The effect of the Grand Ditch on the abundance of benthic invertebrates in the Colorado River, Rocky Mountain National Park - Jordan A. Clayton; Cherie J. Westbrook (River Research and Applications, 2008)
AbstractWe investigate herein the hypothesis that there is a significant relationship between bed particle mobility and benthic invertebrate abundance in the gravel‐bed channel of the upper Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park. A large diversion channel called the Grand Ditch normally diverts a significant portion (∼50%) of the annual snowmelt runoff from the watershed northward out of the basin. In May 2003, a ∼30‐m section of the ditch was breached, contributing substantially to the magnitude and duration of discharge in the Colorado River until the ditch breach was repaired in July of that year. As a result, all grain sizes in the river channel were mobilized, which contrasted sharply with the minimal gravel transport experienced during the exceptional drought of the previous year. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected in the field using a Surber sampler at the same six locations for both years, and the number of individuals of the orders ephemeroptera (mayflies), plec

A mitochondrial-DNA-based phylogeny for some evolutionary-genetic model species of Colias butterfly (Lepidoptera, Pieridae) - C. W. Wheat; W. B. Watt (Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2008)

Mechanisms of tolerance to floral larceny in two animal-pollinated wildflowers, Polemonium viscosum and Ipomopsis aggregata - R. Kaczorowski; J. J. Rabenold; M. L. McCutcheon; Candace Galen; Rebecca E. Irwin (Ecology, 2008)

Phoretic mite discrimination among male burying beetle (Nicrophorus investigator) hosts - J. D. Grossman; Richard Alexander Smith (Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2008)

From individuals to ecosystem function: toward an integration of evolutionary and ecosystem ecology - O. J. Schmitz; G. C. Trussell; J. H. Grabowski; J. R. Vonesh; E. L. Preisser; B. L. Peckarsky (Ecology, 2008)
An important goal in ecology is developing general theory on how the species composition of ecosystems is related to ecosystem properties and functions. Progress on this front is limited partly because of the need to identify mechanisms controlling functions that are common to a wide range of ecosystem types. We propose that one general mechanism, rooted in the evolutionary ecology of all species, is adaptive foraging behavior in response to predation risk. To support our claim, we present two kinds of empirical evidence from plant‐based and detritus‐based food chains of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The first kind comes from experiments that explicitly trace how adaptive foraging influences ecosystem properties and functions. The second kind comes from a synthesis of studies that individually examine complementary components of particular ecosystems that together provide an integrated perspective on the link between adaptive foraging and ecosystem function. We show that the indi

River incision histories of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Unaweep Canyon: Interplay between late Cenozoic tectonism, climate change, and drainage integration in the western Rocky Mountains - M. C. Benage; Rachel Landman; Shari A. Kelley; Thomas W. Oesleby; B. M. Kaproth; Shane D. Schoepfer; William C. Hood; Molina Sandoval; A. L. Darling; Charles Betton; Andres Aslan; Adam M. Hudson; et al. (Geological Society of America eBooks, 2008)

Record of decision : E Seam Methane Drainage Wells Project : federal coal lease C-1362, federal coal lease COC-56447, federal coal lease COC-67232 : Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, Paonia Ranger District, Gunnison County, Colorado : sections 17-19 and 32-34, Township 13 South Range 90 West and sections 1-5 and 8-10, Township 14 South, Range 90 West, 6th principal meridian / - Charles S. Richmond; United States. (2008)

World-building in urban fantasy - Julie Saffel (ThinkTech (Texas Tech University), 2008)
This thesis studies the world-building elements of Urban Fantasy, a genre of popular fiction that emerged in the early 1980’s. I examine the genre as a model-variant of the fantastic that uses elements of traditional Fantasy, Science-Fiction, and the Gothic to construct a believable storyworld inhabited by both humans and non-humans, in which a “breach” has occurred before the opening of a narrative and forced the previously mimetic world model to “adapt” to a supernatural intrusion. Repercussions resulting from the breach are also examined though the works of popular Urban Fantasy authors, such as Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, and Kim Harrison, in order to establish a formula for current Urban Fantasy narratives that has progressed from the early fiction of the genre.

Mantle convection and the recent evolution of the Colorado Plateau and the Rio Grande Rift valley - Robert Moucha; Jerry X. Mitrovica; Nathan A. Simmons; Alessandro M. Forte; David B. Rowley; Stephen P. Grand (Geology, 2008)
Research Article| June 01, 2008 Mantle convection and the recent evolution of the Colorado Plateau and the Rio Grande Rift valley Robert Moucha; Robert Moucha 1GEOTOP, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Alessandro M. Forte; Alessandro M. Forte 1GEOTOP, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C 3P8, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David B. Rowley; David B. Rowley 2Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jerry X. Mitrovica; Jerry X. Mitrovica 3Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Nathan A. Simmons; Nathan A. Simmons 4Jackson School of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA *Current Address: Atmospheri

VoxNet: an interactive, rapidly-deployable acoustic monitoring platform - S. Madden; R. Newton; D. Estrin; M. Allen; L. Girod; Daniel T. Blumstein (ISPN 2008: Information Processing in Sensor Networks, 2008)
Distributed acoustic sensing underlies an increasingly important class of sensor network applications, from habitat monitoring and bioacoustic census to security applications and virtual fences. VoxNet is a complete hardware and software platform for distributed acoustic monitoring applications that focuses on three key goals: (1) rapid deployment in realistic environments; (2) a high level programming language that abstracts the user from platform and network details and compiles into a high performance distributed application; and (3) an interactive usage model based on run-time installable programs, with the ability to run the same high level program seamlessly over live or stored data. The VoxNet hardware is self-contained and weather-resistant, and supports a four-channel microphone array with automated time synchronization, localization, and network coordination. Using VoxNet, an investigator can visualize phenomena in real-time, develop and tune online analysis, and record raw d

Vail, Colorado, as a Voluntary Culture Region - Christopher Jost Fertig (KU ScholarWorks (The University of Kansas), 2008)
Abstract. Geographers considering the subjects of tourism and tourist destinations have by in large focused on inherent environmental and economic impacts. Culturally, areas of leisure and recreation, termed "pleasuring places" by Wilbur Zelinsky, are often dismissed as artificial and being devoid of any real meaning. Precious little has been written that builds upon or is in response to Zelinsky's theory of voluntary culture regions. Contrary to the prevailing outlook, honest reflection reveals that such places have a great deal to say about current the attitudes and direction of modern society. Thus, areas centered upon pleasure and the therapeutic provide a critical lens for the examiner of culture, and are likewise, dynamic cultural phenomenon. Vail, Colorado, in particular, has transcended place into becoming a potent cultural icon, exemplifying the unique values of pleasuring places in its history, singularity in purpose and function, material culture, and sense of place.

Time budget of yellow-bellied marmots at high and low elevations - A. J. Saenz; B. C. Woods (2008)
Time budgets of the yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) were created observing two different localities within the Rocky Mountains of Colorado at different elevations (Cement Creek, 2641m and North Picnic, 2900m). Six behaviors (foraging, sitting/lying, locomotion (moving from place to place), fighting, grooming, and being alert/vigilant) were observed and recorded. Marmots at both elevations spent the majority of their time sitting/lying (47-54%). There were no significant differences between time spent foraging at North Picnic and Cement Creek. However, there was a 9% difference in time spent foraging between the sites, with Cement Creek having the greater percentage of foraging time. No agonistic behavior was observed at Cement Creek, while marmots at North Picnic were observed to spend 4% of their time behaving antagonistically. An absence of agonistic behavior could explain the increase in the percent of time spent foraging.

Reciprocal benefits in a plant-pollinator mutualism - S. E. Elliott (2008)
Bees feed almost exclusively on nectar and pollen from flowers. However, little is known about how food availability limits bee populations. To gain insights into the potential for food limitation within subalpine bumble bee populations, I examined bee foraging distances and the relationship between forager and flower densities. If floral resources are limited, then bees should fly farther to forage, and they should be more abundant in areas with more flowers. I estimated foraging distances by calculating forager recapture probabilities at increasing distances (up to 3,766 m) from eight marking locations, and I measured natural variation in forager and flower densities for 11 weeks in six half- hectare plots. Because flower availability should be lowest late in the season when bee density is high relative to flower density, I predicted that late in the season I would: (1) recapture foragers at farther distances and (2) find stronger relationships between forager and flower densities. T

Does road dust affect reproduction of Delphinium nelsonii and Ipomopsis aggregata - K. L. Paulino (2008)
In the United States, the 6.2 million kilometers of paved and unpaved public roads and roadsides represent about nineteen percent of the total land area of over nine million Km2 These roadways have major ecological impacts, one of which is dust pollution. When it comes to the effect of dust on plants, research has mainly focused on population abundance as a function of increased pH or physiological effects on water balance or gas exchange. In this study, I looked at the effect of dust on plant reproduction, using Ipomopsis aggregata and Delphinium nelsonii as my study organisms and Gothic road as my site. The aim of my study was to find out whether road dust affects pollinator visitation, fruit production, and seed set. For my methods, I first set out 50-meter-long transects perpendicular to Gothic road and collected dust on filter paper to see whether there was more dust near the road than far away. Then, I recorded observations of hummingbirds visiting Ipomposis aggregata flowers for

Linking drift and benthic density along fishless to fish transitions in Rocky Mountain streams - K. M. Jarecke (2008)
The influence of predators on drift and benthic density is important for understanding prey community structure in freshwater streams. Drift activity of stream invertebrates in fishless streams does not differ between day and night, but when visual drift-feeding trout are present, stream invertebrates drift nocturnally with peaks just after sunset. Drift and benthic collections from a fishless to fish transition zone in two Rocky Mountain streams were used to evaluate the hypothesis that 1) daytime and nighttime drift remain constant above the fish barrier and 2) benthic density is greater downstream of the fish barrier. Two drift samples (day and night) and six benthic samples were taken within a 100 m reach along the fishless to fish transition. Drift density showed no difference between day and night when sampling just above the fish barrier. Benthic densities were highly variable and no difference was found between the upstream and downstream reach or between sample sites. Average

Climate Change is Causing A Decline in Bombus occidentalis by Reducing its Floral Resources - S. Cloyed C (2008)
Concerns of the decline of pollinators and their services have recently been raised. While several hypothesis have been studied, such has the shift of flowering phenology so it no longer overlaps with pollinators and habitat fragmentation, this study investigated the decline of the nectar robbing bumblebee species Bombus occidentalis and the flower that it robs, Ipomopsis aggregata. B. occidentalis depends on I. aggregata because it is out-competed by other bumblebee species, of which none visit I. aggregata. This study tested the hypothesis that B. occidentalis has declined using data that Graham Pyke collected in 1974. I also tested the hypothesis that using the proportion of robbed I. aggregata is a strong predictor of the abundance of B. occidentalis. I then investigated whether B. occidentalis is dependent on both I. aggregata and a patch of mixed flowers. Lastly, I investigated whether there is more nectar robbing occurring later in the bloom of I. aggregata than early in the blo

What determines the distribution of red-naped sapsuckers in the East River Valley? - M. K. Clapp (2008)
The conservation of keystone species and their associates is of great importance due to the disproportionately large role they play in community and ecosystem structure. The Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) is considered part of an intricate keystone species complex in the aspen forests of the Rocky Mountains, in which sapsuckers drill nest cavities in aspen infected with heartrot fungus (genus Phellinus) each year. Abandoned nests provide habitat for secondary nesters such as the violet-green swallow, tree swallow, and house wren. Furthermore, the sap wells they drill into aspen and willow trunks provide a high-carbohydrate meal for many species of mammal, bird, and insect. Because willow stands provide such a significant food resource to sapsuckers, previous studies have suggested that proximity to willow is correlated with sapsucker distribution, using sapsucker damage on aspen as a proxy for distribution. However, it is unknown whether other ecological variables within as

THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE TIMING AND ABUNDANCE OF DIPTERA IN A SUBALPINE MEADOW - E. M. Johnston (2008)
Diptera play a critical role in alpine and subalpine ecosytems, though they are little studied in terms of what guides their timing and abundance. In order to reveal what cues dipteran timing this study was conducted for 24 years, using a Malaise trap to capture the insects, dipteran distributions were sampled once a week for 48 hours. Local climate changes have been observed at the study area at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, CO. This along with the anthropogenic forcings that have been observed around the world indicate that a warmer climate is likely in the future. Changes in temperature and precipitation have shown to affect the phenology of many species in the Colorado Rocky Mountains but flies have been previously unstudied. In this study the Diptera order was studied as a whole along with the dipteran families of the syrphids (Syrphidae), tephritids (Tephritidae), and the crane flies (Tipulidae). The June temperatures appear to have the most effect on the ti

Butterfly foraging behavior: can butterflies detect nectar in flowering plants? - A. M. Alonso-Rodriguez; Carol L. Boggs (2008)
Optimal foraging theory states that there are benefits and costs from foraging. If the animal shows optimal foraging behavior, the benefits minus the costs from foraging should be maximized. One assumption of optimal foraging theory is that animals can recognize food, which for butterflies means detecting nectar in flowering plants. We tested whether butterflies detect nectar in the field when they are foraging, or if they forage randomly until they find rewarding florets. We exposed each Speyeria mormonia male butterfly to a Pyrrocoma crocea flowerhead that was half nectar rich and half nectar poor. We recorded which side of the flowerhead the butterfly probed first and whether or not it continued probing after finding or not finding a reward. The results demonstrated that this species can detect which side of the flowerhead possesses nectar. The estimated number and proportion of nectar rich florets in the nectar rich side did not differ for individuals choosing the nectar-rich or ne

Consumptive and non-consumptive effects of predators on metacommunities of competing prey - J. H. Pantele; J. H. Grabowski; J. J. Orrock; E. E. Werner; E. L. Preisser; A. Sih; S. D. Peacor; B. L. Peckarsky (Ecology, 2008)
Although predators affect prey both via consumption and by changing prey migration behavior, the interplay between these two effects is rarely incorporated into spatial models of predator–prey dynamics and competition among prey. We develop a model where generalist predators have consumptive effects (i.e., altering the likelihood of local prey extinction) as well as nonconsumptive effects (altering the likelihood of colonization) on spatially separated prey populations (metapopulations). We then extend this model to explore the effects of predators on competition among prey. We find that generalist predators can promote persistence of prey metapopulations by promoting prey colonization, but predators can also hasten system‐wide extinction by either increasing local extinction or reducing prey migration. By altering rates of prey migration, predators in one location can exert remote control over prey dynamics in another location via predator‐mediated changes in prey flux. Thus, the effe

Microbes on mountainsides: contrasting elevational patterns of bacterial and plant diversity - James Aaron Green; H. Morlon; A. J. Kerkhoff; J. A. Bryant; C. A. Lamanna; Brian J. Enquist (PNAS, 2008)
The study of elevational diversity gradients dates back to the foundation of biogeography. Although elevational patterns of plant and animal diversity have been studied for centuries, such patterns have not been reported for microorganisms and remain poorly understood. Here, in an effort to assess the generality of elevational diversity patterns, we examined soil bacterial and plant diversity along an elevation gradient. To gain insight into the forces that structure these patterns, we adopted a multifaceted approach to incorporate information about the structure, diversity, and spatial turnover of montane communities in a phylogenetic context. We found that observed patterns of plant and bacterial diversity were fundamentally different. While bacterial taxon richness and phylogenetic diversity decreased monotonically from the lowest to highest elevations, plants followed a unimodal pattern, with a peak in richness and phylogenetic diversity at mid-elevations. At all elevations bacteri

Predator effects on prey population dynamics in open systems - B. L. Kerans; A. R. McIntosh; B. W. Taylor; B. L. Peckarsky (Oecologia, 2008)
It is concluded that predation alone cannot explain variation in population dynamics of either mayfly species; and the relative importance of predation is species- and environment-specific compared to non-predatory losses, such as other agents of mortality and non-consumptive effects of predators.

