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Historical Vegetation Of Three Salmon-Bearing Watersheds In The Interior Columbia River Basin, Tyanna Smith

PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal

Land use practices can be a contributing factor to environmental degradation and have been the focus of many ecological studies. One aspect that is less addressed is land use history and the effects that past practices, such as logging and grazing, can have on the current landscape. This paper describes research and the synthesis of material on the environmental history and watershed characteristics for three watersheds located within spawning and rearing areas for Chinook salmon in the Grande Ronde River Basin in Northeast Oregon: upper Grande Ronde River, Catherine Creek, and Minam River. The Grande Ronde Basin is critical spawning …

Breeding Time In A Migratory Songbird Is Predicted By Drought Severity And Group Size, Charles R. Brown, Mary Bomberger Brown

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Global climate change is altering the breeding phenology of many organisms, and one reported consequence of warmer average temperatures is earlier breeding times in migratory songbirds of north temperate latitudes. Less studied are the potential interactions between earlier breeding and social behavior in colonial species. We investigated how breeding time, as measured by colony initiation dates across the entire summer, in Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) of southwestern Nebraska, USA, changed over a 30-year period and could be predicted by climatic variables, year, and colony size. Mean colony initiation date became earlier over the study, with variation best predicted …

Level Of Uv-B Radiation Influences The Effects Of Glyphosate-Based Herbicide On Fitness Of The Spotted Salamander, Nicholas A. Levis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Numerous causes have been implicated in contributing to amphibian population declines since the 1980's, with habitat modification, ultraviolet radiation (UV-B) and environmental contaminants (such as glyphosate-based herbicide) being among the most common. This study identifies the effects of a generic glyphosate-based herbicide (GLY- 4 Plus) on mortality, immune function, body condition, and morphological plasticity of larvae of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) under conditions that reflect open and closed canopy light regimes. Larval salamander responses to glyphosate-based herbicide varied depending on UV-B conditions. In general, it appears that an open canopy (i.e. greater UV-B exposure) may confer fitness benefits. In …

Evolutionary Pressures On Primate Intertemporal Choice, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

From finding food to choosing mates, animals must make intertemporal choices that involve fitness benefits available at different times. Species vary dramatically in their willingness to wait for delayed rewards. Why does this variation across species exist? An adaptive approach to intertemporal choice suggests that time preferences should reflect the temporal problems faced in a species' environment. Here, I use phylogenetic regression to test whether allometric factors (relating to body size), relative brain size, and social group size predict how long 13 primate species will wait in laboratory intertemporal choice tasks. Controlling for phylogeny, a composite allometric factor that includes …

Ecological Studies Of Wolves On Isle Royale, 2013-2014, John A. Vucetich, Rolf O. Peterson

Ecological Studies of Wolves on Isle Royale

Annual Report 2013-2014

Methods For The Effective Care And Rehabilitation Of Captive Lumholtz’S Tree-Kangaroos, Aden Lessiak

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus lumholtzi, is one of only two kangaroo species endemic to Australia’s rainforests. However, studies concerning the species are limited, and public knowledge of the species is close to non-existent (Tisdell & Wilson, 2003). Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo is slowly making its way into Australia’s zoos and into the public eye, but lack of formally presented information pertaining to its care has made maintenance of captive populations difficult. With an increasing number of Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroos coming into care due to dog attacks and motor vehicle accidents, the need for formalized husbandry information is becoming ever greater (Tree-Kangaroo and Mammal Group, …

Examining The Effects Of Liming On Gyrinophilus Porphyriticus With A Comparison Of Multiple Sampling Methods, Elise Marie Edwards

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Environmental acidification is affecting stream-associated species around the globe. As a result, different management strategies have been implemented to deal with acidification resulting from acid rain and acid mine drainage. Adding limestone to streams attempts to reverse the effects of acidification. While liming increases the pH of many acidic environments, studies involving the effects of liming on different animal species have shown mixed results. In this study, I examined the effects of liming on Gyrinophilus porphyriticus (the Spring Salamander) abundance and I also determined the best method of detection for G. porphyriticus. From June 10th to September 1st 2013, I …

Effects Of River Current Inflow On Dissolved Oxygen And Temperature Of Refuge Zones For Cisco In Lake Bemidji, Bryant C. Swenson

