Digital Commons Network^™

First U.S. Atlantic Record Of Nazca Booby Sula Granti, With Implications For Vagrancy By Pacific Seabirds Into The Gulf Of Mexico, Kate E. Sutherland, Nicholas J. Metheny, J. Christopher Haney

Marine Ornithology

An adult Nazca Booby Sula granti was photographed in the western Gulf of Mexico on 03 August 2024 during a survey of marine birds and mammals over waters east of South Padre Island, Texas, USA (26.384ºN, 096.176ºW). This is the first report of S. granti in US waters of the Gulf of Mexico; previous eBird reports indicate occasional presence in Caribbean waters off Costa Rica (2018) and Colombia (2020). As many as 20% of all marine and waterbird species occurring in the Gulf of Mexico have core ranges in the Pacific Ocean or its continental margins. Dispersal by Pacific birds …

Spatial And Temporal Variation Of Beached Birds In Northern Argentine Patagonia, Victoria Magdalena Pizá, Patricio Javier Pereyra, Juan Pablo Seco Pon

Marine Ornithology

Beached birds on marine coastal beaches, along with other megafauna, are a valuable source of biological information, offering insights into species occurrence and factors that negatively affect their populations. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial and temporal variation, and species composition, of coastal and marine birds found on sandy beaches in the Bahía de San Antonio Protected Natural Area (Río Negro Province, Argentina), and to relate resulting species abundance and richness to oceanographic and environmental variables. A biweekly survey was carried out over two years (2020-2022), during which 672 beached birds were recorded. The overall …

Thick-Billed Murres Uria Lomvia At Cape Parry, Northwest Territories: Core-Use Areas, Morphometrics And Chick Diets, Rosana Paredes, Stephen, J. Insley, Sebastian Luque, Piia Kortsalo

Marine Ornithology

Cape Parry is home to the only colony of Thick-billed Murres Uria lomvia in the western Canadian Arctic, but ecological information for this small, isolated population is lacking. To address this information gap, we investigated the spatial distribution, diving behaviour, diet, and morphometrics of male and female Cape Parry Thick-billed Murres during the breeding season. We tracked 23 chick-rearing adults (seven females and 16 males) using Global Positioning System (GPS) tags with depth sensors (2021) and collected chick diet data (2021, 2022) using observations and photos. Cape Parry murres foraged relatively close to the colony (4.5 ± 3.3 km) and …

Seagrass And Mangroves As Water-Associated Bird Habitat In The Southern Red Sea Coasts Of Saudi Arabia, Jeff Bogart R. Abrogueña, Iwao Tanita, Anthony M. Doyle, Romana Roje-Busatto, Jean Rose H. Maquirang, Seerangan Manokaran, Khalid Imam, Thamer Al-Johani, Sau Pinn Woo

Marine Ornithology

Studies on water-associated bird communities within seagrass and mangrove habitats, especially in arid environments, are limited. Here, we studied a pristine mangrove forest with associated seagrass meadows in the Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries (JCPDI) on the southern Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. Our objectives were to (1) determine the differences in the diversity and distribution of water-associated bird communities between three sampling stations—S1 (a mixture of mangroves and seagrass beds), S2 (an open coast adjacent to mangroves), and S3 (an open coast without vegetation)—and across three seasons (March for spring, July for summer, and November for …

The Owl Gull: Exclusively Nocturnal Foraging By The Swallow-Tailed Gull Creagrus Furcatus In Galápagos, Sebastian M. Cruz, Luke R. Halpin, Carolina Proaño, David J. Anderson, Martin Wikelski

Marine Ornithology

Colony-based observations indicate that Swallow-tailed Gulls Creagrus furcatus go to sea only at night. Here, we use GPS tracking technology to reveal the species’ exclusively nocturnal foraging behavior at four colonies in the Galápagos Islands. All nocturnal trips proved to be foraging effort in pelagic waters 19–103 km from nests during breeding. While at sea, individuals spent approximately one-quarter of their time commuting, with half of the time dedicated to area-restricted search behavior. Three years of data from one colony indicate spatial fidelity to a general foraging area. Our research directly confirms that Swallow-tailed Gulls are the only obligate nocturnal …

