Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Montana, 2007. / Title from title screen. Description based on contents viewed Aug. 12, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (p. 367-472).

Three major occurrences in recent years have emphasized a need for new data concerning reservoir-based recreation patterns. These occurrences were: (1) the increased rate of construction of new, large reservoirs by federal agencies; (2) the increasing demand for recreation space and fishing water; and (3) the establishment of large national recreation areas around federal reservoirs.

Seasonal utilization of sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.) by waterfowl was studied at Bear River Miqratory Bird Refuge by comparing amounts of sago production on a series of plots on Unit Four. One plot was available to carp and waterfowl; one only to carp; and one available to neither. The cage used to eliminate carp and waterfowl use of a plot caused a significant increase in sago production. The increase was attributed to less turbidity and less wind and wave action within the cage. Carp distribution was limited to deep-water portions of Unit Four, a small area, and they had no significant effect on sago production. Therefore, sago production from carp and open plots was compared to determine utilization of sago by waterfowl. Waterfowl utilization of sago in summer and spring was not significant; however, 52 percent of the tuber crop was used by waterfowl in fall. The method of study did not allow detection of waterfowl use of windrowed or submersed seed. Water depths between 2 and 10 inches had little or no effect on waterfowl use of tubers in fall; however depths between 5 and 14 inches in spring and 4 and 13 inches in summer may have prevented full use of tubers. Tubers were most available to ducks in the first 6 inches of soil but were utili zed to 8 inch depths. A series of 50 foot-square pens (2,500 square feet) were stocked with semi-domestic mallards to determine the effect of certain levels of utilization on sago growth. Sago seemed to recover well after heavy spring utilization. Results concerning the effect of summer utilization on production were not conclusive. Sago recovered well in spring after waterfowl had consumed 52 percent of the tuber crop the previous fall.

Rangeland monitoring is used by land managers for assessing multiple-use management practices on western rangelands. Managers benefit from improved monitoring methods that provide rapid, accurate, cost-effective, and robust measures of rangeland health and ecological trend. In this study, we used a supervised classification image analysis approach to estimate plant cover and bare ground by functional group that can be used to monitor and assess rangeland structure. High-resolution color infrared imagery taken of 40 research plots was acquired with a UltraCam X (UCX) digital camera during summer 2011. Ground estimates of cover were simultaneously collected by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' Range Trend Project field crew within these same areas. Image analysis was conducted using supervised classification to determine percent cover from Red, Green, Blue and infrared images. Classification accuracy and mean difference between cover estimates from remote sensed imagery and those obtained from the ground were compared using an accuracy assessment with Kappa statistic and a t-test analysis, respectively. Percent cover estimates from remote sensing ranged from underestimating the surface class (rock, pavement, and bare ground) by 27% to overestimating shrubs by less than 1% when compared to field-based measurements. Overall accuracy of the supervised classification was 91% with a kappa statistic of 0.88. The highest accuracy was observed when classifying surface values (bare ground, rock) which had a user's and producer's accuracy of 92% and 93%, respectively. Although surface cover varied significantly from field-based estimates, plant cover varied only slightly, giving managers an option to assess plant cover effectively and efficiently on greater temporal and spatial extents.

Herbaceous communities are critical to the functioning of forest ecosystems. They recycle nutrients, help prevent erosion, provide critical microhabitats and maintain biodiversity. In the eastern United States, most hardwood forests are growing on land once entirely cleared or used for some form of agriculture. Although some of these forests are nearly 150 years old, they still have depauperate native herbaceous communities when compared to remaining old-growth forests. This long-term depletion may result from dispersal limitation or environmental limitation. I tested the hypothesis that dispersal was the primary factor contributing to the absence of five spring-flowering herbaceous species in four secondary mesic hardwood forests. I transplanted adults and sowed fresh propagules into chosen forests. By establishing negative controls, I showed that propagules of experimental species were not incidentally dispersed and would not have been present at the sites had I not introduced them. In all four sites, seeds of three ant-dispersed species germinated and adults of these species survived, flowered and self-sowed viable propagules. These results strongly indicated dispersal limitation in all sites. Another ant-dispersed species showed evidence of being dispersal-limited in at least two sites. The limitations of one gravity-dispersed species were unclear. I discuss results from the first year after transplanting and offer management suggestions to facilitate the return of these species to degraded forests.