Silver-haired Bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) are a migratory species found throughout the United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico. Throughout their range, Silver-haired Bats roost in various tree species, generally within decaying features like cavities and exfoliated bark. Herein we report on additional reproductive and seasonal data as well as the first data on trees used as roost sites by Silver-haired Bats in Nebraska. We captured individuals along a small tributary of the North Platte River at Ash Hollow State Historical Park, Garden County, Nebraska, and tracked bats to their roosts. At this location, we documented lactation on 17 June 2023 and volant young on 18 July 2024. Our dates of reproductive activity were within the known timing for lactation and volant young reported in Nebraska and Iowa. On 4 May 2024, one Silver-haired Bat was opportunistically observed roosting inside a building, which was the third earliest record for the species in the state. On 28 May 2024, we captured 2 adult males and 4 adult females and tracked 1 male and 2 females in subsequent days to 8 total roosts, all located in Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) trees. Roosts appeared to be in cavities or exfoliated bark on decaying portions of trees in areas with an open understory below roosts. Roost trees had significantly larger DBHs and heights compared to reference trees, with all other metrics not significantly different. Use of only Eastern Cottonwoods might be related to their overall abundance and large size at the site, and this tree species also commonly cavitates under stressful conditions creating potential roosts. To conserve roosting habitats for Silver-haired Bats in the Great Plains, large, tall Eastern Cottonwoods should be maintained and preserved along riparian corridors, especially in areas where females are known to bear and raise young.
Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a species of concern in North America as many populations have declined across its distribution. Environmental factors associated with alteration of natural ecosystems have played a role in declines leading to many isolated populations. Most populations exist in the Great Lakes region with a number of outlying populations, such as Nebraska. Understanding the current distribution of the species will facilitate regional management strategies to protect this species into the future. In Nebraska, Blanding’s Turtles were known from 23 counties prior to this study. Herein, we report on eight new county records, five (Blaine, Boone, Madison, Sherman, and Valley) that fill in gaps within the known distribution whereas three (Boyd, Dawes, and Knox) represent range extensions along edges of its known distribution in the state. These new records demonstrate that the complete distribution of Blanding’s Turtles in Nebraska is not yet fully understood, and future surveys are still needed to continue to update its distribution and monitor known populations.
Recreational fishing provides sociological and economic benefits, and fish populations are managed by state agencies to meet angler expectations. One of the most popular species in Midwest reservoirs are walleye (Sander vitreus), and most of these fisheries have established restrictions on the number and sizes of fish harvested. Regulations are set based on population structure and dynamics and management goals, but often agencies have incomplete information needed to establish regulations. Predictive models can provide insight on population responses and inform managers of the tradeoffs between angler restrictions and population sustainability. Lake McConaughy, Nebraska, supports a popular walleye fishery. Despite annual stockings of age-0 walleye since 1991, annual standard surveys conducted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has shown that the relative abundance of adults has generally declined since the 1990s. Current harvest regulations allow harvest of four walleye, all of which must be at least 38 cm long but only one ≥ 56 cm, but population responses to other possible regulations used in Nebraska and elsewhere to manage walleye are unknown. The objectives of this study were to: 1) model various population outcomes for walleye in Lake McConaughy under different minimum length and bag limits; and 2) compare the proportion of individuals reaching 56 cm under different natural and fishing mortality rates. Models were informed by previous creel interviews and annual standard surveys of walleye by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and were constructed in Fisheries Analysis and Modeling Simulator (FAMS). Overall, the population was more sensitive to changes in minimum length limits than bag limits, likely due to rapid growth in body length. Additionally, fishing mortality was a greater limitation to recruitment of fishes to 56 cm than natural mortality. Overall, our approach and results can be informative for state agencies throughout the Midwest in setting the appropriate harvest regulations needed to reach management goals.
