Digital Commons Network^™

Trophic Roles Of Tadpoles In Tropical Australian Streams, Katrin Schmidt, Melanie L. Blanchette, Richard G. Pearson, Ross A. Alford, Aaron M. Davis

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Tadpoles can be abundant consumers in stream ecosystems, and may influence the structure and function of streams through their feeding activities and interactions with other organisms. To understand the contribution of tadpoles to stream functioning, and the potential impact of their loss, it is necessary to determine their diets and how they might influence food-web structure. Using gut-content analysis and stable-isotope analysis of N and C, we determined the main food sources and trophic positions of tadpoles of five native frog species, invertebrates, and fish in upland and lowland Australian Wet Tropics streams. Omnivory was prevalent among the tadpoles and …

Influenza Epidemiology And Immunization During Pregnancy: Final Report Of A World Health Organization Working Group, Deshayne B. Fell, Eduardo Azziz-Baumgartner, Michael G. Baker, Maneesh Batra, Julien Beauté, Philippe Beutels, Niranjan Bhat, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Cheryl Cohen, Rehana Salam

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

From 2014 to 2017, the World Health Organization convened a working group to evaluate influenza disease burden and vaccine efficacy to inform estimates of maternal influenza immunization program impact. The group evaluated existing systematic reviews and relevant primary studies, and conducted four new systematic reviews. There was strong evidence that maternal influenza immunization prevented influenza illness in pregnant women and their infants, although data on severe illness prevention were lacking. The limited number of studies reporting influenza incidence in pregnant women and infants under six months had highly variable estimates and underrepresented low- and middle-income countries. The evidence that maternal …

Ocean Warming And Acidification Alter Antarctic Macroalgal Biochemical Composition But Not Amphipod Grazer Feeding Preferences, Julie B. Schram, Kathryn M. Schoenrock, James B. Mcclintock, Charles D. Amsler1, Robert A. Angus

Faculty, Staff, and Students

Increased anthropogenic atmospheric CO2 concentrations have resulted in ocean warming and alterations in ocean carbonate chemistry, decreasing seawater pH (ocean acidification). The combination of ocean warming and acidification (OWA) may alter trophic interactions in marine benthic communities along the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Abundant and diverse macroalgae–grazer assemblages, dominated by macroalgae (e.g. chemically defended Desmarestia anceps and D. menziesii) and gammarid amphipods (e.g. Gondogeneia antarctica), occur on the nearshore benthos along the WAP. In the present study, the amphipod G. antarctica and macroalgae D. anceps and D. menziesii were exposed for 39 and 79 d, respectively, to combinations of current …

Report And Recommendations Concerning Environmental Aspects Of The New York State Constitution, New York State Bar Association Environmental And Energy Law Section

Pace Law Review

The purpose of the Report is to inform and enrich understanding of environmental issues which may be considered at a Constitutional Convention (should one occur) or with respect to proposals to amend the Constitution through the legislative process.

Incidence And Location Of Eastern Pineshoot Borer Damage In Some Scotch Pine Christmas Tree Plantations In Michigan (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae), M. Mckeague, G. Simmons

The Great Lakes Entomologist

A survey of Christmas tree farms in Michigan revealed that 26% of the Scotch pine Christmas trees have one or more shoots injured by the eastern pineshoot borer, Eucosma gloriola Heinrich. Most attacks occurred on lateral branches in the top half of the tree. Only 2% of the observed trees had pineshoot borer injury on the terminal leader. Control except for normal shearing, was not recommended for most plantations.

On The Feeding Habits Of Phasganophora Capitata (Plecoptera: Perlidae), William P. Kovalak

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Gut contents of 230 nymphs of Phasganophora Capitata (Pictet) from the Pigeon River, Otsego County, Michigan were analyzed in relation to season, current velocity, time of day, predator size and prey abundance. Diet changed seasonally, related in part to seasonal changes in prey abundance. The diet of large and small nymphs was similar except that small nymphs ate smaller individuals. At lower current velocities capitata fed primarily on mayflies whereas at higher current velocities they fed primarily on caddis and dipterans.

