2006-2008 Biennial Report - University of Vermont biennial report.pdf · Synopsis: Brown trout...

VERMONT COOPERATIVE FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH UNIT

In Cooperation With ● U.S. Geological Survey ● Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife ● University of Vermont ● Wildlife Management Institute

2006-2008 Biennial Report

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Cover Photos clockwise from top: Lake Mansfield Brook Trout Research Site on Pond Brook, Colchester, VT Graduate Student Ryan Butryn and research technician Karen Sentoff taking stream measurements


Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

2006-2008 Report of Activities Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit 81 Carrigan Dr. 310 Aiken Center The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont Burlington, VT 05405 Telephone: (802) 656-3011 Fax: (802) 656-8683 http://www.uvm.edu/envnr/vtcfwru/

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Table of Contents

Unit Staff ……………………………………………………

5

Cooperators ………………………………………………… 5

Coordinating Committee Representatives …………………… 6

Program Direction Statement ………………………………. 8

Projects

Aquatic ……………………………………………… 9

Terrestrial ……………………………………………. 15

Peer Reviewed Publications ………………………………… 20

Educational Materials ……………………………………… 21

Technical Reports …………………………………………. 21

Dissertations and Thesis ………………………………….. 22

Honors and Awards ………………………………………. 22

Presentations ……………………………………………… 23

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Unit Staff and Cooperators

UNIT STAFF

Unit Leader Donna L. Parrish 802/656-2693 [email protected] Assistant Unit Leader-Wildlife Therese (Terri) Donovan 802/656-2516 [email protected] Staff Assistant Theresa A. DeBarge 802/656-3011 [email protected]

COOPERATORS

Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife U.S. Geological Survey 103 South Main Street Cooperative Research Units Waterbury, VT 05676 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 303 802/241-3700 Reston, VA 20192 802/241-3295 (FAX) 703/648-4260 703/648-4269 (FAX) The Rubenstein School of Wildlife Management Institute Environment and Natural Resources 1101 14th Street, Suite 725 University of Vermont Washington, DC 20005 George D. Aiken Center 202/371-1808 Burlington, VT 05405 202/371-5059 (FAX) 802/656-4280 802/656-8683 (FAX)

2006-2008 Biennial Report Coordinating Committee Representatives

U.S. Geological Survey, Cooperative Research Units Byron K. Williams, Chief Michael W. Tome, Eastern Supervisor U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Research Units Leetown Science Center 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 303 11649 Leetown Road Reston, VA 20192 Kearneysville, WV 25430 703/648-4260 304/724-4415 [email protected] [email protected]

University of Vermont

Donald H. DeHayes, Dean (until March 30, 2008) Lawrence K. Forcier, Interim Dean The Rubenstein School of Environment The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and Natural Resources University of Vermont University of Vermont George D. Aiken Center George D. Aiken Center Burlington, VT 05405 Burlington, VT 05405 802/656-4280 802/656-4280 [email protected] [email protected]

Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Wayne Laroche, Commissioner Tom Decker, Operations Director VT Department of Fish and Wildlife VT Department of Fish and Wildlife 103 South Main Street 103 South Main Street Waterbury, VT 05676 Waterbury, VT 05676 802/241-3730 802/241-3247 [email protected] [email protected]

Wildlife Management Institute Steven Williams, President Scot J. Williamson, Vice President Wildlife Management Institute Wildlife Management Institute 1101 14th Street, Suite 725 69 Clinton Avenue Washington, DC 20005 St. Johnsbury, VT 05819 202/371-1808 802/748-6717 [email protected] [email protected]

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Program Direction Statement

The Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is located at the University of Vermont (UVM) in Burlington, Vermont, and is housed on campus in The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. Overall goals of the Unit are (i) to address technical and re-search needs of federal fish and wild-life agencies, the Vermont Depart-ment of Fish and Wildlife, the Uni-versity of Vermont, and other fed-eral, state, and private entities; (ii) to participate in the education of gradu-ate students and advanced under-graduate students at the University of Vermont; and (iii) to disseminate findings of research conducted by Unit personnel, graduate students, and cooperators. Unit personnel coordinate Unit activities with fed-eral fish and wildlife agencies, the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, and other agencies and groups involved in the management of natural resources. Research by current Unit personnel is directed primarily toward aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems within the state of Vermont. Unit research is conducted in the context of a com-prehensive, ecosystems approach that recognizes the importance of ecological interactions among species and their habitats. Research activities focus on the biology/ecology of fish, mammal, and bird species, and the biological consequences of human impacts on aquatic and terrestrial systems.

Research in these areas is conducted by Unit personnel who possess tech-nical expertise in fish/aquatic ecol-ogy, landscape ecology, species/habitat associations, bioenergetics modeling, population viability mod-eling, and hydroacoustics technology. Areas of active Unit research with cooperating faculty include: ecology and management of piscivorous wa-terbirds, landscape influences on population dynamics, and habitat assessment based on remotely sensed data. To achieve the Unit research goals, Unit personnel aggressively pursue funding sources for projects of scien-tific merit that advance our knowl-edge of natural resources and their management. This involves both field and laboratory studies in which integrated research is conducted with colleagues at UVM and elsewhere. Along with these studies, Unit activi-ties include enhancement of meth-odological and analytic capabilities at UVM in the areas of fish and wildlife biology.

