50 CFR 21.44 - Depredation order for horned larks, house finches, and white-crowned sparrows in California.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... finches, and white-crowned sparrows in California. 21.44 Section 21.44 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED... larks, house finches, and white-crowned sparrows in California. Horned larks (Eremophila alpestris), house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus), and white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) may be taken...

50 CFR 17.50 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 1. The ABC sparrow is Endangered wildlife. The ABD sparrow is a subspecies that is so similar to the ABC sparrow that when found outside their normal habitat, the two cannot readily be distinguished by law enforcement personnel. The ABD sparrow is listed in § 17.11, after following the proper procedures...

78 FR 17996 - MCM Rail Services LLC-Petition for Retroactive Exemption-In Sparrows Point, Md.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-25

... LLC--Petition for Retroactive Exemption--In Sparrows Point, Md. AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board... of rail line in Sparrows Point, Md. (the Line). DATES: MCM's supplemental information is due by April... Railroad, and currently named the Baltimore Industrial Railway, is located at 1430 Sparrows Point Boulevard...

House Sparrows Do Not Constitute a Significant Salmonella Typhimurium Reservoir across Urban Gradients in Flanders, Belgium

PubMed Central

Rouffaer, Lieze Oscar; Lens, Luc; Haesendonck, Roel; Teyssier, Aimeric; Hudin, Noraine Salleh; Strubbe, Diederik; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Pasmans, Frank; Martel, An

2016-01-01

In recent decades major declines in urban house sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations have been observed in north-western European cities, whereas suburban and rural house sparrow populations have remained relatively stable or are recovering from previous declines. Differential exposure to avian pathogens known to cause epidemics in house sparrows may in part explain this spatial pattern of declines. Here we investigate the potential effect of urbanization on the development of a bacterial pathogen reservoir in free-ranging house sparrows. This was achieved by comparing the prevalence of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhimurium in 364 apparently healthy house sparrows captured in urban, suburban and rural regions across Flanders, Belgium between September 2013 and March 2014. In addition 12 dead birds, received from bird rescue centers, were necropsied. The apparent absence of Salmonella Typhimurium in fecal samples of healthy birds, and the identification of only one house sparrow seropositive for Salmonella spp., suggests that during the winter of 2013–2014 these birds did not represent any considerable Salmonella Typhimurium reservoir in Belgium and thus may be considered naïve hosts, susceptible to clinical infection. This susceptibility is demonstrated by the isolation of two different Salmonella Typhimurium strains from two of the deceased house sparrows: one DT99, typically associated with disease in pigeons, and one DT195, previously associated with a passerine decline. The apparent absence (prevalence: <1.3%) of a reservoir in healthy house sparrows and the association of infection with clinical disease suggests that the impact of Salmonella Typhimurium on house sparrows is largely driven by the risk of exogenous exposure to pathogenic Salmonella Typhimurium strains. However, no inference could be made on a causal relationship between Salmonella infection and the observed house sparrow population declines. PMID:27168186

House Sparrows Do Not Constitute a Significant Salmonella Typhimurium Reservoir across Urban Gradients in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

Rouffaer, Lieze Oscar; Lens, Luc; Haesendonck, Roel; Teyssier, Aimeric; Hudin, Noraine Salleh; Strubbe, Diederik; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Pasmans, Frank; Martel, An

2016-01-01

In recent decades major declines in urban house sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations have been observed in north-western European cities, whereas suburban and rural house sparrow populations have remained relatively stable or are recovering from previous declines. Differential exposure to avian pathogens known to cause epidemics in house sparrows may in part explain this spatial pattern of declines. Here we investigate the potential effect of urbanization on the development of a bacterial pathogen reservoir in free-ranging house sparrows. This was achieved by comparing the prevalence of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serotype Typhimurium in 364 apparently healthy house sparrows captured in urban, suburban and rural regions across Flanders, Belgium between September 2013 and March 2014. In addition 12 dead birds, received from bird rescue centers, were necropsied. The apparent absence of Salmonella Typhimurium in fecal samples of healthy birds, and the identification of only one house sparrow seropositive for Salmonella spp., suggests that during the winter of 2013-2014 these birds did not represent any considerable Salmonella Typhimurium reservoir in Belgium and thus may be considered naïve hosts, susceptible to clinical infection. This susceptibility is demonstrated by the isolation of two different Salmonella Typhimurium strains from two of the deceased house sparrows: one DT99, typically associated with disease in pigeons, and one DT195, previously associated with a passerine decline. The apparent absence (prevalence: <1.3%) of a reservoir in healthy house sparrows and the association of infection with clinical disease suggests that the impact of Salmonella Typhimurium on house sparrows is largely driven by the risk of exogenous exposure to pathogenic Salmonella Typhimurium strains. However, no inference could be made on a causal relationship between Salmonella infection and the observed house sparrow population declines.

Evidence for Mito-Nuclear and Sex-Linked Reproductive Barriers between the Hybrid Italian Sparrow and Its Parent Species

PubMed Central

Sætre, Glenn-Peter; Bailey, Richard I.

2014-01-01

Studies of reproductive isolation between homoploid hybrid species and their parent species have rarely been carried out. Here we investigate reproductive barriers between a recently recognized hybrid bird species, the Italian sparrow Passer italiae and its parent species, the house sparrow P. domesticus and Spanish sparrow P. hispaniolensis. Reproductive barriers can be difficult to study in hybrid species due to lack of geographical contact between taxa. However, the Italian sparrow lives parapatrically with the house sparrow and both sympatrically and parapatrically with the Spanish sparrow. Through whole-transcriptome sequencing of six individuals of each of the two parent species we identified a set of putatively parent species-diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. After filtering for coverage, genotyping success (>97%) and multiple SNPs per gene, we retained 86 species-informative, genic, nuclear and mitochondrial SNP markers from 84 genes for analysis of 612 male individuals. We show that a disproportionately large number of sex-linked genes, as well as the mitochondria and nuclear genes with mitochondrial function, exhibit sharp clines at the boundaries between the hybrid and the parent species, suggesting a role for mito-nuclear and sex-linked incompatibilities in forming reproductive barriers. We suggest that genomic conflict via interactions between mitochondria and sex-linked genes with mitochondrial function (“mother's curse”) at one boundary and centromeric drive at the other may best explain our findings. Hybrid speciation in the Italian sparrow may therefore be influenced by mechanisms similar to those involved in non-hybrid speciation, but with the formation of two geographically separated species boundaries instead of one. Spanish sparrow alleles at some loci have spread north to form reproductive barriers with house sparrows, while house sparrow alleles at different loci, including some on the same chromosome, have spread in the opposite direction to form barriers against Spanish sparrows. PMID:24415954

Section 3. The SPARROW Surface Water-Quality Model: Theory, Application and User Documentation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schwarz, G.E.; Hoos, A.B.; Alexander, R.B.; Smith, R.A.

2006-01-01

SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) is a watershed modeling technique for relating water-quality measurements made at a network of monitoring stations to attributes of the watersheds containing the stations. The core of the model consists of a nonlinear regression equation describing the non-conservative transport of contaminants from point and diffuse sources on land to rivers and through the stream and river network. The model predicts contaminant flux, concentration, and yield in streams and has been used to evaluate alternative hypotheses about the important contaminant sources and watershed properties that control transport over large spatial scales. This report provides documentation for the SPARROW modeling technique and computer software to guide users in constructing and applying basic SPARROW models. The documentation gives details of the SPARROW software, including the input data and installation requirements, and guidance in the specification, calibration, and application of basic SPARROW models, as well as descriptions of the model output and its interpretation. The documentation is intended for both researchers and water-resource managers with interest in using the results of existing models and developing and applying new SPARROW models. The documentation of the model is presented in two parts. Part 1 provides a theoretical and practical introduction to SPARROW modeling techniques, which includes a discussion of the objectives, conceptual attributes, and model infrastructure of SPARROW. Part 1 also includes background on the commonly used model specifications and the methods for estimating and evaluating parameters, evaluating model fit, and generating water-quality predictions and measures of uncertainty. Part 2 provides a user's guide to SPARROW, which includes a discussion of the software architecture and details of the model input requirements and output files, graphs, and maps. The text documentation and computer software are available on the Web at http://usgs.er.gov/sparrow/sparrow-mod/.

Environmental Impact Statement, Auxiliary Airfield for Williams Air Force Base, Arizona

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

Amphispiza bilineata Black - throated sparrow Archilochus alexandri Black -chinned hummingbird Auriparus flavipes Verdin Bubo virginianus Great horned owl...breweri Brewer’s sparrow Spizella passerina Chipping sparrow Steilgidopteryx ruficollis Rough-winged swallow Sturnella sp. Meadowlark Sturnus vulgaris...gray gnatcatcher Polioptila melanura Black -tailed gnatcatcher Pooecetus gramineus Vesper sparrow Pyrrhuloxia sinuata Pyrrhuloxia Regulus calendula Ruby

Assessing the role of conspecific attraction in habitat restoration for Henslow's sparrows in Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vogel, Jennifer A.; Koford, Rolf R.; Otis, David L.

2011-01-01

The presence of conspecific individuals may provide important cues about habitat quality for territorial songbirds. We tested the ability of a conspecific song playback system to attract Henslow’s sparrows to previously unoccupied restored habitat. We successfully attracted Heslow’s sparrows to 3 of 7 treatment plots using conspecific song playbacks and we found no Henslow’s sparrows in control plots. The addition of social cues using playback systems in restored grassland habitats may aid conservation efforts of Henslow’s sparrows to available habitat.

MX Siting Investigation. DTN/OBTS Field Surveys. Volume III. Biological Resources Nevada and Utah.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-30

Black - throated sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) X X X REPTILES Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizi) X X Zebra-tailed...observed on the greatest number of sites was the black - throated sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata). The reptile most frequently observed was the side-blotched...Poliopt~ila caerula Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus Black - throated sparrow Amphispiza bilineata Unidentified sparrow Unidentified buteo REPTILES

SPARROW MODELING - Enhancing Understanding of the Nation's Water Quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, Stephen D.; Alexander, Richard B.; Woodside, Michael D.; Hamilton, Pixie A.

2009-01-01

The information provided here is intended to assist water-resources managers with interpretation of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) SPARROW model and its products. SPARROW models can be used to explain spatial patterns in monitored stream-water quality in relation to human activities and natural processes as defined by detailed geospatial information. Previous SPARROW applications have identified the sources and transport of nutrients in the Mississippi River basin, Chesapeake Bay watershed, and other major drainages of the United States. New SPARROW models with improved accuracy and interpretability are now being developed by the USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program for six major regions of the conterminous United States. These new SPARROW models are based on updated geospatial data and stream-monitoring records from local, State, and other federal agencies.

First evidence of conspecific brood parasitism in song sparrows with comments on methods sufficient to document this behavior

Treesearch

Quresh S. Latif; J. Letitia Grenier; Sacha K. Heath; Grant Ballard; Mark E. Hauber

2006-01-01

Conspecific brood parasitism occurs in many songbird species but has not been reported in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia). In three separate study areas where breeding Song Sparrows experience heavy nest predation pressure and Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism, we observed six instances in which newly laid eggs were attributable to female Song Sparrows...

Advanced Monitoring of Migratory Birds on Military Lands

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

BRSP Brewer‟s Sparrow BTSP Black - throated Sparrow BLGR Blue Grosbeak CAKI Cassin‟s Kingbird CONI Common Nighthawk EAME Eastern...Fuller et al. 1998). This approach has been used for many species, ranging from Black - throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata, Pidgeon et al 2003) to...lightest yellow indicates a predicted abundance of zero. Species acronym key: BTSP Black - throated Sparrow ; EAME Eastern Meadowlark; WEKI Western

A Survey of Avian Influenza in Tree Sparrows in China in 2011

PubMed Central

Han, Chunhua; Liu, Shuo; Chen, Jie; Li, Jinping; Zhang, Peng; Huang, Baoxu; Liu, Yuehuan; Chen, Jiming

2012-01-01

Tree sparrows (Passer montanus) are widely distributed in all seasons in many countries. In this study, a survey and relevant experiments on avian influenza (AI) in tree sparrows were conducted. The results suggested that the receptor for avian influenza viruses (AIVs), SAα2,3Gal, is abundant in the respiratory tract of tree sparrows, and most of the tree sparrows infected experimentally with two H5 subtype highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses died within five days after inoculation. Furthermore, no AIVs were isolated from the rectum eluate of 1300 tree sparrows, but 94 serological positives of AI were found in 800 tree sparrows. The serological positives were more prevalent for H5 subtype HPAI (94/800) than for H7 subtype AI (0/800), more prevalent for clade 2.3.2.1 H5 subtype HPAI (89/800) than for clade 2.3.4 (1/800) and clade 7.2 (4/800) H5 subtype HPAI, more prevalent for clade 2.3.2.1 H5 subtype HPAI in a city in southern China (82/800) than in a city in northern China (8/800). The serological data are all consistent with the distribution of the subtypes or clades of AI in poultry in China. Previously, sparrows or other passerine birds were often found to be pathogenically negative for AIVs, except when an AIV was circulating in the local poultry, or the tested passerine birds were from a region near waterfowl-rich bodies of water. Taken together, the data suggest that tree sparrows are susceptible to infection of AIVs, and surveys targeting sparrows can provide good serological data about the circulation of AIVs in relevant regions. PMID:22496742

Diffuse migratory connectivity in two species of shrubland birds: evidence from stable isotopes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knick, Steven T.; Leu, Matthias; Rotenberry, John T.; Hanser, Steven E.; Fesenmyer, Kurt

2014-01-01

Connecting seasonal ranges of migratory birds is important for understanding the annual template of stressors that influence their populations. Brewer’s sparrows (Spizella breweri) and sagebrush sparrows (Artemisiospiza nevadensis) share similar sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats for breeding but have different population trends that might be related to winter location. To link breeding and winter ranges, we created isoscapes of deuterium [stable isotope ratio (δ) of deuterium; δ2H] and nitrogen (δ15N) for each species modeled from isotope ratios measured in feathers of 264 Brewer’s and 82 sagebrush sparrows and environmental characteristics at capture locations across their breeding range. We then used feather δ2Hf and δ15Nf measured in 1,029 Brewer’s and 527 sagebrush sparrows captured on winter locations in southwestern United States to assign probable breeding ranges. Intraspecies population mixing from across the breeding range was strong for both Brewer’s and sagebrush sparrows on winter ranges. Brewer’s sparrows but not sagebrush sparrows were linked to more northerly breeding locations in the eastern part of their winter range. Winter location was not related to breeding population trends estimated from US Geological Survey Breeding Bird Survey routes for either Brewer’s or sagebrush sparrows. Primary drivers of population dynamics are likely independent for each species; Brewer’s and sagebrush sparrows captured at the same winter location did not share predicted breeding locations or population trends. The diffuse migratory connectivity displayed by Brewer’s and sagebrush sparrows measured at the coarse spatial resolution in our analysis also suggests that local environments rather than broad regional characteristics are primary drivers of annual population trends.

Analysis of the habitat of Henslow's sparrows and Grasshopper sparrows compared to random grassland areas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maier, Kristen; Walton, Rod; Kasper, Peter

2005-01-01

Henslow's Sparrows are endangered prairie birds, and Grasshopper Sparrows are considered rare prairie birds. Both of these birds were abundant in Illinois, but their populations have been declining due to loss of the grasslands. This begins an ongoing study of the birds habitat so Fermilab can develop a land management plan for the Henslow's and Grasshoppers. The Henslow's were found at ten sites and Grasshoppers at eight sites. Once the birds were located, the vegetation at their sites was studied. Measurements of the maximum plant height, average plant height, and duff height were taken and estimates of the percent ofmore » grass, forbs, duff, and bare ground were recorded for each square meter studied. The same measurements were taken at ten random grassland sites on Fermilab property. Several t-tests were performed on the data, and it was found that both Henslow's Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows preferred areas with a larger percentage of grass than random areas. Henslow's also preferred areas with less bare ground than random areas, while Grasshoppers preferred areas with more bare ground than random areas. In addition, Grasshopper Sparrows preferred a lower percentage of forbs than was found in random areas and a shorter average plant height than the random locations. Two-sample variance tests suggested significantly less variance for both Henslow's Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows for maximum plant height in comparison to the random sites. For both birds, the test suggested a significant difference in the variance of the percentage of bare ground compared to random sites, but only the Grasshopper Sparrow showed significance in the variation in the percentage of forbs.« less

Analysis of the Habitat of Henslow's Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows Compared to Random Grassland Areas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maier, K.; Walton, R.; Kasper, P.

2006-01-01

ABSTRAC T Henslow’s Sparrows are endangered prairie birds, and Grasshopper Sparrows are considered rare prairie birds. Both of these birds were abundant in Illinois, but their populations have been declining due to loss of the grasslands. This begins an ongoing study of the birds’ habitat so Fermilab can develop a land management plan for the Henslow’s and Grasshoppers. The Henslow’s were found at ten sites and Grasshoppers at eight sites. Once the birds were located, the vegetation at their sites was studied. Measurements of the maximum plant height, average plant height, and duff height were taken and estimates of themore » percent of grass, forbs, duff, and bare ground were recorded for each square meter studied. The same measurements were taken at ten random grassland sites on Fermilab property. Several t-tests were performed on the data, and it was found that both Henslow’s Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows preferred areas with a larger percentage of grass than random areas. Henslow’s also preferred areas with less bare ground than random areas, while Grasshoppers preferred areas with more bare ground than random areas. In addition, Grasshopper Sparrows preferred a lower percentage of forbs than was found in random areas and a shorter average plant height than the random locations. Two-sample variance tests suggested significantly less variance for both Henslow’s Sparrows and Grasshopper Sparrows for maximum plant height in comparison to the random sites.« less

Demographic consequences of invasion by a native, controphic competitor to an insular bird population.

PubMed

Johnson, K M; Germain, R R; Tarwater, C E; Reid, J M; Arcese, P

2018-05-01

Species invasions and range shifts can lead to novel competitive interactions between historically resident and colonizing species, but the demographic consequences of such interactions remain controversial. We present results from field experiments and 45 years of demographic monitoring to test the hypothesis that the colonization of Mandarte Is., BC, Canada, by fox sparrows (Passerella iliaca) caused the long-term decline of the resident population of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Several lines of evidence indicate that competition with fox sparrows for winter food reduced over-winter survival in juvenile song sparrows by 48% from 1960 to 2015, enforcing population decline despite an increase in annual reproductive rate in song sparrows over the same period. Preference for locally abundant seeds presented at experimental arenas suggested complete overlap in diet in song and fox sparrows, and observations at arenas baited with commercial seed showed that fox sparrows displaced song sparrows in 91-100% of interactions in two periods during winter. In contrast, we found no evidence of interspecific competition for resources during the breeding season. Our results indicate that in the absence of marked shifts in niche dimension, range expansions by dominant competitors have the potential to cause the extirpation of historically resident species when competitive interactions between them are strong and resources not equitably partitioned.

Mercury in swamp sparrows (Melospiza georgiana) from wetland habitats in Wisconsin.

PubMed

Strom, Sean M; Brady, Ryan S

2011-10-01

Wetlands play a major role in the export of methylmercury (MeHg) to a watershed. The large contribution of wetlands to watersheds in northern Wisconsin, coupled with the acidic environment of this area, makes these habitats especially vulnerable to mercury (Hg) accumulation by biota. The purpose of this study was to compare Hg accumulation between northern Wisconsin wetlands and southern Wisconsin wetlands using the swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) as a representative species. The swamp sparrow was selected as a representative passerine species in which to examine Hg in these habitats, because during their breeding season, they feed at a higher trophic level than many of their counterparts. During the breeding seasons of 2007 and 2008, blood samples were collected from swamp sparrows inhabiting wetlands in both northern and southern Wisconsin and analyzed for total Hg. The mean concentration of total Hg in swamp sparrows from northern wetlands was 0.135 ± 0.064 μg/ml while the mean concentration of total Hg in swamp sparrows from southern wetlands was 0.187 ± 0.106 μg/ml. Results revealed no significant difference (P = 0.17) between Hg accumulation in swamp sparrows from less-acidic wetlands in southern Wisconsin and Hg in swamp sparrows from acidic wetlands in northern Wisconsin. The results are contrary to those observed in other species such as common loon, tree swallow and river otter where higher accumulation has been observed in individuals from acidic habitats. Reasons for the lack of this accumulation pattern in swamp sparrows are unclear and warrant further study.

Effects of urbanization on host-pathogen interactions, using Yersinia in house sparrows as a model.

PubMed

Rouffaer, Lieze Oscar; Strubbe, Diederik; Teyssier, Aimeric; Salleh Hudin, Noraine; Van den Abeele, Anne-Marie; Cox, Ivo; Haesendonck, Roel; Delmée, Michel; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Pasmans, Frank; Lens, Luc; Martel, An

2017-01-01

Urbanization strongly affects biodiversity, altering natural communities and often leading to a reduced species richness. Yet, despite its increasingly recognized importance, how urbanization impacts on the health of individual animals, wildlife populations and on disease ecology remains poorly understood. To test whether, and how, urbanization-driven ecosystem alterations influence pathogen dynamics and avian health, we use house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Yersinia spp. (pathogenic for passerines) as a case study. Sparrows are granivorous urban exploiters, whose western European populations have declined over the past decades, especially in highly urbanized areas. We sampled 329 house sparrows originating from 36 populations along an urbanization gradient across Flanders (Belgium), and used isolation combined with 'matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization- time of flight mass spectrometry' (MALDI-TOF MS) and PCR methods for detecting the presence of different Yersinia species. Yersinia spp. were recovered from 57.43% of the sampled house sparrows, of which 4.06%, 53.30% and 69.54% were identified as Y. pseudotuberculosis, Y. enterocolitica and other Yersinia species, respectively. Presence of Yersinia was related to the degree of urbanization, average daily temperatures and the community of granivorous birds present at sparrow capture locations. Body condition of suburban house sparrows was found to be higher compared to urban and rural house sparrows, but no relationships between sparrows' body condition and presence of Yersinia spp. were found. We conclude that two determinants of pathogen infection dynamics, body condition and pathogen occurrence, vary along an urbanization gradient, potentially mediating the impact of urbanization on avian health.

Expression and phylogenetic analyses reveal paralogous lineages of putatively classical and non-classical MHC-I genes in three sparrow species (Passer).

PubMed

Drews, Anna; Strandh, Maria; Råberg, Lars; Westerdahl, Helena

2017-06-26

The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) plays a central role in immunity and has been given considerable attention by evolutionary ecologists due to its associations with fitness-related traits. Songbirds have unusually high numbers of MHC class I (MHC-I) genes, but it is not known whether all are expressed and equally important for immune function. Classical MHC-I genes are highly expressed, polymorphic and present peptides to T-cells whereas non-classical MHC-I genes have lower expression, are more monomorphic and do not present peptides to T-cells. To get a better understanding of the highly duplicated MHC genes in songbirds, we studied gene expression in a phylogenetic framework in three species of sparrows (house sparrow, tree sparrow and Spanish sparrow), using high-throughput sequencing. We hypothesize that sparrows could have classical and non-classical genes, as previously indicated though never tested using gene expression. The phylogenetic analyses reveal two distinct types of MHC-I alleles among the three sparrow species, one with high and one with low level of polymorphism, thus resembling classical and non-classical genes, respectively. All individuals had both types of alleles, but there was copy number variation both within and among the sparrow species. However, the number of highly polymorphic alleles that were expressed did not vary between species, suggesting that the structural genomic variation is counterbalanced by conserved gene expression. Overall, 50% of the MHC-I alleles were expressed in sparrows. Expression of the highly polymorphic alleles was very variable, whereas the alleles with low polymorphism had uniformly low expression. Interestingly, within an individual only one or two alleles from the polymorphic genes were highly expressed, indicating that only a single copy of these is highly expressed. Taken together, the phylogenetic reconstruction and the analyses of expression suggest that sparrows have both classical and non-classical MHC-I genes, and that the evolutionary origin of these genes predate the split of the three investigated sparrow species 7 million years ago. Because only the classical MHC-I genes are involved in antigen presentation, the function of different MHC-I genes should be considered in future ecological and evolutionary studies of MHC-I in sparrows and other songbirds.

Nests and nest sites of the San Miguel Island Song Sparrow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kern, Michael D.; Sogge, Mark K.; Kern, Robert B.; van Riper, Charles

1993-01-01

Nests and nest sites of the San Miguel Island (SMI) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia micronyx) are described; nests are compared with those of 16 other races of Song Sparrows. Bush lupins (Lupinus albifrons), coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis) and golden bush (Haplopappus venetus) were the shrubs used most commonly as nest sites by Song Sparrows on SMI. As a result of its location, the nest was effectively concealed from gray foxes (Urocyon littoralis), the major predator of this sparrow. Nest and nest site also moderated the combined chilling effects of cool air temperatures and strong northwesterly winds on the eggs and nestlings. Even in the absence of these moderating effects of the nest site, the energetic cost of incubation, estimated at 41-53% of the sparrow's resting metabolic rate, was modest. Twenty-nine percent of the canopy above the nest was open and as much as 73% of the nest cup was in the sun at midday, a time when surface temperatures of foliage, nest and nestlings sometimes exceeded 40 C. Whereas this exposure did not apparently reduce fledging success, it may explain why the incidence of addled eggs was so high in this population of Song Sparrows compared to others. Significant differences existed among races of Song Sparrows in the size, porosity and insulation of the nest. In most cases, these differences were not related to the latitude of the races' nesting areas.

Steroids in house sparrows (Passer domesticus): Effects of POPs and male quality signalling.

PubMed

Nossen, Ida; Ciesielski, Tomasz M; Dimmen, Malene V; Jensen, Henrik; Ringsby, Thor Harald; Polder, Anuschka; Rønning, Bernt; Jenssen, Bjørn M; Styrishave, Bjarne

2016-03-15

At high trophic levels, environmental contaminants have been found to affect endocrinological processes. Less attention has been paid to species at lower trophic levels. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) may be a useful model for investigating effects of POPs in mid-range trophic level species. In male house sparrows, ornamental traits involved in male quality signalling are important for female selection. These traits are governed by endocrinological systems, and POPs may therefore interfere with male quality signalling. The aim of the present study was to use the house sparrow as a mid-range trophic level model species to study the effects of environmental contaminants on endocrinology and male quality signalling. We analysed the levels of selected PCBs, PBDEs and OCPs and investigated the possible effects of these contaminants on circulating levels of steroid hormones (4 progestagens, 4 androgens and 3 estrogens) in male and female adult house sparrows from a population on the island Leka, Norway. Plasma samples were analysed for steroid hormones by GC-MS and liver samples were analysed for environmental contaminants by GC-ECD and GC-MS. In males, we also quantified ornament traits. It was hypothesised that POPs may have endocrine disrupting effects on the local house sparrow population and can thus interfere with the steroid hormone homeostasis. Among female house sparrows, bivariate correlations revealed negative relationships between POPs and estrogens. Among male sparrows, positive relationships between dihydrotestosterone levels and PCBs were observed. In males, positive relationships were also found between steroids and beak length, and between steroids and ornamental traits such as total badge size. This was confirmed by a significant OPLS model between beak length and steroids. Although sparrows are in the mid-range trophic levels, the present study indicates that POPs may affect steroid homeostasis in house sparrows, in particular for females. For males, circulating steroid levels appears to be more associated with biometric parameters related to ornamental traits. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

House sparrows benefit from the conservation of white storks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosicki, Jakub Z.; Sparks, Tim H.; Tryjanowski, Piotr

2007-05-01

As with many farmland bird species, the house sparrow Passer domesticus is declining in Europe, mainly due to intensification of agriculture reducing nest sites and food supplies. During 2002-2005, we studied the population size and nest site characteristics of house sparrows breeding within white stork Ciconia ciconia nests in a large area of agricultural landscape within western Poland. To explain sparrow density within stork nests, we examined characteristics of white stork nests (position, age, productivity) and the farm type around the nest. House sparrow density was greatest in the longest established (and hence larger) white stork nests located on traditionally managed farms. Two recent changes appear to have adverse effects on house sparrows. The first is the intensification of farming and the second is active management of white stork nests on electric poles to reduce nest size and thus avoid both disruption to the electrical supply and electrocution of white storks. Because the white stork has such a high profile in Poland, there are numerous schemes to conserve and enhance this species. In conclusion, we clearly show that protecting one species can have valuable, although unplanned, benefits to another species of conservation interest, the house sparrow.

House sparrows benefit from the conservation of white storks.

PubMed

Kosicki, Jakub Z; Sparks, Tim H; Tryjanowski, Piotr

2007-05-01

As with many farmland bird species, the house sparrow Passer domesticus is declining in Europe, mainly due to intensification of agriculture reducing nest sites and food supplies. During 2002-2005, we studied the population size and nest site characteristics of house sparrows breeding within white stork Ciconia ciconia nests in a large area of agricultural landscape within western Poland. To explain sparrow density within stork nests, we examined characteristics of white stork nests (position, age, productivity) and the farm type around the nest. House sparrow density was greatest in the longest established (and hence larger) white stork nests located on traditionally managed farms. Two recent changes appear to have adverse effects on house sparrows. The first is the intensification of farming and the second is active management of white stork nests on electric poles to reduce nest size and thus avoid both disruption to the electrical supply and electrocution of white storks. Because the white stork has such a high profile in Poland, there are numerous schemes to conserve and enhance this species. In conclusion, we clearly show that protecting one species can have valuable, although unplanned, benefits to another species of conservation interest, the house sparrow.

Ecological Assessment of the Effects of Army Training Activities on a Desert Ecosystem. National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

predators .) Several bird species ( black - throated sparrows , LeConte’s...7.3 7.7 12.5 33 28 23 24 39 Black - throated Sparrow - Amphispiza bilineata 5.0 0.3 6.7 7.7 4.5 16 1 21 24 14 Brewer’s Sparrow - Spizella breweri 6.5 0...identified as sensitive indicators of disturbances. The absence of black - throated sparrows and LeConte’s thrashers * indicate severely degraded habitats.

Nest success of grassland birds in oak barrens and dry prairies in west central Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Susan M. Vos,; Ribic, Christine

2013-01-01

We investigated nesting success of grassland birds on dry prairie and oak barrens patches embedded within a forested matrix on Fort McCoy Military Installation. We monitored 280 nests of 9 grassland-bird species from mid-May to late July 2000–2002. Pooecetes gramineus (Vesper Sparrow) andAmmodramus savannarum (Grasshopper Sparrow) were the most abundant nesting species. Vesper Sparrow nest densities were highest on smaller grassland patches, while Grasshopper Sparrow nest densities were highest on the largest patches. Probability of fledging at least one young was 0.20 for Vesper Sparrow. For Grasshopper Sparrow, daily nest survival was higher for nests placed away from trees; probability of fledging at least one young was 0.28 for nests away from trees and 0.05 for nests near trees. Maintaining remnant native habitats is important, and management of woody features may help improve habitat quality for some grassland birds in Wisconsin.

Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in house sparrow (Passer domesticus) by LAMP and PCR methods in Tehran, Iran.

PubMed

Abdoli, Amir; Dalimi, Abdolhossein; Soltanghoraee, Haleh; Ghaffarifar, Fatemeh

2016-12-01

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most common zoonotic parasitic diseases in human and warm-blooded animals worldwide. Birds are one of important intermediate hosts of T. gondii . The aim of this study is molecular detection of T. gondii in the house sparrow by LAMP and PCR methods in Tehran, Iran. A total 200 sparrows were captured in different regions of Tehran. DNA was extracted from tissue samples of each sparrow. LAMP and conventional PCR assays were carried out with a set of primers to detect the 529 bp fragment of T. gondii . LAMP and PCR were detected T. gondii from 17 (8.5 %) and 15 (7.5 %) of 200 sparrows respectively. These results indicated that sensitivity of LAMP was higher than conventional PCR. In our knowledge, this study is the first report of detection of T. gondii by LAMP method in bird hosts. Also, these findings provided an insight into epidemiological pattern of T. gondii infection in sparrow in Iran.

To flock or fight: Neurochemical signatures of divergent life histories in sparrows

PubMed Central

Goodson, James L.; Wilson, Leah C.; Schrock, Sara E.

2012-01-01

Many bird species exhibit dramatic seasonal switches between territoriality and flocking, but whereas neuroendocrine mechanisms of territorial aggression have been extensively studied, those of seasonal flocking are unknown. We collected brains in spring and winter from male field sparrows (Spizella pusilla), which seasonally flock, and male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia), which are territorial year-round in much of their range. Spring collections were preceded by field-based assessments of aggression. Tissue series were immunofluorescently multilabeled for vasotocin, mesotocin (MT), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, tyrosine hydroxylase, and aromatase, and labeling densities were measured in many socially relevant brain areas. Extensive seasonal differences are shared by both species. Many measures correlate significantly with both individual and species differences in aggression, likely reflecting evolved mechanisms that differentiate the less aggressive field sparrow from the more aggressive song sparrow. Winter-specific species differences include a substantial increase of MT and CRH immunoreactivity in the dorsal lateral septum (LS) and medial amygdala of field sparrows but not song sparrows. These species differences likely relate to flocking rather than the suppression of winter aggression in field sparrows, because similar winter differences were found for two other emberizids that are not territorial in winter—dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), which seasonally flock, and eastern towhees (Pipilo erythropthalmus), which do not flock. MT signaling in the dorsal LS is also associated with year-round species differences in grouping in estrildid finches, suggesting that common mechanisms are targeted during the evolution of different life histories. PMID:22723363

To flock or fight: neurochemical signatures of divergent life histories in sparrows.

PubMed

Goodson, James L; Wilson, Leah C; Schrock, Sara E

2012-06-26

Many bird species exhibit dramatic seasonal switches between territoriality and flocking, but whereas neuroendocrine mechanisms of territorial aggression have been extensively studied, those of seasonal flocking are unknown. We collected brains in spring and winter from male field sparrows (Spizella pusilla), which seasonally flock, and male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia), which are territorial year-round in much of their range. Spring collections were preceded by field-based assessments of aggression. Tissue series were immunofluorescently multilabeled for vasotocin, mesotocin (MT), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, tyrosine hydroxylase, and aromatase, and labeling densities were measured in many socially relevant brain areas. Extensive seasonal differences are shared by both species. Many measures correlate significantly with both individual and species differences in aggression, likely reflecting evolved mechanisms that differentiate the less aggressive field sparrow from the more aggressive song sparrow. Winter-specific species differences include a substantial increase of MT and CRH immunoreactivity in the dorsal lateral septum (LS) and medial amygdala of field sparrows but not song sparrows. These species differences likely relate to flocking rather than the suppression of winter aggression in field sparrows, because similar winter differences were found for two other emberizids that are not territorial in winter--dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), which seasonally flock, and eastern towhees (Pipilo erythropthalmus), which do not flock. MT signaling in the dorsal LS is also associated with year-round species differences in grouping in estrildid finches, suggesting that common mechanisms are targeted during the evolution of different life histories.

Compilation of 1993 Annual Reports of the Navy ELF Communications System Ecological Monitoring Program. Volume 3. Tabs G-I

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-01

Sparrow 2 8 2 2 Spizella passerina Clay-colored Sparrow 3 8 5 2 Spizella pallida Vesper Sparrow 1 8 5 2 Pooecetes gramineus Savannah Sparrow 1 8 5 2...mortality. Reverse Lee’s Phenomenon can occur also, especially in non-exploited populations or where predator - prey relationships do not exist or are...mass as well as predator / prey mass ratios. Finally, we I followed changes in numbers and sizes of six insect taxa to see whether their growth rates

Rapid polygenic response to secondary contact in a hybrid species

PubMed Central

Cuevas, Angélica; Hermansen, Jo S.; Elgvin, Tore O.; Fernández, Laura Piñeiro; Sæther, Stein A.; Cascio Sætre, Camilla Lo

2017-01-01

Secondary contact between closely related species can have genetic consequences. Competition for essential resources may lead to divergence in heritable traits that reduces interspecific competition leading to increased rate of genetic divergence. Conversely, hybridization and backcrossing can lead to genetic convergence. Here, we study a population of a hybrid species, the Italian sparrow (Passer italiae), before and after it came into secondary contact with one of its parent species, the Spanish sparrow (P. hispaniolensis), in 2013. We demonstrate strong consequences of interspecific competition: Italian sparrows were kept away from a popular feeding site by its parent species, resulting in poorer body condition and a significant drop in population size. Although no significant morphological change could be detected, after only 3 years of sympatry, the Italian sparrows had diverged significantly from the Spanish sparrows across a set of 81 protein-coding genes. These temporal genetic changes are mirrored by genetic divergence observed in older sympatric Italian sparrow populations within the same area of contact. Compared with microallopatric birds, sympatric ones are genetically more diverged from Spanish sparrows. Six significant outlier genes in the temporal and spatial comparison (i.e. showing the greatest displacement) have all been found to be associated with learning and neural development in other bird species. PMID:28446700

Using Cape Sable seaside sparrow distribution data for water management decision support

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beerens, James M.; Romañach, Stephanie

2016-01-01

The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis; hereafter sparrow) is endemic to south Florida and a key indicator species of marl prairie, the most diverse freshwater community in the Florida Everglades. Marl prairie habitat is shaped by intermediate levels of disturbances such as flooding, drying, and fire, which maintain periphyton production (Gaiser et al. 2011), vegetation composition (Sah et al. 2011), and habitat structure for wildlife (Lockwood et al. 2003). Historically, patches of marl prairie shifted in response to changing climatic conditions,; however, habitat loss and hydrologic alteration have restricted the sparrow’s range and increased their sensitivity to changing hydropatterns. As a result, sparrow numbers have declined as much as 60% range-wide since 1992 (Curnutt et al. 1998, Nott et al. 1998). Currently, the sparrow is restricted to the freshwater prairies of the Everglades National Park (ENP) and Big Cypress Preserve (Lockwood et al. 1997). Because this non-migratory bird is restricted in its range it was among the first species to be listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service on March 11, 1967 (Pimm et al. 2000). Now protected by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the sparrow is listed as an endangered species, and the marl prairies that it resides in are listed as critical habitat. Since its designation as an endangered species, federal agencies have a statutory obligation to not jeopardize the survival of the species or modify its critical habitat. However, there are still uncertainties in how to increase suitable habitat within and surrounding the six existing sparrow subpopulations (Fig. 1) which are vulnerable to environmental stochasticity because of their small population size and restricted range. Since Because maintenance and creation of suitable habitat is seen as the most important pathway to the persistence of sparrow subpopulations (Sustainable Ecosystems Institute 2007), emphasis should be on identifying factors affecting sparrow habitat suitability and expanding the total area of suitable habitat over a gradient of environmental conditions. Our objective is to improve the definition of suitable sparrow habitat based on the relationship between daily sparrow distributions from 1992-present and hydrologic and habitat variables. Further, these models can provide an estimate of habitat quality when linked with estimates of reproductive responses.

Effects of urbanization on host-pathogen interactions, using Yersinia in house sparrows as a model

PubMed Central

Strubbe, Diederik; Teyssier, Aimeric; Salleh Hudin, Noraine; Van den Abeele, Anne-Marie; Cox, Ivo; Haesendonck, Roel; Delmée, Michel; Haesebrouck, Freddy; Pasmans, Frank; Lens, Luc; Martel, An

2017-01-01

Urbanization strongly affects biodiversity, altering natural communities and often leading to a reduced species richness. Yet, despite its increasingly recognized importance, how urbanization impacts on the health of individual animals, wildlife populations and on disease ecology remains poorly understood. To test whether, and how, urbanization-driven ecosystem alterations influence pathogen dynamics and avian health, we use house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Yersinia spp. (pathogenic for passerines) as a case study. Sparrows are granivorous urban exploiters, whose western European populations have declined over the past decades, especially in highly urbanized areas. We sampled 329 house sparrows originating from 36 populations along an urbanization gradient across Flanders (Belgium), and used isolation combined with ‘matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization- time of flight mass spectrometry’ (MALDI-TOF MS) and PCR methods for detecting the presence of different Yersinia species. Yersinia spp. were recovered from 57.43% of the sampled house sparrows, of which 4.06%, 53.30% and 69.54% were identified as Y. pseudotuberculosis, Y. enterocolitica and other Yersinia species, respectively. Presence of Yersinia was related to the degree of urbanization, average daily temperatures and the community of granivorous birds present at sparrow capture locations. Body condition of suburban house sparrows was found to be higher compared to urban and rural house sparrows, but no relationships between sparrows’ body condition and presence of Yersinia spp. were found. We conclude that two determinants of pathogen infection dynamics, body condition and pathogen occurrence, vary along an urbanization gradient, potentially mediating the impact of urbanization on avian health. PMID:29281672

Grassland bird use of oak barrens and dry prairies in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vos, Susan M.; Ribic, Christine A.

2011-01-01

Grassland bird populations have declined more than any other group of birds in North America and are of conservation concern to state and federal agencies. We determined relative abundances of grassland birds in oak barrens and dry sand prairies—native habitat types rare in the state of Wisconsin. We also investigated the association of relative abundance, patch size, and patch vegetation. Our study was conducted May–July 2000–2002 on Fort McCoy Military Installation in Monroe County, Wisconsin. Fourteen grassland bird species were found in native habitat patches. Vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), and field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) were the most abundant grassland bird species; all are species of management concern in Wisconsin. Of the most abundant species, only grasshopper sparrow relative abundance increased as patch size increased; vesper sparrow and field sparrow relative abundances decreased as patch size increased. Though found at lower relative abundances, horned larks (Erephila alpestris), savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), and upland sandpipers (Bartramia longicauda) were found at higher relative abundances as patch size increased. Patch vegetation was important for some species. Vesper sparrows were found at higher abundances in patches with shorter, less dense vegetation and higher woody cover, eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna) relative abundances were higher in patches with higher proportions of grass, and dickcissel (Spiza americana) relative abundances were higher in patches with taller, denser vegetation and lower proportions of litter. Native habitats are important for grassland bird species of management concern and large patches are particularly important for some of them.

76 FR 14975 - HIT Standards Committee's Workgroup Meetings; Notice of Meetings

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2011-03-18

... ONC Web site for additional information as it becomes available. Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office...-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov . Please call the contact person for up-to-date information on these... that day. If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at...

76 FR 46298 - HIT Standards Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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2011-08-02

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76 FR 28784 - HIT Standards Committee's Workgroup Meetings; Notice of Meetings

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2011-05-18

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75 FR 21629 - HIT Standards Committee's Workgroup Meetings; Notice of Meetings

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2010-04-26

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76 FR 39107 - HIT Standards Committee's Workgroup Meetings; Notice of Meetings

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2011-07-05

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75 FR 21628 - HIT Standards Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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78 FR 8588 - Rg Steel Sparrows Point LLC, Formerly Known as Severstal Sparrows Point LLC, a Subsidiary of RG...

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2013-02-06

..., Alliance Engineering, Inc., Washington Group International, Javan & Walter, Inc., Kinetic Technical... Consulting, Crown Security, Eastern Automation, EDS(HP), Teksystems, URS Corporation, and B More Industrial... from B More Industrial Services LLC were employed on-site at the Sparrows Point, Maryland location of...

Free flying sparrows as carriers of salmonellosis.

PubMed

Tizard, I R; Fish, N A; Harmeson, J

1979-05-01

Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from nine of 60 wild sparrows trapped in the Guelph area. While this organism was isolated from birds trapped at several different locations, the highest prevalence was in sparrows trapped in close proximity to an animal clinic. The significance of these findings in relation to human and animal salmonellosis is discussed.

Population dynamics of the endangered Cape Sable seaside-sparrow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curnutt, J.L.; Mayer, A.L.; Brooks, T.M.; Manne, L.; Bass, O.L.; Fleming, D.M.; Philip, Nott M.; Pimm, S.L.

1998-01-01

The Cape Sable seaside-sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis) has disappeared from its only known breeding areas episodically since its discovery early this century. Systematic surveys across its range in the southern Everglades find the sparrow's range to be fragmented into six subpopulations. The sparrow population decreased by 58% between 1992 and 1995, with the near extinction of the western half of the population and the temporary local extinction of some eastern populations. Other similar grassland sparrows have populations that vary considerably from year to year. Yet the decline in the western subpopulation and the local extinction of some of the peripheral populations cannot be explained by natural variability alone. Hurricane Andrew passed over several subpopulations prior to the particularly poor year of 1993. However, the geographical and temporal patterns of subpopulation decline are not consistent with what would be expected following a hurricane. Frequent fires prevent successful breeding as does flooding during the breeding season. Better management can prevent frequent fires and episodic flooding. However, the long-term survival of the sparrow depends on managing the unanticipated risks that attend its small, fragmented population.

Brown-headed Cowbird parasitism of the Black-throated Sparrow in central Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, M.J.; van Riper, Charles

2004-01-01

From 1994-1996 we investigated effects of Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism on Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata) nesting success in the Verde Valley of central Arizona. Of 56 Black-throated Sparrow nests, 52% were parasitized. Black-throated Sparrows appear to respond to natural parasitism by accepting the cowbird egg, deserting the nest, or burying the cowbird egg. Removal and damage of host eggs by female cowbirds effectively reduced clutch size from an average of 3.4 to 1.9 eggs. Because of this reduced clutch size, Black-throated Sparrow reproductive success was significantly lower in parasitized nests (0.2 young fledged/ nest) as compared to nonparasitized nests (1.6 young fledged/nest). When comparing cowbird parasitism between two habitat types, we found significantly higher parasitism frequencies in crucifixion-thorn (Canotia holacantha) versus creosote-bush (Larrea divaricata) habitat. We argue that this difference in parasitism is due to the greater number of tall perches (e.g., shrubs >4 m) available in crucifixion-thorn habitat, providing vantage points for female cowbirds to better find Black-throated Sparrow nests.

Nest success and reproductive ecology of the Texas Botteri’s Sparrow (Peucaea botterii texana) in exotic and native grasses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Katherine S.; McCarthy, Erin M.; Woodin, Marc C.; Withers, Kim

2013-01-01

Very little information is available for Peucaea botterii texana (Texas Botteri's Sparrow) and nothing is known about its nesting ecology, in part due to its cryptic behavior and nesting strategies. Our goal was to examine the nesting ecology of Texas Botteri's Sparrows and compare reproductive success between exotic and native grasslands. We searched for and monitored nests in 2004 and 2005 on the King Ranch in southern Texas. We found no relationship in reproductive effort, nest characteristics, and plant species richness around the nest between grassland types. Vegetation surrounding Texas Botteri's Sparrow nests was significantly taller and denser in native grasslands than in exotic grasslands. Further research on nesting ecology for the Texas Botteri's Sparrow is necessary to determine its habitat needs and its role as an indicator of grassland quality.

Seasonal movements and environmental triggers to fall migration of Sage Sparrows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fesenmyer, K.A.; Knick, S.T.

2011-01-01

Post-breeding ecology of shrubland passerines prior to onset of migration is unknown relative to dynamics of breeding areas. We radiomarked and monitored 38 Sage Sparrows (Amphispiza belli ssp. nevadensis) at one site in Oregon and two in Nevada from September to mid-November 2007 to track local movements, estimate seasonal range sizes, and characterize weather patterns triggering onset of migration. Median area used by Sage Sparrows monitored between 3 and 18 days during or prior to migration was 14 ha; maximum daily movement was 15 km. Radio-marked Sage Sparrows at each location departed individually, rather than en masse, corresponding with passage of cold front weather systems. Conventional telemetry techniques limited our ability to monitor Sage Sparrows beyond pre-migratory periods and precluded detecting and tracking actual movements during migration. ?? 2011 by the Wilson Ornithological Society.

Niche shifts and energetic condition of songbirds in response to phenology of food-resource availability in a high-elevation sagebrush ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cutting, Kyle A.; Anderson, Michelle L.; Beever, Erik; Schroff, Sean; Korb, Nathan; Klaphake, Eric; McWilliams, Scott R.

2016-01-01

Seasonal fluctuations in food availability can affect diets of consumers, which in turn may influence the physiological state of individuals and shape intra- and inter-specific patterns of resource use. High-elevation ecosystems often exhibit a pronounced seasonal “pulse” in productivity, although few studies document how resource use and energetic condition by avian consumers change in relation to food-resource availability in these ecosystems. We tested the hypothesis that seasonal increases (pulses) in food resources in high-elevation sagebrush ecosystems result in 2 changes after the pulse, relative to the before-pulse period: (1) reduced diet breadth of, and overlap between, 2 sympatric sparrow species; and (2) enhanced energetic condition in both species. We tracked breeding-season diets using stable isotopes and energetic condition using plasma metabolites of Brewer's Sparrows (Spizella breweri), Vesper Sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus), and their food resources during 2011, and of only Brewer's Sparrows and their food resources during 2013. We quantify diet breadth and overlap between both species, along with coincident physiological consequences of temporal changes in resource use. After invertebrate biomass increased following periods of rainfall in 2011, dietary breadth decreased by 35% in Brewer's Sparrows and by 48% in Vesper Sparrows, while dietary overlap decreased by 88%. Energetic condition of both species increased when dietary overlap was lower and diet breadth decreased, after the rapid rise of food-resource availability. However, energetic condition of Brewer's Sparrows remained constant in 2013, a year with low precipitation and lack of a strong pulse in food resources, even though the species' dietary breadth again decreased that year. Our results indicate that diet breadth and overlap in these sparrow species inhabiting sagebrush ecosystems generally varied as predicted in relation to intra- and interannual changes in food resources, and this difference in diet was associated with improved energetic condition of sparrows at least in one year.

The distribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in song sparrows along Arizona's upper Santa Cruz River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lester, Michael B.; van Riper, Charles

2014-01-01

Heavy metals are persistent environmental contaminants, and transport of metals into the environment poses a threat to ecosystems, as plants and wildlife are susceptible to long-term exposure, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity. We investigated the distribution and cascading extent of heavy metal accumulation in southwestern song sparrows (Melospiza melodia fallax), a resident riparian bird species that occurs along the US/Mexico border in Arizona’s upper Santa Cruz River watershed. This study had three goals: (1) quantify the degree of heavy metal accumulation in sparrows and determine the distributional patterns among study sites, (2) compare concentrations of metals found in this study to those found in studies performed prior to a 2009 international wastewater facility upgrade, and (3) assess the condition of song sparrows among sites with differing potential levels of exposure. We examined five study sites along with a reference site that reflect different potential sources of contamination. Body mass residuals and leukocyte counts were used to assess sparrow condition. Birds at our study sites typically had higher metal concentrations than birds at the reference site. Copper, mercury, nickel, and selenium in song sparrows did exceed background levels, although most metals were below background concentrations determined from previous studies. Song sparrows generally showed lower heavy metal concentrations compared to studies conducted prior to the 2009 wastewater facility upgrade. We found no cascading effects as a result of metal exposure.

76 FR 50734 - HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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2011-08-16

...://healthit.hhs.gov . Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202- 690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov . Please call the... contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. ONC is committed to the orderly...

76 FR 28782 - HIT Standards Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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2011-05-18

... site, http://healthit.hhs.gov . Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202- 690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs... accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting...

75 FR 21630 - Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; HIT Policy Committee's...

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2010-04-26

.... Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205- 4528, Fax: 202-690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov . Please call the contact person... that day. If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at...

76 FR 14976 - HIT Standards Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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2011-03-18

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76 FR 28783 - HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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2011-05-18

..., http://healthit.hhs.gov . Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202- 690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov... accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting...

76 FR 22398 - HIT Standards Committee's Workgroup Meetings; Notice of Meetings

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2011-04-21

... Web site for additional information as it becomes available. Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of...-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov . Please call the contact person for up-to-date information on these... Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. ONC is committed to the orderly conduct of its...

76 FR 22397 - HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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2011-04-21

..., http://healthit.hhs.gov . Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202- 690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov... accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting...

75 FR 21629 - HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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2010-04-26

... location. Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205- 4528, Fax: 202-690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov . Please call the... accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting...

75 FR 5595 - HIT Standards Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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2010-02-03

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76 FR 46298 - HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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76 FR 55912 - HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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76 FR 39109 - HIT Standards Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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76 FR 39108 - HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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76 FR 9783 - HIT Standards Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting

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Group Size and Nest Spacing Affect Buggy Creek Virus (Togaviridae: Alphavirus) Infection in Nestling House Sparrows

PubMed Central

O'Brien, Valerie A.; Brown, Charles R.

2011-01-01

The transmission of parasites and pathogens among vertebrates often depends on host population size, host species diversity, and the extent of crowding among potential hosts, but little is known about how these variables apply to most vector-borne pathogens such as the arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses). Buggy Creek virus (BCRV; Togaviridae: Alphavirus) is an RNA arbovirus transmitted by the swallow bug (Oeciacus vicarius) to the cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and the introduced house sparrow (Passer domesticus) that has recently invaded swallow nesting colonies. The virus has little impact on cliff swallows, but house sparrows are seriously affected by BCRV. For house sparrows occupying swallow nesting colonies in western Nebraska, USA, the prevalence of BCRV in nestling sparrows increased with sparrow colony size at a site but decreased with the number of cliff swallows present. If one nestling in a nest was infected with the virus, there was a greater likelihood that one or more of its nest-mates would also be infected than nestlings chosen at random. The closer a nest was to another nest containing infected nestlings, the greater the likelihood that some of the nestlings in the focal nest would be BCRV-positive. These results illustrate that BCRV represents a cost of coloniality for a vertebrate host (the house sparrow), perhaps the first such demonstration for an arbovirus, and that virus infection is spatially clustered within nests and within colonies. The decreased incidence of BCRV in sparrows as cliff swallows at a site increased reflects the “dilution effect,” in which virus transmission is reduced when a vector switches to feeding on a less competent vertebrate host. PMID:21966539

Habitat preferences of two sparrow species are modified by abundances of other birds in an urban environment

PubMed Central

Skórka, Piotr; Sierpowska, Katarzyna; Haidt, Andżelika; Myczko, Łukasz; Ekner-Grzyb, Anna; Rosin, Zuzanna M.; Kwieciński, Zbigniew; Suchodolska, Joanna; Takacs, Viktoria; Jankowiak, Łukasz; Wasielewski, Oskar; Graclik, Agnieszka; Krawczyk, Agata J.; Kasprzak, Adam; Szwajkowski, Przemysław; Wylegała, Przemysław; Malecha, Anna W.; Mizera, Tadeusz; Tryjanowski, Piotr

2016-01-01

Abstract Every species has certain habitat requirements, which may be altered by interactions with other co-occurring species. These interactions are mostly ignored in predictive models trying to identify key habitat variables correlated with species population abundance/occurrence. We investigated how the structure of the urban landscape, food resources, potential competitors, predators, and interaction between these factors influence the abundance of house sparrow Passer domesticus and the tree sparrow P. montanus in sixty 25 ha plots distributed randomly across residential areas of the city of Poznań (Poland). The abundance of the house sparrow was positively correlated with the abundance of pigeons but negatively correlated with human-related food resources. There were significant interaction terms between abundances of other urban species and habitat variables in statistical models. For example, the abundance of house sparrow was negatively correlated with the abundance of corvids and tree sparrows but only when food resources were low. The abundance of tree sparrows positively correlated with density of streets and the distance from the city center. The abundance of this species positively correlated with the abundance of corvids when food resources were low but negatively correlated at low covers of green area. Our study indicates that associations between food resources, habitat covers, and the relative abundance of two sparrow species are altered by the abundance of other urban species. Competition, niche separation and social facilitation may be responsible for these interactive effects. Thus, biotic interactions should be included not only as an additive effect but also as an interaction term between abundance and habitat variables in statistical models predicting species abundance and occurrence. PMID:29491924

Beak and skull shapes of human commensal and non-commensal house sparrows Passer domesticus

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The granivorous house sparrow Passer domesticus is thought to have developed its commensal relationship with humans with the rise of agriculture in the Middle East some 10,000 years ago, and to have expanded with the spread of agriculture in Eurasia during the last few thousand years. One subspecies, P. d. bactrianus, residing in Central Asia, has apparently maintained the ancestral ecology, however. This subspecies is not associated with human settlements; it is migratory and lives in natural grass- and wetland habitats feeding on wild grass seeds. It is well documented that the agricultural revolution was associated with an increase in grain size and changes in seed structure in cultivated cereals, the preferred food source of commensal house sparrow. Accordingly, we hypothesize that correlated changes may have occurred in beak and skull morphology as adaptive responses to the change in diet. Here, we test this hypothesis by comparing the skull shapes of 101 house sparrows from Iran, belonging to five different subspecies, including the non-commensal P. d. bactrianus, using geometric morphometrics. Results The various commensal house sparrow subspecies share subtle but consistent skeletal features that differ significantly from those of the non-commensal P. d. bactrianus. Although there is a marked overall size allometry in the data set, the shape difference between the ecologically differentiated sparrows cannot be explained by differences in size alone. Relative to the size allometry commensal house sparrows exhibit a skull shape consistent with accelerated development (heterochrony), resulting in a more robust facial cranium and a larger, more pointed beak. Conclusion The difference in skull shape and robustness of the beak between commensal and non-commensal house sparrows is consistent with adaptations to process the larger and rachis encapsulated seeds of domesticated cereals among human associated populations. PMID:24044497

Energy state affects exploratory behavior of tree sparrows in a group context under differential food-patch distributions.

PubMed

Lee, Ya-Fu; Kuo, Yen-Min; Chu, Wen-Chen

2016-01-01

When facing a novel situation, animals can retreat or leave to avoid risks, but will miss potential resources and opportunities. Alternatively they may reduce environmental uncertainty by exploration, while risking no energy rewards and exposure to hazards, and use the information retrieved for subsequent decision making. When exploring, however, animals may adopt different tactics according to individual states. We tested that energy states will affect exploratory behavior by experimenting with wild-caught untrained Eurasian tree sparrows ( Passer montanus ) in fasted or fed states exploring in a novel space with hidden food supply in different patch distribution patterns. Our data revealed that fasted sparrows risked being earlier explorers more often, initiated more exploratory bouts before patches were found, and stayed longer on the ground under both patch patterns. Fasted sparrows discovered more patches and consumed more food than fed sparrows in dispersed, but not necessary so in clumped, patch patterns; whereas fed birds also increased patch finding to a certain level in dispersed patterns. Sparrows of both energy states, however, did not differ in feeding rates in either patch pattern. Exploratory behavior of tree sparrows is state-dependent, which supports our prediction that birds with an energy shortage will be risk-prone and explore more readily. Our study also indicates a game nature of tree sparrow exploratory behavior in a group context when explorers are in different energy states and are exposed to different patch distributions. Birds of lower energy state adopting an active exploring tactic may be favored by obtaining higher energy gains in dispersed patch patterns with lower patch richness. More satiated birds, however, achieved a similar feeding rate by lowered exposure time.

Humoral Immunity to West Nile Virus Is Long-Lasting and Protective in the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

PubMed Central

Nemeth, Nicole M.; Oesterle, Paul T.; Bowen, Richard A.

2009-01-01

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a common and abundant amplifying host of West Nile virus (WNV) and many survive infection and develop humoral immunity. We experimentally inoculated house sparrows with WNV and monitored duration and protection of resulting antibodies. Neutralizing antibody titers remained relatively constant for ≥ 36 months (N = 42) and provided sterilizing immunity for up to 36 months post-inoculation in 98.6% of individuals (N = 72). These results imply that immune house sparrows are protected from WNV infection for multiple transmission seasons. Additionally, individuals experiencing WNV-associated mortality reached significantly higher peak viremia titers than survivors, and mortality during acute infection was significantly higher in caged versus free-flight sparrows. A better understanding of the long-term immunity and mortality rates in birds is valuable in interpreting serosurveillance and diagnostic data and modeling transmission and disease dynamics. PMID:19407139

Nesting ecology of grassland birds following a wildfire in the southern Great Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, Anthony J.; Boal, Clint W.; Whitlaw, Heather A.