There are numerous ways to communicate science and assess the effectiveness of that communication. One approach focuses on increasing awareness, enjoyment, interest, opinion, and/or understanding of science. For this study, we created an informal learning experience for youth to communicate the science of animals in Nebraska. We developed Cool Critters, a weeklong summer camp for elementary school-aged students, to increase participants' enjoyment, interest, and opinion of Nebraska animals. In 2023, Cool Critters was led in three educational settings in central Nebraska and reached sixty-six participants. Surveys were used to determine the camp's success in effective science communication and whether voluntary/involuntary participation, gender, or grade level affected responses. Statistical tests detected increases in youths’ enjoyment, interest, and opinion of Nebraska animals from participating in Cool Critters, as self-reported by participants and observed by their parents/guardians. No significant differences were detected in youths’ personal responses to Nebraska animals based on involuntary/voluntary participation, gender, or grade level, with the minor exception of higher enjoyment of Nebraska animals reported before camp for participants entering second grade compared to those entering higher grades. Overall, Cool Critters increased participants’ personal responses to Nebraska animals in a positive way and may serve as an example for development and assessment of other place-based programs for youth.
A major threat to grasslands around the world is the spread of exotic cool-season grasses (ECSG). ECSG dominate vegetative communities and degrade critical habitats. One of the most common methods to treat ECSG is herbicide. To compare how the widely-used, non-specific herbicide glyphosate compared to the grass-specific herbicide clethodim, we conducted a fall spray in November 2023 at two different sites located in the Central Platte River Valley of Nebraska. The following June, we used a modified Daubenmire frame sampling method to gather data on relative cover, species richness, and community composition. After analysis, glyphosate appeared to be more effective than clethodim at treating ECSG. Glyphosate is less expensive, resulted in greater relative coverage of native species, showed comparable species richness, and had lower relative coverage of ECSG. However, its negative impact on Carex sp. cover may be of concern to some managers. In these cases, clethodim may be a better choice, as recent literature suggests it has minimal impact on sedges. Future research should focus on comparing the effects of multiple treatments across seasons and incorporating seeding strategies on both larger time and geographic scales.
Dekay’s Brownsnake (Storeria dekayi) occurs across much of eastern North America, inhabiting diverse environments such as marshes, woodlands, woodland edges, and urban areas. In Nebraska, recent studies documented its presence beyond the extreme southeastern region of the state, indicating a potential range expansion to the west and north. Our study continues to update its distribution with four additional county records. Two counties, Franklin and Harlan, represent the farthest west observations for Dekay’s Brownsnake in the state, further indicating a likely westward expansion. An observation from 6 December 2023 also represents the latest seasonal observation in the state. Despite being listed as vulnerable in Nebraska, our data suggested a widespread presence and greater abundance than originally inferred by the Nebraska Natural Heritage Program, which we find prompts a reevaluation of its current conservation status. Most of our observations coincided with fall migratory movements towards hibernacula, with individuals observed on roadways late in afternoons on warm autumn days. Proliferation of trees along prairie rivers and in upland habitats in the region likely has influenced the distribution and/or the abundance of this species. Continued research is needed for informed conservation assessments and for monitoring further potential distributional shifts by Dekay’s Brownsnake in Nebraska.
We documented rare finds of fossil bats from two localities representing the Pleistocene epoch in southern and central Nebraska, Albert Ahrens locality (No-104, late Irvingtonian age, Middle Pleistocene), Nuckolls County, and Litchfield (Sm-102, late Rancholabrean age, latest Pleistocene), Sherman County. The Albert Ahrens local fauna with strong boreal influence yielded two bats, Lasiurus cf. borealis and Cf. Myotis sp. The Litchfield local fauna, also with a strong boreal influence, yielded two bats, Eptesicus fuscus and Cf. Myotis, among a diverse Pleistocene fauna of small vertebrates and pollen record indicating a boreal mixed conifer and deciduous woodland that contrasts with mixed grass prairies of the area in historic times prior to anthropogenic conversion. Vertebrate fauna from the Litchfield site can be assigned to the Rancholabrean land mammal age based on the presence of Bison, on faunal correlation, and on several extralimital taxa of small mammals. The fossil bat taxa are widespread in North America and still extant in Nebraska today; their glacial stage occurrences in a nonkarstic (caveless) region is consistent with previous interpretations of the Albert Ahrens and Litchfield local faunas as indicating cool equable climates and wooded parkland environments. These are the first bats to be reported from each of the respective paleofaunas.
