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Microhabitat Use Affects Brain Size And Structure In Intertidal Gobies, Gemma E. White, Culum Brown

Veterinary Science and Medicine Collection

The ecological cognition hypothesis poses that the brains and behaviours of individuals are largely shaped by the environments in which they live and the associated challenges they must overcome during their lives. Here we examine the effect of environmental complexity on relative brain size in 4 species of intertidal gobies from differing habitats. Two species were rock pool specialists that lived on spatially complex rocky shores, while the remainder lived on dynamic, but structurally simple, sandy shores. We found that rock pool-dwelling species had relatively larger brains and telencephalons in particular, while sand-dwelling species had a larger optic tectum and …

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 …

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 …

Distribution, Natural History And The Conservation Status Of Hemiphyllodactylus Typus And Lepidodactylus Lugubris (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) In Sri Lanka, D.M.S.S. Karunarathna, Thilina Dilan Surasinghe, M.B. Madawala, S.M. Wellappulli-Arachchi, H.K.D. Kandambi, T.G.T. Kusuminda, T.M.T.S. Priyadarshana, B.N.H. Perera

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Sri Lanka has a rich assemblage of gekkonid fauna. Among Sri Lankan geckos, rare species such as Hemiphyllodactylus typus and Lepidodactylus lugubris are poorly studied; both are considered vulnerable in national conservation assessments. Detailed ecological studies are needed for robust conservation assessments of these species, especially with the focus on island-wide distribution and microhabitat requirements. This study was conducted via patch sampling to record relative abundance and distribution of H. typus and L. lugubris based on random walks to 82 locations representing the three major bioclimatic zones of Sri Lanka. Morphological characteristics, behavior, and habitat use of the focal species …

The Biology Of Fun: Do Birds Just Want To Have A Good Time?, Carley J. Langley, Jonathan R. Moore

UROP Posters

The intention of this research project was to delve into the ecological study of playfulness and what appears to be fun in a broad range of bird species. (1) Do all birds exhibit playfulness and use fun? And if so, (2) how have these behaviors contributed to their evolutionary success? Past research has already been underway to biological define what constitutes both “fun” and “play” in animal species. In the past the majority of all test subjects have been mammals, however in the past decade (and especially in the past five years) other vertebrate species such as birds are beginning …

Effects Of Culverts On Brook Trout Genetic Diversity, Darren M. Wood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are a species of concern within their native range due to a historical loss of habitat, overfishing, and stocking of non-native salmonids. Road culverts have been recognized as an additional impediment to population persistence as movement between diverse habitat types has been identified as an alternative life-history strategy to maximize spawning and growth. Brook trout were genetically analyzed using a suite of 13 microsatellite loci above 7 culverts with varying levels of passability classified through a physical protocol. While most sites were not found to have losses in genetic diversity, populations above culverts with a high …

Spatiotemporal Distribution Of Genus Culex (Diptera: Culicidae) In Usf Ecopreserve, Hillsborough County, Florida, Emily Schwartz

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within the state of Florida, there are three arboviruses of public health importance that can cause neuroinvasive disease in humans: West Nile Virus, Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus. Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) within the genus Culex are known and suspected vectors of these diseases. The vectors of these diseases can be present in urban wetland habitats that allow for exposure to residential communities. Vector ecology must be investigated in order to understand the dynamics of disease transmission. In Hillsborough County, Florida the spatial and temporal distribution of these vectors are not well established. An ecological study was …

The Mechanistic Approach Of 'The Theory Of Island Biogeography' And Its Current Relevance, Viorel Pâslaru

Philosophy Faculty Publications

Philosophers of science have examined The Theory of Island Biogeography by Robert MacArthur and E. O. Wilson (1967) mainly due to its important contribution to modeling in ecology, but they have not examined it as a representative case of ecological explanation. In this paper, I scrutinize the type of explanation used in this paradigmatic work of ecology. I describe the philosophy of science of MacArthur and Wilson and show that it is mechanistic. Based on this account and in light of contributions to the mechanistic conception of explanation due to Craver (2007), and Bechtel and Richardson (1993), I argue that …

Finding Them Before They Find Us: Informatics, Parasites, And Environments In Accelerating Climate Change, Daniel R. Brooks, Eric P. Hoberg, Walter A. Boeger, Scott Lyell Gardner, Kurt E. Galbreath, David Herczeg, Hugo H. Mejía-Madrid, S. Elizabeth Rácz, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Parasites are agents of disease in humans, livestock, crops, and wildlife and are powerful representations of the ecological and historical context of the diseases they cause. Recognizing a nexus of professional opportunities and global public need, we gathered at the Cedar Point Biological Station of the University of Nebraska in September 2012 to formulate a cooperative and broad platform for providing essential information about the evolution, ecology, and epidemiology of parasites across host groups, parasite groups, geographical regions, and ecosystem types. A general protocol, documentation–assessment–monitoring–action (DAMA), suggests an integrated proposal to build a proactive capacity to understand, anticipate, and respond …

Geoecology, Nishanta Rajakaruna, S. Boyd

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

No abstract provided.

