North Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting
“2015 – A Pivotal Year for the Future of Conservation”
February 11-13, 2015
Baymont Inn and Suites (formerly Seven Seas), Mandan, North Dakota
“Fortune Tellers” by Ross H Hier
2015 NDCTWS Executive Board
President – Kory Richardson
Past-President – Todd Frerichs
President-Elect – Mike Szymanski
Secretary/Treasurer – Adam Ryba
Board Members
Terry Allbee
Stephanie Tucker
Rick Warhurst
Jack Lalor
Arrangements
Karen Kreil
Program Committee
Todd Frerichs, Chair
Mike McEnroe
Al Sapa
Rick Warhurst
Cami Dixon
Susan Ellis-Felege
Karen Kreil
Mike Szymanski
Adam Ryba
Cover Artist
Ross Hier
The Chapter Wishes to Thank:
MDU Resources Foundation
Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson
Western Ecosystems Technology
Carlson McCain Inc.
Wenck Associates
National Wild Turkey Federation
For their generous support sponsoring the refreshments during the extended break for the poster
session, the award given for the best student poster and the student costs for attending the 8th
Annual Student/Professional Luncheon
NDCTWS Annual Conference
February 11-13, 2015
Seven Seas Hotel, Mandan, North Dakota
“2015 – A Pivotal Year for the Future of Conservation”
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
9:00-Noon
Executive Board Meeting – Executive 1
10:00-5:00
Registration – Main Lobby
12:00-1:00
Lunch (on your own)
1:00-1:10
Welcome and opening remarks – Pier 7
Kory Richardson, President, NDCTWS
Session One – Pier 7
Session Moderator:
Rachel Bush (Pheasants Forever)
1:10-1:30
Futures Conference – Ted Talk – Mike Olson and Al Sapa (USFWS-Retired)
1:30- 1:50
Clean Water, Wildlife and Parks – Where do we go from here? – Steve Adair (DU)
1:50-2:20
Where Does it Stop? Oil Impacts on Natural Resources in North Dakota – Mike McEnroe
(USFWS-retired)
2:20-2:40
Oil development in ND: a bird’s eye view – Sarah J. Thompson and Douglas H. Johnson
(USGS-NPWRC)
2:40-3:00
Status of wind development in ND and results of the NPWRC research into impacts
on grassland birds –Jill A. Shaffer and Deborah A. Buhl (USGS-NPWRC)
3:00-3:10
BREAK
Session Two – Pier 7
Session Moderator:
Paul Halko (USFWS)
3:10-3:30
Consolidation drainage affects hydrology and biological communities of remaining
northern prairie wetlands – Mark Wiltermuth (USGS-NPWRC)
3:30-3:50
Conservation of PPR wetlands in the face of past, present, and future land use and climate
changes – Michael J. Anteau (USGS-NPWRC)
3:50-4:10
National Ecological Observation Network (NEON) in ND – Andrea C. E. Anteau (NEON)
4:10-4:30
Changes in wetland plant communities and wetland conditions in the Prairie Pothole
Region after 50 years – Ryann Cressey (SDSU), Jane Austin (USGS-NPWRC), and Joshua
Stafford (USGS-SDSU Coop Unit)
4:30-4:50
Aquatic community shifts along salinity gradients in prairie pothole lakes: Potential
implications of a changing climate – Kyle McLean (NDSU), David M. Mushet (NDSU), and
Craig A. Stockwell (USGS-NPWRC)
4:50-5:10
Increased travel and energy development in western ND: What is the effect on wetlands? –
Christina L. M. Hargiss, Jessica Creuzer, Jack E. Norland, Thomas DeSutter, Edward ‘Shawn’
DeKeyser, and Frank Casey (NDSU)
5:10
Announcements
5:15-6:15
UND Alumni Social – Executive 1
6:00-7:00
Fund Raising Social – Pier 7
7:00-10:00
Fund Raising Buffet and Auction – Pier 7
Thursday, February 12, 2015
8:00
Announcements – Pier 7
Session Three – Pier 7
Session Moderator:
Scott McLeod (USFWS)
8:05-8:50
Managing for Diversity: From the Ground Up – Chad Njos (Rancher - ND Grazing Lands
Coalition)
8:50-9:20
Understanding and assessing rangeland health – Jeff Printz (USDA-NRCS)
9:20-9:50
Merging range and wildlife science: How can we help each other? – John Hendrickson
