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Karyotyping As A Method To Verify Phylogenetic Relationships Among The Enneacanthus Species, Ophelia A. Anderson Jan 2025

Karyotyping As A Method To Verify Phylogenetic Relationships Among The Enneacanthus Species, Ophelia A. Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The Enneacanthus genus consists of three species of freshwater fish endemic to eastern North America: E. obesus (Banded Sunfish), E. gloriosus (Blue Spotted Sunfish), and E. chaetodon (Black Banded Sunfish). Previous studies using molecular data suggest that E. obesus and E. gloriosus are more closely related, with E. chaetodon as the most distantly related species in the genus. This study investigates the phylogenetic relationship among the Enneacanthus species, using karyotype characteristics - chromosome number, morphology and fundamental number - as comparative metrics. Chromosome spreads were obtained from scale and gill epithelium samples collected between 1993 and 1994. Prepared slides …


Behavioral Observations And Analysis Of Twix: The Cape Porcupine At The Lake Superior Zoo, Erin Davidson Jan 2025

Behavioral Observations And Analysis Of Twix: The Cape Porcupine At The Lake Superior Zoo, Erin Davidson

Scripps Senior Theses

The three main goals of zoos are outlined as: education, conservation, and research. In our modern world, the focus of zoos has shifted away from simply housing animals, and towards how we can best promote proper animal welfare for individuals in human care. Animal welfare can be defined as the “mental health” of non-human species of fauna, and is greatly influenced by the stressors within the environment, as well as the option of choosing how to interact with and respond to the environment. Animals housed in zoos are presented with unique stressors that they often do not choose to experience, …


Effects Of Diet Composition On Physical Parameters In Danio Rerio, Isabella Hemphill Jan 2025

Effects Of Diet Composition On Physical Parameters In Danio Rerio, Isabella Hemphill

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With the use of zebrafish as a common model organism for human health, the reduction of confounding variables in their care is key. Many commercialized zebrafish diets are available for purchase, but each one consists of a different ratio of these crucial macronutrients. This study aimed to determine the effects long-term diets high in one macronutrient would have on the morphometrics, heart, liver, and protein content of zebrafish. Four diets were fed over a period of almost two years- high lipid, high carb, high protein, and a control diet. The control diet was the standard feed used in this lab, …


Exploring The Effects Of Road Salt On Earthworm Species, Alea Mry Koston Jan 2025

Exploring The Effects Of Road Salt On Earthworm Species, Alea Mry Koston

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study examines the effects of two road salts, sodium chloride (NaCl) and calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), on the health of two earthworm species: Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus terrestris. Over a 4-week period, approximately 168 earthworms were exposed to varying concentrations of either NaCl, CMA, or mixed ratios of both, with a control group included for comparison. The experiment involved monitoring the changes in earthworm weight and measuring their contraction rates to determine physiological responses. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in weight or activity between NaCl and CMA treatments for either species. However, higher concentrations of NaCl resulted in …


Elongate Locomotors Show Consistent Torque Patterns Across Substrates, Spencer Bradford, Henry Astley Jan 2025

Elongate Locomotors Show Consistent Torque Patterns Across Substrates, Spencer Bradford, Henry Astley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The four main movements found in snakes are understood mainly due to external study; however, muscular forces and resulting torques are poorly known. The main research objective is to study the torque production on different substrates using a snakebot. The study will give a rudimentary model for torque production on different substrates. It can then be compared against biological systems to understand snake movement at a muscular level. This study used a snakebot, allowing direct assessment of the current being run through each of its motors (proportional to torque). Data was then examined using a Principal Component Analysis test for …


Editorial, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, Miriam Marmontel [email protected] Jan 2025

Editorial, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, Miriam Marmontel [email protected]

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Predation Of A Sperm Whale (Physeter Macrocephalus) By Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) In Guanaja, Honduras, Gaby M. Ochoa, Eric Angel Ramos, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske Jan 2025

Predation Of A Sperm Whale (Physeter Macrocephalus) By Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) In Guanaja, Honduras, Gaby M. Ochoa, Eric Angel Ramos, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Review Of Applications Of Deep Learning In Veterinary Diagnostics And Animal Health, Sam Xiao, Navneet K. Dhand, Zhiyong Wang, Kun Hu, Peter C. Thomson, John K. House, Mehar S. Khatkar Jan 2025

