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An Ecological Assessment Of Insect Diversity At Organic Central Coast Vegetable Farms On Two Spatial Scales, Emily Musgrave

Master's Theses

Modern industrial agriculture is the principal cause of anthropogenic land use changes for terrestrial ecosystems. Approximately 40% of the planet's land surface, or half of the habitable area, is now composed of agricultural landscapes. The simplification and industrialization of agriculture are the biggest drivers of global biodiversity loss, especially on Californian's Central Coast. Diversified organic agriculture, however, may offer some refuge for non-crop species. In this study we analyzed insect and plant biodiversity on and adjacent to organic vegetable farms on the Central Coast of California at two spatial scales, the landscape-scale and a smaller within-farm scale. At the landscape-scale, …

Seasonal Food Habits Of Burrowing Owls (Athene Cunicularia) In Human-Altered Landscapes, Carie Marie Wingert

Master's Theses

In 2004, I initiated a year-long study to investigate the food habits of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia). Burrowing owls have been found in a variety of human-altered landscapes; however, little is known about burrowing owl food habits in urban landscapes. Burrowing owl food habits during the non-breeding season are also largely undocumented, despite increasing concern over the survival of overwintering burrowing owls. Differences in prey consumption between reproductive and non-reproductive owls during the breeding season have not yet been examined. I collected pellets over a 12 month period at four study sites affected by different levels of human …

Raccoon Acclimation Towards Traps And Its Effect On Surveillance And Monitoring Of Zoonotic Diseases, Lindsay Rollend

Master's Theses

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) serve as a source of infection with various pathogens for people, most notably, rabies. Raccoons are specifically targeted for the control of rabies in the United States, primarily due to the 100% fatality rate in humans and animals. There is no cure or treatment for rabies and vaccines may be administered to people if it is administered promptly. In order to evaluate how successful trapping of raccoons is by using conventional methods, motion sensing cameras were placed on traps in order to captured raccoon behaviors. Pictures were coded based on these behaviors (around the trap but not …

Vitamin D Sub-Set Analysis From The Flash Study, Megan Bishop, Laura Hall, Ann Mcdermott, Aydin Nazmi

Master's Theses

Vitamin D is important to the health of college students. The objective of our study was to measure sun exposure, skin pigmentation, vitamin D intake, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) in a subset of participants from The Following the Longitudinal Aspects of Student Health (FLASH) Study to determine the best predictors of 25(OH)D status. Participants were college-aged freshman who had their blood drawn in spring (Visit 1) and fall 2010 (Visit 2) at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, CA. (35.3°N). Vitamin D intake was measured using a 28-day food frequency recall questionnaire (specific to vitamin D …

Bias Correction And Downscaling Of Climate Model Outputs Required For Impact Assessments Of Climate Change In The U.S. Northeast, Kazi F. Ahmed

Master's Theses

Global Climate Models (GCMs) are the typical sources of future climate data required for impact assessments of climate change. However, GCM outputs are related to model-related uncertainties and involve a great deal of biases. Bias correction of model outputs is, therefore, necessary before their use in impact studies. The coarse resolution of GCM simulations is another hindrance to their direct use in fine-scale impact analysis of climate change. Although downscaling of GCM outputs can be performed by dynamical downscaling using Regional Climate Models (RCMs), it requires large computational capacity. When daily climate data from multiple GCMs are required to be …

Diet And Feeding-Related Morphometrics Of The Blackstripe Topminnow, Fundulus Notatus, In Allotropic And Syntopic Populations With The Blackspotted Topminnow, Fundulus Olivaceus, Charles Michael Champagne

Master's Theses

The Fundulus notatus species complex consists of three described species: F. notatus, F. olivaceus and F. euryzonus. Both F. notatus and F. olivaceus have broad overlapping ranges with many populations being found within and outside of contact zones. Contact zones are generally found in midreaches with F. olivaceus dominating headwaters and F. notatus in larger rivers downstream. Both species share similar ecological niches so the mechanism allowing for stable coexistence in contact zones is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine variability in diet and feeding morphology of F. notatus in syntopic and allotopic populations across …

Developing Digital Field Guides For Plants: A Study From The Perspective Of Users, Emily Roseanne Schwarz

Master's Theses

A field guide is a tool to identify an object of natural history. Field guides
cover a wide range of topics from plants to fungi, birds to mammals, and shells to minerals. Traditionally, field guides are books, usually small enough to be carried outdoors . They enjoy wide popularity in modern life; almost every American home and library owns at least one field guide, and the same is also true for other areas of the world.