Two new absolute gravity base stations were established on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln City Campus in April 2022. The values were transferred with a relative gravity meter from four existing stations within 238 miles and were later validated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The final values at 22.5 cm above marker height are 980177.781 ± 0.010 mGal at the Lincoln Bell Tower Station and 980178.079 ± 0.010 mGal at the Lincoln Museum station with a gravity gradient of -3.105 μGal/cm. This paper describes the process of transferring gravity values and outlines recommendations for similar projects in the future.
The Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) is a small, migratory species of temperate woodlands in the eastern United States. Along its western distributional edge in the Great Plains, this species resides in wooded riverine corridors. In recent decades, the distribution of Evening Bats has expanded westward throughout the Great Plains. Herein, we report on two county records that further document the distributional expansion of Evening Bats into central Nebraska. In 2019 and 2022, Evening Bats were collected in Lincoln and Dawson counties, respectively, in woodlands adjacent to the Platte River. Increases in wooded habitats along prairie waterways likely has resulted in their westward movements in the Great Plains. With the continued westward expansion, this species should be looked for farther west beyond known distributional limits along prairie waterways throughout the Great Plains.
Hybridization among plants is fairly common, particularly in instances where closely related species are sympatric. One example of a group in which hybridization has been detected is the genus Salvia (Lamiaceae; mint family). Salvia is a diverse genus consisting of about 1,000 species and is defined primarily by having only two stamens, each with their anther sacs separated by elongated connective tissue. The genus has diversity centers around the world, including Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean region, Mexico/ Central America, northern and central South America, and temperate East Asia. The genus also has a smaller species radiation of 19 species in western North America, subgenus Audibertia centered in California, and there has been documented evidence of hybridization within the subgenus. For this study we investigated potential hybridization among Salvia columbariae and Salvia greatae, two species with a sympatric distribution in the Orocopia Mountains region of Southern California. These species are placed in different sections of subgenus Audibertia, and hybridization has not yet been documented between sections of this subgenus. To examine relationships between the species, we compared molecular phylogenies from nuclear ribosomal DNA and chloroplast DNA. The resulting phylogenies did not show evidence of hybridization between these species. Although no evidence of hybridization was found, it is possible that additional sampling could yield different results.
The western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara Sheviak & M. L. Bowles; WPFO) was first detected in a vegetative state on Mormon Island in 1978 and identification was confirmed following a mass flowering event in 1982. From a high count of ~60 plants the WPFO slowly declined and has not been observed since 2000 despite flowering season surveys conducted in 15 of the last 20 years. We explore the natural history of the WPFO in the contexts of Mormon Island to establish potential causes for its apparent disappearance and evaluate the possibility it persists in some capacity. Our investigation of secondary data suggests the Mormon Island vegetation community remains relatively intact, including species associated with WPFO occurrence. Examination of the ranges of known and potential WPFO pollinators suggests that Sphinx drupiferarum, Eumorpha achemon, and Hyles lineata were the most likely pollinators at Mormon Island, and recent observations of these species indicate pollinator decline may not have been a primary factor in WPFO disappearance locally. Research demonstrates individual WPFOs can occasionally live for decades, are able to survive underground as rhizomes for periods of time, and often present above ground as just 1–3 leaves during the growing season. Additionally, the seeds may persist in the soil for a substantial period of time. The WPFO appears to tolerate a reasonably wide range of habitat conditions and management regimes but may require a relatively narrow range of circumstances to flower en masse, including above average spring precipitation in subsequent years. Mass flowering events may also be stimulated by early spring burns that precede above ground vegetative growth and subsequent rest during the growing season, but research is equivocal. Though factors such as inbreeding depression and herbicide overspray could have potentially impacted the population, based on local conditions we suggest the WPFO may persist on Mormon Island in a reduced capacity. We recommend the continuation of growing season surveys and experimentation with multi-year management strategies that could stimulate growth and flowering. Keywords: Western prairie fringed orchid, Platanthera praeclara, Management, Pollination, Ecology, Central Platte River Valley, Sphingidae
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are the most sought-after deer species in America. The antlers of mammals, such as deer, are one of the fastest regenerative tissues in the world and are grown and naturally cast every year. Research on cast antlers have been used for a variety of purposes including population comparisons and impacts of deer health due to climatic stressors. When investigating cast antlers, it is important to confirm individuality of match sets in addition to antlers of the same individual between years. Therefore, individuality must be confirmed genetically, and protocols must be developed and established to do so. Our objectives were to 1) establish a genetic protocol to harvest DNA from cast antlers using connective tissue, and 2) determine individuality from subsequent years and match sets. When fresh antlers are cast, they leave behind a viable connective tissue from which DNA can be extracted. The DNA was successfully extracted from the skin rings harvested from naturally cast antlers. This study developed viable methods to confirm individuality, which aid researchers and wildlife biologists in a better understanding of the white-tailed deer herd as they set management goals and harvest regulations.
