Animal Sciences Commons^™

Characterizing Habitat Suitability For Gulf Sturgeon (Acipenser Oxyrinchus Desotoi) In Southern Louisiana, Jenna N. Brogdon

LSU Master's Theses

A generalized additive modeling (GAM) framework was used to characterize fish-habitat relationships and develop habitat suitability maps to predict spatiotemporal and ontogenetic shifts in Gulf sturgeon distribution within an impacted estuary in the northern Gulf of Mexico, Lake Pontchartrain. Gulf sturgeon (n = 103) were fitted with acoustic transmitters in the Pearl River during the early summer and fall from 2013 to 2018, and an array of acoustic receivers (n = 81) was used to monitor Gulf sturgeon habitat use and movement in the estuary from 2016 to 2019. Daily presence data from the telemetry array were paired with environmental …

Experimental Infection Of Brazilian Free-Tailed Bats (Tadarida Brasiliensis) With Two Strains Of Sars-Cov-2, Angela M. Bosco-Lauth, Stephanie M. Porter, Karen A. Fox, Mary E. Wood, Daniel Neubaum, Marissa Quilici

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is presumed to have originated from wildlife and shares homology with other bat coronaviruses. Determining the susceptibility of North American bat species to SARS-CoV-2 is of utmost importance for making decisions regarding wildlife management, public health, and conservation. In this study, Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) were experimentally infected with two strains of SARS-CoV-2 (parental WA01 and Delta variant), evaluated for clinical disease, sampled for viral shedding and antibody production, and analyzed for pathology. None of the bats (n = 18) developed clinical disease associated with infection, shed infectious virus, or …

Habitat Loss Exacerbates Pathogen Spread: An Agent-Based Model Of Avian Influenza Infection In Migratory Waterfowl, Shenglai Yin, Yanjie Xu, Mingshuai Xu, Mart C M De Jong, Mees Rs Huisman, Andrea Contina, Herbert H T Prins, Zheng Y X Huang, Willem F. De Boer

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Habitat availability determines the distribution of migratory waterfowl along their flyway, which further influences the transmission and spatial spread of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). The extensive habitat loss in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) may have potentially altered the virus spread and transmission, but those consequences are rarely studied. We constructed 6 fall migration networks that differed in their level of habitat loss, wherein an increase in habitat loss resulted in smaller networks with fewer sites and links. We integrated an agent-based model and a susceptible-infected-recovered model to simulate waterfowl migration and AIV transmission. We found that extensive habitat loss …

Developmental Basis Of Evolutionary Lung Loss In Plethodontid Salamanders, Zachary R. Lewis, Ryan R. Kerney, James Hanken

Biology Faculty Publications

One or more members of four living amphibian clades have independently dispensed with pulmonary respiration and lack lungs, but little is known of the developmental basis of lung loss in any taxon. We use morphological, molecular, and experimental approaches to examine the Plethodontidae, a dominant family of salamanders, all of which are lungless as adults. We confirm an early anecdotal report that plethodontids complete early stages of lung morphogenesis: Transient embryonic lung primordia form but regress by apoptosis before hatching. Initiation of pulmonary development coincides with expression of the lung-specification gene Wnt2b in adjacent mesoderm, and the lung rudiment expresses …

Long-Term Effect Of A Gnrh-Based Immunocontraceptive On Feral Cattle In Hong Kong, Rebecca Pinkham, Ka-Kei Koon, Jason To, Jason Chan, Flavie Vial, Matt Gomm, Douglas C. Eckery, Giovanna Massei

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Increasing human-wildlife conflicts worldwide are driving the need for multiple solutions to reducing “problem” wildlife and their impacts. Fertility control is advocated as a non-lethal tool to manage free-living wildlife and in particular to control iconic species. Injectable immunocontraceptives, such as GonaCon, stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn affects the release of reproductive hormones in mammals. Feral cattle (Bos indicus or Bos taurus) in Hong Kong are an iconic species whose numbers and impacts on human activities have increased over the last decade. Previous studies have proven that a …

Long-Term Effect Of A Gnrh-Based Immunocontraceptive On Feral Cattle In Hong Kong, Rebecca Pinkham, Ka-Kei Koon, Jason To, Jason Chan, Flavie Vial, Matt Gomm, Douglas C. Eckery, Giovanna Massei

