Effects Of Renewable Energy Production And Infrastructure On Wildlife, José Antonio Sánchez-Zapata, Miguel Clavero, Martina Carrete, Travis L. Devault, Virgilio Hermoso, Miguel Angel Losada, María José Polo, Sonia Sánchez-Navarro, Juan Manuel Pérez-García, Francisco Botella, Carlos Ibáñez, José Antonio Donázar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The high levels of human demands of resources—from food to space and energy—are one of the main drivers of global change and are causing large negative impacts on ecosystems functioning worldwide (Vitousek et al. 1997 ). Global change components range from climate change to habitat destruction, species invasions, pollution and eutrophication. Although these factors can produce ecosystem changes independently, the final descent is often driven by synergistic processes. The resulting amplifying feedbacks can be disconnected from the original driver of change, leading to a state shift in the biosphere with unexpected consequences (Barnosky et al. 2012 ). Climate change seems …

Chapter 3: One Health, One Medicine, Laura H. Kahn, Thomas P. Monath, Bob H. Bokma, E. Paul Gibbs, A. Alonso Aguirre

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In recognition that the health of humans, animals, and the environment is linked, One Health seeks to increase communication and collaboration across the disciplines in order to promote, improve, and defend the health of all species on the planet. This strategy may seem simple, but unfortunately it will not be easy to implement. The explosion of medical knowledge in the 20th century led to academic, governmental, and industrial silos of specialization; these silos fostered a compartmentalized approach to health and disease. Building bridges across these silos will require leadership, joint educational programs, financial support, and other strategies that promote transdisciplinary …

Olfactory Attractants And Parity Affect Prenatal Androgens And Territoriality Of Coyote Breeding Pairs, Christopher J. Schell, Julie K. Young, Elizabeth V. Lonsdorf, Jill M. Mateo, Rachel M. Santymire

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Hormones are fundamental mediators of personality traits intimately linked with reproductive success. Hence, alterations to endocrine factors may dramatically affect individual behavior that has subsequent fitness consequences. Yet it is unclear how hormonal or behavioral traits change with environmental stressors or over multiple reproductive opportunities, particularly for biparental fauna. To simulate an environmental stressor, we exposed captive coyote (Canis latrans) pairs to novel coyote odor attractants (i.e. commercial scent lures) midgestation to influence territorial behaviors, fecal glucocorticoid (FGMs) and fecal androgen metabolites (FAMs). In addition, we observed coyote pairs as first-time and experienced breeders to assess the influence …

Environmental Factors Influencing The Occurrence Of Coyotes And Conflicts In Urban Areas, Sharon A. Poessel, Eric M. Gese, Julie K. Young

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The increase of global urbanization can have effects on wildlife species, including carnivores such as coyotes (Canis latrans). As coyotes continue to settle in more urban areas, reports of human-coyote conflicts, such as attacks on humans or pets, may also increase. Understanding environmental variables that might influence whether or not coyotes and human-coyote conflicts will occur in certain urban areas may assist wildlife officials in creating management plans for urban wildlife.We conducted a survey of 105 urban areas in the United States requesting information on the occurrence of coyotes and human-coyote conflicts. We analyzed the responses with data …

Morphometric Variation During Chick Development In Interior Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax Auritus), Jennifer E. Chastant, Corey T. Callaghan, D. Tommy King

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

In numerous avian species, egg size is correlated to female body condition, hatchling size and nestling growth. Recent demography studies of Interior Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) suggest a migratory divide across the Great Lakes; western populations winter in the Gulf of Mexico region of the southeastern United States (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi) with extensive catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) aquaculture, and eastern populations winter in Florida, where catfish aquaculture is not pervasive. If Double-crested Cormorants have improved their overall body condition through catfish exploitation, then egg and chick sizes should also be affected. Three breeding areas in Ontario (east, central, and …

Bait Flavor Preference And Immunogenicity Of Onrab Baits In Domestic Dogs On The Navajo Nation, Arizona, Are R. Berentsen, Scott Bender, Peggy Bender, David Bergman, Amy T. Gilbert, Hannah M. Rowland, Kurt C. Vercauteren

