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An Examination Of Beta Diversity Indices And Their Predictors In Two Large-Scale Systems, Philip Schroeder
An Examination Of Beta Diversity Indices And Their Predictors In Two Large-Scale Systems, Philip Schroeder
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Biodiversity is what conservation biology was developed to conserve. It is the physical manifestation of life as a concept and, be it for practical or idealistic reasons, all conservationists seek to protect or, in some cases, enhance it. Because of its monolithic importance to the field, much effort has been expended trying to better measure and understand it. Recently, greater attention has been paid to the partition of diversity; the observation that the total diversity of a system (γ) can be broken down into within-site diversity (α) and between-site diversity (β). In particular, it has been noticed that the β …
Characterizing Biogeochemical Shifts In Two Salix Caroliniana Michx. Encroached Freshwater Subtropical Marshes, Janet Ho
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Shrub encroachment is a common disturbance in wetlands, but little is known about how shrub encroachment impacts functions such as carbon (C) storage and nitrogen (N) cycling. The objective of this thesis was to identify differences in physiochemical properties (within soil, water and leaf tissue) and biogeochemical processes (soil respiration, enzyme activity, litter decomposition, and N cycling) in two subtropical freshwater marshes encroached by coastal plain willow (Salix caroliniana Michx.). Two study regions (Moccasin Island and Lake Apopka) were selected because of their location in the St. John's River watershed and their unique histories and hydroperiod, allowing for an investigation …
Unearthing The Past And Present Of A Semi-Fossorial Lizard: Conservation Genetics, Phylogeography, And Taxonomy Of Plestiodon Egregius., Kathryn Mercier
Unearthing The Past And Present Of A Semi-Fossorial Lizard: Conservation Genetics, Phylogeography, And Taxonomy Of Plestiodon Egregius., Kathryn Mercier
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Characterizing an organism's evolutionary history and population structure as well as understanding the forces shaping that divergence is crucial to conservation biology. A clear understanding of the patterns of diversity and divergence are imperative for the best management of the organism, while an awareness of what drives these patterns can lead to better predictions of how organisms will respond to future climate change. Historical climate changes and associated sea level change are among the main forces driving divergence in many species. To examine how effects of climate changes may have driven patterns of intraspecific divergence, I examined Mole Skinks, Plestiodon …
The Evolution Of Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Taxonomy, Phylogenetics And Ecological Speciation, Yuanmeng Zhang
The Evolution Of Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Taxonomy, Phylogenetics And Ecological Speciation, Yuanmeng Zhang
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Parasitoid wasps are ecologically and economically important as biological control agents. However, little is known about the diversity, distribution and biology of most hymenopteran parasitoids due to their small size, morphological conservatism, and complex life styles. The focus of my PhD research was to investigate the evolution and speciation of euphorine braconid wasps, using a combination of multilocus phylogenetics and population genomic techniques combined with traditional taxonomy. The three data chapters of my dissertation are divided into different taxonomic ranks of euphorine braconids, focusing on genera, species, and populations. For chapter 2, I built a multilocus phylogeny of the tribe …
Behavioral And Disease Ecology Of Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus Polyphemus) Post Exclusion And Relocation With A Novel Approach To Homing Determination, Johnathan Napier
Behavioral And Disease Ecology Of Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus Polyphemus) Post Exclusion And Relocation With A Novel Approach To Homing Determination, Johnathan Napier
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In the wake of human expansion, relocations and the loss of habitat can be stressful to an organism, plausibly leading to population declines. The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a keystone species that constructs burrows it shares with 362 commensal species. Frequent exclusions and relocations and long generation times have contributed to G. polyphemus being State-designated as Threatened in Florida. Prior studies have indicated that G. polyphemus may possess homing behavior and thus be able to counteract stressors due to relocation and exclusion. I radiotracked a cohort of G. polyphemus for 11 months following excavation, relocation, and exclusion due to …
Evolution And Distribution Of Phenotypic Diversity In The Venom Of Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Scutulatus), Jason Strickland
Evolution And Distribution Of Phenotypic Diversity In The Venom Of Mojave Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Scutulatus), Jason Strickland
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Intraspecific phenotype diversity allows for local adaption and the ability for species to respond to changing environmental conditions, enhancing survivability. Phenotypic variation could be stochastic, genetically based, and/or the result of different environmental conditions. Mojave Rattlesnakes, Crotalus scutulatus, are known to have high intraspecific venom variation, but the geographic extent of the variation and factors influencing venom evolution are poorly understood. Three primary venom types have been described in this species based on the presence (Type A) or absence (Type B) of a neurotoxic phospholipase A2 called Mojave toxin and an inverse relationship with the presence of snake venom metalloproteinases …