Animal Sciences Commons^™

Wildlife Carcass Disposal, Stephen M. Vantassel, Mark A. King

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

Many wildlife management situations require the disposal of animal carcasses. These can include the lethal removal of wildlife to resolve damage or conflicts, as well as clean-up after mortalities caused by vehicle collisions, disease, oil spills (Figure 1) or other natural disasters. Carcasses must be disposed of properly to protect public sensitivities, the environment, and public health. Improper disposal of carcasses can result in public outrage, site contamination, injury to animals and people, and the attraction of other animals that may lead to wildlife damage issues. Concern over ground water contamination and disease transmission from improper carcass disposal has resulted …

Morphological Variation In The Genus Chlorocebus: Ecogeographic And Anthropogenically Mediated Variation In Body Mass, Postcranial Morphology, And Growth, Trudy R. Turner, Christopher A. Schmitt, Jennifer Danzy Cramer, Joseph Lorenz, J. Paul Grobler, Clifford J. Jolly, Nelson B. Freimer

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Objectives

Direct comparative work in morphology and growth on widely dispersed wild primate taxa is rarely accomplished, yet critical to understanding ecogeographic variation, plastic local variation in response to human impacts, and variation in patterns of growth and sexual dimorphism. We investigated population variation in morphology and growth in response to geographic variables (i.e., latitude, altitude), climatic variables (i.e., temperature and rainfall), and human impacts in the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus spp.).

Methods

We trapped over 1,600 wild vervets from across Sub‐Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and compared measurements of body mass, body length, and relative thigh, leg, and foot …

The Ecology Of The Usambara Double-Collared Sunbird (Cinnyris Usambaricus), Sarah Lueder

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The ecology of the endemic Usambara Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris usambaricus) was investigated in the surrounding areas of and within Mazumbai Forest Reserve in the Lushoto District of Tanzania. As there is little known concerning the ecology of the species, this study sought to illuminate multiple aspects of their behavior and interactions. Over fourteen days (November 2nd-November 21st), the abundance of the species, their nesting behavior, their habitat preferences, their vocalizations, their diet, and their aggressive behaviors were observed and then analyzed. It was determined the species’ activity likely peaks in the early morning, their nesting is similar to other species …

With Some Risk-Taking And Luck: A Veterinarian's Adventures In Viral Immunology., Luis J. Sigal

Department of Microbiology and Immunology Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Fisheries Bycatch Risk To Marine Megafauna Is Intensified In Lagrangian Coherent Structures, Kylie L. Scales, Elliot L. Hazen, Michael G. Jacox, Frederic Castruccio, Sara M. Maxwell, Rebecca L. Lewison, Steven J. Bograd

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Incidental catch of nontarget species (bycatch) is a major barrier to ecological and economic sustainability in marine capture fisheries. Key to mitigating bycatch is an understanding of the habitat requirements of target and nontarget species and the influence of heterogeneity and variability in the dynamic marine environment. While patterns of overlap among marine capture fisheries and habitats of a taxonomically diverse range of marine vertebrates have been reported, a mechanistic understanding of the real-time physical drivers of bycatch events is lacking. Moving from describing patterns toward understanding processes, we apply a Lagrangian analysis to a high-resolution ocean model output to …

Assembly And Analysis Of Unmapped Genome Sequence Reads Reveal Novel Sequence And Variation In Dogs, Lindsay Adrian Holden, Meharji Arumilli, Marjo K. Hytönen, Sruthi Hundi, Jarkko Salojärvi, Kim H. Brown, Hannes Lohi

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dogs are excellent animal models for human disease. They have extensive veterinary histories, pedigrees, and a unique genetic system due to breeding practices. Despite these advantages, one factor limiting their usefulness is the canine genome reference (CGR) which was assembled using a single purebred Boxer. Although a common practice, this results in many high-quality reads remaining unmapped. To address this whole-genome sequence data from three breeds, Border Collie (n = 26), Bearded Collie (n = 7), and Entlebucher Sennenhund (n = 8), were analyzed to identify novel, non- CGR genomic contigs using the previously validated pseudo-de novo assembly pipeline. We …

Comparison Of Traditional And Alternative Ingredients On Meat Curing Reactions Using A Model System, Faith Rasmussen