2017-01-01

We studied the response of nesting grassland birds occupying short-grass and mixed-grass prairie sites 2 and 3 y following two, large-scale wildfires that burned ≥360,000 ha in the Texas Panhandle in March 2006. Nest success was greater on burned plots compared to unburned plots, though this varied by species and year. Woody vegetation cover was greater around nests on unburned plots compared to burned plots for Cassin's sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) and lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus). Cassin's sparrows and lark sparrows nested in more-woody vegetation than did grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), and woody vegetation was reduced following the wildfires. The wildfires appear to have had few if any negative influences on the avian community 3 years postfire. This may be due to grassland breeding birds being adapted to landscapes in which, historically, periodic disturbance (e.g., wildfire, intensive grazing by bison [Bison bison]) resulted in vegetation heterogeneity.

Obtaining and Storing House Sparrow Eggs in Quantity for Nest-Predation Experiments

Treesearch

Richard M. DeGraaf; Thomas J. Maier

2001-01-01

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) eggs are useful in artificial nest experiments because they are approximately the same size and shell thickness as those of many forest passerines. House Sparrow eggs can be readily collected in quantity by providing nest boxes in active livestock barns. We collected over 1200 eggs in three years (320-567 per year)...

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... it becomes available. Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202-690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov Please..., please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. ONC is committed to the...

78 FR 30935 - Notice of Lodging of Proposed Settlement Under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the...

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2013-05-23

... Steel Sparrows Point, LLC; RG Steel Warren, LLC; and RG Steel Wheeling, LLC. Specifically, the... in the amount of $8,431 in connection with EPA's claim that RG Steel Sparrows Point is liable for... its former facility located in Sparrows Point, Maryland. The publication of this notice opens a period...

75 FR 369 - Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; HIT Policy Committee's...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-05

... Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202- 690-6079, email: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov . Please call the contact person for up... accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting...

75 FR 12752 - Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; HIT Policy Committee's...

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2010-03-17

...: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202- 690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov Please call the contact person for up-to-date... accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting...

75 FR 8078 - Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; HIT Policy Committee's...

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2010-02-23

... information as it becomes available. Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202- 690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs... contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting. ONC is committed to the orderly...

Historical Winter Status of Three Upland Ammodramus Sparrows in South Carolina

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McNair, D.B.; Post, W.

2000-10-01

The wintering status of three upland sparrows were compared based upon collections. LeConte's sparrow was previously abundant during incursion years, but was less common on the coast. LeConte's and Henslow's were much more abundant 75-115 years ago. The later may result from breeding range reductions and habitat loss. The study demonstrates the usefulness of historical data.

Cerebellar abnormalities typical of methylmercury poisoning in a fledged saltmarsh sparrow, Ammodramus caudacutus.

PubMed

Scoville, Sheila A; Lane, Oksana P

2013-05-01

A fledged, 12-15 day-old saltmarsh sparrow, Ammodramus caudacutus, was collected from an accidental kill on Cinder Island, Long Island, NY, USA. The sparrow was assessed for feather mercury levels and the brain analyzed for cerebellar abnormalities by microscopic examination. In humans, fetal Minamata disease is caused by maternal ingestion of mercury. It is characterized by disrupted and disordered cerebellar neuronal migration in the fetus or infant. Results from this sparrow show cerebellar abnormalities typical of Minamata disease. It is the first known avian or mammalian specimen taken from the wild to show the abnormalities typical of the human fetal syndrome.

Salmonella Detection and Aerobic Colony Count in Deep-Frozen Carcasses of House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus) and Starling (Sturnus Vulgaris) Intended for Human Consumption

PubMed Central

De Cesare, Alessandra; Braggio, Simonetta; Manfreda, Gerardo

2014-01-01

Wild birds are potential vehicles of zoonotic pathogen transmission to humans. The zoonotic concern increases for small wild birds like house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) which are hunted in developing countries and commercialised in Italy for human consumption. From June to October 2011, 330 house sparrows and 140 starlings were hunted and slaughtered. Deep-frozen carcasses were transported to Italy and stored for 6-8 months at -18°C. Aerobic colony count and Salmonella detection in carcasses were assessed following standard microbiological methods (ISO 4833:2003 and ISO 6579:2004, respectively). Carcasses of house sparrows showed higher levels of aerobic bacteria in comparison to starling carcasses (5.7 vs 3.2 log10 CFU/g). Moreover, 7 out of 11 lots of carcasses of house sparrows were positive for Salmonella. Among the 18 isolates of Salmonella, 14 were S. Typhimurium, 2 were S. Enteritidis, and 2 were not distinguishable. All of them were susceptible to antibiotics. All tested carcasses of starling were Salmonella negative. Deep-freezing was not efficient as a decontamination technique on carcasses of house sparrows. PMID:27800336

A possible effect of electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone base stations on the number of breeding house sparrows (Passer domesticus).

PubMed

Everaert, Joris; Bauwens, Dirk

2007-01-01

A possible effect of long-term exposure to low-intensity electromagnetic radiation from mobile phone (GSM) base stations on the number of House Sparrows during the breeding season was studied in six residential districts in Belgium. We sampled 150 point locations within the 6 areas to examine small-scale geographic variation in the number of House Sparrow males and the strength of electromagnetic radiation from base stations. Spatial variation in the number of House Sparrow males was negatively and highly significantly related to the strength of electric fields from both the 900 and 1800 MHz downlink frequency bands and from the sum of these bands (Chi(2)-tests and AIC-criteria, P<0.001). This negative relationship was highly similar within each of the six study areas, despite differences among areas in both the number of birds and radiation levels. Thus, our data show that fewer House Sparrow males were seen at locations with relatively high electric field strength values of GSM base stations and therefore support the notion that long-term exposure to higher levels of radiation negatively affects the abundance or behavior of House Sparrows in the wild.

Seasonal acclimatization of metabolism in Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus).

PubMed

Zheng, Wei-Hong; Li, Ming; Liu, Jin-Song; Shao, Shu-Li

2008-12-01

Acclimatization to winter conditions is an essential prerequisite for survival of small passerines of the northern temperate zone. Changes in photoperiod, ambient temperature and food availability trigger seasonal acclimatization in physiology and behavior of many birds. In the present study, seasonal adjustments in several physiological, hormonal, and biochemical markers were examined in wild-captured Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus) from the Heilongjiang Province in China. In winter sparrows had higher body mass and basal metabolic rate (BMR). Consistently, the dry mass of liver, heart, gizzard, small intestine, large intestine and total digestive tract were higher in winter than in that in summer. The contents of mitochondrial protein in liver, and state-4 respiration and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in liver and muscle increased significantly in winter. Circulating level of serum triiodothyronine (T3) was significantly higher in winter than in summer. Together, these data suggest that tree sparrows mainly coped with cold by enhancing thermogenic capacities through increased organ masses and heightened activity of respiratory enzymes activities. The results support the view that prominent winter increases in BMR are manifestations of winter acclimatization in tree sparrows and that seasonal variation in metabolism in sparrows is similar to that in other small temperate-wintering birds.

Water levels, rapid vegetational changes, and the endangered Cape Sable seaside-sparrow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nott, M.P.; Bass, O.L.; Fleming, D.M.; Killeffer, S.E.; Fraley, N.; Manne, L.; Curnutt, J.L.; Brooks, T.M.; Powell, R.; Pimm, S.L.

1998-01-01

The legally endangered Cape Sable seaside-sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis) is restricted to short-hydroperiod, marl prairies within Florida's Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. Marl prairies are typified by dense, mixed stands of graminoid species usually below 1 m in height, naturally inundated by freshwater for 3-7 months annually. Water levels affect the birds directly, by flooding their nests, and indirectly by altering the habitat on which they depend. Managed redistribution of water flows flooded nearly half of the sparrow's geographical range during several consecutive breeding seasons starting in 1993. Furthermore, these high water levels rapidly changed plant communities, so jeopardizing the sparrow's survival by reducing the availability of nesting habitat.

Henslow's sparrow winter-survival estimates and response to prescribed burning

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thatcher, B.S.; Krementz, D.G.; Woodrey, M.S.

2006-01-01

Wintering Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) populations rely on lands managed with prescribed burning, but the effects of various burn regimes on their overwinter survival are unknown. We studied wintering Henslow's sparrows in coastal pine savannas at the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, Jackson County, Mississippi, USA, during January and February 2001 and 2002. We used the known-fate modeling procedure in program MARK to evaluate the effects of burn age (1 or 2 growing seasons elapsed), burn season (growing, dormant), and calendar year on the survival rates of 83 radiomarked Henslow's sparrows. We found strong evidence that Henslow's sparrow survival rates differed by burn age (with higher survival in recently burned sites) and by year (with lower survival rates in 2001 likely because of drought conditions). We found some evidence that survival rates also differed by bum season (with higher survival in growing-season sites), although the effects of burn season were only apparent in recently burned sites. Avian predation was the suspected major cause of mortality (causing 6 of 14 deaths) with 1 confirmed loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) depredation. Our results indicated that recently burned savannas provide high-quality wintering habitats and suggested that managers can improve conditions for wintering Henslow's sparrows by burning a large percentage of savannas each year.

Lead exposure in passerines inhabiting lead-contaminated floodplains in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Idaho, USA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, G.D.; Kern, J.W.; Strickland, M.D.

1999-06-01

Blood collected from song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) and American robins (Turdus migratorius) captured with mist nets in a lead-contaminated (assessment) area and nearby uncontaminated (reference) areas within the Coeur d'Alene Basin in northern Idaho was analyzed for [delta]-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity (ALAD) and hematocrit levels, and livers were analyzed for lead. Mean ALAD inhibition in the assessment area was 51% in song sparrows and 75% in American robins. The proportion of the sampled population with ALAD inhibition > 50% was calculated to be 43% for song sparrows and 83% for American robins. Assessment area hematocrit values for song sparrows andmore » American robins were lower than in reference areas; however, differences were not statistically significant. Significantly higher levels of lead (wet weight) were found in livers from song sparrows captured on the assessment area ([bar x] = 1.93 ppm) than on reference areas. Study results indicate that 43% of the song sparrows and 83% of the American robins inhabiting the floodplain along the Coeur d'Alene River in the assessment area are being exposed to lead at levels sufficient to inhibit ALAD by > 50%. Variability in lead exposure indicators was attributed to high variability in environmental lead concentrations in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin.« less

Factors affecting nest survival of Henslow's Sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii) in southern Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crimmins, Shawn M.; McKann, Patrick C.; Robb, Joseph R.; Lewis, Jason P.; Vanosdol, Teresa; Walker, Benjamin A.; Williams, Perry J.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.

2016-01-01

Populations of Henslow’s Sparrows have declined dramatically in recent decades, coinciding with widespread loss of native grassland habitat. Prescribed burning is a primary tool for maintaining grassland patches, but its effects on nest survival of Henslow’s Sparrows remains largely unknown, especially in conjunction with other factors. We monitored 135 nests of Henslow’s Sparrows at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in southern Indiana from 1998–2001 in an effort to understand factors influencing nest survival, including prescribed burning of habitat. We used a mixed-effects implementation of the logistic exposure model to predict daily nest survival in an information theoretic framework. We found that daily survival declined near the onset of hatching and increased with the height of standing dead vegetation, although this relationship was weak. We found only nominal support to suggest that time since burn influenced nest survival. Overall, nest age was the most important factor in estimating daily nest survival rates. Our daily survival estimate from our marginal model (0.937) was similar to that derived from the Mayfield method (0.944) suggesting that our results are comparable to previous studies using the Mayfield approach. Our results indicate that frequent burning to limit woody encroachment into grassland habitats might benefit Henslow’s Sparrow, but that a variety of factors ultimately influence daily nest survival. However, we note that burning too frequently can also limit occupancy by Henslow’s Sparrows. We suggest that additional research is needed to determine the population-level consequences of habitat alteration and if other extrinsic factors influence demographics of Henslow’s Sparrows.

Influence of Urbanization on Body Size, Condition, and Physiology in an Urban Exploiter: A Multi-Component Approach.

PubMed

Meillère, Alizée; Brischoux, François; Parenteau, Charline; Angelier, Frédéric

2015-01-01

Consistent expanding urbanization dramatically transforms natural habitats and exposes organisms to novel environmental challenges, often leading to reduced species richness and diversity in cities. However, it remains unclear how individuals are affected by the urban environment and how they can or cannot adjust to the specific characteristics of urban life (e.g. food availability). In this study, we used an integrative multi-component approach to investigate the effects of urbanization on the nutritional status of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We assessed several morphological and physiological indices of body condition in both juveniles (early post-fledging) and breeding adults from four sites with different levels of urbanization in France, Western Europe. We found that sparrows in more urbanized habitats have reduced body size and body mass compared to their rural conspecifics. However, we did not find any consistent differences in a number of complementary indices of condition (scaled mass index, muscle score, hematocrit, baseline and stress-induced corticosterone levels) between urban and rural birds, indicating that urban sparrows may not be suffering nutritional stress. Our results suggest that the urban environment is unlikely to energetically constrain adult sparrows, although other urban-related variables may constrain them. On the other hand, we found significant difference in juvenile fat scores, suggesting that food types provided to young sparrows differed highly between habitats. In addition to the observed smaller size of urban sparrows, these results suggest that the urban environment is inadequate to satisfy early-life sparrows' nutritional requirements, growth, and development. The urban environment may therefore have life-long consequences for developing birds.

Natural daylight restricted to twilights delays the timing of testicular regression but does not affect the timing of the daily activity rhythm of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus)

PubMed Central

Trivedi, Amit K; Rani, Sangeeta; Kumar, Vinod

2006-01-01

Background A stable and systematic daily change in light levels at dawn and dusk provides the most reliable indicator of the phase of the day. It is likely that organisms have evolved mechanisms to use these twilight transitions as the primary zeitgeber to adjust their circadian phases. In this study, we investigated under natural illumination conditions the effects of daylight exposure restricted to twilights on the timing of testicular regression and locomotor activity of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), which possesses a strongly self-sustaining circadian system. Methods and results Two experiments were performed on adult male house sparrows. Beginning in the third week of April, the first experiment examined whether exposure to natural daylight only during twilights influenced the timing of testicular regression and concomitant changes in testosterone-dependent beak color of reproductively mature sparrows. Interestingly, there was a significant delay in testicular regression and depigmentation of the beak in sparrows exposed to natural daylight (NDL) only during twilights as compared to those exposed to NDL all day. The second experiment examined twice in the year, around the equinoxes (March and September), the effects of exposure to twilights only on the daily activity rhythm of sparrows kept in an outdoor aviary. Five of 7 birds continued exhibiting entrained activity rhythms when exposed only to twilights (NDL minus day light from sunrise to sunset) in September, but not in March. Both in NDL and twilight conditions, March birds had significantly lower activity counts than September birds. Conclusion Exposure to natural daylight only during twilights delayed the timing of testicular regression and concomitant depigmentation of the beak but did not affect the daily activity rhythm in male sparrows. This suggests that daily twilights can serve as cues for regulation of the circadian activity rhythm but not for the photoperiodic regulation of testicular cycle in the house sparrow. PMID:16553964

Status assessment and conservation plan for the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruth, Janet M.

2015-01-01

The Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) breeds in grassland habitats throughout much of the U.S., southern and southeastern Canada, and northern Mexico. Additional subspecies are resident in Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean. It winters primarily in the coastal states of the southeastern U.S., southern portions of the southwestern states, and in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. The species prefers relatively open grassland with intermediate grass height and density and patchy bare ground; because it is widely distributed across different grassland types in North America, it selects different vegetation structure and species composition depending on what is available. In the winter, they use a broader range of grassland habitats including open grasslands, as well as weedy fields and grasslands with woody vegetation. Analyses show significant range-wide population declines from the late 1960s through the present, primarily caused by habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation. Grasshopper Sparrow is still a relatively common and broadly distributed species, but because of significant population declines and stakeholder concerns, the species is considered of conservation concern nationally and at the state level for numerous states. Many factors, often related to different grassland management practices (e.g., grazing, burning, mowing, management of shrub encroachment, etc.) throughout the species’ range, have impacts on Grasshopper Sparrow distribution, abundance, and reproduction and may represent limiting factors or threats given steep declines in this species’ population. Because of the concerns for this species, Grasshopper Sparrow has been identified as a focal species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and this Status Assessment and Conservation Plan for Grasshopper Sparrow has been developed. Through literature searches and input from stakeholders across its range, this plan presents information about Grasshopper Sparrow population status, distribution, habitat needs, threats and limiting factors; synthesis of these resources has identified recommended action items addressing population status and trends, habitat conservation, management, research, inventory and monitoring, and education and outreach components that will facilitate Grasshopper Sparrow conservation across its full annual cycle.

Evaluation of autonomous recording units for detecting 3 species of secretive marsh birds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sidie-Slettehahl, Anna M.; Jensen, Kent C.; Johnson, Rex R.; Arnold, Todd W.; Austin, Jane; Stafford, Joshua D.

2015-01-01

Population status and habitat use of yellow rails (Coturnicops noveboracensis), Nelson's sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni), and Le Conte's sparrows (A. leconteii) are poorly known, so standardized surveys of these species are needed to inform conservation planning and management. A protocol for monitoring secretive marsh birds exists; however, these species regularly call at night and may be missed during early morning surveys. We tested the effectiveness of autonomous recording units (hereafter, recording units) to survey these species by analyzing recorded vocalizations using bioacoustics software. We deployed 22 recording units at 54 sites in northern Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, USA, and conducted traditional broadcast surveys during May–June, 2010 and 2011. We compared detection probabilities between recording units and standard monitoring protocols using robust-design occupancy models. On average, recording units detected 0.59 (SE = 0.11) fewer Le Conte's sparrows, 0.76 (SE = 0.15) fewer Nelson's sparrows, and 1.01 (SE = 0.14) fewer yellow rails per survey than were detected using the standard protocol. Detection probabilities using the standard protocol averaged 0.95 (yellow rail; 95% CI = 0.86–0.98), 0.93 (Le Conte's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.78–0.98), and 0.89 (Nelson's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.56–0.98), but averaged 0.71 (yellow rail; 95% CI = 0.56–0.83), 0.61 (Le Conte's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.42–0.78), and 0.51 (Nelson's sparrow; 95% CI = 0.19–0.82) using recording units. Reduced detection by recording units was likely due to the ability of human listeners to identify birds calling at greater distances. Recording units may be effective for surveying nocturnal secretive marsh birds if investigators correct for differential detectability. Reduced detectability may be outweighed by the increased spatial and temporal coverage feasible with recording units.

Using survival analysis of artificial and Real Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri breweri) nests to model site level and nest site factors associated with nest success in the South Okanagan region of Canada

Treesearch

Pam Krannitz Kym Welstead

2005-01-01

Predation is the predominant cause of nest failure for the Brewer's Sparrow (Spizella breweri breweri), a provincially red-listed shrub-steppe species that has experienced significant declines throughout most of its range. We monitored Brewer’s Sparrow nests and conducted an artificial nest experiment, in the South Okanagan Valley,...

Effects of winter marsh burning on abundance and nesting activity of Louisiana seaside sparrows in the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gabrey, S.W.; Afton, A.D.

2000-01-01

Louisiana Seaside Sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus fisheri) breed and winter exclusively in brackish and saline marshes along the northern Gulf of Mexico. Many Gulf Coast marshes, particularly in the Chenier Plain of southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas, are burned intentionally in fall or winter as part of waterfowl management programs. Fire reportedly has negatively affected two Seaside Sparrow subspecies (A. m. nigrescens and A. m. mirabilis) in Florida, but there is no published information regarding effects of fire on A. m. fisheri. We compared abundance of territorial male Louisiana Seaside Sparrows, number of nesting activity indicators, and vegetation structure in paired burned and unburned plots in Chenier Plain marshes in southwestern Louisiana during the 1996 breeding season (April-July) before experimental winter burns (January 1997) and again during two breeding seasons post-burn (1997-1998). We found that abundance of male sparrows decreased in burned plots during the first breeding season post-burn, but was higher than that of unburned plots during the second breeding season post-burn. Indicators of nesting activity showed a similar but non-significant pattern in response to burning. Sparrow abundance and nesting activity seemingly are linked to dead vegetation cover, which was lower in burned plots during the first breeding season post-burn, but did not differ from that in unburned plots during the second breeding season post-burn. We recommend that marsh management plans in the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain integrate waterfowl and Seaside Sparrow management by maintaining a mosaic of burned and unburned marshes and allowing vegetation to recover for at least two growing seasons before reburning a marsh.

A quantile count model of water depth constraints on Cape Sable seaside sparrows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cade, B.S.; Dong, Q.

2008-01-01

1. A quantile regression model for counts of breeding Cape Sable seaside sparrows Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis (L.) as a function of water depth and previous year abundance was developed based on extensive surveys, 1992-2005, in the Florida Everglades. The quantile count model extends linear quantile regression methods to discrete response variables, providing a flexible alternative to discrete parametric distributional models, e.g. Poisson, negative binomial and their zero-inflated counterparts. 2. Estimates from our multiplicative model demonstrated that negative effects of increasing water depth in breeding habitat on sparrow numbers were dependent on recent occupation history. Upper 10th percentiles of counts (one to three sparrows) decreased with increasing water depth from 0 to 30 cm when sites were not occupied in previous years. However, upper 40th percentiles of counts (one to six sparrows) decreased with increasing water depth for sites occupied in previous years. 3. Greatest decreases (-50% to -83%) in upper quantiles of sparrow counts occurred as water depths increased from 0 to 15 cm when previous year counts were 1, but a small proportion of sites (5-10%) held at least one sparrow even as water depths increased to 20 or 30 cm. 4. A zero-inflated Poisson regression model provided estimates of conditional means that also decreased with increasing water depth but rates of change were lower and decreased with increasing previous year counts compared to the quantile count model. Quantiles computed for the zero-inflated Poisson model enhanced interpretation of this model but had greater lack-of-fit for water depths > 0 cm and previous year counts 1, conditions where the negative effect of water depths were readily apparent and fitted better with the quantile count model.

Characterization of mercury and its risk in Nelson's, Saltmarsh, and Seaside Sparrows.

PubMed

Winder, Virginia L

2012-01-01

Nelson's, Saltmarsh, and Seaside Sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni, A. caudacutus, and A. maritimus, respectively) depend on marsh and wetland habitats--ecosystems in which mercury (Hg) bioavailability is notoriously high. The purpose of the present study was to address the potential impact of Hg on these species using first primary and breast feathers as non-destructive biomonitoring tools. Feathers were sampled from wintering sparrows in North Carolina salt marshes (2006-2010). Feather Hg data were used in three risk analysis components (1) Threshold Component--examined feather Hg with regard to published negative effects thresholds; (2) Hg Dynamics Component--examined Hg in sparrows captured multiple times; and (3) Capture Frequency and Survival Component--tested for links between Hg and return frequency and survival. Threshold Component analyses indicated that Hg concentrations in 42-77% of sampled individuals (breast feather n = 879; first primary feather n = 663) were within the range associated with decreased reproduction in other avian species. Hg Dynamics Component analyses demonstrated that Hg increased between first and second captures for Nelson's (n = 9) and Seaside Sparrows (n = 23). Capture Frequency and Survival Component analyses detected a negative relationship between Hg and capture frequency in Nelson's Sparrows (n = 315). However, MARK models detected no effect of Hg on apparent survival in any species. This study indicates that current Hg exposure places a considerable proportion of each population at risk. In particular, 52% of all sampled Saltmarsh Sparrows exhibited first primary feather Hg concentrations exceeding those associated with a >60% reduction in reproductive success in other species. This study reports evidence for net annual bioaccumulation, indicating an increased risk in older individuals. These data can be used to inform future population assessments and management for these species.

Effects of Army Training Activities on Bird Communities at the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, Colorado

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

sparrows increased markedly over the 2 years, while the latter three declined. Mockingbirds , western kingbirds, and Brewer’s sparrows were not common...except for kingbirds, on site 37, and mockingbirds and northern orioles, on site 3. (Both of these sites contained trees.) Total and relative density... mockingbirds . The average among the eleven species with significant multiple correlations (excluding Cassin’s sparrow) was 66.8 percent. Species below the

Growth and development of thermoregulation in nestling San Miguel Island Song Sparrows

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sogge, Mark K.; Kern, Michael D.; Kern, Robert; van Riper, Charles

1991-01-01

Patterns of growth (reviewed by Ricklefs 1968, 1969; O'Connor 1984) and the development of endothermy (reviewed by Dawson and Hudson 1970, Dunn 1975, Hill and Beaver 1982) have been well-studied in altricial wild birds, especially passerines. But few studies compare grown and thermogenesis in separate populations of the same species. Results of such studies with emberizids varied among species. King and Hubbard (1981), for example, found that nestlings from subarctic, subalpine, and low-altitude montane populations of White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) grew at similar rates. In contrast, Rogers (1985) reported that the growth rates of nestlings in different populations of Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) varied in response to the different environmental constraints of the localities in which they were reared. Nice (1937) and Smith et al. (1982) documented patterns of nestling growth in mainland (Ohio) and insular (Mandarte Island, British Columbia, Canada) populations of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), respectively, and found that they were similar to those reported for most other passerines by Ricklefs (1968, 1969) and O'Connor (1984). In 1985-1986, we had the opportunity to examine the growth of nestlings from a third race of Song Sparrows, M. m. micronyx, which is endemic to San Miguel Island near Santa Barbara, California. We also studied the development of endothermy in these young birds, a process not hitherto described for nestling Song Sparrows. We report both in this paper.

Adaptation to Ephemeral Habitat May Overcome Natural Barriers and Severe Habitat Fragmentation in a Fire-Dependent Species, the Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis)

PubMed Central

Cerame, Blain; Cox, James A.; Brumfield, Robb T.; Tucker, James W.; Taylor, Sabrina S.

2014-01-01

Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) is a fire-dependent species that has undergone range-wide population declines in recent decades. We examined genetic diversity in Bachman's Sparrows to determine whether natural barriers have led to distinct population units and to assess the effect of anthropogenic habitat loss and fragmentation. Genetic diversity was examined across the geographic range by genotyping 226 individuals at 18 microsatellite loci and sequencing 48 individuals at mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Multiple analyses consistently demonstrated little genetic structure and high levels of genetic variation, suggesting that populations are panmictic. Based on these genetic data, separate management units/subspecies designations or translocations to promote gene flow among fragmented populations do not appear to be necessary. Panmixia in Bachman's Sparrow may be a consequence of an historical range expansion and retraction. Alternatively, high vagility in Bachman's Sparrow may be an adaptation to the ephemeral, fire-mediated habitat that this species prefers. In recent times, high vagility also appears to have offset inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity in highly fragmented habitat. PMID:25180939

Brain transcriptome sequencing and assembly of three songbird model systems for the study of social behavior

PubMed Central

Mukai, Motoko; Gonser, Rusty A.; Wingfield, John C.; London, Sarah E.; Tuttle, Elaina M.; Clayton, David F.

2014-01-01

Emberizid sparrows (emberizidae) have played a prominent role in the study of avian vocal communication and social behavior. We present here brain transcriptomes for three emberizid model systems, song sparrow Melospiza melodia, white-throated sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis, and Gambel’s white-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii. Each of the assemblies covered fully or in part, over 89% of the previously annotated protein coding genes in the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata, with 16,846, 15,805, and 16,646 unique BLAST hits in song, white-throated and white-crowned sparrows, respectively. As in previous studies, we find tissue of origin (auditory forebrain versus hypothalamus and whole brain) as an important determinant of overall expression profile. We also demonstrate the successful isolation of RNA and RNA-sequencing from post-mortem samples from building strikes and suggest that such an approach could be useful when traditional sampling opportunities are limited. These transcriptomes will be an important resource for the study of social behavior in birds and for data driven annotation of forthcoming whole genome sequences for these and other bird species. PMID:24883256

Arleigh Burke Destroyers: Delaying Procurement of DDG 51 Flight III Ships Would Allow Time to Increase Design Knowledge

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

activities for DDG 51, AMDR, Aegis, and other related programs, such as the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile. We also reviewed DOD studies and past GAO...systems—from initial SPY-6 radar detection of a target, such as an anti- ship cruise missile, through target interception by an Evolved Sea Sparrow ...required to accredit the Aegis modeling and simulation capability, (2) the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile Block 2—a key element of Flight III’s self

Grassland bird productivity in warm season grass fields in southwest Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Byers, Carolyn M.; Ribic, Christine; Sample, David W.; Dadisman, John D.; Guttery, Michael

2017-01-01

Surrogate grasslands established through federal set-aside programs, such as U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), provide important habitat for grassland birds. Warm season grass CRP fields as a group have the potential for providing a continuum of habitat structure for breeding birds, depending on how the fields are managed and their floristic composition. We studied the nesting activity of four obligate grassland bird species, Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), and Henslow's Sparrow (A. henslowii), in relation to vegetative composition and fire management in warm season CRP fields in southwest Wisconsin during 2009–2011. Intraspecific variation in apparent nest density was related to the number of years since the field was burned. Apparent Grasshopper Sparrow nest density was highest in the breeding season immediately following spring burns, apparent Henslow's Sparrow nest density was highest 1 y post burn, and apparent Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark nest densities were higher in post fire years one to three. Grasshopper Sparrow nest density was highest on sites with more diverse vegetation, specifically prairie forbs, and on sites with shorter less dense vegetation. Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, and Henslow's Sparrow apparent nest densities were higher on sites with deeper litter; litter was the vegetative component that was most affected by spring burns. Overall nest success was 0.487 for Bobolink (22 d nesting period), 0.478 for Eastern Meadowlark (25 d nesting period), 0.507 for Grasshopper Sparrow (22 d nesting period), and 0.151 for Henslow's Sparrow (21 d nesting period). The major nest predators were grassland-associated species: thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum), American badger (Taxidea taxus), and western fox snake (Elaphe vulpina). Overall depredation rate was not affected by the number of years since the site had been burned. The diversity of vegetation on warm season CRP fields created by management using fire provides a continuum of structure for obligate grassland birds to use for breeding and habitat for a diversity of nest predators.

Developmental adjustments of house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings to diet composition.

PubMed

Brzek, Paweł; Kohl, Kevin; Caviedes-Vidal, Enrique; Karasov, William H

2009-05-01

House sparrow nestlings are fed primarily on insects during the first 3 days of their life, and seeds become gradually more important afterwards. We tested whether developmental changes in size and functional capacity of the digestive tract in young house sparrows are genetically hard-wired and independent of diet, or can be modified by food type. Under laboratory conditions, we hand-fed young house sparrows with either a starch-free insect-like diet, based mainly on protein and fat, or a starch-containing diet with a mix of substrates similar to that offered to older nestlings in natural nests when they are gradually weaned from an insect to a seed diet. Patterns of overall development in body size and thermoregulatory ability, and in alimentary organ size increase, were relatively similar in house sparrow nestlings developing on both diets. However, total intestinal maltase activity, important in carbohydrate breakdown, was at least twice as high in house sparrow nestlings fed the starch-containing diet (P<0.001). The change in maltase activity of nestlings was specific, as no change occurred in aminopeptidase-N activity in the same tissues. There was no significant diet effect on digesta retention time, but assimilation efficiency for radiolabeled starch tended to be higher (P=0.054) in nestlings raised on starch-containing diet. Future studies must test whether the diet-dependent increase in maltase activity during development is irreversible or reversible, reflecting, respectively, a developmental plasticity or a phenotypic flexibility.

LEARNING TO CHOOSE AMONG SOCIAL FORAGING STRATEGIES IN ADULT HOUSE SPARROWS (Passer domesticus)

PubMed Central

Belmaker, Amos; Motro, Uzi; Feldman, Marcus W.; Lotem, Arnon

2012-01-01

Social foragers may be regarded as being engaged in a producer-scrounger game in which they can search for food independently or join others who have discovered food. Research on the producer-scrounger game has focused mainly on the different factors influencing its ESS solution, but very little is known about the actual mechanisms that shape players’ decisions. Recent work has shown that early experience can affect producer-scrounger foraging tendencies in young house sparrows, and that in nutmeg mannikins learning is involved in reaching the ESS. Here we show that direct manipulation of the success rate experienced by adult sparrows when following others can change their strategy choice on the following day. We presented to live sparrows an experimental regime, where stuffed adult house sparrows in a feeding position were positioned on a foraging grid that included two reward regimes: a positive one, in which the stuffed models were placed near food, and a negative one, in which the models were placed away from food. There was a significant increase in joining behavior after the positive treatment (exhibited by 84% of the birds), but no change after the negative treatment. Further analysis demonstrated that sparrows more frequently used the strategy with which they were more successful (usually joining), and that differences in strategy use were correlated with differences in success. These results suggest that adult birds can monitor their success and learn to choose among social foraging strategies in the producer-scrounger game. PMID:23226911

Cutaneous water loss and covalently bound lipids of the stratum corneum in nestling house sparrows (Passer domesticus L.) from desert and mesic habitats.

PubMed

Clement, Michelle E; Muñoz-Garcia, Agustí; Williams, Joseph B

2012-04-01

Lipids of the stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of the epidermis of birds and mammals, provide a barrier to water vapor diffusion through the skin. The SC of birds consists of flat dead cells, called corneocytes, and two lipid compartments: an intercellular matrix and a monolayer of covalently bound lipids (CBLs) attached to the outer surface of the corneocytes. We previously found two classes of sphingolipids, ceramides and cerebrosides, covalently bound to corneocytes in the SC of house sparrows (Passer domesticus L.); these lipids were associated with cutaneous water loss (CWL). In this study, we collected adult and nestling house sparrows from Ohio and nestlings from Saudi Arabia, acclimated them to either high or low humidity, and measured their rates of CWL. We also measured CWL for natural populations of nestlings from Ohio and Saudi Arabia, beginning when chicks were 2 days old until they fledged. We then evaluated the composition of the CBLs of the SC of sparrows using thin layer chromatography. We found that adult house sparrows had a greater diversity of CBLs in their SC than previously described. During ontogeny, nestling sparrows increased the amount of CBLs and developed their CBLs differently, depending on their habitat. Acclimating nestlings to different humidity regimes did not alter the ontogeny of the CBLs, suggesting that these lipids represent a fundamental component of SC organization that does not respond to short-term environmental change.

Susceptibility and antibody response of Vesper Sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus) to West Nile virus: A potential amplification host in sagebrush-grassland habitat

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hofmeister, Erik K.; Dusek, Robert J.; Fassbinder-Orth, Carol; Owen, Benjamin; Franson, J. Christian

2016-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) spread to the US western plains states in 2003, when a significant mortality event attributed to WNV occurred in Greater Sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ). The role of avian species inhabiting sagebrush in the amplification of WNV in arid and semiarid regions of the North America is unknown. We conducted an experimental WNV challenge study in Vesper Sparrows ( Pooecetes gramineus ), a species common to sagebrush and grassland habitats found throughout much of North America. We found Vesper Sparrows to be moderately susceptible to WNV, developing viremia considered sufficient to transmit WNV to feeding mosquitoes, but the majority of birds were capable of surviving infection and developing a humoral immune response to the WNV nonstructural 1 and envelope proteins. Despite clearance of viremia, after 6 mo, WNV was detected molecularly in three birds and cultured from one bird. Surviving Vesper Sparrows were resistant to reinfection 6 mo after the initial challenge. Vesper sparrows could play a role in the amplification of WNV in sagebrush habitat and other areas of their range, but rapid clearance of WNV may limit their importance as competent amplification hosts of WNV.

Prevalence and Pathology of West Nile Virus in Naturally Infected House Sparrows, Western Nebraska, 2008

PubMed Central

O'Brien, Valerie A.; Meteyer, Carol U.; Reisen, William K.; Ip, Hon S.; Brown, Charles R.

2010-01-01

Nestling birds are rarely sampled in the field for most arboviruses, yet they may be important in arbovirus amplification cycles. We sampled both nestling and adult house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in western Nebraska for West Nile virus (WNV) or WNV-specific antibodies throughout the summer of 2008 and describe pathology in naturally infected nestlings. Across the summer, 4% of nestling house sparrows were WNV-positive; for the month of August alone, 12.3% were positive. Two WNV-positive nestlings exhibited encephalitis, splenomegaly, hepatic necrosis, nephrosis, and myocarditis. One nestling sparrow had large mural thrombi in the atria and ventricle and immunohistochemical staining of WNV antigen in multiple organs including the wall of the aorta and pulmonary artery; cardiac insufficiency thus may have been a cause of death. Adult house sparrows showed an overall seroprevalence of 13.8% that did not change significantly across the summer months. The WNV-positive nestlings and the majority of seropositive adults were detected within separate spatial clusters. Nestling birds, especially those reared late in the summer when WNV activity is typically greatest, may be important in virus amplification. PMID:20439979

33 CFR 117.543 - Bear Creek.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Parkway Bridge, mile 2.1, between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal; except that, from... bridge, mile 3.4 at Wise Avenue between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal if at least four...

33 CFR 117.543 - Bear Creek.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Parkway Bridge, mile 2.1, between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal; except that, from... bridge, mile 3.4 at Wise Avenue between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal if at least four...

33 CFR 117.543 - Bear Creek.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., mile 2.1, both between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal; except that, from April 16... 3.4 at Wise Avenue between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal if at least four hours...

33 CFR 117.543 - Bear Creek.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., mile 2.1, both between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal; except that, from April 16... 3.4 at Wise Avenue between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal if at least four hours...

33 CFR 117.543 - Bear Creek.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Parkway Bridge, mile 2.1, between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal; except that, from... bridge, mile 3.4 at Wise Avenue between Dundalk and Sparrows Point, shall open on signal if at least four...

Environmental Impact Research Program and Defense Natural Resources Program: Section 7.5.7, US Army Corps of Engineers Wildlife Resources Management Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-01

throated sparrow (Z. albicollis) X X Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) X X Fox sparrow (Passerella iliaca) X X Mammals Opossum (Didelphis virginiana ) X...cm) and should not be less than 0.38 in. (0.4 cm). When Ellagood is pruned severely, an abundance of new shoots are produced (SCS, undated). Planting...Holes for the plants should be deep enough to take the full root without bending. Unusually long roots and tops may be pruned to 6 in. (15.2 cm) if

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duberstein, Corey A.; Simmons, Mary Ann; Sackschewsky, Michael R.

Mitigation threshold guidelines for the Hanford Site are based on habitat requirements of the sage sparrow (Amphispiza belli) and only apply to areas with a mature sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) overstory and a native understory. The sage sparrow habitat requirements are based on literature values and are not specific to the Hanford Site. To refine these guidelines for the Site, a multi-year study was undertaken to quantify habitat characteristics of sage sparrow territories. These characteristics were then used to develop a habitat suitability index (HSI) model which can be used to estimate the habitat value of specific locations on the Site.

Control of annual reproductive cycle in the subtropical house sparrow (Passer domesticus): evidence for conservation of photoperiodic control mechanisms in birds

PubMed Central

Trivedi, Amit K; Rani, Sangeeta; Kumar, Vinod

2006-01-01

Background In many birds, day length (=photoperiod) regulates reproductive cycle. The photoperiodic environment varies between different seasons and latitudes. As a consequence, species at different latitudes may have evolved separate photoperiodic strategies or modified them as per their adaptive need. We studied this using house sparrow as a model since it is found worldwide and is widely investigated. In particular, we examined whether photoperiodism in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) at 27°N, 81°E shared features with those exhibited by its conspecifics at high latitudes. Results Initial experiment described in the wild and captive conditions the gonad development and molt (only in captives) cycles over a 12-month period. Both male and female sparrows had similar seasonal cycles, linked with annual variations in day length; this suggested that seasonal reproduction in house sparrows was under the photoperiodic control. However, a slower testis and attenuated follicular growth among captives indicated that other (supplementary) factors are also involved in controlling the reproductive cycle. Next experiment examined if sparrows underwent seasonal variations in their response to stimulatory effects of long day lengths. When birds were transferred every month over a period of 1 year to 16 hours light:8 hours darkness (16L:8D) for 17–26 weeks, there was indeed a time-of-year effect on the growth-regression cycle of gonads. The final experiment investigated response of house sparrows to a variety of light-dark (LD) cycles. In the first set, sparrows were exposed for 31 weeks to photoperiods that were close to what they receive in between the period from sunrise to sunset at this latitude: 9L:15D (close to shortest day length in December), 12L:12D (equinox, in March and September) 15L:9D (close to longest day length in June). They underwent testicular growth and regression and molt in 12L and 15L photoperiods, but not in 9L photoperiod. In the second set, sparrows were exposed for 17 weeks to photoperiods with light periods extending to different duration of the daily photosensitivity rhythm (e.g. 2L:22D, 6L:18D, 10L:14D, 14L:10D, 18L:6D and 22L:2D). Interestingly, a slow and small testicular response occurred under 2L and 10L photoperiods; 6L:18D was non-inductive. On the other hand, 14L, 18L and 22L photoperiods produced testicular growth and subsequent regression response as is typical of a long day photostimulation. Conclusion Subtropical house sparrows exhibit photoperiodic responses similar to that is reported for its population living at high latitudes. This may suggest the conservation of the photoperiodic control mechanisms in birds evolved over a long period of time, as a physiological strategy in a temporally changing environment ensuring reproduction at the best suited time of the year. PMID:16923197

Characterization of Mercury and Its Risk in Nelson’s, Saltmarsh, and Seaside Sparrows

PubMed Central

Winder, Virginia L.

2012-01-01

Background Nelson’s, Saltmarsh, and Seaside Sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni, A. caudacutus, and A. maritimus, respectively) depend on marsh and wetland habitats – ecosystems in which mercury (Hg) bioavailability is notoriously high. The purpose of the present study was to address the potential impact of Hg on these species using first primary and breast feathers as non-destructive biomonitoring tools. Methods and Principal Findings Feathers were sampled from wintering sparrows in North Carolina salt marshes (2006–2010). Feather Hg data were used in three risk analysis components (1) Threshold Component – examined feather Hg with regard to published negative effects thresholds; (2) Hg Dynamics Component – examined Hg in sparrows captured multiple times; and (3) Capture Frequency and Survival Component – tested for links between Hg and return frequency and survival. Threshold Component analyses indicated that Hg concentrations in 42–77% of sampled individuals (breast feather n = 879; first primary feather n = 663) were within the range associated with decreased reproduction in other avian species. Hg Dynamics Component analyses demonstrated that Hg increased between first and second captures for Nelson’s (n = 9) and Seaside Sparrows (n = 23). Capture Frequency and Survival Component analyses detected a negative relationship between Hg and capture frequency in Nelson’s Sparrows (n = 315). However, MARK models detected no effect of Hg on apparent survival in any species. Conclusion and Significance This study indicates that current Hg exposure places a considerable proportion of each population at risk. In particular, 52% of all sampled Saltmarsh Sparrows exhibited first primary feather Hg concentrations exceeding those associated with a >60% reduction in reproductive success in other species. This study reports evidence for net annual bioaccumulation, indicating an increased risk in older individuals. These data can be used to inform future population assessments and management for these species. PMID:22962614

Nest survival of clay-colored and vesper sparrows in relation to woodland edge in mixed-grass prairies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grant, T.A.; Madden, E.M.; Shaffer, T.L.; Pietz, P.J.; Berkey, G.B.; Kadrmas, N.J.

2006-01-01

The quantity and quality of northern mixed-grass prairie continues to decline because of conversion to agriculture, invasion of woody and exotic plants, and disruption of important ecological processes that shape grasslands. Declines in grassland bird populations in North Dakota, USA, have coincided with these largely anthropogenic alterations to prairie habitat. In grasslands of north-central and northwestern North Dakota, woody plants have increased due primarily to fire suppression, extirpation of bison (Bos bison), and widescale planting of tree shelter belts. In northern grasslands, effects of woody vegetation on survival of grassland birds are poorly understood, and conclusions are based mainly on studies conducted outside the region. We examined nest survival of clay-colored sparrows (Spizella pallida) and vesper sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus) relative to the distance nests were located from aspen (Populus tremuloides,) woodland edges and relative to other habitat features near the nest. Clay-colored and vesper sparrow nest survival was higher for nests located near woodland edges, nests with greater cover of Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and nests more concealed by vegetation. Vesper sparrow nest survival increased as the percent cover of tall shrubs near the nest increased. Based on video-camera data, the 13-lined ground squirrel (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus,) was the most common predator of sparrow eggs and young. Thirteen-lined ground squirrels were more common far from woodland edges than near, and this pattern may, in part, explain clay-colored and vesper sparrow nest survival in relation to woodland edges. In contrast to our results, studies conducted in other grassland systems generally report lower nest survival for grassland birds nesting near trees and shrubs. This disparity in results demonstrates the need to identify specific nest predators and their distributions with respect to important habitat features because these data can be important in explaining-and perhaps predicting-patterns of nest predation.

Genetics Home Reference: intranuclear rod myopathy

MedlinePlus

... Lochmüller H, Graziano C, Mitrani-Rosenbaum S, Twomey D, Sparrow JC, Beggs AH, Nowak KJ. Mutations and polymorphisms ... Epub 2008 Jun 24. Review. Citation on PubMed Sparrow JC, Nowak KJ, Durling HJ, Beggs AH, Wallgren- ...

Local adaptation within a hybrid species

PubMed Central

Eroukhmanoff, F; Hermansen, J S; Bailey, R I; Sæther, S A; Sætre, G-P

2013-01-01

Ecological divergence among populations may be strongly influenced by their genetic background. For instance, genetic admixture through introgressive hybridization or hybrid speciation is likely to affect the genetic variation and evolvability of phenotypic traits. We studied geographic variation in two beak dimensions and three other phenotypic traits of the Italian sparrow (Passer italiae), a young hybrid species formed through interbreeding between house sparrows (P. domesticus) and Spanish sparrows (P. hispaniolensis). We found that beak morphology was strongly influenced by precipitation regimes and that it appeared to be the target of divergent selection within Italian sparrows. Interestingly, however, the degree of parental genetic contribution in the hybrid species had no effect on phenotypic beak variation. Moreover, beak height divergence may mediate genetic differentiation between populations, consistent with isolation-by-adaptation within this hybrid species. The study illustrates how hybrid species may be relatively unconstrained by their admixed genetic background, allowing them to adapt rapidly to environmental variation. PMID:23695379

Estimates of long-term mean-annual nutrient loads considered for use in SPARROW models of the Midcontinental region of Canada and the United States, 2002 base year

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saad, David A.; Benoy, Glenn A.; Robertson, Dale M.

2018-05-11

Streamflow and nutrient concentration data needed to compute nitrogen and phosphorus loads were compiled from Federal, State, Provincial, and local agency databases and also from selected university databases. The nitrogen and phosphorus loads are necessary inputs to Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes (SPARROW) models. SPARROW models are a way to estimate the distribution, sources, and transport of nutrients in streams throughout the Midcontinental region of Canada and the United States. After screening the data, approximately 1,500 sites sampled by 34 agencies were identified as having suitable data for calculating the long-term mean-annual nutrient loads required for SPARROW model calibration. These final sites represent a wide range in watershed sizes, types of nutrient sources, and land-use and watershed characteristics in the Midcontinental region of Canada and the United States.

Estimation of Nitrogen Loads to Two Impaired Reservoirs in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina Using LOADEST and SPARROW Models, 1997-2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pointer, B.; Harned, D. A.; Harden, S.

2010-12-01

The loading of nutrients into lacustrine ecosystems is an issue that concerns scientists and policy makers due to the potentially negative effect on drinking water sources. In this study, nitrogen loads are estimated for streams entering two central North Carolina lakes: Falls Lake in Durham County and B. Everett Jordan Lake in Chatham County. Both of these lakes have been placed on the North Carolina list of impaired waters due to excessive concentrations of chlorophyll a. Nutrient management rules are being established for both lakes. This study is being conducted collaboratively as part of the USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) and the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) nonpoint source 319 program. Water-quality and streamflow data collected from a total of 9 stream sites (4 upstream of Falls Lake; 5 upstream of Jordan Lake) over 11 years (1997-2008) were used to estimate annual nitrogen loads to each lake using the USGS LOADEST (LOAD ESTimation) model (http://water.usgs.gov/software/loadest/). LOADEST is a multiple linear regression model that estimates constituent loads on a site-specific basis. In order to compare local and regional-scale models, nitrogen loads computed with a SPARROW (SPAtially-Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) model (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/sparrow/) for the southeastern United States also were compiled for each lake. SPARROW model predictions for nitrogen loading are based on a single model year of 2002. The SPARROW model relates empirical nutrient data with watershed characteristics, allowing prediction of loads from all drainage basins that flow into each lake. In contrast, the site-specific data needed for LOADEST is limited to a subset of sampled tributaries. Therefore, for comparison’s sake, load estimations reported in this study from the SPARROW model are summed loads from the subset of basins with corresponding LOADEST calculations - 4 of 56 basins for Falls Lake and 5 of 62 for Jordan Lake, corresponding to 408 mi2 of 772 mi2 for Falls Lake and 1423 mi2 of 1707 mi2 for Jordan Lake. Estimated LOADEST annual loads of nitrogen (N) from 4 tributaries of Falls Lake ranged from 83 tons/yr to 661 tons/yr during 1997-2008, with a median value of 170 tons/yr. Estimated loads summed from the same 4 Falls Lake tributaries using the SPARROW model were 209 tons N/year. The SPARROW model year, 2002, LOADEST results were 119 tons N/yr. LOADEST-estimated nitrogen loads from the 5 tributaries to Jordan Lake ranged from 759 tons/yr to 1,195 tons/yr during 1997-2008, with a median value of 1,093 tons/yr. SPARROW predictions of loads from the same 5 tributaries to Jordan Lake were 2,708 tons N/yr, and 2002 LOADEST results were 1,071 tons N/yr. When SPARROW loads are tabulated using basins from the entire lake watershed, loads to Falls and Jordan Lakes are 755 tons N/yr and 2,816 tons N/yr, respectively. The LOADEST models are useful for tracking localized loading to streams and reservoirs, but are limited to sites with in-stream monitoring data. The SPARROW model is regional in scope, but also can be applied to localized areas to help assess source loading to reservoir tributaries.

Influence of Urbanization on Body Size, Condition, and Physiology in an Urban Exploiter: A Multi-Component Approach

PubMed Central

Meillère, Alizée; Brischoux, François; Parenteau, Charline; Angelier, Frédéric

2015-01-01

Consistent expanding urbanization dramatically transforms natural habitats and exposes organisms to novel environmental challenges, often leading to reduced species richness and diversity in cities. However, it remains unclear how individuals are affected by the urban environment and how they can or cannot adjust to the specific characteristics of urban life (e.g. food availability). In this study, we used an integrative multi-component approach to investigate the effects of urbanization on the nutritional status of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We assessed several morphological and physiological indices of body condition in both juveniles (early post-fledging) and breeding adults from four sites with different levels of urbanization in France, Western Europe. We found that sparrows in more urbanized habitats have reduced body size and body mass compared to their rural conspecifics. However, we did not find any consistent differences in a number of complementary indices of condition (scaled mass index, muscle score, hematocrit, baseline and stress-induced corticosterone levels) between urban and rural birds, indicating that urban sparrows may not be suffering nutritional stress. Our results suggest that the urban environment is unlikely to energetically constrain adult sparrows, although other urban-related variables may constrain them. On the other hand, we found significant difference in juvenile fat scores, suggesting that food types provided to young sparrows differed highly between habitats. In addition to the observed smaller size of urban sparrows, these results suggest that the urban environment is inadequate to satisfy early-life sparrows’ nutritional requirements, growth, and development. The urban environment may therefore have life-long consequences for developing birds. PMID:26270531

Developmental plasticity of cutaneous water loss and lipid composition in stratum corneum of desert and mesic nestling house sparrows

PubMed Central

Muñoz-Garcia, Agustí; Williams, Joseph B.

2008-01-01

Intercellular lipids of the stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of the epidermis, form a barrier to water vapor diffusion through the skin. Previously, we measured cutaneous water loss (CWL) and lipid composition of the SC of adult house sparrows from two populations, one living in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and another living in mesic Ohio. Adult desert house sparrows had a lower CWL, a lower proportion of free fatty acids, and a higher proportion of ceramides and cerebrosides in the SC compared with mesic sparrows. In this study, we investigated developmental plasticity of CWL and lipid composition of the SC in desert and mesic nestling house sparrows reared in low and high humidity and compared our results with previous work on adults. We measured CWL of nestlings and analyzed the lipid composition of the SC using thin-layer chromatography. We showed that nestling house sparrows from both localities had higher CWL than adults in their natural environment, a result of major modifications of the lipid composition of the SC. The expression of plasticity in CWL seems to be a response to opposed selection pressures, thermoregulation and water conservation, at different life stages, on which regulation of CWL plays a crucial role. Desert nestlings showed a greater degree of plasticity in CWL and lipid composition of the SC than did mesic nestlings, a finding consistent with the idea that organisms exposed to more environmental stress ought to be more plastic than individuals living in more benign environments. PMID:18838693

Developmental plasticity of cutaneous water loss and lipid composition in stratum corneum of desert and mesic nestling house sparrows.

PubMed

Muñoz-Garcia, Agustí; Williams, Joseph B

2008-10-07

Intercellular lipids of the stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of the epidermis, form a barrier to water vapor diffusion through the skin. Previously, we measured cutaneous water loss (CWL) and lipid composition of the SC of adult house sparrows from two populations, one living in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and another living in mesic Ohio. Adult desert house sparrows had a lower CWL, a lower proportion of free fatty acids, and a higher proportion of ceramides and cerebrosides in the SC compared with mesic sparrows. In this study, we investigated developmental plasticity of CWL and lipid composition of the SC in desert and mesic nestling house sparrows reared in low and high humidity and compared our results with previous work on adults. We measured CWL of nestlings and analyzed the lipid composition of the SC using thin-layer chromatography. We showed that nestling house sparrows from both localities had higher CWL than adults in their natural environment, a result of major modifications of the lipid composition of the SC. The expression of plasticity in CWL seems to be a response to opposed selection pressures, thermoregulation and water conservation, at different life stages, on which regulation of CWL plays a crucial role. Desert nestlings showed a greater degree of plasticity in CWL and lipid composition of the SC than did mesic nestlings, a finding consistent with the idea that organisms exposed to more environmental stress ought to be more plastic than individuals living in more benign environments.

77 FR 44677 - RG Steel Sparrows Point LLC, Formerly Known as Severstal Sparrows Point LLC, a Subsidiary of RG...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-30

... Leased Workers From Echelon Service Company, Sun Associated Industries, Inc., MPI Consultants LLC...-site leased workers from Echelon Service Company, Sun Associated Industries, Inc., MPI Consultants LLC...

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) predation on grassland songbird nestlings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pietz, Pamela J.; Granfors, Diane A.

2000-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were videotaped depredating four songbird nests in grassland habitats in southeastern and northcentral North Dakota, 1996-1999. Deer ate two Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), two grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), one clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), one red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and three brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings. Deer removed nestlings quickly (5-19 sec/nest) at night (22:00 to 05:17 Central Daylight Time) and left no evidence of predation. Although probably opportunistic, deer predations clearly were deliberate and likely are more common than generally believed.

Notes and Discussion: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) predation on grassland songbird nestlings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pietz, P.J.; Granfors, D.A.

2000-01-01

White-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) were videotaped depredating four songbird nests in grassland habitats in southeastern and northcentral North Dakota, 1996-1999. Deer ate two Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), two grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), one clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), one red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and three brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings. Deer removed nestlings quickly (5-19 sec/nest) at night (22:00 to 05:17 Central Daylight Time) and left no evidence of predation. Although probably opportunistic, deer predations clearly were deliberate and likely are more common than generally believed.

Prevalence of Buggy Creek Virus (Togaviridae: Alphavirus) in Insect Vectors Increases Over Time in the Presence of an Invasive Avian Host

PubMed Central

Moore, Amy T.; O'Brien, Valerie A.

2012-01-01

Abstract Invasive species can disrupt natural disease dynamics by altering pathogen transmission among native hosts and vectors. The relatively recent occupancy of cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) nesting colonies in western Nebraska by introduced European house sparrows (Passer domesticus) has led to yearly increases in the prevalence of an endemic arbovirus, Buggy Creek virus (BCRV), in its native swallow bug (Oeciacus vicarius) vector at sites containing both the invasive sparrow host and the native swallow host. At sites without the invasive host, no long-term changes in prevalence have occurred. The percentage of BCRV isolates exhibiting cytopathicity in Vero-cell culture assays increased significantly with year at sites with sparrows but not at swallow-only sites, suggesting that the virus is becoming more virulent to vertebrates in the presence of the invasive host. Increased BCRV prevalence in bug vectors at mixed-species colonies may reflect high virus replication rates in house sparrow hosts, resulting in frequent virus transmission between sparrows and swallow bugs. This case represents a rare empirical example of a pathogen effectively switching to an invasive host, documented in the early phases of the host's arrival in a specialized ecosystem and illustrating how an invasive species can promote long-term changes in host–parasite transmission dynamics. PMID:21923265

Geospatial datasets for assessing the effects of rangeland conditions on dissolved-solids yields in the Upper Colorado River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tillman, Fred D.; Flynn, Marilyn E.; Anning, David W.

2015-01-01

In 2009, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes (SPARROW) surface-water quality model for the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) relating dissolved-solids sources and transport in the 1991 water year to upstream catchment characteristics. The SPARROW model focused on geologic and agricultural sources of dissolved solids in the UCRB and was calibrated using water-year 1991 dissolved-solids loads from 218 monitoring sites. A new UCRB SPARROW model is planned that will update the investigation of dissolved-solids sources and transport in the basin to circa 2010 conditions and will improve upon the 2009 model by incorporating more detailed information about agricultural-irrigation and rangeland-management practices, among other improvements. Geospatial datasets relating to circa 2010 rangeland conditions are required for the new UCRB SPARROW modeling effort. This study compiled geospatial datasets for the UCRB that relate to the biotic alterations and rangeland conditions of grazing, fire and other land disturbance, and vegetation type and cover. Datasets representing abiotic alterations of access control (off-highway vehicles) and sediment generation and transport in general, were also compiled. These geospatial datasets may be tested in the upcoming SPARROW model to better understand the potential contribution of rangelands to dissolved-solids loading in UCRB streams.

Feather and nest mites of two common resident birds in two ecologically different Egyptian governorates.

PubMed

Morsy, T A; Mazyad, S A; Younis, M S

1999-08-01

The study of the role played by birds in the distribution of various bacterial, viral and parasitic infections is increasingly from year to year, taking into consideration the flying ability of birds and their migration for food and vital processes. Two of the common Egyptian resident birds, house sparrow (Passer d. niloticus) and laughing dove (Streptopelia s. aegyptiaca) were chosen to study their mite fauna. The overall mite index was 4.74 on the house sparrow and 7.22 on the laughing dove. As to mites, a total of 31 species belonging to 23 genera, 17 families and 3 suborders were collected. The common mites on both types of birds were 22 species. Three species only on house sparrow, and six species only on laughing dove. The house sparrow served host for 25 mite species and the laughing dove served host for 28 mite species. The infestation rates of mites on house sparrow ranged between 1.11% to 23.33% and 0.21% to 34.54% in Sharkia and Qalyobia governorates respectively. For laughing dove, the mite infestation rates ranged between 0.82% to 50% and 3.45% to 55.17% for both governorates respectively. Some of the collected mites have medical and/or veterinary importance. The whole results were discussed.

Area requirements of grassland birds: A regional perspective

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Douglas H.; Igl, Lawrence D.

2001-01-01

Area requirements of grassland birds have not been studied except in tallgrass prairie. We studied the relation between both species-occurrence and density and patch size by conducting 699 fixed-radius point counts of 15 bird species on 303 restored grassland areas in nine counties in four northern Great Plains states. Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus), Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis), Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida), Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii), Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii), and Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) were shown to favor larger grassland patches in one or more counties. Evidence of area sensitivity was weak or ambivalent for Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), and Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta). Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) preferred larger patches in some counties, and smaller patches in others. Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) and Brown- headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) tended to favor smaller grassland patches. Three species showed greater area sensitivity in counties where each species was more common. Five species demonstrated some spatial pattern of area sensitivity, either north to south or east to west. This study demonstrates the importance of replication in space; results from one area may not apply to others because of differences in study design, analytical methods, location relative to range of the species, and surrounding landscapes.

