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Understanding patterns of animal space use and range fidelity has important implications for species and habitat conservation. For species that live in highly seasonal environments, such as mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus), spatial use patterns are expected to vary in relation to seasonal changes in environmental conditions and sex‐ or age‐specific selection pressures. To address hypotheses about sex, age, and seasonality influence on space‐use ecology, we collected GPS location data from 263 radio‐collared mountain goats (males, n = 140; females, n = 123) in coastal Alaska during 2005–2016. Location data were analyzed to derive seasonal and sex‐specific fixed‐kernel home range estimates and to quantify the degree of seasonal range and utilization distribution overlap. Overall, we determined that home range size was smallest during winter, expanded coincident with the onset of green‐up and parturition, and was largest during summer. Home range size of males and females did not differ significantly during winter, but females had larger home ranges than males during summer, a relationship that was switched during the mating season. Pairwise comparisons involving individual females across subsequent years indicated home ranges were significantly smaller during years when they gave birth to offspring. Mountain goats exhibited a strong degree of range fidelity, and 99% (n = 138) of individual animals returned to their previous year's seasonal range with an average annual Bhattacharyya's affinity utilization distribution overlap index of 68%. Similarity of seasonal home range utilization distributions varied in relation to sex and season in some respects. Home range overlap was highest during the summer vegetation growing season, particularly among females. These findings advance our understanding about how environmental variation and sex‐ and age‐related reproductive constraints influence space use and range fidelity among alpine ungulates. Documentation of the high degree of range fidelity among mountain goats has important conservation implications in landscapes increasingly altered by anthropogenic activities. We created seasonal and sex‐specific fixed‐kernel home range estimates to quantify seasonal home range size and utilization distribution overlap of mountain goats in southeast Alaska. We documented a high degree of range fidelity among mountain goats, which has conservation implications on a landscapes increasingly altered by anthropogenic activities.

We measured reproductive and stress-related hormones in whiskers from female northern fur seals and Steller sea lions. Progesterone concentrations displayed cyclical patterns. Stable isotope signatures provided a tool to differentiate years within whiskers and when paired with progesterone concentrations may aid in identifying active gestation or skipped reproductive years. Abstract Keratinized tissues, including whiskers, are ideal for acquiring a record of physiological parameters. Most tissues provide a snapshot of physiological status; however, whiskers may support longitudinal sampling for reproductive and stress-related hormones, if hormones are incorporated as whiskers grow and concentrations change with physiological state. Whiskers from female Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) and northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) were serially sectioned and pulverized and steroid hormones were extracted. Standard methods were used to validate enzyme immunoassay kits for cortisol, progesterone, 17β-estradiol and testosterone. All hormones were measurable in whisker segments from both species with progesterone concentrations showing cyclical patterns, which appear to signify previous pregnancies or luteal phases. Yearly progesterone concentrations were greater in years a pup was produced compared with years when no pup was observed. Free-ranging female Steller sea lions had reproductive rates between 0 and 1.0 (0.53 ± 0.33, n = 12) using a yearly progesterone concentration of 30 pg/mg or greater to classify a reproductive year as producing a pup and below 30 pg/mg as non-reproductive. Cortisol concentrations were greater near the root and rapidly declined, lacking any obvious patterns, throughout the rest of the whisker. Progesterone and testosterone concentrations were able to help determine sex of unknown individuals. Immunohistochemistry revealed that steroid hormones most likely do not leach out of whiskers based on the deposition patterns of progesterone and cortisol being present throughout the whisker length. Overall, measuring steroid hormones in whiskers can reveal individual reproductive histories over multiple years in sea lions and fur seals. Cyclical patterns of δ15N were useful for identifying periods of up to ~10 years of growth within whiskers, and measuring both stable isotopes and hormones may be useful for differentiating periods of active gestation from diapause and potentially track multi-year reproductive histories of female otariids.

