Life Sciences Commons^™

Connecting The Dots: Understanding Migration In The Context Of Other Periods Of The Annual Cycle, Kristina Lee Paxton

Dissertations

Migration is a fundamental characteristic of the life history of many organisms. Large-scale seasonal movements expose migratory species to an array of differing environmental conditions such that the ecology, behavior, and life history strategies of migratory species must balance selection pressures associated with each phase of the annual cycle. Therefore, scientists increasingly realize that to understand the ecology of a migratory species in any one phase of the annual cycle requires an understanding of how other phases may interact with and influence the period of interest. That said, following individuals throughout the year poses a serious challenge.

The focus of …

Investigating The Function Of The Mold Specific Gene M46, In The Pathogenic Dimorphic Fungus Histoplasma Capsulatum, Davida Lashaundra Crossley

Dissertations

Histoplasma capsulatum (Hc) is a dimorphic fungus that is the etiologic agent for the respiratory infection histoplasmosis. The fungus is found in the environment in contaminated soils of birds and bat excreta as a multi-cellular saprophytic mold. Once the soil is disturbed, spores are released and are inhaled into the lungs. In the lungs, the fungus converts to uni-cellular parasitic yeast (Maresca & Kobayashi, 1989). The conversion from mold to yeast is a requirement for pathogenesis. Previously, several mold specific genes have been isolated by our laboratory from a subtracted cDNA library. One such gene, is M46. M46 is a …

A Bird In The Binoculars: Understanding Birdwatchers' Potential To Contribute To Sustainable Development And Biological Conservation, Sheri Lynn Glowinski

Dissertations

The three studies comprising this research drew from local economic development and environmental sociology to understand aspects of human dynamics that influence the conservation of birds. Using survey data collected from birdwatchers visiting coastal Alabama, the first study examined the local economic impact of birdwatching tourism and the factors that participants deemed important with respect to their recreation. Birdwatchers spent $103,305 during the four month study period. The total annual economic impact of this recreation on the area was estimated at $937,470, producing a multiplier of 1.48 and the equivalent of 20.3 full time jobs. Infrastructural variables (parking, bathrooms, site …

Opposing Mechanisms Drive Richness Patterns Of Core And Transient Bird Species, Jessica R. Coyle, Allen H. Hurlbert, Ethan P. White

Biology Faculty Publications

Studies of biodiversity typically assume that all species are equivalent. However, some species in a community maintain viable populations in the study area, while others occur only occasionally as transient individuals. Here we show that North American bird communities can reliably be divided into core and transient species groups and that the richness of each group is driven by different processes. The richness of core species is influenced primarily by local environmental conditions, while the richness of transient species is influenced primarily by the heterogeneity of the surrounding landscape. This demonstrates that the well-known effects of the local environment and …

Bears, Birds, Bugs And Climate: Environews #^, Richard Philp

Richard B. Philp

There has long been a concern that global warming would cause species movements reflective of the instinctive drive to seek the most favorable environmental conditions. One concern is that agricultural pests and carriers of diseases like malaria would move north and south from tropical and subtropical areas. Some changes may benefit the species but not necessarily humankind. Both predicted and observed changes are discussed with examples from plant and animal species. Some concerns are controversial, kike the effect of climate change on polar bears.

Cooperative Breeding And Long-Distance Dispersal: A Test Using Vagrant Records, Caroline L. Rusk, Eric L. Walters, Walter D. Koenig

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Cooperative breeding is generally associated with increased philopatry and sedentariness, presumably because short-distance dispersal facilitates the maintenance of kin groups. There are, however, few data on long-distance dispersal in cooperative breeders-the variable likely to be important for genetic diversification and speciation. We tested the hypothesis that cooperative breeders are less likely to engage in long-distance dispersal events by comparing records of vagrants outside their normal geographic range for matched pairs (cooperatively vs. non-cooperatively breeding) of North American species of birds. Results failed to support the hypothesis of reduced long-distance dispersal among cooperative breeders. Thus, our results counter the conclusion that …