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A Historical Ecology Of Aridland Springs In Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Nuwu/Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute/Chemehuevi) Ancestral Territory, Nevada, Yarrow Sarah Valentine Geggus

Dissertations and Theses

Aridland springs are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Vital to desert ecologies and Indigenous cultures, these complex and individualistic ecosystems have layered histories. To inform management in the changing landscape of Desert National Wildlife Refuge, a 1.6 million acre protected area in Southern Nevada, I conducted a historical ecology study of a sample of ten upland springs. Through a six-part interdisciplinary methodology including interviews, archaeological survey, botanical survey, and archival research, I summarize findings into three broad eras: the Nuwu/Nuwuvi pre-Contact Era, the Settler Era, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Era.

For millennia, Nuwu/Nuwuvi drank …

Does Invasion Science Encompass The Invaded Range? A Comparison Of The Geographies Of Invasion Science Versus Management In The U.S., Lara Munro

Masters Theses

Biases in invasion science lead to a taxonomic focus on plants, particularly a subset of well-studied plants, and a geographic focus on invasions in Europe and North America. Geographic biases could also cause some branches of invasion science to focus on a subset of environmental conditions in the invaded range, potentially leading to an incomplete understanding of the ecology and management of plant invasions. While broader, country-level geographic biases are well known, it is unclear whether these biases extend to a finer scale and thus affect research within the invaded range. This study assessed whether research sites for ten well-studied …

Early Life History Of Tarpon (Megalops Atlanticus) In South Carolina Estuaries: Assessment Of Juvenile Recruitment And Validity Of Aging And Back-Calculation Methods, Garrett M. Elmo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Hormonal Responses To Seasonal Thermal And Ecological Stressors In Japanese Macaques (Macaca Fuscata), Lilianne Nelson

Masters Theses

Relative to most primate species, Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) experience extreme seasonal variation in thermal and ecological stressors that can impact energetic demands. To cope with these environmental changes, levels of metabolic hormones, such as cortisol and triiodothyronine, fluctuate to facilitate energetic adjustments. While previous research in primates has investigated thermal and ecological stressors individually, a combined assessment of these stressors alongside hormone levels can provide a more holistic understanding of the relationship between a primate’s thermoregulation, energetic balance, and stress. The goals of this study were to determine the effects of season, temperature and ecological stress on …

Past, Current, And Future Potential Distributions Of Red Spruce And Fraser Fir Forests In The Southern Appalachians: Interpreting Possible Impacts Of Climate Change, Danika Mosher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spruce-Fir forests are relicts from the Pleistocene and can only be found within the Southern Appalachians. Analyzing the relationships between species distribution, climatic parameters, topography, and biotic interactions through ecological niche modeling creates prediction maps for conservation efforts. Maxent, Boosted Regression, and Random Forest were utilized to compare which model and variable combinations best approximate the unique mountain forest environment. Maxent with a bias file produced optimal results and was used to examine distributional changes that may occur in the future and how these changes compare to paleo-environmental distributions. Fraser fir has shown evidence of being influenced by changing climates …

Novel Polymorphisms Of Zrsr2 And Gpm6b Gene Homologs And Their Use In Sex Identification Of Bovine And Porcine Species, Evan K. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Accurate and cost-effective PCR based sex identification is important in animal production because it gives producers the ability to determine the sex of embryos prior to transfer, saving time and money. The most efficient PCR sex identification assays work by using a single primer pair to amplify a specific target region located on the Y-chromosome and a second, separate target region on the X-chromosome.

