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Economic Growth And Mortality: Do Social Protection Policies Matter?, Usama Bilal, Richard Cooper, Francis Abreu, Claudia Nau, Manuel Franco, Thomas A. Glass

Faculty Publications

Background: In the 20th century, periods of macroeconomic growth have been associated with increases in population mortality. Factors that cause or mitigate this association are not well understood. Evidence suggests that social policy may buffer the deleterious impact of economic growth. We sought to explore associations between changing unemployment (as a proxy for economic change) and trends in mortality over 30 years in the context of varying social protection expenditures. Methods: We model change in all-cause mortality in 21 OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries from 1980 to 2010. Data from the Comparative Welfare States Data Set and …

Population Density, Distribution, Richness & Health Of Shallow Water Caribbean Porifera From An Unesco Biosphere Reserve, St. John, Usvi, Patrick Michael Vojnyk

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Porifera is an important phylum of organisms in benthic ecosystems that filter water, act as biogenic habitat, and provide 3-dimentional structure. Sponge diversity and abundance are often used as bio-indicators for good or improving water quality in a system. Transects were performed during July 2015, January 2016, and July 2016 to determine species richness, density, and assess necrotic pinacoderm tissue decay of species of poriferans in St. John, USVI. 6,800 individuals and 17 different species were recorded during observation periods in Great and Little Lameshur Bays. Results indicate that the non-cryptic species Amphimedon compressa and Aplysina fiulva had the highest …

Dietary Analysis Of The Emerald Shiner (Notropis Atherinoides) In The Upper Niagara River Using Fatty Acids, Stomach Contents, And Stable Isotopes, Colleen Kolb

Great Lakes Center Masters Theses

Describing ontogenetic and temporal shifts in diet is a fundamental step in understanding food web structure in any ecological community. I conducted a dietary analysis of the emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides), a keystone species in the Niagara River (NY), using a detailed analysis of fatty acids combined with data on stomach contents and stable isotopes. For both 2014 and 2015, oleic acid and DHA were important fatty acids responsible for the majority of the differences among groups. There was a seasonal shift in fatty acids from relatively high levels of 22:5n-6 and DHA early in the season to …

Using Stable Isotope Geochemistry To Determine Changing Paleohydrology And Diagenetic Alteration In The Late Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation, Ut Usa, Daigo Yamamura

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Western Interior Basin of the North America preserves one of the best sedimentary and paleontological records of the Cretaceous in the world. The Upper Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation is a rapidly deposited fluvial sequence and preserves one of the most complete terrestrial fossil record of the North America. Such a unique deposit provides an opportunity to investigate the interaction between the physical environment and ecology. In an effort to decipher such interaction, stable isotope composition of cements in sedimentary rocks, concretions and vertebrate fossils were analyzed.

Despite the difference in facies and sedimentary architecture, the isotope composition does not change …

A Dynamic Landsat Derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (Ndvi) Product For The Conterminous United States, Nathaniel P. Robinson, Brady W. Allred, Matthew O. Jones, Alvaro Moreno, John S. Kimball, David E. Naugle, Tyler A. Erickson, Andrew D. Richardson

Numerical Terradynamic Simulation Group Publications

Satellite derived vegetation indices (VIs) are broadly used in ecological research, ecosystem modeling, and land surface monitoring. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), perhaps the most utilized VI, has countless applications across ecology, forestry, agriculture, wildlife, biodiversity, and other disciplines. Calculating satellite derived NDVI is not always straight-forward, however, as satellite remote sensing datasets are inherently noisy due to cloud and atmospheric contamination, data processing failures, and instrument malfunction. Readily available NDVI products that account for these complexities are generally at coarse resolution; high resolution NDVI datasets are not conveniently accessible and developing them often presents numerous technical and methodological …

An Economic Analysis Of A Total Allowable Catch-Individual Transferable Quota System In A Developing Country Heterogeneous Fishery: An Application To The Digha Fishery In West Bengal, India, Nadeeka Weerasekara

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis contributes to the literature of economics of small-scale fishery communities and fishery management in developing nations. In the first section we review literature on state of the fishery resource and the livelihoods in the globe and performance of fishery management systems in developing and developed countries. Second section discusses the results of an empirical study on the economics of subsistence fishers in Digha-Shankarpur in Eastern India. Results of the empirical study shows by-catch by the trawlers leads to the depletion of target fish stock of the subsistence fishers. Underutilization of the capacity by the subsistence fishers due to …

