Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Feeding Ecology Of Reintroduced Blackbucks In Lal Suhanra National Park, Bahawalpur, Bushra Nisar Khan, Tehreem Ehsanullah, Asia Bibi, Zahid Iqbal Khan, Mubashir Ahmad, Amina Bashir1, Ata- Ul-Mushtfa Fahid

Journal of Bioresource Management

The study was conducted in Lal Suhanra National Park, Bahawalpur, in June 2021. This study aimed to explore the food habits and dry matter intake of reintroduced blackbuck in Lal Suhanra. The critical methods employed in this study were the direct observation of food, bite rate, and fecal output of blackbuck aided with binoculars (8 × 50). A total of 3840 bites in the RD 65 enclosure and 3929 edges in the RD 65 enclosure were recorded, accounting for the average bite rates of 43.5 bites/min in RD 25 and 44.03 bites/min in RD 65. The average dry weight of …

Students’ Acquisition Of Agricultural And Entrepreneurship (Agripreneurship) Knowledge And Skills: Does Instructional Approach And Their Sex Matter?, Stephen C. Mukembo, M. Craig Edwards, J. Shane Robinson

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

Agricultural and Entrepreneurship education are interdisciplinary due to amalgamating the natural sciences and social sciences. These disciplines have gained the interest of those looking to equip youth with skills for self-reliance. Teachers employ various instructional approaches, including student-centric approaches such as project-based learning (PjBL) and teacher-centric methods, for example, the lecture method, to facilitate learning. Existing research, however, suggests that students’ learning can be influenced by other factors, for example, learning styles, socio-cultural norms, sex stereotypes, and the instructional approach(es) used. We examined the impact of using the lecture method (counterfactual group) versus PjBL (treatment group) approaches on student acquisition …

Living Among Wildlife: Elevating Human-Wildlife Interactions And Coexistence, Bridget Rebecca Murphy

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

After a semester of learning, both in class and in nature, my writing honed in further on this human-nature divide. To me, I see humans as part of nature – as we are mammals, animals, part of the food chain, biological beings no higher than others on our planet. We have simply constructed this false narrative around us within our societies, minds and media that embeds this division between us and nature, between us and wildlife. Humans have been managing, stewarding, living off and within landscapes for thousands of years. As time and technology evolved, a lot of people began …

A Year Of Wins For Farmed Animals, Lewis Bollard

General – Farm Animal Issues

Although the European Union shelved its ambitious farmed animal welfare reforms, there were other “wins” for farmed animals in 2023. There were 130 new corporate pledges to eliminate cages for laying hens and the worst abuses of broiler chickens. So far, over 1,000 corporate pledges have been fully implemented, and 39% of American hens, 60% of European hens, and 80% of British hens are cage-free, up from 6%, 41%, and 48%, respectively, a decade ago. The US Supreme Court upheld California’s Proposition 12, which bans the sale of eggs, pork, and veal from caged animals and their offspring in California. …

Repeated Treatment With 5-Ht1a And 5-Ht1b Receptor Agonists: Evidence Of Tolerance And Behavioral Sensitization, Jordan Taylor

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Serotonin has been found to regulate several cognitive and physiological functions, and its role in depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders has been a focus of research. More specifically, a wealth of research regarding serotonin focuses on serotonergic medications in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and stimulates the 5-HT_1A and 5-HT_1B receptors. Within the last decade, there has been an increase in prescriptions of psychotropic medication for children, however, the efficacy and adverse effects of these drugs have not been evaluated in younger populations. While antidepressants reduce symptoms of depression in adults, they are …

Human-Animal Interaction And Human Prosociality: A Meta-Analytic Review Of Experimental And Correlational Studies, Nicole Ruiying Chen, Nadyanna M. Majeed, Gloria J. Lai, Paye Shin Koh, Manmeet Kaur, K. T. A Sandeeshwara Kasturiratna, Zhi Yan Alycia Ho, Jose C. Yong, Andree Hartanto

