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A Determination Of Vitamin D Status And Intake Of Pregnant And Non-Pregnant Saudi Arabian Women In Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wedad Azhar Jan 2009

A Determination Of Vitamin D Status And Intake Of Pregnant And Non-Pregnant Saudi Arabian Women In Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Wedad Azhar

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of the present study was to determine serum 25(OH)D and PTH concentrations as well as vitamin D and Ca dietary intake in healthy pregnant (P) (n=48) and non-pregnant (NP) (n=70) Saudi Arabian women who reside in Mecca- Saudi Arabia. Age, occupation, skin color, smoking status, use of sunscreen, use of supplements, and sun exposure were correlated to vitamin D status. Dietary and supplement intake was assessed. Among the participants, 50.8% (35% P, 65% NP) women had 25(OH)D concentration that were ≤ 11 ng/mL. PTH concentrations were normal in 60.2% and high in 37% of the participants. Dietary vitamin …

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The Effect Of Coalmine Effluent On The Parasite Assemblages Of Lepomis Spp. In The Saline River Basin, Andrew Claxton Jan 2009

The Effect Of Coalmine Effluent On The Parasite Assemblages Of Lepomis Spp. In The Saline River Basin, Andrew Claxton

Masters Theses

To determine the efficacy of using parasite assemblages as bioindicators of coalmine effluent, a survey of gastro-intestinal helminths from the gut of sunfish, Lepomis spp, was performed. Five species of Lepomis, L. cyanellus, L. nwcrochirus, L. megalotis, L. microlophus, and L. gulosus, were collected from six locations near the Palzo mine, an abandoned coalmine that actively discharges into the lower reach of Sugar Creek. Sunfish were collected from three sites which did not receive effluent from the Palzo mine (Sugar Creek (37° 37'/ 88° 50'), South Fork(37° 41 '/ 88° 52'), and the Little Saline River (37° 38'/ 88° 38')) …

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Morphology And Infraciliature Of Some Haptorid Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Haptoria) In Alkaline Soil Samples Of Van (Turkey), With Notes On The Ontogenesis Of Enchelyodon Nodosus Berger, Foissner & Adam, 1984, Naci̇ye Gülkiz Şenler, İsmai̇l Yildiz Jan 2009

Morphology And Infraciliature Of Some Haptorid Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Haptoria) In Alkaline Soil Samples Of Van (Turkey), With Notes On The Ontogenesis Of Enchelyodon Nodosus Berger, Foissner & Adam, 1984, Naci̇ye Gülkiz Şenler, İsmai̇l Yildiz

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The morphology and infraciliature of 4 haptorid ciliates obtained from alkaline soil habitats in Van, Turkey, were investigated: Pseudoholophrya terricola Berger, Foissner & Adam, 1984, Paraenchelys wenzeli Foissner, 1984, Armatoenchelys geleii (Foissner, 1981), and Enchelyodon nodosus Berger, Foissner & Adam, 1984. The descriptions were based on live observations and silver impregnated specimens and morphometry. The main morphological characteristics of these species are similar to those described in the literature. However, the dorsal brush row 3 is longer than dorsal brush rows 1 and 2 in A. geleii, and E. nodosus has a long monokinetidal tail not reported previously. This is …

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Patterns Of Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Argus) Postlarval Recruitment In The Carribbean: A Crtr Project, Mark J. Butler Iv, Angela M. Mojica, Eloy Sosa-Cordero, Marines Millet, Paul Sanchez-Navarro, Miguel A. Maldonado, Juan Posada, Bladimir Rodriguez, Carlos M. Rivas, Adrian Oviedo, Marcio Arrone, Martha Prada, Nick Bach, Nilda Jimenez, Maria Del Carmen Garcia-Rivas, Kirah Forman, Donald C. Behringer Jr., Thomas Matthews, Claire Paris, Robert Cowen Jan 2009

