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Paleoenvironment And Lateral Extent Of An Exposed Carbonate Build-Up: Horry County, South Carolina, Lisa A. Raterink

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A carbonate build-up exposed in the Intracoastal Waterway in Horry County, South Carolina is estimated to be Pleistocene to Pliocene in age. The carbonate build-up discontinuously spans approximately 12 kilometers of the waterway. Prominent formations in the area consist of the Waccamaw and the Canepatch Formation. A distinct sand layer is present laterally between the build-up and the excavated waterway bank, which consists primarily of well preserved fossil molluscs and echinoderms.

Field observations show that the carbonate build-up is bluish-gray in color and composed of shell fragments, predominantly mollusc, in a mud matrix. Thin sections analyzed, using a petrographic microscope, …

Availability And Toxicity Of Nickel To Lotic Periphyton And Macroinvertebrates, Stephanie Marie Bessom

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There is a lack of information regarding the bioaccumulation and toxicity of nickel (Ni) to lotic ecosystems. The objective of this study was to investigate the source, uptake, and toxicity of Ni by periphyton and macroinvertebrates (Hyalella azteca and Daphnia magna) in simulated stream ecosystems that included sediment and water. Periphyton were exposed to two types of sediment, a low-organic sandy mixture and a high organic silt, treated with varying levels of Ni. After 96 h, Ni levels in overlying water and periphyton were related to those in sediments, although differences existed between sediment types. Tests with 64Ni added to …

Investigating Nickel Flux And Toxicity In Clay Sediments With Batch And Stream Recirculating Flume Experiments, Christina Elizabeth Cloran

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Using batch and stream recirculating flume experiments to compare and contrast one clayey sediment (Warden Ditch) and two analytical grade clay minerals (montmorillonite and kaolinite), the dynamic interactions between two aquatic stressors (suspended solids and nickel) were explored. Aldrich humic acid was incorporated to demonstrate the mitigating effects of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on Ni toxicity. The flux of Ni between compartments (dissolved and sorbed) was quantified as a partition/distribution coefficient. The USEPA test organism Daphnia magna (neonates, < 24 h) was utilized to evaluate toxicity in dynamic non-renewal, short-term bioassays. Generally, toxicity showed a linear relationship with turbidity level. Conversely, sorption coefficients were experiment specific, making them difficult to predict and assess. Clay functioned as an adsorbent, scavenging Ni. Results support the hypotheses that solids and metals act as stressors in streams, DOC attenuates the toxicity of Ni, and Ni fluxes quickly between system compartments.

Hydrogeochemistry And Water Quality Of Echo Hills, Joel M. Kimball

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Ground water of the Echo Hills area in Clark County, Ohio was investigated for common water contaminants such as nitrate and coliform bacteria. Thirty-four water samples were collected from locations including private wells, streams and a spring. Nine of those samples were selected for nitrogen isotope analysis. Three locations were chosen for a tracer test. Additionally, well log data, historical water quality data, and GIS data were obtained from the Clark County Health Department in Springfield, Ohio. Results show that local agriculture likely has the greatest impact on ground water quality in Echo Hills especially the north-eastern portion, with local …

Department Of Fisheries Annual Report To Parliament 2007/08, Government Of Western Australia Department Of Fisheries

Department of Fisheries Annual Reports

In accordance with Section 61 of the Financial Management Act 2006 (FMA) and Section 263 of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA), | submit for your information the Annual Report to Parliament of the Department of Fisheries of Western Australia for the financial year ending 30 June 2008.

If there is a key word to describe the bulk of the Department of Fisheries' achievements during 2007/08, 'collaborative' fits very well.

Collaboration is, of course, essential in the work of a government agency that deals with a variety of clients, and must be accountable to the Parliament and public of …

Effects, Uptake, And Fate Of 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene Aged In Soil In Plants And Worms, Elly Ph Best, Henry E. Tatem, Kaaren N. Geter, Melissa L. Wells, Brian K. Lane

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

The present study was aimed at providing data to be used at predicting exposure-based effects of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) aged in soil on endpoint organisms representing two trophic levels. These data can be used to define criteria or reference values for environmental management and conducting specific risk assessment. Long-term exposure tests were conducted to evaluate sublethal toxicity and uptake of aged soil-based explosives, with TNT as the main contaminant. In these tests, plants were exposed for 55 d, and biomass and explosives residues were determined. Worms were exposed for 28 and 42 d, and biomass, number, and tissue residues were determined. …

