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Diversity, Phylogenetics And Life Cycles Of Diplostomoidean (Digenea: Diplostomoidea) Of The Upper Midwest, Jakson Martens

Theses and Dissertations

The superfamily Diplostomoidea Poirier, 1886 consists of a diverse, globally distributed group ofparasitic flatworms parasitic as adults in reptiles, birds, mammals, and very rarely, fish. The superfamily Diplostomoidea has a tumultuous history full of genus synonymizations and resurrections. Currently, the superfamily consists of 39 genera parasitizing primarily piscivorous animals as adults to include birds, reptiles, and mammals. This group of parasitic worms remains a highly active area of research and has recently undergone several major systematic changes including the abandonment of a subfamily-based system. Additionally, the influx of data entries in GenBank has lead to confusing nomenclature and misidentifications at …

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 …

Mountain Lions In North Dakota: A Public Opinion Survey, Theodore A. Darnell

Theses and Dissertations

Breeding mountain lion (Puma concolor) populations currently inhabit the western portion of North Dakota. In recent years, apparent increases in human-lion interactions across North Dakota, and other Midwest states, have challenged wildlife managers who strive to balance biological and social carrying capacities of these animals. In 2019, we surveyed 2,000 residents of North Dakota, USA, using a self-administered mail survey to discern knowledge of and attitudes towards mountain lions, and to explore whether the presence of these animals would influence decisions to recreate in western North Dakota. Our questionnaire included 12 questions designed to ascertain respondent attitudes towards mountain lions. …

Evaluation Of Movements And Habitat Use Of Suburban Striped Skunks (Mephitis Mephitis) In The Northern Great Plains To Inform Rabies Management, Anna Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

Few studies have investigated the ecology of urban striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) despite their role as a primary rabies vector species paired with an ability to thrive in these landscapes. Our aim was to obtain baseline ecological information with an emphasis on spatial ecology of urban striped skunks in the Northern Great Plains region that is missing in the literature. This information, such as home range, nightly movements, habitat selection, and denning behavior is important for informing rabies management decisions such as the placement of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) baits. We used radio telemetry equipment to track 22 (4M, 18 …

The Effect Of Sexually Objectifying Media And Social Threat On Sexual Coercion, Carissa Ann Malevich

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual aggression researchers have struggled to find a specific profile of individuals likely to become sexually aggressive (Abbey, 2005). As most of the research has focused on internal personal characteristics, some researchers have called for more research into external or situational factors that may increase the likelihood for men to become sexual perpetrators (Farris, Viken & Treat, 2010). Thus, the current investigation sought to explore the impact of two promising external factors, sexually objectifying media and social threat, on sexual coercion proclivity. Sexual coercion is a much lesser studied form of sexual aggression but is very common and often normalized …

Integration Of Multispectral Camera Systems For Enhanced Visualization Biological Studies Using Uas, Subin Shahukhal

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to enhance visualization of warm-blooded animals and analyze the vegetation in which they are located using a camera system mounted on Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The results are coherently displayed in a single image at the same spatial location so that biologists will have accurate animal counts along with vegetation conditions. Application of aerial imagery has been used to analyze the vegetation health and determining the number of the animals by the wildlife service. However, a major obstacle of the research is to combine the two imaging systems to obtain the same spatial image …

Ixodes Scapularis In North Dakota: Phenology, Population Genetics, And Local Host Reservoir Competency In An Emerging Vector Population, Michael Dougherty

Theses and Dissertations

Tick surveillance in eastern North Dakota has revealed the presence of established I. scapularis populations in fragmented forest habitats previously regarded as unsuitable for this species. Understanding I. scapularis phenology, the reservoir competency of local vertebrate hosts, and population structure of blacklegged ticks in this region is essential to determining potential human risk of Lyme disease. Tick surveys were conducted throughout North Dakota by flagging and small mammal trapping. 1,701 ticks were collected, including 297 I. scapularis exhibiting a relatively low Borrelia burgdorferi infection rate (ca. 3-5%). Seasonal abundance varied greatly among life stages, with adult I. scapularis being most …