Unit educational goals are achieved in several ways, including the teach-ing of formal courses at the graduate and upper undergraduate level. Courses recently taught by Unit personnel include Ecology of Fishes, Population Dynamics and Modeling, and Conservation Biology, and Parameter Estimation in Ecol-ogy. Unit staff also participate in the classroom through presentation of guest lectures and seminars. Unit staff act as advisors for graduate stu-dents, and are involved as committee members on graduate research com-mittees. To the extent possible, Unit personnel also participate in training and education programs for person-nel in the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. Our vision for this Unit is to provide the best possible science to natural resource management agencies for the restoration of habitats and recov-ery and sustainability of Vermont’s fish and wildlife species. In achiev-ing our vision, we will continue to conduct research that is highly rele-vant to and valued by managers and policy makers. January 2006

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Aquatic Research Project Narratives

Population Modeling of Atlantic Salmon in Vermont Tributaries of the Connecticut River ………………………………………..

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Genetics of Brown Trout in the Batten Kill ……………………. 10

Using Adult Sea Lamprey to Investigate Potential Alternative Methods of Controlling Population Abundance ………………..

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Use of Migratory and Sex Pheremones to Increase Trapping Efficiency of Sea Lamprey ……………………………………..

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Development of Metrics to Assess the Quality of Riverine Habitat for Coldwater Fish Based on Stream Temperature ……..

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Recruitment Dynamics of Young-Of-Year Rainbow Smelt and the Potential Implications of an Alewife Expansion …………….

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Designing Effective Sampling Strategies for Mudpuppies in Vermont ………………………………………………………...

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Diet, Movement, and Dispersal Patterns of Double-Crested Cormorants …………………………………………………….

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2006-2008 Biennial Report POPULATION MODELING OF ATLANTIC SALMON IN VERMONT TRIBUTARIES OF THE CONNECTI-CUT RIVER Principal Investigators: Donna L. Parrish, Martha E. Mather (USGS-Massachusetts Coop Unit), and Elizabeth A. Marschall (Ohio State University) Project Cooperators: National Marine Fisheries Service and Ver-mont Department of Fish and Wildlife Project Period: 1 August 2002 – 31 July 2010 Objective: To develop a population model that will be useful in exploring various restoration strategies for Atlantic salmon in Ver-mont. By using a population modeling approach we are exploring at which life stages restoration efforts would be most useful. Thus far, we have developed a model to simulate downstream move-ment of smolts in the Connecticut River. The base model is com-plete and has been used to understand interactions of parameters. One example of the way we are using the base model to under-stand interactions of parameters; i.e., mortality rate in the river, mortality rate at the dams, and swimming speed (as a function of current speed) is in their effects on downstream survival of smolts, especially those from the upper tributaries. This type of analysis, using simulated flow data, enhances our understanding of the in-herent interaction between travel speed, mortality rates, and smolt success. We have found combinations of swimming speed and mortality rates (two parameters that are difficult to estimate em-pirically) that result in successful smolt travel from the upper tribu-taries to Long Island Sound. However, most recently we have added upper lethal temperatures and dam delays to the model, which indicate that in many years the combined effects of tem-perature and dams can greatly increase smolt mortality within the river. A next step is to incorporate daily flow data from the 10 years of data from the Connecticut River. Project Status: Ongoing.

GENETICS OF BROWN TROUT IN THE BATTEN KILL Principal Investigators: Donna L. Parrish and C. William Kilpatrick (UVM) Project Cooperator: U.S. Forest Service Project Period: 6 June 2005 – 12 December 2007 Synopsis: Brown trout (Salmo trutta) are non-native to North America and were stocked in the Vermont waters of the Batten Kill from ~110 years ago until 33 years ago. Stocking in Vermont ceased in 1972, however, stocking con-tinues immediately across the border in New York. Based on telemetry data from October 2003, brown trout from Vermont waters migrate into New York and back into small Vermont tributaries. These movements are most likely re-lated to spawning and therefore provide evidence of specific spawning locations. Therefore, we collected fin samples from brown trout for genetic analysis to determine if differ-ences exist in populations in the Batten Kill above and below a barrier (Dufresne Dam), from Batten Kill fish to those in a nearby reference stream, and in current hatchery fish. We then expanded this project to include analysis of scales from brown trout collected in the early 1980s for comparisons to the current populations listed above. By quantifying the degree to which subpopulations are genetically distinct, our results are useful in determining how relevant it is to treat subpopulations of brown trout as demographically independ-ent. Project Status: Final analyses and report due soon.

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VTCFWRU USING ADULT SEA LAMPREYS TO INVESTIGATE POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF CON-TROLLING POPULATION ABUNDANCE Principal Investigator: Donna L. Parrish Graduate Student: David Hitchcock (M.S. Student) Project Cooperators: U.S. Geological Survey, The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Project Period: 1 January 2005 – 31 May 2006 Synopsis: The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative has been involved in managing sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) populations since the early 1990s and, in a recently published Supplemental Environmental Impact State-ment, presented its control strategy for 20 streams and deltas throughout the Basin for “A long-term program of sea lamprey control.” On one of the basin’s major lamprey producers, the Poultney River, the Cooperative has recommended deferring lampricide treatment for five years after program initiation. During the five-year delay, the Cooperative along with the mem-bers of the Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control Alternatives Workgroup, assessed control options that may be available for the Poultney and other rivers. One potential option was trap-ping sea lamprey just prior to spawning. Therefore, the goal of this project was to identify and evaluate potential trapping loca-tions in these rivers by tracking lamprey migrations on their spawning runs. Specifically, the objectives of this project were to: characterize pre-spawning lamprey movements in the Poult-ney River and its tributary, the Hubbardton River, characterize and map habitats occupied by these lamprey, and test the effec-tiveness of sex pheromones released by adult male sea lampreys in influencing spatial orientation of conspecifics by using multi-ple males to divert females from nesting grounds and into traps. Our results indicated that most sea lamprey in the Poultney River did not migrate far enough to reach the potential trapping site. In the female choice experiments, traps containing more males were the ones entered by the females, indicating a dose-response by the females to male sex pheromone. Project Status: Completed.

