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Detecting Native Freshwater Mussels In Pennsylvania Waterways: Comparison & Validation Of Environmental Dna Methods, Meredith Bennett
Detecting Native Freshwater Mussels In Pennsylvania Waterways: Comparison & Validation Of Environmental Dna Methods, Meredith Bennett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
North America is home to approximately one third of the world's freshwater mussel species. They are highly imperiled organisms due to habitat destruction and invasive species. Traditional surveys rely on visual identification of mussels, but individuals tend to be rare and difficult to identify. An alternative method is to extract environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples, which has advantages over traditional sampling, including less sampling effort and fewer hazards to researchers and organisms. We conducted a review of the two main eDNA approaches: single-species detection and metabarcoding. We also developed and validated metabarcoding primers for the detection of native mussels. …
Detection, Occupancy, Abundance, And Mercury Accumulation Of The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys Temminckii) In Texas, David Rosenbaum
Detection, Occupancy, Abundance, And Mercury Accumulation Of The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys Temminckii) In Texas, David Rosenbaum
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Land use practices and physical alterations of ecosystems result in habitat loss and fragmentation, while chemical alterations, such as pollutant input, reduce habitat quality and health of exposed organisms. Here, I investigated the effects of watershed- and local-scale environmental variables on the occupancy, abundance, and mercury accumulation of a threatened aquatic species (Macrochelys temminckii, i.e., alligator snapping turtle) within the southwestern periphery of its distribution. Hierarchical modeling suggested the distribution of the species is more affected by watershed-scale land-cover than local habitat, and provided a baseline estimate of average species abundance across its range in eastern Texas. Abundance …
Niche Modeling For The Giant Panda, Ailuropoda Melanoleuca, And The Original Panda, Ailurus Fulgens: Habitat Preferences And Evolutionary Consequences, Lauren M. Lyon
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The well-known symbol for conservation, the giant panda bear, and the original red panda have been forced into remote habitats due to anthropogenic disturbance, making ecological study difficult. Therefore the first known species distribution model was created to predict the most likely areas of occurrence within the known range of these elusive animals. These models were then projected onto North America and evaluated against existing breeding programs. Additionally, the close proximity of the Gray Fossil Site and the discovery of the most complete fossil red panda specimens in the world allowed ecomorphological comparisons between the modern red panda, Ailurus fulgens …