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Research about North Dakota

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including North Dakota.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
USGS1987

Spatial relations between sympatric coyotes and red foxes in North Dakota

Spatial relations between coyotes ( Canis latrans ) and red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) on a 360-km2 area in North Dakota were studied during 1977-78. Coyote families occupied large (mean = 61.2 km2), relatively exclusive territories that encompassed about one-half of the study area. Fox families occupied much smaller (mean = 11.9 km2), relatively exclusive, territories that overlapped perimeters of coyote territories and/or encompassed area unoccupied by coyotes. No fox family lived totally within a coyote territory, but 3 fox families lived within the 153.6-km2 home range of an unattached yearling male coyote. Both coyotes and foxes, from families with overlapping territories, tended to use their overlap areas less than was expected by amount of overlap. Encounters between radio-equipped coyotes and foxes from families with overlapping territories occurred less often than was expected by chance. Foxes living near coyotes exhibited considerable tenacity to their territories, and no monitored fox was killed by coyotes during 2,518 fox-days of radio surveillance. A hypothesis for coyote-induced fox population declines, based largely on fox avoidance mechanisms, is presented.

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USGS1987

A decoy trap for breeding-season mallards in North Dakota

A modified decoy trap was effective for capturing wild adult male and female mallards ( Anas platyrhynchos ) during the 1980-81 breeding seasons in North Dakota. Key features contributing to the trap's success included a central decoy cylinder, large capture compartments with spring-door openings, an adjustable trigger mechanism with a balanced door attachment that was resistant to trap movement, and the use of F1, wild-stock or game-farm female decoys.

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USGS1987

North Dakota ground-water quality

This report contains summary information on ground-water quality in one of the 50 States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, Saipan, Guam, and American Samoa. The material is extracted from the manuscript of the 1986 National Water Summary, and with the exception of the illustrations, which will be reproduced in multi-color in the 1986 National Water Summary, the format and content of this report is identical to the State ground-water-quality descriptions to be published in the 1986 National Water Summary. Release of this information before formal publication in the 1986 National Water Summary permits the earliest access by the public.

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USGS1987

Low-flow traveltime, longitudinal-dispersion, and reaeration characteristics of the Souris River from Lake Darling Dam to J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota

As part of the Souris River water-quality assessment, traveltime, longitudinal-dispersion, and reaeration measurements were made during September 1983 on segments of the 186-mile reach of the Sour is River from Lake Darling Dam to the J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge. The primary objective was to determine traveltime, longitudinal-dispersion, and reaeration coefficients during low flow. Streamflow in the reach ranged from 10.5 to 47.0 cubic feet per second during the measurement period. On the basis of channel and hydraulic characteristics, the 186-mile reach was subdivided into five subreaches that ranged from 18 to 55 river miles in length. Within each subreach, representative test reaches that ranged from 5.0 to 9.1 river miles in length were selected for tracer injection and sample collection. Standard fluorometric techniques were used to measure traveltime and longitudinal dispersion, and a modified tracer technique that used ethylene and propane gas was used to measure reaeration. Mean test-reach velocities ranged from 0.05 to 0.30 foot per second, longitudinal-dispersion coefficients ranged from 4.2 to 61 square feet per second, and reaeration coefficients based on propane ranged from 0.39 to 1.66 per day. Predictive reaeration coefficients obtained from 18 equations (8 semiempirical and 10 empirical) were compared with each measured reaeration coefficient by use of an error-of-estimate analysis. The predictive reaeration coefficients ranged from 0.0008 to 3.4 per day. A semiempirical equation that produced coefficients most similar to the measured coefficients had the smallest absolute error of estimate (0.35). The smallest absolute error of estimate for the empirical equations was 0.41.

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USGS1987

Salt toxicosis in waterfowl in North Dakota

About 150 waterfowl died and another 250 became weak and lethargic from suspected salt poisoning after using White Lake, a highly saline lake in Mountrail County, North Dakota. Frigid temperatures made fresh water unavailable, forcing the birds to ingest the saline waters with resultant toxic effects. Sick birds recovered when removed from the salt water and released into fresh water marshes. Brain sodium levels were higher in dead geese submitted for necropsy than in controls.

