Digital Commons Network^™

Substituting Otoliths For Chemical Analyses: Does Sagitta = Lapillus?, Nathan G. Smith, Cynthia M. Jones

OES Faculty Publications

Chemical analysis of fish otoliths has become an important technique in fisheries science with widespread applications. Most research up to this point has focused predominantly on sagittal otoliths, but the underlying assumptions may also apply to lapilli. The goal of this study was to determine whether lapilli and sagittae have the same otolith chemistry and whether one can be substituted for the other for solution-based chemical analysis in wild-captured fish. We compared the stable isotope chemistry (δ13C and δ18O) of paired sagittae and lapilli of juvenile spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus collected from Chesapeake Bay seagrass beds in 2002. …

Comparative Pollen Foraging Of Africanized And European Honeybees In A Non-Agricultural Environment, Ruben Ruiz

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

With the advent of the Africanized honeybee, ways to differentiate it from the European honeybee have been greatly sought in attempts to better understand the role of Africanized bees in pollination. Pollen collecting strategies for both honeybee subspecies have been explored in attempts to exploit their pollinating capabilities. This project examined pollen collected by honeybees from feral and managed European and Africanized colonies in a relatively isolated site. Paired European and Africanized honeybee colonies were used to obtain pollen foragers. Through acetolysis (series acidified Acetic Anhydride washings); the collected pollen from the individual foragers was treated and observed with light …

West Nile Virus In North American Birds, Robert G. Mclean

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Following the introduction of West Nile virus (WNV) into the United States, in New York City in 1999, from its historical range in the eastern hemisphere, this mosquito-borne virus caused an intense outbreak in local bird populations and a small epidemic in the associated human population. West Nile virus became established in this focal area, and in 2000 it spread north and south from there during the summer transmission season. The virus continued to expand during the next six years, ultimately affecting all the continental states and most of North America. The strain of WNV introduced was uncharacteristically virulent as …

Monthly Accomplishments For Turnbull National Refuge, April 2006, Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge

Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge Reports

A monthly report of accomplishments at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge written by Project Leader Nancy Curry.

Wbwg News, Volume 2, No. 1, April 2006, Cori Lausen, Kristi Dubois

WBWG News

Contents: President's Corner -- Headliners -- About This Newsletter -- State/Provincial Updates -- Other WBWG News -- Bulletin Board -- Upcoming Events -- WBWG Organization

Behavioral Genetics And Crime, In Context, Owen D. Jones

Law and Contemporary Problems

Jones explains the relationship between behavioral genetics and other disciplines in behavioral biology. He compares the potential contributions of behavioral genetics and behavioral ecology and suggests how the diverging efforts could be joined. He also notes that criminal law is but one of many fields of law potentially affected by behavioral genetics.

Systematics And Emerging Infectious Diseases: From Management To Solution, Daniel R. Brooks, Eric P. Hoberg

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

The crisis of emerging infectious disease stems from the absence of comprehensive taxonomic inventories of the world's parasites, which includes the world's pathogens. Recent technological developments raise hopes that the global inventory of species, including potential pathogens, can be accomplished in a timely and cost-effective manner. The phylogenetics revolution initiated by systematists provides a means by which information about pathogen transmission dynamics can be placed in a predictive framework. Increasingly, that information is widely available in digital form on the internet. Systematic biology is well positioned to play a crucial role in efforts to be proactive in the arena of …

Ecological Studies Of Wolves On Isle Royale, 2005-2006, John A. Vucetich, Rolf O. Peterson

Ecological Studies of Wolves on Isle Royale

Annual Report 2005-2006

Red Rock Desert Learning Center Core Group Meeting: March 21, 2006, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Introductions & Announcements (5 min.)
2. Approval of Minutes from January 17, 2006 Meeting (5 min.)
3. Update on Project Schedule – Michael Reiland (10 min.)
   A. Utilities
   B. Water Line
   C. Operator RFP
   D. NEPA
4. Report on Value Analysis Workshops – Michael Reiland / Line & Space
   (10 min.)
   A. Cost Estimates/Inflation
5. Curriculum Update – Jeanne Klockow (10 min.)
6. Standing Reports (10 min.)
   A. Line and Space – Les Wallach
   B. BLM Capital Improvements – Michael Reiland
7. Committee Reports (5 min.)
   A. Building Committee
   B. Design Oversight
   C. Educational Programs
   D. Fund-raising and Partnerships
   E. NEPA
   F. Operations
   G. Other Uses …

