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ID: Pinyon jay breeding colony summary investigation Southwest Colorado 2020
Pinyon jay breeding colony summary investigation Southwest Colorado 2020
Type: Text
Subjects: Pinyon jays
<em>Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus</em>
Breeding status
Habitat
Southwest Colorado
Item 

        Pinyon jay breeding colony summary investigation Southwest Colorado 2020    
Type:Text
Subject:Pinyon jays
<em>Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus</em>
Breeding status
Habitat
Southwest Colorado

                    Description:Pinyon jays (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) are thought to be declining range-wide (Boone et al. 2018). Very little is known about their breeding status and habitat use in Colorado. In 2020, Colorado Parks and Wildlife examined six breeding colonies in Montrose and Delta counties to assess colony size and structure, hatching and fledging success, potential threats to reproductive output, and colony site fidelity. Six additional colonies located in western Colorado in 2019 were surveyed a single time during the breeding season to determine site fidelity. [show more]                

ID: Plague in Gunnison’s prairie dogs
Plague in Gunnison’s prairie dogs
Type: Fact Sheet
Subjects: Gunnison’s prairie dog
<em>Cynomys gunnisoni</em>
Plague
Fact sheet
Item 

        Plague in Gunnison’s prairie dogs    
Type:Fact Sheet
Subject:Gunnison’s prairie dog
<em>Cynomys gunnisoni</em>
Plague
Fact sheet

                    Description:Plague, caused by a non-native bacteria and carried by fleas can kill all prairie dogs in a colony, leading to local extinctions that threaten the overall survival of the Gunnison’s prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) in Colorado. Unmanaged plague has the potential to reduce populations of the Gunnison’s prairie dog to the point that a listing as federally endangered or threatened becomes more likely. Such a listing would not only underscore the need for additional conservation, it could also limit land uses for agriculture and recreation. [show more]                

ID: Plains fish identification training improves staff performance and data quality
Plains fish identification training improves staff performance and data quality
Type: 
Subjects: Plains fish identification training
Item 

        Plains fish identification training improves staff performance and data quality    
Subject:Plains fish identification training

                    Description:Abstract: Species misidentifications during field surveys of aquatic organisms results in mis-estimated distributions, biased occupancy analyses, and possibly, inappropriate conservation actions. Morphologically similar organisms, including some native fishes of Great Plains streams, demand rigorous attention during identifications. However, fish identification for technicians is sometimes conducted informally by staff whose training may have occurred years prior, or who may not have been properly trained themselves, which can result in perpetuation of incorrect characteristics being used and species misidentifications. In addition, a common practice is training workers only to identify species they are likely to encounter, which results in confusion if a nearby species invades, but is misidentified as a more common native taxa in the study area. We used a timed-testing approach implemented before and after a 2-day identification short course to quantify potential Great Plains fish misidentification rates and to demonstrate the utility of formal training to reduce these errors. Post-workshop results showed participants with 0 and up to 8 years of plains stream fish experience improved species identification scores. As expected, improvement was greatest in participants who had the least amount of experience; post-workshop scores increased up to ten-fold compared to pre-workshop. Consistent improvement of even experienced participants demonstrates the value of ongoing training. An unexpected result was reduced use of the answer “don’t know” in the post-workshop exam. This behavior occurred even with appropriate cautions against guessing if participant identification was uncertain, knowing false-positive identifications are particularly problematic in analyses. Repeated supervisor checks on identification proficiency during the field season may reduce overconfidence. A formalized training program will improve identification proficiency during field surveys of plains stream fishes, which should aid conservation decision-making. [show more]                

ID: Plains Fish Optimal Sampling Protocol
Plains Fish Optimal Sampling Protocol
Type: 
Subjects: 
Item 

