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opencc-zeroDec 2023View details →

Shortgrass prairie (Colorado, USA) and northern mixedgrass prairie (Wyoming, USA) species traits

These data support Mueller et al. 2023, entitled "Coordination of leaf, root, and seed traits shows the importance of whole plant economics in two semiarid grasslands." Uncertainty persists within trait-based ecology, partly because few studies assess multiple axes of functional variation and their effect on plant performance. For 55 species from two semiarid grasslands, we quantified: i) covariation between economic traits of leaves and absorptive roots, ii) covariation among economic traits, plant height, leaf size, and seed mass, and iii) relationships between these traits and species' abundance. Pairs of analogous leaf and root traits were at least weakly positively correlated (e.g., SLA and SRL). Two pairs of such traits, N content and DMC of leaves and roots, were at least moderately correlated (r>0.5) whether species were grouped by site, taxonomic group and growth form, or life history. Root diameter was positively correlated with seed mass for all groups of species except annuals and monocots. Species with higher LDMC tended to be more abundant (r=0.63). Annuals with larger seeds were more abundant (r=0.69). Compared to global-scale syntheses with many observations from mesic ecosystems, we observed stronger correlations between analogous leaf and root traits, weaker correlations between SLA and leaf N, and stronger correlations between SRL and root N. In dry grasslands, plant persistence may require coordination of above- and belowground traits, and dense tissues may facilitate dominance.

opencc-zeroJan 2024View details →

Data from: Native-exotic richness relationship in Michigan prairies

A better understanding of factors underlying positive correlations between native and exotic species richness, a pattern that is nearly ubiquitous at large scales in plant communities, may help managers modify these correlations to favor native plant species during restoration. Across 29 tallgrass prairie sites restored through seed sowing onto former agricultural lands, we examined whether the relationship between native and exotic richness is: 1) altered by management, such as seed additions and prescribed fire, 2) controlled instead by environmental conditions and successional processes, or 3) altered by management in certain environments and not in others. Two datasets. Both contain exotic and native plant SR across several prairie restorations, as well as data on seed mix properties (mix richness, seeding rate), fire frequency, age of restoration. "BassettNativeExoticData" contains data on additional factors that influence invasion: environmental factors (PCA of surrounding land use, tillage history, plant biomass, CV of plant biomass, total vegetative cover, PCA of soil characteristics, CV of soil water holding capacity, edge-area ratio). "BassettNativeExoticData.mngmt" contains detailed data on seed mixes (proportions of functional groups in seed mixes). Both raw and standardized ([value-mean]/sd) values for most data.

Fig. 3 in Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion

Fig. 3. Predicted re-encounter rates (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) over a single trapping interval (2007–2008) for adult female and male black-tailed prairie dogs inoculated at Conata Basin, South Dakota in 2007 with F1–V fusion protein vaccine or placebo on the no dust and dusted plots (the latter with flea control). Sample sizes are depicted above the 95% CIs.

Fig. 1 in Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion

Fig. 1. Categories of flea vector control (deltamethrin dust) and F1–V fusion protein plague vaccination (V = vaccine, P = placebo, N = no inoculation) used for analyses of black-tailed prairie dog annual re-encounter rates (2007–2008 and 2008–2009) at Conata Basin, South Dakota. Annual re-encounter rates were compared for subsets of animals, here each enclosed by unique rectangles. Sample sizes are depicted in subsequent figures with results from multivariate analyses.

Fig. 5 in Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion

Fig. 5. Predicted re-encounter rates (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) over a single trapping interval 2007–2008 for non-inoculated adult and juvenile blacktailed prairie dogs on the no dust and dusted plots (the latter with flea control) at Conata Basin, South Dakota. Sample sizes are depicted above the 95% CIs.

