Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Metabolism And Decomposition Rates From 5 Lake Superior Tributaries, 2018-2019, Renn Schipper, Michelle Kelly, Amy Marcarelli

Michigan Tech Research Data

Ecosystem respiration (ER), and decomposition are fundamental processes driving carbon cycling in streams. Most studies examine rates of autotrophic respiration (AR) and heterotrophic respiration (HR) together as ecosystem respiration (ER), even though these two processes are carried out by different groups of organisms, and these processes, alongside decomposition, may respond differently to ongoing changes in environmental factors. We measured metabolism (gross primary production and ER) and decomposition at eight sites in four streams in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan across gradients of canopy cover and DOC concentrations. We estimated AR and HR using quantile regression and used predictive modeling to …

Ecological Studies Of Wolves On Isle Royale, Sarah Hoy, Rolf O. Peterson, John A. Vucetich

Ecological Studies of Wolves on Isle Royale

Annual Report 2022-2023

Under Ice Photosynthetic Primary Production And Dark Carbon Fixation In A Temperate Freshwater System, Vanessa Cubillos Tellez

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Ice-covered lakes are vulnerable to environmental change, especially those in the Northern Hemisphere where ice cover is rapidly declining due to global warming. These changes can alter metabolic processes and disrupt carbon cycling driven by primary producers who form the base of the food chain and are key to sustaining ecosystem function. Photosynthetic primary production and dark carbon fixation under the ice in the Keweenaw Waterway, a temperate freshwater system that is ice-covered for ~3 months out of the year, were studied using a carbon isotopic labeling (14C-bicarbonate) technique. Water samples were collected weekly during ice cover and monthly during …

White-Tailed Deer In A Winter-Wonderland: Long-Term Deer Yard Use And Methodological Considerations For Ungulate Fecal Dna Metabarcoding, Melanie A. Ottino

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Northern white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) mitigate the increased energetic costs of severe winter conditions through obligate migration to densely congregated areas with abundant conifer cover, a behavior referred to as yarding. “Deer yards” in the Western Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan are principally located within the reduced snowpack and increased ambient temperature microclimates of densely canopied eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) stands, but specific drivers of long-term site fidelity and utilization are largely uncharacterized. As an important game species of high economic and cultural value and a keystone herbivore with critical impact of plant community composition and structure, identifying winter yarding …

Tropical Plant Physiological Responses To Experimental Warming And Hurricane Disturbance, Robert Tunison

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Tropical forests exchange more carbon with the atmosphere than any other biome, but their responses to climate change are largely understudied. The work presented in this dissertation uses a tropical understory warming experiment that was hit by a hurricane disturbance to investigate how plant physiology responds to multiple types of climate change pressures. We measured the potential for root respiration, leaf photosynthesis & respiration, and leaf thermotolerance acclimation to experimental warming while recovering from hurricane disturbance. We found there was thermal acclimation via decreased ecosystem root respiration, increased photosynthetic thermal niche breadth, and decreased quantum efficiency for some species at …

Characterization Of Vernal Pools Across National Parks In The Great Lakes Region, Samantha R. Kurkowski

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Vernal pools are small, ephemeral wetlands that become inundated each spring and provide many ecosystem services to the surrounding upland forests. They also provide critical habitat for amphibians and invertebrates, as their temporary nature keeps them free of fish and reduces predator populations. As part of a mapping project, we collected baseline field data on vernal pool characteristics throughout five Great Lakes National Parks: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Isle Royale National Park, and Voyagers National Parks. Our goals were to characterize and assess how vernal pools vary within and across the …

Eutrophication On Twin Lakes: Applying A Phosphorus Budget And Shoreline Surveys To Assess Current & Historical Lake Health, Tyler K. Lemahieu

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Twin Lakes system, a series of lakes including Lake Gerald and Lake Roland, was historically categorized as oligotrophic but is now mesotrophic having experienced cultural eutrophication. A mass balance phosphorus budget model was constructed for the Twin Lakes system in Houghton, Co. Michigan for the 2022 stratified season. Additional spatial insights were gleaned through a survey of shoreline water quality, which corroborated the model results. The lakes currently experience substantial depletion of hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen during late summer stratification. A budget reveals approximately 22% (6.6 kg) of the current 29.5 kg total phosphorus inputs to Twin Lakes (during the …

