Digital Commons Network^™

Size Matters: A Test Of Boldness In Eight Populations Of The Poeciliid Brachyraphis Episcopi, Culum Brown, Victoria Braithwaite

Sentience Collection

Individual variation in behaviour within populations may be explained in part by demographics and long-term, stable individual psychological differences. We examined the relation between boldness (taken as the time to emerge from a shelter and explore a novel environment) and body size in eight populations of the poeciliid Brachyraphis episcopi originating from sites upstream and downstream of waterfalls in four rivers that run into the Panama Canal. The relation between body size and time to emerge from a shelter was positive, with larger fish taking longer to emerge. This relation differed between downstream and upstream sites, being significant in the …

Distribution Of Chemistry And Sexual Fecundity In The Lichenized-Fungi, Xanthoparmelia Cumberlandia And Xanthoparmelia Coloradoensis On Boulder Mountain, Aquarius Plateau, Ut, Heather Bird Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Three aspects of Xanthoparmelia cumberlandia and Xanthoparmelia coloradoënsis populations found at two elevations are explored: clustering of secondary chemicals and the resulting implications for taxonomic distinctions, the usefulness of thallus size as an indirect measure of sexual fecundity, and the frequency of sexual reproduction.

First, we use clustering of 46 chemicals produced by X. cumberlandia and X. coloradoënsis to evaluate the adequacy of the current taxonomic distinction between them. Using principal components analysis and UPGMA, we find that the currently recognized species boundaries indicated by the presence of stictic acid in X. cumberlandia and salazinic acid in X. coloradoënsis are …

Annotated Bibliography Of The Florida Applesnail, Pomacea Paludosa (Say) (Gastropoda: Ampullariidae), From 1824 To 1999, Richard L. Turner, Paula M. Mikkelsen

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

The Florida applesnail, Pomacea paludosa (Say, 1829), inhabits freshwater rivers, lakes, and wetlands of the southeastern United States and Cuba, where it is prey to several species of birds, reptiles, and fish, particularly the snail kite, limpkin, American alligator, and redear sunfish. It has additionally been a staple in the diet of several native human populations. Introduction of exotic aquatic vegetation and the management practices of the 1900s have impacted the availability of P. paludosa to its predators, some of which are listed on federal and state registries of species that are endangered, threatened, or of special concern. Its association …

Marine Baitfish Culture, Michael J. Oesterling, Charles M. Adams, Andy M. Lazur

Reports

No abstract provided.

Education In The Environment: A Hands-On Student Research And Outdoor Learning Experience: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending November 30, 2004, Margaret N. Rees

Reports (PLI Education)

During the past three-months, the focus of the university’s efforts has been 1) making progress on the hiring of permanent project managers for the Education in the Environment Strategy and the Forever Earth / Wonderful Outdoor World on the Water (WOW) projects; 2) completing legal review of the cooperative agreement and standard operating procedures required for the university to assume operations of the Forever Earth vessel; and 3) writing curriculum for the WOW and Forever Earth projects.

Red Rock Desert Learning Center Core Group Meeting: November 16, 2004, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Introductions (5 min.)
2. Approval of Minutes from October 19 Meeting (5 minutes)
3. Presentation of Biology Curriculum Strands – Paul Buck (15 min.)
4. Discussion of Possible Advisory Board Structures – Michael Reiland (15 min.)
5. Update from Line and Space Architects – Les Wallach/Henry Tom (20 min.)
6. Discussion of Student Risk Analysis/Liability Issues (15 min.)
7. Standing Reports (10 minutes)
   A. UNLV/CESU Update – Nancy Flagg
   B. BLM Update – Michael Reiland
8. Committee Reports (5 min.)
   A. Building Committee – Angie Lara
9. Open Discussion / New Business (5 min.)
   A. January Meeting – Tuesday, January 18, 10:30 a.m., UNLV Paradise
   Campus
   B. Core …

Parasitism In Species Of Bathymodiolus (Bivalvia : Mytilidae) Mussels From Deep-Sea Seep And Hydrothermal Vents, Me Ward, Jeffrey D. Shields, Cl Van Dover

