Digital Commons Network^™

Lychas Jakli Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Indonesia, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

A new species Lychas jakli sp. n. (Scorpiones: Buthidae) is described from Indonesia, fully illustrated with color photos showing its morphology and habitus. A new synonymy is proposed: Lychas kotao Lourenço, 2020 = Lychas mucronatus (Fabricius, 1798), syn. n.

Thirteen New Species Of Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) From Texas, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Nick V. Grishin

Insecta Mundi

Analyses of whole genomic shotgun datasets, COI barcodes, morphology, and historical literature suggest that the following 13 butterfly species from the family Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in Texas, USA are distinct from their closest named relatives and therefore are described as new (type localities are given in parenthesis): Spicauda atelis Grishin, new species (Hidalgo Co., Mission), Urbanus (Urbanus) rickardi Grishin, new species (Hidalgo Co., nr. Madero), Urbanus (Urbanus) oplerorum Grishin, new spe­cies (Hidalgo Co., Mission/Madero), Telegonus tsongae Grishin, new species (Starr Co., Roma), Autochton caballo Grishin, new species (Hidalgo Co., 6 mi W of Hidalgo), Epargyreus fractigutta …

Taxonomic Notes On The Luciolinae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), Oliver Keller, Lesley Ballantyne

Insecta Mundi

Several nomenclatural changes for taxa in the firefly subfamily Luciolinae (Coleoptera: Lampyri­dae) are proposed. Evidence is presented to correct the year of description for Luciola dregei Motschulsky 1853 to Motschulsky 1854 when the name was ratified. We correct the authorities and years of descriptions for type species designations for the genera Delopleurus Motschulsky, 1853, and Delopyrus Motschulsky, 1853 to Motschulsky 1854 for both. All remaining taxa described as variations in the subfamily Luciolinae by McDermott (1966), are evaluated to subspecies with their availability determined based on ICZN (1999) Article 45.6.

New Host And Distribution Records Plus Additional Notes For North American Species Of Chrysobothris Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), With Designation Of A Lectotype For Chrysobothris Vulcanica Leconte, 1861, Richard L. Westcott

Insecta Mundi

New distribution and host records plus additional notes are provided for North American spe­cies in the genus Chrysobothris Eschscholtz (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Forty-one species are treated. The occurrence of Chrysobothris bicolor Horn in the USA is refuted. Chrysobothris breviloboides Barr is newly synonymized with Chrysobothris breviloba Fall. The southernmost record for Chrysobothris piuta Wick­ham, from Baja California, Mexico, is established. A specimen of the Argentinian Chrysobothris rugosa Gory and Laporte labeled from Florida is reported. A lectotype for Chrysobothris vulcanica LeConte is newly designated.

A New Species Of Biclonuncaria Razowski And Becker, 1993 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Polyorthini) From Costa Rica, John W. Brown

Insecta Mundi

Biclonuncaria recurvana, new species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Polyorthini), is described and il­lustrated from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica. It is most similar to B. conica Razowski, 1993, from Mexico, but the two are easily distinguished by features of the male genitalia. Biclo­nuncaria recurvana has been reared (n = 12 specimens) from field-collected larvae feeding on the leaves of Dalbergia glomerata Hemsley (Fabaceae), consistent with the previously reported host plant for B. dalbergiae Razowski and Becker, 1993, which has been reared from Dalbergia in Brazil.

New Species And Taxonomical And Geographical Notes On Cerambycidae And Disteniidae (Coleoptera: Chrysomeloidea), Daniel Heffern, Juan Pablo Botero, Antonio Santos-Silva

Insecta Mundi

Four new species of Coleoptera are described: Pentanodes clavatus new species, from Ecuador; Pentanodes baldwini new species, from Panama (Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae: Tillomorphini); Elytrimita­trix (Grossifemora) dilatata new species, from Mexico (Disteniidae) and Novantinoe falsa new species, from Mexico (Disteniidae). Taxonomical notes on Euderces cribellatus (Bates, 1885) (Tillomorphini) and Oreodera Audinet-Serville, 1835 (Lamiinae: Acrocinini) are provided. Additionally, new records are provided for Oreo­dera noguerai McCarty, 2001 (new state record), Adetus croton Heffern, Santos-Silva and Botero, 2019 (new country record), Icimauna sarauaia Martins and Galileo, 1991 (new country record), and Phoebe mexicana Bates, 1881 (new state record).

