Life Sciences Commons^™

Habitat Associations And Fine-Scale Movements Of The Red-Spotted Toad (Anaxyrus Punctatus) In Kansas And The Efficacy Of Remote Telemetry For Monitoring Small-Scale Movements, Elisabeth Russell

Master's Theses

As climate change progresses, arid-adapted anurans might be particularly susceptible to population declines because of their reliance on ephemeral pools for successful reproduction. Because arid-adapted anurans are difficult to study due to short active seasons and cryptic lifestyles, little is known about their habitat preferences. One such arid-adapted species is the Red-Spotted Toad (Anaxyrus punctatus; RST), a Kansas Species in Need of Conservation. Since this designation in 1987, little research has been conducted to understand their conservation needs. During the summers of 2021 and 2022, RST surveys were conducted both near areas where the species has historically been …

Bat Activity And Insect Biomass On Mcconnell Airforce Base Compared To Surrounding Wichita Parks, Michaela Sielaff

Master's Theses

Bats are bioindicators of the communities to which they belong, giving researchers insight into the overall health of those ecosystems. Bats are also very adaptable and are capable of tolerating urbanization. Some species, such as Lasiurus borealis and Lasionycteris noctivagans may even benefit from adjacent industrial and commercial land use, although this is not the case for all bat species. In 2021, we began acoustic and mist net surveys of bats at McConnell Air Force Base (MAFB, or “base”) in Wichita, KS. However, no bats were captured or seen during mist net surveys, although some were detected acoustically over a …

Relationship Between Bats And Prairie-Dog (Cynomys Ludovicianus) Colonies In Western Kansas, Mario N. Rodriguez

Master's Theses

Although it is known that prairie dog colonies can increase biodiversity in the areas surrounding them, there is extraordinarily little known about the relationship between bats and black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). In a recent study from the Front Range of Colorado, several bat species were found to be consistently flying around prairie dog colonies, presumably foraging due to increased insect diversity and abundance. Despite the importance of prairie dogs to the ecosystem, prairie dog colonies are usually eradicated due to the perception that they adversely impact cattle grazing. If insectivorous bats are attracted to prairie dog colonies …

Conservation Status Of The Chihuahuan Green Toad, Anaxyrus Debilis, In Western Kansas Range, Mackenzie Reh

Master's Theses

Amphibians remain an important model organism closely associated with environmental conditions and ecological processes. They are considered critical bioindicators of the relative health of ecosystems providing insights into levels of pollution, such as agricultural and industrial runoff, effects of UVB increases, ecosystem service functionality and much more (Rohman et al. 2021). Amphibians are an essential food source to organisms at higher trophic levels and to humans in developing countries (Schleich et al. 1996). Amphibians also provide pest control for agricultural and urban landscapes (Warkentin et al. 2009). Amphibians provide novel medicinal treatments for a wide variety of human ailments and …

Methylation Patterns Across Tissue Type And Time In Peromyscus Leucopus: A Targeted Museum Study, Loryn Smith

Master's Theses

Museum specimens are a vital data source for many types of studies. One relatively new use includes studying methylation patterns. Methylation patterns are a form of epigenetics or how gene expression changes without alteration of the genetic code. These patterns have been examined in many mammals. However, the focus has previously been on overall epigenetic patterns. Few studies have investigated whether methylation patterns differ across tissue types, time, or preservation method. In this study, I compared methylation patterns in muscle, liver, toe pads, and nasal bones from Peromyscus leucopus (white-footed mouse) museum specimens collected in 2022, 2018, 2014, and 2008 …

Grassland Nesting Birds And Visual Obstruction Measurements In Western Kansas On Smoky Valley Ranch, Connor J. Champney

Master's Theses

North American grassland declines and increasing changes in land use patterns have revived the importance of studying grasslands and their inhabitants. Grassland breeding bird populations are declining rapidly, and conservation efforts are ramping up. Smoky Valley Ranch (SVR) owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is in Logan County, Kansas. Surrounding private land is characteristically comprised of row crops, livestock agriculture, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and a few patches of native and restored prairie. The study of obligate grassland birds utilizing this area during the breeding season is essential to the proliferation of grassland bird nesting habitat in western, Kansas. The …