Juvenile sparrows preferentially eavesdrop on adult song interactions

PubMed Central

Templeton, Christopher N.; Akçay, Çağlar; Campbell, S. Elizabeth; Beecher, Michael D.

2010-01-01

Recent research has demonstrated that bird song learning is influenced by social factors, but so far has been unable to isolate the particular social variables central to the learning process. Here we test the hypothesis that eavesdropping on singing interactions of adults is a key social event in song learning by birds. In a field experiment, we compared the response of juvenile male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to simulated adult counter-singing versus simulated solo singing. We used radio telemetry to follow the movements of each focal bird and assess his response to each playback trial. Juveniles approached the playback speakers when exposed to simulated interactive singing of two song sparrows, but not when exposed to simulated solo singing of a single song sparrow, which in fact they treated similar to heterospecific singing. Although the young birds approached simulated counter-singing, neither did they approach closely, nor did they vocalize themselves, suggesting that the primary function of approach was to permit eavesdropping on these singing interactions. These results indicate that during the prime song-learning phase, juvenile song sparrows are attracted to singing interactions between adults but not to singing by a single bird and suggest that singing interactions may be particularly powerful song-tutoring events. PMID:19846461

Helping at a Henslow's Sparrow nest in Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guzy, Michael J.; Ribic, C.A.; Sample, D.W.

2002-01-01

We document the first reported observation of helping at the nest of a Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii). Video surveillance recorded two unbanded adults (a presumed male and female) and one banded adult male feeding chicks. No intraspecific aggression among the adults was observed.

Occupancy patterns of regionally declining grassland sparrow populations in a forested Pennsylvania landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, Jason M.; Diefenbach, Duane R.

2014-01-01

Organisms can be affected by processes in the surrounding landscape outside the boundary of habitat areas and by local vegetation characteristics. There is substantial interest in understanding how these processes affect populations of grassland birds, which have experienced substantial population declines. Much of our knowledge regarding patterns of occupancy and density stem from prairie systems, whereas relatively little is known regarding how occurrence and abundance of grassland birds vary in reclaimed surface mine grasslands. Using distance sampling and single-season occupancy models, we investigated how the occupancy probability of Grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum) and Henslow's Sparrows (A. henslowii) on 61 surface mine grasslands (1591 ha) in Pennsylvania changed from 2002 through 2011 in response to landscape, grassland, and local vegetation characteristics . A subset (n = 23; 784 ha) of those grasslands were surveyed in 2002, and we estimated changes in sparrow density and vegetation across 10 years. Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrow populations declined 72% and 49%, respectively from 2002 to 2011, whereas overall woody vegetation density increased 2.6 fold. Henslow's Sparrows avoided grasslands with perimeter–area ratios ≥0.141 km/ha and woody shrub densities ≥0.04 shrubs/m2. Both species occupied grasslands ≤13 ha, but occupancy probability declined with increasing grassland perimeter–area ratio and woody shrub density. Grassland size, proximity to nearest neighboring grassland ( = 0.2 km), and surrounding landscape composition at 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 km were not parsimonious predictors of occupancy probability for either species. Our results suggest that reclaimed surface mine grasslands, without management intervention, are ephemeral habitats for Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrows. Given the forecasted decline in surface coal production for Pennsylvania, it is likely that both species will continue to decline in our study region for the foreseeable future.

Natural epigenetic variation within and among six subspecies of the house sparrow, Passer domesticus.

PubMed

Riyahi, Sepand; Vilatersana, Roser; Schrey, Aaron W; Ghorbani Node, Hassan; Aliabadian, Mansour; Senar, Juan Carlos

2017-11-01

Epigenetic modifications can respond rapidly to environmental changes and can shape phenotypic variation in accordance with environmental stimuli. One of the most studied epigenetic marks is DNA methylation. In the present study, we used the methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) technique to investigate the natural variation in DNA methylation within and among subspecies of the house sparrow, Passer domesticus We focused on five subspecies from the Middle East because they show great variation in many ecological traits and because this region is the probable origin for the house sparrow's commensal relationship with humans. We analysed house sparrows from Spain as an outgroup. The level of variation in DNA methylation was similar among the five house sparrow subspecies from the Middle East despite high phenotypic and environmental variation, but the non-commensal subspecies was differentiated from the other four (commensal) Middle Eastern subspecies. Further, the European subspecies was differentiated from all other subspecies in DNA methylation. Our results indicate that variation in DNA methylation does not strictly follow subspecies designations. We detected a correlation between methylation level and some morphological traits, such as standardized bill length, and we suggest that part of the high morphological variation in the native populations of the house sparrow is influenced by differentially methylated regions in specific loci throughout the genome. We also detected 10 differentially methylated loci among subspecies and three loci that differentiated between commensal or non-commensal status. Therefore, the MSAP technique detected larger scale differences among the European and non-commensal subspecies, but did not detect finer scale differences among the other Middle Eastern subspecies. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Non-target effects on songbirds from habitat manipulation for Greater Sage-Grouse: Implications for the umbrella species concept

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlisle, Jason D.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Smith, Kurt T.; Beck, Jeffery L.

2018-01-01

The “umbrella species” concept is a conservation strategy in which creating and managing reserve areas to meet the needs of one species is thought to benefit other species indirectly. Broad-scale habitat protections on behalf of an umbrella species are assumed to benefit co-occurring taxa, but targeted management actions to improve local habitat suitability for the umbrella species may produce unintended effects on other species. Our objective was to quantify the effects of a common habitat treatment (mowing of big sagebrush [Artemisia tridentata]) intended to benefit a high-profile umbrella species (Greater Sage-Grouse [Centrocercus urophasianus]) on 3 sympatric songbird species of concern. We used a before–after control-impact experimental design spanning 3 yr in Wyoming, USA, to quantify the effect of mowing on the abundance, nest-site selection, nestling condition, and nest survival of 2 sagebrush-obligate songbirds (Brewer's Sparrow [Spizella breweri] and Sage Thrasher [Oreoscoptes montanus]) and one open-habitat generalist songbird (Vesper Sparrow [Pooecetes gramineus]). Mowing was associated with lower abundance of Brewer's Sparrows and Sage Thrashers but higher abundance of Vesper Sparrows. We found no Brewer's Sparrows or Sage Thrashers nesting in the mowed footprint posttreatment, which suggests complete loss of nesting habitat for these species. Mowing was associated with higher nestling condition and nest survival for Vesper Sparrows but not for the sagebrush-obligate species. Management prescriptions that remove woody biomass within a mosaic of intact habitat may be tolerated by sagebrush-obligate songbirds but are likely more beneficial for open-habitat generalist species. By definition, umbrella species conservation entails habitat protections at broad spatial scales. We caution that habitat manipulations to benefit Greater Sage-Grouse could negatively affect nontarget species of conservation concern if implemented across large spatial extents.

Cutaneous water loss and sphingolipids in the stratum corneum of house sparrows, Passer domesticus L., from desert and mesic environments as determined by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric pressure photospray ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Muñoz-Garcia, Agustí; Ro, Jennifer; Brown, Johnie C; Williams, Joseph B

2008-02-01

Because cutaneous water loss (CWL) represents half of total water loss in birds, selection to reduce CWL may be strong in desert birds. We previously found that CWL of house sparrows from a desert population was about 25% lower than that of individuals from a mesic environment. The stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of the epidermis, serves as the primary barrier to water vapor diffusion through the skin. The avian SC is formed by layers of corneocytes embedded in a lipid matrix consisting of cholesterol, free fatty acids and two classes of sphingolipids, ceramides and cerebrosides. The SC of birds also serves a thermoregulatory function; high rates of CWL keep body temperatures under lethal limits in episodes of heat stress. In this study, we used high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric pressure photoionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC/APPI-MS) to identify and quantify over 200 sphingolipids in the SC of house sparrows from desert and mesic populations. Principal components analysis (PCA) led to the hypotheses that sphingolipids in the SC of desert sparrows have longer carbon chains in the fatty acid moiety and are more polar than those found in mesic sparrows. We also tested the association between principal components and CWL in both populations. Our study suggested that a reduction in CWL found in desert sparrows was, in part, the result of modifications in chain length and polarity of the sphingolipids, changes that apparently determine the interactions of the lipid molecules within the SC.

Sources and Trends of Nitrogen Loading to New England Estuaries

EPA Science Inventory

A database of nitrogen (N) loading components to estuaries of the conterminous United States has been developed through application of regional SPARROW models. The original SPARROW models predict average detrended loads by source based on average flow conditions and 2002 source t...

Status and Trends of Nitrogen Loads to Estuaries of the Conterminous U.S.

EPA Science Inventory

We applied regional SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) models to estimate status and trends of potential nitrogen loads to estuaries of the conterminous United States. The original SPARROW models predict average detrended loads by source based on ...

Spatial heterogeneity in the effects of climate and density-dependence on dispersal in a house sparrow metapopulation

PubMed Central

Pärn, Henrik; Ringsby, Thor Harald; Jensen, Henrik; Sæther, Bernt-Erik

2012-01-01

Dispersal plays a key role in the response of populations to climate change and habitat fragmentation. Here, we use data from a long-term metapopulation study of a non-migratory bird, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), to examine the influence of increasing spring temperature and density-dependence on natal dispersal rates and how these relationships depend on spatial variation in habitat quality. The effects of spring temperature and population size on dispersal rate depended on the habitat quality. Dispersal rate increased with temperature and population size on poor-quality islands without farms, where house sparrows were more exposed to temporal fluctuations in weather conditions and food availability. By contrast, dispersal rate was independent of spring temperature and population size on high-quality islands with farms, where house sparrows had access to food and shelter all the year around. This illustrates large spatial heterogeneity within the metapopulation in how population density and environmental fluctuations affect the dispersal process. PMID:21613299

Morphological adaptation with no mitochondrial DNA differentiation in the coastal plain swamp sparrow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greenberg, R.; Cordero, P.J.; Droege, S.; Fleischer, R.C.

1998-01-01

We estimated genetic differentiation between morphologically distinct tidal marsh populations of Swamp Sparrows (Melospiza georgiana nigrescens) and the more widespread inland populations (M. g. georgiana and M. g. ericrypta). The tidal marsh populations are consistently grayer with more extensive black markings (particularly in the crown), and their bills are larger. These differences are variously shared with other species of salt marsh birds and small mammals. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequences (5′ end of control region, COII/t-lys/ATPase8, and ND2) of Swamp Sparrows and found low levels of genetic variation and no evidence of geographic structure. These results suggest a rapid and recent geographic expansion of Swamp Sparrows from restricted Pleistocene populations. Morphological differentiation has occurred without long-term genetic isolation, suggesting that selection on the divergent traits is intense. The grayer and more melanistic plumage is probably cryptic coloration for foraging on tidal mud, which tends to be grayish as a result of the formation of iron sulfides, rather than iron oxides, under anaerobic conditions.

Developing a Dynamic SPARROW Water Quality Decision Support System Using NASA Remotely-Sensed Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Hamdan, M. Z.; Smith, R. A.; Hoos, A.; Schwarz, G. E.; Alexander, R. B.; Crosson, W. L.; Srikishen, J.; Estes, M., Jr.; Cruise, J.; Al-Hamdan, A.; Ellenburg, W. L., II; Flores, A.; Sanford, W. E.; Zell, W.; Reitz, M.; Miller, M. P.; Journey, C. A.; Befus, K. M.; Swann, R.; Herder, T.; Sherwood, E.; Leverone, J.; Shelton, M.; Smith, E. T.; Anastasiou, C. J.; Seachrist, J.; Hughes, A.; Graves, D.

2017-12-01

The USGS Spatially Referenced Regression on Watershed Attributes (SPARROW) surface water quality modeling system has been widely used for long term, steady state water quality analysis. However, users have increasingly requested a dynamic version of SPARROW that can provide seasonal estimates of nutrients and suspended sediment to receiving waters. The goal of this NASA-funded project is to develop a dynamic decision support system to enhance the southeast SPARROW water quality model and finer-scale dynamic models for selected coastal watersheds through the use of remotely-sensed data and other NASA Land Information System (LIS) products. The spatial and temporal scale of satellite remote sensing products and LIS modeling data make these sources ideal for the purposes of development and operation of the dynamic SPARROW model. Remote sensing products including MODIS vegetation indices, SMAP surface soil moisture, and OMI atmospheric chemistry along with LIS-derived evapotranspiration (ET) and soil temperature and moisture products will be included in model development and operation. MODIS data will also be used to map annual land cover/land use in the study areas and in conjunction with Landsat and Sentinel to identify disturbed areas that might be sources of sediment and increased phosphorus loading through exposure of the bare soil. These data and others constitute the independent variables in a regression analysis whose dependent variables are the water quality constituents total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and suspended sediment. Remotely-sensed variables such as vegetation indices and ET can be proxies for nutrient uptake by vegetation; MODIS Leaf Area Index can indicate sources of phosphorus from vegetation; soil moisture and temperature are known to control rates of denitrification; and bare soil areas serve as sources of enhanced nutrient and sediment production. The enhanced SPARROW dynamic models will provide improved tools for end users to manage water quality in near real time and for the formulation of future scenarios to inform strategic planning. Time-varying SPARROW outputs will aid water managers in decision making regarding allocation of resources in protecting aquatic habitats, planning for harmful algal blooms, and restoration of degraded habitats, stream segments, or lakes.

Results of Total Mercury Analysis in Salt Marsh Invertebrates

EPA Science Inventory

Analysis of blood samples obtained from saltmarsh sparrows revealed high levels (> 1.0 µg/g(wet)) of mercury (Hg) in sparrows inhabiting a salt marsh site in the Narrow River, RI (also known as Pettaquamscutt River). These analyses were conducted by Oksana Lane at the Biodiversit...

Characterization of the nest site preferences of Saltmarsh and Nelson's Sparrows, and hybrids

EPA Science Inventory

Saltmarsh Sparrows (hereafter SALS) are named on the National Audubon Society’s current WatchList as a species of global conservation concern (National Audubon Society 2007). Anthropogenic climate change is perhaps the largest threat to SALS populations because sea level ri...

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Comprehensive Status and Trends of Nitrogen Loads to Estuaries in the Conterminous United States: Pacific Coast Results

EPA Science Inventory

We applied regional SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) models to estimate status and trends of potential nitrogen loads to estuaries of the conterminous United States. The original Regional SPARROW models predict average detrended loads by source ...

The role of beginner’s luck in learning to prefer risky patches by socially foraging house sparrows

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Although there has been extensive research on the evolution of individual decision making under risk (when facing variable outcomes), little is known on how the evolution of such decision-making mechanisms has been shaped by social learning and exploitation. We presented socially foraging house sparrows with a choice between scattered feeding wells in which millet seeds were hidden under 2 types of colored sand: green sand offering ~80 seeds with a probability of 0.1 (high risk–high reward) and yellow sand offering 1 seed with certainty (low risk–low reward). Although the expected benefit of choosing variable wells was 8 times higher than that of choosing constant wells, only some sparrows developed a preference for variable wells, whereas others developed a significant preference for constant wells. We found that this dichotomy could be explained by stochastic individual differences in sampling success during foraging, rather than by social foraging strategies (active searching vs. joining others). Moreover, preference for variable or constant wells was related to the sparrows’ success during searching, rather than during joining others or when picking exposed seeds (i.e., they learn when actively searching in the sand). Finally, although for many sparrows learning resulted in an apparently maladaptive risk aversion, group living still allowed them to enjoy profitable variable wells by occasionally joining variable-preferring sparrows. PMID:24137046

Prevalence of filarioid nematodes and trypanosomes in American robins and house sparrows, Chicago USA.

PubMed

Hamer, Gabriel L; Anderson, Tavis K; Berry, Garrett E; Makohon-Moore, Alvin P; Crafton, Jeffrey C; Brawn, Jeffrey D; Dolinski, Amanda C; Krebs, Bethany L; Ruiz, Marilyn O; Muzzall, Patrick M; Goldberg, Tony L; Walker, Edward D

2013-12-01

Hosts are commonly infected with a suite of parasites, and interactions among these parasites can affect the size, structure, and behavior of host-parasite communities. As an important step to understanding the significance of co-circulating parasites, we describe prevalence of co-circulating hemoparasites in two important avian amplification hosts for West Nile virus (WNV), the American robin (Turdus migratorius) and house sparrow (Passer domesticus), during the 2010-2011 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Rates of nematode microfilariemia were 1.5% of the robins (n = 70) and 4.2% of the house sparrows (n = 72) collected during the day and 11.1% of the roosting robins (n = 63) and 0% of the house sparrows (n = 11) collected at night. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of the 18S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) genes from these parasites resolved two clades of filarioid nematodes. Microscopy revealed that 18.0% of American robins (n = 133) and 16.9% of house sparrows (n = 83) hosted trypanosomes in the blood. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences from the 18s rRNA gene revealed that the trypanosomes fall within previously described avian trypanosome clades. These results document hemoparasites in the blood of WNV hosts in a center of endemic WNV transmission, suggesting a potential for direct or indirect interactions with the virus.

Population Status of the Seaside Sparrow in Rhode Island: A 25-Year Assessment

EPA Science Inventory

The Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) is currently listed as a species of ‘special concern’ in Rhode Island and has been designated as a ‘watch list’ species in the Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan. To assess the population status of breeding Seas...

Recent work and results on sparrow project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harvey, Neal R

2010-12-23

This briefing describes recent work undertaken on the Sparrow Project and results of this work. It describes experiments comparing the use of Genie with 2 classes with 3 classes for the problem of ship delineation. It also describes some preliminary work in the area of the optimization of segmentation techniques.

Control of Bethlehem's coke-oven battery A at Sparrow Point

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michel, A.

1984-02-01

A new 6 m 80-oven compound-fired coke battery capable of producing in excess of 850,000 ton/year began production at Sparrow Point, Maryland, in 1982. The electrical, fuel distribution and control systems are described, together with the computer process control and monitoring systems.

Reply to Cicchetti, Kaufman, and Sparrow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisglas-Kuperus, Nynke; Vreugdenhil, Hestien J. I.; Mulder, Paul G. H.

2004-01-01

The aim of the review of D.V. Cicchetti, A.S. Kaufman, and S.S. Sparrow (funded by the General Electric Company; this issue) is to "evaluate [the] literature relating the effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) upon neurobehavioral, health-related, and cognitive deficits in neonates, developing infants,…

Is Residential Development Adjacent to Salt Marshes Causing Declines in Seaside Sparrows?

EPA Science Inventory

To assess the possible effects of residential development on nesting populations of Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus), we repeated a 1982 survey conducted by Stoll and Golet. In June and July 2007, 23 RI salt marshes were surveyed in their entirety for the presenc...

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Equipment for neutron measurements at VR-1 Sparrow training reactor.

PubMed

Kolros, Antonin; Huml, Ondrej; Kríz, Martin; Kos, Josef

2010-01-01

The VR-1 sparrow reactor is an experimental nuclear facility for training, student education and teaching purposes. The sparrow reactor is an educational platform for the basic experiments at the reactor physic and dosimetry. The aim of this article is to describe the new experimental equipment EMK310 features and possibilities for neutron detection by different gas filled detectors at VR-1 reactor. Among the EMK310 equipment typical attributes belong precise set-up, simple control, resistance to electromagnetic interference, high throughput (counting rate), versatility and remote controllability. The methods for non-linearity correction of pulse neutron detection system and reactimeter application are presented. Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Reliability and Validity of the Vietnamese Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales with Preschool-Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Michael R.; Dill, Charles A.; Shin, Jin Y.; Nhan, Nguyen Viet

2009-01-01

This study was conducted to examine an adaptation of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS) [Sparrow, S. S., Balla, D. A., & Cicchetti, D. V. (1984). "The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales." Circle Pines, MN: America Guidance Service; Sparrow, S. S., Balla, D. A., & Cicchetti, D. V. (2005). "Vineland Adaptive Behavior…

Patterns of Seasonal Abundance and Social Segregation in Inland and Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrows in a Delaware Tidal Marsh

EPA Science Inventory

The Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana nigrescens, CPSS) breeds in the coastal brackish marshes of the North American Mid-Atlantic States. During the non-breeding season, coastal brackish marshes are occupied by both this subspecies and two far more widespread inte...

Sparrow migration along a river corridor in desert grassland

Treesearch

Deborah M. Finch; Wang Yong

1996-01-01

We analyzed trends of sparrows and towhees captured in fall at the Rio Grande Nature Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1985 to 1994. Species were grouped into three breeding-habitat classes: grassland and shrubsteppe, riparian and deciduous vegetation, and upland forests, woodlands, and edges. Spearman's rank correlations were used to determine whether...

Acquisition of plumage polymorphism in white-throated sparrows

Treesearch

Carter T. Atkinson; C. John Ralph

1980-01-01

The White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) was thought to be polymorphic in breeding plumage, having distinct white and tan phases that are bimodal in distribution and independent of sex. Vardy (1971), however, submitted evidence that plumage type is determined primarily by age, sex, and molt cycle. We reexamined this question by measuring plumage...

Population Status of the Seaside Sparrow in Rhode Island: A 25-Year Assessment.

EPA Science Inventory

To assess long-term changes in the population status of breeding Ammodramus maritimus Wilson (Seaside Sparrow) in Rhode Island, we repeated surveys conducted in 1982 by Stoll and Golet (1983). In June and July of 2007 and 2008, we surveyed 20 of Rhode Island’s largest salt ...

The role of plumage polymorphism in dominance relationshipt of the white-throated sparrow

Treesearch

Doris J. Watt; C. John Ralph; Carter T. Atkinson

1984-01-01

We studied dominance behaviors of captive winter flocks of White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) in central Pennsylvania. Preliminary tests with a small group of birds indicated that there might be differences in behaviors between color morphs if age and sexual differences were controlled. Studies of two larger groups produced...

USE OF OUTPUT FROM THE NEW ENGLAND SPARROW MODEL TO ESTIMATE CONCENTRATIONS OF TOTAL NITROGEN IN ESTUARIES

EPA Science Inventory

The USGS=s SPARROW Model is a statistical model with mechanistic features that has been used to calculate annual nutrient fluxes in nontidal streams nationally on the basis of nitrogen sources, landscape characteristics, and stream properties. This model has been useful for asses...

Cost of Parasitism Incurred by Two Songbird Species and Their Quality As Cowbird Hosts1

Treesearch

Dirk Burhans; Frank R. Thompson III

2000-01-01

We measured the costs of Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism incurred by Field Sparrows (Spizella pusilla) and Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea). We predicted that the frequent occurrence of nest desertion as a response to cowbird parasitism in Field Sparrows would be reflected by a higher cost of...

Predicting Ecosystem Services in Northeastern Lakes From Monitoring Data and USGS SPARROW Nutrient Load Estimates

EPA Science Inventory

Reduction of nitrogen inputs to estuaries can be achieved by the control of agricultural, atmospheric, and urban sources. We use the USGS MRB1 SPARROW model to estimate reductions necessary to decrease nitrogen loads to estuaries by 10%. As a first approximation we looked at s...

Within-male melanin-based plumage and bill elaboration in male house sparrows.

PubMed

Václav, Radovan

2006-12-01

If there is a cost to producing a dark color patch, the size of a patch may not correspond with its pigment concentration. The plumage of male house sparrows represents a case of dark, melanin-based ornamentation, but also a case of neglecting the composite nature of dark signals in birds. Here, I investigated what kind of associations exist between the brightness, chroma, and hue of dark integumentary patches and the size of a secondary sexual trait, the bib, in male house sparrows. I found that males with a larger bib also had a darker bib and bill, and a more saturated bib, bill, epaulets, head crown, and breast than small-bibbed males. Male bib coloration in terms of brightness and chroma was more strongly related to bib size than the coloration of other integumentary patches. However, with respect to hue, only the hue of the bill and cheeks was related to bib size. My results indicate that size, brightness, and chroma of the bib, but also chroma of other deeply colored patches, convey redundant information about the signaler's quality in male house sparrows.

Throwing the baby out with the bathwater: a critique of Sparrow's inclusive definition of the term 'in vitro eugenics'.

PubMed

Fujita, Misao; Yashiro, Yoshimi; Suzuki, Mika

2014-11-01

Sparrow highlights three potential applications of in vitro eugenics, that is, (a) research into the heredity of genetic disorders, (b) production of cell lines with specific genotypes, and (c) breeding better babies, and points to the need for researchers to discuss in advance the potential ethical problems that may emerge if the realization of this technology occurs in the near future. In this commentary, we pose a question for the sake of discussion. Is it, in fact, appropriate to label all three applications raised by Sparrow as eugenics? By doing so, an unnecessary level of concern might be borne among the public, and as a result, the sound development of this specialized technology would be affected. If the label of eugenics is to be applied to all three of these applications, then Sparrow must justify how he perceives (a) and (b) as not inherently different from (c). Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Avian response to wildfire in interior Columbia basin shrubsteppe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Earnst, S.L.; Newsome, H.L.; LaFramboise, W.L.; LaFramboise, N.

2009-01-01

Wildfire and conversion of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) shrublands to cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) grasslands is a serious threat to the shrubsteppe ecosystem, but few studies have documented wildfire's effects on birds with multiple years of pre- and post-fire data. Using data from avian point counts recorded 4 years before and 7 years after a large-scale, severe wildfire in the Columbia Basin of south-central Washington, we found significant effects of fire on population trends or mean abundance of nearly all species investigated. The Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli), a sagebrush obligate, was decreasing at a high rate both pre- and post-fire. Among species inhabiting more open shrubsteppe or grasslands, the mean abundance of three (Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum; Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta; Vesper Sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus) was lower post-fire and one (Lark Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus) showed an initial, but short-lived, increase post-fire before dropping below pre-fire levels. Only one (Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris) increased steadily post-fire and had higher post-fire mean abundance. ?? 2009 by The Cooper Ornithological Society. All rights reserved.

Phenotypic divergence despite low genetic differentiation in house sparrow populations.

PubMed

Ben Cohen, Shachar; Dor, Roi

2018-01-10

Studying patterns of phenotypic variation among populations can shed light on the drivers of evolutionary processes. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is one of the world's most ubiquitous bird species, as well as a successful invader. We investigated phenotypic variation in house sparrow populations across a climatic gradient and in relation to a possible scenario of an invasion. We measured variation in morphological, coloration, and behavioral traits (exploratory behavior and neophobia) and compared it to the neutral genetic variation. We found that sparrows were larger and darker in northern latitudes, in accordance with Bergmann's and Gloger's biogeographic rules. Morphology and behavior mostly differed between the southernmost populations and the other regions, supporting the possibility of an invasion. Genetic differentiation was low and diversity levels were similar across populations, indicating high gene flow. Nevertheless, the southernmost and northern populations differed genetically to some extent. Furthermore, genetic differentiation (F ST ) was lower in comparison to phenotypic variation (P ST ), indicating that the phenotypic variation is shaped by directional selection or by phenotypic plasticity. This study expands our knowledge on evolutionary mechanisms and biological invasions.

Male song sparrows have elevated testosterone in response to neighbors versus strangers.

PubMed

Moser-Purdy, Christopher; MacDougall-Shackleton, Scott A; Bonier, Frances; Graham, Brendan A; Boyer, Andrea C; Mennill, Daniel J

2017-07-01

Upon hearing a conspecific signal, animals must assess their relationship with the signaller and respond appropriately. Territorial animals usually respond more aggressively to strangers than neighbors in a phenomenon known as the "dear enemy effect". This phenomenon likely evolved because strangers represent a threat to an animal's territory tenure and parentage, whereas neighbors only represent a threat to an animal's parentage because they already possess a territory (providing territory boundaries are established and stable). Although the dear enemy effect has been widely documented using behavioral response variables, little research has been conducted on the physiological responses of animals to neighbors versus strangers. We sought to investigate whether the dear enemy effect is observed physiologically by exposing territorial male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) to playback simulating a neighbor or a stranger, and then collecting blood samples to measure plasma testosterone levels. We predicted that song sparrows would exhibit increased testosterone levels after exposure to stranger playback compared to neighbor playback, due to the role testosterone plays in regulating aggression. Contrary to our prediction, we found that song sparrows had higher testosterone levels after exposure to neighbor playback compared to stranger playback. We discuss several explanations for our result, notably that corticosterone may regulate the dear enemy effect in male song sparrows and this may inhibit plasma testosterone. Future studies will benefit from examining corticosterone in addition to testosterone, to better understand the hormonal underpinnings of the dear enemy effect. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biomagnification of higher brominated PBDE congeners in an urban terrestrial food web in north China based on field observation of prey deliveries.

PubMed

Yu, Le-Huan; Luo, Xiao-Jun; Wu, Jiang-Ping; Liu, Li-Yu; Song, Jie; Sun, Quan-Hui; Zhang, Xiu-Lan; Chen, Da; Mai, Bi-Xian

2011-06-15

As an important group of brominated flame retardants, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) persist in the wildlife food webs. However, the biomagnification of PBDEs has not been adequately studied in the terrestrial food webs. In this study, a terrestrial food web composed of common kestrels, sparrows, rats, grasshoppers, and dragonflies in the urban environment from northern China was obtained. A field prey delivery study, reinforced by δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analyses, indicates that sparrows are the primary prey items of common kestrels. Concentrations of PBDEs were in the following order: common kestrel > sparrow > rat > grasshopper and dragonfly with BDE-209 as the dominant congener. Biomagnification factors (BMFs) were calculated as the ratio between the lipid normalized concentrations in the predator and prey. The highest BMF (6.9) was determined for BDE-153 in sparrow/common kestrel food chain. Other higher brominated congeners, such as BDE-202, -203, -154, -183, -197, and -209, were also biomagnified in this terrestrial food chain with BMF of 1.3-4.7. BDE-47, -99, and -100 were found to be biodiluted from sparrow to common kestrel (BMFs < 1). Measured BMF values for BDE-153, -47, -99, and -100 were consistent with predicted values from a nonsteady-state model in American kestrels from another study. Retention factors and metabolism of BDE congeners may be confounding factors influencing the measured BMFs in this current study.

The urban decline of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus): a possible link with electromagnetic radiation.

PubMed

Balmori, Alfonso; Hallberg, Orjan

2007-01-01

During recent decades, there has been a marked decline of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) population in the United Kingdom and in several western European countries. The aims of this study were to determine whether the population is also declining in Spain and to evaluate the hypothesis that electromagnetic radiation (microwaves) from phone antennae is correlated with the decline in the sparrow population. Between October 2002 and May 2006, point transect sampling was performed at 30 points during 40 visits to Valladolid, Spain. At each point, we carried out counts of sparrows and measured the mean electric field strength (radiofrequencies and microwaves: 1 MHz-3 GHz range). Significant declines (P = 0.0037) were observed in the mean bird density over time, and significantly low bird density was observed in areas with high electric field strength. The logarithmic regression of the mean bird density vs. field strength groups (considering field strength in 0.1 V/m increments) was R = -0.87 (P = 0.0001). The results of this article support the hypothesis that electromagnetic signals are associated with the observed decline in the sparrow population. We conclude that electromagnetic pollution may be responsible, either by itself or in combination with other factors, for the observed decline of the species in European cities during recent years. The appearently strong dependence between bird density and field strength according to this work could be used for a more controlled study to test the hypothesis.

Bird-habitat relationships in interior Columbia Basin shrubsteppe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Earnst, S.L.; Holmes, A.L.

2012-01-01

Vegetation structure is considered an important habitat feature structuring avian communities. In the sagebrush biome, both remotely-sensed and field-acquired measures of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) cover have proven valuable in understanding avian abundance. Differences in structure between the exotic annual cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and native bunchgrasses are also expected to be important. We used avian abundance data from 318 point count stations, coupled with field vegetation measurements and a detailed vegetation map, to model abundance for four shrub- and four grassland-associated avian species in southeastern Washington shrubsteppe. Specifically, we ask whether species distinguish between bunchgrass and cheatgrass, and whether mapped, categorical cover types adequately explain species' abundance or whether fine-grained, field-measured differences in vegetation cover are also important. Results indicate that mapped cover types alone can be useful for predicting patterns of distribution and abundance within the sagebrush biome for several avian species (five of eight studied here). However, field-measured sagebrush cover was a strong positive predictor for Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli), the only sagebrush obligate in this study, and a strong negative predictor for two grassland associates, Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) and Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum). Likewise, shrub associates did not differ in abundance in sagebrush with a cheatgrass vs. bunchgrass understory, but grassland associates were more common in either bunchgrass (Horned Lark and Grasshopper Sparrow) or cheatgrass grasslands (Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus), or tended to use sagebrush-cheatgrass less than sagebrush-bunchgrass (Horned Lark, Grasshopper Sparrow, and Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis).

Nontarget bird exposure to DRC-1339 during fall in North Dakota and spring in South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Custer, Thomas W.; Custer, Christine M.; Dummer, Paul M.; Linz, George M.; Sileo, Louis; Stahl, Randal S.; Johnston, John J.; Linz, G.M.

2003-01-01

Blackbirds frequently use ripening sunflower (Heltantbus annuus) as a food source in the northern Great Plains. In 1999 and 2000, the avicide DRC-1339 (3-chloro-4-methylaniline hydrochloride) was used experimentally on fall-ripening sunflower fields in North Dakota so researchers could evaluate its effectiveness for reducing crop depredations by blackbirds. DRC-1339 was applied to rice and broadcast on the ground in a confined area within ripening sunflower fields. One objective of this study was to determine whether nontarget birds, birds other than blackbirds, were eating rice and were exposed to the DRC-1339. In 1999, 8 of 11 (73%) sparrows collected by shotgun in sunflower fields treated with DRe-1339 had rice in their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. In 2000, 5 mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) and 3 sparrows were collected by shotgun in sunflower fields treated with DRC-1339. Three doves had rice in their GI tracts, 4 doves and all 3 sparrows had measurable DRC1339 concentrations in their GI tracts, and 3 mourning doves and 1 savannah sparrow (Passerculus sanduncbensis) exhibited histopathological signs of kidney damage. In April 2002, untreated rice was applied to corn stubble plots in South Dakota to determine which bird species ate rice. In 2002, 3 of 3 song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) collected by shotgun had rice in their GI tracts. Our results demonstrate that the use of DRC-1339 to control blackbirds in the northern Great Plains will likely expose nontarget birds to the DRC-1339 bait.

Prevalence of filarioid nematodes and trypanosomes in American robins and house sparrows, Chicago USA☆

PubMed Central

Hamer, Gabriel L.; Anderson, Tavis K.; Berry, Garrett E.; Makohon-Moore, Alvin P.; Crafton, Jeffrey C.; Brawn, Jeffrey D.; Dolinski, Amanda C.; Krebs, Bethany L.; Ruiz, Marilyn O.; Muzzall, Patrick M.; Goldberg, Tony L.; Walker, Edward D.

2012-01-01

Hosts are commonly infected with a suite of parasites, and interactions among these parasites can affect the size, structure, and behavior of host–parasite communities. As an important step to understanding the significance of co-circulating parasites, we describe prevalence of co-circulating hemoparasites in two important avian amplification hosts for West Nile virus (WNV), the American robin (Turdus migratorius) and house sparrow (Passer domesticus), during the 2010–2011 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Rates of nematode microfilariemia were 1.5% of the robins (n = 70) and 4.2% of the house sparrows (n = 72) collected during the day and 11.1% of the roosting robins (n = 63) and 0% of the house sparrows (n = 11) collected at night. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of the 18S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) genes from these parasites resolved two clades of filarioid nematodes. Microscopy revealed that 18.0% of American robins (n = 133) and 16.9% of house sparrows (n = 83) hosted trypanosomes in the blood. Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences from the 18s rRNA gene revealed that the trypanosomes fall within previously described avian trypanosome clades. These results document hemoparasites in the blood of WNV hosts in a center of endemic WNV transmission, suggesting a potential for direct or indirect interactions with the virus. PMID:24533314

Sparrow nest survival in relation to prescribed fire and woody plant invasion in a northern mixed-grass prairie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Murphy, Robert K.; Shaffer, Terry L.; Grant, Todd A.; Derrig, James L.; Rubin, Cory S.; Kerns, Courtney K.

2017-01-01

Prescribed fire is used to reverse invasion by woody vegetation on grasslands, but managers often are uncertain whether influences of shrub and tree reduction outweigh potential effects of fire on nest survival of grassland birds. During the 2001–2003 breeding seasons, we examined relationships of prescribed fire and woody vegetation to nest survival of clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida) and Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) in mixed-grass prairie at Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern North Dakota, USA. We assessed relationships of nest survival to 1) recent fire history, in terms of number of breeding seasons (2, 3, or 4–5) since the last prescribed fire, and 2) prevalence of trees and tall (>1.5 m) shrubs in the landscape and of low (≤1.5 m) shrubs within 5 m of nests. Nest survival of both species exhibited distinct patterns related to age of the nest and day of year, but bore no relationship to fire history. Survival of clay-colored sparrow nests declined as the amount of trees and tall shrubs within 100 m increased, but we found no relationship to suggest nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) as an underlying mechanism. We found little evidence linking nest survival of Savannah sparrow to woody vegetation. Our results suggest that fire can be used to restore northern mixed-grass prairies without adversely affecting nest survival of ≥2 widespread passerine species. Survival of nests of clay-colored sparrow may increase when tall woody cover is reduced by fire. Our data lend support to the use of fire for reducing scattered patches of tall woody cover to enhance survival of nests of ≥1 grassland bird species in northern mixed-grass prairies, but further study is needed that incorporates experimental approaches and assessments of shorter term effects of fire on survival of nests of grassland passerines.

Breeding bird territory placement in riparian wet meadows in relation to invasive reed canary grass, Phalaris arundinacea

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirsch, E.M.; Gray, B.R.; Fox, T.J.; Thogmartin, W.E.

2007-01-01

Invasive plants are a growing concern worldwide for conservation of native habitats. In endangered wet meadow habitat in the Upper Midwestern United States, reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is a recognized problem and its prevalence is more widespread than the better-known invasive wetland plant purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Although resource managers are concerned about the effect of reed canary grass on birds, this is the first study to report how common wet meadow birds use habitat in relation to reed canary grass cover and dominance. We examined three response variables: territory placement, size of territories, and numbers of territories per plot in relation to cover of reed canary grass. Territory locations for Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) were positively associated with reed canary grass cover, while those for Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) were not. Only Swamp Sparrow (M. georgiana) territory locations were negatively associated with reed canary grass cover and dominance (which indicated a tendency to place territories where there was no reed canary grass or where many plant species occurred with reed canary grass). Swamp Sparrow territories were positively associated with vegetation height density and litter depth. Common Yellowthroat territories were positively associated with vegetation height density and shrub cover. Song Sparrow territories were negatively associated with litter depth. Reed canary grass cover within territories was not associated with territory size for any of these four bird species. Territory density per plot was not associated with average reed canary grass cover of plots for all four species. Sedge Wrens and Song Sparrows may not respond negatively to reed canary grass because this grass is native to wet meadows of North America, and in the study area it merely replaces other tall lush plants. Avoidance of reed canary grass by Swamp Sparrows may be mediated through their preference for wet areas where reed canary grass typically does not dominate. ?? 2007, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Comparison of intraosseous pentobarbital administration and thoracic compression for euthanasia of anesthetized sparrows (Passer domesticus) and starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

PubMed

Paul-Murphy, Joanne R; Engilis, Andrew; Pascoe, Peter J; Williams, D Colette; Gustavsen, Kate A; Drazenovich, Tracy L; Keel, M Kevin; Polley, Tamsen M; Engilis, Irene E

2017-08-01

OBJECTIVE To compare intraosseous pentobarbital treatment (IPT) and thoracic compression (TC) on time to circulatory arrest and an isoelectric electroencephalogram (EEG) in anesthetized passerine birds. ANIMALS 30 wild-caught adult birds (17 house sparrows [Passer domesticus] and 13 European starlings [Sturnus vulgaris]). PROCEDURES Birds were assigned to receive IPT or TC (n = 6/species/group). Birds were anesthetized, and carotid arterial pulses were monitored by Doppler methodology. Five subdermal braided-wire electrodes were used for EEG. Anesthetic depth was adjusted until a continuous EEG pattern was maintained, then euthanasia was performed. Times from initiation of euthanasia to cessation of carotid pulse and irreversible isoelectric EEG (indicators of death) were measured. Data (medians and first to third quartiles) were summarized and compared between groups within species. Necropsies were performed for all birds included in experiments and for another 6 birds euthanized under anesthesia by TC (4 sparrows and 1 starling) or IPT (1 sparrow). RESULTS Median time to isoelectric EEG did not differ significantly between treatment groups for sparrows (19.0 and 6.0 seconds for TC and IPT, respectively) or starlings (88.5 and 77.5 seconds for TC and IPT, respectively). Median times to cessation of pulse were significantly shorter for TC than for IPT in sparrows (0.0 vs 18.5 seconds) and starlings (9.5 vs 151.0 seconds). On necropsy, most (14/17) birds that underwent TC had grossly visible coelomic, pericardial, or perihepatic hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that TC might be an efficient euthanasia method for small birds. Digital pressure directly over the heart during TC obstructed venous return, causing rapid circulatory arrest, with rupture of the atria or vena cava in several birds. The authors propose that cardiac compression is a more accurate description than TC for this procedure.

Grassland bird associations with introduced and native grass Conservation Reserve Program fields in the Southern High Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, Thomas R.; Boal, Clint W.; Lucia, Duane

2009-01-01

We examined relative abundances of grassland birds among Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields seeded with 2 monocultures of introduced grass species and 2 mixes of native grasses in the Southern High Plains of Texas. We assessed bird compositions among these 4 cover types and between the cover types pooled into categories of introduced and native fields. Breeding season bird diversity and total abundance did not differ among cover types or between introduced and native fields. Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), Cassin's Sparrows (Aimophila cassinii), and Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) accounted for more than 90% of breeding season detections. Grasshopper Sparrows were the most abundant and found in all cover types. Cassin's Sparrows were 38% to 170% more abundant among the native seed mix without buffalograss (Buchloë dactyloides) compared to 3 other cover types. Although this association was statistically lost when cover types were pooled into introduced or native fields (U = 93.5, P = 0.91), the species was still 50% more abundant among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Meadowlarks occurred ubiquitously but at very low numbers during the breeding season. During winter, avian abundance was 44% greater among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Meadowlarks, Homed Larks (Eremophila alpestris), and Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) accounted for 94% of all winter detections. Meadowlarks occurred ubiquitously, but Horned Larks and Savannah Sparrows were 157% and 96% more abundant, respectively, among native CRP than introduced CRP fields. Our data suggest that monocultures of introduced grasses may benefit some bird species but also that native seed mixes may have a more positive influence through increased diversity and abundance of grassland birds. However, pooling cover types into the broader categories of introduced or native grasses may dampen or occlude biologically meaningful results. It may be prudent to avoid broad categorization of CRP fields based solely on native or introduced grass cover when assessing habitat associations of grassland birds.

Occupancy patterns of regionally declining grassland sparrow populations in a forested Pennsylvania landscape.

PubMed

Hill, Jason M; Diefenbach, Duane R

2014-06-01

Organisms can be affected by processes in the surrounding landscape outside the boundary of habitat areas and by local vegetation characteristics. There is substantial interest in understanding how these processes affect populations of grassland birds, which have experienced substantial population declines. Much of our knowledge regarding patterns of occupancy and density stem from prairie systems, whereas relatively little is known regarding how occurrence and abundance of grassland birds vary in reclaimed surface mine grasslands. Using distance sampling and single-season occupancy models, we investigated how the occupancy probability of Grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum) and Henslow's Sparrows (A. henslowii) on 61 surface mine grasslands (1591 ha) in Pennsylvania changed from 2002 through 2011 in response to landscape, grassland, and local vegetation characteristics . A subset (n = 23; 784 ha) of those grasslands were surveyed in 2002, and we estimated changes in sparrow density and vegetation across 10 years. Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrow populations declined 72% and 49%, respectively from 2002 to 2011, whereas overall woody vegetation density increased 2.6 fold. Henslow's Sparrows avoided grasslands with perimeter-area ratios ≥0.141 km/ha and woody shrub densities ≥0.04 shrubs/m(2). Both species occupied grasslands ≤13 ha, but occupancy probability declined with increasing grassland perimeter-area ratio and woody shrub density. Grassland size, proximity to nearest neighboring grassland (x = 0.2 km), and surrounding landscape composition at 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 km were not parsimonious predictors of occupancy probability for either species. Our results suggest that reclaimed surface mine grasslands, without management intervention, are ephemeral habitats for Grasshopper and Henslow's Sparrows. Given the forecasted decline in surface coal production for Pennsylvania, it is likely that both species will continue to decline in our study region for the foreseeable future. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Heat Loss May Explain Bill Size Differences between Birds Occupying Different Habitats

PubMed Central

Greenberg, Russell; Cadena, Viviana; Danner, Raymond M.; Tattersall, Glenn

2012-01-01

Background Research on variation in bill morphology has focused on the role of diet. Bills have other functions, however, including a role in heat and water balance. The role of the bill in heat loss may be particularly important in birds where water is limiting. Song sparrows localized in coastal dunes and salt marsh edge (Melospiza melodia atlantica) are similar in size to, but have bills with a 17% greater surface area than, those that live in mesic habitats (M. m. melodia), a pattern shared with other coastal sparrows. We tested the hypotheses that sparrows can use their bills to dissipate “dry” heat, and that heat loss from the bill is higher in M. m. atlantica than M. m. melodia, which would indicate a role of heat loss and water conservation in selection for bill size. Methodology/Principal Findings Bill, tarsus, and body surface temperatures were measured using thermal imaging of sparrows exposed to temperatures from 15–37°C and combined with surface area and physical modeling to estimate the contribution of each body part to total heat loss. Song sparrow bills averaged 5–10°C hotter than ambient. The bill of M. m atlantica dissipated up to 33% more heat and 38% greater proportion of total heat than that of M. m. melodia. This could potentially reduce water loss requirements by approximately 7.7%. Conclusions/Significance This >30% higher heat loss in the bill of M. m. atlantica is independent of evaporative water loss and thus could play an important role in the water balance of sparrows occupying the hot and exposed dune/salt marsh environments during the summer. Heat loss capacity and water conservation could play an important role in the selection for bill size differences between bird populations and should be considered along with trophic adaptations when studying variation in bill size. PMID:22848413

Incorporating availability for detection in estimates of bird abundance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diefenbach, D.R.; Marshall, M.R.; Mattice, J.A.; Brauning, D.W.

2007-01-01

Several bird-survey methods have been proposed that provide an estimated detection probability so that bird-count statistics can be used to estimate bird abundance. However, some of these estimators adjust counts of birds observed by the probability that a bird is detected and assume that all birds are available to be detected at the time of the survey. We marked male Henslow's Sparrows (Ammodramus henslowii) and Grasshopper Sparrows (A. savannarum) and monitored their behavior during May-July 2002 and 2003 to estimate the proportion of time they were available for detection. We found that the availability of Henslow's Sparrows declined in late June to <10% for 5- or 10-min point counts when a male had to sing and be visible to the observer; but during 20 May-19 June, males were available for detection 39.1% (SD = 27.3) of the time for 5-min point counts and 43.9% (SD = 28.9) of the time for 10-min point counts (n = 54). We detected no temporal changes in availability for Grasshopper Sparrows, but estimated availability to be much lower for 5-min point counts (10.3%, SD = 12.2) than for 10-min point counts (19.2%, SD = 22.3) when males had to be visible and sing during the sampling period (n = 80). For distance sampling, we estimated the availability of Henslow's Sparrows to be 44.2% (SD = 29.0) and the availability of Grasshopper Sparrows to be 20.6% (SD = 23.5). We show how our estimates of availability can be incorporated in the abundance and variance estimators for distance sampling and modify the abundance and variance estimators for the double-observer method. Methods that directly estimate availability from bird counts but also incorporate detection probabilities need further development and will be important for obtaining unbiased estimates of abundance for these species.

New England SPARROW Water-Quality Modeling to Assist with the Development of Total Maximum Daily Loads in the Connecticut River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, R. B.; Robinson, K. W.; Simcox, A. C.; Johnston, C. M.

2002-05-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEWIPCC), is currently preparing a water-quality model, called SPARROW, to assist in the regional total maximum daily load (TMDL) studies in New England. A model is required to provide estimates of nutrient loads and confidence intervals at unmonitored stream reaches. SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes) is a spatially detailed, statistical model that uses regression equations to relate total phosphorus and nitrogen (nutrient) stream loads to pollution sources and watershed characteristics. These statistical relations are then used to predict nutrient loads in unmonitored streams. The New England SPARROW model is based on a hydrologic network of 42,000 stream reaches and associated watersheds. Point source data are derived from USEPA's Permit Compliance System (PCS). Information about nonpoint sources is derived from data such as fertilizer use, livestock wastes, and atmospheric deposition. Watershed characteristics include land use, streamflow, time-of-travel, stream density, percent wetlands, slope of the land surface, and soil permeability. Preliminary SPARROW results are expected in Spring 2002. The New England SPARROW model is proposed for use in the TMDL determination for nutrients in the Connecticut River Basin, upstream of Connecticut. The model will be used to estimate nitrogen loads from each of the upstream states to Long Island Sound. It will provide estimates and confidence intervals of phosphorus and nitrogen loads, area-weighted yields of nutrients by watershed, sources of nutrients, and the downstream movement of nutrients. This information will be used to (1) understand ranges in nutrient levels in surface waters, (2) identify the environmental factors that affect nutrient levels in streams, (3) evaluate monitoring efforts for better determination of nutrient loads, and (4) evaluate management options for reducing nutrient loads to achieve water-quality goals.

Predation on Japanese quail vs. house sparrow eggs in artificial nests: small eggs reveal small predators

Treesearch

Thomas J. Maier; Richard M. DeGraaf

2000-01-01

Nest predation studies frequently use eggs such as Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) to identify potential predators of Neotropical migrants' eggs, but such eggs may be too large or thick-shelled to identify the full complement of potential predators. We compared predation events and predators of Japanese Quail and smaller House Sparrow (

Supersonic aerodynamic characteristics of a Sparrow 3 type missile model with wing controls and comparison with existing tail-control results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monta, W. J.

1977-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted on a model of a wing control version of the Sparrow III type missile to determine the static aerodynamic characteristics over an angle of attack range from 0 deg to 40 deg for Mach numbers from 1.50 to 4.60.

Environmental Statement for Proposed Continental Operations Range.

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-12-17

out territories, recognize young, detect and locate prey , and evade predators . These functions could be critically affected, even if the animals appear... Sparrow 254. CaZamoapiza meZanocorye Lark Bunting 266. Spizella atrogularis evura 255. Paaaerculue 8andwichensia nevadensis* Black-chinned Sparrow ...and Evaluation Systems Program Office By ............. .....------------- Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico Distribution I Availability Codes I

Reading, Laterality, and the Brain: Early Contributions on Reading Disabilities by Sara S. Sparrow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Jack M.; Morris, Robin D.

2014-01-01

Although best known for work with children and adults with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders, training in speech pathology and a doctorate in clinical psychology and neuropsychology was the foundation for Sara Sparrow's long-term interest in reading disabilities. Her first papers were on dyslexia and laterality, and the…

75 FR 20591 - AES Sparrows Point LNG, LLC and Mid-Atlantic Express, LLC; Notice of Final General Conformity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-20

... quality impacts associated with the construction and operation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal and natural gas pipeline proposed by AES Sparrows Point LNG, LLC and Mid-Atlantic Express, LLC, in... of the following LNG terminal and natural gas pipeline facilities: A ship unloading facility, with...

Cassin's Sparrow (Aimophila cassinii) status assessment and conservation plan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruth, Janet M.

2000-01-01

The greatest needs are for determining of the causes of significant declines where they occur, determining of the effects of various management activities on Cassin’s Sparrow throughout its range, improved assessments of population and trends, and a better understanding of the annual population and distribution dynamics of this species, which shows such dramatic annual distributional fluctuations.

Dieldrin and DDT: effects on sparrow hawk eggshells and reproduction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Porter, Ron; Wiemeyer, Stanley N.

1969-01-01

Patterns of reproductive failure in declining populations of several European and North American raptorial species were duplicated experimentally with captive American sparrow hawks Falco sparverius that were given a diet containing two commonly used organochlorine insecticides. Major effects on reproduction were increased egg disappearance, increased egg destruction by parent birds, and reduced eggshell thickness.

Distribution and extent of heavy metal accumulation in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), upper Santa Cruz River watershed, southern Arizona, 2011-12

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lester, Michael B.; van Riper, Charles

2014-01-01

Riparian ecosystems in arid environments provide critical habitat for breeding, migratory, and wintering birds, yet are often at risk of contamination by heavy metals. Birds and other animals living in contaminated areas are susceptible to adverse health effects as a result of long-term exposure and bioaccumulation of heavy metals. We investigated the distribution and cascading extent of heavy metal accumulation in Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) in Arizona’s upper Santa Cruz River watershed. This study had three goals: (1) quantify the degree of heavy metal accumulation in sparrows and determine the distributional patterns among study sites, (2) compare concentrations of metals found in this study to those found in studies performed prior to the 2009 international wastewater treatment plant upgrade, and (3) assess sparrow condition among sites with differing potential sources of contamination exposure. We examined six study sites that reflected different potential sources of contamination. Hematocrit values, body mass residuals, and leukocyte counts were used to assess sparrow condition. Cadmium, copper, mercury, nickel, and selenium exceeded background concentrations at some sites, but generally were lower than or similar to concentrations found in earlier studies performed prior to the 2009 international wastewater treatment plant upgrade. Concentrations were higher in recaptured birds in 2012 than in 2011 for 7 metals in feathers and 14 metals in blood, suggesting possible bioaccumulation. We found no cascading effects as a result of heavy metal exposure, but did find that heavy metal concentrations were reduced following the 2009 international wastewater treatment plant upgrade.

Molecular analysis of stomach contents reveals important grass seeds in the winter diet of Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows, two declining grassland bird species

PubMed Central

Melgoza-Castillo, Alicia; Panjabi, Arvind O.; Sanchez-Flores, Alejandro; Martínez-Guerrero, José Hugo; Macías-Duarte, Alberto; Fernandez, Jesús A.

2017-01-01

We analyzed the diet of Baird’s Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) and Grasshopper Sparrow (A. savannarum) in three different sites and sampling periods across the Chihuahuan Desert in northern Mexico. DNA from seeds in regurgitated stomach contents was sequenced using NGS technology and identified with a barcoding approach using the P6 loop of the trnL intron as genetic marker. During each sampling period, we collected random soil samples to estimate seed availability in the soil seed bank. Due to the variability and size of the genetic marker, the resolution was limited to a family level resolution for taxonomic classification of seeds, but in several cases a genus level was achieved. Diets contained a high diversity of seeds but were dominated by a limited number of genera/families. Seeds from Panicoideae (from the genera Panicum, Setaria, Eriochloa, Botriochloa, and Hackelochloa) contributed for the largest part to the diets (53 ± 19%), followed by Bouteloua (10 ± 12%). Depending on the site and sampling period, other important seeds in the diets were Eragrostideae, Pleuraphis, Asteraceae, Verbena, and Amaranthus. The most abundant seeds were not always preferred. Aristida and Chloris were common in the soil seed bank but these seeds were avoided by both bird species. Baird’s and Grasshopper sparrows did not differ in seed preferences. This work highlights the importance of range management practices that favor seed production of Panicoideae and Bouteloua grasses to enhance winter habitat use and survival of Baird’s and Grasshopper sparrows in the Chihuahuan Desert. PMID:29261732

Diversity, Loss, and Gain of Malaria Parasites in a Globally Invasive Bird

PubMed Central

Marzal, Alfonso; Ricklefs, Robert E.; Valkiūnas, Gediminas; Albayrak, Tamer; Arriero, Elena; Bonneaud, Camille; Czirják, Gábor A.; Ewen, John; Hellgren, Olof; Hořáková, Dita; Iezhova, Tatjana A.; Jensen, Henrik; Križanauskienė, Asta; Lima, Marcos R.; de Lope, Florentino; Magnussen, Eyðfinn; Martin, Lynn B.; Møller, Anders P.; Palinauskas, Vaidas; Pap, Péter L.; Pérez-Tris, Javier; Sehgal, Ravinder N. M.; Soler, Manuel; Szöllősi, Eszter; Westerdahl, Helena; Zetindjiev, Pavel; Bensch, Staffan

2011-01-01

Invasive species can displace natives, and thus identifying the traits that make aliens successful is crucial for predicting and preventing biodiversity loss. Pathogens may play an important role in the invasive process, facilitating colonization of their hosts in new continents and islands. According to the Novel Weapon Hypothesis, colonizers may out-compete local native species by bringing with them novel pathogens to which native species are not adapted. In contrast, the Enemy Release Hypothesis suggests that flourishing colonizers are successful because they have left their pathogens behind. To assess the role of avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites in the global spread of a common invasive bird, we examined the prevalence and genetic diversity of haemosporidian parasites (order Haemosporida, genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) infecting house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We sampled house sparrows (N = 1820) from 58 locations on 6 continents. All the samples were tested using PCR-based methods; blood films from the PCR-positive birds were examined microscopically to identify parasite species. The results show that haemosporidian parasites in the house sparrows' native range are replaced by species from local host-generalist parasite fauna in the alien environments of North and South America. Furthermore, sparrows in colonized regions displayed a lower diversity and prevalence of parasite infections. Because the house sparrow lost its native parasites when colonizing the American continents, the release from these natural enemies may have facilitated its invasion in the last two centuries. Our findings therefore reject the Novel Weapon Hypothesis and are concordant with the Enemy Release Hypothesis. PMID:21779353

Diversity, loss, and gain of malaria parasites in a globally invasive bird.

PubMed

Marzal, Alfonso; Ricklefs, Robert E; Valkiūnas, Gediminas; Albayrak, Tamer; Arriero, Elena; Bonneaud, Camille; Czirják, Gábor A; Ewen, John; Hellgren, Olof; Hořáková, Dita; Iezhova, Tatjana A; Jensen, Henrik; Križanauskienė, Asta; Lima, Marcos R; de Lope, Florentino; Magnussen, Eyðfinn; Martin, Lynn B; Møller, Anders P; Palinauskas, Vaidas; Pap, Péter L; Pérez-Tris, Javier; Sehgal, Ravinder N M; Soler, Manuel; Szöllosi, Eszter; Westerdahl, Helena; Zetindjiev, Pavel; Bensch, Staffan

2011-01-01

Invasive species can displace natives, and thus identifying the traits that make aliens successful is crucial for predicting and preventing biodiversity loss. Pathogens may play an important role in the invasive process, facilitating colonization of their hosts in new continents and islands. According to the Novel Weapon Hypothesis, colonizers may out-compete local native species by bringing with them novel pathogens to which native species are not adapted. In contrast, the Enemy Release Hypothesis suggests that flourishing colonizers are successful because they have left their pathogens behind. To assess the role of avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites in the global spread of a common invasive bird, we examined the prevalence and genetic diversity of haemosporidian parasites (order Haemosporida, genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) infecting house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We sampled house sparrows (N = 1820) from 58 locations on 6 continents. All the samples were tested using PCR-based methods; blood films from the PCR-positive birds were examined microscopically to identify parasite species. The results show that haemosporidian parasites in the house sparrows' native range are replaced by species from local host-generalist parasite fauna in the alien environments of North and South America. Furthermore, sparrows in colonized regions displayed a lower diversity and prevalence of parasite infections. Because the house sparrow lost its native parasites when colonizing the American continents, the release from these natural enemies may have facilitated its invasion in the last two centuries. Our findings therefore reject the Novel Weapon Hypothesis and are concordant with the Enemy Release Hypothesis.

