Animal Sciences Commons^™

Study Of Avian Migration Patterns Using Stable Isotope Analysis In The Galite Archipelago, Tunisia, Hsan Ben Jemaa, Said Nouira, François Fourel, Ilham Bentaleb

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This research employed stable isotope analysis to investigate the migratory patterns and geographic origins of the Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) and its associated prey species within the Galite Archipelago, Tunisia. Feathers collected from both juvenile and adult falcons, along with their prey, were analysed for deuterium isotopic composition using the "Isorix" package in R, which facilitated the geographic assignment based on stable isotope ratios. The results demonstrated no significant difference in deuterium values (δ2H) between adult and juvenile falcons, indicating a lack of geographical variation in moulting locations among the different age groups. However, the isotopic data for adult falcons …

Biosorption Of Ni (Ii), Pb (Ii) And Cu (Ii) Metal Ions On The Chitin Isolated From Spider Species Of Drassodes Lapidosus, Albulene Emini, Osman Seyyar, Yavuz Sürme

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study evaluates the biosorption ability of chitin derived from a specific spider species namely Drassodes lapidosus (Walckenaer, 1802) belongs to Gnaphosidae family. The obtained chitin was characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. In the alpha form of the obtained chitin, its thermal stability was observed to be 356.9 ℃ and, the Crl value was 69.16%. In addition, this chitin was used as a bioadsorbent to remove heavy metal ions such as Ni (II), Cu (II) and Pb (II) from the aqueous medium by solid phase extraction …

Effects Of Microplastics On Aquatic Organisms: A Comprehensive Review, Sedat Gündoğdu, İrem Nur Yeşi̇lyurt, Zohaib Abbas, Makbule Baylan

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Microplastics (MPs) are pervasive pollutants that pose significant threats to marine ecosystems. This review examines the impact of MPs on marine organisms, highlighting key areas of concern and knowledge gaps.The aim of this paper is to synthesize recent findings on the occurrence and biological impacts of MPs in marine environments. For this purpose a total of 171 studies conducted in different geographical regions were examined in order to ascertain the interaction of numerous vertebrate and invertebrate taxonomic groups with microplastic. Based on this analysis the pathways through which MPs enter marine ecosystems and their interactions with marine organisms were examined. …

Morphometric And Meristic Differentiation Among Five Populations Of Delminichthys Ghetaldii (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae) From Five Karst Fields In Eastern Herzegovina, Dušanka Berak Čihorić, Ana Marić, Danilo Mrdak, Predrag Simonović

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The primary objectives of this study were to advance our understanding of the morphological intricacies exhibited by the endemic fish species, Delminichthys ghetaldii, commonly known as the Trebinje minnow, and to determine intraspecific morphological variability. The study involved the examination of 76 mature specimens collected from five distinct karst fields located within the Dinaric region of Eastern Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, since the year 2018. A comprehensive analysis of 22 morphometric and 8 meristic characters was conducted to unravel the underlying patterns of variation. Discriminant Function Analysis was employed for the thorough investigation of morphometric traits, whereas Canonical Correspondence Analysis …

Summer Daily Activity Patterns Of Mountain Rock Lizards Of The Balkan Peninsula (Dinarolacerta Spp.), Katarina Ljubisavljević, Nataša Tomašević Kolarov, Aleksandar Urošević, Lidija Leković, Snežana Vuksanović, Tanja D. Vukov

Turkish Journal of Zoology

We studied the daily activity patterns of Dinarolacerta rock lizards, endemic to the Dinaric mountains of the Western Balkans, during the summer season. The study was conducted in Montenegro at four sites for D. mosorensis and three sites for D. montenegrina. The air temperature at which the lizards were observed varied significantly both within and between species and decreased with altitude, while the temperature of the rocky ground was more stable and higher than air temperature at each study site. Males and females of both species displayed similar activity patterns, while immatures tended to be active at the time when …

Green Turtle Nesting Activity On Yeniyurt Beach, Hatay, Türkiye: Six-Year Results (2017–2022), Bektaş Sönmez