Pre-Management Assessment Of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates In A Small, Sedimentary Drainage Area Of The Maumee And Lake Erie Basin, W. P. Mccafferty

The Great Lakes Entomologist

In order to establish baseline data adjunct to the research and development of soil conservation practices for sediment reduction in the Maumee River and Lake Erie, the aquatic macroinvertebrates of Black Creek and adjacent areas in northeastern Indiana were studied from 1974-1975. A total of 90 species of Insecta and Crustacea were taken, 69 from Black Creek. Species diversity indices ranged from 1.04 to 2.75 in two downstream locations and were generally reflective of stressed conditions related to channelization and sedimentation from the agrarian drainage area. Benthic species from the adjacent Maumee River potentially contribute in part to population maintenance …

An Analysis Of The Shore Beetle Communities Of Some Channelized Streams In Northwest Ohio (Coleoptera), Paul M. Holeski, Robert C. Graves

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The present shore beetle communities of some northwest Ohio streams channelized between 1937 and 1973 were studied. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were made to determine the effects of channelization on the community and the results are discussed. Ninety species, chiefly Carabidae, Heteroceridae and Staphylinidae, were collected; at least 20 not previously reported from Ohio. In addition, some species associations are noted.

Observations On The Biology Of The Oak Twig Pruner, Elaphidionoides Parallelus, (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) In Michigan, D. C. L. Gosling

The Great Lakes Entomologist

(excerpt)

The oak twig pruner, Elaphidionoides parallelus (Newman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is rather common in southern Michigan where it attacks living oaks and other hardwoods. The damage it inflicts is rarely serious, but it may be considered a pest insect if only for the nuisance it creates for those who must clean up the often numerous small branches pruned from street, lawn, and park trees.

Intraspecific Variation In Taxonomic Characteristics Of The Mayfly Potamanthus Myops (Walsh), Robert J. Lord, Peter G. Meier

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Data collected from an ecological study of the mayfly Potamanthus rnyops (Walsh) in Michigan showed intraspecific variability in taxonomic characteristics that have been employed by previous investigators for species separation. Nymphal dorsal maculation patterns varied considerably within a single population. Also, the ratio of mandibular tusk length to head length increased with successive nymphal instars. Certain adult taxonomic characteristics, particularly relative male imago eye size and distance of separation, were either too poorly defined or too variable to be conclusive in species identification.

Feeding Habits Of Wisconsin's Predominant Lotic Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, And Trichoptera, Theodore J. Shapas, William L. Hilsenhoff

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Feeding habits of nymphs or larvae of 101 species of Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera collected from Wisconsin's streams were determined by examining foregut contents. The percent by volume of animal, live vascular plant, filamentous algae, diatom, and detrital material recovered is reported. Plecoptera in the suborder Filipalpia were herbivoredetritivores, and most in the suborder Setipalpia were carnivores. Exceptions were Isoperla bilineata (Say), an omnivore, and Isoperla signata (Banks) and I. slossonae (Banks), both detritivore-herbivores. Except for omnivore Ephemerella cornuta Morgan, Ephemeroptera were detritivore-herbivores. Feeding habits of Trichoptera larvae were diverse. Species of Rhyacophilidae, Polycentropodidae, and Phyrganeidae were all carnivores, while …

Remotely Piloted Aircraft: Forest And Ecology Applications, Curtis Edson

TechTalks

In the summer of 2017 three new research projects were started using remotely piloted aircraft (drone) to collect forest and ecological data. In Michigan Technological University's research forest (Ford Forest) we began a forest biomass study by collecting imagery, including visible spectrum from a drone, as well as hyperspectral and LiDAR imagery from a human pilot aircraft; in the Hiawatha National Forest we collected visible and near-infrared (NIR) imagery for invasive species remediation and coastal wetlands mapping; and in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta Canada we collected visible and NIR imagery in support of an ongoing ecological study observing interactions …

A Taxonomic And Ecological Study Of The Asilidae Of Michigan, Norman T. Baker, Roland L. Fischer

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Seventy-two species of Asilidae have been recorded from Michigan. An additional seven which may occur are included. Keys to subfamilies, genera and species are given. Two subfamilies and twenty-five genera are represented. A discussion of specific identification, habitat, and distribution is given where possible.

