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Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences
A Study Of The American Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) In Utah: An Analysis Of The Post-Denning Activities And Bear-Human Conflict, Julie Ann Miller
A Study Of The American Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) In Utah: An Analysis Of The Post-Denning Activities And Bear-Human Conflict, Julie Ann Miller
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined two different aspects of black bear (Ursus americanus) ecology in Utah. First, we determined the post-denning behaviors of female black bears in order to help management agencies protect bears from human disturbances as well as set spring hunts that minimize the taking of females with dependent young. We looked at the timing of den emergence (X = 25 March), the number of days at the den site post emergence (X = 11 days), and departure (X = 8 April) for female black bears in Utah from 2011—2013. We also analyzed the effects of cohort (lone …
Variable Palatability Of Quaking Aspen For Large Ungulate Herbivores, Patrice Alexa Nielson
Variable Palatability Of Quaking Aspen For Large Ungulate Herbivores, Patrice Alexa Nielson
Theses and Dissertations
Aspen is a key resource in the Rocky Mountain Region for wildlife forage and habitat, lumber products, scenery, and plays important roles in fire ecology and hydrological processes. There is evidence of aspen decline over much of the Intermountain West for approximately 100 years. In Dixie and Fishlake National Forests, UT, aspen distribution has decreased by nearly half. Causes of this decline are not well understood, although wildlife browsing by ungulates has been implicated as playing a major role. The objective of this research was to examine what soil or plant factors might be involved in wildlife browse choice in …
Diet Reconstruction Of Wild Rio-Grande Turkey Of Central Utah Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Benjamin D. Stearns
Diet Reconstruction Of Wild Rio-Grande Turkey Of Central Utah Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Benjamin D. Stearns
Theses and Dissertations
The wild turkey is endemic to North America and has played a role in human cultures past and present. However, with the turkey's elusive behavior some aspects of its ecology are challenging to understand. Diet is one of these difficult aspects to study. The purpose of this study was to determine the diet selection of wild turkeys in central Utah using non invasive stable isotope technology. We hypothesize that turkey diet is highly specific, that consumption of specific plant species correlates with the needs of the individual turkey, and that stable isotope analysis will reveal patterns in annual dietary intake. …
Forage Adaptability Trials For Forage And Seed Production In Bolivia; Effect Of 5 Herbicides On 7 Native Utah Forbs, Joshua C. Voss
Forage Adaptability Trials For Forage And Seed Production In Bolivia; Effect Of 5 Herbicides On 7 Native Utah Forbs, Joshua C. Voss
Theses and Dissertations
The harsh environmental and poor economic conditions of the Bolivian Altiplano require intervention to assist many of those that live there to become economically self-sufficient. We attempted to find introduced dry season reserve forage grasses that could produce enough biomass to be useful as feed for livestock, and that could also produce enough seed to distribute to farmers. While some of the grasses produced reasonable amounts of biomass, none produced seed in quantities that would be even close to being economically viable. The most likely cause of this is that the timing of resources that the grasses need to flower …
Aspects Of Bald Eagle Winter Behavior In Rush Valley Utah: A Telemetry Study, Neil B. Sabine
Aspects Of Bald Eagle Winter Behavior In Rush Valley Utah: A Telemetry Study, Neil B. Sabine
Theses and Dissertations
The diurnal behavior and nocturnal roosting patterns of 28 bald eagles outfitted with tail-mounted radios were investigated in Rush Valley, Utah between January and March 1982-1984. Casting analysis and feeding observations indicated the principal food source was jackrabbit carrion. Jackrabbit availability declined from 1982 to 1984 and eagles responded by; 1) roosting closer to feeding sites, 2) shifting from canyon to valley roosts, 3) arriving later at and departing earlier from roosts, 4) decreasing diurnal activity, and 5) decreasing residence time. Foraging efficiency appeared to be maximized by experienced eagles using familiar feeding areas and by naive birds monitoring their …
Effect Of Altitude On The Peripheral Degradation Of Thyroxine In The Uinta Ground Squirrel (Citellus Armatus), Stuart K. Ware
