Biology Commons^™

Temperature And Photoperiod Induction Of Cold-Hardiness In The Scorpion Paruroctonus Aquilonalis, Wayne A. Riddle

Biology ETDs

In order to investigate the nature of cold-hardiness in scorpions, adult Paruroctonus aquilonalis collected in August, 1972 near Albuquerque were exposed to ambient conditions of photoperiod and temperature, or to one of several artificial photoperiod-temperature regimes. Four specific laboratory regimes were established to describe the effect of photoperiod duration and temperature on supercooling point level. Conditions of these regimes were (i) constant photoperiod-constant temperature, (ii) constant photoperiod-decreasing temperature, (iii) decreasing photoperiod-constant temperature and (iv) decreasing photoperiod-decreasing temperature. Experimental conditions were either kept constant, or were decreased in increments from simulated summer conditions (26 C and 13-hr 15-min photoperiod) through the …

Reproduction In The Prairie Rattlesnake, Crotalus Viridis, And The Glossy Snake, Arizona Elegans, In New Mexico, Robert D. Aldridge

Biology ETDs

The reproductive cycles of the prairie rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis, and the glossy snake, Arizona elegans, in New Mexico were studied. In addition, experiments were conducted to determine the environmental cues that affect the reproductive cycle of the prairie rattlesnake and the effects of mammalian hormones FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) on female prairie rattlesnakes.

The reproductive cycles of male prairie rattlesnakes and glossy snakes conform to the general pattern described for temperate zone snakes. The testicular tubules contain a sertoli syncytium during the winter and in the spring spermatogenesis begins. By midsummer sperm are present within …

Geographic Variation In Myotis Californicus In The Southwestern United States And Mexico, Michael Allen Bogan

Biology ETDs

A total of 487 adult Myotis californicus from the southwestern United States and Mexico were examined and analyzed utilizing both univariate and multivariate procedures. The major conclusions are as follows:

1. Females average larger in most characters studied, but the pattern of variation is discontinuous with different samples sexually dimorphic to different extents and in different characters. The possibility of niche partitioning is discussed.
2. Individual variation in this species appears low as shown by coefficients of variation.
3. Univariate analysis indicates a slight increase in size of most characters studied from west to east. This size increase is gradual with considerable overlap …

Osmoregulatory Adaptations Of The Spiny Softshell Turtle, Trionyx Spiniferus, From Brackish And Fresh Waters, Michael E. Seidel

Biology ETDs

Two geographically separated populations of the Texas spiny softshell turtle, Trionyx spiniferus emoryi, were collected in New Mexico and their osmoregulation and body fluid compositions were studied. One population inhabits fresh water (0.09% saline) and the other inhabits brackish water (0.79% saline). Turtles were maintained in laboratory water analogous to their field environments and then acclimated to tap water or 0.7% saline. Weight changes and urine flow were measured. Blood and urine samples were obtained from turtles in each aqueous environment and analyzed for sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, urea, and protein. Osmotic pressure of these samples was also measured.

The …

Life Cycle Of Euparyphium Neomexicanum Sp. N. (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae), Gary L. Strong

Biology ETDs

The life cycle of Euparyphium neomexicanum sp. n. (Trematoda, Echinostomatidae) from New Mexico ditches, ponds, and streams was studied. The 45-spined adult, measuring 1.4 to 2.6 by 0.37 to 0.57 mm, was raised to maturity in 11 days in laboratory rats and mice. Eggs 84 to 113 by 57 to 78 µm, could not be hatched, and the miracidium was not observed. At least two redial stages are present in Physa virgata Gould. Cercariae exit the mother snail, then swim and encyst in the mother snail, in another Physa of the same species, or in Heliosoma tenue Philippi. The natural …

Intra- And Interspecific Aggression In House Finches And House Sparrows, Ronald L. Kalinoski

Biology ETDs

Aggression in House Finches and House Sparrows was studied at an outdoor feeder in winter and in indoor cages. In the wild, frequencies of encounters conformed to patterns of daily and seasonal feeding activity. House Sparrows of both sexes were dominant to House Finches, especially in cages. House Finches were more aggressive intra- than interspecifically. House Sparrows showed equal proportions of aggression toward finches and each other. House Finches maintained stable peck-right dominance hierarchies. House Sparrows exhibited extreme lability in dominance relationships, with no emergent structure. Interspecific aggression in these species was related to violations of individual distance at common …

