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Evaluating The Effects Of Morrow's Honeysuckle Control On Vertebrate And Vegetation Assemblages, And Small Mammal Foraging Ecology At Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Charnee Lee Rose Aug 2011

Evaluating The Effects Of Morrow's Honeysuckle Control On Vertebrate And Vegetation Assemblages, And Small Mammal Foraging Ecology At Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Charnee Lee Rose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exotic, Japanese bush honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.; Caprifoliaceae) are tied to a variety of impacts on wildlife and ecosystems. Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) has become a persistent invader in eastern North America. We organized a restoration initiative at Fort Necessity National Battlefield (FONE), Pennsylvania, USA from 2004--2010. Concurrently, we studied the consumption of Morrow's honeysuckle fruits by small mammals from October--November 2009 and July--August 2010, and determined habitat variables that affected visitation rate to foraging stations. Areas of FONE were invaded by Morrow's honeysuckle after the land had been cleared for agriculture, and routine mowing ceased in the mid-1980s. Our restoration …


Demographic Response Of American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius L.) To Climate Change, Sara Souther Jan 2011

Demographic Response Of American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius L.) To Climate Change, Sara Souther

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ecological response to recent climate change has been documented for a multitude of species worldwide. Climate models predict further increases in temperature, as much as 8 times the degree of warming that has already occurred. Given observations of species response to contemporary climate change and the unprecedented degree of warming expected over the next century, climate change will no doubt determine future ecosystem composition and affect global species diversity. In order to prevent loss of biodiversity, it is necessary to understand and accurately project species' response to climate, and to identify species that are vulnerable to climate change driven extinctions. …


Evaluating The Effects Of The Blennerhassett Island Bridge Crossing (Ohio River) On Soil, Vegetation, And Wildlife, Joshua Allen Vance Dec 2010

Evaluating The Effects Of The Blennerhassett Island Bridge Crossing (Ohio River) On Soil, Vegetation, And Wildlife, Joshua Allen Vance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Corridor D was one of the original 23 highway corridors selected by the Appalachian Highway Development System in 1965 and stretches from Bridgeport, West Virginia to Cincinnati, Ohio. The last piece of Corridor D to be completed was the Blennerhassett Island Bridge which crosses over the Ohio River and Blennerhassett Island near Parkersburg, West Virginia and Belpre, Ohio. The Blennerhassett Island Bridge is a tied-arch style bridge about 1,220 m in length and 24 m above the ground and water surface. Construction of the bridge began in March 2005 and the bridge was opened to the public in June 2008. …


Roosting Ecology Of Bats In A Disturbed Landscape, Joshua B. Johnson Aug 2010

Roosting Ecology Of Bats In A Disturbed Landscape, Joshua B. Johnson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In 2007 and 2008, I examined roost selection of forest-interior dwelling northern myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) maternity colonies in stands treated with prescribed fire (hereafter, fire) and in unburned (hereafter, control) stands on the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia. Using radio telemetry, I tracked 36 female northern myotis to 69 roost trees; 25 in the fire treatment and 44 in the control treatment. Using logistic regression and an information-theoretic model selection approach, I determined that within the fire treatment, northern myotis maternity colonies were more likely to use cavity trees that were smaller in diameter, higher in crown class, and located …


Effect Of Nutritional Deficiency On Ruffed Grouse Condition And Reproductive Success, Aaron B. Proctor Aug 2010

Effect Of Nutritional Deficiency On Ruffed Grouse Condition And Reproductive Success, Aaron B. Proctor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Maternal body fat condition (i.e., percent carcass fat) is often a focal point in determining reproductive success in female galliforms. Previous research has centered around habitat-related nutritional parameters affecting body condition and the influence on reproductive capacity. Past studies have shown that ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) maintain higher mean body fat levels throughout the Appalachians and variation in body condition exceeds that found in northern grouse. In the Appalachians, ruffed grouse with diets devoid of energy-rich hard mast have lower body fat condition. It has been hypothesized that females in poorer condition will have lower productivity in the Appalachians. We …


Predicting Species Composition In An Eastern Hardwood Forest With The Use Of Digitally Derived Terrain Variables, Richard D. Flanigan May 2010

