Biodiversity Commons^™

Does Depth Affect Zebra Mussel Length In Scalp Lake?, Zanden Mellen

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Since its first sighting in 1996, zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha have been confirmed in hundreds of Minnesota lakes. Not only were they found in lakes, but they are also found in rivers too. With lack of effective treatments to impede their spread, zebra mussels continue to colonize new areas causing ecological as well as economic harm. The objective of this study was to see if there was a relationship between a zebra mussel length and the depth, they are found using shell length (mm) and depth (cm). The comparison of zebra mussel length and depth was done by performing a …

Relationship Of Utricle And Trap Door Size On Common Bladderworts Utricularia Macrorhiza, Tegwen Romportl

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The common bladderwort Utricularia macrorhiza is a carnivorous aquatic plant that captures organisms with its bladders. This study was aimed at setting the stage for future research which might determine if U. macrorhiza could be a biological method of control for invasive species. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between utricle and trap door sizes and to gather data on the size ranges of these two morphological features. A regression analysis was used to obtain results which showed there was enough evidence to suggest that the size of bladderwort trap doors have a significant, positive relationship …

Exploring Coastal Plain Fish Ecology Across A Range Of Early-Life-History Traits And River Types, Bridgette Nicolosi

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The ecological complexity of southeastern Coastal Plain rivers is reflected in the diversity of fish communities they support, yet the processes structuring early life dynamics remain poorly understood. This thesis explores the influence of environmental gradients on larval fish assemblage composition and American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) spawning phenology across two Georgia Coastal Plain river systems.

In the unregulated Ogeechee River, I investigated spatial and temporal variation in larval fish communities by comparing mainstem and tributary habitats to understand the role of tributaries in watershed-wide larval production. Larvae were collected biweekly from May to September 2024 at eight paired mainstem-tributary sites …

Genome-Wide Snp Analyses Reveal High Gene Flow Of Endemic Smallscale Croaker (Boesemania Microlepsis) In The Lower Mekong Basin, Quyen Dang Ha Vu, Christopher E. Bird, Oanh Thi Truong, Sang Quang Tran, Ellen E. Biesack, Amanda S. Ackiss, Kent E. Carpenter, Binh Truy Dang

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The Smallscale Croaker, Boesemania microlepis, is a valuable fishery resource in the Mekong River basin that lacks clear biological data to understand its basic ecology and conservation management priorities. This species is common in the southernmost floodplain of the Mekong which extends from Tonlé Sap in Cambodia to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. This floodplain is of particular biodiversity conservation concern because of the many upstream dams that restrict water flow in an ecology that relies heavily on a flood-pulse cycle. The literature regarding the biology B. microlepis in this region contains conflicting ideas that populations are both highly …

Psychological And Social Well-Being Of Bony Fishes In Zoos And Aquariums, Ronald G. Oldfield, Patrick Bonano

Animal Sentience

Research on the behaviour of animals in zoos has been conducted for decades, and observations have provided information that has improved the psychological and social well-being of animals. However, research on fishes in zoos and aquariums seems to be lacking. Here, we assess the current state of research on fishes in zoos and aquariums by surveying the peer-reviewed literature. Our assessment differs from previous surveys in that we examine the taxonomic classes Chondrichthyes (sharks and rays) and Osteichthyes (bony fishes) separately. Our survey finds that bony fishes have been drastically underrepresented in zoo journals, more drastically than chondrichthyans, revealing an …

Impacts Of Invasive Carp And Their Population Dynamics On Fish Communities In The Missouri River, Joshua F. Kocik

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

Invasive Carp species: Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Bighead Carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis, Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella, and Black Carp Mylopharyngodon piceus have both potential and realized abilities to negatively impact native species. Specifically, Bighead Carp and Silver Carp as filter feeders have been theorized to be detrimental not only to adult filter-feeding species, but to many fish which rely on plankton and algae in their early-life stages. The impact of Invasive Carp on the overall fish community remains underexplored. The fish communities below Gavins Point Dam (Invasive Carp present) and Fort Randall Dam (Invasive Carp absent) afford the …

Spatiotemporal Plasticity In Reproductive Readiness And Recruitment Of Ichthyoplankton Of Invasive Silver Carp Along A Western Invasion Front, Jessi L. Urichich

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

Individuals of invasive species at the edge of their invasion distribution may exhibit enhanced reproductive capacity and phenotypic plasticity leading to accelerated range expansion. Environmental conditions in highly fluctuating environments at distribution edges may either promote or hinder such reproductive readiness and phenotypic plasticity. Dynamic habitat conditions and periodic disturbances experienced in prairie streams, such as drought (e.g., low-flow, high water temperatures), may potentially reduce suitable spawning environments and ichthyoplankton recruitment of invasive Silver Carp, potentially slowing range expansion or enabling management strategies that reduce abundance in the absence of a reproducing population. Female Silver Carp batch fecundity, Gonadosomatic Index …

Fisheries Occasional Publication No.147 - Aquaculture Development Zones – Policy Position Relating To Permitted Alternative Species, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

The purpose of this policy is to set out considerations relevant to the assessment of aquaculture proposals within Aquaculture Development Zones (ADZ) for species distinct from the group of species for which the ADZ was initially established (Alternative Species).