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Increasing human-wildlife conflicts worldwide are driving the need for multiple solutions to reducing “problem” wildlife and their impacts. Fertility control is advocated as a non-lethal tool to manage free-living wildlife and in particular to control iconic species. Injectable immunocontraceptives, such as GonaCon, stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn affects the release of reproductive hormones in mammals. Feral cattle (Bos indicus or Bos taurus) in Hong Kong are an iconic species whose numbers and impacts on human activities have increased over the last decade. Previous studies have proven that a …

An Ecological And Physiological Assessment Of Feather Mite-Bird Symbioses, Kevin James Krajcir

Student Theses and Dissertations

Feather mites are ectosymbiotic arthropods that reside primarily on the wing and tail feathers of most birds. Despite our growing understanding of feather mite biology, previous studies of the nature of the feather mite-avian host relationship report mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism. Such inconsistencies are likely due to narrow study designs that fail to capture the possibility of context dependency in this interaction. To provide some clarity surrounding the nature of this symbiotic system, we explored how geographical, climatic, and ecological contexts relate to variation in feather mite abundance and how that abundance, consequently, associates with multiple metrics of host condition …

Keeping 21st Century Paleontology Grounded: Quantitative Genetic Analyses And Ancestral State Reconstruction Re-Emphasize The Essentiality Of Fossils, Tesla A. Monson, Marianne F. Brasil, Michael Mahaney, Christopher A. Schmitt, Catherine E. Taylor, Leslea J. Hlusko

School of Medicine Publications

Advances in genetics and developmental biology are revealing the relationship between genotype and dental phenotype (G:P), providing new approaches for how paleontologists assess dental variation in the fossil record. Our aim was to understand how the method of trait definition influences the ability to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history in the Cercopithecidae, the Linnaean Family of monkeys currently living in Africa and Asia. We compared the two-dimensional assessment of molar size (calculated as the mesiodistal length of the crown multiplied by the buccolingual breadth) to a trait that reflects developmental influences on molar development (the inhibitory cascade, IC) and …

Foraging Habitat Selection Of Shrubland Bird Community In Tropical Dry Forest, Anant Deshwal, Steven L. Stephenson, Pooja Panwar, Brett A. Degregorio, Ragupathy Kannan, John D. Willson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Habitat loss due to increasing anthropogenic disturbance is the major driver for bird population declines across the globe. Within the Eastern Ghats of India, shrubland bird communities are threatened by shrinking of suitable habitats due to increased anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. The development of an effective habitat management strategy is hampered by the absence of data for this bird community. To address this knowledge gap, we examined foraging sites for 14 shrubland bird species, including three declining species, in three study areas representing the shrubland type of forest community in the Eastern Ghats. We recorded microhabitat features within an …

Type 2 Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy In Quarter Horses Is A Novel Glycogen Storage Disease Causing Exertional Rhabdomyolysis, Stephanie J. Valberg, Zoë J. Williams, Carrie J. Finno, Abigail Schultz, Deborah Velez-Irizarry, Marisa L. Henry, Keri Gardner, Jessica Lynn Petersen

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Both type 1 (PSSM1) and type 2 polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM2) are characterised by aggregates of abnormal polysaccharide in skeletal muscle. Whereas the genetic basis for PSSM1 is known (R309H GYS1), the cause of PSSM2 in Quarter Horses (PSSM2-QH) is unknown and glycogen concentrations not defined.

Objectives: To characterise the histopathological and biochemical features of PSSM2-QH and determine if an associated monogenic variant exists in genes known to cause glycogenosis.

Study design: Retrospective case control.

Methods: Sixty-four PSSM2-QH, 30 PSSM1-QH and 185 control-QH were identified from a biopsy repository and clinical data, histopathology scores …

Behavioral Responses Of A Parasitoid Fly To Rapidly Evolving Host Signals, E. Dale Broder, James H. Gallagher, Aaron W. Wikle, Cameron P. Venable, David M. Zonana, Spencer J. Ingley, Tanner C. Smith, Robin M. Tinghitella