A Genealogy Of Ecological Rhetoric: Heraclitus, Bacon, Darwin And Huxley, Jared Grogan

Wayne State University Dissertations

This dissertation is a genealogical study of historical intersections between rhetoric and ecology. Studying the works of Heraclitus, Francis Bacon, T.H. Huxley and Darwin as "bridge figures" in the history of rhetoric, science and ecological thought, I examine how their rhetorical theories and strategies (as discursive practices, performances and techniques) form a genealogy that bridges rhetorical and ecological theories and practices. My analysis studies their critical assessments and uses of rhetoric as it intersects with each figure's new investigations into natural philosophy, nature, and evolutionary biology, while drawing out relevant lessons for contemporary ecological and rhetorical thinkers. The main threads …

Environmental Regulation Of Tidal Wetland Microbial Communities And Associated Biogeochemistry, Ember Morrissey

Theses and Dissertations

Microbial communities play an essential role in carrying out the biogeochemical cycles that sustain life on Earth, yet we know very little about their ecology. One question of particular interest is how environmental conditions shape microbial community structure (i.e., the types of organisms found in the community and their relative abundance), and whether such changes in structure are related to biogeochemical function. It is the aim of this dissertation to address this question via the examination of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in wetland ecosystems, which due to their diverse hydrology have a profound influence on biogeochemical cycles. With …

Mechanics, Diversity, And Ecology Of Gecko Adhesion, Travis Jay Hagey

Biology

The question of why animals are shaped the way they are has intrigued scientists for hundreds of years. Studies of ecological morphology (the relationship between an organism’s form, function, and environment) often bridge multiple disciplines including biomechanics, ecology, phylogenetics, and comparative methods. In this dissertation, I gathered data and tested hypotheses that considered the link between morphology and performance and the relationship between performance and ecology. I focused my research on the adhesive abilities of geckos. Geckos are an understudied, diverse group of lizards, well known for their adhesive toe pads. I propose that geckos are an excellent group to …

Morphological Disparity And Macroevolution In Strepsirrhines, Platyrrhines, And Plesiadapiforms, Elizabeth Miranda St Clair

Stony Brook Theses and Dissertations Collection, 2006-2020 (closed to submissions)

The level of adaptive diversity within an ecosystem or natural group is an aspect of biodiversity that is not necessarily available from counts of species or higher taxa. One method of estimating adaptive diversity is to measure the morphological disparity, or the range of variation observed in the sample. Morphological disparity can be used to investigate large-scale evolutionary changes in the fossil record, and has also been applied to a number of questions in extant organisms, ranging from investigations of diversification through time to understanding ecological community structure. In this dissertation, I investigated the potential for application of morphological disparity …

Public Land And Its Management: Why The Research Is Not Enough, Corinne Calhoun

Pomona Senior Theses

Ecological research, both basic and applied, can inform management decisions on public land in a number of ways. Most importantly, it can illuminate any negative effects of a given land use practice as well as the causes behind that effect. This type of information can be important to a management agency, such as the BLM, with a multi-use mission as these studies indicate under what management regimes a land use is in contradiction with other goals, such as conservation or restoration.

The current body of research, however, is flawed. In order to make fully informed decisions, land managers are in …

Ecology Of Glacial Relict Fishes In South Dakota's Sandhills Region, Eli Felts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Native stream fish zoogeography has changed substantially across North America during the last century as habitat degradation, stream fragmentation and introductions of nonnative species have led to numerous extinctions, extirpations and altered distributions. Insufficient information regarding imperiled species often results in reactive, rather than proactive, management, and knowledge of species status and ecology is critical in identifying conservation priorities. South Dakota populations of three dace species (northern redbelly dace Chrosomus eos, finescale dace Chrosomus neogaeus, and pearl dace Margariscus margarita) are relict of Pleistocene Glaciation and are isolated from the northern core of their distribution, but little information exists regarding …

Population Genetics And Ecology Of Regional Malaria Vectors In Amazonian Brazil, Sascha Naomi Mckeon

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Species complexes are common among anopheline mosquitoes, but only some members of complexes are disease vectors. Research involving overall patterns of divergence, phylogenetic relationships and population structure is partly driven by the operational need to be able to reliably distinguish component taxa that may be involved in malaria transmission. Anopheles triannulatus, An. nuneztovari and An. albitarsis are broadly distributed species complexes that contain local and regionally important malaria vectors, whose genetic diversity has been largely overshadowed by studies involving An. darlingi, the principal vector of Central and South America. I have analyzed the ecological suitability of habitats and geographical ranges …

