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2015

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Articles 511 - 540 of 777

Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Fawn Risk From Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) Predation During Summer, L. David Mech, Aaron Morris, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer Jan 2015

White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Fawn Risk From Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) Predation During Summer, L. David Mech, Aaron Morris, Shannon M. Barber-Meyer

United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center: Publications

Little is known about how often various prey animals are at risk of predation by Gray Wolves (Canis lupus). We used a system to monitor the presence during the day of two radio-collared Gray Wolves within 2 km of a radio-collared White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with a fawn or fawns in August 2013 in the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota. We concluded that the fawn or fawns were at risk of predation by at least one wolf at least daily.

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Heterozygosity For A Hypomorphic Polβ Mutation Reduces The Expansion Frequency In A Mouse Model Of The Fragile X-Related Disorders, Rachel Adihe Lokanga, Ali Senejani, Joann B. Sweasy, Karen Usdin Jan 2015

Heterozygosity For A Hypomorphic Polβ Mutation Reduces The Expansion Frequency In A Mouse Model Of The Fragile X-Related Disorders, Rachel Adihe Lokanga, Ali Senejani, Joann B. Sweasy, Karen Usdin

Biology and Environmental Science Faculty Publications

The Fragile X-related disorders (FXDs) are members of the Repeat Expansion Diseases, a group of human genetic conditions resulting from expansion of a specific tandem repeat. The FXDs result from expansion of a CGG/CCG repeat tract in the 5’ UTR of the FMR1 gene. While expansion in a FXD mouse model is known to require some mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, our previous work and work in mouse models of another Repeat Expansion Disease show that early events in the base excision repair (BER) pathway play a role in the expansion process. One model for repeat expansion proposes that a non-canonical …

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Algal Toxins In The Food Chain – A Comparative Study Of Chesapeake Bay And Baltic Coastal Food Webs, Spencer Tassone, Jūratė Lesutienė, Zita Gasiūnaitė, Linas Ložys, Renata Pilkaitytė, Žilvinas Pūtys, Paul A. Bukaveckas Jan 2015

Algal Toxins In The Food Chain – A Comparative Study Of Chesapeake Bay And Baltic Coastal Food Webs, Spencer Tassone, Jūratė Lesutienė, Zita Gasiūnaitė, Linas Ložys, Renata Pilkaitytė, Žilvinas Pūtys, Paul A. Bukaveckas

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Microcystin (MC) is a hepatotoxin produced by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) which is found globally in eutrophic waters including lakes, lagoons and estuaries (Paerl and Paul 2012). The presence of MC in food webs is of concern due to adverse effects on biota and exposure to humans via commercial and recreational fisheries (Paerl and Otten 2013). Little is known regarding the factors which determine MC accumulation in food webs. We hypothesized that dietary exposure would be determined in part by sources of organic matter supporting the food web. We undertook a comparative study of the James River Estuary, a sub-estuary of …

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A Fistful Of Polemoniaceae: New Names And Combinations, J. Mark Porter, Robert W. Patterson Jan 2015

A Fistful Of Polemoniaceae: New Names And Combinations, J. Mark Porter, Robert W. Patterson

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

New taxa, names, and combinations are provided for five genera in Polemoniaceae: Dayia, Giliastrum, Leptosiphon, Linanthus, and Loeselia. Combinations include the transfer to Dayia of two species formerly included in Ipomopsis and one in Bryantiella (Dayia glutinosa, D. havardii, and D. sonorae), as well as the return of Giliastrum stewartii to species rank. A new name is offered for Linanthus aureus when transferred into Leptosiphon: Leptosiphon chrysanthus and its subspecies, L. chrysanthus subsp. decorus. New combinations for infraspecific taxa are made available for Linanthus californicus (subspp. glandulosus and tomentosus …

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Habituation To Auditory Stimuli By Captive African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Sarah Elizabeth Goodyear, Bruce A. Schulte Jan 2015

Habituation To Auditory Stimuli By Captive African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Sarah Elizabeth Goodyear, Bruce A. Schulte

Biology Faculty Publications

Habituation is a major concern for the development of effective, long-term human-wildlife conflict mitigation and zoo enrichment programs. Elephants are cognitive species that exhibit many types of learning, such as associative, social, and insight learning. However, no study has examined the habituation process in elephants. Elephants possess a well-developed sensory system and may habituate to stimuli that could be used for enrichment and/or management. The aim of this study was to examine their habituation process in response to repeated presentations of two auditory stimuli: buzzing by a disturbed beehive and the sound created by banging on pots and pans, and …

