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Thinking Critically About Science And Religion: Disclosure Interviews Massimo Pigliucci, Jeff West, Viva Nordberg

disClosure: A Journal of Social Theory

No abstract provided.

Big Brains Do Matter In New Environments, Lori Marino

Evolutionary Biology Collection

No abstract provided.

Mammals Of The Cosigüina Peninsula Of Nicaragua, Hugh H. Genoways, Robert M. Timm

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Nicaragua’s Cosigüina Peninsula, located at the northwestern tip of the country, is one of the most poorly studied biotic regions in Central America. The peninsula has been occupied for millennia because the climate of the region supported human habitation and because of its strategic position along the rich Pacific coast. The combination of long-term occupancy by humans and the cataclysmic eruptions of Volcán Cosigüina have produced a heavily impacted landscape. During the 1960s, the University of Kansas conducted multiyear field surveys of the terrestrial mammals on the peninsula and the adjacent mainland to quantify species diversity, relationships, abundances, habitat use, …

Facts From Faeces: Prey Remains In Wolf, Canis Lupus, Faeces Revise Occurrence Records For Mammals Of British Columbia’S Coastal Archipelago, Michael H. H. Price, Chris T. Darimont, Neville N. Winchester, Paul C. Paquet

Biogeography and Ecological Opportunity Collection

Archipelagos often harbour taxa that are endemic and vulnerable to disturbance. Conservation planning and research for these areas depend fundamentally on accurate and current taxonomic inventories. Although basic ecological information is in its infancy, the temperate rainforest islands of coastal British Columbia are undergoing rapid human-caused modification, particularly logging. We report herein new mammal records for these islands as determined by prey remains in the faeces of Wolves (Canis lupus), the area’s apex mammalian terrestrial predator. Of particular interest is our detection of Marten (Martes americana) on islands previously inventoried and island occupancy by Moose (Alces alces), which have apparently …

Spring 2005, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Availability Of Suitable Habitat For Northern River Otters In South Dakota, Alyssa M. Kiesow, Charles D. Dieter

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences (through 2013)

Currently, the northern river otter (Lontra canadensis) is listed as a threatened species in South Dakota. We determined whether adequate habitat was available for reintroducing river otters in South Dakota. The 17 rivers/creeks included in the analysis were selected according to stream size, water gradient, and water permanence. A vegetation transect was conducted and a water sample was collected at each study site, ranging from one to four per river. Rivers/creeks were rated (1 = least suitable to 5 = most suitable) according to habitat requirements of river otters in the following categories: stream characteristics, watershed features, water …

Nebraska Catfish Anglers: Descriptions And Insights Derived From The 2002 Nebraska Licensed Angler Survey, Keith Hurley, Kristin Duppong-Hurley

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

Analyses in this report will refer to number of different groups. Catfish seeking anglers are defined as any angler who has spend at least 1 trip during 2002 in pursuit of a catfish species (channel, blue, flathead, or bullhead). This is the most general group included in the analyses and is also the least avid group of anglers in regards to their relationship to catfish angling. Catfish anglers are defined as those respondents who identified a catfish species as the species they most prefer to target. Catfish anglers represent a smaller group of respondents with a higher avidity for catfish …

Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 12 - Mitigation Of The Negative Impacts On Biodiversity And Fisheries Values Of The Refurbishment Of Waroona Dam, South-Western Australia (Final Report For The Water Corporation Of Western Australia), Brett Molony, Stephen Beatty, Chris Bird, Vinh Nguyen

Fisheries Research Contract Reports

In addition to the supply of water for agriculture, irrigation dams of south-western Australia are important systems for recreational activities, including fishing (Molony & Bird 2002, Molony et al. 2002a). Lake Navarino (the reservoir created by Waroona Dam, figures 1 and 2, approx. 115° 55 E 32° 51 S) is the first major public access reservoir south of the Perth Metropolitan Area and is an important component of the Recreational Marron (Cherax tenuimanus') Fishery (RMF) (Molony 2001a, 2002a, 2003a, Molony & Bird 2002, Beatty et al. 2003a). Further, it is the most northerly irrigation dam that is regularly stocked with …

Seismic Signals Are Crucial For Male Mating Success In A Visual Specialist Jumping Spider (Araneae: Salticidae), Damian O. Elias, Eileen Hebets, Ronald R. Hoy, Andrew C. Mason