Modeling Breeding Habitat Preferences Of Tahiti Petrel Pseudobulweria Rostrata On Ta‘Ū, American Samoa, A. J. Titmus, C. A. Lepczyk

Marine Ornithology

Understanding the prevalence and use of breeding habitat of seabird species is important for evaluating appropriate conservation and management strategies. Seabirds are one taxonomic group for which we have relatively few species distribution studies, particularly on remote islands. To address this limitation, the goals of this study were to (1) build and use a species distribution model to identify which differences in habitat structure, physical characteristics, and environmental conditions affect Tahiti Petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata nesting presence on the island of Ta‘ū, American Samoa; and (2) evaluate how important nesting habitat characteristics can identify the fine-scale extent and location of suitable …

Decrypting The Breeding Biology Of The Elusive And Declining Tahiti Petrel Pseudobulweria Rostrata, Angelique Pagenaud, Karen Bourgeois, Léna Payandi, Wilfried Weiss, Éric Vidal, Andreas Ravache

Marine Ornithology

Among procellariids, the Tahiti Petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata is one of the most endangered and least known species. Its global populations are declining, yet demographic and ecological studies remain scarce. Understanding the breeding cycle and behavior of Tahiti Petrel adults and chicks is essential to develop effective protection measures. To address this knowledge gap, Tahiti Petrel colonies of various sizes were studied at three sites in New Caledonia, with extensive sampling at two main sites and limited sampling at a third. A total of 157 burrows were monitored for up to two years using endoscopic cameras and camera traps. This allowed …

Masthead, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Reviews: Dare To Bird: Exploring The Joy And Healing Power Of Birds (Hafting, M.); Migration Mysteries: Adventures, Disasters, And Epiphanies In A Life With Birds (Rappole, J.H.); Catastrophic Thinking: Extinction And The Value Of Diversity From Darwin To The Anthropocene (Sepkoski, D.); The Aquatic World Of Penguins. Biology Of Fish-Birds. (Ainley, D.G. & Wilson, R.P.), Eric Wagner, Eric J. Woehler

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

‘Floating Populations’ Of Seabirds: The Bane Of Demographic Modelers And Managers, David G. Ainley, George J. Divoky, Pat Baird, Gregory C. Spencer

Marine Ornithology

’Floating’ portions of seabird populations (mature but non-breeding individuals) are generally ignored in seabird research and management despite frequent evidence of their existence, especially in cavity-nesting species for whom nest habitat is often limiting. Here we demonstrate, using a few among an appreciable number of cases, that often more adults contribute to regional populations than colony-based censuses reveal, and that these birds are able to breed but do not. Once given the chance through the creation of nesting habitat, either by natural or human-caused processes, these populations reveal themselves by occupying the newly created habitats to become breeders. We include …

Seasonal And Spatial Variations In Densities Of Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus Marmoratus Off Southwestern Vancouver Island, Alan E. Burger, E. Anne Stewart

Marine Ornithology

The ocean off Vancouver Island, British Columbia, is a productive area supporting diverse marine life, including a globally important breeding population of Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus. We report on the year-round at-sea distribution and densities of this murrelet off southwestern Vancouver Island based on monthly vessel surveys in 1993–2000. Surveys covered three ocean zones: Nearshore (sheltered waters, usually < 20 m deep, within 1–2 km of shore; 69 surveys), Inshore (exposed coastal waters, < 50 m deep, within 6 km of shore; 38 surveys), and Offshore (exposed open seas over the continental shelf, > 50 m deep, generally > 6 km from shore; 29 surveys). Year-round mean densities (± standard deviation, in birds/km2) for Nearshore, Inshore, and Offshore waters were 4.5 ± 5.8, 1.5 ± 1.2, and 0.2 ± 0.2, respectively. During peak breeding season (May–July), densities …

No Evidence For High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza In Waved Albatross Phoebastria Irrorata, Gustavo Jiménez-Uzcátegui, Alberto Vélez, Patricio Vega, Verónica Buendia, Verónica Montenegro-Benalcázar, Christian Sevilla, Marilyn Cruz

