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Context The Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) has experienced range-wide declines and has been listed as Threatened by the USA Fish and Wildlife Service to receive protections under the USA Endangered Species Act. A draft Recovery Plan was recently completed. No seasonal habitat models have been developed for the small isolated populations. Aims To develop a habitat suitability model that was collaboratively developed between modellers and conservation practitioners to predict the probability of use by Gunnison sage-grouse during the breeding and summer seasons in designated occupied critical habitat, and extrapolate to adjacent designated unoccupied critical habitat. Methods We captured, marked and tracked Gunnison sage-grouse in nine different studies spanning 25 years. We used a suite of biotic, abiotic and vegetation local-level and population-scale covariates in a use-available resource selection function to develop models that predict the probability of use by Gunnison sage-grouse. Key results We used 9140 Gunnison sage-grouse locations from 406 individual birds to develop nine resource selection models for occupied habitat and extrapolated model predictions to adjacent unoccupied critical habitat in five small isolated Gunnison sage-grouse populations. A majority of our models validated well. Conclusions We report the first two-season resource use-based habitat suitability models for five of six small isolated Gunnison sage-grouse populations. Because of the unique habitat use by Gunnison sage-grouse in each population, we recommend that resource managers strategically target management actions in individual populations and avoid ‘one-size-fits-all’ habitat management prescriptions. Implications Our models will assist managers in the identification of seasonal habitats within populations to target management actions for Gunnison sage-grouse recovery.

Animal site fidelity structures space use, population demography and ultimately gene flow. Understanding the adaptive selection for site fidelity patterns provides a mechanistic understanding to both spatial and population processes. This can be achieved by linking space use with environmental variability (spatial and temporal) and demographic parameters. However, rarely is the environmental context that drives the selection for site fidelity behaviour fully considered. We use ecological theory to understand whether the spatial and temporal variability in breeding site quality can explain the site fidelity behaviour and demographic patterns of Gunnison sage‐grouse (Centrocercus minimus). We examined female site fidelity patterns across multiple spatial scales: proximity of consecutive year nest locations, space‐use overlap within and across the breeding and brooding seasons, and fidelity to a breeding patch. We also examined the spatial and temporal variability in nest, chick, juvenile and adult survival. We found Gunnison sage‐grouse to be site faithful to their breeding patch, area of use within the patch and generally where they nest, suggesting an “Always Stay” site fidelity strategy. This is an optimal evolutionary strategy when site quality is unpredictable. Further, we found limited spatial variability in survival within age groups, suggesting little demographic benefit to moving among patches. We suggest Gunnison sage‐grouse site fidelity is driven by the unpredictability of predation in a relatively homogeneous environment, the lack of benefits and likely costs to moving across landscape patches and leaving known lek and breeding/brooding areas. Space use and demography are commonly studied separately. More so, site fidelity patterns are rarely framed in the context of ecological theory, beyond questions related to the win‐stay:lose‐switch rule. To move beyond describing patterns and understand the adaptive selection driving species movements and their demographic consequences require integrating movement, demography and environmental variability in a synthetic framework. Site fidelity theory provides a coherent framework to simultaneously investigate the spatial and population ecology of animal populations. Using it to frame ecological questions will lead to a more mechanistic understanding of animal movement, spatial population structuring and meta‐population dynamics. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

Maintenance of genetic diversity is important for conserving species, especially those with fragmented habitats or ranges. In the absence of natural dispersal, translocation can be used to achieve this goal, although the success of translocation can be difficult to measure. Here we evaluate genetic change following translocation in Gunnison Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus minimus), a species reduced to 7 discrete populations with low levels of gene flow and high levels of genetic differentiation. Between 2000 and 2014, 306 birds from the largest and most genetically diverse population (Gunnison Basin) were translocated to 5 much smaller satellite populations to augment local population size and increase genetic diversity. Although the magnitude of the effect varied by population, we found evidence of increased genetic variation, decreased genetic differentiation from Gunnison Basin, and reproduction between translocated individuals and resident birds. These results suggest that translocations are impacting satellite populations, with current data providing a new baseline for genetic diversity among populations of this imperiled species.

