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2020

Theses/Dissertations

Behavior

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Articles 1 - 19 of 19

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

American Eel Behavior And Survival In An Impounded River System, Matthew A. Mensinger Dec 2020

American Eel Behavior And Survival In An Impounded River System, Matthew A. Mensinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After beginning life in the Sargasso Sea, American eel enter river systems as juveniles and swim upstream in pursuit of freshwater habitat. Many encounter dams during this migration which act as barriers to upstream movement and limit eel establishment in headwater systems. Some dams have been retrofitted with fishways to improve watershed connectivity, but the individual selection imposed by these structures remains uncharacterized. We considered whether individual differences in behavior (i.e., personality) may be used to predict the propensity of juveniles to use a passage structure, suggesting that eel personality may predict access to habitat upstream of dams. Migrating, juvenile …

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Interactive Effects Of Heat Stress And Pesticides Co-Exposure On Swimming Behavior, Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Expression, And Redox Status In Common Goldfish (Carassius Auratus), Brittney Danielle Lacy Dec 2020

Interactive Effects Of Heat Stress And Pesticides Co-Exposure On Swimming Behavior, Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Expression, And Redox Status In Common Goldfish (Carassius Auratus), Brittney Danielle Lacy

Theses and Dissertations

Aquatic ecosystems are inundated by environmental pesticides. This study, observed the dose-dependent effects of pesticides cocktail (metalachlor, linuron, isoproturon, tebucanazole, aclonifen, atrazine, pendimethalin, and azinphos-methyl) and elevated temperature (32 °C for 4-week exposure) on morphology of gills and kidneys, and expression of nitrotyrosine protein (NTP), dinitrophenyl protein (DNP), catalase (CAT), superoxidase dismutase (SOD), Na+/K+-ATPase, renin, and apoptosis in tissues of goldfish. Additionally, the effects on the free-swimming behavior were also observed. Histological analysis showed wide-spread damage in tissues at higher temperature and pesticides co-exposure. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated alterations in NTP, DNP, CAT and SOD expressions in tissues at higher temperature …

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Determining The Physiological And Behavioral Responses To Elevated Salinity In The Freshwater Bivalves, Corbicula Fluminea And Lampsilis Ovata, John W. Roden Dec 2020

Determining The Physiological And Behavioral Responses To Elevated Salinity In The Freshwater Bivalves, Corbicula Fluminea And Lampsilis Ovata, John W. Roden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Salinization has been identified as an increasing threat to freshwater mussel diversity in recent years. Native mussels have been observed to display reduced salinity tolerance in comparison to some invasive bivalve species, but methods by which organismal tolerance is achieved are not well understood. This study was designed to compare the behavioral and physiological responses of the native Lampsilis ovata to that of the invasive Corbicula fluminea. Lampsilis were found to exhibit strong behavioral avoidance to salinity exposure, whereas Corbicula displayed very weak avoidance to comparable salinity concentrations followed by indications of osmotic conformation through physiological mechanisms. Prolonged valve …

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Exploring The Social Effects Of Increased Hiker Use At The Northern Terminus Of The Appalachian Trail, Leah Beck Aug 2020

Exploring The Social Effects Of Increased Hiker Use At The Northern Terminus Of The Appalachian Trail, Leah Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increase of tourism and outdoor recreation popularity has produced a field of research revolved around the social and environmental impacts of visitors. Past research has shown that understanding visitor use and behavior is essential for influencing management strategies. This study focused on understanding the crowding perceptions and experiences of hikers who summit Maine’s tallest mountain, Mount Katahdin. Katahdin is designated as the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail (AT) which has seen a notable increase in use from long distance hikers in the last 25 years. Increased long-distance AT hikers, and documented issues with hiker behavior in Baxter State …

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To Feed Or Not To Feed: Examining The Effects Of Provisioning Tourism On Nurse Sharks In Caye Caulker, Belize, Carlee Jackson Aug 2020

To Feed Or Not To Feed: Examining The Effects Of Provisioning Tourism On Nurse Sharks In Caye Caulker, Belize, Carlee Jackson