This thesis reports the design of two novel assays. The first assay was designed to target the Zinc finger CCCH-type, RNA binding motif and serine/arginine rich 2 (ZRSR2) gene found on the X-chromosome and its Y-chromosome …

Functional Review And Macrostructure Of The Caecum In Ardeidae, Lola R. Mildren

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Situated on the lower digestive tract, caeca typically project cranially from the juncture of the small and large intestine. Recent studies have proposed that the role of caeca in the avian system is to act as fermentation chambers to synthesize vitamins, modulate gut microflora, and absorb nutrients; however, functionality differs with diet. Caeca are a typical characteristic of the avian gastrointestinal tract, with varying sizes and shapes, or even rudimentary or absent in some species. Caeca are notably singular and relatively small in Ardeids. Morphometric consistency in the number and presence of caeca on the lower intestinal tract of Ardeids …

Bioinformatic Analysis Of Venom Proteins From Dasymutilla Occidentalis, Eva Gunawan

Theses and Dissertations

Venom proteins have been found in a wide range of species in the animal kingdom. These venoms serve various functions such as defense against predators, hunting for food, and parasitism for reproduction. Because of their diverse functions, venom proteins are utilized in agrochemical treatments for protection from pests as well as treatments to control human diseases. Venoms, including those coming from a range of insect species, have been manipulated for these purposes, but many remain uncharacterized. Currently, one of the orders that venom-based research is focusing on are parasitoids from the order Hymenoptera. The purpose of some venom proteins in …

Fear, Parental Behavior, And Community Structure In Residential Lands, Aaron M. Grade

Doctoral Dissertations

In an urbanizing world, residential lands present an opportunity for conservation of biodiversity right in our backyards. Informed conservation necessitates a mechanistic understanding of how development influences animal populations and communities. Birds nesting in residential lands are less productive in urban yards than rural yards. Urban yards also have higher densities of potential predators, but lower per capita predation, indicating that direct predation is not entirely responsible for lack of productivity. I suggest that fear effects, also known as non-lethal effects, could be a mechanism by which predators exert indirect influence on bird parental behavior and nestling condition in urban …

The Roles Of Host Species, Geographic Scale And Environmental Stressors In Shaping The Composition Of Coral Microbiomes, Alicia Marie Riegel Parker

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Reef-building corals are long-lived and may take many centuries to adapt, making them especially susceptible to climate change. However, corals host microbial symbionts that can change quickly, potentially speeding acclimation. My dissertation aimed to determine the degree of coevolution and flexibility between corals and their microbiomes among hosts, across space, and in response to stress.

Microbial communities are usually surveyed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, however the PCR primers used also amplify coral DNA, thereby limiting prokaryotic read coverage. To mitigate this contamination, I designed a peptide nucleic acid clamp that increased the recovery of bacterial reads by 2-11x …

Algal Coverage Detection And Classification Using Envi: Correlation With Dissolved Oxygen Levels In Elkhorn Slough, Ca, Jason Dawson

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Estuaries are exposed to varying stressors, whether they be physical, chemical, or environmental. The most notable of stressors is eutrophication of coastal and inland ecosystems. This is a result of increased supply of nutrients fueling production within the system. One outcome of this increased nutrient load to the system is that of algal blooms. These blooms can impact the aesthetic appearance and degrade the quality of health of the system. Many of these coastal zones and waterways are critical habitats for many biological (some endangered) species and serve as recreational areas for human populations. Elkhorn Slough, California is one of …

A Shark Conservationists Toolbox: Current Dna Methods And Techniques Aiding In The Conservation Of Sharks, Arianna N. Nixon

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Elasmobranchs are important members of their community. Many sharks are important apex predators that help maintain the health of their ecosystem. However, shark populations are globally declining. This is partially due to the fact that sharks are highly targeted for their fins, meat, liver oil, teeth, and skin. However, they are also killed from anthropogenic effects such as habitat destruction and pollution. Most shark species have life history characteristics that also make them more vulnerable to overfishing. Sharks are also difficult to study due to their elusive nature and identification issues. That is why molecular tools are increasingly becoming important …

Theoretical And Quantitative Methods Connecting Characterizing Micoribal Metabolism Diversity: Implciations From Phylogenetics, Community Diversity, And Organic Geochemistry, Taylor Royalty