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USGS1987

Nongame bird communities on managed grasslands in North Dakota

Grazed native prairie, unmanipulated native prairie, and planted alfalfa-wheatgrass habitats each supported prairie bird species unique to that habitat type. Comparisons of the three habitats, using community coefficients and overlap indices, showed that grazed and alfalfa-wheatgrass habitats supported the most dissimilar or unique bird communities. All three habitat types, or habitats with similar vegetation structure, must be incorporated in grassland management plans to support all members of the mixed-grass prairie bird community.

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USGS1986

Renesting Characteristics of Captive Mallards on Experimental Ponds

Renesting characteristics of captive wild-strain mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were investigated on experimental ponds in southcentral North Dakota during the breeding seasons of 1976-81. Renesting efforts and egg production increased during the 1st 3 years. Post-yearling females that experienced clutch loss during early incubation produced 3 clutches of eggs during the breeding season. All of the birds produced 4 clutches and 50% produced 5 during the study. Birds provided with an unlimited food supply produced an average of 10.36 ± 1.03 (SD), 9.97 ± 1.09 (SD), 9.59 ± 0.91 (SD), 8.47 ± 0.94 (SD), and 8.50 ± 0.50 (SD) eggs during each successive nesting attempt. Clutch size differed (P < 0.01) among birds, ages, and nesting attempts. Renesting intervals for mallard females on unlimited food averaged 7.13 ± 1.24 (SD) days and ranged from 5 to 10 days. Intervals differed (P < 0.01) among birds and interval sequences. When food availability was reduced, renesting intervals increased and clutch size decreased.

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USGS1986

Hydrologic effects of withdrawal of ground water on the West Fargo aquifer system, eastern Cass County, North Dakota

The West Fargo area is underlain by glaciofluvial deposits, which comprise the West Fargo aquifer system* These deposits range in thickness from 5 to 227 feet. The West Fargo aquifer system extends from the vicinity of Argusville, Cass County, to at least as far south as Richland County. The aquifer system primarily consists of three aquifers, namely the West Fargo North aquifer, the West Fargo South aquifer, and the Horace aquifer. The West Fargo North aquifer is about 2 miles wide near Harwood and about 3.5 miles wide near West Fargo. The West Fargo South aquifer extends from the southeast part of West Fargo to beyond the Cass-Richland county border. It is less than 1.5 miles wide Jbut generally more than 0.5 mile wide. The Horace aquifer extends from north of Interstate Highway 94 west of West Fargo to the Cass-Richland county border. It is less than 1 mile wide in the northern part and somewhat more than 1 mile wide in the southern part. Pumping of large quantities of ground water for the most part has been from the West Fargo North aquifer and has been confined to the area of West Fargo. Here the combined pumpage from all the wells has averaged about 613 million gallons (1,880 acre-feet) per year since 1968. This pumpage has caused water levels to decline from land surface in 1896 to as much as 121.7 feet below land surface in 1981. Recharge to the West Fargo aquifer system is estimated to be about 600 to 650 million gallons (1,800 to 2,000 acre-feet) per year. Almost all discharge from the aquifer system is by pumpage, which is about 683 million gallons (2,096 acre-feet) per year. The difference is derived from available storage, estimated to be about 131,300 million gallons (404,000 acre-feet). Water samples collected from the West Fargo aquifer system contained dissolved-solids concentrations that ranged from 332 to 2,960 milligrams per liter, and chloride concentrations that ranged from 25 to 975 milligrams per liter. Generally both dissolved-solids and chloride concentrations increased from east to west.

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USGS1986

Nest sites of ducks in grazed mixed-grass prairie in North Dakota

Habitat use and nesting success of seven species of dabbling ducks were evaluated in five vegetative associations within grazed mixed-grass prairie in central North Dakota. During 1976-80, 548 nests were found on 412 ha of grazed prairie for an annual average density of 27 nests/100 ha. Numbers of nests found ranged from 1/100 ha in 1977 (a drought year) to 58/100 ha in 1979 (a very wet year), reflecting the variability that may be expected in a dynamic prairie wetland environment. Nesting success ranged from an average of 23% in the western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) association to 34% in the mixed-grass association. Forty-two percent of the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) nests and 35% of the gadwall (A. strepera) nests were in patches of western snowberry and/or Wood's rose (Rosa woodsii) that made up 2% of the available cover. Numbers of nests of blue-winged teal (A. discors) and northern shoveler (A. clypeata) were highest in cool-season grasses, especially green needlegrass (Stipa viridula) and western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii). Height/density (HD) of residual cover decreased exponentially with increased grazing pressure. Use of grazed prairie by blue-winged teal was maximized when the HD of residual cover was 0.5 dm or higher, as could be maintained under light grazing. Results of this study indicated that properly grazed mixed-grass prairie can provide adequate nesting habitat for dabbling ducks. We recommend that preservation and sound ecological management be focused on large tracts of mixed-grass prairie with complexes of seasonal and semipermanent wetlands.