USE OF MIGRATORY AND SEX PHEROMONES TO INCREASE TRAPPING EFFICIENCY OF SEA LAMPREY Principal Investigators: J. Ellen Marsden (UVM) and Donna L. Parrish Graduate Students: Wayne Bouffard (UVM M.S. Student) and Michael Harrington (Unit M.S. Student) Project Cooperator: National Sea Grant Project Period: 1 September 2005 – 31 May 2008 Synopsis: Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) is a non-native aquatic nuisance species in the Great Lakes and Lake Cham-plain that has had a devastating impact on native fish. Con-trol of sea lamprey populations has focused on the vulner-able larval stage through chemical treatment. However, con-cerns have been raised about the potential for development of resistance to the chemical, as well as effects on non-target species. The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is committed to reducing chemical use for control of lamprey and to the development of alternative methods for control. Therefore, the aim of our proposed research is to determine whether lamprey pheromones can be used to deflect migra-tory lamprey from sensitive or difficult-to-treat tributaries, and improve our ability to trap lamprey prior to spawning. In contrast to chemical control, the intent of pheromone-mediated control is not to reduce established larval popula-tions, but to reduce recruitment by removing reproductive adults prior to spawning. Our work addressed the next step of pheromone research: use of pheromones in ‘real-world’ field situations, in the presence of ambient sea lamprey that emit background levels of pheromone. The study on migra-tory pheromone has produced conflicting results indicating responses of adults are extremely complex. The study using female choice experiments obtained similar results to those conducted without background pheromone, however, the percent of positive responses were less. Thus, our results lead us to conclude that the use of pheromones as a major control of sea lamprey is not feasible in the immediate fu-ture. Project Status: Ongoing.

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2006-2008 Biennial Report DEVELOPMENT OF METRICS TO ASSESS THE QUAL-ITY OF RIVERINE HABITAT FOR COLDWATER FISH BASED ON STREAM TEMPERATURE Principal Investigators: Donna L. Parrish and Donna M. Rizzo (UVM College of Engineering) Graduate Student: Ryan S. Butryn (M.S. Student) Project Cooperator: Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Project Period: 1 September 2006 – 1 August 2008 Objectives:

1. Determine what facets of the temperature regime (such as temperature maxima and averages) are biologically significant and what data must be collected to feed into developing met-rics.

2. Develop a suite of metrics that characterize the suitability of the summer temperature regime for coldwater fish.

3. Validate the metrics against biological data on fish popula-tions, using rivers where both biological and temperature data are available. Refine the suite of metrics as appropriate.

Stream temperature plays a dominant role in the distribution of fish species within a river, especially in native coldwater fish such as brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). High summer temperatures can cause periods of sublethal stress that may affect individual growth rates, population density, and biomass of coldwater fish. In this study, we are exploring how sublethal temperature stress explains distributional patterns in brook trout populations of Vermont. For analysis, we are using annual fish population and hourly tem-perature data that were collected at multiple sites for the past 10-20 years. To determine the spatial resolution of stream tempera-ture data, we have deployed many small, temperature loggers (iButtons) in a variety of stream types and sizes. The magnitude, duration, and frequency of stream temperature readings capable of inducing a heat-shock response (> 22°C) were used as predictor variables to explain variation in the brook trout populations. Combining the literature-based knowledge of sublethal stress on individual fish with seasonal patterns of fish population response to temperature allows us to make predictions of suitable coldwater habitat. Our results will provide a basis for assessing and predict-ing the availability of coldwater habitat, which can inform manage-ment efforts to maintain or restore native trout in the future con-text of climate change. Project Status: Ongoing.

RECRUITMENT DYNAMICS OF YOUNG-OF-YEAR RAINBOW SMELT AND THE POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS OF AN ALEWIFE EXPANSION Principal Investigators: Donna L. Parrish, Lars G. Rud-stam (Cornell), Bernie Pientka (VTFW) and Patrick J. Sulli-van (Cornell) Graduate Student: Paul W. Simonin (M.S. Student) Project Cooperators: Lake Champlain Sea Grant and Ver-mont Department of Fish and Wildlife Project Period: 1 June 2007 – 31 May 2009 Synopsis: Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) have historically been the dominant pelagic planktivore in Lake Champlain, and are likely native to this lake. This study extends and complements our work of 2001 and 2002 by focusing on young-of-year (YOY) rainbow smelt and the recent pelagic invader, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus). In 2007, we con-ducted acoustic surveys, physically sampled fish, and meas-ured abiotic environmental conditions in the main section of the lake during day and night every two to three weeks from June through September. Our goal is to understand habitat use and seasonal dynamics of these two fish populations focusing on the YOY of both species. Alewife YOY were not observed until late July 2007, whereas YOY rainbow smelt were present in the epilimnion in June. Light intensity and water temperature were the two proximate environ-mental variables associated with behavior (e.g. schooling) and vertical distribution for both YOY rainbow smelt and alewife. Dense schools were formed under bright light con-ditions, but fish were dispersed at lower light levels inde-pendent of time of day. Although YOY alewife generally preferred warmer depths, including offshore surface water, distribution of YOY rainbow smelt and alewife overlapped at times. The recent addition of alewife to the lake has in-creased the complexity of the food web in Lake Champlain. We will complete another year of sampling in 2008. Project Status: Ongoing.