The Nebraska Sandhills comprise the most intact grassland habitat in the world and 95% of land use consists of low intensity cattle grazing. Water is a key resource for cattle and for growing hay forage in this semi-arid grassland. Ranchers rely on either naturally occurring wet meadows or center pivot irrigation systems (CPIS) to produce hay. With the possibility of climate change creating more frequent extreme weather events, more flooding events or severe droughts could affect land and water resources in the Sandhills. With potentially more wet/dry extremes in the future, an understanding of the way water resources respond, and the different strategies of landowners, will be important in assessing the overall resilience of the Nebraska Sandhills in the face of a changing climate. We compared two adjacent, similarly sized, counties, Grant and Hooker, in the central Sandhills that differ in the amount of naturally occurring, ground water-fed meadows during the period 2002-2019, spanning wet and dry years. ArcGIS and the USDA’s Cropland Data Layer (known as “CropScape”), an annual, satellite imagery-derived, land cover map, were used to quantify overall landcover, especially the cover of wet meadows and the number of CPIS. In 2016, an average-to-moderate precipitation year, Grant County had approximately 10 times more open water area and 9 times more wet meadow area than Hooker County. In contrast, Hooker County had 19 times more barren ground area and nearly twice as many CPIS as Grant County. Furthermore, in drought years, the amount of barren ground increased in both counties, nearly doubling in Hooker County in 2006, a year when annual precipitation was only 66% of normal precipitation rates. Drought also increased the acreage devoted to irrigated crops, particularly in 2006 in both counties, with nearly two times as many acres in Grant County and nearly five times as many acres in Hooker County. Additionally, open water acreage decreased by nearly 50% following the 2006 drought and wetland cover types increased. This analysis showed that different Sandhill counties have contrasting water resources, with an abundance of naturally occurring wet meadows in Grant County, whereas Hooker County has fewer wet meadows and more CPIS. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that the landscape changes during drought years, with a decline in wet meadows, an increase in barren ground and an increase in CPIS and other irrigated systems for crops. In a changing climate, with potentially more extremes in precipitation, the diversity of strategies exemplified by these two counties will be important to inform adaptative responses. Overall, this research will contribute to a better understanding of the sustainability of land use and the future of groundwater resources in the Nebraska Sandhills.
