Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Phylotranscriptomics To Bring The Understudied Into The Fold: Monophyletic Ostracoda, Fossil Placement, And Pancrustacean Phylogeny, Todd H. Oakley, Joanna M. Wolfe, Annie R. Lindgren, Alexander K. Zaharoff

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

An ambitious, yet fundamental goal for comparative biology is to understand the evolutionary relationships for all of life. However, many important taxonomic groups have remained recalcitrant to inclusion into broader scale studies. Here, we focus on collection of 9 new 454 transcriptome data sets from Ostracoda, an ancient and diverse group with a dense fossil record, which is often undersampled in broader studies. We combine the new transcriptomes with a new morphological matrix (including fossils) and existing expressed sequence tag, mitochondrial genome, nuclear genome, and ribosomal DNA data. Our analyses lead to new insights into ostracod and pancrustacean phylogeny. We …

The Breeding Biology Of The Northern Pygmy Owl: Do The Smallest Of The Small Have An Advantage?, John F. Deshler, Michael T. Murphy

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We explored the breeding biology of the Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma) from 2007 to 2009 in a forested reserve in Portland, Oregon. Large body size is often assumed to give animals reproductive advantages, and we tested whether body size affected timing of breeding and examined variation in diet, breeding date, clutch size, and reproductive success to explore whether the presumed benefits of large body size are evident in this species. The average size of 13 clutches was 5.8, and nest success was high (92%); 22 successful nests fledged an average of 5.2 young. Dates of first laying varied …

Spatio-Temporal Differentiation And Sociality In Spiders, Jessica Purcell, João Vasconcellos-Neto, Jeffrey Alan Fletcher, Marcelo O. Gonzaga, Leticia Avilés

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Species that differ in their social system, and thus in traits such as group size and dispersal timing, may differ in their use of resources along spatial, temporal, or dietary dimensions. The role of sociality in creating differences in habitat use is best explored by studying closely related species or socially polymorphic species that differ in their social system, but share a common environment. Here we investigate whether five sympatric Anelosimus spider species that range from nearly solitary to highly social differ in their use of space and in their phenology as a function of their social system. By studying …

Links From Mantle To Microbe At The Lau Integrated Study Site: Insights From A Back-Arc Spreading Center, Margaret K. Tivey, Erin Becker, Roxanne Beinart, Charles R. Fisher, Peter Girguis, Charles H. Langmuir, Peter J. Michael, Anna-Louise Reysenbach

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Lau Integrated Study Site (ISS) has provided unique opportunities for study of ridge processes because of its back-arc setting in the southwestern Pacific. Its location allows study of a biogeographical province distinct from those of eastern Pacific and mid-Atlantic ridges, and crustal compositions along the ridge lie outside the range of mid-ocean ridge crustal compositions. The Lau ISS is located above a subduction zone, at an oblique angle. The underlying mantle receives water and other elements derived from the downgoing lithospheric slab, with an increase in slab influence from north to south. Water lowers the mantle melting temperature and …

Where Is The Rain-On-Snow Zone In The West-Central Washington Cascades?: Monte Carlo Simulation Of Large Storms In The Northwest, Matthew John Brunengo

Dissertations and Theses

Rain-on-snow (ROS) occurs when warm, wet air moves into latitudes and/or elevations having vulnerable snowpacks, where it can alter water inputs to infiltration, runoff and erosion. The Pacific Northwest is particularly susceptible: winter storms off the Pacific cause locally heavy rain plus snowmelt almost annually, and disastrous flooding and landsliding intermittently. In maritime mountainous terrain, the effects seem more likely and hydrologically important where warm rains and seasonal snowpacks are liable to coincide, in middle elevations. Several questions arise: (1) In the PNW, does ROS affect the long-term frequency and magnitude of water delivery to the ground, versus total precipitation …

Relative Heart Ventricle Mass And Cardiac Performance In Amphibians, Gregory Joseph Kluthe

Dissertations and Theses

This study used an in situ heart preparation to analyze the power and work of spontaneously beating hearts of four anurans (R. marina, L. catesbeianus, X. laevis, P. edulis) and three urodeles (N. maculosus, A. tigrinum, A. tridactylum) in order to elucidate the meaning of relative ventricle mass (RVM) in terms of specific cardiac performance variables. This study also tests two hypotheses: 1) the ventricles of terrestrial species (R. marina, P. edulis, A. tigrinum) of amphibians are capable of greater maximum power outputs (P_max) compared to aquatic species (X. laevis, A. tridactylum, N. maculosus, L. catesbeianus) and, 2) …