New York City’S Rising Sea Level And Coastal Erosion: Approaches To Resiliency, Ryder D. Isidro

Student Theses 2015-Present

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Eastern Nebraska And Western Iowa Flash Flood Event Of 6-7 August 1999, Catherine M. Zapotocny

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Technical Reports and Related Materials

Flash flooding occurs each summer in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. While 10-inch rains are extraordinary, it is not uncommon to have at least one excessive rain event during the annual convective season. A significant flash flood occurred in east central Nebraska and western Iowa the night of August 6, 1999 into the morning of August 7, 1999. Antecedent hydrologic conditions limited the loss of life, however considerable property damage resulted as the heavy rain fell over the urbanized areas in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa.

Several flash flood ingredients came together over the area. These meteorological factors are typical …

Animal Conservation In St. Louis, Kate O'Sullivan

Undergraduate Research Symposium

St. Louis has a multitude of organizations involved in the natural sciences. But how many of them actually contribute towards animal conservation? The St. Louis Zoo is an organization that focuses a lot of its effort on presentation, so how does that impact the funds that go towards actually saving the animals? I plan to dive into the different animal-based organizations in St. Louis and its surrounding areas, as well as discuss the positives and negatives of each organization. Furthermore, I will provide examples from several sources that I have been reviewing all year to support my claims. I plan …

Can Edna Be Used To Locate Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys Papilliferus?, Megan Brandt, Timothy Spier Phd, Gary Zeruth Phd

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Traditional stream fish sampling methods, such as seining and electrofishing, are time consuming, expensive, and limited to short stretches of stream. However, the analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples promises to be a quick, inexpensive method for detecting fish. The streams of the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area (LBL) are unique, undisturbed streams which contain many interesting fish species for which little information exists. One such rare species is the Shawnee Hills Cavefish Forbesichthys papilliferus, which is known to exist in a few LBL streams. However, the complete distribution of the Shawnee Hills Cavefish in LBL …

Arctic Report Card 2024, United States National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Technical Reports and Related Materials

The Arctic Report Card from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for 2024.

Long Term Trends In Mortality Rates Of A Smallmouth Bass Population, Caleb D. Anderson

Journal of Earth and Life Science

Smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu are known as a popular sport fish for anglers. When a known smallmouth bass fishery appears to have a dwindling population, it raises questions about the population health. A common indicator of the health of the population is the mortality rate. By comparing mortality, conclusions can be made on whether smallmouth bass are dying at a different rate in the system over time. Therefore, the objective of this study was to see if there had been a significant change in smallmouth bass mortality over a span of thirty years in Round Lake (DOW:010204), Aitkin County, Minnesota. …

Investigating The Relationships Between Biotic And Abiotic Factors Affecting Migratory Behavior In Westslope Cutthroat Trout Within The Priest River System, Kyle M. Keenan

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Numerous salmonid species demonstrate diverse life histories, encompassing both resident and migratory behaviors. Migratory life histories play a pivotal role in maintaining metapopulations for various reasons, facilitating genetic exchange between populations and yielding larger-sized females with increased fecundity relative to residents. This study took place in northern Idaho, within the lower Priest River system, which is highly susceptible to degrading habitat. Previous research has discovered this system as a significant contributor to migratory Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus lewisi, WCT) in the Lake Pend Oreille and Priest River systems. Expanding on these results, we compared four Priest River tributaries that produced …

Complex Dynamics Of Coral Gene Expression Responses To Low Ph Across Species, Veronica Z. Radice, Ana Martinez, Adina Paytan, Donald C. Potts, Daniel J. Barshis

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Coral capacity to tolerate low pH affects coral community composition and, ultimately, reef ecosystem function. Low pH submarine discharges (‘Ojo’; Yucatán, México) represent a natural laboratory to study plasticity and acclimatization to low pH in relation to ocean acidification. A previous >2‐year coral transplant experiment to ambient and low pH common garden sites revealed differential survivorship across species and sites, providing a framework to compare mechanistic responses to differential pH exposures. Here, we examined gene expression responses of transplants of three species of reef‐building corals (Porites astreoides, Porites porites and Siderastrea siderea) and their algal endosymbiont communities …

