Animal Sciences Commons^™

The Scorpion Fauna Of Mona Island, Puerto Rico (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Scorpionidae), Rolando Teruel, Mel J. Rivera, Alejandro J. Sánchez

Euscorpius

The scorpion fauna of the small Mona Island (= Isla de Mona), located roughly midway between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico and administratively belonging to the latter, is herein revised. Three species are confirmed to occur: the buthids Centruroides bani Armas et Marcano Fondeur, 1987 and Heteroctenus abudi (Armas et Marcano Fondeur, 1987), plus the diplocentrine scorpionid Cazierius garridoi Armas, 2005. The previously recorded Heteronebo sp. is reexamined and deemed a mislabeled specimen of Heteronebo portoricensis Francke, 1978 from adjacent Puerto Rico. Also, Centruroides mariaorum Santiago-Blay, 2009 is demonstrated to be a junior synonym of C. bani (implying the first demonstrable …

Hops (Humulus Lupulus L.) Bitter Acids: Modulation Of Rumen Fermentation And Potential As An Alternative Growth Promoter, Michael D. Flythe, Isabelle A. Kagan, Yuxi Wang, Nelmy Narvaez

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Antibiotics can improve ruminant growth and efficiency by altering rumen fermentation via selective inhibition of microorganisms. However, antibiotic use is increasingly restricted due to concerns about the spread of antibiotic-resistance. Plant-based antimicrobials are alternatives to antibiotics in animal production. The hops plant (Humulus lupulus L.) produces a range of bioactive secondary metabolites, including antimicrobial prenylated phloroglucinols, which are commonly called alpha- and beta-acids. These latter compounds can be considered phyto-ionophores, phytochemicals with a similar antimicrobial mechanism of action to ionophore antibiotics (e.g., monensin, lasalocid). Like ionophores, the hop beta-acids inhibit rumen bacteria possessing a classical Gram-positive cell envelope. This …

Rethinking Urban Green Infrastructure As A Means To Promote Avian Conservation, Allen Lau

Master's Projects and Capstones

There is an under-recognized potential for cities to use urban green infrastructure to contribute to avian biodiversity conservation. At the global scale, climate change and growing urbanization are primary global drivers leading to decline and homogenization in world bird populations. Birds are fundamental and intricate species in ecosystems, and even in urban areas, act as indicator and regulator species contributing to healthy ecosystem function. While many cities have recognized the economic and social benefits associated with green spaces, such as the vast benefits ecosystem services provide to the urban dweller, the use of green spaces to concurrently contribute to avian …

Genomic Signatures Of Local Adaptation Reveal Source-Sink Dynamics In A High Gene Flow Fish Species, Katherine Cure, Luke Thomas, Jean-Paul A. Hobbs, David V. Fairclough, Winn Jason Kennington

Fisheries Research Articles

Understanding source-sink dynamics is important for conservation management, particularly when climatic events alter species’ distributions. Following a 2011 ‘marine heatwave’ in Western Australia, we observed high recruitment of the endemic fisheries target species Choerodon rubescens, towards the cooler (southern) end of its distribution. Here, we use a genome wide set of 14 559 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify the likely source population for this recruitment event. Most loci (76%) showed low genetic divergence across the species’ range, indicating high levels of gene flow and confirming previous findings using neutral microsatellite markers. However, a small proportion of loci showed strong …

Transcriptional Analysis Of Abdominal Fat In Chickens Divergently Selected On Bodyweight At Two Ages Reveals Novel Mechanisms Controlling Adiposity: Validating Visceral Adipose Tissue As A Dynamic Endocrine And Metabolic Organ, Christopher W. Resnyk, Wilfrid Carré, Xiaofei Wang, Tom E. Porter, J. Simon, Elisabeth Le Bihan-Duval, Michel J. Duclos, Sammy E. Aggrey, Larry A. Cogburn

Biology Faculty Research

Background

Decades of intensive genetic selection in the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) have enabled the remarkable rapid growth of today’s broiler (meat-type) chickens. However, this enhanced growth rate was accompanied by several unfavorable traits (i.e., increased visceral fatness, leg weakness, and disorders of metabolism and reproduction). The present descriptive analysis of the abdominal fat transcriptome aimed to identify functional genes and biological pathways that likely contribute to an extreme difference in visceral fatness of divergently selected broiler chickens.