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Conducting long-term conservation and monitoring activities for sea turtles provides a more precise depiction of their population status compared to studies conducted across a single year. The frequency of the nesting activity may fluctuate dramatically over time, depending on the environmental conditions. This study aimed to examine the nest count, female abundance, and reproductive output of green turtles on Yeniyurt beach in the eastern Mediterranean between 2017 and 2022. The beach was surveyed annual monitoring at consistent intervals. Temporal variations in the number of nests and the abundance of females were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall and Sen Slope tests. A …

Dietary Observations Of Adult Pleurodema Nebulosum (Anura: Leptodactylidae) From Argentina, Gabriel Natalio Castillo, Cynthia J. González- Rivas

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study is the first to examine the diet composition of adult Pleurodema nebulosum specimens based on an analysis of the gastrointestinal contents of 78 individuals. Analyzed herein were 40 specimens from a site disturbed due to anthropogenic action and 38 from a protected area in Argentina. Differences were found in the trophic consumption at both sites. In the protected area, P. nebulosum presented an active foraging mode, with a diet specialized in prey items from the Formicidae family. At the disturbed site, this amphibian showed a sit-and-wait foraging mode, with a generalist diet where it consumes Hemiptera and Coleoptera. …

A New Record Of Fleas From Nilgai Antelope In Southern Texas And Fleas From Other Wildlife, Sarah E. Mays Maestas, Jason Tidwell, John A. Goolsby, Lauren P. Maestas

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Wildlife are hosts of ectoparasites, such as fleas and ticks that may transmit human and animal pathogens. Little is known about the ecology of many ectoparasite species native to southern Texas, or their role in pathogen maintenance and transmission. Much attention has been given to the role of nonnative nilgai antelope as cattle fever tick hosts and agents of dispersal, but little attention has been given to other ectoparasites that may utilize nilgai antelope as hosts. As southern Texas is a hot-spot for flea-borne (murine) typhus, it is important to examine flea species presence, abundance, and host use in this …

Effects Of Revegetation Approaches On Wetland Plant Community Reassembly Under Hydrologic Extremes, Maddie Houde, Karin Kettenring

Browse all Datasets

Active revegetation is often necessary to recover native plant communities in disturbed or degraded wetlands. However, active revegetation has been pursued less in wetlands than other ecosystems and thus, there are few established best practices to guide implementation. Additionally, wetland revegetation is challenging due to dynamic hydrology becoming more extreme and high invasive plant propagule pressure that can limit native plant recruitment and favor invasive plant dominance. In this study, we tested the efficacy of varied revegetation approaches on native plant reassembly and invasion resistance in semi-arid wetlands subject to seasonal hydrologic fluctuations. In a Great Salt Lake wetland in …

Tracing Atlantic Sea Scallops Using Radio Frequency Identification (Rfid) Technology, Will Shoup, David Rudders, Jonathon Peros

Journal of Extension

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) represents a technology that has the potential to enhance many aspects of the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. Driven by fishery management and market forces, fishery product traceability benefits fisheries managers, consumers, and fishermen. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of RFID technology in the scallop fishery, a solution is proposed that would help establish clear Chain of Custody (CoC) so that the scallop supply chain can be better documented. Implementation and acceptance of any new technology will hinge on effective communication and extension efforts that can leverage the multi-benefit aspects of adopting RFID into the fishery.