Marine Ornithology

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is caused by the Alphainfluenzavirus influenzae species (type A, subtype H5N1), which has been detected in mammals (including humans) and marine birds in the Americas, including the Galápagos Islands. The Waved Albatross Phoebastria irrorata is a marine endemic species of Ecuador. Most of its breeding population nests on Española Island in the Galápagos Archipelago, and it forages at sea in the eastern South Pacific. This marine bird shares its feeding areas with the Peruvian Pelican Pelecanus thagus, Peruvian Booby Sula variegata, Guanay Cormorant Leucocarbo bougainvillii, Humboldt Penguin Spheniscus humboldti, Sanderling Calidris alba, Belcher’s Gull Larus …

Assessing The Short- And Long-Term Response Of Gulls To Non-Lethal Hazing On An Offshore Island, Pete Warzybok, Nadav Nur, Russell W. Bradley, Dan Grout, Gerard J. Mcchesney

Marine Ornithology

Non-lethal bird hazing techniques are commonly used to protect public health and safety, defend crops, and safeguard the birds themselves. Examples of their use include warding them away from airports, landfills, oil spills, and other avian toxic exposure situations. Herein we examine the efficacy of non-lethal hazing tools for minimizing impacts to Gulls Larus spp. prior to a proposed eradication of introduced House Mice Mus musculus at the South Farallon Islands, 30 km offshore of the Central California coast. Methods considered for removing mice include the aerial application of rodenticide, which poses an adverse risk to non-target wildlife, including Western …

Ocular Pathology In The Flightless Cormorant Nannopterum Harrisi, Gustavo Jiménez-Uzcátegui

Marine Ornithology

Ocular pathological conditions affecting the cornea, iris, conjunctiva, and third eyelid in each of four Flightless Cormorants Nannopterum harrisi were observed on Fernandina Island, Galápagos, in September 2014. Observations over many years, 2009–2023 (n = 313 cormorants inspected), suggest that the infection noted in 2014 was rare.

Black Oystercatcher Haematopus Bachmani Productivity In California And Oregon And The Effects Of Nest Site And Environmental Covariates, Anna Weinstein, Joseph Liebezeit, Daniel Orr, Ryan D. Carle, Timothy D. Meehan

Marine Ornithology

Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani is a species of conservation concern due to its small global population, reliance on somewhat restricted intertidal habitat, and vulnerability to climate change impacts. Concern for this species, along with a lack of demographic information from the southern portion of its range, gave rise to a community science project to monitor pair productivity, nest characteristics, and nest disturbance from 2012 through 2022 across three study regions in Oregon and California. A clear spatial gradient existed in productivity, with relatively low values in the southern region (0.37 fledged young per pair per year, 95% confidence interval [CI] …

Masthead, Pacific Seabird Group

Marine Ornithology

No abstract provided.

Approximating Data-Driven Combinatorial Search In The Feature Space: Pwfs, Mehmet Bugrahan Ayanoglu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents the development and application of a novel feature selection method, Probability Weighted Feature Selection (PWFS), designed to address key challenges in machine learning involving high-dimensional, noisy, or biased datasets. It is a comprehensive exploration of feature selection strategies to enhance the performance, interpretability, and practicality of machine learning models in both engineering systems and educational data mining. PWFS introduces a structured, probabilistic approach to feature selection that adaptively weights features based on their empirical contribution to model performance. This method not only accelerates convergence to near-optimal feature subsets but also enhances flexibility for ensemble learning by encouraging …

He’S The Kid That No One Wanted: An Autoethnographic Examination Of Preschool Suspensions And Expulsions From A Mother’S Lens, Lisa M. Smith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This autoethnographic research examines the personal and professional journey of advocating against preschool suspensions and expulsions through the lens of a Black mother. Titled He’s The Kid That No One Wanted: An Autoethnographic Examination of Preschool Suspensions and Expulsions from a Mother’s Lens, " it dives into the complicated challenges faced while confronting exclusionary disciplinary practices in early childhood education. This research aims to illuminate the societal and institutional roadblocks encountered when navigating systems of power and to explore the impact of these challenges on both personal identity and professional advocacy. Using a blend of social media artifacts and memory …

