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Comparisons In Morphology, Reproductive Status, And Feeding Ecology Of Plethodon Cinereus At High And Low Elevations In West Virginia, Mizuki Takahashi

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

To develop effects of elevation on morphological features, reproductive status, and feeding ecology of Plethodon cinereus in West Virginia, overall comparisons between high (>4000 ft) and low (<1260 ft) elevation populations were made. Adult P. cinereus from high elevations were smaller in SVL (female: p=0.003, male: p<0.001), but stored larger amounts of fat (female: p=0.041, male: p=0.006) in their tails than fromlow elevations. Larger amounts of tail fat could be an adaptation to harsh environments at high elevations. It was determined that in West Virginia, where as females at low elevations oviposit annually, females at high elevations oviposit biennially. Stomach content analysis revealed that salamanders at high elevations were confronted by food shortage. Because of less prey availability and longer winters at high elevations, salamanders at high elevations attained the smaller body size than at low elevations and could not obtain sufficient energy in 1 year to yolk a clutch.

Diets Of Bats In West Virginia, Theresa Sydney Burke

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Little work has been conducted concerning feeding ecology of bats, and only 2 studies have been done in West Virginia. West Virginia is a prime location for the study of bats because 12 species are reported in the state. To increase knowledge of food habits of bats inhabiting West Virginia, fecal samples of 7 species were examined: Virginia Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus), Rafinesquii’s Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus), Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis), Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), and Eastern Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus). Collections of samples were made in the eastern mountainous …

Molecular Systematics Of Rhinichthys Bowersi And Its Taxonomic Status, Gilbert Wesley Gladwell Ii

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Rhinichthys bowersi is a cyprinid fish that is found mostly in tributaries of the Monongahela River. Several investigators have examined the morphology, protein polymorphism, and parasite/host relationships of R. bowersi and concluded that it is a valid species of introgressive hybrid origin while others have examined the same data and concluded that it is an F1 hybrid of R. cataractae and Nocomis micropogon. In this study, mitochondrial DNA was amplified from the 12s gene of R. bowersi and compared to that of R. cataracta, N. micropogon, and R. atratulus, an outgroup. Mitochondrial DNA differences were analyzed by Neighbor Joining (NJ), …

The Natural History And Possible Extirpation Of Blanchard's Cricket Frog, Acris Crepitans Blanchardi, In West Virginia, Nancy J. Dickson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Blanchard’s Cricket Frogs, Acris crepitans blanchardi, historically occurred in Clay, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties of West Virginia. It has been since 1948 that a specimen was collected from these counties or any other in this state. The first objective of this study was to gather natural history information on A. c. blanchardi based on a population in Lawrence County, Ohio. The second objective of this study was to determine if A. c. blanchardi has been extirpated from West Virginia. The third objective was to determine differences between historical, potential, and current population sites based on vegetation sampling, predators, water …

Effects Of Developmental Activities On Streamside Salamander Communities In Boone County, West Virginia, Mindy S. Hamilton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A study was conducted from May 1998 through June 1999 in three streams associated with mountaintop mining and valley fills in Boone County, West Virginia. Streamside salamander communities were monitored in these streams, as well as in two relatively undisturbed reference streams in the region, using refugia bags, rock-on-rock methodology, and day surveys. The relative abundance of salamanders was compared between the streams in order to detect effects of the associated valley fills to downstream biota. Relative abundance was lower in two of three streams associated with valley fills as compared to the reference streams. However, there was no significant …

Determining The Genetic Distances Between Sub-Populations Of Aneides Aeneus In The Westvāco Wildlife And Ecological Research Forest, Andrew Nicholas Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Aneides aeneus, the Green Salamander, is a plethodontid species ranging from southern Pennsylvania to central Alabama and from eastern Mississippi to Maryland. Populations of Green Salamanders most often inhabit cliffs and rocky outcrops which are moist but not wet and shaded. The animal is listed as a species of special concern by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Program. Genetic and reproductive isolation due to strict habitat preferences of the Green Salamander could be a factor in the decline of the species. Seventeen tissue samples were retrieved from five sites within the Westvāco Wildlife and Ecosystem …

Nitrogen Budgets For Your Dairy, Allen Young

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Contaminant Assessment Process Report For Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Joel Chirhart, Laura Coppock, Andrew Archuleta

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

The Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST) program identifies and evaluates the effects of environmental contaminants on lands and biological resources managed by the Department of the Interior (DOI). The primary goals of the BEST program are: 1) determine the status and trends of environmental contaminants and their effects on biological resources, 2) identify, assess, and predict the effects of contaminants on ecosystems and biological populations, and 3) provide summary information to managers and the public for guiding conservation efforts. One tool used to reach these goals is the Contaminant Assessment Process (CAP). CAP is a two-part process involving …

