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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Effects Of The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid On Abundance And Nymphal Infection Prevalence Of Black-Legged Ticks In Maine, Spencer Christian Debrock
The Effects Of The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid On Abundance And Nymphal Infection Prevalence Of Black-Legged Ticks In Maine, Spencer Christian Debrock
Honors College
The black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) has recently made a tremendous impact in Maine due to its role as a vector for the bacterial pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. A lesser known, but equally concerning, invasive insect is the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae), a sap-sucking scale that is primarily responsible for the ongoing widespread decline of eastern hemlock in the northeast. Maine is currently experiencing a co-invasion of these species, and this study tests the hypothesis that the phenomenon of hemlock loss may facilitate the invasion of the black-legged tick by …
A Characterization Of Poultry Flocks And Poultry Producers In Maine, Alice Gluchanicz
A Characterization Of Poultry Flocks And Poultry Producers In Maine, Alice Gluchanicz
Honors College
This study sought to characterize backyard poultry flocks and poultry producers’ knowledge of poultry husbandry in Maine. A survey on poultry flock characterization, management, and health was sent to poultry producers living in Maine. Based on the survey, most backyard poultry flocks contained 7-20 birds. Chickens were the predominant poultry species in Maine. Flocks were used primarily for egg production and companionship. Management practices varied greatly among producers, indicating a need for more flock management education. Mites and coccidiosis were the most commonly reported causes of illness by producers, but several diseases affected poultry in Maine. Producers cited the internet …
Twenty-Five Years Of Change In Spruce Grouse Occupancy At Their Southern Range Margin In Maine, Usa, Christopher J. Gilbert
Twenty-Five Years Of Change In Spruce Grouse Occupancy At Their Southern Range Margin In Maine, Usa, Christopher J. Gilbert
Honors College
Species at their southern range margin are often dispersed throughout fragmented populations where they experience less optimum conditions compared to their central range. Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) are boreal forest obligates distributed throughout the Northern United States and Canada and reach their southeastern range extent in Maine. I resurveyed 18 Black Spruce (Picea mariana) – Tamarack (Larix laricina) stands on Mount Desert Island, Maine, to observe changes in Spruce Grouse occupancy and abundance between the early 1990s (Whitcomb et al. 1996) and present day. I conducted two rounds of call back surveys within each …
Construction Of An Accessible Ocean-Acidification Simulator To Investigate Physiological Responses Of The Green Crab, Carcinus Maenas, To Acidified Conditions, Caroline M. Spangenberg
Construction Of An Accessible Ocean-Acidification Simulator To Investigate Physiological Responses Of The Green Crab, Carcinus Maenas, To Acidified Conditions, Caroline M. Spangenberg
Honors College
The European green crab Carcinus maenas L, is a major invasive species in North America as well as many other regions around the world, including South Africa, Australia, South America, and Asia. The species poses a significant threat to the diverse ecosystems and the aquaculture industries on the East coast of the United States, with the state of Maine particularly at risk. The shellfish industry is a significant part of Maine’s economy, and is threatened by the foraging behavior of green crabs toward small bivalves (Beal 2015). Climate change likely plays a large role in the rapid population growth of …
Assessing The Impacts Of Commercial Clearcut On Freshwater Invertebrate Communities, Nicholas J. Kovalik
Assessing The Impacts Of Commercial Clearcut On Freshwater Invertebrate Communities, Nicholas J. Kovalik
Honors College
Forest harvesting can impact the environment in many ways, one of which is causing a loss of subsidies and increased light intensity to freshwater ecosystems. This can have a major impact on freshwater invertebrate communities that may rely on subsidies to survive. In this study, I tested two effects of commercial clearcut, changes in light availability and detrital resources, on freshwater invertebrate communities. Cattle tanks containing freshwater invertebrates were given detritus from two different plots: one which underwent commercial clearcut over 50 years ago, and one which underwent commercial clearcut 2 years ago. Tanks were also placed in two areas …