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The Strength Of Migratory Connectivity In Painted Buntings Is Spatial Scale Dependent And Shaped By Molting Behavior, Andrew J. Sharp, Andrea Contina, Viviana Ruiz-Gutiérrez,, T. Scott Sillett, Eli S. Bridge, Elizabeth M. Besozzi, John A. Muller, Jeffrey Kelly, Aaron M. Given, Clark S. Rushing

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

As migratory species move through the stages of their annual cycle, individuals often display variation in the degree to which they remain in proximity to one another, a phenomenon called migratory connectivity. We show scale dependence in the strength of migratory connectivity in Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris), a North American passerine with disjunct eastern and interior breeding populations. Based on light-level geolocator data from 112 individuals at 11 breeding sites, migratory connectivity between breeding and wintering grounds was strong at the range-wide scale, with interior and eastern Painted Buntings remaining separated throughout the annual cycle. Conversely, migratory connectivity …

Differential Impacts Of Cereal And Protein Sources Fed To Pigs After Weaning On Diarrhoea And Faecal Shedding Of Escherichia Coli, Production, And Total Tract Apparent Digestibility, John R. Pluske, Bruce P. Mullan, Jae Cheol Kim, David J. Hampson

Animal production and livestock research articles

Different cereal types, in combination with different protein sources, are fed to pigs after weaning, but their interactions and possible implications are not well researched. In this study, 84 male weaned piglets were used in a 21-day feeding trial to investigate the effects of feeding either medium-grain or long-grain extruded rice or wheat, in a factorial combination with protein sources of either vegetable or animal origin, on postweaning performance, shedding of β–haemolytic Escherichia coli, and the coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD). Pigs fed either rice type performed the same (p > 0.05) as wheat-fed pigs after weaning. The use …

Dear Duck-Billed Platypus, Michael J. Leach Dr

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

This piece is a concrete poem that both shows and describes the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus).

Factors Affecting Presence And Occupancy Of Marabou Storks (Leptoptilos Crumeniferus) At Abattoirs And Slaughter Slabs Near Jinja, Uganda, Elena Arroway

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

This study examined the factors affecting the presence and occupancy of marabou storks at abattoirs and slaughter slabs near Jinja, Uganda. The average number of storks per unit area was compared across different areas within one large abattoir, including an analysis of the presence of free food, human disturbance, and other scavenging birds (pied crow, piapiac, spur-winged lapwing, and cattle egrets). Occupancy across two abattoirs and one slaughter slab was compared and related to the number of animals slaughtered daily at the facility. Direct observations at abattoirs and slaughter slabs were conducted for ten minutes with five minutes between observations. …

Journal Of Dairy Science® 2022 Editorial Report, Paul J. Kononoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In 2022, the 105th volume of the Journal of Dairy Science was published. As we review the journal’s last year, it may be useful to reflect on the purpose of scientific publishing. This can be simply stated as the dissemination of results that extends knowledge to open the door for new concepts or advances in the field (Chan, 2018). Similar to other journals, in addition to original research articles, Journal of Dairy Science also publishes invited reviews and other paper types to pursue this purpose. The journal also has other valuable roles. For example, scientific journals actively support authors in …

Factors Associated With Intensity Of Technology Adoption And With The Adoption Of 4 Clusters Of Precision Livestock Farming Technologies In Irish Pasture-Based Dairy Systems, P. Palma-Molina, T Hennessy, A. H. O'Connor, S. Onakuse, Niall O'Leary, B. Moran, L. Shalloo

Publications

Precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies have been widely promoted as important tools to improve the sustainability of dairy systems due to perceived economic, social, and environmental benefits. However, there is still limited information about the level of adoption of PLF technologies (percentage of farms with a PLF technology) and the factors (farm and farmer characteristics) associated with PLF technology adoption in pasture-based dairy systems. The current research aimed to address this knowledge gap by using a representative survey of Irish pasture-based dairy farms from 2018. First, we established the levels of adoption of 9 PLF technologies (individual cow activity sensors, …

Application Of Eugenol In Poultry To Control Salmonella Colonization And Spread, Mohammed Aljuwayd, Israa Abdullah Malli, Young Min Kwon

