Biodiversity Commons^™

An Updated And Annotated Checklist Of The Larger Butterflies (Papilionoidea) Of Trinidad, West Indies: Papilionidae, Pieridae And Nymphalidae, Matthew J. W. Cock

Insecta Mundi

A revised checklist for the butterfly families Papilionidae, Pieridae and Nymphalidae of Trinidad (Trinidad and Tobago) is presented, bringing nomenclature in line with modern usage, indicating synonyms from earlier lists and adding new records since the last checklist was published in 1970. Migrant and vagrant species are provisionally recognised, and records considered incorrect are discussed. The checklist includes 204 species: 15 Papilionidae, 29 Pieridae and 160 Nymphalidae. The only taxonomic change is to treat Hamadryas feronia insularis (Fruhstorfer) as a synonym of H. f. feronia (Linnaeus), syn. nov., and not as a synonym of H. feronia farinulenta (Fruhstorfer).

Climate Change Effects On Northern Great Lake (Usa) Forests: A Case For Preserving Diversity, Matthew Joshua Duveneck, Robert M. Scheller, Mark A. White, Stephen D. Handler, Catherine Ravenscroft

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Under business as usual (BAU) management, stresses posed by climate change may exceed the ability of Great Lake forests to adapt. Temperature and precipitation projections in the Great Lakes region are expected to change forest tree species composition and productivity. It is unknown how a change in productivity and/or tree species diversity due to climate change will affect the relationship between diversity and productivity. We assessed how forests in two landscapes (i.e., northern lower Michigan and northeastern Minnesota, USA) would respond to climate change and explored the diversityproductivity relationship under climate change. In addition, we explored how tree species diversity …

A New Species Of Xylotrechus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Clytini) From Utah, Ronald L. Alten

Insecta Mundi

Xylotrechus rameyi, new species, (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is described from southern Utah. Comments on its biology including habitat, host plants and larval history are provided along with photographs of the holotype, allotype, the related species X. insignis LeConte, and the larval galleries and pupal chamber.

Averting Lemur Extinctions Amid Madagascar's Political Crisis, Christoph Schwitzer, Russell Mittermeier, Steig Johnson, Giuseppe Donati, Mitchell Irwin, Heather Peacock, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Josia Razafindramanana, Edward E. Louis, Lounes Chikhi, Ian C. Colquhoun, Jennifer Tinsman, Ranier Dolch, Marni Lafleur, Stephen Nash, Erik Patel, Blanchard Randrianambinina, Tove Rasolofoharivelo, Patricia C. Wright

Anthropology Publications

The most threatened mammal group on Earth, Madagascar’s five endemic lemur families (lemurs are found nowhere else), represent more than 20% of the world’s primate species and 30% of family-level diversity. This combination of diversity and uniqueness is unmatched by any other country—remarkable considering that Madagascar is only 1.3 to 2.9% the size of the Neotropics, Africa, or Asia, the other three landmasses where nonhuman primates occur. But lemurs face extinction risks driven by human disturbance of forest habitats. We discuss these challenges and reasons for hope in light of site-specific, local actions proposed in an emergency conservation action plan.

Internet Reviews: The Global Biodiversity Information Facility, John Creech

Library Scholarship

This column comprises a review of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) portal, which is maintained by some 52 participating countries and dozens of scientific organizations. The GBIF provides access to approximately 417 million individual occurrences of organisms. It is recommended for serious students, faculty instructors and research scientists.

Phylogeny And Population Genetics Of The Endangered Dwarf Bear-Poppy, Arctomecon Humilis Coville (Papaveraceae) Using Microsatellite Markers, Joshua Simpson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The genus Arctomecon (Papaveraceae) is comprised of three narrowly endemic rare species that are largely restricted to gypsum soils of the eastern Mojave Desert. The small, remaining populations of these species have become increasingly isolated by urban development and habitat fragmentation. Arctomecon humilis is federally listed as endangered due to its limited distribution within a ~15 km radius of an actively expanding city. Organizations involved with land management and conservation have called for greater insight into the genetic variation and population structure of the remaining subpopulations as they make important decisions regarding where to focus their efforts and resources.

