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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Influence Of Breeding Density On Female Aggression, Parental Care, And Ornamentation In A Secondary-Cavity Nesting Warbler, Elsa B. Chen
The Influence Of Breeding Density On Female Aggression, Parental Care, And Ornamentation In A Secondary-Cavity Nesting Warbler, Elsa B. Chen
Theses and Dissertations
Tradeoffs between individual survival and reproductive success associated with aggressive behaviors are a driving force of evolution, but these tradeoffs are often overlooked for aggressive conspecific interactions between females. For avian males, it is well documented that more aggressive individuals tend to provide less parental care. In the few studies that address this in females, the tradeoffs seem to be more context-dependent, varying due to factors such as predation pressure and habitat quality. The relationship between female ornamentation and aggression is similarly understudied, but evidence suggests that both aggression and ornamentation are important traits involved in social selection – the …
Migratory Patterns And Population Genetic Structure In A Declining Wetland-Dependent Songbird, Matthew G. Desaix
Migratory Patterns And Population Genetic Structure In A Declining Wetland-Dependent Songbird, Matthew G. Desaix
Theses and Dissertations
Understanding migratory connectivity is essential for assessing the drivers behind population dynamics and for implementing effective management in migratory species. Genetic markers provide a means to describe migratory connectivity, as well as incorporate population genetic analyses, however genetic markers can be uninformative for species with weak genetic structure. In this study, we evaluate range-wide population genetic structure and migratory connectivity in the prothonotary warbler, Protonotaria citrea, a wetland-dependent neotropical migratory songbird, using high-resolution genetic markers. We reveal regional genetic structure between sampling sites in the Mississippi River Valley and the Atlantic Seaboard with overall weak genetic differentiation among populations …
Prothonotary Warbler Nestling Diet And Growth In Response To Variation In Aquatic And Terrestrial Food Availability, Jenna C. Dodson
Prothonotary Warbler Nestling Diet And Growth In Response To Variation In Aquatic And Terrestrial Food Availability, Jenna C. Dodson
Theses and Dissertations
Food supply has been suggested as the main determinant of reproductive success in birds. Riparian species can take advantage of seasonal pulses of both terrestrial and aquatic prey, though aquatic resources are often overlooked in studies of diet and reproductive ecology. This study investigates the flux of both aquatic (mayfly) and terrestrial (caterpillar) prey resources and nestling diet of the Prothonotary Warbler throughout the breeding season in two eastern Virginia sites. One site had significantly higher aquatic prey (mayfly) availability. Nestling diet was generally reflective of prey availability, and nestlings grew faster at the site with high aquatic prey availability. …
Distribution And Molecular Analysis Of Avian Malaria Vectors On Four Central Virginia Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria Citrea) Breeding Sites, Catherine Wallace
Distribution And Molecular Analysis Of Avian Malaria Vectors On Four Central Virginia Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria Citrea) Breeding Sites, Catherine Wallace
Theses and Dissertations
Avian malaria is a devastating disease that has decimated numerous bird species. This study sought to identify the vectors of avian malaria at four central Virginia Prothonotary warbler breeding sites. Twenty one thousand mosquitoes were collected and Culex salinarius, Cx. erraticus, and Cx. pipiens/restuans were found to be the dominant species at these sites. Geographic factors, such as crop land and forest type, were determined to be potential indicators for species abundance variation between sites. Of the mosquitoes collected, ninety one (0.4%) were identified as blood fed. The blood fed mosquitoes were found to have fed on avian, mammalian, amphibian, …
Presence Of Haemosporidia And Flaviviruses In Breeding Prothonotary Warblers (Protonotaria Citrea): An Analysis Of Spatial And Temporal Trends In Infection Prevalence And Associations With Reproductive Success, Elena Grillo
Theses and Dissertations
As Neotropical migratory birds, Prothonotary Warblers are exposed to parasites in both tropical and temperate regions and may act as dispersal agents between geographic areas. This study identifies the prevalence of Haemosporidia, West Nile Virus (WNV), and St. Louis Encephalitis virus (SLEV) in this species. A total of 71.6% of captured Prothonotary Warblers were infected with Haemosporidia during the 2008 breeding season, and infection prevalence increased throughout the season. This temporal change in prevalence is likely due to infection relapse and transmission of new infections. No correlations between reproductive effort and infection status were observed, nor were any associations between …