Animal Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Oyster Aquaculture On Elasmobranch Abundance And Habitat Use In Humboldt Bay, Ca, Rose Harman

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Habitat modification from aquaculture can have large effects on natural communities, with the habitat complexity provided by aquaculture structure positively influencing benthic invertebrates and small fish abundance. However, the effects of aquaculture on larger predatory fish like elasmobranchs (i.e., sharks and rays), which use nearshore habitat to forage and provide top-down control of these ecosystems, is largely unknown. Over two years, I deployed baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) to examine the effects of oyster aquaculture and environmental variables such as habitat (mudflat or eelgrass), salinity (ppt), turbidity (m), temperature (°C), pH (mV), dissolved oxygen (mg · L^-1), …

Short-Eared Owl Land-Use Associations During The Breeding Season In The Western United States, Robert A. Miller, Joseph B. Buchanan, Theresa L. Pope, Jay D. Carlisle, Colleen E. Moulton, Travis L. Booms

Intermountain Bird Observatory Publications and Presentations

The Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is a species of conservation concern in the western USA, with evidence for declining population sizes. Monitoring of Short-eared Owls is complicated because of their low site fidelity and nomadic movements. We recruited community-science participants to implement a multi-year survey of Short-eared Owls across eight states in the western USA, resulting in a program of sufficient temporal and spatial dimensions to overcome many of the challenges in monitoring this species. We implemented both multi-scale occupancy and colonization/extinction modeling to provide insights into land-cover use, and to identify which cover types supported higher occurrence. …

Informing Wetland Management With Waterfowl Movement And Sanctuary Use Responses To Human-Induced Disturbance, Fiona Mcduie, Austen A. Lorenz, Robert C. Klinger, Cory T. Overton, Cliff L. Feldheim, Joshua T. Ackerman, Michael L. Casazza

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Long-term environmental management to prevent waterfowl population declines is informed by ecology, movement behavior and habitat use patterns. Extrinsic factors, such as human-induced disturbance, can cause behavioral changes which may influence movement and resource needs, driving variation that affects management efficacy. To better understand the relationship between human-based disturbance and animal movement and habitat use, and their potential effects on management, we GPS tracked 15 dabbling ducks in California over ~4-weeks before, during and after the start of a recreational hunting season in October/November 2018. We recorded locations at 2-min intervals across three separate 24-h tracking phases: Phase 1) two …

Overwinter Ecology Of Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus Carolinus) In Arkansas, Araks Ohanyan

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Rusty Blackbirds are one of the most rapidly declining songbirds in North America. They have lost an estimated 85-95% of their population since the 1960s. Unfortunately, we currently do not know what is causing their decline. However, since habitat alteration and loss in their nonbreeding range has been much more severe than in their breeding range, many think the decline is associated with winter habitat loss. Consequently, knowledge of winter ecology, with a focus on habitat use and selection, may provide management insights useful for reversing the decline. My field assistants and I (hereafter we) used radio telemetry to collect …

Spiders (Araneae) Collected As Prey By The Mud-Dauber Wasps Sceliphron Caementarium And Chalybion Californicum (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) In Southeastern Nebraska1, Tyler B. Corey, Earl Agpawa, Eileen Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

Predator diets represent a potential interaction between local prey availability, prey antipredator defenses, and predator foraging behavior. Female spider-specialist muddauber wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) collect spiders and provision them intact, but paralyzed, to their developing larvae, providing a unique means of quantifying the diversity and abundance of prey that they capture. Mud-dauber wasps are hypothesized to be a major source of selection on antipredator defenses in web-building spiders, and the spiny and thickened abdomens of female spiny orb-weaving spiders (Araneae: Araneidae) are hypothesized to function as antiwasp defenses. We inventoried spider prey from nests of the mud-dauber wasps Sceliphron caementarium (Drury) …

Habitat Use Of Wintering Henslow's Sparrows (Centronyx Henslowii) In Power Line Right-Of-Ways, Abigail W. Dwire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Habitat loss and degradation are the leading causes of grassland bird declines worldwide. The Henslow’s Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii; hereafter HESP) is a grassland bird species of conservation concern that has historically relied on the herbaceous ground-layer of longleaf pine savannas and similar habitats in the southeastern U.S. for food and shelter in the winter. However, due to human development, alterations of habitat, and fire suppression, only fragments of these habitats remain. Over the last decade, surveys have annually documented HESPs using power line right-of-ways (hereafter, ROWs) at several sites in the coastal plain of Georgia as alternative habitat for …

Use Of Otolith Chemistry To Assess Recruitment And Habitat Use Of A White Bass Fishery In A Nebraska Reservoir, Matthew A. Perrion, Mark A. Kaemingk, Keith D. Koupal, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Nate A. Bickford