Assessment Of Carbon Productivity Dynamics In Aspen Stands Under Climate Change Based On Forest Inventories In Central Siberia, Andrey Andreevich Vais, Valentina Valerievna Popova, Alina Andreevna Andronova, Viktor Nikolaevich Nemich, Artem Gennadievich Nepovinnykh, Pavel Vladimirovich Mikhaylov

Aspen Bibliography

The aim of the present research was to study the dynamics of growth and conditions of aspen stands under climate change, according to different periods of forest inventory. The study was conducted in modal aspen forests growing in the subtaiga/forest steppe region of Central Siberia. Aspen forests grow intensively at young age, which allows them to realize maximum carbon sequestration potential. The research was based on forest inventory data from 1972, 1982, 2002, and 2021 (the study was conducted on a limited territory). There was a steady increase in temperatures in the growing season from 1982 to 2002. The amount …

Ecological Complexity And Avoiding Pest Resurgence: Intuitions From Mathematical Ecology, Theresa Ong, John H. Vandermeer

Dartmouth Scholarship

Pest resurgence is defined by a predictable increase in pests following declines resulting from the implementation of pest management practices. This phenomenon is notorious; familiar in biblical references to cyclical plagues of locust and discussions of pesticide treadmills, where pests resurge following the evolution of pesticide resistance. Targeted “silver-bullet” approaches, whether chemical, mechanical, biological, or genetic in nature, apply a reductionist lens toward the removal of a specific target pest, often ignoring ecological context, by application of said silver-bullet. In this review article, we cover how past and recent developments in theoretical ecology and complex systems dynamics provide a general …

Fire Impacts And Dynamics Of Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest Of East Java, Indonesia, Sutomo, Eddie J. B. Van Etten

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTFs) are globally important ecosystems which receive less research attention compared to tropical rainforests but are equally under serious threat. The objectives of this paper are to characterize the vegetation structure, diversity and composition of SDTF of Baluran National Park, East Java, Indonesia, and to assess the impact of burning this SDTF and its post-fire recovery. Methods: In the field, we measured floristic composition and dominance at sites with different fire histories in both SDTF and adjacent savannas of Baluran. Remote sensing image analysis was also employed using the MODIS burn area product and various …

A Dynamical System Model Of Dengue Transmission For Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Gregory Schmidt, Benjamin Whipple, Vinodh Chellamuthu, Xiaoxia Xie

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics

The dengue virus is a serious concern in many parts of the world, including Brazil. As data indicates, a prominent vector for dengue is the mosquito Aedes aegypti. By using the dengue incidence records from the Brazilian SINAN database, we estimate the population of A. aegypti within the city of Rio de Janeiro. Using historical climate data for Rio de Janeiro and the computed population estimates, we extend an existing model for the population dynamics of mosquitoes to incorporate precipitation in aquatic stages of development for A. aegypti.

Subgenera Of Dacne Latreille, 1797 (Erotylidae: Erotylinae: Dacnini) Given Full Generic Rank, Paul E. Skelley

Insecta Mundi

Previously described subgenera of Dacne Latreille, 1797 (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) show charac­ter states and combinations implying closer relationships with genera other than with Dacne, suggesting “Dacne” is not monophyletic. These characters are briefly discussed along with the genera sharing the charac­ters. To improve the current classification, the subgenera of Dacne are raised to generic status as: Afrodacne Delkeskamp, 1954, Ameridacne Skelley, 2009, and Xenodacne Boyle, 1956. A checklist of all species included in these genera is presented, updating generic combinations as needed.