Multiple Breeding Strategies In The Swift Fox, Vulpes Velox, Ann M. Kitchen, Eric M. Gese, Lisette P. Waits, Seija M. Karki, Edward R. Schauster

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Little is known of the mating system of the swift fox or how it compares to other socially monogamous mammals. In a 4-year study of 188 swift foxes, we used microsatellite analysis at 11 loci along with spatial observations to investigate swift fox mating strategies. The mating strategies used by swift foxes were highly diverse. Previous field observations have indicated that the swift fox is socially monogamous. However, we found that extrapair mating was a common breeding strategy; 52% of offspring were sired by a male that was not the mate of their mother. There was also variation in the …

Health Risks Of Ionizing Radiation: An Overview Of Epidemiological Studies, Clark University, Abel Russ, Casey Burns, Seth Tuler, Octavia Taylor

Clark University

A Report by the Community-Based Hazard Management Program, George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark University.

The health risks of exposure to low levels of ionizing radiation are disputed within the scientific community. Risks associated with exposure to high levels of radiation are widely accepted and well documented based primarily on the studies of the atomic bomb survivors in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Some feel that the best way to estimate risk for low- level exposures is to extrapolate from higher doses, although there is some clear evidence of low-dose risk. In this overview we have attempted to give an unbiased summary of …

The Faculty Notebook, March & May 2006, Provost's Office

Faculty Notebook

The Faculty Notebook is published periodically by the Office of the Provost at Gettysburg College to bring to the attention of the campus community accomplishments and activities of academic interest. Faculty are encouraged to submit materials for consideration for publication to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development. Copies of this publication are available at the Office of the Provost.

Tests Of Landscape Influence: Nest Predation And Brood Parasitism In Fragmented Ecosystems, J. J. Tewksbury, L. Garner, S. Garner, J. D. Lloyd, V. Saab, Thomas E. Martin

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

The effects of landscape fragmentation oil nest predation and brood parasitism, the two primary Causes of avian reproductive failure, have been difficult to generalize across landscapes, yet few Studies have clearly considered the context and spatial scale of: fragmentation. Working in two river systems fragmented by agricultural and rural-housing development, we tracked nesting Success and brood parasitism in > 2500 bird nests in 38 patches of deciduous riparian woodland. Patches oil both river Systems were embedded in one of two local contexts (buffered from agriculture by coniferous forest, or adjacent to agriculture), but the abundance of agriculture and human habitation within …

Predicting Liana Crown Location From Stem Diameter In Three Panamanian Lowland Forests, Brian P. Kurzel, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Walter P. Carson

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

In three forests that differed in annual rainfall and seasonality, the probability of a liana with a stem ≥2.0 cm stem diameter reaching the canopy was >50 percent. Lianas reached the canopy at significantly smaller size‐classes (1.5 cm) in the wet aseasonal forest, suggesting that this estimate changes with forest type. Nevertheless, as a general rule, we suggest that 2.0 cm is the minium stem diameter to examine the abundance and diversity of canopy lianas or canopy competition between lianas and trees.

Systematics Of The Endangered Mauremys Mutica And Mauremys Annamensis, Jonathan Julio Fong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Almost all turtle species in Asia are going extinct due to the demand for turtle products as food and medicine. A difficulty in creating effective conservation measures is that very little is known about the evolutionary relationships between populations and species. It is believed that several lineages we are currently calling species could in actuality be a complex of several species. One of these supposed species is the Yellow Pond Turtle, Mauremys mutica. Previous research has shown this group to have a tremendous amount of morphological and molecular diversity. In this study, I have used a combination of known-locality, farm, …

Education In The Environment: A Hands-On Student Research And Outdoor Learning Experience: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending February 28, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Reports (PLI Education)

During the past three-months, the focus of the university’s efforts has included the following highlights:

• The 2006 Our Places Tell Stories Conference for place-based educators was held on the UNLV campus, January 24-27, 2006. Attendance totaled 120 participants, who rated the overall content and arrangements at 3.59 on a 4.00 scale.
• Forever Earth was scheduled 22 days in the past three months, benefiting more than 200 individuals.
• A $3,000 donation was received for the Forever Earth program.
• The Year 2 Schedule of Events for the Discover Mojave Outdoor World program is on track for delivering 29 total events, a 190% …