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Wildlife tourism is increasing in popularity around the world, creating the need to understand alterations in animal behavior and spatial distributions that may occur due to associated anthropogenic disturbances. Nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum, Bonnaterre 1788) are commonly used for wildlife tourism within the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve in Belize. Shark and Ray Village (SRV) is a site within the reserve where nurse sharks are consistently fed by tour/snorkel boats to create an interactive experience with tourists, termed provisioning tourism. Prior to this experiment, no studies had been conducted in SRV to evaluate the impact of provisioning tourism (tourism …

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Physiological And Behavioral Correlates Of Hif-1 Alpha Protein Levels In The Gulf Killifish, Fundulus Grandis, Jasmine Harris May 2020

Physiological And Behavioral Correlates Of Hif-1 Alpha Protein Levels In The Gulf Killifish, Fundulus Grandis, Jasmine Harris

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Although the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF) orchestrates molecular responses to low oxygen, the amount of HIF-1α protein expressed during hypoxia varies among species, individuals, and tissues. This study measured HIF-1α protein levels along with several physiological and behavioral variables in the estuarine fish Fundulus grandis under normoxia (> 7 mg l-1 dissolved oxygen) and hypoxia (1 mg l-1 dissolved oxygen). Fish under hypoxic conditions had higher tissue levels of HIF-1α, hematocrit, blood glucose, blood lactate, frequency of aquatic surface respiration (ASR), and lower activity than normoxic controls. Under hypoxia, HIF-1α abundance in gill was positively correlated with body …

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Impacts Of Embryonic Exposure To Cannabidiol Or ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol On Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Frailty In F0 And F1 Generations, Anika Faruque May 2020

Impacts Of Embryonic Exposure To Cannabidiol Or ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol On Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) Frailty In F0 And F1 Generations, Anika Faruque

Honors Theses

Exposure to cannabinoids during critical development periods has increased with epileptic children being commonly prescribed CBD for seizures and pregnant women taking it recreationally. Many studies have been done on the possible benefits and drawbacks of cannabinoid exposure on the human brain, but not much is known about how it can affect the developing brain long-term. To see the potential adverse effects of cannabinoid exposure during critical stages of development and discover potential developmental origins of disease in consuming cannabinoids during embryogenesis, zebrafish embryos (6-96 hours post fertilization) were exposed to varying concentrations of CBD (0.02, 0.1, 0.5 µM), THC …

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Behavioral Ecology Of Territorial Aggression In Uca Pugilator And Uca Pugnax, Abbey N. Thomas May 2020

Behavioral Ecology Of Territorial Aggression In Uca Pugilator And Uca Pugnax, Abbey N. Thomas

Honors Theses

The nature of animal aggression has long been a research interest in many different scientific fields. Resources, including food, shelter, and mates are all common assets for which animals compete. Two species of fiddler crabs, the Atlantic Sand Fiddler Crab (Uca pugilator) and the Atlantic Marsh Fiddler Crab (U. pugnax) were studied in regards to their aggression shown when competing for shelter. One crab was placed in a contained shelter for two days, and then a second of the same species was introduced. Aggressive interactions were scored and compared with claw and carapace size to ascertain …

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Investigating The Nightime Departures Of Glaucous-Winged Gulls (Larus Glaucescens) And The Role Of Social Facilitation, Devon Leigh Mcclain Jan 2020

Investigating The Nightime Departures Of Glaucous-Winged Gulls (Larus Glaucescens) And The Role Of Social Facilitation, Devon Leigh Mcclain

Master's Theses

Daytime behaviors and occupancy patterns of Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) have been described and can be mathematically predicted based on environmental factors. However, little is known about the nighttime behaviors of Glaucous-winged Gulls. I used trail cameras to study the daytime and nighttime colony occupancy patterns of Glaucous-winged Gulls on a breeding colony on Protection Island, Washington, USA. Early in the breeding season gulls desert the colony en masse during nighttime even after some gulls have initiated clutches. Using acoustic recording units to identify an acoustic cue that signals the onset of the coordinated nightly departures from the colony, I …

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Aggregation Behavior In The Bed Bug, Cimex Lectularius L., Paul D. Baker Jan 2020

