Life Sciences Commons^™

Non-Standard Sources In A Standardized World: Responsible Practice And Ethics Of Acquiring Turtle Specimens For Scientific Use, Edgar Lehr, Russell Burke, Linda Ford, Steve Mockford, Peter Pritchard, Jose Rosado, Darrell Senneke, Bryan Stuart

Edgar Lehr

No abstract provided.

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Nitrogen Deposition In China: Synthesis Of Observational Data, Chaoqun (Crystal) Lu, Hanqin Tian

Chaoqun (Crystal) Lu

Anthropogenic nitrous pollutant emissions in China significantly increased during the last decades, which contributed to the accelerated nitrogen (N) deposition. In order to characterize spatial pattern of nitrogen deposition, we employed the kriging technique to interpolate sampling data of precipitation chemistry and ambient air concentration from site-network observations over China. The estimation of wet deposition in China was limited to aqueous NO3− and NH4+, while ambient NO2 was the only species involved in the predicted dry deposition fluxes. To obtain wet deposition fluxes, precipitation concentration was multiplied by 20-year mean precipitation amounts with a resolution of 10 × 10 km. …

Producer-Scrounger Roles And Joining Based On Dominance In A Free-Living Group Of Mexican Jays (Aphelocoma Ultramarina), John Mccormack, Piotr Jablonski, Jerram Brown

John E. McCormack

While foraging, animals often exploit group members to obtain food. One way to describe this behaviour is with the producer-scrounger (PS) model, where scroungers use social interaction to obtain food discovered by producers. Mexican jays (Aphelocoma ultramarina) are a groupforaging species with a linear dominance hierarchy. We studied interactions in a free-living foraging group to determine (1) if foraging interactions can be explained with the PS model, (2) if these roles are consistent and (3) if dominance or relatedness affects joining frequency. We recorded board-flipping, eating, and joining events during sets of feeding trials. We show that Mexican jays use …

Recent Postglacial Range Expansion Drives The Rapid Diversification Of A Songbird Lineage In The Genus Junco, Borja Milá, John Mccormack, Gabriela Castañeda, Robert Wayne, Thomas Smith

John E. McCormack

Pleistocene glacial cycles are thought to have played a major role in the diversification of temperate and boreal species of North American birds. Given that coalescence times between sister taxa typically range from 0.1 to 2.0 Myr, it has been assumed that diversification occurred as populations were isolated in refugia over long periods of time, probably spanning one to several full glacial cycles. In contrast, the rapid postglacial range expansions and recolonization of northern latitudes following glacial maxima have received less attention as potential promoters of speciation. Here we report a case of extremely rapid diversification in the songbird genus …

Biogeographical Distribution And Natural Groupings Among Five Sympatric Wild Cats In Tropical South Asia, Mohammed Ashraf

Mohammed Ashraf

Life History And Courtship Behavior Of Black Perch, Embiotoca Jacksoni (Teleostomi: Embiotocidae), From Southern California, Bridgette Froeschke, Larry Allen, Daniel Pondella

Daniel Pondella

The black perch, Embiotoca jacksoni Agassiz, 1853, is a common reef fish associated with nearshore marine habitats of California, with the majority of the population occurring within the Southern California Bight. Black perch were collected throughout southern California from Santa Barbara to Carlsbad, including Santa Catalina Island, to determine their physical characteristics, growth, sex ratio, periodicity of reproduction, and length of gestation. Courtship observations were conducted using scuba along the King Harbor Breakwater in Redondo Beach, California, from January 2004 to December 2005 to verify periodicity of courting and associated reproductive behaviors. Specimens captured ranged from 75 to 220 mm …

Resilience In Ecology And Belief, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

TThis paper explores the crucial linkage between societal risk perception and the survival of threatened ecosystems exhibiting non-linear stock dynamics. Perception of risk over specie’s importance and over its survival chances may be subject to resilience and therefore may differ from actual risks. Whereas, ecosystems stand a better chance of survival if they aren’t stressed beyond their resilience thresholds. When an ecosystem’s sustainability and the subjective perception of risks of their loss are both influenced by the stock of a common natural resource, several resource management outcomes are possible, not all of which may ensure the sustainability of the ecosystem. …

Sierra Santa Rosa: An Oasis Of Bird Diversity In Arid Northern Mexico, John Mccormack, Gabriela Castañeda, Greg Levandoski

John E. McCormack

No abstract provided.

