Digital Commons Network^™

Breeding Birds In Cedar Stands In The Great Dismal Swamp, Karen A. Terwilliger, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Great Dismal Swamp located in the coastal plain on the Virginia- North Carolina border, has long been recognized as a vegetationally distinctive region with many unusual geological and biological features. Formerly at least twice the currently estimated size of 85,000 hectares (Carter 1979), the Great Dismal Swamp is still shrinking because of a dropping water table caused by more than 200 years of logging, ditching, and other human activities. In 1973, the Union Camp Corporation donated a 19,871-hectare tract located near Suffolk, Virginia. to The Nature Conservancy, which transferred the land to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This …

Angularella Audubonensis Sp. N. (Dilepididae) And Other Cestodes Of Cliff Swallows In Colorado, Jeffrey D. Stamper, Gerald D. Schmidt

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

One hundred forty-five cliff swallows, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, were examined for cestodes in two separate surveys in Weld County, Colorado. Seven species representing four genera were found. Angularella audubonensis sp. n. is differentiated by the small size of the rostellar hooks (8.4-13.5 μm) and the medial relationship of the cirrus pouch to the osmoregulatory canals. Other species collected were Angularella beema, Anonchotaenia globata, Mayhewia ababili, Vitta magniuncinata, Vitta parvirostris and Vitta riparia. Seven new hosts and geographic distribution records were established for Colorado, and six new records were determined for North America.

Manipulation Of Endogenous And Exogenous Hormones For Red Meat Production, Bruce D. Schanbacher

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

Growth and development of domestic livestock for red meat production are often discussed in the context of environmental factors, nutritional requirements, genetic potential and the anabolic agents affecting production efficiency. In this minireview, the effects of endogenous and exogenous hormones on animal growth are reviewed. The pituitary, pancreatic and gonadal hormones known to affect growth and(or) carcass composition are cited to illustrate and place into perspective the important contributions that the endocrine system makes to animal production. Manipulation of endogenous hormones through 1) administration of synthetic releasing and inhibiting peptides and 2) immunoneutralization techniques, will likely provide the livestock producer …

Pituitary-Testicular Responses Of Estradiol-17Β-Implanted Bull Calves To Continuous Versus Pulsatile Infusion Of Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone, Bruce D. Schanbacher

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

The luteinizing hormone (LH), folliclestimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone response of bull calves implanted with estradiol-17β to continuous and pulsatile infusion of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) has been examined. Estradiol-17β reduced serum LH and FSH concentrations and suppressed testosterone secretion and testicular growth when compared with sham-implanted bulls. Putsatile iv infusion of LHRH [500 ng every 2 h (6 μg/d)] for a 4-wk period to estradiol-17β- implanted bulls resulted in elevated mean serum LH and testosterone concentrations that were characterized by discrete secretory episodes. Mean serum FSH was also increased by LHRH pulse infusion, but LHRH-coup!ed secretory episodes were …

Curatorial News From The University Of Richmond Herbarium, W. John Hayden

Biology Faculty Publications

The Department of Biology at the University of Richmond maintains a herbarium of approximately 15,000 specimens. In an effort to make this collection better known to Virginia botanists, this note describes some recent curatorial improvements upon the UR Herbarium and outlines its contents.

Systematics And Palynology Of Picrodendron Further Evidence For Relationship With The Oldfieldioideae (Euphorbiaceae), W. John Hayden, W. T. Gillis, D. E. Stone, C. R. Broome, G. L. Webster

Biology Faculty Publications

Although known to botanical science for 285 years, the genus Picrodendron Planchon has been poorly understood for most of this time. The most pervasive problem has been that of discerning familial relationships, and there have been additional difficulties in typifying the generic name (Hayden & Reveal, 1980) and in distinguishing its three nominate species. This paper provides a systematic treatment for Picrodendron and demonstrates its relationships with Euphorbiaceae subfam. Oldfieldioideae Kohler & Webster as evidenced by data on gross morphology, palynology, anatomy, and cytology.

Leptodactylus Podicipinus (Cope, 1862) Y Leptodactylus Chaquensis Cei, 1959 (Anura, Leptodactylidae), En El Uruguay, Raúl Vaz-Ferreira, Rafael O. De Sá, Federico Achaval, Annelise Gebrau

Biology Faculty Publications

En base al estudio de las colecciones obtenidas principalmente en excursiones a la zona NO de Uruguay con motivo del relevamiento faunístico del área de Salto Grande, se avanzó considerablemente en el conocimiento de la distribución de Leptodactylus podicipinus (Cope, 1862) y Leptodactylus chaquensis (Cei, 1950), en nuestro país.

Se cita el material estudiado y las observaciones de campo realizadas; se dan los caracteres generales de ambas especies, se describen los hábitats, y se tratan las características de las vocalizaciones.

Use Of Skelettochronology In Age Determination Of American Toads (Bufo Americanus) From East Central Illinois, Philip M. Acker

Masters Theses

A skelettochronological technique was applied to the phalanges of the American toad, Bufo americanus, from east central, IL. In hematoxylin-stained cross-sections of the phalanges, suspected year rings are formed which can be used to age individuals. This method allows for aging without destructive sampling of toad populations.

A majority of the male toads from two choruses were estimated to be 2 or 3 years old, while most of the females from the same two sites were in the 3 or 4 year age class. Females were larger than males in the 3 and 4 year age classes, and overall, …

Operant Conditioning In The Water Snake (Nerodia Sipedon), Angela R. Deitz

Masters Theses

Six subjects of Nerodia sipedon were tested for runway acquisition. Five of six subjects met criterion for runway learning, demonstrating a significant decrease over the 25 day testing period in mean latency and running times. Four subjects completed 170 trials in a T-maze to test two-choice discrimination and reversal learning. All subjects met criterion for the initial discrimination and one reversal while two subjects completed four reversals and one subject met criterion for six reversals. Results are similar or superior to those previously reported for reptiles and other non-human vertebrates.