Molecular analysis of stomach contents reveals important grass seeds in the winter diet of Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows, two declining grassland bird species.

PubMed

Titulaer, Mieke; Melgoza-Castillo, Alicia; Panjabi, Arvind O; Sanchez-Flores, Alejandro; Martínez-Guerrero, José Hugo; Macías-Duarte, Alberto; Fernandez, Jesús A

2017-01-01

We analyzed the diet of Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) and Grasshopper Sparrow (A. savannarum) in three different sites and sampling periods across the Chihuahuan Desert in northern Mexico. DNA from seeds in regurgitated stomach contents was sequenced using NGS technology and identified with a barcoding approach using the P6 loop of the trnL intron as genetic marker. During each sampling period, we collected random soil samples to estimate seed availability in the soil seed bank. Due to the variability and size of the genetic marker, the resolution was limited to a family level resolution for taxonomic classification of seeds, but in several cases a genus level was achieved. Diets contained a high diversity of seeds but were dominated by a limited number of genera/families. Seeds from Panicoideae (from the genera Panicum, Setaria, Eriochloa, Botriochloa, and Hackelochloa) contributed for the largest part to the diets (53 ± 19%), followed by Bouteloua (10 ± 12%). Depending on the site and sampling period, other important seeds in the diets were Eragrostideae, Pleuraphis, Asteraceae, Verbena, and Amaranthus. The most abundant seeds were not always preferred. Aristida and Chloris were common in the soil seed bank but these seeds were avoided by both bird species. Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows did not differ in seed preferences. This work highlights the importance of range management practices that favor seed production of Panicoideae and Bouteloua grasses to enhance winter habitat use and survival of Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows in the Chihuahuan Desert.

Morning Nest Arrivals in Cowbird Hosts: their Role in Aggression, Cowbird Recognition, and Host Response to Parasitism

Treesearch

Dirk E. Burhans

2000-01-01

Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea) nesting in old-field habitats in central Missouri are parasitized at least four times as often as Field Sparrows. I used model cowbirds placed near nests to test if host aggression explained this difference. Although both Field Sparrows and Indigo Buntings responded to Brown-headed Cowbird models with significantly...

The effects of fire suppression on Bachman's sparrows in upland pine forests of eastern Texas

Treesearch

Richard N. Conner; Clifford E. Shackelford; Richard R. Schaefer; Daniel Saenz

2005-01-01

We studied the effects of 8 years of fire suppression on shrub-level vegetation, Bachman's Sparrows (Aimophila aestivalis), and selected forest bird species between 1995 and 2003in eastern Texas. Woody shrub-level vegetation between ground level and 3 m above the ground, measured using a leaf area index, increased significantly in all sites !n...

Return rates of banded granivores in relation to band color and number of bands worn

Treesearch

Jared Verner; Dawn Breese; Kathryn L. Purcell

1998-01-01

We tested the null hypotheses of (1) no effect of band color and (2) no effect of number of bands worn on annual recapture rates of birds on their winter range. Results are reported from four species of granivores-Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus), Goldencrowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) , White-crowned Sparrow (2. leucophrys) , and Darkeyed Junco (Junco...

Associations of wintering birds with habitat in semidesert and plains grasslands in Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruth, Janet M.; Stanley, Thomas R.; Gordon, Caleb E.

2014-01-01

We studied associations with winter habitat for seven species of birds, one species-group (eastern and western meadowlarks combined), and total sparrows at seven sites in the semidesert and plains grasslands of southeastern Arizona from 1999–2001, sampling with mist-nets and survey-transects. We measured structure and composition of vegetation, assessing vegetative differences among sites, and modeled associations between indices of avian abundance and six vegetative variables using generalized linear models. For all vegetative variables, there were significant differences among sites. Numbers of northern harriers (Circus cyaneus) were positively associated with total number of sparrows. Indices of abundance for individual species of birds were statistically correlated with various measures of structure and composition of vegetation. In particular, grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum) and vesper (Pooecetes gramineus) sparrows were negatively associated with amount of bare ground; horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) were negatively associated with vertical grass density; Baird's sparrows (A. bairdii) were negatively associated with shrub density; meadowlarks (Sturnella magna and S. neglecta combined) were positively associated with native grass. Our results suggest that these species would benefit from management of habitat that affects the vegetative characteristics associated with their abundance.

A longitudinal genetic survey identifies temporal shifts in the population structure of Dutch house sparrows

PubMed Central

Cousseau, L; Husemann, M; Foppen, R; Vangestel, C; Lens, L

2016-01-01

Dutch house sparrow (Passer domesticus) densities dropped by nearly 50% since the early 1980s, and similar collapses in population sizes have been reported across Europe. Whether, and to what extent, such relatively recent demographic changes are accompanied by concomitant shifts in the genetic population structure of this species needs further investigation. Therefore, we here explore temporal shifts in genetic diversity, genetic structure and effective sizes of seven Dutch house sparrow populations. To allow the most powerful statistical inference, historical populations were resampled at identical locations and each individual bird was genotyped using nine polymorphic microsatellites. Although the demographic history was not reflected by a reduction in genetic diversity, levels of genetic differentiation increased over time, and the original, panmictic population (inferred from the museum samples) diverged into two distinct genetic clusters. Reductions in census size were supported by a substantial reduction in effective population size, although to a smaller extent. As most studies of contemporary house sparrow populations have been unable to identify genetic signatures of recent population declines, results of this study underpin the importance of longitudinal genetic surveys to unravel cryptic genetic patterns. PMID:27273323

Nocturnal activity of nesting shrubland and grassland passerines: Chapter 9

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slay, Christy M.; Ellison, Kevin S.; Ribic, Christine; Smith, Kimberly G.; Schmitz, Carolyn M.

2013-01-01

Nocturnal activity of nesting passerines is largely undocumented in field situations. We used video recordings to quantify sleep patterns of four shrubland and three grassland bird species during the nestling period. All species exhibited “back sleep” (bill tucked under scapular feathers); individuals woke frequently for vigils of their surroundings. Sleep-bout duration varied from 6 minutes (grasshopper sparrow) to 28 minutes (blue-winged warbler, field sparrow). Duration on nest varied from 6.4 hours (field sparrow) to 8.8 hours (indigo bunting). Adults woke 20–30 minutes before sunrise. First morning absence from the nest was short; nestlings were fed within 12 minutes of a parent’s departure. Further research is needed to understand energetic costs of sleep and behavioral adaptations to environmental pressures.

Subsequent-year recaptures at winter sites in three species of shrubland sparrows (Emberizidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knick, Steven T.; Leu, Matthias; Hanser, Steven E.

2017-01-01

The tendency by individual birds to return to winter sites in subsequent years can be important in assessing the potential influence of habitat changes during the nonbreeding period. We recaptured five Brewer's (Spizella breweri), seven sagebrush (Artemisiospiza nevadensis), and three black-throated (Amphispiza bilineata) sparrows from 1–3 subsequent years at the same winter location following their initial capture. Two Brewer's and one sagebrush sparrow returned to the same winter location at least 4 years after their initial capture. Levels of feather deuterium indicated that birds captured together on winter sites had different breeding ranges. Although individuals of these species returned to specific sites used in previous years, the low recapture rate suggests that wintering individuals may use an itinerant strategy adapted to seasonal food resources.

How will climate change affect the potential distribution of Eurasian Tree Sparrows Passer montanus in North America?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Jim; Jarnevich, Catherine; Young, Nick; Newman, Greg; Stohlgren, Thomas

2011-01-01

Habitat suitability models have been used to predict the present and future potential distribution of a variety of species. Eurasian tree sparrows Passer montanus, native to Eurasia, have established populations in other parts of the world. In North America, their current distribution is limited to a relatively small region around its original introduction to St. Louis, Missouri. We combined data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility with current and future climate data to create habitat suitability models using Maxent for this species. Under projected climate change scenarios, our models show that the distribution and range of the Eurasian tree sparrow could increase as far as the Pacific Northwest and Newfoundland. This is potentially important information for prioritizing the management and control of this non-native species.

Cavity radiation model for solar central receivers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lipps, F.W.

1981-01-01

The Energy Laboratory of the University of Houston has developed a computer simulation program called CREAM (i.e., Cavity Radiations Exchange Analysis Model) for application to the solar central receiver system. The zone generating capability of CREAM has been used in several solar re-powering studies. CREAM contains a geometric configuration factor generator based on Nusselt's method. A formulation of Nusselt's method provides support for the FORTRAN subroutine NUSSELT. Numerical results from NUSSELT are compared to analytic values and values from Sparrow's method. Sparrow's method is based on a double contour integral and its reduction to a single integral which is approximatedmore » by Guassian methods. Nusselt's method is adequate for the intended engineering applications, but Sparrow's method is found to be an order of magnitude more efficient in many situations.« less

Le Conte's sparrows breeding in Conservation Reserve Program fields: precipitation and patterns of population change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Igl, Lawrence D.; Johnson, Douglas H.

1999-01-01

The climate of the North American Great Plains is highly dynamic, with great year-to-year variability in precipitation and periodic, often extreme, wet and dry cycles (Bragg 1995). Drought is a major force of ecological disturbance on the Great Plains and has played a key role in directing the evolution of the grassland biota of this region (Knopf and Samson 1997). Although grassland birds may differ in their responses to enviromenental variations (Rotenberry and Wiens 1991), climatic variability and concomitant unpredictability of resources strongly influence populations of grassland birds across space and time (Wiens 1974, 1986; Cody 1985). Not surprisingly, breeding bird populations on the Great Plains are highly dynamic, exhibiting considerable annual variation in composition, abundance, and distribution (Johnson and Grier 1988, George et al. 1992, Zimmerman 1992, Igl and Johnson 1997). Recently, interest in grassland birds has increased with the recognition that many species are declining both continentally (Droege and Sauer 1994) and globally (Goriup 1988). Identification of the specific factors associated with grassland bird declines in North America, however, remains largely enigmatic (Herkert 1997), and it is complicated by the considerable annual fluctuations in grassland bird distribution and abundance (Igl and Johnson 1997). Although there is evidence that land-use changes on the breeding grounds may have contributed to grassland bird declines (e.g., Igl and Johnson 1997), there also is an indication that long-term drought conditions may have influenced recent population changes of some breeding birds on the Great Plains (Droege and Sauer 1989, Peterjohn and Sauer 1993, Bethke and Nudds 1995, Igl and Johnson 1997). Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) is a secretive grassland bird that breeds in central and southern Canada and the northcentral United States (Murray 1969). It winters primarily in the southern United States (Peterson 1980, 1990). Like populations of many grassland breeding birds in North America (Fretwell 1986, Igl and Johnson 1997), Le Conte's Sparrow populations exhibit numerical highs and lows depending on local moisture conditions (Peabody 1901, Stewart 1975, Knapton 1979, Zimmer 1979, Madden 1996). This observation, however, is based largely on anecdotal evidence or short-term observations. Long-term studies of Le Conte's Sparrow populations are limited. Le Conte's Sparrow is poorly represented on the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) because of small sample sizes, poor coverage in the northern portion of its breeding range, and the species' furtive behavior (Sauer et al. 1995). Moreover, dramatic fluctuations in Le Conte's Sparrow abundance tend to obscure the species' long-term population trends on the BBS (Sauer et al. 1995). In this paper we examine long-term population changes of Le Conte's Sparrows breeding in perennial grassland fields enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on the northern Great Plains. We discuss patterns of population change of Le Conte's Sparrows associated with changes in precipitation and moisture conditions.

Grassland songbirds in a dynamic management landscape: Behavioral responses and management strategies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Perlut, N.G.; Strong, A.M.; Donovan, T.M.; Buckley, N.J.

2006-01-01

In recent decades, earlier and more frequent harvests of agricultural grasslands have been implicated as a major cause of population declines in grassland songbirds. From 2002 to 2005, in the Champlain Valley of Vermont and New York, USA, we studied the reproductive success of Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) and Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) on four grassland treatments: (1) early-hayed fields cut before 11 June and again in early- to mid-July; (2) middle-hayed fields cut once between 21 June and 10 July; (3) late-hayed fields cut after 1 August; and (4) rotationally grazed pastures. Both the number of fledglings per female per year and nest success (logistic-exposure method) varied among treatments and between species. Although birds initiated nests earlier on early-hayed fields compared to others, haying caused 99% of active Savannah Sparrow and 100% of active Bobolink nests to fail. Both the initial cutting date and time between cuttings influenced renesting behavior. After haying, Savannah Sparrows generally remained on early-hayed fields and immediately renested (clutch completion 15.6 ?? 1.28 days post-haying; all values are reported as mean ?? SE), while Bobolinks abandoned the fields for at least two weeks (mean clutch completion 33 ?? 0.82 days post-haying). While female Savannah Sparrows fledged more offspring per year (1.28 ?? 0.16) than female Bobolinks (0.05 ?? 0.05), reproductive success on early-hayed fields was low. The number of fledglings per female per year was greater on middle-hayed fields (Savannah Sparrows, 3.47 ?? 0.42; Bobolinks, 2.22 ?? 0.26), and late-hayed fields (Savannah Sparrows, 3.29 ?? 0.30; Bobolinks, 2.79 ?? 0.18). Reproductive success was moderate on rotationally grazed pastures, where female Savannah Sparrows and female Bobolinks produced 2.32 ?? 0.25 and 1.79 ?? 0.33 fledgling per year, respectively. We simultaneously conducted cutting surveys throughout the Champlain Valley and found that 3-8% of hayfield habitat was cut by 1-4 June, 25-40% by 12-16 June, and 32-60% by 28 June-2 July. Thus, the majority of grassland habitat was cut during the breeding season; however, late-hayed fields served as high-quality reserves for late-nesting female Bobolinks that were displaced from previously hayed fields. For fields first cut in May, a 65-day interval between cuts could provide enough time for both species to successfully fledge young. ?? 2006 by the Ecological Society of America.

Strong Opinions Are No Substitute for Balanced Arguments: Comments on Cicchetti, Kaufman, and Sparrow's Critical Appraisal of PCB Cohort Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winneke, Gerhard; Walkowiak, Jens; Kramer, Ursula

2004-01-01

This paper comments on a critical review of cohort studies on PCB-related neurodevelopmental deficit in young children by D.V. Cicchetti, A.S. Kaufman, and S.S. Sparrow (CKS). Major points of criticism of CKS, namely alleged violation of statistical principles, presumed lack of clinical significance of findings, and alleged insufficient control of…

Bird counts in stands of big sagebrush and greasewood

Treesearch

Bruce L. Welch

2005-01-01

Total numbers of birds and numbers of bird species were significantly (p=0.05 percent) higher in stands of big sagebrush than in stands of greasewood. This was especially true for Brewer’s sparrow, lark sparrow, and mourning dove. The big sagebrush ecosystem appears to support greater number of birds and more species of birds than does the greasewood ecosystem.

Widespread dispersal of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected ticks collected from songbirds across Canada.

PubMed

Scott, John D; Anderson, John F; Durden, Lance A

2012-02-01

Millions of Lyme disease vector ticks are dispersed annually by songbirds across Canada, but often overlooked as the source of infection. For clarity on vector distribution, we sampled 481 ticks (12 species and 3 undetermined ticks) from 211 songbirds (42 species/subspecies) nationwide. Using PCR, 52 (29.5%) of 176 Ixodes ticks tested were positive for the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. Immature blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis , collected from infested songbirds had a B. burgdorferi infection prevalence of 36% (larvae, 48%; nymphs, 31%). Notably, Ixodes affinis is reported in Canada for the first time and, similarly, Ixodes auritulus for the initial time in the Yukon. Firsts for bird-parasitizing ticks include I. scapularis in Quebec and Saskatchewan. We provide the first records of 3 tick species cofeeding on passerines (song sparrow, Swainson's thrush). New host records reveal I. scapularis on the blackpoll warbler and Nashville warbler. We furnish the following first Canadian reports of B. burgdorferi-positive ticks: I. scapularis on chipping sparrow, house wren, indigo bunting; I. auritulus on Bewick's wren; and I. spinipalpis on a Bewick's wren and song sparrow. First records of B. burgdorferi-infected ticks on songbirds include the following: the rabbit-associated tick, Ixodes dentatus, in western Canada; I. scapularis in Quebec, Saskatchewan, northern New Brunswick, northern Ontario; and Ixodes spinipalpis (collected in British Columbia). The presence of B. burgdorferi in Ixodes larvae suggests reservoir competency in 9 passerines (Bewick's wren, common yellowthroat, dark-eyed junco, Oregon junco, red-winged blackbird, song sparrow, Swainson's thrush, swamp sparrow, and white-throated sparrow). We report transstadial transmission (larva to nymph) of B. burgdorferi in I. auritulus. Data suggest a possible 4-tick, i.e., I. angustus, I. auritulus, I. pacificus, and I. spinipalpis, enzootic cycle of B. burgdorferi on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Our results suggest that songbirds infested with B. burgdorferi-infected ticks have the potential to start new tick populations endemic for Lyme disease. Because songbirds disperse B. burgdorferi-infected ticks outside their anticipated range, health-care providers are advised that people can contract Lyme disease locally without any history of travel.

Ecological divergence of two sympatric lineages of Buggy Creek virus, an arbovirus associated with birds.

PubMed

Brown, Charles R; Padhi, Abinash; Moore, Amy T; Brown, Mary Bomberger; Foster, Jerome E; Pfeffer, Martin; O'Brien, Valerie A; Komar, Nicholas

2009-11-01

Most arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) show distinct serological subtypes or evolutionary lineages, with the evolution of different strains often assumed to reflect differences in ecological selection pressures. Buggy Creek virus (BCRV) is an unusual RNA virus (Togaviridae, Alphavirus) that is associated primarily with a cimicid swallow bug (Oeciacus vicarius) as its vector and the Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and the introduced House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) as its amplifying hosts. There are two sympatric lineages of BCRV (lineages A and B) that differ from each other by > 6% at the nucleotide level. Analysis of 385 BCRV isolates all collected from bug vectors at a study site in southwestern Nebraska, USA, showed that the lineages differed in their peak times of seasonal occurrence within a summer. Lineage A was more likely to be found at recently established colonies, at those in culverts (rather than on highway bridges), and at those with invasive House Sparrows, and in bugs on the outsides of nests. Genetic diversity of lineage A increased with bird colony size and at sites with House Sparrows, while that of lineage B decreased with colony size and was unaffected by House Sparrows. Lineage A was more cytopathic on mammalian cells than was lineage B. These two lineages have apparently diverged in their transmission dynamics, with lineage A possibly more dependent on birds and lineage B perhaps more a bug virus. The long-standing association between Cliff Swallows and BCRV may have selected for immunological resistance to the virus by swallows and thus promoted the evolution of the more bug-adapted lineage B. In contrast, the recent arrival of the introduced House Sparrow and its high competence as a BCRV amplifying host may be favoring the more bird-dependent lineage A.

Surveillance for microbes and range expansion in house sparrows

PubMed Central

Martin, Lynn B.; Coon, Courtney A. C.; Liebl, Andrea L.; Schrey, Aaron W.

2014-01-01

Interactions between hosts and parasites influence the success of host introductions and range expansions post-introduction. However, the physiological mechanisms mediating these outcomes are little known. In some vertebrates, variation in the regulation of inflammation has been implicated, perhaps because inflammation imparts excessive costs, including high resource demands and collateral damage upon encounter with novel parasites. Here, we tested the hypothesis that variation in the regulation of inflammation contributed to the spread of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) across Kenya, one of the world's most recent invasions of this species. Specifically, we asked whether inflammatory gene expression declines with population age (i.e. distance from Mombasa (dfM), the site of introduction around 1950). We compared expression of two microbe surveillance molecules (Toll-like receptors, TLRs-2 and 4) and a proinflammatory cytokine (interleukin-6, IL-6) before and after an injection of an immunogenic component of Gram-negative bacteria (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) among six sparrow populations. We then used a best-subset model selection approach to determine whether population age (dfM) or other factors (e.g. malaria or coccidian infection, sparrow density or genetic group membership) best-explained gene expression. For baseline expression of TLR-2 and TLR-4, population age tended to be the best predictor with expression decreasing with population age, although other factors were also important. Induced expression of TLRs was affected by LPS treatment alone. For induced IL-6, only LPS treatment reliably predicted expression; baseline expression was not explained by any factor. These data suggest that changes in microbe surveillance, more so than downstream control of inflammation via cytokines, might have been important to the house sparrow invasion of Kenya. PMID:24258722

Immune Responses of a Native and an Invasive Bird to Buggy Creek Virus (Togaviridae: Alphavirus) and Its Arthropod Vector, the Swallow Bug (Oeciacus vicarius)

PubMed Central

Fassbinder-Orth, Carol A.; Barak, Virginia A.; Brown, Charles R.

2013-01-01

Invasive species often display different patterns of parasite burden and virulence compared to their native counterparts. These differences may be the result of variability in host-parasite co-evolutionary relationships, the occurrence of novel host-parasite encounters, or possibly innate differences in physiological responses to infection between invasive and native hosts. Here we examine the adaptive, humoral immune responses of a resistant, native bird and a susceptible, invasive bird to an arbovirus (Buggy Creek virus; Togaviridae: Alphavirus) and its ectoparasitic arthropod vector (the swallow bug; Oeciacus vicarius). Swallow bugs parasitize the native, colonially nesting cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and the introduced house sparrow (Passer domesticus) that occupies nests in cliff swallow colonies. We measured levels of BCRV-specific and swallow bug-specific IgY levels before nesting (prior to swallow bug exposure) and after nesting (after swallow bug exposure) in house sparrows and cliff swallows in western Nebraska. Levels of BCRV-specific IgY increased significantly following nesting in the house sparrow but not in the cliff swallow. Additionally, house sparrows displayed consistently higher levels of swallow bug-specific antibodies both before and after nesting compared to cliff swallows. The higher levels of BCRV and swallow bug specific antibodies detected in house sparrows may be reflective of significant differences in both antiviral and anti-ectoparasite immune responses that exist between these two avian species. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare the macro- and microparasite-specific immune responses of an invasive and a native avian host exposed to the same parasites. PMID:23460922

A Bayesian methodological framework for accommodating interannual variability of nutrient loading with the SPARROW model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellen, Christopher; Arhonditsis, George B.; Labencki, Tanya; Boyd, Duncan

2012-10-01

Regression-type, hybrid empirical/process-based models (e.g., SPARROW, PolFlow) have assumed a prominent role in efforts to estimate the sources and transport of nutrient pollution at river basin scales. However, almost no attempts have been made to explicitly accommodate interannual nutrient loading variability in their structure, despite empirical and theoretical evidence indicating that the associated source/sink processes are quite variable at annual timescales. In this study, we present two methodological approaches to accommodate interannual variability with the Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes (SPARROW) nonlinear regression model. The first strategy uses the SPARROW model to estimate a static baseline load and climatic variables (e.g., precipitation) to drive the interannual variability. The second approach allows the source/sink processes within the SPARROW model to vary at annual timescales using dynamic parameter estimation techniques akin to those used in dynamic linear models. Model parameterization is founded upon Bayesian inference techniques that explicitly consider calibration data and model uncertainty. Our case study is the Hamilton Harbor watershed, a mixed agricultural and urban residential area located at the western end of Lake Ontario, Canada. Our analysis suggests that dynamic parameter estimation is the more parsimonious of the two strategies tested and can offer insights into the temporal structural changes associated with watershed functioning. Consistent with empirical and theoretical work, model estimated annual in-stream attenuation rates varied inversely with annual discharge. Estimated phosphorus source areas were concentrated near the receiving water body during years of high in-stream attenuation and dispersed along the main stems of the streams during years of low attenuation, suggesting that nutrient source areas are subject to interannual variability.

Experimental removal of woody vegetation does not increase nesting success or fledgling production in two grassland sparrows (Ammodramus) in Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, Jason M.; Diefenbach, Duane R.

2013-01-01

The influence of vegetation structure on the probability of daily nest survival (DNS) for grassland passerines has received considerable attention. Some correlative studies suggest that the presence of woody vegetation lowers DNS. Over 3 years (2009–2011), we monitored 215 nests of the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) and Henslow's Sparrow (A. henslowii) on 162 ha of reclaimed surface-mine grasslands in Pennsylvania. We removed shrubs from treatment plots with ≤36% areal coverage of woody vegetation in a before-after-control-impact-pairs (BACIP) design framework. Daily nest survival (95% CI: 0.94–0.96) was as high as previous studies have reported but was not associated with woody vegetative cover, proximity to woody vegetation, or woody stem density. Variation in DNS was best explained by increasing nonwoody-vegetation height. Grasshopper Sparrow fledgling production on treatment plots in 2010 (95% CI: 3.3–4.7) and 2011 (95% CI: 3.8–5.0) was similar to baseline conditions of treatment plots (95% CI: 3.4–4.9) and control plots (95% CI: 3.2–4.5) in 2009. Fledgling production was associated with thatch depth (β ± SE = 0.13 ± 0.09) and bare ground (β ± SE = -2.62 ± 1.29) adjacent to the nest and plot woody vegetative cover ( ± SE = -3.09 ± 1.02). Our experimental research suggests that overall reproductive success of Grasshopper and Henslow's sparrows on reclaimed surfacemine grasslands is driven by a suite of largely nonwoody—vegetation components, and both species can successfully nest and produce young in habitats with greater amounts of scattered woody vegetation than has generally been considered.

In silico peptide-binding predictions of passerine MHC class I reveal similarities across distantly related species, suggesting convergence on the level of protein function.

PubMed

Follin, Elna; Karlsson, Maria; Lundegaard, Claus; Nielsen, Morten; Wallin, Stefan; Paulsson, Kajsa; Westerdahl, Helena

2013-04-01

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are the most polymorphic genes found in the vertebrate genome, and they encode proteins that play an essential role in the adaptive immune response. Many songbirds (passerines) have been shown to have a large number of transcribed MHC class I genes compared to most mammals. To elucidate the reason for this large number of genes, we compared 14 MHC class I alleles (α1-α3 domains), from great reed warbler, house sparrow and tree sparrow, via phylogenetic analysis, homology modelling and in silico peptide-binding predictions to investigate their functional and genetic relationships. We found more pronounced clustering of the MHC class I allomorphs (allele specific proteins) in regards to their function (peptide-binding specificities) compared to their genetic relationships (amino acid sequences), indicating that the high number of alleles is of functional significance. The MHC class I allomorphs from house sparrow and tree sparrow, species that diverged 10 million years ago (MYA), had overlapping peptide-binding specificities, and these similarities across species were also confirmed in phylogenetic analyses based on amino acid sequences. Notably, there were also overlapping peptide-binding specificities in the allomorphs from house sparrow and great reed warbler, although these species diverged 30 MYA. This overlap was not found in a tree based on amino acid sequences. Our interpretation is that convergent evolution on the level of the protein function, possibly driven by selection from shared pathogens, has resulted in allomorphs with similar peptide-binding repertoires, although trans-species evolution in combination with gene conversion cannot be ruled out.

Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess broad-scale response of the continent's most imperiled avian community, grassland birds, to weather variability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gorzo, Jessica; Pidgeon, Anna M.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Allstadt, Andrew J.; Radeloff, Volker C.; Heglund, Patricia J.; Vavrus, Stephen J.

2016-01-01

Avian populations can respond dramatically to extreme weather such as droughts and heat waves, yet patterns of response to weather at broad scales remain largely unknown. Our goal was to evaluate annual variation in abundance of 14 grassland bird species breeding in the northern mixed-grass prairie in relation to annual variation in precipitation and temperature. We modeled avian abundance during the breeding season using North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data for the U.S. Badlands and Prairies Bird Conservation Region (BCR 17) from 1980 to 2012. We used hierarchical Bayesian methods to fit models and estimate the candidate weather parameters standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized temperature index (STI) for the same year and the previous year. Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) responded positively to within-year STI (β = 0.101), and Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) responded negatively to within-year STI (β = −0.161) and positively to within-year SPI (β = 0.195). The parameter estimates were superficially similar (STI β = −0.075, SPI β = 0.11) for Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), but the best-selected model included an interaction between SPI and STI. The best model for both Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) and Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) included the additive effects of within-year SPI (β = −0.032 and β = −0.054, respectively) and the previous-year's SPI (β = −0.057 and −0.02, respectively), although for Vesper Sparrow the lag effect was insignificant. With projected warmer, drier weather during summer in the Badlands and Prairies BCR, Baird's and Grasshopper sparrows may be especially threatened by future climate change.

Distribution of breeding Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus) in the southwestern United States: Past, present, and future

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruth, Janet M.

2008-01-01

The Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus) breeds in desert grasslands of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico in the US, and in adjacent parts of northern Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico. Roads that were surveyed in 1982 and 1987 in Arizona and New Mexico were relocated and roadside survey protocols were repeated in 2004 and 2005 to identify changes in distribution or abundance of the subspecies during the subsequent 17 yr. The Sonoita and San Rafael valleys in Arizona and the Animas Valley in New Mexico remain as primary population centers, supporting the highest mean numbers of singing males per stop, as well as the largest populations of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows in the US. Mean number of singing males per stop was highest in the San Rafael Valley. Mean number of singing males per survey stop showed an increasing pattern from 1982–1987 and a subsequent decline to the present (2004–2005). Present bird densities are intermediate in value between 1982 and 1987 values. Small populations remain in the Altar, San Pedro, Sulphur Springs, and San Bernardino valleys in Arizona. The valleys evaluated in this and historical surveys represent the areas in which almost all Arizona Grasshopper Sparrows breed in the US; if any additional areas exist, they support peripheral, small, or remnant populations. Although historic, current, and future land use, and current and future threats differ among valleys, the primary factors posing threats to the future of Arizona Grasshopper Sparrow populations appear to be loss and/or degradation of habitat due to exurban development, overgrazing, and the effects of long-term drought.

Nutrient delivery to Lake Winnipeg from the Red-Assiniboine River Basin – A binational application of the SPARROW model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benoy, Glenn A.; Jenkinson, R. Wayne; Robertson, Dale M.; Saad, David A.

2016-01-01

Excessive phosphorus (TP) and nitrogen (TN) inputs from the Red–Assiniboine River Basin (RARB) have been linked to eutrophication of Lake Winnipeg; therefore, it is important for the management of water resources to understand where and from what sources these nutrients originate. The RARB straddles the Canada–United States border and includes portions of two provinces and three states. This study represents the first binationally focused application of SPAtially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models to estimate loads and sources of TP and TN by jurisdiction and basin at multiple spatial scales. Major hurdles overcome to develop these models included: (1) harmonization of geospatial data sets, particularly construction of a contiguous stream network; and (2) use of novel calibration steps to accommodate limitations in spatial variability across the model extent and in the number of calibration sites. Using nutrient inputs for a 2002 base year, a RARB TP SPARROW model was calibrated that included inputs from agriculture, forests and wetlands, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and stream channels, and a TN model was calibrated that included inputs from agriculture, WWTPs and atmospheric deposition. At the RARB outlet, downstream from Winnipeg, Manitoba, the majority of the delivered TP and TN came from the Red River Basin (90%), followed by the Upper Assiniboine River and Souris River basins. Agriculture was the single most important TP and TN source for each major basin, province and state. In general, stream channels (historically deposited nutrients and from bank erosion) were the second most important source of TP. Performance metrics for the RARB SPARROW model are similarly robust compared to other, larger US SPARROW models making it a potentially useful tool to address questions of where nutrients originate and their relative contributions to loads delivered to Lake Winnipeg.

Husbandry of wild-caught song sparrows (Melospiza melodia).

PubMed

Smith, Lori; Hallager, Sara; Kendrick, Erin; Hope, Katharine; Danner, Raymond M

2018-05-08

Conservation and research efforts occasionally rely upon bringing wild animals into human care to establish breeding programs and to understand their biology. Wild-caught birds may have husbandry requirements that differ from captive-reared animals due, in part, to their social development in the wild and potential exposure to novel pathogens. We developed husbandry techniques to minimize stress and monitor health in a population of wild-caught song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). We describe enclosure conditions, diet and enrichment, and best practices for stress reduction. In addition, we describe several health monitoring strategies, including assessing feces quality, body condition scores, and specific signs of infection. These techniques led to successful housing of song sparrows during formal behavioral and developmental studies. This information will be useful for guiding the husbandry of wild-caught passerine birds in the future. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Water-vapor pressure in nests of the San Miguel Island Song Sparrow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kern, Michael D.; Sogge, Mark K.; van Riper, Charles

1990-01-01

The water-vapor pressure (PN) in nests of the San Miguel Island race of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia micronyx) averaged 16 torr, but varied considerable between nests and within individual nests during successive days of incubation. Large daily fluctuations occurred throughout the incubation period and did not parallel concurrent changes in ambien vapor pressure (P1). Daily rates of water loss from nest eggs (MH2O) averaged 28 mg day-1, but also varied considerable within and between nests and did not correlate with changes in P1. MH2O increased 6-33% after the third day of incubation. PN was significantly higher and MH2O significantly lower in nests located in sheltered gullies than in nests from a windswept slope. These data suggest that Song Sparrows do not regulate PN to achieve hatching success.

Report on changes in numbers of Seaside Sparrows on RI salt marshes since 1982, and how those changes relate to changes in the marsh and changes in surrounding land use

EPA Science Inventory

To assess the population status of breeding Seaside Sparrows (Ammodramus maritimus) in Rhode Island, we repeated a 1982 survey conducted by Stoll and Golet (1983). In June and July 2007 and 2008, 19 marshes were surveyed in their entirety for the presence of breeding Seaside Spa...

Publically accessible decision support system of the spatially referenced regressions on watershed attributes (SPARROW) model and model enhancements in South Carolina

Treesearch

Celeste Journey; Anne B. Hoos; David E. Ladd; John W. brakebill; Richard A. Smith

2016-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment program has developed a web-based decision support system (DSS) to provide free public access to the steady-stateSPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) model simulation results on nutrient conditions in streams and rivers and to offer scenario testing capabilities for...

Ecological Assessment of Vandenburg Air Force Base, California. Volume 2. Biological Inventory 1974/75

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-05-01

567+ Junoo hyemalis (Dark-eyed Junco) 560 Spizella passerina (Chipping Sparrow ) 562 Spizella treueri (Brewer’s Sparrow ) 554+ Zonotriahia...invertebrates making them subject to more intense predation . In an extreme case this could lead to virtual extinction of some of the prey species...FINAL REPORT: MAY 1974 - AUGUST 1975 G |Approved for public release; distribution unliaited.l Prepared for HEADQUARTERS SPACE AND MISSILE SYSTEMS

Sacramento River, Chico Landing to Red Bluff, California Bank Protection Project

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-01-01

Spizella passerina ) White-crowned sparrow Common-Nationwide X X X X X X X (Zonotrichia leucophrys) Fox sparrow Common-Nationwide X X X X... throated swift Common- X X X X (Aeronautes saxatalis) Southwest U.S. Black -chinned hummingbird Occas ional-Southwest X X X X (Archilochus...fishery consisting of black bass, crappie, white catfish, channel catfish, bluegill, and other nongame species. 2.26. Archeological and Historical

Renewal of the Nellis Air Force Range Land Withdrawal Legislative Environmental Impact Statement. Volume 2: Comments, Responses, and Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-03-01

Dendrolca nlgreSC8ns) BTS - Black - throated Sparrow (Amphlsplza billneata) C - Coyote (Canus latrans) CH - Chukar (Aiectoris chukar) CM - California...elgn: (WS): AB - American Badger (Taxldea taxus) Habitat Quality Value AR - American Robin (Turdus migrator/us) BG - Black - throated Gray Warbler...Myotis Bat (Myotis californlcus) CO - Mountain Cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttalll) CR - Common Raven (Corvus corax) CS - Chipping Sparrow ( Spizella

Noisy anthropogenic infrastructure interferes with alarm responses in Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis)

PubMed Central

Koper, Nicola

2018-01-01

Many birds rely on anti-predator communication to protect their nests; however, anthropogenic noise from industrial activities such as oil and gas development may disrupt acoustic communication. Here, we conducted acoustic playback experiments to determine whether Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) responded to conspecific alarm calls by delaying feeding visits, and whether this response was impaired by noise-producing natural gas compressor stations, generator- or grid-powered screw pump oil wells, and noise amplitude. We played alarm calls, and, as a control, western meadowlark songs, to Savannah sparrows as they approached their nests to feed their nestlings, and measured feeding latency. The greatest impacts on behaviour were detected at the noisiest treatment, compressor stations; feeding latency was shortened here compared with control sites, which may expose nests to greater predation risk. As noise amplitudes increased, Savannah sparrows took longer to feed following meadowlark playbacks, perhaps because noise interfered with interpretation of acoustic cues. The effects of compressor stations on anti-predator behaviour may be best explained by the distracting effects of anthropogenic noise, while increases in feeding latency following meadowlark playbacks may be explained by a heightened response threshold caused by acoustic masking. Industrial infrastructure can influence the reproductive success of wildlife through its impact on perception and interpretation of conspecific signals, but these effects are complex. PMID:29892404

Experimental infection of highly and low pathogenic avian influenza viruses to chickens, ducks, tree sparrows, jungle crows, and black rats for the evaluation of their roles in virus transmission.

PubMed

Hiono, Takahiro; Okamatsu, Masatoshi; Yamamoto, Naoki; Ogasawara, Kohei; Endo, Mayumi; Kuribayashi, Saya; Shichinohe, Shintaro; Motohashi, Yurie; Chu, Duc-Huy; Suzuki, Mizuho; Ichikawa, Takaya; Nishi, Tatsuya; Abe, Yuri; Matsuno, Keita; Tanaka, Kazuyuki; Tanigawa, Tsutomu; Kida, Hiroshi; Sakoda, Yoshihiro

2016-01-01

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) have spread in both poultry and wild birds. Determining transmission routes of these viruses during an outbreak is essential for the control of avian influenza. It has been widely postulated that migratory ducks play crucial roles in the widespread dissemination of HPAIVs in poultry by carrying viruses along with their migrations; however close contacts between wild migratory ducks and poultry are less likely in modern industrial poultry farming settings. Therefore, we conducted experimental infections of HPAIVs and low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) to chickens, domestic ducks, tree sparrows, jungle crows, and black rats to evaluate their roles in virus transmission. The results showed that chickens, ducks, sparrows, and crows were highly susceptible to HPAIV infection. Significant titers of virus were recovered from the sparrows and crows infected with HPAIVs, which suggests that they potentially play roles of transmission of HPAIVs to poultry. In contrast, the growth of LPAIVs was limited in each of the animals tested compared with that of HPAIVs. The present results indicate that these common synanthropes play some roles in influenza virus transmission from wild birds to poultry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studying Wildlife at Local and Landscape Scales: Bachman's Sparrow at the Savannah River Site

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunning, J.B.; Danielson, B.J.; Watts, B.D.

2000-10-01

Mutual interests between land managers at SRS and scientists resulted in a landscape ecology study of Bachman's sparrow. The species is declining throughout it's range. The distribution of suitable habitats across the landscape may provide an explanation. The species occupies early successional and late successional savanna habitat. Modeling was closely linked to field observations to demonstrate how the species demographics change with the distribution and dynamics of habitats.

Is the zodiacal light intensity steady. [cloud surface brightness and polarization from OSO-5 data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burnett, G. B.; Sparrow, J. G.; Ney, E. P.

1974-01-01

It is pointed out that conclusions reported by Sparrow and Ney (1972, 1973) could be confirmed in an investigation involving the refinement of OSO-5 data on zodiacal light. It had been found by Sparrow and Ney that the absolute value of both the surface brightness and polarization of the zodiacal cloud varied by less than 10% over the 4-yr period from January 1969 to January 1973.

American River Watershed Investigation, California. Volume 7. Appendix S. Part 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus C,U,F Brown towhee Pipilo fuscus C,U,F Rufous-crowned sparrow Aimophila ruficeps C,R Chipping sparrow Spizella passerina C,R...developed as a result of the changes to this agricultural system . According to Estep (1989b), prey density and availability change with the cycles of crop...and Levee ............... 13 12. Modify Sacramento Weir and Bypass ........... ... 14 13. Sacramento River Flood Control System ....... ... 15 14

Environmental Assessment for Phase 8 of Military Family Housing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

Caprimulgidae G5 S5 Protected Ruby- throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris ) 1 Trochilidae G5 Protected Black -chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus...Brewer’s Sparrow ( Spizella breweri ) 18 Emberizidae G5 S4 Protected Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis ) 101 Emberizidae G5 S5 Protected Sage Sparrow ...MHAFB, construction and maintenance records, and legal information. The second level of documentation would include black and white, large fonnat

Acephate affects migratory orientation of the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vyas, N.B.; Kuenzel, W.J.; Hill, E.F.; Sauer, J.R.

1995-01-01

Migratory white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) were exposed to acephate (acetylphosphoramidothioic acid O,S-dimethyl ester), an organophosphorus pesticide, to determine its effects on migratory orientation and behavior. Birds were also exposed to polarizer sheets to determine the mechanism by which acephate may affect migratory orientation. Adult birds exposed to 256 ppm acephate a.i. were not able to establish a preferred migratory orientation and exhibited random activity. All juvenile treatment groups displayed a seasonally correct southward migratory orientation. We hypothesize that acephate may have produced aberrant migratory behavior by affecting the memory of the migratory route and wintering ground. This experiment reveals that an environmentally relevant concentration of a common organophosphorus pesticide can alter migratory orientation, but its effect is markedly different between adult and juvenile sparrows. Results suggest that the survival of free-flying adult passerine migrants may be compromised following organophosphorus pesticide exposure.

Exposure of resident sparrows to West Nile virus evidenced in South Tunisia.

PubMed

Hammouda, A; Lecollinet, S; Hamza, F; Nasri, I; Neb, A; Selmi, S

2015-12-01

During the last few years, several cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in humans have been reported in Tunisia. However, detailed information on WNV infection in wild birds, the primary amplifying host of WNV, are lacking. In this work, we investigated the exposure of wild sparrows (hybrid Passer domesticus × hispaniolensis) living in two oases in southern Tunisia (Gabès and Kébili oases) to WNV, through the detection of WNV-specific antibodies by using ELISA and microneutralization tests. In total, 208 birds were sampled (54 from Kébili, 154 from Gabès). Anti-WNV antibodies were detected in two birds, corresponding to an overall seroprevalence of 1%. There was no significant difference between the two sampled populations [1·85% (1/54) in Kébili, 0·65% (1/154) in Gabès]. These data provide indirect evidence of the exposure of resident sparrows in southern Tunisia to WNV.

American River Watershed Investigation, California. Volume 6. Appendix S. Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

Aimophila ruficeps C,R Chipping sparrow Spizella passerina C,R,W,F Major wildlife habitats of the American River Watershed Study Area include: riparian (R...Lazuli bunting Passerina amoena R,G,W,F Rufous-sided towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus C,U,F Brown towhee Pipilo fuscus C,U,F Rufous-crowned sparrow ... system of canals, weirs, levees, pumping plants and other facilities to protect agricultural lands in the area by managing flood waters and

Habitat Value of Man-Made Coastal Marshes in Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

extraneous material as possible, and preserved in plastic bags. All cores were taken directly over a culm of Spartina that had been clipped at ground...spoonbill Ajaia ajaja x Wood stork Mycteri.a .ne:-. ana X Mottled duck Anas tulvigula x Black rail Lateral/us jamaici-,A,. X Clapper rail Rat/us...erythrophthalmus X X LeConte’s or sharp-tailed sparrow Ammodramus spp. X X Seaside sparrow Ammodramus maritimus X X Red- winged blackbird Agelaius

A Web-Based Decision Support System for Assessing Regional Water-Quality Conditions and Management Actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, N. L.; Everman, E.; Kuo, I.; Sprague, L.; Murphy, L.

2011-12-01

A new web-based decision support system has been developed as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Program's (NAWQA) effort to provide ready access to Spatially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) results of stream water-quality conditions and to offer sophisticated scenario testing capabilities for research and water-quality planning via an intuitive graphical user interface with a map-based display. The SPARROW Decision Support System (DSS) is delivered through a web browser over an Internet connection, making it widely accessible to the public in a format that allows users to easily display water-quality conditions, distribution of nutrient sources, nutrient delivery to downstream waterbodies, and simulations of altered nutrient inputs including atmospheric and agricultural sources. The DSS offers other features for analysis including various background map layers, model output exports, and the ability to save and share prediction scenarios. SPARROW models currently supported by the DSS are based on the modified digital versions of the 1:500,000-scale River Reach File (RF1) and 1:100,000-scale National Hydrography Dataset (medium-resolution, NHDPlus) stream networks. The underlying modeling framework and server infrastructure illustrate innovations in the information technology and geosciences fields for delivering SPARROW model predictions over the web by performing intensive model computations and map visualizations of the predicted conditions within the stream network.

Factors that influence vital rates of Seaside and Saltmarsh sparrows in coastal New Jersey, USA

PubMed Central

Roberts, Samuel G.; Longenecker, Rebecca A.; Etterson, Matthew A.; Ruskin, Katharine J.; Elphick, Chris S.; Olsen, Brian J.; Shriver, W. Gregory

2018-01-01

As saltmarsh habitat continues to disappear, understanding the factors that influence saltmarsh breeding bird population dynamics is an important step for the conservation of these declining species. Using five years (2011 – 2015) of demographic data, we evaluated and compared Seaside (Ammodramus maritimus) and Saltmarsh (A. caudacutus) sparrow apparent adult survival and nest survival at the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, New Jersey, USA. We determined the effect of site management history (unditched vs. ditched marsh) on adult and nest survival to aid in prioritizing future management or restoration actions. Seaside Sparrow apparent adult survival (61.6%, 95% CI: 52.5 – 70.0%) averaged >1.5 times greater than Saltmarsh Sparrow apparent adult survival (39.9%, 95% CI: 34.0 – 46.2%). Nest survival and predation and flooding rates did not differ between species, and predation was the primary cause of failure for both species. Apparent adult survival and nest survival did not differ between unditched and ditched marshes for either species, indicating that marsh ditching history may not affect breeding habitat quality for these species. With predation as the primary cause of nest failure for both species in New Jersey, we suggest that future research should focus on identification of predator communities in salt marshes and the potential for implementing predator-control programs to limit population declines. PMID:29479129

Conspecific attraction in a grassland bird, the Baird's Sparrow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ahlering, M.A.; Johnson, D.H.; Faaborg, John

2006-01-01

Territorial songbirds generally use song to defend territories and attract mates, but conspecific song may also serve as a cue to attract other male songbirds to a breeding site. Although known to occur in some colonial and forest-associated species, only recently have investigators examined conspecific attraction in grassland species. We used a playback experiment to examine the possible role of conspecific attraction for males searching for potentially suitable breeding habitat in a grassland specialist, the Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii). Experimental playback plots and control plots with similar landscape and vegetation characteristics were established at two sites in North Dakota. Baird's Sparrows colonized three of six experimental plots and none of six control plots. Males on experimental plots established territories adjacent to the playback stations and were sometimes observed counter-singing with the playback of conspecific songs. Vegetation characteristics were similar on all study plots, and did not explain differences in bird density on our treatment plots. Although we found that playback of conspecific songs attracted male Baird's Sparrows to previously unoccupied, potentially suitable habitat, further experiments are needed to examine the importance of conspecific attraction relative to other cues that birds may use, such as vegetation features. The conservation and management implications of conspecific attraction are not completely understood, but the presence of conspecifics should be considered as a potential cue in habitat selection by all species of birds. 

A Web-Based Decision Support System for Assessing Regional Water-Quality Conditions and Management Actions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Booth, N.L.; Everman, E.J.; Kuo, I.-L.; Sprague, L.; Murphy, L.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Assessment Program has completed a number of water-quality prediction models for nitrogen and phosphorus for the conterminous United States as well as for regional areas of the nation. In addition to estimating water-quality conditions at unmonitored streams, the calibrated SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models can be used to produce estimates of yield, flow-weighted concentration, or load of constituents in water under various land-use condition, change, or resource management scenarios. A web-based decision support infrastructure has been developed to provide access to SPARROW simulation results on stream water-quality conditions and to offer sophisticated scenario testing capabilities for research and water-quality planning via a graphical user interface with familiar controls. The SPARROW decision support system (DSS) is delivered through a web browser over an Internet connection, making it widely accessible to the public in a format that allows users to easily display water-quality conditions and to describe, test, and share modeled scenarios of future conditions. SPARROW models currently supported by the DSS are based on the modified digital versions of the 1:500,000-scale River Reach File (RF1) and 1:100,000-scale National Hydrography Dataset (medium-resolution, NHDPlus) stream networks. ?? 2011 American Water Resources Association. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Assessing habitat quality of farm-dwelling house sparrows in different agricultural landscapes.

PubMed

von Post, Maria; Borgström, Pernilla; Smith, Henrik G; Olsson, Ola

2012-04-01

Having historically been abundant throughout Europe, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) has in recent decades suffered severe population declines in many urban and rural areas. The decline in rural environments is believed to be caused by agricultural intensification, which has resulted in landscape simplification. We used giving-up densities (GUDs) of house sparrows feeding in artificial food patches placed in farmlands of southern Sweden to determine habitat quality during the breeding season at two different spatial scales: the landscape and the patch scale. At the landscape scale, GUDs were lower on farms in homogeneous landscapes dominated by crop production compared to more heterogeneous landscapes with mixed farming or animal husbandry. At the patch level, feeding patches with a higher predation risk (caused by fitting a wall to the patch to obstruct vigilance) had higher GUDs. In addition, GUDs were positively related to population size, which strongly implies that GUDs reflect habitat quality. However, the increase followed different patterns in homogeneous and heterogeneous landscapes, indicating differing population limiting mechanisms in these two environments. We found no effect of the interaction between patch type and landscape type, suggesting that predation risk was similar in both landscape types. Thus, our study suggests that simplified landscapes constitute a poorer feeding environment for house sparrows during breeding, that the population-regulating mechanisms in the landscapes differ, but that predation risk is the same across the landscape types.

Lead exposure and poisoning of songbirds using the Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Idaho, USA.

PubMed

Hansen, James A; Audet, Daniel; Spears, Brian L; Healy, Kate A; Brazzle, Roy E; Hoffman, David J; Dailey, Anne; Beyer, W Nelson

2011-10-01

Previous studies have found widespread Pb poisoning of waterfowl in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin in northern Idaho, USA, which has been contaminated by mining and smelting activities. We studied the exposure of ground-feeding songbirds to Pb, sampling 204 American robins (Turdus migratorius), song sparrows (Melospiza melodia), and Swainson's thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) throughout the basin. These songbirds had mean blood Pb concentrations (mg/kg, dry weight) of less than 0.19 at a reference area (25 mg Pb/kg soil), 1.09 at moderately contaminated sites (170 to 1300 mg Pb/kg soil), and 2.06 at highly contaminated sites (2000 to 5000 mg Pb/kg soil). Based on guidelines for evaluating blood Pb in birds, 6% of robins from the highly contaminated sites had background concentrations, 24% were subclinically poisoned, 52% were clinically poisoned, and 18% were severely clinically poisoned with Pb. Blood Pb concentrations were lower in song sparrows than in robins and lowest in Swainson's thrushes. More than half of the robins and song sparrows from all contaminated sites and more than half of the Swainson's thrushes from highly contaminated sites showed at least 50% inhibition of the activity of the enzyme δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), commonly used as a measure of exposure to Pb. The highest hepatic Pb concentration of 61 mg/kg (dry weight) was detected in a song sparrow. Using Al as a marker for soil in songbird ingesta, we estimated average soil ingestion rates as 20% in robins, 17% in song sparrows, and 0.7% in Swainson's thrushes. Soil Pb in ingesta accounted for almost all of the songbirds' exposure to Pb. Based on these results, it is recommended that ecological risk assessments of ground-feeding songbirds at contaminated sites include soil ingestion as a pathway of exposure to Pb. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Mercury in Nelson's Sparrow Subspecies at Breeding Sites

PubMed Central

Winder, Virginia L.; Emslie, Steven D.

2012-01-01

Background Mercury is a persistent, biomagnifying contaminant that can cause negative effects on ecosystems. Marshes are often areas of relatively high mercury methylation and bioaccumulation. Nelson's Sparrows (Ammodramus nelsoni) use marsh habitats year-round and have been documented to exhibit tissue mercury concentrations that exceed negative effects thresholds. We sought to further characterize the potential risk of Nelson's Sparrows to mercury exposure by sampling individuals from sites within the range of each of its subspecies. Methodology/Principal Findings From 2009 to 2011, we captured adult Nelson's Sparrows at sites within the breeding range of each subspecies (A. n. nelsoni: Grand Forks and Upham, North Dakota; A. n. alterus: Moosonee, Ontario; and A. n. subvirgatus: Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick) and sampled breast feathers, the first primary feather (P1), and blood for total mercury analysis. Mean blood mercury in nelsoni individuals captured near Grand Forks ranged from 0.84±0.37 to 1.65±1.02 SD ppm among years, between 2.0 and 4.9 times as high as concentrations at the other sites (P<0.01). Breast feather mercury did not vary among sites within a given sampling year (site means ranged from 0.98±0.69 to 2.71±2.93 ppm). Mean P1 mercury in alterus (2.96±1.84 ppm fw) was significantly lower than in any other sampled population (5.25±2.24–6.77±3.51 ppm; P≤0.03). Conclusions/Significance Our study further characterized mercury in Nelson's Sparrows near Grand Forks; we documented localized and potentially harmful mercury concentrations, indicating that this area may represent a biological mercury hotspot. This finding warrants further research to determine if wildlife populations of conservation or recreational interest in this area may be experiencing negative effects due to mercury exposure. We present preliminary conclusions about the risk of each sampled population to mercury exposure. PMID:22384194

Nest Sanitation as the Evolutionary Background for Egg Ejection Behaviour and the Role of Motivation for Object Removal

PubMed Central

Poláček, Miroslav; Griggio, Matteo; Bartíková, Michaela; Hoi, Herbert

2013-01-01

Higher interclutch colour variation can evolve under the pressure of brood parasitism to increase the detection of parasitic eggs. Nest sanitation could be a prerequisite for the evolution of anti-parasite defence in terms of egg ejection. In this respect, we used nest sanitation behaviour as a tool to identify: i) motivation and its underlying function and, ii) which features provoke ejection behaviour. Therefore, we experimentally tested whether size, colour or shape may influence ejection behaviour using artificial flat objects. We found a high interclutch variation in egg colouration and egg size in our tree sparrow (Passer montanus) population. Using colour and size we were in fact able to predict clutch affiliation for each egg. Our experiments further revealed the existence of direct anti-parasite behaviours and birds are able to recognise conspecific eggs, since only experimentally-deposited eggs have been removed. Moreover, experiments with different objects revealed that the motivation of tree sparrows to remove experimental objects from their nests was highest during egg laying for objects of varying size, most likely because of parasitism risk at this breeding stage. In contrary, motivation to remove white objects and objects with edges was higher during incubation stage as behavioural patterns connected to hatching started to emerge. The fact that rejection rate of our flat objects was higher than real egg ejection, suggests that egg ejection in tree sparrows and probably more general in small passerines, to be limited by elevated costs to eject eggs with their beaks. The presence of anti-parasite behaviour supports our suggestion that brood parasitism causes variation in egg features, as we have found that tree sparrows can recognise and reject conspecific eggs in their clutch. In conclusion, in tree sparrows it seems that nest sanitation plays a key role in the evolution of the removal of parasitic eggs. PMID:24223165

Rapid changes in cell physiology as a result of acute thermal stress house sparrows, Passer domesticus.

PubMed

Jimenez, Ana G; Williams, Joseph B

2014-12-01

Given that our climate is rapidly changing, Physiological Ecologists have the critical task of identifying characteristics of species that make them either resilient or susceptible to changes in their natural air temperature regime. Because climate change models suggest that heat events will become more common, and in some places more extreme, it is important to consider how extreme heat events might affect the physiology of a species. The implications of more frequent heat wave events for birds have only recently begun to be addressed, however, the impact of these events on the cellular physiology of a species is difficult to assess. We have developed a novel approach using dermal fibroblasts to explore how short-term thermal stress at the whole animal level might affect cellular rates of metabolism. House sparrows, Passer domesticus were separated into a "control group" and a "heat shocked" group, the latter acclimated to 43°C for 24h. We determined the plasticity of cellular thermal responses by assigning a "recovery group" that was heat shocked as above, but then returned to room temperature for 24h. Primary dermal fibroblasts were grown from skin of all treatment groups and the pectoralis muscle was collected. We found that glycolysis (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rates (OCR), measured using a Seahorse XF 96 analyzer, were significantly higher in the fibroblasts from the heat shocked group of House sparrows compared with their control counterparts. Additionally, muscle fiber diameters decreased and, in turn, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase maximal activity in the muscle significantly increased in heat shocked sparrows compared with birds in the control group. All of these physiological alterations due to short-term heat exposure were reversible within 24h of recovery at room temperature. These results show that acute exposure to heat stress significantly alters the cellular physiology of sparrows, but that this species is plastic enough to recover from such a thermal insult within 24h. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The AOU Conservation Committee Review of the biology, status, and management of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows: Final Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walters, J.R.; Beissenger, S.R.; Fitzpatrick, J.W.; Greenberg, R.; Nichols, J.D.; Pulliam, H.R.; Winkler, D.W.

2000-01-01

The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis) was listed as an original member of the federal list of endangered species in 1968. It is restricted to seasonally flooded prairies of extreme southern Florida and is disjunct from all other conspecific breeding populations (Kushlan et al 1982, McDonald 1988). Since the subspecies was described in 1919, its populations have been discovered and rediscovered, often only to disappear or decline to a handful of individuals (Werner and Woolfenden 1983, Kushlan and Bass 1983). Although the sparrow historically is known from six distinct areas, at present only two of these areas support populations numbering in the hundreds or low thousands of individuals.Debates swirl around the status of these remnant populations. The main controversy encompasses whether the sparrow, now largely restricted to Everglades National Park, is in jeopardy of global extinction and if so, what actions must be taken to prevent this from happening. In November 1998, a panel of scientists was assembled under the auspices of the Conservation Committee of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) to evaluate the scientific evidence relevant to this controversy. The Panel was charged with scrutinizing the evidence for the existence and probable causes of global population decline in this subspecies, evaluating proposed management actions, and suggesting further research necessary to manage the remaining populations to maximize their chances of long-term persistence.This document presents the conclusions of the Panel, which are based on our reading of the peer-reviewed and “gray” literature, interactions during a workshop held 9 to 11 February 1999 at Florida International University in Miami with researchers investigating the sparrow's biology, and site visits associated with the workshop. In addition, researchers provided the Panel with position papers summarizing their findings and conclusions prior to the workshop and provided information in response to specific questions following the workshop. Further information was obtained through public comment on an initial draft of this report.

Lead exposure and poisoning of songbirds using the Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, James A.; Audet, Daniel; Spears, Brian L.; Healy, Kate A.; Brazzle, Roy E.; Hoffman, David J.; Dailey, Anne; Beyer, W. Nelson

2011-01-01

Previous studies have found widespread Pb poisoning of waterfowl in the Coeur d'Alene River Basin in northern Idaho, USA, which has been contaminated by mining and smelting activities. We studied the exposure of ground-feeding songbirds to Pb, sampling 204 American robins (Turdus migratorius), song sparrows (Melospiza melodia), and Swainson's thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) throughout the basin. These songbirds had mean blood Pb concentrations (mg/kg, dry weight) of less than 0.19 at a reference area (25 mg Pb/kg soil), 1.09 at moderately contaminated sites (170 to 1300 mg Pb/kg soil), and 2.06 at highly contaminated sites (2000 to 5000 mg Pb/kg soil). Based on guidelines for evaluating blood Pb in birds, 6% of robins from the highly contaminated sites had background concentrations, 24% were subclinically poisoned, 52% were clinically poisoned, and 18% were severely clinically poisoned with Pb. Blood Pb concentrations were lower in song sparrows than in robins and lowest in Swainson's thrushes. More than half of the robins and song sparrows from all contaminated sites and more than half of the Swainson's thrushes from highly contaminated sites showed at least 50% inhibition of the activity of the enzyme δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), commonly used as a measure of exposure to Pb. The highest hepatic Pb concentration of 61 mg/kg (dry weight) was detected in a song sparrow. Using Al as a marker for soil in songbird ingesta, we estimated average soil ingestion rates as 20% in robins, 17% in song sparrows, and 0.7% in Swainson's thrushes. Soil Pb in ingesta accounted for almost all of the songbirds' exposure to Pb. Based on these results, it is recommended that ecological risk assessments of ground-feeding songbirds at contaminated sites include soil ingestion as a pathway of exposure to Pb.

