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Group Housing And Social Stress In Side-Blotched Lizards (Uta Stansburiana), Marilize Van Der Walt

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Stress in regards to an animal's social housing environment is well studied in mammals; however there are few studies examining this in reptiles and the results are thus far unclear. For example, behavioral evidence shows adverse effects from individual housing in juvenile chameleons, however physiological measures in whiptail lizards show adverse effects from group housing. Because some reptiles appear to be affected negatively by their social housing environment while others are impacted positively, if we can discover the reason for these differences, we will be able to implement the most effective housing regimes for reptiles. In this study, we tested …

Oral Hygiene Facilitators And Barriers In Greek 10 Years Old Schoolchildren, Matina V. Angelopoulou, Katerina Kavvadia, Constantine Oulis, Christina Reppa

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the oral hygiene facilitators and barriers for 10 years old Greek children, via a questionnaire and clinical examination.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 266, 10 years old, children recruited from schools in 3 locations in Greece. Data were collected via questionnaires and clinical examination. Questionnaires referred to children's oral hygiene knowledge, behavior and attitude as well as parents' oral hygiene behavior and educational level. Children were clinically examined by two calibrated pediatric dentists using a WHO probe and artificial light to assess dental plaque (hygiene index-HI), gingivitis …

Biological Flora Of Coastal Dunes And Wetlands: Borrichia Frutescens (L.) Dc., Robert I. Lonard, Frank W. Judd, Richard Stalter

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Borrichia frutescens (L.) DC. is a New World warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical zone, perennial subshrub that is an important species in hypersaline coastal sites. Also known as sea ox-eye, it tolerates salinities ranging from less than 20 ppt to 130 ppt. It occurs in substrates low in organic matter and deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nearly all reproduction is vegetative from an extensive rhizome system. Populations of this species recover quickly after coverage by wrack. Stands of B. frutescens often dominate the landward border of salt marshes.

The Contribution Of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge In Conservation Of Enguserosambu Community Forest, Tanzania, Agnes Sirima

All Dissertations

Community managed forests constitute a significant proportion of the world's forests, however, little is known regarding their condition or the details of how they are managed. Documented benefits of community managed forest include poverty alleviation and in some places a decrease in the rate of deforestation. Although some community based forests do not satisfy the IUCN definition of a protected areas, they provide valuable long term sustainability of forest products and many are also rich in biodiversity and support landscape conservation strategies. Forests are also home to many cultures including the indigenous people. Indigenous communities surrounding forest areas and other …

Using Network Models To Predict Steelhead Abundance, Middle Fork John Day, Or, Monica R. Blanchard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is important in the management of threatened and endangered species to have informed population estimates. Population estimates are used to gage whether or not recovery goals are being met. When assessing Pacific salmonids this assessment involves sampling a small subset of the population and then scaling up to estimate larger populations units. This is complicated by the fact that fish populations are not evenly distributed along river systems but respond to fluctuating physical and biological stream properties. We used rapid assessment survey methods and the River Styles classification to explore fish-habitat relationships. River Styles is a classification system that …

Relationships Between Water Developments And Select Mammals On The U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, Bryan M. Kluever

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water is essential to life. Three general forms of water exist: pre-formed water that is available in food, metabolic water that is created as a byproduct of life processes (e.g., metabolism of fat or breakdown of carbohydrates), and free water (i.e., water available for drinking). As humans settle arid environments, the addition of man-made free water sources (e.g., sewage ponds, catchment ponds) often occurs. In addition, a tool commonly used to increase the abundance or distribution of wildlife species in desert environments is the addition of water sources, usually specifically designed to benefit game species like bighorn sheep (Ovis …

Pregenomic And Genomic Effects Of 24,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3, Yang Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the United States, the major dietary source of protein is poultry meat, particularly chicken. Phosphorus absorption in chickens is a critical problem in poultry production. It therefore is important to understand the cellular and molecular regulation of phosphorous absorption in intestine to increase efficiency of the process. This would provide the benefits of reducing feed costs and reducing phosphorous excretion, thereby contributing to the sustainability of agriculture in the United States. Therefore, the focus of this thesis is determining the effect of vitamin D metabolites involved in phosphate homeostasis using the chicken as a model.

