Biodiversity Commons^™

Helminth Parasites Of Galápagos Mammals: A New Cestode Of The Genus Raillietina From The Endemic Rice Rat Nesoryzomys Swarthi And A Summary Of Parasites From Both Endemic And Invasive Rodents, Scott Lyell Gardner, Emma K. Chesley, Michael C. Friedle, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

Scott L. Gardner Publications

In this first report of endoparasites from endemic land-mammals of the Galápagos Islands, we describe a new species of cestode of the genus Raillietina (Cyclophyllidea: Davaineidae) from a species of Nesoryzomys and summarize the extent of helminth parasitism in both oryzomyine endemics and introduced species of Rattus. Up to the current time, no helminth parasites have been reported from rodents of the Galápagos, and little work has yet been done describing and synthesizing Galápagos parasite diversity. In historical times, several species of autochthonous rodents have occupied the islands including: Nesoryzomys narboroughi Heller 1904, N. fernandinae Hutterer and Hirsch …

A Mystery Of Microecology: Revealing The Ecological Relationship Between Allorhizobium Vitis And Missouri Native Grape Species, Hunter White

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Crown gall disease can be very detrimental to grape and wine producers around the world by reducing vine vigor and yield. It is caused by the bacteria Allorhizobium vitis (A. Vitis) carrying a tumor inducing (Ti) plasmid. The A. vitis bacteria have been found in soil and cane tissues in vineyards around the world, and infect all cultivated grapes. However, there have been no reports of crown gall on native wild grapevines, and very little is known about the ecology of A. vitis in native ecosystems. I have sampled cambium tissues from three native wild grape species of …

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

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

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

Distribution And Ecology Of The Cedar Keys Mole Skink (Plestiodon Egregius Insularis), Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Paul E. Moler, Travis M. Thomas, Matthew T. Fedler, John M. Matter, Dennis C. Haney

Papers in Herpetology

We conducted surveys for the Cedar Keys Mole Skink, Plestiodon egregius insularis (Mount), during 1989– 1999 and 2015–2024, examined museum vouchers, and compiled personal observations from others to determine the status and distribution of this subspecies, which has the smallest geographic distribution of the five subspecies and is being considered for federal listing. We observed Cedar Keys Mole Skinks on Airstrip Island, Atsena Otie, Cedar Point, Deer Island, North Key, Scale Key, Seahorse Key, Snake Key, and possibly Dog Island. We have anecdotal reports of Mole Skinks on Way Key, which contains the most potential habitat and is the main …

Identifying The Impacts Of Land Use/Land Cover Changes On Ecosystem Services From A Geospatial Perspective In Albany County, Kyaw Khaung Thant Zin

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Ecosystem services encompass the broad array of direct and indirect advantages that people derive from nature and its ecosystems. Considering accelerating environmental change and degradation, recognizing the importance of these services is more crucial than ever, as they illustrate the many ways in which healthy ecosystems sustain human life. However, these services are diminishing at a rapid and unprecedented rate, raising global concern over both the transformations taking place and their root causes. Among the leading threats, land-use change stands out as a particularly significant one, influenced by a variety of driving factors. Albany County, New York, characterized by its …

Examining The Effects Of Songbird Nest Boxes And Habitat On Avian And Arthropod Communities In A Vineyard Ecosystem, Eleanor Macdonald

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Agricultural expansion threatens biodiversity, but integrating insectivorous birds into vineyard ecosystems may support both conservation and ecosystem services. We tested how nest boxes and habitat composition influence avian and arthropod communities in Napa Valley vineyards using a before-after, control-impact experiment across 20 sites. During the 2023-2024 breeding seasons we conducted avian point counts, sampled key pest and beneficial arthropods, and collected fecal samples from adult and nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and western bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) to detect vineyard pest DNA. Nest boxes significantly increased swallow and bluebird abundance within one year; swallow responses were strongest …

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

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

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

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

Descripción De Una Nueva Especie De Tetralicia Harrison (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) De Petén, Guatemala, José Francisco García-Ochaeta, Vicente Emilio Carapia-Ruiz

Insecta Mundi

Resumen

Se describe una nueva especie de Aleyrodidae, Tetralicia dubeyi Carapia-Ruiz y García-Ochaeta nueva especie, fue encontrada en el envés de las hojas de Hamelia patens Jacq. (Rubiaceae) en San José, Jobompiche, Petén, Guatemala. Esta nueva especie es incluida en el grupo abnormis del género Tetralicia Harrison. Se ilustran con fotografías las estructuras morfológicas del pupario, se discute la relación con especies cercanas y se proporciona una clave para la identificación de los grupos y especies del grupo abnormis.

