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2007

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Articles 181 - 196 of 196

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Effects Of Isolation On Metapopulation Dynamics In Small-World Networks, Alaina Brooke Bernard Jan 2007

Effects Of Isolation On Metapopulation Dynamics In Small-World Networks, Alaina Brooke Bernard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Simulation models are valuable for making predictions that may be tested in natural systems and for understanding observed patterns. The simulation model developed for this thesis evaluates the effects of spatial network architecture, including organism dispersal patterns and isolation of habitats, on metapopulations. Two fields were merged throughout this project: metapopulation biology and small-world network theory. Small-world networks are characterized in their extremes as scale-free or single-scale. These models potentially simulate the networks of habitats and corridors in which metapopulations operate. Small-world network theory has been used to describe systems as diverse as rivers, the world-wide-web, and protein interactions, but …

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Responses Of Small Rodents To Restoration And Management Techniques Of Florida Scrub At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florid, Alexis Suazo Jan 2007

Responses Of Small Rodents To Restoration And Management Techniques Of Florida Scrub At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florid, Alexis Suazo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Proper habitat management is essential for the survival and reproduction of species, especially those listed under state or federal laws as endangered, threatened or of special concern, and those with small local populations. Land managers use a combination of mechanical cutting and prescribed burning to manage and restore degraded scrub habitat in east central Florida. This approach improves habitat for the endangered Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), but little is known about its effects on other taxa, especially the threatened southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris). This single species approach may not be beneficial to other taxa, and mechanical cutting and …

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Energy Flow In A Floodplain Aquifer Ecosystem, Brian Reid Jan 2007

Energy Flow In A Floodplain Aquifer Ecosystem, Brian Reid

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

We developed an energy budget to identify energy sources for the invertebrate community of a large 20 km2 floodplain aquifer, based on biomass distributions, organismal respirometry, in situ community respiration, mesocosm and microcosm experiments, stable isotopes and invertebrate gut contents. The invertebrate respiration scaling exponent was 0.474 (+/- 0.068, 95% CI) across six orders in body mass, which is significantly lower than the ¾ power scaling predicted by metabolic theory. Invertebrate production was dominated by copepods (Diacyclops, Acanthocyclops, Bryocamptus), Stygobromus amphipods, and amphibiont stoneflies, and ranged from 26.9 to 4200 mg C/m3 sediment/year. Production and density showed a U-shaped response …

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Art, Ecology And Art Education: Locating Art Education In A Critical Place-Based Pedagogy, Mark Graham Jan 2007

Art, Ecology And Art Education: Locating Art Education In A Critical Place-Based Pedagogy, Mark Graham

Faculty Publications

In contemporary life and education, the local is marginalized in favor of large-scale economies of consumption that are indifferent to ecological concerns. The consequences of neglecting local human and natural communities include a degraded habitat, loss of wilderness, alienation, rootlessness, and lack of connection to communities. Critical place-based pedagogy provides a robust framework for the theory and practice of art education that is concerned with ecological issues. This article locates art education within a critical pedagogy of place as a prelude to describing contemporary art and art education that is engaged with ecological Issues.

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Contemporary Art, Science, Ecology, And A Critical Pedagogy Of Place, Mark Graham Jan 2007

Contemporary Art, Science, Ecology, And A Critical Pedagogy Of Place, Mark Graham

Faculty Publications

In contemporary life and education, the local is marginalized in favor of large-scale economies of consumption that are indifferent to ecological concerns. The consequences of neglecting local human and natural communities include a degraded habitat, loss of wilderness, alienation, rootlessness, and lack of connection to communities. Place-based education responds to this indifference to local ecological concerns by grounding student learning in the experiences of their own lives, communities, and regions. Critical place-based pedagogy broadens the scope of place-based learning by incorporating critical theory into the curriculum of the local. This article describes a critical pedagogy of place as a prelude …

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Association Between The Exposure To Aflatoxin And Micronutrient Status Of Hiv Infected Adults In Ghana, Francis Ayodele Obuseh Jan 2007

Association Between The Exposure To Aflatoxin And Micronutrient Status Of Hiv Infected Adults In Ghana, Francis Ayodele Obuseh

