Life Sciences Commons^™

Cutaneous Microbiome Of Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes) Infected With Sarcoptic Mange (Sarcoptes Scabiei), Jacqueline C. Robidoux

Honors Theses and Capstones

Sarcoptic mange is a parasitic skin disease that affects countless mammals worldwide, including red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The symptoms, such as hair loss, crusting, and the number of mites, vary between individual foxes. Sarcoptic mange damages the skin barrier, which in turn disrupts the biodiversity of bacteria in the microbiome. It is unknown what the biodiversity of bacteria is at each stage of the disease. This experiment will compare the microbiomes of different samples with and without mange; in hopes to reveal a connection between the different severities of sarcoptic mange and the biodiversity of bacteria and fungi …

Macrolichen Inventory Of The Horse Mountain Botanical Area, Six Rivers National Forest, California, Usa, Sarah Norvell Conway

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Macrolichen diversity and community composition was determined for an area of high botanical interest in the Coast Ranges of Northern California – the Horse Mountain Botanical Area (HMBA) in Six Rivers National Forest. The Coast Ranges have been suggested to have high epiphytic macrolichen diversity, yet detailed site-specific macrolichen surveys are lacking for the area. Here we present comprehensive data on macrolichens of the HMBA integrated with environmental metadata at the landscape level. Twenty 0.4 ha sampling plots were positioned across the varying habitats of the HMBA and macrolichens were intensively sampled from all substrata. Out of 888 total collections, …

Postmucilage Biodiversity Of Shallow Water Fish Assemblages: A Case Study In The Marmara Sea, Turkey, İsmai̇l Burak Daban, Yusuf Şen, Adnan Ayaz, Uğur Altinağaç, Alkan Özteki̇n, Uğur Özeki̇nci̇, Ali̇ İşmen, Fi̇kret Çakir, Ahsen Yüksek, Teki̇n Demi̇rkiran, Oğuzhan Ayaz, Gençtan Erman Uğur, Bumi̇nhan Burkay Selçuk

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A dense mucilage event occurred between November 2020 and August 2021 in the Marmara Sea, Turkey. In this study, the aim was to understand the effect of mucilage on coastal fish biodiversity. For this purpose, juvenile and small-sized adult fish species were sampled with an experimental beach seine at 12 equally-spaced stations around the Marmara Sea between November 2021 and April 2022. In total, 34 species belonging to 19 families were sampled. Approximately 70% of the total fish abundance were Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810, Chelon auratus (Risso, 1810) and Chelon saliens (Risso, 1810). Highest abundance was detected from S5 …

Global Phylogenomic Assessment Of Leptoseris And Agaricia Reveals Substantial Undescibed Diversity At Mesophotic Depths, J. C. Gijsbers, N. Englebert, K. E. Prata, M. Pichon, Z. Dinesen, R. Brunner, G. Eyal, F. L. González-Zapata, S. E. Kahng, K. R. W. Latijnhouwers, P. Muir, V. Z. Radice, J. A. Sánchez, M. J. A. Vermeij, O. Hoegh-Guldberg, S. J. Jacobs, P. Bongaerts

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Mesophotic coral communities are increasingly gaining attention for the unique biological diversity they host, exemplified by the numerous mesophotic fish species that continue to be discovered. In contrast, many of the photosynthetic scleractinian corals observed at mesophotic depths are assumed to be depth-generalists, with very few species characterised as mesophotic-specialists. This presumed lack of a specialised community remains largely untested, as phylogenetic studies on corals have rarely included mesophotic samples and have long suffered from resolution issues associated with traditional sequence markers.

Results: Here, we used reduced-representation genome sequencing to conduct a phylogenomic assessment of the two dominant mesophotic …

Levels Of Autotrophy And Heterotrophy In Mesophotic Corals Near The End Photic Zone, Amy Carmignani, Veronica Z. Radice, Kathryn M. Mcmahon, Alex I. Holman, Karen Miller, Kliti Grice, Zoe Richards

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mesophotic corals live at ~30-150 m depth and can sustain metabolic processes under light-limited conditions by enhancing autotrophy through specialized photoadaptations or increasing heterotrophic nutrient acquisition. These acclimatory processes are often species-specific, however mesophotic ecosystems are largely unexplored and acclimation limits for most species are unknown. This study examined mesophotic coral ecosystems using a remotely operated vehicle (Ashmore Reef, Western Australia at 40–75m depth) to investigate the trophic ecology of five species of scleractinian coral (from genera Leptoseris, Pachyseris, and Craterastrea) using stable isotope analyses (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) of host and symbiont tissues …

