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Ecology

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

2014

Articles 1 - 22 of 22

Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

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 Dec 2014

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 …


Turning Up The Heat On The Little Things That Run The World: Evaluating The Impacts Of Climate Change On Ant Biodiversity In The Temperate Forest Communities Of The Northeastern United States, Israel Del Toro Nov 2014

Turning Up The Heat On The Little Things That Run The World: Evaluating The Impacts Of Climate Change On Ant Biodiversity In The Temperate Forest Communities Of The Northeastern United States, Israel Del Toro

Doctoral Dissertations

Climatic change threatens biodiversity worldwide. In the forests of the northeastern United States, climate change is expected to increase mean annual temperatures by up to 4.5˚C and change precipitation seasonality. These changes in climate are likely to have impacts on the biodiversity of the region. In order to better understand the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, I used ants, an indicator taxonomic group, to predict how ant communities and ant-mediated ecosystem processes change as the climate warms. In the first chapter of this dissertation, I review the major ecosystem processes and services mediated by ants using the Millennium Ecosystem …


Habitat Use Of The Key Largo Woodrat (Neotoma Floridana Smalli), Lauren J. Barth Nov 2014

Habitat Use Of The Key Largo Woodrat (Neotoma Floridana Smalli), Lauren J. Barth

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Key Largo woodrats are an endangered subspecies with an extremely limited habitat. This study sought to understand woodrat habitat preferences in order to guide management. Woodrats build stick nests from natural and artificial materials, so nest distribution and nest occupancy were used as indicators of preference. Distribution was determined by nest surveys, and remote cameras were used to assess occupancy. Forest structure, human disturbance, nest, and animal presence metrics were also collected. More nests were found along abandoned roads than along forest transects and more artificial nests were occupied than natural nests. These findings indicate that woodrats prefer areas with …


Review Of The Face Of The Earth, Ann E. Lundberg Oct 2014

Review Of The Face Of The Earth, Ann E. Lundberg

Faculty Publications

Review of SueEllen Campbell, et al. The Face of the Earth: Natural Landscapes, Science, and Culture. Published review is at Western American Literature.


The Ecology Of Infancy And Early Childhood In Rural Senegal; A Five Year Old Can Boot But Not Foot, An Exploration Of Where Biology Meets Culture, Heather Mills Oct 2014

The Ecology Of Infancy And Early Childhood In Rural Senegal; A Five Year Old Can Boot But Not Foot, An Exploration Of Where Biology Meets Culture, Heather Mills

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This research project explores the life stages of infancy and early childhood in the village of Ndiane in the Thies region of Senegal. I will discuss how biology meets culture to influence children, parenting styles, and expectations of the life stage. How does ecology, the interaction of physical, biological and cultural landscapes, characterize childhood and the intertwined belief systems that influence parenting? The information was gathered using a combination of participant observation and free list interviews.


Facing The Wreck: Death, Optimism, And The Fragmented Form, Rachael Marie Schaffner Aug 2014

Facing The Wreck: Death, Optimism, And The Fragmented Form, Rachael Marie Schaffner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Walter Benjamin described history as a winged angel who faces backwards, staring perpetually into the past as the violent winds of destiny carry him into the future (Illuminations). Despite a western, post-enlightenment myth of eternal progress, the wreckage of human contributions to history is clearly evident in our 21st-century understanding of anthropogenic impact on global ecology. In the context of these ecological crises (and the resulting political and economic questions), postmodern novels reveal a powerful ability to imagine different ways of living and interacting with the world. This thesis traces the relationship between fragmentation, death, and liminal experiences …


Connecting Through Consilience: Ecology, Society, Culture And Technology, Ruth Mirams, Alexander Hayes Jul 2014

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 …


Comparing Population Density Estimation Techniques For Columbia Black-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus Columbianus): Fecal Standing Crop And Distance Sampling Methods, Jubilee D. Brenneman Jun 2014

Comparing Population Density Estimation Techniques For Columbia Black-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus Columbianus): Fecal Standing Crop And Distance Sampling Methods, Jubilee D. Brenneman

Honors Projects

I estimated deer density and population size on Blakely Island, WA, using the fecal standing crop (FSC) method described by Martin et al. (2011). I compared the FSC method with a well established and broadly applicable estimation method, distance sampling. Additionally, architecture of a commonly browsed shrub, Ocean Spray (Holodiscus discolor), was measured as an indicator of browsing pressure. Fecal standing crop was estimated by counting pellet groups along 26, 100 x 2m line transects. Deer density was estimated using these data and the equation derived by Martin et al. (2011). Distance sampling consisted of recording perpendicular distance …


Spatial And Habitat Responses Of Canada Lynx In Maine To A Decline In Snowshoe Hare Density, David G. Mallett May 2014

