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Unsung Heroes In Conservation: Evaluating The Limitations Faced By New England Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers And Proposing Solutions For Their Support And Recognition, Shaylee M. Sarmiento

Honors Theses and Capstones

Wildlife rehabilitation is an often-unacknowledged practice within the overarching field of wildlife protection and conservation. This practice involves the treatment and hopeful release of wild animals affected by various ailments. With the continued expansion of and interest in the field, it could be assumed that wildlife rehabilitation is supported and funded by government bodies, but this is not the case. Because of the lack of funding and resources, many wildlife rehabilitation centers cannot achieve their full rehabilitative potential and expand their reach in the conservation world. Additionally, an absence of support leads critics to question the ethical standards of wildlife …

To What Extent Do Non-Native Shrubs Support Higher Trophic Levels?, Ari Zakroff

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Invasive species threaten ecosystems and economies. Globally, biological invasions are estimated to have cost over $2.1 trillion since 1970. In Eastern North American woodlands, invasive plants are rapidly displacing natives. This is concerning, because invasive plants may not support the diverse and abundant arthropod communities essential to ecosystem function. Despite the conceptual understanding of invasive shrubs’ potential to transform forest communities, scant research has focused on the effect of invasive plants on higher trophic levels here in Ohio. To address this gap, I examined the diversity and abundance of arthropod communities, caterpillar performance, and caterpillar predation on two invasive shrubs, …

Hand-Colored Zoological Illustrations For “All Classes” Of British Society: The Publishing History Of The Naturalist’S Library, 1833-1843, Sarah Finn

Theses and Dissertations

Natural history grew in popularity in Britain among the middle class during the nineteenth century in large part due to the proliferation of cheap books and periodicals that featured illustrations of plants and animals. Prior to this period, books that featured hand-colored plates were considered a luxury that only the very wealthy could afford. Some nineteenth century naturalists like John James Audubon, continued to exclusively produce expensive folio books marketed to the upper class, but many others saw an opportunity to make more money by appealing to a popular audience by creating smaller works sold at a fraction of the …

Mammal Species Inventory Using Various Trapping Methods In Zone 4 Of Billy Barquedier National Park, Belize During Rainy Season, Mersady Redding

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Belize is a small country, but it is extremely ecologically diverse. Based on the few studies conducted in Belize, the abundance of mammals is low but diversity is high. Particular findings note the number and identity of species differed between four sites in the Maya Mountains of Belize, indicating that a data set from a single site is not representative of the Neotropical region. Insufficient data is available to estimate current species richness of many areas in Belize, including Billy Barquedier National Park (BBNP). The objective of this study was to explore trapping and documentation methods of terrestrial mammals in …

The Role Of Oxytocin On Social Behavior Associated With The Formation Of A Social Pair-Bond In The Socially Monogamous Convict Cichlid (Amatitlania Nigrofasciata), Christopher Garcia

Graduate Theses

The mechanisms for monogamy have evolved several times throughout history across various taxa in accordance with selective pressures. In vertebrates, monogamy is facilitated by the formation and the maintenance of social pair-bonds between mates. Social pair-bonds are a form of selective attachment that require complex neurobiological pathways in order to develop and continue. These neurobiological pathways are often regulated by neuroendocrine mechanisms, such as the release of the two neuroendocrine nonapeptides, oxytocin and arginine vasopressin, in specific parts of the brain or body. These neuroendocrine peptides play a big role in social and sexual behaviors. In prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) …

Ms Environmental Biology Capstone Project, Taylor Readyhough

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Life in a zoo brings a score of stressors into the lives of captive animals, including artificial light, crowds of visitors, and increased noise levels. Stress especially impacts captive birds, and continued exposure to these stressors can negatively affect birds’ reproductive success and overall well-being. Staff at the Denver Zoo noticed increased aggression between a male and female pair of great Indian hornbills during the winter of 2016. This behavioral shift coincided with Zoo Lights, a holiday event that results in the hornbills’ exhibit remaining open to the public for approximately four extra hours through the entire month of December. …

Validation Of The Use Of Doubly Labeled Water For Measuring Metabolic Rate In Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus), Caitlin Hirsh

