Annual Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba · 2009-12-18 · Canada, and Manitoba...

8th Annual Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba 2

2009 Forum Proceedings

PARKS AND TECNOLOGY: USING TECHNOLOGY TO HELP MANAGE

MANITOBA’S PARKS

Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba (PPARFM)

September 24 & 25, 2009 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Edited by: Meagan Halowaty Michael Campbell

& Craig Willis

The opinions expressed in this publication reflect those of the author(s) of the presentations and do not necessarily reflect those of the Parks and Protected Areas Research

Forum of Manitoba.

Copyright © 2009 PPARFM Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute,

University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2

September 24-25, 2009 University of Manitoba www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/pparfm/


Table of Contents Using Research to Help Manage Parks and Protected Areas ………………………..4 Thank You to Our Supporters ………...………………………………………………….5 2009 PPARFM Steering Committee …...………………………………………………..5 2009 PPARFM Event Highlights …………………………………………………………6 2009 Forum Program …...…………………...……………………………………………9 Research Paper Presentations …….……………………………………………………10 Research Poster Presentations …………………………………………………………34 2009 Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba Delegate List ……42



The Goal of PPARFM: Using Research to Help Manage Parks and Protected Areas The Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba (PPARFM) was established in 2001 by the University of Manitoba, Brandon University, Parks Canada, and Manitoba Conservation as a vehicle to encourage research, support scientific approaches to parks and protected areas management, and develop the skills of professionals in the area. PPARFM’s objectives are:

• To promote research to improve understanding, planning, management and decision making for parks and protected areas

• To encourage educational and training activities related to parks and protected areas

• To facilitate more cooperation in parks and protected areas research • To exchange information on a regular basis among people involved in

parks and protected areas research; and • To monitor and report on research in parks and protected areas.

Since 2002, PPARFM has held an annual event to address these objectives. Previous Forum themes have been:

2008 Healthy Parks, Healthy People 2007 Landscapes, Wildlife and People: The Great Balancing Act 2006 Tourism in Parks and Protected Areas: Opportunities and Challenges in the 21st Century 2005 Parks and Protected Areas: Dynamic Landscape or Museum? 2004 What is the Meaning of a Protected Area? A Diversity of Perspectives 2003 Challenges in Parks and Protected Areas: Advancing Knowledge and Practice through Research 2002 Inside the Outside: Managing Backcountry Recreation This year’s Eighth Annual Forum focused on the theme “Parks and Technology: Using Technology to Help Manage Manitoba’s Parks”. Thank-You for your contributions. Congratulations to 2009 Student Research Paper/Poster Award Recipients:

Student Research Poster Award Recipient:

Cristina Ranellucci (student) Dr. Nicola Koper (advisor) University of Manitoba University of Manitoba

Student Research Paper Award Recipient:

Jaimee Dupont (student) Dr. Richard Westwood (advisor) University of Winnipeg University of Winnipeg



Thank You to Our 2009 PPARFM Supporters

2009 PPARFM Steering Committee Dr. Michael Campbell – PPARFM Chair Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management University of Manitoba [email protected]

Dr. Craig WillisDepartment of Biology and Centre for Forest Interdisciplinary Research (C-FIR) University of Winnipeg [email protected]

Tracy Elbourne Head, Recreation Programming Parks and Natural Areas, Manitoba Conservation [email protected]

Dr. Wanli Wu Parks Canada Agency, Western and Northern Service Centre [email protected]

Meagan Halowaty – PPARFM Coordinator M.A. (Recreation Studies) Graduate Student University of Manitoba [email protected]

Cheryl Hooper Parks Canada Agency, Western and Northern Service Centre [email protected]

Dr. Bob Wrigley Assiniboine Park Zoo [email protected]

Chris MalcolmUniversity of Brandon [email protected]

Dr. David Walker Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth & Resources University of Manitoba [email protected]

PPARFM is accepting new Steering Committee members!

If you are interested in joining the PPARFM Steering Committee, please contact Dr. Michael Campbell.


8th Annual Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba


6

2009 PPARFM Event Highlights Parks and Technology

The 8th Annual Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba (PPARFM) was held on September 24 University of Manitoba.from throughout various

appreciated the opportuni

Federation, Parks Canada, Manitoba Conservation, the Health Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute of the University of Manitoba, and CFIR – University

of Winnipeg. The Forum would not have taken place without your support.

opening welcome by Dr. Michael Campbell and was us: Manitoba Parks, The Parks Reservation

Service. Tracy Elbourne from Manitoba ing the need and

development of the unique Parks Reservation Service (PRS) System within Manitoba’s Parks. Stressing the importance of developing a system that was user-friendly and that needed to overcome various customer demands were key issues. This presentation set the stage for the Forum, paving the way for a very diverse assessment of the use of technology in parks and protected areas.

Tracy Elbourne’s discussion on the need for the PRS System was followed by a presentation from Pam Robins, part of the Function Four Ltd. team responsible for the creation of the PRS system. Pam discussed the intensive process of creating a new system as extensive as the PRS system and allowed everyone to understand the complexities of integrating technology into Manitoba’s parks.

After lunch, the Manitoba Focus: Manitoba Parks sessions continued, this time focusing on the

Manitoba Conservation Data Centre. Jason Greenall explained the importance of cataloguing rare and at-risk species through the use of technology. Jason’s presentation was followed by presentations by Peter Konopelny and Garth

Sean Frey from Parks Canada

An attentive crowd enjoys the presentations.

& 25, 2009 at the Over sixty attendees regions of Manitoba

attended the 2-day Forum. Participants ty to network with

people from other organizations and gain insights on current research. Thank you to our event supporters – The Manitoba Wildlife

Day one began with the followed by the Manitoba Foc

Conservation began by discuss

2009 PPARFM Keynote Speaker:

Shane Mahoney



7

Hoeppner of the Manitoba Conservation Weather Forecasting and Forest Fire Mapping branch. Attendees learned of the intricate data system used to monitor weather in Manitoba and the benefits of technology in the knowledge and understanding of forest fire prevalence and prevention.

Day one ended with an opportunity to meet the researchers Poster Session and Wine and Cheese reception. Attendees also enjoyed the chance to speak to PPARFM sponsors and view sponsor displays, along with a unique Interactive Interpretive Display from Manitoba Conservation.

Day two began with the Forum’s Keynote Speaker, Shane Mahoney. An internationally celebrated biologist, writer and lecturer, Shane captivated his audience by stressing the importance of

ing it as a

an innate love for technology,

e and nature in its

ontinue to

note presentation, Paper Presentations were given byRobert Au (University of Manitoba), Dr. Wanli Wu (Parks Canada), Sean Frey (Parks Canada) and Jaimee Dupont (University of Winnipeg).

After lunch, the Forum attendees enjoyed a beautiful fall afternoon, spending time on the banks of the Red River at the University of Manitoba, attending various workshops on the uses of technology in research and in outdoor settings. Doug Ross from Mountain Equipment Co-op held a workshop on the advancement and use of technology in outdoor equipment and clothing over the

past 30 years. Dr. David Walker from the University of Manitoba demonstrated wildlife-tracking technology by the use of radio telemetry to GIS and satellite-based systems. Participants were even able to attempt to track wildlife (played by students) using this state of the art technology! Dr. Michael Campbell from the University of Manitoba held his workshop amongst the trees, and demonstrated visitor monitoring on trails using remote IR triggered digital cameras. Fun was had by all who attended these workshops!

Once again, the Forum recognized emerging scholars thought the student research awards. Students who presented a paper or a poster were entered into a competition for the Best Student Paper/Poster

Dr. Craig Willis presenting Jaimee Dupont with her Student Paper

Presentation Award.

Dr. Michael Campbell demonstrating the use of cameras for trail monitoring.

conservation, and recognizmovement. Incorporating the fact that society hasMahoney stressed the importance ofexperiencing wildlifsimplest form, therefore fostering appreciation and the desire to cprotect our parks and natural areas. Following the Key



8

ogy and Centre for Forest ersity of Winnipeg, presented the

in Manitoba”. Cristina Ranellucci (University of Manitoba) was recognized for best student poster entitled “The effects of twice-over rotation grazing on the abundances of grassland birds in south-western Manitoba”.

PPARFM was chaired by Dr. Michael Campbell from the University of Manitoba. For more information on PPARFM, visit our website at www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/pparfm/.

A close-up of the radio collars used to track wildlife.

Doug Ross comparing old and new outdoor equipment.