Nest sanitation as the evolutionary background for egg ejection behaviour and the role of motivation for object removal.

PubMed

Poláček, Miroslav; Griggio, Matteo; Bartíková, Michaela; Hoi, Herbert

2013-01-01

Higher interclutch colour variation can evolve under the pressure of brood parasitism to increase the detection of parasitic eggs. Nest sanitation could be a prerequisite for the evolution of anti-parasite defence in terms of egg ejection. In this respect, we used nest sanitation behaviour as a tool to identify: i) motivation and its underlying function and, ii) which features provoke ejection behaviour. Therefore, we experimentally tested whether size, colour or shape may influence ejection behaviour using artificial flat objects. We found a high interclutch variation in egg colouration and egg size in our tree sparrow (Passer montanus) population. Using colour and size we were in fact able to predict clutch affiliation for each egg. Our experiments further revealed the existence of direct anti-parasite behaviours and birds are able to recognise conspecific eggs, since only experimentally-deposited eggs have been removed. Moreover, experiments with different objects revealed that the motivation of tree sparrows to remove experimental objects from their nests was highest during egg laying for objects of varying size, most likely because of parasitism risk at this breeding stage. In contrary, motivation to remove white objects and objects with edges was higher during incubation stage as behavioural patterns connected to hatching started to emerge. The fact that rejection rate of our flat objects was higher than real egg ejection, suggests that egg ejection in tree sparrows and probably more general in small passerines, to be limited by elevated costs to eject eggs with their beaks. The presence of anti-parasite behaviour supports our suggestion that brood parasitism causes variation in egg features, as we have found that tree sparrows can recognise and reject conspecific eggs in their clutch. In conclusion, in tree sparrows it seems that nest sanitation plays a key role in the evolution of the removal of parasitic eggs.

Operation and Maintenance of Clarks Hill Lake, Savannah River, Georgia, and South Carolina.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

gramineus Vesper Sparrow C/W X *Aimophila aestivalis Bachman’s Sparrow U/P X Junco hyemalis Slate-colored Junco C/W X X Spizella passerina Chipping...Results are analyzed to determine levels of prey and predatory fishes to aid in determining stocking rates of additional predators such as hybrid bass. e...be to have a management system controlled to some degree by the Corps of Engineers. The design could be a comprehensive wildlife management program

Biological Assessment of the Effects of the Proposed Revision of the 1996 Management Guidelines for the Red-cockaded Woodpecker on Army Installations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

on Army installations. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising , publication, or promotional purposes. Citation...ob- served. Driver et al. 2003 exposed house sparrow (Passer domesticus) eggs and nestlings to fog oil concentrations up to 450 mg/m3 for 30 minutes...during sensitive periods of embryonic and nestling development. That exposure did not adversely impact hatchability of house sparrow eggs or the

Planning applications in east central Florida. [St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hannah, J. W.; Thomas, G. L.; Esparza, F. (Principal Investigator); Millard, J. J.

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge, a 4000 acre marsh, was established primarily to protect the Dusky Seaside Sparrow. A vegetation map of the refuge based on ground observations and color infrared photography was made. The preferred habitat of this sparrow is high-to-medium density spartina (a marsh grass) with no trees nearby. An increase in spartina density corresponds to an increase in marsh wetness. A thematic map shows the birds habitat preferences.

Role of Terrestrial Wild Birds in Ecology of Influenza A Virus (H5N1)

PubMed Central

Boon, Adrianus C.M.; Sandbulte, Matthew R.; Seiler, Patrick; Webby, Richard J.; Songserm, Thaweesak; Guan, Yi

2007-01-01

House sparrows, European starlings, and Carneux pigeons were inoculated with 4 influenza A (H5N1) viruses isolated from different avian species. We monitored viral replication, death after infection, and transmission to uninfected contact birds of the same species. Sparrows were susceptible to severe infection; 66%–100% of birds died within 4–7 days. High levels of virus were detected from oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs and in organs of deceased sparrows. Inoculation of starlings caused no deaths, despite high levels of virus shedding evident in oropharyngeal swabs. Least susceptible were pigeons, which had no deaths and very low levels of virus in oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs. Transmission to contact birds did not occur frequently: only A/common magpie/Hong Kong/645/2006 virus was shown to transmit to 1 starling. In summary, recent influenza (H5N1) viruses are pathogenic for small terrestrial bird species but the rate of intraspecies transmission in these hosts is very low. PMID:18217557

Results and evaluation of the first study of organochlorine contaminants (PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs and DDTs), heavy metals and metalloids in birds from Baja California, México.

PubMed

Jiménez, Begoña; Rodríguez-Estrella, Ricardo; Merino, Rubén; Gómez, Gema; Rivera, Laura; José González, María; Abad, Esteban; Rivera, Josep

2005-01-01

Organochlorine compounds (OCs) including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p-p'-DDE), heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu), and arsenic were measured in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and common ground doves (Columbina passerina) from Baja California Sur, México. Concentrations of PCDD/Fs were low, with 21 pg/g for house sparrows, and 7.7 pg/g for common ground doves. Non-ortho-PCB concentrations in house sparrow and common ground doves were 58 and 254 pg/g, respectively, and are within the highest concentrations reported in species that are in the low levels of food webs. The major differences in organochlorine levels between species were found for ortho-PCBs and DDTs. ortho-PCB levels were higher in the seedeater species, whereas DDT levels were higher in the omnivorous species. Heavy metal levels were far below those associated with negative effects.

Genetic diversity and population structure in contemporary house sparrow populations along an urbanization gradient

PubMed Central

Vangestel, C; Mergeay, J; Dawson, D A; Callens, T; Vandomme, V; Lens, L

2012-01-01

House sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations have suffered major declines in urban as well as rural areas, while remaining relatively stable in suburban ones. Yet, to date no exhaustive attempt has been made to examine how, and to what extent, spatial variation in population demography is reflected in genetic population structuring along contemporary urbanization gradients. Here we use putatively neutral microsatellite loci to study if and how genetic variation can be partitioned in a hierarchical way among different urbanization classes. Principal coordinate analyses did not support the hypothesis that urban/suburban and rural populations comprise two distinct genetic clusters. Comparison of FST values at different hierarchical scales revealed drift as an important force of population differentiation. Redundancy analyses revealed that genetic structure was strongly affected by both spatial variation and level of urbanization. The results shown here can be used as baseline information for future genetic monitoring programmes and provide additional insights into contemporary house sparrow dynamics along urbanization gradients. PMID:22588131

Genetic diversity and population structure in contemporary house sparrow populations along an urbanization gradient.

PubMed

Vangestel, C; Mergeay, J; Dawson, D A; Callens, T; Vandomme, V; Lens, L

2012-09-01

House sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations have suffered major declines in urban as well as rural areas, while remaining relatively stable in suburban ones. Yet, to date no exhaustive attempt has been made to examine how, and to what extent, spatial variation in population demography is reflected in genetic population structuring along contemporary urbanization gradients. Here we use putatively neutral microsatellite loci to study if and how genetic variation can be partitioned in a hierarchical way among different urbanization classes. Principal coordinate analyses did not support the hypothesis that urban/suburban and rural populations comprise two distinct genetic clusters. Comparison of FST values at different hierarchical scales revealed drift as an important force of population differentiation. Redundancy analyses revealed that genetic structure was strongly affected by both spatial variation and level of urbanization. The results shown here can be used as baseline information for future genetic monitoring programmes and provide additional insights into contemporary house sparrow dynamics along urbanization gradients.

Reduced West Nile Virus Transmission Around Communal Roosts of Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)

PubMed Central

Komar, Nicholas; Colborn, James M.; Horiuchi, Kalanthe; Delorey, Mark; Biggerstaff, Brad; Damian, Dan; Smith, Kirk; Townsend, John

2016-01-01

West Nile virus has caused several outbreaks among humans in the Phoenix metropolitan area (Arizona, southwest USA) within the last decade. Recent ecologic studies have implicated Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis as the mosquito vectors and identified three abundant passerine birds—great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), and house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)—as key amplifiers among vertebrates. Nocturnal congregations of certain species have been suggested as critical for late summer West Nile virus amplification. We evaluated the hypothesis that house sparrow (P. domesticus) and/or great-tailed grackle (Q. mexicanus) communal roost sites (n = 22 and n = 5, respectively) in a primarily suburban environment were spatially associated with West Nile virus transmission indices during the 2010 outbreak of human neurological disease in metropolitan Phoenix. Spatial associations between human case residences and communal roosts were non-significant for house sparrows, and were negative for great-tailed grackle. Several theories that explain these observations are discussed, including the possibility that grackle communal roosts are protective. PMID:25480320

Factors determining presence of passerines breeding within White Stork Ciconia ciconia nests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zbyryt, Adam; Jakubas, Dariusz; Tobolka, Marcin

2017-10-01

Nests of White Stork Ciconia ciconia are commonly used by various passerines as nesting sites. In this study, we investigated factors determining presence and number of pairs of species breeding within White Stork nests in an extensive farmland in NE Poland. In 133 (57%) out of 233 White Stork nests, we found at least one breeding pair of passerine bird. These were from three species: House Sparrows Passer domesticus (68% of 133 nests with co-breeding), Tree Sparrows Passer montanus (65%), and Starlings Sturnus vulgaris (30%). The probability of breeding passerines within White Stork nests increased with increasing nest thickness, and was significantly higher in currently occupied nests. Sparrows were more likely to breed in White Stork nests located on electricity poles, situated closer to settlements and surrounded mainly by arable fields where meadows were not prevalent. In this paper, we show that White Stork nests are favorable nesting sites for passerines, as they are well insulated and provide an anti-predatory shield.

Using lice to identify cowbird hosts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hahn, D.C.; Osenton, P.C.; Price, R.W.

1995-01-01

Avian lice may link fledgling Brown-headed Cowbirds to the host species that raised them. Lice, if host-specific and transferred to nestling cowbirds, could serve to identify the principal host species raising cowbirds in a local area. This approach of trapping cowbird fledglings in a feeding flock, then collecting and identifying the lice they carry is economical. The alternative requires a team of people to locate large numbers of parasitized host nests. We trapped 250 cowbird fledglings during June-August 1994 on Patuxent Research Center, and from them we collected 426 lice identified as representing 6 genera and 12 species. We. also collected and identified 347 lice from 30 known host species that were mist-netted on our Center. The lice found on cowbird fledglings in this population can be linked to Wood Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, Rufous-sided Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Song Sparrow, Field Sparrow, and Tree sparrow, based on this study and also on published reports.

Spatial variability in nutrient transport by HUC8, state, and subbasin based on Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin SPARROW models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Saad, David A.; Schwarz, Gregory E.

2014-01-01

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) has been linked to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. With geospatial datasets for 2002, including inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and monitored loads throughout the MARB, SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) watershed models were constructed specifically for the MARB, which reduced simulation errors from previous models. Based on these models, N loads/yields were highest from the central part (centered over Iowa and Indiana) of the MARB (Corn Belt), and the highest P yields were scattered throughout the MARB. Spatial differences in yields from previous studies resulted from different descriptions of the dominant sources (N yields are highest with crop-oriented agriculture and P yields are highest with crop and animal agriculture and major WWTPs) and different descriptions of downstream transport. Delivered loads/yields from the MARB SPARROW models are used to rank subbasins, states, and eight-digit Hydrologic Unit Code basins (HUC8s) by N and P contributions and then rankings are compared with those from other studies. Changes in delivered yields result in an average absolute change of 1.3 (N) and 1.9 (P) places in state ranking and 41 (N) and 69 (P) places in HUC8 ranking from those made with previous national-scale SPARROW models. This information may help managers decide where efforts could have the largest effects (highest ranked areas) and thus reduce hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.

Estimating the sources and transport of nutrients in the Waikato River Basin, New Zealand

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alexander, Richard B.; Elliott, Alexander H.; Shankar, Ude; McBride, Graham B.

2002-01-01

We calibrated SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regression on Watershed Attributes) surface water‐quality models using measurements of total nitrogen and total phosphorus from 37 sites in the 13,900‐km2 Waikato River Basin, the largest watershed on the North Island of New Zealand. This first application of SPARROW outside of the United States included watersheds representative of a wide range of natural and cultural conditions and water‐resources data that were well suited for calibrating and validating the models. We applied the spatially distributed model to a drainage network of nearly 5000 stream reaches and 75 lakes and reservoirs to empirically estimate the rates of nutrient delivery (and their levels of uncertainty) from point and diffuse sources to streams, lakes, and watershed outlets. The resulting models displayed relatively small errors; predictions of stream yield (kg ha−1 yr−1) were typically within 30% or less of the observed values at the monitoring sites. There was strong evidence of the accuracy of the model estimates of nutrient sources and the natural rates of nutrient attenuation in surface waters. Estimated loss rates for streams, lakes, and reservoirs agreed closely with experimental measurements and empirical models from New Zealand, North America, and Europe as well as with previous U.S. SPARROW models. The results indicate that the SPARROW modeling technique provides a reliable method for relating experimental data and observations from small catchments to the transport of nutrients in the surface waters of large river basins.

Evaluating water management scenarios to support habitat management for the Cape Sable seaside sparrow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beerens, James M.; Romañach, Stephanie S.; McKelvy, Mark

2016-06-22

The endangered Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis) is endemic to south Florida and a key indicator species of marl prairie, a highly diverse freshwater community in the Florida Everglades. Maintenance and creation of suitable habitat is seen as the most important pathway to the persistence of the six existing sparrow subpopulations; however, major uncertainties remain in how to increase suitable habitat within and surrounding these subpopulations, which are vulnerable to environmental stochasticity. Currently, consistently suitable conditions for the Cape Sable seaside sparrow are only present in two of these subpopulations (B and E). The water management scenarios evaluated herein were intended to lower water levels and improve habitat conditions in subpopulation A and D, raise water levels to improve habitat conditions in subpopulations C and F, and minimize impacts to subpopulations B and E. Our objective in this analysis was to compare these scenarios utilizing a set of metrics (short- to long-time scales) that relate habitat suitability to hydrologic conditions. Although hydrologic outputs are similar across scenarios in subpopulation A, scenario R2H reaches the hydroperiod and depth suitability targets more than the other scenarios relative to ECB, while minimizing negative consequences to subpopulation E. However, although R2H hydroperiods are longer than those for ECB during the wet season in subpopulations C and F, depths during the breeding season are predicted to decrease in suitability (less than -50 cm) relative to existing conditions.

Grasshopper sparrow reproductive success and habitat use on reclaimed surface mines varies by age of reclamation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, Petra; Ammer, Frank K.

2015-01-01

We studied 3 mountaintop mining–valley fill (MTMVF) complexes in southern West Virginia, USA to examine grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum pratensis) demographic response to different age classes of mine land reclamation. For 71 nests monitored during the 2001–2002 breeding seasons, overall nest success (36%) was within the range of nest success rates previously reported for this species, but it was highest on more recently reclaimed sites (56%). Nest density and clutch size did not differ (P > 0.30) among reclamation age classes, whereas number of fledglings was greater (P = 0.01) on more recently reclaimed sites. We measured vegetation variables at 70 nest subplots and at 96 systematic subplots to compare nest vegetation with vegetation available on the plots. We found that nests occurred in areas with more bare ground near the nest, greater vegetation height–density surrounding the nest site, lower grass height, and fewer woody stems, similar to previous studies. As postreclamation age increased, vegetation height–density and maximum grass height increased, and sericea (Lespedeza cuneata) became more dominant. Nest success declined with increasing vegetation height–density at the nest. The grasslands available on these reclaimed mine complexes are of sufficient quality to support breeding populations of grasshopper sparrows, but nest success decreased on the older reclaimed areas. Without active management, grasslands on reclaimed MTMVF mines become less suitable for nesting grasshopper sparrows about 10 years after reclamation.

Ghosts of habitats past: Contribution of landscape change to current habitats used by shrubland birds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knick, Steven T.; Rotenberry, J.T.

2000-01-01

Models of habitat associations for species often are developed with an implicit assumption that habitats are static, even though recent disturbance may have altered the landscape. We tested our hypothesis that trajectory and magnitude of habitat change influenced observed distribution and abundance of passerine birds breeding in shrubsteppe habitats of southwestern Idaho. Birds in this region live in dynamic landscapes undergoing predominantly large-scale, radical, and unidirectional habitat change because wildfires are converting shrublands into expanses of exotic annual grasslands. We used data from field surveys and satellite image analyses in a series of redundancy analyses to partition variances and to determine the relative contribution of habitat change and current landscapes. Although current habitats explained a greater proportion of total variation, changes in habitat and measures of habitat richness and texture also contributed to variation in abundance of Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris), Brewera??s Sparrows (Spizella breweri), and Sage Sparrows (Amphispiza belli). Abundance of birds was insensitive to scale for nonspatial habitat variables. In contrast, spatial measures of habitat richness and texture in the landscape were significant only at large spatial scales. Abundance of Horned Larks, Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta), and Brewera??s Sparrows, but not Sage Thrashers (Oreoscoptes montanus) or Sage Sparrows, was positively correlated with changes toward stable habitats. Because dominant habitat changes were toward less stable conditions, regional declines of those birds in shrubsteppe habitats reflect current landscapes as well as the history, magnitude, and trajectory of habitat change.

House sparrows' (Passer domesticus) behaviour in a novel environment is modulated by social context and familiarity in a sex-specific manner.

PubMed

Tuliozi, Beniamino; Fracasso, Gerardo; Hoi, Herbert; Griggio, Matteo

2018-01-01

Exploratory behaviour is one of the best-investigated behavioural traits. However, little is known about how differences in familiarity, i.e. in the knowledge and previous experience with a companion can influence the exploration of a novel environment. However, to our knowledge, such a critical feature of the social environment has never been the target of a study relating it to exploratory behaviour in birds. Here we examined if familiarity with a conspecific could affect behavioural responses of individuals confronted with a novel environment. We recorded the latency to land on the ground, latency to feed, time spent feeding and number of sectors visited of 48 female and 48 male house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) in an indoor aviary in three contexts: alone (individual context), with an unfamiliar and with a familiar same-sex companion. House sparrows landed sooner on the ground when in the familiar context than when in the individual context. Birds in unfamiliar pairs followed each other less than familiar birds, but this difference diminished with time spent exploring. Moreover, males and females differed in their behavioural responses in the unfamiliar context. Females with a familiar companion landed sooner than when they were paired with an unfamiliar conspecific, whereas only the presence of a companion but not familiarity reduced males latency to land on the ground. Finally, when considering the unfamiliar context males had shorter latencies to forage and thus spent more time eating than females. The presence or absence of a companion and its familiarity with the focal individual influenced differently the behavioural responses of male and female house sparrows in a novel environment. As house sparrows are strongly sociable, the influence of the social environment is likely to be of paramount importance to understand the selective pressures acting on them, particularly in recently colonized areas with ephemeral food sources. Our results shed light on the complex influence that the social environment has on the behavioural responses of a cosmopolitan bird.

Habitat and landscape effects on abundance of Missouri's grassland birds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacobs, R.B.; Thompson, F.R.; Koford, Rolf R.; La Sorte, F.A.; Woodward, H.D.; Fitzgerald, J.A.

2012-01-01

Of 6 million ha of prairie that once covered northern and western Missouri, <36,500 ha remain, with planted, managed, and restored grasslands comprising most contemporary grasslands. Most grasslands are used as pasture or hayfields. Native grasses largely have been replaced by fescue (Festuca spp.) on most private lands (almost 7 million ha). Previously cropped fields set aside under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) varied from a mix of cool-season grasses and forbs, or mix of native warm-season grasses and forbs, to simple tall-grass monocultures. We used generalized linear mixed models and distance sampling to assess abundance of 8 species of breeding grassland birds on 6 grassland types commonly associated with farm practices in Missouri and located in landscapes managed for grassland-bird conservation. We selected Bird Conservation Areas (BCAs) for their high percentage of grasslands and grassland-bird species, and for <5% forest cover. We used an information-theoretic approach to assess the relationship between bird abundance and 6 grassland types, 3 measures of vegetative structure, and 2 landscape variables (% grassland and edge density within a 1-km radius). We found support for all 3 levels of model parameters, although there was less support for landscape than vegetation structure effects likely because we studied high-percentage-grassland landscapes (BCAs). Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) counts increased with greater percentage of grassland, vegetation height-density, litter depth, and shrub cover and lower edge density. Henslow's sparrow counts were greatest in hayed native prairie. Dickcissel (Spiza americana) counts increased with greater vegetation height-density and were greatest in planted CRP grasslands. Grasshopper sparrow (A. savannarum) counts increased with lower vegetation height, litter depth, and shrub cover. Based on distance modeling, breeding densities of Henslow's sparrow, dickcissel, and grasshopper sparrow in the 6 grassland types ranged 0.9-2.6, 1.4-3.2, and 0.1-1.5 birds/ha, respectively. We suggest different grassland types and structures (vegetation height, litter depth, shrub cover) are needed to support priority grassland-bird species in Missouri. ?? 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Habitat and landscape effects on abundance of Missouri's grassland birds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacobson, Robert B.; Thompson, Frank R.; Koford, Rolf R.; La Sorte, Frank A.; Woodward, Hope D.; Fitzgerald, Jane A.

2012-01-01

Of 6 million ha of prairie that once covered northern and western Missouri, <36,500 ha remain, with planted, managed, and restored grasslands comprising most contemporary grasslands. Most grasslands are used as pasture or hayfields. Native grasses largely have been replaced by fescue (Festuca spp.) on most private lands (almost 7 million ha). Previously cropped fields set aside under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) varied from a mix of cool-season grasses and forbs, or mix of native warm-season grasses and forbs, to simple tall-grass monocultures. We used generalized linear mixed models and distance sampling to assess abundance of 8 species of breeding grassland birds on 6 grassland types commonly associated with farm practices in Missouri and located in landscapes managed for grassland-bird conservation. We selected Bird Conservation Areas (BCAs) for their high percentage of grasslands and grassland-bird species, and for <5% forest cover. We used an information-theoretic approach to assess the relationship between bird abundance and 6 grassland types, 3 measures of vegetative structure, and 2 landscape variables (% grassland and edge density within a 1-km radius). We found support for all 3 levels of model parameters, although there was less support for landscape than vegetation structure effects likely because we studied high-percentage-grassland landscapes (BCAs). Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) counts increased with greater percentage of grassland, vegetation height-density, litter depth, and shrub cover and lower edge density. Henslow's sparrow counts were greatest in hayed native prairie. Dickcissel (Spiza americana) counts increased with greater vegetation height-density and were greatest in planted CRP grasslands. Grasshopper sparrow (A. savannarum) counts increased with lower vegetation height, litter depth, and shrub cover. Based on distance modeling, breeding densities of Henslow's sparrow, dickcissel, and grasshopper sparrow in the 6 grassland types ranged 0.9–2.6, 1.4–3.2, and 0.1–1.5 birds/ha, respectively. We suggest different grassland types and structures (vegetation height, litter depth, shrub cover) are needed to support priority grassland-bird species in Missouri.

Modeling Mitigation Activities in North Carolina Watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, A. M.

2017-12-01

Nutrient enrichment and excessive sediment loadings have contributed to the degradation of rivers, lakes and estuaries in North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) has implemented several basin-wide nutrient and sediment management strategies, yet gaps remain in understanding the impact of these strategies given the complexities in quantifying the processes that govern the transport of nutrient and sediment. In particular, improved assessment of the status of nutrient and sediment loadings to lakes and estuaries throughout the state is needed, including characterizing their sources and describing the relative contributions of different areas. The NCDEQ Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) uses watershed planning to identify and prioritize the best locations to implement stream, wetland, and riparian-buffer restoration to improve water quality. To support better decision-making for watershed restoration activities we are developing a SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) model framework specifically for North Carolina. The SPARROW analysis (developed by the U.S. Geological Survey) relates water-quality monitoring data to better understand the effects of human activities and natural processes on surface-water quality. The core of the model consists of using a nonlinear-regression equation to describe the non-conservative transport of contaminants from point and nonpoint sources on land to rivers, lakes and estuaries through the stream and river network. In this presentation, preliminary total Nitrogen, total Phosphorus, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) NC-SPARROW models are described that illustrate the SPARROW modeling framework incorporating specific restoration datasets and activity metrics, such as extent of riparian buffer and easements.

Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avipoxvirus in House Sparrows in Spain.

PubMed

Ruiz-Martínez, Jorge; Ferraguti, Martina; Figuerola, Jordi; Martínez-de la Puente, Josué; Williams, Richard Alexander John; Herrera-Dueñas, Amparo; Aguirre, José Ignacio; Soriguer, Ramón; Escudero, Clara; Moens, Michaël André Jean; Pérez-Tris, Javier; Benítez, Laura

2016-01-01

Avipoxvirus (APV) is a fairly common virus affecting birds that causes morbidity and mortality in wild and captive birds. We studied the prevalence of pox-like lesions and genetic diversity of APV in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in natural, agricultural and urban areas in southern Spain in 2013 and 2014 and in central Spain for 8 months (2012-2013). Overall, 3.2% of 2,341 house sparrows visually examined in southern Spain had cutaneous lesions consistent with avian pox. A similar prevalence (3%) was found in 338 birds from central Spain. Prevalence was higher in hatch-year birds than in adults. We did not detect any clear spatial or temporal patterns of APV distribution. Molecular analyses of poxvirus-like lesions revealed that 63% of the samples were positive. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses of 29 DNA sequences from the fpv167 gene, detected two strains belonging to the canarypox clade (subclades B1 and B2) previously found in Spain. One of them appears predominant in Iberia and North Africa and shares 70% similarity to fowlpox and canarypox virus. This APV strain has been identified in a limited number of species in the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and Hungary. The second one has a global distribution and has been found in numerous wild bird species around the world. To our knowledge, this represents the largest study of avian poxvirus disease in the broadly distributed house sparrow and strongly supports the findings that Avipox prevalence in this species in South and central Spain is moderate and the genetic diversity low.

SPARROW models used to understand nutrient sources in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Saad, David A.

2013-01-01

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) loading from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin (MARB) has been linked to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. To describe where and from what sources those loads originate, SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models were constructed for the MARB using geospatial datasets for 2002, including inputs from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), and calibration sites throughout the MARB. Previous studies found that highest N and P yields were from the north-central part of the MARB (Corn Belt). Based on the MARB SPARROW models, highest N yields were still from the Corn Belt but centered over Iowa and Indiana, and highest P yields were widely distributed throughout the center of the MARB. Similar to that found in other studies, agricultural inputs were found to be the largest N and P sources throughout most of the MARB: farm fertilizers were the largest N source, whereas farm fertilizers, manure, and urban inputs were dominant P sources. The MARB models enable individual N and P sources to be defined at scales ranging from SPARROW catchments (∼50 km2) to the entire area of the MARB. Inputs of P from WWTPs and urban areas were more important than found in most other studies. Information from this study will help to reduce nutrient loading from the MARB by providing managers with a description of where each of the sources of N and P are most important, thus providing a basis for prioritizing management actions and ultimately reducing the extent of Gulf hypoxia.

The easy road to genome-wide medium density SNP screening in a non-model species: development and application of a 10 K SNP-chip for the house sparrow (Passer domesticus).

PubMed

Hagen, Ingerid J; Billing, Anna M; Rønning, Bernt; Pedersen, Sindre A; Pärn, Henrik; Slate, Jon; Jensen, Henrik

2013-05-01

With the advent of next generation sequencing, new avenues have opened to study genomics in wild populations of non-model species. Here, we describe a successful approach to a genome-wide medium density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) panel in a non-model species, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), through the development of a 10 K Illumina iSelect HD BeadChip. Genomic DNA and cDNA derived from six individuals were sequenced on a 454 GS FLX system and generated a total of 1.2 million sequences, in which SNPs were detected. As no reference genome exists for the house sparrow, we used the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) reference genome to determine the most likely position of each SNP. The 10 000 SNPs on the SNP-chip were selected to be distributed evenly across 31 chromosomes, giving on average one SNP per 100 000 bp. The SNP-chip was screened across 1968 individual house sparrows from four island populations. Of the original 10 000 SNPs, 7413 were found to be variable, and 99% of these SNPs were successfully called in at least 93% of all individuals. We used the SNP-chip to demonstrate the ability of such genome-wide marker data to detect population sub-division, and compared these results to similar analyses using microsatellites. The SNP-chip will be used to map Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for fitness-related phenotypic traits in natural populations. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Avipoxvirus in House Sparrows in Spain

PubMed Central

Ruiz-Martínez, Jorge; Ferraguti, Martina; Figuerola, Jordi; Martínez-de la Puente, Josué; Williams, Richard Alexander John; Herrera-Dueñas, Amparo; Aguirre, José Ignacio; Soriguer, Ramón; Escudero, Clara; Moens, Michaël André Jean; Pérez-Tris, Javier; Benítez, Laura

2016-01-01

Avipoxvirus (APV) is a fairly common virus affecting birds that causes morbidity and mortality in wild and captive birds. We studied the prevalence of pox-like lesions and genetic diversity of APV in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in natural, agricultural and urban areas in southern Spain in 2013 and 2014 and in central Spain for 8 months (2012–2013). Overall, 3.2% of 2,341 house sparrows visually examined in southern Spain had cutaneous lesions consistent with avian pox. A similar prevalence (3%) was found in 338 birds from central Spain. Prevalence was higher in hatch-year birds than in adults. We did not detect any clear spatial or temporal patterns of APV distribution. Molecular analyses of poxvirus-like lesions revealed that 63% of the samples were positive. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses of 29 DNA sequences from the fpv167 gene, detected two strains belonging to the canarypox clade (subclades B1 and B2) previously found in Spain. One of them appears predominant in Iberia and North Africa and shares 70% similarity to fowlpox and canarypox virus. This APV strain has been identified in a limited number of species in the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and Hungary. The second one has a global distribution and has been found in numerous wild bird species around the world. To our knowledge, this represents the largest study of avian poxvirus disease in the broadly distributed house sparrow and strongly supports the findings that Avipox prevalence in this species in South and central Spain is moderate and the genetic diversity low. PMID:28005936

Evaluation of a reproductive index to estimate grasshopper sparrow and eastern meadowlark reproductive success

USGS Publications Warehouse

Althoff, Donald P.; Gipson, P.S.; Pontius, J.S.; Japuntich, R.D.

2009-01-01

We compared an index of reproductive success based on breeding behavior to actual nest fates of grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) and eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) on 12 plots (4-ha). Concordance of results between the two methods was 58% for grasshopper sparrows and 42% for eastern meadowlarks on a plot-by-plot basis. The indirect method yielded higher estimates of reproductive activity than nest monitoring for the balance of the plots,. There was little evidence that brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism influenced the estimates of reproductive success using the indirect method. We concluded that nests and about-to-fledge nestlings were missed during searches on some plots. It may be appropriate to use an indirect method to more efficiently survey territories and/or plots for species with hard-to-find nests or when monitoring large areas. Use of a reproductive index may be appropriate and more time-efficient than nest searching and monitoring for comparing management effects such as burning, grazing, haying, military training, and other localized disturbances that are likely to affect reproductive success of grasshopper sparrows and eastern meadowlarks. However, nest monitoring may be necessary for more precise estimates of productivity necessary for long-term monitoring. Nest monitoring results are also likely to allow for direct comparisons to results from other studies because the index method requires intimate knowledge of the species being evaluated - a factor that could lead to reduced precision because the experience level of technicians relying only on behavioral cues from study-to-study is likely to vary considerably.

Sensory Constraints on Birdsong Syntax: Neural Responses to Swamp Sparrow Songs with Accelerated Trill Rates

PubMed Central

Prather, JF; Peters, S; Mooney, R; Nowicki, S

2013-01-01

Both sensory and motor mechanisms can constrain behavioral performance. Sensory mechanisms may be especially important for constraining behaviors that depend on experience, such as learned birdsongs. Swamp sparrows learn to sing by imitating the song of a tutor, but sparrows fail to accurately imitate artificial tutor songs with abnormally accelerated trills, instead singing brief and rapid trills interrupted by silent gaps. This “broken syntax” has been proposed to arise from vocal-motor limitations. Here we consider whether sensory limitations exist that could also contribute to broken syntax. We tested this idea by recording auditory-evoked activity of sensorimotor neurons in the swamp sparrow’s brain that are known to be important for the learning, performance and perception of song. In freely behaving adult sparrows that sang songs with normal syntax, neurons were detected that exhibited precisely time-locked activity to each repetition of the syllable in a trill when presented at a natural rate. Those cells failed to faithfully follow syllables presented at an accelerated rate, however, and their failure to respond to consecutive syllables increased as a function of trill rate. This “flickering” auditory representation in animals performing normal syntax reveals a central constraint on the sensory processing of rapid trills. Furthermore, because these neurons are implicated in both song learning and perception, and because auditory flickering began to occur at accelerated trill rates previously associated with the emergence of broken song syntax, these sensory constraints may contribute to the emergence of broken syntax. PMID:23976787

Rapid effects of 17β-estradiol on aggressive behavior in songbirds: Environmental and genetic influences.

PubMed

Heimovics, Sarah A; Merritt, Jennifer R; Jalabert, Cecilia; Ma, Chunqi; Maney, Donna L; Soma, Kiran K

2018-04-24

17β-estradiol (E 2 ) has numerous rapid effects on the brain and behavior. This review focuses on the rapid effects of E 2 on aggression, an important social behavior, in songbirds. First, we highlight the contributions of studies on song sparrows, which reveal that seasonal changes in the environment profoundly influence the capacity of E 2 to rapidly alter aggressive behavior. E 2 administration to male song sparrows increases aggression within 20 min in the non-breeding season, but not in the breeding season. Furthermore, E 2 rapidly modulates several phosphoproteins in the song sparrow brain. In particular, E 2 rapidly affects pCREB in the medial preoptic nucleus, in the non-breeding season only. Second, we describe studies of the white-throated sparrow, which reveal how a genetic polymorphism may influence the rapid effects of E 2 on aggression. In this species, a chromosomal rearrangement that includes ESR1, which encodes estrogen receptor α (ERα), affects ERα expression in the brain and the ability of E 2 to rapidly promote aggression. Third, we summarize studies showing that aggressive interactions rapidly affect levels of E 2 and other steroids, both in the blood and in specific brain regions, and the emerging potential for steroid profiling by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Such studies of songbirds demonstrate the value of an ethologically informed approach, in order to reveal how steroids act rapidly on the brain to alter naturally-occurring behavior. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Energetic costs and implications of the intake of plant secondary metabolites on digestive and renal morphology in two austral passerines.

PubMed

Barceló, Gonzalo; Ríos, Juan Manuel; Maldonado, Karin; Sabat, Pablo

2016-07-01

Seed-eating birds have a diet of high nutritional value; however, they must cope with plant secondary metabolites (PSM). We postulated that the detoxification capacity of birds is associated with a metabolic cost, given that the organs responsible for detoxification significantly contribute to energetic metabolism. We used an experimental approach to assess the effects of phenol-enriched diets on two passerines with different feeding habits: the omnivorous rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) and the granivorous common diuca-finch (Diuca diuca). The birds were fed with one of three diets: control diet, supplemented with tannic acid, or supplemented with Opuntia ficus-indica phenolic extract (a common food of the sparrow but not the finch). After 5 weeks of exposure to the diets, we measured basal metabolic rates (BMR), energy intake, glucuronic acid output and digestive and kidney structure. In both species, detoxification capacity expressed as glucuronic acid output was higher in individuals consuming phenol-enriched diets compared to the control diet. However, whereas sparrows increase energy intake and intestinal mass when feeding on phenol-enriched diets, finches had lower intestinal mass and energy intake remains stable. Furthermore, sparrows had higher BMR on phenol-enriched diets compared to the control group, whereas in the finches BMR remains unchanged. Interspecific differences in response to phenols intake may be determined by the dietary habits of these species. While both species can feed on moderate phenolic diets for 5 weeks, energy costs may differ due to different responses in food intake and organ structure to counteract the effects of PSM intake.

Insights into the genetic architecture of morphological traits in two passerine bird species.

PubMed

Silva, C N S; McFarlane, S E; Hagen, I J; Rönnegård, L; Billing, A M; Kvalnes, T; Kemppainen, P; Rønning, B; Ringsby, T H; Sæther, B-E; Qvarnström, A; Ellegren, H; Jensen, H; Husby, A

2017-09-01

Knowledge about the underlying genetic architecture of phenotypic traits is needed to understand and predict evolutionary dynamics. The number of causal loci, magnitude of the effects and location in the genome are, however, still largely unknown. Here, we use genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from two large-scale data sets on house sparrows and collared flycatchers to examine the genetic architecture of different morphological traits (tarsus length, wing length, body mass, bill depth, bill length, total and visible badge size and white wing patches). Genomic heritabilities were estimated using relatedness calculated from SNPs. The proportion of variance captured by the SNPs (SNP-based heritability) was lower in house sparrows compared with collared flycatchers, as expected given marker density (6348 SNPs in house sparrows versus 38 689 SNPs in collared flycatchers). Indeed, after downsampling to similar SNP density and sample size, this estimate was no longer markedly different between species. Chromosome-partitioning analyses demonstrated that the proportion of variance explained by each chromosome was significantly positively related to the chromosome size for some traits and, generally, that larger chromosomes tended to explain proportionally more variation than smaller chromosomes. Finally, we found two genome-wide significant associations with very small-effect sizes. One SNP on chromosome 20 was associated with bill length in house sparrows and explained 1.2% of phenotypic variation (V P ), and one SNP on chromosome 4 was associated with tarsus length in collared flycatchers (3% of V P ). Although we cannot exclude the possibility of undetected large-effect loci, our results indicate a polygenic basis for morphological traits.

Reduced West Nile Virus Transmission Around Communal Roosts of Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus).

PubMed

Komar, Nicholas; Colborn, James M; Horiuchi, Kalanthe; Delorey, Mark; Biggerstaff, Brad; Damian, Dan; Smith, Kirk; Townsend, John

2015-03-01

West Nile virus has caused several outbreaks among humans in the Phoenix metropolitan area (Arizona, southwest USA) within the last decade. Recent ecologic studies have implicated Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis as the mosquito vectors and identified three abundant passerine birds-great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), and house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)-as key amplifiers among vertebrates. Nocturnal congregations of certain species have been suggested as critical for late summer West Nile virus amplification. We evaluated the hypothesis that house sparrow (P. domesticus) and/or great-tailed grackle (Q. mexicanus) communal roost sites (n = 22 and n = 5, respectively) in a primarily suburban environment were spatially associated with West Nile virus transmission indices during the 2010 outbreak of human neurological disease in metropolitan Phoenix. Spatial associations between human case residences and communal roosts were non-significant for house sparrows, and were negative for great-tailed grackle. Several theories that explain these observations are discussed, including the possibility that grackle communal roosts are protective.

EPA Office of Water (OW): 2002 SPARROW Total NP (Catchments)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) is a watershed modeling tool with output that allows the user to interpret water quality monitoring data at the regional and sub-regional scale. The model relates in-stream water-quality measurements to spatially referenced characteristics of watersheds, including pollutant sources and environmental factors that affect rates of pollutant delivery to streams from the land and aquatic, in-stream processing . The core of the model consists of a nonlinear regression equation describing the non-conservative transport of contaminants from point and non-point (or ??diffuse??) sources on land to rivers and through the stream and river network. SPARROW estimates contaminant concentrations, loads (or ??mass,?? which is the product of concentration and streamflow), and yields in streams (mass of nitrogen and of phosphorus entering a stream per acre of land). It empirically estimates the origin and fate of contaminants in streams and receiving bodies, and quantifies uncertainties in model predictions. The model predictions are illustrated through detailed maps that provide information about contaminant loadings and source contributions at multiple scales for specific stream reaches, basins, or other geographic areas.

Virulence genes, antibiotic resistance and integrons in Escherichia coli strains isolated from synanthropic birds from Spain.

PubMed

Sacristán, C; Esperón, F; Herrera-León, S; Iglesias, I; Neves, E; Nogal, V; Muñoz, M J; de la Torre, A

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance profiles in 164 Escherichia coli strains isolated from birds (feral pigeons, hybrid ducks, house sparrows and spotless starlings) inhabiting urban and rural environments. A total of eight atypical enteropathogenic E. coli strains were identified: one in a house sparrow, four in feral pigeons and three in spotless starlings. Antibiotic resistance was present in 32.9% (54) of E. coli strains. The dominant type of resistance was to tetracycline (21.3%), ampicillin (19.5%) and sulfamethoxazole (18.9%). Five isolates had class 1 integrons containing gene cassettes encoding for dihydrofolate reductase A (dfrA) and aminoglycoside adenyltransferase A (aadA), one in a feral pigeon and four in spotless starlings. To our knowledge, the present study constitutes the first detection of virulence genes from E. coli in spotless starlings and house sparrows, and is also the first identification worldwide of integrons containing antibiotic resistance gene cassettes in E. coli strains from spotless starlings and pigeons.

Habitat relationships of birds overwintering in a managed coastal prairie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldwin, H.Q.; Grace, J.B.; Barrow, W.C.; Rohwer, F.C.

2007-01-01

Grassland birds are considered to be rapidly declining in North America. Management approaches for grassland birds frequently rely on prescribed burning to maintain habitat in suitable condition. We evaluated the relationships among years since burn, vegetation structure, and overwintering grassland bird abundance in coastal prairie. Le Conte's Sparrows (Ammodramus leconteii) were most common in areas that had: (1) been burned within the previous 2 years, (2) medium density herbaceous vegetation, and (3) sparse shrub densities. Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) were associated with areas: (1) burned within 1 year, (2) with sparse herbaceous vegetation, and (3) with sparse shrub densities. Sedge Wrens (Cistothorus platensis) were most common in areas that had: (1) burned greater than 2 years prior and (2) dense herbaceous vegetation. Swamp Sparrows (Melospiza georgiana): (1) were most common in areas of dense shrubs, (2) not related to time since burnings, and (3) demonstrated no relationship to herbaceous vegetation densities. The relationships to fire histories for all four bird species could be explained by the associated vegetation characteristics indicating the need for a mosaic of burn rotations and modest levels of woody vegetation.

Guild structure of a riparian avifauna relative to seasonal cattle grazing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knopf, F.L.; Sedgwick, J.A.; Cannon, R. W.

1988-01-01

Knopf et al. found that summer cattle grazing has an adverse effect on the presence of certain willow-dependent songbirds. Pastures that have historical summer grazing no longer have the Willow flycatcher, Lincoln's sparrow and the White-crowned sparrow present. Yet in these same areas, birds like the American Robin, Brown-headed cowbird and the Red-winged blackbird have increased in density. One possible answer for the decrease in some songbirds is the fact that the main focus of the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is on waterfowl habitat, which requires large amounts of open space (opposite of desirable songbird habitat).

Implementation of the NAS Parallel Benchmarks in Java

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frumkin, Michael A.; Schultz, Matthew; Jin, Haoqiang; Yan, Jerry; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Several features make Java an attractive choice for High Performance Computing (HPC). In order to gauge the applicability of Java to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), we have implemented the NAS (NASA Advanced Supercomputing) Parallel Benchmarks in Java. The performance and scalability of the benchmarks point out the areas where improvement in Java compiler technology and in Java thread implementation would position Java closer to Fortran in the competition for CFD applications.

Performance and Scalability of the NAS Parallel Benchmarks in Java

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frumkin, Michael A.; Schultz, Matthew; Jin, Haoqiang; Yan, Jerry; Biegel, Bryan A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Several features make Java an attractive choice for scientific applications. In order to gauge the applicability of Java to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), we have implemented the NAS (NASA Advanced Supercomputing) Parallel Benchmarks in Java. The performance and scalability of the benchmarks point out the areas where improvement in Java compiler technology and in Java thread implementation would position Java closer to Fortran in the competition for scientific applications.

Implementation of BT, SP, LU, and FT of NAS Parallel Benchmarks in Java

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, Matthew; Frumkin, Michael; Jin, Hao-Qiang; Yan, Jerry

2000-01-01

A number of Java features make it an attractive but a debatable choice for High Performance Computing. We have implemented benchmarks working on single structured grid BT,SP,LU and FT in Java. The performance and scalability of the Java code shows that a significant improvement in Java compiler technology and in Java thread implementation are necessary for Java to compete with Fortran in HPC applications.

Inter-species variation in yolk steroid levels and a cowbird-host comparison

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hahn, D. Caldwell; Hatfield, Jeffrey S.; Abdelnabi, Mahmoud A.; Wu, Julie M.; Igl, Lawrence D.; Ottinger, Mary A.

2005-01-01

We examined variability in yolk hormone levels among songbird species and the role of yolk steroids as a mechanism for enhanced exploitation of hosts by the parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater. Within-clutch variation in yolk steroids has been found in several avian species in single species studies, but few comparisons have been made among species. We found a large range of differences in yolk testosterone among the seven passerine species examined, with significant differences between those at the high end (Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia , Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus, and House Sparrow, Passer domesticus ) and those at the low end (Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe, and House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus ). We also found that the testosterone level in cowbird eggs was intermediate in relation to host species levels and was significantly lower than that in three common cowbird hosts (Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, and House Sparrow), but not significantly different from three others. Geographical comparisons of yolk testosterone levels in all cowbird subspecies and populations from several regions showed no significant differences, though a trend that deserves further exploration was the pattern of lowest level in the ancestral population of cowbirds in the central prairies and of highest level in the northwestern population where range invasion occurred approximately 40 years ago. The levels of 17 betaestradiol were similar in the seven songbird species examined, which is consistent with current hypotheses that this hormone plays a role in embryonic sexual differentiation. Further investigation is needed to determine whether the large differences observed among species in absolute level of yolk testosterone are the relevant focal point or whether target tissue sensitivity differences mediate the effects of this yolk steroid, particularly between parasitic and non-parasitic species.

Evaluating the stress response as a bioindicator of sub-lethal effects of crude oil exposure in wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus).

PubMed

Lattin, Christine R; Ngai, Heather M; Romero, L Michael

2014-01-01

Petroleum can disrupt endocrine function in humans and wildlife, and interacts in particularly complex ways with the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, responsible for the release of the stress hormones corticosterone and cortisol (hereafter CORT). Ingested petroleum can act in an additive fashion with other stressors to cause increased mortality, but it is not clear exactly why--does petroleum disrupt feedback mechanisms, stress hormone production, or both? This laboratory study aimed to quantify the effects of ingested Gulf of Mexico crude oil on the physiological stress response of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We examined baseline and stress-induced CORT, negative feedback, and adrenal sensitivity in house sparrows given a 1% oil or control diet (n = 12 in each group). We found that four weeks on a 1% oil diet did not alter baseline CORT titers or efficacy of negative feedback, but significantly reduced sparrows' ability to secrete CORT in response to a standardized stressor and adrenocorticotropin hormone injection, suggesting that oil damages the steroid-synthesizing cells of the adrenal. In another group of animals on the same 1% oil (n = 9) or control diets (n = 8), we examined concentrations of eight different blood chemistry parameters, and CORT in feathers grown before and during the feeding experiments as other potential biomarkers of oil exposure. None of the blood chemistry parameters differed between birds on the oil and control diets after two or four weeks of feeding, nor did feather CORT differ between the two groups. Overall, this study suggests that the response of CORT to stressors, but not baseline HPA function, may be a particularly sensitive bioindicator of sub-lethal chronic effects of crude oil exposure.

Evaluating the Stress Response as a Bioindicator of Sub-Lethal Effects of Crude Oil Exposure in Wild House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)

PubMed Central

Lattin, Christine R.; Ngai, Heather M.; Romero, L. Michael

2014-01-01

Petroleum can disrupt endocrine function in humans and wildlife, and interacts in particularly complex ways with the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, responsible for the release of the stress hormones corticosterone and cortisol (hereafter CORT). Ingested petroleum can act in an additive fashion with other stressors to cause increased mortality, but it is not clear exactly why—does petroleum disrupt feedback mechanisms, stress hormone production, or both? This laboratory study aimed to quantify the effects of ingested Gulf of Mexico crude oil on the physiological stress response of house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We examined baseline and stress-induced CORT, negative feedback, and adrenal sensitivity in house sparrows given a 1% oil or control diet (n = 12 in each group). We found that four weeks on a 1% oil diet did not alter baseline CORT titers or efficacy of negative feedback, but significantly reduced sparrows' ability to secrete CORT in response to a standardized stressor and adrenocorticotropin hormone injection, suggesting that oil damages the steroid-synthesizing cells of the adrenal. In another group of animals on the same 1% oil (n = 9) or control diets (n = 8), we examined concentrations of eight different blood chemistry parameters, and CORT in feathers grown before and during the feeding experiments as other potential biomarkers of oil exposure. None of the blood chemistry parameters differed between birds on the oil and control diets after two or four weeks of feeding, nor did feather CORT differ between the two groups. Overall, this study suggests that the response of CORT to stressors, but not baseline HPA function, may be a particularly sensitive bioindicator of sub-lethal chronic effects of crude oil exposure. PMID:25029334

Forecasting future phosphorus export to the Laurentian Great Lakes from land-derived nutrient inputs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaBeau, M. B.; Robertson, D. M.; Mayer, A. S.; Pijanowski, B. C.

2011-12-01

Anthropogenic use of the land through agricultural and urban activities has significantly increased phosphorus loading to rivers that flow to the Great Lakes. Phosphorus (P) is a critical element in the eutrophication of the freshwater ecosystems, most notably the Great Lakes. To better understand factors influencing phosphorus delivery to aquatic systems and thus their potential harmful effects to lake ecosystems, models that predict P export should incorporate account for changing changes in anthropogenic activities. Land-derived P from high yielding sources, such as agriculture and urban areas, affect eutrophication at various scales (e.g. specific bays to all of Lake Erie). SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) is a spatially explicit watershed model that has been used to understand linkages between land-derived sources and nutrient transport to the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes region is expected to experience a doubling of urbanized areas along with a ten percent increase in agricultural use over the next 40 years, which is likely to increase P loading. To determine how these changes will impact P loading, SPARROW have been developed that relate changes in land use to changes in nutrient sources, including relationships between row crop acreage and fertilizer intensity and urban land use and point source intensity. We used land use projections from the Land Transformation Model, a, spatially explicit, neural-net based land change model. Land use patterns from current to 2040 were used as input into HydroSPARROW, a forecasting tool that enables SPARROW to simulate the effects of various land-use and climate scenarios. Consequently, this work is focusing on understanding the effects of how specific agriculture and urbanization activities affect P loading in the watersheds of the Laurentian Great Lakes to potentially find strategies to reduce the extent and severity of future eutrophication.

Bird associations with shrubsteppe plant communities at the proposed reference repository location in southeastern Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schuler, C.A.; Rickard, W.H.; Sargeant, G.A.

1988-03-01

This report provides information on te seasonal use of shrubsteppe vegetation by bird species at the RRL. Bird abundance and distribution were studied at the RRL to ensure that the DOE monitored migratory bird species pursuant to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and to assess potential impacts of site characterization activities on bird populations. Birds were counted on two transects that together sampled an areas of 1.39 km/sup 2/. The relative abundance of birds, species richness, seasonal distribution, and the association of breeding shrubsteppe birds with major vegetation types were determined from Janurary through December 1987. Only 38 species weremore » counted during 82 surveys. Total bird density during the nesting season (March-June) was 42.96 birdskm/sup 2/ and the density for the entire year was 26.74 birdskm/sup 2/. The characteristic nesting birds in shrubsteppe habitats were western meadowlark, sage sparrow, burrowing owl, mourning dove, horned lark, long-billed curlew, lark sparrow, and loggerhead shrike. Western meadowlark and sage sparrows were the most abundant breeding birds with an average density of 11.25 and 7.76 birdskm/sup 2/, respectively. Seasonal distribution of birds varied with species, but most species were present from March to September. Distribution and abunandance of nesting birds were correlated with habitat type. About 63% of the habitat surveyed was sagebrush, 26% was cheatgrass, and 11% was spiny hopsage. Sagebrush habitat supproted a greeater total bird density than cheatgrass or hopsage habitats. Sage sparrows were closely associated with sagebrush habitats, while western meadowlarks showed no strong habitat affinities. 22 refs., 9 figs., 6 tabs« less

Seasonal Phosphorus Sources and Loads to Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, as Determined by a Dynamic SPARROW Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleh, D.; Domagalski, J. L.; Smith, R. A.

2016-12-01

The SPARROW (SPAtially-Referenced Regression On Watershed Attributes) model, developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, has been used to identify and quantify the sources of nitrogen and phosphorus in watersheds and to predict their fluxes and concentration at specified locations downstream. Existing SPARROW models use a hybrid statistical approach to describe an annual average ("steady-state") relationship between sources and stream conditions based on long-term water quality monitoring data and spatially-referenced explanatory information. Although these annual models are useful for some management purposes, many water quality issues stem from intra- and inter-annual changes in constituent sources, hydrologic forcing, or other environmental conditions, which cause a lag between watershed inputs and stream water quality. We are developing a seasonal dynamic SPARROW model of sources, fluxes, and yields of phosphorus for the watershed (approximately 9,700 square kilometers) draining to Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon. The lake is hyper-eutrophic and various options are being considered for water quality improvement. The model was calibrated with 11 years of water quality data (2000 to 2010) and simulates seasonal loads and yields for a total of 44 seasons. Phosphorus sources to the watershed include animal manure, farm fertilizer, discharges of treated wastewater, and natural sources (soil and streambed sediment). The model predicts that phosphorus delivery to the lake is strongly affected by intra- and inter-annual changes in precipitation and by temporary seasonal storage of phosphorus in the watershed. The model can be used to predict how different management actions for mitigating phosphorus sources might affect phosphorus loading to the lake as well as the time required for any changes in loading to occur following implementation of the action.

Environmental factors influence both abundance and genetic diversity in a widespread bird species

PubMed Central

Liu, Yang; Webber, Simone; Bowgen, Katharine; Schmaltz, Lucie; Bradley, Katharine; Halvarsson, Peter; Abdelgadir, Mohanad; Griesser, Michael

2013-01-01

Genetic diversity is one of the key evolutionary variables that correlate with population size, being of critical importance for population viability and the persistence of species. Genetic diversity can also have important ecological consequences within populations, and in turn, ecological factors may drive patterns of genetic diversity. However, the relationship between the genetic diversity of a population and how this interacts with ecological processes has so far only been investigated in a few studies. Here, we investigate the link between ecological factors, local population size, and allelic diversity, using a field study of a common bird species, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We studied sparrows outside the breeding season in a confined small valley dominated by dispersed farms and small-scale agriculture in southern France. Population surveys at 36 locations revealed that sparrows were more abundant in locations with high food availability. We then captured and genotyped 891 house sparrows at 10 microsatellite loci from a subset of these locations (N = 12). Population genetic analyses revealed weak genetic structure, where each locality represented a distinct substructure within the study area. We found that food availability was the main factor among others tested to influence the genetic structure between locations. These results suggest that ecological factors can have strong impacts on both population size per se and intrapopulation genetic variation even at a small scale. On a more general level, our data indicate that a patchy environment and low dispersal rate can result in fine-scale patterns of genetic diversity. Given the importance of genetic diversity for population viability, combining ecological and genetic data can help to identify factors limiting population size and determine the conservation potential of populations. PMID:24363897

Progress Report: Stratton Ecological Research Site - An Experimental Approach to Assess Effects of Various Grazing Treatments on Vegetation and Wildlife Communities Across Managed Burns and Habitat Controls

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erickson, Heidi J.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Hobbs, N. Thompson

2009-01-01

Understanding how management practices affect wildlife is fundamental to wise decisions for conservation of public lands. Prescribed fire and grazing timing are two management tools frequently used within publicly owned sagebrush ecosystems. We conducted a variety of surveys in order to assess the impacts of grazing timing strategies (early summer before peak green-up, mid-summer at peak green-up, and late summer after peak green-up) in conjunction with prescribed fire on avian and small mammal populations in a high-elevation sagebrush ecosystem. Avian surveys resulted in a large detection sample size for three bird species: Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri), horned lark (Eremophila alpestris), and vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus). Brewer's sparrows had the lowest number of detections within the mid-summer grazing treatment compared to early and late summer grazing treatments, while horned larks and vesper sparrows had higher detection frequencies within the late summer grazing treatment. Summer and fall sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) pellet counts revealed that the greatest over-winter and over-summer use by sage-grouse occurred within the early summer grazing treatment with minimal use of burn treatment areas across all grazing treatments. Deer-mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) represented approximately 90 percent of small mammals captured and were most prevalent within the mid-summer grazing treatment. Sagebrush cover was greatest within the mid-summer grazing treatment. We monitored 50 and 103 nests in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The apparent success rate for shrub-obligate nesting species was 58 percent in 2007 and 63 percent in 2008. This research will support management of sagebrush ecosystems by providing public land managers with direct comparisons of wildlife response to management regimes.

Infectivity and transmissibility of H9N2 avian influenza virus in chickens and wild terrestrial birds.

PubMed

Iqbal, Munir; Yaqub, Tahir; Mukhtar, Nadia; Shabbir, Muhammad Z; McCauley, John W

2013-10-17

Genetic changes in avian influenza viruses influence their infectivity, virulence and transmission. Recently we identified a novel genotype of H9N2 viruses in widespread circulation in poultry in Pakistan that contained polymerases (PB2, PB1 and PA) and non-structural (NS) gene segments identical to highly pathogenic H7N3 viruses. Here, we investigated the potential of these viruses to cause disease and assessed the transmission capability of the virus within and between poultry and wild terrestrial avian species. Groups of broilers, layers, jungle fowl, quail, sparrows or crows were infected with a representative strain (A/chicken/UDL-01/08) of this H9N2 virus and then mixed with naïve birds of the same breed or species, or different species to examine transmission. With the exception of crows, all directly inoculated and contact birds showed clinical signs, varying in severity with quail showing the most pronounced clinical signs. Virus shedding was detected in all infected birds, with quail showing the greatest levels of virus secretion, but only very low levels of virus were found in directly infected crow samples. Efficient virus intra-species transmission was observed within each group with the exception of crows in which no evidence of transmission was seen. Interspecies transmission was examined between chickens and sparrows and vice versa and efficient transmission was seen in either direction. These results highlight the ease of spread of this group of H9N2 viruses between domesticated poultry and sparrows and show that sparrows need to be considered as a high risk species for transmitting H9N2 viruses between premises.

Shedding and serologic responses following primary and secondary inoculation of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) with low-pathogenicity avian influenza virus.