Post-Occupancy Evaluation At The Zoo: Behavioral And Hormonal Indicators Of Welfare In Orangutans (Pongo Pygmaeus Abelii), Leigha Tingey

Dissertations and Theses

An increased understanding of species-specific behavioral needs has lead zoos to focus on providing more naturalistic and stimulating environments. Scientific assessments of how changes in habitat affect animal behavior are necessary in improving overall animal welfare. This study examined the move of three orangutans housed at the Oregon Zoo into a new and innovative exhibit. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE), which offers systematic information regarding the success or failure of the built environment (Maple & Finlay, 1987), was utilized to effectively evaluate the results of the move. The collection of behavioral data and adrenal activity monitoring through collection of non-invasive saliva, urine …

Greenhouse Gas Fluxes In Southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain Wetlands Under Contrasting Land Uses, Jennifer L. Morse, Marcelo Ardón, Emily S. Bernhardt

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Whether through sea level rise or wetland restoration, agricultural soils in coastal areas will be inundated at increasing rates, renewing connections to sensitive surface waters and raising critical questions about environmental trade-offs. Wetland restoration is often implemented in agricultural catchments to improve water quality through nutrient removal. Yet flooding of soils can also increase production of the greenhouse gases nitrous oxide and methane, representing a potential environmental trade-off. Our study aimed to quantify and compare greenhouse gas emissions from unmanaged and restored forested wetlands, as well as actively managed agricultural fields within the North Carolina coastal plain, USA. In sampling …

Synopsis Of Methods Used To Map Historical Vegetation In Oregon And Washington, Based On General Land Office Survey Notes, John Christy, Edward Alverson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Mapping historical vegetation in Oregon and Washington has been ongoing since about 1993. It is based primarily on General Land Office (GLO) surveyors' descriptions of vegetation, recorded between 1851 and about 1940. For areas along the coast and the lower Columbia River, topographic maps ("T-sheets") of the U.S. Coast Survey (later called U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, and more recently the National Geodetic Survey)—based on field work conducted between 1852 and 1889—have been integrated whenever possible with GLO data because of their superior cartography and land cover symbology. For more detailed descriptions of mapping methods, see Christy and Alverson (2011) …

Limits To Sexual Reproduction In Geothermal Bryophytes, Sarah M. Eppley, Todd N. Rosenstiel, Camille Brianne Graves, Estefanía Llaneza García

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Previous research suggests that while sexual reproduction generally increases with environmental stress it may decrease with extreme stress, at the edge of eukaryotic life. In this study, we explored the limits to sexual reproduction in an extremophile, bryophyte system to ultimately understand the processes that limit sexual reproduction. We used field data from geothermal sites at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, to demonstrate that sexual reproduction, as measured by the number of sporophytes per shoot, decreases with increasing environmental stress. We found that the number of sporophytes per shoot is positively correlated with distance from geothermal features. When Pohlia nutans …

Multiple And Long-Term Effects Of An Introduced Predatory Crab, Catherine E. De Rivera, Edwin D. Grosholz, Gregory M. Ruiz

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite the importance of invasions, few studies have explored their long-term consequences in marine systems or examined multiple types of population-level effects. Initial effects, however, may not persist over longer time frames; effects have been shown to wane in freshwater systems. We combined 14 yr of field surveys (1993 to 2006) with manipulative experiments to examine the potential for multiple effects of a nonindigenous crab Carcinus maenas on the native shore crab Hemigrapsus oregonensis over time in central California. H. oregonensis abundance was negatively correlated with C. maenas abundance. However, H. oregonensis abundance rebounded to pre-invasion levels once C. maenas …

The Aquarium Trade As An Invasion Pathway In The Pacific Northwest, Angela L. Strecker, Philip M. Campbell, Julian D. Olden

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The aquarium trade moves thousands of species around the globe, and unwanted organisms may be released into freshwaters, with adverse ecological and economic effects. We report on the first investigation of the ornamental pet trade as an invasion pathway in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, where a moderate climate and a large human population present ample opportunities for the introduction and establishment of aquarium trade species. Results from a regional survey of pet stores found that the number of fish (n=400) and plant (n=124) species currently in the aquarium trade is vast. Pet stores import thousands of …

