Digital Commons Network^™

Among‐Species Overlap In Rodent Body Size Distributions Predicts Species Richness Along A Temperature Gradient, Quentin D. Read, John M. Grady, Phoebe Zarnetske, Sydne Record, Benjamin Baiser, Jonathan Belmaker, Mao-Ning Tuanmu, Angela L. Strecker, Lydia Beaudrot, Katherine M. Thibault

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Temperature is widely regarded as a major driver of species richness, but the mechanisms are debated. Niche theory suggests temperature may affect richness by filtering traits and species in colder habitats while promoting specialization in warmer ones. However, tests of this theory are rare because niche dimensions are challenging to quantify along broad thermal gradients. Here, we use individual-level trait data from a long-term monitoring network spanning a large geographic extent to test niche-based theory of community assembly in small mammals. We examined variation in body size among 23 communities of North American rodents sampled across the National Ecological Observatory …

Intensive Land Use And Conservation Planning At The University Of Central Florida, Chelsea R. Piner

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Conservation strategies are necessary for cities to meet regional goals of sustainability, but commitments and collaborative efforts among influential stakeholders for economic and developmental growth frequently hinder conservation efforts. This study analyzes how planning documents influence conservation at the University of Central Florida (UCF). I use an inductive method of analysis to explore the stated conservation goals and commitments of UCF's Campus Master Plan. I then compare these objectives with the behaviors of the institution. This research indicates that the absence of collaborative efforts among agencies has resulted in UCF undermining its academic mission. Intensive land-use has sparked global environmental …

Animal Movement Affectsinterpretation Of Occupancy Models From Camera Trap Surveys Of Unmarked Animals, Eric W. Neilson, Tal Avgar, A. Cole Burton, Kate Broadley, Stan Boutin

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Occupancy models are increasingly applied to data from wildlife camera-trap (CT) surveys to estimate distribution, habitat use, or relative abundance of unmarked animals. Fundamental to the occupancy modeling framework is the temporal pattern of detections at camera stations, which is influenced by animal population density and the speed and scale of animal movement. How these factors interact with CT sampling designs to affect the interpretation of occupancy parameter estimates is unclear. We developed a simple yet ecologically relevant animal movement simulation to create CT detections for animal populations varying in movement rate, home range area, and population density. We also …

Bonding And Bridging Forms Of Social Capital In Wildlife Tourism Microentrepreneurship: An Application Of Social Network Analysis, K. C. Birendra, Duarte B. Morals, Erin Seekamp, Jordan Smith, M. Nils Peterson

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Tourism has been recognized as an important economic sector, requiring a high degree of involvement from the entrepreneurial sector to diversify tourism products and services to meet increasing demand. Tourism is often considered a tool for economic development and a strategy to improve the livelihoods of rural citizens. Specifically, nature-based tourism, such as wildlife tourism, is growing faster than tourism in general, providing a myriad of opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurial engagement. However, several obstacles exist for these small-scale tourism enterprises, such as a lack of social capital. This study examined a network of wildlife tourism microentrepreneurs for bonding and bridging …

Global Anthropogenic Phosphorus Loads To Freshwater And Associated Grey Water Footprints And Water Pollution Levels: A High-Resolution Global Study, Mesfin Mekonnen, Arjen Y. Hoekstra

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

We estimate the global anthropogenic phosphorus (P) loads to freshwater and the associated grey water footprints (GWFs) for the period 2002–2010, at a spatial resolution of 5 3 5 arc min, and com- pare the GWF per river basin to runoff to assess the P-related water pollution level (WPL). The global anthro- pogenic P load to freshwater systems from both diffuse and point sources is estimated at 1.5 Tg/yr. More than half of this total load was in Asia, followed by Europe (19%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (13%). The domestic sector contributed 54% to the total, agriculture 38%, …

Evaluation Of Acoustic Telemetry Grids For Determining Aquatic Animal Movement And Survival, Richard T. Kraus, Christopher M. Holbrook, Christopher S. Vandergoot, Taylor R, Stewart, Matthew D. Faust, Douglas A. Watkinson, Colin Charles, Mark A. Pegg, Eva C. Enders, Charles C. Krueger

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

1. Acoustic telemetry studies have frequently prioritized linear configurations of hydrophone receivers, such as perpendicular from shorelines or across rivers, to detect the presence of tagged aquatic animals. This approach introduces unknown bias when receivers are stationed for convenience at geographic bottlenecks (e.g. at the mouth of an embayment or between islands) as opposed to deployments following a statistical sampling design.