Spatial And Habitat Responses Of Canada Lynx In Maine To A Decline In Snowshoe Hare Density, David G. Mallett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous studies of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) within the northern boreal forest region have documented that lynx respond spatially to a decline in snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) density, as exhibited by expansion of territories and changes in social structure. I compared home range area and spatial overlap in the southeastern portion of their geographic range during periods of relatively high and relatively low hare density. Home range areas of lynx did not change between periods of high and low hare density, except that home ranges of females during the denning season expanded during the low period. The presence of kittens …


Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) And The Long-Tongued Fly Pollination Guild: Coevolution And Polymorphism In A Specialized Pollination System, Emily M. Blank May 2014

Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) And The Long-Tongued Fly Pollination Guild: Coevolution And Polymorphism In A Specialized Pollination System, Emily M. Blank

Honors Scholar Theses

In South Africa, a group of long-tongued flies and the flowering plants they pollinate form a unique and diverse pollination guild system almost entirely endemic to the Greater Cape Floristic Region. This system makes up only a small portion of the biodiversity of the Region, but it is likely a key to understanding the evolutionary processes that have lead to the observed biodiversity. Aside from its unusual pollinators, this guild system is of particular interest due to the extremely labile morphology of both the fly species and the associated flowering plant species, which geographically vary significantly in proboscis lengths and …


Naturalized Offspring From An 85-Year-Old Chinese Chestnut (Castanea Mollissima) Planting: Stand Dynamics And Genetic Relationships, Amy Christel Miller Apr 2014

Naturalized Offspring From An 85-Year-Old Chinese Chestnut (Castanea Mollissima) Planting: Stand Dynamics And Genetic Relationships, Amy Christel Miller

Open Access Theses

Chestnuts, members of the genus Castanea , family Fagaceae, are valuable worldwide, and all species have noteworthy ecological, economic, and cultural importance in their native ranges. Historically, American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marshall) Borkh.) was an abundant tree species in eastern North America until its decimation in the early 20 th century by chestnut blight, caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica . To regain the benefits of this prized species in North America, efforts are ongoing to produce and introduce blight-resistant hybrids of C. dentata and the blight-resistant Chinese chestnut ( C. mollissima Blume). It is important that the C. …


Overwintering And Early Season Amplification Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus In The Southeastern United States, Andrea Bingham Mar 2014

Overwintering And Early Season Amplification Of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus In The Southeastern United States, Andrea Bingham

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is a highly pathogenic arbovirus that causes severe disease, with a mortality rate of approximately 30-35% in humans and 80-90% in horses. Studies dating back to the 1930's have identified many of the epidemiological and ecological aspects of the virus. However, there are several aspects of EEEV's transmission cycle that remain unclear. In the northeastern states, transmission is seasonal, peaking in the late summer months, while in Florida there is year-round transmission of EEEV. Recent phylogenetic studies have also suggested that Florida may serve as a reservoir for EEEV; the virus may periodically be introduced …


Review: The Rediscovery Of The Wild, Jillian M. Slater Mar 2014

Review: The Rediscovery Of The Wild, Jillian M. Slater

Marian Library Faculty Publications

Copyright (c) 2014, Jillian Slater. This review is available for non-commercial, educational use, provided that the user identify the author and the publication listed as the place of first publication, along with the volume and the year of the work's publication.


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 Jan 2014

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

Ecology Collection

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 …


Movement Patterns And Catch-And-Release Impacts Of Striped Bass In A Tidal Coastal Embayment In Massachusetts, Heather M. Tyrrell Jan 2014

Movement Patterns And Catch-And-Release Impacts Of Striped Bass In A Tidal Coastal Embayment In Massachusetts, Heather M. Tyrrell

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

An investigation into the spatial ecology and effects of catch-and-release angling on the physiology and behavior of striped bass was conducted. Fine-scale behavior was assessed by tagging fish with acoustic transmitters equipped with pressure and tri-axial accelerometer sensors and tracking them within a fixed array (n=34 receivers) in a Massachusetts estuary. Activity space changed significantly over the course of the season and increased with water temperature. Striped bass most frequently exhibited low levels of locomotory activity representing 67% of total activity measurements, with occasional high activity and burst swimming, often within the upper 3 m of the water column. Depth …


Monteverde: Ecology And Conservation Of A Tropical Cloud Forest - 2014 Updated Chapters, Nalini M. Nadkarni, Nathaniel T. Wheelwright Jan 2014

Monteverde: Ecology And Conservation Of A Tropical Cloud Forest - 2014 Updated Chapters, Nalini M. Nadkarni, Nathaniel T. Wheelwright