Incorporating Native Plants In Insectary Strips To Promote Insect Diversity And Below-Ground Beneficial Microbes In South Texas, Lindsey N. Richards

Theses and Dissertations

Farm edges are generally the most undisturbed areas in a farm with diverse vegetation and can enhance agrobiodiversity and provide crucial food and shelter for wildlife, insects, and soil biota. Planting native wildflowers with the ability to reseed and withstand local climatic conditions for semi-permanent vegetation around farm edges or in between crops has potential to biologically control pests. To test this, we ran a two-year study and installed three different flowering insectary strips on a certified organic vegetable farm in South Texas during the winter season. The treatments were: 1) a commercially sourced 17-species native wildflower seed mix; 2) …

Population Demography, Spatial Ecology, And Habitat Use Of The Florida Box Turtle (Terrapene Bauri) On A Barrier Island, Michael D. Mills

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Turtles are one the most threatened vertebrate groups in the world due to anthropogenic threats such as habitat loss and overexploitation. In addition to occupying a range that has been vulnerable to major habitat loss, the Florida box turtle (Terrapene bauri) is particularly at risk of overexploitation due to its popularity in the pet trade. Sanibel Island is a barrier island in southwest Florida that has experienced major habitat loss and is the site of a recent poaching event. In response to these threats, studies of both the population demography and spatial ecology were conducted on Sanibel’s Florida box turtle …

Nexus Between Animal Welfare, Environment, And Sustainable Development: Resource Document, Wellbeing International

Nexus – UNEP – Animal Welfare, Environment, Sustainable Development

This Resource Document has been developed to explore the Nexus (links) between Animal Welfare, the Environment, and Sustainable Development. The document includes relevant citations and reports addressing the topics encompassed by the Nexus. It will be maintained as a “living document” (subject to revision) in the WellBeing International Studies Repository. The original document and subsequent revisions will be kept in the Repository to provide a record of the changes.

Hydroponics And Vertical Farming Methods, John Rose

D.U.Quark

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Root Herbivory On Grassland Community Structure: From Landscape To Microscale, P. J. Murray, R. Cook, L. A. Dawson, A. C. Gange, S. J. Grayston, A. M. Treonis

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Root herbivores are an important functional group in grassland ecosystems. Whilst there is a plethora of information on their impact as pests in productive grassland, few studies of their impact on biodiversity in upland grassland have been made. Root herbivores act in a number of ways, they reduce host plant biomass, alter root architecture, change root exudation patterns and increase water stress in the plant. Root herbivores may change above ground plant diversity, both through direct removal of plant species and through reduction in competitive ability of some species, through their feeding. In addition, we postulate that root herbivores affect …

Soil Biology And The Emergence Of Adventive Grassland Ecosystems, T. R. Seastedt

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The last few years have seen an explosion of information on the responses and feedbacks of soil biota to species and environmental changes. Soil biologists, plant ecologists, and biogeochemists have been searching for patterns, generality and predictability in these relationships. A few brave souls have had the courage to assemble comprehensive assessments of soil biology in our rapidly changing world. Several years ago, I reviewed Wardle’s (2002) book emphasising the links between above- and belowground components of ecosystems. That activity – as well as the present one – provided me with the opportunity to survey recent findings in soil biology. …

Introducing Interdisciplinary Curricula Into Conservation Biology: Exploring Changes In Students’ Perceived Proenvironmental Attitudes And Behaviors, Jasmine Janes, Lindsay J. Mccunn

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Today, conserving the natural environment is paramount. Educators have been striving to develop pedagogical approaches that facilitate greater engagement in conservation behaviors. However, many of these reforms have been targeted at an institutional level, without necessarily testing whether changes in proenvironmental perceptions, attitudes, or behaviors occur for students. This step seems important when developing conservation biology courses that provide well-rounded education that may better prepare students for future challenges in biodiverse conservation contexts. Our objective was to assess the proenvironmental attitudes and conservation values of undergraduate students enrolled in an undergraduate conservation biology course before and after instruction to determine …