Fig. 2 in Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion

Fig. 2. Predicted flea parasitism (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) on blacktailed prairie dogs at the no dust and dusted plots, 2007–2008 at Conata Basin, South Dakota (prevalence on the left, intensity on the right). Prairie dog burrows on the dusted plots were treated annually with deltamethrin dust at ~4–6 g per burrow. Model predictions adjust (i.e., control) for year and Julian day (adjusted here as year 2008, and Julian day 212 for prevalence and 200 for intensity). Flea intensity data were log-transformed (log10) for analysis; hence, predicted flea intensity and 95% CIs could extend below 0. Sample sizes are depicted above the 95% CIs.

Fig. 4 in Prairie dog responses to vector control and vaccination during an initial Yersinia pestis invasion

Fig. 4. Predicted re-encounter rates (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) over two trapping intervals (2007–2008 and 2008–2009) for adult female and male black-tailed prairie dogs in Conata Basin, South Dakota inoculated in 2007 or 2008 with F1–V fusion protein vaccine or placebo on the dusted plots (with flea control). Sample sizes are depicted above or below the 95% CIs.

opencc-zeroApr 2024View details →

Climate and habitat type interact to influence contemporary dispersal potential in Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)

Understanding dispersal potential, or the probability a species will move a given distance, under different environmental conditions is essential to predicting species' ability to move across the landscape and track shifting ecological niches. Two important drivers of dispersal ability are climatic differences and variation in local habitat type. Despite the likelihood these global drivers act simultaneously on plant populations, and thus dispersal potential is likely to change as a result, their combined effects on dispersal are rarely examined. To understand the effect of climate and varying habitat types on dispersal potential, we studied Geum triflorum - a perennial grassland species that spans a wide range of environments, including both prairie and alvar habitats. We explored how the climate of the growing season and habitat type (prairie vs alvar) interact to alter dispersal potential. We found a consistent interactive effect of climate and habitat type on dispersal potential. Across prairie populations, an increased number of growing degree days favored traits that increase dispersal potential, or the probability of dispersing farther distances. However, for alvar populations, dispersal potential tended to decrease as the number of growing degree days increase. Our findings suggest that under continued warming, populations in prairie habitats will benefit from increased gene flow, while alvar populations will become increasingly segregated, with reduced potential to track shifting fitness optima.

opencc-zeroNov 2021View details →

Selection on convergent functional traits drives compositional divergence in a tallgrass prairie restoration experiment

1. Plant biodiversity is often partitioned into taxonomic diversity (species composition and abundance), phylogenetic diversity (breadth of evolutionary lineages) and functional diversity (resource‐use strategies or physical traits). Evaluating the effects and interplay of these dimensions can provide insights into how assembly processes drive compositional changes in plant communities. However, teasing apart the effects of different biodiversity dimensions is challenging in observational studies or retrospective analyses. 2. To evaluate how plant phylogenetic and trait history shape community establishment and turnover in restoration of a species‐rich North American tallgrass prairie, we conducted an experiment with 127 species planted in assemblages representing three levels of phylogenetic diversity (PD) and two of functional trait diversity (FD), holding starting species richness (SR) fixed. We tested whether PD and FD of planted assemblages predicted species diversity, compositional turnover and selection on functional traits. 3. Rank order of initial functional and phylogenetic diversity levels was maintained throughout the experiment, but neither diversity measure correlated positively with species richness by the end of the experiment. Phylogenetic and taxonomic beta diversity increased among all treatments. This increase in compositional beta diversity was associated with directional selection on phylogenetically dispersed functional traits. A set of functional traits associated with competitiveness in tallgrass prairies predicted species' cover for all survey years: stem dry matter content, leaf dry matter content, vegetative height and rhizomatous growth. Although all plots collectively converged on a similar suite of functional traits, functional beta diversity increased among high‐FD plots. 4. Synthesis. Neither higher functional nor phylogenetic diversity maintained higher species richness (SR) over time in our study. Although SR was not maintained, higher levels of PD and FD were. Both types of diversity shaped the rate at which plots changed in composition over time, with high diversity treatment plots increasing in beta diversity. Selection for traits convergent across the tree of life drove phylogenetic and compositional divergence among plots. While optimization of site‐specific functional traits may be most important for maintaining higher SR, our work implies that planting higher initial PD and FD may make grassland restorations more adaptable to site conditions that may be difficult to predict.

