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Old Dominion University

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Articles 151 - 180 of 476

Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

Beyond Zar: The Use And Abuse Of Classification Statistics For Otolith Chemistry, C. M. Jones, M. Palmers, J. J. Schaffler Jan 2017

Beyond Zar: The Use And Abuse Of Classification Statistics For Otolith Chemistry, C. M. Jones, M. Palmers, J. J. Schaffler

OES Faculty Publications

Classification method performance was evaluated using otolith chemistry of juvenile Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus when assumptions of data normality were met and were violated. Four methods were tested [linear discriminant function analysis (LDFA), quadratic discriminant function analysis (QDFA), random forest (RF) and artificial neural networks (ANN)] using computer simulation to determine their performance when variable-group means ranged from small to large and their performance under conditions of typical skewness to double the amount of skewness typically observed. Using the kappa index, the parametric methods performed best after applying appropriate data transformation, gaining 2% better performance with LDFA performing slightly better …

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Effects Of Nonaerated Circulation Water Velocity On Nutrient Release From Aquaculture Pond Sediments, Xiangju Cheng, Dantong Zhu, Xixi Wang, Deguang Yu, Jun Xie Jan 2017

Effects Of Nonaerated Circulation Water Velocity On Nutrient Release From Aquaculture Pond Sediments, Xiangju Cheng, Dantong Zhu, Xixi Wang, Deguang Yu, Jun Xie

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Sustaining good water quality in aquaculture ponds is vital. Without an aerator, the dissolved oxygen in ponds comes primarily from mass transfer at the water-ambient atmosphere interface. As sediment can seriously affect water quality, this study used indoor experiments to examine the nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) release mechanisms and fluxes from sediment in aquaculture ponds with moving water but no aeration. The results showed that the ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration in the overlying water was inversely proportional to flow velocity and that a higher flow velocity tended to result in a lower concentration in the overlying water, a …

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Tick Haller's Organ, A New Paradigm For Arthropod Olfaction: How Ticks Differ From Insects, Ann L. Carr, Robert D. Michell Iii, Anirudh Dhammi, Brooke W. Bissinger, Daniel E. Sonenshine, R. Michael Roe Jan 2017

Tick Haller's Organ, A New Paradigm For Arthropod Olfaction: How Ticks Differ From Insects, Ann L. Carr, Robert D. Michell Iii, Anirudh Dhammi, Brooke W. Bissinger, Daniel E. Sonenshine, R. Michael Roe

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Ticks are the vector of many human and animal diseases; and host detection is critical to this process. Ticks have a unique sensory structure located exclusively on the 1st pairs of legs; the fore-tarsal Haller's organ, not found in any other animals, presumed to function like the insect antennae in chemosensation but morphologically very different. The mechanism of tick chemoreception is unknown. Utilizing next-generation sequencing and comparative transcriptomics between the 1st and 4th legs (the latter without the Haller's organ), we characterized 1st leg specific and putative Haller's organ specific transcripts from adult American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis. The …

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Fit To Predict? Ecoinformatics For Predicting The Catchability Of A Pelagic Fish In Near Real-Time, Kylie L. Scales, Elliot L. Hazen, Sara M. Maxwell, Heidi Dewar, Suzanne Kohin, Michael G. Jacox, Christopher A. Edwards, Dana K. Briscoe, Larry B. Crowder, Rebecca L. Lewison, Steven J. Bograd Jan 2017

Fit To Predict? Ecoinformatics For Predicting The Catchability Of A Pelagic Fish In Near Real-Time, Kylie L. Scales, Elliot L. Hazen, Sara M. Maxwell, Heidi Dewar, Suzanne Kohin, Michael G. Jacox, Christopher A. Edwards, Dana K. Briscoe, Larry B. Crowder, Rebecca L. Lewison, Steven J. Bograd

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The ocean is a dynamic environment inhabited by a diverse array of highly migratory species, many of which are under direct exploitation in targeted fisheries. The timescales of variability in the marine realm coupled with the extreme mobility of ocean-wandering species such as tuna and billfish complicates fisheries management. Developing ecoinformatics solutions that allow for near real-time prediction of the distributions of highly mobile marine species is an important step towards the maturation of dynamic ocean management and ecological forecasting. Using 25 years (1990-2014) of NOAA fisheries' observer data from the California drift gillnet fishery, we model relative probability of …