Abstract

A new species of Aleyrodidae, Tetralicia dubeyi Carapia-Ruiz y García-Ochaeta new species, was found on the underside of the …

Descriptions Of Four New Species Of Leptophloeus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) From The United States, Michael C. Thomas, Kyle E. Schnepp

Insecta Mundi

Four new species of Leptophloeus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) are described: L. barbarus Thomas and Schnepp is described from Florida; L. glacialis Thomas and Schnepp is described from Alaska; L. peregrinus Thomas and Schnepp is described from Hawaii; and L. shoshone Thomas and Schnepp is described from Wyoming. Diagnoses and figures are provided for the new species.

On The Paratypes And Distribution Of Hemipeplus Quadricollis Pollock, 1999 (Coleoptera: Mycteridae: Hemipeplinae): Does It Occur In Peru?, Sajan Kc

Insecta Mundi

Hemipeplus quadricollis Pollock, 1999 (Coleoptera: Mycteridae: Hemipeplinae), was originally described from Rondonia State, Brazil, as its type locality, with 10 paratypes: eight from Brazil (Rondonia State) and two from Peru (Madre de Dios and Loreto departments). However, one of the paratypes from Peru (Madre de Dios) was later identified as a cryptic species, Hemipeplus pseudoquadricollis KC and Pollock, 2025. This raises questions about the single remaining paratype from Peru—whether the species truly occurs in Peru—and how many of the paratypes of H. quadricollis are actually H. quadricollis. In this study, all seven remaining paratypes of H. …

First Report Of Corn Leafhopper (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) In The Usa Midwest Suction Trap Network, Doris M. Lagos-Kutz, Isabel Plasencia, Christopher H. Dietrich, Joseph Laforest, Brian Mccornack, Erin Hodgson, Raul T. Villanueva, Nicholas J. Seiter, Anthony M. Mcmechan, Michael S. Crossley, Steven J. Clough

Insecta Mundi

Corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong and Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is native to Central and South America, but invasive in the United States. This species is a threat to corn, Zea mays L., one of the main crops of economic importance in the US, because it is also a vector of three pathogens responsible for corn stunt diseases complex: corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS), maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP), and maize rayado fino virus (MRFV). Therefore, monitoring the dispersal of this pest is necessary to document its geographic expansion and anticipate the incidence of corn stunt disease. Based on trap catches obtained …

Distributional Records Of False Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) From Western North Carolina, John M. Leavengood Jr., Robert L. Otto, Mary Kait Brown

Insecta Mundi

Two new state records (North Carolina) and eight total species of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) are reported from a survey site in western North Carolina. Updated distributions are provided for each species.

Spatial Analysis Of American Chestnut (Castanea Dentata) Distribution And Ecology In Kentucky’S Federal Lands, Jacob Raymond Pease

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic factors have been the cause of the decline of tree species across the globe. From unsustainable logging and development to disease and improper management, threats to forests have taken their toll. The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once an integral basal tree species in Appalachian forests, but chestnut blight drove the species to functional extinction by the mid-1900s. The recent creation of genetically modified chestnuts gives hope for future restoration of the species throughout its historical range. Despite blight resistance, effective restoration will require optimal site selection for finding and planting chestnuts, which will maximize limited resources. …

Wildlife Distribution Mapping And Analysis In Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, Using Site And Satellite Imagery Data, Pinho Joaquim Munhequeira Mr

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

One of Mozambique's most important conservation sites, Gorongosa National Park has seen critical ecological changes over the past several decades resulting from climate variability, habitat loss, and political instability. This research integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing to examine the relationship between vegetation dynamics and wildlife population, and distribution. The main goals of this study are to evaluate the spatial distribution of particular wildlife species: buffalo (Syncerus caffer), elephant (Loxodonta africana), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), and zebra (Equus quagga), and determine the impact of vegetation density and land cover on their …

Investigating The Refugial River Mouth Hypothesis: Assessing The Effects Of Low Salinity Conditions On The Microscopic Life Stages Of Nereocystis Luetkeana, Duncan Jackson