Meagan Halowaty Photos courtesy of J. Michael Campbell

Award. Dr. Craig Willis, from the Department of BiolInterdisciplinary Research (C-FIR) at the Univawards. The two winners received an award certificate, and funds to assist with their research. Jaimee Dupont (University of Winnipeg) was recognized for producing the best student paper entitled “Conservation and Enhancement of Poweshiek Skipper (Oarisma poweshiek)


2009 PPARFM Program Parks and Technology:

Using Technology to Help Manage Manitoba’s Parks Day 1: Thursday, September 24

8:00 Registration 8:45 Welcome and Conference Overview 9:15 Emerging Technologies 10:15 Health Break

Sponsored by Manitoba Conservation 10:45 Manitoba Focus: Manitoba Parks

The Parks Reservation Service – A Journey in Enhanced Customer Service Through Technology Presentations by:

1. Tracy Elbourne – Head, Recreation Programming, Manitoba Parks 2. Pam Robins – Function Four Ltd.

12:00 Lunch 1:00 Manitoba Focus: Manitoba Parks, Continued

Manitoba Conservation Data Centre – Cataloguing Rare Species in Manitoba’s Parks Presentation by:

1. Jason Greenall – Coordinator, Manitoba Conservation Data Centre Manitoba Conservation Weather Forecasting and Forest Fire Mapping Presentations by:

1. Peter Konopelny – Supervisor, Science & Technology 2. Garth Hoeppner – GIS & Weather Specialist

3:00 Wine & Cheese Reception Peer-reviewed Posters, Meet the Researchers Interactive Interpretive Display

5:00 Conclusion of Day 1 Day 2: Friday, September 25

8:30 Registration 9:00 Keynote Speaker

Shane Mahoney 10:00 Health break 10:30 Paper Presentations 11:30 Orientation for Afternoon Workshops and Demonstrations 12:00 Barbeque Lunch 1:30 Outdoor Workshops and Demonstrations

Workshops and Demonstrations by: 1. Doug Ross – Mountain Equipment Co-op: “Outdoor Equipment and

Clothing” 2. David Walker – University of Manitoba: “Wildlife Tracking Technology” 3. Michael Campbell – University of Manitoba: “Visitor Monitoring Using

Remote IR Triggered Digital Cameras” 4:00 Student Research Awards and Forum Closing

Sponsored by the Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute



Research Paper Presentations: Extended Abstracts

Tree-Ring δ13C and Ring-Width from Thuja occidentalis L. Trees at the Northwestern Limit of their Distribution

Robert C.F. Au and Jacques C. Tardif

Centre for Forest Interdisciniplinary Research (C-FIR), University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Canada

Abstract

Tree-ring stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) are modified by environmental conditions occurring during carbon fixation. Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) trees were sampled at their northwestern limit of distribution in central Manitoba, Canada. The objectives of the study were 1) to investigate the association between tree-ring δ13C values and radial growth in addition to the response of these variables to climate and 2) to provide a multi-century inference of drought events based on tree-ring δ13C and ring-width analyses. Ring-width chronologies were developed from both dead and living T. occidentalis trees throughout central Manitoba. For δ13C analysis, holocellulose was isolated from each tree-ring through standard chemical extraction techniques. The δ13C chronology spanned from 1650 to 2006 A.D. and incorporated dead and living T. occidentalis trees selected from two sites where they were shown to be among the oldest in the area. Compared to the δ13C values, ring-width was more often associated with climate conditions in the year prior to ring formation. Conditions conducive to moisture stress were important for both radial growth and carbon assimilation. Our results suggest, however, that ring-width may be more sensitive to extended drought intervals than δ13C. Nonetheless, individualistic climatic information is recorded in each T. occidentalis ring-width and δ13C which suggests that these parameters could be used in the reconstruction of long-term climate.

Introduction

Tree-ring chronologies developed from old trees whose ring-widths are sensitive to climatic variations are essential in dendroclimatology (Fritts 1976; Schweingruber 1996). Conventional tree-ring records i.e. ring-width indices are, however, influenced by a large number of environmental variables which include but are not limited to stand dynamics, water availability, temperature, solar radiation and available soil nutrients (Fritts 1976; Schweingruber 1996). More contemporary tree-ring parameters include: early wood/ late wood width, wood density and tree-ring stable isotopes. Tree-ring δ13C indirectly record the available internal leaf CO2 which is controlled by a balance between stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rate during the growing season (Hemming et al. 2001; McCarroll and Loader 2006). Sensitivity to moisture stress, i.e. the stomatal control of δ13C, has been documented for several tree-ring δ13C studies in the North American boreal forest (Brooks et al. 1998; Barber et al. 2000). Despite the demonstrated value of tree-ring δ13C analysis, there have been a very limited number of dendroisotopic δ13C studies conducted throughout the North American boreal forest (Brooks et al. 1998; Barber et al. 2000; Bukata and Kyser 2007; Simard et al. 2008a; 2008b; Buhay et al. 2008; Tardif et al. 2008; Au and Tardif 2009).

Objectives



This is the first study to examine the tree-ring δ13C – climate association of northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) trees. An incentive for analyzing tree-ring δ13C was therefore to reveal previously undocumented climate information in T. occidentalis trees growing at their northwestern limit of distribution. The first objective of this study was to explore the association between T. occidentalis ring-width and tree-ring δ13C and to identify the major climatic factors influencing each ring-width and δ13C chronology at the northwestern limit of their distribution in central Manitoba, Canada. Given the available literature regarding the physical and chemical variations within tree-rings, it was hypothesized that T. occidentalis tree-ring δ13C will respond to climate controls that are independent of those associated with ring-width. It was further expected that moisture stress signals would be observed in T. occidentalis δ13C as these have been observed in T. occidentalis ring-width chronologies developed from the northwestern limit of their distribution. A second objective was to identify past drought events based on ring-width and tree-ring δ13C analyses.

Methods

Study area

The study area is located in the Cedar Lake/ northern Interlake region of central Manitoba (Figure 1) and also is within the proposed Manitoba Lowlands National Park (CPAWS 2006). This region includes a small disjunct population of T. occidentalis trees that are found about 300 km farther northwest from their continuous distribution limit in southeastern Manitoba and thus correspond to the northwestern range limit of distribution for T. occidentalis (Smith et al. 1998; Case 2000; Tardif and Stevenson 2001). Thuja occidentalis tree cores and cross-sections were sampled and processed using standard dendrochronological techniques. A regional T. occidentalis ring-width chronology was developed which included 231 cross-dated ring-width series and spanned from 1519-2006 AD. Two sites (site-A, site-B) containing old T. occidentalis trees were selected for stable carbon isotope analysis based on an assessment of tree age, longevity and quality of T. occidentalis samples collected. Contiguous stable carbon isotope (13C/12C) analysis was performed on individual tree-rings from eight old T. occidentalis trees which spanned from 279-459 years in age. Additional 13C/12C analysis was also performed on the most recent portion of tree-rings from four living trees from site-A and three living trees from site-B.

Climate data

The meteorological data used to assess the climate-growth associations were interpolated using program BioSIM (Régnière and Bolstad 1994; Régnière 1996). Program BioSIM adjusts daily weather data from selected stations for differences in latitude, longitude, elevation, slope and aspect among the source stations and a specified location (Régnière and Bolstad 1994). Climate data were interpolated based on data from three of the nearest meteorological stations. For each year from 1900-2005, climate data originating from nearer meteorological stations received greater weight during the interpolation of climate data at the mid-point of our two study sites (52º98’N, 99º27’W; Figure 1). The climate variables used in dendroclimatic analysis included mean monthly minimum and maximum temperature (°C), total monthly precipitation (mm), the Canadian Drought Code (CDC) and mean monthly relative humidity (%).

Climate analysis



Pearson correlation analysis was conducted between the T. occidentalis ring-width and δ13C residual chronologies and mean monthly minimum and maximum temperature, total monthly precipitation, mean monthly average CDC values and mean monthly relative humidity over a 17-month period from May prior to the year of ring formation (t-1) to September of the year of ring formation (t). The period of analysis was 1900-2005 for all climate variables, except for relative humidity (1953-2005). The variables for the summer months (June, July, August and September) of the year of ring formation were also seasonalized and used in the analyses. Correlation analyses were conducted using Systat (v. 11) for Windows (SYSTAT 2004).

Results/ Discussion

Ring-width and δ13C sensitivity to drought periods

Sensitivity to moisture stress throughout the T. occidentalis chronologies were observed as periods of low radial growth and enriched tree-ring δ13C values during the 1790s, 1840s, 1890s, 1930s and 1965-75 (Figure 2). Our findings show that these periods corresponded to periods of decreased growth in other tree species documented elsewhere in Manitoba. Pronounced growth depressions during the 1750’s, early 1800’s, 1840’s, mid-1880’s, 1930’s and early-1960’s were observed in Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP.) ring-width chronologies from the Duck Mountain Provincial Forest (DMPF) situated in the boreal plains of western Manitoba (Tardif 2004). Correspondingly, the July Canadian Drought Code reconstruction of the Boreal Plains region of Manitoba also showed persistent dry events during: 1735-1743, 1838-1843, 1887-1892, 1936-1940 and 1958-1963 (Girardin et al. 2006). These findings show synchronous growth responses with other conifers and provide strong evidence that the T. occidentalis ring-width and δ13C chronologies are representative of a larger area. However, moisture stress responses similar to the growth reductions of conifers observed during the 1750’s and early 1800’s in DMPF were not shown in T. occidentalis trees. Growth reductions during these periods in DMPF could, therefore, be related stand-level disturbances specific to DMPF.

Ring-width and δ13C display individualistic climatic windows

Environmental conditions during the year prior to T. occidentalis ring-formation were shown to influence radial growth to a much greater extent than compared to carbon assimilation in the northern Interlake region, central Manitoba (Figure 3). Monserud and Marshall (2001) suggested that correlations between tree-ring δ13C and climate conditions in the year prior to ring formation could result if photosynthates produced from a previous year are used to produce cellulose during the current year of growth. In this study, few correlations were found to be significant for δ13C in the year prior to ring-formation. The insensitivity of δ13C to climate conditions of the previous year suggested that photosynthates produced at the leaf-level are directly utilized in cellulose formation. In support of our hypothesis, Glerum and Balatinecz (1980) demonstrated that food reserves played a supporting role but were not directly used in xylem formation of P. banksiana seedlings during the resumption of growth in the spring. Instead, a pronounced decrease in 14C throughout P. banksiana seedlings that grew in 14CO2 indicated that reserves were largely utilized to maintain plant respiration in the spring whereas, photosynthates produced over the current growing season were important for new growth i.e. cellulose formation. We therefore speculate that T. occidentalis ring-width could thus be a better recorder of persistent multi-year droughts than δ13C since the former was more strongly influenced by conditions during the year prior to growth.