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The objectives of this study were to (1) determine if the inflow current from the Mississippi River affects temperature and dissolved oxygen in Lake Bemidji, (2) determine how the amount of suitable cisco Coregonus artedi habitat changes over the summer in Lake Bemidji, and (3) predict how much cisco habitat would be available under a climate warming scenario. Summer fish kill of cisco occurs in most years on Lake Bemidji resulting from low dissolved oxygen in the hypolimnion and high water temperatures in the epilimnion. Dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles provided evidence to suggest the north basin is more suitable …

Status Of Native Stream Fishes Within Selected Protected Areas Of The Niobrara River In Western Nebraska, Jonathan J. Spurgeon, Richard H. Stasiak, George R. Cunningham, Kevin L. Pope, Mark A. Pegg

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Lotic systems within the Great Plains are characterized by highly fl uctuating conditions through both space and time. Fishes inhabiting these systems have adopted specifi c life- history strategies to survive in such environments; however, anthropogenic disturbance to prairie streams has resulted in declines and extirpation of many native stream fi shes. Terrestrial protected areas (i.e., parks and reserves) are designated to support native fl ora and fauna and, it is assumed, to provide protection to native fi shes. We assessed the presence and relative abundance of stream fi sh populations within protected areas along the Niobrara River in western …

Comparative Study Of Helminth Parasites Of The Many-Ribbed Salamander, Eurycea Multiplicata And Oklahoma Salamander, Eurycea Tynerensis (Caudata: Plethodontidae), From Arkansas And Oklahoma, A, C. T. Mcallister, M. B. Connior, C. R. Bursey, H. W. Robison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Ninety many-ribbed salamanders, Eurycea multiplicata and 135 Oklahoma salamanders, Eurycea tynerensis were collected between April 2010 and April 2014 from 14 counties of Arkansas and McCurtain County, Oklahoma (E. multiplicata only) and examined for helminth parasites. Twelve (13%) E. multiplicata were infected, including two (2%) each with Brachycoelium salamandrae, Bothriocephalus rarus, Batracholandros magnavulvaris, Cosmocercoides variabilis, and Omeia papillocauda, and one (1%) each with an oligacanthorhynchid cystacanth and Fessisentis vancleavei. Forty-one (30%) of the E. tynerensis were infected, including seven (5%) with Gorgoderina tenua, two (1%) each with Phyllodistomum solidum and cyclophyllidean tapeworm cysticerci, one (0.7%) with Cylindrotaenia americana, six (3%) …

Pentastomids Of Wild Snakes In Australia, Crystal Kelehear, David M. Spratt, Denis O'Meally, Richard Shine

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

Pentastomids are endoparasites of the respiratory system of vertebrates, maturing primarily in carnivorous reptiles. Adult and larval pentastomids can cause severe pathology resulting in the death of their intermediate and definitive hosts. The study of pentastomids is a neglected field, impaired by risk of zoonoses, difficulties in species identification, and life cycle complexities. We surveyed wild snakes in the tropics of Australia to clarify which host species possess these parasites, and then sought to identify these pentastomids using a combination of morphological and molecular techniques. We detected pentastomid infections in 59% of the 81 snakes surveyed. The ubiquity of pentastomid …

Biological Diversity And Seasonal Variation Of Mesozooplankton In The Southeastern Black Sea Coastal Ecosystem, İlknur Yildiz, Ali̇ Muzaffer Feyzi̇oğlu

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In this study, the seasonal distribution of mesozooplankton was investigated between 1999 and 2006 at a station located in the southeastern Black Sea region. A total of 40 cruises were done within the southeastern continental shelf throughout this period in order to collect mesozooplankton samples. A total of 10 mesozooplankton species were identified. The average annual highest abundances of species were 67,770 ind./m^2 in 2000 (Penilia avirostris), 50,048 ind./m^2 in 2001 (Sagitta setosa), 42,143 ind./m^2 in 2006 (Oikopleura dioica), 27,987 ind./m^2 in 2005 (Acartia clausi), 25,792 ind./m^2 in 2001 (Oithona similis), 24,806 ind./m^2 in 2005 (Pseudocalanus elongatus), 12,094 ind./m^2 in …

Integrating Societal Perspectives And Values For Improved Stewardship Of A Coastal Ecosystem Engineer, Steven B. Scyphers, J. Steven Picou, Robert D. Brumbaugh, Sean P. Powers

