Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
Articles 1 - 12 of 12
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Quantifying The Effects Of Early Competition On Niche Specialization: A Natural Experiment In A Restored System, Christy Nicole Wails
Quantifying The Effects Of Early Competition On Niche Specialization: A Natural Experiment In A Restored System, Christy Nicole Wails
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Islands support the greatest numbers of endemic species but are highly vulnerable to human activities. In particular, the introduction of invasive, predatory mammals (e.g., rodents) has resulted in sharp declines of island fauna due to a lack of evolved behavioral capacities to avoid depredation. Because of this, invasive species are considered to be one of the most detrimental impacts to biodiversity. To combat this biodiversity loss, the eradication of invasive mammals is now a primary conservation tool, with > 700 attempts globally. However, mammal eradications are predicated on the assumption that islands will naturally return to their pre-invaded condition. Yet many …
Does Excluding A Top Mesopredator Induce A Trophic Cascade : Effects And Diet Of An Omnivorous Predator In A Restored Prairie, Kirstie Savage
Does Excluding A Top Mesopredator Induce A Trophic Cascade : Effects And Diet Of An Omnivorous Predator In A Restored Prairie, Kirstie Savage
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Predators can shape prey communities through consumptive and non-consumptive interactions. By inducing fear of predation, predators can cause changes to prey foraging behavior that can negatively impact prey reproduction and body-condition. Furthermore, both consumptive (density-mediated) and non-consumptive (trait-mediated) predator-prey interactions can cascade down the food web to have indirect impacts of vegetation (trophic cascade). As we continue to lose apex predators and undergo land change, understanding how the new top dogs shape prey communities and restorations is increasingly important. Through utilizing predator-exclosure fences, mark-recapture analysis, plant biomass and stable isotopes we evaluated the role of coyotes as top mesopredator in …
Effects Of Management On Functional Diversity In Restored Tallgrass Prairie Plant Communities, Anna K. Farrell
Effects Of Management On Functional Diversity In Restored Tallgrass Prairie Plant Communities, Anna K. Farrell
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
While recent studies have embraced evaluating ecosystems through functional diversity, the focus on interspecific trait changes may limit their usefulness and application. Functional traits (traits that explain species' responses to environmental conditions and their ecosystem roles) can provide a more nuanced understanding of how disturbances shape plant communities and the functions they perform. Further, the inclusion of intraspecific trait responses can explain a significant portion of these relationships. In ecosystem restorations, management strategies can act as environmental drivers and disturbances that affect community structure. This study examined how three environmental drivers (grazer presence, prescribed fire, and age) in restored grasslands …
Dietary Constraints And Strategies In The Red-Bellied Lemur (Eulemur Rubriventer), And Their Implications For Conservation, Amanda Marie Du Bour
Dietary Constraints And Strategies In The Red-Bellied Lemur (Eulemur Rubriventer), And Their Implications For Conservation, Amanda Marie Du Bour
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Understanding the diet of the vulnerable red-bellied lemur ( Eulemur rubriventer) is essential for preventing its extinction. Previous E. rubriventer research focused on populations in Ranomafana National Park, located in the southeast part of the island, making research in other forest locations a priority for the understanding of dietary breadth and constraints in this species. My research questions consider whether protein is the nutritional driver for foraging choices in E. rubriventer, how fiber influences cathemeral activity, and seasonal variability in day and night time dietary items. My research team and I identified the plant and animal species that composed a …
An Epidemiological Study Of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease In A South Texas-Mexico Border Metropolitan Community, Steven Daniel Hinojosa
An Epidemiological Study Of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease In A South Texas-Mexico Border Metropolitan Community, Steven Daniel Hinojosa
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This research study examines the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in Hidalgo County, Texas. Invasive pneumococcal disease is a bacterial infection, causing severe types of clinical manifestations, including bacteremia and meningitis. Hidalgo County is the largest metropolitan statistical area along the Texas-Mexico border. Supporting a 2016 census population estimate of nearly 850,000, this community facilitates frequent bi-national travel, providing unique attributes towards disease transmission. This study aims to identify if population characteristics for infection aligned with current Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice recommendations for vaccination against pneumococcal disease. This includes identifying if the general healthy adult healthy population has an …
An Epidemiological Study Of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease In A South Texas-Mexico Border Metropolitan Community, Steven Hinojosa
An Epidemiological Study Of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease In A South Texas-Mexico Border Metropolitan Community, Steven Hinojosa
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This research study examines the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in Hidalgo County, Texas. Invasive pneumococcal disease is a bacterial infection, causing severe types of clinical manifestations, including bacteremia and meningitis. Hidalgo County is the largest metropolitan statistical area along the Texas-Mexico border. Supporting a 2016 census population estimate of nearly 850,000, this community facilitates frequent bi-national travel, providing unique attributes towards disease transmission. This study aims to identify if population characteristics for infection aligned with current Advisory Committee for Immunization Practice recommendations for vaccination against pneumococcal disease. This includes identifying if the general healthy adult healthy population has an …