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Rabies is responsible for an estimated 59,000 human deaths worldwide, and domestic dogs are the primary reservoir and vector of the disease. Among some nations, widespread vaccination has led to elimination of rabies in domestic dogs, yet dogs are still susceptible to rabies infection from interactions with wildlife reservoirs. On Tribal lands in the United States, less than 20% of domestic dogs are vaccinated for rabies, and parenteral vaccination is often unfeasible. Oral rabies vaccination may provide a solution, but a suitable bait flavor and vaccine must be identified. We evaluated 5 bait flavors (bacon, cheese, egg, fish, and sweet) …

Prioritizing Management And Research Actions Against Invasive Reptiles In Florida: A Collaboration By An Expert Panel, Richard M. Engeman, Michael L. Avery

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Florida has more introduced animals than any other region of the U.S. and also ranks high in this respect globally. Given Florida's climate, it is no coincidence that a large proportion of Florida’s invasive vertebrate species are reptiles and amphibians. Exotic snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and crocodilians are all breeding in Florida. The largest snakes in Florida are constrictors from other continents, and the five largest lizard species breeding in Florida are from Africa, South America, and Central America. Establishment of non-native reptiles and amphibians has been documented in Florida for over 135 years, and the rate of invasive reptile …

Vertebrate Host Susceptibility To Heartland Virus, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth, Amanda E. Calvert, J. Jeffrey Root, Tom Gidlewski, Brian H. Bird, Richard A. Bowen, Atis Muehlenbachs, Sherif R. Zaki, Aaron C. Brault

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Heartland virus (HRTV) is a recently described phlebovirus initially isolated in 2009 from 2 humans who had leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Serologic assessment of domestic and wild animal populations near the residence of 1 of these persons showed high exposure rates to raccoons, white-tailed deer, and horses. To our knowledge, no laboratory-based assessments of viremic potential of animals infected with HRTV have been performed. We experimentally inoculated several vertebrates (raccoons, goats, chickens, rabbits, hamsters, C57BL/6 mice, and interferon-α/β/γ receptor–deficient [Ag129]) mice with this virus. All animals showed immune responses against HRTV after primary or secondary exposure. However, neutralizing antibody responses were …

Cougar Predation Rates And Prey Composition In The Pryor Mountains Of Wyoming And Montana, Linsey W. Blake, Eric M. Gese

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Understanding predator-prey dynamics is a fundamental principle of ecology and an ideal component for management decisions. Across North America, the impact of cougars (Puma concolor) on their prey varies regionally. To document the relationships between cougars, bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and feral horses (Equus caballus) on the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and the Pryor Mountains, we deployed GPS collars on 6 cougars (the total number residing on the study area), and visited their clusters to determine predation rates and foraging patterns. We examined the composition of …

Seasonal Evolution Of Active Layer Formation In Subarctic Peat Plateaux And Implications For Dissolved Organic Matter Composition And Transfer, Jennifer L. Hickman

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Peat-accumulating wetlands are ecosystems whose rate of photosynthetic production of organic matter is greater than that of its decomposition, resulting in a build up of soil organic matter that may take centuries to fully decompose. Carbon (C) stocks within these ecosystems are a function of inputs from photosynthesis, and losses from heterotrophic decomposition. Due to the short growing season and overall cold climate of boreal and tundra regions, C has been accumulating within these landscapes, mostly in soil organic matter, since the last glaciation. Climate change, predicted to result in rising temperatures and increased precipitation, has begun to degrade the …

Estimates Of Persistent Inward Current Decline In Human Soleus Motor Units During Fatigue, Kirby Mendes

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Fatigue is defined as any exercise induced reduction in strength or power, and can be attributed to central and peripheral components. Many central and peripheral mechanisms have been extensively studied, but few studies have looked at the changes in the intrinsic properties of motor neurons and their contribution to fatigue. Persistent inward current (PIC) is an important intrinsic property of motor neurons responsible for setting a large increase in the gain of motor output and may contribute to fatigue. Inhibitory inputs such as reciprocal inhibition (RI) have been shown to turn off PICs and reducing the gain of output. PIC …

