Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Alarm Calls Affect Foraging Behavior In Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias Striatus), Jessica K. Baack

Masters Theses

I used playback experiments to test whether alarm calls affected the foraging behavior of Eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus). I subjected chipmunks, foraging at artificial feeding stations, to three playback treatments (silent, control noise, and alarm call) and examined changes in vigilant and foraging behavior. Chipmunks responded to alarm calls with a greater degree and duration of vigilant behavior, such as look-ups and alert postures. Chipmunks also ran a shorter distance to cover, ran more directly to cover, and took longer to re-emerge from the burrow after hearing an alarm call. Alarm calls caused individuals to spend more time …

Improving Recovery Planning For Threatened And Endangered Species, Theodore Foin, Seth Riley, Anitra Pawley, Debra Ayres, Tina Carlsen, Peter Hodum, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Improving Recovery Planning For Threatened And Endangered Species, Theodore C. Foin, Seth P. Riley, Anitra L. Pawley, Debra R. Ayres, Tina M. Carlsen, Peter J. Hodum, Paul V. Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Bowfin, Amia Calva, In Multiple Species Management Plans, Benjamin Jacob Hausmann

Masters Theses

The major challenge to fisheries managers of the 21st century will be to maintain the diversity, not only of fishing opportunity, but also of traditionally non-game and economically unimportant species. With the relatively recent understanding of the importance of ecosystem level management, attention is being focused on native species that were often ignored or eradicated under past management practices. One such fish that has been largely ignored is the bowfin, Amia calva. Ecological data pertaining to bowfin natural history are limited and to date no attempt has been made to integrate bowfin into fisheries management decisions within the species native …

The Relationship Between Burrowing Behavior Of Native Unionid Bivalves And Infestation By Zebra Mussels, Amy Gries

Masters Theses

Burrowing behavior of unionids was examined as a variable in colonization of unionids by juvenile zebra mussels searching for substrate. For each unionid species represented, zebra mussel densities were compared between a free-living experimental unionid and an immobilized control during each replicate. Of the four species used (Amblema plicata, Quadrula quadrula, Leptodea fragilis and Obliquaria reflexa), only Q. quadrula had a statistically significant difference between zebra mussel densities on the experimental mussels as compared with the controls. When zebra mussel densities on the experimental mussels were compared between species, only the comparison of Q. quadrula and O. reflexa was …

Habitat Selection, Reproductive Success, And Impaling Patterns Of A Migratory Population Of Loggerhead Shrikes, Jeffrey D. Esely Jr.

Masters Theses

I studied habitat selection and reproductive success of a migratory population of Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus migrans) as well as the temporal and spatial patterns of impaling exhibited by this population during the nesting season. The selection of breeding habitat was investigated at different spatial scales. Thirty-eight (67%) of 57 nests were located in osage orange (Maclura pomifera) trees. Shrike territories (area ≤ 200 m from nest site) contained significantly more pasture, fenceline, and perch sites, but less com, alfalfa, and forest than random sites. At larger spatial scales, more grassland was detected within 300 m …

A Comparison Of Predation Rates On Real And Artificial Nests Of Grassland Birds, William B. Davison

Masters Theses

I compared rates of predation between real and artificial nests of grassland birds in order to test the impact of nest type, nest position, and egg size on predation rates. I distributed wicker avicultural baskets and realistic grass nests baited with a clay egg and either northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) or house sparrow (Passer domesticus) eggs in four Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands in east-central Illinois. Nest success averaged 86.5% for 12 days of exposure for artificial nests. For real nests, nest success was markedly lower; averaging 39% over the entire nesting cycle and 59% during approximately 12 days of …

Crows Do Not Use Automobiles As Nutcrackers: Putting An Oft-Repeated Anecdote To The Test, Daniel A. Cristol, Paul V. Switzer, K L. Johnson, L S. Walke

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Crows Do Not Use Automobiles As Nutcrackers: Putting An Oft-Repeated Anecdote To The Test, Daniel Cristol, Paul Switzer, K Johnson, L Walke

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Adaptive Significance Of Re-Nesting Following Nest Abandonment In The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila Caerulea), Melissa Nicole Helton

Masters Theses

We studied the adaptive significance of nest abandonment and re-nesting in the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) in east-central Illinois from 1995 through 1997. This Neotropical migrant is widely distributed and highly persistent in re-nesting following nest abandonment. Nest abandonment may be a response to brood parasitism, predation or other nest disturbances. We studied the nesting behavior of gnatcatchers and investigated the cues which may elicit nest abandonment. We monitored 57 pairs of gnatcatchers which built a total of 98 nests. Twenty pairs successfully fledged a total of 63 young and overall nest success was only 8.5%. Daily mortality rates for …

