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Quantifying The Ecological Effects Of Salix Fragilis On Riparian Habitat In Kittitas County, Washington, Landon Shaffer

All Master's Theses

Invasive species threaten plant community structure and function globally. Riparian areas, the zone near streams where water influences vegetation, are especially sensitive to invasive species colonization, suffering large-scale shifts in community composition. Salix fragilis (crack willow) is a nonnative riparian species abundant in the lower elevation tributaries of central Washington. Some speculate whether this willow should be listed as invasive in Washington, despite a lack of regional supporting evidence. I studied riparian communities dominated by either S. fragilis or native species in the Kittitas Valley and measured biodiversity, quantified differences in solar attenuation, and compared leaf decomposition rates to learn …

Eliciting The Effect Free Roaming Cats Have On Native Hawaiian Wildlife Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Erin Salano

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

This study measured the concentration of the stable isotopes Carbon and Nitrogen within the tissues of free-roaming and indoor cats on the Hawai’ian islands. This study aimed to determine whether cats are consuming more human provisioned or wild food sources and whether their diet is having a negative impact on endemic species; with a focus on assessing impacts on conserved bird populations. We hypothesized that human provisioned food sources have higher levels of carbon due to the amount of corn fillers within them, while wild food sources are more Nitrogen rich. We found that indoor and feral cats sampled from …

Phenology Of The Invasive Balsam Woolly Adelgid, Adelges Piceae (Ratz.) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), On Subalpine Fir In Northern Utah, Elizabeth L. Rideout

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Balsam woolly adelgid (BWA) is an invasive true fir pest in North America. Native to Europe, BWA was first discovered in Utah attacking subalpine fir in 2017. Recent BWA-caused subalpine fir mortality in northern Utah has prompted the need for baseline biological research to support pest management. Small-bodied and blending easily with its environment, BWA is a challenging pest to detect and study. Phenology, or the timing and characteristics of life stages through the year, of BWA varies depending on elevation and climate and is unstudied in Utah. This research focuses on defining aspects of BWA’s phenology, including the number …

The Manhattant: Identification, Natural History, And Nutritional Ecology Of A Recently Introduced Pest In New York City, Lasius Emarginatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Samantha Kennett

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

New York City is one of the oldest and largest cities in North America, and it is a center for global trade and shipping. As such, it has also been the site of introduction for some of North America’s most damaging invasive pests, from chestnut blight to the Asian long-horned beetle. Despite these cautionary examples, there has been no formal research on a newly introduced ant species that was tentatively identified as a European ant species, Lasius cf. emarginatus. Since its discovery in 2011, L. cf. emarginatus has become among the most common urban ant species in New York …

Comparing Mortality In Response To Simulated Climate Change In The Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex Badius, And The Fire Ant, Solenopsis Invicta, Haley Depner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid transport of plants, produce, and goods out of its South American home, the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, has invaded continents on a global scale. In the United States alone, S. invicta is responsible for an estimated $1 billion in damages annually. In contrast to the invasive fire ant, Florida’s native harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, is a keystone seed disperser, providing seed relocation benefits to Florida’s sandhill wildfire-adapted habitats. Seed relocation reduces seedling competition for nutrients with the parent plant, reduces predation of seeds by rodents, increases nutrient loads associated with ant mound soils, and protects seeds from …

Seasonal Starch Allocation In Starry Stonewort (Nitellopsis Obtusa) Harvested From Lake Koronis, Mn, And Development Of Non-Chemical Management Recommendations, Alyssa M. Haram

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa) (Desvaux in Loiseleur) J. Groves is an invasive macro alga that can take over entire water columns and outcompete native species. Previous research has quantified seasonal life history and phenology but there is no research quantifying carbohydrate allocation which was the aim for Chapter II. Management efforts to control Nitellopsis obtusa have been limited to stressing the thalli and have not been able to directly target the reproductive bulbils on larger scales. Smaller scale efforts such as the use of hand pulling can be used but hand pulling is not realistic for larger infestations. Chapter III …