Effect Of Altitude On The Peripheral Degradation Of Thyroxine In The Uinta Ground Squirrel (Citellus Armatus), Stuart K. Ware
Theses and Dissertations
Various methods were employed to detect changes in the peripheral degradation of thyroxine (T4) in adult Uinta ground squirrels (Citellus armatus) collected at two different altitudes (5400 and 9000 feet.) Plasma half-life of injected T4-125I (tl/2) was significantly decreased with altitude, as was T4-125I distribution space (TDS) and T4 degradation and secretion rate (TSR). In vitro deiodination of T4-125I by heart homogenates was not affected, while urinary excretion of thyroxine derived iodide was increased at high altitude 44-70 hours post-injection. Both total and free serum T4 concentrations were reduced at high altitude, although not significantly. The cause of the reduced …
Modeling Studies Of Small Mammal Trapping Phenology, And Plant Succession In The Kaiparowits Region, Kane County, Utah, James A. Raines
Modeling Studies Of Small Mammal Trapping Phenology, And Plant Succession In The Kaiparowits Region, Kane County, Utah, James A. Raines
Theses and Dissertations
This study makes use of simple statistical models which may be manipulated for projection of changes in the Kaiparowits Region of Southern Utah. A method of determining habitat preferences of small rodents from capture-recapture trapping data is proposed. It is suggested that some aspects of animal behavior regarding trapping may also be explained. Timing of flowering of Oryzopsis hymenoides and Hilaria jamesii as related to enviromental conditions was investigated, and models of the requisite conditions proposed. It is suggested that similar models may be used to describe the timing of other phenological events. Succession on disturbed sites is considered to …
Effect Of Supplemental Food On Population Estimates And Mortality Rates Of Desert Rodents In Utah, J. Steven Thiriot
Effect Of Supplemental Food On Population Estimates And Mortality Rates Of Desert Rodents In Utah, J. Steven Thiriot
Theses and Dissertations
The objective of this research is to assess the effects of various quantities of supplemental food (seed) on population estimates and mortality rates of desert rodents . The supplemental food is meant to stimulate natural vegetational productivity. If food availability significantly affects the population parameters methods of population estimators previously used may be in error. Hopefully this study will aid small mannnal research by designating whether, in part, population estimates and mortality rates are in error because of high vegetational productivity. The hypothesis of this study is that supplemental food in the natural environment decreases population estimates and mortality rates …
Ecology Of The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo Regalis) In Central Utah Population Dynamics And Nest Site Selection, Neil D. Woffinden
Ecology Of The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo Regalis) In Central Utah Population Dynamics And Nest Site Selection, Neil D. Woffinden
Theses and Dissertations
Research was conducted to determine the effect of prey numbers on the nesting success of the Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis). Conditions associated with nest site selection were also established. Frequent visits were made to active nests to determine clutch sizes, hatching dates and fledging success. Prey remains were collected from nests and analyzed. Kilometer square transects were made throughout the study area in 1974 to determine jackrabbit densities. A drastic decline in numbers of Ferruginous Hawks occurred. The number of young fledged also declined throughout the study while nestling mortality increased. Jackrabbit numbers were high in 1972 and then declined …
The Spatial Distribution Of The Nests Of The Black-Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax Nycticorax) And The Snowy Egret (Leucophoyx Thula) In Central Utah, Randall S. Isham
The Spatial Distribution Of The Nests Of The Black-Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax Nycticorax) And The Snowy Egret (Leucophoyx Thula) In Central Utah, Randall S. Isham
Theses and Dissertations
Nests of the Black-crowned Night Heron and the Snowy Egret were examined in five central Utah colonies in 1973 to determine the spatial distribution within the colony. Nest locations of the 1085 nests of the two species were plotted to the nearest foot with an alidade and plane table. Tests of randomness, clump size, association, segregation, and T distribution were utilized. No differences between species were noted for the distance to the nearest and the next nearest nest. The Night Heron nested closer to other Night Herons and more often than did the Snowy Egret which non-significantly selected either species …
