Life Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Population Structure And Diversity Across Time In Population Of American Flamingos (Phoenicopterus Ruber), Jessica Folsom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Dispersal and connectivity within a population often promotes overall diversity and adaptive potential, therefore a disruption of existing patterns of connectivity by local extinction can have significant consequences for the affected species. However, the extent of these impacts on recovery is not always known. American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) present an ideal opportunity to investigate how changes in gene flow influence within population diversity and genetic structure over the span of a century for a recovering population. Flamingos were highly sought-after by hunters for their meat and feathers, and as a result, the Florida population was extirpated by the beginning of …

Behavioral, Morphological And Genetic Differentiation Among Populations Of Enyaliopsis, Laura Macamo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The study of biodiversity is a fundamental part of the study of the ecosystem's function and stability and how changes in the habitat shape the interaction between species. In recent years, the classification of species benefited from the analysis of several types of data to aid the distinction of morphologically similar species. Enyaliopsis iaculator (Naskrecki and Guta, 2019) is a species endemic to central Mozambique. Different populations of E. iaculator were reported to exhibit differences in the time of the day the mating call is displayed, but no morphological differences were reported. Since call behavior tends to be species specific …

Mathematical Model For Giraffe Population Dynamics, Huntir Bass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Since the 1980s the overall giraffe population has dropped at least 40% causing some researchers to label this rapid decline as the "Silent Extinction." Due to this plummet, understanding the behaviors of the giraffe population is absolutely necessary before they are on the brink of extinction. Through the usage of mathematical modeling methodologies, a general model is created to illustrate the relationship between juvenile and adult female giraffes through numerous interaction parameters. Variations on specific variables generate different simulations, which allows more biological accuracy. With each variation having an established coexistence equilibrium between the juvenile and adult female populations, the …

Non-Lethal Predictors Of Organ Level Metal Contaminants In Central Florida Red-Shouldered Hawks, Jennifer Bouchenot

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Elemental contaminants aggregate in the environment due to human activity and can induce detrimental physiological effects within organisms. Birds exhibit exceptional susceptibility to many pollutants and are popular biomonitoring agents throughout the world. Birds of prey are of special interest due to their substantial biomagnification potential. Lethal sampling of internal organs yields accurate contaminant measurements, but recent sampling trends are endeavoring towards non-destructive sampling such as feathers. This methodological shift stems from researchers' preference for less-regulated samples, enhanced animal welfare, and broadening the possible collaborative audience with simpler protocols. Unfortunately, investigations of feathers have shown that their accuracy is capricious …

A Mathematical Model For Predicting Animal Population Persistence On Fragmented Landscapes, Allyson Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

The effects of roads, buildings, and cities on animal populations are widespread and, often times, disastrous. These structures fragment animals' homes, inhibiting their ability to obtain essential resources and to reproduce. The question arises then: Under what circumstances can an animal population persist in a fragmented landscape? To attempt to answer this question, we present a spatially explicit reaction-diffusion model with varying growth and diffusion rates that incorporates animal behavior at points where habitats are fragmented for four different habitats. The outcome of extinction or persistence of the animal population is determined by examining the effects of changing parameters on …

Bird Abundance And Diversity And The Impact Of Oyster Reef Restoration On The Bird Community In Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, Usa, Jessica Copertino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Birds are often used as indicators for biodiversity and ecosystem health. While birds have been monitored in other parts of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), there has been little research on birds in Mosquito Lagoon (ML, the northernmost portion of the IRL). This thesis first examines the abundance and diversity of birds in ML by using two years of photographic observations to assess seasonal variations and the use of various habitat features by specific bird taxa. Abundance and species richness were highest in winter, while evenness and Simpson's diversity were highest in summer. Moreover, natural and artificial habitat features were …

Activity Budgets And Behavior Of Captive Black-Handed Spider Monkeys (Ateles Geoffroyi) At The Central Florida Zoo And Botanical Gardens, Stephanie Hargrave

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Establishing baseline activity budgets for zoo-housed captive animals can be important in tracking behavior changes that may indicate medical or other concerns, as well as assessing overall welfare and the need for implementation of interventions such as increased amounts of enrichment. This study sought to calculate activity budgets for the current spider monkeys residing at the Central Florida Zoo, a father-daughter pair of Ateles geoffroyi. Having a baseline activity budget is also valuable because major changes in behavior may accompany the upcoming introduction of new individuals to this particular group of spider monkeys. BORIS behavior coding software was used to …

Ribbeting Results: Emergent Infectious Diseases In Wetland Systems, Ariel Horner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American amphibians have recently been impacted by two major emerging pathogens, the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and iridoviruses in the genus Ranavirus (Rv). Environmental, seasonal and host factors may play important roles in disease dynamics, but few studies incorporate these components into their analyses. Here, we investigated the role of environmental, seasonal, genetic and location effects on driving Bd and Rv infection prevalence and severity in a biodiversity hot spot, the southeastern United States. We used quantitative PCR to characterize Bd and Rv dynamics in natural populations of three amphibian species: Notophthalmus perstriatus, Hyla squirella and Pseudacris ornata and …

