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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Free-Roaming Cat Abundance Across A Habitat Gradient, Rachel E. Bird
Free-Roaming Cat Abundance Across A Habitat Gradient, Rachel E. Bird
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
There are an estimated 172 million owned and feral cats in the United States, and wildlife enthusiasts and cat owners are often at odds over how best to manage free-roaming cats. Management is needed because of the documented impacts of free-ranging cats on wildlife. Targeting these management efforts, however, is hampered by an imperfect understanding of cat distribution in the landscape. My study used game cameras and capture-recapture sampling to estimate abundance of free-roaming cats across a habitat gradient in Bulloch County, Georgia, USA. In all, I detected cats at 51% (25/49) sites with a mean of 2.1 cats per …
Early Life History Of Tarpon (Megalops Atlanticus) In South Carolina Estuaries: Assessment Of Juvenile Recruitment And Validity Of Aging And Back-Calculation Methods, Garrett M. Elmo
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
No abstract provided.
Morphological And Behavioral Traits Associated With Locomotion In Lizards, Chase T. Kinsey
Morphological And Behavioral Traits Associated With Locomotion In Lizards, Chase T. Kinsey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Morphology, locomotion, and behavior are co-adapted to optimize performance and ultimately fitness. Successfully navigating a complex environment is dictated by an animal’s locomotor behavior, and for some behaviors, its locomotor performance. The locomotor performance of an organism is directly related to the form and function of the structures involved in locomotion such that movement is efficient – that is, minimal loss of energy. The first chapter of this thesis focuses on the effects of obstacle placement and forelimb position on facultative bipedalism. Placing an obstacle beyond a lizard’s acceleration threshold did not affect the frequency of bipedal posture. Furthermore, the …
Native Species For Biomass Production And Roadside Habitat In South Dakota, Jacob Foley
Native Species For Biomass Production And Roadside Habitat In South Dakota, Jacob Foley
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Native grasses and forbs are being considered for planting along South Dakota roadsides to create a favorable habitat for wildlife while also allowing landowners a source of forage and biomass production. South Dakota is host to 54,900 hectares (145,000 acres) of right-of-way that are managed by the South Dakota Department of Transportation. Approximately 80% of the roadsides are used by landowners for hay production. Species diversity and potential biomass yield were determined for the current roadside vegetation along four transects (SD Highways 14, 34 and 50) and SD I- 29 between White, SD and Elk Point, SD. Smooth bromegrass (Bromus …
Effects Of A Large-Scale Habitat Enhancement Project On Largemouth Bass Behavior, Feeding, And Growth In Grand Lake, Texas, Chance Kirkeeng
Effects Of A Large-Scale Habitat Enhancement Project On Largemouth Bass Behavior, Feeding, And Growth In Grand Lake, Texas, Chance Kirkeeng
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The quality of habitat, or the environment suitable for an organism to survive and reproduce, is often described by the type of features present and the quantity and condition of such features. Habitats in many ecosystems are declining and the loss of important habitats likely affects the success of organisms reliant upon those features. Habitats in reservoir ecosystems are especially at risk because of aging processes that are degrading reservoir habitats at faster rates than habitats in other ecosystems. Habitat enhancement projects are one tool used to combat the effects of aging reservoirs but the benefits of these management actions …
Amphibians In Complex Landscapes: Quantifying Habitat Connectivity For Juvenile Movements And Dispersal, Brittany Blue Cline
Amphibians In Complex Landscapes: Quantifying Habitat Connectivity For Juvenile Movements And Dispersal, Brittany Blue Cline
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Maintaining amphibian populations in fragmented landscapes depends on preserving functional connectivity for animals that need to transit multiple vegetation types to satisfy habitat requirements. For many pool-breeding amphibians, successful dispersal is essential for gene flow; thus, quantifying the ability of juveniles to locate and reach suitable habitat in the terrestrial matrix is necessary to predict the consequences of landscape configuration for populations. I evaluated if different open-canopy vegetation types alter the behavior of juvenile wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus). First, I quantified the relative permeability of different open-vegetation types by experimentally releasing frogs in 35 x 3 m enclosures extending from …
Northern Saw-Whet Owl (Aegolius Acadicus) Abundance And Distribution In The Southern Appalachian Mountains Of Northeast Tennessee, John P. Mccormick
Northern Saw-Whet Owl (Aegolius Acadicus) Abundance And Distribution In The Southern Appalachian Mountains Of Northeast Tennessee, John P. Mccormick
