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Full-Text Articles in Behavior and Ethology
Variations In Thermoregulation Strategies Of Northern And Southern Populations Of Mischocyttarus Mexicanus, Taylor Guild
Variations In Thermoregulation Strategies Of Northern And Southern Populations Of Mischocyttarus Mexicanus, Taylor Guild
Honors Theses
Mischocyttarus mexicanus is a species of eusocial paper wasp that is found across much of the Southeastern coastal region of the United States. Contrasting wintering strategies have been seen in northern versus southern populations. Anecdotally, northern populations overwinter by clustering on top of palmetto fronds, their preferred nesting substrate, in a sort of "taco" shape, while southern populations stand on their nests that hang on the underside of the palmetto frond throughout the year. I tested three hypotheses related to the adaptive value of northern over-frond clustering behavior: 1) Over-frond clustering is thermoregulation related, meaning it would be temperature driven. …
Habitat Preference Of F. Notatus And F. Olivaceus From A Reversed Hybrid Zone, Elizabeth Hart Williams
Habitat Preference Of F. Notatus And F. Olivaceus From A Reversed Hybrid Zone, Elizabeth Hart Williams
Honors Theses
Understanding the mechanisms driving habitat preference throughout an organism’s life opens doors to the further understanding of the origins of diversity. Two species of minnow, Fundulus notatus and Fundulus olivaceus, are ideal for ecological research on habitat preference. Ordinarily, F. notatus and F. olivaceus display habitat preferences of downstream and upstream, respectively, with minimal coexistence at confluences. However, in some drainages, these preferences are flipped, like those in the Tombigbee River basin. Members of both species were collected from the Tombigbee River, tagged with species and sex specific colored elastomer marks, and placed in either a homogeneous control or …
Effect Of Reinforcement Selection On Mate Selection Rates Of Gambusia Affinis And Gambusia Holbrooki, Molly Stephens
Effect Of Reinforcement Selection On Mate Selection Rates Of Gambusia Affinis And Gambusia Holbrooki, Molly Stephens
Honors Theses
This study was conducted in order to investigate the effects that reinforcement selection has on non-hybridized and hybridized populations of two separate species of Gambusia (G. affinis and G. holbrooki). In order to examine if organisms from a population that had been previously exposed to hybridization would choose mates so as to not produce species hybrid offspring, 29 trials consisting of 9 different mate preference combinations and 87 individuals were recorded and analyzed. Once mate preference was determined for each female used in each trial, the effect that reproductive isolation had on reinforcement in hybrid zones was analyzed. The results …