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Bioenergetics And Habitat Suitability Models For The Chinese Mystery Snail (Bellamya Chinensis), Danielle M. Haak

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Relatively little is known about the invasive Chinese mystery snail (Bellamya chinensis). This research aims to elucidate some of the mystery surrounding this species. First, we place the species in context with other invasive freshwater snails of the USA and Canada, identifying current information gaps, categorizing shared characteristics among families and species, and comparing functional roles and ecological effects of freshwater snails. We conclude that more focus needs to be directed to regulating the aquarium, pet, and food trades if we are serious about preventing future invasions. Next, we develop a bioenergetics model for the species by quantifying …

West Nile Virus And Ferruginous Hawks (Buteo Regalis) In The Northern Great Plains, Shubham Datta, Jonathan A. Jenks, David Knudsen, Kent Jensen, Will M. Inselman, Christopher C. Swanson, Troy W. Grovenburg

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Emerging infectious diseases (EID) present significant threats to the conservation of global biodiversity (Daszak et al. 2000). Evaluating impacts (spatial, temporal and demographic) of EIDs on sensitive and declining wildlife populations is challenging because quantitative information is usually dependent on estimates rather than counts (Wobeser 2007) and mortality rates are seldom quantified with conventional monitoring (Naugle et al. 2005).

Effect Of Aggregation At A Winter Feeding Station On Intestinal Parasite Load In Elk (Cervus Canadensis), Morgan Jaromilla Hughes

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Winter feeding stations are used throughout the western US to reduce elk depredation of crops and haystacks on private lands. Many of the unintended effects of such artificial congregation remain unexamined, but generally, across species, locally increased host densities result in increased parasite loads. This adds physiological stress to individual animals and in game species such as elk it could reduce their value to sportsmen. Through laboratory analyses of fresh samples, we recorded nematode egg densities in elk feces collected during two periods ( early and late) in the supplementary feeding season. Mean nematode egg density remained fairly constant in …

Development Of Genetic Goat And Hamster Models Of Atrial Fibrillation And Long Qt Syndrome; And Genetic Hamster Models Of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Dane A. Rasmussen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and long QT syndrome (LQTS) are potentially lethal heart rhythm disorders that can be caused by mutations in the potassium channel gene KCNQ1. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral infection with the potential to replicate the devastating effects of the SARS outbreak in 2003. All three of these diseases are in need of genetic animal models.

To address these needs, my thesis project focused on the development of genetic goat and hamster models of AF and LQTS, and genetic hamster models of MERS. Because of the goat’s similar organ size/physiology and the hamster’s similar lipid …

Parasite Infection Mediates Trait Tradeoffs In Fundulus Heteroclitus, Sarah Dunn

Honors College Theses

To be successful, an animal must eat, grow, and reproduce. With limited resources, there are tradeoffs between these critical life history parameters but the direction of the tradeoffs is largely unknown in a changing environment. To determine whether environmental context affects life-history tradeoffs, I surveyed and quantified investment into reproduction, growth, and a proxy for immunity (parasitism), in the mummichog, Fundulus heteroclitus, a common inhabitant of salt marshes in Georgia. Three salt marsh sites along coastal Georgia (Shellman Bluff, Skidaway Island, and Tybee Island) were selected using a proxy for anthropogenic disturbance (impervious surface), which also fell along a …

Seasonal Variation In Corticosterone, Stress Responses, And Physiology In The Northern Cardinal Cardinalis Cardinalis, Benjamin Matthew Duckworth

Master's Theses

Seasonal regulation of the adrenocortical response (e.g., ‘stress response’) appears to be ubiquitous in mid- to high-latitude vertebrates. Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are a Temperate dwelling passerine of Tropical-descent with a wide species range (tropics to Northern Temperate zones). This species encounters a wide variety of environmental conditions and strong seasonality, however corticosterone (CORT, the main adrenal stress hormone) has not been studied with regards to changes in seasonal levels. I initially analyzed samples from cardinals collected between 2007-2011 from the Lake Thoreau Environmental Research and Educational Center (Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA). The data suggested seasonal differences of CORT, with higher …