2. We evaluated two-dimensional acoustic receiver arrays (grids: receivers spread uniformly across space) as an alternative approach to provide estimates of survival, movement and habitat use. Performance of variably spaced receiver grids (5–25 km spacing) was evaluated by simulating …

Mitochondrial And Nuclear Sequences For Phylogenetic Analysis Of Three Cephalopod Species, Northern Gulf Of Mexico, May 2015 To May 2017, Amanda Sosnowki

DEEPEND Datasets

The midwater column contains a wide diversity of cephalopods in the northern Gulf of Mexico. DNA sequence data (barcodes) have become a key tool to discover hidden biodiversity. We generated mitochondrial DNA barcode datasets based on the Cytochrome c oxidase I (COI), 16s, and 28s genes from cephalopods. These data were analyzed using phylogenetic methods to examine possible connectivity of 3 species (Vampyroteuthis infernalis, Pyroteuthis margaritifera, and Cranchia scabra) between two basins, the Gulf of Mexico and the area surrounding Bear Seamount in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. These datasets were generated from cephalopods collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico …

2018 Platte River Basin Ecosystem Symposium Proceedings

Water Current Newsletter

CONTENTS

SESSION 1: WATERBIRD HABITAT . 3-9

SANDHILL CRANE ROOSTING HABITAT AND RIVER FLOWS, D.M. Baasch, P.D. Farrell*, A.J. Caven, K.C. King, J.M. Farnsworth, and C.B. Smith 3

HABITAT USE OF SANDHILL CRANES AND WATERFOWL ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH PLATTE RIVERS IN NEBRASKA, D.M. Varner*, A.T. Pearse, A.A. Bishop, J.I. Davis, J.C. Denton, R.C. Grosse, H.M. Johnson, E.J. Munter, K.D. Schroeder, R.E. Spangler, M.P. Vrtiska, and A.E. Wright 3

TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL SHIFTS: THE EFFECTS OF WINTER TEMPERATURES AND HABITAT CHANGE ON SANDHILL CRANE ROOSTING DISTRIBUTIONS IN THE CENTRAL PLATTE RIVER VALLEY, A.J. Caven*, E.M. Brinley Buckley, K.C. King, …

16s And Coi Barcoding Sequences For Crustaceans Collected From The Northern Gulf Of Mexico For Cruises Dp02, Dp03, And Dp04 From August 2015 - August 2016, Heather Bracken-Grissom Dr.

DEEPEND Datasets

These are the 16S and COI barcoding sequences for crustaceans collected on cruises DP02, DP03, and DP04. These barcodes, obtained from the species we collected, will be used to aid in species identification efforts, evolutionary relationships analyses, adult-larval linkages, and new species discoveries. Samples were taken from animals collected during cruises that took place in the northern Gulf of Mexico from August 2015 - August 2016.

Analysis Of Veterinary Drug Residues In Imported And Domestic Crawfish Using Liquid Chromatography—Mass Spectrometry, Emily Kate Wall

LSU Master's Theses

Aquaculture production has greatly increased over the past few decades, and will continue to grow as the world fisheries become overfished and demand for seafood increases. With increased production comes more intense cultivation methods and heavy use of formulated feeds that may contain veterinary drug residues. Currently no antibiotics are allowed in the U.S. for crawfish aquaculture; yet, detectable levels of various antibiotics have been found in imported seafood samples.The FDA is responsible for testing aquaculture products entering the United States, but only has the capabilities to test a minimal amount of those imports. Additionally, for crawfish there is only …

