Graduation date: 1999

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2006. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-68). Also available on the World Wide Web.

I identified the seasonal ranges and migration routes for Rocky mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) that summered on the White Mountains Apache Reservation (reservation). I described elk distributions, movements, diets, and behaviors related to habitats in the White Mountains, Arizona from October 1983 to July 1986. I identified neonatal elk hiding habitats and how long they were used. Adult and neonatal elk were captured and radio collared. I determined movements and habitat use from direct observations of marked elk relocated by radio-telemetry. Yearly home ranges in this population were large; 638.9 ± 465.2 (SE) km² and 385.7 ± 313.1 km² for males and females, respectively. Distances elk moved/day were greater in summer (7.5 ± 0.3 km) and fall (6.5 ± 0.4) than in winter (3.2 ± 0.2 km). In summer, males selected spruce (Picea spp.) forests and associated clear cuts while females selected mixed-conifer types. In winter, males selected juniper (Juniperus spp.) and cleared sites. Females selected junipers and cleared sites, but also selected meadows and mixed-confer sites. Daily and seasonal elk activity patterns were similar to those reported elsewhere. Seasonal segregation of male and female elk groups occurred and was most related to elevational (and associated habitat) differences. Females moved to higher elevations, following snowmelt, earlier than males in spring, but males moved to higher elevations than females by summer. In fall, males and females used habitats at mid-elevations. Females were more frequently seen in forested types than males which were often observed in small forest openings. Habitat differences in winter were mostly spatial rather than structural. Spring elk diets were dominated by grasses (57.8%), summer diets by forbs (65.6%), fall diets by grasses (35.2%) and forbs (37.9%), and winter diets by evergreen oaks (Quercus spp.) (41.0%). Diets were similar between sexes in all seasons. Neonatal elk hid until 16 days old. Calves <10 days old moved less than calves ≥10 days old. Calf hiding sites were in mid-elevational ponderosa (Pinus ponderosa) on gentle southwest slopes. Hiding cover 0.36 m to 1.70 m tall was the most important component of calf hiding sites.

Research was conducted near the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range in northeastern Oregon. Effects of defoliating bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum (Pursh) Scribn. and Smith) to increase the quality of regrowth available on elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) winter range were studied from 1988 through 1990. Clipping treatments were implemented to condition the forage regrowth. Treatments were no defoliation, spring defoliation (7.6 cm stubble height) in June, and fall defoliation (7.6 cm stubble height) in September. Percent calcium, phosphorus, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), and available forage (kg/ha DM) of regrowth present on control, spring defoliated, and fall defoliated plots were determined in November and April of both years. Conditioned forage that was again defoliated in the winter was also analyzed for nutrient quality and available forage. Spring conditioning did not affect (p > 0.05) the forage in percent calcium, phosphorus, or available forage, and only slightly increased the IVDMD, when compared to the control in November. In November, the control and spring conditioned forages were deficient in meeting elk requirements for phosphorus, and contained wide calcium to phosphorus ratios. The forages were below 50% IVDMD, and digestible energy levels were below animal requirements in year 1, indicating that spring conditioning did not have an effect on the quality of winter range forage. Defoliation in the vegetative phenology stage allowed the regrowth to complete the growing season similarly as undefoliated plants. Fall conditioning significantly increased the percent phosphorus and IVDMD, while decreasing the available forage compared to the control and spring conditioned forage in November. Fall conditioned forage exceeded elk requirements in both calcium and phosphorus. The calcium to phosphorus ratio was near the optimum absorption range. Digestibility was high, and digestible energy levels were above animal requirements for both years. Fall conditioning however, may create a severe deficit of forage if regrowth is not achieved. In April, there were no differences among treatments in percent calcium, phosphorus, or available forage. Forage from all treatments exceeded elk requirements in calcium and phosphorus, and the calcium to phosphorus ratio would allow optimum absorption of both minerals. Digestibility was high for forage from all treatments. This indicated that the previous years defoliation did not effect forage quality the following spring. Conditioned forage that was again defoliated in the winter was not different in percent calcium or phosphorus when compared to the control in April. Depending on the year and conditioning treatment, there were statistically significant differences in IVDMD and available forage between the control and the winter defoliated samples in April. Conditioned forage that was not defoliated in the winter (April (U)) and winter defoliated samples (April (W)) were comparable in forage quality and available forage in April, though statistical differences were calculated for the spring conditioned samples in year 1, and fall conditioned samples in year 2. / Graduation date: 1992

Thesis (PhD)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2008. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Robert A. Garrott. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Alberta, 1997. / A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, Department of Renewable Resources. Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.A.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2006. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Robert Campbell. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 179-192).

Thesis (M.A.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2007. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Scott Creel. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-44).

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1987. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-95). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Master of Science / Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources / Ryan L. Sharp / Elk in Kansas were an abundant tallgrass prairie species prior to European settlement. Elk were extirpated in the 1870s and reintroduced in the late 1980s. After three decades, wild populations continue to be low in spite of good biological conditions. Broad, low stakeholder acceptance are a suspected limiting factor. Wildlife stakeholder acceptance capacity (WSAC) and tolerance models helped to frame results from an internet based survey (n=460) directed to all Kansas counties. Respondents reported high mean positive wildlife values, acceptance for elk population increase, and significantly (p<0.05) higher personal acceptance for elk than the level of acceptance they perceived in others. Encountering wild elk in Kansas was unrelated to acceptance but strongly predicted providing wildlife habitat on private land. Hunters reported the strongest wildlife attitudes but this result was not correlated with elk acceptance. Intangible benefits (e.g. positive meaningful experiences) strongly affected (p<0.00) wildlife attitudes and elk acceptance. Tangible benefits (e.g. money) was unrelated to wildlife values but respondents who reported tangible benefits from four or more wildlife species showed higher acceptance for elk on personal property than groupings based on other variables. WSAC theory suggests social carrying capacity for elk is significantly above the current population and Kansans are more accepting of wildlife than previously thought. Wildlife managers may be encouraged by these results to conduct their own social feasibility study regarding increasing the elk population to a more ecologically sustainable level.