Roost Site Selection Of The Red Bat (Lasiurus Borealis), Kenneth J. Mager

Masters Theses

I monitored the roosting activity and evaluated roost site selection of red bats (Lasiurus borealis) at study sites in Coles County during the summer of 1996. Red bats were mist-netted and radio transmitters were affixed to 12 individuals. A total of 105 transmitter-days were recorded with 75 roost locations identified. The roost types consisted of eight different species of trees, prairie grass, and residential structures but the vast majority of roosts (92%) were in large, deciduous trees. The height of the roosts ranged from 0.5 to 21.4 m, but 54.7% were between 5-10 m. Movement between consecutive roosts ranged from …

Relationships Between Habitat Variables And Biotic Integrity Of The Embarras River Basin, Ann Marie Hogan

Masters Theses

In agricultural watersheds, channelization and the conversion of native vegetation into agricultural crops contribute to a loss or simplification of near-stream vegetation and a reduction in the complexity of the physical stream environment. Since changes to near-stream vegetation can have a significant effect on the stream biological community, this study investigated the relationship between a habitat quality index and stream fish assessment indices used to evaluate stream quality. Fish data and stream habitat quality data were collected from 13 sampling localities associated with the Embarras River basin. Habitat quality was measured using the Stream Habitat Assessment Procedure (SHAP), while stream …

The Effects Of Habitat Fragmentation And Factors Influencing Nest Box Use On The Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys Volans) In Southern Illinois, Catherine J. Woodworth

Masters Theses

I studied the effects of habitat :fragmentation on the southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) in 30 forest fragments in southern Illinois. The fragments ranged in size from 6 ha to 5264 ha, and had varying degrees of isolation. I placed 10 nest boxes in each habitat fragment and checked them monthly. I captured southern flying squirrels in 24 of the 30 fragments, and found evidence of squirrels (i.e., nests and feeding stations) in 4 additional fragments. Thus, only 2 fragments did not show any evidence of squirrel use suggesting that the southern flying squirrel may not be particularly …

A Study Of The Lichens At Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois, Eric B. Grunder

Masters Theses

In 1971, a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University, James E. Wiedman, studied the lichen flora of Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois. During his study he collected, identified, and recorded a total of 64 lichen species. Since 1971, Rocky Branch Nature Preserve has experienced a dramatic increase in use by people and a concomittant decline in the quality of lichen habitats. In order to assess the decline of suitable lichen habitats and the reduction of lichen species a second study of the lichens at Rocky Branch Nature Preserve was undertaken. As part of this study, ten habitat sites …

Ecology And Community Relationships Of The River Cooter, Pseudemys Concinna In A Southern Illinois Backwater, Michael J. Dreslik

Masters Theses

In Illinois the River cooter, Pseudemys concinna, is an enigmatic endangered species. Even throughout its range, ecological studies on the River cooter are rare. During 1994 and 1995 I quantified the: growth rates and trends, population size and structure and dietary habits of a population from floodplain lake in Gallatin county, Illinois. Population estimation (Schnabel method) predicted 136 individuals at a density of 4.6 turtles/ha with a biomass of 3.6 Kg/ha. The sex ratio is slightly male biased (1:1.14). From back-calculated growth data, the von Bertalanffy growth model (Fabens' method) estimates males with a higher growth rate (k) and …

The Influence Of Environmental Ph And Bicarbonate Concentration On The Excretion Of Nitrogenous Waste Products In Two Species Of Freshwater Teleost, Paul D. Fabsits

Masters Theses

The catabolism of amino acids derived from dietary protein results in the production of ammonia and bicarbonate ion, waste products that an animal must eliminate. Often, animals excrete a nitrogenous waste product that is correlated with water availability: Freshwater fish, living where water is abundant, usually excrete ammonia while terrestrial animals excrete urea or uric acid. Recent studies report that fish inhabiting alkaline waters (pH 10) characterized by high bicarbonate concentrations do not excrete ammonia, instead synthesize urea, an energetically expensive process. The conversion to urea excretion by a normally ammonotelic animal is likely to be stimulated by a specific …

Physical Condition And Reproductive Success Of White-Tailed Deer At Fort Chaffee, Ar: A Five-Year Study, Donald A. Phillips

