Biology Commons^™

Landscape Of Stress: Does Drought Prevail Over Anthropogenic Activity In Influencing Cortisol Levels And Fitness In The Pacific Fisher?, Jennifer R. Kordosky

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fishers (Pekania pennanti) are a species of concern in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone released to mobilize energy in response to stress and has been used as an indication of an individual’s physiological response to its environment. By collecting samples of fisher hair and measuring an individual’s cortisol, we examined the physiological stress response of the animals to human disturbances (housing density, road density, habitat type, and silvicultural treatements) and drought (tree mortality) in their home ranges. Using AICc model selection, we found that levels of tree mortality within a fisher’s home …

Natural History, Demography, And Home Range Characteristics Of A Southern California Population Of Phrynosoma Mcallii Inhabiting Atypical Habitat, Kirk Setser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Phrynosoma mcallii inhabiting a topographically complex, sparsely vegetated, "mudhill" terrain site in southern California in 1999 and 2000 had low mortality rates, and small clutch sizes compared to previous data from this species. Females likely produced a single clutch of eggs in each year. Although this population occurs near a heavily used OHV trail, I did not detect any mortality due to OHV use.

Lizards did not center home ranges on obvious habitat features. Lizards maintained smaller home ranges and exhibited greater range fidelity than did lizards at other sites in other years. Phrynosoma mcallii share many area-use characters with …

Home Range (?) Of The Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard Phrynosoma Mcallii, Peggy Anderson Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Area used by male and female Phrynosoma mcallii (Hallowell) was studied in a population located on the Barry M. Goldwater Aerial Gunnery Range near Yuma, Arizona. Area used by males and females shifted through time and did not fit the definition of home range. Summer male and female area used was not significantly different (F=2.625, df=1, P=0.131), but male areas used were significantly larger for 15-day time periods (F=9.67, P=0.0003). Males overlapped the area they occupied in consecutive 15-day time periods more often than did females. Female area used never overlapped within a 15-day time period. Male area used overlapped …