Accurate tracking and measurement of pollen dispersal in the atmosphere are essential for assessing cross-pollination risks, particularly in the case of genetically engineered (GE) crops. We conducted a series of unique release-recapture field studies with GE switchgrass in Oliver Springs, TN, USA. Two hundred transgenic switchgrass plants ( Panicum virgatum L. “Performer”) were planted at the center of a clear-cut field, with...

Native freshwater mussels are declining globally, thus, determining factors associated with bivalve distribution and abundance is critical for native mussel conservation. In the Columbia River Basin, Gonidea angulata (western ridged mussel) is highly threatened, while Margaritifera falcata (western pearlshell) and the invasive clam Corbicula fluminea (Asian clam) are more common. We conducted 147 snorkel surveys, collected env...

Pollinator communities in urban and peri-urban turfgrass remain poorly characterized despite the ubiquity of lawns and growing interest in management practices that enhance floral resources within these otherwise resource-limited environments. To address this gap, we evaluated the effectiveness of active (sweep netting at multiple times of day) and passive (molasses traps and blue, white, and yellow pan traps) sampling methods...

To reproduce successfully, non-parasitic brook lamprey must accumulate all nutrients needed for growth and reproductive development during a multi-year larval stage while feeding on low-quality detritus. We used total length and wet mass data of American brook lamprey (Lethenteron appendix) in 14 streams across four watersheds in southeastern Minnesota, USA, to examine Fulton’s condition factors (Fulton K = [g wet mass/mm TL3]...

Grassland conservation planning often focuses on high‐risk landscapes, but many grassland conversion models are not designed to optimize conservation planning because they lack multidimensional risk assessments and are misaligned with ecological and conservation delivery scales. To aid grassland conservation planning, we developed landscape‐scale models at relevant scales that predict future (2021–2031) total and proportional...

Land use change threatens global biodiversity and compromises ecosystem functions, including pollination and food production. Reduced taxonomic α‐diversity is often reported under land use change, yet the impacts could be different at larger spatial scales (i.e., γ‐diversity), either due to reduced β‐diversity amplifying diversity loss or increased β‐diversity dampening diversity loss. Additionally, studies often focus on taxo...

Efforts to rehabilitate habitats in trout streams are common, but the pre-and post-project monitoring of impacts has produced conflicting results. Consequently, long-term monitoring plans were established for the reaches of two streams in southeastern Minnesota, USA, that were planned for rehabilitation. Instream habitats and brown trout abundances in randomly selected sections of each rehabilitation reach were assessed for on...

Slimy sculpin (Uranidea cognata) inhabit coldwater streams in southeastern Minnesota, USA, many of which were subjected to probable 2000-year flood events in August 2007. Floods scoured streambeds, created new stream channels, and greatly reduced benthic invertebrate communities that serve as the primary food resource for sculpin. Diets and Fulton condition of sculpin in Gilmore Creek (with moderate flooding) and Garvin Brook...

There is a rich literature highlighting that pathogens are generally better adapted to infect local than novel hosts, and a separate seemingly contradictory literature indicating that novel pathogens pose the greatest threat to biodiversity and public health. Here, using Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis , the fungus associated with worldwide amphibian declines, we test the hypothesis that there is enough variance in “novel” (qua...

Grassland birds in North America have declined sharply over the last 60 years, driven by the widespread loss and degradation of grassland habitats. Climate change is occurring more rapidly in grasslands relative to some other ecosystems, and exposure to extreme and novel climate conditions may affect grassland bird ecology and demographics. To determine the potential effects of weather and climate variability on grassland bird...

Multiple indicators have been used to assess the degree of exposure of fish to anthropogenic chemicals in their stream habitats. We hypothesized that brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) in a headwater stream receiving urban and agricultural runoff (South Fork Whitewater River, SFWR) would exhibit poorer condition, reduced reproductive fitness, and a greater left side to right side morphological asymmetry (i.e., fluctuating a...

Atlantic tarpon Megalops atlanticus are highly migratory sportfish that support recreational fisheries throughout their range. In US waters, juveniles can be found in coastal and estuarine habitats along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic seaboard, with temperature limiting their northern latitudinal distribution. Juveniles may overwinter in these areas during the first several years of life. Low temperatures are known to cause m...