Riverbank Filtration Impacts On Post Disinfection Water Quality In Small Systems—A Case Study From Auburn And Nebraska City, Nebraska, Matteo D'Alessio, Bruce Dvorak, Chittaranjan Ray

Nebraska Water Center: Faculty Publications

Small water systems can experience a fluctuating quality of water in the distribution system after disinfection. As chlorine is the most common disinfectant for small systems, the occurrence of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) represents a common problem for these systems. Riverbank filtration (RBF) can be a valuable solution for small communities located on riverbanks. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (i) the improvements in water quality at two selected RBF systems, and (ii) the potential lower concentrations of DBPs, in particular, trihalomethanes (THMs), in small systems that use RBF. Two small communities in Nebraska, Auburn and Nebraska City, using …

Hybrid Speciation In Birds, With Special Reference To Darwin's Finches, G. E. Hill, R. M. Zink

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Deer, Bear, And Forest Trends In The North Georgia Mountains: The Value Of Long-Term Data, Andrew R. Little, Gino J. D'Angelo, Charlie H. Killmaster, Kristina L. Johannsen, Karl V. Miller

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Most state wildlife agencies collect harvest data to inform management decisions. However, these data are typically considered across relatively short time periods and are rarely revisited. We present a case study using historical records to investigate potential agents (i.e., harvest, predation, and forest change) influencing the declining white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population in the north Georgia mountains. We used long-term black bear (Ursus americanus) and deer harvest data, and indices of forest stand conditions from 1979–2015 on eight Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in the north Georgia mountains. During 1979–2015, harvest of male and female deer declined by 85% and 97%, …

Effects Of Patch Size And Basal Area On Avian Taxonomic And Functional Diversity In Pine Forests: Implication For The Influence Of Habitat Quality On The Species–Area Relationship, Myung-Bok Lee, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Relationships between avian diversity and habitat area are assumed to be positive; however, often little attention has given to how these relationships can be influenced by the habitat structure or quality. In addition, other components of biodiversity, such as functional diversity, are often overlooked in assessing habitat patch value. In the Sandhills Ecoregion of Georgia, USA, we investigated the relationship between avian species richness and functional diversity, forest basal area, and patch size in pine forests using basal area as a surrogate for overstory structure which in turn impacts vegetation structure and determines habitat quality within a patch. We conducted …

Juvenile Rockfish Show Resilience To Co2-Acidification And Hypoxia Across Multiple Biological Scales, Brittany E. Davis, Lisa M. Komoroske, Matthew J. Hansen, Jamilynn B. Poletto, Emily N. Perry, Nathan A. Miller, Sean M. Ehlman, Sarah G. Wheeler, Andrew Sih, Anne E. Todgham, Nann A. Fangue

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

California’s coastal ecosystems are forecasted to undergo shifting ocean conditions due to climate change, some of which may negatively impact recreational and commercial fish populations. To understand if fish populations have the capacity to respond to multiple stressors, it is critical to examine interactive effects across multiple biological scales, from cellular metabolism to species interactions. This study examined the effects of CO₂-acidification and hypoxia on two naturally cooccurring species, juvenile rockfish (genus Sebastes) and a known predator, cabezon (Scorpaenichthys marmoratus). Fishes were exposed to two PCO₂ levels at two dissolved oxygen (DO) levels: ~600 …

Kori Bustards (Ardeotis Kori) Respond To Vegetation Density And Elevation In The Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana L'Abondance De L'Outarde Kori (Ardeotis Kori) Varie Selon La Végétation Et L'Élévation Dans La Réserve De Chasse De Northern Tuli, Botswana, Kathryn R. Mccollum, Larkin A. Powell, Andrei Shyman, Mary Bomberger Brown, John P. Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Conservation planning and decision making for species of concern requires precise information on abundance and habitat associations. We conducted transect surveys throughout the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, Botswana during June–July 2014 and May– July 2015 to estimate the occupancy and abundance of Kori Bustards (Ardeotis kori). The probability of occupancy of Kori Bustards was greater in areas with tree canopy cover ≤ 50% (ψ2014 = 0.37, SE ± 0.09; ψ2015 = 0.39, SE ± 0.06) when compared with areas with tree canopy cover > 50% (ψ2014 = 0.00, SE ± 0.00; ψ2015 = 0.00, SE ± 0.00). Densities of Kori Bustards …

