Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Habitat Ecology, Trophic Interactions, And Distribution Of Endangered Himalayan Musk Deer In The Nepal Himalaya, Kapil Kishor Khadka

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to explore and assess the habitat selection, trophic interactions and distribution of Himalayan musk deer. Chapter one deals with seasonal diet analysis of musk deer along with the overlap in consumption with livestock during summer. Microhistological technique was employed to assess dietary consumption. Results showed that Abies spectabilis, Pinus wallichiana, and Berberis species constituted the major portion of musk deer’s diet. Dietary breadth measured by the Shannon index was found higher in winter compared to summer. Although musk deer and livestock shared a considerable number of plant species in their diets, the consumption however was significantly different …

Toward A Synthesis Of Conservation And Animal Welfare Science, David Fraser

David Fraser, PhD

Conservation biology and animal welfare science are multidisciplinary fields of research that address social concerns about animals. Conservation biology focuses on wild animals, works at the level of populations, ecological systems and genetic types, and deals with threats to biodiversity and ecological integrity. Animal welfare science typically focuses on captive (often domestic) animals, works at the level of individuals and groups, and deals with threats to the animals’ health and quality of life. However, there are many areas of existing or potential overlap: (i) many real-life problems, such as environmental contamination, urban development and transportation, create problems for animals that …

Rating Harms To Wildlife: A Survey Showing Convergence Between Conservation And Animal Welfare Views, S. Dubois, D. Fraser

David Fraser, PhD

Human activities may cause conservation concerns when animal populations or ecosystems are harmed and animal welfare concerns when individuals are harmed. In general, people are concerned with one or the other, as the concepts may be regarded as separate or even at odds. An online purposive survey of 339 British Columbians explored differences between groups that varied by gender, residency, wildlife engagement level and value orientation (conservation-oriented or animal welfare-oriented), to see how they rated the level of harm to wildlife caused by different human activities. Women, urban residents, those with low wildlife engagement, and welfare-orientated participants generally scored activities …

An Evaluation Of Northern Bobwhite Conservation Research: A Call For Large-Scale Studies, Lex J. Gomez, Kelly S. Reyna

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations have declined throughout the species’ range since the 1960s. Habitat loss and degradation are thought to have largely contributed to this decline by reducing the amount of space and resources required to sustain viable quail populations. Previous studies have attempted to address this issue by focusing on ranch-level management of bobwhites instead of on the effectiveness of large-scale techniques. Here, we review current and historical studies that have facilitated the implementation of management techniques on multiple scales. In doing so, we will also reveal the shortcomings of such studies by highlighting their narrowed …

Long-Term Population Stability In The Greater Red Hills Region Amidst Range-Wide Declines: A Case For Integrated Management, Theron M. Terhune Ii, D. Clay Sisson, William E. Palmer, Shane D. Wellendorf

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

All natural habitats possess inherent conservation value, including the presence of rare or endemic species, provision of ecosystem services, historic landmarks, or resources harvested. Large-scale loss of natural habitats and deterioration of fire-mediated habitats has caused precipitous declines of native fauna and flora in the southeastern US. The role of private landholdings in wildlife and conservation is often underestimated, and consumptive use of wildlife is commonly viewed as counterproductive to sustainability. However, in the Greater Red Hills region (GRH) of north Florida and south Georgia, intentional management for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) on private lands has not only …

The Role Of Joint Ventures In Northern Bobwhite Conservation, Stephen Demaso

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Partnerships are crucial part of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) conservation. A key principle is that no single entity can effectively address the complex landscape-level conservation issues to sustain populations and their supporting habitats in perpetuity. Joint Ventures (JVs) use a partnership based approach to deliver specific bird population and habitat objectives within their geography. Currently, 7 of the 12 JVs that occur in the North American bobwhite range have bobwhites listed as a priority species. This presentation will cover various topics including: 1) the history of JVs in North America; 2) an overview of the variety of models …

Temperature Assessment On A Reclaimed Surface Mine During Northern Bobwhite Breeding Season: Considerations For Habitat Management, Donald M. Yow, Jeremy P. Orange, John J. Morgan, Gary Sprandel, Danna L. Baxley, Eric Williams