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The poultry sector is an essential component of agriculture that has experienced unprecedented growth during the last few decades. It is especially true for the United States, where the average intake of chicken meat increased from 10 pounds (4.5 kg) per person in 1940 to 65.2 pounds (29.6 kg) per person in 2018, while the country produced 113 billion eggs in 2019 alone. Besides providing nutrition and contributing significantly to the economy, chicken is also a natural reservoir of Salmonella, which is responsible for salmonellosis in humans, one of the significant foodborne illnesses around the globe. The increasing use of …

A New Species Of Scorpio From Jordan (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae), Mohammad Al-Saraireh, Ersen A. Yağmur, Bassam Abu Afifeh, Zuhair Amr

Euscorpius

A new species Scorpio granulomanus sp. n. is described and illustrated from Dibbeen Forest, Jerash Governorate, Jordan. The new species is compared with the previously recorded species of the genus Scorpio L., 1758 in the Middle East; it can be distinguished from all other congeners by its very large, pointed granules on the dorsoexternal surface of the chela manus, and an untypically elongated chela manus.

Investigating The Reptilian Innate Immune System: A Review And Examination Of The Relationship Between Immunity, Stress, And Reproduction, Emily Katherine Field

Student Theses and Dissertations

Ecoimmunology examines the relationship between the physiology of an organism, its immune responses, and the external environment. As such, this field is critical to answering important questions in ecology, physiology, and evolution, and it can be vital in making policy and conservation decisions. As the only ectothermic amniotes, class Reptilia represents a group of unique study organisms. However, in comparison to other vertebrate taxa, this group has remained relatively understudied in the field of ecoimmunology. Though reptilian immunology has gained some attention in the last decade, we still lack data assessing immunity across the four orders of class Reptilia. Immune …

Periconceptual Maternal Nutrition Affects Fetal Liver Programming Of Energy- And Lipid-Related Genes, Wellison J. S. Diniz, Alison K. Ward, Kacie L. Mccathy, Cierrah J. Kassetas, Friederike Baumgaertner, Lawrence P. Reynolds, Pawel P. Borowicz, Kevin K. Sedivec, James D. Kirsch, Sheri T. Dorsam, Tammi L. Neville, J. Chris Forcherio, Ronald Scott, Joel S. Caton, Carl R. Dahlen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

During pregnancy, the fetus relies on the dam for its nutrient supply. Nutritional stimuli during fetal organ development can program hepatic metabolism and function. Herein, we investigated the role of vitamin and mineral supplementation (VTM or NoVTM—at least 71 days pre-breeding to day 83 of gestation) and rate of weight gain (low (LG) or moderate (MG)—from breeding to day 83) on the fetal liver transcriptome and the underlying biological pathways. Crossbred Angus beef heifers (n = 35) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design (VTM_LG, VTM_MG, NoVTM_LG, and NoVTM_MG). Gene expression …

Does Bergmann’S Rule Apply To North American Birds In The Context Of Climate Change?, Peridot Derrin Galloway

Student Theses and Dissertations

Over the past half century, birds have changed, including in their morphology. Biogeographic rules including Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules have been used to try to elucidate morphological changes; however, there has been dispute over the rules’ applicability. Thus, I aimed to identify 1) morphometric trends over time of 15 North American bird species, including eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis); 2) if these morphometric trends follow Bergmann’s rule; and 3) if the observed morphometric trends are associated with life history and other traits, as well as climatic variables (e.g., average, maximum and minimum temperatures, and total precipitation). Using short- and long-term morphological …

Shell Shocked: The Effects Of Stress And Bacterial Challenges On The Chelonian Innate Immune Response, Alyssa Hartzheim

Student Theses and Dissertations

In the realm of immunology, the use of reptilian models remains low in comparison to their mammalian counterparts. Consequently, much of the inner workings of reptilian immunity remain to be elucidated. Specifically, chelonian species are vastly understudied. In the past decade, research focusing on reptilian immunology has increased. This thesis seeks to contribute to the growing body of work concerning immune trade-offs. I studied reptilian innate immune ability in both captive and free-living populations with consideration of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. In the zoo-housed Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) and northern spider tortoises (Pyxis arachnoides brygooi), I demonstrated species-specific …