Eileen Hebets Publications

The diversity of courtship displays throughout the animal kingdom is immense and displays can range from seemingly simple, to incredibly complex. Signalers often possess elaborate morphological adaptations for signals directed at a specific sensory modality in receivers. In some cases, these signals are so compelling to human observers, the possibility that important signals exist in other sensory modalities is ignored, potentially resulting in an incomplete characterization of the communication system. Jumping spiders (Salticidae) have remarkable visual capabilities. Yet one species, Habronattus dossenus, has recently been shown to have a complex repertoire of multicomponent seismic courtship signals in addition to …

Feeding Behavior And Conditioning In Two Heterotrophic Dinoflagellates, Todd A. Egerton

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Growth and abundance of heterotrophic dinoflagellate predators are generally attributed to the availability of algal prey. Several species of dinoflagellates feed on a wide variety of food types including fish. However the actual feeding preferences of dinoflagellates have been much less studied. In the few studies that have been carried out on dinoflagellate feeding preference, none have looked at possible factors that may affect preference. I conducted three experiments on the toxic dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida and the related unnamed species Cryptoperidiniopsis brodyi which, (1) calculated the feeding preferences between algal Rhodomonas prey and fish blood cells and identified factors that …

Ecological Studies Of Wolves On Isle Royale, 2004-2005, Rolf O. Peterson, John A. Vucetich

Ecological Studies of Wolves on Isle Royale

Annual Report 2004-2005

A Sustainable Future For Recreational Fishing In The Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Proposal For Discussion., Department Of Fisheries.

Fisheries Management Papers

Fishing activity on the Cocos is essentially unmanaged at present and there has been some condern by the local community that a number of species, such as coral trout, have declined in numbers over the last decade. This draft strategy was developed by the Western Australian Department of Fisheries who now has responsibility for managing recreational fishing on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Transport and Regional Services.

Fisheries Research Report No. 148 - Historical Distribution And Abundance Of The Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca Cinerea) On The West Coast Of Western Australia, Richard Campbell

Fisheries Research Reports

Analysis of historical patterns of abundance of the Australian sea lion on the west coast of Western Australia suggests that the population size was greater prior to the impacts of colonization and commercial sealing/whaling between the 18th and 20th centuries. In addition, it is evident that there has been a reduction in the number of breeding sites along the west coast, particularly around the greater Perth metropolitan area. There is limited evidence of the impact of indigenous hunting on the abundance and distribution of this species. The major impacts on Australian sea lion populations were a combination of subsistence and …

Factors Influencing Persistence Of White-Footed Mice, Brock R. Mcmillan, Glennis A. Kaufman, Donald W. Kaufman

The Prairie Naturalist

We examined factors that potentially influenced persistence of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) during 1981 to 1988 at Konza Prairie Biological Station, Kansas. We predicted that both abiotic (e.g., precipitation and temperature) and biotic (e.g., availability of food and density of conspecifics) factors would influence persisten~e of individuals at the study site. Persistence of individual white-footed mice on the study site differed among years and seasons. White-footed mice that were first captured in summer or in autumn persisted longer than those first captured in spring. Young females (less than 20 g) had greater persistence than young males, whereas …

Comparison Of Microclimate At Grassland Bird Nests With Different Substrates, Kimberly M. Suedkamp Wells, Samuel D. Fuhlendore

The Prairie Naturalist

We compared the effects of two different nest placement strategies (shrubs vs. bunchgrasses) on microclimate conditions for grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) and lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) in Oklahoma. We predicted that the intensity and duration of extreme temperatures (greater than 39° C) and their variability would be reduced at shrub nests compared to bunchgrass nests. A verage maximum temperatures were similar at nests of grasshopper sparrow and lark sparrow, but confidence intervals were more variable and included biologically detrimental temperatures at grasshopper sparrow nests compared to lark sparrow nests. The proportion of time greater than 39° …

The Sooner State Bird Atlas: Review Of Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas, Dan L. Reinking, Editor, Timothy J. O'Connell

The Prairie Naturalist

In Oklahoma, forest meets prairie, prairie meets mesa, and throughout, our native ecosystems are shaped by human land use. Across this shifting mosaic of habitats, animals find food, raise young, and disperse to find other members of their species. Management for these species is best informed when it springs from a common baseline of knowledge about distributions across the entire management area. For birds, that baseline can be effectively established with a breeding bird atlas. ... In sum, the Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas presents timely information on a fascinating statewide avifauna in a clear and attractive package. The text is …

Daphnia Lumholtzi, An Exotic Zooplankton, Invading A Nebraska Reservoir, Brian C. Peterson, Nicolas J. Fryda, Keith D. Koupal, Wyatt Hoback