Culled Lionfish Sexual Maturity Over A Four-Year Timespan​, Christina Bland, Jurgen Hauer, Bilal Saleem, Noelle James

Symposium of Student Scholars

Lionfish are invasive in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. Like many other invasive species, they do not have any natural predators in these areas, so their population can grow unchecked. This can decrease the population of native fish species due to lionfish eating to excess. Because of their impact on native species, resource managers have incentivized lionfish hunting. Hunters were paid $6 USD for every pound of lionfish they brought in, so they possibly favored larger lionfish to increase their reward which would lead to an adaptive advantage for fish of smaller sizes. We hypothesized that the lionfish bounty program …

The Himalayan Uplift And Evolution Of Aquatic Biodiversity Across Asia: Snowtrout (Cyprininae: Schizothorax) As A Test Case, Binod Regmi, Marlis R. Douglas, Karma Wangchuk, Zachery D. Zbinden, David R. Edds, Singye Tshering, Michael E. Douglas

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Global biodiversity hotspots are often remote, tectonically active areas undergoing climatic fluctuations, such as the Himalaya Mountains and neighboring Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). They provide biogeographic templates upon which endemic biodiversity can be mapped to infer diversification scenarios. Yet, this process can be somewhat opaque for the Himalaya, given substantial data gaps separating eastern and western regions. To help clarify, we evaluated phylogeographic and phylogenetic hypotheses for a widespread fish (Snowtrout: Cyprininae; Schizothorax) by sequencing 1,140 base pair of mtDNA cytochrome-b (cytb) from Central Himalaya samples (Nepal: N = 53; Bhutan: N = 19), augmented with 68 GenBank …

A Description Of The Grassland Communities Of The Wildcat Hills Region Of Northwestern Nebraska Including Scotts Bluff National Monument And Rare Plant Survey Of The Wildcat Hills Region Of Northwestern Nebraska, Volume I, Terri Hildebrand, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

This study resulted from a Cooperative Agreement between Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the National Park Service (NPS), with funding provided by the Natural Resource Preservation Program of the NPS. Scotts Bluff National Monument was seeking to characterize the native grassland communities of the Wildcat Hills region in order to develop species composition models for prairie restoration of disturbed lands at the monument. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission needed similar information to refine community classification for the Wildcat Hills region, and to update rare plant species inventories. This report includes a description of the grassland communities and a rare …

A Description Of The Grassland Communities Of The Wildcat Hills Region Of Northwestern Nebraska Including Scotts Bluff National Monument And Rare Plant Survey Of The Wildcat Hills Region Of Northwestern Nebraska, Volume Ii, Terri Hildebrand, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

This study resulted from a Cooperative Agreement between Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the National Park Service (NPS), with funding provided by the Natural Resource Preservation Program of the NPS. Scotts Bluff National Monument was seeking to characterize the native grassland communities of the Wildcat Hills region in order to develop species composition models for prairie restoration of disturbed lands at the monument. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission needed similar information to refine community classification for the Wildcat Hills region, and to update rare plant species inventories. This report includes a description of the grassland communities and a rare …

Vegetative Sampling Of The Wildcat Hills Region Of Northwestern Nebraska Including Scotts Bluff National Monument And Rare Plant Survey Of The Wildcat Hills Region Of Northwestern Nebraska, A Final Report To: Nebraska Game And Parks Commission, Terri Hildebrand, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Wildcat Hills region of northwestern Nebraska is a ridge extending westerly from Chimney Rock in Morrill county to west of Kiowa Creek in central Scotts Bluff county and southerly into the northernmost portions of Banner county (Fig. 1). Much of the expanse is fronted along its northern portion by the North Platte River and US Highway 26. Also included within the study area are the federal lands of Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock National Historic Site. Two large portions of state lands, Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area and Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management Area, are located just easterly …

Freshwater And Saline Flood Plain Wetlands Of The North Platte River - Sources And Seasonal Dynamics: Kiowa Wildlife Management Area, Morrill, Ne, Anne M. Matherne

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Kiowa Wildlife Management Area (WMA), a 1 mi² wetland and upland on the North Platte River, was acquired by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) in 1993. The WMA comprises two distinct wetland types, alkaline and freshwater, both of which provide important wildlife habitat. It was the goal of this project to understand the hydrology controlling the development and maintenance of these wetlands in order to anticipate the affect of management strategies on the wetland complex. The study was designed to develop a comprehensive picture of the hydrogeology of both the fresh and alkaline portions of the WMA, …

Willa Cather Ecological Prairie: An Ecological Overview, Harold G. Nagel

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

This report includes data gathered on the ecology of a 610 acre mixed grass prairie in south-central Nebraska over a two year period.