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Is Colorado Buddhism Green? A Study Of The Interaction Of Buddhist Practice With Environmental Concerns, Mengye Liu Jan 2015

Is Colorado Buddhism Green? A Study Of The Interaction Of Buddhist Practice With Environmental Concerns, Mengye Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The human community is paying more attention to our growing environmental crisis. Religious beliefs are often proposed as effective ways to address environmental ethics. It is often supposed that Buddhism is a "green" religion because of its intimate associations with nature. My research focuses on whether or not Buddhism in Colorado influences Buddhist practitioners' environmental awareness by identifying and evaluating Buddhist ecological attitudes and values. My research questions include: (1) what aspects of Buddhist practice refer to the elements of natural environment, (2) do Buddhist practitioners profess different attitudes and behaviors than non-Buddhist practitioners, and (3) If so, how does …

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Limited Role Of Functional Differentiation In Early Diversification Of Animals, Matthew L. Knope, N A. Heim, L O. Frishkoff, J L. Payne Jan 2015

Limited Role Of Functional Differentiation In Early Diversification Of Animals, Matthew L. Knope, N A. Heim, L O. Frishkoff, J L. Payne

Biology Faculty Publications

The origin of most animal phyla and classes during the Cambrian explosion has been hypothesized to represent an ‘early burst’ of evolutionary exploration of functional ecological possibilities. However, the ecological history of marine animals has yet to be fully quantified, preventing an assessment of the early-burst model for functional ecology. Here we use ecological assignments for 18,621 marine animal genera to assess the relative timing of functional differentiation versus taxonomic diversification from the Cambrian to the present day. We find that functional diversity increased more slowly than would be expected given the history of taxonomic diversity. Contrary to previous inferences …

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Microhabitat Conditions Influence Mesohabitat Associations And Distribution Of Larval Salamanders In Headwater Streams, J. M. Yeiser, Stephen C. Richter Jan 2015

Microhabitat Conditions Influence Mesohabitat Associations And Distribution Of Larval Salamanders In Headwater Streams, J. M. Yeiser, Stephen C. Richter

Biological Sciences Faculty and Staff Research

Distribution patterns of stream biota are the result of complex interactions between individuals and their surrounding environment. Determining the spatial scale by which an organism is most influenced is paramount to understanding distribution patterns. Using a multi-scale approach, we investigated factors influencing habitat associations of larval Ambystoma barbouri (streamside salamander) and Eurycea cirrigera (southern two-lined salamander) in three Kentucky headwater streams. We used likelihood ratio G tests to identify associations between species and mesohabitat (i.e., runs, riffles, and pools), and we used microhabitat variables to predict the presence and abundance of salamanders via a priori multiple regression modeling. Ambystoma barbouri …

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Changes In Plant Species Composition And Structure In Two Peri-Urban Nature Preserves Over 10 Years, Rebecca W. Dolan, Jessica D. Stepens, Marcia E. Moore Jan 2015

Changes In Plant Species Composition And Structure In Two Peri-Urban Nature Preserves Over 10 Years, Rebecca W. Dolan, Jessica D. Stepens, Marcia E. Moore

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Peri-urban natural areas, at the boundaries of cities and adjacent agricultural/rural land, are subject to ecological threats endemic to both land use types. We used permanent plots to document changes in habitat quality by monitoring herbaceous-layer plant species presence and cover over a decade (1996/97 and 2007) in two peri-urban nature preserves in central Indiana, U.S.A. The preserves are comprised of different forest community types: wet-mesic depressional forest and mesic upland forest. Habitat characteristics, based on Floristic Quality Assessment parameters, showed only a single change for either preserve between survey years: wetness values were lower in the wet-mesic depressional site …

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Temporal Comparisons On The Genetic Variation Of The Dusky Gopher Frog (Lithobates Sevosus), Kristin Michelle Hinkson Jan 2015

Temporal Comparisons On The Genetic Variation Of The Dusky Gopher Frog (Lithobates Sevosus), Kristin Michelle Hinkson

Online Theses and Dissertations

Monitoring temporal changes in genetic diversity within populations can provide vital information on future viability. The dusky gopher frog, Lithobates sevosus, exists in isolation with an estimated population size of 100-200 individuals, and previous research has shown that low genetic variability exists as a consequence of isolation and population size reduction. However, the temporal changes in genetic variation are not known. Therefore, my objectives were to (1) determine temporal trends in population genetic variation and implications for long-term viability of L. sevosus and (2) estimate effective population size. To accomplish these objectives, egg samples collected from 1997 to 2014 were …