Predicting Species Composition In An Eastern Hardwood Forest With The Use Of Digitally Derived Terrain Variables, Richard D. Flanigan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis addresses the need for improved classification of remotely sensed imagery in the complex hardwood forests of West Virginia. A geographic information system (GIS) was used in conjunction with forest plot data to develop a model to predict species composition in the eastern hardwood forest of West Virginia. The study area was located on the West Virginia University Research Forest (WVURF) in northern West Virginia. Terrain variables including aspect, curvature and slope change drastically at a local scale within the forest to greatly influence species composition. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data was collected for the entire WVURF, which …


Spatially Heterogeneous Estimates Of Fire Frequency In Ponderosa Pine Forests Of Washington, Usa, James T. Kernan, Amy E. Hessl Jan 2010

Spatially Heterogeneous Estimates Of Fire Frequency In Ponderosa Pine Forests Of Washington, Usa, James T. Kernan, Amy E. Hessl

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Many fire history studies have evaluated the temporal nature of fire regimes using fire interval statistics calculated from fire scars. More recently, researchers have begun to evaluate the spatial properties of past fires as well. In this paper, we describe a technique for investigating spatio-temporal variability using a geographic information system (GIS). We used a dataset of fire-scarred trees collected from four sites in eastern Washington, USA, ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa C. Lawson) forests. The patterns of past fires recorded by individual trees (points) were converted to two-dimensional representations of fire with inverse distance weighting (IDW) in a GIS. …


Mining And Residential Development Interact To Produce Highly Impaired Stream Conditions In An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Eric Richard Merriam Dec 2009

Mining And Residential Development Interact To Produce Highly Impaired Stream Conditions In An Intensively Mined Appalachian Watershed, Eric Richard Merriam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Large scale surface mining in southern West Virginia causes significant alteration of headwater stream networks. It is unclear, however, the extent to which mining interacts with other stressors to determine physical, chemical, and biological conditions in aquatic systems downstream. Through a watershed scale assessment of Pigeon Creek, the specific objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the direct and interactive effects of mining and residential development on in-stream conditions; and (2) identify landscape thresholds above which biological impairment occurs. Our results indicate high levels of impairment to habitat, water quality, and benthic invertebrate communities within this watershed. Statistical analyses …


Habitat Selection And Predation Risk In Larval Lampreys, Dustin M. Smith Aug 2009

Habitat Selection And Predation Risk In Larval Lampreys, Dustin M. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This thesis examines habitat preference and the influence of habitat on predation of larvae (ammocoetes) of the least brook lamprey (Lampetra aepyptera). The thesis comprises three chapters: (1) an introduction and literature review on the general life history of lampreys and on studies related to ammocoetes and their habitat, (2) an experimental study of habitat preference in ammocoetes of the least brook lamprey, and (3) an experimental study of the relationship between habitat availability and predation risk in ammocoetes. For the first study, we quantified substrate selection in small (< 50 mm) and large (100-150 mm) ammocoetes of the least brook lamprey. In aquaria, ammocoetes were given a choice to burrow into six equally-available substrate types: small gravel (2.36-4.75 mm), coarse sand (0.5-1.4 mm), fine sand (0.125-0.5 mm), organic debris (approximately 70% decomposing leaves and stems, 15% silt, and 15% sand), an even mixture of silt, clay, and fine sand, and silt/clay (< 0.063 mm). Fine sand was selected with a significantly higher probability than any other substrate. In the second study, we experimentally examined the influence of habitat availability on predation risk of ammocoetes. Ammocoetes were placed in aquaria containing a predator species (yellow bullhead, Ameiurus natalis) and one of 3 substrates: fine sand (0.125-0.5 mm), coarse sand (0.5-1.4 mm), or silt/clay (<0.063 mm). Use of the three substrate types was based on a previous experiment where fine sand was determined to be the preferred benthic habitat of least brook lamprey. Based on 10 trials with each habitat type, survival of ammocoetes was highest in aquaria with fine sand (mean = 80%), and lower in those with coarse sand (mean = 58%) and silt/clay (mean = 4%). The results of both studies conducted indicate that populations of least brook lamprey ammocoetes may be limited by the availability of fine sand habitat. The first study indicated that least brook lamprey ammocoetes are habitat specialists, preferring substrates composed primarily of fine sand. The second study showed that the availability of fine sand habitat may influence the predation risk of ammocoetes, as ammocoete survival from predation was highest in fine sand, and lower in other substrates.