The Effects Of Income Inequality On Society, Jessica Lee Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This study is an examination of the relationship between income inequality and numerous indicators that capture the physical health of the citizens, additionally controlling for numerous other confounding factors. The analysis contributes to the literature by examining this relationship at a more disaggregated level within the Unites States than previous studies. This approach may help us to explore any impacts of income inequality on health that are lost in aggregation. The analysis also includes the most recent recession and adds to the literature the impact of inequality on health during a period of economic crisis. Results suggest that there is …

Parasites Within Parasites: Transmission And Evolution Of Neorickettsia In Digeneans, Stephen Edward Greiman

Theses and Dissertations

Digeneans are endoparasitic flatworms with complex life cycles that involve two or more different animals as definitive and intermediate hosts. Some digenean species harbor bacterial endosymbionts belonging to the genus Neorickettsia (Order: Rickettsiales, Family: Anaplasmataceae). Neorickettsia occur in all life cycle stages of digeneans and are maintained by vertical transmission. Far from benign however, Neorickettsia may also be transmitted horizontally by digenean parasites to their vertebrate definitive hosts. Once inside, Neorickettsia can infect macrophages and other cell types. For some vertebrate species (e.g. dogs, horses and humans), neorickettsial infections cause severe disease. With a few exceptions, studies of Neorickettsia have …

Impacts Of Gas And Oil Development On Sharp-Tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus Phasianellus) Nest Success And Predator Dynamics In Western North Dakota, Paul Curtis Burr

Theses and Dissertations

Recent advancements in extraction technologies are resulting in rapid increases of gas and oil development in western North Dakota. This expansion of energy development may have unknown effects on local wildlife populations and the ecological interactions within and among species. Sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) are a popular upland game bird species that rely on grassland habitat found throughout the state. Potential impacts of gas and oil development on the nest success of sharp-tailed grouse is an area of particular interest as it is an important factor in avian reproduction. Similarly, it is equally important to understand the impacts experienced by …

Identifying Landscape-Level Trends In Prairie Songbirds With Fragmented Habitats, Jessica Shahan

Theses and Dissertations

Grassland songbirds are experiencing significant population declines due to habitat loss and degradation. This study investigated the relationship between landscape-level patterns and prairie-level patterns in presence/absence, richness, and diversity for seven individual species, the total grassland songbird community, and three community subgroups. Overall, grassland songbirds did respond to landscape-level variables, although the strength of the relationship and the variables involved differed by species and functional group.

Research Based Findings Of Anti-Depressant Therapy And Suicidality, Melissa Goldschmidt

Theses and Dissertations

Anti-depressant therapy is one of the most common treatments for depression. However, the increasing criticism regarding anti-depressant therapy and increased suicidality has caused both health care providers and the public to question their widespread use (Lader, 2007). In October 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandated that a black box warning be added to anti-depressant medications in order to alert patients of increased risk of suicidal thoughts in the pediatric and adolescent population. This black box warning was expanded further to include patients between 18 to 24 years-of-age at the direction of the FDA in May of 2007 (Friedman …

Cardiovascular Diease And Vitamin D Deficency, Lori Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

Vitamin D deficiency is a common health condition affecting a significant number of individuals throughout the world. For years vitamin D has generated interest in reducing osteoporosis because of its role in bone and calcium metabolism. Recently low concentrations have been linked to the development of several cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, atherosclerosis and peripheral arterial disease. The purpose of this article is to examine evidence regarding vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease and provide advanced practice nurses with recommendations regarding supplementation in those individuals with vitamin D deficiency and risk for development of cardiovascular disease.