Helminths Of Sceloporus Lizards In The Great Basin And Upper Colorado Plateau Of Utah, Richard Carlyle Pearce
Helminths Of Sceloporus Lizards In The Great Basin And Upper Colorado Plateau Of Utah, Richard Carlyle Pearce
Theses and Dissertations
This study was prompted by the scarcity of information on helminths in Sceloporus lizards of Utah. It reports these worms and includes references to parasites of reptiles in the appendix. A microscopic examination of the coelom, mesenteries, liver, lungs, esophagus, stomach, and intestines of 55 lizards was made, but helminths were recovered only from stomachs and intestines. Examination of S. graciosus yielded Opchoristica scelopori, a cestode found in the duodenum, and Cyrtosomum penneri, C. readi, and C. heynemani, three nematodes of the cecum. The latter two are new nematodes for this host species. Examination of S. undulatus yielded three new …
The Bottom Fauna Of Fish Lake, Utah And Its Relationship To The Trout Fishery, Dennis L. Shirley
The Bottom Fauna Of Fish Lake, Utah And Its Relationship To The Trout Fishery, Dennis L. Shirley
Theses and Dissertations
One-hundred and three bottom samples taken at Fish Lake, Utah from July, 1969 to June, 1970 were analyzed to determine the abundance, distribution, and standing crop of the bottom fauna species and to relate their availability to the amount of food eaten by the trout. Twenty-three taxa, representing three phyla and 19 families were collected. An amphipod, Gammarus limnaeus, in the littoral zone, and a tubificid worm, Rhyacodrilus coccineus, in the sublittoral and profundal zones, were the most abundant species. All 23 species were unevenly distributed in the littoral zone, whereas, only eight were found in the sublittoral and five …
Small Rodent Populations And Biomass In Three Sagebrush Communities Of Rush Valley, Utah, David W. Nichols
Small Rodent Populations And Biomass In Three Sagebrush Communities Of Rush Valley, Utah, David W. Nichols
Theses and Dissertations
Three desert Artemisia tridentata communities in Rush Valley, Utah were trapped for small rodents during the summer of 1970 in a mark-recapture study. Population densities were estimated using several indices for each population category. Animals were weighed and rodent biomass calculated for each species throughout the summer. Populations, biomass, and other data were then analyzed to gain a better understanding of A. tridentata community types of the Great Basin. Peromyscus maniculatus, Eutamias minimus, and Reithrodontomys megalotis were common to area 1. Peromyscus maniculatus, E. minimus, and Perognathus parvus were common to areas 2 and 3. The peak estimated standing crops …
Post-Mortem Examination Of Cattle And Sheep For Parasitic Helminths, Phil Duke Wright
Post-Mortem Examination Of Cattle And Sheep For Parasitic Helminths, Phil Duke Wright
Theses and Dissertations
A survey of helminth parasites of sheep and cattle was conducted to determine the incidence and distribution of these parasites that could be detected by post-mortem examination. Animals were obtained from local abattoirs within the valley, and the viscera were examined for the presence of helminth parasites. Parasites identifies from sheep in order of highest incidence were: Haemonchus contorus, Ostertagia cicumcinta, Chabertia ovina, Nematodirus spathiger, Trichostongylus colubriformis, Thysanosoma actinioides, Trichuris ovis, N. filicollis, Echinococcus granulosus, Strongyloides papillosus, O. ostertagi, Cooperia oncophora, Cysticercus tenuicollis, Fasciola hepatica, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Moniezia expansa, and M. benedieni. Those recovered from cattle in order of highest …
Population Dynamics, Habitat Selection, And Partitioning Of Breeding Raptors In The Eastern Great Basin Of Utah, Dwight Glenn Smith
Population Dynamics, Habitat Selection, And Partitioning Of Breeding Raptors In The Eastern Great Basin Of Utah, Dwight Glenn Smith
Theses and Dissertations
A comparative study of the breeding ecology of 12 raptor species was conducted in the eastern Great Basin from 1967-1970. The project was designed to determine the composition and densities, habitat selection, territoriality and predatory habits of raptorial birds in a semi-arid environment. All topics were analyzed comparatively, relating the requirements and activities of the 12 raptor species. Average yearly population densities of all species approximated 0.5 pairs per square mile. Predominant raptors were the Ferruginous Hawk and Great Horned Owl. The productivity of these and the other large raptors correlated closely with the abundance of their main food source, …
A Taxonomic Comparison To Uta Stansburiana Of The Great Basin And The Upper Colorado River Basin In Utah, Lloyd C. Pack
A Taxonomic Comparison To Uta Stansburiana Of The Great Basin And The Upper Colorado River Basin In Utah, Lloyd C. Pack
