Digital Commons Network^™

Using Anthropogenic Risks To Inform Salmonid Conservation At The Landscape Scale, Andrew W. Witt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The expansion and industrialization of humanity has caused many unforeseen consequences to the natural world. Due to the importance of freshwater for people, rivers have been particularly altered to meet human needs, often at the expense of the natural world. Supplying water for farms, industries, and cities has reshaped the natural state of rivers by altering river paths, chemistry, and species compositions. These changes have harmed many species that prospered before widespread human alterations, including the native trout and salmon of western North America. As human populations continue to grow, new threats will surface for rivers, and the trout and …

Understanding Plant Secondary Metabolites; Above And Below Ground, Andrea K. Clemensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Plants naturally produce primary and secondary metabolites. Primary metabolites are directly involved with plant growth and metabolic function. Plant secondary metabolites (PSM) were once thought of as metabolic waste products, and more recently viewed as toxins to herbivores. However, ongoing research shows that PSM are beneficial to herbivores at low doses, and PSM aid plants by attracting pollinators, recovering from injury, protecting from ultraviolet radiation, increasing drought tolerance, and aid in defense against pathogens, diseases, and herbivores. Plant secondary metabolites also influence soil nutrient cycling, and can increase the sustainability of agroecosystems. Endophyte-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), which …

Relationships Among Invasive Coqui Frogs, The Small Indian Mongoose And Rat Species In Hawaii, Shane A. Hill

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Non-native species are increasing globally, and with this increase, it is likely that there will be new, unique relationships found among non-natives as well as additional impacts on native species. Rats and mongooses have been introduced to islands throughout the world where they impact native species, including birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The coqui frog was introduced to Hawaii in the 1980’s, where there were already abundant rat and mongoose populations. Previous research suggests that the high densities of coqui frogs may provide enough of a new food source for mongooses and rats that their populations would grow larger than they …

Patterns Of Threatened Vertebrates Based On Trophic Level, Diet, And Biogeography, Shaley A. Valentine

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Humans have indirectly and directly contributed to the extinction of over 500 species within the past 500 years, a rate far higher than we have seen in the past. The high extinction rate and the fact that 18% of vertebrates may become extinct within the next century have pushed Earth into a biodiversity crisis. Understanding what makes species more at risk of extinction is needed to protect Earth’s biodiversity.

Generally, it is expected that predators have greater extinction risk than omnivores and herbivores because predators are larger in body size, depend on other animal species for food, need large home …

Biological Condition And Stressors Of Blm Wadeable Streams In Northeastern California And Northwestern Nevada, Nicole Cappuccio

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Taxpayer dollars can be used more efficiently by land management agencies to monitor streams if agency-wide monitoring protocols are adopted. To address this issue, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) developed the National Aquatic Monitoring Framework (NAMF) to implement standardized assessments of stream condition and trend in the Western United States. As one of the first applications of the NAMF I sought to develop and apply an analytical framework to determine the biological condition of streams, extent of instream stressors and their impact on biological condition, and anthropogenic sources of stressors in Northeast California and Northwest Nevada over three years …

Effects Of Livestock Grazing Management Practices On Greater Sage-Grouse Nest And Female Survival, Seth J. Dettenmaier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The decline in greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage-grouse) populations across western North America has been primarily attributed to loss and fragmentation of their sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) habitats. This habitat loss is largely the result of increased human activities, with grazing by domestic livestock as the most predominant land use across the sagebrush ecosystem in North America. The goal of my research was to increase our understanding of the effects of livestock on sage-grouse populations. I reviewed the peer-reviewed literature for all published studies that reported potential effects of grazing on grouse species worldwide. I found that there …

Development And Fitness Consequences Of Onshore Behavior Among Polar Bears In The Southern Beaufort Sea Subpopulation, Kate M. Lillie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are experiencing rapid and substantial changes to their environment due to global climate change. Polar bears of the southern Beaufort Sea (SB) have historically spent most of the year on the sea ice. However, recent reports from Alaska indicate that the proportion of the SB subpopulation observed onshore during late summer and early fall has increased considerably. Previous research suggests that the number of polar bears onshore is linked to sea ice conditions and the availability of subsistence-harvested whale carcasses, which are referred to as bone piles. My objectives were to determine the development …

