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Articles 901 - 930 of 3460

Full-Text Articles in Biology

Biotic Characteristics Of Managed And Unmanaged Coastal Dunes In The Outer Banks, North Carolina, Andrew E. White Jan 2022

Biotic Characteristics Of Managed And Unmanaged Coastal Dunes In The Outer Banks, North Carolina, Andrew E. White

Theses and Dissertations

Under future climate change and sea level rise scenarios, Natural and Nature-Based Features (e.g., dunes) that protect coastal habitat and infrastructure will be exposed to increased wave energy and storm surge. Understanding how these forces will impact coastal dunes is necessary for their continued use as protective features. Coastal dunes develop through feedback between vegetation and sediment deposition, a process complicated by species-specific growth rates and responses to burial. Wave flume studies have tested the effects of dune vegetation on erosion and found multiple plant organs across several functional types to be important for resisting erosion. Although dune building and …

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Cultivation Of Industrial Hemp On And Near Airports: Implications For Wildlife Use And Risk To Aviation Safety, Bradley F. Blackwell, Page E. Klug, Lee A. Humberg, Zachary T. Brym, Bryan M. Kluever, Jennifer M. Edwards Jan 2022

Cultivation Of Industrial Hemp On And Near Airports: Implications For Wildlife Use And Risk To Aviation Safety, Bradley F. Blackwell, Page E. Klug, Lee A. Humberg, Zachary T. Brym, Bryan M. Kluever, Jennifer M. Edwards

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Land-use planning on and near airports should consider possible revenue from land covers, associated maintenance costs, and potential for land covers to attract vertebrate species recognized as hazardous to aviation safety. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has expressed interest in recent attention given to industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.; hemp) as a revenue-producing land cover that might be cultivated on or near airports. Our purpose was to better understand the potential production value of hemp as well as its possible role in affecting aviation safety if cultivated on or near airports. Our objectives were to: (1) review the literature …

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Coupled Structure-Function Responses To Disturbance: High Structural Complexity Resistance Supports Primary Production Resistance, Kerstin M. Niedermaier Jan 2022

Coupled Structure-Function Responses To Disturbance: High Structural Complexity Resistance Supports Primary Production Resistance, Kerstin M. Niedermaier

Theses and Dissertations

The capacity of forests to resist structural change and retain material legacies–the biotic and abiotic resources that persist through disturbance–is crucial to sustaining ecosystem functioning after disturbance. However, the role of forest structure as both a material legacy and feature supporting carbon (C) cycling stability following disturbance has not been widely investigated. We used a large-scale disturbance manipulation to ask whether LiDAR-derived canopy structures as material legacies drive 3-year responses of NPP to a range of disturbance severity levels. As part of the Forest Resilience Threshold Experiment (FoRTE) in northern Michigan, USA we simulated phloem-disrupting disturbances at a range of …

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Advancing Forest Structure-Function Relationships: Linking Above- And Belowground Structure To Soil Respiration, Laura J. Hickey Jan 2022

Advancing Forest Structure-Function Relationships: Linking Above- And Belowground Structure To Soil Respiration, Laura J. Hickey

Theses and Dissertations

Variation in the soil-to-atmosphere C flux, or soil respiration (Rs), is influenced by a suite of biotic and abiotic factors, including soil temperature, soil moisture, and root biomass. However, whether canopy structure is tied to soil respiration through its simultaneous influence over these drivers is not known. We assessed relationships between measures of above- and belowground vegetation density and complexity, and evaluated whether Rs is linked to remotely sensed canopy structure through pathways mediated by established biotic and abiotic mechanisms. Our results revealed that, at stand-scale, canopy rugosity–a measure of complexity–and vegetation area index were coupled to soil respiration through …

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Grassland Bird Responses To Bison And Prescribed Fire Disturbances At Nachusa Grasslands And Kankakee Sands, Antonio Del Valle Jan 2022

Grassland Bird Responses To Bison And Prescribed Fire Disturbances At Nachusa Grasslands And Kankakee Sands, Antonio Del Valle

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Grazing from native herbivores such as bison (Bison bison), in combination with prescribed fire, are applied to tallgrass prairies by managers to recreate important disturbance patterns in this ecosystem. Bird communities may be indirectly impacted by these disturbances through their direct impact on plants that provides critical breeding habitat for grassland birds. The objectives of this research are to determine the impacts that bison and prescribed fire have on grassland breeding birds in two tallgrass prairie preserves, Kankakee Sands and Nachusa Grasslands. Birds, vegetation structure, and bison activity were surveyed systematically at these two preserves in 2020 and 2021. Prescribed …