Determination Of Impacts On The Endangered Wyoming Toad (Bufo Baxteri) At Mortenson National Wildlife Refuge From Ammonium Nitrate Concentrations, Edward E. Little, Robin D. Calfee, Kimberly Dickerson

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

The endangered Wyoming toad (Bufo baxteri) is found only as a reintroduced population at Mortenson National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in the Laramie Plains of southeast Wyoming. Reasons for the decline of this amphibian are unknown. Data on predation, habitat modification, soil and water conditions (Stone 1991), and water quality (Ramirez 1992; Ramirez and Armstrong 1992), are available; but, none of these parameters are documented as posing serious threats to the toad.

One threat that has not been investigated is the potential for agricultural fertilizers containing nitrates to enter surface water at Mortenson NWR. Nitrates are transported by irrigation …

Fisheries Research Report No.131 - Pilchard (Sardinops Sagax) Nursery Areas And Recruitment Process Assessment Between Different Regions In Southern Western Australia, Daniel J. Gaughan, Graeme Baudains, Ronald W. Mitchell, Timothy I. Leary

Fisheries Research Reports

Pilchards have been the primary target of purse seine fisheries along the south and lower west coasts of WA for nearly 15 years. Western Australia’s pilchard population consists of separate west coast and south coast breeding stocks. The adult pilchards in the south coast stock can, in turn, be further divided into three separate assemblages. These adult assemblages correspond to the purse seine fisheries at Albany, Bremer Bay and Esperance. However, while the separateness of the adult assemblages is well established, the status of the juveniles within the context of these adult groups is not understood. For example, the habitats …

Convergence Of Complex Cognitive Abilities In Cetaceans And Primates, Lori Marino

Sentience Collection

What examples of convergence in higher-level complex cognitive characteristics exist in the animal kingdom? In this paper I will provide evidence that convergent intelligence has occurred in two distantly related mammalian taxa. One of these is the order Cetacea (dolphins, whales and porpoises) and the other is our own order Primates, and in particular the suborder anthropoid primates (monkeys, apes, and humans). Despite a deep evolutionary divergence, adaptation to physically dissimilar environments, and very different neuroanatomical organization, some primates and cetaceans show striking convergence in social behavior, artificial ‘language’ comprehension, and self-recognition ability. Taken together, these findings have important implications …

Cognitive And Communicative Abilities Of Grey Parrots, Irene M. Pepperberg

Sentience Collection

Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) solve various cognitive tasks and acquire and use English speech in ways that often resemble those of very young children. Given that the psittacine brain is organized very differently from that of mammals, these results have intriguing implications for the study and evolution of vocal learning, communication, and cognition.

In Search Of King Solomon’S Ring: Cognitive And Communicative Studies Of Grey Parrots (Psittacus Erithacus), Irene M. Pepperberg

Sentience Collection

During the past 24 years, I have used a modeling technique (M/R procedure) to train Grey parrots to use an allospecific code (English speech) referentially; I then use the code to test their cognitive abilities. The oldest bird, Alex, labels more than 50 different objects, 7 colors, 5 shapes, quantities to 6, 3 categories (color, shape, material) and uses ‘no’, ‘come here’, wanna go X’ and ‘want Y’ (X and Y are appropriate location or item labels). He combines labels to identify, request, comment upon or refuse more than 100 items and to alter his environment. He processes queries to …

Fisheries Research Report No. 137 - Annual Report On The Monitoring Of The Recreational Marron Fishery In 2000, With An Analysis Of Long-Term Data And Changes Within This Fishery, Brett Molony, Chris Bird

Fisheries Research Reports

This report presents the data from the 2000 season and compares the results with previous records. Although the 2000 marron season was relatively successful compared to the 1999 season it was still modest in terms of the historical records. Further, the recreational marron fishery continues to be declining in terms of catch rate, CPUE and other indicators derived from four data sources. The discussion highlights the variable nature of marron populations and the possible causes of the very different population structures of marron within the fishery. Further, possible reasons for the long-term decline of the marron fishery are discussed. It …

Status Of The Small-Mouthed Salamander, Ambystoma Texanum (Mathes) In West Virginia, Robert Fiorentino

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Over the past 60 years little natural history information on Ambystoma texanum (Small-mouthed Salamander) has been collected in West Virginia, the eastern most location for the species. Three historical breeding populations of A. texanum have been documented in the state, but salamanders from 2 of these locations have not been documented for the past 30 years. Searches of historical sites and favorable habitat in Mason, Jackson, and Wood counties yielded no evidence for the presence of A. texanum, except for the known breeding site in Wood County. Information on time of breeding and egg development was collected at the Wood …

Phosphorus Budgets For Your Dairy, Allen Young

All Archived Publications

No abstract provided.

