Digital Commons Network^™

Implications Of Introduced Mule Deer On Santa Catalina Island, California : Their Impacts, Population Ecology, And Management, Thad A. Manuwal

Theses and Dissertations

A small group of mule deer were introduced to Santa Catalina Island in the early
1930s. The mule deer population increased through the 1940s and 1950s and remains widespread and abundant today. Large browsing ungulates are not native to Santa Catalina Island and there is concern that nonnative mule deer are damaging endemic trees and shrubs on the island when foraging. This study was designed to develop quantitative information on diets, foraging behavior, movements, and population biology of mule deer on Catalina Island.

Diet analysis indicated mule deer are consuming a wide variety of native and
endemic plants found on …

Reproductive Consequences Of Exposure To Sediment Extracts From The South Branch Of The Potomac River On Japanese Medaka (Oryzias Latipes), Seth R. Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

An intersex condition, defined as the presence of oocytes in the testes of male gonochoristic fish, has been observed in smallmouth bass in the South Branch of the Potomac River, West Virginia, which indicates exposure to exogenous estrogens. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC's) are generally hydrophobic and would tend to be found within the sediment of aquatic environments. Few studies have attempted to show the effects of exposure to EDC's on fish using sediment chemical extracts. We have developed a mass sediment extraction technique using 2 solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate:acetone 50:50) to determine the effects of extracted chemicals from three sites …

Use Of Native Seed Mixtures To Improve Erosion Control And Wildlife Habitat On Log Landings Following Timber Harvest In The Upper Elk Watershed Of West Virginia, Lisa R. Tager

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Foresters in West Virginia follow BMP guidelines by reseeding retired log landings with inexpensive grasses that quickly provide erosion control. However, these grasses typically are not native nor do they provide high quality forage for wildlife. I developed 3 native seed mixtures for log landing reclamation that would maintain sediment control, as well as enhance wildlife habitat. These mixtures included an erosion control mixture, a wildlife mixture, and a wildflower mixture. I assessed sediment control, biomass production, vegetation structure, forage quality, and small mammal usage of my native mixtures and a commonly used, nonnative traditional mixture in 2005 and 2006. …

Stream Water Quality And Benthic Macroinvertebrate Ecology In A Coal-Mining, Acid-Sensitive Region, George T. Merovich Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Acid mine drainage (AMD) and acid rain are important sources of impairment to streams in the Tygart Valley and Cheat River basins in north central West Virginia, USA. Due to a network of abandoned mined lands and bond forfeiture sites in this coal-mining region, AMD represents severe, but rather localized impacts to water quality. AMD is a consequence of the chemical oxidation of reduced geological minerals (sulfides) usually associated with coal during mining operations. The reactions produce aqueous solutions high in sulfates and dissolved metals when the minerals are exposed to the oxic environment through land disturbance. In addition, the …

Feeding Performance In Hawaiian Stream Goby Fishes: Morphological And Functional Analysis, Takashi Maie

All Theses

Distributions of Hawaiian stream fishes are typically interrupted by waterfalls that divide streams into lower and upper segments. Larvae hatched upstream are flushed into the ocean, and must climb these waterfalls to reach adult habitats when returning back to freshwater as part of an amphidromous life cycle. Stream surveys and studies of climbing performance show that Lentipes concolor can reach fast-flowing upper stream segments, but that Awaous guamensis reaches only slower, lower stream segments. Gut content analyses for these two species indicate that diet differs between them only by 10% or less dry weight for most major components (mostly green …

Breeding And Post-Breeding Forest Bird Community Dynamics In Regenerating Clearcuts And Two-Age Harvests In The Central Appalachians, Molly Erin Mcdermott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Two-age harvesting has been used more frequently in the management of Central Appalachian hardwood stands as an alternative to clearcutting, but long-term responses of avifauna to these harvests have not been investigated during the breeding season. No studies have examined post-breeding bird communities in these harvests; recent research concerning post-breeding use of early-successional habitats has only examined clearcuts. Greater cover from predators and increased food resources in young seral forests are suspected factors behind the attraction of mature-forest birds post-breeding, and one goal was to test these hypotheses. In addition to microhabitat characteristics, avian habitat use of forest fragmented by …