Foraging Ecology Of Male Cerulean Warblers And Other Neotropical Migrants, Gregory A. George May 2009

Foraging Ecology Of Male Cerulean Warblers And Other Neotropical Migrants, Gregory A. George

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Understanding foraging ecology provides insight into species resource requirements and overall conservation needs. We examined foraging behavior and tree species selection of male Cerulean Warblers (Dendroica cerulea ) (n = 673) in response to varying degrees of habitat disturbance from silvicultural treatments at four study sites in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, during the 2006 and 2007 breeding seasons. Cerulean Warblers foraged primarily in the forest canopy, along branch tips by gleaning insects off leaf surfaces, often adjacent to canopy gaps, both pre- and post-harvest. Tree species availability, based on importance values (IV) calculated from density, frequency and basal areas, …


Ecological Responses Of Streams To Anthropogenic Stressors, And Watershed Cause-Effect Modeling In The Mid-Atlantic Highlands Region Of The United States, Yushun Chen Jan 2009

Ecological Responses Of Streams To Anthropogenic Stressors, And Watershed Cause-Effect Modeling In The Mid-Atlantic Highlands Region Of The United States, Yushun Chen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Urban sprawl and related habitat disturbance and acidic deposition are major anthropogenic stressors in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands region of the United States. Little information is available about the impacts of these stressors and cause-effect relationships between these watershed stressors and stream biotic/abiotic conditions in this region. A 10-year study (1997-2006) in the Lost River watershed and a 6-year study (2002-2007) in a South Branch Potomac River watershed were conducted to assess the impacts of Corridor H highway construction on stream biotic and abiotic conditions. Also, a three-decade study (1980-2006) using data from 5 wet deposition stations and 21 major stream …


Statewide Analysis Of Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis ) Population Status And Reach-Scale Conservation Priorities In West Virginia Watersheds, Jason W. Clingerman Aug 2008

Statewide Analysis Of Brook Trout (Salvelinus Fontinalis ) Population Status And Reach-Scale Conservation Priorities In West Virginia Watersheds, Jason W. Clingerman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV) was formed to implement range-wide strategies that sustain healthy, fishable brook trout populations. Hudy et al. (2006) recently completed a comprehensive analysis of eastern brook trout distributions representing a critical first step towards fully integrating brook trout conservation efforts in this region. This study was designed to supplement and complement existing data on brook trout distributions and status within West Virginia. We examined recently obtained data for the entire state to update the EBTJV distributional map published in Hudy et al. (2006). We then used fish sample data along with GIS-acquired landscape data …


Predictive Modeling Of Freshwater Mussels (Unionidae) In The Appalachians, Alison R. Mynsberge Aug 2008

Predictive Modeling Of Freshwater Mussels (Unionidae) In The Appalachians, Alison R. Mynsberge

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Freshwater mussels are in decline, particularly in the Appalachian region of North America. This region contains the world's greatest diversity of freshwater mussels, but many species are now threatened or endangered. Little is known of the basic ecology and distributions of species of freshwater mussels relative to other freshwater organisms. The goal of this study was to use predictive modeling to predict distributions of freshwater mussels in the Appalachians and identify correlated factors using a watershed framework. Models were developed in the upper Mid-Atlantic and Ohio drainage regions using subwatersheds and separately in the Tennessee region using catchments. Models developed …


Application Of The Biolog Microplate System To Monitor The Physiological Response Of Heat-Stressed Bacteria, Matthew G. Mccarroll May 2008

Application Of The Biolog Microplate System To Monitor The Physiological Response Of Heat-Stressed Bacteria, Matthew G. Mccarroll

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The BIOLOG microplate system was originally evaluated by Miller and Rhoden (1991) for its ability to correctly identify clinical and environmental isolates. The system determines identity based on the exchange of electrons produced during utilization of a carbon substrate and subsequent respiration, leading to the reduction of a tetrazolium-based color change. Enteric bacteria ( Escherichia coli, Enterobacter sakazakii, and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium) were exposed to heat stress (52°C) and samples were removed as a function of time (0, 15, 30 and 90 min). Stressed cells were monitored with traditional viable cell counts and inoculated into BIOLOG GN plates. The …


Lung Cancer Mortality Is Elevated In Coal Mining Areas Of Appalachia, Michael Hendryx, Kathryn O'Donnell, Kimberly Horn Jan 2008

