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Articles 601 - 630 of 677

Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

The Natural History And Morphology Of The Eastern Cricket Frog, Acris Crepitans Crepitans, In West Virginia, Kimberly Ann Bayne Jan 2004

The Natural History And Morphology Of The Eastern Cricket Frog, Acris Crepitans Crepitans, In West Virginia, Kimberly Ann Bayne

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Two subspecies of cricket frogs, Acris crepitans blanchardi and Acris crepitans crepitans, historically have occurred in West Virginia. The range of Acris c. blanchardi, Blanchard’s Cricket Frog, begins along the Ohio River extending into West Virginia. The Eastern Cricket Frog, Acris c. crepitans, is found in counties located in the eastern panhandle. The Eastern Cricket Frog is a species of great concern. Two sites where Acris c. crepitans historically occurred, two sites that never contained A. c. crepitans, one historical site that currently has A. c. crepitans, and two new sites that have A. c. crepitans were studied by auditory …

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Use Of An Artificial Pond And Marshes By Amphibians And Reptiles In West Virginia, Vanessa A. Dozeman Jan 2004

Use Of An Artificial Pond And Marshes By Amphibians And Reptiles In West Virginia, Vanessa A. Dozeman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A farm pond approximately 40 years old located in Wayne County, West Virginia was studied to determine the ingress and egress of amphibians and reptiles. In addition to the pond, 2 small marshes were also examined. The study extended from February 2003 to November 2003. The pond is approximately 36 m long and 38 m wide and is located on a south-facing hillside at 202 m in elevation. A drift fence composed of landscaping cloth was constructed to completely encircle the site. At every 5.15 m, funnel traps were positioned on both sides of the fence. Traps were checked daily …

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On The Cranial Anatomy Of The Polycotylid Plesiosaurs, Including New Material Of Polycotylus Latipinnis, Cope, From Alabama, F. Robin O’Keefe Jan 2004

On The Cranial Anatomy Of The Polycotylid Plesiosaurs, Including New Material Of Polycotylus Latipinnis, Cope, From Alabama, F. Robin O’Keefe

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

The cranial anatomy of plesiosaurs in the family Polycotylidae (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) has received renewed attention recently because various skull characters are thought to indicate plesiosauroid, rather than pliosauroid, affinities for this family. New data on the cranial anatomy of polycotylid plesiosaurs is presented, and is shown to compare closely to the structure of cryptocleidoid plesiosaurs. The morphology of known polycotylid taxa is reported and discussed, and a preliminary phylogenetic analysis is used to establish ingroup relationships of the Cryptocleidoidea. This study also presents new material referable to Polycotylus latipinnis from the Mooreville Chalk Formation of Alabama. This skeleton is largely …

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Preliminary Report On The Osteology And Relationships Of A New Aberrant Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur From The Sundance Formation, Wyoming, F. Robin O’Keefe, William Wahl Jr. Jul 2003

Preliminary Report On The Osteology And Relationships Of A New Aberrant Cryptocleidoid Plesiosaur From The Sundance Formation, Wyoming, F. Robin O’Keefe, William Wahl Jr.

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

The cryptocleidoid plesiosaur Tatenectes laramiensis, new genus, is described from the Redwater Shale Member of the Sundance Formation, Narrona County, Wyoming. The holotype of this species was a partial skeleton that has since been lost. A neotype is designated that preserves the same elements present in the holotype. A second specimen is referred to the taxon, and this specimen includes cranial material. The preserved cranial elements are the left squamosal, a partial right frontal, several isolated teeth, the parasphenoid, and large portions of the left and right pterygoids. The skull shares many traits with that of Kimmerosaurus, a cryptocleidoid plesiosaur …

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Abiotic Factors Influencing The Breeding, Movement, And Foraging Of The Eastern Spadefoot (Scaphiopus Holbrookii) In West Virginia, Keith A. Johnson Jan 2003

Abiotic Factors Influencing The Breeding, Movement, And Foraging Of The Eastern Spadefoot (Scaphiopus Holbrookii) In West Virginia, Keith A. Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Haphazard searches and telemetry methods were used to track movements and habitat use of two recently discovered and only known populations of Scaphiopus holbrookii in West Virginia. It was the purpose of this study to determine the home range and habitat use of S. holbrookii. Toads were found to forage a mean distance of 13.5 in. (34.5 cm) from their burrows. Habitat consisted of open areas with soil textures of sandy loam, loamy sand, or sand. Radio- transmitters were surgically implanted in two specimens from one breeding site to provide data about habitat use and emergence. Data loggers were installed …

