Digital Commons Network^™

Would Ecology Fail The Repeatability Test?, Stefan A. Schnitzer, Walter P. Carson

Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Alternative Storage Conditions For Dna Recovery From Field Samples, Alison Schutt, Emily Stricklin, Britta Ten Haken, Joseph Tolsma, Laurie Furlong, Sara S. Tolsma

Northwestern Review

As ecologists increasingly employ molecular methods, they find that tried and true preservation solutions (e.g. ethanol or formalin) may not be optimal when samples are targeted for genetic analyses. Before traveling to remote sample sites, researchers need to consider which preservation methods are likely to yield the largest quantity and highest quality of DNA based on their travel times and field conditions. They also need to consider whether they will have access to preservatives at remote sites and whether those preservatives can be safely transported. To determine which preservation methods would most reliably preserve tissue for genetic analysis under a …

Genetic Variation Within And Among Asexual Populations Of Porphyra Umbilicalis Kützing (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) In The Gulf Of Maine, Usa, Renee L. Eriksen, Lindsay A. Green, Anita S. Klein

New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station Publications

The intertidal marine red alga Porphyra umbilicalis reproduces asexually in the Northwest Atlantic. We looked for population substructure among typical open-coastal and atypical estuarine habitats in seven asexual populations of P. umbilicalis from Maine to New Hampshire using eight expressed sequence tag-simple sequence repeats (EST-SSR) or microsatellite loci. Six genotypes were identified, four of which may represent recombinant genotypes from a recombination event that took place locally, or that took place prior to introduction to the Northwest Atlantic. Genotypic diversity was lowest in a population from Wiscasset, Maine, which inhabits an atypical habitat high in the intertidal zone of a …

Late Holocene Palaeohydrological Changes In A Sphagnum Peat Bog From Nw Romania Based On Testate Amoebae, Andrei-Cosmin Diaconu, Roxana Grindean, Andrei Panait, Ioan Tanţău

Studia UBB Geologia

This paper investigates the possibility of reconstructing the palaeohydrological changes in an active Sphagnum peat bog from north-western Romania using testate amoebae fauna and organic matter content determined by loss on ignition (LOI). In total 28 taxa of testate amoebae were identified of which 11 were frequent enough to present a remarkable ecological significance. Based on the relative abundance of these taxa nine zones were identified, crossing from very wet to dry climate conditions. The wet periods identified are characterized by taxa like Centropyxis cassis, Amphitrema flavum and Hyalosphenia papilio, while in the dry periods Difflugia pulex and …

A New Species Of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 From Peloponnese, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae, Gioele Tropea, Victor Fet, Aristeidis Parmakelis, Panayiota Kotsakiozi, Iasmi Stathi

Euscorpius

A new scorpion species, Euscorpius (Euscorpius) erymanthius sp. n., is described from Peloponnese, Greece (Erymanthos Mts.), based on genetic and morphological evidence. It is characterized by small size, light brown to reddish color, and a standard trichobothrial pattern (Pv = 8–9, et = 7–6, em = 4 and eb = 4). In a phylogeny based on multiple DNA markers, the new species groups close with E. corcyraeus Tropea et Rossi, 2012 from Corfu (Kerkyra) Island.

On Two Syntopic Species Of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) In And Nearby San Marco Fortress (Veneto, Italy): A Preliminary Investigation, Marco Colombo

Euscorpius

The author found syntopic specimens of Euscorpius italicus and E. tergestinus inside and nearby an abandoned fortress in Verona Province, Veneto, Italy. This discovery highlights a possibility of coexistence of congeneric species not only in the same territory, as already observed, but also in the same habitat and microhabitat, bringing some interesting questions about interspecific competition within the genus Euscorpius.