An attempt was made to identify as many of the plant and animal species present and to determine density and standing crop biomass wherever possible, under the time and financial constraints present. Few attempts have been made to develop complete species checklists for both animals and plants in prairies. The data collected are considered baseline conditions against which comparisons can be made after a management plan is carried out.

This study of Cather Prairie had several objectives. …

The Flora Of The Oak-Wooded Drainages At The Timber Point Area, Southeastern Butler County, Nebraska, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Timber Point Area is a 160-acre recreational/wildlife area occupying to S½ of the SW¼ sec. 22 and the adjacent N½ of the NW¼ sec. 27, T14N R4E. The area is located in the loess-mantled glacial-till hills of southeast Nebraska not far from the terminal moraine of the Pre-Illinoian glacial sheet, one mile south and two miles east of the present town of Brainard. The uplands at Timber Point were apparently in pasture prior to purchase by the NRD, with some cultivated fields occupying the lower ground along a stream valley which southwest to northeast through the property. This small …

The Flora Of Two Oak Drainages At The Red Cedar Area, Southwestern Saunders County, Nebraska, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The Red Cedar Area is a 175 acre recreational/wildlife area occupying the SE sec. 20, T14N R5E and a small portion of sec. 29 directly to the south. The area is located in the glacial-till hills of southeast Nebraska ca 5 mi. north and 2 mi. west of Valpraiso. The bulk of the area was cultivated farmland prior to purchase by the NRD, and nearly all upland areas here were cultivated cropland, save for some steep oak-wooded drainages on the east side of Hunter’s Slough, which ran northwest to southeast through the property. The creek was dammed after NRD purchase …

The Vascular Plants Of The Woodlands Of South Table Creek In The Vicinity Of The National Arbor Day Center, Nebraska City, Nebraska, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

The objective of this study is to describe the composition of the vascular plant flora of a three-quarter mile stretch of woodland along South Table Creek managed by the National Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska City. This 50-60 acre woodland is representative of the many small tributaries of the Missouri River in southeastern Nebraska, and may represent the only natural “preserve” of native forest on the west side of the Missouri River between Fontenelle Forest and Indian Cave State Park. All naturally-occurring species encountered in this study are listed alphabetically by family at the end of this paper, and a …

The Flora Of Meadowlark Prairie, Northeastern Seward County, Nebraska, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

This report is on the flora of the Meadowlark Prairie. The prairie is an approximately 7 acre remnant of virgin tall-grass prairie in extreme northeastern Seward County, Nebraska. The remnant is triangular in shape and lies on a gentle southeast-facing slope with a total relief of 50 ft., along the east boundary of the Meadowlark Recreation Area. The prairie is surrounded on the east side by a small brome-infested prairie remnant and cultivated field off the NRD property, and on the remaining sides by formerly cultivated fields now seeded to native warm-season grasses. Soils in the area are primarily derived …

The Flora And Plant Communities Of The Ceresco Saline Basins, Southern Saunders County, Nebraska, Steven B. Rolfsmeier

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: White Papers, Conference Presentations, and Manuscripts

This report is on the flora and plant communities of the Ceresco Saline Basins. The basins are along Rock Creek east of Ceresco and represent the northernmost representatives of the “eastern saline marsh” community in Nebraska. Eastern saline marshland is mostly restricted to the Salt Creek drainage in northern and central Lancaster County, though the Ceresco basins extend a mile or more north into Saunders County in the floodplain of Rock Creek. Some of the wetland in this area is currently under management of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, while some of the northernmost portions of the basins are …

Commercial Fishing Identification Guide 2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Fisheries Occasional Publications

Throughout this guide you will see all or some of the marine bioregion symbols with each fish illustration, indicating where the species is most likely to occur.

This guide has been developed to help you identify the more common species in Western Australia you may encounter. The purpose of this guide is to enhance consistent and accurate species identification.

If you are unsure about a particular species (or if it is not in this guide), please discuss it with a representative of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia.

Development Of A 16s Reference Library For Edna Metabarcoding The Freshwater Fishes Of Western Ecuador., Hannah M. Willis, Olivia G. Schweikart, Windsor E. Aguirre

DePaul Discoveries

This project examines the use of the 16S locus to amplify neotropical freshwater fishes native to Western Ecuador in a newly created 16S reference library for DNA barcoding and eDNA metabarcoding applications. Among the orders Characiformes, Siluriformes, Cichliformes, Gobiiformes, Cryprinodontiformes, Gymnotiformes, and Perciformes, a compendium of 105 specimens were sequenced, with 43 representing new 16S sequences previously unavailable on Genbank.