Ecological Art: Ruth Wallen And Cultural Activism, Susan Birchler

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Twentieth century modernity has provoked multiple problems ranging from environmental degradation to human rights violations. Globally, diverse communities of people have organized to promote, not just reactive reforms, but a fundamental alteration of the foundational worldview underlying these issues. Radical activists committed their work to promoting an alternative ethos based on egalitarian, democratic, and ecologically-wise concepts. An array of methodologies emerged from these endeavors. More radical political groups focused on cultural tools to engage people in the construction of an alternative worldview. Radical activists utilized two forms of cultural politics: prefigurative politics, the physical presentation of an envisioned future and …

Developing A Habitat Suitability Model For The Spotted Turtle Using A Hybrid-Deductive Approach, Bryan Correa-Berger

Theses

Knowledge of species with multiple habitat needs for conservation and species survival planning is scarce. In order to predict areas of habitat suitability and potential further research, suitability modeling is necessary. This research created a GIS-based model to predict habitat suitability potential for the spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) in four counties of western New York. Because of scarce and conflicting information on spotted turtle habitat needs, a survey was sent out to experts that evaluated spotted turtle habitat parameters. The goal of the habitat model was to predict optimal habitat for sustainable spotted turtle populations in an area where viable …

Comparison Of Two Electrofishing Gears (Backpack And Parallel Wires) And Abundances Of Fishes Of The Upper Greenbrier River Drainage, Angela D. Burns

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The type of electrofishing gear influences capture efficiencies and abundance estimates of stream fishes. Few studies have examined the Holton and Sullivan (1954) parallel wires method of electrofishing. For this study, I modeled removal data with seven sampling occasions of three common species, western blacknose dace (Rhinichthys obtusus), fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare), and mottled sculpin ( Cottus bairdi) from 10 paired sites in the upper Greenbrier River drainage, West Virginia, and estimated capture efficiencies of two electrofishing gear types (the Holton and Sullivan parallel wires method with alternating current and backpack units with pulsed-direct current). Ten candidate models represented alternative …

Fresh Water Ecology Unit For Secondary Education Science Courses, Eric L. Hyer

Theses and Dissertations

Science means “to know", a process for gaining knowledge and an understanding of the natural world. Students need to be involved in active learning. In other words, they must do science, not just hear about it. Good science encourages students to gain knowledge by doing science: observing, questioning, exploring, making and testing hypotheses, comparing predictions, evaluating data, and communicating conclusions. This unit plan is designed to incorporate the components of fresh water, ecology, water quality, and a class-wide science project. Each lesson addresses selected standards from the state core curriculum and has specific objectives that are tied to the learning …

Impacts Of Palustrine Wetlands On Surface Water Quality In The Lamprey River Watershed, New Hampshire, Shelby A. Flint

Master's Theses and Capstones

Surface water chemistry was measured monthly at ten wetlands in New Hampshire from January, 2005 through October, 2006. An additional wetland was sampled intensively and only during summer-autumn, 2005, and summer, 2006. Nitrate, ammonium, dissolved organic nitrogen, total dissolved nitrogen, nitrous oxide, and dissolved organic carbon concentrations in surface waters immediately up- and downstream of the wetlands were compared and changes in concentration were modeled. Nitrate, total nitrogen, organic nitrogen, and organic carbon concentrations differed significantly between upstream and downstream sampling stations. Ammonium and nitrous oxide did not show strong differences between upstream and downstream during much of the sampling …

Invasion Of Transition Hardwood Forests By Exotic Rhamnus Frangula: Chronology And Site Requirements, Hanna S. Wingard

Master's Theses and Capstones

The invasion chronology and site requirements of the exotic, invasive shrub, glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula), were studied within intact transition hardwood---hemlock---white pine forests in Durham, NH. Data were collected from 63 plots (7 sites with 9 plots each). Within sites, plots were arranged over a topographic gradient with 3 plots in each of 3 topographic positions (upper, middle, and lower slope). From each plot, information on soil nutrients and texture, soil moisture, overstory community composition, and canopy openness was collected. Densities of R. frangula in two size classes (≥1 m in height, <1 m in height) within each plot were calculated. Morphological data (height, diameter at stem base, number of live and dead stems, and age) were collected from each individual ≥1 m tall. R. frangula invaded these intact, closed-canopy forests over 30 years ago and the invasion has continued, with population density increasing over time. Nominal logistic regression suggested that site, topographic position, and overstory community type played a role in whether or not R. frangula was present in a plot. Plots on upper slopes dominated by Tsuga canadensis were less likely to become invaded than other plots. Multiple linear regression showed that density of R. frangula (≥1 m) increased with time since invasion and increasing soil quality. Density of R. frangula (<1 m) was positively influenced by time since invasion, canopy openness, and density of R. frangula (≥1 m). Multiple regressions also showed that mean age and age of oldest R. frangula per plot were higher in plots with higher soil moisture content. Size of R. frangula individuals (i.e. height, diameter) generally increased with mean age of stems. The results show that successional, transition hardwood forests can be invaded by R. frangula and should not be overlooked when managing against this species. Special attention should be given to low topographic positions and areas with rich soils, while upland areas with dense hemlock canopy are much less likely to experience heavy invasion by R. frangula..

