Food availability aligns with contrasting demographics in populations of an at-risk songbird.

Golden-winged Warblers () have become rare across much of their historic breeding range and response to conservation efforts is variable. Evidence from several recent studies suggests that breeding output is a primary driver explaining responses to conservation and it is hypothesized that differences in food availability may be driving breeding output disparity between two subpopulations of the warbler's Appalachian breeding range. Herein, we studied two subpopulations: central Pennsylvania ("central subpopulation"), where breeding productivity is relatively low, and eastern Pennsylvania ("eastern subpopulation"), where breeding productivity is relatively high.

Heterogeneity in breeding productivity is driven largely by factors affecting nestlings and young fledglings in an imperiled migratory passerine.

Identifying factors that drive variation in vital rates among populations is a prerequisite to understanding a species' population biology and, ultimately, to developing effective conservation strategies. This is especially true for imperiled species like the golden-winged warbler () that exhibit strong spatial heterogeneity in demography and responds variably to conservation interventions. Habitat management actions recommended for breeding grounds conservation include timber harvest, shrub shearing, and prescribed fire that maintain or create early successional woody communities.

Episodes of Early Pleistocene West Antarctic Ice Sheet Retreat Recorded by Iceberg Alley Sediments.

Ice loss in the Southern Hemisphere has been greatest over the past 30 years in West Antarctica. The high sensitivity of this region to climate change has motivated geologists to examine marine sedimentary records for evidence of past episodes of West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) instability. Sediments accumulating in the Scotia Sea are useful to examine for this purpose because they receive iceberg-rafted debris (IBRD) sourced from the Pacific- and Atlantic-facing sectors of West Antarctica.

Strong yet incomplete reproductive isolation in is not contradicted by other lines of evidence: A reply to Toews et al.

Toews et al. assert that strong reproductive isolation in is inconsistent with other lines of evidence. Here, we discuss how strong yet incomplete reproductive isolation is consistent with other results from this system.

Implications for evolutionary trends from the pairing frequencies among golden-winged and blue-winged warblers and their hybrids.

Extensive range loss for the Golden-winged Warbler () has occurred in areas of intrusion by the Blue-winged Warbler () potentially related to their close genetic relationship. We compiled data on social pairing from nine studies for 2,679 resident to assess evolutionary divergence. Hybridization between pure phenotypes occurred with 1.

Yellow perch genetic structure and habitat use among connected habitats in eastern Lake Michigan.

Maintenance of genetic and phenotypic diversity is widely recognized as an important conservation priority, yet managers often lack basic information about spatial patterns of population structure and its relationship with habitat heterogeneity and species movement within it. To address this knowledge gap, we focused on the economically and ecologically prominent yellow perch (). In the Lake Michigan basin, yellow perch reside in nearshore Lake Michigan, including drowned river mouths (DRMs)-protected, lake-like habitats that link tributaries to Lake Michigan.

Feather mite abundance varies but symbiotic nature of mite-host relationship does not differ between two ecologically dissimilar warblers.

Feather mites are obligatory ectosymbionts of birds that primarily feed on the oily secretions from the uropygial gland. Feather mite abundance varies within and among host species and has various effects on host condition and fitness, but there is little consensus on factors that drive variation of this symbiotic system. We tested hypotheses regarding how within-species and among-species traits explain variation in both (1) mite abundance and (2) relationships between mite abundance and host body condition and components of host fitness (reproductive performance and apparent annual survival).

Opposing deer and caterpillar foraging preferences may prevent reductions in songbird prey biomass in historically overbrowsed forests.

Overbrowsing by ungulates decimates plant populations and reduces diversity in a variety of ecosystems, but the mechanisms by which changes to plant community composition influence other trophic levels are poorly understood. In addition to removal of avian nesting habitat, browsing is hypothesized to reduce bird density and diversity through reduction of insect prey on browse-tolerant hosts left behind by deer. In this study, we excluded birds from branches of six tree species to quantify differences in songbird prey removal across trees that vary in deer browse preference.

Do multiple outcomes and conditional factors improve prediction of batterer reassault?

Researchers and practitioners recognize the need to develop better prediction of abuse and reassault among men referred to batterer programs. Previous approaches have produced relatively weak predictions for primarily dichotomized "reassault versus no reassault" outcomes. The primary objective of this research was to improve prediction using multinomial logistic regressions with multiple outcomes and conditional factors.

Homicide bereavement counseling: a survey of providers.

The opinions of 116 homicide bereavement caregivers of interventions recommended for survivors were solicited. Presenting problems, optimum treatment framework, and reasons for treatment failure were also surveyed. Respondents preferred methods associated with crisis intervention and grief counseling.