VIMS Articles

Bivalve species, especially mussels, are biomass dominants in many deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems. As in shallow-water environments, parasites are likely to be important factors in the population dynamics of bivalve communities in chemosynthetic ecosystems, but there has been little study of parasitism in deep-sea seep or vent molluscs. In this study, Parasite types, diversity, prevalence, infection density and non-infectious indicators of stress or disease as related to host age, reproductive condition, and endosymbiont density were assessed in mussels (Bathmodiolus heckerae) from 2 seep sites and mussels (B. puteoserpentis) from 2 vent sites. We identified 10 microbial or parasitic agents in histological …

Red Rock Desert Learning Center Core Group Meeting: October 19, 2004, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Introductions (5 min.)
2. Approval of Minutes from September 21 Meeting (5 minutes)
3. Review & Discussion of Suggested Core Curriculum Themes – Jeanne Klockow/Michael Reiland (20 min.)
4. Update from Line and Space Architects – Les Wallach/Henry Tom (20 min.)
5. Standing Reports (20 minutes)
   A. UNLV/CESU Update – Nancy Flagg
   C. BLM Update – Michael Reiland
6. Committee Reports (10 min.)
   A. Building – Angie Lara
   B. Design Oversight – David Frommer
   C. Educational Programs – Paul Buck
   D. Fund-Raising & Partnerships – Blaine Benedict
   E. NEPA – Charles Carroll
   F. Operations – Jack Ramsey
   G. Other Uses – Pat Williams
   H. Wild …

Upwelling And Degree Of Nutrient Consumption In Nanwan Bay, Southern Taiwan, Chen-Tung Arthur Chen, Bing-Jye Wang, Li-Yu Hsing

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

The newly proposed Degree of Nutrient Consumption (DNC) of upwelled waters was used to evaluate the upwelling process in Nanwan Bay off the southern tip of Taiwan. DNC values were found to be low in subsurface waters or in newly upwelled waters. In general, a low DNC value was detected alongside other traditionally used upwelling indicators such as lower temperature, pH and % oxygen saturation but higher salinity, nutrients and chlorophyll a. On the other hand, the DNC value could be several times higher in aged upwelled water found in the surface layer.

Spatial Heterogeneity, Not Visitation Bias, Dominates Variation In Herbivory: Comment & Reply, James F. Cahill, Brenda B. Casper, David S. Hik, Svata M. Louda, Anne M. Parkhurst, Kate L. Bradley, Elisabeth S. Bakker, Johannes M. H. Knops, Ellen I. Damschen, Lauren M. Young

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

An exchange regarding the article: Bradley, K. L., E. I. Damschen, L. M. Young, D. Kuefler, S. Went, G. Wray, N. M. Haddad, J. M. H. Knops, and S. M. Louda. 2003. Spatial heterogeneity, not visitation bias, dominates variation in herbivory. Ecology 84:2214–2221.

Cahill et al. write:
Here we show that the experimental design and statistical analysis used by Bradley et al. (2003) do not adequately control for Type II experimental error (accepting the null hypothesis when it is in fact false). This is particularly important when responses have low effect sizes such as those previously demonstrated for visitation effects …

Growth Of Stygobitic (Orconectes Australis Packardi) And Epigean (Orconectes Cristavarius) Crayfishes Maintained In Laboratory Conditions, Ann-Simone Cooper, Robin L. Cooper

Biology Faculty Publications

This study reports on maintenance and growth of the cave crayfish, Orconectes australis packardi, and the epigean crayfish, Orconectes cristavarius, with laboratory conditions for 1 and 2 years. The O. a. packardi survived well compared to the O. cristavarius in captivity. The poor survival of the epigean species was probably due to unsuitable conditions. The epigean as well as the cave crayfish molted and grew in captivity, but without any significant difference in molt frequency between species. In the first year, total body length was obtained to assay growth, whereas in the second year the more accurate measure …