Classification Of Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum Spicatum) Using Drone-Enabled Multispectral Imagery Analysis, Colin Brooks, Amanda Grimm, Amy Marcarelli, Nicholas Marion, Robert Shuchman, Michael Sayers

Michigan Tech Publications

Remote sensing approaches that could identify species of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and measure their extent in lake littoral zones would greatly enhance SAV study and management, especially if these approaches can provide faster or more accurate results than traditional field methods. Remote sensing with multispectral sensors can provide this capability, but SAV identification with this technology must address the challenges of light extinction in aquatic environments where chlorophyll, dissolved organic carbon, and suspended minerals can affect water clarity and the strength of the sensed light signal. Here, we present an uncrewed aerial system (UAS)-enabled methodology to identify the extent …

Morphological Changes Of The Asian Shore Crab Across Latitudes, Ainslee Mcmullin, Blaine D. Griffen

Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2022

The Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus , is an invasive species that has rapidly spread across the Eastern United States coastline. First observed in North America in 1988, its range currently extends from Maine to North Carolina. H. sanguineus has adapted very well to this region and has displaced several native species as the dominant crab in rocky intertidal habitats. Although the Asian shore crab’s biology and interactions with native species has been well studied, larger scale impacts (economic, potential further spread, community ecology, etc.) are under researched. We collected specimen samples of H. sanguineus throughout its entire East coast …

The Ecology And Dispersal Of The Avian Vampire Fly In Its Native And Invasive Ranges, Carly M. Crow

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Invasive species are considered a leading threat to global biodiversity. There are three major steps in a successful invasion: 1. A species arrives to a non-native location 2. It establishes a breeding population 3. It spreads beyond the location of arrival. The need to understand what variables facilitate a successful invasion across these steps is pressing, especially when considering systems that are vulnerable to biodiversity loss such as islands. The first chapter of this thesis focuses on the arrival step of an invasion. I present research on insects found on a tourist boat traveling between islands in the Galapagos archipelago. …

Ms Environmental Biology Capstone Project, Dylan Brown

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Chapter 1- Revisiting Tamarisk Invasion in Riparian Ecosystems: An Argument Against Single Species Management of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)

Chapter 2- Temporal Trends of Tamarisk Remediation to Native Vegetation Establishment

Chapter 3- Assessing Effectiveness of Tamarisk Removal Treatments Through a Meta Regression Analysis

Chapter 4- Legal Challenges of Tamarisk Removal in the Southwestern United States

Environmental Effects On Biomass Allocation And Small Plot Evaluations Of Aquatic Pesticides For Control Of Nitellopsis Obtusa (Starry Stonewort) Collected From Lake Koronis In Stearns County, Minnesota, Patrick J. Carver

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Phenology is the study of critical life stages in plants in relation to shifts in environmental factors during seasonal changes. Starry stonewort is a green macro alga in the family Characeae native to Eurasia. Much of the Midwestern United States has been invaded by this species. Starry stonewort has been seen to have late season growth patterns in its invaded range. This study found that this growth pattern was dependent upon water temperature and light transmittance both of which affect biomass production and senescence. It was hypothesized that peak biomass would occur in the late summer (August), however we observed …

Soil Chemistry Modification By Guinea Grass In Semi-Arid Soils: A Litter Mediated Positive Feedback, Vanessa Elizabeth Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrients are a key component of healthy soils. Their composition plays an important role in plant growth through nutrient cycling and directly influences the functioning of plant communities in both agricultural and natural ecosystems. Shifts in macronutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen may be initiated by invasive growth as a driver for competition with native plants. The goal of this study is to explore the plant soil feedback in an exotic invasive plant, Guinea grass (Pancium maximum), an invasive bunch grass originally from Africa, across different habitat types in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). To determine a positive plant …

Feeding Ecology Of Invasive Lionfish In Southeast Florida, Ruchao Qian

Scientific Communication News

No abstract provided.