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Spatial Heterogeneity Of Soil Nutrients, Nitrogen Dynamics, And Vegetation In A 3rd Order Stream Floodplain In Southwestern West Virginia, David Allen Dick Jan 2003

Spatial Heterogeneity Of Soil Nutrients, Nitrogen Dynamics, And Vegetation In A 3rd Order Stream Floodplain In Southwestern West Virginia, David Allen Dick

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Soil processes often exhibit spatial heterogeneity within ecosystems and this heterogeneity may influence community structure. This study was conducted to determine spatial patterns and variability of soil nutrients and plant communities within different vegetation types in a stream floodplain in southwestern West Virginia. One 5-m × 5-m site was established in each of three vegetation/drainage types: pasture (PA), old field (OF), and wetland scar (SC). Pasture and SC sites were located ~25 m apart on flat bottomland; the OF site was located on a moderate slope 6.3 m above bottomland, ~200 m from PA and SC. A 10-m × 1-m …

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Comparisons In Morphology, Reproductive Status, And Feeding Ecology Of Plethodon Cinereus At High And Low Elevations In West Virginia, Mizuki Takahashi Jan 2002

Comparisons In Morphology, Reproductive Status, And Feeding Ecology Of Plethodon Cinereus At High And Low Elevations In West Virginia, Mizuki Takahashi

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

To develop effects of elevation on morphological features, reproductive status, and feeding ecology of Plethodon cinereus in West Virginia, overall comparisons between high (>4000 ft) and low (<1260 ft) elevation populations were made. Adult P. cinereus from high elevations were smaller in SVL (female: p=0.003, male: p<0.001), but stored larger amounts of fat (female: p=0.041, male: p=0.006) in their tails than fromlow elevations. Larger amounts of tail fat could be an adaptation to harsh environments at high elevations. It was determined that in West Virginia, where as females at low elevations oviposit annually, females at high elevations oviposit biennially. Stomach content analysis revealed that salamanders at high elevations were confronted by food shortage. Because of less prey availability and longer winters at high elevations, salamanders at high elevations attained the smaller body size than at low elevations and could not obtain sufficient energy in 1 year to yolk a clutch.

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Molecular Systematics Of Rhinichthys Bowersi And Its Taxonomic Status, Gilbert Wesley Gladwell Ii Jan 2002

Molecular Systematics Of Rhinichthys Bowersi And Its Taxonomic Status, Gilbert Wesley Gladwell Ii

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Rhinichthys bowersi is a cyprinid fish that is found mostly in tributaries of the Monongahela River. Several investigators have examined the morphology, protein polymorphism, and parasite/host relationships of R. bowersi and concluded that it is a valid species of introgressive hybrid origin while others have examined the same data and concluded that it is an F1 hybrid of R. cataractae and Nocomis micropogon. In this study, mitochondrial DNA was amplified from the 12s gene of R. bowersi and compared to that of R. cataracta, N. micropogon, and R. atratulus, an outgroup. Mitochondrial DNA differences were analyzed by Neighbor Joining (NJ), …

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Effects Of Developmental Activities On Streamside Salamander Communities In Boone County, West Virginia, Mindy S. Hamilton Jan 2002

Effects Of Developmental Activities On Streamside Salamander Communities In Boone County, West Virginia, Mindy S. Hamilton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A study was conducted from May 1998 through June 1999 in three streams associated with mountaintop mining and valley fills in Boone County, West Virginia. Streamside salamander communities were monitored in these streams, as well as in two relatively undisturbed reference streams in the region, using refugia bags, rock-on-rock methodology, and day surveys. The relative abundance of salamanders was compared between the streams in order to detect effects of the associated valley fills to downstream biota. Relative abundance was lower in two of three streams associated with valley fills as compared to the reference streams. However, there was no significant …

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Determining The Genetic Distances Between Sub-Populations Of Aneides Aeneus In The Westvāco Wildlife And Ecological Research Forest, Andrew Nicholas Johnson Jan 2002

