Animal Sciences Commons^™

Understanding Metrics Of Stress In The Context Of Invasion History: The Case Of The Brown Treesnake (Boiga Irregularis), Natalie Claunch, Ignacio Moore, Heather L. Waye, Laura Schoenle, Samantha J. Oakey, Robert N. Reed, Christina Romagosa

Biology Publications

Invasive species can exert rapid depletion of resources after introduction and, in turn, affect their own population density. Additionally, management actions can have direct and indirect effects on demography. Physiological variables can predict demographic change but are often restricted to snapshots-in-time and delayed confirmation of changes in population density reduces their utility. To evaluate the relationships between physiology and demography, we assessed metrics of individual and demographic stress (baseline and 1-h corticosterone (CORT), body condition and bacterial killing ability) in the invasive snake Boiga irregularis on Guam collected in intervals of 10–15 years. We also assessed potential discrepancies between different …

Can Diet Affect Coloration In Tiger Salamanders?, Katherine Novak

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2018

Amphibians are the fastest known declining taxonomic group in the world with 48% of populations in decline (Stuart et. al. 2004). These declines in amphibian populations are partially due to the lack of basic life history data (Semlitsch 2003). For example, amphibians are known for their bright coloration and ability to rapidly change color. Coloration is key to amphibian survival in terms of defense (as camouflage or a warning sign to predators), thermoregulation (darker skin warms faster), and communication (primarily mating displays) (Rudh and Qvanstrom 2013). One aspect of amphibian coloration that is poorly understood is how much the environment …

Net Zero Energy Dairy Production: Powering Minnesota Dairy Farms With Renewable Energy, Mckenzie Dice

Honors Capstone Projects

The goal of this project was to determine if the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) dairy production could achieve a net zero energy status, meaning that the dairy operation uses as much as energy on-site as the amount of energy that is produced on-site for the dairy operation. There are several ways to accomplish this goal, principally through energy conservation, by means of installing more energy efficient technologies, as well as the installation of on-site renewable energy. At the WCROC dairy, a new utility room has been installed to introduce energy efficient technologies to the dairy operation, as …

Tracking Movements Of Ambystoma Tigrinum Using Radio Telemetry, Heather L. Waye, Kirsten T. Sharpe

Undergraduate Research Symposium 2014

The eastern tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) is a widely distributed amphibian ranging from Northern Minnesota, down to Florida, and over to the east coast of the United States (Oldfield and Moriarty, 1994). As populations within the species are diverse and seldom studies have been done in the area of radio telemetry in tiger salamanders, there is a need for information in this field. This project was the first of its kind to be implemented in Minnesota.

In an effort to more fully understand the ecology of this species, this research attempts to provide vital information that will allow a better …

Food Habits Of The Hoary Bat In An Agricultural Landscape, Mathew K. Perlik, Brock R. Mcmillan, John D. Krenz

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Information on diets is fundamental to ecological studies. Prey use by the solitary, tree-roosting hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) in agricultural landscapes is not known. We examined the stomach contents and fecal material from carcasses of hoary bats collected during a mortality study at wind turbine sites in southwestern Minnesota. We compared diet of hoary bats to availability of prey to determine whether bats were opportunistic or selective. Food of the hoary bats primarily consisted of lepidopterans (moths; 49-50 %) and coleopterans (beetles; 28-40 %). The abundance of insects in the diet of hoary bats was not proportional to the estimated …

Minnesota Banded Darters (Etheostoma Zonale) Exhibit A High Degree Of Genetic Similarity In Mitochondrial Dna Sequences Occurrence, Jean Porterfield, Molly Fee, Jessica Theorin

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Hylogeography, or the historical interpretation of population genetic data, is a useful tool for addressing historical processes like the colonization history of organisms. North American freshwater fishes have experienced glacial ebb and flow in their relatively recent past (as little as 10,000 years before present in Minnesota), and studies of variation in intraspecific DNA sequences of these fishes can shed light on their radiations into previously glaciated areas. This study assessed intraspecific variation in two mitochondrial genes of the banded darter (Etheostoma zonale) from seven Minnesota localities. A high degree of similarity was found among all individuals in the study. …

