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Large-Scale Spatial Synchrony And Cross-Synchrony In Acorn Production By Two California Oaks, Walter D. Koenig, Johannes M.H. Knops

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Seed production that varies greatly from year to year, known as ‘‘masting’’ or ‘‘mast-fruiting’’ behavior, is a population-level phenomenon known to exhibit geographic synchrony extending, at least in some cases, hundreds of kilometers. The two main nonexclusive hypotheses for the driver of such geographically extensive synchrony are (1) environmental factors (the Moran effect), and (2) the mutual dependence of trees on outcrossed pollen (pollen coupling). We tested 10 predictions relevant to these two hypotheses using 18 years of acorn production data on two species of California oaks. Data were obtained across the entire ranges of the two species at 12 …

The Vascular Flora Of Clay Prairie State Preserve (Butler County, Iowa): Recommendations To The Iowa State Preserve System, Edwin L. Freese, William R. Norris

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Clay Prairie State Preserve (1.2 ha) is an upland prairie located in Butler County, IA, and represents one of the last remnants of black-soil tallgrass prairie in northeast Iowa. An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of Clay Prairie is presented here, based on a previously published flora of the preserve and recent field work conducted by the authors between 1997 to 2001, and 2008 to 2011. The preserve contains a diverse vascular flora representing 50 families, 145 genera and 214 taxa (174 native to Iowa). In comparison with 26 larger prairies (4 to 121 ha) protected in the Iowa …

Systematic Ichthyofaunal Surveys In Urban And Non-Urban Watersheds, Eugene G. Maurakis, David V. Grimes, Amanda Schutt, Suzy Short

Virginia Journal of Science

Objectives were to model fish species richness relative to natural and anthropogenic variables in Quantico Creek, a forested undisturbed stream environment, and Cameron Run, a highly disturbed urban stream environment in the lower Piedmont-Fall Line region of the Potomac River watershed. Species richness in all stream orders (e.g. avg. range=2.5-9.65 in 1st-3rd orders) of Quantico Creek were significantly higher than those (e.g. avg. range=2.1- 7.6 in 1st -4th orders) of Cameron Run. Fish species richness in Quantico Creek watershed can be modeled by eight factors: season, stream order, elevation, river km, stream width and depth, watershed size, and percent of …

Eastern Spotted Skunk (Spilogale Putorius) At The Ouachita Mountains Biological Station, Polk County, Arkansas, L. M. Hardy

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

A population of the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) has been discovered at the Ouachita Mountains Biological Station in the Ouachita Mountains of Polk County, Arkansas. In 2010 a motion camera recorded a very brief infrared video of an animal that, after much study and conversation with other biologists, was concluded to be an eastern spotted skunk. Since that time the identification has been confirmed with at least 6 still photographs and one additional video that have been obtained from 2 other locations on the station. At least 2 or 3 individuals are present. All were photographed at night in …

Ecology Of Glacial Relict Fishes In South Dakota's Sandhills Region, Eli Felts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native stream fish zoogeography has changed substantially across North America during the last century as habitat degradation, stream fragmentation and introductions of nonnative species have led to numerous extinctions, extirpations and altered distributions. Insufficient information regarding imperiled species often results in reactive, rather than proactive, management, and knowledge of species status and ecology is critical in identifying conservation priorities. South Dakota populations of three dace species (northern redbelly dace Chrosomus eos, finescale dace Chrosomus neogaeus, and pearl dace Margariscus margarita) are relict of Pleistocene Glaciation and are isolated from the northern core of their distribution, but little information exists regarding …

Human Disturbance Of Seagrass Beds In Hoga Island, Indonesia : Impacts On Edge Effects, Anthony John Suleski

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Ecosystems are broad classifications of areas where overlapping communities exist which can contain relatively high faunal and floral diversity. These communities characteristically are often influenced by external forces. Disturbances can create incongruencies in these communities and have been demonstrated to change community dynamics in varying ways. Humans are responsible for many disturbances which alter habitat and community structure and many habitat edges or ecotones are artificially created by these human disturbances. In Wakatobi National Park, Hoga Island, Indonesia, three bays exist and are in close proximity to one another with varying levels of human influence. This study investigated how anthropogenic …

Ecology Of Earthworms In Riparian Habitats, Rebecca Annette Pinder

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Research on earthworm ecology in North America has shifted from a focus on agricultural systems to investigations of their impacts on forested ecosystems. Many of the earthworms (family Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, and Sparganophilidae) found so far appear to be groups of exotic species, many recently arrived from Eurasia. My preliminary research established their presence along forested headwater stream banks, previously assumed to be earthworm-free zones. These riparian areas are integral landscape elements that influence many downstream processes. This dissertation is the first to examine four aspects of earthworm ecology in riparian zones: species composition and distributions; community structure of earthworm assemblages; …