All ETDs from UAB

Aflatoxins, found naturally in some foods are toxic metabolites of some Aspergillus species.They constitute the most potent hepatocarcinogens known and are also mutagenic and hepatotoxic. The preponderance of evidence indicates that aflatoxin is the major cause of hepatocellular cancer. In studies conducted in Africa, food-borne aflatoxin exposure is common (Oyelami et al. 1996; Egal et al. 2005). There is a critical need for additional information on health outcomes associated with exposure to aflatoxin in humans, especially in developing countries with a higher degree of malnutrition and likelihood of HIV infections. We sought to test the hypothesis that aflatoxin B1 and …

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Statistical And Cartographic Modeling Of Vernal Pool Locations: Incorporating The Spatial Component Into Ecological Modeling, Tina A. Cormier Jan 2007

Statistical And Cartographic Modeling Of Vernal Pool Locations: Incorporating The Spatial Component Into Ecological Modeling, Tina A. Cormier

Master's Theses and Capstones

Vernal pools are small, isolated, depressions that experience cyclical periods of inundation and drying. Many species have evolved strategies to utilize the unique characteristics of vernal pools; however, their small size, seasonal nature, and isolation from other, larger water bodies, suggest increased risk of damage/loss by development. The goals of this research were to statistically determine physical predictors of vernal pool presence and, subsequently, to represent the output cartographically for use as a conservation tool. Logistic regression and Classification and Regression Tree (CART) routines were used to define important variables (slope, aspect, land use, soils, and reflectance) of 405 known …

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Observations On The Diets Of An Anuran And Eight Lizard Taxa From Sonora, Chihuahua, And Coahuila, Mexico, With Some Notes On Clutch Sizes, Geoffrey R. Smith, J. A. Lemos-Espinal, Christopher B. Dibble, Megan E. Ogle, Joshua J. Schulte, Andrew J. Terlecky, Allison Boyd Jan 2007

Observations On The Diets Of An Anuran And Eight Lizard Taxa From Sonora, Chihuahua, And Coahuila, Mexico, With Some Notes On Clutch Sizes, Geoffrey R. Smith, J. A. Lemos-Espinal, Christopher B. Dibble, Megan E. Ogle, Joshua J. Schulte, Andrew J. Terlecky, Allison Boyd

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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The Association Between Adult Self-Reported Asthma & Potential Exposures To Asthma Triggers In Virginia Workplaces: An Ecological Study, Jeanette R. Bowman Jan 2007

The Association Between Adult Self-Reported Asthma & Potential Exposures To Asthma Triggers In Virginia Workplaces: An Ecological Study, Jeanette R. Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Work-related asthma (WRA) is thought to be the most common occupational lung disease in the U.S., but there is no standard case definition of WRA. Most states, including Virginia, do not require WRA diagnoses to be reported to health departments. At present, there is too little epidemiological data on WRA in Virginia to direct public health planning efforts. Objectives: The first objective of this study was to estimate potential exposure to workplace asthma triggers in each of Virginia's 35 health districts. The second objective was to examine associations at the health district level between workplace asthma triggers, other asthma …

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Projecting The Results Of State Smoking Ban Initiatives Using Cartographic Analysis, Donna Arlene Gilbreath Jan 2007

Projecting The Results Of State Smoking Ban Initiatives Using Cartographic Analysis, Donna Arlene Gilbreath

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Because tobacco smoking causes 430,000 U.S. deaths annually, wide-reaching smoking bans are needed. Bans reduce cigarette consumption, encourage cessation, protect nonsmokers from second-hand smoke, and promote an attitude that smoking is undesirable. Therefore, bans may prevent future generations from suffering many smoking-related health problems. The federal government has not implemented widereaching smoking bans so it falls on individual states, counties, or communities to devise appropriate smoking policy. To date, smoking policy has been determined by legislators, who may have conflicts that prevent them from acting in the publics best interest. However, this method of implementing smoking policy may be changing. …

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Behavioural Syndromes In Brook Charr, Salvelinus Fontinalis: Prey-Search In The Field Corresponds With Space Use In Novel Laboratory Situations, Alexander D.M. Wilson, Robert L. Mclaughlin Jan 2007

