Digital Commons Network^™

Tree Presence And Species Identity Affect American Beaver Activity Along The Missouri River, Ashley M. Williams

Sustainable RIVER

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Insecticides On Amphibians, Lilian M. Heinzel

Sustainable RIVER

No abstract provided.

Ethnohistorical Relationships Among American Indian Tribes & The Missouri River, Stormi Schroder

Sustainable RIVER

No abstract provided.

New Life For Old Data: Compiling Global Diet Data Of Freshwater Fishes, Jacob Ridgway

Sustainable RIVER

No abstract provided.

Genetic Analysis Of A Cryptic Contact Zone Between Mitochondrial Clades Of The Eastern Red-Backed Salamander, Plethodon Cinereus, Brian P. Waldron, Shawn R. Kuchta, Maggie M. Hantak, Cari-Ann M. Hickerson, Carl D. Anthony

2019 Faculty Bibliography

When evolutionarily divergent lineages adjoin their geographic ranges after a period of isolation, myriad outcomes can occur, from population anastomosis to the evolution of reproductive isolation by way of reinforcement. Hybrid zones represent natural experiments that may indicate whether lineages will maintain their evolutionary independence. Here, we report on a hybrid zone in the Eastern Red-Backed Salamander, Plethodon cinereus, a highly abundant and wide-ranging terrestrial salamander found in the northeastern United States and in southeastern Canada. An earlier study identified six distinct mitochondrial clades across the range of P. cinereus. Populations of two of these clades were as close as …

Just Preservation, A. Treves, F. J. Santiago-Ávila, W. S. Lynn

Anthropogenics and Population Decline Collection

We are failing to protect the biosphere. Novel views of conservation, preservation, and sustainability are surfacing in the wake of consensus about our failures to prevent extinction or slow climate change. We argue that the interests and well-being of non-humans, youth, and future generations of both human and non-human beings (futurity) have too long been ignored in consensus-based, anthropocentric conservation. Consensus-based stakeholder-driven processes disadvantage those absent or without a voice and allow current adult humans and narrow, exploitative interests to dominate decisions about the use of nature over its preservation for futurity of all life. We propose that authentically non-anthropocentric …

Protecting Biodiversity In British Columbia: Recommendations For Developing Species At Risk Legislation, Alana R. Westwood, Sarah P. Otto, Arne Mooers, Chris Darimont, Karen E. Hodges, Chris Johnson, Brian M. Starzomski, Cole Burton, Kai M. A. Chan, Marco Festa-Bianchet, Shaun Fluker, Sumeet Gulati, Aerin L. Jacob, Dan Kraus, Tara G. Martin, Wendy J. Palen, John D. Reynolds, Jeannette Whitton

Threatened and Endangered Animal Populations Collection

British Columbia has the greatest biological diversity of any province or territory in Canada. Yet increasing numbers of species in British Columbia are threatened with extinction. The current patchwork of provincial laws and regulations has not effectively prevented species declines. Recently, the Provincial Government has committed to enacting an endangered species law. Drawing upon our scientific and legal expertise, we offer recommendations for key features of endangered species legislation that build upon strengths and avoid weaknesses observed elsewhere. We recommend striking an independent Oversight Committee to provide recommendations about listing species, organize Recovery Teams, and monitor the efficacy of actions …

Assessment Of Mudpuppy (Necturus Maculosus) Presence Along The St. Clair-Detroit River System Using Environmental Dna And Occupancy Modeling, Jenny L. Sutherland

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) is cryptic, fully aquatic salamander within the Great Lakes region. Once abundant throughout its range, evidence now suggests that there have been declines due to habitat loss and lampricide use. Information on the status of mudpuppies along the St. Clair-Detroit River System (SCDRS) is lacking, and since they are important bio-indicators, they could be a gauge for restoration success. Environmental DNA (eDNA) and occupancy modeling were used to determine best detection practices for this cryptic species. Mudpuppy eDNA was detected at all known mudpuppy sites with the addition of one site. Occupancy was highest at shoreline …

The Cost Of Breeding In The Winter Versus The Summer In An Opportunistic, Northtemperate Songbird, The Red Crossbill (Loxia Curvirostra), Travis Draud

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Energy is the currency of life, where a surplus allows survival and reproduction and a longstanding debt leads to death, yet monitoring energy expenditures in free-living animals has been relatively limited by available technology. Radio transmitters that have been specially modified to detect heart rate, however, allow for real-time estimation of energy expense in free-living, behaving animals. Red crossbills live at northern latitudes year-round and breed opportunistically throughout much of the year. They therefore offer a unique opportunity to examine the ecophysiology of different life cycle stages under drastically variable seasonal conditions. Here we present heart rate data of free-living, …