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

Consumer’s negative perception of “chemical-sounding” ingredients has increased the use of alternative ingredients. The objective of this study was to determine the effect traditional (sodium nitrite with or without sodium erythorbate) or alternative (celery juice powder with or without acerola cherry powder) curing systems with different ingoing concentrations of sodium nitrite using model meat solutions. Curing systems with reducing agents developed the most cured meat pigment (p < 0.001). Using more than 50 ppm of nitrite did not further increase cured meat pigment (p < 0.001). Curing systems with reducing agents and 50 ppm or greater nitrite had the least residual nitrite (p < 0.001). Alternative curing systems had the most residual sulfhydryl groups when formulated with 100 ppm or more nitrite (p < 0.001). Treatments with reducing agents had greater residual reducing capacity than treatments without reducing agents (p < 0.001). Both alternative and traditional curing systems develop similar cured meat pigment but differences in the nitrosation of cysteine exist.

Advisor: Gary A. Sullivan

Plasticity Of Foraging Behaviors In Response To Diverse Environmental Conditions, Morgan Gilmour, José Castillo‐Guerrero, Abram Fleishman, Salvador Hernández‐Vázquez, Hillary Young, Scott Shaffer

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Due to rapidly changing global environmental conditions, many animals are now experiencing concurrent changes in both resource availability and the foraging cues associated with finding those resources. By employing flexible, plastic foraging strategies that use different types of environmental foraging cues, animals could adapt to these novel future environments. To evaluate the extent to which such flexibility and plasticity exist, we analyzed a large dataset of a clade (Sulidae; the boobies) of widespread aerial tropical predators that feed in highly variable marine habitats. These surface foragers are typical of many ocean predators that face dynamic and patchy foraging environments and …

Small Mammals Of Family Muridae In Protected Areas Of Pakistan, Fakhra Nazir, Andleeb Batool, Inayat Ullah Malik, Safdar Ali Shah, Sabiha Shamim

Journal of Bioresource Management

Murids to have more than 1300 species globally, forming the largest mammal group. Murids are found nearly everywhere in the world, though many subfamilies have narrower ranges. Murids are not found in Antarctica and many oceanic islands. Five National Parks from Northern areas of Pakistan were physically surveyed. The parks were studied at different times. Dhirkot National Park (DNP) in February 2008, Banjosa National Park (BJNP) from May to June 2009, Pir Lasura National Park (PLNP) from June to July 2009 and Pir Chanasi National Park (PCNP) from April to May 2010. A total of 6 species belonging to the …

Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata L. Walp) Hosts Several Widespread Bradyrhizobial Root Nodule Symbionts Across Contrasting Agro-Ecological Production Areas In Kenya, Samuel Mathu Ndungu, Monika M. Messmer, Dominik Ziegler, Hannes A. Gamper, Éva Mészáros, Moses Thuita, Bernard Vanlauwe, Emmanuel Frossard, Cécile Thonar

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) is an important African food legume suitable for dry regions. It is the main legume in two contrasting agro-ecological regions of Kenya as an important component of crop rotations because of its relative tolerance to unpredictable drought events. This study was carried out in an effort to establish a collection of bacterial root nodule symbionts and determine their relationship to physicochemical soil parameters as well as any geographical distributional patterns. Bradyrhizobium spp. were found to be widespread in this study and several different types could be identified at each site. Unique but rare symbionts were …

Status Of Jackals And Foxes (Family: Canidae) From Selected Hill Areas Of Pakistan, Andleeb Batool, Asif Gondal, Inayat Ullah Malik, Safdar Ali Shah

Journal of Bioresource Management

The family Canidae consists of coyotes, dogs, foxes, jackals, and wolves. The IUCN red list reports 38 species under this family. This study was conducted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Conserved areas of Tolipir National Park, Banjosa Game Reserve, Pir Chanasi National Park, Pir Lasura National Park and Dhirkot Nature Reserve were studied from 2008 to 2010. Vulpes vulpes griffithi (Kashmir or hill fox) is a flexible hunter. It mainly feeds on hares, rodents, reptiles and occasionally small birds. In absence of vertebrate prey, they may subsist on insects and fruit. Canis aureus (Golden Jackal) is a very adaptable …

The Importance Of Keeping The Big Ones: Harvest Slot Limits And Marine Protected Areas For The Management Of The Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Gayathiri Gnanalingam