Review Of Applications Of Deep Learning In Veterinary Diagnostics And Animal Health, Sam Xiao, Navneet K. Dhand, Zhiyong Wang, Kun Hu, Peter C. Thomson, John K. House, Mehar S. Khatkar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Deep learning (DL), a subfield of artificial intelligence (AI), involves the development of algorithms and models that simulate the problem-solving capabilities of the human mind. Sophisticated AI technology has garnered significant attention in recent years in the domain of veterinary medicine. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the research dedicated to leveraging DL for diagnostic purposes within veterinary medicine. Our systematic review approach followed PRISMA guidelines, focusing on the intersection of DL and veterinary medicine, and identified 422 relevant research articles. After exporting titles and abstracts for screening, we narrowed our selection to 39 primary research articles directly applying …


Volumetric Comparison Of Overall Brain And Neuropil Size Between Social And Non-Social Spiders: Exploring The Social Brain Hypothesis, Vanessa Penna-Gonçalves, Donald James Mclean, Nikolas J. Willmott, Michael B.J. Kelly, Jay R. Black, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Marie E. Herberstein Jan 2025

Volumetric Comparison Of Overall Brain And Neuropil Size Between Social And Non-Social Spiders: Exploring The Social Brain Hypothesis, Vanessa Penna-Gonçalves, Donald James Mclean, Nikolas J. Willmott, Michael B.J. Kelly, Jay R. Black, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Marie E. Herberstein

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The social brain hypothesis predicts that the relative size of specific brain regions is driven by the cognitive capacity required to manage complex (social) situations. Spiders are intriguing models to test this hypothesis, as sociality is rare in this usually solitary and aggressive group. Here, we used microCT to compare the central nervous system and brain volumes between social and solitary females of the species in two taxonomic groups, huntsman and crab spiders. Overall, we found no difference in relative CNS and brain volume between social and solitary species. However, social huntsman spiders Delena cancerides had larger arcuate and mushroom …


Comparing Microct Staining And Scanning Methodology For Brain Studies In Various Sizes Of Spiders, Vanessa Penna-Gonçalves, Nikolas J. Willmott, Michael B.J. Kelly, Jay R. Black, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Marie E. Herberstein Jan 2025

Comparing Microct Staining And Scanning Methodology For Brain Studies In Various Sizes Of Spiders, Vanessa Penna-Gonçalves, Nikolas J. Willmott, Michael B.J. Kelly, Jay R. Black, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Marie E. Herberstein

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Recent advances in microCT are facilitating the investigation of microstructures in spiders and insects leading to an increased number of studies investigating their neuroanatomy. Although microCT is a powerful tool, its effectiveness depends on appropriate tissue preparation and scan settings, particularly for soft, non-sclerotized tissues, such as muscles, organs, and neural tissues. As the application of microCT in spiders is only in its infancy, published protocols are often difficult to implement due to substantial size variation of the specimens. The present study was initiated to determine how to account for this variation. Our work builds on previous methods using microCT …


Diverged Populations Admixture Bolsters Genetic Diversity Of A New Island Dibbler (Parantechinus Apicalis) Population, But Does Not Prevent Subsequent Loss Of Genetic Variation, Rujiporn Thavornkanlapachai, Harriet R. Mills, Kym Ottewell, Cathy Lambert, J. Anthony Friend, Daniel J. White, Zahra Aisya, W. Jason Kennington Jan 2025

Diverged Populations Admixture Bolsters Genetic Diversity Of A New Island Dibbler (Parantechinus Apicalis) Population, But Does Not Prevent Subsequent Loss Of Genetic Variation, Rujiporn Thavornkanlapachai, Harriet R. Mills, Kym Ottewell, Cathy Lambert, J. Anthony Friend, Daniel J. White, Zahra Aisya, W. Jason Kennington

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Translocating individuals from multiple source populations is one way to bolster genetic variation and avoid inbreeding in newly established populations. However, mixing isolated populations, especially from islands, can potentially lead to outbreeding depression and/or assortative mating, which may limit interbreeding between source populations. Here, we investigated genetic consequences of mixing individuals from two island populations of the dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) in an island translocation. Despite a high level of genetic divergence between the source populations (FST ranges 0.33–0.64), and significant differences in body size, individuals with different ancestries were able to successfully interbreed in captivity and in the wild. However, …


