Life Sciences Commons^™

Stopped In Their Tracks: Assessing The Effects Of Anthropogenic Barriers On Gopherus Polyphemmus, Bridget Vincent, Katelyn S. Lanctot, Rhett M. Rautsaw, Scott A. Martin, M. Rebecca Bolt, Richard A. Siegel

Bridget Vincent

Microhabitat Use Affects Brain Size And Structure In Intertidal Gobies, Gemma E. White, Culum Brown

Culum Brown, PhD

The ecological cognition hypothesis poses that the brains and behaviours of individuals are largely shaped by the environments in which they live and the associated challenges they must overcome during their lives. Here we examine the effect of environmental complexity on relative brain size in 4 species of intertidal gobies from differing habitats. Two species were rock pool specialists that lived on spatially complex rocky shores, while the remainder lived on dynamic, but structurally simple, sandy shores. We found that rock pool-dwelling species had relatively larger brains and telencephalons in particular, while sand-dwelling species had a larger optic tectum and …

Cue Choice And Spatial Learning Ability Are Affected By Habitat Complexity In Intertidal Gobies, Gemma E. White, Culum Brown

Culum Brown, PhD

Variation in the structural complexity of a habitat is known to have significant affects on the evolution of different populations and can shape behavior, morphology, and life-history traits. Here, we investigated whether habitat complexity influences a species’ capacity for spatial learning and cue choice by comparing the performance of 4 goby species from 2 contrasting habitats in a spatial task. Gobies were collected from dynamic, homogenous sandy shores and stable, spatially complex rock pool habitats. We trained fish to use a T-maze to find a hidden reward and asked whether they used local visual landmarks or body-centered methods for orientation …

Advancing Synthetic Ecology: Database System To Facilitate Complex Ecological Meta-Analyses, V. Bala Chaudhary

V. Bala Chaudhary

No abstract provided.

Changes In Plant Species Composition And Structure In Two Peri-Urban Nature Preserves Over 10 Years, Rebecca W. Dolan, Jessica D. Stepens, Marcia E. Moore

Rebecca W. Dolan

Peri-urban natural areas, at the boundaries of cities and adjacent agricultural/rural land, are subject to ecological threats endemic to both land use types. We used permanent plots to document changes in habitat quality by monitoring herbaceous-layer plant species presence and cover over a decade (1996/97 and 2007) in two peri-urban nature preserves in central Indiana, U.S.A. The preserves are comprised of different forest community types: wet-mesic depressional forest and mesic upland forest. Habitat characteristics, based on Floristic Quality Assessment parameters, showed only a single change for either preserve between survey years: wetness values were lower in the wet-mesic depressional site …

Effects Of Hydroperiod On Metamorphosis In Rana Sphenocephala, Travis J. Ryan, Christopher T. Winne

Travis J. Ryan

Hydroperiod, the time a temporary pond holds water, is an important factor influencing recruitment in amphibian populations and structuring amphibian communities. We conducted an experiment to test the effect of hydroperiod on metamorphic traits of the southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala), a common amphibian in the southeastern United States. We reared larval R. sphenocephala in artificial ponds at a density of 32 larvae per tank (initial volume = approximately 650 liter). We dried the tanks according to natural patterns, using three different hydroperiods (60, 75 and 90 d). Experimental hydroperiods had a significant effect on the number of metamorphs and …

Larval Life History And Abundance Of A Rare Salamander, Eurycea Junaluska (Plethodontidae), Travis Ryan

Travis J. Ryan

The larval life history of Eurycea junaluska was studied in three southwestern North Carolina populations. Populations were sampled quarterly over a 13 mo period and size-class analyses were used to evaluate the pattern of larval growth and metamorphosis. Young of the year appeared in the late spring and experienced rapid growth through the first summer. Growth slowed in the second year and metamorphosis usually occured in the summer at about 25.5 mo post-hatching, although some data suggest that either 1yr or 3yr larval periods may be possible. The overall larval growth rate of E. junaluska is estimated at 1.27 mm/mo, …

The Influence Of Topographic And Dynamic Cyclic Variables On The Distribution Of Small Cetaceans In A Shallow Coastal System, Marijke N. De Boer, Mark P. Simmonds, Peter J.H. Reijnders, Geert Aarts

Mark P. Simmonds, OBE

The influence of topographic and temporal variables on cetacean distribution at a fine-scale is still poorly understood. To study the spatial and temporal distribution of harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena and the poorly known Risso’s dolphin Grampus griseus we carried out land-based observations from Bardsey Island (Wales, UK) in summer (2001–2007). Using Kernel analysis and Generalized Additive Models it was shown that porpoises and Risso’s appeared to be linked to topographic and dynamic cyclic variables with both species using different core areas (dolphins to the West and porpoises to the East off Bardsey). Depth, slope and aspect and a low variation …

High-Performance Spider Webs: Integrating Biomechanics, Ecology And Behaviour, Todd Blackledge, Aaron Harmer, Joshua Madin, Marie Herberstein

