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Effects Of Roadways On Seasonal Movement Strategies And Mate Location Success In An Imperiled Pit Viper (Crotalus Horridus), Elizabeth J. Noble Oct 2024

Effects Of Roadways On Seasonal Movement Strategies And Mate Location Success In An Imperiled Pit Viper (Crotalus Horridus), Elizabeth J. Noble

Graduate Research Showcase

A detailed understanding of animal movement behavior is fundamental to effective conservation and management. Within populations, a diversity of movement strategies can be displayed in search of critical resources, and these strategies are influenced by multiple interacting factors related to individuals and the environment. Mating partners are one critical resource that often serves as a prominent selective force shaping movement during mating seasons. For many large-bodied snakes, such as pit vipers (Viperidae: Crotalinae), male mate- searching movements are the primary determinant of mate location success. During this time, males incur significant risks associated with elevated movement. In an increasingly human- …


A Preliminary Discussion Of The Management And Administration Of Yunwu Mountain Natural Grassland Reserve In China, Zhao Zhiyi, Yang Ailian Sep 2024

A Preliminary Discussion Of The Management And Administration Of Yunwu Mountain Natural Grassland Reserve In China, Zhao Zhiyi, Yang Ailian

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The advantages and problems encountered in the establishment of a grassland reserve are described. The conflicts between local farmers' requirement to feed and water livestock and the conservation strategy of natural grassland are discussed.


Green Turtle Nesting Activity On Yeniyurt Beach, Hatay, Türkiye: Six-Year Results (2017–2022), Bektaş Sönmez Sep 2024

Green Turtle Nesting Activity On Yeniyurt Beach, Hatay, Türkiye: Six-Year Results (2017–2022), Bektaş Sönmez

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Conducting long-term conservation and monitoring activities for sea turtles provides a more precise depiction of their population status compared to studies conducted across a single year. The frequency of the nesting activity may fluctuate dramatically over time, depending on the environmental conditions. This study aimed to examine the nest count, female abundance, and reproductive output of green turtles on Yeniyurt beach in the eastern Mediterranean between 2017 and 2022. The beach was surveyed annual monitoring at consistent intervals. Temporal variations in the number of nests and the abundance of females were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall and Sen Slope tests. A …


A Triumph Of Conservation: The University Of South Carolina Aiken’S Bluebird Trail, Alyssa Godfrey, Emory Owens, Quinn Schreiber, Michelle L. Vieyra Sep 2024

A Triumph Of Conservation: The University Of South Carolina Aiken’S Bluebird Trail, Alyssa Godfrey, Emory Owens, Quinn Schreiber, Michelle L. Vieyra

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) was once an endangered species, with over 90% of its population declining in the early 1900s (Ritchison, 2000). These birds play a crucial role in regulating insect populations and maintaining the safety of food sources, making them important both economically and environmentally. Eastern Bluebirds are proof that conservation efforts work, as they are now a species of least conservation concern in the United States. Since 2020, undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina Aiken have collaborated with the South Carolina Bluebird Society to establish and monitor 31 nesting boxes across the main campus …


Software For Grassland Management For The Supply Of Fresh Feed For Stall-Feeding And/Or Grazing And For Conservation In Combination With Feed Production On Arable Land, A Chudy Aug 2024

Software For Grassland Management For The Supply Of Fresh Feed For Stall-Feeding And/Or Grazing And For Conservation In Combination With Feed Production On Arable Land, A Chudy

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Tasks, fundamentals and methodics (algorithms) of software for the projection of feed production (FUPRO) as part of an integrated software program (the package Futterplanung), are described. It covers total feed-economic relations, starting from the use of agricultural acreage up to specific animal requirement.


