Other Animal Sciences Commons^™

Metabarcoding Ixodes Scapularis To Characterize Feeding Behavior In Comparison To Pathogen Carriage And Geospatial Distribution, Adrianna Kate George

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Managing Dietary Nonstructural Carbohydrates In Insulin Dysregulated Horses: Pasture, Long-Stem Forage, And Restrictive Grazing Strategies, Morgan J. Askins

Theses and Dissertations--Veterinary Science

Insulin dysregulation (ID) is a complex endocrine disorder, impacting a large percentage of the equine population. ID is the defining characteristic of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Within the various classifications of EMS horses, the commonality is ID and their higher risk of laminitis. To mitigate insulin response and laminitis risk in ID horses, current management focuses on restricting pasture exposure and feeding low nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) rations. Minimal studies have evaluated how ID horses respond to pasture of various NSC, long-stem forages, and restrictive grazing strategies. Providing horse owners and managers with improved nutritional management recommendations for ID horses with …

Between The Rails: Experiential Education And Its Impact On Compliance And Consistency In Racetrack Surface Management, Heather Mackenzie

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Recent regulatory requirements within the Thoroughbred racing industry have increased expectations for consistent collection and reporting of racetrack surface data. Despite clear standards, implementation in daily operations remains inconsistent, highlighting a gap between regulation, knowledge, and practice. This study examined the impact of an experiential education curriculum on racetrack personnel’s self-efficacy and reporting consistency.

Using a quantitative design, data were collected through pre- and post-surveys measuring self-efficacy and records of the number of days surface data were entered. Descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and effect size analyses were used. Results showed a statistically significant increase in self-efficacy (p < .001) with large effect sizes, indicating meaningful gains in confidence and comfortability. Reporting consistency did not show a statistically significant change (p = .885).

Overall, experiential education …

Bulletin 4936: Guidelines To Importing And Keeping Regulated Animals In Western Australia, Win Kirkpatrick

Bulletins 4000 -

Updated:

• January 2026 after a review of permit keeping conditions.
• December 2025 for transfer of restricted keeping bird permit business to DPIRD.

Introduced, exotic or alien animals are species that have been brought to a country or location where they do not occur naturally. (Hereafter referred to as introduced species). Mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that are introduced or relocated to new areas often cause problems to agriculture, the environment and the community. Problems occur when introduced species:

• damage agricultural crops
• displace and compete with native animals and plants
• carry disease or parasites
• damage property
• cause land degradation
• have a …

First Photo-Identification Resighting Of A Male Sperm Whale (Physeter Macrocephalus) Between Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles And Andøya, Northern Norway, Rocío Prieto González, Lisa Steiner, Zoë Morange, Tiu Similä, Marten Brill, Cédric Millon, Laurent Bouveret

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

Systematics Of Disk-Winged Bats (Thyroptera), Courtney L. Klumpp

Capstone Showcase

This thesis investigates the evolutionary relationships among disk-winged bats in the genus Thyroptera, a small group of Neotropical bats known for the adhesive suction disks on their wings and feet that allow them to roost inside tightly rolled leaves. The distinctive morphology and behavior of these bats have not been extensively documented, and their phylogenetic relationships remain only partially resolved. The goal of this research is to better understand how these species are related to one another and to determine whether the five recognized species of Thyroptera form a single monophyletic group. To address this question, morphological and genetic …

Spiders In The World Of Pesticides: A Review, Jackson L. Mendillo

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Pesticides and other agrochemicals have varying effects on spiders depending on their mechanism of action and dosage, ranging from behavioral changes and ataxia, to reproductive changes and physiological stress, to lethal non-target effects. Additionally, peptide Hv1a has promising effects as a more narrow-spectrum pesticide.

Genomic Signatures Of Decline And Recovery In An Endangered Bat, Myotis Grisescens, Marxe Altman-Orbach

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Tremendous population declines may result in the loss of genetic diversity, which can, in turn, lead to reduced adaptive potential, overexpression of deleterious phenotypes, and further population declines. In this way, genetic drift from a severe demographic decline may ultimately lead to an extinction vortex. However, populations that avoid the loss of genetic diversity may remain viable, despite demographic crashes. Therefore, understanding genetic diversity is vital for assessing the conservation status of species that have undergone declines, and can even reflect the effectiveness of management actions. I investigated signatures of genetic bottlenecks in the gray bat (Myotis grisescens), …

Dietary Ecology Of Waterfowl Nest Predators In The Prairie Pothole Region: Evaluating Resource Use From Species To Individual Using Stable Isotope Analysis, Grace Barthelmess

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Nest predation is a primary factor influencing waterfowl productivity in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America. Although this system is intensely managed and studied, research has largely focused on how predators affect waterfowl populations, with comparatively little attention to how predators actually rely on waterfowl as a resource. Understanding predator feeding ecology is therefore critical for informing effective management strategies and interpreting the complexity of predator-prey interactions on this landscape. My objective overall was to elucidate the feeding ecology of nine focal predator species commonly associated with waterfowl nest predation in the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion of the PPR: …

Manatee Dock Sign Distribution And Its Influence On Publicly-Sourced Sighting Reports In Alabama, Daniela Payán Arias, Sophia C. Corde, Ruth H. Carmichael

Gulf and Caribbean Research

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Environmental Complexity On Brain Development And Personality Expression In Western Hognose Snakes, Gokulan Nagabaskaran

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

There is growing interest in snake cognition, personality, and welfare as more snakes are kept as pets, yet little research has been conducted. The effects of enrichment and environmental factors have been well documented in other taxa, and recent evidence suggests that snakes may benefit in similar ways. This dissertation investigated the impact of environmental and social enrichment on personality expression, personality stability, and brain development. Western hognose snakes (Heterodon nasicus) were used as the model species, as they are a popular choice in the pet trade. This allows the research to be readily translatable to husbandry practices of many …