A New Distributional Checklist Of Minnesota Fishes, With Comments On Historical Occurrence, Jay T. Hatch, Konrad P. Schmidt, Dann P. Siems, James C. Underhill, Robert A. Bellig, Richard A. Baker

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Historical documents, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources stream surveys, and the 66,000 record distributional database of the James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History (1879-2002) were used to produce a field-usable checklist of the 160 fish species known from Minnesota waters and waters shared with its boundary states and Canadian provinces. The checklist includes distribution by eight major drainages, the conservation status for each species, and reference to nomenclatural changes over the past 20 years. Fishes are arranged according to the latest interpretations of phylogenetic relationships among species and supraspecific taxa. New distributional information is presented for six species introduced …

Unusual Foraging Behavior By An Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciuridae: Sciurus Carolinensis) In An Urban Habitat, Brian S. Shaffer, Barry W. Baker

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

A unique observation of foraging by an Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is described. The squirrel was observed consuming insects that had been impacted on automobile radiators.

What We Know About Minnesota's First Endangered Fish Species: The Topeka Shiner, Jay T. Hatch

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

The Topeka shiner, Notropis topeka, is the first of Minnesota's native ichthyofauna to be classified as federally endangered. The species is in serious decline in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa but is far more common in Minnesota than once was thought. At present, it is known from 89 sites in 17 streams of the Missouri River Drainage. Topeka shiners are multiple-clutch spawning nest associates of sunfishes and reproduce over an eight- to ten-week period between late May and early August. Mean clutch size is 261 to 284. Longevity is three years. Males grow faster than females, reaching longer mean total …

Effect Of Human Disturbance On Small Mammal Communities In Itasca State Park, Minnesota, Nancy L. Staus, Kathleen Conforti, Leslie N. Clapper, Jennifer A. Longhenry, C. C. Schoenbauer, Michael S. Rentz, John R. Tester

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

We determined effects of different levels of human disturbance on small mammal richness and relative abundance from live-trapping data obtained in Itasca State Park in northwestern Minnesota. We developed a quantitative measure of human disturbance based on disturbance units and trapped small mammals on three study sites, each reflecting a different level of disturbance. Our data revealed that small mammal diversity decreased with increasing human disturbance. Amount of ground cover and litter depth also appeared to be important in explaining differences in the demographic patterns of small mammals among sites.

Effects Of Two (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquito Control Agents On Growth And Reproduction Of Red-Winged Blackbirds (Agelaius Phoeniceus), Joann M. Hanowski, Gerald J. Niemi, Ann R. Lima, Ronald R. Regal

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

We compared red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) reproductive success and nestling growth in 1988 in 10 wetland site treated with methoprene and 10 sites treated with Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) to 30 sites that had never received any mosquito (Diptera: culicidae) control treatment. No differences were detected between reference and treatment sites for clutch size, egg volume, growth rates, or fledge weight. The probability that an egg survived to the nestling stage was greater in methoprene-treated than reference sites. No other differences were detected among sites for reproductive success estimated using the Mayfield method. We conclude that treatment of the wetlands …

Identification Of Walleye X Sauger Hybrid By Isozyme Electrophoresis, J. E. Fulton, J. S. Otis, K. S. Guise

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Of 125 phenotypic walleye screened by isozyme electrophoresis, one unusual individual was detected and subsequently suspected of being a walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum) x sauger (S. canadense) hybrid. The isozyme pattern obtained for L-iditol dehydrogenase (IDDH, E.C. 1.1.1.14), phosphoglucomutase (PGM, E.C. 5.4.2.2) and a fast migrating aspartate aminotransferase (AAT, E.C. 2.6.1.1) isozyme showed that this individual had both walleye and sauger isozymes. Isozyme analyses is a useful technique for distinguishing walleye x sauger hybrids from parent species. This is the first report of alleles of the AAT* locus being species specific for sauger and walleye, and the first confirmed report …

