USGS Joins Invasive Species Experts at High-Profile Meeting
Invasive
species such as West Nile virus, zebra mussels, and Asian carp
have the potential to seriously affect human health
and the ecology of terrestrial and aquatic systems. USGS scientist
Cindy Kolar will join other leading invasive species experts
at the 55th annual meeting of the American Institute of Biological
Sciences in Washington, DC, March 16-18. At the meeting, which
will focus on searching for solutions for invasive species, Kolar
will co-lead discussion groups on “Education and Invasive
Species” and “Freshwater and Marine Invasions,” and
will present a platform presentation on “Vertebrate Invaders.”
Cindy
Kolar, La Crosse, WI, 608.781.6223, ckolar@usgs.gov
USGS Delivers Review of Integrated Pest Management Options to
Bureau of Reclamation
As part of an effort to protect native
southwestern fish species, Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) staff
identified the need to assess management techniques for controlling
invasive aquatic fishes in the southwest. In response, BOR requested
that the USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center develop
a document outlining possible measures for an integrated pest
management (IPM) program to control invasive fish species in
certain waters in the southwest United States. Of particular
interest to BOR was the possibility of developing pesticides
that are selective for specific groups of fish species for use
within an IPM program. The recently completed report draws on
the broad breadth of USGS experience with the Great Lakes Fishery
Commission Sea Lamprey Control Program in consolidating practices
and procedures applicable to BOR invasive fishes issues in the
southwest.
Bill Gingerich, La Crossse, WI, 608.781.6225, bgingerich@usgs.gov
Forest birds raise young in large and small forests
USGS scientist
Melinda Knutson reported that birds nesting in larger forests
had similar nesting success to birds nesting in smaller forests
in an agricultural region of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
These results contrast with a number of previous studies indicating
that birds have lower nest success in small forests. Knutson's
research team concluded that forest size may not be a strong
indicator of nest success in landscapes such as the team's study
area, where all the available forests are fragmented. The research,
recently published in Condor, will help Federal and state land
managers in agricultural regions plan conservation strategies
for forest birds.
Melinda Knutson, La Crosse, WI, 608.781.6339,
mknutson@usgs.gov
USGS reports on captive loons exposed to methylmercury
USGS
scientist Kevin Kenow will be presenting "Assessing the
effects of methylmercury (MeHg ) exposure on the behavior of
captive-reared common loon chicks" at a regional meeting
of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry March
5 in La Crosse, Wisc. Kenow will report that he found no convincing
evidence of behavioral differences among chicks receiving different
levels of dietary MeHg. Kenow’s study did, however, detect
behavioral differences in the chicks according to the source
of the eggs (from nests on low pH vs neutral pH lakes). Lake-source
effects suggest that egg exposure to MeHg or other factors related
to lake pH have consequences on chick development and fitness.
This research points to the importance of considering in ovo
effects when assessing the risk that mercury exposure poses to
wildlife.
Kevin Kenow, La Crosse, WI, 608.781.6278, kkenow@usgs.gov