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Ground-level air temperatures were assessed within 4 distinct habitat areas on a managed reclaimed surface mine at Peabody Wildlife Management Area, Kentucky, 26 June–17 July 2015, during the northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) brood season. Habitat consisted of disked and nondisked areas of native grass and an invasive species, sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata). Disked areas offered more open space for bobwhite mobility and experienced higher average temperatures than nondisked sites. Although statistically significant, differences in air temperature between disked and nondisked areas were likely too small to have practical implications for bobwhite habitat management in Kentucky under …

Progress Of The National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, Donald F. Mckenzie, John J. Morgan, Thomas V. Dailey

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) have declined precipitously over 5 decades because of a decline in habitat, largely a result of agricultural intensification and inadequate management of natural plant succession. In response, quail biologists developed strategic and operational plans, and formed a national partnership of state and federal agencies, bobwhite institutions, non-government organizations, universities and private citizens. The early history of these efforts was reviewed in 2006 at the Sixth National Quail Symposium. Over the past 10 years, exponential growth occurred, including establishment of a home for national bobwhite conservation at the University of Tennessee, and funding from the …

Aligning Natural Resource Conservation, Flood Hazard Mitigation, And Social Vulnerability Remediation In Florida, Juliano Calil, Sarah Newkirk

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

Flooding continues to be the most common and damaging of all natural disasters in the United States. In 2016, twelve individual weather and climate events caused more than $1billion in damages each. During 2016, the U.S. was hit by at least five once-in-1,000 years precipitation events, and severe floods resulted in more than $17 billion in damages. Currently, more than 5.5 million active policies under the National Flood Insurance Program, underwrite more than $1.6 trillion in assets. Since 1978, NFIP has paid out more than $38 billion in claims – nearly 30% was paid to the 1% of properties classified …

Predictors Of Exotic Plant Species In United States National Parks, Rachel S. Fried

Honors Theses

Invasive species are recognized as a major threat to biodiversity. Understanding what factors facilitate invasion is of great conservation value, as this will allow for more specific and targeted conservation efforts related to non-native species. Knowledge of factors that contribute to invasion play an important role in conservation of particularly unique habitats, such as the iconic United States National Parks. Though National Parks have some legal protections against some forms of habitat degradation, they are still vulnerable to the introduction of non-natives. The purpose of this study is to characterize species invasion in National Parks and identify what environmental conditions …

Coexistence Of Confamilial, Folivorous Indriids, Propithecus Diadema And Indri Indri, At Betampona Strict Nature Reserve, Madagascar, Lana Kerker Oliver

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine how two confamilial and ecologically similar indriids, indri (Indri indri), and diademed sifakas (Propithecus diadema) maintain coexistence in Betampona Nature Reserve (BNR), an eastern lowland rainforest in Madagascar. These two species occur sympatrically throughout much of their species ranges and are similarly-sized folivorous primates. As anatomic folivores, they present an opportunity to investigate how niche differentiation and resource partitioning allow two sympatric primate species with similar feeding patterns to coexist. I examined coexistence strategies and the general behavioral ecology of each species by examining their activity patterns, dietary profiles, home range use, and daily path …

Software Development For Home Energy Audits: Reducing Energy Consumption In Harrisonburg Through Technology, Brantley E. Gilbert

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Fossil fuels play a vital role in our daily lives. Oil, natural gas, and coal powers our cars, heats our homes and water, and are used by power companies to generate the massive amounts of electricity used every day by the United States. However, this reliance on a finite source of energy is not sustainable. Fossil fuels such as these are non-renewable resources whose production will eventually be unable to keep up with the rate of consumption. Furthermore, the extraction of the stored energy in these fuels through combustion releases harmful substances into the environment, including toxins and greenhouse gases …

Understanding The Past, Present, And Future Of Land Conservation In South Carolina, Nicole Berson

Graduate Theses

Urbanization poses a significant challenge for many ecosystems in the United States. However, monitoring its impacts requires extensive data and this lack of up-to-date information makes understanding the impacts of urbanization difficult to assess. One area that has seen tremendous growth is the Interstate 85 (I-85) corridor between Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA, which is known as “The Boom Belt.” Unfortunately, due to limited resources from conservation and state agencies, data on land use change and its impacts in this area have not been updated since the early 1990s. To investigate how urbanization is impacting this region, I conducted a …

