Animal Sciences Commons^™

Unraveling The Behavioral Ecology Of The Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake (Crotalus Atrox) Through The Lenses Of Personality, Predator-Prey Interactions, And Crypsis, Oceane Da Cunha

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

To thrive in an environment, individuals need to be able to forage efficiently and acquire mates. These resources are limited, and their acquisition depends upon the energy and time an individual chooses to allocate to each activity and the environmental conditions, leading to behavioral trade-offs. Different species, or even different individuals within the same population, respond to these trade-offs by employing contrasting strategies, leading to differential life-history outcomes. The overarching goal of this dissertation is to gain a better understanding of the trade-offs cryptic ambush mesopredators are facing using the western diamond-backed rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) as a model species. Each …

Avian Communities Monitored Along A Successional Chronosequence In Bottomland Hardwood Forests In The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Eamonn Alasdair Thurmond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bottomland hardwood forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley have been extensively reduced due to agriculture conversion and altered hydrology. Remnant forests have undergone further degradation from sources such as a lack of forest management, invasive species, and reduced regeneration of oaks (Quercus spp.). Recent restoration efforts of bottomland hardwood forests have focused on implementing wildlife forestry practices that prioritize restoring wildlife habitat while retaining profitable timber harvests. In this study I surveyed bird communities in bottomland hardwood forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley along a successional chronosequence. Birds were sampled using automated recording units over 10 days …

Phylogenetic And Biogeographic Patterns Of Devonian Proetid Trilobites, Katherine Jane Jordan

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Ecological disruption events such as mass extinctions can result in the permanent alteration in clades and ecosystems. A pivotal time of change during the history of life on Earth can be seen in the Devonian Period. During this time, major transitions in marine and terrestrial system resulted in a different world at the end of the period in comparison to the beginning. One such group most heavily impacted were trilobites. Trilobites were reduced to one order by the end of the Devonian: Proetida. My dissertation focuses on phylogenetic, biogeographic, and paleocommunity patterns of this group, known as the last of …

Species Vary In Within-Species Variability, Jennifer Vonk

Animal Sentience

Owens et al. (2024) add to the growing voices stressing the importance of considering individual differences in animal welfare and conservation. I advocate for an additional emphasis on the importance of between species comparisons of the degree of individual variation in cognition and emotion within species. A better understanding of the factors predicting within-species variability will help conservationists target their efforts. Additionally, I caution against invoking circularity in using “behavioural traits” to predict related behaviours.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Rocky Mountain Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes Macroura), Eleanor P. Gaines

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Rocky Mountain red fox (Vulpes vulpes macroura) using NatureServe methodology, 2024.

Populations Of The Stygobiotic Amphipod Palearcticarellus Pusillus (Martynov, 1930) Maintain Genetic Connectivity Between The Mountain Springs And The Deep Bottom Habitats Of Lake Teletskoye (Altai Mountains, Russia), Ivan Marin, Liubov Yanygina, Svetlana Ostroukhova, Dmitry Palatov

International Journal of Speleology

The diversity of underground fauna is often associated with the presence of karst areas, which have extensive underground cavities and connecting channels. Non-karst areas, however, make up a larger portion of the planet’ surface, and our understanding of the distribution and dispersal abilities of underground fauna in these areas currently remains limited. During a recent study of the diversity of stygobiotic crustaceans in the mountain streams of the Kurai Mountain Range (Altai, Russia), a small-sized species of crangonyctid amphipod, Palearcticarellus pusillus (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Crangonyctidae) was found in high-altitude springs. This species has been previously known only from deep-water habitats in …

Microplastic Accumulation In The Marsh Periwinkle (Littoraria Irrorata), Sarah Keaton, Hannah Lukhard, Eli Windy, Manar Hasan

DePaul Discoveries

Contamination of oceans by microplastics (mm) currently poses a major threat to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Recent attention towards this issue has raised questions about the extent to which microplastics have accumulated in the environment, and has led to an increase in studies on the effects of microplastics in various organisms. However, levels of contamination in protected natural areas are still largely unexplored, yet can offer an important empirical perspective on the issue. In addition, little is known about the potential effects of microplastics on behavior in the field. This research was conducted within the protected ACE Basin National …

Limited Thermal Plasticity In High Mountain Tropical Water Bear, Juan Manuel Carvajalino-Fernández, Valentina Diaz-Galvis, Alan Dante Torres-Jaramillo