Lung Cancer Mortality Is Elevated In Coal Mining Areas Of Appalachia, Michael Hendryx, Kathryn O'Donnell, Kimberly Horn

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

Previous research has documented increased lung cancer incidence and mortality in Appalachia. The current study tests whether residence in coal mining areas of Appalachia is a contributing factor. We conducted a national county-level analysis to identify contributions of smoking rates, socioeconomic variables, coal mining intensity and other variables to age-adjusted lung cancer mortality. Results demonstrate that lung cancer mortality for the years 2000-2004 is higher in areas of heavy Appalachian coal mining after adjustments for smoking, poverty, education, age, sex, race and other covariates. Higher mortality may be the result of exposure to environmental contaminates associated with the coal mining …


Photosynthetic Capacity Of Deciduous Tree Species Growing In The Duke Face Experiment With Elevated Carbon Dioxide And Nitrogen Fertilization., Christopher R. Buyarski Jan 2008

Photosynthetic Capacity Of Deciduous Tree Species Growing In The Duke Face Experiment With Elevated Carbon Dioxide And Nitrogen Fertilization., Christopher R. Buyarski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Forested ecosystems are the largest terrestrial sinks for carbon dioxide (CO2) on earth and are important in mitigating the negative effects of human induced increases of atmospheric CO2. Trees fix CO2 into sugars by using the nitrogen demanding processes of photosynthesis. Modeling and empirical studies have shown stimulations in photosynthesis under elevated CO2 conditions but the response decreases as plant demand for N increases. I examined the interaction of CO2 and N on photosynthetic capacity of Liquidambar styraciflua trees growing in the overstory and four deciduous hardwood species, including Acer rubrum, Carya glabra, Ulmus alata, and Liquidambar styraciflua, in the …


Effects Of Aqui-S Exposure In 3 Species Of Fish From The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California., Melody Danley Jan 2008

Effects Of Aqui-S Exposure In 3 Species Of Fish From The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California., Melody Danley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

There is need for an anesthetic to sedate fishes that does not require a mandatory post-exposure withdrawal period. Such an anesthetic could be used to sedate handled fishes as they are moved from tank to tank on the farm, surveyed in the wild, released from state and federal hatcheries, or harvested for human consumption. A proprietary form of clove oil, AQUI-S® , was recently submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval as a 0-day withdrawal anesthetic for use on aquatic organisms. As part of the approval process, a large series of efficacy and toxicity studies are required. …


Predictive Vegetation Models: A Comparison Of Model Combination Approaches., Benjamin F. Gilmer Iv Jan 2007

Predictive Vegetation Models: A Comparison Of Model Combination Approaches., Benjamin F. Gilmer Iv

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The distribution of plants and animals in space and time has long been a focus of many biogeographical and ecological studies. The various approaches for modeling species distributions are rooted in the quantification of the species-environment relationship, where bioclimatic variables are used to explain the distribution of species and communities. Predictive modeling of species distribution has become a widespread tool in the areas of conservation biology, climate change research, land-use/land-cover change assessment, and biodiversity estimates. Although many statistical methods are now available, previous model comparison studies have found little difference in prediction accuracy when models were compared using the same …


An Interpolation Method For Stream Habitat Assessments With Reference To The Crystal Darter, Kenneth Richard Sheehan Dec 2006

An Interpolation Method For Stream Habitat Assessments With Reference To The Crystal Darter, Kenneth Richard Sheehan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Crystallaria asprella spp. (Elk River crystal darter) is documented only in Elk River, West Virginia. Little life history detail is known about this lotic, benthic-dependent species. Previous studies have led to a very basic understanding of the use of depth, flow and substrate of the crystal darter (Crystallaria asprella), and less is known about the Elk River crystal darter. Due to substrate-specificity in crystal darters (which reportedly bury in sand), a study concerning benthic stream habitat modeling was undertaken. Substrate and depth modeling using >5% of an area sampled at a resolution of 0.093 m2 square spatial data in a …


Understanding Political Ecologies Of Land Use Change Using Household Surveys In Mankweng, South Africa, Joshua Edward Rutkowski Aug 2006

Understanding Political Ecologies Of Land Use Change Using Household Surveys In Mankweng, South Africa, Joshua Edward Rutkowski

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Mankweng, Limpopo, South Africa has experienced a large population growth since its inception in the late 1950s. The impacts of land use changes in the area are far reaching and have a wide range of influences. This paper documents the historical and political pressures affecting Mankweng as the township progresses into the 21st Century. Household surveys were conducted in 2005 and 2006 in order to understand the geographic relationships of the area. This study found household surveys to be beneficial in understanding land use change.