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VTCFWRU DESIGNING EFFECTIVE SAMPLING STRATEGIES FOR MUDPUPPIES IN VERMONT Principal Investigator: Donna L. Parrish Graduate Student: Isaac Chellman (M.S. Student) Project Cooperator: Vermont Department of Fish and Wild-life Project Period: 1 January 2008 – 31 May 2010 Synopsis: The common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) is the only purely aquatic salamander in Vermont. Currently, the spe-cies has an S2 (rare) ranking in the state, and is considered a species of special concern by the Scientific Advisory Group on Reptiles and Amphibians. The group designated the mudpuppy the Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the state’s 2005 Wildlife Action Plan. There is a lack of knowledge of mudpup-pies in Vermont and their potential threats. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to: 1) Develop meth-ods of effectively sampling mudpuppies in tributaries of Lake Champlain, beginning with the Lamoille River, 2) Examine and evaluate age class distribution, habitat use, and possible seasonal movements, if enough animals are collected, 3) Collect tissue samples for genetic analysis (funded separately), and 4) Attempt to determine population size. If it is not feasible to estimate population size, we will work with Vermont Fish and Wildlife on recommendations on how this may be addressed in the fu-ture. Project Status: New.

POPULATION DYNAMICS, FORAGING ECOL-OGY, AND OPTIMAL MANAGEMENT OF DOU-BLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS ON LAKE CHAM-PLAIN Principal Investigators: David E. Capen (Co-PI), Therese

M. Donovan (Co-PI), and Donna L. Parrish Graduate Students: Adam Duerr (Ph.D. student) and Marc Eisenhower (M.S. student) Project Cooperators: Lake Champlain Sea Grant, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. Project Period: 1 February 2001 – 31 May 2007 Synopsis: Cormorants are a recent addition to the avifauna of Lake Champlain and have since become a concern to wildlife managers. They first nested on Young Island, Ver-mont, in 1981; they expanded to Four Brothers Islands , New York , by 1984, and peaked at > 20,000 birds in 1999. Population increases were associated with destruction of vegetation and displacement of other birds from nesting colonies. In 1999, Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S.D.A. Wildlife Services began spraying cormorant eggs with corn oil to prevent hatching and limit recruitment on Young Island. By 2001, this colony decreased in size by 58% and the Four Brothers colony increased by 78%, making it the largest col-ony on Lake Champlain. In other locations, cormorant populations are managed to limit negative effects on fish populations. In 2001, we began studies to 1) determine if oiling eggs increases dispersal away from Young Island, 2) estimate the quantity of fish consumed by cormorants, and 3) develop tools to identify optimal strategies for cormorant management based upon knowledge of their population dy-namics.

2006-2008 Biennial Report To determine how cormorants respond to egg oiling, we imple-mented an experiment on Young Island from 2001-2004. The experiment included oiling eggs in some areas of the cormorant colony and allowing cormorants to reproduce in other areas. We individually marked birds and tracked their movements between Young and Four Brothers islands. We found that oiling eggs in-creased the proportion of cormorants that dispersed away from Young Island by 0.03. Predation of eggs by gulls, which occurs when eggs are oiled during daytime, increased dispersal by 0.20 when predation rates were high. Cormorant colonies on Lake Champlain interact through dispersal of individuals, and manage-ment actions increased dispersal rates. We constructed an energetics model for cormorants from Young and Four Brothers Islands to estimate fish consumption for 2001-2003. The model estimated energy requirements by combining data on duration of time cormorants spent in various activities with energy requirements for these activities. Cormorants from Young Island rested more and traveled shorter distances to forag-ing locations than cormorants from Four Brothers Islands. We estimated that fish consumption ranged from 320,000 – 416,000 kg of fish for Young Island and 877,000-1,066,000 kg on Four Brothers Islands. Differences in fish consumption were due to differences in energy demands and population sizes between colo-nies. An unanticipated consequence to management on Young Island was changes in patterns of fish consumption by cormorants across Lake Champlain. We also developed a tool that wildlife managers can use to identify optimal strategies for cormorant management on Lake Champlain. This tool was based on a population model for cormorants, which was parameterized from an analysis of observations of marked cormorants from 2001-2006. We projected population changes expected when individual colonies were managed. These projec-tions were then incorporated into a decision analysis to identify optimal management strategies for a given objective and a set of alternative management actions. Optimal management strategies to reduce sizes of cormorant populations included management at multiple colonies. Project Status: Completed.

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Terrestrial Research Project Narratives

Landscape Effects on Population Dynamics in Birds ………………… 16

Are Forage Crops Ecological Traps? Evaluating Management Practices for Grassland Birds in Forage Crops? …………………………………

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Developing Predictive Occurrence Models for Carnivores in Vermont Using Data Collected With Multiple, Noninvasive Methods …………..

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An Evaluation of Bobcat Habitat Use and Movements in Northwest-ern Vermont …………………………………………………………..

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The Influence of Forest Attributes on Indicators of Biodiversity: Es-tablishing Guidelines for Sustainable Forest Management …………….

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2006-2008 Biennial Report LANDSCAPE EFFECTS ON POPULATION DYNAMICS IN BIRDS

Principal Investigator: Therese M. Donovan Graduate Student: Kerri Cornell (Ph.D. student) Project Cooperators: National Science Foundation, NASA, McIntire-Stennis (USDA), Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Project Period: 1 January 2002 – 30 September 2007 Objectives:

1. Document how black-throated blue warblers distribute them-selves across a heterogeneous region within Vermont.

2. Determine mechanisms that affect territory selection as well as the per capita birth, immigration, and death / emigration associated with that territory.

3. Assess alternative mechanisms of territory selection, including landscape factors, shrub factors, and conspecific density.