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Reproductive Competency And Mitochondrial Variation In Aged Syrian Hamster Oocytes, Fang Li, Frank J. Castora, Wentia Ford, Khalid Alarid, Howard W. Jones Jr., R. James Swanson Jan 2017

Reproductive Competency And Mitochondrial Variation In Aged Syrian Hamster Oocytes, Fang Li, Frank J. Castora, Wentia Ford, Khalid Alarid, Howard W. Jones Jr., R. James Swanson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The hamster is a useful model of human reproductive biology because its oocytes are similar to those in humans in terms of size and structural stability. In the present study we evaluated fecundity rate, ovarian follicular numbers, ova production, mitochondrial number, structure and function, and cytoplasmic lamellae (CL) in young (2–4 months) and old (12–18 months) Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Young hamsters had higher fertilisation rates and larger litters than old hamsters (100 vs 50% and 9.3 +/- 0.6 vs 5.5 +/- 0.6, respectively). Ovarian tissue from superovulated animals showed a 46% decrease in preantral follicles in old …

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The Conservation Status Of Marine Bony Shorefishes Of The Greater Caribbean, Kent E. Carptenter, Christi Linardich, Gina Ralph, N. Cox, D. R. Robertson, H. Harwell, A. Acero P., W. Anderson Jr., F. Barthelat, J. -L. Bouchereau, J. J. Brown, J. Buchanan, D. Buddo, B. Collette, M. Comeros-Raynal, M. Craig, M. Curtis, T. Defex, J. Dooley, W. Driggers Iii, C. Elfes Livsey, T. Fraser, R. Gilmore Jr., L. Grijalba Bendeck, A. Hines, R. Kishore, K. Lindeman, J. -P. Maréchal, J. Mceachran, R. Mcmanus, J. Moore, T. Munroe, H. Oxenford, F. Pezold, F. Pina Amargós, A. Polanco Fernandez, B. Polidoro, C. Pollock, R. Robins, B. Russell, C. Sayer, S. Williams Jan 2017

The Conservation Status Of Marine Bony Shorefishes Of The Greater Caribbean, Kent E. Carptenter, Christi Linardich, Gina Ralph, N. Cox, D. R. Robertson, H. Harwell, A. Acero P., W. Anderson Jr., F. Barthelat, J. -L. Bouchereau, J. J. Brown, J. Buchanan, D. Buddo, B. Collette, M. Comeros-Raynal, M. Craig, M. Curtis, T. Defex, J. Dooley, W. Driggers Iii, C. Elfes Livsey, T. Fraser, R. Gilmore Jr., L. Grijalba Bendeck, A. Hines, R. Kishore, K. Lindeman, J. -P. Maréchal, J. Mceachran, R. Mcmanus, J. Moore, T. Munroe, H. Oxenford, F. Pezold, F. Pina Amargós, A. Polanco Fernandez, B. Polidoro, C. Pollock, R. Robins, B. Russell, C. Sayer, S. Williams

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The greater Caribbean biogeographic region covered in this report (representing 38 countries and territories) encompasses an outstanding marine bony shorefish richness of approximately 1,360 species, with many (53%) being endemic. This report provides an overview of the conservation status of greater Caribbean shorefishes, with detailed information available through the IUCN Red List, and gives recommendations.

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Occupancy Rates And Detection Probabilities Of Red-Backed Salamanders On The Virginia Fall Line, Jay D. Mcghee Apr 2016

Occupancy Rates And Detection Probabilities Of Red-Backed Salamanders On The Virginia Fall Line, Jay D. Mcghee

Virginia Journal of Science

To meet the conservation needs of declining amphibian populations, there is a need to assess monitoring techniques in various habitat types and seasons. I assessed detection rates and proportion of area occupied via transect monitoring for red-backed salamanders at a site along the Virginia Fall Line in Doswell, Virginia. I established 24 transects in a 3.2-ha area in both riparian and upland habitats. Objects providing natural cover along these transects were sampled 3 times a week in fall and spring over a two-year period. Models of occupancy and detection were developed and compared using Akaike’s Information Criterion. Based on 113 …

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Section Abstracts: Agriculture, Forestry And Aquaculture Apr 2016

Section Abstracts: Agriculture, Forestry And Aquaculture

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Agriculture, Forestry and Aquaculture Section for the 94th Annual Virginia Academy of Science Meeting, May 18-20, 2016, at University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA.