Computer Simulation To Aid The Development, Transfer An Adoption Of Alternative Forage Conservation Systems, C A. Rotz, D R. Buckmaster Aug 2024

Computer Simulation To Aid The Development, Transfer An Adoption Of Alternative Forage Conservation Systems, C A. Rotz, D R. Buckmaster

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

A computer simulation model of forage production, conservation and use was developed to evaluate forage technologies. The model simulates forage losses and quality changes along with the use and costs of machines, structures, labour, fuel, chemicals, etc. Alfalfa and corn produced on the farm arc supplemented with purchased feeds to feed a dairy herd or they are sold. Simulation over many years of weather conditions provides a long-term evaluation of the performance and economics of alternative forage systems. Simulation results provide manufacturers with design-performance constraints which aid the development of new products. Adoption of available forage technology is aided by …


A Comparative Analysis Of Extant Oceanic Shark Species Using Trait-Based Ecology, Elizabeth A. Johnson Aug 2024

A Comparative Analysis Of Extant Oceanic Shark Species Using Trait-Based Ecology, Elizabeth A. Johnson

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Over the past few decades, scientists have been working together to mitigate human impacts on global shark populations, but deciding which species need the most immediate attention can be difficult. This study uses a newly emerging approach to ecology, trait-based ecology, to identify trends in trait expression with depth and determine which species have the most unique sets of traits. While trait-based ecology has already been applied to numerous fields, a trait-based approach to shark research is still in its infancy. A total of 15 traits across 337 oceanic shark species were examined to identify trends in trait expression and …


Indigenous Populations Of Lolium Perenne L. Identification, Evaluation And Conservation, G Spatz, A Oetmann, C Paul Aug 2024

Indigenous Populations Of Lolium Perenne L. Identification, Evaluation And Conservation, G Spatz, A Oetmann, C Paul

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

One hundred indigenous ryegrass populations were identified along 2 geographical gradients in Germany (west-east and north-south), Each population was sampled by collecting 180 tillers in 1991. The total 18 000 tillers were cultivated and will be examined as spaced plants (ex situ) in 1992 Nine selected populations were investigated in situ 1991. The results of the i11 situ investigations show high variability between and within the populations. The most valuable populations will be conserved as gene reserves within their environments (i11 situ). Promising material will in future be handed over to private breeders.


A Grazing Land Conservation Plan, R G. Hendricks Aug 2024

A Grazing Land Conservation Plan, R G. Hendricks

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In a sample planning scenario, a ranching operation in the USA demonstrates a typical conservation problem on grazing lands. Using SCS conservation planning techniques, problems and objectives are identified, resources are inventoried, data are analysed, solutions formulated and conservation practices implemented to solve the resource problem. With use of the economic analysis routine in Grazing Land Applications (OLA) version 1.1 decision suppott software, return on investment was largest when the client installed a combination of rest-rotation grazing, prescribed burning, and initiated a hunting lease programme.


Range Conservation Planning: The Usda- Soil Conservation Service Method, Rhett H. Johnson Aug 2024

Range Conservation Planning: The Usda- Soil Conservation Service Method, Rhett H. Johnson

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

The USDA-Soil Conservation Service has responsibility for providing one-on-one conservation planning assistance with the private rangeland managers of over 160 million ha in the USA. This assistance is provided on voluntary basis at the request of the private land user through a local conservation district. Through SO years of experience, a successful planning process has evolved, known as the Ten Elements Of Conservation Planning. These elements are: (1) provide information, (2) request assistance, (3) develop resource inventories, (4) recognise problems and opportunities, (5) determine objectives, (6) develop and evaluate alternatives, (7) make decisions, (8) document decisions, (9) implement decisions, and …


From Inbreeding To Admixture: How The Diverse Consequences Of Gene Flow Shape Evolutionary Dynamics And Population Viability, Amy L. Springer Aug 2024

From Inbreeding To Admixture: How The Diverse Consequences Of Gene Flow Shape Evolutionary Dynamics And Population Viability, Amy L. Springer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

When Homo sapiens traveled out of Africa and interbred with the Neanderthals of Europe, human genes spread into the Neanderthal population. Likewise, genes from Neanderthals spread into the human genome—genes humans still carry to this day. The process whereby genetic material from one population is spread to another is known as gene flow. Gene flow—or the absence thereof—can have critical consequences for a population’s health and survival. On one hand, if no gene flow occurs, mating among close relatives can lead to high levels of inbreeding. Inbreeding can have devastating consequences for the health of populations, in some cases even …