Structuring Expert Input For A Knowledge-Based Approach To Watershed Condition Assessment For The Northwest Forest Plan, Usa, Sean N. Gordon, Kirsten Gallo

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

Assessments of watershed condition for aquatic and riparian species often have to rely on expert opinion because of the complexity of establishing statistical relationships among the many factors involved. Such expert-based assessments can be difficult to document and apply consistently over time and space. We describe and reflect on the process of developing a computer-based decision support application from expert judgments for assessing aquatic and riparian conditions over the 100,000 km2 managed by the US federal government under the Northwest Forest Plan. The decision support system helped structure and document the assessment process and provided consistency and transparency to the …

Toward An Integrated History To Guide The Future, Sander Van Der Leeuw, Robert Costanza, Steve Aulenbach, Simon Brewer, Michael Burek, Sarah Cornell, Carole L. Crumley, J. A. Dearing, Catherine Downy, Lisa J. Graumlich, Scott Heckbert, Michelle Hegmon, Kathy A. Hibbard, Stephen T. Jackson, Ida Kubiszewski, Paul Sinclair, Sverker Sörlin, W. L. Steffen

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

Many contemporary societal challenges manifest themselves in the domain of human?environment interactions. There is a growing recognition that responses to these challenges formulated within current disciplinary boundaries, in isolation from their wider contexts, cannot adequately address them. Here, we outline the need for an integrated, transdisciplinary synthesis that allows for a holistic approach, and, above all, a much longer time perspective. We outline both the need for and the fundamental characteristics of what we call ?integrated history.? This approach promises to yield new understandings of the relationship between the past, present, and possible futures of our integrated human?environment system. We …

Natural Variation In Life History And Aging Phenotypes Is Associated With Mitochondrial Dna Deletion Frequency In Caenorhabditis Briggsae, Suzanne Estes, Anna Luella Coleman-Hulbert, Kiley Ann Hicks, Gene De Haan, Sarah R. Martha, Jeremiah B. Knapp, Samson William Smith, Kevin C. Stein, Dee R. Denver

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Mutations that impair mitochondrial functioning are associated with a variety of metabolic and age-related disorders. A barrier to rigorous tests of the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in aging processes has been the lack of model systems with relevant, naturally occurring mitochondrial genetic variation. Toward the goal of developing such a model system, we studied natural variation in life history, metabolic, and aging phenotypes as it relates to levels of a naturally-occurring heteroplasmic mitochondrial ND5 deletion recently discovered to segregate among wild populations of the soil nematode, Caenorhabditis briggsae. The normal product of ND5 is a central component of the …

Accelerated Erosion Of Saltmarshes Infested By The Non-Native Burrowing Crustacean Sphaeroma Quoianum, Timothy Mathias Davidson, Catherine E. De Rivera

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Lateral erosion of saltmarshes is affected by many abiotic and biotic factors. While abiotic factors are typically regarded as primary drivers of erosion, biotic influences such as burrowing or bioturbating taxa can also extensively modify the physical structure of this marine habitat. Many estuaries on the Pacific coast of North America have been invaded by populations of the burrowing non-native isopod Sphaeroma quoianum, which are thought to exacerbate the erosion of saltmarshes. We conducted a mensurative experiment to examine the relationship between populations of S. quoianum and lateral erosion rate of saltmarshes in Coos Bay, Oregon, USA. After 1 …

Making Ecodistricts Concepts And Methods For Advancing Sustainability In Neighborhoods, Ethan Seltzer, Timothy W. Smith, Joseph Cortright, Ellen M. Bassett, Vivek Shandas

Institute for Sustainable Solutions Publications and Presentations

This report is about how developing "EcoDistricts" in Portland can result in more sustainable neighborhoods and a more sustainable city. With generous funding from the Bullitt Foundation in Seattle, we have been able to take a deeper look into core concepts underlying the notion of pursuing citywide sustainability through neighborhood-scale action. The question becomes: What needs to be done to enable communities to self-manage their resource using behavior by creating community-inspired interventions that change relationships between people and between people and place? To answer these questions and to contribute to the emerging practice of EcoDistrict formation and development, what follows …

The Effectiveness Of Vertebrate Passage And Prevention Structures: A Study Of Boeckman Road In Wilsonville, Catherine E. De Rivera, Leslie L. Bliss-Ketchum

