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Articles 1 - 30 of 37
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Small Mammal Species Richness And Relative Abundance Across The Elevational Gradient And Microhabitats Of Pine Mountain, Eastern Kentucky, Sarah Elizabeth Baker
Small Mammal Species Richness And Relative Abundance Across The Elevational Gradient And Microhabitats Of Pine Mountain, Eastern Kentucky, Sarah Elizabeth Baker
Online Theses and Dissertations
Identifying microhabitat conditions influencing species abundance is critical to understanding distributions of species. Pine Mountain has forest types uncommon in Kentucky, but systematic small mammal surveys are dated. My objectives were: investigate variation in small mammal occurrence on Pine Mountain, and update small mammal records in the Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) mammal collection. I deployed pitfall traps, open from May - November 2021, at four state nature preserves (SNPs) on Pine Mountain. I measured microhabitat using 1 m2 quadrats at traps, then used redundancy analysis and generalized linear mixed (GLM) models to determine which conditions best explained variation in occurrence …
Phenotypic Plasticity Of Geographically Central And Peripheral Populations Of Jefferson Salamanders (Ambystoma Jeffersonianum) In Response To Simulated Climate Change, Aaron Devine
Online Theses and Dissertations
Climate change will elicit various species responses as it causes habitats to change. Species with limited dispersal must respond to these changes “in place”, yet some biogeographical hypotheses indicate isolated and less abundant populations experience reduced gene flow and genetic diversity that may limit phenotypic plasticity, contrasting with evidence suggesting more variable habitats select for increased plasticity in peripheral populations. To gain insight into associations between range position and intensity of plasticity, mesocosm experiments were done to assess plasticity in larval growth, size at, and time to, metamorphosis, and survivorship in larval Ambystoma jeffersonianum salamanders from geographically core and peripheral …
Body Size And Habitat Shading Influence The Consumptive And Non-Consumptive Effects Of Wood Frog (Lithobates Sylvaticus) Tadpoles On Aquatic Invertebrate Communities, Brady Patrick Parlato
Body Size And Habitat Shading Influence The Consumptive And Non-Consumptive Effects Of Wood Frog (Lithobates Sylvaticus) Tadpoles On Aquatic Invertebrate Communities, Brady Patrick Parlato
Online Theses and Dissertations
Consumptive (direct) effects of predation have been well-studied in most aquatic systems, but non-consumptive (indirect) effects on prey have only recently received limited attention in some groups. As aquatic consumers, tadpoles have traditionally been considered strict herbivores, leaving their predatory impacts via consumptive and non-consumptive interactions on aquatic invertebrates largely unexplored. The objectives of this study were to quantify omnivory among wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpoles, determine their consumptive and non-consumptive effects on invertebrate communities, and investigate whether such effects are mediated by habitat shading and tadpole body size. Lithobates sylvaticus tadpoles and egg masses were randomly sampled from 11 …
Genetic And Morphological Assessment Of Pigtoe Mussels (Unionidae: Pleurobemini: Fusconaia/Pleurobema Spp.) In Ozark Drainages, Logan Tyler Phelps
Genetic And Morphological Assessment Of Pigtoe Mussels (Unionidae: Pleurobemini: Fusconaia/Pleurobema Spp.) In Ozark Drainages, Logan Tyler Phelps
Online Theses and Dissertations
North America is home to nearly 300 species of native freshwater mussels. Many species within this group are in need of conservation efforts and for these efforts to be effective, species delimitations must be as accurate as possible. Intraspecific variation and interspecific convergence are sources of confusion within morphology-based taxonomy, particularly within the Pleurobemini. Molecular phylogenetic work has revealed multiple problems within currently accepted Pleurobemini classifications. Specifically, Fusconaia has been shown to harbor cryptic diversity within drainages of the Ozarks. Further, Pleurobema rubrum and P. sintoxia have been shown to be possible conspecifics despite have differing shell morphologies. This study …
Comparison Of Spawning Habitat And Nest Density Between Buck Darter (Etheostoma Nebra) And Striped Darter (Etheostoma Virgatum) Populations In The Cumberland River Drainage, Kentucky, Jacob Charles Murphy
Comparison Of Spawning Habitat And Nest Density Between Buck Darter (Etheostoma Nebra) And Striped Darter (Etheostoma Virgatum) Populations In The Cumberland River Drainage, Kentucky, Jacob Charles Murphy
Online Theses and Dissertations