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Populations of Nereocystis luetkeana (bull kelp) have experienced localized extinction events in northern California since 2014 due to multiple stressor events, including the area’s most severe marine heatwave (MHW) to-date. Previous surveys in the region observed that bull kelp recovered and persisted at river mouths following the 2014-2015 MHW, suggesting that river mouths may serve as refugia – the refugial river mouth hypothesis. My study aimed to assess this hypothesis and the long-term stability of these refugia by studying how freshwater influences communities at these sites and bull kelp recruitment. Field surveys of salinity fluctuation and kelp and sea urchin …

Jaguar (Panthera Onca) Population Status And Conservation Needs In Panama Revealed Using Spatial Density And Occupancy Models., Rebeca E. Becdach

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Jaguars (Panthera onca) are key predators and the largest felid in the Americas. The species is listed as near threatened globally due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and human persecution. Their population decline can negatively affect the structure and functioning of the ecosystems they inhabit. Conservation efforts for jaguars and their habitat require understanding jaguar populations and how they are impacted by human presence across their range. This information is lacking in Panama, a critical portion of the Jaguar range. Panama forms a narrow land bridge connecting Central and South America, integral to wildlife movement, including jaguars, across both …

Elongate Locomotors Show Consistent Torque Patterns Across Substrates, Spencer Bradford, Henry Astley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The four main movements found in snakes are understood mainly due to external study; however, muscular forces and resulting torques are poorly known. The main research objective is to study the torque production on different substrates using a snakebot. The study will give a rudimentary model for torque production on different substrates. It can then be compared against biological systems to understand snake movement at a muscular level. This study used a snakebot, allowing direct assessment of the current being run through each of its motors (proportional to torque). Data was then examined using a Principal Component Analysis test for …

Associational Seaweed Defense Reduces Sea Urchin Grazing On Bull Kelp: Potential Use In Restoration, Brayden Tate Wiley

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Kelp forests are declining globally under warming seas, altered predator–prey dynamics, and intensified herbivory, with sea urchins often driving shifts from canopy-dominated forests to persistent urchin barrens. Management commonly relies on labor-intensive urchin removals, with variable success, underscoring the need for complementary, ecosystem-based tools that directly reduce urchin grazing pressure. Focusing on far northern California kelp forests, we combined subtidal surveys, field experiments, and laboratory feeding assays to assess whether the understory alga Desmarestia cf. herbacea can provide associational defense for bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) by physically deterring purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) grazing and offering low …

Monitoring Plastic Pollution Using Bioindicators: A Global Review And Recommendations For Marine Environments, Matthew S. Savoca, Neil Angelo Abreo, Andres H. Arias, Laura Baes, Matteo Baini, Elisa Bergami, Susanne Brander, C. Anela Choy, Illaria Corsi, Bavo De Witte, Camila Domit, Sarah Dudas, Emily M. Duncan, Claudia E. Fernández, Maria Cristina Fossi, Ostin Garcés-Ordóñez, Brendan J. Godley, Daniel Gonzalez-Parades, Victoria González Carman, Bonnie M. Hamilton, Britta Denise Hardesty, Sang Hee Hong, Shirel Kahane-Rapport, Lauren M. Kashiwabara, Mariana Baptista Lacerda, Guillermo Luna-Jorquera, Clara Manno, Sarah E. Nelms, Cristina Panti, Diego J. Pérez-Venegas, Christopher K. Pham, Jennifer F. Provencher, Sara Purca, Harunur Rashid, Yasmina Rodríguez, Conrad Sparks, Chengjun Sun, Martin Thiel, Catherine Tsangaris, Robson G. Santos

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Monitoring the movement of plastic into marine food webs is central to understanding and mitigating the plastic pollution crisis. Bioindicators have been a component of the environmental monitoring toolkit for decades, but how, where, and which bioindicators are used in long-term monitoring programs has not yet been assessed. Moreover, these programs have yet to be synthesized and evaluated globally. Doing so is imperative if we are to learn from these pioneering programs and expand on their efforts. We reviewed global monitoring programs using bioindicators that focus on plastic pollution and found 11 worldwide that met our definition of long-term monitoring. …

Herpetofauna Richness, Diversity, And Occurrence At The Northern Ecotone Of Longleaf Pine, Julianne Jones, Dylan Bryant, Erik Yando

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Habitat suitability commonly differs between the core and periphery of ecosystems. The longleaf pine ecosystem is recognized for its value in providing habitat to a variety of specialist and endemic species, especially herpetofauna. However, at the northernmost extent of longleaf pine (in southeastern Virginia) little is known about the denizen reptiles and amphibians. Moreover, the remaining longleaf pine ecosystem at the latitudinal ecotone is fragmented amongst a mosaic of other ecosystems. We examined herpetofauna diversity, richness, and capture rates between four focal habitat types—mature longleaf pine, restored longleaf pine, maple-gum swamp, and pocosin-bog—in the Zuni Pine Barrens of southeastern Virginia. …