Water Walls: An Effective Option For High Performance Buildings, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

Water wall thermal mass has been proven over the last 40 years on a wide range of residential and commercial projects in temperate and cold climates. It provides better thermal comfort and more efficient energy transfer at reasonable cost.

Achieving Economic And Ecological Resilience Through Natural Resource Management, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

Historically, the subsistence based lifestyles of small scale economies (SSEs) have avoided pushing the stock of their natural resources beyond thresholds where their resilience could be lost. However, rising frequencies of natural disasters coupled with a growing outside influence from the developed economies are increasingly putting pressure on the economic and natural resources of these societies. This paper explores the nature and role of inter-linkages between ecological and economic resilience in SSEs towards maintaining long term sustainability in the face of these external influences. It is shown that initial conditions associated with the stock of natural and physical capital could …

Frogs Of The Genus Eleutherodactylus (Leptodactyl Idae) In The Cordillera Occidental In Peru With Descriptions Of Three New Species, Edgar Lehr, William E. Duellman

Edgar Lehr

Three new species of Eleutherodactylus are described from the Rio Zana Valley in the Pacific versant of the Cordillera Occidental in the Departamento de Cajamarca, Peru. One of the species is a member of the Eleutherodactylus conspicillatus Group, and two are members of the Eleutherodactylus unstrigatus Group.We recognize 15 species of Eleutherodactylus in the Cordillera Occidental; 10 of these species are reported for the first time from the Cordillera Occidental. Four of these species are shared with the Cordillera Occidental in Ecuador, and five are shared with the Cordillera de Huancabamba in northern Peru.

The Strength Of Seeds And Their Destruction By Granivorous Insects, Jonathan G. Lundgren, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

The influence of seed structure and strength on their destruction by granivores is central to understanding the dynamics of granivore-plant interactions. For up to nine seed species, the effects of seed size (cm3), mass (mg), density (mg/cm3) and coat strength (MPa) on the damage inflicted by three post-dispersal granivores (Harpalus pensylvanicus, Anisodactylus sanctaecrucis, and Gryllus pennsylvanicus) were evaluated. Seed destruction rates by G. pennsylvanicus were statistically unrelated to the size and toughness of the seeds. Seed densities significantly affected their destruction by A. sanctaecrucis and H. pensylvanicus, as did seed size, mass, and strength in H. pensylvanicus under choice conditions. …

Patterns Of Ecosystem Fragmentation In Jabal Al-Akhdar, Libya: A Look At Landscape Ecology (In Arabic) , Mansour M. Elbabour

Mansour M Elbabour

Abstract Landscape fragmentation is a growing problem throughout the region of Jabal al-Akhdar in northeastern Libya where forest fragmentation has been a common occurrence in the past few decades. A greater part of the surviving shrub cover in the upper and lower terraces of Jabal al-Akhdar and their escarpments consist of isolated patches and disconnected corridors. The primary cause of fragmentation is agricultural development, especially clearing the land for dry farming. This paper presents some of the principles of landscape ecology as they pertain to the management of natural resources. A further aim is to enhance public awareness of the …

Using Libqual+® To Inform Strategic Planning, Bradford Dennis, Barbara J. Cockrell

Barbara J Cockrell

Western Michigan University Libraries used qualitative and quantitative analysis of their 2004 LibQual+ data to identify needed improvements in service, information control and library as place dimensions. The LibQual+ data set was sufficiently large to allow SPSS analysis by user groups and by discipline. Interpretation and comparison of the data were facilitated by converting the desired, minimum and perceived values into a more tractable composite score. User comments, that are part of this survey, were analyzed using ATLAS.ti. Through an ongoing process of examination, refinement and interpretation of the available information, goals were defined, objectives developed and actions were instigated …

Land Cover Classification And Economic Assessment Of Citrus Groves Using Remote Sensing, Jennifer Gebelein

Jennifer Gebelein

The citrus industry has the second largest impact on Florida's economy, following tourism. Estimation of citrus area coverage and annual forecasts of Florida's citrus production are currently dependent on labor-intensive interpretation of aerial photographs. Remotely sensed data from satellites has been widely applied in agricultural yield estimation and cropland management. Satellite data can potentially be obtained throughout the year, making it especially suitable for the detection of land cover change in agriculture and ...

