Animal Sciences Commons^™

Genome-Wide Analysis Of Tnf-Alpha Response In Pigs Challenged With Porcine Circovirus 2b, C. A. Kreikemeier, T. B., K. L. Lucot, Thomas E. Burkey, Daniel C. Ciobanu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine with a role in activating adaptive immunity to viral infections. By inhibiting the capacity of plasmacytoid dendritic cells to produce interferon-α and TNF-α, porcine circovirus 2 (PCV₂) limits the maturation of myeloid dendritic cells and impairs their ability to recognize viral and bacterial antigens. Previously, we reported QTL for viremia and immune response in PCV₂- infected pigs. In this study, we analyzed phenotypic and genetic relationships between TNFα protein levels, a potential indicator of predisposition to PCV₂ co-infection, and PCV₂ susceptibility. Following experimental challenge with …

Wpa News 96 (2015), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Spring 2015), number 96

Published by the World Pheasant Association

Landscape And Anthropogenic Features Influence The Use Of Auditory Vigilance By Mule Deer, Emma Lynch, Joseph M. Northrup, Megan F. Mckenna, Charles R. Anderson Jr, Lisa Angeloni, George Wittemyer

United States National Park Service: Publications

While visual forms of vigilance behavior and their relationship with predation risk have been broadly examined, animals also employ other vigilance modalities such as auditory vigilance by listening for the acoustic cues of predators. Similar to the tradeoffs associated with visual vigilance, auditory behavior potentially structures the energy budgets and behavior of animals. The cryptic nature of auditory vigilance makes it difficult to study, but on-animal acoustical monitoring has rapidly advanced our ability to investigate behaviors and conditions related to sound. We utilized this technique to investigate the ways external stimuli in an active natural gas development field affect periodic …

Identification Of Meat Species In Pet Foods Using A Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Pcr) Assay, Tara A. Okuma, Rosalee S. Hellberg

Food Science Faculty Articles and Research

Product mislabeling, adulteration, and substitution are increasing concerns in highly processed foods, including pet foods. Although regulations exist for pet foods, there is currently a lack of information on the prevalence of pet food mislabeling. The objective of this study was to perform a market survey of pet foods and pet treats marketed for domestic canines and felines to identify meat species present as well as any instances of mislabeling. Fifty-two commercial products were collected from online and retail sources. DNA was extracted from each product in duplicate and tested for the presence of eight meat species (bovine, caprine, ovine, …

Habitat Selection, Behavior, And Natural History Of The Newly Described Leaf Chameleon Brookesia Micra (Reptilia, Squamata, Chamaeleontidae; Glaw, Köhler, Townsend & Vences, 2012) On Nosy Hara, Madagascar, Andrew Villeneuve

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The micro leaf chameleon genus Brookesia is exclusively endemic to Madagascar and represents some of the smallest reptiles in the world. The newly-described species Brookesia micra is exclusively endemic to the islet Nosy Hara in the north of Madagascar, and is the smallest described Brookesia species member. There exists no density, behavioral, or habitat preference studies on B. micra. Here, the researcher presents preliminary density, behavioral, habitat selection, and natural history information on B. micra. A total of 117 B. micra had data collected on them between April 10 and April 23, 2015. Density was found to be 1950 B. …

Fish Use Of Largely Unexplored Sub-Tidal Habitats In The Hinchinbrook Channel Estuary, Queensland, Alexandra Parisien

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study examines the use of sub-tidal open-bottom, rocky, and seagreass habitats by the Siganus genus (herbivores), Gerres genus (benthivores), and planktivores in the Hinchinbrook Channel Estuary in Queensland, Australia. The Hinchinbrook Channel Estuary, a tropical estuary cutting between Hinchinbrook Island and the Australian mainland, is surrounded primarily by mangroves. Its sub-tidal habitats are largely unexplored due to factors such as low visibility and the presence of estuarine crocodiles. In this study, I reviewed 699 underwater videos collected by James Cook University PhD candidate Michael Bradley in order to analyze feeding and movement behavior of pre-identified fish.

