Life Sciences Commons^™

A Taxonomic Revision Of The Genus Burmeistera (Campanulaceae) In Ecuador, Brock Mashburn

Theses

The genus Burmeistera (Campanulaceae) consists of approximately 120 species of herbaceous trailing shrubs, found mostly in cloud forests from Guatemala to Peru. Taxonomic work is difficult for the genus because of its relatively recent diversification (5–12 mya) and the morphological lability of its species. The last monograph for the genus was completed in 1943, followed periodically by country-level treatments. For Ecuador, the most recent treatment of Burmeistera was nearly 40 years ago, in Stig Jeppesen’s 1981 treatment in the Flora of Ecuador. Jeppesen’s treatment recognized 32 species and subspecies. Since then, nine new species have been described and hundreds of …

Frogs Hiding In Plain Sight: Phylogenetic Systematics Of Myanmar’S Occidozyga Species Complex, And The Identification Of A Novel Species, Allison Bogisich

Master's Theses

Different species can be difficult to distinguish from one another when they are morphologically similar. Such cryptic species are the reason many anuran species go undetected. For this study, the taxonomic identity of the Occidozyga complex across Myanmar was investigated. An integrated approach was used combining molecular, morphological and phylogeographic data to better assess its taxonomy. Results indicate the presence of three new candidate species within Occidozyga, and three evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) lineages. Two mitochondrial gene fragments (16S, COI) and one nuclear gene fragment (Rhodopsin) were examined from DNA isolated from forty-seven preserved specimens from the California Academy …

Hiding In The Lianas Of The Tree Of Life: Molecular Phylogenetics And Species Delimitation Reveal Considerable Cryptic Diversity Of New World Vine Snakes, Robert C. Jadin, Christopher Blair, Michael J. Jowers, Anthony Carmona, John C. Murphy

Publications and Research

The Brown Vine Snake, Oxybelis aeneus, is considered a single species despite the fact its distribution covers an estimated 10% of the Earth’s land surface, inhabiting a variety of ecosystems throughout North, Central, and South America and is distributed across numerous biogeographic barriers. Here we assemble a multilocus molecular dataset (i.e. cyt b, ND4, cmos, PRLR) derived from Middle American populations to examine for the first time the evolutionary history of Oxybelis and test for evidence of cryptic lineages using Bayesian and maximum likelihood criteria. Our divergence time estimates suggest that Oxybelis diverged from its sister genus, Leptophis …

Biodiversity Within Aspen Forests, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen have long been known for supporting lush vegetation and rich wildlife habitat. These features, alongside brilliant green and gold seasonal coloration, accompany a broadly appreciated aesthetic for aspen forests by the public-at-large. However, in earlier times timber producers in many locales considered aspen to have low value and actively eliminated them. More recent research has pointed out that relative moisture held within aspen communities facilitates a wide array of species – collectively, biodiversity – compared to surrounding vegetation types. Aspen groves in the Intermountain West, for example, are known to be second only to riparian forests is supporting the …

Species Richness Patterns And Plant Size Of Vascular Epiphytes Along An Elevation Gradient In The Tropical Montane Forest Of Volcán Maderas, Nicaragua., Hazel Krupzkaya Berrios Alvarez

Student Theses and Dissertations

Aim To quantify distribution patterns of vascular epiphytes and determine how climate gradients drive species turnover patterns of tropical montane cloud forest systems. Location Volcán Maderas, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua. Methods Surveys were conducted in five distinct forest types as follows: Dry Forest, Humid Forest, Wet Forest, Cloud Forest, and Elfin Forest. Results A hump-shaped distribution pattern was detected for all vascular epiphytes at approx.1000 m in elevation (Cloud Forest). Overall species turnover was high for vascular epiphytes along the elevation gradient and was mainly driven by water availability. In addition, changes in size of vascular epiphytes were detected. Main …