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Wetland Restoration Efforts Result In Increasing Phylogenetic Diversity, Nicholas T. Foster Jan 2022

Wetland Restoration Efforts Result In Increasing Phylogenetic Diversity, Nicholas T. Foster

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Over the course of ecological restoration efforts, it has been observed that, despite restoration activities, species richness sometimes declines in a given habitat. While this response can be interpreted to mean that restoration activities are ineffective, other measures known as Phylogenetic Diversity Metrics can show that the community is actually becoming more diverse. Utilizing plant inventories collected as transect data from 1992-2021 of five wetland sites under various types of restoration in northern Illinois, a regional wetland community phylogeny was assembled. The community phylogeny was then analyzed for phylogenetic diversity measures through this 30-year period across the five sites. Additionally, …

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Microbial Community And Soil Responses To Land Management Practices In Remnant And Restored Tallgrass Prairies, Desirae Marie Klimek Jan 2022

Microbial Community And Soil Responses To Land Management Practices In Remnant And Restored Tallgrass Prairies, Desirae Marie Klimek

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Critical ecosystem functions, such as decomposition and nutrient cycling, are driven by microbial communities within soil. As such, it is important to examine the effect of restoration practices, such as the presence of native grazers and prescribed burning, on these microbes and the soil they inhabit. The Nachusa Grasslands provides a chronosequence of restored tallgrass prairies ranging in restoration age from 5 to 33 years, as well as remnant prairies, and agricultural fields. These sites were sampled seasonally from 2013-2020 and microbial ribosomal RNA genes were surveyed to characterize soil microbial communities and assess how common restoration practices affect these …

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Can Gdp Be Predictive Of Fertility Rates In Sweden?, Hannah Coleman Jan 2022

Can Gdp Be Predictive Of Fertility Rates In Sweden?, Hannah Coleman

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Fertility rates in a country vary and can be influenced by numerous different aspects of an individual’s life and the society in which they live. One aspect that may influence fertility rates at the national level is the gross domestic product (GDP). GDP is an indicator of a country’s economic productivity. Because fertility is linked to both economic development and individual resources, GDP may be a useful indicator of fertility rates. If so, knowing or predicting GDP could be used to project the fertility rates of a population years into the future. To determine if a reasonable connection between GDP …

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Investigating The Genetic Diversity Of Immune Genes In Non-Native Populations Of American Bullfrogs (Rana Catesbeiana), Luisa Nereyda Segovia Jan 2022

Investigating The Genetic Diversity Of Immune Genes In Non-Native Populations Of American Bullfrogs (Rana Catesbeiana), Luisa Nereyda Segovia

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) is a highly invasive species that has successfully colonized habitats around the world. The genetic variability of immune genes within invasive populations, like that of bullfrogs, may contribute to how resistant a population is to pathogens. The objective of this project was to characterize the genetic diversity of an immune gene in invasive bullfrog populations in California to better understand how persistent these populations might be over time. To characterize immune gene variability, I isolated exon 2 of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Class II Beta chain gene and a neutral mitochondrial marker, …

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Degradation And Nitrogen Cycling In The Context Of Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function Relationships In The Inquiline Bacterial Community Of Darlingtonia Californica, Megan Teigen Jan 2022

Degradation And Nitrogen Cycling In The Context Of Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function Relationships In The Inquiline Bacterial Community Of Darlingtonia Californica, Megan Teigen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Biodiversity-ecosystem function (BEF) research aims to explain how species and their environments interact with each other. Microbial communities engage in vital biogeochemical pathways in a variety of natural ecosystems, and yet there are large knowledge gaps about the specific metabolic pathways in which they are involved. Degradation specifically contributes to nitrogen cycling globally through the breakdown of large organic nitrogen compounds into small inorganic nitrogen that is necessary for the survival of many other organisms. In this study, I focused on the degradative function of the inquiline microbial communities found within the carnivorous pitcher plant, Darlingtonia californica. Darlingtonia grows in …

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Improving The Heat Tolerance Of Vulnerable Corals Through Their Algal Symbionts, Cathryn M. Bowling Jan 2022

Improving The Heat Tolerance Of Vulnerable Corals Through Their Algal Symbionts, Cathryn M. Bowling

