Digital Commons Network^™

The Implications Of The Target-Area Hypothesis On The Population Dynamics Of The Spotted Spiny Lobster, Panulirus Guttatus, Denice N. Robertson

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The target-area hypothesis, based on the theory of island biogeography, predicts that larger islands are more effective at intercepting passive immigrants. Most marine invertebrates have meroplanktonic larvae and open population dynamics, so immigration to populations in isolated benthic habitats is primarily by pelagic larval recruits. Thus, recruitment to isolated habitat “islands” may be more continuous and predictable on large islands than on small ones. Consequently, populations on large islands should not only be larger than those on small islands, but should also have more evenly distributed size structures. These differences in size structure among populations in isolated habitats of differing …

In Support Of A Rationally Managed Fishery: Age And Growth In Patagonian Toothfish (Dissostichus Eleginoides), Julian R. Ashford

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) occur on the continental shelves and shelf breaks of southern South America and the Southern Ocean. Stock structure, critical to good fisheries management, can be inferred from growth differences between areas, but available growth data are compromised by inconsistencies in age estimation methods, sampling and sample sizes, and techniques used to derive estimates. I asked the scientific question: how is growth in Patagonian toothfish structured spatially within the Southern Ocean? I developed a multi-stage randomized design to sample fish caught by commercial longline, and an age estimation methodology. Because toothfish are difficult to age, …

Effects Of Human Disturbances On The Behavior Of Dabbling Ducks, Melissa Lynn Pease

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Disturbance of wintering and migrating birds by human activities can cause birds to expend energy in avoidance of humans and reduces the time available for resting and feeding at a time in the annual cycle when fat deposition and energy conservation are important. Also, human disturbances can effectively cause habitat loss by displacing birds from feeding or resting habitat. Managers of natural resources are increasingly faced with decisions about the types and amounts of public use that should be allowed without lowering the value of the resource for wildlife. In order for managers to make decisions about how to minimize …

Final Plan Of Management For The Lancelin Island Lagoon Fish Habitat Protection Area., Fisheries Western Australia, Australian Marine Conservation Society Friends Of Lancelin Island.

Fisheries Management Papers

The Lancelin Island Lagoon is a small area of reef habitat on the western side of Lancelin Island and a popular snorkelling and diving destination. Water depth ranges from less than 0.3 m on the intertidal reefs to less than 3 m on the sand or seagrass-covered bottom. The area has a diverse array of benthic marine habitat. During a marine survey of the area, over 200 flora and fauna species were positively identified, with many more remaining unidentified due to the diversity of species supported in this marine environment. The survey, which was facilitated by direct observations and photographs, …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 33, No.1 March 2001

The Prairie Naturalist

VEGETATION STRUCTURE AND INVERTEBRATE BIOMASS OF CONVENTIONAL AND SUSTAINABLE SORGHUM FIELDS IN KANSAS ▪ R. J. Robel and C Xiong

MONTHLY OPEN-WATER BOTTOM TRAWLING AT TWO SOUTH DAKOTA LAKES ▪ B. G. Blackwell and M. L. Brown

WINTER SURVIVAL AND HOME RANGE OF FEMALE RING-NECKED PHEASANT IN RELATION TO FOOD' PLOTS ▪ A E. Gabbert, J. R. Purvis, L. D. Flake, and A P. Leif

THIRD BREEDING RECORD OF BLUE GROSBEAK IN NORTH DAKOTA ▪ K. H. Haas and C A Haas

EVIDENCE OF AMERICAN WOODCOCK NESTING IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA ▪ F. Y Sargeant and G. A Sargeant

BOOK …

Social Play Behaviour: Cooperation, Fairness, Trust, And The Evolution Of Morality, Marc Bekoff

Ethology Collection

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Tourism Plan For The Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

The Abrolhos coral reefs are the southernmost living reefs in the Indian Ocean. They have a unique assemblage of tropical species of fish, reef corals and other invertebrates, which live in close association with temperate species, particularly of algae, and species endemic to Western Australia. The Abrolhos is the centre of the fishery for the commercially valuable western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus). Terrestrial flora and fauna of the Abrolhos are relict and provide important reference areas on ecological interactions. Virtually all the islands of the Abrolhos archipelago have sea bird nesting and breeding areas, and populations of some species of …

Tiger Restoration In Asia: Ecological Theory Vs. Sociological Reality, Ronald Tilson, Philip J. Nyhus, Neil Franklin