Landscape-Scale Manipulation Of The Acoustic Environment Alters The Distribution Of Breeding Birds And Arthropods, Elizeth Cinto-Mejia

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Oil and gas development has rapidly increased across the world over the last several decades. Anthropogenic noise, an invisible pollutant that alters animal distribution and behavior, could be responsible for documented wildlife population declines near loud compressor stations in energy extraction fields. We experimentally played back compressor noise, creating a “phantom natural gas field” in a large-scale experiment, and tested the effects of noise on songbird distributions during the breeding season and on arthropod distributions. Further, to begin to understand the influence of noise produced by different types of extraction infrastructure, we examined the effects of sound intensity and bandwidth, …

Summer Habitat Use By A Mammal Community Of An Oak-Dominated Ecosystem In The Central Hardwood Region, Brent Steven Pease

Theses

In the greater Central Hardwood Region, advance regeneration of oak (Quercus spp.) and hickory (Carya spp.) has been in decline for several decades. Facilitated in part by an abrupt change in disturbance regime, coupled with an increase in herbivore density, the existing mid-successional, mast-producing species are being outcompeted by late-successional, mesophytic species. Oak-hickory forests provide keystone resources for a diverse forest wildlife community, and a decline in its dominance will likely impact habitat use and occupancy patterns in the mammal community, but to what extent is unclear. During May-August 2015-2016, I deployed 150 remotely-triggered camera traps in Trail of Tears …

Diversity For Diversity's Sake? The Relationship Between Diversity And School-Level Academic Achievement., Richard Aaron Wisman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is contention among researchers about how to best operationalize socioeconomic status (SES). This study seeks to provide an explicit definition of one metric of socioeconomic status, the diversity index (DI) of Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) and investigates its efficacy at predicting the aggregate academic achievement of students within a school, relative to other common metrics of SES which are analogous to components of the DI. Another purpose of this study is to investigate possible peer effects of socioeconomic diversity on low SES students. This study utilizes a correlational – multiple regression approach to explore relationships among study variables …

Effects Of Wave Action On The Structure Of Fish Assemblages Across An Exposure Gradient, Lauren Liddon

Master's Theses

Disturbance affects the function and diversity of ecosystems. Increased wave exposure to salt marsh can disturb sediments and cause a loss of habitat. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of increased wave exposure on diversity, abundance, and functional ecology of estuarine fishes. If increased wave exposure is acting as a disturbance to these habitats, ecological theory (Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis) predicts that diversity will peak at intermediate frequencies and intensities of disturbance. Fish were sampled from 10 sites monthly for 6 years. The sites were assigned to different exposure categories (Open, Intermediate, and Sheltered) using an exposure …

Natural And Anthropogenic Effects On Life History Characteristics In The Side-Blotched Lizard (Uta Stansburiana), Geoffrey David Stuart Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Survival is a prerequisite for successful reproduction, and is thus intertwined with fitness. Some physiological systems can improve survival, like the immune system, but compete with other processes for resources. Because animals evolved with resource limitation, it is important to understand how these resource-allocation decisions are made. To meet this end, I performed four investigations addressing how life-history characteristics shift in side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) using laboratory studies and multi-year field sampling. First, I measured metabolic rates in response to different immune challenges and different energy states in male lizards. I found that, surprisingly, cutaneous biopsies were associated …

A Comparison Of Five Statistical Methods For Predicting Stream Temperature Across Stream Networks, Maike F. Holthuijzen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The health of freshwater aquatic systems, particularly stream networks, is mainly influenced by water temperature, which controls biological processes and influences species distributions and aquatic biodiversity. Thermal regimes of rivers are likely to change in the future, due to climate change and other anthropogenic impacts, and our ability to predict stream temperatures will be critical in understanding distribution shifts of aquatic biota. Spatial statistical network models take into account spatial relationships but have drawbacks, including high computation times and data pre-processing requirements. Machine learning techniques and generalized additive models (GAM) are promising alternatives to the SSN model. Two machine learning …

Large-Scale Differences In Microbial Biodiversity Discovery Between 16s Amplicon And Shotgun Sequencing, Michael Tessler, Johannes S. Neumann, Ebrahim Afshinnekoo, Michael Pineda, Rebecca Hersch, Luiz Felipe M. Velgo, Bianca T. Segovia, Fabio A. Lansac-Toha, Michael Lemke, Rob Desalle, Christopher E. Mason, Mercer R. Brugler