First Reference Genomes For Two Mesophotic Reef Building Coral Species: Leptoseris Cf. Scabra And Montipora Cf. Grisea, Veronica Z. Radice, Johanna C. Gijsbers, Silvia Vimercati, Daniel J. Barshis

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Coral mortality is occurring worldwide at an alarming rate. Despite the immense and underestimated biodiversity of reef-building corals, very few genomes are available. Further, almost all genomic resources originate from shallow water corals even though photosynthetic, symbiotic corals occur at mesophotic depths deeper than 30 m and even >100 m. We present annotated, de novo genomes for two mesophotic, scleractinian (reef-building) corals Montipora cf. grisea and Leptoseris cf. scabra from American Sāmoa, the latter being the first genome for the widespread genus Leptoseris. We used PacBio continuous long reads and Omni-C data to assemble chromosome-level reference genomes. For Montipora …

The First Iucn Red List Of Cold-Water Corals Highlights Global Declines, Julia D. Sigwart, A. Louise Allcock, Renata Carolina Mikosz Arantes, Kelsey Archer Barnhill, Narissa Bax, Julia S. Beneti, Saskia Brix, Gudmundur Gudmundsson, Catherine S. Mcfadden, Severin A. Korfhage, Christi Linardich, Declan Morrissey, Pedro De Oliveira Nascimento, Bárbara De Moura Neves, Steinunn H. Ólafsdóttir, Stefán Ragnarsson, Kaveh Samimi-Namin, Íris Sampaio, Mark E. De Wilt

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The most well-known species-based conservation tool is the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The current coverage of species in the Red List is known to under-represent benthic marine species. Cold-water corals (CWCs) are increasingly recognised as key to deep-water biodiversity and integral to protected vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), but no deep-sea coral species were previously included in the Red List. We selected 22 cold-water coral species in the Northeast Atlantic, including 4 reef-forming stony corals and 18 octocorals including sea pens and gorgonians, and completed the first IUCN Red List global assessments …

