Animal Sciences Commons^™

Foraging Strategy Plasticity In Fiordland Penguins (Eudyptes Pachyrhynchus): A Stable Isotope Approach, Jeffrey Wayne White

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Foraging ecology in the crested penguins (genus: Eudyptes) is an active area of research, with new techniques rapidly increasing our understanding of these charismatic species. The most common techniques to assess foraging ecology include stomach content analysis, fecal DNA analysis, stable isotope analysis, tracking, and video loggers. Here we review dietary research on all 8 taxa within the genus Eudyptes to identify gaps in our current knowledge. However, foraging studies that assess dietary segregation require a method for quickly and accurately sexing penguins in the field. Obvious sexual dimorphism in plumage is largely absent in penguins leaving behavioral cues …

Laboratory Investigation On The Effects Of Conductivity On The Sensitive Early Life Stages Of Fishes From The Appalachian Region, Logan Ryan Beach

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

While it is known there is a link between land disturbance and elevations in ionic constituents in streams, the relationship between elevated conductivity and aquatic taxa impairment is harder to define. Multiple field studies demonstrating correlations between conductivity and fish or benthic macroinvertebrate communities have not described the mechanisms of impairment and impairment has not been demonstrated with traditional toxicity testing. In an effort to explore more sensitive sub-lethal endpoints for evaluation of instream effects of mining effluent, chronic toxicity testing was conducted on eggs and early life stages of trout species and the fathead minnow, utilizing a simulated mining …

The Effectiveness Of Long-Distance Translocation Of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Allison Grace Kelley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Translocations have the potential to aim conservation efforts as well as to reduce mortality caused by human activities. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus, EDB) have a limited ability to adapt to habitat loss and fragmentation due to the species’ slow life history and minimal dispersal ability. Because they are a venomous species, they are viewed as nuisance animals and are often killed on sight. We translocated a cohort of EDBs to investigate the potential of using translocations as a conservation and mitigation tool for this species. In July 2018, we translocated twelve adult eastern diamondback rattlesnakes from Parris …

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Ambush Site Selection In Coastal Saltwater Marshes, Emily Rebecca Mausteller

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus; EDB) is a species of conservation concern associated with the imperiled longleaf pine-grassland ecosystem. The longleaf pine ecosystem is characterized by an open canopy and rich ground cover. Researchers have speculated that the vegetation structure of salt marshes may serve as a surrogate habitat for longleaf pine savannas. Although these marshes have little topography, they provide a heterogeneous landscape with patches of mud flats, sandy hard marsh along upper tidal areas, and salt marsh hummocks throughout. I used radio telemetry to monitor free-ranging EDBs on a South Carolina sea island. The goal of my …

Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Foraging Behavior And Population Dynamics, John Huang

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The change in the interaction between southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) and eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) provided an opportunity to examine sublethal effects of predation as it relates to a species’ risk perception and habitat structure at two scales. The interactions allowed us to examine the evolutionary responses of the southern fox squirrel and eastern gray squirrel to predation risk reflective of their historically associated landscapes and habitat structures. Second, the succession of savanna woodlands into closed-canopy mixed forest provided an opportunity to assess the flexible behaviors of both species in response to changes …

What Makes Bats Special So That They Are Reservoirs For So Many Different Pathogens?, Deion Anderson, Eleanor Gorkovchenko, Nicole Hamada, Carolina Martinez, Lupe Martinez

2020 Symposium Posters

Bats, order Chiroptera, comprise more than 20 percent of all living mammal species with more than 1100 species. Bats are organisms that have high body temperatures and metabolic rates. Therefore, viral adaptation to febrile conditions in the bat host might explain the high reservoir competence that distinguishes these organisms from other mammalian hosts. The purpose of this study is to present a comparative meta-review of the available evidence in order to investigate and identify the reasons or characteristics as to what makes bats special reservoirs for so many different pathogens. Our investigation will not focus on a particular bat species, …

Ungulate Activity: Effects Of Season, Hunting Pressure, And Plant Type, Alex Capone Lopez

2020 Symposium Posters

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremulodies) is considered priority habitat because it supports diverse understory flora and provides critical nesting and foraging habitat for wildlife. Aspen populations in western North America have declined due to fire suppression and browsing. Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Washington addressed declining aspen with prescribed burns. However, aspen growth stimulated by burning was offset by browsing, especially by Elk (Cervus elaphus). Increasing elk numbers prompted initiation of a limited hunt to cull and disperse elk off refuge. To address the impact of these management strategies, we used remote video cameras to monitor …

