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Biology

Masters Theses

Invasive species

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Bigheaded Carp Spatial Reproductive Dynamics And Population Genetics In Large River Tributaries, Samuel J. Schaick Jan 2020

Bigheaded Carp Spatial Reproductive Dynamics And Population Genetics In Large River Tributaries, Samuel J. Schaick

Masters Theses

Fisheries managers are devoting considerable effort, time, and funding towards limiting the spread of invasive Bighead and Silver (bigheaded) Carp. A better understanding of factors that influence spatial patterns of bigheaded carp reproduction can help fisheries managers prevent their spread. To examine factors that influence spatial patterns of reproduction, we sampled ichthyoplankton using drift nets and larval push nets in three tributaries of the Illinois and Wabash Rivers March-September 2016-2018. We compared relative abundances of bigheaded carp eggs and larvae among tributaries using catch per unit effort (CPUE). Abiotic data were analyzed from individual study tributaries and pooled among tributaries …


Biological Invasions On A Large Scale: Investigating The Spread Of Baby’S Breath (Gypsophila Paniculata) Across North America, Sarah K. Lamar Aug 2019

Biological Invasions On A Large Scale: Investigating The Spread Of Baby’S Breath (Gypsophila Paniculata) Across North America, Sarah K. Lamar

Masters Theses

Invasive species are a serious threat to biodiversity worldwide. While the impacts of invasive species increase annually, many gaps in our understanding of how these species invade, adapt, and thrive in the novel ecosystems into which they are introduced remain. This thesis aimed to add to our knowledge of invasion science, using the perennial forb Gypsophila paniculata as a study system. Gypsophila paniculata is a shrub native to the Eurasian steppe that was introduced into North America in the late 1800’s. After introduction, G. paniculata quickly spread and now occupies diverse ecosystems across N. America. In chapter II of this …


Genetic Structure Of Invasive Baby’S Breath (Gypsophila Paniculata) Populations In A Michigan Dune System, Hailee B. Leimbach-Maus Aug 2018

Genetic Structure Of Invasive Baby’S Breath (Gypsophila Paniculata) Populations In A Michigan Dune System, Hailee B. Leimbach-Maus

Masters Theses

Invasive species can reduce biodiversity of a system by outcompeting native species for resources, changing the physical characteristics of a habitat, and altering natural disturbance regimes. Coastal sand dune ecosystems are dynamic with elevated levels of disturbance, and as such they are highly susceptible to plant invasions. The topography, geographic distribution of preferred habitat, and disturbance regime in an ecosystem can influence where an invasive plant becomes established, its dispersal patterns, and how densely it grows. One such invasion that is of major concern to the Great Lakes dune systems is baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata). The invasion of …


Surveying The Circular Rep Encoding Single Stranded (Cress) Dna Viral Consortium Found In Invasive Quagga Mussels (Dreissena Rostriformis Bugensis) And Sediments Of The Central Lake Michigan Benthos, Nicholas Gezon Dec 2017

Surveying The Circular Rep Encoding Single Stranded (Cress) Dna Viral Consortium Found In Invasive Quagga Mussels (Dreissena Rostriformis Bugensis) And Sediments Of The Central Lake Michigan Benthos, Nicholas Gezon

Masters Theses

Globalization and resulting increases in international trade has allowed for the movement of species between almost all ecosystems on Earth. The Great Lakes in particular has seen a number of high impact invasive species that have moved in following the opening of the lakes to intercontinental shipping trade. This research specifically focuses on the benthic community of Lake Michigan which has seen significant community shifts including declines of the amphipods Diporeia spp. and the expansion of invasive quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis). Little is known about the viral community in the benthos of Lake Michigan and how …