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Damsels In Distress: A Preliminary Assessment Of Pomacentridae Extinction Risk, Allison Roberts Feb 2016

Damsels In Distress: A Preliminary Assessment Of Pomacentridae Extinction Risk, Allison Roberts

Undergraduate Research Symposium

The family Pomacentridae is among the most diverse of the perciformes, boasting 400 different species of damselfish. These fish are found in coral reefs of varying depths around the world, most of which risk great damage due to climate change. In addition, many species are key components of the ornamental aquarium trade. Considering these threats, the importance of examining the state of Pomacentridae is paramount in examining the health of our oceans. Using IUCN Red List methods, preliminary data suggests some species of damselfish are at elevated risk of extinction.

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The Small Mammals Of Southeastern Virginia As Revealed By Pitfall Trapping, Robert K. Rose Jan 2016

The Small Mammals Of Southeastern Virginia As Revealed By Pitfall Trapping, Robert K. Rose

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Pitfall trapping is a poor method to catch small mammals but the only way to catch and study the Southeastern Shrew (Sorex longirostris), the primary mammal of interest in the field studies reported here. While learning much about its distribution and abundance, still more was learned about the other small mammals present in forests and fields of eastern Virginia. A total of 15 species was captured at 19 locations during the 1990-2013 period, including five shrews, two moles, and eight rodents, representing all but one of the common small mammals in eastern Virginia.

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Draft Genome Sequences For Seven Streptococcus Parauberis Isolates From Wild Fish In The Chesapeake Bay, Ashley Haines, Emily Nebergall, Elvira Besong, Kimaya Council, Onaysha Lambert, David Gauthier Jan 2016

Draft Genome Sequences For Seven Streptococcus Parauberis Isolates From Wild Fish In The Chesapeake Bay, Ashley Haines, Emily Nebergall, Elvira Besong, Kimaya Council, Onaysha Lambert, David Gauthier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Streptococcus parauberis is a pathogen of cattle and fish, closely related Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus iniae. We report the genomes of seven S. parauberis strains recovered from striped bass (Morone saxatilis) in the Chesapeake Bay. The availability of these genomes will allow comparative genomic analysis of Chesapeake Bay S. parauberis strains versus S. parauberis cultured from other animal hosts and geographic regions.

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Red List Of Marine Bony Fishes Of The Eastern Central Atlantic, Beth Polidoro, Gina Ralph, Kyle Strongin, Michael Harvey, Kent Carpenter, Titus Ayo Adeofe, Rachel Arnold, Paul Bannerman, Jean Noel Bibang Bi Nguema, Jack Buchanan, Khairdine Mohamed Abdallahi Camara, Youssouf Hawa Camara, Kadiatou Cissoko, Bruce B. Collette, Mia T. Comeros-Raynal, Godefroy De Bruyne, Madeleine Diouf, Roger Djiman, Mathieu Ducrocq, Ofer Gon, Antony S. Harold, Heather Harwell, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Andrew Hines, P. Alexander Hulley, Tomio Iwamoto, Steen Knudsen, Jean De Dieu Lewembe, Christi Linardich, Ken Lindeman, Ebou Mass Mbye, Jean Egard Mikolo, Vanda Monteiro, Jean Bernard Mougoussi, Thomas Munroe, Jean Hervé Mve Beh, Francis K.E. Nunoo, Caroline Pollock, Stuart Poss, Richmond Quartey, Barry Russell, Alphonse Sagna, Catherine Sayer, Aboubacar Sidibe, William Smith-Vaniz, Emilie Stump, Mor Sylla, Luis Tito De Morais, Jean-Christophe Vié, Akanbi Williams Jan 2016