The Flora Of Mount Sedgwick And Vicinity, Nancy L. Riffle

Biology ETDs

The purpose of this study was to determine the composition of the flora around Mount Sedgwick in the Zuni Mountains, Valencia County, New Mexico. More than 1100 specimens were collected during the spring and summer of 1968 and 1969. These specimens were identified to species or lower taxa, and a total of 353 species in 61 families were represented. The limitations of altitude, and the presence of permanent moisture largely determined the composition of the flora in the various study areas. Habitats studied included a steep dry canyon, ponderosa pine forest, two springs and meadows, a permanent pond and stream, …

Mercury Levels In Lake Powell, Arizona-Utah, Donald R. Standiford

Biology ETDs

Flameless atomic absorption analysis of samples from Lake Powell yielded mercury in mean parts per billion of 0.01 in lake water, 30 in bottom sediments, 10 in shoreline substrate, 34 in plant leaves, 145 in plant debris, 28 in algae, 10 in crayfish, and 232 in fish muscle. Concentrations are expressed on a wet-weight basis for animals, all other samples are on a dry-weight basis. In bottom sediments mercury levels were higher in sediments with higher organic content and finer texture. The mercury content of plant leaves was higher than that of stems and roots. Lake­transported plant debris had higher …

(+) -Abscisic Acid: Identification, Measurement And Biosynthesis In Roots Of Phaseolus Vulgaris L., Mary L. Barr

Biology ETDs

Roots of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (var. Red Kidney) have been shown to play a significant role in contributing to the level of the plant hormone (+) -abscisic acid ((+) -ABA) in the growing plant. Furthermore, an environmental factor, water deficit has been shown to have a direct effect on the biosynthesis of (+) -ABA in roots. Presumed (+) -ABA from roots of red kidney bean was identified as (+) -ABA by its physical properties including optical rotatory dispersion (ORD), ultraviolet absorption, and chromatographic behavior and by its biological activity as observed in the lettuce seed germination bioassay and wheat coleoptile …

Reproductive Biology Of The Band-Tailed Pigeon (Columba Fasciata), Ralph J. GutiéRrez

Biology ETDs

The reproductive biology of the Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata) was studied from May through September during 1969-1972 in Colorado and during 1972 in New Mexico. Gonads, body weight, percent body fat, and crop activity from 619 male and female pigeons were used in the analyses of gonadal cycles of wild birds. Photoperiodic responses were studied experimentally during 1972-1973 to help explain the unusual reproductive patterns in this bird. The breeding season extends from May through August and two nesting attempts probably occur during this period. This pigeon normally lays one egg per clutch, but up to eight per cent of …

Behavioral Character Displacement: Evidence Of Food Limitation In Insectivorous Bats, Sandra Lynn Husar

Biology ETDs

An earlier study of the food habits of bats of New Mexico (Black, 1972) indicated that Myotis auriculus and Myotis evotis, while extremely similar in morphology, differ in food preferences in the tested area of sympatry, M. auriculus relying heavily on moths, while M. evotis preys largely upon beetles. The resulting question was: Does this difference persist in areas of allopatry, indicating that each species has evolved as a food specialist, or does each species, in the absence of its close competitor, eat both moths and beetles without a strong preference?

If the latter were true, it would suggest that …

Bacteriological Studies Of The Albuquerque Sewage Treatment Plant Effluents, Francisco Medina

Biology ETDs

In order to evaluate the efficiency of Albuquerque sewage treatment plants no. 1 and no. 2 and to determine the amount of enteric bacterial pollution their effluents contribute to the Rio Grande, at­tempts were made to isolate fecal coliform, fecal streptococcus, and Salmonella species from effluent samples between 1000 hr and 1500 hr over a 12-month period.

Membrane filter techniques were used to isolate and count fecal coliforms and fecal streptococcus, and tetrathionate broth followed by brilliant green agar was used to isolate Salmonella organisms.

