Biodiversity Commons^™

A Survey Of Leaf Venation In New Caledonian Syzygium (Myrtaceae), Jiawei Xu Montojo

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

New Caledonia is a globally recognized biodiversity ‘hotspot’ characterized by a rich flora and a large number of endemic species. Syzygium Gaertn., the largest genus of woody plants in the world, is common in New Caledonia with approximately 70 species. A comparative survey of leaf morphology and architectural traits among 27 species of New Caledonian Syzygium was conducted, focusing on leaf venation patterns. Separate and detailed descriptions of leaf morphology and leaf venation characters are provided for the species. In addition to morphological differences, this study found differences at the species level among characters such as the number of intramarginal …

Flowers Are Essential To Maintain High Beetle Diversity (Coleoptera) In A Neotropical Rainforest Canopy, Susan Kirmse, Caroline S. Chaboo

University of Nebraska State Museum: Staff and Affiliates, Publications

Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the megadiversity of angiosperms and insects. Flowers and their pollinators represent the most common terrestrial mutualistic interaction today and this is thought to have driven the evolution of angiosperms and their visitors. Within the framework of that interaction, this paper develops and tests two new hypotheses: 1) megadiversity of canopy beetles in tropical rainforests is largely based on flower resources, and 2) the majority of adult canopy beetles are adapted to visit flowers. To test hypothesis 1, the beetle fauna associated with 23 canopy tree species (13 families, 45 individuals) in a 1.4 …

The Birds Of The Nebraska Sandhills, Paul A. Johnsgard, Josef Kren

Zea E-Books Collection

This book provides basic information on all the species of birds that have been reliably reported from the Nebraska Sandhills region as of 2020. They include 46 permanent residents, 125 summer breeders, 125 migrants, and 102 rare or accidental species, totaling 398 species. Information on status, migration, and habitats is provided for all but the very rare and accidental species. There are also descriptions of 46 refuges, preserves, and other public-access natural areas in the region and seven suggested birding routes. The text contains more than 90,000 words and over 250 literature references along with more than 20 drawings, 9 …

Revision Of Genus-Group Taxa In The Family Scorpiopidae Kraepelin, 1905, With Description Of 15 New Species (Arachnida: Scorpiones), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, Mark Stockmann, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

The scorpiopids comprise a large scorpion family, distributed widely across the Oriental region, that currently encompasses 82 species placed under 8 genera and one subgenus. A variety of morphological characters have been used in the diagnoses of these genera or subgenera. Some characters were introduced by Vachon (1980) and Soleglad & Sissom (2001) when less than a few dozen species were known, while other more recent characters have not been fully evaluated. We critically review all characters that have been applied to generic or subgeneric taxonomy of the family, as well as several others hitherto neglected. We analyze their variation …

Two New Chaerilus From Thailand And Laos (Scorpiones: Chaerilidae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, Mark Stockmann, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

Chaerilus kautti sp. n. from Thailand and C. pulcherrimus sp. n. from Laos are described and fully illustrated with color photographs of live and preserved specimens. C. kautti sp. n. is characterized by the unique combination of two characters: movable finger of pedipalp with 11 imbricated rows of granules; and pedipalp chela length/width ratio in male 4.55. C. pulcherrimus sp. n. is characterized by the unique combination of four characters: movable finger of pedipalp with 8 imbricated rows of granules; total length 16–19 mm; pedipalp chela length/width ratio in male 2.57, in female 2.69; and sternite VII smooth. In addition …

Quantifying Structure And Variation In Complex Phylogenetic Data, Genevieve Geraldine Mount

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Identifying the source and structure of variation in nature is crucial to understanding fundamental aspects of evolution. Despite a recent plethora of genetic and morphological data, many interesting questions about the relationships between different groups remain unresolved. My dissertation evaluates three approaches for identifying and quantifying the variation within phylogenetic datasets. Characterizing variation within datasets and across analytical methods gives insight into biologically interesting characters, unusual evolutionary processes, and areas for model improvement.