OUR Journal: ODU Undergraduate Research Journal

Tropical coral reefs are one of the most impressive and diverse ecosystems on the face of the earth. Found in warm, tropical waters around the globe, these reefs are major supporters of the immense biodiversity of the area. The health of coral reefs is highly influential on the overall health of the entire ecosystem. In recent years, intensifying climate change has resulted in an accelerated rise in seawater temperatures and the frequency and severity of coral bleaching. Coral bleaching occurs in response to harsh environmental conditions that cause corals to enter a period of extreme stress. During this time, corals …

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Stop, Then Go! Rapid Acceleration Offsets The Costs Of Intermittent Locomotion When Turning In Florida Scrub Lizards, Cheyenne Walker Jan 2022

Stop, Then Go! Rapid Acceleration Offsets The Costs Of Intermittent Locomotion When Turning In Florida Scrub Lizards, Cheyenne Walker

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Intermittent locomotion is a commonly used escape strategy with a wide array of potential benefits. Pausing may aid in locating a predator, crypsis, lowering energy costs, and avoiding obstacles. Turning may also benefit from intermittent locomotion by allowing an animal time to assess its surroundings; therefore, decreasing the chances of making a mistake and/or stumbling. Florida scrub lizards live in environments with a variety of obstacles such as turns. The goal of this study is to quantify the locomotor behavior and performance by lizards while navigating a 45° or 90° turn. Lizards were run along both a 45° and 90° …

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Mortality In Interspecific Hybrids Of Nasonia Vitripennis And Nasonia Giraulti, Bonnie Cobb Jan 2022

Mortality In Interspecific Hybrids Of Nasonia Vitripennis And Nasonia Giraulti, Bonnie Cobb

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Nasonia is a parasitoid wasp genus that serves as an emerging model for studying speciation due to an incompatibility between nuclear and mitochondrial genomes between sister taxa. Short generation times, easy rearing in a lab setting, producing large amounts of progeny, and whole genome sequencing make Nasonia is an excellent candidate for studying incomplete reproductive isolation. Nasonia have five chromosomes and exhibit haplo-diploid sex determination in which fertilized eggs develop into diploid females and unfertilized eggs develop into haploid males. Recessive phenotypes are hidden in diploid females but are laid bare in haploid males as there is no interaction between …

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Histological Comparison Of Shark Dermis Across Various Ecomorphologies, Olivia Schuitema Jan 2022

Histological Comparison Of Shark Dermis Across Various Ecomorphologies, Olivia Schuitema

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The integument plays essential roles in the structural support, protection, and hydrodynamic capability among fishes. Most shark skin research has been done on the external epidermal layer containing the dermal denticles, while the larger dermis layer has been mostly ignored. The dermis layer in sharks is composed of two layers, the upper stratum laxum and the lower stratum compactum, holding supportive collagen and elastin fibers. There may be morphological and compositional differences in the dermis layers across various species of sharks, although the extent of such is unknown. These potential differences may be represented by various dermal thicknesses and different …

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Display Site Selection By Male Ruffed Grouse In The Upper Great Lakes Region, Seth Finkel Jan 2022

Display Site Selection By Male Ruffed Grouse In The Upper Great Lakes Region, Seth Finkel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is widely known for its characteristic territorial drumming display. In this study, I used ruffed grouse drumming survey data from Minnesota and Michigan, in a series of mixed logistic models, to identify drivers of drumming log selection by reproductive male ruffed grouse. I collected drumming stage data utilizing a paired-random sampling structure. I used information theoretic model selection to examine three sets of a priori mixed logistic models: one for the entirety of my Minnesota dataset, one consisting of stages identified in aspen stands in Minnesota, and one for my Michigan dataset. In …

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Activity Patterns Of The Del Norte Salamander (Plethodon Elongatus): Monitoring Plethodontid Behavior Using Pit Tag Surveys, Sabrina Horrack Jan 2022

Activity Patterns Of The Del Norte Salamander (Plethodon Elongatus): Monitoring Plethodontid Behavior Using Pit Tag Surveys, Sabrina Horrack

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Semi-fossorial plethodontid salamanders exhibit behavioral plasticity to avoid desiccation, retreating underground to shelter from adverse conditions such as low precipitation and high temperatures. In this study, I used passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag surveys to monitor this behavior in the Del Norte salamander (Plethodon elongatus), a small plethodontid native to northwestern California and southwestern Oregon. Within its range, a climatic gradient exists in which coastal areas experience milder temperatures and high precipitation, while inland areas tend to have colder winters, hotter summers, and lower precipitation. By monitoring the activity patterns of this species in inland and coastal areas, …

