Biodiversity Commons^™

Lycosidae Abundance And Diversity Across Lawn And Leaf Litter Substrate, Sage O. Lockett, Dan Albrecht-Mallinger

Undergraduate Research Posters

Significant knowledge gaps exist in how land-cover impacts ground-hunting spider populations. To fill these gaps, this study investigates a common family of ground-hunting spiders, Lycosidae, to determine differences in their abundance and diversity in deciduous leaf litter and managed turfgrass (lawn). The study was conducted within a forested ecosystem at Virginia Commonwealth University's Rice Rivers Center in Charles City County, Virginia. I placed 10 belt transects (1m x 20m) on lawn substrate and 10 identical transects in deciduous forest leaf litter substrate. I performed repeated visual census via eyeshine and manual capture of up to three individuals per transect …

Moth Species Diversity, Composition And Abundance In Different Land Use Types Of Chebera Churchura National Park And Its Surroundings, Southwestern Ethiopia, Gebreegziabher Hailay, Emana Getu

Journal of Bioresource Management

Land use change and habitat fragmentation affect biodiversity through an increasing level of disturbance and destruction of natural habitats. The present study is the first report on species diversity, species composition, and abundance of moth fauna in and around Chebera Churchura national park. During the survey from January to June 2021, 6206 specimens were collected from 105 species and 11 families from the 3 land use types. Based on the number of species, the family Erbidae is the most abundant with 41 species, and the family Pyraldae was the least abundant with one species. Based on the number of individuals, …

Habitat Of The Long-Tailed Wood-Partridge In Central Mexico, David García-Solózano, Crisma Lopez-Sanchez, Edgardo Lopez-González, Carlos González-Rebeles Islas

National Quail Symposium Proceedings

The long-tailed wood-partridge (Dendrortyx macroura; hereafter, wood-partridge) is a forest quail endemic to the temperate forests of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt of central Mexico and is considered threatened according to the Secretariat of the Environment of Mexico. We studied 34 sites within the Natural Resources Protection Area River Basins of the Valle de Bravo, Malacatepec, Tilostoc and Temascaltepec in central Mexico to evaluate wood-partridge habitat during September–December 2019. We evaluated attributes of tree, shrub, and herbaceous vegetation, canopy cover, humidity, slope, and altitude. We also identified vegetation used for nesting, food, and shelter. The scant information published for …

Environmental And Habitat Preferences Of The Algerian Hedgehog Atelerix Algirus(Lereboullet, 1842) In El Kala National Park (North-East Algeria), Sakraoui Rym, Boukheroufa Mehdi, Dadci Walid, Abdallah Khadidjawissal, Senaoui Charafeddine, Sakraoui Feriel, Benyacoub Slim

Journal of Bioresource Management

We conducted this study to identify the preferred habitat of Atelerix algirus in the National Park of El Kala (PNEK), through the analysis of the catches rates of the species combined to an ethno zoological survey carried out among the residents. The study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2011, in five localities of the Park, different by their useful areas (forests and agricultural land) and their degree of urbanization: Raml Souk, El Aioun, Berrihane, El Kala and Bougous. We also surveyed 57 residents of Berrihane locality. Our results identified the locality of Berrihane as the preferred area of …

Vigilance Of Nesting Whooping Cranes In Juneau County, Wisconsin, Nicole M. Gordon, Darby P. Bolt, Hillary L. Thompson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Vigilance plays an important role in the detection of possible threats and reducing the risk of predation, including during the incubation period. We examined the visual vigilance of incubating whooping cranes (Grus americana) in Juneau County, Wisconsin, during the 2019 nesting season. We deployed 9 trail cameras and tagged crane presence and behavior in 32,801 photos which were used in our analysis. We assessed individual nest and environmental variables and their effects on vigilant behavior of incubating cranes using linear mixed-models. Vigilant behavior was defined by a posture in which the crane’s head was up, neck was erect, …

Policy Options For Forest-Disturbance-Adapted Species Management: Assessing The Rusty Blackbird In New York’S Adirondack Park, Louis W. Hallstrom, Stephen Bird

Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies

Wilderness preservation policies can sometimes create protections that lack enough flexibility to address a variety of species needs. Rusty Blackbird populations in the United States have been declining for decades due to a multitude of stressors. Populations have declined by greater than 95% since 1966 according to the breeding bird surveys (Greenburg et al., 2011). The Wilderness and Wild Forest land use designations in the Adirondack Park, New York State, are intended to preserve forests and limit anthropogenic impact on the landscape within the Adirondacks to maintain its “forever wild” status under the New York Constitution. This designation can be …

Whooping Crane Stay Length In Relation To Stopover Site Characteristics, Andrew J. Caven, Aaron T. Pearse, David A. Brandt, Mary J. Harner, Greg D. Wright, David M. Baasch, Emma M. Brinley Buckley, Kristine L. Metzger, Matthew R. Rabbe,, Anne E. Lacy

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Whooping crane (Grus americana) migratory stopovers can vary in length from hours to more than a month. Stopover sites provide food resources and safety essential for the completion of migration. Factors such as weather, climate, demographics of migrating groups, and physiological condition of migrants influence migratory movements of cranes (Gruidae) to varying degrees. However, little research has examined the relationship between habitat characteristics and stopover stay length in cranes. Site quality may relate to stay length with longer stays that allow individuals to improve body condition, or with shorter stays because of increased foraging efficiency. We examined this …

Vignette 05: Blocking Culverts Impact Salmonid Survival, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission

Institute Publications

During the first six years of implementing the U.S. v. Washington culvert case injunction, the State of Washington has corrected 150 fish-blocking culverts in the Puget Sound Region. At the current rate, if additional support is not gained, the corrections of the remaining 799 culverts would be completed in 32 years or the year 2052.

Vignette 19: Invasive European Green Crab, Jeff Adams, Emily Grason, P. Sean Mcdonald, Allen Pleus, Jude Apple, Roger Fuller, Lucas Hart, Alexandra Simpson

Institute Publications

European green crab pose documented threats to cultured and wild shellfish, eelgrass, and shoreline habitats and ecosystems. Because they can prey on juvenile crabs and shellfish, dense populations of EGC in the Salish Sea region could put fisheries and aquaculture resources in peril. After Fisheries and Oceans Canada researchers reported an established EGC population in Sooke Basin, BC in 2012, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) worked with Washington Sea Grant (WSG) to secure Puget Sound Marine and Nearshore Grant Program funding and establish a volunteer-based early detection and monitoring program. WSG launched Crab Team in 2015 with …

Vignette 15: Eelgrass Variations Ties To Sea Level Variations, Ronald Thom

Institute Publications

This vignette shares an overview of the process and results of a long-term eelgrass monitoring effort at the mouth of Sequim Bay. Coupling these local long-term findings with research and monitoring across the Salish Sea and the globe will help better understand the longer-term effects of global warming and perhaps other human and natural-derived pressures on coastal ecosystems, and provide clues on how to make these systems more resilient to pressures.

Larval Fish Sampling And Scaphirhynchus Sturgeon Drift Dynamics In The Mississippi And Missouri Rivers, Hae Hyun Kim

MSU Graduate Theses

Humans have been altering the natural ecosystem for centuries. These alterations provide many socioeconomic benefits (e.g., navigation and flood-control). However, these alterations can have negative ecological consequences. Large rivers across the country have been manipulated to facilitate various human activities. Rivers are dynamic systems governed by various abiotic and biotic factors. Ultimately these alterations change the natural biogeochemical cycles and reduce available habitats. These impacts likely affect riverine fishes’ ability to carry out their lifecycle. Riverine organisms, and particularly fish, have adapted to survive in free-flowing systems. Population dynamics (i.e., recruitment, growth and mortality) are the basis of fisheries management. …

Feeding Ecology, Behaviour And Habitat Utilization Of Black Drongo (Dicrurus Macrocercus) In Pothwar Plateau, Pakistan, Muhammad Bilal, Zeeshan Khalid, Ali Hasnain Mosvi, Amir Naseer

