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Polar Bear Behavior: Morphologic And Physiologic Adaptations, John P. Whiteman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Polar bears possess morphologic and physiologic characteristics that reflect their terrestrial lineage as members of the bear family (Ursidae) as well as adaptations to the Arctic marine environment. Among marine mammals, they are the least adapted for aquatic life. They exhibit substantial seasonality in body mass, body condition, and many physiological functions, reflecting the annual cycle of both their Arctic sea ice habitat and the availability of their main prey, ringed seals. This hypercarnivorous diet has likely influenced the polar bear’s craniodental morphology and nutritional physiology. Similar to other marine mammal predators, polar bears exhibit a relatively high resting metabolic …

Exploring How Maternal Phosphorus Status Affects Calf Growth And Performance, Elizabeth Lafferty, Beth Kegley, Brittni Littlejohn, Jeremy Powell

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Phosphorus is an important component of bodily functions and is critical for adequate growth and development. This experiment evaluated the effect of maternal phosphorus intake on the growth and health of the calves. Treatments were 1) a free-choice mineral containing no supplemental P or 2) a free-choice mineral with 4% supplemental phosphorus. Primiparous, or pregnant for the first time, crossbred Angus beef cows (n = 36) were stratified by body weight and pregnancy status (bred by artificial insemination or natural service) then assigned to pasture groups (4 groups, 2/treatment, 9 heifers/group). These bred heifers had been receiving these same dietary …

Searching For Gold: Using A Novel Land Cover Classification To Identify Multiscale Drivers Of Site Occupancy By A Flagship Species For Early-Successional Habitat Conservation, Baron Lin

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding habitat selection at multiple scales is an important step in guiding conservation programs and reversing species declines. This, however, is difficult for species that occupy early-successional habitats (ESH) due to a lack of accurate representation of shrub cover in publicly available land cover data. The Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera; GWWA) is a threatened species of conservation concern and a flagship for ESH conservation. We used a novel, LIDAR-derived land cover classification that accurately identifies shrubs at a fine resolution (1m) to investigate how habitat composition and configuration influence GWWA site occupancy. We aggregated this same land cover …

A Spatiotemporal Assessment Of Fish Assemblage Response To Land-Use Change And The Evaluation Of Edna Metabarcoding For Describing Diverse Fish Communities, Timothy M. Owen

Theses and Dissertations

Fish assemblages are often assessed as a biological proxy for environmental health. While humans value healthy environments for the ecosystem services and recreational opportunities they provide, it is increasingly evident that such resources can be paradoxically degraded by anthropogenic activities. In this investigation, we studied the relationship between different intensities of anthropogenic land-use change and habitat-driven fish assemblage response across multiple spatiotemporal scales. Secondarily, we explored the efficacy of eDNA metabarcoding against conventional electrofishing techniques for the purpose of describing complete fish communities. This study was conducted in the Tuckahoe Creek basin near Richmond, Virginia. This James River tributary serves …

A Decision Tool To Identify Population Management Strategies For Common Ravens And Other Avian Predators, Andrea F. Currylow, Brenda J. Hanley, Kerry L. Holcomb, Timothy Shields, Stephen Boland, William I. Boarman, Mercy Vaughn

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Some avian species have developed the capacity to leverage resource subsidies associated with human manipulated landscapes to increase population densities in habitats with naturally low carrying capacities. Elevated corvid densities and new territory establishment have led to an unsustainable increase in depredation pressure on sympatric native wildlife prey populations as well as in crop damage. Yet, subsidized predator removal programs aimed at reducing densities are likely most effective longer-term when conducted in tandem with subsidy control, habitat management, and robust assessment monitoring programs. We developed decision support software that leverages stage structured Lefkovitch population matrices to compare and identify treatment …

Predation Threat In A Variable Landscape: Connecting Predation Risk To Nesting Success For The Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza Maritima Macgilivraii), Corina D. Newsome

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Predation, the leading cause of nest-failure in birds, not only exists as a direct threat to nesting success, but may exacerbate other sources of nest mortality. Birds inhabiting Atlantic coastal marshes, such as Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima; hereafter SESP), are experiencing significant and rapid changes to their habitat, particularly sea level rise (SLR) and encroaching urbanization, that may affect the relative influence of nest predation on overall productivity. For SESPs, SLR presents an inherent threat to nest success in its potential to increase the frequency of nest flooding. In addition to this direct threat, the ability of SESPs …