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An Evolutionary Perspective On Human Cross-Sensitivity To Tree Nut And Seed Allergens, Amanda E. Fisher, Annalise M. Nawrocki Jan 2015

An Evolutionary Perspective On Human Cross-Sensitivity To Tree Nut And Seed Allergens, Amanda E. Fisher, Annalise M. Nawrocki

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Tree nut allergies are some of the most common and serious allergies in the United States. Patients who are sensitive to nuts or to seeds commonly called nuts are advised to avoid consuming a variety of different species, even though these may be distantly related in terms of their evolutionary history. This is because studies in the literature report that patients often display sensitivity to multiple nut species (cross-sensitivity) if they have an existing nut allergy. These reports suggest that cross-sensitivity in patients with nut allergies may be caused by an IgE antibody reacting with epitopes present in the seed …

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Rarity In Astragalus: A California Perspective, Philip W. Rundel, Thomas R. Huggins, Barry A. Prigge, M. Rasoul Sharifi Jan 2015

Rarity In Astragalus: A California Perspective, Philip W. Rundel, Thomas R. Huggins, Barry A. Prigge, M. Rasoul Sharifi

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Astragalus (Fabaceae), the largest genus of plants in the world with an estimated 3270 species, is known for large numbers of rare endemic species. An inventory of patterns of climatic, topographic, and edaphic diversity of Astragalus taxa in California (98 native species and 144 named taxa) provides a means to understand the occurrence of rarity in relation to climatic equitability and regional species richness of congeneric taxa. Most taxa in the genus have relatively small ranges of distribution, with 50% restricted geographically to a single Jepson Bioregion. The California Native Plant Society lists 51 Astragalus taxa (35% of the native …

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Research Notes On Bayside And Jacoby Creek, Susie Van Kirk Jan 2015

Research Notes On Bayside And Jacoby Creek, Susie Van Kirk

Susie Van Kirk Papers

Newspaper references on Bayside and Jacoby Creek from the Humboldt Times, Arcata Union, Blue Lake Advocate and more. Bulk dates cover 1860-1930.

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Role Of Low Exposure To Metals As Male Reproductive Toxicants, H. Anna Jeng, Yeou-Lih Huang, Chih-Hong Pan, Norou Diawara Jan 2015

Role Of Low Exposure To Metals As Male Reproductive Toxicants, H. Anna Jeng, Yeou-Lih Huang, Chih-Hong Pan, Norou Diawara

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The objective of the study was to examine the associations between environmentally relevant low metal concentrations and semen quality parameters in men. The concentrations of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), and lead (Pb) in the seminal plasma and urine were measured from 196 male human subjects in Taiwan. Urinary Cd concentrations were negatively associated with sperm viability (p=0.006). Seminal plasma Cu concentrations of the normal group (>= 15 x 10(6)/ml) were significantly lower than those of the abnormal group (p=0.023). However, the linear regression analysis showed a weak association between Cu concentration and sperm …

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Comparative Evolutionary Diversity And Phylogenetic Structure Across Multiple Forest Dynamics Plots: A Mega-Phylogeny Approach, D. L. Erickson, F. A. Jones, N. G. Swenson, N. Pei, N. Bourg, W. Chen, S. J. Davies, X. Ge, Z. Hao, R. W. Howe, C. L. Huang, A. Larson, S. Lum, James A. Lutz, K. Ma, M. Meegaskumbura, X. Mi, J. D. Parker Jan 2015

Comparative Evolutionary Diversity And Phylogenetic Structure Across Multiple Forest Dynamics Plots: A Mega-Phylogeny Approach, D. L. Erickson, F. A. Jones, N. G. Swenson, N. Pei, N. Bourg, W. Chen, S. J. Davies, X. Ge, Z. Hao, R. W. Howe, C. L. Huang, A. Larson, S. Lum, James A. Lutz, K. Ma, M. Meegaskumbura, X. Mi, J. D. Parker

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Forest dynamics plots, which now span longitudes, latitudes, and habitat types across the globe, offer unparalleled insights into the ecological and evolutionary processes that determine how species are assembled into communities. Understanding phylogenetic relationships among species in a community has become an important component of assessing assembly processes. However, the application of evolutionary information to questions in community ecology has been limited in large part by the lack of accurate estimates of phylogenetic relationships among individual species found within communities, and is particularly limiting in comparisons between communities. Therefore, streamlining and maximizing the information content of these community phylogenies is …