Determination Of Calcium Digestibility And Bioavailability In 5 Limestone Sources Using Commercial Broiler And Crossbred Chickens, R. L. Drysdale, P. L. Utterback, Benjamin Parsons, C. M. Parsons

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Three experiments were conducted to determine effect of feeding 5 commercial limestones varying in solubility (88–97%), mean particle size (500–700 microns), and geographical origin on Ca bioavailability and digestibility in commercial broiler and crossbred chickens. In Experiment 1, both crossbred and commercial chickens were used to measure the effect of dietary Ca level on tibia bone ash to develop a slope-ratio Ca bioavailability assay. Chickens were fed diets that contained Ca levels ranging from 0.20% to 0.95% from 9 to 22 d-of-age. Regressions of bone ash (mg/tibia and %) on supplemental Ca intake yielded large linear responses in both types …

Insights Into Foraging Behavior From Multi-Day Sound Recording Tags On Goose-Beaked Whales (Ziphius Cavirostris) In The Southern California Bight, Shannon N. Coates, David A. Sweeney, Erin A. Falcone, Stephanie L. Watwood, Brenda K. Rone, Stacy L. De Ruiter, Jay Barlow, Karin A. Dolan, Ronald P. Morrissey, Nancy A. Dimarzio, Susan M. Jarvis, Russel D. Andrews, Gregory S. Schor

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Goose-beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) are deep-diving cetaceans known for their elusive nature and specialized foraging behavior. In 2019 and 2020, six telemetry tags were deployed on these whales in Southern California, resulting in 395 h of acoustic and diving data. Foraging dives were manually identified by the presence of echolocation pulses and buzzes, and generalized additive models assessed factors influencing foraging behavior. The median bathymetric depth at foraging sites was 1,419 m (IQR = 359), and the maximum dive depth was highly correlated with bathymetry depth. Individuals started echolocating on descent at a median depth of 410 m (IQR = …

A Triumph Of Conservation: The University Of South Carolina Aiken’S Bluebird Trail, Alyssa Godfrey, Emory Owens, Quinn Schreiber, Michelle L. Vieyra

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) was once an endangered species, with over 90% of its population declining in the early 1900s (Ritchison, 2000). These birds play a crucial role in regulating insect populations and maintaining the safety of food sources, making them important both economically and environmentally. Eastern Bluebirds are proof that conservation efforts work, as they are now a species of least conservation concern in the United States. Since 2020, undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina Aiken have collaborated with the South Carolina Bluebird Society to establish and monitor 31 nesting boxes across the main campus …

Dairy Club Digest: Udderly Good Times, South Dakota State University Dairy Club

Dairy Digest

This is the 2024 Dairy Club Digest. The Diary Club Digest is published annually by the South Dakota State University Dairy Club. The Digest contains information and news about the activities and members of the SDSU Dairy Club for the academic year 2023 - 2024.

Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource Recovery Plan 2023- 2043 (Phase 1), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

The Pilbara Demersal Scalefish Resource (PDSR) includes over 60 demersal scalefish species. The resource is accessed by the Pilbara Trap Managed Fishery, Pilbara Fish Trawl (Interim) Managed Fishery, and the Pilbara Line Fishery (PTMF, PFTIMF & PLF respectively) as well as the recreational and charter fisheries.

The PDSR is managed in accordance with the North Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource Harvest Strategy (Harvest Strategy). The sustainability objectives of the PDSR are set out in the Harvest Strategy and monitored via the use of an indicator species approach, whereby the status of key species is considered representative of the status of the …

Ecological Risk Assessment For The Western Australian Sea Cucumber Resource, Kimberley A. Smith, Cameron Desfosses, Dave Murphy, Amie Steele, Lachlan W. Strain

Fisheries Research Reports

In April 2024, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (Department) convened an ecological risk assessment (ERA) of the fisheries that access the Western Australian Sea Cucumber Resource, which comprises a range of species from the class Holothuroidea. This document contains background information used to support the ERA risk scoring process, along with the scores from the workshop and a summary of the workshop discussions that were relevant to the scoring. This includes an overview of commercial fisheries that access the Resource, focusing primarily on the WA Sea Cucumber Fishery, and one fishing authorisation issued under the Aboriginal Community …

Root Lesion And Burrowing Nematodes And Their Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Nematodes are common soil pests that feed on the roots of a wide range of crops in all agricultural areas of Western Australia, resulting in significant crop yield loss. Root lesion nematode can be managed but not eradicated.