Doctoral Dissertations

Biogeochemistry is controlled by microorganisms obtaining nutrients and energy. Thus, microbial metabolisms directly link microbial ecology and geochemistry. The extent that microbial ecology and geochemistry microbial ecology and geochemistry affects the other requires constraint on the spatiotemporal distribution and abundance of microbial metabolisms with respect to geochemistry, or the microbial niches. Elucidating microbial metabolisms was challenging prior to the advent of ‘omics sequencing technologies, as most microbial lineages lack cultured representatives. Although revolutionizing microbial ecology, challenges still exist in fully leveraging information derived from ‘omics technologies. This dissertation attempts to address a small subset of these challenges that include quantifying …

Connecting The Social And Spatial Behaviors Of A Territorial Species (Anolis Carolinensis), Jordan M. Bush

Doctoral Dissertations

Why animals live where they do is a key question in ecology and evolution. An individual’s home range determines the resources they have access to, conspecifics they encounter, and predators and pitfalls they must avoid. Home range behaviors also have an inherently social component; where animals live affects the rivals they compete with and the mates they have access to. This is especially true in territorial species, as defensive displays make up a large portion of their social behaviors. In this dissertation, I sought to understand how territorial behaviors affect the social lives of the green anole lizard (Anolis …

Variation In Tundra Plant Traits Across A Latitudinal Gradient, Katlyn Rose Betway

Masters Theses

High latitude regions are warming faster than most regions. Studies documenting change in plant cover due to warming have reported that graminoids, deciduous shrubs, and evergreen shrubs are increasing in some regions of the Arctic, but not at others. Mixed responses to warming have caused researchers to shift towards an emphasis on functional traits of individual species rather than their growth forms. This thesis focuses on ten measured plant functional traits for twelve arctic species at three regions spanning a latitudinal gradient in northern Alaska (Utqiaġvik, Atqasuk, and Toolik Lake). We compare mean trait values across the three regions for …

The Effects Of Elevation On Foraging Behavior Of Bats In Southern Appalachia, Victoria Long

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are limited studies on bat activity in higher elevations in the Appalachian region. Levels of bat activity were compared in south central Appalachia at low (< 914.4 m) and high (> 1, 524 m) elevations in open, forest edge, and riparian habitats. Additionally, habitat suitability was modeled for a common species, big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). The study started May 27^th 2019, and sites were monitored biweekly until October 2^nd 2019. Six species and one genus were recorded during the study. Species from the Myotis genus were grouped together because of similar call characteristics. Results show that species were significantly more …

Assessing The Impact Of Restored Wetlands On Bat Foraging Activity Over Nearby Farmland, Philip Allagas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Up to 87% of the world’s wetlands have been destroyed, considerably reducing ecosystem services these wetlands once provided. More recently, many wetlands are being restored in an attempt to regain their ecosystem service. This study seeks to determine the effects of restored wetlands on local bat habitat use. Bat activity was found to be significantly higher around the wetlands when compared to distant grassy fields; however, no significant difference was found among the restored wetlands and a remote cattle farm containing multiple water features. Geospatial models of bat distribution and bat foraging were produced using machine learning that showed higher …

Ecoacoustic Methods For Multi-Taxa Animal Surveys In The Amazon, Leandro A. Do Nascimento

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tropical regions host most of the biodiversity found on Earth, but these species-rich areas are constantly threatened by human development and other disturbances that put this diversity of life forms at risk. To avoid extirpations of animal and plant species, scientists and managers rely on accurate monitoring techniques to retrieve information about population trends. This task is not easy, especially in the tropics, where there is often a lack of personnel to conduct surveys, a lack of funding, and the areas are so extensive that many countries need to be involved in monitoring (e.g., Amazon biome). For this reason, scientists …

Ecology Of The Roseau Cane Scale (Nipponaclerda Biwakoensis, Hemiptera: Aclerdidae) In Coastal Louisiana, Leslie Alejandra Aviles Lopez