Avian Jurisprudence And The Protection Of Migratory Birds In North America, Marshall A. Bowen

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract forthcoming

Delineating Metrics Of Diversity For A Snake Community In A Rare Ecosystem, Zachary John Marcou

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Snakes are among the least understood vertebrate groups despite their considerable diversity. A diverse community of snakes in an ecosystem can indicate a complex habitat structure that is capable of supporting a robust assemblage of other biota. I used remote photography arrays (RPA) to quantify metrics of diversity for the snake community occurring in a ~7,000–ha tract of contiguous Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) Savanna within the Angelina National Forest (ANF; Angelina and Jasper Cos., TX), over the course of two consecutive snake activity seasons. I quantified the snake species richness, Shannon diversity, and Shannon equitability for the snake community in …

Molecular Adaptations For Sensing And Securing Prey And Insight Into Amniote Genome Diversity From The Garter Snake Genome, Blair W. Perry, Daren C. Card, Joel W. Mcglothlin, Giulia I.M. Pasquesi, Richard H. Adams, Drew R. Schield, Nicole R. Hales, Andrew B. Corbin, Jeffery P. Demuth, Federico G. Hoffmann, Michael W. Vandewege, Ryan K. Schott, Nihar Bhattacharyya, Belinda S.W. Chang, Nicholas R. Casewell, Gareth Whiteley, Jacobo Reyes-Velasco, Stephen P. Mackessy, Tony Gamble, Kenneth B. Storey, Kyle K. Biggar, Courtney N. Passow, Chih-Horng Kuo, Suzanne E. Mcgaugh, Anne M. Bronikowski, A.P. Jason De Koning, Scott V. Edwards, Michael E. Pfrender, Patrick Minx, Edmund D. Brodie Jr., Edmund D. Brodie Jr., Wesley C. Warren, Todd A. Castoe

Biology Faculty Publications

Colubridae represents the most phenotypically diverse and speciose family of snakes, yet no well-assembled and annotated genome exists for this lineage. Here, we report and analyze the genome of the garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis, a colubrid snake that is an important model species for research in evolutionary biology, physiology, genomics, behavior, and the evolution of toxin resistance. Using the garter snake genome, we show how snakes have evolved numerous adaptations for sensing and securing prey, and identify features of snake genome structure that provide insight into the evolution of amniote genomes. Analyses of the garter snake and other squamate reptile …

Genomic Signatures Of Adaptive Evolution, Jessica A. Weber

Biology ETDs

Comparative genomics has revolutionized virtually all fields of biology including the study of evolution. In this dissertation, I used next-generation sequencing to explore the evolutionary histories and adaptive evolution of a diverse set of taxa. Comparisons ranged across time scales, from population-level genetic diversity studies to questions spanning the deepest branches of the metazoan lineage. Whole genome sequencing of 50 unrelated Korean individuals revealed that Koreans have a distinct genetic history from the Chinese and Japanese populations. Our Korean-specific variome database was used to identify novel disease-causing variants in the Korean population, highlighting the value of high-quality ethnic variation databases …

Horse Y Chromosome Assembly Displays Unique Evolutionary Features And Putative Stallion Fertility Genes, Jan E. Janečka, Brian W. Davis, Sharmila Ghosh, Nandina Paria, Pranab J. Das, Ludovic Orlando, Mikkel Schubert, Martin K. Nielsen, Tom A. E. Stout, Wesley Brashear, Gang Li, Charles D. Johnson, Richard P. Metz, Al Muatasim Al Zadjali, Charles C. Love, Dickson D. Varner, Daniel W. Bellott, William J. Murphy, Bhanu P. Chowdhary, Terje Raudsepp

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Dynamic evolutionary processes and complex structure make the Y chromosome among the most diverse and least understood regions in mammalian genomes. Here, we present an annotated assembly of the male specific region of the horse Y chromosome (eMSY), representing the first comprehensive Y assembly in odd-toed ungulates. The eMSY comprises single-copy, equine specific multi-copy, PAR transposed, and novel ampliconic sequence classes. The eMSY gene density approaches that of autosomes with the highest number of retained X–Y gametologs recorded in eutherians, in addition to novel Y-born and transposed genes. Horse, donkey and mule testis RNAseq reveals several candidate genes for stallion …