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Tardigrades, a phylum of microscopic organisms well known for their resistance to extreme conditions thanks to adaptations such as cryptobiosis, in which they are able to suspend their metabolism until more favorable conditions arise. These organisms are found in a wide range of environments, and high Andean mountains are not the exception, even though weather conditions are highly variable during the day, let alone a month. An experiment was thus conducted at 2600m in Bogotá, Colombia to evaluate the resistance of Macrobiotus sp. found on trees, three sets of fifteen tardigrades were exposed to 20 °C, 30 °C and 40 …

Artificial Light At Night On Nesting Beaches Of The Green Turtle, Chelonia Mydas, In The Eastern Mediterranean And Its Possible Effect On Populations, Noam Leader, Yaniv Levy, Oğuz Türkozan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Artificial light associated with coastal development is becoming one of the major threats to coastal biodiversity. Sea turtles are coastal breeders, and it is well-known that hatchlings tend to move toward lighter objects on the beach, which prevents them from reaching the sea. It is, therefore, essential to identify the impact of artificial light at night (ALAN) on the nesting beaches. Here, we investigated ALAN levels using imagery from satellites at important green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting beaches in the Mediterranean. Mean August radiance levels at nesting beaches ranged from 0.00473 nW/cm2sr (Northern Cyprus-South Karpaz Beach) to 14.44 nW/cm2sr (Turkey …

Spatial And Temporal Nesting Pattern Of Sea Turtles In Alas Purwo National Park, And Itsimplications For Conservation Management Practices, Nia Kurniawan, Novita Kusuma Wardani, Noviyani Utami, Muhammad Asyraf Rijalullah, Miftah Farid Assiddiqy, Awang Gitayana, Hartono Hartono, Muhammad Fathoni, Andreas Bandang Hardian

Turkish Journal of Zoology

As a sea turtle conservation area, Alas Purwo National Park (APNP) shows different patterns in the four species of turtles thathave nesting records, such as an increase in Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), stability in Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), anda decline in Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). During the survey, which lastedfrom January to July 2023, we discovered that each type of sea turtle preferred nesting sites at specific hypothetical stations, except forthe L. olivacea, which nested at all hypothetical stations along Pancur-Cungur Coast. We also discovered that it is highly encouragedto continue relocations that have …

Modeling Habitat Suitability And Current Distribution Of The Relicted Maghreb Magpie (Pica Mauritanica), Kamel Eddine Mederbal, Mohcen Menaa, Abdallah Aouadi, Lamia Boutabia, Lamia Bensaâd-Bendjedid, Khalladi Mederbal, Amira Bouderbala, Abderrahmane Chebli, Salah Telailia

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauritanica) is an endemic bird to North Africa, encompassing Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Unfortunately, its population is facing a significant decline primarily attributed to habitat loss and fragmentation resulting from urbanization and agricultural practices. Due to the lack of studies on habitat requirements of Pica mauritanica on a large scale, investigating the habitat preferences of this species and thereby understanding the potential threats, remains crucial for effective conservation strategies. We performed species distribution modeling (SDM), incorporating both occurrence records and predictor variables, to investigate the potentially suitable habitat and the factors influencing the distribution of the …

Identification Of Blood Meals In Field Collected Culex Pipiens, Anopheles Sacharovi And Culex Tritaeniorhynchus (Diptera: Culicidae) Using The Elisa Method, Fatma Bursali, Gi̇zem Anti̇ka, Sare İlknur Yavaşoğlu, Fati̇h Mehmet Şi̇mşek

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Information obtained about the blood feeding behavior of mosquito populations in nature is important for understanding their vectorial capacity and evaluating their potential role in the transmission of vector-borne diseases. This study investigated the feeding patterns of Culex pipiens, Anopheles sacharovi and Culex tritaeniorhynchus by using ELISA method. A total of 435 blood-fed females were collected from the Aegean and Mediterranean regions of Türkiye between May 2021-September 2023. The types and numbers of potential domestic animal hosts were recorded in each village. Of the 372 blood meals tested, 348 gave a single host positive result mainly on bovine and human, …

Biostratigraphic Revision Of Esthonyx (Tillidontia, Mammalia) In The Contect Of Climate Change In The Lower Eocene Of The Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, John Colter Johnson