Plant no. 1 is a heavy contributor of enteric organisms between 1000 hr and 1500 …

Ecology Of The Arroyo Hondo Pueblo Site, Nathan Edmund Kelley

Biology ETDs

This ecological study is one part of a major archaeological investigation which began in the summer, 1970. The excavation of the pueblo ruins (Laboratory of Anthropology Site 12) southeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is under the supervision of Dr. Douglas Schwartz, Director of the School of American Research, and is supported primarily by a grant from the National Science Foundation (grant no. GS28001X2). The objective of the study was to determine those present environmental qualities which would support or affect in some manner a primitive agricultural society. The environmental factors examined were geology, physiography, soils, climate, hydrology, and vegetation. …

The Effects Of Drought On The Survival And Physiology Of Sporobolus Airoides (Torr.) Torr. Seedlings Of Varying Ages, John A. Mendenhall

Biology ETDs

The effects of increasing water stress on seedlings of Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr. were investigated in the laboratory under controlled growth conditions. Three groups of seedlings were germinated and grown in soil with soil moisture above field capacity for 15, 20 and 25 days. At this time watering ceased and at the end of drought periods of 5, 10, 15 and 20 days some of the seedlings were examined for total carbohydrate content, respiratory activity, and relative shoot water deficits. Other plants were rewatered after each drought period and 20 days later survival was determined visually. The dry weights of …

Life History And Habits Of The Southwestern Pine Tip Moth, Rhyacionia Neomexicana (Dyar) (Lepidoptera: Olethreutidae), Daniel T. Jennings

Biology ETDs

Life history studies of Rhyacionia neomexicana (Dyar) were conducted in 1969-71 on the Dudley Burn, Chevelon Ranger District, Sitgreaves National Forest, Arizona. This univoltine species overwinters as pupae in cocoons attached to the root collars of Pinus ponderosa Laws. seedlings. Peak adult emergence occurs in April and is protandrous. Males are lured to virgin females by a sex pheromone. Male flight activity occurs at 2000-2400 hr. Dissections for spermatophores indicate that females mate only once. Eggs are deposited singly or in overlapping rows on the inner surfaces of needles near the fascicles. Oviposition sites occur predominantly in the upper three …

The Electrocardiogram During Rapid Transients In Electrolytes And Acid-Base Balance During And Following Exhaustive Exercise., Waneta Key Coester

Biology ETDs

Ten men worked on a bicycle ergometer at increasing work loads to exhaustion in 15 min. Each performed one test breathing air and another with added CO2 (Pico2=15 mmHg) in random sequence. The electrocardiogram was recorded at rest, during exercise and at regular intervals for 30 min of recovery. Arterial samples for blood gases, pH, electrolytes, total protein and hemoglobin were drawn at rest, in the last minute of exercise and at 1, 4, 10, 20 and 30 min thereafter. A striking increase in the amplitude of T-and P-waves was observed in the first two minutes after exercise. All electrolyte …

A Survey On The Incidence Of Salmonella In The Rio Grande And Irrigation Canals In Albuquerque, Claudio Antonio Dominguez

Biology ETDs

A nine months survey of fecal coliforms, fecal streptococcus, and salmonellae was made in the Rio Grande and adjacent canals. The survey was limited to the Albuquerque area from the Old Town Bridge on Central Ave. to the northern boundary of the Isleta Indian Reservation, south of the Rio Bravo Bridge. My study shows that the fecal coliforms and fecal streptococcus counts follow a seasonal pattern, being low in winter, increasing during spring, and reaching a peak in the summer. Salmonella enteritidis of several serotypes, Oranienburg, Derby, Give, Montevideo, Thomasville, Typhimurium, and Senftenberg, was isolated on nine different occasions. All …

Studies On The Metabolism Of Inhaled ¹²⁴Sb In Dogs And Syrian Hamsters, Sharon A. Walker

Biology ETDs

Radioactive antimony is of biological interest because several of its isotopes are fission products and, therefore, represent a potential hazard in a nuclear accident. Also, workers may be exposed to antimony in its preparation for industrial use, and organic compounds of antimony are used to treat certain tropical diseases. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of some variables of chemical form on metabolism of inhaled ¹²⁴Sb in dogs and hamsters. Three dogs each were exposed to three aerosols formed from a ¹²⁴Sb-tartrate complex solution from which droplets were generated and passed through a heating column maintained …