Theses and Dissertations
The lack of a comparative study between the Uta stansburiana of the Great Basin and Upper Colorado River Basin, and the fact that several reptile species have developed distinct populations in the Upper Colorado River Basin prompted this study. Twenty-one external characteristics of these lizards were compared, including several which had not been previously used in the separation of Uta stansburiana into subspecies. All of the statistical data were obtained from preserved specimens. Twelve of the twenty-one characteristics show significant differences between the Great Basin and Upper Colorado River Basin populations. The characteristics of back pattern and throat color show …
The Effects Of Herbicide Applications On The Animal Populations Of Aspen Communities, Carl Eugene Wadsworth
The Effects Of Herbicide Applications On The Animal Populations Of Aspen Communities, Carl Eugene Wadsworth
Theses and Dissertations
Approximately 475 acres of aspen, oak brush, and grass-forb-shrub communities were treated with herbicides. The populations of arthropods, birds, and mammals were investigated on treated and untreated areas and the results were compared. There was no difference between soil arthropod populations on treated and untreated aspen plots but a significant increase in these populations on treated meadow plots. The foliage insect populations were significantly lower on the treated aspen plots but were significantly higher on the treated meadow plots. The aquatic invertebrates were not affected by the treatments. Bird populations ware lower in the treated area during the nesting season …
Age And Growth Of White Bass, Roccus Chrysops (Rafinesque), In Mud Lake, Near Provo, Utah, Frederick Edward Trapnell
Age And Growth Of White Bass, Roccus Chrysops (Rafinesque), In Mud Lake, Near Provo, Utah, Frederick Edward Trapnell
Theses and Dissertations
This study was conducted to obtain information that could be used in the management of the Utah and Mud lake white bass fishery. It also provides data for evaluating the effect of the loss of Mud Lake on the white bass utilizing it. Determination of age, growth rate, and coefficient of condition of the Mud lake white bass were objectives in this study. The occurrence of organisms in the digestive tracts of 64 white bass as well as the movement of white bass into and out of Mud Lake were also studied. Hoop nets, a continuous mesh gill net, and …
The Fisheries Of Deer Creek Reservoir, Utah, With Special Emphasis On The Yellow Perch (Perca Flavescens Mitchill), Gale R. Lewellen
The Fisheries Of Deer Creek Reservoir, Utah, With Special Emphasis On The Yellow Perch (Perca Flavescens Mitchill), Gale R. Lewellen
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is concerned with the fisheries of Deer Creek Reservoir, Wasatch County, Utah, with special emphasis on the yellow perch. The study period was from May 13 to November 24, 1968. Objectives included the determination of size, age, and food habits of the yellow perch. Parasitic occurrences in the perch population by Ligula intestinalis were also recorded as well as the utilization of the perch by the fishermen. Observations on other species of fish including an analysis of rainbow trout stocking programs were also objectives of this thesis. Data was gathered by means of creel census and fish collection …
Nesting Ecology Of The Great Horned Owl Bubo Virginianus In Central Western Utah, Dwight Glenn Smith
Nesting Ecology Of The Great Horned Owl Bubo Virginianus In Central Western Utah, Dwight Glenn Smith
Theses and Dissertations
Information was collected on the nesting ecology of the Great Horned Owl, with particular emphasis placed on aspects of its population and distribution, territoriality and predation. The study was conducted for the two years, 1967 and 1968 in the Thorpe and Topliff hills of central western Utah. Nesting densities on the study area were .36 pairs per square mile in 1967 and .40 pairs per square mile in 1968. Nests averaged one mile apart and were distributed in the periphery of the hills, overlooking the desert valleys. Favorite nest sites were cliff niches, but abandoned quarries and junipers were also …
Hematological Variation Associated With Altitude, Season, Sexual Activity And Body In The Uinta Ground Squirrel, Ralph Theodore Kinchloe
Hematological Variation Associated With Altitude, Season, Sexual Activity And Body In The Uinta Ground Squirrel, Ralph Theodore Kinchloe
Theses and Dissertations