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Fishing typically removes the oldest and/or largest individuals from populations undermining stability and reproductive success. Traditional fisheries management tools fail to protect these oldest and/or largest individuals, but two less conventional tools: marine protected areas (MPAs), and harvest slot limits have the potential to do so. Here I tested the possible use of these tools for the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, an iconic and economically valued species. After decades of intense fishing, the largest lobsters have largely been wiped out. The loss of the largest lobsters is significant as large lobsters have considerably greater reproductive potential than their …

Assets Of Sheep's Dock, Tuguldur Turbaatar, Tuguldur Battulga, Khongorzul Turhuu

The International Student Science Fair 2018

Background: Traditionally, Mongolians used sheep tail fat for infants’ food and massage medication. Nowadays, the fat from sheep tail is industrially processed and added to the beauty and cosmetic products. But it remains widely unknown worldwide. This study aims to find out its chemical components and to identify its assets.

Procedure and results: We cut the sheep tail fat into three main pieces with 1mm in width and heated in a water bath to separate the liquid lipid. After this, we titrated the lipid with potassium hydroxide solution and measured the saturated and unsaturated fatty acid of sheep …

Urine Volume And Nitrogen Excretion Are Altered By Feeding Birdsfoot Trefoil Compared With Alfalfa In Lactating Dairy Cows, Mohammad Ghelichkhan, Jong-Su Eun, Rachael G. Christensen, Rusty D. Stott, Jennifer W. Macadam

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Legumes that contain condensed tannins may have lower ruminal protein degradation than alfalfa. The present study investigated the effects of feeding birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) hay on lactational performance and N utilization and excretion. Eight multiparous Holstein cows in midlactation (150 ± 22.3 d-in-milk) were randomly assigned to 2 treatments [alfalfa hay-based total mixed ration (AHT) or birdsfoot trefoil hay-based total mixed ration (BHT)] in a crossover design with 2 experimental periods. Each experimental period lasted 17 d (14 d of adaptation and 3 d of sampling and total collection). Hays comprised approximately 50% …

Review Of Microbuthus With Description Of M. Satyrus Sp. N. (Scorpiones, Buthidae) From Oman And Yemen, Graeme Lowe, František Kovařík, Mark Stockmann, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

The taxonomy of the genus Microbuthus is reviewed, and a new species from Oman and Yemen, M. satyrus sp. n., is described and fully illustrated with color photographs of live and preserved specimens, as well as of its habitat. It is compared to the closely similar species M. litoralis, which we also illustrate. Synonymy of the type species M. pusillus Kraepelin, 1898 with M. litoralis (Pavesi, 1885) is confirmed, and the species is recorded for the first time from Yemen. Hemispermatophores of M. satyrus sp. n., M. gardneri Lowe, 2010, and …

Evaluation Of Dopaminergic And Antidopaminergic Agents For Use In Equine Metabolic Physiology, Nicole Arana Valencia

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A series of experiments studied the effects and practical applications of dopaminergic and antidopaminergic compounds in equine metabolic physiology. The first experiment was performed to assess the long-term effects of repeated cabergoline injections (every 10 days for a total of seven injections) on prolactin and α-melanocyte stimulating hormone concentrations in insulin insensitive mares. Additionally, the experiment also evaluated the use of cabergoline for improving insulin sensitivity. Plasma prolactin and α-melanocyte stimulating hormone concentrations were suppressed throughout the duration of the experiment even when the mares were challenged with a low-dose dopamine antagonist, sulpiride, the day previous to their subsequent cabergoline …

Can Lactate Dehydrogenase Be Used To Index Anaerobic Activity In Fishes?, Casey W. Schoenebeck, Erik Prenosil, Brianna Pallas, Aspen Abrams, Kimberly Carlson

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Anaerobic activities such as those associated with spawning, foraging for prey, and predator avoidance are difficult to quantify in wild fish. This study experimentally evaluated if the muscle enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) can be used to index recent anaerobic activity in fish by testing the hypothesis that muscle LDH activity will be greater in exercised fish than in rested fish. We used burst swimming motions in a swim tunnel to elicit anaerobic metabolism in a 5 day anaerobic exercise treatment (n = 30) and a rested control group (n = 30). On average the exercised fish produced significantly more LDH …

Rivoli's Hummingbird: Eugenes Fulgens, Donald R. Powers

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

Rivoli's Hummingbird was named in honor of the Duke of Rivoli when the species was described by René Lesson in 1829. Even when it became known that William Swainson had written an earlier description of this species in 1827, the common name Rivoli's Hummingbird remained until the early 1980s, when it was changed to Magnificent Hummingbird. In 2017, however, the name was restored to Rivoli's Hummingbird when the American Ornithological Society officially recognized Eugenes fulgens as a distinct species from E. spectabilis, the Talamanca Hummingbird, of the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama.