Patterns Of Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Argus) Postlarval Recruitment In The Carribbean: A Crtr Project, Mark J. Butler Iv, Angela M. Mojica, Eloy Sosa-Cordero, Marines Millet, Paul Sanchez-Navarro, Miguel A. Maldonado, Juan Posada, Bladimir Rodriguez, Carlos M. Rivas, Adrian Oviedo, Marcio Arrone, Martha Prada, Nick Bach, Nilda Jimenez, Maria Del Carmen Garcia-Rivas, Kirah Forman, Donald C. Behringer Jr., Thomas Matthews, Claire Paris, Robert Cowen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

As part of the Coral Reef Targeted Research (CRTR) Program, a partnership between the Global Environment Facility and the World Bank, our research team examined the recruitment patterns of Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) postlarvae among regions in the Caribbean, with a particular focus on Mesoamerica. Our goal was to collect comparable information on postlarval supply among regions and to provide data to test predictions of connectivity generated from a coupled biophysical oceanographic model of lobster larval dispersal. Here we present the results of the postlarval recruitment monitoring program. We monitored the catch of postlarvae on Witham-style collectors …

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Evolution And Systematic Significance Of Reproductive Structures In The Genus Cuscuta (Dodders, Convolvulaceae): Pollen And Gynoecium, Mark Welsh Jan 2009

Evolution And Systematic Significance Of Reproductive Structures In The Genus Cuscuta (Dodders, Convolvulaceae): Pollen And Gynoecium, Mark Welsh

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The genus Cuscuta (dodders, Convolvulaceae) is one of the most significant lineages of parasitic plants from economic, conservation, and anthropogenic perspectives. Members of the genus are twining stem parasites with no roots, lacking almost completely chlorophyll or its function, and gather required nutrition from their host via specialized haustorial connections. While there are almost 200 described species, problems with species identification exist because many diagnostic characters are restricted to their tiny flowers. Probably contributing to this identification difficulty is the fact that the group has not received taxonomic attention for over 75 years; even knowledge of its basic reproductive biology …

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The Effects Of Urbanization On The Structure, Quality, And Diversity Of Cypress Plant Communities In Central Florida, Courtney Knickerbocker Jan 2009

The Effects Of Urbanization On The Structure, Quality, And Diversity Of Cypress Plant Communities In Central Florida, Courtney Knickerbocker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The integrity of wetland ecosystems is largely determined by hydrological functionality, degree of connectivity to like ecosystems, and permeability to external influence. Land use changes in upland areas adjacent to wetland ecosystems may influence hydrology and connectivity while introducing novel biotic and abiotic materials. There is an increasing trend toward the use of remote assessment techniques to determine the degree of impact of external influences on adjacent wetlands. Remote assessment and predictive capabilities are provided by indices such as the Landscape Development Intensity Index (LDI) (Brown and Vivas 2005) which may be beneficial in determining site condition, and which have …

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Timecourse Analysis Of The Effect Of Atrazine On Human Hepg2 Cells, Erin M. Schrunk Jan 2009

Timecourse Analysis Of The Effect Of Atrazine On Human Hepg2 Cells, Erin M. Schrunk

Honors Program Theses

Atrazine is one of the most abundantly used herbicides in the United States. It works by inhibiting photosynthesis in broad leaf and grassy weeds. Consequently, with its frequent use, atrazine can contaminate many drinking water sources due to run-off from treated fields. While many studies have shown detrimental effects occur in various model organisms using very high levels of atrazine, not much is known about what effects occur due to lower levels of atrazine exposure. The current research project analyzed the effects of atrazine on human liver cells (HepG2). Specifically, we focused on the proteins that regulate cell cycle progression …

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Forensic Bird-Strike Identification Techniques Used In An Accident Investigation At Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma, 2008, Carla J. Dove, Nor Faridah Dahlan, Marcy Heacker Jan 2009

Forensic Bird-Strike Identification Techniques Used In An Accident Investigation At Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma, 2008, Carla J. Dove, Nor Faridah Dahlan, Marcy Heacker