The Ecology Of Stomatopods In Matang Waters With Emphasis On Miyakea Nepa And Oratosquillina Perpensa / Ng Ying Pei, Ying Pei Ng

Student Works (2010-2019)

An ecological study of the adult and larvae of stomatopods was carried out in the estuary of the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve (Malaysia) and its adjacent coastal waters. The study investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of the adult stomatopod population; estimated the various parameters of stomatopod population dynamics; and elucidated the reproduction biology, larval ecology and feeding habits of stomatopods. Monthly trawl surveys (from September 2004 to February 2006) of adult stomatopods revealed four stomatopod species of the family Squillidae. Miyakea nepa (Latreille, 1828) was the most abundant species (16.36±12.48 ind/ha; 65.41%) followed by Oratosquillina perpensa (Kemp. 1911) (6.63±10.74 …

Activity Patterns And Spatial Resource Selection Of The Eastern Garter Snake (Thamnophis Sirtalis Sirtalis), Matthew Gregory Most

Master's Theses

Snake species usually exhibit seasonal variations in activity patterns, home-range size and the use of respective habitat. Using mark-recapture protocols I marked 96 individual Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis specimens in Lake Forest, IL to determine the independent variables that best explained habitat selection in a population of Eastern Garter Snakes (T. s. sirtalis). Specifically, I focused on the relationship between seasonal movement and home range size of male and female garter snakes. I analyzed the habitat preferences and spatial ecology of Eastern Garter Snakes during the 2011 sampling season and modeled the relationship between preferred or avoided habitat, in conjunction with …

Investigations For Utilizing Pteropods As Bioindicators Of Environmental Change Along The Western Antarctic Peninsula, Paul Mark Suprenand

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pteropods are holoplanktonic gastropod molluscs found globally. Although species diversity is greater at lower latitudes, species abundance is greater at temperate and polar latitudes. Declines in pteropod populations have not only been correlated to declines of their major predators, but pteropods have also been used as bioindicators of global environmental changes such as ocean acidification. With high latitude abundances, pteropods provide significant sustenance for species such as the Atlantic salmon in the Atlantic Ocean and Pleuragramma antarcticum in the Southern Ocean. Because pteropods eat phytoplankton and other pteropods, factors that affect pteropod abundance influence many trophic levels. This dissertation explores …

Western Rock Lobster Ecology – The State Of Knowledge - Marine Stewardship Council - Principle 2: Maintenance Of Ecosystem, Lynda M. Bellchambers, P Mantel, Arani Chandrapavan, Matthew B. Pember, Scott Evans

Fisheries Research Reports

The commercial fishery is managed in three zones: south of latitude 30°S (Zone C), north of latitude 30°S (Zone B) and a third offshore zone (Zone A) around the Abrolhos Islands (Figure 1.3). Effort is evenly split between the southern and northern zones through the implementation of management controls aimed at addressing zone-specific issues. These issues include different maximum size restrictions and seasonal opening and closing dates. This report focuses on the state of the western rock lobster ecology at the date of publication.

Ecological Literacy: Global Planetary Stewardship Is Everyone’S Responsibility, Eileen Bobeck-Thoresen

Master of Liberal Studies Theses

No longer can nature simply be defined as ‘essences unchanged by man’ as Ralph Waldo Emerson once claimed. Technology, the result of applied science, has produced accomplishments that have made the quality of human life better in terms of health care and transportation. These advancements, however, have come at a great ecological cost as is evident everywhere in nature today. Humans need to acquire Ecological Literacy, the knowledge to lead a sustainable life. This entails meeting current needs without preventing future generations and species from doing the same. Since the days of the Industrial Revolution, the health of our planet …

Reflections On Plant And Soil Nematode Ecology: Past, Present And Future, Howard Ferris, Bryan S. Griffiths, Dorota L. Porazinska, Thomas O. Powers, Koon-Hui Wang, Mario Tenuta

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this review is to highlight key developments in nematode ecology from its beginnings to where it stands today as a discipline within nematology. Emerging areas of research appear to be driven by crop production constraints, environmental health concerns, and advances in technology. In contrast to past ecological studies which mainly focused on management of plant-parasitic nematodes, current studies reflect differential sensitivity of nematode faunae. These differences, identified in both aquatic and terrestrial environments include response to stressors, environmental conditions, and management practices. Methodological advances will continue to influence the role nematodes have in addressing the nature of …

Ecosystem Structure And Function In An Urban, Piped Stream, Amanda Hope

Master's Theses and Capstones

Piped streams, or streams that run underground, are common features in urban areas. However, there is little empirical evidence regarding their ecological structure and function. This study measured ecosystem metabolism, nutrient uptake, and related characteristics of Pettee Brook -- an urban stream that flows through several pipes under impervious surfaces near the UNH (Durham) campus.