The Population Structure Of Mesobuthus Gibbosus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) On Koufonisi Island (Central Aegean Archipelago, Greece), Dimitris Kaltsas, Moysis Mylonas

Euscorpius

The population structure of Mesobuthus gibbosus was studied over 261 night-hours of sampling during 29 consecutive nights on Koufonisi Island (central Aegean Archipelago, Greece) using the capture-recapture method. The studied population proved to be the densest of all studied scorpion populations in chaparral or intertidal habitats of Mediterranean type ecosystems and even comparable to some populations of desert scorpion species. The negative influence of moon phase on the general activity of the species and synchronization in parturition were the main factors that caused the fluctuations in population density and therefore in the percentage of active scorpions.

Black Corals Of The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Dennis M. Opresko, Marissa F. Nuttall, Emma L. Hickerson

Gulf of Mexico Science

Black corals (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Antipatharia) of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) are described. A key to the species is provided and supplemented with in situ and laboratory photos. The microscopic skeletal features of the species are illustrated from photographs taken with a scanning electron microscope. Thirteen species of black corals are found in the FGBNMS, belonging to the families Antipathidae (Antipathes furcata Gray 1857; Antipathes atlantica Gray 1857, Stichopathes luetkeni Brook 1889; Stichopathes pourtalesi Brook 1889, and Stichopathes sp.); Aphanipathidae [Aphanipathes pedata (Gray 1857), Elatopathes abietina (Pourtalès 1874), Acanthopathes thyoides (Pourtalès 1880) and Phanopathes expansa …

Road-Edge Effects On Herpetofauna In A Lowland Amazonian Rainforest, Ross J. Maynard, Nathalie C. Aall, Daniel Saenz, Paul S. Hamilton, Matthew Kwiatkowski

Faculty Publications

The impact of roads on the flora and fauna of Neotropical rainforest is perhaps the single biggest driver of habitat modification and population declines in these ecosystems. We investigated the road-edge effect of a low-use dirt road on amphibian and reptile abundance, diversity, and composition within adjacent lowland Amazonian rainforest at San José de Payamino, Ecuador. The road has been closed to vehicle traffic since its construction in 2010. Thus, effects from vehicle mortality, vehicle-related pollution, and road noise were not confounding factors. Herpetofauna were surveyed using both visual encounter surveys and drift fences with pitfall and funnel traps at …

Hydrothermal Monitoring In Yellowstone National Park Using Airborne Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing, C. M. U. Neale, C. Jaworowski, H. Heasler, S. Sivarajan, A. Masih

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

This paper describes the image acquisition and processing methodology, including surface emissivity and atmospheric corrections, for generating surface temperatures of two active hydrothermal systems in Yellowstone National Park. Airborne thermal infrared (8–12 μm) images were obtained annually from 2007 to 2012 using a FLIR SC640 thermal infrared camera system. Thermal infrared image acquisitions occurred under clear-sky conditions after sunset to meet the objective of providing high-spatial resolution, georectified imagery for hydrothermal monitoring. Comparisons of corrected radiative temperature maps with measured ground and water kinetic temperatures at flight times provided an assessment of temperature accuracy. A repeatable, time-sequence of images for …

Bird Communities Of Different Woody Vegetation Types From The Niraj Valley, Romania, Erzsébet Domokos, József Domokos

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In this paper, the bird assemblages of different woody vegetation types are presented in a human-modified Eastern European landscape. The studied territory is part of a Special Protection Area for bird species. The following sampling areas were included in the study: hornbeam-beech, oak-hornbeam, and sessile oak forests; thickets of willow; forests of white willow; scrubs of blackthorn and hawthorn; and orchards. Birds were grouped in a community typical of deciduous forests and in another community typical of coppices and scrubs. Bird species number, alpha diversity, and abundance were significantly higher in the Salici-Populetum association and in orchards than in the …

Maxent Modeling For Predicting Potential Distribution Of Goitered Gazelle In Central Iran: The Effect Of Extent And Grain Size On Performance Of The Model, Rasoul Khosravi, Mahmoud Reza Hemami, Mansoureh Malekian, Alan Flint, Lorraine Flint