Human–Wildlife Interactions

On March 4, 2008, a Cessna Citation 1 (Model 500) crashed in a wooded area near Wiley Post Airport, Oklahoma, killing all 5 people on board. This paper describes the detailed forensic methods and expertise used by the Smithsonian Institution’s Feather Identification Lab to identify the bird that caused this bird-strike incident. We used standard methods of whole-feather analysis, microscopic examination, and DNA barcoding in this case to identify American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) as the bird species involved in this fatal crash. We also report the importance of proper field investigation and evidence collection for accurate results, …

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Altered Ecological Flows Blur Boundaries In Urbanizing Watersheds, Todd R. Lookingbill, Sujay S. Kaushal, Andrew J. Elmore, Robert Gardner, Keith N. Eshleman, Robert H. Hilderbrand, Raymond P. Morgan, Walter R. Boynton, Margaret A. Palmer, William C. Dennison Jan 2009

Altered Ecological Flows Blur Boundaries In Urbanizing Watersheds, Todd R. Lookingbill, Sujay S. Kaushal, Andrew J. Elmore, Robert Gardner, Keith N. Eshleman, Robert H. Hilderbrand, Raymond P. Morgan, Walter R. Boynton, Margaret A. Palmer, William C. Dennison

Geography and the Environment Faculty Publications

The relevance of the boundary concept to ecological processes has been recently questioned. Humans in the post-industrial era have created novel lateral transport fluxes that have not been sufficiently considered in watershed studies. We describe patterns of land-use change within the Potomac River basin and demonstrate how these changes have blurred traditional ecosystem boundaries by increasing the movement of people, materials, and energy into and within the basin. We argue that this expansion of ecological commerce requires new science, monitoring, and management strategies focused on large rivers and suggest that traditional geopolitical and economic boundaries for environmental decision making be …

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Finding The Trophic Trickle: Using Herbaceous Indicator Species To Investigate Plant Recovery From Intense Browsing By White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) After The Re-Colonization Of A Top Predator (Canis Lupus), Krystle A. Bouchard Jan 2009

Finding The Trophic Trickle: Using Herbaceous Indicator Species To Investigate Plant Recovery From Intense Browsing By White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) After The Re-Colonization Of A Top Predator (Canis Lupus), Krystle A. Bouchard

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

High densities of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have been implicated in changing forest community structure and composition. Top predators, including gray wolf (Canis lupus), were extirpated from much of their range by the mid 1900s, but have since returned to Northern Wisconsin. To determine whether the re-colonization of wolves could initiate a trophic cascade resulting in the recovery of understory plants from deer browsing, I surveyed four herbaceous species in areas without wolves and areas with 4-6 year old wolf packs and 12-13 year old wolf packs. Plant size and reproduction were greater in areas where wolves had been for …

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The Taxonomic Designation Of Eriogonum Corymbosum Var. Nilesii (Polygonaceae) Is Supported By Aflp And Cpdna Analyses, M. W. Ellis, J. M. Roper, R. Gainer, J. P. Der, Paul G. Wolf Jan 2009

The Taxonomic Designation Of Eriogonum Corymbosum Var. Nilesii (Polygonaceae) Is Supported By Aflp And Cpdna Analyses, M. W. Ellis, J. M. Roper, R. Gainer, J. P. Der, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

We examined populations of perennial, shrubby buckwheats in the Eriogonum corymbosum complex and related Eriogonum species in the subgenus Eucycla, to assess genetic affiliations of the recently named E. corymbosum var. nilesii. The known populations of this varietyare all located in Clark County, Nevada, U. S. A. We compared AFLP profiles and chloroplast DNA sequences of plants sampled from populations of E. corymbosum var. nilesii with those of plants representing other E. corymbosum varieties and related Eriogonum species from Colorado,Utah, northern Arizona, and northern New Mexico. We found evidence of genetic cohesion among the Clark County populations as well astheir …

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An Overview Of Systematics And Evolution Of Ticks, Santiago Nava, Alberto A. Guglielmone, Atilio J. Mangold Jan 2009