Plant-Feeding Hemiptera And Orthoptera Communities In Native And Restored Mesic Tallgrass Prairies, Kristine T. Nemec, Thomas B. Bragg

United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Aboveground Hemiptera and Orthoptera communities were compared among three native and three restored mesic tallgrass prairies along the Platte River in central Nebraska to assess both the relative success of restored sites and the relationship between insect and plant communities. Hemiptera and Orthoptera were sampled using sweep nets in early June, mid-July, and mid-August 2000. Plant species composition was assessed in early June and mid-August. A total of 89 Auchenorrhyncha (71 Cicadellidae, 15 Fulgoroidea, and 3 Membracidae) and 23 orthopterans (15 Acrididae and 8 Tettigoniidae) were collected. Eighty-five plant species were observed in combined study sites. Shannon diversity was significantly …

Evaluation Of Aerial Cluster Sampling Of Double-Crested Cormorants On Aquaculture Ponds In Mississippi, Brian S. Dorr, Loren W. Burger Jr., Scott C. Barras

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Concern over increasing numbers of double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and their impacts on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) aquaculture has resulted in increased need for quantitative information to develop and evaluate depredation management efforts. We evaluated aerial surveys in a stratified cluster sampling (SCS) design to estimate and monitor abundance of cormorants on catfish aquaculture ponds in the Yazoo River Basin of Mississippi, USA (hereafter Yazoo Basin). Twice monthly abundance estimates and coefficient of variation during winter averaged 8,128 (n = 29, SE = 1,233) and 33% (n = 29, SE = 0.02), respectively. Counts of cormorants …

Foot-And-Mouth Disease In North American Bison (Bison Bison) And Elk (Cervus Elaphus Nelsoni): Susceptibility, Intra- And Interspecies Transmission, Clinical Signs, And Lesions, Jack Rhyan, Ming Deng, He Wang, Gordon Ward, Thomas Gidlewski, Matthew Mccollum, Samia Metwally, Thomas Mckenna, Sherrilyn Wainwright, Antonio Ramirez, Charles Mebus, Mo Salman

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

There is limited information about the pathogenesis and epidemiology of foot-andmouth disease (FMD) in North American bison (Bison bison) or elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni). In these two experimental infection studies, we compared the susceptibilities of bison and elk to FMD virus (FMDV), respectively, with that of cattle; determined whether intra- and interspecies transmission could occur in bison and cattle, and elk and cattle; determined suitability of conventional available laboratory tests to detect FMDV infection in bison and elk; and investigated whether bison or elk are efficient long-term carriers of FMDV. In both studies, after a period …

Mammalian Visitation To Candidate Feral Swine Attractants, Tyler A. Campbell, David B. Long

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Few data exist regarding suitable feral swine (Sus scrofa) attractants in the United States. We compared species-specific visitation and contact rates of mammals to 11 candidate feral swine attractants at scent stations using motion-sensing digital photography to identify promising attractants. We found feral swine had greater visitation rates to apple and strawberry stations than to control stations. We recommend managers consider using strawberry attractants for feral swine-specific applications. If, however, a general feral swine attractant is needed, then apple, berry, or caramel attractants may perform well.

Avoidance Of Hydrolyzed Casein By Mice, Kristin L. Field, Bruce A. Kimball, Julie A. Mennella, Gary K. Beauchamp, Alexander A. Bachmanov

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

When casein, a milk protein, is hydrolyzed, it renders human foods that contain it (e.g., hypoallergenic infant formula, cheeses) distasteful to many people. This rejection of hydrolyzed casein (HC)-containing foods has recently been found to also occur in a non-human species (deer, Odocoileus spp.). Identifying other animals that avoid HC would facilitate understanding how and why HC-containing food is often rejected. This study determined whether HC-containing food is avoided by Mus musculus and whether consumption patterns were sensitive to testing conditions, specifically food form (powder, pellet or dough) and food access (ad libitum or 1.5 h/day following 6 h …

A Grower’S Guide For Planting Wildlife Conservation Sunflower Plots, George M. Linz, H. Jeffrey Homan, Heath M. Hagy, Jon M. Raetzman, Linda B. Penry, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wildlife conservation sunflower plots (lure plots) are used to protect high value oil and confectionery sunflower. Lure plots are used to draw blackbirds away from commercial fields to reduce sunflower damage. From 2004-2007, USDA Wildlife Services funded a pilot program for growers to plant 20-acre lure plots to test their effectiveness for reducing damage to nearby commercial fields. Damage in the plots ranged from 0% to 100%. We describe here the characteristics of the lure plots that received extensive bird damage. These characteristics provide examples for the proper use of lure plots.

