Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Modeling The Disappearance Of The Neanderthals Using Concepts Of Population Dynamics And Ecology, Michael F. Roberts, Stephen E. Bricher

Faculty Publications

Current hypotheses regarding the disappearance of Neanderthals (NEA) in Europe fall into two main categories: climate change, and competition. Here we review current research and existing mathematical models that deal with this question, and we propose an approach that incorporates and permits the investigation of the current hypotheses. We have developed a set of differential equations that model population dynamics of anatomically modern humans (AMH) and NEA, their ecological relations to prey species, and their mutual interactions. The model allows investigators to explore each of the two main categories or combinations of both, as well as various forms of competition …

Distribution Of Glyphosate-Resistant Amaranthus Spp. In Nebraska, Bruno C. Vieira, Spencer L. Samuelson, Guilherme S. Alves, Todd A. Gaines, Rodrigo Werle, Greg Kruger

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

Background: Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.), common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus var. rudis), and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) are major weeds occurring in fields throughout Nebraska with recurrent grower complaints regarding control with glyphosate. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency and distribution of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth, common waterhemp, and redroot pigweed populations in Nebraska. The study also aimed to investigate how agronomic practices influence the occurrence of glyphosate resistance in the three Amaranthus species.

Results: Glyphosate resistance was widespread in common waterhemp (81% of the screened populations), few Palmer amaranth …

Profitability Of Developing Beef Heifers On Stockpiled Winter Forages, Zachary David Mcfarlane, Chris Boyer, J. Travis Mulliniks

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

We estimate the profitability of developing heifers on one stockpiled cool-season grass and two stockpiled warm-season grasses during the winter months by comparing distributions of net present value (NPV) over an 11-year useful life. Furthermore, distributions of payback period and the break-even price for each calf over the heifer’s production life were generated for each forage species. These results are compared across forages as well as to a simulated drylot system for heifer development. Data comes from a grazing experiment in Tennessee, where heifers grazed big bluestem and Indian grass combination (BBIG), switchgrass (SW), or endophyte-infected tall fescue (TF) pastures. …

Seedbank Persistence Of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri) And Waterhemp (Amaranthus Tuberculatus) Across Diverse Geographical Regions In The United States, Nicholas E. Korres, Jason K. Norsworthy, Bryan G. Young, Daniel B. Reynolds, William G. Johnson, Shawn P. Conley, Reid J. Smeda, Thomas C. Mueller, Douglas J. Spaunhorst, Karla L. Gage, Mark Loux, Greg R. Kruger, Muthukumar V. Bagavathiannan

West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte

Knowledge of the effects of burial depth and burial duration on seed viability and, consequently, seedbank persistence of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) and waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J. D. Sauer] ecotypes can be used for the development of efficient weed management programs. This is of particular interest, given the great fecundity of both species and, consequently, their high seedbank replenishment potential. Seeds of both species collected from five different locations across the United States were investigated in seven states (sites) with different soil and climatic conditions. Seeds were placed at two depths (0 and 15cm) for …

A Preliminary Study Of The Influence Of Breeding Area Density On Sandhill Crane Habitat Selection In South-Central Wisconsin, Sara A. Prussing, Hillary L. Thompson

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop

We hypothesized that territorial sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) in densely populated breeding areas occupy smaller home ranges that are richer in optimal habitat than those in less densely populated breeding areas. We analyzed satellite telemetry data collected from 2012 to 2016 for 3 and 2 sandhill cranes from dense and less dense breeding areas, respectively. Tracked sandhill cranes in a dense breeding area tended to have smaller home ranges (0.37-14.25 km²) with higher concentrations of wetlands (27%) and row crops (40%) than tracked sandhill cranes in the less dense breeding area (8.80-48.81 km², 14% …

If Nonhuman Animals Can Suicide, Why Don’T They?, C. A. Soper, Todd K. Shackelford

Animal Sentience

An evolutionary analysis suggests that selection is unlikely to have tolerated the capacity for intentional self-killing in nonhuman animals. The potential to escape pain by suicide would have presented a recurrent and severe adaptive problem for an animal with a reproductive future to protect. If the potential for suicide arose in the evolutionary past, anti-suicide mechanisms may have co-evolved, as we believe they have in adult humans. Peña-Guzmán’s (2017) argument that some nonhuman animals can suicide is incomplete without an account of the defences that result in the vast majority opting not to.

