Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Communication Through Writing, Christopher N. Jacques

The Prairie Naturalist

Greetings GPNSS members! By the time you read this editorial, most of us will be enjoying the summer vacation and all that the Great Plains has to offer. Warmer temperatures, increasing day length, and time in the field are a welcomed change from the seemingly endless grip of “old man” winter (for those of us in the northern Great Plains). Of course, believing that anyone could truly enjoy the clouds of tormenting, biting insects and high humidity across the Great Plains is hard to imagine, in my opinion. There are plenty of summer activities for the outdoor enthusiasts among us, …

Bot Fly Infestation Of Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels In Colorado Shortgrass Steppe, Kim Conway, Paul Stapp

The Prairie Naturalist

We studied prevalence of bot fly infestation of thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) trapped during 13 years of population monitoring in shrub and grassland habitats in northern Colorado. We also investigated effects of prescribed burning, a common habitat management practice in grasslands, on bot fly prevalence. Infested squirrels were rarely located on shrub sites and during spring (May–Jun) trapping. Across all summers, mean prevalence in grasslands was 7.9% (range: 2.1–23.8%), with years of highest prevalence corresponding to years when the fewest hosts were captured in spring. Infested squirrels had from one to seven warbles, with 46.7% having only one warble. …

Habitat-Related Differences In Necroph- Ilous Species Composition: Implications For Resource Competition, Adrienne L. Conley, Elisabeth K. Jorde, Rachel E. Jorde, Lauren K. Yares, Kenzie K. Lee, Carrie L. Hall, Daniel R. Howard

The Prairie Naturalist

Competition for resources is one of the most important selective factors influencing the expression of life history traits in both plants and animals (Darwin 1859). In grasslands, competition for resources such as nutrients, water, and space often is constrained by stochastic processes (Axelrod 1985). Disturbance factors such as fire, grazing by large herbivores, and fluctuating climatic conditions tend to alter the structure and magnitude of competition for limited resources among grassland communities more frequently than in other ecosystems (Snaydon 1987, van der Maarel 1993). Vertebrate carrion is one important resource used by both plants and animals in grasslands, providing a …

Comparison Of Two Trap Net Designs For Sampling Muskellunge, Brian G. Blackwell, Todd M. Kaufman, Tyrel S. Moos, David O. Lucchesi

The Prairie Naturalist

Sampling adequate numbers of muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) is necessary to evaluate stocking success and to collect information on various population metrics (e.g., growth, condition, relative abundance). However, muskellunge are often difficult to sample with standard fish sampling gears. We collected muskellunge in trap nets of two different designs (large trap nets [1.5-m × 1.8-m frames, 1.5-m diameter hoops, double throated, single 1.5-m × 30.5-m lead and 19-mm knotless mesh] and small trap nets [0.9-m × 1.5-m frames, 0.9-m diameter hoops, single throat, single 0.9-m × 15.2-m lead and 19-mm knotted mesh]. We also estimated abundance of muskellunge (>600 mm …

The Characterization Of A Vital Wisconsin Waterway: A Biological Assessment Of The Lower Fox River From 2006-2014, Emily L. Kiehnau

Lawrence University Honors Projects

The Lower Fox River has historically been used as a navigational crossroads, a waste disposal system, and source of hydroelectric power. Over the years, heavy use of the river has negatively affected water quality and the overall health of the system. Unhealthy rivers cannot function properly. Biological assessment based on animal surveys are often used to determine river health. I used data from the Lawrence University and Fox River Navigational System Authority invasive species-monitoring project to explore how the distribution of animals in the Fox River has changed over time and across locations. Monitoring surveys have taken place between June …

The Role Of Fire In Aspen Ecology And Restoration, Douglas J. Shinneman, Kevin D. Krasnow, Susan K. Mcilroy

Aspen Bibliography

Quaking aspen is generally considered to be a fire-adapted species because it regenerates prolifically after fire, and it can be replaced by more shade-tolerant tree species in the absence of fire. As early-successional aspen stands transition to greater conifer-dominance, they become increasingly fire prone, until fire returns, and aspen again temporarily dominate. While this disturbance-succession cycle is critical to the persistence of aspen on many landscapes, some aspen stands persist on the landscape without fire. The complex role of fire is an important consideration for developing conservation and restoration strategies intended to sustain aspen.