Characterization and 3D reservoir modelling of fluvial sandstones of the Williams Fork Formation, Rulison Field, Piceance Basin, Colorado, USA - Thomas L Davis; Marielis F Vargas; Matthew J. Pranter (Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, 2008)
This study describes the stratigraphic characteristics and distribution of fluvial deposits of the Upper Cretaceous Williams Fork Formation in a portion of Rulison Field and addresses 3D geologic modelling of reservoir sand bodies and their associated connectivity. Fluvial deposits include isolated and stacked point-bar deposits, crevasse splays and overbank (floodplain) mudrock. Within the Williams Fork Formation, the distribution and connectivity of fluvial sandstones significantly impact reservoir productivity and ultimate recovery. The reservoir sandstones are primarily fluvial point-bar deposits interbedded with shales and coals. Because of the lenticular geometry and limited lateral extent of the reservoir sandstones (common apparent widths of 500-1000 ft; 150-300 m), relatively high well densities (e.g. 10 acre (660 ft; 200 m) spacing) are often required to deplete the reservoir. Heterogeneity of these fluvial deposits includes larger scale stratigraphic variability associated w

Mantle structure beneath the western edge of the Colorado Plateau - C. R. Sine; Richard Aster; W. Scott Baldridge; W. Gao; James Ni; Stephen P. Grand; David C. Wilson (Geophysical Research Letters, 2008)
Teleseismic traveltime data are inverted for mantle Vp and Vs variations beneath a 1400 km long line of broadband seismometers extending from eastern New Mexico to western Utah. The model spans 600 km beneath the moho with resolution of ∼50 km. Inversions show a sharp, large‐magnitude velocity contrast across the Colorado Plateau‐Great Basin transition extending ∼200 km below the crust. Also imaged is a fast anomaly 300 to 600 km beneath the NW portion of the array. Very slow velocities beneath the Great Basin imply partial melting and/or anomalously wet mantle. We propose that the sharp contrast in mantle velocities across the western edge of the Plateau corresponds to differential lithospheric modification, during and following Farallon subduction, across a boundary defining the western extent of unmodified Proterozoic mantle lithosphere. The deep fast anomaly corresponds to thickened Farallon plate or detached continental lithosphere at transition zone depths.

Trapping the litter: a negative feedback of climate change in the litter quality of montane vegetation in the Rocky Mountains - C. Jessee; C. Cloyed; D. E. Winkler; K. M. Jarecke (2008)

Pilot study experiments sourcing quartzite, Gunnison Basin, Colorado - Hector Neff; Carol M. Dehler; Stephen T. Nelson; Bonnie L. Pitblado (Geoarchaeology, 2008)
AbstractThis paper reports the results of pilot‐study efforts to develop methods to profile quartzite, a rock type to which geochemical and other sourcing techniques have only rarely been applied. The long‐term goal of the research is to fingerprint sources of quartzite in the Gunnison Basin, southwest Colorado, used by Paleoindian people ca. 11,500–8,000 years ago to make stone tools. Success would facilitate reconstruction of Paleoindian mobility in the Southern Rocky Mountains and potentially anywhere prehistoric people used quartzite. The goals of this paper are more modest: to demonstrate that a small‐scale exploration of sourcing techniques suggests reason for optimism that quartzites may be amenable to source discrimination. For the same twenty Gunnison Basin quartzite samples, this study evaluated petrography, ultraviolet fluorescence (UVF), wavelength dispersive X‐ray fluorescence (WD‐XRF), instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), and inductively coupled plasma mass sp

A montane study of ecological stoichiometry in six ant species - C. Cloyed; D. E. Winkler; K. M. Jarecke (2008)

Polygyny and female breeding failure reduce effective population size in the lekking Gunnison sage-grouse - Robert M. Gibson; Thomas E. Remington; Julie R. Stiver (Biological Conservation, 2008)
Extrapolation of the results suggests that six of the seven extant populations of this species may have effective sizes low enough to induce inbreeding depression and hence that translocations may be needed to supplement genetic diversity.

Longevity can buffer plant and animal populations against changing climatic uncertainty. - C. V. Haridas; B. E. Kendall; M. S. Boyce; E. S. Menges; D. R. Church; S. Kalisz; E. M. Bruna; C. A. Pfister; S. Forsyth; C. C. Horvitz; William Morris; D. F. Doak; et al. (Ecology, 2008)

Effects of climate change on phenology, frost damage, and floral abundance of montane wildflowers - David W. Inouye (Ecology, 2008)
The timing of life history traits is central to lifetime fitness and nowhere is this more evident or well studied as in the phenology of flowering in governing plant reproductive success. Recent changes in the timing of environmental events attributable to climate change, such as the date of snowmelt at high altitudes, which initiates the growing season, have had important repercussions for some common perennial herbaceous wildflower species. The phenology of flowering at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (Colorado, USA) is strongly influenced by date of snowmelt, which makes this site ideal for examining phenological responses to climate change. Flower buds of Delphinium barbeyi, Erigeron speciosus, and Helianthella quinquenervis are sensitive to frost, and the earlier beginning of the growing season in recent years has exposed them to more frequent mid-June frost kills. From 1992 to 1998, on average 36.1% of Helianthella buds were frosted, but for 1999–2006 the mean is 73.9%;

Effective mitigation of debris flows at Lemon Dam, La Plata County, Colorado - J. Ey; Joseph E. Gartner; Victor G. deWolfe; Paul Michael Santi (Geomorphology, 2008)

THE CONSTRUCTION AND INSTRUMENTATION OF A PILOT TREATMENT SYSTEM AT THE STANDARD MINE SUPERFUND SITE, CRESTED BUTTE, CO - James Gusek; Pat Smart; David Reisman; Thomas Rutkowski (Journal American Society of Mining and Reclamation, 2008)
Abstract: A pilot biochemical reactor (BCR) was designed and constructed to treat mine-influenced water emanating from an adit at a remote site in southern Colorado which receives an average of 400 inches (10.2 m) of snowfall each season. The objective of the study is to operate and monitor a BCR on a yearround basis in a harsh mountain environment. There are several unique attributes of the treatment and monitoring system. It has been constructed at an elevation of 11,000 ft a.m.s.l. (3353 m), and is designed to operate year-round. Since the site has limited winter accessibility due to snowfall, a remote monitoring system was designed to collect samples and field parameters throughout winter months. An automated sampling system powered by solar cells is used to sample the system influent and effluent on a weekly basis and an elaborate Teledyne ISCO ™ (ISCO) satellite monitoring system tracks data on an hourly basis with data being uploaded to a web site. Winter water samples will be g

Explaining pollinator shifts from bees to birds: convergence, divergence, and directionality - P. T. Wilson; James D. Thomson (International Journal of Plant Sciences, 2008)

Competition between Nicrophorus investigator, Nicrophorus defodiens, and Thanatophilus lapponica for carrion resources - C. Cloyed; K. M. Jarecke; D. E. Winkler; C. Jessee (2008)

The structure, meaning and function of yellow-bellied marmot pup screams - David A. Richardson; L. Cooley; J. C. Daniel; Jamie C. Winternitz; Daniel T. Blumstein (Animal Behaviour, 2008)
An examination of nonlinearities in vocalizations of other species suggests that non linearities may be an honest indicator of arousal, and this honesty elicits heightened responses in receivers.

Natural security: a darwinian approach to a dangerous world - Daniel T. Blumstein (2008)

Evaluation of the field impact of an adventitious herbivore on an invasive plant, yellow toadflax, in CO, USA - F. Egan J; Rebecca E. Irwin (Plant Ecology, 2008)
The effects of an accidentally introduced beetle Brachypterolus pulicarius on the growth and reproduction of its host, the invasive plant Linaria vulgaris, growing under field conditions across multiple years and sites in western Colorado, USA are studied.

Social network analysis of animal behaviour: a promising tool for the study of sociality - W. Shen; F. Jordan; T. W. Wey; Daniel T. Blumstein (Animal Behaviour, 2008)
A prospective overview of social network analysis' general utility for the study of animal social behaviour is provided and relevance and constraints of some network measures are highlighted.

Olfactory predator discrimination in yellow-bellied marmots - L. N. Barrow; M. D. Luterra; M. D. Luterra; Daniel T. Blumstein (Ethology, 2008)
AbstractThe mechanism underlying olfactory predator identification may be relatively experience‐independent, or it may rely on specific experience with predators. A mechanism by which prey might identify novel predators relies on the inevitable creation of sulfurous metabolites that are then excreted in the urine of carnivorous mammals. We tested whether free‐living, yellow‐bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) and mid‐sized herbivores that fall prey to a variety of carnivorous mammals could discriminate herbivore (elk—Cervus elephas) urine from predator (red fox—Vulpes vulpes, coyote—Canis latrans, mountain lion—Felis concolor, wolf—Canis lupus) urine, a novel herbivore (moose—Alces alces), and a distilled water control. We further asked how specific this assessment was by testing whether marmots responded differently to predators representing different levels of risk and to familiar vs. unfamiliar predators. We found that marmots responded more to urine from coyotes (a familiar pred

Effects of aggregation size and host plant on the survival of an ant-tended Membracid (Hemiptera: Membracidae): potential roles in selecting for generalized host plant use - J. S. Reithel; Diane R. Campbell (Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2008)
Abstract Insect herbivores that are tended by ants exhibit a range in host plant use from specialists to extreme generalists. Potential factors that may influence relative suitability of different host plants include the presence or absence of ants and the size of aggregations formed by nymphs feeding on a host. We used a membracid-ant mutualism to test whether presence of ants or aggregation size (from 20 to 320 nymphs per plant) resulted in variable selection for host use by the generalist membracid Publilia modesta (Uhler) (Hemiptera: Membracidae) that feeds on host species Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus (Hook.) Nutt. and Wyethia spp., among others. Survival of nymphs as mid-instars and the percentage of nymphs developing into adults on C. viscidiflorus were greater for nymphs in small than in large aggregations. Survival of nymphs as mid-instars on Wyethia spp. was also greater in smaller aggregations, but the percentage of nymphs developing into adults was independent of aggregation

Aspen heart rot fungus (Phellinus tremulae) distribution in aspen forests in relation to open meadows: implications for red-naped sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) nesting habitat - C. M. Stevens (2008)
Red-naped sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) are an integral part of the aspen (Populus tremuloides) ecosystem in the montane western U.S. They are a double keystone species, providing both shelter and nutrients to a variety of organisms within the system. Numerous studies have documented the importance of fungal infection in nest site selection by woodpecker species. Aspen heart rot fungus (Phellinus tremulae) is extremely important in nest site selection in red-naped sapsuckers. To gain an adequate understanding of the dynamics of the fungus and its influence on the cavity-nesting complex, this study aims to understand the relationship between fungal density and distance to open meadow. Stands of aspen within the vicinity of the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, CO, USA were selected based on similar slopes and accessibility. Fifty transects ranging from 30m to 100m were run across elevational gradients from meadows into the interior of aspen stands. Number of trees, fungal presen

Effects of water addition on below- and above-ground carbon processes across a montane elevational gradient - T. S. Potter (2008)
Local temperature increases and more frequent extreme rainfall events are predicted effects of climate change at high latitudes (IPCC 2007). Precipitation regimes are also shifting, but science is less able to predict these patterns (IPCC 2007). Water balance is critical as it ultimately drives primary production. Yet, there is a lack of understanding about the relative importance of how water influences carbon dynamics in plant communities (Hodkinson et al. 1999, Niu et al. 2007). To be able to use species- specific responses to anticipate the impacts of climate change in montane regions, it is necessary to know how both species and entire communities respond to climate change. We tested the hypothesis that water is a limiting factor for both decomposition of organic matter and for net carbon assimilation in montane and subalpine plant communities. For this study increased water supply resulted in only biologically significant increase in community carbon uptake as predicted and faile

Material culture, social networks, and the Chinese of Ouray, Colorado, 1880-1920 - Snodgrass, Jeffrey; Alexis Ryan Knee; Orsi, Jared; Van Buren, Mary (Journal of Interferon Research, 2007)
This study examines a sample of artifacts recovered from the Vanoli Site (5OR30) encompassing a privy and trash midden located directly behind an historic Chinese laundry. Previous research in Overseas Chinese archaeology has focused on historically large Chinese communities and processes of acculturation, resulting in a homogenous perception of past Overseas Chinese experiences. The purpose of this project is to explore the small, historic Chinese community of Ouray, Colorado, and work to understand their past experiences in terms of social interaction rather than acculturation. Borrowing concepts from social network theory, artifacts recovered from behind the Chinese laundry drive the reconstruction of past social relationships. When these relationships are placed within the context of Ouray and the United States at the time, they can lead to an understanding of past experiences. Quantitative analyses included organizing artifacts by material type, stylistic traits, function and mini

Effects of long-term experimental warming on aphid density in the field - P. de Valpine; J. Call; L. S. Adler; John Harte (Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 2007)
Global warming is generally predicted to increase the intensity of herbivore pressure on plants. Support for this prediction often comes from short-term studies, or studies conducted in controlled laboratory settings. We examined the effect of long-term experimental warming on an aphid-sagebrush interaction (Obtusicauda coweni and Artemisia tridentata) in natural field plots in the Rocky Mountains. In no year did we find support for the prediction that warming increased aphid abundance or population growth. In fact, warming decreased aphid density on sagebrush in one year, tended to decrease aphids in a second year, and had no effect in a third year. In enclosures that excluded predators, warming decreased aphid population growth by an amount consistent with observed field density differences. Warming increased sagebrush carbon:nitrogen (C∶N) ratio and plant size, but there was no significant correlation between these variables and aphid growth or density. In a separate snow-manipulati

The effect of hemosporidian infections on white-crowned sparrow singing behavior - S. M. Gilman; J. Foufopoulos; Daniel T. Blumstein (Ethology, 2007)
AbstractRelatively little is known about the effects of specific parasites on sexually selected behavioral traits. We subjected free‐living mountain white‐crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) to a playback experiment to identify the effect of hemosporidian parasites on potentially sexually selected song characteristics. We recorded song after a playback of a novel white‐crowned sparrow song, meant to simulate a territorial intrusion. Infections withLeucocytozoonorPlasmodiuminfluenced singing behavior, while infection withHaemoproteushad no detectable effect. Specifically, song consistency, as measured using a spectrogram correlation, was influenced by bothPlasmodiumandLeucocytozooninfection. Additionally, birds infected withPlasmodiumsang fewer songs following experimental playback. Thus, relatively widespread parasites, likePlasmodium, may have a strong effect on potentially sexually selected song characteristics.