Journal of Bioresource Management

Black Drongo is an insectivorous bird native to Pakistan. The present study focused on its feeding preferences, behaviour, ecology and habitat relationships. The study was carried out from first week of December, 2019 to the second week of April, 2020 in the two villages of Rawalpindi named as Daultala (Location-I) and Nata Gujarmall (Location-II). Observations were made by point count method on foot using line transect method. Air (52.27%) was the most commonly used feeding substrate. Aerial feeding mode (52.27%) is preferred over plant or tree gleaning (n=58) and ground feeding (n=47). Most common perching site was man made obstacle, …

If Watersheds Spoke: A Condition Analysis Of The Rio Tomebamba Watershed In Southern Ecuador Using Gis Analysis, Lenka G. Doskocil

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Understanding processes and ecological threats occurring at the watershed level scale composes a critical piece of water resource conservation and management. This proves doubly true in areas such as the Ecuadorian highlands where water resources depend heavily on the hydrologic regulation capacities of páramo soils. This study examined watershed condition of the Rio Tomebamba watershed and existing habitat for Metallura baroni and Chibchanomys orcesi, two highly endemic species, within its boundaries. Watershed condition was determined based on a simple index that considered nine indicators of watershed health—converted land, impacted riparian zones, impermeable surfaces, water quality, fluvial habitat condition, riparian vegetation …

Where Birds Chill: An Assessment Of The Habitat Preferences Of Birds Overwintering In Hudson Valley Forests, Elizabeth Claire Axley

Senior Projects Spring 2019

Many avian species overwinter in eastern North America; however, studies on bird populations are rarely undertaken during this critical survival time, and little is known as to their habitat preferences and foraging behavior. In this observational study, we performed a survey of birds overwintering in the Hudson Valley’s temperate, primarily-deciduous forests, assessing avian populations’ habitat preferences through the vegetative structural variables surrounding overwintering birds as they forage. Our results suggest that high canopy cover is critically important to predicting overwintering bird occupancy on a microhabitat scale. Moreover, overwintering birds preferentially occupy forest plots not dominated by sugar maples, in spite …

Checklist Of Bats In Some Areas Of Azad Jammu And Kashmir, Fakhra Nazir, Inayatullah Malik, Sabiha Shamim

Journal of Bioresource Management

Bats form an essential part of the ecosystem by aiding pollination, keeping insect pests in check and overall maybe helpful as indicators of health status of the ecosystem. This study was conducted to formulate a checklist of bats from different regions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Five National parks from Azad Jammu and Kashmir were surveyed for the species of bats present (Dhirkot National Park, Pir Lasura National Park, Pir Chanasi National Park, Banjosa National Park and Tolipir National Park). From the study conducted, 10 species of bats belonging to 5 families were found cumulatively in the five national parks.

Habitat Selection And Con- And Heterospecific Associations Of Wintering Whooping Cranes At Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, Andrew W. Cantrell, Yong Wang

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

Winter ecology of the Eastern Migratory Population of whooping cranes (Grus americana) has received less detailed study than that of other life stages or the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population. Increased winter use of novel sites by these cranes makes understanding the mechanisms contributing to habitat selection and use important for efficient conservation. As a subset of a larger and ongoing project, this study examined the individual and temporal variations of occupancy times, habitat types used, and co-occurrence with con- and heterospecifics during winters 2014-15 and 2015-16 at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, while considering the effect of individual life …

Winter And Migratory Habitat Use Of Six Eastern Greater Sandhill Cranes, Hillary L. Thompson, Anne E. Lacy

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

To better understand non-breeding ecology of sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida), we harnessed 6 satellite GPS transmitters to adult cranes from 1 central Wisconsin breeding area. Using location data from these transmitters, we investigated non-breeding movements, including the routes and timing of migration. By combining satellite GPS data with a national land cover dataset, we also described habitat use on stopovers and wintering areas. Sandhill cranes tended to use larger home ranges on long stopovers (>3 days) than on short stopovers (3 days or less). The durations of northward migrations were longer and had more stopovers than …