Prevalence Of Disorders Recorded In Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Attending Primary-Care Veterinary Practices In England, Jennifer F. Summers, Dan G. O'Neill, David B. Church, Peter C. Thomson, Paul D. Mcgreevy, David C. Brodbelt

Epidemiology Collection

Background: Concerns have been raised over breed-related health issues in purebred dogs, but reliable prevalence estimates for disorders within specific breeds are sparse. Electronically stored patient health records from primary-care practice are emerging as a useful source of epidemiological data in companion animals. This study used large volumes of health data from UK primary-care practices participating in the VetCompass animal health surveillance project to evaluate in detail the disorders diagnosed in a random selection of over 50% of dogs recorded as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCSs). Confirmation of breed using available microchip and Kennel Club (KC) registration data was attempted. …

A Behavioral Analysis Of The Pre-Release Tasmanian Devils (Sarcophilus Harrisii) Currently At Devils@Cradle: An Assessment Of The Impacts Of Captivity On The Wild Behaviors Of Tasmanian Devils That Are Important For Their Reintroduction, Survival, And Inclusion In Wild Populations, Anna Staudenmaier

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisi, is in danger of extinction in the wild due to the emergence of Devil Facial Tumor Disease (DFTD). In an attempt to save the species the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (STTDP) has initiated the creation of an ‘Insurance Population’. These insurance animals are a part of the captive breeding population (CBP) designed to conserve the genetic diversity of the species to preserve their ecological function for their future reintroduction into the wild. CBPs are located at various bio-secure zoos, wildlife parks, free-range enclosures (FREs), Tasmanian islands and peninsulas and sanctuaries like Devils@Cradle - Tasmanian …

A Comparison Of The Genetic Diversity Of The Class Ii Major Histocompatibility Complex In Ex Situ And In Situ Populations Of African Penguins (Spheniscus Demersus), Emily Willmer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

As an endangered species, the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is at risk of becoming extinct in the wild due to destruction of their coastal habitat and reduction in food availability. The development of a genetically diverse and healthy captive population is important in helping to conserve the species. The goal of this project was to determine the genetic diversity of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of a wild population of African penguins and compare it to the diversity of the captive population at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut that has previously been studied. We found that …

Life Line March 2015, Otterbein Biology And Earth Science Department

Life Line - The Biology Department Newsletter

Trees - Erin Miller '97, Young Alumni Award Winner - Dave Sheridan joins the faculty - Melinda S. Phinney MD Award - OU Heritage Dr. of Osteopathy Early Assurance Program - China Visit

Ectoparasitism Shortens The Breeding Season In A Colonial Bird, Charles R. Brown, Mary Bomberger Brown

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

When blood-feeding parasites increase seasonally, their deleterious effects may prevent some host species, especially those living in large groups where parasites are numerous, from reproducing later in the summer. Yet the role of parasites in regulating the length of a host’s breeding season—and thus the host’s opportunity for multiple brooding—has not been systematically investigated. The highly colonial cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), a temperate-latitude migratory songbird in the western Great Plains, USA, typically has a relatively short (eight to nine week) breeding season, with birds rarely nesting late in the summer. Colonies at which ectoparasitic swallow bugs (Oeciacus vicarius) were experimentally …

Evolution Of Bat-Trypanosome Associations And The Origins Of Chagas Disease, Christian Miguel Pinto

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Trypanosoma cruzi is a genetically diverse parasite that causes Chagas disease, one of the most important zoonoses in the Americas. This generalist parasite of mammals belongs to a clade mostly comprised of bat parasites, the T. cruzi clade. The origins (i.e., biogeographic history and evolution of hosts associations) of this parasite are far from being understood, and the main areas that need further study are: species limits within T. cruzi sensu lato, further studies on the diversity of T. cruzi clade members and their hosts, and research on adaptations of the hosts to trypanosome infections. In this dissertation I explore …

The Leishmania Years At Unl (Or, My Life As A Cell Biologist, 1966-1981), John J. Janovy Jr.

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Slides for a talk during which Professor Janovy discussed the methods he used in researching Leishmania during the years 1966-1981. Includes lists of references.