Synthesis Of Nest Predation Impacts Of Common Ravens On Sensitive Avian Species, Peter S. Coates, William C. Webb, Seth J. Dettenmaier, Seth M. Harju, David J. Delehanty

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Decades of mounting scientific evidence have revealed that common raven (Corvus corax; raven) population numbers have been increasing across nearly all regions of their geographic range in North America. Concomitantly, numerous native wildlife species have experienced elevated predation rates from ravens as populations have increased and expanded their range. Managers are concerned that increased raven predation of many threatened and endangered avian species in the U.S. and Canada during nesting periods may be hampering species recovery. We explored the literature to aggregate existing knowledge and evaluate the impacts of raven predation on nests and young of sensitive avian …

Inter- And Intra-Annual Effects Of Lethal Removal On Common Raven Abundance In Nevada And California, Usa, Shawn T. O'Neil, Peter S. Coates, Julia C. Brockman, Pat J. Jackson, Jack O. Spencer Jr., Perry J. Williams

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Populations of common ravens (Corvus corax; ravens) have increased rapidly within sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems between 1960 and 2020. Although ravens are native to North America, their population densities have expanded to levels that negatively influence the population dynamics of other wildlife species of conservation concern, such as greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). For this reason, lethal removal, such as the application of the avicide DRC-1339, has been used to manage raven numbers at local scales and under certain circumstances. Because the relative effectiveness of DRC-1339 in reducing raven …

Evaluating Common Raven Take For Greater Sage-Grouse In Oregon’S Baker County Priority Conservation Area And Great Basin Region, Frank F. Rivera-Milán, Peter S. Coates, Jacqueline B. Cupples, Michael Green, Patrick K. Devers

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The common raven (Corvus corax; raven) is a nest predator of species of conservation concern, such as the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Reducing raven abundance by take requires authorization under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. To support U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s take decisions (e.g., those that authorize killing a specified proportion or number of individuals annually in a defined area), including the most recent one for Oregon’s Baker County Priority Area for Conservation (PAC), we modeled raven population dynamics under hypothetical scenarios with take rates ranging from below to above the maximum sustained yield (MSY; …

Using Zebrafish (Danio Rerio) To Evaluate The Use Of Food Waste Based Feed In Sustainable Small-Scale Aquaculture, Caitlin May

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Food waste is rich in nutrients and a valuable resource, but currently its primary method of disposal in the United States (US) is unsustainable. In 2018 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that the commercial, institutional, and residential sectors of the US economy wasted 63 million metric tons of food, most of which was sent to landfills. Instead, food waste could be recycled and used to supplement or replace commercial feed in aquaculture to sustainably stimulate production of fish. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a well characterized animal model closely related to other fish species that are important …

Incorporation Of Summer Annual Mixtures Into Grazing Systems In Kentucky, Kelly Marie Mercier

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Utilizing summer annual grass-legume forage mixtures has the potential to improve forage yield and nutritive characteristics, and/or animal performance during times when cool-season pasture growth is limited by high temperatures. Legumes can utilize atmospheric nitrogen, which can increase crude protein and forage digestibility in mixtures. As nitrogen application generally improves both the yield and nutritive characteristics of summer annual forages, but can have a negative effect on legume competitiveness, nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for legume-containing summer annual mixtures are not well established.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the feasibility of utilizing summer annual mixtures in Kentucky, USA. The first experiment …

Estimating Trends Of Common Raven Populations In North America, 1966–2018, Seth M. Harju, Peter S. Coates, Seth J. Dettenmaier, Jonathan B. Dinkins, Pat J. Jackson, Michael P. Chenaille

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Over the last half century, common raven (Corvus corax; raven) populations have increased in abundance across much of North America. Ravens are generalist predators known to depredate the eggs and young of several sensitive species. Quantifying raven population increases at multiple spatial scales across North America will help wildlife resource managers identify areas where population increases present the greatest risk to species conservation. We used a hierarchical Bayesian modeling approach to analyze trends of standardized raven counts from 1966 to 2018 using Breeding Bird Survey data within each Level I and II ecoregion of the United States and Canada. …

Increased Abundance Of The Common Raven Within The Ranges Of Greater And Gunnison Sage-Grouse: Influence Of Anthropogenic Subsidies And Fire, Jonathan B. Dinkins, Lindsey R. Perry, Jeffrey L. Beck, Jimmy D. Taylor