opencc-zeroAug 2022View details →

Over the hills and through the farms: Land use and topography influence genetic connectivity of northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) in the Prairie Pothole Region

Context Agricultural land-use conversion has fragmented prairie wetland habitats in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), an area with one of the most wetland-dense regions in the world. This fragmentation can lead to negative consequences for wetland obligate organisms, heightening risk of local extinction and reducing evolutionary potential for populations to adapt to changing environments. Objectives This study models biotic connectivity of prairie-pothole wetlands using landscape genetic analyses of the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) to: (1) identify population structure and (2) determine landscape factors driving genetic differentiation and possibly leading to population fragmentation. Methods Frogs from 22 sites in the James River and Lake Oahe river basins in North Dakota were genotyped using Best-RAD sequencing at 2868 bi-allelic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Population structure was assessed using STRUCTURE, DAPC, and fineSTRUCTURE. Circuitscape was used to model resistance values for ten landscape variables that could affect habitat connectivity. Results STRUCTURE results suggested a panmictic population, but other more sensitive clustering methods identified six spatially organized clusters. Circuit theory-based landscape resistance analysis suggested land use, including cultivated crop agriculture, and topography were the primary influences on genetic differentiation. Conclusions While the R. pipiens populations appear to have high gene flow, we found a difference in the patterns of connectivity between the eastern portion of our study area which was dominated by cultivated crop agriculture, versus the western portion where topographic roughness played a greater role. This information can help identify amphibian dispersal corridors and prioritize lands for conservation or restoration.

opencc-zeroOct 2022View details →

Community level phylogenetic diversity does not differ between rare and common lineages across tallgrass prairies in northern Great Plains

In some cases, rare lineages provide resistance to invasions, serve as keystone species, and contribute unique functional or phylogenetic diversity to their communities. In other cases, rare species may be functionally redundant with common species and do not significantly contribute to phylogenetic diversity. How rare and common species coexist and contribute to local species pools may depend upon attributes of their communities and remains an open question in ecology. Niche differentiation has served as an explanation for species coexistence, and phylogenetic relatedness provides a means to approximate how ecologically similar species are to each other. To explore the contribution of rare species to community phylogenetic diversity, we sampled twenty-one plant communities across the Prairie Coteau ecoregion, home of the largest tracts of untilled northern tallgrass prairie and of high conservation concern. We used breakpoint analysis through iterative addition of less abundant species to the phylogenetic tree for each community. We also assessed the phylogenetic signal of abundance classes using Blomberg's K statistic and calculated the phylogenetic similarity between rare and common species using a phylogenetic beta diversity metric (Dnn). To estimate the phylogenetic structuring of these prairie communities, we calculated two common metrics that capture evolutionary relatedness between species (MPD, and MNTD) and examine the correlation between these metrics and species richness. Overall, we found rare species do not contribute higher levels of phylogenetic diversity than more common species in the Prairie Coteau ecoregion. Eight of 21 communities had significant breakpoints, where the addition of a less common species resulted in a shift in phylogenetic diversity, with only four communities having an increasing trend for the rarest species. Phylogenetic signal for abundance was low and unsignificant across 18 communities, while four sites did show significant low phylogenetic signal. We additionally found our communities had lower phylogenetic diversity than expected from the regional species pool. Finally, we found weak to no correlation when using MPD and MNTD. Our results indicate niche differentiation does not explain rare species persistence in tallgrass prairies. We found species were more closely related than expected from random community assembly, suggesting high functional redundancy within this system. This is promising for the long term viability of this ecosystem, but only insofar as enough species remain in the system to create redundancy. With ongoing biodiversity loss, it is essential we understand the role rare species play in their communities. Phylogenetic diversity could be an important tool for researchers and managers to utilize for conservation of critically threatened systems such as tallgrass prairies.

opencc-zeroJun 2024View details →

Dataset: Prairie Operating Co. (PROP) Stock Performance

This dataset provides historical stock market performance data for specific companies. It enables users to analyze and understand the past trends and fluctuations in stock prices over time. This information can be utilized for various purposes such as investment analysis, financial research, and market trend forecasting.