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The spatial scale of environmental layers is an important factor to consider in developing an understanding of ecological processes. This study employed Maxent modeling to investigate the geographic distribution of goitered gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa (Güldenstädt, 1780), in central Iran using uncorrelated variables at a spatial resolution of 250 m. We used spatial downscaling to downscale WorldClim data to 250-m resolution. We evaluated the sensitivity of the model to different grain and extent sizes from 250 m to 3 km. We compared the performance of the model at different scales using suitability indexes (AUC) and predicted habitat areas. Two models performed …

Spatial And Temporal Variations Of Screening For Breast And Colorectal Cancer In The United States, 2008 To 2012, Xue Feng, Xi Tan, Ebtihag Alenzi, Pragya Rai, Jongwha Chang

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Cancer screening tests are important tools to combat cancer-related morbidity and mortality. There is limited up-to-date research on spatial and temporal variations of colorectal and breast cancer screening in the United States.

County-level data of cancer screening adherence rates were generated from 2008 to 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We performed the univariate local indicators for spatial analyses (LISA) for the geographic differences of screening adherence rate and the differential LISA for the change of screening adherence rate from 2008 to 2012.

In the univariate LISA, low-to-low clusters were consistently identified in counties of New Mexico, Wyoming, and Mississippi …

The Association Between Graduated Driver Licensing Laws And Travel Behaviors Among Adolescents: An Analysis Of Us National Household Travel Surveys, Motao Zhu, Peter Cummings, Songzhu Zhao, Thomas Rice

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Young novice drivers have crash rates higher than any other age group. To address this problem, graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws have been implemented in the United States to require an extended learner permit phase, and create night time driving or passenger restrictions for adolescent drivers. GDL allows adolescents to gain experience driving under low-risk conditions with the aim of reducing crashes. The restricted driving might increase riding with parents or on buses, which might be safer, or walking or biking, which might be more dangerous. We examined whether GDL increases non-driver travels, and whether it reduces total travels …

White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Subsidize Gray Wolves (Canis Lupus) During A Moose (Alces Americanus) Decline: A Case Of Apparent Competition?, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer, L. David Mech

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

Moose (Alces americanus) in northeastern Minnesota have declined by 55% since 2006. Although the cause is unresolved, some studies have suggested that Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) contributed to the decline. After the Moose decline, wolves could either decline or switch prey. To determine which occurred in our study area, we compared winter wolf counts and summer diet before and after the Moose decline. While wolf numbers in our study area nearly doubled from 23 in winter 2002 to an average of 41 during winters 2011–2013, calf:cow ratios (the number of calves per cow observed during winter …

Patuxent’S Long-Term Research On Wolves, L. David Mech

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

The gray wolf (Canis lupus) was one of the first species placed on the Endangered Species List in 1967. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 legally protected the wolf along with other listed species.

Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (Patuxent) in Laurel, MD, began its Endangered Wildlife Program in 1966, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biologist Ray Erickson was assigned to lead it. In 1973, I was transferred to the program from Region 3 of the USFWS, having been employed there since 1969 to study wolves in Minnesota.

Endangered Species Act protection of the wolf fostered its quick …

Determinants Of Spread In An Urban Landscape By An Introduced Lizard, Jason J. Kolbe, Paul Vanmiddlesworth, Andrew C. Battles, James T. Stroud, Bill Buffum, Richard T. T. Forman, Jonathan B. Losos

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: Urban landscapes are a mixture of built structures, human-altered vegetation, and remnant semi-natural areas. The spatial arrangement of abiotic and biotic conditions resulting from urbanization doubtless influences the establishment and spread of non-native species in a city.

Objectives: We investigated the effects of habitat structure, thermal microclimates, and species coexistence on the spread of a non-native lizard (Anolis cristatellus) in the Miami metropolitan area of South Florida (USA).

