Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Multi-Type Branching Processes In Time-Varying Environments, Arash Jamshidpey

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Evolution Of Altruistic Punishment Using A Pde Model For Multilevel Selection, Daniel Cooney

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Mathematically Modeling Stoichiometric Drivers Of Nitrogen Fixation, Rebecca Everett, Corday Selden, Mohamed Hatha Abdulla, Jabir Thajudeen, James Powell, Edwin Cruz-Rivera, Luca Schenone, Renn Schipper, Megan Berberich, Halvor Halvorson, Robinson Fulweiler, Amy Marcarelli, Thad Scott

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Selection During Reproduction In Mimulus Guttatus, Desmond C. Willson, Karla De Lima Berg, Mitch Cruzan

Student Research Symposium

A lack of genomic studies examining gametophytic selection and selective embryo abortion—which occur during the reproduction of angiosperms—leaves questions regarding the adaptive and evolutionary effects of these processes. Analyzing deviations from Mendelian segregation offers an avenue for identifying loci targeted by GS and SEA, and their contributions to purging of genetic load. However, other selective processes such as meiotic drive and cytonuclear interactions, as well as pollen and ovule abortion, can cause distortion. To distinguish the effects of GS and SEA from other causes of distortion, we will perform reciprocal crosses between highly homozygous and highly heterozygous individuals of Mimulus …

Relationship Between Trunk Cross-Sectional Area Growth And Water Stress In Garry Oaks (Q. Garryana): A Species Of Conservation Concern, John Cochrane

Student Research Symposium

In the Pacific Northwest, Quercus garryana (Garry oak trees) support over 627 native species. Garry oak natural habitat was originally maintained by indigenous practices but has been reduced to 5-10% of its range due to change in land management strategies. To support oak conservation, we need to understand heat and water affect the growth and physiology of this species. In this study, we created a fixed linear model of trunk cross-sectional growth with water stress (Ψ), photosynthetic water-use efficiency (δ¹³C), and leaf Carbon-Nitrogen ratio. We collected branch samples from the canopies of 47-64 mature Garry oaks in the …

Phytoplankton Community Dynamics In The Northern California Current System, Kristin Forgrave

Student Research Symposium

The Northern California Current system is a productive coastal ecosystem that encompasses a variety of temporal and spatial features. The photosynthetic microbial community plays a crucial role in supporting the rich ecosystem and economically important fisheries. My research integrates data across distance and two years to investigate the community composition of two major phytoplankton groups in this system: picocyanobacteria and picoeukaryotes. The abundances and sizes of the phytoplankton were measured using flow cytometry. Picoeukaryotes were found to be present at similar concentrations in both summer and winter. Abundances of both cell types were comparable in the winter, but picocyanobacteria were …

New Records Of Mesobuthus Rakhshanii Barahoei, 2022 In Iran (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, Zhale Baghernavesi, Zahra Taherkhani, Parsa Akbari, Mohammad Moradi

Euscorpius

Mesobuthus rakhshanii Barahoei, 2022 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) was so far known only from the type locality in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. We give a list of numerous new records of this species from the same province. A map and detailed illustrations are provided.

Revegetation Strategies For Native Wetland Plant Restoration In The Face Of Phragmites Australis Reinvasion And Hydrologic Extremes, Maddie Houde

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Reestablishing native plant communities in degraded habitats through seeding or planting ("revegetation") is a necessary step to restore ecosystems and their functions (e.g., supporting biodiversity, nutrient cycling, etc.). Globally, wetlands have suffered high rates of degradation and also experience numerous invasions. Invasive species are those that cause environmental, economic, or societal harm. Phragmites australis is a widespread invasive species that outcompetes native plants and reduces habitat diversity. Reestablishing native plant communities can limit P. australis invasion, yet effective methods to do so remain somewhat untested in wetlands. Additionally, stressful environmental conditions can increase plant mortality in revegetation efforts. In semi-arid …

The Effects Of Aboveground Herbivory On Root Traits And Root Decomposition, Emily A. Chavez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Soil holds more carbon (C) than the Earth's atmosphere and vegetation combined. Soil loses carbon through soil respiration and releases CO₂ from the soil. The soil respiration rate can vary based on the chemistry of the plant litter inputs and physical factors, such as soil temperature and nutrient content. In Alaska's Yukon-Kuskokwim (YK) Delta, grazing by geese affects the chemistry of plants and the soil's physical qualities, thus altering the rate of soil respiration. Although we know that goose herbivory leads to changes in the rate of soil respiration, we know very little about how goose herbivory affects the …

Analyzing Phototaxis And Related Visual Behaviors Among Diverse Species Of Drosophila, Madeline M. Hill

Honors Theses

Phototaxis and related visual behaviors can vary between species, and thus members of the genus Drosophila make an excellent study system to examine the evolution of vision. While some existing research points to these phototactic behaviors arising due to mating requirements or due to their species-specific ecology or environmental factors, there exists a lack of understanding as to why striking behavioral differences can exist between closely related species, or between members belonging to the same genus. The present research seeks to uncover the specifics regarding these discrepancies in visual evolution and aims to provide a foundation of knowledge about visual …

Do Heat Waves Drive Natural Selection In Damselflies?, Adam Baranyk

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Climate change has led to changes in both mean temperatures and temperature extremes over the recent years. These changes have had differential effects on animals throughout the world. Ectotherms depend on their external environment for thermal regulation, making them especially susceptible to temperature extremes. It is not yet clear whether there is a relationship between physical traits in ectotherms, and survivorship throughout a heat wave. That is, whether or not temperature extremes driven survival selection. In this study, a heat wave was simulated artificially using thermally regulated mesocosms at different temperatures (18°C, 22° C, 26° C, 30° C) with a …