Phylogeography And Population Structure Of The Prairie Skink (Eumeces Septentrionalis), Gregory S. Fuerst

Theses and Dissertations

The geographical and geneological limits of species are firmly rooted in historical and current processes. Phylogenetic studies focus on the historical aspect and examine character states to estimate ancestor-descendent relationships. The number of described species in the world has been estimated at 1.4 to 1.8 million and other estimates suggest that as many as 30 million species may exist (May, 1990; Wilson, 1992). Phylogenetic studies provide the information needed to delimit and classify these species based on their historical relationships. Studies on species population structure focus on the current and historical processes acting on a species. These studies use a …

The Paleoecologic Significance Of Paleocene Palynomorph Assemblages From The Ludow, Slope, And Cannonball Formations, Southwestern North Dakota, Timothy J. Kroeger

Theses and Dissertations

Paleoenvironment exerted control on the distribution of 133 palynomorph taxa from the Ludlow and Slope Formations and Boyce and Three V Tongues of the Cannonball Formation (Fort Union Group, I Paleocene) of southwestern North Dakota. The strata represent fluvial deltaic systems that prograded eastward into the Cannonball Sea. Depositional environments include distributary channels, crevasse splays, crevasse-splay feeder channels, lignite-producing swamps and/or marshes, lakes, brackish to slightly brackish bays, lake and bay fills, and marshes

Paleoenvironmentally sensitive palynomorph taxa were identified by subjective examination of pollen diagrams and objective analysis using detrended correspondence analysis. Two paleoenvironmentally restricted palynomorph associations were recognized. …

The Impact Of Cowbird Parasitism On A North Dakota Population Of Clay-Colored Sparrows, Gregory P. Romig

Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted from early May to late July, 1992 at Oakville Prairie, Grand Forks Co., North Dakota. The clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida) was the most common breeding bird at the site. Also abundant at Oakville was the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) , an obligcite brood parasite. The main objectives of the study were to assess the impact of cowbird parasitism on the reproductive success of this clay-colored sparrow population, and to examine some factors that may influence the probability that a given nest will be parasitized.

Forty-two clay-colored sparrow nests were found, and of these, 16 (38%) were …

Distribution And Occurrence Of Eriogonum Visheri A. Nels. On The Medora And Mckenzie Districts, Little Missouri National Grasslands, In North Dakota, Staria S. Vanderpool

Theses and Dissertations

Eriogonum visheri A. Nels. (Polygonaceae) is a plant species whose distribution in North Dakota is incompletely known. The plant species is listed by North Dakota Heritage Program personnel as a G5/S2S3 [G5 = demonstrably secure globally, although it may be rare; S2 = imperiled in the state (6-20 occurrences) or vulnerable to extirpation; S3 = rare in the state (20+ occurrences)]. The species is Federally listed as C2 [current information indicates that listing as endangered or threatened may be warranted, but information about the species is presently inadequate to support immediate ruling] (Northern region, USDA Forest Service, 1991). The limited …

Recent Changes In The Ethnobotany Of Standing Rock Indian Reservation, Shelly Katherene Kraft

Theses and Dissertations

Gathering arid preserving wild fruits and vegetables for food and medicine, especially from the wooded bottomlands, was a traditional part of the Lakota culture. Plant use among the Lakota has been greatly reduced and in some cases, completely eliminated by the damming of the Missouri River by Oahe Dam. This dam, which forced the Lakota of Standing Rock Reservation to give up their homes in the bottomlands in violation of their treaty rights of 1868 had a considerable impact on the biogeography of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, in January I960, almost 200 Indian families were evacuated from their homes …

Ecology Of Gray Partridge In North Dakota, John Patrick Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

I studied gray partridge (Perdix perdix) ecology in north-central North Dakota during 1985-87. The primary goals of this study were to identify habitats important to gray partridge survival and nesting, and to provide baseline data on partridge ecology in North Dakota. I captured and radio-tagged 100 gray partridge, mainly during winter. Individuals were tracked by a vehicle-mounted telemetry system until August of each year. Home ranges, movements, habitat use, and survival were calculated by using the telemetry locations. Winter home ranges averaged 117 ha, and were larger than previously reported in North America. Important habitats used by radio-tagged partridge during …

Aspects Of Mammalian Predation On Upland Nesting Waterfowl In Central North Dakota, John Thompson Trevor

Theses and Dissertations

The impact of mammalian predation on upland nesting waterfowl was studied in central- North Dakota during the summers of 1987 and 1988. Survival of artificial nests was examined in relation to nest density, vegetation cover, distance from roads, active predator dens, and other artificial nests in a plot. Survival of artificial nests was also compared between an area with predator control and one without predator control.

