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Dynamic Environments Generate Geographic Fluctuations In Population Structure Of An Inland Shorebird, Andrea Contina, Scott W. Yanco, Allison K. Pierce, Hannah B. Vander Zanden, Craig A. Stricker, Gabriel J. Bowen, Michael B. Wunder

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Species distributions depend on fine-scale ecological processes and population growth trajectories and are influenced by climate and weather changes. However, the characterization of inter-population dynamics underlying the geographic distributions of migratory organisms remains challenging. We adopted a stable isotope approach to investigate the dynamic population geography of a terrestrial migratory bird across multiple generations. We found that the age-specific geographic source of Mountain Plovers sampled during winter shifted over four years across a latitudinal gradient. Moreover, our results show that differential effects of climate on the probability of occurrence at the wintering ground could be a driver of population turnover …

An Unusual Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus Buccinator) In Nebraska: Albinism Or Leucism?, Jacob C. Cooper, Peggy M. Huss, Eugene A. Huryn, Cody Mcgregor

Nebraska Bird Review

On 26 January 2025, we observed a large mixed flock of Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) and Tundra Swans (C. columbianus) at Hansen Reservoir ca. 7 miles (11 km) NNW of North Platte along the east side of Nebraska Highway 97. The flock of 158 swans consisted of 4 “Whistling” Tundra Swans (C. c. columbianus), 153 typical Trumpeter Swans, and one individual that we were not immediately able to identify. Our unknown swan was in the company of a family group of Trumpeter Swans but immediately stood out due to its broad yellow base of …

Nebraska Ornithologists' Union Tri-State Meeting With Iowa Ornithologists' Union And South Dakota Ornithologists' Union, South Sioux City, Nebraska, May 16-18, 2025

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Spring Meeting was held at the Salvation Army Western Plains Camp in South Sioux City, Nebraska, in conjunction with the IOU and SDOU, with approximately 180 attending. The organizers of the meeting included Chris Anderson and Mark Schmidtbauer from South Dakota, Tyler Harms and Kevin Murphy from Iowa, and Ruth Stearns, Joel Jorgenson, and Paul Pearson from Nebraska.

A scientific poster session featuring the work of 9 ornithological researchers from UN-Kearney, USD-Vermillion, and Hitchcock Nature Center was held Friday evening. Thanks to Dr. Jacob Cooper from UNK, Dr. David Swanson from USD, and the students who participated.

Field …

Nou Tri-State Meeting—South Sioux City [Spring 2025 Nou Meeting Species Tally]

Nebraska Bird Review

Bird species tally (185) for the Spring 2025 NOU Tri-State Meeting, South Sioux City (Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Tri-State Meeting with Iowa Ornithologists’ Union and South Dakota Ornithologists’ Union, South Sioux City, Nebraska, May 16–18, 2025)

The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

Abstracts Of Posters Presented At South Sioux City Nou Meeting

Nebraska Bird Review

A scientific poster session featuring the work of 9 ornithological researchers from UN-Kearney, USD-Vermillion and Hitchcock Nature Center was held Friday evening. Thanks to Dr. Jacob Cooper from UNK, Dr. David Swanson from USD, and the students who participated.

Wandering from the River: On- and Off-River Abundance of Interior Least Terns along the 59-Mile Reach of the Missouri National Recreational River. Zoe Donelan, Hannah Slattery, Kyle Jorgensen, and David L. Swanson, University of South Dakota, Department of Biology.

Preliminary Results of Raptor Migration Monitoring at Hitchcock Nature Center. Kellie Hayden, Jerry Toll, and Sandy Reinken, Hitchcock Nature Center, Pottawattamie Conservation, …

Spring Field Report, March–May 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

Perhaps the most important takeaway this spring is the continuing phenomenon of large numbers of species with early spring arrival dates. Although about half as many as 2024, there were 64 examples of either tied or new early arrival dates, most obviously of insectivores such as swifts, flycatchers, vireos, swallows, pipits, longspurs, and 10 warbler species. Among these, record or near-record early were Whip-poor-will, Black-necked Stilt, Marbled Godwit, Black Tern, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Purple Martin, Rock Wren, Gray Catbird in central, Spotted Towhee in north and west, and Hooded Warbler.