A Phylogenetic Analysis Of Bostrichoidea (Coleoptera) And Revisions Of The Southern African Spider Beetle Genera Meziomorphum And Eutaphroptinus (Ptinidae: Coleoptera), Olivia M. Gearner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Proposals for the internal relationships and classification of the bostrichoids are currently poorly supported, and almost all are based on morphology alone. This study improves upon on previous phylogenetic analyses of the group by including more taxa using the standard genes for many phylogenetic analyses. Cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (CO1), 28S small subunit rRNA, and 16S small subunit rRNA mitochondrial genes were sequenced or obtained from Genbank, then analyzed using parsimony and Bayesian analyses. Topologies differed depending on genes used. A three gene tree and a two gene (28S and CO1) tree both supported relationships in which a basal …

Zero Textbook Cost Syllabus For Env 3009/4900 (Conservation Biology And Sustainable Development), Stephen Gosnell

Open Educational Resources

Conservation biology is an interdisciplinary topic that explores how we can protect and maintain natural areas. Due to the resources we take and impacts we have on natural environments, this field is directly related to restoration ecology (restoring natural areas) and sustainable development/natural resource management. We will explore the basis for these related fields from an ecological, social, legal, and cultural perspective, as all conservation and management projects take place in the larger human landscape. We will consider how we measure biodiversity, why it matters, why is it is threatened, and how we can manage (protect, restore, maintain, use) it …

Restoration For Multiple Use, Mark W. Paschke, Lora B. Perkins, Kari E. Veblen

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Management of restored ecosystems for multiple use is a modern necessity given a growing human population and dwindling supplies of ecosystem goods and services. Multiple use management refers to managing resources simultaneously for sustainable output of many goods and services. Within any restoration, thoughtful planning and early stakeholder engagement can help harmonize seemingly competing multiple uses. Although the field of ecological restoration is young and there are few long-term lessons to draw from, we can infer from ecological theory that maximization of native biodiversity can impart resilience in the restored ecosystem and can buffer against the stress of multiple use …

Ethnobotanical Importance And Relative Abundance Of The Mulberry Family From Temperate Highlands, Pakistan, Kishwar Sultana, Sher Wali Khan, Safdar Ali Shah, Jibran Haider

Journal of Bioresource Management

Five protected areas from temperate highlands of Pakistan were gauged for biodiversity of the Moraceae family. The National Park in Pir Lasura was studied from June to July 2009, in Banjosa from May to June 2009, in Pir Chanasi from April to May 2010, in Dhirkot (February 2008) and in Tolipir from April to May 2008. From the five protected areas surveyed, only three had species belonging to the family Moraceae. Three species were observed from Banjosa Game Reserve, two from Tolipir Nature Reserve and six from Pir Lasura National Park. The species commonly found were Ficus carica, Ficus …

Geospatial Modeling Of Land Cover Change In The Chocó-Darien Global Ecoregion Of South America; One Of Most Biodiverse And Rainy Areas In The World, José Camilo Fagua, R. Douglas Ramsey

Ecology Center Publications

The tropical rain forests of northwest South America fall within the Chocó-Darien Global Ecoregion (CGE). The CGE is one of 25 global biodiversity hotspots prioritized for conservation due to its high biodiversity and endemism as well as threats due to deforestation. The analysis of land-use and land-cover (LULC) change within the CGE using remotely sensed imagery is challenging because this area is considered to be one of the rainiest places on the planet (hence high frequency of cloud cover). Furthermore, the availability of high-resolution remotely sensed data is low for developing countries before 2015. Using the Random Forest ensemble learning …

Weighting Effective Number Of Species Measures By Abundance Weakens Detection Of Diversity Responses, Yong Cao, Charles P. Hawkins

Ecology Center Publications

1. The effective number of species (ENS) has been proposed as a robust measure of species diversity that overcomes several limitations in terms of both diversity indices and species richness (SR). However, it is not yet clear if ENS improves interpretation and comparison of biodiversity monitoring data, and ultimately resource management decisions.

2. We used simulations of five stream macroinvertebrate assemblages and spatially extensive field data of stream fishes and mussels to show (a) how different ENS formulations respond to stress and (b) how diversity–environment relationships change with values of q, which weight ENS measures by species abundances.