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The common raven (Corvus corax; raven) is native to North America and has increased in abundance, especially throughout western North America, during the last century. Human subsidies have facilitated raven dispersal into less suitable habitats and enabled these populations to maintain higher annual survival and reproduction. Concomitantly, overabundant raven populations are impacting other native at-risk species such as the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) and potentially the Gunnison sage-grouse (C. minimus). Using Breeding Bird Survey data from 1995–2014, we evaluated raven count data to quantitatively describe changes in abundance and expansion into sagebrush (Artemisia …

Common Ravens Disrupt Greater Sage-Grouse Lekking Behavior In The Great Basin, Usa, Joseph L. Atkinson, Peter S. Coates, Brianne E. Brussee, Ian A. Dwight, Mark A. Ricca, Pat J. Jackson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Expansion of human enterprise has contributed to increased abundance and distribution of common ravens (Corvus corax; ravens) across sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystems within western North America. Ravens are highly effective nest predators of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse), a species of high conservation concern. Sage-grouse population trends are estimated using count survey data of males attending traditional breeding grounds, known as leks. We sought to investigate associations of ravens to sage-grouse lek sites and document interactions between the sage-grouse and ravens as well as those between sage-grouse and other animals observed around leks. First, we …

Thinking Like A Raven: Restoring Integrity, Stability, And Beauty To Western Ecosystems, John M. Marzluff, Matthias-Claudio Loretto, Cameron K. Ho, Georgia W. Coleman, Marco Restani

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Common ravens (Corvus corax; ravens) are generalist predators that pose a threat to several rare wildlife species in the western United States. Recent increases in raven populations, which are fueled by increased human subsidies—notably food, water, and nest sites—are concerning to those seeking to conserve rare species. Due to the challenges and inefficiencies of reducing or eliminating subsidies, managers increasingly rely on lethal removal of ravens. Over 125,000 ravens were killed by the U.S. Government from 1996 to 2019, and annual removals have increased 4-fold from the 1990s to mid-2010s. We contend that lethal removal of ravens, while capable …

Evaluation On Reducing Toxicity Of Fluoxastrobine With Doped Tio$_{2}$ Nanoparticles, Abbas Güngördü, Nesri̇n Özmen, Sema Erdemoğlu, Duygu Özhan Turhan, Meltem Asi̇ltürk, Emrah Akgeyi̇k, Murat Özmen

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In this study, toxic effects caused by the degradation of fluoxastrobin, which is a commonly used fungicide where newly synthesized manganese or sulfur-doped TiO$_{2}$ nanoparticles exist were evaluated. The characterization study of nanoparticles was performed by scanning an electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry, Brunau-Emmet-Teller analysis, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and UV-Vis (ultraviolet-visible) reflectance spectra. Subsequently, the photocatalytic performance of nanoparticles, their toxicity, and the photocatalytic degradation products of fluoxastrobin with the same nanoparticles were tested during the two development stages of Xenopus laevis. The LC$_{50}$s of fluoxastrobin were determined on test organisms, and a 5 mg L$^{-1}$ fluoxastrobin was selected to …

Do Castanea Sativa Wild Provenances Influence Dryocosmus Kuriphilus Yasumatsu(Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) Infestations?, Mario Contarini, Luca Rossini, Romina Caccia, Silvia Morelli, Isacco Beritognolo, Muriel Gaudet, Fiorella Villani, Bruno Paparatti, Stefano Speranza

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The Asian chestnut gall wasp (ACGW), Dryocosmus kuriphilus, native to China was accidentally introduced into many countries worldwide, including Italy. Different susceptibilities have been reported in literature among cultivated plants belonging to different gene pools worldwide, but this aspect has not been sufficiently explored among wild chestnut populations. The aims of this multiyear study were (i) to assess differences in susceptibility to ACGW in wild C. sativa plants coming from different parts of Europe grown in an experimental plot in Central Italy, (ii) to preliminarily analyse the relationships between temperature, relative humidity and rain variables of winter and summer and …

What Are You Doing Here? Investigating On An Unexpected Association In Shallow Mediterranean Dark Caves Sheds Light On The Diet Of Marionia Blainvillea (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia), Egidio Trainito, Marco Fantin, Elisa Manganelli, Giulia Furfaro

