Life Sciences Commons^™

Utilization Of The Hunt Trap Method To Investigate A Small Mammal Community In An Upland Pine Stand, Leo Montano

Undergraduate Research Conference

Small mammals are strong and informative biological indicators of forest ecosystems. Populations are responsible for shaping successional patterns through their diets, behaviors, and contributions to other ecological communities.

Knowledge of community metrics within southern yellow pine forests under varying production and disturbance regimes can be valuable in understanding pine production impacts on biodiversity.

The objective of this study was to investigate species richness, time to detection, and activity patterns of the small mammal community in an upland pine stand utilizing the Hunt Trap Method.

Influence Of Chinese Tallow Infestation On Winter Bird Community Along Lanana Creek Basin, Kelli Bashaw, Christopher E. Comer

Undergraduate Research Conference

Exotic invasive plant species are among the greatest threats to biodiversity and persistence of rare wildlife species in the United States. These plants compete with native plants, causing extinctions or severe reductions in native populations. They may also affect wildlife through loss of preferred food items or changes in vegetation structure. Chinese tallow tree (Triadeca sebifera) is one of the most important and widespread exotic plants in the Southeast. Although impacts of Chinese tallow on vegetation communities are well studied, impacts on native wildlife are less well understood. This study explored the interaction between native wildlife and Chinese tallow infestation …

Responses Of Problematic Algae To Copper-Based Algaecide, Aaron Slevin, Clayton Rushing, James Cunningham, Joseph Watkins, Michael Deguenther

Undergraduate Research Conference

Eutrophication is the process by which a body of water acquires a high concentration of nutrients, especially phosphates and nitrates. These typically promote excessive growth of algae. As the algae die and decompose, high levels of organic matter and the decomposing organisms deplete the water of available oxygen, causing the death of other organisms, such as fish. Eutrophication is a natural, slow-aging process for a water body, but human activity greatly speeds up the process (USGS.gov). Golf Courses are often fertilized numerous times a year and can be major problem in fertilizer runoff in ponds surrounding the course. In east …

Texas Black Bears, Alexandria Bryant

Undergraduate Research Conference

One way to promote conservation efforts in an area is to bring awareness of the connections our society has with the animal that is under threat. Black Bears were once abundant throughout Texas, but through hunting and habitat loss, the bears had been eliminated from Texas by the 1950s. The placing of the Louisiana subspecies as threatened under The Federal Endangered Species Act in 1922 allowed populations to recover in Louisiana, and there have been several sightings in East Texas since. The face of Texas has been forever altered byt the presence of black bears. From the forests of East …

The Effects Of Food Quality On Preference And Incurred Risk In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus), Travis Perlman, Jacob Stanton

Undergraduate Research Conference

An observational study was concluded in Nacogdoches County, Texas, to determine if free-range white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) could assess forage value. Multiple parameters were recorded to determine if individuals were willing to incur hight levels of risk as they sought to maximize their fitness, through dietary selection. Our results indicated that individuals were willing to incur higher levels of risk, in order to attain higher quality food items.