Black Vulture Skull, Briana K. Zaffiro, David W. Kerstetter

All Scans: Kerstetter Fisheries and Avian Ecology 3D Scan Series

Skull from 8 cm total length [Coragyps atarus (Black Vulture)]

Fine-Scale Variability In Catch And Growth Rates Of Western Rock Lobsters (Panulirus Cygnus) Show Heterogeneous Life-History Parameters, A Miller, Jason How, Simon De Lestang, Brooke A. Gibbons, E Lester, M Navarro, J Fitzhardinge, Tim J. Langlois

Fisheries Research Articles

Context: The western rock lobster fishery is recognised to be conservatively managed, with breeding stock levels estimated to be at record levels over the past decade. Despite this, anecdotal reports from commercial fishers identified an area of unexpectedly low catches in the centre of the fishery and lobsters’ biogeographic distribution.

Aim: To confirm the presence of this suspected ‘low-catch’ zone and examine the variability in catch and growth rates of lobsters if identified.

Methods: This study conducted an intensive mark–recapture survey over 8 months to explore catch rate, density, movement and growth rates across this ‘low-catch’ zone and three comparable …

Territorial Intrusion By Resident Male Wilson's Warblers: Breeding Stages Of The Intruders And Distances They Travel, William M. Gilbert

Western North American Naturalist

It now is generally recognized that genetic monogamy is the exception in birds, and that extrapair paternity in territorial species requires that one or the other sex involved in such an extrapair mating travel off its own territory to obtain an extrapair copulation. However, which sex or sexes travel off their home territories, the distances they might travel to obtain extrapair copulations, and the breeding stages during which they might make such off-territory forays are poorly understood for most species. I explored these issues in Wilson’s Warblers (Cardellina pusilla) in central, inner-coastal California. Male Wilson’s Warblers frequently intruded …

Population Dynamics Of A Long-Term Selection Experiment In White Plymouth Rock Chickens Selected For Low Or High Body Weight, S. J. Harrison, P. B. Siegel, C. F. Honaker, Ronald M. Lewis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The population dynamics of 2 lines of chickens from a long-term (59 generations) selection experiment were assessed based on pedigree data. These lines were propagated from phenotypic selection for low and high 8-wk BW in White Plymouth Rock chickens. Our objective was to determine whether the 2 lines maintained similar population structures over the selection horizon to allow meaningful comparisons of their performance data. A complete pedigree of 31,909 individuals, consisting of 102 founders, 1,064 from the parental generation, and 16,245 low weight (LWS) and 14,498 high weight (HWS) select chickens, was available. Inbreeding (F …

Metal Contents In House Geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) From Industrial And Urban Areas Of Southern Tamaulipas, Mexico And Western Andalucía, Spain, May Reflect Airborne Metal Pollution, Luisiana Morales-Zamudio, Alejandro Fierro-Cabo, Md. Saydur Rahman, Miguel Antonio Dominguez-Crespo

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

House geckos share living quarters with humans in the tropical and subtropical regions inhabited by these reptiles. Gecko behavior, biological traits, continuous exposure to suspended particulate matter 0 µm in diameter (PM10) and dust, as well as status as exotic species, motivated the choice of these species to examine environmental exposure to ambient air pollutants, in particular metals, and subsequent accumulation in these organisms. One part of the study was conducted in Tamaulipas (Mexico) where Hemydactylus frenatus is abundant in urban and industrial environments, the other part was conducted in Andalucia (Spain) where Tarentola mauritanica is found in similar environments. …

Bats Increased Foraging Activity At Experimental Prey Patches Near Hibernacula, Winifred F. Frick, Yvonne A. Dzal, Kristin A. Jonasson, Michael D. Whitby, Amanda M. Adams, Christen Long, John E. Depue, Christian M. Newman, Craig K. R. Willis, Tina L. Cheng

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

1. Emerging infectious diseases in wildlife can threaten vulnerable host populations. Actions targeting habitat improvements to aid population resilience and recovery may be beneficial long-term strategies, yet testing the efficacy of such strategies before major conservation investments are made can be challenging.

