Buffalo Lake Research Articles

Trophic status of a non-native crayfish in an oligotrophic lake: bottom-up view of a mixed warmwater and coldwater sport fishery food web

Loffredo JR, Moore BC, Lee RW, Katz SL, Cross BK. 2019. Trophic status of a non-native crayfish in an oligotrophic lake: Bottom-up view of a mixed warmwater and coldwater sport fishery food web. Lake Reserv Manage. 35:396–414.Numerous studies in recent decades have observed variable trophic status for freshwater crayfish among endemic and exotic populations in lentic or lotic habitats. In this study, we used stable isotope analyses (SIA) to explore trophic status of an introduced population of northern crayfish (Faxonius virilis) in Buffalo Lake, Washington. Northern crayfish are an important prey item for introduced warmwater and coldwater fish species in this lentic system and may buffer competitive interactions between largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and kokanee (Oncorhynchus nerka). In 2017, the δ13C and δ15N values of liver samples from 208 crayfish informed proportional diet estimates. Crayfish diets were comprised of 8 littoral sources and were examined for cannibalism, temporal, spatial, and ontogenetic trophic shifts. There was no significant spatial or temporal trophic shift detected in this crayfish population. Seasonal δ15N values among all crayfish size classes mirrored seasonal abundance shifts of littoral macroinvertebrates. A multiple-source stable isotope mixing model and relative trophic positions provided evidence for an ontogenetic trophic shift between juvenile and adult crayfish, from a generalist detritivore to a predatory diet dominated by Chironomidae and Ephemeroptera. The trophic status of Buffalo Lake crayfish may affect salmonid management goals if interspecific competition for food between crayfish and sport fish is biologically significant. Our research is an important first step to understanding crayfish trophic status in a lentic food web, and should inform fish stocking regimes and fishery regulations in management efforts to achieve long-term sustainability of this diverse fishery.

Wildlife Refuges Support High Bee Diversity on the Southern Great Plains.

The native prairie of the southern Great Plains has been especially modified by two related forces: conversion of native prairie to agricultural forms of land use and removal of black-tailed prairie dogs (Rodentia: Sciuridae, Cynomys ludovicianus (Ord, 1815)) that act as ecosystem engineers via their burrowing and grazing activities. It is unknown how these changes have affected the native bee community. We surveyed the bee communities in relatively intact native prairie at two National Wildlife Refuges in Texas, quantifying bee community structure as a function of the presence/absence of grazing by prairie dogs. Over a 5-mo sampling period in spring-summer 2013, we found high overall bee diversity (180 species, mostly solitary ground-nesters), with differences detected in diversity between Muleshoe and Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuges as well as on and off prairie dog colonies. Although the same three species dominated the bee community at both refuges, most species were represented by relatively few individuals, leading to overall differences in diversity (richness, evenness, and effective number of species) by refuge. Bee diversity differed between sites on and off prairie dog colonies, but in trends that differed by refuge and by index, suggesting that location was more important than prairie dog presence. These results represent a reference fauna against which other regional bee communities in other land-cover types can be compared, but the high spatial heterogeneity we found indicates that detecting effects of landscape change on native bees will be challenging.

Planctopirus hydrillae sp. nov., an antibiotic producing Planctomycete isolated from the aquatic plant Hydrilla and its whole genome shotgun sequence analysis.

An antibiotic producing novel Planctomycete strain, designated JC280T, was isolated from the surface of the plant Hydrilla verticillata collected from an alkaline lake (Buffalo lake), University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India. The morphological and chemotaxonomic properties of strain JC280T were in agreement with the characteristics of the genus Planctopirus. The cell shape was spherical to ovoid and some were tear drop shaped. The cells were Gram-stain-negative divided by budding presenting stalks and rosette formation and were non-sporulating. Crateriform structures with a sub-polar flagellum were observed. Characteristic polyamines were putrescine and spermidine. Diagnostic polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, an unidentified phospholipid (PL1), unidentified glycolipids (GL1-2), an unidentified aminophospholipid (APL), and an unidentified lipid (L3). Major (>10%) fatty acids were C16:0, C17:1ω8c, C18:1ω9c, and summed feature-3. Major (88%) respiratory quinone was MK-6 with minor amount (12%) of MK-7. Strain JC280T showed 99.7% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Planctopirus limnophila DSM 3776T. To resolve their full taxonomic position, the genome sequence was obtained and compared with the available P. limnophila DSM 3776T genome. The genome sequence of strain JC280T was 5,750,243 bp in size with a total of 4490 protein-coding genes, 66 RNA genes, and 2 CRISPR repeats. Based on whole-genome statistics, ANI value, in silico DDH, diversity of secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters, distinct physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic differences, strain JC280T represents a new species in the genus Planctopirus, for which the name Planctopirus hydrillae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JC280T (=KCTC 42880T = LMG 29153T).