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Pet ownership and interactions with animals confer various physiological and psychological benefits to humans. Although interactions with animals are commonplace, there is no consensus in the literature on the actual impact of animal exposure on prosociality. Hence, this meta-analysis investigated 20 eligible studies (n = 4,116, k = 48) and provided an extensive examination into the different potential moderators of the relationship between human–animal interaction (HAI) and prosociality, such as the distinction between empathy and prosocial behavior, HAI characteristics, and sample characteristics. Overall, a small positive effect size was found (d = 0.22), suggesting that human exposure to animals is …

Does Social Organization, Litter Size, Sexual Dimorphism, And Phylogeny Influence Multiple Paternity In Mammals?, Madison Roberts

Honors Theses

Animal social systems are complex and the dynamics of one component could influence the dynamics of another. The aim of this literature search research was to determine the interrelatedness between mammalian social organization and mating system, two components of social systems. The mating system was represented by multiple paternity, the number of litters with more than one father, as genetic analysis tells which individuals reproduced with who. Variables that might influence multiple paternity amongst extant mammalian species included in this study are variable social organization, male social organization, mean litter size, sexual dimorphism, and phylogenetics. Analysis was conducted using 56 …

Demographics, Sexual Dimorphism, And Ecological Aspects Of Ambystoma Annulatum (Ringed Salamander) In Northwest Arkansas, Usa, Brian M. Becker

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The need to study and monitor amphibian populations is increasing along with the threats to their population stability and persistence in nature. Northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest growing areas in the nation and with that growth comes rapid changes in land use, massive alterations to habitats, habitat loss, and the introduction of nonnative plants and animals. Ambystoma annulatum (Ringed Salamander) is an Ambystomatid endemic to the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains of southern Missouri, northern and western Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma giving it a relatively small distribution compared to most Ambystoma. Therefore, Arkansas constitutes a significant portion of the …

Classification Of Large Scale Fish Dataset By Deep Neural Networks, Priyanka Adapa

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The development of robust and efficient fish classification systems has become essential to preventing the rapid depletion of aquatic resources and building conservation strategies. A deep learning approach is proposed here for the automated classification of fish species from underwater images. The proposed methodology leverages state-of-the-art deep neural networks by applying the compact convolutional transformer (CCT) architecture, which is famous for faster training and lower computational cost. In CCT, data augmentation techniques are employed to enhance the variability of the training data, reducing overfitting and improving generalization. The preliminary outcomes of our proposed method demonstrate a promising accuracy level of …

Using A Toxic Aging Coin To Assess Hexavalent Chromium-Induced Neurotoxicity., Samuel Thomas Vielee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We are facing an aging crisis, with 20% of the U.S. population projected to be geriatric (65+) by 2030 and live another 40+ years. Age-related diseases accompany a growing geriatric population, emphasizing the need to understand their etiology. Environmental pollutants compound this crisis by: 1) geriatrics are more susceptible, exacerbating age-related diseases and comorbidities, and 2) they accelerate biological aging, inducing age-related diseases at younger ages. We address this crisis using a ‘toxic aging coin’ approach; heads examines how age impacts toxicity, tails examines how chemicals accelerate aging. This thesis applies the heads side for Cr(VI)-induced neurotoxicity across ages. We …

Fauna As Fieldworkers: An Analysis On The Use Of Animals As A Form Of Organic Weed And Pest Management In Modern Viticulture, Mariana Del Carmen Campano

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Recent data on the current state of pesticide use in global agriculture suggests serious concerns over significant overuse and negative effects on both environmental and human health, and current trends only suggest continued increases in future global pesticide use. Without prompt, large-scale intervention, this global abuse of chemical pesticides spells significant threats of not only continued harm to global health and environmental quality, but also to the long term viability of agricultural lands and the growing threat of pesticide resistant insects and weeds. Various methods have been explored in the realm of integrated pest management (IPM), but a current lack …

Analyzing Human - Nonhuman Primate Conflict Mitigation Techniques In Mto Wa Mbu, Northern Tanzania, Lily Adams