Piped and open reaches of Pettee Brook had similar water quality, nutrient uptake, and ER. However, the absence of light in piped reaches led to their complete loss of GPP. Benthic AFDM and chlorophyll a biomass were also significantly reduced in piped reaches. For both …

The Impact Of Ambrosia Trifida (Giant Ragweed) On Native Prairie Species In An Early Prairie Restoration Project, Krisztian Megyeri

Senior Honors Theses

As the ecological importance of prairies is becoming more recognized, the number of prairie restoration projects is increasing worldwide. One of the major challenges in restoring any disturbed ecosystem is the successful establishment of native species at the expensive of invasive species. While some weedy species are gradually replaced as other, more desired, species become established, there are invasive species that, due to their level of dominance, may out-compete native species indefinitely. The objectives of this study were 1) to quantify the impact of Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed) on the plant community of a newsly established prairie, 2) to assess …

Nesting Biology Of Osmia Cornifrons: Implications For Population Management, Matthew Mckinney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Japanese hornfaced bee, Osmia cornifrons (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) is a palearctic mason bee managed for the pollination of early season fruit crops such as apple and blueberry. Since its adoption as a managed pollinator in Japan during the 1940s, a large body of literature has amassed with the goal of enhancing O. cornifrons management practices. This research makes important contributions to that literature in two ways. First, the research describes the in-nest relationship of O. cornifrons and the cleptoparasitic mite pest Chaetodactylus krombeini. Distribution of male and female O. cornifrons and of C. krombeini was determined using linear and non-linear …

Climate And Vegetation Change In The Newberry Mountains, Southern Clark County, Nevada, Ross Joseph Guida

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Ecological studies have shown worldwide that vegetation is being affected by climate change. Species are shifting to new elevations and physiographic positions to adapt to changes in their environment. More specifically, paleoecology studies in the Mojave Desert have shown shifting vegetation patterns in response to past warming and precipitation changes. Recent studies have shown mortality among desert plants related to extended drought and warming. However, few studies have shown how the geographic distribution of Mojave Desert species has changed during this most recent period of warming. This study addresses this gap in the literature by focusing on several plant species …

Evaluating The Effects Of Morrow's Honeysuckle Control On Vertebrate And Vegetation Assemblages, And Small Mammal Foraging Ecology At Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Charnee Lee Rose

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Exotic, Japanese bush honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.; Caprifoliaceae) are tied to a variety of impacts on wildlife and ecosystems. Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii) has become a persistent invader in eastern North America. We organized a restoration initiative at Fort Necessity National Battlefield (FONE), Pennsylvania, USA from 2004--2010. Concurrently, we studied the consumption of Morrow's honeysuckle fruits by small mammals from October--November 2009 and July--August 2010, and determined habitat variables that affected visitation rate to foraging stations. Areas of FONE were invaded by Morrow's honeysuckle after the land had been cleared for agriculture, and routine mowing ceased in the mid-1980s. Our restoration …

The Spatial Ecology Of Black Groupers (Mycteroperca Bonaci) In The Upper Florida Keys, Veronique Koch

Open Access Theses

Black groupers (Mycteroperca bonaci) are a critical component of coral reef ecosystems as well as South Florida fisheries. It is therefore of great concern that their essential fish habitat has not yet been fully defined. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the ecology of black groupers was characterized in the Upper Florida Keys. The first part of this study utilized acoustic telemetry. Self-contained acoustic receivers were placed in an array around Conch Reef and tracked 16 tagged black groupers for 483 days. Patterns of movement behavior and habitat usage were modeled using presence-absence data. The capture-recapture program MARK was used to estimate …

Changes In Leaf Morphology, Photosynthesis And Nitrogen Content In Two Coastal Shrubs, Elizabeth Kost

Theses and Dissertations

It is important to understand mechanisms that facilitate expansion of two common shrubs, Morella cerifera and Baccharis halimifolia in coastal environments. The purpose of my study was to investigate the physiological and structural changes that occur as leaves age. Photosynthesis, incident light, chlorophyll, and leaf C:N ratios were quantified for young, intermediate, and old leaves (distal, central and proximal leaves, respectively). Leaf structural differences were also compared. Leaves did not change morphologically with age. Light decreased with leaf age and during winter months. Photosynthesis showed no seasonal or age related patterns. Chlorophyll increased initially and then declined with age due …