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The Timing And Pattern Of Myogenesis In Hymenochirus Boettgeri, Matthew T. Smetanick, Rafael O. De Sá, Gary P. Radice

Biology Faculty Publications

Differences in the relative timing of homologous developmental events among closely related species, known as heterochronies, may provide valuable clues in understanding evolutionary relationships (McKinney, 1988; McNamara, 1995). Examining the timing of myogenic events is a relatively easy and effective method for finding heterochronic events. For example, whether muscle proteins and myofibrils appear before or after multinucleation can be determined through histological techniciques (Kielbowna, 1981). Simple observations of live specimens can pinpoint functional landmarks such as first twitch (spontaneous or due to external stimuli) and first heartbeat.

The Timing And Pattern Of Myogenesis In Hymenochirus Boettgeri, Matthew T. Smetanick, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Differences in the relative timing of homologous developmental events among closely related species, known as heterochronies, may provide valuable clues in understanding evolutionary relationships (McKinney, 1988; McNamara, 1995). Examining the timing of myogenic events is a relatively easy and effective method for finding heterochronic events. For example, whether muscle proteins and myofibrils appear before or after multinucleation can be determined through histological techniques (Kielbowna, 1981). Simple observations of live specimens can pinpoint functional landmarks such as first twitch (spontaneous or due to external stimuli) and first heartbeat.

Does The Water Dragon, Physignathus Lesueurii (Gray 1831), Occur In New Guinea?, Gregory J. Watkins-Colwell, Greg Johnston

Biology Faculty Publications

The Australian water dragon, Physignathus lesueurii (Gray 1831), is a large acrodontan lizard which occurs in eastern Australia and has been reported from western New Guinea (Fig. 1). The species appears to be absent from eastern New Guinea (Allison 1982).

Characteristics Of Bald Eagle Communal Roosts In Northern Utah And A Survey Of Eagles Occupying Roosts, Robert B. Wilson

Biology

The numbers of eagles occupying either the Willard Canyon roost or the Ogden Bay roost exceeded the combined total of other communal roosts documented in Utah. These roosts are among the largest known communal roosts in the lower 48 states, and the largest documented winter roosts within the McKenzie-Intermountain Flyway. During the winters of 1997-98 and 1998-99 I surveyed several Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) roost sites in northern Utah to document their geographic location, habitat, and occupancy. I conducted surveys from December 1997 to April 1998 and December 1998 to April 1999. Most winter roosts were communal, as …

Ecology Of The Malay Civet (Viverra Tangalunga) In A Logged And An Unlogged Forest In Sabah, East Malaysia, Christina P. Colon

Publications and Research

Malay civets in a dipterocarp rain forest were studied from December, 1995, through June, 1997, in the Ulu Segama Forest Reserve in Sabah, East Malaysia. To investigate the basic ecology of this species and explore the potential impact of selective logging, data on home range, activity and diet were collected on study animals in an unlogged and a selectively logged forest, and comparisons made.

Density in the unlogged forest was 1/0.46 km² , and 1/1.07 km² in the logged forest. Mean home range size based on a 95% minimum convex polygon was 110 ha. and did not differ …

The Holes In Gould's Semipermeable Membrane Between Science And Religion, Ursula Goodenough

Biology Faculty Research

Book review: Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life. Stephen Jay Gould. 241 pp. Ballantine Publishing Group, 1999.

Adaptive Strategies That Reduce Predation On Caribbean Spiny Lobster Postlarvae During Onshore Transport, Charles A. Acosta, Mark J. Butler Iv

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Like many marine species with meroplanktonic larvae, the Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) has a postlarval stage that moves from the oceanic plankton to inshore nurseries only under specific environmental conditions (i.e., at night, in the surface water layer, on the flood tide, and during new moon), presumably to avoid predation or to enhance onshore transport. Using held and mesocosm experiments, we compared predation on planktonic postlarvae swimming at night near the surface and bottom over coastal habitats along typical offshore-inshore transport paths and determined whether predation rates differed between lunar periods (new moon vs, full moon) and with prey …

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. …

The Ecology And Life History Of The Mexican Tetra, Astyanax Mexicanus, (Teleostei: Characidae) In The Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Mario Estrada

