Research Interests: Natural History and Cliff
In 1972 and 1973 we collected 1,339 clutches of eggs of anhingas (Anhinga anhinga) and 17 species of waders (herons, egrets, bitterns, ibises, and storks). We analyzed the eggs for organochlorine residues and compared shell thickness of... more
In 1972 and 1973 we collected 1,339 clutches of eggs of anhingas (Anhinga anhinga) and 17 species of waders (herons, egrets, bitterns, ibises, and storks). We analyzed the eggs for organochlorine residues and compared shell thickness of these eggs and others collected since 1946 (and now in museum collections) with shell thickness of eggs collected before the widespread use of organochlorine pesticides. The overall frequency of residue occurrence was higher in eggs from the Great Lakes region, then in those from the Northern Atlantic Coast, Southern Atlantic Coast, Inland, and Gulf Coast regions. Residue concentrations also were usually higher in eggs from the Northern Atlantic Coast and Great Lakes than in those from the other three regions, but there was no consistent pattern among those three regions. Among species, the highest residue frequencies and concentrations were usually in eggs of great blue herons (Ardea herodias), wood storks (Mycteria americana), black-crowned night h...
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Research Interests:
: In response to the need for a modeling system for the northern pintail (anas acuta), we adapted the productivity component of the mallard model to northern pintails. We modified only the productivity component. Our specific objectives... more
: In response to the need for a modeling system for the northern pintail (anas acuta), we adapted the productivity component of the mallard model to northern pintails. We modified only the productivity component. Our specific objectives were to (1) compare the similarities and differences in breeding biology of northern pintails and mallards and identify aspects of northern pintails with inadequate data, (2) modify the productivity component of the mallard model as necessary for northern pintails, (3) conduct sensitivity analysis of the northern pintail productivity component, and (4) test the northern pintail model with available field data or expert opinion on the species breeding biology.
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Organochlorine residues and shell thicknesses were surveyed in eggs of the clapper rail (Rallus longirostris), purple gallinule (Porphyrula martinica), common gallinule (Gallinula chloropas), and limpkin (Aramus guarauna) from the eastern... more
Organochlorine residues and shell thicknesses were surveyed in eggs of the clapper rail (Rallus longirostris), purple gallinule (Porphyrula martinica), common gallinule (Gallinula chloropas), and limpkin (Aramus guarauna) from the eastern and southern United States. Clapper rail eggs were collected during 1972-73 in New Jersey, Virginia, and South Carolina. During 1973-74, gallinule eggs were collected in Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana, and limpkin eggs were collected in Florida. Egg contents were analyzed for residues of organochlorine pesticides, including DDT, TDE, DDE, dieldrin, mirex, heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, cis-chlordane (and/or trans-nonachlor), cis-nonachlor, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), toxaphene, and endrin, and for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Shell thicknesses of recent eggs of these species were compared with archival eggs that had been collected before 1947. With the exception of the limpkin, the majority of eggs analyzed contained residues of p,p...
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We examined the abundance and species richness of birds breeding in flood- plain forests of the Upper Mississippi River from 1992 to 1994 to identify effects of a major flood in 1993 on the bird assemblage. Sixty-five study plots were... more
We examined the abundance and species richness of birds breeding in flood- plain forests of the Upper Mississippi River from 1992 to 1994 to identify effects of a major flood in 1993 on the bird assemblage. Sixty-five study plots were divided into treatments and controls based on whether they were flooded in 1993. Among 84 species observed on all plots, 41 species decreased in abundance from 1992 to 1994, 13 species increased, and numbers of 5 species were unchanged. Sample sizes were inadequate to evaluate trends for 25 species. Species richness declined over the three-year period. The main effect "year" was significant in 20 of the 36 species tested. Cool, wet conditions may have contributed to poor reproductive success in 1993 and resulted in widespread declines in abundance during the year following the flood. Bird abundance increased on most unflooded plots in 1993, prob- ably because birds were displaced from flooded plots. This pattern was most striking for Neotropi...
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Research Interests: Documentation and Finch
... 1 Present address : Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 6924 Tremont Road, Dixon ... strip of upland that rises abruptly in elevation and averages about 200 m in width. ... Remains of eight adult ducks... more
... 1 Present address : Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 6924 Tremont Road, Dixon ... strip of upland that rises abruptly in elevation and averages about 200 m in width. ... Remains of eight adult ducks included on e fern ale blue-winged teal {Anas discars ...
