Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Canthidium Alvarezi Martínez And Halffter, 1986: A Remarkable Ateuchus Weber, 1801 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Francois Genier, Mario Cupello

Insecta Mundi

The species Canthidium alvarezi Martínez and Halffter, 1986 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) is transferred to the genus Ateuchus Weber, 1801, becoming Ateuchus alvarezi (Martínez and Halffter), new combination. Its relationship with other species in the genus is briefly discussed. The validity and ranking of the genus Lobidion Génier, 2010, originally described from a single female, is discussed based on the discovery of male specimens, which lead us to reclassify it as a monotypic subgenus of Ateuchus, becoming Ateuchus (Lobidion), new rank, with the only included species becoming Ateuchus (Lobidion) punctatissimus (Génier, 2010) new combination …

Forty New Records Of Aleocharine Beetles, And Two New Species In The Genera Acrotona Thomson And Atheta Thomson, For The Province Of Manitoba, Canada (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Jan Klimaszewski, Benoit Godin, Anthony Davies, Caroline Bourdon, Denise Horwood

Insecta Mundi

Forty new provincial records, including two new aleocharine species for the province of Manitoba (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) are provided. The two new species, Acrotona manitobensis Klimaszewski and Godin, new species, and Atheta manitobae Klimaszewski and Godin, new species, are described and illustrated. Habitat information and new locality records are provided for the newly recorded species. The current number of Aleocharinae in Manitoba stands at 120 species, including 40 new records and two new species described here. A checklist of all currently recorded species from the province, with their distribution records in Canada and USA, is included.

The Dung Beetle Fauna Of The Big Bend Region Of Texas (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), William D. Edmonds

Insecta Mundi

This paper reports the results of a 2001–2009 field study of the scarabaeine dung beetle fauna (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of the Big Bend region of Texas, a three-county area of the Trans-Pecos portion of the Chihuahuan Desert. The observed fauna comprises 10 native species, Canthon blumei Halffter and Halffter, C. imitator Brown, C. praticola LeConte, and C. mixtus Robinson; Onthophagus browni Howden and Cartwright, O. knausi Brown, O. velutinus Horn and O. brevifrons Horn; Copris arizonensis Schaeffer and Phanaeus texensis Edmonds; as well as two exotic species introduced in the 1970s, Digitonthophagus gazella (Fabricius) and Euoniticellus intermedius (Reiche). The existing native …

New Genus And Species Of Yponomeutidae (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea) Associated With Maytenus Boaria Molina (Celastraceae) From Chile, With Descriptions Of Immature Stages And Natural History Observations, Danilo E. Cepeda

Insecta Mundi

A new genus and species of Yponomeutidae (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea) from Chile, Chileporter huemeri n. gen. and n. sp., is described based on adults, larvae and pupae. This is the second record of a specific herbivore associated with Maytenus boaria Molina.

Se describe un nuevo género y especie de Yponomeutidae (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea) de Chile, Chileporter huemeri n. gen. y n. sp., basado en caracteres morfológicos del adulto, larva y pupa. Este corresponde al segundo registro de un herbívoro específico asociado a Maytenus boaria Molina.

Contribution To The Knowledge Of Chilean Phycitinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): New Species Of Passadena Hulst, 1900, And Ragonotia Grote, 1888, From Northern Chile, Danilo E. Cepeda

Insecta Mundi

Two new species of Phycitinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from Chile are described: Passadena mistralae Cepeda, n. sp., and Ragonotia campodonicoi Cepeda, n. sp. Adult external morphological characters, as well as male and female genitalia, are described and illustrated for both taxa.

Se describen dos nuevas especies de Phycitinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) de Chile: Passadena mistralae Cepeda, n. sp., y Ragonotia campodonicoi Cepeda, n. sp. Para ambos taxa, se entregan caracteres morfológicos externos del adulto y se describen e ilustran la genitalia masculina y femenina.

Nesting Biology Of Pachymenes Ghilianii (Spinola, 1851) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae: Eumenini) In Panama, Jean Carlos Abrego, Bolivar R. Garcete-Barrett, Alonso Santos Murgas

Insecta Mundi

The nesting biology of the potter wasp Pachymenes ghilianii (Spinola) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) is described based on observations made in the Cerro Turega Hydric Reserve, Penonome, Panama. The collection of building material, the architecture of the nest, the process of building a cell and cell provision with geometrid larvae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), and the emergence time of the adults are recorded.