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Esthonyx is an early Eocene tillodont found in North America, Europe, and India. The genus was named by Edward Drinker (E. D.) Cope in 1874 based on specimens from the San Jose Formation in New Mexico. Since then, several species of Esthonyx have been described from North America alone. The best record of Esthonyx comes from the central Bighorn Basin (BHB) in Wyoming, where it appears in 220 localities in a 640 m-thick stratigraphic succession. Since the last summary of Esthonyx in the BHB, several hundred new specimens have been collected and curated at the Denver Museum of Nature and …

Identifying The Relative Abundance Of Cell-Cell Signaling Peptides During Mammalian Hibernation And Anesthetic Administration By Label-Free Peptidomics Analysis, Somayeh Mousavi

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Cell-cell signaling molecules known as neuropeptide and peptide hormones, distributed in both the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS), regulate a variety of physiological processes including body temperature, feeding, circadian rhythm, reproduction, energy homeostasis, and more. While a number of active neuropeptides structures with physiological functions have been discovered, advances in peptidomic mass spectrometry are enabling researchers to uncover novel, previously unknown, active neuropeptide structures with potential for bioactivities. Using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), it is possible to identify a wide range of neuropeptides in single experiments without preselecting specific peptides. Mass …

Spatial Ecology Of Mountain Lions Throughout Their Distribution In California, Kyle Duncan Dougherty

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) have been studied extensively throughout their wide geographic distribution in the Western Hemisphere, but most research has been conducted at relatively small spatial scales. We used GPS telemetry data contributed by researchers in 16 study areas throughout California to advance understanding of mountain lion spatial ecology. First, we investigated multi-scale resource selection of mountain lions relative to spatially varying risk of intentional human-caused mortality associated with livestock depredation management. We show that individuals that proactively avoided mortality risk when selecting home ranges were able to relax their avoidance of risk when making resource selection …

Spatial Ecology Of Mountain Lions Throughout Their Distribution In California, Kyle D. Dougherty

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) have been studied extensively throughout their wide geographic distribution in the Western Hemisphere, but most research has been conducted at relatively small spatial scales. We used GPS telemetry data contributed by researchers in 16 study areas throughout California to advance understanding of mountain lion spatial ecology. First, we investigated multi-scale resource selection of mountain lions relative to spatially varying risk of intentional human-caused mortality associated with livestock depredation management. We show that individuals that proactively avoided mortality risk when selecting home ranges were able to relax their avoidance of risk when making resource selection …

Trypanosomiasis And Its Diagnostic Techniques In Camel: A Comprehensive Review, Muhammad Aqeel, Amjad Hussain Mirani, Parvez Ahmed Khoso, Jam Kashif Sahito, Abdul Latif Bhutto, Riaz Ahmed Leghari, Muhammad Mohsen Rahimoon, Nuzhat Parveen Junejo

Journal of Bioresource Management

Trypanosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Trypanosoma, poses a significant threat to camel populations worldwide. This study designed for the diagnostic techniques used for detecting Trypanosoma infections specifically in camels. The disease, commonly known as camel trypanosomiasis or surra, adversely impacts the health and productivity of camels, thereby affecting livelihoods dependent on these animals. Various diagnostic methods are employed for the detection of Trypanosoma infection in camels, including microscopic examination of blood smears, serological tests like ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay), and molecular techniques such as PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction). Each method has its strengths and …

Oregon State Ranking Assessment For Lewis's Woodpecker (Melanerpes Lewis), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon State Ranking Assessment for Lewis's woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) by the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, following NatureServe 2024 methodology.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Black-Backed Woodpecker (Picoides Arcticus), Eleanor P. Gaines

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) using NatureServe methodology, 2024.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Western Toad (Anaxyrus Boreas), Eleanor P. Gaines

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Western toad (Anaxyrus boreas) using NatureServe methodology, 2024.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Golden Eagle (Aquila Chrysaetos), Misty Nelson, Eleanor P. Gaines

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) using NatureServe methodology, 2024.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Penicillatus), Misty Nelson, Eleanor P. Gaines

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Brandt's cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) using NatureServe methodology, 2024.

Geographic Distribution: Smilisca Baudinii (Mexican Treefrog). Usa: Florida: Escambia Co., Louis A. Somma, Justin K. Anto, Jakira A. Davis

Papers in Herpetology

Geographic distribution note for Smilisca baudinii, the Mexican treefrog, from Escambia County, Florida, United States.