Publications and Research

Modern metagenomic environmental DNA studies are almost completely reliant on next-generation sequencing, making evaluations of these methods critical. We compare two next-generation sequencing techniques – amplicon and shotgun – on water samples across four of Brazil’s major river floodplain systems (Amazon, Araguaia, Paraná, and Pantanal). Less than 50% of phyla identified via amplicon sequencing were recovered from shotgun sequencing, clearly challenging the dogma that mid-depth shotgun recovers more diversity than amplicon-based approaches. Amplicon sequencing also revealed ~27% more families. Overall the amplicon data were more robust across both biodiversity and community ecology analyses at different taxonomic scales. Our work doubles …

A Numerical Investigation Of The Implications Of Altered Channel-Floodplain Connectivity On Hydrodynamic Flood Wave Processes, Colin F. Byrne

Civil Engineering ETDs

With severely altered rivers throughout the developed world, hydrodynamic processes and floodplain connectivity have changed drastically. The research presented here focuses on quantification of two hydrodynamic processes: flood wave attenuation and channel-floodplain fluxes. Objectives of the three research chapters were to (1) evaluate how the ecosystem service of flood wave attenuation has changed with the implementation of river engineering practices as well as contemporary river restoration efforts, (2) describe the sensitivities of flood wave attenuation to contemporary and altered conditions, and (3) characterize channel-floodplain connectivity through lateral flux metrics. All chapter objectives were met using high-resolution, two-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling techniques …

Supporting Data For A Numerical Investigation Of The Implications Of Altered Channel-Floodplain Connectivity On Hydrodynamic Flood Wave Processes, Colin Francis Byrne

Engineering

With severely altered rivers throughout the developed world, hydrodynamic processes and floodplain connectivity have changed drastically. The research presented here focuses on quantification of two hydrodynamic processes: flood wave attenuation and channel-floodplain fluxes. Objectives of the three research chapters were to (1) evaluate how the ecosystem service of flood wave attenuation has changed with the implementation of river engineering practices as well as contemporary river restoration efforts, (2) describe the sensitivities of flood wave attenuation to contemporary and altered conditions, and (3) characterize channel-floodplain connectivity through lateral flux metrics. All chapter objectives were met using high-resolution, two-dimensional hydrodynamic modeling techniques …

An Analysis Of Masked Bobwhite Collection Locales And Habitat Characteristics, David E. Brown, Kevin B. Clark, Randall D. Babb, Grant Harris

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

We evaluated the collecting locales of 251 masked bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgwayi) specimens in museum collections. Eighteen were from 4 sites in Arizona—all collected by Herbert Brown. The vast majority (93%) of specimens were from the Mexican State of Sonora. We visited and photographed each of the Arizona collection locations and most of the sites in Sonora. Collector descriptions indicate the bird’s principal habitat affiliations were with tall grass-weed (1⁄4 forb) pastures, savannas, and farm fields. All historic localities visited were either in grass-forb habitats along drainages or in present or former savannas adjacent to woody cover and/or agricultural fields …

Annual Variation In Northern Bobwhite Survival And Raptor Migration, R. Douglas Holt, L. Wes Burger Jr., Bruce D. Leopold, K. David Godwin

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

We estimated survival of radio-marked northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) on a managed prairie site in northeast Mississippi during 2 disparate winters (15 Sep-14 Apr 2000–2002). We retrospectively examined factors that may influence bobwhite survival. Pooled survival rates differed substantially between years (S 1⁄4 0.03 6 0.02 in 2000–2001 and S 1⁄4 0.36 6 0.16 in 2001–2002). Regional relative abundance of 3 species of raptors thought to be important predators of bobwhite was greater during 2000 compared to 2001 based on kriging of Christmas Bird Count (CBC) data. We demonstrate an approach for characterizing annual variation in spatial distribution of migratory …

A Mid-Atlantic And A National Population Model Of Northern Bobwhite Demographic Sensitivity, Christopher K. Williams, Brett K. Sandercock, Michael Lohr, Paul M. Castelli

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Numerous field studies have estimated fecundity and survival rates for northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus), but a synthetic population model based on life-stage simulation analysis (LSA) was only recently developed to examine demographic sensitivity of the finite rate of population change. We compare local demographic parameters of bobwhite versus a national compilation to identify limiting demographic factors for improved regional habitat planning and management. The national compilation provided a useful overview but combined parameters across populations at different latitudes and under different management regimes. We parameterized our LSA model to examine the sensitivity of the finite rate of growth (k) to …