During the year of ring-formation, both T. occidentalis ring-width and δ13C associations with climate corroborated with previous reports of the initiation and cessation of the T. occidentalis growing season in the boreal forest. Forster et al. (2000) reported a relatively short growing season beginning from mid-May and lasting only until mid-August for T. occidentalis growing in the boreal forest region of western Québec, Canada. Ko Heinrichs et al. (2007) studied xylem production by repeatedly taking microcore samples from the stems of six tree species growing in the same region. The onset of xylem cell production of T. occidentalis trees were found to have begun during the second half of May in the boreal forest region of western Québec, Canada (Ko Heinrichs et al. 2007). Correspondingly, May (t) maximum temperature was significantly associated with both radial growth and carbon assimilation. Spring temperatures are hence, an important aspect of evergreen tree growth and have a lasting effect well into the growing season (Fritts 1976) since mature foliage are able to exploit warm early spring temperatures (Graumlich 1993).

Furthermore, Ko Heinrichs et al. (2007) found that about 50% of annual T. occidentalis radial growth was formed by the end of June in the boreal forest region of western Québec, Canada. These findings suggest that the month of June is crucial for T. occidentalis trees and is consistent with the importance of June (t) maximum temperature for both radial growth and carbon assimilation. Alternatively, August (t) maximum temperature was only restrictive for δ13C and coincided with the onset of T. occidentalis latewood tracheid production reported by Ko Heinrichs et al. (2007) which began near the start of August and ended (date of 90% of cell production) shortly after in early-August. Bannan (1955) found that although the division of xylem cells had ceased by the end of September, continued secondary wall thickening was, however, still evident in T. occidentalis trees. These findings indicate that photosynthates continued to be deposited during secondary xylem wall thickening well after the majority of radial growth had been completed and reinforce the short growing season for T. occidentalis at the northwestern limit of their distribution, central Manitoba. Therefore, the ability to infer different climate information from δ13C distinguishes the latter from ring-width as a unique proxy of climate.

Conclusion

The results from this study have shown that sensitivity to moisture stress characterized both T. occidentalis ring-width and δ13C. Higher vapor pressure deficit during times of drought causes a reduction in stomatal aperture which thereby results in more efficient utilization of pre-existing intercellular leaf CO2 by the photosynthetic enzyme (RuBisCO). Drought, therefore, contributed to physiological stress which was recorded in the chronologies as periods of reduced radial growth along with δ13C enrichment (limited by stomatal conductance). During the current summer, ring-width and δ13C were negatively and positively associated with the CDC, respectively. The ring-width chronology showed a greater correspondence than that of δ13C to extended drought intervals documented from tree-ring records and historical accounts. We suggest that the greater importance of climate conditions during the year prior to ring-formation could have resulted in the higher sensitivity of radial growth to these extended drought periods.

The climatic window during the year of ring formation for T. occidentalis radial growth included the current spring and early-summer (May and June maximum temperature as well as June and July precipitation) whereas, that for δ13C was more integrative of summer temperatures (May, June and August maximum temperature). This indicated that photosynthates continued to be deposited after a majority of radial growth had been



completed. The robust T. occidentalis ring-width and δ13C chronologies may be used in tandem for the reconstruction of climate since independent climatic information is contained in each tree-ring parameter. Furthermore, the analysis of tree-ring δ18O in future studies could reveal additional information on summer precipitation, since this parameter is also dependent on stomatal conductance.

Acknowledgments

We thank F. Conciatori, our dendrochronology technician, D. Ko Heinricks for his great help in the field and the lab assistants: J. Waito and S. Gietz. Thanks also go to C. Eastoe from the Environmental Isotope Laboratory, University of Arizona. Financial assistance was provided by the Canada Research Chairs Program, the Faculty of Science Graduate Studentship from the University of Manitoba, the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the University of Winnipeg.

References

Au, R. and Tardif, J.C. 2009. Chemical pretreatment of Thuja occidentalis tree-rings: implications for dendroisotopic studies. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 39: 1777-1784. Bannan, M.W. 1955. The vascular cambium and radial growth in Thuja occidentalis L. Canadian Journal of Botany 33: 113-138. Barber, V., Juday, G. and Finney, R. 2000. Reduced growth of Alaska white spruce in the twentieth century from temperature-induced drought stress. Nature 405: 668-672. Brooks, J.R., Flanagan, L.B. and Ehleringer, J.R. 1998. Responses of boreal conifers to climate fluctuations: indications from tree-ring widths and carbon isotope analyses. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 28: 524-533. Buhay, W.M., Timsic, S., Blair, D., Reynolds, J., Jarvis, S., Petrash, D., Rempel, M. and Bailey, D. 2008. Riparian influences on carbon isotopic composition of tree rings in the Slave River Delta, Northwest Territories, Canada. Chemical Geology 252: 9-20. Bukata, A.R. and Kyser, T.K. 2007. Carbon and nitrogen isotope variations in tree-rings as records of perturbations in regional carbon and nitrogen cycles. Environmental Science and Technology 41(4): 1331-1338. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Manitoba Chapter (CPAWS) 2006. Citing online sources: Proposed National Park in the Manitoba Lowlands [online]. Available from http://www.cpawsmb.org/conservation/manitoba-lowlands.html [accessed 1 September 2006]. Case, R.A. 2000. Dendrochronological investigations of precipitation and streamflow for the Canadian Prairies. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles. Fritts, H.C. 1976. Tree rings and climate. Academic Press, New York, New York. Forster, T., Schweingruber, F.H. and Denneler, B. 2000. Increment puncher: a tool for extracting small cores of wood and bark from living trees. IAWA Journal 21: 169-180.



Girardin, M-P., Tardif, J.C., Flannigan, M.D. and Bergeron, Y. 2006. Synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation and Boreal Canada summer drought variability of the past three centuries. Journal of Climate 19: 1922-1947. Glerum, C. and Balatinecz, J.J. 1980. Formation and distribution of food reserves during autumn and their subsequent utilization in jack pine. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 58: 40-54. Graumlich, L.J. 1993. Response of tree growth to climatic variation in the mixed conifer and deciduous forests of the upper Great Lakes region. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 23: 133-143. Hemming, D., Fritts, H., Leavitt, S.W., Wright, W., Long, A. and Shashkin, A. 2001. Modelling tree-ring δ13C. Dendrochronologia 19(1): 23-38. Ko Heinrichs, D., Tardif, J.C. and Bergeron, Y. 2007. Xylem production in six tree species growing on an island in the boreal forest region of western Quebec, Canada. Canadian Journal of Botany 85: 518-525. Monserud, R.A. and Marshall, J.D. 2001. Time-series analysis of δ13C from tree rings. I. Time trends and autocorrelation. Tree Physiology 21: 1087-1102. McCarroll, D. and Loader, N.J. 2006. Isotopes in tree rings. In Developments in paleoenvironmental research vol. 10: isotopes in palaeoenvironmental research. Edited by M.J. Leng. Springer, The Netherlands. pp. 67-106. Régnière, J. 1996. Generalized approach to landscape-wide seasonal forecasting with temperature-driven simulation models. Environmental Entomology 25: 869-881. Régnière, J. and Bolstad, P. 1994. Statistical simulation of daily air temperature patterns in Eastern North America to forecast seasonal events in insect pest management. Environmental Entomology 23: 1368-1380. Rodionov, S.N. 2006. Use of prewhitening in climate regime shift detection. Geophysical Research Letters 33: L12707. Schweingruber, F.H. 1996. Tree rings and environment dendroecology. Paul Haupt Publishers, Bern, Switzerland. Simard, S., Morin, H. and Krause, C. 2008a. Natural and artificial defoliation impact on tree ring stable isotopes. TRACE conference April 27-30, Zakopane, Poland, volume 7: 108-114. Simard, S., Elhani, S., Morin, H., Krause, C. and Cherubini, P. 2008b. Carbon and oxygen stable isotopes from tree-rings to identify spruce budworm outbreaks in the boreal forest of Québec. Chemical Geology 252: 80-87. Smith, R.E., Veldhuis, H., Mills, G.F., Eilers, R.G., Fraser, W.R. and Lelyk, G.W. 1998. Terrestrial ecozones, ecoregions, and ecodistricts of Manitoba: An ecological stratification of Manitoba’s natural landscapes. Technical Bulletin 1998-9E. Land




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Resource Unit, Brandon Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Winnipeg, MB. Tardif, J. 2004. Fire history in the Duck Mountain Provincial Forest, western Manitoba. Sustainable Forest Management Network. Project Report 2003/2004 Series. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta. Tardif, J. and Stevenson, D. 2001. Radial growth-climate association of Thuja occidentalis L. at the northwestern limit of its distribution, Manitoba, Canada. Dendrochronologia 19(2): 179-187. Tardif, J., Conciatori, F. and Leavitt, S. 2008. Tree rings, δ13C and climate in Picea glauca growing near Churchill, subarctic Manitoba, Canada. Chemical Geology 252: 88-101.

Figure 1. Map of the study area showing the location of sampling sites -A (red triangle) and –B (red square). The red circle indicates the location of the town of Grand Rapids, Manitoba. The green cross indicates the location where climate data were interpolated to using the BioSIM computer program. BioSIM adjusted daily weather data among three of the nearest meteorological stations for differences in latitude, longitude, elevation, slope and aspect for the selected location. The inset map shows the general location of the study area within the province of Manitoba, Canada.


