Animal Sciences Commons^™

Data From: Mass Mortality Of Avian Migrants In New Mexico, Usa, That Coincided With An Extreme Weather Event, Dylan M. Osterhaus, Allison J. Salas, Patricia L. Cutler, Mara E. Weisenberger, Kerry Mower, Abigail J. Lawon, Timothy F. Wright, Jeanne M. Fair, Martha J. Desmond

Fish, Wildlife, & Conservation Ecology: Datasets

No abstract provided.

Using Genetic Analysis To Infer Familial Relationships Of Westslope Cutthroat Trout In The Lower Priest River, Idaho, Kolby Emtman

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

The Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus lewisi) is a native species of salmonid that holds both cultural and ecological significance in the Idaho Panhandle region of the United States. Within this region, the Priest River is a major contributor of migrant Westslope Cutthroat Trout to the Clark Fork Pend Oreille basin. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of juveniles that have at least one migrant parent, illustrate gene flow using juvenile half sibling relationships, and showcase varying levels of spawning success using juvenile full sibling relationships. Sampling of juvenile individuals occurred in 11 tributaries of the Priest River over …

Impacts Of Offshore Wind Energy Development On The Commercial Sea Scallop Fishery, Sarah Borsetti, Daphne M. Munroe, John M. Klinck, Andrew M. Scheld, Eileen E. Hofmann, Eric N. Powell, David B. Rudders

CCPO Publications

The Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery on the Northeast U.S. continental shelf generates approximately USD 500 million ex-vessel revenues annually, making it one of the most valuable single species fisheries in the United States. Wind energy development is planned for key areas on the U.S. Mid-Atlantic shelf where the Atlantic sea scallop fishery operates, creating novel challenges in managing trade-offs between traditional users like fisheries and new users like offshore wind energy. An agent-based modeling framework that integrates spatial dynamics in Atlantic sea scallop stock biology, fishing fleet behavior, and federal management decisions, was implemented to investigate …

Multiple Burn And Forest Characteristics Affect Gray Fox (Urocyon Cinereoargenteus) Occurrence Following A California Megafire, Amida Zohar Verhey

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In western North American forests, predator communities are faced with changing fire regimes and increased fire severity and size, particularly with megafires (>10,000 ha). As some wildlife communities may restructure following the loss of apex consumers, understanding post-fire space use of mid-trophic carnivores may inform species composition in these forests. I compared gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) occupancy in and around the 2021 Dixie Fire, the largest single-ignition fire in California state history, to examine which spatially variable burn and forest characteristics affected the space use of a widespread generalist mesopredator. Using 210 camera traps placed in 2023, …

Integrating Multi-Method Monitoring To Characterize Seasonal Habitat Use Of Green Sturgeon (Acipenser Medirostris) In Humboldt County, California, Olivia S. Boeberitz

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) are a long-lived, anadromous, iteroparous species that spawns in large West Coast North American rivers but ranges widely in the coastal ocean. For coastal California Native American Tribes, green sturgeon are a vital part of their cultural heritage and traditions, and central to their food security. Two genetically distinct population segments (DPSs) of green sturgeon are recognized in the United States, Canada, and Mexico; the southern DPS is listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act and the northern DPS is considered of “conservation concern.” Although green sturgeon are known to use large estuaries …

Effectiveness Of Walleye Stocking In Winter Kill Lakes, Tyler Haus

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Winter kill events, marked by extensive fish mortality due to hypoxic conditions under the ice, are a common phenomenon in shallow eutrophic lakes, especially in the northern lakes in the northern United States. These events can drastically alter fish communities and often result in the elimination of top predators. Though these lakes will typically slowly bounce back to what they were in a couple of years. This study evaluates the effectiveness of walleye, Sander vitreus, stocking in lakes after a winter kill. For this study, four known winter kill lakes that are consistently stocked with walleye were studied. Pre- …

Assessing Urban–Rural Differences In Largemouth Bass Abundance In Minnesota, Jonathan Gates