Effects Of Management On Functional Diversity In Restored Tallgrass Prairie Plant Communities, Anna K. Farrell
Effects Of Management On Functional Diversity In Restored Tallgrass Prairie Plant Communities, Anna K. Farrell
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
While recent studies have embraced evaluating ecosystems through functional diversity, the focus on interspecific trait changes may limit their usefulness and application. Functional traits (traits that explain species’ responses to environmental conditions and their ecosystem roles) can provide a more nuanced understanding of how disturbances shape plant communities and the functions they perform. Further, the inclusion of intraspecific trait responses can explain a significant portion of these relationships. In ecosystem restorations, management strategies can act as environmental drivers and disturbances that affect community structure. This study examined how three environmental drivers (grazer presence, prescribed fire, and age) in restored grasslands …
Cultural Influences On Taiwanese Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations' Strategies And On Public Perceptions Of Their Strategies, Li-Yin Liu
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
The strategies of environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) and public perceptions of environmental activism in Taiwan are arguably crucial, yet understudied determinants, of types of environmental activism and of public support for environmental policies. Accordingly, this study sought answers to several important unasked questions in environmental governance and public opinion research: 1) How do ENGOs' decision makers decide what types of environmental activities to pursue? 2) What role does ENGOs' organizational culture play in their decision making? 3) How does the public perceive different types of environmental activism? And 4) How does culture influence these perceptions? To answer these questions, this …
Documenting Indigenous Tagbanua Practices That Support Environmental Conservation In Palawan, Philippines, Shannon E. Thomas
Documenting Indigenous Tagbanua Practices That Support Environmental Conservation In Palawan, Philippines, Shannon E. Thomas
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This research analyzes the relationship between a particular indigenous Filipino tribal society, the Aborlan Tagbanua, and their natural environment. The Tagbanua face issues associated with ancestral land loss and increased environmental degradation as a result of corporate and government interests and the arrival of migrants to their native regions. This research focuses on the ways in which the Tagbanua rely on their surrounding environment through their cultural practices and beliefs. I addressed three key research questions: How is the concept of nature embedded within indigenous Tagbanua culture and society? How have environmental challenges, such as changes in landscape due to …
A Study Of Boundary Spanning : Pastors' Perceptions Of Their Role As Boundary Spanners In The Elca, Rachel Carrie Berry
A Study Of Boundary Spanning : Pastors' Perceptions Of Their Role As Boundary Spanners In The Elca, Rachel Carrie Berry
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
This project examined pastors' roles as boundary spanners regarding information received from the synodical expression in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Twenty-six pastors from the Northern Illinois Synod of the ELCA were interviewed and transcriptions were analyzed using the constant comparative method of inductive analysis. Two research questions were posed to explore boundary spanning from a pastor's perspective. The results echoed the literature on boundary spanning responsibilities and challenges, expanding the boundary spanning research field into the realm of religious organizations and leadership. Implications of this research and further areas of study are provided.
Niche Differentiation Among Malagasy Carnivorans : An Analysis Of Evolution In A Spatiotemporally Isolated Carnivoran Clade (Eupleridae : Carnivora), Michael C. Taylor
Niche Differentiation Among Malagasy Carnivorans : An Analysis Of Evolution In A Spatiotemporally Isolated Carnivoran Clade (Eupleridae : Carnivora), Michael C. Taylor
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
To occupy an ecological niche, a carnivoran species must possess the necessary morphotype to consistently capture and process resources. In theory, two species would inevitably compete with one another if they occupied the same niche. Carnivoran diversity is related to niche differentiation, which can be facilitated spatially, temporally, or morphologically. Differences in diet preference and prey preference among carnivorans are effectively indicated by variations in craniodental morphology. Eupleridae is the sole carnivoran lineage in Madagascar and many of its species coexist in its eastern lowland rainforests and other ecoregions. This study described, in detail, the craniodental morphology of eight euplerid …
Quantifying Seabird Influence On Recovering Island Ecosystems, Stephanie Kong
Quantifying Seabird Influence On Recovering Island Ecosystems, Stephanie Kong
Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations
Species that compose island ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to extinctions. In New Zealand alone, since human settlement began around 1285AD, 41% of bird species have been driven to extinction. Seabirds play an important role on land and in terrestrial, intertidal and subtidal zones by subsidizing island ecosystems with guano. Additionally, burrow-nesting seabirds churn up the soil by digging the burrows in which they nest, resulting in significant soil disturbance, also called biopedturbation. Unfortunately, invasion of exotic species is among the leading causes of native species extinctions and consequent transformation of ecosystem function globally. One of the most damaging and widespread …