Coprophagy In A Cave-Adapted Salamander; The Importance Of Bat Guano Examined Through Nutritional And Stable Isotope Analyses, Danté B. Fenolio, G. O. Graening, Bret A. Collier, Jim F. Stout

Faculty Publications

During a two year population ecology study in a cave environment, 15 Eurycea (=Typhlotriton) spelaea were observed ingesting bat guano. Furthermore, E. spelaea capture numbers increased significantly during the time that grey bats (Myotis grisescens) deposited fresh guano. We investigated the hypothesis that this behaviour was not incidental to the capture of invertebrate prey, but a diet switch to an energy-rich detritus in an oligotrophic environment. Stable isotope assays determined that guano may be assimilated into salamander muscle tissue, and nutritional analyses revealed that guano is a comparable food source to potential invertebrate prey items. This is the first report …

A Comparison Of Coyote Ecology After 25 Years: 1978 Versus 2003, J. K. Young, W.F. Andelt, P.A. Terletzky, J.A. Shivik

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Most ecological studies of coyotes are of short duration and studies are generally never repeated, thus the opportunity to compare changes in coyote (Canis latrans Say, 1823) ecology over time is rare. We compared coyote home ranges, activity patterns, age, and diet at the Welder Wildlife Refuge in south Texas between 1978-1979 and 2003-2004 (25 years later). The Minta index of overlap between 1978 and 2003 home ranges was 51.7 ± 7.0 (n = 7), much greater than the Minta index value based on randomized tests (28.7 ± 8.6), indicating similar spatial patterns between time periods. The Minta …

Red Rock Desert Learning Center Core Group Meeting: February 21, 2006, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

Meeting cancelled

1. Introductions & Announcements (5 min.)
2. Approval of Minutes from January 17, 2006 Meeting (5 min.)
3. Update on Project Schedule – Michael Reiland (10 min.)
   A. Utilities
   B. Water Line
   C. Operator RFP
   D. NEPA
4. Report on Value Analysis Workshops – Michael Reiland / Line & Space
   (10 min.)
5. Curriculum Update – Jeanne Klockow (10 min.)
6. Standing Reports (10 min.)
   A. BLM Capital Improvements – Michael Reiland
   B. Community Outreach – LaNelda Rolley
7. Committee Reports (5 min.)
   A. Building Committee
   B. Design Oversight
   C. Educational Programs
   D. Fund-raising and Partnerships
   E. NEPA
   F. Operations
   G. Other Uses
   H. Wild …

The Courier, Volume 39, Issue 16, February 17, 2006, The Courier, College Of Dupage

The Courier

Stories:

Construction–Bulldozers Prepare Softball Field For Early Childhood Education Center

Election–Student Leadership Positions Available For 2006, Accepting Applications For Candidates Now

College Seeks Financial Security

Textbook Thieves Caught Off Guard Off Campus

Newcomer Gets New Court Date

Online Communities Offer Social Connections, Dangerous Situations

Jason Hunter, Coach Of The Year

People:

Cliff Newcomer

David Gay

Kris Saylor

Pat Saylor

Mike Saylor

Erin Moran

Jason Hunter

Dietary Overlap In Giant Salamanders (Dicamptodon): Applying Null Models To Resource Partitioning, Craig A. Steele, Colin Brammer

Western North American Naturalist

We examined stomach contents of preserved specimens of larval Pacific giant salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus) and Cope's giant salamander (D. copei) collected from sympatric and allopatric stream populations. The dietary components of these specimens were used to calculate dietary overlap between the 2 species and to determine if changes in overlap existed between sympatric and allopatric populations. To statistically test overlap values, a randomization algorithm was used to construct a simulated data matrix (i.e., null model) in order to compare observed values of dietary overlap to a distribution of overlap values from the null model. Significant levels …

Long-Term Fire History In Great Basin Sagebrush Reconstructed From Macroscopic Charcoal In Spring Sediments, Newark Valley, Nevada, Scott Mensing, Stephanie Livingston, Pat Barker

Western North American Naturalist

We use macroscopic charcoal analysis to reconstruct fire history in sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis and A. tridentata var. tridentata), in Newark Valley, Nevada. We analyzed charcoal at continuous 1-cm intervals (~7–127 years), and pollen at 2- to 10-cm intervals (~70–263 years) in a core spanning the last 5500 cal yr BP (calendar years before present). A charcoal peak in the historic period was associated with a >1400-ha fire dated to 1986 that burned in the watershed. We reconstructed the prehistoric fire history by inferring fires from similar charcoal peaks that were significantly greater than the background charcoal …

