DOCSLIB.ORG

Badlands National Park Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Badlands National Park Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Badlands National Park Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Natural Resource Report NPS/BADL/NRR—2012/505 ON THE COVER Overlooking the Badlands Wilderness Area in Badlands National Park Photograph by: Shannon Amberg, SMUMN GSS. Badlands National Park Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Natural Resource Report NPS/BADL/NRR—2012/505 Shannon Amberg1 Kathy Kilkus1 Sarah Gardner1 John E. Gross2 Melanie Wood2 Barry Drazkowski1 1 GeoSpatial Services Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota 700 Terrace Heights, Box #7 Winona, Minnesota 55987 2National Park Service 1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 150 Fort Collins, Colorado 80525 April 2012 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate high-priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive issues of management applicability. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available from the Northern Great Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network and the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/). Please cite this publication as: Amberg, S., K. Kilkus, S. Gardner, J. E. Gross, M. Wood, and B. Drazkowski. 2012. Badlands National Park: Climate change vulnerability assessment. Natural Resource Report NPS/BADL/NRR—2012/505. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 137/113535, April 2012 ii Contents Page Figures............................................................................................................................................ xi Tables ........................................................................................................................................... xiv Plates .......................................................................................................................................... xviii Photos ............................................................................................................................................ xx Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... xxiii Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................... xxviii Acronyms and Abbreviations .................................................................................................... xxix Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 A Need for Vulnerability Assessment ..................................................................................... 1 Objectives for BADL Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment .......................................... 2 What is a climate change vulnerability assessment? ............................................................... 3 Background of Badlands National Park .................................................................................. 3 Park History and Purpose.................................................................................................... 3 Visitation Statistics ............................................................................................................. 4 Geographic Setting.............................................................................................................. 4 Organization of Report ............................................................................................................ 5 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................ 7 Chapter 2 Project Methodology ...................................................................................................... 9 Project Scoping ........................................................................................................................ 9 Project Boundary ..................................................................................................................... 9 Historical Climate Patterns and Future Climate Projections ................................................. 10 Evaluating historical climate patterns ............................................................................... 10 Creating Climate Change Projections ............................................................................... 11 iii Contents (continued) Page Assessing Vulnerability to Climate Change .......................................................................... 11 Target Resources for Assessment ..................................................................................... 11 Assessing Natural Resources – Plant Community Level .................................................. 13 Assessing Natural Resources – Species Level .................................................................. 17 Assessing Culturally Significant Plants and Animals ....................................................... 21 Assessing Cultural Resources ........................................................................................... 21 Literature Cited ...................................................................................................................... 24 Chapter 3 Badlands Historic and Projected Climate Summary .................................................... 26 Historical Climate Patterns .................................................................................................... 26 Reference Period ............................................................................................................... 27 Climate Trends .................................................................................................................. 28 Projected Climate Trends ...................................................................................................... 33 Literature Cited ...................................................................................................................... 38 Chapter 4 Vulnerability Assessments ........................................................................................... 46 4.1.1 Woodlands .................................................................................................................... 47 Summary: .......................................................................................................................... 47 Description ........................................................................................................................ 47 Climate Change Vulnerability .......................................................................................... 51 Literature Cited ................................................................................................................. 55 4.1.2 Shrublands .................................................................................................................... 61 Summary: .......................................................................................................................... 61 Description ........................................................................................................................ 