An Overview Of Systematics And Evolution Of Ticks, Santiago Nava, Alberto A. Guglielmone, Atilio J. Mangold

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

All species of ticks (Acari: Ixodida) are grouped into three families: Argasidae (186 species), Ixodidae (692 species), and Nuttalliellidae (monotypic). Molecular markers have been developed and applied for tick studies along with conventional techniques. The origin of ticks is during the pre-mid Cretaceous period (with both the Argasidae and Ixodidae being established in the middle Cretaceous). Primeval hosts were probably reptiles or amphibians. The Argasidae contains two to five subfamilies according to authors but relationships among its members are far from resolved. The Ixodidae were formed by the basal Prostriata group (genus Ixodes, subfamily Ixodinae) and the Metastriata group …

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A Review Of The Potential Of Fertility Control To Manage Brushtail Possums In New Zealand, Weihong Ji Jan 2009

A Review Of The Potential Of Fertility Control To Manage Brushtail Possums In New Zealand, Weihong Ji

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) were introduced into New Zealand from Australia in the mid-1800s and became a major invasive pest. They damage native biodiversity by browsing and predation, and they are a disease risk to the livestock industry by acting as vectors of bovine tuberculosis (TB). Management of possums includes their eradication from some offshore islands and control by trapping, shooting, and poisoning on the mainland. Possums have been eradicated successfully from some islands and greatly reduced in abundance in other areas of high conservation value or where they are infected with TB. However, possums are still at …

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Response Of Adult Mosquitoes To Light-Emitting Diodes Placed In Resting Boxes And In The Field, Michael T. Bentley, Phillip E. Kaufman, Daniel L. Kline, Jerome A. Hogsette Jan 2009

Response Of Adult Mosquitoes To Light-Emitting Diodes Placed In Resting Boxes And In The Field, Michael T. Bentley, Phillip E. Kaufman, Daniel L. Kline, Jerome A. Hogsette

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The response of adult mosquitoes to 4 light-emitting diode (LED) wavelengths was evaluated using diode-equipped sticky cards (DESCs) and diode-equipped resting boxes at 2 sites in north central Florida. Wavelengths evaluated were blue (470 nm), green (502 nm), red (660 nm), and infrared (IR) (860 nm). When trapping with DESCs, 15 mosquito species from 7 genera (Aedes, Anopheles, Coquillettidia, Culex, Mansonia, Psorophora, and Uranotaenia) were captured. Overall, approximately 43.8% of all mosquitoes were trapped on DESCs fitted with green LEDs. Significantly more females of Aedes infirmatus, Aedes vexans, and Culex nigripalpus were captured on DESCs fitted with blue …

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A Decade Of U.S. Air Force Bat Strikes, Suzanne C. Peurach, Carla J. Dove, Laura Stepko Jan 2009

A Decade Of U.S. Air Force Bat Strikes, Suzanne C. Peurach, Carla J. Dove, Laura Stepko

Human–Wildlife Interactions

From 1997 through 2007, 821 bat strikes were reported to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Safety Center by aircraft personnel or ground crew and sent to the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, for identification. Many samples were identified by macroscopic and or microscopic comparisons with bat specimens housed in the museum and augmented during the last 2 years by DNA analysis. Bat remains from USAF strikes during this period were received at the museum from 40 states in the United States and from 20 countries. We confirmed that 46% of the strikes were caused by bats, but we …

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Habitat Selection And Niche Partitioning Of Fox And (Sciurus Niger) And Gray (Sciurus Carolinensis) Squirrels In Charleston, Il, Katelyn Marti Jan 2009

Habitat Selection And Niche Partitioning Of Fox And (Sciurus Niger) And Gray (Sciurus Carolinensis) Squirrels In Charleston, Il, Katelyn Marti