Population Demography, Occupancy, And Connectivity Of Invasive Bigheaded Carp In The Platte River, Nebraska And Its Tributaries, Blake W. Logan Jul 2024

Population Demography, Occupancy, And Connectivity Of Invasive Bigheaded Carp In The Platte River, Nebraska And Its Tributaries, Blake W. Logan

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and Bighead Carp H. nobilis, collectively referred to as bigheaded carp, are invasive species in the United States of America that have expanded their range throughout the Missouri River basin in the last three decades. It may be desirable to develop management plans directed at the monitoring, control, or removal of bigheaded carp within the Missouri River basin. However, a knowledge gap exists regarding bigheaded carp ecology in Missouri River tributaries, which may be important for the development of management plans. As such, this study characterized bigheaded carp population demographics, occupancy, and connectivity in …


Wildlife Conservation: The Importance Of Individual Personality Traits And Sentience, Karen A. Owens, Gosia Bryja, Marc Bekoff Jul 2024

Wildlife Conservation: The Importance Of Individual Personality Traits And Sentience, Karen A. Owens, Gosia Bryja, Marc Bekoff

Animal Sentience

Individual differences in personality types within the same species have been studied much less than differences between species and populations. Personality differences are related to risk-taking and exploration, which in turn correlate with individuals' daily responses, decisions, and fitness. Bold and shy personality types can have different advantages and disadvantages under different social or environmental pressures. Analyzing personality differences has helped clarify how elk habituate to a well-populated area and how management strategies can be adapted to them. For wolves newly repatriated to Colorado, individual personality factors are likely to prove important for adapting to their new homes as well …


Additives As Preservatives For Wrapped Round Bales Silage Made Under Tropic Climate, J M. Paillat, G Mandret Jun 2024

Additives As Preservatives For Wrapped Round Bales Silage Made Under Tropic Climate, J M. Paillat, G Mandret

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

In tropical highlands it is difficult to conserve harvested forage as silage. Tests with molasses as an additive, or using ammonium tetraformiate (ATF) or inoculants have been conducted to find out more about the fermentation process in these conditions. Sugar additives are not the primary factor in the fermentation process. Nevertheless, they are essential to make up for the small amounts of water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) in the forages, but only if the dry matter (DM) content is high enough (27% for temperate species, 40 % for the kikuyu grass). Even at high rates such as 5 l t-1 of …


Pfra Grazing Management Conserves Biodiversity, B Bristol, T Weins Jun 2024

Pfra Grazing Management Conserves Biodiversity, B Bristol, T Weins

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Shrinking grassland habitats across Prairie Canada are resulting in increased societal values for biodiversity within the remaining rangeland resources. The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) manages 929,000 hectares in the Prairie and Boreal Plain Ecozones across three Prairie Provinces. Management of these range resources accomplishes two main objectives: (1) sustaining economic viability of the rural community through provision of livestock grazing and (2) conservation of soil, water and biodiversity resources. PFRA uses the tools of inventory, research and management to accomplish these objectives. The 87 pastures are managed toward the “good and excellent” range condition classes which conserves biodiversity and …


Genetic Diversity In The Native Australian Grass Agrostis Adamsonii (Poaceae), E A. James, A Brown Jun 2024

Genetic Diversity In The Native Australian Grass Agrostis Adamsonii (Poaceae), E A. James, A Brown

IGC Proceedings (1993-2023)

Genetic variability in A.adamsonii is assessed from measurements of mature florets and from analysis of variation in DNA using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Results are compared to those for three other species of Agrostis growing at the same site or in similar habitats.