2. The disease white-nose syndrome (WNS) has caused severe declines in several species of North American hibernating bats. We tested a novel conservation approach targeted at improving foraging conditions near bat hibernacula by experimentally manipulating insect density in the pre-hibernation fattening period and spring emergence recovery period. We measured foraging (feeding buzzes) and echolocation activity of little brown bats Myotis …

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Evaluation Of Gross Energy Concentration Of Neutral Detergent Fiber Contained In Feed And Fecal Samples, J. D. Stypinski, Paul J. Kononoff, W. P. Weiss

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Starch and NDF are usually assumed to contain the same concentration of gross energy (GE), but NDF is more variable in chemical composition and varies more in the extent of digestion. The variable chemical composition of NDF may have direct implications on dairy nutrition models that predict dietary GE and use this estimate for also predicting digestible energy. For example, when NDF is enriched in lignin and protein, the concentration of GE would increase, whereas NDF enriched in ash would have the opposite effect. Current nutritional models, such as the NASEM (2021) and CNCPS (6.55), assume a GE coefficient of …

Kentucky Warbler (Vol. 99, No. 1), Department Of Library Special Collections

The Kentucky Warbler

No abstract provided.

Bringing Back Former Vegans And Vegetarians: An Obstacle Analysis, Jo Anderson, Coni Arévalo

Diet

People have a variety of motivations for switching to plant-based diets, yet not all people who begin the transition to a vegan or vegetarian (collectively called veg*n) diet maintain it long-term. In fact, Faunalytics’ study of current and former veg*ns (2014) found that the number of lapsed (former) vegans and vegetarians in the United States far surpasses the number of current veg*ns, and most who lapse do so within a year. Are these people the low-hanging fruit for diet advocates? They could be—there are many of them and they’re clearly at least somewhat willing to go veg*n, so maybe more …

Free-Living Allen’S Hummingbirds (Selasphorus Sasin) Rarely Use Torpor While Nesting, Erich R. Eberts, Glenn J. Tattersall, Peter J. Auger, Maria Curley, Melissa I. Morado, Eric G. Strauss, Don Powers, Noemi C. Soveral, Bret W. Tobalske, Anusha Shankar

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

For reproducing animals, maintaining energy balance despite thermoregulatory challenges is important for surviving and successfully raising offspring. This is especially apparent in small endotherms that exhibit high mass-specific metabolic rates and live in unpredictable environments. Many of these animals use torpor, substantially reducing their metabolic rate and often body temperature to cope with high energetic demands during non-foraging periods. In birds, when the incubating parent uses torpor, the lowered temperatures that thermally sensitive offspring experience could delay development or increase mortality risk. We used thermal imaging to noninvasively explore how nesting female hummingbirds sustain their own energy balance while effectively …

Potential Repercussions Of Offshore Wind Energy Development In The Northeast United States For The Atlantic Surfclam Survey And Population Assessment, Sarah Borsetti, Daphne M. Munroe, Andrew M. Scheld, Eric N. Powell, John M. Klinck, Eileen E. Hofmann

Faculty Publications

The Atlantic surfclam Spisula solidissima fishery, which spans the U.S. Northeast continental shelf, is among the most exposed to offshore wind energy development impacts because of the overlap of fishing grounds with wind energy lease areas, the hydraulic dredges used by the fishing vessels, and the location of vessel home ports relative to the fishing grounds. The Atlantic surfclam federal assessment survey is conducted using a commercial fishing vessel in locations that overlap with the offshore wind energy development. Once wind energy turbines, cables, and scour protection are installed, survey operations within wind energy lease areas may be curtailed or …

Blanding’S Turtle (Emydoidea Blandingii): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella, Colleen Rothe-Groleau

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The primary goal in development of at-risk species conservation assessments is to compile biological and ecological information that may assist conservation practitioners in making decisions regarding the conservation of species of interest. The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) as a Tier 1 at-risk species. Some general management recommendations are made here regarding Blanding’s turtles; however, conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of this at-risk turtle that will aid in the decision-making …

An Evaluation Of Avian Influenza Virus Whole-Genome Sequencing Approaches Using Nanopore Technology, Hon S. Ip, Sarah Uhm, Mary Lea Killian, Mia K. Torchetti