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The Role Of Cognition In Sexual Signals And Mate Choice Decisions, Ross Minter Jan 2015

The Role Of Cognition In Sexual Signals And Mate Choice Decisions, Ross Minter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cognitive ability varies dramatically among individuals, yet the manner in which this variation affects reproduction has rarely been investigated. Here, we asked 1) whether male sexual signals reflect cognitive ability and whether females prefer males with superior cognitive abilities, and 2) whether female cognition affects male and female mating decisions? We addressed these questions in a mutual mate choice system, threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We tested cognitive performance by presenting the males and females with a novel task (a barrier to food) to evaluate problem-solving abilities and learning. We found that males that problem solve have elaborate sexual …

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Factors Affecting The Spatial Distribution Of Oviposition Sites For Tandem Black Saddlebags Dragonflies (Odonata: Libellulidae), Jessica Thornton, Paul Switzer Jan 2015

Factors Affecting The Spatial Distribution Of Oviposition Sites For Tandem Black Saddlebags Dragonflies (Odonata: Libellulidae), Jessica Thornton, Paul Switzer

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Oviposition site location may be affected by (1) factors influencing the costs and benefits to the offspring (e.g., resource availability, competition, predation risk) and (2) factors influencing the costs and benefits to the female (e.g., predation risk or mate ha- rassment). In cases in which both the male and female are involved in locating a site, costs and benefits may differ for each parent and the resulting oviposition site location may represent the outcome of selection pressures on one or both of them. We studied oviposi- tion behavior in the black saddlebags dragonfly (Tramea lacerata Hagen), a species in which …

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The Impacts Of Climate Change Mitigation Strategies On Animal Welfare, Sara Shields, Geoffrey Orme-Evans Jan 2015

The Impacts Of Climate Change Mitigation Strategies On Animal Welfare, Sara Shields, Geoffrey Orme-Evans

Animal Welfare Collection

The objective of this review is to point out that the global dialog on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in animal agriculture has, thus far, not adequately considered animal welfare in proposed climate change mitigation strategies. Many suggested approaches for reducing emissions, most of which could generally be described as calls for the intensification of production, can have substantial effects on the animals. Given the growing world-wide awareness and concern for animal welfare, many of these approaches are not socially sustainable. This review identifies the main emission abatement strategies in the climate change literature that would negatively affect animal welfare and …

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The Sensitivity Of Qba Assessments Of Sheep Behavioural Expression To Variations In Visual Or Verbal Information Provided To Observers, P. A. Fleming, S. L. Wickham, C. A. Stockman, E. Verbeek, L. Matthews, F. Wemelsfelder Jan 2015

The Sensitivity Of Qba Assessments Of Sheep Behavioural Expression To Variations In Visual Or Verbal Information Provided To Observers, P. A. Fleming, S. L. Wickham, C. A. Stockman, E. Verbeek, L. Matthews, F. Wemelsfelder

Sentience Collection

Qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) is based on observers’ ability to capture the dynamic complexity of an animal’s demeanour as it interacts with the environment, in terms such as tense, anxious or relaxed. Sensitivity to context is part of QBA’s integrative capacity and discriminatory power; however, when not properly managed it can also be a source of undesirable variability and bias. This study investigated the sensitivity of QBA to variations in the visual or verbal information provided to observers, using free-choice profiling (FCP) methodology. FCP allows observers to generate their own descriptive terms for animal demeanour, against which each animal’s expressions …

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The Use Of Judgement Bias To Assess Welfare In Farm Livestock, L. Baciadonna, A. G. Mcelligott Jan 2015

The Use Of Judgement Bias To Assess Welfare In Farm Livestock, L. Baciadonna, A. G. Mcelligott

Sentience Collection

The development of accurate measures of animal emotions is important for improving and promoting animal welfare. Cognitive bias indicates the effect of emotional states on cognitive processes, such as memory, attention, and judgement. Cognitive bias tests complement existing behavioural and physiological measures for assessing the valence of animal emotions indirectly. The judgement bias test has been used to assess emotional states in non-human animals; mainly in laboratory settings. The aim of this review is to summarise the findings on the use of the judgement bias test approach in assessing emotions in non-human animals, focusing in particular on farm livestock. The …

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Compassion As A Practical And Evolved Ethic For Conservation, David Ramp, Marc Bekoff Jan 2015

Compassion As A Practical And Evolved Ethic For Conservation, David Ramp, Marc Bekoff