Rift Valley Fever Virus Infection In Golden Syrian Hamsters, Dionna Scharton, Arnaud J. Van Wettere, Kevin W. Bailey, Zachary Vest, Jonna B. Westover, Venkatraman Siddharthan, Brian B. Gowen

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a formidable pathogen that causes severe disease and abortion in a variety of livestock species and a range of disease in humans that includes hemorrhagic fever, fulminant hepatitis, encephalitis and blindness. The natural transmission cycle involves mosquito vectors, but exposure can also occur through contact with infected fluids and tissues. The lack of approved antiviral therapies and vaccines for human use underlies the importance of small animal models for proof-of-concept efficacy studies. Several mouse and rat models of RVFV infection have been well characterized and provide useful systems for the study of certain aspects …

The Feral Cat Conundrum: Assessing The Science And Ethics Of Trap-Neuter-Return, Emily Vincent 15

Honor Scholar Theses

No abstract provided.

Sheep Updates 2015 - Moora, Bruce Mullen, Kate Pritchett, Kimbal Curtis, Daniel Real, Jaq Pearson, Lynne Bradshaw, Geoff Lindon, Katherine Davies, Kevin Hepworth, Stephen Lee, Dawson Bradford, Lucy Anderton, Jackie Jarvis, Ben Patrick

Sheep Updates

This session covers thirteen papers from different authors:

1. The Sheep Industry Business Innovation project, Bruce Mullan, Sheep Industry Development Director, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

2. Western Australian sheep stocktake, Kate Pritchett and Kimbal Curtis, Research Officers, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

3. Tedera - a perenial forage legume to reduce your supplementary feeding in summer and autumn, Dr. Daniel Real, Senior Plant Breeder, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

4. National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) for sheep and goats - what is the NLIS database? Jac Pearson, Biosecurity Officer, Department of Agriculture and …

Sheep Updates 2015 - Katanning, Bruce Mullan, Kate Pritchett, Kimbal Curtis, Chris Wilcox, Mike Hyder, Leigh Sonnerman, Lynne Bradshaw, Geoff Lindon, Katherine Davies, Joe Young, Stephen Lee, Ian Robertson, Lucy Anderton, Hayley Norman, Ed Barrett-Lennard, Jackie Jarvis, Ben Patrick

Sheep Updates

This session covers fourteen papers from different authors:

1. The Sheep Industry Business Innovation project, Bruce Mullan, Sheep Industry Development Director, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

2. Western Australian sheep stocktake, Kate Pritchett and Kimbal Curtis, Research Officers, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

3. Wool demand and supply - short term volatility, long term opportunities, Chris Wilcox, Principal of Poimena Analysis

4. Lifetime management for maternal ewes, Mike Hyder, Research Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

5. National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) for sheep and goats - what is the NLIS database? Leigh Sonnermann, …

American Society Of Parasitologists Newsletter, V. 37, No. 1, Winter 2015, Scott Lyell Gardner

American Society of Parasitologists: Newsletter

Contents

1 -- Editor's Note

2 -- Annual Meeting Data

3 -- Response to David S. Lindsay re: Self archiving of publications from the Journal of Parasitology

6 -- NCP Meeting – Nadler report

8 -- Job - Wyoming - Parasitologist

9 -- Meetings / Course Announceme

15 -- Post Doc

17 -- Announcement – Manter Laboratory

Introduction Of Florida Bass Alleles Into Largemouth Bass Inhabiting Northeastarkansas Stream Systems, W. J. Brockway, Ronald L. Johnson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Florida bass (Micropterus floridanus) have been introduced throughout much of the southern U.S. over the past 50 years. This species readily hybridizes with the extant largemouth bass (M. salmoides). Within Arkansas, the Florida bass is currently stocked in the southern half of the state. Previous studies of a northern Arkansas hatchery and a reservoir revealed the existence of Florida bass alleles in each. Other studies in Oklahoma and Texas have revealed the presence of Florida bass alleles in stream systems proximal to lakes stocked. Our goal was to investigate, using microsatellite analysis of 7 diagnostic loci, the presence of Florida …

Quantitative Assessment Of Bullet Fragments In Viscera Of Sheep Carcasses As Surrogates For White-Tailed Deer, Luis Cruz-Martinez, Marrett D. Grund, Patrick T. Redig