Following along logically perhaps with early arrival dates were a number …

The Nebraska Bird Review (June 2025) 93(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March–May 2025, by W. Ross Silcock

NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting in South Sioux City, May 16–18, 2025

Abstracts of posters presented at Spring 2025 NOU Meeting

Spring 2025 NOU Meeting Species Tally

An Unusual Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) in Nebraska: Albinism or Leucism? by Jacob C. Cooper, Peggy M. Huss, Eugene A. Huryn, and Cody McGregor

Subscription and Organization Information

Effects Of Probiotic Supplementation On Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, And Enteric Methane Emission Of Growing Dairy Buffaloes (Bubalus Bubalis L.), Christian Lualhati, Karl Reginald Managa, Charity Castillo, Phoebe Lyndia Llantada, Arnel Del Barrio

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study assessed the impact of probiotics on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and enteric methane emission of 4 growing dairy buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis L.) with similar body weight, age, and sex. The animals were allocated into 4 treatments following a Latin Square design: control/no probiotic supplement (Trt 1); with 5 mL of probiotic supplement (Trt 2); with 10 mL of probiotic supplement (Trt 3); and with 15 mL of probiotic supplement (Trt 4). The growers were offered the dietary treatments at the start of the adaptation phase up to the end of the experimental phase per period. Animals …

Growth And Survival Of Silver Therapon (Leiopotherapon Plumbeus [Kner, 1864]) Larvae Fed With Artemia Franciscana Enriched With Isolated Endogenous Probiotic Bacteria, John Carlo Unido, Precious Dee Tolentino, Christian Paul Dela Cruz, Carmela Jhoy Dy, Honey Grace Samonte

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study aimed to isolate, characterize, and identify endogenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from the gut of silver therapon (Leiopotherapon plumbeus) and to evaluate their potential as probiotics by enriching live food organisms, specifically brine shrimp (Artemia franciscana), and feeding them to L. plumbeus larvae. Three unknown bacterial isolates were screened and characterized as catalase-negative, Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria that showed tolerance to pH and bile, growth at temperatures of 30 and 40 °C, and inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria in vitro. The selected isolate was then confirmed as Lactobacillus sp. through partial sequencing of its 16S …

Capfish Project Report : Summer Academy For The Pacific Islands, Kathleen Auld, Francis Neat, Raphaël Baumler

Reports

The CAPFISH Project was created in response to an identified need for capacity-building to address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and related matters - a complex problem affecting aquatic ecosystems, coastal communities, fishers and fish workers, and economic and national security. Over the last four years, the CAPFISH Project has provided training and educational materials on IUU fishing to developing country administrations around the world, most recently with a two-week regional Summer Academy for the Pacific Islands. This Academy ran for two weeks and included delegates from fisheries, labour, safety, maritime, foreign affairs, and enforcement administrations in the Pacific …

Individual, Social, And Environmental Factors Associated With Patterns Of Parasitic Infection In Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus Imitator), Megan C. Henriquez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Parasites, and the infectious diseases they carry, are thought to have significantly impacted our evolutionary trajectory for millennia. Exploring how parasites are acquired and transmitted by their hosts in wild, natural populations is integral to understanding how similar processes may have shaped host-parasite co-evolutionary relationships over time. However, parasitological studies in humans and in non-human primates have produced inconsistent results, highlighting the dynamic, nuanced, and unique relationships individual parasites have with their hosts. These relationships are largely regulated by variation in factors at host, social, and environmental levels. Characteristics unique to the host (e.g., age and sex), factors pertaining to …

Managing Predators On Livestock Producing Properties In South Africa And Western Australia – Producer Perspectives, Tracey L. Kreplins, H A. Melville

Biosecurity Research Articles

Context

Predation impacts livestock farming enterprises worldwide. In South Africa and Western Australia, native and non-native predators negatively impact sheep and cattle farming enterprises. Aims

We hoped to compare the perspectives on predator impacts of livestock producers in relation to livestock predation in South Africa and Western Australia. Methods