Conservation Collection

The ethical position underpinning decisionmaking is an important concern for conservation biologists when setting priorities for interventions. The recent debate on how best to protect nature has centered on contrasting intrinsic and aesthetic values against utilitarian and economic values, driven by an inevitable global rise in conservation conflicts. These discussions have primarily been targeted at species and ecosystems for success, without explicitly expressing concern for the intrinsic value and welfare of individual animals. In part, this is because animal welfare has historically been thought of as an impediment to conservation. However, practical implementations of conservation that provide good welfare outcomes …

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Maintaining Ethical Standards During Conservation Crises, Ryan K. Brook, Mark Cattet, Chris T. Darimont, Paul C. Paquet, Gilbert Proulx Jan 2015

Maintaining Ethical Standards During Conservation Crises, Ryan K. Brook, Mark Cattet, Chris T. Darimont, Paul C. Paquet, Gilbert Proulx

Ethics and Conservation Biology Collection

Many species at risk in Canada and globally are at or approaching a crisis, especially where little or nothing consequential is being done to prevent extirpation. Such is the case of endangered boreal caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in southern Alberta, Canada. Expedient but inadequate emergency ‘fixes’ have been experimentally implemented to arrest their decline and potential extirpation, but use of these measures raises important ethical problems. In their study of the effects of killing wolves (Canis lupus) on the Little Smoky woodland caribou population, Hervieux et al. (2014a) employed lethal methods that included shooting a firearm from a helicopter and …

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Updated Marine Mammal Distribution And Abundance Estimates In British Columbia, Benjamin D. Best, Caroline H. Fox, Rob Williams, Patrick H. Halpin, Paul C. Paquet Jan 2015

Updated Marine Mammal Distribution And Abundance Estimates In British Columbia, Benjamin D. Best, Caroline H. Fox, Rob Williams, Patrick H. Halpin, Paul C. Paquet

Population Distribution and Habitat Collection

Information relating to the distribution and abundance of species is critical for effective conservation and management. For many species, including cetacean species of conservation concern, abundance estimates are lacking, out of date and/or highly uncertain. Systematic, line-transect marine mammal surveys were conducted in British Columbia’s (BC) coastal waters over multiple years and seasons (summer 2004, 2005, 2008, and spring/autumn 2007). In total, 10,057km of transects were surveyed in an 83,547km2 study area. Abundance estimates were calculated using two different methods: Conventional Distance Sampling (CDS) and Density Surface Modelling (DSM). CDS generates a single density estimate for each stratum, whereas DSM …

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Exploring The Association Between Morgellons Disease And Lyme Disease: Identification Of Borrelia Burgdorferi In Morgellons Disease Patients, Marianne J. Middelveen, Cheryl Bandoski, Jennie Burke, Eva Sapi, Katherine Filush, Yean Wang, Agustin Franco, Peter J. Mayne, Raphael B. Stricker Jan 2015

Exploring The Association Between Morgellons Disease And Lyme Disease: Identification Of Borrelia Burgdorferi In Morgellons Disease Patients, Marianne J. Middelveen, Cheryl Bandoski, Jennie Burke, Eva Sapi, Katherine Filush, Yean Wang, Agustin Franco, Peter J. Mayne, Raphael B. Stricker

Biology and Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Morgellons disease (MD) is a complex skin disorder characterized by ulcerating lesions that have protruding or embedded filaments. Many clinicians refer to this condition as delusional parasitosis or delusional infestation and consider the filaments to be introduced textile fibers. In contrast, recent studies indicate that MD is a true somatic illness associated with tickborne infection, that the filaments are keratin and collagen in composition and that they result from proliferation and activation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts in the skin. Previously, spirochetes have been detected in the dermatological specimens from four MD patients, thus providing evidence of an infectious process. Methods …

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A Baseline Study Of Edaphic Characteristics, Vegetation Structure, And Recruitment Of Native Baldcypress (Taxodium Distichum (L). Rich. Var. Distichum) In The Newly Restored Wetland Of The Vcu Rice Rivers Center, Melissa J. Davis, Matthew S. Schibner Jan 2015

A Baseline Study Of Edaphic Characteristics, Vegetation Structure, And Recruitment Of Native Baldcypress (Taxodium Distichum (L). Rich. Var. Distichum) In The Newly Restored Wetland Of The Vcu Rice Rivers Center, Melissa J. Davis, Matthew S. Schibner