Distribution And Occurrence Of Bat Species In North Dakota, Josiah J. Nelson, Paul R. Barnhart, Erin H. Gillam

The Prairie Naturalist

Prior to 2009, a detailed survey of occurrence and distribution of bats in North Dakota had not been conducted. Localized surveys, occurrence reports, and museum specimens provided the only records of bats in the state. Ongoing habitat loss, exploitation of natural resources, and the impending spread of white-nose syndrome to the western United States are major threats to bat populations of the region. The objective of this study was to document presence and distributions of bat species resident in North Dakota. From 2009 to 2012, multiple mist-netting and acoustic surveys were conducted to document species presence across North Dakota. A …

The Distribution, Population Status, And Wildlife Product Trade Of Himalayan Musk Deer In Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, Fakhar -I- Abbas, Thomas P. Rooney, Afsar Mian, Zahid Iqbal Bhatti, Jibran Haider

Journal of Bioresource Management

Himalayan musk deer (Moschus chrysogaste leucogaster) is an IUCN Red List Endangered species that reaches its western range limit in Pakistan, although its distribution or population size is unknown. Here, we mapped its distribution, described habitat preferences, estimated population sizes, recruitment and mortality, and reported the market values of musk deer wildlife products. We used two approaches: analyzing local wisdom (traditional ecological knowledge) through the use of questionnaires, and conducting confirmatory field surveys of selected areas. Questionnaire respondents indicated musk deer sightings in 28 of 84 localities; mainly in Himalayan dry temperate forests with >20% forest cover. There …

Efficacy Of Dormant Season Herbicide Application On Control Of Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica) For Habitat Restoration In Kentucky, Jason L. Weese

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Kentucky’s disappearing native grassland communities provide habitat for native flora and fauna. A study was conducted to compare the efficacy of herbicides in control of the invasive Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) applied at times when most native species are dormant. Six herbicide mixtures (glyphosate, glyphosate + imazapyr, glyphosate + imazapic, imazapyr, triclopyr + difluphenzopyr, and metsulfuron + difluphenzopyr) were applied in three seasons to assess the effect of application timing of each mixture on honeysuckle control. Herbicides were applied with a CO² pressurized sprayer at three sites in a randomized complete block design. Pretreatment sampling indicated that …

An Assessment Of South China Tiger Reintroduction Potential In Hupingshan And Houhe National Nature Reserves, China, Yiyuan Qin, Philip J. Nyhus, Courtney L. Larson, Charles J.W. Carroll, Jeff Muntifering, Thomas D. Dahmer, Lu Jun, Ronald L. Tilson

Philip J. Nyhus

Human-caused biodiversity loss is a global problem, large carnivores are particularly threatened, and the tiger (Panthera tigris) is among the world’s most endangered large carnivores. The South China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) is the most critically endangered tiger subspecies and is considered functionally extinct in the wild. The government of China has expressed its intent to reintroduce a small population of South China tigers into a portion of their historic range as part of a larger goal to recover wild tiger populations in China. This would be the world’s first major tiger reintroduction program. A free-ranging population of 15–20 tigers …

Syllabus: Wildlife Habitat Management, Paige Warren

Sustainability Education Resources

This course provides an in-depth exploration of wildlife-habitat relationships, illustrated through basic field zoology and natural history, evolutionary biology, and ecological theory. We introduce you to quantitative tools used to explain ecological processes and their influence on wildlife and their environment. We will examine the dynamics and management of various habitats in New England, North America, and elsewhere through field visits and use of primary literature. We will place particular emphasis on managing wildlife habitat in an urbanizing world. By one estimate, roughly 9% of the land area of the United States is in a zone of wildland-urban interface, but …

Behavioural Ecology Of The Black-Flanked Rock-Wallaby (Petrogale Lateralis Lateralis): Refuge Importance In A Variable Environment, Craig Pentland

