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Trophic Ecology And Parasitism Of A Mesopelagic Fish Assemblage, Matthew Woodstock

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Mesopelagic (open ocean, 200-1000 m depth) fishes are important consumers of zooplankton and are prey of oceanic predators. Some mesopelagic fishes (e.g., myctophids and stomiids) undertake a diel vertical migration where they ascend to the near-surface waters during the night to feed and descend into the depths during the day to avoid predators. Other mesopelagic fishes (e.g., Sternoptyx spp.) do not vertically migrate and remain at deep depths throughout the day. While in the epipelagic zone (surface – 200 m depth), vertically migrating fishes become prey to upper-trophic level predators, such as: tunas and billfishes. Benthic fishes (e.g., macrourids) often …

Ichthyology Scientific Collection Spreadsheet, Karisa Boyer

Ichthyology Collection

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Magnetic Water On Feed Conversion Ratio, Body Weight Gain, Feed Intake And Livability Of Male Broiler Chickens, Kenia Mitre

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Passing water through a magnetic field has been shown to have positive effects in agricultural activities such as crops, cattle and poultry production (Ali, Samaneh and Kavakebian, 2014). Several experiments performed in Middle Eastern countries have evaluated the effect of magnetizing drinking water on poultry performance, but results are inconsistent. The current project was conducted to evaluate the effect of magnetizing the drinking water on key aspects of poultry production such as Feed Conversion Ratio, Body Weight Gain, Feed Intake and Livability. Four hundred and forty-nine male Cobb-500 chicks were randomly placed in 6 replicate pens for each of 3 …

Western Australian Sea Cucumber Resource - Harvest Strategy 2018-2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

Fisheries Management Papers

This publication of harvest strategies is intended to make the decision-making considerations and processes for the management of specified aquatic resources publicly transparent and provide a basis for informed dialogue on management actions with resource users and other stakeholders.

Draft Management Plan For The Kimberley Crab Managed Fishery, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

Draft Management Plan For The Pilbara Crab Managed Fishery, Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

No abstract provided.

Kentucky Warbler (Vol. 94, No. 2), Kentucky Library Research Collections

The Kentucky Warbler

No abstract provided.

Avs Corner, May 2018, Farzana Ferdous (Advisor), Emily Alexander, Caitlin Mathews, Megan Tamakloe, Meghan Courey

AVS Corner

No abstract provided.

Population Characteristics Of A Closed Northern Pike (Esox Lucius) Catch-And-Release Population In Minnesota, John Kempe

Biology Graduate Theses

Literature regarding catch-and-release populations of Northern Pike are rare and provide a unique perspective on their population dynamics. Shingobee Lake is a 64- ha mesotrophic lake with a maximum depth of 12.2 m located in northern Minnesota. Northern Pike fishing has been catch-and-release only since 2005, and there are no public accesses on the lake. Annual ice-out trap-netting occurred from 2009-2017, and a sizable amount of the Northern Pike recaptured via trapnet or angling had been previously tagged (37-59%). The lack of exploitation and high tagging percentage provided a unique opportunity to study the population dynamics of Northern Pike. Shinogbee’s …

Relationships Among Beef Cow Productivity Traits And Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In The Bovine Heat Shock Protein 70 Gene, Ashley Finney

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

When eukaryotes are exposed to stressors such as heat, toxins, and low oxygen levels, heat shock proteins (HSPs) are synthesized to maintain normal cellular function within the body. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) gene have been associated with calving percentage, and Julian calving date in spring-calving crossbred Brahman cows (Rosenkrans, et al., 2010). Our objective was to determine associations between previously identified polymorphisms in the promoter region and coding sequence of the bovine Hsp70 gene and beef cow efficiency. We evaluated productivity traits, including Julian calving date and calving rates, of fall-calving cows at each …

Alternative Feeding Strategies For Growing Cattle Grazing Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue During The Summer, Kerri A. Johnson

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Two experiments were conducted to determine animal performance of alternative feeding strategies to heifers grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue during summer months. In Experiment 1, 40 Limousin heifers (261± 40kg initial BW) were stratified by weight and assigned to either a spring harvested tall fescue silage diet or grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue pasture with grain supplement having either natural or artificial shade for 80 days. In Experiment 2, 40 Limousin heifers (277 ± 44kg initial BW) were stratified by weight and assigned to either a traditional grain supplement or feather-meal supplement (rumen bypass arginine supplement) with natural or artificial shade while …

In-Vitro Digestibility And Gas Production Of Wheat Middlings, Solvent Extracted Cottonseed Meal, Soyhulls, And Corn Gluten Feed And The Effects Of Monensin On In-Vitro Digestibility And Gas Production, Dustin W. Devore