The Buck Darter (Etheostoma nebra) is an imperiled, small-stream species in the Cumberland River drainage in southern Kentucky. It was originally thought to be a population of the Striped Darter (E. virgatum) species and was prevalent throughout the Buck Creek system. It was separated from the Striped Darter and deemed a separate species in 2015; however, the population has declined dramatically. Presently, the species is found in three streams of the Flat Lick Creek system, two originally established populations in Big Spring Branch and Stewart Branch, and one newly introduced population, established in 2018, in an unnamed tributary. The decline …
Litter Breakdown And Benthic Invertebrate Detritivores From A Hydrologically Restored Stream, Jacob Becraft
Litter Breakdown And Benthic Invertebrate Detritivores From A Hydrologically Restored Stream, Jacob Becraft
Online Theses and Dissertations
The breakdown of coarse forms of detritus into finer forms is an ecosystem function of forested headwater streams. Many factors influence the rate of litter decay, but there is a lack of research on how stream restorations, that aim to restore hydrologic functions, influence litter breakdown. This study compared litter processing rates and macroinvertebrate detritivore assemblages between a hydrologically restored stream (Slabcamp Creek) and an un-restored control stream (White Pine Branch) in the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan Co., KY. Red maple (Acer rubrum) leaves were placed in mesh bags and deployed in riffles and pools at the restored …
Assessment Of Indiana Bat Reproductive Condition, Recapture Trends, And Temperatures Of Artificial Roosts In Kentucky, Michaela L. Rogers
Assessment Of Indiana Bat Reproductive Condition, Recapture Trends, And Temperatures Of Artificial Roosts In Kentucky, Michaela L. Rogers
Online Theses and Dissertations
Recovery of bat species impacted by white-nose syndrome (WNS) will necessarily require population growth. I assessed reproductive capability of the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) in Kentucky, where WNS was first detected in hibernacula in April 2011. Due to loss of fat reserves associated with WNS infection, coupled with the energetic expenditures associated with pregnancy, I hypothesized mass of reproductively-active females captured during the maternity season would decrease across my data collection period (2017-2019). Further, I predicted that reproductive rates in the study population would be lower than historic rates for Kentucky. Mist net surveys around artificial maternity roosts at …
Bat Boxes As Mitigation Tools: Factors Impacting Microclimate And Myotis Sodalis Roost Selection, Reed Crawford
Bat Boxes As Mitigation Tools: Factors Impacting Microclimate And Myotis Sodalis Roost Selection, Reed Crawford
Online Theses and Dissertations
Environmental degradation has led to declines in available natural roosting habitat for bats. To mitigate this loss, practitioners often deploy artificial roosts (e.g., bat boxes). There are no established species-specific practices for deployment strategy and roost design selection, but occupancy rates are known to vary across species and roost microclimates can be harmful to bats. Providing bats with thermally beneficial roosts during summer could enhance overwinter survival of WNS-affected species. To further our understanding of roost preference and microclimate, we deployed 40 rocket box roosts of 5 designs at field sites in Indiana and Kentucky. Roosts were deployed in clusters …
The Importance Of Surface Mining As A Landscape Variable In Shaping Wild Bee Communities In Central Appalachian Forests, Amanda Sheryl Dunaway
The Importance Of Surface Mining As A Landscape Variable In Shaping Wild Bee Communities In Central Appalachian Forests, Amanda Sheryl Dunaway
Online Theses and Dissertations
Anthropogenic disturbance has led to widespread losses in biodiversity. Native bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) provide essential pollination services and have been declining in abundance dramatically in recent years. One potential cause of these declines is anthropogenic disturbance. Eleven sites were established in Southeastern Kentucky, U.S.A. where surface mining for coal is common. Data was analyzed using generalized linear mixed-effect models to detect the most important landscape scale variables, including mining, in shaping bee communities. Bee species richness was significantly lower on sites that contained surface mines, but abundance was similar between mined and unmined sites. The proportion of each nesting group …
Abundance Of Songbirds In Eastern Hemlock Stands Following Chemical Treatment For Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Natalie Sweeting
Abundance Of Songbirds In Eastern Hemlock Stands Following Chemical Treatment For Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Natalie Sweeting
Online Theses and Dissertations
In the 1960’s the invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae [hereafter, HWA]) began to spread west across the hemlock stands of the Eastern U.S. killing a significant number of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). While chemical treatments, primarily with the active ingredient imidacloprid, have been implemented, their effects on hemlock dependent avian species are largely unknown. A 2009 study, which took place as HWA was beginning to invade Kentucky, identified six indicator species that were positively and negatively correlated with eastern hemlock stands throughout the Appalachian Mountain region of Kentucky. Our study repeated bird and vegetation surveys at the same 65 …