The results of …

Taming The Teesta: Exploring The Holistic Effects Of Hydroelectric Dam Development On The Teesta River Through Documentary Film, Taylor Graham

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since time immemorial, the Lepcha people have called the Himalayan region that makes up the modern state of Sikkim their home and have held sacred the rivers, mountains, and forests that make up the biologically diverse region. Over the past two decades, India’s rapid development has generated a powerful thirst for electricity, and the country has increasingly looked to the cold, powerful rivers thundering from the Himalayas to supply that desired power. Hydroelectric projects have been proposed and implemented throughout the Himalayan region. Nowhere, however, are the dams as numerous or their effects as acutely felt as in India’s northwestern …

Investigation Of Dried Distillers Grains With Solubles (Ddgs) Susceptibility To Red Flour Beetle (Tribolium Castaneum (Herbst)) Infestation, Mahsa Fardisi

Open Access Dissertations

Protecting livestock feed from insect infestation is a common challenge that feed facility managers and farmers have to deal with. It becomes an issue of importance because insect infestation degrades feed quality and quantity. Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS) is added to livestock feed because of its high protein content. As DDGS usage in animal feed increases, understanding the susceptibility of DDGS, when mixed with livestock feed, to insect infestation is necessary for safe feed storage. This research addressed four questions. The first looked at the susceptibility of DDGS, when stored as a raw ingredient, to Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) …

Propionate Induces Gluconeogenesis In Dairy Cattle Through Direct Activation Of The Bovine Cytosolic Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase Gene Promoter, Qian Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK, GTP; EC4.1.1.32) catalyzes the conversion of oxaloacetate (OAA) to phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), a critical reaction for gluconeogenesis. The two isoforms of PCK, namely cytosolic PCK (PCK1), and the mitochondrial PCK (PCK2) are abundantly expressed in liver and kidney. Increased PCK1 activity and mRNA expression in liver is observed as feed intake recovers during early lactation in dairy cows, a condition linked to increased ruminal propionate production. The central hypothesis of this dissertation is that propionate regulates its own metabolism in liver of dairy cattle through regulation of the PCK1 gene. The objectives of this dissertation were to determine: …

Kinematics Of Terrestrial Locomotion In Harbor Seals And Gray Seals: Importance Of Spinal Flexion By Amphibious Phocids, Jennifer N. Garrett, Frank E. Fish

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of The Genetic Diversity Of The Class Ii Major Histocompatibility Complex In Ex Situ And In Situ Populations Of African Penguins (Spheniscus Demersus), Emily Willmer

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

As an endangered species, the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is at risk of becoming extinct in the wild due to destruction of their coastal habitat and reduction in food availability. The development of a genetically diverse and healthy captive population is important in helping to conserve the species. The goal of this project was to determine the genetic diversity of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of a wild population of African penguins and compare it to the diversity of the captive population at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Connecticut that has previously been studied. We found that …

Harvest Demographics Of Temperate-Breeding Canada Geese In South Dakota, 1967–1995, Jeffrey S. Gleason, Jonathan A. Jenks, David E. Naugle, Paul W. Mammenga, Spencer J. Vaa, Jennifer M. Pritchett

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

In South Dakota, breeding giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) have increased substantially, and harvest management strategies have been implemented to maximize hunting opportunity (e.g., special early-September seasons) on local, as well as molt-migrant giant Canada geese (B. c. interior) while still protecting lesser abundant Arcticbreeding Canada geese and cackling geese (e.g., B. hutchinsii, B. minima). Information on important parameters, such as survival and recovery rates, are generally lacking for giant Canada geese in the northern Great Plains. Patterns in Canada goose band recoveries can provide insight into the distribution, chronology, and harvest pressures to which a given goose population …