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Animals eavesdrop on signals and cues generated by prey, predators, hosts, parasites, competing species, and conspecifics, and the conspicuousness of sexual signals makes them particularly susceptible. Yet, when sexual signals evolve, most attention is paid to impacts on intended receivers (potential mates) rather than fitness consequences for eavesdroppers. Using the rapidly evolving interaction between the Pacific field cricket, Teleogryllus oceanicus, and the parasitoid fly, Ormia ochracea, we asked how parasitoids initially respond to novel changes in host signals. We recently discovered a novel sexual signal, purring song, in Hawaiian populations of T. oceanicus that appears to have evolved because it …

The First Record Of Scorpiops Bhutanensis Tikader & Bastawade, 1983 From China, With The First Report Of Its Female (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae), He-Yu Lv, Zhi-Yong Di

Euscorpius

The first record of Scorpiops bhutanensis Tikader & Bastawade, 1983 from China (Xizang). An emended diagnosis, detailed redescription, and illustrations of the species are provided. Its female is reported here for the first time.

An Evaluation Of Ethograms Measuring Distinct Features Of Enrichment Use By Captive Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes), Julia L. Greeson, Kara I. Gabriel, John B. Mulcahy, Bonnie King Hendrickson, Susan D. Lonborg, Jay C. Holloway

Student Published Works

Environmental enrichment provides mental stimulation and minimizes abnormal behaviors in captive animals. In captive chimpanzees, individual animals may vary in the ways in which they benefit from enrichment or use enrichment devices, so investigating nuances in enrichment use may improve the welfare of captive chimpanzees. In the current study, three ethograms measuring distinct features of enrichment use (i.e., enrichment object, manipulation behavior, and social context) were evaluated by coding videos of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in Cle Elum, WA. A total of 732 min and 58 s of video footage was coded from a larger video …

Impacts On Fast-Start Performance: How Do Group Size And Habitat Degradation Alter The Escape Behavior Of A Schooling Coral Reef Fish?, Monica D. Bacchus

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Escaping predation is essential for species survival, but prey must effectively match their response to the perceived threat imposed by a predator. Fish evaluate their surroundings using several sensory stimuli, including olfactory, visual, auditory, and mechanical cues. A range of taxa use the fast-start response to evade predators, including fishes, sharks, and larval amphibians. While the fast-start response (rapid bursts of swimming) is extensively studied in solitary fishes, the factors that mediate the collective escape response in schools of fish have historically been investigated far less. To address this knowledge gap, the collective escape behavior and individual escape performance of …

Incorporating Follicle Stimulating Hormone To Stimulate Multiple Corpora Lutea For Embryo Transfer In Beef Cattle, Bryan Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Assisted reproductive technologies, such as estrus synchronization and embryo transfer, can aid producers in improving genetics by increasing the number of progeny produced from elite females. The success of embryo transfer is dependent on a viable, competent embryo and a recipient with a receptive uterine environment. Follicular development and luteinization are pertinent for the recipient to establish a functional corpus luteum (CL) that can produce adequate concentrations of progesterone (P4) and provide a uterine environment conducive for the establishment of pregnancy. The objective of this study was to determine if exogenous follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), would increase the number of …

Effects Of The In Ovo Administration Of The Poulvac E. Coli Vaccine In Layer Hatching Eggs On Hatchability, Hatchling Characteristics, And Early Posthatch Chick Performance, Lauren L. Lindsey

Theses and Dissertations

Avian Pathogenic E. coli can lead to infections in laying hens and wide-spread economic problems in the table egg industry. A vaccine widely used to combat APEC is the Poulvac E. coli vaccine, which is normally applied via spray vaccination. Application of this vaccine via in ovo injection has not been examined. The purpose of this series of studies was to determine the effects of injecting 50 μL of different dosages of the PECV into Hy-Line W-36 layer hatching eggs on the hatchability and characteristics of the hatchlings, and on the livability and characteristics of the chicks through 21 d …

Maternal Nutrient Restriction And Melatonin Supplementation Alter Neurotransmitter Pathways In Bovine Fetal And Placental Tissues, Allison R. Harman

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient restriction is a relatively common production insult to pregnancy in cattle. Recently, melatonin supplementation has been investigated as a possible therapeutic to rescue the negative effects of nutrient restriction. Neurotransmitters have been implicated as having negative programming effects in mouse and human pregnancies, manifested as metabolic and neurologic disorders. The role of neurotransmitters in fetal development has only begun to be understood in mice and humans. Neurotransmitters have not been analyzed in cattle, much less within the context of a compromised pregnancy. Brangus heifers were allotted to one of four treatments (ADQ-CON, RES-CON, ADQ-MEL, RES-MEL) in either Fall 2019 …