Red Rock Desert Learning Center Core Group Meeting: September 21, 2004, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Introductions (5 min.)
2. Approval of Minutes from August 17 Meeting (5 minutes)
3. Potential Tie-in with City of Las Vegas New Directions YouthArts Program –
   Markus Tracy (20 min.)
4. Presentation of Education in the Environment Curriculum Matrix and correlation to
   RRDLC curriculum development – Jeanne Klockow (30 min.)
5. Discussion of Policy-making Board for the Center – Michael Reiland (15 min.)
6. Discussion of Observatory Location – Michael Reiland (25 min.)
7. Standing Reports (20 minutes)
   A. Line and Space Architects Update – Les Wallach/Henry Tom
   B. UNLV/CESU Update – Nancy Flagg
   C. RRCNCA Capital Improvements Update – BLM
8. Committee Reports (10 min.)
   A. …

Education In The Environment Partnership, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI Education)

• Update on Oliver Ranch
• Update on Forever Earth
• Update on WOW on the Water

Historical Evidence Of Riparian Forests In The Great Plains And How That Knowledge Can Aid With Restoration And Management., Elliot West, Greg Ruark

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

While some argue that the Great Plains were dominated by grasslands and that riparian woodlands were rare, others contend that trees would logically have occurred in riparian areas due to favorable microenvironment conditions. Historically, what native plant communities were found in riparian zones of the Great Plains? The answers to this question depend to a large extent on what time period is used as a reference of pre-settlement conditions.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1981) drew upon conditions in 1905 for insight and concluded that trees were “wholly absent” or consisted of scattered cottonwood and willow. However, such a …

Oliver Ranch Core Group Meeting: August 17, 2004, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Introductions (5 minutes)
2. Approval of Minutes from June 15 Meeting (5 minutes)
3. Review of Draft Talking Points/FAQ – Nancy Flagg (30 min)
4. Discussion of Wild Horse and Burro Facility – Billie Young (30 min.)
5. Standing Reports (30 minutes)
   A. Line and Space Update – Les Wallach/Henry Tom
   B. UNLV/CESU Update – Peg Rees/Nancy Flagg
   C. RRCNRA Capital Improvements Update – Mark Morse/Michael Reiland
6. ORSS Committee Reports (15 minutes)
   A. Design Oversight – David Frommer
   B. Educational Programs – Paul Buck
   C. Fund-Raising & Partnerships – Blaine Benedict
   D. NEPA – Charles Carroll
   E. Operations – Jack Ramsey
   F. Other Uses …

Copepods From Shore And Offshore Waters Of Pakistan, Quddusi B. Kazmi

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

This report is a history of copepodology based on the review of previously recorded species of copepods from Pakistan (Arabian Sea) by Pakistani workers and other contemporary surveys. The plankton samples studied are the epipelagic copepods collected during the Northern Arabian Sea Ecological and Environmental Research (NASEER) Cruise I (January 7-22, 1992) and Cruise IV (May 10-21, 1994). Some planktonic and phytal species obtained from a U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) project (1993-1995) on living resources in nearshore waters, and interstitial species obtained during a preliminary survey ONR (1998-2000) of the interstitial copepods carried out for the first time …

Oliver Ranch Core Group Meeting: July 20, 2004, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Introductions (5 minutes)
2. Approval of Minutes from June 15 Meeting (5 minutes)
3. Review of Draft Talking Points/FAQ – Nancy Flagg (30 min)
4. Discussion of Wild Horse and Burro Facility – Billie Young (30 min.)
5. Standing Reports (30 minutes)
   A. Line and Space Update – Les Wallach/Henry Tom
   B. UNLV/CESU Update – Peg Rees/Nancy Flagg
   c. RRCNRA Capital Improvements Update – Mark Morse/Michael Reiland
6. ORSS Committee Reports (15 minutes)
   A. Design Oversight – David Frommer
   B. Educational Programs – Paul Buck
   C. Fund-Raising & Partnerships – Blaine Benedict
   D. NEPA – Charles Carroll
   E. Operations – Jack Ramsey
   F. Other Uses …

Effects Of Natal Departure And Water Level On Survival Of Juvenile Snail Kites (Rostrhamus Sociabilis) In Florida, Victoria J. Dreitz, Wiley M. Kitchens, Donald L. Deangelis

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Survival rate from fledging to breeding, or juvenile survival, is an important source of variation in lifetime reproductive success in birds. Therefore, determining the relation-ship between juvenile survival and environmental factors is essential to understanding fitness consequences of reproduction in many populations. With increases in density of individuals and depletion of food resources, quality of most habitats deteriorates during the breeding season. Individuals respond by dispersing in search of food resources. Therefore, to understand the influence of environmental factors on juvenile survival, it is also necessary to know how natal dispersal influences survival of juveniles. We examined effects of various …