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

Managing fisheries that exhibit variable annual recruitment is challenging, and maintenance stockings are often prescribed to minimize interannual population variation. Maintenance stockings are costly and may not be necessary if sufficient natural recruitment is occurring. Therefore, developing tools and techniques that can collectively assess hatching origin and subsequent habitat use of individuals would be valuable. Herein, we aimed to assess the efficacy of otolith chemistry techniques to (1) determine whether there was evidence of natural recruitment within an annually stocked white bass population and (2) examine the potential to describe spatial reservoir use of these age-0 fish. A sample of …

Home Range And Habitat Use Of West Virginia Canis Latrans (Coyote), Lauren L. Mastro, Dana J. Morin, Eric M. Gese

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Canis latrans (Coyote) has undergone a range expansion in the United States over the last century. As a highly opportunistic species, its home range and habitat use changes with ecological context. Coyotes were first reported in West Virginia in 1950 but were not commonly observed until the 1990s, and there is scant information on Coyotes in the region. We used telemetry data from 8 radiocollared Coyotes in West Virginia to estimate home-range size and third-order habitat selection. Home-range areas (95% utilization distributions; UDs) varied from 5.22 to 27.79 km² (mean = 12.48 ± 2.61 km²), with highly …

Examining Whooping Crane Breeding Season Foraging Behavior In The Eastern Migratory Population, Hillary L. Thompson, Anik Levac, Megan J. Fitzpatrick

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Agricultural fields may provide an important supplementary foraging habitat for whooping cranes (Grus americana) in the reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population (EMP). We developed methods and gathered preliminary data regarding whooping crane foraging efficiency and habitat use to better understand the use of agricultural fields by breeding cranes. We generated a simple null hypothesis that cranes would spend more time in the habitat type (wetlands vs. agricultural fields) in which they were able to obtain a higher foraging efficiency to maximize food intake, along with several alternative hypotheses pertaining to reasons cranes may prefer wetlands or agricultural fields during …

Autumn Foraging And Staging Ecology Of Eastern Population Sandhill Cranes (Antigone Canadensis Tabida), Everett E. Hanna

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Spatial and temporal variation in the density and distribution of waste agricultural grain (grain herein) during staging can affect the carrying capacity of habitats that support avian populations. Such variation in food resources can also have proximate effects on behavioural ecology (e.g., influence optimal behaviour). The Eastern Population of Greater Sandhill Cranes (Antigone canadensis tabida; EP herein) likely began to recolonize Ontario and its historic range starting in the early 1900s and now relies on agricultural grain during migration. Accordingly, ecologists possess little knowledge of how EP crane behavioural ecology may be affected by grain. Thus, my study …

Mechanisms Governing Ontogenetic Habitat Shifts: Role Of Trade-Offs, Predation, And Cannibalism For The Blue Crab, Amanda Bromilow, Romauld Lipcius

VIMS Articles

Nursery habitats play a major role in the population dynamics of marine and estuarine species, with the blue crab Callinectes sapidus serving as a model invertebrate. The current paradigm of blue crab habitat use postulates that juvenile survival decreases with size in submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) due to a reduction in suitably scaled refuge, triggering an ontogenetic shift from SAV to unvegetated habitats. However, alternative mechanisms for this habitat shift have not been examined. We evaluated the paradigm of blue crab habitat use by conducting field tethering experiments in York River (Virginia, USA) nursery habitats using a broad range of …

Shorebird Migratory Stopover Responses To Local And Regional Change: Habitat Decisions In A Vanishing Landscape, Caitlyn Gillespie

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Understanding the consequences of anthropogenic change for migratory species is challenging because although they have evolved to cope with environmental uncertainty, migrants still rely on predictable relationships within and among habitats to make informed decisions. Calidris shorebirds rely on ephemeral wetlands during northward migration through mid-continental North America, where favorable habitat conditions are annually and regionally unpredictable and increasingly altered by land-use change. During spring 2013 and 2014, we assessed Calidris habitat use in the Rainwater Basin (RWB) and the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) at both local and landscape scales. Although anthropogenic change has altered the wetland landscape in both …

First Successful Capture And Satellite Tracking Of A West Indian Manatee (Trichechus Manatus) In Panama: Feasibility Of Capture And Telemetry Techniques, Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske, James P. Reid, Carlos Espinoza-Marin, Kherson E. Ruiz, Kenneth E. Glander, Leon David Olivera-Gomez

Faculty Publications

It is currently unknown how important the Central American countries south of Belize are as a link between manatee populations in the north (Belize and Mexico) and populations in South America. Therefore, apart from knowing where manatees are found, it is important to understand how manatees are using these habitats and if they are moving between countries or distinct population centers. Here we report the results of a multi-national and multiinstitutional collaboration resulting in the first successful capture and satellite tracking of a West Indian manatee in southern Central America.