Nest Guarding And Aggression In The Red-Backed Salamander, Plethodon Cinereus, Jan Tornick

Master's Theses and Capstones

Several environmental factors and endocrine mechanisms were examined which may affect the intensity of aggression displayed by female red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) during nest guarding. In a set of behavioral experiments, female were challenged by conspecific intruders during egg guarding and intensity of aggression was scored. Four variables were examined: (1) clutch age, (2) clutch size, (3) sex of intruder, and (4) body size of the attendant. In a second set of experiments, tissue samples were taken from challenged and unchallenged brooding females to compare testosterone (T) titers. A novel non-lethal technique was developed for extraction and assay of T …

Development Of A Numerical Model To Predict Impact Forces On A North Atlantic Right Whale During Collision With A Vessel, Jason J. Raymond

Master's Theses and Capstones

The North Atlantic right whale is under a great deal of public and private concern due to their endangered status and shrinking numbers. Of the 40 animals examined post-mortem (1970-2006), 21 deaths (52.5%) were caused by vessel-whale collision injuries, such as skull fractures. Several methods have been proposed to help reduce the number of fatalities. One such method is to place restrictions on ship speed within right whale critical habitats. However, no quantitative data exist regarding the effect of reduced vessel speed on the likelihood of fatality. The objective of this study is to develop a numerical model of the …

The Effect Of Cyanobacteria And Their Chemical Cues On The Surface Area Of The Third Thoracic Limb Of Daphnia, Warren Travis Godkin

Master's Theses and Capstones

Changes in the filter appendage surface area (FSA) of Daphnia in response to cyanobacteria were examined in an effort to learn more about the relationship between Daphnia and extracellular cues exuded by cyanobacteria. The filtering appendage areas of two strains of D. pulex were measured after feeding on high and low concentrations of a mixture of Nanochloropsis spp. and toxic Microcystis aeruginosa for one generation. Daphnia were also raised in a filtrate of this same M. aeruginosa and given high and low concentrations of food to determine the cause of increased FSA in the presence of cyanobacteria: low amounts of …

Controls On Denitrification In A Northeastern Coastal Suburban Riparian Zone, Katherine Traer

Master's Theses and Capstones

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) inputs in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems can alter groundwater N cycling, which affects N fluxes in surface water and coastal environments. Increased N inputs can decrease the overall health of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems as well as pose serious human health threats. It is well documented that riparian zones can reduce N fluxes to surface water bodies as well as coastal environments. Recently, it has been determined that riparian denitrification potential is largely influenced by hydrogeologic characteristics.

Hydrogeologic characteristics and groundwater physical properties and chemical constituents were evaluated in the James Farm well field located in Lee, …

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Anadromous Fish Passage At Boshers Dam Vertical Slot Fishway On The James River, Richmond, Virginia, Matthew Thomas Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

Boshers dam vertical slot fishway, James River, Virginia, U.S.A., opened in 1999 and restored connectivity to 543.3 km of spawning habitat for anadromous fish. The fishway also allowed local movement of resident species. Video observation from 2001-2005 was used to evaluate environmental predictors of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) and sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) passage. The ecological effects of restoring connectivity to upstream habitat for gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) and blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) are also discussed. Regression analysis determined that the best predictor of increased daytime American shad passage is higher water temperatures and discharge and for increased daytime sea …

Microbial Functional Capacity Among Natural And Created Wetlands In Ohio, Usa, Eric J. Saas

Master's Theses and Capstones

Natural depressional wetlands carry out important functions related to C and N cycling, yet the ability of created wetlands to functionally replace natural wetlands in this capacity is not well understood. My objective was to apply the catabolic response profile (CRP) method to evaluate the functional capacity of the soil microbial community in a series of 15 freshwater depressional wetlands: five naturally-occurring wetlands and 10 created wetlands from 1 to 39 years old. I amended sediment samples with 20 labile carbon sources, and samples were analyzed for CO2 and CH4 efflux following a 4-hr incubation under either aerobic or anaerobic …