Due to an error in production the members of SICE CoDIG (Colon Dx Italian Group) listed in the Acknowledgments were not tagged correctly as authors in the XML of this article. This listing is presented again here:.

Background Characterizing animal space use is critical for understanding ecological relationships. Animal telemetry technology has revolutionized the fields of ecology and conservation biology by providing high quality spatial data on animal movement. Radio-telemetry with very high frequency (VHF) radio signals continues to be a useful technology because of its low cost, miniaturization, and low battery requirements. Despite a number of statistical developments synthetically integrating animal location estimation and uncertainty with spatial process models using satellite telemetry data, we are unaware of similar developments for azimuthal telemetry data. As such, there are few statistical options to handle these unique data and no synthetic framework for modeling animal location uncertainty and accounting for it in ecological models. We developed a hierarchical modeling framework to provide robust animal location estimates from one or more intersecting or non-intersecting azimuths. We used our azimuthal telemetry model (ATM) to account for azimuthal uncertainty with covariates and propagate location uncertainty into spatial ecological models. We evaluate the ATM with commonly used estimators (Lenth (1981) maximum likelihood and M-Estimators) using simulation. We also provide illustrative empirical examples, demonstrating the impact of ignoring location uncertainty within home range and resource selection analyses. We further use simulation to better understand the relationship among location uncertainty, spatial covariate autocorrelation, and resource selection inference. Results We found the ATM to have good performance in estimating locations and the only model that has appropriate measures of coverage. Ignoring animal location uncertainty when estimating resource selection or home ranges can have pernicious effects on ecological inference. Home range estimates can be overly confident and conservative when ignoring location uncertainty and resource selection coefficients can lead to incorrect inference and over confidence in the magnitude of selection. Furthermore, our simulation study clarified that incorporating location uncertainty helps reduce bias in resource selection coefficients across all levels of covariate spatial autocorrelation. Conclusion The ATM can accommodate one or more azimuths when estimating animal locations, regardless of how they intersect; this ensures that all data collected are used for ecological inference. Our findings and model development have important implications for interpreting historical analyses using this type of data and the future design of radio-telemetry studies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40462-018-0129-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) distribution in North America has decreased over historical accounts and has received federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. We investigated captive-breeding of a captive-flock of Gunnison sage-grouse created from individuals reared in captivity from wild-collected eggs we artificially incubated. We also introduced wild-reared individuals into captivity. Our captive-flock successfully bred and produced fertile eggs. We controlled the timing and duration of male-female breeding interactions and facilitated a semi-natural mating regime. Males established a strutting ground in captivity that females attended for mate selection. In 2010, we allowed females to establish eight nests, incubate, and hatch eggs. Females in captivity were more successful incubating nests than raising broods. Although there are many technical, financial, and logistic issues associated with captive-breeding, we recommend that federal biologists and managers work collaboratively with state wildlife agencies and consider developing a captive-flock as part of a comprehensive conservation strategy for a conservation-reliant species like the Gunnison sage-grouse. The progeny produced from a captive-rearing program could assist in the recovery if innovative approaches to translocation are part of a comprehensive proactive conservation program.

Delineating and prioritizing areas where wildlife occur on a seasonal basis is critical for successful conservation and management of at-risk populations. Many local populations of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are of conservation concern in western North America because of continuing habitat loss and degradation caused by changing land use. To manage populations, wildlife managers need accurate, high-resolution maps of different seasonal habitats, guidelines for managing habitat at landscape scales, and quantitative tools to inform habitat prioritization and management. We conducted population-level, multi-scale, resource selection function (RSF) analyses with generalized estimating equations (GEE) using locations from 2006 to 2010 to model and map greater sage-grouse seasonal habitats in the Parachute-Piceance-Roan population in northwestern Colorado. Areas selected by greater sage-grouse in all seasons had a mix of habitats with a sagebrush component, less rugged topography, and less non-sagebrush habitat. Selection or avoidance of most vegetation classes was best supported at the 100-m or 400-m scale in all seasons. Birds selected sagebrush and sagebrush-grassland at intermediate elevations during breeding and winter and more diverse sagebrush habitats at higher elevations in summer and fall. Absolute validation index (AVI) analyses indicated that although most use locations were concentrated within a highly restricted portion of the study area in each season, a much larger proportion of the study area was required to encompass seasonal use locations for most individuals in the population. Our study illustrates the utility of multi-scale RSF analyses with GEE for accurately mapping habitat and AVI analyses for informing prioritization efforts for populations of greater sage-grouse. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Wildlife Society.

Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) are distributed across southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah, United States. Their distribution has decreased over the past century and the species has been listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reduced genetic diversity, small population size, and isolation may affect Gunnison sage-grouse population persistence. Population augmentation can be used to counteract or mitigate these issues, but traditional translocation efforts have yielded mixed, and mostly unsuccessful, results. Captive-rearing is a viable, although much debated, conservation approach to bolster wild conservation-reliant species. Although there have been captive-rearing efforts with greater sage-grouse (C. urophasianus), to date, no information exists about captive-rearing methods for Gunnison sage-grouse. Therefore, we investigated techniques for egg collection, artificial incubation, hatch, and captive-rearing of chicks, juveniles, subadults, and adults for Gunnison sage-grouse. In 2009 we established a captive flock that produced viable eggs. From 2009-2011, we collected and artificially incubated 206 Gunnison sage-grouse eggs from 23 wild and 14 captive females. Our hatchability was 90%. Wild-produced eggs were heavier than captive-produced eggs and lost mass similarly during incubation. We produced 148 chicks in captivity and fed them a variety of food sources (e.g. invertebrates to commercial chow). Bacterial infections were the primary cause of chick mortality, but we successfully reduced the overall mortality rate during the course of our study. Conservationists and managers should consider the utility in developing a captive-rearing program or creating a captive population as part of a proactive conservation effort for the conservation-reliant Gunnison sage-grouse.

Both species of North American sage-grouse (Centrocercus spp.) have experienced declines in distribution and abundance. Translocation of adult birds from a stable population to a small or declining population has been a management tool used by wildlife managers to support population persistence in these areas. Captive rearing chicks and releasing them into wild surrogate broods is an untested alternative to augment declining populations of sage-grouse. We developed techniques to successfully rear sage-grouse chicks in captivity, evaluated explanatory variables that could influence hatch and captive-rearing success, and estimated the survival of domestically hatched (DH) chicks to 28 days of age following introduction to a surrogate wild brood. We collected 304 eggs from radiomarked female greater sage-grouse (C. urophasianus) during 2004–2007 in 3 study areas in northwestern Colorado. Estimated hatching success of collected eggs was 0.745 (SE = 0.022, 95% CI = 0.700–0.786) and was negatively influenced by the number of days an egg was stored and the percent egg weight loss that occurred during storage and incubation. We monitored 175 DH chicks in captivity for 1–10 days before introduction and adoption into surrogate wild broods. Model-averaged captive-rearing success was 0.792 (SE = 0.045, 95% CI = 0.686–0.865) across years, and was positively influenced by initial chick mass at hatch and daily weight gain in captivity but negatively influenced by the number of days the egg was stored and advancing hatch date. We were able to radiomark and monitor 133 DH chicks adopted into surrogate wild broods until 28 days of age. Eighty-eight percent of DH chicks were successfully adopted within 24 hours. Our overall estimate of DH chick survival to 28 days (0.423; 95% CI = 0.257–0.587) was comparable to published wild-hatched chick survival. Predation and exposure-related deaths accounted for 26.3% and 25.6% of the known fates, respectively. Our captive-rearing protocols and techniques were successful for collecting greater sage-grouse eggs, hatching and rearing chicks in captivity, and releasing chicks into wild surrogate broods. This success further implies that captive rearing and release can be a potential management strategy to demographically and genetically reinforce or augment small populations of sage-grouse. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.

