Digital Commons Network^™

Host Use And Geographic Variation In Fall Webworms (Hyphantria Cunea), Katrina J. Loewy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Host use in herbivores is determined by a variety of ecological drivers, including bottom-up and top-down selective pressures such as host abundance, host plant quality, and parasitism pressure. If the relative importance and strength of interactions among these selective conditions change over an herbivore’s geographic range, local patterns of host use should change in response, evident in differing diet breadths. The fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) is a widespread, polyphagous moth with two color morphs, red and black-headed. In the eastern United States, fall webworms feed on dozens of plant species and previous research demonstrated that host plant abundance …

Overwintering In New Zealand Stick Insects, Alice B. Dennis, Luke T. Dunning, Christopher J. Dennis, Brent J. Sinclair, Thomas R. Buckley

Biology Publications

Stick insects are found in a variety of habitats throughout New Zealand, including at least four species that occur at high altitudes. Here they face physiological challenges that differ from their typically warmer lowland habitats, but their strategies to deal with harsh winter conditions are not known. Autumn and winter field surveys, coupled with caging experiments, were conducted to determine which life stages are overwintering in montane and lowland habitats. Data loggers were placed for approximately one year at each site to measure the leaf litter and canopy microhabitat temperatures. From this, we have found that alpine and lowland stick …

Contributions Of Stocked And Naturally Reproduced Rainbow Trout In The Deerfield Reservoir System, Jacob L. Davis, Jerry W. Wilhite, Greg Simpson, Michael E. Barnes, Kaite N. Bertrand, David W. Willis

The Prairie Naturalist

Deerfield Reservoir in the Black Hills of South Dakota and its tributary system are managed as hatchery supplemented rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fisheries. Three genetically unique strains of rainbow trout (Shasta, Erwin and McConaughy) are stocked into the system. Recently, juvenile rainbow trout of unknown origin were collected in the tributary system above Deerfield Reservoir, indicating potential natural reproduction. Understanding the genetic origins and ability of these rainbow trout to contribute to the fishery is essential in determining the proper management strategy for these waters. Our objectives were to 1) evaluate the genetic origins of potentially naturally reproduced rainbow trout …

Surprisingly Little Population Genetic Structure In A Fungus-Associated Beetle Despite Its Exploitation Of Multiple Hosts, Corlett W. Wood , '08, H. M. Donald, Vincent A. Formica, E. D. Brodie Iii

Biology Faculty Works

In heterogeneous environments, landscape features directly affect the structure of genetic variation among populations by functioning as barriers to gene flow. Resource-associated population genetic structure, in which populations that use different resources (e.g., host plants) are genetically distinct, is a well-studied example of how environmental heterogeneity structures populations. However, the pattern that emerges in a given landscape should depend on its particular combination of resources. If resources constitute barriers to gene flow, population differentiation should be lowest in homogeneous landscapes, and highest where resources exist in equal proportions. In this study, we tested whether host community diversity affects population genetic …

Fitness: Philosophical Problems, Grant Ramsey, Charles H. Pence

Faculty Publications

Fitness plays many roles throughout evolutionary theory, from a measure of populations in the wild to a central element in abstract theoretical presentations of natural selection. It has thus been the subject of an extensive philosophical literature, which has primarily centred on the way to understand the relationship between fitness values and reproductive outcomes. If fitness is a probabilistic or statistical quantity, how is it to be defined in general theoretical contexts? How can it be measured? Can a single conceptual model for fitness be offered that applies to all biological cases, or must fitness measures be case-specific? Philosophers have …

Patch Burning: Integrating Fire And Grazing To Promote Heterogeneity, John R. Weir, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, David M. Engle, Terrence G. Bidwell, D. Chad Cummings, R. Dwayne Elmore, Ryan F. Limb, Brady W. Allred, J. Derek Scasta, Stephen L. Winter

United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Publications

Heterogeneity refers to the differences in habitats across the landscape, and it is required for diverse plant and wildlife communities. Some heterogeneity is inherent, caused by differences in soils, while most heterogeneity is disturbance driven. Climate, fire, and grazing are the main three disturbance factors that have historically shaped the landscape. All three are still very important to the continued diversity and health of the plants and animals associated with our prairies, shrublands, and forestlands across the Great Plains. While we cannot control the climate, we can manage grazing by stocking rate, season of use, and kind and type of …