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Land Use Patterns In Relation To Lake Water Quality In The Lake George And Oaks Pond Watersheds, Problems In Environmental Science Course (Biology 493), Colby College, Colby Environmental Assessment Team, Colby College

Colby College Watershed Study: Other Area Studies

There has always been an inexplicable wonder associated with the beauty of Maine lakes. In addition to their aesthetic value, lakes and ponds provide important habitats for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. The attraction of the lake's natural beauty, however, can increase recreational pressures that may lead to human induced eutrophication. Lake George and Oaks Pond were chosen as the Colby Environmental Assessment Team's (CEAT) study sites due to the concern about potential human induced eutrophication of both water bodies. Lake George and Oaks Pond are situated in southern Somerset County, Maine, and experience heavy recreational and developmental uses. Neither water …

Escherichia Coli O157:H7 In Free-Ranging Deer In Nebraska, David G. Renter, Jan M. Sargeant, Scott E. Hygnstrom, Jeff D. Hoffmann, Jerry R. Gillespie

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

In order to determine the prevalence and distribution of the human pathogen, Escherichia coli O157:H7, in free-ranging deer, hunters were asked to collect and submit fecal samples from deer harvested during a regular firearm season (14–22 November 1998). Prior to the season, 47% of the hunters with permits in the southeastern Nebraska (USA) study area indicated a willingness to participate in the study. Approximately 25% of successful hunters in the area submitted deer fecal samples. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was cultured from four (0.25%) of 1,608 total samples submitted. All of the fecal samples that were properly identified (1,426) and all …

Limited Attention: The Constraint Underlying Search Image, Reuven Dukas, Alan Kamil

Papers in Behavior in Biological Sciences

Recent models of predator search behavior integrate proximate neurobiological constraints with ultimate economic considerations. These models are based on two assumptions, which we have critically examined in experiments with blue jays searching for artificial prey images presented on a computer monitor. We found, first, that when jays had to switch between searching for two distinct prey types, they showed no reduction in detection rates compared to no-switching to no-switching conditions, and second, that when jays divided attention between searching for two prey types at the same time, they had lower detection rates than when they focused attention on one prey …

Changes In Thermotolerance And Hsp70 Expression With Domestication In Drosophila Melanogaster, Robert A. Krebs, S. P. Roberts, B. R. Bettencourt, M. E. Feder

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

To examine how the duration of laboratory domestication may affect Drosophila stocks used in studies of thermotolerance, we measured expression of the inducible heat-shock protein Hsp70 and survival after heat shock in D. melanogaster strains recently collected from nature and maintained in laboratory culture for up to 50 or more generations. After an initial increase in both Hsp70 expression and thermotolerance immediately after transfer to laboratory medium, both traits remained fairly constant over time and variation among strains persisted through laboratory domestication. Furthermore, variation in heat tolerance and Hsp70 expression did not correlate with the length of time populations evolved …

Natural Succession Of Benthic Populations In Constructed Sediment Ponds And Ditches In Southwestern West Virginia, Robin E. Dolin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Strip mining causes major disturbances of the natural environment. One such disturbance is the creation of valley fills, which often fill in the headwaters of small streams. Runoff from these valley fills can cause heavy siltation as well as acid and heavy metal deposition downstream. One way to combat this problem is through the construction of sedimentation ponds, which slow down the flow of water so that sediment can settle out and water chemistry can be altered before the water is discharged into the stream. Since these ponds are, in effect, temporarily replacing small headwaters once present, the question is …

Factors Influencing Spatial Variability In Soil Nitrogen (N) Dynamics In N-Treated And Untreated Watersheds Of The Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, Nikki Lenore Lyttle

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The central Appalachian region of the United States receives some of the highest inputs of nitrogen (N) due to acidic deposition in the nation. It is believed that these high could levels contribute to a decline in forest soils within the next 50 to 70 yrs. This study examines factors that influence spatial variability in N-treated and untreated watersheds of the Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, West Virginia. Within each of the two watersheds [WS4 untreated control, > 100 yr.; WS3 N-treated, acidified, clear cut, ~ 31 yr.], two 0.04 ha plots, one high N and one low N, were selected for …

Distribution, Morphometries, And Tooth Morphology Of The Genus Desmognathus In West Virginia, Jessica Ann Wooten