The identification of core habitat areas and resulting prediction maps are vital tools for land managers. Often, agencies have large datasets from multiple studies over time that could be combined for a more informed and complete picture of a species. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has a large database for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) including 11 radio-telemetry studies completed over 12 years (1997-2008) across northwestern Colorado. We divided the 49,470-km 2 study area into 1-km 2 grids with the number of sage-grouse locations in each grid cell that contained at least 1 location counted as the response variable. We used a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) using land cover variables as fixed effects and individual birds and populations as random effects to predict greater sage-grouse location counts during breeding, summer, and winter seasons. The mixed effects model enabled us to model correlations that may exist in grouped data (e.g., correlations among individuals and populations). We found only individual groupings accounted for variation in the summer and breeding seasons, but not the winter season. The breeding and summer seasonal models predicted sage-grouse presence in the currently delineated populations for Colorado, but we found little evidence supporting a winter season model. According to our models, about 50% of the study area in Colorado is considered highly or moderately suitable habitat in both the breeding and summer seasons. As oil and gas development and other landscape changes occur in this portion of Colorado, knowledge of where management actions can be accomplished or possible restoration can occur becomes more critical. These seasonal models provide data-driven, distribution maps that managers and biologists can use for identification and exploration when investigating greater sage-grouse issues across the Colorado range. Using historic data for future decisions on species management while accounting for issues found from combining datasets allows land managers the flexibility to use all information available. 2013 The Wildlife Society.

With the decline of many lekking species, the need to develop a rigorous population estimation technique is critical for successful conservation and management. We employed mark–resight methods to estimate population size for 2 lekking species: greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus). We evaluated 2 different estimators: Bowden's estimator and the mixed logit-normal mark–resight model. We captured and marked 75 greater sage-grouse. We counted marked and unmarked birds as they attended 15 known leks. We used 36 and 37 marked Gunnison sage-grouse to estimate population size in 2003 and 2004, respectively. We observed marked and unmarked Gunnison sage-grouse daily as they attended 6 leks in 2003 and 3 leks in 2004. Based on our examination of the assumptions of each mark–resight estimator, relative to behavior and biology of these species, we concluded the mixed logit-normal mark–resight model is preferred. We recommend wildlife managers employ...

Habitat management guidelines for greater sage-grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus, have been formulated, in part, based on studies of nest site selection. However, these guidelines may not represent conditions when the female initiates nesting because sampling occurs posthatch (> 30 days after nest initiation) to avoid disturbing incubating females. In 2002, we investigated differences in 22 habitat variables at initiation and hatch. Sampling was at 30 randomly selected active nests marked in 2001. There was no significant difference in structural or cover data (P > 0.05). Grass height and percent grass cover differed (P < 0.05) based on timing of sampling. Grass heights at the nest bowl and at 1 m from the edge of the nest bowl were 10 and 9 cm at initiation and 16 and 13 cm at hatch, respectively. Percent grass cover increased from 4% to 6% cover from initiation to hatch. Sampling occurred in a dry year; differences in grass heights and percent cover may be more pronounced in years of normal precipitation. Preliminary results indicated current habitat sampling techniques conducted posthatching adequately described selection of structural components of shrub height, visual obstruction, and percent cover of shrubs, bare ground, litter, and forbs at the nest site at initiation. Data need to be verified for other study areas and under different climatic conditions.

The newly described Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) is a species of concern for management because of marked declines in distribution and abundance due to the loss and fragmentation of sagebrush habitat. This has caused remaining populations to be unusually small and isolated. We utilized mitochondrial DNA sequence data and data from 8 nuclear microsatellites to assess the extent of population subdivision among Gunnison sage-grouse populations in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah, USA. We found a high degree of population structure and low amounts of gene flow among all pairs of populations except the geographically adjacent Gunnison and Curecanti populations. Population structure for Gunnison sage-grouse was significantly higher than has been reported for greater sage-grouse (C. urophasianus). Further, we documented low levels of genetic diversity in some populations (particularly Dove Creek/Monticello and Pinon Mesa with an average of only 3.00 and 2.13 alleles per locus respectively) indicating that translocations from larger, more genetically diverse populations may be warranted. Bayesian analysis identified 3 potential migrants (involving San Miguel, Dove Creek/Monticello, Crawford, and Curecanti). Further, this analysis showed that 4 individuals from Cerro/Cimarron were more closely related to birds from San Miguel than to its geographically closer neighbors Gunnison and Curecanti. This suggests the Cerro/Cimarron area may act as a stepping stone for gene flow between San Miguel and Gunnison and that habitat restoration and protection in areas between these 2 basins should be a priority in an attempt to facilitate natural movement among these populations. Conservation plans should include monitoring and maintaining genetic diversity, preventing future habitat loss and fragmentation, enhancing existing habitat, and restoring converted sagebrush communities.