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study was designed to study the in-vitro digestibility and in-vitro total gas production of corn gluten feed, wheat middlings, solvent extracted cottonseed meal, and soyhulls in multi parous steers. Evaluation of the effects of monensin on in-vitro digestibility and in-vitro total overall gas production of a commercially available complete feed was also studied Feedstuffs were ground through a Wiley mill to ensure uniform samples and were added to digestion jars in a completely randomized design. Rumen fluid was collected from a Bos taurus steer via a ruminal cannula. To ensure consistent digesta material the steer was fed a uniform …

Winter Bat Activity In A Landscape Without Traditional Hibernacula, Amy M. Hammesfahr, Rene E. Ohms

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

Prior to 2014, bat research at Devils Tower National Monument (DETO) focused on bats present during the summer months. Biologists at DETO assumed local bats were strictly summer residents due to the presumed lack of typical habitat features associated with bat hibernation, such as caves and mines. This lack of traditional hibernacula features at DETO discouraged staff and research cooperators from studying winter bat populations. Despite the earlier assumption that bats were unlikely to hibernate on the monument, DETO documented significant winter bat activity through passive winter acoustic monitoring. This study is the first study at DETO that documents …

The Effects Of Super-Dosing Phytase On Nursery And Grower Pigs, Joshua Paul Knapp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

To determine the effects of super-dosing on pigs fed phosphorous and calcium adequate or deficient diets (Experiment 1); the optimum level of corn express phytase (CEP, Experiment 2); and the effects of xylanase/phytase on growth performance (Experiment 3) in pigs fed reduce nutrient diets, weaned pigs were blocked with initial body weight (BW) and allotted to dietary treatments. Treatments were: Positive control (PC), P/Ca adequate diets (NRC 2012); Negative Control (NC), low P (-0.15%) and Ca (-0.12%), +0, 1000, and 4000 FTU/kg of CEP in both PC and NC (Experiment 1); PC, P/Ca adequate diets; NC, decreased P (0.15%) and …

Zinc Injection As A Novel Castration Method And Carry-Over Effects Of Growth-Promoting Implants In Beef Cattle, Jase Joseph Ball

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In experiment 1, crossbred bull calves (n = 31; body weight (BW) = 114.3 ± 26.3 kg; age = 119 ± 18.4 d) were allocated to treatments by BW and birthdate. Twenty-seven bull calves were allocated to 3 injectable castration treatments (n = 9 calves/injectable castration treatment) to reflect 3 dosage levels of zinc. Intact bulls had greater (P < 0.001) serum testosterone concentrations compared to bulls injected with zinc. In experiment 2, crossbred beef bulls (n = 180) were blocked by initial BW (337 ± 10.9 kg; 6 blocks) and assigned randomly to 1 of 3 treatments on d 0: 1) INJ; received 1 mL (100 mg Zn) of a Zn solution in each testis, 2) BAN; banded, 3) BUL; intact. Final BW was greater (P < 0.01) for INJ (672 kg) and BUL (686 kg) compared to BAN (611 kg). Serum haptoglobin concentration was greater (P < 0.01) in INJ compared to BUL and BAN on d 1, 3, 5, and 7. Zinc injection resulted in sterilization but not castration in feedlot bulls although it was efficacious in castration of young bulls at branding. In experiment 3, crossbred beef steers (n = 106; BW = 96 ± 3.9 kg; age = 74 ± 2.0 d) were blocked by parity of dam (≤ 2 or > 2 parities), stratified by BW, calf age, calf sire, cow BW and body condition score to 1 of 4 treatments: 1) RALG, Ralgro, Ralgro, Revalor XS, at branding (D 0), weaning (D 156), and feedlot processing (D 325), 2) COMP, Component …

Evaluation Of The Effects Of Formaldehyde On Growth Parameters Of Broiler Chicks, Paula Johnson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Formaldehyde has been used as a disinfectant in poultry hatching cabinets to aid in controlling key pathogenic organisms, such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E.coli). There is some evidence that prolonged exposure of chicks to formaldehyde can reduce tracheal ciliary function and thus reasons to believe that exposure to formaldehyde, in the absence of pathogen challenge, may reduce chick vitality. It has been found that elevated temperatures during incubation may adversely affect body weights of broiler chicks, as well as post-hatch environmental heat stress on performance in poultry. Post-hatch environmental heat stress has been shown to impact performance in poultry. …

Defending Wild Dogs: Population Dynamics And Disease In Endangered African Wild Dogs, Elizabeth Claire Arredondo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) are endangered carnivores whose population is decreasing from habitat loss and fragmentation, interspecific competition, and disease. Survival rates are especially low in Kruger National Park (KNP), though it is unclear why. I estimated the abundance in KNP and survival rates over different time spans, six years and nine months, using public photographic survey data. In 2015, there were 298 (SE=12.1) individuals. Using a mark-recapture analysis in program R, I found that the survival rate between 2009-2015 was only 3.2%, and within the 9-month survey period (September 2014 – June 2015), monthly survival rates for the …

