Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Harmful Algal Blooms: Dominance In Lakes And Risk For Cyanotoxin Exposure In Food Crops, Austin D. Bartos

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Climate change and human activities are promoting the dominance of a photosynthetic family of aquatic bacteria, cyanobacteria. Blooms of cyanobacteria are not only a visual nuisance but can produce a variety of cyanotoxins than can harm the liver, skin, and nervous system of animals and humans. We analyzed lakes in the contiguous United States and found that between 2007 and 2012, the number of lakes that produced measurable quantities of cyanotoxins increased from 33% to 45%. Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution were the main drivers of cyanobacteria blooms and toxin production between these years. Many of these lakes and reservoirs are …

Harvest Efficiency Of Forage Grazed By Cattle And The Effect Of Pinyon And Juniper Treatments On Vegetation Cover On The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, Ruger P. Carter

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM), located in central south Utah, currently has 76,957 active grazing animal unit months on the monument. Recently, there has been questions whether the harvest and grazing efficiency coefficients developed in the Midwest are applicable to the arid, bunch grass dominated systems of the GSENM. Harvest and grazing efficiency defines the percentage of allocated forage that is being ingested by the animal, and the percentage that is being wasted. Harvest and grazing efficiency coefficients were calculated on the Lower Cattle allotment on the GSENM by taking total forage production and dividing that by expected …

Anthropogenic Influences On Bacterial Assemblages In Stream Biofilms, Elizabeth M. Ogata

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bacteria within biofilms are an essential component of stream ecosystems, influencing the movement of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in watersheds. To better understand the ecological effects of human activities on stream ecosystems, my research examined how nutrients and pharmaceuticals, common pollutants in streams worldwide, influence bacterial assemblages in stream biofilms. First, I tested how nutrients (N, P, iron) and pharmaceuticals (caffeine, diphenhydramine) influenced biofilm bacterial microbiomes (taxa present in at least 75% of samples of a contaminant treatment). Nutrients allowed taxa known for their ability to thrive in nutrient-rich environments to dominate microbiomes, pharmaceuticals supported a rich …

Improving Aquatic Habitat Representation In Utah Using Large Spatial Scale Environmental Datasets, Gregory C. Goodrum

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rivers provide habitat for aquatic species, but widespread human water development degrades aquatic habitat, fragments stream networks, and threatens native fish populations. Habitat suitability models are commonly used to identify current instream habitat conditions, but are often species-specific, data-intensive, and rarely suitable to the large spatial scales required in conservation and water resources management. Thus, there is need to develop and validate habitat suitability models that provide ecologically-meaningful estimations of aquatic habitat, but are simple enough to apply at large geographic areas and flexible to incorporate different species. I tested the accuracy of 15 habitat suitability models estimating Bonneville Cutthroat …

Ecoacoustic Methods For Multi-Taxa Animal Surveys In The Amazon, Leandro A. Do Nascimento

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tropical regions host most of the biodiversity found on Earth, but these species-rich areas are constantly threatened by human development and other disturbances that put this diversity of life forms at risk. To avoid extirpations of animal and plant species, scientists and managers rely on accurate monitoring techniques to retrieve information about population trends. This task is not easy, especially in the tropics, where there is often a lack of personnel to conduct surveys, a lack of funding, and the areas are so extensive that many countries need to be involved in monitoring (e.g., Amazon biome). For this reason, scientists …

Genotoxic And Hematological Effects Of Aluminium And Lead Exposure In Red Hybrid Tilapia (Oreochromis Sp.), Mohamad Zaid Faten Fatehah

Student Works (2020-2029)

This study was conducted to investigate the genotoxic effects of single aluminium (Al), 25.00 mg/l, single lead (Pb), 18.75 mg/l and binary mixtures of Al and Pb (25.00 mg/l + 18.75 mg/l) and to determine their hematological effects on the tilapia fish as test subjects after 96 h exposure to these heavy metals. Oreochromis sp. was selected as the test subjects because of its adaptability to the environment and it can be easily found as it is the most common species of freshwater fish being cultured and farmed. Two different methods, micronucleus test and comet assay, were used for the …