We revised distribution maps of potential presettlement habitat and current populations for Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and Gunnison Sage- Grouse (C. minimus) in North America. The revised map of potential presettlement habitat included some areas omitted from previously published maps such as the San Luis Valley of Colorado and Jackson area of Wyoming. Areas excluded from the revised maps were those dominated by barren, alpine, and forest habitats. The resulting presettlement distribution of potential habitat for Greater Sage-Grouse encompassed 1 200 483 km2, with the species' current range 668 412 km2. The distribution of potential Gunnison Sage-Grouse habitat encompassed 46 521 km2, with the current range 4787 km2. The dramatic differences between the potential presettlement and current distributions appear related to habitat alteration and degradation, including the adverse effects of cultivation, fragmentation, reduction of sagebrush and native herbaceous cover, development, introduction and expansion of invasive plant species, encroachment by trees, and issues related to livestock grazing.Distribución de Centrocercus spp. en América del NorteResumen. Revisamos los mapas de distribución potencial precolombino y de poblaciones actuales de Centrocerus urophasianus y C. minimus en América del Norte. El mapa modificado de hábitat potencial precolombino incluyó algunas áreas omitidas de mapas anteriormente publicados, como el Valle San Luis de Colorado y el área de Jackson, Wyoming. Las áreas excluídas de los mapas modificados fueron las dominadas por hábitats forestales, alpinos y estériles. La distribución precolombina resultante para C. urophasianus abarcó 1 200 483 km2, con un territorio actual de 668 412 km2. La distribución de habitat potencial para C. minimus abarcó 46 521 km2, con un territorio actual de 4787 km2. Estos contrastes tan marcados parecen estar relacionados con la modificación y degradación del hábitat, incluyendo los efectos nocivos de la agricultura, la fragmentación de hábitat, la disminución de Artemisia spp. y otras coberturas herbáceas nativas, el desarollo, la introducción y la expansión de especies de plantas invasoras, la invasión de árboles y cuestiones relacionadas con pastoreo de ganado.

Context The ability to identify priority habitat is critical for species of conservation concern. The designation of critical habitat under the US Endangered Species Act 1973 identifies areas occupied by the species that are important for conservation and may need special management or protection. However, relatively few species’ critical habitats designations incorporate habitat suitability models or seasonal specificity, even when that information exists. Gunnison sage-grouse (GUSG) have declined substantially from their historical range and were listed as threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in November 2014. GUSG are distributed into eight isolated populations in Colorado and Utah, and one population, the Gunnison Basin (GB), has been the focus of much research. Aims To provide season-specific resource selection models to improve targeted conservation actions within the designated critical habitat in the GB. Methods We utilised radio-telemetry data from GUSG captured and monitored from 2004 to 2010. We were able to estimate resource selection models for the breeding (1 April–15 July) and summer (16 July–30 September) seasons in the GB using vegetation, topographical and anthropogenic variables. We compared the seasonal models with the existing critical habitat to investigate whether the more specific seasonal models helped identify priority habitat for GUSG. Key results The predictive surface for the breeding model indicated higher use of large areas of sagebrush, whereas the predictive surface for the summer model predicted use of more diverse habitats. The breeding and summer models (combined) matched the current critical habitat designation 68.5% of the time. We found that although the overall habitat was similar between the critical habitat designation and our combined models, the pattern and configuration of the habitat were very different. Conclusions These models highlight areas with favourable environmental variables and spatial juxtaposition to establish priority habitat within the critical habitat designated by USFWS. More seasonally specific resource selection models will assist in identifying specific areas within the critical habitat designation to concentrate habitat improvements, conservation and restoration within the GB. Implications This information can be used to provide insight into the patterns of seasonal habitat selection and can identify priority GUSG habitat to incorporate into critical habitat designation for targeted management actions.

