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Phylogeography And Population Structure Of The Prairie Skink (Eumeces Septentrionalis), Gregory S. Fuerst

Theses and Dissertations

The geographical and geneological limits of species are firmly rooted in historical and current processes. Phylogenetic studies focus on the historical aspect and examine character states to estimate ancestor-descendent relationships. The number of described species in the world has been estimated at 1.4 to 1.8 million and other estimates suggest that as many as 30 million species may exist (May, 1990; Wilson, 1992). Phylogenetic studies provide the information needed to delimit and classify these species based on their historical relationships. Studies on species population structure focus on the current and historical processes acting on a species. These studies use a …

Linear Unmixing Of Hyperspectral Signals Via Wavelet Feature Extraction, Jiang Li

Theses and Dissertations

A pixel in remotely sensed hyperspectral imagery is typically a mixture of multiple electromagnetic radiances from various ground cover materials. Spectral unmixing is a quantitative analysis procedure used to recognize constituent ground cover materials (or endmembers) and obtain their mixing proportions (or abundances) from a mixed pixel. The abundances are typically estimated using the least squares estimation (LSE) method based on the linear mixture model (LMM). This dissertation provides a complete investigation on how the use of appropriate features can improve the LSE of endmember abundances using remotely sensed hyperspectral signals. The dissertation shows how features based on signal classification …

Genetic Structure And Isolation By Distance In Napaea Dioica L. (Malvaceae): An Analysis Of Microsatellite Dna Variation., Jonathan Paul Wenger

Theses and Dissertations

Napaea dioica L. (Malvaceae) is a robust, dioecious perennial flowering plant that is endemic to the upper midwestem United States. Occurring exclusively on the floodplains o f small rivers, populations o f N. dioica are distributed discretely on a network o f riparian habitat throughout its range which is coincident with the southernmost margin o f the Wisconsinan continental glacier. Ten population o f N. dioica were sampled across the species geographic range and were assayed at four high resolution microsatellite marker loci to assess genetic diversity and population structure in relation to the riparian habitat network and the ecological …

Groundwater Flow Through A Constructed Treatment Wetland, Andrew C. Entingh

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the flow of groundwater through one of the treatment cells. A major goal of the study is to determine whether the system design facilitates uniform vertical flows through the subsurface soil sediments or if preferential flows occur. Conceptually, uniform flows will achieve the most efficient degree of contaminant removal possible by evenly dispersing the groundwater contaminants throughout the full volume of the subsurface media. A three-dimensional grid of piezometers is used to generate potentiometric contour maps, and in-situ tests of hydraulic conductivity facilitate construction of a numerical computer model. The contours of hydraulic head, measured conductivities, and …

The Potential For Support Of Gardner's Theory Of The Naturalist Intelligence In Selected Elementary School Library Media Centers, Traci L. Haines

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of teaching to the ability of the child is complex. Each child absorbs, analyzes and processes information differently. Howard Gardner developed a series of eight intelligences describing the variety of ways in which children learn. This study focused on the Naturalist Intelligence, an ability to recognize and discriminate different concepts in nature. A naturalist learner has strong observational skills and is good at sorting and classifying (Checkley, 1997). This evaluation compares randomly selected samples of the collections of two elementary school library media centers in order to determine whether the books in the 500s support Gardner's Theory of …

Herbivore Asse[M]Blage Response To Stressed And Vigorous Prairie Roses, Mark A. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Frontier People's Perceptions Of Health Risks And Health Protective And Health Promotional Activities, Michelle Kuntz

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Fish Community Structure In Relation To Habitat Variation In Three North Dakota Streams, David C. Dekrey

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Acculturation On The Cree And Ojibwa Indians As A Result Of The Fur Trade, 1760-1820, Lucinda Glisson Schumann

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Niche Relationships And Morphology Of Coexisting Northern Redbelly (Phoxinus Eos) And Finescale (P. Neogaeus) Dace With Their Hybrids, Matthew R. Doeringsfeld

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Paleoecologic Significance Of Paleocene Palynomorph Assemblages From The Ludow, Slope, And Cannonball Formations, Southwestern North Dakota, Timothy J. Kroeger

Theses and Dissertations

Paleoenvironment exerted control on the distribution of 133 palynomorph taxa from the Ludlow and Slope Formations and Boyce and Three V Tongues of the Cannonball Formation (Fort Union Group, I Paleocene) of southwestern North Dakota. The strata represent fluvial deltaic systems that prograded eastward into the Cannonball Sea. Depositional environments include distributary channels, crevasse splays, crevasse-splay feeder channels, lignite-producing swamps and/or marshes, lakes, brackish to slightly brackish bays, lake and bay fills, and marshes

Paleoenvironmentally sensitive palynomorph taxa were identified by subjective examination of pollen diagrams and objective analysis using detrended correspondence analysis. Two paleoenvironmentally restricted palynomorph associations were recognized. …

The Impact Of Cowbird Parasitism On A North Dakota Population Of Clay-Colored Sparrows, Gregory P. Romig

Theses and Dissertations

The study was conducted from early May to late July, 1992 at Oakville Prairie, Grand Forks Co., North Dakota. The clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida) was the most common breeding bird at the site. Also abundant at Oakville was the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) , an obligcite brood parasite. The main objectives of the study were to assess the impact of cowbird parasitism on the reproductive success of this clay-colored sparrow population, and to examine some factors that may influence the probability that a given nest will be parasitized.