Congruence And Temporal Variation Of Floral Visitation And Pollen Transport Networks In Southern Appalachia, Daniel A. Barker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Observation of floral visitation is an accepted method to describe plant-pollinator interactions despite potential biases. Collecting pollen from pollinators offers new insights on the structure and function of plant-pollinator communities. Furthermore, the strength and frequency of plant-pollinator interactions can vary across temporal scales. However, within-season and within-day (morning vs. evening) variation in plant-pollinator networks has been little studied. By evaluating variation in network structure across these biologically relevant time scales, we will gain a better understanding of the factors that shape plant-pollinator communities. The objectives of this study are to 1) Compare the structure of plant-pollinator networks built on floral …

Evaluating The Effect Of The Removal Of Non-Native Trout In Two High Elevation Tributary Streams In The Intermountain West, Clint Brunson

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Native fish species such as Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (BCT) require cold, clear, well-connected streams for spawning and rearing as well as access to complimentary habitats. Increasing river temperatures and lower water flows may have allowed non-native Brown Trout (BNT) to migrate into higher elevation pristine streams. Additionally, anthropogenic actions such as stocking non-native Brown and Brook (BKT) and Rainbow Trout (RBT) for angling opportunities impact BCT. Invasion of these tributaries by non-native species may reduce or eliminate cutthroat trout by predation, competition, displacement, genetic suppression, and exclusion. A seven-fold increase in BNT numbers of 50 to 350 from 2017 to …

Costs And Benefits Of Hipv-Mediated Eavesdropping Under Field Conditions., Grace Ellin Freundlich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Eavesdropping is defined as the act of an organism taking advantage of a cue that was not originally intended for them for their own gain. Plant-mediated eavesdropping is a widely documented phenomenon and eavesdropping cues range from oviposition cues to airborne volatile compounds. Eavesdropping is predicted to be widespread because eavesdropping confers a fitness advantage. In plants, eavesdropping on herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) often results in enhanced resistance profiles upon herbivory. As a result of this enhanced resistance, it is predicted that eavesdropping alone incurs minor costs due to resource shifts towards inducible defense responses. Although HIPV-mediated eavesdropping is widely …

Do Mosquito Pesticides Harm Their Natural Enemies? Ecological Impacts And Non-Target Effects Of Larvicides On Mosquito Predators, Joseph Nelsen

Master's Theses

Larvicides are chemicals used to kill juvenile mosquitoes. When applied to an area, other aquatic organisms are exposed to these chemicals. The removal or impairment of top insect predators could be beneficial to mosquito populations once harmful pesticide levels dissipate. Two common larvicides were examined: growth regulators (IGRs) and surface films (SFs). The goal of this project was to determine if larvicides harm mosquito predators common to southern Mississippi. I surveyed aquatic sites before and after IGR and SF treatments, and then compared changes in insect community structure. Community evenness was lower in SF treated habitats. When analyzing prey taxa …

Methods To Identify And Assess Suitability Of Reintroduction Sites For The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys Temminckii), Kameron C. Voves

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Reintroduction has been employed as a management strategy to combat population declines of the Alligator Snapping Turtle. The suitability of previous reintroduction sites was determined by researchers with years of experience in Alligator Snapping Turtle biology, following detection surveys and a visual habitat assessment. I developed methods that will facilitate the assessment of suitable release sites. First, I investigated the amount of effort needed to detect Alligator Snapping Turtles during surveys, then I compared methods to quantify submerged deadwood (a key habitat feature), and finally, I developed a standardized field survey and habitat suitability model that can be used to …

An Evaluation Of Bird And Bat Mortality At Wind Turbines In The Northeastern United States, Daniel Y. Choi, Thomas W. Wittig, Bryan M. Kluever

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Wind energy offers substantial environmental benefits, but wind facilities can negatively impact wildlife, including birds and bats. Researchers and managers have made major efforts to chronicle bird and bat mortality associated with wind facilities, but few studies have examined the patterns and underlying mechanisms of spatial patterns of fatalities at wind facilities. Understanding the horizontal fall distance between a carcass and the nearest turbine pole is important in designing effective search protocols and estimating total mortality. We explored patterns in taxonomic composition and fall distance of bird and bat carcasses at wind facilities in the Northeastern United States using publicly …