The influence of river regulation and land use on floodplain forest regeneration in the semi‐arid upper Colorado River Basin, USA - Krista Northcott; David J. Cooper (River Research and Applications, 2007)
AbstractFlow regulation effects on floodplain forests in the semi‐arid western United States are moderately well understood, whereas effects associated with changes in floodplain land use are poorly documented. We mapped land cover patterns from recent aerial photos and applied a classification scheme to mainstem alluvial floodplains in 10 subjectively selected 4th order hydrologic units (subbasins) in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB) in order to document land use patterns (floodplain development) and assess their effects on Fremont cottonwood forest (CF) regeneration. Three of the mainstem rivers were unregulated, five were moderately regulated and two were highly regulated. We classified polygons as Undeveloped (with two categories, including CF) and Developed (with five categories). We ground‐truthed 501 randomly selected polygons (4–28% of the floodplain area in each subbasin) to verify classification accuracy and to search for cottonwood regeneration, defined as stands establ

Leaf physiology reflects environmental differences and cytoplasmic background in Ipomopsis hybrids - C. A. Wu; Diane R. Campbell (American Journal of Botany, 2007)
Natural hybridization can produce individuals that vary widely in fitness, depending upon the performance of particular genotypes in a given environment. In a hybrid zone with habitat heterogeneity, differences in physiological responses to abiotic conditions could influence the fitness and spatial distribution of hybrids and parental species. This study compared gas exchange physiology of Ipomopsis aggregata, I. tenuituba, and their natural hybrids in situ and assessed whether physiological differences were consistent with their native environmental conditions. We also produced reciprocal F2s in a greenhouse study to test for cytonuclear effects on water‐use efficiency (WUE). The relative performance of natural hybrids and parentals was consistent with their native habitats: I. aggregata at the coolest, wettest locations had the lowest WUE, while hybrids from the most xeric sites had the highest WUE. In hybrids, the mechanism by which both natural and experimental hybrids achieved thi

Effects of the nuisance diatom Didymosphenia geminata on invertebrates in a Rocky Mountain stream - C. E. Brown (2007)
Nuisance blooms of the stalked diatom Didymosphenia geminata have become an increasing concern worldwide, yet little is known about their effect on stream food webs. We investigated the effects of D. geminata blooms on stream invertebrates of the East River in the western Rocky Mountains. Areas with natural blooming levels of D. geminata had greater total invertebrate density but similar invertebrate biomass when compared to areas of stream bottom where D. geminata was experimentally removed. Most notable was a dramatic increase in the density and biomass of Chironomidae larvae, which were 6.5 and 4.2 times greater, respectively, in areas with D. geminata blooms relative to areas where it was removed. The density and biomass of Perlidae stoneflies, historically rare in the East River, were 1.9 and 3.1 times greater, respectively, in areas containing D. geminata blooms. In contrast, Heptageniidae mayfly biomass decreased by 50% in areas with D. geminata blooms, but their density was unc

BREEDING PHENOLOGY AND SUCCESS OF BLACK SWIFTS IN BOX CANYON, OURAY, COLORADO - Sue E. Hirshman; Carolyn Gunn; Richard G. Levad (The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 2007)
This study presents 11 years of nesting success and phenology data for Black Swifts (Cypseloides niger) at Box Canyon in Ouray, Colorado. Nest data were recorded on a near-daily basis for 160 nest attempts. Nesting success was 72% and mean and extreme dates of nesting events, including arrival, egg-laying, onset of incubation, hatching, and fledging are reported. On average, Black Swifts arrived on 13 June, egg laying started on 28 June, incubation started on 1 July, hatching occurred on 26 July, and fledging occurred on 13 September. The average incubation period was 26 days and the nestling phase was 48 days. In seven instances, a second egg appeared after loss of the first egg and, in one case, a third egg appeared. It was not possible to ascertain whether second or third eggs represented a renesting attempt or nest usurpation.

Constrained lability in floral evolution: counting convergent origins of hummingbird pollination in Keckiella and Penstemon - A. D. Wolfe; W. S. Armbruster; P. T. Wilson; James D. Thomson (New Phytologist, 2007)
In the clade of Penstemon and segregate genera, pollination syndromes are well defined among the 284 species. Most display combinations of floral characters associated with pollination by Hymenoptera, the ancestral mode of pollination for this clade. Forty-one species present characters associated with hummingbird pollination, although some of these ornithophiles are also visited by insects. The ornithophiles are scattered throughout the traditional taxonomy and across phylogenies estimated from nuclear (internal transcribed spacer (ITS)) and chloroplast DNA (trnCD/TL) sequence data. Here, the number of separate origins of ornithophily is estimated, using bootstrap phylogenies and constrained parsimony searches. Analyses suggest 21 separate origins, with overwhelming support for 10 of these. Because species sampling was incomplete, this is probably an underestimate. Penstemons therefore show great evolutionary lability with respect to acquiring hummingbird pollination; this syndrome ac

The evolution, function, and meaning of marmot alarm communication - Daniel T. Blumstein (Advances in the Study of Behavior, 2007)
This chapter discusses the evolution, function, and meaning of marmot alarm communication, a system in which one can study the dynamics of altruism and the specific acoustic cues that marmots use, which enable them to respond to novel predators.

Variation in pollinator preference between two Ipomopsis contact sites that differ in hybridization rate - George Aldridge; Diane R. Campbell (Evolution, 2007)
Pollinator-mediated reproductive isolation is often a principal factor in determining the rate of hybridization between plant species. Pollinator preference and constancy can reduce interspecific pollen transfer between otherwise interfertile, coflowering species. The importance of this ethological isolation can be assessed by comparing the strength of preference and constancy of pollinators in contact sites that differ in the frequency of hybrid individuals. We observed visitation by hummingbirds and hawkmoths in natural single-species patches and artificial mixed-species arrays in two Ipomopsis aggregata/I. tenuituba contact sites-one with few hybrids, and one in which hybrids are abundant. Pollinator preference and constancy were stronger at the low-frequency hybrid site, especially for hawkmoths (Hyles lineata). Hawkmoths at the low-frequency hybrid site showed significant preference and constancy for I. tenuituba, while at the high-frequency site hawkmoths visited both species equ

Cosmogenic 10Be and 36Cl ages from late Pleistocene terminal moraine complexes in the Taylor River drainage basin, central Colorado, USA (Quaternary Science Reviews, 2007)

Origins and movements of invasive piscivores determined from otolith isotopic markers - Johnson, Brett; Brian A. Wolff; Sanford, William; Clements, William (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
I examined the utility of the strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) ratio in fish otoliths to determine the origins and movements of invasive piscivores in the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). My goal was to determine if invasive piscivores entered riverine habitat of endangered fishes in the UCRB by escaping from reservoirs, and if so, determine their likely origins. Fishes were collected from 14 reservoirs and rivers directly downstream. My objectives were to examine the distinctiveness of 87Sr/86Sr ratios from fishes in different reservoirs, and temporal stability and interspecies variability of 87Sr/86Sr ratios of fishes within reservoirs. Variance components analysis and model selection using an information theoretic approach were used to rank relative importance of reservoir location, species and year on 87Sr/86Sr ratios. My results showed that in most cases 87Sr/86Sr ratios were unique across reservoirs, overlapped among species in a given reservoir, and were temporally stable across

Effects of soil moisture on Lupinus spp growth and root nodulation - A. Jalloh (2007)

Life-history consequences of vegetative damage in scarlet gilia, a monocarpic plant - Alison K. Brody; Mary V. Price; Nickolas M. Waser (Oikos, 2007)

Ant-aphid interactions: are ants friends, enemies, or both? - S. Hammer; P. Abbot; J. S. Reithel; Ian Billick (Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 2007)
Abstract Interactions between ants and aphids range from mutualistic to antagonistic. Understanding the ecological basis for such interactions requires understanding the costs and benefits to the aphids of ant-tending. Such an analysis is not simple, because ants can simultaneously have positive and negative effects upon aphids. The aphids Pleotrichophorus utensis Pack & Knowlton and Uroleucon escalantii Knowlton (both Hemiptera: Aphididae) are occasionally tended by Formica obscuripes Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at field sites in central Colorado. To compare the relative effects of protection and predation by ants on aphid abundance, we experimentally crossed the presence of the ants and other predators on host plants on which one or both aphids occur. Within a week of the start of the experiment, ants had a strong negative impact on aphid numbers that lasted the course of the experiment. Nonant predators initially had a weak negative effect on aphids, but by the end of the ex

Changing distributions, changing climate: Using Bombus as an indicator of global warming near Crested Butte, Colorado - Tom E. X. Miller (2007)
As well-studied, annual species inhabiting an environment with a short growing season, the bumble bees (Bombus spp.) in the area around the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) near Crested Butte, Colorado, provide an ideal system for monitoring climate change. In 1974, Graham Pyke conducted a survey of the bumble communities around RMBL by conducting a series of five transects over varying elevational ranges. He found that bumble bee species with similar tongue lengths tend to replace each other along an elevational gradient. In 2007 we repeated Pyke’s original transects to determine whether these transitions between bee species have changed in elevation. We also conducted floral surveys to determine whether any changes found in bee distributions were caused by changes in floral resources or by a direct effect of climate change. Within the groups based on tongue length, we found an overall increase in the relative abundance of low altitude species recorded and a decrease in the

Context-dependent pollinator behavior: An explanation for patterns of hybridization among three species of Indian paintbrush - B. A. Roy; E. I. Hersch (Evolution, 2007)
In some areas of sympatry, reproductively compatible plant species hybridize, but in other areas of sympatry, they do not and they remain reproductively isolated from one another. Explanations offered to explain patterns of hybridization that vary by population have usually focused on genetic or environmental factors. Instead, we examined whether different community contexts might change pollinator preference and constancy and thus influence the likelihood of hybridization among three Indian paintbrush species (Castilleja miniata, C. rhexifolia, and C. sulphurea). To determine whether visitation was context-dependent, we observed pollinator behavior in experimental arrays (constructed using flowering stems of the three Indian paintbrush species) in different contexts. Contexts were defined by which Castilleja species occurred in the immediate neighborhood of the arrays. Specifically, we asked, does visitation to particular species in the arrays depend on context? In general, each Casti

Microsatellite-based species identification method for Drosophila virilis group species - M. Kankare; J. Routtu; A. Hoikkala (Hereditas, 2007)

Assessment of Coarse Sediment Mobility in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, Colorado - Ian M. Dubinski; Ellen Wohl (Environmental Management, 2007)
The frequency of flows mobilizing river bank sediment along a majority of the Gunnison River in the BCNP has significantly declined since 1966, and decreases in the frequency of significant sediment-mobilizing flows were more pronounced for regions within the BC NP where the channel gradient is lower.

The effect of sampling effort on species richness estimates of flower visitors - V. A. Kowal (2007)
Estimates of species richness, while useful and common to many subdisciplines of biology, are problematic in their reliance on adequate sampling effort. How much sampling is required for an accurate estimate of species richness, and what levels of sampling will render communities comparable? This study used estimates of species richness of flower visitors to four plant species in the presence and absence of an invasive plant as a case study to explore how much sampling effort is necessary to reach saturated species richness. Visitor species were recorded exhaustively in a single flowering season. Visitors were also tested for the pollen of the focal plant in order to ascertain whether visitor richness accurately measured pollinator richness. Empirical visitor accumulation curves for each plant species showed that even when sampling effort was maintained at a high level, saturated species richness estimates were elusive. Pollen data showed that not all visitor species carried pollen of

Rock glaciers in Central Colorado, U.S.A., as indicators of Holocene climate change - K. A. Refsnider (Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research, 2007)
We measured thalli diameters of the lichen Rhizocarpon subgenus Rhizocarpon on 48 individual lobes of 18 rock glaciers and rock glacier complexes in the Elk Mountains and Sawatch Range of central Colorado. Cumulative probability distribution and K-means clustering analyses were used to separate lichen thalli measurements into statistically distinct groups, each interpreted as representing a discrete episode of rock glacier activity driven by an interval of cooler climate. Lichen ages for these episodes were assigned using a growth curve developed for Rhizocarpon geographicum in the nearby Front Range. An early Neoglacial episode, ca. 3080 yr BP, is correlative to other glacial and periglacial activity in the southern Rocky Mountains and surrounding areas and broadly corresponds to an interval of climatic deterioration evident in several other proxies of Holocene climate. The younger two episodes, ca. 2070 and 1150 yr BP, are also coeval with regional (Audubon) glacial and periglacial a

Effects of nutrient limitation on floral function and biomass allocation in Geranium richardsonii - J. W. Bala (2007)

Evolutionary dynamics of an Ipomopsis hybrid zone: confronting models with lifetime fitness data - Nickolas M. Waser; Diane R. Campbell (American Naturalist, 2007)
Interspecific hybridization is a recurring aspect of the evolution of many plant and animal groups. The temporal dynamics of hybrid zones and the evolutionary consequences of hybridization should depend on fitness of parental and hybrid individuals expressed in different environments. We measured lifetime fitness, including survival and reproduction, of plants of Ipomopsis aggregata, Ipomopsis tenuituba, and their F1 hybrids, in experimental plantings in a natural hybrid zone. Fitness, measured as the finite rate of increase (λ), depended strongly on environment. Each parental species performed well in its home locale and poorly in the locale of the other species. Hybrids performed as well as parents overall but enjoyed their highest fitness in the hybrid site. Furthermore, F1 hybrids with I. tenuituba as maternal parent survived well only at the hybrid site, suggesting a $$ mathrm{cytonuclear} , times mathrm{environment} ,$$ interaction. These results support an “environmental cline”

Climate change and anti-herbivory resistance communication in Artemisia tridentata - R. Montgomery (2007)
It has been suggested that anthropogenic climate change may greatly influence plant communities, particularly at high elevations. We asked whether climate change and/or elevation gradient influence volatile intra-plant communication for purposes of anti- herbivory resistance and whether air contact is required for such communication in Artemisia tridentata. Plants at high and low elevation sites received one of three treatments: leaf clipping, leaf clipping and covering with plastic bag and no clipping with plastic bag. Distance from a focal stem to the nearest leaf damage and mean number of damaged leaves were measured before and after treatments. Previous leaf damage was shown to influence distribution of future herbivory damage, and free air flow influenced the distribution of subsequent herbivory damage. However, we did not find evidence for greater elevational influence on amount or distribution of herbivory damage.

Rodent societies (2007)

Law of water for irrigation in Colorado, The - Samuel Warner Carpenter (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)

Zircon: Helen Hunt Falls, El Paso County, Colorado - Robert B. Cook (Rocks & Minerals, 2007)
(2007). Zircon: Helen Hunt Falls, El Paso County, Colorado. Rocks & Minerals: Vol. 82, No. 4, pp. 310-318.