Still A Private Universe? Community College Students’ Understanding Of Evolution, Meredith A. Dorner, Philip Sadler, Brian Alters

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Measuring what students know and retain about evolution is essential to improving our understanding of how students learn evolution. The literature shows that college students appear to have a poor understanding of evolution, answering questions on various instruments correctly only about half of the time. There is little research regarding evolution understanding among community college students and so this study examines if those students who are enrolled in life science classes, who are assessed using questions based on grade eight standards, show a better understanding of evolutionary principles than younger students and if there are differences in knowledge based …

A Comparison Of Microsatellites And Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms For The Assessment Of Population Structure In The Amblyomma Maculatum Koch, 1844 Species Complex, Henrey A. Deese

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum Koch, 1844 is widespread throughout North and Central America and is the primary vector for the emerging pathogen Rickettsia parkeri. In the U.S., the population in the Southwest (A. maculatum morphotype III) is morphologically different from the population east of the Rocky Mountains (A. maculatum morphotype II). This research tests the hypothesis that A. maculatum morphotype II and morphotype III represent distinct species through the analysis and comparison of 6 microsatellite loci and suite of 135,221 Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated from ddRADseq. Population genetic analysis of both microsatellites and SNPs …

Assessing The Unionid Assemblage Of The Robert C. Byrd Pool, Ohio River, Ethan Hunter Bellamy

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Unionid mussels are the most imperiled taxa in the United States and are vastly understudied. The entire Robert C. Byrd (RCB) pool of the Ohio River is the study area. I selected sites from the 2019 and 2013 ORSANCO RCB pool assessments that utilize random site selection across the pool. I used SCUBA to survey and collect data on unionid diversity, reproduction, and habitat. I collected 1,083 individuals over 19 species in RCB pool. I compared results from RCB pool survey to two similar surveys conducted in Greenup Pool. Both richness and abundance in the Upper Section of Greenup Pool …

Characterizing The Vegetation And Effects Of Climate Change On Parris Island, A Sea Island Ecosystem, Cody Hart Goodson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Coastal habitats provide many ecosystem services, protecting coastlines from storm surges and erosion, diminishing the effects of eutrophication, sequestering large amounts of carbon, and acting as vital wildlife habitat. Sea-level rise and increased storm surge intensity associated with climate change are increasingly disrupting coastal habitats. These disturbances can shift environmental gradients that drive the zonation of coastal vegetation types, driving habitat conversion. Monitoring coastal habitat conversion can improve our understanding of the dynamic effects of climate change on these landscapes. Therefore, our objectives for chapter 1 were to identify and describe the distributions of vegetation types present on Marine Corps …

An Analysis Of The Preferences, Morphometrics, And Survey Efficacy Of The Freshwater Mussel Community In The Greenup Pool, Ohio River, Jacob Miller

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Greenup Pool is one of the most unique pools of the Ohio River in terms of habitat richness and anthropogenic impact both historical and current. The Greenup Pool spans 61.8 miles reaching from Greenup Dam in Greenup, KY to Robert C. Byrd Dam in Apple Grove, WV. We surveyed 17 sites to assess mussel communities within the Greenup Pool using the 2017 West Virginia Mussel Survey Protocol. At these sites, six 100-meter transects were surveyed for surface and subsurface mussels. Each transect was divided into 10-meter intervals. These surveys resulted in 4,041 live individuals from 21 species, including eight …

Salve Regina University Hydroponic Growing Guide: Dolores Chive, Hanna E. Lloyd

Hydroponic Center

This Salve Regina Hydroponic Growing Guide describes the process of hydroponically growing Dolores Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) in a tower system. This grow guide is based on the research project completed by third year student, Hanna Lloyd, through the Hydroponic Practicum, during the 2023 spring semester. Dolores chives are an aromatic herb which grow as tall, thin, green, leaves. Chives thrive under direct light with nutrient-rich water, and propagate under grow lights in approximately 15 days. When grown in a hydroponic tower, chives can reach up to 12-20 inches in length. The following guide provides information on optimal pH, optimal nutrient …

Data To Accompany "Altered Heat-Avoidance Behavior Following Damage To The Extended Architecture Of Mexican Jumping Bean Moth Larvae (Cydia Saltitans)", Anna Purtell, Lindsey Swierk

