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Research about North Dakota, South Dakota

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including North Dakota, South Dakota.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2025

Predicting aquatic habitat connectivity across watershed boundaries: Implications for interbasin spread of nonindigenous aquatic species.

Understanding habitat connectivity is critical for managing nonindigenous aquatic species (NAS) spread. Dams and watershed boundaries can be impassable to NAS during typical conditions but may become temporarily passable during flooding. The goal of our project was to develop an approach for identifying locations of aquatic connectivity at a fine spatial scale along watershed boundaries using readily available data. To develop this approach, we focused on the potential for range expansion of invasive fish in the United States via possible cross-boundary habitat connections. First, we developed an index using metrics of elevation, watershed size, and geology at regular points along a watershed boundary to stratify points by likelihood of connectivity during high precipitation (>20 mm of precipitation in a 3-day period). We then used a subset of points across a gradient of connectivity likelihoods to gather Landsat-derived observed surface water data and developed a statistical model to predict surface water presence from landscape characteristics. We applied the model throughout the entire watershed boundary to identify locations of hydrologic connectivity during high-water events. The presence of surface water on watershed boundaries was predicted by the interactions between watershed boundary point elevation relative to the minimum adjacent HUC-12 elevations and watershed boundary point elevation relative to neighboring point elevations (marginal R 2 = 0.94). Our approach can be used to identify potential areas of surface water connectivity between watersheds quickly and easily at a fine spatial scale using readily available, remotely sensed data that can inform conservation and management actions across disciplines.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2024

Generalized potentiometric maps of the Fort Union, Hell Creek, and Fox Hills aquifers within the Standing Rock Reservation

Generalized potentiometric surfaces of the Fort Union, Hell Creek, and Fox Hills aquifers were constructed to assess the groundwater resources of the Standing Rock Reservation. Additionally, this information can provide water managers with tools and data to effectively manage water resources in the future. Previous studies that mapped the geology and hydrogeology of the area at differing scales were used to confirm in which aquifer the study wells were completed. Water-level data from wells are provided by the U.S. Geological Survey Groundwater System Inventory database, the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the North Dakota Department of Water Resources. Hydrographs were constructed for five selected observation wells to evaluate historical water-level fluctuations and trends. Hydrographs for the Hell Creek aquifer showed a flat trend with a rise in 2020. Hydrographs for the deeper Fox Hills aquifer showed that water levels fluctuated in response to climatic conditions and demonstrated an increasing trend in water-level elevations starting in 2010. Hydrographs were not constructed for any wells completed in the Fort Union Formation because none of the wells had continuous long-term measurements. Generalized potentiometric surfaces, constructed from interpolating water-level elevations, gave insight into groundwater flow directions. Groundwater in the Fort Union aquifer likely flows radially outward from the northwest part of the study area to the northeast and south-southeast parts. Groundwater in the Hell Creek aquifer generally flows from higher elevations in the northwest towards lower areas, where surface-water tributaries have incised into the aquifer. Groundwater in the Fox Hills aquifer likely flows from higher elevations in the west, southwest, and central parts of the study area towards the valleys of the Grand River and Missouri River. Most wells used for constructing potentiometric maps had only one recorded water-level measurement from drillers at the time of well construction. These measurements are often subject to error because the well is still recovering and because of spatial limitations of data availability. Also, because single water-level measurements were recorded at different points in time, additional uncertainty is introduced by fluctuating climatic conditions effect on water levels. Potentiometric map interpretation limitations are a result of areas with sparse data. Limitations also arise from potentiometric surfaces generalizing a complex and dynamic hydrogeologic system; however, the generalized potentiometric surface maps can be used to assist water managers and can help prioritize locations for future monitoring in areas with high uncertainty from sparse existing data.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2023

Assessing the use of long-term lek survey data to evaluate the effect of landscape characteristics and wind facilities on sharp-tailed grouse lek dynamics in North Dakota and South Dakota