The Effects Of Habitat And Connectivity On Tropical Ant Ecology And Behavior., Benjamin Jacob Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the role that physical connections among and within habitats play in determining the local diversity and behaviors of cursorial organisms. Understanding the processes that regulate local community assembly and that contribute to the maintenance of species diversity is a cornerstone of community ecology. Ants are a useful model for studies of local communities because they are abundant and fulfill a variety of ecological roles. Chapter one of the dissertation examines the how lianas (woody vines) function as connective structures among tree crowns and how these connections affect arboreal ant community structure within a tropical forest canopy. Trees …

Enhancing Quality Of Life Through Foreign Direct Investment In Northern Mozambique, Sarah-Beth Delay

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Undergraduate Honors Theses

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has the potential to increase economic activity and improve GDP growth in low-income countries, but can hinder economic development (quality of life improvements) if not sustainable and holistic in manner. Africa serves as a host to many cases of FDI focused on economic growth, but not necessarily improving the quality of life for its citizens. FDI has spread throughout the African continent, where many countries are well endowed with natural resources, like minerals and coal. These economies have experienced rapid GDP growth with few benefits reaching citizens of the host country. Mozambique is a low-income country …

Genetic Variation Of Northern Long-Eared Bat (Myotis Septentrionalis) Populations In Nebraska, Michael Palandri, Jeremy White

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The objective of this experiment was to determine genetic variation between Nebraska populations of Northern Long-eared Bats (Myotis septentrionalis) and to relate this variation to White-Nose Syndrome resistance. We hypothesized that these populations would show variation due to spatial separation and a lack of intermittent hibernacula. Wing tissue samples were collected from different areas in Nebraska including Ponca State Park, Fontenelle Forest, Elm Creek, and Larrabee Creek. A total of 31 specimens were caught between these locations. Mitochondrial DNA was extracted, amplified, and run on a gel using 6 samples from Ponca State Park. The gel from the …

Gulls, Martin S. Lowney, Scott F. Beckerman, Scott C. Barras, Thomas W. Seamans

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Abundant gull (Figure 1) populations in North America have led to a variety of conflicts with people. Gulls cause damage at aquaculture facilities and other properties, and often collide with aircraft. Their use of structures on and near water results in excessive amounts of bird droppings on boats and docks. Their presence near outdoor dining establishments, swimming beaches, and recreational sites can lead to negative interactions with people. Large amounts of gull fecal material pollutes water and beaches resulting in drinking water contamination and swim bans. A combination of dispersal techniques, exclusion and limited lethal control may reduce damage to …

Microbiome Of Commercial Broilers Through Evisceration And Immersion Chilling, John A. Handley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The United States poultry industry generated 38.6 billion pounds (17,500 metric ton) of meat in 2014 which averaged to 121 pounds (55 kg) per individual of the U.S that same year. Of that meat generated by the poultry industry, an estimated 1 million cases of Salmonellosis will occur. Out of the 1 million cases approximately 40, 000 to 50,000 will be confirmed cases by the CDC. Recently, the USDA has requested changes in the inspection process and are currently allowing processors more freedom to utilize innovation to drive the increase in safer and more desirable foods. The new standards set …

Personality In California Sea Lions (Zalophus Californianus) And Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina): Methodological Convergence And Species-Specific Emotional Repertoires, Amber De Vere

Dissertations

Despite the wide acceptance of animal personality as a valid area of study, research on marine mammal personality remains remarkably scarce. What literature does exist predominantly focuses on bottlenose dolphins (Frick, 2016; Highfill & Kuczaj, 2007; Kuczaj, Highfill & Byerly, 2012; Lilley, de Vere, Yeatre & Kuczaj, 2018; Moreno, Highfill & Kuczaj, 2017). There is also strong evidence for individual differences in grey seals (Robinson et al., 2015; Twiss & Franklin, 2010; Twiss, Culloch & Pomeroy, 2011; Twiss, Cairns, Culloch, Richards & Pomeroy, 2012), and preliminary research has provided evidence of broad personality factors in pinniped species using behavioral coding …

Corn Residue Grazing As A Component Of Semi-Confined Cow–Calf Production And The Effects Of Post-Weaning Management On Feedlot Performance, Shelby E. Gardine

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Grazing corn residue can be a valuable alternative to harvested winter feed in a cow-calf production enterprise. The objectives of the first study were to: 1) determine the sample size needed to accurately estimate yield of corn grain and residue and 2) evaluate changes in residue quality throughout the fall/winter and spring-grazing seasons. Results suggest that 6-10 plants serve as a representative sample for grain yield while 7-10 plants are needed for a representative sample of residue yield. In vitro OM digestibility was greatest at the beginning of the fall and spring grazing seasons and declined over time (P < 0.01). In vitro …