Six Genera Of Ariophantidae From Bhutan (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata, Helicarionoidea), Edmund Gittenberger, Sherub, Choki Gyeltshen, Nima Dorji, Kezang Tobgay Jan 2025

Six Genera Of Ariophantidae From Bhutan (Gastropoda, Eupulmonata, Helicarionoidea), Edmund Gittenberger, Sherub, Choki Gyeltshen, Nima Dorji, Kezang Tobgay

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Samples of the ariophantid genera Oxytesta, Bensonies, Himalodiscus, Ariophanta, Khasiella, and Sesara collected in Bhutan are treated. For all species distributional data for the kingdom are summarized on maps. Shells are described and figured on the basis of specimens from Bhutan, with radulae and genital tracts whenever possible. Six Oxytesta species are dealt with, 3 of which new to science, viz. O. delicata E. Gittenberger & Sherub, O. dubitata E. Gittenberger & Kezang Tobgay, and O. lhuentsensis E. Gittenberger & Sherub. Five Bensonies species are recognized, one of which could not be identified and 4 are described as new, viz. …


Predator Exposure And Gene Flow As Tools To Preserve Antipredator Traits In Havened Populations: Behavioural Observations Of Quenda, Natasha D. Harrison, Nicola J. Mitchell, Harriet Mills, Anna J.M. Hopkins, Ben L. Phillips Jan 2025

Predator Exposure And Gene Flow As Tools To Preserve Antipredator Traits In Havened Populations: Behavioural Observations Of Quenda, Natasha D. Harrison, Nicola J. Mitchell, Harriet Mills, Anna J.M. Hopkins, Ben L. Phillips

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

When predation pressure is relaxed, for example, in predator-free conservation havens, populations can rapidly lose antipredator traits. Such trait loss is thought to be accelerated when resource competition becomes the dominant selection pressure in the absence of predation risk. Under these circumstances, antipredator traits may be retained by reducing resource competition through predator exposure (both of which reduce selection against antipredator traits) or by maintaining gene flow with predator-savvy populations. Here, we examine differences in antipredator traits in quenda, Isoodon fusciventer, inside and outside of a conservation haven in which low levels of gene flow and predator exposure have been …


An Edna Assessment Of The Diamond Darter (Crystallaria Cincotta) In Its Current And Historic Distribution Range, Cameron Moore Layne Jan 2025

An Edna Assessment Of The Diamond Darter (Crystallaria Cincotta) In Its Current And Historic Distribution Range, Cameron Moore Layne

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Environmental DNA (eDNA) can serve as a useful monitoring tool for cryptic and imperiled freshwater stream fishes. eDNA can fill knowledge gaps regarding species’ distribution, site abundance, and habitat usage. The last known stronghold of the Diamond Darter (Crystallaria cincotta) in the Elk River of West Virginia provides an excellent test case to examine the utility of this non-invasive method of surveying rare species. Diamond Darters are one of the most newly recognized freshwater fishes in North America and are among the most imperiled U.S. fishes, having been federally listed as endangered in 2013. The cryptic behavior and limitations of …


Effects Of Ionophore And Yeast Addition To The Diet On Starch Digestion And Rumen Andblood Parameters In Sheep With Subacute Rumen Acidosis, Şevket Evci̇, Mehmet Aki̇f Karsli, Mehmet Demi̇rci̇, Gökhan Şen Jan 2025

Effects Of Ionophore And Yeast Addition To The Diet On Starch Digestion And Rumen Andblood Parameters In Sheep With Subacute Rumen Acidosis, Şevket Evci̇, Mehmet Aki̇f Karsli, Mehmet Demi̇rci̇, Gökhan Şen

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study aimed to investigate the prevention of acidosis in ruminants, which causes yield and financial losses, and toevaluate the effects of feed additives on starch digestion. Four male Bafra yearling lambs with cannulated rumens were used in a 60-daystudy. Each lamb underwent 10 days of adaptation to a ration and 5 days of sampling for four different rations including a control ration(CR), monensin ration (MR), Saccharomyces cerevisiae ration (SR), and a ration with the combination of monensin and Saccharomycescerevisiae (MSR). The experiment followed a 4 × 4 Latin-square design. Dry matter intake and digestion rates were recorded as 2404 …


