Life Sciences Commons^™

Diets Of Wild Versus Released, And Pen-Raised White-Tailed Deer In Southeastern Louisiana, Richard James Meyers

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Twenty pen-raised white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were released into mixed pine-hardwood forest habitat in southeastern Louisiana to compare their seasonal diets to the diets of the wild white-tailed deer population. Microhistological analysis was used to estimate the botanical composition of fecal pellet samples collected from both populations of deer over four consecutive seasons. Wild and pen-raised deer diets were found to be an average of 75.18% similar during the entire year of the study, and were significantly associated during all seasons (P < 0.001), indicating that all deer foraged on similar plant taxa in similar proportions regardless of season. Both populations of deer were found to be predominantly browsers during all seasons, with browse and fruit accounting for a yearly average of >55% of deer diets. Results from this study indicate that rehabilitated or translocated deer released into new environments …

The Breeding Ecology Of White-Faced Ibis In The Lower Carson River Basin, Nevada, Eric Patrick Kelchlin

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The Great Basin White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) population is recognized as a Species of Management because of its small population size, limited number of traditional breeding sites, and vulnerability to habitat loss. The ability to predict future population trends and develop wetland management strategies is limited because many aspects of their breeding ecology and population dynamics are unknown. 1 examined White-faced Ibis nesting ecology and breeding habitat selection at the Lower Carson River Basin, Nevada, from 1995-1997, and the relationship between the local surface water conditions and trends in the number of breeding pairs from 1970-1997 on a local and …

Diet Overlap Of Native And Translocated Northern White-Tailed Deer In Southeastern Louisiana, Brian Matthew Zielinski

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

I used microhistological analysis of fecal pellets to estimate and compare seasonal diet compositions between free-ranging, southern and translocated. northern woodland white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on Golden Ranch Hunting Farm, Gheens, Louisiana,. over four consecutive seasons, from January 1997 through January 1998. I analyzed pellet groups with Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) and wet chemistry techniques to evaluate and compare crude protein levels between populations of deer and provide indices of diet quality. On average, native and translocated deer diets were 87.65% similar during the entire study, and were significantly associated during all seasons ( P < 0.0000 I ). suggesting that deer fed on similar plant species in like quantities throughout the year. Few differences were found in plant selection frequencies per fecal sample. hut significant differences were detected (P 0.00 l) among deer populations in the use of Berchemia scandens and Vitis rotundifolia during spring. Northern deer also ingested a greater diversity of plants (P < 0.05) during spring and winter; and fecal crude protein levels were similar (P > 0.05) in all seasons …

Diets Of White-Tailed Deer At Avery Island, Louisiana, Nathan D. Rains

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

I conducted a food habits study of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at Avery Island, Louisiana, to determine if deer diets differed among seasons. In 1997, I randomly collected 25 seasonal fecal pellet groups in January. April, August and October respectively I also collected reference forage plant samples in conjunction with fecal pellet collections I estimated botanical composition of deer diets based on a microscopic analysis of fecal pellets I compared diets using a chi- squared contingency table to assess significant seasonal variation I also used Kulczynski's similarity index to determine degree of similarity among seasonal diets

I found significant differences …

Effects Of Predator Reduction On The Survival And Movements Of Northern Shoveler Broods, John M. Zimmer

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

I studied the effects of predator removal on survival and movements of Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) broods in the prairie pothole region of North Dakota. The study was conducted from April through August 1995. No treatment effects were found on brood survival as both 14 and 30 day survival estimates were statistically equivalent. Experimental sites had higher brood and duckling survival and produced twice as many fledglings per successful nest than control sites. Cumulative movement distance had no effect on duckling survival. While survival rates of Northern Shoveler broods and ducklings were higher than most species of prairie nesting ducks, …

Evaluation Of Alternative Crop Rotational Schemes For Cotton Production In Louisiana, Asitava Jana

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Increasing economic importance of cotton production in Louisiana, awareness of the financial and environmental benefits of crop rotations have stressed the need for evaluating cotton production in different rotational schemes. The objective of this study was to estimate profitability of alternative crop rotational schemes within a whole farm context. Yield data for 11 alternative production systems involving cotton, soybean, corn, wheat were obtained from the ongoing crop rotation research at the Northeast Research Station during the period 1983 -1993. Th e systems included continuous, 2 year, and 3 year rotations on two soil types: silt and clay. Price data were …

Microhabitat Use By Macroinvertebrates In Barataria Bay, Louisiana, William H.F. Hayden

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A drop sampler was used to collect macroinvertebrates along transects in open and closed marshes within the Barataria Basin. Three-hundred-seventy-seven samples, covering 448 m2, were collected between August 1988 and September 1989. Sampling focused along the marsh edge where open water and flooded Spartina meet, covering a broad range of environmental conditions including different stem densities, distances to the marsh edge, and water depths. Other variables measured included water temperature, velocity, dissolved oxygen, salinity, turbidity, substrate, and marsh vegetation. Of the ten most frequently-occurring macroinvertebrates, three were transients (Callinectes sapidus, C. similis, and Penaeus aztecus), and seven were residents (Mysidopsis …