Red List Of Marine Bony Fishes Of The Eastern Central Atlantic, Beth Polidoro, Gina Ralph, Kyle Strongin, Michael Harvey, Kent Carpenter, Titus Ayo Adeofe, Rachel Arnold, Paul Bannerman, Jean Noel Bibang Bi Nguema, Jack Buchanan, Khairdine Mohamed Abdallahi Camara, Youssouf Hawa Camara, Kadiatou Cissoko, Bruce B. Collette, Mia T. Comeros-Raynal, Godefroy De Bruyne, Madeleine Diouf, Roger Djiman, Mathieu Ducrocq, Ofer Gon, Antony S. Harold, Heather Harwell, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Andrew Hines, P. Alexander Hulley, Tomio Iwamoto, Steen Knudsen, Jean De Dieu Lewembe, Christi Linardich, Ken Lindeman, Ebou Mass Mbye, Jean Egard Mikolo, Vanda Monteiro, Jean Bernard Mougoussi, Thomas Munroe, Jean Hervé Mve Beh, Francis K.E. Nunoo, Caroline Pollock, Stuart Poss, Richmond Quartey, Barry Russell, Alphonse Sagna, Catherine Sayer, Aboubacar Sidibe, William Smith-Vaniz, Emilie Stump, Mor Sylla, Luis Tito De Morais, Jean-Christophe Vié, Akanbi Williams

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Red List of marine bony fishes of the Eastern Central Atlantic (ECA) is a review of the conservation status of all native marine bony fishes in ECA according to the global Categories and Criteria of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It identifies those species that are threatened with extinction at the global level and occur within the ECA region. This comprehensive assessment, which is the first of its kind in the ECA, aims to provide improved knowledge of species presence and extinction risk status for the purposes of guiding conservation actions and improved policies for these species …

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A Highly Sensitive Underwater Video System For Use In Turbid Aquaculture Ponds, Chin-Chang Hung, Shih-Chieh Tsao, Kuo-Hao Huang, Hsu-Kunag Chang, Fred C. Dobbs Jan 2016

A Highly Sensitive Underwater Video System For Use In Turbid Aquaculture Ponds, Chin-Chang Hung, Shih-Chieh Tsao, Kuo-Hao Huang, Hsu-Kunag Chang, Fred C. Dobbs

OES Faculty Publications

The turbid, low-light waters characteristic of aquaculture ponds have made it difficult or impossible for previous video cameras to provide clear imagery of the ponds' benthic habitat. We developed a highly sensitive, underwater video system (UVS) for this particular application and tested it in shrimp ponds having turbidities typical of those in southern Taiwan. The system's high-quality video stream and images, together with its camera capacity (up to nine cameras), permit in situ observations of shrimp feeding behavior, shrimp size and internal anatomy, and organic matter residues on pond sediments. The UVS can operate continuously and be focused remotely, a …

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The Contribution Of Marine Aggregate-Associated Bacteria To The Accumulation Of Pathogenic Bacteria In Oysters: An Agent-Based Model, Andrew M. Kramer, J. Evan Ward, Fred C. Dobbs, Melissa L. Pierce Jan 2016

The Contribution Of Marine Aggregate-Associated Bacteria To The Accumulation Of Pathogenic Bacteria In Oysters: An Agent-Based Model, Andrew M. Kramer, J. Evan Ward, Fred C. Dobbs, Melissa L. Pierce

OES Faculty Publications

Bivalves process large volumes of water, leading to their accumulation of bacteria, including potential human pathogens (e.g., vibrios). These bacteria are captured at low efficiencies when freely suspended in the water column, but they also attach to marine aggregates, which are captured with near 100% efficiency. For this reason, and because they are often enriched with heterotrophic bacteria, marine aggregates have been hypothesized to function as important transporters of bacteria into bivalves. The relative contribution of aggregates and unattached bacteria to the accumulation of these cells, however, is unknown. We developed an agent-based model to simulate accumulation of vibrio-type bacteria …

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A Highly Sensitive Underwater Video System For Use In Turbid Aquaculture Ponds, Chin-Chang Hung, Shih-Chieh Tsao, Kuo-Hao Huang, Jia-Pu Jang, Hsu-Kuang Chang, Fred C. Dobbs Jan 2016

A Highly Sensitive Underwater Video System For Use In Turbid Aquaculture Ponds, Chin-Chang Hung, Shih-Chieh Tsao, Kuo-Hao Huang, Jia-Pu Jang, Hsu-Kuang Chang, Fred C. Dobbs

OES Faculty Publications

The turbid, low-light waters characteristic of aquaculture ponds have made it difficult or impossible for previous video cameras to provide clear imagery of the ponds' benthic habitat. We developed a highly sensitive, underwater video system (UVS) for this particular application and tested it in shrimp ponds having turbidities typical of those in southern Taiwan. The system's high-quality video stream and images, together with its camera capacity (up to nine cameras), permit in situ observations of shrimp feeding behavior, shrimp size and internal anatomy, and organic matter residues on pond sediments. The UVS can operate continuously and be focused remotely, a …

