Digital Commons Network^™

Comparative Taphonomy And Paleoecology Of A Glaciomarine Fauna, Carboniferous (Westphalian- Namurian) La Capilla Fm., Argentina, Rex A. Hanger, Mohutsiwa Gabadirwe

Virginia Journal of Science

The Carboniferous La Capilla Fm. of the Calingasta-Uspallata basin of western Argentina contains a low diversity fauna inhabiting a continental shelf under glacial ice fronts advancing from the east. Distal glaciomarine sediments on these ice-influenced shelves of Gondwana are most commonly interpreted as being deposited under quiet, low-energy conditions. Ta­phonomic and paleoecologic analysis of a sample of the fauna reveals the following: low species richness, yet comparable equitability to coeval, tropi­cal faunas; low articulation ratios and high pedicle valve dominance for brachiopods; diverse corrasion modes, about half relatively high categories; one hundred percent fracturing of brachiopod shells, with carinate fracture …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 31, No.2 June 1999

The Prairie Naturalist

SPATlAL VARIATION IN POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS OF SHOVELNOSE STURGEON IN THE KANSAS RIVER ▪ M. C. Quist and C. S. Guy

INFLUENCE OF FIRE AND TRAPPING EFFORT ON GROUND BEETLES IN A RECONSTRUCTED TALLGRASS PRAIRIE ▪ K. J. Larsen and J. B. Williams

FISH ASSEMBLAGES AND HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS IN A SMALL NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS STREAM ▪ C. A. Barfoot and R. G. White

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS FOR NORTH DAKOTA 1998 ▪ R. N. Randall

NEW RECORDS OF THE PYGMY SHREW IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA ▪ C. B. King, G. M. Wilson, and P. D. Sudman

BUFFLEHEAD BROOD IN NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA …

Flea News 58 (June 1999), Robert E. Lewis

Flea News

Obituary: Lindolpho Rocha Guimarães (January 24, 1908-November 7, 1998)

Miscellanea

Siphonaptera literature

Analysis Of Intraguild Predation With A Consideration Of Adaptive Foraging, Toshinori Okuyama

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Identification of interactive units in food webs is particularly important in population and community ecology. Intraguild predation has gained much attention recently with the recognition of its prevalence in the field, although its significance has not been fully studied. Nature contains much more complex interactions than a simple food chain. Yet, much theory still focuses on the trophic levels connected in a single linear chain. In this thesis, I study intraguild predation including the consideration of animal behavior whose importance is also often neglected in population and community ecology.

First, the concepts of intraguild predation and animal behavior are introduced. …

Possible Predation Scars On Rectithyris Subdepressa (Stoliczka, 1872), Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Kallankurichi Fm., India, Rex Alan Hanger, Rama Krishnaswamy

Virginia Journal of Science

A single specimen of the terebratulid brachiopod, Rectithyris subdepressa (Stoliczka, 1872) from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Kallankurichi Fonnation of southern India was found with durophagous predation traces. This occurrence is significant as it is possibly the first documentation of elasmobranch shark predation on brachiopods from the Mesozoic.

The Relative Importance Of Patch Area And Perimeter–Area Ratio To Grassland Breeding Birds, Christopher J. Helzer, Dennis E. Jelinski

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Habitat fragmentation has been implicated as a major cause of population decline in grassland birds. We tested the hypothesis that a combination of area and shape determines the use of grassland patches by breeding birds. We compared both species richness and individual species presence in 45 wet meadow grasslands in the floodplain of the central Platte River, Nebraska. Bird data were collected through the use of belt transects and supplemented by walking and listening outside transects. Our data supported our primary hypothesis that perimeter–area ratio, which reflects both the area and shape of a patch, is the strongest predictor of …

Ecology And Natural History Of The Cow Knob Salamander, Plethodon Punctatus Highton, In West Virginia, Robert B. Tucker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Very little has been written on the ecology and natural history of the Cow Knob salamander, Plethodon punctatus Highton, since it was described by Highton (1971). Plethodon punctatus is known only from the higher elevations of Great North (above 2,800 ft) and Shenandoah (above 3,000 ft.) Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia (Highton, 1972; Conant and Collins, 1991). The type locality is Cow Knob, Pendleton County, West Virginia. Plethodon punctatus is a large (up to 75 mm snout-to-vent length) dorso-ventrally flattened salamander with creamish iridiophore spots on the back and sides, webbed feet for a fossorial lifestyle, and large …