Evaluating And Mapping Habitat Suitability And Effects Of Woodland Treatment On Breeding Pinyon Jays In Colorado, Emily Diane Macklin Jan 2025

Evaluating And Mapping Habitat Suitability And Effects Of Woodland Treatment On Breeding Pinyon Jays In Colorado, Emily Diane Macklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a highly social, colonially nesting corvid endemic to the interior western United States whose populations have declined by ~72% since 1966, prompting the species’ current review for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Pinyon jays inhabit pinyon pine (Pinus subsect. Cembroides) and juniper (Juniperus spp.) woodlands and other dry conifer woodlands, portions of which are treated through tree thinning and removal for fuels reduction, ecological restoration, and habitat improvement for wildlife. As a result there is pressing need to better understand how woodland treatment and other potential drivers impact pinyon jay habitat suitability and …


Spatiotemporal Habitat Use, Sex-Specific Movement, And Site Fidelity Of Walleye In Lake Sharpe, Sd, Carter S. Dollen Jan 2025

Spatiotemporal Habitat Use, Sex-Specific Movement, And Site Fidelity Of Walleye In Lake Sharpe, Sd, Carter S. Dollen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Walleye Sander vitreus are a popular sportfish among anglers in South Dakota with large economic impacts to local communities. A popular destination for Walleye anglers is Lake Sharpe, a 25,000-ha reservoir on the Missouri River, in central South Dakota. Gill net catches in Lake Sharpe show high annual variation, prompting concern that gill net catch rates may be poorly related to population abundance. A better understanding of Walleye movement and distribution could lead to increased precision in annual abundance estimates and improved active management that increases angler success. The goals of this study were: 1) determine spatiotemporal movement patterns of …


Soybean Meal And Soybean Hulls Inclusion In Swine Diets And The Effects On Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Nutrient Digestibility, Manure Nutrient Output, And Economic Impact, Joseph G. Halbur Jan 2025

Soybean Meal And Soybean Hulls Inclusion In Swine Diets And The Effects On Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Nutrient Digestibility, Manure Nutrient Output, And Economic Impact, Joseph G. Halbur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increasing demand for soybean production in the Midwest, driven by new soybean crushing plants, may reduce the cost of soybean meal (SBM), making it a more accessible and economically viable feed ingredient in swine diets. Replacing dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) with SBM and soy hulls at different inclusion rates may influence growth performance, carcass traits, nutrient digestibility, manure nutrient output, pelleting energy use, and economic returns in wean-to-finish pigs. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate these effects. In the first, 566 pigs (PIC × Terminal Duroc, 8.45 and 7.25 kg, 6 weeks of age) were housed in …


Lives And Lessons Of Zoo Animals, Nicole Emlen Jan 2025

Lives And Lessons Of Zoo Animals, Nicole Emlen

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This project was an interdisciplinary museum exhibit that was displayed at the Montana Natural History Center between April 4 and May 12, 2025. It displays my photographs that I took of some of the animals I worked with during my summer 2024 internship at ZooMontana. In this project, I educate the public about three main functions of zoos--rescue, conservation, and education--through the stories and lives of four species. These animals all have unique stories that are important to share to improve public knowledge of why zoos are important and how we can improve relationships between humans and wildlife. Photography is …


Assessing Intra-Seasonal Changes In Summer Elk Diet Composition, Ava E. Window Jan 2025

Assessing Intra-Seasonal Changes In Summer Elk Diet Composition, Ava E. Window

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Elk (Cervus canadensis) require adequate forage to fulfill their seasonal nutritional requirements. Elk undergo their highest nutritional demands during summer to support critical life functions such as late gestation, lactation, and juvenile growth. However, variations in plant phenology significantly influence the quality and quantity of forage available to elk during the summer season. As summer advances and plant communities mature, forage quality often declines, leading to a landscape that imposes greater nutritional constraints on elk. As a result, prior research on elk foraging habits has primarily focused on late summer. This has led to limited knowledge surrounding the …


Effect Of Vibration Isolation During Transportation On Beef Sirloin Subprimal And Steak Quality, Kylie Nevada Krueger Jan 2025