(USDA - ARS), Jeff Printz (USDA-NRCS), and Cami Dixon (USFWS)
9:50-10:30
Poster Viewing Session – Nautilus
Session Four – Pier 7
Session Moderator :
Eric Rosenquist (TNC)
10:30-10:50
Influence of cattle grazing on four species of obligate grassland bird species in the northern
tallgrass prairie – Marissa A. Ahlering (TNC) and Christopher L. Merkord (SDSU)
10:50-11:10
Habitat selection parameters by Sprague’s pipits during initial territory establishment in
central ND – Kelly Krabbenhoft (KDK Consulting)
11:10-11:30
Factors that influence nest site selection of upland nesting ducks and grassland passerines:
why should we care? – Mike Eichholz (Sothern Illinois University– Carbondale)
11:30-11:50
NDCTWS Membership Survey – What did we learn? – Mike Szymanski (President-Elect)
11:50
Announcements
12:00
Annual Student/Professional Luncheon – Nautilus
Luncheon Speaker – Mike McEnroe – 42 years in 8 minutes, the lessons I’ve learned
12:00-1:15
Lunch (on your own)
Business Meeting (1:15-5:00) – Pier 7
1:15-2:25
Old Business
2:25-2:45
Update from The Wildlife Society –
2:45-3:00
Introduction of 2014 Executive Board candidates and remarks from the President-Elect
Candidates
Call for nominations from the floor
3:00-3:30
Casting of Ballots and Posters Viewing - Nautilus
3:30-5:00
New Business
4:00-6:00
Professional Women’s Social – Executive 1
6:00-7:00
Awards Social – Pier 7
7:00-10:00
Awards Banquet – Pier 7
Friday, February 13, 2015
8:00
Announcements – Pier 7
Session Five – Pier 7
Session Moderator:
Rocky Pritchert (USFWS)
8:05-8:25
Impact of camera installation on nesting sharp-tailed grouse behavior in western ND –
Rebecca Eckroad (UND), Paul Burr (UND), Aaron Robinson (NDGF), Susan Ellis-Felege (UND)
8:25-8:45
Evaluation of fate based on field evidence through the use of video cameras installed at least
tern and piping plover nests on the Missouri River – Alicia K. Andes (UND), Terry L. Shaffer
(USGS-NPWRC), Mark H. Sherfy (USGS-NPWRC), and Susan Ellis-Felege (UND)
8:45-9:05
Using Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles to Census Nesting American White Pelicans at Chase
Lake NWR – Lawrence D. Igl (USGS-NPWRC), Alisa J. Bartos (USFWS), Robert O.
Woodward (USGS-NPWRC), Ned Wright (USFWS), Paulette Scherr (USFWS), Mark Bauer
(USGS, Mark Feller (USGS), and Jeffrey M. Safran (USGS)
9:05-9:25
Comparisons of muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) trapping efficiency and incidental take of
non-target water birds using covered and uncovered float sets – Rodney A. Gross Jr., (UND),
Stephanie Tucker (NDGF), and Susan Ellis-Felege (UND)
9:25-9:45
Preliminary effects of cattail control on birds, amphibians, and plant communities in
shallow wetlands in northwestern Minnesota and bioenergy potential – Joshua Bruggman, (U
of MN & UND), Susan Ellis-Felege (UND), Vanessa Lane (UND), Dave Rave (MNDNR), Emily
Hutchins (MNDNR), Jessica Dowler (USFWS), Gregg Knutson (USFWS), and Dan Svedarsky
(U of MN)
9:45-10:05
BREAK
Session Six – Pier 7
Session Moderator –
Jason Boulanger (UND)
10:05-10:25
Migration of Aransas-Wood Buffalo Whooping Cranes in North Dakota – Aaron Pearse
(USGS-NPWRC), David Brandt (USGS-NPWRC), Greg Wright (Crane Trust), Kris Metzger
(USFWS), Wade Harrel (USFWS), Mark Bidwell (CWS), David Baasch (PRRIP)
10:25-10:45
Identifying Threats and Guiding Conservation Planning for Migrant Whooping Cranes in
North Dakota – Neal D. Niemuth, (USFWS), A. J. Ryba (USFWS), J. E. Austin (USGSNPWRC), D. A. Brandt (USGS-NPWRC), M. J. Carlisle (USFWS), S. Kvas (USFWS), A. T.
Pearse (USGS-NPWRC), and B. Wangler (USFWS)
10:45-11:15
Reproductive response of least terns and piping plovers to the 2011 Missouri River flood –
Erin A.Roche, Michael J. Anteau, Colin M. Dovichin, Brooke L. Hill, Terry L. Shaffer, Mark H.