Se describe la biología de anidación de la avispa alfarera Pachymenes ghilianii (Spinola) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) en base a observaciones realizadas en la Reserva Hídrica Cerro Turega, Penonomé, Panamá. Se registran la recolección de material de construcción, la arquitectura del …

Phorodon Cannabis Passerini (Hemiptera: Aphididae), A Newly Recognized Pest In North America Found On Industrial Hemp, Whitney S. Cranshaw, Susan E. Halbert, Colin Favret, Kadie E. Britt, Gary L. Miller

Insecta Mundi

Phorodon cannabis Passerini (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Macrosiphini) is reported for the first time as a pest of Cannabis L. crops in North America. The insect has been confirmed from fields of industrial hemp in Colorado and Virginia and has been found present within greenhouses in at least several American states and one Canadian province. The generic position of the aphid species is discussed and other known members of the genus are ruled out. Phorodon cannabis is placed in genus Phorodon Passerini and subgenus (Diphorodon Börner). Phorodon persifoliae Shinji is transferred to Hyalopterus Koch as a nomen dubium.

Taphonomic Considerations On Pinworm Prevalence In Three Ancestral Puebloan Latrines, Morgana Camacho, Alena M. Iñiguez, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

For archaeological studies it is always necessary to consider taphonomic factors that could have influenced in ancient material preservation. Parasite eggs are usually highly degraded in ancient sites dated from all periods of time and taphonomic factors are mentioned to explain absence and low quantity of eggs found. In this study, we compare parasite egg recovery of three Great House latrines: two from Aztec Ruins (Rooms 219 and 225) and one from Salmon Ruins. We compared through statistical regression the recovery of eggs with the abundance of two classes of decomposers: mites and nematodes. These microorganisms have relation with nematode …

New Evidence Of Ancient Parasitism Among Late Archaic And Ancestral Puebloan Residents Of Chaco Canyon, Rachel E. Paseka, Carrie C. Heitman, Karl Reinhard

Karl Reinhard Publications

Archaeoparasitology provides a unique perspective on the health and habits of ancient cultures through the identification of parasite remains in archaeological materials. We identified eggs of the human whipworm, Trichuris trichiura, in coprolites recovered from Late Archaic (1926–1751 cal. BCE) and Ancestral Puebloan (1039–1163 cal. CE) sites in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. Our findings represent the earliest record of T. trichiura in North America, the first record of the species from Chaco Canyon, and the first record of a macroparasite from a Late Archaic site (Atlatl Cave) on the Colorado Plateau. T. trichiura is common in the …

A New Species Of Acanthobothrium (Eucestoda: Onchobothriidae) In Aetobatus Cf. Narinari (Myliobatidae) From Campeche, México = Uma Nova Espécie De Acanthobothrium (Eucestoda: Onchobothriidae) Em Aetobatus Cf. Narinari (Myliobatidae) De Campeche, México, Erick Rodríguez-Ibarra, Griselda Pulido-Flores, Juan Violante-González, Scott Monks

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

Abstract

The helminthological examination of nine individuals of Aetobatus cf. narinari (spotted eagle ray; raya pinta; arraia pintada) revealed the presence of an undescribed species of cestode of the genus Acanthobothrium. The stingrays were collected from four locations in México: Laguna Términos, south of Isla del Carmen and the marine waters north of Isla del Carmen and Champotón, in the State of Campeche, and Isla Holbox, State of Quintana Roo. The new species, nominated Acanthobothrium marquesi, is a category 3 species (i.e, the strobila is long, has more than 50 proglottids, the numerous testicles greater than 80, and has …

Predator Presence And Size Variation Alters Community Structure Through Multiple Trophic Cascades, Robin Baker, Howard Whiteman Ph.D.