Determining The Genetic Distances Between Sub-Populations Of Aneides Aeneus In The Westvāco Wildlife And Ecological Research Forest, Andrew Nicholas Johnson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Aneides aeneus, the Green Salamander, is a plethodontid species ranging from southern Pennsylvania to central Alabama and from eastern Mississippi to Maryland. Populations of Green Salamanders most often inhabit cliffs and rocky outcrops which are moist but not wet and shaded. The animal is listed as a species of special concern by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Diversity Program. Genetic and reproductive isolation due to strict habitat preferences of the Green Salamander could be a factor in the decline of the species. Seventeen tissue samples were retrieved from five sites within the Westvāco Wildlife and Ecosystem …

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Status Of The Small-Mouthed Salamander, Ambystoma Texanum (Mathes) In West Virginia, Robert Fiorentino Jan 2002

Status Of The Small-Mouthed Salamander, Ambystoma Texanum (Mathes) In West Virginia, Robert Fiorentino

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Over the past 60 years little natural history information on Ambystoma texanum (Small-mouthed Salamander) has been collected in West Virginia, the eastern most location for the species. Three historical breeding populations of A. texanum have been documented in the state, but salamanders from 2 of these locations have not been documented for the past 30 years. Searches of historical sites and favorable habitat in Mason, Jackson, and Wood counties yielded no evidence for the presence of A. texanum, except for the known breeding site in Wood County. Information on time of breeding and egg development was collected at the Wood …

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Natural Succession Of Benthic Populations In Constructed Sediment Ponds And Ditches In Southwestern West Virginia, Robin E. Dolin Jan 2001

Natural Succession Of Benthic Populations In Constructed Sediment Ponds And Ditches In Southwestern West Virginia, Robin E. Dolin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Strip mining causes major disturbances of the natural environment. One such disturbance is the creation of valley fills, which often fill in the headwaters of small streams. Runoff from these valley fills can cause heavy siltation as well as acid and heavy metal deposition downstream. One way to combat this problem is through the construction of sedimentation ponds, which slow down the flow of water so that sediment can settle out and water chemistry can be altered before the water is discharged into the stream. Since these ponds are, in effect, temporarily replacing small headwaters once present, the question is …

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Factors Influencing Spatial Variability In Soil Nitrogen (N) Dynamics In N-Treated And Untreated Watersheds Of The Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, Nikki Lenore Lyttle Jan 2001

Factors Influencing Spatial Variability In Soil Nitrogen (N) Dynamics In N-Treated And Untreated Watersheds Of The Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, Nikki Lenore Lyttle

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The central Appalachian region of the United States receives some of the highest inputs of nitrogen (N) due to acidic deposition in the nation. It is believed that these high could levels contribute to a decline in forest soils within the next 50 to 70 yrs. This study examines factors that influence spatial variability in N-treated and untreated watersheds of the Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, West Virginia. Within each of the two watersheds [WS4 untreated control, > 100 yr.; WS3 N-treated, acidified, clear cut, ~ 31 yr.], two 0.04 ha plots, one high N and one low N, were selected for …

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Distribution, Morphometries, And Tooth Morphology Of The Genus Desmognathus In West Virginia, Jessica Ann Wooten Jan 2001

Distribution, Morphometries, And Tooth Morphology Of The Genus Desmognathus In West Virginia, Jessica Ann Wooten

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Very few genera of vertebrates demonstrate variation in body size, color, pattern, and life history traits to the extreme that is demonstrated in the genus Desmognathus. Exact distribution of Desmognathus, as well as other genera of salamanders, is very difficult to outline because of hybridization between certain desmognathine species. Tooth morphology, tail keeling, head and body shape, and geographic location are factors used in the separation among species in this genus. There are five desmognathine salamanders, including D. monticola, D. fuscus, D. ochrophaeus, D. quadramaculatus, and 0. welteri in West Virginia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the …

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A Natural History Study Of Desmognathus Welteri In West Virginia, Zachary Ira Felix Jan 2001

A Natural History Study Of Desmognathus Welteri In West Virginia, Zachary Ira Felix