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A Genetically Distinct Hybrid Zone Occurs For Two Globally Invasive Mosquito Fish Species With Striking Phenotypic Resemblance, Rebecca J. Wilk, Lisa Horth Jan 2016

A Genetically Distinct Hybrid Zone Occurs For Two Globally Invasive Mosquito Fish Species With Striking Phenotypic Resemblance, Rebecca J. Wilk, Lisa Horth

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Hybrid zones allow for the investigation of incipient speciation and related evolutionary processes of selection, gene flow, and migration. Interspecific dynamics, like competition, can impact the size, shape, and directional movement of species in hybrid zones. Hybrid zones contribute to a paradox for the biological species concept because interbreeding between species occurs while parental forms remain distinct. A long‐standing zone of intergradation or introgression exists for eastern and western mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki and G. affinis) around Mobile Bay, AL. The region has been studied episodically, over decades, making it perfect for addressing temporal dynamics and for providing …

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Dynamic Ocean Management Increases The Efficiency And Efficacy Of Fisheries Management, Daniel C. Dunn, Sara M. Maxwell, Andre M. Boustany, Patrick N. Halpin Jan 2016

Dynamic Ocean Management Increases The Efficiency And Efficacy Of Fisheries Management, Daniel C. Dunn, Sara M. Maxwell, Andre M. Boustany, Patrick N. Halpin

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In response to the inherent dynamic nature of the oceans and continuing difficulty in managing ecosystem impacts of fisheries, interest in the concept of dynamic ocean management, or real-time management of ocean resources, has accelerated in the last several years. However, scientists have yet to quantitatively assess the efficiency of dynamic management over static management. Of particular interest is how scale influences effectiveness, both in terms of how it reflects underlying ecological processes and how this relates to potential efficiency gains. Here, we address the empirical evidence gap and further the ecological theory underpinning dynamic management. We illustrate, through the …

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Diet And Foraging Behaviors Of Timber Rattlesnakes, Crotalus Horridus, In Eastern Virginia, Scott M. Goetz, Christopher E. Petersen, Robert K. Rose, John D. Kleopfer, Alan H. Savitzky Jan 2016

Diet And Foraging Behaviors Of Timber Rattlesnakes, Crotalus Horridus, In Eastern Virginia, Scott M. Goetz, Christopher E. Petersen, Robert K. Rose, John D. Kleopfer, Alan H. Savitzky

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

During a 17-yr telemetry study, we examined the diet and ambush behavior of a population of Crotalus horridus in southeastern Virginia. Forty dietary items were identified from 37 fecal samples. We documented 722 instances of snakes in an ambush posture, 61 of which were in a vertical-tree posture, as if hunting arboreal prey at the base of a tree. The most common prey items were Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), which accounted for 45 of all dietary items and represented an estimated 78 of total biomass consumed by C. horridus. Prey was not consumed in proportion to availability, …

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Viewing The Status Of Virginia’S Environment Through The Lens Of Freshwater Fishes, Paul L. Angermeier, Michael J. Pinder Oct 2015

Viewing The Status Of Virginia’S Environment Through The Lens Of Freshwater Fishes, Paul L. Angermeier, Michael J. Pinder

Virginia Journal of Science

We summarize a range of topics related to the status of Virginia’s freshwater fishes, their reflection of environmental quality, and their contribution to human wellbeing. Since 1994 the list of extant Virginia fishes has lengthened from 210 species to 227 species, mostly due to taxonomic reorganizations. Virginia’s list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need currently contains 96 fish species, predominated by darters (32 species) and minnows (28 species). Increasing trends in species rarity and threats to fishes suggest that Virginia’s aquatic environment is becoming less hospitable for fishes. Prevailing anthropogenic threats to fishes include agriculture, urban development, mineral extraction, forestry, …

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Virginia’S Land Mammals: Past And Present, With Some Thoughts About Their Possible Future, John F. Pagels, Nancy D. Moncrief Oct 2015

Virginia’S Land Mammals: Past And Present, With Some Thoughts About Their Possible Future, John F. Pagels, Nancy D. Moncrief