Network-based community detection approaches offer a powerful tool to describe variation in phylogenetic signal across the genome (i.e., gene tree variation). In Chapter 2, I investigate the …

Inoculum Potential Of Pinus Edulis-Associated Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Across A Forest Extirpation Chronosequence, Annie M. Montes

Biology ETDs

Few studies have examined inoculum potential of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) in the absence of plant hosts, yet persistence of these fungi may be paramount to resilience of Pinus edulis and other mycorrhizal plant species. We conducted a study in which seven sites were selected in northwestern New Mexico with known dates of P. edulis extirpation and a lack of regeneration. Age classes included: two sites extirpated 10-20 years ago, two extirpated 55-65 years ago, two extirpated 500+ years ago, and one extirpated 11,000+ years ago. At each site, two plots were paired: an extirpated plot and the nearest live adult …

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics Of Fungal Communities And Their Effects On Plants, Kel Cook

Biology ETDs

Fungi perform several critical functions in the environment. Spatiotemporal distributions of fungal communities will mediate when and where these functions happen and how they vary across the landscape. I first explored tropical tree canopy fungal community variation at small spatial scales and documented near total turnover of fungi across sub-meter distances and among adjacent substrates. The second chapter analyzed fungal turnover over the course of three years, where community stability was driven primarily by abundant fungi. In the third chapter, I tested effects of the environment, including host plant and habitat, on canopy fungal communities and found only small effects, …

Effect Of Seasons And Scorpion Size On The Foraging And Diet Of The Striped Bark Scorpion, Centruroides Vittatus (Buthidae: Scorpiones) In Blackbrush Habitat Of South Texas, C. Neal Mcreynolds

Euscorpius

Diet and foraging success of the striped bark scorpion, Centruroides vittatus, in South Texas are influenced by both scorpion size and season of the year. In the ten-year study of the striped bark scorpions in the blackbrush habitat of south Texas, the diet was variable with caterpillars (Lepidoptera) as the main prey for all seasons and all size classes of scorpions. The proportion of caterpillars did vary significantly with size class of scorpion and months of the year with intermediate size scorpions capturing more caterpillars during January–April than other size classes or months of the year. The proportion of …

Aspergillus Niger Decreases Bioavailability Of Arsenic(V) Via Biotransformation Of Manganese Oxide Into Biogenic Oxalate Minerals, Bence Farkas, Marek Kolenčík, Miroslav Hain, Edmund Dobročka, Gabriela Kratošová, Marek Bujdoš, Huan Feng, Yang Deng, Qian Yu, Ramakanth Illa, B. Ratna Sunil, Hyunjung Kim, Peter Matúš, Martin Urík

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The aim of this work was to evaluate the transformation of manganese oxide (hausmannite) by microscopic filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger and the effects of the transformation on mobility and bioavailability of arsenic. Our results showed that the A. niger strain CBS 140837 greatly affected the stability of hausmannite and induced its transformation into biogenic crystals of manganese oxalates—falottaite and lindbergite. The transformation was enabled by fungal acidolysis of hausmannite and subsequent release of manganese ions into the culture medium. While almost 45% of manganese was bioextracted, the arsenic content in manganese precipitates increased throughout the 25-day static cultivation of fungus. …

Contributions To The Knowledge Of Water Bugs In Mindoro Island, Philippines, With A Species Checklist Of Nepomorpha And Gerromorpha (Insecta, Hemiptera, Heteroptera), Arthien Lovell Pelingen, Herbert Zettel, Clister V. Pangantihon, Kyra Mari Dominique Aldaba, Earl Kevin Fatallo, Jemillie Madonna De Leon, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