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Avian scavengers, such as bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), can be exposed to lead through the consumption of spent lead from ammunition in carcasses of animals shot with lead-based projectiles. Few studies have examined the degree of bullet fragmentation in viscera (offal) of game mammals. Our objective was to quantify the number of bullet fragments deposited in sheep carcasses shot with different types of lead and lead-free, high-velocity centerfire rifle bullets and with lead projectiles fired from shotguns and muzzleloader rifles marketed for hunting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We hypothesized that after controlling for velocity, angle of …

A Novel Approach For Determination Of Chicken Sexing At An Early Stage Of Development By Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method, Sung Woo Kim, Jin Seok Choi, Neelesh Sharma, Yeoung Gyu Ko, Yoon Jung Do, Mijeong Byun, Hwan Hoo Seong, Soo Bong Park, Dong Kee Jeong

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The monomorphism of newly hatched chicks is a major hurdle for poultry farmers at the time of sexing. The traditional sexing techniques are inaccurate and time-consuming. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based sex determination method to obtain a higher separation accuracy rate as compared to conventional methods. LAMP is a simple, quick, and relatively inexpensive diagnostic tool. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of Leghorn and Korean native chicks for LAMP. Two sets of primer were designed, consisting of four isothermal amplification primers in each, to amplify the female sex-specific sequence (HUR0417) …

Sheep Updates 2015 - Ravensthorpe, Bruce Mullan, Kate Pritchett, Kimbal Curtis, Chris Wilcox, Mike Hyder, Leigh Sonnerman, Lynne Bradshaw, Geoff Lindon, Katherine Davies, Joe Young, Stephen Lee, Ian Robertson, Lucy Anderton, Hayley Norman, Ed Barrett-Lenard, Jackie Jarvis, Ben Patrick

Sheep Updates

This session covers fourteen papers from different authors:

1. The Sheep Industry Business Innovation project, Bruce Mullan, Sheep Industry Development Director, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

2. Western Australian sheep stocktake, Kate Pritchett and Kimbal Curtis, Research Officers, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

3. Wool demand and supply - short term volatility, long term opportunities, Chris Wilcox, Principal of Poimena Analysis

4. Lifetime management for maternal ewes, Mike Hyder, Research Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

5. National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) for sheep and goats - what is the NLIS database? Leigh Sonnermann, …

Hitchhiking Bats On The Great Lakes Of North America, Saska E.H. Lohi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Bats can act as potential vectors for various zoonotic diseases and other pathogens. Therefore their interactions with people should be examined to mitigate potential risks. Bats are small flying mammals and hide in small crevices during daylight hours, making them difficult to observe. Consequently, they have a capacity to “hitchhike” on ships to be dispersed over large distances.

This study focused on anthropogenic unintentional bat translocations, i.e. hitchhiking bats. The study area is the Great Lakes region in North America. Using a web-based questionnaire survey, I asked the public about the frequency of bat-human encounters on ships, their nature, and …

Sheep Updates 2015 - Merredin, Bruce Mullan, Kate Pritchett, Kimbal Curtis, Chris Wilcox, Lynne Bradshaw, Geoff Lindon, Katherine Davies, Joe Young, Stephen Lee, Dawson Bradford, Khama Kelman, Lucy Anderton, Jaq Pearson, Jackie Jarvis, Ben Patrick

Sheep Updates

This session covers fourteen papers from different authors:

1. The Sheep Industry Business Innovation project, Bruce Mullan, Sheep Industry Development Director, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

2. Western Australian sheep stocktake, Kate Pritchett and Kimbal Curtis, Research Officers, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia

3. Wool demand and supply - short term volatility, long term opportunities, Chris Wilcox, Principal of Poimena Analysis

4. Myths, Facts and the role of animal welfare in farming, Lynne Bradshaw, president, RSPCA WA

5. Latest research and development on breech strike prevention, Geoff Lindon, Manager Productivity and Animal Welfare, AWI

6. …

Yellowstone Wolf (Canis Lupus) Density Predicted By Elk (Cervus Elaphus) Biomass, L. David Mech, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