Aggregation Behavior In The Bed Bug, Cimex Lectularius L., Paul D. Baker

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

The bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., is a common household pest that feeds on the blood of its human hosts. Unlike many other hematophagic arthropods, bed bugs have not demonstrated the ability to vector disease; yet its presence in a household often leads to fear and anxiety amongst its human host victims. Bed bugs spend the majority of their time aggregating in enclosed and hidden locations, making it difficult to detect and eradicate them. One of the significant mediators of aggregation behavior is an aggregation pheromone. The pheromone has been identified to be six chemical compounds, five volatile compounds that …

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Role Of Clic4 And The Synaptic Transcriptome In The Behavioral And Molecular Neurobiology Of Ethanol, Rory M. Weston Jan 2020

Role Of Clic4 And The Synaptic Transcriptome In The Behavioral And Molecular Neurobiology Of Ethanol, Rory M. Weston

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric disease with profound health, social, and economic consequences. With an estimated 50% heritability, identifying genes that engender risk and contribute to the underlying neurobiological mechanisms represents an important first step in developing effective treatments. Gene expression studies are an important source of candidate genes for studying AUD, providing windows into the molecular machinery engaged by the brain in response to ethanol. Published studies have identified chloride intracellular channel 4 (Clic4) as an ethanol-regulated gene in brain capable of modulating sensitivity to sedation in multiple species. The functions of Clic4 are …

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Epigenetic Alterations At Synaptic Plasticity Genes In A Genetically Heterogeneous Rat Model Of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Doan M. On Jan 2020

Epigenetic Alterations At Synaptic Plasticity Genes In A Genetically Heterogeneous Rat Model Of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Doan M. On

Theses and Dissertations

Sensorimotor gating impairments are observed across a range of neuropsychiatric conditions. The prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response (PPI) is a validated measure of sensorimotor gating. Genetic and pharmacological manipulations in rodents have shown PPI is regulated by specific brain monoaminergic systems. Using genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rats, we stratified individuals by %PPI. In low PPI animals, we observed elevated mRNA levels of certain neurotransmitter receptors, including metabotropic glutamate receptor Grm2, dopamine receptors Drd1 and Drd2, serotonin receptors Htr1a and Htr2a, and scaffolding protein Homer1, in the frontal cortex (FC) and striatum (STR). We found Drd2 …

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Cannabidiol In The Horse: Pharmacokinetics And Effects Of A Pelleted Supplement On Reactivity And Movement, Anna L. Draeger Jan 2020

Cannabidiol In The Horse: Pharmacokinetics And Effects Of A Pelleted Supplement On Reactivity And Movement, Anna L. Draeger

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

A multitude of claims exist regarding therapeutic benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) in human and animal medicine. Though supportive evidence of CBD as a nutraceutical option exists, lack of regulation means that product safety, consistency, and efficacy cannot be guaranteed. Trials for specific conditions and species are needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate CBD safety and use effects on reactivity and movement in the horse. Project 1 examined the bioavailability of a single 50 mg dose of an oil and pelleted CBD product. One of 2 Quarter Horse geldings received the oil product. The second received the pelleted …

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Perceived Effects Of Bush Burning On Agriculture And Wildlife Resources In Ghana, Caitlin A. Wilson Jan 2020

Perceived Effects Of Bush Burning On Agriculture And Wildlife Resources In Ghana, Caitlin A. Wilson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Peace Corps was started in the 1960s by President John F. Kennedy. Ghana was one of the first established host countries that received Peace Corps Volunteers. There are five different sectors that volunteers can work in education, health, agriculture, environment, or community and economic development. Peace Corps service begins with ten weeks of pre-service training before volunteers swear in and are placed in communities throughout the country. Training covers topics such as global Peace Corps policy, health and security concerns, local language, and technical skills. I was placed in a small, rural community in the Northern Region of Ghana. My …

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Group Differences In Mother-Infant Macaca Fascicularis Behavior, Parasite Load, And Body Condition Within An Anthropogenically Altered Forest, Elizabeth M.C. Coggeshall Jan 2020

Group Differences In Mother-Infant Macaca Fascicularis Behavior, Parasite Load, And Body Condition Within An Anthropogenically Altered Forest, Elizabeth M.C. Coggeshall