Population Genetics And Ecology Of Regional Malaria Vectors In Amazonian Brazil, Sascha Naomi Mckeon

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Species complexes are common among anopheline mosquitoes, but only some members of complexes are disease vectors. Research involving overall patterns of divergence, phylogenetic relationships and population structure is partly driven by the operational need to be able to reliably distinguish component taxa that may be involved in malaria transmission. Anopheles triannulatus, An. nuneztovari and An. albitarsis are broadly distributed species complexes that contain local and regionally important malaria vectors, whose genetic diversity has been largely overshadowed by studies involving An. darlingi, the principal vector of Central and South America. I have analyzed the ecological suitability of habitats and geographical ranges …

Spatial Pattern Analysis Of Peganum Harmala On The Salted Lower Chelif Plain, Algeria, Adda Ababou, Mohammed Chouieb, Abdelkader Bouthiba, Djamel Saidi, Mahfoud M'Hamedi Bouzina, Khalladi Mederbal

Turkish Journal of Botany

Peganum harmala L. (Zygophyllaceae), native to arid and semiarid rangeland, has been widely studied biochemically, pharmaceutically, and medicinally, but is largely unknown ecologically. In the lower Chelif, Algeria, this plant is largely present and shows a clear clumped pattern, which indicates the strong effects of environmental conditions. Our redundancy analysis showed that the geographic distribution of this species was positively correlated with sand and pH and negatively correlated with conductivity, Na^+, and clay. The Gaussian model suggested that 9.4 mmhos/cm conductivity and sand contents greater than 40% are optimum for this plant. The spatial distribution map obtained through the kriging …

Succession Of Epiphytic Bryophytes In Cedrus Libani Forest On The Meydan Plateau (Aladağ), Tülay Ezer, Recep Kara

Turkish Journal of Botany

The succession of epiphytic bryophytes was investigated in Cedrus libani A.Rich. forest on the Meydan Plateau (Aladağ). A total of 19 taxa (16 mosses, 3 liverworts) were recorded in 90 sampling relevés, 4 dm^2 each. Index of ecological significance (IES) was used to evaluate the ecological importance of the taxa in epiphytic habitats on tree trunks. Additionally, the epiphytic bryophyte succession of the cedar forest was analysed using multivariate classification techniques (TWINSPAN and DECORANA). The multivariate analysis results showed that the epiphytic bryophyte communities were divided into 2 main groups and 5 different subgroups associated with successional gradient. Moreover, habitat …

Ecophysiology Of The Holoparasitic Angiosperm Cistanche Phelypaea (Orobancaceae) In A Coastal Salt Marsh, Gamal Mohammad Fahmy

Turkish Journal of Botany

Cistanche phelypaea (L.) Cout. (Orobancaceae) was found parasitising the roots of the succulent shrublets Arthrocnemum macrostachyum (Moric.) K.Koch (Chenopodiaceae) in a coastal salt marsh in Qatar. Measurements were conducted to identify soil properties, host, and noninfected plants by soil excavations to expose the haustoria of the parasite attached to the host roots. The water potential, osmotic potential, pressure potential, and chemical analyses were determined in parasite, host, and noninfected plants. Crown diameter and dry mass of the host plants were smaller than in the noninfected plants. A gradient of water potential existed between the host root and the underground tuberous …

Floristic Diversity And Vegetation Analysis Of Wadi Al-Noman, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Kadry Abdel Khalik, Mohamed El-Sheikh, Abeer El-Aidarous

Turkish Journal of Botany

Wadi Al-Noman in Mecca is one of the most important wadis. It was included among the most important water sources where the springs and wells of Zobida run and it provides drinking water for the holy places in Mecca and visitors to the Kaaba and Arafat regions. The present study provides an analysis of floristic composition, vegetation types, and structure and species distribution at 20 sites, emphasising the environmental factors that affect species distribution. A total of 126 species representing 39 families of vascular plants are recorded. Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Boraginaceae are the largest families, and therophytes and chamaephytes are …

Does Pitcher Plant Morphology Affect Spider Residency?, Marc A. Milne, Deborah A. Waller

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Spiders are often found as residents in association with Sarracenia purpurea ( Purple Pitcher Plant). Many spiders choose web locations based on environmental cues such as vegetation structure and composition, prey density, temperature, and humidity. To determine if spiders use cues from the Purple Pitcher Plant to build their webs, we conducted a field study using variants of the plant that separated various morphological features: nectar, pigment, and the presence of prey. There was no difference in spider residency across all treatments and no difference in male/female or mature/immature residency. Linyphiids were the most common residents, possibly due to pitcher …