Fish & Wildlife News: January/February 2002

Fish and Wildlife News

Contents:

Service Welcomes Director Steven Williams 2
Canada Lynx Survey Controversy 3
Service Starts Management Reform Studies 4
Hautman Wins Duck Stamp Contest 8
Renowned Panel Presents Ethics Broadcast 9
Newly Opened Great Plains Nature Center 10
New Hampshire Dam Removal Partnership 11
Exploring Our Past 12
Fish & Wildlife...In Brief 15

Fish & Wildlife News: Winter 2002–2003

Fish and Wildlife News

Contents:
Manson Receives Legion of Merit 2
IAFWA Names New V.P. 4
Red River NWR Created 6
Patuxent NWR Turkey Hunt 7
From Argali to Bighorn 11
Region Hosts Tribal NEPA Workshop 12
Rare White Mountains Plant Recovers 15
Pacific Lamprey 16
Midway Atoll NWR 18
Northern Ute Tribe Honors Elders 20
Honors 25
Director’s Corner 28

Effects Of Management Practices On Grassland Birds: Horned Lark, Meghan F. Dinkins, Amy L. Zimmerman, Jill A. Dechant, Barry D. Parkin, Douglas H. Johnson, Lawrence D. Igl, Christopher M. Goldade, Betty R. Euliss

United States Geological Survey: Effects of Management Practices on Grassland Birds

Information on the habitat requirements and effects of habitat management on grassland birds were summarized from information in more than 4,000 published and unpublished papers. A range map is provided to indicate the relative densities of the species in North America, based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) data. Although birds frequently are observed outside the breeding range indicated, the maps are intended to show areas where managers might concentrate their attention. It may be ineffectual to manage habitat at a site for a species that rarely occurs in an area. The species account begins with a brief capsule statement, which …

Giving Baculoviruses A Better Edge, Arthur H. Mcintosh, Cynthia L. Goodman, James J. Grasela, Ben Hardin

Agricultural Research Magazine

Scientific advancements built on an understanding of what nature already provides are leading to environmentally friendly crop-pest control by either biological agents or specifically designed synthetic antiinsect compounds. A case in point: research on baculoviruses.

Baculoviruses are rod-shaped DNA viruses, many of which begin their life cycle reproducing inside cells. In the nuclei of caterpillar cells infected with baculoviruses, viral progeny multiply and are incorporated into protective polyhedronshaped protein structures called occlusion bodies. Infected caterpillars die and contaminate the leaf surfaces with the occlusion bodies. Then, healthy caterpillars ingest the occlusion bodies and release the virus when feeding on contaminated …

Sorting And Mixing Effects In A Wean-To-Finish Facility, Mike Brumm

Nebraska Swine Reports

An experiment was conducted to evaluate whether removing and mixing lightweight pigs in a wean-to-finish facility resulted in improved pig performance to slaughter compared to never removing pigs from a pen from weaning to slaughter. Two populations of pigs were compared. The removed and mixed population consisted of pens comprised of 1) 20 pigs per pen with the five lightest pigs removed three weeks after weaning and 2) 15 pigs per pen with the pen comprised of the five lightest pigs from three of the 20 pig pens. The unsorted population consisted of 15 pigs per pen from weaning to …

Economic Analysis Of The Selection Response In The Ne Index Line, D. B. Petry, B. P. Mcallister, Rodger K. Johnson

Nebraska Swine Reports

The objective was to estimate economic effects of 19 generations of selection for increased litter size in the NE Index line. Using realized biological data, 1,250-sow enterprises based on Index line and Control line females were simulated. Each system was closed to introduction of females and included pureline females mated to produce replacement pureline and F₁ gilts, and F₁ females mated to terminal cross boars to produce market progeny. Costs of production and income statements were produced using the reproductive, growth and carcass data from the NE Index (I) and Control (C) lines reported in the two preceding …

Tragopan: Newsletter Of The Wpa/Species Survival Commission/Birdlife Pheasant Specialist Group 16 (2002), World Pheasant Association, Birdlife International, Iucn Species Survival Commission Pheasant Specialist Group

