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Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons™
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- Keyword
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- West Virginia (16)
- Crayfish (7)
- Morphology (5)
- Natural history (5)
- Ecology (4)
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- Salamander (4)
- <p>Eastern diamondback rattlesnake.</p> <p>Habitat (Ecology)</p> (3)
- <p>Plesiosauria.</p> (3)
- Behavior (3)
- Cabell County (3)
- Crotalus adamanteus (3)
- Distribution (3)
- Habitat selection (3)
- Herpetology (3)
- Natural History (3)
- <p>Salamanders - West Virginia.</p> (2)
- <p>Salamanders -- West Virginia.</p> <p>Salamanders -- Habitat.</p> <p>Giant salamanders -- Habitat.</p> (2)
- Ambush site selection (2)
- Amphibian (2)
- Anuran (2)
- Aquatic (2)
- Automated recording systems (ARS) (2)
- Bacteria (2)
- Breeding calls (2)
- Eastern Box Turtle (2)
- Fathead Minnow (2)
- Foraging (2)
- Home range (2)
- Life History (2)
- Life history (2)
Articles 1 - 30 of 131
Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Factors Associated With Acoustic Bat Presence During Spring Emergence In The Appalachian Mountains Of Western Virginia, Emily Kirk Pody
Factors Associated With Acoustic Bat Presence During Spring Emergence In The Appalachian Mountains Of Western Virginia, Emily Kirk Pody
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Studies of threats that bats face during hibernation have increased in response to white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease that has ravaged North American bat populations. However, impacts of WNS on bat ecology during spring emergence, when bats are potentially recovering from infection and allocating resources for reproduction, is relatively understudied. As more bat species become listed at the federal and state level, the need to understand the factors associated with spring emergence is critical for improving conservation guidelines and habitat management practices. Acoustic monitoring is an efficient method for monitoring bat presence for prolonged periods of time, giving biologists …
Mortality Risk Associated With Urban Land Use For Adult Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Mya Wiles
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Snakes have been a traditionally under-represented organism in urban ecology, but they face similar, if not greater challenges in the face of growing urban sprawl. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus, EDBs) are under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act due to population declines resulting from historical human persecution and habitat loss. This study used radio-telemetry data from a long-term monitoring project of adult EDBs on a developed sea island in South Carolina, USA. I reclassified a National Land Cover Dataset to reflect relative mortality risk for snakes attempting to move through the landscape. High-risk cover types …
Seasonal Variation In Home-Range And Core-Area Size In Verreaux's Sifaka, Brynn Harshbarger
Seasonal Variation In Home-Range And Core-Area Size In Verreaux's Sifaka, Brynn Harshbarger
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Primates living in seasonal forests must adapt to extreme fluctuation in resource availability. Verreaux’s sifaka ( ) live in Madagascar’s highly seasonal tropical dry forests and experience periods of extreme resource abundance and scarcity. Home- range and core-area size were measured using 95% and 50% kernel estimation, and 95% minimum convex polygons to compare seasonal shifts in space use based on resource availability. There have been no long-term space use studies on Verreaux’s sifaka; therefore, we do not know how their space use changes over time in an environment which is both highly seasonal and highly variable. Our study leverages …
Assessing The Toxicity Of A Reconstituted Water Simulating Streams Influenced By Mountaintop Mining In Central Appalachia, Benjamin David Browning
Assessing The Toxicity Of A Reconstituted Water Simulating Streams Influenced By Mountaintop Mining In Central Appalachia, Benjamin David Browning
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Freshwater ecosystems in Central Appalachia experience increased concentrations of manganese (Mn) and total dissolved solids from the runoff of surface mines and valley fills. Biological communities have been impacted by these surface mining operations and it has been suggested that the increase in total dissolved solids may contribute to these negative effects, but standard laboratory toxicity tests have not found increased concentrations of total dissolved solids to have such negative effects as seen in the field. The elevated total dissolved solids in mining influenced streams may only be toxic in conjunction with another toxicant that is presence in these systems …
An Exceptionally Small New Polycotylid Plesiosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) With Raptorial Eyes From The Western Interior Seaway Of North America, Robert O’Brien Clark