        Plains Fish Optimal Sampling Protocol    

                    Description:Led By
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Study Area
Plains streams of eastern Colorado in the South Platte and Arkansas River basins
Project Status
Ongoing (this site selection tool will be used on an annual basis to guide sampling efforts)
Research Objectives
To guide biologists to the most efficient sampling locations to reduce uncertainty given logistical and financial constraints.
Collaborators
Dr. Kristin Broms and Dr. Mevin Hooten, Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University
Project Description
Due to logistical, financial, and time constraints on staff, it is important that field activities are conducted as efficiently as possible and result in data that are statistically rigorous and defensible. This is especially essential when there are several species of interest. This project provides a site selection tool for eastern plains native fishes that is adaptable to changing management priorities, and can be accomplished within the logistical parameters set by CPW staff. The site selection process consists of five steps (Figure 1):
The data. The data provide structure for the model, the desired inference, and the design criterion. Defining the data includes setting the boundaries, scale, and resolution of the area of inference, checking and cleaning the data that have been collected, and obtaining potential covariates.
The model. The model structure and output make the inference associated with the monitoring efforts explicit and concrete.
The design criterion. The design criterion is a formal connection between monitoring and the model, and is the quantity of interest about which improved inference is desired. It is a single statistic that summarizes the uncertainty associated with the study and is used to compare the efficiencies of sampling at various sets of locations in the future.
Selecting sites for future sampling. This step involves finding the set of sites that minimizes the design criterion, which in this case is uncertainty regarding native species’ distributions.
Collect more data and repeat. After future sites are selected and sampled, the model is re-fit with the new data and modified as necessary. Because the design criterion is based on the parameter estimates or posterior distributions, the next set of optimal sites will change with the newly fitted model. It is this responsiveness to new data that makes the procedure ideal for optimal long-term monitoring.
This protocol results in a sampling design that is statistically rigorous and biologist friendly. Biologists tell the model how many sites they are able to sample, and the model optimizes on those constraints. This protocol is optimal in that it optimizes on one metric—uncertainty.
Uncertainty across the species and weights selected according to management priorities. The protocol is adaptive in that it incorporates new data learning—as management objectives change, this protocol can change with them. This procedure has been used by biologists for the previous three field seasons, and is scheduled to be an ongoing, annual site selection tool.
Associated Publications
Broms, K. M., M. B. Hooten, and R. M. Fitzpatrick. 2015. Accounting for imperfect detection in Hill numbers for biodiversity studies. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 6:99–108.
Broms, K. M., M. B. Hooten, and R. M. Fitzpatrick. 2016. Model selection and assessment for multi-species occupancy models. Ecology 97:1759–1770.Broms, K. M. and R. M. Fitzpatrick. 2016. A procedure manual for optimal adaptive sampling design for multiple species of plains fishes in eastern Colorado. Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Fort Collins, Colorado.
 [show more]                

ID: Plains Fish Research Projects
Plains Fish Research Projects
Type: 
Subjects: 
Item 

        Plains Fish Research Projects    

                    Description:The eastern plains streams of Colorado are home to the highest fish species diversity in the state, which historically consisted of 36 native species. Unfortunately, six species have been extirpated, and 12 more are currently listed as special status by the State of Colorado. These species are part of our state’s natural history, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife is tasked with conserving them. 
Plains Fish Research Projects:
Plains fish optimal sampling protocol
Flathead Chub survival and movement
Owens-Hall fish passage structure evaluation
 [show more]                

ID: Planned biological monitoring and habitat restoration oversight in the Upper Colorado River
Planned biological monitoring and habitat restoration oversight in the Upper Colorado River
Type: Text
Subjects: Habitat restoration
Biological monitoring
Upper Colorado River
Windy Gap Reservoir
Item 

        Planned biological monitoring and habitat restoration oversight in the Upper Colorado River    
Type:Text
Subject:Habitat restoration
Biological monitoring
Upper Colorado River
Windy Gap Reservoir

                    Description:The upper Colorado River is an iconic drainage in Colorado that has been severely impacted by impoundments and reduced flows. Trans-basin and local water use divert approximately 67% of the flow of the upper Colorado River and future projects will deplete flows further. There are ongoing discussions on how to implement mitigation measures to reduce the impact of increased trans-basin water diversions. One component is to reduce effects of the diversions by taking Windy Gap Reservoir off channel and constructing a bypass around the reservoir. This would reconnect the river and ameliorate various impacts of a large, on channel impoundment but would not reduce the impacts of water withdrawals from the system. The planned bypass channel offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects reconnecting the river through the reservoir as well as investigate mitigation measures to offset the impacts of large water diversions on the ecology of the river. The objectives of these projects are to evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures in restoring and improving the ecological function of the upper Colorado River. [show more]                

ID: Plant and mule deer responses to pinyon-juniper removal by three mechanical methods.
Plant and mule deer responses to pinyon-juniper removal by three mechanical methods.
Type: Article
Subjects: Mule deer
Pinyon pine
Juniper
Item 

        Plant and mule deer responses to pinyon-juniper removal by three mechanical methods.    
Type:Article
Subject:Mule deer
Pinyon pine
Juniper

                    Description:Land managers in western North America often reverse succession by removing pinyon (Pinus spp.) and juniper (Juniperus spp.) trees to reduce fire risk and increase forage for wildlife and livestock. Because prescribed fire carries inherent risks, mechanical methods such as chaining, roller-chopping, and mastication are often used. Mechanical methods differ in cost and the size of woody debris produced, and may differentially impact plant and animal responses. We implemented a randomized, complete-block, split-plot experiment in December 2011 in the Piceance Basin, northwestern Colorado, USA, to compare mechanical methods and to explore seeding (subplot) interactions. We assessed vegetation 1-, 2-, 5-, and 6-years post-treatment, and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) response via GPS locations 3–8 years post-treatment. By 2016, treated plots had 3–5 times higher perennial grass cover and ~10 times higher cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) cover than untreated control plots. Roller-chopped plots had both the highest non-native annual forb cover, and when seeded, the highest density of bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), a nutritious shrub used by mule deer. Masticated plots had higher bitterbrush use during summer and fall, leaving less forage available for winter. Days of winter mule deer use from GPS point locations in chained and roller-chopped plots was ~70% higher than in control plots, while winter use in masticated plots was similar to control plots. Mule deer use appears related to a combination of hiding cover, resulting from residual woody debris, and winter forage availability. Roller-chopped plots provide the best combination of hiding cover and winter forage, but mastication or chaining, applied leaving dispersed security cover, may be better options at large scales or when invasive species concerns exist. [show more]                