Comparative Ontogeny Of Cranial Ossification In The Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma Maculatum, And The Tailed Frog, Ascaphus Truei, Michael Keith Moore

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The ontogenetic sequence of ossification of the cranium, including descriptions of the development of individual elements, from initial appearance of bone through adulthood, is described for two species of amphibian: the Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, and the Tailed Frog, Ascaphus truei. This study is based on cleared-and-stained developmental series of 269 specimens of Ambystoma and 325 of Ascaphus. Nine stages of cranial development are defined for Ambystoma maculatum. By metamorphosis, all bones of the skull of Ambystoma except the articular have begun to ossify. The ossification sequence of Ambystoma shows little interindividual variation; only 6 specimens do not follow the …

An Analysis Of Mercury Accumulation Within The Upper Estuarine Food Chain Of Lake Charles, Louisiana, Jeffrey W. Tingle

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Analysis of the level of mercury contamination within the sediments and fish associated food chain of Lake Charles, Louisiana, an area located within the Calcasieu River system, were assessed. Sediment levels were found to be slightly elevated (0.33µg Hg/g) from natural background levels (0.20 µg Hg/g). Levels found within the fish of the region were also found to be slightly elevated (0.287 µg Hg/g) from natural levels. This is below the hazardous level designated by the Food and Drug Administration (0.50 µg Hg/g). The statistical analysis of the pathway of mercury through a food chain composed of eight different species …

The Distribution Of Macrobenthos In Barataria Basin, Louisiana, Antonio Liborio Philomena

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Macrobenthos and environmental variables were measured in the Barataria basin, Louisiana, at 32 stations in November 1978. Three of the stations (Lake Salvador, Little Lake and St. Denis Bayou) were sampled bimonthly from November 1977 through November 1978. Abundance, diversity, and biomass results indicated two different areas: fresh, low-salinity habitats in the upper and middle basin with high biomass, abundance, and diversity, and high-salinity habitats in the lower basin with low biomass, abundance, and diversity. Over the whole basin, crustaceans were the most abundant organisms, while the mollusks dominated the biomass. Insects, nematodes, and oligochaetes were characteristic of freshwater habitats, …

River Otter Abundance, Distribution, And Habitat Use In Louisiana, Thomas Lee Edwards

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

River otter abundance, distribution and habitat use were determined in Louisiana, with emphasis placed on the parishes north of the coastal marshes. Records from 1913 to 1980 indicated that otter harvest and pelt price increased over the years. Data from a trapper survey for the 1980-81 season were used to estimate otter harvest for each parish, and the data were compared in a step-wise regression procedure with independent variables thought to affect otter abundance. Of the factors I considered, those most responsible for variation in trapper harvest among parishes were the area composed of non-forested wetlands, area composed of forested …

The Food Habits Of The Red Fox And Gray Fox In Louisiana With Notes On Reproduction And Parasitism, Norman Keith Smith Jr.

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Stomach contents of 54 red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes) and 20 gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) were examined to detennine food habits, In both species, rodents, rabbits (Sylvilagus sp .), insects, and blackberries (Rubus sp.) were the most frequently occurring foods. There were no cases of predation on iame birds other than 1 Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) found in a red fox from Cameron Parish. Only 1 occurrence of predation on domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) and 2 occurrences of predation on domestic goat (Capra hircus) were noted. The reproductive condition of females of both species was examined. The average number of …

Effect Of Chitosan As A Stabilizer In Hot Sauce, Richard Arnold Schlottmann

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

By the use of mild demineralization in the purification of chitin from shrimp shells and optimizing the deacetylation of this chitin, chitosan capable of producing viscosities of 9600 cps were produced. This is substantially higher than the viscosity of the commercial product, whose viscosity is only 1000 cps. The effectiveness of this high quality chitosan as a stabilizer in hot sauces was then investigated. From prelim­inary studies using the commercially produced chitosan, it was concluded that the method of incorporating the gum into the hot sauces was very important. Therefore, three methods of adding the chitosan to the hot sauces …

The Reproductive Physiology Of The Prosobranch Snail L̲I̲T̲T̲O̲R̲I̲N̲A̲ Ir̲R̲O̲R̲A̲T̲A̲ (Say, 1822), Michelle Elaine Bistransin

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Seasonal changes in the body component indexes of Littorina irrorata were studied for a two year period. Biochemical constituents (protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) in the soft body components were analyzed for one year. Body component indexes cycled seasonally. Shell index changes may be due to the seasonal changes in the total of other indexes. All soft body components, except the foot, exhibited a seasonal cycle which was correlated with the reproductive cycle. Female Littorina irrorata appeared to exhibit a bimodal pattern of capsule deposition with the two peaks occurring in May and August. Seasonal changes in the biochemical level and …

The Home Range And Habitat Preferences Of Swamp Rabbits Along A Shell Road In The Intermediate Marsh Of Southwestern Louisiana, Arthur Benjamin Gould Jr.