Winter Ecology Of Common Ravens In Southern Wyoming And The Effects Of Raven Removal On Greater Sage-Grouse Populations, Luke W. Peebles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Common raven (Corvus corax; hereafter raven) populations have been increasing rapidly in the western United States, and these ravens cause damage to livestock, human health and safety, and wildlife species including greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse). The goals of my research were to gain a better understanding of the winter ecology of ravens, to see how raven populations were impacted by intensive removal during the winter, and to determine if raven removal aids sage-grouse populations. I found that ravens captured at landfills used these landfills sporadically for foraging, and these ravens regularly used bridges and …

Modeling Seed Dispersal And Population Migration Given A Distribution Of Seed Handling Times And Variable Dispersal Motility: Case Study For Pinyon And Juniper In Utah, Ram C. Neupane

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The spread of fruiting tree species is strongly determined by the behavior and range of fruit-eating animals, particularly birds. Birds either consume and digest seeds or carry and cache them at some distance from the source tree. These carried and settled seeds provide some form of distribution which generates tree spread to the new location. Firstly, we modal seed dispersal by birds and introduce it in a dispersal model to estimate seed distribution. Using this distribution, we create a population model to estimate the speed at which juniper and pinyon forest boundaries move.

Secondly, we introduce a fact that bird …

Factors Contributing To The Conservation Of Phacelia Submutica (Boraginaceae), A Threatened Species In Western Colorado: Reproductive Biology And Seed Ecology, Alicia M. Langton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Conservation and recovery plans for rare species require biological and ecological information to discern how they may be susceptible to human disturbances. Phacelia submutica is a threatened annual species in western Colorado. Human activities including energy development, recreation, and livestock grazing are occurring within the species’ range. To provide conservation practitioners with a scientific basis for management, this research aimed to elucidate elements of the species’ ecology. Chapter 2 describes the reproductive biology of P. submutica. Potential insect pollinators were not observed during two years of observations. Floral traits and development ensure self-pollination and reduce the likelihood that insects …

Family Ownership And R&D Investment: The Role Of Growth Opportunities And Business Group Membership, Young Rok Choi, Shaker A. Zahra, Toru Yoshikawa, Bong H. Han

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examines whether the influence of family ownership on R&D investment varies depending on growth opportunities and business group membership. Using data on Korean firms over ten years (1998-2007), the study shows that family ownership is negatively related to R&D investment, but the relationship becomes positive when growth opportunities are present. The moderating effect, however, differs between independent family firms and family business groups. The positive influence that growth opportunities have on promoting R&D investment is diminished for affiliates of family business groups. These findings imply that family owners invest more in R&D when their family control goals are …

Combining And Aggregating Environmental Data For Status And Trend Assessments: Challenges And Approaches, Kathleen G. Maas-Hebner, Michael Harte, Nancy Molina, Robert M. Hughes, Carl B. Schreck, J. Alan Yeakley

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increasingly, natural resource management agencies and nongovernmental organizations are sharing monitoring data across geographic and jurisdictional boundaries. Doing so improves their abilities to assess local-, regional-, and landscape-level environmental conditions, particularly status and trends, and to improve their ability to make short-and long-term management decisions. Status monitoring assesses the current condition of a population or environmental condition across an area. Monitoring for trends aims at monitoring changes in populations or environmental condition through time. We wrote this paper to inform agency and nongovernmental organization managers, analysts, and consultants regarding the kinds of environmental data that can be combined with suitable …

Reproductive Performance Of Kittlitz's Murrelet In A Glaciated Landscape, Icy Bay, Alaska, Usa, Michelle L. Kissling, Scott M. Gende, Stephen B. Lewis, Paul Lukacs

Wildlife Biology Faculty Publications

Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) is a dispersed-nesting seabird endemic to Alaska and eastern Russia that may have experienced considerable population declines in some parts of its range in the past few decades. Poor reproduction has been suggested as the demographic bottleneck, yet there are no direct estimates of reproduction in a glaciated area where this species reaches its highest densities at sea during the breeding season. The lack of demographic information in glacial habitats has limited our ability to interpret population trends and to clarify whether the presence of glaciers affects reproductive performance. Between 2007 and 2012, we …

Leaf-Cutter Ant (Atta Cephalotes) Behavioral Ecology Of Folivory In A Mixed-Use Guyanan Lowland Rainforest, Elizabeth Brianne Karslake

Theses

I studied the foraging ecology of a Neotropical leaf-cutter ant, Atta cephalotes, at CEIBA Biological Center, Guyana to elucidate diet choice and foraging strategy. These ants are serous agricultural pests because workers harvest leaves, flowers, fruits, and other plant organs of both cultivated and native plants. The plant materials are used to feed symbiotic fungi whose mycelia tips are the sole food of A. cephalotes larvae. Leaf-cutters were usually found in human disturbed habitats especially slash-and-burned forests cleared for farms, with their higher percentage of sun-exposure and lower plant stem diameters than second growth and primary forests. When given a …