One Hundred Years Of Quail Management In Arizona, David E. Brown

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Populations of Gambel’s (Callipepla gambelii), scaled (C. squamata), and Montezuma (Cyrtornyx montezumae) quail in Arizona have fluctuated greatly in the 100 years since statehood as have regulations governing their take. The greatest fluctuations in numbers have been annual, but there is some evidence for a long-term decline in the numbers of all species. Quail hunt success has declined significantly since 1962 according to both check station information (r2 1⁄4 0.27; P,0.0001) and hunt questionnaire data (r2 1⁄4 0.35; P,0.001). Past attempts to improve or stabilize quail populations through bag limit and season adjustments have failed to impact quail numbers. Research …

Total Body Electrical Conductivity For Determining Carcass Fat In Ruffed Grouse, Aaron B. Proctor, John W. Edwards

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Percent carcass fat is often considered a primary condition indice in game bird species. Although regarded as the standard for determining fat reserves, traditional sampling methods require sacrificing animals for chemical analysis via fat extraction. Lethal methods negate the ability to track condition of individuals through time. Avian physiology studies often require the assessment of conditional changes through time and among various treatments, which necessitate the use of a non-lethal method for estimating fat levels. We were able to accurately estimate fat condition in captive ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) utilizing total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC). We developed predictive models to …

Necklace-Type Transmitter Attachment Method For Ruffed Grouse Chicks, Christopher A. Dobony, Brian W. Smith, John W. Edwards, Thomas J. Allen

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Although methodologies to obtain cause-specific mortality and survival information for adult ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) are well documented, procedures for determining similar parameters are lacking for grouse chicks. Mortality among grouse chicks is believed highest during the first few weeks posthatch. During 1999-2002, we equipped ruffed grouse chicks (n = 97) from 33 separate broods, ≤ 4-days-old with radio transmitters to assess the efficacy of transmitters and to examine survival/mortality. Further, we observed that grouse chicks retained transmitters (100%) until recapture or mortality. Handling time was limited because transmitter attachment took only a few minutes per brood. We observed mortality …

Over-Winter Survival Of Northern Bobwhite In Relation To Landscape Composition And Structure, R. Douglass Holt, Loren W. Burger Jr., Bruce D. Leopold, Dave Godwin

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

The conceptualization of security of bobwhite during winter has been predicated on the assumption that winter ranges differ in quality, based on habitat structure, composition, or interspersion. Although some studies have qualitatively related habitat composition to survival, no studies have quantitatively linked habitat or landscape characteristics to winter survival and the specific structural or compositional characteristics that influence quality are unknown. To quantify winter habitat quality, we modeled hazards as a function of habitat characteristics in relation to winter survival of radio-marked bobwhite (2000, n = 118 in 16 coveys; 2001, n = 49 in 7 coveys) in a managed …

Managing Black-Throated Bobwhite For Sustainability In Belize: Preliminary Results Of A Population Study, Jack Eitniear, Reynold Cal, Wilbur Martinez, Omar Fiqueroa, John Baccus

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

The Black-throated Bobwhite (Colinus nigrogularis), a close relative of the Northern Bobwhite (C. virginianus), has a distinctive black throat and eye-stripes with both bounded by white. Black-throated Bobwhites occur in three distinct geographically isolated populations. Currently no limits or seasons are in place and a hunting license is the only requirement for harvesting this species in Belize. Little is known about Black-throated Bobwhite populations in Belize and data on the impact of hunting on this species is lacking. Because of its restricted distribution, it was recommended that Black-throated Bobwhites should be removed from the list of legally hunted species pending …

Brood Season Habitat Selection By Montezuma Quail In Southeastern Arizona, Kirby D. Bristow, Richard A. Ockenfels

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Habitat conditions during brood season can affect Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) population levels in Arizona, and land use practices can affect these habitat conditions. General habitat affinities of Montezuma quail are known, however, information on specific habitat selection patterns is limited. We investigated seasonal habitat selection by Montezuma quail in the foothills of the Huachuca and Santa Rita mountains in southeastern Arizona. We used pointing dogs to locate quail during brood seasons (Aug–Oct) of 1998 and 1999. We measured habitat components at 60 flush sites and 60 associated (100 m) random plots. Compared to random plots, quail used areas with …

Bobcat Predation On Quail, Birds, And Mesomammals, Michael E. Tewes, Jennifer M. Mock, John H. Young