Wintering Ecology Of Adult North American Ospreys, Brian E. Washburn, Charles J. Henny, Mark S. Martell, Richard O. Bierregaard, Brian S. Dorr, Thomas J. Olexa

Brian S Dorr

North American Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) typically migrate long distances to their wintering grounds in the tropics. Beyond the general distribution of their wintering range (i.e., the Caribbean, South America, and Central America), very little is known about the wintering ecology of these birds. We used satellite telemetry to determine the duration of wintering period, to examine the characteristics of wintering areas used by Ospreys, and to quantify space use and activity patterns of wintering Ospreys. Adult Ospreys migrated to wintering sites and exhibited high wintering site fidelity among years. Overall, Ospreys wintered on river systems (50.6%) more than on lakes …

Diet And Habitat Use Of The Endangered Persian Leopard (Panthera Pardus Saxicolor) In Northeastern Iran, Mohammad Taghdisi, Alireza Mohammadi, Elham Nourani, Shirko Shokri, Ali Rezaei, Mohammad Kaboli

Turkish Journal of Zoology

A 2-year study of the food habits of the Persian leopard was conducted in Sarigol National Park in northeastern Iran, North Khorasan Province. Based on an analysis of 52 leopard scats, the principal prey was wild sheep (Ovis orientalis: prey frequency of occurrence = 61.5%; prey relative frequency of occurrence = 47.05%; relative biomass = 53.96%), followed by wild pig (Sus scrofa: frequency = 23.07%; relative frequency = 17.64%; relative biomass = 25.38%) and wild goat (Capra aegagrus: frequency = 13.46%; relative frequency = 10.29%; relative biomass = 6.64%). The high proportion of medium- and large-size prey in leopard diet …

Foraging And Roosting Behaviors Of Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus Rafinesquii) At The Northern Edge Of The Species Range, Joseph S. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Bat populations in the eastern United States are currently declining at unprecedented rates as a result of habitat loss, commercial wind energy development, and white-nose syndrome. Effective conservation of these declining populations requires knowledge of several aspects of summer and winter ecology, including daytime habitat use (day-roost selection and social behaviors), nocturnal habitat use (foraging habitat selection, prey selection, and prey abundance), and winter hibernation (torpor) patterns. This dissertation addresses these questions for Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), a species of conservation concern in the southeastern United States. Kentucky represents the northern edge of the range of Rafinesque’s …

Life History And Habitat Use Of The Juvenile Alabama Shad (Alosa Alabamae) In Northern Gulf Of Mexico Rivers, Paul Fraser Mickle

Dissertations

The Alabama shad, Alosa alabamae, is an anadromous species that is in decline and has seen extirpations from impoundments as well as decreased water quality. Alabama shad live in the Gulf of Mexico and ascend Northern Gulf of Mexico Drainages to reproduce early in the year (January-May). The juveniles spend the majority of the year in these freshwater systems before emigrating out to the Gulf of Mexico as late as December.

This dissertation focuses on the juvenile life stages that occur within the Northern Gulf of Mexico drainages. Spawning conditions of the river, as well as the habitat and diet, …

Whooping Crane Migrational Habitat Use Of The Platte River, Nebraska, 2001-2006, Shay Howlin, Clayton Derby, Dale Strickland

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

The Platte River Endangered Species Partnership monitored whooping crane (Grus americana) habitat use along the Platte River between Chapman and Lexington, Nebraska during 11 migration seasons from 2001 to 2006. Daily aerial surveys took place in the morning from 21 March to 29 April in the spring and from 9 October to 10 November in the fall. Decoy detection trials were conducted during each of the 11 survey seasons to calculate actual sample inclusion probabilities for crane groups detected during monitoring flights. The detectability model found significant differences in detectability among strata (upland or channel), contractor, and altitude …

Home Range Size And Habitat Use Of Mississippi Sandhill Crane Colts, Scott G. Hereford, Tracy E. Grazia, Jereme N. Phillips, Glenn H. Olsen

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Recruitment in the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane (Grus canadensis pulla) is minimal, with the population of 110 sustained by an annual augmentation of captive-reared juveniles. Suitability of available habitat quality is likely involved in nesting success. Thousands of hectares of pine savanna were restored for crane use, but it is not clear how much was being used by crane families. We used 3-g subcutaneous transmitters to radio-tag 27 colts over 6 years from 1998 to 2002 and 2004 to determine home range and habitat use. Using a hand-held receiver, H-antenna and standard triangulation, location data were collected twice …