3. Values …

Decades Of Native Bee Biodiversity Surveys At Pinnacles National Park Highlight The Importance Of Monitoring Natural Areas Over Time, Joan M. Meiners, Terry L. Griswold, Olivia Messinger Carril

All PIRU Publications

Thousands of species of bees are in global decline, yet research addressing the ecology and status of these wild pollinators lags far behind work being done to address similar impacts on the managed honey bee. This knowledge gap is especially glaring in natural areas, despite knowledge that protected habitats harbor and export diverse bee communities into nearby croplands where their pollination services have been valued at over $3 billion per year. Surrounded by ranches and farmlands, Pinnacles National Park in the Inner South Coast Range of California contains intact Mediterranean chaparral shrubland. This habitat type is among the most valuable …

Investigations Into Aspergillus Flavus Infection Of Corn And Regulation Of Aflatoxin Production By Volatiles And Biocontrol Strains, Rebecca R. Sweany

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aspergillus flavus is an ascomycete fungus impacting agriculture, public and environmental health due to production of acutely-toxic, carcinogenic aflatoxins in oil seed crops, especially corn in Louisiana, and lung infections of immunocompromised patients resulting in a leading cause of AIDS patients’ deaths globally. The most effective aflatoxin mitigation strategy, biocontrol by atoxigenic A. flavus presents several concerns including: dissemination of a human pathogen, possible sexual reproduction and reliance on precise environmental conditions. Several aspects of A. flavus biology were investigated to potentially improve treatments. Studies investigated how genotypically diverse members within the A. flavus population interact with other population members …

Floristic Quality Assessments Of Remnant Natural Areas In The Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Region: Evaluating Botanical Change Since The 1890s, Alan W. Stockdale, Garrett Crow, David P. Warners

Faculty and Professional Research

In 1901, Emma J. Cole, a beloved high school teacher and distinguished botanist, published Grand Rapids Flora. Cole’s floristic inventory remains the most comprehensive botanical study of the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan region, even though this area has experienced significant land- scape alterations since her publication. To address this knowledge gap, in 2014 we embarked on a multiple-year project aimed to discover and reassess the sites Cole described, as well as to catalog other natural remnant locations within the Grand Rapids area. This paper reports botanical invento- ries that were completed at eight sites within Kent County during 2015 and …

A Rapid And Accurate Minion-Based Workflow For Tracking Species Biodiversity In The Field, Hendrik Freitag, Simone Maestri, Emanuela Cosentino, Marta Paterno, Jhoana M. Garces, Luca Marcolungo, Massimiliano Alfano, Iva Njunjić, Menno Schilthuizen, Ferry Slik, Michele Menegon, Marzia Rossato, Massimo Delledonne

Biology Faculty Publications

Genetic markers (DNA barcodes) are often used to support and confirm species identification. Barcode sequences can be generated in the field using portable systems based on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION sequencer. However, to achieve a broader application, current proof-of-principle workflows for on-site barcoding analysis must be standardized to ensure a reliable and robust performance under suboptimal field conditions without increasing costs. Here, we demonstrate the implementation of a new on-site workflow for DNA extraction, PCR-based barcoding, and the generation of consensus sequences. The portable laboratory features inexpensive instruments that can be carried as hand luggage and uses standard …

Maximizing Ecosystem Services Provided To The New Oil Crop Brassica Carinata Through Landscape And Arthropod Diversity, Shane Stiles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prairies, once spanning the Upper Midwest, have now largely been replaced by agriculture. The lack of resources available to pollinators in agricultural fields and the practices employed by farmers to maximize yield has led to a decline in insect and pollinator diversity. There is a need to better understand how ecosystem services provided by a diverse insect community scale to current farming practices as they relate to crop yield. We sought to explain how landscape heterogeneity relates to insect and pollinator diversity, as well as how insect diversity relates to crop yield across common farming practices. To evaluate how farming …