Morphological Correlates Of Auditory Sensitivity In The Inner Ear Of Two Species Of Invasive Carp, Tyler Patty

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Silver (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead (H. nobilis) carp, are invasive species that have negative impacts upon ecosystems. H. molitrix is known to jump completely out of the water in response to broadband sounds, however, this is not observed in H. nobilis. Preliminary experiments reveal that sounds can be used to modify the behavior of carps. Thus, understanding the hearing abilities of these species is important in order to design appropriate acoustical deterrents. Fish heads were preserved in 4% paraformaldehyde and the inner ears dissected and photographed under a light microscope in order to describe the …

Utilizing Conservation Genetics As A Strategy For Recovering The Endangered Candy Darter (Etheostoma Osburni) In West Virginia, Brin E. Kessinger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The Candy Darter (Etheostoma osburni) is a small freshwater fish native to the New River drainage in West Virginia and Virginia that was listed as endangered in November 2018. It has been extirpated from much of its historic range in West Virginia, restricting it to the Gauley and Greenbrier river drainages. In addition to extirpations, the species is threatened by introgressive hybridization with the invasive Variegate Darter (E. variatum). Previous research primarily focused on hybridization, but population genetic analyses were limited. Population genetic analyses aim to identify distinct populations through genetic structure and characterize the levels …

Heatwaves And Novel Host Consumption Increase Overwinter Mortality Of An Imperiled Wetland Butterfly, Mariana Abarca, Elise A. Larsen, Leslie Ries

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Disruptive effects of climate change include range shifts, phenological mismatches among consumers and producers, and population declines. While these biological alterations have been widely documented, studies identifying specific mechanisms linking climate change to population declines are scarce. Extreme events, such as heatwaves can have devastating effects on living organisms and are increasing in frequency as Earth warms. Hence, understanding the effects of heatwaves on insects is necessary to inform conservation efforts and to develop predictions of population dynamics under future climate scenarios. Here, we experimentally evaluated the effects of heatwaves on the survival and phenology of the Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas …

Density And Distribution Of Piscivorous Fishes In The Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta, Christopher M. Loomis

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Predatory fishes, including numerous introduced species, are common to the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta, but abundance data for most species is insufficient to determine the Delta-wide distribution and ecological impacts of these species. Predatory fishes (e.g. Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass have long been suspected of contributing to the decline of native species, including salmonids, but data has been insufficient to investigate this hypothesis. In this study, I present a novel method to assess predator fish populations across the southern Delta using DIDSON acoustic cameras and analyze the environmental associations that form the landscape and fine-scale distribution of predatory fishes. …

Effects Of Invasive Nilgai Antelope (Boselaphus Tragocamelus ) Browsing On Black Mangrove (Avicennia Germinans) In South Texas: A Study On Microenvironmental, Physiological, Structural, And Reproductive Parameters, Tianna Picquet

Theses and Dissertations

Mangroves are important for coastal systems because they provide habitat for fish and bird species, mitigate erosion, and create an area for carbon sequestration. Along the Gulf of Mexico, at the southern tip of Texas, recent observations have shown that A. germinans stands (the dominant species in Texas) are being browsed on by invasive nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus). The antelope were introduce to the south Texas region via King Ranch in the 1930’s and have since significantly increased in population and distribution. Previously thought to be grazers, B. tragocamelus were captured on camera utilizing A. germinans as a …

Assessment Of Invasive Gypsophila Paniculata Control Methods In The Northwest Michigan Dunes, Emma K. Rice

Masters Theses

Gypsophila paniculata is an invasive species in Michigan’s northern lower peninsula and a problem invasive in much of the northern United States and Canada. Gypsophila paniculata readily outcompetes native plants in sandy, well-drained soils due to its deep taproot, which allows access to scarce resources. It reproduces and disperses mainly by seed, but the phenology of seed maturation is poorly understood. Gypsophila paniculata is of particular concern in lakeshore dunes because the areas where it is most dense are also populated by several endemic and threatened species. Despite many years of intensive management, high densities of G. paniculata persist …