1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000

1.0

1.0

1.1

Figure 2. The T. occidentalis ring-width and δ13C standard chronologies. The regime shift detection (solid red line) for each chronology verified that changes in the mean from one period to another did not emerge from a red noise process (probability σ = 0.10, cut-off length = 8 years; serial correlation (AR(1)) was estimated using the IP4 method: ring-width and δ13C chronologies: AR(1) = 0.00; see Rodionov 2006). The black lines delimit periods of synchronicity in regime shifts between the two chronologies and were visually determined.

B )

M J J A S O N D j f m a m j j a s S

RH

C DC

Precip

Tm ax

Tm in

M onth

A )

M J J A S O N D j f m a m j j a s S

RH

C DC

Precip

Tm ax

Tm in

-0.5 -0 .4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

Figure 3. Pearson correlation coefficients between A) the ring-width chronology and B) the δ13C chronology and monthly climate variables from May of the year prior to ring formation (large caps) to September of the year of ring formation (small caps). The seasonalized summer variable S included the current June, July, August and September months. From top to bottom, the climate variables included: mean monthly minimum temperature (Tmin), mean monthly maximum temperature (Tmax), total monthly precipitation (Precip), mean monthly average Canadian Drought Code values (CDC) and mean monthly relative humidity (RH). All correlation coefficients that were significant at p<0.05 are indicated by black dots. The period of analysis was 1953-2005 for RH and 1900-2005 for all other climate variable.



Conservation and Enhancement of Poweshiek Skipper (Oarisma poweshiek) in Manitoba Jaimee Dupont and Richard Westwood Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg

Abstract

The Poweshiek skipperling (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) is an endemic tall grass prairie species currently listed as threatened under SARA (Species at risk act) in Canada. Remaining Poweshiek skipperling populations in North America are highly fragmented and restricted to isolated prairie remnants. The only Canadian population of Poweshiek skipperling is found within the tall Grass Prairie Preserve in southeastern Manitoba. The nature of fire and grazing regimes are important for the management of prairie specialists such as the Poweshiek skipperling. Key information gaps exist for this species, including limited data on the skipperling’s biology and behaviour in Canada. Our research is designed to fill some of these information gaps as well as testing two key hypotheses regarding Poweshiek skipper movement and site selection. We hypothesize that Poweshiek skipperlings show preferential site selection based on vegetative and physical site characteristics; and that Poweshiek skipperlings demonstrate minimal movement between preferred sites making them susceptible to extirpation. The objective of this project is to test these hypotheses in order to improve current and future management strategies for the conservation of Poweshiek skipper in the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve.

Introduction

The Poweshiek skipperling (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) is an endemic tall grass prairie species currently listed as threatened under SARA (Species at risk act) in Canada (Swengel and Swengel 1999, Environment Canada 2007). At one time, there were approximately 34,000,000 ha of tall-grass prairie in North America. Today 99% of original tall grass prairie in North America has been lost (Environment Canada 2008). Most remaining Poweshiek skipperling populations are highly fragmented and restricted to isolated prairie remnants (Shephard 2005). In Canada the Poweshiek skipperling is found in scattered pockets within the tall Grass Prairie Preserve (TGPP) in Manitoba. Limited research exists on the biology of the Poweshiek Skipperling in Canada and there are key information gaps on population biology and conservation.

Within these scattered remnants of habitat, fire and grazing regimes are important to prairie specialists such as the Poweshiek skipperling. In U.S. populations, Poweshiek skipperlings have shown a negative response to fire, lasting between three and five years after a burn. Land management plans with too- frequent, poorly timed fires were shown to severely impact populations (Swengel 1996). Fire return intervals are less than the three- or five-year frequencies can potentially result in extirpation of the Poweshiek Skipperling from a particular site (COSEWIC 2003). This is especially true if there is limited dispersal between suitable habitat sites. Dispersal ability is seen as important for species conservation at the landscape level. Small and local populations of butterflies are more prone to extirpation when that is combined with a relatively low ability to disperse and colonize new areas (Harrison et al. 1988). Poor dispersal tendencies can also affect the Poweshiek’s ability to return to recently burned sites more quickly (Swengal 1996). In American populations, the Poweshiek skipperling has been found to typically fly in short, slow patterns and have lower dispersal rates. This species is often the least represented prairie specialist in recently burned areas (Swengal 1996).

Objective



This research is designed to test two key hypothesises regarding Poweshiek skipper movement and site selection. We hypothesize that:

1) Poweshiek skipperlings show preferential habitat selection based on vegetative and physical site characteristics.

2) Poweshiek skipperlings demonstrate minimal movement between preferred habitats making them susceptible to extirpation. The intent of this project is to test these hypotheses to improve current and future management strategies for the Poweshiek skipper in the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve.

Experimental Approach: Methods The study is based in the TGPP, a 2,300-ha area near Tolstoi, Stuartburn, and Gardenton in

south eastern Manitoba. In the summer of 2008 We implemented several preliminary research activities to determine the feasibility of field testing my hypothesis. Ten research sites were chosen based on previous butterfly surveys from 2002 to 2006 in the area. The ten sites have a variety of burn ages and grazing treatments. Each site contained two replicate plots located at least 150 meters apart from each other. In each replicate plot (40 m x 40 m) five parallel transects running in a north-south direction were established for skipper and plant surveys and collection of physical data.

Hypothesis 1: Investigating the biotic needs of Lepidoptera is common practice in conservation research (Swengel and Swengel 1999, Gilbert and Singer 1975, Swengel 1996, Dana 1991 – put these in chronological order) while investigation with associated physical factors is less common. During data collection in the summer of 2008 & 2009, we measured a variety of physical variables including: weather data, plant biomass estimates, soil ph, soil moisture, soil compaction and soil nutrients. The physical sampling criteria were based on a study by Royer et al. (2008) which examined the non-biotic environmental features of prairies supporting the Dakota Skipper (Hesperia dacotae) across the remaining US range. Vegetative sampling was concentrated on identification was concentrated on identification of potential nectar species and larval food sources (Table 1, Table 2). Hypothesis 2: A mark-release-recapture experiment to determine the feasibility of current mark-recapture technology to estimate current Poweshiek skipperling population size and mobility was implemented. We experimented with a variety of marking techniques described in the scientific literature (Ehlrich and Davidson 1960, Morton 1982, Cameron et al 2002, Ockinger and Smith 2007, Rabasa, et al 2007). In the 2008 field season, skippers were marked individually using coloured lacquer (nail polish) and a fine tipped applicator to identify the skippers using the system devised by Ehlrich and Davidson 1960. In the summer field season of 2009 marked the skippers according to the sites they were caught in to measure dispersal between sites. The marking technique chosen was florescent powder applied sparingly, and enhanced on recaptures using a UV flashlight. Preliminary Results a) Flight period for the skipperling as listed by Klassen et al. (1989) in Manitoba as June 23rd until July 8th. In 2008, flight period range was July 9th to July 23rd and in 2009, flight period range was July 19th – Aug 6th. b) Initial survey of grass species in the plots that may be potential larval host plants included:

- Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) - Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) - Mat Muhly (Muhlenbergia richardsoni)



- Grass Identification still ongoing.

c) Adult nectar plant survey included:

- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) (preferred) - Upland White Aster (Solidago ptarmicoides) - Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale) - Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) - Yarrow (Achillea millefolium ) - Rough-False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

d) Reproduction including courtship strategies, ovipositing and mating behaviour.

- Female oviposition was observed (egg laying) on a variety of host species. Discussion and Summary Preliminary results indicate a difference in skipperling population levels between the different site treatments and burning regimes. Sites burned in 2000-2002, and grazed sites seemed to have the highest number of skippers. While the 2005-2008 burned sites were also fairly high in numbers of skippers, it should be noted that there was no skippers counted on the 2008 burn site in 2008, and only one counted in 2009 (Table 1). Although a higher density skipper site was located immediately adjacent to the 2008 burn (approximately 50 metres away) dispersal from the high density site to the 2008 burn appears to be very limited. The presence of nectar plant species dramatically increased between the 1993 burn sites and the more recently managed sites. Despite difference in nectar stem counts there was no linear relationship between the number of nectar plants and skipperling populations within plots (Table 2). Further statistical analysis of Alpha Diversity using Shannon’s diversity, Shannon’s evenness and Simpsons diversity index as well as Beta diversity (Jaccard’s qualitative and quantitative indices in conjunction with hierarchical cluster analysis) will be performed to better examine differences between the diversity within the sites and between the sites and affects on skipperling populations. Multivariate analysis using Principle component analysis (PCA) and Redundancy Analysis (RDA) will be used to investigate relationships between plant species, physical characteristics and site type. Further investigation of the data is required before conclusive results and recommendations can be provided. Acknowledgements Funding provided through Manitoba Conservation SDIF, Manitoba Conservation – Wildlife Branch and the University of Winnipeg. Thanks to Dr. Craig Willis and William Watkins for as Master thesis committee members. We would also like to thank all of the field assistants and volunteers who have assisted with this project for J. Dupont.




21

TreatmentType Samples

Soil Compaction 10 cm (kPa)

Soil Compaction20 cm (kPa) pH %

Moisture

Skippers Observed

2008

Skippers Observed

2009

Skippers (per

person hours) 2009

Burn 1993 (2 sites) (n=30) 309.9±34.0b 1 462.6±41.1bc 6.68±0.04ab 55.7±3.1 11 0 0.0

Burn 2000-2002 (3 sites)

(n=90) 220.1±11.9a 377.4±15.7a 6.69±0.04b 58.6±3.3 167 54 9.6

Burn 2005-2008 (3 sites)

(n=90) 239.4±13.6a 417.7±21.8ab 6.55±0.04a 52.0±3.9 83 7 1.9

Graze 2007-2008 (3 sites)

(n=90) 361.2±15.2b 480.6±19.7c 6.72±0.04b 50.5±2.9 59 18 6.4

p<0.001 p=0.003 p=0.013 p=0.3501. Means in columns followed by different letters are significantly different, LSD test (p< 0.05).