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The doubly labeled water method is an isotopic technique for measuring field metabolic rate and water flux rates of free-living animals. We present a validation of the use doubly labeled water for measuring metabolic rate and water loss in Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus). For this study seven animals of varying body size were used with masses ranging from 148 to 650 grams. Prior to dosing, blood samples were taken to establish background isotope levels for each animal. Snakes were injected with water enriched with isotopes of oxygen (18O) and hydrogen (2H, deuterium). The injected isotopes were then allowed to equilibrate …

Hitchhiking Bats On The Great Lakes Of North America, Saska E.H. Lohi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Bats can act as potential vectors for various zoonotic diseases and other pathogens. Therefore their interactions with people should be examined to mitigate potential risks. Bats are small flying mammals and hide in small crevices during daylight hours, making them difficult to observe. Consequently, they have a capacity to “hitchhike” on ships to be dispersed over large distances.

This study focused on anthropogenic unintentional bat translocations, i.e. hitchhiking bats. The study area is the Great Lakes region in North America. Using a web-based questionnaire survey, I asked the public about the frequency of bat-human encounters on ships, their nature, and …

Alteration Of Host Cell Ubiquitination By The Intracellular Bacterial Pathogen Coxiella Burnetii, Lindsey Elizabeth Pritchett

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The intracellular bacterial agent of Q fever, Coxiella burnetii, replicates within a phagolysosome-like parasitophorous vacuole (PV) in human macrophages and delivers effector proteins to the host cytosol via a Dot/Icm type IV secretion system (T4SS). T4SS effectors are critical for PV formation and prevention of host cell death that allows sufficient time for bacterial replication. Recruitment of ubiquitin-related components to the C. burnetii PV is also predicted to be involved in PV formation and bacterial replication and is likely controlled by effector proteins. In this study, we assessed the role of the Dot/Icm T4SS in regulating ubiquitination by comparing subcellular …

Will The Exploratory Behavior Of Lobsters Decrease As They Become Familiar With Their Environment?, Marissa Cuda

Honors Theses and Capstones

Previous studies have shown that most lobsters have a home range in which they reside on a daily basis. The tendency for lobsters to reside in a particular area suggests that they have the ability to learn the characteristics of an area using exploratory behavior. We hypothesize that the exploratory behavior of juvenile lobsters will decrease as time spent in a novel environment increases; specifically exploratory behavior will decrease as the lobsters continuously learn the environment. Exploratory activity of juvenile lobsters was monitored in six lobsters using two separate maze complexities. Lobsters were video recorded and activity was measured based …

The Debate On Marine Mammals In Captivity, Lorna C. Scribner

Honors Theses

Are marine mammal species better off today because of captivity? Is captivity ethical and should it be continued? As this debate grows stronger, both of these sides of the argument offer substantial evidence in their favor. In this paper, I discuss data for both sides and evaluate the justifications of marine mammal captivity. Ideally, no matter the outcome, this research will educate the public on influential factors of wild and captive populations.

Ear Length As A Diagnostic Character For Identifying Species Of Kangaroo Rats, Daniel W. Ziebron

Biological Sciences

The following study examines the use of ear length as a diagnostic field character for differentiating between species of Kangaroo rats in San Luis Obispo County. Data was taken from a study of Kangaroo rats in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, as well as various collections under the supervision of Francis X. Villablanca, Ph. D. and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. An ANOVA was used to compare subspecies within Dipodomys heermanni and t-tests were used to compare ear lengths between Dipodomys heermanni and Dipodomys venustus. The analysis shows a statistically significant difference and supports the hypothesis …

Effects Of Diameter-Limit And Two-Age Timber Harvesting On Songbird Populations On An Industrial Forest In Central West Virginia, Cathy Ann Weakland

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Many studies examining forest fragmentation effects on songbirds have been conducted in landscapes significantly altered by urbanization or agriculturalization rather than forested landscapes. There is some evidence that forest fragmentation due to timber harvesting has different effects on bird abundance than fragmentation from other land uses. It is unknown how songbirds respond to different forms of timber harvesting as fragmentation events. Also, it is unclear if microhabitat-level or landscape-level characteristics are more important predictors of breeding bird occurrence in the central Appalachians. The objectives of my study were to determine the short-term effects of diameter-limit and two-age timber harvesting on …