The …

Traversing Swanton Road, 14th Ed., James A. West

Academic, Government & Associated Organizational Research Resources

Situated at the northwest end of Santa Cruz County and occupying circa 30 square miles of sharply contrasted terrain, the Scott Creek Watershed concentrates within its geomorphological boundaries, at least 10-12% of California's flora, both native and introduced. Paradoxically, the use/abuse that the watershed has sustained over the past 140+ years, has not necessarily diminished the biodiversity and perhaps parallels the naturally disruptive but biologically energizing processes (fire, flooding, landslides and erosion), which have also been historically documented for the area for +60 years. This is an early edition of an extensive document by James A. West. Please visit the …

The Longhorn Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Of Nebraska, Usa: New State Records, A Checklist Of Known Species, And Distribution Maps, Stephen M. Spomer

University of Nebraska State Museum: Entomology Papers

One hundred eighty-three species/subspecies of longhorn beetles are recorded from Nebraska, an increase of 19 species since 1971. The greatest number of recent discoveries have come from sites along the Missouri River, especially Indian Cave State Park in southeastern Nebraska, as well as the Pine Ridge at Chadron, Nebraska.

Variation In Setal Micromechanics And Performance Of Two Gecko Species, Travis J. Hagey, Jonathan B. Puthoff, Madisen Holbrook, Luke J. Harmon, Kellar Autumn

Biology

Biomechanical models of the gecko adhesive system typically focus on setal mechanics from a single gecko species, Gekko gecko. In this study, we compared the predictions from three mathematical models to experimental observations considering an additional gecko species Phelsuma grandis, to quantify interspecific variation in setal micromechanics. We also considered the accuracy of our three focal models: the frictional adhesion model, work of detachment model, and the effective modulus model. Lastly, we report a novel approach to quantity the angle of toe detachment using the Weibull distribution. Our results suggested the coupling of frictional and adhesive forces in isolated setal …

Proceedings Of The Twelfth North American Crane Workshop, David A. Aborn, Richard Urbanek

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

CONTENTS

PREFACE iii

RESEARCH PAPERS

DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE, AND MIGRATION TIMING OF GREATER AND LESSER SANDHILL CRANES WINTERING IN THE SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN RIVER DELTA REGION OF CALIFORNIA - . Gary L. Ivey, Bruce D. Dugger, Caroline P. Herziger, Michael L. Casazza, and Joseph P. Fleskes 1

CHARACTERISTICS OF SANDHILL CRANE ROOSTS IN THE SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN DELTA OF CALIFORNIA - . Gary L. Ivey, Bruce D. Dugger, Caroline P. Herziger, Michael L. Casazza, and Joseph P. Fleskes 12

EFFECTS OF WIND FARMS ON SANDHILL CRANE PLAYA OCCUPANCY ON THE TEXAS HIGH PLAINS - Laura Navarrete and Kerry L. Griffis-Kyle 20

EVALUATION OF …

An Illustrated Id Guide To The Crayfishes Found In Nebraska Native And Non-Native, Steve Schainost

Nebraska Invasive Species Program

There are five crayfishes native to Nebraska. These are:

Orconectes immunis (papershell crayfish)

Orconectes virilis (northern crayfish)

Orconectes neglectus neglectus (ringed crayfish)

Cambarus diogenes (Devil crayfish)

Procambarus gracilis (prairie crayfish)

Three additional non-native crayfishes have also been found here:

Orconectes rusticus (rusty crayfish) [bait tanks and established in two ponds in Omaha]

Procambarus clarkii (red swamp crayfish) [bait tanks]

Procambarus acutus (White River crayfish) [bait tanks]

I will attempt here to provide a photographic guide to field identification, one species per page.

Mitochondrial Dna Variation In The Eastern Pondmussel, Ligumia Nasuta (Bivalvia: Unionoida), In The Great Lakes Region, Mariah Wild Scott, Matthew T. Begley, Robert A. Krebs, David T. Zanatta

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Most freshwater mussel species in the Great Lakes colonized the region from the Mississippi River basin and few appear to have colonized from Atlantic coast rivers. The Eastern Pondmussel, Ligumia nasuta, is widespread along the Atlantic coast but occurs elsewhere only in the Great Lakes, suggesting that it is one of the few Great Lakes species of Atlantic origin. Great Lakes populations are now imperiled following invasion of the lakes by dreissenid mussels. We examined patterns of diversity in the mitochondrial CO1 and ND1 genes in L. nasuta populations in the Great Lakes and in Atlantic coast rivers. Genetic diversity …

Impact Of Impervious Surfaces On Water Quality By Measurement Of Macroinvertebrates In Rock Island And Moline, Illinois, Kara Noonan