Table 1: Physical Site Characteristics (Mean ± SE) By Year Grouping

References Cited: Cameron,P.J.

Treatment Type

Nectar Plant Stem Count

2008 1

Nectar Plant

Species 2008 1

Biomass 2008 (g/0.5m)2

Herbs % Cover (sq. m)2

Bare Ground% Cover (sq.

m)2

Grass % Cover

(sq. m)2

Skippers Observed

2008

Skippers Observed

2009

Skippers (person hours)

2009

Burn 1993 (2 sites) 40±0.00a 4.0±0.0 343.1±103.1c 14.0±8.6a 42.9±12.2b 43.5±11.1a 11 0 0.0

Burn 2000-2002 (3 sites)

1395.7±1042.0b 16.6±10.9 252.8±107.1b 18.3±8.8ab 21.9±11.4a 59.4±14.0b 167 54 9.6

Burn 2005-2008 (3 sites)

2776.7±865.6d 23.6±1.7 190.6±74.6a 24.2±15.5c 23.3±29.4a 54.3±15.8b 83 7 1.9

Graze 2007-2008 (3 sites)

1813.0±1126.1c 30.3±3.3 219.8±85.0a 21.8±13.3bc 21.1±13.5a 56.3±14.8b 59 18 6.4

p=<0.001 p=<0.001 p=<0.001 p=0.01 p=<0.001 p=0.001

1. Stems/ten 40m transects/site. Means in columns followed by different letters are significantly different, Mann Whitney test (p<0.05)2. Two samples/ten 40 m transect/site. Means in columns followed by different letters are significantly different, LSD test (p<0.05)

Table 2: Nectar and Diversity Site Characteristics (Mean ± SE) By Year Grouping

; Walker,G.P.; Penny,G.M.; Wigley,P.J. 2002. Movement of Potato Tuberworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) within and Between Crops, and Some Comparisons with Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Environ.Entomol., 31: 65-75


COSEWIC. 2003. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek in Canada. Committee on the Statues of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. vii + 25 pp. http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm Dana, R. 1991. Conservation of the Prairie Skippers Heseria Dacotae and Hesperia Ottoe. Station Bulletin Minn. Agriculteral Experimental Station. Pp. 63. Ehrlich P. and Davidson S. 1962. Techniques for capture-recapture studies of Lepidoptera Populations. Journal of the Lepidopterists Society. 14: 227-230. Environment Canada. 2007. Recovery Strategy for the Poweshiek Skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek) in Canada [Draft]. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Environment Canada, Ottawa. vi +28 pp. Environment Canada. 2008. Tallgrass Prairie – Environment Canada. Retrieved May 12th, 2009 from: http://www.mb.ec.gc.ca/nature/whp/prgrass/df03s32.en.html Gilbert, L. and Singer, M. 1975. Butterfly Ecology. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics. Pg 365 – 388. Harrison, S. Murphy, D. and Ehrlich. P. 1988. Distribution of the Bay Checkerspot butterfly Euphydras Editha Bayensis: Evidence for a metapopulation model. The American Naturalist. 132: 360-382

Morton, A. 1982. The effects of marking and capture on recapture frequencies of butterflies. Oecologia 53:105-110 Ockinger, E. and Smith, H. 2007. Asymmetric dispersal and survival indicate population sources for grassland butterflies in agricultural landscapes. Ecography 30: 288-298 Rabasa, S., Gutierrez, D., and Escudero, A. 2007. Metapopulation structure and habitat quality in modelling dispersal in the butterfly Iolana iolas. Oikos 116: 793-806 Royer,R.A., McKenney,R.A., and Newton,W.E. 2008. A characterization of non-biotic environmental features of prairies hosting the Dakota Skipper (Hesperia Dacotae, Hesperiidae) across its remaining U.S. range. J.Lepid.Soc., 62:1-17 Shephard, S. And Debinski, D. 2005. Evaluation of isolated and integrated prairie reconstructions as habitat for prairie butterflies. Biol. Conserv. 126: 51–61 Swengel,A.B. 1996. Effects of fire and hay management on abundance of prairie butterflies. Biol.Conserv., 76:73-85 Swengel, A., and Swengel, S. 1999. Observations of prairie skippers (Oarisma poweshiek. Hesperia dacotae, H. ottoe, H. leonardus pawnee, and Atrytone arogos iowa) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota during 1988-1997. The Great Lakes Entomologist. 32(4):267-292.



Spatial habitat modelling for the reintroduction of Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) in Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia.

Sean Frey - Ecosystem Data Specialist, Parks Canada Tony Corrigan - Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Reintroduction Project Manager, Parks Victoria Introduction Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) are agile rock adapted marsupials which have been declared critically endangered in the state of Victoria in Australia. The last remaining documented population in the Grampians National Park was extirpated in 1999 and a recovery program involving captive breeding and trial reintroduction was initiated. (Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby Recovery Team, 2006) As the species is very habitat specific a spatial model was created to allow project managers to examine the gradient of viable habitat across the landscape.

Methods Historic observations (n=79) of Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies from the Grampians area were examined in relation to habitat factors considered relevant by the project manager and then combined in a relativistic model. Factors included proximity to cliff edge, aspect, rock type, ecological vegetation class and fox density. Using the observation points, proportional association with habitat classes was determined using point in polygon analysis (spatial object SQL query in MapInfo 7.5). Cliff edges were buffered in 50 m intervals. Aspect was classified into 8 cardinal classes from a digital elevation model (DEM) generated from 10 m topographic contours using ArcGIS 9.2. Once the proportion of observation within each class was established the class was assigned a suitability index with 10 being most preferred and the rest scaled down from 10 based on the percentage of observations. Fox density was interpolated with MapInfo 7.5 using a three year average of sand pad probability of incursion in a network across the park. The lowest fox density was assigned the highest suitability index value of 10 down to the 1 for the highest fox density. As MapInfo 7.5 was used for the analysis it was important to generate a vector reference grid that fit well on the cliff edges that run diagonally through the park and be representative of a habitat unit for the species so a 250 m hexagonal grid was generated. As a tool to generate the grid was not readily available a table of hexagon centroids (x,y in metres projected in GDA 94 Zone 54) covering the park was calculated and created in Excel 2003 and then a Voroni analysis was performed in MapInfo 7.5 to generate the hexagonal polygons. To save on processing time hexagons more than 500 m from a cliff edge were removed from the model. Using polygon-polygon overlays in a proportional area spatial SQL query the comparative values for each factor in the model were written into the associated attributes of the hexagons in the grid. Values in the table were then easily summed, weighted or ignored to generate the comparative model. (see Figure 1)



Figure 1. Values associated with each habitat factor are generated through a spatial SQL query in MapInfo and written into the attributes of the 250 m hexagonal grid. Results and Discussion A spatial analysis of historic observations of the species showed that 94% were located within 500 m of a cliff edge. This strong feature association allowed for modelling to be focussed geographically. Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies in the Grampians showed the strongest association with Rocky Outcrop Herbland (34%), Heathy Dry Forest (28%), Rocky Outcrop Shrubland (18%), and Heathy Woodland (12%) ecological vegetation classes based on number of hectares within 100 m buffer of historic observations. 56% of observations were associated with Serra Sandstone rock formations. Grampians Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies also seemed to have a preference for western aspects as 67% of observations were associated with west, southwest and northwest aspects. (See Figure 2)




25

Aspect Count Percentage Cumulative PercentageW 20 24.7% 24.7%SW 20 24.7% 49.4%NW 14 17.3% 66.7%E 8 9.9% 76.5%N 8 9.9% 86.4%NE 6 7.4% 93.8%SE 3 3.7% 97.5%S 2 2.5% 100.0%Total 81 100.0%

0

5

10

15

20

25

W SW NW E N NE SE S

Aspect

Num

ber o

f bru

sh ta

iled

rock

wal

labi

es

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

100.0%

CountCumulative Percentage

Figure 2. Table and graph showing observations pivot tabled into aspect associations with cumulative percentages by class. Classification of the sum of all the factors considered in the model resulted in a broad landscape level tool that visually conveys the arrangement of preferred habitat across the park. (See Figure 3) The resulting model has been useful for project managers looking at site selection for reintroduction programs and the possibilities for population range expansion. It has even identified remote areas which have yet to be surveyed for existing populations.


Figure 3. The relativistic habitat model for Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies in the Grampians National Park

Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank staff in Parks Canada and Parks Victoria, including our Parks Victoria supervisor Mike Stevens for facilitating the opportunity to work together on this side project of mutual interest.

References Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby Recovery Team. (2006). Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from Saving the Shadow: http://www.vicrockwallaby.com/wallaby.htm



Monitoring Permafrost Change in Northern National Parks

-- Technology and challenges of implementation in ecological monitoring and management

Wanli Wu1, Wendy Sladen2, Larry Dyke2,

Darroch M. Whitaker3, David Walker4, and Heather M Stewart4 1Western and Northern Service Centre, Parks Canada (Email: [email protected]) 2Geological Survey of Canada 3Western Newfoundland and Labrador Field Unit, Parks Canada 4Manitoba Field Unit, Parks Canada

Abstract

Permafrost plays an important role in the ecological integrity of Parks Canada’s northern jurisdictions by influencing biological, hydrological and geomorphological processes. Since 2006, Parks Canada has been collaborating with the Geological Survey of Canada and the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing to indentify appropriate ways to monitor change in permafrost as a result of climate warming. A series of boreholes instrumented with thermistor cables to measure ground temperature to depths of up to 15 m have been installed in Wapusk National Park and York Factory National Historic Site of Canada. Continuously recording data loggers are connected to the thermistor cables to characterize the annual ground thermal regime. Ground electrical conductivity surveys were also carried out to characterize the permafrost distribution in the vicinity of the boreholes. Initial findings reflect the sensitivity of permafrost to ground surface conditions such as hydrology, snow accumulation, and vegetation cover. Continued monitoring of these sites will aid in assessing the ground thermal response to climate change. Developing suitable protocols and operational plans for monitoring permafrost in more remote northern parks is faced with logistical and financial challenges. Therefore, alternative techniques for measuring ground thermal changes, including thaw tubes, active-layer probing grids, mini-loggers, and remote sensing, are being assessed. Appropriate permafrost monitoring techniques will be assessed based on the different landscapes in several northern national parks.