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Human – non-human primate conflict is particularly crucial due to primates’ high capacity to live among human populations. The study to analyze Human - Nonhuman Primate Conflict Mitigation Techniques, was carried in November 2023 at Mto wa Mbu, Northern Tanzania. To analyze techniques currently being used to mitigate human – non-human primate conflict, this study collected data through semi-structured interviews. Over 87% (n=35) of respondents used multiple mitigation techniques simultaneously. 80% of respondents (n=32) reported using projectiles to ward off foraging primates, 75% of respondents (n=30) reported using loud noises (made either by the voice/body or by manipulating noisemakers), 67.5% …

Investigating Monodelphis Domestica As An Alternative To The Mus Musculus As An Animal Model, Cristian M. Botello, John L. Vandeberg, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background: Mus Musculus is one of the first and one of the most widely used animal models in current neuroscience literature (Phifer-Riley & Nachmann, 2015). However, the research community needs alternatives to rodent models to study the mammalian brain. Research is needed to see if antibodies that target tyrosine hydroxylase, which are well researched in mice, can also be used to study the Monodelphis domestica brain.

Methods: Following transcardial perfusions and brain extractions, mouse and opossum brains were processed and stained for tyrosine hydroxylase (and with Nissl). Opossum brains will then be sliced and processed using IHC methods to compare …

The Jewel In The Lotus: Humane Education, Engaged Buddhism, And Farming Compassion, Francy Jenko

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This thesis explores the relationship and intersectionality of Engaged Buddhism and Humane Education and demonstrates how they support the development of a farm sanctuary to cultivate compassion. It is supported by peer-reviewed literature, which reflects the importance of understanding why compassion is necessary to decrease suffering and how these disciplines complement one another, facilitating compassion and action. The research component of this thesis encourages the ongoing exploration of Engaged Buddhism and Humane Education. Further, it contributes to the scholarly literature on their intersection, highlighting farm sanctuary work as an avenue of engagement and offering implications for future study. The creative …

The Implications Of Solidarity For Food Ethics, John Sniegocki

The Journal of Social Encounters

This essay examines numerous ways in which commitments to solidarity have relevance in the area of food ethics. Among the topics explored are food insecurity and hunger, workers’ rights, ecology, and the treatment of animals. Particular attention is paid to the impacts of the production and consumption of animal products. These issues are examined through the lens of the developing understanding of solidarity present in the tradition of Catholic social teaching (CST). The ethical framework provided by CST, it is suggested, could be further enhanced by insights drawn from the growing tradition of “Black veganism” and its holistic, intersectional understanding …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Service Dog Organizations, Danny Benbassat, Abigail Konopasky, Michael Fox

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

The 2019 coronavirus pandemic led to federal, state, and local measures that paralyzed businesses across the nation. Among them were behavioral and mental health nonprofit organizations. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of the pandemic on nonprofit programs that train and place service dogs with veterans/service members. Six service dog managers completed eight reflection probe questionnaires and participated in three focus groups. This study found that facility shutdown, businesses shutdown, and social distancing resulted in a training bottleneck for both canines and humans. These primary challenges created secondary and tertiary challenges that mirror and lend support …

The Role Of Serotonin In The Estradiol-Dependent Selectivity Of Auditory Regions In Songbirds, Calista J. Henry

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Breeding-typical levels of estradiol in songbirds has been shown to lead to selective auditory processing and induce a release of serotonin in auditory regions of the forebrain. These findings triggered the question of whether auditory discrimination is driven by estradiol directly, or by the associated release of serotonin. I treated non-breeding female white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) with either blank implants, 17β-estradiol, serotonin enhancer and blank implants, or serotonin antagonist and 17β-estradiol implants. Birds then heard male conspecific songs or control tones, and ZENK-immunoreactivity was quantified in the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM) and caudomedial mesopallium (CMM). While I did not …

A Four-Pronged Approach To Addressing A Wild Pig Invasion In A Bottomland And Upland Forested Landscape, Tyler Scott Evans