Estimation Of Wildlife Damage From Federal Crop Insurance Data, Sophie Mckee, Stephanie A. Shwiff, Aaron M. Anderson

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

BACKGROUND: Wildlife damage to crops is a persistent and costly problem for many farmers in the USA. Most existing estimates of crop damage have relied on direct assessment methods such as field studies conducted by trained biologists or surveys distributed to farmers. In this paper, we describe a new method of estimating wildlife damage that exploits federal crop insurance data. We focused our study on four crops: corn, soybean, wheat, and cotton, chosen because of their economic importance and their vulnerability to wildlife damage.

RESULTS: We determined crop-raiding hot spots across the USA over the 2015–2019 period and identified the …

A New Species Of Buprestis (S. Str.) Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) From The Southwestern United States, Richard L. Westcott, Clint Burfitt

Insecta Mundi

A new species of Buprestis L., 1758, B. pinyoni Westcott and Burfitt (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is described from Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is compared to other species in the subgenus Buprestis.

New Distribution Records Of Asilidae (Insecta: Diptera) For Mexico, Alejandro Estrada, Jesús Romero Nápoles

Insecta Mundi

We provide new distribution records for 19 species of robber flies (Diptera: Asilidae) of Mexico based on the examination of 221 specimens from Mexican entomological collections.

Beetles (Coleoptera) In Cones Of Cycads (Cycadales) Of The Northern Hemisphere: Diversity And Evolution, William Tang, Guang Xu, Thomas Marler, Jibankumar Singh Khuraijam, Rita Singh, Anders J. Lindström, P. Radha, Stephen Rich, Khang Sinh Nguyen, Paul E. Skelley

Insecta Mundi

Three groups of beetles inhabit cones of cycads (Cycadales) in the northern hemisphere and are believed to be involved in their pollination. The primitive weevil subtribe Allocorynina (Coleoptera: Belidae) is restricted to the New World cycad genera Dioon Lindl. and Zamia L. One group of weevils (Curculionidae), found only in Cycas L., appears to be a relatively recent colonizer of northern hemisphere cycads. Members of the beetle subfamily Pharaxonothinae (Erotylidae) occur in all Asian and New World cycad genera. Phylogenetic trees of these beetles, based on DNA analysis and supported with morphological studies, are compared to patterns of continental drift …

First Record Of The Orchid Bee Euglossa Dilemma (Hymenoptera: Apidae) In Hispaniola, The Antilles, Julio A. Genaro, Ismael A. Hinojosa-Díaz, Lisa Mcdowell Johnson

Insecta Mundi

The occurrence of the orchid bee Euglossa dilemma Bembé and Eltz (Hymenoptera: Apidae) is recorded for the first time for the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles. Males were observed visiting varieties of sweet basil plants (Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus (Lamiaceae)) to obtain fragrances used during courtship and reproduction. Our observations showed that the species is established in Hispaniola and that it does not require the presence of orchids for reproductive success, being able to adapt to new plant resources it finds in the areas it colonizes. These observations correspond to what was found in Florida, United States, where …

Spatial Ecology And Resource Selection Of Bighorn Sheep (Ovis Canadensis) Ewes In A Prairie Badlands Population, Erin Wood

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The basic spatial ecology and habitat relationships of female bighorn sheep in Nebraska are poorly understood. Establishing seasonal patterns of space use and resource selection for this population at the margin of their historical and current range addresses a key knowledge gap and provides important baseline information for ongoing conservation efforts in Nebraska. We deployed GPS radio-collars on 56 adult ewes in western Nebraska to quantify seasonal space use, movements, and resource selection of ewes. To investigate spatial ecology, we quantified movements of ewes and the factors that influence home range size, seasonal use, and spatial stability across seasons. Home …

Notes, New Records, New Combinations, A New Genus And Three New Species In Hemilophini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae), Antonio Santos-Silva, Daniel Heffern, Juan Pablo Botero, Francisco E. De L. Nascimento