Urban Watershed Project

Streams have been degrading in quality since the introduction of impervious surfaces. Water concentrations have been altered as sediment and other pollutants have been introduced from severe erosion from runoff. As the water continues to change, the biotic integrity becomes disturbed. More specifically, aquatic invertebrate populations begin to change. More organisms that can tolerate poor quality streams are thriving as organisms that can only tolerate high quality streams are beginning to run thin. This study strives to find a spatial relationship between impervious surfaces around Rock Island and Moline, Illinois and the water quality within the streams by looking at …

Integrating Societal Perspectives And Values For Improved Stewardship Of A Coastal Ecosystem Engineer, Steven B. Scyphers, J. Steven Picou, Robert D. Brumbaugh, Sean P. Powers

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Oyster reefs provide coastal societies with a vast array of ecosystem services, but are also destructively harvested as an economically and culturally important fishery resource, exemplifying a complex social-ecological system (SES). Historically, societal demand for oysters has led to destructive and unsustainable levels of harvest, which coupled with multiple other stressors has placed oyster reefs among the most globally imperiled coastal habitats. However, more recent studies have demonstrated that large-scale restoration is possible and that healthy oyster populations can be sustained with effective governance and stewardship. However, both of these require significant societal support or financial investment. In our study, …

Smith Falls State Park Forest Enhancement Project For Aspen, Mike Groenewold

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

A 76-mile stretch of the middle Niobrara River, which includes Smith Falls State Park, is designated as a National Scenic River. This reach of the river is referred to as the biological crossroads of the Midwest as the river’s deeply incised valley is the intersection of a diverse mix of plant communities including several forest and prairie types. The mix of forests supports a rich diversity of species including rare plants such as glacial relict aspen and paper birch.

In recent decades eastern red cedar and ponderosa pine densities have increased substantially in the middle Niobrara River due to fire …

Abstracts From Proceedings Of The Twelfth North American Crane Workshop, 13–16 March 2011, Grand Island, Nebraska, Usa (Published 2014)

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

ASSESSMENT OF THE EASTERN POPULATION GREATER SANDHILL CRANE FALL SURVEY, 1979-2009 Courtney Amundson, Douglas Johnson, Sean Kelly, and Tom Cooper 80

FACTORS INFLUENCING GREATER SANDHILL CRANE NEST SUCCESS IN NEVADA .Chad August, James Sedinger, and Chris Nicolai 80

INFLUENCE OF FOOD AND PREDATOR ABUNDANCE ON STRESS LEVELS OF SANDHILL CRANES WINTERING IN NORTHERN MEXICO Ingrid Barcelo and Felipe Chavez-Ramirez 81

A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR CROP DAMAGE BY CRANES AND OTHER BIRD SPECIES TO PLANTED SEED Jeb Barzen and Anne Lacy 81

MODELLING THE EFFECT OF LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON SANDHILL CRANE DISTRIBUTION IN THE CENTRAL PLATTE RIVER VALLEY OF …

The History And Reintroduction Of Whooping Cranes At White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area, Louisiana, Gay M. Gomez

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

On 16 February 2011, whooping cranes (Grus americana) were reintroduced in the wetlands of southwest Louisiana, after an absence of 61 years. This brief communication provides background on the historical presence of whooping cranes in this region, describes the long road to reintroduction, presents observations from the reintroduction’s first day, and offers thoughts on its future prospects.

On 15 May 1939, biologist John J. Lynch of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service observed 13 whooping cranes in the remote freshwater marsh north of White Lake in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. He not only confirmed what local residents and trappers had long …

Effects Of River Current Inflow On Dissolved Oxygen And Temperature Of Refuge Zones For Cisco In Lake Bemidji, Bryant C. Swenson

Journal of Earth and Life Science

The objectives of this study were to (1) determine if the inflow current from the Mississippi River affects temperature and dissolved oxygen in Lake Bemidji, (2) determine how the amount of suitable cisco Coregonus artedi habitat changes over the summer in Lake Bemidji, and (3) predict how much cisco habitat would be available under a climate warming scenario. Summer fish kill of cisco occurs in most years on Lake Bemidji resulting from low dissolved oxygen in the hypolimnion and high water temperatures in the epilimnion. Dissolved oxygen and temperature profiles provided evidence to suggest the north basin is more suitable …