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Predation plays a crucial role in shaping community structure and can initiate trophic cascades that can alter abundances across adjacent trophic levels. Recent research has suggested that variation among individual predators may have stronger effects on ecological dynamics than previously appreciated. Intraspecific variation within predators could lead to differential levels of top-down control with implications for trophic cascade strength. In this experiment, we manipulated the body size variation of predatory mole salamanders (Ambystoma talpoideum) within experimental mesocosms and monitored a suite of abiotic and biotic response variables. We predicted that predator populations with increased body size variation would …

American Black Bear Den-Site Selection And Characteristics In An Urban Environment, Toryn L. J. Schafer, Stewart W. Breck, Sharon Baruch-Mordo, David L. Lewis, Kenneth R. Wilson, Julie S. Mao, Thomas L. Day

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Selection of den sites is a crucial aspect of American black bear (Ursus americanus) life history. High-quality dens provide thermal insulation, protection from disturbance, suitable environment for parturition and cub development, and proximity to available forage upon emergence. Black bears are increasingly coexisting with people in human-dominated landscapes; however, little is known about whether urban environments influence characteristics of dens and den site selection. Our objective was to determine the effect of housing density (a proxy for human activity and availability of anthropogenic resources) on selection of den sites in years of good and poor natural forage.We additionally …

Generating Species Assemblages For Restoration And Experimentation: A New Method That Can Simultaneously Converge On Average Trait Values And Maximize Functional Diversity, David C. Laughlin, Loïc Chalmandrier, Chaitanya Joshi, Michael Renton, John M. Dwyer, Jennifer L. Funk

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

1.Restoring resilient ecosystems in an era of rapid environmental change requires a flexible framework for selecting assemblages of species based on functional traits. However, current trait‐based models have been limited to algorithms that select species assemblages that only converge on specified average trait values, and could not accommodate the common desire among restoration ecologists to generate functionally diverse assemblages.

2.We have solved this problem by applying a nonlinear optimization algorithm to solve for the species relative abundances that maximize Rao's quadratic entropy (Q) subject to other linear constraints. Rao's Q is a closed‐form algebraic expression of functional diversity …

Polar Gigantism And Sea Spiders: A Study Of Respiratory Scaling, Steven Joseph Lane

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

All animals must breathe to survive. The types of primary respiratory structures vary across the metazoa, and the overall size and components of these structures scale with body size. The scaling of respiratory structures has been well studied in vertebrate lungs and gills, but very few, if any studies, have looked at it in terms of cutaneous gas exchange, the process where oxygen moves across the outer integument via diffusion. My dissertation has sought to fill this gap in knowledge by studying animals that use cutaneous respiration, and my work has determined both how the components of their respiratory surfaces …

Lewis’S Woodpecker Nest Success And Habitat Selection In Cottonwood Floodplain Versus Burned Conifer Forests, William M. Blake

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Breeding habitat selection influences reproductive outcomes. Habitat selection may be adaptive and benefit populations, but it can also be maladaptive with negative consequences for populations. Understanding habitat selection and its influence on reproductive success, especially in species of concern, is critical for effective management. Lewis’s Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) is a Species of Concern that has experienced national population declines. We studied its abundance and reproductive success in two commonly selected breeding forest types (i.e., cottonwood floodplain and mixed-conifer burned), and nest-site characteristics (nest availability, food availability, and vegetation attributes) that have the potential to yield strong differences in …

Multiple-Use Management Of Western U.S. Rangelands: Wild Horses, Wildlife, And Livestock, Rick E. Danvir

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Since 1959, the U.S. Congress has legislated the treatment and management of wild horses (Equus ferus caballus ) and burros (E. asinus ; WHB). While the legislation has ensured WHB a place as western rangeland icons, subsequent congressional actions, in response to public lobbying, have limited federal managers’ ability to manage WHB populations under the U.S. public land multiple-use doctrine. Federal land managers tasked with managing for multiple and competing interests on public lands of the western United States must not only consider WHB habitat requirements, but also wildlife species diversity and livestock grazing. Developing multiple-use management strategies while fulfi …

Framing Contemporary U.S. Wild Horse And Burro Management Processes In A Dynamic Ecological, Sociological, And Political Environment, J. Derek Scasta, Jacob D. Hennig, Jeffrey L. Beck

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA) of 1971 established all “unbranded or unclaimed” equids on U.S. public lands as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West.” Today, >72,000 feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) and burros (E . asinus ; WHB) live on western U.S. public rangelands. The number of WHBs exceeds the Bureau of Land Management’s maximum Appropriate Management Level (AML) of 26,715 by a factor of approximately 2.7 and has nearly doubled from 2007–2015. The AML was set to balance WHB numbers with rangeland health and support other uses such as wildlife habitat …