A Spatial Analysis Of Obesity In West Virginia, Anura Amarasinghe, Gerard D'Souza, Cheryl Brown, Tatiana Borisova Jan 2006

A Spatial Analysis Of Obesity In West Virginia, Anura Amarasinghe, Gerard D'Souza, Cheryl Brown, Tatiana Borisova

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

A spatial panel data analysis at the county level examines how individual food consumption, recreational, and lifestyle choices ― against a backdrop of changing demographic, built environment, and policy factors ― leads to obesity. Results suggest that obesity tends to be spatially autocorrelated; in addition to hereditary factors and lifestyle choices, it is also caused by sprawl and lack of land use planning. Policy measures which stimulate educational attainment, poverty alleviation, and promotion of better land use planning and best consumption practices (BCPs) could both reduce obesity and result in sustainable development of regions where obesity is prevalent and the …


Nesting Success And Nest Site Characteristics Of Four Thrush Species On A Managed Forest, Rachel Dellinger Dec 2005

Nesting Success And Nest Site Characteristics Of Four Thrush Species On A Managed Forest, Rachel Dellinger

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Four thrush species breed sympatrically in the Allegheny Mountain region of West Virginia, U.S.A.: American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus), Veery (Catharus fuscescens), and Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). How nesting habitat is partitioned among the species is unclear, as is the effect of logging activities on the guild. My objectives were to identify nesting habitat characteristics that are partitioned among the species and to determine their effects on nest survival.;I conducted point count surveys and monitored nests of four thrush species on a managed forest. I measured habitat variables at three scales: (1) nest substrate, (2) nest site, …


An Ecological Study Of Panax Quinquefolius In Central Appalachia: Seedling Growth, Harvest Impacts And Geographic Variation In Demography, Martha E. Van Der Voort Dec 2005

An Ecological Study Of Panax Quinquefolius In Central Appalachia: Seedling Growth, Harvest Impacts And Geographic Variation In Demography, Martha E. Van Der Voort

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is a long-lived, slow-maturing understory perennial herb found in eastern North American forests. The economic value of P. quinquefolius on the world market has remained strong for nearly 300 years. It has high economic and social value in the central Appalachians as well. Persistent harvest of ginseng combined with habitat loss has reduced populations in the wild, threatening the future of the species and its continued harvest. American ginseng was placed on the CITES Appendix II list in 1973 due to population declines. These concerns led to a series of studies investigating the population dynamics …


Demography And Genetic Structure Of An Allegheny Woodrat Population In Northcentral West Virginia, Mary Elizabeth Manjerovic Aug 2004

Demography And Genetic Structure Of An Allegheny Woodrat Population In Northcentral West Virginia, Mary Elizabeth Manjerovic

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister) occurs throughout the Appalachian Mountains forming isolated colonies in rock outcrops, cliffs, and caves. In the past 20--30 years, populations along the northern and western peripheries of the range have experienced drastic declines. There have been suggested reasons for this decline but a lack of long-term data has prevented application of specific management actions. In recent years, there has been more insight into population structure, gene flow, and relatedness among colonies. The objectives of my study were to examine these factors at a localized level to further assist with future management decisions.;Using data collected over …


Developing Integrated Object-Oriented Conception Of Geomarketing As A Tool For Promotion Of Regional Sustainable Development: The Case Study Of Ukraine, Volodymyr M. Anderson Jan 2004

Developing Integrated Object-Oriented Conception Of Geomarketing As A Tool For Promotion Of Regional Sustainable Development: The Case Study Of Ukraine, Volodymyr M. Anderson

Regional Research Institute Working Papers

In the paper we propose and discuss new vision of geomarketing as a tool for promotion of regional sustainable development. Integrated object-oriented conception of geomarketing was designed by adoption and elaboration of some new ideas and approaches, such as “place marketing”, “non-profit marketing”, “counter-marketing”, “collaborative spatial decision-making”, “endogenous regional development”, “regional sustainable development”, “public-private partnership”. We explore how geomarketing in such a comprehension may be implemented in business and public administration, regional development policy making on example of some Ukrainian firms, regional governments, and communities. The proposed geomarketing conception is based on integration of three different interpretations of geomarketing: 1) …