Life History, Ecology, And Low Ph Tolerance Of The Freshwater Prawn, Palaemonetes Kadiakensis Rathbun, In A Mitigated Wetland Of The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, West Virginia, Jennifer Ann Aderman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

An ecological life history study of the freshwater prawn Palaemonetes kadiakensis was conducted at the mitigated wetland of the Green Bottom Wildlife management Area (GBWMA). Monthly samples were collected from November 1996 through November 1997. In addition, weekly samples were collected from May through November for growth and reproductive analysis. Monthly samples yielded 520 prawns. Palaemonetes kadiakensis had a one-year life cycle, with all adults dying by September. Males averaged 23.82 mm (range = 14.15 to 36.75 mm) and females averaged 26.78mm (range = 15.06 to 38.60 mm) in length. Males averaged 0.087g (range = 0.014to 0.293 g) and females …

Flea News 55 (January 1998), Robert E. Lewis

Flea News

Miscellanea

Flea species

Material request

Siphonaptera literature

Geographical Variation In Male Courtship Behavior And Sexual Isolation In Wolf Spiders Of The Genus Schizocosa, Gary L. Miller, Gary L. Stratton, Patricia R. Miller, Eileen Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

We surveyed 12 populations of the wolf spider Schizocosa crassipes (Walckenaer) and S. nr. crassipes in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida, in the United States, to determine the extent of variation in male courtship behavior when observed in standard laboratory conditions. We observed variation in both the frequency of occurrence and the sequence of the four principal male courtship behaviors and, when compared statistically, most of these behaviors differed between populations. Although there was no clinal pattern in the frequency of courtship behavior, we observed geographically consistent patterns in the sequence in which male courtship behaviors are displayed. We conducted …

The Role Of Bowfin, Amia Calva, In Multiple Species Management Plans, Benjamin Jacob Hausmann

Masters Theses

The major challenge to fisheries managers of the 21st century will be to maintain the diversity, not only of fishing opportunity, but also of traditionally non-game and economically unimportant species. With the relatively recent understanding of the importance of ecosystem level management, attention is being focused on native species that were often ignored or eradicated under past management practices. One such fish that has been largely ignored is the bowfin, Amia calva. Ecological data pertaining to bowfin natural history are limited and to date no attempt has been made to integrate bowfin into fisheries management decisions within the species native …

Habitat Selection, Reproductive Success, And Impaling Patterns Of A Migratory Population Of Loggerhead Shrikes, Jeffrey D. Esely Jr.

Masters Theses

I studied habitat selection and reproductive success of a migratory population of Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus migrans) as well as the temporal and spatial patterns of impaling exhibited by this population during the nesting season. The selection of breeding habitat was investigated at different spatial scales. Thirty-eight (67%) of 57 nests were located in osage orange (Maclura pomifera) trees. Shrike territories (area ≤ 200 m from nest site) contained significantly more pasture, fenceline, and perch sites, but less com, alfalfa, and forest than random sites. At larger spatial scales, more grassland was detected within 300 m …

Ecology Of The Eastern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon P. Piscivorus) At Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge: A Comparative Study Of Natural And Anthropogenic Marsh Habitats, Chad Lee Cross

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Mark-recapture sampling and radiotelemetry were used to investigate populations of the eastern cottonmouth, Agkistrodon p. piscivorus, in both natural and anthropogenic marsh habitats at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge (BBNWR), Virginia Beach, Virginia from autumn 1995 to late spring 1998. Mark-recapture subjects were captured, marked by ventral scale-clipping, and released back into the population. A modified Schnabel Census estimator was used to estimate population sizes and corresponding densities in both marsh systems based on a total of 244 captures of 222 individuals. Most snakes were found >0.05 in from water, but it was apparent that proximity to water played …

An Ecology Problem Book, Marc Mangel, Paul Switzer, Sarah M. Eppley

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This problem book has many objectives:

• To get you to think about the course each night: do not wait until the last minute to begin working on the problems.
• To get you to deal with data. Statistics courses that you take in the future will be more meaningful once you understand the kinds of data that arise in ecological studies.
• To get you to be more comfortable with theoretical and quantitative methods. Not every ecologist uses those methods, but one should not be put off by them.
• To familiarize you with material as it appears in the professional literature.