Biotime 2.0: Expanding And Improving A Database Of Biodiversity Time Series, Maria Dornelas, Laura H. Antão, Amanda E. Bates, Viviana Brambilla, Jonathan M. Chase, Cher F. Y. Chow, Ada Fontrodona-Eslava, Anne E. Magurran, Inês S. Martins, Faye Moyes, Alban Sagouis, Samuel Adu-Acheampong, Daniel Acquah-Lamptey, Dušan Adam, Penelope A. Ajani, Aitor Albaina, Pablo Almaraz, Jeongseop An, Roger Sigismund Anderson, Madelaine Jean Robertson Anderson, Alexsander Z. Antunes, Ivan Arismendi, Linda Armbrecht, Pedro Aros-Mardones, Sreejith Kalpuzha Ashtamoorthy, Narayanan Ayyappan, Gal Badihi, Joseph J. Bailey, Andrew H. Baird, Mark Edward Baird, Sreekumar Vadakkethil Balakrishnan, José António L. Barão-Nóbrega, Adi Barash, Miguel Barbosa, Jos Barlow, Claus Bässler, Matthieu Beaumont, Natalie Beenaerts, Tiago Octavio Begot, Wallace Beiroz, Ricardo Beldade, David M. Bell, Alecia Bellgrove, Jonathan Belmaker, Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi, Cassandra E. Benkwitt, Pamela Medina-Van Berkum, Brandon T. Bestelmeyer, Matthew C. Betts, Maxwell Kelvin Billah, Anne D. Bjorkman, Magdalena Błażewicz, Christopher P. Bloch, Shane A. Blowes, Antonio Bode, Juliano A. Bogoni, Thomas Bolger, Timothy C. Bonebrake, Erik Bonsdorff, Roberta Bottarin, Luke N. Brokensha, Rob W. Brooker, Andrew J. Brooks, Helge Bruelheide, Thiago Almeida Bueno, Claire Laguionie, Mariana Lopes Campagnoli, James Cant, Erica Pellegrini Caramaschi, Alexandre Caron, Tadhg Carroll, Tancredi Caruso, Juan Carvajal-Quintero, Giuseppe Castaldelli, Edward Castañeda-Moya, Pedro V. Castilho, Sonia Zanini Cechin, Shahar Chaikin, Uchangi Manjunatha Chandrashekara, Tory J. Chase, Chaolun Allen Chen, Jorge José Cherem, Sei-Woong Choi, Erica M. Christensen, Alexander V. Christianini, Jackson Wing Four Chu, Peter Coad, Carl Van Colen, Lise Comte, Elisabeth J. Cooper, J. Hans C. Cornelissen, Eddy Cosson, Unai Cotano, Luc Crevecoeur, Shannan Kyle Crow, Graeme S. Cumming, Vanessa S. Daga, Gabriella Damasceno, Gergana N. Daskalova, Claire H. Davies, Robert A. Davis, Frank P. Day, Sussy De-La-Zerda, Amy Elizabeth Deacon, Indradatta De Castro-Arrazola, Steven Degraer, Kharran Deonarinesingh, Juan C. Diaz-Ricaurte, Christopher R. Dickman, Tara Dirilgen, Ciaran John Dolan, J. Emmett Duffy, Timothy E. Dunn, Giselda Durigan, Ciara Dwyer, Steven Earl, Dor Edelist, Graham John Edgar, Sally Edmonson, Ashley K. Elgin, Kari Elsa Ellingsen, Sarah C. Elmendorf, Ruth S. Eriksen, S. K. Morgan Ernest, Ruben Escribano, Paula Cabral Eterovick, Brian S. Evans, Jason D. Everett, Vesela Evtimova, Dan A. Exton, Andrew J. Fairbairn, Filipe Moreli Fantacini, Fabiano Turini Farah, Fábio Zanella Farneda, Mario E. Favila, Philippe Fernandez-Fournier, Braulio Fernández-Zapata, Diogo F. Ferreira, Carola Ferronato, Christopher R. Du Feu, Alessandra Fidelis, David A. Fifield, Vilmar Picinatto Filho, Walter Mesquita Filho, Robert N. L. Fitt, Carlos A. H. Flechtmann, William R. Fraser, Donna L. Fraser, Lídia Freixas, John Fryxell, Garrett J. Fundakowski, Scott Stanley Gabara, Elise Gallois, Mariana Garcia Criado, Emili García-Berthou, Joaquim Garrabou, Andrew R. Gates, Roberto Cazzola Gatti, Anna Gavioli, Tal Gavriel, Benoit Gendreau-Berthiaume, Xingli Giam, Carina Gjerdrum, Michael Glemnitz, Jasmin Annica Godbold, Daniel Gómez-Gras, Rodrigo Barbosa Gonçalves, Andy Goold, Richard R. Gordon, Menachem Goren, Fernando Vilas Boas Goulart, William G. Gould, Meagan M. Graboski, Nicholas A. J. Graham, Maurício Eduardo Graipel, Laura J. Grange, Aaron C. Greenville, Gary D. Grossman, Valeria A. Guinder, Peter Haase, Gary N. Haskins, Kris Havstad, Luise Hermanutz, Michael Julian Hames Hickford, Pamela Hidalgo, Pedro Higuchi, Andrew S. Hoey, Gert Van Hoey, Annika Hofgaard, Kristen T. Holeck, Robert D. Hollister, Richard T. Holmes, Mia Odell Hoogenboom, Joaquín Hortal, Tammy Horton, Chih-Hao Hsieh, Christine L. Huffard, Ida-Maria Huikkonen, Allen H. Hurlbert, Julian Hynes, Pascal Irz, Natalia Macedo Ivanauskas, Akemi Iwayama, Darren K. James, Ute Jandt, Anna M. Jażdżewska, Merlijn Jocque, Sophie T. Johnston, Samuel E. I. Jones, Faith A. M. Jones, Julia A. Jones, Edite Jucevica, Ugis Kagainis, Maiko Kagami, Jungwon Kang, Xuejia Ke, Erin Colleen Keeley, Rebecca Kinnear, Kari Klanderud, Uwe Klinck, Roel Van Klink, Stefan Klotz, Carolien Kockaert, Halvor Knutsen, Matti Koivula, Alessandra Kortz, Peter Kriegel, Chao-Yang Kuo, David J. Kushner, Rosina Kyerematen, Raphaël Lagarde, Lesley T. Lancaster, Ori Frid Landau, Wouter Van Landuyt, Eric R. Larson, Mai Lazarus, Cheol Min Lee, Jonathan S. Lefcheck, Jonas J. Lembrechts, Renato