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Oyster reefs provide coastal societies with a vast array of ecosystem services, but are also destructively harvested as an economically and culturally important fishery resource, exemplifying a complex social-ecological system (SES). Historically, societal demand for oysters has led to destructive and unsustainable levels of harvest, which coupled with multiple other stressors has placed oyster reefs among the most globally imperiled coastal habitats. However, more recent studies have demonstrated that large-scale restoration is possible and that healthy oyster populations can be sustained with effective governance and stewardship. However, both of these require significant societal support or financial investment. In our study, …

The Gill Morphology Of The Date Mussel Lithophaga Lithophaga (Bivalvia: Mytilidae), Deni̇z Akşi̇t, Beri̇a Falakali Mutaf

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The purpose of the present research was to study the descriptive anatomy of the gill of the mussel Lithophaga lithophaga. Mussels were collected from 2 sites in Antalya Bay, Turkey. Observations using stereomicroscopy and electron microscopy showed that the gills of L. lithophaga consist of homorhabdic filaments, a characteristic of the mytilids. The lamellae have cavities at their laterals in addition to their prominent ciliary structure on the frontal and lateral surfaces. The latero-frontal cilia extend in pairs, one attached to the other with a membrane and showing a composite structure. The ascending and descending lamellae are fused by fan-like …

Time-Activity Budgets Of Wintering Ferruginous Duck, Aythya Nyroca, At Gajoldoba Wetland, Jalpaiguri, India, Tanmay Datta

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Results indicate resting as the main diurnal activity of Aythya nyroca, whereas feeding dominated during the night. Other than resting (56.3%), feeding (16.8%) and swimming (15.2%) were major activities of the diurnal time-activity budget, whereas preening (9.4%) and flying (2.3%) were less frequent and occupied a secondary rank. Feeding and swimming were prevalent during the morning and afternoon hours. During midday, most of the ducks indulged in resting. The small amount of time spent on diurnal feeding was compensated by voracious nocturnal feeding (64.6%), which peaked in the middle of the night. Human interference plays an important role in shaping …

Rotifers Of Southwest Iran: A Faunistic And Biogeographical Study, Raheleh Reihan Reshteh, Hassan Rahimian

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The fauna of freshwater rotifers from Khuzestan Province (Southwest Iran) was expected to be different from that of the rest of Iran because of its geographical position, past geological events, climatic conditions, and similarities to neighboring zoogeographical areas. To test this hypothesis, we first had to determine the rotifer fauna of Khuzestan and then compare it with the results of surveys from other parts of Iran as well as with those from neighboring regions. Samples were collected from 10 sites throughout the province from May 2009 to April 2010. During the study, 66 species were identified, mostly with distribution in …

Updated Checklist Of Sponges (Porifera) Along The Coasts Of Turkey, Bülent Topaloğlu, Alper Evcen

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study compiled the data from previous papers emphasizing sponge species on the Turkish coasts. In total, 131 species belonging to 46 families have been reported: 82 species from the Aegean Sea, 63 species from the Sea of Marmara, 51 species from the Levantine Sea, and 13 species from the Black Sea. Among these species, 3 species are new records for the marine fauna of Turkey: Rhizaxinella elongata, Axinyssa digitata, and Terpios gelatinosa. Raspalia viminalis is a new record for the Sea of Marmara. The morphological and distributional features of 3 species are presented. In addition, a checklist of the …

Competition For Food Between The Markhor And Domestic Goat In Chitral, Pakistan, Nasra Ashraf, Maqsood Anwar, Iftikhar Hussain, Muhammad Ali Nawaz

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The markhor (Capra falconeri) is endangered globally as well as in Pakistan. The Chitral district in Pakistan supports one of the largest populations of this species. The rural communities of the district have large holdings of livestock, which make up a significant part of their livelihood system. The domestic goat is the dominant livestock species, and a potential competitor with the markhor due to habitat overlap. The present study was conducted to examine the extent of food competition between the markhor and domestic goat in Chitral. A total of 120 pellets of the 2 species were collected during the spring …

Behavioural Ecology Of The Black-Flanked Rock-Wallaby (Petrogale Lateralis Lateralis): Refuge Importance In A Variable Environment, Craig Pentland

