa de especies leñosas y de madera, aunque las IMS también se encontraban en áreas con poca vegetación. Encontré hem-bras grávidas entre el 6 de octubre y el 5 de noviembre, y entre el 18 de marzo y el 20 de mayo. Se produjo cierta variación geográfica en la coloración, siendo comunes los individuos plateados en una localidad del noroeste y predominando individuos muy oscuros en tres localidades del sur. Los individuos con cantidades intermedias de color plata en el dorso fueron comunes en otros lugares. El hongo quítrido (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) estuvo ausente en 36 IMS analizadas. Largos lapsos de acompañados de repentinas e intensas inundaciones impactaron el hábitat de la IMS. Entre 2010 y 2018 observé la disminución del flujo de 10 cuerpos de agua permanentes en las Montañas Inyo, de los cuales siete (33% de las localidades recurrentes documentadas) soportan la IMS. Aunque estas disminuciones generalmente parecen pequeñas, la sequía continua podría poner en riesgo a poblaciones pequeñas y localizadas. Las inundaciones repentinas causadas por tormentas convectivas dañaron el hábitat ribereño en el 38% de las localidades documentadas de IMS, a veces de forma severa, y no registré IMS en tres de ellas. Sin embargo, encontré pocas pruebas de una disminución generalizada de la población de IMS en toda el área de distribución de la especie. Dado que todas las poblaciones documentadas se encuentran en zonas silvestres designadas por el gobierno federal y que muchas de ellas son de difícil acceso, es poco probable que se produzca una interferencia humana directa con la especie, siempre que se mantenga la autoridad reguladora federal y estatal. Con el fin de proporcionar mejor información para gestionar adecuadamente el IMS, debería implementarse un programa de seguimiento estandarizado. El seguimiento podría realizarse en intervalos de 5 años y consistir en recopilar datos de presencia/ausencia en un subconjunto de localidades relativamente fáciles de acceder y buscar.

The Laurentian Great Lakes of North America have seen major development of wetlands and wetland-associated landscapes. Monitoring of wetland species is important to determine impacts on wetland wildlife due to habitat loss, and to evaluate the effectiveness of wetland restoration efforts. However, methods used for monitoring species often depend on the spatial and temporal scales of the project, and some large-scale monitoring projects call for only two or three site visits per year. We sampled Great Lakes coastal wetlands for up to six visits for birds and nine visits for anurans and evaluated how community metrics changed as increasing numbers of samples were collected. Our goals were to determine how much increased site visits better detect entire communities and true species richness, and to evaluate if the rank of observed species richness among wetlands is preserved regardless of sampling effort. We found a significant increase in species richness using our intensive methods versus only two site visits for birds in 2015 and 2016 and versus only three visits for anurans in 1 year. Additionally, we found a strong correlation between species richness using two visits for birds in both years and three visits for anurans in 1 year and our more intensive methods. We found no significant difference in the richness or abundance of cryptic marsh bird species between two site visits and our more intensive visits. However, sampling more intensively did increase our detections of cryptic marsh bird species. Our results are especially useful to managers tasked with evaluating the success of local wetland restorations.

Since European settlement, over 50 % of coastal wetlands have been lost in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin, causing growing concern and increased monitoring by government agencies. For over a decade, monitoring efforts have focused on the development of regional and organism-specific measures. To facilitate collaboration and information sharing between public, private, and government agencies throughout the Great Lakes basin, we developed standardized methods and indicators used for assessing wetland condition. Using an ecosystem approach and a stratified random site selection process, birds, anurans, fish, macroinvertebrates, vegetation, and physico-chemical conditions were sampled in coastal wetlands of all five Great Lakes including sites from the United States and Canada. Our primary objective was to implement a standardized basin-wide coastal wetland monitoring program that would be a powerful tool to inform decision-makers on coastal wetland conservation and restoration priorities throughout the Great Lakes basin.

Alpine ecosystems represent varied climates and vegetation structures globally, with the potential to support rich and functionally diverse avian communities. High mountain habitats and species are under significant threat from climate change and other anthropogenic factors. Yet, no global database of alpine birds exists, with most mountain systems lacking basic information on species breeding in alpine habitats, their status and trends, or potential cryptic diversity (i.e., sub-species distributions). To address these critical knowledge gaps, we combined published literature, regional monitoring schemes, and expert knowledge from often inaccessible, data-deficient mountain ranges to develop a global list of alpine breeding bird species with their associated distributions and select ecological traits. This dataset compiles alpine breeding records for 1,310 birds, representing 12.0% of extant species and covering all major mountain regions across each continent, excluding Antarctica. The Global Alpine Breeding Bird dataset (GABB) is an essential resource for research on the ecological and evolutionary factors shaping alpine communities, as well as documenting the value of these high elevation, climate-sensitive habitats for conserving biodiversity.Measurement(s)Breeding specialization • Breeding status • Migration behaviour • Nest type • Nest site • Data reliability • Endemism • IUCN statusTechnology Type(s)Literature review, field monitoring, expert knowledge • Literature review, expert knowledge • Literature review • IUCN red listSample Characteristic - OrganismAvesSample Characteristic - Environmentalpine • nival