Hand Pulling Following Mowing And Herbicide Treatments Increases Control Of Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea Stoebe), Neil W. Macdonald, Laurelin M. Martin, Corey K. Kapolka, Timothy F. Botting, Tami E. Brown

Peer Reviewed Publications

Extensive areas in the upper Midwest have been invaded by spotted knapweed, and effective management strategies are required to reestablish native plant communities. We examined effects of mowing, mowing plus clopyralid, or mowing plus glyphosate in factorial combination with hand pulling and burning on knapweed abundances on a knapweed-infested site in western Michigan. We applied mowing and herbicide treatments in summer 2008, and seeded all plots with native grasses and forbs in spring 2009. We conducted the knapweed pulling treatment from 2009 to 2012 in July. The prescribed burn was conducted in April 2012. By 2012, hand pulling reduced adult …

Assessing The Effects Of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles On Microbial Communities In Stream Sediment Using Artificial Streams And High Throughput Screening, Alexandra Ozaki

Master's Theses

Nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) is an engineered nanomaterial used in a wide array of commercial products. The production and use of large amounts of nano-TiO2 is resulting in the unintended release to the environment. Nano-TiO2 is known to be cytotoxic due primarily to its ability to generate reactive oxygen species, and negative impacts on a variety of organisms have been demonstrated, but the effects of nano-TiO2 on complex microbial communities under ecologically relevant conditions have rarely been tested. We conducted a controlled manipulative experiment using recirculating model streams dosed with a one-time amendment of 1mg L-1 nano-TiO2 (specifically P25). Within one …

What Is Known About Species Richness And Distribution On The Outer-Shelf South Texas Banks?, Harriet L. Nash, Sharon J. Furiness, John W. Tunnell Jr.

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The outer-shelf South Texas Banks, also known as the snapper banks, are known by fishermen to be excellent fishing grounds. However, few scientific studies have been conducted to describe the ecology of these uncommon but distinctive habitats. This paper describes results of a literature review and an assessment to determine what is known about the biota of the South Texas Banks and to assist in developing renewed interest and focus on these topographic highs. The outer-shelf South Texas Banks include relict coralgal reefs and relict barrier islands, and we also include data for a nearshore site, which is geographically and …

Phytoplankton In Virginia Lakes And Reservoirs, Harold G. Marshall

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

This study involves a phytoplankton summer/autumn survey in 46 Virginia lakes and reservoirs during 2010-2012. A total of 307 taxa were identified which included several filamentous and colonial cyanabacteria in bloom concentrations. With the exception of one natural lake, the other sites sampled represent impoundments created decades ago, with the majority presently classified as meso- or eutrophic. Among the cyanobacteria were 6 known toxin producers (Anabaena circinalis, Anabaena spiroides, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, Limnothrix redekei, and Microcystis aeruginosa). The study characterizes phytoplankton populations in these aging freshwater habitats taken from a large number …

Habitat Use And Feeding Ecology Of Delphinids Inferred From Stable Isotopes And Fatty Acid Signatures, Nicole Browning

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prey availability, directly or indirectly, affects all aspects of a predator’s life history and is a primary factor influencing habitat selection and movements. This is especially true for delphinid species where it has been documented that the behaviors and movements of dolphins are strongly influenced by food availability. Unfortunately, the feeding ecology and habitat use patterns of many of these species are poorly understood. Many methodologies that have been employed to explore these facets of dolphin ecology have limitations and constraints or are logistically infeasible. Stable isotope and fatty acid signature analyses have been used extensively on a wide variety …

Post-Traumatic Sleep Following Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury, Rachel K. Rowe

Theses and Dissertations--Neuroscience

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability throughout the world with few pharmacological treatments available for individuals who suffer from neurological morbidities associated with TBI. Cellular and molecular pathological processes initiated at the time of injury develop into neurological impairments, with chronic sleep disorders (insomnia, hypersomnolence) being among the somatic, cognitive and emotional neurological impairments. Immediately post-injury, TBI patients report excessive daytime sleepiness, however, discordant opinions suggest that individuals should not be allowed to sleep or should be frequently awoken following brain injury. To provide adequate medical care, it is imperative to understand the role …

Selective Utilization Of Microhabitats By Web-Building Spiders, Kelton D. Welch

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Natural enemies are members of complex ecological communities, and their ability to contribute to the biological control of pest organisms is strongly influenced by a convoluted network of ecological interactions with many other organisms within these communities. Researchers must develop an understanding of the mechanisms that shape trophic webs to predict and promote top-down effects of predators. The behavior of predators can have a strong influence on their potential as biological control agents.