Evaluation Of An Abuse Prevention Education Program For Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Karen E. Klee

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Abstract

An evaluation of an abuse protection education program was conducted for adults with developmental disabilities who receive supports and services from two Community Living Ontario agencies. Abuse education is mandated within the province of Ontario but few empirically evaluated curricula exist to help organizations provide effective education for this vulnerable population. A sample of 61 adults with varying degrees of cognitive ability were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control; information-only educational lessons; and an expanded program providing additional lessons on decision-making and behavioural skills thought necessary to prevent, recognize and report abuse. This program has been developed …

Age-Related Changes In Hippocampal Arc Expression Following Minimal Behavioural Induction, Irina V. Odintsova

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Normal ageing is associated with significant changes in cognitive function, including the decline of some forms of memory. The hippocampal formation is critical to learning and memory function, and plasticity in this region declines with age. Additionally, age-related differences in plasticity are greatest at lower levels of stimulation, thus peri-threshold plasticity may be of the greatest relevance for age-related changes in cognition. Moreover, the hippocampus is prone to changes in the expression of gene products that mediate plasticity with age. The current thesis attempts to link these observations by measuring hippocampal expression of Arc, an immediate-early gene that is critical …

Mate Choice And Consequences For Consanguineous Mating In Drosophila Melanogaster, Emily S. Martin

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The ability to discriminate between prospective mates is potentially important not only for the avoidance of unsuccessful or incompatible matings, but also for the selection of higher “quality” mates. Inbreeding, reproduction between closely related individuals, has long enjoyed the attention of biologists, and has classically been associated with fitness consequences that are primarily negative, termed “inbreeding depression”. Indeed, the costs of mating with a relative are well documented across a wide variety of species. If individuals are capable of kin recognition, it is expected that species should evolve to avoid consanguineous matings. However, a number of recent models suggest circumstances …

Sm And Dy Interaction With Dissolved Organic Matter (Dom) In Freshwater Measured By Ion-Selective Electrode And Fluorescence Quenching Analytical Techniques, Alexandra Carvajal

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

With the increased demand for lanthanide metals in various industries, companies are looking into mining of these metals in Northern Canada. The release of these metals into the environment may have adverse effect on aquatic ecosystems; thus, it is important to understand potential toxicological effects of lanthanides on aquatic organisms. One way to predict these effects is by using a Biotic Ligand Model (BLM). Although incorporation of lanthanides into the model will require a substantial amount of future research, initial studies into speciation and toxicity can provide a useful basis for future reference. There are two main objectives to this …

National Crises And Moments Of Laughter In ‘Second Interregnum’ South African Drama, 2001-2014, J. Coplen Rose

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation analyzes Anglophone South African dramatic critiques of national crises in the post-apartheid moment. Focusing specifically on the years after Nelson Mandela’s retirement, it examines some of the country’s prominent plays produced between 2001 and 2014. This was an important period of social and political change in South Africa, described by drama theorist Marcia Blumberg as a second interregnum where acts of reconciliation or disaffection were staged frequently (“Reconciling” 140). I build on Blumberg’s temporal model by extending her framework to account for recent events of national significance leading up to, and including, Mandela’s death in 2013. In addition …

Space-Time Modelling Of Emerging Infectious Diseases: Assessing Leptospirosis Risk In Sri Lanka, Cameron C F Plouffe

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In this research, models were developed to analyze leptospirosis incidence in Sri Lanka and its relation to rainfall. Before any leptospirosis risk models were developed, rainfall data were evaluated from an agro-ecological monitoring network for producing maps of total monthly rainfall in Sri Lanka. Four spatial interpolation techniques were compared: inverse distance weighting, thin-plate splines, ordinary kriging, and Bayesian kriging. Error metrics were used to validate interpolations against independent data. Satellite data were used to assess the spatial pattern of rainfall. Results indicated that Bayesian kriging and splines performed best in low and high rainfall, respectively. Rainfall maps generated from …

The Influence Of Real-Time Visual Feedback Training On Vocal Control, Justeena N. Zaki-Azat