Masters Theses

Two species of tree squirrels inhabit Charleston, IL; fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) and gray squirrels (Sciurus caro/inensis). Although these species are sympatric throughout much of the eastern U.S., urban settings are usually occupied by one or the other. In the few localities where they co-occur, little is known about how they partition habitat. Therefore, the objectives of my study were to determine: (1) the relative abundance of each species, (2) whether habitat use differs between species, (3) if habitat use shifts with season, time of day, domestic predator abundance, or mast availability, and (3) observe interspecific and intraspecific interactions. The …

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The Influence Of Fallback Foods On Great Ape Tooth Enamel, Paul J. Constantino, Peter W. Lucas, James J.-W. Lee, Brian R. Lawn Jan 2009

The Influence Of Fallback Foods On Great Ape Tooth Enamel, Paul J. Constantino, Peter W. Lucas, James J.-W. Lee, Brian R. Lawn

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Lucas and colleagues recently proposed a model based on fracture and deformation concepts to describe how mammalian tooth enamel may be adapted to the mechanical demands of diet (Lucas et al.: Bioessays 30[2008] 374-385). Here we review the applicability of that model by examining existing data on the food mechanical properties and enamel morphology of great apes (Pan, Pongo, and Gorilla). Particular attention is paid to whether the consumption of fallback foods is likely to play a key role in influencing great ape enamel morphology. Our results suggest that this is indeed the case. We also consider the implications of …

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A Revision Of The Freshwater Crabs Of Mt. Kenya And The Aberdare Mountains , Neil Cumberlidge Jan 2009

A Revision Of The Freshwater Crabs Of Mt. Kenya And The Aberdare Mountains , Neil Cumberlidge

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

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"A Revision Of The Freshwater Crabs Of Mt Kenya And The Aberdare Mountains, Kenya, East Africa" , Neil Cumberlidge Jan 2009

"A Revision Of The Freshwater Crabs Of Mt Kenya And The Aberdare Mountains, Kenya, East Africa" , Neil Cumberlidge

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

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Motivating Middle School Students To Be Physically Active: The Role Of Supportive Environments, Tao Zhang Jan 2009

Motivating Middle School Students To Be Physically Active: The Role Of Supportive Environments, Tao Zhang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

It is clearly documented that promoting regular physical activity participation at young ages increases the likelihood that school-aged students will lead active lifestyles as adults. Unfortunately, more than a third of school-aged students do not engage in sufficient amounts of physical activity necessary to produce significant health benefits (USDHHS, 2000, 2008). Public health officials and physical educators highlight the importance of promoting motivation for physical activity by creating a supportive physical activity environment that should positively influence students’ choices to be physically active. The major objective of this dissertation was to explore the roles of supportive social environments and physical …

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Historical Review Of Elk-Agriculture Conflicts In And Around Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada, Ryan K. Brook Jan 2009

Historical Review Of Elk-Agriculture Conflicts In And Around Riding Mountain National Park, Manitoba, Canada, Ryan K. Brook

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Conflicts between elk (Cervus elaphus) and farmers have been occurring since the 1880s when agriculture began around what is now Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP). Initially, the conflicts were related to low elk numbers caused primarily by unregulated harvest of elk. The creation of RMNP in 1930 and the associated ban on hunting allowed elk numbers to reach critically high levels. Since farming began, elk have been associated with considerable damage to fences and crops around RMNP, with annual damage often >$240,000. Hunting on agricultural lands has been the most common approach to mitigating elk impacts, despite its …

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The Discovery And Pursuit Of American Boutonneuse Fever: A New Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis', J. Goddard, A. Varela-Stokes Jan 2009

The Discovery And Pursuit Of American Boutonneuse Fever: A New Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis', J. Goddard, A. Varela-Stokes

Midsouth Entomologist

There is a new tick-borne disease similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) that was recently described from the southern United States. Cases of the disease are a subset of reported RMSF cases and therefore constitute a “disease within a disease.” The causative agent of this RMSF-like disease, however, is Rickettsia parkeri as opposed to R. rickettsii, the pathogen causing RMSF. Both organisms are in the spotted fever group (SFG) of rickettsiae, cross-react in laboratory tests used to diagnose RMSF, and therefore are difficult to differentiate serologically. The new malady has been tentatively named “American Boutonneuse Fever” (ABF) based on …