Concentration And Composition Of Organic Contaminants In Blackfin Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, And The Common Clubhook Squid In The Western Gulf Of Mexico, Lisa Rose-Mann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cephalopods are an important component of pelagic food webs. They play ecological roles not only as predators but also as prey. However, their role as prey in the trophic transfer of organic contaminants to apex predators such as tunas in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is not well known. To investigate the importance of cephalopods in tuna diets, stomach samples were collected in February 2020 from tunas caught by rod and reel aboard the F/V Gulf Eagle near two large offshore floating oil/gas platforms in the northwestern GoM. Cephalopod samples were obtained from gut content analysis of 41 tunas caught …

Representation And Visualization Of Multivariate Sensory Time Series Data, Ismail Uysal, Alla Abdella

USF Patents

In accordance with some embodiments, systems, methods, and media for processing and representing multivariate sensor information gathered from multiple sources are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: receiving a data sequences from respective sources; identifying a shortest data sequence that corresponds to a first interval; calculating, for pairs of data sequences, a similarity value over the first interval; forming a first segment of a representative data sequence that is a weighted combination of the data sequences over the first interval based on similarity values associated with the data sequences; truncating at least a subset of data sequences to exclude …

Exploring System Identification Of Non-Linear Dynamics Using The Weighted Composition Operator And The Liouville Operator, Chukwuebuka Amagwula

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

System identification is the process of determining mathematical models that describe the dynamics of a system from data. Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) and Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems (SINDy) are two distinct approaches used for this purpose.

DMD identifies dominant spatiotemporal modes and eigenvalues that describe the evo lution of a system. It assumes a near-linear representation of dynamics and is closely linked to the Koopman operator, making it ideal for analyzing fluid flows, oscillatory systems, and modal structures. The DMD method uses time series data where each data point is referred to as a snapshot and represents the …

Conflicting Social Information And Its Impact On Sentence Comprehension In Young Adults With Dld: An Eye Tracking Study, Ansley Davis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Individuals must recognize linguistic and non-linguistic social cues to resolve contextual ambiguities in their conversations. When the linguistic and social cues match, sentence processing is facilitated. However, conflicts between linguistic and social stimuli (i.e., incongruency) can lead to prediction errors which slow sentence processing. Limited research has explored the social cognition conflict resolution skills in individuals with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) despite their documented emotion processing deficits. This study considers the role of social prediction processing in adults with DLD as they engage in a social cognition conflict resolution task.

Young adults with DLD (n=29) and typically developing (TD) peers …

Gnsi Decision Brief: Assessing Brics Gold Holdings, William Parker

GNSI Decision Briefs

BBRICS began as a coalition of five major emerging economies, including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and has since evolved into a growing power bloc, often referred to as BRICS+, with ambitions to reshape global governance. Led in part by China and Russia, the group is positioning itself as an alternative to Western institutions and the dominance of the U.S. dollar. As BRICS expands its global influence, its collective gold strategy offers a valuable lens through which to examine emerging shifts in economic and geopolitical power.

Mapping Co-Benefits And Cultural Values For Nature-Based Solutions: Palcencia, Belize (Report No. 9), J. M.S. Delevaux, R. K. Zarger, C. Dario, K. Hinds, N. Batista, J. M. Olaya-Restrepo, W. A. Webb, D. Mcdougall, M. Vernon, N. Gibson, R. Mckenna, M. A. Trotz

Strong Coasts Collection

On October 24th and 25th, 2024, 58 persons gathered in Placencia Village for a collaborative workshop aimed at sharing knowledge on priority areas for Nature-Based Solutions and co-benefits pertaining to mangroves and coral reefs, including mapping and valuing fisheries supply chains, and socio-cultural values pertaining to Nature-Based Solutions.