The Laphria canis complex, index complex, and aeatus complex are discussed. One new species, Laphria calvescenta is described. Laphria disparella has been raised from synonymy. Machimus virginicus was removed from Asilus sensu-latu and placed in the genus Machimus.

The Liaison Connection Issue 10, University Of Denver, University Libraries

The Liaison Connection

Fall 2017 issue of the Library Liaison Advisory Group newsletter from the University of Denver, University Libraries. The newsletter provides information about library collections, services, and research instruction.

Landscape Genetics Of The California Tiger Salamander: Inferences From Multiple Methods, Samantha Gabrielle Thomas

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Landscape genetics is a rapidly growing field of study that compares patterns of gene flow among populations with habitat heterogeneity across a landscape to infer the interaction between dispersal of individuals and their physical environment. Empirical data generated from a landscape genetics study can inform conservation and management strategies, making the field increasing popular. However, concerns have arisen in the literature that the field is expanding faster than the analytic framework that supports it. Multiple methods for generating estimates of the association among habitat types and dispersal (i.e., least-cost paths and resistance surfaces) have been proposed, and there is a …

Highly Divergent 16s Rrna Sequences In Ribosomal Operons Of Scytonema Hyalinum (Cyanobacteria), Jeffrey R. Johansen, Jan Mares, Nicole Pietrasiak, Marketa Bohunicka, Jan Zima Jr., Lenka Stenclova, Tomas Hauer

2017 Faculty Bibliography

A highly divergent 16S rRNA gene was found in one of the five ribosomal operons present in a species complex currently circumscribed as Scytonema hyalinum (Nostocales, Cyanobacteria) using clone libraries. If 16S rRNA sequence macroheterogeneity among ribosomal operons due to insertions, deletions or truncation is excluded, the sequence heterogeneity observed in S. hyalinum was the highest observed in any prokaryotic species thus far (7.3± 9.0%). The secondary structure of the 16S rRNA molecules encoded by the two divergent operons was nearly identical, indicating possible functionality. The 23S rRNA gene was examined for a few strains in this complex, and it …

Exposures To Fine Particulate Matter And Ozone Above Usa Standards Are Associated With Auditory Brainstem Dysmorphology And Delayed Auditory Brainstem Evoked Potentials In Healthy Dogs, Partha S. Mukherjee

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Delayed central conduction times in the auditory brainstem have been observed in Mexico City (MC) healthy children breathing fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and ozone (O₃) above the current United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) standards. MC children have α synuclein brainstem accumulation and medial superior olivary complex (MSO) dysmorphology. The present study used a dog model to further investigate the potential effects of air pollution on the function and morphology of the auditory brainstem.

Methodology: Twenty-four dogs living in clean air v MC, average age 37.1± 26.3 months, underwent brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) measurements. …

Hydrology And Macroinvertebrates As Biological Indicators- An Integrated Study Of The Río Zamora Watershed, Loja, Ecuador, Isabel Ryde

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Water quality and access is under grave threat in Ecuador, yet remains poorly studied. Macroinvertebrates were used as biological indicators to study water quality around Reserva Natural Madrigal del Podocarpus, Loja Province, Ecuador. Data on macroinvertebrates was combined with hydrologic measurements of stream functions. Macroinvertebrate sampling was conducted from 6 sites within the Upper Río Zamora watershed. Geologic outcrops were observed along several roadcuts and stream banks. Hydrologic data was collected by measuring discharge, elevation change, and finding the highest permanent spring. The EPT index (number of EPT individuals and percentage of EPT individuals) and the BMWP/Colombia Index for macroinvertebrates …

Hiv Harm Reduction Methods: A Comparison Between Switzerland And The United States, Erin Major

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores the connections between harm reduction methods and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Switzerland and the United States of America, focusing primarily on the harm reduction methods of needle exchange programs, safe drug consumption spaces, and sex education. While these two countries are largely similar in their culture and geopolitical approaches, there are some key differences in how HIV is approached in each. Switzerland’s somewhat unique approach with relaxed drug policies and more pragmatic, harm reduction based response to the AIDS epidemic sets a model framework for other countries to follow, with comparatively widespread use of needle exchange …

Distributions Of Polychaetes As A Function Of Sediment Composition In A Subtropical Lagoon, Anthony William Cox