Topographic Controls On Soil Nitrogen Availability In A Lowland Tropical Forest, Samantha R. Weintraub, Philip G. Taylor, Stephen Porder, Cory C. Cleveland, Gregory P. Asner, Alan R. Townsend

Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences Faculty Publications

Geomorphic position often correlates with nutrient cycling across landscapes. In tropical forests, topography is known to influence phosphorus (P) availability, but its effect on nitrogen (N) cycling has received less exploration, especially in lowland forests where widespread N richness is frequently assumed. Here, we report significant effects of topographic slope and landscape position on multiple aspects of the N cycle across a highly dissected lowland tropical forest on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. A suite of N cycle metrics measured along a topographic sequence revealed a distinct gradient in N availability. Values of soil d15N, inorganic N pools, net nitrification …

Reproductive Ecology And Hatchling Behavior Of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles In Honduras, Noemi Duran Royo

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In this dissertation, I investigated the reproductive ecology and hatchling behavior of the olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtle population nesting in Pacific Honduras. I begin by reviewing olive ridley reproduction, human use of this species, and past and present conservation on nesting beaches. I also propose a conservation strategy to improve nesting beach conservation programs in developing countries. In the first of four empirical studies, I used microsatellite markers to assess multiple paternity levels of the Honduran population, and found evidence for multiple paternity in 75% of the nests examined. This rate, higher than expected for a population of …

The Invisible And Indeterminable Valueof Ecology: From Malaria Control Toecological Research In The Americansouth, Albert Way

Faculty Articles

This essay tells the story of the Emory University Field Station, a malaria research station in southwest Georgia that operated from 1939 to 1958. Using the tools of environmental history and the history of science, it examines the station’s founding, its fieldwork, and its place within the broader history of malaria control, eradication, and research. A joint effort of Emory University, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the Communicable Disease Center (CDC), this station was closely aligned with a broader movement of ideas about tropical diseases across the globe, but it also offers a case study of how science in …

Microsatellite Analysis Of Population Structure In The Santa Ana Speckled Dace (Rhinicthys Osculus), Stacey A. Nerkowski

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Rhinichthys osculus, the Speckled Dace, is one of the most ubiquitous fish in western North America. Within the Southern California region, the local taxon is known as the Santa Ana Speckled Dace. The purpose of this study was to characterize and identify polymorphic microsatellite markers for R. osculus in which twenty-three were identified through Illumina pair-end sequencing. Seven of these loci were then used to examine the patterns of genetic variation and population structure that occurred within and among the watersheds in the Southern California. The study also examined the regional relationships among Southern California, Central California and Owen’s …

Socio-Economic Instability And The Scaling Of Energy Use With Population Size, John P. Delong, Oskar Burger

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

The size of the human population is relevant to the development of a sustainable world, yet the forces setting growth or declines in the human population are poorly understood. Generally, population growth rates depend on whether new individuals compete for the same energy (leading to Malthusian or density-dependent growth) or help to generate new energy (leading to exponential and super-exponential growth). It has been hypothesized that exponential and super-exponential growth in humans has resulted from carrying capacity, which is in part determined by energy availability, keeping pace with or exceeding the rate of population growth. We evaluated the relationship between …

Notes: Are Land-Use Changes Reflected In Diets Of Mourning Doves (Zenaida Macroura) In Eastern South Dakota, Joshua B. Smith, Troy W. Grovenburg, Matthew A. Perrion, Jason M. Augspurger, Trevor W. Bultje, Anna M. Robinson, Brandi L. Crider, Datta Shubham, Jonathan A. Jenks

The Prairie Naturalist

Food habits of the mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) have been extensively studied in the southern United States (McClure 1943, Korschgen 1958, Carpenter 1971) and consist primarily of vegetable matter throughout their range (Beckwith 1959). Diet studies in several states have indicated agricultural crops, specifically corn and wheat, were the most readily consumed plant seeds (Korshgen 1958, Carpenter 1971). Similarities observed in diets of doves were dependent on the agricultural crops available within the area. For example, in Missouri, some seasonal variability was documented suggesting doves forage based on food availability as much as by food preference (Korschgen 1958). However, in …