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

Issue 16 (March 2002)

Editorial, Stuart Marsden

From the Chairman, Peter Garson

Cheer pheasant drawing, Dave Showler

Project roundup

News from PSG

Action Plan project review

Other news

Newly published

Research reports

Some notes on behaviour in golden pheasant Chrysolophus pictus, Liang Wei, Zheng Guangmei, Zhang Zhengwang, and Ding Changqing

Studies on habitat selection and home range of Reeves 's pheasant Syrmaticus reevesii using radiotracking techniques: Report on the progress of a WPA project, Zhang Zhengwang

Research on Sclater's monal in westem Yunnan, China: APA progress report, July to December 2001, Han Lianxian

The status and distribution of green peafowl …

Wpa News 70 (2002/2003), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Winter 2002/2003), number 70

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Cognitive Ethology And The Cost Of Anthropomorphiphobia, Robert H.I. Dale

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Book review for the following titles:

Animal Minds: Beyond Cognition to Consciousness. By Donald R. Griffin, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001, 376 pages. $27.50 softcover

The Smile of a Dolphin: Remarkable Accounts of Animal Emotions. Edited by Marc Bekoff, New York: Discovery Books, 2000, 240 pages. $35.00 hardcover

Minds of Their Own: Thinking and Awareness in Animals. By Lesley J. Rogers, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1998, 224 pages. $19.00 softcover

Methods And Compositions To Enhance Tenderness And Value Of Meat, Chris R. Calkins, Jesus Pablo Velazco De La Garcia, Nancy Coromoto Jerez-Timaure

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A method of enhancing the tenderness of meat for animal or human consumption by treatment of pre-rigor muscle with the compositions of the invention. It has been found that other quality meat traits can also be enhanced with the method of the invention.

2002 Beef Cattle Report

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Nebraska 2002 Beef Cattle Report Table of Contents

Cow/Calf
Weaning Date for Spring Calving Cows Grazing Sandhills Range ● Replacement Heifer Development for Spring and Summer Calving Herds ● Urinary Allantoin as an Estimate of Microbial Protein Synthesis ● Metabolizable Protein Requirements of Lactating Two-Year-Old Cows ● Use of Sexed (Female) Sperm is Successful in Yearling Heifers 12 ● Estrous Synchronization Programs for Lactating Cows

Growing
Windrow Grazing and Baled-Hay Feeding Strategies for Wintering Calves ● Forage Quality and Animal Performance of Steers Grazing Smooth Bromegrass/Legume Pastures ● Supplementing Yearling Summer-Grazing Cattle with Fat and Protein and Subsequent Feedlot Performance …

Replacement Heifer Development For Spring And Summer Calving Herds, Gene H. Deutscher, Brent Plugge, Andy Applegarth, Rex Davis

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

A three-year study on heifer development of spring-born (n=240) and summer-born heifers (n=146) was conducted using sandhills ranch management. Spring-born heifers developed during the winter to reach 53% of mature weight at breeding had similar reproduction and calf production as heifers that reached 57% of mature weight. Feed costs were $22/heifer less for the lighter weight heifers. Summer-born heifers that were developed to reach 60% of mature weight at breeding in early fall had normal yearling pregnancy rates, but rebreeding rates of the 2-year-old cows were low, which caused high culling rates. Two-year-old cows calving in May produced greater calf …

A Simulated Economic Analysis Of Altering Days On Feed And Marketing Cattle On Specific Value-Based Pricing Grids, Dillon Feuz

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Profit can be increased by feeding some pens of cattle additional days on feed and selling on a pricing grid that rewards quality. Discounts for Yield Grade 4 and heavy weight carcasses for as many as 10% to 15% of a pen may not exceed the premiums for higher grading carcasses and the benefit of selling additional weight on all cattle sold. While the grid price can be increased by feeding some pens of cattle fewer days and marketing on a yield grade rewarding grid, net returns are often decreased because of selling fewer total pounds.

Sorting Strategies In An Extensive Forage Utilization Beef Production System, James C. Macdonald, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Casey Macken, Jeffrey Folmer, Mark Blackford, D. J. Jordon

Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

One hundred sixty crossbred steer calves were stratified by weight and allotted into four groups to test three sorting strategies against an unsorted control to compare methods of sorting long yearling steers to decrease variation in carcass weight and fat thickness, increase pounds of carcass weight sold, and increase profitability. Sorting by weight upon entry into the feedlot or by weight and fat thickness at the end of the feeding period increased average carcass weight. No statistical differences in variation or profitability were found, although numerical differences were present.