Pangolins In Global Camera Trap Data: Implications For Ecological Monitoring, Hannah Khwaja, Claire Buchan, Oliver R. Wearn, Laila Bahaa-El-Din, Drew Bantlin, Henry Bernard, Robert Bitariho, Torsten Bohm, Jimmy Borah, Jedediah Brodie, Wanlop Chutipong, Byron Du Preez, Alex Ebang-Mbele, Sarah Edwards, Emilie Fairet, Jackson L. Frechette, Adrian Garside, Luke Gibson, Anthony Giordano, Govindan Veeraswami Gopi, Alys Granados, Sanjay Gubbi, Franziska Harich, Barbara Haurez, Rasnys W. Havmoller, Olga Helmy, Lynne A. Isbell, Kate Jenks, Riddhika Kalle, Anucha Kamjing, Daphawan Khamcha, Cisquet Kiebou-Opepa, Margaret Kinnaird, Caroline Kruger, Anne Laudisoit, Antony Lynam, Suzanne E. Macdonald, John Mathai, Julia Metsio Sienne, Amelia Meier, David Mills, Jayasilan Mohd-Azian, Yoshihiro Nakashima, Helen C. Nash, Dusit Ngoprasert, An Nguyen, Tim O'Brien, David Olson, Christopher Orbell, John Poulsen, Tharmalingam Ramesh, Deeann Reeder, Rafael Reyna, Lindsey N. Rich, Johanna Rode-Margono, Francesco Rovero, Douglas Sheil, Matthew H. Shirley, Ken Stratford, Niti Sukumal, Saranphat Suwanrat, Naruemon Tantipisanuh, Andrew Tilker, Tim Van Berkel, Leanne K. Van Der Weyde, Matthew Varney, Florian Weise, Ingrid Wiesel, Andreas Wilting, Seth T. Wong, Carly Waterman, Daniel W S Challender

Faculty Journal Articles

Despite being heavily exploited, pangolins (Pholidota: Manidae) have been subject to limited research, resulting in a lack of reliable population estimates and standardised survey methods for the eight extant species. Camera trapping represents a unique opportunity for broad-scale collaborative species monitoring due to its largely non-discriminatory nature, which creates considerable volumes of data on a relatively wide range of species. This has the potential to shed light on the ecology of rare, cryptic and understudied taxa, with implications for conservation decision-making. We undertook a global analysis of available pangolin data from camera trapping studies across their range in Africa and …

New Additions To Turkish Pezizales From The Eastern Black Sea Region, Yasi̇n Uzun, Abdullah Kaya

Turkish Journal of Botany

Ten members of the order Pezizales J.Schröt., namely Pachyella clypeata (Schwein.) Le Gal, Terfezia cistophila Ant. Rodr., Bordallo, Kaounas & A.Morte (Pezizaceae), Genea hispidula Berk. ex Tul. & C.Tul., Lamprospora campylopodis W.D.Buckley, Lamprospora tuberculatella Seaver, Octospora grimmiae Dennis & Itzerott, Octospora lilacina (Seaver) Svr?ek & Kubi?ka, Pulvinula convexella (P.Karst.) Pfister, Ramsbottomia crechqueraultii (P.Crouan & H.Crouan) Benkert & T.Schumach., and Trichophaea gregaria (Rehm) Boud. (Pyronemataceae), are recorded for the first time from Turkey. Brief descriptions and photographs of the taxa are provided.

A New Subspecies Of Saxifraga Artvinensis V.A.Matthews (Saxifragaceae) From Northeastern Anatolia, Sali̇h Terzi̇oğlu, Kami̇l Çoşkunçelebi̇, Murat Erdem Güzel

Turkish Journal of Botany

Saxifraga artvinensis V.A.Matthews, which is endemic to Turkey, was discovered on Tiryal Mountain (A8 Artvin, northeastern Turkey). Approximately 175 km from its type locality, a new population of the species was discovered, in the Picea orientalis forest in the Altındere Valley National Park, in A7 Trabzon (northeastern Turkey). A comparison with the known population of S. artvinensis confirmed that this new population represented a new taxon and is described as S. artvinensis subsp. meryemii Terzioğlu & Coşkunç. An identification key and comparison with closely related taxa, based on both morphological and molecular properties, are also provided. The studied samples, belonging …