Effects Of Fire Season And Temperature On A Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea Stoebe) Infested Grassland, Zachery T. Pitman

Masters Theses

Invasive species, including the non-native forb Centaurea stoebe (spotted knapweed), constitute an imminent threat to degraded and restored native prairies. Considering the major threat that C. stoebe poses to imperiled prairie ecosystems, I examined the effectiveness of fire as a control agent of C. stoebe and (±)-catechin. I conducted a 2-year experiment in part of a restored tallgrass prairie community at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute in Barry County, Michigan between May and August of 2016 and 2017. My experiment consisted of individually burning 60 1-m² plots with a propane torch to achieve high (316° C) and low (103° C) temperatures …

Reproductive Performance Of The Marine Green Porcelain Crab Petrolisthes Armatus Gibbes, 1850 In Its Introduced Range Favors Further Range Expansion, Ann Wassick, J. Antonio Baeza, Amy Fowler, Dara Wilber

Publications

Invasive marine crustaceans can exhibit population-level variation in reproductive traits that are consistent with a response to stressful conditions near the range edge, or alternatively, that may favor establishing new exotic populations. Reproductive characteristics of the green porcelain crab Petrolisthes armatus Gibbes, 1850 were not previously known in its invasive range in the Atlantic waters of the southeastern USA. We compared fecundity estimates, size at sexual maturity, and various other morphological aspects among crabs collected from two sites at each of four locations spanning approximately 230 km from North Inlet, South Carolina (SC), to Savannah, Georgia (GA), USA. Reproductive output …

Impacts Of Invasive Alliaria Petiolata On Two Native Pieridae Butterflies, Anthocharis Midea And Pieris Virginiensis, Danielle Marie Thiemann

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Invasion of Alliaria petiolata has negative direct and indirect impacts on the systems in which they invade. This study focuses on further identifying impacts which this non-native A. petiolata has on herbivores whose range they have invaded. Oviposition on A. petiolata by the specialist butterfly, Pieris virginiensis, is known to be a mismatch event leading to larval death from sinigrin and alliarinoside. To observe if the related specialist, Anthocharis midea, falls into the same oviposition sink paired plot comparisons between native Cardamine concatenata and non-native A. petiolata were conducted. Early in the season paired-plot comparisons showed a preference for native …

Endozoochorous Spread Of Nonnative Plant Species By White-Tailed Deer, Odocoileus Virginianus, Andrew Jordan Spychalla

MSU Graduate Theses

Movement of plant seeds can be facilitated by endozoochory in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and elk (Cervus elaphus), but at rates that are unknown in natural systems. Spread of planted forage crops into wildlands, or nonnative invasive weeds into food plots would affect ecosystem processes and management costs. To address endozoochory, collections of fecal pellets from both ungulate species were done at the Current River Conservation Area in Southeastern Missouri. Randomly chosen individual pellets collected from nine food plots were planted in a greenhouse setting. After cold stratification of pellets (2°C at 15 days), pellets were either left whole or …

Dietary Overlap Of Native White Bass And Introduced Yellow Bass In Barren River, Micaela L. Montgomery

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In the Barren River Lake of south central Kentucky, native white bass, Morone chrysops, has experienced a decline in population after the introduction of yellow bass, Morone mississippiensis. These species are competing for resources due to an overlapping diet, likely contributing to the decline of the white bass. To explore this hypothesis, I examined the stomach contents and otoliths of white and yellow bass caught during their spawning time in spring 2012. There were 40 yellow bass and 128 white bass collected in Barren River upstream of Barren River Lake. Analysis of stomach contents revealed that both white and …

Effects Of Buckthorn (Rhamnus Cathartica And Rhamnus Frangula) On Native Flora Functional Traits, Alexandra Perry