Identification Of Causes Of Death Of Baikal Seal (Pusa Sibirica Gmelin, 1788), Nina Ryadinskaya, Ivan Meltsov, Maria Tabakova, Inna Anikienko, Svetlana Sayvanova, Alena Molkova, Olga Ilyina, Tatyana Pomoinitskaya

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The Baikal seal is the only endemic mammal of Lake Baikal. In late October 2017, 132 dead Baikal seals were found on the shore of the lake. To identify causes of death, postmortem necropsy, virological, chemical toxicological, microbiological, and parasitological studies were carried out. Several hypotheses for explaining the causes of the deaths were put forward. The most probable causes are heart failure and asphyxia due to echo sounders (sonar). The causes were confirmed by the results of histological examination of the hearts and lungs of a large number of dead seals found on the southern shore of Lake Baikal …

Full Issue-- Volume 3 Issue 1, 2020, Issue 1 Volume 3

Pursue: Undergraduate Research Journal

PURSUE: Undergraduate Research Journal

Volume 3 Issue 1, 2020

Article 1 - Harvesting Electrical Energy Produced by Electrogenic Bacteria in Microbial Fuel Cells

Article 2 – The Effects of Fertilizer Rate on the Growth of Egyptian Spinach in a Greenhouse

Article 3 – Exploring the Association Between Nutrition and Mental Health in Adolescence: A Systematic Literature Review

Article 4— Biological Pathways Associated with Wild and Domestic Animals

Light Emitting Diode (Led) Color And Broiler Growth: Effect Of Supplementing Blue/Green Led To White Led Light On Broiler Growth, Stress, And Welfare, Jill R. Nelson, Joey L. Bray, Juliette Delabbio, Gregory S. Archer

Faculty Publications

Light emitting diode (LED) lighting provides an affordable lighting option for use in commercial poultry production. However, more information is needed to understand the effects of LED color on broiler welfare and growth. Five consecutive flocks (1 in summer, 1 in fall, 2 in winter, and 1 in spring) of straight run Ross 708 × Ross 708 broilers were reared in commercial type barns for 45 D. For white only (WO) treatment, birds were reared under white LED only (Agrishift MLB). For white supplemented (WS) treatment, birds were reared under white LED (Agrishift MLB) in the center aisle, with supplemental …

Comparison Of An Intermittent, Short-Dawn/Dusk Photoperiod With An Increasing, Long-Dawn/Dusk Photoperiod On Broiler Growth, Stress, And Welfare, Jill R. Nelson, Joey L. Bray, Juliette Delabbio, Gregory S. Archer

Faculty Publications

Photoperiod has been shown to significantly affect broiler performance. However, the effects of the traditional 1-min dimming period on broiler growth and welfare are unclear. In this study, 4 consecutive trials were conducted to compare the effects of an intermittent, short-dawn/dusk photoperiod (ISD) to an increasing, long-dawn/dusk photoperiod (ILD) on broiler growth, stress, and welfare. Straight run day-of-hatch Ross 708 × Ross 708 broilers were placed in 1 of 4 commercial broiler barns (2 b of 26,200 birds each per treatment) and grown to 45 D of age. The photoperiod in the ISD treatment consisted of 24L:0D day 0 to …

Integration Of Crop-Livestock Systems: An Opportunity Toprotect Grasslands From Conversion To Cropland In The Us Great Plains, Alexander J. Smart, Daren Redfearn, Robert Mitchell, Tong Wang, Cody Zilverberg, Pete J. Bauman, Justin D. Derner, Julie Walker, Cody Wright

Native Plant Focused Publications

The Great Plains is a mixture of cropland and grassland mainly used for agricultural purposes, with grasslands under continual threat of conversion to cropland. Agriculturists are advocating for the integration of crop-livestock systems (ICLS) to recouple nutrient cycles, improve biodiversity, and increase resilience of agricultural operations. We address the benefits of ICLS in the Great Plains, contending that focus on improving soil health and financial stability of agricultural operations should reduce the conversion of grasslands to cropland. Using US Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Census of Agriculture survey data from the 1925 to 2017 category “cropland used only …

Jackrabbit Dairy & Food Review, Winter 2019-2020, Vikram V. Mistry

The Jackrabbit Dairy & Food Review

This is the Winter 2019- 2020 Jackrabbit Dairy and Food Review.
It contains the following articles and information: Message from the Department Head, David A. Thompson Endowment, New Personnel, Judging Activities, Dairy Club, Student Accomplishments, Food Science Club, Career Opportunities, Professional Activities of Faculty and Staff, Dairy Facilities, 2019 Graduates, Where Are They Now?, Scholarships, Dairy and Food Science Students, Outreach, Distinguished Alumnus