Sherfy, Jennifer H. Stucker, and Dustin L. Toy (USGS – NPWRC)
11:15-11:35
Amphibian special ecology and landscape connectivity in the Prairie Pothole Region of ND
– Robert Newman, Ph.D. (UND)
11:35-11:55
Brood abundance relative to habitat characteristics in the Prairie Pothole Region – Kaylan
M. Carrlson (DU), C. Tanner Gue (DU), Johann Walker (DU), and Charles R. Loesch (USFWS)
11:55
Awards for best student presentation and best student poster
Closing Remarks and Adjournment – Mike Szymanski, President NDCTWS
Posters
1. Effects of oil and gas development on duck production in the Prairie Pothole Region of North Dakota and
Montana – C. Tanner Gue (DU), Kaylan M. Carrlson (DU), Johann Walker (DU), Charles R. Loesch (USFSW),
and Michael L. Szymanski (NDGF)
2. Nest defense and attendance patterns of piping plovers – Leila Mohsenian, Alicia Andes, and Susan EllisFelege (UND)
3. Effectiveness of citizen science vs expert observation in classification of nesting bird behaviors captured on
camera – Amanda Saul, Rebecca Eckroad, Kyle Goehner, Travis Desell, and Susan Ellis-Felege (UND)
4. Factors influencing the abundance of Sprague’s pipits and other grassland birds in the Little Missouri
National Grasslands – Brian J. Chepulis (NDSU), E. Shawn DeKeyser (NDSU) , Lawrence D. Igl (USGSNPWRC)
5. Implementation of a fire management plan on the joint UND-NDGF Oakville Prairie Wildlife Management
Area – Wayne Brown (Badger Creek Wildfire), Brian J. Darby (UND), Bryon Deal (UND), Brett J. Goodwin
(UND), Isaac J. Schlosser (UND), and Kathryn A. Yurkonis (UND)
6. Local habitat associations of five grassland bird species in Grand Forks County, ND – Jerry S. Cole (UND),
Kathryn A. Yurkonis (UND), Brett J. Goodwin (UND), Christopher L. Merkord (SDSU), and Bryon Deal (UND)
7. Range extension of the hispid pocket mouse in North Dakota – Aaron Burgad and Bob Anderson (VCSU)
8. Prevalence and distribution of amphibian pathogens in North Dakota – Melanie Firkins, Vasyl Tkach Ph.D.,
and Robert Newman Ph.D. (UND)
9. Interactions between social dominance hierarchies and immune function in the black-capped chickadee –
Emily C. Stewart and Timothy J Greives (NDSU)
10. Variance components associated with colorimetric microbiological soil health assays – William Beaton and
Brian J. Darby (UND)
11. Population genetics of North Dakota muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) – Samuel D. Hervey (UND), Shay F.
Erickson (UND), Susan Ellis-Felege (UND), Stephanie Tucker (NDGF), and Brian J. Darby (UND)
12. Molecular methods for set-determination: Are two better than one? – Shay F. Erickson (UND), Samuel D.
Hervey(UND), Susan Ellis-Felege(UND), Stephanie Tucker (NDGF), and Brian J. Darby (UND)
13. Does oil well development affect the breeding-season habitat use of upland-nesting shorebirds in areas of
high habitat suitability? – Hannah M. Specht (U of MN)
14. Smooth brome (Bromus inermis) phenology in northern tallgrass prairie – Lisa Preister (NDSU), E. Shawn
DeKeyser (NDSU), and Cami Dixon (USFWS)
15. Plant species distribution and community pattern across environmental gradients in a northern grassland –
Bryon W. Deal, Kathryn A. Yurkonis, Brett J. Goodwin, and Brian J. Darby (UND)
16. Home range sizes of sharp-tailed grouse on the Grand River national Grasslands in northwest South
Dakota – Matthew R. Danzl, Benjamin Geaumont, and E. Shawn Dekeyser (NDSU)
17. High-definition video cameras as a tool for resighting individually marked least terns – Dustin L. Toy, Erin
A Roche, and Colin M. Dovichin (USGS-NPWRC)
18. Overwinter locations of Northern Great Plains piping plovers and possible implications for demography –
Brooke L Hill and Erin Roche (USGS-NPWRC)
19. Effects of predator exclosures on piping plover (Charadrius melodus) nests in the Alkali Lakes Region of
North Dakota – Megan M. Ring (USGS-NPWRC), Erin A. Roche (USGS-NPWRC), Colin M. Dovichin (USGSNPWRC), Terry L. Shaffer (USGS-NPWRC), and Kristen Brennan (USFWS).
20. Migration and population divergence of invasive, Polyploidy Kentucky bluegrass (Poa Pratensis), in the
northern prairies – Lauren A Dennhardt