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Urbanization can significantly alter freshwater ecosystems and influence sport fish populations. This study examined differences in largemouth bass Micropterus nigricans catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) between urban and rural lakes in Minnesota and evaluated temporal changes between 2000–2010 and 2011–2021. Forty lakes (20 urban, 20 rural) were selected using Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries survey data. Lakes were classified using NLCD 2019 land cover data, with ≥10% developed land designated as urban. Nonparametric analyses (Wilcoxon rank-sum and signed-rank tests) were used to assess spatial and temporal differences in CPUE. Results showed that rural lakes had consistently higher median CPUE than urban lakes …

Statewide Northern Pike Response To Minnesota’S 2018 Regulation Change, Elijah Wozniak

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Management of northern pike (Esox lucius) is challenging because it attempts to balance ecological sustainability with angler interests. Northern pike often stunt their own growth by diminishing the size and abundance of prey fish, their food source. Anglers are often displeased when small pike occur in high population densities. In response to populations of small northern pike, the DNR implemented a new, statewide northern pike regulation in 2018. The objective of this study was to determine whether the regulation successfully changed the mean weight, length, and CPUE of northern pike in Minnesota. The secondary objective was to test …

Neonicotinoid Bioaccumulation In Bluegill And Bullhead Within Lake Julia And Lake Zumwalde, Jake Stuber

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus, Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis, and Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus are unique in their stark differences. Bullhead are scaleless bottom feeders that can tolerate high pollution and low O₂ conditions. In contrast, Bluegill are scaled, aggressive nesters and are less tolerant of high pollutants or low-oxygen conditions. Among these pollutants include a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids (hereafter referred to as neonics). Neonics are a class of insecticides primarily used within agriculture and pest management. Due to the effectiveness, application has escalated on a global scale. They have been well documented by many toxicology assessments. …

Comparison Of Calcified Structures To Estimate Ages Of Northern Pike Esox Lucius In Various Lakes, Kaed Rauk

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Northern pike Esox lucius are a dominant predatory fish in many aquatic systems. They can have significant impacts on the ecosystems they inhabit and are also a popular game fish among anglers. However, northern pike are a difficult species to age accurately. This study aimed to compare calcified aging structures to identify trends and determine which structure provides the most accurate age estimates. A total of 119 northern pike were sampled, and multiple structures from each fish were independently aged by two readers. The coefficient of variation (CV) was calculated for each structure to assess precision. Sectioned sagittal otoliths exhibited …

Size Structure Comparison Of Bluegill In Lakes With And Without Special Regulations, Jenna Lawin

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Lots of individuals have mixed feelings about special regulations for all sorts of game fish species such as northern pike Esox lucius, crappie Pomoxis spp., sunfish Lepomis spp., and so on. One species commonly sought after by many is bluegill Lepomis macrochirus. Bluegill are often deemed easy to find, catch, and clean. This study looks at three different categories of lakes (all lakes contain bluegill populations). The three categories are lakes with a five sunfish limit, lakes with a ten sunfish limit, and lakes without any special regulations. This study provides valuable insight into the size …

Western Massasauga (Sistrurus Tergeminus): A Species Conservation Assessment For The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project, Colleen Rothe-Groleau, Melissa J. Panella

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project recognizes the western massasauga (Sistrurus tergeminus) as a Tier I at-risk species. Provided are some general management recommendations regarding western massasaugas. Conservation practitioners will need to use professional judgment to make specific management decisions based on objectives, location, and a multitude of variables. This resource was designed to share available knowledge of this at-risk species that will aid in the decision-making process or in identifying research needs to benefit the species.

