Biodiversity Commons^™

The Second Record Of A Relict Akrav Israchanani Levy, 2007 (Scorpiones: Akravidae) From Levana Cave, Israel, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, Sergei L. Zonstein, Israel Naaman, Shlomi Lubaton, Boaz Langford, Amos Frumkin

Euscorpius

We report the remnants of five new scorpion specimens discovered dead in Levana Cave in Israel in December 2015. We confirm that they belong to the relict scorpion Akrav israchanani Levy, 2007 (Akravidae), famously described from the neighboring Ayyalon Cave, also from dead specimens. The details of morphology of the new specimens are given; they match completely the characters of A. israchanani redescribed by Fet, Soleglad & Zonstein (2011). This second record indicates a wider distribution of this unique cave scorpion, which, however, is extinct in both caves. There is still no evidence that live populations of this species exist.

A Global Community Effort To Decipher The Unique Biology Of Annual Killifish, Nibia Berois, Graciela Garcia, Rafael O. De Sá

Biology Faculty Publications

Over the past 50 years, annual killifishes arose as alternative model organisms for studies of vertebrate biology. The annual fish offers exceptional advantages for studies of genetics, genomics, developmental biology, population dynamics, ecology, biogeography, and evolution. They inhabit extremely variable freshwater environments in Africa and South America, have a short lifespan and a set of unique and fascinating developmental characteristics. Embryos survive within the dry substrate during the dry season, whereas the adult population dies. Thus, the survival of the populations is entirely dependent on the buried embryos that hatch the next rainy season. Although Old and New World species …

Microananteroides Mariachiarae Rossi Et Lourenço, 2015 Is A Junior Synonym Of Akentrobuthus Atakora Vignoli Et Prendini, 2008 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, Rolando Teruel, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

The African monotypic scorpion genus Microananteroides Rossi et Lourenço, 2015 and its single species M. mariachiarae Rossi et Lourenço, 2015, from Ghana, are herein demonstrated to be junior synonyms, respectively, of Akentrobuthus Lamoral, 1976 and A. atakora Vignoli et Prendini, 2008 from neighboring Benin. We provide detailed high-resolution color photographs of the holotype of M. mariachiarae and further show its real tri-chobothrial pattern, which was incorrectly depicted in the original description.

Complements To The Taxonomy Of Some Amazonian Scorpions (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Rolando Teruel, František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, Stefan Friedrich

Euscorpius

We describe and illustrate in detail the previously unknown adult male of Ananteris ashaninka Kovařík, Teruel, Lowe et Friedrich, 2015, based upon a specimen recently captured at the type locality. In addition, the taxonomic status of three Amazonian species of the genus Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836, is reevaluated and all are restored from unjustified synonymies: Tityus carolineae Kovařík, Teruel, Cozijn et Seiter, 2013, Tityus dillerorum Kovařík, Teruel, Lowe et Friedrich, 2015, and Tityus wachteli Kovařík, Teruel, Lowe et Friedrich, 2015.

Lichen Conservation In Eastern North America: Population Genomics, Climate Change, And Translocations, Jessica Allen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Conservation biology is a scientific discipline that draws on methods from diverse fields to address specific conservation concerns and inform conservation actions. This field is overwhelmingly focused on charismatic animals and vascular plants, often ignoring other diverse and ecologically important groups. This trend is slowly changing in some ways; for example, increasing number of fungal species are being added to the IUCN Red-List. However, a strong taxonomic bias still exists. Here I contribute four research chapters to further the conservation of lichens, one group of frequently overlooked organisms. I address specific conservation concerns in eastern North America using modern methods. …

Pheasant Response To Lead Ingestion, Travis J. Runia, Alex J. Solem

The Prairie Naturalist

Lead is toxic to all vertebrate species and ingestion of spent lead pellets from hunting is the primary method of exposure in birds. Both acute and chronic effects occur in response to lead ingestion including death, weight loss, and reduced body function, but the effect is highly variable among species. Most research has focused on lead ingestion impacts on waterfowl, but less is known about the effects of lead ingestion by upland game such as ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). We gavage- fed zero, one, or three lead pellets to 90 (n = 30/group) captive-raised adult hen pheasants and monitored survival …