The Usefulness Of Gps Telemetry To Study Wolf Circadian And Social Activity, Samuel B. Merrill, L. David Mech

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

This study describes circadian and social movement patterns of 9 wolves and illustrates capabilities and limitations of Global Positioning System (GPS) telemetry for analysis of animal activity patterns. Wolves were studied at the Camp Ripley National Guard Training Site in Little Falls, Minnesota, and were captured via helicopter net-gunning. All study wolves showed nocturnal movement patterns regardless of time of year. One wolf's movement pattern switched to diurnal when he conducted an extraterritorial foray from his natal territory. All data sets with GPS intervals <1 hour (n=4) showed crepuscular movement peaks. We identified patterns of den visitation and attendance, estimated minimum distances traveled and minimum rates of movement, and observed that GPS location intervals may affect perceived rates of wolf travel. Global Positioning System telemetry was useful in determining when pack members were traveling together or apart and how long a breeding female wolf spent near her pups (e.g., 0-month-old pups were left unattended by their mother for as long as 17 days).

Competition Among Three Forensically Important Blow Fly Species (Diptera: Calliphoridae): Phormia Regina, Lucilia Sericata, And Chrysomya Rufifacies, Amber Macinnis

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The aim of this study was to use interspecific competition between three species of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) to determine if interspecific competition might explain the successional patterns. A replacement series model was used for three species of blowflies: Phormia regina, Lucilia sericata, and Chrysomya rufifacies. A total of 20 maggots were used for each treatment and the proportion of each species was varied. The graphic evidence and the relative crowding coefficient of P. regina versus L. sericata indicated a significant competitive advantage of P. regina. One of the life history traits of L. sericata is that it oviposits on …

Successional Processes In The Benthic Invertebrate Communities At Gray’S Reef National Marine Sanctuary, Alexis A. Bivens

Honors College Theses

While the process of community development has been studied in terrestrial habitats since the turn of the 20th century, similar information is not as readily available in marine systems. Understanding patterns of community development is essential to predicting recovery potential and to designing effective marine protected areas. In the South Atlantic Bight, invertebrate communities on hard substrata can differ significantly from one rocky outcrop to another, but the factors driving these differences are not well understood. I documented the initial development of the benthic invertebrate community at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) to address the prediction that this system …

It's Time To Listen: There Is Much To Be Learned From The Sounds Of Tropical Ecosystems, Jessica L. Deichmann, Orlando Acevedo-Charry, Leah Barclay, Zuzana Burivalova, Marconi Campos-Cerqueira, Fernando D'Horta, Edward T. Game, Benjamin L. Gottesman, Patrick J. Hart, Ammie K. Kalan, Simon Linke, Leandro Do Nascimento, Bryan Pijanowski, Erica Staaterman, T. Mitchell Aide

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Knowledge that can be gained from acoustic data collection in tropical ecosystems is low‐hanging fruit. There is every reason to record and with every day, there are fewer excuses not to do it. In recent years, the cost of acoustic recorders has decreased substantially (some can be purchased for under US$50, e.g., Hill et al. 2018) and the technology needed to store and analyze acoustic data is continuously improving (e.g., Corrada Bravo et al. 2017, Xie et al. 2017). Soundscape recordings provide a permanent record of a site at a given time and contain a wealth of …

Fitness Consequences Of Interspecific Nesting Associations Among Cavity-Nesting Birds, James C. Mouton, Thomas E. Martin

Aspen Bibliography

Interspecific aggregations of prey may provide benefits by mitigating predation risk, but they can also create costs if they increase competition for resources or are more easily detectable by predators. Variation in predation risk and resource availability may influence the occurrence and fitness effects of aggregating in nature. Yet tests of such possibilities are lacking. Cavity-nesting birds provide an interesting test case. They compete aggressively for resources and experience low nest predation rates, which might predict dispersion, but across 19 years of study we found that they commonly aggregate by sharing nest trees. Tree sharing was more common when aspen …

Cross-Life Stage Effects Of Aquatic Larval Density And Terrestrial Moisture On Growth And Corticosterone In The Spotted Salamander, Julie F. Charbonnier, Jacquelyn Pearlmutter, James R. Vonesh, Caitlin R. Gabor, Zachery R. Forsburg, Kristine L. Grayson