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

We reviewed 54 scientific articles about bobcat (Lynx rufus) food habits to determine the occurrence of quail, birds, and mesopredators including red (Vulpes vulpes) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), raccoon (Procyon lotor), skunk (Mephitis spp.), and opossum (Didelphis virginianus). Quail (Colinus virginianus, Cyrtonyx montezumae, Callipepla squamata, C. gambelii, C. californica, Oreortyx pictus) were found in 9 diet studies and constituted 3% of the bobcat diet in only 2 of 54 studies. Birds occurred in 47 studies, but were also a minor dietary component in most studies. Although mesopredators were represented as bobcat prey in 33 of 47 studies, their percent …

Macrohabitat Composition Surrounding Successful And Depredated Northern Bobwhite Nests, Eric L. Staller, William E. Palmer, John P. Carroll

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

Relationships among macrohabitat and depredation of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) nests are poorly understood. Yet, macrohabitat composition may influence the nest predator community and, therefore, the vulnerability of northern bobwhite nests to depredation. We determined if macrohabitat composition surrounding bobwhite nests influenced nest placement, nest success, and which predators were responsible for depredating nests. We characterized macrohabitats at 2 scales, 8 and 16 ha, by surrounding both bobwhite nests, and an equal number of random locations, with a circular buffer. Random points were placed within the area used by bobwhites on our study area. We then determined the acreage of …

Arizona Quail: Species In Jeopardy?, Ron Engel-Wilson, William P. Kuvlesky Jr.

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

We begin the 21st century with the Midwestern northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) range reduced to a small portion of its historic distribution. This precipitous decline occurred largely during the last quarter of the 20th century, coincident with widespread intensive agricultural land use, unchecked natural plant succession, and frequent severe weather. Various bobwhite enthusiasts of the 1960s–1980s era including Klimstra, Dumke and Stanford had evaluated agricultural land use trends and predicted the near demise of bobwhites that we now lament. Alarmed upland bird hunters have repeatedly spurred policy makers and administrators into action. However, because bobwhites still are only an incidental …

Investigating The Role Of Long Distance Dispersal In The Response Of Stream Fishes To Urbanization, Andrea Davis

Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses

I conducted a 7-month mark-recapture study in two watersheds differing in urban impact in order to assess the role that long distance dispersal plays in the response of tolerant stream fishes to urbanization. Our two stream sites included a heavily impacted urban stream (watershed impervious surface cover ~30%) and a mildly impacted rural stream (watershed impervious surface cover ~6%). Species of interest were marked with 12mm HPT PIT tags and included a specialist, Campostoma oligolepis (n=189 urban site, 200 rural site) and a generalist, Lepomis auritus (n=136 urban site, 182 rural site). Three resampling instances for each site were conducted …

Montezuma Quail Management In Arizona, James R. Heffelfinger, Ronald J. Olding

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

The Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae meamsi) has substantially different habitat requirements than other quails found in the U.S. They inhabit evergreen oak woodlands of mountain ranges in the Southwest and feed primarily on underground bulbs and tubers. Populations respond to summer precipitation because the vegetation which provides food and cover for Montezuma quail flourishes after the summer rains. Moderate to heavy grazing increases availability of Montezuma quail food plants, but resultant lack of cover precludes use of such sites. Montezuma quail avoid areas with greater than 50% forage utilization by ungulates. As with other Arizona quail species, hunting has been …

Survival Rates For Northern Bobwhites On Two Areas With Different Levels Of Harvest, Willie J. Suchy, Ronald J. Munkel

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

We estimated survival rates for radio-marked northern bobwhites ( Colinus virginianus) in south-central Iowa from I 984 to I 988. Survival rates and survival functions were calculated for 2 areas that received different and varied amounts of hunting pressure. Survival from fall-spring averaged 17.1 % ± 6.9% on the Brown's Slough study area (BSSA) and 20.1 % ± 5.7% on the Millerton study area (MSA). Although these estimates were not different (P = 0.898), the survival functions did differ between the 2 areas (x2 = 25.82, P<0.001). Mortality due to hunting averaged 27.7% ± 8.2% on the BSSA during the fall-spring period and 12.3% ± 4.9% on the MSA. Predators accounted for 52% of fall-spring mortality on the BSSA and 79% of the mortality on the MSA. The BSSA had much lower rates of predation the 2 months following the hunting season. Survival rates during both the spring-fall period and annually did not differ between the 2 areas (P = 0.395 and P = 0.979). Hunting did not appear to be a limiting factor for quail numbers on these areas during the study.