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Articles 1 - 24 of 24
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Ecological Impacts Of Invasive Crayfish In A Naïve Riparian System, Gregor L. Hamilton
Ecological Impacts Of Invasive Crayfish In A Naïve Riparian System, Gregor L. Hamilton
Biology ETDs
Aquatic and riparian food webs are inextricably linked. In deserts, they provide critical energy subsidies to surrounding terrestrial food webs, but these vital subsidies are not guaranteed; streams in arid lands are especially sensitive to perturbations. In this dissertation, I investigated the role of an oft-cited threat to stream communities in the lower Colorado River basin: non-native crayfish. I contributed to methodologies in passive integrated transponder use and length-weight relationships in crayfish to aid future research. I leveraged stable isotope analysis of δ15N, δ13C, and δ2H to understand crayfish role in the food webs. …
Distribution Patterns Of The Invasive Mussel Arcuatula Senhousia In Mission Bay, San Diego, California: Effects Of Sediment Grain Size And Byssus Thread Production On Predation, Samantha Ahlman
Theses
The ability of bivalves to avoid predation by using defensive behaviors such as burrowing and byssus production may vary depending on the sediment characteristics of a given habitat. The varying sediment characteristics that change with water velocity within estuaries may influence the distribution of bivalves and limit them to areas that optimize their ability to defend against predators. We examined the distribution patterns of the invasive Asian date mussel Arcuatula senhousia relative to the sediment grain size distribution in Mission Bay, an urban estuary located in San Diego, California, USA. Mussels and sediment were collected using an Ekman grab at …
Corbicula Fluminea Effects On Survival, Growth, And Drift Of Juvenile Lampsilis Siliquoidea In Laboratory Exposures, Allison Nicole Sieja
Corbicula Fluminea Effects On Survival, Growth, And Drift Of Juvenile Lampsilis Siliquoidea In Laboratory Exposures, Allison Nicole Sieja
MSU Graduate Theses
The Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea, is an invasive species that is abundant and often co-occurs with native freshwater mussels. Corbicula is widely suspected of having negative effects on native mussels, but few studies have empirically tested this hypothesis. I used laboratory experiments to evaluate how adult Corbicula affected the survivorship, growth, and drift of juvenile Lampsilis siliquoidea. Survival and growth of newly metamorphosed mussels were tested in downwelling flow-through chambers with glass-bead substrate. Treatments were control (no clams), small adult clams, or large adult clams. After 28 days, large clams slightly but significantly reduced the number of juveniles …
Weedy Relations: Narratives Of Invasion And Intimacy With Tamarisk In The Chihuahuan Desert, Shannon S. Pepper
Weedy Relations: Narratives Of Invasion And Intimacy With Tamarisk In The Chihuahuan Desert, Shannon S. Pepper
Geography ETDs
Tamarix spp., also known as salt cedar or tamarisk, is a shrub that has garnered a notorious reputation in North America as an invasive plant, with widespread policy and research advocating for its eradication in the Southwest U.S. and Northern Mexico. This study examines both governmental conservation documents and news articles to investigate narrative trends on tamarisk in the Southwestern U.S. and Northern Mexico as a contiguous region (the Chihuahuan Desert), expanding on current research to include transborder effects on the perception and management of introduced species. This paper asks: In the last 25 years, how has the movement, …
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 …
Understanding Patterns And Functional Impacts Of An Invasive Tree And Its Biological Control In A Riparian System, Annie L. Henry
Understanding Patterns And Functional Impacts Of An Invasive Tree And Its Biological Control In A Riparian System, Annie L. Henry
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Invasive species have become an inextricable part of the landscape, particularly in riparian plant communities, and removal is often a key component of restoration programs. Biological control (biocontrol) is a method of removal that is often both efficient and effective. However, the impact of biocontrol on target species and indirect effects from invasive species removal can be hard to predict. While monitoring the impact of invasive species removal usually involves some species-based assessment such as changes in diversity, historically dominant species or native species, these strategies do not typically provide insight into the mechanisms underlying plant community response to removal. …