Ontogeny Of Venom Use And Venom Composition In The Western Widow Spider Latrodectus Hesperus, David Roger Nelsen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

I investigated the behavioral ecology of venom and venom use by the western widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus), emphasizing the role of ontogeny. In an introductory paper, I reviewed existing definitions of venom and poison, and refined these by adding a third category of toxic biological secretions: toxungen. These three can be distinguished by mode of toxin delivery and presence of a wound. In the first of four empirical studies, I investigated venom use by adult females in the context of threat assessment. A single brief poke at the lowest threat level elicited primarily avoidance responses ("move" and "retract"), repeated prodding …

A Survey Of Aquatic Invertebrate Communities In Nebraska Sandhill Lakes Reveals Potential Alternative Ecosystem States, J.C. Jolley, E.S. Albin, M.A. Kaemingk, D.W. Willis

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Aquatic invertebrate communities are important to shallow lake ecosystem form and function, providing vital components to the food web and thereby important to achieving lake management goals. We characterized lake invertebrate communities and physicochemical variables in six Nebraska Sandhill lakes and examined these characteristics within an alternative stable state framework. Surveys were conducted during 2005 within each of these lakes by sampling aquatic macroinvertebrate abundance, zooplankton abundance and biomass, phytoplankton biomass, and physicochemical variables. When placed within an alternative stable state framework, the response variables exhibited a gradient of different ecosystem states. Two lakes appeared congruent with the clear water …

Distribution Of Burrowing Owls In East- Central South Dakota, Jiill A. Shaffer, Jason P. Thiele

The Prairie Naturalist

Western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) populations have declined across much of western North America, particularly at the northern and eastern edges of the species’ breeding range (Martell et al. 2001, Murphy et al. 2001, Shyry et al. 2001, Skeel et al. 2001, Klute et al. 2003). In South Dakota, the burrowing owl is a summer resident that historically was relatively common throughout the state, but its range has decreased in recent decades, especially in the eastern half of the state (Whitney et al. 1978, South Dakota Ornithologists’ Union [SDOU] 1991, Peterson 1995). Tallman et al. (2002) described the species …

Notes: Nesting Patterns Of Red-Tailed Hawks And Great-Horned Owls In South-Cen- Tral Kansas, William Langley

The Prairie Naturalist

Red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and great-horned owls (Bubo virginianus) can influence the nesting behavior of each other through direct competition for nesting sites. For instance, owls begin nesting before hawks and, thus, can use nests from the previous year and prevent hawks from occupying those sites (Orians and Kuhl- man 1956, Gilmer et al. 1983, Minor et al. 1993). However, both species sometimes kill the nestlings of the other (Craig- head and Craighead 1956, Bosakowski et al. 1989).

The objective of my study was to investigate nesting patterns of these two raptors at the edge of the tallgrass prairie over …

Research Notes Vs. Research Articles, Christopher N. Jacques

The Prairie Naturalist

Greetings GPNSS members! I hope this email finds you well, winding down another academic year, and looking forward to the summer field season. Warm temperatures, peak foliage, and heightened anticipation of the start of another field season are upon us following a long winter season and unusually wet spring for many of us across the Great Plains. Here in westcentral Illinois, wild turkeys are gobbling, neotropical migrants are singing and establishing breeding territories, and white-tailed deer are within days of giving birth to the next generation of fawns. Granted, there are many outdoor activities to participate in, though oppressive heat …

Dna From Feces And Museum Specimens Confirms A First State Record Bird, Alec R. Lindsay Ph. D., Skye C. Haas

Faculty Works

In October 2005, a vagrant kingbird (Aves: Tyrannus sp.) appeared in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, nearly 2000 km from the northern limit of its usual range. Using mitochondrial DNA obtained from a fecal sample deposited by the bird and mitochondrial DNA isolated from museum reference specimens, the species iden- tity of this bird was definitively confirmed as a Tropical Kingbird (T. melancholicus) rather than a Couch’s Kingbird (T. couchii). This is the first time DNA evidence has been used to establish a state bird record, and one of the few studies of any type to successfully use avian feces for DNA …