PubMed

Nemeth, Nicole M; Thomas, Nicholas O; Orahood, Darcy S; Anderson, Theodore D; Oesterle, Paul T

2010-10-01

Waterfowl and shorebirds are well-recognized natural reservoirs of low-pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (LPAIV); however, little is known about the role of passerines in avian influenza virus ecology. Passerines are abundant, widespread, and commonly come into contact with free-ranging birds as well as captive game birds and poultry. We inoculated and subsequently challenged house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) with wild-bird origin LPAIV H3N8 to evaluate their potential role in transmission. Oropharyngeal shedding was short lived, and was detected in more starlings (97.2%) than sparrows (47.2%; n=36 of each). Cloacal shedding was rare in both species (8.3%; n=36 of each) and no cage-mate transmission occurred. Infectious LPAIV was cultured from oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs and gastrointestinal and respiratory tissues from both species. Seroconversion was detected as early as 3 days post inoculation (d.p.i.) (16.7% of sparrows and 0% of starlings; n=6 each); 50% of these individuals seroconverted by 5 d.p.i., and nearly all birds (97%; n=35) seroconverted by 28 d.p.i. In general, pre-existing homologous immunity led to reduced shedding and increased antibody levels within 7 days of challenge. Limited shedding and lack of cage-mate transmission suggest that passerines are not significant reservoirs of LPAIV, although species differences apparently exist. Passerines readily and consistently seroconverted to LPAIV, and therefore inclusion of passerines in epidemiological studies of influenza outbreaks in wildlife and domestic animals may provide further insight into the potential involvement of passerines in avian influenza virus transmission ecology.

Seasonal and geographical variation in heat tolerance and evaporative cooling capacity in a passerine bird.

PubMed

Noakes, Matthew J; Wolf, Blair O; McKechnie, Andrew E

2016-03-01

Intraspecific variation in avian thermoregulatory responses to heat stress has received little attention, despite increasing evidence that endothermic animals show considerable physiological variation among populations. We investigated seasonal (summer versus winter) variation in heat tolerance and evaporative cooling in an Afrotropical ploceid passerine, the white-browed sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser mahali; ∼ 47 g) at three sites along a climatic gradient with more than 10 °C variation in mid-summer maximum air temperature (Ta). We measured resting metabolic rate (RMR) and total evaporative water loss (TEWL) using open flow-through respirometry, and core body temperature (Tb) using passive integrated transponder tags. Sparrow-weavers were exposed to a ramped profile of progressively higher Ta between 30 and 52 °C to elicit maximum evaporative cooling capacity (N=10 per site per season); the maximum Ta birds tolerated before the onset of severe hyperthermia (Tb ≈ 44 °C) was considered to be their hyperthermia threshold Ta (Ta,HT). Our data reveal significant seasonal acclimatisation of heat tolerance, with a desert population of sparrow-weavers reaching significantly higher Ta in summer (49.5 ± 1.4 °C, i.e. higher Ta,HT) than in winter (46.8 ± 0.9 °C), reflecting enhanced evaporative cooling during summer. Moreover, desert sparrow-weavers had significantly higher heat tolerance and evaporative cooling capacity during summer compared with populations from more mesic sites (Ta,HT=47.3 ± 1.5 and 47.6 ± 1.3 °C). A better understanding of the contributions of local adaptation versus phenotypic plasticity to intraspecific variation in avian heat tolerance and evaporative cooling capacity is needed for modelling species' responses to changing climates. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Infectivity and transmissibility of H9N2 avian influenza virus in chickens and wild terrestrial birds

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Genetic changes in avian influenza viruses influence their infectivity, virulence and transmission. Recently we identified a novel genotype of H9N2 viruses in widespread circulation in poultry in Pakistan that contained polymerases (PB2, PB1 and PA) and non-structural (NS) gene segments identical to highly pathogenic H7N3 viruses. Here, we investigated the potential of these viruses to cause disease and assessed the transmission capability of the virus within and between poultry and wild terrestrial avian species. Groups of broilers, layers, jungle fowl, quail, sparrows or crows were infected with a representative strain (A/chicken/UDL-01/08) of this H9N2 virus and then mixed with naïve birds of the same breed or species, or different species to examine transmission. With the exception of crows, all directly inoculated and contact birds showed clinical signs, varying in severity with quail showing the most pronounced clinical signs. Virus shedding was detected in all infected birds, with quail showing the greatest levels of virus secretion, but only very low levels of virus were found in directly infected crow samples. Efficient virus intra-species transmission was observed within each group with the exception of crows in which no evidence of transmission was seen. Interspecies transmission was examined between chickens and sparrows and vice versa and efficient transmission was seen in either direction. These results highlight the ease of spread of this group of H9N2 viruses between domesticated poultry and sparrows and show that sparrows need to be considered as a high risk species for transmitting H9N2 viruses between premises. PMID:24134616

Impacts of tree rows on grassland birds and potential nest predators: a removal experiment.

PubMed

Ellison, Kevin S; Ribic, Christine A; Sample, David W; Fawcett, Megan J; Dadisman, John D

2013-01-01

Globally, grasslands and the wildlife that inhabit them are widely imperiled. Encroachment by shrubs and trees has widely impacted grasslands in the past 150 years. In North America, most grassland birds avoid nesting near woody vegetation. Because woody vegetation fragments grasslands and potential nest predator diversity and abundance is often greater along wooded edge and grassland transitions, we measured the impacts of removing rows of trees and shrubs that intersected grasslands on potential nest predators and the three most abundant grassland bird species (Henslow's sparrow [Ammodramus henslowii], Eastern meadowlark [Sturnella magna], and bobolink [Dolichonyx oryzivorus]) at sites in Wisconsin, U.S.A. We monitored 3 control and 3 treatment sites, for 1 yr prior to and 3 yr after tree row removal at the treatment sites. Grassland bird densities increased (2-4 times for bobolink and Henslow's sparrow) and nesting densities increased (all 3 species) in the removal areas compared to control areas. After removals, Henslow's sparrows nested within ≤50 m of the treatment area, where they did not occur when tree rows were present. Most dramatically, activity by woodland-associated predators nearly ceased (nine-fold decrease for raccoon [Procyon lotor]) at the removals and grassland predators increased (up to 27 times activity for thirteen-lined ground squirrel [Ictidomys tridecemlineatus]). Nest success did not increase, likely reflecting the increase in grassland predators. However, more nests were attempted by all 3 species (175 versus 116) and the number of successful nests for bobolinks and Henslow's sparrows increased. Because of gains in habitat, increased use by birds, greater production of young, and the effective removal of woodland-associated predators, tree row removal, where appropriate based on the predator community, can be a beneficial management action for conserving grassland birds and improving fragmented and degraded grassland ecosystems.

Tidal saltmarsh fragmentation and persistence of San Pablo Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia samuelis): Assessing benefits of wetland restoration in San Francisco Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Takekawa, John Y.; Sacks, B.N.; Woo, I.; Johnson, M.L.; Wylie, G.D.; ,

2006-01-01

The San Pablo Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia samuelis) is one of three morphologically distinct Song Sparrow subspecies in tidal marshes of the San Francisco Bay estuary. These subspecies are rare, because as the human population has grown, diking and development have resulted in loss of 79% of the historic tidal marshes. Hundreds of projects have been proposed in the past decade to restore tidal marshes and benefit endemic populations. To evaluate the value of these restoration projects for Song Sparrows, we developed a population viability analysis (PVA) model to examine persistence of samuelis subspecies in relation to parcel size, connectivity, and catastrophe in San Pablo Bay. A total of 101 wetland parcels were identified from coverages of modern and historic tidal marshes. Parcels were grouped into eight fragments in the historical landscape and 10 in the present landscape. Fragments were defined as a group of parcels separated by >1 km, a distance that precluded regular interchange. Simulations indicated that the historic (circa 1850) samuelis population was three times larger than the modern population. However, only very high levels (>70% mortality) of catastrophe would threaten their persistence. Persistence of populations was sensitive to parcel size at a carrying capacity of <10 pairs, but connectivity of parcels was found to have little importance because habitats were dominated by a few large parcels. Our analysis indicates little risk of extinction of the samuelis subspecies with the current extent of tidal marshes, but the vulnerability of the small-est parcels suggests that restoration should create larger continuous tracts. Thus, PVA models may be useful tools for balancing the costs and benefits of restoring habitats for threatened tidal-marsh populations in wetland restoration planning.

Effect of septal lesions on male song and aggression in the colonial zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and the territorial field sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

PubMed

Goodson, J L; Eibach, R; Sakata, J; Adkins-Regan, E

1999-01-01

The present investigation assessed the effect of lesions of the septum on male courtship and aggression in the territorial field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) and the colonial zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). In addition, pair-bonding and a variety of other social behaviors were examined in the zebra finch and dawn song (both the strictly agonistic song type and the multipurpose song type) was examined in the field sparrow. Zebra finches were tested in three phases both before and after receiving bilateral electrolytic lesions of the septum or sham surgery. These phases were: (1) competition tests in which a subject and a stimulus male were exposed to a female in an adjacent cage; (2) sexual behavior tests with a female; and (3) 10-day group cage tests in which subjects were in a mixed-sex environment. Aggressive behaviors (chases, threats, beak fences and pecks) were significantly reduced by septal lesions but not by sham surgery. Directed song (courtship) was significantly reduced in sexual behavior tests, with similar trends in other testing phases. Male field sparrows were tested 2 days pre-surgery and 2 days post-surgery in outdoor aviaries placed in their natural habitat. Tests consisted of dawn song observations and observations of courtship and aggression following introduction of a female to the subject's aviary, which was followed 10 min later by the introduction of another male (without removing the female). Septal lesions significantly facilitated both overt aggression (chases) and the number of simple (multi-purpose) songs. These results provide evidence that the septum participates in the regulation of male aggression and song in songbirds, and further suggest that variations in septal function may exist between territorial and colonial species.

Effect of septal lesions on male song and aggression in the colonial zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) and the territorial field sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

PubMed

Goodson, J L; Eibach, R; Sakata, J; Adkins-Regan, E

1999-05-01

The present investigation assessed the effect of lesions of the septum on male courtship and aggression in the territorial field sparrow (Spizella pusilla) and the colonial zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). In addition, pair-bonding and a variety of other social behaviors were examined in the zebra finch and dawn song (both the strictly agonistic song type and the multipurpose song type) was examined in the field sparrow. Zebra finches were tested in three phases both before and after receiving bilateral electrolytic lesions of the septum or sham surgery. These phases were: (1) competition tests in which a subject and a stimulus male were exposed to a female in an adjacent cage; (2) sexual behavior tests with a female; and (3) 10-day group cage tests in which subjects were in a mixed-sex environment. Aggressive behaviors (chases, threats, beak fences and pecks) were significantly reduced by septal lesions but not by sham surgery. Directed song (courtship) was significantly reduced in sexual behavior tests, with similar trends in other testing phases. Male field sparrows were tested 2 days pre-surgery and 2 days post-surgery in outdoor aviaries placed in their natural habitat. Tests consisted of dawn song observations and observations of courtship and aggression following introduction of a female to the subject's aviary, which was followed 10 min later by the introduction of another male (without removing the female). Septal lesions significantly facilitated both overt aggression (chases) and the number of simple (multi-purpose) songs. These results provide evidence that the septum participates in the regulation of male aggression and song in songbirds, and further suggest that variations in septal function may exist between territorial and colonial species.

Implementation of NAS Parallel Benchmarks in Java

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frumkin, Michael; Schultz, Matthew; Jin, Hao-Qiang; Yan, Jerry

2000-01-01

A number of features make Java an attractive but a debatable choice for High Performance Computing (HPC). In order to gauge the applicability of Java to the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) we have implemented NAS Parallel Benchmarks in Java. The performance and scalability of the benchmarks point out the areas where improvement in Java compiler technology and in Java thread implementation would move Java closer to Fortran in the competition for CFD applications.

Effects of chronic continuous wave microwave radiation (2. 45 GHz) on the foraging behavior of the white-throated sparrow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wasserman, F.E.; Patterson, D.A.; Kunz, T.H.

1986-01-01

The effect of chronic continuous wave microwave radiation on the foraging behavior of the White-throated Sparrow was examined using an optimal foraging laboratory technique. Birds were exposed to microwaves for seven days at a frequency of 2.45 GHz and power densities of 0.0, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0, and 25.0 mW/cm/sup 2/. Even though there were differences in foraging behaviors among power densities no trend was found for a dose response effect. Birds showed no significant differences in foraging behaviors among pre-exposure, exposure, and post-exposure periods.

Laminar free convection from a sphere with blowing and suction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Mingjer; Chen, Gahokuang

1987-05-01

The effect of mass transfer on free convection from a vertical plate has been studied by Eichhorn (1960), Sparrow and Cess (1961), Merkin (1972), and Parikh (1974). Recently, Merkin (1975) gave an asymptotic series solution for two-dimensional bodies. Minkowycz and Sparrow (1979) studied a vertical cylinder in a natural convective flow. According to their conclusions, the heat transfer rate increases with suction and decreases with blowing. The present note is concerned with the study of the influence of Prandtl number and surface mass transfer on a steady, laminar, free convective flow over a sphere with nonuniform surface temperature or heatmore » flux.« less

Immune activity elevates energy expenditure of house sparrows: a link between direct and indirect costs?

PubMed Central

Martin, Lynn B; Scheuerlein, Alex; Wikelski, Martin

2003-01-01

The activation of an immune response is beneficial for organisms but may also have costs that affect fitness. Documented immune costs include those associated with acquisition of special nutrients, as well as immunopathology or autoimmunity. Here, we test whether an experimental induction of the immune system with a non-pathological stimulant can elevate energy turnover in passerine birds. We injected phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), a commonly used mitogen that activates the cell-mediated immune response, into the wing web of house sparrows, Passer domesticus. We then examined energetic costs resulting from this immune activity and related those costs to other physiological activities. We found that PHA injection significantly elevated resting metabolic rate (RMR) of challenged sparrows relative to saline controls. We calculated the total cost of this immune activity to be ca. 4.20 kJ per day (29% RMR), which is equivalent to the cost of production of half of an egg (8.23 kJ egg(-1)) in this species. We suggest that immune activity in wild passerines increases energy expenditure, which in turn may influence important life-history characteristics such as clutch size, timing of breeding or the scheduling of moult. PMID:12590753

Song in the cold is ‘hot’: memory of and preference for sexual signals perceived under thermal challenge

PubMed Central

Beaulieu, Michaël; Sockman, Keith W.

2012-01-01

The environmental conditions under which signals are perceived can affect receiver responses. Many songbird populations produce a song chorus at dawn, when, in cold habitats, they would experience thermal challenge. We recorded temperature and the song activity of Lincoln's sparrows (Melospiza lincolnii) on a high-elevation meadow, and determined that song behaviour is concentrated around the coldest time of the day, at dawn. We hypothesized that this is because male song in the cold is more attractive to females than song in the warm. To test this, we exposed laboratory-housed Lincoln's sparrow females to songs at 1°C and 16°C, which they naturally experience in the wild. Females spent 40 per cent more time close to the speaker during playback at 1°C than at 16°C. When tested at 16°C 1–2 days later, females biased their movement towards the speaker playing songs previously heard at 1°C over 16°C. Thus, female Lincoln's sparrows remembered and affiliated with songs they heard under thermal challenge, indicating that the thermal environment can affect the attractiveness of a sexual signal. PMID:22809726

Synergistic effects of food and predators on annual reproductive success in song sparrows.

PubMed

Zanette, Liana; Smith, James N M; van Oort, Harry; Clinchy, Michael

2003-04-22

The behaviour literature is full of studies showing that animals in every taxon balance the probability of acquiring food with the risk of being preyed upon. While interactions between food and predators clearly operate at an individual scale, population-scale studies have tended to focus on only one factor at a time. Consequently, interactive (or 'synergistic') effects of food and predators on whole populations have only twice before been experimentally demonstrated in mammals. We conducted a 2 x 2 experiment to examine the joint effects of food supply and predator pressure on the annual reproductive success of song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Our results show that these two factors do not operate in an additive way, but instead have a synergistic effect on reproduction. Relative to controls, sparrows reared 1.1 more young when food was added and 1.3 more when predator pressure was low. When these treatments were combined 4.0 extra young were produced, almost twice as many as expected from an additive model. These results are a cause for optimism for avian conservation because they demonstrate that remedial actions, aimed at simultaneously augmenting food and reducing predators, can produce dramatic increases in reproductive success.

Geographic variation in the association between exploratory behavior and physiology in rufous-collared sparrows.

PubMed

Maldonado, Karin; van Dongen, Wouter F D; Vásquez, Rodrigo A; Sabat, Pablo

2012-01-01

Increasing research has attempted to clarify the links between animal personality and physiology. However, the mechanisms driving this association remain largely unknown, and knowledge of how ecological factors may affect its direction and strength is scant. In this study, we quantified variation in the association between exploratory behavior, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and total evaporative water loss (TEWL) in rufous-collared sparrows (Zonotrichia capensis) inhabiting desert, Mediterranean, and cold-temperate climates. We found that the exploratory behavior score was highest in birds from the cold-temperate site, which was characterized by a moderate level of ecological variability (seasonality). Moreover, the association between exploratory behavior and physiological variables differed among localities. Only birds from the Mediterranean site showed a positive correlation between exploratory behavior and BMR. We found no association between exploration and TEWL at any study site. Our findings suggest that differences in the ecological conditions experienced by each sparrow population result in a particular combination of behavioral and physiological traits. An understanding of this intraspecific variation along ecological gradients provides unique insights into how specific ecological conditions affect the coupling of behavioral and physiological traits and the mechanisms underlying that relationship.

Low genetic differentiation in a sedentary bird: house sparrow population genetics in a contiguous landscape

PubMed Central

Kekkonen, J; Seppä, P; Hanski, I K; Jensen, H; Väisänen, R A; Brommer, J E

2011-01-01

The house sparrow Passer domesticus has been declining in abundance in many localities, including Finland. We studied the genetic diversity and differentiation of the house sparrow populations across Finland in the 1980s, at the onset of the species' decline in abundance. We genotyped 472 adult males (the less dispersive sex) from 13 locations in Finland (covering a range of 400 × 800 km) and one in Sweden (Stockholm) for 13 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Our analysis of Finnish ringing records showed that natal dispersal distances are limited (90% <16 km), which confirmed earlier finding from other countries. The Finnish populations were panmictic, and genetically very homogeneous and the limited dispersal was sufficiently large to maintain their connectivity. However, all Finnish populations differed significantly from the Stockholm population, even though direct geographical distance to it was often smaller than among Finnish populations. Hence, the open sea between Finland and Sweden appears to form a dispersal barrier for this species, whereas dispersal is much less constrained across the Finnish mainland (which lacks geographical barriers). Our findings provide a benchmark for conservation biologists and emphasize the influence of landscape structure on gene flow. PMID:20372181

Wintering bird response to fall mowing of herbaceous buffers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blank, P.J.; Parks, J.R.; Dively, G.P.

2011-01-01

Herbaceous buffers are strips of herbaceous vegetation planted between working agricultural land and streams or wetlands. Mowing is a common maintenance practice to control woody plants and noxious weeds in herbaceous buffers. Buffers enrolled in Maryland's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) cannot be mowed during the primary bird nesting season between 15 April and 15 August. Most mowing of buffers in Maryland occurs in late summer or fall, leaving the vegetation short until the following spring. We studied the response of wintering birds to fall mowing of buffers. We mowed one section to 10-15 cm in 13 buffers and kept another section unmowed. Ninety-two percent of birds detected in buffers were grassland or scrub-shrub species, and 98% of all birds detected were in unmowed buffers. Total bird abundance, species richness, and total avian conservation value were significantly greater in unmowed buffers, and Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis), Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia), and White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) were significantly more abundant in unmowed buffers. Wintering bird use of mowed buffers was less than in unmowed buffers. Leaving herbaceous buffers unmowed through winter will likely provide better habitat for wintering birds. ?? 2011 by the Wilson Ornithological Society.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

von Laszewski, G.; Gawor, J.; Lane, P.

In this paper we report on the features of the Java Commodity Grid Kit (Java CoG Kit). The Java CoG Kit provides middleware for accessing Grid functionality from the Java framework. Java CoG Kit middleware is general enough to design a variety of advanced Grid applications with quite different user requirements. Access to the Grid is established via Globus Toolkit protocols, allowing the Java CoG Kit to also communicate with the services distributed as part of the C Globus Toolkit reference implementation. Thus, the Java CoG Kit provides Grid developers with the ability to utilize the Grid, as well asmore » numerous additional libraries and frameworks developed by the Java community to enable network, Internet, enterprise and peer-to-peer computing. A variety of projects have successfully used the client libraries of the Java CoG Kit to access Grids driven by the C Globus Toolkit software. In this paper we also report on the efforts to develop serverside Java CoG Kit components. As part of this research we have implemented a prototype pure Java resource management system that enables one to run Grid jobs on platforms on which a Java virtual machine is supported, including Windows NT machines.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

von Laszewski, G.; Foster, I.; Gawor, J.

In this paper we report on the features of the Java Commodity Grid Kit. The Java CoG Kit provides middleware for accessing Grid functionality from the Java framework. Java CoG Kit middleware is general enough to design a variety of advanced Grid applications with quite different user requirements. Access to the Grid is established via Globus protocols, allowing the Java CoG Kit to communicate also with the C Globus reference implementation. Thus, the Java CoG Kit provides Grid developers with the ability to utilize the Grid, as well as numerous additional libraries and frameworks developed by the Java community tomore » enable network, Internet, enterprise, and peer-to peer computing. A variety of projects have successfully used the client libraries of the Java CoG Kit to access Grids driven by the C Globus software. In this paper we also report on the efforts to develop server side Java CoG Kit components. As part of this research we have implemented a prototype pure Java resource management system that enables one to run Globus jobs on platforms on which a Java virtual machine is supported, including Windows NT machines.« less

JavaGenes and Condor: Cycle-Scavenging Genetic Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Globus, Al; Langhirt, Eric; Livny, Miron; Ramamurthy, Ravishankar; Soloman, Marvin; Traugott, Steve

2000-01-01

A genetic algorithm code, JavaGenes, was written in Java and used to evolve pharmaceutical drug molecules and digital circuits. JavaGenes was run under the Condor cycle-scavenging batch system managing 100-170 desktop SGI workstations. Genetic algorithms mimic biological evolution by evolving solutions to problems using crossover and mutation. While most genetic algorithms evolve strings or trees, JavaGenes evolves graphs representing (currently) molecules and circuits. Java was chosen as the implementation language because the genetic algorithm requires random splitting and recombining of graphs, a complex data structure manipulation with ample opportunities for memory leaks, loose pointers, out-of-bound indices, and other hard to find bugs. Java garbage-collection memory management, lack of pointer arithmetic, and array-bounds index checking prevents these bugs from occurring, substantially reducing development time. While a run-time performance penalty must be paid, the only unacceptable performance we encountered was using standard Java serialization to checkpoint and restart the code. This was fixed by a two-day implementation of custom checkpointing. JavaGenes is minimally integrated with Condor; in other words, JavaGenes must do its own checkpointing and I/O redirection. A prototype Java-aware version of Condor was developed using standard Java serialization for checkpointing. For the prototype to be useful, standard Java serialization must be significantly optimized. JavaGenes is approximately 8700 lines of code and a few thousand JavaGenes jobs have been run. Most jobs ran for a few days. Results include proof that genetic algorithms can evolve directed and undirected graphs, development of a novel crossover operator for graphs, a paper in the journal Nanotechnology, and another paper in preparation.

Airlift Operation Modeling Using Discrete Event Simulation (DES)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

Java ......................................................................................................20 2. Simkit...JRE Java Runtime Environment JVM Java Virtual Machine lbs Pounds LAM Load Allocation Mode LRM Landing Spot Reassignment Mode LEGO Listener Event...SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT The following are the software tools and development environment used for constructing the models. 1. Java Java

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedman-Hill, Ernest

Java Expert Shell System - Jess - is a rule engine and scripting environment written entirely in Sun's Java language, Jess was orginially inspired by the CLIPS expert system shell, but has grown int a complete, distinct JAVA-influenced environment of its own. Using Jess, you can build Java applets and applications that have the capacity to "reason" using knowledge you supply in the form of declarative rules. Jess is surprisingly fast, and for some problems is faster than CLIPS, in that many Jess scripts are valid CLIPS scripts and vice-versa. Like CLIPS, Jess uses the Rete algorithm to process rules,more » a very efficient mechanism for solving the difficult many-to-many matching problem. Jess adds many features to CLIPS, including backwards chaining and the ability to manipulate and directly reason about Java objects. Jess is also a powerful Java scripting environment, from which you can create Java objects and call Java methods without compiling any Java Code.« less

Petrographic and major elements results as indicator of the geothermal potential in Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Indarto, S.; Setiawan, I.; Kausar, A.; Permana, dan H.

2018-02-01

Geothermal manifestations existed in West Java (Cilayu, Papandayan Mountain, Telagabodas, Karaha, Tampomas Mountain), Central Java (Slamet Mountain, Dieng) and East Java (Argopuro Mountain) show a difference in their mineral and geochemical compositions. The petrographic analysis of volcanic rocks from Garut (West Java) are basalt, andesite basaltic and andesite. However, based on SiO2 vs K2O value, those volcanic rocks have wide ranges of fractionated magma resulting basalt - basaltic andesite to dacitic in composition rather than those of Slamet Mountain, Dieng, and Argopuro Mountain areas which have a narrower range of fractionation magma resulting andesite basaltic and andesite in compositions. The volcanic rocks from Garut show tholeiitic affinity and calc-alkaline affinity. The geothermal potential of Java is assumed to be related to the magma fractionation level. Geothermal potential of West Java (Garut) is higher than that of Central Java (Slamet Mountain, Dieng) and East Java (Argopuro Mountain).

Development of a Web-Based Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS) Environment Using JavaScript

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

scripting that let users change or interact with web content depending on user input, which is in contrast with server-side scripts such as PHP, Java and...transfer, DIS usually broadcasts or multicasts its PDUs based on UDP socket. 3. JavaScript JavaScript is the scripting language of the web, and all...IDE) for developing desktop, mobile and web applications with JAVA , C++, HTML5, JavaScript and more. b. Framework The DIS implementation of

Distributed Episodic Exploratory Planning (DEEP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

API). For DEEP, Hibernate offered the following advantages: • Abstracts SQL by utilizing HQL so any database with a Java Database Connectivity... Hibernate SQL ICCRTS International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium JDB Java Distributed Blackboard JDBC Java Database Connectivity...selected because of its opportunistic reasoning capabilities and implemented in Java for platform independence. Java was chosen for ease of

Bringing Interactivity to the Web: The JAVA Solution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knee, Richard H.; Cafolla, Ralph

Java is an object-oriented programming language of the Internet. It's popularity lies in its ability to create interactive Web sites across platforms. The most common Java programs are applications and applets, which adhere to a set of conventions that lets them run within a Java-compatible browser. Java is becoming an essential subject matter and…

How Song Experience Affects Female Mate-Choice, Male Song, and Monoaminergic Activity in the Auditory Telencephalon in Lincoln's Sparrows.

PubMed

Sockman, Keith W; Lyons, Susan M

2017-10-01

A sexual signal can indicate not only the signaler's attractiveness as a potential mate but also the signaler's competitiveness relative to rivals. As the attractiveness or competitiveness of the prevailing signaling environment increases, individuals prospecting for mates should change their choice threshold, whereas competing individuals should shift resources toward elevating their own competitiveness. Previous studies show that experimental elevations of song competition increase male competitive behavior in Lincoln's sparrows (Melospiza lincolnii) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Through a series of experimental manipulations using laboratory-housed Lincoln's sparrows, we have also discovered that females change the strength of their song preferences depending on the attractiveness of the song environment to which they have recently been exposed; compared to a less-attractive environment, a highly-attractive environment elevates the threshold for releasing phonotaxis behavior toward male song. These behavioral adjustments are associated with changes in forebrain monoaminergic activity that are triggered by experimental manipulations of the quality of the song environment. Findings from these studies suggest possible neural mechanisms for the regulation of adaptive behavioral plasticity associated with dynamic sexual signaling environments. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The use of α- or β-blockers to ameliorate the chronic stress of captivity in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus).

PubMed

Fischer, Clare Parker; Romero, L Michael

2016-01-01

When wild animals are brought into captivity for the first time, they frequently develop chronic stress symptoms. Animals can develop glucocorticoid dysregulation or changes in the sympathetic nervous system over the course of the first week in captivity. By blocking the action of epinephrine and norepinephrine using α- or β-blockers, we hoped to reduce the degree of chronic stress symptoms exhibited by newly captured house sparrows. We measured corticosterone, heart rate and heart rate variability in 24 house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) over the first week of captivity. The birds were treated with saline, propranolol (a β-blocker) or phentolamine (an α-blocker) for the first 3 days of captivity. We also compared newly captured animals with animals that had been held in captivity for 1 month. During the first week of captivity, baseline corticosterone increased, but that increase was blocked by propranolol. Heart rate was not different between the treatment groups, but it was higher during the first week than after 1 month in captivity. Sympathetic nervous system activity (as measured by heart rate variability) decreased over the first week of captivity, but was not affected by treatment. β-Blockers, but not α-blockers, might help to improve some symptoms of chronic stress in newly captured animals.

Application of the SPARROW model to assess surface-water nutrient conditions and sources in the United States Pacific Northwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wise, Daniel R.; Johnson, Henry M.

2013-01-01

The watershed model SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes) was used to estimate mean annual surface-water nutrient conditions (total nitrogen and total phosphorus) and to identify important nutrient sources in catchments of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States for 2002. Model-estimated nutrient yields were generally higher in catchments on the wetter, western side of the Cascade Range than in catchments on the drier, eastern side. The largest source of locally generated total nitrogen stream load in most catchments was runoff from forestland, whereas the largest source of locally generated total phosphorus stream load in most catchments was either geologic material or livestock manure (primarily from grazing livestock). However, the highest total nitrogen and total phosphorus yields were predicted in the relatively small number of catchments where urban sources were the largest contributor to local stream load. Two examples are presented that show how SPARROW results can be applied to large rivers—the relative contribution of different nutrient sources to the total nitrogen load in the Willamette River and the total phosphorus load in the Snake River. The results from this study provided an understanding of the regional patterns in surface-water nutrient conditions and should be useful to researchers and water-quality managers performing local nutrient assessments.

Simple roost nests confer large energetic savings for sparrow-weavers.

PubMed

Ferguson, J W H; Nijland, M J M; Bennett, N C

2002-02-01

White-browed sparrow-weavers (Plocepasser mahali, body mass 40 g) are group-living passerines adapted to the semi-arid environment of north-eastern and south-western Africa. During winter, the nocturnal ambient temperature of these regions often falls below 0 degrees C. imposing conditions demanding an increase in thermoregulatory heat production. Individuals roost throughout the year in inverted U-shaped roost nests. We investigated the energetic advantages of roosting by measuring nest and ambient temperatures in the field, as well as the resting metabolic rate (RMR) of the birds. The sparrow-weavers exhibited a wide thermoneutral zone (13 degrees C - 32 degrees C). Although RMR at thermoneutrality (40.2 J g.h(-1)) conforms with those of other passerines. the value at 0 degrees C (74.8 J g.h(-1)) is significantly lower than expected. The slope of the line below the lower critical temperature is unexpectedly steep, however, and appears to cause the physiological requirement for nest roosting due to a high cost of thermoregulation at low temperatures, perhaps due to shivering or non-shivering thermogenesis. The nest temperature at 0 degrees C ambient is 5 degrees C. resulting in a saving of some 7% in the energy spent during winter nights when food resources are in short supply compared with the rest of the year.

Do wild-caught urban house sparrows show desensitized stress responses to a novel stressor?

PubMed

Salleh Hudin, Noraine; Teyssier, Aimeric; Aerts, Johan; Fairhurst, Graham D; Strubbe, Diederik; White, Joël; De Neve, Liesbeth; Lens, Luc

2018-04-09

While urbanisation exposes individuals to novel challenges, urban areas may also constitute stable environments in which seasonal fluctuations are buffered. Baseline and stress-induced plasma corticosterone levels are often found to be similar in urban and rural populations. Here we aimed to disentangle two possible mechanisms underlying such pattern: (i) urban environments are no more stressful or urban birds have a better ability to habituate to stressors; or (ii) urban birds developed desensitized stress responses. We exposed wild-caught urban and rural house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) to combined captivity and diet treatments (urban vs rural diet) and measured corticosterone levels (cort f ) both in natural tail feathers and in regrown homologous ones. Urban and rural house sparrows showed similar cort f levels in the wild and in response to novel stressors caused by the experiment, supporting the growing notion that urban environments are no more stressful during the non-breeding season than are rural ones. Still, juveniles and males originating from urban populations showed the highest cort f levels in regrown feathers. We did not find evidence that cort f was consistent within individuals across moults. Our study stresses the need for incorporating both intrinsic and environmental factors for the interpretation of variation in cort f between populations. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Intraspecific variation in exploratory behavior and elevational affinity in a widely distributed songbird.

PubMed

Poblete, Yanina; Gutiérrez, Víctor; Cid, Valeska; Newsome, Seth D; Sabat, Pablo; Vasquez, Rodrigo A

2018-04-01

Populations of the same species can vary substantially in their behavioral and morphometric traits when they are subject to different environmental pressures, which may lead to the development of different adaptive strategies. We quantified variation in exploratory behavior and morphometric traits among two rufous-collared sparrow populations that occur at low and high elevations in central Chile. Moreover, we used census and δ 2 H values of feather and blood to evaluate migration. We found that individual sparrows inhabiting high elevations were larger and showed more intense exploratory behavior in comparison with those that were captured at lower elevation. Moreover, we observed a steady decline in sparrow abundance during the winter and similar δ 2 H values for blood collected in the winter and summer at this site, which were significantly lower than blood δ 2 H values observed at low elevation. This pattern suggests that individuals do not move long distances during winter, and likely they remain at similar elevations in refuge habitats. As predicted, our results support the existent of different adaptive strategies among populations of the same species, and suggest that the combination of behavioral, morphometric, and stable isotope data is a novel and robust integrative approach to assess differences in adaptation across environmental gradients.

Effects of experimentally elevated traffic noise on nestling white-crowned sparrow stress physiology, immune function and life history.

PubMed

Crino, Ondi L; Johnson, Erin E; Blickley, Jessica L; Patricelli, Gail L; Breuner, Creagh W

2013-06-01

Roads have been associated with behavioral and physiological changes in wildlife. In birds, roads decrease reproductive success and biodiversity and increase physiological stress. Although the consequences of roads on individuals and communities have been well described, the mechanisms through which roads affect birds remain largely unexplored. Here, we examine one mechanism through which roads could affect birds: traffic noise. We exposed nestling mountain white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) to experimentally elevated traffic noise for 5 days during the nestling period. Following exposure to traffic noise we measured nestling stress physiology, immune function, body size, condition and survival. Based on prior studies, we expected the traffic noise treatment to result in elevated stress hormones (glucocorticoids), and declines in immune function, body size, condition and survival. Surprisingly, nestlings exposed to traffic noise had lower glucocorticoid levels and improved condition relative to control nests. These results indicate that traffic noise does affect physiology and development in white-crowned sparrows, but not at all as predicted. Therefore, when evaluating the mechanisms through which roads affect avian populations, other factors (e.g. edge effects, pollution and mechanical vibration) may be more important than traffic noise in explaining elevated nestling stress responses in this species.

Digital hydrologic networks supporting applications related to spatially referenced regression modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brakebill, John W.; Wolock, David M.; Terziotti, Silvia

2011-01-01

Digital hydrologic networks depicting surface-water pathways and their associated drainage catchments provide a key component to hydrologic analysis and modeling. Collectively, they form common spatial units that can be used to frame the descriptions of aquatic and watershed processes. In addition, they provide the ability to simulate and route the movement of water and associated constituents throughout the landscape. Digital hydrologic networks have evolved from derivatives of mapping products to detailed, interconnected, spatially referenced networks of water pathways, drainage areas, and stream and watershed characteristics. These properties are important because they enhance the ability to spatially evaluate factors that affect the sources and transport of water-quality constituents at various scales. SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW), a process-based ⁄ statistical model, relies on a digital hydrologic network in order to establish relations between quantities of monitored contaminant flux, contaminant sources, and the associated physical characteristics affecting contaminant transport. Digital hydrologic networks modified from the River Reach File (RF1) and National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) geospatial datasets provided frameworks for SPARROW in six regions of the conterminous United States. In addition, characteristics of the modified RF1 were used to update estimates of mean-annual streamflow. This produced more current flow estimates for use in SPARROW modeling.

Development of skin structure and cutaneous water loss in nestling desert house sparrows from Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Groff, Brandon; Muñoz-Garcia, Agustí; Yamaguchi, Mamoru; Williams, Joseph B

2007-06-01

The outer layer of the epidermis, the stratum corneum (SC), contains lipids and corneocytes, which together form layers that limit cutaneous water loss (CWL). We examined the development of structure of the SC and CWL in nestling House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) from Saudi Arabia. We measured CWL of nestlings, and characterized development of their epidermis using electron microscopy. We tested two antagonistic hypotheses, that CWL decreases as nestlings age, a response to increased thickness of SC, and an opposite idea that CWL increases as nestlings age even though the number of layers of the SC remains constant. CWL of nestling House Sparrows varied with developmental stages, in a non-linear fashion, but not significantly so. CWL of nestlings averaged 7.31+/-1.5 g H(2)O/(m(2) h), whereas for adults it was 4.95 g/(m(2) h); adult CWL was 67.7% that of nestlings. We found that morphology of the SC did not change linearly with age, but seemed to vary with developmental stage. CWL decreased as the SC thickness increased and as the total thickness of the corneocytes increased. Further, we found that CWL decreased as the thickness of the extracellular space increased, number of corneocytes increased, and proportion of the SC that is extracellular space increased.

Java, Indonesia

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-01-20

STS072-737-012 (11-20 Jan. 1996) --- The astronauts photographed this view of Java, an Indonesian island. Java lies between the Java Sea at top and the Indian Ocean at bottom (north is located at top center). A line of volcanoes on the southern edge of the island, trending from central to eastern areas, is highlighted by a ring of clouds. Off the southern coast of Java is the Java Trench where the Australian plate, to the south, is diving under the Eurasia plate to the north. According to anthropologists, Java has one of the highest populations in Indonesia because the soil is enriched by volcanic ash. Merapi volcano, at left edge, second volcano to the right, rises to 9,550 feet and erupts frequently. Madura Island, partially obscured by clouds, can be seen on the upper eastern end of Java.

HotJava: Sun's Animated Interactive World Wide Web Browser for the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machovec, George S., Ed.

1995-01-01

Examines HotJava and Java, World Wide Web technology for use on the Internet. HotJava, an interactive, animated Web browser, based on the object-oriented Java programming language, is different from HTML-based browsers such as Netscape. Its client/server design does not understand Internet protocols but can dynamically find what it needs to know.…

Captivity induces hyper-inflammation in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus).

PubMed

Martin, Lynn B; Kidd, Laura; Liebl, Andrea L; Coon, Courtney A C

2011-08-01

Some species thrive in captivity but others exhibit extensive psychological and physiological deficits, which can be a challenge to animal husbandry and conservation as well as wild immunology. Here, we investigated whether captivity duration impacted the regulation of a key innate immune response, inflammation, of a common wild bird species, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Inflammation is one of the most commonly induced and fast-acting immune responses animals mount upon exposure to a parasite. However, attenuation and resolution of inflammatory responses are partly coordinated by glucocorticoid hormones, hormones that can be disregulated in captivity. Here, we tested whether captivity duration alters corticosterone regulation and hence the inflammatory response by comparing the following responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; a Gram-negative bacteria component that induces inflammation) of birds caught wild and injected immediately versus those held for 2 or 4 weeks in standard conditions: (1) the magnitude of leukocyte immune gene expression [the cytokines, interleukin 1β and interleukin 6, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)], (2) the rate of clearance of endotoxin, and (3) the release of corticosterone (CORT) in response to endotoxin (LPS). We predicted that captivity duration would increase baseline CORT and thus suppress gene expression and endotoxin clearance rate. However, our predictions were not supported: TLR4 expression increased with time in captivity irrespective of LPS, and cytokine expression to LPS was stronger the longer birds remained captive. Baseline CORT was not affected by captivity duration, but CORT release post-LPS occurred only in wild birds. Lastly, sparrows held captive for 4 weeks maintained significantly higher levels of circulating endotoxin than other groups, perhaps due to leakage of microbes from the gut, but exogenous LPS did not increase circulating levels over the time scale samples were collected. Altogether, captivity appears to have induced a hyper-inflammatory state in house sparrows, perhaps due to disregulation of glucocorticoids, natural microflora or both.

Biolayer modeling and optimization for the SPARROW biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Ke

2007-12-01

Biosensor direct detection of molecular binding events is of significant interest in applications from molecular screening for cancer drug design to bioagent detection for homeland security and defense. The Stacked Planar Affinity Regulated Resonant Optical Waveguide (SPARROW) structure based on coupled waveguides was recently developed to achieve increased sensitivity within a fieldable biosensor device configuration. Under ideal operating conditions, modification of the effective propagation constant of the structure's sensing waveguide through selective attachment of specific targets to probes on the waveguide surface results in a change in the coupling characteristics of the guide over a specifically designed interaction length with the analyte. Monitoring the relative power in each waveguide after interaction enables 'recognition' of those targets which have selectively bound to the surface. However, fabrication tolerances, waveguide interface roughness, biolayer surface roughness and biolayer partial coverage have an effect on biosensor behavior and achievable limit of detection (LOD). In addition to these influences which play a role in device optimization, the influence of the spatially random surface loading of molecular binding events has to be considered, especially for low surface coverage. In this dissertation an analytic model is established for the SPARROW biosensor which accounts for these nonidealities with which the design of the biosensor can be guided and optimized. For the idealized case of uniform waveguide transducer layers and biolayer, both theoretical simulation (analytical expression) and computer simulation (numerical calculation) are completed. For the nonideal case of an inhomogeneous transducer with nonideal waveguide and biolayer surfaces, device output power is affected by such physical influences as surface scattering, coupling length, absorption, and percent coverage of binding events. Using grating and perturbation techniques we explore the influence of imperfect surfaces and random surface loading on scattering loss and coupling length. Results provide a range of achievable limits of detection in the SPARROW device for a given target size, surface loading, and detectable optical power.

Impacts of tree rows on grassland birds & potential nest predators: A removal experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellison, Kevin S.; Ribic, Christine; Sample, David W.; Fawcett, Megan J.; Dadisman, John D.

2013-01-01

Globally, grasslands and the wildlife that inhabit them are widely imperiled. Encroachment by shrubs and trees has widely impacted grasslands in the past 150 years. In North America, most grassland birds avoid nesting near woody vegetation. Because woody vegetation fragments grasslands and potential nest predator diversity and abundance is often greater along wooded edge and grassland transitions, we measured the impacts of removing rows of trees and shrubs that intersected grasslands on potential nest predators and the three most abundant grassland bird species (Henslow’s sparrow [Ammodramus henslowii], Eastern meadowlark [Sturnella magna], and bobolink [Dolichonyx oryzivorus]) at sites in Wisconsin, U.S.A. We monitored 3 control and 3 treatment sites, for 1 yr prior to and 3 yr after tree row removal at the treatment sites. Grassland bird densities increased (2–4 times for bobolink and Henslow’s sparrow) and nesting densities increased (all 3 species) in the removal areas compared to control areas. After removals, Henslow’s sparrows nested within ≤50 m of the treatment area, where they did not occur when tree rows were present. Most dramatically, activity by woodland-associated predators nearly ceased (nine-fold decrease for raccoon [Procyon lotor]) at the removals and grassland predators increased (up to 27 times activity for thirteen-lined ground squirrel [Ictidomys tridecemlineatus]). Nest success did not increase, likely reflecting the increase in grassland predators. However, more nests were attempted by all 3 species (175 versus 116) and the number of successful nests for bobolinks and Henslow’s sparrows increased. Because of gains in habitat, increased use by birds, greater production of young, and the effective removal of woodland-associated predators, tree row removal, where appropriate based on the predator community, can be a beneficial management action for conserving grassland birds and improving fragmented and degraded grassland ecosystems.

Impacts of Tree Rows on Grassland Birds and Potential Nest Predators: A Removal Experiment

PubMed Central

Ellison, Kevin S.; Ribic, Christine A.; Sample, David W.; Fawcett, Megan J.; Dadisman, John D.

2013-01-01

Globally, grasslands and the wildlife that inhabit them are widely imperiled. Encroachment by shrubs and trees has widely impacted grasslands in the past 150 years. In North America, most grassland birds avoid nesting near woody vegetation. Because woody vegetation fragments grasslands and potential nest predator diversity and abundance is often greater along wooded edge and grassland transitions, we measured the impacts of removing rows of trees and shrubs that intersected grasslands on potential nest predators and the three most abundant grassland bird species (Henslow’s sparrow [Ammodramus henslowii], Eastern meadowlark [Sturnella magna], and bobolink [Dolichonyx oryzivorus]) at sites in Wisconsin, U.S.A. We monitored 3 control and 3 treatment sites, for 1 yr prior to and 3 yr after tree row removal at the treatment sites. Grassland bird densities increased (2–4 times for bobolink and Henslow’s sparrow) and nesting densities increased (all 3 species) in the removal areas compared to control areas. After removals, Henslow’s sparrows nested within ≤50 m of the treatment area, where they did not occur when tree rows were present. Most dramatically, activity by woodland-associated predators nearly ceased (nine-fold decrease for raccoon [Procyon lotor]) at the removals and grassland predators increased (up to 27 times activity for thirteen-lined ground squirrel [Ictidomys tridecemlineatus]). Nest success did not increase, likely reflecting the increase in grassland predators. However, more nests were attempted by all 3 species (175 versus 116) and the number of successful nests for bobolinks and Henslow’s sparrows increased. Because of gains in habitat, increased use by birds, greater production of young, and the effective removal of woodland-associated predators, tree row removal, where appropriate based on the predator community, can be a beneficial management action for conserving grassland birds and improving fragmented and degraded grassland ecosystems. PMID:23565144

Niche tracking and rapid establishment of distributional equilibrium in the house sparrow show potential responsiveness of species to climate change.

PubMed

Monahan, William B; Tingley, Morgan W

2012-01-01

The ability of species to respond to novel future climates is determined in part by their physiological capacity to tolerate climate change and the degree to which they have reached and continue to maintain distributional equilibrium with the environment. While broad-scale correlative climatic measurements of a species' niche are often described as estimating the fundamental niche, it is unclear how well these occupied portions actually approximate the fundamental niche per se, versus the fundamental niche that exists in environmental space, and what fitness values bounding the niche are necessary to maintain distributional equilibrium. Here, we investigate these questions by comparing physiological and correlative estimates of the thermal niche in the introduced North American house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Our results indicate that occupied portions of the fundamental niche derived from temperature correlations closely approximate the centroid of the existing fundamental niche calculated on a fitness threshold of 50% population mortality. Using these niche measures, a 75-year time series analysis (1930-2004) further shows that: (i) existing fundamental and occupied niche centroids did not undergo directional change, (ii) interannual changes in the two niche centroids were correlated, (iii) temperatures in North America moved through niche space in a net centripetal fashion, and consequently, (iv) most areas throughout the range of the house sparrow tracked the existing fundamental niche centroid with respect to at least one temperature gradient. Following introduction to a new continent, the house sparrow rapidly tracked its thermal niche and established continent-wide distributional equilibrium with respect to major temperature gradients. These dynamics were mediated in large part by the species' broad thermal physiological tolerances, high dispersal potential, competitive advantage in human-dominated landscapes, and climatically induced changes to the realized environmental space. Such insights may be used to conceptualize mechanistic climatic niche models in birds and other taxa.

East Java Maritime Connectivity and Its Regional Development Support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purboyo, H.; Ibad, M. Z.

2017-07-01

The study presents an evolution of maritime connectivity index of East Java which is associated with accessibility and mobility index of regions in East Java. The findings show that East Java increased connectivity more than three times from 1996 to 2011. Initially, the East Java is importer but then become exporter to national territory. For accessibility, the inland regions of East Java in general is higher than the coastal areas. And for mobility, inland regions initially have a small index, but in subsequent years its index is greater than the coastal areas.

Using Java for distributed computing in the Gaia satellite data processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Mullane, William; Luri, Xavier; Parsons, Paul; Lammers, Uwe; Hoar, John; Hernandez, Jose

2011-10-01

In recent years Java has matured to a stable easy-to-use language with the flexibility of an interpreter (for reflection etc.) but the performance and type checking of a compiled language. When we started using Java for astronomical applications around 1999 they were the first of their kind in astronomy. Now a great deal of astronomy software is written in Java as are many business applications. We discuss the current environment and trends concerning the language and present an actual example of scientific use of Java for high-performance distributed computing: ESA's mission Gaia. The Gaia scanning satellite will perform a galactic census of about 1,000 million objects in our galaxy. The Gaia community has chosen to write its processing software in Java. We explore the manifold reasons for choosing Java for this large science collaboration. Gaia processing is numerically complex but highly distributable, some parts being embarrassingly parallel. We describe the Gaia processing architecture and its realisation in Java. We delve into the astrometric solution which is the most advanced and most complex part of the processing. The Gaia simulator is also written in Java and is the most mature code in the system. This has been successfully running since about 2005 on the supercomputer "Marenostrum" in Barcelona. We relate experiences of using Java on a large shared machine. Finally we discuss Java, including some of its problems, for scientific computing.

Distributed nuclear medicine applications using World Wide Web and Java technology.

PubMed

Knoll, P; Höll, K; Mirzaei, S; Koriska, K; Köhn, H

2000-01-01

At present, medical applications applying World Wide Web (WWW) technology are mainly used to view static images and to retrieve some information. The Java platform is a relative new way of computing, especially designed for network computing and distributed applications which enables interactive connection between user and information via the WWW. The Java 2 Software Development Kit (SDK) including Java2D API, Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) technology, Object Serialization and the Java Advanced Imaging (JAI) extension was used to achieve a robust, platform independent and network centric solution. Medical image processing software based on this technology is presented and adequate performance capability of Java is demonstrated by an iterative reconstruction algorithm for single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bonachea, D.; Dickens, P.; Thakur, R.

There is a growing interest in using Java as the language for developing high-performance computing applications. To be successful in the high-performance computing domain, however, Java must not only be able to provide high computational performance, but also high-performance I/O. In this paper, we first examine several approaches that attempt to provide high-performance I/O in Java - many of which are not obvious at first glance - and evaluate their performance on two parallel machines, the IBM SP and the SGI Origin2000. We then propose extensions to the Java I/O library that address the deficiencies in the Java I/O APImore » and improve performance dramatically. The extensions add bulk (array) I/O operations to Java, thereby removing much of the overhead currently associated with array I/O in Java. We have implemented the extensions in two ways: in a standard JVM using the Java Native Interface (JNI) and in a high-performance parallel dialect of Java called Titanium. We describe the two implementations and present performance results that demonstrate the benefits of the proposed extensions.« less

Accountable Information Flow for Java-Based Web Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

runtime library Swift server runtime Java servlet framework HTTP Web server Web browser Figure 2: The Swift architecture introduced an open-ended...On the server, the Java application code links against Swift’s server-side run-time library, which in turn sits on top of the standard Java servlet ...AFRL-RI-RS-TR-2010-9 Final Technical Report January 2010 ACCOUNTABLE INFORMATION FLOW FOR JAVA -BASED WEB APPLICATIONS

Telescope Automation and Remote Observing System (TAROS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, G.; Czezowski, A.; Hovey, G. R.; Jarnyk, M. A.; Nielsen, J.; Roberts, B.; Sebo, K.; Smith, D.; Vaccarella, A.; Young, P.

2005-12-01

TAROS is a system that will allow for the Australian National University telescopes at a remote location to be operated automatically or interactively with authenticated control via the internet. TAROS is operated by a Java front-end GUI and employs the use of several Java technologies - such as Java Message Service (JMS) for communication between the telescope and the remote observer, Java Native Interface to integrate existing data acquisition software written in C++ (CICADA) with new Java programs and the JSky collection of Java GUI components for parts of the remote observer client. In this poster the design and implementation of TAROS is described.

Extraretinal Light Perception in the Sparrow, III: The Eyes Do Not Participate in Photoperiodic Photoreception*

PubMed Central

Menaker, Michael; Roberts, Richard; Elliott, Jeffrey; Underwood, Herbert

1970-01-01

Photoperiodic control of testis growth in Passer domesticus (house sparrow) is mediated entirely by extraretinal photoreceptors in the brain. The eyes do not participate in photoperiodically significant photoreception. Removal of the pineal organ does not affect either the response to light or, to a first approximation, the process of recrudescence. The intensity of light reaching the retina and that reaching the extraretinal photoreceptor were varied independently. This technique will make it possible to study brain photoreception in species of birds that will not tolerate blinding. Extreme caution is necessary in the interpretation of brain lesion experiments in which reproductive function is modified, since photoreception by brain receptors of unknown anatomical location affects testicular state. PMID:5272320

Cultural variation in savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis, songs: an analysis using the meme concept.

PubMed

Burnell

1998-10-01

I used the meme concept to investigate patterns of cultural variation among the songs of eight, geographically distinct populations of savannah sparrows. Memes composed of only one syllable were geographically widespread and randomly distributed among populations, but memes of two-, three- and four-syllables became progressively more restricted in their geographical distribution. Thus, the populations were memetically more similar with respect to one-syllable memes and more divergent with respect to larger memes. These results suggest that differences in memetic mutation rates and susceptibility to loss by memetic drift could be sufficient to create the observed pattern of greater divergence among populations for large memes. Copyright 1998 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Pre-Clinical and Clinical Evaluation of High Resolution, Mobile Gamma Camera and Positron Imaging Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

accuracy. FPGA ADC data acquisition is controlled by distributed Java -based software. Java -based server application sits on each of the acquisition...JNI ( Java Native Interface) is used to allow Java indirect control of the USB driver. Fig. 5. Photograph of mobile electronics rack...supplies with the monitor and keyboard. The server application on each of these machines is controlled by a remote client Java -based application

New Web Server - the Java Version of Tempest - Produced

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

York, David W.; Ponyik, Joseph G.

2000-01-01

A new software design and development effort has produced a Java (Sun Microsystems, Inc.) version of the award-winning Tempest software (refs. 1 and 2). In 1999, the Embedded Web Technology (EWT) team received a prestigious R&D 100 Award for Tempest, Java Version. In this article, "Tempest" will refer to the Java version of Tempest, a World Wide Web server for desktop or embedded systems. Tempest was designed at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field to run on any platform for which a Java Virtual Machine (JVM, Sun Microsystems, Inc.) exists. The JVM acts as a translator between the native code of the platform and the byte code of Tempest, which is compiled in Java. These byte code files are Java executables with a ".class" extension. Multiple byte code files can be zipped together as a "*.jar" file for more efficient transmission over the Internet. Today's popular browsers, such as Netscape (Netscape Communications Corporation) and Internet Explorer (Microsoft Corporation) have built-in Virtual Machines to display Java applets.

Java: An Explosion on the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Read, Tim; Hall, Hazel

Summer 1995 saw the release, with considerable media attention, of draft versions of Sun Microsystems' Java computer programming language and the HotJava browser. Java has been heralded as the latest "killer" technology in the Internet explosion. Sun Microsystems and numerous companies including Microsoft, IBM, and Netscape have agreed…

Conversion of the agent-oriented domain-specific language ALAS into JavaScript

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sredojević, Dejan; Vidaković, Milan; Okanović, Dušan; Mitrović, Dejan; Ivanović, Mirjana

2016-06-01

This paper shows generation of JavaScript code from code written in agent-oriented domain-specific language ALAS. ALAS is an agent-oriented domain-specific language for writing software agents that are executed within XJAF middleware. Since the agents can be executed on various platforms, they must be converted into a language of the target platform. We also try to utilize existing tools and technologies to make the whole conversion process as simple as possible, as well as faster and more efficient. We use the Xtext framework that is compatible with Java to implement ALAS infrastructure - editor and code generator. Since Xtext supports Java, generation of Java code from ALAS code is straightforward. To generate a JavaScript code that will be executed within the target JavaScript XJAF implementation, Google Web Toolkit (GWT) is used.

Digital Hydrologic Networks Supporting Applications Related to Spatially Referenced Regression Modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brakebill, J.W.; Wolock, D.M.; Terziotti, S.E.

2011-01-01

Digital hydrologic networks depicting surface-water pathways and their associated drainage catchments provide a key component to hydrologic analysis and modeling. Collectively, they form common spatial units that can be used to frame the descriptions of aquatic and watershed processes. In addition, they provide the ability to simulate and route the movement of water and associated constituents throughout the landscape. Digital hydrologic networks have evolved from derivatives of mapping products to detailed, interconnected, spatially referenced networks of water pathways, drainage areas, and stream and watershed characteristics. These properties are important because they enhance the ability to spatially evaluate factors that affect the sources and transport of water-quality constituents at various scales. SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW), a process-based/statistical model, relies on a digital hydrologic network in order to establish relations between quantities of monitored contaminant flux, contaminant sources, and the associated physical characteristics affecting contaminant transport. Digital hydrologic networks modified from the River Reach File (RF1) and National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) geospatial datasets provided frameworks for SPARROW in six regions of the conterminous United States. In addition, characteristics of the modified RF1 were used to update estimates of mean-annual streamflow. This produced more current flow estimates for use in SPARROW modeling. ?? 2011 American Water Resources Association. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Altered expression of pectoral myosin heavy chain isoforms corresponds to migration status in the white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii)

PubMed Central

Welch, Kenneth C.; Ramenofsky, Marilyn

2016-01-01

Birds undergo numerous changes as they progress through life-history stages, yet relatively few studies have examined how birds adapt to both the dynamic energetic and mechanical demands associated with such transitions. Myosin heavy chain (MyHC) expression, often linked with muscle fibre type, is strongly correlated with a muscle's mechanical power-generating capability, thus we examined several morphological properties, including MyHC expression of the pectoralis, in a long-distance migrant, the white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) throughout the progression from winter, spring departure and arrival on breeding grounds. White-crowned sparrows demonstrated significant phenotypic flexibility throughout the seasonal transition, including changes in prealternate moult status, lipid fuelling, body condition and flight muscle morphology. Pectoral MyHC expression also varied significantly over the course of the study. Wintering birds expressed a single, newly classified adult fast 2 isoform. At spring departure, pectoral isoform expression included two MyHC isoforms: the adult fast 2 isoform along with a smaller proportion of a newly present adult fast 1 isoform. By spring arrival, both adult fast isoforms present at departure remained, yet expression had shifted to a greater relative proportion of the adult fast 1 isoform. Altering pectoral MyHC isoform expression in preparation for and during spring migration may represent an adaptation to modulate muscle mechanical output to support long-distance flight. PMID:28018664

A multi-agency nutrient dataset used to estimate loads, improve monitoring design, and calibrate regional nutrient SPARROW models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saad, David A.; Schwarz, Gregory E.; Robertson, Dale M.; Booth, Nathaniel

2011-01-01

Stream-loading information was compiled from federal, state, and local agencies, and selected universities as part of an effort to develop regional SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) models to help describe the distribution, sources, and transport of nutrients in streams throughout much of the United States. After screening, 2,739 sites, sampled by 73 agencies, were identified as having suitable data for calculating long-term mean annual nutrient loads required for SPARROW model calibration. These sites had a wide range in nutrient concentrations, loads, and yields, and environmental characteristics in their basins. An analysis of the accuracy in load estimates relative to site attributes indicated that accuracy in loads improve with increases in the number of observations, the proportion of uncensored data, and the variability in flow on observation days, whereas accuracy declines with increases in the root mean square error of the water-quality model, the flow-bias ratio, the number of days between samples, the variability in daily streamflow for the prediction period, and if the load estimate has been detrended. Based on compiled data, all areas of the country had recent declines in the number of sites with sufficient water-quality data to compute accurate annual loads and support regional modeling analyses. These declines were caused by decreases in the number of sites being sampled and data not being entered in readily accessible databases.

Application of SPARROW modeling to understanding contaminant fate and transport from uplands to streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ator, Scott; Garcia, Ana Maria.