Gunnison sage-grouse (Centrocercus minimus) are distributed across southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah, United States. Their distribution has decreased over the past century and the species has been listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Reduced genetic diversity, small population size, and isolation may affect Gunnison sage-grouse population persistence. Population augmentation can be used to counteract or mitigate these issues, but traditional translocation efforts have yielded mixed, and mostly unsuccessful, results. Captive-rearing is a viable, although much debated, conservation approach to bolster wild conservation-reliant species. Although there have been captive-rearing efforts with greater sage-grouse (C. urophasianus), to date, no information exists about captive-rearing methods for Gunnison sage-grouse. Therefore, we investigated techniques for egg collection, artificial incubation, hatch, and captive-rearing of chicks, juveniles, subadults, and adults for Gunnison sage-grouse. In 2009 we established a captive flock that produced viable eggs. From 2009-2011, we collected and artificially incubated 206 Gunnison sage-grouse eggs from 23 wild and 14 captive females. Our hatchability was 90%. Wild-produced eggs were heavier than captive-produced eggs and lost mass similarly during incubation. We produced 148 chicks in captivity and fed them a variety of food sources (e.g. invertebrates to commercial chow). Bacterial infections were the primary cause of chick mortality, but we successfully reduced the overall mortality rate during the course of our study. Conservationists and managers should consider the utility in developing a captive-rearing program or creating a captive population as part of a proactive conservation effort for the conservation-reliant Gunnison sage-grouse.

Although sage grouse Centrocercus urophasianus have declined throughout their range in North America, little is known about annual mortality patterns of this species. Thus, we summarize a long-term data set on timing and causes of mortality of sage grouse. Predation was the most common cause of death for radio-marked sage grouse. For adult males, 83% of deaths were attributed to predation and 15% to hunting. However, for adult females, 52% of deaths were caused by predation while 42% were attributed to hunting. We rejected the hypothesis that type of mortality (predation vs hunting) was independent of gender of sage grouse. For males, 70% of deaths occurred during spring and summer (March-August) and 28% occurred in September-October. For females, 52% of mortalities occurred during spring and summer and 46% occurred in September-October. We rejected the hypothesis that time of death is independent of the gender of sage grouse. In six of 15 years (40%), harvest rates for adult females may have exceeded 10% while this rate was only exceeded in two of 15 years (13%) for adult males.

Resume Objectif de l'etude Le travail a pour objectif de decrire une variante technique de la pancreatectomie mediane qui comporte une anastomose pancreatogastrique au lieu d'une anastomose pancreatojejunale et de rapporter une serie personnelle de dix observations. Materiel et methodes Les dix observations comportaient un nombre egal de tumeurs solides et de tumeurs kystiques. Les tumeurs solides etaient toutes de nature endocrine et incluaient deux cas d'insulinome et des cas isoles de VIPome, glucagonome et tumeur endocrine non secretante. Les tumeurs kystiques etaient dans deux cas un cystadenome sereux et, dans les autres cas, un cystadenome mucineux, une tumeur solide pseudopapillaire, et un kyste hydatique pancreatique solitaire. L'operation a comporte une resection segmentaire de la partie mediane du pancreas, une fermeture du moignon pancreatique proximal, une anastomose du moignon pancreatique distal avec l'estomac et un drainage externe transgastrique de la partie distale du canal de Wirsung. Resultats Dans les suites operatoires, une collection serohematique juxta-anastomotique est apparue chez quatre patients, ayant necessite trois fois un drainage externe. Aucun patient n'a presente de sequelle postoperatoire pancreatoprive. Conclusion Cette serie confirme la place de la pancreatectomie mediane dans l'exerese de neoformations pancreatiques solides ou kystiques benignes ou a malignite attenuee, de siege isthmocorporeal qui ne se pretent pas a l'enucleation. Elle met en evidence la simplification technique que represente l'anastomose pancreatogastrique par rapport a l'anastomose pancreatojejunale dans ce type particulier de pancreatectomie.