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The Mexican tetra has been found to migrate from shallow waters in the spring and summer months into deeper waters during the winter months when temperatures are too cold for their survival. This fish is omnivorous with insect material being the major source of food. Its food types include green algae, nematoceran larvae, hemipterans, coleopterans, hymenopterans, dipterans, ostracods, fish eggs and amphipods. Furthermore, size classes showed that the Mexican tetras reached their largest size at the River site and smaller sizes at the Bridge and Gate sites and apparently breed year round. They are capable of producing from 300 to …

Ultraviolet-B Radiation: Effects On Pollen Of 34 Taxa, And Inheritance Patterns And Carryover Of Radiation Response In Arabidopsis, Javad Torabinejad

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Although considerable research has addressed effects of elevated ultraviolet-B (UV-8) radiation on vegetative plant structures and processes, the reproductive biology and patterns of inheritance of UV-B tolerance have received much less attention. I examined the effects of UV-B radiation on pollen of 34 taxa. I also addressed questions concerning the patterns of inheritance of UV-B tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana and examined potential cumulative carryover effects of UV-B exposure through multiple generations of this species.

In the first study, a significant reduction in pollen germination occurred in only five species, but pollen tube growth in more than half of the species …

Efficacy Of Guard Llamas (Lama Glama) In Reducing Canid Predation On Domestic Sheep, Laurie E. Meadows

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Predation, especially by canid predators, is a significant cause of sheep loss for many producers. In recent years, the use of llamas to protect sheep from predators has gained recognition as a depredation control method. I conducted a field experiment to test the effectiveness of llamas in reducing canid predation on domestic sheep. Twenty-one llamas were placed with Utah sheep producers. Data collected from these flocks over 20 months were compared to similar data collected from flocks without llamas. Comparisons between treatment and control flocks included (1) proportion of flocks with losses to predators, (2) mean predation rates on ewes …

The Reproductive Biology And Edaphic Characteristics Of A Rare, Gynodioecious Saxifage: Saxifraga Bryophora Var. Tobiasiae (Saxifragaceae), Kimberly Pierson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I examined the reproductive biology and general ecology of Saxifraga bryophora var. tobiasiae, a rare saxifrage endemic to the West Salmon River Mountains of central Idaho. Saxifraga bryophora var. tobiasiae combines asexual reproduction via bulbils with a sexual mixed-mating system. Flower production occurred in 1996 only, whereas bulbil production occurred in 1995, 1996, and 1997. Bulbil production precedes floral bud formation and is the dominant form of reproduction. When flowering occurs, outcrossing is promoted by protandry and the gynodioecious mating system found in all populations. No autogamous or agamospermous seed set was observed in either female or hermaphrodite flowers, …

Development Of The Suprarostral Plate Of Pipoid Frogs, Rafael O. De Sá, Charles C. Swart

Biology Faculty Publications

The rostral region of nonpipoid tadpoles has two sets of cartilages, the cornua trabeculae and the suprarostral cartilages, whereas the rostral region in pipoid larvae is occupied by a single and continuous cartilage, the suprarostral plate. The homology of this region in pipoid and nonpipoids tadpoles has been controversial. We examined the early formation and development of the suprarostral plate using serially cross-sectioned specimens of Rhinophrynus, Xenopus, and Hymenochirus. We conclude that the cartilaginous structures present in the rostral area of pipoid and nonpipoid larvae are homologous. Furthermore, we found two different developmental patterns among pipoid larvae. The chondrocranium …

A New Subspecies Of Brephidium Isophthalma (Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) From Coastal South Carolina, Harry Pavulaan, Ronald R. Gatrelle

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Brephidium isophthalma pseudofea was described in 1873 from the Florida Keys, United States. The ventral ground color of the wings in topotypical pseudofea is a yellowish brown. The antennal clubs of pseudofea have prominent orange red tips. The ventral surface of the abdomen of pseudofea is broadly white to very light gray and usually extends halfway around the sides of the light to medium brown abdomen. Specimens of B. isophthalma from coastal South Carolina differ greatly from topotypical pseudofea. Accordingly, B. i. insularus is described as a new subspecies from coastal South Carolina. The antennal clubs …

Spring 1999, Nsu Oceanographic Center

Currents

No abstract provided.