61 Climate Change Vulnerability .......................................................................................... 64 iv Contents (continued) Page Literature Cited ................................................................................................................. 68 4.1.3 Grasslands ..................................................................................................................... 73 Summary: .......................................................................................................................... 73 Description ........................................................................................................................ 73 Climate Change Vulnerability .......................................................................................... 81 Literature Cited ................................................................................................................. 89 4.1.4 Sparse Badlands ...........................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Standardized National Vegetation Classification System Report
    USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Standardized National Vegetation Classification System - Final Draft Final Draft Standardized National Vegetation Classification System USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program November 1994 Prepared for: United States Department of Interior United States Geological Survey and National Park Service Prepared By: The Nature Conservancy 1815 N. Lynn Street Arlington, Virginia 22209 Environmental Systems Research Institute 380 New York Street Redlands, California 92373 USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program Standardized National Vegetation Classification System - Final Draft ESRI, ARC/INFO, PC ARC/INFO, ArcView, and ArcCAD are registered trademarks of Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. ARC/INFO COGO, ARC/INFO NETWORK, ARC/INFO TIN, ARC/INFO GRID, ARC/INFO LIBRARIAN, ARCSHELL, ARCEDIT, ARCPLOT, ARC Macro Language (AML), Simple Macro Language (SML), DATABASE INTEGRATOR, IMAGE INTEGRATOR, WorkStation ARC/INFO, ArcBrowser, ArcCensus, ARC News, ArcKits, ARCware, ArcCity, ArcDoc, ArcExpress, ArcFrame, ArcScan, ArcScene, ArcSchool, ArcSdl, ArcStorm, ArcTools, ArcUSA, ArcWorld, Avenue, FormEdit, Geographic User Interface (GUI), Geographic User System (GUS), Geographic Table of Contents (GTC), ARC Development Framework (ADF), PC ARCEDIT, PC ARCPLOT, PC ARCSHELL, PC OVERLAY, PC NETWORK, PC DATA CONVERSION, PC STARTER KIT, TABLES, University LAB KIT, the ESRI corporate logo, the ARC/INFO logo, the PC ARC/INFO logo, the ArcView logo, the ArcCAD logo, the ArcData logo, ESRI—Team GIS, and ESRI—The GIS People are trademarks of Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. ARCMAIL, ArcData, and Rent-a-Tech are service marks of Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. Other companies and products herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners. The information contained in any associated brochures is subject to change without notice.
    [Show full text]
  • Spatial Vision in Band-Winged Grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Oedipodinae)
    Spatial vision in band-winged grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Oedipodinae) A Senior Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Organismal Biology and Ecology, Colorado College By Alexander B. Duncan Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organismal Biology and Ecology May, 2017 Approved by: _________________________________________ Dr. Nicholas Brandley Primary Thesis Advisor ________________________________________ Dr. Emilie Gray Secondary Thesis Advisor ABSTRACT Visual acuity, the ability to resolve fine spatial details, can vary dramatically between and within insect species. Body-size, sex, behavior, and ecological niche are all factors that may influence an insect’s acuity. Band-winged grasshoppers (Oedipodinae) are a subfamily of grasshoppers characterized by their colorfully patterned hindwings. Although researchers have anecdotally suggested that this color pattern may attract mates, few studies have examined the visual acuity of these animals, and none have examined its implications on intraspecific signaling. Here, we compare the visual acuity of three bandwing species: Dissosteira carolina, Arphia pseudonietana, and Spharagemon equale. To measure acuity in these species we used a modified radius of curvature estimation (RCE) technique. Visual acuity was significantly coarser 1) in males compared to females, 2) parallel to the horizon compared to the perpendicular, and 3) in S. equale compared to other bandwings. Unlike many insect families, body size within a species did not correlate with visual acuity. To examine the functional implications of these results, we modeled the appearance of different bandwing patterns to conspecifics. These results suggest that hind- wing patterning could only be used as a signal to conspecifics at short distances (<50cm). This study furthers the exploration of behavior and the evolution of visual systems in bandwings.
    [Show full text]
  • Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Management Plan
    Badlands National Park – North Unit Environmental Assessment U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Badlands National Park, North Unit Pennington and Jackson Counties, South Dakota Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Management Plan Environmental Assessment August 2007 Badlands National Park – North Unit Environmental Assessment National Park Service Prairie Dog Management Plan U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Management Plan Environmental Assessment Badlands National Park, North Unit Pennington and Jackson Counties, South Dakota Executive Summary The U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service (NPS) proposes to implement a comprehensive black-tailed prairie dog management plan for the North Unit of Badlands National Park where prairie dog populations have increased from approximately 2,070 acres in 1979 to 6,363 acres in 2006, or 11% of the approximately 60,000 acres of available suitable habitat. The principal objectives of the management plan are to ensure that the black-tailed prairie dog is maintained in its role as a keystone species in the mixed-grass prairie ecosystem on the North Unit, while providing strategies to effectively manage instances of prairie dog encroachment onto adjacent private lands. The plan also seeks to manage the North Unit’s prairie dog populations to sustain numbers sufficient to survive unpredictable events that may cause high mortality, such as sylvatic plague, while at the same time allowing park managers to meet management goals for other North Unit resources. Primary considerations in developing the plan include conservation of the park’s natural processes and conditions, identification of effective tools for prairie dog management, implementing strategies to deal with prairie dog encroachment onto adjacent private lands, and protection of human health and safety.