Theses and Dissertations

Among exotic species that are capable of invading, establishing, and reaching pest status, few pose the range of impacts to biotic (e.g., competition with native species, predation, herbivory, introduction of other exotics) and abiotic (e.g., soil, hydrology) ecosystem components that can be attributed to the wild pig (Sus scrofa). Despite the presence of wild pigs throughout the southeastern United States for centuries, new invasions continue to occur in previously uninhabited and often under-investigated landscapes, including bottomland and upland forests. The recent invasion of the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (hereafter, NNWR) in east-central Mississippi represents an …

Using Motivation To Assess Affective States Of Captive Red Kangaroos (Macropus Rufus) In Response To Visitor Presence And Crowd Size In A Walk-Through Zoo Exhibit, Julia King

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates how visitor presence influences affective states of captive red kangaroos housed in a walk-through zoo exhibit by using motivation to consume a food reward in desired vs undesired locations and with/without an additional challenge feeder as a proxy for affective state, while considering individual variation and personality.

The Covid Whirlwind On The Veterinary World: End-Of-Life Care And Euthanasia During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Elizabeth Chalmers, Paula Gerstenblatt, River Hodgdon

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Veterinary providers experience job-specific psychological stress from their dual role in both providing medical care to pets and supporting pet-owner clients through end-of-life care and the euthanasia process, contributing to compassion fatigue and burnout in the field. COVID-19 has impacted the provision of veterinary care and affected communication between providers and pet owners. This qualitative study explores the experiences of veterinary providers who provided end-of- life care and performed euthanasia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants for this qualitative study were recruited and interviewed using criterion sampling from four veterinary practices in the northeastern United States. Inductive thematic analysis was used …

Avoiding Anthropomoralism, Julian Friedland

Between the Species

The Montreal Declaration on Animal Exploitation, which has been endorsed by hundreds of influential academic ethicists, calls for establishing a vegan economy by banning what it refers to as all unnecessary animal suffering, including fishing. It does so by appeal to the moral principle of equal consideration of comparable interests. I argue that this principle is misapplied by discounting morally relevant cognitive capacities of self-conscious and volitional personhood as distinguished from merely sentient non-personhood. I describe it as a kind of anthropomorphizing moralism which I call anthropomoralism, defined as the tendency to project morally relevant characteristics of personhood onto merely …

Shark-Diving Tourism In The Macaronesian Archipelagos: Challenges And Opportunities, Pedro Gonzáles Mantilla

ITSA 2022 Gran Canaria - 9th Biennial Conference: Corporate Entrepreneurship and Global Tourism Strategies After Covid 19

The Macaronesian region is typically heavily exploited by fisheries; however, in recent years, marine wildlife tourism has become popular and a shark-diving industry has emerged, potentially presenting an alternative for the sustainable use of sharks. Combining a literature review with interviews with dive operators conducting shark encounters in the Macaronesian archipelagos, we provide an overview of the challenges and conservation potential of shark-diving tourism for these territories. Owing to the regular presence of important shark species for tourism and the growth of the scuba-diving industry, shark-diving has potential to expand over the region. Yet, the overlap between European industrial fishing …

Liquid Border, Yingfan Jia

Masters Theses

A River is a mighty and constantly-evolving force, leaving behind an intricately designed and constantly changing system. Not just a river, the Rio Grande stretches all the way from Colorado before intersecting with the US-Mexico Border in southern Texas - a point where the powerful forces of nature now merge with a clearly-defined political boundary. The outcome of this is a unique ecological niche, which may often go unnoticed despite its distinctiveness.