Neotype Designation For Papilio Fulgerator Walch, 1775 (Hesperiidae: Eudaminae), Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Gerardo Lamas, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The discovery that a skipper butterfly Telegonus fulgerator (Walch, 1775), previously placed in the genus Astraptes Hübner, [1819], is a complex of many similar-looking species-level taxa with different COI barcodes, caterpillar foodplants, and body patterns, and subtle differences in adult phenotypes raised a question about which species is the original T. fulgerator. To answer this question, being unable to locate its holotype, we designate the neotype of Papilio fulgerator Walch, 1775, a female specimen from Suriname in the Zoological State Collection, Munich, Germany. This neotype will form the foundation for a comprehensive revision of the T. fulgerator complex based …

Genomics Reveals A New Genus And Species From A Single Female Specimen (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae: Hesperiini: Moncina), Ernst Brockmann, Jing Zhang, Qian Cong, Nick V. Grishin

Insecta Mundi

New taxa in Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) are traditionally proposed after inspection of male genitalia, which largely form the basis for Hesperiidae taxonomy. However, with genomic DNA se­quencing, even a single female specimen can be placed in a phylogenetic context of existing classification and taxonomically assigned with confidence. Genomic sequencing of an unusually patterned Hesperiidae female from San Martin, Peru, characterized by pearly spots outlining an inverted heart pattern on the rust-colored ventral hindwing, reveals that it represents an undescribed genus and species named here as Gemmia buechei Brockmann and Grishin, new genus and new species.

Neotropical regions are rich …

Taxonomic Discoveries Enabled By Genomic Analysis Of Butterflies, Jing Zhang, Qing Cong, Jinhui Shen, Leina Song, Riley J. Gott, Pierre Boyer, Crispin S. Guppy, Steve Kohler, Gerardo Lamas, Paul A. Opler, Nick V. Grishin

The Taxonomic Report of the International Lepidoptera Survey

The comparative genomics of butterflies yields additional insights into their phylogeny and classification that are compiled here. As a result, 3 genera, 5 subgenera, 5 species, and 3 subspecies are proposed as new, that is, in Hesperiidae: Antina Grishin, gen. n. (type species Antigonus minor O. Mielke, 1980), Pompe Grishin and Lamas, gen. n. (type species Lerema postpuncta Draudt, 1923), and Curva Grishin, gen. n. (type species Moeris hyagnis Godman, 1900); in Lycaenidae: Fussia Grishin, subgen. n. (type species Polyommatus standfussi Grum-Grshimailo, 1891) and Pava Grishin, subgen. n. (type species Thecla panava Westwood, 1852); in Hesperiidae: Monoca Grishin, subgen. n. …

Regenerative Agriculture Framework For Island Ecosystems Using São Miguel As A Case Study, Mya Hunter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Context: Regenerative agriculture is a farming approach that uses soil health as the entry point to contribute to multiple objectives, such as improved nutrient cycling and climate regulation. Farmers can apply different practices to reach these objectives. The objectives and practices, however, are not equally relevant or applicable for farming systems on island ecosystems and the local context.

Objectives: The main objective of this paper, therefore, is to find out how solutions towards regenerative agriculture can be identified and evaluated as such that they result in meaningful advice for farmers on island ecosystems in order to mitigate the …

Determining Suitable Green Biorefinery Locations In Ireland For Irish Agriculture Using Co-Design, Economic And Geographical Information Systems, Alice Hand

Theses

The aim of this thesis is to investigate potential locations for a suitable green biorefinery model in Ireland, which would offer an opportunity for sustainable diversification to grassland farmers. A mixed method approach was used to collect data to support the design and analyse a green biorefinery model. A three phased methodology was applied representing the Co-design, Economic and the Geographical Information Systems analysis phase. Key stakeholders identified in the co-design phase included farmers, cooperatives, market partners as having a direct impact on a biorefinery. This provided insight to the farmers preferred model. Using these findings, an economic assessment was …

Biodiversity Of Culicidae (Insecta: Diptera) In The Region Of Khenchela (Northeast Algeria), Imane Halimi, Fatima Zohra Zohra Kara-Toumi, Salim Lebbal, Ruben Bueno Mari, Asma Ghorab, Fairouz Saidi

Journal of Bioresource Management

Mosquitoes are considered as vectors of serious human diseases. The prevention of parasitic and arboviral vector-borne diseases is based mostly on vector control strategies. This control cannot be effective unless a strong knowledge of mosquito biology and distribution in the working area. In this context, and in order to improve the knowledge on the specific diversity of the culicids fauna in the region of Khenchela (northeast of Algeria), an inventory of mosquitoes was carried out for the first time in this region. Larval collection was conducted in various types of habitats through continuous monitoring of seven sites from May 2020 …