Artificial waterfowl nests located in high density plots had a significantly lower probability of survival than nests located in low density plots. Although there were significant differences in vegetation height and density between years, …

The Predation Ecology Of The Northern Harrier (Circus Cyaneus Hudsonius) On Mallard Island, North Dakota, Jessica Elin Sutherland

Theses and Dissertations

I studied predation ecology of Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus hudsonius) on Mallard Island in McLean County, North Dakota, during May-August, 1984-1985. Harrier population parameters, productivity, food habits, and feeding rates were examined. I located 15 nests in 1984 and 14 in 1985. Nesting chronology, clutch sizes, hatching and fledging success, and productivity were similar to values previously reported. Flooding, predation, starvation, and parental abandonment were responsible for egg loss or pre-fledging mortality. Chick survival to fledging was independent of brood size which suggested that quality of parental care, not a limited prey resource, was an important influence on survival. The …

An Interdisciplinary Curriculum Model For Outdoor Education, Larry L. Lang

Theses and Dissertations

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The primary purpose of this study was to develop an interdisciplinary curriculum model which would improve the conceptualization, of outdoor education by providing a theoretical framework for curriculum development, evaluation, and further research.

In order to create the proposed model, it was necessary to address several related issues. The first phase of the study involved an investigation of current perspectives on outdoor education. Key characteristics and guiding principles were determined to provide a clarification of the substantive structure of this field of study. An analysis and synthesis of the contributions of John Dewey,.L.. B. Sharp, Julian Smith, and other …

Brood Parasitism And Reproduction Of Canvasbacks And Redheads On The Delta Marsh, Rodney D. Sayler

Theses and Dissertations

I studied brood parasitism and breeding ecology of canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) and redheads (A. americana) nesting on the Delta Marsh near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, from 1977 to 1980. The dissertation focuses on 3 aspects of this investigation: 1) the role of prairie drought in influencing pochard reproductive performance, including a comprehensive review of hypotheses explaining evolution of brood parasitism in waterfowl (Anatidae), 2) behavioral ecology and evolution of host/parasite interactions, and 3) development of improved redhead aging techniques by using cluster analysis.

Redheads shifted egg distributions from eggs in redhead nests to eggs laid parasitically in canvasback nests during …

Middle And Late Wisconsinan (Pleistocene) Insect Assemblages From Illinois, Kristine D. Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Two highly organic sediment sequences from central and western Illinois (the Athens North Quarry and Biggsville sites, respectively) of Middle and Late Wisconsinan age were studied to gain knowledge about the environment and climate of this area during the time immediately prior to the maximum extent of the last glaciation. Paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic inferences are based principally upon knowledge of the habitat preferences and geographic distributions of extant species of beetles that are represented as fossils. These data are supplemented by information from sedimentological and taphonomic studies and from previously published palynological and plant-macrofossil studies.

The Athens North Quarry site …

A Comparison Of The Age And Growth Of Yellow Perch, Perca Flavescens (Mitchill) In Lake Audubon And Lake Sakakawea, North Dakota, 1978, Steven W. Kelsch

Theses and Dissertations

The age and growth of yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchill), were compared in two lakes which are part of a large Missouri River mainstem reservoir. Forty-five and one hundred and two perch were captured from Lake Sakakawea and Lake Audubon, respectively, by using experimental gill nets and frame fets. Longevity, condition, back- calculated annual growth, and length-weight relationships of the two perch populations were compared.