Long-Term Changes In Canada Goose Nest Success And Nest Densities At An Iowa Wetland Complex, Brenna N. Ness, Robert W. Klaver, Guy G. Zenner

The Prairie Naturalist

Giant Canada geese (Branta canadensis maxima) were extirpated from Iowa by the early 1900s due to unregulated hunting, egg gathering, and wetland drainage in the nineteenth century (Bishop 1978). Ef- forts to reintroduce Canada geese in Iowa began in 1964 (Bishop and Howing 1972) and involved releasing flightless adults and goslings at nearly 30 sites across the state (Zenner and LaGrange 1998a). In 1972, 13 flightless pairs were released at Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA; Bishop 1978). By 1989, the breeding population of Canada geese at Rice Lake WMA had increased to 420 nesting adults (G. G. Zenner, Iowa …

Assessing Parturition Date Synchrony For North Dakota Ungulates, Eric S. Michel, Jonathan A. Jenks, William F. Jensen

The Prairie Naturalist

Reproductive parameters such as conception date, and therefore parturition date, influence offspring characteristics such as sex ratio and birth mass. For example, late-conceiving reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) produced more female than male offspring compared to those who conceived early (Holand et al. 2006). Females that conceive later and therefore give birth later also can produce lighter offspring compared to those who conceive early (Schwartz et al. 1994, Holand et al. 2006). Because birth mass is positively related to adult body mass (Michel et al. 2015), conception and parturition date likely affect adult phenotype. In turn, this may influence survival because heavy …

Notes: Examining The Potential Competitive Effects Of Ventenata Dubia On Annual And Perennial Grasses, Shawn Mckay, Lesley R. Morris, Christopher E. Morris, Elizabeth A. Leger

The Prairie Naturalist

Portions of the United States are becoming increasingly dominated by annual species, with cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae [L.] Nevski) as the most common and well-known invaders (Bansal et al. 2014). Other invasive annual species also are present and increasing in abundance, including ventenata (Ventenata dubia [Leers] Coss.), an invasive annual grass that has been expanding within the Pacific Northwest, Great Basin, and Great Plains regions of the United States. Ventenata was first reported in North America in 1952 in Washington (Old and Callihan 1987) and has since spread to 7 western states in the USA (CA, …

Book Reviews: American Serengeti: The Last Big Animals Of The Great Plains. Dan Flores., Daniel S. Licht

The Prairie Naturalist

Before describing what Flores’ book is, I must state what it is not. It is not a technical book designed for scholarly readers. Sources are not fully cited, and the bibliography is of limited scope. Nor is it a comprehensive book of all the megafauna of the Great Plains. Although chapters are devoted to extant species such as American bison (Bison bison), pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), and coyote (Canis latrans), there are only passing references to mule and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus and O. virginianus, respectively), elk (Cervus canadensis), and bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). Rather, Flores devotes chapters to grizzly bears …

Diel And Monthly Movement Rates By Migratory And Resident Female Pronghorn, Paul F. Jones, T. Andrew Hurly, Chelsea Jensen, Karl Zimmer, Andrew Jakes

The Prairie Naturalist

Animal movement patterns are variable, with certain species primarily being diurnal and others nocturnal. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) are regarded as diurnal animals moving predominately during daylight hours. Anecdotal accounts, however, suggest that pronghorn move during the night but the extent, frequency, and importance of these nocturnal movement behaviors are unknown. To evaluate movements, we combined global positioning system relocation data from collared female pronghorn in the Northern Sagebrush Steppe between 2003 and 2007 with sunrise/sunset data within a geographical information system platform. We assessed whether mean and maximum movement rates were influenced by diel period (dawn, day, dusk, and night), …

The Pitfalls Of Data Analysis, Christopher N. Jacques

The Prairie Naturalist

Greetings GPNSS members! I hope summer finds you well and enjoying the Great Plains in some way, whether that be starting a new field season, a long-overdue break from the office, or planning your next family vacation. For me, transitioning away from the demands of the Spring 2017 semester to data analyses and preparation of my own manuscripts are particularly exciting (well, as exciting as “office life” can be!). Over the past month, I have initiated a number of grandiose summer objectives, most of which include analysis or in some instances, re-analysis of data to address concerns raised during peer-review. …