Inter- And Intra-Specific Interactions In Germination And Seedling Establishment Of Cheatgrass And Russian Wildrye, Erin K. Espeland

The Prairie Naturalist

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is an invasive species in the arid and semi-arid west of the USA, and is weedy in disturbed prairie landscapes. Perennial Russian wildrye (Psathyrostachys juncea) limits population growth of cheatgrass, but the mechanism is unclear. I conducted glasshouse and greenhouse experiments to test if intra- and interspecific competitive interactions of seeds and seedlings of cheatgrass and Russian wildrye were different across a geographic soil gradient with different cultivation legacies in eastern Montana, USA. Seed-seed interactions occurred in both species. Cheatgrass and Russian wildrye inhibited one another’s emergence in one edaphic condition in one experiment. Cheatgrass growth was …

West Nile Virus And Ferruginous Hawks (Buteo Regalis) In The Northern Great Plains, Shubham Datta, Jonathan A. Jenks, David E. Knudsen, Kent C. Jensen, Will M. Inselman, Christopher C. Swanson, Troy W. Grovenburg

The Prairie Naturalist

Emerging infectious diseases (EID) present significant threats to the conservation of global biodiversity (Daszak et al. 2000). Evaluating impacts (spatial, temporal and demographic) of EIDs on sensitive and declining wildlife populations is challenging because quantitative information is usually dependent on estimates rather than counts (Wobeser 2007) and mortality rates are seldom quantified with conventional monitoring (Naugle et al. 2005).

West Nile virus (WNv), a mosquito-borne Flavivirus (family Flaviviridae; Komar 2001), was discovered in northwest Uganda in 1937 (Smithburn et al. 1940). First encountered in the western hemisphere in New York in 1999 (Nash et al. 2001), WNv has become enzootic …

Using Otolith Microchemistry To Classify Yellow Perch As Stocked Or Naturally Produced, Andrew K. Carlson, Matthew J. Ward, Brian D.S Graeb

The Prairie Naturalist

Fisheries managers routinely use stocking to supplement fish populations (Schramm and Piper 1995, Fisher 1996). Stocking eyed-eggs offers substantial cost savings compared to stocking fry and fingerlings (PFBC 2011); however, traditional stocking evaluation using oxytetracycline (OTC) marking of otoliths is ineffective for eyed-eggs of some species (e.g., yellow perch, [Perca fla- vescens]). Thus, there is a need for additional approaches to be able to classify fish as stocked or naturally produced. Fish otoliths are paired calcified structures in the inner ear that permanently deposit trace elements in proportion to water column concentrations (Campana 1999, Campana et al. 2000). Coupled with …

A New Species Of Euscorpius (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) From Southern Bulgaria, Gioele Tropea, Victor Fet, Aristeidis Parmakelis, Panayiota Kotsakiozi, Iasmi Stathi

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

A new scorpion species, Euscorpius drenskii sp. nov., is described from the Western Rhodope Mts. in southern Bulgaria. It is characterized by an oligotrichous trichobothrial pattern, which shows a conspicuous loss of one trichobothrium in the external median patellar series (em = 3), also observed in E. carpathicus (Linnaeus, 1767) and the subgenus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein, Fet, Largiadèr & Scholl, 1999. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA marker sequences does not show any close relationship between these three groups, suggesting that the observed loss of a trichobothrium is an independent event.

Swift Fox Abundance Along The Heartland Expressway Corridor In Nebraska, Marc Albrecht

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Flux In A Restored Tallgrass Prairie; Does Chamber Material Matter?, Peter L. Mccollam

DePaul Discoveries

Tallgrass prairie ecosystems play a vital role in the carbon cycle; their restoration may be an important component of mitigating future climate change. To quantify the biosphere-to-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gases, enclosure based chamber systems are frequently used because they are simple and inexpensive to construct, and can be easily replicated in a variety of ecosystems. We tested for differences between paired PVC and galvanized steel chambers in methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide emissions within a restored prairie at Nachusa Grasslands in June and July 2014. We found that there were no significant differences between PVC and steel chambers …

Predation In A Natural Community Of Marine Mollusks: Using Morphology To Determine Predator-Prey Ecology, Danielle N. Araiza, Erica Valdez