A. Ferreira De Lima, Romullo Guimarães Lima, Nathália G. S. Lima, Cristina Linares, Sandra C. Lindstrom, Francisco Lloret, John David Lloyd, Cleonice Maria Cardoso Lobato, David M. Lodge, Peter Richard Long, Celeste López-Abbate, Adrià López-Baucells, Julio Louzada, Maite Louzao, Antonella Lugliè, Micheli Ribeiro Luiz, S. Ellen Macdonald, Joshua S. Madin, André Lincoln Barroso Magalhães, Rajindra Mahabir, David Maphisa, Thomas Edward Martin, Marcio Martins, Patrick T. Martone, Silvia Matesanz, Shin-Ichiro S. Matsuzaki, Thomas J. Matthews, Iain Mccombe Matthews, Connie J. Maxwell, Kent P. Mcfarland, Brian J. Mcgill, Diane Marie Mcknight, Michael J. Mcwilliam, Jason Meador, Henning Meesenburg, Kristin Meier, Viesturs Melecis, Peter L. Meserve, Christoph F. J. Meyer, Anders Michelsen, Natali Olivia Roman Miiller, Marco Milardi, Nataliya Milchakova, Robert J. Miller, Jonathan Millett, Tom Moens, Luciano F. A. Montag, Jon Moore, Jörg Müller, Akhil Murali, Shauna Ann Murray, Isla H. Myers-Smith, Randall W. Myster, Masahiro Nakamura, Sasi Nayar, Francis Neat, James A. Nelson, Michael Paul Nelson, Boris P. Nikolov, Rym Nouioua, Collins Ayine Nsor, Michael O' Connor, Edward Adzesiwor Obodai, Amy Marie Offland, Romà Ogaya, Hisako Ogura, Thomas A. Okey, Julian D. Olden, Luiz Gustavo Rodrigues Oliveira-Santos, Jeffrey C. Oliver, Esben Moland Olsen, Vladimir G. Onipchenko, Daniel Oro, Dais Ozolins, Krzysztof Pabis, Bachisio Mario Padedda, Facundo X. Palacio, Alain Paquette, Sinta Trilestari Pardede, David M. Patersib, Sarah Pausina, Raphaël Pélissier, Steven C. Pennings, Josep Penuelas, Felipe Walter Pereira, Nivaldo Peroni, Sergio Picó, Francesca Pilotto, Hudson Tercio Pinheiro, Oscar Pizarro, Roberto Pizzolotto, Francesco Pomati, Paulo Santos Pompeu, Dominique Ponton, Eric Post, Nicolas Poulet, Juha Pöyry, Steven J. Presley, Herbert H. T. Prins, Pieter Provoost, Kathleen L. Prudic, Vignesh Punjayil, Petr Pyšek, Pascal Querner, Juan Pablo Quimbayo, Indar W. Ramnarine, Daniel C. Reed, Peter Bernard Reich, Suzanne M. Remillard, Cerren Richards, Anthony James Richardson, Itai Van Rijin, Victor H. Rivera-Monroy, Christian Rixen, Kevin Peter Robinson, Ricardo Rocha, Ricardo R. Rodrigues, Cassy Rodrigues, Bjørn De Roos, Denise De C. De Rossa-Feres, Loreta Rosselli, Peter Charles Rothlisberg, Ana Rubio, Lars G. Rudstam, Catalina S. Ruz, Nancy B. Rybicki, Gunther Van Ryckegem, Andrew L. Rypel, Jon P. Sadler, Victor Satoru Saito, Sofia Sal, Renato Portela Salomão, Nathan J. Sanders, Flavio A. M. Santos, Tiago Gomes Dos Santos, Swapan Kumar Sarker, Sara E. Scanga, Marcus Schaub, Jochen Schmidt, Inger Kappel Schmidt, Robert L. Schooley, Alfred Schultz, Alberto Scotti, Amanda Serpell-Stevens, Filipe C. Serrano, Elizabeth H. Shadwick, Matthew Shaft, Thomas W. Sherry, Erika Mayumi Shimabukuro, Jacek Siciński, Caya Sievers, Fernando Rodrigues Da Silva, Ana Carolina Da Silva, Juliana M. Silveira, Tadeu Siqueira, Arunkumar Kavidapadinjattathil Sivadasan, Prasad Theruvil Parambil Sivan, Agnija Skuja, Amalia L. Slaughter, Jasper A. Slingsby, Joseph R. Smith, Bruno Eleres Soares, Martin Solan, Flaviana Maluf Souza, Gabriel B. G. Souza, Joshua L. Sprague, Ulrich Stachow, J. John Stadt, Christopher D. Stallings, Radoslav Hristov Stanchev, Emily H. Stanley, Brian M. Starzomski, Jose Mauro Sterza, Maarten Stevens, F. Gary Stiles, Stefan Stoll, Rick D. Stuart-Smith, Yzel Rondon Súarez, Laura Super, Sarah R. Supp, Tapio Sutela, Iain M. Suthers, Anna Suuronen, Kerrie M. Swadling, Daniel K. Szydlowski, Hisatomo Taki, Sara Jeanne Snell Taylor, Pablo A. Tedesco, Nils Teichert, Akira Terui, Gary P. Thiede, Anne Thimonier, Oliver Thomas, Peter Allan Thompson, Simon Thorn, Jeremy S. Tiemann, Luís Felipe Toledo, Anne Tolvanen, Maria Teresa Zugliani Toniato, Ignasi Torre, Marcos Adriano Tortato, Kumiko Totsu, Andrew Trant, Robert R. Twilley, Hirokazu Urabe, Pierre Valade, Nelson Valdivia, Martha Isabel Vallejo, Thomas J. Valone, Jan Vanaverbeke, Tiago Silveira Vasconcelos, Teppo Vehanen, Fábio Venturoli, Hans M. Verheye, Hendrik Jannes Wietse Vermeulen, Arne Verstraeten, Marcelo Vianna, Rui Vieira, João Paulo Santos Vieira-Alencar, Marc Vilella, Jean Ricardo Simões Vitule, Lien Van Vu, Robert B. Waide, Paige S. Warren, Joseph Paul Wayman, Sara L. Webb, Benjamin Weigel, Ellen A. R. Welti, Fritha West, Fulgor Westermann, Matthew A. Whalen, Ethan P. White, Claire E. Widdicombe, Richard Williams, Mark Williamson, Michael R. Willig, Sonja Wipf, Eric J. Woehler, Alje Woldering, Kerry D. Woods, Wu-Bing Xu, Ruthy Yahel, Zeren Yang, Kyle J. A. Zawada, Camila Zornosa-Torres, Assaf Zvuloni