Operation Shark: Addressing The Negative Portrayal Of Sharks In Media, Michael R. O'Shea May 2024

Operation Shark: Addressing The Negative Portrayal Of Sharks In Media, Michael R. O'Shea

Masters Theses

Sharks are some of the most well adapted and effective animals in the animal kingdom. Unfortunately, they are also some of the most feared. For many people the word shark evokes images of vicious attacks like those seen in movies such as Jaws. Sharks have also been negatively portrayed in the media. This negative portrayal of sharks has led to misconceptions about sharks that have damaged their populations. Efforts have been made to raise awareness and fight common misconceptions of sharks. However, many people still hold on to the incorrect ideas they have about sharks. This thesis will examine the …


From Pixels To Plants: Remote Sensing Of California Invasive Plants, Kenneth Rangel May 2024

From Pixels To Plants: Remote Sensing Of California Invasive Plants, Kenneth Rangel

Master's Projects and Capstones

Invasive plants cause significant impacts to ecosystems, the economy, and human health. California has experienced significant plant invasions and is well suited to future invasion because of its Mediterranean climate and human disturbance. Eradication or control of invasive plant species requires a detailed understanding of their spatial distribution, which typically involves on the ground surveys that can be expensive or inconsistent. Remote sensing offers a potential alternative or supplement to in-person invasive plant mapping. This study performed a comparative analysis of 41 remote sensing studies that mapped the distribution of California invasive plants. I found that while high spectral resolution …


Biodiversity Loss & Urban Heat: A Nature- Based Wildlife Policy For The Las Vegas Metro, Zachary Billot May 2024

Biodiversity Loss & Urban Heat: A Nature- Based Wildlife Policy For The Las Vegas Metro, Zachary Billot

Student Research

As the population of the Las Vegas Metro continues to grow, new developments expand on the periphery. As Las Vegas continues to increase in size and develop further into wildlife habitat, not only are native animals and plants endangered, but residents are at risk of increasingly dangerous urban heat given the increase in impervious cover that makes Las Vegas the 2nd fastest warming metro in the U.S. This policy brief examines current policy and practice in place to highlight the need for positive human-wildlife interaction that will address the growing threat of biodiversity loss and heat vulnerability. This policy brief …


Reef Ecosystem Conservation For The Hawaiian Islands: The Impacts Of Ocean Warming And Acidification On Benthic Reef Populations, Samantha Roberts May 2024

Reef Ecosystem Conservation For The Hawaiian Islands: The Impacts Of Ocean Warming And Acidification On Benthic Reef Populations, Samantha Roberts

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper explores the anthropogenic effects of rapid climate change and ocean acidification on benthic coral populations along the Hawaiian archipelago. Moreover, the reliance of Hawaiian coastal communities on coral reefs for sustenance and economic prosperity is evaluated to determine the importance of reef ecosystem conservation for the prosperity of Hawaii. Chapter 1 introduces the importance of coral and supplies quantitative data on declining coral populations traditional to Hawaii, as a result of ocean warming and acidification. Empirical data from prior, prominent studies, combined with my own, will be discussed. Chapter 2 outlines the ecology of Hawaiian reef ecosystems, the …


Assessing Health Implications Of Monarch Butterfly Populations And Behaviors, Kira Goldman, Kelsey E. Fisher Dr. May 2024

Assessing Health Implications Of Monarch Butterfly Populations And Behaviors, Kira Goldman, Kelsey E. Fisher Dr.

Honors Scholar Theses

Pollinator populations have seen massive declines over the past decade due to anthropogenic activity and climate change posing serious threats to the health of humans and ecosystems (Ulyshen & Horn, 2023). As agents responsible for the production of about 35% of micronutrient rich food crops necessary for adequate nutrition to lead healthful lives and prevent nutrition associated diseases, pollinator decline is a public health concern (Aizen et al., 2009). Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) serve as bio indicators for the health of pollinator populations because of their analogous habitat and food resources shared with many other pollinator species, including bees and …


Which Vole Is Which: Dna-Based Species Identification For Wisconsin’S Three Microtus Species, Madeline Noel Opie May 2024

Which Vole Is Which: Dna-Based Species Identification For Wisconsin’S Three Microtus Species, Madeline Noel Opie