Methods: We used transect surveys to estimate lizard occurrence and abundance on trees and to measure vegetation characteristics, and we assessed forest cover and impervious surface using GIS. We …

A Comparative Study Of The Flora And Soils Of Great Duck And Little Duck Islands, Maine, Usa, Luka Negoita, Matthew Dickinson, Glen Mittelhauser, Nishanta Rajakaruna

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Strong environmental gradients and varied land-use practices have generated a mosaic of habitats harboring distinct plant communities on islands on the coast of Maine. Botanical studies of Maine's islands, however, are generally limited in number and scope. Baseline studies of Maine's islands are necessary for assessing vegetation dynamics and changes in habitat conditions in relation to environmental impacts imposed by climate change, rising sea levels, invasive species, pests and pathogens, introduced herbivores, and human disturbance. We conducted a survey of the vascular plants and soils of forest, field, and ocean-side communities of Great Duck and Little Duck Islands, ME. These …

Response To Commentary On Disparities In Infant Mortality Due To Congenital Anomalies On Guam, Jonathan K. Noel, Sara Namazi, Robert L. Haddock

Health & Wellness Department Faculty Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Dietary Transition And Obesity In Selected Arabic-Speaking Countries: A Review Of The Current Evidence, Basil H. Aboul-Enein, J. Bernstein, A. C. Neary

Health & Wellness Department Faculty Publications and Research

Escalating obesity rates have become a significant public health problem in the Middle East and North Africa [‎MENA]‎ region and have been associated with shifts towards a westernized diet. This integrative review aimed to examine the current dietary trends and transitions and their association with obesity in Arabic-speaking countries of the MENA region. Relevant databases were searched for studies in MENA countries between 1998 and 2014 that investigated obesity trends and changes in dietary patterns at the regional level in all age groups. A total of 39 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All the articles noted that obesity was increasingly …

The Biology Of Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, Kay Etheridge

Biology Faculty Publications

Book Description: This facsimile of one of the most beautiful books of natural history ever created contains sixty magnificent illustrations showing exotic insects, with the original descriptions. The reissue is the same size as the original and is enriched with an illustrated introduction about the life, work and significance of Maria Sibylla Merian, and a new scientific description of all the insects, animals and plants.

The life and work of this German woman who moved to the Netherlands has been the subject of international research by botanists, entomologists and historians concerned with the history of science, art, religion and economics. …

Journal Of The Arkansas Academy Of Science - Volume 70 2016, Academy Editors

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

University Of Texas At Tyler Course Catalog, 2016 - 2017, University Of Texas At Tyler

Catalogs

No abstract provided.

03. Population Demographics Of The Loggerhead Shrike: Insights Into The Species Decline From A Long-Term Study In The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Amy A. Chabot, Fran Harty, James Herkert, William Glass

North American Prairie Conference Proceedings

We monitored a breeding population of loggerhead shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus) in the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie from 2005 to 2016. Demographic data were compiled annually, including information on population size, age structure, and reproductive success. We banded adult shrikes, with some additional effort focused on nestlings (2005–2007) and independent hatch-year birds (2014–2016). We measured return rate as the number of birds that were previously banded. Site reuse rates were quantified as the use of a breeding territory in multiple years. Site fidelity, the use of a site by the same male or female in consecutive years, and dispersal distance of …

The Spatial Distribution Of Terrestrial Stable Carbon Isotopes In North America, And The Impacts Of Spatial And Temporal Resolution On Static Ecological Models, Sydney M. Firmin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the unique spatial and temporal characteristics of ecological phenomena, the extent and grain size of spatial data sets essentially filter the observations. This thesis examines the impacts of temporal and spatial resolution on the modeling of terrestrial stable carbon isotopic landscapes (isoscapes). I model the distribution of leaf stable carbon isotope composition (delta¹³C) for the continent of North America at multiple temporal and spatial resolutions. I generate each delta¹³C isoscape variation by first predicting the relative abundance of C3/C4 vegetation cover using monthly climate grids, crop distribution/type grids, and remote sensing data of plant …