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Trained singers have better vocal control when compared to singers without vocal training. The development of precise vocal control, like any motor skill, requires practice with some form of feedback, such as auditory feedback. In addition to auditory feedback, singing training programs use online visual feedback to improve performance accuracy. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the recent body of literature concerning the cognitive processing of vocal control, and apply this knowledge practically to develop an effective real-time visual feedback training program that enhances vocal control. In the first of two studies, non-singers and singers were randomly assigned …

Factors Influencing Influenza Vaccination Rates Among Rural Ontario Paramedics, Tonya A. Leduc

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Introduction. Influenza vaccination rates have traditionally been very low among healthcare workers (HCWs) however; very few studies have examined vaccination rates andmotivators among paramedics.

Objectives. The Health Belief Model (HBM) (Rosenstock,1974) was used as a guideline in this study to better understand the motivators and barriers to flu vaccination among rural Ontario paramedics. This group represents a considerable proportion of the HCW community, yet it has been virtually omitted from previous research.

Methods. Through the use of self-report questionnaires, and using the HBM as a guideline, a graphical representation of the decision-making process regarding flu vaccination was generated. The sample …

Partitioning Evapotranspiration In Forested Peatlands Within The Western Boreal Plain, Fort Mcmurray, Alberta, Canada, Elise C. Gabrielli

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Forested peatlands in the Western Boreal Plain (WBP) represent hydrologically sensitive ecosystems that often support an open-crown forest of Picea mariana and/or Larix laricina. These systems store globally significant soil carbon, containing one-fourth to one-third of the world’s soil organic carbon pool (Turunen et al., 2002),serving a critical role in regulating atmospheric CO₂. Recent studies indicate that the hydrological conditions are the critical determinant of a peatland’s carbon budget (Price et al., 2005; Aurela et al., 2007).To understand current hydrological conditions, it is essential to accurately estimate the rate of ET, due …

Japanese Encephalitis: Assessing Disease Risk Due To Landscape Factors At Multiple Scales, Julia E. Metelka

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Japanese Encephalitis is a mosquito-borne disease and is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. In many Asian countries, the geographical distribution of JE is dependent on a variety of human-environment interactions that can be conceptualized as a complex social-ecological system. The JE transmission cycle is influenced by a few primary human-landscape factors; the abundance and the spatial configuration of rice paddy fields (which provide habitat for the vector), the distribution of pig farms (which position the virus' amplifying host), and the location of a susceptible human population. Our models integrate population dynamics, landscape characteristics, and weather variables that …

Climate Change And Social Work: Our Roles And Barriers To Action, Tina Cumby

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This qualitative research project was conducted using a grounded theory research methodology and was approached with the theoretical underpinnings of social constructivism and pragmatism. The purpose of this research was to assess what role, if any, that social workers can play in dealing with environmental issues such as climate change and what barriers, if any, they will likely experience as they engage with these issues. It is important to explore these roles and barriers because social work is a profession that is well equipped to mitigate environmental issues like climate change, yet there is virtually no social work presence in …

The Bigger Picture: Piecing Together The Experiences Of Family Members Living With High-Functioning Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Lauren Thomson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of family members living with a child with ASD. The specific research questions that were addressed included: 1. How is a family member affected by having a child with ASD in the family unit; and 2. How does living with a child with ASD affect family functioning? The theoretical orientation of phenomenology was used to guide this research and to allow the “voice” of family members of children with ASD to be heard. The purpose of phenomenology is to distill individuals’ experiences with a phenomenon down to an “essence” of …

The Contribution Of The Cerebello-Thalamo-Cortical Circuit To The Pathology Of Non-Dopaminergic Responsive Parkinson's Disease Symptoms, Shannon C. Lefaivre

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

It has been well established that motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are primarily associated with dopaminergic degeneration in the basal ganglia. However, symptoms which respond poorly to dopaminergic replacement, such as tremor, gait, and balance deficits, point to an alternative pathology to dysfunction of the basal ganglia. Over-activity of the cerebellum has been demonstrated in PD, however it is not entirely clear how the cerebellum might be affecting motor symptoms. A lack of consensus exists regarding how cerebellar over-activity might be influencing PD tremor, and whether resting and postural tremor are differentially influenced by cerebellar dysfunction. It is also …