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate species identification is necessary to implement conservation strategies in the wild. When traditional morphology-based species identification is challenging due to phenotypic plasticity, overlapping characteristics, or the species are otherwise cryptic, DNA-based species identification may be more suitable. Of the three species of Microtus in Wisconsin, two are listed as threatened at the state level. Both M. ochrogaster and M. pinetorum have stable population levels at the national level but are along the northern edge of their ranges in Wisconsin. Small and vulnerable populations of M. ochrogaster and M. pinetorum are limited to isolated patches in the southwestern portion of …


Genetic Analysis Of Global Sawfish Populations, Kylie Faulkner May 2024

Genetic Analysis Of Global Sawfish Populations, Kylie Faulkner

Honors Theses

Family Pristidae contains five of the most critically endangered elasmobranch species: Anoxypristis cuspidata, Pristis pristis, Pristis pectinata, Pristis zijsron, and Pristis clavata. The species of this family have suffered drastic population declines and range reductions due to historic patterns of overexploitation, accidental entanglement, and habitat disruption. The conservation of this taxa has been historically complicated by taxonomic uncertainty, as similar morphologies across species make them exceedingly difficult to identify. A morphological and genetic comparison of sawfish specimens collected globally was conducted in 2013, which supported a reduction in the number of described species from seven to …


The Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Microbial Biomass Abundance In Longleaf Pine Ecosystems, Sarah K. Borne May 2024

The Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Microbial Biomass Abundance In Longleaf Pine Ecosystems, Sarah K. Borne

Honors Theses

One of the most diverse ecosystems, longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) habitats comprise only a small fraction of the habitat they once spanned in the Gulf Coastal Plain Region of the Southeastern United States. To preserve longleaf pine ecosystems, proper prescribed burning techniques and ecosystem management are essential for preventing high intensity wildfires and increasing species diversity. Little is known about the effects of prescribed fires on carbon levels, nitrogen levels, and microbial biomass in longleaf pine forests. These components are crucial for determining how well burned areas are recovering at a microbial level compared to unburned areas. The …


Impact Of Changing Climate On Bryophyte Contributions To Terrestrial Water, Carbon, And Nitrogen Cycles, Mandy L. Slate, Anita Antoninka, Lydia Bailey, Monica B. Berdugo, Des A. Callaghan, Mariana Cárdenas, Matthew W. Chmielewski, Nicole J. Fenton, Hannah Holland-Moritz, Samantha Hopkins, Mélanie Jean, Bier Ekaphan Kraichak, Zoë Lindo, Amelia Merced, Tobi Oke, Daniel Stanton, Julia E. Stuart, Daniel Tucker, Kirsten K. Coe Apr 2024

Impact Of Changing Climate On Bryophyte Contributions To Terrestrial Water, Carbon, And Nitrogen Cycles, Mandy L. Slate, Anita Antoninka, Lydia Bailey, Monica B. Berdugo, Des A. Callaghan, Mariana Cárdenas, Matthew W. Chmielewski, Nicole J. Fenton, Hannah Holland-Moritz, Samantha Hopkins, Mélanie Jean, Bier Ekaphan Kraichak, Zoë Lindo, Amelia Merced, Tobi Oke, Daniel Stanton, Julia E. Stuart, Daniel Tucker, Kirsten K. Coe

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 2

Bryophytes, including the lineages of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, are the second-largest photoautotroph group on Earth. Recent work across terrestrial ecosystems has highlighted how bryophytes retain and control water, fix substantial amounts of carbon (C), and contribute to nitrogen (N) cycles in forests (boreal, temperate, and tropical), tundra, peatlands, grasslands, and deserts. Understanding how changing climate affects bryophyte contributions to global cycles in different ecosystems is of primary importance. However, because of their small physical size, bryophytes have been largely ignored in research on water, C, and N cycles at global scales. Here, we review the literature on how bryophytes …