This factsheet summarises the biology of the root lesion nematode (RLN, Pratylenchus spp.) and burrowing nematode (Radopholus spp.) species that damage Western Australian (WA) crops, and their diagnosis and management.

Roly Poly And Its Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Roly poly, also known as prickly saltwort or tumbleweed (Salsola australis), is a native species found throughout Australia. The dead plants can break off at ground level, forming the ‘tumbleweeds’ seen in movies.

Like most summer weeds, roly poly uses soil moisture and nutrients that would otherwise be available to the following crop. The time taken to clear uncontrolled plants can delay seeding.

Livestock will graze the young plants; however, they will not eat the mature plants and are injured by the prickly leaves.

Correcting The Record: Subspecific Identification Of Nebraska’S Lone Common Eider (Somateria Mollissima), Sam Manning, Joel G. Jorgensen, Stephen J. Brenner, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

In late November or early December 1967, Roger Guenther harvested a Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) on Maloney Canal between Maloney and Sutherland in Lincoln County, Nebraska. The head and a single foot from the carcass were deposited at the University of Nebraska State Museum via the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Nebraska Fish and Game Department (now the Game and Parks Commission). Dr. Jean Tate prepared the parts, which were inventoried as specimen #ZM-12341 in the UNSM. Dr. Paul Johnsgard purportedly took this specimen to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago for identification purposes, and concluded …

2023 (35th) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (NOURC) are described in its bylaws (NOURC 2010). The committee’s purpose is to provide a procedure for documenting unusual bird sightings and to establish a list of all documented birds for Nebraska. Species for which the NOURC seeks documentation (NOURC Review List) can be found at the NOU website https://noubirds.org/Birds/ReviewList.aspx. Starting in 2020, the NOURC decided to deal mainly with those species deemed as Accidental on the “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska”. Casual species and out-of- range species are now summarized in the “Seasonal Reports” of the …

The Nebraska Bird Review (September 2024) 92(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June–July 2024, by W. Ross Silcock

Correcting the Record: Subspecific Identification of Nebraska’s Lone Common Eider (Somateria mollissima), by Sam Manning, Joel G. Jorgensen, Stephen J. Brenner, and W. Ross Silcock

2023 (35th) Report of the NOU Records Committee, by Mark A. Brogie

Subscription and Organization Information

Summer Field Report, June–July 2024, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

This was an intriguing summer in several ways. I am far from being a knowledgeable ecologist, but, like most of us, as a layman I wonder whether and how weather affects birds, and if and how local weather is reflecting the conventional wisdom of climate change. Climate change seems increasingly to be expressed as various extreme or rapidly changing weather events that have differing effects on vegetation and consequently insect and larger prey populations. Every species responds differently it seems, depending on its biological needs, but food supply is the most important issue for birds. It is tempting to assign …

Pasture Data Reconciliation Of The South West Agricultural Zone Of Western Australia September 2024, Tafesse Estifanos, Amir Abadi Ghadim, Paul Mattingley, Kate Pritchett, Tony Della Bosca

Animal production and livestock published reports

Western Australia’s (WA) agricultural land use system features extensive pasture land vital for grazing sheep and cattle. Most pastures in the south west of Western Australia consist of annual species that grow during the cool, wet winters of the Mediterranean climate and senesce in the warm to hot, dry summers. Understanding the spatial distribution of pasture areas within the context of mixed farming is essential for developing effective land management strategies to enhance livestock production and profitability through balanced pasture supply and demand.

This report focuses on reconciling pasture area data for the south-west of Western Australia’s agricultural zone across …

Capeweed And Its Management, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Capeweed (Arctotheca calendula) is a prostrate, stemless, sprawling annual herb that germinates during autumn and winter. In Western Australia (WA), competition from 7 to 90 capeweed plants per square metre in a wheat crop can reduce crop yield by 28 to 44% and net return by 25 to 76%.

Breeding Ewes Are Worth Feeding, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Despite potentially elevated grain prices, strong prices for meat and wool mean that Western Australian sheep farmers can confidently supplementary feed their underweight ewes in summer/autumn.