ID: Population Assessment of Pelagic Fishes Using Hydroacoustics
Population Assessment of Pelagic Fishes Using Hydroacoustics
Type: 
Subjects: 
Item 

        Population Assessment of Pelagic Fishes Using Hydroacoustics    

                    Description:Led By
Bill Pate at Colorado State University, Andrew Treble, and Lake and Reservoir Researchers
Study Area
Select coldwater reservoirs
Project Status
Ongoing
Research Objectives
Monitor the depth-distribution, density, size structure, and abundance of pelagic fish species in key coldwater reservoirs.
Monitor zooplankton species assemblage and density.
Monitor invasive Mysis shrimp densities where present.
Project Description
​Hydroacoustic surveys enable rapid estimation of the abundance, density, size structure, and depth-distribution of pelagic (or offshore/open water) fish species such as kokanee and lake trout. Mobile hydroacoustics is a quantitative method for sampling the water column of a large lake or reservoir with sound that allows for greater spatial coverage than gill netting or midwater trawling. Survey transects are completed overnight during the dark of the moon to allow for greater spatial distribution of the fish.
Hydroacoustic surveys are generally most effective when few pelagic species are present, and Colorado has many coldwater reservoirs containing relatively simple pelagic fish assemblages. Kokanee waters, such as Lake Granby and Blue Mesa Reservoir, provide upwards of $30 million in economic benefit to the state annually and are vital broodstocks that supply eggs to support statewide stocking efforts. Hydroacoustic surveys conducted on these and other waters are necessary for monitoring the health of these valuable fisheries and identifying when additional management interventions or research might be required to ensure stable populations.
In addition, monitoring zooplankton species assemblages and Mysis shrimp densities are an important aspect of this assessment project. Kokanee are an obligate planktivorous species that feed on zooplankton like Daphnia, and lake trout rely upon Mysis shrimp when young before turning to kokanee or other fishes as a forage base. In addition, detrimental invasive species of zooplankton such as Daphnia lumholtzi can be detected as early as possible through this monitoring program. Better monitoring practices allow for more informed management decisions for a given water body.
Associated Publications
Lepak, J.M., W.M. Pate, P. Cadmus, A.G. Hansen, K.D. Gallaher, and D. Silver. 2024. Response of an invasive aquatic crustacean to the fish toxicant rotenone. Lake and Reservoir Management 40:330-337.
 [show more]                

ID: Post-conference report
Post-conference report
Type: Text
Subjects: Partners in the Outdoors conference
Item 

        Post-conference report    
Type:Text
Subject:Partners in the Outdoors conference

                    Description:Post-conference report for the Partners in the Outdoors conference                

ID: Post-Flood Recovery Assessment and Stream Restoration Guidelines for the Colorado Front Range
Post-Flood Recovery Assessment and Stream Restoration Guidelines for the Colorado Front Range
Type: 
Subjects: 
Item 

        Post-Flood Recovery Assessment and Stream Restoration Guidelines for the Colorado Front Range    

                    Description:Report by Eric E. Richer, Matt C. Kondratieff, and Benjamin D. Swigle (November 19, 2014)Abstract:Severe flooding impacted rivers and streams in the Colorado Front Range during September 2013. The flooding had devastating effects on communities and infrastructure, but had many beneficial effects on river ecosystems and stream functions. Flooding is a natural component of river systems that is vital for many ecological and physical processes. Following the flood, rebuilding infrastructure was given top priority and permitting processes were suspended or expedited to facilitate reconstruction activities. In many cases, emergency reconstruction activities led to degradation of stream functions and aquatic habitat. Degradation was often associated with the creation of trapezoidal and armored channels. Initial monitoring following the flood showed variable impacts to fish populations, with changes in trout abundance ranging from -58% to +69% at sites that were severely impacted by the flood but not further altered during emergency reconstruction. Monitoring sites that underwent substantial channel alterations during emergency reconstruction had an average change in trout abundance of -95%. Floods may provide an opportunity to improve a variety of stream functions related to channel stability, flood conveyance, geomorphology, water quality, and habitat connectivity. However, programmatic constraints at both the state and federal level limit opportunities to improve rivers beyond their preflood condition. Addressing permitting and funding constraints prior to the next major flood could greatly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency flood response while reducing long-term maintenance and stream restoration costs. [show more]                