DePaul Discoveries

Predatory gastropod mollusks in the family Naticidae feed on bivalve mollusks and leave distinctive markings in the form of countersunk circular boreholes on the shells. These boreholes possess both an inner borehole diameter (IBD) and an outer borehole diameter (OBD) which are proportional to the size of the predator. It has been proposed that the ratio of IBD to OBD can be used to identify predator species. Variation in the ratio of the IBD to OBD was examined in two prey species (Dwarf surf clam, Incongruous ark clam) collected from Otter Island beach in South Carolina to determine if clams …

A Preliminary Study Of Soundscape Analysis As A Measurement Of Ecosystem Health, Veronica M. Jachowski, Lisa Kenny, Michelle Hauer, Andrew Kühn, Spencer Barrett

DePaul Discoveries

In this study, acoustic ecology, the analysis of soundscapes -- composed of geophony, biophony, and anthrophony -- is applied as a potential measurement of ecosystem health. Recordings were taken from four locations in the greater Chicago area. By combining traditional ecological assessments including soil analysis, worm density surveys, and vegetation surveys, and correlating the results with acoustic data we highlight the value of soundscape analysis and suggest lines of future inquiry.

Molecular Diversity And Gene Evolution Of The Venom Arsenal Of Terebridae Predatory Marine Snails, Juliette Gorson, Girish Ramrattan, Aida Verdes, Elizabeth M. Wright, Yuri Kantor, Ramakrishnan Rajaram Srinivasan, Raj Musunuri, Daniel Packer, Gabriel Albano, Wei-Gang Qiu, Mandë Holford

Publications and Research

Venom peptides from predatory organisms are a resource for investigating evolutionary processes such as adaptive radiation or diversification, and exemplify promising targets for biomedical drug development. Terebridae are an understudied lineage of conoidean snails,which also includes cone snails and turrids. Characterization of cone snail venompeptides, conotoxins, has revealed a cocktail of bioactive compounds used to investigate physiological cellular function, predator-prey interactions, and to develop novel therapeutics. However, venom diversity of other conoidean snails remains poorly understood. The present research applies a venomics approach to characterize novel terebrid venom peptides, teretoxins, from the venom gland transcriptomes of Triplostephanus anilis and Terebra …

Using 3d Printed Eggs To Examine The Egg-Rejection Behaviour Of Wild Birds, Branislav Igic, Valerie Nunez, Henning U. Voss, Rebecca Croston, Zachary Aidala, Analía V. López, Aimee Van Tatenhove, Mandë E. Holford, Matthew D. Shawkey, Mark E. Hauber

Publications and Research

The coevolutionary relationships between brood parasites and their hosts are often studied by examining the egg rejection behaviour of host species using artificial eggs. However, the traditional methods for producing artificial eggs out of plasticine, plastic, wood, or plaster-of-Paris are laborious, imprecise, and prone to human error. As an alternative, 3D printing may reduce human error, enable more precise manipulation of egg size and shape, and provide a more accurate and replicable protocol for generating artificial stimuli than traditional methods. However, the usefulness of 3D printing technology for egg rejection research remains to be tested. Here, we applied 3D printing …

A Comparison Of Plot-Based Satellite And Earth System Model Estimates Of Tropical Forest Net Primary Production, Cory C. Cleveland, Philip Taylor, K. Dana Chadwick, Kyla Dahlin, Christopher E. Doughty, Yadvinder Malhi, W. Kolby Smith, Benjamin W. Sullivan, William R. Wider, Alan R. Townsend

Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences Faculty Publications

Net primary production (NPP) by plants represents the largest annual flux of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere to the terrestrial biosphere, playing a critical role in the global carbon (C) cycle and the Earth’s climate. Rates of NPP in tropical forests are thought to be among the highest on Earth, but debates about the magnitude, patterns, and controls of NPP in the tropics highlight uncertainty in our understanding of how tropical forests may respond to environmental change. Here, we compared tropical NPP estimates generated using three common approaches: (1) field-based methods scaled from plot-level measurements of plant …

Riparian Restoration, Success Criteria, And Application To The Bart Sabrecat Creek Riparian Restoration Project In Fremont, California, Jody D. Fessler