Texas is famous for its farms and ranches, and the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas was once an agricultural hub. However, urbanization and the depletion of water …

Statistical And Biological Analyses Of Acoustic Signals In Estrildid Finches, Moises Rivera

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Acoustic communication is a process that involves auditory perception and signal processing. Discrimination and recognition further require cognitive processes and supporting mechanisms in order to successfully identify and appropriately respond to signal senders. Although acoustic communication is common across birds, classical research has largely disregarded the perceptual abilities of perinatal altricial taxa. Chapter 1 reviews the literature of perinatal acoustic stimulation in birds, highlighting the disproportionate focus on precocial birds (e.g., chickens, ducks, quails). The long-held belief that altricial birds were incapable of acoustic perception in ovo was only recently overturned, as researchers began to find behavioral and physiological evidence …

Towards Urban Biodiversity: Simulating Design Parameters For Wildlife-Inclusive Green Infrastrcuture, Alisa Abdulghany, Baher Farahat

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

As of 2021, more than half of the global population resides in urban areas. This resulted in an overwhelming footprint affecting species habitat areas leading to biodiversity loss. By definition, urban biodiversity is the diversity of living things within the urban realm. By providing chances for habitat as part of new developments, preserving on-site habitats, and attempting to connect with the local ecosystems, we can help promote biodiversity. Green infrastructure (GI), which includes all semi-natural areas in the urban context, can serve as a vessel for biodiversity. Therefore, the problem can be defined by the urban footprint that expands on …

Associative Learning: Unmet Criterion For Plant Sentience, Luigi Baciadonna, Catherine Macri, Martin Giurfa

Animal Sentience

In a thought-provoking target article, Segundo-Ortin & Calvo (S&C) discuss the possibility that plants are sentient, focusing on a series of capacities normally attributed only to human and nonhuman animals. S&C propose learning as a marker for sentience. We review studies reporting associative learning in plants and find that they either lack essential controls or fail to produce replicable results. The capacity to learn has not yet been demonstrated in plants, so it cannot be used to support the hypothesis that plants are sentient. Further studies are needed. But agnosticism about sentience should not deter us from investigating unexpected new …

Gpr75 Deficiency Attenuates High Fat Diet-Driven Obesity And Glucose Intolerance, Sakib Hossain

NYMC Student Theses and Dissertations

Recently, a collaboration between Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and the Schwartzman-Garcia labs at New York Medical College published an exome sequencing study of individuals across the United Kingdom, United States, and Mexico which concluded that individuals possessing non-functioning, truncated mutations to the orphan g protein coupled receptor (GPCR), GPR75, had lower BMI and 54% reduced likelihood of obesity. The present study was undertaken to fully characterize the metabolic phenotype of Gpr75 deficient mice when fed a high fat diet (HFD) and explore potential mechanisms by which GPR75 activation links to increased adiposity and decreased glucose tolerance. After 14 weeks of HFD-feeding we …

Woman Flytrap, Brianna Jo Hobson

Student Theses and Dissertations

Woman FlyTrap is a short story zine collection that explores the topic of sexual violence through the perpetrator and victim relationship with an explicit lens. Replete with cultural and entomological themes and motifs, Woman Flytrap seeks to remind survivors that we are not alone. In our bodies or in our lives. Neither in the world. There are over a million insects to every human, proving that there is strength in numbers. All five stories in the collection present different abstracts: revenge, transformation, justice, healing, body image, self-harm, mourning, etc. There is also a playlist and a section about the author. …

Humanity In Animals: A Exploration Of The Complexity Of Elephants As Intellectual Beings, Xing Z. Huang

Honors Projects

Loxodonta (Elephants) are endangered species with only around 40,000-50,000 left in the world. They are part of the Elephantidae family with only three known existing species. Known for their cognitive capacity in their ability to recognize themselves in a mirror among many other actions, such as using self-made tools to aid them in their daily lives. Through past studies, it can be seen that vocalization and physical touch are the key steps of communication. Elephants have demonstrated their ability to distinguish between different frequencies and utilize them to communicate changes in the environment or indicate the absence of a herd …

A Deeper Understanding Of Noise Effects On Cetaceans, Jason N. Bruck

Faculty Publications

Recent research with cetaceans under human care is illuminating just how dolphins are affected by human-made noise both in terms of their ability to cooperate as well as their ability to habituate to such noise. This research is providing granular detail to regulators assessing the problems associated with anthropogenic effects and is highlighting a role for behavior/cognition research in conservation.