The Use Of Low Frequency Sounds For Echoranging By Tadarida Macrotis, G. Michael Schum

Biology ETDs

A model of echoranging in bats is presented incorporating the parameters: pulse frequency, intensity, atmospheric attenuation, gain of a directional beaming pattern, gain of the pinnae, and hearing resolution. The range equation is simulated by carrying the above parameters within reasonable biological limits. The optimal set of parameters is predicted which will maximize the range of a bat’s echolocating system. Spectral analysis of the audible sounds emitted by free flying bats of the species Tadarida macrotis shows that these clicks are longer and louder than has previously been reported for similar low frequency modulated indicates that they are being used …

Urine Concentrating Ability, Kidney Structure And Drinking Water Dependence Of Insectivorous Bats., Kenneth N. Geluso

Biology ETDs

Urine concentrating ability and kidney structure were investigated in the following insectivorous bats of North America: Myotis lucifugus occultus, Myotis yumanensis, Myotis velifer incautus, Myotis auriculus, Myotis evotis, Myotis thysanodes, Myotis volans, Myotis californicus, Lasionycteris noctivagans, Pipistrellus hesperus, Eptesicus fuscus , Lasiurus cinereus, Euderma maculatum, Plecotus townsendii, Antrozous pallidus and Tadarida brasiliensis. Those species best able to conserve urinary water can survive solute load-water deprivation stresses at higher temperatures and lower water vapor pressures, have relatively longer loops of Henle and tend to live in more arid habitats than those species with relatively poor urine concentrating abilities .

Antrozous pallidus …

Reproduction And Ecology Of The Jemez Mountains Salamander, Plethodon Neomexicanus, Stephen R. Williams

Biology ETDs

Plethodon neomexicanus is a salamander endemic to the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico. Only about 10 localities are known, and in the study area one salamander occupies about 10 m².Adult females are significantly larger than adult males, and the sex ratio is about one for the entire active season which extends from early June to early October. Sexual maturity is reached after 2 to 3 years in males and after 3 years in females. The diurnal ecological maximum and minimum temperatures are 17.0 and 6.0 C, respectively, with an average habitat temperature of 12.2 C. Most of the …

Aspects Of Reproduction In Myotis Volans, Lasionycteris Noctivagans, And Lasiurus Cinereus, Jay Dee Druecker

Biology ETDs

The reproductive cycles of Myotis volans, Lasionycteris noctivagans, and Lasiurus cinereus were investigated by examining representative sections of testes and epididymides from 254 males and serially sectioned reproductive tracts of 99 females. Specimens were collected primarily in New Mexico from late March through early October. Spermatogenesis begins in August in M. volans, October in L. noctivagans, and sometime after late September in L. cinereus. Apparently gonadotrophic secretion continues in M. volans until at least the onset of hibernation as numerous mitotic figures, small spermatogonia, and/or a few primary spermatocytes appeared in some males from September and October. During the winter, …

Food And Feeding Habits Of The Rio Grande Mountain-Sucker, Pantosteus Plebeius (Baird And Girard), James A. White

Biology ETDs

The initial purpose of this work was to study the rela­tionship between Pantosteus plebeius (Baird and Girard), the Rio Grande mountain-sucker, and Catostomus commersoni (Lacépède ), the common white sucker, in Jemez Creek drainage, Sandoval County, New Mexico. Because insufficient informa­tion on Catostomus commersoni could be obtained, the food and feeding habits of Pantosteus plebeius were studied as an al­ternative.

Mountain-suckers were captured and observed in Jemez Creek drainage. The intestinal contents of 145 specimens were ex­amined in detail. The intestinal contents of other specimens were examined cursorily.

Pantosteus plebeius are omnivorous and they use a pair of cartilaginous jaw …

A North Temperate Bat Community: Structure And Prey Populations, Hal L. Black

Biology ETDs

Food habits and food partitioning were investigated in a North Temperate insectivorous bat community. Analysis of fecal pellets showed that all species of bats utilized moths and most species utilized beetles. There appears to be differential utilization of these two prey items. Six species of bats are moth strategists and four species are beetle strategists. In one species, Eptesicus fuscus, changes in food selection is correlated with changes in food abundance.