Effect Of Artificial Flooding On The Vegetation And Avifauna Of Riparian Woodlands At Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Hidalgo County, Texas, Charles David Castillo

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Riparian habitats along the Rio Grande at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge have dramatically decreased since the construction of Falcon Dam in 1953. Riparian habitats are dependent on annual or periodic flooding to maintain their biological integrity. Lack of seasonal flooding has contributed to changes in vegetative composition from riparian forests to thornscrub. Effects of artificial flooding on vegetation and avifauna of riparian woodlands were evaluated from 1995-1997 at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. Floodwaters caused the destruction of all existing herbaceous species along study transects and the regeneration of new and native seedlings. Avian abundance and diversity dramatically …

Using The Spot-Mapping Censusing Technique To Assess Changes In Breeding Bird Communities At Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Alamo, Texas, 1940-1996, Alberto Cantu

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Results of breeding-bird censuses done by Davis in 1940 and by Gehlbach between 1973-1978 at Santa Ana National Wildlife, Alamo Texas, were compared to a 1995-1996 bird survey done in Gehlbach's study area. According to the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, bird densities in 1940 and 1995-1996 were similar, while 1973-1978 densities were lower. The 1995-1996 bird community was 76% similar to both the earlier studies. However, the communities studied in 1940 and 1973-1978 had only a 60% similarity. Negligible differences in bird densities and species composition were found between the 1995 and 1996 communities. Differences are attributed to changes in vegetation …

Adaptation Of Striped Bass To Sea Water Following Direct Transfer From Freshwater: Morphological, Biochemical, And Physiological Parameters, Judy A. King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been heightened interest in the biology of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) because of increased pollution in their native spawning grounds and because of their extensive use in landlocked sport fisheries. Their euryhalinity makes them an excellent species for osmoregulation studies. The objective of this research was to study the rate of adaptation of striped bass gills to sea water (3% salt) after direct transfer from freshwater using biochemical (ion transport enzyme levels), physiological (chloride efflux), and ultrastructural methods. Striped bass have specialized osmoregulatory cells located on the interlamellar and afferent surfaces of their gill filaments as shown by …

The Sage Creek Mountain Local Fauna Of The Bridger Formation Near Lonetree, Wyoming, Steven W. Barker

Theses and Dissertations

The Bridger Formation in the Green River Basin has been divided into two members, the lower Black's Fork member and the upper Twin Buttes member. 'Ihe Black's Fork member is composed of' biostratigraphlc zones A and Band the Twin Buttes member is com-posed of biostratigraphic zones C, D and E. Recent workers have found that zones A and B contain the same fauna and therefore represent just one biostratigraphic zone (McGrew 1971, Robinson 1970). Future studies of the biostratigraphic zones of the Twin Buttes member are necessary to determine if the C, D and E zones are valid. Some are …

Ecology Of Aroga Websteri Clarke In Curlew Valley, Utah-Idaho, Reed L. Kirkland

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The ecology, life history, and population dynamics of the sagebrush defoliator, Aroga websteri Clarke, were studied in the field and laboratory. The defoliator has one generation a year at the Curlew Valley site. It overwintered in the egg stage and passed through five larval instars. Ten parasite species attacked the defoliator at the study site. Four species, Orgilus ferus, Phaeogenes sp., Spilochalcis leptis, and Apanteles cacoeciae, contributed over 75 percent of the total incidence of parasitism. Parasitism ranged from 20 to 76 percent in 1971, but only ranged from 6 to 29 percent in 1972. This decrease …

Nesting Of The White-Faced Ibis (Plegadis Chihi) Of Utah Lake, Kenichi David Kaneko

Theses and Dissertations

Information on the nesting of the White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) in Utah County is presented for the first time. Nests built in hardstem bulrush (Sciprus acutus) settled from an average height of 120.8cm on June 9 to 93.6cm on June 27, 1971. Nest spacing ranged from 2m to 9m, averaging 4.6m. Invertebrates of the class Arachnida and the insect orders Coleoptera, Homoptera, Lepidoptera, and Thysanoptera were collected in a Berlese funnel. Average clutch size was 3.17. Egg length and width averaged 51.40mm X 36.75mm. Average volume was 36.93cc. In 21 study nests, 45.8 percent of the eggs hatched, beginning on …