Oliver Ranch Core Group Meeting: June 15, 2004, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Approval of Minutes from May 18 Meeting
2. UNLV/CESU Update – Peg Rees/Nancy Flagg
   A. ORSS History and Talking Points
   B. Presentations to Civic Groups
3. Line and Space Update – Les Wallach/Henry Tom
4. RRCNRA Capital Improvements Update – Mark Morse
5. ORSS Project Timeline – Michael Reiland
6. Linkages Between ORSS Curriculum and Building Design – Paul Buck
7. Video Interviews of CCSD 5th Graders – CCSD Staff
8. ORSS Sub-Committee Reports
   -- Status of Committee Mission Statements
   -- Committee Responses to L&S Draft
   -- Proposal to Establish a Building Committee
   A. Operations – Jack Ramsey
   B. Wild Horse & Burro – Billie Young
   C. …

Tide, Buoyancy, And Wind-Driven Circulation Of The Charlotte Harbor Estuary: A Model Study, Lianyuan Zheng, Robert H. Weisberg

Marine Science Faculty Publications

The circulation of the Charlotte Harbor (CH) estuary is explored with a primitive equation model that encompasses the estuary and the adjacent West Florida Shelf. Tidal forcing is from the shelf through the inlets. We use the M₂, S₂, K₁, and O₁ constituents that account for 95% of the shelf tidal variance. River inflows are by the Peace, Myakka, and Caloosahatchee Rivers at their spring 1998 mean values. Wind effects are considered for upwelling or downwelling favorable winds that are either held constant or allowed to oscillate with varying periodicities. These factors are …

Diploid And Polyploid Cytotype Distribution In Melampodium Cinereum And M. Leucanthum (Asteraceae, Heliantheae), Tod F. Stuessy, Hanna Weiss-Schneeweiss, David J. Keil

Biological Sciences

Previous chromosomal studies within Melampodium (Asteraceae, Heliantheae) of Mexico and Central America have documented chromosome numbers n = 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 20, 23, 25 ± 1, 27, 30, and 33. Some species also have been shown to exhibit infra-and interpopulational polyploidy. The presence of cytotype mixtures is especially pronounced in the white-rayed complex, which occurs in the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. This group includes M. cinereum (n = 10 and 20), M. leucanthum (n = 10 and 20), and M. argophyllum (n = 30). Cytotype distribution has been newly analyzed in 415 plants from 152 populations …

Combining Paternally And Maternally Inherited Mitochondrial Dna For Analysis Of Population Structure In Mussels, Robert A. Krebs

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Sequence divergence for a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene was compared to identify the advantages in using mitochondrial genes that descend separately through the female and male lineages to examine population structure. The test compared divergence among four local species of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) and was extended to multiple populations of one species, Pyganodon grandis. For the same gene, the male-inherited sequences diverged at a faster rate, producing longer branch lengths in the phylogenies. Of particular use were sequences extracted from P. grandis populations from the southern region of the Lake Erie watershed (Ohio, USA); five male-inherited haplotypes were …

Rationale For A New Generation Of Indicators For Coastal Waters, Gerald Niemi, Denice Wardrop, Robert Brooks, Susan Anderson, Valerie Brady, Hans Paerl, Chet Rakocinski, Marius Brouwer, Barbara Levinson, Michael Mcdonald

Faculty Publications

More than half the world'S human population lives within 100 km of the coast, and that number is expected to increase by 25% over the next two decades. Consequently, coastal ecosystems are at serious risk. Larger coastal populations and increasing development have led to increased loading of toxic substances, nutrients and pathogens with subsequent algal blooms, hypoxia, beach closures, and damage to coastal fisheries. Recent climate change has led to the rise in sea level with loss of coastal wetlands and saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers. Coastal resources have traditionally been monitored on a stressor-by-stressor basis such as for nutrient …

Oliver Ranch Core Group Meeting: May 18, 2004, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Where have we been and where are we going?
2. Line and Space Report
3. Committee Reports
4. Future Core Group Meetings