LSU Master's Theses

Common reed, Phragmites australis, is the dominant plant in the Mississippi River Delta (MRD), Louisiana. Phragmites australis stands reduce soil erosion from wave action, protect the oil infrastructure, and freshwater habitats. In the fall of 2016, widespread reed die-backs in the MRD were associated with outbreaks of an invasive scale Nipponaclerda biwakoensis (Hemiptera: Aclerdidae). Due to the recent detection of the scale, there was limited knowledge of its ecology in the adventive range, and its impacts on P. australis lineages. Therefore, the objectives of my thesis were to determine (1) the host specificity of the N. biwakoensis in important economic …

Floodplain Forest Regeneration Dynamics In The Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, Whitney Anne Kroschel

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Floodplain forest species diversity is driven, in part, by variation in disturbance regime. Flood patterns create heterogeneity in microsite quality from small differences in elevation across a floodplain which, in turn, influence flood timing and duration. Differences in species’ regeneration niches in relation to hydrologic patterns can account for long-term coexistence of various species. In the past century floodplain forests have exhibited a wide range of changes in stand development and species composition as a result of altered hydrology in rivers and floodplains. I evaluated the role of regeneration in floodplain forest systems of the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley …

Insights To Gray Seal (Halichoerus Grypus) Foraging Ecology From Stable Isotope And Dna Metabarcoding Analyses, Keith Michael Hernandez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The enactment of wide-ranging conservation laws in the United States enabled the recovery of many marine mammal species. However, as many species have surpassed predicted recovery goals, there is an increasing number of marine mammal-human interactions. For example, in the northeast US, the recovery of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus atlantica), coupled with declines in commercially important fishery species, has prompted discussions of revised management, and potentially lethal control measures. Much of this concern stems from seal-fisheries interactions, which necessitates an understanding of seal diets and foraging ecology. However, existing research is out of date and reliant primarily on …

Using Soil Geospatial Properties And Environments To Explore Microbial Diversity, Sharon Faye Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soil microorganisms help maintain nutrient cycling, control carbon sequestration, impact plant productivity, and influence several soil chemical and physical properties; yet, the processes that control the microbial composition of soil and how environmental changes may affect the composition and activity of these organisms at different scales remains a difficult and intriguing puzzle for soil scientists, ecologists, and modelers. Wetlands are endangered and important ecosystems that provide several services, which are directly linked to soil function. However, few wetland assessments consider the soil environment and microbial ecology. Linking soil microbial community composition and distribution patterns to soil physio-chemical properties would provide …

A Framework For Incorporating Benefits From Urban Forests Into Planning For Livable Cities: A Case Study Of Forest Park, Carole Hardy

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

Urban forests provide an escape from the noise and chaos of cities. Other services can be overlooked and under-valued. Urban forests cool and filter the air, sequester carbon, filter water removing toxins and sediments from urban runoff, provide habitat for wildlife and improve human health and well-being. Commonly urban forests in the United States (US) lack funds for restoration and research because there is lack of understanding of the need to actively manage what are perceived as wild lands. Generally urban forests are highly disturbed and novel ecosystems that require ongoing active management to remove invasive species, replant native species …

A Floristic Study Of The Cal Poly Swanton Pacific Ranch And A New Combination In Sanicula Crassicaulis (Apiaceae), Sanicula Crassicaulis Var. Nudicaulis, Reed J. Kenny

Master's Theses

Globally we are experiencing a biodiversity crisis and potentially a sixth mass extinction event. Plant specimens are one of the best, most concrete records of biodiversity that we can create. Despite this, the rate of plant collecting has declined steeply since World War II. Now more than ever, plant collections are vital, both for the purpose of quantifying the plant biodiversity in an area and for discovering previously unrecognized diversity.