Tracking The Elephant (Lexodonta Africana) Corridor And The Human-Wildlife Conflict In Selela Village, Nicole Chlebek, Laura Stalter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The beastly journey of long-distance migration for the African Elephant (Lexodonta Africana) is important for upholding their connections between diminishing protected areas, especially in northeastern Tanzania. However, human development is encroaching into these corridors, creating a human-elephant conflict, which can ruin livelihoods of villagers, depending on the extent of conflict. This study focused on exploring the hypothesized human-elephant conflict on the Selela corridor, specifically in Selela village, as well as GPS (Global Positioning System) mapping evidence of elephant travel along the projected Selela elephant corridor connecting Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), to Selela Forest Reserve (SFR), and finally to Manyara Ranch. …

The Pelagic Artisanal Fishing Of Mangapwani, Northern Unguja, Shavonne Stanek

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

A total of 99 interviews were conducted. Over a period of 28 days from April 5- May 2, 2015, a total of 75 interviews were conducted with 72 fishermen, 2 drying processors and 1 Bwana Diko. During a 5 day preliminary period from March 12-16, 2015, a total of 24 interviews were conducted with 7 fishermen and 14 drying processors. The interviews focused on their work in the local fishing industry, the amount of fish caught and dried, and their opinions on the sustainability of their industry. The interviews were conducted using a translator who relayed the responses in English …

Fauna Census Of Intertidal Cliffs, Mangapwani, Zanzibar, Emily Jankowski

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Due to their extreme variations in condition over the course of a day, intertidal zones are challenging environments. Organisms that live there must be prepared to cope with both exposure and submersion, not to mention the temperature variations that accompany these conditions. The differing tolerances and adaptations of various organisms to these conditions generally cause patterns of vertical zonation to occur in the intertidal zone, especially when the shore is steep and rocky. Understanding the ecology of shore environments is important to future conservation and management efforts. This study was conducted on a beach in Mangapwani, Zanzibar at at 6˚ …

Non-Compliance In Marine Reserves: Measuring The Drivers Of Behavior Among Recreational Fishermen Within The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Nick Manning

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) provides outstanding ecological, cultural, social, and economic services to the number of communities that use it. Most of the park is regulated via a zoning system designed to protect its biodiversity and ensure the sustainable use of its resources (GBRMPA, 2004). Like any social institution, zoning regulations rely heavily on compliance in order to be effective. Recreational fishing on the GBRMP accounts for most of the noncompliance behavior associated with zoning (Arias and Sutton, 2013). Thus, understanding fishers compliance behavior is central to understanding how to best manage these areas. Using results from …

Evaluation Of Nutritional Traits Of Soy Protein Concentrate (Spc) In Broiler Chicks And Turkey Poults, Noorjan Zazai

Open Access Theses

The objectives of this study were to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AME), nitrogen corrected AME (AME_n) of soy protein concentrate (SPC), and standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SIAAD) of (SPC) and dehulled soybean meal (SBM) in broiler and turkey poults. Soy protein concentrate and SBM was the only source of CP in their respective semi-purified diets used for estimating SIAAD in 7 and 21 d-old broiler chicken and turkey poults. Two experiments (Exp 1 and 2) were conducted with 6 replicate cages of 20 (d 7) and 6 (d 21) birds/cage. In Exp.1, experimental diets containing 0, …

Historical And Contemporary Demography Of Leaf-Toed Geckos (Phyllodactylidae: Phyllodactylus) In The Mexican Dry Forest, Christopher Blair, Victor H. Jiménez Arcos, Fausto R. Méndez De La Cruz, Robert W. Murphy

Publications and Research

Disentangling the relative influence of historical versus contemporary processes shaping the spatial distribution of genetic variation is critical if we are to effectively mitigate key biodiversity issues. We utilize a comprehensive approach based on different molecular marker types and analytical methods to understand the demographic consequences of recent habitat fragmentation in a spatially explicit context. We focus our efforts on native leaf-toed geckos (Phyllodactylus tuberculosus saxatilis) throughout fragmented habitat in the tropical dry forest of northern Mexico as recent evidence suggests that geographic ranges for these geckos may be much smaller than currently realized. However, no data are …