Methods

We used the Del-Mar 14 K Chicken Integrated Systems microarray to take time-course snapshots of global gene transcription …

Evaluation Of Dna Barcoding Methodologies For The Identification Of Fish Species In Cooked Products, Sophia J. Pollack, Michael D. Kawalek, Donna M. Williams-Hill, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

DNA barcoding is a powerful sequencing-based tool for the detection of fish species substitution. However, various cooking methods have the potential to reduce the quality and success of DNA sequencing. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of common cooking methods on DNA sequencing results with both full-length (655 bp) and mini-barcodes (208–226 bp), and to determine the optimal methodology to use for species identification of various fish products. Six types of fish (salmon, tuna, scad, pollock, swai and tilapia) were prepared in triplicate using the following methods: uncooked, baked, fried, broiled, acid-cooked, smoked and canned. DNA …

Phylogenetically Clumped Species Composition Of Marine Green Algae (Chlorophyta) In The Temperate Zone, Hungyen Chen, Satoshi Nagai

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Global patterns of diversity in marine algae have been reported at the genus level but rarely at the species level. In this study, we investigate the global distribution of species diversity for marine green algae and evaluate the effect of water temperature upon the species composition. We calculated and mapped the species richness and phylogenetic diversity of green algae in 5° x 5° latitude-longitude cells. We then compared and grouped the different spatial patterns of phylogenetic species composition of green algae around the world. Finally, we fitted a locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS) curve to the sea surface temperature (SST) …

Sexual Dimorphism In Striatal Dopaminergic Responses Promotes Monogamy In Social Songbirds, Kirill Tokarev, Julia Hyland Bruno, Iva Ljubicic, Paresh J. Kothari, Santosh A. Helekar, Ofer Tchernichovski, Henning U. Voss

Publications and Research

In many songbird species, males sing to attract females and repel rivals. How can gregarious, non-territorial songbirds such as zebra finches, where females have access to numerous males, sustain monogamy? We found that the dopaminergic reward circuitry of zebra finches can simultaneously promote social cohesion and breeding boundaries. Surprisingly, in unmated males but not in females, striatal dopamine neurotransmission was elevated after hearing songs. Behaviorally too, unmated males but not females persistently exchanged mild punishments in return for songs. Song reinforcement diminished when dopamine receptors were blocked. In females, we observed song reinforcement exclusively to the mate’s song, although their …

Common Birds Of The Brinton Museum And Bighorn Mountains Foothills, Jackie Canterbury, Paul Johnsgard

Zea E-Books Collection

Part I. The Brinton Museum and Its Birds

Part II. Profiles of 48 Common Local and Regional Birds: Ring-necked Pheasant, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Sandhill Crane, Killdeer, Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Downy Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Western Wood-Pewee, Say’s Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, Black-billed Magpie, American Crow, Common Raven, Tree Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Black-capped Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, House Wren, American Dipper, Mountain Bluebird, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Vesper Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, …

Examining The Relationship Between Mesohabitats And Freshwater Mussels In An East Texas River, Andrew R. Glen

Biology Theses

North America is home to 302 unionoid species, with approximately 53 occurring in Texas, and are considered one of the most imperiled group of organisms in North America. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the spatial distribution of mussels within a stream reach, but only certain hydraulic characteristics appear to be correlated with their distribution. Emerging evidence indicates that freshwater mussels may use flow refugia to remain embedded during high flow events. As the use of hydraulic variables to characterize mussel habitat becomes more widespread, it may be useful to implement sampling that captures these measures. One option may …

Hemiscorpius Shahii Sp. N. From Iran (Scorpiones: Hemiscorpiidae), František Kovařík, Shahrokh Navidpour, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

Hemiscorpius shahii sp. n. from Iran, Hormozgan Province, is described and compared with other species of Hemiscorpius genus. The new species is characterized mainly by total length of 84 (female) to 110.7 (male) mm and unique trichobothrial pattern of pedipalp patella. The number of external trichobothria on patella is 17–18 (5 eb, 4 esb, 2–3 em, 3 est, 3 et); the number of ventral trichobothria on patella is 14–16. This distinguishes H. shahii sp. n. from all other species of genus Hemiscorpius, which have 3 or 10–12 ventral trichobothria on patella, one or …