Preventing Horticultural Introductions Of Invasive Plants: Potential Efficacy Of Voluntary Initiatives, Kari E. Veblen

Kari E. Veblen

Although prevention is the most cost-effective way to avoid the enormous expenses associated with plant invasions, invasive plants continue to be imported as trade commodities for horticultural use. With very little government regulation of horticultural imports of invasive plants, efforts have turned toward fostering voluntary initiatives to encourage self-regulation by the horticulture trade. Our study takes the first step toward evaluating the potential success of these voluntary initiatives. We conducted a survey of nursery professionals to gauge their perceptions of invasive species, the role of the horticulture trade in invasive plant introductions, and their participation—potential and actual—in preventive measures outlined …

Using Dragonflies As Common, Flexible, And Charismatic Subjects For Teaching The Scientific Process, Paul Switzer

Paul V. Switzer

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Male And Female Body Size On Mating Behavior Of Male Fairy Shrimp, Eubranchipus Neglectus, Craig Feigenbaum, Paul V. Switzer

Paul V. Switzer

We studied size-related mating patterns in the freshwater fairy shrimp Eubranchipus neglectus in the laboratory. Males were provided with relatively small or large females that they could only sense by vision. We recorded the number of times a male pursued the female (“follows”), the duration of these follows, and the number of times a male attempted to grasp the female. Relatively large males performed more mating behavior than relatively small males. Furthermore, males (regardless of their own size) exhibited more mating behavior towards large than small females. They followed large females more frequently, attempted to grasp large females more often, …

The Cynipoid Genus Paramblynotus: Revision, Phylogeny, And Historical Biogeography (Hymenoptera, Liopteridae), Zhiwei Liu, Fredrik Ronquist, Goeran Nordlander

Zhiwei Liu

The genus Paramblynotus is the most species-rich genus of the so-called macrocynipoids, the large cynipoid parasitoids of wood-boring and cone-boring insect larvae. The species range in size from some of the largest to the smallest macrocynipoids, comparable in size to microcynipoids. Paramblynotus members occur on all continents except Europe and Australia, with most species being tropical or subtropical. The biology is poorly known but a few observations indicate that the species are parasitoids of beetle larvae. In this monographic revision of the genus, we present a species-level cladistic analysis based on qualitative and quantitative features of the external morphology. For …

Ontogenetic Change In Novel Functions: Waterfall Climbing In Adult Hawaiian Gobiid Fishes, R Blob, K Wright, M Becker, T Maie, T Iverson, M Julius, H Schoenfuss

Megan Sheffield

Juveniles from three species of Hawaiian gobiid fishes climb waterfalls as part of an amphidromous life cycle, allowing them to re-penetrate adult upstream habitats after being swept out to the ocean upon hatching. The importance of climbing for juvenile stream gobies is well established, but adult fish in upstream island habitats also face potential downstream displacement by periodic disturbances. Thus, retention of climbing ability could be advantageous for adult stream gobies. Climbing performance might be expected to decline among adults, however, due to the tendency for mass-specific muscular power production to decrease with body size, and a lack of positively …

True Cost Accounting For A Post-Autistic Economy, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

True cost accounting includes all environmental and social costs. If these are neglected the market fails. The critical link between ecosystem and humanity and the price of goods has been ignored at our peril.

