Here are your WERC research highlights for March 2011 -- including avian flu, prescribed fire treatments, wildfire impacts, bat monitoring, bird nest predators and invasive species:

WERC Publications Briefs in March 2011
The "Publication Briefs for Resource Managers" series translates management implications of new academic papers for environmental professionals. Browse full list at http://www.werc.usgs.gov/PublicationBriefs.aspx

Prescribed Fires Can Successfully Replicate Burn Patterns Produced by Natural Fires http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4205

Analysis of Historical Fire Regimes Should Consider Impact by Early Human Migrations http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4204

Fire Regimes Can Inform Control Strategies for Invasive Alien Plants http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4203

Large California Fires Cause Shift in Reptile and Amphibian Assemblages http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4213

Raking May Help Reduce Sugar Pine Mortality Following Prescribed Fires http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4215

Prescribed Fires Can Have Long-Term Effects on Sierra Nevada Forest Structure http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4233

WERC Journal Articles in March 2011
A selection of new scientific findings from WERC researchers. Browse full list at http://www.werc.usgs.gov/Products.aspx?contentType=Journal_Article

Identifying nest predators of American avocets (Recurvirostra americana) and black-necked stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) in San Francisco Bay, California
Herring, G., J.T. Ackerman, J.Y. Takekawa, C.A. Eagles-Smith, J.M. Eadie
The Southwestern Naturalist
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4238

Impacts of the herbicide butachlor on the larvae of a paddy field breeding frog (Fejervarya limnocharis) in subtropical Taiwan
Liu, Wan-Yi, Ching-Yuh Wang, Tsu-Shing Wang, Gary M. Fellers, Bo-Chi Lai, Yeong-Choy Kam.
Ecotoxicology
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4239

Wild Bird Migration across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: A Transmission Route for Highly Pathogenic H5N1
Prosser D.J., P. Cui,  J.Y.Takekawa,   M. Tang, Y. Hou, B. M. Collins,  B. Yan, N.J. Hill,  T. Li,  Y. Li,  F. Lei,  S. Guo, Z. Xing, Y. He,  Y. Zhou,  D. C. Douglas, W. M. Perry, and  S. H. Newman
PLoS ONE
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4210

Uncloaking a cryptic, threatened rail with molecular markers: origins,connectivity and demography of a recently-discovered population.
Girard, P., J. Y. Takekawa, and S. R. Beissinger
Conservation Genetics
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4224

Potential spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wildfowl: dispersal ranges and rates determined from large-scale satellite telemetry
Gaidet, N., Cappelle, J., Takekawa, J.Y., Prosser, D.J., Iverson, S.A., Douglas, D.C., Perry, W.M., Mundkur, T. and Newman, S.H.
Journal of Applied Ecology
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4230

Quantifying the fire regime distributions for fire severity in Yosemite National Park, California, USA 
Thode, A. E., J. W. van Wagtendonk, J. D. Miller, and J. F. Quinn.
International Journal of Wildland Fire
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4236

WERC Technical Reports in March 2011
A selection of new technical reports from WERC researchers. Browse full list at http://www.werc.usgs.gov/Products.aspx?contentType=Technical_Report

Quantitative assessment of population genetic structure and historical phylogeography of the Alameda whipsnake Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus
Richmond, J.Q., D.A. Wood, C. Hoang, and A. G. Vandergast
Prepared for US FWS
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/ProductDetails.aspx?ID=4237

WERC Outreach Stories in March 2011
A selection of WERC outreach stories translating USGS research for the public. Browse all stories at http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx

Decoding Bat Speak
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=49

USGS Sea Otter Research on CBS Evening News
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=50

Did Early Humans Alter California's Wildfire Regimes?
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=51

San Diego Fires Impacted Reptile and Amphibian Diversity
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=53

Birders: Help Track the California Gull
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=54

Burial by Ash: Wildfires and Aquatic Life
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=55

WeekendProject: More Invasive Species Coloring Sheets!
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=56

USGS Uncovers New Link in Bird Flu's Global Spread
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=57

Fossil Sloth Poop Help Chart Joshua Tree Decline
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/outreach.aspx?RecordID=58

WERC Significant Media Mentions in March 2011
A selection of news media coverage of WERC research

When Coconut Trees Attack... Other Trees (io9.com)
http://io9.com/#!5772829/when-coconut-trees-attack----other-trees

Science in the City: Bat Speak (The Exploratorium)
http://www.exploratorium.edu/tv/index.php?project=104&program=1206&type=clip

Roadkill, rat poison: can O.C. bobcats survive? (Orange County Register)
http://sciencedude.ocregister.com/2011/03/03/roadkill-rat-poison-bobcats-in-the-balance/122789/

Mystery at Sea: California Sea Otters (CBS Evening News)
http://www.youtube.com/cbsnews#p/u/24/tGP993rjV_k

Wildfires can wipe out reptiles, amphibians, study finds (North County Times)
http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_f763e97f-f8d5-5b4d-9879-b4227ae27fc1.html

New Research Suggests Wild Birds May Play a Role in the Spread of Bird Flu (USGS Newsroom)
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2735

WERC Public Events in March 2011
A selection of public and professional events featuring WERC research. See full details at http://www.werc.usgs.gov/Events.aspx

Newport Bay Conservancy Bobcat Workshop
Waterbird Society Annual Meeting
National Science Teachers Association Annual Meeting
George Wright Society Biennial Meeting
South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Public Working Groups
International Sea Otter Conservation Workshop
Society for American Archaeology Annual Meeting

-- Ben Young Landis