Biodiversity Commons^™

Trends In Borrelia Spp. Prevalence In Ixodes Spp. Ticks From The Southeastern Coastal United States, Lauren Paul Maestas

Masters Theses

The Lyme borreliosis (LB) cycle, involving Ixodes scapularis and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (Bbss), is well documented in the northeastern US, where LB is becoming increasingly prevalent. In coastal North Carolina, I. affinis has been shown to have a higher incidence of Bbss than I. scapularis. My objectives were, to assess changes in prevalence of Bbss in Ixodes spp. along a transect from Virginia to Florida, and to assess the value of dogs and mesomammals as sentinels for spread of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.

Ixodes spp. were collected at sites from 37.4^o N to 30.0^{o …}

The World’S Deepest Subterranean Community - Krubera-Voronja Cave (Western Caucasus), Alberto Sendra, Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

Ana Sofia P.S. Reboleira

Subsurface biota extends over a wide variety of habitats that can be spatially interconnected. The largest communities of this subsurface biota inhabit cavities and are well known mainly in caves where biologists are able to have access. Data about deep subterranean communities and arthropods living under one thousand meters was unknown. An expedition to world’s deepest cave, Krubera-Voronja in Western Caucasus, revealed an interesting subterranean community, living below 2000 meters and represented by more than 12 species of arthropods, including several new species for science. This deep cave biota is composed of troglobionts and also epigean species, that can penetrate …

Ant Community Dynamics And The Effects Of Global Warming, Katharine Lisa Stuble

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to provide an understanding of how species coexist and, further, how climate change may alter communities by acting on the mechanisms that promote coexistence. Specifically, I examined coexistence among ant species in eastern deciduous forests and the effects that warming may have on foraging activity. Through a series of field observations, I sought evidence for the importance of four of the most commonly cited mechanisms for coexistence among ant species: the dominance – discovery tradeoff, the dominance – thermal tolerance tradeoff, spatial segregation, and niche partitioning. In this system, I did not find evidence for any of …

Invertebrate Communities Of Groundwater-Dependent Refugia With Varying Hydrology And Riparian Cover During A Supraseasonal Drought, Rosemary A. Burk, James H. Kennedy

Rosemary A. Burk

Extreme disturbances eliminate aquatic biota and alter community structure and function. During a supraseasonal drought in north-central Texas in the summer and fall 2006, macroinvertebrate communities from persistent groundwater-dependent macrohabitats of varying hydrology and riparian shading were investigated to study their role as invertebrate refugia, and to characterize the taxonomic and functional community structure of benthic assemblages. Ash Creek was the only stream with surface flow within a 35-km radius during the drought. Two perennial and three intermittent stream sites were studied that included perennial riffles, a perennial pool, shaded disconnected pools, and disconnected pools in full sun. Riffles had …

Interactions Between Pieris Oleracea And Pieris Rapae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) Butterflies, And The Biological Control Agents Cotesia Glomerata And Cotesia Rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)., Megan V. Herlihy

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Pieris oleracea, formerly Pieries napi, was once a widespread pierid butterfly in New England until the introduction of a biological control agent, Cotesia glomerata. It has been suggested that C. glomerata is responsible for the range reduction of P. oleracea. There are been several introductions of a second more specialized biological control agent, Cotesia rubecula, to the United States since the 1960’s. My first goal was to determine the current distribution and status of P. rapae parasitoids and the effectiveness of C. rubecula as a biological control agent since its release. The findings of a survey …

Examining The Causes Of Rarity For The Odonata Of Illinois, Miranda R. White, Paul V. Switzer

Paul V. Switzer

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) play an important role in habitat management and conservation, but our understanding of the causes of commonness versus rarity in this group is limited. In this study we examined the causes of rarity for the Odonata of Illinois. Using S-ratings for conservation status and published habitat classifications for Illinois odonates, we investigated whether habitat type (lotic versus lentic) or habitat specificity (whether they were limited to a specific type of aquatic habitat) was related to commonness. We found that lotic species and habitat specialists were more likely to be rare than lentic and generalist species. More …

Examining The Causes Of Rarity For The Odonata Of Illinois, Miranda R. White, Paul V. Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) play an important role in habitat management and conservation, but our understanding of the causes of commonness versus rarity in this group is limited. In this study we examined the causes of rarity for the Odonata of Illinois. Using S-ratings for conservation status and published habitat classifications for Illinois odonates, we investigated whether habitat type (lotic versus lentic) or habitat specificity (whether they were limited to a specific type of aquatic habitat) was related to commonness. We found that lotic species and habitat specialists were more likely to be rare than lentic and generalist species. More …

Examining The Causes Of Rarity For The Odonata Of Illinois, Miranda White, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) play an important role in habitat management and conservation, but our understanding of the causes of commonness versus rarity in this group is limited. In this study we examined the causes of rarity for the Odonata of Illinois. Using S-ratings for conservation status and published habitat classifications for Illinois odonates, we investigated whether habitat type (lotic versus lentic) or habitat specificity (whether they were limited to a specific type of aquatic habitat) was related to commonness. We found that lotic species and habitat specialists were more likely to be rare than lentic and generalist species. More …

Anthropogenic Impacts Of Irrigation On The Arthropod Community Structure Of A Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat In Los Angeles, Victor D. Carmona

Victor D. Carmona-Galindo

We evaluated the effects of an irrigation system on the community structure of arthropods in a coastal sage scrub chaparral habitat. We placed 5 traps in the irrigated site and 5 traps in control site, for a total of 10 sticky traps (using Tree Tanglefoot) in an area adjacent to Ballona Wetlands in Los Angeles, California. The traps were set at the irrigated and non-irrigated site on Telegraph Weed for one week. Results showed that morphospecies richness, relative abundance, and taxonomic order representation were higher at the control site than at the irrigated site. Our study documents how anthropogenic impacts …