Estimating population abundance of wolves (Canis lupus) in densely forested landscapes is challenging because reduced visibility lowers the success of methods such as aerial surveys and enumeration of group size using radiotelemetry. However, regular population estimates of wolves are necessary for population monitoring and sustainable management. We used noninvasive hair snaring and spatially explicit capture–recapture (SECR) to estimate wolf abundance on Prince of Wales Island (POW), Alaska, USA, during 2012–2015. We monitored 36–82 hair-snare stations weekly for 9–11 weeks during autumn. The noninvasive study area covered 1,683 km² during 2012–2013 and was expanded to 3,281 km² during 2014–2015. We identified 57 individual wolves during the study period using DNA from hair follicles genotyped at 10microsatellite loci. Weused population density estimates using SECR (2013: 24.5 wolves/1,000 km² [95% CI = 14.4–41.9 wolves/1,000 km²], 2014: 9.9 wolves/1,000 km² [95% CI = 5.5–17.7/1,000 km²], 2015: 11.9 wolves/1,000 km² [95% CI = 7.7–18.5 wolves/1,000 km²]) to predict the autumn population for the POW management unit (2013: 221.1 wolves [95% CI = 130–378]; 2014: 89.1 wolves [95% CI = 49.8–159.4]; 2015: 107.5 wolves [95% CI = 69–167]). We detected and redetected more wolves and increased the precision of the density estimate after increasing the hair sampling intensity and sampling area in 2014–2015. Our results demonstrate that estimating wolf abundance using noninvasive sampling and SECR was feasible and reliably applied producing a statistically robust population estimate for monitoring wolf populations in densely forested areas. These methods have promise for application to widely ranging carnivores at population-level scales and may be especially useful when regular density estimates are necessary for management and conservation.

A technique was developed to estimate morphometrics and body mass of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) using three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetry. 3D photogrammetry reduces many of the problems associated with camera and body position encountered with two-dimensional photogrammetric techniques, allowing body mass estimation of free-ranging, active sea lions, without sedation, heavy weighing equipment, and disturbance. 3D computer wireframes of 53 Steller sea lions of various age classes were generated from multiple time-synchronous digital photos and used to estimate length, girth, and volume. Average estimates of standard length and axillary girth were within ±2.5% and ±4.0% of physically measured dimensions, respectively. Average estimates of standard length and axillary girth using only wireframes based on ideal body postures were within ±1.7% and ±3.1% of physically measured dimensions, respectively. Regressions of physically measured mass on photogrammetrically estimated body volume yielded a predictive model. Body mass estimates using this model were on average within 9.0% (95% confidence interval = ±1.7%) of the physically measured mass. This technique was also successfully applied to reptiles and fish.

Substantial effort has been made to increase the accuracy of photogrammetric measurement techniques, especially on marine mammals. However, accuracy of the physical measurements is rarely considered when calculating the photogrammetric accuracy. We examined inter- and intra-researcher variation in the measurement of physical morphometrics of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) to assess their potential effects on photogrammetric accuracy and body mass predictions based on photogrammetrically derived morphometrics. Significant differences were found inter-researcher in median standard length and axillary girth and intra-researcher when measuring axillary girth of the same animals. Photogrammetrically derived estimates of these parameters are comparable to physical measurements when taking into account the inherent inter- and intra-researcher variation.

Mediated Images of the South: The Portrayal of Dixie in Popular Culture, edited by Alison F. Slade, Dedria Givens-Carroll and Amber J. Narro, is an anthology that explores the impact of the image of the Southerner within mass communication and popular culture. The contributors offer a contemporary analysis of the Southerner in the media. In most cases, previous literature situates these media images in the past, most notably through historic analyses of the Southerner during the Civil Rights movement. Mediated Images of the South breaks out of the box of the 1960s and 1970s by including the most recent and contemporary cultural examples of the Southerner. This book represents a long overdue analysis of those images, from both the past and the present. In addition, the discussions are not limited to one genre of media, but provide the reader with an opportunity to see how far-reaching the myth of the Southerner and the Southern image is in American society. While there is a long list of successful southern politicians, historical figures, businessmen and women, actors and actresses, sports figures and other national and world leaders, Slade, Givens-Carroll, and Narro find that there is still work to be done to present southerners as capable and educated.