Echinocereus viridiflorusVarViridiflorusMortality in Shortgrass Plains of Texas: Observations Following Wildfire and Drought

Abstract: A wildfire of unknown origin ignited in October 2005 at Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Randall County, Texas, burning approximately 300 ha of shortgrass plains typified by blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) and buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides). Above-average rainfall in the year preceding the fire resulted in abundant herbaceous vegetation and, therefore, fine fuel production. Precipitation following the fire was below normal. We compared density, condition (dead or alive), basal diameters, and heights of Echinocereus viridiflorus var viridiflorus (nylon hedgehog cactus) in a population that was burned by the wildfire and a population in a nearby non-burned area. By May 2006, total density of cacti was similar in the burned and non-burned areas. However, percent mortality was significantly higher, and living plants were both shorter and narrower, in the burned population. Although mortality was high (91%), the wildfire did not kill all of the burned population. It is possible that more ...

Little Gull Sighted at Buffalo Lake, Alberta

Little Gull Sighted at Buffalo Lake, Alberta

Late Quaternary events in the Lethbridge area, Alberta

New observations in the Lethbridge area permit a more complete reconstruction of the landscape history in Late Wisconsinan and Holocene time. The plain of glacial Lake Macleod, the Lethbridge moraine, and the plain of glacial Lake Lethbridge became exposed in that order and in quick succession. Almost immediately thereafter, a discontinuous mantle of loess began to accumulate on those surfaces. The presence of Glacier Peak layer G or Manyberries tephra near the base of the loess indicates these events occurred just before 11 200 BP. The similarity of this chronology to that established for the older Green Lake end moraine in the Cypress Hills region and the fact that the younger Buffalo Lake moraine was formed before 11 000 BP indicate that deglaciation of southern Alberta proceeded very rapidly.The oldest buried paleosol observed near Lethbridge began to form shortly after 11 200 BP. Subsequently, and throughout the Holocene, intervals of loess deposition alternated with soil-forming intervals. At least six soil–landscape cycles occurred between 11 200 and 6800 BP (before the Mazama tephra was deposited), and at least five cycles occurred subsequently. Occurrences of postglacial loess more than 3 m thick are common. A column of 6.7 m of loess, including 12 paleosols, was observed at one site.

Geomorphic effects of a 10‐year storm on a small drainage Basin in the Texas Panhandle

