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Full-Text Articles in Biology
Lizard Communities In A Shifting Landscape: The Current State Of Insectivorous Lizard Communities In The Jornada Basin Between Grassland, Mesquite Dune, And Creosote Bush Habitats In A Semi-Arid Landscape Undergoing Shrubification, Julie Marie Schlichte
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
Lizard communities in arid lands can act as model systems of how diversity and abundance are impacted in the face of ongoing climate variability and change, as they are sensitive to shifts in precipitation, temperature, and changing vegetation structure. The main research question we hope to answer is how the community composition of lizards varies between dominant vegetation types (Mesquite dunes, grasslands, and Creosote Bush flats). Nine sites (3 of each dominant vegetation type) with 16 pitfall traps each (n = 144) were surveyed from June 2016 -- June 2017. 12 lizard species were captured, consisting of 923 total captures …
Nutritional Ecology Of The Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon Piscivorus Leucostoma), Jason Ortega
Nutritional Ecology Of The Western Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon Piscivorus Leucostoma), Jason Ortega
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Nutritional ecology aims to understand the factors that shape the diets of animals, how these ingested meals are processed, and how the assimilated nutrients are used to shape an organism’s interactions with its environment. As environmental parameters are altered due to anthropogenic changes, the availability and quality of prey may be altered. The alteration of the nutritional landscape can be devastating to nutritional specialists, yet generalist predators may be able to cope with these changes. The western cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma) is a unique semiaquatic pitviper that can both forage along the land-water interface and in upland habitat when faced …
The Effects Of Anthropogenic Modification To The Landscape On Turtle Distribution And Health In South Dakota, Anna C. Kase
The Effects Of Anthropogenic Modification To The Landscape On Turtle Distribution And Health In South Dakota, Anna C. Kase
Dissertations and Theses
The Missouri River is a dynamic ecosystem that has been affected by anthropogenic modification and activity. The implementation of mainstem dams, reservoir formation, pollution, and non-native species invasions have greatly impacted this habitat and its constituents, particularly the false map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica). False map turtles are listed as a state threatened species in South Dakota and a focused large-scale assessment of their distribution and health has not been conducted since the 1960s. To address the gap in knowledge of how anthropogenic modifications to the Missouri River have impacted false map turtle distributions and health, the effect of a common …
Monitoring Relationships Between Corticosterone And Snake Fungal Disease In Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus) In Western Kentucky, John Bromley Hewlett
Monitoring Relationships Between Corticosterone And Snake Fungal Disease In Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Horridus) In Western Kentucky, John Bromley Hewlett
Murray State Theses and Dissertations
Over the past four decades, emergent fungal diseases have been the most devastating relative to species declines and extinctions. While most research has focused on fungal diseases affecting amphibians and bats, less has focused on diseases like snake fungal disease (SFD), caused by Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo). SFD was first described in 2006 in North America within a Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) population in New Hampshire. Since then SFD has been documented in 19 US states, one US territory (Puerto Rico), and Europe. SFD causes high mortality in some species, including the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus …
Prevalence Of Snake Fungal Disease Caused By Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola In East Texas, Alan Lizarraga
Prevalence Of Snake Fungal Disease Caused By Ophidiomyces Ophiodiicola In East Texas, Alan Lizarraga
Biology Theses
Fungal pathogens and resultant disease are credited with the decline of many species across all branches of the tree of life. Fungal diseases such as Snake Fungal Disease (SFD), primarily caused by the fungus Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola (Oo), have been strongly associated with the cause of the decrease/disappearance of many snake populations in North America. To date SFD in the wild has been described as far southwest as central Louisiana. Due to similar conditions and the proximity of East Texas to central Louisiana, a survey of local snake populations provided crucial information about the spread and presence of this emerging pathogen. …
An Evaluation Of The Bgsu Herpetarium As An Educational Tool, Katherine Herzog
An Evaluation Of The Bgsu Herpetarium As An Educational Tool, Katherine Herzog
Honors Projects
The goal of this research was to evaluate the impact of the BGSU Herpetarium on students, both as a means of academic success and preparation for the workforce. The Herpetarium offers undergraduate students the chance to volunteer, serve in leadership positions, conduct research, and develop a network of like-minded peers and faculty. Because of the great opportunities for student involvement, we hypothesized that the Herpetarium would prove successful in positively impacting students’ college experiences and leave them better prepared to graduate and take their next steps. To assess these impacts, a variety of qualitative and quantitative data was collected. Six …
Diversification On Continents And Islands: A Herpetological Perspective, Kyle Anthony O'Connell
Diversification On Continents And Islands: A Herpetological Perspective, Kyle Anthony O'Connell
Biology Dissertations
This dissertation seeks to understand the geological and climatological processes that have promoted diversification on continental and island systems. Using molecular genetic data generated using Sanger sequencing and Next Generation Sequencing platforms, I conduct phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses, estimate gene flow, and conduct species delimitation. Using these analyses, I explore diversification processes on continents and islands using reptile and amphibian systems. In Chapter 2 I evaluate the role of geographical features to whipsnake diversification. Chapter 3 resolves the taxonomy of several poorly understood whipsnakes species and tests the effect of missing data on species delimitation. Chapter 4 investigates the biogeographical …
Herpetological Collections At Pittsburg State University: Assessing Collecting Patterns And Analysis Of Spatial And Temporal Origin Of Specimens., Natalia Agostini Schneider
