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Drivers Of Life History Variation In A Long-Lived, Marine Predator: Individual Heterogeneity In Reproductive Performance Of Grey Seals (Halichoerus Grypus), Janelle Jean Badger

Biological Sciences

Fitness variation among individuals is a key tenet of eco-evolutionary theory, as natural selection acts upon this variation to bring about evolutionary change. Our understanding of individual heterogeneity and its evolutionary consequences in wild populations is limited, particularly for long-lived animals which are difficult to observe on a biologically relevant scales. This dissertation explores the dynamics of reproductive heterogeneity in a long-lived, iteroparous animal stemming from individual variation, energetic trade-offs, and ecological conditions using over 35 years of longitudinal data on a large sample of marked female grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) breeding on Sable Island, Nova Scotia. Using mixed-effects regression …

Demography Of A Recovery: Tracking The Rebound Of Little Brown Bat (Myotis Lucifugus) Populations, Katherine Ineson

Doctoral Dissertations

As the emergence of novel diseases in wildlife becomes more common, a better understanding of the impact of disease on populations and their demographic rates will be critical for their conservation. Populations naturally fluctuate over time as a function of the rates of birth, death, immigration, and emigration, while at the individual level the chances of mortality and reproduction may be influenced by age and physiological condition. Diseases, particularly emerging infectious diseases, can cause immediate and severe changes in demographic rates. While some populations and species may go extinct due to high mortality rates, others may persist in smaller, but …

Predicting Effects Of Climate Change On Productivity And Persistence Of Forest Trees, Russell D. Kramer, H. Roaki Ishii, Kelsey R. Carter, Yuko Miyazaki, Molly A. Cavaleri, Masatake G. Araki, Wakana A. Azuma, Yuta Inoue, Chinatsu Hara

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Global climate change increases uncertainty in sustained functioning of forest ecosystems. Forest canopies are a key link between terrestrial ecosystems, the atmosphere, and climate. Here, we introduce research presented at the 66th meeting of the Ecological Society of Japan in the symposium “Structure and function of forest canopies under climate change.” Old-growth forest carbon stores are the largest and may be the most vulnerable to climate change as the balance between sequestration and emission could easily be tipped. Detailed structural analysis of individual large, old trees shows they are allocating wood to the trunk and crown in patterns that cannot …

Fertility And Infertility: Toward An Integrative Research Agenda, Katherine M. Johnson, Arthur L. Greil, Karina M. Shreffler, Julia Mcquillan

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

In this article, we show that social science research on fertility and infertility consists of largely separate research traditions, despite shared interest in pregnancies and births (or lack thereof). We describe four ways these two traditions differ: (1) publication trajectories and outlets, (2) fields of study and major theoretical frameworks, (3) degree of attention to the other topic, and (4) language and definitions used. We then discuss why future integration of these bodies of research would be beneficial, outline potential steps toward rapprochement, and provide common areas of dialogue that could facilitate and enrich these bodies of research. We offer …

Macgillivray's Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus Maritimus Macgillivraii) Breeding Biology & Population Density At Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center, Yianni P. Laskaris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

MacGillivray's Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus macgillivraii) is a coastal marsh species sensitive to habitat alteration and threatened by coastal wetland loss. Data on seaside sparrow distribution, breeding success, and critical habitats are lacking in South Carolina. To better understand the demographics and incubation behavior of the species, I monitored breeding success, densities, song output, and presence of predators at three 7-hectare plots at the densest known population in the state. I also placed temperature data-loggers in a subset of nests to discern any links between incubation behavior and nest fate. Densities varied from a low of 5 birds/ha in a …

The Reproductive Biology Of The Finetooth Shark, Carcharhinus Isodon, In The Northwest Atlantic Ocean, Amanda N. Brown