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The Gastropod Fauna And Their Abundance, And Some Physicochemical Parameters Of Lake Gölbaşı (Hatay, Turkey), Hülya Şerefli̇şan, M. Zeki̇ Yildirim, Menderes Şerefli̇şan Jan 2009

The Gastropod Fauna And Their Abundance, And Some Physicochemical Parameters Of Lake Gölbaşı (Hatay, Turkey), Hülya Şerefli̇şan, M. Zeki̇ Yildirim, Menderes Şerefli̇şan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

An investigation was carried out on the native gastropod species in Lake Gölbaşı, Hatay. During the research 3 species belonging to the subclass Pulmonata (Gyraulus piscinarum, Radix labiata, Anisus leucostoma) were detected along with 9 species of the subclass Orthogastropoda (=Prosobranchia) including Theodoxus jordani, Semisalsa contempta, Semisalsa longiscata, Bithynia phialensis, Valvata saulcyi, Valvata piscinalis, Melanoides tuberculatus, Melanopsis praemorsa ferussaci, Melanopsis costata costata. These gastropod species were collected from 4 stations chosen in the lake. Furthermore, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature were measured at the sampling sites.

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Phylogeny, Adaptive Radiation, And Historical Biogeography In Bromeliaceae: Insights From An Eight-Locus Plastid Phylogeny, Thomas J. Givnish, Michael H. J. Barfuss, Benjamin Van Ee, Ricarda Riina, Katharina Schulte, Ralf Horres, Philip A. Gonsiska, Rachel S. Jabaily, Darren M. Crayn, J. Andrew Smith Jan 2009

Phylogeny, Adaptive Radiation, And Historical Biogeography In Bromeliaceae: Insights From An Eight-Locus Plastid Phylogeny, Thomas J. Givnish, Michael H. J. Barfuss, Benjamin Van Ee, Ricarda Riina, Katharina Schulte, Ralf Horres, Philip A. Gonsiska, Rachel S. Jabaily, Darren M. Crayn, J. Andrew Smith

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Premise: Bromeliaceae form a large, ecologically diverse family of angiosperms native to the New World. We use a bromeliad phylogeny based on eight plastid regions to analyze relationships within the family, test a new, eight-subfamily classification, infer the chronology of bromeliad evolution and invasion of different regions, and provide the basis for future analyses of trait evolution and rates of diversification.

Methods: We employed maximum-parsimony, maximum-likelihood, and Bayesian approaches to analyze 9341 aligned bases for four outgroups and 90 bromeliad species representing 46 of 58 described genera. We calibrate the resulting phylogeny against time using penalized likelihood applied …

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Comparison Of Leaf-Clipping And Leaf-Piercing Techniques As Applied To The Seagrass Syringodium Filiforme, Joseph L. Kowalski, Hudson R. Deyoe, Christian P. Krull, Terry C. Allison Jan 2009

Comparison Of Leaf-Clipping And Leaf-Piercing Techniques As Applied To The Seagrass Syringodium Filiforme, Joseph L. Kowalski, Hudson R. Deyoe, Christian P. Krull, Terry C. Allison

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Leaf elongation rates of the seagrass Syringodium filiforme (Kütz., 1860) were assessed at two sites in a subtropical lagoon of Texas on eleven occasions from January 1996 to April 1997 using two methods, clipping and leaf piercing (marking) to estimate leaf growth. Pierced shoots grew at a significantly faster rate than clipped shoots irrespective of site. Clipping underestimated leaf elongation by 30%–38%, although differences at individual sites were as high as 69%–72%. Underestimation of leaf growth rate derived by clipping could be corrected using a site-specific linear regression relationship between leaf growth rates determined by clipping and piercing methods. The …