Bee Abundance Along A Tropical Montane Elevational Gradient And Implications For Crop Pollination Services, Kristin M. Conrad
Bee Abundance Along A Tropical Montane Elevational Gradient And Implications For Crop Pollination Services, Kristin M. Conrad
Online Theses and Dissertations
Tropical forests are among the biologically richest ecosystems on Earth, but how most organisms in these forests will respond to a warming climate remains uncertain. Insects are expected to be highly responsive to climate change due to their short life cycles that are strongly influenced by temperature. Plants depend on pollinators to set seed and reproduce, and many animal populations rely on the resources provided by flowering plants. There is an urgent need to document elevational distributions and thermal specialization for tropical bee species to understand how these important pollinators may respond to warming temperatures. My four-year study (2016-2019) aims …
Impacts Of Driving Factors On Annual Cicada Emergence In Relation To The Seasonal Abundance Of Eastern Copperheads (Agkistrodon Contortrix), Jesse Christian Sockman
Impacts Of Driving Factors On Annual Cicada Emergence In Relation To The Seasonal Abundance Of Eastern Copperheads (Agkistrodon Contortrix), Jesse Christian Sockman
Online Theses and Dissertations
For many species, life history events are cyclical and often correspond to specific environmental conditions. As a result of environmental variability, the optimal conditions that regulate the range and activity of highly regulated cyclical organisms, like cicadas, are subject to temporal change. Variability in cicada emergence and abundance has been shown to impact the species that rely on the rapid influx of nutrients. One such predator is the Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) that has been noted feeding on emerging cicadas throughout their range. In eastern Kentucky, observations of copperheads congregating to feed on cicadas has been documented in recreational areas. …
Ecosystem Functional Consequences Of Top Predator Mortality Due To The Invasive Shrub, Lonicera Maackii, Josey Lee-Anne Berta
Ecosystem Functional Consequences Of Top Predator Mortality Due To The Invasive Shrub, Lonicera Maackii, Josey Lee-Anne Berta
Online Theses and Dissertations
Lonicera maackii (Amur Honeysuckle) is an invasive woody plant species that is present across the United States. Previous studies have assessed the biotic effects of honeysuckle, as well as abiotic effects such as changes in soil chemistry, ground level light, and forest floor temperature. Although directs effects of L. maackii on native terrestrial plant communities are well studied, little is known about its indirect effects, especially in aquatic ecosystems. Based on limited prior studies, I predicted addition of L. maackii leaves to aquatic systems would increase mortality of a top amphibian predator due to the release of phenolic compounds that …
Ecosystem Functional Consequences Of Body Size Variation In An Apex Predator (Ambystoma Jeffersonianum), David Samuel Smith
Ecosystem Functional Consequences Of Body Size Variation In An Apex Predator (Ambystoma Jeffersonianum), David Samuel Smith
Online Theses and Dissertations
Biodiversity is often emphasized at the species level where each species is assigned a mean functional trait value. However, populations within a species, and individuals within a population, often exhibit considerable intraspecific functional variation. Therefore, instead of focusing on species’ mean trait values, we must incorporate intraspecific variation when considering species’ ecological roles and conservation values. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effects of variation in body size (a functional trait in many aquatic taxa) in an apex predator on ecosystem functioning. We sought to characterize trophic cascades initiated by larval populations of Ambystoma jeffersonianum that …
Population Demographics And Active Foraging Behavior Of Copperheads (Agkistrodon Contortrix) At A Recreational Site In Eastern Kentucky, Jocelyn Hendricks
Population Demographics And Active Foraging Behavior Of Copperheads (Agkistrodon Contortrix) At A Recreational Site In Eastern Kentucky, Jocelyn Hendricks
Online Theses and Dissertations
Recreational areas represent a significant source of human-wildlife interaction, which can have an especially negative effect on organisms, like snakes, that are generally perceived as dangerous by the public. Considering the projected increase in recreation rates in the United States, the threat to this already vulnerable group of organisms deserves attention. While habitat factors associated with recreational areas—fragmentation, decreased canopy cover, altered vegetation composition—have been shown to affect snake thermoregulatory behavior and abundance, detailed studies of wild snake behavior are uncommon due to their cryptic nature. The goal of this study was to reduce human-wildlife conflict at a recreational site …