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Black Mountain salamander, Desmognathus welteri, is a relatively large brownish-green salamander that possesses morphological characters associated with a semi-aquatic lifestyle. The history of this species in the state of West Virginia is an interesting one. Due to taxonomic confusion and the lack of a thorough investigation of the species in the state, little was known about the species until recently. Surveys for Desmognathus welteri in southern West Virginia revealed five new populations. This makes 17 localities for the species in the state. It appears D. welteri is restricted to relatively high elevation, high gradient, forested streams in the Cumberland …

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Development Of Geobiophysical Models For Cartographic Representation Of Wetlands In Yellow Creek Basin, West Virginia, Ian Farrar Jan 2001

Development Of Geobiophysical Models For Cartographic Representation Of Wetlands In Yellow Creek Basin, West Virginia, Ian Farrar

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In the Appalachian Mountains of Canaan Valley, the warmer temperatures and fading native species are conducive for invading foreign species. Localized relic communities of red spruce, sphagnum and polytrichum are sensitive to climatic change and potential indicators of global warming. Therefore, the development of a baseline assessment and further research are necessary to observe and model changes. Influencing factors in wetland ecology include slope, aspect, biologically rich and diverse vegetation associations, micro-topography, hydrology, underlying soils, and geology. Three uniquely independent study sites have been established along a single transect of the Yellow Creek stream terraces, in Tucker County, West Virginia. …

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Computer Simulation For Feature Extraction In Pattern Recognition And Geobiophysical Modeling In Mountaineous Wetland Delineation, Natalie Ripsher Jan 2000

Computer Simulation For Feature Extraction In Pattern Recognition And Geobiophysical Modeling In Mountaineous Wetland Delineation, Natalie Ripsher

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Delineation of wetlands is an important aspect of protecting of these ecologically diverse and biocomplex habitats. Selected image-processing techniques are applied to remotely sensed imagery of Canaan Valley, in order to determine the best method of extracting wetland features for habitat delineation. Remotely sensed data from April 1997 and September 1999 were compared to determine the accuracy of feature extraction, and the effect of seasonal and long term climate change on wetland delineation. Pattern recognition for feature extraction was used to identify vegetation associations and changes in habitats. Computer simulation of the infrared band was performed using ER Mapper so …

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Habitat Utilization Of Fish Species On The Ohio River: Preliminary Development Of A Multi-Metric Habitat Index, James P. Hawkes Jan 2000

Habitat Utilization Of Fish Species On The Ohio River: Preliminary Development Of A Multi-Metric Habitat Index, James P. Hawkes

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Development of a habitat index requires an understanding of the longitudinal distribution of habitat, fish assemblages, and how the two interact. Because of the complexity and size of the Ohio River, this understanding has not been reached. Habitat analysis has long been considered, and is essential, in assigning impaired and reference condition of habitat quality. The Ohio River is diverse in the distribution of its habitat within pool and river-wide. An Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze these distributions. Within pool assessment of % habitat composition revealed woody cover and vegetation types were significantly greater in the lowest …

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The Life History Of The Cave Salamander, Eurycea Lucifuga Rafinesque, In West Virginia, Andrew James Longenecker Jan 2000

The Life History Of The Cave Salamander, Eurycea Lucifuga Rafinesque, In West Virginia, Andrew James Longenecker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In West Virginia, as throughout its range, there is limited information about the life history of the cave salamander (Eurycea lucifuga). The purpose of this study was to describe the natural history of this species in West Virginia. The objectives of this study were to determine habitat selection of the cave salamander, to ascertain its environmental characteristics, and to study its reproductive and non-reproductive biology. Three study caves were located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. All sites were examined at least once each month from May 1999 through April 2000. Caves were divided into three zones: entrance, twilight, …

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Ecology And Sympatric Relations Of Crevice Salamanders In Randolph County, West Virginia, Jayme Linn Waldron Jan 2000

Ecology And Sympatric Relations Of Crevice Salamanders In Randolph County, West Virginia, Jayme Linn Waldron

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

By implementing a mark-recapture study, I investigated the ecology of three species of sympatric plethodontid salamanders (Aneides aeneus, Desmognathus ochrophaeus, and Plethodon glutinosus) on rock outcrops in the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest, Randolph County, West Virginia. By examining activity patterns, vertical stratification, and habitat preference for A. aeneus, D. ochrophaeus, and P. glutinosus, I attempted to offer some insight into how these sympatric species avoid competition on small, isolated rock outcrops. Twenty-one surveys, both nocturnal and diurnal, were performed between 11 May and 17 October, 1999. During this time, 89 salamanders, encompassing five species ( …