This survey aims to provide an updated species checklist of aquatic and semi-aquatic bugs in the intra-Philippine biogeographic Region of Mindoro. An assessment survey of water bugs (Hemiptera, Heteroptera) was conducted mostly by manual collection in selected areas of Oriental Mindoro from 2017 to 2018, in which some of the collecting activities were undertaken by graduate students of Ateneo de Manila University. Twenty-nine aquatic and semi-aquatic heteropteran species were documented and some are known island-endemic species or subspecies, including Enithares martini mindoroensis Nieser & Zettel, 1999, Hydrotrephes stereoides mindoroensis Zettel, 2003, Aphelocheirus freitagi Zettel & Pangantihon, 2010, Rhagovelia mindoroensis Zettel, …

Coyotes, Rick Tischaefer

Wildlife Damage Management Technical Series

The coyote (Canis latrans; Figure 1) is a medium-sized member of the canid family. Once primarily found in western deserts and grasslands, coyotes have expanded their range across North America and into diverse habitats, including urban areas. This expansion occurred during a time of extensive habitat change and efforts by people to suppress coyote populations to prevent damage. Coyotes can cause a variety of conflicts related to agriculture, natural resources, property, and human health and safety. This document highlights a variety of methods for reducing those conflicts. Coyotes are a highly adaptable species and may become habituated to some management …

Scorpions Of The Horn Of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part Xxv. Description Of Pandinurus Awalei Sp. N. And The Male Of Pandiborellius Somalilandus (Kovařík, 2012), With Remarks On Recent Synonymies (Scorpionidae: Pandininae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, Hassan Sh A. Elmi

Euscorpius

A new species Pandinurus awalei sp. n. is described from Somaliland. The male of Pandiborellius somalilandus (Kovařík, 2012) is also described for the first time and sexual dimorphism of the species is defined. The habitus, morphology and habitats of both species are illustrated in detail with color and UV fluorescence images, including both live and preserved specimens. The species Pandinurus intermedius (Borelli, 1919) and Pandipalpus lowei (Kovařík, 2012) of Pandininae that were synonymized by Prendini & Loria (2020) are reinstated as valid species.

General Destabilizing Effects Of Eutrophication On Grassland Productivity At Multiple Spatial Scales, Yann Hautier, Pengfei Zhang, Michel Loreau, Kevin R. Wilcox, Eric W. Seabloom, Elizabeth T. Borer, Jarrett E.K. Byrnes, Sally E. Koerner, Kimberly J. Komatsu, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Andy Hector, Peter B. Adler, Juan Alberti, Carlos A. Arnillas, Jonathan D. Bakker, Lars A. Brudvig, Miguel N. Bugalho, Marc Cadotte, Maria C. Caldeira, Oliver Carroll, Mick Crawley, Scott L. Collins, Pedro Daleo, Laura E. Dee, Nico Eisenhauer, Anu Eskelinen, Philip A. Fay, Benjamin Gilbert, Amandine Hansar, Forest Isbell, Johannes M.H. Knops, Andrew S. Macdougall, Rebecca L. Mcculley, Joslin L. Moore, John W. Morgan, Akira S. Mori, Pablo L. Peri, Edwin T. Pos, Sally A. Power, Jodi N. Price, Peter B. Reich, Anita C. Risch, Christiane Roscher, Mahesh Sankaran, Martin Schütz, Melinda Smith, Carly Stevens, Pedro M. Tognetti, Risto Virtanen, Glenda M. Wardle, Peter A. Wilfahrt, Shaopeng Wang

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Eutrophication is a widespread environmental change that usually reduces the stabilizing effect of plant diversity on productivity in local communities. Whether this effect is scale dependent remains to be elucidated. Here, we determine the relationship between plant diversity and temporal stability of productivity for 243 plant communities from 42 grasslands across the globe and quantify the effect of chronic fertilization on these relationships. Unfertilized local communities with more plant species exhibit greater asynchronous dynamics among species in response to natural environmental fluctuations, resulting in greater local stability (alpha stability). Moreover, neighborhood communities that have greater spatial variation in plant species …