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

In theory, the ideal of ecological restoration is to reestablish a completely functioning ecosystem, however restoration success is often elusive (Stanturf et al. 2001). There is a significant gap in the current research on the impacts of restoration management of restored wetlands on ecosystem functions, especially biogeochemical cycling (Bernal & Mitsch 2013). Furthermore, there are many questions about management techniques when it comes to ecological engineering versus self-design (Bernal & Mitsch, 2013). However, we do know that it is critical to understand the species' life history, habitat template, and spatio temporal scope when attempting to re-establish populations (Lake et al. …

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Using The Past To Restore The Future: Quantifying Historical Vegetation To Assist In Tidal Freshwater Wetland Restoration Former Lake Charles At The Vcu Rice Rivers Center, Christopher D. Gatens, Edward R. Crawford Jan 2015

Using The Past To Restore The Future: Quantifying Historical Vegetation To Assist In Tidal Freshwater Wetland Restoration Former Lake Charles At The Vcu Rice Rivers Center, Christopher D. Gatens, Edward R. Crawford

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Wetlands have been providing humans with critical natural ecosystem services throughout our time on Earth. Nevertheless, these invaluable ecosystems have been habitually altered as a cost of human progression. Two of the most common alterations to wetlands are hydrologic, in the form of damming, and filling. Both occurred along Kimages Creek in Charles City County, VA during the 19th and 20th centuries. In 2010 the Lake Charles dam was partially removed, restoring the creek's tidal communication with the James River and beginning tidal forested freshwater wetland restoration. Upon the recession of the body of water, numerous woody stumps were revealed.

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Behavioral Observations: Foraging And Aggression Of Neotropical Migrants And Resident Birds In Panama, Jessica M. Johnston, Samuel B. King, Ryan A. Levering Jan 2015

Behavioral Observations: Foraging And Aggression Of Neotropical Migrants And Resident Birds In Panama, Jessica M. Johnston, Samuel B. King, Ryan A. Levering

Rice Rivers Center Research Symposium

Lyons suggests that foraging data in songbirds can be an indicator of food abundance, with higher attack rate= higher habitat quality; higher foraging speed= lower habitat quality (2005). Territorial behavior such as interspecific aggression among songbirds may also be related to food availability. Previous studies have documented variation in the extent of territorial and aggressive behaviors among resident and Neotropical migratory species on tropical wintering grounds. This research gathered foraging and aggression data at two coastal angroves sites in central Panama, one on the Caribbean Coast (Galeta) and one on the Pacific Coast (Juan Diaz-East). Foraging data was used an …

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2015 Academic Program Review School Of Natural Resources University Of Nebraska–Lincoln Jan 2015

2015 Academic Program Review School Of Natural Resources University Of Nebraska–Lincoln

School of Natural Resources: Documents and Reviews

No abstract provided.

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Phylogeny Of Dyschoriste (Acanthaceae), Noravit Chumchim, Lucinda A. Mcdade, Amanda E. Fisher Jan 2015

Phylogeny Of Dyschoriste (Acanthaceae), Noravit Chumchim, Lucinda A. Mcdade, Amanda E. Fisher

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The pantropical and poorly known genus Dyschoriste (Acanthaceae) is sister to Strobilanthopsis within subtribe Petalidiinae. The present study included 38 accessions of 28 species as sources of DNA data for one nuclear (nrITS) and four chloroplast (intergenic spacers: psbA-trnH, trnS-trnG, ndhF-rpl32, rpl32- trnL(uag)) regions to provide an estimate of the phylogeny of the genus. We found that Dyschoriste is strongly supported as monophyletic inclusive of Apassalus, Chaetacanthus, and Sautiera. Within Dyschoriste, three geographically cohesive lineages were recovered with moderate to strong support: a mainland African clade, a Caribbean and southeastern United …

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Phytoremediation Of Metal Contamination Using Salix (Willows), Gordon J. Kersten Jan 2015

Phytoremediation Of Metal Contamination Using Salix (Willows), Gordon J. Kersten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abandoned hardrock mines and the resulting Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) are a source of vast, environmental degradation that are toxic threats to plants, animals, and humans. Cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) are metal contaminants often found in AMD. In my mine outwash water samples, cadmium and lead concentrations were 19 and 160 times greater than concentrations in control waterways, and 300 and 40 times greater than EPA Aquatic Life Use water quality standards, respectively. I tested the phytoremediation characteristics of three montane willows native to the Rocky Mountains: Salix drummondiana, S. monticola, and S. planifolia. I tested …

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