The Decline In Monarch Butterfly, Danaus Plexippus, Populations: An Example Of The Global Threat To Biodiversity, Olivia Sidoti Apr 2024

The Decline In Monarch Butterfly, Danaus Plexippus, Populations: An Example Of The Global Threat To Biodiversity, Olivia Sidoti

Honors Projects

Biodiversity encompasses the variety of all life on Earth and how these aspects of nature interact with each other. To have stable and abundant biodiversity, vast amounts of species and organisms are required within an ecosystem. As a result of the increase in negative impacts of human activities and behaviors on the health of nature, biodiversity has been decreasing. An example of the decrease in biodiversity is depicted by the recent decline of the monarch butterfly species. The monarch butterfly is an iconic North American insect that is experiencing a decline in its population due to threats such as deforestation, …


Where Have All The Flowers Gone? A Call For Federal Leadership In Deer Management In The United States, Bernd Blossey, Darragh Hare, Donald M. Waller Apr 2024

Where Have All The Flowers Gone? A Call For Federal Leadership In Deer Management In The United States, Bernd Blossey, Darragh Hare, Donald M. Waller

Aspen Bibliography

Forests in the United States continue to lose biodiversity and many fail to regenerate due to high deer (family Cervidae) abundance. Declines in biodiversity and overall ecosystem health due to high deer populations increases prevalence of wildlife and human diseases associated with increasing tick abundances and decreases forest resilience and the ability to deliver benefits provided by healthy ecosystems. In the eastern and midwestern United States, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are the main stressor, while in the western U.S. elk (Cervus elaphus) and black-tailed and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) can become equally problematic. Federal …


Demographic Consequences Of Off-River Nesting For Piping Plover (Charadrius Melodus) And Interior Least Tern (Sternula Antillarum Athalassos) In The Lower Platte River System, Nebraska, Elsa M. Forsberg Apr 2024

Demographic Consequences Of Off-River Nesting For Piping Plover (Charadrius Melodus) And Interior Least Tern (Sternula Antillarum Athalassos) In The Lower Platte River System, Nebraska, Elsa M. Forsberg

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Piping plovers (Charadrius melodus; hereafter, plovers) and interior least terns (Sternula antillarum athalassos; hereafter, terns) are two avian species that nest along the Lower Platte River system (LPRS) in Nebraska. In the LPRS, river sandbars provide natural nesting habitat, but off-river sites provide substantial nesting habitat especially when sandbar habitat is scarce. Although presumed to be important for the persistence of plovers and terns, off-river habitat is not self-sustaining and predicted to decline. Understanding the vital rates of plovers and terns in the LPRS will inform the role of off- river sites in the future conservation …


Against The Tragedy: The Role Of Meaning Making In Sustainable Commons, Liam Kenwood Apr 2024

Against The Tragedy: The Role Of Meaning Making In Sustainable Commons, Liam Kenwood

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

The concept of “the tragedy of the commons” is a pervasive idea throughout the disciplines of environmental science, economics, law, and political science. It is a metaphor to describe how human use of a common pool of goods leads to depletion of the commons. Typically, the enclosure of the commons under state or private control is the prescribed solution to this environmental dilemma. This article refutes the tragedy of the commons by reviewing the contemporary field of commons studies, referencing the consequences of enclosure, and offering new criticisms of the concept. Studying the commons reveals how the urge to seek …


An Analysis On The Capacity Of Visual Art To Promote Conservation Efforts, Devi Bell Apr 2024

An Analysis On The Capacity Of Visual Art To Promote Conservation Efforts, Devi Bell

Honors Projects

In recent decades, we have become more aware of the ways in which anthropogenic actions are harming Earth’s climate, ecosystems, and overall stability. Scientists generally agree on the urgency of our situation, yet the public may find difficulty in comprehending the multitude of information on it. This study aims to educate the public on biodiversity loss and related ecological issues in Ohio by discussing these topics through the medium of visual art. Five pieces involving different scientific subject matter and art mediums were created and displayed for participants to view. Participants completed two surveys, one before viewing the art and …