Biological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

In response to physical damage, organisms must balance physical recovery with adaptive responses to other environmental stressors. Understanding how damage and repair influence adaptive responses to high environmental temperatures is of particular interest in light of global climate change. We investigate the impact of damage and subsequent repair on heat-avoidance behaviors in Cydia saltitans larvae inhabiting host seeds (Sebastiana pavoniana) as protective structures (together colloquially known as “Mexican jumping beans”). These larvae perform temperature-dependent “jumping” or “rolling” behaviors to escape extreme heat, which are crucial for larval survival in their native arid and hot subtropical dry forests. Due …

Hitting The Sweet Spot: Optimizing Camera Trapping Effort For Estimating Biodiversity In Coastal Environments, Ella Dipetto, Oleksii Dubovyk, Chi Wei, Angela Brierly, Eric Walters, Alex Teodorescu, Jillian Murphy

College of Sciences Posters

Wildlife trail cameras, or “camera traps”, have become an effective tool in ecological research and conservation management across a variety of ecosystems to monitor a wide range of taxa. Camera trapping allows for extended survey time in traditionally hard-to-survey environments and has greatly increased our ability to detect cryptic species. One question ecologists commonly face is how much sampling effort is required to accurately estimate community composition. Despite the abundant literature that uses camera trapping techniques, few studies have occurred in coastal saltmarsh ecosystems. These ecosystems are being lost at a rapid rate from land conversion, pollution, and other anthropogenic …

Can The Food Preparation Hypothesis Account For Anting Behavior In Birds?, Ella Brady

2023 REYES Proceedings

This report discusses the food preparation hypothesis, one of several proposed hypotheses to explain anting behavior in birds. A brief review of the theory’s history and development, as well as an assessment of evidence for and against such a function of anting, is provided. Although there are indeed experimental data supporting food preparation as the purpose of anting behavior, there is also conflicting evidence which complicates the theory. Ultimately, it is suggested that food preparation is a secondary function of anting – a pleasant but latent “side effect” achieved alongside the behavior’s primary purpose, which is still unknown.

Hypotheses Related To Anting By Birds, Helena Flores

2023 REYES Proceedings

“Anting” is a widespread behavior among bird species and mammals. Due to the various characteristics of this behavior, numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain it. This behavior can be classified as “active”, in which birds take a bill full of ants and rub them into their feathers, or “passive” when birds let ants wander through their plumage. The hypotheses state that anting may be performed as an (1) antiparasitic behavior, for (2) feather grooming, as a way of (3) food preparation or to (4) decrease skin irritation during molt, even as a (5) sensory stimulation tool. This review compiles …

Rapid Growth In Late Cretaceous Sea Turtles Reveals Life History Strategies Similar To Extant Leatherbacks, Laura E. Wilson

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Modern sea turtle long bone osteohistology has been surprisingly well-studied, as it is used to understand sea turtle growth and the timing of life history events, thus informing conservation decisions. Previous histologic studies reveal two distinct bone growth patterns in extant sea turtle taxa, with Dermochelys (leatherbacks) growing faster than the cheloniids (all other living sea turtles). Dermochelys also has a unique life history compared to other sea turtles (large size, elevated metabolism, broad biogeographic distribution, etc.) that is likely linked to bone growth strategies. Despite the abundance of data on modern sea turtle bone growth, extinct sea turtle osteohistology …

Refugia Gardening: Putting It Into Practice, David Koetje, Jason Hill

Summer Research

Calvin has two community gardens: one behind the house on Hampshire and one near the Knollcrest East Apartments. Each year, the plots in both gardens are rented out and used to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. To attract pollinators and provide interest to the Hampshire Garden, we decided to design and plant a refugia garden.