Biology Faculty Publications

For organisms with complex life cycles, conditions experienced during early life stages may constrain later growth and survival. Conversely, compensatory mechanisms may attenuate negative effects from early life stages. We used the spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, to test how aquatic larval density and terrestrial moisture influence juvenile growth, food intake, evaporative water loss and water reuptake rates, and corticosterone levels. We conducted an outdoor mesocosm experiment to manipulate larval density and transferred metamorphosed salamanders into low and high terrestrial moisture treatments in laboratory terrariums. After the larval stage, high-density salamanders were significantly smaller and had higher corticosterone release rates …

Population Modeling For The Reintroduction Of Mexican Gray Wolves As Predators To Decrease The Feral Hog Population In The Southern United States., John H. Kauphusman Iii

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

Invasive species are a problem in the United States. As their populations continue to increase in size they disrupt ecological systems. One of the most notorious invasive species is the feral hog. In Texas, the hog populations cause ecological and agricultural damage that costs the state $52 million annually. The reason for the large continuously growing population is that the feral hogs, unlike its relatives in Europe, have no natural predators and hunters cannot suppress the population growth. In Europe, the gray wolf is a predator to the European wild boar. However, wolves in the U.S. have been extirpated from …

Development Of On-Shore Behavior Among Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus) In The Southern Beaufort Sea: Inherited Or Learned?, Kate M. Lillie, Eric M. Gese, Todd C. Atwood, Sarah A. Sonsthagen

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are experiencing rapid and substantial changes to their environment due to global climate change. Polar bears of the southern Beaufort Sea (SB) have historically spent most of the year on the sea ice. However, recent reports from Alaska indicate that the proportion of the SB subpopulation observed on-shore during late summer and early fall has increased. Our objective was to investigate whether this on-shore behavior has developed through genetic inheritance, asocial learning, or through social learning. From 2010 to 2013, genetic data were collected from SB polar bears in the fall via hair snags …

A New Scorpion Species From Kenya, Gint Childsi Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Frantíšek Kovařík

Euscorpius

Gint childsi sp. n. from Kenya is described and compared with other species of the genus. Additional information is provided on the taxonomy and distribution of the genus Gint, fully complemented with color photos of preserved specimens of both sexes of the new species, as well as of their habitat.

Two New Hottentotta Species From Iran, With A Review Of Hottentotta Saulcyi (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Frantíšek Kovařík, Ersen Aydin Yağmur, Mohammed Moradi

Euscorpius

Two new buthid species from Iran, Hottentotta navidpouri sp. n. (Hormozgan Province) and H. sistanensis sp. n. (Sistan and Baluchestan Province) are described, compared with H. saulcyi (Simon, 1880), and fully illustrated with color photos. The two new species differ from H. saulcyi mainly in shape of chela, which is strongly elongated in both new species.

A New Species Of Microtityus From The British Virgin Islands, West Indies, And New Localities For Other Scorpions (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Scorpionidae), Luis F. De Armas

Euscorpius

Microtityus (Parvabsonus) eustatia sp. n. is herein described from the British Virgin Islands (West Indies): Eustatia Island (type locality), Virgin Gorda Island, and Camanoe Island, based on seven specimens (three males and four females). The new species closely resembles M. waeringi Francke & Sissom, 1980 from St. John Island and St. Thomas Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, differing mainly by the fixed finger of pedipalp having ten rows of denticles (nine in M. waeringi) and more attenuated metasoma. Also, new localities are recorded for Heteronebo yntemai Francke & Sissom, 1980 (Scorpionidae) and Centruroides griseus (C. L. Koch, 1844) …

Nine-Banded Armadillo (Dasypus Novemcinctus) In Spartanburg County, South Carolina, Jonathan J. Storm

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The distribution range of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) has been expanding northward across the eastern and central United States over the past several decades. It is thought that armadillos first reached South Carolina in the mid-1980s in the southwestern portion of the state. Armadillo sightings are rare in the Upstate region of South Carolina. Here, we report of an armadillo photographed in southern Spartanburg County on 30 May, 2017. This individual was spotted in mixed deciduous forest along the Tyger River. Our data add further support to the notion that armadillos have expanded their breeding range into …