The effects of altitude on the life history characteristics of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) - B. C. Woods; C. E. Brown (2007)

Evidence for fine scale adjustments in circadian rhythms in yellow-bellied marmots according to burrow location, photoperiod, and local ambient temperature - K. A. Grogan (2007)

Acoustic source localization using the acoustic ENSBox - A. M. Ali; K. Yao; C. E. Taylor; T. C. Collier; L. Girod; Daniel T. Blumstein (2007)

An empirical study of acoustic source localization - A. M. Ali; K. Yao; T. C. Collier; C. E. Taylor; L. Girod; Daniel T. Blumstein (2007)

Genetic and Phenotypic divergence in Drosophila virilis and D. montana - J. Routtu (2007)

Rodent societies - L. A. Ebensperger; Daniel T. Blumstein; Daniel T. Blumstein (2007)

Birds of Western Colorado Plateau and Mesa Country Robert Righter, Rich Levad, Coen Dexter, Kim Potter .Birds of Western Colorado Plateau and Mesa Country.. 2004. Grand Valley Audubon Society. Grand Junction, CO. $29.95, paperback. 214 + 2 maps. ISBN: 0-9743453-0-X. - Bryan T. Brown (Western North American Naturalist, 2007)

Changes in mosquito community of Gunnison County since 1966 - N. A. Schafrick (2007)

Accuracy assessment of skeletochronology in the Arizona tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum) - L. Duobinis-Gray; Christopher Eden; Howard Whiteman; S. A. Wissinger (Copeia, 2007)

Effects of single and terraced beaver ponds on benthic macroinvertebrate communities - N. R. Stone (2007)
Beavers are an important aspect of the landscape and have been increasing in abundance in montane regions of the western U.S. While beaver impoundments have been shown to affect downstream habitats, their influence is variable and may be attributed in part to variation in the morphology of impoundments. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of terraced and single beaver ponds on benthic macroinvertebrate functional feeding group composition and to test some potential mechanisms explaining differences between the two types of ponds. I took 30-s traveling kick samples of invertebrates and measured water chemistry, periphyton chlorophyll, seston AFDM, seston chlorophyll, and substrate particle size composition and installed Hobo continuous temperature and light recorders upstream and downstream of 6 beaver pond complexes (3 single and 3 terraced) in 2 montane catchments of the upper Gunnison River basin in western Colorado during summer 2007. Grazing invertebrates decrease

Pollination subsidies between wetland and dry meadow habitats - S. K. Dunklee (2007)
Productive habitats can provide subsidies to neighboring habitats in the form of resources and services; however, little is known about whether subsidies operate in pollination systems. I studied wetland and dry meadow habitats in a subalpine system to assess whether wetlands provide neighboring pollinators with resource subsidies, or if wetlands facilitate the pollination of nearby dry meadows. I measured flower production and observed pollinator visitation in three types of meadows: wetlands, near dry meadows, and far dry meadows. Additionally, I assessed pollinator similarity between meadow types and tracked pollen flow using fluorescent dye. I found no significant differences in overall floral density or pollinator visitation between meadow types. Pollinator similarity was high for both wetlands compared to near dry meadows, 85.9%, and wetlands compared to far meadows, 82.6%. More dye movement was observed in dry meadows than in wetlands, and there was no evidence of inter-habitat

Olfactory predator discrimination abilities of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) - L. N. Barrow (2007)
Several prey species have demonstrated a response to predator odors by altering their behavior, but few studies have explored the abilities of prey to discriminate between predator odors or to recognize novel predators. The olfactory abilities of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) were studied at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory to determine whether they can distinguish between predator and non-predator odors, discriminate between predator odors based on the riskiness of predators, and recognize novel predators. A within-subjects sequential experimental design was used in which individual marmots were presented with five urines (elk, coyote, fox, mountain lion, and wolf) in separate events. Elk was a familiar herbivore used as a control. Coyotes and foxes are familiar predators, with coyotes considered to be a greater risk than foxes. Mountain lions and wolves are not present in the study area, and are considered to be novel predators. Marmots were observed foraging

Foraging tactics in alternative heterochronic salamander morphs: trophic quality of ponds matters more than water permanency - M. Denoel; Howard Whiteman; S. A. Wissinger (Freshwater Biology, 2007)
Summary1. In lentic freshwater habitats, the composition of animal assemblages shifts along a gradient from temporary to permanent basins. When habitats with different degrees of permanence are at the scale of the home range of species, they constitute alternatives in terms of energy acquisition through feeding.2. In this context, previous studies showed an advantage of metamorphic over paedomorphic tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) in temporary ponds which are only available to metamorphs. The aim of this study was to establish whether salamanders obtain similar benefits in ponds that do not differ in water permanence and whether salamanders shifted from detrimental to advantageous ponds. To this end, we determined the feeding habits, body condition and movement patterns of the two morphs in a complex of four permanent and four temporary ponds.3. Consistent with previous studies, metamorphs consumed higher‐quality diets than paedomorphs in term of energy intake. However, these di

Automated wildlife monitoring using self-configuring sensor networks deployed in natural habitats - V. M. Trifa; T. C. Collier; C. E. Taylor; L. Girod; Daniel T. Blumstein (Proceedings of the Twelfth International Symposium on Artificial Life and Robotics, 2007)

Effects of larval energetic resources on life history and adult allocation patterns in a caddisfly (Trichoptera: Phryganeidae) - E. Bruneau; J. E. Jannot; S. A. Wissinger (Ecological Entomology, 2007)
Abstract 1. How populations respond to environmental change depends, in part, on the connection between environmental variance during early life stages and its effect on subsequent life‐history traits. For example, environmental variation during the larval stage can influence the life histories of organisms with complex life cycles by altering the amount of time spent in each stage of the life cycle as well as by altering allocation to life‐history traits during metamorphosis. 2. The effects of larval energetic resources on developmental timing, adult mass, fecundity, mating success, and allocation to adult body structures (thorax, abdomen, wings) were examined in an aquatic caddisfly ( Agrypnia deflata Milne, Trichoptera: Phryganeidae). Larval energetic reserves were manipulated by removing larval cases just prior to pupation. In the first experiment, cases of all indi

Structural and stratigraphic controls on fracture distribution within sand bodies of the Upper Iles and Lower Williams Fork formations, Mamm Creek and Divide Creek fields, Piceance Basin, Colorado - Webber, Robert B. (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
The Mesaverde Group in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado is a continuous tight gas accumulation that has established itself as one of the more prolific producers of natural gas in the Rocky Mountain Region.In the Piceance Basin, the most significant producing intervals within the Mesaverde Group are the Iles and Williams Fork Formations, which provide key reservoir and source aspects of the Mesaverde total petroleum system.The Williams Fork and Iles Formations were deposited by sediment shed from the Sevier fold and thrust belt and transported eastward into the Cretaceous Interior Seaway.As a result of depositional processes and grain composition, the sandstones in these formations have very low permeability, typically less than 0.1 mD; so low that successful production of hydrocarbons requires the presence of fractures, either natural fractures or induced fractures from hydraulic stimulation.Natural fractures have been documented to significantly enhance reservoir permeabili

Road impacts on the Baca National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado, with emphasis on effects to surface- and shallow ground-water hydrology - A literature review (Antarctica A Keystone in a Changing World, 2007)
A review of published research on unpaved road effects on surface-water and shallow ground-water hydrology was undertaken to assist the Baca National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado, in understanding factors potentially influencing refuge ecology. Few studies were found that addressed hydrological effects of roads on a comparable area of shallow slope in a semiarid region. No study dealt with road effects on surface- and ground-water supplies to ephemeral wetlands, which on the refuge are sustained by seasonal snowmelt in neighboring mountains. Road surfaces increase runoff, reduce infiltration, and serve as a sediment source. Roadbeds can interfere with normal surface- and ground-water flows and thereby influence the quantity, timing, and duration of water movement both across landscapes and through the soil. Hydrologic effects can be localized near the road as well as widespread and distant. The number, arrangement, and effectiveness of road-drainage structures (culverts and other devices)

Group dynamics and decision making: backcountry recreationists in avalanche terrain - Gilley, Jerry W.; Thompson, Jessica Leigh; Leslie Shay Bright; Chermack, Tom; Makela, Carole J. (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
The purpose of this study was to describe and determine the prevalence of decision-making characteristics of recreational backcountry groups when making a decision of where to travel and ride in avalanche terrain from the perspective of individuals. Decision-making characteristics encompassed communication, decision-making processes, leadership, and group factors, including groupthink and bounded awareness. Additionally, the study sought information on decision outcomes and group attributes and explored relationships among the characteristics, outcomes, and attributes. As little empirical findings existed, this study sought to provide foundational knowledge regarding the dynamics and decision making of winter recreational backcountry groups traveling in avalanche terrain. This study utilized quantitative, cross-sectional survey research and a newly developed instrument. Participants were asked to complete the instrument online and reflect on one 2009-2010 backcountry outing in which th

Age effects on yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) maximum running speed - Jiancong Chen (2007)
Age effects on maximum running speed (MRS) in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) were examined to see whether this performance trait varied with age. Individuals were trapped in Tomahawk livetraps, then released and encouraged to run to burrows by yelling and chasing over varying distances. Factors possibly affecting the MRS including incline, distance run, age, sex, and substrate were recorded and controlled for in a general linear model that sought to explain variation in run time. I found that distance run and substrate have significant effects on run time, while age, incline, and sex had insignificant effects on run time. However, younger marmots ran over a wider range of speeds than older marmots. This suggested that yellow-bellied marmots did not experience somatic senescence although there appeared to be natural selection for locomotor ability.

Spatiotemporal variation in reproductive parameters of yellow-bellied marmots - Link E. Olson; Kenneth B. Armitage; Daniel T. Blumstein (Oecologia, 2007)
The analysis indicated that λ was proportionately more sensitive to survival than recruitment, and the annual fluctuation in litter size, abetted by the breeding probabilities, accounted for most of the temporal variation in λ.

The effects of water and phosphorus on floral traits and nectar production of Ipomopsis aggregata - M. McChesney (2007)
Floral traits and nectar production of Ipomopsis aggregata were measured in response to water and phosphorus treatments applied to two morphotypes. Typical morphotypes underwent water and phosphorus treatments. Because stunted floral traits may be a response to drought stress, only water treatments were applied to stunted morphotypes. Observations were completed within three sites in Gothic, Colorado. In typical I. aggregata, corolla width was increased by phosphorus treatments and nectar production rate was increased with water additions. Water had no significant effect on plants containing stunted flowers; however, stunted plants produced typically sized flowers within the second week of the experiment.

Phylogeographic patterns in Drosophila montana - P. M. Mirol; R. K. Butlins; L. Orsini; J. Routtu; C. Schlotterer; M. A. Schafer; A. Hoikkala (Molecular Ecology, 2007)
The Drosophila virilis species group offers valuable opportunities for studying the roles of chromosomal re-arrangements and mating signals in speciation. The 13 species are divided into two subgroups, the montana and virilis ‘phylads’. There is greater differentiation among species within the montana phylad in both karyotype and acoustic signals than exists among members of the virilis phylad. Drosophila montana is a divergent species which is included in the montana phylad. Here, we analyse the phylogeography of D. montana to provide a framework for understanding divergence of acoustic signals among populations. We analysed mitochondrial sequences corresponding to the cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome oxidase II genes, as well as 16 microsatellite loci, from 108 lines of D. montana covering most of the species’ range. The species shows a clear genetic differentiation between North American and Scandinavian populations. Microsatellite allele frequencies and mitochondrial DNA haploty

Predicted fitness consequences of threat-sensitive hiding behavior - E. Rhoades; Daniel T. Blumstein (Behavioral Ecology, 2007)
In studies of refuge use as a form of antipredator behavior, where prey hide in response to a predator's approach, factors such as foraging costs and the perceived risk in a predator's approach have been shown to influence the hiding behavior of prey. Because few studies of waiting games have focused on mammals, we studied the hiding behavior of the yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris), a ground-dwelling rodent. We tested the prediction that marmots vary hiding time as a function of predator approach speed and presence and absence of food outside their refuge and that marmots hide differently depending on their relative condition. We conducted ''fast approaches'' and ''slow approaches'' in the presence and absence of extra food and evaluated hiding times. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that the interaction between the approach speed and the presence and absence of food influenced hiding behavior; body condition had a smaller, but nonsignificant effect. We then develo

The opposite of 'whole': groundwater dependence in a rural agricultural community in Colorado - Taylor, Peter L.; Kelsea MacIlroy; Cheng, Tony; Cross, Jeni (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
As the American West faces increasing water demands and decreased access and flows due to the effects of climate change, increasing populations, and pollution it is more important than ever to examine governance structures of common pool resources like groundwater. In the San Luis Valley of south-central Colorado, the community's dependence on this resource has been concealed by the hiddenness of groundwater, which also obscured its role in shaping agriculture, expansion in farmland, and social structure in the Valley. This unsustainable use of groundwater–the opposite of 'whole'–made a 'tragedy of the commons' possible. In response, a local water management organization spearheaded a groundwater management plan with a main goal to preserve as many livelihoods as possible. Similar to other natural resource dependent communities, subdistrict #1 provides a case study of how a community is responding to their overuse through collective action. Support and opposition for this plan stems

Reproductive and physiological responses to simulated climate warming for four subalpine species - M. E. Loik; S. C. Lambrecht; John Harte; David W. Inouye (New Phytologist, 2007)

Testing the importance of the distribution of worker sizes to colony performance in the ant species Formica obscuripes Forel - C. Carter; Ian Billick (Insectes Sociaux, 2007)
It is found that experimental colonies whose distributions mimicked the natural distributions retained a larger percentage of colony biomass over three weeks when fed on honeydew, relative to colonies composed of only large or only small workers.