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The black-flanked rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis lateralis) has suffered a significant decline in its distribution in Western Australia. This has been attributed to introduced predators (predominantly the red fox) and herbivores, fire, and habitat destruction due to clearing. Although since 2001 the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) had begun to reintroduce this species back into its former range, little was known of the behavioural ecology of this species. Fox control in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in population increases of rock-wallabies on several reserves in the central wheatbelt of WA. However, recently these populations have rapidly declined despite continuing fox …

Seasonal Dynamics Of Flatfish Assemblage In Coastal Waters Off Northeastern Taiwan: With Implications For Shift In Species Dominance Of The Ecosystem, Shyh-Bin Wang, Wen-Kwen Chen, Shoou-Jeng Joung

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The seasonal dynamics of flatfish assemblage in the coastal waters off northeastern Taiwan was examined based on samples collected between March 2004 and March 2005 taken by bottom trawlers and landed at Da-Shi fishing port, Yilan county. A total of 28 species from 5 families and 18 genera were found. The Bothidae was the most dominant family, accounting for 81% of the total catch, while the most dominant species was the Pseudorhombus pentophthalmus. Species richness and diversity were high between the end of fall and the end of spring, but low in summer. Multivariate analyses based on cluster and nonparametric …

Age And Growth Study Of The Jack Mackerel (Trachurus Japonicus) In The Northeatern Waters Off Taiwan, Hsueh-Jung Lu, Chih-Chun Chen, Jen-Chia Cheng

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Jack mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) is one of the most important fish resources in the northeastern Taiwan. Because of the flourishing of Taiwanese seiner fisheries in recent years, the proportion and catch of jack mackerels have increased. However, the studies on their age and growth are outdated, thus data on the catch-at-age composition are lacking. The present study collected jack mackerel otolith samples from May, 2010, to April, 2011, for age determination and combined those data with length and weight data from 2005 to January, 2012, to investigate the catch-at-age of jack mackerel in the northeastern waters off Taiwan. The regression …

Bailey’S Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma Floridana Baileyi): Species Conservation Assessment, Melissa J. Panella

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 Bailey’s eastern woodrat (Neotama floridana baileyi) as a Tier I at-risk species. Provided are some general management recommendations regarding Bailey’s eastern woodrats. Conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment for specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and site-specific conditions. This resource was designed to provide an overview of our current knowledge of Bailey’s eastern woodrats and may aid in …

Sylvatic Species Of Echinococcus From Rodent Intermediate Hosts In Asia And South America, Scott Lyell Gardner, Altangerel T. Dursahinhan, Gábor R. Rácz, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Sumiya Ganzorig, David S. Tinnin, Darmaa Damdinbazar, Charles Wood, A. Townsend Peterson, Erika Alandia, José Luís Mollericona, Jorge Salazar-Bravo

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

During a global survey of the diversity of vertebrates and their parasites including the Gobi and desert/steppe biomes ranging from south central to western Mongolia, we found metacestodes (larvae) of Echinococcus multilocularis (Leuckart 1863) in the liver of an individual vole (Microtus limnophilus Büchner 1889) collected in grassland habitat at Har Us Lake, southeast of Hovd, Mongolia. Positive identification of E. multilocularis from near Hovd was made via comparative cyst morphology, study of hooks from the rostellum derived from protoscolexes, and DNA sequencing of the COX1 mitochondrial gene extracted from tissue of the cysts frozen in the field. This …

Examining The Link Between Personality And Laterality In A Feral Guppy Poecilia Reticulata Population, Eleanor Irving, Culum Brown

Sentience Collection

This study examined whether variation in the strength and direction of lateralization in a detour task was linked with variation in three common personality measurements: boldness, activity and sociability, in a population of wild guppies Poecilia reticulata. Additionally, the aim was to determine whether any consistent correlations between these behavioural traits, known as behavioural syndromes, were present in the study population. The results revealed that all three personality traits were highly repeatable over time in both sexes. Evidence of a complex syndrome in the form of a correlation between boldness, sociability and activity was found; however, this relationship was only …

Population Demographics And Genetics Of Spix's Disk-Winged Bat: Insights Regarding Survival, Mate Choice, Gene Flow And Effective Population Size, Michael Buchalski

