Digital Commons Network^™

Carnivore Diet Identification Through Scat And Genetic Analysis In Namibia, Africa, Alicia J. Walsh

Honors Theses and Capstones

Worldwide the cheetah population is declining making them Africa’s most endangered large cat. Namibia, Africa currently has the largest population of cheetahs in the world. During the summer of 2014, I did scat analysis of carnivores on the property of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Namibia in order to better understand the predators that compete with the cheetah and how the ecosystem works as a whole. I worked at CCF for nine weeks to analyze the diets of carnivores in the area through genetic and scat analysis. Analyzing carnivore feces would ultimately identify the diet of various carnivores in …

Using The Past To Restore The Future: Quantifying Historical Vegetation To Assist In Tidal Freshwater Wetland Restoration, Christopher D. Gatens

UROP Posters

Wetlands have been providing humans with critical natural ecosystem services throughout our time on Earth. Nevertheless, these invaluable ecosystems have been habitually altered as a cost of human progression. Two of the most common alterations to wetlands are damming and filling. Both occurred along Kimages Creek in Charles City County, VA during the 19^th and 20^th centuries. In 2010 the Lake Charles dam was partially removed, restoring the creek’s tidal communication with the James River. Upon the recession of the body of water, numerous woody stumps were revealed. We studied these stump remnants in an attempt to assess …

Iron Deficiency Increases Growth And Nitrogen-Fixation Rates Of Phosphorus-Deficient Marine Cyanobacteria, Nathan S. Garcia, Feixue Fu, Peter N. Sedwick, David A. Hutchins

OES Faculty Publications

Marine dinitrogen (N²)-fixing cyanobacteria have large impacts on global biogeochemistry as they fix carbon dioxide (CO₂) and fertilize oligotrophic ocean waters with new nitrogen. Iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P) are the two most important limiting nutrients for marine biological N₂ fixation, and their availabilities vary between major ocean basins and regions. A long-standing question concerns the ability of two globally dominant N₂-fixing cyanobacteria, unicellular Crocosphaera and filamentous Trichodesmium, to maintain relatively high N₂-fixation rates in these regimes where both Fe and P are typically scarce. We show that under P-deficient …

Living On The Margin In The Anthropocene: Engagement Arenas For Sustainability Research And Action At The Ocean-Land Interface, B. C. Glavovic, K. Limburg, K-K. Liu, K-C. Emeis, H. Thomas, H. Kremer, B. Avril, J. Zhang, M. R. Mulholland, M. Glaser, D. P. Swaney

OES Faculty Publications

The advent of the Anthropocene underscores the need to develop and implement transformative governance strategies that safeguard the Earth's life-support systems, most critically at the ocean-land interface - the Margin. The seaward realm of the Margin is the new frontier for resource exploitation and colonization to meet the needs of coastal nations and humanity overall. Here, we spotlight the pivotal role of the Margin for planetary resilience and sustainability, highlight priority issues, and outline a research strategy which aims to: (a) better understand Margin social-ecological systems; (b) guide sustainable development of Margin resources; (c) design governance regimes to reverse unsustainable …

Heterotrophic And Autotrophic Contribution To Dinitrogen Fixation In The Gulf Of Aqaba, Eyal Rahav, Barak Herut, Margaret R. Mulholland, Natalia Belkin, Hila Elifantz, Ilana Berman-Frank

OES Faculty Publications

We evaluated the seasonal contribution of heterotrophic and autotrophic diazotrophy to the total dinitrogen (N₂) fixation in the photic zone of a pelagic station in the northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. N₂ fixation rates were highest during a Trichodesmium bloom in winter (0.7 nmol N l^-1 d^-1), decreased 7-fold 1 wk later throughout the upper 200 m (~0.1 nmol N l^-1) d^-1), and were significantly coupled with both primary and bacterial productivity. N₂ fixation rates were generally higher in the upper 200 m (~0.4 nmol N l^{-1 …}

New Tracer To Estimate Community Predation Rates Of Phagotrophic Protists, Alexander B. Bochdansky, Melissa A. Clouse