Masters Theses

A baseline study conducted in 1991 demonstrated that the resident white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas was in poor condition, with below average reproductive success, body weight, and antler size, and above average parasite load compared to other regional deer populations. Consequently, a management program was initiated in 1991 which included: (1) neutralizing acidic soils, (2) prescribed burning, (3) planting supplemental food plots, and (4) liberalizing the harvest of female adults from the population. The purpose of this study was to monitor changes in the health and reproductive success of the herd as this program was implemented. …

Small Mammal Community Structure In Restored Prairies, Kathleen A. Falout

Masters Theses

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources currently manages approximately 4,000 hectares of natural prairie. High human impacts coupled with small patch size result in challenging management decisions for prairie conservation. The ideal restored prairie would consist of a mosaic of habitats varying in vegetation from forb-grass dominated areas to oak savannas, with concurrent stages of vegetative succession occurring across the habitats. A study was conducted at the Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area located in Vermillion County, IL, to analyze small mammal diversity and community composition among three different stages of prairie restoration.

The three treatment categories were: fallow …

Egg Removal By Brown-Headed Cowbirds: A Field Test Of The Host Incubation Efficiency Hypothesis, Douglas R. Wood

Masters Theses

Obligate brood parasites, like the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), lay their eggs in the nests of host species, usually to the detriment of the host's reproductive effort. In addition, Brown-headed Cowbirds often remove one or more host eggs near the time of parasitism. Although several hypotheses exist, the adaptive significance of egg removal has not been clearly established. Peer and Bollinger (in press) proposed the host incubation efficiency hypothesis which states that the number and size of host eggs influences the incubation efficiency of a parasitic egg. Thus, host egg removal by cowbirds should increase the parasitic egg's …

Reproductive Success Of Grassland Birds At East-Central Illinois Airports, Eric L. Kershner

Masters Theses

We determined the densities and reproductive success of birds on airport grasslands in east-central Illinois. Seven airports were sampled between 10 April and 15 August 1994 in Clark, Coles, Crawford, Douglas, Edgar, Macon and Richland counties. Nineteen species were detected on the airport grasslands and 147 nests were found representing six different species. Eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) were the most abundant nesting species found; 105 out of the 147 nests (71%). Other nesting species included: grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) and horned lark (Eremophilia alpestris). Overall nest success was …

Predator Deterrence In The Central Newt, Notophthalmus Viridescens Louisianensis (Wolterstorff) With Notes On Salamander Antipredator Strategies, Malcolm Mccallum

Masters Theses

The effectiveness of the skin secretions of Notophthalmus viridescens as a predator deterrent has been well documented. Still, there have been documented cases of predation on this salamander. This study investigates the ability of a variety of herptiles to feed on N. viridescens louisianensis.

In the first experiment, plethodonts and efts were fed on alternate weeks to snakes. Latency of response, anatomical location of predator attack, and behaviors displayed by predators and prey were recorded during each trial.

In the second experiment, tongue flick frequency by T. sirtalis to the essence of live N. viridescens louisianensis, Eurycea cirigerra …

An Evaluation Of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure And Sediment Toxicity In Lake Taylorville, Sanhita Datta

Masters Theses

Sediments act as a "sink" for xenobiotics which can be accumulated by a variety of organisms and thereby enter the food chain contaminating fish, wildlife and humans. Although the chemical nature of these substances can be known by direct chemical analysis of the sediments, the significance of the contaminants and their bioavailability should be determined through bioassay techniques. A survey of the benthic macroinvertebrates of Lake Taylorville, a reservoir in central Illinois which is fed by two rivers that drain a primarily agricultural area, revealed a rather depauperate fauna. Subsequent studies were conducted in order to identify the underlying cause …

Zooplankton Community Structure As A Function Of Abiotic And Biotic Factors Prior To A Multiphased Restoration Effort, John H. Ensign Jr.