AbstractBedded Permian salt in the Palo Duro Basin of the Texas Panhandle is being considered for isolation of nuclear waste. Studies underway to evaluate the geomorphic processes affecting any waste repository that may be sited in the region include studies of the geomorphic events associated with individual storms. On 26 May, 1978, thunderstorms occurred near Canyon, Texas, which received 130mm of rain, and on a small instrumented watershed at Buffalo Lake, 16 km to the southwest, which received 71 mm of rain. Rainfall at Buffalo Lake was concentrated in a period of 3 hours, representing a return period of approximately 10 years and a maximum 30‐minute intensity of 64 mm/hour.Erosion‐pin fields, topographic surveys, and stakes for headcut monitoring had been established 2 to 3 months before the storm in a 640‐m long tributary canyon to Tierra Blanca Creek downstream of Buffalo Lake. Canyon slopes of moderately to slightly calichified sands and gravels of the Ogallala Formation are capped by well‐indurated caliche on the canyon rim. Erosion‐pin fields showed average net erosion of 2·4 cm (0° to 9° slope) to 2·7 cm (10° to 19° slope) and a single‐pin maximum value of 6·2 cm in the 20° to 29° slope class. Headcuts 1 to 2 m deep in alluvial‐colluvial material on the floor of the canyon migrated as much as 12 m upstream. Canyon floor deposition occurred as a series of elongate bars, 16m long and longer, located at the mouth of tributary gullies, downstream from scours, and at slope breaks. Grain sizes ranged from boulders up to 70cm in intermediate axis deposited in the upper canyon to fine to very fine sand deposited as a sheet up to 25cm thick beyond the mouth of the canyon at Tierra Blanca Creek.In an adjacent canyon a sequence of irregular beds of caliche gravel, mixed sand and gravel, and fine sand up to 3 m thick is exposed. Comparison of this sequence with deposits resulting from the 26 May, 1978, storm suggests that the coarse fraction of the alluvial sequence is deposited by repetitive major storm events. Cobble and boulder units 30 to 70cm thick can evidently be deposited in a few hours. Under the continental climate of the Texas Panhandle, erosion, deposition, and stream incision are taking place primarily in discrete steps related to episodes of intense rainfall.

Orientation of Waterfowl Migration in the Southwestern United States

Observations of the nocturnal migration of waterfowl were made with FAA en route radars at 6 sites in the Southwest during the spring and autumn migrations of 1973 and 1974. The mean direction of autumn migration was towards 1500, and showed little correlation to any of the environmental factors measured during the study. This was probably because migrants were at or near the end of their migration and were strongly goal oriented, and, therefore, less likely to be affected by external forces. The mean direction of spring migration was towards 150, and was closely related to the direction of the wind at the time. Southerly winds resulted in northward migration. There was a higher correlation with winds 1,700 m above the surface than with lower winds, indicating that the birds probably were moving at the higher levels. The direction of migration at Phoenix, Arizona, was different from that at the other 5 stations. Migrants passing over Phoenix appear to be associated with the Pacific Flyway rather than the Central Flyway. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 44(2):447-455 Many environmental factors influence the orientation of migrants in airspace (for review, see Emlen 1975). Individual weather variables have been examined, both for their use by migrants as orientation cues and for their influence on the navigational abilities of migrants. Few meteorological variables have the potential to serve as orientation cues. One that has received much attention recently is the direction of the wind. Gauthreaux and Able (1970) found that passerine migrants use the wind for orientation, and tend to fly downwind. Wind also can affect the ability of birds to navigate to a specific goal. Because passerines are slow flyers, they are susceptible to being drifted off course by less-thanfavorable winds. Waterfowl and shorebirds, on the other hand, are swift, strong fliers and, therefore, are less likely to be displaced by the wind. Depending upon their navigational abilities, waterfowl are more capable of compensating for deflecting winds while in flight than are passerines. Other meteorological phenomena have been reported to influence waterfowl migration: the altitude where air temperature equals 0 C (Beason 1978), snow (Blokpoel et al. 1975), and clouds and fog (Bellrose 1967). For the most part, these variables have been examined for their influence on the amount of migration taking place. The objective of this paper is to examine the influence of various weather variables on the direction of waterfowl migration, rather than on its magnitude. Many individuals assisted me in this study. The project was initiated under the auspices of the U.S. Air Force at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, and completed under a contract from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, Maryland. Personnel of the following national wildlife refuges provided census data and observations of migration in their areas: Bitter Lake, Bosque del Apache, Buffalo Lake, Las Vegas, Maxwell, and Muleshoe. The r dar maintenance crews and supervisors at the Albuquerque air route traffic control center provided assistance in setting up the camera equipment at the center and helped keep check on it. F. Fuersch 1 Present address: Department of Biology, State University of New York, Geneseo, NY 14454. J. Wildl. Manage. 44(2):1980 447 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.52 on Sat, 22 Oct 2016 04:55:59 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 448 ORIENTATION OF WATERFOWL MIGRATION * Beason

Buffalo lake recreational water quality: a study in bacteriological data interpretation