Pennsylvanian sinistral faults along the southwest boundary of the Uncompahgre uplift, Ancestral Rocky Mountains, Colorado - William A. Thomas (Geosphere, 2007)
Resolution of the large-scale kinematics of the Pennsylvanian-Permian Ancestral Rocky Mountains requires definition of sense of slip and time of movement on specific faults within the system of fault-bounded basins and uplifts (e.g., Paradox basin, Uncompahgre uplift). Along an east-west–striking segment of the boundary between the Paradox basin and Uncompahgre uplift, a system of steep faults defines a horst and graben system, which includes the Grenadier fault block. Positive flower structures (anticlines) along both the bounding (Coal Bank Pass and Molas Creek faults) and internal (Snowdon fault) faults of the Grenadier fault block indicate strike-slip displacement, and oblique subsidiary folds show sinistral slip. On both sides of the Snowdon fault, stratigraphic thinning of parts of the Pennsylvanian Hermosa Group toward the fault documents synsedimentary growth of the positive flower structure, suggesting Pennsylvanian sinistral slip along this part of the Ancestral Rocky Mountai

Drain the Lake! Tear Down the Butte! Build Paradise!: The Environmental Dimensions of Social and Economic Power in Boulder, Colorado, and Benzie, Michigan: Presented as the Twentieth Annual Lecture in the W. P. Whitsett California Lecture Series, California State University, Northridge, May 26, 2006 - Philip J. Deloria (Southern California Quarterly, 2007)
Research Article| April 01 2007 Drain the Lake! Tear Down the Butte! Build Paradise!: The Environmental Dimensions of Social and Economic Power in Boulder, Colorado, and Benzie, Michigan: Presented as the Twentieth Annual Lecture in the W. P. Whitsett California Lecture Series, California State University, Northridge, May 26, 2006 Philip J. Deloria Philip J. Deloria Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Southern California Quarterly (2007) 89 (1): 65–88. https://doi.org/10.2307/41172353 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Philip J. Deloria; Drain the Lake! Tear Down the Butte! Build Paradise!: The Environmental Dimensions of Social and Economic Power in Boulder, Colorado, and Benzie, Michigan: Presented as the Twentieth Annual Lecture in the W. P. Whitsett California Lecture Series, Californi

Analysis and modeling of intermediate-scale reservoir heterogeneity based on a fluvial point-bar outcrop analog, Williams Fork Formation, Piceance Basin, Colorado - Penny E. Patterson; Matthew J. Pranter; Rebecca A. Cole (AAPG Bulletin, 2007)
This study presents results of outcrop characterization and modeling of lithologic heterogeneity within a well-exposed point bar of the Williams Fork Formation in Coal Canyon, Piceance Basin, Colorado. This deposit represents an intermediate-scale depositional element that developed from a single meandering channel within a low net-to-gross ratio fluvial system. Williams Fork outcrops are analogs to petroleum reservoirs in the Piceance Basin and elsewhere. Analysis and modeling of the point bar involved outcrop measurements and ground-based high-resolution light detection and ranging data; thus, the stratigraphic frameworks accurately represent the channel-fill architecture. Two- and three-dimensional (2-D and 3-D) outcrop models and streamline simulations compare scenarios based on different lithologies, shale drapes, observed grain-size trends, petrophysical properties, and modeling methods. For 2-D models, continuous and discontinuous shale drapes on lateral-accretion surfaces resul

Evaluation of the Kipp and Zonen large aperture scintillometer for estimation of sensible heat flux over irrigated and non-irrigated fields in southeastern Colorado - Ham, Jay M.; Chávez, José L.; Evan H. Rambikur; Andales, Allan A.; Gates, Timothy K. (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
The aim of this work was to assess the performance of the Kipp and Zonen Large Aperture Scintillometer (LAS; Delft, Netherlands) to predict surface sensible heat flux (H). The LAS was introduced approximately 30 years ago and has been marketed as an indirect tool for the estimation of vegetation evapotranspiration (ET). Several tests have shown the LAS to be a fairly robust tool for prediction of H, both over homogeneous and heterogeneous surfaces. However, the Kipp and Zonen LAS has been criticized for overestimation of H and for significant inter-sensor deviation in H. Field experiments were performed in 2011 using three Kipp and Zonen LAS units over two different surfaces to assess the accuracy and inter-sensor variability. Accuracy was evaluated based on reference measurements from eddy covariance (EC) instrumentation, which provides direct measurement of sensible and latent heat fluxes. Notably the EC method has been criticized for systematic underestimation of the sensible and/or

Effects of river regulation on riparian box elder (Acer Negundo) forests in Canyons of the upper Colorado River Basin, USA - John M. DeWine; David J. Cooper (Wetlands, 2007)

Home range size, conspecific overlap, and weight gain of the golden-mantled ground squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis - S. Smiley (2007)

Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems: A Troubled Sense of Immensity R. W. Adler . 2007. Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems: A Troubled Sense of Immensity. Island Press.xxiii+. 311 15 × 23 cm, paperback, US$35.00. ISBN: 978-1-59726-057-2. - Roland Jansson (Ecoscience, 2007)

The Sequence Stratigraphy of the Chinle Formation in the Dinosaur National Monument Region, Utah and Colorado, USA - Ryan Eric Erickson (University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy (University of Minnesota), 2007)
A Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Minnesota by Ryan Eric Erickson in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, October 2007.

Devising an ageing technique for Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana near Crested Butte, Colorado - R. E. Poore (2007)
Due to climatic changes, sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana) is likely to increase its elevational range in the Rocky Mountains, which could have significant effect on alpine communities. Little is known about the demographics of sagebrush populations, partially due to difficulties in ageing plants. This study examines the relationship between age and various physical attributes of sagebrush at four sites along an elevational gradient near Crested Butte, Colorado. We found the best correlations between age and diameter, although it is unclear how well these could be used to age sagebrush in the field. There was very little variation in ages across the sites, with most sites having plants as old as 45-55 years. However, the second lowest site was significantly younger than the rest of the sites, with the oldest plant only 33 years old. This is most likely due to heavy grazing at this site that is not present at any of the other sites. A general trend of increased ring widths

Mineralogy of the Paquin Mining District {Ouray County, Colorado} - Tom Rosemeyer (Rocks & Minerals, 2007)

Equipping Selected Ministers In The Arkansas Valley Baptist Association, Colorado, To Apply Missional Church Development Components To Their Ministry Contexts - Frank W. CORNELIUS (2007)

Epidemiological, physiological and genetic risk factors associated with congestive heart failure and mean pulmonary arterial pressure in cattle - Holt, Timothy; Enns, Mark; Garry, Franklyn; Thomas, Milton; Orton, Christopher; Joseph Neary; Meiman, Paul (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
Congestive heart failure, secondary to pulmonary hypertension, has historically been considered a disease associated with high altitude exposure. The disease was first reported to occur at altitudes over 2,440 m (8,000 ft.) and so became known as "high altitude disease". One common clinical sign due to congestive heart failure in cattle is swelling of the brisket. Consequently, the disease also became known as "brisket disease". In more recent years, congestive heart failure has been reported to occur in both beef and dairy cattle at a more moderate altitude of 1,600 m. Anecdotal reports from cattle producers in Nebraska, Colorado and Texas suggest that the incidence of congestive heart failure may be increasing. This suggests that bovine congestive heart failure is not strictly a disease of high altitude exposure. Anatomical studies of cattle indicate that cattle have a smaller lung volume and alveolar surface area available for gas exchange than mammals with similar body masses and o

Impacts of climate change on the hydrologic response of headwater basins in Colorado - Ramirez, Jorge; Caleb R. Foy; Jorge A. Ramı́rez; Mazdak Arabi (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
The headwater basins of Colorado are heavily relied upon for freshwater resources on an annual basis. However, knowledge concerning generation of such resources, and implications of climate change on their availability in the future, is not well understood. Thus, this research has been undertaken to develop, calibrate, and test a comprehensive process-based model in four mountainous watersheds of Colorado, and investigate the potential impacts of changing climate on hydrologic response in these basins. Specifically, the four study watersheds considered for analysis include the Cache la Poudre, Gunnison, San Juan and Yampa River basins. Calibration of the model compared several parameter optimization techniques for performance in each of the study basins, which included the more common Shuffled Complex Evolution – University of Arizona (SCE-UA) method and a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method known as the Gibbs Sampler Algorithm (GSA). Fully calibrated and tested models were driven b

New stratigraphic interpretations, geochemistry, and petrophysics of the lower Mancos group, Douglas Creek Arch, northwestern Colorado, U.S.A. - Katarzyna Kuzniak (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
A study of regional stratigraphy, geochemistry, and petrophysics of the interval between the Lower Mancos Shale and the Dakota Formations on the Douglas Creek Arch was conducted to investigate its resource potential as an unconventional gas accumulation.The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the Lower Mancos Shale is a potential exploration target on the Douglas Creek Arch and evaluate various organic facies within this interval.Additionally, a comparison of the lower Mancos group of northwestern Colorado to previous studies of this unit across the state was performed.To correlate separate, continuous, and mappable intervals in the Mancos B Shale to the Dakota formations, a study of well logs in this area was conducted.Within the stratigraphic interval thirteen key surfaces were identified: 1) Dakota Sandstone; 2) lower Tununk Shale; 3) Tununk Shale; 4) Frontier Sandstone; 5) Carlile Shale; 6) Niobrara 1; 7) Niobrara 2; 8) Niobrara 3; 9) Niobrara 4; 10) Niobrara 5; 1

Depositional setting and reservoir-scale architecture of sandstone bodies of the Green River Formation in Evacuation Creek, Dragon Quadrangle, eastern Uinta basin, Utah - T. Ryan O'Hara (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
The Green River Formation is an Eocene lacustrine deposit that is present in several Rocky Mountain basins.In the Uinta basin, the Green River Formation has produced large amounts of oil and gas from many fields, the largest being the Greater Altamont-Bluebell field in the northern margin of the basin, the Monument Butte and Natural Buttes fields in the central region, and the Greater Red Wash field in the northeastern part of the basin.In addition, the Green River Formation contains one of the largest oil shale deposits in the world.The Uinta and Piceance basins are estimated to contain 1.32 trillion barrels and 1.53 trillion barrels respectively of total in-place oil shale resource.This study focuses on littoral to sublittoral sandstone deposition of the Green River Formation in the eastern Uinta basin of Utah, in Evacuation Creek, near the Utah-Colorado border.This area contains extensive and continuous outcrop of the Green River Formation exposed in steep cliffs and gullies, and al

Source rock characterization of the Green River oil shale, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado - Feng Jufang (Digital Collections of Colorado (Colorado State University), 2007)
The Green River Formation in Piceance Creek basin is estimated to have the largest oil shale deposits in the world today, and it also provides a classic model for lacustrine source rock deposition.Based on study of facies associations, depositional trends, and basin-scale correlations, a sequence stratigraphic framework has been builtThis study would not have been possible without all the work she has done.I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Justin E. Birdwell, Mark J. Pawlewicz, and William M. Benzel from USGS at Denver

Behavior of inexperienced bumble bees toward spatial clumping of nectar - D. Taneyhill; James D. Thomson (Entomologia Generalis, 2007)

Flower preference and constancy in four butterfly species - J. I. Van Wyk (2007)

Predicting the effects of nectar robbing on plant reproduction: implications of pollen limitation and plant mating system - L. A. Burkle; Rebecca E. Irwin (American Journal of Botany, 2007)
The outcome of species interactions is often difficult to predict, depending on the organisms involved and the ecological context. Nectar robbers remove nectar from flowers, often without providing pollination service, and their effects on plant reproduction vary in strength and direction. In two case studies and a meta‐analysis, we tested the importance of pollen limitation and plant mating system in predicting the impacts of nectar robbing on female plant reproduction. We predicted that nectar robbing would have the strongest effects on species requiring pollinators to set seed and pollen limited for seed production. Our predictions were partially supported. In the first study, natural nectar robbing was associated with lower seed production in Delphinium nuttallianum, a self‐compatible but non‐autogamously selfing, pollen‐limited perennial, and experimental nectar robbing reduced seed set relative to unrobbed plants. The second study involved Linaria vulgaris, a self‐incompatible pe

Male courtship song and female preference variation between phylogeographically distinct populations of Drosophila montana - D. Mazzi; K. Klappert; M. G. Ritchie; A. Hoikkala (Evolution, 2007)

A comparative study of the cost of alternative mayfly oviposition behaviors. - Andrea Encalada; B. L. Peckarsky (Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2007)

The effect of ants on membracid nymph size and instar - J. Howard (2007)
This project aimed to determine the mechanism of which treehopper nymphs grow in the presence of ants. Nymphs (Publilia modesta) are larger when their mutualist partner (Formica obscuripes) is present. There are two ways in which the nymphs can grow: (1) nymphs grow at the same rate, but are larger for a given stage of development, (2) nymphs grow faster (go through instars more quickly). This study investigates which of the two ways the nymphs are growing by manipulating the presence or absence of ants to the nymphs during development. Four samples of the nymphs were taken in four weeks. Stage of nymph development and size of nymph were determined and analyzed over time with respect to treatment group (ants or no ants). We found that the presence of ants causes the membracid nymphs to grow faster and that size was not affected. This implies that there is no extra cost to nymphs to grow more quickly, because they are able to preserve their size and still grow at a faster rate.

The extent of variation in male song, wing and genital characters among allopatric Drosophila montana populations - K. Van Der Linde; R. K. Butlin; P. M. Mirol; D. Mazzi; J. Routtu; A. Hoikkala (Journal Compilation of European Society for Evolutionary Biology, 2007)
Abstract Drosophila montana, a species of the Drosophila virilis group, has distributed around the northern hemisphere. Phylogeographic analyses of two North American and one Eurasian population of this species offer a good background for the studies on the extent of variation in phenotypic traits between populations as well as for tracing the selection pressures likely to play a role in character divergence. In the present paper, we studied variation in the male courtship song, wing and genital characters among flies from Colorado (USA), Vancouver (Canada) and Oulanka (Finland) populations. The phenotypic divergence among populations did not coincide with the extent of their genetic divergence, suggesting that the characters are not evolving neutrally. Divergence in phenotypic traits was especially high between the Colorado and Vancouver populations, which are closer to each other in terms of their mtDNA genotypes than they are to the Oulanka population. The males of the Colorado popu

Rodent societies: an ecological and evolutionary perspective - Kenneth B. Armitage (2007)

Effects of floral display size and biparental inbreeding on outcrossing rates in Delphinium Barbeyi (Ranunculaceae) - C.F. (Rick) Williams (American Journal of Botany, 2007)

Compensatory responses to loss of warming-sensitive plant species - M. S. Cross; John Harte (Ecology, 2007)
Climate warming-induced plant species loss is likely to be nonrandom and based on species-specific susceptibility to changing climate. We examined the ecological consequences of losing shallow-rooted forbs, a group of species we predict to be adversely affected by climate change based on their response to experimental warming. After three years of experimental species removal, tap-rooted forbs and grasses were able to fully compensate for the loss of shallow-rooted forbs with increased biomass production. Moreover, the remaining plant community yielded a larger biomass response to nitrogen addition when shallow-rooted forbs were removed, possibly because removal led to increased soil moisture. We conclude that, although shallow-rooted forbs share a common response to warming, their loss did not affect community-level biomass. However, the loss of shallow-rooted forbs could result in increased sensitivity to perturbations, such as changing nutrient availability. Our results demonstrate

Nutrient limitation of the nuisance, stalk-forming diatom, Didymosphenia geminata, in Rocky Mountain streams - D. A. Mitrano (2007)
The range of some algae has been increasing in recent years due to either internal (genetic) or external (environmental) factors that have been expanding both the nutrient and pH range at which they can survive. Didymoshenia geminata (didymo) is a species of diatom with a silica casing that can form nuisance blooms on stream beds excluding native species of algae. Understanding the water chemistry that allows for the explosive growth of this diatom is necessary in reducing the spread of the carbon rich, extra cellular stalks it produces. We believe that the addition of sulfate and phosphorus will increase both the diatom cell and stalk production. Nutrient diffusing substrates using nutrient enriched agar were placed in flower pots with 12 treatments (including a control) containing various combinations of phosphorus, sulfate, silicate, and nitrogen. One hundred and eight pots in nine blocks were then placed in the East River in Western Colorado for twenty days at which point measures

The effects of climate change on subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) sapling growth and establishment success across an elevational gradient - T. R. Valentovich (2006)
With the current climate changes occurring globally, it is important to learn about how species distributions will react in the future. Questions have arisen as to whether species, including conifers, exist in a single or multiple climate envelopes which are described by their current distributions. This study aims to investigate this question with subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) as it occurs around Gothic, Gunnison Co., CO. Growth and establishment success were measured in 50 to 100 saplings in each of 11 populations across a climate gradient. Large variation was found among sites, suggesting that perhaps sites are reacting differentially to recent climate changes. It is not clear from this study whether subalpine fir trees are occupying a common climate envelope or if they are occurring in unique envelopes.

