Current Research 2014–2015
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© Forrest Smith Current Research 2014–2015 This year’s cover features a photograph of partridge pea, a native, annual legume that is especially common on sandy rangelands of South Texas in wet years. Partridge pea is a valuable food plant for bobwhites and provides habitat to a wide variety of insects. This early successional plant is also of interest for seed source development by South Texas Natives for use in wildlife habitat restoration on sandy soils (South Texas Natives and Texas Native Seeds are the only projects of their kind in Texas that have produced certified native seeds for habitat restoration). Editor Alan M. Fedynich, Ph.D. Reports in this issue of Current Research often represent preliminary analyses, and interpretations may be modified once additional data are collected and examined. Therefore, these reports should not be cited in published or non-published works without the approval of the appropriate investigator. Use of trade names does not infer endorsement of product by TAMUK. December 2015 Report of Current Research September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015 Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Texas A&M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas Dr. Steven H. Tallant Dr. Rex Gandy President Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. G. Allen Rasmussen Dr. Fred C. Bryant Dean, Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg Leroy G. Denman, Jr. Endowed College of Agriculture, Natural Resources Director of Wildlife Research and Human Sciences CKWRI Advisory Board Gus T. Canales David W. Killam Barry Coates Roberts T. Dan Friedkin Chris C. Kleberg Stuart W. Stedman Henry R. Hamman* Tio Kleberg Buddy Temple** George C. “Tim” Hixon C. Berdon Lawrence Ben F. Vaughan, III Karen Hunke Kenneth E. Leonard Bryan Wagner A. C. “Dick” Jones, IV James A. McAllen Charles A. Williams *Chairman Ellen B. Randall **Deceased A Member of the Texas A&M University System 1 FOREWORD This year, my personal letter law firm, and practiced there until it closed in 2010. He to you will be focused on the served as legal counsel to King Ranch for 50 years from passing of a South Texas giant. 1939–1988, and served as the first non-family Chairman It was a man for whom my of the Board of King Ranch from 1990–1995. endowed position was named. The unspoiled Powderhorn Ranch, which Leroy Born in 1918, Leroy G. protected from 1936 until 2000, eventually became a Denman, Jr. passed away on conservation treasure in 2014 when it was purchased August 29th, 2015, leaving by several NGO’s. They created the Powderhorn State a legacy of influential leadership is his wake. His Park and Wildlife Management Area that is now in the family history is an amazing story of service to others, public domain and owned by Texas Parks and Wildlife a passion for what they believed in and a ranching and Department. Thus, the Denman family had a hand in conservation ethic. My namesake will be referred to preserving the 2 largest, undisturbed wildlife reserves “Leroy” throughout this essay, to avoid confusion. on the upper Texas coast. Leroy’s grandfather, Leroy Gilbert Denman, was But, from where I sit, Leroy’s service as Trustee born in Guadalupe County, Texas in 1855. From a of the Caesar Kleberg Foundation for Wildlife simple farm life growing up, his grandfather went to the Conservation from 1950 to 2013, over 63 years, was University of Virginia to study law. Upon graduation, the family’s greatest contribution. I am grateful to have he returned to Texas in 1880, practicing law for 2 years personally known Leroy from 1996 until his passing. in New Braunfels before moving to San Antonio. He The Denman legacy is remarkable, and I am humbled practiced law there and in 1894, was appointed to the and proud to hold the title of “The Leroy G. Denman, Texas Supreme Court as Associate Justice by Gov. Jr. Endowed Director of Wildlife Research.” Jim Hogg. He resigned from the Bench in 1894 and practiced law in San Antonio the rest of his life. In the early 1900s, through a bank repossession, he acquired a 54,829-acre ranch called the St. Charles Ranch on the Fred C. Bryant Leroy G. Denman, Jr. Endowed Texas coast. Leroy’s grandfather passed away in 1916. Director of Wildlife Research Leroy’s father, Leroy Denman, Sr., also became a noted lawyer in San Antonio. In the 1920s, his father became counsel to King Ranch until his death in 1950. He inherited the St. Charles Ranch and purchased a ranch called the Powderhorn in 1936, which in its heyday included some 42,000 acres. In 1937, with funds from the sale of migratory bird stamps, the federal government purchased the St. Charles Ranch to create the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge as we know it today. In 1946, Leroy’s father served as a founding Trustee of the Caesar Kleberg Foundation for Wildlife Conservation along with visionary Robert J. Kleberg, Jr., President of King Ranch, and Dr. Ernest Poteet, President of