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Articles 1 - 14 of 14
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Age, Growth, And Simulation Modeling To Characterize Fish Populations At Two Reservoirs In South-Central Kansas, Brian Serpan
Age, Growth, And Simulation Modeling To Characterize Fish Populations At Two Reservoirs In South-Central Kansas, Brian Serpan
Master's Theses
Several fish populations in Kansas are heavily exploited. To obtain insight into the response of fish populations to management actions, fisheries biologists must obtain as much information as possible with limited resources. To address these challenges, biologists often use age and growth information to understand the age structure of the populations, estimate recruitment and mortality, and gain insight into environmental and genetic factors influencing growth. In addition, age and growth data are used to generate yield-per-recruit models, which allow biologists to extrapolate population trends and make broad predictions about population responses to different management actions. Cheney and El Dorado reservoirs …
Effect Of Grain, Region, And Human Influence On Higher Taxonomic Surrogacy, Frances Owen
Effect Of Grain, Region, And Human Influence On Higher Taxonomic Surrogacy, Frances Owen
Master's Theses
Surrogacy is a common tool within conservation and can be useful when scientists lack detailed knowledge of a system. Higher taxonomic surrogacy is appealing because it can save time and money. However, this technique might vary in effectiveness depending on the taxonomic level, spatial grain, region, and impact by humans. In this thesis I addressed some of the common concerns with higher taxonomic surrogacy using Breeding Bird Atlas data from six states (Colorado, Florida, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington). I compared the coefficients (slopes) of my models rather than the R2 values relied on by other higher taxonomic surrogacy …
Nest Survival Of Grassland Breeding Birds In A Southern Mixed-Grass Prairie Wetland, Clinton Helms
Nest Survival Of Grassland Breeding Birds In A Southern Mixed-Grass Prairie Wetland, Clinton Helms
Master's Theses
As a group, grassland birds have been declining significantly since European settlement of the prairie. The subsequent plowing of the prairie by settlers was compounded by fire suppression, resulting in a patchwork of cultivated fields with intermittent tracts of overgrown grassland. Over an interval of ~200 years, these practices lead to an estimated decline of 96 % of native tallgrass prairie habitat. Due to the imperiled status of grassland birds, an emphasis has been placed on managing for this particular group throughout the southern mixed-grass prairie region. I investigated the effects of adaptive three-pasture rotational grazing treatments (3ROT) versus traditional …
Description Of An Unusual Cervical Vertebral Column Of A Plesiosaur From The Kiowa Shale, Ian N. Cost
Description Of An Unusual Cervical Vertebral Column Of A Plesiosaur From The Kiowa Shale, Ian N. Cost
Master's Theses
The Early Cretaceous (Albian) Kiowa Shale of Clark County, Kansas consists mainly of dark gray shale with occasional limestone deposits that represent a near shore environment. Faunal lists have been published based on fragmentary materials; however, few individual specimens have been described in the last 100 years. Here an unusual plesiosaur specimen (KUVP 16375) is described. The specimen consists of 17 cervical vertebrae: 10 articulated and 7 disarticulated. Some of the vertebrae are uniquely preserved with an atypical ventral excavation not present in known plesiosaur vertebrae. It is not clear whether or not this character is of phylogenetic or diagnostic …
Antimicrobial Resistance Of Channel Catfish Intestinal Microflora In The Arkansas And Ninnescah Rivers In Kansas, Jordan R. Hofmeier
Antimicrobial Resistance Of Channel Catfish Intestinal Microflora In The Arkansas And Ninnescah Rivers In Kansas, Jordan R. Hofmeier
Master's Theses
Antimicrobial compounds have been used by humans to counteract bacterial infections since 1910. Overuse of these compounds in clinical and agricultural applications has led to rapid evolution and global spread of antimicrobial resistance and rivers are the main receiving body for antimicrobials and resistant bacteria from urban effluents and agricultural runoff. When antimicrobial-resistant bacteria enter the aquatic environment, water acts as a physical pathway for their distribution. Subsequently, resistance genes become established in natural systems and pose threats to human health and ecological processes. Due to these potential threats, antimicrobial resistance in the aquatic environment should be closely monitored. To …
Dispersal Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Near Central Great Plains Feedlots, Jennifer R. Pfannenstiel-Klaus
Dispersal Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Near Central Great Plains Feedlots, Jennifer R. Pfannenstiel-Klaus
Master's Theses
Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern in medical and veterinary settings. Resistance can be worsened by misuse and overuse of antibiotics. Such situations can give rise to highly resistant organisms. Ciprofloxacin, a synthetic, broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat gram-positive and gram-negative infections in humans, has similar chemical structure to enrofloxacin, which is used to treat animals. Cross-resistance might arise because of that similarity. This research describes the dispersal and prevalence of bacteria that exhibit ciprofloxacin resistance in relation to feedlots in the central Great Plains region. Six times in 2013, six feedlots were sampled for airborne bacterial communities at, upwind …
Distance Sampling As A Technique To Monitor Pronghorn In Kansas, Jared H. Oyster
Distance Sampling As A Technique To Monitor Pronghorn In Kansas, Jared H. Oyster
Master's Theses
Accurate and precise estimates of abundance are crucial for wildlife management. Wildlife agencies spend large amounts of time and money to obtain estimated abundance. The Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) has conducted strip transect (ST) counts biannually since 1963 to estimate pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) abundance in Kansas. However, the accuracy and reliability of results are questionable. Distance sampling (DS) is a method used to estimate abundance of a biological population. All perpendicular distances of objects to the transect line are recorded; however, there is no designated strip width and no assumption that all objects are detected. I …