Purification And Characterization Of Oxidation-Resistant Ribonuclease Inhibitor Variants, Alec W. Uebersohn

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Ribonuclease inhibitor (RI) is an intracellular mammalian protein which binds vertebrate-specific ribonucleases; this interaction is one of the tightest non-covalent interactions yet discovered. The biological activity of RI is poorly understood, but it is thought to regulate the biological functions of ribonucleases, which include initiating blood vessel growth, maintaining neuron viability, attacking pathogens, and mediating cell stress responses. RI is also involved in pathways unrelated to ribonucleases, including interactions with Drosha and PTEN, an anti-tumor protein.

One of the defining characteristics of RI is its oxidation sensitivity, a result of its unusually high cysteine content. The oxidation of RI is …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Toxic Cyanobacteria On The Reproductive Success Of Eurytemora Affinis Populations In The Baltic Sea And Green Bay, Wisconsin, Amanda Dwyer

Lawrence University Honors Projects

The Northern Baltic Sea, off the southern coast of Finland, and Green Bay, off Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, both experience large toxic cyanobacteria blooms, especially during the summer and early fall months. Nodularia spumigena is the toxic algae in the Baltic Sea and produces the toxin Nodularin. Nodularin is a toxin that has branched from the toxin Microcystin, which is produced by Microcystis, the toxic algae forming blooms in Green Bay. While the toxin often acts as a defense mechanism to deter zooplankton from grazing, the calenoid copepod Eurytemora affinis, with populations in both the Baltic and Green Bay, …

Species Boundaries And Biogeography Of East African Torrent Frogs Of The Genus Petropedetes (Amphibia: Anura: Petropeditidae), Simon P. Loader, F. Sara Ceccarelli, Mark Wilkinson, Michele Menegon, Jean Mariaux, Rafael O. De Sá, Et Al.

Biology Faculty Publications

Based on morphology there are currently three described East African species of torrent frogs belonging to the tropical African genus Petropedetes (P. dutoiti, P. martiennseni and P. yakusini). Taxonomic uncertainties are evident within this group: a putative new species reported from the Nguru Mountains and the species P. yakusini have a fragmented distribution across the Southern Tanzanian highlands. We conducted a molecular systematic study, sampling populations of East African petropedetids occurring in the mountains of Tanzania (P. martiennseni and P. yakusini), to investigate species boundaries and biogeography. Data provide evidence for the recognition of …

Mechanisms Of Nutrient Limitation And Nutrient Acquisition In Managed And Unmanaged Forest Ecosystems, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur

Doctoral Dissertations

Understanding the interactions between global change, human and natural disturbances, and other factors on biogeochemical processes in forests is necessary to ensure the sustainability of forest management. Here I report the results of several investigations into nutrient acquisition processes in the forests of New Hampshire. I begin with a meta-analysis of fertilization studies showing that phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) as well as nitrogen (N) may limit primary production in deciduous forests of the region. Because these limiting nutrients are all removed from the ecosystem when trees are harvested, I compared nutrient budgets under a range of harvesting scenarios with …

Occurrence And Genetic Diversity Of Lemon Sharks (Negaprion Brevirostris) At A Nursery Ground At The Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana., Jonathan F. Mckenzie

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Anecdotal evidence suggested that immature lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) occur at the Chandeleur Islands in southeastern Louisiana. From May 2009 to August 2011, the Nekton Research Laboratory at the University of New Orleans regularly sampled habitats at the Chandeleur Islands to confirm the presence of immature individuals of this species. During these efforts, 147 immature lemon sharks (neonates, young-of-the-year, and juveniles) were collected. Each shark was PIT tagged and a tissue sample was taken for genetic analyses. Sizes ranged from 56 – 177 cm total length. Sharks showed a preference for sandy substrate and smaller individuals showed significant preference …

