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Feeding Habits And Reproduction Of Three Sympatric Lizard Species From West-Central Utah, John B. Andre

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The feeding habits and reproduction of Uta stansburiana, Crotaphytus collaris and Cnemidophorus tigris during spring and summer 1976 are described. Feeding habits are expressed in percent total number and volume of prey items and frequency of occurrence of each prey category. Importance Values are also calculated. These values better illustrate the feeding habits of the lizard species than either percent total number and volume and frequency of prey category occurrence.

Lizards consume a variety of food items throughout the growing season. Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Orthoptera and Arachnida are the major prey categories of U. stansburiana. The major prey categories …

The Role Of Vegetation Architecture In Determining Spider Community Organization, Cynthia L. Hatley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The relationships between vegetation architecture and spider community attributes were examined in a big sage (Artemisia tridentata) community. Spiders were separated into guilds using similarities of species' hunting behavior. Shrub architecture was experimentally manipulated in the field by either clipping 50% of a shrub's foliage to decrease foliage density or tying together a shrub's branches to increase foliage density.

Temporal patterns of spider species density, diversity (H') and evenness (J') showed midsummer peaks in both 1974 and 1975. Seasonal spider guild trends reflected the temporal prominence of a member species or genus. These temporally abundant species appeared to …

Nasal Absorption Of Dtpa In Rats And Beagle Dogs, Robert E. Dudley

Biology ETDs

The use of nuclear generated power increases the risk that human accidental exposure to radionuclides will occur. Chelation therapy has been used to remove internally deposited radionuclides primarily by intravenous injection of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). Recently, inhalation of aerosolized DTPA has been shown to be both a convenient and effective means of treatment. Inhalation of aerosolized OTPA through the nose and mouth results in a significant deposition in the nasopharyngeal region of the respiratory tract. This study was designed to determine the fate of OTPA deposited in the nasopharyngeal region of the respiratory tract of rats and Beagle dogs, particularly …

Differential Clotting Responses Of Rabbits To Injections Of Homogenates From Wild-Type And Tumorous-Head Drosophila Melanogaster, Alfred B. Cox

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Two groups of New Zealand white rabbits were injected with homogenates from Tumorous-head (Tuh) and Wild-type (WT) Drosophila melanogaster. A third group was used as a saline injected control. Blood collected in both acute and chronic studies was subjected to various hematological and post mortem studies. The Tuh injected group showed a five-fold increase in thrombocytes (blood platelets) over the controls and four-fold increase over the wild-type group. Reduced clotting times were noted from acute to chronic studies in both tumorous and wild-type studies; however, the magnitude of change between the two groups was insignificant. Investigations involving electrophoretic banding patterns, …

Radiotelemetry Of Heart Rates From Free-Ranging Gulls, J. W. Kanwisher, Timothy C. Williams , '64, J. M. Teal, K. O. Lawson

Biology Faculty Works

A lightweight radiotelemetry system with a range of 80 km was used to monitor heart rate from free-ranging Herring Gulls on flights of up to 20 km. Heart rate varied from 130 beats/min in a resting bird to 625 beats/min for sustained flight. Soaring birds showed rates similar to those of birds sitting quietly on the ground. Simultaneous records of telemetered heart rate and intraspecific conflict on the nesting island revealed that cardiac acceleration preceded overt visual communication. Intensely aggressive behavior was accompanied by heart rates approaching those of sustained flight. Heart rate as a measure of metabolic cost indicates …

The Effects Of Body Size, Hair And Brown Adipose Tissue Upon Fever In The Rabbit, Reginald L. Dean

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Distribution And Relative Abundance Of Small Mammals In The Illini Forest Plantation, Urbana, Illinois, James M. Novak

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

The abundance and distribution of small mammals were analyzed for correlation with the vegetational characteris· tics of their habitat. Positive correlations were found for the number of mammals trapped per area trapped versus the total ground cover (r= .67, P< .05) and for the number of mammal species versus total ground cover (r= .73, P<.05). The habitat preferences of the three species trapped (short-tailed shrews B/,arina brevicauda. white-footed mice Peromyscus leucopuus, and meadow voles Microtus pennsylvanicus) showed a distinct distributional pattern for the species in relation to their habitats. The management of forest-tree plantations to achieve high densities during the seedling stage and the use of silvicultural practices that promote high shrub densities are suggested as inexpensive and natural control measures for injurious microtine rodents. Seedlings must be permitted to reach a sufficient height to remove the risk of the shrubs overtopping them.

Effects Of Hyperbaric Hypoxia On Some Enzyme Systems In The Mammalian Liver, Dennis A. Baeyens, M. J. Meier

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

The metabolic effects of hypobaric hypoxic stress on the mammalian liver were studied. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity of mouse liver homogenates were measured after exposure to an equivalent altitude of 36,000 feet and compared to controls kept at zero altitude. After six and twelve hour incubation periods, the altitude exposed samples demonstrated a significantly higher LDH activity than controls. SDH activity remained unchanged from controls after six hours but was significantly lower than controls after a 12 hour exposure to altitude. It is concluded that the changes in enzyme activity reflect a metabolic control mechanism …

The Columnar Junipers Of Western North Dakota (An Investigation Into The Cause Of Their Columnarity), James M. Murphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this report is to focus on the evaluation of the presence and amount of ethylene in the burning lignite fumes and to search for morphogenetic factors in the lignite at the Slope County site. The former was considered to be more important and was investigated more thoroughly.

