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The Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) is a small sea duck, which travels inland to breed on fresh water streams. Harlequins breed in western North America from Alaska and the Yukon south through western Montana to California (Harlequin Duck Working Group 1993); in eastern North America, they breed from Baffin Island south to eastern Quebec and Labrador (Goudie 1993). In the Palaearctic, they breed in Iceland, Greenland and Siberia (A.O.U. 1983). Approximately 110-150 pairs of Harlequins currently breed in Montana (Reichel and Genter 1994), with most located in the following areas: 1) tributaries of the lower Clark Fork River; 2) tributaries of the North, Middle, and South forks of the Flathead river; 3) streams coming off the east front of the Rocky Mountains; and 4) the boulder River (Miller 1988, 1989, Kerr 1989, Carlson 1990, Fairman And Miller 1990, Diamond and Finnegan 1992,1993). During the breeding season, Harlequins are found along fast mountain streams (Bengston 1966). In many areas, harlequins use streams with dense timber or shrubs on the banks (Cassirer and Groves 1990), but they are also found in relatively open streams along the east slope of the Rocky Mountains, Montana (Markum and Genter 1990, Diamond and Finnegan 1992), and the arctic tundra (Bengston 1972). In Idaho, 90% of observations occurred near old growth or mature timber stands (Cassirer and Groves 1990). Mid-stream rocks, logs, islands, or stream-side gravel bars serve as safe loafing sites and appear to be important habitat components. Most of the ducks arrive on their inland breeding areas in mid-April to early May; unmated males typically arrive before pairs (Kuchel 1977). The females and young remain on the streams until August or early September. This chronology is influenced by elevation and by the timing of spring runoff, it may vary up to several weeks between years. The U.S. Forest Service, Region 1, lists the Harlequin Duck as Sensitive (Reel et al 1989). The species is listed as a Species of Concern by the Montana (Montana Natural Heritage Program 1994) and Idaho (Idaho Conservation Data Center 1994) Natural Heritage Programs. The eastern and western populations are both listed under Category 2 as candidates for protection under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Department of Interior 1991). The Montana Natural Heritage Program began surveying Harlequin Ducks in 1988. The survey data gave rise to questions involving site fidelity, productivity and mortality. We began individually marking Harlequins to a limited extent in 1991; through 1995, a total of 249 Harlequins were marked on 9 streams, representing the largest population of marked Harlequins from breeding streams. Birds marked in Montana have subsequently been captured and observed on the coasts of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, with most reports coming from Vancouver Island. During that time, we observed 20 previously marked adults returning to Montana streams.
Prepare for a different kind of singularity in Peter Watts' Echopraxia, the follow-up to the Hugo-nominated novel Blindsight It's the eve of the twenty-second century: a world where the dearly departed send postcards back from Heaven and evangelicals make scientific breakthroughs by speaking in tongues; where genetically engineered vampires solve problems intractable to baseline humans and soldiers come with zombie switches that shut off self-awareness during combat. And it's all under surveillance by an alien presence that refuses to show itself. Daniel Bruks is a living fossil: a field biologist in a world where biology has turned computational, a cat's-paw used by terrorists to kill thousands. Taking refuge in the Oregon desert, he's turned his back on a humanity that shatters into strange new subspecies with every heartbeat. But he awakens one night to find himself at the center of a storm that will turn all of history inside-out. Now he's trapped on a ship bound for the center of the solar system. To his left is a grief-stricken soldier, obsessed by whispered messages from a dead son. To his right is a pilot who hasn't yet found the man she's sworn to kill on sight. A vampire and its entourage of zombie bodyguards lurk in the shadows behind. And dead ahead, a handful of rapture-stricken monks takes them all to a meeting with something they will only call "The Angels of the Asteroids." Their pilgrimage brings Dan Bruks, the fossil man, face-to-face with the biggest evolutionary breakpoint since the origin of thought itself. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The primary purpose of this book is to provide information on each of the species of the waterfowl family in a standardized format and easily accessible manner.
Since the early 1970s, experts have recognized that petroleum pollutants were being discharged in marine waters worldwide, from oil spills, vessel operations, and land-based sources. Public attention to oil spills has forced improvements. Still, a considerable amount of oil is discharged yearly into sensitive coastal environments. Oil in the Sea provides the best available estimate of oil pollutant discharge into marine waters, including an evaluation of the methods for assessing petroleum load and a discussion about the concerns these loads represent. Featuring close-up looks at the Exxon Valdez spill and other notable events, the book identifies important research questions and makes recommendations for better analysis ofâ€"and more effective measures againstâ€"pollutant discharge. The book discusses: Inputâ€"where the discharges come from, including the role of two-stroke engines used on recreational craft. Behavior or fateâ€"how oil is affected by processes such as evaporation as it moves through the marine environment. Effectsâ€"what we know about the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on marine organisms and ecosystems. Providing a needed update on a problem of international importance, this book will be of interest to energy policy makers, industry officials and managers, engineers and researchers, and advocates for the marine environment.