The contribution of renewable energy to meet worldwide demand continues to grow. In the United States, wind energy is one of the fastest growing renewable energy sectors. Throughout the Great Plains of the United States, wind facilities often are placed in open landscapes of high-elevation grasslands, and those same habitats support sharp-tailed grouse ( Tympanuchus phasianellus ), a resident gamebird species. To assess the feasibility of using independently derived, long-term datasets gathered in North Dakota and South Dakota to determine whether wind facilities affected lek metrics, the U.S. Geological Survey obtained six datasets and identified 37 study sites, 9 of which contained wind turbines at varying densities. The association between explanatory variables that described geographic, landscape, and climatic attributes with two primary response metrics that described lekking activity within study sites—lek density (leks per square kilometer) and mean number of males per lek—was examined. The explanatory variables included number of turbines, geographic location, elevation, land-cover attributes available from satellite-derived land-cover data, soil moisture, precipitation, and temperature. Sampling units consisted of township-sized blocks, and lek information came from roadside surveys. Low sample sizes of constructed wind facilities available at the time of analysis did not lend itself to advanced statistical techniques, such as employing a rigorous design structure or assessing accuracy on landscape, geographic, or climatic variables. Given the quality of the data, the estimates obtained for lek density and mean number of males per lek should be considered approximations; however, these estimates have value in designing future studies, such as providing estimates for power analyses to determine sufficient sample size. No strong associations were found between the included explanatory variables and response variables (when these variables were measured as described in this report for township-sized blocks). The strongest association was that lek density and mean number of males per lek increased from South Dakota to North Dakota. Owing to the highly unbalanced distribution of turbine and nonturbine study sites across the study area, the analysis with wind turbines was inconclusive. The constraints under which the analysis can be used and the limitations of the independently derived datasets in attempted applications are discussed.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2023

Conspecific density and habitat quality affect breeding habitat selection: Support for the social attraction hypothesis

Breeding habitat selection is a critical component of the annual cycle because of its effect on fitness. Multiple theories of habitat selection can be differentiated by their responses to the quantity of habitat, conspecific density, and habitat quality. Here, we use network analysis to understand the characteristics of fine-scale breeding habitat selected by both immigrant and returning adult piping plovers ( Charadrius melodus ) to test five hypotheses of habitat selection. Between 2014 and 2019, we recorded 2034 uniquely marked adults breeding at 326 breeding locations with 1240 successive breeding events. Among adults, immigration events (i.e., individuals that moved to a new breeding location) were detected as often as fidelity to the same breeding location. We found support for the social attraction hypothesis for both immigrants and returners, indicating that adult plovers use social cues for settlement decisions. Adult plovers selected habitats with intermediate levels of conspecific density and high habitat quality, as assessed by con- and heterospecific nest survival, with no effect from the amount of available habitat. We also simulated the loss of breeding habitat and identified highly connected breeding locations, which occurred mostly on the riverine habitat type, which have important implications for habitat conservation for this listed species. Our results highlight the role of conspecifics at identifying high-quality breeding habitat regardless of whether individuals return to the same breeding site or immigrate to new areas.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2022

Tapwater exposures, effects potential, and residential risk management in Northern Plains Nations

In the United States (US), private-supply tapwater (TW) is rarely monitored. This data gap undermines individual/community risk-management decision-making, leading to an increased probability of unrecognized contaminant exposures in rural and remote locations that rely on private wells. We assessed point-of-use (POU) TW in three northern plains Tribal Nations, where ongoing TW arsenic (As) interventions include expansion of small community water systems and POU adsorptive-media treatment for Strong Heart Water Study participants. Samples from 34 private-well and 22 public-supply sites were analyzed for 476 organics, 34 inorganics, and 3 in vitro bioactivities. 63 organics and 30 inorganics were detected. Arsenic, uranium (U), and lead (Pb) were detected in 54%, 43%, and 20% of samples, respectively. Concentrations equivalent to public-supply maximum contaminant level(s) (MCL) were exceeded only in untreated private-well samples (As 47%, U 3%). Precautionary health-based screening levels were exceeded frequently, due to inorganics in private supplies and chlorine-based disinfection byproducts in public supplies. The results indicate that simultaneous exposures to co-occurring TW contaminants are common, warranting consideration of expanded source, point-of-entry, or POU treatment(s). This study illustrates the importance of increased monitoring of private-well TW, employing a broad, environmentally informative analytical scope, to reduce the risks of unrecognized contaminant exposures.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2022

Implications of habitat-driven survival and dispersal on recruitment in a spatially structured piping plover population