Criteria for selection as Tier I: State listed, G3

Estimated Population in NE: 1,000–2,500

Estimate based on: Field surveys

Trends since 2005 …

Oyster Drill (Stramonita Haemastoma Complex) Habitat Preferences In A Shallow Coastal Estuary, Coen Mcgarrah, Cynthia Lupton, Eric Sparks, Jennifer L. Debose

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Southern oyster drill snails (Stramonita haemastoma complex) are nuisance organisms within the Gulf of Mexico. This is due to their damaging impact on recovering and farmed oyster (Crassostrea virginica) populations, which are one of the drills’ main food sources. Oyster reef recovery and increased aquaculture production are priorities for Mississippi and the wider northern Gulf coast. The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) hosts multiple oyster reef restoration sites within its boundaries, yet no comprehensive survey of oyster drill abundance has been conducted in this area to date. Additionally, knowledge of oyster drill preferences for sediment …

Evaluating Species At Risk In Data-Limited Fisheries: A Productivity-Susceptibility Analysis For Marine Aquarium Fish, Gabrielle A. Baillargeon, Alice A. Wynn, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Michael F. Tlusty, Andrew L. Rhyne

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The marine aquarium trade (MAT) is a significant global industry harvesting millions of wild-caught, live coral reef fishes for public and private aquaria markets in the United States and Europe annually, while supporting fisher livelihoods in the Indo-Pacific. This diverse and species-rich trade is considered data-limited, creating barriers to quantifying the current and future socio-ecological sustainability of the fishery. We present a revised and expanded productivity–susceptibility analysis (PSA) that serves as a holistic risk assessment to estimate the vulnerability of marine aquarium fish to overfishing. Our global analysis includes 306 species that are actively in trade. Improvements to the PSA …

Does Fishery Management For Groupers (Teleostei: Epinephelidae) Protect Them Effectively? Context From The Iucn's Red List Of Threatened Species, Sean T. Fennessy, Christi Linardich, Kevin Rhodes, Joao P. Barreiros, David Pollard, Eloy Sosa-Cordero, Felicia Coleman, Alfonso Aguilar-Perera, Christopher R. Malinowski, Thierry Brulé, Pedro Afonso, Kayan Ma, Min Liu, Muktha Menon, Colin Wen, Stanley K. H. Shea, Sean N. Porter, Matthew Craig, Yvonne Sadovy De Mitcheson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Worldwide, groupers (Epinephelidae) are commercially valued fishes, which also play key ecological roles on tropical and subtropical reefs. In 2007 and 2016, the IUCN's Groupers and Wrasses Specialist Group assessed all 160+ grouper species, with 17 of these being identified as threatened in 2016 and the major threat factor being overexploitation. Our present study aimed to identify whether management measures (MMs) for previously assessed groupers were established, whether these measures aligned with IUCN's Red List categories, and whether they effectively protect grouper populations. Experts in grouper biology and management assigned scores per grouper species based on the extent to which …

How Semiflightless Birds Adapt: A Survey From Barú, Costa Rica, Eli P. Laloudakis

Scripps Senior Theses

When we think of birds, we think of flight. Because of this, scientific research often focuses on how birds evolved flight and how their wings function during flight. However, not all birds can fly or fly well, as wings wax and wane on developmental, seasonal, and evolutionary time scales (Dial and Heers 2021). Consequently, rudimentary wings can be found in developing birds, secondarily flightless or semiflightless birds, birds that undergo simultaneous molts, and extinct theropods with “protowings” (structures that preceded fully functional wings). Secondarily flightless and semiflightless birds often evolve where there is no/low predation, abundant year-round food supply, and …

Compositional And Functional Shifts In Fish Community Structure In Response To Low-Head Dam Removals, Joshua D. Bruegge

Masters Theses

Low-head dams serve as intermittent barriers to aquatic connectivity and directly alter both upstream and downstream habitats and biotic communities. In 2018 and 2019, two low-head dams in the Vermilion River watershed of eastern Illinois were removed, reconnecting over 1,700 kilometers of upstream habitat within the basin. To determine the impacts of these dam removals, fish community surveys were conducted at 12 fixed sites across three reaches in two rivers from 2012-2022. This study assessed reach-specific temporal responses of the fish community and habitat characteristics. I linked trait expressions within the fish community to abiotic variables using the co-inertia RLQ …

Manatee Dock Sign Distribution And Its Influence On Publicly-Sourced Sighting Reports In Alabama, Daniela Payán Arias, Sophia C. Corde, Ruth H. Carmichael