Rivoli's Hummingbird is found from the …

Assets Of Sheep's Dock, Tuguldur Turbaatar, Tuguldur Battulga, Khongorzul Turhuu

The International Student Science Fair 2018

Background: Traditionally, Mongolians used sheep tail fat for infants’ food and massage medication. Nowadays, the fat from sheep tail is industrially processed and added to the beauty and cosmetic products. But it remains widely unknown worldwide. This study aims to find out its chemical components and to identify its assets.

Procedure and results: We cut the sheep tail fat into three main pieces with 1mm in width and heated in a water bath to separate the liquid lipid. After this, we titrated the lipid with potassium hydroxide solution and measured the saturated and unsaturated fatty acid of sheep …

Diel Predator Activity Drives A Dynamic Landscape Of Fear, Michel T. Kohl, Daniel R. Stahler, Matthew C. Metz, James D. Forester, Matthew J. Kauffman, Nathan Varley, P. J. White, Douglas W. Smith, Daniel R. Macnulty

Ecology Center Publications

A “landscape of fear” (LOF) is a map that describes continuous spatial variation in an animal's perception of predation risk. The relief on this map reflects, for example, places that an animal avoids to minimize risk. Although the LOF concept is a potentially unifying theme in ecology that is often invoked to explain the ecological and conservation significance of fear, little is known about the daily dynamics of an LOF. Despite theory and data to the contrary, investigators often assume, implicitly or explicitly, that an LOF is a static consequence of a predator's mere presence within an ecosystem. We tested …

Fields, Jeri Lea (Fa 1200), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1200. Student paper titled “Folklore in Horse Training of the American Saddle Bred Show Horse” in which Jeri Fields details the experiences of Joseph Daniel Wilson, a show horse trainer living in Rossville, Georgia. Wilsondescribes his background with breeding, training, and showing class-ranked horses. The paper also includes folk beliefs, sayings, terms, and cures as they relate tohorses.

Species Substitution And Country Of Origin Mislabeling Of Catfish Products On The U.S. Commercial Market, Shayna A. Bosko, Denise M. Foley, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Catfish belong to the order Siluriformes and include both the Ictaluridae and Pangasiidae families. However, U.S. labeling laws require only species of the family Ictaluridae to be marketed as catfish. The lower production price of Pangasiidae, combined with changes in regulations over time, have resulted in high potential for species substitution and country of origin mislabeling among catfish products. The objective of this study was to conduct a market survey of catfish products sold at the U.S. retail level to examine species mislabeling and compliance with Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) regulations. A total of 80 catfish samples were collected …

Consequences Of In Utero Exposure To Zika Virus In Offspring Of Ag129 Mice, Justin G. Julander, Venkatraman Siddharthan, Albert H. Park, Elizabeth S. Preston, Pranav Mathur, Michael Bertolio, Hong Wang, Katherine Zukor, Arnaud J. Van Wettere, Donal G. Sinex, John D. Morrey

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

Zika virus (ZIKV) can cause various diseases in offspring after congenital infection. The purpose of this study was to identify disease phenotypes in pups exposed to ZIKV in utero. Female interferon-α/β, -γ receptor knockout mice (AG129) were infected intraperitoneally with ZIKV 7.5 days’ post coitus (dpc). Viral RNA, antigen and infectious virus were detected in some, but not all, maternal and fetal tissues at various times during gestation. Fetuses of infected dams had significant intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which was more pronounced as females neared parturition. Pups born to infected dams were significantly smaller and had significantly shortened skull …

Common Loons Respond Adaptively To A Black Fly That Reduces Nesting Success, Walter H. Piper, Keren B. Tischler, Andrew Reinke

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Nesting birds must often cope with harassment from biting insects, but it is difficult to ascertain what effect such pests might have on breeding success and population dynamics. We tested the hypothesis that a black fly (Simulium annulus) that feeds on the blood of nesting Common Loons (Gavia immer) causes nest abandonment in this charismatic diving bird. In addition, we measured effects of fly-induced abandonment on a loon population, and examined potential predictors of fly abundance and nest abandonment. We also tested a second hypothesis, which holds that loon pairs that abandon a nest owing to …

Phelps, Bob (Fa 1189), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1189. Student paper titled “Showing Quarter Horses” in which Bob Phelps interviews his uncle, Loyd Blair, about his experiences regarding raising, training, and showing horses. Phelps also details the more commercial aspects of showing horses including the acquisition of horses, veterinary care, specialized equipment, and travel-related expenses. The paper also includes a description of how shows are operated, the various classes and age ranges involved in competition, and how individual owners train their respective animals. Phelps also includes color photographs of his informants, show-day events, and drawings of different routine patterns.