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

One of the most obvious impacts roads have on the natural world is direct mortality to individual animals that attempt to cross roads. A less obvious but likely more important impact of roads on many species is habitat fragmentation. The ability for individuals to travel between subpopulations is the key to genetic diversity as well as ultimately the survival of the species. Considering these impacts and management goals to increase habitat connectivity, increased attention has been given to creating road design that reduces wildlife collisions. Most studies, however, have been in other countries or regions and most focus on connectivity …

Complex Interactions Between Regional Dispersal Of Native Taxa And An Invasive Species, Angela L. Strecker, Shelley E. Arnott

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the event of an environmental disturbance, dispersal of native taxa may provide species and genetic diversity to ecosystems, increasing the likelihood that there will be species and genotypes present that are less vulnerable to the disturbance. This may allow communities to maintain functioning during a disturbance and may be particularly important when the perturbation is novel to the system, such as the establishment of an invasive species. We examined how dispersal of native species may influence crustacean zooplankton communities in freshwater lakes invaded by the invertebrate predator, Bythotrephes longimanus. Using large enclosures, we experimentally tested the effect of …

Selection Ratios On Community Aggregated Traits To Estimate Ecological Filters Imposed On Species By Sites, Nathanael I. Lichti, Michael T. Murphy

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Variation in community structure is mediated by interactions between species traits and a site's environmental characteristics. Previously, data on community composition at sites has been employed to correlate trait and environmental variables (e.g., RLQ analysis) and to predict community-level expression of quantitative traits (i.e., community aggregated traits). Here, we demonstrate that the selection ratio, a method originating in animal resource selection studies, can estimate the ecological filters that site conditions impose on species traits by combining observed community aggregated traits with null models of species availability. This flexible, nonparametric approach expresses the filter at each site as a probability density …

The Complexity-Independence Of The Origin Of Life, Radu Popa

Systems Science Friday Noon Seminar Series

It is often stated that the macroevolution of life is driven toward increased Complexity, and indeed, biosystems situated at higher evolutionary level show higher levels of Complexity. Yet, evidence also shows that some dynamic systems evolve toward lower entropy states, and not by increasing Complexity, but by increasing Organization. Organization is a parameter with two almost orthogonal components: Order and Complexity. Hence, it is possible for a dynamic system to experience changes in Organization in ways that do not elicit changes in Complexity. Whether Order or Complexity controls changes in Organization is dictated by the capacity of a system to …

Similarity Of Nutrient Uptake And Root Dimensions Of Engelmann Spruce And Subalpine Fir At Two Contrasting Sites In Colorado, Melissa S. Lucash, Ruth D. Yanai, Karis J. Mcfarlane, Sarah E. Kulpa, Dustin M. Wood

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Nutrient uptake capacity is an important parameter in modeling nutrient uptake by plants. Researchers commonly assume that uptake capacity measured for a species can be used across sites. We tested this assumption by measuring the nutrient uptake capacity of intact roots of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni Parry) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) at Loch Vale Watershed and Fraser Experimental Forest in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. Roots still attached to the tree were exposed to one of three concentrations of nutrient solutions for time periods ranging from 1 to 96h, and solutions were analyzed for ammonium, …

Northern Range Expansion And Coastal Occurrences Of The New Zealand Mud Snail Potamopyrgus Antipodarum (Gray, 1843) In The Northeast Pacific, Timothy Mathias Davidson, Valance E. F. Brenneis, Catherine E. De Rivera, Robyn Draheim, Graham E. Gillespie

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) is a common invasive species in fresh and brackish water ecosystems in Europe, Australia, Japan, and North America. In some invaded habitats, P. antipodarum can reach high densities (over 500,000 snails m^-2) and dominate the biomass of the benthos, leading to detrimental impacts to native biota and changes in ecosystem dynamics. We report the previously unpublished occurrence of P. antipodarum in thirteen fresh and brackish water systems adjacent to the Pacific coast of North America including a new northern range for P. antipodarum: Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, British …

Dispersal Limitation And Climate-Related Environmental Gradients Structure Microcrustacean Composition In Freshwater Lakes, Ellesmere Island, Canada, Angela L. Strecker, Rebecca Milne, Shelley E. Arnott

