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Enhancement Of Gulf Killifish, Fundulus Grandis, Fitness And Reproduction, Joshua Thomas Patterson Jan 2014

Enhancement Of Gulf Killifish, Fundulus Grandis, Fitness And Reproduction, Joshua Thomas Patterson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Gulf killifish, Fundulus grandis, shows promise for commercial development as a marine baitfish species. Significant markets for F. grandis already exist throughout the Gulf Coast, with the vast majority of supply coming from wild-harvests, which can be hampered by seasonal availability and inconsistent fish health and size. The genus Fundulus also represents an important group of model vertebrates for biological study. A recent review paper described this genus as the premier teleost model for environmental biology. New information generated as a result of the work contained in this dissertation may be more broadly applicable to sister species of F. grandis, …


A Contrast Of Hunter Characteristics And Attitudes Between Random And Convenience Samples In The 2010, 2012, And 2013 Surveys Of Louisiana Waterfowl Hunters, Lucien Jr. Paul Laborde Jan 2014

A Contrast Of Hunter Characteristics And Attitudes Between Random And Convenience Samples In The 2010, 2012, And 2013 Surveys Of Louisiana Waterfowl Hunters, Lucien Jr. Paul Laborde

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

I surveyed random (mail and internet panel surveys) and convenience samples (web surveys) of Louisiana waterfowl hunters following the 2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2012-2013 seasons. I hypothesized significant differences in effort, success, satisfaction and demographics, but no difference in attitudes, in responses between random and convenience survey methods. I mailed to stratified random samples of 2,500 in 2010, 6,400 in 2012, and 2,500 each for mail and on-line internet panel response in 2013. An identical web survey, hosted each year during the same time period, facilitated open-access response. I received 1,676 usable responses in 2010 (727 mail and 949 web), 2,382 …


A Standardized Ultrasonography Classification For Channel Catfish Ovarian Development, Noel D. Novelo Jan 2014

A Standardized Ultrasonography Classification For Channel Catfish Ovarian Development, Noel D. Novelo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The goal of this dissertation was to develop application of ultrasonography as a decision-making tool in genetic improvement programs for channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. A literature review on the use of ultrasonography in fish reproduction generated a comprehensive reference data set intended to benefit existing and potential users. It exposed the need for reporting of instrument control settings and standardization of fish handling and imaging procedures. These issues were addressed from the onset of this work by assessing more than 6,300 channel catfish ovaries by use of initial fish handling and imaging procedures developed (2004-2005) at the Louisiana State University …


Effects Of Forest Fragmentation On Central Amazonian Bird Demography, Jared Desmond Wolfe Jan 2014

Effects Of Forest Fragmentation On Central Amazonian Bird Demography, Jared Desmond Wolfe

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Avian diversity in degraded fragmented Amazonian landscapes depends on the persistence of species in cleared and disturbed areas. Regenerating forest facilitates bird dispersal within degraded Amazonian landscapes and may tip the balance in favor of persistence in previously depauperate habitat patches. Despite the potential value of Amazonian second growth, we lack comparisons of demography among second growth, continuous forest, forest fragments in regenerating landscapes, and truly isolated fragments. Here, we used point-count and capture data to compare Amazonian bird communities among continuous forest plots, 100 ha forest fragments with adjacent second growth, 100 ha forested islands bounded by water, young …


Species Composition And Spatial Ecology Of Amazonian Understory Mixed-Species Flocks In A Fragmented Landscape, Karl Mokross Jan 2014

Species Composition And Spatial Ecology Of Amazonian Understory Mixed-Species Flocks In A Fragmented Landscape, Karl Mokross

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the ongoing advance of the agricultural frontier in the Amazon basin, it is inevitable that heterogeneous landscapes will play a key role in conservation. These landscapes are mostly composed of patchworks of small forest fragments, secondary forests and roads. Conservation, however must take species interactions into consideration as they play a pivotal part the maintenance of several biological processes in the tropics. One of the most conspicuous interspecific interactions are seen in mixed-species flocks of birds, which in the Amazon, represent one of the best organized systems of bird aggregations. In this research, I assess how flock spatial behavior …