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In a shallow dark cave along the coast of Capo Palinuro (Campania, Italy), the finding of an unusual aggregation of individuals belonging to Marionia blainvillea (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) has allowed to identify a population of Cervera atlantica (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Alcyonacea) and to add this latter to the list of the hosts preyed by this tritoniid nudibranch. This association was confirmed by a second observation in a dark shallow cave in the Island of San Pietro (Sardinia, Italy). Moreover, a subsequent internet data mining shed light on the diet of M. blainvillea adding useful ecological notes on the scarcely known trophism characterizing …

Dominance Or Leverage? An Analysis Of Female Power In Captive Varecia, Jessie E. Birckelbaw

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Lemurs are unusual in that, unlike in most other primates, females have more power than males. This is evident by females receiving priority access to foods and preferred spaces, and frequent grooming. Rebecca Lewis provided a framework to analyze the basis of female power that distinguishes between true dominance and leverage. Dominance is defined as the physical ability to overpower an individual, whereas leverage is the ability to influence others based on intangible resources, such as social currency like grooming or the potential for mating. This study aimed to investigate female power in the critically endangered ruffed lemurs (genus Varecia). …

Correctional Education As Therapeutic Change: Exploring The Use Of Animal-Assisted Therapy Programs With Incarcerated Women, Terrie Ciez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Throughout history and in every culture and country, animals and humans have formed special bonds often as pets. Well trained pets have often been used in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) programs in hospitals and nursing homes to help patients cope with illnesses and recovery while away from home. Pet visits to these facilities have documented reductions in medications, stress, and loneliness when a simple wet nose reaches on to a patient’s bed for attention. A variety of animals have been incorporated into various facilities ranging from birds, fish tanks, and puppies and kittens to relieve the stress of residents. A …

Immediate Response Of Black Basses To Dam Removal Is Determined By Habitat Preference, Reuben Frey

Masters Theses

Dams affect the abundance of fish species in lotic systems by altering flow regime and available physical habitat. Removal of dams may mitigate these effects and generate a change in species abundance and fish community structure. Understanding the effects of dam removal on gamefish species is essential in making management decisions. I investigated how populations of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu), Spotted Bass (M. punctulatus), and Largemouth Bass (M. salmoides) were affected by the presence and removal of two low-head dams in a Midwestern river system. I used data collected during fall and spring from …

Cue Polarization And Representation In Mouse Home-Base Establishment, Ericka Ann Schaeffer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Many individuals suffer from navigational deficits and subsequent topographical disorientation, yet there is debate over how navigation to a goal is represented within the brain. Early research suggests animals represent their environment in a Cartesian coordinate system which manifests into a cognitive map. Current research suggests animals use a vector-based system which gives rise to a directional response. These studies examined responses to the environment when there was a specific end goal (i.e., hidden platform, food reward, etc.), versus an animal’s internal goal, home-base. The first study used mice to examine the influence of visual and tactile cues on the …

Cascading Effects: Insights From The U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network, Christie A. Bahlai, Clarisse Hart, Maria T. Kavanaugh, Jeffrey D. White, Roger W. Ruess, Todd J. Brinkman, Hugh W. Ducklow, David R. Foster, William R. Fraser, Hélène Genet, Peter M. Groffman, Stephen K. Hamilton, Jill F. Johnstone, Knut Kielland, Douglas A. Landis, Michelle C. Mack, Orlando Sarnelle, Jonathan R. Thompson

Advanced Science Research Center

Ecosystems across the United States are changing in complex and unpredictable ways and analysis of these changes requires coordinated, long-term research. This paper is a product of a synthesis effort of the U.S. National Science Foundation funded Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network addressing the LTER core research area of “populations and communities.” This analysis revealed that each LTER site had at least one compelling “story” about what their site would look like in 50–100 yr. As the stories were prepared, themes emerged, and the stories were group into papers along five themes: state change, connectivity, resilience, time lags, and cascading …

A Micromorphometric Study On The Common Bile Duct And Major Duodenal Papilla Of Thedomestic Swine, Ivaylo Stefanov Stefanov

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of the current study was to perform a comparative micromorphometric study on the thickness of mucosa, fibromuscular layer, glandular zone, serosa, and subserous layer, as well as of the entire wall of extra- and intramural parts of the porcine common bile duct in immature and mature animals. This micromorphometric study also evaluated the height and width of the lining epithelium, glandular epithelium, and goblet cells in 2-month, 6-month, and 3-year old male pigs. It was found that significant age-dependent differences in the studied parameters exist. Some differences in the studied parameters were also detected between different parts of …