Fire History And Long-Term Carbon Accumulation In Hemi-Boreal Peatlands Companion Dataset, Dominic Uhelski, Evan Kane, Katherine Heckman, Rodney Chimner

Michigan Tech Research Data

This dataset contains peat property data including location, depth, bulk density, organic matter content, and carbon content, infrared spectra, and radiocarbon dates. Peat cores were collected between 2011 and 2019. Analyses were performed between 2018 and 2021. Samples were collected from peatlands in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota for the purposes of reconstruction of fire history. The data is associated with a yet-to-be-published manuscript to be submitted to Ecosystems.

A README file is included describing the contents of the dataset and all major spreadsheet files contain a Meta worksheet which describes each column of
data.

Flea The Flyentist: Mimicry, Oh My!, Molly Fitzgerald

Open Access Books

"Flea The Flyentist: Mimicry, Oh My!" Showcases many interesting cases of arthropod mimicry. Learn about all sorts of mimics in this children's book!

Ecological Studies Of Wolves On Isle Royale Annual Report 2021-2022, Sarah R. Hoy, Rolf O. Peterson, John A. Vucetich

Ecological Studies of Wolves on Isle Royale

Annual Report 2021-2022

Chapter 19 - Bacteria, Janice M. Glime

Bryophyte Ecology Volume 2: Bryological Interaction

Explore the contents of Bryophyte Ecology, Volume 2, Chapter 19 - Bacteria by clicking the links above. For the Contents section of this ebook, as well as Volumes 1 through 5, please visit the Bryophyte Ecology Main Page.

Ebook sponsored by Michigan Technological University and the International Association of Bryologists.

Flea The Flyentist: What's The Difference?, Molly Fitzgerald

Open Access Books

"Flea The Flyentist: What's the Difference?" Unravels common misconceptions between closely related animals. Learn about many fun and interesting species in this short children's book!

Chapter 018 - Caves, Janice M. Glime

Bryophyte Ecology Volume 4: Habitat and Role

Explore the contents of Bryophyte Ecology, Volume 4, Chapter 18 - Caves by clicking the links above. For the Contents section of this ebook, as well as Volumes 1 through 5, please visit the Bryophyte Ecology Main Page.

Use CTRL+F to easily search within PDF files.

Ebook sponsored by Michigan Technological University and the International Association of Bryologists.

Display Site Selection By Male Ruffed Grouse In The Upper Great Lakes Region, Seth Finkel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is widely known for its characteristic territorial drumming display. In this study, I used ruffed grouse drumming survey data from Minnesota and Michigan, in a series of mixed logistic models, to identify drivers of drumming log selection by reproductive male ruffed grouse. I collected drumming stage data utilizing a paired-random sampling structure. I used information theoretic model selection to examine three sets of a priori mixed logistic models: one for the entirety of my Minnesota dataset, one consisting of stages identified in aspen stands in Minnesota, and one for my Michigan dataset. In …

Anthropogenic Influences On The Decline, Restoration, And Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics Of Lake Superior’S Coaster Brook Trout, Austin Johnson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The coaster brook trout is a life history variant of the brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) that is characterized by either lake residency or migration between stream and lake habitats. Coaster brook trout were once widespread throughout Lake Superior and its tributaries, but populations declined sharply in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Historically, brook trout were a popular target of recreational and subsistence fishing in the Lake Superior basin, and it has been hypothesized that angling pressure combined with multiple forms of industrial development are what drove the coaster brook trout’s decline. In the mid …

The Decline Of Lake Superior's Woodland Caribou: A Historical Gis Analysis, Jordan W. Kelley

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lake Superior’s woodland caribou have been declining since the early 1800s. This thesis asks: why? We hypothesize that as settlers expanded into the region, industrial development in woodland caribou habitat reduced woodland caribou persistence. Using an Historical Geospatial Information System (HGIS) analysis, we find that historical mining and railroad infrastructure are associated with woodland caribou extirpation, while wetlands and protected areas are associated with caribou persistence. We also conducted a stakeholder synthesis of the region to help understand diverse perspectives within and between advocacy coalitions that take different positions on the most effective caribou restoration policies. Beliefs on recovery options …