Online and in-person surveys consisting of 26 questions were posed to farmers and pastoralists in both countries. The questions related to land ownership, property size, livestock management, predation impact (financial and livestock losses), control of predators, and other impacts on productivity. Key results

Livestock production properties are of a similar size …

The Sub-Syllabic Symphonies Of Self-Learning: How Do Zebra Finches Sing Them?, Abiesha Abiola Budiman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Learning is a lifelong journey, where the mind and muscle dance to a tune of memory and motion. It begins at infancy and continues throughout life, encompassing everything from singing to achieving peak performance in sports. Complex motor skills involve multiple components and require coordination of several muscles. Humans and animals are extremely adept at learning complex motor skills on their own. However, we do not completely understand how self-directed learning works. One group of animals used to observe self-directed learning are songbirds. Zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, are one of the most studied songbird species due to their well-defined …

West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource Recovery Support Package: 2023-24 Report, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Published Reports

The West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource (WCDSR) includes over 100 species in inshore (20–250 m deep) and offshore ( > 250 m) demersal habitats of the West Coast Bioregion. These species are caught by charter, commercial and recreational fishers.

The WCDSR is in recovery and managed under a 20-year recovery plan (2010–2030). DPIRD tracks recovery progress through scientific stock assessments of the indicator species (snapper, WA dhufish, and baldchin groper) every 3 years.

The 2021 WCDSR stock assessment showed limited recovery and additional management action was required.

In December 2022, the Minister for Fisheries announced commercial and recreational (including charter) sector …

Assessing Illegal Take Of Sea Turtle In Bocas Del Toro, Panamanian Caribbean, Daniela Carolina Rojas-Cañizales

Theses and Dissertations

In Bocas del Toro, Panama, sea turtles were exploited for generations to supply local, national, and international markets. Today, sea turtle species are globally protected by different laws, and Panama is no exception. However, the use of sea turtles in Bocas del Toro and local perceptions regarding the consumption of these reptiles are unknown. Accordingly, during May of 2024, I conducted twenty-five semi-structured interviews with key informants selected by targeted and snowball sampling. Sea turtle consumption persists, and there is a clandestine network to sell turtle meat and derived products in Bocas del Toro. This study provides the first assessment …

The Effects Of Sirulina And Nannochloropsis Supplementation On Broiler Performance, Intestinal Morphology, And Gut Microbiology, Emily Beckerman

Master's Theses

The poultry industry is constantly searching for new nutritional strategies and better feed conversion ratio to enhance broiler growth and productivity. Microalgae have been shown to improve broiler performance and health depending on species and supplementation levels. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of Spirulina supplementation (Experiment I) and Nannochloropsis supplementation (Experiment II) on broiler production performance, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiology. In Experiment I, a total of 270 broiler chicks (one-day-old Ross 708) were obtained from a local hatchery after vaccinating against Newcastle, Marek’s disease, and Infectious Bronchitis. They were weighed and sorted into 18 …

One Health Interventions And Challenges Under Rural African Smallholder Farmer Settings: A Scoping Review, Evanson R. Omuse, Honest Machekano, Bonoukpoè M. Sokame, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Thomas Dubois, Sevgan Subramanian, Frank Chidawanyika

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The global human population is rapidly increasing, escalating interactions of people, animals and the environment. This has led to more convoluted health challenges, for which African smallholder farmers bear the brunt. The One Health (OH) approach recognises the interconnectedness of these health challenges and thus follows a transdisciplinary approach involving diverse stakeholders to address them. Although there have recently been global concerted efforts and studies on OH, an information gap exists in Africa, particularly regarding smallholder farmers and their needs. Additionally, evaluation frameworks and outcome metrics for OH initiatives are still unclear. Thus, this study was conducted to critically map …

Genetic Factors Of Campylobacter Jejuni Required For Its Interactions With Free-Living Amoeba, Deepti Pranay Samarth, Asim Z. Abbasi, Young Min Kwon