Insecta Mundi

The number of specimens in the type series of Hemilophus leuconotus Laporte, 1840 (= Cirrhicera leu­conota) is corrected. Cirrhicera leucronota Thomson, 1857 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Hemilophini), currently considered lapsus calami or an error to C. leuconotus, and the number of specimens in the type series is also corrected. Cirrhicera leuconota is recorded from Guatemala for the first time. The sex of the holotype of Lamacoscylus albatus Martins, Santos-Silva and Galileo, 2015, is corrected, and a new state record in Mexico is provided. The description of the antennae in females of Lamacoscylus Martins and Galileo, 1991 is discussed; Malacoscylus …

First Record Of Planchonia Stentae (Brain, 1920) (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Asterolecaniidae) On Asclepias Curassavica Linnaeus, 1753 (Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae) In Mexico, With Observations On Parasitic Encyrtidae, Hipolito Cortez-Madrigal, Arturo Ramírez-Cruz, Christof F. Stumpf

Insecta Mundi

In April 2018, specimens of an asterolecaniid were collected on infested wild plants of Asclepias curas­savica Linnaeus, 1753 (Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae) in Jiquilpan, Michoacan, Mexico. The collected specimens were identified as Planchonia stentae (Brain, 1920) (Hemiptera: Asterolecaniidae). In this paper, we record for the first time the presence of P. stentae infesting A. curassavica in Mexico.

Shifts In The Microbiota Associated With Male Mosquitoes (Aedes Aegypti) Exposed To An Obligate Gut Fungal Symbiont (Zancudomyces Culisetae), Jonas Frankel-Bricker

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2020

Research characterizing arthropod-associated microbiota has revealed that microbial dynamics can have an important impact on host phenotypic traits. The influence of fungi on these interactions are emerging as targets for research, especially in organisms associated with global human health. A recent study demonstrated colonization of a widespread gut fungus (Zancudomyces culisetae) in a larval mosquito (Aedes aegypti) digestive tract affected microbiomes in larvae and newly emerged adult females (Frankel-Bricker et al. Appl Environ Microbiol, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02334-19) but did not investigate these processes in males. The objective of the study presented here was to assess fungal influences …

Reinstatement Of Carposina Ottawana Kearfott, 1907 (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae) As A Valid Species, James D. Young, James A. Robertson

Insecta Mundi

Carposina ottawana Kearfott, 1907 (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae), revised status, formerly considered a synonym of C. sasakii Matsumura, 1900, is returned to species status. Morphological features that separate the Asian species C. sasakii and C. niponensis Walsingham, 1900 from the North American C. ottawana are described and illustrated. A heuristic maximum likelihood (ML) analysis based on the mitochondrial gene cyto­chrome oxidase I (DNA barcode) further supports C. ottawana and C. sasakii as distinct taxa.

Snowy Plover Activity In The Central Platte River Valley In May 2019, Bethany L. Ostrom, Andrew J. Caven, Jenna M. Malzahn, Alyx Vogel

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

During five of eight site visits between 14 and 27 May 2019 we detected up to four Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus nivosus) in the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) near Mormon Island, Hall County, Nebraska, and recorded their behavior using an instantaneous scan sampling approach. We recorded loafing (47%), foraging (43%), mating (4%), flying (4%), and external threat (1%) related behavior. Most notably, we documented a copulation event on 23 May. During the 10-day span from 14 to 23 May when Snowy Plovers were detected, river stage and discharge were near median levels, but from 23 to 27 …

Consider The Agent In The Arthropod, Nicolas Delon, Peter Cook, Gordon Bauer, Heidi Harley

Animal Sentience

Whether or not arthropods are sentient, they can have moral standing. Appeals to sentience are not necessary and retard progress in human treatment of other species, including invertebrates. Other increasingly well-documented aspects of invertebrate minds are pertinent to their welfare. Even if arthropods are not sentient, they can be agents whose goals—and therefore interests—can be frustrated. This kind of agency is sufficient for moral status and requires that we consider their welfare.