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2009 Introduction

Permafrost refers to “soil or rock that remains below 0°C throughout the year, and forms when the ground cools sufficiently in winter to produce a frozen layer that persists throughout the following summer” (Geological Survey of Canada, 2007). Development and persistence of permafrost depends on regional and local climate, soil and vegetation conditions. Permafrost plays an important role in the ecological integrity of Parks Canada’s northern jurisdictions by influencing habitat, drainage, landforms and preservation of archaeological remains. Because changes to permafrost may alter ecosystem suitability for wildlife and human activities, it is one of the ecological integrity measures of our northern national parks’ ecosystems.

Development of permafrost monitoring programs in some northern national parks is underway. Since 2006, Parks Canada has been collaborating with the Geological Survey of



Canada and the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing to identify suitable techniques for monitoring change in permafrost resulting from climate warming. This paper introduces some common in-situ techniques presently used in selected national parks, discusses logistical challenges of implementing these techniques, and compares methods used as part of permafrost monitoring programs.

Methods

Currently four techniques: ground temperature cables, air and ground surface temperature loggers, ground electrical conductivity surveys, and systematic probing are used by Parks Canada for monitoring permafrost. A fifth method, thaw tubes, is being considered for use in the parks’ monitoring programs. These methods are discussed briefly below and compared in Table 1. Any of the techniques below can be used alone or in combination for monitoring.

Ground temperature cables

This method consists of drilling a hole into the ground, installing a cable with temperature sensors at specific depths along its length in the hole and connecting the cable to a continuously recording data logger. These soil temperature data characterize the ground thermal regime along the depth of the borehole by determining the mean annual ground temperature as well as the minimum and maximum temperatures at each sensor.

Coupled air and ground surface temperature loggers

Mini-loggers are easy to install and can be used to measure air and near-surface ground (typically 10 cm) temperatures. Coupled air and ground surface temperature data are useful in determining the effects of thermal near-surface thermal buffering of snow and vegetation cover.

Ground electrical conductivity surveys

Ground electrical conductivity is measured using a terrain conductivity meter such as the Geonics EM31 which induces a magnetic field. Since ground conductivity is influenced by the degree of ice-bonding, this type of survey can be used to map the extent of ice-bonded permafrost. To interpret these measurements, there must be at least one location where either the actual variation of conductivity with depth is known or an independent determination of the existence of frozen or thawed ground has been made.

Systematic probing grids

Systematic probing grids are used to determine the thickness of the active-layer, the zone of annual freezing and thawing below ground surface and above permafrost. Measurements are done using a small diameter, hand-held, graduated metal probe at evenly spaced nodes over a gridded area. The gridded sampling determines the spatial pattern of active-layer thickness at the time of measurement and, if measurements are taken sub-annually, the rate of thaw. This technique is described in more detail in the Active Layer Protocol, provided by the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) program (Nelson, et al., 2007).

Thaw tubes

Thaw tubes, also called frost tubes, record maximum annual thaw depth and maximum heave and subsidence of the ground surface. A thaw tube consists of a clear, water-filled, removable tube in a sleeve anchored in permafrost. A coloured glass bead is inserted in the tube each year and rests at the ice-water interface which corresponds to the frost table. The



bead descends with the progression of thaw and becomes trapped at the depth of maximum thaw when freeze-back begins (Tarnocai et al., 2004). Maximum heave and subsidence are recorded by a scriber that marks the painted surface of the anchored sleeve as it moves up and down with ground surface. An annual site visit is made during the thaw season to record the measurements of the previous year as well as insert a new coloured bead and prepare the heave sleeve to record for the present year of observation (Nixon, 2007).

Initial Results

To date, permafrost monitoring networks have been initiated in Wapusk and Torngat Mountains National Parks and at York Factory National Historical Site (NHS) of Canada. In Wapusk National Park, this network consists of a series of thermistor cables and data loggers installed along two inland transects from the coast, one in each the northern and southern parts of the park. The monitoring sites were selected to represent a variety of different ground surface and environmental conditions. Ground electrical conductivity surveys were conducted in the vicinity of the thermistor cables using the Geonics EM31 Terrain Conductivity Meter. Initial findings reflect the sensitivity of permafrost to ground surface conditions such as wetland type, vegetation type and cover, and snow accumulation.

Similar to Wapusk, a combination of thermistor cables and ground electrical conductivity surveys were used to characterize the permafrost conditions at York Factory NHS. Thermistor sites were selected based on changes in ground surface conditions over time. Using the thermal data from the temperature cables to calibrate the electrical conductivity data, a permafrost map of the NHS was made (Figure 1). Initial findings indicate that the ground thermal conditions range from unfrozen to frozen and seem linked to the maintenance practices over the history of the site.

In Torngat Mountains National Park, the variability of the active-layer thickness was measured at two locations, McCornick River valley and Ramah Bay terrace, using the systematic probing method. Results from the survey provided an average and range in active-layer thickness. These data will be helpful for locating representative sites for applying other techniques such as thaw tubes.

Discussion

Permafrost plays an important role in the ecological integrity of Parks Canada’s northern jurisdictions by influencing biological, hydrological and geomorphological processes. By implementing basic techniques such as installing of ground temperature cables and mini-loggers, conducting geophysical surveys and probing the active-layer, we can begin to characterize the permafrost conditions at a given site. These data can then be used as baseline data for comparison to future measurements. The combination of these data contributes to reporting on the state of a national park’s ecosystems. The results produced thus far from our measurements have allowed us to characterize the permafrost conditions at Wapusk National Park and York Factory NHS and the active-layer at two locations in Torngat Mountains National Park. This information has led to an increased understanding of the environmental influences such as wetland type, vegetation cover, snow accumulation, drainage patterns, and human practices, on the ground thermal regime in these particular regions. Continued monitoring of these sites will aid in assessing the sensitivity of ground thermal regime and its response to climate change. Developing suitable protocols and operational plans for monitoring permafrost in Canada’s northern parks is faced with logistical and budgetary challenges. The northern parks are often remote making access to the park difficult and expensive; in addition the terrain is often rugged with limited infrastructure making travel and transport of equipment within the



park challenging. Other considerations include the availability of resources for installation such as water for drilling and threat of installation damage by wildlife and severe weather. Also integral in developing a permafrost monitoring protocol is assessing and selecting the appropriate monitoring techniques based on the different landscapes, environmental conditions and unique challenges of each northern national park. Collaboration among researchers from other agencies, government and academic communities is also an effective way to reduce costs and enhance sharing of research outcomes.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all of the student volunteers from the local communities who helped for the permafrost survey in Torngat Mountains National Park in summer 2009. We are grateful to those reviewers of Parks Canada and the Geological Survey of Canada who provided valuable feedback on this manuscript. In addition, the authors thank Mark Nixon for his guidance on several of the techniques discussed in this paper. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the agencies.

References

Geological Survey of Canada. 2007. Permafrost - What is Permafrost? Retrieved October 6th, 2009 from http://cgc.rncan.gc.ca/permafrost/whatis_e.php

Nelson F., J. Brown, T. Lewkowicz, and A. Taylor. Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) project. 2007. Active Layer Protocol. Retrieved May 24th, 2009 from http://www.udel.edu/Geography/calm/research/active_layer.html

Nixon, F.M. (Geological Survey of Canada). 2007. A protocol for installing the Thaw Tube and recording observations from the device. Retrieved May 11th, 2009 from http://www.fao.org/gtos/doc/ECVs/T07/ECV-17-permafrost-ref-22-ttmanual.pdf

Sladen, W.E., L.D. Dyke and S.L. Smith. 2009. Permafrost at York Factory National Historic Site of Canada, Manitoba, Canada; Geological Survey of Canada, Current Research 2009-4; 13 pages. Retrieved September 17th, 2009 from http://geoscan.ess.nrcan.gc.ca/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=geoscan.fl&id=fastlink&pass=&search=R%3D247337&format=FLFULL

Smith, S. and J. Brown. In press. Permafrost: Permafrost and seasonally frozen ground, T7 in Assessment of the Status of the Development of the Standards for the Terrestrial Essential Climate Variables. Global Terrestrial Observing System GTOS 62. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome 2009, 32 pages.

Tarnocai, C., F.M. Nixon, and L. Kutny. 2004. Circumpolar-Active-Layer-Monitoring (CALM) sites in the Mackenzie Valley, northwestern Canada. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, 15 (2) 141-153.



Table 1. Comparison of select permafrost and active-layer monitoring methods (after Smith and Brown, in press).

Method Systematic probing grids Thaw Tubes

Air & ground surface

temperature loggers

Ground temperature

cables

Use of Tool

Measurements are made with a metal rod on a grid. It provides the spatial extent of the active-layer thickness at the time of measurement.

Records the maximum thaw penetration and maximum heave and subsidence of the ground surface, from which the active-layer thickness can be determined.