At this time, companies, non-profits, and universities are developing computer
technologies to replace printed field guides for identifying plants. This thesis
examines the state …

Combining Conventional Tests And Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis To Evaluate Microbial Quality Of Raw Milk, Haibin Guo

Master's Theses

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Abstract

Combining Conventional Tests and Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis to Evaluate Microbial Quality of Raw Milk

Haibin Guo

The dairy industry is an important part in the domestic economy in the U.S. and the quality of dairy products hinges on raw milk quality. Microorganisms play a critical role in raw milk quality and they are currently tested and monitored by conventional microbiological tests. …

The Proteomic Response Of Sea Squirts (Genus Ciona Congeners) To Heat Stress: Evidence For Differential Thermal Sensitivities, Loredana Serafini

Master's Theses

The sea squirts Ciona intestinalis and C. savignyi have disparate distribution patterns, which may result from differences in their thermal tolerance limits. Because C. intestinalis, an almost cosmopolitan species, has a more widespread distribution, it is thought that it is better adapted to endure a wide range of temperatures. In order to compare the heat stress response between these two congeners, we studied global changes in protein expression, using a proteomics approach. To characterize the response to extreme heat stress, animals of both species were exposed to temperatures of 22°C, 25°C, and 28°C for 6 h, and then were …

Stream Restoration In A Post-Agricultural System: Indirect Effects On Density And Secondary Production Of Aquatic Insects, Lyle Stanley Dandridge Jr

Master's Theses

Restoration of stream habitats, with the goal of increasing biodiversity through increasing habitat heterogeneity, has been an ongoing trend in recent decades. Current investigations suggest most of those projects fail to significantly influence ecological structure and function when evaluated in light of their affect on species richness. In order to assess the <&ldquo>success of restoration on a prairie stream in northern Illinois traditional metrics such as community composition and density were examined in addition to macroinvertebrate secondary production. Restoration of Nippersink Creek, McHenry County, Illinois was completed in 2000 and this study was conducted 8 years post-restoration. Benthic samples were …

Distribution, Growth, And Disturbance Of Catalina Island Rhodoliths, Paul Anthony Tompkins

Master's Theses

Rhodoliths are free-living coralline algae (Rhodophyta) that form large beds on the seafloor. Rhodolith beds are globally widespread and biologically diverse shallow marine habitats. Beds are ecologically sensitive, disturbed by humans, and in Europe are protected by law. While rhodolith beds have been found in California waters at Catalina Island, no literature exists regarding their distribution or ecological significance. This study sought to (1) map the distribution and characterize the rhodolith beds around Catalina, (2) determine the seasonal growth rates, and (3) investigate the effect of common sources of disturbance. A systematic search of shallow subtidal (0-40 meters) areas revealed …

Nearshore Fish Assemblage Patterns With Respect To Landscape-Scale Habitats In Central California, Kristin Irene Hunter-Thomson

Master's Theses

In most ecosystems, the distribution of species across a landscape is greatly influenced by the type, amount, and spatial configuration of habitats. Studies in terrestrial environments have shown that species diversity, density, and length frequency often positively correlate with the size of a habitat patch, patch shape, and proximity to a patch edge. These patterns, however, have not been conclusively shown in temperate sub-tidal marine studies. Data from visual strip–transects collected from the Delta submersible were used to characterize fish assemblages with respect to rocky bank habitat patches. Specifically, the density, diversity, and length frequency of nearshore fishes were examined …

Implementation Of Risk Management In The Medical Device Industry, Rachelo Dumbrique

Master's Theses

This study looks at the implementation and effectiveness of risk management (RM) activities in the medical device industry. An online survey was distributed to medical device professionals who were asked to identify RM-related activities performed during the device life cycle. RM activities and techniques included Establishing Risk Acceptance Criteria, Hazard Identification, Human Factors/Usability, Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA), Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA), Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Risk Benefit Analysis, and Risk Assessment of Customer Complaint. Devices were identified by type (therapeutic, surgical/clinical tools, …

A Photographic Survey Of Mammalian Trail Use In Big Basin Redwood State Park, Jennifer Robin Casey

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Re-Discovering The Pre-Settlement Landscape: Making The Oak Savanna "Real", Reid M. Helford

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Ecological Studies Of Rhodoliths In BahíA ConcepcióN, Baja California Sur, MéXico, Diana Louise Steller

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Atrial Natriuretic Factor In Meriones Unguiculatus, The Mongolian Gerbil, Kyriakos Tarasidis

Master's Theses

The basis for the great osmoregulatory ability in Meriones unguiculatus, the Mongolian gerbil, has been studied previously, but as yet no clear mechanism has been determined. The present study investigated the level of cardiac atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) under high and low sodium stress. In addition, cardiac ANF values for the Mongolian gerbil were compared with another desert mammal (Mesocricetus auratus, the Syrian golden hamster) and a non-desert mammal, (Rattus norvegicus, the white rat). ANF was found to exist in the hear atria of the Mongolian gerbil at a level of 388±66 µg ANF/g tissue. High and low sodium stress …