Neural And Behavioral Evolution In An Eavesdropper With A Rapidly Evolving Host, Aaron W. Wikle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The diversification of animal communication systems is driven by many interacting factors. Unintended receivers play an important part in this process, yet little is known about their role in signal evolution. Flies of the genus Ormia are parasitoids of crickets and rely on acoustic cues to locate hosts. In Hawaii, selection imposed by Ormia ochracea has led to recent and rapid diversification in the songs of their host. Here, we compare neural and behavioral responses of Hawaiian flies to those of an ancestral population to understand the role of parasitoid sensory and behavioral variation in the evolution of host songs. …

Surviving The Serenade: How Conflicting Natural And Sexual Selection Drove Rapid Diversification Of Mating Signals In An Insect, James H. Gallagher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how the early stages of sexual signal diversification proceed is of critical importance because the nature of these microevolutionary dynamics can directly shape species trajectories and macroevolutionary patterns. Unfortunately, studying signal diversification is challenging because signals involve complex interactions between behavioral, morphological, and physiological components, many of which can only be measured in real time. Here we had the opportunity to directly study this process with the recent increase in sexual signal variation in Hawaiian populations of the Pacific field cricket (Teleogryllus oceanicus). In Hawaii, male song attracts both female crickets and a deadly acoustically orienting parasitoid …

Using Art To Foster Creation Care And Advance Environmental Sustainability, Orion Wakeman, Dave Warners

Summer Research

Calvin University is on land that drains into the Plaster Creek watershed, which is known as the most contaminated watershed in West Michigan. Plaster Creek Stewards (PCS) is a local watershed group at Calvin University that uses native plantings and curb-cut rain gardens to address human impact to the watershed, including ten areas on Calvin’s campus. The restored habitats and rain gardens are unique features that still perceived by many as a challenge to traditional aesthetics. I embrace the intersection of arts and sciences to provide PCS and Calvin University with visually compelling resources for the public to learn about …

Plant Community Response To Control Of A Dominant Invader At Multiple Scales, Alexander R. B. Goetz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Control of invasive Tamarix spp. in riparian systems has long been a priority for management in western North America, but questions remain regarding the response of the broader plant community to different treatments. Here we summarize a series of approaches at different scales to quantify the effects of Tamarix control on characteristics of this ecosystem, including provisioning of wildlife habitat. In the first chapter we analyzed findings of the last 20 years using meta-analysis and found that although treatment has been successful in reducing Tamarix and promoting native vegetation to some extent, most literature reports very small effect sizes and …

The Evolutionary Causes And Consequences Of Mammalian Hybridization, Kelsie E. Hunnicutt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The natural recombination of divergent genomes within hybrid offspring provides windows through which we can study evolutionary processes and the dynamics of speciation. In this work, I use a combination of comparative and population genomics on both laboratory crosses of divergent rodent lineages and a hybrid zone of cottontail rabbits in the wild to study the causes and consequences of hybridization in mammals. Hybrid sterility is a common reproductive barrier between species that tends to preferentially manifest in the heterogametic sex and frequently genetically maps to the sex chromosomes. Thus, the sex chromosomes appear to play a special role in …

Alterations In C:N Ratio To Understand Plant Metabolic Pathways In Response To Pressure From Goat Grazing In The Invasive Species: Rhamnus Cathartica, Vivian Marchan

Ignite the Spark Outstanding Undergraduate Research and Scholarship

The high fecundity and high germination rates of Rhamus cathartica serves the species to out-compete regional plant native species. Its high abundance in deciduous forest ecosystems forces species that are unable to utilize R. cathartica as a food source to migrate to areas of lower density, further contributing to the decline in regional biodiversity. Bare soil conditions left as the result of the high concentration of Nitrogen in senesced leaves and leaf litter, cause further amplification of the migration of non-plant species to areas of lower R. cathartica density. Nitrogen is essential to primary and secondary metabolism, thus minimizing the …

Investigating Sources Of Microplastics And Effects Of Plastic Pollution On Biofilm Function In The Huron River, Sadie Baker

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Plastics are a global environmental threat due to mass production and the many unknowns regarding the long-term effects of plastic pollution in the environment. Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, and they have become ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems. MPs enter aquatic ecosystems through non-point sources such as urbanization, runoff, or atmospheric fallout or through point-sources such as wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). To determine MP sources in the Huron River, we evaluated MP load (MPs/day) upstream and downstream from urban centers (Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti) and the Ann Arbor WWTP. The average MP load among sample …