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Dramatic environmental change is expected in the Arctic, yet little is known about the occurrence and community composition of microcrustaceans in Arctic lakes and how this will be influenced by future environmental change. We sampled and calculated relative abundances of microcrustacean species in 54 lakes on Ellesmere Island, Canada. New species records on Ellesmere Island included Daphnia umbra, Tachidius discipes, and Artemeopsis stefanssoni. Daphnia middendorffiana/tenebrosa was the most common taxon and often dominated microcrustacean assemblages, likely a result of its pigmentation, which offers resistance to ultraviolet radiation. Species richness was positively associated with nutrients, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), temperature, calcium, …

Green Crab Control: A Removal Effort In A Shallow Central California Estuary, Amy A. Larson, C. E. De Rivera, G. M. Ruiz, E. D. Grosholz, Mark D. Sytsma

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Goal: To test the feasibility and effects of locally removing a well-established population of a marine organism with pelagic larvae. Removal of adult European green crabs (Carcinus maenas) from Bodega Harbor as a model system to develop and inform management options for eradication, rapid response, and control of marine invaders.

Invasive Predator, Bythotrephes, Has Varied Effects On Ecosystem Function In Freshwater Lakes, Angela L. Strecker, Shelley E. Arnott

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bythotrephes longimanus is an invertebrate predator that has invaded the North American Great Lakes and a number of inland lakes, where it preys on crustacean zooplankton. We examined the effect of Bythotrephes on two measures of ecosystem function during a four month observational study of freshwater lakes on the boreal shield. Bythotrephes-invaded lakes had significantly lower epilimnetic zooplankton abundance and production compared to reference lakes. On average, Bythotrephes consumed 34% ofzooplankton production when it was present in lakes. There was some evidence of changes in the timing of zooplankton production, as well as shifts to cooler, less productive habitats, which …

Rapid Assessment Of 2008-2012 Highway Development Projects In Region 6: Threats And Opportunities To Terrestrial Wildlife Resources, Sandra L. Jacobson, Catherine E. De Rivera, Kathleen Armstrong, Rebecca Aaby, Nadia Jones

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Summaries of Highway Development Projects in Region 6 National Forests.

This document contains a summary of higher complexity projects selected for their interest to line officers and resource managers. These projects represent not only the current Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) projects but also a sample of the types of projects that will be on future STIPs. Thus, readers are urged to glance at the tracking tools and narratives for all forests to gain a quick glimpse of the types of projects potentially facing each forest. The summary has extracted brief information on project locations and types, the program year …

Green Crab Management: Reduction Of A Marine Invasive Population, Catherine E. De Rivera, Edwin D. Grosholz, Greg Ruiz, Amy A. Larson, Rebecca L. Kordas, Mark Sytsma

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

The overall goal of this study is to develop and demonstrate the capacity for local eradication of adult Carcinus maenas, European green crabs. This represents a conceptual shift in development of management options to address established invasions in marine systems, extending and exploring the application of terrestrial successes in this area. Specifically, this project tests the effects of removing green crabs from Bodega Harbor on the green crab population and on native shore crabs eaten by green crabs.

Lifetime Reproductive Success Of Female Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus Tyrannus): Influence Of Lifespan, Nest Predation And Body Size, Michael T. Murphy

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

I report on the lifetime reproductive success (LRS) of female Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) in central New York. I investigated the major correlates of LRS and specifi cally tested the hypothesis that small body size yields reproductive benefi ts. Lifetime reproductive success varied widely: 15–20% of females failed to fledge young over their life, whereas 50% of young were fledged by 20% of females. Female lifespan varied between one and eight years, and females that died after one breeding season tended to be smaller-bodied than long-lived females (≥2 seasons). I therefore conducted analyses of LRS for the entire sample and …

Spiders Fluoresce Variably Across Many Taxa, Kindra Andrews, Scott M. Reed, Susan E. Masta

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The evolution of fluorescence is largely unexplored, despite the newfound occurrence of this phenomenon in a variety of organisms. We document that spiders fluoresce under ultraviolet illumination, and find that the expression of this trait varies greatly among taxa in this species-rich group. All spiders we examined possess fluorophores in their haemolymph, but bright fluorescence appears to result when a spider sequesters fluorophores in its setae or cuticle. By sampling widely across spider taxa, we determine that fluorescent expression is labile and has evolved multiple times. Moreover, examination of the excitation and emission properties of extracted fluorophores reveals that spiders …