The Anatomy And Phylogeny Of A New Large Plioplatecarpine Mosasaur From The Campanian Bearpaw Shale Of Montana (Usa), Richard A. Carr

Master's Theses

In 2018, a large and associated plioplatecarpine mosasaur skull, pectoral girdle, and rib cage, whose total body length may have exceeded five meters, was uncovered in the Late Campanian Bearpaw Shale of Northeast Montana (USA). Phylogenetic analysis of this specimen, MOR 10855, recovers this individual as a basal member of the genus Plioplatecarpus. This specimen, is unique in that it is estimated to be nearly twice the size of any of the other species of Plioplatecarpus found in the Western Interior Seaway during this part of the Cretaceous. While the included phylogenetic study suggests MOR 10855 represents a new …

Timing Of Diversification, Dispersal, And Biogeography Of Parrots In The Genus Amazona (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae) Throughout The Caribbean, Visualized In Gis, Christopher Kingwill

Master's Theses

Avian fossil records from across the Caribbean (Greater and Lesser Antilles) demonstrate higher avian diversity prior to extinction events due to climate change at the end of the Pleistocene and human impact across the Caribbean throughout the Holocene. Amazon parrots (Amazona) are a diverse genus of New World parrots found throughout Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Their phylogeny and evolutionary history, specifically for Caribbean species, has been debated in terms of source areas in Central and South America and the timing of and number of colonization events to different islands that preceded diversification into …

A 16s & Its Soil Microbiome Analysis Of Native & Old-World Bluestem Invaded Soils Of Kansas Grasslands, Zachary Nelson

Master's Theses

Invasive species are becoming an increasing problem throughout the world. Their effect on local ecosystems is detrimental and widespread, harming productive efforts such as biomass accumulation, forcing native species (plant, animals, microbes) out, and ultimately, reducing biodiversity. Investigations of how invasive plants spread are widely studied; however, there has been little to no examination of how native plants influence the microbiome in the surrounding soil. In this study, I performed a fungal and bacterial metagenomic analysis of the soil and root microbiomes of both native grasslands and grasslands invaded by Old-World Bluestem Grasses to help determine if they influence the …

The Impact Of Planting Season And Crop Residue On Germination, Reproductive Success, And Mass Of Native Forbs, Michaela Vonlintel

Master's Theses

The lack of biodiversity in prairie restorations compared to native prairies is alarming, and restoring this diversity has been a key focus of research and restoration projects for years. This study aims to assess two variables: planting season and plant residue, for achieving success in forb establishment. This research was conducted in a greenhouse using mesocosms that were seeded in spring, summer, and fall with nine forb species. Half of each seasonal treatment received ground cover, while the other half did not. Two hypotheses were formed. The first was that the fall planting will be the most successful seasonal treatment …

Increasing Detection Sensitivity For Rare And Endangered Species In Kansas Through Development Of An Aquatic Environmental Dna Sampling Protocol, Sarah Hallyburton

Master's Theses

Anthropogenic global climate change is forcing the mass extinction of wildlife across the globe. Humans depend on freshwater ecosystems for many aspects of life including agricultural production, sanitation, and recreation. Healthy levels of biodiversity in freshwater environments ensure economically beneficial ecosystem services are maintained. Freshwater ecosystems are hotspots for biodiversity and have higher levels of imperiled organisms compared to terrestrial and marine systems. Within freshwater systems, freshwater mussels (Family: Unionidae) are the most imperiled with over 70% of North American species assigned to a conservation class as judged by state or federal management agencies. The objective of this study was …

Influences Of Grazing On Habitat Characteristics, Avian Community Composition And Nesting Bird Abundance Within Cheyenne Bottoms, Ks, Kirsten Granstrom-Arndt

Master's Theses

Cheyenne Bottoms is a 41,000-acre prairie-marsh ecosystem in central Kansas. Approximately 8,000 acres of mixed grassland are dedicated for the conservation of bird populations, but little is known about the status of bird communities within these areas. This study took place within grassland areas of Cheyenne Bottoms from May – July 2021. I investigated bird community composition, relative abundance of frequently observed bird species, vegetative characteristics, and similarity of sites across different grazing intensities (continuous, rotational, and non-grazed). The four most common bird species observed were dickcissel (Spiza americana), grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), meadowlark species ( …