The Prairie Naturalist

A limnological assessment project by the University of Nebraska at Kearney and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission collected weekly vertical zooplankton tows during May through September 2002 at Harlan County Reservoir in Nebraska. Beginning on 5 August 2002, the exotic Daphnia lumholtzi (Cladocera: Daphniidae) appeared at a density of 0.04 1.1 in one of fifteen standardized sampling stations. By 6 September 2002, D. lumholtzi was found in all fifteen stations at an average density of 2.17 ± 3.10 1.1 with a site maximum density of 11.43 1.1 • Length measurements of D. lumholtzi ranged from 0.80 mm to 5.66 …

Electrocution Of An Adult White-Tailed Deer, Christopher S. Deperno, Benjamin J. Bigalke, Jonathan A. Jenks, Brian S. Haroldson, Robert G. Osborn

The Prairie Naturalist

On 16 May 2002, an adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) died after becoming entangled in an electric fence in southeast Minnesota. The deer (#393) was captured 30 January 2000 as part of a cooperative, long-term deer mortality study being conducted in southern Minnesota (Bigalke et al. 2002, Brinkman 2003, Brinkman et al. 2002). Although fence entanglements occur, they do not account for significant losses in white-tailed deer populations (Matschke et al. 1984). Nixon et al. (1991) documented mortality of two fawns with broken cervical vertebrae that had collided with fences, but did not distinguish the type of …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No.15 - A Unit Register For Commercial Fisheries: An Issues Paper, Western Rock Lobster Council, Department Of Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

This paper is designed to encourage stakeholder involvement in a review of the existing Department of Fisheries' Register, and development of a concept for a new Unit 1 Register, under the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA). It is not a fisheries management proposal but a proposal dealing with the facilitation of the fishing licence business. Comments are sought from all stakeholders, including commercial fishers, recreational fishers, banks, accountants, lawyers, third party investors and brokers.

The comments gathered through the responses to this 'issues paper' will form the basis for the Unit Register Working Group to develop the concept of …

The Prairie Naturalist, Volume 37, No. 1, March 2005

The Prairie Naturalist

LESSER PRAIRIE-CHICKEN USE OF HARVESTED CORN FIELDS DURING FALL AND WINTER IN SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS, G. C. Salter, R. J. Robel, and K. E. Kemp 1

DAPHNIA LUMHOLTZI, AN EXOTIC ZOOPLANKTON, INVADING A NEBRASKA RESERVOIR B. C. Peterson, N. J. Fryda, K. D. Koupal, and W. W. Hoback 11

COMPARISON OF MICROCLIMATE AT GRASSLAND BIRD NESTS WITH DIFFERENT SUBSTRATES, K. M. Suedkamp Wells and S. D. Fuhlendorf 21

FACTORS INFLUENCING PERSISTENCE OF WHITEFOOTED MICE, B. R. McMillan, G. A. Kaufman, and D. W. Kaufman 29

NOTES

RECORDS OF THE EASTERN RED BAT ON THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE OF COLORADO, …

Records Of The Eastern Red Bat On The Northern Front Range Of Colorado, Daniel J. Neubaum

The Prairie Naturalist

Although common in deciduous forest throughout the Midwest and east-central states, the eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is rare in Colorado (Armstrong et al. 1994, Fitzgerald et al. 1994). However, this species has the potential to extend its range because belts of eastern deciduous forest habitat have expanded across western prairies and reached the Front Range of Colorado over the last 100 years (Knopf 1986). The eastern red bat ranges from Canada southward across the United States to northeastern New Mexico with most records occurring east of the Continental Divide (Hall 1981, Shump and Shump 1982, Cryan 2003). …

Lesser Prairie-Chicken Use Of Harvested Corn Fields During Fall And Winter In Southwestern Kansas, Gregory C. Salter, Robert J. Robel, Kenneth E. Kemp

The Prairie Naturalist

The lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) has declined in numbers in Kansas primarily due to the conversion of sand sagebrush (Artemisia .filifolia) prairie to cropland. The lesser prairie-chicken in Finney County, Kansas exists primarily in large fragments of sand sagebrush prairie, and it forages during fall and winter on waste grain in harvested com (Zea mays) fields adjacent to prairie fragments. We used radio-telemetry to monitor lesser prairie chicken locations and found no significant relationship between numbers of bird locations and amounts of waste grain on the ground in harvested com fields. Even the harvested …

A Monkey’S Tale: The Origin Of Plasmodium Vivax As A Human Malaria Parasite, Ananias A. Escalante, Omar E. Cornejo, Denise E. Freeland, Amanda C. Poe, Ester Durrego, William E. Collins, Altaf A. Lal