Bowdoin Scholars' Bookshelf

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has captured the worldwide attention of biologists, conservationists, and ecologists and has been the setting for extensive investigation over the past 40 years. Roughly 40,000 ecotourists visit the Cloud Forest each year, and it is often considered the archetypal high-altitude rain forest. “Monteverde: Ecology and Conservation of a Tropical Cloud Forest”, edited by Nalini Nadkarni and Nathaniel T. Wheelwright (Oxford University Press, 2000 and Bowdoin’s Scholar’s Bookshelf. Book 1 ), features synthetic chapters and specific accounts written by more than 100 biologist and local residents, presenting in a single volume everything known in 2000 about …


A Genealogy Of Ecological Rhetoric: Heraclitus, Bacon, Darwin And Huxley, Jared Grogan Jan 2014

A Genealogy Of Ecological Rhetoric: Heraclitus, Bacon, Darwin And Huxley, Jared Grogan

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation is a genealogical study of historical intersections between rhetoric and ecology. Studying the works of Heraclitus, Francis Bacon, T.H. Huxley and Darwin as "bridge figures" in the history of rhetoric, science and ecological thought, I examine how their rhetorical theories and strategies (as discursive practices, performances and techniques) form a genealogy that bridges rhetorical and ecological theories and practices. My analysis studies their critical assessments and uses of rhetoric as it intersects with each figure's new investigations into natural philosophy, nature, and evolutionary biology, while drawing out relevant lessons for contemporary ecological and rhetorical thinkers. The main threads …


Geoecology, Nishanta Rajakaruna, S. Boyd Jan 2014

Geoecology, Nishanta Rajakaruna, S. Boyd

Nishanta Rajakaruna

No abstract provided.


Natural History Of A Population Of Wood Turtles (Glyptemys Insculpta) In West Virginia, Jessica Curtis Jan 2014

Natural History Of A Population Of Wood Turtles (Glyptemys Insculpta) In West Virginia, Jessica Curtis

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) is listed as vulnerable in West Virginia and only occurs in the Eastern Panhandle. The study population is unique in West Virginia because it occurs at a much higher mean elevation than other Wood Turtle populations in the state. The primary objective of this study was to determine if, and to what extent, altitude affected this population’s ecology. Turtles were located with opportunistic surveys and captured by hand. I located 31 turtles: 18 males, and 13 females. Turtles were captured a total of 68 times. Ratio of males to females did not differ significantly from …


The Natural Life History Of Cambarus (Puncticambarus) Smilax, The Greenbrier Crayfish, Paul William Hughes Jan 2014

The Natural Life History Of Cambarus (Puncticambarus) Smilax, The Greenbrier Crayfish, Paul William Hughes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The natural life history of Cambarus (Puncticambarus) smilax, the Greenbrier Crayfish, was studied in West Fork of the Greenbrier River and in Thorny Creek, a tributary of the main stem of the Greenbrier River. The Greenbrier Crayfish gets its name from the Greenbrier River watershed where it is thought to occur exclusively. Among described members of the subgenus Puncticambarus, C. smilax is a sister taxon most similar to Cambarus (Puncticambarus) robustus. Monthly collections were made within the two study sites, from August 2010 to July 2011. Collecting techniques included dip-netting, seine-netting, and hand collecting. Cambarus smilax and all other species …


Geoecology, Nishanta Rajakaruna, S. Boyd Jan 2014

Geoecology, Nishanta Rajakaruna, S. Boyd

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.


Finding Them Before They Find Us: Informatics, Parasites, And Environments In Accelerating Climate Change, Daniel R. Brooks, Eric P. Hoberg, Walter A. Boeger, Scott Lyell Gardner, Kurt E. Galbreath, David Herczeg, Hugo H. Mejía-Madrid, S. Elizabeth Rácz, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan Jan 2014

Finding Them Before They Find Us: Informatics, Parasites, And Environments In Accelerating Climate Change, Daniel R. Brooks, Eric P. Hoberg, Walter A. Boeger, Scott Lyell Gardner, Kurt E. Galbreath, David Herczeg, Hugo H. Mejía-Madrid, S. Elizabeth Rácz, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty and Staff Publications

Parasites are agents of disease in humans, livestock, crops, and wildlife and are powerful representations of the ecological and historical context of the diseases they cause. Recognizing a nexus of professional opportunities and global public need, we gathered at the Cedar Point Biological Station of the University of Nebraska in September 2012 to formulate a cooperative and broad platform for providing essential information about the evolution, ecology, and epidemiology of parasites across host groups, parasite groups, geographical regions, and ecosystem types. A general protocol, documentation–assessment–monitoring–action (DAMA), suggests an integrated proposal to build a proactive capacity to understand, anticipate, and respond …