Forty-two clay-colored sparrow nests were found, and of these, 16 (38%) were …

Distribution And Occurrence Of Eriogonum Visheri A. Nels. On The Medora And Mckenzie Districts, Little Missouri National Grasslands, In North Dakota, Staria S. Vanderpool

Theses and Dissertations

Eriogonum visheri A. Nels. (Polygonaceae) is a plant species whose distribution in North Dakota is incompletely known. The plant species is listed by North Dakota Heritage Program personnel as a G5/S2S3 [G5 = demonstrably secure globally, although it may be rare; S2 = imperiled in the state (6-20 occurrences) or vulnerable to extirpation; S3 = rare in the state (20+ occurrences)]. The species is Federally listed as C2 [current information indicates that listing as endangered or threatened may be warranted, but information about the species is presently inadequate to support immediate ruling] (Northern region, USDA Forest Service, 1991). The limited …

A Comparison Of The Site Specific Age Structure, Growth, And Diet Of The Walleye, Stizostedion Vitreum Vitreum (Mitchill), In Devils Lake, North Dakota, Scott A. Elstad

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Ecology Of Neotropical Forest Tree Seedlings., Mingguang Li

Theses and Dissertations

Patterns of seedling demography were studied in undisturbed wet forest at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. In 1983, permanent transects were established at random locations, in which all seedlings $\le$0.5 m in height belonging to all species capable of reaching 10 cm dbh were tagged, identified, mapped, and measured in height. During the following 18 months, a total of 6,403 seedlings belonging to 194 species were tagged. All tagged seedlings were recensused at regular intervals.All but 302 tagged seedlings had died by June 1989, the total mortality rate was 95.3% for a period of 6 years. The mean one-year …

The Effects Of Metals On Growth And Nitrogenase Activity Of The Soil Cyanobacterium, Nostoc Commune Vaucher., Charles Lyle Pederson

Theses and Dissertations

The overall purpose of this study was to provide basic data regarding the influence of metals on a free-living terrestrial cyanobacterium, and to demonstrate the utility of laboratory studies for assigning biological significance to field observations on soil-algal ecology.Because Nostoc commune Vaucher is a subaerial inhabitant of soils, it did not respond favorably to traditional liquid culture techniques. Therefore, a filter-culture technique was developed whereby N. commune was grown as a surface film on membrane filters superimposed on an inorganic nutrient agar. Filter-cultures were established by inoculating sterile cellulose acetate membrane filters with a layer of N. commune. Growth rates, …

Recent Changes In The Ethnobotany Of Standing Rock Indian Reservation, Shelly Katherene Kraft

Theses and Dissertations

Gathering arid preserving wild fruits and vegetables for food and medicine, especially from the wooded bottomlands, was a traditional part of the Lakota culture. Plant use among the Lakota has been greatly reduced and in some cases, completely eliminated by the damming of the Missouri River by Oahe Dam. This dam, which forced the Lakota of Standing Rock Reservation to give up their homes in the bottomlands in violation of their treaty rights of 1868 had a considerable impact on the biogeography of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, in January I960, almost 200 Indian families were evacuated from their homes …

Summer And Fall Ecology Of Mule Deer In The North Dakota Badlands., William Fredrick Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

I studied mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) ecology in summer and fall on the Kinley Plateau study area (KPSA) of Billings County, North Dakota, during May-December 1984-1986. The primary objective of this research was to examine habitat use by mule deer in North Dakota's badlands. Data also were collected on vegetation composition, and social structure, activity patterns, and movement of the deer.I captured and individually marked 19 fawns during the summers of 1984-86. Between 1981-85, 46 older individuals also were trapped and marked. Movements of radio-collared animals (N = 16) were monitored by use of a hand-held yagi antenna and …

Aspects Of Mammalian Predation On Upland Nesting Waterfowl In Central North Dakota, John Thompson Trevor

Theses and Dissertations

The impact of mammalian predation on upland nesting waterfowl was studied in central- North Dakota during the summers of 1987 and 1988. Survival of artificial nests was examined in relation to nest density, vegetation cover, distance from roads, active predator dens, and other artificial nests in a plot. Survival of artificial nests was also compared between an area with predator control and one without predator control.