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Evaluating Exploitation Of White Crappie And Black Crappie In Three Southeast Kansas Reservoirs, Danci Lee Johnston Jan 2022

Evaluating Exploitation Of White Crappie And Black Crappie In Three Southeast Kansas Reservoirs, Danci Lee Johnston

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Populations of white crappie Pomoxis annularis and black crappie P. nigromaculatus were studied in three southeast Kansas reservoirs to assess exploitation and determine if current regulations were conducive for sustainable populations. Trap nets were used to sample crappie in Elk City Reservoir, Big Hill Reservoir, and Parsons City Lake. Crappie with length 210 mm and greater were tagged with FloyFD-94 tags that served as entries into a drawing for a US$300-valued reward to encourage tag reporting. Harvest and angler demographic information were collected when tags were reported. Postcard surveys and motion-sensed cameras were used in conjunction to estimate angler effort …

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Arctic Stream Characteristics And Diet Analysis Choice Impact Condition And Diet Estimates Of Ninespine Stickleback (Pungitius Pungitius), Adam Kuhrt Jan 2022

Arctic Stream Characteristics And Diet Analysis Choice Impact Condition And Diet Estimates Of Ninespine Stickleback (Pungitius Pungitius), Adam Kuhrt

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Ninespine stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) are ubiquitous in circumpolar freshwaters, but their ecological role is not well understood. Little research has been conducted on the influence of environmental variables on ninespine stickleback in stream environments, and while they are understood to be generalist feeders, their diet in stream environments is equally understudied. Determining diet is difficult due to biases inherent in all standard diet analysis methods. Morphological gut-content analysis (M-GCA), DNA metabarcoding of gut contents (D-GCA), and stable isotope analysis (SIA) are currently three of the most frequently conducted diet analyses; and while combinations of these methods are commonly …

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Impact Of Orthophosphate As A Corrosion Inhibitor And Chloramine Disinfectant On Drinking Water Biofilm Communities, Mitchell Cooke Jan 2022

Impact Of Orthophosphate As A Corrosion Inhibitor And Chloramine Disinfectant On Drinking Water Biofilm Communities, Mitchell Cooke

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

A drinking water distribution system (DWDS) must maintain conditions within quality standards which assure the effective and safe transport of finished drinking water from treatment plants to the household tap. Although safe to drink, finished water is not sterile, and may contain hundreds of microorganisms in a single milliliter. These microorganisms are present from the source waters, such as lakes, rivers and aquifers, and have passed through early treatment steps. Final treatment steps, such as the maintenance of disinfectant residuals, are used to further minimize viable cells present and focus on the reduction of harmful organisms. Microbial cells entering the …

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Design And Validation Of Artificial Feeders To Study Feeding Preferences And Growth Of Hematophagous Juvenile Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus), Gracie Li-Ting-Wai Jan 2022

Design And Validation Of Artificial Feeders To Study Feeding Preferences And Growth Of Hematophagous Juvenile Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon Marinus), Gracie Li-Ting-Wai

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The parasitic and invasive land-locked sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus populations contributed to the collapse of the Great Lakes fisheries in the mid-1900s, while native anadromous populations are currently under threat and require conservation efforts for protection. Despite the increasing concern for both populations of this species, the juvenile stage of the sea lamprey’s life cycle has not been well studied. This is due, in part, to ethical concerns raised around holding live host fish with juveniles and the lack of an alternative feeding method to maintain these juveniles in the laboratory. The feeder should be designed to minimize fouling of …

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Anticipating The Effects Of Increasing Rivers’ Water Salinity For Sustainable Conservation Of Tilapia Resources In Rural Coastal Zone Of Benin, West Africa, Toundji O. Amoussou, Ana F. Filipe, Chibuye F. , Kunda, Dorothé Y. Njé, Vinsoun Millogo, Elliot H. Alhassan Dec 2021

Anticipating The Effects Of Increasing Rivers’ Water Salinity For Sustainable Conservation Of Tilapia Resources In Rural Coastal Zone Of Benin, West Africa, Toundji O. Amoussou, Ana F. Filipe, Chibuye F. , Kunda, Dorothé Y. Njé, Vinsoun Millogo, Elliot H. Alhassan