A Study On The Biodiversity Of Ladybird Beetles In Soybean Agroecosystems Of Northwestern Ohio, Mohammed Albaaj

Honors Projects

Lady or Ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) represent a large and diverse group of beetles found worldwide. Approximately six thousand (6,000) ladybird species are known globally (reference). In eastern North America, there are 60 genera containing approximately 480 species (Evans, 2014). Most species are predatory, feeding on life stages of other insects, such as aphids, caterpillars, and insect eggs, as well as plant-feeding mites, and thus provide an essential ecosystem service for humans in terms of pest control (Obrycki and Kring, 1998). Thus, this group of beetles is important for the reduction of arthropod pest populations on a variety of fruit, …

Natural Enemies Partially Compensate For Warming Induced Excess Herbivory In An Organic Growth System, Orsolya Beleznai, Jamin Dreyer, Zoltán Tóth, Ferenc Samu

Entomology Faculty Publications

Predators can limit prey abundance and/or levels of activity. The magnitudes of these effects are contingent on predator and prey traits that may change with environmental conditions. Aberrant thermal regimes could disrupt pest suppression through asymmetric effects, e.g. heat-sensitive predator vs. heat-tolerant prey. To explore potential effects of warming on suppressing pests and controlling herbivory in a vegetable crop, we performed laboratory experiments exposing an important pest species to two spider predator species at different temperatures. Heat tolerance was characterised by the critical thermal maxima parameter (CTM50) of the cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata), wolf spider (Tigrosa helluo …

Ecological Responses Of Midwestern Snakes To Prescribed Fire, Zachary T. Truelock, Chelsea E. Clyde-Brockway, Elizabeth A. Flaherty

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Prescribed burning is a commonly used land management tool to reduce the risk of hazardous wildfires and improve wildlife habitat, especially for grassland ecosystems. However, prescribed fire has widely varying effects on differing wildlife taxa. The effects of prescribed fire on herpetofaunal biodiversity have been examined, but the responses of a common and wide-ranging species, the common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), to fire and subsequent effects on its ecology have not been closely studied. The primary goal of this research was to evaluate differing resource use or movement patterns of common garter snakes in burned and unburned habitats. …

Supplemental Effects Of Ruminal Bypass Arginine And Lysine For Improving Meat Quality And Oxidative Stability Of Aged Beef Loins, Jacob Tuell, Hyun-Wook Kim, Juliana Guedes, Derico Setyabrata, Jin-Kyu Seo, Jon Schoonmaker, Yuan H. Brad Kim

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Postmortem aging is widely practiced in the beef industry to improve eating quality characteristics. However, the oxidative stability of aged beef muscle could be negatively affected by extending aging period. The use of ruminal bypass amino acids allows levels of crude protein in the diet to be lowered and may also positively impact oxidative stability of aged beef muscle. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of ruminal bypass arginine (Arg) and lysine (Lys) supplementation on meat quality and oxidative stability of beef loins (M. longissimus lumborum, LL) under two durations of postmortem aging (14 and 28 days). …

Impact Of Stress, Fear And Anxiety On The Nociceptive Responses Of Larval Zebrafish, Javier Lopez-Luna, Qussay Al-Jubouri, Lynne U. Sneddon

Sentience Collection

Both adult and larval zebrafish have been demonstrated to show behavioural responses to noxious stimulation but also to potentially stress- and fear or anxiety- eliciting situations. The pain or nociceptive response can be altered and modulated by these situations in adult fish through a mechanism called stress-induced analgesia. However, this phenomenon has not been described in larval fish yet. Therefore, this study explores the behavioural changes in larval zebrafish after noxious stimulation and exposure to challenges that can trigger a stress, fear or anxiety reaction. Five-day post fertilization zebrafish were exposed to either a stressor (air emersion), a predatory fear …

Across The Indian Ocean: A Remarkable Example Of Trans-Oceanic Dispersal In An Austral Mygalomorph Spider, Sophie E. Harrison, Mark S. Harvey, Steve J.B. Cooper, Andrew D. Austin, Michael G. Rix

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The Migidae are a family of austral trapdoor spiders known to show a highly restricted and disjunct distribution pattern. Here, we aim to investigate the phylogeny and historical biogeography of the group, which was previously thought to be vicariant in origin, and examine the biogeographic origins of the genus Moggridgea using a dated multi-gene phylogeny. Moggridgea specimens were sampled from southern Australia and Africa, and Bertmainus was sampled from Western Australia. Sanger sequencing methods were used to generate a robust six marker molecular dataset consisting of the nuclear genes 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS rRNA, XPNPEP3 and H3 and the …