Theoretical Investigations Of Zinc Blende And Wurtzite Semiconductor Quantum Wells On The Rotated Substrates, Igor Ivashev

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

We present a comprehensive set of computations of effective mass theory for both the Kane's parabolic band approximation and Luttinger-Kohn's valence band mixing approximation. We generalize the kp method to be able to evaluate band structures for the materials such as zincblende InGaAsN and GaAsBi compounds used in long wavelength lasers and wurtzite materials used in short wavelength lasers. We investigate methodology to study band structure of semiconductors that are grown away from natural direction. The strain influence is introduced via Bir and Pikus model. It is expected that band structure is strongly dependent on direction of crystal growth and …

Do Toxicity Modifying Factors Influence Acute Or Chronic Toxicity Of Thulium To Hyalella Azteca?, Alexandria H. Loveridge

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The industrial demand for rare earth elements (REEs) is growing and as a result, environmental exposure is a concern. Very little is understood about the toxicity of REEs in aquatic environments. The objective of this research is to evaluate the acute and chronic toxicity of Tm and to also understand the toxicity modifying influence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and cationic competition (Ca2+, Mg2+ and Na+). Furthermore, the aim of this study was to determine linkages between Tm bioaccumulation, growth and survival during chronic exposures. Standard methods (Environment Canada) were followed for both 96h acute and 14d chronic tests, in …

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (Mcda) For Agricultural Sustainability Assessment, Byomkesh Talukder

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Multi Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT), Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) and Elimination methods of Multi-Criteria Decision analysis (MCDA) are tested to assess and compare the sustainability of different agricultural systems. Indicators and composite indicators are derived from data gathered using the agricultural sustainability categories of Productivity, Stability, Efficiency, Durability, Compatibility and Equity (PSEDCE).

Agricultural systems around the world face challenges from current agricultural practices, over-exploitation of natural resources, population growth and climate change. As a result, understanding agricultural sustainability has become a global issue. Assessment is a first step in benchmarking and tracking agricultural sustainability and …

Phosphorus Removal Using Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles In Wastewater Treatment, Suyoung Choi Mr.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Due to eutrophication caused by nutrients such as phosphorus (P), local surface water near military garrisons and camps has been deteriorated for several years in the Republic of Korea. Thus, in order to remove excessive P in local fresh water, various size of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) were used.

In the first investigation, TiO₂ mixed bulk powder (particle size > 5µm) showed maximum P removal with pH dependence (higher pH shows lower P removal), that was approximately 27%. To determine adsorption isotherms, Langmuir and Freudlich models were used. The experimental data was better fit by a Langmuir model compared …

Examining Quality Indicator Rates For Older Home Care Clients With Dual Sensory Impairment (Dsi) And Exploring The Heterogeneity Within Dsi., Jacob G S Davidson, Dawn M. Guthrie

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Older adults with impairments in both hearing and vision, called dual sensory impairment (DSI), are at an increased risk of negative health outcomes such as impaired communication and difficulties with mobility. It is unknown whether DSI is associated with potential quality of care issues. This study used a set of home care quality indicators (HCQIs) to examine potential quality issues in older clients (65+) with DSI. Further, it looked to explore how HCQI rates differed based on the geographic region of care and whether the client’s level of hearing and vision impairment was related to certain HCQIs. The HCQIs were …

Evaluating A Skills-Based Approach To Bullying Prevention, Rebecca Pister

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In the following paper, I present an evaluation of the bullying prevention program designed and delivered by the John Howard Society of Waterloo-Wellington (JHS WW). A mixed-methods approach involving both quantitative and qualitative data collection was used to assess the program impacts on children receiving the primary stream of the program (Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 3), and the junior stream of the program (Grades 4 through 6). A case study was also conducted to assess the impacts of the program one year after program delivery and after two consecutive years of programming. Finally, all school staff members were invited to respond …