Natal survival and dispersal have important consequences for populations through the movement of genes and individuals. Metapopulation theory predicts either balanced natal dispersal among regions or source–sink dynamics, which can dramatically change population structure. For species reliant on dynamic, early-successional habitats, availability and location of habitat will shift from year to year, requiring primiparous individuals to locate an appropriate breeding habitat. We estimated hatch-year survival to adulthood and natal dispersal rates between two breeding groups of Northern Great Plains piping plovers ( Charadrius melodus ) from four cohorts ( n = 2669 total individuals; 2014–2017). Hatch-year survival to adulthood was slightly higher for individuals hatched on the Missouri River than on the US Alkali Wetlands but declined over time. Individuals hatched on the US Alkali Wetlands were more likely to disperse to breed on the Missouri River (0.33 [0.20, 0.48]) than vice versa (0.17 [0.11, 0.24]). When more habitat was available at the natal site than in the prior year, natal dispersal rates increased. However, despite higher recruitment rates as a result of higher natal fidelity, the Missouri River showed lower total recruitment with a declining trend in the number of recruits, largely due to differences in abundance between breeding groups. Overall, unbalanced, high natal dispersal rates within the Northern Great Plains indicate high connectivity among distinct regions with different water regimes on the Missouri River and on the US Alkali Wetlands driven by fluctuating availability of habitat. Our results suggest that plovers in the Northern Great Plains take advantage of dynamic habitats where they are available in a broad geographic area, which is consistent with a spatially structured panmictic population rather than a true metapopulation, but further research on adult breeding dispersal is needed to clarify population structure.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2022

Assessment of streamflow trends in the eastern Dakotas, water years 1960–2019

Hydrologic extremes, whether periods of drought or flooding, are occurring more frequently with greater severity and can have substantial economic impacts. Along with flooding, the timing and volume of streamflow also is changing across the United States. The focus of this report is to characterize a unique trend in mean annual streamflow occurring in eastern North and South Dakota, hereafter referred to as the eastern Dakotas, that is not being observed anywhere else in the conterminous United States. Streamflow records for 1,853 U.S. Geological Survey streamgages obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Information System database with a continuous record of mean annual streamflow during water years 1960–2019 were included in this study. Using a Kendall tau statistical test ( p -value less than or equal to 0.10), 573 streamgages had a statistically significant upward trend in mean annual streamflow and are primarily located in the Midwest and northeastern United States. Of the streamgages, 182 had a statistically significant downward trend and are located primarily in the western and southeastern States. Several sites had increases in streamflow between 100 and 500 percent. Most of the streamgages with the highest increases in mean annual streamflow are along the same rivers in the eastern Dakotas, regardless of basin size. A comparison of mean annual streamflow of the last decade (2010–19) to the first decade (1960–69) of the study period shows that the largest increases in annual streamflow volumes in the United States also are in the eastern Dakotas. Among all 1,853 streamgages in the United States, the Sheyenne River near Warwick, North Dakota (U.S. Geological Survey station 05056000), has the greatest percent change, with an increase of 486 percent. Several factors may be contributing to increasing trends in streamflow in the eastern Dakotas and may include, in part, precipitation changes owing to climatic variation within the region, geologic makeup of the subsurface, and land-use changes. A better understanding of these research areas will help producers, resource managers, and infrastructure engineers to make more informed environmental and economic decisions.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2022

Grassland conservation supports migratory birds and produces economic benefits for the commercial beekeeping industry in the U.S. Great Plains

Although declines in grassland birds have been documented, national initiatives to conserve grasslands and their biota have fallen short in part because the non-market values of natural ecosystems and species are often not recognized in political decision making. Identifying shared, anthropogenic threats faced by market-valued and non-market-valued species may generate additional support for grassland conservation. We quantify the relationship between the market value of grasslands to commercial beekeepers and the importance of grasslands for birds of conservation concern in North and South Dakota. Our models estimated beekeeping annual revenue increased by $7525 USD and grassland bird abundances increased 2 to 7% per 10-km 2 increase in grassland area. We estimated grassland conversion from 2006 to 2012 resulted in a $2.0 to $2.8 M USD decrease in annual revenue for beekeepers in the Dakotas. Through this study we demonstrate both the market value of grasslands to commercial beekeepers and the non-market benefits of grasslands in supporting migratory birds and discuss the implications of future land-use change. As grassland conversion and subsequent biodiversity loss continue, understanding the co-benefits of grassland conservation may be necessary to illuminate their contributions to society.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2022

Final report: Understanding historical and predicting future lake temperatures in North and South Dakota