Hematological comparisons were made on the Uinta ground squirrel (Citellus armatus) trapped at different altitudes and during vari ou s stages of seasonal activity in 1965 and 1966. Hematological variation due to sex, sexual activity and body weight were also analyzed. Ground squirrels were secured from the Mt. Timpanogos area near Provo, Utah County, Utah. Erythrocyte count, hematocrit, total blood hemoglobin, mean erythrocyte volume, mean erythrocyte hemoglobin and reticulocyte counts were measured using standard procedures; banding patterns of hemoglobin and serum proteins wer e determined by means of electrophoresis with polyacetate strips.
Physiological Variations In The Uinta Ground Squirrel (Citellus Armatus) In Relation To Seasonal Activity And Altitude, Marden Reed Kohler
Physiological Variations In The Uinta Ground Squirrel (Citellus Armatus) In Relation To Seasonal Activity And Altitude, Marden Reed Kohler
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this investigation was to study the weight changes of selected internal organs to determine possible physiological variation occurring at six different altitudes ranging from 5,800 to 8,500 feetand during the summer season. This report was limited to the study of changes in the adrenal glands, kidneys, testes, heart and intestines. Electrocardiogram, heart and respiration rates were investigated also. These changes were statistically analyzed to determine possible seasonal differences along with any significant changes occurring at different elevations. The results of the study should in part overcome the lack of current experimental data for Citellus armatus.
A Study Of The Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel (Citellus Lateralis) In A Sagebrush-Grass Community, Dennis E. Peterson
A Study Of The Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel (Citellus Lateralis) In A Sagebrush-Grass Community, Dennis E. Peterson
Theses and Dissertations
Golden-mantled ground squirrels (Citellus lateralis Say) typically inhabit coniferous forest regions, but they occasionally occur in desert shrub habitats. The principal purpose of this study was to observe activities of mantled squirrels in a sagebrush community, and to ascertain factors which contribute to their success in an unusually arid habitat. Squirrels of this community belong to the subspecies C. l. lateralis; however, intergradation between typical C. l. lateralis and C. l. castanurus is evident. This community is in the Wasatch Mountains at an elevation of 5,750 feet, and in the Upper Sonoran Zone. These three conditions were not previously recorded …
The Weberian Osteology Of Three Utah Suckers (Catostomidae), William James Stubbs
The Weberian Osteology Of Three Utah Suckers (Catostomidae), William James Stubbs
Theses and Dissertations
The Weberian mechanisms of three Utah Lake suckers (Catostomidae: Catostominae; Catostomini), Catostomus fecundus Cope and Yarrow, Chasmistes liorus Jordan, and Catostomus ardens Jordan and Gilbert, were examined, described, and compared, and a statistical analysis was made of some of their more important differences. The mechanisms were found to be basically similar to one another and to those of other Catostomini as previously described and/or illustrated. They are individually distinct, but each varies within its own limits, the intraspecific variation being greatest in the wider-ranging Catostomus ardens and least in the seemingly most restricted Catostomus fecundus. From the evidence at hand …
Dermacentor Andersoni And Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever In National Forest Recreational Sites Of Utah, C. Selby Herrin
Dermacentor Andersoni And Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever In National Forest Recreational Sites Of Utah, C. Selby Herrin
Theses and Dissertations
The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the prevalence of adult ticks of Dermacentor andersoni in national forest recreational sites of Utah, and (2) the incidence of spotted fever rickettsia, Rickettsia rickettsii, in the ticks of these areas. With the use of a white flannel cloth, 358 adult D. andersoni (135 males and 223 females) were collected from 48 recreational sites during the spring and summer of 1964. Ticks from each collection were put in pools, preserved in non-fat skim milk at -30° C, and subsequently tested for the presence of spotted fever rickettsia by guinea pig inoculations. …
Mammal Populations And Their Effects On Red Elderberry In The Mud Creek Sheep Allotment, Stawberry Valley, Utah, Howard Duane Smith
Mammal Populations And Their Effects On Red Elderberry In The Mud Creek Sheep Allotment, Stawberry Valley, Utah, Howard Duane Smith
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study has been to determine : (1) the mammalian species present in the Mud Creek area; (2) the approximate population density of each trappable species; (3) the species responsible for the damage; (4) the stem density and frequency of Smbucus racemosa; and (5) the approximate extent of damage to the red elderberry stems.