The Use Of Environmental Dna For The Detection Of Palaemonias Ganteri (Hay, 1901), A Federally Endangered Cave Species, Andrew Joseph Stump
The Use Of Environmental Dna For The Detection Of Palaemonias Ganteri (Hay, 1901), A Federally Endangered Cave Species, Andrew Joseph Stump
Online Theses and Dissertations
Kentucky’s limestone caves and karst water systems are an ecologically important part of its natural heritage and home to many unique subterranean species. In addition to being geologically interesting, it is also home to one, of only three, extant North American atyids: the federally endangered Kentucky Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri, Hay 1901). However, access for monitoring and management objectives involving this species and other cave inhabitants can be difficult, highly contingent upon environmental conditions, and time consuming with low yields using traditional techniques. Advancements in metabarcoding and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies provide tools that may allow researchers and managers …
The Vascular Flora Of The Red River Gorge In Powell, Menifee, And Wolfe Counties Kentucky, Thomas Steele Mcfadden
The Vascular Flora Of The Red River Gorge In Powell, Menifee, And Wolfe Counties Kentucky, Thomas Steele Mcfadden
Online Theses and Dissertations
The Red River Gorge (RRG) is a 26,283 ha natural area within Menifee, Powell, and Wolfe counties of Kentucky. This area is in the Cumberland Plateau Physiographic Section which is a southern subsection of the Appalachian Plateau Physiographic Province. It is a mecca of outdoor recreation, hosting thousands of visitors each year, while also being home to a unique flora worthy of continued protection. A vascular flora was conducted between the fall of 2016 and the summer of 2018. Additional vouchers donated by Dr. Ross C. Clark and the Stanton Ranger District office, as well as vouchers deposited at regional …
Population Size And Habitat Association Of Etheostoma Nebra, The Buck Darter, Using Abundance Modeling In The Buck Creek System, Cumberland River Drainage, Kentucky, Harold Davidson Black
Population Size And Habitat Association Of Etheostoma Nebra, The Buck Darter, Using Abundance Modeling In The Buck Creek System, Cumberland River Drainage, Kentucky, Harold Davidson Black
Online Theses and Dissertations
Etheostoma nebra (Buck Darter) is a recently described fish species confined to the Buck Creek system, Cumberland River drainage, Kentucky. A 2010-2012 survey of Buck Creek by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources personnel observed E. nebra at 2 of 47 historical sites. Within the entire system, individuals were found only in Flat Lick Creek around the confluence of two spring-fed tributaries, Big Spring Branch and Stewart Branch. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine population size, demographics, and habitat association of E. nebra in Big Spring Branch and Stewart Branch, (2) evaluate habitat conditions both within …
Development Of An Avian Index Of Biological Integrity For Kentucky Wetlands, Kaitlyn Kelly
Development Of An Avian Index Of Biological Integrity For Kentucky Wetlands, Kaitlyn Kelly
Online Theses and Dissertations
Bird communities are frequently used as bioindicators to assess environmental conditions, including in wetland habitats. I developed an avian index of biological integrity (IBI) for wetlands of Kentucky as an intensive assessment method to supplement an existing rapid assessment method used in regulatory programs. Birds are useful indicators because they are sensitive to environmental changes, abundant in various landscapes, occupy higher trophic levels, and can be sampled in a cost-effective manner. Breeding bird point count data from 103 sites were used to calculate a set of 49 avian community metrics. Avian metrics were tested for correlation with independent landscape, hydrology …
Amphibian And Plant Communities Of Natural And Constructed Upland-Embedded Wetlands In The Daniel Boone National Forest, Rachel Fedders
Amphibian And Plant Communities Of Natural And Constructed Upland-Embedded Wetlands In The Daniel Boone National Forest, Rachel Fedders
Online Theses and Dissertations
Wetlands fulfill many vital ecological functions, including providing habitat for amphibians and plants. Some wetlands, known as upland-embedded wetlands (UEWs), are depressional wetlands surrounded completely by upland habitat. This wetland type has been constructed in many areas for conservation and mitigation purposes, but constructed UEWs often do not function equivalently to natural wetlands, and often have different physical and chemical characteristics. In the Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF), numerous UEWs have been constructed on ridge-tops to benefit game and bat species. Previous studies have shown that many of these constructed wetlands have permanent hydroperiods and different amphibian communities than co-occurring …