Effect Of Vibration Isolation During Transportation On Beef Sirloin Subprimal And Steak Quality, Kylie Nevada Krueger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of vibration during transportation on beef sirloin water holding capacity, color, and tenderness. USDA Choice center-cut sirloin top butts (n = 45 cases) were collected at a commercial processing facility and randomly allocated to one of three treatments 1) regular pallet driven 241 km (Reg241), 2) regular pallet driven 644 km (Reg644), and 3) vibration isolation pallet driven 644 km (Iso644). All subprimals were transported at -2.2 °C (d0) and stored for 10 days to mimic industry practices for product aging. Following storage (d11), one subprimal per case was evaluated …


Comparative Semiotic Analysis Of Non-Verbal Communication: Apis Mellifera Waggle Dance And Human Kinesic Signaling Systems, Nishtha Tikalal Jan 2025

Comparative Semiotic Analysis Of Non-Verbal Communication: Apis Mellifera Waggle Dance And Human Kinesic Signaling Systems, Nishtha Tikalal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

There are many parallels between two seemingly disparate forms of non-verbal communication: the waggle dance of Apis mellifera (honeybees) and human kinesic signaling systems. Through a comparative semiotic analysis, this research aims to conduct a comparative semiotic analysis, investigating structural and functional similarities between these communication methods, challenging anthropocentric assumptions about meaning making in the natural world. This research employs a meta-synthesis approach, drawn from a methodological literature review to examine historical representations of bee-human relationships, semiotics of non-verbal communication, and the specific mechanisms of the waggle dance and human kinesics. This methodology involves systematic categorization and analysis of extracted …


Development Of A Proposed Selective Medium For The Isolation And Differentiation Of P. Sordellii, Dimyana Bottros Jan 2025

Development Of A Proposed Selective Medium For The Isolation And Differentiation Of P. Sordellii, Dimyana Bottros

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Clostridium, a genus of anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria, includes clinically and ecologically significant species like Clostridium difficile and Paeniclostridium sordellii. C. difficile causes antibiotic-associated colitis, while P. sordellii is linked to fatal infections and spontaneous abortions. Recent studies found both species in marine sediments, suggesting their role in environmental and wildlife health disturbances, including the 2013 mass mortality of over 300 manatees in the Indian River Lagoon. However, isolating and differentiating P. sordellii is challenging due to the lack of selective media optimized for its growth. This thesis proposes a novel selective medium tailored to P. sordellii’s physiological …


Fluke Egg Sedimentation Test Procedure, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia Jan 2025

Fluke Egg Sedimentation Test Procedure, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The department’s approved procedure for detecting trematode eggs and the Eimeria leuckarti sedimentation method (FEST) on faecal samples.


Estimating The Carbon Footprint Of Sheep Production In Western Australia, Tafesse Estifanos, Christophe D'Abbadie, Johnny Machon, Amir Abadi Abadi Ghadim, Gus Manatsa, Paul Mattingley, Ross Kingwell, Kevin Foster Jan 2025

Estimating The Carbon Footprint Of Sheep Production In Western Australia, Tafesse Estifanos, Christophe D'Abbadie, Johnny Machon, Amir Abadi Abadi Ghadim, Gus Manatsa, Paul Mattingley, Ross Kingwell, Kevin Foster

Farm Systems and Economics published reports

Western Australia’s broadacre mixed farming systems combine cropping and sheep production and are the largest component of the state’s agricultural sector. The south west Western Australia (WA) agricultural area hosts about 98% of the state's sheep flock. The sheep industry contributed $1.5 billion to the state’s economy in 2021-22 and accounts for about a quarter of on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Most sheep industry emissions (over 80%) come from methane produced by the sheep. Despite this environmental impact, only 9.9% of Australian sheep producers have estimated their emissions, which limits the industry's ability to monitor and manage carbon footprints effectively. …


Investigating Relatedness Within Breeding Units Of The Highly Social Bushtit (Psaltriparus Minimus), Fiona Skye Connelly Jan 2025

Investigating Relatedness Within Breeding Units Of The Highly Social Bushtit (Psaltriparus Minimus), Fiona Skye Connelly