Revision Of Anacaena Thomson, 1859 Xi. Republic Of The Philippines (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae), Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

The species of Anacaena THOMSON, 1859 (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) of the Republic of the Philippines are revised. Fifteen new species are described: Anacaena albay sp.n., A. amplocomata sp.n., A. apo sp.n., A. balabag sp.n., A. cordillera sp.n., A. davao sp.n., A. destructa sp.n., A. emergens sp.n., A. hemisphaerica sp.n., A. levistriata sp.n., A. philippina sp.n., A. princesa sp.n., A. quezona sp.n., A. sulcata sp.n., and A. zamboangana. All species are endemic to the Philippines, twelve are aquatic, the habitat of three species is unknown. All Philippine species are morphologically similar to other species of the eastern Oriental Region and probably do …

A Mega-Diverse Water Beetle Genus (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae: Hydraena Kugelann) Commonly Overlooked In Southeast Asia And Its Potential Use For Environmental Biomonitoring, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

This study summarizes the current knowledge of the water beetle genus Hydraena Kugelann in Southeast Asia. The surprising species diversity and endemism rates in Hydraenopsis Janssens, the only subgenus present in Southeast Asia, are discussed. Data of five published Hydraena surveys from the Philippines and Singapore are used to evaluate species richness and the occurrence of species assemblages that are subject to the presence and quality of forests. Species richness was found to be generally higher in old grown forests. Some species appeared to be confined to near-natural forests. The denomination of indicator species is impeded by adequate sampling data, …

New Records Of Biting Midges Of The Genus Culicoides Latreille From The Southeastern United States (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), Stacey L. Vigil, John C. Wlodkowski, Joshua Parris, Suzanne Edwards De Vargas, David Shaw, Christopher Cleveland, William L. Grogan Jr., Joseph L. Corn

Insecta Mundi

We provide new state and county records of biting midges in the genus Culicoides Latreille (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the southeastern United States collected with CDC miniature light traps during 2007–2012 in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. The primary goals of the surveys were to identify the presence of exotic Culicoides, and determine the ranges of known and possible vectors of bluetongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV). Included are the first records of: Culicoides (Amossovia) beckae Wirth and Blanton from Louisiana and Mississippi, C. (A.) oklahomensis Khalaf from Alabama and Arkansas, …

G@Llinformed: Newsletter Of The Iucn-Ssc Galliformes Specialist Group 8-13 (2014-2017), Iucn Species Survival Commission Galliformes Specialist Group

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

Issue 8 (April 2014)

From the Co-chairs, Peter Garson and Ilse Storch

Co-chairs advisory board members

G@llinformed letters and reports

The EAZA Cracid TAG: What about it? Cathy King

The EAZA Galliformes TAG update, Jan Dama

The last indigenous black-necked pheasant population of Europe, Christos Sokos and Periklis Birtsas

The ecological requirements of the spotted wood-quail Odontophorus guttatus in Noj K'a'ax Meen Elijio Panti National Park, Roni Martinez and Jack Clinton Eitniear

Honduran Ornithological Society-Ocellated Quail Conservation Project, Jack Clinton Eitniear

Venezuelan wood-quail: Request for information, Jack Clinton Eitniear

Hume’s pheasant in Nagaland, Lansothung Shitiri

Strategic conservation planning workshop for …

Wpa News 95 (2014), World Pheasant Association

Galliformes Specialist Group and Affiliated Societies: Newsletters

WPA News (Winter 2014), number 95

Published by the World Pheasant Association

The Effects Of Angling Pressure On Northern Pike Size Structure, Ryan Carrow

Journal of Earth and Life Science

A number of conditions within a lake system can affect northern pike (Esox lucius) size structure. Of these conditions, the amount of angling pressure may have the biggest effect on the size structure of northern pike in Minnesota lake systems. In this study, five private and five public lakes were chosen near Bemidji, Minnesota. Each lake was fished for twenty angling hours using live northern hog suckers (Hypentelium nigricans) or golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas). Total length (mm) and weight (kg) were measured for each northern pike caught. The number of fish houses that were …

Ficotylus Laselvae N. Sp. (Tylenchomorpha: Anguinidae) Associated With Ficus Colubrinae In Costa Rica, Robin M. Giblin-Davis, Natsumi Kanzaki, Kerrie A. Davies, Weimin Ye, Yongsan Zeng, Barbara J. Center, Alejandro Esquivel, Thomas O. Powers