An Exceptionally Small New Polycotylid Plesiosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) With Raptorial Eyes From The Western Interior Seaway Of North America, Robert O’Brien Clark
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Polycotylidae is a family of plesiosaurian marine reptiles that evolved during the Early Cretaceous and radiated into multiple genera during the Late Cretaceous, achieving a worldwide distribution. Derived polycotylids of the subclade Polycotylinae have a gracile and elongated rostrum, homodont dentition, an extended mandibular symphysis, and foreshortened temporal fenestrae. In this thesis, I describe a small and highly derived new polycotylid taxon based on three specimens from the Campanian of the Western Interior Seaway in North America. A high number of maxillary teeth, fused neural arches, propodials with well-defined facets, and heavily remodeled cortical bone indicate the specimens are adults, …
Foraging Strategy Plasticity In Fiordland Penguins (Eudyptes Pachyrhynchus): A Stable Isotope Approach, Jeffrey Wayne White
Foraging Strategy Plasticity In Fiordland Penguins (Eudyptes Pachyrhynchus): A Stable Isotope Approach, Jeffrey Wayne White
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Foraging ecology in the crested penguins (genus: Eudyptes) is an active area of research, with new techniques rapidly increasing our understanding of these charismatic species. The most common techniques to assess foraging ecology include stomach content analysis, fecal DNA analysis, stable isotope analysis, tracking, and video loggers. Here we review dietary research on all 8 taxa within the genus Eudyptes to identify gaps in our current knowledge. However, foraging studies that assess dietary segregation require a method for quickly and accurately sexing penguins in the field. Obvious sexual dimorphism in plumage is largely absent in penguins leaving behavioral cues …
Laboratory Investigation On The Effects Of Conductivity On The Sensitive Early Life Stages Of Fishes From The Appalachian Region, Logan Ryan Beach
Laboratory Investigation On The Effects Of Conductivity On The Sensitive Early Life Stages Of Fishes From The Appalachian Region, Logan Ryan Beach
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
While it is known there is a link between land disturbance and elevations in ionic constituents in streams, the relationship between elevated conductivity and aquatic taxa impairment is harder to define. Multiple field studies demonstrating correlations between conductivity and fish or benthic macroinvertebrate communities have not described the mechanisms of impairment and impairment has not been demonstrated with traditional toxicity testing. In an effort to explore more sensitive sub-lethal endpoints for evaluation of instream effects of mining effluent, chronic toxicity testing was conducted on eggs and early life stages of trout species and the fathead minnow, utilizing a simulated mining …
The Effectiveness Of Long-Distance Translocation Of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Allison Grace Kelley
The Effectiveness Of Long-Distance Translocation Of Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Allison Grace Kelley
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Translocations have the potential to aim conservation efforts as well as to reduce mortality caused by human activities. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus, EDB) have a limited ability to adapt to habitat loss and fragmentation due to the species’ slow life history and minimal dispersal ability. Because they are a venomous species, they are viewed as nuisance animals and are often killed on sight. We translocated a cohort of EDBs to investigate the potential of using translocations as a conservation and mitigation tool for this species. In July 2018, we translocated twelve adult eastern diamondback rattlesnakes from Parris …
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Ambush Site Selection In Coastal Saltwater Marshes, Emily Rebecca Mausteller
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Ambush Site Selection In Coastal Saltwater Marshes, Emily Rebecca Mausteller
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus; EDB) is a species of conservation concern associated with the imperiled longleaf pine-grassland ecosystem. The longleaf pine ecosystem is characterized by an open canopy and rich ground cover. Researchers have speculated that the vegetation structure of salt marshes may serve as a surrogate habitat for longleaf pine savannas. Although these marshes have little topography, they provide a heterogeneous landscape with patches of mud flats, sandy hard marsh along upper tidal areas, and salt marsh hummocks throughout. I used radio telemetry to monitor free-ranging EDBs on a South Carolina sea island. The goal of my …
Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Foraging Behavior And Population Dynamics, John Huang
Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Foraging Behavior And Population Dynamics, John Huang