Population Genomic Analysis Of North American Eastern Wolves (Canis Lycaon) Supports Their Conservation Priority Status, Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Ryan J. Harrigan, Linda Y. Rutledge, Klaus-Peter Koepfli, Alexandra L. Decandia, Kristin E. Brzeski, John F. Benson, Tyler Wheeldon, Brent R. Patterson, Roland Kays, Paul A. Hohenlohe, Bridgett M. Von Holdt

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The threatened eastern wolf is found predominantly in protected areas of central Ontario and has an evolutionary history obscured by interbreeding with coyotes and gray wolves, which challenges its conservation status and subsequent management. Here, we used a population genomics approach to uncover spatial patterns of variation in 281 canids in central Ontario and the Great Lakes region. This represents the first genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset with substantial sample sizes of representative populations. Although they comprise their own genetic cluster, we found evidence of eastern wolf dispersal outside of the boundaries of protected areas, in that the frequency …

Exploring The Role Of Relational Practices In Water Governance Using A Game-Based Approach, Piotr Magnuszewski, Karolina Krolikowska, Anna Koch, Michal Pajak, Craig R. Allen, Victoria Chraibi, Anil Giri, Danielle Haak, Noelle Hart, Michelle Hellman, Donald Pan, Nathan Rossman, Jan Sendzimir, Maggi S. Sliwinski, Joanna Stefanska, Tharsi Taillieu, Denise Marie Weide, Ilonka Zlatar

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The growing complexity and interdependence of water management processes requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders in water governance. Multi-party collaboration is increasingly vital at both the strategy development and implementation levels. Multi-party collaboration involves a process of joint decision-making among key stakeholders in a problem domain directed towards the future of that domain. However, the common goal is not present from the beginning; rather, the common goal emerges during the process of collaboration. Unfortunately, when the conflicting interests of different actors are at stake, the large majority of environmental multi-party efforts often do not reliably deliver sustainable improvements to policy …

Road Induced Edge Effects On A Forest Bird Community In Tropical Asia, Daphawan Khamcha, Richard T. Corlett, Larkin A. Powell, Tommaso Savini, Antony J. Lynam, George A. Gale

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Background: Edge effects cause changes in bird community richness, abundance, and/or distribution within a landscape, but the avian guilds most influenced can vary among regions. Although Southeast Asia has the highest rates of deforestation and projected species loss, and is currently undergoing an explosive growth in road infrastructure, there have been few studies of the effects of forest edges on avian communities in this region.

Methods: We examined avian community structure in a dry evergreen forest in northeastern Thailand adjacent to a five-lane highway. We evaluated the richness and abundance of birds in 11 guilds at 24 survey points on …

Extreme Group Sizes In A Colonial Bird Favored During A Rare Climatic Event, Charles R. Brown, Mary B. Brown

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

What maintains stasis in animal group-size distributions is an unresolved problem in behavioral ecology. One potential driver could be rare climatic events that favor certain group sizes in ways that do not occur in normal conditions. We investigated mortality among colonially nesting cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) during a rare climatic event in western Nebraska in 1996 that led to the starvation of thousands of adult birds. Colonies at the extreme end of the size distribution exhibited less size reduction (higher adult survival) than those of intermediate size. That this event resulted in disruptive selection on colony size was …

Enhancing Quantitative Approaches For Assessing Community Resilience, W. C. Chuang, A. Garmestani, T. N. Eason, T. L. Spanbauer, H. B. Fried-Peterson, C. P. Roberts, S. M. Sundstrom, J. L. Burnett, D. G. Angeler, B. C. Chaffin, L. Gunderson, D. Twidwell, C. R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Scholars from many different intellectual disciplines have attempted to measure, estimate, or quantify resilience. However, there is growing concern that lack of clarity on the operationalization of the concept will limit its application. In this paper, we discuss the theory, research development and quantitative approaches in ecological and community resilience. Upon noting the lack of methods that quantify the complexities of the linked human and natural aspects of community resilience, we identify several promising approaches within the ecological resilience tradition that may be useful in filling these gaps. Further, we discuss the challenges for consolidating these approaches into a more …