We used a information-theoretic approach to investigate how habi-tat patterns across three spatial extents influenced habitat selection decisions and demographic patterns for black-throated blue war-blers (Dendroica caerulescens) at 20 study sites in west-central Ver-mont, USA from 2002-2005. These sites represented gradients of habitat patterns at different spatial extents, including: 1) territory-level understory shrub density, 2) patch-level understory shrub density occurring within 25 ha of territories, and 3) landscape-level habitat patterns occurring within 5 km radius extents of territo-ries. We considered multiple vital population parameters including abundance, age ratios, pairing success, and annual fecundity. We found that territory-level shrub cover was most important for de-termining which individuals occupied which habitats but that land-scape-level habitat structure strongly influenced reproductive out-put. Consistent with long-term studies of this species in New Hampshire, sites with higher territory-level shrub density had higher abundance, were more likely to be occupied by older, more experienced individuals, and males that were paired compared to sites with lower shrub density. However, annual fecundity was higher on sites located in contiguously forested landscape where shrub cover was low. In addition, we found evidence that the effect of habitat pattern at one spatial level depended on habitat conditions at different levels. The interaction between territory-level and landscape-level habitat structure influenced both abun-dance and annual fecundity. Abundance was highest at sites lo-cated in more fragmented landscapes with the highest shrub densi-ties, but females occupying these same sites fledged fewer off-spring per year. Our results suggest that the proximate cue of ter-ritory-level shrub density used for breeding territory selection by this species may be decoupled from realized fitness, where indi-viduals are unable to recognize and occupy habitats best suited for reproduction.

We considered ecological factors associated with this discon-nect including predation, parasitism, and food limitation, and suggest that cowbird parasitism is a leading factor contribut-ing to disconnect between selection cues and fitness in this system. Project Status: Completed. ARE FORAGE CROPS ECOLOGICAL TRAPS? EVALUATING MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR GRASSLAND BIRDS IN FORAGE CROPS Principal Investigators: Allan Strong, Therese M. Dono-van (Co-PI), Austin Troy, and Sidney Bosworth Graduate Students: Daniel Shustack (M.S. student), Noah Perlut (Ph.D. student) Project Cooperator: U.S. Department of Agriculture Project Period: 1 January 2002 – 31 August 2006 Abstract: Over the last 40 years North American grassland bird populations have declined more than any other bird guild. This trend is especially evident in Vermont, where species experiencing precipitous declines include the Savan-nah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) and Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). These declines are linked to habitat loss due to reforestation and suburbanization as well as the intensification of grassland management. Modern grassland management includes earlier first-haying dates (late-May) and shorter intervals between haying events (35 days). These management practices have severe repercussions for song-bird populations because 1) early-haying results in complete nest failure (99% Savannah Sparrow and 100% Bobolink nests), 2) the interval between the first and second haying is too short for birds to renest, and 3) intensively managed fields comprise a significant portion of the total available habitat (as much as 40%).

In 2002-2006, we examined how hayfield and pasture man-agement affected grassland songbird ecological and evolu-tionary behavior in the agricultural landscape of the Cham-plain Valley, Vermont and New York. We studied songbirds in four grassland management types: early-hayed fields har-vested in late-May or early-June and again in

VTCFWRU mid-July; middle-hayed fields harvested in late-June or early-July; late-hayed fields harvested after 1 August; rotationally-grazed pas-tures, a matrix of small paddocks where cows are moved after the grass in a paddock is eaten to a low point. We addressed the following objectives: 1. Determined the annual productivity, survival, and recruit-ment of Bobolinks and Savannah Sparrows in the four treat-ment types. 2. Identified the effects of early-haying on the social and ge-netic mating systems of Savannah Sparrows. 3. Conducted a population viability analysis for Bobolinks and Savannah Sparrows nesting in the Champlain Valley, assessing sensitivities of life-history parameters and identifying effective management alternatives. This study provides information on how agricultural manage-ment affects the ecology, evolution, and viability of grassland birds. It will help inform landowners, managers, and law-makers about management practices and habitat requirements needed to sustain populations. Project Status: Completed. DEVELOPING PREDICTIVEVE OCCURRENCE MODELS FOR CARNIVORES IN VERMONT USING DATA COLLECTED WITH MULTIPLE, NONINVA-SIVE METHODS Principal Investigator: Therese M. Donovan Graduate Student: Robert Long (Ph.D. student) Project Cooperators: Vermont Department of Fish and Wild-life, U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Forest (USDA) Project Period: 1 August 2001 – 30 June 2006 Abstract: Carnivores typically require large areas of habitat, exist at low natural densities, and exhibit elusive behavior—rendering their study difficult. Relatively new, noninvasive sur-vey methods, such as remote cameras and hair snares, now pro-vide the means to collect robust data that can be used to esti-mate carnivore occupancy, distribution, and abundance. More recently, scat detector dogs—dogs trained to locate feces (scat) from target species—have been used to survey carnivores and other elusive species. During the summers of 2003-04, specially trained detector dogs were used to locate scat from black bears (Ursus americanus), fish-ers (Martes pennanti), and bobcats (Lynx rufus) on 168 sites throughout Vermont.