Cell Surface Changes During Early Mouse Development, James Thomas Rector

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objectives of this thesis were to further characterize cell surface properties of preimplantation mouse embryos. A study was conducted to determine latent effects of varying pulses of CB on early postimplantation mouse embryos by comparing their abilities to hatch, to attach and to sustain growth and differentiation of ICM and trophoblast tissue. CB treatment was begun at the 8-cell stage. Objectives of the studies involving Con A were to determine (1 ) whether agglutinability with Con A changes during compaction of 8-cell embryos, (2) if changes in numbers of binding sites parallel changes in agglutinability during preimplantation development, (3) whether …

The Origins Of Spring Migratory Staging By Sandhill Cranes And White-Fronted Geese, Roger S. Sharpe

Biology Faculty Publications

A most unusual avian migratory event takes place each .,pring in the Platte River basin of Nebraska between 98 and 102 degrees longitude (Fig. 1). In suitable habitats throughout this area large concentrations of Sandhill Cranes, Crus canadensis, and White-fronted Geese, Anser albifrons, develop and achieve peak populations in mid to late March. This phenomenon is traditional to the migratory habits of specific populations and occurs during the spring movement from wintering grounds in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico to breeding grounds far to the north in Canada and Alaska. In both species groups of individuals drift in from wintering …

Small Mammal Dissemination Of Dwarf Mistletoe Seeds, Daniel Eugene Lemons

Dissertations and Theses

No study has been done in the western United States concerning dispersal of dwarf mistletoe by mammals. At the outset of the study it was determined that the red squirrel, the yellow pine chipmunk (Eutamias amoenus), the northern flying squirrel, and the bushy-tailed wood rat (Neotaoma cinerea), were all potential vectors of seeds. The red squirrel was chosen as the main object of study because it is diurnal and is closely associated with ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), a heavily infected species. The study was undertaken to determine whether small mammals play a significant role in transporting mistletoe seeds to uninfected …

The Reproductive Cycle Of Microtus Ochrogaster In Eastern Kansas, Robert K. Rose, Michael S. Gaines

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

About 800 Microtus ochrogaster were live—trapped at biweekly intervals from May 1971 through March 1973 in 3 grassland study areas in eastern Kansas, USA. Details of reproduction were determined by autopsy. Population density increased through the first winter, reached a peak in April 1972, then declined sharply during that summer and beyond. Body length, but not body mass, tended to be positively related to density. Both sexes matured at about the same weight; development was somewhat prolonged during the winter months, especially in the winter preceding the population peak. Pregnancy rates were high, approaching maximal iteroparity, throughout the study, with …

Zooplankton Abundance And Diversity In Central Florida Grass Carp Ponds, Douglas Lee Fry

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The effect of the Asian grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella Val.) and aquatic vegetation upon the zooplankton in four adjacent experimental ponds (0.139 ha each) was studied for one year. Zooplankton were collected with a newly designed shallow-water sampler. Pond 1 contained no aquatic vegetation. Ponds 2, 3, and 4 contained nine species of rooted aquatic plants. Grass carp were stocked into Pond 2 (65 per ha) and Pond 3 (611 per ha). Physicochemical parameters were similar among the ponds. Eighty-eight zooplankton species were enumerated. The abundance of zooplankton groups (Rotifera, Cladocera, and Copepoda) was not significantly different among the ponds …

Arthropod Community Dynamics In Three Ruderal Old Fields With Possible Effects Of Solid Rocket Fuel Exhaust, Russell D. Caldwell

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Arthropods were collected at three sites on the Canaveral Peninsula of the east central Florida coast, from May until November, 1975. These sites were old fields dominated by grasses and herbs and one of them (site 1) was located near Launch Complex 41, Kennedy Space Center. A modified drop-trap of 0.5 m2 was used to trap arthropods at approximately 14-day intervals. A vacuum collector removed the arthropods and loose material which was visually inspected for arthropods by the unaided eye and a 7X dissecting scope. A total of 12,296 arthropods was collected during the study. Insects were by far the …

The Effect Of Temperature On The Life Cycle Of Drosophila Nebulosa, Scott S. Nagatani

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

It is the purpose of this research to study the effect of temperature on the life cycle of D. nebulosa. D. nebulosa is considered a stenothermal species from a warm environment and has been reported in Texas and Florida, the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and as far south as Brazil. According to the hypothesis of Hunter (1964), the capacity of this species for adaptation to different temperatures would not be expected to be as great as that of a eurythermal species. Stenothermal species are relatively limited by the environmental temperature, and therefore, one would expect a marked decrease in …

Effects Of Gamma Radiation On The Southern Corn Rootworm, Denise Gayle Hanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Insects continue to be one of the major problems of man. It is, however, becoming more and more difficult to find substances that are effective in controlling insects and that are environmentally safe. It has become apparent that to control or eliminate harmful insects, alternate methods of control must be developed to replace or reduce the use of insecticides. One possible alternate method of control is to use insects against themselves in a process called the sterile male technique. This technique generally uses gamma radiation to induce sterility in males. When they are released into the native population and mate …

Fish Of Lake Mead And Lake Mohave, Robert C. Allan, Dennis L. Roden

Publications (WR)

This publication offers an in-depth study of the fish and other organisms that live in Lakes Mead and Mohave. The history and background of the two lakes is offered, as well as information about diseases, parasites, and unusual fish occurrences. Food sources, predation and competition are also discussed.