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The Iowa Gap Analysis Project (IA GAP) began in 1997 to identify areas in the state where vertebrate species richness lacked adequate protection under existing land ownership and management regimes. To accomplish this goal, the IA GAP... more
The Iowa Gap Analysis Project (IA GAP) began in 1997 to identify areas in the state where vertebrate species richness lacked adequate protection under existing land ownership and management regimes. To accomplish this goal, the IA GAP team prepared an assortment of datasets that led to three main pieces of information: Iowa vegetation types; Iowa vertebrate/habitat relationship models for 288 species; Iowa land stewardship (ownership and management). When the project began, there were few stat ewide datasets available that provided the type of data needed for this project. Conse quently, much effort was devoted to building the previously mentioned key da ta layers at a sufficiently fine scale and resolution for subsequent analysis. At the completion of the project, these data became freely available, with the intent that they will be used by those responsible for managing the state’s valuable natural resources, and by the public, so that every one can be better informed. With this i...
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Research Interests:
Chiung-Fen Yen, Erwin E. Klass and Yeong-Choy Kam (1996) Variation in nesting success of the American Robin, Turdus migratorius. Zoological Studies 35(3): 220-226. We studied breeding ecology of the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) on... more
Chiung-Fen Yen, Erwin E. Klass and Yeong-Choy Kam (1996) Variation in nesting success of the American Robin, Turdus migratorius. Zoological Studies 35(3): 220-226. We studied breeding ecology of the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) on the campus of Iowa State University. We estimated nest success, as measured by the Mayfield method, to be 53.6% for the 13-day incubation interval, 77.5% for the 12-day nestling interval, and 41.2% for the entire nesting cycle. Daily survival rates did not differ between small and large clutches, but nests on buildings experienced a much lower success rate (3.2%) than nests placed in trees and shrubs (44.0%). Early season nests placed in trees and shrubs were less successful (37.1 %) than late season nests in trees and shrubs (66.7%) (p < 0.05). Daily survival rateS during the nestling period were consistently higher than during the incubation period in all analyses. Predation was the major cause of mortality for eggs, whereas predation and starv...
Studies comparing recently collected eggs with those in archival collections have shown that shell thickness in certain predatory (including fish-eating) birds has decreased significantly since the introduction and widespread use of... more
Studies comparing recently collected eggs with those in archival collections have shown that shell thickness in certain predatory (including fish-eating) birds has decreased significantly since the introduction and widespread use of persistent chemical insecticides, particularly DDT (Ratcliffe, 1967, 1970; Hickey and Anderson, 1968; Anderson and Hickey, 1970, 1972; Peakall, 1970; Blus, 1970; Blus et al., 1972; Koeman et al., 1972). This decrease in shell thickness is correlated with reproductive failures in some of these species, with populations declining when thinning persists for a period of years. Baseline data on eggshell thickness depend on studies of archival egg collections, which have had few additions since the 1930's-when severe restrictions were placed on egg collecting as a conservation measure. For more recent data, interested researchers must often collect eggs themselves, and they are faced with many problems. These include optimal allocation of time and resource...
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Field notes were contributed by James J. Dinsmore and other observers. A letter from Richard Sojda to James J. Dinsmore regarding the sighting of a Least Tern and verifying documentation of an extraordinary sighting of a Prairie Falcon... more
Field notes were contributed by James J. Dinsmore and other observers. A letter from Richard Sojda to James J. Dinsmore regarding the sighting of a Least Tern and verifying documentation of an extraordinary sighting of a Prairie Falcon contributed by Erwin E. Klaas are included. This item was used as supporting documentation for the Iowa Ornithologists’ Union Quarterly field report of fall 1982.