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The change in the interaction between southern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger niger) and eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) provided an opportunity to examine sublethal effects of predation as it relates to a species’ risk perception and habitat structure at two scales. The interactions allowed us to examine the evolutionary responses of the southern fox squirrel and eastern gray squirrel to predation risk reflective of their historically associated landscapes and habitat structures. Second, the succession of savanna woodlands into closed-canopy mixed forest provided an opportunity to assess the flexible behaviors of both species in response to changes …
Long-Term Effects Of Elevated Manganese On Procambarus Clarkii Behavior, Cody W. Lambert
Long-Term Effects Of Elevated Manganese On Procambarus Clarkii Behavior, Cody W. Lambert
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Manganese is a prominent heavy metal within the earth’s crust and a micro mineral essential for biological function, however, high level exposure may lead to neurological defects. Industrial activities allow elevated manganese (Mn2+)to enter air and waterways. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implements secondary standards for aesthetics in drinking water at 0.05 ppm Mn2+, although evidence indicates levels at, or below this concentration negatively impact aquatic life. Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) were exposed to environmentally relevant Mn2+ concentrations for 6 months, while the control group was kept in reconstituted fresh water for the same time period. …
Using Environmental Dna And Occupancy Modeling To Examine Drivers Of Eastern Hellbender Extirpation And Sampling Method Efficiency In West Virginia, Sean Michael Wineland
Using Environmental Dna And Occupancy Modeling To Examine Drivers Of Eastern Hellbender Extirpation And Sampling Method Efficiency In West Virginia, Sean Michael Wineland
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Amphibian population declines and range constrictions are widespread but poorly understood. Effective conservation planning relies on accurate distribution data to develop a fundamental understanding of causal changes in species distributions. However, conventional detection methods for cryptic and elusive amphibians suffer from imperfect detection. Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as an innovative and powerful conservation tool for detecting aquatic species presence; however comparative studies aimed at fully understanding eDNA detection probabilities are lacking. In this study, I used environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling methods and detailed historical records to identify drivers of extirpation and sampling method efficiency for an imperiled, long-lived giant …
Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Translocation, Occupancy, And Foraging Behaviors, Katelyn Marie Amspacher
Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Translocation, Occupancy, And Foraging Behaviors, Katelyn Marie Amspacher
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Southern fox squirrels (SFSs) are habitat specialists within the longleaf pine ecosystem of the southeastern US whose populations are declining due to habitat fragmentation. Eastern gray squirrels (EGSs) are generalists found throughout the eastern US that have historically avoided competition with SFSs through habitat-partitioning. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) use translocation as a conservation tool to establish a population of SFSs on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (MCRDPI), South Carolina and monitor survival, home range size, and habitat use post-translocation, 2) estimate SFS density on Spring Island, SC and examine patterns of SFS and EGS occupancy, …
A Characterization Of West Virginia Coyotes (Canis Latrans) Utilizing Skull Morphology, Katharina E. Scholer
A Characterization Of West Virginia Coyotes (Canis Latrans) Utilizing Skull Morphology, Katharina E. Scholer
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Coyotes (Canis latrans) are now found throughout North and Central America, but before European colonization were restricted to west of the Mississippi. Migration occurred in two major paths to the East; north over the Great Lakes (through Canada) and south below the Great Lakes. The location of these routes is significant because those migrating north interbred with the wolves that reside there. These hybrid animals are larger and behaviorally different from their western counterparts. It is possible to differentiate these hybrids morphologically and genetically. Hybrids are known to be located in Maine, New York, and Pennsylvania, but the interest of …
Freshwater Mussels Of The Greenup Navigational Pool, Ohio River, With A Comparison To Fish Host Communities, Mitchell David Kriege
Freshwater Mussels Of The Greenup Navigational Pool, Ohio River, With A Comparison To Fish Host Communities, Mitchell David Kriege