Master's Projects and Capstones

Riparian restoration is a complex, inter-disciplinary field that is open to interpretation by its practitioners. This research reviews some of the critical elements of riparian restoration, including the watershed, surrounding land use, adjacent habitat, and riparian buffers; special-status species, endangered species, and habitat type and structure; invasive species control; water quality and hydrology; and soil and soil microbial communities. Three methods of evaluating restoration projects are discussed, including the Society for Ecological Restoration International Primer, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) California Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual and CDFW permitting, and the California Rapid Assessment Method. Finally, the …

The Response Of Zooplankton Communities In Montane Lakes Of Different Fish Stocking Histories To Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition Simulations, Jeffrey Thomas Brittain

Dissertations and Theses

Freshwater ecosystems are subject to a wide variety of stressors, which can have complex interactions and result in ecological surprises. Non-native fish introductions have drastically reduced the number of naturally fishless lakes and have resulted in cascading food web repercussions in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Additional anthropogenic influences that result from increases in global airborne emissions also threaten wildlife habitat. Atmospheric nitrogen deposition has been recognized as an anthropogenic contributor to acidification and eutrophication of wilderness ecosystems. Planktonic communities have shown declines in response to predation and shifts in composition as a result of nutrient inputs and acidification, both of …

Collective Movement In The Tibetan Macaques (Macaca Thibetana): Early Joiners Write The Rule Of The Game, Xi Wang, Lixing Sun, Jinhua Li, Dongpo Xia, Binghua Sun, Dao Zhang

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Collective behavior has recently attracted a great deal of interest in both natural and social sciences. While the role of leadership has been closely scrutinized, the rules used by joiners in collective decision making have received far less attention. Two main hypotheses have been proposed concerning these rules: mimetism and quorum. Mimetism predicts that individuals are increasingly likely to join collective behavior as the number of participants increases. It can be further divided into selective mimetism, where relationships among the participants affect the process, and anonymous mimetism, where no such effect exists. Quorum predicts that a collective behavior occurs when …

Local Patterns In Host-Selection By Anemone Symbionts In Bocas Del Toro, Panama, Samantha Mercer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The associations made between many symbiotic cleaner shrimps and their host anemone species are influenced by local ecological factors, resulting in regional variations in symbiont-host preferences. These relationships are crucial parts of aquatic ecosystems, and as we face rapid global environmental change, understanding the local patterns of this host specificity will be essential to maintaining healthy marine environments. However, sea anemones, as well as their symbiotic relationships, from the Caribbean coasts of Panama have been poorly studied and are largely under-represented in the current literature. The purpose of this study is to identify the local host-selection patterns, specifically regarding host-size …

Nsf Grant Helps Preserve Parasite Collections [Press Release], Scott Gardner, Leslie Reed

Scott L. Gardner Publications

The National Science Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant that will allow four major parasite collections to be digitized. The collections are part of UNL's Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology. Scott Gardner (pictured) is the curator and director of the Manter Laboratory.

A $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation will allow the Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology to digitally preserve four major collections of parasite specimens donated to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during the past five years.

Phylogenetically Novel Species Are More Successful Due To High Competitive Ability At Local And Regional Scales, Amy C. Patterson

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

While few introduced exotic species become invasive, this small number of species poses serious threats to biodiversity, ecosystem function, and recreation, leading ecologists to study why certain species become invasive and why certain communities are prone to invasions. Several leading hypotheses seek to explain invasiveness, including the Enemy Release Hypothesis, the trait superiority hypothesis, and the Biotic Resistance Hypothesis, but none are consistently supported in the literature. We suggest that the lack of uniting hypothesis is a result of the inability to put multiple proposed mechanisms in the same framework, and suggest for a uniting framework Darwin’s Naturalization Hypothesis along …

Social Network Analysis Of Partner Preference In Lemon Sharks, Negaprion Brevirostris, During The Introduction Of Unfamiliars To Familiar Groups, Bryan Keller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In order to understand what drives group formations and to predict spatial occurrences, investigations on individual preferences within the groups have proved to be very useful. Groups of sharks have been observed for centuries; however, there is a dearth of quantitative analyses on the mechanisms that drive their formation. In this study, we use controlled, semi-captive behavioural experiments to assess the potential role of familiarity in group formation and on social behaviour in a large marine vertebrate. Juvenile lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris, (n =23) in Bimini, Bahamas were captured, measured and tagged with external colour codes for individual identification and …