Browsing by Subject "Wildlife"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Characterizing U.S. Agency Approaches to Cervid Carcass Disposal in the Context of Chronic Wasting Disease Management: A Multi-State, Mixed-Methods Analysis
    (2023-07) Anderson, Cory
    Chronic wasting disease (CWD) prions are notoriously resilient infectious agents that can retain infectivity in environmental settings for extensive periods of time. Given their pronounced durability and evidence of widespread prion distribution across an array of host tissues, the carcasses of CWD-infected cervids have been recognized as a potential source for ongoing transmission. Accordingly, efforts that help limit the abundance and accessibility of potentially infected carcasses on the landscape have been prioritized, with several disposal methods deemed best practices. However, the availability of effective and sustainable options for cervid carcass disposal has become increasingly limited in various parts of the country, presenting challenges to involved agencies. Thus, there is a critical need to better understand agency approaches to this issue, including any plans, practices, and perspectives. In this study, data were collected via an online questionnaire administered to recommended personnel at all 50 state wildlife agencies in the U.S. and supplemented by qualitative interviews with representatives from multiple involved state agencies in Colorado, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. Overall, the information obtained by this effort provides valuable insight on cervid carcass disposal and its application for CWD management across the U.S. from the perspective of the numerous state-level agencies involved.
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    Evaluation of Buffer Width on Hydrologic Function, Water Quality, and Ecological Integrity of Wetlands
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2011-02) Nieber, John L.; Arika, Caleb; Lenhart, Christian; Titov, Mikhail; Brooks, Kenneth N.
    Human activities including agricultural cultivation, forest harvesting, land development for residential housing, and development for manufacturing and industrial activities can impair the quality of water entering the wetland, thereby detrimentally affecting the natural ecological functions of the wetlands. This can lead to degradation of biota health and biodiversity within the wetland, reduced water quality in the wetland, and increased release of water quality degrading chemicals to receiving waters. Under natural conditions wetlands develop buffer areas that provide some protection from the natural processes occurring on adjacent areas of the landscape. Buffers serve the function of enhancing infiltration of surface runoff generated on adjacent areas, thereby promoting the retention of nutrients in the soil, and retention of sediment suspended in the runoff water, while still allowing runoff water to reach the wetland through subsurface flow routes. To protect wetlands and receiving waters downstream from the wetlands it is important that wetlands in areas disturbed by human activities be provided with sufficient buffer to prevent degradation of wetland biotic integrity as well as degradation of wetland water quality. The question arises, “How much buffer is sufficient?” The objective of this study was to investigate the sufficiency of buffers to protect wetland biotic integrity and water quality, and to evaluate the benefits extended to wildlife by the habit available in wetland buffers. The study was conducted by using a wetland data base available for 64 wetlands in the Twin Cities metro area.
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    Monitoring and Habitat Assessment of Declining Bumble Bees in Roadsides in the Twin Cities Metro Area of Minnesota
    (University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies, 2019-06) Evans, Elaine; Boone, Michelle; Cariveau, Dan
    Several bumble bee species have declined dramatically, including the endangered rusty-patched bumble bee, Bombus affinis. Roadsides offer a unique opportunity to increase habitat for these declining species. The objectives of this study are to: (1) characterize the bumble bee community and floral availability within roadsides in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, metro area, (2) estimate detection probabilities and occupancy for bumble bees using occupancy modeling, (3) determine the effort needed to detect rusty-patched bumble bees, and (4) examine the relationship of the bumble bee community to the surrounding landscape. We use rapid and broad-scale sampling at randomly selected locations. Despite overall low floral abundance, many bumble bee species, including rare and declining species, use roadsides. Occupancy models predict rusty-patched bumble bees occupy 4% of sites, with a 30% chance of detection if it is at the site. We recommend performing nine surveys in a single season to be 95% sure that B. affinis is detected if it is there. Bumble bee abundances and species numbers increase with more wooded area and floral cover. Crops are negatively associated with bee abundance, species numbers, and the presence of rare bumble bees. Our management recommendations for roadsides to support rare and declining bumble bees are: (1) incorporate additional bumble bee forage, (2) when weed control requires elimination of flowering plants, replace with bumble bee forage, (3) use our estimates for occupancy and abundance as a baseline to assess conservation efforts for bumble bees within roadsides in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
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    State of Sustainability Practices among Minnesota Tourism Businesses, 2007-2013
    (2013-10-29) Qian, Xinyi; Schneider, Ingrid E.; qianx@umn.edu; Qian, Xinyi
    The dataset was used in three major ways. First, using data collected in 2013, we documented the current attitude towards sustainability practices among tourism businesses in Minnesota, particularly how they perceive the benefits and difficulties of implementing these practices. We also documented the extent of implementation of six types of sustainability practices, including energy efficiency, waste minimization, environmental purchasing, air quality, water conservation, and landscaping/wildlife. Second, we assessed whether attitude towards sustainability practices and the extent of implementing various practices changed over time (i.e., across the three surveys). Lastly, we benchmarked current level of knowledge of invasive species among Minnesota tourism businesses using data from the 2013 survey. This is the first time that the survey includes questions that assess knowledge of invasive species, providing a benchmarking opportunity. We want to release this dataset, because there is little research that documents the extent to which different types of sustainability practices are implemented among tourism businesses in the state of Minnesota. The tourism industry makes significant contributions to the state's economy, at the same time, relying on the many natural assets that the state has to continue attracting visitors. Therefore, it is important that the tourism industry contributes to, rather than deters, the progress of sustainability practices. We believe that releasing this dataset will help increase public awareness of and interest in the trend of implementing sustainability practices among tourism businesses in Minnesota.