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Little is known about the distribution, abundance, or life histories of the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee. This study relied upon the Pennsylvania Protocol of audio playback of a Northern Saw-whet Owl call to monitor for owl presence at various areas above 3,500 feet in elevation. Owls were found at multiple areas in Northeast Tennessee, including Roan Mountain, Unaka Mountain, Rocky Fork, and the Pond Mountain Area. Statistical analysis revealed that these owls were not limited by habitat, showing equal presence in Hardwood habitats along with Spruce and/or Fir habitats. …
Spatial And Habitat Responses Of Canada Lynx In Maine To A Decline In Snowshoe Hare Density, David G. Mallett
Spatial And Habitat Responses Of Canada Lynx In Maine To A Decline In Snowshoe Hare Density, David G. Mallett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Previous studies of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) within the northern boreal forest region have documented that lynx respond spatially to a decline in snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) density, as exhibited by expansion of territories and changes in social structure. I compared home range area and spatial overlap in the southeastern portion of their geographic range during periods of relatively high and relatively low hare density. Home range areas of lynx did not change between periods of high and low hare density, except that home ranges of females during the denning season expanded during the low period. The presence of kittens …
Estimated Diets, Diet Overlap, And Winter Habitat Associations Of Four Grassland Sparrows In Florida Dry Prairie, Marianne Korosy
Estimated Diets, Diet Overlap, And Winter Habitat Associations Of Four Grassland Sparrows In Florida Dry Prairie, Marianne Korosy
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
North American grassland birds show long-term population declines that generally exceed the declines of other bird groups. Efforts to conserve grassland birds require knowledge of diet and habitat requirements during both the breeding and nonbreeding periods of annual life cycles. This dissertation investigated sparrow habitat associations within two defined plant communities of the dry prairie ecosystem, the dry-mesic and wet-mesic prairie, for four prescribed fire treatments over two consecutive winters. Grasshopper and Henslow’s sparrows showed higher relative abundance in wet-mesic prairie and Bachman’s Sparrows were more abundant in dry-mesic prairie across all fire treatments. Abundances of Grasshopper and Bachman’s sparrows …
Ecology Of Glacial Relict Fishes In South Dakota's Sandhills Region, Eli Felts
Ecology Of Glacial Relict Fishes In South Dakota's Sandhills Region, Eli Felts
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Native stream fish zoogeography has changed substantially across North America during the last century as habitat degradation, stream fragmentation and introductions of nonnative species have led to numerous extinctions, extirpations and altered distributions. Insufficient information regarding imperiled species often results in reactive, rather than proactive, management, and knowledge of species status and ecology is critical in identifying conservation priorities. South Dakota populations of three dace species (northern redbelly dace Chrosomus eos, finescale dace Chrosomus neogaeus, and pearl dace Margariscus margarita) are relict of Pleistocene Glaciation and are isolated from the northern core of their distribution, but little information exists regarding …
The Distribution, Abundance, And Habitat Use Of The Big Cypress Fox Squirrel, (Sciurus Niger Avicennia)., Danielle Munim
The Distribution, Abundance, And Habitat Use Of The Big Cypress Fox Squirrel, (Sciurus Niger Avicennia)., Danielle Munim
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Human population growth and development reduce the area and quality of natural communities and lead to a reduction of populations of the species associated with them. Certain species can be useful indicators or "focal species" for determining the quality of ecosystem remnants and the required management practices. Tree squirrels are good models for studies on the effects of fragmentation because they depend on mature forests. The Big Cypress fox squirrel, (Sciurus niger avicennia), a state-listed Threatened subspecies endemic to south Florida, appears sensitive to habitat fragmentation and fire regime. This research aims to assess the conservation status of the Big …
Social Grouping Behaviors Of Captive Female Hippopotamus Amphibius, Tracy Blowers
Social Grouping Behaviors Of Captive Female Hippopotamus Amphibius, Tracy Blowers
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Levels of sociality vary depending on the costs and benefits associated with grouping behavior. Grouping species form either ephemeral aggregations due to resource availability, or structured groups based on familiarity of individuals. Because there are different costs and benefits associated with different types of groups, it is important to understand more about group structure before making predictions about specific behaviors. Female Hippopotamus amphibius are known to aggregate in the wild but the true nature of their grouping behavior is still not understood. My objective was to determine if captive female hippos form either ephemeral aggregations or social groups. Behavioral data, …