Assessment Of Blood Metabolites, Serum Enzymes, And Serum Minerals In Dietaryprobiotics Fed Captive Asian Elephants, Dharmendra Chharang, Sheela Choudhary, Lenin Bhatt

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study was organised to evaluate the effect of supplementation of dietary probiotics on blood biochemistry in 18 captive Asian elephants of 30-62 years age and 3495 ± 133.34 kg body weight (BW) for two months. To observe the results in different groups, i.e. control with no probiotic (T$_{1}$) and the other two with probiotics which contained 1 × 10$^{9}$ CFU/g concentrate of Lactobacillus acidophilus (T$_{2}$) and 1 × 10$^{9}$ CFU/g concentrate of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (T$_{3}$), they were given 50 kg BW/day (dose range 48-89 g per day/elephant). The elephants were randomly divided into three groups with six elephants each. …

Gross Anatomy And Mineralization Of Larynx, Trachea And Syrinx In Gray Heron(Ardea Cinerea), Şükrü Hakan Atalgin, Mehmet Can, Soner Bekmezci̇

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study aims to determine the normal anatomical features of the larynx, trachea, and syrinx of the heron birds and to identify the cartilage and mineralized areas with red Alcian blue staining. Three adult heron birds' larynx, trachea, and syrinx were used as materials in the study. Sex of the birds was neglected. With the staining of alizarin red Alcian blue, cartilage tissues were blue, and mineralized areas with calcium accumulation were red. In the macroscopic examination, mons laryngealis was seen on the caudal side of the tongue on the larynx under a stereomicroscope. It was observed that there was …

The Effects Of Dietary Fish Protein Hydrolysate-Based Supplementation On Sensoryproperties And Meat Quality Of Broiler Chicken, Amir Reza Shaviklo, Amir Hossein Alizadeh Ghamsari, Yasaman Etemadian, Fereidoon Rafipour

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of supplement fish protein hydrolysate-based to broiler feed on sensory properties and meat quality. A total of 400 pieces of 1-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) received 4 dietary levels (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5%) of fish protein hydrolysate-based supplement (FPHS) in the basal diet mix for 42 days. Quality index-derived method (QIM) was used for assessment of chicken carcass. Quantitative descriptive analysis method was applied to study sensory properties of the chicken fillets. Water holding capacity (WHC), cook loss, color, meat texture were also determined. The carcass odor and …

Genetic Parameter Estimates Of Fear, Growth, And Carcass Characteristics In Japanese Quail, Doğan Nari̇nç, Bariş Aybars Genç

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The aim of this study was to estimate the heritability values of tonic immobility duration, several growth traits, and their genetic relationships with some slaughter traits. Fearfulness reaction was examined using tonic immobility (TI) response at 5 and 6 weeks of age. All birds were slaughtered at 6 weeks of age to measure carcass yield (CY), and percentage of breast (BY), leg (LY), wing (WY), abdominal fat (AFY). Heritability estimates for the TI durations and body weights measured at 5 and 6 weeks of age were 0.16, 0.20, and 0.46, 0.44, respectively. Heritability estimates for growth curve parameters and inflection …

Effects Of Dietary Guar Meal With Or Without Beta-Mannanase On The Egg Yolk Fatty Acids,Cholesterol, And Some Blood Parameters Of Laying Hens, Süleyman Çalişlar

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this study, the effects of adding enzyme to the diets containing guar meal (GM) on the egg yolk fatty acids, cholesterol, and some blood plasma parameters of hens were examined. This study was carried out in the chicken coop of the Experimental Animals Ethics Committee, Faculty of Agriculture. This study constitutes the second phase of the study titled ?Effects of dietary guar meal with or without beta-mannanase on performance and egg quality traits in laying hens?, previously published. The experimental period lasted 126 days. Ninety-six Lohman Brown hens at the age of 56 weeks were and kept in individual …

Pharmacokinetics And Reward-Related Behaviors Of Ethanol In Male And Female Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica), Shannon Eaton

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Ethanol is one of the most widely used and abused drugs. Problem use is associated with many different health problems and the economic burden is in the billions of dollars. Additionally, many people have difficulty controlling their ethanol consumption and about 5% of adults end up with an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Many people with an AUD often find themselves in a cycle of binge, remission, and relapse.

Following ethanol consumption ethanol enters the bloodstream from the small intestine where it gets distributed to peripheral tissues. Ethanol in the bloodstream is cleared from the system by the liver. The primary …