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The Ohio River was historically a free-flowing system with diverse fish and freshwater mussel communities. Heavy industrialization, erosion from deforestation, and wide scale damming during the early-mid 20th century decimated riverine life. While mussel declines are well documented in the United States, in big river systems, freshwater mussel populations are poorly understudied. This thesis project mapped the mussel communities and site-specific sediments of the Greenup pool in the Ohio River for comparison to 2016 nighttime electrofishing data, provided by ORSANCO. Qualitative SCUBA surveys were performed at 18 randomly selected sites and two fixed sites between July and September. Each site …
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Telemetry Techniques And Translocation, Michael Thomas Jungen
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Telemetry Techniques And Translocation, Michael Thomas Jungen
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Internal implantation of radio-transmitters is the preferred attachment technique for snakes, but the high costs and invasive nature of the surgery make a functional alternative desirable. External radio-transmitters are cost-effective alternatives to surgical implantation. Rattlesnake rattles are unique morphological features that can serve as an attachment site for external radio-transmitters. Using thread and epoxy, I attached transmitters to the rattles of eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus; EDB). I calculated average monitoring duration using radio telemetry data collected from 49 adult EDBs telemetered from 2014 to 2017 in coastal South Carolina. On average, we monitored EDBs for 189 ±78 days with …
Amphibians Among Road-Rut Pools In West Virginia, Abby L. Sinclair
Amphibians Among Road-Rut Pools In West Virginia, Abby L. Sinclair
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
As anthropogenic environmental stressors such as urbanization continue to increase, it is necessary to understand their impact on amphibian ecology. Due largely to their biphasic life history amphibians are negatively impacted by the destruction of lotic habitats i.e., wetlands for the creation of roads and urban centers. I examined the effects of three human-made road rut pools on the reproductive success and species richness of amphibians in southwest West Virginia from May to October 2012. I employed three detection techniques: drift fence pitfall trap arrays, funnel traps and dipnet sampling. Additionally, habitat covariates were taken (i.e., water depth) at each …
Influence Of Developmental Stage, Habitat, And Captivity On Thecutaneous Bacterial Communities Of Eastern Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis Alleganiensis) In West Virginia, Rachel Fern Arrick
Influence Of Developmental Stage, Habitat, And Captivity On Thecutaneous Bacterial Communities Of Eastern Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis Alleganiensis) In West Virginia, Rachel Fern Arrick
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Microbes inhabit virtually all surfaces of multicellular animal hosts, with microbial cells outnumbering the hosts’ own cells 10:1. Symbiont microbes, collectively referred to as the microbiome, can have profound impacts on the metabolism, development, behavior, and disease resistance of their multicellular hosts. Because the community structure of symbiont bacteria can influence host health, the characterization of amphibian microbiomes is becoming an increasingly important tool for future conservation in the face of global amphibian declines. Eastern hellbenders are good candidates for a microbiome study because they have seen substantial declines in recent decades and learning more about the environmental and physiological …
The Life History Of Faxonius Rusticus (Girard, 1852) In Sunfish Creek, Monroe County, Ohio, Kyle Mcgill
The Life History Of Faxonius Rusticus (Girard, 1852) In Sunfish Creek, Monroe County, Ohio, Kyle Mcgill
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Crayfish are among the most imperiled faunal groups globally. The continued spread of invasive species is a major impact to crayfish. Invasive species, much like the native species, are often understudied. As declines continue, invasive species spread, and new species are discovered; additional life history studies are as important as ever for crayfish conservation. Life history data was collected for rusty crayfish (Faxonius rusticus) from October 2017 to September 2018 in Sunfish Creek, Monroe County, Ohio. Faxonius rusticus are native to the Ohio River drainage around Cincinnati, Ohio but have extensively expanded their range over the past 30 years. Sunfish …
Analysis Of Bioaccumulation Of Selenium Diets In Brook Trout (Salvelnius Fontinalis), Kyle Aaron Tasker
Analysis Of Bioaccumulation Of Selenium Diets In Brook Trout (Salvelnius Fontinalis), Kyle Aaron Tasker
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is facing many challenges throughout the Appalachian region, which are thought to be brought on by effects of climate change and the loss of habitat because of the disturbance from the pursuit of energy sources, namely, the mining of coal in the region. Most of the mining occurs in the central plateau and southern mountain region of West Virginia. The brook trout have historically had an expansive range covering this region and has the potential to inhabit the headwater stream systems that occur very prevalently throughout the Appalachians. In the state of West Virginia, the …