Web-building spiders are a useful example organism for the study of natural enemy behavior because of the experimentally tractable nature of their foraging behavior. Specifically, patterns in …

Environmental, Human And Socioeconomic Characteristics Of Pedestrian Injury And Death In Las Vegas, Nv, Jennifer Renee Pharr, Courtney Coughenour, Timothy J. Bungum

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

Background: Pedestrian crashes are a deterrent to physical activity, especially walking. The purpose of this study was to analyze pedestrian crash characteristics in Clark County, NV and to determine if there was a significant relationship between pedestrian crashes and socio-economic variables.

Methods: Police reported pedestrian crash data collected between January 2009 and December 2011 were analyzed. Frequencies and rates for pedestrian crashes, injuries and deaths were calculated for environmental and human characteristics. Chi square tests were utilized to determine if there were significant differences in environmental and human characteristics for pedestrian injuries and deaths. Zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression analysis …

Continental-Scale Assessment Of Genetic Diversity And Population Structure In Quaking Aspen (Populus Tremuloides), Colin M. Callahan, Carol A. Rowe, Ronald J. Ryel, John D. Shaw, Michael D. Madritch, Karen E. Mock

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Aim: Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) has the largest natural distribution of any tree native to North America. The primary objectives of this study were to characterize range-wide genetic diversity and genetic structuring in quaking aspen, and to assess the influence of glacial history and rear-edge dynamics.

Location: North America.

Methods: Using a sample set representing the full longitudinal and latitudinal extent of the species’ distribution, we examined geographical patterns of genetic diversity and structuring using 8 nuclear microsatellite loci in 794 individuals from 30 sampling sites.

Results: Two major genetic clusters were identified across the range: a southwestern cluster and …

Investigating Phosphorus And Turbidity Removal Efficiencies Of Main Aquatic Vegetation Species In The Lower Kelkit Basin Of Turkey, Ekrem Buhan, Hakan Mete Doğan, Sali̇ha Di̇ri̇m Buhan, Sai̇m Özdemi̇r, Fati̇h Polat, Çi̇sem Ni̇ldem Doğan

Turkish Journal of Botany

In this study, we researched the main aquatic vegetation (AV) species and their orthophosphate and turbidity removal efficiencies in the Lower Kelkit Basin of Turkey. We chose an experimental area (1650 m^2) in the field and determined orthophosphate (mg/L) and turbidity (NTU) variables at the charging and discharging points between November 2005 and March 2006. We also applied an experimental design including 9 treatments and 3 replications in aquarium conditions. Orthophosphate (mg/L) contents of each aquarium were measured at 6 time periods (initial measurement and days 1, 4, 9, 16, and 25). Ceratophyllum demersum L., Cladophora glomerata (L.) Kützing, Lemna …

Morphological And Ecological Evidence For A New Infraspecific Taxon Of The Wallflower Erysimum Cheiri (Brassicaceae) As An Indigenous Endemism Of The Southwestern Mediterranean, Samira Ouarmim, Chloe Dubset, Errol Vela

Turkish Journal of Botany

The wallflower Erysimum cheiri is a horticultural cruciferous growing as garden-escaped with a wide distribution in West and South Europe. In Algeria, it is locally found on the northern cliffs of the National Park of Gouraya (Kabylia). The aim of this study is to compare the populations of E. cheiri identified in Algeria with those found in Mediterranean France. To study the differences between both sites, a morphological and ecological analysis was undertaken on 6 populations growing in Algeria and France. Ecological communities where wallflower is growing in Algeria are dominated by indigenous plants with a significant proportion of endemic …

Monitoring Of Vascular Plant Diversity In A Changing Climate In The Alpine Zone Of The Central Greater Caucasus, Khatuna Gigauri, Maia Akhalkatsi, George Nakhutsrishvili, Otar Abdaladze

Turkish Journal of Botany

Short-term changes in plant species number, cover, frequency, and composition were studied along an altitudinal gradient crossing 4 GLORIA summits (from 2240 m to 3024 m a.s.l.) from the treeline ecotone to the subnival zone in the Central Caucasus. Large-scale (summit area) and small-scale (16 plots of 1 m^{2}/summit) patterns were monitored in 2001. Recording was repeated in 2008. During the monitoring period, the average soil temperature and growing-degree days did not significantly increase. After 7 years, a revisitation of the summit area revealed a considerable increase of species richness, especially at the lower alpine zone (CP1 and CP2 summits). …