The black grouse Tetrao tetrix is declining in most of the Alps where it historically occurred. A better knowledge of the genetics of the wild populations and of captivereared birds is necessary for future reintroduction into areas where they historically occurred or where they are endangered. DNA-markers are the choice of method to study genetics of wild populations, but it is difficult to get blood samples from wild birds to extract DNA. A technique based on feathers as the DNA source was developed. DNA extracted from blood and feathers from seven birds was tested by PCR, 80 10-base primers. Only seven primers showed a repeatable amplification profile between DNA sources and polymorphic variation within the population. The selected primers were used to amplify the DNA extracted from wild black grouse feathers in different areas (Trentino, Cuneo, Maritime Alps). The Trentino population presented a reduced genetic variability with an average band sharing (ABS) of 0.76 ± 0.145 in the captive-reared birds vs 0.70 ± 0.17 in all birds. The birds from Cuneo and the Maritime Alps had an ABS of 0.48 ± 0.07 and 0.35 ± 0.10, respectively, and were quite different from the average genotype.

Fragmentation of the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem has led to concern about a variety of sagebrush obligates including the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Given the increase of energy development within greater sage-grouse habitats, mapping seasonal habitats in pre-development populations is critical. The North Park population in Colorado is one of the largest and most stable in the state and provides a unique case study for investigating resource selection at a relatively low level of energy development compared to other populations both within and outside the state. We used locations from 117 radio-marked female greater sage-grouse in North Park, Colorado to develop seasonal resource selection models. We then added energy development variables to the base models at both a landscape and local scale to determine if energy variables improved the fit of the seasonal models. The base models for breeding and winter resource selection predicted greater use in large expanses of sagebrush whereas the base summer model predicted greater use along the edge of riparian areas. Energy development variables did not improve the winter or the summer models at either scale of analysis, but distance to oil/gas roads slightly improved model fit at both scales in the breeding season, albeit in opposite ways. At the landscape scale, greater sage-grouse were closer to oil/gas roads whereas they were further from oil/gas roads at the local scale during the breeding season. Although we found limited effects from low level energy development in the breeding season, the scale of analysis can influence the interpretation of effects. The lack of strong effects from energy development may be indicative that energy development at current levels are not impacting greater sage-grouse in North Park. Our baseline seasonal resource selection maps can be used for conservation to help identify ways of minimizing the effects of energy development.

We report a case of recurrent localized Sweet's syndrome (SS) with pulmonary sarcoidosis and hepatitis C virus infection. Hepatitis C may be the triggering factor for both Sweet's syndrome and sarcoidosis through stimulation of T helper 1 immune responses involved in the pathogenesis of both diseases.

Renesting in Tetraonidae has been investigated in a number of studies (e.g., Patterson 1952, Zwickel and Lance 1965, Giesen and Braun 1979, Parker 1981, Bergerud 1988, Bergerud and Gratson 1988). Unfortunately, information on renesting by Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is limited and highly variable. Both Patterson (1952:105) and Eng (1963) reported that renesting by Sage Grouse is relatively rare (

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture is an uncommon but important problem in patients with multiple injuries. A retrospective analysis of 37 cases with diaphragmatic injuries, 34 of the left and 3 of the right hemidiaphragm, was carried out. Thirty-two patients were treated surgically during the acute phase and 5 after a variable delay post-trauma. Diagnostic problems are discussed, so also for comportance of a proper evaluation of chest films. Factors leading to a strong suspicion of diaphragmatic rupture in patients suffering from thoraco-addominal blunt trauma are emphasized in order to recognize diaphragmatic lesions. Finally, surgical treatment is considered. In most cases, laparotomy is the access route of choice, not only to achieve reduction of herniated viscera and repair of the diaphragmatic lesions, but also to treating the frequently associated intra-abdominal injuries. Whenever thoracotomy is required, it should always be performed via a separate incision.