Records air and ground surface temperatures, from which the effects of snow and vegetation cover on ground temperatures can be derived. A string of mini-loggers installed in the near-surface can be used to measure thaw penetration.

Records ground temperatures at regular intervals during the year, from which annual mean temperature, maximum and minimum temperature, as well as other parameters can be derived.

Advantages

(1) Most practical, low-cost method of non-destructive and spatially extensive data collection.

(1) Provides an inexpensive annual record, (2) durable, and (3) can provide a multi-year record for comparison.

(1) Easy to install, (2) provides continuous data, (3) timing of site visit not important, and (4) reduced site visits as data loggers can collect data over periods longer than a year.

(1) Timing of site visit not important and (2) annual site visits are not required.

Disadvantages

(1) Timing is important for determining maximum active-layer thickness, (2) labour intensive, (3) probing becomes impractical in coarse and bouldery soils, and in deeper active-layers (>1.5 m), (4) depending on soil properties, the ice-bearing zone may not coincide with the 0°C frost table, and (5) frequent

(1) Single point records, (2) can be difficult to install depending on substrate, (3) require annual site visits, (4) timing of site visit is important: must be after previous year’s maximum thaw and before the following year’s maximum thaw depth, and (5) frost jacking of the thaw tube if not anchored in permafrost.

(1) Limited to point measurements, (2) subject to damage by wildlife, and (3) malfunctions of equipment can occur.

(1) Limited to point measurements, (2) installation can be costly depending on location and drilling method used, (3) subject to damage by wildlife, and (4) malfunctions of equipment can occur.




32

visits can result in noticeable terrain disturbance.

Overall Cost

Set-up grids: Low One steel probe with an extension: approx. $500.

Installation: Low to Mid Thaw tubes: approx. $100 each.

Installation: Low Mini-loggers: approx. $100 - 200 each.

Installation: Mid to High Thermistor and data logger assembly: approx. $4,000 each.

Figure 1. Permafrost map of York Factory NHS interpreted from EM31 and ground temperature measurements (after Sladen et al., 2009).

Staff House Depot Building


Research Poster Presentations: Extended Abstracts


J.N.H. Heinrichs Human Geography (Hons), Department of Environment and Geography, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, University of Manitoba

Abstract: Banff’s unique landscape and hot springs were primary reasons for the establishment of the town of Banff and the first National Park in Canada, Banff National Park. The economic contributions from tourism and the protection and support from Parks Canada has helped place Banff in a position to be a sustainable community. The purpose of this project is to assess the current sustainability of the town of Banff and discuss what roll the town can play as a model ‘sustainable community’. As sustainability is essential for all facets of future life on earth, and parks and protected areas have an important roll in both more and less developed countries in this endeavor. The town of Banff demonstrates many positive efforts to move towards sustainability through: policies, regulations and various programs. There are also aspects of Banff that are not sustainable, such as the current electricity sources and garbage removal system, but these aspects can be mitigated and are being learnt from. Parks and people have traditionally been thought of as separate entities. This concept and social norm needs to change, as it is imperative that people and environments become more cohesive and, ultimately, sustainable. Banff has a unique opportunity as a town within a park and must step up to be a leader in sustainability, and a model, for other communities in Canada and around the world, to follow. *In-field research was conducted for this project in Banff National Park over a two week summer course and a literature review was conducted for accuracy and depth.


The effects of twice-over rotation grazing on the abundances of grassland birds in south-western Manitoba

Cristina L. Ranellucci and Dr. Nicola Koper

Natural Resources Institute, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, University of Manitoba

Abstract

The mixed-grass prairie region of southwestern Manitoba is a hotspot for many endangered grassland birds. This region has been degraded to less than a quarter of historical amounts, with remaining prairie primarily used for livestock grazing. The focus of this study is to examine sustainable land management practices, such as rotational grazing, to aid in the conservation of this region. We compared the effects of two grazing regimes on the occurrences and abundances of grassland birds in southwestern Manitoba; twice-over rotation and season-long grazing. A total of 45 sites were surveyed, including: 22 twice-over rotation grazed pastures, 15 season-long grazed pastures, and 8 ungrazed fields. Bird surveys were conducted using 100 m fixed-radius point count plots. Twice-over rotation grazed pastures had higher species richness per plot than continuously grazed pastures, while ungrazed fields had the lowest species richness. An ANOVA indicated a significant difference among treatments (p=0.08). However, a Fisher’s post-hoc test did not indicate a significant difference between the two grazing regimes, but did indicate a significant difference between grazed and ungrazed sites (α = 0.1). Future analysis will include evaluating the effects of vegetation structure on the occurrences of grassland bird species, and the use of GLMMs to accommodate for any non-normal distributions of species within pastures.

Introduction

Native prairies have experienced extensive reduction in their area continent-wide, from 30-99% (Samson and Knopf 1994) relative to historical prairie extents. The loss and degradation of native prairie habitat has likely contributed to the decline in grassland bird populations (Johnson and Igl 2001), which have experienced severe declines in population sizes over the last 50 years (Knopf 1996). Fragmentation of North American grasslands, caused by the conversion of native grassland to crop lands, farm lands, and urban developments (Knopf 1994, Madden et al. 2000, Vickery et al. 1994), has likely contributed to the decline of native grassland bird populations in recent decades (Herkert 1994, Igl and Johnson 1997). However, sustainable land management practices in the remaining prairies may help to reduce the effects of declines in grassland bird breeding habitat (Herkert 1994, Johnson and Igl 2001).

Manitoba’s mixed-grass prairies

In southwestern Manitoba, grasslands have been reduced to less than 18% of the historical amount of native vegetation (Nernberg and Ingstrup 2005). Land improvement strategies, such as mowing, burning, and grazing, may enhance ecosystem function and control the invasion of non-native vegetation. The mixed-grass prairie of southwestern Manitoba is a critical area for grassland birds, particularly for many rare prairie birds whose northern edge of their range is within Canada (Bird Studies Canada 2009). Of these are the nationally and provincially threatened Ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) and Sprague’s pipit (Anthus spragueii); the nationally threatened and provincially endangered loggerhead shrike (Prairie population) (Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides); the nationally endangered burrowing owl (Athene



cunicularia) (COSEWIC 2009), and the provincially endangered Baird’s sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) (Manitoba Conservation 2009).

Grazing and grassland birds

Grazing by livestock is a primary use of native prairie grassland. Historically, the prairies were grazed by free-roaming bison herds, but due to differences in behaviour and foraging ecology of bison and cattle (Hartnett et al. 1997), grazing by cattle can have very different effects on the land. Many grassland bird species have adapted to the grazing patterns of nomadic bison herds and to the habitats this grazing creates (Knopf 1996, Fuhlendorf and Engle 2001). This contrasts with regional patterns of grazing by livestock, as traditionally, cattle are grazed in one pasture for the duration of the season. Rotational grazing may provide similar patterns to historical ones, by allowing for intermittent periods of rest and recovery of the land.

Twice-over rotational grazing

The twice-over rotation grazing system is based on the growing cycle of native grasses and aims to control the invasion of non-native grasses while promoting an environment favourable for native grasses (MHHC 2002). Three to five paddocks are required for the twice-over rotation system, and each paddock is grazed twice during the grazing season. After a period of rest, during which native grasses rebuild energy reserves and root systems, the new growth can be grazed in the second rotation. Shorter rest periods between grazing do not allow enough time for native grasses to recover and may result in more bare patches due to overgrazing. These conditions are potentially suitable for the invasion of non-native species (MHHC 2002). Although evidence suggests that twice-over grazing is beneficial for native grasses and for livestock (MHHC 2002), to the best of my knowledge, no research has been conducted on the effects of twice-over rotation on grassland bird densities or diversities.

Methods

Study Area

The study area is situated within the mixed-grass prairie range of southwestern Manitoba, spanning from the North Dakota and Saskatchewan borders, to approximately 145 kilometers North, and about 106 kilometers East respectively. The study area consists primarily of cultivated and grazed pastures. Producers who graze their cattle continuously generally start grazing by early May and remove their cattle by the end of October. In the twice-over program, cattle are pastured between 1 June and 15 October. A total of 45 sites were surveyed: 22 sites in twice-over rotational grazing, 15 sites were continuously grazed, and 8 sites were ungrazed (idle) (Figure 1).



Figure 1: Site locations and treatments in southwestern Manitoba.

Avian surveys

The presence and abundances of songbirds were determined using 100 m fixed radius point count plots, for a total of 269 plots: 165 plots in twice-over rotation pastures, 102 in continuously grazed pastures, and 22 in idle pastures. Two rounds of songbird surveys were conducted by four researchers from May to June in both 2008 and 2009. Four to eight randomly placed point counts were positioned in each of the 45 study pastures. All point counts were at least 100 m apart from adjacent point count plots.

Vegetation surveys One round of vegetation surveys was conducted in both 2008 and 2009 between May and

June, the period that coincides with birds selecting and establishing breeding territories (Wiens 1969). Four vegetation plots per point count were surveyed in 2009, one in each cardinal direction, while only two vegetation plots per point count were surveyed in 2008, along two randomly chosen cardinal directions. Observations on vegetation structure (litter depth, vegetation height, and percent cover of shrubs, forbs, standing grass, litter, and bare ground) were taken from each vegetation plot.

Results (2008 data) Bird data

The preliminary analysis consisted of calculating species richness on a per plot basis and comparing average species richness among treatments. Preliminary results show a higher average species richness per plot on twice-over rotation grazed pastures than the other two treatments (Table 1).