Possible Role Of Breeding Phenology, Brood Size, And Male Parental Care On The Number Of Nesting Attempts By Female Eastern Bluebirds, A Facultatively Multibrooded Species, Michael Daniel Patton

Online Theses and Dissertations

To maximize reproductive output, several species of songbirds attempt to raise two or more broods in a single breeding season. The results of previous studies have revealed much variation among species in the factors that influence the likelihood of female songbirds attempting to raise multiple broods during a breeding season. As such, additional studies are needed to better understand the roles of early breeding, brood sizes, and, especially, male parental care in determining the likelihood of having multiple broods. My objective, therefore, was to examine the possible effects of breeding initiation date, brood size, and male provisioning behavior on the …

A Literature Review Of Horn And Horn-Like Structures In Vertebrates To Correlate Placement To Function, Behavior, And Niche., J T. Cottingham

Biology Papers and Presentations

In this paper, the true horns of bovids are compared to the many horn-like structures found throughout the animal kingdom. Literary sources were reviewed for a variety of horn-like structures. The review was limited to extinct and extant terrestrial vertebrates. 3D models of these organisms' skulls and “horns” were created or acquired and 3D printed at the same scale to illustrate their differences and similarities and to analysis of their comparative size easier between large and small genera.

An Investigation On The Cover Preference Of The Mountain Madtom (Noturus Eleutherus), Mariah Slaughter

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Madtom catfish, members of the genus Noturus, are common in the waters of the Southeastern US. A previous study observed that madtoms in the Green River, Kentucky, preferred to shelter within old mussel shells compared to under or next to rocks. A laboratory study on the Carolina Madtom (Noturus furiosus), found that they did not utilize mussel shells and preferred rocks as cover. I conducted a similar laboratory study to determine which cover options the Mountain Madtoms (Noturus eleutherus) prefer. Cover preference was determined by offering the madtoms shelter options (rocks or mussel shells) in …

Bias And Misrepresentation Of Science Undermines Productive Discourse On Animal Welfare Policy: A Case Study, Kelly Jaakkola, Jason N. Bruck, Richard C. Connor, Stephen H. Montgomery, Stephanie L. King

Faculty Publications

Reliable scientific knowledge is crucial for informing legislative, regulatory, and policy decisions in a variety of areas. To that end, scientific reviews of topical issues can be invaluable tools for informing productive discourse and decision-making, assuming these reviews represent the target body of scientific knowledge as completely, accurately, and objectively as possible. Unfortunately, not all reviews live up to this standard. As a case in point, Marino et al.’s review regarding the welfare of killer whales in captivity contains methodological flaws and misrepresentations of the scientific literature, including problematic referencing, overinterpretation of the data, misleading word choice, and biased argumentation. …

Farming With Nature: Promoting Biodiversity Across Europe Through Partridge Conservation, Jen Brewin, Francis Buner, Julie Ewald

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Reports and Other Materials

A summary of scientific evidence underlying the North Sea Region Interreg PARTRIDGE project, https://northsearegion.eu/partridge.

This publication describes how grey partridge conservation helps to address the farmland biodiversity crisis across Europe. It summarises the most relevant scientific evidence regarding grey partridge management and the biodiversity benefits associated with it. We have selected what we felt were the best and most thorough studies and papers available. We cite high-impact peer-reviewed papers wherever possible, relying on our combined experience and expertise to quote non-reviewed reports where published papers were unavailable.

Possible Implications Of Weather Variation On Reproductive Phenology Of Europeancommon Toad In Southeastern Europe, Bogdan Jovanovic, Ethan J. Kessler, Marija Ilic, Jelena Corovic, Natasa Tomasevic-Kolarov, Christopher A. Phillips, Jelka Crnobrnja Isailovic

Turkish Journal of Zoology

We tracked yearly variation in breeding phenology in relation to weather parameters in a common European toad population from the southeastern part of its range. Phenological data were collected from 2001 to 2003 and from 2011 to 2017 and compared to open-access daily weather data from a nearby weather station. Data analysis revealed no significant effect of weather on initiation of breeding and a negative relationship between mean daily humidity and mean cloud cover on the duration of breeding season (P = 0.03). Further analysis showed a decreasing trend in breeding season humidity in the past 70 years. Our results …