The Effects Of Moderate And High Temperatures On Growth, Metabolism, And Blood-Oxygen Affinity In Ictalurus Spp., Brandon Gerhart

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the growing use of hybrid catfish (Ictalurus furcatus × I. punctatus) in aquaculture, few studies have investigated the comparative effects of temperature on physiological performance with other cultured catfish. Therefore, growth, metabolism, and blood-oxygen affinity of blue (I. furcatus), channel (I. punctatus), and hybrid catfish were compared at moderate (23°C) and high (33°C) water temperatures. Channel catfish had the greatest growth and were in better condition compared to blue and hybrid catfish. Hybrid catfish standard metabolic rates did not differ from blue or channel catfish, while hybrid catfish had higher maximum metabolic rates, …

Effects Of Temperature On Growth, Metabolic Rate, And Lower Dissolved Oxygen Tolerance Of Speckled Peacock Bass Cichla Temensis, Manuel E. Coffill-Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

I examined the effects of temperature (25, 30, and 35°C) on growth, standard metabolic rate (SMR), and lower dissolved oxygen tolerance (LDOT) of juvenile Speckled Peacock Bass Cichla temensis. Fish were acclimated to 150-L aquaria for 7 weeks before the growth, SMR, and LDOT experiments. The growth study lasted 58 days and fish acclimated to 25 and 30°C displayed similar growth rates, while fish acclimated to 35°C had very poor growth rates. The SMR and LDOT experiments were performed using intermittent respirometers. Fish acclimated to 25°C had the lowest SMR, followed by 30°C, and finally 35°C. The highest LDOT …

Effectiveness Of Food-Grade Coating Treated Nets After Various Drying Methods At Controlling Mite Growth On Dry-Cured Hams, Sadie White

Theses and Dissertations

Tyrophagus putrescentiae, known as the ham mite, is the most difficult pest to control in the dry-cured ham industry. Food-grade propylene glycol coated nets have been studied as an alternative to conventional mite infestation treatments but were heavy and costly to ship. This study aimed to increase the ease of use of the coated nets via drying. Three drying treatments: oven dried for 7 min (OD7m), oven dried for 20 min (OD20m), and counter dried for 24 h (CD24h), were tested to determine the efficacy at controlling mites as well as the mechanical properties of the nets and sensory characteristics …

Inosine 5’- Monophosphate Derived Umami Flavor Intensity Of Beef Determination By Electrochemistry And Chromatography, Kezia Virellia To

Theses and Dissertations

The umami sensation contributes to beef flavor and acceptability. Inosine 5’- monophosphate (IMP) was the most abundant nucleotide in meat known to impart umami taste which thus far had been overlooked in meat flavor studies. The objectives of this study were to determine the umami taste threshold of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP), the effects of spiking IMP on the sensory descriptive attributes of various USDA graded beef strip steaks, and to differentiate beef by IMP content using electrochemistry. USDA Prime, Choice, and Select steaks were spiked with 0.3 and 0.6 mM IMP and analyzed chemically and organoleptically. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and …

Feeding Ecology Of Highly Migratory Epipelagic Offshore Predators In The Western North Atlantic Ocean, Rachel Lorraine Hildebrand

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Describing trophic ecology of top predators in marine ecosystems is key to understanding the dynamics of these environments. Feeding ecologies of large predatory fishes were assessed using a combination of stomach content and stable isotope analysis. The target species for this study inhabit the epipelagic ecosystem of the U.S. South Atlantic Bight in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The studied species included five tuna species, five billfish species, Common Dolphinfish, and Wahoo. The goal of this study was to describe and compare the trophic dynamics of each species. From these data, the trophic complex of the offshore pelagic ecosystem was …

Low Levels Of Hybridization Between Sympatric Cold-Water-Adapted Arctic Cod And Polar Cod In The Beaufort Sea Confirm Genetic Distinctiveness, Robert E. Wilson, Sarah A. Sonsthagen, Philip Lavretsky, Andrew Majewski, Einar Árnason, Katrín Halldórsdóttir, Axel W. Einarsson, Kate Wedemeyer, Sandra L. Talbot