    [Show full text]
  • Hyracodons and Subhyracodons Early Rhinoceros by Ryan C
    The Fossils of the White River Badlands http://whiteriver.weebly.com/hyracodons.html Hyracodons and Subhyracodons Early rhinoceros by Ryan C. The discovery of rhinoceros in the Badlands of the American West was very exciting, most people never suspecting that such primitive forms of rhinoceros existed in North America. Today, living rhinoceroses consist of four genera that contain five species. Two are found in Africa; three others are restricted to Asia. Most are browsing animals but the largest species, the white rhinoceros of Africa, is a grazer. All living species possess "horns" that are composed of keratinized hair which decomposes at death and are not normally preserved in the fossil record. Although most New World rhinoceroses did not have horns, the widely distributed, males of the pig-sized Menoceros of the early Miocene had a lateral pair of horns. In North America, "rhinoceroses" of three similar lineages appeared from Asia during the Middle Eocene. Consisting of hippo-like Amynodontidae, "running rhinos" or Hyracodontidae, and true rhinoceroses, Rhinocerotidae, only true rhinoceroses adapted and diversified enough to survive into the early Pliocene. Amynodontids entered North America during the Bridgerian NALMA. Apparently adapted for a warm humid environment typified by lush forests, most amynodontids physically and ecologically resembled the hippopotamus of Africa. Remaining undiversified, only four genera are recognized and three of them contain but a single species. The massive and best known species is Metamynodon planifrons, a form characterized by having massive teeth with large tusks that give it the appearance of a hippopotamus. Some skeletons were 10 ft in length. Due to their skull structure, some believe this group supported a proboscis similar to that of a modern tapir.
    [Show full text]
  • Impacts of Agricultural Management Systems on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Highly Simplified Dryland Landscapes
    sustainability Review Impacts of Agricultural Management Systems on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Highly Simplified Dryland Landscapes Subodh Adhikari 1,2,* , Arjun Adhikari 3,4, David K. Weaver 1 , Anton Bekkerman 5 and Fabian D. Menalled 1,* 1 Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173120, Bozeman, MT 59717-3120, USA; [email protected] 2 Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology; 875 Perimeter Drive MS 2329, Moscow, ID 83844-2329, USA 3 Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT 59717-3460, USA; [email protected] 4 Natural Resource Ecology and Management, 008C Agricultural Hall, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA 5 Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics, P.O. Box 172920, Bozeman, MT 59717-3460, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] (S.A.); [email protected] (F.D.M.) Received: 2 May 2019; Accepted: 9 June 2019; Published: 11 June 2019 Abstract: Covering about 40% of Earth’s land surface and sustaining at least 38% of global population, drylands are key crop and animal production regions with high economic and social values. However,land use changes associated with industrialized agricultural managements are threatening the sustainability of these systems. While previous studies assessing the impacts of agricultural management systems on biodiversity and their services focused on more diversified mesic landscapes, there is a dearth of such research
    [Show full text]
  • Biological Survey of a Prairie Landscape in Montana's Glaciated
    Biological Survey of a Prairie Landscape in Montanas Glaciated Plains Final Report Prepared for: Bureau of Land Management Prepared by: Stephen V. Cooper, Catherine Jean and Paul Hendricks December, 2001 Biological Survey of a Prairie Landscape in Montanas Glaciated Plains Final Report 2001 Montana Natural Heritage Program Montana State Library P.O. Box 201800 Helena, Montana 59620-1800 (406) 444-3009 BLM Agreement number 1422E930A960015 Task Order # 25 This document should be cited as: Cooper, S. V., C. Jean and P. Hendricks. 2001. Biological Survey of a Prairie Landscape in Montanas Glaciated Plains. Report to the Bureau of Land Management. Montana Natural Heritage Pro- gram, Helena. 24 pp. plus appendices. Executive Summary Throughout much of the Great Plains, grasslands limited number of Black-tailed Prairie Dog have been converted to agricultural production colonies that provide breeding sites for Burrow- and as a result, tall-grass prairie has been ing Owls. Swift Fox now reoccupies some reduced to mere fragments. While more intact, portions of the landscape following releases the loss of mid - and short- grass prairie has lead during the last decade in Canada. Great Plains to a significant reduction of prairie habitat Toad and Northern Leopard Frog, in decline important for grassland obligate species. During elsewhere, still occupy some wetlands and the last few decades, grassland nesting birds permanent streams. Additional surveys will have shown consistently steeper population likely reveal the presence of other vertebrate declines over a wider geographic area than any species, especially amphibians, reptiles, and other group of North American bird species small mammals, of conservation concern in (Knopf 1994), and this alarming trend has been Montana.