Ecological Studies Of Geniculate Coralline Algae In Stillwater Cove, Carmel Bay, Ca, With Emphasis On Bossiella Californica Ssp. Schmittii (Manza) Johans, Brenda Konar

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Burglary Targets: A Spatial Perspective In The Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Area, George Henry Myers

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

An Ecological Succession Model Applied To Environmental Management, Diane Rosenberg

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

The Problem Of Water In St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands: A Cultural Ecological Study, Barbara Rose Johnston

Master's Theses

The island of St. Thomas has been home for many cultures over the past thirty-five hundred years, and each society has left its mark on the landscape. This study illustrates the changing relationships between culture and the island environment. It is an attempt to understand how a specific environmental problem has evolved, how a water shortage has come to exist in a relatively wet climatic zone.

Seasonal Sexual Cycle Of Nerodia Taxispilota (Serpentes: Colubridae) At The Northeastern Edge Of Its Range, David Roland White

Master's Theses

The seasonality of the sexual cycle of Nerodia taxispilota at the northeastern edge of its range was elucidated from specimens collected over a two-year period (1978-1979) from the Appomattox River near Hopewell, Virginia. The investigation centered on morphological changes in the testis of males and vitellogenesis and embryo development in females. Related reproductive parameters also studied were body size differences, seasonal sex ratios, comparative tail lengths, and tail mutilation.

Male and female cycles closely resembled those of other temperate zone colubrids. Spermatogenesis began in May and testis size peaked in late August. Testis length showed a time lag when compared …

Kin Relations Of The Aged: Possible Impact On Social Service Planning, Maria Siemaszko

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Community Composition, Family Structures, And The Juvenile Justice System, David J. Ross

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Perceptual Alignment And Marital Satisfaction, Robert M. Schwartz

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Survey Of Fresh-Water Oligochaeta And Their Commensal Ciliates From The Richmond, Virginia Area, Elsa Queen Falls

Master's Theses

The distribution of North American aquatic oligochaetes and the ciliates inhabiting their guts have received very limited attention. For this reason, the present study was initiated to survey fresh ­water oligochaetes of the families Aeolosomatidae, Naididae, Opistocystidae, and Lumbriculidae in four bodies of water of the Richmond, Virginia area and to determine the incidence of commensal ciliates within the gut .

A Comparison Of Correlation Matricies Of Nine Socio-Demographic Variables For The Bronx And For Seattle, 1960: An Empirical Test Of The Generality Of Schmid And Tagashira's Variables As Revelatory Of The Structure Of The Large Urban Community, Terrence R. Mcgovern

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of The Parasite Of Certain Salientia From Pocahontas State Park, Virginia, Ronald Arthur Campbell

Master's Theses

Four species of salientia representing three selected habitats were collected from May 5th through October 4th, 1966 and examined for parasites. Of the 116 host specimens, 30 were Rana catesbeiana Shaw; 29 clamitans Latreille; 29 Bufo fowleri Hinckley; 28 Hyla versi­color (Le Conte). A total of 34 species of parasites was recovered: Protozoa, 10; Trematoda, 9 ; Cestoda, 2; Nematoda, 11; Acanthocephala, 1; and Acarina, 1.

Although a relatively small number of hosts was examined , the results generally agree with those found in more extensive investigations of similar type. The aquatic hosts, R. catesbeiana and R. clamitans, harbored the …

A Survey Of The Food Habits And Distribution Of The Fishes Of Tuckahoe Creek, Virginia, With Special Emphasis On Lepomis Macrochirus Rafinesque, David Andrew Flemer

Master's Theses

An integral part of the ecological study of any organism is a good understanding of the food relationships. Basic studies of the distribution and ecology of common fresh-water fishes are necessary before a more detailed analysis can be made of the fishes in a particular area. Lagler (1956) states that food habit studies help determine population levels, rates of growth, and condition of the fishes. He also concludes that they serve as a partial basis for determining the status of various predatory and competing forms. Raney (1942) states that an intelligent fishery management program depends heavily upon information gained through …

An Ecological Study Of The Bacterial Flora Of Westhampton Lake, Thomas Constantine Mandes

Master's Theses

Most natural bodies of water which have been investigated have been shown to contain bacteria. Exceptions apparently occur where we find those waters which, due to their chemical constitution and physical makeup, are inimical even to the growth of bacteria .

Since bacteria are virtually ubiquitous in waters, it would necessarily follow that biologists interested in this aspect of biology would have intensively studied bacteria and the part they play in the biology of water. Quite the contrary; instead of the study continuing along lines laid down by early scholars it has shifted to a study of bacteria which were …