what was then, Texas A&I University. Leroy was raised in San Antonio. Leroy attended the University of Texas for both his undergraduate and law degrees. Following graduation in 1939, he first joined his father in the law firm of Denman, Franklin, and Denman. In 1942, he was recruited by the War Department to serve at the American Embassy in Guatemala and Argentina and for a time, in Washington D.C. In 1946, he rejoined his father in the prestigious 2 SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS Student Scholarships Endowed Student Fellowships Reńe Barrientos Fund for Graduate Student Tuition Sam Walton Fellowship in Quail Research Every graduate student in our program financially Holley Kline benefits from this fund. Elliot B. & Adelle Bottom Fellowship in Houston Safari Club Dan L Duncan Quail Research Scholarship Program Katherine Miller Mary Annala, John Clark, Stacy Hines, Nathaniel Huck, Anastasia Krainyk, Corey Lange, Jacob Ogdee, Masahiro Ohnishi, Andrew Olsen, Jess Y. Womack Fellowship in Wetlands and Lindsey Phillips, Lindsay Roberts Wetland Birds Anastasia Krainyk Quail Coalition Scholarship in Wildlife Management Graduate Scholarships, South Texas Chapter Walter Fondren, III Fellowship in Shorebird and Mary Annala, Kelsey Bedford, Gerardo Bezanilla- Wading Bird Research Enriquez, John Clark, Ross Couvillon, Carter Crouch, Lianne Koczur Michelle Downey, John Edwards, Anthony Henehan, Stacy Hines, Holley Kline, Lianne Koczur, Anastasia Krainyk, Mylea Lovell, Lindsey Phillips, Jose Betty and George Coates Fellowship in Remigo de la Torre-Garcia, Adam Toomey, Habitat Research Caroline Ward, Gordon Watts, III Taylor Yerrick Quail Coalition Scholarship in Wildlife Management Alice Gertrudis King Kleberg Reynolds Endowed Undergraduate Scholarships, South Texas Chapter Fellowship in Quail Research Aidan Flores, Victoria Haynes, Brandon Mitchell Erika Dodd Amanda Whitaker Memorial Graduate Student The Hixon Fellowships in Deer, Quail and Range Scholarship in Wildlife Management, South Texas Restoration Research Chapter of the Quail Coalition Anthony Henehan Andrea Bruno San Antonio Livestock Exposition Scholarship James Clark, John Edwards, Andrew Olsen Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Graduate Fellows in Wildlife Research Maia Lipschutz, Adam Toomey C. R. and Rebecca Palmer Graduate Student Scholarship in Wildlife Management Stacy Hines, Adam Toomey Phil Plant Graduate Scholarship in Wildlife Management Lianne Koczur, Lindsey Phillips, Gordon Watts, III Students listed above have participated in various CKWRI research studies and their abstracts are presented throughout the Current Research report. We acknowledge the donors of these student scholarships and fellowships on this special page. 3 NEW ENDOWMENTS AND IN MEMORY AND HONOR... New Endowments Mike and Mary Terry Endowed Fellowship for Habitat Research Linda and Edward E. Whitacre, Jr. Endowment for Waterfowl Research Ann and Henry R. Hamman Fund for Wildlife Research Hayley and David Killam Fund for Wildlife Research Allison and Bryan Wagner Director’s Excellence Fund Doris and Terry Looper Endowed Fund for Wildlife Research Ellen B. Randall Fund for Wildlife Research Ann and A. C. Jones, IV Fund for Invasive Grasses Research Phil and Karen Starr Hunke Fund for Wildlife Research Janice and Robert McNair Endowed Fund for Wildlife Molecular Genetics Research In Memory and Honor... Many people choose to send unsolicited gifts in honor of cherished friends or family. We have received memorials and gifts to honor... Tobin Armstrong Karen Higginbotham Dick McCampbell, Jr. William A. Bienhorn Hailey and Chase Hill Helen McFarland Ralph Bingham Tim and Karen Hixon John G. Muckleroy Herb Booth Peter John Holt Josephine Musselman Bill Brock Frank and Mary Grace Horlock Betty Phillips Grady Cage Christopher Horton Tommie Jean Pooley Lon Cartwright Col. Sam W. Hoskins, Jr. G. Allen Rasmussen Joann and Mike Cone Buddy Jeffers Christyn Reopelle Dr. John E. Conner Carolyn Jess Richard “Dick” Wells Reynolds Michael Corbett Curt Johnson Gary Robinette Bond Davis Simpson Kampman Juan Salinas Gaye Davis John W. Kelsey Wesley Sayers Dan L Duncan Radcliffe Killam Walter Schiel Ruth Gilliland Neal King Frates Seeligson Alfred Glassell, Jr. Tio and Janell Kleberg John Shivers, Jr. Vince Grainger Scott Kneese Stuart Stedman “Slow” Grissom Dr. Edward Kozicky Mike S. Stude Gus Groos Frederick B. Labatt Charlotte Jane Lewis Tannehill Arcadio Guerra Joseph B. Labatt Buddy Temple Rafael A. and Carmen C. Guerra Rolanette and Berdon Lawrence Randy Toney Annabell Guinn Christine Craft Leggett Donny Trant Eunice Haas Johnny Leslie Steven Valerius Henry Hamman Annett Loyd Milton H. “Mickey” West, Jr. Anne Harris Rodolfo Madrid C. C. “Charlie” Winn Bruce F. Harrison Todd Martin Jess Y. Womack, II Charlie M. Herrington Mason L. Matthews, Jr. Seymour Wormser Our spirits are lifted by these gifts. Please accept our thanks to all of you who support and encourage us. 4 CKWRI PERSONNEL Scientists and Staff Mr. Jeffrey H. Brooks Dr. Bart M.