Field Efficiency And Bias Of Several Methods For Downed Wood And Snag Inventory In Western North American Forests, Robert Scott Kenning

Master's Theses and Capstones

Coarse woody debris (CWD)---downed forest wood and snags---has been afforded increasing attention in the past decade as studies illuminate the role of dead wood in the study of global carbon cycling, wildlife, forest fire, and soil ecology. Accordingly, the need for efficient sampling methods of CWD has grown. This study compares the field efficiency and bias of seven traditional and novel sampling techniques. Methods were tested in 14 forest stands across 3 broad study regions---alpine and ponderosa forests in Colorado and coastal rainforest in British Columbia.

For sampling downed wood volume, perpendicular distance sampling (PDS) proves to be the most …

Denitrification Drives Total Nitrate Uptake In Small Puerto Rican Streams, Jody D. Potter

Master's Theses and Capstones

An intensive study that was part of the Lotic Intersite Nitrogen eXperiment II (LINX II) project was conducted to determine nitrogen transformations in nine low-order streams with contrasting land use. Short term (24-hour) additions of K15NO3 and NaBr were performed on a gradient of anthropogenically impacted streams in Puerto Rico. Nitrate uptake was determined from longitudinal decline in 15NO3 and denitrification rates were determined from the longitudinal pattern of 15N 2 and 15N2O. Several physical, chemical, and biological variables were also measured to determine controlling factors. I performed these experiments to investigate: (1) the mechanisms for NO3 uptake and denitrification …

Resolving The 150 Year Debate Over The Ecological History Of The Common Periwinkle Snail, Littorina Littorea, In Northeast North America, April M H Blakeslee

Doctoral Dissertations

Littorina littorea (common periwinkle snail) is highly abundant in both Europe and North America. A known native of Europe, its presence in North America has been the subject of a one-hundred year debate. Prior published work attempting to resolve its cryptogenic (=uncertain origin) status with historical, archaeological, ecological and/or genetic data were not successful. I therefore included novel parasite and molecular evidence to definitively resolve L. littorea's North American cryptogenic status.

First, I explored trematode species richness patterns in European versus North American L. littorea and two co-occurring native congeners, L. saxatilis and L. obtusata. Through extensive field and literature …

The Maintenance, Evolution, And Impacts Of Inducible Morphological Defenses In Mytilus Edulis: Responses To Multiple And Invasive Predators, Aaren Scott Freeman

Doctoral Dissertations

The burgeoning field of phenotypic plasticity and inducible defenses has documented a wide variety of predator-induced defenses. I this dissertation I have explored induced defenses in the marine mussel Mytilus edulis as they are affected by (a) shared evolutionary history with invasive crab predators, (b) specificity of responses to multiple predators (singly and combined) with different foraging strategies, and (c) spatial and temporal variation in the expression of predator specific induced defenses in situ.

Mytilus from southern New England expressed induced shell thickening when exposed to waterborne cues from the crab Hemigrapsus , but "naive" northern mussel populations do not …

Interactions Between Two Invasive Crab Predators, Carcinus Maenas And Hemigrapsus Sanguineus, And Consequences For The Native Community, Blaine David Griffen

Doctoral Dissertations

With continued globalization, species are being transported and introduced into novel habitats at an accelerating rate. As invasive species become more common, interactions between invasive species will also increase and may alter the way that these species impact invaded communities. The European green crab Carcinus maenas is an aggressive predator that was introduced to the east coast of North America in the mid 1800s and often has detrimental impacts on prey communities. A newer invasive predator, the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus, was first discovered on the Atlantic coast in the 1980s, and now inhabits many of the same regions …

The Roles Of Brook Trout And Larval Two -Lined Salamanders As Predators In Streams, Garrett Evan Barr

Doctoral Dissertations

To test the effects of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) on stream macroinvertebrates and salamander larvae, I conducted a large-scale manipulation of trout presence in the White Mountain National Forest, NH. I included 9 streams in the study: 3 with trout, 3 without fish, and 3 without fish to which I added trout. I measured invertebrate benthic density before and 1 yr following trout translocation and drift density before, shortly following, and 1 yr following trout translocation. I also measured larval two-lined salamander (Eurycea bislineata) density and day and night activity on the stream substrate surface before and 1 yr following …