Inferring Herpetofaunal Distributions And Habitat Preferences For Conservation Planning, Lisa M. Prowant
Inferring Herpetofaunal Distributions And Habitat Preferences For Conservation Planning, Lisa M. Prowant
Master's Theses
Global climate change is a serious threat to global biodiversity (IPCC, 2001). Due to their limited dispersal ability, reptiles and amphibians might be more vulnerable to rapid climate change than are other taxonomic groups (Gibbons et al., 2000). Herpetofauna in south-central Kansas was sampled from May through August in 2012 and 2013. Seven study sites spanning Meade, Clark, Comanche, and Barber counties were sampled. Drift fence and cover-board traps were arranged in transects at each site to capture reptiles and amphibians. Species were also sampled through surveys on all-terrain vehicles and on foot. Two thousand nine hundred and forty five …
Comparison Of Small Mammal Communities In Ephemeral Wetlands And Wet Meadows During Drought, Brian M. Zinke
Comparison Of Small Mammal Communities In Ephemeral Wetlands And Wet Meadows During Drought, Brian M. Zinke
Master's Theses
Ephemeral wetlands are characterized by a cyclical hydropattern, ranging from complete inundation to a total absence of surface water. This cycle between wet and dry phases is necessary for the flora of ephemeral wetlands to perpetuate. However, little research has been done to study the response of the non-avian fauna to these cycles, particularly during the dry phase. I live trapped small mammals by using Sherman live traps and conducted vegetation surveys monthly (May–August in 2012 and May–July in 2013) in the ephemeral wetlands and the surrounding wet meadows of the Cheyenne Bottoms basin in central Kansas. Drought occurred both …
Habitat Associations Of Grassland Birds Along A Gradient Of Eastern Red Cedar Succession In Central Kansas, Scott W. Schmidt
Habitat Associations Of Grassland Birds Along A Gradient Of Eastern Red Cedar Succession In Central Kansas, Scott W. Schmidt
Master's Theses
Grassland birds have declined more rapidly than any other avian taxa in North America. While woody encroachment is often cited as a threat, some grassland-dependent species requiring habitat with scattered trees or shrubs also are declining at statistically significant rates. To better understand the ecological costs and benefits of woody vegetation from a brush management perspective, I studied bird-habitat associations along a canopy cover gradient of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Habitat associations were tested by the comparing the relative abundance of breeding birds between 3 habitat treatment levels (0% eastern red cedar canopy cover [open grassland], < 5% eastern red cedar canopy cover [light encroachment], and > 5-25% eastern red …
The Human Dimensions Of Waterfowl Hunters At Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, Barton County, Kansas, Jason K. Black
The Human Dimensions Of Waterfowl Hunters At Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, Barton County, Kansas, Jason K. Black
Master's Theses
An on-site human dimension survey was applied at Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area (CHBW), Kansas, to evaluate waterfowl hunters’ support for three alternative management strategies. The strategies included in the survey were: 1) the creation of a refuge-in-time where hunting would be allowed for the entire day, but only on odd-numbered calendar dates, 2) the designation of an existing pool as a primitive pool, i.e., no motorized watercraft allowed, and 3) the creation of a refuge-in-time where hunting would only be allowed in a given pool from ½ hour before sunrise to 1300 hours, but hunting would be allowed every day …
Timing And Intensity Of Steer Use On Old World Bluestem (Bothriochloa Ischaemum) And Blue Grama (Bouteloua Gracilis) In Southern Mixed-Grass Prairie, Jessica Casey
Master's Theses
Yellow bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum), an invasive species, was introduced as a forage species and as a roadside grass for erosion control. Yellow bluestem can negatively interact with native grasslands and reduce biodiversity. Livestock tend to avoid yellow bluestem after accumulation of standing lignified tissue, particularly at the end of the growing season. Mowing has been used in pasture situations to remove excess grass for hay and over coarse grass left from the previous season. It is essential to understand the role livestock play as either a catalyst for control or preventing further invasion of yellow bluestem. Quantification of the timing …
Possible Effects Of Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys Ludovicianus) On Abundance And Diversity Of Raptors And Small Mammals In Mixed And Shortgrass Prairie Of Western Kansas, Nina M. Luna
Master's Theses
The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is a burrowing rodent native to the Great Plains currently experiencing large population declines. It is debated whether prairie dogs are keystone species; however, areas with prairie dogs have higher levels of biodiversity and presumably increased biotic interactions. The goal of this study is to quantify the importance of black-tailed prairie dogs, hereafter prairie dog, by comparing abundance and diversity of raptors and small mammals on prairie dog (PD) and non-prairie dog (NON) inhabited prairie. A significant difference was detected between the two treatments (PD and NON) in the number of raptors counts; the …
Life History Of A Dune-Dwelling Rhaphidophorid, Utabaenetes Tinkham, In The San Rafael Desert Of Utah, Ryan M. Shofner
Life History Of A Dune-Dwelling Rhaphidophorid, Utabaenetes Tinkham, In The San Rafael Desert Of Utah, Ryan M. Shofner
Master's Theses
The camel cricket, Utabaenetes(tanneri Tinkham, has been little studied. This study gathered information on the basic life history and behavior of this species, which is found only in the San Rafael Desert and adjacent Colorado Plateau in areas of loose sand or active dunes. The daily activity pattern is matutinal, and individuals construct burrows for shelter in the afternoon. The diet of U.(tanneri is omnivorous, composed of plant material, detritus, and conspecific crickets. Utabaenetes(tanneri has been found in the diet of several predatory species, although the total number of observed predation instances is low. Utabaenetes(tanneri might be a Batesian mimic …