Lakes, reservoirs, and ponds are central and integral features of the landscape of the North Central US. These water bodies provide aesthetic, cultural, and ecosystem services to surrounding wildlife and human communities. Lakes are warming, resulting in the loss of many native fish. In order to manage economically valuable fisheries and other ecosystem services provided by lakes, it is important for managers to have access to accurate estimates of water temperature to better understand past change and to plan for potential future further warming. These data are invaluable for making decisions such as whether to continue stocking plans as usual in certain lakes or how to set specific harvest limits. This project developed new state-of-the-art methods to model historical thermal habitat for thousands of lakes in the Midwest US.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2020

Investigating the effects of land use and land cover on the relationship between moisture and reflectance using Landsat Time Series

To better understand the Earth system, it is important to investigate the interactions between precipitation, land use/land cover (LULC), and the land surface, especially vegetation. An improved understanding of these land-atmosphere interactions can aid understanding of the climate system and modeling of time series satellite data. Here, we investigate the effect of precipitation and LULC on the reflectance of the land surface in the northern U.S. Great Plains. We utilize time series satellite data from the 45 year Landsat archive. The length of the Landsat record allows for analysis of multiple periods of drought and wet conditions (reflecting climate, as well as weather), such that the precipitation-reflectance relationship can be investigated robustly for every individual pixel in the study area. The high spatial resolution of Landsat (30 m) allows for investigation of spatial patterns in weather (i.e., precipitation extremes) interactions with land surface reflectance at the scale of individual fields. Weather history is represented by a drought index that describes effective moisture availability, the Standardized Precipitation and Evaporation Index (SPEI). We find that effective moisture has a robust and consistent effect on reflectance over many types of land cover, with ∼90% of all pixels having significantly ( p &lt; 0.01 "> p < 0.01 ) higher visible reflectance during dry periods than during wet, occurring in nearly all regional, temporal, and LULC categories investigated. In grassland, the relationship is especially strong; there is an average reflectance increase of more than a third between very wet and very dry conditions (red band), and ∼99% of pixels have a significant relationship. In cropland, the effective moisture-reflectance relationship is more variable, suggesting that management decisions are an important factor in cropland-reflectance relationships.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2019

The relative importance of wetland area versus habitat heterogeneity for promoting species richness and abundance of wetland birds in the Prairie Pothole Region, USA

Recent work has suggested that a tradeoff exists between habitat area and habitat heterogeneity, with a moderate amount of heterogeneity supporting greatest species richness. Support for this unimodal relationship has been mixed and has differed among habitats and taxa. We examined the relationship between habitat heterogeneity and species richness after accounting for habitat area in glacially formed wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region in the United States at both local and landscape scales. We tested for area–habitat heterogeneity tradeoffs in wetland bird species richness, the richness of groups of similar species, and in species’ abundances. We then identified the habitat relationships for individual species and the relative importance of wetland area vs. habitat heterogeneity and other wetland characteristics. We found that habitat area was the primary driver of species richness and abundance. Additional variation in richness and abundance could be explained by habitat heterogeneity or other wetland and landscape characteristics. Overall avian species richness responded unimodally to habitat heterogeneity, suggesting an area–heterogeneity tradeoff. Group richness and abundance metrics showed either unimodal or linear relationships with habitat heterogeneity. Habitat heterogeneity indices at local and landscape scales were important for some, but not all, species and avian groups. Both abundance of individual species and species richness of most avian groups were higher on publicly owned wetlands than on privately owned wetlands, on restored wetlands than natural wetlands, and on permanent wetlands than on wetlands of other classes. However, we found that all wetlands examined, regardless of ownership, restoration status, and wetland class, supported wetland-obligate birds. Thus, protection of all wetland types contributes to species conservation. Our results support conventional wisdom that protection of large wetlands is a priority but also indicate that maintaining habitat heterogeneity will enhance biodiversity and support higher populations of individual species.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2018

Past role and future outlook of the Conservation Reserve Program for supporting honey bees in the Great Plains