Efficacy Of Non-Lethal Molecular Methods In Elucidating Distribution Of Gray Treefrog Complex (Hyla Chrysoscelis/Versicolor) In Kansas, Nora K. Lazerus

Master's Theses

Globally, amphibians are the most imperiled vertebrate taxa in part because they rely on both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Specifically, their permeable skin makes them uniquely susceptible to habitat degradation and alteration. Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis) and the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor) are a diploid-tetraploid, morphologically indistinguishable sister pair of cryptic anurans native to Kansas. Since 1987, the distribution of gray treefrogs in Kanas has extended west but the status of each species in the complex in Kansas is not known beyond its documented combined western expansion. Currently, species identification cannot be determined by nonlethal …

Effects Of Aggressive Reed (Phragmites Australis) On Aquatic Communities In A Kansas Reservoir, Allison Pardis

Master's Theses

Phragmites australis is an Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) in Kansas, a non-native reed that threatens lake and river ecology, displaces desirable species, impedes movement of wildlife and humans, that can have detrimental economic effects on communities. The majority of Phragmites research is in brackish ecosystems and the effects of Phragmites in freshwater systems and especially on fishes is undocumented, even as many states and agencies invest substantial resources in management. As freshwater systems face a biodiversity crisis, prevention and control of invasive species is critical. Effective management therefore requires a thorough understanding of the effects these invaders have on ecosystems …

Healing Sanctuary, Kammy Downs

Master's Theses

The natural world has hidden wisdom and resources that are disregarded as we misuse our responsibility to care for them. The benefits of being in tune with nature have been traded for a culture that manipulates nature on the altar of expediency, waste, and unquenchable desire. Healing Sanctuary presents a duality. My work speaks about the relationship between the seen and unseen, represented by ten larger-than-life drawings of medicinal herbal plants that have had a profound physical healing effect on me. At the same time, plants, roots, and seeds create visceral metaphors for mental health. Our accomplishments, outlook on life, …

Evaluation Of Methods For The Restoration Of Native Grasslands On Abandoned Center Pivots In The Sandsage Prairies Of Southwestern Kansas, Alonso Barragan-Martinez

Master's Theses

Throughout southwestern Kansas thousands of acres of native grassland have been converted to cropland for agricultural use, reducing native prairie by over 60% in the sandsage prairie. Due to low precipitation and arid conditions, much of these croplands are irrigated by center pivot irrigation systems fed by the Ogallala Aquifer. These fields are abandoned when the aquifers dry up, resulting in erosion of the unused farmland. Conservation programs such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) were established to address this problem but have been unsuccessful in restoring native grasslands in abandoned croplands in southwestern Kansas. We hypothesized that insect …

An Investigation Into Historical And Contemporary Breeding Occurrence Of The Ferruginous Hawk In Kansas, Erica Clark

Master's Theses

The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) is the largest Buteo species occurring in grasslands, nesting along bluffs, buttes and isolated trees. In Kansas, the Ferruginous Hawk is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need, Tier II. A previous study on Ferruginous Hawks nesting in Kansas during the years of 1979 to 1987, with sporadic visits from the 1990s to 2000, revealed that the most productive nesting territories were inaccessible to predators, placed on rocky ledges and the surrounding landscape was over 50% rangeland. I revisited 82 of the 111 historic nest territories in the summers of 2019 and …

Ecological Controls On The Campanian Distribution Of Hesperornis (Aves: Hesperornithiformes) In The Western Interior Seaway, Blake Chapman

Master's Theses

The epicontinental Western Interior Seaway (WIS) of Late Cretaceous North America provided a unique marine habitat for cephalopods, fish, marine reptiles, and the foot-propelled diving seabird Hesperornis. While several predator-prey relationships among Hesperornis or other hesperornithiforms and other WIS animals have been hypothesized based on gut contents, bite marks, and coprolites/colonites, ecological relationships have not been quantitatively tested. Paleontological species distribution modeling (SDM) studies have focused on extinct non-marine taxa and marine invertebrates, with only two marine vertebrate studies of extant taxa. Here, two SDM methods were used to test the influence of vertebrate faunas, sedimentary rock type, paleogeography, …

