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Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Eternal Enemies, Or Incidental Encounters? Structure And Patterns Of Interspecific Killing In Carnivora, Tor G. Bertin
Eternal Enemies, Or Incidental Encounters? Structure And Patterns Of Interspecific Killing In Carnivora, Tor G. Bertin
Theses and Dissertations
Lethal interactions between carnivorans (interspecific killing) may influence their population dynamics, behavior, and other important aspects of their ecology. In this study, I expand upon previous research on the broad-scale patterns of interspecific killing in Carnivora (Palomares & Caro 1999, Donadio & Buskirk 2006) with a greatly expanded dataset (inclusion of scat and stomach data and more intensive sampling of the literature), and suggest avenues for future research. While like previous studies, I found a positive effect of relative body size between killer species and killed species on the likelihood of forming a killing interaction, I failed to find evidence …
Emergent Interactions Influence Functional Traits And Success Of Dune Building Ecosystem Engineers, Joseph K. Brown
Emergent Interactions Influence Functional Traits And Success Of Dune Building Ecosystem Engineers, Joseph K. Brown
Theses and Dissertations
Stability of coastal systems are threatened by oceanic and atmospheric drivers of climate change. Sea-level rise compounded with increased frequency and intensity of storms emphasizes need for protection of inner island systems by dune formations. Dune building processes are affected by interactions between growth of ecosystem engineering dune grasses and environmental factors associated with disturbance such as sand burial and salt spray. Climate change may also cause latitudinal expansion of some species, resulting in emergence of competitive interactions that were previously absent. Topographic structure of coastlines, traditionally influenced by sand burial, could change as a result of competition emergence. My …
Contribution Of Lianas To Plant Area Index And Canopy Structure In A Panamanian Forest, Maria Elizabeth Rodriguez-Ronderos
Contribution Of Lianas To Plant Area Index And Canopy Structure In A Panamanian Forest, Maria Elizabeth Rodriguez-Ronderos
Theses and Dissertations
Lianas are an important component of tropical forests, where they reduce tree growth, fecundity and survival. Competition for light among plants may be intense; however the amount of light that lianas intercept is poorly understood. We used a large-scale liana removal experiment to quantify light interception by lianas in a Panamanian secondary forest. We measured the change in plant area index (PAI) and forest structure six weeks after cutting lianas in eight 80x80 m plots and in eight control plots, and then annually for four years. We used ground-based LiDAR to measure the 3-dimensional canopy structure before cutting lianas and …