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Microbial Mats In Dinosaur Ichnocoenoses, Nora Noffke, Paul C. Murphy, Roger C. Buntin, Martin G. Lockley

OES Faculty Publications

Until now, the significance of microbial mats in preservation of dinosaur tracks and in reconstructing the palaeoenvironment in which dinosaurs roamed was rarely studied. Dinosaur tracks are commonly found close to ancient aquatic bodies where moist sediment had once allowed footstep registration. At such sites, epibenthic or endobenthic microbial mats may have developed as well and may have led to exquisite track preservation. Microbial mats in coastal, lacustrine or flood plain environments cause 'microbially induced sedimentary structures—MISS', which are micobialites found in sandy or evaporitic settings. The microbial structures record environmental parameters including meteorological conditions that existed at the time …

Indigenizing Aquaculture: In Pursuit Of An Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture System For Enhanced Self-Sufficiency In Akaroa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand, Cali R. Trainor

Capstone Collection

This study assessed the feasibility of integrating two pre-existing aquaculture activities in Akaroa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand into an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system. The cultivation of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) presents an opportunity to improve the sustainability of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) farming by introducing alternative food sources for salmon, which can be used to produce fish feed locally, enhancing the self-sufficiency of the community and boosting the holistic efficiency of the system. Macroinvertebrates residing in giant kelp wrack were collected, identified, and quantified to determine if any of the Macrocystis-associated specimens could serve as …

Impacts Of Nutrient Addition And Disturbance On Coastal Dune Arthropod Communities And Trophic Interactions, Kayla Beitzel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Coastal dune ecosystems face ongoing threats from human-mediated disturbance and altered resource availability. Because these dunes provide critical habitat for many organisms, including shorebirds, beach mice, and arthropods, changes in disturbance regimes or resource availability can impact plant communities and higher trophic levels by altering plant richness and productivity, which in turn influence arthropod abundance and diversity. To examine how disturbance and nutrient addition affect arthropod communities, we established twenty 5×5 m plots on Dauphin Island, crossing mechanical disturbance with a 10 g m⁻² addition of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, replicated across five experimental blocks. Arthropods were sampled using three …

Taxonomy Of Endophytic Fungi Associated With Vallisneria Neotropicalis, Md. Arafat Rashid

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This study presents the first comprehensive taxonomic and ecological investigation of endophytic fungi (EF) associated with the submerged aquatic macrophyte Vallisneria neotropicalis in the southern United States. Over a 12 month period, from April 2023 to March 2024, leaf samples were collected from two distinct sites in Mobile Bay, Alabama a disturbed, brackish Causeway location and a cleaner, less impacted site at Meaher State Park. Using culture dependent methods, a total of 257 fungal endophytes were isolated from 1,200 leaf segments. All isolates belonged to the phylum Ascomycota, distributed across 3 classes, 6 orders, 10 families, and 19 taxa. The …

A Compartmental Model For Annual Blue Whale Migration, Leah Glasser, Christopher Hay-Jahans, Elena Wheatley, Rhianna Yates

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Attributes Of Artificial Wetlands Colonized By Ambystoma Maculatum On A Virginia Surface Mine, Hunter Hill, Garrett Stiltner, Walter H. Smith

Virginia Journal of Science

Landscapes impacted by surface mineral extraction present a range of artificial wetland habitats potentially useable by pool-breeding amphibians, although little information exists in the literature detailing which attributes influence breeding site selection by wetland amphibian specialists in post-mined landscapes. We compared attributes of artificial wetlands consistently used and unused as oviposition sites by Spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) over a six-year period on a 120-ha former surface mine in Wise County, Virginia, USA. Salamanders non-randomly selected wetlands as oviposition sites, with one-third of available wetlands within the study area showing evidence of ovipositioning. Wetlands used as breeding sites were …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 149 - Economic Contribution Of Wild-Catch Fishing In Western Australia, 2024: Beyond Gross Value Of Production, Dipesh Maharjan, Vilaphonh Xayavong, Ben Fraser, Rebecca Thomas

Fisheries Occasional Publications

The wild-catch fishing industry plays a significant role in Western Australia’s economy, particularly in regional communities. This report summarises the economic contribution of the commercial wild-catch fishing sector in 2024, based on REMPLAN’s input-output (I-O) modelling methodology and DPIRD data and analysis. This report focuses on key economic indicators including total economic output, gross value added (GVA), and employment (FTEs).