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The Effects Of Roads On Space Use And Movements Of Black Bears In Eastern Kentucky, Rebekah A. Jensen Jan 2009

The Effects Of Roads On Space Use And Movements Of Black Bears In Eastern Kentucky, Rebekah A. Jensen

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Kentucky, USA, is the site of recent natural recolonization by the American black bear (Ursus americanus); however, bears are rarely observed outside the Cumberland Mountains along the state‘s southeastern border. I examined the influence of roads in constraining the distribution of this population by altering animal space use and movement. I identified patterns of road avoidance and road crossing using data from Global Positioning System collars worn by 28 adult bears (16M, 12F), and described road mortality trends using 27 roadkill events. Bears avoided roads at the home range and landscape scale, primarily crossed low-traffic roads, and crossed …

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Potential For Range Expansion Of The Invasive Green Mussel, Perna Viridis, In The Southeastern United States, Alyson Goodwin Urian Jan 2009

Potential For Range Expansion Of The Invasive Green Mussel, Perna Viridis, In The Southeastern United States, Alyson Goodwin Urian

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cold temperatures are thought to be among the most important determining factors of geographic distribution for tropical and sub-tropical marine invertebrates. The Asian green mussel, Perna viridis, has been introduced into coastal waters of Florida where its current distribution is hypothesized to be limited by low temperatures during winter. Lethal and sublethal effects (heat shock protein/ Hsp70 expression) of cold water and air temperatures were analyzed in two size classes of P. viridis from Florida in an effort to determine the effects of current and forecasted temperatures on the potential for range expansion. Mussels were exposed to water temperatures …

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Ecology Of The Evening Bat (Nycticeius Humeralis) At The Northern Edge Of The Range, Olivia Maya Munzer Dec 2008

Ecology Of The Evening Bat (Nycticeius Humeralis) At The Northern Edge Of The Range, Olivia Maya Munzer

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Only a single colony of evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) is known to occur in Michigan, and it is the northernmost colony on the North American continent. In mid-May, only female evening bats migrate to Michigan to raise their pups, and in late August, evening bats migrate to southern portions of their range, where they are ubiquitous. I studied the roosting and dietary ecology of the evening bat in southeastern Michigan. Evening bats roosted in cavities, crevices, and under exfoliating bark of older trees located in a bottomland forest, interlaced with waterways and surrounded by agricultural fields. These habitats …

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Changes In Biotic And Abiotic Processes Following Mangrove Clearing, Elise Granek, Benjamin I. Ruttenberg Dec 2008

Changes In Biotic And Abiotic Processes Following Mangrove Clearing, Elise Granek, Benjamin I. Ruttenberg

Biological Sciences

Mangrove forests, important tropical coastal habitats, are in decline worldwide primarily due to removal by humans. Changes to mangrove systems can alter ecosystem properties through direct effects on abiotic factors such as temperature, light and nutrient supply or through changes in biotic factors such as primary productivity or species composition. Despite the importance of mangroves as transitional habitats between land and sea, little research has examined changes that occur when they are cleared. We examined changes in a number of biotic and abiotic factors following the anthropogenic removal of red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) in the Panamanian Caribbean, including …

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The Genetics Of Colonization In Two Amphibian Species After The 1980 Eruption Of Mount St. Helens, Kristin Ann Bakkegard Dec 2008

The Genetics Of Colonization In Two Amphibian Species After The 1980 Eruption Of Mount St. Helens, Kristin Ann Bakkegard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The genetics of colonization is understudied in salamanders but has large conservation implications as new habitats are formed or restored to their previous condition. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens provided a natural experiment to study the genetic effects of a large infrequent environmental disturbance on two species of salamander, Taricha granulosa (Rough-skinned newt) and Ambystoma gracile (Northwestern salamander). Both these species breed in ponds, and are thought to exhibit high breeding site fidelity and low vagility. I designated three treatments based on the effects of the eruption: new ponds (created by the eruption, immigrants only), recovery lakes (in …

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