Mother-Infant Interactions In A Wild Population Of Macaca Nemestrina (Linnaeus), Emily M. Dura, Lori K. Sheeran, Nadine Ruppert, Clay P. Arango, Sofia K. Blue

Student Published Works

Until now, mother-infant relationships have not been studied in a wild population of the Southern Pig-tailed Macaques Macaca nemestrina. We observed six mother-infant dyads from April 2016 to September 2016 in the Segari Melintang Forest Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia using focal sampling methods from the perspectives of both individuals. We hypothesized that as infant age increased, the same important mother-infant behaviours, previously observed to change in captive pig-tailed macaque mother-infant studies, would also change over time in field conditions. We expected that as the infant ages, mothers would decrease their rates of restraint and retrieval, and increase their rates of …

Infection Dynamics Of Herpesvirus In Gopher Tortoises, Joanne Saldanha

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Gopherus polyphemus, commonly known as the Gopher Tortoise, is a dryland reptile native to the southeastern United States. It is commonly a resident of longleaf pine and dry oak sand hill habitats. It is considered a keystone species because they dig deep burrows that provide shelter to them as well as many other animals. Habitat loss, fragmentation, and disease are major threats and have caused this species to be federally listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Disease is a major threat to the gopher tortoise’s survival, and with declining populations, the need to investigate …

A Comparison Of Two Methods Of Quantifying Mating Success In Low Density Gypsy Moth (Lymantria Dispar) Populations, Alexandra Barry, Hannah Byrne, Derek M. Johnson

UROP Posters

The gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) is a defoliating pest native to Europe and invasive to North America. The gypsy moth is subject to depressed mating success in low density populations, which may restrict spread of the forest pest. Research focusing on gypsy moth density as it relates to mating behavior has often used counts of males caught in pheromone-baited delta traps as a proxy to estimate the probability of female mating success. The purpose of this project was to determine whether pheromone trap counts provide accurate estimates of female mating success probability, by comparing data gathered from pheromone-baited …

The Relationship Between Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Regarding Eco-Justice Issues Among Middle And High School Students In Eco-Schools In Puerto Rico, Elsie Aquino

Wayne State University Dissertations

The conservation, preservation, and protection of the environment are responsibilities that must be globally shared by human beings to “meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, 1987, p. 43). When citizens acquire the knowledge and skills needed to become agents of change, the lack of interconnectedness – a relationship to nature as one of dominion and control – that presently exists between humans and nature might subside (Winograd, 2016). Through the re-orientation of the present educational system and the development of curricula …

Phosphorus Limitation Of Aboveground Production In Northern Hardwood Forests, Shinjini Goswami, Melany C. Fisk, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Mariann Garrison-Johnston, Ruth D. Yanai, Timothy J. Fahey

All Materials

Forest productivity on glacially derived soils with weatherable phosphorus (P) is expected to be limited by nitrogen (N), according to theories of long-term ecosystem development. However, recent studies and model simulations based on resource optimization theory indicate that productivity can be co-limited by N and P. We conducted a full factorial N × P fertilization experiment in 13 northern hardwood forest stands of three age classes in central New Hampshire, USA, to test the hypothesis that forest productivity is co-limited by N and P. We also asked whether the response of productivity to N and P addition differs among species …

Carbon Fluxes And Interannual Drivers In A Temperate Forest Ecosystem Assessed Through Comparison Of Top-Down And Bottom-Up Approaches, Andrew P. Ouimette, Scott V. Ollinger, Andrew D. Richardson, David Y. Hollinger, Trevor F. Keenan, Lucie C. Lepine, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur

All Materials

Despite decades of research, gaining a comprehensive understanding of carbon (C) cycling in forests remains a considerable challenge. Uncertainties stem from persistent methodological limitations and the difficulty of resolving top-down estimates of ecosystem C exchange with bottom-up measurements of individual pools and fluxes. To address this, we derived estimates and associated uncertainties of ecosystem C fluxes for a 100-125 year old mixed temperate forest stand at the Bartlett Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA, using three different approaches: (1) tower-based eddy covariance, (2) a biometric approach involving C flux measurements of individual ecosystem subcomponents, and (3) an inventory approach involving changes …