    [Show full text]
  • Threatened and Endangered Species Coorespondence
    APPENDIXF THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES CORRESPONDENCE INTRODUCTION Forest Service policy regarding Biological Evaluaitons is summarized in Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2672.4. The intent of the Bilogical Evaluation process is to assess the potential impacts of propsed management activities, and ensure that such activities will not jeopardize the continued existence of: 1. Species listed, or proposed to be listed, as Engangered or Threatened by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 2. Species designated as sensitive by the Regional Forester. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT Project Area The Sioux Ranger District proposes to update allotment management plans for 11 domestic livestock allotments on National Forest System lands in the North and South Cave Hills and East Short Pine land units. The decision associated with this proposal and analysis wi" determine where livestock can graze, when grazing wi" occur and what specific guidelines will be established to regulate the intensity (timing and duration) of grazing. The analysis area includes about 17,700 National Forest acres. The climate is continental and semi-arid, with large seasonal and daily temperature variations being common. Most of the rainfall during the summer is from thunderstorms; flash flooding can occur form the more severe thunderstorms. Streamflow is erratic with most streams being intermittant in nature. Ecological units include hardwood draws, Ponderosa bench and slope, upland, rolling, and table top grassland, rockland, and rimrocks. Detailed information regarding plant community composition and location is found elsewhere in the environmental analysis for this proposed action. Field surveys have been conducted within or adjacent to the project area by Linda Spencer, Kim Reid, Jeff DiBenedetto, and Tim McGarvey during the 2001 field season (s).
    [Show full text]
  • Invertebrate Distribution and Diversity Assessment at the U. S. Army Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site a Report to the U
    Invertebrate Distribution and Diversity Assessment at the U. S. Army Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site A report to the U. S. Army and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service G. J. Michels, Jr., J. L. Newton, H. L. Lindon, and J. A. Brazille Texas AgriLife Research 2301 Experiment Station Road Bushland, TX 79012 2008 Report Introductory Notes The invertebrate survey in 2008 presented an interesting challenge. Extremely dry conditions prevailed throughout most of the adult activity period for the invertebrates and grass fires occurred several times throughout the summer. By visual assessment, plant resources were scarce compared to last year, with few green plants and almost no flowering plants. Eight habitats and nine sites continued to be sampled in 2008. The Ponderosa pine/ yellow indiangrass site was removed from the study after the low numbers of species and individuals collected there in 2007. All other sites from the 2007 survey were included in the 2008 survey. We also discontinued the collection of Coccinellidae in the 2008 survey, as only 98 individuals from four species were collected in 2007. Pitfall and malaise trapping were continued in the same way as the 2007 survey. Sweep net sampling was discontinued to allow time for Asilidae and Orthoptera timed surveys consisting of direct collection of individuals with a net. These surveys were conducted in the same way as the time constrained butterfly (Papilionidea and Hesperoidea) surveys, with 15-minute intervals for each taxanomic group. This was sucessful when individuals were present, but the dry summer made it difficult to assess the utility of these techniques because of overall low abundance of insects.