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Cooperative breeding systems represent an array of varied reproductive strategies and remain a topic of interest in behavioral ecology (i.e., Riehl 2013, Cornwallis et al. 2017). Different manifestations of cooperative breeding, such as cooperative polyandry, no doubt have unique evolutionary pressures tied to local ecologies which have led to their proliferation. Of particular interest are species that show flexibility in their use of reproductive strategies, wherein individuals may choose one strategy over another given a specific circumstance. Here, I used double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (i.e., ddRAD-seq) to investigate bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) reproductive strategies and the relatedness between …


Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis), Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Paul E. Moler, Travis M. Thomas, Matthew T. Fedler, John M. Matter, Dennis C. Haney Jan 2025

Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis), Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Paul E. Moler, Travis M. Thomas, Matthew T. Fedler, John M. Matter, Dennis C. Haney

Papers in Herpetology

We conducted surveys for the Cedar Keys Mole Skink, Plestiodon egregius insularis (Mount), during 1989– 1999 and 2015–2024, examined museum vouchers, and compiled personal observations from others to determine the status and distribution of this subspecies, which has the smallest geographic distribution of the five subspecies and is being considered for federal listing. We observed Cedar Keys Mole Skinks on Airstrip Island, Atsena Otie, Cedar Point, Deer Island, North Key, Scale Key, Seahorse Key, Snake Key, and possibly Dog Island. We have anecdotal reports of Mole Skinks on Way Key, which contains the most potential habitat and is the main …


Exploring Mating Patterns: The Interplay Of Genes, Environment, And Their Evolutionary Outcomes, Sanduni Talagala Jan 2025

Exploring Mating Patterns: The Interplay Of Genes, Environment, And Their Evolutionary Outcomes, Sanduni Talagala

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

There is great variation in the reproductive tactics exhibited both between and within different species, which is reflected in how individuals engage in mate assessment, mate choice and offspring production. It is therefore important to understand general mating patterns of populations, the factors that influence these mating patterns, and the consequences they carry, in order to get a more holistic understanding of mating systems. This doctoral research represents a multi-pronged investigation of the factors shaping mating patterns and their consequences, how environmental factors influence mating patterns, and how both genotypes and the environment interact to influence mate choice decisions and …


Validating A Novel Capability Of Assessing Pathways Of Animal Water Gain And Loss, Zachary T. Steele, Karen Caceres, Zachary A. David, Lisa M. Shollenberger, Alexander R. Gerson, Seth D. Newsome, John P. Whiteman Jan 2025

Validating A Novel Capability Of Assessing Pathways Of Animal Water Gain And Loss, Zachary T. Steele, Karen Caceres, Zachary A. David, Lisa M. Shollenberger, Alexander R. Gerson, Seth D. Newsome, John P. Whiteman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Understanding variations in the routes by which wild animals gain and lose water is challenging, and common methods require longitudinal sampling, which can be prohibitive. However, a new approach uses Δ′¹⁷OBW (Δ′¹⁷O of animal body water), calculated from measurements of δ′¹⁷O and δ′¹⁸O in a single sample, as a natural tracer of water flux. Δ′¹⁷OBW is promising, but its relationship to organismal variables such as metabolic rate and water intake have not been validated. Here, we continuously measured oxygen influxes and effluxes of captive deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), and manipulated their water intake and metabolic rate. We used …


Addressing The Productivity-Susceptibility Analysis In Data-Limited Fisheries For Understudied Fish In The Marine Aquarium Trade, Alice Wynn, Jemelyn Baldisimo, Gabrielle Baillargeon, Michael Tlusty, Andrew Rhyne Jan 2025

Addressing The Productivity-Susceptibility Analysis In Data-Limited Fisheries For Understudied Fish In The Marine Aquarium Trade, Alice Wynn, Jemelyn Baldisimo, Gabrielle Baillargeon, Michael Tlusty, Andrew Rhyne

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The marine aquarium trade (MAT) harvests millions of coral reef fishes from the wild yearly. While the MAT supports fishers, hobbyists and marine education, harvested fishes are crucial in maintaining coral reef health and balanced marine cycles within their native habitats. Understanding the impact of the MAT on fish populations is critical for sustaining the trade in the long-term. Productivity-susceptibility analyses (PSAs) offer semiquantitative methods of analyzing the productive capacity of each fish stock, as well as its susceptibility to overfishing. The present study revises and expands upon a PSA conducted by Baillargeon et al. (2020) that focused on 32 …