Table 1: Comparison of average species richness among treatments

Treatment Average Species Richness

Standard Deviation

Idle (ungrazed) 5.16 1.65

Continuously grazed 5.59 1.27

Twice-over rotation 5.95 1.42

An ANOVA was conducted in SPLUS version 8.0 at a level of α = 0.10 of significance. The results indicate a significant difference exists among the three treatments (p = 0.08). However, post-hoc results (using a Fisher test) indicated no significant difference between twice-over grazed pastures and those grazed continuously. Results indicated a significant difference between idle (ungrazed) fields and twice-over rotation grazed pastures for three species; American goldfinch (http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Birds/MMMN/English/a_amergoldfinch.htmlCarduelis tristis) (p = 0.02), Le Conte’s sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) (p = 0.063) and Sprague’s pipit (Anthus spragueii ) (p = 0.005). Ungrazed pastures were also significantly different from continuously grazed pastures for two species; American goldfinch (p = 0.02) and Sprague’s pipit (p = 0.0068). Because it is becoming more common for modeling clustered and count data (Demidenko 2004), generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) will be used where necessary to accommodate non-normal distributions of individual species and for further analysis of the 2008 and 2009 data.

Table 2: The average number of individuals/plot of the three species showing significant differences in relative abundance.

Treatment No. Plots AMGO SPPI LCSP

Idle 22 1.5 0 0.091

Continuous 102 0.471 0.471 0.216

Twice-over 173 0.543 0.549 0.428

Species at risk Three of the five species at risk in south-western Manitoba were observed within point-

counts during the study: Sprague’s pipit, Baird’s sparrow and loggerhead shrike. There were a total of 153 observations of Sprague’s pipit, on 18 sites. Ninety-one individuals were recorded on a total of 12 twice-over sites, and 62 individuals were found on 6 of the continuous sites (Figure 2). There was only one occurrence of both Baird’s sparrow, on a season-long pasture (21-5-27), and of the loggerhead shrike, on an idle control site, the Bernice WMA (SW12-5-26). Ferruginous hawks were observed outside of point-count plots within the study area on pastures of all three treatments.



Figure 2: Occurrences and average abundances of Sprague's pipit in southwestern Manitoba.

Vegetation data

A total of 538 vegetation plots were surveyed in 2008. Preliminary results of the vegetation surveys show a greater average proportion of shrubs on ungrazed fields than on the grazed pastures. Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) will be used to further analyze the vegetation data to determine the effects of treatment on the vegetation and the effects of the vegetation on bird occurrences and abundances.

Discussion The preliminary results indicate a significant difference in species richness among

treatments, although post-hoc results suggest there is no significant difference between the two grazing treatments. Many factors may influence these results include the length of time the pasture has been grazed rotationally, stocking rates, and the size of the prairie sampled. Since stocking rates are generally higher for continuously grazed pastures, these pastures may be more heavily grazed than twice-over grazed pastures, which have fixed stocking rates. Since vegetation may be used as an indicator of nesting habitat for birds, (Chapman et al. 2004), it is possible the pastures with higher disturbances that impact the vegetation will have lower species richness. Preliminary results support this and showed an overall lower number of bird species and species richness on continuously grazed pastures than twice-over grazed pastures. This could also be because few grassland birds show a preference to heavily grazed pastures. Common yellowthroat, Savannah sparrow, Baird’s sparrow, and western meadowlark show indication of a negative response to heavily grazed pastures (Saab et al. 1995). Further statistical analysis, including a comparison of species densities among treatments, may indicate species trends and preferences between the two grazing systems for foraging or nesting habitats.



Acknowledgements

Support and funding for this project was achieved by the Sustainable Development Innovations Fund (SDIF), Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation (MHHC), and Critical Wildlife Habitat Program, (Manitoba Conservation) and in part from the Natural Resources Institute.

Literature Cited

Bird Studies Canada, 2009. Important Bird Areas of Canada: Southwestern Manitoba Mixed-Grass Prairie, Melita, Manitoba. http://www.bsc-eoc.org/iba/site.jsp?siteID=MB024

Chapman, R.N., D.M. Engle, R.E. Masters, D.M. Leslie, Jr. 2004. Grassland vegetation and bird communities in the southern Great Plains of North America. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 104: 577–585.

COSEWIC. 2009. Government of Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada: Canadian species at risk. <http://www.cosewic.gc.ca>

Demidenko, E. 2004. Mixed Models Theory and Applications. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, New Jersey.

Fuhlendorf, S.D., and D. M. Engle, 2001. Restoring heterogeneity on rangelands: ecosystem management based on evolutionary grazing patterns. BioScience 51:625-632.

Hartnett, D.C., A.A. Steuter, and K.R. Hickman, 1997. Comparative ecology of native and introduced ungulates. Pages 72-101 in F.L. Knopf, and F.B. Samson, editors. Ecological studies, volume 125: ecology and conservation of Great Plains vertebrates. Springer, New York, New York, USA.

Herkert, J. R. 1994. The effects of habitat fragmentation on Midwestern grassland bird

communities. Ecological Applications 4: 461-471.

Igl, L.D., and D.H. Johnson, 1997. Changes in breeding bird populations in North Dakota: 1967 to 1992-1993. Auk 114:74-92.

Johnson, D.H. and L.D. Igl. 2001. Area requirements of grassland birds: A regional perspective. Auk 118:24–34.

Knopf, F.L. 1994, Avian assemblages on altered grasslands. Studies in Avian Biology 15:247-257.

Knopf, F. L. 1996. Chapter 10: Prairie legacies – birds. Pp. 135-148 in Samson, F. B. and F. L. Knopf, editors. Prairie conservation: preserving North America’s most endangered ecosystems. Island Press, Washington, D.C., USA.

Madden, E. M., Murphy, R. K., Hansen, A. J., and L. Murray. 2000. Models for guiding

management of prairie bird habitat in northwestern North Dakota. American Midland Naturalist 144: 377-392.

Manitoba Conservation. 2009b. Wildlife and Ecosystem Protection Branch: Species at Risk. <http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/wildlife/managing/species_at_risk.html.>



MHHC, 2002. An introduction to the twice-over grazing system for native pastures. The Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation.

Nernberg, D., and D. Ingstrup. 2005. Prairie Conservation in Canada: The Prairie Conservation Action Plan Experience. USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191.

Saab, V. A, C. E. Bock, T.D. Rich, and D. S. Dobkin. Livestock grazing effects in western North America. p. 311-353. in Ecology and management of Neotropical migratory birds: A synthesis and review of critical issues. Edited by T. E. Martin and D. M. Finch. 1995. New York, Oxford University Press.

Samson, F. B., and F. L. Knopf. 1994. Prairie conservation in North America. BioScience 44: 418–421.

Vickery, P.D., Hunter, Jr. M. L., and S. M. Melvin. 1994. Effects of habitat area on the

distribution of grassland birds in Maine. Conservation Biology 8 : 1087-1097.

Wiens, J. A. 1969. An approach to the study of ecological relationships among grassland birds. Ornithological Monographs 8:1-93.



2009 PPARFM Attendee List Last Name First Name Organization Email Au Robert University of Winnipeg [email protected] Bao Dong Jie University of Manitoba Bator Cody University of Manitoba Borbridge Karen University of Manitoba Cameron Carolyn University of Manitoba Campbell Dr. Michael University of Manitoba [email protected] Choi Minkyung University of Manitoba Clark Isaura University of Manitoba Coates Audrey Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Cooley Rachel Parks Canada [email protected] Davis Tim University of Manitoba Despins Michele Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Dickey Ian University of Manitoba Doan Melissa University of Manitoba Dohan Rosemary University of Manitoba Driedger Jordan University of Manitoba Dupont Jaimee University of Winnipeg [email protected] Elbourne Tracy Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Elliott Jessica Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Fink Samantha University of Manitoba Goetz Carolyn University of Manitoba Greenall Jason Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Grigel Frank Parks Canada [email protected] Hallett Morgan Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Halowaty Meagan University of Manitoba [email protected] Heinrichs Jill University of Manitoba [email protected] Hildebrand Nada University of Manitoba Hummelt Cathy Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Hoeppner Garth Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Ho Lau Tin University of Manitoba Hooper Cheryl Parks Canada [email protected] Hornbeck Madison University of Manitoba Johnson Pam University of Manitoba Klimczak Kevin University of Manitoba Konopelny Peter Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Leroux Alicia University of Manitoba [email protected] MacCharles Rod Manitoba Conservation [email protected] MacKay Dr. Kelly University of Manitoba [email protected] Maxwell Erin University of Manitoba Mitton Lindsey Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Murison Geoffrey University of Manitoba Nedotiafko Rob Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Ng Allen University of Manitoba Nicholson Michele University of Manitoba Nickel Scott University of Manitoba Plett Evonne Manitoba Conservation Pociuk Sean University of Manitoba Potter Jayson University of Manitoba Ranellucci Cristina University of Manitoba [email protected] Reid Ellen University of Manitoba Richmond Kelly-Anne Manitoba Conservation [email protected]




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Robins Pam Function Four Ltd. Roteliuk Kaylee University of Manitoba Sabel Kim Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Schindler Doug University of Maniotba Schykulski Ken Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Shaluk Cathy NCC [email protected] Siemens Ian University of Manitoba Waddington Zac University of Manitoba Walker Dr. David University of Manitoba [email protected] Walker David Parks Canada [email protected] Whaley Kent Manitoba Conservation [email protected] Willis Craig University of Winnipeg [email protected] Wrigley Dr. Bob Assiniboine Zoo [email protected] Wu Wanli Parks Canada [email protected]

Annual Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba · 2009-12-18 · Canada, and Manitoba...

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Transcript of Annual Parks and Protected Areas Research Forum of Manitoba · 2009-12-18 · Canada, and Manitoba...