Food habits are discussed in relation to various parameters of the prey populations, i.e., abundance, activity, and length class diversity. Habitat partitioning is discussed in relation to type of …

A Survey Of The Incidence Of Salmonella Among Small Mammals In Central New Mexico, Robert S. Stinson

Biology ETDs

A twelve-month survey of the incidence of Salmonella among small mammals was conducted in central New Mexico, utilizing a direct fecal plating on both selective and enrichment media. Collections were made at the following locations: Albuquerque, Bernardo, Cuba, Isleta Indian Pueblo, Juan Tabo Park, and Moriarty. Locations selected characterize three major types of terrain: mountain, mesa, and river valley. The predominant genera caught in the mountains, in order of their frequency, were Peromyscus, Dipodomys, and Neotoma. The predominant genera caught on the mesas, in order of their frequency, were Peromyscus, Spermophilus, and Dipodomys. The predominant genera caught long the Rio …

Some Aspects Of The Role Of Usnic Acid In Forest Ecology, Yvonne C. Rogers

Biology ETDs

Usnea tillandsioides, an aboreal lichen, was observed in great numbers on spruce and fir at an elevation of 11,200 feet in the Sangre de Cristo Range, New Mexico. The amount of fallen lichen material per hectare was estimated. When usnic acid was extracted from lichen thallus, it was demonstrated that the quantity of usnic acid was less in summer lichens than in fall lichens. By soaking lichens in water, it was possible to extract a small amount of usnic acid. However, an examination of rainwater did not indicate that usnic acid was being leached from lichens by rainfall. Soil and …

The Relationship Of Soil Temperature And Cytokinin Production In Aspen Invasion, Kristen R. Williams

Biology ETDs

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) primarily reproduce by suckering (i.e., root sprouting). Numerous environmental variables have been suggested as causes of this phenomenon, the most notable of which is soil temperature. Studies demonstrating thermal regulation of sprouting indicate the involvement of growth hormones. The only class of hormones to elicit a response similar to sprouting is the cytokinins. Other hormones, no doubt, function in this process as well (e.g., auxins). To substantiate the idea that thermal regulation of sprouting is primarily a function of thermal regulation of cytokinin activity, and to determine the importance of other environmental factors in this …

Altitudinal Variation Of Chlorophyll Concentration And Reflectance Of The Bark Of Populus Tremuloides, William W. Covington

Biology ETDs

Chlorophyll concentration and reflectance of bark samples of Populus tremuloides Michx. growing at various elevations in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range of New Mexico indicate the appearance of greener barked trees at higher elevations is due to the reflectance characteristics of a bloom of dead periderm cells and not to increased chlorophyll concentrations. Chlorophyll concentration in aspen bark were, in fact, inversely correlated (p=.001) with altitude.

The higher concentration of chlorophyll at lower elevations is effectively masked by a white bloom which is also characteristic of exposed site trees. At higher elevations the bloom is yellow-brown and more translucent …

Some Aspects Of The Ecology Of Perognathus Flavus, Dipodomys Ordi, And Dipodomys Merriami, L. Gwen Britt

Biology ETDs

A total of 3331 animals was trapped from August 1966 to September 1969. Three hundred and eighty-five marked P. flavus were captured 2058 times and 173 marked Dipodomys were captured 950 times. The mean population estimate for a year of study was 5.6 Dipodomys (two species) and 13.4 P. flavus per acre. There was an estimated biomass per acre of 97.8g for P. flavus and 262g for Dipodomys. Perognathu and Dipodomys hewed similar persistence curves with about half of the animals persisting for only 2 months. About 75% of the animals were gone after 6 months with a few persisting …

Protein Catabolism And Urea Utilization In Water-Deprived And Fasted Ground Squirrels And Rats, Gerald L. Rigler

Biology ETDs

The objective of this study was to examine a specific metabolic adaptation, namely, the extent to which protein catabolism was changed in long-term water-deprived and starved Spennophilus lateralis, S. spilosoma, and laboratory rats. It was thought from previous studies that the relative amount of protein and fat catabolism affects water balance and thus determines how long an animal will survive water deprivation. Hibernators may possess unique metabolic flexibility in adapting to water deprivation as they apparently adapt to dehydration when they are hibernating.

In the first series of experiments animals· were water deprived for 6 days at 2 seasons and …