Five detection teams located a total of 1565 scats (747 puta-tive black bear, 665 putative fisher, and 153 putative bobcat). Of 347 scats genetically analyzed for species identification, 179 (51.6%) yielded a positive identification, 131 (37.8%) failed to yield DNA or the DNA failed to amplify, and 37 (10.7%) yielded DNA but provided no species confirmation. For 70 survey sites where DNA confirmation of a putative fisher or bobcat scat was not possible, we assessed the prob-ability that at least one of the scats collected at a given site was deposited by the putative target species (probability of correct ID; PID). We then assigned a detection to any site where PID for the target species was ≥ 0.90. Based on both DNA confirmations and PID values, dog sur-veys detected bears at 57.1% (96) of sites surveyed, fishers at 61.3% (103) of sites, and bobcats at 12.5% (21) of sites. We estimated that the mean probability of detecting the target species (when present) during a single visit to a site with a detector dog team was 0.86 for black bears, 0.95 for fishers, and 0.40 for bobcats. These detection probabilities were high when compared with single visit estimates reported for other noninvasive detection methods (e.g., remote cameras, hair snares). The probability of detecting black bears was largely unaffected by site- or visit-specific covariates. Fisher detec-tion, however, varied by team. We found little or no effect of topographic ruggedness, vegetation density, or local weather (e.g., temperature, humidity) on detection probability for ei-ther fishers or black bears. Data sparseness precluded the modeling of bobcat detectability with site- or visit-specific covariates. We also compared the relative efficacy of detector dogs, re-mote cameras, and hair snares for detecting the 3 target spe-cies at a subset of the sites visited by detector dogs. All 3 methods detected black bears; fishers and bobcats, however, were not detected by hair snares. Raw detection rates, unique detection rates, and the probability of detecting the target species (given presence) were all substantially higher for detec-tor dogs than for cameras and hair snares. Using occupancy modeling, multi-model inference, and the detection/non-detection data collected at all sites, we modeled occurrence of each target species as a function of site-specific variables. Black bear occurrence was related to the amount of forested land (+) and human development (-) within a 5-km radius of the survey site. After model-averaging, neither the fisher nor bobcat occurrence models contained significant covariates. However, variables contained in high-ranking fisher models included amount of coniferous forest (+), wet-land cover (-), and human development (+). High-ranking bobcat models consistently contained amount of mixed forest (+), and forested wetland cover (+). Project Status: Completed.

2006-2008 Biennial Report AN EVALUATION OF BOBCAT HABITAT USE AND MOVEMENTS IN NORTHWESTERN VERMONT Principal Investigator: Therese M. Donovan Graduate Student: Mark Freeman (M.S. Student) Project Cooperator: Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Project Period: 1 September 2004 – 30 August 2008 Objectives: 1. Evaluate the effect of ledge habitat, landscape fragmentation, road density, and human density on bobcat habitat use and sur-vival probability. 2. Evaluate bobcat movements in response to road density, road type, and traffic volume.

The aim of this study is to evaluate habitat use and movements of bobcats (Felis rufus) in northwestern Vermont in order to direct future conservation actions for this species. Bobcats are currently threatened by habitat fragmentation and by road mortality. As a result of these threats, a standardized study that investigates basic habitat use and movements in response to land pattern and human activity is needed. Habitat use and movements will be determined by collaring 10 – 20 female bobcats with ATS G2004 Store-on-Board GPS collars, where data are stored on the collar itself and are retrieved by the investigator one year later, when the unit de-taches automatically from an animal. The data collected and concomitant analyses will aid in developing a targeted conservation plan that attempts to proactively conserve bobcat habitats. Project Status: Ongoing.

THE INFLUENCE OF FOREST ATTRIBUTES ON INDICATORS OF BIODIVERSITY: ESTABLISH-ING GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT Principal Investigators: Therese M. Donovan (PI), Wil-liam Keeton, and Thomas McEvoy. Post Doctoral Associate: Scott Schwenk Project Cooperators: Northeastern States Research Coop-erative (USDA); Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife Project Period: 1 September 2007 – 31 October 2010 Objectives: 1. Develop models to determine forest and landscape at-tributes associated with 23 forest dwelling animals in Ver-mont. 2. Critically evaluate the umbrella, indicator, and keystone species concepts for managing biodiversity. 3. Assess how various forest management and cost-revenue scenarios will affect biodiversity (as measured through changes in umbrella, indicator, or keystone species). Disseminate results broadly through outreach to manage-ment agencies and private landowners. Along with maintaining stand quality and production, forest-ers are now called upon to diversify their management tech-niques to improve watersheds and, enhance wildlife biodiver-sity. A critical challenge for applied foresters is to determine exactly how to manage for “biodiversity,” especially when a complete survey of taxa is lacking. Limited funding and re-sources preclude management of all species, and thus man-agement often focuses on three types of species: umbrella (species with large home ranges), management indicator (species which suggest the occurrence of a particular forest type), and keystone species (species which positively or nega-tively affect the occurrence of other species).

VTCFWRU Although management for one or more of these species is widely believed to enhance biodiversity, these concepts have not been critically evaluated, particularly in northern forests. This study will use an existing “biodiversity dataset,” consisting of 36,000 bird records, 7,000 amphibian/reptile records, 200 carnivore records, and several thousand invertebrate records that were collected at over 700 stations across Vermont. We will use powerful, new analytical approaches to directly assess whether management for putative umbrella and indicator species will actually enhance biodiversity, and we will develop new ap-proaches to identify keystone species. Once species are identi-fied, we will simulate various forest harvesting regimes and evaluate the hypothetical revenues returned, and how umbrella, keystone, and indicator species will respond to management efforts. The results of this study will assess trade-offs between revenue and biodiversity management. General, guiding princi-ples will be disseminated to land managers. Project Status: Ongoing.

Two starkly contrasted images of Vermont. A black bear in its native habitat juxtopposed to the increasingly fragmented

landscape of Vermont.


Peer-Reviewed Publications

Beauchamp, D., D.L. Parrish, Roy A. Whaley. 2008. Coldwater Fish Large Standing Waters. In Freshwater fisheries standard sampling. Editors S. Bonar, W. Hubert, and D. Willis. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD. In press

Bonter, D. N., T. M. Donovan, and E. W. Brooks. 2007. Daily mass changes in landbirds during migration stopover on the south shore

of Lake Ontario. Auk 124:122-133. Donovan, T. M., J. Buzas, P. W. Jones, H. L. Gibbs. 2006. Tracking dispersal in birds: assessing the potential of elemental markers.

Auk 123:1-12. Duerr, A., D. E. Capen, and T. M. Donovan. 2007. Wildlife management increases breeding dispersal in double-crested cormorants.