Management Of The Houtman Abrolhos System, Abrolhos Islands Management Advisory Council, Fisheries Department Of Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

In November 1995 Cabinet resolved that the Minister for Fisheries would establish the Abrolhos Islands Management Advisory Committee (AIMAC) pursuant to Section 42 of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994. The role of AIMAC is to advise the Minister for Fisheries about the management of the Abrolhos Islands and the adjoining State Territorial Waters, as detailed in Section 2.2.3.1 of this report. The AIMAC has overseen the preparation of this report on behalf of the Minister for Fisheries. This draft report contains a brief description of the Abrolhos System and its special values. It also states goals and objectives for …

Abalone Aquaculture In Western Australia. Discussion Paper And Draft Policy Guidelines., Cameron Westaway, Jeff Norriss

Fisheries Management Papers

The purposes of this discussion paper is to highlight relevant issues associated with abalone aquaculture development and outline a set of draft policy guidelines. The paper is being disseminated to members of the aquaculture industry, commercial and recreational fishing bodies and the broader community to allow comment.

Ecological Relationships Between The Marsh Rice Rat (Oryzomys Palustris) And The Meadow Vole (Microtus Pennsylvanicus) In Two Virginia Tidal Marshes, Christopher P. Bloch

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Small mammals were trapped for 23 months on two live trap grids in tidal marshes in Northampton County, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, to examine ecological relationships between the marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) and the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Population density, survival rates, capture probability, recruitment, residence time, and home range size were calculated for each species. Patterns of reproductive activity and fluctuations in mean weight were also observed.

There were considerable differences in population dynamics between the two sites. At Grid 2, where vegetative cover was more abundant, population densities of rice rats and meadow voles …

Flea News 54 (June 1997), Robert E. Lewis

Flea News

Miscellanea

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) update

Nomenclatural tidbits

Siphonaptera literature

The Biological Flora Of Coastal Dunes And Wetlands. Sesuvium Portulacastrum (L.) L., Robert I. Lonard, Frank W. Judd

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L. (sea purslane, cenicilla) is a pantropical, perennial, trailing herb (Aizoaceae) with pink-purple or occasionally white flowers that grows on coastal beaches of five continents and many islands. Herein we present a review of the biology of S. portulacastrum. It is an important pioneer species on sandy beaches in the subtropics and tropics, where its stoloniferous, mat-forming growth habit promotes embryonic dune formation in belts parallel to the shoreline. Colonies act as barriers to intercept and hold water and wind transported sand. Sesuvium portulacastrum's success as a colonizing species is related, in large part, to its …

Ecological Life History Of Crangonyx Pseudogracilis Bousfield (Crustacea: Amphipoda) In The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, Cabell County, West Virginia, Andrea Leigh Henry

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Although the genus Crangonyx has been studied in the Appalachian area, most of this work has concentrated on subterranean species. A Crangonyx pseudogracilis population from the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area (GBWMA), Cabell County, West Virginia was sampled weekly from March 1995 through July 1996 to investigate the ecological life history of the amphipod. A total of 1508 amphipods were collected. Amphipods were present in the study sites from November through July, at which time they migrated to deeper waters. Crangonyx pseudogracilis had a one year life cycle and bred from November to May. Adult amphipods began to die off …

An Ecological Study Of Shale Barren Rock Cress (Arabis Serotina Steele) At Little Fork Shale Barren, Pendleton County, West Virginia, Robert J. Jarrett

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Shale Barren Rock Cress (Arabis serotina Steele) was listed as a federally endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in August 1989. As part of a cooperative agreement between the West Virginia Natural Heritage Program and the U.S. Navy, research was conducted in 1994 and 1995 at Little Fork Shale Barren (LFSB) to provide baseline information on the population dynamics of A. serotina and to study the vegetation and physical parameters associated with this shale barren community. Soil samples and plant community data were collected from 40 1-m² circular plots for herbaceous vegetation and six 0.02-ha …

Diet And Growth Of Larval And Juvenile Grass Pickerel, Esox Americanus Vermiculatus, And Central Mudminnow, Umbra Limi, In The Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area, Cabell County, West Virginia, Erica Midkiff

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The grass pickerel, Esox americanus vermiculatus, is listed as Undetermined on the Vertebrate Species List of Concern in West Virginia. The central mudminnow, Umbra limi, is a disjunct population in Green Bottom Swamp. The lentic, vegetated areas that are required for spawning for the grass pickerel and the central mudminnow have been reduced by residential, agricultural, and industrial developments. Green Bottom Swamp, a naturally occurring wetland of 58 ha, and a nearby mitigated wetland of 29 ha, provides spawning habitat for the grass pickerel and the mudminnow. Fishes were collected in beds of Potamogetan crispus and Ceratophyllum demursum …