OES Faculty Publications

Predation of eukaryotic microbes on prokaryotes is one of the most important trophic interactions on Earth, representing a major mortality term and shaping morphology and composition of prokaryotic communities. Here we introduce and validate a new tracer to determine predation rates on prokaryotes. Minicells of Escherichia coli marked with a bright green fluorescent protein (GFP) vector have many operational advantages over previously used prey analogs such as fluorescently labeled bacteria. GFP-minicells are similar in size to naturally occurring bacteria from a variety of environments including the oligotrophic open ocean and the deep sea. They are relatively stable against microbial and …

Helping To Resolve Taxonomic Conflicts Within The Genus Amblyomma (Acari:Ixodidae) From A Molecular Perspective, Paula Lado

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This work sought to reassess the taxonomic status of Amblyomma parvum Aragao, 1908 and of the A. maculatum group of ticks Camicas, 1998. By using different molecular markers, 12SrDNA, 16SrDNA, DL, COI, COII (mitochondrial) and ITS2 (nuclear), I analyzed the systematic relationships between these taxa and their closest relatives. Phylogenetic analyses by maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analysis were performed in order to determine relationships among species and populations, and to determine the evolutionary history of these ixodids. The data obtained supported the hypothesis of cryptic speciation occurring within A. parvum, with the northern populations of Central America being …

Nonstructural Carbohydrate Concentrations Of Pine Trees As A Function Of Evolutionary History, Joshua T. Mims

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) can supply substrate during periods when current photosynthate is unavailable or inadequate to meet metabolic demands. I hypothesized that natural selection has favored higher nonstructural carbohydrate concentrations ([NSC]) in species that have an evolutionary history of frequent disturbance and tested this using three southern pine species that have evolved under a continuum of disturbance frequencies (evolutionary history of fire ~ longleaf > slash > loblolly). Stem and root samples were collected from 12 similar-sized individual trees of each species during time periods that reflect the annual minimum and maximum [NSC]. A modified colorimetric method was performed on the samples …

Scales Of Resilience: Community Stability, Population Dynamics, And Molecular Ecology Of Brook Trout In A Riverscape After A Large Flood, Erin V. Rodgers

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Climate change in the northeastern United States currently and in future decadal predictions is characterized by warmer average temperatures and more frequent and intense storm events. Many aquatic organisms that thrive below a certain temperature threshold, such as brook trout, are being pushed towards their upper thermal limits, ultimately lowering their probability of survival and resilience to disturbance. In late-August and early-September 2011, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee created an extended flood in the Delaware Water Gap region of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as much of the northeast. This dissertation examines the effects of this flood on …

Ramapough/Ford The Impact And Survival Of An Indigenous Community In The Shadow Of Ford Motor Company’S Toxic Legacy, Chuck Stead

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the history of the Ford Motor Company’s impact upon the Ramapo Watershed of New York and New Jersey, as well as upon the Ramapough Munsi Nation, an indigenous population living there. In a 25 year span the automaker produced a record number of vehicles and dumped a massive amount of lead paint, leaving behind a toxic legacy that continues to plaque the area and its residents. The Ramapough people are not unlike many native nations living in the United States who have experienced industrial excess. This study examines the mindset that allows …

Matrix And Edge Effects On The Maintenance Of Ecological Function In An Afromontane Protected Area, Robin M. Martino

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Land use type in the human dominated matrix surrounding tropical forest can influence edge effects at the forest-matrix interface. Edge effects can alter ecological processes and impact the function of forest edge ecosystems. A key ecological process that helps maintain tropical forest and is affected by forest disturbance is seed dispersal by large, fruit eating vertebrates (frugivores). This dissertation examines how the type of vegetation in the matrix, the `soft’ edge contrast of pine plantations and the `hard’ edge contrast of tea plantations, affect seed dispersal behavior of large frugivores, and the structure and composition of tree species, in forest …

Dynamics Of Baseline Stable Isotopes Within A Temperate Coastal Ecosystem: Relationships And Projections Using Physical And Biogeochemical Factors, Andrew Mackey

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Measurements of carbon (13C/12C; δ13C) and nitrogen (15N/14N; δ15N) stable isotope ratios have become important tools for: estimating energy flow and trophic positions in aquatic foodwebs; comparing food webs; and aiding in the tracking of wide-ranging consumers. However, each of these applications requires accurate measurements of isotopic signatures in organisms at or near the base of the food web (e.g. autotrophs and their consumers), which act as basal reference points from which to calibrate inferences. Therefore, understanding variations in isotopic baselines, and the mechanisms leading to their variability, is crucial for food web ecology.