Saprophagous Caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Herminiinae): Effect Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Var. Kurstaki Application In Forest And Laboratory Settings., Karen Jeanine Kish Jan 2004

Saprophagous Caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Herminiinae): Effect Of Bacillus Thuringiensis Var. Kurstaki Application In Forest And Laboratory Settings., Karen Jeanine Kish

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The larvae of the Herminiinae are macrodecomposers of forest leaf litter. Eight species were studied to determine the effects of aerially applied Btk. Adults were collected weekly by light trap for 7 consecutive seasons. The first 2 years provided baseline information, followed by 2 years of Btk treatment and 3 post-treatment years. Idia aemula (Hübner)(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae were collected from control plots and treated with Btk in the laboratory to determine susceptibility. Untreated larvae were reared to adulthood and mated to obtain information on their biology. Differences in light trap counts between years were significant for all 8 species. Forest …


Ecology And Management Of Raccoons Within An Intensively Managed Forest In The Central Appalachians, Sheldon F. Owen Dec 2003

Ecology And Management Of Raccoons Within An Intensively Managed Forest In The Central Appalachians, Sheldon F. Owen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The raccoon (Procyon lotor), a generalist meso-predator, is commonly found throughout the eastern United States. Many researchers have examined the ecology and spatial requirements of raccoons in agricultural and wetland areas of the mid-western and southeastern United States. However, no studies have quantitatively examined raccoon habits in the forested central Appalachians and their response to forest management. During the fall of 2000 through the spring of 2003, I monitored the spatial movements and den site selection of raccoons within an intensively managed forest.;I investigated the occurrence of raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) in raccoons (Procyon lotor) within my study area. I …


Censusing And Modeling The Dynamics Of A Population Of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis L.) Using Remote Sensing, W. Robert Lamar Dec 2003

Censusing And Modeling The Dynamics Of A Population Of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis L.) Using Remote Sensing, W. Robert Lamar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

A population of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L.) was censused from the ground using traditional field methods and from the air using large scale, high-resolution, aerial imagery in the early spring of 1997, 1998 and 1999. A manual crown survey map of the population, prepared from aerial imagery, was compared to a traditional field census. Over 60% of the individuals measured on the ground were not detected in the aerial census. Tree size, crown density and crown position all played roles in determining a crown's visibility from the air. Nearly all large, upper canopy hemlocks were visible in the aerial …


Second Natures: Media, Masculinity And The Natural World In Twentieth-Century American Literature And Film., Jeanne E. Hamming Jan 2003

Second Natures: Media, Masculinity And The Natural World In Twentieth-Century American Literature And Film., Jeanne E. Hamming

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This multidisciplinary dissertation examines the cultural anxieties associated with masculine identity in relation to both technology and nature in key literary texts and contemporary films of the twentieth-century: Ray Bradbury's “The Veldt” and The Martian Chronicles, Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, James Dickey's Deliverance , Don DeLillo's White Noise, Fight Club, American Psycho, Brazil, 12 Monkeys, and Dark City. Exploring the theoretical intersections of technoculture, ecocriticism, and gender studies, this dissertation analyzes the relationship between masculine identity and nature, as it is mediated by American technoculture. This relationship is marked by a discernible cultural malaise—a sense …


Fictions Of Nature: Ecology, Science, And Culture In Twentieth-Century British Literature., Neal Bukeavich Jan 2003

Fictions Of Nature: Ecology, Science, And Culture In Twentieth-Century British Literature., Neal Bukeavich

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examines twentieth-century British fiction concerned with humankind's interactions with the nonhuman world. I analyze a range of literary works, including H. G. Wells's The Food of the Gods (1903), D. H. Lawrence's The Rainbow (1915), Women in Love (1920), and Lady Chatterley's Lover (1928), John Brunner's Stand on Zanzibar (1968), Graham Swift's Waterland (1983), and J. G. Ballard's Rushing to Paradise (1994). This body of literature remains largely unexamined for its treatments of ecological issues and belongs to a national history deeply implicated in local and global environmental change. Moreover, my consideration of this literary tradition marks a …