Fig. 7 in Using occupancy models to investigate the prevalence of ectoparasitic vectors on hosts: An example with fleas on prairie dogs

Fig. 7. Probabilities of flea occupancy (W) for black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in differing body condition during May–September 2011, at the Vermejo Park Ranch, New Mexico. The solid line depicts estimates of occupancy and dotted lines depict 95% confidence intervals.

Fig. 4 in Using occupancy models to investigate the prevalence of ectoparasitic vectors on hosts: An example with fleas on prairie dogs

Fig. 4. Model-averaged probabilities for detecting fleas (p) on a black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) during May–September 2011, at the Vermejo Park Ranch, New Mexico. Bars depict 95% confidence intervals.

Fig. 3 in Using occupancy models to investigate the prevalence of ectoparasitic vectors on hosts: An example with fleas on prairie dogs

Fig. 3. Indices for and estimates of flea prevalence on prairie dogs inside old colonies. The estimates are model-averaged values from occupancy models that accounted for imperfect detection of fleas. The naïve indices do not consider imperfect detection. Gains in precision (95% confidence interval) when estimating prevalence are depicted on the right. Confidence intervals for the estimates of prevalence during July–September are very small.

Fig. 2 in Using occupancy models to investigate the prevalence of ectoparasitic vectors on hosts: An example with fleas on prairie dogs

Fig. 2. The robust design for occupancy models of flea prevalence on black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Prairie dogs were sampled during primary occasions in different months of the year (May–September 2012). Each primary occasion comprised three secondary occasions (combings) during which fleas might be detected (p = probability of detection, given presence). A prairie dog was ''open'' to colonization by fleas between primary occasions. Once a prairie dog was colonized, it was occupied by fleas during all subsequent primary occasions (thus, the extinction probability, E, was fixed at zero, once a prairie dog was occupied by fleas). Closure was assumed during the secondary occasions, but we used behavioral covariates to account for removal of fleas from hosts during each secondary combing (REMOVAL1 and REMOVAL2, see text). In the example encounter history, a '1' indicates that at least one flea was detected during a combing event, and a '0' indicates that no fleas were detected.

Fig. 5 in Using occupancy models to investigate the prevalence of ectoparasitic vectors on hosts: An example with fleas on prairie dogs

Fig. 5. Model-averaged probabilities of flea occupancy (W) and flea colonization (γ) for black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in old and young colonies, and natural and translocation colonies during May–September 2011, at the Vermejo Park Ranch, New Mexico (see Fig. 1 and text for colony descriptions). Bars depict 95% confidence intervals. We do not report estimates of colonization for September, because few prairie dogs were sampled in that month.

Fig. 1 in Using occupancy models to investigate the prevalence of ectoparasitic vectors on hosts: An example with fleas on prairie dogs

Fig. 1. Map of the study area within the Vermejo Park Ranch, Colfax County, New Mexico, showing old and young, and natural and translocation colonies of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Gray areas indicate extent of prairie dog colonies in 2009.

Fig. 6 in Using occupancy models to investigate the prevalence of ectoparasitic vectors on hosts: An example with fleas on prairie dogs

Fig. 6. Probabilities of flea occupancy (W) and flea colonization (γ) for black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) in plots with differing densities of prairie dogs during May–September 2011, at the Vermejo Park Ranch, New Mexico. Solid lines depict estimates and dotted lines depict 95% confidence intervals.