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Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

University of South Florida

2017

Articles 1 - 10 of 10

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Ecological Epigenetics Of Avian Range Expansions, Holly J. Kilvitis Nov 2017

Ecological Epigenetics Of Avian Range Expansions, Holly J. Kilvitis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In light of human-mediated environmental change, a fundamental goal for biologists is to determine which phenotypic characteristics enable some individuals, populations or species to be more adept at coping with such change, while rendering others more vulnerable. Studying ongoing range expansions provide a unique opportunity to address this question by allowing documentation of how novel environments shape phenotypic variation on ecological timescales. At range-edges, individuals are exposed to strong selective pressures and population genetic challenges (e.g. bottlenecks and/or founder effects), which make genetic adaptation difficult. Nevertheless, certain species, such as the house sparrow (Passer domesticus), seem to thrive in their …

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Bioleaching Potential Of Filamentous Fungi To Mobilize Lithium And Cobalt From Spent Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries, Aldo Lobos Nov 2017

Bioleaching Potential Of Filamentous Fungi To Mobilize Lithium And Cobalt From Spent Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries, Aldo Lobos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Demand for lithium (Li) and cobalt (Co) is on the rise, due in part to their increased use in rechargeable Li-ion batteries (RLIB). Current recycling processes that utilize chemical leaching efficiently recover in Li and Co from the cathode material in spent batteries; however, these processes are costly and emit hazardous waste into the environment. Therefore, a more sustainable process for recycling Li and Co is needed, and bioleaching may provide a solution. Fungal bioleaching has been shown in previous studies to effectively mobilize metals (Pb, Al, Mn, Cu, and Zn) from mine tailings, electronic scrap, and spent batteries with …

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Reef Fish Biodiversity In The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Megan E. Hepner Nov 2017

Reef Fish Biodiversity In The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Megan E. Hepner

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The biological diversity of reef-fish in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) from 1999 – 2016 was evaluated in terms of abundance, biomass, species richness, evenness, Shannon diversity, Simpson diversity, and functional diversity, using observations collected by multiple agencies and institutions under the Reef Visual Census (RVC) program. To compare the different diversity indices species richness, Shannon diversity, Simpson diversity, and functional diversity were converted into effective number of species. I examined the seven indices by no-take marine zones, in seven benthic habitat strata, and across the three-distinct geographic subregions in the Florida Keys domain (Upper, Middle, and Lower …

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Response To Nitrogen And Salinity Conditions In Rhizophora Mangle Seedlings Varies By Site Of Origin, Kristen L. Langanke Oct 2017

Response To Nitrogen And Salinity Conditions In Rhizophora Mangle Seedlings Varies By Site Of Origin, Kristen L. Langanke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many coastal plant species thrive across a range of environmental conditions, often displaying dramatic phenotypic variation in response to environmental variation. We characterized the response of the critical foundation species Rhizophora mangle L. to full factorial combinations of salt and nitrogen (N). We used seedlings collected from five populations and measured traits related to salt tolerance and N amendment. The response to increasing salt included significant plasticity in succulence, leaf mass area (LMA), and root to shoot ratio (R:S). Seedlings also showed overall reduced maximum photosynthetic rate in response to N amendment, but this response depended on the level of …

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Spatial And Temporal Variation In Mangrove Distribution (1950-2014) In Tampa, Florida Usa, Carolyn Cheatham Rhodes Jun 2017

Spatial And Temporal Variation In Mangrove Distribution (1950-2014) In Tampa, Florida Usa, Carolyn Cheatham Rhodes

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I carried out an observational study of historic high resolution aerial imagery spanning six decades (1950-2014) to identify recent and historic spatial extent of mangrove forests, within the municipal boundaries of the City of Tampa, Florida USA. My objectives were to map mangrove distribution and spatial extent and any change or patterns of change discernable. I observed variable patterns of change and rates of expansion varied between sites spatially as well as within sites between time intervals. I found notable changes in mangrove extent in the Tampa from historic and modern aerial imagery for the ~64-year period between 1950 and …

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Epigenetic Response To Challenging Environmental Conditions, Marta Robertson Jun 2017