Honors College

Invasive plant species are currently a threat to native species and communities,

and two major challenges facing scientists today are trying to figure out how to deal with the invasive plants and trying to pinpoint their effects on the native communities. While some methods of removal have been effective, it is still unclear how the invasive plants affect the natives. Two species of the shrub buckthorn are invasive in the United States and both are causing problems in the state of Maine. I studied the native plants in areas with and without buckthorn to determine the effects of buckthorn on …

Occurrence Of The Asiatic Weatherfish, Misgurnus Anguillicaudatus (Cantor, 1842), In Alabama, Usa, Lindsay Michelle White, Mark Edward Meade

Research, Publications & Creative Work

The Asiatic weatherfish, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, is a generalist species that has invaded numerous physiographic niches worldwide. Asiatic weatherfish populations have been observed to compete with native fish populations in Hawaii and are of major concern in Australia due to the concomitant introduction of an exotic parasite. Asiatic weatherfish populations have been observed in 16 of the contiguous United States (US) since the 1940s. Alabama is the most recent US state to report sustaining Asiatic weatherfish populations. Asiatic weatherfish were first observed by local fishermen in 2000, but reported established in Alabama in 2009 and, more recently, in 2012. From 2013 …

Body Shape Divergence In Invasive Round Goby, Cat Collins

DePaul Discoveries

The round goby, Neogobius melanostomus, originally native to the Black and Caspian seas, was introduced into the Great Lakes via ballast water in the 1990’s. Since then, the species has spread to all of the Great Lakes, thriving in the Lake Michigan region and spreading to surrounding bays and rivers. Invasive species are considered to have a high evolutionary potential. Differences in environmental conditions between native and introduced ranges stimulate adaptive evolution. Multiple introductions of an exotic species can result in separate instances of founder effects, further increasing the chance of evolutionary change. A total of 267 round goby specimens …

The Effects Of Invasive Macrophytes Phragmites Australis And Typha Angustifolia On Nitrate Removal In High Nitrate Wetland Sediments, Lauren Mackenzie Beal

Theses and Dissertations

Constructed wetlands are quickly becoming inundated with invasive species like Phragmites australis and Typha angustifolia which are capable of changing whole ecosystem function and community composition. We wanted to assess how plants affect dissolved oxygen (DO) and dissolved organic carbon concentrations (DOC), and in turn if they increase nitrate (NO3-N) removal rates relative to barren sediments. Using a NO3-N/Br tracer test, we tested NO3-N removal rates, DO, and DOC concentrations. After the tracer test, we measured above- and below-ground plant biomass and sediment characteristics. NO3-N removal did not differ across the treatments. Phragmites australis microcosms had significantly higher sediment bulk …

Native Plant Establishment Success Influenced By Centaurea Stoebe Control Method, Laurelin Marie Martin

Masters Theses

Invasive species frequently hinder restoration efforts. While the effectiveness of differing control methods are often reported, the impacts these methods have on the establishment of a native plant community are often unknown. To determine methods that effectively reduce spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe) while enhancing native species establishment, we tested 12 treatment combinations consisting of an initial site preparation (mowing, mowing + clopyralid, or mowing + glyphosate), with combinations of annual adult knapweed hand pulling, and/or burning. We established 48 plots and applied site preparation treatments during summer 2008, seeded 23 native forbs and grasses during spring 2009, pulled …

Effects Of An Invasive Plant, Chinese Tallow (Triadica Sebifera), On Development And Survival Of Anuran Larvae, Taylor B. Cotten, Matthew Kwiatkowski, Daniel Saenz, Michael Collyer

Faculty Publications

Amphibians are considered one of the most threatened vertebrate groups. Although numerous studies have addressed the many causes of amphibian population decline, little is known about effects of invasive plants. Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) is an exotic deciduous tree that has invaded the southeastern United States. Amphibian larvae in environments invaded by T. sebifera may be impacted negatively as autumn leaf litter decomposes in natal areas. We compared effects of leaf litter decomposition from T. sebifera and two native tree species on survival and development of four species of anuran larvae from eastern Texas. Larvae from Pseudacris fouquettei, Lithobates (Rana) …