Behavioural Syndromes In Brook Charr, Salvelinus Fontinalis: Prey-Search In The Field Corresponds With Space Use In Novel Laboratory Situations, Alexander D.M. Wilson, Robert L. Mclaughlin

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

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Biological Status Of Leatherside Chub: A Framework For Conservation Of Western Freshwater Fishes, Mark C. Belk, Jerald B. Johnson Jan 2007

Biological Status Of Leatherside Chub: A Framework For Conservation Of Western Freshwater Fishes, Mark C. Belk, Jerald B. Johnson

Faculty Publications

Outside of anadromous salmonids and a few endangered species, biology of native freshwater fishes of western North America is poorly known. What do we need to know to effectively manage native species and avoid decline and extinction? A recent analysis of the role of science in the Pacific salmon controversy outlines a clear framework for biological evaluation and management of native species. This framework has three components: (1) determine status of populations based on genetic and ecological variation, (2) identify and quantify threats to populations, and (3) determine actions to alleviate threats and promote conservation of populations. We use our …

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Habitat And Distribution Of The Ruffed Lemur, "Varecia", North Of The Bay Of Antongil In Northeastern Madagascar, Evon R. Hekkala, Marius Rakotondratsima, Natalie Vasey Jan 2007

Habitat And Distribution Of The Ruffed Lemur, "Varecia", North Of The Bay Of Antongil In Northeastern Madagascar, Evon R. Hekkala, Marius Rakotondratsima, Natalie Vasey

Anthropology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Here we present information on the conservation status of ruffed lemurs (Varecia) north of the Bay of Antongil in northeastern Madagascar. Two contiguous protected areas were recently established that traverse this region via blocks of forest connected by narrow forest corridors: the Masoala National Park, which expands further to the east, and the Makira Protected Area, which expands further to the west and northwest. The two extant ruffed lemurs, Varecia variegata and V. rubra, overlapped in this region historically and, on rare occasions, hybridized. As such, land north of the Bay of Antongil is a critical part …

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Sharing The Short Bus: Eligibility And Identity Under The Idea, Wendy F. Hensel Jan 2007

Sharing The Short Bus: Eligibility And Identity Under The Idea, Wendy F. Hensel

UC Law Journal

This Article examines the issue of eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA"), that is, what kind of disability a child must have to qualify for protection and services under the statute. The author explores whether the current legislative approach to disability and eligibility enhances the integration and advancement of children with impairments or reinforces the stigma of difference and inequality. Part I of the Article examines the legislative evolution of eligibility since the passage of the statute, then known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, in 1975. This Part also explores the legal and social …

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A Comparative Ecological Study Between Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In A Protected And Urban Habitat: A Closer Look At Enteric Parasites And Diet Between Florida Coyotes, Denara Lynn Manning Jan 2007

A Comparative Ecological Study Between Coyotes (Canis Latrans) In A Protected And Urban Habitat: A Closer Look At Enteric Parasites And Diet Between Florida Coyotes, Denara Lynn Manning

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Coyotes (Canis latrans) have inhabited Florida (USA) since the 1960s and are currently found throughout the state. The purpose of the present study was to obtain information on enteric parasites and diet of Florida coyotes from two different habitat types. Seasonal variation in diet was also examined. Fresh coyote fecal samples were collected from protected and urban habitats in Pinellas County, Florida (USA; 27°54' n, 82°41'w) from may 2005 to march 2007. A standard fecal flotation examination and formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation were utilized on fecal samples collected from the protected (n=40) and urban (n=50) habitats. Five novel (newly documented) parasites …

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Demographic And Spatial Characteristics Of Feral Hogs In The Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, Roger N. Adkins, Louis A. Harveston Jan 2007

Demographic And Spatial Characteristics Of Feral Hogs In The Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, Roger N. Adkins, Louis A. Harveston

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) have recently expanded their range to include portions of the arid regions of the Chihuahuan Desert, Texas. We examined feral hog density, survival rates, range size, and habitat use in the Davis Mountains, Texas, to understand hog ecology in a desert environment. We tested the hypothesis that densities of feral hogs across Texas would be positively related to precipitation. Feral hog densities in the Chihuahuan Desert were low (0.65 individuals/km2), supporting our prediction. Annual home range sizes (100% minimum convex polygon) were also high and averaged 48.3 ± 4.4 km2 and …

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