River Otter Distribution In Nebraska, Nathan R. Bieber, Samuel P. Wilson, Craig R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The river otter (Lontra canadensis) was extirpated from Nebraska, USA, in the early 1900s and reintroduced starting in 1986. Information is needed regarding the distribution of river otters in Nebraska before decisions can be made regarding its conservation status. Understanding distribution of a species is critically important for effective management. We investigated river otter distribution in Nebraska with occupancy modeling and maximum entropy (Maxent) modeling using 190 otter sign observations on Nebraska’s navigable rivers and 380 historical otter records from November 1977 to April 2014. Both methods identified the Platte River, Elkhorn River, central and eastern Niobrara River, …

The Distribution And Role Of Functional Abundance In Cross‐Scale Resilience, Shana M. Sundstrom, David G. Angeler, Chris Barichievy, Tarsha Eason, Ahjond Garmestani, Lance Gunderson, Melinda Knutson, Kirsty L. Nash, Trisha Spanbauer, Craig Stow, Craig R. Allen

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The cross-scale resilience model suggests that system-level ecological resilience emerges from the distribution of species’ functions within and across the spatial and temporal scales of a system. It has provided a quantitative method for calculating the resilience of a given system and so has been a valuable contribution to a largely qualitative field. As it is currently laid out, the model accounts for the spatial and temporal scales at which environmental resources and species are present and the functional roles species play but does not inform us about how much resource is present or how much function is provided. In …

Ranchers: Perceptions Of Vegetation Heterogeneity In The Northern Great Plains, Maggi Sliwinski, Mark Burbach, Larkin A. Powell, Walter Schacht

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

African Lion (Panthera Leo) Space Use In The Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, Andrei Snyman, Edward Raynor, Chris Chizinski, Larkin Powell, John Carroll

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

First U-Pb Zircon Ages For Late Miocene Ashfall Konservat-Lagerstatte And Grove Lake Ashes From Eastern Great Plains, Usa, Jon J. Smith, Elijah Turner, Andreas Moller, R.M. Joeckel, Rick E. Otto

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

From Fragmented To Joint Responsibilities: Barriers And Opportunities For Adaptive Water Quality Governance In California’S Urban-Agricultural Interface, Ann Drevno

Staff Works

No abstract provided.

Resource Review, Timothy S. O'Connell

Research in Outdoor Education

Daughters of the forest: Saving the forest one girl at a time [DVD]. Directed by Samantha Grant, Oley, PA, Bullfrog Films, Inc., 2017, 56 minutes, $295.00, ISBN 1-941545-79-3

Quantifying The Human-Nature Relationship: A User's Guide, Kelly S. Cartwright, Denise Mitten

Research in Outdoor Education

A growing trend in environmental research is the quantification of the human-nature relationship. This review of human-nature psychometric instruments should be used as a reference for individuals seeking to incorporate these tools into their outdoor and environmental education research. Extensive literature review and autoethnographic techniques were employed to identify and evaluate thirty-four instruments. Instruments were evaluated on structure, ease of use, and concepts represented. Diversity exists amongst the instruments in terms of length, concepts reflected, and structure. The majority of tools reflect environmental attitudes/views (16) or relationship/connection with nature (13). Fewer instruments reflect concern, identity, or environmental behavior. Twenty-eight instruments …

Resource Assessment Report Western Australian Sea Cucumber Resource, Anthony M. Hart, D. V. Murphy, N Caputi, Alexander Hesp, E. A. Fisher

WA Marine Stewardship Council report series

This document provides a cumulative description and assessment of the Sea Cucumber Resource and all of the fishing activities (i.e. fisheries / fishing sectors) affecting this resource in Western Australia (WA). The overall resource comprises two main species (sandfish Holothuria scabra and redfish Actinopyga echinites), and few minor species that inhabit the tropical shallow continental shelf waters of the North Coast Bioregion.