All Master's Theses

This study aimed to establish preliminary health and behavioral data, as well as understand group variation for a large population of Macaca fascicularis individuals within an anthropogenically altered monkey forest. A parasitic analysis of 40 mother and infant individuals showed that M. fascicularis carried 13 different parasitic taxa, and that there was parasitic variation between groups. Body condition scores were determined using a newly created and adapted body condition scale from 146 sampled mother macaques. Body condition scores were significantly different between groups, specifically the pond group when compared to the three other groups. Mother-infant behavioral differences were seen between …

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Stressed Out: Life-History Strategy And The Costs Of Multiple Stressors In Gryllus Crickets, Sugjit S. Padda Jan 2020

Stressed Out: Life-History Strategy And The Costs Of Multiple Stressors In Gryllus Crickets, Sugjit S. Padda

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The frequency, duration, and co-occurrence of several environmental stressors are increasing globally. Multiple stressors may have compounding or interactive effects on animals, resulting in either additive or non-additive costs, but animals may mitigate these costs through various strategies of resource conservation or shifts in resource allocation. Thus, through two related factorial experiments, I measured a range of traits—from those related to life history and behavior to underlying physiology— to investigate the nature of costs (additive, non-additive, or neither additive nor non-additive), cost-mitigating strategies (resource conservation or allocation), and life-history strategy related to multiple stressors. First, I leveraged life-history strategy differences …

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Region-Specific Modifications Of Synaptic Proteins In Response To Early-Life Adversity In The Rat Brain, Jameel Nasser Hamdan Jan 2020

Region-Specific Modifications Of Synaptic Proteins In Response To Early-Life Adversity In The Rat Brain, Jameel Nasser Hamdan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Drug addiction is a serious condition affecting approximately 19.7 million people in the United States alone (SAMHSA 2018). Exposure to stress and other adverse conditions has been shown to impact drug-taking behavior and making individuals more vulnerable to addiction. In those already suffering from addiction, abstaining from drug use often gives way to relapse after a stressful event (Lu, Shepard et al. 2003; Shaham, Erb et al. 2000). The experience of adversity during early-life can cause long-lasting changes in the brain, affecting development, behavior, learning and memory, and critical thinking processes, which may persist into adulthood (Aisa, Tordera et al. …

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An Ecomorphological Analysis Of Locomotion In Larvae And Neotenes Of Two Salamander Species: Dicamptodon Tenebrosus (Stream-Type) And Ambystoma Gracile (Pond-Type), Ethan Hardister Snee Jan 2020

An Ecomorphological Analysis Of Locomotion In Larvae And Neotenes Of Two Salamander Species: Dicamptodon Tenebrosus (Stream-Type) And Ambystoma Gracile (Pond-Type), Ethan Hardister Snee

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Morphology is the physical expression of a species’ evolutionary history and adaptation to its environment and as such is tied to ecology. Salamander larvae have historically been separated into "pond-type" and "stream-type" groups based on their morphology, however no studies have been performed quantifying the relationship between morphology and ecology. In this study I utilized in-situ behavioral observations, morphological measurements, and in-lab performance tests of Dicamptodon tenebrosus (stream-type) and Ambystoma gracile (pond-type) to examine the relationship between salamander larval morphology and ecology. In the field, behavior was video recorded during nighttime surveys; afterwards animals were captured and limb measurements were …

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Effect Of The Prospect Of Transport On Captive Tiger Behavior And Fecal Cortisol In Naïve And Experienced Tigers, Callan Lichtenwalter Jan 2020

Effect Of The Prospect Of Transport On Captive Tiger Behavior And Fecal Cortisol In Naïve And Experienced Tigers, Callan Lichtenwalter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With close to 5,000 captive tigers in the United States, it is vital to ensure that these tigers are receiving adequate welfare whether they are in an accredited facility, or privately owned. The goal of this study was to assess whether captive tigers at a rescue facility with experience being transported outside of the facility would respond differently to the presentation of their transport vehicle than their naïve counterparts who had only been transported within the facility. The behavior of 5 naïve and 7 experienced tigers (n = 12) located at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, Arkansas was …

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