Acorn Foraging As A Means To Explore Human Energetics And Forge Connections To Local Forests, Jeffrey J. Gerwing, Pamela Lockwood, Christopher Uhl

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Jeffrey Gerwing, Pamela Lockwood, and Christopher Uhl describe a rather unusual ecology laboratory/field exercise that utilizes abundant oak habitats of central Pennsylvania. For those readers not blessed with an abundant supply of oaks nearby, perhaps other species could be substituted. The exercise is unusual in two ways. It offers a new undergraduate ecology activity, and it offers opportunities for students to relate other disciplines to their science course.

In "the good old days" of higher education each discipline offered its menu of courses and expected students to make appropriate connections among the courses of their major, minor, and general education. …

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.

Conservation Status Of The Southern Appalachian Herpetofauna, Joseph C. Mitchell, Thomas K. Pauley, David I. Withers, Steven M. Roble, Brian T. Miller, Alvin L. Braswell, Paul V. Cupp Jr., Christopher S. Hobson

Virginia Journal of Science

Seventy one species of amphibians (55 salamanders, 16 anurans) and 46 species of reptiles (15 turtles, 8 lizards, 23 snakes) inhabit a five state area (Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia) in the southern Appalachian region bordered by the Potomac River, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the western margin of the Appalachian Plateau. Of these, 47.9 % of the amphibian fauna and 52.2 % of the reptilian fauna are listed as being of conservation concern by federal, state, and Natural Heritage programs in all or a portion of their ranges of this region. The Shenandoah salamander (Plethodon Shenandoah …

Benthic Community Analysis Of Hog Island Bay, Virginia, David James Lewis

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The benthic infaunal macroinvertebrate communities of Hog Island Bay of the Virginia Eastern Shore were quantitatively sampled at 30 locations on August 31 and September 1, 1995. The primary objectives of this study were: (1) to characterize the subtidal macroinfaunal benthic communities of Hog Island Bay, (2) to examine relationships between abiotic factors and the macroinfaunal communities and (3) to characterize the environmental condition of the system using the Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) (Weisburg et al. 1997) and the EMAP Benthic Index for the Virginian Province (Strobel et al. 1995).

The ecological condition of Hog Island Bay appears …

Determination Of Baseline Microbial Biomass Of Tennessee River Gorge Surface Soils Through Chloroform Fumigation And Potassium Sulfate Extraction, Jill Burdette

Honors Theses

Levels of microbial biomass were determined for the A and B-horizons of four plots from the Tennessee River Gorge (TNG), establishing a baseline for future studies. The soils were divided into control and fumigated samples. The fumigated soils were flooded with chloroform, and the carbon was extracted from the control and fumigated soils and quantified through a reflux reaction and subsequent titration with ferrous ammonium sulfate. The extractable carbon was then used to determine the amount of biomass in the soil. The extractable carbon ranged from 62-90% higher in the A-horizon than B-horizon soils with the percent biomass from both …

An Evolutionary Subspecific Assessment Of Deciduphagus Henrici (Lycaenidae) Based On Its Utilization Of Ilex And Non-Ilex Hosts: Description Of A Third Ilex Associated Subspecies; Designation Of A Neotype And Type Locality For Deciduphagus Irus; With Appendix, Ronald R. Gatrelle

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

Deciduphagus henrici subsists as six subspecies which have evolved into two distinct larval host associated groups of three taxa each. Group one is composed of those taxa which utilize primarily Ilex (holly, various species) as their host. They inhabit the non-montane area of the southeastern United States and up the Atlantic coast to at least southern New Jersey. They are: D. h. margaretae (T. L. Deland, Volusia County, Florida) occupying east-coastal to south central Florida; D. h. viridissima (T. L. Nag’s Head, Dare County, North Carolina) occupying the upper Outer Banks area of North Carolina …

The Prairie Naturalist Volume 31, No.1 March 1999

The Prairie Naturalist

NEST SITE CHARACTERISTICS OF RING-NECKED PHEASANTS IN EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA ▪ J. R. Purvis, A. E. Gabbert, and L. D. Flake

FIELD EVALUATION OF RADIOTRANSMITTERS FOR NORTHERN POCKET GOPHERS ▪ G. W. Witmer and M. J. Pipas

DISTRlBllTiON OF A MOlJND-BUILDING ANT ON NATIVE AND RESTORED PRAIRIES IN NORTHEASTERN KANSAS ▪ J. Foster and W. D. Kettle