Breeding Red-Winged Blackbird Response To Conspecific Models Placed In Pre-Copulatory Position: Implications For Reproductive Control, Laurel L. Moulton, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Sunflower producers in the northern Great Plains are annually plagued by feeding flocks of blackbirds, especially red-winged blackbirds (RWBL). Increased sunflower production and concomitant human-blackbird conflicts have prompted sunflower producers to demand that management strategies be developed to reduce the annual crop losses estimated at ≥ $10 million (Linz et al. 1996). Past techniques aimed at reducing blackbird damage have had varying degrees of success and the annual loss of sunflower remains the same (Peer et al. 2002). Thus, there is a need for new innovative approaches to managing blackbird damage.

One approach is to find non-lethal species-specific methods of …

Evaluation Of Stop-Level Vs. Route-Level Breeding Bird Survey Counts For Modeling The Influence Of Land Use And Climate On Breeding Blackbird Abundance In North Dakota, Michelle L. Petersen, George M. Linz, Greg Forcey, Wayne Thogmartin, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), and Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) are the three most abundant blackbird species (Icteridae) found in North Dakota and comprise almost 10% of its avian population (Stewart and Kantrud 1972). Blackbird abundance combined with their food habitats make them significant agricultural pests on sunflower. Cost estimates for blackbird damage to sunflower in the North Dakota are likely over $10 million dollars annually (Kleingartner, pers. comm). Because of this economic impact blackbirds have on agriculture, it is important to understand land use and climatic factors influencing blackbird …

Development Of Polymorphic Microsatellite Loci For The Common Vampire Bat, Desmodus Rotundus (Chiroptera: Phylostomidae), Antoinette J. Piaggio, John J. Johnston, Susan L. Perkins

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) is one of three haematophagous species of bats and the only species in this genus. These New World bats prey on mammals and create significant economic impacts through transmission of rabies in areas where livestock are prevalent. Furthermore, in some portions of their range, it is not uncommon for them to prey upon humans. It is critical to the management of this species and for understanding the spread of bat rabies that detailed studies of D. rotundus population structure be conducted. To further such studies, we have characterized 12 microsatellite loci for …

Isolation Of Microsatellite Loci From The Coqui Frog, Eleutherodactylus Coqui, Maureen B. Peters, Karen H. Beard, Cris Hagen, Eric M. O'Neill, Karen E. Mock, William Pitt

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Thirteen microsatellite loci were isolated from the coqui frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) and optimized for future research. The loci were screened across 37 individuals from two Puerto Rican populations. Loci were variable with the number of alleles per locus ranging from three to 38. Polymorphic information content ranged from 0.453 to 0.963 and observed heterozygosity for each population ranged from 0.320 to 0.920.

Avian Use Of Rice-Baited Trays Attached To Cages With Live Decoy Blackbirds In Central North Dakota, Jamison B. Winter, George M. Linz, William J. Bleier

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

For several decades, blackbird depredation of sunflower has been a continuous problem. Sunflower growers consistently place blackbirds in the top tier of problems associated with growing sunflower in the northern Great Plains. Many non-lethal tactics have been employed in an attempt to protect ripening sunflower from foraging flocks of blackbirds. Thinning cattail-choked wetlands to reduce roosting habitat, using pyrotechniques to frighten feeding birds, planting Wildlife Conservation Sunflower Plots to lure birds away from commercial plots, applying taste repellents, and adapting cultural methods such as block planting to synchronize ripening are just a few such tactics. Even so, the numbers of …

Oral Rabies Vaccination Of A Northern Ohio Raccoon Population: Relevance Of Population Density And Prebait Serology, Paul Ramey, Bradley F. Blackwell, Robert Gates, Richard Slemons