Woody Vegetation Expansion And Continuing Declines In Open Channel Habitat On The Platte River In Nebraska, Paul J. Currier

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Aerial videography in 1988 and 1994 of the same selected segments of the Big Bend reach of the Platte River in central Nebraska was compared. During this 6-year period, channel area declined 4 to 41 % (median 26%). In river segments where the channel had already narrowed significantly and at sites where channel habitat is actively managed declines were less (17-18%). These substantial changes occurred during a time that included a relatively low flow period (1990-92). Flows during the summer gertttination and establishment period (mid-May through August) for cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and willow (Salix spp.), the …

A Study Of The Lichens At Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois, Eric B. Grunder

Masters Theses

In 1971, a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University, James E. Wiedman, studied the lichen flora of Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois. During his study he collected, identified, and recorded a total of 64 lichen species. Since 1971, Rocky Branch Nature Preserve has experienced a dramatic increase in use by people and a concomittant decline in the quality of lichen habitats. In order to assess the decline of suitable lichen habitats and the reduction of lichen species a second study of the lichens at Rocky Branch Nature Preserve was undertaken. As part of this study, ten habitat sites …

Pseudoreplication Revisited, Robert A. Heffner, Mark J. Butler Iv, Colleen Keelan Reilly

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Diet Of Oryzomys Palustris Based On Stomach Content Analysis, Shannon L. Wright

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Oryzomys palustris (Harlan) is unusual in that it is one of two carnivorous mammals in the Family Muridae in North America. A diet analysis of Oryzomys palustris. the marsh rice rat, was done based on stomach contents. This was accomplished by taking the animals from two study areas located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The animals were taken monthly for one year. Once caught, the animals were sacrificed and their stomach contents were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. This study showed that rice rats were omnivorous mammals, eating a variety of foods, including dicots, monocots, crabs, …

The Influence Of Forest Fragmentation And Landscape Pattern On American Martens And Their Prey, Christina D. Hargis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Habitat fragmentation occurs when large tracts of an orginal habitat are replaced by smaller patches of two or more habitat types, largely through human activities. I studied the behavior of six measures of landscape pattern that seemed appropriate for quantifying fragmentation, and used these measures to investigate the effects of forest fragmentation on American martens (Martes americana) and their prey. The measures I selected were edge density, contagion, mean nearest neighbor distance between patches, mean proximity index, perimeter-area fractal dimension, and mass fractal dimension. To test the behavior of these measures with a variety of landscape patterns, I …

Evapotranspiration From A Saltcedar-Dominated Desert Floodplain: A Scaling Approach, S. D. Smith, A. M. Sala, Dale A. Devitt

Life Sciences Faculty Research

The purpose of this study was to investigate evapotranspiration (ET) from a variety of scales (leaf to landscape) in saltcedar-dominated floodplain vegetation along the lower Virgin River of southern Nevada. Leaf-level gas exchange indicated that saltcedar exhibits similar stomatal conductance as the sympatric phreatophytes arrowweed, mesquite, and willow. However, sap flow in saltcedar was higher per unit sapwood area than the other species, suggesting that it maintains higher leaf area per unit sapwood area. At the stand level, saltcedar ET was found to exceed potential ET early in the summer when soils were moist and the water table was near …

Ultrastructure Of Cepedietta Virginiensis (Protista: Haptophrynidae), From The Gall Bladder Of The Pickerel Frog, Rana Palustris, In Arkansas, Chris T. Mcallister, Stanley E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Ecology And Community Relationships Of The River Cooter, Pseudemys Concinna In A Southern Illinois Backwater, Michael J. Dreslik

Masters Theses

In Illinois the River cooter, Pseudemys concinna, is an enigmatic endangered species. Even throughout its range, ecological studies on the River cooter are rare. During 1994 and 1995 I quantified the: growth rates and trends, population size and structure and dietary habits of a population from floodplain lake in Gallatin county, Illinois. Population estimation (Schnabel method) predicted 136 individuals at a density of 4.6 turtles/ha with a biomass of 3.6 Kg/ha. The sex ratio is slightly male biased (1:1.14). From back-calculated growth data, the von Bertalanffy growth model (Fabens' method) estimates males with a higher growth rate (k) and …