Galápagos Sea Lion Behavior Differences In Relation To Human Exposure, Connor M. Piechota, Kevin R. Watson, Ryan J. Fuxa

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

Our study examined the behavioral differences of the Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) in relation to human presence. Our main goal was to determine whether sea lions would be more aggressive as a result of high frequencies of human exposure. We hypothesized that sea lions would behave differently in relation to varying rates of human exposure and we predicted that there would be more aggressive and interactive behaviors on beaches with higher frequencies of human exposure (as the humans may disturb the normal behavioral patterns of the sea lions). Data was collected daily at low tide in two-hour …

Variable Models For Organization Of Earthworking Communities In Upper Purus, Southwestern Amazonia: Archaeological And Ethnographic Perspectives, Sanna Saunaluoma, Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

No abstract provided.

Spatially-Weighted Ethnic Density And Residential Segregation: Effects On Health Status Among Older Mexican Americans, Sung Han Rhew

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that living in communities with high densities of persons from their own ethnic group improves the overall health of older Mexican Americans. One hypothesis is that residing in high ethnic density areas allows characteristics of Mexican culture such as strong social ties and social cohesion, to have a beneficial effect. The majority of investigations focused on ethnic density effects, however, have utilized relatively loose interpretations of what constitutes the appropriate social-geographic area to be studied. Moreover it is not clear how certain dimensions of residential segregation are protective or harmful toward health, particularly when measuring ethnic residential segregation …

Investigation Of Bioactive Metabolites From The Antarctic Sponge Dendrilla Membranosa And Marine Microorganisms, Chris G. Witowski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Natural products continue to be a valuable source of compounds in research involving chemical ecology and drug discovery. Secondary metabolites are biosynthesized to benefit the host organism in its environment (feeding deterrence from predators, antibiotic properties to avoid infection, etc.) but these compounds also serve as useful scaffolds in drug discovery applications. The research herein describes both aspects of these two branches of natural products chemistry. The Antarctic sponge Dendrilla membranosa produces diterpenes, of which membranolide A, deters feeding of the predatory amphipod Gondogenia antarctica. A metabolomic study of several sponges was undertaken to determine environmental factors that govern …

Isotopic Incorporation Rates And Discrimination Factors In Mantis Shrimp Crustaceans., Maya Devries, Carlos Del Rio, Tate Tunstall, Todd Dawson

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Stable isotope analysis has provided insights into the trophic ecology of a wide diversity of animals. Knowledge about isotopic incorporation rates and isotopic discrimination between the consumer and its diet for different tissue types is essential for interpreting stable isotope data, but these parameters remain understudied in many animal taxa and particularly in aquatic invertebrates. We performed a 292-day diet shift experiment on 92 individuals of the predatory mantis shrimp, Neogonodactylus bredini, to quantify carbon and nitrogen incorporation rates and isotope discrimination factors in muscle and hemolymph tissues. Average isotopic discrimination factors between mantis shrimp muscle and the new diet …

Los Baños Times, Vol. 35, No. 4, College Of Development Communication, University Of The Philippines Los Baños

Los Baños Times

No abstract provided.

Fauna Census Of Intertidal Cliffs, Mangapwani, Zanzibar, Emily Jankowski

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Due to their extreme variations in condition over the course of a day, intertidal zones are challenging environments. Organisms that live there must be prepared to cope with both exposure and submersion, not to mention the temperature variations that accompany these conditions. The differing tolerances and adaptations of various organisms to these conditions generally cause patterns of vertical zonation to occur in the intertidal zone, especially when the shore is steep and rocky. Understanding the ecology of shore environments is important to future conservation and management efforts. This study was conducted on a beach in Mangapwani, Zanzibar at at 6˚ …

Growth And Nickel Uptake By Serpentine And Non-Serpentine Populations Of Fimbristylis Ovata (Cyperaceae) From Sri Lanka, P. K. D. Chathuranga, S. K. A. T. Dharmasena, Nishanta Rajakaruna, M.C.M. Iqbal

Biological Sciences

Compared with serpentine floras of Southeast Asia, the serpentine vegetation of Sri Lanka is impoverished in regard to serpentine endemics and nickel hyperaccumulators. All species so far documented from the serpentine outcrops of Sri Lanka also have non-serpentine populations; it is unclear whether the serpentine populations are physiologically distinct and deserve ecotypic recognition. We conducted a preliminary study to examine whether serpentine and non-serpentine populations of Fimbristylis ovata represent locally adapted ecotypes by investigating their growth and potential for nickel uptake and tolerance under greenhouse conditions. Although both populations of F. ovata showed a similar growth pattern in serpentine soil …

Gordillo, Gastón. Rubble: The Afterlife Of Destruction. Durham: Duke University Press, 2014., Ismael Vaccaro Ph.D.