Journal of Wildlife Management 71:2565-2574. Long, R. A., T. M. Donovan, P. MacKay, W. J. Zielinski, and J. S. Buzas. 2007. Effectiveness of scat detection dogs for detecting forest

carnivores. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:2007-2017. Long, R. A., T. M. Donovan, P. MacKay, W. J. Zielinski, and J. S. Buzas. 2007. Comparing scat detection dogs, cameras, and hair snares

for surveying carnivores. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:2018-2025. Mather, M.E., D.L. Parrish, C.A. Campbell, J.R. McMenemy, and J.M. Smith. 2008. Summer temperature variation and implications for

juvenile Atlantic salmon. Hydrobiologia : In press. McKenny, H., W. S. Keeton, and T. M. Donovan. 2006. The effects of structure-based forestry on red-backed salamander (Plethodon

cinereus) populations in northern hardwood forests. Forest Ecology and Management 230:186-196. Mitchell, B R., and T. M. Donovan. 2008. Mob mentality: the effect of a mobbing tape on detections during point count surveys.

Open Ornithology Journal: In press. Noa, L., D. H. Hirth, T. M. Donovan, and D. Cimprich. 2007. Demographic differences of black-capped vireos in two habitat types in

central Texas. Journal of Wildlife Management 71:1042-1049. Parker Stetter, S.L., L.G. Rudstam, J.L. Stritzel Thomson, D.L. Parrish, and P.J. Sullivan. 2007. Assessing the importance and predict-

ability of cannibalism in rainbow smelt. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 136: 227-237. Parker Stetter, S.L., L.G. Rudstam, J.L. Stritzel Thomson, D.L. Parrish. 2006. Hydroacoustic separation of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mor-

dax) age groups in Lake Champlain. Fisheries Research 82:176-185. Perlut, N., C. Freeman-Gallant, A. M. Strong, T. M. Donovan, C. W. Kilpatrick, and N. J. Zalik. 2008. Agricultural management affects

evolutionary processes in a migratory songbird. Molecular Ecology 17:1248-1255. Perlut N. G., A. M. Strong, T. M. Donovan, and N. J. Buckley. 2006. Grassland songbirds in a dynamic management landscape: behav-

ioral responses and management strategies. Ecological Applications 16:2235-2247. Smith, K.W., W. S. Keeton, T. M. Donovan, and B. Mitchell. 2008. Stand-level forest structure in avian habitat: scale dependencies in

predicting occurrences in a heterogeneous forest. Forest Science 54:36-46. Watrous, K. S., T. M. Donovan, R. Mickey, S. R. Darling, A. Hicks, and S. Von Oettengen. 2006. Predicting and mapping the minimum

habitat requirements of the Indiana Bat in the Champlain Valley. Journal of Wildlife Management 70:1228-1237. Winter, M., D. H. Johnson, Jill A. Shaffer, T. M. Donovan, and W. D. Svedarsky. 2006. How consistent are the effects of patch size

and landscape composition on density and nest success of grassland birds. Journal of Wildlife Management 70:158-172.

VTCFWRU

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS: Donovan, T.M. 2005. The VTCFWRU Spreadsheet Project. http://www.uvm.edu/envnr/vtcfwru/spreadsheets.html Peer-reviewed

spreadsheet, MARK, and PRESENCE exercises that focus on a variety of parameter estimation problems. TECHNICAL REPORTS: Donovan, T. 2006. Effects of habitat fragmentation on bird species richness in the continental U.S. Final Report Research Work Order

32. NASA, Washington, D.C. Donovan, T. M. 2006. Identifying the effects of scale on population dynamics in birds: An individually-based approach. Final Report.

National Science Foundation Grant No. 0344369, Washington, D.C. Donovan, T. M. 2006. Towards a theory of landscape effects on population dynamics in birds. Final Report. The National Science

Foundation Grant No. 0108875, Washington D.C. Donovan, T. M., and A. Duerr. 2007. Influence of egg oiling on the metapopulation dynamics of double-crested cormorants. Final Re-

port. Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Waterbury, VT. Donovan, T. M., and K. Cornell. 2007. Relationships between forest bird abundance and nesting productivity in Vermont. Final Report.

Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Waterbury, VT. Omland, K.S., and D.L. Parrish. 2007. Population modeling for Batten Kill trout. Final Report. U.S. Forest Service, Green Mountain

National Forest, Rutland, VT.

Strong, A., T. M. Donovan, A. Troy, N. Buckley, and S. Bosworth. 2007. Hayfields as sustainable habitat for grassland bird popula-tions: ecological and economic impacts of "bird-friendly" hay, Final Report. USDA/Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, Washington, D.C.

Strong, A. M., T. M. Donovan, and N. Perlut. 2007. Viability of grassland bird populations in a managed landscape. Final Report. Na-

tional Resources Conservation Service, Washington, D.C.

Scholarly Activities


DISSERTATIONS AND THESIS: Cornell, Kerri. 2007. Scale-dependent mechanisms of habitat selection and demography for a forest songbird in a heterogeneous land-

scape. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT. Advisor: Therese M. Donovan

Duerr, Adam. 2007. Population dynamics, foraging ecology, and optimal management of double-crested cormorants on Lake Champlain. Ph.D. Dissertation. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT. Advisor: Therese M. Donovan

Eisenhower, Marc. 2008. Double-crested cormorant and fish interactions in a littoral basin of Lake Champlain. Master’s thesis. Univer-sity of Vermont, Burlington, VT. Advisor: Donna L. Parrish.

Perlut, Noah. 2007. Effects of hayfield management on grassland songbirds: behavioral responses and population processes. Ph.D. Dis-sertation. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT. Advisors: Therese M. Donovan and Allan Strong.