Selection Of Breeding Stock By U.S. Meat Goat Producers, Narayan Nyaupane, Jeffrey Gillespie, Kenneth Mcmillin, Robert Harrison, Isaac Stienei

Community & Leadership Development Faculty Publications

Using nationwide survey data, we investigate U.S. meat goat producer preferences and willingness to pay for meat goat breeding stock attributes. Discrete choice experiments were employed, and mixed logit and latent class models were used for analysis. Results showed that producers preferred animals that were highly masculine/feminine, had good structure and soundness, and were of the Boer breed, whereas they preferred fewer animals that were older, of Kiko and Spanish breeds, and priced higher. Significant preference heterogeneity was found among the respondents. Larger-scale producers had greater preference for high masculinity/femininity, good structure and soundness, and Boer bucks.

Kentucky Warbler (Vol. 93, No. 3), Kentucky Library Research Collections

The Kentucky Warbler

No abstract provided.

Geographic Variation In Low Frequency Narrow-Band Sounds Produced By Amazon River Dolphins (Inia Geoffrensis) In Brazil And Peru, Grace Olson

Graduate Theses

Relatively few studies have investigated the sound production of Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis), and many questions remain regarding their social sounds. In this study, we document the presence of “low frequency narrow-band” (LFN) sounds in Amazon River dolphins. Amazon River dolphin LFN sounds were recorded in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve (Brazil), and 1,512 km away in the Área de Conservación Regional Comunal Tamshiyacu Tahuayo reserve (Peru). A quantitative comparison of LFN sounds produced by these two populations demonstrates evidence of geographic variation. The variation found in the social sounds produced by geographically separated Amazon River dolphin populations provides …

People -- Marine Mammal Interactions, Andrew Butterworth, Mark P. Simmonds

Our relationships with marine mammals are complex. We have used them as resources, and in some places this remains the case; viewed them as competitors and culled them (again ongoing in some localities); been so captivated and intrigued by them that we have taken them into captivity for our entertainment; and developed a lucrative eco-tourism activity focused on them in many nations. When we first envisaged this special topic, we had two overarching aims:

Firstly, we hoped to generate critical evaluation of some of our relationships with these animals.

Secondly, we hoped to attract knowledgeable commentators and experts who might …

Cephalopod Complex Cognition, Jennifer Mather

Cognitive Ethology Collection

Cephalopods, especially octopuses, offer a different model for the development of complex cognitive operations. They are phylogenetically distant from the mammals and birds that we normally think of as ‘intelligent’ and without the pervasive social interactions and long lives that we associate with this capacity. Additionally, they have a distributed nervous system — central brain, peripheral coordination of arm actions and a completely separate skin appearance system based on muscle-controlled chromatophores. Recent research has begun to show how these apparently separate systems are coordinated. Learning and cognition are used toward prey, in antipredator actions and in courtship. These examples show …

Administrative Guideline No. 1: Assessment Of Applications For Authorisations For Aquaculture And Pearling In Coastal Waters Of Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development

Fisheries Administrative Guidelines

Under s.246 of the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (FRMA) and under s.24 of the Pearling Act 1990 (PA) (collectively, the Acts), the Minister for Fisheries (Minister) may issue guidelines for the administration or enforcement of the Acts.

This Administrative Guideline (Guideline) aims to streamline the process for assessment of applications under s.92 and s.97 of the FRMA for aquaculture licences and leases and under s.23 of the PA for pearl oyster farm leases; and certain applications to vary a pearling lease or aquaculture licence.1 The Guideline is intended to provide guidance to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional …

Spatial Models To Account For Variation In Observer Effort In Bird Atlases, Andrew M. Wilson, Daniel W. Brauning, Caitlin Carey, Robert S. Mulvihill

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

To assess the importance of variation in observer effort between and within bird atlas projects and demonstrate the use of relatively simple conditional autoregressive (CAR) models for analyzing grid-based atlas data with varying effort. Pennsylvania and West Virginia, United States of America. We used varying proportions of randomly selected training data to assess whether variations in observer effort can be accounted for using CAR models and whether such models would still be useful for atlases with incomplete data. We then evaluated whether the application of these models influenced our assessment of distribution change between two atlas projects separated by twenty …