Human dependence on insect pollinators continues to grow even as pollinators face global declines. The Northern Great Plains (NGP), a region often referred to as America’s last honey bee ( Apis mellifera ) refuge, has undergone rapid land-cover change due to cropland expansion and weakened land conservation programs. We conducted a trend analysis and estimated conversion rates of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollments around bee apiaries from 2006 to 2016 and developed models to identify areas of habitat loss. Our analysis revealed that NGP apiaries lost over 53% of lands enrolled in the CRP, and the rate of loss was highest in areas of high apiary density. We estimated over 163,000 ha of CRP lands in 2006 within 1.6 km of apiaries was converted to row crops by 2012. We also evaluated how alternative scenarios of future CRP acreage caps may affect habitat suitability for supporting honey bee colonies. Our scenario revealed that a further reduction in CRP lands to 7.7 million ha nationally would reduce the number of apiaries in the NGP that meet defined forage criteria by 28% on average. Alternatively, increasing the national cap to 15 million ha would increase the number of NGP apiaries that meet defined forage criteria by 155%. Our scenarios also show that strategic placement of CRP lands near existing apiaries increased the number of apiaries that meet forage criteria by 182%. Our research will be useful for informing the potential consequences of future US farm bill policy and land management in the epicenter of the US beekeeping industry.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2018

Density and success of upland duck nests in native‐ and tame‐seeded conservation fields

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) generates substantial benefits to continental duck populations by providing grassland nesting habitat in rested cropland. Seeding mixes of CRP grasslands vary among numerous conservation practices, but one contrast of interest in the Prairie Pothole Region is the use of introduced, or “tame” versus native grass. Although the benefits of CRP to duck populations are well‐known, relative values of these planting practices to nesting ducks have received little attention. Understanding differences in benefits to ducks due to planting practices would aid in prioritizing and selecting management practices for CRP and other restoration activities. We evaluated nest survival and density of ducks nesting in tame‐ and native‐seeded CRP fields in 36 study areas in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota and South Dakota, USA, during 2002–2003. We searched for duck nests in 209 fields totaling 5,386 ha and found 2,941 nests. We found no support for differences in nest survival for any upland‐nesting duck species between fields seeded to tame versus native grass based on a design and analyses that accounted for spatial and temporal variation. Additionally, nest densities, adjusted for nest survival rates, of all duck species were similar between tame‐seeded and native‐seeded fields. We conclude that benefits to nesting ducks from native‐grass seeding practices of CRP were similar to those of tame‐grass seeding practices. Although there may be other reasons to plant native seed mixes when establishing CRP tracts (e.g., native pollinators or insects, other wildlife species, etc.), our study suggests that duck nesting density and nest survival are not among those reasons.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2018

Species‐ and habitat‐specific otolith chemistry patterns inform riverine fisheries management

Geology and hydrology are drivers of water chemistry and thus important considerations for fish otolith chemistry research. However, other factors such as species and habitat identity may have predictive ability, enabling selection of appropriate elemental signatures prior to costly, perhaps unnecessary water/age‐0 fish sampling. The goal of this study was to develop a predictive methodology for using species and habitat identity to design efficient otolith chemistry studies. Duplicate water samples and age‐0 fish were collected from 61 sites in 4 Missouri River reservoirs for walleye Sander vitreus and one impoundment (Lake Sharpe, South Dakota) for other fishes (bluegill Lepomis macrochirus , black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus , gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum , largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides , smallmouth bass M. dolomieu , white bass Morone chrysops , white crappie P. annularis , and yellow perch Perca flavescens ). Water chemistry (barium:calcium [Ba:Ca], strontium:calcium [Sr:Ca]) was temporally stable, spatially variable, and highly correlated with otolith chemistry for all species except yellow perch. Classification accuracies based on bivariate Ba:Ca and Sr:Ca signatures were high (84% across species) yet varied between floodplain and main‐channel habitats in a species‐specific manner. Thus, to maximize the reliability of otolith chemistry, researchers can use species classifications presented herein to inform habitat selection (e.g., study reservoir‐oriented species such as white bass in main‐channel environments) and habitat‐based classifications to inform species selection (e.g., focus floodplain studies on littoral species such as largemouth bass). Overall, species and habitat identity are important considerations for efficient, effective otolith chemistry studies that inform and advance fisheries and aquatic resource management.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2018

Opportunistically collected data reveal habitat selection by migrating Whooping Cranes in the U.S. Northern Plains