Biological Processes: Relationships Between Earthworms And Soil Temperature, Edwin C. Berry, Jerry K. Radke

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Soil fauna play important roles in many soil processes and conditions which relate to agricultural systems. Earthworms are credited with enhancing soil fertility and soil physical properties by their feeding and burrowing activities. Most research on earthworms has focused on the warmer seasons of the year and relatively little is known about earthworm activity and survival during the portion of the year with frozen soils. Earthworms may survive winter by acclimatization, aestivation, or by burrowing to deeper depths where the soil is not frozen. More research is needed on the fate of earthworms in frozen soils. Suggested research areas include: …

The Impact Of Phorate On The Genetic Diversity Of Wetland Aquatic Invertebraes, M. A. Brinkman, W. G. Duffy, C. F. Facemire

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Impacts of the insecticide phorate on the genetic diversity of wetland invertebrates were investigated using field and laboratory studies in 1991. Electrophoretic methods were evaluated for revealing the impact of insecticides. Objectives were to determine the ability of electrophoresis to reveal the impact of phorate on invertebrates and to determine the influence of phorate on the genetic diversity in two common invertebrates. Amphipods, Hyallela azteca and mayflies, Callibaetis ferrugineus (Walsh) were placed in constructed mesocosms in wetlands and were exposed to varying amounts of phorate. Survivors and individuals from the parent population were genetically tested using cellulose acetate electrophoresis techniques. …

Scaled Chrysophytes From The Lake Itasca Region. Iii: Additions To The Flora, Huan M. Ngo, Daniel E. Wujek

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Eighteen localities within Itasca State Park, Minnesota, were sampled in 1987 and examined for silica-scaled chrysophytes. Sixteen species from six genera, including seven new reports for Minnesota, were observed. Brief comments on distribution are given for several species. Recent taxonomic revisions for a number of previously reported species from the Lake Itasca region are also discussed.

Fisheries And Environmental Research By The Minnesota Sea Grant College Program, Donald C. Mcnaught

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

ABSTRACT-Minnesota's Sea Grant College Program has funded research and outreach activities since 1977. Research results combined with public education setve the citizens, government, and businesses of the state. Research on commercial and sport fisheries, aquaculture, and environmental contamination is highlighted here. This article shows Sea Grant's contributions to understanding the Lake Superior ecosystem, including its chemical, biological, and human aspects.

Fishery Resource Of The Upper Mississippi River And Relationship To Stream Discharge, William A. Swenson, G. David Hebberling, Daniel J. Orr, Timothy D. Simonson

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

ABSTRACT-Fish population data collected through the Northern States Power Company monitoring program near its plants at Monticello and Becker, Minnesota were analyzed to describe species diversity, changes in recreational fishing, fishing success, and the influence of stream discharge on smallmouth bass year-class success and abundance. The work is part of a more extensive effort to develop a model applicable in managing the upper Mississippi River to meet the growing needs of recreation, agriculture, communities, and industry. Analysis of these data shows 48 species to be present and that smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu~ is the most important game species in the …

Northern And Southern Brook Lampreys (Ichthyomyzon Fossor And I. Gagei) In Minnesota, Philip A. Cochran, Timothy C. Pettinelli

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

ABSTRACT - The presence of two species of brook lampreys, genus lchtbyomyzon, in Minnesota was confirmed. The northern brook lamprey (1 f ossor) occurs in the Blackhoof River of the lake Superior drainage. The southern brook lamprey (1 gagei)was found in the St. Croix River drainage above Taylors Falls. At least three microhabitats are used by 1 gagei during its life cycle. Adults prior to spawning are found in crevices beneath boulders in deep, fast water; spawning is associated with gravel substrate at the head of riffies; and larvae burrow in fine substrate in quiet water. The reproductive biology of …