HONORS AND AWARDS: Noah Perlut (Ph.D. student, advisors: Terri Donovan and Allan Strong) received the 2006 and 2007 Rubenstein School Outstanding Graduate Student (Ph.D.) Research Award. Kristen Watrous (M.S. student, advisor: Terri Donovan) received the 2006 Rubenstein School Outstanding Graduate Student (M.S.) Re-search Award. Paul W. Simonin (MS student, advisor: Donna Parrish) received a 2008 New England Outdoor Writers Association scholarship. These scholarships are awarded to students who best demonstrate creativity, commitment and an ability to communicate their enthusiasm and knowledge about the outdoors. Paul’s thesis work with Donna Parrish and project co-PIs (Lars Rudstam and Patrick Sullivan, Cornell University, and Bernie Pientka, Vermont Fish and Wildlife) addresses the interactions of rainbow smelt and alewife in Lake Champlain. Donna Parrish completed her two-year term as President of the Education Section of the American Fisheries Society in September 2007.

Scholarly Activities

VTCFWRU

Presentations

Capen, D., E., A. E. Duerr, C. Maisonneuve, T. M. Donovan, and G. Cabana. Research and monitoring of DCCO populations on Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence River: Lessons for man-agement. 50th Annual Conference International Association for Great Lakes Research, University Park, PA; 28 May – 1 June 2007.

Cornell, K., and T. M. Donovan. Land-

scape-scale patterns of demography in black-throated blue warblers in Vermont. 62nd Northeast Fish and Wildlife Annual Conference, Burling-ton, VT; 23-26 April 2006.

Cornell, K. L., and T. M. Donovan. Deter minants of territory occupancy of a forest songbird in a fragmented land scape: are conspecific cues indicators of quality? IV North American Orni thological Conference, Veracruz, Mexico; 3-7 October 2006. Duerr, A, D. E. Capen, and T. M. Dono-

van. Diet, foraging, distribution, and energy requirements of cormorants on Lake Champlain. 62nd Northeast Fish and Wildlife Annual Conference, Burlington, VT; 23-26 April 2006.

Duerr, A.E., D. E. Capen, T. M. Donovan, and C. Maisonneuve, Decision-analysis modeling to evaluate man-agement options for double-crested cormorants in the Northeast. 14th Annual Wildlife Society Conference, Tucson, AZ; 22 September 2007.

Duerr, A. E., B. Strickland, D. E. Capen, T. M. Donovan and G. Nohrenberg. Effects of capture, color-banding, and radio transmitters on survival and colony fidelity of double-crested cormorants on Lake Champlain. 50th Annual Conference International Association for Great Lakes Re-search, University Park, PA; 28 May – 1 June 2007.

Duerr, A., E., K. Stromborg, C. Weseloh, D. Capen and T. Donovan. Survival of Double-crested Cormorants and philopatry to natal colonies on Lake Michigan Ontario and Champlain. 50th Annual Conference International Association for Great Lakes Re-search, University Park, PA; 28 May – 1 June 2007.

Hitchcock, D.J., M. R. Harrington, and D.L.

Parrish. Sea lamprey sex phero-mone experiments: using males to attract females into traps. 136th An-nual Meeting of the American Fish-eries Society, Lake Placid, NY, 10-14 September 2006. (Invited sympo-sium presentation.)

Long, R.A., T. M. Donovan, P. MacKay,

W.J. Zielinski, and J.S. Buzas. Com-parison of noninvasive survey tech-niques: forest carnivores in Vermont. 2006 Annual Conference of the Western Section of the Wildlife Soci-ety Pre-conference Symposium: Fisher and Marten in California: Moving Science and Management Forward. Sacramento, California; 8-10 February 2006. (Poster)

Long, R., T. M. Donovan, P. MacKay, W.

J. Zielinski, and J. S. Buzas. Predict-ing carnivore occurrence with data collected via multiple non-invasive methods. 62nd The Northeast Fish and Wildlife Annual Conference, Burlington, VT; 23-26 April 2006.

Long, R.A., T.M. Donovan, P. MacKay,

W.J. Zielinski, and J.S. Buzas. Pre-dicting carnivore occurrence with data collected via multiple, noninva-sive methods. Defenders of Wild-life’s Carnivores 2006: Habitats, chal-lenges, and opportunities. St. Peters-burg, Florida; 14-17 November 2006.

Marschall, E.A., M.E. Mather, D.L. Parrish,

and G.W. Allison. River discharge, river temperature, dams, and the timing of downstream migration of Atlantic salmon smolts: a modeling approach. 137th Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society, San Francisco, CA, 2-6 September 2007. (Invited symposium presentation.)

Perlut, N., A. M. Strong, T. M. Donovan,

and N. J. Buckley. Hayfields of the Champlain Valley: An ecological trap for grassland nesting songbirds? 62nd Northeast Fish and Wildlife Annual Conference, Burlington, VT; 23-26 April 2006.

Perlut, N. G., C. R. Freeman-Gallant, A. M.

Strong, T. M. Donovan, and C. W. Kilpatrick. The evolutionary impacts of hayfield management on a song-bird’s social and genetic mating sys-tem. Animal Behavior Society Annual Meeting, Snowbird, UT; 12-16 Au-gust 2006.


Presentations

Perlut, N., C. Freeman-Gallant, A. Strong, T. Donovan, and C. Kilpatrick. The impacts of hayfield management on a songbirds’ social and genetic mating system. 4th North American Orni-thological Conference, Veracruz, Mexico; 3-7 October 2006. (Poster)

Strong, A., T. Donovan, N. Perlut, and N. Buckley. When good birds select bad habitat: grassland birds in an agricul tural landscape. 4th North American Ornithological Conference, Veracruz, Mexico; 3-7 October 2006 (Poster)

Vermont Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit

2006-2008 Biennial Report - University of Vermont biennial report.pdf · Synopsis: Brown trout...

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Transcript of 2006-2008 Biennial Report - University of Vermont biennial report.pdf · Synopsis: Brown trout...