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Changes Among Ohio River Fish Populations Due To Water Quality Improvements And High-Lift Dams, Benjamin Lowman Jan 2000

Changes Among Ohio River Fish Populations Due To Water Quality Improvements And High-Lift Dams, Benjamin Lowman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Fish populations in the Ohio River have been monitored extensively by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), along with state and Federal agencies, for over 40 years. The population data, collected via lock chamber rotenone surveys, showed that many species of Ohio River fish have demonstrated marked increases in abundance since these studies began. These trends in population density, both gradual and sharp, are likely associated with water quality improvements and the construction of high-lift dams. Pearson-r correlation through linear regression analyses showed 23 species or 42% of populations examined exhibit significant density increases from 1957 to 1998. …

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Comparing Genotypic And Phenotypic Methods For Differentiating Strains Of Escherichia Coli Isolated From The Environment, Lateef Y. Saffore Jan 2000

Comparing Genotypic And Phenotypic Methods For Differentiating Strains Of Escherichia Coli Isolated From The Environment, Lateef Y. Saffore

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, oxidase-negative, lactose fermenting rod belonging to the family Enterohacleriaceae. The enteric bacteria are common inhabitants of animal and human guts, but are not considered to be native to the environment. The presence of E. coli and similar enteric bacteria (coliforms) in surface water or groundwater implies the presence of fecal contamination from human or animal sources. E. coli has been used as an indicator of sewage-contaminated water since the 1930's and some strains are also causative agents of food or waterborne disease (Francy et al., 1993). The severity of disease can vary markedly depending …

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Natural History Of The Marbled Salamander, Ambystoma Opacum (Gravenhorst), In West Virginia, With Special Notes On Reproduction And Larval Development, Jason J. Watkins Jan 1999

Natural History Of The Marbled Salamander, Ambystoma Opacum (Gravenhorst), In West Virginia, With Special Notes On Reproduction And Larval Development, Jason J. Watkins

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study observed a population of Ambystoma opacum in Kanawha State Forest, Kanawha County, five miles south of Charleston, West Virginia. Data were collected from September 1995 to November 1997. Reproductive biology and salamander development were examined. Predation of A. opacum and potential predators were also noted. Like other species in the genus Ambystoma, adult A. opacum are mostly fossorial and rarely seen above ground outside of the breeding season. During the breeding season, adults make their way to the breeding pools. Males ventured to the breeding pool first in early September and ranged in size from 49 to 75mm …

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The Relationship Between Ohio River Bass Tournament Success Rates, Forage Fish Abundance And Environmental Conditions, Jeffrey V. Ginger Jan 1999

The Relationship Between Ohio River Bass Tournament Success Rates, Forage Fish Abundance And Environmental Conditions, Jeffrey V. Ginger

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Due to increasing pressure from Ohio River bass anglers with regard to decreasing catch rates in 1981,1990, and 1997, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) initiated a study of black bass populations. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), in conjunction with state and Federal agencies, has collected population data on Ohio River fishes at lock chambers and has measured various water quality parameters since 1957. That data coupled with Ohio River bass tournament data collected by the DNR since 1975 and other fishery data sets provided a historic look into the variability of angler success. These …

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Ecology And Population Demography Of The Hellbender, Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis, In West Virginia, W. Jeffrey Humphries Jan 1999

Ecology And Population Demography Of The Hellbender, Cryptobranchus Alleganiensis, In West Virginia, W. Jeffrey Humphries

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Using mark-recapture, I studied the population demography and habitat use of the hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, in the West Fork of the Greenbrier River, Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Eighteen nocturnal surveys were conducted between April and October, 1998, during which 29 hellbenders were implanted with permanent tags. Male to female sex ratio was 1.06:1. Hellbenders were sexually dimorphic, as females were significantly longer and heavier than males. Total lengths for all captured animals ranged from 29.5 - 56.5 cm and mass ranged from 150.0 - 905.8 g. Seasonal linear movements for 12 individuals ranged from 0.8 - 70.2 m (mean …