Experimental Shifts In Intraclutch Egg Color Variation Do Not Affect Egg Rejection In A Host Of A Non-Egg-Mimetic Avian Brood Parasite, Rebecca Croston, Mark E. Hauber

Publications and Research

Avian brood parasites lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, and impose the costs associated with rearing parasitic young onto these hosts. Many hosts of brood parasites defend against parasitism by removing foreign eggs from the nest. In systems where parasitic eggs mimic host eggs in coloration and patterning, extensive intraclutch variation in egg appearances may impair the host’s ability to recognize and reject parasitic eggs, but experimental investigation of this effect has produced conflicting results. The cognitive mechanism by which hosts recognize parasitic eggs may vary across brood parasite hosts, and this may explain variation in experimental …

Spatial And Temporal Relationships Between Forest Bird Declines And Prevalence Of The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid In The Northeastern United States, Julie E. Blum, Andrew M. Wilson

Student Publications

The eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is a vital foundation tree species throughout the eastern United States, providing essential structural diversity and habitat for more than 120 different animal species. Within the past few decades, T. canadensis has undergone significant declines that are largely associated with the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae), an exotic, aphid-like insect native to East Asia. From the 1970s to present day, the HWA has spread throughout southern New England, large portions of the Mid-Atlantic region, and parts of Tennessee and the Carolinas. Research has shown that loss of the eastern hemlock is …

A Feasibility Study Of Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles To Survey Avian Abundance By Using Audio Recording, Janine M. Barr, Andrew M. Wilson

Student Publications

Roadside counts are commonly used to assess songbird abundance, but they result in oversampling habitat edges and underrepresenting core habitats, areas of steep terrain, and wetlands. Accessing off-road habitats can be logistical challenging and time-consuming, resulting in low survey efficiency. Aerial ecological surveys, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) have already proven to be valuable in wildlife monitoring. Previous studies have used photography or videography to provide permanent documentation of wildlife surveys through low altitude aerial imagery. A significant advantage of UAVs over manned aircraft is their greater safety and lower costs. We propose that UAVs can also be …

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2015), College Of Agriculture &. Biological Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

This issue includes the 2014 SDSU Extension Annual Report.

[Page] 2 Committed To South Dakotans: Programs Focus On “Healthy Food, Healthy Families, Healthy Communities”
[Page] 4 Serving South Dakota’s Multi-Cultural Communities: Programs Take Root In Sioux Falls And On Standing Rock Indian Reservation
[Page] 4 Relevant Resource: New Manual Provides Guidance For Farmers Markets
[Page] 6 Food Growers Unite: Formation Of “Food Hub” Being Explored
[Page] 8 Envisioning The Future: Extension Assists Community Leaders With Forward Thinking
[Page] 10 Innovative New Tools: Online Resources Provide Useful Climate Data, Drainage Calculators
[Page] 12 Meeting Producer Needs: Production Knowledge Enhanced With Extension …

The Behavioral Causes Of Reproductive Skew In Cooperatively Polygynandrous Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes Formicivorus), Anna C. Brownson

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Reproductive skew, the degree to which reproduction is shared among same-sex individuals in a social group, is a pattern affected by ecological conditions, sociality, cooperation, and the inter- and intrasexual behavior of individuals in complex animal societies. Transactional and compromise skew models assume that high skew is the product of dominance hierarchies among cobreeders, yet this has rarely been tested. Both model types fail to incorporate the decisions of more than two individuals, generally overlooking the effect of female behavior on male reproductive success in multi-male groups, and are ineffective at predicting skew in larger groups characterized by more than …

Ecological Studies Of Wolves On Isle Royale, 2014-2015, John A. Vucetich, Rolf O. Peterson

Ecological Studies of Wolves on Isle Royale

Annual Report 2014-2015

Age Determination Of Modern And Archaeological Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytcha) Using Vertebrae, Anthony Raymond Hofkamp