Connecting The Social And Spatial Behaviors Of A Territorial Species (Anolis Carolinensis), Jordan M. Bush
Connecting The Social And Spatial Behaviors Of A Territorial Species (Anolis Carolinensis), Jordan M. Bush
Doctoral Dissertations
Why animals live where they do is a key question in ecology and evolution. An individual’s home range determines the resources they have access to, conspecifics they encounter, and predators and pitfalls they must avoid. Home range behaviors also have an inherently social component; where animals live affects the rivals they compete with and the mates they have access to. This is especially true in territorial species, as defensive displays make up a large portion of their social behaviors. In this dissertation, I sought to understand how territorial behaviors affect the social lives of the green anole lizard (Anolis …
Ecology Of The Roseau Cane Scale (Nipponaclerda Biwakoensis, Hemiptera: Aclerdidae) In Coastal Louisiana, Leslie Alejandra Aviles Lopez
Ecology Of The Roseau Cane Scale (Nipponaclerda Biwakoensis, Hemiptera: Aclerdidae) In Coastal Louisiana, Leslie Alejandra Aviles Lopez
LSU Master's Theses
Common reed, Phragmites australis, is the dominant plant in the Mississippi River Delta (MRD), Louisiana. Phragmites australis stands reduce soil erosion from wave action, protect the oil infrastructure, and freshwater habitats. In the fall of 2016, widespread reed die-backs in the MRD were associated with outbreaks of an invasive scale Nipponaclerda biwakoensis (Hemiptera: Aclerdidae). Due to the recent detection of the scale, there was limited knowledge of its ecology in the adventive range, and its impacts on P. australis lineages. Therefore, the objectives of my thesis were to determine (1) the host specificity of the N. biwakoensis in important economic …
Quantifying Early Risks Of Species Invasions: Factors Regulating South To North Bivalve Colonization Of Novel Habitats, Zhiqiang Xia
Quantifying Early Risks Of Species Invasions: Factors Regulating South To North Bivalve Colonization Of Novel Habitats, Zhiqiang Xia
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Management of species invasions ideally requires early detection of species at low abundance, which is often challenging for traditional methods. Environmental DNA (eDNA) provides a promising tool with enhanced sensitivity relative to traditional methods. As an emerging method, however, detection of species at low abundance based on eDNA needs to be optimized to improve detection rate and reduce false negatives. I conducted a meta-analysis, the results of which suggested the significance of using the highly sensitive PCR method and extensive sampling (i.e., replicates sampling and large water volume) to improve detection rate in eDNA-based, low-abundance species detection programs. Needs for …
Beta Diversity Provides Evidence Of Niche Based Assembly In Temperate Forest Understory Assemblages Of Mississippi, David Steven Mason
Beta Diversity Provides Evidence Of Niche Based Assembly In Temperate Forest Understory Assemblages Of Mississippi, David Steven Mason
Theses and Dissertations
Assembly is a process that shapes the abundance and identity of species in a community. Niche and neutral theory explain assembly processes with mechanisms driven by either species differences, or functional equivalence and stochastic dispersal. In 2017 I sampled vegetation and environmental variables at 59 sites in the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge and Tombigbee National Forest of Mississippi to explore forest understory community assembly. I developed and assessed a framework of predictions concerning general patterns and underlying mechanism. Evidence of dispersal limitation and functional equivalence were expected under neutral theory. Local environmental characteristics, surrounding landscape variables, and fire were significant …
The Effect Of Site Characteristics On The Reproductive Output Of Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus Ficaria), Justin P. Kermack
The Effect Of Site Characteristics On The Reproductive Output Of Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus Ficaria), Justin P. Kermack
ETD Archive
Ranunculus ficaria L., an ephemeral perennial invasive plant brought over from Europe, is becoming widespread throughout the Northeastern United States. This herbaceous buttercup is able to create extensive dense mats that limit native species growth. Taking advantage of an early growing season and rapid reproduction rates, this species can create dense monocultures, which threatens native communities and ecosystems. Elimination of native spring ephemerals results in decreased biodiversity. A better understanding of how R. ficaria responds to site characteristics is needed to prioritize management efforts toward high-risk sites.
