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Ecology Of A Declining Great Plains Fish, Fundulus Sciadicus, In The Missouri Ozarks, Gregory Travis Thompson

Masters Theses

"Anthropogenic habitat disturbances are of growing concern due to their impacts on native biota, especially in freshwater ecosystems. Damming, channelization, urbanization, wetland draining, and non-native fish introductions all play large roles in habitat homogeneity, fragmentation, and species competition. This has negative effects on native fish and invertebrate species. In the Midwestern United States, the plains topminnow (Fundulus sciadicus) has been declining across its range, to the point of becoming a species of special concern in Missouri. This is possibly due to a combination of the above anthropogenic habitat disturbances. To better understand the ecology of the plains topminnow …

The Role Of Skeletal Development In Body Size Evolution Of Two North American Frogs, Sarah Beth Havens

Masters Theses

"In order to better understand the evolution of miniaturization in Acris blanchardi, a North American Hylid with a unique life history and of ecological interest in the United States. The development and ossification sequences of 48 larvae, 5 juveniles and 5 adult A. blanchardi were examined. The adult was described by Maglia et al. (2007) to be a miniature and to display morphological novelties. In addition, 44 larvae, 2 juvenile and 5 adults of Pseudacris crucifer a closely related frog that has been suggested to be a miniature, were examined. The cranial and postcranial adult elements of this species, as …

Individual-Based Artificial Ecosystems For Design And Optimization, Shivakar Vulli

Masters Theses

"Individual-based modeling has gained popularity over the last decade, mainly due to the paradigm's proven ability to address a variety of problems seen in many disciplines, including modeling complex systems from bottom-up, providing relationship between component level and system level parameters, and discovering the emergence of system-level behaviors from simple component level interactions. Availability of computational power to run simulation models with thousands to millions of agents is another driving force in the widespread adoption of individual-based modeling. This thesis proposes an individual-based modeling approach for solving engineering design and optimization problems using artificial ecosystems"--Abstract, page iii.

Ecology And Distribution Of Foraminifers Of A Traverse In The Northwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Faiz Nassir Thomas

Masters Theses

"Foraminiferal populations have been analyzed from five bottom samples along a traverse in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, approximately 27⁰20' to 97⁰15' north latitude and 97⁰20' to 97⁰05' west longitude. Eighty-eight species and twenty-nine genera, belonging to eighteen families, were recorded. Species were identified and described.

Statistical studies indicate that probably five benthonic foraminiferal depth facies could be recognized in the area at the following approximate depths: 4 fathoms, 4-8 fathoms, 8-12 fathoms, 12-16 fathoms, and 16-20 fathoms. Determination of facies is based largely on the range of species. The frequency distribution of species of foraminifers was plotted against change …

An Investigation As To The Uses Of The Topographic Map And Improvements Desired By The General Public, George O. Boeckman

Masters Theses

"The demand for topographic maps from hunters, fishermen, vacationers, professional engineers etc, has been increasing with each passing year. In 1940 people bought some 700,000 copies of topographic maps. In 1946 sales had jumped to well over 2,000,000 copies. Civilian use of these maps by veterans has contributed substantially to the tremendous expansion of demand for maps since World War II. In recent years, the quality of topographic maps has been greatly improved by refinements in methods and by the use of aerial photography in map compilation. This advancement, and an ever-increasing demand from engineers, geologists, and many others for …

An Ecological Study Of The Foraminifera Of Mason Inlet, North Carolina, Daniel N. Miller Jr.

Masters Theses

"Mason Inlet. North Carolina is a lagoonal marsh area with warm-temperate water, the salinity ranging from fresh to salt water. Nine collecting stations comprise an ecological gradient across the environment.

Forty-two species of foraminifera are recorded from the inlet, ranging in their affinities from brackish water to open-sea facies. Several extensions of range are recorded both northward and southward.

Substratum conditions apparently control the distribution of foraminifera within the inlet. Clean, fine sand provided the largest faunal populations. A depauperate assemblage was found in an inorganic, argillaceous substratum. The largest population of arenaceous forms was found at the channel through …