Breeding Bird Populations In A Proposed Wetland Treatment Area Of Northern Minnesota, Joann M. Hanowski, Gerald J. Niemi

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

A census of breeding bird populations was taken in a 40- hectare wetland near Biwabik, Minnesota, prior to the use of this wetland for phosphorus removal from treated wastewater. The wetland was comprised of four distinct habitat types: shrub swamp, black ash (Fraxinus nigra) forest, open coniferous forest, and closed coniferous forest. We used a line transect (about 4 km in length) to document species composition, relative species abundance, and habitat associations of the bird community. A total of816 individuals (mean= 204) and 45 species (mean = 34) were observed during four censuses in June and July, 1985. Two distinct …

Distribution, Habitat, And Status Of The Gilt Darter (Percina Evides) In Minnesota, J. T. Hatch

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

The distribution and habitat of gilt darter (Percina evides) populations in Minnesota were studied from 1977 through 1983. Gilt darters occurred only in the St. Croix River drainage in moderate to large rivers or near the mouths of large streams. In the late spring, gilt darters were found most often in cobble raceways of moderate to swift current, where they later spawned. Young-of-the-year occupied this same habitat until early fall, when they and the adults moved to deep, swift chutes of rubble riffles to overwinter. Gilt darters tended to associate with the deeper, swifter portions of raceways and riffles, and …

Nest Predators And Breeding Birds: Do Initial Vocalizations Correlate With Predator Type And Future Defense Strategy?, Bradley M. Gottfried, Michaela Haug, Kathryn Andrews

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

The initial vocalizations of breeding catbirds in response to predator models positioned at their nests were analyzed to determine if they were correlated with the type of later defense employed (attack model vs. no attack), intensity of defense, and type of predator model (snake vs. blue jay). Statistical differences were found in the types and numbers of vocalizations used in relation to type of nest predator and form of future defense. The data suggest that the initial catbird vocalizations may indeed encode a variety of information.

Recoveries Of Great Horned Owls Banded In Central Minnesota, Robert T. Bohm

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Although great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) are often considered permanent residents, data from band returns have shown that movements by this species do occur. In banding activities conducted in central Minnesota from 1967 through 1983, 329 great horned owls were banded and 24 (7.3 percent) recoveries were reported. Twelve of the 24 recoveries (50.0 percent) were made 15 kilometers or more from where the individuals were banded. Five of these recoveries ( 41.7 percent) were to the southeast. Of 23 owls recovered dead, eight (34 .8 percent) were reported only as "found dead," seven (30.4 percent) were found near highways …

Survival Strategies Of Invertebrates In Disturbed Aquatic Habitats, Rosemary J. Mackay

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Disturbance in aquatic habitats may be caused by drought, flood , changes in temperature, and unusual or unnatural introductions of particulate or dissolved substances from the surrounding land. Aquatic invertebrates survive disturbance by moving to a refuge or alternative habitat or by having resistant or specially protected stages in the life cycle. Some invertebrates are able to exploit the richer and more available food materials that may result from the disturbance. Most species in disturbed aquatic habitats are efficient colonizers; they combine one or more survival strategies with high powers of dispersal, rapid growth rates, and characteristics of ecological generalists.

Invertebrates Consumed By Dabbling Ducks (Anatinae) On The Breeding Grounds, George A. Swanson

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Foods consumed by dabbling ducks on the breeding grounds of south-central North Dakota were investigated during the spring and summer of 1967-80. Invertebrates dominated the diet of laying females. Animal foods comprised 99%, 72%, and 77% of the diet of laying blue-winged teal and northern shovelers, gadwalls, and mallards, and northern pintails, respectively. Factors that influence food selection include morphological adaptations for feeding, current physiological demands, the nutritional value of food items, and food availability. Preservation of waterfowl production habitat requires that the value of the wetland complex be recognized. Temporary, seasonal, and semi permanent wetlands provide abundant and highly …

Potential Effects Of Insecticides On The Survival Of Dabbling Duck Broods, Patrick W. Brown, Malcolm L. Hunter Jr.