Effects Of Labeling And Consumer Health Trends On Preferred Ground Beef Color Characteristics, Fat Content, And Palatability In Simulated Retail Display, Fred W. Pohlman Ii

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nutritional concerns and attempts to limit fat in the diet over the past decades have impacted the protein market, decreasing red meat consumption as well as prompting the advent of lean and extra lean ground beef. Such lean blends of ground beef may suffer in palatability, however, resulting in less satisfied consumers turning to other protein sources. While consumers are demanding lean ground beef, fatter blends may be more palatable. This study seeks to bridge the gap between perceived health and palatability by evaluating preferred fat content and instrumental color characteristics between labeled and unlabeled packages of ground beef in …

The Prospect Of Rising In Rank Is Key To Long-Term Stability In Tibetan Macaque Society, Lixing Sun, Dong-Po Xia, Shine Sun, Lori K. Sheeran, Jin-Hua Li

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

One of the most fundamental questions in behavioural biology is why societies can persist for a long period of time. While researchers in animal behaviour have been hindered by a lack of an aggregate measure (such as social mobility) to quantify the dynamics of animal societies, researchers in social sciences have been challenged by the complexity and diversity of human societies. As a result, direct empirical evidence is still lacking for the hypothesized causal relationship between social mobility and social stability. Here we attempt to fill the void by examining a much simpler society in the Tibetan macaque (Macaca …

Production Of A Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone 2 Receptor Knockdown (Gnrhr2 Kd) Swine Line., Amy T. Desaulniers, Rebecca Middleton, Ginger A. Mills, Clay A. Lents, Brett R. White

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Swine are the only livestock species that produce both the second mammalian isoform of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GNRH2) and its receptor (GNRHR2). Previously, we reported that GNRH2 and GNRHR2 mediate LH-independent testosterone secretion from porcine testes. To further explore this ligand-receptor complex, a pig model with reduced GNRHR2 expression was developed. Small hairpin RNA sequences targeting porcine GNRHR2 were subcloned into a lentiviral-based vector, lentiviral particles were generated and microinjected into the perivitelline space of zygotes, and embryos were transferred into a recipient. One GNRHR2 knockdown (KD) female was born that subsequently produced 80 piglets from 6 litters with 46 hemizygous …

Metabolic Regulation By Stress Mediators In Fetal Ovine Skeletal Muscle And Adult Bovine Myoblasts, Elena Marie Merrick

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Our objective was to determine the effect of stress mediators such as inflammatory cytokines and β adrenergic agonists on developing skeletal muscle. Fetal sheep exposed to chronic maternal inflammation had decreased skeletal muscle glucose oxidation rates when stimulated with insulin or TNFα. In addition, activation of Akt by insulin was decreased after maternal inflammation when compared to controls and there were not differences in skeletal muscle fiber type ratios between the two treatment groups. This indicates that maternal inflammation does not affect overall oxidative capacity in the developing fetus, but rather insulin signaling pathways are disrupted.

We sought to determine …

Evaluation Of Distillers' Grains Components For Finishing Beef Cattle, Jordan E. Burhoop

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

With the large expansion of the ethanol industry in previous years, there has been an increase in supply of distillers grains plus solubles (DGS) for the feedlot industry. Distiller’s grains are a common byproduct used in feedlot diets for added protein or energy. Recently, ethanol companies have been using different extraction techniques to remove various parts of the DGS to sell separately, such as corn oil and fiber. Previous research trials have tried to determine the contribution of individual nutrients in distillers grains that improve performance in order to predict the impact of removing certain components. In previous studies, fiber …

Herons And Egrets, Michael D. Hoy

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Human-Wildlife Conflicts

Landscapes -- Herons and egrets commonly cause damage at aquaculture facilities and recreational fishing waters where fish are held at high densities. In one study, on average wading birds consumed from 4 to 24 golden shiners per day at minnow production facilities in Arkansas. Great blue herons and great egrets commonly feed at catfish production facilities in Mississippi. The tendency for herons and egrets to congregate in large feeding flocks often leads to extensive loss of fish at aquaculture facilities. Fish-eating birds also can have an impact on intensively managed sport fisheries. Damage occurs when herons and egrets …