2016-01-01

Understanding spatial variability in contaminant fate and transport is critical to efficient regional water-quality restoration. An approach to capitalize on previously calibrated spatially referenced regression (SPARROW) models to improve the understanding of contaminant fate and transport was developed and applied to the case of nitrogen in the 166,000 km2 Chesapeake Bay watershed. A continuous function of four hydrogeologic, soil, and other landscape properties significant (α = 0.10) to nitrogen transport from uplands to streams was evaluated and compared among each of the more than 80,000 individual catchments (mean area, 2.1 km2) in the watershed. Budgets (including inputs, losses or net change in storage in uplands and stream corridors, and delivery to tidal waters) were also estimated for nitrogen applied to these catchments from selected upland sources. Most (81%) of such inputs are removed, retained, or otherwise processed in uplands rather than transported to surface waters. Combining SPARROW results with previous budget estimates suggests 55% of this processing is attributable to denitrification, 23% to crop or timber harvest, and 6% to volatilization. Remaining upland inputs represent a net annual increase in landscape storage in soils or biomass exceeding 10 kg per hectare in some areas. Such insights are important for planning watershed restoration and for improving future watershed models.

Usage of Nest Materials by House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Along an Urban to Rural Gradient in Coimbatore, India.

PubMed

Radhamany, Dhanya; Das, Karumampoyil Sakthidas Anoop; Azeez, Parappurath Abdul; Wen, Longying; Sreekala, Leelambika Krishnan

2016-08-01

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a widely distributed bird species found throughout the world. Being a species which has close association with humans, they chiefly nest on man-made structures. Here we describe the materials used by the house sparrow for making nests along an urban to rural gradient. For the current study, we selected the Coimbatore to Anaikatty road (State Highway-164), a 27 km inter-state highway, which traverses along an urban core to rural outstretch of Coimbatore. Of the 30 nests observed, 15 nests were from the rural, 8 were from the suburban, and 7 were from the urban areas. The nests had two distinct layers, specifically the structural layer and the inner lining. In the current study, we identified 11 plant species, 2 types of animal matter, and 6 types of anthropogenic matter, including plastic pieces and fine rope. The amount of anthropogenic materials in the nest formation varied along the gradients. The usage of anthropogenic materials was high in urban areas (p<0.05) whereas it did not differ at the sub-urban regions (p>0.05). A gradual decrease in the usage of plant matter towards the urban area was noticed (p<0.05). This study explicitly documents the links between nest material usage along an urban to rural gradient, in a human associated bird.

The use of α- or β-blockers to ameliorate the chronic stress of captivity in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus)

PubMed Central

Fischer, Clare Parker; Romero, L. Michael

2016-01-01

When wild animals are brought into captivity for the first time, they frequently develop chronic stress symptoms. Animals can develop glucocorticoid dysregulation or changes in the sympathetic nervous system over the course of the first week in captivity. By blocking the action of epinephrine and norepinephrine using α- or β-blockers, we hoped to reduce the degree of chronic stress symptoms exhibited by newly captured house sparrows. We measured corticosterone, heart rate and heart rate variability in 24 house sparrows (Passer domesticus) over the first week of captivity. The birds were treated with saline, propranolol (a β-blocker) or phentolamine (an α-blocker) for the first 3 days of captivity. We also compared newly captured animals with animals that had been held in captivity for 1 month. During the first week of captivity, baseline corticosterone increased, but that increase was blocked by propranolol. Heart rate was not different between the treatment groups, but it was higher during the first week than after 1 month in captivity. Sympathetic nervous system activity (as measured by heart rate variability) decreased over the first week of captivity, but was not affected by treatment. β-Blockers, but not α-blockers, might help to improve some symptoms of chronic stress in newly captured animals. PMID:27752321

Local-scale habitat associations of grassland birds in southwestern Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott, Lisa H.; Johnson, Douglas H.

2017-01-01

Conservation of obligate grassland species requires not only the protection of a sufficiently large area of habitat but also the availability of necessary vegetation characteristics for particular species. As a result land managers must understand which habitat characteristics are important for their target species. To identify the habitat associations of eight species of grassland birds, we conducted bird and vegetation surveys on 66 grassland habitat patches in southwestern Minnesota in 2013 and 2014. Species of interest included sedge wren (Cistothorus platensis), Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii), dickcissel (Spiza americana), bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus), and western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta). We calculated correlation coefficients between vegetation variables and species density as measures of linear association. We assessed curvilinear relationships with loess plots. We found grassland birds on 95.5% of surveyed sites, indicating remnant prairie in southwestern Minnesota is used by grassland birds. In general individual species showed different patterns of association and most species were tolerant of a wide variety of habitat conditions. The most consistent pattern was a negative association with both the quantity and proximity of trees. Our findings that individual species have different habitat preferences suggest that prairie resource managers may need to coordinate management efforts in order to create a mosaic of habitat types to support multiple species, though tree control will be an important and ongoing management activity at the individual site level.

Component Composition for Embedded Systems Using Semantic Aspect-Oriented Programming

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-01

real - time systems for the defense community. Our research focused on Real-Time Java implementation and analysis techniques. Real-Time Java is important for the defense community because it holds out the promise of enabling developers to apply COTS Java technology to specialized military embedded systems. It also promises to allow the defense community to utilize a large Java-literate workforce for building defense systems. Our research has delivered several techniques that may make Real-Time Java a better platform for developing embedded

Scalable and Precise Abstraction of Programs for Trustworthy Software

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

calculus for core Java. • 14 months: A systematic abstraction of core Java. • 18 months: A security auditor for core Java. • 24 months: A contract... auditor for full Java. • 42 months: A web-deployed service for security auditing. Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited 4 4.0 RESULTS

A Java Applet for Illustrating Internet Error Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holliday, Mark A.

2004-01-01

This paper discusses the author's experiences developing a Java applet that illustrates how error control is implemented in the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). One section discusses the concepts which the TCP error control Java applet is intended to convey, while the nature of the Java applet is covered in another section. The author…

SimPackJ/S: a web-oriented toolkit for discrete event simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Minho; Fishwick, Paul A.

2002-07-01

SimPackJ/S is the JavaScript and Java version of SimPack, which means SimPackJ/S is a collection of JavaScript and Java libraries and executable programs for computer simulations. The main purpose of creating SimPackJ/S is that we allow existing SimPack users to expand simulation areas and provide future users with a freeware simulation toolkit to simulate and model a system in web environments. One of the goals for this paper is to introduce SimPackJ/S. The other goal is to propose translation rules for converting C to JavaScript and Java. Most parts demonstrate the translation rules with examples. In addition, we discuss a 3D dynamic system model and overview an approach to 3D dynamic systems using SimPackJ/S. We explain an interface between SimPackJ/S and the 3D language--Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML). This paper documents how to translate C to JavaScript and Java and how to utilize SimPackJ/S within a 3D web environment.

Prevalence of antibodies to Japanese encephalitis virus among pigs in Bali and East Java, Indonesia, 2008.

PubMed

Yamanaka, Atsushi; Mulyatno, Kris Cahyo; Susilowati, Helen; Hendrianto, Eryk; Utsumi, Takako; Amin, Mochamad; Lusida, Maria Inge; Soegijanto, Soegeng; Konishi, Eiji

2010-01-01

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a fatal disease in Asia. Pigs are considered to be the effective amplifying host for JEV in the peridomestic environment. Bali Island and Java Island in Indonesia provide a model to assess the effect of pigs on JEV transmission, since the pig density is nearly 100-fold higher in Bali than Java, while the geographic and climatologic environments are equivalent in these areas. We surveyed antibodies to JEV among 123 pigs in Mengwi (Bali) and 96 pigs in Tulungagung (East Java) in 2008 by the hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) test. Overall prevalences were 49% in Bali and 6% in Java, with a significant difference between them (P < 0.001). Monthly infection rates estimated from age-dependent antibody prevalences were 11% in Bali and 2% in Java. In addition, 2-mercaptoethanol-sensitive antibodies were found only from Bali samples. Further, the average HAI antibody titer obtained from positive samples was significantly higher in Bali (1:52) than Java (1:10; P < 0.001). These results indicated that JEV transmission in nature is more active in Bali than East Java.

High-Performance Java Codes for Computational Fluid Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Christopher; Chatterjee, Siddhartha; Biswas, Rupak; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The computational science community is reluctant to write large-scale computationally -intensive applications in Java due to concerns over Java's poor performance, despite the claimed software engineering advantages of its object-oriented features. Naive Java implementations of numerical algorithms can perform poorly compared to corresponding Fortran or C implementations. To achieve high performance, Java applications must be designed with good performance as a primary goal. This paper presents the object-oriented design and implementation of two real-world applications from the field of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): a finite-volume fluid flow solver (LAURA, from NASA Langley Research Center), and an unstructured mesh adaptation algorithm (2D_TAG, from NASA Ames Research Center). This work builds on our previous experience with the design of high-performance numerical libraries in Java. We examine the performance of the applications using the currently available Java infrastructure and show that the Java version of the flow solver LAURA performs almost within a factor of 2 of the original procedural version. Our Java version of the mesh adaptation algorithm 2D_TAG performs within a factor of 1.5 of its original procedural version on certain platforms. Our results demonstrate that object-oriented software design principles are not necessarily inimical to high performance.

Enhancing Web applications in radiology with Java: estimating MR imaging relaxation times.

PubMed

Dagher, A P; Fitzpatrick, M; Flanders, A E; Eng, J

1998-01-01

Java is a relatively new programming language that has been used to develop a World Wide Web-based tool for estimating magnetic resonance (MR) imaging relaxation times, thereby demonstrating how Java may be used for Web-based radiology applications beyond improving the user interface of teaching files. A standard processing algorithm coded with Java is downloaded along with the hypertext markup language (HTML) document. The user (client) selects the desired pulse sequence and inputs data obtained from a region of interest on the MR images. The algorithm is used to modify selected MR imaging parameters in an equation that models the phenomenon being evaluated. MR imaging relaxation times are estimated, and confidence intervals and a P value expressing the accuracy of the final results are calculated. Design features such as simplicity, object-oriented programming, and security restrictions allow Java to expand the capabilities of HTML by offering a more versatile user interface that includes dynamic annotations and graphics. Java also allows the client to perform more sophisticated information processing and computation than is usually associated with Web applications. Java is likely to become a standard programming option, and the development of stand-alone Java applications may become more common as Java is integrated into future versions of computer operating systems.

Analysis of variables affecting unemployment rate and detecting for cluster in West Java, Central Java, and East Java in 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samuel, Putra A.; Widyaningsih, Yekti; Lestari, Dian

2016-02-01

The objective of this study is modeling the Unemployment Rate (UR) in West Java, Central Java, and East Java, with rate of disease, infant mortality rate, educational level, population size, proportion of married people, and GDRP as the explanatory variables. Spatial factors are also considered in the modeling since the closer the distance, the higher the correlation. This study uses the secondary data from BPS (Badan Pusat Statistik). The data will be analyzed using Moran I test, to obtain the information about spatial dependence, and using Spatial Autoregressive modeling to obtain the information, which variables are significant affecting UR and how great the influence of the spatial factors. The result is, variables proportion of married people, rate of disease, and population size are related significantly to UR. In all three regions, the Hotspot of unemployed will also be detected districts/cities using Spatial Scan Statistics Method. The results are 22 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed (Most likely cluster) in the study area; 2 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed in West Java; 1 district/city as a regional groups with the highest unemployed in Central Java; 15 districts/cities as a regional group with the highest unemployed in East Java.

White-crowned sparrows wintering in Maryland and West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Llewellyn, L.M.

1949-01-01

During the Christmas holidays (1947) five white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia l. leucophrys) were trapped and banded at McCoole, Allegany County, Maryland. On January 31 and February 1, 1948, 11 more were banded and a flock of at least 21 white-crowns was counted feeding in the snow under pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus). On the latter date five others were observed feeding under the same type of vegetation near the Potomac River in Keyser, Mineral County, West Virginia. All birds ob- served were immatures. So far as is known this is the first published record for this species wintering in Maryland. It has been previously reported in winter from West Virginia in Hampshire, Kanawha, and Cabell Counties (Maurice G. Brooks, 'A Check List of West Virginia Birds,' 1944).

Digital data used to relate nutrient inputs to water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, version 3.0

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brakebill, John W.; Preston, Stephen D.

2004-01-01

Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts are focused on improving water quality, living resources, and ecological habitats by 2010. One aspect of the water-quality restoration is the refinement of strategies designed to implement nutrient-reduction practices within the Bay watershed. These strategies are being refined and implemented by resource managers of the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP), a partnership comprised of various Federal, State, and local agencies that includes jurisdictions within Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), an active member of the CBP, provides necessary water-quality information for these Chesapeake Bay nutrient-reduction strategy revisions and evaluations. The formulation and revision of effective nutrient-reduction strategies requires detailed scientific information and an analytical understanding of the sources, transport, and delivery of nutrients to the Chesapeake Bay. The USGS is supporting these strategies by providing scientific information to resource managers that can help them evaluate and understand these processes. One statistical model available to resource managers is a collection of SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed (SPARROW) attributes, which uses a nonlinear regression approach to spatially relate nutrient sources and watershed characteristics to nutrient loads of streams throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Developed by the USGS, information generated by SPARROW can help resource managers determine the geographical distribution and relative contribution of nutrient sources and the factors that affect their transport to the Bay. Nutrient source information representing the late 1990s time period was obtained from several agencies and used to create and compile digital spatial datasets of total nitrogen and total phosphorus contributions that served as input sources to the SPARROW models. These data represent atmospheric deposition, point-source locations, land-use, land-cover, and agricultural sources such as commercial fertilizer and manure applications. Watershed-characteristics datasets representing factors that affect the transport of nutrients also were compiled from previous applications of the SPARROW models in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Datasets include average-annual precipitation and temperature, slope, soil permeability, and hydrogeomorphic regions. Nutrient-input and watershed-characteristics datasets representing conditions during the late 1990s were merged with a connected network of stream reaches and watersheds to provide the spatial detail required by SPARROW. Stream-nutrient load estimates for 125 sampling sites (87 for total nitrogen and 103 for total phosphorus) served as the dependent variables for the regressions, and were used to calibrate models of total nitrogen and total phosphorus depicting late 1990s conditions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Spatial data generated for the models can be used to identify the location of nutrient sources, while the models' nutrient estimates can be used to evaluate stream-nutrient load contributed locally by each source evaluated, the amount of local load generated that is transported to the Bay, and the factors that affect the nutrient transport. Applying the SPARROW methodology to late 1990s information completes three time periods (late 1980s, early 1990s, and late 1990s) of viable data that resource managers can use to evaluate the water-quality conditions within the Bay watershed in order to refine restoration goals and nutrient-reduction strategies.

Estimation of Total Nitrogen and Phosphorus in New England Streams Using Spatially Referenced Regression Models

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, Richard Bridge; Johnston, Craig M.; Robinson, Keith W.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), has developed a water-quality model, called SPARROW (Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes), to assist in regional total maximum daily load (TMDL) and nutrient-criteria activities in New England. SPARROW is a spatially detailed, statistical model that uses regression equations to relate total nitrogen and phosphorus (nutrient) stream loads to nutrient sources and watershed characteristics. The statistical relations in these equations are then used to predict nutrient loads in unmonitored streams. The New England SPARROW models are built using a hydrologic network of 42,000 stream reaches and associated watersheds. Watershed boundaries are defined for each stream reach in the network through the use of a digital elevation model and existing digitized watershed divides. Nutrient source data is from permitted wastewater discharge data from USEPA's Permit Compliance System (PCS), various land-use sources, and atmospheric deposition. Physical watershed characteristics include drainage area, land use, streamflow, time-of-travel, stream density, percent wetlands, slope of the land surface, and soil permeability. The New England SPARROW models for total nitrogen and total phosphorus have R-squared values of 0.95 and 0.94, with mean square errors of 0.16 and 0.23, respectively. Variables that were statistically significant in the total nitrogen model include permitted municipal-wastewater discharges, atmospheric deposition, agricultural area, and developed land area. Total nitrogen stream-loss rates were significant only in streams with average annual flows less than or equal to 2.83 cubic meters per second. In streams larger than this, there is nondetectable in-stream loss of annual total nitrogen in New England. Variables that were statistically significant in the total phosphorus model include discharges for municipal wastewater-treatment facilities and pulp and paper facilities, developed land area, agricultural area, and forested area. For total phosphorus, loss rates were significant for reservoirs with surface areas of 10 square kilometers or less, and in streams with flows less than or equal to 2.83 cubic meters per second. Applications of SPARROW for evaluating nutrient loading in New England waters include estimates of the spatial distributions of total nitrogen and phosphorus yields, sources of the nutrients, and the potential for delivery of those yields to receiving waters. This information can be used to (1) predict ranges in nutrient levels in surface waters, (2) identify the environmental variables that are statistically significant predictors of nutrient levels in streams, (3) evaluate monitoring efforts for better determination of nutrient loads, and (4) evaluate management options for reducing nutrient loads to achieve water-quality goals.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bower, G.

We summarize the current status and future developments of the North American Group's Java-based system for studying physics and detector design issues at a linear collider. The system is built around Java Analysis Studio (JAS) an experiment-independent Java-based utility for data analysis. Although the system is an integrated package running in JAS, many parts of it are also standalone Java utilities.

Ian Wallace (Profile).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stott, Jon C.

1989-01-01

Interviews Canadian children's author-illustrator Ian Wallace. Discusses the development of several of Wallace's books, including "Chin Chiang and the Dragon's Dance" and "The Sparrow's Song," as well as his development as an artist. (MM)

Use of MODIS Vegetation Data in Dynamic SPARROW Modeling of Reactive Nitrogen Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R. A.; Brakebill, J.; Schwarz, G. E.; Nolin, A. W.; Shih, J.; Blomquist, J.; Alexander, R. B.; Macauley, M.

2012-12-01

SPARROW models are widely used to identify and quantify the sources of contaminants in watersheds and to predict their flux and concentration at specified locations downstream. Conventional SPARROW models are steady-state in form, and describe the average relationship between sources and stream conditions based on non-linear regression of long-term water quality monitoring data on spatially-referenced explanatory information. But many watershed management issues involve intra- and inter-annual changes in contaminant sources, hydrologic forcing, or other environmental conditions which cause a temporary imbalance between watershed inputs and outputs. Dynamic behavior of the system relating to changes in watershed storage and processing then becomes important. We describe the results of dynamic statistical calibration of a SPARROW model of total reactive nitrogen flux in the Potomac River Basin based on seasonal water quality and watershed explanatory data for 80 monitoring stations over the period 2000 to 2008. One challenge in dynamic modeling of reactive nitrogen is obtaining frequently-reported, spatially-detailed input data on the phenology of agricultural production and growth of other terrestrial vegetation. In this NASA-funded research, we use the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and gross primary productivity (GPP) data from the Terra Satellite-borne MODIS sensor to parameterize seasonal uptake and release of nitrogen. The spatial reference frame of the model is a 16,000-reach, 1:100,000-scale stream network, and the computational time step is seasonal. Precipitation and temperature data are from PRISM. The model describes transient storage and transport of nitrogen from multiple nonpoint sources including fertilized cropland, pasture, urban/suburban land, and atmospheric deposition. Removal of nitrogen from watershed storage to stream channels and to "permanent" sinks (deep groundwater and the atmosphere) occurs as parallel first-order processes. Point sources of nitrogen bypass storage and flow directly to stream channels. Model results indicate that, on average, a little more than half of the reactive nitrogen flux comes from transient storage; but in some sub-watersheds a large majority of the flux comes from stored nitrogen input to the watershed in previous seasons and years.

Interspecific differences in hematozoan infection in Sonoran desert Aimophila sparrows.

PubMed

Deviche, Pierre; McGraw, Kevin; Greiner, Ellis C

2005-07-01

Numerous studies have identified factors that control avian hematozoan infections, but the mechanisms that account for host differences in parasitemia remain largely speculative. To address this issue, we compared the prevalence of these parasites in stained blood smears from four conspecific Sonoran desert Aimophila sparrow species sampled during their breeding season: rufous-winged (Aimophila carpalis; RWSP), rufous-crowned (Aimophila ruficeps; RCSP), Cassin's (Aimophila cassinii, CASP), and Botteri's (Aimophila botterii; BOSP) sparrows. Blood smears contained Haemoproteus fringillae (RWSP), Trypanosoma everetti (RWSP, RCSP, BOSP), Trypanosoma avium (CASP), and microfilariae (all species). Most (92.5%) RWSP (n=40) were infected with Haemoproteus, but this parasite was not detected in RCSP (n=20) or BOSP (n=20) and was found only in one (2.5%) CASP (n=40). Trypanosoma spp. and microfilariae were detected in all species, but prevalence differed between these four sparrow species. Species differences in parasite prevalence were not due to difference in sex, age, adult body mass, incubation period, breeding habitat, or plumage colorfulness. However, differences in Haemoproteus sp. prevalence correlated with preferred nesting height, as RWSP generally nest above ground, whereas the other species nest on or close to the ground. Elevated H. fringillae prevalence in breeding-condition RWSP presumably does not result from a seasonal relapse associated with breeding or require new infection because 1) this prevalence did not differ in males sampled during and outside (n=21) the breeding season, and 2) all male RWSP (n=25) that we held in captivity and shielded from new infections and influence of natural photoperiod for 1 yr had viable blood H. fringillae gametocytes. H. fringillae prevalence in fall-sampled hatch-year male RWSP (n=11) was 63.6%, demonstrating that this parasite can be transmitted on the breeding grounds and during the first months of life. T. everetti prevalence in RWSP was lower in winter than in summer and also in long-term captive than in free-ranging adults. Presence of this parasite in the blood of breeding males may depend on recrudescence of existing infections or new infections.

CONTRASTING HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS OF SAGEBRUSH-STEPPE SONGBIRDS IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST

PubMed Central

MILLER, ROBERT A.; BOND, LAURA; MIGAS, PATRICK N.; CARLISLE, JAY D.; KALTENECKER, GREGORY S.

2017-01-01

Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe is one of North America’s most imperiled ecosystems, as the result of many factors including grazing, development, fire, and invasion of exotic plants. Threats to sagebrush steppe are expected to increase because of climate change and further human development. Many songbirds use sagebrush steppe opportunistically, but a few obligate species are dependent on it. To quantify the habitat associations of three sagebrush obligates, the Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus), Sagebrush Sparrow (Artemisiospiza nevadensis), and Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri), and nine other songbird species that use this habitat, we surveyed across a broad region of Idaho. At each of 104 sites, we selected three plots, one each in relatively poor, moderate, and good condition, defined qualitatively by the cover of native shrubs. We quantified bird abundance by point counts, described the habitat at these points by a line-intercept method, and at each plot calculated the fraction of a circle (radius 1 km) covered in shrubs or grassland. We compared two-scale occupancy models based on these data by the information-theoretic approach. According to the models, our qualitative assessment of habitat condition within a site distinguished birds’ use of relatively good habitat from their use of poor habitats only, not from those in moderate condition. Thus the sagebrush-obligate species may tolerate some local habitat degradation, at least up to some unidentified threshold. Occurrence of all three sagebrush obligates correlated well with one or more characteristics of sagebrush such as its cover, height, or heterogeneity in height. They differed in the Sage Thrasher being most sensitive to sagebrush cover, the Sagebrush Sparrow being found more often at lower elevations, and the Brewer’s Sparrow being less sensitive to ground cover. The nine other species evaluated were less or negatively associated with attributes of sagebrush. On the basis of these results, we suggest that the three sagebrush obligates are best conserved by promoting shrublands over a broad range of elevations, containing both sagebrush and other shrubs in patches of mixed height, and minimizing invasive annual grasses. PMID:28690346

Seasonally-Dynamic SPARROW Modeling of Nitrogen Flux Using Earth Observation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R. A.; Schwarz, G. E.; Brakebill, J. W.; Hoos, A. B.; Moore, R. B.; Shih, J.; Nolin, A. W.; Macauley, M.; Alexander, R. B.

2013-12-01

SPARROW models are widely used to identify and quantify the sources of contaminants in watersheds and to predict their flux and concentration at specified locations downstream. Conventional SPARROW models describe the average relationship between sources and stream conditions based on long-term water quality monitoring data and spatially-referenced explanatory information. But many watershed management issues stem from intra- and inter-annual changes in contaminant sources, hydrologic forcing, or other environmental conditions which cause a temporary imbalance between inputs and stream water quality. Dynamic behavior of the system relating to changes in watershed storage and processing then becomes important. In this study, we describe dynamically calibrated SPARROW models of total nitrogen flux in three sub-regional watersheds: the Potomac River Basin, Long Island Sound drainage, and coastal South Carolina drainage. The models are based on seasonal water quality and watershed input data for a total 170 monitoring stations for the period 2001 to 2008. Frequently-reported, spatially-detailed input data on the phenology of agricultural production, terrestrial vegetation growth, and snow melt are often challenging requirements of seasonal modeling of reactive nitrogen. In this NASA-funded research, we use Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), gross primary production and snow/ice cover data from MODIS to parameterize seasonal uptake and release of nitrogen from vegetation and snowpack. The spatial reference frames of the models are 1:100,000-scale stream networks, and the computational time steps are 0.25-year seasons. Precipitation and temperature data are from PRISM. The model formulation accounts for storage of nitrogen from nonpoint sources including fertilized cropland, pasture, urban land, and atmospheric deposition. Model calibration is by non-linear regression. Once calibrated, model source terms based on previous season export allow for recursive dynamic simulation of stream flux: gradual increases or decreases in export occur as source supply rates and hydrologic forcing change. Based on an assumption that removal of nitrogen from watershed storage to stream channels and to 'permanent' sinks (e.g. the atmosphere and deep groundwater) occur as parallel first-order processes, the models can be used to estimate the approximate residence times of nonpoint source nitrogen in the watersheds.

MzJava: An open source library for mass spectrometry data processing.

PubMed

Horlacher, Oliver; Nikitin, Frederic; Alocci, Davide; Mariethoz, Julien; Müller, Markus; Lisacek, Frederique

2015-11-03

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a widely used and evolving technique for the high-throughput identification of molecules in biological samples. The need for sharing and reuse of code among bioinformaticians working with MS data prompted the design and implementation of MzJava, an open-source Java Application Programming Interface (API) for MS related data processing. MzJava provides data structures and algorithms for representing and processing mass spectra and their associated biological molecules, such as metabolites, glycans and peptides. MzJava includes functionality to perform mass calculation, peak processing (e.g. centroiding, filtering, transforming), spectrum alignment and clustering, protein digestion, fragmentation of peptides and glycans as well as scoring functions for spectrum-spectrum and peptide/glycan-spectrum matches. For data import and export MzJava implements readers and writers for commonly used data formats. For many classes support for the Hadoop MapReduce (hadoop.apache.org) and Apache Spark (spark.apache.org) frameworks for cluster computing was implemented. The library has been developed applying best practices of software engineering. To ensure that MzJava contains code that is correct and easy to use the library's API was carefully designed and thoroughly tested. MzJava is an open-source project distributed under the AGPL v3.0 licence. MzJava requires Java 1.7 or higher. Binaries, source code and documentation can be downloaded from http://mzjava.expasy.org and https://bitbucket.org/sib-pig/mzjava. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Computational Proteomics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The concept of geothermal exploration in west Java based on geophysical data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaffar, Eddy Z.

2018-02-01

Indonesia has the largest geothermal prospects in the world and most of them are concentrated in Java and Sumatera. The ones on Sumatra island are generally controlled by Sumatra Fault, either the main fault or the second and the third order fault. Geothermal in Java is still influenced by the subduction of oceanic plates from the south of Java island that forms the southern mountains extending from West Java to East Java. From a geophysical point of view, there is still no clue or concept that accelerates the process of geothermal exploration. The concept is that geothermal is located around the volcano (referred to the volcano as a host) and around the fault (fault as a host). There is another method from remote sensing analysis that often shows circular feature. In a study conducted by LIPI, we proposed a new concept for geothermal exploration which is from gravity analysis using Bouguer anomaly data from Java Island, which also show circular feature. The feature is supposed to be an "ancient crater" or a hidden caldera. Therefore, with this hypothesis, LIPI Geophysics team will try to prove whether this symptom can help accelerate the process of geothermal exploration on the island of West Java. Geophysical methods might simplify the exploration of geothermal prospect in West Java. Around the small circular feature, there are some large geothermal prospect areas such as Guntur, Kamojang, Drajat, Papandayan, Karaha Bodas, Patuha. The concept proposed by our team will try be applied to explore geothermal in Java Island for future work.

Anesthesia Basics

MedlinePlus

... FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:549) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:617) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:717) at org.apache. ...

Asthma Diary

MedlinePlus

... FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:549) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:617) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:717) at org.apache. ...

World Reference Center for Arboviruses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

viral antigen in Avian sera. .. . ... ....... . ... .. . ... . .......... 97 Effect of hibernation of EEE virus circulation and antibody Development...viruses were isolated from a variety of mosquito species collected on several different islands in the Indonesian archipelago (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java ...vishnui Java 15 Jun 81 7180 Cx. tritaeniorhynchus Java 13 Jul 81 7887 Cx. tritaeniorhynchus Java 26-27 Jul 81 8442 Cx. tritaeniorhynchus Bali 10 Dec 80

An Interface Transformation Strategy for AF-IPPS

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

Representational State Transfer (REST) and Java Enterprise Edition ( Java EE) to implement a reusable “translation service.” For SOAP and REST protocols, XML and...of best-of-breed open source software. The product baseline is summarized in the following table: Product Function Description Java Language...Compiler & Runtime JBoss Application Server Applications, Messaging, Translation Java EE Application Server Ruby on Rails Applications Ruby Web

An efficient framework for Java data processing systems in HPC environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fries, Aidan; Castañeda, Javier; Isasi, Yago; Taboada, Guillermo L.; Portell de Mora, Jordi; Sirvent, Raül

2011-11-01

Java is a commonly used programming language, although its use in High Performance Computing (HPC) remains relatively low. One of the reasons is a lack of libraries offering specific HPC functions to Java applications. In this paper we present a Java-based framework, called DpcbTools, designed to provide a set of functions that fill this gap. It includes a set of efficient data communication functions based on message-passing, thus providing, when a low latency network such as Myrinet is available, higher throughputs and lower latencies than standard solutions used by Java. DpcbTools also includes routines for the launching, monitoring and management of Java applications on several computing nodes by making use of JMX to communicate with remote Java VMs. The Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) is a real case where scientific data from the ESA Gaia astrometric satellite will be entirely processed using Java. In this paper we describe the main elements of DPAC and its usage of the DpcbTools framework. We also assess the usefulness and performance of DpcbTools through its performance evaluation and the analysis of its impact on some DPAC systems deployed in the MareNostrum supercomputer (Barcelona Supercomputing Center).

Java simulations of embedded control systems.

PubMed

Farias, Gonzalo; Cervin, Anton; Arzén, Karl-Erik; Dormido, Sebastián; Esquembre, Francisco

2010-01-01

This paper introduces a new Open Source Java library suited for the simulation of embedded control systems. The library is based on the ideas and architecture of TrueTime, a toolbox of Matlab devoted to this topic, and allows Java programmers to simulate the performance of control processes which run in a real time environment. Such simulations can improve considerably the learning and design of multitasking real-time systems. The choice of Java increases considerably the usability of our library, because many educators program already in this language. But also because the library can be easily used by Easy Java Simulations (EJS), a popular modeling and authoring tool that is increasingly used in the field of Control Education. EJS allows instructors, students, and researchers with less programming capabilities to create advanced interactive simulations in Java. The paper describes the ideas, implementation, and sample use of the new library both for pure Java programmers and for EJS users. The JTT library and some examples are online available on http://lab.dia.uned.es/jtt.

Java Simulations of Embedded Control Systems

PubMed Central

Farias, Gonzalo; Cervin, Anton; Årzén, Karl-Erik; Dormido, Sebastián; Esquembre, Francisco

2010-01-01

This paper introduces a new Open Source Java library suited for the simulation of embedded control systems. The library is based on the ideas and architecture of TrueTime, a toolbox of Matlab devoted to this topic, and allows Java programmers to simulate the performance of control processes which run in a real time environment. Such simulations can improve considerably the learning and design of multitasking real-time systems. The choice of Java increases considerably the usability of our library, because many educators program already in this language. But also because the library can be easily used by Easy Java Simulations (EJS), a popular modeling and authoring tool that is increasingly used in the field of Control Education. EJS allows instructors, students, and researchers with less programming capabilities to create advanced interactive simulations in Java. The paper describes the ideas, implementation, and sample use of the new library both for pure Java programmers and for EJS users. The JTT library and some examples are online available on http://lab.dia.uned.es/jtt. PMID:22163674

Web-based three-dimensional geo-referenced visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Hui; Gong, Jianhua; Wang, Freeman

1999-12-01

This paper addresses several approaches to implementing web-based, three-dimensional (3-D), geo-referenced visualization. The discussion focuses on the relationship between multi-dimensional data sets and applications, as well as the thick/thin client and heavy/light server structure. Two models of data sets are addressed in this paper. One is the use of traditional 3-D data format such as 3-D Studio Max, Open Inventor 2.0, Vis5D and OBJ. The other is modelled by a web-based language such as VRML. Also, traditional languages such as C and C++, as well as web-based programming tools such as Java, Java3D and ActiveX, can be used for developing applications. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach are elaborated. Four practical solutions for using VRML and Java, Java and Java3D, VRML and ActiveX and Java wrapper classes (Java and C/C++), to develop applications are presented for web-based, real-time interactive and explorative visualization.

Cardiac Catheterization (For Teens)

MedlinePlus

... FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:549) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:617) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:717) at org.apache. ...

The kinematics of crustal deformation in Java from GPS observations: Implications for fault slip partitioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koulali, A.; McClusky, S.; Susilo, S.; Leonard, Y.; Cummins, P.; Tregoning, P.; Meilano, I.; Efendi, J.; Wijanarto, A. B.

2017-01-01

Our understanding of seismic risk in Java has been focused primarily on the subduction zone, where the seismic records during the last century have shown the occurrence of a number of tsunami earthquakes. However, the potential of the existence of active crustal structures within the island of Java itself is less well known. Historical archives show the occurrence of several devastating earthquake ruptures north of the volcanic arc in west Java during the 18th and the 19th centuries, suggesting the existence of active faults that need to be identified in order to guide seismic hazard assessment. Here we use geodetic constraints from the Global Positioning System (GPS) to quantify the present day crustal deformation in Java. The GPS velocities reveal a homogeneous counterclockwise rotation of the Java Block independent of Sunda Block, consistent with a NE-SW convergence between the Australian Plate and southeast Asia. Continuous GPS observations show a time-dependent change in the linear rate of surface motion in west Java, which we interpret as an ongoing long-term post-seismic deformation following the 2006 Mw 7.7 Java earthquake. We use an elastic block model in combination with a viscoelastic model to correct for this post-seismic transient and derive the long-term inter-seismic velocity, which we interpret as a combination of tectonic block motions and crustal faults strain related deformation. There is a north-south gradient in the resulting velocity field with a decrease in the magnitude towards the North across the Kendeng Thrust in the east and the Baribis Thrust in the west. We suggest that the Baribis Thrust is active and accommodating a slow relative motion between Java and the Sunda Block at about 5 ± 0.2 mm /yr. We propose a kinematic model of convergence of the Australian Plate and the Sunda Block, involving a slip partitioning between the Java Trench and a left-lateral structure extending E-W along Java with most of the convergence being accommodated by the Java megathrust, and a much smaller parallel motion accommodated along the Baribis (∼ 5 ± 0.2 mm /yr) and Kendeng (∼ 2.3 ± 0.7 mm /yr) Thrusts. Our study highlights a correlation between the geodetically inferred active faults and historical seismic catalogs, emphasizing the importance of considering crustal fault activity within Java in future seismic assessments.

Opening up Architectures of Software-Intensive Systems: A Functional Decomposition to Support System Comprehension

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-01

Architecture ................................................................................ 14 Figure 2. Eclipse Java Model...16 Figure 3. Eclipse Java Model at the Source Code Level...24 Figure 9. Java Source Code

Program Synthesizes UML Sequence Diagrams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, Matthew R.; Osborne, Richard N.

2006-01-01

A computer program called "Rational Sequence" generates Universal Modeling Language (UML) sequence diagrams of a target Java program running on a Java virtual machine (JVM). Rational Sequence thereby performs a reverse engineering function that aids in the design documentation of the target Java program. Whereas previously, the construction of sequence diagrams was a tedious manual process, Rational Sequence generates UML sequence diagrams automatically from the running Java code.

Gender identification of Grasshopper Sparrows comparing behavioral, morphological, and molecular techniques

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ammer, F.K.; Wood, P.B.; McPherson, R.J.

2008-01-01

Correct gender identification in monomorphic species is often difficult especially if males and females do not display obvious behavioral and breeding differences. We compared gender specific morphology and behavior with recently developed DNA techniques for gender identification in the monomorphic Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum). Gender was ascertained with DNA in 213 individuals using the 2550F/2718R primer set and 3% agarose gel electrophoresis. Field observations using behavior and breeding characteristics to identify gender matched DNA analyses with 100% accuracy for adult males and females. Gender was identified with DNA for all captured juveniles that did not display gender specific traits or behaviors in the field. The molecular techniques used offered a high level of accuracy and may be useful in studies of dispersal mechanisms and winter assemblage composition in monomorphic species.

Team of rivals: alliance formation in territorial songbirds is predicted by vocal signal structure

PubMed Central

Goodwin, Sarah E.; Podos, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

Cooperation and conflict are regarded as diametric extremes of animal social behaviour, yet the two may intersect under rare circumstances. We here report that territorial competitors in a common North American songbird species, the chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), sometimes form temporary coalitions in the presence of simulated territorial intruders. Moreover, analysis of birds’ vocal mating signals (songs) reveals that coalitions occur nearly exclusively under specific triadic relationships, in which vocal performances of allies and simulated intruders exceed those of residents. Our results provide the first evidence that animals like chipping sparrows rely on precise assessments of mating signal features, as well as relative comparisons of signal properties among multiple animals in communication networks, when deciding when and with whom to form temporary alliances against a backdrop of competition and rivalry. PMID:24573153

Team of rivals: alliance formation in territorial songbirds is predicted by vocal signal structure.

PubMed

Goodwin, Sarah E; Podos, Jeffrey

2014-02-01

Cooperation and conflict are regarded as diametric extremes of animal social behaviour, yet the two may intersect under rare circumstances. We here report that territorial competitors in a common North American songbird species, the chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), sometimes form temporary coalitions in the presence of simulated territorial intruders. Moreover, analysis of birds' vocal mating signals (songs) reveals that coalitions occur nearly exclusively under specific triadic relationships, in which vocal performances of allies and simulated intruders exceed those of residents. Our results provide the first evidence that animals like chipping sparrows rely on precise assessments of mating signal features, as well as relative comparisons of signal properties among multiple animals in communication networks, when deciding when and with whom to form temporary alliances against a backdrop of competition and rivalry.

Relatively high prevalence of pox-like lesions in Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) among nine species of migratory grassland passerines in Wisconsin, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellison, Kevin S.; Hofmeister, Erik K.; Ribic, Christine A.; Sample, David W.

2014-01-01

Globally, Avipoxvirus species affect over 230 species of wild birds and can significantly impair survival. During banding of nine grassland songbird species (n = 346 individuals) in southwestern Wisconsin, USA, we noted species with a 2–6% prevalence of pox-like lesions (possible evidence of current infection) and 4–10% missing digits (potential evidence of past infection). These prevalences approach those recorded among island endemic birds (4–9% and 9–20% for the Galapagos and Hawaii, respectively) for which Avipoxvirus species have been implicated as contributing to dramatic population declines. Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii (n = 165 individuals) had the highest prevalence of lesions (6.1%) and missing digits (9.7%). Among a subset of 26 Henslow's Sparrows from which blood samples were obtained, none had detectable antibody reactive to fowlpox virus antigen. However, four samples (18%) had antibody to canarypox virus antigen with test sample and negative control ratios (P/N values) ranging from 2.4 to 6.5 (median 4.3). Of four antibody-positive birds, two had lesions recorded (one was also missing a digit), one had digits missing, and one had no signs. Additionally, the birds with lesions or missing digits had higher P/N values than did the antibody-positive bird without missing digits or recorded lesions. This study represents an impetus for considering the impacts and dynamics of disease caused by Avipoxvirus among North American grassland bird species.

Surface ultrastructural (SEM) characteristics of oropharyngeal cavity of house sparrow (Passer domesticus).

PubMed

Abumandour, Mohamed M A

2018-06-01

The focus of the present study is to provide a full morphological description of the oropharyngeal cavity of the house sparrow. The head of six birds was prepared for gross examination and by stereo and electron microscopy. The bifid lingual apex has multiple long, rostrally directed needle-like processes. The lateral border of the apex carries rostromedially directed needle-like processes. The dorsal lingual surface of the apex and body carries numerous caudomedially directed filiform papillae and many orifices of lingual salivary glands. The lingual body is divided into two parts: rostral and caudal. The caudal part is divided into two laterally elevated regions by a median groove, while the rostral part is bounded laterally by a rostrodorsally directed papillary row, which on SEM is formed from two rows. On SEM, the lingual root has many orifices of posterior salivary glands. The pharyngeal papillary row is located at the caudal border of the laryngeal mound, but this single papillary row is formed from two rows at SEM magnification. The laryngeal cleft continues caudally as a laryngeal fissure bounded by two longitudinal rows of caudally directed papillae; at high SEM magnification, this fissure is divided into two halves by a median ridge which carries caudally directed papillae on its posterior part. The choanal cleft proceeds rostrally by the median tubercle. There are a small number of orifices of palatine salivary glands. The morphological characters of the oropharyngeal cavity of the sparrow confirm its adaptation to surrounding environmental conditions and available food particles.

Epigenetic and genetic variation among three separate introductions of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) into Australia

PubMed Central

Schrey, A.; Ragsdale, A.; Griffith, S. C.

2018-01-01

Invasive populations are often associated with low levels of genetic diversity owing to population bottlenecks at the initial stages of invasion. Despite this, the ability of invasive species to adapt rapidly in response to novel environments is well documented. Epigenetic mechanisms have recently been proposed to facilitate the success of invasive species by compensating for reduced levels of genetic variation. Here, we use methylation sensitive-amplification fragment length polymorphism and microsatellite analyses to compare levels of epigenetic and genetic diversity and differentiation across 15 sites in the introduced Australian house sparrow population. We find patterns of epigenetic and genetic differentiation that are consistent with historical descriptions of three distinct, introductions events. However unlike genetic differentiation, epigenetic differentiation was higher among sample sites than among invasion clusters, suggesting that patterns of epigenetic variation are more strongly influenced by local environmental stimuli or sequential founder events than the initial diversity in the introduction population. Interestingly, we fail to detect correlations between pairwise site comparisons of epigenetic and genetic differentiation, suggesting that some of the observed epigenetic variation has arisen independently of genetic variation. We also fail to detect the potentially compensatory relationship between epigenetic and genetic diversity that has been detected in a more recent house sparrow invasion in Africa. We discuss the potential for this relationship to be obscured by recovered genetic diversity in more established populations, and highlight the importance of incorporating introduction history into population-wide epigenetic analyses. PMID:29765671

High costs of infection: Alphavirus infection reduces digestive function and bone and feather growth in nestling house sparrows (Passer domesticus).

PubMed

Fassbinder-Orth, Carol A; Killpack, Tess L; Goto, Dylan S; Rainwater, Ellecia L; Shearn-Bochsler, Valerie I

2018-01-01

Increasingly, ecoimmunology studies aim to use relevant pathogen exposure to examine the impacts of infection on physiological processes in wild animals. Alphaviruses are arthropod-borne, single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses ("arboviruses") responsible for millions of cases of human illnesses each year. Buggy Creek virus (BCRV) is a unique alphavirus that is transmitted by a cimicid insect, the swallow bug, and is amplified in two avian species: the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota). BCRV, like many alphaviruses, exhibits age-dependent susceptibility where the young are most susceptible to developing disease and exhibit a high mortality rate. However, alphavirus disease etiology in nestling birds is unknown. In this study, we infected nestling house sparrows with Buggy Creek virus and measured virological, pathological, growth, and digestive parameters following infection. Buggy Creek virus caused severe encephalitis in all infected nestlings, and the peak viral concentration in brain tissue was over 34 times greater than any other tissue. Growth, tissue development, and digestive function were all significantly impaired during BCRV infection. However, based on histopathological analysis performed, this impairment does not appear to be the result of direct tissue damage by the virus, but likely caused by encephalitis and neuronal invasion and impairment of the central nervous system. This is the first study to examine the course of alphavirus diseases in nestling birds and these results will improve our understanding of age-dependent infections of alphaviruses in vertebrate hosts.

SPARROW modeling of nitrogen sources and transport in rivers and streams of California and adjacent states, U.S.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saleh, Dina; Domagalski, Joseph L.

2015-01-01

The SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) model was used to evaluate the spatial distribution of total nitrogen (TN) sources, loads, watershed yields, and factors affecting transport and decay in the stream network of California and portions of adjacent states for the year 2002. The two major TN sources to local catchments on a mass basis were fertilizers and manure (51.7%) and wastewater discharge (15.9%). Other sources contributed < 12%. Fertilizer use is widespread in the Central Valley region of California, and also important in several other regions because of the diversity of California agriculture. Precipitation, sand content of surficial soils, wetlands, and tile drains were important for TN movement to stream reaches. Median streamflow in the study area is about 0.04 m3/s. Aquatic losses of nitrogen were found to be most important in intermittent and small to medium sized streams (0.2-14 m3/s), while larger streams showed less loss, and therefore are important for TN transport. Nitrogen loss in reservoirs was found to be insignificant, possibly because most of the larger ones are located upstream of nitrogen sources. The model was used to show loadings, sources, and tributary inputs to several major rivers. The information provided by the SPARROW model is useful for determining both the major sources contributing nitrogen to streams and the specific tributaries that transport the load.

Relatively high prevalence of pox-like lesions in Henslow's sparrow (Ammodrammus henslowii) among nine species of migratory grassland passerines in Wisconsin, USA.

PubMed

Ellison, Kevin S; Hofmeister, Erik K; Ribic, Christine A; Sample, David W

2014-10-01

Globally, Avipoxvirus species affect over 230 species of wild birds and can significantly impair survival. During banding of nine grassland songbird species (n=346 individuals) in southwestern Wisconsin, USA, we noted species with a 2-6% prevalence of pox-like lesions (possible evidence of current infection) and 4-10% missing digits (potential evidence of past infection). These prevalences approach those recorded among island endemic birds (4-9% and 9-20% for the Galapagos and Hawaii, respectively) for which Avipoxvirus species have been implicated as contributing to dramatic population declines. Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii (n=165 individuals) had the highest prevalence of lesions (6.1%) and missing digits (9.7%). Among a subset of 26 Henslow's Sparrows from which blood samples were obtained, none had detectable antibody reactive to fowlpox virus antigen. However, four samples (18%) had antibody to canarypox virus antigen with test sample and negative control ratios (P/N values) ranging from 2.4 to 6.5 (median 4.3). Of four antibody-positive birds, two had lesions recorded (one was also missing a digit), one had digits missing, and one had no signs. Additionally, the birds with lesions or missing digits had higher P/N values than did the antibody-positive bird without missing digits or recorded lesions. This study represents an impetus for considering the impacts and dynamics of disease caused by Avipoxvirus among North American grassland bird species.

High costs of infection: Alphavirus infection reduces digestive function and bone and feather growth in nestling house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fassbinder-Orth, Carol A.; Killpack, Tess L.; Goto, Dylan S.; Rainwater, Ellecia L.; Shearn-Bochsler, Valerie I.

2018-01-01

Increasingly, ecoimmunology studies aim to use relevant pathogen exposure to examine the impacts of infection on physiological processes in wild animals. Alphaviruses are arthropod-borne, single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses (“arboviruses”) responsible for millions of cases of human illnesses each year. Buggy Creek virus (BCRV) is a unique alphavirus that is transmitted by a cimicid insect, the swallow bug, and is amplified in two avian species: the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and the cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota). BCRV, like many alphaviruses, exhibits age-dependent susceptibility where the young are most susceptible to developing disease and exhibit a high mortality rate. However, alphavirus disease etiology in nestling birds is unknown. In this study, we infected nestling house sparrows with Buggy Creek virus and measured virological, pathological, growth, and digestive parameters following infection. Buggy Creek virus caused severe encephalitis in all infected nestlings, and the peak viral concentration in brain tissue was over 34 times greater than any other tissue. Growth, tissue development, and digestive function were all significantly impaired during BCRV infection. However, based on histopathological analysis performed, this impairment does not appear to be the result of direct tissue damage by the virus, but likely caused by encephalitis and neuronal invasion and impairment of the central nervous system. This is the first study to examine the course of alphavirus diseases in nestling birds and these results will improve our understanding of age-dependent infections of alphaviruses in vertebrate hosts.

Senses and Your 8- to 12-Month-Old

MedlinePlus

... FrameworkServlet.doGet(FrameworkServlet.java:549) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:617) at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:717) at org.apache. ...

Development of a Long-Range Gliding Underwater Vehicle Utilizing Java Sun SPOT Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

release; distribution is unlimited DEVELOPMENT OF A LONG-RANGE GLIDING UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLE UTILIZING JAVA SUN SPOT TECHNOLOGY by...TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: Development of a Long-Range Gliding Underwater Vehicle Utilizing Java Sun SPOT...vehicle. Further work is needed to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of this design. 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 117 14. SUBJECT TERMS Java

Multi-National Information Sharing -- Cross Domain Collaborative Information Environment (CDCIE) Solution. Revision 4

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-12

Hardware, Database, and Operating System independence using Java • Enterprise-class Architecture using Java2 Enterprise Edition 1.4 • Standards based...portal applications. Compliance with the Java Specification Request for Portlet APIs (JSR-168) (Portlet API) and Web Services for Remote Portals...authentication and authorization • Portal Standards using Java Specification Request for Portlet APIs (JSR-168) (Portlet API) and Web Services for Remote

Simulation for Dynamic Situation Awareness and Prediction III

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

source Java ™ library for capturing and sending network packets; 4) Groovy – an open source, Java -based scripting language (version 1.6 or newer). Open...DMOTH Analyzer application. Groovy is an open source dynamic scripting language for the Java Virtual Machine. It is consistent with Java syntax...between temperature, pressure, wind and relative humidity, and 3) a precipitation editing algorithm. The Editor can be used to prepare scripted changes

JNDMS Task Authorization 2 Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

uses Barnyard to store alarms from all DREnet Snort sensors in a MySQL database. Barnyard is an open source tool designed to work with Snort to take...Technology ITI Information Technology Infrastructure J2EE Java 2 Enterprise Edition JAR Java Archive. This is an archive file format defined by Java ...standards. JDBC Java Database Connectivity JDW JNDMS Data Warehouse JNDMS Joint Network and Defence Management System JNDMS Joint Network Defence and

Hardware Assisted Stealthy Diversity (CHECKMATE)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

applicable across multiple architectures. Figure 29 shows an example an attack against an interpreted environment with a Java executable. CHECKMATE can...Architectures ARM PPCx86 Java VM Java VMJava VM Java Executable Attack APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED 33 a user executes “/usr/bin/wget...Server 1 - Administration Server 2 – Database ( mySQL ) Server 3 – Web server (Mongoose) Server 4 – File server (SSH) Server 5 – Email server

Model Checking Real Time Java Using Java PathFinder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindstrom, Gary; Mehlitz, Peter C.; Visser, Willem

2005-01-01

The Real Time Specification for Java (RTSJ) is an augmentation of Java for real time applications of various degrees of hardness. The central features of RTSJ are real time threads; user defined schedulers; asynchronous events, handlers, and control transfers; a priority inheritance based default scheduler; non-heap memory areas such as immortal and scoped, and non-heap real time threads whose execution is not impeded by garbage collection. The Robust Software Systems group at NASA Ames Research Center has JAVA PATHFINDER (JPF) under development, a Java model checker. JPF at its core is a state exploring JVM which can examine alternative paths in a Java program (e.g., via backtracking) by trying all nondeterministic choices, including thread scheduling order. This paper describes our implementation of an RTSJ profile (subset) in JPF, including requirements, design decisions, and current implementation status. Two examples are analyzed: jobs on a multiprogramming operating system, and a complex resource contention example involving autonomous vehicles crossing an intersection. The utility of JPF in finding logic and timing errors is illustrated, and the remaining challenges in supporting all of RTSJ are assessed.

jFuzz: A Concolic Whitebox Fuzzer for Java

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jayaraman, Karthick; Harvison, David; Ganesh, Vijay; Kiezun, Adam

2009-01-01

We present jFuzz, a automatic testing tool for Java programs. jFuzz is a concolic whitebox fuzzer, built on the NASA Java PathFinder, an explicit-state Java model checker, and a framework for developing reliability and analysis tools for Java. Starting from a seed input, jFuzz automatically and systematically generates inputs that exercise new program paths. jFuzz uses a combination of concrete and symbolic execution, and constraint solving. Time spent on solving constraints can be significant. We implemented several well-known optimizations and name-independent caching, which aggressively normalizes the constraints to reduce the number of calls to the constraint solver. We present preliminary results due to the optimizations, and demonstrate the effectiveness of jFuzz in creating good test inputs. The source code of jFuzz is available as part of the NASA Java PathFinder. jFuzz is intended to be a research testbed for investigating new testing and analysis techniques based on concrete and symbolic execution. The source code of jFuzz is available as part of the NASA Java PathFinder.

APINetworks Java. A Java approach to the efficient treatment of large-scale complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muñoz-Caro, Camelia; Niño, Alfonso; Reyes, Sebastián; Castillo, Miriam

2016-10-01

We present a new version of the core structural package of our Application Programming Interface, APINetworks, for the treatment of complex networks in arbitrary computational environments. The new version is written in Java and presents several advantages over the previous C++ version: the portability of the Java code, the easiness of object-oriented design implementations, and the simplicity of memory management. In addition, some additional data structures are introduced for storing the sets of nodes and edges. Also, by resorting to the different garbage collectors currently available in the JVM the Java version is much more efficient than the C++ one with respect to memory management. In particular, the G1 collector is the most efficient one because of the parallel execution of G1 and the Java application. Using G1, APINetworks Java outperforms the C++ version and the well-known NetworkX and JGraphT packages in the building and BFS traversal of linear and complete networks. The better memory management of the present version allows for the modeling of much larger networks.

Spatial Modeling Tools for Cell Biology

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

multiphysics modeling expertise. A graphical user interface (GUI) for CoBi, JCoBi, was written in Java and interactive 3D graphics. CoBi has been...tools (C++ and Java ) to simulate complex cell and organ biology problems. CoBi has been designed to interact with the other Bio-SPICE software...fall of 2002. VisIt supports C++, Python and Java interfaces. The C++ and Java interfaces make it possible to provide alternate user interfaces for

Proof of Concept Integration of a Single-Level Service-Oriented Architecture into a Multi-Domain Secure Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

Machine [29]. OC4J applications support Java Servlets , Web services, and the following J2EE specific standards: Extensible Markup Language (XML...IMAP Internet Message Access Protocol IP Internet Protocol IT Information Technology xviii J2EE Java Enterprise Environment JSR 168 Java ...LDAP), World Wide Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDav), Java Specification Request 168 (JSR 168), and Web Services for Remote

CPU Performance Counter-Based Problem Diagnosis for Software Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

application servers and implementation techniques), this thesis only used the Enterprise Java Bean (EJB) SessionBean version of RUBiS. The PHP and Servlet ...collection statistics at the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) level can be reused for any Java application. Other examples of gray-box instrumentation include path...used gray-box approaches. For example, PinPoint [11, 14] and [29] use request tracing to diagnose Java exceptions, endless calls, and null calls in

Interactive Vulnerability Analysis Enhancement Results

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

from JavaEE web based applications to other non-web based Java programs. Technology developed in this effort should be generally applicable to other...Generating a rule is a 2 click process that requires no input from the user. • Task 3: Added support for non- Java EE applications Aspect’s...investigated a variety of Java -based technologies and how IAST can support them. We were successful in adding support for Scala, a popular new language, and

Visualization Software for VisIT Java Client

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Billings, Jay Jay; Smith, Robert W

The VisIT Java Client (JVC) library is a lightweight thin client that is designed and written purely in the native language of Java (the Python & JavaScript versions of the library use the same concept) and communicates with any new unmodified standalone version of VisIT, a high performance computing parallel visualization toolkit, over traditional or web sockets and dynamically determines capabilities of the running VisIT instance whether local or remote.

The spirit of democracy in the implementation of public information policy at the provincial government of West Java

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sjoraida, D. F.; Asmawi, A.; Anwar, R. K.

2018-03-01

This article analyses the implementation of Law Number 14/2008 on Public Information Disclosure on the Provincial Government of West Java. This descriptive-qualitative study presents a discussion of the spirit of democracy in the implementation of the abovem-entioned policy in West Java Province. With the theory of policy implementation and democratization, data obtains that the element of democratic spirit in the implementation of public information policy in the government of West Java is quite thick. Therefore, there must be a massification of the implementation of the law in West Java, especially its socialization to districts/cities and society in general. It was found that the democratization of the West Java Provincial Government in implementing the Act has been well received in the community. However, the lack of publicity about this Law can reduce the strength of moral messages that exist in the law to the public.

Geographically Weighted Regression Model with Kernel Bisquare and Tricube Weighted Function on Poverty Percentage Data in Central Java Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nugroho, N. F. T. A.; Slamet, I.

2018-05-01

Poverty is a socio-economic condition of a person or group of people who can not fulfil their basic need to maintain and develop a dignified life. This problem still cannot be solved completely in Central Java Province. Currently, the percentage of poverty in Central Java is 13.32% which is higher than the national poverty rate which is 11.13%. In this research, data of percentage of poor people in Central Java Province has been analyzed through geographically weighted regression (GWR). The aim of this research is therefore to model poverty percentage data in Central Java Province using GWR with weighted function of kernel bisquare, and tricube. As the results, we obtained GWR model with bisquare and tricube kernel weighted function on poverty percentage data in Central Java province. From the GWR model, there are three categories of region which are influenced by different of significance factors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dr. George L. Mesina; Steven P. Miller

The XMGR5 graphing package [1] for drawing RELAP5 [2] plots is being re-written in Java [3]. Java is a robust programming language that is available at no cost for most computer platforms from Sun Microsystems, Inc. XMGR5 is an extension of an XY plotting tool called ACE/gr extended to plot data from several US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) applications. It is also the most popular graphing package worldwide for making RELAP5 plots. In Section 1, a short review of XMGR5 is given, followed by a brief overview of Java. In Section 2, shortcomings of both tkXMGR [4] and XMGR5 aremore » discussed and the value of converting to Java is given. Details of the conversion to Java are given in Section 3. The progress to date, some conclusions and future work are given in Section 4. Some screen shots of the Java version are shown.« less

Almost stochastic dominance for poverty level in Central Java Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slamet, Isnandar; Agus Wibowo, Aryanto; Roswitha, Mania

2017-12-01

The criteria for the domination of the distribution function has been used in the investment issues, momentum, agricultural production, and so on. One criteria of domination is stochastic dominance (SD). When this criteria is applied to the dominating area that has smaller value than the dominated area, then almost stochastic dominance (ASD) can be used. It this research, we apply the ASD criteria on data of expenditure per capita based on districts/cities in Central Java. Furthermore, we determine which year the expenditure per capita in the period 2009-2013 is the most dominating to know the level of poverty in Central Java. From the discussion, it can be concluded that the expenditure per capita in Central Java in 2013 dominates expenditure per capita in Central Java in 2009-2012. In other words, the level of poverty in Central Java in 2013 is lower than in 2009-2012.