Using the shallow temperate reefs along …

Ecology Of Feral Cats Felis Catus And Their Prey In Relation To Shrubland Fire Regimes, Tim S. Doherty

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Invasive predators are major drivers of global biodiversity loss and their impacts may be worsened by other disturbances such as fire. I examined how the fire history of shrublands influences the ecology of feral cats Felis catus, dingoes Canis dingo and their prey species in Western Australia’s northern Wheatbelt region.

A review of the literature revealed that feral cats inhabit a diverse range of ecosystems worldwide, but are generally recorded most often in habitat types characterised by a mixture of plant growth forms close to ground level. Cat habitat use is influenced by predation/competition, prey availability, shelter availability and …

Climate-Adjusted Provenancing: A Strategy For Climate-Resilient Ecological Restoration, Suzanne M. Prober, Margaret Byrne, Elizabeth H. Mclean, Dorothy A. Steane, Brad M. Potts, Rene E. Vaillancourt, William D. Stock

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Investments in ecological restoration are estimated at $US 2 trillion per annum worldwide and are increasing rapidly (Cunningham, 2008; Williams et al., 2014). These investments are occurring in an environment of accelerated climate change that is projected to continue into the next century, yet they currently take little account of such change. This has significant implications for the long-term success of restoration plantings across millions of hectares, with germplasm used in current restoration efforts potentially poorly-adapted to future climates. New approaches that optimize the climate-resilience of these restoration efforts are thus essential (Breed et al., 2013; Williams et al., 2014; …

Do Water Buffalo Facilitate Dispersal Of Invasive Alien Tree Species Acacia Nilotica In Bekol Savanna Baluran National Park?, Sutomo

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Invasion of Acacia nilotica in Baluran National Park, East Java Province, Indonesia, has caused significant loss to savanna cover which is the main natural feature of the park. This study aimed to describe whether water buffalo may play a role in the dispersal of Acacia nilotica seed in Bekol Savanna usinganalysis of buffalo stools/scats, observations and seed experiments. In total there were 30 plots set up around the Bekol Savanna to collect buffalo stools. In addition,A. nilotica pods matured from its trees were collected, as controls. Germination tests were conducted on seeds that were extracted from the collected stools …

Comparison Of Isotope-Based Biomass Pathways With Groundfish Community Structure In The Eastern Gulf Of Mexico, Sheri Ann Huelster

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study compared traditional community analysis with stable-isotope trophic analysis to define process-based trophic elements of community structure in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and developed a predictive capability regarding changes to fish community structure that would be expected from increasing eutrophication. Specifically, it used an existing trawl survey program (SEAMAP) to compare invertebrate herbivore (sponge and sea urchin) isotopes with groundfish isotopes, and then compared the resulting spatial patterns with spatial variation in community structure, as identified by cluster analysis. The comparison was applied to seven NMFS survey zones that extended offshore from the Caloosahatchee River, FL northwest to …

Historical And Current Population Patterns Of The Staghorn Coral (_Acropora Cervicornis_) In Dry Tortugas National Park, Kaitlyn Lizza

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Acropora cervicornis was once one of the dominant reef building corals of the Caribbean, Florida Keys, and Dry Tortugas (DRTO), but since the 1970’s populations have been decimated throughout their geographic range. Recently, a repopulation was documented through detailed benthic surveys conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey at three locations (Pulaski Shoal, East Key, and Loggerhead Key) within DRTO. Benthic surveys using the U.S Geological Survey’s Along-Track Reef Imaging System (ATRIS) revealed hundreds of previously undocumented colonies.