Thermal Physiology And Developmental Plasticity Of Pigmentation In The Harlequin Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), Carly D. Sibilia, Kelly A. Brosko, Christopher J. Hickling, Lily M. Thompson, Kristine L. Grayson, Jennifer R. Olson

Biology Faculty Publications

Traits that promote the maintenance of body temperatures within an optimal range provide advantages to ectothermic species. Pigmentation plasticity is found in many insects and enhances thermoregulatory potential as increased melanization can result in greater heat retention. The thermal melanism hypothesis predicts that species with developmental plasticity will have darker pigmentation in colder environments, which can be an important adaptation for temperate species experiencing seasonal variation in climate. The harlequin bug (Murgantia histrionica, Hemiptera: Pentatomidae, Hahn 1834) is a widespread invasive crop pest with variable patterning where developmental plasticity in melanization could affect performance. To investigate the impact of temperature …

Geographic Variation In Larval Metabolic Rate Between Northern And Southern Populations Of The Invasive Gypsy Moth, Carolyn May, Noah Hillerbrand, Lily M. Thompson, Trevor M. Faske, Eloy Martinez, Dylan Perry, Salvatore J. Agosta, Kristine L. Grayson

Biology Faculty Publications

Thermal regimes can diverge considerably across the geographic range of a species, and accordingly, populations can vary in their response to changing environmental conditions. Both local adaptation and acclimatization are important mechanisms for ectotherms to maintain homeostasis as environments become thermally stressful, which organisms often experience at their geographic range limits. The spatial spread of the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) after introduction to North America provides an exemplary system for studying population variation in physiological traits given the gradient of climates encompassed by its current invasive range. This study quantifies differences in resting metabolic rate (RMR) across …

Transcriptomics Of Learning, Pablo Iturralde

Theses

Learning is a basic and important component of behavior yet we have very little empirical information about the interaction between mechanisms of learning and evolution. In our work, we are testing hypotheses about the neurogenetic mechanisms through which animal learning abilities evolve. We are able to test this directly by using experimentally evolved populations of flies, which differ in learning ability. These populations were previously evolved within the lab by creating worlds with different patterns of change following theoretically predicted effects on which enhanced learning will evolve. How has evolution acted to modulate genes and gene expression in the brain …

Biodiversity And Conservation Study Of Chambers Island, Wisconsin - 2017 Annual Report, Mackenzie Hennes, Mikaela Nowak, Adam L. Brandt

Student Creative and Scholarly Works

Long term biological studies are rare but incredibly valuable for examining natural phenomena. Data collected over many years or decades allows for analyses of trends that would never be apparent in a single season. The research presented here is for the completion of the first field season in a long term study analyzing biodiversity trends on Chambers Island. Using visual searches, live trapping, and trail cameras, the biodiversity and abundance of species was examined. Special emphasis was placed on small mammals, though other species were observed and documented. The goals of this project were to (1) provide preliminary diversity and …

Species Distribution And Conservation Genetics Of The Upland And Midland Chorus Frogs (Pseudacris) In Kentucky, Tucker Cambridge

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The upland (Pseudacris feriarum) and midland (P. triseriata) chorus frogs are closely related cryptic species that are best distinguished genetically. The distribution of these species within the Commonwealth of Kentucky has previously been defined by only a handful of genetic samples, making delineation of range limits for each species difficult. Accurate understanding of species distributions, and the genetic structure within them, are vitally important for conservation management of amphibian species. In this study, I have collected genetic samples from across the putative ranges of P. triseriata and P. feriarum in Kentucky and used next-generation sequencing technology to generate more fine-scale …

Investigations Of Biotremors In The Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo Calyptratus), Kathryn C. Laslie

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

While substrate-borne vibrations are utilized by different reptile species, true conspecific communication via biotremors has not yet been demonstrated in reptiles. This study follows a preliminary report that the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) could produce biotremors in communicative contexts. I tested chameleon behavioral sensitivity to vibrations by placing them on a dowel attached to a shaker emitting vibrations of 25, 50, 150, 300, and 600 Hz and then measured their changes in velocity before and after the stimulus. I then paired chameleons in various social contexts [anthropogenic disturbance (human disruption of animal); dominance (malemale; female-female C. calyptratus); courtship (male-female C. …