The Northern Range (NR) of Yellowstone National Park (YNP) hosts a higher prey biomass density in the form of elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) than any other system of gray wolves (Canis lupus L., 1758) and prey reported. Therefore, it is important to determine whether that wolf–prey system fits a long-standing model relating wolf density to prey biomass. Using data from 2005 to 2012 after elk population fluctuations dampened 10 years subsequent to wolf reintroduction, we found that NR prey biomass predicted wolf density. This finding and the trajectory of the regression extend the validity of the model …

Hymenolepis Folkertsi N. Sp. (Eucestoda: Hymenolepididae) In The Oldfield Mouse Peromyscus Polionotus (Wagner) (Rodentia: Cricetidae: Neotominae) From The Southeastern Nearctic With Comments On Tapeworm Faunal Diversity Among Deer Mice, Arseny A. Makarikov, Todd N. Nims, Kurt E. Galbreath, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

A previously unrecognized species of hymenolepidid cestode attributable to Hymenolepis is described based on specimens in Peromyscus polionotus, oldfield mouse, from Georgia, United States, near the southeastern coast of continental North America. Specimens of Hymenolepis folkertsi n. sp. differ from those attributed to most other species in the genus by having testes arranged in a triangle and a scolex with a prominent rostrum-like protrusion. The newly recognized species is further distinguished by the relative position and length of the cirrus sac, shape of seminal receptacle, and relative size of external seminal vesicle and seminal receptacle. Hymenolepidid cestodes have sporadically …

A New Laelapine Mite (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) Associated With The Spiny Rodent, Scolomys Melanops, In Amazonian Peru, Donald Gettinger, Scott L. Gardner

Scott L. Gardner Publications

Gigantolaelaps scolomys Gettinger and Gardner n. sp., an ectoparasitic mite (Acari: Laelapidae) associated with the rodent Scolomys melanops in Amazonian forests of Peru, is described and illustrated.

Mites of the genus Gigantolaelaps Fonseca are common ectoparasites associated exclusively with rodents of the sigmodontine tribe Oryzomyini (see Gettinger, 1987). They are often abundant in the dorsal pelage and are easily collected by brushing the host at capture. The laelapine populations sampled are female dominant; males and immatures are assumed to live within the nest of the host (Martins-Hatano et al., 2011). A new species was encountered in a small collection of …

Characterizing Nontarget Species Use At Bait Sites For White-Tailed Deer, Brent Bowman, Jerrold L. Belant, Dean E. Beyer Jr., Deborah Martel

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Baiting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has evolved into a controversial issue of wildlife management. During August–September 2012, we established a grid of 64 cameras in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at sites baited with corn that simulated legal bait sites for white-tailed deer to characterize presence, diversity, and frequency of species use. We detected >20 species of wildlife that visited bait sites. We categorized 3,177 of 11,194 images as independent detections (i.e., species detected >1 hour apart). White-tailed deer had the greatest detection rate (47%), but overall detections of nontarget species was slightly greater (53%). Most frequent nontarget …

Winter Habitat Associations Of Blackbirds And Starlings Wintering In The South-Central United States, Matthew Strassburg, Shawn M. Crimmins, Patrick C. Mckann, Wayne E. Thogmartin

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Birds can cause extensive crop damage in the United States. In some regions, depredating species comprise a substantial portion of the total avian population, emphasizing their importance both economically and ecologically. We used the National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count data from the south-central United States and mixed-effects models to identify habitat factors associated with population trend and abundance for 5 species: red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula), rusty blackbird (Euphagus carolinus), Brewer’s blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus), and European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Overall, we found positive associations between bird …

Bioaccumulation Of Mercury In Wilson’S Snipe From Alabama, Lindsay J. Brooks, Joshua W. Campbell, Julia W. Murphy

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Mercury is a persistent, toxic heavy metal that can bioaccumulate in organisms, causing diseases and other health problems. Wilson’s snipe (Gallinago delicata) feed primarily on aquatic invertebrates, which makes them prone to mercury bioaccumulation. In this study, we measured total mercury in Wilson’s snipe. Total mercury was measured in the feathers and muscle tissue. Mean concentration (ppm ± SE) of mercury was 1.33 (± 0.22) and 0.087 (± 0.03) in the feathers and muscle tissue, respectively. Mercury concentration was significantly higher in feathers than muscle. Our data indicate that Wilson’s snipe, an aquatic-invertebrate predator that bioaccumulates mercury from …