Nou Spring Field Days And Annual Meeting, 125th Anniversary Of The Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Birding Bowl Kickoff Weekend, Lincoln, Mary 3–5, 2024, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

The NOU Annual Meeting and Spring Field Days were held in Lincoln on May 3-5, 2024, with 80 in attendance. This year is the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, and this meeting also served as the kickoff of the Nebraska Birding Bowl.

Field trips were led by Olivia DaRugna, Thane Dinsdale, Joe Gubanyi, Thomas Labedz, Jason St. Sauver, T. J. Walker, and Michael Willison. Destinations included Wilderness Park, Bluestem Lake SRA, Killdeer WMA, Cottontail WMA, Pawnee Lake SRA, Branched Oak Lake, Butler County Prairie-Chicken lek, Marsh Wren Saline Wetland, Spring Creek Prairie, and Conestoga Lake …

The Nebraska Bird Review (June 2024) 92(2), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Spring Field Report, March–May 2024, by W. Ross Silcock

The Early Years of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union: People and Publications, by Daniel W. Leger

NOU Spring Field Days and Annual Meeting, 125th Anniversary of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Birding Bowl Kickoff Weekend, Lincoln, May 3–5, 2024, by Janis Paseka

Subscription and Organization Information

Spring Field Report, March–May 2024, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

A major concern this spring was the widely lamented shortfall in numbers of migrant warblers and the shortened duration of the migration, with most sightings relatively early. Numbers of migrant warblers east of the 100th meridian were investigated by Joel Jorgensen and Stephen Brenner and the scarcity was indeed found to be supported by eBird data; see the “News and Updates” section in Birds of Nebraska-Online (BONO). At Oliver Reservoir in the Panhandle, however, Steven Mlodinow found that migration was at least normal for a range of common migrants, with some migrants above the levels of the last four years. …

The Mayfly Newsletter, Donna Giberson

The Mayfly Newsletter

The Mayfly Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Permanent Committee of the International Conferences on Ephemeroptera.

Identifying Dietary Timing Of Organic Trace Minerals To Reduce The Incidence Of Osteomyelitis Lameness In Broiler Chickens Using The Aerosol Transmission Model, Khawla Alharbi, Andi Asnayanti, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Ruvindu Perera, Layla Al-Mitib, Abdulkarim Shwani, Marco A. Rebollo, Michael T. Kidd, Adnan Ali Khalaf Alrubaye

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Our prior research demonstrated a 20% to 25% reduction in bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness in broilers with organic Zn, Mn, and Cu (Availa^® ZMC) supplementation. Expanding on this, we investigated the optimal timing for Availa^® ZMC feeding to mitigate BCO lameness and reduce feed additive costs in the poultry industry. In this study, we compared the application of 0.15% Availa^® ZMC for 56 days, the first 28 days, and the last 28 days. The experimental design was a randomized block design involving 1560 one-day-old chicks distributed across two wire-floor pens as BCO source infection and …

The Early Years Of The Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union: People And Publications, Daniel W. Leger

Nebraska Bird Review

Nebraska once boasted that it had the greatest avian biodiversity of any state. Today, such a claim seems preposterous, but when it was made, back in 1899, it was serious. The antecedents of that claim underlie the objective of this article, namely to describe the early history of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union (NOU), its founding members, and its publications, one of which, the Nebraska Bird Review, you are reading today.

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To say that many changes have occurred in ornithology and birding since the NOU started in 1899 would be a severe understatement. Most of these changes have …

Male Song Structure Predicts Offspring Recruitment To The Breeding Population In A Migratory Bird, Rachael A. Disciullo, Anna M. Forsman, Robert R. Fitak, John Hunt, Pirmin Nietlisbach, Charles F. Thompson, Scott K. Sakaluk

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Bird song is a classic example of a sexually selected trait, but much of the work relating individual song components to fitness has not accounted for song typically being composed of multiple, often-correlated components, necessitating a multivariate approach. We explored the role of sexual selection in shaping the complex male song of house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) by simultaneously relating its multiple components to fitness using multivariate selection analysis, which is widely used in insect and anuran studies but not in birds. The analysis revealed significant variation in the form and strength of selection acting on song across different …