Invasive Aquatic Pets: Failed Policies Increase Risks Of Harmful Invasions, Jiří Patoka, André Lincoln Barroso Magalhães, Antonín Kouba, Zen Faulkes, Rikho Jerikho, Jean Ricardo Simões Vitule

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

Businesses in the pet trade collect and transport many aquatic species around the globe, and some of these individuals are released into new habitats. Some jurisdictions have introduced laws intended to regulate this trade, but these regulations have rarely had the desired effects. Laws regarding pets and the pet trade are often poorly communicated, poorly enforced, and not aligned with hobbyists’ beliefs. Consequently, some laws may increase the number of unwanted introductions instead of decreasing them. A significant change in approach is needed, involving far greater communication with scientists, administrations, politicians, the pet industry, and pet owners, promoting euthanasia of …

Small Mammals In Cornfields And Associated Peripheral Habitats In Central Nebraska, Tyson J. Spanel, Keith Geluso

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

In the Great Plains, many native grasslands have been converted to agricultural fields during the last two centuries. Peripheral habitats along edges of crop fields generally consist of linear habitats along roads, with many of these habitats used by native fauna. Our study examined capture rates and species composition of small mammals in cornfields, herbaceous roadside ditches, and wooded shelterbelts in central Nebraska. We captured nine species of small mammals. The Prairie Vole (Microtus ochrogaster) and Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis) were captured almost exclusively in roadside ditches, the White-footed Deermouse (Peromyscus leucopus) was …

Development Of A Flow-Driven, Self-Rotating Tank Deposit Remover For Grouper Nurseries, Chyng-Hwa Liou, Chung-Lee Lee, Jyh-Nain Pai, Yuan-Nan Chu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Tank hygiene is an essential aspect for successful fingerling production but can involve substantial workload to maintain. The purpose of this research is to develop and test a new version of a flow-driven, self-rotating tank deposit remover to automatically and quickly remove the deposit for grouper nurseries. The deposit remover has a suction tube lying on the bottom of the tank. Water flowing through the suction tube drives a propeller to rotate the tube while sucking up the solids on the bottom. Previous versions of the deposit remover suffer from incomplete solid removal and a long operating time. An integrated …

Seasonal Variations In Trophic Links Between Microzooplankton And Nanoflagellates In A Coastal Ecosystem, An Yi Tsai

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Using incubation experiments with size-fractionated coastal waters, this study calculated the growth and loss rates of nanoflagellates in a coastal ecosystem of the subtropical western Pacific along a rocky shore in northeastern Taiwan. Samples were taken monthly from September 2014 to August 2015. Seasonal variations in growth rates of heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF) and pigmented nanoflagellates (PNF) ranged from 0.17 to 1.13 d-1 and 0.05 to 1.21 d-1, respectively. This study found that grazing had a significant impact on nanoflagellate community (PNF: 0.14 to 0.39 d-1; HNF: 0.12 to 0.52 d-1), accounting for about 15-30% for PNF and 18-60% for HNF …

Identification Of Preponderant Marine Bacteria And Their Biofouling Characteristics On Adsorbents Of Different Sizes And Shapes In Seawater, Seulki Jeong, Joo-Ae Kim, Hyunji Kim, Kang-Sup Chung, Hye-On Yoon

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

We aimed to investigate biofouling characteristics on the surfaces of adsorbents and reservoirs used for lithium recovery from seawater. Three types of adsorbents (type 1, 2 m sphere-shaped; type 2, 2 mm circular; and type 3, 2 mm rod-shaped) and a reservoir (polyurethane sponge) were immersed in seawater for 30 days. Biofouling on the surface of adsorbents and the reservoir was initiated by Vibrio, Alteromonas, and Pseudoalteromonas, suggesting that primary colonization of Gammaproteobacteria was an important feature of the biofouling on the surface. We observed pore size-dependent bacterial composition on the adsorbents; only Alteromonas was found on type 1 adsorbent, …