Todd A. Blackledge

Spider silks exhibit remarkable properties, surpassing most natural and synthetic materials in both strength and toughness. Orb-web spider dragline silk is the focus of intense research by material scientists attempting to mimic these naturally produced fibres. However, biomechanical research on spider silks is often removed from the context of web ecology and spider foraging behaviour. Similarly, evolutionary and ecological research on spiders rarely considers the significance of silk properties. Here, we highlight the critical need to integrate biomechanical and ecological perspectives on spider silks to generate a better understanding of (i) how silk biomechanics and web architectures interacted to influence …

Connecting Through Consilience: Ecology, Society, Culture And Technology, Ruth Mirams, Alexander Hayes

Alexander Hayes Mr.

Amongst linguistic, cultural and geographic diversity, humanity is characterised by inquisitiveness, communication and a deep desire to connect with each other. Despite our advanced intelligence and technological capacity, we are creatures of nature - a species which occupies a habitat, depends on consumable resources and fragile in many ways. As a species, we currently face challenges including overpopulation, diminishing resources and habitat degradation. In essence, we are exhausting the resources we depend on. [1] Resource depletion, disruption, famine, growth and sustainability are all observable in other species and natural systems. Human societies and systems can be described through the same …

Relative Intestine Length And Feeding Ecology Of Freshwater Fishes, David O. Ribble, M H. Smith

David O Ribble

There is a significant relationship between the intestine length (Y) and total body length (X) for 11 species of freshwater fish (Y = 0.08X1.42). Sufficient variation exists about this relationship to indicate important differences among the species' diets. The diets for each species, ranked on a Trophic Index scale determined from literature data, are negatively rank order correlated with the mean relative intestine lengths (rs = -0.67). There is no significant rank order correlation between the Trophic Indices determined from data on stomach contents and the mean relative intestine lengths for fish from a single creek.

Synthesis And Future Directions: What Have Harsh Environments Taught Us About Ecology, Evolution, Conservation, And Restoration?, Nishanta Rajakaruna, Robert S. Boyd, Tanner B. Harris

Nishanta Rajakaruna

No abstract provided.

Geoecology, Nishanta Rajakaruna, S. Boyd

Nishanta Rajakaruna

No abstract provided.

Conservation In The Context Of Climate Change: Practical Guidelines For Land Protection At Local Scales, Kevin Ruddock, Peter August, Christopher Damon, Charles Labash, Pamela Rubinoff, Donald Robadue Jr.

Peter August

Climate change will affect the composition of plant and animal communities in many habitats and geographic settings. This presents a dilemma for conservation programs – will the portfolio of protected lands we now have achieve a goal of conserving biodiversity in the future when the ecological communities occurring within them change? Climate change will significantly alter many plant communities, but the geophysical underpinnings of these landscapes, such as landform, elevation, soil, and geological properties, will largely remain the same. Studies show that extant landscapes with a diversity of geophysical characteristics support diverse plant and animal communities. Therefore, geophysically diverse landscapes …

Biology Department Receives Grant To Assess Juvenile Horseshoe Crab Populations In Long Island Sound, Jennifer Mattei

Jennifer Mattei

No abstract provided.

Shu And Ct Audubon Receive Grant To Implement Coastal Protection Project At Stratford Point, Jennifer Mattei

Jennifer Mattei

Sacred Heart University and Connecticut Audubon Society have been awarded a $59,000 Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant to construct an innovative “living shoreline” project at Stratford Point to both improve critical bird and wildlife habitat and protect the state’s coastline from storms like Hurricane Sandy.

Shu And Ct Audubon Receive Grant To Implement Coastal Protection Project At Stratford Point, Mark Beekey

Mark Beekey

Sacred Heart University and Connecticut Audubon Society have been awarded a $59,000 Long Island Sound Futures Fund grant to construct an innovative “living shoreline” project at Stratford Point to both improve critical bird and wildlife habitat and protect the state’s coastline from storms like Hurricane Sandy.

Recent Advances In Recreation Ecology And The Implications Of Different Relationships Between Recreation Use And Ecological Impacts, Christopher Monz, C. M. Pickering, W. Hadwen

Christopher Monz

No abstract provided.

Uses Of Wild Plants In Ndumba, Eastern Highlands Province, Terence Hays

Terence Hays

For Papua New Guineans,l as well as for those who wish to understand them better, traiditional knowledge of the local natural environment is a priceless resource. In the face of increasing commitments to a cash economy, however, many communities are rapidly losing their awareness and appreciation of the rich animal and plant worlds which are immediately available to them. As Powell has recently observed (1976), the recorded information regarding traditional plant knowledge and uses has tended to be widely-scattered in the literature and relatively difficult to access, especially for those who stand to benefit the most from it. A recent …

Greening Rural Festivals: Ecology, Sustainability And Human-Nature Relations, Christopher R. Gibson, C Wong

Chris Gibson

No abstract provided.