Theses and Dissertations

Fine-grained organic-rich sediments (FGORS) in the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida, the human activities and nutrient inputs and have a varied composition, including water content, silt-clay content, and organic matter. When these constituents reach, by weight, 75%, 60% dry, and 10% dry, respectively, this is sometimes referred to as IRL “muck”. Many polychaetes inhabit the benthic sediments of estuaries and must tolerate various degrees of FGORS. The Cox IRL Muck Index (CMI) is proposed as a mechanism for determining the organic sediment tolerances of infaunal species in a simple and direct manner. IRL muck will have a minimum CMI of …

An Unparalleled Opportunity For An Important Ecological Study, L. David Mech, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer, Juan Carlos Blanco, Luigi Boitani, Ludwig Carbyn, Glenn Delgiudice, Steven H. Fritts, Djuro Huber, Olof Liberg, Brent Patterson, Richard R. Thiel

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Wolves (Canis lupus) and moose (Alces americanus) have been studied since 1958 on 540-squarekilometer Isle Royale National Park, in Lake Superior. Wolves arrived there across the ice around 1949, and the population once increased to about 50, averaging about 25 annually (Mech 1966, Jordan et al. 1967, Vucetich and Peterson 2009). However, for various reasons, wolf numbers there have now dwindled to 2 nonbreeders, and the US National Park Service has proposed reintroducing 20–30 wolves over 3 years (National Park Service 2016). This situation offers an unparalleled opportunity to promote science-based management of this unique national park. …

Differential Toxicity And Venom Gland Gene Expression In Centruroides Vittatus, Thomas C. Mcelroy, C. Neal Mcreynolds, Alyssa Gulledge, Kelci R. Knight, Whitney E. Smith, Eric A. Albrecht

Faculty Articles

Variation in venom toxicity and composition exists in many species. In this study, venom potency and venom gland gene expression was evaluated in Centruroides vittatus, size class I-II (immature) and size class IV (adults/penultimate instars) size classes. Venom toxicity was evaluated by probit analysis and returned ED50 values of 50.1 μg/g for class IV compared to 134.2 μg/g for class I-II 24 hours post injection, suggesting size class IV was 2.7 fold more potent. Next generation sequencing (NGS and qPCR were used to characterize venom gland gene expression. NGS data was assembled into 36,795 contigs, and annotated using BLASTx …

Assessment Of Intra And Interregional Genetic Variation In The Eastern Red-Backed Salamander, Plethodon Cinereus, Via Analysis Of Novel Microsatellite Markers, Alexander C. Cameron, Jeffry J. Anderson, Robert B. Page

Biology Faculty Publications (Archived)

The red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) has long-served as a model system in ecology, evolution, and behavior, and studies surveying molecular variation in this species have become increasingly common over the past decade. However, difficulties are commonly encountered when extending microsatellite markers to populations that are unstudied from a genetic perspective due to high levels of genetic differentiation across this species’ range. To ameliorate this issue, we used 454 pyrosequencing to identify hundreds of microsatellite loci. We then screened 40 of our top candidate loci in populations in Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio—including an isolated island population ~ 4.5 km off the …

A Microsatellite Baseline For Genetic Stock Identification Of European Atlantic Salmon (Salmo Salar L.), John Gilbey, Jamie Coughlan, Vidar Wennevik, P Prodohl, Jamie R. Stevens, De Leaniz C Garcia, Dennis Ensing, Eef Cauwelier, Corrine Cherbonnel, Sofia Consuegra, Mark W. Coulson, Tom F. Cross, Walter Crozier, Eileen Dillane, Jonathan S. Ellis, E Garcia-Vazquez, Andrew M. Griffiths, Sigurdur Gudjonsson, Kjetil Hindar, Sten Karlsson, David Knox, Gonzalo Machado-Schiaffino, Dorte Meldrup, Ee Nielsen, K Olafsson, Craig R. Primmer, Sergey Prusov, Lee Stradmeyer, J-P Vaha, Alexey Je Veselov, Lucy M.I. Webster, Philip Mcginnity, Eric Verspoor

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Physiological Ecology Of Four Endemic Alabama Species And The Exotic Asiatic Weatherfish, Misgurnus Anguillicaudatus (Cantor, 1842), Lindsay M. White, Mark E. Meade, Benjamin A. Staton