Assessing Impacts Of Climate Change On Campanula Yaltirikii H.Duman (Campanulaceae), A Critically Endangered Endemic Species In Turkey, Canan Dülgeroğlu, Ahmet Aksoy

Turkish Journal of Botany

Ecological niche models (ENMs) provide information to assess the effects of environmental and climatic conditions on species distribution. The purpose of this study was to predict the impact of climate change on a critically endangered species, Campanula yaltirikii H.Duman. It is a local endemic chasmophyte from Mt Çığlıkara (Antalya, Turkey), restricted to cracks in calcareous rocks and threatened by goat overgrazing. Current and future ENMs of C. yaltirikii were predicted with a maximum entropy (Maxent) algorithm. The MIROC5 (Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate) climate change scenario for the year 2070 was used for projecting the future ENM of the …

Tricholoma (Fr.) Staude In The Aegean Region Of Turkey, İsmai̇l Şen, Hakan Alli

Turkish Journal of Botany

The Tricholoma biodiversity of the Aegean region of Turkey has been determined and reported in this study. As a consequence of field and laboratory studies, 31 Tricholoma species have been identified, and five of them (T. filamentosum, T. frondosae, T. quercetorum, T. rufenum, and T. sudum) have been reported for the first time from Turkey. The identification key of the determined taxa is given with this study.

Epiphytic Diatoms As Bioindicators Of Trophic Status Of Lake Modrac(Bosnia And Herzegovina), Jasmina Kamberovi?, Vedran Stuhli, Zorana Luki?, Mirela Habibovic, Emina Me?Iki?

Turkish Journal of Botany

Biodiversity of diatoms and applicability of diatom indices in biomonitoring based on littoral epiphytic samples of Lake Modrac were investigated. Diatoms were taken mostly from Phragmites australis stems in 2017, during which physical and chemical parameters of the water were measured. A total of 85 diatom taxa were identified. Gomphonema (13 spp.), Navicula (11 spp.), and Nitzschia (8 spp.) were the most abundant genera. Obtained values of trophic indices (TID, TvD, and TDIL) pointed to meso- to eutrophic status for most localities, while values of the IBD, EPI, ?D, and IPS indices indicated good ecological status, except for localities at …

Necrobiome Framework For Bridging Decomposition Ecology Of Autotrophically And Heterotrophically Derived Organic Matter, M. Eric Benbow, Philip S. Barton, Michael D. Ulyshen, James C. Beasley, Travis L. Devault, Michael S. Strickland, Jeffery K. Tomberlin, Heather R. Jordan, Jennifer L. Pechal

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Decomposition contributes to global ecosystem function by contributing to nutrient recycling, energy flow, and limiting biomass accumulation. The decomposer organisms influencing this process form diverse, complex, and highly dynamic communities that often specialize on different plant or animal resources. Despite performing the same net role, there is a need to conceptually synthesize information on the structure and function of decomposer communities across the spectrum of dead plant and animal resources. A lack of synthesis has limited cross-disciplinary learning and research in important areas of ecosystem and community ecology. Here we expound on the “necrobiome” concept and develop a framework describing …

The Diversity Of Terrestrial Mammals Surrounding Waterfall At Billy Barquedier National Park, Kelsey Johnson, Jason Apple

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Billy Barquedier is a National Park located in the Stann Creek district of Belize that contains Neotropical vegetation and wildlife. This study was performed to provide a baseline inventory and appearance frequency patterns of the terrestrial mammals located within Zone 1 of the park near a waterfall and to gain a greater understanding of the biodiversity and activity patterns of terrestrial mammals within the park. The methods included camera traps, small Sherman live traps, large live traps, and tracking methods. A non-random sampling method of placing camera traps and live traps on or near human-made or animal-made trails was used …

Effectiveness Of Snap And A24-Automated Traps And Broadcast Anticoagulant Bait In Suppressing Commensal Rodents In Hawaii, Aaron B. Shiels, Tyler Bogardus, Jobriath Rohrer, Kapua Kawelo