Herpetological Collections At Pittsburg State University: Assessing Collecting Patterns And Analysis Of Spatial And Temporal Origin Of Specimens., Natalia Agostini Schneider
Electronic Theses & Dissertations
Natural History Collections are a rich source of biological data. Each specimen contains data for that species’ presence for a specific location and time, providing researchers with essential biological information. Importantly, this information can be preserved and re-evaluated for hundreds of years. To maintain specimens through time, good curation protocols are essential. The Herpetology Collection (henceforth HC) at Pittsburg State University houses 1,631 specimens, representing 181 species and subspecie collected from 23 U.S. states, Mexico and Manitoba, Canada. The majority of specimens (78.6%) were collected from the four-state area (Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma). Specimens collected exclusively in Kansas comprise …
The Reptile Gut Microbiome: Its Role In Host Evolution And Community Assembly, Timothy John Colston
The Reptile Gut Microbiome: Its Role In Host Evolution And Community Assembly, Timothy John Colston
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
I characterize the endogenous (gut) microbiome of Squamate reptiles, with a particular focus on the suborder Serpentes, and investigate the influence of the microbiome on host evolution and community assembly using samples I collected across three continents in the New and Old World. I developed novel methods for sampling the microbiomes of reptiles and summarized the current literature on non-mammalian gut microbiomes. In addition to establishing a standardized method of collecting and characterizing reptile microbiomes I made novel contributions to the future direction of the burgeoning field of host-associated microbiome research. Through persistent and rigorous fieldwork I amassed the largest …
Response Of Leukocyte Profiles To Corticosterone Manipulation In The Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus Viridus), Jill E. Guillette
Response Of Leukocyte Profiles To Corticosterone Manipulation In The Prairie Rattlesnake (Crotalus Viridus), Jill E. Guillette
Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses
Prior work has shown that when animals are stressed they have altered leukocyte profiles. The use of leukocyte profiles could provide an inexpensive and efficient method for determining stress. Here we present a validation of the use of leukocyte profiles for showing induced stress in Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridus). Snakes (N=19) with masses ranging from 682g to 137g were used in a repeated measures design to examine the effect of hormone manipulation on leukocyte profiles. During each trial snakes were dosed with either corticosterone and sesame oil (1.1µg/g) or only sesame oil. Prior to dosing, baseline blood samples …
The Biotic Effects Of Tertiary Geoclimatic Change In The Southern Hemisphere, Stuart Val Nielsen
The Biotic Effects Of Tertiary Geoclimatic Change In The Southern Hemisphere, Stuart Val Nielsen
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
I explore how pre-Quaternary geoclimatic phenomena and geographical heterogeneity influenced sub-continental speciation processes and contemporary biogeographic patterns across the Southern Hemisphere, with particular focus on two regions that have experienced elevated levels of ongoing aridification – sub-Saharan (particularly Southern) Africa and Australia. I used standard methods from the molecular phylogeneticists’ toolbox (e.g. tree building using maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches, haplotype networks, uncorrected p-distances) combined with environmental niche modeling, morphometric principal components and fossil calibrated molecular dating analyses in order to ascertain the role that Miocene geo-climatic events played in promoting lineage accumulation and diversification through time. I found a …
Availability And Quality Of Vegetation Affects Reproduction Of The Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) In Improved Pastures, Anna Louise Hathaway
Availability And Quality Of Vegetation Affects Reproduction Of The Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) In Improved Pastures, Anna Louise Hathaway
USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations
As part of a state-funded Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus Daudin) translocation project, I monitored actively grazed improved pastures to determine if they could serve as suitable recipient sites for the threatened Gopher Tortoise displaced by human development. For cattle ranches to be considered suitable recipient sites females must be able to acquire sufficient energy to produce a clutch of viable eggs, and sufficiently high quality vegetation must be available to support juvenile recruitment into the population. Vegetation surveys were conducted to determine the composition and percent cover of plant species, especially those containing high amounts of nutrients, specifically nitrogen. Resident …
Spatial Ecology Of The Trans-Pecos Rat Snake (Bogertophis Subocularis) In The Chihuahuan Desert Of Trans-Pecos Texas, Arturo Rocha
Spatial Ecology Of The Trans-Pecos Rat Snake (Bogertophis Subocularis) In The Chihuahuan Desert Of Trans-Pecos Texas, Arturo Rocha
Open Access Theses & Dissertations
The Trans-Pecos Rat Snake (Bogertophis subocularis) is a medium to large rat snake that occurs from south-central New Mexico, south-central Texas, down into the north-central and northeastern states of Mexico. There is paucity in the ecology of B. subocularis to date. Some North American colubrid snakes, such as Thamnophis sirtalis, are the most represented species in thermal ecology and life history studies in all reptiles. There is nothing known on the winter ecological aspects of this species, and very little information regarding its overall ecology. The goal of this study is to determine home range, movement patterns, habitats and utilization …
Distribution Of The Herpetofauna Of Kentucky., Symoine Kamin Laufe
Distribution Of The Herpetofauna Of Kentucky., Symoine Kamin Laufe
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Although the herpetofauna of Kentucky is extensive and varied. it has received much less attention than that of most other states. Many herpetologists have reported on various phases of the state's amphibians and reptiles, but for the most part these reports are discrete, either pertaining to a collection, or a generic or specific study. Hence, there is no single adequate work which aptly describes the herpetology of Kentucky as a whole. When one realizes the keystone position of Kentucky in relation to northern and southern forms, the need of a zoogeographical summary of the state becomes even more apparent. Therefore, …