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

The effect of insecticides on the survival of dabbling duck broods was investigated by reviewing studies of natural brood survival and depression of growth rates for ducklings raised on wetlands treated with insecticides. Ducklings raised on an insecticide-treated wetland took 5 days longer to reach the normal 14-day body weight. Normal brood mortality for three species of dabbling ducks was highest in the first two weeks of life and ranged from 25% to 51%. High mortality of young ducklings is probably related to their small size. Thus, mortality rates could be in creased to 35% to 70% because of the …

Mosquito Control And Minnesota Amphibians, Tom R. Johnson

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Minnesota has 19 species of amphibians. Most of these animals have habitat requirements that include natural marshes, woodland ponds, and temporary pools. Amphibians need a stable and unpolluted environment. Changes in the pH of marshes or other aquatic habitats can be detrimental to Minnesota's amphibians. Habitat loss through the draining of marshes will be especially damaging. Several questions concerning mosquito control and its effects on amphibians need to be addressed.

The Response Of Invertebrates In Temporary Vernal Wetlands To Altosid Sr-10 As Used In Mosquito Abatement Programs, Ronald W. Lawrenz

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Three temporary vernal wetlands on the Bayport Wildlife Management Area in eastern Washington County, Minnesota, were divided by sandbag barrier into treatment and control areas. Designated areas were treated with Altosid® SR-10 briquets at standard mosquito control rates. Invertebrate populations were monitored weekly using net sweeps, column samples, and ocular estimates.

The development of Eubranchtpus bundyi, Lyncerus sp, and Daphnia sp., the three major components of the invertebrate fauna, was delayed by as much as one week in site 47. Similar developmental lags were noted for E. bundyi populations in the treated portions of sites 6 and 32. Delay of …

Fish Culture In Minnesota Farm Ponds, Meredith O. Murnyak, Dennis F. Murnyak

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

This paper presents the results of a three year research and extension project in fish farming in central Minnesota. Fifty-seven farm ponds were stocked with one or more of the following species: channel catfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, yellow bullheads, bluegill sunfish, and black crappie. Several stocking densities with and without supplemental feeding were tested. The results indicate that when intensively managed, ponds over 0.05 hectare in size and 1 meter in depth are suitable for the production of food fish. Production of harvestable-size fish is possible during a single season when large fingerlings are stocked in early spring. Trout …

Avian Use Of Nest Boxes In Minnesota Farmstead Shelterbelts, Richard H. Yahner

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

A study of nest box use from November through August by birds in Minnesota farmstead shelterbelts was initiated subsequent to a two-year study showing that cavity-dependent species were absent from shelterbelts during winter and spring. The purpose of the study was to determine use of nest boxes by birds in shelterbelts otherwise devoid of cavities for roosting and nesting purposes. Fifteen of 22 boxes (68%) were used as nest sites in spring and summer by house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) and black-capped chickadees (Parus atricapillus). Neither nested In the shelterbelts before the nest boxes were available. Red-breasted nuthatches (Sitta canadensis) roosted …

The Distribution, Ecology And Growth Of The Chestnut Lamprey, Ichthyomyzon Castaneus, In The Clearwater River, Minnesota, Charles S. Holt, Paul A. Durkee

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

This study dealt primarily with the ammocoete stage of the chestnut lamprey, lchthyamyzan castaneus (Girard). The population estimate for ammocoetes in the 25.5 m2 section studied was 540 individuals. The lengths of 452 ammocoetes collected ranged from 42 to 164 mm. A total of 213 chestnut lampreys were retained for laboratory study. Twenty of these were adults with an average length of 136.8 mm (range= 125 mm to 191 mm). Six age classes of ammocoetes were determined. An average increase in body length of recaptured ammocoetes of 2.9 mm was observed during the summers of 1980 and 1981. The habitat …