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Ohio’s oral rabies vaccination (ORV) program was established to prevent the westward spread of the raccoon (Procyon lotor) rabies virus (Lyssavirus, Rhabdoviridae) in Ohio, USA. The program, which targets raccoons, distributes vaccine-bait units (VBU) at a target density of 75 units/km2. Few studies have examined the relationship of VBU density and target population density to the prevalence of rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies (RVNA). We conducted experimental VBU distributions in August 2003 and August 2004, 150 km west of the ORV zone where there was no history of raccoon rabies. We measured change in RVNA titers in blood …

Bird Use Of Stormwater-Management Ponds: Decreasing Avian Attractants On Airports, Bradley F. Blackwell, Laurence Schafer, David Helon, Michael Linnell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Characteristics of stormwater-management ponds that contribute to avian hazards to aviation at airports have not been quantified. We selected 30 stormwater-management ponds (average 0.1 ha), approximately 50km from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, as surrogates to on-airport facilities. We conducted 46 weeks of avian surveys (between 14 February 2005 and 17 February 2006) and evaluated model fit of 6 a priori models relative to pond use by an avian group via Kullback–Leibler information. Our full model, composed of pond surface area (sa), ratio of area of open water to area of emergent and woody vegetation (ow:ew), perimeter irregularity, and geographic isolation, was …

Efficacy Of Oral And Parenteral Routes Of Mycobacterium Bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin Vaccination Against Experimental Bovine Tuberculosis In White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus): A Feasibility Study, P. Nol, M. V. Palmer, W. R. Waters, F. E. Aldwell, B. M. Buddle, J. M. Triantis, L. M. Linke, G. E. Phillips, T. C. Thacker, J. C. Rhyan, M. D. Salman, M. R. Dunbar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We investigated the efficacy of oral and parenteral Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin Danish strain 1331 (BCG) in its ability to protect white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) against disease caused by M. bovis infection. Twenty-two white-tailed deer were divided into four groups. One group (n=5) received 109 colony-forming units (cfu) BCG via a lipid-formulated oral bait; one group (n=5) received 109 cfu BCG in culture directly to the oropharynx, one group (n=6) was vaccinated with 106 cfu BCG subcutaneously, and one group served as a control and received culture media directly to the oropharynx (n=6). All animals were challenged 3 …

Comparison Of Total Mercury And Methylmercury Cycling At Five Sites Using The Small Watershed Approach, James B. Shanley, M. Alisa Mast, Donald H. Campbell, George R. Aiken, David P. Krabbenhoft, Randall J. Hunt, John F. Walker, Paul F. Schuster, Ann Chalmers, Brent T. Aulenbach, Norman E. Peters, Mark Marvin-Dipasquale, David W. Clow, Martin M. Shafer

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The small watershed approach is well-suited but underutilized in mercury research. We applied the small watershed approach to investigate total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) dynamics in streamwater at the five diverse forested headwater catchments of the US Geological Survey Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets (WEBB) program. At all sites, baseflow THg was generally less than 1 ng L^-1 and MeHg was less than 0.2 ng L^-1. THg and MeHg concentrations increased with streamflow, so export was primarily episodic. At three sites, THg and MeHg concentration and export were dominated by the particulate fraction in association with …

Range-Wide Phylogeographic Analysis Of The Spotted Frog Complex (Rana Luteiventris And Rana Pretiosa) In Northwestern North America, W. Chris Funk, Christopher A. Pearl, Hope M. Draheim, Michael J. Adams, Thomas D. Mullins, Susan M. Haig

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The dynamic geological and climatic history of northwestern North America has made it a focal region for phylogeography. We conducted a range-wide phylogeographic analysis of the spotted frog complex (Rana luteiventris and Rana pretiosa) across its range in northwestern North America to understand its evolutionary history and the distribution of clades to inform conservation of R. pretiosa and Great Basin R. luteiventris, candidates for listing under the US Endangered Species Act. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data from a segment of the cytochrome b gene were obtained from 308 R. luteiventris and R. pretiosa from 96 sites. Phylogenetic analysis …

Advancing Epidemiological Science Through Computational Modeling: A Review With Novel Examples, Scott M. Duke-Sylvester, Eli N. Perencevich, Jon P. Furuno, Leslie A. Real, Holly Gaff

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Computational models have been successfully applied to a wide variety of research areas including infectious disease epidemiology. Especially for questions that are difficult to examine in other ways, computational models have been used to extend the range of epidemiological issues that can be addressed, advance theoretical understanding of disease processes and help identify specific intervention strategies. We explore each of these contributions to epidemiology research through discussion and examples. We also describe in detail models for raccoon rabies and methicillin-resis-tant Staphylococcus aureus, drawn from our own research, to further illustrate the role of computation in epidemiological modeling.