Behavior And Habitat Use Of Greater Sandhill Cranes Wintering In East Tennessee, David A. Aborn

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

An increase of eastern greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida) stopping over and wintering at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in east Tennessee has led to overcrowding at the refuge, resulting in crane use of private property. Proper management is needed to prevent the cranes from becoming a nuisance, increase the suitability of the refuge for waterfowl, and reduce the likelihood of a disease outbreak. Observations of cranes revealed that cranes spent 83% of their time foraging, alert, or preening. Sandhill cranes foraged primarily in agricultural and grassy fields, whereas mudflats and shallow water were used for preening and …

Regional Characterisation Of Hard-Bottom Nursery Habitat For Juvenile Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus Argus) Using Rapid Assessment Techniques, Rodney D. Bertelsen, Mark J. Butler Iv, William F. Herrnkind, John H. Hunt

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Shallow, hard-bottom habitat constitutes approximately 30% of the coastal waters of south Florida, United States, yet it is a chronically understudied feature of the marine seascape in this region. In this study, we characterised the general biogeographic and structural features of shallow benthic hard-bottom communities in the Florida Keys, and related those to the abundance of juvenile Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus), the target of one of Florida's most economically valuable fisheries. We used rapid assessment techniques to survey more than 100 hard-bottom sites in the Florida Keys to estimate the percentage bottom coverage of vegetation (seagrass and …

Pygmy Rabbit (Brachylagus Idahoensis) Habitat Use, Activity Patterns And Conservation In Relationship To Habitat Treatments, Janet E. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined activity patterns and habitat use of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) in mechanically treated and untreated areas in south-central Utah 2005-2008. We monitored fecal pellet plots in continuous sagebrush habitat as well as along treatment edges to record deposition and leporid presence over timed periods. Pygmy rabbit use of big sagebrush was higher than black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) and mountain cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus nuttallii ) (P< 0.01) relative to treated areas (P <0.01). We also compared pygmy rabbit use of areas with continuous sagebrush to residual sagebrush in a sample of mechanically treated areas. Our results suggest a treatment effect with higher (P <0.01) average counts of pygmy rabbit pellets in areas with continuous sagebrush compared to sagebrush strips and islands within treated areas. Before the big sagebrush biotype inhabited by pygmy rabbits is treated to reduce the occurrence and dominance of big sagebrush, we recommend managers consider two options. The first is no treatment, thus preserving, as is, the critical habitat of the pygmy rabbit and other sympatric big sagebrush obligate species of wildlife. The second option cautiously introduces the first prescription of habitat treatment ever recommended in relationship to the pygmy rabbit. This prescription includes recommended widths of the treated areas, seed mixes, widths of the preserved intact big sagebrush habitat for pygmy rabbits as well as suggested grazing systems for domestic livestock. Activity patterns of pygmy rabbits at their burrow were documented through the use of remote cameras. Photographs were analyzed for temporal and seasonal patterns of activity. Our results suggested that time of day was important in the activity level of pygmy rabbits while season was not. Pygmy rabbits were active during all time periods of the day but the greatest levels of activity occurred at night. Numerous other wildlife species were recorded by our remote cameras including other species of leporids, birds, rodents, reptiles and terrestrial predators.

The Cuban Sandhill Crane As Umbrella Species: Relationship With Plant Diversity In Threatene D White Sand Savannahs, Duniet Marrero Garcia, Jose A. Osorio, Xiomara Galvez Aguilera, Felipe Chavez-Ramirez

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

This project describes relationships between the Cuban sandhill crane (Grus canadensis nesiotes) distribution and habitat use and plant diversity in white sand savannahs, a threatened ecosystem in Cuba. Data are based on habitat use and selection of 10 radio-tagged sandhill cranes in the Los Indios Ecological reserve, Isle of Youth. We used Arcview and satellite imagery to map broad vegetation categories. Within the general Pine-Palm savannahs specific plant communities were characterized using species composition and dominant plant life forms. Habitat types most used by cranes for feeding and nesting were also those with highest plant species richness and …

Demographic And Spatial Characteristics Of Feral Hogs In The Chihuahuan Desert, Texas, Roger N. Adkins, Louis A. Harveson