Serum Chemistry, Blood Gas, And Physiological Measures Of Sandhill Cranes Sedated With Alpha-Chloralose, Richard R. Sim, Barry K. Hartup

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Capture techniques that lessen handling stress may also lessen pathologic influences on physiologic measures, improving the validity of these measures for use in individual health assessment of freeranging wildlife. Since 1990, the International Crane Foundation (ICF) has successfully used chemical immobilization with alpha-chloralose (AC; C₆H₁₁Cl₃O₆), a chloral derivative of glucose, to facilitate captures of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) for ecological studies (Hayes et al. 2003). Although this chemical has been used orally for the immobilization of many species, the physiologic effects of AC are not well understood in cranes. …

Distribution, Densities, And Ecology Of Siberian Cranes In The Khroma River Region Of Northern Yakutia In Northeastern Russia, Inga P. Bysykatova, Gary L. Krapu, Nicolai I. Germogenov, Deborah A. Buhl

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Siberian crane (Grus leucogeranus) is the third rarest crane species in the world with a breeding range now centered on 3 core areas and a buffer zone in the arctic of northern Yakutia in northeastern Russia. During 16 July-2 August 2009, we undertook ground surveys within the Khroma River core breeding area, surrounding buffer zone, and lands lying to the west of the known breeding range to estimate densities and determine habitat use and social status of Siberian cranes. A total of 142 Siberian cranes were sighted (including 55 pairs) at 54 locations with 32 cranes (including 13 pairs) …

Understanding The In-School Literacies Of African American Males Through A Sociocultural Paradigm: Implications For Teacher Professional Development, Aaron M. Johnson

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

UNDERSTANDING THE IN-SCHOOL LITERACIES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MALES THROUGH A SOCIOCULTURAL PARADIGM: IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

by

AARON M. JOHNSON

May 2016

Advisor: Dr. Gina DeBlase

Major: Curriculum and Instruction

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

There has been great debate about the reasons why African American male students reject the institution of school and school related content. Furthermore, data from multiple sources, including, national and local assessments and governmental studies, document a gap in achievement and school retention rates between African American students and their White counterparts. The data substantiates the notions that African American males have an aversion …

Endangered Species Research In Hawaii: The Early Years (1965–87), Michael J. Scott, Cameron B. Kepler

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Hawaii is an ecologically isolated archipelago 2,500 miles from the nearest continent. Its isolation resulted in a taxonomically unbalanced flora and fauna with remarkable examples of adaptive radiation among those groups of organisms that won the dispersal sweepstakes. It was one of the last oceanic island groups to be populated by humans, about 900 A.D. by Polynesian travelers and in 1778 by Europeans. Relatively recent colonization by humans did not save it, however, from the biodiversity losses suffered by other isolated archipelagos—it only delayed them (Scott and others, 1988; Pratt and others, 2009a).

The Influence Of A Severe Reservoir Drawdown On Springtime Zooplankton And Larval Fish Assemblages In Red Willow Reservoir, Nebraska, Jason A. Deboer, Christa M. Webber, Taylor A. Dixon, Kevin L. Pope

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Reservoirs can be dynamic systems, often prone to unpredictable and extreme waterlevel fluctuations, and can be environments where survival is difficult for zooplankton and larval fish. Although numerous studies have examined the effects of extreme reservoir drawdown on water quality, few have examined extreme drawdown on both abiotic and biotic characteristics. A fissure in the dam at Red Willow Reservoir in southwest Nebraska necessitated an extreme drawdown; the water level was lowered more than 6 m during a two-month period, reducing reservoir volume by 76%. During the subsequent low-water period (i.e., post-drawdown), spring sampling (April-June) showed dissolved oxygen concentration was …