Species often exhibit regionally specific habitat associations, so habitat association models developed in one region might not be accurate or even appropriate for other regions. Three programs to survey wetland‐breeding birds covering (respectively) Great Lakes coastal wetlands, inland Great Lakes wetlands, and the Prairie Pothole Region offer an opportunity to test whether regionally specific models of habitat use by wetland‐obligate breeding birds are transferrable across regions. We first developed independent, regional population density models for four species of wetland‐obligate birds: Pied‐billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps), Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola), Sora (Porzana carolina), and American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus). We then used adjusted pseudo‐R2 values to compare the amount of variation explained by each model when applied to data collected in each of the three regions. Although certain habitat characteristics, such as emergent vegetation and wetland area, were consistently important across regions, models for each species differed by region—both in variables selected for inclusion and often in the directionality of relationships for common variables—indicating that habitat associations for these species are regionally specific. When we applied a model developed in one region to data collected in another region, we found that explanatory power was reduced in most (71%) models. Therefore, we suggest that ecological analyses should emphasize regionally specific habitat association models whenever possible. Nonetheless, models created from inland Great Lakes wetland data had higher median explanatory power when applied to other regions, and the amount of explanatory power lost by other transferred models was relatively small. Thus, while regionally specific habitat association models are preferable, in the absence of reliable regional data, habitat association models developed in one region may be applied to another region, but the results need to be cautiously interpreted. Additionally, we found that median explanatory power was higher when local‐scale habitat characteristics were included in the models, indicating that regionally specific models should ideally be based on a combination of local‐ and landscape‐scale habitat characteristics. Conservation practitioners can leverage such regionally specific models and associated monitoring data to help prioritize areas for management activities that contribute to regional conservation efforts.

In late June 2020 in western Montana we observed up to 10 Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) feeding on tree sap at Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) sap wells excavated on 2 limbs of a Water Birch (Betula occidentalis). These observations constitute (a) the 1st report of waxwings feeding at sap wells created by sapsuckers of any species; (b) the 1st report of waxwings feeding on tree sap in early summer; and (c) the 1st report of the consumption of birch sap by this waxwing species. The Cedar Waxwings may have sought tree sap because of the limited availability of early-summer sugary fruits at the time of our observations in combination with the presence of new clusters of sap wells created by at least 1 pair of sapsuckers near where the waxwings were beginning to breed. The prevalent sugars in birch sap (glucose, fructose) are also those most efficiently assimilated by Cedar Waxwings and may have contributed in attracting the waxwings to the sapsucker wells.

Stopover sites are essential to bird migration between wintering and breeding grounds, but annual variation in use and habitat conditions make it difficult to determine which sites are most critical for conservation. By studying physiological factors that may influence a bird's behavior when choosing and using a stopover site, researchers can target certain species or locations and more efficiently invest in conservation efforts. In spring 2013 and 2014, we studied stopover refueling performance in a common northeastern spring migrant, the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), at 2 locations near the south shore of Lake Ontario. We used morphological measurements and physiological techniques that assessed the concentration of the blood metabolite plasma triglyceride as a measure of fat deposition and feeding efficiency. We found that birds captured at an inland location had a significantly higher body condition score than birds captured at a coastal stopover site within 0.5 km of the shore; a trend toward higher triglyceride concentrations was also noted at the inland location. We found no significant differences in triglyceride concentrations between White-throated Sparrow color morphs, in contrast to previous studies performed during fall migration. Our results suggest that spring migrants arriving in the area in good energetic condition may begin their cross-lake journey directly from the inland site, while birds in poorer condition may “pile up” at the lakeshore and then compete with other migrants for available resources, slowing their fat deposition rate. Our results also reinforce the importance of protecting high-quality stopover habitat where birds congregate near geographic barriers but suggest that inland habitat patches are important stopover sites that may allow some migrants to bypass nearshore areas of intense competition.

Stopover sites are essential to bird migration between wintering and breeding grounds, but annual variation in use and habitat conditions make it difficult to determine which sites are most critical for conservation. By studying physiological factors that may influence a bird's behavior when choosing and using a stopover site, researchers can target certain species or locations and more efficiently invest in conservation efforts. In spring 2013 and 2014, we studied stopover refueling performance in a common northeastern spring migrant, the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), at 2 locations near the south shore of Lake Ontario. We used morphological measurements and physiological techniques that assessed the concentration of the blood metabolite plasma triglyceride as a measure of fat deposition and feeding efficiency. We found that birds captured at an inland location had a significantly higher body condition score than birds captured at a coastal stopover site within 0.5 km of the shore; a trend toward higher triglyceride concentrations was also noted at the inland location. We found no significant differences in triglyceride concentrations between White-throated Sparrow color morphs, in contrast to previous studies performed during fall migration. Our results suggest that spring migrants arriving in the area in good energetic condition may begin their cross-lake journey directly from the inland site, while birds in poorer condition may \"pile up\" at the lakeshore and then compete with other migrants for available resources, slowing their fat deposition rate. Our results also reinforce the importance of protecting high-quality stopover habitat where birds congregate near geographic barriers but suggest that inland habitat patches are important stopover sites that may allow some migrants to bypass nearshore areas of intense competition. Received 5 June 2017. Accepted 15 July 2018.

We determined the influence of habitat, landscape, geographic, and climate variables on Sedge Wren ( Cistothorus platensis ) and Marsh Wren ( C. palustris ) occurrence in 840 coastal wetland survey points throughout the Great Lakes. Variables included surrounding land use and configuration out to 2000 m; latitude; longitude; temperature; precipitation; and vegetation characteristics within 100 m. Classification trees predicted Sedge Wren occurrence at points in the western Great Lakes with < 11 km of roads within 1000 m. Emergent herbaceous wetland within 500 m, woody wetland within various distances, and sedge within 100 m were also positively associated with Sedge Wren occurrence. Marsh Wren occurrence was predicted at points in the southern Great Lakes with < 42% developed land within 500 m. Emergent herbaceous wetland within 500 m, cropland within various distances, and cattail within 100 m were also positively associated with Marsh Wren occurrence. Our results suggest limiting development around wetlands is important for conserving these bird species throughout Great Lakes coastal wetlands. Landscape-scale land cover variables are easily obtainable and significantly increase our ability to predict occurrence of these species across a broad geographic scale.