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Shark fisheries are a multimillion dollar industry in the United States and have significant contributions both recreationally and commercially. In order to maintain this industry, fisheries must be properly managed. An understanding of life history and reproduction is crucial in order to adequately manage shark fisheries. The finetooth shark, Carcharhinus isodon, is a member of the small coastal shark (SCS) fishery complex. It is found in Atlantic waters from South Carolina to Florida and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. This species has recently come under increased fishing pressure and has previously been overfished. New data is needed in order …

Warm Springs, Early Lay Dates, And Double Brooding In A North American Migratory Songbird, The Black-Throated Blue Warbler, Andrea K. Townsend, T. Scott Sillett, Nina K. Lany, Sara A. Kaiser, Nicholas L. Rodenhouse, Michael S. Webster, Richard T. Holmes

Dartmouth Scholarship

Numerous studies have correlated the advancement of lay date in birds with warming climate trends, yet the fitness effects associated with this phenological response have been examined in only a small number of species. Most of these species–primarily insectivorous cavity nesters in Europe–exhibit fitness declines associated with increasing asynchrony with prey. Here, we use 25 years of demographic data, collected from 1986 to 2010, to examine the effects of spring temperature on breeding initiation date, double brooding, and annual fecundity in a Nearctic - Neotropical migratory songbird, the black-throated blue warbler (Setophaga caerulescens). Data were collected from birds breeding at …

Greater Sexual Reproduction Contributes To Differences In Demography Of Invasive Plants And Their Noninvasive Relatives, Jean H. Burns, Eleanor A. Pardini, Michele R. Schutzenhofer, Y Anny Chung, Katie J. Seidler, Tiffany M. Knight

Biology Faculty Research

An understanding of the demographic processes contributing to invasions would improve our mechanistic understanding of the invasion process and improve the efficiency of prevention and control efforts. However, field comparisons of the demography of invasive and noninvasive species have not previously been conducted. We compared the in situ demography of 17 introduced plant species in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, to contrast the demographic patterns of invasive species with their less invasive relatives across a broad sample of angiosperms. Using herbarium records to estimate spread rates, we found higher maximum spread rates in the landscape for species classified a priori as …

Reproductive Ecology And Morphometric Subspecies Comparisons Of Dunlin (Calidris Alpina), An Arctic Shorebird, Heather River Gates

Biological Sciences

The Arctic region provides globally important breeding and migratory habitat for abundant wildlife populations including migratory shorebirds. Due to their remote breeding locations, basic information on breeding ecology, annual productivity, and factors that regulate their populations are poorly studied. Wildlife biologists managing migratory bird populations require detailed information on avian breeding biology, in addition to information on migration ecology including connectivity of migratory stopover and wintering locations. To address information gaps in fecundity, I conducted an experimental study investigating the renesting ecology of Dunlin (Calidris alpina arcticola) by removing clutches at two stages of incubation and by following adults marked …

Exploring The Endocrine Profile Of A Geriatric Female Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes), Christina T. Cloutier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2010 - 2019

In light of exceptionally delayed reproductive senescence exhibited by a 64 year old female chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) housed in Florida, endocrinal analyses meant to determine the state of her current reproductive viability were conducted. Urine was collected from the study subject for a period of 88 days spaced within an interim of roughly 6 months and the specimens were sent to the Hominoid Reproductive Ecology Laboratory for assessment. Additional data was collected from three control females in order to provide a basis of comparison against the hormonal markers present in the geriatric study animal. Results indicate that the geriatric female …

Population Characteristics Of Interior Double-Crested Cormorants Breeding Across The Southern Border Of Ontario, Jennifer Erin Chastant

Theses and Dissertations

Interior Double-crested cormorant reproduction was examined on a large geographical scale to evaluate management actions. Three distinct breeding areas across Ontario were selected. Beginning in 2002, over 11,000 preledged cormorants have been marked. During 2006 and 2007, re-observation of banded birds, colony data such as nest, egg, and chick measurements, and island morphology, were collected. Data revealed no significant regional differences in adult size. However, eggs in eastern Lake Ontario (ELO) were larger than North Channel of Lake Huron (NChan) and Lake of the Woods (LOW). Chicks in ELO throughout development were smaller than NChan and LOW. Number of gulls …