Ranunculus ficaria abundance and reproductive output (seed, bulbil and tuber production rates) were …
Allelopathy In The Non-Native Macrophyte, Myriophyllum Spicatum And Its Influence On Trophic Dynamics In Aquatic Systems, Daniel J. Sullivan
Allelopathy In The Non-Native Macrophyte, Myriophyllum Spicatum And Its Influence On Trophic Dynamics In Aquatic Systems, Daniel J. Sullivan
Theses and Dissertations
Non-native macrophytes structurally impact aquatic assemblages, yet little is known regarding how they influence energy pathways in freshwater ecosystems. Allelopathy in Eurasian watermilfoil- Myriophyllum spicatum has been shown to target basal epiphytic organisms resulting in differences in assemblage structure of colonizing epiphyton between M. spicatum and native M. sibiricum. I conducted a growth chamber experiment to investigate the hypothesis that differences in assemblage structure of colonizing epiphyton between these two macrophytes influence trophic dynamics within aquatic systems. My data suggest M. spicatum produces higher concentrations of allelochemicals, resulting in a more diverse epiphytic assemblage compared to M. sibiricum. This could …
Factors Influencing Asiatic Oak Weevil Interactions With Native Ecosystem Engineers Over Time, Daniel Rothschild O'Brien
Factors Influencing Asiatic Oak Weevil Interactions With Native Ecosystem Engineers Over Time, Daniel Rothschild O'Brien
Theses
I sought to build a model to predict current and future abundance of Asiatic oak weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cyrtepistomus castaneus) by using the relative abundance of leaf tying and leaf rolling caterpillars. The Asiatic oak weevil is an exotic species that has been observed inside leaf ties and leaf rolls made by native Lepidoptera caterpillars. Chapter one is a review of the known relationships between animal constructs and exotic species. Within this review I transition from natural structures, to animal architects, and to ecosystem engineers and how they have a population dynamic impact on the invasive species. I also discuss …
The Effects Of Invasive Plants On Biodiversity Across Spatial Scales, Kristin Irene Powell
The Effects Of Invasive Plants On Biodiversity Across Spatial Scales, Kristin Irene Powell
All Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)
Although introduced plant species are often considered to be one of the most notable anthropogenic threats to biodiversity, their influence on biodiversity remains controversial. Some studies have shown large declines in biodiversity in plant-invaded areas, whereas others have noted that plant invasions are rarely implicated as the cause of species extinctions. This dissertation aims to synthesize this seemingly conflicting literature on the effects of invasive plants on biodiversity. The overarching hypothesis in this research is that the effect of invasive plant species on biodiversity is scale-dependent, and the discrepancy among studies can be explained by a difference in the scales …
A Survey Of Invasive Exotic Ants Found On Hawaiian Islands: Spatial Distributions And Patterns Of Association, Camie Frandsen Martin
A Survey Of Invasive Exotic Ants Found On Hawaiian Islands: Spatial Distributions And Patterns Of Association, Camie Frandsen Martin
Theses and Dissertations
An intensive sampling of all ant species encountered on 6 Hawaiian Islands: Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai took place between 1988 and 1996. Species presence and absence was recorded at each site. Using remote sensing, variables were added insitu and used throughout my analysis. Species accumulation curves suggest that sampling was comprehensive. There is a significant trend between island area and species richness which validates the Theory of Island Biogeography for invasive species. Islands were found to be significantly nested by area, order, and tourism. Cluster analysis shows a link between elevation, land-use and island, and species …
Role Of Belowground Fungal Mutualisms And Nutrient Cycling Alteration In Invasion Success Of Polygonum Cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc. (Polygonaceae) In The Eastern United States, Gretchen Addington
Role Of Belowground Fungal Mutualisms And Nutrient Cycling Alteration In Invasion Success Of Polygonum Cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc. (Polygonaceae) In The Eastern United States, Gretchen Addington
All Theses
Plant species invasion is problematic around the world due to its negative effects on native plant biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem stability. Understanding the mechanisms of plant species invasion is necessary to predict new invasions and to control current problematic species. Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc. (Polygonaceae, Japanese Knotweed) is an invasive species found in 40 of the 50 United States and listed as a noxious species in nine states. It is known to exclude native plant communities, and its eradication is nearly impossible. The extensive negative effects associated with this species make understanding its mechanism of invasion a prerogative. …
Usage And Development Of Molecular Markers For Investigation Of The Population And Ecological Genetics Of Bromus Tectorum L., Keith R. Merrill
Usage And Development Of Molecular Markers For Investigation Of The Population And Ecological Genetics Of Bromus Tectorum L., Keith R. Merrill
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis includes two studies: The first examined patterns of neutral genetic diversity within Bromus tectorum L. across the IMW region, and uses patterns of microsatellite (SSR) genotype distribution to make inferences about the respective roles of adaptively significant genetic variation, adaptive phenotypic plasticity, and facultative outcrossing in the ongoing invasion and recent range expansion of B. tectorum. It has been previously demonstrated that, due to extremely low outcrossing rates, it is possible to characterize individual genotypes of this species using four SSR loci. We sampled 20 individuals from each of 96 B. tectorum populations (classified by region and …
Biological Control: Effects Of Tyria Jacobaeae On The Population Dynamics Of Senecio Jacobaea In Northwest Montana, Kimberly Kay Crider
Biological Control: Effects Of Tyria Jacobaeae On The Population Dynamics Of Senecio Jacobaea In Northwest Montana, Kimberly Kay Crider