Studies of length-weight, annual growth, and condition revealed a relatively slow growth rate, reduced longevity, and poor condition in Lake Sakakawea; being on the order of a stunted population. Perch in Lake Audubon lived longer, …

Nutrient Relations Of Some Northern Minnesota Forest Communities, Richard H. Bares

Theses and Dissertations

Quantitative information on chemical and physical properties of soils under aspen and jack pine and chemical properties of peat and water under black spruce and tamarack, is limited. The present study quantifies soil particle size, electrical conductivity (E.C.), water soluble and replaceable calcium (Ca) , magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na) , manganese (Mn) and strontium (Sr) concentrations in soils under aspen and jack pine communities. Aspen was found on alkaline clay soils with high Ca and Mg concentrations, and jack pine grew on wel1-drained, acidic, sandy clay loams high in Mn. Organic soils under peat and tamarack were analyzed …

Analysis Of Buying Behavior Patterns And Social Class Membership Of New Residents When Purchasing Specific Shopping And Convenience Goods, Neil L. Voeller

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the buying behavior patterns of selected new residents moving into Grand Forks, North Dakota between September 1, 1970 and August 31, 1971. The data used in this thesis were obtained from personal interviews. The sample population consisted of two groups, the first group included forty-one new residents excluding military personnel and students, and the second group consisted of forty married student new residents living in the housing units provided by the University of North Dakota.

The purchase of furniture, appliances, and carpeting or draperies provided the evaluation of new residents buying behavior when purchasing shopping goods. The …

An Ecologic Study Of An Overloaded Oxidation Lagoon Containing High Populations Of Purple Sulfur Bacteria, Harvey W. Holm

Theses and Dissertations

Concomitant with the addition of large amounts of potato starch wastes to the Grafton, North Dakota, municipal sewage lagoon was the development of a new major microbial population, the purple sulfur bacteria. This study attempts to define ecologic relationships of the lagoon, with special emphasis placed on the action of purple sulfur bacteria in the lagoon.

Chemical changes in the lagoon were investigated by monitoring Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), sulfide, sulfate, phosphate, pyruvate, total carbohydrates, volatile acids, alkalinity, and pH. Lagoon water temperatures were observed daily. Microbial ecologic relationships were deduced by enumerating coliforms, fecal conforms, enterococci, total bacteria (TGE …

A Comparison Of The Late Wisconsinan Molluscan Fauna Of The Missouri Coteau District (North Dakota) With A Modern Alaskan Analogue, Samuel J. Tuthill

Theses and Dissertations

Study of forty fossiliferous sites in late Wisconsinan sediments from the Missouri Coteau district in central North Dakota has defined the molluscan fauna of the period of geologic time between 12,000 and 9,000 C14 years before the present. The fauna includes twenty-eight taxa of nonmarine gastropods and bivalves and is dominated by branchiates. The modern molluscan fauna of the Missouri Coteau district in North Dakota lacks four species which were resident in the late Wisconsinan and contains no unionids, one additional aquatic species, and is strongly dominated by pulmonate gastropods.

The geology of the Missouri Coteau has been interpreted as …

Metazoan Parasites Of The Muskrat, Ondatra Zibethica Cinnamominus, From The English Coulee Grand Forks County, North Dakota, David A. Boyd Iv

Theses and Dissertations

During the fall of 1966 and the spring of 1967, 55 muskrats were trapped along the reaches of the English Coulee, Grand Forks County, North Dakota. These muskrats were necropsied and all ectoparasites and endoparasites collected. The parasites were stained and identified and the number of worms counted to discern the parasite burden.

Eight species of parasites were found. The only ectoparasite encountered was Laelaps multispinosus (89.09 per cent incidence). Four species of trematodes were identified as Echinostoma revolutum (34.54 per cent), Quinqueserialis quinqueserialis (47.27 per cent), Notocotylus urbanensis (41.81 per cent), and Plagiorchis proximus (14.54 per cent). Two species …