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Eggs from four species of aquatic birds inhabitating waterways of the Lake St. Clair region were collected in 1973 and analyzed for mercury. Species analyzed were mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), common terns (Sterna hirundo),... more
Eggs from four species of aquatic birds inhabitating waterways of the Lake St. Clair region were collected in 1973 and analyzed for mercury. Species analyzed were mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), common terns (Sterna hirundo), black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax), and great egrets (Casmerodius albus). Mallard eggs contained relatively low residue levels, < 0.05-0.26 ppm, and common tern eggs contained the
Research Interests: Mercury, Birds, Animals, Michigan, Ducks, and 5 moreEggs, Time Factors, Mallard, Species Specificity, and Anas Platyrhynchos
We examined the abundance and species richness of birds breeding in flood- plain forests of the Upper Mississippi River from 1992 to 1994 to identify effects of a major flood in 1993 on the bird assemblage. Sixty-five study plots were... more
We examined the abundance and species richness of birds breeding in flood- plain forests of the Upper Mississippi River from 1992 to 1994 to identify effects of a major flood in 1993 on the bird assemblage. Sixty-five study plots were divided into treatments and controls based on whether they were flooded in 1993. Among 84 species observed on all plots,
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... ERWIN E. KLAAS ... Ardea herodias is a summer resident in Kansas, where more than 100 nesting colonies are known in the eastern and central parts of the State (Andrews and Stephens, mimeographed report, Kansas State College, Emporia,... more
... ERWIN E. KLAAS ... Ardea herodias is a summer resident in Kansas, where more than 100 nesting colonies are known in the eastern and central parts of the State (Andrews and Stephens, mimeographed report, Kansas State College, Emporia, May, 1961). ...
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... 1Present address: US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA. ... that the probability of nest depredation would be higher early rather than later in the nesting... more
... 1Present address: US Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, 2630Fanta Reed Road, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA. ... that the probability of nest depredation would be higher early rather than later in the nesting season (Wilson and Cooper 1998). ...
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... Geese were collected in January and February 1983 in the southern portions of Jefferson Davis Parish. CORN.-Snow geese were shot at the north-ern edge of their winter range near Riverton (40040&amp;amp;#x27;N,... more
... Geese were collected in January and February 1983 in the southern portions of Jefferson Davis Parish. CORN.-Snow geese were shot at the north-ern edge of their winter range near Riverton (40040&amp;amp;#x27;N, 95035&amp;amp;#x27;W), Iowa, during January 1983 and February 1984; near Schell City ...
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The Iowa Gap Analysis Project (IA GAP) began in 1997 to identify areas in the state where vertebrate species richness lacked adequate protection under existing land ownership and management regimes.To accomplish this goal, the IA GAP team... more
The Iowa Gap Analysis Project (IA GAP) began in 1997 to identify areas in the state where vertebrate species richness lacked adequate protection under existing land ownership and management regimes.To accomplish this goal, the IA GAP team prepared an assortment of datasets that led to three main pieces of information: -- Iowa vegetation types -- Iowa vertebrate/habitat relationship models for 288 species -- Iowa land stewardship (ownership and management) When the project began, there were few statewide datasets available that provided the type of data needed for this project. Consequently, much effort was devoted to building the previously mentioned key data layers at a sufficiently fine scale and resolution for subsequent analysis. At the completion of the project, these data became freely available, with the intent that they will be used by those responsible for managing the state’s valuable natural resources, and by the public, so that every one can be better informed. With this...
... HARRY M. OHLENDORF, ERWIN E. KLAAS AND T. EARL KAISER ... 1971). Similar correlations have been reported in other fish-eating birds (Fox 1976, Vermeer and Reynolds 1970, Vermeer and Risebrough 1972), and Wood Storks and Anhingas are... more
... HARRY M. OHLENDORF, ERWIN E. KLAAS AND T. EARL KAISER ... 1971). Similar correlations have been reported in other fish-eating birds (Fox 1976, Vermeer and Reynolds 1970, Vermeer and Risebrough 1972), and Wood Storks and Anhingas are primarily fish eaters. ...
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Page 1. An Interdecadal Comparison of Population Parameters of Brown Pelicans in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands JAIME A. COLLAZO1&#x27; 6, TUNDI AGARDY 2&#x27;5, ERWIN E. KLAA3S,JORGE E. SALIVA4 AND JUDY PIERCE2 ...
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... ROBERT B. FREDERICK2 and ERWIN E. KLAAS, Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit,3 Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011; GUY A BALDASSARRE,4 Department of Range and Wildlife Management, Texas Tech University, Lub-bock, TX 79409; and... more
... ROBERT B. FREDERICK2 and ERWIN E. KLAAS, Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit,3 Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011; GUY A BALDASSARRE,4 Department of Range and Wildlife Management, Texas Tech University, Lub-bock, TX 79409; and KENNETH J ...
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Research Interests:
... ROBERT B. FREDERICK, Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 ERWIN E. KLAAS, Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, IA ... R. Bishop, R. Dahlgren, J. Dinsmore, and... more
... ROBERT B. FREDERICK, Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 ERWIN E. KLAAS, Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames, IA ... R. Bishop, R. Dahlgren, J. Dinsmore, and D. Cox provided helpful advice. ...