The Slender Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus) reproduces across parts of northern and central Kansas, but its distribution extends into southern Nebraska. In Nebraska, not a single aspect of reproductive activity has been reported for this species in the state. Herein, we report on the first documentation of reproduction in Nebraska. On 22 September 2021, we captured two hatchling Slender Glass Lizards at the Ash Grove Wildlife Management Area in Franklin County, Nebraska. We calculated that those individuals likely hatched around the first week of September. Presence and reproduction of Slender Glass Lizards at the study site likely was associated with ungrazed grasslands. Although Slender Glass Lizards were listed as extinct in the state prior to 2009 due to a lack of sightings for decades, a few recent observations have been reported in southern counties bordering Kansas. In Nebraska, additional surveys and studies are required to better understand the distribution and requirements for this species of conservation need in the state. Keywords: Grassland, hatchling, Nebraska, Ophisaurus attenuatus, reproduction, Slender Glass Lizard
The southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) is considered a species of greatest conservation need in Nebraska and listed as threatened in the state. Historically, the geographic range of the southern flying squirrel in Nebraska has been restricted to five eastern counties from a northern suburb of Omaha, Douglas Co., southward in the four counties of Sarpy, Otoe, Nemaha, and Richardson, all bordering the Missouri River on the east. In late November of 2018, a resident of Lincoln, Lancaster Co., Nebraska, contacted the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission about an animal found dead in his yard. This animal proved to be a southern flying squirrel, which was 50 to 70 miles [80 to112 km] west of the known geographic range of the species. Two additional individuals were subsequently observed at the original residence as were individuals in at least a total of 10 neighborhoods throughout the city of Lincoln. Clearly, a population of the southern flying squirrels is established and reproducing in Lincoln, but their origin is unknown. The source of this city-dwelling population may be from released/escaped pets, a natural dispersal from the Missouri River via the Platte River and Salt Creek, or inadvertent translocation when moving timber or fire wood.
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Nebraska primarily breed in November (stimulated by photoperiod), but this season extends into December and January for unfertilized females and healthy fawns reaching the appropriate breeding weight by winter. Variation in the typical mating period can be attributed to geographic region, skewed sex ratios, and fawns reaching sexual maturity during their first year of birth. During April of 2019, we observed late season breeding by a male white-tailed deer in the central Platte River valley and documented late antler casting for this same late-copulating male. An additional male was observed in April of 2020 still retaining antlers within the region. To understand the irregularity of these observations relative to the central Platte River valley, we documented observations of early and late antler casting utilizing long-term cast antler collection and camera trap data. We were able to establish a baseline for antler casting phenology within this region to denote a shift in average casting timeframe (more than one month later than previously recorded in this region) and document early and the latest known antler casting within the literature. Herein, we detail the variation in antler casting phenology for white-tailed deer in this region, and the latest known occurrence of natural breeding in the state. Our findings help us better understand the life history of the Nebraska white-tailed deer population and can assist state wildlife biologists and property managers as they assess seasonal harvest regulations and adaptively manage the changing resource.
Soapweed Yucca (Yucca glauca) is a conspicuous and common shrub in the Great Plains of North America, characterized by tall woody flower stalks, large flowers and seed pods, and dense masses of ground-level evergreen leaves. These plant structures can provide a variety of resources or functions to animals. In general, studies focus on single species associated with Y. glauca. We examined three groups of vertebrates that interacted with Y. glauca and the functions this plant provided for organisms in western Nebraska. We experimentally examined small mammals in areas with and without Y. glauca, and we descriptively noted birds and reptiles that used Y. glauca. We documented six mammalian, 13 avian, and four reptilian species using Y. glauca for cover, perches, basking sites, homes, and/or nests. We documented a greater species richness and relative abundance of rodents in areas with Y. glauca compared to areas without Y. glauca. Deer Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) showed the greatest difference in relative abundance, with about six times as many individuals in areas with Y. glauca (83 individuals) compared to areas without Y. glauca (14 individuals). Upon release, a majority of Deer Mice (94%) ran from trap sites to Y. glauca, as did most other mammalian species. We observed birds mainly perching on flower stalks, as well as a few nesting activities. Soapweed Yuccas provided herpetofauna homes, sites for thermoregulation, perches to watch for predators or prey, and protective cover under leaves. Our findings demonstrated some of the ecological functions for Soapweed Yucca and a variety of vertebrate species using this shrub in grassland ecosystems. Soapweed Yucca is considered a weed in some regions of the Great Plains due to its high abundance in pastures with domestic livestock. On ranches where American Bison (Bos bison) have been reintroduced, individuals consume and actively remove yuccas, especially during winter grazing, and large, multi-headed, aboveground complexes of Y. glauca are less common across such ranches. Our study assisted in understanding the role of this native shrub in managed grassland systems.