Morphological Correlates Of Auditory Sensitivity In The Inner Ear Of Two Species Of Invasive Carp, Tyler Patty

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Silver (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead (H. nobilis) carp, are invasive species that have negative impacts upon ecosystems. H. molitrix is known to jump completely out of the water in response to broadband sounds, however, this is not observed in H. nobilis. Preliminary experiments reveal that sounds can be used to modify the behavior of carps. Thus, understanding the hearing abilities of these species is important in order to design appropriate acoustical deterrents. Fish heads were preserved in 4% paraformaldehyde and the inner ears dissected and photographed under a light microscope in order to describe the …

Genetic Structure And Population Dynamics Of The Silver Pheasant(Lophura Nycthemera) In Southern China, Chaoying Zhu, Wenjing Lu, Guanglong Sun, Jiang Chen, Zhen Zhang, Liangjie Yu, Peng Chen, Yuqing Han, Zhifeng Xu, Junpeng Bai, Dongqin Zhao, Luzhang Ruan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

In southern China, the silver pheasant (Lophura nycthemera) is a widespread species due to complex topography and sufficient habitats and food resources. We investigated the microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA control region sequence of 115 individuals from 7 locations in China to study population dynamics of the silver pheasant during the Pleistocene. The neutrality test and mismatch distribution analyses showed that population expansion began in the interglacial period (76,053 years ago), and the latest common ancestor appeared approximately 970,300 years ago. Most populations exhibited a high level of genetic diversity as well as gene flow. Results of phylogenetic trees and network …

Taxonomic Investigation Of The Genus Ablepharus (Sauria; Scincidae) With Molecular Andmorphological Methods In Anatolian Populations, Emi̇n Bozkurt, Kurtuluş Olgun

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Ablepharus Lichtenstein, 1823, which includes ten species, is distributed in eastern Europe and Asia. Four species are recorded in Turkey: A. kitaibelii, A. chernovi, A. bivittatus, and A. budaki. After molecular and morphological studies in Anatolia, the phylogenetic relationship of the genus is still very complicated. Here, we investigate the taxonomic status of Ablepharus in Anatolia using morphological and molecular methods. The genetic structure of Ablepharus populations in Anatolia was analyzed using both the nuclear (CMOS) and mitochondrial (cyt b and COI) gene regions. The maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods were applied for phylogenetic tree reconstruction, together with calculation …

Length-Weight Relationships Of Invasive Mosquitofish(Gambusia Holbrooki Girard, 1859) In 23 River Basins Of Turkey, Irmak Kurtul, Hasan Musa Sari

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859 has established very strong populations in freshwater resources in Turkey after being introduced into Amik Lake (Hatay/Antakya) at the beginning of the 1920s. In this study, it was aimed to determine the female:male ratios and length-weight relationships of G. holbrooki populations in Turkey, which are considered as a threat, especially for endemic species. G. holbrooki specimen were sampled at total of 66 locations, including 39 lentic and 27 lotic locations, between 2016 and 2017. The female:male ratio was 1:0.39 for all of the investigated localities. Length-weight relationships were investigated at 44 sampling locations for the females …

Ua37/44 Faculty Personal Papers Gordon Wilson, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Personal papers of Gordon Wilson.

Size And Density Of Upside-Down Jellyfish, Cassiopea Sp., And Their Impact On Benthic Fluxes In A Caribbean Lagoon, Chester B. Zarnoch, Noshin Hossain, Erika Fusco, Mary Alldred, Timothy J. Hoellein, Sophia Perdikaris

School of Global Integrative Studies: Faculty Publications

Anthropogenic disturbances may be increasing jellyfish populations globally. Epibenthic jellyfish are ideal organisms for studying this phenomenon due to their sessile lifestyle, broad geographic distribution, and prevalence in near-shore coastal environments. There are few studies, however, that have documented epibenthic jellyfish abundance and measured their impact on ecological processes in tropical ecosystems. In this study, the density and size of the upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea spp.) were measured in Codrington Lagoon, Barbuda. A sediment core incubation study, with and without Cassiopea, also was performed to determine their impact on benthic oxygen and nutrient fluxes. Densities of Cassiopea were 24–168 …

The Impact Of Cow Size On Cow–Calf And Postweaning Progeny Performance In The Nebraska Sandhills, Rob L. Ziegler, Jacki A. Musgrave, Tanya L. Meyer, R. Funston, Elliott James Dennis, Kathy Hanford, J. C. Macdonald, Travis Mulliniks