Reproductive Success Of Southeastern American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius Paulus) Nesting In 230kv Transmission Towers And Alternative Nest Structures In South-Central Georgia, Hope Alyce Beasley

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research involved a survey of the distribution and reproductive biology of the threatened southeastern subspecies of the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius paulus). Numbers of Southeastern American Kestrels are estimated to have declined by more than 80% over the last fifty years in the southeastern United States. In Georgia, populations have nearly disappeared below the Fall Line. The paucity of adequate nest sites is the major factor contributing to the decline of this obligate secondary cavity nester. The largest breeding population of this subspecies in Georgia is located in the south-central part of the state in the hollow cross-arms of …

Survey Of Reproduction Of The Southeastern American Kestrel (Falco Sparverius Paulus) In Electrical Transmission Towers In South-Central Georgia, Pamela Lynn Maney

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This study involved a survey of the distribution and the reproductive biology of the rare southeastern subspecies of the American kestrel, Falco sparverius paulus, which was found to be breeding in the hollow cross-arms of the 230 kV electrical transmission towers between the Offerman substation in the east, to Plant Mitchell (Putney), in the west, in south-central Georgia. This subspecies of the kestrel has declined in the southeastern United States by more than 80% over the last fifty years, and populations of F.S. Paulus have nearly disappeared below the Fall Line in Georgia. The major factor contributing to this decline …

Comparison Of Hatching Failure In A Wildland And Suburban Population Of The Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma Coerulescens), Sonya Christine Leclair

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Egg hatchability has been correlated with many factors, including clutch size, presence of helpers, timing of breeding and predation risk. Hatching failure is higher in a suburban population of Florida Scrub-Jays than in a wildland population, but the reasons for this pattern are unclear. An analysis of long-term demographic data on scrub-jays in both habitats revealed the factors that best explained variation in hatching failure, and an experiment tested whether two potential site factors, ambient temperature and predation risk, could increase hatching failure in the suburbs.

Although a global model was best supported by the data for occurrence of partial …

Food Pulses Increase Longevity And Induce Cyclical Egg Production In Mediterranean Fruit Flies, James R. Carey, Pablo Liedo, Lawrence G. Harshman, X. Liu, Hans-Georg Müller, Linda Partridge, Jane-Ling Wang

Lawrence G. Harshman Publications

1. Inasmuch as virtually all studies on mortality and reproduction in insects are conducted under conditions in which food availability is constant, little is known about the demographic response of insects to variable food environments. For example, it is not known if and to what extent the life expectancy of insects subjected to shortages of high-quality food will increase and/or whether this increase is associated with major decreases in lifetime reproduction.

2. Therefore cohorts of 100 individual female medflies were subjected to different sets of conditions of protein availability (interspersed with sugar-only diets) including ad libitum sugar-only (no protein), ad …

Cattle Production In The Gascoyne And Interior Regions Of Western Australia; A Report On The Cunyu Demographic Study (1990-1998) And The Mt Clere Producer Demonstration Site (1993-1997), Andrew Thomson

Agriculture reports

Although Producer Demonstration Sites have been staged widely in the northern parts of Australia, the events at Cunyu and Mt Clere herald a first for such an in-depth investigation in the mulga shrub lands of Western Australia.

An Analysis Of External Features As Predictors Of Reproductive Status In Small Mammals, Kenneth Wayne Mccravy

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Reproductive status in specimens of nine populations of seven species of small mammals was evaluated by examining the external reproductive features of nipple size, condition of the pubic symphysis, and vaginal condition and, in males, testis position. Usefulness of these external features in predicting true monthly breeding rates was evaluated by comparing predictions of breeding rates with true rates based on necropsy. Accuracy of predictions of reproductive status of individuals based on single external features and combinations of external features and body measurements was then analyzed at a finer level by comparing those predictions with results of necropsy of the …