The Influence Of Land Use On The Pollen Diet Of Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Colonies In Ellis County, Kansas, Ryan Engel

Master's Theses

Pollinators are integral to plant ecology as well as to worldwide food availability and security. Understanding how human-driven land use change impacts the nutrition of managed honey bees is important in pollinator conservation efforts and can contribute towards combating recent pollinator declines. The objective of this study was to determine sources of forage for honey bees across different land use types in Ellis County, Kansas, through pollen analysis and taxonomic identification. Replicate study colonies were placed in three separate land use types: Urban, Cropland, or Native/Semi-native prairie. Pollen was sampled every 7 to 14 days throughout a growing season (April …

The Effects Of Prescribed Burning And Microhabitat Type On Ant (Formicidae) Functional Groups And A Survey Of Ants In The Dr. Howard Reynolds Nature Area (A Mixed Grass Prairie), Ashley N. Durr

Master's Theses

This project sought to understand how prescribed burning and microhabitat type impacts Kansas ant functional groups and also whether prescribed burning in different microhabitat types altered the burn’s impact on those functional groups. The Dr. Howard Reynolds Nature Trail, located in Hays, Kansas, was burned in the spring of 2019. The area consists of 2 distinct habitat types: a dry, mixed-grass dominated uphill area and a moist, densely vegetated downhill area. Pitfall trapping was conducted during the summers of the year prior to the burn (2018) and the year following the burn (2019). 15 pitfall traps were spread across each …

The Influence Of Landscape Factors On Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys Ludovicianus) Colony Persistence In Northwest Kansas, Jamie Oriez

Master's Theses

The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is a colonial and fossorial rodent species that serves as an ecosystem engineer and keystone species in North America’s grasslands. Black-tailed prairie dogs historically ranged from northern Mexico to southern Canada, and from eastern Nebraska to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. However, with the loss and fragmentation of grasslands, introduction of Sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis), and control measures such as poisoning and shooting, black-tailed prairie dogs are limited to less than 5 percent of their historical range.

In this study, I examined how colony area, location, isolation, and surrounding …

Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Assemblages In Native, Invasive, And Encroaching Grassland Habitats, Madison Pittenger

Master's Theses

Ground beetles (Carabidae) are increasingly used as ecological indicators in studies regarding land use because they are ubiquitous, respond quickly to environmental change, have a well-understood taxonomy, and can be trapped with ease. While the effects of various plant communities on ground beetle assemblages are relatively well-known, past studies have operated within boreal and tropical forests and have not placed much emphasis on the effects of native and nonnative species. In this study, ground beetles were investigated as indicators of invasion in a grassland setting. Ground beetles were sampled using pitfall traps throughout the 2018 growing season at Quivira National …

An Assessment Of Convergence In The Feeding Morphology Of Xiphactinus Audax And Megalops Atlanticus Using Landmark-Based Geometric Morphometrics, Edward Chase Shelburne

Master's Theses

Convergence is an evolutionary phenomenon wherein distantly related organisms independently develop features or functional adaptations to overcome similar environmental constraints. Historically, convergence among organisms has been speculated or asserted with little rigorous or quantitative investigation. More recent advancements in systematics has allowed for the detection and study of convergence in a phylogenetic context, but this does little to elucidate convergent anatomical features in extinct taxa with poorly understood evolutionary histories. The purpose of this study is to investigate one potentially convergent system—the feeding structure of Xiphactinus audax (Teleostei: Ichthyodectiformes) and Megalops atlanticus (Teleostei: Elopiformes)—using a comparative anatomical approach to assess …

The Effect Of Vegetative Structure On Nest-Burrow Selection By The Western Burrowing Owl: Comparing Traditional Methods To Photogrammetry With An Unmanned Aerial System, Dylan J. Steffen