Journal of International and Global Studies

Book review.

Fulfilling The Promise Of Literacy: A Summer Book Project, C. C. Bates, Maryann Mcbride

Publications

A month into the new school year, a secondgrade teacher stopped me in the hallway to ask about Kyle, one of my former Reading Recovery students. The teacher said he was in the lowest reading group, and she didn’t see how his Reading Recovery intervention could have been discontinued last year. I couldn’t understand it; he finished strong at the end of the year, reading a level 18 text with ease. I tried to explain this, but she looked skeptical. I told her I would work with him in a booster group to get him back up to speed, but …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Gastric Cancer In Alaska, Fabrice Evengue

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

Gastric cancer or stomach cancer represents a major public health problem in the contiguous United States and in Alaska. Stomach cancer is the fourth most common malignancy and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths throughout the world. A retrospective study of gastric cancer cases from 1996 to 2011 was undertaken and data were extracted from the Alaska Cancer Registry where cases are consistently recorded and centralized. Data were analyzed using the National Cancer Institute’s SEER* Stat statistical software (version 8.1.5). The goal of the project was to provide a detailed epidemiologic descriptive analysis of gastric cancer to better …

Documenting Annual Differences In Vegetation Cover, Height And Diversity Near Barrow, Alaska, Timothy Frederick Botting

Masters Theses

Vegetation in the Arctic has been shown to respond to climate change. Documented changes have the potential to result in numerous ecosystem consequences. Therefore, understanding vegetation change is of great importance. This study documents changes in tundra vegetation with a focus on understanding the influence of annual differences in weather. Vegetation was sampled using a point frame method on 98 1-m² plots in 2010 and 2013 near Barrow, Alaska. A subset of 30 of these plots was also sampled in 2012 and 2014. Plant encounters were identified to species and grouped into one of the following functional groups: bryophytes, …

Epid 7133 - Epidemiologic Research Methods I, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

This course will focus on epidemiologic methods - primarily methods used in observational studies, cohort studies, case-control studies and randomized controlled trials. With respect to cohort studies, topics covered include cohort identification, ascertainment of exposure status, follow-up of cohort members, measuring outcomes, sources of bias and interpretational issues. Case-control topics include issues around defining cases and controls, control of confounding, and sources of bias/systematic error. Topics around randomized trials include randomization procedures, defining and assembling treatment/intervention arms, selecting study subjects and approaches to data collection. Other topics covered in this course include surveillance and ecologic studies. Pros and cons of …

Pubh 8133 02p - Epidemiologic Methods, Kelly L. Sullivan

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

An advanced epidemiology course designed to reinforce epidemiological concepts, as well as build a foundation for epidemiologic research in public health practice. Specific course content includes observational and experimental epidemiologic research methods. Emphasis will also be placed on appropriate analytic techniques necessary for biostatistical inference.

Pubh 8133 01p - Epidemiologic Methods, Yelena N. Tarasenko

College of Public Health: Faculty Syllabi (2014-2021)

An advanced epidemiology course designed to reinforce epidemiological concepts, as well as build a foundation for epidemiologic research in public health practice. Specific course content includes observational and experimental epidemiologic research methods. Emphasis will also be placed on appropriate analytic techniques necessary for biostatistical inference

The Ecological Significance Of Emerging Deltas In Regulated Rivers, Malia A. Volke, Michael L. Scott, W. Carter Johnson, Mark Dixon

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Sedimentary deltas forming in the world’s regulated rivers are a glaring gap in our knowledge of dammed riverine ecosystems. Basic ecological information is needed to inform the current debate about whether deltas should be retained and managed to gain ecosystem services lost under reservoirs or whether they should be partially removed to improve flow conveyance and to resupply sediment-starved reaches below dams. An examination of nine deltas on the heavily regulated upper and middle Missouri River showed the following: The sizes, dynamics, and biotic communities vary widely across deltas; riparian forest has established on portions of most deltas; the current …