Understanding Urban Wilds: Nature, Culture, And Management, Ted Randich

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

Undeveloped natural areas in cities, or urban wilds, are an invaluable resource to urban populations. They provide space for physical activity, mental recovery and relaxation, and nature interaction and learning, among other benefits. Through observation, intercept survey, and interviews, this study explores three urban wilds sites in Worcester, Massachusetts. Current literature covers definitions of what makes nature “natural,” contemporary practices in conservation, and evidence of the benefits listed above. This paper builds on the literature, shedding light on what urban wilds are made up of (nature), how they are used (culture), and how they are sustained through management. A conceptual …

Trap-Neuter-Return Programs And The Importance Of Associated Public Awareness, Nicolette Sliwa

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

The focus of this paper is to describe a typical Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program and highlight the major pros and cons surrounding this somewhat controversial method of managing the overwhelming free-roaming cat population. The effects of the species’ overabundance on the environment and human health are also discussed. Citing studies completed on TNR programs around the globe as well as mathematical models, the effectiveness of this method is compared to other, currently used alternatives. Finally, it has been suggested that the general awareness level a neighborhood possesses about the true goals of TNR programs has a potentially significant impact on the …

Estimating Landscape Quality And Genetic Structure Of Recovering American Marten Populations In The Northeastern United States, Cody Michael Aylward

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

The American marten (Martes americana) is an endangered species in Vermont and a Regional Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the northeastern United States. Though historically widespread in northeastern forests, their range presumably contracted to northern Maine and the High Peaks region of the Adirondacks by the early 1900s. Regionally, populations appear to be in recovery. Natural recolonization is believed to have occurred in New Hampshire, northeastern Vermont and the western Adirondacks. A reintroduction effort in southern Vermont that was originally declared unsuccessful is now believed to be the source of a recently detected population in the area. However, our …

Unusual Aerobic Performance At High Temperatures In Juvenile Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha, Jamilynn B. Poletto, Dennis E. Cocherell, Sarah E. Baird, Trinh X. Nguyen, Valentina Cabrera-Stagno, Anthony P. Farrell, Nann A. Fangue

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Understanding how the current warming trends affect fish populations is crucial for effective conservation and management. To help define suitable thermal habitat for juvenile Chinook salmon, the thermal performance of juvenile Chinook salmon acclimated to either 15 or 19°C was tested across a range of environmentally relevant acute temperature changes (from 12 to 26°C). Swim tunnel respirometers were used to measure routine oxygen uptake as a measure of routine metabolic rate (RMR) and oxygen uptake when swimming maximally as a measure of maximal metabolic rate (MMR) at each test temperature. We estimated absolute aerobic scope (AAS = MMR − RMR), …

Measuring Farmer Conservation Behaviors: Challenges And Best Practices, Kristin Floress, Adam Reimer, Aaron Thompson, Mark Burbach, Cody Knutson, Linda Prokopy, Marc Ribaudo, Jessica Ulrich-Schad

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Serengeti Land Ethic: Deconstructing Environmental Dualism In A Critical Ecosystem, Kristyn Gorton

Honors Program Theses

This study synthesizes information on the ecology of the Serengeti Plains biome, its landscape and human history, the ethnoscience of its indigenous populations, and the current management objectives of the Serengeti’s protected areas in order to evidence the suitability of indigenous habitat management technologies in the preservation of this ecosystem. Effects of indigenous removal include the encroachment of tsetse fly bush, reduction in grassland diversity and primary productivity, and decline in the Serengeti’s keystone species, the blue wildebeest. The models of conventional national parks and community-based conservation alternatives will be evaluated in order to demonstrate the shortcomings of an environmentally …

The Conservation Status Of Marine Biodiversity Of The Pacific Islands Of Oceania, H. Pippard, G. M. Ralph, M. S. Harvey, K. E. Carpenter, J. R. Buchanan, D. W. Greenfield, H. D. Harwell, H. K. Larson, A. Lawrence, C. Linardich, K. Matsuura, H. Motomura, T. A. Munroe, R. F. Myers, B. C. Russell, W. F. Smith-Vaniz, J. C. Vié, R. R. Thaman, J. T. Williams

