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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

The Real Snowbirds Of South Florida: Using Citizen Science To Assess The Ranges Of South Florida's Overwintering Birdsh, Alexander V. Levine Jun 2018

The Real Snowbirds Of South Florida: Using Citizen Science To Assess The Ranges Of South Florida's Overwintering Birdsh, Alexander V. Levine

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overwintering ranges of North American bird populations are shifting and the winter ranges of south Florida’s landbirds remain understudied. Expert-drawn range maps used for scientific studies and environmental public policy could therefore be depicting inaccurate ranges for many migratory birds. This study used citizen science data from eBird (2001–2017) to evaluate patterns in overwintering avian species richness and identify discrepanciesin expert-drawn species range maps for overwintering passerines in south Florida. Most of Florida’s overwintering bird species were sighted in south Florida. Of the species observed there between 2001 and 2017, 66% had range map discrepancies. Fifteen target species were …


Population Dynamics Of The Threatened Staghorn Coral, Acropora Cervicornis, And The Development Of A Species-Specific Monitoring Protocol, Elizabeth Goergen May 2018

Population Dynamics Of The Threatened Staghorn Coral, Acropora Cervicornis, And The Development Of A Species-Specific Monitoring Protocol, Elizabeth Goergen

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Historically, Acropora cervicornis was found in high densities on many Caribbean, Florida, and Gulf of Mexico reefs. A disease outbreak in the late 1970s and 80s caused up to 99% loss of A. cervicornis cover at some sites, leaving populations sparsely distributed throughout its range and typically found as isolated colonies. Even though populations are depauperate causing a decrease in sexual reproduction, its fast growth rate and ability to reproduce through asexual fragmentation affords this species the potential for quick recovery and population growth. However, limited to no natural recovery has been documented. Many of these populations are poorly studied …


Outplanting Technique, Host Genotype, And Site Affect The Initial Success Of Outplanted Acropora Cervicornis, Elizabeth Goergen, David S. Gilliam Feb 2018

Outplanting Technique, Host Genotype, And Site Affect The Initial Success Of Outplanted Acropora Cervicornis, Elizabeth Goergen, David S. Gilliam

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Acropora cervicornis is the most widely used coral species for reef restoration in the greater Caribbean. However, outplanting methodologies (e.g., colony density, size, host genotype, and attachment technique) vary greatly, and to date have not been evaluated for optimality across multiple sites. Two experiments were completed during this study, the first evaluated the effects of attachment technique, colony size, and genotype by outplanting 405 A. cervicornis colonies, from ten genotypes, four size classes, and three attachment techniques (epoxy, nail and cable tie, or puck) across three sites. Colony survival, health condition, tissue productivity, and growth were assessed across one year …


Winter Distribution Of Sandhill Cranes From Upper Michigan And Adjacent Ontario—A Thirty-Year Perspective, Richard P. Urbanek Jan 2018

Winter Distribution Of Sandhill Cranes From Upper Michigan And Adjacent Ontario—A Thirty-Year Perspective, Richard P. Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The relationship between areas used for breeding and wintering by the expanding Eastern Population of greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) has been little studied. During 1985-1988, 32/33 (97%) of sandhill cranes VHFradiotagged on Seney National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan were subsequently located on wintering areas in wet prairies, muck farms, and improved pastures in Florida and southern Georgia. Four additional radiotagged cranes from other areas of Upper Michigan and 7 from the North Channel of Lake Huron, Ontario, were also located in similar areas and habitats. Winter area was not dependent on …


Notes On The Natural History Of Enaphalodes Archboldi Lingafelter And Chemsak, 2002 And E. Bingkirki Lingafelter And Santos-Silva, 2018 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Josef Vlasak Jan 2018

Notes On The Natural History Of Enaphalodes Archboldi Lingafelter And Chemsak, 2002 And E. Bingkirki Lingafelter And Santos-Silva, 2018 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Josef Vlasak

Insecta Mundi

The life history of Enaphalodes archboldi Lingafelter and Chemsak (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is described in detail based on observations from Marion County, Florida. Notes on the life history of Enaphalodes bingkirki Lingafelter and Santos-Silva from Honduras are also provided. Enaphalodes bingkirki is reported from Honduras for the first time.


Improving Estuarine Water Quality In South Florida: A Quantitative Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of A Local Nutrient Ordinance, Kerstin Motsch Jan 2018

Improving Estuarine Water Quality In South Florida: A Quantitative Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of A Local Nutrient Ordinance, Kerstin Motsch

Theses and Dissertations

Degraded coastal water quality is a concern in Florida, in part due to nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems causing eutrophication and excessive algal growth. In 2010, a fertilizer ordinance was enacted in Cape Coral located in Lee County Florida with the objective of reducing nutrient loads from local fertilizing practices in order to improve water quality within the city. In order to assess its efficacy, a before after control impact (BACI) design was implemented using Fort Lauderdale in Broward County Florida as a reference location. A total of twenty estuarine canal sampling locations were identified in both Lee and Broward …


Invasion Ecology Of Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) In Florida, Usa: The Role Of Humans In The Expansion And Colonization Of An Invasive Wild Ungulate, Felipe A. Hernandez, Brandon M. Parker, Cortney L. Pylant, Timothy J. Smyser, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Stacey L. Lance, Michael P. Milleson, James D. Austin, Samantha M. Wisely Jan 2018

Invasion Ecology Of Wild Pigs (Sus Scrofa) In Florida, Usa: The Role Of Humans In The Expansion And Colonization Of An Invasive Wild Ungulate, Felipe A. Hernandez, Brandon M. Parker, Cortney L. Pylant, Timothy J. Smyser, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Stacey L. Lance, Michael P. Milleson, James D. Austin, Samantha M. Wisely

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are the most widely distributed invasive wild ungulate in the United States, yet the factors that influence wild pig dispersal and colonization at the regional level are poorly understood. Our objective was to use a population genetic approach to describe patterns of dispersal and colonization among populations to gain a greater understanding of the invasion process contributing to the expansion of this species. We used 52 microsatellite loci to produce individual genotypes for 482 swine sampled at 39 locations between 2014 and 2016. Our data revealed the existence of genetically distinct subpopulations (F …