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Full-Text Articles in Biology

The Effects Of Locomotor Posture On Kinematics, Performance And Behavior During Obstacle Negotiation In Lizards, Jessica Self Oct 2012

The Effects Of Locomotor Posture On Kinematics, Performance And Behavior During Obstacle Negotiation In Lizards, Jessica Self

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability to efficiently move over uneven terrain is critical for most terrestrial animals. Bipedal running is common in lizard species, however the biological advantage of a bipedal running posture remains uncertain. I examined the hypothesis that a bipedal posture is advantageous when crossing obstacles. Particularly, I determined whether kinematic adjustments differ among four focal species with contrasting body forms and ecology. I also examined how sprint speed changed when crossing obstacles with a quadrupedal versus a bipedal posture. I quantified kinematics from high-speed video (300 frames/second) of lizards running down a 3m runway both with and without the presence …


Influence Of Substrate And Hydraulic Variables On Habitat Preferences Of A Sculptured And An Unsculptured Freshwater Mussel, Daniel Goodding Apr 2012

Influence Of Substrate And Hydraulic Variables On Habitat Preferences Of A Sculptured And An Unsculptured Freshwater Mussel, Daniel Goodding

Biology Theses

Freshwater mussels of the family Unionidae in North America have been in decline for at least the past 150 years. Major causes behind the decline are thought to be related to alteration or loss of habitat. Recent efforts by researchers have focused on understanding habitat associations of mussels so that more effective conservation efforts can be applied. Recent studies have identified variables that limit mussel community distributions. These variables are a combination of substrate and hydraulic variables that are associated with substrate stability. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested mussel studies are most informative at larger spatial scales and at high …