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Acanthamoeba, a free-living amoeba ubiquitous in environmental water, has been considered as the environmental reservoir of certain bacterial pathogens, including Campylobacter jejuni, an intracellular human pathogen causing self-limiting gastroenteritis. Acanthamoeba-C. jejuni interaction mechanisms may help clarify how the otherwise fastidious bacterium C. jejuni survives in environmental waters. In this study, we constructed single deletion mutants of C. jejuni strain 81-176 for the 10 selected genes (motAB, ciaB, kpsE, virB11, cheY, flaAB, cstII, docB, sodB, and cadF) previously shown to be important for the interaction (invasion and intracellular survival) of C. jejuni with mammalian hosts. We used a modified gentamicin protection …

Ecospiritual Entanglement, Ali Vedad Yüner

Masters Theses

Land breeds culture. It gives us the resources to thrive, and in that process we establish a relationship with its constituents. With a multitude of beings inhabiting the land, a complex web of relationships develop. Biology describes these relationships as food webs; the mass entanglement of organisms in a manner that each organism nourishes the other. These webs are not just mere scientific structures but rather an interpretation of existential connections that every organism in the world, humans included, are indebted to. Food webs are the first stepping stone in the formation of culture, as they account for the engagement …

Field Journal: The Excluded Middle, Carrie E. Kouts

Masters Theses

What does it look like to engage with organisms and landscapes at the periphery of anthropocentric value structures? How does one break the internalized myth that the “built” environment is excluded from the natural world? When does a hyper-mobile and hyper-commodified society confront the exponential crisis of animal death? Within this series of journal entries, field notes, collection observations, weird prose, and sensory musings, one will find questions on the nature of being human and the complex narratives of care we encounter in a world shared with more-than-humans. Each handwritten vignette and photograph from daily life weaves a non-linear and …

Seroprevalence And Associated Risk Factors Of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (Cae) And Peste Des Petits Ruminants (Ppr) Among Deer In An Institutional Farm In Malaysia, Krishnan Nair Balakrishnan, Faez Firdaus Abdullah Jesse, Bura Thlama Paul, Shalonagiftsal Stephen C Charles, Ummul Rifhan Najiha Noor Zaman, Eric Lim Teik Chung, Nur Amira Azhar, Abdirahman Barre, Muhammed Mikail, Mohd Azmi Mohd Lila

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) and peste des petits ruminants (PPR) are significant viral diseases impacting small ruminants, leading to substantial economic losses and posing a potential threat to livestock health. Although seroprevalence evidence of these viruses has been documented in ruminants, there is a lack of data regarding their presence among farmed deer in Malaysia. This preliminary study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for CAEV and PPRV infections among deer in Malaysia. A total of ninety-two blood sera from an institutional deer farm were screened for CAEV and PPRV antibodies using commercially available indirect ELISA test …

Predator Management With A Single Bait? Use Of Eradicat For The Simultaneous Management Of Feral Cats, Red Foxes, And Wild Dogs, Tracey L. Kreplins, David Algar

Biosecurity Research Articles

Context

In Western Australia, there are three invasive predators that require management for agriculture and biodiversity protection, feral cats, wild dogs, and red foxes. These three predators often coexist in the same locality, suggesting potential efficacy gains can be made via simultaneous control. While Western Australian native species have evolved a high tolerance to poison baiting (1080), invasive predators have not. Therefore, landscape-scale baiting is commonly used for predator management. Aims

Eradicat baits designed for feral cat control have also been known to be consumed and control wild dogs and foxes. In this trial, we aimed to evaluate Eradicat as …

Warming A Calf, Cheyenne Reid, Reganne K. Briggs, Melanie Heaton, Rebekah Esplin, David Secrist

All Current Publications

Calves born in the winter or spring are often exposed to harsh weather and environmental conditions. After birth, calves may become chilled due to cold temperatures or not being dried off promptly. A chilled calf may be experiencing hypothermia. This fact sheet explains the different types of hypothermia and methods for warming a calf until it can be safely returned outside.

Tube-Feeding A Calf, Cheyenne Reid, Reganne K. Briggs, Melanie Heaton, Rebekah Esplin, David Secrist

All Current Publications

Producers may need to tube-feed a newborn calf to provide milk if calves are unable to nurse or suck from the nipple bottle or when calves are sick and need electrolytes. This fact sheet outlines the materials required and the steps to successfully tube-feed a calf.