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

As exemplified by the global response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, whole-genome sequencing played an important role in monitoring the evolution of novel viral variants and provided guidance on potential antiviral treatments. The recent rapid and extensive introduction and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Europe, North America, and elsewhere raises the need for similarly rapid sequencing to aid in appropriate response and mitigation activities. To facilitate this objective, we investigate a next-generation sequencing platform that uses a portable nanopore sequencing device to generate and present data in real time. This platform offers the potential to extend in-house sequencing …

Disentangling Effects Of Mating, Nuptial Gifts And Accessory Gland Proteins On Reproduction In Female Crickets, Ian G. Rines, Audrey E. Harrod, John Hunt, Ben M. Sadd, Scott K. Sakaluk

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Accessory gland proteins contained within male ejaculates influence female reproduction and survival in insects. Nuptial food gifts offered by male crickets and katydids, the consumption of which may also alter female behaviour and physiology after mating, also contain accessory gland proteins. However, because nuptial feeding promotes the transfer of sperm and ejaculatory substances, it is unclear whether it is accessory gland proteins in the ejaculate, nuptial gifts or both that mediate these effects. Here we evaluate the effects of mating, nuptial gifts and accessory gland proteins on female reproduction in a gift-giving cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) using a …

American Eel (Anguilla Rostrata) And Other Fishes As Surveyed By Environmental Dna In The Bronx River And Hudson River Watershed, Sam C. Chin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Mounting an effective response to the threats faced by freshwater fish may require expansions to aquatic biomonitoring in excess of what is feasible using the capture-based survey techniques currently relied upon by natural resource managers. Methods for analyzing environmental DNA (eDNA) are emerging as a minimally invasive and cost-effective approach for surveying fish and other organisms. By detecting taxon-specific DNA sequences recovered from environmental samples (e.g. water, sediment), eDNA methods are able to infer species presence from samples that can be collected rapidly with simple equipment. In many cases, eDNA detection rates of fish species have been shown to meet …

Winter Connectivity And Leapfrog Migration In A Migratory Passerine, Rafael Rueda‐Hernández, Christen M. Bossu, Thomas B. Smith, Andrea Contina, Ricardo Canales Del Castillo, Kristen Ruegg, Blanca E. Hernández-Baños

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Technological advances in migratory tracking tools have revealed a remarkable diversity in migratory patterns. One such pattern is leapfrog migration, where individuals that breed further north migrate to locations further south. Here, we analyzed migration patterns in the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) using a genetic‐based approach. We started by mapping patterns of genetic variation across geographic space (called a genoscape) using 386 individuals from 25 populations across the breeding range. We then genotyped an additional 230 samples from 31 migration stopover locations and 178 samples from 16 wintering locations to map patterns of migratory connectivity. Our analyses of …

What Drives Larval Condition For Northern Anchovy (Engraulis Mordax)? Implications For Coastal Pelagic Species Recruitment Fluctuations And Fishery Management Practices, Michelle Robidas

Theses

Discerning the causes of population boom and bust cycles for coastal pelagic species (CPS) has been a major focus of fisheries management research for over a century. Year-class strength is contingent on larval survival and condition, which can be influenced by larval size at age and growth rate. These two factors, in turn, can be affected by maternal investment and environmental variables such as water temperature, salinity, oxygen, and chlorophyll a. We evaluated each of these factors from 127 two to eight week-old Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) larvae off the coast of San Diego to San Francisco, …

Dynamic Fecal Microbiota Transfer From Mice With Western Diet-Induced Severe Colitis And Colon Tumorigenesis Did Not Exacerbate Colitis Symptoms Or Colon Tumorigenesis In Recipient Mice Fed Either The Ain93g Diet Or The Total Western Diet, Abby D. Benninghoff

Browse all Datasets

Consumption of the total Western diet (TWD) in mice has been shown to increase gut inflammation, promote colon tumorigenesis, and alter the fecal microbiome composition in mice as com-pared to mice fed a healthy diet, AIN93G (AIN). However, it is unclear whether the gut micro-biome contributes directly to colitis-associated CRC in this model. The objective of this study was to determine whether dynamic fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) from host mice fed either AIN or TWD basal diets would alter colitis symptoms or colitis-associated CRC in recipient mice, which were fed either AIN or TWD directly using a 2x2 factorial experiment …