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The black-flanked rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis lateralis) has suffered a significant decline in its distribution in Western Australia. This has been attributed to introduced predators (predominantly the red fox) and herbivores, fire, and habitat destruction due to clearing. Although since 2001 the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) had begun to reintroduce this species back into its former range, little was known of the behavioural ecology of this species. Fox control in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in population increases of rock-wallabies on several reserves in the central wheatbelt of WA. However, recently these populations have rapidly declined despite continuing fox …

Does Pitcher Plant Morphology Affect Spider Residency?, Marc A. Milne, Deborah A. Waller

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Spiders are often found as residents in association with Sarracenia purpurea ( Purple Pitcher Plant). Many spiders choose web locations based on environmental cues such as vegetation structure and composition, prey density, temperature, and humidity. To determine if spiders use cues from the Purple Pitcher Plant to build their webs, we conducted a field study using variants of the plant that separated various morphological features: nectar, pigment, and the presence of prey. There was no difference in spider residency across all treatments and no difference in male/female or mature/immature residency. Linyphiids were the most common residents, possibly due to pitcher …

Mapping The Surface Characteristics Of The Mojave With Remote Sensing For Terrestrial Habitat Modeling, Scott A. Nowicki

Scott A Nowicki

High-resolution ecological and climate modeling requires quantification of surface characteristics such as rock abundance, soil induration and surface roughness at fine-scale, since these features can affect the micro and macro habitat of a given area and ultimately determine the assemblage of plant and animal species that may occur there. Our objective is to develop quantitative data layers of thermophysical properties of the entire Mojave Desert Ecoregion for applications to habitat modeling being conducted by the USGS Western Ecological Research Center. These research efforts are focused on developing habitat models and a better physical understanding of the Mojave Desert, which have …

Diets Of Nesting Swainson's Hawks In Relation To Land Cover In Northwestern North Dakota, Robert K. Murphy

The Prairie Naturalist

Relationships between land use practices and types of prey used by Swainson's hawks (Buteo swainsoni) in the Northern Great Plains is of increasing interest as the quantity and quality of habitat in the region declines. I recorded 1,284 prey items at 18 Swainson' s hawk nesting areas throughout northwestern North Dakota during summer 1986-1987. After correcting for detectability biases and food needs of adults, I estimated (90% CI) 2,087-2,859 total prey individuals and 138.3-206.7 kg of prey biomass (x = 69.8 g/item) were consumed by adult and nestling Swainson's hawks during my study. Major prey (>10% overall …

Lidar Remote Sensing Variables Predict Breeding Habitat Of A Neotropical Migrant Bird, Scott J. Goetz, Daniel Steinberg, Matthew G. G. Betts, Richard T. Holmes

Dartmouth Scholarship

A topic of recurring interest in ecological research is the degree to which vegetation structure influences the distribution and abundance of species. Here we test the applicability of remote sensing, particularly novel use of waveform lidar measurements, for quantifying the habitat heterogeneity of a contiguous northern hardwoods forest in the northeastern United States. We apply these results to predict the breeding habitat quality, an indicator of reproductive output of a well-studied Neotropical migrant songbird, the Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens). We found that using canopy vertical structure metrics provided unique information for models of habitat quality and spatial patterns of …

Slides: Recommended Best Management Practices For Plants Of Concern: Practices Developed To Reduce The Impacts Of Oil And Gas Development Activities To Plants Of Concern, Brian Kurzel, Colorado Rare Plant Conservation Initiative

Best Practices for Community and Environmental Protection (October 14)

Presenter: Brian Kurzel, Colorado Natural Areas Program (CNAP)

27 slides

Slides: Finding Flows: Fish Still Need Water Everyday, Melinda Kassen

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Melinda Kassen, Director of the Western Water Project, Trout Unlimited

12 slides

Slides: The Urbanizing West: Limits To Water, Limits To Growth, Lora A. Lucero

Shifting Baselines and New Meridians: Water, Resources, Landscapes, and the Transformation of the American West (Summer Conference, June 4-6)

Presenter: Lora A. Lucero, AICP, American Planning Association

18 slides