These discoveries have provided a unique data-set, allowing a comparison between the historical (1883, 1976) and contemporary distributions (2009, 2011) of A. cervicornis. …

Comparison Of Gastropod Assemblages From Natural And Phosphate Mine Lakes Of Central Florida, William A. Mailand

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Investigations were made examining the relationships between gastropod species richness and abundance across 20 phosphate and 20 natural lakes in Central Florida. In additional to lake category, age of phosphate lakes was used to determine if phosphate lakes ever approximate natural lakes. Additional physical, chemical, and biological parameters, including chlorophyll a, Ca, secchi, phosphorous, conductance, fish predation, and recreational lake use were investigated in order to determine if they affected gastropods with lake age. Comparisons were also made between gastropod species richness and average abundance and two groups of dominant vegetation categories: Panicum, a structurally complex macrophyte, and Typha …

Impacts Of Agrochemical Pollution On Aquatic Communities And Human Disease, Neal T. Halstead

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The global human population is expected to exceed 9 billion individuals by 2050, putting greater strain on the natural resources needed to sustain such a population. To feed this many people, some expect agricultural production will have to double and agrochemical use will have to increase anywhere from two- to five-fold relative to the turn of the century. Although industrial agriculture has provided many benefits to society, it has caused declines in biodiversity, both directly (e.g., through conversion of habitat) and indirectly (e.g., through contamination of adjacent natural habitats). Agricultural activity has also been linked to increased prevalence and intensity …

A Basic Guide For Empirical Environmental Social Science, Michael Cox

Dartmouth Scholarship

In this paper, I address a gap in the literature on environmental social science by providing a basic rubric for the conduct of empirical research in this interdisciplinary field. Current literature displays a healthy diversity of methods and techniques, but this has also been accompanied by a lack of consistency in the way in which research in this area is done. In part this can be seen as resulting from a lack in supporting texts that would provide a basis for this consistency. Although relevant methods texts do exist, these are not written with this type of research explicitly in …

A Diagnostic Procedure For Applying The Social-Ecological Systems Framework In Diverse Cases, Jochen Hinkel, Michael E. Cox, Maja Schlufffdter, Claudia R. Binder

Dartmouth Scholarship

The framework for analyzing sustainability of social-ecological systems (SES) framework of Elinor Ostrom is a multitier collection of concepts and variables that have proven to be relevant for understanding outcomes in diverse SES. The first tier of this framework includes the concepts resource system (RS) and resource units (RU), which are then further characterized through lower tier variables such as clarity of system boundaries and mobility. The long-term goal of framework development is to derive conclusions about which combinations of variables explain outcomes across diverse types of SES. This will only be possible if the concepts and variables of the …

Seagrass Meadows As A Globally Significant Carbonate Reservoir, I Mazarrasa, N Marbà, O Serrano, C E. Lovelock, Paul S. Lavery, J W. Fourqurean, H Kennedy, M A. Mateo, D Krause-Jensen, A D. Steven, C M. Duarte

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

There has been growing interest in quantifying the capacity of seagrass ecosystems to act as carbon sinks as a natural way of offsetting anthropogenic carbon emissions to the atmosphere. However, most of the efforts have focused on the particulate organic carbon (POC) stocks and accumulation rates and ignored the particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) fraction, despite important carbonate pools associated with calcifying organisms inhabiting the meadows, such as epiphytes and benthic invertebrates, and despite the relevance that carbonate precipitation and dissolution processes have in the global carbon cycle. This study offers the first assessment of the global PIC stocks in seagrass …

The Status Of Fishes In The Missouri River, Nebraska: Sauger (Sander Canadensis), Kirk D. Steffensen, Sam Stukel, Dane A. Shuman

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Early fisheries investigation of the Missouri River fish community indicated that Sauger were common throughout Nebraska, including all major Missouri River tributaries. However due to many factors, their current range is restricted to the Missouri River and the lower reaches of a few tributaries. Hesse (1994) recommended listing Sauger as a state endangered species but this recommendation was never implemented. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to reevaluate the current population status of Sauger in the Missouri River along Nebraska’s border. Over 2,100 Sauger have been captured from the Missouri River along Nebraska’s eastern border since 2003. Sauger were …