The Prairie Naturalist: The Journal Of The Great Plains Natural Science Society Volume 49 No. 1

The Prairie Naturalist

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 EDITOR’S NOTE

RESEARCH ARTICLES

3 Diel and Monthly Movement Rates by Migratory and Resident Female Pronghorn Paul F. Jones, T. Andrew Hurley, Chelsea Jensen, Karl Zimmer, and Andrew Jakes

13 Pheasant Response to Lead Ingestion Travis J. Runia and Alex J. Solem

NOTES

19 Examining the Potential Competitive Effects of Ventenata dubia on Annual and Perennial Grasses Shawn McKay, Lesley R. Morris, Christopher E. Morris, and Elizabeth A. Leger

23 Adult Red-Headed Woodpecker Interaction with Bullsnake After Arboreal Nest Depradation Brittany J. Yohannes and James L. Howitz

26 Breeding Trumpeter Swans in Northeastern North Dakota Mark …

Condominium Arrangements As A Legal Mechanism For The Conservation Of The South China Sea Large Marine Ecosystem, Michelle Mei Ling Lim, Nengye Liu

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The South China Sea Large Marine Ecosystem is one of the world's richest marine biodiversity areas. The sea area is however the site of increasing tensions between its ten coastal States, six of which have competing claims in the South China Sea. The expanding populations and economies of the coastal States have also resulted in the growing depletion of the Sea's rich marine resources. Coordinated approaches are needed to protect the unique biodiversity and natural resources of the South China Sea at the appropriate ecological scale. The continuation of sovereignty disputes are detrimental to all coastal states as well as …

Adult Red-Headed Woodpecker Interaction With Bullsnake After Arboreal Nest Depredation, Brittney J. Yohannes, James L. Howitz

The Prairie Naturalist

Nest success rates often are higher among cavity-nesting birds than those that nest in open cups or on the ground. Among cavity-nesting birds, woodpeckers have some of the highest rates of nest success. A review of woodpecker nesting ecology across species documented nest success ranging from 0.42 to 1.00 with a median of 0.80 (n = 84 populations), and that predation was low, ranging from 0.00 to 0.35 with a median of 0.13 (n = 33 populations). The constrained opening to a cavity nest limits predation to relatively small animals or those able to break open cavity walls. …

Use Of Satellite Trap Transmitters In Capturing Mountain Lions, Randy D. Johnson, Jonathan A. Jenks, Stephanie A. Tucker

The Prairie Naturalist

The use of safe and humane methods for the capture of wild animals is imperative in wildlife research, wildlife damage management, and feral animal control. When capturing animals successfully and humanely, several items must be addressed, including animal safety, personnel safety, non-target captures, and cost (Sikes et al. 2016). Additionally, public pressures against the use of traps have led to significant changes in trapping regulations across North America and beyond (Andelt et al. 1999, Darrow and Shivik 2008) and can place research projects at risk to loss of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval (Larkin et al. 2003). …

Breeding Trumpeter Swans In Northeast- Ern North Dakota, Mark R. Fisher, Matthew D. Sprenger, Chris R. Roed, David O. Lambeth

The Prairie Naturalist

The trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator) is North America’s largest waterfowl species and breeds in wetland habitats across the northern United States, Alaska and Canada. Summer observations by ornithologists, including those of John James Audubon in 1843, indicated a substantial number of trumpeter swans were breeding in North Dakota prior to European settlement. However, the species was extirpated by the late 1800s and there were no subsequent breeding records for over a century (Stewart 1975). Since 2007, 5 recent nesting records indicate that trumpeter swan has returned as a regular breeding species in North Dakota.

A continental range-wide breeding trumpeter swan …

Erratum

The Prairie Naturalist

In the June 2016 issue (48:1, page 56), the Editorial Staff inadvertently omitted corrections provided by the corresponding author prior to publication. In the second paragraph of the left column (i.e., 5 lines from the bottom), “is” should be replaced with “could be.” Similarly, in the right column (9 lines from the top), “In additional” should be replaced with “In addition.” On page 58, the following text should be placed after “institutions” in the Appendix caption: “University of Central Missouri (CMSU), Truman State University (TSU).” Lastly, within the appendix, all instances of MHP should be replaced with FHSM and “OF” …