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USGS1986

Patterns and causes of change in a cliff swallow colony during a 17-year period

The number of cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonata) nests at a farmstead in southeastern North Dakota increased at an average annual rate of 87% with house sparrow (Passer domesticus) removal during 1957-60 and 1970-72. Harassment of nesting cliff swallows by house sparrows, adult swallow mortality from cold weather in late May, and collapse of nests were the principal observed factors limiting swallow population growth during a 17-year period.

North Dakota↗
USGS1986

Effects of shrub coverages on birds of North Dakota mixed-grass prairies

We studied the distribution and density of passerine birds in relation to Wolfberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis) and Silverberry (Elaeagnus commutata) shrub coverages on mixed-grass prairies of central North Dakota. Birds were counted along shrubby and shrubless transects during the 1982 breeding season. Species richness and total density of birds were greater on shrubby transects. Five species were more abundant on shrubby transects. Availability of woody nesting substrates best explained differences in bird species abundances. Differences in shrub coverages between transects were probably the result of different land-use practices. Land management practices which modify shrub coverages can alter the composition of passerine bird communities.

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USGS1985

Evaluation of marked-recapture for estimating striped skunk abundance

The mark-recapture method for estimating striped skunk ( Mephitis mephitis ) abundance was evaluated by systematically livetrapping a radio-equipped population on a 31.4-km2 study area in North Dakota during late April of 1977 and 1978. The study population was 10 females and 13 males in 1977 and 20 females and 8 males in 1978. Skunks were almost exclusively nocturnal. Males traveled greater nightly distances than females (3.3 vs. 2.6 km, P < 0.05) and had larger home ranges (308 vs. 242 ha) although not significantly so. Increased windchill reduced night-time activity. The population was demographically but not geographically closed. Frequency of capture was positively correlated with time skunks spent on the study area. Little variation in capture probabilities was found among trap-nights. Skunks exhibited neither trap-proneness nor shyness. Capture rates in 1977 were higher for males than for females; the reverse occurred in 1978. Variation in individual capture rates was indicated among males in 1977 and among females in 1978. Ten estimators produced generally similar results, but all underestimated true population size. Underestimation was a function of the number of untrapped skunks, primarily those that spent limited time on the study area. The jackknife method produced the best estimates of skunk abundance.

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USGS1985

Stratigraphic cross sections and correlation of lignites in the Sentinel Butte member and upper part of the Tongue River member of the Fort Union Formation between Amidon and Fryburg, North Dakota

The Austin Farm bed was once mined form an adit in the SE1/4 sec, T. 136 N., R. 101 W. Its westerly outcrop extends from that point northward along the east side and north end of the valley of Third Creek at elevations between about 2740 and 2800 ft. It is the uppermost lignite bed preserved on Hanley and Cliffs Plateaus in T. 137 N., R. 101 W., where its thickness is generally from 2 to 4 ft. It is exposed at the NW corner of sec. 26, T. 138 N., R. 101 W., where it is 0.7 ft thick. The surface trace of the Austin Farm bed has not been mapped north of that location, and because of its thinness and local absence it is probably rarely exposed at the surface north of that point.

North Dakota↗
USGS1985

Stratigraphic cross section and coal bed correlations of uppermost Cretaceous and Paleocene rocks between Painted Canyon and Davis Buttes, North Dakota

Recent detailed coal studies in the area between Havelock and Fryburg, N. Dak. (Hinds, 1983; 1985), have resulted in some revised coal-bed correlations that are, in places, in disagreement with previous work (Banet, 1980; Hares, 1928; Lewis, 1979; Menge, 1977; Owen, 1979; Rehbein, 1977; Royse, 1967). The strati graphically most important of these have been specifically discussed (Hinds, 1983; 1985), but many others, of more or less local significance, were not specifically mentioned. This report is an extension of the author's stratigraphic and coal -bed correlations from the vicinity of the Painted Canyon Overlook, at the south edge of Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, eastward to the vicinity of Davis Buttes, near Dickinson, N. Dak.

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