The Effect Of Mast Availability On Ambush Site Selection In Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Berlynna May Heres
The Effect Of Mast Availability On Ambush Site Selection In Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Berlynna May Heres
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
I examined ambush site selection in eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus). The eastern diamondback rattlesnake (EDB) is an imperiled, ambush predator endemic to southeastern pine savannas and woodlands of the United States. Eastern diamondbacks prey on small mammals that feed on hard and soft mast (e.g., nuts and fruits). In this study, I hypothesized that intra-seasonal shifts in masting vegetation would cause intra-season shifts in ambush site selection in EDBs as the result of a bottom-up trophic effect. I quantified EDB ambush site selection using radio telemetry data and vegetation analysis within a naturalized study site. When EDBs were encountered …
A Comparative Analysis Of The Metabolism And Energetics Of Darters (Percidae), Emma Kirsten Kist
A Comparative Analysis Of The Metabolism And Energetics Of Darters (Percidae), Emma Kirsten Kist
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Ecological niche theory suggests two species cannot live in the same ecological niche and differences should exist among species that appear to cohabitate. Variations in physiology and behavior that potentially enable species coexistence can be reflected in metabolism. This study investigated coexisting darter fishes by measuring the metabolism of greenside (Etheostoma blennioides) and variegate (E. variatum) darters over 48 h using intermittent-flow respirometry. Activity was analyzed using time-lapse videos. E. blennioides mean metabolic rate (154.64 ± SE 52.54 mg O2·kg-1 ·hr-1 ; n=14; p=0.0006) was significantly greater than and varied more than E. variatum’s mean rate (92.51 ± SE 32.70 …
Hibernacula Site Selection Of The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene C. Carolina, In A West Virginia Population, Benjamin Owen Koester
Hibernacula Site Selection Of The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene C. Carolina, In A West Virginia Population, Benjamin Owen Koester
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene c. carolina) are a terrestrially hibernating reptile found throughout the eastern United States. Despite their prevalence, little, outside of anecdotal observations, is known about their hibernacula selection. This study examines if they preferentially select hibernacula locations, and if so, what characteristics they select in a West Virginia population. Over the course of two years, radio-tagged turtles (n=12) were followed into hibernation in Wayne County, WV. Upon entering hibernation, ~36 data point were collected in a grid-like fashion around the hibernacula, with an additional point collected at the hibernacula. At each point, seven variables were recorded: soil …
Analyzing Pterosaur Ontogeny And Sexual Dimorphism With Multivariate Allometry, Erick Charles Anderson
Analyzing Pterosaur Ontogeny And Sexual Dimorphism With Multivariate Allometry, Erick Charles Anderson
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The relationships of pterosaurs have been previously inferred from observed traits, depositional environments, and phylogenetic associations. A great deal of research has begun to analyze pterosaur ontogeny, mass estimates, wing dynamics, and sexual dimorphism in the last two decades. The latter has received the least attention because of the large data set required for statistical analyses. Analyzing pterosaurs using osteological measurements will reveal different aspects of size and shape variation in Pterosauria (in place of character states) and sexual dimorphism when present. Some of these variations, not easily recognized visually, will be observed using multivariate allometry methods including Principle Component …
Testing The Efficacy Of Anuran Callback Surveys, Matthew S. Grisnik
Testing The Efficacy Of Anuran Callback Surveys, Matthew S. Grisnik
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Monitoring programs often suffer from imperfect detection resulting in skewed population estimates, biased estimates of changes in occupancy over time, and can result in an underestimated proportion of area occupied (PAO) by a species. To increase the detection probability, researchers must increase sampling both spatially and temporally. Callback surveys are an active form of sampling that have been used to monitor many avian and mammal species. During callback surveys, the call of a conspecific male is projected with the intention of increasing probability of detection by eliciting a response from territorial males. These methods work for organisms that establish breeding …
A Coprological Survey Of Golden Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta Palliata Palliata) In The Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, Jess M. Conatser