Dissertations and Theses

Incremental growth rings in X-rays of salmon vertebrae have been used since the 1980s to age Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) remains from archaeological sites in the Pacific Northwest. These age estimates, paired with generalized life history patterns, have been used to determine salmon species, season of capture and in turn season of site occupation. This approach relies on a variety of assumptions, the most fundamental of which is that rings represent true years. Archaeologists using vertebral age determination techniques have failed to adequately test this assumption and present their methodologies. This thesis assesses the validity of using incremental …

Ocean Food Systems, Barry A. Costa-Pierce

Marine Sciences Faculty Presentations

Presentation given during session on Food Justice, where Barton Seaver, Director of the Healthy and Sustainable Food Program in the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard, described a great nutrition and health crisis in America perpetuated by groups demarketing seafood and promoting meat in the American diet. Seaver noted that Americans consume about 167 lbs. of meat a year and only 14 lbs. of seafood, leading to connected public health and environmental crises, heart disease, and obesity.

According to presenter Barry Costa-Pierce:

Seafood systems in the USA are our most insane foods; America imports nearly every seafood we …

Sex-Specific Foraging Habits And Roost Characteristics Of The Evening Bat (Nycticeius Humeralis) In An Intensively Managed Forest In North-Central Arkansas, Daniel Ryan Istvanko

Student Theses and Dissertations

The synergistic effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS) and habitat destruction have caused declines in bat populations throughout eastern North America, deeming knowledge of the spatial-temporal patterns of many bat species increasingly important to conservationists. Although many studies address the roosting ecology of imperiled forest-dwelling bats, little is known about the foraging habits of more abundant, sympatric forest-dependent species. There is even less knowledge pertaining to foraging differences between male and female bats. Therefore, during June-August 2013 and 2014, I evaluated the foraging and roosting habits of the evening bat (Nycticeius humeralis) in north-central Arkansas, using radio-telemetry. Foraging range size was …

Pathogenicity And Performance Of Two Candidate Isolates Of Metarhizium Anisopliae And Beauveria Bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) In Four Liquid Culture Media For The Management Of The Legume Pod Borer Maruca Vitrata (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), V. Tumuhaise, S. Ekesi, S. A. Mohamed, P. N. Ndegwa, L. W. Irungu, R. Srinivasan, N. K. Maniania

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The aim of this study was to identify and develop entomopathogenic fungi as biopesticides for management of Maruca vitrata (Fabricius). Fourteen isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin and six of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. were screened against first instar larvae of M. vitrata. The two most virulent isolates were selected and further tested for production in four liquid media. Different formulations of one isolate were evaluated against different developmental stages. Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 18 and ICIPE 69 caused highest larval mortality of 91 and 81%, with lethal time to 50% mortality (LT50) values of 1.8 and 1.7 days and LC50 …

Pincer Complexes Of Diamido-Pyridine Based Ligand As Catalysts For C-Cl And C-H Bond Activation For Cross-Coupling Reactions, Yashraj Gartia

Theses and Dissertations

Pincer type ligands have received much attention, especially for their ease of synthesis employing easily available and inexpensive starting materials. Excellent thermal stability and high melting points enable these complexes to be potentially used in a range of organometallic catalysis. In recent years, the use of nitrogenous donors at the central coordinating-group position, such as pyridines, has gained much interest for their application in various organic transformation reactions. Main examples include the activation of carbon-halogen bond, carbon-hydrogen bond, activation of small molecules (CO2, N2), polymerization of alkenes, dehydrogenation reactions, and the transfer hydrogenation reaction. In this study, we synthesized pyridine …

The Status Of Fishes In The Missouri River, Nebraska: Blue Sucker Cycleptus Elongatus, Kirk D. Steffensen, Sam Stukel, Dane A. Shuman

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Blue Sucker Cycleptus elongatus are a large-bodied, benthic fish that are considered an indicator species for riverine health. A combination of historic commercial fishing and anthropogenic modifications to riverine habitat led to blue suckers being listed as a candidate species for the federal threatened or endangered species list in 1993. However, they were never designated a federally protected species. Locally, Blue Suckers are currently listed as a Nebraska Natural Legacy Project’s Tier 1 species but population changes and trends have not been quantified. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the current population status of Blue Sucker in …