Resource value affects territorial defense by Broad-tailed and Rufous hummingbirds - A. F. Camfield (Journal of Field Ornithology, 2006)
ABSTRACT Territorial behavior of Broad-tailed (Selasphorous platycercus) and Rufous (Selasphorous rufus) hummingbirds in Colorado was measured at sites with feeders containing10%, 20%, and 30% sucrose solutions, respectively. The presence or absence of territory holders, number of intruders, and intensity of defense were measured at the three levels of energy availability. Migrating Rufous Hummingbirds displaced Broad-tailed Hummingbirds from territories they had defended during the breeding season; Broad-tailed Hummingbirds then defended only lower quality sites. Both Broad-tailed and Rufous hummingbirds employed more energetically expensive behaviors when defending high quality sites, with longer chases more often supplemented with chip calls and hovering. Other investigators have suggested that chip calls and hovering are precursors to a chase. However, I found that chasing was the default response to the presence of an intruder. Chip calls and hovering were added to intensify a cha

The timing of the ant-effect on nymph size and survivorship in an ant-treehopper mutualism - D. M. Erickson (2006)

Temporal shift of diet in alternative cannibalistic morphs of the tiger salamander - M. Denoel; Howard Whiteman; S. A. Wissinger (Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006)

The making of a biologist: E.R. Warren and the boomtown of Gothic - J. C. Horn (Southwestern Lore, 2006)

Floral larceny: Implications, resistance, and the potential for tolerance - M. L. McCutcheon (2006)

Hybridization and pollinator behavior in Castilleja (Orobanchaceae) - H. Heartsun (2006)
Hybridization between interspecific angiosperms is common, yet the initial stages are rare (REF- is this even true????). One of the factors that aeffects the rate of hybridization is the behavior of pollinators responsible for transferring pollen and fertilizing the flowers – only for some plants. Pollinator behavior can facilitate assortative or disassortative mating. We studied pollinator behavior using artificial floral arrays to see if the presence of hybrids in an area changed – we actually did not look at this since we didn’t do arrays w/o hybrids- the patterns of movement and proportion of time spent on certain flowers. We also performed hand-crossings to study hybrid fertility. Hybrids set fruit in combination with parent species and other hybrids. Pollinators generally lacked constancy in areas with hybrids- don’t really have a basis for this since only did it in areas with hybrids-. Disassortative pollen transfer could result in the production of hybrid offspring (do you mean

Revegetation after disturbance in high-altitude meadow ecosystems - H. Beeson (2006)
Restoration Ecology is the science of techniques in which environmental degradation can be reversed and the previously existing ecosystems can be reestablished. Revegetation is a common restoration technique and I chose to investigate whether it could be applied to disturbed areas in high-altitude meadow ecosystems in Gothic, Colorado. I transplanted 100 plants, 20 of each of five native species: Potentilla gracilis, Linum lewisii, Fragaria virginiana, Erigeron speciosus, and Achilea millefolium and tested the effect of varying amounts of sunlight, plant size prior to transplant, and species on the development of new growth and reproductive success. I found that the best species for future revegetation projects are Erigeron speciosus and Fragaria virginiana and that, although Achillea and Potentilla were fairly successful at developing new growth and flowers, they might benefit more from reseeding as a restoration technique. I also surveyed plant communities in previously disturbed are

Physiological and Morphological Changes in Ipomopsis aggregata Along an Elevational Gradient - Z. M. Turner (2006)
Changes in the morphology and physiology of Ipomopsis aggregata and changes in en- vironment were assessed along a roughly 1000 m elevation gradient at seven sites in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. Sites at the ends of the gradient had the lowest soil moisture, the lowest two being in sagebrush scrub land and the highest on rocky alpine talus. Soil moisture decreases for the highest five sites but is intermediate for the lowest two sites. Minimum temperatures and relative humidity decreased with altitude. I. aggregata showed significant changes in leaf structure, glutathione reductase activity and water use efficiency which correlate best with elevation. Plants at higher elevations had larger leaves with higher specific leaf area (SLA) and higher water content. Stomatal density declined at both ends of the gradient. Leaf hair density was very high at the low desert-like site but otherwise increased significantly with elevation. Glutathione reductase (GR) activity was very hig

From DNA to fitness differences: sequences and structures of adaptive variants of Colias Phosphoglucose Isomerase (PGI) - P. M. Schulte; D. D. Pollock; C. W. Wheat; W. B. Watt (Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2006)

An evaluation of MS-222 and benzocaine as anesthetics for metamorphic and paedomorphic tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum) - A. C. Crook; Howard Whiteman (Amer Midl Nat, 2006)

Selective oviposition by the mayfly Baetis bicaudatus - Andrea Encalada; B. L. Peckarsky (Oecologia, 2006)

Methods in Stream Ecology - B. L. Peckarsky (2006)

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ASPEN HEARTWOOD ROT AND THE LOCATION OF CAVITY EXCAVATION BY A PRIMARY CAVITY-NESTER, THE RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER - N. Losin; T. E. Schweitzer; S. J. Keller; C. H. Floyd (The Condor, 2006)
Abstract We investigated nest-hole excavation by the Red-naped Sapsucker (Syphrapicus nuchalis) in aspen (Populus tremuloides) woodlands in western Colorado. Sapsuckers excavate nest cavities primarily in aspens infected with a heartwood rot fungus (Phellinus tremulae), which softens the heartwood of infected trees. We assessed the interior condition of fungus-infected aspen trunks by extracting wood samples with an increment corer to determine whether sapsuckers chose nest-hole locations based on the extent of healthy sapwood remaining. Comparing fungus-infected trees with and without cavities, cavity-bearing trees had thinner healthy sapwood. The depth of healthy sapwood also varied with compass direction, being thinnest on the south sides of fungus-infected aspens. Cavity entrance orientations were significantly biased to the south-southeast, corresponding with the directional bias in heartwood rot. These results suggest that the depth of healthy sapwood, and hence

The Reserved Rights Doctrine: Case Study Involving Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - Roderick E. Walston (Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education, 2006)
Supreme Court has developed a legal doctrine -the "

Potential Water Augmentation from Cloud Seeding in the Colorado River Basin - Steven M Hunter (The Journal of Weather Modification, 2006)
A spatially-distributed snow energy and mass balance model, updated with all available snowpack observations, is used to assess the potential for water augmentation by winter orographic cloud seeding in the Colorado River Basin. The modeling system outputs snow water equivalent (SWE) on a 1 km grid throughout the continental United States. The April 1 SWE from the last two years are horizontally integrated across existing and potential seeding target areas in the basin and multiplied by approximately 0.1 to calculate water yields from an assumed seeding-induced increase of 10 percent. Major uncertainties in this method, including snowpack ablation and target area selection, are described. Given those uncertainties, it is estimated that in an average precipitation year, about one million acre-feet of additional snowpack water could be produced by seeding. Somewhat more could be produced in a wet year and about 500,000 acre-feet in a dry year. These figures are reasonably close to those

Anther evolution: pollen presentation strategies when pollinators differ in efficiency - S. J. Keller; A. D. Wolfe; M. C. Castellanos; P. T. Wilson; James D. Thomson (American Naturalist, 2006)

Flight Performance and Competitive Displacement of Hummingbirds across Elevational Gradients - D. L. Altshuler (American Naturalist, 2006)
Hummingbirds, with their impressive flight ability and competitive aerial contests, make ideal candidates for applying a mechanistic approach to studying community structure. Because flight costs are influenced by abiotic factors that change systematically with altitude, elevational gradients provide natural experiments for hummingbird flight ecology. Prior attempts relied on wing disc loading (WDL) as a morphological surrogate for flight performance, but recent analyses indicate this variable does not influence either territorial behavior or competitive ability. Aerodynamic power, by contrast, can be derived from direct measurements of performance and, like WDL, declines across elevations. Here, I demonstrate for a diverse community of Andean hummingbirds that burst aerodynamic power is associated with territorial behavior. Along a second elevational gradient in Colorado, I tested for correlated changes in aerodynamic power and competitive ability in two territorial hummingbirds. This

Effect of predation risk on the presence and persistence of yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) colonies - V. Yovovich; D. H. Van Vuren; Kenneth B. Armitage; Daniel T. Blumstein (Journal of Zoology, London, 2006)
AbstractHabitat selection may have population level consequences and ultimately may influence a population's local persistence or extinction. We capitalized on a long‐term study (1962–2004) of yellow‐bellied marmotsMarmota flaviventrisin and around the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, Colorado, USA, and compared habitat characteristics associated with food availability and predation risk to explain variation in persistence of marmots at 27 sites, and their absence at 22 additional, randomly selected sites. We classified sites as persistent, intermittent or null based on whether there was a history of extinction; intermittent sites periodically went extinct and null sites never had marmots. Logistic regression analyses revealed that environmental variables associated with visibility and safety, rather than food, correctly classified sites as persistent or non‐persistent as well as persistent or intermittent. Discriminant function analysis that included the null sites reveal

Parasite transmission, condition, and immune function in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) - T. Stark (2006)

Metapopulation dynamics of yellow-bellied marmots (2006)

A multimodel ensemble forecast framework: Application to spring seasonal flows in the Gunnison River Basin - Edith Zagona; Satish Kumar Regonda; Balaji Rajagopalan; Martyn Clark (Water Resources Research, 2006)
We propose a multimodel ensemble forecast framework for streamflow forecasts at multiple locations that incorporates large‐scale climate information. It has four broad steps: (1) Principal component analysis is performed on the spatial streamflows to identify the dominant modes of variability. (2) Potential predictors of the dominant streamflow modes are identified from several large‐scale climate features and snow water equivalent information. (3) Objective criterion is used to select a suite of candidate nonlinear regression models each with different predictors. (4) Ensemble forecasts of the dominant streamflow modes are generated from the candidate models and are combined objectively to produce a multimodel ensemble, which are then back transformed to produce spatially coherent streamflow forecasts at all the locations. The utility of the framework is demonstrated in the skillful forecast of spring seasonal streamflows at six locations in the Gunnison River Basin at several lead ti

Activity of American pikas, Ochotona princeps with respect to temperature along an elevational gradient - A. N. Chavez (2006)

Environmental stressors differentially affect leaf ecophysiological responses in two Ipomopsis species and their hybrids - C. A. Wu; Diane R. Campbell (Oecologia, 2006)

Cliff Attributes and Bird Communities in Jefferson County, Colorado - Liza Graham Rossi; Richard L. Knight (Natural Areas Journal, 2006)
Bird communities associated with differing cliff variables in Jefferson County, Colorado, were sampled using point counts. Species-specific density estimates and community diversity values were compared among four cliff types: small cliffs, medium cliffs, large cliffs, and non-cliff sites. A model selection was run to determine if cliff variables were associated with changes in species richness. Cliff variables included cliff height, cliff length, cliff verticality, cliff surface roughness, and distance to the nearest cliff. None of the cliff variables were good predictors of variability in species richness. Although no differences existed for bird community diversity estimates, there were significant differences in densities among cliff types for particular bird species. The rock wren (Salpinctes obsoletus Say), canyon wren (Catherpes mexicanus Swainson), violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina Swainson), and white-throated swift (Aeronautes saxatalis Woodhouse) were detected mor

Collecting Microminerals in Leadville, Lake County, Colorado - Arthur E. Smith (Rocks & Minerals, 2006)
(2006). Collecting Microminerals in Leadville, Lake County, Colorado. Rocks & Minerals: Vol. 81, No. 5, pp. 383-387.

This Land: A Guide to Central National Forests - Robert H. Mohlenbrock (2006)
Preface Introduction National Forests in Arkansas Ouachita Ouachita Mountains Border Lands Ozark Alum Cove Blanchard Springs Magazine Mountain St. Francis Crowley's Ridge National Forests in Colorado Arapaho Hoosier Pass Elk Park Grand Mesa Grand Mesa Gunnison Slumgullion Slide Taylor River Pike Rio Grande Roosevelt Long Lake Fens Routt San Isabel Twin Peaks San Juan Umcompahgre White River Flat Tops National Forests in Louisiana Kisatchie Kisatchie Hills National Forests in Minnesota Chippewa Superior National Forests in Missouri Mark Twain Grasshopper Hollow Cupola Pond Kaintuck Hollow Slaughter Sink Indian Creek Hercules Glade National Forests in Montana Beaverhead - Deerlodge Flathead Gallatin Tom Miner Basin Helena Kootenai Lewis and Clark Lolo Sheep Mountain Bog National Forests in Nebraska Nebraska Samuel R. McKelvie National Forests in New Mexico Carson Clayton Pass Cibola Sandia Cienega Tajique Canyon Paxton Cone Gila Lincoln Santa Fe Canada Bonito Rio Cebolla National Forests

The Cliff-Hanger Pocket, the Amphitheater, Ouray County, Colorado - Tom Rosemeyer (Rocks & Minerals, 2006)

Covellite: Summitville, Rio Grande County, Colorado - Robert B. Cook (Rocks & Minerals, 2006)

Three Proterozoic Orogenic Episodes and an Intervening Exhumation Event in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Region, Colorado - James N. Connelly; James V. Jones III; Micah J. Jessup; Karl E. Karlstrom; Matthew T. Heizler; Michael L. Williams (The Journal of Geology, 2006)
U/Pb zircon/titanite geochronology, in situ monazite geochronology, and 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology provide an unusually complete data set for reconstructing the tectonic history of Proterozoic rocks exposed in the Black Canyon, Gunnison, Colorado. These new geochronologic data record three protracted orogenic episodes and an exhumation event between orogenic pulses: (1) Yavapai orogeny (1741–1689 Ma), (2) exhumation marked by an angular unconformity beneath post‐Yavapai, pre‐Mazatzal quartzites, (3) Mazatzal orogeny (postquartzite deposition), and (4) 1434–1403 Ma intracratonic tectonism. Supracrustal rocks of the Black Canyon succession were deposited or crystallized at or prior to $$1741 pm 4$$ Ma and were intruded by the $$1713 pm 2$$ Ma Pitts Meadow granodiorite. Paleoproterozoic high‐temperature metamorphism (>650°C) associated with the Yavapai orogeny occurred between 1741 and 1690 Ma. Deposition of interorogenic quartzites took place after ∼1700 Ma. The Vernal Mesa monzogranite

Patterns of biodiversity in sub-alpine wetlands - A. M. Panetta (2006)
Aquatic insect colonization dynamics were studied in an attempt to understand patterns of diversity in sub-alpine wetlands. More specifically, this study investigated three alternate hypotheses: species-level diversity in habitat patches is a function of 1) patch size, 2) patch complexity, or 3) source-community characteristics. Experimental ponds that varied in size and habitat complexity were placed around natural source ponds of varying hydroperiods. Samples of invertebrate abundance and species richness were taken after a nine days of natural colonization. Results revealed higher species richness in more complex habitats (F 1, 66 = 5.756; p = 0.0193). Species richness also varied with respect to hydroperiod (F 2, 66 = 12.961, p < 0.0001), with highest diversity in habitat patches around vernal ponds. Species richness did not vary with respect to patch size (F 1, 92 = 0.665; p = 0.417). Results support the hypothesis that diversity is a function of habitat heterogeneity, while they

Spatiotemporal variation in survival rates: implications for population dynamics of yellow-bellied marmots - Kenneth B. Armitage; Daniel T. Blumstein (Ecology, 2006)
Spatiotemporal variation in age-specific survival rates can profoundly influence population dynamics, but few studies of vertebrates have thoroughly investigated both spatial and temporal variability in age-specific survival rates. We used 28 years (1976-2003) of capture-mark-recapture (CMR) data from 17 locations to parameterize an age-structured Cormack-Jolly-Seber model, and investigated spatial and temporal variation in age-specific annual survival rates of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris). Survival rates varied both spatially and temporally, with survival of younger animals exhibiting the highest degree of variation. Juvenile survival rates varied from 0.52 +/- 0.05 to 0.78 +/- 0.10 among sites and from 0.15 +/- 0.14 to 0.89 +/- 0.06 over time. Adult survival rates varied from 0.62 +/- 0.09 to 0.80 +/- 0.03 among sites, but did not vary significantly over time. We used reverse-time CMR models to estimate the realized population growth rate (lamda), and to investigate

Bottom-up mediation of an ant-membracid mutualism: effects from different host plants - J. S. Reithel; Ian Billick (Evolutionary Ecology, 2006)
Experimental manipulation of the presence of ants in two different years indicated that the existence of ants had a positive effect on nymph numbers on both host plants, Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus and Wyethia spp, but not on WyethIA spp.