A Study Of The Nymphal Stages Of Trichocorixa Verticalis Verticalis (Fieber) Under Laboratory Conditions, Sharon R. Raczynski

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Antimicrobial Activity Of Plant Extracts, Melinda J. Seid

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate a possible antimicrobial activity in the following plants: Brunfelsia hopeana, Anemopsis californica, and Heimia salicifolia against Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive coccus, Escherichia coli, a Gram-negative fermenter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative non-fermenter, and the yeast Candida albicans.

The Effects Of Predation And Sediment Reworking By The Maldanid Polychaete Axiothella Rubrocincta (Johnson) On Benthic Littoral Microalgae Assemblages, Gary Scott Shusta

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The taxonomic composition of the diatom assemblages inhabiting the substrate on the mudflat, and the effects of a cohabiting deposit-feeding invertebrate on the diatom assemblage structure are the subjects of this paper. While pelagic diatoms have received considerable attention in the literature to date, comparatively little is known about the ecology and distribution of benthic diatoms are known to be cosmopolitan in their distributions (Alee, 1950). These plants have been found to be opportunistic species in that they are quick to respond to relatively small perturbations in physical conditions. It has also been demonstrated that distinct associations of diatoms exist …

The Effect Of Isoproterenol And Alpha- And Beta-Adrenoreceptor Blockade On Renin Release And Cyclic-35́-Adenosine Monophosphate Content In Rat Renal Cortical Slices, Louis Michael Lissuzzo

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate On The Incorporation Of Radioactive Uridine Into High Polymer Rna During The Early Development Of The Fathead Minnow (Pimephales Promelas Rafinesque), James P. Hardwick

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Dopamine And Dietary Sodium Deficiency On In Vitro Renin Release And Cyclic 3 ́5 ́-Adenosine Monophosphate Content In Male Rat Kidney Slices: Modification By Dopaminergic-Receptor Agonistic And Antagonistic Agents, Victor Allyn Aletich

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Non-Teratogenic Effects In Mice Progeny By Maternal Treatment With Amygdalin, Victoria Ann Rowe

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Ecological Comparison Of Sigmodon Hispidus And Sigmodon Fulviventer In The Rio Grande Valley, New Mexico, Karen Petersen

Biology ETDs

This study evaluates the potential for competitive interactions between two species of cotton rat along the Rio Grande valley in New Mexico. Field work was carried out on Sigmodon hispidus and S. fulviventer from April, 1976 to August, 1976, at six study sites. Field data gathered included number of juveniles, number of pregnant females and vegetation diversity. Further studies included morphological analysis of museum specimens and a behavioral study of animals brought back to the laboratory.

Population parameters were compared across the study sites for the cotton rats. Neither species has a sex ratio significantly different from 50:50, but the …

Origins Of Biological Thought, John B. Jenkins

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Anticonvulsant Drugs On The Morphological And Neurophysiological Aspects Of An Experimental Model Of Epilepsy, Linda D. Compton

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

An Evaluation Of Narrow Hybrid Zones In Vertebrates, William S. Moore

Biological Sciences Faculty Research Publications

A review of the literature on vertebrate hybridization reveals the existence of a number of narrow hybrid zones. Three hypotheses have been suggested to explain the occurrence of these zones. The ephemeral-zone hypothesis states that hybridization will end either in speciation or fusion of the hybridizing taxa by means of introgression. The dynamic-equilibrium hypothesis allows the possibility that narrow hybrid zones might be stable: where hybrids are confined to a small area by steep selection gradients, "crystallization" of an antihybridization mechanism might be prevented by naive immigrants from the parental populations even though hybrids are selected against. The hybrid-superiority hypothesis …

Contractile Properties Of Rat Soleus Muscle: Effects Of Training And Fatigue, Robert H. Fitts, J. O. Holloszy

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

The effects of exercise training and fatigue on the contractile properties of rat soleus muscles have been investigated. Prolonged exercise, consisting of 2 h or daily treadmill running, induced small but significant decrease in contraction time, one-half relaxation time, and maximum tetanic tension (Po), and increase in the peak rate of tension development (dP/dt) during a twitch, and an increase in maximum shortening velocity (Vmax). The 20% increase in Vmax was proportional to the previously reported increase in actomyosin ATPase induced by 2 h of daily running. These results indicate that prolonged training can induce modifications of the neurally determined …