Reddyanus Justi Sp. N. From Laos (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

A new species Reddyanus justi sp. n. from Laos is described, fully complemented with color photographs of live and preserved specimens. The new species is characterized by the irregular quadrilateral shape of the subaculear tubercle in males. In addition to analysis of external morphology and hemispermatophore, we also describe the karyotype (2n=12)

The Endangered California Condor (Gymnogyps Californianus) Population Is Exposed To Local Haemosporidian Parasites, M. Andreína Pacheco, Chris N. Parish, Timothy J. Hauck, Roberto F. Aguilar, Ananias A. Escalante

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Library Materials

The endangered California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is the largest New World Vulture in North America. Despite recovery program success in saving the species from extinction, condors remain compromised by lead poisoning and limited genetic diversity. The latter makes this species especially vulnerable to infectious diseases. Thus, taking advantage of the program of blood lead testing in Arizona, condor blood samples from 2008 to 2018 were screened for haemosporidian parasites using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol that targets the parasite mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Plasmodium homopolare (Family Plasmodiidae, Order Haemosporida, Phylum Apicomplexa), was detected in condors captured …

An Annotated Atlas Of The Freshwater Fishes Of North Carolina, Bryn H. Tracy, Fred C. Rohde, Gabriela M. Hogue

Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings

North Carolina’s first state-specific checklist of freshwater fish species was published in 1709 by John Lawson. Subsequent species lists with descriptions included: Brickell (1737), Cope (1870a), Jordan (1889a), Jordan and Evermann (1896-1900), Smith (1907), Jordan et al. (1930), Fowler (1945), Louder (1962), Ratledge et al. (1966), Menhinick et al. (1974). In 1991, Menhinick published “The Freshwater Fishes of North Carolina”, which is still widely in use because a comprehensive update has not been produced since its publication. The increase in the availability of historical records in globally accessible databases and the surge of collections post-1991 …

Stray Thoughts And Desire Paths—A Dialogue, Jenna Butler, Yvonne E. Blomer

The Goose

In this dialogue, authors, teachers, and environmentalists Yvonne Blomer and Jenna Butler discuss the ways in which our desire paths—our intents for our lives—have changed since the start of the pandemic. Covering women's writing, feminism, daily life during the pandemic, environmentalism, and race, this dialogue is an act of allyship from two women of different backgrounds writing together.

Two New Species Of Chiromachetes (Scorpiones: Hormuridae) From The Northern Western Ghats, India, Shauri Sulakhe, Shubhankar Deshpande, Nikhil Dandekar, Makarand Ketkar, Gaurang Gowande, Anand Padhye, Deshabhushan Bastawade

Euscorpius

Two new species of Chiromachetes Pocock, 1899 (Hormuridae) are described from the northern Western Ghats of India using an integrated taxonomic approach. Chiromachetes parakrami sp. n. and C. ramdasswamii sp. n. are closely related and differ from each other and C. sahyadriensis by morphological features and raw genetic divergence of 7.9–9.4 %.

Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of Human–Wildlife Conflicts In The Kenya Greater Tsavo Ecosystem, Joseph M. Mukeka, Joseph O. Ogutu, Erustus Kanga, Eivin Røskaft

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Biodiversity conservation in developing countries is faced with many and mounting challenges, including increasing human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs). In Africa and other developing countries, increasing HWCs, particularly those adjacent to protected areas, can adversely affect local stakeholder perceptions and support for conservation. We analyzed HWC reports for multiple wildlife species compiled >23 years (1995–2017) from the Greater Tsavo Ecosystem (GTE) in Kenya to determine HWC trends. The GTE is the largest protected area in Kenya, covering 22,681 km². Overall, 39,022 HWC incidents were reported in 6 GTE regions (i.e., Taveta, Mutomo, Kibwezi, Rombo, Galana, Bachuma). The 5 wildlife species …