In Chapter 1, we conducted a floristic survey of the Cal Poly Swanton Pacific Ranch. The Swanton Pacific Ranch (SPR) is located north of the small town of Davenport California, …

Evaluating Seafood Distribution Channels In The Atlantic Sea Scallop And Northeast Multispecies Groundfish Fisheries, Amanda Fall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Federal fisheries policy in the United States aims to balance resource conservation with maximum sustainable use. Catch shares are a quota-based management tool that are being increasingly deployed to achieve this ambitious goal. One perceived benefit of catch shares is that they give fishermen control of their catch so they will have the latitude to pursue the most profitable marketing arrangements. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research seeks to (1) describe and document the different marketing strategies that commercial fishermen in the Northeast Multispecies Groundfish and Atlantic Sea Scallop fisheries are using to sell their catch; and (2) estimate the …

A Comparative Ecological Study Of Limestone And Dolomite Glades In The Ozark Mountains Of Northwest Arkansas, Brittney Booth

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Glades are one of the many habitats that exist in the Arkansas Ozarks and contribute to the overall biodiversity of the state of Arkansas. For this study, five dolomite glades and five limestone glades in the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas were studied from March to October in the years 2017 and 2018 to determine the similarities or differences that might be present. One hundred and fifteen vascular plant taxa were documented in the dolomite glades and one hundred and three vascular plant taxa were documented in the limestone glades. Forty-six vascular plant taxa were unique to the dolomite glades and …

Survival Of Off-Host Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) Annulatus (Acari: Ixodidae) Larvae In Study Arenas In Relation To Climatic Factors And Habitats In South Texas, Usa, Emily Jesselle Zamora

Theses and Dissertations

The cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (Say), is an economically destructive arthropod because of its ability to vector bovine babesiosis. Cattle fever ticks can spend more than 90% of their life cycle as questing larvae, but the effect of climatic factors on their off-host behavior and survival is unclear. The goal of this study was to measure the effects of specific ecological factors on off-host larvae in nature. The study was conducted in a south Texas pasture over a 20-mo period, during which time larval populations were surveyed and ambient weather variables - relative humidity and temperatures – were …

Characterizing The Impacts Of The Invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid On The Forest Structure Of New England, Peter Brehm Boucher

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Climate change is raising winter temperatures in the Northeastern United States, both expanding the range of an invasive pest, the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae), and threatening the survival of its host species, eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). As a foundation species, hemlock trees underlie a distinct network of ecological, biogeochemical, and structural systems that will likely disappear as the HWA infestation spreads northward. Remote sensing can offer new perspectives on this regional transition, recording the progressive loss of an ecological foundation species and the transition of evergreen hemlock forest to mixed deciduous forest over the course of the infestation. …

Characteristics And Spatial Heterogeneity Of Prescribed Fire Behavior In North Dakota Grasslands, Megan Elizabeth Zopfi

Theses and Dissertations

Fire is a critical physical and chemical process required to sustain many grassland ecosystems. In North America, observations of grassland fire behavior in warm-season, southern grasslands are commonly used in fire behavior modeling efforts across the Great Plains. However, grasslands of the northern Great Plains contain a greater component of cool-season vegetation that may generate different fire behavior. To further our understanding of prescribed fire behavior in North Dakota grasslands, we quantified fuel, weather, and fire behavior characteristics associated with 27 prescribed fires conducted across three sites in North Dakota. We sampled 27 points on each fire arranged into a …

Impacts Of Commercial Biopesticides On Crapemyrtle Bark Scale (Acanthococcus Lagerstroemiae) And Beneficial Insects, Giovana Matos Franco

LSU Master's Theses

The crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS), Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae), is an important pest of crapemyrtles, Lagerstromia spp. (Myrtales: Lythraceae) since its damage results in an unpleasant aesthetic. Current CMBS management methods depend heavily on pesticides which impact on beneficial insects. Biopesticides show potential for pest control, host specificity, and low impact towards non-target organisms. The objectives of my thesis were to determine (1) if biopesticides are effective against CMBS infestations when applied in different seasons, and (2) their effects towards coccinellids known to attack CMBS.

To test the efficacy of selected biopesticides, treatments were delivered to potted plants or …