Virginia Journal of Science

Mammals encountered today in Virginia’s forests and fields include native and nonnative species, feral populations, and free-ranging pets. We examine factors that have influenced Virginia’s terrestrial mammal fauna since the arrival of European colonists in the 1600s and some of the factors that are shaping the fauna today. We look in depth at changes since Handley and Patton’s (1947) first complete monograph on Virginia mammals and augment Linzey’s (1998) book, The Mammals of Virginia. We include current nomenclature, baseline information, and references to comprehensive literature. We discuss some of the current and developing anthropogenic factors that have impacted, or that …

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Breeding Birds Of Virginia, Bryan D. Watts Oct 2015

Breeding Birds Of Virginia, Bryan D. Watts

Virginia Journal of Science

Virginia supports a diverse community of breeding birds that has been the focus of investigation for more than 400 years. The avifauna reflects the latitudinal position of the state and the fact that the border extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains. A total of 224 species have been recorded breeding in Virginia, 214 of which are extant. Twenty species have colonized the state since 1900 including 14 since 1950. Of all extant species, 102 (48%) are considered common at least somewhere in the state and 64 (30%) are rare to very rare. Diversity varies by physiographic region …

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Virginia’S Amphibians: Status, Threats And Conservation, Jennifer Sevin, John D. Kleopfer Oct 2015

Virginia’S Amphibians: Status, Threats And Conservation, Jennifer Sevin, John D. Kleopfer

Virginia Journal of Science

Virginia’s diverse environments support 84 amphibian species (anurans and caudates), making it the third highest state in terms of species richness. However, the Commonwealth matches the global trend in declining amphibian populations with over one-third of its amphibian species in conservation need. The Species of Greatest Conservation Need included in the most recent Virginia Wildlife Action Plan cut across amphibian families and ecoregions. It is challenging to ascertain the exact cause of most of the population declines. In one degree or another, all of the global threats to amphibians exist within Virginia’s borders. While an active research program on amphibians …

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Temporal Variability And Cooperative Breeding: Testing The Bet-Hedging Hypothesis In The Acorn Woodpecker, Walter D. Koenig, Eric L. Walters Oct 2015

Temporal Variability And Cooperative Breeding: Testing The Bet-Hedging Hypothesis In The Acorn Woodpecker, Walter D. Koenig, Eric L. Walters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Cooperative breeding is generally considered an adaptation to ecological constraints on dispersal and independent breeding, usually due to limited breeding opportunities. Although benefits of cooperative breeding are typically thought of in terms of increased mean reproductive success, it has recently been proposed that this phenomenonmay be a bet-hedging strategy that reduces variance in reproductive success (fecundity variance) inpopulations living inhighly variable environments. We tested this hypothesis using long-term data on the polygynandrous acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus). In general, fecundity variance decreased with increasing sociality, at least when controlling for annual variation in ecological conditions. Nonetheless, decreased fecundity variance …

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The Effects Of Urbanization On Tick Parasitism Rates In Birds Of Southeastern Virginia, Erin Leigh Heller Oct 2015

The Effects Of Urbanization On Tick Parasitism Rates In Birds Of Southeastern Virginia, Erin Leigh Heller

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The coastal region of southeastern Virginia is one of the largest urban areas along one of North America’s migratory flyways. Because hundreds of avian species use this flyway, understanding factors affecting birds and their health is of paramount concern. Within this region, 14 species of ticks have been documented, all of which may serve as vectors of mammal (including human) pathogens. By sampling birds at sites of varying levels of urbanization within the coastal southeastern urban matrix, I studied the relationship between ticks and their avian hosts, and how this relationship varies seasonally. Mistnets were set-up at five permanent sites …

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Mate Choice In Temperate And Tropical Spiny Lobsters With Contrasting Reproductive Systems, Mark Butler Iv, Rodney Bertelsen, Alison Macdiarmid Jul 2015

Mate Choice In Temperate And Tropical Spiny Lobsters With Contrasting Reproductive Systems, Mark Butler Iv, Rodney Bertelsen, Alison Macdiarmid

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Sperm limitation of reproductive success is common in decapod crustaceans, favouring mating systems in which females compete for large males of high reproductive value. We investigated these phenomena in two species of spiny lobsters—one temperate, one tropical—with contrasting reproductive systems: the Southern Rock Lobster (Jasus edwardsii) and the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus). We hypothesized that female mate selection should be more pronounced in the temperate J. edwardsii than in the tropical P. argus because J. edwardsii matures later, has a shorter mating season, and produces just one clutch of eggs per year that benefit from …