Vulnerabilities in Bytecode Removed by Analysis, Nuanced Confinement and Diversification (VIBRANCE)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

VIBRANCE tool starts with a vulnerable Java application and automatically hardens it against SQL injection, OS command injection, file path traversal...7 2.2 Java Front End...7 2.2.2 Java Byte Code Parser

Practical Application of Model Checking in Software Verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Havelund, Klaus; Skakkebaek, Jens Ulrik

1999-01-01

This paper presents our experiences in applying the JAVA PATHFINDER (J(sub PF)), a recently developed JAVA to SPIN translator, in the finding of synchronization bugs in a Chinese Chess game server application written in JAVA. We give an overview of J(sub PF) and the subset of JAVA that it supports and describe the abstraction and verification of the game server. Finally, we analyze the results of the effort. We argue that abstraction by under-approximation is necessary for abstracting sufficiently smaller models for verification purposes; that user guidance is crucial for effective abstraction; and that current model checkers do not conveniently support the computational models of software in general and JAVA in particular.

Photoperiod as a proximate factor in control of seasonality in the subtropical male Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Most species of birds exhibit well-defined seasonality in their various physiological and behavioral functions like reproduction, molt, bill color etc. such that they occur at the most appropriate time of the year. Day length has been shown to be a major source of temporal information regulating seasonal reproduction and associated events in a number of avian species. The present study aims to investigate the role of photoperiod in control of seasonal cycles in the subtropical male tree sparrow (Passer montanus) and to compare its responses at Shillong (Latitude 25°34'N, Longitude 91°53'E) with those exhibited by its conspecifics and related species at other latitudes. Results Initial experiment involving study of seasonal cycles revealed that the wild tree sparrows posses definite seasonal cycles of testicular volume, molt and bill color. These cycles were found remarkably linked to annual solar cycle suggesting the possibility of their photoperiodic control. To confirm this possibility in the next experiment, the photosensitive birds were exposed to three different light-dark regimes that were close to what they experience at this latitude: 9L/15D (close to shortest day length), 12L/12D (equinox day length) and 14L/10D (close to longest day length) for 18 months. Tree sparrows showed testicular growth followed by regression and development of photorefractoriness, molting and bill color changes only under long daily photoperiods (12 L and 14 L) but not under short daily photoperiod (9 L). Birds, under stimulatory photoperiods, did not show reinitiation of the above responses after the completion of initiation regression cycle even after their exposure to these photoperiods for 18 months. This precludes the possibility of circannual rhythm generation and suggests the involvement of photoperiodic mechanism in control of their seasonal cycles. Further, replacement of body and primary feathers progressed with gonadal regression only under long days suggesting that the two high energy demanding events of reproduction and molt are phased at two different times in the annual cycle of the bird and are photoperiodically regulated. Results of the final experiment involving exposure of photosensitive birds to a variety of photoperiodic treatments (9L/15D, 10L/14D, 11L/13D, 12L/12D, 14L/10D and 16L/8D) for 30 days suggested that the light falling for 11 h or more is important in inducing testicular growth and function in this species. Conclusion These results clearly indicate that despite of small photofluctuation, subtropical tree sparrows are capable of fine discrimination of photoperiodic information and use day length as a proximate environmental factor to time their seasonal responses similar to their conspecifics and related species at other latitudes suggesting the conservation of photoperiodic control mechanism in them. PMID:21223557

Software Assurance Measurement -- State of the Practice

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

quality and productivity. 30+ languages, C/C++, Java , .NET, Oracle, PeopleSoft, SAP, Siebel, Spring, Struts, Hibernate , and all major databases. ChecKing...NET 39 ActionScript 39 Ada 40 C/C++ 40 Java 41 JavaScript 42 Objective-C 42 Opa 42 Packages 42 Perl 42 PHP 42 Python 42 Formal Methods...Suite—A tool for Ada, C, C++, C#, and Java code that comprises various analyses such as architecture checking, interface analyses, and clone detection

PSPVDC: An Adaptation of the PSP that Incorporates Verified Design by Contract

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

characteristics mentioned above, including the following: • Java Modeling Language (JML) implements DbC in Java . VDbC can then be carried out using tools like...Extended Static Checking (ESC/ Java ) [Cok 2005] or TACO [Galeotti 2010]. • Perfect Developer [Crocker 2003] is a specification and modeling language...These are written in the language employed in the environment (e.g., as Java Boolean expressions, if JML is used) which we call the carrier lan

Java Application Shell: A Framework for Piecing Together Java Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Philip; Powers, Edward I. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This session describes the architecture of Java Application Shell (JAS), a Swing-based framework for developing interactive Java applications. Java Application Shell is being developed by Commerce One, Inc. for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Code 588. The purpose of JAS is to provide a framework for the development of Java applications, providing features that enable the development process to be more efficient, consistent and flexible. Fundamentally, JAS is based upon an architecture where an application is considered a collection of 'plugins'. In turn, a plug-in is a collection of Swing actions defined using XML and packaged in a jar file. Plug-ins may be local to the host platform or remotely-accessible through HTTP. Local and remote plugins are automatically discovered by JAS upon application startup; plugins may also be loaded dynamically without having to re-start the application. Using Extensible Markup Language (XML) to define actions, as opposed to hardcoding them in application logic, allows easier customization of application-specific operations by separating application logic from presentation. Through XML, a developer defines an action that may appear on any number of menus, toolbars, and buttons. Actions maintain and propagate enable/disable states and specify icons, tool-tips, titles, etc. Furthermore, JAS allows actions to be implemented using various scripting languages through the use of IBM's Bean Scripting Framework. Scripted action implementation is seamless to the end-user. In addition to action implementation, scripts may be used for application and unit-level testing. In the case of application-level testing, JAS has hooks to assist a script in simulating end-user input. JAS also provides property and user preference management, JavaHelp, Undo/Redo, Multi-Document Interface, Single-Document Interface, printing, and logging. Finally, Jini technology has also been included into the framework by means of a Jini services browser and the ability to associate services with actions. Several Java technologies have been incorporated into JAS, including Swing, Internal Frames, Java Beans, XML, JavaScript, JavaHelp, and Jini. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

West Nile Virus Infection of Birds, Mexico

PubMed Central

Guerrero-Sánchez, Sergio; Cuevas-Romero, Sandra; Nemeth, Nicole M.; Trujillo-Olivera, María Teresa Jesús; Worwa, Gabriella; Dupuis, Alan; Brault, Aaron C.; Kramer, Laura D.; Komar, Nicholas

2011-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) has caused disease in humans, equids, and birds at lower frequency in Mexico than in the United States. We hypothesized that the seemingly reduced virulence in Mexico was caused by attenuation of the Tabasco strain from southeastern Mexico, resulting in lower viremia than that caused by the Tecate strain from the more northern location of Baja California. During 2006–2008, we tested this hypothesis in candidate avian amplifying hosts: domestic chickens, rock pigeons, house sparrows, great-tailed grackles, and clay-colored thrushes. Only great-tailed grackles and house sparrows were competent amplifying hosts for both strains, and deaths occurred in each species. Tecate strain viremia levels were higher for thrushes. Both strains produced low-level viremia in pigeons and chickens. Our results suggest that certain avian hosts within Mexico are competent for efficient amplification of both northern and southern WNV strains and that both strains likely contribute to bird deaths. PMID:22172633

West Nile virus infection of birds, Mexico.

PubMed

Guerrero-Sánchez, Sergio; Cuevas-Romero, Sandra; Nemeth, Nicole M; Trujillo-Olivera, María Teresa Jesús; Worwa, Gabriella; Dupuis, Alan; Brault, Aaron C; Kramer, Laura D; Komar, Nicholas; Estrada-Franco, José Guillermo

2011-12-01

West Nile virus (WNV) has caused disease in humans, equids, and birds at lower frequency in Mexico than in the United States. We hypothesized that the seemingly reduced virulence in Mexico was caused by attenuation of the Tabasco strain from southeastern Mexico, resulting in lower viremia than that caused by the Tecate strain from the more northern location of Baja California. During 2006-2008, we tested this hypothesis in candidate avian amplifying hosts: domestic chickens, rock pigeons, house sparrows, great-tailed grackles, and clay-colored thrushes. Only great-tailed grackles and house sparrows were competent amplifying hosts for both strains, and deaths occurred in each species. Tecate strain viremia levels were higher for thrushes. Both strains produced low-level viremia in pigeons and chickens. Our results suggest that certain avian hosts within Mexico are competent for efficient amplification of both northern and southern WNV strains and that both strains likely contribute to bird deaths.

Avian Hosts of West Nile Virus in Arizona

PubMed Central

Komar, Nicholas; Panella, Nicholas A.; Young, Ginger R.; Brault, Aaron C.; Levy, Craig E.

2013-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) causes sporadic outbreaks of human encephalitis in Phoenix, Arizona. To identify amplifying hosts of WNV in the Phoenix area, we blood-sampled resident birds and measured antibody prevalence following an outbreak in the East Valley of metropolitan Phoenix during summer, 2010. House sparrow (Passer domesticus), house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), and mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) accounted for most WNV infections among locally resident birds. These species roost communally after early summer breeding. In September 2010, Culex vector-avian host contact was 3-fold greater at communal bird roosts compared with control sites, as determined by densities of resting mosquitoes with previous vertebrate contact (i.e., blood-engorged or gravid mosquitoes). Because of the low competence of mourning doves, these were considered weak amplifiers but potentially effective free-ranging sentinels. Highly competent sparrows, finches, and grackles were predicted to be key amplifying hosts for WNV in suburban Phoenix. PMID:23857022

Lead poisoning of passerines at a trap and skeet range

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vyas, N.B.; Spann, J.W.; Heinz, G.H.; Beyer, W.N.; Jaquette, J.A.; Mengelkoch, J.M.

2000-01-01

Our objective was to determine if ground foraging passerines in a woodland surrounding a trap and skeet range were subject to lead poisoning. Lead availability to birds was determined by shot counts and soil and earthworm analysis. Avian exposure to lead was identified by measuring free-erythrocyte protoporphyrin levels in blood and lead in tissues of three passerine species. Results showed that most shot were found in the top 3 cm of soil. Lead measurements ranged from 110 to 27,000 ppm (dry wt) in soil and were 660 and 840 ppm in earthworms. Sparrows held in an aviary at the range (p = 0.02) and free-flying juncos (p = 0.0005) mistnetted at the range displayed significantly higher protoporphyrin levels than those at an uncontaminated site. Sparrow and cowbird carcasses from the aviary carried 37 and 39 ppm lead (dry wt), respectively, whereas a junco liver contained 9.3 ppm lead.

Aerodynamic characteristics of a Sparrow 3 missile model in the flow field of a generalized parent body at Mach 2.86

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stallings, R. L., Jr.

1984-01-01

Longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a Sparrow 3 wing control missile model were measured through a range of separation distances relative to a flat plate surface that represented the parent-body configuration. Measurements were obtained with and without two dimensional circular arc protuberances attached to the flat plate surface. The tests were conducted at a Mach number of 2.86 and a Reynolds number per meter of 6.56 million. The behavior of these longitudinal characteristics with varying separation distance in the flow field created by the flat plate and protuberance was generally as would be expected on the basis of flow field boundaries determined from the second order approximation of Friedrich. In general, varying roll angle from 0 deg to 45 deg caused no significant effect on the store separation characteristics.

Apparent predation by cattle at grassland bird nests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nack, Jamie L.; Ribic, C.A.

2005-01-01

We document the first cases of cattle behaving as avian predators, removing nestlings and eggs from three active ground nests in continuously grazed pastures in southwestern Wisconsin, 2000-2001. Cows removed three of four Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) eggs from one nest (the fourth egg was damaged), all four Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) nestlings from another, and all three Savannah Sparrow nestlings from a third. We found only two of three missing eggs (intact) and one of seven missing nestlings (dead) near two of the nests. Cows may have eaten the egg and nestlings we were unable to account for; alternatively, the egg and nestlings may have been scavenged by predators or removed from the area by the adult birds. Without videotape documentation, we would have attributed nest failure to traditional predators and cattle would not have been implicated. We may be underestimating the impact of cattle on ground nests by not considering cattle as potential predators.

Towards Crustal Structure of Java Island (Sunda Arc) from Ambient Seismic Noise Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widiyantoro, Sri; Zulhan, Zulfakriza; Martha, Agustya; Saygin, Erdinc; Cummins, Phil

2015-04-01

In our previous studies, P- and S-wave velocity structures beneath the Sunda Arc were successfully imaged using a global data set and a nested regional-global tomographic method was employed. To obtain more detailed P- and S-wave velocity structures beneath Java, in the central part of the Sunda Arc, we then used local data sets, i.e. newline from the MErapi AMphibious EXperiment (MERAMEX) and the Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (MCGA), as well as employed a double-difference technique for tomographic imaging. The results of the imaging show e.g. that P- and S-wave velocities are significantly reduced in the uppermost mantle beneath central Java. In order to obtain detailed crustal structure information beneath Java, the Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) method was used. The application of this method to the MERAMEX data has produced a good crustal model beneath central Java. We continue our experiment to image crustal structure of eastern Java. We have used seismic waveform data recorded by 22 MCGA stationary seismographic stations and 25 portable seismographs installed for 2 to 8 weeks. The data were processed to obtain waveforms of cross-correlated noise between pairs of seismographic stations. Our preliminary results presented here indicate that the Kendeng zone, an area of low gravity anomaly, is associated with a low velocity zone. On the other hand, the southern mountain range, which has a high gravity anomaly, is related to a high velocity anomaly (as shown by our tomographic images). In future work we will install more seismographic stations in eastern Java as well as in western Java to conduct ANT imaging for the whole of Java Island. The expected result combined with the mantle velocity models resulting from our body wave tomography will allow for accurate location of earthquake hypocenters and determination of regional tectonic structures. Both of these are valuable for understanding seismic hazard in Java, the most densely populated island in the world.

Multimedia consultation session recording and playback using Java-based browser in global PACS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, Ralph; Shah, Pinkesh J.; Yu, Yuan-Pin

1998-07-01

The current version of the Global PACS software system uses a Java-based implementation of the Remote Consultation and Diagnosis (RCD) system. The Java RCD includes a multimedia consultation session between physicians that includes text, static image, image annotation, and audio data. The JAVA RCD allows 2-4 physicians to collaborate on a patient case. It allows physicians to join the session via WWW Java-enabled browsers or stand alone RCD application. The RCD system includes a distributed database archive system for archiving and retrieving patient and session data. The RCD system can be used for store and forward scenarios, case reviews, and interactive RCD multimedia sessions. The RCD system operates over the Internet, telephone lines, or in a private Intranet. A multimedia consultation session can be recorded, and then played back at a later time for review, comments, and education. A session can be played back using Java-enabled WWW browsers on any operating system platform. The JAVA RCD system shows that a case diagnosis can be captured digitally and played back with the original real-time temporal relationships between data streams. In this paper, we describe design and implementation of the RCD session playback.

Real-time Java for flight applications: an update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dvorak, D.

2003-01-01

The RTSJ is a specification for supporting real-time execution in the Java programming language. The specification has been shaped by several guiding principles, particularly: predictable execution as the first priority in all tradeoffs, no syntactic extensions to Java, and backward compatibility.

Java: A New Brew for Educators, Administrators and Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Barbara

1996-01-01

Java is an object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems; its benefits include platform independence, security, and interactivity. Within the college community, Java is being used in programming courses, collaborative technology research projects, computer graphics instruction, and distance education. (AEF)

Absence of plague in certain mammals from Java and Kalimantan (Borneo).

PubMed

Van Peenen, P F; Joseph, S W; Cavanaugh, D C; Williams, J E; Luyster, L F; Saroso, J S

1976-09-01

Antibodies against plague were lacking in 237 wild mammal sera from Java and 103 from Kalimantan. Wild mammal spleens, 114 from Java and 18 from Kalimantan were negative for plague bacilli. A variety of mammalian species and areas was examined.

Volcanoes, Central Java, Indonesia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The island of Java (8.0S, 112.0E), perhaps better than any other, illustrates the volcanic origin of Pacific Island groups. Seen in this single view are at least a dozen once active volcano craters. Alignment of the craters even defines the linear fault line of Java as well as the other some 1500 islands of the Indonesian Archipelago. Deep blue water of the Indian Ocean to the south contrasts to the sediment laden waters of the Java Sea to the north.

Structural Technology Evaluation and Analysis Program (STEAP). Delivery Order 0035: Dynamics and Control and Computational Design of Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

library as a principal Requestor. The M3CT requestor is written in Java , leveraging the cross platform deployment capabilities needed for a broadly...each application to the Java programming language, the independently generated sources are wrapped with JNA or Groovy. The Java wrapping process...unlimited. Figure 13. Leveraging Languages Once the underlying product is available to the Java source as a library, the application leverages

Volcanoes, Central Java, Indonesia

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-08-08

The island of Java (8.0S, 112.0E), perhaps better than any other, illustrates the volcanic origin of Pacific Island groups. Seen in this single view are at least a dozen once active volcano craters. Alignment of the craters even defines the linear fault line of Java as well as the other some 1500 islands of the Indonesian Archipelago. Deep blue water of the Indian Ocean to the south contrasts to the sediment laden waters of the Java Sea to the north.

Java PathFinder: A Translator From Java to Promela

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Havelund, Klaus

1999-01-01

JAVA PATHFINDER, JPF, is a prototype translator from JAVA to PROMELA, the modeling language of the SPIN model checker. JPF is a product of a major effort by the Automated Software Engineering group at NASA Ames to make model checking technology part of the software process. Experience has shown that severe bugs can be found in final code using this technique, and that automated translation from a programming language to a modeling language like PROMELA can help reducing the effort required.

Model Checker for Java Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Visser, Willem

2007-01-01

Java Pathfinder (JPF) is a verification and testing environment for Java that integrates model checking, program analysis, and testing. JPF consists of a custom-made Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that interprets bytecode, combined with a search interface to allow the complete behavior of a Java program to be analyzed, including interleavings of concurrent programs. JPF is implemented in Java, and its architecture is highly modular to support rapid prototyping of new features. JPF is an explicit-state model checker, because it enumerates all visited states and, therefore, suffers from the state-explosion problem inherent in analyzing large programs. It is suited to analyzing programs less than 10kLOC, but has been successfully applied to finding errors in concurrent programs up to 100kLOC. When an error is found, a trace from the initial state to the error is produced to guide the debugging. JPF works at the bytecode level, meaning that all of Java can be model-checked. By default, the software checks for all runtime errors (uncaught exceptions), assertions violations (supports Java s assert), and deadlocks. JPF uses garbage collection and symmetry reductions of the heap during model checking to reduce state-explosion, as well as dynamic partial order reductions to lower the number of interleavings analyzed. JPF is capable of symbolic execution of Java programs, including symbolic execution of complex data such as linked lists and trees. JPF is extensible as it allows for the creation of listeners that can subscribe to events during searches. The creation of dedicated code to be executed in place of regular classes is supported and allows users to easily handle native calls and to improve the efficiency of the analysis.

Viewing multiple sequence alignments with the JavaScript Sequence Alignment Viewer (JSAV)

PubMed Central

Martin, Andrew C. R.

2014-01-01

The JavaScript Sequence Alignment Viewer (JSAV) is designed as a simple-to-use JavaScript component for displaying sequence alignments on web pages. The display of sequences is highly configurable with options to allow alternative coloring schemes, sorting of sequences and ’dotifying’ repeated amino acids. An option is also available to submit selected sequences to another web site, or to other JavaScript code. JSAV is implemented purely in JavaScript making use of the JQuery and JQuery-UI libraries. It does not use any HTML5-specific options to help with browser compatibility. The code is documented using JSDOC and is available from http://www.bioinf.org.uk/software/jsav/. PMID:25653836

Java PathFinder User Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Havelund, Klaus

1999-01-01

The JAVA PATHFINDER, JPF, is a translator from a subset of JAVA 1.0 to PROMELA, the programming language of the SPIN model checker. The purpose of JPF is to establish a framework for verification and debugging of JAVA programming based on model checking. The main goal is to automate program verification such that a programmer can apply it in the daily work without the need for a specialist to manually reformulate a program into a different notation in order to analyze the program. The system is especially suited for analyzing multi-threaded JAVA applications, where normal testing usually falls short. The system can find deadlocks and violations of boolean assertions stated by the programmer in a special assertion language. This document explains how to Use JPF.

Viewing multiple sequence alignments with the JavaScript Sequence Alignment Viewer (JSAV).

PubMed

Martin, Andrew C R

2014-01-01

The JavaScript Sequence Alignment Viewer (JSAV) is designed as a simple-to-use JavaScript component for displaying sequence alignments on web pages. The display of sequences is highly configurable with options to allow alternative coloring schemes, sorting of sequences and 'dotifying' repeated amino acids. An option is also available to submit selected sequences to another web site, or to other JavaScript code. JSAV is implemented purely in JavaScript making use of the JQuery and JQuery-UI libraries. It does not use any HTML5-specific options to help with browser compatibility. The code is documented using JSDOC and is available from http://www.bioinf.org.uk/software/jsav/.

Territory and nest site selection patterns by Grasshopper Sparrows in southeastern Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruth, Janet M.; Skagen, Susan K.

2017-01-01

Grassland bird populations are showing some of the greatest rates of decline of any North American birds, prompting measures to protect and improve important habitat. We assessed how vegetation structure and composition, habitat features often targeted for management, affected territory and nest site selection by Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum ammolegus) in southeastern Arizona. To identify features important to males establishing territories, we compared vegetation characteristics of known territories and random samples on 2 sites over 5 years. We examined habitat selection patterns of females by comparing characteristics of nest sites with territories over 3 years. Males selected territories in areas of sparser vegetation structure and more tall shrubs (>2 m) than random plots on the site with low shrub densities. Males did not select territories based on the proportion of exotic grasses. Females generally located nest sites in areas with lower small shrub (1–2 m tall) densities than territories overall when possible and preferentially selected native grasses for nest construction. Whether habitat selection was apparent depended upon the range of vegetation structure that was available. We identified an upper threshold above which grass structure seemed to be too high and dense for Grasshopper Sparrows. Our results suggest that some management that reduces vegetative structure may benefit this species in desert grasslands at the nest and territory scale. However, we did not assess initial male habitat selection at a broader landscape scale where their selection patterns may be different and could be influenced by vegetation density and structure outside the range of values sampled in this study.

Auditory feedback and song production do not regulate seasonal growth of song control circuits in adult white-crowned sparrows.

PubMed

Brenowitz, Eliot A; Lent, Karin; Rubel, Edwin W

2007-06-20

An important area of research in neuroscience is understanding what properties of brain structure and function are stimulated by sensory experience and behavioral performance. We tested the roles of experience and behavior in seasonal plasticity of the neural circuits that regulate learned song behavior in adult songbirds. Neurons in these circuits receive auditory input and show selective auditory responses to conspecific song. We asked whether auditory input or song production contribute to seasonal growth of telencephalic song nuclei. Adult male Gambel's white-crowned sparrows were surgically deafened, which eliminates auditory input and greatly reduces song production. These birds were then exposed to photoperiod and hormonal conditions that regulate the growth of song nuclei. We measured the volumes of the nuclei HVC, robust nucleus of arcopallium (RA), and area X at 7 and 30 d after exposure to long days plus testosterone in deafened and normally hearing birds. We also assessed song production and examined protein kinase C (PKC) expression because previous research reported that immunostaining for PKC increases transiently after deafening. Deafening did not delay or block the growth of the song nuclei to their full breeding-condition size. PKC activity in RA was not altered by deafening in the sparrows. Song continued to be well structured for up to 10 months after deafening, but song production decreased almost eightfold. These results suggest that neither auditory input nor high rates of song production are necessary for seasonal growth of the adult song control system in this species.

Modeling suspended sediment sources and transport in the Ishikari River basin, Japan, using SPARROW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, W. L.; He, B.; Takara, K.; Luo, P. P.; Nover, D.; Hu, M. C.

2015-03-01

It is important to understand the mechanisms that control the fate and transport of suspended sediment (SS) in rivers, because high suspended sediment loads have significant impacts on riverine hydroecology. In this study, the SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression on Watershed Attributes) watershed model was applied to estimate the sources and transport of SS in surface waters of the Ishikari River basin (14 330 km2), the largest watershed in Hokkaido, Japan. The final developed SPARROW model has four source variables (developing lands, forest lands, agricultural lands, and stream channels), three landscape delivery variables (slope, soil permeability, and precipitation), two in-stream loss coefficients, including small streams (streams with drainage area < 200 km2) and large streams, and reservoir attenuation. The model was calibrated using measurements of SS from 31 monitoring sites of mixed spatial data on topography, soils and stream hydrography. Calibration results explain approximately 96% (R2) of the spatial variability in the natural logarithm mean annual SS flux (kg yr-1) and display relatively small prediction errors at the 31 monitoring stations. Results show that developing land is associated with the largest sediment yield at around 1006 kg km-2 yr-1, followed by agricultural land (234 kg km-2 yr-1). Estimation of incremental yields shows that 35% comes from agricultural lands, 23% from forested lands, 23% from developing lands, and 19% from stream channels. The results of this study improve our understanding of sediment production and transportation in the Ishikari River basin in general, which will benefit both the scientific and management communities in safeguarding water resources.

Using Nocturnal Flight Calls to Assess the Fall Migration of Warblers and Sparrows along a Coastal Ecological Barrier

PubMed Central

Smith, Adam D.; Paton, Peter W. C.; McWilliams, Scott R.

2014-01-01

Atmospheric conditions fundamentally influence the timing, intensity, energetics, and geography of avian migration. While radar is typically used to infer the influence of weather on the magnitude and spatiotemporal patterns of nocturnal bird migration, monitoring the flight calls produced by many bird species during nocturnal migration represents an alternative methodology and provides information regarding the species composition of nocturnal migration. We used nocturnal flight call (NFC) recordings of at least 22 migratory songbirds (14 warbler and 8 sparrow species) during fall migration from eight sites along the mainland and island coasts of Rhode Island to evaluate five hypotheses regarding NFC detections. Patterns of warbler and sparrow NFC detections largely supported our expectations in that (1) NFC detections associated positively and strongly with wind conditions that influence the intensity of coastal bird migration and negatively with regional precipitation; (2) NFCs increased during conditions with reduced visibility (e.g., high cloud cover); (3) NFCs decreased with higher wind speeds, presumably due mostly to increased ambient noise; and (4) coastal mainland sites recorded five to nine times more NFCs, on average, than coastal nearshore or offshore island sites. However, we found little evidence that (5) nightly or intra-night patterns of NFCs reflected the well-documented latitudinal patterns of migrant abundance on an offshore island. Despite some potential complications in inferring migration intensity and species composition from NFC data, the acoustic monitoring of NFCs provides a viable and complementary methodology for exploring the spatiotemporal patterns of songbird migration as well as evaluating the atmospheric conditions that shape these patterns. PMID:24643060

Mixed-grass prairie passerines exhibit weak and variable responses to patch size

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, S.K.; Brigham, R.M.; Shaffer, T.L.; James, P.C.

2006-01-01

Much of our current understanding of the demographic effects of habitat fragmentation on bird populations is derived from studies of passerines in forests and tallgrass prairie surrounded by woody vegetation. We quantified grassland bird density, nest survival, and productivity in 41 native mixed-grass prairie pastures during 1997-2000 in southern Saskatchewan, Canada. Pastures ranged in size from 18 ha to 11,600 ha and were typically surrounded by agriculture (i.e., ranching and annual cropping). Grassland passerines did not respond strongly or uniformly to patch size. Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii) was the only species whose density increased with pasture size. Patch size had minimal influence on nest survival of Sprague's Pipit or Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida); whereas nest survival increased with patch size for Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) and declined for Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii), Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus), and Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta). Time-specific factors (i.e., nest age, date, and year) were more important predictors of nest survival than patch size. Exploratory analyses indicated that effects of edge distance, pasture shape, or landscape on nest survival were just as likely as patch-size effects. However, effects of edge on Chestnut-collared Longspurs may be governed by landscape-level factors, because nest survival decreased with distance to edge in landscapes with increased amounts of cropland. Our results indicate that mixed-grass prairie parcels ≥18 ha play a role in the conservation of several grassland passerine species currently in decline, but the conservation of Sprague's Pipit likely depends on maintaining larger tracts of native prairie.

Environment, behavior and physiology: do birds use barometric pressure to predict storms?

PubMed

Breuner, Creagh W; Sprague, Rachel S; Patterson, Stephen H; Woods, H Arthur

2013-06-01

Severe storms can pose a grave challenge to the temperature and energy homeostasis of small endothermic vertebrates. Storms are accompanied by lower temperatures and wind, increasing metabolic expenditure, and can inhibit foraging, thereby limiting energy intake. To avoid these potential problems, most endotherms have mechanisms for offsetting the energetic risks posed by storms. One possibility is to use cues to predict oncoming storms and to alter physiology and behavior in ways that make survival more likely. Barometric pressure declines predictably before inclement weather, and several lines of evidence indicate that animals alter behavior based on changes in ambient pressure. Here we examined the effects of declining barometric pressure on physiology and behavior in the white-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys. Using field data from a long-term study, we first evaluated the relationship between barometric pressure, storms and stress physiology in free-living white-crowned sparrows. We then manipulated barometric pressure experimentally in the laboratory and determined how it affects activity, food intake, metabolic rates and stress physiology. The field data showed declining barometric pressure in the 12-24 h preceding snowstorms, but we found no relationship between barometric pressure and stress physiology. The laboratory study showed that declining barometric pressure stimulated food intake, but had no effect on metabolic rate or stress physiology. These data suggest that white-crowned sparrows can sense and respond to declining barometric pressure, and we propose that such an ability may be common in wild vertebrates, especially small ones for whom individual storms can be life-threatening events.

Concerns about eroding the ethical barrier to in vitro eugenics: lessons from the hESC debate.

PubMed

Pugh, Jonathan

2014-11-01

In his discussion of in vitrogametogenesis, Rob Sparrow claims that an ethical barrier to development of this technology is that many jurisdictions currently prohibit the practice of creating embryos solely for the purpose of research. However, he suggests that this ethical barrier will soon be eroded, in view of the fact that in vitro gametogenesis could serve as a powerful new technology to overcome infertility. In this commentary, I argue that Sparrow is being overly optimistic in his analysis here. I claim that the debate over so-called compromise positions in the human embryonic stem cell debate suggests that the purpose of the research for which a research embryo is created is unlikely to be considered as having any significant bearing on the moral permissibility of the practice for those who oppose it. Even though in vitro gametogenesis could serve as a powerful new technology to overcome infertility, I argue that opponents of the practice of creating embryos solely for research purposes would still view the creation of research embryos that the development of in vitro gametogenesis would require, as being incompatible with affording the embryo proper moral respect. I conclude by suggesting that Sparrow's analysis of the potential benefits of in vitro gametogenesis provides us with further reasons to scrutinise the unconvincing arguments that are often cited in favour of prohibiting the practice of creating embryos solely for research purposes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Life-history dependent relationships between body condition and immunity, between immunity indices in male Eurasian tree sparrows.

PubMed

Zhao, Yuliang; Li, Mo; Sun, Yanfeng; Wu, Wei; Kou, Guanqun; Guo, Lingling; Xing, Danning; Wu, Yuefeng; Li, Dongming; Zhao, Baohua

2017-08-01

In free-living animals, recent evidence indicates that innate, and acquired, immunity varies with annual variation in the demand for, and availability of, food resources. However, little is known about how animals adjust the relationships between immunity and body condition, and between innate and acquired immunity to optimize survival over winter and reproductive success during the breeding stage. Here, we measured indices of body condition (size-corrected mass [SCM], and hematocrit [Hct]), constitutive innate immunity (plasma total complement hemolysis activity [CH 50 ]) and acquired immunity (plasma immunoglobulin A [IgA]), plus heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratios, in male Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus) during the wintering and the breeding stages. We found that birds during the wintering stage had higher IgA levels than those from the breeding stage. Two indices of body condition were both negatively correlated with plasma CH 50 activities, and positively with IgA levels in wintering birds, but this was not the case in the breeding birds. However, there was no correlation between CH 50 activities and IgA levels in both stages. These results suggest that the relationships between body condition and immunity can vary across life-history stage, and there are no correlations between innate and acquired immunity independent of life-history stage, in male Eurasian tree sparrows. Therefore, body condition indices predict immunological state, especially during the non-breeding stage, which can be useful indicators of individual immunocompetences for understanding the variations in innate and acquired immunity in free-living animals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting stream nutrient loads: A synthesis of regional SPARROW model results for the continental United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Preston, Stephen D.; Alexander, Richard B.; Schwarz, Gregory E.; Crawford, Charles G.

2011-01-01

We compared the results of 12 recently calibrated regional SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) models covering most of the continental United States to evaluate the consistency and regional differences in factors affecting stream nutrient loads. The models - 6 for total nitrogen and 6 for total phosphorus - all provide similar levels of prediction accuracy, but those for major river basins in the eastern half of the country were somewhat more accurate. The models simulate long-term mean annual stream nutrient loads as a function of a wide range of known sources and climatic (precipitation, temperature), landscape (e.g., soils, geology), and aquatic factors affecting nutrient fate and transport. The results confirm the dominant effects of urban and agricultural sources on stream nutrient loads nationally and regionally, but reveal considerable spatial variability in the specific types of sources that control water quality. These include regional differences in the relative importance of different types of urban (municipal and industrial point vs. diffuse urban runoff) and agriculture (crop cultivation vs. animal waste) sources, as well as the effects of atmospheric deposition, mining, and background (e.g., soil phosphorus) sources on stream nutrients. Overall, we found that the SPARROW model results provide a consistent set of information for identifying the major sources and environmental factors affecting nutrient fate and transport in United States watersheds at regional and subregional scales. ?? 2011 American Water Resources Association. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Effects of prescribed fire on vegetation and passerine birds in northern mixed-grass prairie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grant, T.A.; Madden, E.M.; Shaffer, T.L.; Dockens, J.S.

2010-01-01

Prescribed fire is used widely to manage grasslands on National Wildlife Refuges and other public lands in the northern Great Plains, but its effects on habitat use or production of wildlife in the region are poorly understood. During 19982003, we used point counts to examine effects of prescribed fire on vegetation and passerines in a mixed-grass prairie complex in north-central North Dakota, USA (n 7 units, each 4070 ha). Vegetation structure and, to a lesser extent, plant community composition varied with year of study (likely related to changes in annual precipitation) and with number of growing seasons since fire. Fire altered plant structure, especially the amount of residual vegetation, which in turn influenced bird species richness and abundance. The number of indicated pairs for sedge wren (Cistothorus platensis), clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), Le Conte's sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii), Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), and bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) were lowest during the first postfire growing season but generally increased and stabilized within 23 postfire growing seasons. Our results support the premise that grassland passerines are well-adapted to frequent, periodic fires, generally corresponding to those occurring prior to EuroAmerican settlement of the region. Prescribed fire is important for reducing tree and shrub invasion, restoring biological integrity of plant communities, and maintaining or enhancing populations of grassland-dependent bird species. Managers in the northern mixed-grass prairie region should not be overly concerned about reductions in bird abundances that are limited mostly to the first growing season after fire. 2010 The Wildlife Society.

Songbird abundance in native and planted grassland varies with type and amount of grassland in the surrounding landscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Stephen K.; Fisher, Ryan; Skinner, Susan; Shaffer, Terry L.; Brigham, R. Mark

2013-01-01

Agriculture and wildlife conservation programs have converted vast amounts of cropland into grasslands planted with exotic species. Understanding how landscape context influences avian use of native and planted grasslands is essential for developing effective conservation strategies in agricultural landscapes. Our primary objective was to determine the extent to which the amount and type of grassland in the surrounding landscape influences the abundance of grassland songbird species on native and planted grassland parcels in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada. Bird abundance was more strongly influenced by the amount and type of grassland within 400 m of breeding parcels than at larger spatial scales. Grassland specialists responded similarly to habitat and landscape type over both years and provinces. Sprague's pipit (Anthus spragueii) and Baird's sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) were most common in native grassland parcels surrounded by native grassland and were more likely to occur in planted grasslands surrounded by native grassland. Bobolinks (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) were most common in planted grassland parcels, but their abundance increased with the amount of native grassland surrounding these parcels. Our findings indicate that the suitability of planted grasslands for these species is influenced by their proximity to native grassland. Grassland generalists showed mixed responses to habitat and landscape type over the 2 years (Le Conte's sparrow [Ammodramus leconteii]) and between provinces (Savannah sparrow [Passerculus sandwichensis] and western meadowlark [Sturnella neglecta]). Management to benefit grassland specialists should therefore consider the landscape context when seeding cultivated land to non-native grassland and conserve extant native grassland.

Avian assemblages on altered grasslands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knopf, Fritz L.

1994-01-01

Grasslands comprise 17% of the North American landscape but provide primary habitat for only 5% of native bird species. On the Great Plains, grasslands include an eastern component of tall grasses and a western component of short grasses, both of which have been regionally altered by removing native grazers, plowing sod, draining wetlands, and encouraging woody vegetation. As a group, populations of endemic bird species of the grasslands have declined more than others (including neotropical migrants) in the last quarter century. Individually, populations of the Upland Sandpiper and McCown’s Longspur have increased; the wetlands-associated Marbled Godwit and Wilson’s Phalarope appear stable; breeding ranges are shifting for the Ferruginous Hawk, Mississippi Kite, Short-eared Owl, Upland Sandpiper, Horned Lark, Vesper, Savannah, and Henslow’s sparrows, and Western Meadowlark; breeding habitats are disappearing locally for Franklin’s Gull, Dickcissel, Henslow’s and Grasshopper sparrows. Lark Bunting, and Eastern Meadowlark; and populations are declining throughout the breeding ranges for Mountain Plover, and Cassin’s and Clay-colored sparrows. Declines of these latter three species, and also the Franklin’s Gull, presumably are due to ecological phenomena on their respective wintering areas. Unlike forest species that winter in the neotropics, most birds that breed in the North American grasslands also winter on the continent and problems driving declines in grassland species are associated almost entirely with North American processes. Contemporary programs and initiatives hold promise for the conservation of breeding habitats for these birds. Ecological ignorance of wintering habits and habitats clouds the future of the endemic birds of grasslands, especially those currently experiencing widespread declines across breeding locales.

JPARSS: A Java Parallel Network Package for Grid Computing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Jie; Akers, Walter; Chen, Ying

2002-03-01

The emergence of high speed wide area networks makes grid computinga reality. However grid applications that need reliable data transfer still have difficulties to achieve optimal TCP performance due to network tuning of TCP window size to improve bandwidth and to reduce latency on a high speed wide area network. This paper presents a Java package called JPARSS (Java Parallel Secure Stream (Socket)) that divides data into partitions that are sent over several parallel Java streams simultaneously and allows Java or Web applications to achieve optimal TCP performance in a grid environment without the necessity of tuning TCP window size.more » This package enables single sign-on, certificate delegation and secure or plain-text data transfer using several security components based on X.509 certificate and SSL. Several experiments will be presented to show that using Java parallelstreams is more effective than tuning TCP window size. In addition a simple architecture using Web services« less

Leveraging annotation-based modeling with Jump.

PubMed

Bergmayr, Alexander; Grossniklaus, Michael; Wimmer, Manuel; Kappel, Gerti

2018-01-01

The capability of UML profiles to serve as annotation mechanism has been recognized in both research and industry. Today's modeling tools offer profiles specific to platforms, such as Java, as they facilitate model-based engineering approaches. However, considering the large number of possible annotations in Java, manually developing the corresponding profiles would only be achievable by huge development and maintenance efforts. Thus, leveraging annotation-based modeling requires an automated approach capable of generating platform-specific profiles from Java libraries. To address this challenge, we present the fully automated transformation chain realized by Jump, thereby continuing existing mapping efforts between Java and UML by emphasizing on annotations and profiles. The evaluation of Jump shows that it scales for large Java libraries and generates profiles of equal or even improved quality compared to profiles currently used in practice. Furthermore, we demonstrate the practical value of Jump by contributing profiles that facilitate reverse engineering and forward engineering processes for the Java platform by applying it to a modernization scenario.

The openEHR Java reference implementation project.

PubMed

Chen, Rong; Klein, Gunnar

2007-01-01

The openEHR foundation has developed an innovative design for interoperable and future-proof Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems based on a dual model approach with a stable reference information model complemented by archetypes for specific clinical purposes.A team from Sweden has implemented all the stable specifications in the Java programming language and donated the source code to the openEHR foundation. It was adopted as the openEHR Java Reference Implementation in March 2005 and released under open source licenses. This encourages early EHR implementation projects around the world and a number of groups have already started to use this code. The early Java implementation experience has also led to the publication of the openEHR Java Implementation Technology Specification. A number of design changes to the specifications and important minor corrections have been directly initiated by the implementation project over the last two years. The Java Implementation has been important for the validation and improvement of the openEHR design specifications and provides building blocks for future EHR systems.

A BAYESIAN ANALYSIS OF SPARROW. (R830883)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

77 FR 44682 - Investigations Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-30

.../13/12] Date of Date of TA-W Subject firm (petitioners) Location institution petition 81784 SCHAWK Retail Marketing Chicago, IL 07/09/12 07/06/12 (Workers). 81785 DTE Energy (State/One-Stop) Sparrows...

Dynamic SPARROW Modeling of Nitrogen Flux with Climate and MODIS Vegetation Indices as Drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, R. A.; Brakebill, J.; Schwarz, G.; Alexander, R. B.; Hirsch, R. M.; Nolin, A. W.; Macauley, M.; Zhang, Q.; Shih, J.; Wang, W.; Sproles, E.

2011-12-01

SPARROW models are widely used to identify and quantify the sources of contaminants in watersheds and to predict their flux and concentration at specified locations downstream. Conventional SPARROW models are statistically calibrated and describe the average relationship between sources and stream conditions based on long-term water quality monitoring data and spatially-referenced explanatory information. But many watershed management issues stem from intra- and inter-annual changes in contaminant sources, hydrologic forcing, or other environmental conditions which cause a temporary imbalance between inputs and stream water quality. Dynamic behavior of the system relating to changes in watershed storage and processing then becomes important. In this study, we describe a dynamically calibrated SPARROW model of total nitrogen flux in the Potomac River Basin based on seasonal water quality and watershed input data for 80 monitoring stations over the period 2000 to 2008. One challenge in dynamic modeling of reactive nitrogen is obtaining frequently-reported, spatially-detailed input data on the phenology of agricultural production and terrestrial vegetation. In this NASA-funded research, we use the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and gross primary productivity data from the Terra Satellite-borne MODIS sensor to parameterize seasonal uptake and release of nitrogen. The spatial reference frame of the model is a 16,000-reach, 1:100,000-scale stream network, and the computational time step is seasonal. Precipitation and temperature data are from PRISM. The model formulation allows for separate storage compartments for nonpoint sources including fertilized cropland, pasture, urban land, and atmospheric deposition. Removal of nitrogen from watershed storage to stream channels and to "permanent" sinks (deep groundwater and the atmosphere) occur as parallel first-order processes. We use the model to explore an important issue in nutrient management in the Potomac and other basins: the long-term response of total nitrogen flux to changing climate. We model the nitrogen flux response to projected seasonal and inter-annual changes in temperature and precipitation, but under current seasonal nitrogen inputs, as indicated by MODIS measures of productivity. Under these constant inter-annual inputs, changing temperature and precipitation is predicted to lead to flux changes as temporary basin stores of nitrogen either grow or shrink due to changing relative rates of nitrogen removal to the atmosphere and release to streams.

A Regional Assessment of the Effects of Conservation Practices on In-stream Water Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, A. M.; Alexander, R. B.; Arnold, J.; Norfleet, L.; Robertson, D. M.; White, M.

2011-12-01

The Conservation Effects Assessment Program (CEAP), initiated by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has the goal of quantifying the environmental benefits of agricultural conservation practices. As part of this effort, detailed farmer surveys were compiled to document the adoption of conservation practices. Survey data showed that up to 38 percent of cropland in the Upper Mississippi River basin is managed to reduce sediment, nutrient and pesticide loads from agricultural activities. The broader effects of these practices on downstream water quality are challenging to quantify. The USDA-NRCS recently reported results of a study that combined farmer surveys with process-based models to deduce the effect of conservation practices on sediment and chemical loads in farm runoff and downstream waters. As a follow-up collaboration, USGS and USDA scientists conducted a semi-empirical assessment of the same suite of practices using the USGS SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) modeling framework. SPARROW is a hybrid statistical and mechanistic stream water quality model of annual conditions that has been used extensively in studies of nutrient sources and delivery. In this assessment, the USDA simulations of the effects of conservation practices on loads in farm runoff were used as an explanatory variable (i.e., change in farm loads per unit area) in a component of an existing a SPARROW model of the Upper Midwest. The model was then re-calibrated and tested to determine whether the USDA estimate of conservation adoption intensity explained a statistically significant proportion of the spatial variability in stream nutrient loads in the Upper Mississippi River basin. The results showed that the suite of conservation practices that NRCS has catalogued as complete nutrient and sediment management are a statistically significant feature in the Midwestern landscape associated with phosphorous runoff and delivery to downstream waters. Effects on the delivery of nitrogen will be also be studied. Estimates of the magnitude of this effect using SPARROW indicated that phosphorus load reductions ranged from about 2 - 38% for various spatial scales. This is less than reported by the USDA CEAP simulations, which ranged from 15 - 49%. Nevertheless, the results indicated that conservation practices play a significant role in reducing phosphorus pollution from agricultural activities to downstream receiving water bodies.

Subduction erosion off central Java: transition from accretion to erosion manifested by wide-angle seismic studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wittwer, A.; Flueh, E.; Rabbel, W.; Wagner, D.

2006-12-01

In this study, offshore wide-angle data acquired by ocean bottom instruments of a combined onshore- offshore investigation of the tectonic framework of central Java will be presented. The joint interdisciplinary project MERAMEX (Merapi Amphibious Experiment) was carried out in order to characterize the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate beneath Eurasia. The interpretation of three wide-angle data profiles, modelled with forward raytracing, indicates that the subduction of the Roo Rise with its thickened oceanic crust strongly influences the subduction zone. The dip angle of the downgoing oceanic plate is 10° and its crustal thickness increases to the east from 8 km to 9 km between both dip profiles off central Java. Large scale forearc uplift is manifested in isolated forearc highs, reaching water depths of only 1000 m compared to 2000 m water depth off western Java, and results from oceanic basement relief subduction. A broad band of seamounts trends E-W at approximately 10°S. Its incipient subduction off central Java causes frontal erosion of the margin here and leads to mass wasting due to oversteepening of the upper trench wall. A suite of wide-angle profiles off southern Sumatra to central Java indicates a clear change in the tectonic environment between longitude 108°E and 109°E. The well-developed accretionary wedge off southern Sumatra and western Java changes into a small frontal prism with steep slope angles of the upper plate off central Java.

Automatic Web-based Calibration of Network-Capable Shipboard Sensors

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

Server, Java , Applet, and Servlet . 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT Unclassified 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE...49 b. Sensor Applet...........................................................................49 3. Java Servlet ...Table 1. Required System Environment Variables for Java Servlet Development. ......25 Table 2. Payload Data Format of the POST Requests from

Paintbrush of Discovery: Using Java Applets to Enhance Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eason, Ray; Heath, Garrett

2004-01-01

This article addresses the enhancement of the learning environment by using Java applets in the mathematics classroom. Currently, the first year mathematics program at the United States Military Academy involves one semester of modeling with discrete dynamical systems (DDS). Several faculty members from the Academy have integrated Java applets…

JAVA CLASSES FOR NONPROCEDURAL VARIOGRAM MONITORING. JOURNAL OF COMPUTERS AND GEOSCIENCE

EPA Science Inventory

NRMRL-ADA-00229 Faulkner*, B.P. Java Classes for Nonprocedural Variogram Monitoring. Journal of Computers and Geosciences ( Elsevier Science, Ltd.) 28:387-397 (2002). EPA/600/J-02/235. A set of Java classes was written for variogram modeling to support research for US EPA's Reg...

Development, Deployment, and Cost Effectiveness of a Self-Administered Stereo Non Mydriatic Automated Retinal Camera (SNARC) Containing Automated Retinal Lesion (ARL) Detection Using Adaptive Optics

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

Requirements Application Server  BEA Weblogic Express 9.2 or higher  Java v5Apache Struts v2  Hibernate v2  C3PO  SQL*Net client / JDBC Database Server...designed for the desktop o An HTML and JavaScript browser-based front end designed for mobile Smartphones - A Java -based framework utilizing Apache...Technology Requirements The recommended technologies are as follows: Technology Use Requirements Java Application Provides the backend application

Malware Memory Analysis for Non-Specialists: Investigating Publicly Available Memory Image for the Stuxnet Worm

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-11-01

may be considered moderately suspicious. [20, 21, 22 and 23] PID 1580 (jqs.exe) is using port 5152, a port associated to with Java Quick Starter [26...spoolsv.exe 0x01000000 True False True \\WINDOWS\\system32\\spoolsv.exe 1580 jqs.exe 0x00400000 True False True \\Program Files\\ Java \\jre6\\bin\\jqs.exe 1664...Files\\ Java \\ Java Update\\jusched.exe 1816 VMUpgradeHelp er 0x00400000 True False True \\Program Files\\VMware\\VMware Tools\\VMUpgradeHelper.exe 1872

jmzML, an open-source Java API for mzML, the PSI standard for MS data.

PubMed

Côté, Richard G; Reisinger, Florian; Martens, Lennart

2010-04-01

We here present jmzML, a Java API for the Proteomics Standards Initiative mzML data standard. Based on the Java Architecture for XML Binding and XPath-based XML indexer random-access XML parser, jmzML can handle arbitrarily large files in minimal memory, allowing easy and efficient processing of mzML files using the Java programming language. jmzML also automatically resolves internal XML references on-the-fly. The library (which includes a viewer) can be downloaded from http://jmzml.googlecode.com.

Improving the interactivity and functionality of Web-based radiology teaching files with the Java programming language.

PubMed

Eng, J

1997-01-01

Java is a programming language that runs on a "virtual machine" built into World Wide Web (WWW)-browsing programs on multiple hardware platforms. Web pages were developed with Java to enable Web-browsing programs to overlay transparent graphics and text on displayed images so that the user could control the display of labels and annotations on the images, a key feature not available with standard Web pages. This feature was extended to include the presentation of normal radiologic anatomy. Java programming was also used to make Web browsers compatible with the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) file format. By enhancing the functionality of Web pages, Java technology should provide greater incentive for using a Web-based approach in the development of radiology teaching material.

Java Programming Language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaykhian, Gholam Ali

2007-01-01

The Java seminar covers the fundamentals of Java programming language. No prior programming experience is required for participation in the seminar. The first part of the seminar covers introductory concepts in Java programming including data types (integer, character, ..), operators, functions and constants, casts, input, output, control flow, scope, conditional statements, and arrays. Furthermore, introduction to Object-Oriented programming in Java, relationships between classes, using packages, constructors, private data and methods, final instance fields, static fields and methods, and overloading are explained. The second part of the seminar covers extending classes, inheritance hierarchies, polymorphism, dynamic binding, abstract classes, protected access. The seminar conclude by introducing interfaces, properties of interfaces, interfaces and abstract classes, interfaces and cailbacks, basics of event handling, user interface components with swing, applet basics, converting applications to applets, the applet HTML tags and attributes, exceptions and debugging.

Tooth enamel surface micro-hardness with dual species Streptococcus biofilm after exposure to Java turmeric (Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb.) extract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isjwara, F. R. G.; Hasanah, S. N.; Utami, Sri; Suniarti, D. F.

2017-08-01

Streptococcus biofilm on tooth surfaces can decrease mouth environment pH, thus causing enamel demineralization that can lead to dental caries. Java Turmeric extract has excellent antibacterial effects and can maintain S. mutans biofilm pH at neutral levels for 4 hours. To analyze the effect of Java Turmeric extract on tooth enamel micro-hardness, the Java Turmeric extract was added on enamel tooth samples with Streptococcus dual species biofilm (S. sanguinis and S. mutans). The micro-hardness of enamel was measured by Knoop Hardness Tester. Results showed that Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb. could not maintain tooth enamel surface micro-hardness. It is concluded that Java Turmeric extract ethanol could not inhibit the hardness of enamel with Streptococcus dual species biofilm.

A Java-Enabled Interactive Graphical Gas Turbine Propulsion System Simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, John A.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

1997-01-01

This paper describes a gas turbine simulation system which utilizes the newly developed Java language environment software system. The system provides an interactive graphical environment which allows the quick and efficient construction and analysis of arbitrary gas turbine propulsion systems. The simulation system couples a graphical user interface, developed using the Java Abstract Window Toolkit, and a transient, space- averaged, aero-thermodynamic gas turbine analysis method, both entirely coded in the Java language. The combined package provides analytical, graphical and data management tools which allow the user to construct and control engine simulations by manipulating graphical objects on the computer display screen. Distributed simulations, including parallel processing and distributed database access across the Internet and World-Wide Web (WWW), are made possible through services provided by the Java environment.

The effect of green supply chain management implementation to marketing performance through company competitiveness (study on paper industry in West Java)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hijuzaman, O.; Rahayu, A.; Kusnendi

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the effect of direct and indirect implementation of Green Supply-Chain Management (GSCM) on the Performance Marketing and Competitiveness Mediation Paper Company in West Java province. Object This research is the paper company that existed in West Java Province, which amounts to 30 companies as well as a sample of research, while variables studied are Variable Green Supply- Chain Management, Company Competitiveness Variable and Variable of Paper Marketing Industry Performance in West Java Province. The method used SEM with Variance Based or Component Based with Software used is SmartPLS 3.0. On this research are identified that no effect of Competitiveness on Marketing Performance in Paper Companies in West Java Province.

FastScript3D - A Companion to Java 3D

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, Patti

2005-01-01

FastScript3D is a computer program, written in the Java 3D(TM) programming language, that establishes an alternative language that helps users who lack expertise in Java 3D to use Java 3D for constructing three-dimensional (3D)-appearing graphics. The FastScript3D language provides a set of simple, intuitive, one-line text-string commands for creating, controlling, and animating 3D models. The first word in a string is the name of a command; the rest of the string contains the data arguments for the command. The commands can also be used as an aid to learning Java 3D. Developers can extend the language by adding custom text-string commands. The commands can define new 3D objects or load representations of 3D objects from files in formats compatible with such other software systems as X3D. The text strings can be easily integrated into other languages. FastScript3D facilitates communication between scripting languages [which enable programming of hyper-text markup language (HTML) documents to interact with users] and Java 3D. The FastScript3D language can be extended and customized on both the scripting side and the Java 3D side.

Annual risks of tuberculous infection in East Nusa Tenggara and Central Java Provinces, Indonesia.

PubMed

Bachtiar, A; Miko, T Y; Machmud, R; Besral, B; Yudarini, P; Mehta, F; Chadha, V K; Basri, C; Loprang, F; Jitendra, R

2009-01-01

East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and Central Java Provinces, Indonesia. To estimate the average annual risk of tuberculous infection (ARTI) among school children aged 6-9 years in each province. Children attending Classes 1-4 in 65 schools in NTT and 79 in Central Java, selected by two-stage sampling, were intradermally administered 2 tuberculin units of purified protein derivative RT23 with Tween 80 on the mid-volar aspect of the left forearm. The maximum transverse diameter of induration was measured 72 h later. The analysis was carried out among 5479 satisfactorily test-read children in NTT and 6943 in Central Java. One hundred and fifty-five new sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases (78 in NTT and 77 in Central Java) were also tuberculin tested. Based on the frequency distribution of reaction sizes among the children and PTB cases, the prevalence of infection was estimated by the mirror-image method using the modes of tuberculous reactions at 15 and 17 mm. Using the 15 mm mode, ARTI was estimated at 1% in NTT and 0.9% in Central Java. Using the 17 mm mode, ARTI was estimated at 0.5% in NTT and 0.4% in Central Java. Transmission of tuberculous infection may be further reduced by intensification of tuberculosis control efforts.

FPV: fast protein visualization using Java 3D.

PubMed

Can, Tolga; Wang, Yujun; Wang, Yuan-Fang; Su, Jianwen

2003-05-22

Many tools have been developed to visualize protein structures. Tools that have been based on Java 3D((TM)) are compatible among different systems and they can be run remotely through web browsers. However, using Java 3D for visualization has some performance issues with it. The primary concerns about molecular visualization tools based on Java 3D are in their being slow in terms of interaction speed and in their inability to load large molecules. This behavior is especially apparent when the number of atoms to be displayed is huge, or when several proteins are to be displayed simultaneously for comparison. In this paper we present techniques for organizing a Java 3D scene graph to tackle these problems. We have developed a protein visualization system based on Java 3D and these techniques. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method by comparing the visualization component of our system with two other Java 3D based molecular visualization tools. In particular, for van der Waals display mode, with the efficient organization of the scene graph, we could achieve up to eight times improvement in rendering speed and could load molecules three times as large as the previous systems could. EPV is freely available with source code at the following URL: http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/~tcan/fpv/

JAtlasView: a Java atlas-viewer for browsing biomedical 3D images and atlases.

PubMed

Feng, Guangjie; Burton, Nick; Hill, Bill; Davidson, Duncan; Kerwin, Janet; Scott, Mark; Lindsay, Susan; Baldock, Richard

2005-03-09

Many three-dimensional (3D) images are routinely collected in biomedical research and a number of digital atlases with associated anatomical and other information have been published. A number of tools are available for viewing this data ranging from commercial visualization packages to freely available, typically system architecture dependent, solutions. Here we discuss an atlas viewer implemented to run on any workstation using the architecture neutral Java programming language. We report the development of a freely available Java based viewer for 3D image data, descibe the structure and functionality of the viewer and how automated tools can be developed to manage the Java Native Interface code. The viewer allows arbitrary re-sectioning of the data and interactive browsing through the volume. With appropriately formatted data, for example as provided for the Electronic Atlas of the Developing Human Brain, a 3D surface view and anatomical browsing is available. The interface is developed in Java with Java3D providing the 3D rendering. For efficiency the image data is manipulated using the Woolz image-processing library provided as a dynamically linked module for each machine architecture. We conclude that Java provides an appropriate environment for efficient development of these tools and techniques exist to allow computationally efficient image-processing libraries to be integrated relatively easily.

Avian use of scoria rock outcrops

Treesearch

Mark A. Rumble

1987-01-01

Avian use of scoria outcrop habitats was compared to use of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)/grassland habitats. Outcrop habitats exhibited higher species richness, total population density, density of lark sparrows (Chondestres grammucus), and density of rock wrens (Salpinctes obsoetus). Western meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta...

USING SPARROW MODEL RESULTS TO ASSIST WITH COASTAL WATER ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) has proposed a national strategy for research and monitoring in support of coastal water assessment that involves three tiers: Problem Characterization (Tier 1), involving probabilistic surveys to document broad-scale response properties; D...

Chehalis River Floodplain Land Cover Mapping between Aberdeen and Montesano, Washington,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

Lutra canadensis), mink (Mustela vison), coyote (Canis latrans), raccoon (Procyon lotor), long-tailed weasel (Mustela freneta ,7opossun ( Didelphis ... marsupialis ), black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus), mallards, American widgeons, green-winged teals, song sparrows, sharp-shinned hawks, and

Developmental Process Model for the Java Intelligent Tutoring System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sykes, Edward

2007-01-01

The Java Intelligent Tutoring System (JITS) was designed and developed to support the growing trend of Java programming around the world. JITS is an advanced web-based personalized tutoring system that is unique in several ways. Most programming Intelligent Tutoring Systems require the teacher to author problems with corresponding solutions. JITS,…

Developing Interactive Educational Engineering Software for the World Wide Web with Java.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, John A.; Afjeh, Abdollah A.

1998-01-01

Illustrates the design and implementation of a Java applet for use in educational propulsion engineering curricula. The Java Gas Turbine Simulator applet provides an interactive graphical environment which allows the rapid, efficient construction and analysis of arbitrary gas turbine systems. The simulator can be easily accessed from the World…