Operant Conditioning In The Psittacine, Amazona Amazonica, Gloria J. Nadolski

Masters Theses

Two Orange-winged Amazon Parrots, (Amazona amazonica) were subjected to operant conditioning involving three tests: two-choice spatial discrimination and reversal, three-choice color discrimination and reversal, and the oddity principle. Results of the habit reversal tests were compared to those of Gossett (1968) to determine the phylogenetic ranking of the learning capabilities of psittacines. In the first two habit reversal tests, the subjects completed twenty reversals using sunflower seeds as positive reinforcements. In the oddity principle test, the parrots completed the equivalent of 20 reversals, again using sunflower seeds. Criterion was met when they completed 8 consecutive correct choices with …

Juglans Cinerea: The American White Walnut, Dennis Robert Hattermann

Masters Theses

The American white walnut Juglans cinerea L. is a native North American tree in the Juglandaceae, or walnut family. It prefers rich, moist, rather neutral to slightly basic lowland soils. This is an in depth study of its taxonomy, morphology, anatomy, age, size, growth habit, distribution, ecology, propagation, economic importance, medicinal uses, toxicity, folklore, diseases and pests, and chemical constituents.

J. cinerea L. is monoecious and confined in its distribution to the eastern and central parts of North America. It can be easily identified by its large, pinnately compound leaves and ashy-gray bark with broad, flat plates and deep furrows. …

A Comparison Of The Temporal Spawning Distributions And Growth Rates Of Young-Of-The-Year Redear Sunfish (Lepomis Microlophus) And Bluegill (Lepomis Macrochirus) In Three Illinois Impoundments, Craig Douglas Schmittler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the temporal spawning distribution and growth rates of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) in Illinois impoundments. Otolith sagittae were used to age the fish and to determine the intervals of successful spawning for both species.

Readear sunfish initiated spawning slightly before or a the same time as bluegill; however, bluegill spawned for twice as long as redear sunfish in all study impoundments. The earliest spawned fish of both species showed the fastest growth and the earliest spawned redear sunfish grew faster than did the earliest …

Proceedings Of Perdix Iii: Gray Partridge And Ring-Necked Pheasant Workshop, Robert T. Dumke, Richard B. Stiehl, Richard B. Kahl

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Conference Proceedings

Foreword

Opening remarks: How far we have come, Robert A. McCabe

Gray Partridge Ecology and Management

Grey partridge population dynamics: Comparisons between Britain and North America, G. Richard Potts

Changes in the composition of the autumn food of the partridge in western Finland over 20 years, Erkki Pulliainen

Body condition of gray partridge during fall and winter in Saskatchewan, Ross W. Melinchuk and John P. Ryder

Nesting biology of gray partridge in east-central Wisonsin, Kevin E. Church

Procedures for introducing gray partridge into unoccupied range in New York, Kevin E, Church, William F. Porter, and David E. Austin

Landowner and …

Effects Of Space Shuttle Exhaust Plumes On Gills Of Some Estuarine Fishes: A Light And Electron Microscopic Study, William E. Hawkins, Robin M. Overstreet, Mark J. Provancha

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The first few launches of the space shuttle resulted in fish kills in a lagoon near the launch site. To study this phenomenon further, sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus), sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna), and mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) were exposed to the exhaust plume in buckets placed near the launch site. An open bucket provided a full exposure, a partly closed one provided an intermediate exposure, and a closed one was the control. Three h after launch, the pH of the water from the full exposure had decreased from about 7 to about 3, Al and …

Amphipods Of The Family Ampeliscidae (Gammaridea). Iii. Ampelisca Parapacifica, A New Species Of Amphipod From The Western North Atlantic With The Designation Of A Substitute Name For A. Eschrichtii Pacifica Gurjanova, 1955, Gary D. Goeke, Richard W. Heard

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A new species of benthic amphipod, Ampelisca parapacifica, is described from the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and compared with the closely allied Ampelisca pacifica Holmes, 1908, from the eastern Pacific. The distinctive form of the third uropod separates this species pair from other members of the "macrocephala" subgroup of the genus Ampelisca Kroyer, 1842. Ampelisca parapacifica is distinguished from A. pacifica by antenna I peduncle segment 2 less t}an twice the length of article 1 and uropod I peduncle shorter than the rami. Previous Atlantic records of A. pacifica are assigned to the proposed new species. The Pacific populations …

Comments On Density Inversions In Marine Shallow Waters And Beyond, Gordon Gunter, Forrest V. Durand

Gulf and Caribbean Research

It has been shown within the past 70 years that salinity and thus density inversions are often detectible in shallow bays and estuaries. This terminology means that surface salinities are sometimes higher than those at lower depths. The first such discoveries in this country were made by Sumner, Louderback, Schmitt and Johnston (1914) in San Francisco Bay. They used Negetti-Zambta reversing thermometers for temperature and silver nitrate titration for salinity determination. These were by then considered to be classical methods and had been worked out in northern Europe, mostly in Scandinavia. They were introduced to the United States Gulf Coast …

A Preliminary Checklist Of Epiphytic And Benthic Marine Diatoms Of Louisiana, Robert S. Maples

Gulf and Caribbean Research

A checklist of diatoms collected from the various habitats in coastal salt marshes, estuaries, and nearshore Gulf waters of Louisiana has been compiled for the first time. The checklist includes 193 taxa (species and their varieties) in 38 genera. The largest number of taxa are species of Navicula and Nitzschia with 46 and 36, respectively. Future studies of the varied habitats along the Louisiana coast should result in many new additions to this preliminary checklist.