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Section Abstracts: Agriculture, Forestry And Aquaculture May 2015

Section Abstracts: Agriculture, Forestry And Aquaculture

Virginia Journal of Science

Abstracts of the Agriculture, Forestry and Aquaculture Section for the 93rd Annual Virginia Academy of Science Meeting, May 2015, at James Madison University

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The Behavioral Causes Of Reproductive Skew In Cooperatively Polygynandrous Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes Formicivorus), Anna C. Brownson Apr 2015

The Behavioral Causes Of Reproductive Skew In Cooperatively Polygynandrous Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes Formicivorus), Anna C. Brownson

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Reproductive skew, the degree to which reproduction is shared among same-sex individuals in a social group, is a pattern affected by ecological conditions, sociality, cooperation, and the inter- and intrasexual behavior of individuals in complex animal societies. Transactional and compromise skew models assume that high skew is the product of dominance hierarchies among cobreeders, yet this has rarely been tested. Both model types fail to incorporate the decisions of more than two individuals, generally overlooking the effect of female behavior on male reproductive success in multi-male groups, and are ineffective at predicting skew in larger groups characterized by more than …

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A Comparison Of Survey Methods For Documenting Presence Of Myotis Leibii (Eastern Small-Footed Bats) At Roosting Areas In Western Virginia, John K. Huth, Alexander Silvis, Paul R. Moosman Jr., W. Mark Ford, Sara Sweeten Jan 2015

A Comparison Of Survey Methods For Documenting Presence Of Myotis Leibii (Eastern Small-Footed Bats) At Roosting Areas In Western Virginia, John K. Huth, Alexander Silvis, Paul R. Moosman Jr., W. Mark Ford, Sara Sweeten

Virginia Journal of Science

Many aspects of foraging and roosting habitat of Myotis leibii (Eastern Small-Footed Bat), an emergent rock roosting-obligate, are poorly described. Previous comparisons of effectiveness of acoustic sampling and mist-net captures have not included Eastern Small-Footed Bat. Habitat requirements of this species differ from congeners in the region, and it is unclear whether survey protocols developed for other species are applicable. Using data from three overlapping studies at two sampling sites in western Virginia’s central Appalachian Mountains, detection probabilities were examined for three survey methods (acoustic surveys with automated identification of calls, visual searches of rock crevices, and mist-netting) for use …

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Amphibian And Small Mammal Assemblages In A Northern Virginia Forest Before And After Defoliation By Gypsy Moths (Lymantria Dispar), Joseph C. Mitchell Jan 2015

Amphibian And Small Mammal Assemblages In A Northern Virginia Forest Before And After Defoliation By Gypsy Moths (Lymantria Dispar), Joseph C. Mitchell

Virginia Journal of Science

The introduced European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) caused substantial defoliation and mortality of oak trees along the North Fork of Quantico Creek in Prince William Forest Park, Prince William County, Virginia, U.S.A., in 1989 and the early 1990s. Results of a drift fence/pitfall study conducted in 1988 were compared to those obtained from the same technique in the same areas in 1993 to elucidate whether the amphibian and small mammal assemblages had changed over time. Number of Lithobates sylvaticus increased significantly in 1993, but the numbers of Lithobates clamitans and Plethodon cinereus were significantly higher in 1988. Total …

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Life-History Aspects Of Moxostoma Cervinum (Blacktip Jumprock) In The Roanoke River, Virginia, Dezarai A. Thompson, John S. Bentley, Steven L. Powers Jan 2015

Life-History Aspects Of Moxostoma Cervinum (Blacktip Jumprock) In The Roanoke River, Virginia, Dezarai A. Thompson, John S. Bentley, Steven L. Powers

Virginia Journal of Science

Life-history aspects of Moxostoma cervinum(Blacktip Jumprock) were identified using specimens from recent collections and the Roanoke College Ichthyological Collection. The largest specimen examined was a female 161.27 mm SL and 66 months of age. Spawning appears to occur in May, with a mean of 2477.6 oocytes (SD = 2825.3) up to 1.54 mm diameter in gravid females. Sexual maturity appears to occur by 1-2 years of age in males and 2-3 years of age in females. Male to female ratio was not significantly different from 1:1. Chironomidae composed the bulk of the diet; while detritus, Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Acari …

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