Avian Haemosporidian Blood Parasite Diversity, Prevalence, And Distribution In Michigan’S Western Upper Peninsula, Maria M. Ferrer

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Avian haemosporidian parasites, known as avian malaria (phylum Apicomplexa) can diminish an individual bird’s fitness by causing parasitemia, anemia, and reduced survival. Climate change is predicted to increase the spread of malarial parasites into more northerly latitudes where little is known about community compositions of these parasites. I assessed the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in the first-ever community-level sampling of malaria in songbirds across the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In total, 179 blood samples were collected from birds representing 17 species, at five locations in the Upper Peninsula, including a mature forest, an early successional forest, and …

Effects Of Dissimilar Silvicultural Techniques On Small Mammal Communities In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Breanna R. Gusick

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Small mammal populations, and predators reliant upon them as food resources, are often challenged by conflicting objectives of timber production and maintenance of quality habitat. With over 70% of the landscape forested, and nearly one-third of the land privately owned, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) is a matrix of independent management strategies. To assess the effects of various silvicultural regeneration methods on small mammal populations in the Upper Peninsula, we trapped small mammals in experimental silviculture plots, whereby treatments varied by regeneration method (amount of residual canopy cover) and site preparation (i.e., control, tip-up, and scarification), and deer exclosures. We used …

Conservation Value Of Working Landscapes In Mesoamerica For Nearctic-Neotropical Migratory Birds, Samuel L. Oliveira

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Populations of many of Nearctic-neotropical migratory birds have declined in the past several decades, recent estimates suggested a dramatic loss of 2.5 billion birds over the past 50 years in North America. Habitat loss and degradation represent a major threat in the tropics. Managed agroecosystems have the potential to mitigate some impacts of land conversion, however, little is known regarding the habitat quality provided by working landscapes in the overwintering range. In this research, we surveyed the migratory bird community in the rapidly expanding oil palm plantations in southern Mexico; and also the declining population of the Wood Thrush ( …

Spatial Heterogeneity Of Nitrogen Cycling Within And Across Freshwater Ecosystems, Erin K. Eberhard

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Dinitrogen (N₂) fixation and denitrification are two nitrogen (N) cycling processes that despite differences in environmental requirements and constraints, co-occur in aquatic ecosystems. The overall goal of this dissertation was to evaluate how spatial heterogeneity of environmental variables 1) drive hot spots of N₂ fixation, denitrification rates and gene abundances in streams, 2) facilitate co-occurrence of these processes across wetland – stream – lake interfaces, and 3) affect differences in microbial community composition in streams across U.S. ecoregions. We found hot spots of both processes within 7 stream reaches in Michigan and Idaho, but rates of N …

Flea The Flyentist: What Is An Invasive Species?, Molly Fitzgerald

Open Access Books

No abstract provided.

Ecological Studies Of Wolves On Isle Royale Annual Report 2020-2021, John A. Vucetich, Rolf O. Peterson, Sarah R. Hoy

Ecological Studies of Wolves on Isle Royale

Annual Report 2020-2021

Metagenomic Identification And Classification Of The Mercury-Methylating Gene Hgca In Response To Water Table And Plant Functional Group Manipulations In Peat Soil, Madeline Peterson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Methyl-mercury (MeHg) is a potent neurotoxin that threatens the health of humans and wildlife alike. Climate warming threatens to shift regional precipitation and climate regimes in peatland environments, which could destabilize northern peatlands and accelerate both Hg release from soil and MeHg production. Peatlands are among the leading hotspots for MeHg, yet little is known about the community composition or functional relationship of mercury-methylating microbes in response to varying environmental conditions. The recognized mercury-methylating genes responsible for this activity are the obligatory gene pair hgcA and hgcB. Metagenomic data from the full-factorial peatland mesocosm experiment PEATcosm was obtained to …

Denitrification And Nitrogen Fixation Commonly Co-Occur But Rates Vary Throughout The Year And In Different Environments, Kevin Nevorski