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

The high prevalence of Duffy negativity (lack of the Duffy blood group antigen) among human populations in sub-Saharan Africa has been used to argue that Plasmodium vivax originated on that continent. Here, we investigate the phylogenetic relationships among 10 species of Plasmodium that infect primates by using three genes, two nuclear (β-tubulin and cell division cycle 2) and a gene from the plastid genome (the elongation factor Tu). We find compelling evidence that P. vivax is derived from a species that inhabited macaques in Southeast Asia. Specifically, those phylogenies that include P. vivax as an ancient lineage from …

Integrated Fisheries Management Report Western Rock Lobster Resource., Department Of Fisheries

Fisheries Management Papers

This report is the first in a series of Integrated Fisheries Management (IFM) reports required under the 2004 Government Policy on IFM. Under this policy, the Executive Director of Fisheries is required to approve a sustainability report for each fishery, which includes a clear statement on the harvest level. The sustainable harvest level is that total catch, or catch range, that is to be allocated among the various user groups identified for that particular fishery. These IFM reports will assist in the process of allocating explicit shares in the use of Western Australia’s fish resources. They do not establish the …

Stochastic Dietary Restriction Using A Markov-Chain Feeding Protocol Elicits Complex, Life History Response In Medflies, James R. Carey, Pablo Liedo, Hans-Georg Müller, Jane-Ling Wang, Ying Zhang, Lawrence G. Harshman

Lawrence G. Harshman Publications

Lifespan in individually housed medflies (virgins of both sexes) and daily reproduction for females were studied following one of 12 dietary restriction (DR) treatments in which the availability of high-quality food (yeast–sugar mixture) for each fly was based on a Markov chain feeding scheme – a stochastic dietary regime which specifies that the future dietary state depends only on the present dietary state and not on the path by which the present state was achieved. The stochastic treatments consisted of a combination of one of four values of a ‘discovery’ parameter and one of three values of a ‘persistence’ parameter. …

The Fine-Grained Spatial Abilities Of Three Seed-Caching Corvids, Brett M. Gibson, Alan Kamil

Papers in Behavior in Biological Sciences

We used a psychophysical method to examine the ability of three corvid species to discern fine-grained spatial information. Nutcrackers, pinyon jays, and scrub-jays were required to discriminate the distance between two landmarks on a computer screen in an operant chamber. All three species were able to discriminate between arrays that differed by 20 mm; the discrimination gradients for scrub-jays and pinyon jays were sharper than those for nutcrackers, however. The results suggest that differences in spatial memory among these species are not related to differences in fine-grained perception.

Red Rock Desert Learning Center Core Group Meeting: January 18, 2005, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Introductions (5 min.)
2. Approval of Minutes from November 16, 2004 Meeting (5 minutes)
3. Presentation of Science Curriculum – Paul Buck (30 min.)
4. Line and Space Architects
   Presentation of Schematic Designs– Les Wallach/Henry Tom (1 hour)
   Update on Design Timeline (10 min.)
5. Standing Reports (10 minutes)
   A. UNLV/CESU – Nancy Flagg
   B. BLM – Michael Reiland
6. Committee Reports (5 min.)
7. Committee Meeting Schedule for 2005 (5 min.)
8. Open Discussion / New Business (5 min.)

Bearing The Costs Of Human-Wildlife Conflict: The Challenges Of Compensation Schemes, Philip J. Nyhus, Steve A. Osofsky, Paul Ferraro, H Fischer, Francine Madden

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Allocation Of Monitoring Effort Under Economic And Observational Constraints, Scott A. Field, Andrew J. Tyre, Hugh P. Possingham

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Efforts to design monitoring regimes capable of detecting population trends can be thwarted by observational and economic constraints inherent to most biological surveys. Ensuring that limited resources are allocated efficiently requires evaluation of statistical power for alternative survey designs. We simulated the process of data collection on a landscape, where we initiated declines over 3 sample periods in species of varying prevalence and detectability. Changing occupancy levels were estimated using a technique that accounted for effects of false-negative errors on survey data. Declines were identified within a frequentist statistical framework, but the significance level was set at an optimal level …

Home Range And Behavior Of The Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus Horridus), Jennifer P. Adams

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Seventeen timber rattlesnakes were surgically implanted with radio transmitters and subsequently radio-tracked to determine the home range and behavior, as well as cause-specific mortality, of timber rattlesnakes on production forests in Randolph County, West Virginia. Mean home range sizes were 94.3 ha, males; 31.2 ha, nongravid females; 8.5 ha, gravid females; and 44.7 ha, among sex classes. Among sex classes, the mean daily movement rate was 20.2 mper day; the mean maximum known distances from den sites was 1110.2 m; the mean distance from den sites was 514.2 m; and the mean total distance moved was 2852.9 m. Mean active …