Not Withering On The Evolutionary Vine: Systematic Revision Of The Brown Vine Snake (Reptilia: Squamata: Oxybelis) From Its Northern Distribution, Robert C. Jadin, Christopher Blair, Sarah A. Orlofske, Michael J. Jowers, Gilson A. Rivas, Laurie J. Vitt, Julie M. Ray, Eric N. Smith, John C. Murphy

Publications and Research

The genus Oxybelis currently is composed of four taxa despite numerous studies suggesting and describing multiple taxa within the O. aeneus complex. Here, we utilize a multilocus molecular dataset (i.e. cyt b, ND4, 12S, 16S, cmos, PRLR, 3663 bp) to conduct phylogenetic analyses to assess the evolutionary history of Oxybelis. Our molecular analyses find three major lineages of Oxybelis (i.e. O. aeneus complex, O. brevirostris, O. fulgidus complex) with a sister relationship between O. brevirostris and the O. aeneus complex to the exclusion of the O. fulgidus complex. More specifically, O. aeneus appears to harbor at least …

Steganoderma Stafford, 1904 (Digenea: Zoogonidae: Lepidophyllinae) From Two Species Of Rockfishes From Deep Waters Off Oregon Including A New Species And An Updated Key To Species Of This Genus, Charles K. Blend, Gábor R. Rácz

MANTER: Journal of Parasite Biodiversity

Steganoderma eamiqtrema n. sp. and a single unidentified specimen of Steganoderma Stafford, 1904 (Zoogonidae: Lepidophyllinae) obtained from the intestine of the greenstriped rockfish, Sebastes elongatus Ayres, 1859, and the flag rockfish, Sebastes rubrivinctus (Jordan and Gilbert, 1880) (Scorpaeniformes: Sebastidae), collected from 190–200 m depths off Oregon, USA, are described. The new species is distinguished from its seven other congeners by a diagnostic combination of morphological features including an elongate oval to spindle-shaped body, a clavate to comma-shaped cirrus pouch located in the forebody and hindbody, a bipartite seminal vesicle, a bifurcal or just post-bifurcal genital pore, a larger ventral than …

Asymmetric Benefits Of A Heterospecific Breeding Association Vary With Habitat, Conspecific Abundance And Breeding Stage, Rose J. Swift, Michael J. Anteau, Erin A. Roche, Mark H. Sherfy, Dustin L. Toy, Megan M. Ring

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Heterospecific breeding associations may benefit individuals by mitigating predation risk but may also create costs if they increase competition for resources or are more easily detectable by predators. Our understanding of the interactions among hetero- and conspecifics is often lacking in mixed species colonies. Here, we test how the presence of hetero- and conspecifics influence nest and chick survival for two listed (under the U.S. Endangered Species Act) migratory species breeding on the Missouri River, USA. We monitored 2507 piping plover Charadrius melodus nests and 3245 chicks as well as 1060 least tern Sternula antillarum nests and 1374 chicks on …

Comparative Study Of The Rates Of Dispersal Of Triadica Sebifera (Chinese Tallow) And Imperata Cylindrica (Japanese Blood Grass) In North America, Jamie W. Dinella, Meem Noshin Nawal Khan

Student Publications

Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera) and Japanese Blood Grass (Imperata cylindrica) are two invasive species that wreck havoc on their invaded areas by reducing the biodiversity of their new environments. We studied the rate of dispersal of these two species in North America to determine which species spreads faster. We hypothesized that Chinese Tallow spreads faster than Japanese Blood Grass since Chinese Tallow was introduced in North America long before Japanese Blood Grass and has a greater number of seed dispersal methods (e.g. wind, water, bird, etc.) than Japanese Blood Grass. To test our hypothesis, we collected the record of Chinese …

Soil Chemistry And Enzyme Data Examining Impacts Of Callery Pear Stem Cutting, Michaela J. Woods, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan

Five Rivers MetroParks Collaboration Data Archive

This dataset encompasses information following the collection of soil from underneath cut and treated Callery pear stems and untreated Callery pear trees. Soil was assessed for moisture, pH, and enzyme activities.