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Denitrification and nitrogen fixation are nitrogen cycling processes that can occur simultaneously in streams but are rarely studied together. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to quantify temporal and spatial variation of these processes in streams across the USA, characterize the environmental drivers of that variation, and determine the role that denitrification plays in the carbon cycle. To characterize temporal variation in these processes, a 2-year study in the Pilgrim River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula found no difference in rates among seasons but high day-to-day variation in rates of both processes (maximum daily change 4,390 μg N/m²/hr …

Regional Impacts Of Invasive Species And Climate Change On Black Ash Wetlands, Joseph Shannon

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

For more than a decade intensive research on the ecohydrology of black ash wetland ecosystems has been performed to understand these systems before they are drastically altered by the invasive species, emerald ash borer (EAB). In that time there has been little research aimed at the scale and persistence of the alterations. Three distinct but related research articles will be presented to demonstrate a method for moderate resolution mapping of black ash across its entire range, understand the relative impacts of EAB and climate change on probable future wetland conditions, and develop an experimental and modeling approach to quantify and …

Controls On Autotrophic Respiration, Heterotrophic Respiration, And Decomposition In Northern Forested Rivers, Renn Schipper

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Autotrophic respiration (AR), heterotrophic respiration (HR), and decomposition are important contributors to the carbon cycle in streams. It is important to understand how different environmental factors, such as canopy cover and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), influence these processes. DOC concentrations in northern forested streams are increasing, which may affect light and carbon availability. To examine the effects of DOC and canopy cover on these processes we measured gross primary production, ecosystem respiration and decomposition at 8 sites in 4 streams in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and used quantile regression to estimate AR and HR. Among sites, AR and decomposition …

Applications Of Machine Learning In Microbial Forensics, Ryan B. Ghannam

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Microbial ecosystems are complex, with hundreds of members interacting with each other and the environment. The intricate and hidden behaviors underlying these interactions make research questions challenging – but can be better understood through machine learning. However, most machine learning that is used in microbiome work is a black box form of investigation, where accurate predictions can be made, but the inner logic behind what is driving prediction is hidden behind nontransparent layers of complexity.

Accordingly, the goal of this dissertation is to provide an interpretable and in-depth machine learning approach to investigate microbial biogeography and to use micro-organisms as …

Functional Genetic Approaches To Provide Evidence For The Role Of Toolkit Genes In The Evolution Of Complex Color Patterns In Drosophila Guttifera, Mujeeb Olushola Shittu

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Toolkit genes are set of genes that orchestrate the development of basic body plan of animals, and they are highly conserved in all animals. The co-option of the toolkit genes into the pigmentation pathway has led to the evolution of novel species. This study focuses on understanding how the complex color patterns in animals develop by using the Drosophila species in the quinaria group as models. We developed an mRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) protocol, which allowed us to study gene expression patterns in the abdomen of developing pupae of non-model Drosophila species (Chapter 2). Through ISH, we found that …

Bryophyte Ecology, Janice M. Glime

Open Access Books

Bryophyte Ecology is an ebook comprised of 5 volumes written by Janice Glime, Professor Emerita of Biological Sciences at Michigan Technological University. Chapter coauthors include Irene Bisang, S. Robbert Gradstein, J. Lissner, W. J. Boelema, and D. H. Wagner.

This book is written in the hope that it is useful to a broad audience, from children to seasoned professionals. Its citations help the scientist find further information. The images help the beginner to understand. Its aim is to broaden the group of people who appreciate and understand the roles that bryophytes play in our world.

For videos that accompany the …

The Encyclopedia Of North American Drosophilids Volume 2: Drosophilids Of The Southeast, Thomas Werner, Tessa E. Steenwinkel, John Jaenike

Open Access Books

The Encyclopedia of North American Drosophilids Volume 2: Drosophilids of the Southeast provides an introduction to the flies of the family Drosophilidae of the Southeast of the United States. The book strives to facilitate identification of most of the drosophilid species in this region and provides remarks on interesting aspects of their biology and suggestions for future research on them. The book is intended for researchers, teachers, and students wishing to discover the diversity of these flies.

Access The Encyclopedia of North American Drosophilids Volume 1: Midwest and Northeast here: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/oabooks/1/