Pando's Pulse: Vital Signs Signal Need For Course Correction At World-Renowned Aspen Forest, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

Upland aspen (Populus spp.) forests contribute significantly to biodiversity in their circumboreal role as keystone species. As aspen ecosystems flourish or diminish, myriad dependent species follow suit. The 43-hectare Pando aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clone in Utah, USA, is thought to be the largest living organism on earth, but is faltering due to chronic herbivory. Long-term resilience in aspen communities, including Pando, rests on successful recruitment of vegetative suckers that are nutritiously desirable to browsing ungulates. Here, I evaluate aspen reproduction alongside numerous vital indicators of Pando's status in the first trend assessment of this embattled iconic forest. …

Foraging Habitat Selection Of Shrubland Bird Community In Tropical Dry Forest, Anant Deshwal, Steven L. Stephenson, Pooja Panwar, Brett A. Degregorio, Ragupathy Kannan, John D. Willson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Habitat loss due to increasing anthropogenic disturbance is the major driver for bird population declines across the globe. Within the Eastern Ghats of India, shrubland bird communities are threatened by shrinking of suitable habitats due to increased anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. The development of an effective habitat management strategy is hampered by the absence of data for this bird community. To address this knowledge gap, we examined foraging sites for 14 shrubland bird species, including three declining species, in three study areas representing the shrubland type of forest community in the Eastern Ghats. We recorded microhabitat features within an …

18s-Nemabase: Curated 18s Rrna Database Of Nematode Sequences, Kaitlin Gattoni, Eli M. S. Gendron, Rebeca Sandoval- Ruiz, Abigail Borgemeier, J. Parr Mcqueen, Rachel M. Shepherd, Dieter Slos, Tom Powers, Dorota L. Porazinska

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Nematodes are the most abundant and diverse animals on the planet but lack representation in biodiversity research. This presents a problem for studying nematode diversity, particularly when molecular tools (i.e., barcoding and metabarcoding) rely on well-populated and curated reference databases, which are absent for nematodes. To improve molecular identification and the assessment of nematode diversity, we created and curated an 18S rRNA database specific to nematodes (18S-NemaBase) using sequences sourced from the most recent publicly available 18S rRNA SILVA v138 database. As part of the curation process, taxonomic strings were standardized to contain a fixed number of taxonomic ranks relevant …

18s-Nemabase: Curated 18s Rrna Database Of Nematode Sequences, Kaitlin Gattoni, Eli M. S. Gendron, Rebeca Sandoval- Ruiz, Abigail Borgemeier, J. Parr Mcqueen, Rachel M. Shepherd, Dieter Slos, Tom Powers, Dorota L. Porazinska

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Nematodes are the most abundant and diverse animals on the planet but lack representation in biodiversity research. This presents a problem for studying nematode diversity, particularly when molecular tools (i.e., barcoding and metabarcoding) rely on well-populated and curated reference databases, which are absent for nematodes. To improve molecular identification and the assessment of nematode diversity, we created and curated an 18S rRNA database specific to nematodes (18S-NemaBase) using sequences sourced from the most recent publicly available 18S rRNA SILVA v138 database. As part of the curation process, taxonomic strings were standardized to contain a fixed number of taxonomic ranks relevant …

Biodiversity And Foraging Preferences Of Bee Communities At Pinnacles National Park Over Time, Abigail M. E. Lehner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bees are considered to be the most important animal pollinator, providing billions of dollars in pollination services each year. Despite their importance in both natural and agricultural settings, the status of most native bees is unknown. Native bees are subject to a variety of threats including habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Yet, monitoring programs have been implemented in few natural areas. Pinnacles National Park, PNP, in California is one of the only natural areas to have a large historical dataset on bees across decades with surveys conducted in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2011, and 2012. These surveys …

Hidden Mechanisms Of Climate Impacts In Western Forests: Integrating Theory And Observation For Climate Adaptation, Sara J. Germain

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fire, insects, and disease are necessary components of forest ecosystems. Yet, climate change is intensifying these tree stressors and creating new interactions that threaten forest survival. This dissertation combined field observations with statistical predictions of changing disturbances in western forests to identify 1) how conventional models may underestimate future forest loss, and 2) how positive relationships between trees may be exploited by managers to prevent forest loss.