Masters Theses

Lake Taylorville, an impoundment on the South Fork of the Sangamon River, is located just south of Taylorville in Christian County, Illinois. The tributaries of this reservoir drain primarily agricultural areas and contribute to degradation of the reservoir through excessive sediment and nutrient loading. A restoration project is underway which involves construction of sediment basins and dry dams. Analysis of the crustacean zooplankton community has formed an integral part of an intensive limnological investigation of the reservoir during the initial stages of the restoration effort. Seasonal variation in the composition, and density of the major groups was observed. Rotifers (Brachionus …

The Relative Weight (Wr) Condition Index As A Predictor Of Growth, Prey Abundance And Environmental Conditions, Hongsheng Liao

Masters Theses

We evaluated the relative weight (W_r) condition index for assessment of growth, prey availability and environmental conditions in fish populations. Standard weight (W_s) equations for pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) and golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) from 302 pumpkinseed and 285 golden shiner populations, with well over 10,000 fish of each species, were developed with regression-line-percentile (RLP) technique. The proposed W_s equation in metric units for pumpkinseed is log₁₀W_s = -5.179 + 3.237 log10TL, and for golden shiner is log10W_s = -5.593 + 3.302 log10TL. The English-unit versions of these equations were also developed. …

Artificial Cavity Box Use By Eastern Screech Owl, Otus Asio, Lori A. Davis

Masters Theses

Screech owl use of 29 artificial cavity boxes placed in wooded habitat on a 14.6 hectare study area in east central Illinois was monitored from 1975 through 1993. A total of 28 screech owls were captured a total of 155 times. Two to 4 adults were usually present and 3 broods were reared in the boxes. The time between first and last capture of birds taken 4 or more times ranged from 270 to 2589 days (average 1740 days). Home range of 5 owls captured 8 to 17 times ranged from 0.45 to 6.0 ha. Cavity boxes were used more …

An Investigation Of The Host Specificity Of The Brown-Headed Cowbird, Brian D. Peer

Masters Theses

We attempted to determine the factors associated with the lack of parasitism of the Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) by the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater). We investigated the breeding phenology of the two species, the responses of colonial- and noncolonial-nesting grackles to female cowbird models, the frequency of artificial egg rejection by grackles, incubation success of cowbird eggs transferred into grackle nests, and the survival rates of cowbirds cross-fostered into grackle nests.

By the time cowbirds began egg-laying at our study sites, 88.5 % of all grackle nests were beyond the point of successful parasitism. Grackles responded …

The Relationship Between Lifespan And Reproduction In The Giant Waterbug (Belostoma Flumineum), Wendy Nixdorf

Masters Theses

The evolutionary significance of senescence and death is poorly understood. Life history theory suggests that the allocation of energy to growth or reproduction is necessarily associated with a decrease in energy available for maintenance of the soma. This study attempted to determine if an investment in reproduction would decrease longevity in the giant waterbug (Belostoma flumineum). Male and female waterbugs were collected from the field as last instar stage nymphs and maintained under controlled laboratory conditions. Individuals were randomly assigned to mating effort treatments, (virgins or breeders with breeding efforts ranging from 1 to >5 times). Following breeding, …

Ecology Of The State Endangered Yellow Mud Turtle, Kinosternon Flavescens In Henry Co., Illinois, Michael W. Tuma

Masters Theses

Illinois populations of the state endangered yellow mud turtle (Kinosternon flavescens) persist in scattered locations on sand prairies. The largest population occurs on a remnant sand prairie of the former Green River Marsh in Henry Co. A study was conducted during 1992 to determine important criteria for preserve design. These criteria included extent of turtle movements within the site and habitat use. Turtles were captured by aquatic hoop traps, drift fence, and by hand from May 11 to August 31. A total of 16 adults, four juveniles, and eight hatchlings were captured. Population size was estimated at 44.80 adults using …

Biotic, Abiotic, And Behavioral Patterns Associated With The Nocturnal Movements Of Shrews, Patrick T. Sullivan

Masters Theses

Thirteen trails left by shrews coated with fluorescent powder were examined for microhabitat documentation. Thirteen data parameters were collected from each trail, two of which differed significantly between Blarina brevicauda and Sorex longirostris. The small soricid Sorex longirostris was captured in areas with higher grass content, and lower wooded content, than the larger Blarina brevicauda. The difference in microhabitat use may be a key mechanism in reducing competition between these two species.

The Effects Of Nest-Box Visibility And Proximity On The Frequency Of Brood Parasitism In Wood Ducks, Roger W. Jansen

Masters Theses

I studied the effects of nest box visibility and clustering on the rate of intraspecific brood parasitism (IBP) in Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) at Lake Shelbyville Fish and Wildlife Area in Moultrie County, IL from 2 March 1992 to 22 June 1992. Sixty-eight percent of the nest boxes sampled were used and 33% of the nests were destroyed by predators. Mean clutch sizes of unparasitized (x = 9.2) and parasitized (x = 15.2) nests were significantly different. The parasitism rate in Wood Duck nests was 54%. More visible boxes had a tendency to be parasitized at a higher rate than …