Dissertations

Simultaneous study of the demographics and genetics of populations are relatively rare within the literature, despite insights their combined use offers regarding the life history, ecology, and evolution of species. Here I take a comprehensive approach, using capture-recapture data, polymorphic microsatellite markers, and various modeling techniques to examine the demographics and genetics of multiple local populations of Spix’s disk-winged bat (Thyroptera tricolor) in southwestern Costa Rica. T. tricolor is a highly gregarious, neotropical bat species known to form kin-based social groups with high retention of offspring of both sexes. The implications of this highly unusual social structure for …

Oral Presentation Abstracts By Day And Symposium From The 11th International Mammalogical Congress (Belfast, Northern Ireland : August 11-16, 2013), International Mammalogical Congress

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

About IMC

IMC returns to Europe after 24 years at a time when IUCN has identified 25% mammal species as at risk. As a venue to share concerns, concepts and techniques among professional mammalogists, IMC has never been more relevant. IMC11 Organising Committee hopes to welcome colleagues with diverse interests in the biology, conservation and management of mammals from throughout the world. IMC11 will encourage active participation in the Congress program by maximising time for spoken papers and posters offered by delegates.

Queen's University Belfast is the venue and are pleased to host the 11th International Mammalogical Congress on behalf …

Environmental Change Alters Personality In The Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, Ashley J. Frost, Jack S. Thomson, Charlotte Smith, Hannah C. Burton, Ben Davis, Phillip C. Watts, Lynne U. Sneddon

Sentience Collection

Boldness is a personality trait that defines how individuals respond to risky situations and has clear fitness consequences. Since the adaptive value of boldness is context dependent, the benefit of a distinct personality is less clear when the environment is unpredictable. An ability to modulate behaviour can be beneficial, although as behavioural plasticity itself may be costly this depends on the levels of environmental stability. Both boldness and its plasticity are linked with physiological stress coping mechanisms, whereby animals with reduced glucocorticoid responses to stress are bolder and less flexible in behaviour. We investigated the behavioural changes made by bold …

The Identity Of Rana Margaritifera Laurenti, 1768 (Anura, Bufonidae), Esteban O. Lavilla, Ulisses Caramaschi, José A. Langone, José P. Pombal Jr., Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Rana margaritifera was described by Laurenti in 1768 and currently is associated to the genus Rhinella, under the combination Rhinella margaritifera. Currently, the R. margaritifera species group consists of 16 recognized species. Further-more, many additional species have been suggested to exist in this group which highlights the ambiguity surrounding the identity of Rhinella margaritifera and impend further description of the species in this group. After an exhaustive bibliographic review, we concluded that the recent designation of a lectotype for R. margaritifera is invalid according with Art. 73, ICZN, 1999. Herein, we designate and provide the description of a …

The Need To Address Black-Backed Jackal And Caracal Predation In South Africa, David L. Bergman, Ho De Waal, Nico L. Avenant, Michael J. Bodenchuk, Michael C. Marlow, Dale L. Nolte

Wildlife Damage Management Conference

Prior to 1990, the four provincial governments of South Africa had a variety of programs in place to manage predation by black-backed jackals and caracals through lethal and nonlethal management in close cooperation with livestock farmers. During the 1990s the official programmes were phased out due to a multitude of factors including lower predation rates. Today, thousands of livestock (primarily sheep and goats, but also cattle and wildlife) are lost each day in South Africa due to black-backed jackal and caracal predation. The actual numbers are not known because not all losses are accounted or reported. It also does not …

Fish Assemblages Associated With Natural And Anthropogenically-Modified Habitats In A Marine Embayment: Comparison Of Baited Videos And Opera-House Traps, Corey B. Wakefield, Paul Lewis, Teresa B. Coutts, David V. Fairclough, Timothy J. Langlois

Fisheries Research Articles

Marine embayments and estuaries play an important role in the ecology and life history of many fish species. Cockburn Sound is one of a relative paucity of marine embayments on the west coast of Australia. Its sheltered waters and close proximity to a capital city have resulted in anthropogenic intrusion and extensive seascape modification. This study aimed to compare the sampling efficiencies of baited videos and fish traps in determining the relative abundance and diversity of temperate demersal fish species associated with naturally occurring (seagrass, limestone outcrops and soft sediment) and modified (rockwall and dredge channel) habitats in Cockburn Sound. …