Reexamination Of Herpetofauna On Mormon Island, Hall County, Nebraska, With Notes On Natural History, Keith Geluso, Mary J. Harner

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Platte River in central Nebraska, USA, was historically surrounded by mixed grass and tallgrass prairies and wet meadows, but many of those habitats were lost or altered during the last century with unknown effects on animals that reside in them. Researchers first surveyed herpetofauna on part of a large island preserve in the Platte River, Mormon Island, Hall County, Nebraska, in 1980 when the land was protected for conservation. They documented 10 species, including three species of amphibians and seven species of reptiles. We inventoried herpetofauna after 30 years of conservation management on Mormon Island and adjacent Shoemaker Island. …

Fish And Decapod Community Structure In Estuarine Habitats Of The New Orleans Land Bridge, Including A Description Of The Life Cycle Of Tarpon (Megalops Atlanticus) In Southeastern Louisiana, William Stein Iii

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Estuarine marshes are generally considered to be productive but not necessarily diverse ecosystems. During 24 consecutive months, I collected 65,000 fishes and decapods comprising over 65 species from the New Orleans Land Bridge, an estuarine salt marsh. My research details the distribution of nekton across five contiguous but geomorphically different regions, which I defined as “Areas”. This factor “Area” was significant in explaining community composition differences in 11 of the 24 months I evaluated. That is, during those 11 months community structure was different among the Areas. Specific “month” was also found to be a significant factor as community structure …

Effects Of Herbivory As An Ecological Constraint Of Willow Growth At A Restored Riparian Corridor, Jacqueline A. Mccrory

Master's Theses

A critical component of nearly all riparian restoration projects is the rapid successful recovery of native vegetation. The dynamic conditions and diverse biotic community supported by riparian ecosystems can present numerous constraints to restoration efforts. This study investigated stunted growth of arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis) cuttings planted along the banks of Redwood Creek as part of the National Park Service’s Muir Beach Restoration Project to restore habitat for special status species in California. Based on observations of deer browsing, as well as signs of extensive biomass removal, I designed a field experiment using exclusionary fencing to test the significance of …

Can Long-Range Pcr Be Used To Amplify Genetically Divergent Mitochondrial Genomes For Comparative Phylogenetics? A Case Study Within Spiders (Arthropoda: Araneae), Andrew G. Briscoe, Sara Goodacre, Susan E. Masta, Martin I. Taylor, Miquel A. Arnedo, David Penny, John Kenny, Simon Creer

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The development of second generation sequencing technology has resulted in the rapid production of large volumes of sequence data for relatively little cost, thereby substantially increasing the quantity of data available for phylogenetic studies. Despite these technological advances, assembling longer sequences, such as that of entire mitochondrial genomes, has not been straightforward. Existing studies have been limited to using only incomplete or nominally intra-specific datasets resulting in a bottleneck between mitogenome amplification and downstream high-throughput sequencing. Here we assess the effectiveness of a wide range of targeted long-range PCR strategies, encapsulating single and dual fragment primer design approaches to provide …

Habitat And Host Indicate Lineage Identity In Colletotrichum Gloeosporioides S.L. From Wild And Agricultural Landscapes In North America, Vinson P. Doyle, Peter V. Oudemans, Stephen A. Rehner, Amy Litt

Publications and Research

Understanding the factors that drive the evolution of pathogenic fungi is central to revealing the mechanisms of virulence and host preference, as well as developing effective disease control measures. Prerequisite to these pursuits is the accurate delimitation of species boundaries. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides s.l. is a species complex of plant pathogens and endophytic fungi for which reliable species recognition has only recently become possible through a multi-locus phylogenetic approach. By adopting an intensive regional sampling strategy encompassing multiple hosts within and beyond agricultural zones associated with cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton), we have integrated North America strains of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides s.l. from …

From Gibbons To Gymnasts: A Look At The Biomechanics And Neurophysiology Of Brachiation In Gibbons And Its Human Rediscovery, Emma Et Pennock