Oviposition Behavior Partitions Aquatic Landscapes Along Predation And Nutrient Gradients, C. A. Binckley, W. J. Resetarits Jr.

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

That individuals attempt to minimize the ratio of mortality risk/growth rate (μ/g) when foraging within individual habitat patches is well established. Do species partition among spatially discrete communities embedded in complex landscapes in a similar manner? We investigated how 3 ovipositing species (2 Hyla treefrogs and a hydrophilid beetle, Tropisternus lateralis) responded to simultaneous gradients of nutrients and predation risk. Species partitioned our experimental metacommunity primarily by reducing oviposition with fish. Tropisternus positively responded to increased nutrients, but the effect decreased with increasing risk, as predicted by μ/g theory. Use of fish habitats by Tropisternus was unrelated to breeding …

Toward A New Social Contract: A Tripartite Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Social Sustainability At Three Land-Grant Universities, Lyndsay Josephine Agans

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly, colleges and universities in the United States are adapting toward a model of behavior that incorporates issues of sustainability. This adaptation in universities and in society has implications on the organizational and nation-state level, the very core of which may serve to reshape the social contract between the two. In addition to supplying a strong counter-hegemonic argument that alters the competitive economic agenda-setting paradigm, this study serves as a tripartite comparative case study analysis of university adaptation toward social sustainability. By employing a social capital lens to understanding social sustainability in higher education, this study seeks to examine the …

Glacial Ecosystems, Amy Hodson, Alexandre M. Anesio, Martyn Tranter, Andrew G. Fountain, Mark Osborn, John Charles Priscu, Johanna Laybourn-Perry, Birgit Sattler

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

There is now compelling evidence that microbially mediated reactions impart a significant effect upon the dynamics, composition, and abundance of nutrients in glacial melt water. Consequently, we must now consider ice masses as ecosystem habitats in their own right and address their diversity, functional potential, and activity as part of alpine and polar environments. Although such research is already underway, its fragmentary nature provides little basis for developing modern concepts of glacier ecology. This paper therefore provides a much-needed framework for development by reviewing the physical, biogeochemical, and microbiological characteristics of microbial habitats that have been identified within glaciers and …

Assessment Of Favorable Conditions And Potentials Of Salinity Gradients In Solar Ponds (Sgsps) And The Production Of Solar Salt Along Abu Dhabi Coasts, Huda Ali Mohammed Saeed Al Mansouri

Theses

Coastal sabkha area of Abu Dhabi extends about 300km long and 15 km wide. It consist of a series of hypersaline (47%) lagoons surrounded by salt-entrusted flat sabkhas. Temperature there may reach 60° C in the summer. Moreover, the salinity of the lagoons is very high and may reach 70%.

The objective of this study was to assess the possibility of utilizing salinity gradient in solar ponds and/or production of solar salt along Abu Dhabi coasts. This study was conducted in sabkha area which extends from Al Mafraq-Al Sil’a Highway, near the Satellites Station (kilo 255, Dy 17 Street) until …

Seeding Effectiveness And Natural Regeneration Of Mojave Desert Plant Communities After 2005-2006 Wildland Fires, E. Cayenne Engel, Scott R. Abella, Christina L. Lund

Fire Science Presentations

1) Assessment of BLM seeding effectiveness in mid-elevation burn where pre-burn plant communities were dominated by blackbrush, Joshua trees, and creosote.

2) Patterns driving fire recovery at the landscape scale:

• Link initial vegetation, environment, and soils
• Are there patterns that can be gleaned that can then be applied to management prescriptions?

Interagency Science And Research Strategy, Limnological Assistance For Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Limnological Studies

Helping improve operational efficiency, enhance land stewardship, resource protection, and conservation on the shared public land.

Ecological Consequences Of Invasion Of The Quagga Mussel (Dreissena Bugensis Andrusov 1897) Into Lake Mead, David Wong, Shawn Gerstenberger, Todd Tietjen, Sara Ann Mueting, Eric Michael Loomis

Limnological Studies

Consequences of Invasion of the Quagga Mussel into Lake Mead