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Ficotylus laselvae n. sp. was recovered from under the bracts of figs (syconia) of Ficus colubrinae from La Selva, Costa Rica, during a survey of nematode rainforest biodiversity and is described herein. This is only the second report of an association between the nematode suborder Tylenchina and the sycones of figs. Previous reports of most nematode associates of the sycones of figs have been from the lumen and involved transmission by female fig wasp pollinators (Agaonidae) during pollination/oviposition (e.g., Schistonchus and Parasitodiplogaster spp.). The association between F. laselvae n. sp. and Ficus colubrinae may involve an invertebrate host, …

Impacts Of Fire And Climate Change On Long-Term Nitrogen Availability And Forest Productivity In The New Jersey Pine Barrens, Melissa S. Lucash, Robert M. Scheller, Alec M. Kretchun, Kenneth L. Clark, John Hom

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increased wildfires and temperatures due to climate change are expected to have profound effects on forest productivity and nitrogen (N) cycling. Forecasts about how wildfire and climate change will affect forests seldom consider N availability, which may limit forest response to climate change, particularly in fire-prone landscapes. The overall objective of this study was to examine how wildfire and climate change affect long-term mineral N availability in a fire-prone landscape. We employed a commonly used landscape simulation model (LANDIS-II) in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, a landscape characterized by frequent small fires and fire-resilient vegetation. We found that fire had …

Resurrection And Redescription Of Varestrongylus Alces (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae), A Lungworm Of The Eurasian Moose (Alces Alces), With Report On Associated Pathology, Guilherme G. Verocai, Eric P. Hoberg, Turid Vikøren, Kjell Handeland, Bjørnar Ytrehus, Andrew M. Rezansoff, Rebecca K. Davidson, John S. Gilleard, Susan J. Kutz

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Background: Varestrongylus alces, a lungworm in Eurasian moose from Europe has been considered a junior synonym of Varestrongylus capreoli, in European roe deer, due to a poorly detailed morphological description and the absence of a type-series.

Methods: Specimens used in the redescription were collected from lesions in the lungs of Eurasian moose, from Vestby, Norway. Specimens were described based on comparative morphology and integrated approaches. Molecular identification was based on PCR, cloning and sequencing of the ITS-2 region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic analysis compared V. alces ITS-2 sequences to these of other Varestrongylus species …

Insights From Project Feederwatch: Changes In The Abundance And Occurrence Of Birds In New Hampshire Over The Past 24 Years, Lee A. Sutcliffe

Honors Theses and Capstones

Changes in the climate and land use over time can lead to changes in the composition of wildlife communities. Using data from Project FeederWatch, we examine trends in the abundance and occurrence of birds documented in the winters from 1988 to 2012 in New Hampshire. Changes in abundance and occurrence are summarized for individual bird species as well as across species based on life history traits. In addition, we examined trends for the state as a whole as well as in subregions. We discuss these changes with regards to the variations of climate and land use that are occurring throughout …

Testing The Utility Of Environmental Cluster Analysis Based Upon Biodiversity Surrogates Within Geographic Information Systems For Conservation Planning: A Case Study Of Inland Temperate Rainforest In The Northern Rocky Mountains, Matthew J. Heimel

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Environmental surrogates have been proposed as a method for addressing a lack of taxonomic data in biodiversity conservation planning. These surrogates, used as variables in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, can be used in classification procedures to classify areas that are hypothesized to support or be able to support a targeted species or community. The peripheral range of the inland temperate rainforest’s (ITRF) in northwest Montana and northern Idaho was used as a case study for testing the utility of a method known as Environmental Cluster Analysis (ECA) within a GIS using abiotic environmental variables encompassing broad environmental attributes to …

Global Priorities For Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Elizabeth R. Selig, Will R. Turner, Sebastian Troëng, Bryan P. Wallace, Kristin Kaschner, Ben G. Lascelles, Kent E. Carpenter, Russell A. Mittermeier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

In recent decades, many marine populations have experienced major declines in abundance, but we still know little about where management interventions may help protect the highest levels of marine biodiversity. We used modeled spatial distribution data for nearly 12,500 species to quantify global patterns of species richness and two measures of endemism. By combining these data with spatial information on cumulative human impacts, we identified priority areas where marine biodiversity is most and least impacted by human activities, both within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). Our analyses highlighted places that are both accepted priorities for …