Contemporary Visions Of Progress In Ecology And Thoughts For The Future, Brian M. Starzomski, Bradley J. Cardinale, Jennifer A. Dunne, Melinda J. Hillery, Carrie A. Holt, Meg A. Krawchuk, Melissa Lage, Sean Mcmahon, Michael C. Melnychuk

Research outputs pre 2011

Although ecological research is progressing rapidly, the answers to certain key questions continue to elude us. This paper considers several of the contemporary challenges facing ecology. (1) Terminology is voluminous and often poorly defined, resulting in inefficient communication. (2) The concept of scale affects our inferences about system structure and function, requiring us to continue an almost heuristic investigation of breaks, domains, and integration. New tools that more explicitly incorporate scalar issues will need to be developed for progress to take place in the field of ecology. (3) Increasingly, it is expected that applied questions will be solved in less …

Alternative Future Growth Scenarios For Conserving Open Space Along Utah's Wasatch Front: A Case Study For The Mountain Land Association Of Governments, Richard E. Toth

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Over the past 20 years, rapid suburban and second-home development along Utah's Wasatch Front has threatened to irreversibly alter the region 's character and quality of life. This rapid development has raised concern among federal, state, county and community leaders with respect to the protection of surface and subsurface water; public health, safety and welfare; public services and infrastructure, and open space. The major areas being developed include the valley edges and bottom lands, riparian zones, agricultural lands and bench areas. Since most of these areas are under private ownership, they are highly vulnerable to an array of development activities.

Structural Changes In The Red Spruce-Fraser Fir Forest, Michael R. Mancusi

Masters Theses

Since the early 1900s the southern Appalachian red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.)-Fraser fir (Abies piceae (Pursh) Poir.) forests have been subjected to numerous destructive influences. Historical logging practices, fire, exotic insect infestations, acidic deposition, and global climate change have demonstratively altered the structure and composition of this fragile ecosystem. Most profound was the discovery in 1957 of the balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae Ratz. Homoptera: Adelgidae ), an exotic sap-sucking aphid. A study was initiated in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which contains 74% of the red spruce-Fraser ecosystem. Thirty-six 20x20 m permanent plots untouched by logging …

Cattle As Grazing Management And Seed Dispersal Tools For Increasing Native Species Diversity On Great Basin Rangelands, Marina K. Whitacre

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A series of experiments evaluated: 1) the influence of seed intake and gut retention time on seed passage, recovery, and germinability; 2) fecal seeding and broadcast /trampling as techniques to incorporate seeds into a well-established Agropyron desertorum (Fisch.) Schult. stand in Skull Valley , Utah; 3) intensive grazing as a means to reduce Agropyron biomass and increase establishment and survival of seeded species; and 4) the recovery and germinability of seed extracted from dung collected from the field. Two shrubs (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young and Atriplex confertifolia Torr. & Frem.), a grass (Elymus elymoides (Raf.) …

Ten Suggestions To Strengthen The Science Of Ecology, Gary E. Belovsky, Daniel B. Botkin, Todd A. Crowl, Kenneth W. Cummins, Jerry F. Franklin, Malcolm L. Hunter, Anthony Joern, David B. Lindenmayer, James A. Macmahon, Chris R. Margules, J. Michael Scott

Papers in Ecology

There are few well-documented, general ecological principles that can be applied to pressing environmental issues. When they discuss them at all, ecologists often disagree about the relative importance of different aspects of the science’s original and still important issues. It may be that the sum of ecological science is not open to universal statements because of the wide range of organizational, spatial, and temporal phenomena, as well as the sheer number of possible interactions.We believe, however, that the search for general principles has been inadequate to establish the extent to which generalities are possible.We suggest that ecologists may need to …

Endangered And Threatened Wildlife And Plants; Designation Of Critical Habitat For Topeka Shiner

Endangered Species Bulletin

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce the reopening of a 30-day public comment period for the proposed rule to designate critical habitat for the Topeka shiner (Notropis Topeka) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The proposed rule to designate critical habitat in the States of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota was published on August 21, 2002 (67 FR 54261). We herein propose critical habitat segments for Missouri and one additional segment for South Dakota, and discuss potential exclusions from critical habitat designation under the authority of section 4(b)(2). We …