This article describes a case of abdominal trauma with laceration of the caudate lobe, avulsion of its short hepatic veins and tear of the inferior vena cava (IVC). Anatomic segmentectomy of I segment and direct suture of inferior cava vein was performed. On its arrival to the Emergency Department the patient was hemodynamically stable. Ultrasonography and CT scan demonstrated a fracture of I hepatic segment associated to a retroperitoneal haematoma. Because progressive anemia and unstable hemodynamic state, the patient was taken to the operating room for intervention. No postoperative complications due to surgery were reported. The patient left the hospital in XXII postoperative day, after normalization of clinical parameters.

We investigated nest site selection by sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in southeastern Idaho from 1987 to 1989. During 3 breeding seasons, 79% of 84 nest sites were found under sagebrush (Artemisia spp.). Nest success averaged 53% for grouse that used sagebrush and 22% for birds that used nonsagebrush nest sites. Total vegetative cover for sagebrush and nonsagebrush nest sites was similar. However, grass height was shorter (P = 0.01) at sagebrush compared to nonsagebrush nest sites. Herbaceous cover was important to nesting sage grouse but the relatively low nest success of nonsagebrush nest sites indicated they might provide less than optimal nesting habitat. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 55(3):521-524 Most studies that have examined sage grouse nest site selection reported that >90% of nests were found under sagebrush (Patterson 1952: 114, Gill 1965, Wallestad and Pyrah 1974, Braun et al. 1977, Gates 1983). Other species of shrubs commonly grow in sagebrush habitats (Tisdale and Hironaka 1981) but are seldom used by nesting sage grouse. Only Hulet et al. (1984) reported a relatively high incidence (34%) of sage grouse use of shrubs other than sagebrush (hereafter called nest shrub species) for nest sites. Unfortunately, Hulet et al. (1984) did not address the relationship of nest shrub species to habitat quality and nesting success. Our purpose is to describe the use of nest shrub species by sage grouse in southeastern Idaho and to test the hypothesis that nesting success for grouse nesting under sagebrush is greater than that of grouse nesting under other plant species. We thank E. F. Cassirer, J. F. Kennedy, R. R. Spahr, C. M. Stinson, and D. W. Stinson for aid in collecting nest data. We also acknowledge the support of the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game. This manuscript was improved by reviews provided by J. J. Beecham, C. E. Braun, J. A. Crawford, R. L. Eng, T. P. Hemker, J. W. Hupp, T. E. Remington, and an anonymous referee. This paper is a contribution from Idaho Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project W-160-R and contribution No. 560 of the Idaho Forest, Wildlife, and Range Experiment Station.

Three rodenticide treatments, zinc phosphide (prebrited) and strychnine (both with and without prebrit), were evaluated immediately following treatment for efficacy of controlling bircktailed prairie dogs in western South Dakota. Active prairie dog burrows were reduced 95% with zinc phosphide, 83% with strychnine (prebaited), and 45% with strychnine without prebait. Zinc phosphide was the most effective in reducing active burrows of prairie dogs. The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) inhabits prairie regions of the western United States from Canada to Mexico, east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the tall grass prairie (Hal1 198 1). Prairie dog towns often encompass vast areas. Because prairie dog feeding and burrowing activities conflict directly with interests of ranchers and range managers, widespread control programs using rodenticides were begun in the late 1800’s on the Great Plains (Merriam 1902). Prairie dogs are still considered a problem when they compete with cattle for forage plants (Hansen and Gold 1977). Most recent prairie dog control programs on federal, state, and private lands consist of poisoning prairie dogs with zinc phosphide on rolled oats after prebaiting with rolled oats (Schenbeck 1982). Zinc phosphide has been widely used as a rodenticide since 1942-43 when strychnine supplies became limited during World War II (Timm 1983). More recently, zinc phosphide formulation and application rates have been developed for use in prairie dog control (Tietjen 1976). Strychnine has been used for prairie dog control since the late 1800’s (Merriam 1902). These two rodentitides are widely used for prairie dog control throughout the western United States. However, comparative information of these two rodenticides for effective control of black-tailed prairie dogs has not been reported. This investigation was undertaken to compare the efficacy of rodenticides zinc phosphide (pre-baited) and strychnine with and without prebaiting for controlling black-tailed prairie dogs in western South Dakota. Study Area