Wildlife Road Mortalities During Covid-19 Pandemic-Related Lockdown In South Texas: A Comparative Survey, Bradley Evan Beer, Kevin W. Ryer, Md Saydur Rahman, John H. Young Jr., Richard J. Kline

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Mortalities of wildlife caused by collisions with vehicles along roads are increasing in prevalence, threatening the existence of various species and populations. The COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown provided an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how wildlife vehicle mortality occurrences change in response to anthropogenic variables and how varying survey methods influence obtaining mortality data. In this study, data were collected in three observation periods: pre-lockdown (PreL), during lockdown (DL), and post-lockdown (PostL) in south Texas. There were 194 wildlife mortalities recorded during weeks 4–27 of 2020. Results of this study showed that road mortality survey counts did not change …

More Than 9 Lives: Improving Shelter Cat Intake And Adoption Rates, Arthur S. Loomis

Masters Theses

Municipal animal shelters across the United States struggle to properly care for the cats housed in their facilities due to overpopulation. The sheer volume of cats entering shelters greatly outpaces the rate in which they are adopted out, resulting in an immense resource strain that too often results in the euthanasia of millions of shelter cats across the country each year. The enormous influx of cats is largely due to abandonment or considerable populations of feral, stray, or community cats living on the streets. In addition, shelter cat adoptions occur at a much slower pace, with many cats spending months, …

The Unicorn And Christ – Metamorphosis And Symbology, Luis Mendonça De Carvalho, Francisca Maria Fernandes, Maria Fátima Nunes, Ana Maria Costa, Paula Nozes, Ana Paula Figueira

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The unicorn is a legendary chimaera that, for centuries, has been present in the mindset of Euro-Mediterranean cultures. Although its morphological description changed, tradition identifies it as an animal like a horse, albeit smaller and with a spiralling horn on its head pointing forward. The unicorn has been known since Antiquity, with references by authors such as Ctesias and Pliny. However, its relevance for medieval Europeans began with the Biblical references to this animal in several Old Testament verses. These verses gave legitimacy to the unicorn, and it was accepted as a tangible animal. During the Middle Ages and early …

Discrimination Of Sprat Species (Clupeonella Spp.) In The Caspian Sea And The Sea Of Marmara Using Otolith Shape Analysis, Mohammad Reza Shariati, Mohammad Sadegh Alavi-Yeganeh, Mehdi Ghanbarifardi, Gülşah Saç, Müfi̇t Özuluğ, Erdoğan Çi̇çek

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study evaluates the discriminating power of sagittal otolith shape among three species of the genus Clupeonella endemic to the Caspian Sea (Clupeonella grimmi, Clupeonella caspia, and Clupeonella engrauliformis) and one species from the Sea of Marmara (Clupeonella Cultriventris). Identification of these species is challenging due to their morphological similarities, and the taxonomic validity of C. caspia and C. cultriventris remains ambiguous because of their resemblance. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were utilized to examine the morphological characteristics of otoliths. Stereomicroscope images were used to calculate six shape indices: rectangularity, roundness, ellipticity, circularity, aspect ratio, and form factor. The outline …

Molecular Phylogeny And Population Structure Of Eurygaster Integriceps (Hemiptera: Scutelleridae) In The Southeastern Anatolia Region Of Türkiye, Mehmet Sali̇h Özgökçe, Merve Doğaç, Hi̇lmi̇ Kara

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The aim of this study was to determine the identity and distribution of the sunn pest Eurygaster spp. and to quantify the population density in wheat fields across Southeastern Anatolia, Türkiye. A total of 309 samples were collected from 76 fields in 54 districts across all provinces within the study region, where wheat production is intensive. A combination of morphological and molecular techniques was employed to identify the collected specimens. Morphological identification was based on male genitalia, and PCR amplification of the COI mitochondrial gene region was used for DNA barcoding. Both morphological and molecular analyses confirmed that all collected …