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Commensal rodents (invasive rats, Rattus spp.; house mice, Mus musculus) are well established globally. They threaten human health by disease transfer and impact economies by causing agricultural damage. On island landscapes, they are frequent predators of native species and affect biodiversity. To provide managers with better information regarding methods to suppress commensal rodent populations in remote island forests, in 2016 we evaluated the effectiveness of continuous rat trapping using snap-traps, Goodnature^®A24 self-resetting rat traps, and a 1-time (2-application) hand-broadcast of anticoagulant rodenticide bait pellets (Diphacinone-50) applied at 13.8 kg/ha per application in a 5-ha forest on Oahu, …

Sea Star Wasting Disease In Pisaster Ochraceus On The Washington Coast And In Puget Sound, Caitlin Wilkes

All Master's Theses

Pisaster ochraceus is a common west coast sea star whose predation of Mytilus californianus (the California mussel) increases the biodiversity of its intertidal community. Sea star wasting disease is an illness that causes sea star tissues to become necrotic until the creature wastes away and dies. In 2013, a coast wide outbreak of sea star wasting disease caused a mass mortality event in P. ochraceus. The goals of this study were to try to identify some of the possible causes for the outbreak, as well as analyze the impact that sea star wasting disease prevalence has on biodiversity. In this …

Spatiotemporal Patterns Of Ground Beetle Diversity (Coleoptera: Carabidae) In A Ramsar Wetland (Chott Tinsilt) Of Algeria, Cherine Amri, Souad Neffar, Nadia Ouchtati, Haroun Chenchouni

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The aim of this study was to investigate the biodiversity and structure of the Carabidae community living at the edges of a Ramsar wetland in northeastern Algeria, as well as to analyze the effect of environmental variables on this Carabidae community. The study site included two stations (T1, T2). From November 2016 to October 2017, the carabidofauna was sampled fortnightly using pitfall traps. The structure and diversity of the beetle community were measured using nonparametric indices, i.e. species richness, diversity indices, accumulation curves, and similarity analysis. Generalized linear mixed effects models (GLMM) were applied to examine the spatiotemporal variation of …

New Species And New Records Of Aphelinus Dalman (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Aphelinidae) From Lagodekhi Reserve (Sakartvelo - Georgia), With Diversity And Distribution Along An Elevational Gradient, George Japoshvili, Levan Mumladze

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The aim of the present study was to investigate species diversity and distribution of Aphelinus species in an elevational gradient in the Lagodekhi Reserve (Sakartvelo - Georgia) throughout a growing season. Two species of Aphelinus Dalman, 1820 (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), A. humilis Mercet and A. thomsoni Graham, are recorded for the first time from Georgia and the Caucasus and two species (A. lagodekhiensis sp. nov. and A. sugonjaevi sp. nov.) are described as new to science. To facilitate species identification we have developed a key to the females of all 24 species of Aphelinus currently known from the Middle East and …

Mapping Status And Conservation Of Global At-Risk Marine Biodiversity, Casey C. O'Hara, Juan Carlos Villaseñor-Derbez, Gina M. Ralph, Benjamin S. Halpern

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

To conserve marine biodiversity, we must first understand the spatial distribution and status of at‐risk biodiversity. We combined range maps and conservation status for 5,291 marine species to map the global distribution of extinction risk of marine biodiversity. We find that for 83% of the ocean, >25% of assessed species are considered threatened, and 15% of the ocean shows >50% of assessed species threatened when weighting for range‐limited species. By comparing mean extinction risk of marine biodiversity to no‐take marine reserve placement, we identify regions where reserves preferentially afford proactive protection (i.e., preserving low‐risk areas) or reactive protection (i.e., mitigating …

The Intrinsic Value Of Nature, Joanna E. Lambert

Animal Sentience

Treves et al. explain the need to preserve the rights of nonhuman species, human youth, and future generations. Although conservation biology has claimed to have an intrinsic valuation ethic since its inception in the 1980s, many aspects of the field have taken a decidedly anthropocentric and instrumentalist trajectory. This has important consequences for conservation-related policy and practice at all scales: local, regional, and global.