Wild Horse Demography: Implications For Sustainable Management Within Economic Constraints, Robert A. Garrott

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Management of wild horse (Equus ferus caballus ) populations on western U.S. rangelands has been a challenge since horses were given legal protection through the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA) in 1971. Horses have no eff ective predators, and unmanaged populations can double in 4–5 years and triple in 6–8 years. In order to meet the multiple-use paradigm for managing public rangelands, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has limited horse population growth through the periodic capture and removal of animals. While the WFRHBA mandates disposal of captured horses through placement into private ownership and …

Spatial Ecology Observations From Feral Horses Equipped With Global Positioning System Transmitters, Jacob D. Hennig, Jeffrey L. Beck, J. Derek Scasta

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Our understanding of the spatial ecology of feral horses (Equus ferus caballus ) and burros (E . asinus ) in the United States is limited. Robust location data are needed to better understand the permeability of Bureau of Land Management Herd Management Area boundaries, relative to feral horse movement patterns and home ranges. To increase our understanding of feral horse movement, in February to March 2017, we deployed global positioning system (GPS) collars on 14 females ≥5 years old that were captured in the Adobe Town Herd Management Area (ATHMA) of southcentral Wyoming, USA. Herein, we report initial results from …

Resource Selection Of Free-Ranging Horses Influenced By Fire In Northern Canada, Sonja E. R. Leverkus, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf, Marten Geertsema, Brady W. Allred, Mark Gregory, Alexandre R. Bevington, David M. Engle, J. Derek Scasta

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Free-ranging or feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) were important to the livelihood of First Nations and indigenous communities in Canada. The early inhabitants of the boreal region of British Columbia (BC) capitalized on naturally occurring wildfires and anthropogenic burning to provide forage for free-ranging horses and manage habitat for wildlife. This form of pyric herbivory, or grazing driven by fi re via the attraction to the palatable vegetation in recently burned areas, is an evolutionary disturbance process that occurs globally. However, its application to manage forage availability for free-ranging horses has not been studied in northern Canada. Across Canada, there …

Wild Horse Country: The History, Myth, And Future Of The Mustang, Seth J. Dettenmaier

Human–Wildlife Interactions

No abstract provided.

Strike Hazard Posed By Columbids To Military Aircraft, Melanie R. Colón, Ashley M. Long

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Wildlife-aircraft strikes threaten both human and animal safety and result in hundreds of millions of dollars per year in aircraft damage and lost flight hours. Large-bodied birds are especially hazardous to aircraft. However, given high-speed flight at low altitudes, military aircraft may be especially vulnerable to strikes and more susceptible to damage even when encountering small birds. We summarized all wildlife-aircraft strike records from Randolph Air Force Base (San Antonio, Texas) over a 25-year period and compared the number and cost of strikes across avian species and species groups. Because columbids (i.e., pigeons and doves) are among the most frequently …

Canid Vs. Canid: Insights Into Coyote-Dog Encounters From Social Media, Erin E. Boydston, Eric S. Abelson, Ari Kazanjian, Daniel T. Blumstein

Human–Wildlife Interactions

While the relationship between coyotes (Canis latrans) and house cats (Felis catus) may be characterized as one between predators and their prey, coyote interactions with domestic dogs (C. lupus familiaris) appear to be more varied and may include behaviors associated with canid sociality. While encounters between coyotes and dogs are difficult to observe, we capitalized on publically available video recordings of coyote-dog encounters to observe canid behaviors and examined 35 video clips downloaded from YouTube during fall 2014. We identified coyote-dog interactions that were playful, agonistic, or predatory; those that we could not clearly …

The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms, Taylor Payne

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The federal government owns approximately 47% of all land in the western United States. In the state of Utah, about 64% of the land base is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The government has historically issued permits to owners of private lands to allow the owners to graze their livestock on public lands. The permits (allotments) are generally of 10-year duration and allow for an annual season of use. In some cases, continued and repeated historical annual grazing practices may not be ideal for permit holders and their communities nor …

Post-Release Activity And Habitat Selection Of Rehabilitated Black Bears, Patrick J. Myers, Julie K. Young