What Is The Storage Effect, Why Should It Occur In Cancers, And How Can It Inform Cancer Therapy?, Anna K. Miller, Joel S. Brown, David Basanta, Nancy Huntly

Ecology Center Publications

Intratumor heterogeneity is a feature of cancer that is associated with progression, treatment resistance, and recurrence. However, the mechanisms that allow diverse cancer cell lineages to coexist remain poorly understood. The storage effect is a coexistence mechanism that has been proposed to explain the diversity of a variety of ecological communities, including coral reef fish, plankton, and desert annual plants. Three ingredients are required for there to be a storage effect: (1) temporal variability in the environment, (2) buffered population growth, and (3) species-specific environmental responses. In this article, we argue that these conditions are observed in cancers and that …

Genomic Insights Into Speciation History And Local Adaptation Of An Alpine Aspen In The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau And Adjacent Highlands, Jia-Lang Li, Lin-Ling Zhong, Jing Wang, Tao Ma, Kang-Shan Mao, Lei Zhang

Aspen Bibliography

Natural selection serves as an important agent to drive and maintain interspecific divergence. Populus rotundifolia Griff. is an alpine aspen species that mainly occurs in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) and adjacent highlands, whereas its sister species, P. davidiana Dode, is distributed across southwest and central to northeast China in much lower altitude regions. In this study, we collected genome resequencing data of 53 P. rotundifolia and 42 P. davidiana individuals across their natural distribution regions. Our population genomic data suggest that the two species are well delimitated in the allopatric regions, but with hybrid zones in their adjacent region in …

Aspen Next Generation: Conversations From Southern Colorado And Northern New Mexico, Dan Binkley, Bill Romme

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen trees and forests are especially important in the Rocky Mountains. Aspens add beauty to landscapes, foster high diversity and productivity of understory plants, provide for the habitat needs of many species of animals, and moderate fire behavior. There is a perception that aspen trees and stands are not regenerating well in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico; cohorts of trees younger than a few decades are scarce, at least in some areas. The next generation of aspen in the southern Rockies will be influenced by land use decisions, including harvesting, fire policy and management, and browsing by livestock and …

The Lives, Lore, And Literature Of Cranes: A Catechism For Crane Lovers, Paul A. Johnsgard, Thomas D. Mangelsen

Zea E-Books Collection

This book provides basic information on cranes that should be of interest and importance to crane-loving birders (“craniacs”) as well as to ornithologists and wildlife managers. Primary consideration is given to the sandhill and whooping cranes, but all 13 of the Old World cranes are also discussed. Special consideration is given to the relative abundance and conservation status of all of the world’s species, of which nearly half are declining and a few are in real danger of long-term survival. More than 80 refuges and preserves in the United States and Canada, where the best chances of seeing cranes in …

Effects Of Freshwater Crayfish On Influenza A Virus Persistence In Water, J. Jeffrey Root, Jeremy W. Ellis, Susan A. Shriner

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Several investigations have recently assessed the ability of some aquatic invertebrates to act as tools for avian influenza A virus (IAV) surveillance as well as their potential role(s) in IAV ecology. Because of this, as well as the high IAV seroprevalence rates noted in select mesocarnivores that commonly inhabit aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats, we evaluated the effects that freshwater crayfish have on IAV in water at three dose levels and monitored for the presence of IAV in crayfish tissues (gill and green gland) and haemolymph at multiple time points. At relatively high, medium 432 and low (approximately 10 , 10 …

A Framework For Aquatic Invasive Species Surveillance Site Selection And Prioritization In The Us Waters Of The Laurentian Great Lakes, Andrew J. Tucker, W. Lindsay Chadderton, Gust Annis, Alisha D. Davidson, Joel Hoffman, Jon Bossenbroek, Stephen Hensler, Michael Hoff, Erika Jensen, Donna R. Kashian, Sarah Lesage, Timothy Strakosh

Environmental Science and Geology Faculty Research Publications

Risk-based prioritization for early detection monitoring is of utmost importance to prevent and mitigate invasive species impacts and is especially needed for large ecosystems where management resources are not sufficient to survey all locations susceptible to invasion. In this paper we describe a spatially-explicit and quantitative approach for identifying the highest risk sites for aquatic invasive species (AIS) introduction into the United States’ waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes, a vast inland sea with a surface area of 246,049 square km and a shoreline length of 16,431 km. We compiled data from geospatial metrics available across all of the US …