Go With The Flow: Patterns Of Connectivity In Low Dispersal Coral Reef Gobies (Coryphopterus Spp.) Throughout The Western Atlantic, Daniel Volk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gene flow is an integral biological process that can mediate speciation. While many consider the ocean to be an open environment, there are many barriers that limit gene flow, particularly in the western Atlantic. I analyzed data from two widespread, coral reef fishes, the bridled goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum) and sand-canyon goby (C. venezuelae), throughout their range in the western Atlantic. Using two genetic datasets, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and genomic SNPs, I investigated the evolutionary history of these species and inferred the location and strength of putative barriers. My results suggest that several unique lineages have genetically diverged from one another …

The Paths Less Traveled: Movement Of Gopher Tortoises Along Roads And Railways, Rhett Rautsaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization and an expanding human population have led to a large degree of habitat destruction and fragmentation. These, in turn, reduce biodiversity and wildlife population sizes on a global scale. Transportation infrastructure, such as roads and railways, are some of the largest contributors to habitat fragmentation. Roads are well-established to negatively impact wildlife, but some studies suggest a potential use in habitat connectivity by functioning as wildlife corridors to connect distant populations. Railways are similarly known to impact wildlife by increasing mortality rates as well as provide unique risks such as electrocution and entrapment when compared to roads. However, the …

Investigating The Quantity And Types Of Microplastics In The Organic Tissue Of Oysters And Crabs In The Indian River Lagoon, Heidi Waite

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Microplastics are widespread and abundant. Few studies have examined the diversity and abundance of microplastics in wild organisms. This study determined the microplastic quantity and types in the organic tissues of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica and Atlantic mud crab Panopeus herbstii from the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). This study also investigated whether location affected the microplastic abundance and variety. Organisms were collected from three sites across Mosquito Lagoon in the northern IRL. Oysters were frozen after collection. Crabs were placed in containers for 5 days before freezing. The soft organic tissue was chemically digested using hydrogen peroxide, filtered, …

Quantifying The Success Of Eastern Oyster Pilot Reefs In Brevard County, Florida, Lacie Anderson

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Crassostrea virginica, the eastern oyster, is a native keystone species that inhabits many coastal and estuarine ecosystems along the Atlantic seaboard. Introduction of the eastern oyster into estuarine areas with limited current populations is gaining popularity as a pro-active approach to improve estuarine water quality. In November 2014 and April 2015, a total of five pilot oyster reef treatments were deployed in Brevard County: bagged adult oysters (grown by community members under their docks through oyster gardening) collected in fall 2014 and spring 2015, bagged clean shell, oyster restoration mats, and empty plots (control). Locations of deployment included a …

Aeromonas Hydrophila In Amphibians: Harmless Bystander Or Opportunistic Pathogen, Zachary P. Rivas

Honors Undergraduate Theses

For several decades amphibian populations have been declining. Historically, the bacterium A. hydrophila (Ah) was hypothesized to be the causal factor in amphibian disease and population declines. However, with the discovery of a chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) in 1998, which was identified on the skin of amphibians during documented mortality events, Ah research became of minor interest as focus shifted to Bd. Recent studies into the immunocompromising abilities of Bd, however, have opened new questions about its relationship with Ah and their combined effects on a host.

In this study, I explore the …

Bat House Use In Central Florida, With Emphasis On Nycticeius Humeralis And Tadarida Brasiliensis Cynocephala, Laura Seckbach Finn

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Bat houses and roost sites utilized by Tadarida brasiliensis and Nycticeius humeralis were studied in four central Florida counties. Temperatures were monitored in occupied roosts and in bat houses. It was determined that the presence of bats affects roost temperature. The mean temperature in the bat house that was preferred at the Seminole Community College (SCC) site was above ambient temperature a significantly greater amount of time than mean temperature in the other style houses located at that site. A colony of bats roosting in buildings on the property of SCC was successfully relocated into bat houses located .4 kilometers …

Age, Growth, And Movement Patterns Of The Atlantic Stingray, Dasyatis Sabina, In A Florida Coastal Lagoon System, Thomas Henry Schmid

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Age, growth rates, and patterns of movement were studied in the Atlantic stingray, Dasyatis sabina, in the Indian River lagoon system in east central Florida. Age was estimated using the growth rings on the vertebral centrum and tretacycline marking. Tetracycline injections produced clear readable rings in all pups, but failed to be incorporated into the centra of adults. Females possess more centrum rings than males, but annual periodicity could not be verified. Growth rates were determined from aquarium held pups and adults and from tagged and recaptured animals. Males appeared to reach maturity in about two years, females in slightly …