Hydrological Niche Segregation Defines Forest Structure And Drought Tolerance Strategies In A Seasonal Amazon Forest, Mauro Brum, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Valeriy Ivanov, Heidi Asbjornsen, Scott Saleska, Luciana F. Alves, Deliane Pinha, Jadson D. Dias, Luiz E O C Aragão, Fernanda Barros, Paulo Bittencourt, Luciano Pereira, Rafael S. Oliveira

All Materials

1. The relationship between rooting depth and above‐ground hydraulic traits can potentially define drought resistance strategies that are important in determining species distribution and coexistence in seasonal tropical forests, and understanding this is important for predicting the effects of future climate change in these ecosystems.
2. We assessed the rooting depth of 12 dominant tree species (representing c. 42% of the forest basal area) in a seasonal Amazon forest using the stable isotope ratios (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) of water collected from tree xylem and soils from a range of depths. We took advantage of a major ENSO‐related …

Chicken Minds And Moral Standing, Kristin Andrews

Animal Sentience

Some of the cognitive traits that Marino reviews are not in themselves relevant to ethics, either for chickens or human infants, but affective traits are, among them desires.

Convergent Body Size Evolution Of Crocodyliformes Upon Entering The Aquatic Realm, William Gearty, Jonathan Payne

School of Biological Sciences: Presentations

Twenty-four species of crocodile populate the globe today, but this richness represents a minute fraction of the diversity and disparity of Crocodyliformes since their origin early in the Triassic. Across this clade, three major diversification events into the aquatic realm have occurred. Aquatic and terrestrial habitats impose differing selective pressures on body size. However, previous research on this topic in Crocodyliformes remains qualitative in nature. In this study, our goal was to quantify the influence of habitat (terrestrial versus aquatic) on the evolution of body size in Crocodyliformes. We find a history of repeated body size increase and convergence following …

Floral Symmetry Genes Elucidate The Development And Evolution Of Oil-Bee Pollinated Flowers Of Malpighiaceae And Krameriaceae, Farahnoz N. Khojayori

Theses and Dissertations

Specialization on insect and animal pollinators is thought to be the driving force for the evolution of floral traits. Specifically in the New World (NW), the oil-bee pollination syndrome has led to the convergence of floral characters in two distantly related families of core eudicots, Malpighiaceae and Krameriaceae. Both families display a flag-like structure that establishes a zygomorphic flower and floral oil rewards in epithelial elaiophores. These traits work concomitantly to attract and reward female oil-bees that help fertilize these flowers and in return receive oils. The underlying genetics of floral zygomorphy were studied in several clades of core eudicots, …

Energy Conserving Thermoregulatory Patterns And Lower Disease Severity In A Bat Resistant To The Impacts Of White-Nose Syndrome, Marianne S. Moore, Kenneth A. Field, Melissa J. Behr, Gregory G. Turner, Morgan E. Furze, Daniel Wf Stern, Paul R. Allegra, Sarah A. Bouboulis, Chelsey Diana Musante, Megan E. Vodzak, Matthew E. Biron, Melissa B. Meierhofer, Winifred F. Frick, Jeffrey T. Foster, Daryl Howell, Joseph A. Kath, Allen Kurta, Gerda Nordquist, Joseph S. Johnson, Thomas M. Lilley, Benjamin W. Barrett, Deeann M. Reeder

Faculty Journal Articles

The devastating bat fungal disease, white-nose syndrome (WNS), does not appear to affect all species equally. To experimentally determine susceptibility differences between species, we exposed hibernating naïve little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) to the fungus that causes WNS, Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). After hibernating under identical conditions, Pd lesions were significantly more prevalent and more severe in little brown myotis. This species difference in pathology correlates with susceptibility to WNS in the wild and suggests that survival is related to different host physiological responses. We observed another fungal infection, …

Shoreline Characterization For Northern Indian River Lagoon And Mosquito Lagoon, Melinda J. Donnelly, Linda Walters, Michelle Shaffer