Tanzania Journal of Science

The current research aimed at using the application of multi-factor models to support fisheries management decisions for successful resources’ conservation. The study was based on the tilapia species Coptodon guineensis, which is among the most widely exploited in Benin coastal zone. In an attempt to suggest conservation strategies, the phenotypic variability of 356 accessions of this species was assessed in relation with water salinity, and several interactions. The fish were collected through small-scale experimental fishing using cast nets and gillnets. The findings indicated that the salinity observed in the sampled rivers is due, at proportions ranging from 0.13% to 47%, …

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Monitoring Photosynthetic Activity Using In Vivo Chlorophyll A Fluorescence In Microalgae And Cyanobacteria Biofilms In The Nerja Cave (Malaga, Spain), Yolanda Del Rosal, Juan Muñoz-Fernández, Paula S.M. Celis-Plá, Mariona Hernández-Mariné, Félix Álvarez-Gómez, Salvador Merino, Félix L. Figueroa Dec 2021

Monitoring Photosynthetic Activity Using In Vivo Chlorophyll A Fluorescence In Microalgae And Cyanobacteria Biofilms In The Nerja Cave (Malaga, Spain), Yolanda Del Rosal, Juan Muñoz-Fernández, Paula S.M. Celis-Plá, Mariona Hernández-Mariné, Félix Álvarez-Gómez, Salvador Merino, Félix L. Figueroa

International Journal of Speleology

The characterization of the most common photosynthetic biofilms in the Nerja Cave by the continuous monitoring of the in vivo chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence and the incorporation of the irradiance as a new environmental variable related to previous studies in the cave, have allowed us to improve our knowledge about the photosynthetic pattern of the biofilms of the cave. Effective quantum yield (ΔF/Fm′) and relative electron transport rate (rETR) were determined during periods of the light, whereas the maximal quantum yield (Fv /Fm) was determined during dark periods. Increases in …

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Joint Management Of Upland & Aquatic Habitat For The California Red-Legged Frog & California Tiger Salamander, Kyle E. Verblaauw Dec 2021

Joint Management Of Upland & Aquatic Habitat For The California Red-Legged Frog & California Tiger Salamander, Kyle E. Verblaauw

Master's Projects and Capstones

As federally and state protected amphibians, the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) and the California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) are recipients of ample management focus. Both species face a variety of threats, including habitat loss and alteration, introduction of non-native species, spread of disease, and effects of climate change. While management plans for the California tiger salamander and California red-legged frog exist, they frequently do not consider both species in tandem and often contain multiple shortcomings. This document aims to address the shortfalls of current management by providing practical recommendations for jointly managing the upland and …

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Implications Of Condition Shifts On Shallow Lakes, Alicia Skolte Dec 2021

Implications Of Condition Shifts On Shallow Lakes, Alicia Skolte

Biology Graduate Theses

Shallow lakes have undergone condition shifts throughout time by natural causes, management actions, or a combination of the two. Because shallow lakes are especially vulnerable to shifts towards turbid conditions, management actions on shallow lakes have focused on water level/retainment, biomanipulations, the management/removal of non-native species, and land-use changes. This review compiles a summary on ecosystem shifts including a discussion on the frequency of shifts historically and the importance and causes of those shifts, trophic cascades, and the influence of introduced species in shallow lakes. This review will then examine case-studies of management-linked shifts and explain current shift theory. Next, …

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Feeding Patterns And Diet Overlap Of Muskellunge And Co-Occurring Piscivores In Minnesota Lakes, Kamden Glade Dec 2021

Feeding Patterns And Diet Overlap Of Muskellunge And Co-Occurring Piscivores In Minnesota Lakes, Kamden Glade

Biology Graduate Theses

Muskellunge Esox masquinongy are the largest member of the family Esocidae found in Minnesota and are managed for trophy angling opportunities with large minimum size requirements, limited harvest, and stocking to support existing populations or expand angling opportunities. While Muskellunge impacts at the community level appear minimal based on available literature, relatively little is known about Muskellunge diets, eat the le particularly in Minnesota. In this study, we used gastric lavage to examine gut contents of Muskellunge, Northern Pike Esox lucius, Walleye Sander vitreus, and Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides. Diets were quantified using an index of relative importance (IRI) and …

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Northern Bobwhite Occupancy Patterns On Multiple Spatial Scales Across Arkansas, Ellery V. Lassiter, Marcus Asher, Grace Christie, Connor Gale, Andrhea Massey, Cody Massery, Christopher R. Middaugh, John T. Veon, Brett A. Degregorio Dec 2021