Developing an evolutionary ecology of fear: how life history and natural history traits affect disturbance tolerance in birds - Daniel T. Blumstein (Animal Behaviour, 2006)
It is suggested that body size and age of first reproduction are important in explaining variation in disturbance tolerance in birds, and that species that capture live prey and those that are highly social are relatively wary.

Faecal glucocorticoid metabolites and alarm calling in free-living yellow-bellied marmots - W. Saltzman; M. L. Patton; Daniel T. Blumstein (Biology Letters, 2006)
Abstract When individuals of a variety of species encounter a potential predator, some, but not all, emit alarm calls. To explain the proximate basis of this variation, we compared faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in live-trapped yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) between occasions when they did and did not emit alarm calls. We found that marmots had significantly higher glucocorticoid levels when they called than when they did not call, suggesting that stress or arousal may play an important role in potentiating alarm calls. Marmots are sensitive to variation in the reliability of callers. The present finding provides one possible mechanism underlying caller variation: physiological arousal influences the propensity to emit alarm calls.

Impact of insect pollinator group and floral display size on outcrossing rate - H. R. Sweet; J. Brunet (Evolution, 2006)
Despite the strong influence of pollination ecology on the evolution of selfing, we have little information on how distinct groups of insect pollinators influence outcrossing rate. However, differences in behavior between pollinator groups could easily influence how each group affects outcrossing rate. We examined the influence of distinct insect pollinator groups on outcrossing rate in the rocky mountain columbine, Aquilegia coerulea. The impact of population size, plant density, size of floral display, and herkogamy (spatial separation between anthers and stigmas) on outcrossing rate was also considered as these variables were previously found to affect outcrossing rate in some plant species. We quantified correlations between all independent variables and used simple and two-factor regressions to determine direct and indirect impact of each independent variable on outcrossing rate. Outcrossing rate increased significantly with hawkmoth abundance but not with the abundance of any of

Nectar robbing patterns in Ipomopsis aggregata and Linaria vulgaris - K. R. Bradley (2006)

Research Article: A study of Bromus tectorum L. seed germination in the Gunnison Basin, Colorado - Caley Gasch; Robin Bingham (BIOS, 2006)
Bromus tectorum L. (Cheatgrass, Downy brome) is an invasive grass that has recently proliferated within the Gunnison Basin, Colorado. This study examined variation in germination in response to temperature, storage duration, and habitat. Four populations within the Gunnison Basin were sampled. Seeds were kept in dry storage for 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks and then incubated at four different temperature regimes. Seeds in storage for zero weeks had low percent germination, while seeds in storage for 16 weeks had high percent germination. The optimal temperature for germination was room temperature, while the least favorable temperature regime was 5:10 °C. Within these general patterns, significant differences were found among populations in percent germination, but the differences decreased as seeds after-ripened. Seeds that were chilled prior to germination tests at the 5:10 °C temperature regime showed enhanced germination compared to seeds that were not chilled. Similar to what has bee

Assessing Two Plant Leaf Functional Traits across a Temperature Gradient - R. S. Sleith (2006)
In this study we attempted to discover some of the possible plant responses to global climate change, to assess plant responses we used two plant leaf functional traits: leaf maximum assimilation rate of CO2 (Amax) and Specific Leaf Area (SLA). To evaluate increasing temperature we used a natural elevation gradient and an experimental warming meadow. We found that six of seven species showed a higher SLA with increased elevation. Amax did not respond to elevation in a universal pattern; 5 of 6 species had a higher Amax at lower elevations, but a larger sample of species found no trend: only 6/12 species had higher Amax values at lower elevations. The Warming Meadow heating had no effect on the SLA of six species and no effect on the Amax of six species. Only two species responded, Erigeron speciosus and Eriogonum subalpinum, but this response agreed with previous studies on the system. We conclude that the relatively short termed experimental warming had a small effect on plant leaf fu

Tactics for male reproductive success in plants: contrasting insights of sex allocation theory and pollen presentation theory - James D. Thomson (Integrative and Comparative Biology, 2006)
The basic tenet of sex allocation theory is that an organism's reproductive success, through either male or female function, can be represented as a sex-specific, monotonic, increasing function of the organism's investment of resources in that function. The shapes of these curves determine what patterns of resource allocation can be evolutionarily stable. Although SA theory has stimulated creative thinking about plant sexual tactics, quantifying the shapes of male and female gain curves has proven so difficult that other approaches must be considered. I contrast sex allocation theory to a different, emerging viewpoint, pollen presentation theory (PPT), which attempts to address variation in reproductive success by measuring and modeling the quantitative fates of pollen grains. Models suggest that RS through male function depends heavily on the packaging and gradual dispensing of pollen to pollinators, even with the amount of investment held constant. Many plants do deploy pollen gradua

The green-veined white (Pieris napi L.), its Pierine relatives, and the systematics of divergent character sets (Lepidoptera, Pieridae) - F. S. Chew; W. B. Watt (Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006)
The butterfly Pieris napi (L.) and relatives exemplify recently evolving taxa, exhibiting variation that makes their evolutionary dynamics interesting, but their systematics difficult. Wing-pattern characters commonly used to distinguish these Holarctic insects display both genetic polymorphism and environmentally-cued polyphenism. Often, these causes of variation are confounded, impairing the characters' phylogenetic usefulness. DNA sequences of four mitochondrial genes offer an independent view of pierine phylogeny. Sampling diverse relatives within family Pieridae assists resolution of the P. napi complex, suggests previous underestimation of clade diversity in subfamily Pierinae, and shows that other genera near Pieris also display confusions of wing-pattern-based phylogenetic inference. The European P. napi is sister to all North American taxa, and is well diverged from them all in sequences. The North American taxa comprise a northern subclade including Pieris oleracea, and quest

COLORADO PIKEMINNOW (PTYCHOCHEILUS LUCIUS) UPSTREAM OF CRITICAL HABITAT IN THE YAMPA RIVER, COLORADO - Sam T. Finney (The Southwestern Naturalist, 2006)
The Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) is a federally endangered fish, which was once abundant and widespread in the Colorado River basin. During exotic fish removal sampling in the spring of 2003, 2004, and 2005, 2 Colorado pikeminnow were collected upstream of critical habitat in the Yampa River, Colorado. Collection of these specimens might be an artifact of low historical sampling effort, but they do serve to document potential habitat use of Colorado pikeminnow outside of critical habitat.

Asymmetrical pollen success in Ipomopsis (Polemoniaceae) contact sites - George Aldridge; Diane R. Campbell (American Journal of Botany, 2006)

Are native bees picky enough? The effect of an invasive plant, Linaria vulgaris, on the foraging of native bee pollinators - R. Ruppel (2006)
Invasive and native plant interactions are well studied, but the influence of invasive plants on native pollination systems is largely ignored. Native pollinators, specifically bees, feed their young with pollen and nectar they harvest from plants. An invasive plant could greatly augment the foraging patterns of the bees, especially if the plant has large nectar and pollen rewards. In 2004 and 2006, pollen balls were collected from Bombus appositus and analyzed to determine pollen composition. In 2004, 28.1% of the pollen found in Bombus appositus pollen balls was Delphinum barbeyi, and 24.9% of the pollen came from the invasive species, Linaria vulgaris. In 2006, 98.3% of the pollen in Bombus appositus pollen balls was from Linaria vulgaris, and only 1.5% was Delphinum barbeyi. Preliminarily, from the changes in proportions of pollen species found in pollen balls it is possible that Linaria vulgaris, the invasive species, is causing bees to change their foraging patterns between years

Evidence for deep groundwater flow and convective heat transport in mountainous terrain, Delta County, Colorado, USA - Gregory D. Lazear (Hydrogeology Journal, 2006)

Effects of anthropogenic disturbance on avian distribution, reproduction, and physiology. (Deep Blue (University of Michigan), 2006)
As human population and concomitant development increase, human-caused disturbances play an ever larger role in the fitness of wildlife. An increasing number of studies have implicated anthropogenic disturbance in having harmful effects on birds and other wildlife. Most studies, however, concentrate solely on behavioral changes, including fleeing, change in feeding habits, and shifts in habitat use. Few studies have investigated physiological changes or show a clear link between disturbances and reproductive success. I investigated the effects of road traffic and pedestrian disturbance on the distribution, physiology, and reproductive success of birds (with a focus on White-crowned Sparrows, Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) near the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab in Gothic, Colorado, U.S.A. I conducted 116 point count surveys of breeding birds along a 12 km stretch of an unpaved Forest Service road. Independent of habitat type, the road had a significant effect on the o

Avalanche Size increase resulting from tree removal and wind loading- a case study from central Colorado using Aval-1D - A. I. Mears (2006)

The Effects of Soil Nitrogen Availability on Plant Reproduction and Solitary Bee Behavior - K. L. Senkyr (2006)
Changes in nitrogen availability can alter plant community structure, composition, and abundance as well as higher order interactions. The goal of this study is to investigate the relationships between soil nitrogen, plant reproductive success, and solitary bee behavior and reproduction. Three different nitrogen treatments were applied to plots in subalpine meadows at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. First, comparisons of female plant fitness among the nitrogen treatments were estimated using stigma pollen receipt in Campanula rotundiflora, Helianthella quinquenervis, Lathyrus leucanthus, and Vicia americana. Lathyrus leucanthus received significantly more pollen in plots receiving no nitrogen than in those receiving high or low treatments. Second, pollen transport among the plots was estimated using fluorescent dyes. No relationship was found between nitrogen treatment and frequency of dye/pollen transport. Finally, solitary bee nesting boxes were placed in the field to colle

Olfactory predator discrimination in yellow-bellied marmots (2006)
Many species of mammals have been shown to modify their behavior in response to olfactory cues of predator presence, but few studies have attempted to directly compare responses to different predators. In this study, we assessed the response of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) to the urine of two common predators, coyote (Canis latrans) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes). We presented marmots with pairs of baited scent stations and recorded all behaviors within 0.5 m of the stations for one minute. We found that marmots sniff more and spend less time looking near predator urine relative to herbivore urine. When fox and coyote urine were presented together, no significant differences in behaviors were detected, although moderate to large effect sizes indicated a pattern of less time looking and more time foraging near the urine of coyote, a riskier predator. Marmots appear to respond to predator odors by trading off predator detection for reduced visibility and reduced exposure ti

Predator defense along a permanence gradient: roles of case structure, behavior, and developmental phenology in caddisflies - J. C. Whissel; C. Eldermire; W. S. Brown; S. A. Wissinger (Oecologia, 2006)
The combined results of these experiments suggest that caddisfly distributions along permanence gradients depend on a suite of primary and secondary predator defenses that include larval and pupal case structure, predator-specific escape behaviors, and the phenology of larval development.

The effects of slope orientation and temperature upon activity of the north american pika, Ochotona princeps - C. J. Ochiagha (2006)
In the face of global climate change, it is important to know how ecosystems will be affected so that conservation efforts may be more successful. In mountainous regions, effects of climate change may be especially pronounced due to steep elevation gradients and specific habitat requirements. The North American pika, Ochotona princeps, is highly sensitive to warming climates and may be a keystone species in many of the areas it is found. I asked how temperature affected the activity of pikas and how the orientation of the talus slopes they live in affected temperature. I found that more pikas are active in cooler temperatures of early morning than later in the day when it is warmer. Also, north facing study sites started out cooler in the morning than south facing study sites but became warmer than the south facing sites later in the morning. These results suggest that pikas are sensitive to warmer temperatures and also show how effects other than direct solar radiation, such as air cu

COMBINED SEWER ELIMINATION PROJECT GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO - Bret Guillory; Trent Prall; Ken Matthews (Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation, 2006)
COMBINED SEWER ELIMINATION PROJECT GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADOThere is a section of the town of Grand Junction, Colorado over five square miles in area where acombined sanitary and storm sewer system existed. The system had significant capacity constraintsduring storm events that resulted in problems with sanitary sewer conveyance, local flooding, andwastewater treatment. In 1996 the City of Grand Junction started serious planning for a project with the...Author(s)Ken MatthewsBret GuilloryTrent PrallSourceProceedings of the Water Environment FederationSubjectSession 9: Effective Resource Management and PerformanceDocument typeConference PaperPublisherWater Environment FederationPrint publication date Jan, 2006ISSN1938-6478SICI1938-6478(20060101)2006:4L.579;1-DOI10.2175/193864706783796457Volume / Issue2006 / 4Content sourceCollection Systems ConferenceFirst / last page(s)579 - 590Copyright2006Word count289

Shifts in plant dominance control short and long-term carbon-cycle responses to widespread drought - T. Shih; S. R. Saleska; John Harte (2006)
Global climate change is predicted to increase the intensity and frequency of future drought, which in turn may be expected to induce a range of biogeochemical climate feedbacks. A combination of model simulations and observational studies of a recent wide-scale drought, suggested that the drought induced substantial terrestrial ecosystem carbon loss, but hypothesized mechanisms could not be evaluated via comparison to a control. Here, we investigated carbon-cycle responses to climate changes by combining results from a controlled 15-year ecosystem warming experiment in montane grassland with observational data from before and during the recent drought. We found that both experimental warming and real-world drought induced substantial soil carbon loss in our study system, and that the same mechanism, a drying-induced shift in plant species composition and an associated decline in community productivity, provides a common explanation for these declines in soil carbon.