CEELAB Research Data

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the current conditions of estuarine shorelines in Mosquito Lagoon and northern Indian River. The shoreline assessment is the first phase in the development of a shoreline restoration suitability model for the northernmost section of the Indian River Lagoon system, in order to better conserve and restore shorelines and promote sustainable use of natural resources. The shoreline survey methodology was developed by St. Johns River Water Management for northeastern Florida and was adapted for applications in Brevard and Volusia Counties. Between November 2017 through June 2018, shoreline evaluations were completed at transects located …

Ainsworth Fall Field Days, Janis Paseka

Nebraska Bird Review

The 2018 NOU Fall Field Days took place in and around Ainsworth on Sep. 14 – 16, with 48 in attendance. It was a hot and windy weekend, but 137 species were located. Two Sandhill Cranes in the Niobrara River at the Carns Bridge attracted birders, especially since the two cooperatively moved from one side of the river to the other, allowing county listers to count them in both. The bird of the weekend, however, was the Red-naped Sapsucker at Plum Creek Valley WMA. It was a county bird for everyone, a state bird for many and a life bird …

Escarabajos Longicornios (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae Y Disteniidae) Del Parque Nacional Darién, Panamá, Alfredo Lanuza-Garay, Alonso Santos Murgas

Insecta Mundi

Darién National Park (PND), a natural connection between South and Central America, is the largest national park not only in Panama but in all of Central America. Due to its strategic geographical situation, it is a place for the interchange of the North and South American fauna, where endemic invertebrates and vertebrates are very abundant. Through the use of malaise traps and light traps placed at different points within the PND, 183 individuals of 87 species of longicorn beetles in the families Cerambycidae and Disteniidae were collected. Also, four species of longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) are reported for the first time …

A Review Of The Genus Beltia Jacoby (Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae: Eumolpini), With Descriptions Of Fourteen New Species From Costa Rica, Panama, And Northwestern South America, R. Wills Flowers

Insecta Mundi

Adults of the Neotropical genera Beltia Jacoby (type species: Beltia nicaraguensis Jacoby) and Colaspoides Laporte (type species: Colaspoides limbata [Olivier]) (Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae: Eumolpini) are difficult to separate. In this paper, the genus Beltia Jacoby is redefined and diagnosed by features of the pygidium, lateral wings of the prosternum, and metatibiae to distinguish it from Colaspoides and other medium-sized, ovate Eumolpini. Fourteen new species from Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru are described and illustrated—Beltia awapita, B. confusa, B. gorgona, B. herreri, B. ledesmae, B. napoensis, B. osa, B. rugosa, B. sanchezae, B. talaga, B. tilarana, B. tisingalita, B. …

Taxonomic Study And Population Variation Of Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccidae And Diaspididae) And Associated Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) In An Olive Grove At Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil, Vera R. S. Wolff, Caio F. S. Efrom, Daniel A. Aquino, Adilson Tonietto

Insecta Mundi

This study evaluated the population variation of Hemiberlesia lataniae (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) and associated parasitoids in Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae) groves located in the municipality of Barra do Ribeiro (30°30′54.95″S; 51°30′20.84″W), Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Eight samples were collected during the four seasons from November 2015 until October 2017; four branches with approximately 20 leaves were taken from 12 olive trees (four each from Arbequina, Arbosana and Koroneiki varieties). The collected material was placed in plastic bags and taken to the laboratory for further study. Scale insects were slide-mounted and were identified according to morphological characteristics of the adult …

First Record Of The European Cherry Fruit Fly, Rhagoletis Cerasi (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Tephritidae), In North America, Lawrence Barringer

Insecta Mundi

Rhagoletis cerasi (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is reported from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and Niagara County, New York, United States for the first time, new records. Specimens from Ontario were collected in 2016, and New York in 2017. This fly is subject to regulatory control and poses a risk to cherry and honeysuckle in North America.

The Trichoptera Of Panama. Vi. Seven New Species Of Microcaddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) From Mount Totumas Cloud Forest And Biological Reserve, Robin E. Thomson, Brian J. Armitage

Insecta Mundi

There have been 136 species of microcaddisflies (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) recorded from the Republic of Panama. Herein we describe seven new species from the Mount Totumas Cloud Forest and Biological Reserve, in the upper reaches of the Río Chiriquí Viejo watershed (Costatrichia devestiva, C. dietrichi, Metrichia brocha, M. calla, Neotrichia atopa, Ochrotrichia anticheirion, and Rhyacopsyche totuma). These results are part of an ongoing effort to characterize the aquatic insect fauna of Panama, and to evaluate that country’s major watersheds.