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feral hogs (Sus scrofa) have recently expanded their range to include portions of the arid regions of the Chihuahuan Desert, Texas. We examined feral hog density, survival rates, range size, and habitat use in the Davis Mountains, Texas, to understand hog ecology in a desert environment. We tested the hypothesis that densities of feral hogs across Texas would be positively related to precipitation. Feral hog densities in the Chihuahuan Desert were low (0.65 individuals/km²), supporting our prediction. Annual home range sizes (100% minimum convex polygon) were also high and averaged 48.3 ± 4.4 km² and …

Range Size, Habitat Use, And Dial Activity Of Feral Hogs On Reclaimed Surface-Mined Lands In East Texas, Robert C. Mersinger, Nova J. Silvy

Human–Wildlife Interactions

During the last decade, surface lignite mines in eastern Texas have experienced damage by feral hogs (Sus scrofa) to reclaimed areas. Specifically, feral hogs have caused damage to plants used in reclamation. In addition to vegetative losses, erosion control problems and water quality impacts have been noted. Big Brown Lignite Mine in Freestone County, Texas, had tried to control feral hogs through year-long trapping, which proved expensive. We hypothesized that hogs were using reclaimed areas only at night and seasonally. If so, knowledge of travel lanes into the mine and seasonal use would help concentrate trapping efforts and …

Evaluation Of Habitat Enhancement Structure Use By Spotted Bass, Stanley L. Proboszcz, Christopher S. Guy

The Prairie Naturalist

Habitat enhancement is a common and effective method used to positively influence fish populations. However, there is a paucity of speciesspecific evaluations of stream habitat enhancement structures for warmwater fishes. We evaluated use of half-log, rootwad enhancement structure, and simulated undercut bank (LUNKERS) by adult and juvenile spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus) in natural and experimental streams. Enhancement structures were installed in Otter Creek, Kansas. Adult spotted bass use of natural and enhancement structure was documented weekly during summer and fall of 2001 and 2002 with radiotelemetry. Mean total length (TL) of adult fish was 292 mm (SE = …

Patterns Of Habitat Use By Whooping Cranes During Migration: Summary From 1977–1999 Site Evaluation Data, Jane E. Austin, Amy L. Richert

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We used site evaluation data collected during 1977–1999 to examine patterns of habitat use by whooping cranes (Grus americana) during migration through the United States portion of the Wood Buffalo–Aransas flyway. We examined characteristics of 3 types of stopover habitats: 1) roost sites (n = 141 records), 2) feeding sites (n = 306), and 3) dual-use sites (i.e., where observer recorded cranes as using a site for both roosting and feeding (n = 248). Results in spring were influenced by the large number of records from Nebraska (> 67% of spring records) and in fall by frequent observations …

Do Arctic-Nesting Geese Compete With Sandhill Cranes For Waste Corn In The Central Platte River Valley, Nebraska?, Gary L. Krapu, David A. Brandt, Robert R. Cox Jr.

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Numbers of arctic-nesting geese staging in spring in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) of southcentral Nebraska increased dramatically from the 1970s to the 1990s, raising concerns that geese may be competing with the mid-continental population of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) for waste corn. From late February to mid-April 1998-2001, we measured temporal patterns of cropland use, evaluated habitat preferences, and compared numbers of geese using the primary crane-occupied parts of the CPRV area with numbers of sandhill cranes. Numbers of Canada geese (Branta canadensis), lesser snow geese (Chen caerulescens)/ Ross’ geese (Chen …

Nocturnal Roost Site Selection And Diurnal Habitat Use By Sandhill Cranes During Spring In Central Nebraska, Craig A. Davis

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

During spring 1998 and 1999, the Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust conducted ground and aerial surveys of staging sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis; hereafter, cranes) to detennine roost site selection and habitat-use patterns along a l20-Ian stretch of the Platte River in south-central Nebraska. Cranes peaked at 232,023 during 22-28 March 1998 and 206,074 during 28 Februaty-6 March 1999 in the study area, a portion of the total crane staging area in the Platte River Valley. Diurnal observations showed that 48% of the cranes were in com fields, 34% in lowland grasslands, 13% in alfalfa fields, and 5% …

Oyster Reefs As Fish Habitat: Opportunistic Use Of Restored Reefs By Transient Fishes, Juliana M. Harding, Roger L. Mann

VIMS Articles

Under the Magnuson-Stevenson Fisheries Management Act of 1996, current fisheries management practice is focused on the conce_pt of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH). Application of the EFH concept to estuarine habitats relates directly to ongoing oyster reef restorat10n efforts. Oyster reef restoration typically creates complex habitat in regions where such habitat is limited or absent. While healthy oyster reefs provide structurally and ecologically complex habitat for many other species from all trophic levels including recreationally and commercially valuable transient finfishes, additional data is required to evaluate oyster reef habitats in the context of essential fish habitat. Patterns of transient fish species …