Master's Theses

The shortgrass prairie ecoregion in the United States has been reduced to 52% of its historical extent, contributing to reduced habitat for native species. One such species is the Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia). The Western Burrowing Owl subspecies (A. c. hypugaea) is listed as a Species of Special Concern in nearly every western and midwestern state, including Kansas where it is designated as a Tier II Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Habitat destruction due to conversion to cropland, increasing use of pesticides, and reduction in burrowing mammal abundance are the primary threats that have led to …

Rna Interference Of Three Genes Of The Unfolded Protein Response: Activating Factor Of Transcription 4, Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 2-Alpha Kinase, And Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1 In Acyrthosiphon Pisum, Jared Ridder

Master's Theses

Activating Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4) is a transcription factor that can act as both an activator or repressor and is a critical component of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) and Amino Acid Response (AAR) pathways. Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) is an Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) membrane-bound kinase/endoribonuclease that functions as a sensor of unfolded protein and is the most conserved component of the UPR in eukaryotes. Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2-alpha Kinase (PERK) is an ER membrane bound kinase that phosphorylates eukaryotic initiation factor upon activation of the UPR causing downregulation of protein synthesis. It was hypothesized that introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) …

The Purple Plague: Effect Of High Intensity Grazing Post Fire On Purple Threeawn Cover And Reproductive Effort And Prairie Dog Responses, Justin Roemer

Master's Theses

Purple threeawn (Aristida purpurea Nutt.) is a native warm-season bunchgrass found in western Kansas on The Nature Conservancy’s Smoky Valley Ranch and across rangelands of western North America. Upon reaching maturity, grazing/clipping pressure decreases for this bunchgrass due to poor forage quality and extreme unpalatability for cattle (Bos taurus) and Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). This decrease in grazing/clipping has led to development of near monocultures which cause negative impacts to the prairie ecosystem including decreases in rangeland quality and suitable habitat for prairie dogs, a keystone species. This decrease in prairie dog habitat …

Greening Rates And Photosynthetic Development Of Leaves In C3 And C4 Plants, Tayler J. Kriss

Master's Theses

To study chlorophyll development time and overall photosynthetic development in C3 and C4 leaves, seeds were germinated in complete darkness and achlorophyllous leaves were then allowed to develop in lighted conditions. Corn (Zea mays, C4), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, C4), green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris, C3), broad bean (Vicia faba, C3), and wheat (Triticum aestivum, C3) were investigated for the first ten days of sunlight exposure. Chlorophyll concentration, chlorophyll fluorescence, and CO2 gas exchange measurements were conducted daily on the first leaf that emerged after the embryonic leaves of each plant. The first five days of the experiment, days zero to four …

Ectoparasite Presence In Select Northcentral Kansas Bat Species, Elizabeth Schumann

Master's Theses

Working with other graduate students on a grant given to Fort Hays State University, from the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, I looked at presence and species of ectoparasites on bat species. The main goal of our grant was to quantify and qualify the status of the northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) in the state of Kansas, and to record data on any bycatch. I worked on our grant in the summer field seasons of 2016 and 2017, May to October, as described by the Indiana bat protocol.

Bats were captured by using mist nets set over …

Influence Of Shaded Conditions On Development Of Asteraceae Species Native To Kansas, Aline Rodrigues De Queiroz

Master's Theses

to the heterogeneity of habitats, all plants are exposed to at least some degree of shade during their lifetime. Reduced light intensity, drops in R:FR ratio, and limited blue light are cues for plants to perceive competition; the shade avoidance syndrome (SAS) is common for grassland species while shade tolerance (ST) is common for forest species when competition is perceived. SAS is characterized by elongation of stems and petioles, reduced branches, decreased leaf area, decreased shoot biomass, and increased number of ramets. ST is characterized by little elongation of stems and petioles, high chlorophyll content and high chlorophyll a/b ratio …

Effects Of Fragmentation On Species Retention In National Parks, Liz Tanner

Master's Theses

The North American landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented, resulting in habitat patches with decreased area and increased isolation. Often, these patches exist as protected areas, such as national parks. The Theory of Island Biogeography is frequently used as a model for these patches, where each park serves as an ‘island’ surrounded by a ‘sea’ of human-altered habitats. As such, species richness and extinctions in a park might be explained by its area. For this study, I used regression models to examine the relationship between richness and area, as well as extinctions and area, for mammals and birds in national parks. …