Information on the distribution and current status of 25 species or subspecies of mammals occurring in Nebraska are presented. The species covered include one shrew, an armadillo, eight bats, 10 rodents (including two subspecies of one species), three carnivores, and one artiodactyl. Distributional information reported includes the first state record for one species (Sorex nanus) and new county records for 18 species. In Nebraska, we know that mammals are shifting their geographic ranges with some extending populations into the state, whereas others are expanding their geographic ranges within the state. The current status of six additional mammalian taxa in Nebraska is documented, providing knowledge important to the conservation of these species during this time of shifting environmental conditions. The concern is that some mammals have suffered population declines since the 1940s and may have a contracting geographic range as well in the state. These species would be endangered and could be lost to the mammalian fauna of the state. Extensive data on reproduction in these mammals are presented and the taxonomy of species is updated from the 1964 Mammals of Nebraska by Jones.
The Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) is a unique and biologically important ecoregion, and several studies have conducted localized herpetofauna species inventories. However, there has been significantly less effort to quantify the habitat associations or activity patterns of these species. Habitat associations and activity patterns vary regionally and provide important information for ecosystem management. We deployed a total of 38 traps of 5 different types (pitfall, funnel, hoop, box, and coverboard) across 11 sites (7 terrestrial, 4 aquatic) for an 8-week period in June and July 2019. Our exploratory analyses used generalized linear models with a quasibinomial distribution to examine associations between herpetofauna abundance (captures per trap night) and habitat characteristics controlling for trap type. Habitat characteristics assessed included distance to nearest woodland, distance to nearest standing water, vegetation species richness, soil texture, and vegetative cover in addition to others. We also evaluated activity patterns weekly across the study period. The two most abundant species demonstrated divergent distributional patterns, Northern Prairie Skinks were only absent from two of the driest terrestrial sites, while the Six-lined Racerunners were locally abundant at just three sites with significant bare ground and sandy soils. We documented a Cope’s Gray Treefrog at a site with little woody cover in which the species had not been previously observed, suggesting it may be increasingly widespread regionally. We also detected relatively widespread juvenile anuran dispersal at multiple terrestrial sites a considerable distance from standing water. Our results provide a preliminary examination of habitat associations and summer activity patterns for herpetofauna in the CPRV that can be used to inform conservation efforts and further studies of this system.
Littered debris along roadways traps and kills small vertebrates. In Nebraska, at least 20 species of small mammals are small enough to enter openings of discarded bottles and cans. We surveyed roadsides for littered bottles and cans containing vertebrate remains in central parts of the state. We observed 459 bottles and 278 aluminum cans along 17.6 km of roadsides in Nebraska. Littered bottles contained 41 vertebrate remains representing nine taxa of small mammals. Glass bottles contained the majority of individuals, plastic bottles had a few individuals, and no vertebrate remains were detected in aluminum cans. Harvest mice (Reithrodontomys spp.) were the most frequently observed taxa trapped in bottles, followed by short-tailed shrews (Blarina spp.). Remains of a juvenile Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) in a glass bottle suggest that more species are at risk when individuals are young. Bottles with openings higher than their base contained more vertebrates (21.1%) than those lying flat (3.8%) or those with openings facing downward (1.2%). Overall, about 5.7% of bottles had vertebrate remains in Nebraska, which is slightly greater than studies in the eastern United States. Densities of littered bottles were much lower along roads in Nebraska than roadways in the eastern United States, resulting in fewer mortalities per km. Human population density appears associated with littered debris, thus numbers of vertebrates killed in these roadside hazards likely is greater in eastern Nebraska and near population centers where most of the state’s population reside. In Nebraska, six species of small mammals are species of conservation need, and thus, at risk from littered debris. Reduction and removal of litter along roadsides not only is aesthetically pleasing, but it can also reduce mortality of small mammals and other animals, such as small insects.