The Population Genetics Of Morro Bay Eelgrass (Zostera Marina), Julia Gardner Harencar

Master's Theses

Seagrass populations are in decline worldwide. Zostera marina (eelgrass), one of California’s native seagrasses, is no exception to this trend. In the last 8 years, Morro Bay, California has lost 95% of its eelgrass. Eelgrass is an ecosystem engineer, providing important ecosystem services such as sediment stabilization, nutrient cycling, and nursery habitats for fish. The failure of recent restoration efforts necessitates a better understanding of the causes of eelgrass decline in this estuary. Previous research on eelgrass in California has demonstrated a link between population genetic diversity and eelgrass bed health, ecosystem functioning, and resilience to disturbance and extreme climatic …

Investigation Into The Mechanism Of Ion Transport In Rio Negro Characiformes, Vineza D. Reduta

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Four fish species within the Characiform Order [(Rosy tetras (Hyphessobrycon rosaceus), Serpae tetras (Hyphessobrycon eques), Emperor tetras (Nematobrycon palmeri) and Penguin tetras (Thayeria obliqua)] are native to the ion-poor, acidic waters of the Rio Negro. In this paper, we focus on Wood’s revised Na⁺/NH₄⁺ exchange model to gain better insight into the mechanisms of ion transport within the Characids. We exposed each species to two experimental treatments: (i) 1mM ammonia (high external ammonia [HEA]), to test coupling of Na⁺ uptake and ammonia excretion, and (ii) 100μM Acetazolamide …

Final Report: Status Of The Arizona Toad (Anaxyrus Microscaphus) In New Mexico, Mason J. Ryan, Jacek Tomasz Giermakowski, Ian M. Latella, Howard L. Snell

Biology Faculty & Staff Publications

This report covers the fourth consecutive year (2013-2016) of research on the population dynamics, ecology, and conservation status of the Arizona Toad (Anaxyrus microscaphus) in New Mexico. The year 2016 represented the rare opportunity to study the effects of El Niño, which typically brings above average precipitation to New Mexico, on the breeding behavior and ecology of the Arizona toad. We expected that the El Niño-driven above average precipitation during the winter of 2015 and spring of 2016 would result in increased detection of toads at breeding sites, especially those sites that were dry in 2013, 2014, and …

A Good Kiwi Isn't Acidic: How Ocean Acidification Is Affecting The New Zealand Economy, Lily G. Hurley

Student Theses 2015-Present

In a country that houses a mere 4 million people, it is no wonder that agriculture has become the main facet of New Zealand’s economy. However, while the sheep and produce have flourished from land protection laws, marine life has struggled in recent years due to an increase in oceanic carbon levels. In an area of the Pacific that is so rich in coral reefs, Great White breeding areas, and a plethora of fish species, any upset of the natural preexisting chemical balance has a tangible impact. New Zealand is dealing with a crisis with huge economic and ecological ramifications. …

Mitigating The Conflict Between Pitfall-Trap Sampling And Conservation Of Terrestrial Subterranean Communities In Caves, Peter Kozel, Tanja Pipan, Nina Šajna, Slavko Polak, Tone Novak

International Journal of Speleology

Subterranean habitats are known for their rich endemic fauna and high vulnerability to disturbance. Many methods and techniques are used to sample the biodiversity of terrestrial invertebrate fauna in caves, among which pitfall trapping remains one of the most frequently used and effective ones. However, this method has turned out to be harmful to subterranean communities if applied inappropriately. Traditionally, pitfall traps have been placed in caves solely on the ground. Here we present an optimized technique of pitfall trapping to achieve a balance between sampling completeness and minimal disturbance of the fauna in the cave. Monthly we placed traps …

Diversity Oriented Synthesis, Characterization And Anti-Cancer Activity Of Killer Peptide Nucleolipid Bioconjugates, Niki K. Rana

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The killer peptide sequence D-(KLAKLAK)₂ has been originally designed and developed as an antibacterial agent. Despite having excellent cytotoxicity towards bacteria, this sequence maintains low cell cytotoxity in malignant mammalian cell types such as cancer. The chemical basis for its selectivity has been attributed to its poly(cationic) amphiphilic nature, which facilitates cell permeability across the negatively charged bacterial membrane, but with limited permeability across the zwitterionic membrane of mammalian cells. The positively charged D-(KLAKLAK)₂ sequence has been found to accumulate on the surface of the mitochondria causing dissipation of the negatively charged mitochondrial membrane potential. This charge disruption …