Artificial waterfowl nests located in high density plots had a significantly lower probability of survival than nests located in low density plots. Although there were significant differences in vegetation height and density between years, …

Ecology Of Gray Partridge In North Dakota, John Patrick Carroll

Theses and Dissertations

I studied gray partridge (Perdix perdix) ecology in north-central North Dakota during 1985-87. The primary goals of this study were to identify habitats important to gray partridge survival and nesting, and to provide baseline data on partridge ecology in North Dakota. I captured and radio-tagged 100 gray partridge, mainly during winter. Individuals were tracked by a vehicle-mounted telemetry system until August of each year. Home ranges, movements, habitat use, and survival were calculated by using the telemetry locations. Winter home ranges averaged 117 ha, and were larger than previously reported in North America. Important habitats used by radio-tagged partridge during …

The Predation Ecology Of The Northern Harrier (Circus Cyaneus Hudsonius) On Mallard Island, North Dakota, Jessica Elin Sutherland

Theses and Dissertations

I studied predation ecology of Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus hudsonius) on Mallard Island in McLean County, North Dakota, during May-August, 1984-1985. Harrier population parameters, productivity, food habits, and feeding rates were examined. I located 15 nests in 1984 and 14 in 1985. Nesting chronology, clutch sizes, hatching and fledging success, and productivity were similar to values previously reported. Flooding, predation, starvation, and parental abandonment were responsible for egg loss or pre-fledging mortality. Chick survival to fledging was independent of brood size which suggested that quality of parental care, not a limited prey resource, was an important influence on survival. The …

An Interdisciplinary Curriculum Model For Outdoor Education, Larry L. Lang

Theses and Dissertations

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The primary purpose of this study was to develop an interdisciplinary curriculum model which would improve the conceptualization, of outdoor education by providing a theoretical framework for curriculum development, evaluation, and further research.

In order to create the proposed model, it was necessary to address several related issues. The first phase of the study involved an investigation of current perspectives on outdoor education. Key characteristics and guiding principles were determined to provide a clarification of the substantive structure of this field of study. An analysis and synthesis of the contributions of John Dewey,.L.. B. Sharp, Julian Smith, and other …

Comparison Of Waterfowl Use And Invertebrate Abundance On Constructed And Natural Wetlands In North Dakota, Karen Young Kreil

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Brood Parasitism And Reproduction Of Canvasbacks And Redheads On The Delta Marsh, Rodney D. Sayler

Theses and Dissertations

I studied brood parasitism and breeding ecology of canvasbacks (Aythya valisineria) and redheads (A. americana) nesting on the Delta Marsh near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, from 1977 to 1980. The dissertation focuses on 3 aspects of this investigation: 1) the role of prairie drought in influencing pochard reproductive performance, including a comprehensive review of hypotheses explaining evolution of brood parasitism in waterfowl (Anatidae), 2) behavioral ecology and evolution of host/parasite interactions, and 3) development of improved redhead aging techniques by using cluster analysis.

Redheads shifted egg distributions from eggs in redhead nests to eggs laid parasitically in canvasback nests during …

Middle And Late Wisconsinan (Pleistocene) Insect Assemblages From Illinois, Kristine D. Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Two highly organic sediment sequences from central and western Illinois (the Athens North Quarry and Biggsville sites, respectively) of Middle and Late Wisconsinan age were studied to gain knowledge about the environment and climate of this area during the time immediately prior to the maximum extent of the last glaciation. Paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic inferences are based principally upon knowledge of the habitat preferences and geographic distributions of extant species of beetles that are represented as fossils. These data are supplemented by information from sedimentological and taphonomic studies and from previously published palynological and plant-macrofossil studies.

The Athens North Quarry site …

Male And Female Strategies For Reproduction In Lesser Scaup (Forced Copulation, Parental Investment, Manitoba, Canada), Alan Daynne Afton

Theses and Dissertations

I studied the reproductive behavior and performance of a marked population of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) near Erickson, Manitoba from 1977 to 1980. The dissertation is comprised of 3 parts: (1) influence of age and time on female reproductive performance, (2) forced copulation as a male reproductive strategy, and (3) parental time investment by brood hens.Arrival date and length of prelaying period varied among years, but were not related to female age. Rate of nonbreeding and nest initiation date varied among years and by female age. Age variation in nonbreeding was due to failure of yearlings and a few 2-year-olds …

The Effects Of Interstate 80 On The Use Of Staging Areas By Sandhill Cranes, James E. Ericson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Biogeochemical Relationships Of Sulfur-Oxidizing Soil Bacteria Adjacent To Lignite-Fired Power Plants In Western North Dakota, Wayne L. Moe

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Ecological Factors Affecting The Location And Spatial Patterns Of The Western Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex Occidentalis) In North Dakota, Michael N. Demers

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Some Aspects Of The Biology Of Hesperochernes Canadensis Hoff In Northeastern North Dakota (Pseudoscorpionida, Chernetidae), Scott H. Stapp

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.