RESULTS OF A WILD TURKEY RELEASE IN KANSAS TALLGRASS PRAIRIE ▪ J. F. Cully, Jr., P. R. Lemons, II, and R. D. Applegate

BODY-SIZE AND AGE'-RELATED MASTICATORY RELATIONSHIPS IN TWO SPECIES OF BLARINA ▪ B. J. Verts, L. N. Carraway, and R. A. …

Internal Temperature Of Douglas-Fir Buds Is Altered At Elevated Temperature, Martha E. Apple, Melissa S. Lucash, David M. Olszyk, David T. Tingey, Donald L. Phillips

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) saplings were grown in sun-lit controlled environment chambers at ambient or elevated (4°C above ambient) temperature. We measured internal temperatures of vegetative buds with thermocouple probes and compared temperatures of normal buds and abnormal buds with loosened, rosetted outer scales in elevated temperature chambers. The abnormal buds had higher and earlier peak daily temperatures than normal buds. Elevated temperature may influence the internal temperature of buds and contribute to the development of abnormal, rosetted buds with loosened outer scales. Abnormal bud development may alter branching patterns and allometry of Douglas-fir trees subjected to climatic change.

Functional Success Of Six Constructed Bottomland Hardwood Forests In Central And Western Kentucky, Ryan W. Mccall

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Ryan W. McCall on January 25, 1999.

Osteological Analysis Of The Killifish Genus Cynolebias (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae), Marcelo Loureiro, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Relationships among the species of the annual fish Cynolebias are unclear. An analysis of the variation and utility of osteological characters for phylogenetic analysis was done using cleared and double-stained specimens representing 21 species of Cynolebias. This analysis showed that some of the characters previously used to diagnose this genus and some of the species are polymorphic. Osteologically, Cynolebias can be diagnosed by the following synapomorphies: (1) triangular-shaped parietal, (2) vomer positioned ventral to the parasphenoid, (3) long ventral process of the dentary, (4) teeth on fourth ceratobranchial, and (5) teeth on first epibranchial. In addition, characters that help …

Fish Utilization Of Restored, Created And Reference Salt-Marsh Habitat In The Gulf Of Maine, Michele Dionne, Frederick T. Short, David M. Burdick

Jackson Estuarine Laboratory

No abstract provided.

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 …

Natural History Of The Marbled Salamander, Ambystoma Opacum (Gravenhorst), In West Virginia, With Special Notes On Reproduction And Larval Development, Jason J. Watkins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study observed a population of Ambystoma opacum in Kanawha State Forest, Kanawha County, five miles south of Charleston, West Virginia. Data were collected from September 1995 to November 1997. Reproductive biology and salamander development were examined. Predation of A. opacum and potential predators were also noted. Like other species in the genus Ambystoma, adult A. opacum are mostly fossorial and rarely seen above ground outside of the breeding season. During the breeding season, adults make their way to the breeding pools. Males ventured to the breeding pool first in early September and ranged in size from 49 to 75mm …

The Relationship Between Ohio River Bass Tournament Success Rates, Forage Fish Abundance And Environmental Conditions, Jeffrey V. Ginger

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Due to increasing pressure from Ohio River bass anglers with regard to decreasing catch rates in 1981,1990, and 1997, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) initiated a study of black bass populations. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), in conjunction with state and Federal agencies, has collected population data on Ohio River fishes at lock chambers and has measured various water quality parameters since 1957. That data coupled with Ohio River bass tournament data collected by the DNR since 1975 and other fishery data sets provided a historic look into the variability of angler success. These …

Ecology And Population Demography Of The Hellbender, Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis, In West Virginia, W. Jeffrey Humphries

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Using mark-recapture, I studied the population demography and habitat use of the hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, in the West Fork of the Greenbrier River, Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Eighteen nocturnal surveys were conducted between April and October, 1998, during which 29 hellbenders were implanted with permanent tags. Male to female sex ratio was 1.06:1. Hellbenders were sexually dimorphic, as females were significantly longer and heavier than males. Total lengths for all captured animals ranged from 29.5 - 56.5 cm and mass ranged from 150.0 - 905.8 g. Seasonal linear movements for 12 individuals ranged from 0.8 - 70.2 m (mean …