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Despite the long history of wildlife rehabilitation and the abundance of empirical knowledge of the behavior and resource selection of wildlife species, rarely does research bridge these disciplines. Such investigations could be of value to wildlife managers and rehabilitators by revealing the suitability of the habitat at selected release sites, the wild activities, behavior, and fitness of the captive-reared individuals, and ultimately the efficacy of the rehabilitation process. Rehabilitated carnivores warrant specific attention, given that they are wide-ranging and may behave in ways that threaten human safety or interests. We investigated the behavior of orphan, rehabilitated black bear cubs ( …

Conservation Of Threatened Canada-Usa Trans-Border Grizzly Bears Linked To Comprehensive Conflict Reduction, Michael F. Proctor, Wayne F. Kasworm, Kimberly M. Annis, A. Grant Machutchon, Justin E. Teisberg, Thomas G. Radandt, Chris Servheen

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Mortality resulting from human–wildlife conflicts affects wildlife populations globally. Since 2004, we have been researching conservation issues and implementing a comprehensive program to reduce human–bear conflicts (Ursus spp.; HBC) for 3 small, fragmented, and threatened grizzly bear (U. arctos) populations in the trans-border region of southwest Canada and northwest USA. We explored the temporal and spatial patterns of conflict mortality and found that HBC contributed significantly to the threatened status of these populations by causing decline, fragmentation, and decreased habitat effectiveness. Our program to reduce HBCs primarily included strategic private lands purchased to reduce human density in …

Managing Human-Habituated Bears To Enhance Survival, Habitat Effectiveness, And Public Viewing, Kerry A. Gunther, Katharine R. Wilmot, Steven L. Cain, Travis C. Wyman, Eric G. Reinertson, Amanda M. Bramblett

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The negative impacts on bears (Ursus spp.) from human activities associated with roads and developments are well documented. These impacts include displacement of bears from high-quality foods and habitats, diminished habitat effectiveness, and reduced survival rates. Additionally, increased public visitations to national parks accompanied with benign encounters with bears along park roads have caused more bears to habituate to the presence of people. In some contexts, habituation can predispose bears to being exposed to and rewarded by anthropogenic foods, which can also lower survival rates. The managers and staff of Yellowstone National Park located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, …

Lead Concentrations In White-Tailed Deer Tissue Due To Retained Bullets, Meghan C. Zimmer, Tod L. Osier

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Mobilization of lead from retained bullets may lead to elevated lead levels in game tissue with consequences for consumers. We investigated lead mobilization in 2 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) carrying retained lead ammunition from previous gunshot wounds. Lead concentrations in muscle tissue of deer with retained lead bullets were in the same range as control deer. In contrast, 1 deer had higher bone lead levels than controls, suggesting mobilization occurred. Our results suggest that lead mobilization to meat from retained lead bullets does not appear to pose a consumption risk for those consuming meat that is physically distant from lead …

The Distribution And Trophic Ecology Of Golden Ghost Crabs (Ocypode Convexa), Caitlin Rae

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Sandy beaches make up approximately three-quarters of the world’s shorelines. They are important ecosystems, hosting abundant invertebrate macrofaunal communities that provide food resource for vertebrate predators such as shorebirds, seabirds, marine mammals and fish. Although possessing a terrestrial appearance, food input on sandy beaches is derived predominantly from the sea. Such food input includes detrital matter, mostly in the form of wrack, and has the potential to support a great diversity of species, as well as stabilising energy fluxes and dynamics of consumer populations. The movement of detritus, along with other vectors such as organisms and nutrients, across ecosystem boundaries …

Within-Fire Patchiness Associated With Prescribed Burning In The Northern Jarrah Forests Of Western Australia, Zigourney Nielsen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

There is growing understanding of the importance of landscape mosaics and heterogeneity for biodiversity outcomes in Western Australia. However, there is limited information on the patchiness (spatial configuration of unburnt and burnt patches which occur at a range of spatial scales) within the perimeter of a single prescribed burn. Of particular concern is the idea that prescribed burning operations, carried out under very restricted weather and environmental conditions, can lead to structural and floristic homogenization of the area within a burn perimeter. This may be evident as reduced post-fire vegetation patchiness. Western Australian Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forests are managed to …