Effects Of The Invasive Asian Shore Crab, Hemigrapsus Sanguineus, On New England Trophic Cascade: Diet And Predation, Madison Bradley

Writing Across the Curriculum

Trophic cascades occur when the community structure is influenced by indirect effects of predation on the lower trophic levels. The trophic cascade can be disrupted when an invasive species is introduced. The Asian shore crab, Hemigrapsus sanguineus has invaded ecosystems in New England and we predict this invasion will negatively affect the classic New England trophic cascade. By the predation indirectly affecting lower trophic levels, H. sanguineus can influence the community structure and diversity at the lower levels. To understand the trophic cascade, we manipulated the food source and competitors in four different mini-ecosystems. By introducing H. sanguineus into an …

Do Genetic Structure And Landscape Heterogeneity Impact Color Morph Frequency In A Polymorphic Salamander?, Maggie M. Hantak, Robert B. Page, Paul E. Converse, Carl D. Anthony, Shawn R. Kuchta

2019 Faculty Bibliography

Landscape heterogeneity plays an important role in population structure and divergence, particularly for species with limited vagility. Here, we used a landscape genetic approach to identify how landscape and environmental variables affect genetic structure and color morph frequency in a polymorphic salamander. The eastern red- backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus, is widely distributed in northeastern North America and contains two common color morphs, striped and unstriped, that are divergent in ecology, behavior, and physiology. To quantify population structure, rates of gene flow, and genetic drift, we amplified 10 microsatellite loci from 648 individuals across 28 sampling localities. This study was conducted …

Birds In The Urban Landscape, Center For Urban Resilience

Module 10: Garden Ecology

No abstract provided.

Move It Or Lose It: Interspecific Variation In Risk Response Of Pond-Breeding Anurans, Philip Matich, Christopher M. Schalk

Faculty Publications

Changes in behavior are often the proximate response of animals to human disturbance, with variability in tolerance levels leading some species to exhibit striking shifts in life history, fitness, and/or survival. Thus, elucidating the effects of disturbance on animal behavior, and how this varies among taxonomically similar species with inherently different behaviors and life histories is of value for management and conservation. We evaluated the risk response of three anuran species—southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus), Blanchard’s cricket frog (Acris blanchardi), and green tree frog (Hyla cinerea)—to determine how differences in microhabitat use (arboreal vs …

Effects Of Rainbow Trout On Brook Trout Population Size In Tributaries To Lake Superior In Cook County, Minnesota, Craig Tangren

Journal of Earth and Life Science

This study looked at the effects of Rainbow Trout stocking on the size of Brook Trout populations above migratory barriers. Linear mixed effects models were used to determine if there was a relationship between Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout catch rates. Age 1 or older Brook Trout populations were influenced by relative abundance of age 1 or older Rainbow Trout, according to the best supported model based on AIC scores. Population responses varied by stream, ranging along a gradient from high catch rates with a positive relationship to a negative relationship with low relative abundances. Streams with a positive relationship …

Prospects For Improving Management Of Animal Disease Introductions Using Disease-Dynamic Models, Ryan S. Miller, Kim Pepin

Zoonotics and Wildlife Disease: Publications

Management and policy decisions are continually made to mitigate disease introductions in animal populations despite often limited surveillance data or knowledge of disease transmission processes. Science-based management is broadly recognized as leading to more effective decisions yet application of models to actively guide disease surveillance and mitigate risks remains limited. Disease-dynamic models are an efficient method of providing information for management decisions because of their ability to integrate and evaluate multiple, complex processes simultaneously while accounting for uncertainty common in animal diseases. Here we review disease introduction pathways and transmission processes crucial for informing disease management and models at the …

Using Dna To Identify The Source Of Invasive Mongooses, Herpestes Auropunctatus (Carnivora: Herpestidae) Captured On Kaua‘I, Hawaiian Islands, Darren J. Wostenberg, Matthew W. Hopken, Aaron B. Shiels, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Two small Indian mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus) were live-captured in 2012 at separate locations on the Hawaiian Island of Kaua'i, which was previously considered to be free of this invasive species. Genotypes from these two individuals were compared to genotypes of H. auropunctatus from the islands of Hawai'i (n =39), O'ahu (n =91), Maui (n = 39), and Moloka'i (n = 19) to determine the island of origin of the Kaua'i individuals. Genotypes were generated from each individual using five microsatellite loci. Genetic clustering was estimated by Bayesian inference of spatial clustering of individuals and …