Impact Of Anthropic Pressure On The Quality And Diversity Of Groundwater In The Region Of Sighus Oum-El-Bouaghi And El Rahmounia, Algeria., Hadjab Ramzi, Khammar Hichem, Redjaimia Lylia, Merzoug Djemoi, Saheb Menouar

Journal of Bioresource Management

Groundwater of Oum-El-Bouaghi and its surroundings hosts a variety of microflora and fauna. This study investigated the relationship between the effect of human activity and the biodiversity and distribution of aquatic fauna in two semi-arid regions Sighus region (Oum-El-Bouaghi) and El Rahmouni (Constantine) in north-eastern Algeria. Fourteen wells and six springs were studied in two hydrographic basins, that of Constantine and Seybouse Melegue. Significant differences were revealed between the wells and springs in the two watersheds, making it possible to distinguish four groups of wells and two groups of springs. The overall faunal richness of the stations appeared to be …

Тaxonomic Position Of Orthochirus Olivaceus (Karsch, 1881), The Type Species Of The Genus Orthochirus Karsch, 1892 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, Victor Fet, Manal Siyam

Euscorpius

We address the taxonomic position of Orthodactylus olivaceus Karsch, 1881, the type species of the genus Orthochirus Karsch, 1892. For over a century, this taxon was considered a synonym of Orthochirus scrobiculosus (Grube, 1873); however, the latter was recently limited to Central Asia (Turkmenistan) (Kovařík et al., 2020). Analysis of Karsch’s holotype confirmed that Orthochirus olivaceus (Karsch, 1881), is a valid species. Its type locality published as “Sicily” is clearly incorrect. It is a senior synonym of Butheolus aristidis Simon, 1882, syn. n., described from Sudan (Nubia). We confirm its distribution in northern Sudan and southern Egypt.

The Role Of Microhabitats In Structuring Cave Invertebrate Communities In Guatemala, Gabrielle S.M. Pacheco, Marconi Souza Silva, Enio Cano, Rodrigo L. Ferreira

International Journal of Speleology

Several studies have tried to elucidate the main environmental features driving invertebrate community structure in cave environments. They found that many factors influence the community structure, but rarely focused on how substrate types and heterogeneity might shape these communities. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess which substrate features and whether or not substrate heterogeneity determines the invertebrate community structure (species richness and composition) in a set of limestone caves in Guatemala. We hypothesized that the troglobitic fauna responds differently to habitat structure regarding species richness and composition than non-troglobitic fauna because they are more specialized to live …

Annotated Checklist Of Invertebrate Species Observed At The Gordon Natural Area (West Chester University, Pa) 2007-2020. Version Ii, Nur Ritter

Gordon Natural Area Biodiversity Studies Documents

Summary Data Number of Taxa: 304 Species, in 211 Genera, 134 Families, and 32 Orders. Description As with some of the other biotic groups, the research pattern for invertebrates at the GNA might best be described as ‘intermittent.’ Former WCU professor Win Fairchild and his students conducted research on aquatic invertebrates in Plum Run, both inside and outside of the boundaries of the GNA. To date, the only data from that work that we’ve been able to obtain are from the 2007 MS thesis of Danielle DiFederico. Since that time, the only ‘directed’ invertebrate research at the GNA has been …

Faunal Remains From Archaeology Sites In Southwestern New Mexico, Karen Gust Schollmeyer, S. O. Macdonald

Occasional Papers

This study attempts to create a comprehensive catalog of all known records of faunal remains recovered from 105 archaeological sites located across southwestern New Mexico. These sites range in age from 2000BC to AD 1450. Approximately 250 taxa of mollusks, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals are represented in this compilation. Primary reference materials from published and unpublished sources are included, along with the repositories where relevant collections may be found for potential reexamination by researchers from a variety of fields of interest.