The Ogallala Aquifer is a large underground water source located under the High Plains and is used as the primary irrigation source for producers in the region. Hyper-extraction of the Ogallala is causing a reduction in irrigation capacity for a large part of the region. Confined animal feeding operations in western Kansas rely upon irrigated crops, mainly corn [ Zea mays (L.)] as a source of feed. Research has shown that forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Monech] could meet the demands of the confined animal feeding operations while using less water than corn. An experiment was designed to evaluate corn and forage sorghum in Western Kansas. The objective of this research was to evaluate the water use and growth characteristics of irrigated and dryland corn and forage sorghum. Field experiments were conducted at two locations (Tribune Experiment Station, Tribune and a cooperator’s field near Hoxie, Sheridan County Kansas) in 2011-2013. The experimental design at Tribune was a randomized complete block with four replications. A traditional replicated design was not possible at Hoxie. Multiple subsamples per plot were obtained and data are reported as means with standard errors. Corn and forage sorghum were grown under both dryland and fully irrigated conditions at both locations. Neutron access tubes were installed to monitor soil water. Aboveground biomass, intercepted solar radiation and volumetric soil water content were recorded at 5 sampling dates each growing season. Water use was similar between irrigated corn and forage sorghum. There were differences in biomass from year to year between the irrigated crops. Dryland water use was similar between the two crops and also had differences in biomass from year to year. Yields were significantly lower than average for all crops in 2012 due to drought conditions. Solar radiation interception correlated with aboveground biomass measurements. Aboveground biomass from the forage sorghum and corn was ensiled both years and analyzed for nutrient composition. This research suggests that forage sorghum silage may be an acceptable replacement for corn silage in areas with reduced irrigation capacities.

Kochia is a troublesome weed throughout the western United States. Although glyphosate effectively controls kochia, poor control was observed in several no-till fields in Kansas. The objectives of this research were to evaluate kochia populations response to glyphosate and examine the mechanism that causes differential response to glyphosate. Glyphosate was applied at 0, 54, 109, 218, 435, 870, 1305, 1740, 3480, and 5220 g ae ha−1 on 10 kochia populations. In general, kochia populations differed in their response to glyphosate. At 21 d after treatment, injury from glyphosate applied at 870 g ha−1 range from 4 to 91%. In addition, glyphosate rate required to cause 50% visible injury (GR50) ranged from 470 to 2149 g ha−1. Differences in glyphosate absorption and translocation and kochia mineral content were not sufficient to explain differential kochia response to glyphosate. Nomenclature: Glyphosate; kochia, Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.

Estimating population abundance of cryptic carnivores in densely forested landscapes is challenging, but regular population estimates are necessary for sustainable management. We assessed the feasibility of estimating wolf densities by using noninvasive hair snaring and spatially‐explicit capture–recapture and found that the method produced a statistically robust population estimate at the management‐unit level, appropriate for regular monitoring and to inform management strategies.

Maternal attendance patterns in free-ranging wildlife can provide insight into basic biology, foraging behavior, and population dynamics. We collected detailed visual observations of attendance patterns by adult lactating Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) from 2005 to 2007 on 6 major rookeries in the Russian Far East, including those with an increasing population trend (Sea of Okhotsk), severely depleted populations that were recovering (Kuril Islands), or those that were stable (Commander Islands). Individually identifiable females were observed during the postpartum period, with special attention paid to presence and absence during the day and to departure and arrival times. Within Russia females on several Kuril Islands rookeries exhibited extremely short foraging trip durations (median 6.5–8.0 h) and spent higher proportions of time on the rookery (75–82%), whereas females in the Sea of Okhotsk population had the longest trips (median 19.8 h) and spent the least amount of time on the rookery (60%). Most indices of attendance pattern were more favorable (longer peripartum period, higher proportion of time spent on rookery, shorter trips, and longer visits) than those reported in Alaska and much more so than those in California during El Niño years, where the proportion of time spent on the rookery was nearly half that in Russia. Females >6 years of age had shorter trips and longer visit durations than the youngest females (4–5 years), and older mothers exhibited significantly longer periods of nursing before taking their 1st trip, suggesting greater physical condition for older females. Although trip durations remained constant throughout the season, visit durations shortened significantly as the pups aged, suggesting that increasing nutritional demands of pups are met by more frequent, rather than longer, trips. No apparent relationships between attendance patterns and population status were observed; however, many of the differences in attendance patterns throughout the range of the Steller sea lion could be related to local variation in bathymetry and diet patterns.