Epigenetic Response To Challenging Environmental Conditions, Marta Robertson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The discovery of epigenetic mechanisms has ignited speculation into their role in ecological and evolutionary processes. In particular, the contribution of epigenetic variation to adaptation or phenotypic plasticity that is distinct from genetic variation would be an important addition to existing evolutionary mechanisms. Although the research of epigenetic mechanisms from an ecological and evolutionary (or eco-evolutionary) perspective has been growing, it is still unclear how epigenetic variation might function in natural populations and settings and to what extent it might serve to mediate population response to changing environmental conditions over time. Over the course of my dissertation, I explored the …

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Mitigating The Conflict Between Pitfall-Trap Sampling And Conservation Of Terrestrial Subterranean Communities In Caves, Peter Kozel, Tanja Pipan, Nina Šajna, Slavko Polak, Tone Novak May 2017

Mitigating The Conflict Between Pitfall-Trap Sampling And Conservation Of Terrestrial Subterranean Communities In Caves, Peter Kozel, Tanja Pipan, Nina Šajna, Slavko Polak, Tone Novak

International Journal of Speleology

Subterranean habitats are known for their rich endemic fauna and high vulnerability to disturbance. Many methods and techniques are used to sample the biodiversity of terrestrial invertebrate fauna in caves, among which pitfall trapping remains one of the most frequently used and effective ones. However, this method has turned out to be harmful to subterranean communities if applied inappropriately. Traditionally, pitfall traps have been placed in caves solely on the ground. Here we present an optimized technique of pitfall trapping to achieve a balance between sampling completeness and minimal disturbance of the fauna in the cave. Monthly we placed traps …

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Taxonomy, Ecology, And Behavior Of The Kleptoplastic Sea Slug Elysia Papillosa, William Alan Gowacki Mar 2017

Taxonomy, Ecology, And Behavior Of The Kleptoplastic Sea Slug Elysia Papillosa, William Alan Gowacki

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sacoglossan sea slugs are one of the best known examples of specialist herbivores in the marine environment and can be found strongly associated with their algal hosts and food sources. Perhaps the most intriguing characteristic of many sacoglossans is their ability to sequester functional chloroplasts from their algal food sources in a process called kleptoplasty. Despite this, there continues to be issues regarding taxonomic identification of species. In turn, the ecological characteristics of many of these slugs, such as algal host and food source preference, as well as their behavioral aspects, have received little attention. A prime example of these …

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Zonation Pattern And Spatial Arrangement Of A Geukensia Granosissima Population In A Mixed Mangrove Forest Of Tampa Bay, Derrick Shane Hudson Mar 2017

Zonation Pattern And Spatial Arrangement Of A Geukensia Granosissima Population In A Mixed Mangrove Forest Of Tampa Bay, Derrick Shane Hudson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Here I provide the first report on Geukensia granosissima patterns of abundance along a tidal gradient within a mixed mangrove stand located in Tampa Bay, Florida, USA. Specifically, I examined 1) the relationship between G. granosissima size and density with mangrove root type (e.g. prop root, pneumatophore), and of density within the intertidal zones; and 2) the possible role of predation in shaping the lower zonation patterns displayed. Transect surveys located along the lower and upper population limit boundaries were conducted every two months over a ten-month period. Variables measured include size distribution, density of mussels, above ground mangrove prop …

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Land Use, Stream Stability, And Benthic Invertebrates In A Dry Forest Watershed Of Western Costa Rica, Jacqueline Ann Demko Mar 2017

Land Use, Stream Stability, And Benthic Invertebrates In A Dry Forest Watershed Of Western Costa Rica, Jacqueline Ann Demko

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is a paucity of data on dry forests, the most threatened biome in the tropics. The Nandamojo is a tropical dry forest watershed in Western Costa Rica that has been impacted by varying degrees of human induced modifications. This research was conducted to examine the influence of land use and channel characteristics on invertebrate communities within a sub basin of the Nandamojo watershed. This study addressed three hypotheses: (1) sites with low tree cover and small riparian buffer zones will have high erosion, (2) macroinvertebrate abundance will be lower at sites with low channel stability values, and (3) benthic …

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