Reducing Prairie Dog Populations And Damage By Castration Of Dominant Males, Gary W. Witmer

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) occur widely across the prairie states of North America. They compete with livestock for forage, transmit plague, and damage lawns, landscaping, and property. Interest in non-lethal methods, such as immunocontraception, is growing; however, reductions in the population due to contraception may be offset by increases in survival because adults and yearlings are not subject to the energetic demands of reproduction, and lower densities may increase the amount of resources available to growing offspring. Surgical sterilization provides a means for modeling these effects. Thus, we castrated males prior to the 1998 breeding season to simulate the …

Developmental And Reproductive Characteristics Of Beef Heifers Classified By Number Of Estrous Cycles Experienced By Start Of First Breeding, Andy Roberts, Jaclyn N. Ketchum, Richard N. Funston

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

A retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of number of estrous cycles exhibited before breeding on growth and reproductive performance of replacement beef heifers fed ad-libitum or restricted by 20% less than ad-libitum during postweaning development over a 9-yr period. Progesterone concentration in blood samples collected at 9- to 11-d intervals were used to assign heifers into groups by number of estrous cycles exhibited before the start of breeding: 0 (nonpubertal; n = 395), 1 (n = 205), 2 (n = 211), 3 (n = 116), or >3 (n = 249). Heifers (P …

Social Learning Through Associative Processes: A Computational Theory, Johan Lind, Stefano Ghirlanda, Magnus Enquist

Publications and Research

Social transmission of information is a key phenomenon in the evolution of behaviour and in the establishment of traditions and culture. The diversity of social learning phenomena has engendered a diverse terminology and numerous ideas about underlying learning mechanisms, at the same time that some researchers have called for a unitary analysis of social learning in terms of associative processes. Leveraging previous attempts and a recent computational formulation of associative learning, we analyse the following learning scenarios in some generality: learning responses to social stimuli, including learning to imitate; learning responses to non-social stimuli; learning sequences of actions; learning to …

Dung Beetle Functional Traits Related To Restoration Management Practices In Tallgrass Prairie, Sheryl C. Hosler

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The restoration of degraded ecosystems often focuses on reestablishing species richness and diversity of native organisms, especially plants. However, functional trait descriptions of communities are emerging as a more comprehensive approach to evaluating restorations, including consumer communities. I examined the species composition and functional traits of dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae) communities across a chronosequence of restored tallgrass prairie in Illinois, in which sites varied in the presence of bison and the application of prescribed fire during the study. Data were collected on behavioral guild and body measurements, and functional diversity metrics (functional richness, evenness, divergence, and dispersion) were analyzed using …

Some Current Trends And Challenges In Philippine Aquaculture, With An Emphasis On Synergies With Biodiversity Initiatives, Ronald Allan L. Cruz, Vikas Kumar, Janice A. Ragaza

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Rapid And Accurate Minion-Based Workflow For Tracking Species Biodiversity In The Field, Hendrik Freitag, Simone Maestri, Emanuela Cosentino, Marta Paterno, Jhoana M. Garces, Luca Marcolungo, Massimiliano Alfano, Iva Njunjić, Menno Schilthuizen, Ferry Slik, Michele Menegon, Marzia Rossato, Massimo Delledonne

Biology Faculty Publications

Genetic markers (DNA barcodes) are often used to support and confirm species identification. Barcode sequences can be generated in the field using portable systems based on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION sequencer. However, to achieve a broader application, current proof-of-principle workflows for on-site barcoding analysis must be standardized to ensure a reliable and robust performance under suboptimal field conditions without increasing costs. Here, we demonstrate the implementation of a new on-site workflow for DNA extraction, PCR-based barcoding, and the generation of consensus sequences. The portable laboratory features inexpensive instruments that can be carried as hand luggage and uses standard …

Trade-Offs Shape Carotenoid-Based Color Variation In Redheaded Pine Sawfly (Neodiprion Lecontei) Larvae, Maranda Gaines