    [Show full text]
  • The Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Interval in Badlands National Park, South Dakota
    The Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Interval in Badlands National Park, South Dakota Philip W. Stoffer1 Paula Messina John A. Chamberlain, Jr. Dennis O. Terry, Jr. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 01-56 2001 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Gale A. Norton, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Charles G. Groat, Director The Cretaceous/Tertiary (K-T) boundary study interval at the Rainbow Colors Overlook along Badlands Loop Road, North Unit of Badlands National Park. This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) editorial standards or with the North American Stratigraphic Code. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 1345 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025 http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of01-056/ ABSTRACT A marine K-T boundary interval has been identified throughout the Badlands National Park region of South Dakota. Data from marine sediments suggest that deposits from two asteroid impacts (one close, one far away) may be preserved in the Badlands. These impact- generated deposits may represent late Maestrichtian events or possibly the terminal K-T event. Interpretation is supported by paleontological correlation, sequence stratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and strontium isotope geochronology. This research is founded on nearly a decade of NPS approved field work in Badlands National Park and a foundation of previously published data and interpretations. The K-T boundary occurs within
    [Show full text]
  • Eriogonum Visheri A
    Eriogonum visheri A. Nelson (Visher’s buckwheat): A Technical Conservation Assessment Prepared for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project December 18, 2006 Juanita A. R. Ladyman, Ph.D. JnJ Associates LLC 6760 S. Kit Carson Cir E. Centennial, CO 80122 Peer Review Administered by Center for Plant Conservation Ladyman, J.A.R. (2006, December 18). Eriogonum visheri A. Nelson (Visher’s buckwheat): a technical conservation assessment. [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region. Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/ projects/scp/assessments/eriogonumvisheri.pdf [date of access]. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The time spent and help given by all the people and institutions listed in the reference section are gratefully acknowledged. I would also like to thank the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, in particular Christine Dirk, and the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, in particular David Ode, for their generosity in making their records, reports, and photographs available. I thank the Montana Natural Heritage Program, particularly Martin Miller, Mark Gabel of the Black Hills University Herbarium, Robert Tatina of the Dakota Wesleyan University, Christine Niezgoda of the Field Museum of Natural History, Carrie Kiel Academy of Natural Sciences, Dave Dyer of the University of Montana Herbarium, Caleb Morse of the R.L. McGregor Herbarium, Robert Kaul of the C. E. Bessey Herbarium, John La Duke of the University of North Dakota Herbarium, Joe Washington of the Dakota National Grasslands, and Doug Sargent of the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands - Region 2, for the information they provided. I also appreciate the access to files and assistance given to me by Andrew Kratz, Region 2 USDA Forest Service, and Chuck Davis, U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Paleobiology of Archaeohippus (Mammalia; Equidae), a Three-Toed Horse from the Oligocene-Miocene of North America
    PALEOBIOLOGY OF ARCHAEOHIPPUS (MAMMALIA; EQUIDAE), A THREE-TOED HORSE FROM THE OLIGOCENE-MIOCENE OF NORTH AMERICA JAY ALFRED O’SULLIVAN A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2002 Copyright 2002 by Jay Alfred O’Sullivan This study is dedicated to my wife, Kym. She provided all of the love, strength, patience, and encouragement I needed to get this started and to see it through to completion. She also provided me with the incentive to make this investment of time and energy in the pursuit of my dream to become a scientist and teacher. That incentive comes with a variety of names - Sylvan, Joanna, Quinn. This effort is dedicated to them also. Additionally, I would like to recognize the people who planted the first seeds of a dream that has come to fruition - my parents, Joseph and Joan. Support (emotional, and financial!) came to my rescue also from my other parents—Dot O’Sullivan, Jim Jaffe and Leslie Sewell, Bill and Lois Grigsby, and Jerry Sewell. To all of these people, this work is dedicated, with love. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank Dr. Bruce J. MacFadden for suggesting that I take a look at an interesting little fossil horse, for always having fresh ideas when mine were dry, and for keeping me moving ever forward. I thank also Drs. S. David Webb and Riehard C. Hulbert Jr. for completing the Triple Threat of Florida Museum vertebrate paleontology. In each his own way, these three men are an inspiration for their professionalism and their scholarly devotion to Florida paleontology.
    [Show full text]
  • Mccown's Longspur (Rhynchophanes Mccownii)
    McCown’s Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii ) A Species Conservation Assessment for The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project Prepared by Melissa J. Panella Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Wildlife Division November 2012 The mission of the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project is to implement a blueprint for conserving Nebraska’s flora, fauna and natural habitats through the proactive, voluntary conservation actions of partners, communities and individuals. Purpose The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the McCown’s Longspur ( Rhynchophanes mccownii ) as a Tier I at- risk species. Some general management recommendations are made here regarding the McCown’s Longspur (MCLO); however, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of MCLO that will aid in the decision-making process or in identifying research needs for the benefit of the species. Species conservation assessments should not be stagnant documents but rather will need to be updated as new scientific information becomes available. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project focuses efforts in the state’s Biologically Unique Landscapes (BULs), but it is recommended that whenever
    [Show full text]