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

As marine ecosystems respond to climate change and other stressors, it is necessary to evaluate current and past hybridization events to gain insight on the outcomes and drivers of such events. Ancestral introgression within the gadids has been suggested to allow cod to inhabit a variety of habitats. Little attention has been given to contemporary hybridization, especially within cold-water-adapted cod (Boreogadus saida Lepechin, 1774 and Arctogadus glacialis Peters, 1872). We used whole-genome, restriction-site associated, and mitochondrial sequence data to explore the degree and direction of hybridization between these species where previous hybridization had not been reported. Although nearly identical …

A Checklist Of Parasites Of Peromyscus Maniculatus In North America, John Ubelaker, Gábor R. Rácz

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

This document represents a summary of parasites, in the broadest sense of the term, reported from Peromyscus maniculatus from throughout its range in North America. The document provides data from work ranging from paleontological findings to relatively current reports of parasites and parasitism from P. maniculatus and covers viruses, bacteria sensu lato, protists, helminths, and ectoparasites.

The Benefits Of Growth-Promoting Implants For Beef Cattle, Caleb C. Reichhardt, Reganne K. Briggs, Laura Motsinger, Kara Thornton-Kurth, Matthew D. Garcia

All Current Publications

Growth-promoting implants have been used in the cattle industry for decades. Their benefits allow cattle producers to become more sustainable by decreasing the amount of resources used. Resources such as water and land are decreased when using growth-promoting implants in beef cattle.

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part Xxviii. Scorpions Of Djibouti, František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

All scorpion species known from Djibouti are listed, with color photographs and maps of their distribution. Buthus awashensis Kovařík, 2011 known from Ethiopia and Somaliland is reported for the first time from Djibouti. The diagnosis of Orthochirus afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 is revised; O. borrii Rossi, 2017 is determined to be a junior synonym of O. afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 syn. n.; O. aristidis (Simon, 1882) syn. res. is returned to synonymy with O. olivaceus Karsch, 1881; and O. arenicola Lourenço & Ythier, 2021, is relegated to the status of nomen dubium. Hemiscorpius lipsae sp. n. …

Kentucky Warbler (Vol. 98, No.3), Department Of Library Special Collections

The Kentucky Warbler

No abstract provided.

Using Poultry To Enhance Food Security In Stann Creek, Belize, Emily Spatz

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Food insecurity is a growing issue in developing and developed countries alike, and in countries like Belize, the prevalence of hunger has soared in recent years. Not having access to diets with sufficient calories and nutrients leads to a host of developmental issues, including stunting and cognitive delays. The purpose of this work was to create an all-encompassing manual for small-scale broiler production, with the intention of another honors student overseeing the implementation of the ideas set forth in the manual, in order to provide nourishment for the students and staff of a school in Belize. After determining that the …

Effect Of Storage Of Skim Milk Powder, Nonfat Dry Milk And Milk Protein Concentrate On Functional Properties, Kartik Shah, Prafulla Salunke, Lloyd Metzger

Dairy Science and Food Science Faculty Publications: 2022 to Present

The physicochemical changes during the storage of high protein powders, such as skim milk powder (SMP), nonfat dry milk (NDM), and milk protein concentrates (MPC), can result in a variation in the functional properties of the powders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the storage of various milk powders (SMP, NDM, MPC40, and MPC70) on their functional properties. Three different lots of the powders were collected from US manufacturers and were analyzed for functional properties after 3, 9, and 15 months of storage at 25 °C. Additionally, this study also evaluated the effects of seasonal …

Reproductive Ecology And Microbial Communities From Wood Duck Nest Boxes In Georgia And Florida, Jake Shurba

All Theses

Wood ducks (Aix sponsa) are an important game species throughout the Atlantic Flyway that was nearly extirpated by the early 20^th century due to overhunting and the loss of habitat. Wood ducks are secondary cavity-nesters that utilize artificial nest boxes and natural cavities. It is reported that the use of nest boxes is likely what led to re-establishment of the species in North America. Where boxes are numerous, overuse of boxes by multiple hens throughout a nesting season can occur and result in a buildup of bacteria, parasites and other potentially detrimental pathogens that can impact egg …