This two-part workshop was part of the Strong Coasts Coastlines and People (CoPE) project which studies the co-benefits of Nature-Based Solutions in terms of contributions to Habitat Extent & Health, Carbon Sequestration, Education, Erosion, Fisheries, Flood Reduction, Heritage, Recreation, Tourism, and Water Quality. The workshop was organized by project partners from the …

Navigating Transit Governance: Wto Rules And Unclos With A Focus On Nepal And Afghanistan, Dr.Neeru Sidana, Disha Tiwari Ms.

Journal of Strategic Security

`

Many developing, landlocked countries, such as Nepal and Afghanistan, face significant challenges in accessing international markets, which hinders their development. These issues inspired the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982, which grants landlocked states the right to navigate through coastal territories for trade. This article investigates how UNCLOS has influenced the transit and trade of Nepal and Afghanistan since the treaty's signing. The research examines the macroeconomic impacts of UNCLOS on these countries, focusing on trade trends and regional cooperation agreements. It analyzes how UNCLOS has facilitated increased trade and new economic activities …

Afghanistan, Wargaming, And Human Behavior, John A. Kirbow

Journal of Strategic Security

This article seeks to show how our successes and overall strategic failing in Afghanistan – in particular, the swift takeover by Taliban forces despite two decades of nation-building and partnering – can be a teachable moment. Specifically, how a more realistic, grounded understanding of human nature and decision making, informed by concepts of human incentives, uncertainty, and risk, can assist us in certain warzones. This understanding may be critical in current and future conflicts where the (1) the formal governing system is ineffective, (2) said government tends to be unresponsive to the needs of lower-level leaders and the population, and …

Human Security And Afghan Refugee Resettlement In The Us: A Case Study Of Camp Atterbury, Arif Akgul, Jennifer Grimes, Samuel Valentine

Journal of Strategic Security

This study examines the application of human security theory in the humanitarian operation at Camp Atterbury, which provided temporary resettlement for over 7,200 Afghan evacuees in the State of Indiana as part of Operation Allies Welcome (OAW). Afghan evacuees were admitted to the US under humanitarian parole and experienced a transitional period since their arrival on August 2021. Using the three pillars of human security: freedom from fear, freedom from want, and freedom to live in dignity, conceptualized by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Kofi Annan, this analysis explores the security measures, essential services, and accommodations implemented to …

From Uncertainty To Strategic Failure: U.S. Military Interventions And The Complexity Of Nation-Building In Afghanistan, Goddy Uwa Osimen, Oluwamurewa Newo

Journal of Strategic Security

The American occupation of Afghanistan from 2001-2021 is widely regarded as a strategic failure, particularly after the Taliban took over the government in 2021. This work seeks to observe the strategic flaws of the 20-year occupation from the perspective of nation-building within the state. Using the theoretical lens of strategic culture and borrowing from Huntington’s discourse on the clash of civilizations, this article notes that nation-building failure in Afghanistan can be attributed to the ideological differences between the West and the Middle East. Using a descriptive qualitative approach and secondary sources such as books and peer-reviewed articles, the study employs …

Atomic Clock Utilizing Spin-Dependent Recombination, Denis Karaiskaj

USF Patents

A silicon-based atomic clock for use in an electronic device structured to employ spin-dependent recombination in the silicon crystal. In at last one implementation, a source of energy configured to excite the impurity atoms within the silicon crystal includes a source of thermal energy but not a source of light or a source of broadband light that is not matched to said energy level transition of the impurity atoms.

Mpo Citizens’ Advisory Committee Training Across Florida, Tia Boyd, Taylor Dinehart, Jeff Kramer

CUTR Internal Grant Research Program

Federal law and guidance require Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to involve the public in the comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing (3C) transportation planning process (see 23 CFR Subpart C § 450.316). Additionally, Florida statute s. 339.175 F.S. further requires that all MPOs in Florida have a citizens’ advisory committee (CAC) or an alternative program or mechanism to ensure citizen involvement in the transportation planning process.

CAC members often have an interest in transportation, but they may lack a foundational understanding of transportation planning processes, MPOs, or the roles and duties of the CAC. Training can help fill these knowledge gaps and …