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Motivation: Here, we make available a second version of the BioTIME database, which compiles records of abundance estimates for species in sample events of ecological assemblages through time. The updated version expands version 1.0 of the database by doubling the number of studies and includes substantial additional curation to the taxonomic accuracy of the records, as well as the metadata. Moreover, we now provide an R package (BioTIMEr) to facilitate use of the database.

Main Types of Variables Included: The database is composed of one main data table containing the abundance records and 11 metadata tables. The data are organised …

A Blueprint To Greener Shorelines: Advancing The Effectiveness, Sustainability, And Widespread Adoption Of Coastal Nature-Based Solutions Through Transdisciplinary Research, Taylor M. Sloey, Sierra Hildebrandt, Rebecca L. Morris, Matthew V. Bilskie, Aaron Bland, David Bushek, Gabriella Dipetto, Daniel Elefant, Vincent Encomio, Ramin Familkhalili, Christine Hladik, Danielle Kreeger, Avery B. Paxton, Cindy M. Palinkas, Latina Steele, Andrew Scheld, Daisuke Taira, Jason D. Toft, Armando J. Ubeda, Christine Whitcraft, Donna Marie Bilkovic

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Coastal nature-based solutions (NbS) have emerged as powerful tools to enhance sustainable development and ecological restoration goals. As a rapidly growing field spanning across social, political, ecological, economic, and engineering disciplines, it is critical that researchers working in coastal NbS regularly attempt to identify emerging focal areas for scientific inquiry. Following the 27th Biennial meeting of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, we provide a transdisciplinary perspective (including biologists, engineers, oceanographers, geoscientists, economists, and facilitators of workforce training programs) of pertinent research questions that, if answered, will advance the effectiveness, sustainability, and widespread adoption of coastal NbS. These suggestions for …

Anthropocene Genetic Diversity Loss In The Marine Tropics, René D. Clark, Brendan N. Reid, Eric Garcia, Marial Malabag, Robin S. Waples, Rene A. Abesamis, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Abner A. Bucol, Kyra S. Fitz, Sharon F. Magnuson, Richard N. Muallil, Cleto L. Nanola Jr., Roy Roberts, John C. Whalen, Christopher E. Bird, Kent E. Carpenter, Malin L. Pinsky