The Breeding Biology Of The Western Tanager (Piranga Ludoviciana), Gary G. Benson

All Master's Theses

In 1969 a two-year study was undertaken in an effort to enlarge our knowledge of the life history of the western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana). Bent (1958) summarizes the literature on the western tanager, and a review of his work clearly shows an almost total absence of detailed information on the species' life history. To obtain this information, observations were conducted from 1 May through 29 July 1969. A few observations were made during the 1968 breeding season.

Ecological Relationships Of The Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Of The Cascade Springs Area, Eugene Clark Devenport

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Forest service, recognizing the scenic, scientific, and educational value of the Cascade Springs area near Mount Timpanogos, has set aside and begun development of this spot for the use of the general public. As part of their preparatory work they have asked that examination be made of the flora, fauna 9 and physical features which may in part be incorporated into public informational facilities being constructed at the springs.

The Weberian Osteology Of Three Utah Suckers (Catostomidae), William James Stubbs

Theses and Dissertations

The Weberian mechanisms of three Utah Lake suckers (Catostomidae: Catostominae; Catostomini), Catostomus fecundus Cope and Yarrow, Chasmistes liorus Jordan, and Catostomus ardens Jordan and Gilbert, were examined, described, and compared, and a statistical analysis was made of some of their more important differences. The mechanisms were found to be basically similar to one another and to those of other Catostomini as previously described and/or illustrated. They are individually distinct, but each varies within its own limits, the intraspecific variation being greatest in the wider-ranging Catostomus ardens and least in the seemingly most restricted Catostomus fecundus. From the evidence at hand …

Mammal Populations And Their Effects On Red Elderberry In The Mud Creek Sheep Allotment, Stawberry Valley, Utah, Howard Duane Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study has been to determine : (1) the mammalian species present in the Mud Creek area; (2) the approximate population density of each trappable species; (3) the species responsible for the damage; (4) the stem density and frequency of Smbucus racemosa; and (5) the approximate extent of damage to the red elderberry stems.

Ecology Of Summer Aquatic Invertebrate Populations In A Marsh Area Of Utah Lake, David A. White

Theses and Dissertations

Mud Lake marsh lies east of Utah Lake between the cities of Provo and Springville in Utah County. Since 1936 it has become a polluted, odiferous, silted area. A study was conducted on the aquatic invertebrates during the summer of 1962 (June 19 to September 20). An .01 meter2 bottom sampler was used at 30 random stations. Each station was sampled once a week. Water depth, mud, water and air temperatures were taken at each station. Dissolved oxygen (Winkler method) and ion resistance (Wheatstone bridge) were taken each day. The aquatic invertebrate community consisted of benthic (Diptera, Oligochaeta, Nematoda), interphashic …

Mammals Of The Mexican State Of San Luis Potosi., Walter Woelber Dalquest

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Crop Damage By Wildlife In California ; With Special Emphasis On Deer And Waterfowl, Earl Roy Biehn

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The problem of crop damage by wildlife is not a new one in California, but it has assumed a role of major economic importance only during the last few decades. Since this problem was first encountered in California, it has steadily increased in size and scope, until today in many areas of the state it is an important economic problem of the farmer; a pressing management problem for the biologists and wildlife technicians of the California Division of Fish and Game; a constant challenge to the game management agents of the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service; a great concern of …

A Study Of A Heron Nesting Colony, Linden J. Leatham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Herons are well known because of their gregarious nesting habits. Like many others of the lower orders of birds they nest together in pure or mixed colonies of many different combinations and under diverse living conditions. The population of different colonies may vary from a few pairs to many thousands of pairs depending upon the nature and extent of the breeding area, the food supply available and the protection afforded either by natural or artificial means.

In Utah and adjacent areas of bordering states, many types of heron associations have been studied and reported by ornithological workers. Breeding colonies of …