The Whooping Crane ( Grus americana ) is a federally endangered species in the United States and Canada that relies on wetland, grassland, and cropland habitat during its long migration between wintering grounds in coastal Texas, USA, and breeding sites in Alberta and Northwest Territories, Canada. We combined opportunistic Whooping Crane sightings with landscape data to identify correlates of Whooping Crane occurrence along the migration corridor in North Dakota and South Dakota, USA. Whooping Cranes selected landscapes characterized by diverse wetland communities and upland foraging opportunities. Model performance substantially improved when variables related to detection were included, emphasizing the importance of accounting for biases associated with detection and reporting of birds in opportunistic datasets. We created a predictive map showing relative probability of occurrence across the study region by applying our model to GIS data layers; validation using independent, unbiased locations from birds equipped with platform transmitting terminals indicated that our final model adequately predicted habitat use by migrant Whooping Cranes. The probability map demonstrated that existing conservation efforts have protected much top-tier Whooping Crane habitat, especially in the portions of North Dakota and South Dakota that lie east of the Missouri River. Our results can support species recovery by informing prioritization for acquisition and restoration of landscapes that provide safe roosting and foraging habitats. Our results can also guide the siting of structures such as wind towers and electrical transmission and distribution lines, which pose a strike and mortality risk to migrating Whooping Cranes.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2017

The influence of local- and landscape-level factors on wetland breeding birds in the Prairie Pothole Region of North and South Dakota

We examined the relationship between local- (wetland) and landscape-level factors and breeding bird abundances on 1,190 depressional wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region of North and South Dakota during the breeding seasons in 1995–97. The surveyed wetlands were selected from five wetland classes (alkali, permanent, semipermanent, seasonal, or temporary), two wetland types (natural or restored), and two landowner groups (private or Federal). We recorded 133 species of birds in the surveyed wetlands during the 3 years. We analyzed the nine most common (or focal) species (that is, species that were present in 25 percent or more of the 1,190 wetlands): the Red-winged Blackbird ( Agelaius phoeniceus ), Blue-winged Teal ( Anas discors ), Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos ), American Coot ( Fulica americana ), Gadwall ( Anas strepera ), Common Yellowthroat ( Geothlypis trichas ), Yellow-headed Blackbird ( Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus ), Northern Shoveler ( Anas clypeata ), and Savannah Sparrow ( Passerculus sandwichensis ). Our results emphasize the ecological value of all wetland classes, natural and restored wetlands, and publicly and privately owned wetlands in this region, including wetlands that are generally smaller and shallower (that is, temporary and seasonal wetlands) and thus most vulnerable to drainage. Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Common Yellowthroat, and Red-winged Blackbird had higher abundances on Federal than on private wetlands. Abundances differed among wetland classes for seven of the nine focal species: Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Mallard, American Coot, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Red-winged Blackbird. American Coot had higher abundances on restored wetlands than on natural wetlands overall, and Gadwall and Common Yellowthroat had higher abundances on private restored wetlands than on private natural wetlands. The Common Yellowthroat was the only species that had higher abundances on restored private wetlands than on restored Federal wetlands. After adjusting for wetland size and the date and location of the surveys, our results demonstrated that incorporating wetland- and landscape-level factors in models can improve our ability to predict abundances of wetland birds in this region. The top model for eight of the nine focal species included wetland- and landscape-level factors, whereas the best model for Blue-winged Teal included only wetland-level attributes. Although local factors (for example, percent open water or emergent vegetation) in individual wetlands are important factors for some wetland breeding birds, it is important that natural resource managers consider landscape-level factors beyond the local factors in their conservation plans for wetland birds.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗
USGS2016

Land-use change reduces habitat suitability for supporting managed honey bee colonies in the Northern Great Plains

Human reliance on insect pollination services continues to increase even as pollinator populations exhibit global declines. Increased commodity crop prices and federal subsidies for biofuel crops, such as corn and soybeans, have contributed to rapid land-use change in the US Northern Great Plains (NGP), changes that may jeopardize habitat for honey bees in a part of the country that supports >40% of the US colony stock. We investigated changes in biofuel crop production and grassland land covers surrounding ∼18,000 registered commercial apiaries in North and South Dakota from 2006 to 2014. We then developed habitat selection models to identify remotely sensed land-cover and land-use features that influence apiary site selection by Dakota beekeepers. Our study demonstrates a continual increase in biofuel crops, totaling 1.2 Mha, around registered apiary locations in North and South Dakota. Such crops were avoided by commercial beekeepers when selecting apiary sites in this region. Furthermore, our analysis reveals how grasslands that beekeepers target when selecting commercial apiary locations are becoming less common in eastern North and South Dakota, changes that may have lasting impact on pollinator conservation efforts. Our study highlights how land-use change in the NGP is altering the landscape in ways that are seemingly less conducive to beekeeping. Our models can be used to guide future conservation efforts highlighted in the US national pollinator health strategy by identifying areas that support high densities of commercial apiaries and that have exhibited significant land-use changes.

North Dakota, South Dakota↗