Analysis in 2019, based on then-current prices, showed it was a profitable investment to feed all ewes to maintain condition during pregnancy, and to feed low condition score single bearing ewes and low and medium condition score twin bearing ewes to gain condition.

In 2019, John Young from Farming Systems Analysis Service completed an analysis on the value of a ewe in the WA farming system. His report had some important messages for the …

Seal Counting On Our Plages (S.C.O.O.P.), Kaanan Kharwa

Master's Theses

The Vertebrate Integrative Physiology (VIP) lab monitors the population of northern elephant seals at the largest mainland breeding colony, located at Piedras Blancas (San Simeon, CA). As the population expands, more human-seal interactions and conflicts over land use occur. The VIP lab's work informs California State Parks and helps with the management of the rookery. Currently, members of the VIP lab fly a drone over the beaches, capture multiple images, and manually count the seals, which takes around 14 to 21 hours of analysis per survey. Machine learning methods such as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks …

Assessment Of Novel Protein Ingredient Arthrospira Platensis And Soybean Genotype Amino Acid And Oil Selection Improvements On Broiler Performance For A 28-42 D Feeding Period, Savannah C. Wells-Crofton, Kenneth B. Nelson, Garrett J. Mullenix, Craig W. Maynard, Michael T. Kidd

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two experiments were conducted to assess the efficiency of including the novel protein ingredient Arthrospira platensis or improved soybean meal in a broiler diet. The first experiment aimed to determine the feeding value of soybean meal produced from varieties of soybeans bred for increased amino acid content (SBAA) and improved oil content (SBO) compared to a conventional soybean variety in an ANOVA design fed to Cobb 500 female broilers for 28–42 d. The SBAA and SBO soybeans contained overall higher amino acid content and lower oligosaccharide content compared to the conventional soybean variety in addition to improved oil quality. The …

Research Note: Carcass Yield And Meat Quality In High- And Low-Water Efficient Broiler Lines Exposed To Heat Stress, Sara Orlowski, Elizabeth Greene, Kentu Lassiter, Travis Tabler, Walter Bottje, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Heat stress (HS) and water scarcity are significant challenges to sustainable poultry production worldwide. It is, therefore, critical to identify effective strategies to prevent, withstand, or adapt to these challenges. After four generations of divergent selection for water efficiency, the present study was undertaken to determine the effect of HS on meat quality and muscle myopathy incidences in high (HWE)- and low (LWE)-water efficient broilers. Day-old male chicks (240 chicks/line) were allotted randomly by line and body weight-matched groups to 12 controlled-environmental chambers (2 pens/chamber). At d29, birds were exposed to 2 environmental conditions …

Titration Of Dietary Histidine During A 15 To 35 D Feeding Period In Male Cobb 500 Broilers, K. B. Nelson, S. C. Wells-Crafton, M. F. Costa, B. L. Angel, S. K. Rao, G. J. Mullenix, C. W. Maynard, Michael T. Kidd

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dietary CP reductions in broilers can result in increased FCR when 6 or 7 feed-grade amino acids are allowed to enter formulation, and a partial explanation may be a dietary limitation of His. Histidine requirement data are sparce in the current body of literature, especially beyond 3 wk post-hatch. Therefore, a His dose-response experiment (expressed as a percentage of Lys) was conducted with male Cobb 500 broilers from 15 to 35 d post-hatch. A His deficient test diet was formulated to contain a digestible His to digestible Lys (dHis:dLys) ratio of 28.0%. Graded increments of L-His were added to the …

Testing Feed Is Vital For Feed Budgeting, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

A little knowledge of the nutritional value of your supplementary feeds can save you a lot of money and hassle.

In dry seasons, it is likely that farmers will need to start supplementary feeding earlier than usual. The higher requirement for supplementary feeds over dry seasons means accurate feed budgeting becomes increasingly important to minimise feed wastage, for weaner survival, and to maintain stock at the right condition score (CS) for joining.