Aspects Of Sacramento Pikeminnow Biology In Nearshore Habitats Of The Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California, Matthew L. Nobriga, Frederick Feyrer, Randall D. Baxter

Western North American Naturalist

We documented distribution, relative abundance, diet composition, and body condition of Sacramento pikeminnow Ptychocheilus grandis during 2001 and 2003 at 5 sites in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, California. Sacramento pikeminnow densities in nearshore habitats were higher in 2003 than 2001. In both years, spatial distribution of beach seine densities was similar. There were no significant differences in density among sampling sites except for the southernmost site where the catch was near zero. Based on rotary screw-trap data from a 6th site, we found relative abundance of Sacramento pikeminnow entering the Delta via an artificial floodplain was positively correlated with flow. …

Structural Response Of Caribbean Dry Forests To Hurricane Winds: A Case Study From Guanica Forest, Puerto Rico, Skip Van Bloem, Ariel E. Lugo, Peter G. Murphy

Publications

Aim

Tropical dry forests in the Caribbean have an uniquely short, shrubby structure with a high proportion of multiple-stemmed trees compared to dry forests elsewhere in the Neotropics. Previous studies have shown that this structure can arise without the loss of main stems from cutting, grazing, or other human intervention. The Caribbean has a high frequency of hurricanes, so wind may also influence forest stature. Furthermore, these forests also tend to grow on soils with low amounts of available phosphorus, which may also influence structure. The objective of this study was to assess the role of high winds in structuring …

Ard News February 2006

Agricultural Research Division: News and Annual Reports

CONTENTS:
Comments from the Dean
Federal Funding Prospects for FY '07
119th ARD Annual Report
Proposals Submitted for Federal Grants November and December 2005
Endeavors
Mark Your Calendars
New or Revised Projects November and December 2005
Grants and Contracts Received for November and December 2005

Cave Research Foundation Newsletter, Volume 34, No. 1, February 2006, William Payne

Cave Research Foundation Newsletter

Contents: 2005 CRF Annual Report -- Tom Brucker Receives 2005 NSS Lew Bicking Award -- CRF Work in Carlsbad Caverns: Longfellow's Bathtub -- CRF Lava Beds Overview 2005 -- Book Review -- Report of the October 14-16 CRF Lilburn Expedition and Pack Mule Extravaganza -- Regional Expedition Reports -- 2006 Expedition Calendar -- Cave Books

Urban Ecology & Conservation Symposium 2006: 4th Annual -- Fostering Science And Nature In The City (Abstracts), Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium

Urban Ecosystem Research Consortium of Portland/Vancouver

The UERC is a consortium of people from various universities and colleges, state and federal agencies, local governments, non-profit organizations and independent professionals interested in supporting urban ecosystem research and creating an information-sharing network of people that collect and use ecological data in the Portland/Vancouver area.

UERC Mission Statement:

To advance the state of the science of urban ecosystems and improve our understanding of them, with a focus on the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan region, by fostering communication and collaboration among researchers, managers and citizens at academic institutions, public agencies, local governments, non-profit organizations, and other interested groups.

The principal organizers span …

Red Rock Desert Learning Center & Wild Horse And Burro Facility: Public Meeting Psa For Radio/Tv, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Oliver Ranch Project

Text of a public service radio announcement for a meeting about the Red Rock Desert Learning Center.

Assessing Climate Change: Did We Get It Right?, Glenn Patrick Juday

Miscellaneous Publications

No abstract provided.

Red Rock Desert Learning Center Core Group Meeting: January 17, 2006, Red Rock Desert Learning Center

Reports (RRLC)

1. Introductions & Announcements (5 min.)
2. Approval of Minutes from December 6, 2005 Meeting (5 min.)
3. Update on Project Schedule – Michael Reiland (10 min.)
   A. Utilities
   B. Parking
   C. Construction Estimates/Inflation
4. Statement of Work/Request for Information Update – Michael Reiland
   (10 min.)
5. Update on Water Line – Michael Reiland/Las Vegas Valley Water District
   (10 min.)
6. Update on Environmental Assessment – Michael Reiland (10 min.)
7. Update on Curriculum Development – Jeanne Klockow (5 min.)
8. Standing Reports (10 min.)
   A. Line and Space Architects
   B. BLM Capital Improvements – Michael Reiland
   C. Community Outreach – LaNelda Rolley
   --RRDLC Open House, January 26, …