Distribution Patterns Of Pocket Gophers In The Hobble Creek Area, Utah County, Elvis J. Holt
Distribution Patterns Of Pocket Gophers In The Hobble Creek Area, Utah County, Elvis J. Holt
Theses and Dissertations
This study was initiated to investigate the distribution patterns of two species of pocket gophers, Thomomys umbrinus albicaudatus Hall and T. talpoides wasatchensis Durrant whose ranges come together in the Hobble Creek area, Utah. The effect of certain ecological factors upon their distribution was determined. The ecological factors included: vegetation and land use, soil, moisture and exposure, hybridization and interspecific competition. From morphological examination no interbreeding was detected even though the breeding seasons of the two species correspond. A limited area was found where the ranges of the two species are in contact. A lack of available moisture was determined …
A Study Of The Coprophilous Ascomycetes Of Utah, David L. Hanks
A Study Of The Coprophilous Ascomycetes Of Utah, David L. Hanks
Theses and Dissertations
Specimens of animal dung were collected from various areas of the state of Utah. These were cultured by placing a few small pieces in a culture dish over moistened sphagnum moss and filter paper. The cultures were observed periodically and specimens were studied as they matured upon the substratum. A total of eighty-four species representing three orders and fifteen genera are reported. Of these, nine species have not previously been described. Included is one species, Tripterospora erostrata, from the order Plectascales of the Series Plectomyceteae. Cited from the order Sphaeriales of the Series Pyrenomyceteae are forty-nine species as follow: Coniochaeta, …
Vertebrate Distribution In Relation To Certain Habitats In Central Kane County, Utah, Clyde L. Pritchett
Vertebrate Distribution In Relation To Certain Habitats In Central Kane County, Utah, Clyde L. Pritchett
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is a study of vertebrate distribution in relation to certain habitats in cetral Kane County, Utah. Four areas were trapped, two in a sagebrush community and two in a grassland community. Oryzopsis hymenoides (Roem & Shult.) Ricker, Hilaria jamesii (Torr) Benth., Ephedra torreyana S. Watts and Guttierrezia sarothrae (Purah.) Britt and Rusby, were the dominant plants in the grassland community. The dominant plants in the sagebrush community were Artemisia tridentata Nutt., and Hilaria jamesii (Torr.) Benth. Dipodomys ordii cupidineus Goldman was the most common mammal trapped in both communities. Peromyscus maniculatus sonoriensis (LeConte) was trapped most often in …
Identification Of Larval Ticks Of The Genus Ixodes Known To Occur In Utah, Leland D. White
Identification Of Larval Ticks Of The Genus Ixodes Known To Occur In Utah, Leland D. White
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study is to present an analysis and key to the larvae of the nine species of Ixodes known to occur in Utah. These are I. kingi, I. muris, I. texanus, I. pacificus, I. spinipalpis, I. marmotae, I. ochotonoe, I angustus, and I. sculptus. Larvae from the first five of these nine species used in this study were reared in the laboratory by worked cited in the secion on Analysis of Species. those of the remaining four were identified on the basis of their presence with identifiable numphal and adult forms. Host specificity, although certainly variable with …