Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Located on six hundred acres along the James River Valley near Jamestown, North Dakota, the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center is one of seventeen USGS Science Centers that develop and disseminate the scientific information needed to understand, conserve, and manage the Nation’s rich biological resources.
Migratory Bird Center of Excellence
Migratory Bird Center of Excellence
The Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center is known for its long history of meeting the migratory-bird research needs of Department of the Interior and the Nation.
NPWRC Science Topics
NPWRC Science Topics
Science conducted by Northern Prairie scientists can be grouped into six primary research topics:
Meet the Northern Prairie Staff
Meet the Northern Prairie Staff
Our employee directory contains names, position titles, phone numbers, email addresses, and biographies of Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center staff.
News
Publications
Small waterbodies of large conservation concern: Towards an integrated approach to more accurately measuring surface water dynamics Small waterbodies of large conservation concern: Towards an integrated approach to more accurately measuring surface water dynamics
Millions of small waterbodies are dispersed throughout the middle of the North American continent, and billions of dollars have been invested to conserve, restore, and manage these waterbodies in the 20th and 21st centuries. Small waterbody conservation has been supported by different stakeholders aiming at improving water quality, enhancing floodwater storage, and supporting migratory...
Integrating data to assess occupancy patterns of an endangered bumble bee Integrating data to assess occupancy patterns of an endangered bumble bee
There is growing interest in integrating community science data with structured monitoring data to estimate changes in distribution patterns of imperiled species, including pollinators. However, significant challenges remain in determining how unstructured community science data should be incorporated into formal analyses of species distributions. We developed a dynamic framework for...
Developing research tools for demographic study of <em>Rhynchophanes mccownii</em> (thick-billed longspurs) Developing research tools for demographic study of <em>Rhynchophanes mccownii</em> (thick-billed longspurs)
Like numerous other North American grassland bird species, Rhynchophanes mccownii (thick-billed longspur) has experienced severe population declines in the last 50 years. Little is known about population-limiting factors, and knowledge gaps limit conservation efforts on the species; however, before research studies aimed at improving conservation and management actions can be developed...
Science
Using Pollinator Environmental DNA to Assess the Ecological Resilience of America’s Grasslands
Scientists from six USGS science centers are collaborating with USDA, university, and Tribal partners, and Department of the Interior land managers, to assess the status of pollinator communities and the distribution of species of conservation concern using environmental DNA. These methods will be used to improve assessments of habitat quality and pollinator responses to restoration, including...
By
Species Management Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Great Lakes Science Center, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory
USGS Science Supporting 50 Years of the Endangered Species Act
This Endangered Species Day, we’re celebrating the USGS science that helps achieve sustainable management and conservation of some of the Nation’s most endangered flora and fauna.
Tools for the Mitigation of Habitat-Based Impacts to Birds
Compensatory mitigation is applied in grassland and wetland ecosystems to offset environmental damage from disturbances such as energy development. Energy facilities continue to proliferate across the United States, yet implementation of mitigation tools to ameliorate habitat loss or behavioural effects on wildlife is rare. NPWRC scientists conducted a 10-year Before-After, Control-Impact (BACI)...