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Biological control, using introduced, specialist insects is a common strategy for controlling plant invasions. However, the efficacy of biological control agents in controlling their host plants is rarely quantified population level. I quantified the impact of a specialist biological control agent, the cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) on its host plant, tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) in northwest Montana. Cinnabar moth damage and its effects on important plant vital rates were tested with and without specialist herbivores. The presence of moth larvae corresponded to a reduction in population growth rates to less than one, compared to herbivore-free controls, indicating the potential for …
Consequences Of Vegetation Change On The Dynamics Of Labile Organic Matter And Soil Nitrogen Cycling In A Semiarid Ecosystem, Toby D. Hooker
Consequences Of Vegetation Change On The Dynamics Of Labile Organic Matter And Soil Nitrogen Cycling In A Semiarid Ecosystem, Toby D. Hooker
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023
Sagebrush-dominated ecosystems are being transformed by wildfire, rangeland improvement techniques, and exotic plant invasions. These disturbances have substantial effects on the composition and structure of native vegetation, but the effects on ecosystem C and N dynamics are poorly understood. To examine whether differences in dominant vegetation affect the quantity and quality of plant organic matter inputs to soil, ecosystem C and N pools and rates of plant turnover were compared among historically grazed Wyoming big sagebrush, introduced perennial crested wheatgrass, and invasive annual cheatgrass communities. Since low soil moisture during the summer may inhibit the microbial colonization of plant detrital …
Potential For Introduced-Range Expansion Of Chinese Tallow Tree (Triadica Sebifera) In The Southeastern United States, Isaac Park
All Theses
The potential for populations of invasive plants to differ in their response to stressful environmental conditions or in their invasiveness is an underexplored issue in determining introduced species' range limits. Introduced genotypes might differ in their response to freezing temperatures, soil type, or differing biotic factors within their introduced range. We examined the potential of Chinese tallow tree seeds (Triadica sebifera (L.) Small) collected from two genetically distinct areas of its introduced range in the United States (North Carolina and South Carolina) as well as from the northern and southern portions of its native range in China to germinate and …
The Effects Of The Invasive Exotic Chinese Tallow Tree (Triadica Sebifera) On Amphibians And Aquatic Invertebrates, Norman Leonard
The Effects Of The Invasive Exotic Chinese Tallow Tree (Triadica Sebifera) On Amphibians And Aquatic Invertebrates, Norman Leonard
University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation addresses the question of how leaf litter from trees affects animals that live in aquatic environments, with an emphasis on the effect of Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) leaf litter on anuran larvae (i.e., frog tadpoles). This question is important to our understanding of how allochthonous inputs to aquatic habitats drive biodiversity in wetlands. It also addresses a timely conservation concern in southeastern Louisiana where invasion by Chinese tallow trees (Triadica sebifera) is displacing native trees. The invasion process is homogenizing forest composition and changing the quantity and quality of litter inputs to ponds from those produced by a …
Assessment Of Four Years Of Marsh Restoration At The Jones Farm Experimental Restoration Facility In Northeast Ohio: Water Quality, Plant Community Development, And Adaptive Management, Jake J. Grossman
Honors Papers
In order to characterize water quality, plant community diversity, and invasive species management at a restored wetland, I have analyzed data collected from June 2004 to August 2007 at the George Jones Memorial Farm in New Russia Township, Ohio. The Jones wetlands site is comprised of six emergent, herbaceous marshes that were restored on an old-field site in 2003. The six cells were constructed using a uniform physical restoration treatment, managed uniformly for invasive species, and replanted using three planting treatments. Each planting treatment was applied to two wetlands; treatments included two designer plantings of native taxa and one self-designing …
The Decline Of Fowler's Toad (Bufo Fowleri) In Southern Louisiana: Molecular Genetics, Field Experiments And Landscape Studies, Laura Sanders Vogel
The Decline Of Fowler's Toad (Bufo Fowleri) In Southern Louisiana: Molecular Genetics, Field Experiments And Landscape Studies, Laura Sanders Vogel
University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations
Two of the most pervasive threats to species biodiversity are invasive species and habitat loss and degradation. Invasive species are often relatively insensitive to disturbance and many expand their range into disturbed and fragmented habitats. This dissertation uses an interdisciplinary approach to investigate how anthropogenic habitat disturbance is precipitating a range expansion in an invasive toad species, Bufo nebulifer, which is driving a decline in its native congener, B. fowleri. I employed a remote sensing and GIS study using historical data to compare changes in the two species distributions and habitat changes, a molecular genetic study to identify interspecific hybrids …
Predicting Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea Maculosa) Range Expansion Near Missoula Montana Using Localized Climate And Elevation Data, William Frank Preston Cumming
Predicting Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea Maculosa) Range Expansion Near Missoula Montana Using Localized Climate And Elevation Data, William Frank Preston Cumming
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Since the 1920s spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) has adapted to a variety of habitats, including pastureland, rangeland, hay land, open forests, road sides, and ditches. In 2003 this plant species dominated more than five million acres in Montana, half of the total infestation of noxious weeds in the state. This project demonstrates the utility of using downscaled Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) data for predicting vegetation movement within a 2°×2° geographical area surrounding Missoula County, Montana. This localized climate change data was correlated against current knapweed range using validation data from the Volunteer for Wilderness Program at the …