Limited water resources in semi-arid regions can create a heavy public demand to use available water storage lakes for multiple use recreational purposes. Since bacteriological measurements of recreational water quality must be based on the detection of fecal contamination by all warm-blooded animals, this paper offers a rationale for the fecal coliform concept with respect to: sanitary significance, density relationships with fecal streptococci, and illustrates a bacteriological approach to a study of water quality in Buffalo Lake. Buffalo Lake, 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Amarillo, Texas, is part of a national wildlife refuge with authorized recreational uses in specified zoned areas to include swimming, water skiing, fishing, boating, and camping. Source water is derived from a drainage basin receiving only 15 in. (38.1 cm) of rainfall per year and supporting a human population of approximately 15,000 persons and a cattle feedlot population of approximately 180,000 animals. During the prevailing long dry weather periods the natural bathing water quality in the lake is excellent, as illustrated during a 1-week period (June 1968) when the fecal coliform median value from all 48 samples collected at six locations was 7 organisms per 100 ml. Stormwater runoff produced by infrequent heavy thunder-showers results in a dramatic deterioration in water quality for feeder streams, and subsequently produces a bacteriological impact on Buffalo Lake water quality which may be seen in fecal coliform values far in excess of the 200 organisms per 100 ml limit recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Water Quality Criteria. Corrective measures are discussed to more adequately control the pollutional discharges from domestic sewage and cattle feedlot drainage that reaches the lake, in addition to restrictions on bathing and water skiing when inflow from source waters temporarily reaches more than 450 acre-ft (5.6 × 10 5 m 3) as a result of stormwater runoff; restrictions on horsepower limit and total number of motorboats, plus continuous maintenance and enforcement of a buffer zone between the wildlife refuge area and those areas of the lake designated for swimming, wading, and skiing.

Chronology and Behavior of American Widgeon Wintering in Texas

American widgeon (Mareca americans) wintering in the Texas Panhandle in recent years began arriving by September 10. The main flock arrived on an average date of October 27 at Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge. Peak widgeon populations, sometimes numbering over 200,000 birdls at Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, are usually reached by late December. Widgeon may comprise as much as 30 percent of the total duck population wintering in the Panhandle region. Sex ratios at this time typically show a preponderance of males (average of 65 percent). Widgeon are generally regarded as initiating courtship later ian most other species of puddle ducks (Anss spp.), but courtship behavior, as measured by male-female associations, was observed in 27 percent of the widgeon wintering near Lubbock in late November 1970. Courtship flights were observed on several occasions as were three instances of copulatory sequences. The earliest copulation occurred on January 22, 1971, well in advance of dates published elsewhere. After a wintering period of 10b105 days, the widgeon at each refuge departed the Texas Panhandle for their northern breeding areas. Current trends in North American waterfowl populations dictate that species of ducks not affected by drought or not adequately harvested should be identified so that sport hunting may be sustained at moderate levels ( Crissey 1965 ) . The advent of the point system has additionally contributed to ffie importance of minor species in the bag limit. The American widgeon population in the Central Flyway, and elsewhere, is significant in this context. Moreover, there is a general paucity of information concerning this species and its behavior during the winter months. As widgeon are abundant in much of the Texas Panhandle, a study of their migrational chronology, behavior, and general population characteristics in winter seems timely to the concept of species management. We are indebted to B. Blair and P. Ferguson at Muleshoe and Buffalo Lake national wildlife refuges, respectively, and to J. F. Gray for access to his land. We thank F. lThis study was supported by a grant from Organized Research for Agriculture, College of Agricultural Sciences, Texas Tech University. 752 C. Bellrose for assistance with the manuscript. REGIONAL DESCRIPTION

Effects of Hydrodynamic Pressure Interference on Reservoir Performance, Buffalo Lake D-3 Pool