Ecosystem responses to warming-induced plant species loss and increased nitrogen availability in a Rocky Mountain subalpine meadow - Melvin T. Smith (2006)
Ecosystem Responses to Warming-Induced Plant Species Loss and Increased Nitrogen

Effects of patch quality and network structure on patch occupancy dynamics of a yellow-bellied marmot metapopulation - D. H. Van Vuren; Kenneth B. Armitage; Daniel T. Blumstein (Journal of Animal Ecology, 2006)
SummaryThe presence/absence of a species at a particular site is the simplest form of data that can be collected during ecological field studies. We used 13 years (1990–2002) of survey data to parameterize a stochastic patch occupancy model for a metapopulation of the yellow‐bellied marmot in Colorado, and investigated the significance of particular patches and the influence of site quality, network characteristics and regional stochasticity on the metapopulation persistence.Persistence of the yellow‐bellied marmot metapopulation was strongly dependent on the high quality colony sites, and persistence probability was highly sensitive to small changes in the quality of these sites.A relatively small number of colony sites was ultimately responsible for the regional persistence. However, lower quality satellite sites also made a significant contribution to long‐term metapopulation persistence, especially when regional stochasticity was high.The northern network of the marmot metapopulati

(308) The Mesa County Colorado Irrigation Audit Program - Curtis E Swift; Ardith Blessinger (HortScience, 2006)
Seven and one-half square miles, or 4864 acres, of the Grand Valley in Western Colorado consists of high water-using landscapes. Overirrigation of Grand Valley soils flushes 580,000 tons of salt into the Colorado River each year. These salts negatively impact plant and animal health throughout the Colorado River basin. Proper watering of lawns can significantly reduce this problem. Correcting problems with a sprinkler irrigation system can reduce water use by an average of 40%. If water use on all 4864 acres was reduced by 40%, a savings of 11,187 acre feet, or over 3.6 billion gallons, of water would result. The annual historical evapotranspiration (ET) rate for the Grand Valley of Western is ≈61 inches; the ET rate during the irrigation season (April through October) is ≈49 inches. Since a typical sprinkler system is ≈70% efficient, in order to apply 49 inches of water to the soil, ≈70 inches of water is required. Irrigation system problems such as improperly spaced heads, sunken hea

Gunnison Sage-Grouse Use of Conservation Reserve Program Fields in Utah and Response to Emergency Grazing: A Preliminary Evaluation - T. O. D. D. BLACK; SARAH G. LUPIS; TERRY A. MESSMER (Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2006)
Little information is available on the use of areas enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) by Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) or the impacts of grazing on their habitat selection and movement patterns. Using radiotelemetry, we monitored 13 Gunnison sage-grouse in San Juan County, Utah, USA during 2001–2002 to determine their use of CRP. Additionally, in 2002 some of the CRP land used by the birds in 2001 was grazed under a drought emergency declaration. This afforded us an opportunity to monitor their response to livestock grazing. Although Gunnison sage-grouse used CRP for nesting, brood-rearing, and summer habitat, it was not selected in greater proportion than its availability (P ≤ 0.10) on the landscape. Bird-use sites in the CRP did not entirely meet habitat guidelines recommended by the Gunnison sage-grouse Rangewide Steering Committee (2005). Most of the sage-grouse we monitored avoided CRP fields when livestock were present. The one exception to this was

The consequences of direct versus indirect spsecies interactions on selection on traits: pollination and nectar robbing in Ipomopsis aggregata - Rebecca E. Irwin (American Naturalist, 2006)

Self-sterility in Ipomopsis aggregata (Polemoniaceae) is due to prezygotic ovule degeneration - T. L. Sage; Mary V. Price; Nickolas M. Waser (American Journal of Botany, 2006)
Based on previous studies, extreme (>99%) self‐sterility in scarlet gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata) appears to be involved in late‐acting ovarian self‐incompatibility (OSI). Here, we confirm this suggestion by comparing structural events that follow from cross‐ vs. self‐pollinations of I. aggregata. Growth of cross‐ and self‐pollen tubes in the style at 11 h and growth in the ovary at 24 h was equivalent. Nonetheless, by 24 h, cross‐pollen effected a significantly higher percentage of both ovule penetration and fertilization. Ovules in self‐pollinated flowers showed pronounced changes, including an absence of embryo sac expansion and reduced starch in the integument, by 11 h post‐pollination, well before pollen tube entry into the ovary. In addition, the integumentary tapetum and adjacent 1–3 cell layers exhibited abnormal cell division, pronounced deposition of thick, pectin‐rich cell walls, and cellular collapse. Ovules and embryo sacs from cross‐pollinated flowers rarely showed such

Delayed population explosion of an introduced butterfly - C. E. Holdren; E. H. Williams; A. McMillian; I. G. Kulahci; J. P. Fay; P. R. Ehrlich; T. C. Bonebrake; Brian D. Inouye; Carol L. Boggs (Journal of Animal Ecology, 2006)
Summary The causes of lagged population and geographical range expansions after species introductions are poorly understood, and there are relatively few detailed case studies. We document the 29‐year history of population dynamics and structure for a population of Euphydryas gillettii Barnes that was introduced to the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA in 1977. The population size remained low (< 200 individuals) and confined to a single habitat patch (∼2·25 ha) to 1998. These values are similar to those of many other populations within the natural geographical range of the species. However, b

Emergence cues of a mayfly in a high-altitude stream ecosystem: Potential response to climate change - M. P. Harper; B. L. Peckarsky (Ecological Applications, 2006)
To understand the consequences of human accelerated environmental change, it is important to document the effects on natural populations of an increasing frequency of extreme climatic events. In stream ecosystems, recent climate change has resulted in extreme variation in both thermal and hydrological regimes. From 2001 to 2004, a severe drought in western United States corresponded with earlier emergence of the adult stage of the high-altitude stream mayfly, Baetis bicaudatus. Using a long-term database from a western Colorado stream, the peak emergence date of this mayfly population was predicted by both the magnitude and date of peak stream flow, and by the mean daily water temperature, suggesting that Baetis may respond to declining stream flow or increasing water temperature as proximate cues for early metamorphosis. However, in a one-year survey of multiple streams from the same drainage basin, only water temperature predicted spatial variation in the onset of emergence of this m

Subalpine forest carbon cycling: Short- and long-term influence of climate and species - L. M. Kueppers; John Harte (Ecological Applications, 2005)
Ecosystem carbon cycle feedbacks to climate change comprise one of the largest remaining sources of uncertainty in global model predictions of future climate. Both direct climate effects on carbon cycling and indirect effects via climate-induced shifts in species composition may alter ecosystem carbon balance over the long term. In the short term, climate effects on carbon cycling may be mediated by ecosystem species composition. We used an elevational climate and tree species composition gradient in Rocky Mountain subalpine forest to quantify the sensitivity of all major ecosystem carbon stocks and fluxes to these factors. The climate sensitivities of carbon fluxes were species-specific in the cases of relative aboveground productivity and litter decomposition, whereas the climate sensitivity of dead wood decay did not differ between species, and total annual soil CO2 flux showed no strong climate trend. Lodgepole pine relative productivity increased with warmer temperatures and earli

Complex Proterozoic crustal assembly of southwestern North America in an arcuate subduction system:Tthe Black Canyon of the Gunnison, southwestern Colorado - Amanda Tyson; Steven A. Rogers; Richard F. Livaccari; James N. Connelly; Karl E. Kalstrom; Micah J. Jessup; Michael L. Williams (Geophysical monograph, 2005)
This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Background Geometric and Kinematic Analysis of the Black Canyon Region The Dubois and Cochetopa Successions The Black Canyon and Dubois Succession Contact The Cebolla Creek Quartzite Conglomerate The Proterrozoic Rocks of the Uncompahgre Plateau U-PB Geochronology IN SITU Monazite Geochronology Regional Importance of Nw-Trending Fabrics in Southwestern Colorado Plate Tectonic Model for Crustal Assembly Tectonic Overview

Twenty-year change in aspen dominance in pure aspen and mixed aspen/conifer stands on the Uncompahgre Plateau, Colorado, USA - Frederick W. Smith; Arthur E. Smith (Forest Ecology and Management, 2005)

Registration of ‘Grand Mesa’ Pinto Bean - M.A. Brick; H.F. Schwartz; J.B. Ogg; F. Judson (Crop Science, 2005)
Crop ScienceVolume 45, Issue 1 cropsci2005.0413 p. 413-413 Registrations Of Cultivars Registration of ‘Grand Mesa’ Pinto Bean M.A. Brick, Corresponding Author M.A. Brick mbrick@lamar.colostate.edu Dep. of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, CO, 80523Corresponding author (mbrick@lamar.colostate.edu)Search for more papers by this authorH.F. Schwartz, H.F. Schwartz Dep. of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, CO, 80523Search for more papers by this authorJ.B. Ogg, J.B. Ogg Dep. of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, CO, 80523Search for more papers by this authorJ.J. Johnson, J.J. Johnson Dep. of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, CO, 80523Search for more papers by this authorF. Judson, F. Judson Fruita Res. Stn., 1910 L Road, Fruita, CO, 81521Search for more papers by this author M.A. Brick, Corresponding Author M.A. Brick mbrick@lamar.colostate.edu Dep. of Soil and Crop Scien

Individual, age and sex-specific information is contained in yellow-bellied marmot alarm calls - O. Munos; Daniel T. Blumstein (Animal Behaviour, 2005)
This work focused on the individually distinctive calls of yellow-bellied marmots, Marmota flaviventris, to describe attributes of individuals encoded in calls, and found significant potential information about identity, age and sex encode in calls.

Inter-specific variation in avian responses to human disturbance - S. C. Garity; E. Fernandez-Juricic; P. A. Zollner; Daniel T. Blumstein (Journal of Applied Ecology, 2005)
SummaryIncreasing urbanization and recreational activities around and within biodiversity hotspots require an understanding of how to reduce the impacts of human disturbance on more than a single species; however, we lack a general framework to study multiple species. One approach is to expand on knowledge about the theory of anti‐predator behaviour to understand and predict how different species might respond to humans.We reviewed the literature and found that only 21% of studies that used a behavioural approach to study human disturbance focused on multiple species. These studies identified a number of potential predictive variables.We developed a simulation model that investigates interspecific variation in different parameters of disturbance with variation in human visitation. We found that fitness‐related responses, such as the quantity of food consumed by a species, are relatively sensitive to the distance at which animals detect humans, the frequency of disturbance by humans and

Trout predators and demographic sources and sinks in a mayfly metapopulation - C. C. Caudill (Ecology, 2005)
Habitat patches often differ in environmental conditions, and the degree of environmental heterogeneity among patches is thought to influence population dynamics at the regional (metapopulation) scale. In a previous study, I found evidence of a source– sink dynamic in a metapopulation of the mayfly Callibaetis ferrugineus hageni occupying beaver ponds with or without brook trout predators, where adult females frequently dispersed among ponds, and frequently oviposited in ponds with trout. Here, I tested the hypothesis that trout create habitat sinks by manipulating trout densities and estimating local population growth rates (λ) of Callibaetis. In addition, Callibaetis emergence rates were estimated in the mayfly generation before the manipulation. Among ponds, λ ranged from 0.062 to 2.631, and nine Monte Carlo simulations scenarios revealed that four ponds had λ significantly below replacement (sinks) while the presence of source ponds was less conclusive. The manipulation of trout di

Establishing a Context for River Rehabilitation, North Fork Gunnison River, Colorado - Christopher Jaquette; David J. Cooper; Ellen Wohl (Environmental Management, 2005)
The results indicate that the North Fork Gunnison River has been primarily braided in its lower reaches during the past few hundred years, although the channel planform tends toward a single-thread channel during decades of lower precipitation and discharge.

Interactions among nectar robbing, floral herbivory, and ant protection in Linaria vulgaris - James D. Thomson (Oikos, 2005)
Nectar robbers are often assumed to be plant antagonists; however, empirical data show that the impacts of these animals range from negative to positive depending on the system and ecological conditions. We experimentally evaluated the combined effects of nectar robbing and ant visitation on three indices of reproductive fitness in Linaria vulgaris in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, via indirect effects on flower‐ and seed‐eating beetles ( Brachypterolus pulicarius and Gymnaetron antirrhinni ). Nectar robbing Bombus occidentalis leave holes in the nectar spurs, effectively creating “extra‐floral nectaries” that attract ants. In a paired‐plant experiment, ants were significantly more abundant on robbed than on unrobbed plants. Manipulation of ant access and nectar robbing showed that ant exclusion increased beetle attack and decrea

POPULATION GENETICS OF GUNNISON SAGE-GROUSE: IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT - THOMAS W. QUINN; JUDITH St. John; Steven J. Taylor (Journal of Wildlife Management, 2005)
The newly described Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) is a species of concern for management because of marked declines in distribution and abundance due to the loss and fragmentation of sagebrush habitat. This has caused remaining populations to be unusually small and isolated. We utilized mitochondrial DNA sequence data and data from 8 nuclear microsatellites to assess the extent of population subdivision among Gunnison sage-grouse populations in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah, USA. We found a high degree of population structure and low amounts of gene flow among all pairs of populations except the geographically adjacent Gunnison and Curecanti populations. Population structure for Gunnison sage-grouse was significantly higher than has been reported for greater sage-grouse (C. urophasianus). Further, we documented low levels of genetic diversity in some populations (particularly Dove Creek/Monticello and Piñon Mesa with an average of only 3.00 and 2.13 alleles

Selenium impacts on razorback sucker, Colorado River, Colorado - Kevin J. Buhl; Fern A. Bullard; Kathy M. Holley; Steven J. Hamilton (Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2005)
Results from this study suggest that selenium contamination in parts of the upper basin of the Colorado River should be a major concern to recovery efforts for endangered fish.

Ecophysiology of first and second generation hybrids in a natural plant hybrid zone - Candace Galen; C. A. Wu; Diane R. Campbell (Oecologia, 2005)
Heterosis in WUE may help to explain the relatively high survival of both reciprocal F1 hybrids in dry sites within the natural hybrid zone, and differences among genotypic classes were spatially and temporally consistent.

Nitrogen and carbon flow from rock to water: Regulation through soil biogeochemical processes, Mokelumne River watershed, California, and Grand Valley, Colorado - JoAnn M. Holloway; Richard Alexander Smith (Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 2005)
Soil denitrification is an ecologically important nitrogen removal mechanism that releases to the atmosphere the greenhouse gas N2O, an intermediate product from the reduction of NO3− to N2. In this study we evaluate the relationship between soil carbon and denitrification potential in watersheds with bedrock acting as a nonpoint source of nitrogen, testing the hypothesis that nitrate leaching to stream water is in part regulated by denitrification. Two sites, one in a Mediterranean climate and the other in an arid climate, were investigated to understand the interplay between carbon and denitrification potential. Both sites included carbonaceous bedrock with relatively high nitrogen concentrations (>1,000 mg N kg−1) and had low background nitrogen concentrations in surface and groundwater. There was a net accumulation of carbon and nitrogen in soil relative to the corresponding bedrock, with the exception of carbonaceous shale from the arid site. There the concentration of carbon i

How do grazers affect periphyton heterogeneity in streams? - M. Alvarez; B. L. Peckarsky (Oecologia, 2005)

The Effect of Ant Colony Proximity on Membracid Survivorship - P. R. Crain (2005)

Plant-pollinator interactions: from specialization to generalization - A. D. Wolfe; M. C. Castellanos; P. T. Wilson; James D. Thomson (2005)

Larval food limitation in butterflies: effects on adult resource allocation and fitness - K. D. Freeman; Carol L. Boggs (Oecologia, 2005)
A picture is provided of the intra-specific response of a suite of traits to ecological stress in the butterfly Speyeria mormonia, whereby fecundity is affected by adult dietary restriction, a pattern reminiscent of a survival/reproduction trade-off, but across a developmental boundary.