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Food Habits Of Salmo Trutta And Salvelinus Fontinalis (Pisces: Salmonidae) In Relation To Seasonal Changes And Mitigative Liming Effects In Dogway Fork Of The Cranberry River, West Virginia., Jason A. Morgan Jan 1999

Food Habits Of Salmo Trutta And Salvelinus Fontinalis (Pisces: Salmonidae) In Relation To Seasonal Changes And Mitigative Liming Effects In Dogway Fork Of The Cranberry River, West Virginia., Jason A. Morgan

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Dogway Fork, a tributary of the Cranberry River in West Virginia, is acidic due to acid precipitation and poorly buffered soils. This study is part of a long-term investigation involving the effects of continuous limestone neutralization on the fishes and benthos of an acid stream. Prior to treatment in 1988, the stream had a pH of 4.5 and there were no fish present. Since treatment began, the pH of the stream has risen to 6.8. Nine species of fish have been collected and six species have reproduced following the improvement in water quality. Densities of specific acid-sensitive benthic macroinvertebrates have …

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Feeding Niches Of Forest Salamanders: Indirect Effects Of Gypsy Moth Pesticides On Prey Selection And Potential Overlap Between Adults Of Six Species, Sandra Raimondo Jan 1999

Feeding Niches Of Forest Salamanders: Indirect Effects Of Gypsy Moth Pesticides On Prey Selection And Potential Overlap Between Adults Of Six Species, Sandra Raimondo

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Amphibian declines and deformities are indictors of pollution and other environmental impacts. Pesticides, such as Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Bt), may produce non-target effects on salamanders by impacting their food supply, ultimately resulting in population declines. Salamanders were used as an assessment tool of pesticide impacts before populations decline. Diet analysis determined if Bt affected food consumption of two salamander species (Desmognathus ochrophaeus and P. cinereus). Nine plots in the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia were used in this study. Three plots were sprayed with Bt in 1997 and 1998, three were sprayed with a gypsy moth …

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Distribution Of The Sucker Family (Pisces: Catostomidae) In The Ohio River, Tara L. Rose Jan 1999

Distribution Of The Sucker Family (Pisces: Catostomidae) In The Ohio River, Tara L. Rose

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The family Catostomidae represents a major component of the fish fauna in the Ohio River. Because of their abundance, large biomass, and susceptibility to environmentally-induced anomalies, suckers are expected to significantly influence the Ohio River Fish Index (ORFIn), a biological index being developed by the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) for large river systems. To correctly interpret information obtained from ORFIn, the impact of suckers upon the index must be thoroughly understood, including relative importance and uneven spatial distribution of Ohio River suckers. In this study, suckers represented 7.1 percent of the total fish captured and 36.6 percent …

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Ecology And Natural History Of Rana Clamitans Melanota In West Virginia, Alison M. Rogers Jan 1999

Ecology And Natural History Of Rana Clamitans Melanota In West Virginia, Alison M. Rogers

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Fourteen study sites were sampled with aquatic funnel traps and D-frame net sweeps in the plateau and mountain region of West Virginia to determine differences in larval period. Larval stage class abundance and larval total length and mass measurements were recorded from February to December 1997. Larval stage classes 25 and 26, the first free living stages, were absent from the plateau region from February to April, but were present in the mountain region. Pre-transformation larval stages, 40 through 44, were found from May through October, and peaked in July. Significant relationships were found with simple linear regression analysis between …

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Natural History Of The Northern Spring Salamander Gyrinophilus Porphyriticus Porphyriticus At The Westvaco Wildlife And Ecosystem Research Forest In Randolph County, West Virginia, Brian A. Lindley Jan 1999

Natural History Of The Northern Spring Salamander Gyrinophilus Porphyriticus Porphyriticus At The Westvaco Wildlife And Ecosystem Research Forest In Randolph County, West Virginia, Brian A. Lindley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis research was to study the natural history of the northern spring salamander Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus in West Virginia. The objectives of this study were to determine the environmental characteristics of the habitat of Gyrinophilus p. porphyriticus, to determine its reproductive biology, and then examine non-reproductive aspects of the natural history of the species. Study sites were located at the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest (WWERF) in Randolph County, West Virginia. Four sites on three streams were divided into two 25m transects. All sites were examined once each month from August 1997 through November 1998 …

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