In Chapter II, I tested whether increasingly extreme weather with climate change increases Pacific yew extinction risk. I found that conventional modeling methods underestimated local extinction risk because trees were adapted to a …

Distribution Of Carrion-Associated Beetles And Their Phoretic Mites Along An Urban-Rural Gradient In Northeast Alabama, Kennedy Norris

Theses

Global insect decline has been linked to urbanization, most notably by habitat fragmentation. These insects perform important ecological functions such as pollination, managing pests, and decomposing carrion to recycle nutrients back into the environment. Despite the importance of nutrient recycling behavior displayed by carrion-associated beetles, little research has been done on them in the southeastern US. Previous studies have found a relationship between urbanization, less favorable environmental conditions, carrion availability, and decreased insect diversity. However, no studies have been conducted in the southeastern United States on the relationship of these beetles to their environment despite having the highest rates of …

Molecular And Morphological Investigations Of Grouper (Serranidae) Biodiversity In Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Saeed Al Jazza Alqahtani

Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1: The seas surrounding the Arabian Peninsula, which represent the northernmost portion of the Indian Ocean, are considered to have the highest aquatic biodiversity among the worlds marine regions. Seas that surround the Arabian Peninsula include the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Gulf. In aggregate, this area harbors a large number of endemic and more widespread marine species, including fishes, echinoderms, and corals.

There are unique challenges involved in grouper species identification in the Arabian region including ‘familiar’ Arabic species designations that are not standardized in the Arabic …

Effects Of Forest Restoration On The Recovery Of Dead Wood, Associated Arthropods, And Insect-Mediated Wood Decomposition, Estefania Fernandez Barrancos

Dissertations

Dead wood represents 8% of terrestrial carbon stocks and is an important source of habitat and food for decomposer and non-decomposer arthropods. However, anthropogenic disturbance reduces the amount of dead wood, putting at risk the presence of a habitat that is essential for many arthropods and other organisms that rely on it for food and shelter. Forest restoration aims to assist the recovery of ecosystems that have been damaged or destroyed and could be a means to recover both dead wood and its associated arthropod communities. This doctoral dissertation lies at the intersection of climate change, biodiversity loss and ecological …

Anti-Bat Ultrasound Production In Moths Is Globally And Phylogenetically Widespread, Jesse R. Barber, Brian C. Leavell, Krystie A. Miner, Brandt Quirk-Royal

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Warning signals are well known in the visual system, but rare in other modalities. Some moths produce ultrasonic sounds to warn bats of noxious taste or to mimic unpalatable models. Here, we report results from a long-term study across the globe, assaying moth response to playback of bat echolocation. We tested 252 genera, spanning most families of large-bodied moths, and document anti-bat ultrasound production in 52 genera, with eight subfamily origins described. Based on acoustic analysis of ultrasonic emissions and palatability experiments with bats, it seems that acoustic warning and mimicry are the raison d'être for sound production in most …

Farming For The Future; Managing Lowland Grassland For Biodiversity, Sally Griffin

ORBioM (Open Research BioSciences Meeting)

Grassland is Ireland’s most expansive terrestrial habitat type covering >58% of the land cover but its biodiversity is under serious threat of agricultural intensification or land abandonment. While the decline in Irish grassland biodiversity has been recognised, there is a paucity of research into the restoration of lowland mesotrophic grassland. Most of Ireland’s grasslands are privately farmed mainly for pasture, therefore, appropriate agricultural management techniques for biodiversity restoration are vital. The purpose of this research was to first classify the lowland grassland vegetation in Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry in the west of Ireland (Approx. 244ha). Then to investigate selected …

Wild Bees Respond Differently To Sampling Traps With Vanes Of Different Colors And Light Reflectivity In A Livestock Pasture Ecosystem, Roshani S. Acharya, Joan M. Burke, Timothy Leslie, Kelly Loftin, Neelendra K. Joshi

Entomology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Wild bees are important pollinators and monitoring their abundance and diversity is necessary to develop conservation protocols. It is imperative to understand differences in sampling efficiency among different trap types to help guide monitoring efforts. This study used a new vane trap design to collect bees in a livestock pasture ecosystem and examined the impact of six different vane colors on wild bee sampling. We recorded 2230 bees comprising 49 species and five families. The most abundant species were Augochlorella aurata (25.8%), Lasioglossum disparile (18.3%), Lasioglossum imitatum (10.85%), Agapostemon texanus (10.8%), Melissodes vernoniae (9.9%) and Halictus ligatus (4.7%). Traps with …