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

Carotenoids serve various ecological roles in animals including coloration, immune responses, and vision. Carotenoid-derived coloration is greatly emphasized in the literature, particularly relating to mate choice and aposematic warning. However, the trade-offs between the color and non-color functions of carotenoids are not thoroughly explored. In the redheaded pine sawfly (Neodiprion lecontei), some larval populations have yellow pigmentation, using carotenoids derived from their diets for aposematic warning coloration. Other larval populations are white in color, having genetically lost the ability to produce the yellow pigment. Because carotenoids are essential to life functions in both the yellow and white populations, we aim …

Two New Tiger Beetle Species (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) From Myanmar And Notes On Another Species. 151. Contribution Towards The Knowledge Of The Cicindelidae, Jürgen Wiesner, Michio Hori

Insecta Mundi

Cylindera (Ifasina) thitarooae Wiesner and Hori, new species, Jansenia phyuae Wiesner and Hori, new species, and the previously unknown male of Jansenia myanmarensis Wiesner, 2004 (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) are described. Cylindera (I.) thitarooae may be recognized by shape of labrum and aedeagus. Jansenia phyuae may be recognized by its elytral contour and shape of elytral maculation.

Fall Field Report, August - November 2019, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

By far the most striking feature of this fall’s report is the large number of lingering migrants, a trend that is continuing and apparently increasing, especially among passerines. Editor Jan Paseka counted 17 uses of the word “tardy” and 43 of “late” or “latest”. It is tempting to relate this to the warmer environment and resulting increased availability of food items at higher latitudes and later dates than in previous years. A sad note: a startling occurrence in Gering, Scotts Bluff 20 Aug was described by Marie Smith: “We had a huge hailstorm around 10:30. The hail was probably pea …

Descripción De Una Especie Nueva Y Dos Nuevos Registros De Paraleurolobus Sampson Y Drews (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) De Guatemala, José Francisco García Ochaeta, Oscar Ángel Sánchez-Flores

Insecta Mundi

Se describe Paraleurolobus evansi García-Ochaeta y Sánchez-Flores sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) de Guatemala. Se comentan los caracteres diferenciales de esta especie con sus congéneres. Se incluye una clave para determinar las especies de Paraleurolobus Sampson y Drews, y se reportan por primera vez para Guatemala a P. chamaedoreae Russell y P. imbricatus Sampson y Drews.

Paraleurolobus evansi García-Ochaeta y Sánchez-Flores sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is described from Guatemala. Differential characters between this and related species are discussed. A key is included to identify Paraleurolobus Sampson y Drews species, and P. chamaedoreae Russell and P. imbricatus Sampson y Drews are reported …

Korean Encyrtids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) Associated With Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha), Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) are sap-sucking plant parasites and economically important pests on agricultural and horticultural crops. Scale insects are often difficult to control since their body is protected by a wax cover. Parasitic wasps that live and develop in scale insects are important natural enemies and effective biological control agents of pest scale insects. Chalcid wasps of the family Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) comprise the largest group of parasitoids of scale insects, followed by the family Aphelinidae. Here, an updated list of all thirty-six species of encyrtids in twenty-three genera that have been identified or reported from South Korea is …

Management Recommendations For Ecological Restoration On The Little River Parcel, Maya Sady Partain, Garitt Mathews

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Ecological restoration is an important aspect of land management. Data collection and ongoing monitoring help inform restoration decisions and determine their effectiveness. In this project, we followed a monitoring protocol provided by the Trinidad Coastal Land Trust to assess the 2019 status of their Little River parcel, a fifteen-acre area near the mouth of Little River in Trinidad, California. We performed a site analysis of invasive plant species and recorded their extent and location, as well as noting other observations of the ecology, topography, and biology of the site. After making our observations, we recommended land management methods woven together …

Changes In North American Mammal Niche Preferences From The Late Pleistocene To The Present, Silvia Pineda-Munoz, Anikó Tóth, S. Kathleen Lyons, Yue Wang, Jenny Mcguire

School of Biological Sciences: Presentations

Human population has exponentially grown since the last glaciation, especially across temperate areas with easy access to water sources, excluding mammal species from their former habitats. Thus, we anticipate a change in environmental niche preferences for temperature and precipitation as increased human population forces mammal species into more extreme climates within their environmental tolerances. For our study, we collected species occurrences from 20,000 ybp to the present for 59 North American mammal species. We inferred temperature and precipitation for each location using paleoclimate simulations (CCSM3). Overall, we found that mammals now live in areas that are warmer and dryer on …

Effects Of Invasive Trees On Native Floodplain Forest Vegetation & Breeding Bird, Jacob Myers

Sustainable RIVER

No abstract provided.