Northern Bobwhite Occupancy Patterns On Multiple Spatial Scales Across Arkansas, Ellery V. Lassiter, Marcus Asher, Grace Christie, Connor Gale, Andrhea Massey, Cody Massery, Christopher R. Middaugh, John T. Veon, Brett A. Degregorio

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus populations have been rapidly declining in the eastern, central, and southern United States for decades. Land use change and an incompatibility between northern bobwhite resource needs and human land use practices have driven declines. Here, we applied occupancy analyses on two spatial scales (state level and ecoregion level) to more than 5,000 northern bobwhite surveys conducted over 6 y across the entire state of Arkansas to explore patterns in occupancy and land use variables, and to identify priority areas for management and conservation. At the state level, northern bobwhite occupied 29% of sites and northern bobwhite …

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Expanding The Conservation Genomics Toolbox: Incorporating Structural Variants To Enhance Genomic Studies For Species Of Conservation Concern, Stephanie J. Galla Dec 2021

Expanding The Conservation Genomics Toolbox: Incorporating Structural Variants To Enhance Genomic Studies For Species Of Conservation Concern, Stephanie J. Galla

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Structural variants (SVs) are large rearrangements (>50 bp) within the genome that impact gene function and the content and structure of chromosomes. As a result, SVs are a significant source of functional genomic variation, that is, variation at genomic regions underpinning phenotype differences, that can have large effects on individual and population fitness. While there are increasing opportunities to investigate functional genomic variation in threatened species via single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data sets, SVs remain understudied despite their potential influence on fitness traits of conservation interest. In this future-focused Opinion, we contend that characterizing SVs offers the conservation genomics …

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Impacts Of Environmental And Anthropogenic Stressors On Amphibian Welfare, Diversity, And Distribution In The Upper Missouri River Basin, Kaitlyn Campbell Dec 2021

Impacts Of Environmental And Anthropogenic Stressors On Amphibian Welfare, Diversity, And Distribution In The Upper Missouri River Basin, Kaitlyn Campbell

Dissertations and Theses

Climate change and anthropogenic stressors have contributed to rapid declines among various taxonomic groups; however, amphibian declines have been particularly intense and primarily stemmed from warming temperatures, habitat loss, exposure to contaminants, disease, and their subsequent interactions. Several climate mitigation strategies, like Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage, have been proposed to alleviate the impact of rising temperatures; however, these proposals often fail to recognize and quantify the true impact on fauna, including changes in species distributions. To address this critical gap in knowledge, this research identified current amphibian distributions in the Upper Missouri River Basin and projected distribution changes …

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From Microbes To Management: Spatial And Temporal Variations In Available Vegetation Affect The Gut Microbiota In A Population Of Free-Ranging Generalist Herbivores, Olivia K. Rodríguez Dec 2021

From Microbes To Management: Spatial And Temporal Variations In Available Vegetation Affect The Gut Microbiota In A Population Of Free-Ranging Generalist Herbivores, Olivia K. Rodríguez

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The effects of extrinsic environmental factors that shape ecological systems are not only seen at the macroscopic level, but additionally influence and govern the host-associated microbial communities of their mammalian hosts. These microbial communities are susceptible to the fluctuation of abiotic and biotic factors which affect their host organisms. The surge in the research of microbiota–communities of archaea, bacteria, fungi, and viruses residing in various environmental systems–has shown that these communities can profoundly influence animal health. As such, monitoring microbiota has allowed for a new approach to study animal health and physiology. This is of particular benefit in the conservation …

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Gather Round The Tree: Woody Aboveground Biomass Increases Animal Presence And Species Richness In A Tropical Forest-Savanna Ecotone, Merry Vanessa Marshall Davidson Dec 2021

Gather Round The Tree: Woody Aboveground Biomass Increases Animal Presence And Species Richness In A Tropical Forest-Savanna Ecotone, Merry Vanessa Marshall Davidson

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Boundaries between ecosystems are often biodiversity hotspots with relatively high vulnerability to global change. The boundary between tropical rainforest and savanna ecosystems in the Amazon presents an ecotone that is undergoing a shift in ecosystem structure, as a warming climate promotes the expansion of grassland. How animal communities in the Amazon will respond to changes in ecosystem structure is a crucial unanswered question with implications for the many ecosystem services that animals provide, from a food source for Indigenous people to seed dispersal for vulnerable tree populations. Recent modeling work has forecasted that faunal savannization will occur in the Amazon, …

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