Evaluating Aspen Seedling Outplanting Success Following High Severity Wildfire In The Southwest, Sarah M. Kapel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) is an ecologically important forest species in the western U.S. Aspen forests host a variety of understory species, are critical wildlife habitat, and are considered a "natural fuel break" since they are less likely to support crown fires than conifers. Because of climate change and altered disturbance regimes, populations are declining, and innovative strategies are needed to restore aspen. Planting aspen seedlings is a solution, though not a common practice in the West and has been met with high mortality in past experiments. For aspen planting to be more broadly implemented, managers need guidance …

Experimental Nonnative Wood Addition Enhances Instream Habitat For Native Fishes And Investigating Dryland River Alterations, Benjamin J. Miller

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The rivers of the Colorado River Basin (CRB) have been degraded by human activities such flow regulation, water overallocation, and the introduction of invasive riparian vegetation (primarily tamarisk tamarix spp. and Russian olive Elaeagnus angustifolia). These stressors have resulted in widespread habitat loss and simplification, which is a major contributor to the endangerment of native fishes in the CRB.

The objectives of this study were to 1) assess the effectiveness of enhancing native fish habitat by experimentally adding cut wood from nonnative Russian olive to the San Juan River, a highly degraded dryland river, and 2) determine the …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Disease: Social And Environmental Drivers Of Movement, Connectivity, And Disease Transmission In Bighorn Sheep, Lauren E. Ricci

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Movement is a fundamental component of animal ecology. Animals move in order to access resources and avoid risk. Movement decisions aggregated across time determine how individuals use space, contact dynamics between individuals within a population, and connectivity across a species range. These patterns that emerge from movement decisions have downstream implications for many ecological processes and a mechanistic understanding of movement can help answer broader questions about ecology.

Disease dynamics are intrinsically tied to movement. Understanding the mechanisms that drive movement can elucidate how disease will spread and impact host populations. In this vein, I employed a suite of movement …

Top-Down Vs Bottom-Up Effects On Predator-Prey Interactions In Aquatic Communities, Catherine Mary Mcclure

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Ecology is studied at multiple scales to better understand how small changes at the individual level scale up to affect our ecosystems and global systems. These ecological scales include individuals (single organism), populations (group of organisms of the same species), communities (populations of different species interacting with each other), and ecosystems (species interacting with other species and their local environment). The research in this document is focused on the individual, population, and community scale. In particular, this research addresses questions regarding how changes in environmental conditions (i.e., predation and resources) affect species interactions which ultimately affects the composition of ecological …

Causes And Consequences Of Space-Use Behavior Under Predation Risk In A Free-Living System, Brian J. Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Predators can have important ecological effects through killing and eating their prey, the so-called consumptive effect, but predators can also have a nonconsumptive effect (NCE) on their prey – this happens when the risk of predation itself causes prey to alter their behaviors or other traits and these alterations ultimately reduce prey survival, reproduction, or population size. While scientists understand the consumptive effects of predators well, we are still unsure whether NCEs are important in free-living systems. In this dissertation, I sought to better understand the potential NCEs of predators (wolves and cougars) on elk in northern Yellowstone National Park …

New Records Of Mesobuthus Mesopotamicus (Penther, 1912) In Iraq And Mesobuthus Faiki Sp. Nov. From Turkey (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Ersen A. Yağmur, František Kovařík, Victor Fet, Ridvan Kurt, Fenik S. Hussen, Azhar M. Al-Khazali, Hamid S. Kachel, Ali A. Al-Fanharawi

Euscorpius

New locality records for Mesobuthus mesopotamicus (Penther, 1912) are given from Iraq. The populations from southeastern Turkey, earlier identified as M. mesopotamicus by Kovařík et al. (2022), are examined and compared with the specimens from the area close to the type locality of M. mesopotamicus. These populations are described as a new species, Mesobuthus faiki sp. nov. Detailed illustrations of both species and a map are given.

An Examination Of The Eastern Nebraska And Western Iowa Flash Flood Event Of 6-7 August 1999, Catherine M. Zapotocny

NOAA Technical Reports and Related Materials

Flash flooding occurs each summer in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. While 10-inch rains are extraordinary, it is not uncommon to have at least one excessive rain event during the annual convective season. A significant flash flood occurred in east central Nebraska and western Iowa the night of August 6, 1999 into the morning of August 7, 1999. Antecedent hydrologic conditions limited the loss of life, however considerable property damage resulted as the heavy rain fell over the urbanized areas in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

Several flash flood ingredients came together over the area. These meteorological factors are typical …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xxxii. Barbaracurus Hofereki Sp. N. From Djibouti, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Barbaracurus hofereki sp. n. from Djibouti is described and compared with other species of the genus. B. hofereki sp. n. is the only species of the genus with pedipalp movable finger with 8 rows of granules and pectinal tooth count 27–28 in female. Also, its pedipalp chela with very narrow manus (chela length/width ratio 6.07 in female), narrower than in all other African species of the genus. A map of the distribution of the genus in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula is provided.

The Decline In Monarch Butterfly, Danaus Plexippus, Populations: An Example Of The Global Threat To Biodiversity, Olivia Sidoti

Honors Projects

Biodiversity encompasses the variety of all life on Earth and how these aspects of nature interact with each other. To have stable and abundant biodiversity, vast amounts of species and organisms are required within an ecosystem. As a result of the increase in negative impacts of human activities and behaviors on the health of nature, biodiversity has been decreasing. An example of the decrease in biodiversity is depicted by the recent decline of the monarch butterfly species. The monarch butterfly is an iconic North American insect that is experiencing a decline in its population due to threats such as deforestation, …