Tenuiphantes Zelatus (Zorsch), T. Zibus (Zorsch), And Centromerus Mariannae Sp. Nov. (Araneae: Linyphiidae) In The Pacific Northwest, Jozef Slowik

Insecta Mundi

The linyphiid spiders Tenuiphantes zelatus (Zorsch, 1937), T. zibus (Zorsch, 1937), and Centromerus mariannae sp. nov. are diagnosed, described or redescribed and illustrated, including the previously undescribed female of T. zibus. All are common species of the Pacific Northwest of North America but were previously inadequately described (T. zelatus and T. zibus) or illustrated only but not described or named (C. mariannae).

Addendum To Barringer (2018): First Record Of The European Cherry Fruit Fly, Rhagoletis Cerasi (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Tephritidae), In North America, Lawrence Barringer

Insecta Mundi

Rhagoletis cerasi (Linnaeus) (Diptera: Tephritidae) was reported from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Acknowledgements of the individual’s identity for the initial detection, as well as her contributions, were not included.

New Species Of Stenotothorax Schmidt From The Northwestern United States (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Paul E. Skelley, Ron H. Mcpeak

Insecta Mundi

New insights into the genus Stenotothorax Schmidt (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Aphodiini) allowed for an influx of new materials from many new localities, and the realization that the genus needs revision. In this work, newly discovered characters used to distinguish species are defined. Stenotothorax lanei (Saylor) is redescribed. Diagnosis and new distributional data are presented for S. lanei, S. mcpeaki Gordon and Skelley, S. washtucna (Robinson) and S. woodleyi Gordon. Seven new species are described from the northwestern United States: S. lahontanensis, S. niviviator, S. odontomonteus, S. schneppi, S. smilodon, S. winnemucca, and S. …

Distribución Espacial Del Chinche Invasor Brachyplatys Subaeneus (Westwood, 1837) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Plataspidae) En Panamá, Yostin J. Añino R., Alonso Santos Murgas, Gina Nicole Henriquez Chiru, Raul Carranza, Carols Villareal

Insecta Mundi

Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) is a species of true bug native to Asia that was reported in 2016 for the first time in Panama and the Americas. This species is an invasive organism considered as a potential pest for pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth) and other legume crops. As no additional research has been done on this bug since the original report, this study seeks to generate additional information regarding its spatial distribution in Panama, focusing along the Pacific coast from Torti, East Panama, to Chitre, Herrera province. Despite this distribution, we suspect that this invasive species …

Synonymy And Distribution Data Of Trypanidius Blanchard, 1846 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Acanthocinini) In Cuba, Sergio Devesa, Alejandro Barro

Insecta Mundi

Trypanidius nocturnus Fisher, 1942 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Acanthocinini) is synonymized with Trypanidius insularis Fisher, 1925. Dorsal habitus photographs of the holotypes and paratypes, as well as male and females of specimens collected in Cuba, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, are provided. Additionally, collecting data and a distributional map of Cuba are offered.

Trypanidius nocturnus Fisher, 1942 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Acanthocinini) es sinonimizado con Trypanidius insularis Fisher, 1925. Se muestran fotos en vista dorsal de los holotipos y paratipos así como de ejemplares macho y hembra recolectados en Cuba, Puerto Rico y La Española. Adicionalmente, se muestran los datos de colecta y …

A New Species Of Phyllium (Phyllium) Illiger (Phasmida: Phylliidae) From Yap Island, Micronesia, Representing A Range Expansion For The Family, Royce T. Cumming, Sierra N. Teemsma

Insecta Mundi

A new species of leaf insect from the celebicum species group, Phyllium (Phyllium) yapicum Cumming and Teemsma, new species (Phasmida: Phylliidae), is described from a female specimen from the California Academy of Sciences collection, United States. This new species is the first recorded species of Phylliidae from the country of Micronesia and represents a notable range expansion for the family. With Phyllium (Phyllium) yapicum Cumming and Teemsma, new species, currently only known from a female holotype; a key to females is included for the celebicum species group.