Nesting Ecology And Cuticular Microbial Loads In Dampwood (Zootermopsis Angusticollis) And Drywood Termites (Incisitermes Minor, I. Schwarzi, Cryptotermes Cavifrons), Rebeca B. Rosengaus, Jacqueline E. Moustakas, Daniel V. Calleri Ii, James F. A. Traniello

Rebeca Rosengaus

Termites form one-piece nests in wood that can vary in their moisture content and degree of decomposition, and thus microbial richness. To estimate the microbial load of nests and the potential risk they pose for colony members, we quantified the number of microbes in the nest and on the cuticle of the dampwood termite, Zootermopsis angusticollis, and three drywood termites, Incisitermes minor, I. schwarzi, and Cryptotermes cavifrons. The number of colony forming units (CFUs) cultured from nest material samples and washes of the cuticle of larvae and nymphs were determined. CFUs recorded from nest material was low (fewer than 60 …

Species Composition And Abundance Of Mammalian Communities, K. M. Thibault, S. R. Supp, M. Griffin, Ethan P. White, S.K. Morgan Ernest

Ethan P White

Ecologists have long sought to understand the mechanisms underlying the assembly and structure of communities. Such understanding is relevant to both basic science and conservation-related issues. The macroecological approach to this problem involves asking scientific questions using a large number of communities in order to elucidate generalities in pattern and process. Such analyses are typically conducted using a substantial amount of data from a particular taxonomic group across a diversity of systems. Large community databases are available for a number of taxa, but no publicly available database exists for mammals. Given the logistical challenges of collecting such data de novo, …

Does Niche Divergence Accompany Allopatric Divergence In Aphelocoma Jays As Predicted Under Ecological Speciation?: Insights From Tests With Niche Models, John Mccormack, Amanda Zellmer, L. Knowles

John E. McCormack

The role of ecology in the origin of species has been the subject of long-standing interest to evolutionary biologists. New sources of spatially explicit ecological data allow for large-scale tests of whether speciation is associated with niche divergence or whether closely related species tend to be similar ecologically (niche conservatism). Because of the confounding effects of spatial autocorrelation of environmental variables, we generate null expectations for niche divergence for both an ecological-niche modeling and a multivariate approach to address the question: do allopatrically distributed taxa occupy similar niches? In a classic system for the study of niche evolution—the Aphelocoma jays—we …

Dynamics Of Tree Diversity In Undisturbed And Logged Subtropical Rainforest In Australia, R Geoff B. Smith, J Doland Nichols, Jerome K. Vanclay

Professor Jerome K Vanclay

In subtropical rainforest in eastern Australia, changes in the diversity of trees were compared under natural conditions and eight silvicultural regimes over 35 years. In the treated plots basal area remaining after logging ranged from 12 to 58 m2 per ha. In three control plots richness differed little over this period. In the eight treated plots richness per plot generally declined after intervention and then gradually increased to greater than original diversity. After logging there was a reduction in richness per plot and an increase in species richness per stem in all but the lightest selective treatments. The change in …

A Sustainable Future, David A. Bainbridge

David A Bainbridge

A key step toward a more sustainable future is beginning the discussion of what this would entail. What are the defining characteristics of sustainability? How could we get there? What benefits and costs might this involve?

Undergraduate Research: Communicating Ecological Field Studies To Local School Children Through Outreach And Curriculum, Lee Kats, Shannon Rollert, Trevor Thurling, Richard Johnson, Daniel Cho, Sean Landis, Randall Van Dragt, Gloria Van Dragt

Lee Kats

The writers describe a program to communicate undergraduate research results to local K–12 students in California. They describe the development of a curriculum and an outreach effort to convey findings of ecological field work undertaken by Pepperdine University students. They then describe program implementation and program benefits.

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

Mohammed Ashraf

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 …

Random Forests For Classification In Ecology, Karen H. Beard

Karen H. Beard

Classification procedures are some of the most widely used statistical methods in ecology. Random forests (RF) is a new and powerful statistical classifier that is well established in other disciplines but is relatively unknown in ecology. Advantages of RF compared to other statistical classifiers include (1) very high classification accuracy; (2) a novel method of determining variable importance; (3) ability to model complex interactions among predictor variables; (4) flexibility to perform several types of statistical data analysis, including regression, classification, survival analysis, and unsupervised learning; and (5) an algorithm for imputing missing values. We compared the accuracies of RF and …

Characterization Of Wastewater Streams From Bor Site, Zeljko J. Kamberovic

Zeljko J Kamberovic

This paper presents full characterization of wastewater streams within Bor copper mine. Seven different wastewater streams were identified and fully characterized (origin, flow rate, chemical and physical properties) on basis of five year analysis. Taking into consideration chemical composition and flow rate of each wastewater calculations of metal loss through wastewaters was calculated. This characterization is the first step in investigations for best remediation technology of wastewaters all together or individual.