Abstract Articles in the literature have presented theoretical methods of solving the material balance equation (MBE) for partial water drive reservoirs. The theory and application of solving MBE by the straight line concept was an extension of the original idea presented by van Everdingen et al. In these solutions, the effects of hydrodynamic pressure interference from other pools located in the same aquifer were not considered. Mortada, Robinson and other authors investigated interference between pools, but unfortunately for the practicing reservoir engineer none of them published a complete factual field study of such an interference phenomenon. The present investigation examines qualitatively the physical effects of interference on the solution of the MBE, and particularly the effects of interference on a pool discovered some time after a reduction of its reservoir pressure had already occurred. It is emphasized that this particular solution may well surpass the limits of applicability of the MBE. This concept has no precedent (to the best of our knowledge) in the petroleum engineering literature, and therefore the contribution of this paper is in the physical definition and use of the interrelated physical parameters and the qualitative correlation of all the many necessary conditions imposed on the successful solution of the MBE. It is not expected that the basic assumptions or solutions are unique or that they will be entirely free of dispute. However, realizing these limitations, it is hoped that a practical method has been presented which will allow the handling of similar reservoir problems. Of subordinate importance is a re-emphasis of the simplicity of applying the constant terminal rate method and the superposition theorem for predicting pressures within the aquifer. The application uses the straight-line method approach for an explicit evaluation of the unknown parameters of the aquifer. Once these unknown parameters are determined (i.e., after obtaining a satisfactory match with the available pressure-production history), pressure performance for any future rate can be simply predicted using a desk calculator. Introduction The effects of hydrodynamic pressure interference between pools producing from a common aquifer have been described in general terms in the literature. The present study presents a field example of an interference problem and the solution of the expanded material balance equation (EMBE) while accounting for such effects. As pointed out by Mortada, the rate of propagation of the pressure decline can be such as to significantly reduce the pressure many miles from the producing pool. In his paper he referred to the Woodbine formation in East Texas where a dozen or more pools draw on that horizon for water drive. A similar situation also exists in Alberta, Canada, where many Devonian (Leduc) D-3 reef pools are developed on a common water bearing platform stratigraphically identified as the Cooking Lake formation (Fig. 2). A unique situation which complicates the simple interference problem occurs when the pool to be evaluated is discovered some time subsequent to a drop in its initial pressure due to interference from other pools (p (discovery) less than p i). The application of material balance principles to such a pool therefore requires adjustments of its pressure performance history to account for the effects of interference, not only during its exploitation life, but also before its discovery. Furthermore, because of the inherent limitations of the EMBE, heuristic criteria must be used to adequately describe such a complicated physical phenomenon. Independent principles such as geology, geophysics or even logic must be used to relate the material balance solutions. Such a non-mathematical approach admittedly renders the answers open to some question; however, realizing these limitations, the acceptability of such a semi-quantitative solution should not be impaired by the unknown exactness of the final results. Theory EMBE With Interference Term In a reservoir which suffers from hydrodynamic interference, the measured, instantaneous, effective pressure drops are numerically greater than those caused by the net withdrawals from that particular field alone. JPT P. 23ˆ

Remedial Instruction in Spelling

This article outlines a technique for selecting poor spellers, describes the type of remedial instruction administered in Buffalo Lake, Minnesota, in an effort to improve spelling ability, and summarizes the results of such instruction as measured by certain tests. In September, 1926, the spelling ability of each pupil in Grades III-VIII, inclusive, was measured by three different methods: i. A standard test. Each grade was given a test consisting of twenty-five words selected at random from the column of the Ayres Spelling Scale for which the standard percentage of accuracy for that grade is 84. Thus, Grade VI was given twenty-five words from Column M; Grade V, twenty-five words from Column 0; etc. The pupil's score on this test gave his spelling ability a rank as compared with an established norm.

Additional Comments Regarding Mallards Wintering at Buffalo Lake, Alberta, 1923-24

Additional Comments Regarding Mallards Wintering at Buffalo Lake, Alberta, 1923-24

Large Numbers of Mallards Remain in Buffalo Lake, Alberta, Throughout Winter

Large Numbers of Mallards Remain in Buffalo Lake, Alberta, Throughout Winter

XXIV.—Further Notes on Birds observed at Alix, Buffalo Lake, and Red Deer in the Province of Alberta, Canada, in1915 and 1916

XXIV.—<i>Further Notes on Birds observed at Alix, Buffalo Lake, and Red Deer in the Province of Alberta, Canada, in</i>1915 <i>and</i> 1916