Are Mussel Shells Environmental Dna Time Capsules? A Comparison Of Extraction Methods For Obtaining Dna From Shell Material., Kelsey Elizabeth Rogers
Are Mussel Shells Environmental Dna Time Capsules? A Comparison Of Extraction Methods For Obtaining Dna From Shell Material., Kelsey Elizabeth Rogers
Online Theses and Dissertations
Freshwater mussels have become some of the most imperiled species in North America and widespread populations have succumbed to pollution and many other anthropogenic-related factors. With molecular techniques evolving, a recent interest in ancient DNA and museum specimens has emerged and prompted a study to test the ability of several extraction methods to isolate DNA from museum mussel specimens. The purpose of this study was to determine if four DNA extraction methods had influence on total DNA yield (ng/mg) from mussel tissue. The hinge ligaments of freshwater mussels ranging in collection date (1984-2015) were used as the source of genetic …
Comparison Of Cytochrome B Variation And Morphological Features Of Isolated Banded Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma Zonatum) Populations In The Lower Green River And Coastal Plain Systems In Western Kentucky, David Cravens
Online Theses and Dissertations
The banded pygmy sunfish Elassoma zonatum is a wide-ranging species found throughout the Southeastern Coastal Plain of North America. In Kentucky, the populations are found above and below the inner boundary of the Coastal Plain. Due to their geographical separation comparisons in body size and morphological features along with genetic comparisons using mitochondrial cytochrome-b (Cyt-b) were conducted to test relationships between populations. Two sites, Cypress Creek in the Lower Green River system and Rose Creek in the Tradewater River drainage, were sampled from above the inner boundary and two additional sites, Bayou de Chien and Running Slough in the Mississippi …
Natural Environmental Gradients Predict The Microhabitat Use, Fine-Scale Distribution, And Abundance Of Three Woodland Salamanders In An Old-Growth Forest, Joseph Alex Baecher
Natural Environmental Gradients Predict The Microhabitat Use, Fine-Scale Distribution, And Abundance Of Three Woodland Salamanders In An Old-Growth Forest, Joseph Alex Baecher
Online Theses and Dissertations
Woodland salamanders (Plethodonidae: Plethodon)－a group of sensitive, direct developing, lungless amphibians－are particularly responsive to gradients in environmental conditions. Because of their functional dominance in terrestrial ecosystems, woodland salamanders are responsible for the transformation of nutrients and translocation of energy between highly desperate levels of trophic organization (detrital food webs and high‐order predators). However, the spatial extent of woodland salamanders' role in the ecosystem is likely contingent upon the distribution of their biomass throughout the forest. Therefore, a better understanding of woodland salamander spatial population dynamics is needed to further understand their role in terrestrial ecosystems. The objectives of this study …
Sample Collection And Dna Extraction Methods For Environmental Dna Metabarcoding In Headwater Streams, Michael Triston Mullins
Sample Collection And Dna Extraction Methods For Environmental Dna Metabarcoding In Headwater Streams, Michael Triston Mullins
Online Theses and Dissertations
DNA is found to be free and ubiquitous in the environment where it is no longer associated with the source organism, and is also known as environmental-DNA (eDNA). Methods optimized for specific environments may be able supplement insight to local taxa richness. With the advent of high throughput sequencing and the proliferation of sequence data in public repositories, insights to the biodiversity of communities at the molecular level have been possible. Thus, this study compared commonly used DNA capture (water precipitation and filtration) and extraction (MoBio's PowerWater, Qiagen's DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit, and a CTAB protocol) methods in their …
Assessment Of The Macroinvertebrate Assemblages From The Mesohabitats Of A Headwater Stream-Wetland Hydrologic Restoration In Eastern Kentucky, Rebecca Jo Roberts
Assessment Of The Macroinvertebrate Assemblages From The Mesohabitats Of A Headwater Stream-Wetland Hydrologic Restoration In Eastern Kentucky, Rebecca Jo Roberts
Online Theses and Dissertations
The bulk of streams in the U.S. have been negatively impacted by anthropogenic disturbances and the streams of Kentucky are no exception. In recent decades stream restoration has become a common practice in order to improve habitat degradation resulting from land use practices such as channelization. Despite the large amount of effort and funding stream restoration projects represent, only a small portion have undergone post-restoration assessments of the ecological response in the restored streams. Slabcamp Creek, a headwater stream located in the Licking River basin in eastern Kentucky, underwent a stream-wetland hydrologic restoration in 2010 in order to improve hydrologic …