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Pacific Islands of Oceania are small islands and atolls occurring over a vast expanse of ocean that are characterized by immense biodiversity and endemism. This project represents a major expansion of the coverage of the Pacific Islands’ marine biodiversity on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The threats to Pacific Island marine biodiversity are many. Results from IUCN Red List initiatives such as this can guide decision-making and conservation prioritization of Pacific Island governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector. By shaping regional and national policies with these data in mind, priority sites for maintaining marine biodiversity …

Master's Project: An Ecological Assessment Of The Atlas Timberlands, Vermont, Hannah B. Phillips

Rubenstein School Masters Project Publications

Vermont's second-largest timber holding will soon be sold. Flanking the remote summits of the northern Green Mountains, the Atlas Timberlands comprise nearly 26,000 acres of forest, which, for the last twenty years, have been owned by the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Originally acquired from the Atlas Plywood Corporation in an effort to maintain large forested blocks managed with ecological forestry principles, VLT and TNC will now sell the lands to a new generation of land stewards. Although the land will change hands, the ecologically significant sites will remain protected under conservation easements.

In preparation for …

Protected Areas As Social-Ecological Systems: Perspectives From Resilience And Social-Ecological Systems Theory, Graeme S. Cumming, Craig R. Allen

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Conservation biology and applied ecology increasingly recognize that natural resource management is both an outcome and a driver of social, economic, and ecological dynamics. Protected areas offer a fundamental approach to conserving ecosystems, but they are also social-ecological systems whose ecological management and sustainability are heavily influenced by people. This editorial, and the papers in the invited feature that it introduces, discuss three emerging themes in social-ecological systems approaches to understanding protected areas: (1) the resilience and sustainability of protected areas, including analyses of their internal dynamics, their effectiveness, and the resilience of the landscapes within which they occur; (2) …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Regal Fritillary (Speyeria Idalia) Habitat Utilizing Biological Monitoring Data Along The Big Bend Of The Platte River, Ne, Andrew J. Caven, Kelsey C. King, Joshua D. Wiese, Emma M. Brinley Buckley

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Speyeria idalia populations have declined as much as 95 percent over the last three decades. Here we critically evaluate prairie habitat components along the Platte River in central Nebraska that S. idalia populations require in an effort to better inform conservation efforts. We utilized S. idalia count data from biological monitoring transects where vegetation, soils, land management, and flooding frequency data were also collected to describe the habitat constituents associated with S. idalia presence. We utilize comparative statistics, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and random forest analysis to model S. idalia habitat on land owned and managed by a small conservation NGO. …

America's National Parks And The Anthropocene: Addressing The Present To Accommodate The Future In Acadia National Park, Sophie A. Swetz

Honors Theses

In 2000, atmospheric chemist, Paul J. Crutzen, and limnologist, Eugene Stoermer, formally proposed the idea of “the Anthropocene,” a new geologic epoch in which humans are the dominant force shaping the Earth. To claim the Anthropocene's existence is to declare that human actions have altered the Earth in such a way that geologic indicators render it a distinct epoch in the stratification of geologic time. This new epoch emerges as a consequence of increased technological development employed to accommodate an anthropocentric human existence. That is, rapid advancements in technology have driven the transformation from a primarily naturally controlled planet to …

The Last Best Hope: Are Voluntary Conservation Agreements Effective Tools For Protecting Imperiled Species?, Sophie B. Tsairis

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances, or CCAAs, are little known, voluntary conservation agreements that protect imperiled wildlife on private lands. These agreements have emerged over the past decade and have had mixed results in providing adequate protections for candidate species.

Landowners, private industries, state and federal agencies, and environmental nonprofits, are using CCAAs as tools to eliminate the need for an endangered species listing. An Endangered Species Act listing can lead to land-use uncertainty for private landowners and this threat is the main incentive to enroll in a CCAA. When landowners enroll in CCAAs they are agreeing to provide specific …

The Evolution Of A Volunteer Lake Protection Program, Maggie Shannon, Alexa A.E. Junker, Philip J. Nyhus, Cathy R. Bevier, Russell Cole

Philip J. Nyhus

No abstract provided.