Treatment Of Heavy Metals Contaminated Solid Wastes-Stabilization, Zeljko J. Kamberovic

Zeljko J Kamberovic

This paper presents investigation of possibility of heavy metals contaminated solid wastes treatment form Bor Site, Serbia. Presented remediation technology is stabilization, which can effectively reduce content of contaminants in the environment. As a representative of solid waste from investigated site Dam from the Bor copper sulphide ore flotation tailings was chosen. For stabilization of solid waste as stabilizing agenses foundry sand and lime were used. Experiments were conducted by leaching of mixture of solid samples and stabilizing agens or their mixture with sulphuric acid. Change of Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn concentration and change of pH and Eh value …

Mountain Plovers And The Politics Of Research On Private Lands, Victoria Dreitz, Fritz Knopf

Victoria Dreitz

No abstract provided.

Environmental Studies: Interdisciplinary Research On Maine Lakes, Philip J. Nyhus, F Russell Cole, David H. Firmage, Daniel Tierney, Susan W. Cole, Raymond B. Phillips, Edward H. Yeterian

Philip J. Nyhus

No abstract provided.

The Economics Of Ecology Journals, Ted C. Bergstrom, Carl T. Bergstrom

Ted C Bergstrom

Large commercial publishers charge dramatically higher prices to institutions than do non-profit publishers. These price differences do not reflect quality as measured by citation rate or pages. We discuss effect of prices and citations on number of library subscriptions and offer an explanation for why competition has not been able to erode the price difference between commercial and non profit journals.

Frog Virus 3 Prevalence In Tadpole Populations Inhabiting Cattle-Access And Non-Access Wetlands In Tennessee., Matthew J. Gray, Debra L. Miller, Anne C. Schmutzer, Charles A. Baldwin

Debra L Miller

Ranaviruses have been associated with most of the reported larval anuran die-offs in the United States. It is hypothesized that anthropogenically induced stress may increase pathogen prevalence in amphibian populations by compromising immunity. Cattle use of wetlands may stress resident tadpole populations by reducing water quality. We isolated a Ranavirus from green frog Rana clamitans (n = 80) and American bullfrog R. catesbeiana (n = 104) tadpoles collected at 5 cattle-access and 3 non-access wetlands on the Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee, USA. Sequencing confirmed Frog virus 3 (FV3); therefore, we compared its prevalence between tadpole populations inhabiting cattle-access and non-access wetlands, …

Application Of Microsatellite Dna Markers To Discriminate Maternal And Genetic Effects On Scalation And Behavior In Multiply-Sired Garter Snake Litters, Gordon Burghardt

Gordon Burghardt

Incomplete knowledge of pedigrees sometimes limits the methods of estimating quantitative genetic parameters (heritability, genetic correlation) in nature and may result in estimates that are inflated by nongenetic sources of variation. North American garter snakes and their allies provide a model system for investigating evolutionary quantitative genetics, but estimates of quantitative genetic parameters in these snakes are mostly based on offspring-dam regression and full-sib analysis, methods that fail to discriminate between maternal genetic, maternal environmental, and direct genetic effects on traits of interest. Using data from the garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis, we demonstrate that microsatellite DNA markers can be used …

A Field Guide To Models Of Sex-Ratio Evolution In Gynodioecious Species, Maia F. Bailey, Lynda F. Delph

Maia F. Bailey

No abstract provided.

Diversity Among New World Microhylid Frogs (Anura: Microhvlidae): Morphological And Osteological Comparisons Between Nelsonophryne (Gunther 1901) And A New Genus From Peru, Edgar Lehr, Linda Trueb

Edgar Lehr

A new genus and species of microhylid frogs are described from localities at elevations of 2500-2960 m on the eastern slopes of the Andes in central Peru. These are the first microhylids recorded from the Peruvian Andes and they differ from all other neotropical microhylids by their lack of a tympanum, tympanic annulus and stapes. Phrynopus carpish is removed from Leptodactylidae and placed in Microhylidae. Several novel morphological characters for microhylids are described, among them dermal body spines, expanded nuptial pads in males and heterotopic cartilages. Osteological descriptions and comparison of the new genus with Nelsonophryne revealed a number of …

Environmental Studies: Interdisciplinary Research On Maine Lakes, Philip Nyhus, F. Cole, David Firmage, Dan Tierney, Susan Cole, Raymond Phillips, Edward Yeterian

Susan Westerberg Cole

No abstract provided.