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

The occurrence of Asiatic Weatherfish, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, in Alabama, a state known for its rich biodiversity, has generated concern among conservation managers. The current study used respirometry techniques to investigate the effects of increasing temperature on four native southeastern fishes (one cyprinid, two percids, and one elassomid) and the non-native M. anguillicaudatus. A minimum of five individuals of each species were used, and three experimental temperatures were chosen to represent spring and summer averages of northeast Alabama streams (15, 20, and 25°C). Overall, mean standard metabolic rates (SMRs) for M. anguillicaudatus were low (97.01, 127.75, and 158.50 mg …

Lung Ct Radiomics: An Overview Of Using Images As Data, Samuel Hunt Hawkins

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and worldwide. Early detection of lung cancer can help improve patient outcomes, and survival prediction can inform plans of treatment. By extracting quantitative features from computed tomography scans of lung cancer, predictive models can be built that can achieve both early detection and survival prediction. To build these predictive models, first a detected lung nodule is segmented, then image features are extracted, and finally a model can be built utilizing image features to make predictions. These predictions can help radiologists improve cancer care.

Building predictive models based …

The Social Indicators Final Project Report, Simone Barley-Greenfield

PREP Reports & Publications

New Hampshire’s 1000 square mile coastal zone is showing signs of stress in its rivers, shorelines, and two major estuaries. This stress stems from significant population increases and subsequent development, as well as intensifying weather events coupled with land use policies inadequate to manage the impacts of these anthropogenic and natural stressors.1 To effectively manage this complex social ecological system, the management community must expand its current monitoring efforts. Tracking ecological data only tells half the story; collecting social data sheds light on how people engage coastal ecosystems and highlights values crucial for affecting behavior change. The goal of this …

Does Detection Range Matter For Inferring Social Networks In A Benthic Shark Using Acoustic Telemetry?, Johann Mourier, Nathan Charles Bass, Tristan L. Guttridge, Joanna Day, Culum Brown

Social Behavior Collection

Accurately estimating contacts between animals can be critical in ecological studies such as examining social structure, predator–prey interactions or transmission of information and disease. While biotelemetry has been used successfully for such studies in terrestrial systems, it is still under development in the aquatic environment. Acoustic telemetry represents an attractive tool to investigate spatio-temporal behaviour of marine fish and has recently been suggested for monitoring underwater animal interactions. To evaluate the effectiveness of acoustic telemetry in recording interindividual contacts, we compared co-occurrence matrices deduced from three types of acoustic receivers varying in detection range in a benthic shark species. Our …

A Synergistic Approach For Evaluating Climate Model Output For Ecological Applications, Rachel D. Cavanagh, Eugene J. Murphy, Thomas J. Bracegirdle, John Turner, Cheryl A. Knowland, Stuart P. Corney, Walker O. Smith Jr., Claire M. Waluda, Nadine M. Johnston, Richard G. J. Bellerby, Eileen E. Hofmann

CCPO Publications

Increasing concern about the impacts of climate change on ecosystems is prompting ecologists and ecosystem managers to seek reliable projections of physical drivers of change. The use of global climate models in ecology is growing, although drawing ecologically meaningful conclusions can be problematic. The expertise required to access and interpret output from climate and earth system models is hampering progress in utilizing them most effectively to determine the wider implications of climate change. To address this issue, we present a joint approach between climate scientists and ecologists that explores key challenges and opportunities for progress. As an exemplar, our focus …

Connecting The Dots: Stopover Strategies Of An Intercontinental Migratory Songbird In The Context Of The Annual Cycle, Kristina Paxton, Frank R. Moore

Faculty Publications

The phases of the annual cycle for migratory species are inextricably linked. Yet, less than five percent of ecological studies examine seasonal interactions. In this study, we utilized stable hydrogen isotopes to geographically link individual black-and-white warblers (Mniotilta varia) captured during spring migration with breeding destinations to understand a migrant's stopover strategy in the context of other phases of the annual cycle. We found that stopover strategy is not only a function of a bird's current energetic state, but also the distance remaining to breeding destination and a bird's time-schedule, which has previously been linked to habitat conditions experienced …