Movement Patterns Of The Kentucky Arrow Darter (Etheosotma Spilotum), Frecklebelly Darter (Percina Stictogaster), And Southern Redbelly Dace (Chrosomus Erythrogaster) In Elisha Creek And Gilbert's Big Creek, Red Bird River, Kentucky., Colin Arnold
Online Theses and Dissertations
The movement patterns of small-bodied fishes in headwater streams are poorly understood. This study was designed to examine the movement patterns of the Kentucky Arrow Darter (Etheosotma spilotum), Frecklebelly Darter (Percine stictogaster), and Southern Redbelly Dace (Chrosomus erythrogaster) in two dynamic headwater streams, Elisha Creek and Gilbert's Big Creek, in the Red Bird River, Kentucky, utilizing Passive Integrated Transponders and an antennae detection system. Etheostoma spilotum is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Percina stictogaster is acknowledged as a species of greatest conservation need in Kentucky by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Over …
Wetland Condition Matters: Amphibian Richness And Abundance Change Across Wetland Condition Gradient, Kari Dupler
Wetland Condition Matters: Amphibian Richness And Abundance Change Across Wetland Condition Gradient, Kari Dupler
Online Theses and Dissertations
In the past century, Kentucky has lost more than 80% of its wetlands, and because state-wide monitoring was historically minimal, this number is likely underestimated. The Kentucky Division of Water, with Eastern Kentucky University and a technical working group, developed a rapid wetland assessment method (i.e. KY-WRAM) to assess wetland quality and aid in establishing mitigation levels and long-term monitoring. Validation of the KY-WRAM’s ability to reflect wetland condition requires comparison to intensive biotic assessments of amphibian, plant, and bird communities. Wetland and amphibian surveys for the 2014 and 2015 seasons were conducted at 42 riverine wetlands in the Kentucky …
Anthropogenic Influence On Blackfin Sucker (Thoburnia Atripinnis) Distribution, In The Upper Barren River System, Kentucky And Tennessee, Christa Rose Hurak
Anthropogenic Influence On Blackfin Sucker (Thoburnia Atripinnis) Distribution, In The Upper Barren River System, Kentucky And Tennessee, Christa Rose Hurak
Online Theses and Dissertations
We evaluated the effects of land use and cover on endemic blackfin sucker (Thoburnia atripinnis) catch per unit effort and abundance within the Upper Barren River (UBR) system, a priority conservation area, in south-central Kentucky. Anthropogenic impacts have rendered T. atripinnis a “species of greatest conservation need” by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. This study focused on determining if land use surrounding blackfin sucker sampling sites and certain physicochemical parameters could be impacting their inhabitance at these sites. Data collection and ground truthing occurred between September 2015 and June 2016. ArcGIS was used to extract land use …
Amphibian Community Composition And Disease Susceptibility In Ridge-Top Wetlands Of The Daniel Boone National Forest, Audrey Lauren Mctaggart
Amphibian Community Composition And Disease Susceptibility In Ridge-Top Wetlands Of The Daniel Boone National Forest, Audrey Lauren Mctaggart
Online Theses and Dissertations
Ephemeral wetlands are a natural feature of the ridge-top ecosystem in the Daniel Boone National Forest (DBNF) in eastern Kentucky, and support a diverse amphibian assemblage characterized by species with short larval periods. However, hundreds of hydrologically permanent ponds have been constructed along the ridge-top system in the last 50 years. The results of previous studies suggest that constructed ponds act as sinks for some historic ridge-top species because they provide habitat for amphibian predators with long larval periods or aquatic adult stages. My objectives were to determine (1) if natural wetlands differ from constructed wetlands in amphibian community composition, …
Biotic Assessment Of Two Central Kentucky Streams: Examining The Effects Of Wastewater Treatment And Anthropogenic Disturbance, Daniel John Ratterman
Biotic Assessment Of Two Central Kentucky Streams: Examining The Effects Of Wastewater Treatment And Anthropogenic Disturbance, Daniel John Ratterman
Online Theses and Dissertations
Globally, anthropogenic disturbance has altered many aquatic habitats, including lotic waters. Flowing, fresh water sustains life on Earth yet suffers the resulting waste products. Native, locally adapted ecosystems integrate or eliminate the byproducts of life. However an increase of human population, poor agricultural practices, accelerated overland runoff, a non-point source of pollution, and wastewater treatment plants (WTP), a point source of pollution, have all placed a strain on the world’s flowing, fresh, waters. The de-commissioning of two WTPs in the Kentucky River basin, and the commissioning of a new WTP in an adjacent watershed, provided an opportunity to examine the …