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The objective of this study was to determine the home range and habitat preferences of swamp rabbits in the intermediate (between brackish and fresh) marsh of southwestern Louisiana. A total of 12 instrumented rabbits provided data for home range estimates. Four rabbits were fol lowed during the falI, winter and spring. Average home range for males was 10.60 acres and 5.14 acres for females on an area which had a population density of 7.74 rabbits per acre The most preferred habitat components were wiregrass with baccharis Iess than four feet taII IightIy interspersed. Baccharis over four feet tall with moderately …

A Telemetric Study Of The Red Fox In Agricultural Areas Of Southeast Louisiana, George Washington Taylor

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The primary study objective was to determine the daily activities of red foxes on agricultural habitat It was also hoped to learn something of the fox's foo preferences and predation on quail, rabbits, deer, an poultry. Information was also desired on optimum met ods of capture, the incidence of rabies, and the use Tranimul and Sernyl as immobilizing drugs. Fifteen red foxes (Vulpes fulva) were trapped during late winter on Louisiana State University property near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Six foxes were equipped with radio transmitters and their movements were monitored by means of portable VHF radio receivers and hand-held antennas. …

Nutritional Studies With Complete Feeds For Lactating Dairy Cows., Ernesto Villavicencio Gomez

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

On The Mechanism Of The Thiamine Catalyzed Reductive Dimerization Of Farnesyl Pyrophosphate To Squalene., Horatio D. Durst

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The mechanism of the dimerization of farnesyl pyrophosphate to squalene was investigated in detail. Thiamine was found to catalyze this dimerization in yeast-soluble enzyme preparations. Removal of thiamine was found to cause the buildup of farnesyl pyrophosphate in the enzyme system. Derivatives of thiamine were tested to examine their effect on the dimerization reaction and were found to be inactive. It was found that extremely small amounts of thiamine enhance the formation of squalene while large concentrations inhibit the formation of squalene. Thiamine derivatives were synthesized to try to identify the intermediates in the enzyme system. These compounds are discussed …

Inheritance Of Fiber Strength And Fiber Elongation In F 3 Of A Cross Between Two Varieties Of Upland Cotton., Hosni Abdel-Khalek Abdel-Nabi

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Squirrel Habitat And Population Evaluation On Thistlethwaite Game Management Area In South Central Louisiana, Robert Harley Mills

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Download full text to view abstract.

Behavior Of The Red-Footed Booby (Sulasula) In British Honduras, Jared Verner

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

During three months of the breeding season in a colony of 3500 Red-footed Boobies (Sula sula) on 45½-acre Half Moon Caye, fifty miles east of Belize, British Honduras, that species’ little-known breeding activities were investigated. Feeding flights of boobies began leaving the caye before daylight and returned in the evening until after dark. Wind direction and velocity notably affected the mode of the birds’ departure but little affected their direction. Average flight-unit size was 2.41 birds. Contrary to published accounts, the boobies were able to take flight from the ground.

Observations On The White-Faced Ibis, Plegadis Chihi, In Louisiana, Horace William Belknap

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The eight-month study deals with the White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi, in southwestern Louisiana. It affirms the absence of the closely related Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus, as a breeding bird in that area today. Data on feeding habits, social behavior, nesting cycles, and plumage changes in chihi are presented as a step toward clarifying the relationship of these two puzzling forms of ibis; but the full significance of these findings cannot be ascertained until more is known about the habits of falcinellus. The most important conclusions concern plumage changes. It is shown that published descriptions of plumage and molt in chihl …

A Summer Deer Food Study In Tensas Parish, Louisiana, William James Sheffield Jr.

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Where deer have overpopulated their range, a thorough knowledge of range conditions and deer food habits is necessary to establish proper management. This study was made on an overpopulated deer range in Northeastern Louisiana. It provides information on certain phases of deer food habits not heretofore investigated in the region. The study procedure followed a modification of the Aldous Deer Browse Survey Method, whereby a percentage sample survey was made of the density of woody and herbaceous browse species and their utilization by deer. Vines made up 55 per cent, trees and shrubs 31 per cent, and forbs 14 per …

Studies On Control Of Root Rot And Dieback Of Camellias ., Luther Willis Baxter

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Studies Of A Toxic Agent Produced By Helminthosporium Victoriae., Herbert Hodges Luke

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

The Flowering And The Production Of True Seed Of Sugarcane In Louisiana., Elias D. Paliatseas

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparative Studies On Residual Toxicity Of Some Synthetic Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Insecticides For Control Of Some Important Cotton Pests., Athar Ali Siddiqi

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

A Cytological Study Of The Sweet Potato (Ipomola Batatas, L., Lam.) And Its Related Species., Chen-Ting Yu

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Inheritance Of Perimeter And Wall Thickness Of Fiber In A Cross Between Two Varieties Of Upland Cotton., Moahmed Ali Bishr

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Sexual Hormones In Glomerella., Charles H. Driver

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.