The Thermal Ecology Of The Red-Spotted Toad, Bufo Punctatus, Across Life History, Candice Marie Rausch

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Compared with other terrestrial vertebrates, amphibians are generally less tolerant of thermal extremes. The Mojave Desert has ambient temperatures outside the proposed thermal tolerance zone of its mort abundant amphibian, the Red-spotted toad (Bufo (Anaxyrus) punctatus). Few data have been presented regarding the thermal ecology of these animals, including their thermal histories and proposed strategies to avoid temperature extremes. Previous studies suggest B. punctatus avoids extreme thermal exposure and adult toads experience body temperature (Tb) below a proposed critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of 35°C, and can maintain Tb at 25°C during the winter. Further, previous studies indicate a CTmax for …

Ecology And Morphological Comparison Between Rough Greensnakes (Opheodrys A. Aestivus) And Eastern Smooth Greensnakes (Opheodrys V. Vernalis) In West Virginia, Timothy Earl Baldwin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Since 1971, documented Rough Greensnake (Opheodrys aestivus) occurrences in West Virginia have declined from approximately 100 to less than 20 occurrences in the last 10 years. In contrast to the decline of Rough Greensnakes in WV, Smooth Greensnake (O. vernalis) populations appear to be stable over the same period of time. Historic sites from the West Virginia Biological Survey were cross referenced with habitat descriptions in published literature to establish research locations. One hundred nineteen Rough and Smooth Greensnakes were measured for snout-vent length and total body length, and of these, 78 were measured in detail for external head morphology …

Reproductive Ecology Variation And Molecular Phylogeography In The Garter Snakes Of Northern New England: (Thamnophis Sirtalis Sirtalis L 1758 And Thamnophis Sirtalis Pallidulus Allen 1899), William Stephen Kean

Master's Theses and Capstones

Thamnophis sirtalis, the Common garter snake, is a wide-ranging North American snake exhibiting great variation in morphology and life-history attributes across its range. This thesis studied reproductive variation and molecular phylogeography of T. s. sirtalis, the Eastern garter snake, and T. s. pallidulus, the Maritime garter snake, in populations from New England in 2005 and 2006. Pregnant female snakes were captured and held in captivity until parturition, and measurements were taken on parent and offspring for comparisons across years and locations. Tissue samples were taken from adult snakes for mtDNA sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic comparisons. No substantial trends were observed …

Impacts Of Changing Water Temperatures On The Life Histories Of Two Invasive Ascidians In The Gulf Of Maine: Botryllus Schlosseri And Botrylloides Violaceus, Erica Westerman

Master's Theses and Capstones

The impact of temperature on organism life cycles has received great attention due to heightened awareness of global warming. Relative growth and reproductive development were monitored in two dominant ascidians from the Gulf of Maine to compare effects of rising temperatures on established ( Botryllus schlosseri) versus recently arrived (Botrylloides violaceus) species. Settlement panels were deployed at three sites with different temperature regimes (Damariscotta, ME, Newcastle, NH, and Salem, MA) during two growing seasons June 2005 to December 2006, and a recruitment study conducted May to December 2006. Both species had elongated breeding seasons in Salem, MA relative to the …

Impact Of Predation And Hunting On Eastern Cottontail Rabbits At Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts, Kelly M. Boland

Master's Theses and Capstones

In areas that experience environmental seasonality, wildlife populations may undergo annual declines until the capacity of the environment is reached. The degree to which hunting may influence these populations depends on whether hunting mortality is additional to natural mortality (additive) or if natural mortality decreases as hunting increases (hunting is a compensatory mortality). To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS) initiated an examination of the current rabbit hunting program in 2004. Because of the lack of current information of rabbit hunting within CCNS, the primary objective of this study was to …

Status, Distribution And Broad Scale Habitat Features Associated With Remnant Populations Of New England Cottontails (Sylvilagus Transitionalis ), Jeffrey P. Tash

Master's Theses and Capstones

Since 1960 the range occupied by New England cottontails (NEC, Sylvilagus transitionalis) in the northeastern United States has declined dramatically. Populations in some regions are known to be vulnerable to extirpation, but little was known about the status of populations in most areas. A range-wide survey of NEC was conducted from 2000 to 2004 to determine the current distribution and status of remnant populations. Because NEC are sympatric with eastern cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) and snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) throughout much of their historic range, identity of resident lagomorphs was based on DNA either extracted from tissue of live-captures or from …