Non Target Effect Of Cry1 Ab And Cry Ab X Cry3 Bb1 Bt Transgenic Maize On Orius Insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) Abundance, Santiago A. Palizada, Difabachew K. Belay, Bamphitlhi Tiroesele, Fatima Mustafa, Muhammad Ullah, Thomas Hunt, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, S. R. Skoda, Pete L. Clark, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Non-target effects of Cry1Ab x CP4 EPSPS and Cry1Ab+Cry3Bb1×CP4 EPSPS Bt transgenic new maize hybrids on insidious flower bugs [Orius insidiosus (Say)] was studied in Nebraska (Mead, C lay Center, and Concord) during 2007 and 2008. The Bt effect was compared to CP4 EPSPS maize (isoline), conventional maize, and insecticide applications of permethrin (Pounce® 1.5G) and bifenthrin (Capture® 2EC) to control first and second generations of Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), respectively. Yellow sticky cards, visual observations, and destructive samplings were used to evaluate O. insidiosus abundance. The yellow sticky card data in 2007 showed that O. insidiosus abundance was lower …

Regional Contingencies In The Relationship Between Aboveground Biomass And Litter In The World’S Grasslands, Lydia R. O’Halloran, Elizabeth T. Borer, Eric W. Seabloom, Andrew S. Macdougall, Elsa E. Cleland, Rebecca L. Mcculley, Sarah Hobbie, W. Stanley Harpole, Nicole M. Decrappeo, Chengjin Chu, Jonathan D. Bakker, Kendi F. Davies, Guozhen Du, Jennifer Firn, Nicole Hagenah, Kirsten S. Hofmockel, Johannes Knops, Wei Li, Brett A. Melbourne, John W. Morgan, John L. Orrock, Suzanne M. Prober, Carly J. Stevens

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Based on regional-scale studies, aboveground production and litter decomposition are thought to positively covary, because they are driven by shared biotic and climatic factors. Until now we have been unable to test whether production and decomposition are generally coupled across climatically dissimilar regions, because we lacked replicated data collected within a single vegetation type across multiple regions, obfuscating the drivers and generality of the association between production and decomposition. Furthermore, our understanding of the relationships between production and decomposition rests heavily on separate meta-analyses of each response, because no studies have simultaneously measured production and the accumulation or decomposition of …

Chemical Defense Of An Asian Snake Reflects Local Availability Of Toxic Prey And Hatchling Diet, D. A. Hutchinson, A. H. Savitzky, G. M. Burghardt, C. Nguyen, J. Meinwald, F. C. Schroeder, A. Mori

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Species that sequester toxins from prey for their own defense against predators may exhibit population-level variation in their chemical arsenal that reflects the availability of chemically defended prey in their habitat. Rhabdophis tigrinus is an Asian snake that possesses defensive glands in the skin of its neck (nuchal glands'), which typically contain toxic bufadienolide steroids that the snakes sequester from consumed toads. In this study, we compared the chemistry of the nuchal gland fluid of R.tigrinus from toad-rich and toad-free islands in Japan and determined the effect of diet on the nuchal gland constituents. Our findings demonstrate that captive-hatched juveniles …

Variation In Population Densities Of The Florida Scrub Lizard (Sceloporus Woodi) Between Managed Sand Pine Scrub And Longleaf Pine Stands In The Ocala National Forest, Matthew D. Kaunert

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Population-level response to habitat fragmentation is central to applied species management and conservation. Managed landscapes are often subject to increased fragmentation and, consequently, may force once connected populations to function as metapopulations. Studies investigating metapopulations occurring over patchy, managed landscapes are of increasing importance as fragmentation is a known cause of biodiversity loss. In June-September 2012, populations of the rare, endemic Florida scrub lizard (Sceloporus woodi) were sampled across the Ocala National Forest (ONF) to compare abundance and density across two management types. In the ONF, sand-pine scrub is clearcut and rollerchopped whereas longleaf pine is managed via …

Influence Of Removal Sampling Of Small Mammals On Abundance And Diversity Attributes: Scientific Implications, Thomas P. Sullivan, Druscilla S. Sullivan

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Terrestrial small mammals occupy a variety of temperate and boreal forests in North America and Eurasia and contribute to biodiversity within these ecosystems. Researchers commonly use a variation of removal trapping to sample small-mammal populations and communities in these systems. However, it is not known if recurrent removal sampling might bias abundance estimates or alter the very populations under study. We addressed 2 questions: (1) are estimates of population size and species richness and diversity gained from removal trapping different from those based on live-trapping? and (2) what residual impact does removal trapping have on small-mammal populations and communities, as …