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Genetic diversity is a crucial component of biodiversity, and as such, its maintenance and preservation is of high conservation concern. Tropical environments are undergoing intense rates of environmental change, and these changes may be driving large declines in genetic diversity. However, data on genetic diversity are highly skewed towards temperate regions. The degree to which diversity loss has occurred in tropical species, particularly marine species, remains an open and important question. Here, we directly compare genomic data from modern and museum collections of two commercially-harvested nearshore marine fishes (Equulites laterofenestra and Gazza minuta) gathered from a single location …

Preservation Of Genetic Diversity And Selection Over A Century In A Coral Reef Fish (Taeniamia Zosterophora) In The Philippines, Kyra S. Fitz, Rene A. Abesamis, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Abner A. Bucol, René D. Clark, Eric Garcia, Ivan R. Lopez, Sharon F. Magnuson, Marial J. Malabag, Richard N. Muallil, Lynne R. Parenti, Brendan R. Reid, Mudjekeewis D. Santos, Christopher E. Bird, Kent E. Carpenter, Malin L. Pinsky

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Evaluating the evolutionary impacts of anthropogenic activity on populations is key to understanding species resiliency and to designing effective conservation strategies. Sequencing DNA from historical specimens provides the opportunity to establish a historical baseline and empirically assess changes in genetic diversity, changes in effective population size, and selection over time. Here, we sequenced historical and contemporary samples of the cardinalfish Taeniamia zosterophora collected in 1908 and in 2021-2022 across two sites with differing human impact in the Philippines. At both sites, genetic diversity increased over time, with contemporary samples having significantly higher Watterson's Θ than historical samples. This diversity increase …

Macroinvertebrate Communities And Food Web Structure In Tundra Streams Are Shaped By Substrate Size And Beaver Impoundments, Mathew K. Mervyn

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

North American beavers (Castor Canadensis) are expanding their range into the Arctic tundra as climate change drives earlier ice and snowmelt, and increased shrub cover. As ecosystem engineers, beavers build dams that alter water chemistry by creating impoundments within streams, trapping sediment and organic matter, and modifying nutrient cycling. This thesis evaluates how beaver impoundments interact with natural geomorphic variation in tundra streams and how impoundments affect tundra freshwater ecosystems in the western Canadian Arctic.

In Chapter 2, I compared water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate (BMI) community composition across 16 stream reaches, including those with and without beaver dams, with …

Quantifying Ecological Processes Predicting Barren-Ground Caribou (Ɂetthën; Rangifer Tarandus Groenlandicus) Occurrence Across A Heterogenous Northern Indigenous Protected And Conserved Area., Eric Jolin

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Northern ecosystems are experiencing a period of rapid and unprecedented change, with implications for species distributions, mammal community dynamics, and habitat associations. Understanding the ecological processes that shape species distributions is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies that can adapt to such change. This study examines drivers of barren-ground caribou occurrence, a species of cultural and ecological significance, across Thaıdene Nëné Indigenous Protected Area, an ecologically intact landscape of high habitat heterogeneity straddling the treeline of the Northwest Territories. I use spatial and temporal variation in caribou detections generated by camera traps to test the relative importance of apparent competition, …

The Arctic Ocean Region : Biodiversity, Governance And Protective Measures, Antonios Andreadakis, Graeme Chesters, Dimitrios Dalaklis, 90 North Foundation

Reports

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• The Arctic Ocean region stands at the forefront of global environmental transformation, serving as a harbinger of climate change and a frontier for emergent geopolitical and economic interests.

• The Arctic region's economic potential, particularly in shipping and resource extraction, appears to offer shorter trade routes, reduced fuel consumption, and increased access to high-value resources. However, this analysis largely ignores the complex geo-physical, environmental and geographical limitations of the region.

• The fragility of Arctic Ocean ecosystems – characterized by slow ecological recovery, specialised biodiversity, and extreme environmental conditions – renders them especially vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances. …

Assessing Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Community Composition And Diversity Across A Land-Use Gradient In Eastern Washington Prairies, Katherine I. Cole

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are key to healthy, functioning terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Associating with over 80% of all extant land plants, they play a pivotal role in nutrient cycling, and contribute to overall plant health. Given their significance to terrestrial ecosystems, AMF have a crucial role to play in the successful restoration of Eastern Washington’s native prairies. However, AMF community composition is significantly altered by the commercial agricultural practices used extensively in this region for over 100 years. The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Prairie Restoration Project aims to restore ~120 acres of farmland to native prairie. This research provides insight …