Key findings:

• Total Economic Output of the wild-catch fishing industry is $1.22 billion (total value of goods and services produced, including intermediate inputs)
• Gross Value Added (GVA) of the wild-catch fishing industry is $487 million (value of profit, wages, salaries …

First Report Of Fibropapillomatosis And Critical Habitat Use In Green Sea Turtles In Curaçao, M. Tripepi, I. J. R. Van Veghel, A. D. Vreugdenhil, E. Brunelli

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Fibropapillomatosis, a disease affecting green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), has been documented in many regions of the world, including the Caribbean, but has not been scientifically reported in Curaçao until now. The present study utilized VHF telemetry in Caracas Bay, Curaçao, to track green sea turtles, both healthy and affected by fibropapillomatosis, with the objective of ascertaining their foraging locations. VHF telemetry proved to be a pivotal method for assessing habitat use in areas characterized by limited visibility and high boat traffic, conditions that present significant challenges for divers and snorkellers attempting to access the area. The results …

Methodology For Environmental Toxicology: Assessing Feeding And Rearing Strategies In Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Nigricans) Larvae, Amber Hitchins, Hannah Mcneese, Deise Cruz, Andrew Todd, Maria Sepúlveda, Tyler Hoskins

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are an anthropogenic group of chemicals known for their persistence in the environment and their potential to bioaccumulate. PFAS can bioaccumulate in largemouth bass (Micropterus nigricans), yet the effects of exposure on bass larvae are unknown. While largemouth bass are commonly raised for aquaculture, techniques for rearing bass which enable controlled experiments at known densities, a necessity for toxicity studies, are poorly understood. Furthermore, the live prey typically used in existing approaches are not suitable for PFAS studies due to high background concentrations. The objective of this project was to assess different venues …

Distributional Records Of Blanding’S Turtles (Emydoidea Blandingii) In Nebraska, Sam Thede, Dan Fogell, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) is a species of concern in North America as many populations have declined across its distribution. Environmental factors associated with alteration of natural ecosystems have played a role in declines leading to many isolated populations. Most populations exist in the Great Lakes region with a number of outlying populations, such as Nebraska. Understanding the current distribution of the species will facilitate regional management strategies to protect this species into the future. In Nebraska, Blanding’s Turtles were known from 23 counties prior to this study. Herein, we report on eight new county records, five (Blaine, …

Stream Fish Assemblage Dynamics And Barriers To Aquatic Connectivity In The Ichawaynochaway Creek Watershed, Georgia, Usa, Jake R. Duhé

LSU Master's Theses

Stream fishes in the southeastern United States are adapted to hydrological disturbances such as droughts. However, this region is projected to experience increasingly frequent and severe disturbances that will elevate water demands given increasing agricultural and urban development. Further, road-stream crossings (RSCs) are abundant features in these streams that can exacerbate drought-mediated stream fragmentation and impede movements by many aquatic organisms, including fishes, when poorly constructed. These compounding effects may adversely affect the diversity and abundances of resident stream fishes, but their interactions remain poorly understood, warranting rigorous testing of how droughts and RSCs influence stream fish dynamics. I assessed …

More Equal Than Others: Taxonomic Bias In Animal Management, Barrett L. Christie

Animal Sentience

Oldfield & Bonano (2024) point out not only the scarcity of research on fish welfare but also significant taxonomic bias in broader research on these species. This bias extends to the management practices of aquaria and zoos, where the focus is on higher vertebrates. More resources need to be allocated to research to address this disparity. We also need to develop welfare constructs that recognize the inherent differences between aquatic and terrestrial species, taking into account the unique ecological contexts and behavioral patterns of fishes.