Marine Tardigrades From South Carolina, Usa, Paul J. Bartels, Lilvia J. Bradbury, Diane R. Nelson

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

Until now, there have been only three studies of marine tardigrades from South Carolina, USA. The Fall 2015 invertebrate zoology class from Warren Wilson College collected four sediment samples from Huntington Beach State Park: shallow beach sand, deep beach sand, shallow salt marsh sediment, and deep salt marsh sediment. No tardigrades were found in the salt marsh, but two species were found in the beach samples. Batillipes pennaki Marcus, 1946 was found in shallow and deep beach sand, and three specimens of a potentially new species of Stygarctus Schulz, 1951 were found in the deep beach sand at groundwater level. …

Expanding Access To Biodiversity Literature, Patrick Randall

Digital Initiatives Symposium

Expanding Access to Biodiversity Literature (EABL) is an IMLS-funded grant designed to enhance the collection of the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL), a digital library providing open access to over 50 million pages of legacy biodiversity literature.

BHL's collection is built on the digitized holdings of its member libraries, typically large research universities, natural history museums, and other well-funded organizations. EABL, however, solicits content outside the BHL consortium; small organizations that often lack the resources for cataloging and digitization nevertheless have valuable and unique literature to contribute. This has created new challenges for BHL workflows, as well as opportunities for novel …

First Record Of Centruroides Alayoni Armas, 1999 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Haiti, Greater Antilles, Luis F. De Armas

Euscorpius

Centruroides haitiensis Lourenço, 2016, from Grande Cayemite, Haiti, is regarded as a junior synonym of Centruroides alayoni Armas, 1999, previously known from southern Pedernales Province (215 km east of Grande Cayemite), Dominican Republic. Consequently, C. alayoni is herein recorded for the first time from Haiti. The list of the Haitian species of the genus Centruroides Marx, 1890 is given.

Comparison Of Feather Pigments In Red-Winged Blackbirds (Agelaius Phoenicus) Between Historical And Modern Samples, Genevieve Nuttall

University Scholar Projects

Coloration is vital to birds; it is involved in mating, territorial display, communication, camouflage, and predation. Birds rely on their environment for the raw materials necessary to make most colors present in their feathers. As a result, habitat quality can have lifetime fitness consequences through the color pathway. Widescale habitat change has affected the quality of habitats accessible to birds worldwide. Consequently, the availability of pigment-containing resources within many altered habitats has shifted, leading to modification in the coloration of some birds’ feathers. I hypothesized that the red pigmentation in the feather shoulders, or epaulets, of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius …

A Framework For Evaluating And Enhancing Resilience Integration In Conservation Policy: The Case Of Massachusetts, Kyle Pilkington

Sustainability and Social Justice

This paper develops a framework for evaluating conservation policy from the perspective of integrating resilience, using Massachusetts as a case study. After an intensive literature review on the topics of resilience and conservation, five resilience-enhancing attributes were identified: biodiversity, stakeholder engagement, acknowledgement of climate change, multiple species or species interaction focus and ecosystem or environment health. The framework ranks the policies with respect to the effectiveness of following the resilience-enhancing attributes. Three Massachusetts-based conservation policies, Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA), State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) and MassWildlife Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP), were chosen to demonstrate the evaluative capacity of …

Identification And Characterization Of Endophytic Fungi Associated With The Leaves Of Moringa Oleifera Lam, Vivian A. Panes, E.S Carbungco, N.B Pedroche, T.E De La Cruz

Biology Faculty Publications

Fungal endophytes live within host plants and are recently gaining interest as sources of biologically active secondary metabolites. In this research, fungal endophytes associated with leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam. were isolated, characterized and identified. Leaf samples from two moringa trees were collected from Barangay Pandan, which is an urban area and Barangay Sapang Bato considered as a rural area with the highest elevation of all the barangays of Angeles City. All leaf samples were rid of debris by rinsing with tap water. A flame-sterilized one-hole puncher was used to bore 54 explants from leaves collected from each tree of …