The Status Of Fishes In The Missouri River, Nebraska: Shoal Chub (Macrhybopsis Hyostoma), Sturgeon Chub (M. Gelida), Sicklefin Chub (M. Meeki), Silver Chub (M. Storeriana), Flathead Chub (Platygobio Gracilis), Plains Minnow (Hybognathus Placitus), Western Silvery Minnow (H. Argyritis), And Brassy Minnow (H. Hankinsoni), Kirk D. Steffensen, Dane A. Shuman, Sam Stukel

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Throughout the past century, the Missouri River has been highly modified which has negatively affected the native fish community. Previous research quantified the reduction of several native Cyprinidae species and made several recommendations to aid in recovery. However, these recommendations were not implemented. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to assess the current population trends of eight native cyprinid species and develop the current management objectives. Over 335,000 fish were collected from the Missouri River along Nebraska’s eastern border with mini-fyke nets and otter trawls from 2003 to 2012. Target Cyprinidae species consisted of less than five percent (n …

Baseline Survey For Street Dogs In Guam, John D. Boone

Stray and Feral Animal Populations Collection

As is the case for many inhabited islands in Pacific region, dogs are common, including freeroaming street dogs that may be owned or unowned. Reproduction among dogs is largely unchecked, and many owned dogs do not receive adequate levels of basic care in the home or veterinary care when needed. For all of these reasons, Humane Society International (HSI) is exploring options for improving the management of street dog populations and promoting better treatment and care of all dogs on Guam and on the nearby islands of Rota and Saipan. One of the initial steps in this process was to …

Winter Activity Of Bats In Southeastern Nebraska: An Acoustic Study, Jeremy A. White, Brett R. Andersen, Hans W. Otto, Cliff A. Lemen, Patricia W. Freeman

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Many North American bats are active outside hibernacula in winter, but no information on winter activity has been reported for Nebraska. We recorded activity of bats during two winters (December-February 2012-2013 and 2013-2014) at one location in southeastern Nebraska with an acoustic detector. Bats were active throughout both winters and temperature at sunset was a good predictor of bat activity. Red bats (Lasiurus borealis) were active at our site in early December but were not recorded later in winter. We suspect these individuals were late migrants to more southern wintering sites. Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) …

Predicted Changes In Climatic Niche And Climate Refugia Of Conservation Priority Salamander Species In The Northeastern United States, William B. Sutton, Kyle Barrett, Allison T. Moody, Cynthia S. Loftin, Phillip G. Demaynadier, Priya Nanjappa

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Global climate change represents one of the most extensive and pervasive threats to wildlife populations. Amphibians, specifically salamanders, are particularly susceptible to the effects of changing climates due to their restrictive physiological requirements and low vagility; however, little is known about which landscapes and species are vulnerable to climate change. Our study objectives included, (1) evaluating species-specific predictions (based on 2050 climate projections) and vulnerabilities to climate change and (2) using collective species responses to identify areas of climate refugia for conservation priority salamanders in the northeastern United States. All evaluated salamander species were projected to lose a portion of …

High Intralocus Variability And Interlocus Recombination Promote Immunological Diversity In A Minimal Major Histocompatibility System, Anthony B. Wilson, Camilla M. Whittington, Angela Bahr

Publications and Research

Background: The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC/MH) have attracted considerable scientific interest due to their exceptional levels of variability and important function as part of the adaptive immune system. Despite a large number of studies on MH class II diversity of both model and non-model organisms, most research has focused on patterns of genetic variability at individual loci, failing to capture the functional diversity of the biologically active dimeric molecule. Here, we take a systematic approach to the study of MH variation, analyzing patterns of genetic variation at MH class IIα and IIβ loci of the seahorse, which …

Registration Of ‘Newell’ Smooth Bromegrass, K P. Vogel, R B. Mitchell, B L. Waldron, M R. Haferkamp, J D. Berdahl, D D. Baltensperger, Galen Erickson, T J. Klopfenstein

Green Canyon Environmental Research Area, Logan Utah

No abstract provided.

A First Survey Of The Centipedes Of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Joseph Desisto

Holster Scholar Projects

No abstract provided.