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Very few genera of vertebrates demonstrate variation in body size, color, pattern, and life history traits to the extreme that is demonstrated in the genus Desmognathus. Exact distribution of Desmognathus, as well as other genera of salamanders, is very difficult to outline because of hybridization between certain desmognathine species. Tooth morphology, tail keeling, head and body shape, and geographic location are factors used in the separation among species in this genus. There are five desmognathine salamanders, including D. monticola, D. fuscus, D. ochrophaeus, D. quadramaculatus, and 0. welteri in West Virginia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the …

A Natural History Study Of Desmognathus Welteri In West Virginia, Zachary Ira Felix

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Black Mountain salamander, Desmognathus welteri, is a relatively large brownish-green salamander that possesses morphological characters associated with a semi-aquatic lifestyle. The history of this species in the state of West Virginia is an interesting one. Due to taxonomic confusion and the lack of a thorough investigation of the species in the state, little was known about the species until recently. Surveys for Desmognathus welteri in southern West Virginia revealed five new populations. This makes 17 localities for the species in the state. It appears D. welteri is restricted to relatively high elevation, high gradient, forested streams in the Cumberland …

Managing Minnesota's Recovered Wolves, L. David Mech

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

The Minnesota wolf (Canis lupus) population was estimated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at 2,450 during winter 1997-1998 and had increased at an average annual rate of 4.5°% since winter 1988-1989. The population may be removed from the federal endangered species list by 2002, and management would then return to the state. A federal recovery team recommended a population goal of 1,250-1,400 wolves for Minnesota, with none in the agricultural region. A plan approved by the Minnesota legislature, however, continues the protection of wolves, except for pet and livestock depredation control, for at least 5 years …

Climate Change And Forest Disturbances, V. H. Dale, L. A. Joyce, S. Mcnulty, R. P. Neilson, M. P. Ayres, M. D. Flannigan, P. J. Hanson, L. C. Irland, A. E. Lugo, C. J. Peterson, D. Simberloff, F. J. Swanson, B. J. Stocks, B. M. Wotton

The Bark Beetles, Fuels, and Fire Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Thermal And Reproductive Biology Of The Lizards Sceloporus Occidentalis And Sceloporus Graciosus Along An Environmental And Geographical Gradient, Scott Landsborough Parker

Theses Digitization Project

The thermal environment exerts a strong influence on many aspectsof squamate life history. Environmental temperatures constrain daily activity time, fecundity, growth rate, and also influences hatchling phenotype. Cold nest temperatures can slow the development of eggs deposited in the soil, cause developmental abnormalities or result in mortality of embryos.

Diet And Territory Size Of Butterflyfish In Habitats With Varying Coral Cover And Composition, Michael Berumen

Inquiry: The University of Arkansas Undergraduate Research Journal

Given the highly stochastic nature of larval supply, coral reef fish may often settle in sub-optimal habitats with limited prey. This study examines the foraging and territorial habits of a coral feeding butterflyfish, Chaetodon baronessa, living in two contrasting habitats with markedly different coral prey. In exposed front reef habitats, where coral prey was highly abundant, C. baronessa was highly selective in its choice of prey and aggressively maintained small territories. In contrast, in back reef habitats where coral prey was scarcer, C. baronessa was more generalist in its choice of prey, and had larger territories that were only weakly …

Is There A Place In The World For Zoos? / Another View Of Zoos, David Hancocks, Richard Farinato

State of the Animals 2001

We human animals make rapid technological and cultural advancements because we have the ability to pass definitive information to succeeding generations. But we also accept too much from the past without challenge. The good, the bad, and the indifferent are muddled together, accumulating in layers that smother each succeeding age. Cultural mores ranging from the silly to the profane, from charming to dangerous, clutter our world. They exist only because, as the British are wont to say, “We have always done things this way.” One very troubling example is the public zoological parks found in almost every city: they are …

Fertility Control In Animals, Jay F. Kirkpatrick, Allen T. Rutberg

State of the Animals 2001

There are, effectively, only two choices for actively managing the size of animal populations: reducing the birth rate and increasing the death rate. (Local population size may also be controlled by movement of individuals in and out; but when the size of animal populations concerns us, movement of individuals merely relocates the concerns. We are not absolved of our responsibility for animals simply because they go somewhere else.) Killing certainly can reduce and even destroy wildlife populations if enough animals of the right description are removed from the population. Until the last decade of the twentieth century, however, fertility control …

Urban Wildlife, John Hadidian, Sydney Smith

State of the Animals 2001

Despite the potential for difficulty, there are several reasons why urban wildlife should be valued and better understood. First is its scientific and heuristic value. Urban wildlife populations are essentially parts of ongoing natural experiments in adaptation to anthropogenic stress. How urban animals are affected by human activities— and how they cope with them— can represent, on a highly accelerated scale, a model of what is happening to species in other biomes. No other wild animals live in such intimate contact and under such constant constraint from human activities as do synanthropes. Second, urban animals are exposed to many environmental …

Urban Wildlife Control: It Starts In Our Own Backyard, John Hadidian

Conservation Collection

No abstract provided.

The Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) Of British Columbia’S Coastal Rainforests, Chris T. Darimont, Paul C. Paquet

Biogeography and Ecological Opportunity Collection

The mainland coast of British Columbia (BC) is a remote area that is comparatively free from human-caused disturbance. However, concerns about current and anticipated increases in industrial forestry activity have prompted conservation biologists to investigate the biota in this understudied region. We were commissioned by the Raincoast Conservation Society to study coastal wolves so that information could be incorporated into ongoing conservation planning and education efforts. The summer of 2000 marked the pilot season of a multi-year research project. Our team spent more than 240 person days in the field during the summer and fall seasons. We surveyed 18 mainland …

Effects Of Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) On Hatching Turtles And Prevalence Of Fire Ants On Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches In Florida, Craig R. Allen, Elizabeth A. Forys, Kenneth G. Rice, Daniel P. Wojcik

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta Buren) have increasingly been observed in loggerhead (Caretta caretta L.) and green (Chelonia mydas L.) sea turtle nests in Florida, and in the nests of freshwater turtles. They may be attracted to the disturbance, mucous and moisture associated with turtle nesting and establish foraging tunnels into turtle nests shortly after egg-laying, thus increasing the vulnerability of hatchlings to fire ant predation. We conducted experiments on a freshwater turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni Carr) to determine the potential impacts of S. invicta on turtle hatchlings. Over 70% of hatchlings were killed by …

Bald Hills Region And Lyons Family, Susie Van Kirk

Susie Van Kirk Papers

Susie Van Kirk's reference notes and research on the Bald Hills Region and the Lyons Family. Newspaper references date from 1856-1997.

Natural Fertility In Whooping Cranes And Mississippi Sandhill Cranes At Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Jane M. Nicolich, George F. Gee, David H. Ellis, Scott G. Hereford

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The first fertile whooping crane (Grus americana; WC) egg produced through natural breeding at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (patuxent) was laid in 1991. Prior to that time, all fertile whooping crane eggs were the result of artificial insemination. Since 1991, eight different whooping crane pairs at Patuxent have produced fertile eggs through natural breeding. Mean fertility averages over years for each pair range from 40% to 93%. Fertility rates for each pair also vary greatly between years, from 0% to 100%, but the causes of the variance are unknown. Experiences with natural fertility in Mississippi sandhill cranes (G …

Counting Cranes: How Much Effort Is Enough?, Douglas H. Johnson, Roderick C. Drewien, Douglas S. Benning

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Accurate population estimates of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) are important because management decisions, such as establishing hunting regulations, are based on those estimates. Counts often are made during aerial surveys when the cranes are congregated. A complete census may be feasible if the area to be surveyed is small and adequate resources are available. For large areas, resources may be inadequate for a census so partial counts (sample surveys) are made. Because cranes are gregarious, the counts in a sample of units may contain either a disproportionately large, or a disproportionately small, fraction of the total, leading to …

Effects Of Collection, Transport, And Redeployment Methods On Natural Mortality Of Rangia Cuneata (Mactridae) Used In Biomonitoring Studies, Eugene G. Maurakis, David V. Grimes, William C. Gretes

Virginia Journal of Science

Sporadic, high mortality in test populations of wedge clams (Rangia cuneata) has limited the potential for using this otherwise desirable test organism in biomonitoring studies. To determine whether high mortality was due to ontogenic or experimental variables, a two-phased study was conducted. In phase I, mortality of collected and re-deployed wedge clams, subjected to varying transport conditions, was determined at 7, 14, 21 and 60 days re-deployment. The use of three transport times (1, 2, 3 hr.), two vehicle conditions (open, closed) and three transport treatments (open, closed, iced containers) yielded 18 test groups. Individual test group mortalities …