Student Works

This conference paper serves to examine the evolutionary linkages of a brachiating ancestor in humans, the biomechanical and neurophysiology of modern day brachiators, and the human rediscovery of this form of locomotion. Brachiation is arguably one of the most metabolically effective modes of travel by any organism and can be observed most meritoriously in Gibbons. The purpose of the research conducted for this paper was to encourage further exploration of the neurophysiological similarities and differences between humans and non-human primates. The hope is that in spurring more interest and research in this area, further possibilities for rehabilitating brain injury will …

Developing A Learning Environment For The Edwards Aquifer With A Base In Systems Thinking And Dynamics, James Everette Simon Iii

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

The purpose of this project was to create a learning environment that fostered an interest in conservation and preservation of the Edwards Aquifer in children by using the endangered and threatened species that live in the aquifer and depend on it to survive. This game was based on the system dynamics of the Edwards Aquifer that were put into a causal loop diagram. In order to gather the data I needed for this project, I spent a great deal of time in San Marcos, Texas, at Texas State University’s Albert B. Alkek Library. The library contained hardcopies of information that …

Agricultural/Forestal Districts: Surveying Afd Landowners In Augusta County And The City Of Staunton To Determine Areas For Program Improvement And Program Promotion Strategies, Martin Driver

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Agricultural/Forestal Districts (AFDs) are rural conservation zones reserved for the production of agricultural products and function to protect agricultural and forestal lands as important natural resources. These districts are formed voluntarily by Virginia landowners and provide a number of important benefits to the landowners and surrounding communities. From a stewardship and administration standpoint, it would benefit both landowners and administrators to determine areas needing improvement within the AFD program. Also, it would be beneficial to these same parties to determine optimal methods for promoting the program to landowners who are not currently AFD members. The evaluation and understanding of these …

The Identity Of Rana Margaritifera Laurenti, 1768 (Anura, Bufonidae), Esteban O. Lavilla, Ulisses Caramaschi, José A. Langone, José P. Pombal Jr., Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Rana margaritifera was described by Laurenti in 1768 and currently is associated to the genus Rhinella, under the combination Rhinella margaritifera. Currently, the R. margaritifera species group consists of 16 recognized species. Further-more, many additional species have been suggested to exist in this group which highlights the ambiguity surrounding the identity of Rhinella margaritifera and impend further description of the species in this group. After an exhaustive bibliographic review, we concluded that the recent designation of a lectotype for R. margaritifera is invalid according with Art. 73, ICZN, 1999. Herein, we designate and provide the description of a …

Network Data Workshop Agenda, Long Term Ecological Research

Long Term Ecological Research Network

Workshop agenda for the Veg-DB Workshop at the Sevilleta Field Station, NM.

Workshop Objectives: 1) Assess the willingness and ability of sites to participate in a Veg-DB system; 2) Continue design the user functionality of the system, 3) Determine the relationship of the system to PASTA, and 4) Determine a plan to develop and populate the prototype system.

Metronidazole Effects On Hindgut Microflora Residing Within The Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes Flavipes, Alexandra Gjevre

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Alexandra Gjevre on May 1, 2013.

The Effects Of Refuge On Escape Responses Of Two Caribbean Goby Species, Russell P. Dauksis

Senior Honors Projects

The Effects of Refuge Abundance on Escape Responses of the Bridled Goby (Coryphopterus glaucofraenum)

Russell P. Dauksis

Major

Marine Biology

Advisor

Dr. Graham Forrester

Advisor Department

Natural Resources Science

Date

5-2012

Keywords

Escapology, marine ecology, functional morphology, animal behavior, predator-prey interactions, Bridled Goby, Coryphopterus glaucofraenum

Abstract

Interactions between predators and prey species are arguably the most pervasive and important events in ecology. Predators have strong effects on the distribution and abundance of prey in virtually all environments. In the long-term, it is therefore hardly surprising that selective mortality imposed by predators has shaped a wide array of prey behaviors …

A Hands-On Activity To Introduce The Effects Of Transmission By An Invasive Species, Barbara May

Biology Faculty Publications

This activity engages students to better understand the impact of transmission by invasive species. Using dice, poker chips, and paper plates, an entire class mimics the spread of an invasive species within a geographic region. The activity can be modified and conducted at the K-16 levels.