A Coprological Survey Of Golden Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta Palliata Palliata) In The Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, Jess M. Conatser
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Interactions between free-ranging primates and their associated parasitic forms continue to be a point of interest in ecology for several reasons. External and internal parasitism is not atypical for wild populations of primates, and the repercussions of these relationships can range from benign to life-threatening and capable of altering the structure of naturally occurring groups. The ecological relationship between the golden mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata palliata) and its host-specific ectoparasite, the howler monkey bot fly (Alouattamyia baeri) poses significant potential detriment to the overall body quality and success of the host primate. A. p. palliata has also been recorded …
Population Level Responses To Direct Application Liming In Gyrinophilus Porphyriticus, Shelby Renea Timm
Population Level Responses To Direct Application Liming In Gyrinophilus Porphyriticus, Shelby Renea Timm
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Direct application liming (DAL) has been used to neutralize acidified streams to restore aquatic biota. This mitigation technique has been used globally for decades, yet little data exist on its effects on amphibian populations. My study investigated the effects of liming on amphibians by measuring variability in life histories of larval Gyrinophilus porphyriticus. I collected larvae from six streams in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. I examined the effects of DAL on age structure, and I failed to detect a treatment effect. I used ANCOVAs to examine differences in body condition, body size, and gape size. I observed that …
Effects Of Roads And Trails On Peaks Of Otter Salamander (Plethodon Hubrichti) And Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon Cinereus) Movement Behavior, Cory Benjamin Goff
Effects Of Roads And Trails On Peaks Of Otter Salamander (Plethodon Hubrichti) And Eastern Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon Cinereus) Movement Behavior, Cory Benjamin Goff
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Habitat fragmentation negatively affects movement and dispersal of wildlife by altering useable space and creating barriers. The objective of this study was to assess impacts of fragmentation by roads and trails on the movement behavior of two terrestrial, woodland salamander species. I evaluated whether proximity to roads and trails affected the movement behavior of two species: the Peaks of Otter Salamander (Plethodon hubrichti), a species of special concern, and the Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus). I examined movement behavior in three treatments: paved roads, gravel roads and hiking trails. I compared treatments to controls located at least 200m from treatment …
Monitoring The Land Cover Change In The Historic Range Of Cambarus Veteranus In West Virginia Using A 1973-2013 Landsat Time Series, Emma Martha Arneson
Monitoring The Land Cover Change In The Historic Range Of Cambarus Veteranus In West Virginia Using A 1973-2013 Landsat Time Series, Emma Martha Arneson
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The crayfish Cambarus veteranus is near extinction in its historic range of the Upper Guyandotte River watershed. The biggest threats to C. veteranus are mining and road construction. Mining has been a continuous activity in the southern coalfields where the crayfish has historically been found, yet little is known about how much land cover change the practice has done to the region. Crayfish act as important organisms within aquatic ecosystems and without them, those systems are often degraded. Quantifying the change in land cover is important to understanding threats to C. veteranus for future protection of the crayfish and its …
Assessing Grazing Impacts On A Tropical Dry Forest System In Madagascar Through Vegetation, Satellite Image, Lemur Occupancy, And Acoustic Analysis, Lyndsay Lee Rankin
Assessing Grazing Impacts On A Tropical Dry Forest System In Madagascar Through Vegetation, Satellite Image, Lemur Occupancy, And Acoustic Analysis, Lyndsay Lee Rankin
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The ability to assess the quality or ecological value of a landscape is a useful tool in effective conservation and natural resource management. Ecosystem biodiversity and functionality are reduced when human activities cause habitat alteration and/or fragmentation. Compromised habitats are unlikely to support naturally occurring communities or healthy ecosystem functions. Conservation scientists have historically concentrated their efforts on large, intact habitats with little human disturbance; the conservation value of small and/or disturbed areas has been comparatively overlooked. One limitation may be a lack of tools to identify disturbed areas with conservation value. Techniques that allow researchers to assess the habitat …