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

Optimizing beef production system efficiency requires an understanding of genetic potential suitable for a given production environment. Therefore, the objective of this retrospective analysis was to determine the influence of cow body weight (BW) adjusted to a common body condition score (BCS) of 5 at weaning-influenced cow-calf performance and postweaning steer and heifer progeny performance. Data were collected at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory, Whitman, NE, on crossbred, mature cows (n = 1,607) from 2005 to 2017. Cow BCS at calving, prebreeding, and weaning were positively associated (P < 0.01) with greater cow BW. Increasing cow BW was positively associated (P < 0.01) with the percentage of cows that conceived during a 45-d breeding season. For every additional 100-kg increase in cow BW, calf BW increased (P < 0.01) at birth by 2.70 kg and adjusted 205-d weaning BW by 14.76 kg. Calf preweaning average daily gain (ADG) increased (P < 0.01) 0.06 kg/d for every additional 100-kg increase in cow BW. Heifer progeny BW increased (P < 0.01) postweaning with every additional 100-kg increase in dam BW. Dam BW did not influence (P ≥ 0.11) heifer puberty status prior to breeding, overall pregnancy rates, or the percentage of heifers calving in the first 21 d of the calving season. Steer initial feedlot BW increased by 7.20 kg, reimplant BW increased by 10.47 kg, and final BW increased by 10.29 kg (P ≤ 0.01) for every additional 100-kg increase in dam BW. However, steer feedlot ADG was not influenced (P > 0.67) by dam BW. Hot carcass weights of steers were increased (P = …

The Pocatello Supply Depot: A History And Update, Patrick A. Darrow

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 29th (2020)

Since the Pocatello Supply Depot (PSD) was created in 1936, the PSD has gone through many transformation and organizational changes. The most recent of these changes occurred in 2014, when the PSD transitioned from a cooperative service agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Greater Pocatello Chamber of Commerce, to a fully federal facility within USDA. Despite the many organizational changes, the purpose of the PSD has remained the same. The PSD manufactures and provides specialized wildlife damage management materials and services that are not readily available from commercial sources, for use by USDA Wildlife Services (WS), …

Assessing Beaver Occupancy And Dam Building Potential: A Case Study In The Umpqua Watershed Of Southwestern Oregon, Vanessa M. Petro, John Stevenson, Jimmy Taylor

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 29th (2020)

Interest in beaver-related restoration is growing in the western U.S. but understanding the basic ecology of American beaver and their population dynamics is often overlooked when integrating beaver into stream restoration goals. Our study investigated the spatial-temporal distribution of beaver colonies and their damming activities to better inform stream restoration projects in the West Fork Cow Creek Basin of the Umpqua Watershed in southwestern Oregon. During fall 2017, we conducted beaver activity surveys at 144 randomly selected reaches predicted to be either suitable or unsuitable for damming, but suitable for beaver occupation. We categorized beaver use at each reach using …

Automated Aerial Baiting For Invasive Brown Treesnake Control: System Overview And Program Status, Shane R. Siers, John D. Eisemann, William C. Pitt, Larry Clark, Scott M. Goetz, Robert J. Gosnell, Aaron F. Collins, Eric T. Hileman, Melia G. Nafus, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Michael C. Messaros, William G.N. Coon

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 29th (2020)

The economically and ecologically catastrophic introduction of invasive brown treesnakes to the Pacific Island of Guam has long served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of invasive species and the seeming impossibility of their management on a landscape scale. USDA Wildlife Services and federal and private partners have engineered a system for the automated manufacture and aerial delivery of toxic baits for landscape-scale suppression of brown treesnakes in large and remote forest plots. The helicopter-borne dispensing module can launch four bait cartridges per second, and a single payload of 3,600 cartridges can treat 30 ha of forest at 120 …

A Preliminary Field Evaluation Of Candidate Repellents To Reduce Black Bear Damage To Western Larch Trees, G. W. Witmer, Michael Pipas

Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings: 29th (2020)

Bear damage to western larch trees on intensively managed public and private forest lands of the Intermountain West continues to be a problem for forest managers. Bark stripping and subsequent cambium feeding by bears commences upon den emergence in the spring, when foraging options are most restrictive. Various damage reduction methods are often controversial (snaring, hunting, supplemental feeding), or do not always adequately resolve the problem (silvicultural strategies); hence, a need exists for the development of alternative nonlethal techniques to reduce damage. We tested the efficacy of three candidate repellents (Hot Sauce®, Tree Guard™, and grizzly bear feces) to reduce …