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2024

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Articles 571 - 600 of 1027

Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Surveys Of Aphonopelma Hentzi In Missouri: Conservation Efforts Through Population, Genetics, And Habitat Studies, Anderson B. Spencer Mr., Becky Hansis-O'Niell Jan 2024

Surveys Of Aphonopelma Hentzi In Missouri: Conservation Efforts Through Population, Genetics, And Habitat Studies, Anderson B. Spencer Mr., Becky Hansis-O'Niell

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Aphonopelma hentzi and other tarantula species are greatly understudied organisms. In the Missouri regions there is little knowledge on their mating patterns, gene diversity, or population sizes. The focal glades in this experiment display regional fragmentation, which could prevent tarantulas from traveling and mating between regions of their glades. Due to the lack of knowledge surrounding them, methods for determining gene diversity are harmful to the organism. Our recent work has shown that it is possible to extract genetic information from the molts of burrowing tarantulas. This will allow us to safely determine the lineages and interbreeding patterns of the …

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Molecular Characterisation Of Traditional Cashew (Anacardium Occidentale L.) Populations From Nachingwea And Newala Districts In Tanzania, Hussein R. Chiumbi, Hashim M. Mangosongo Jan 2024

Molecular Characterisation Of Traditional Cashew (Anacardium Occidentale L.) Populations From Nachingwea And Newala Districts In Tanzania, Hussein R. Chiumbi, Hashim M. Mangosongo

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study assessed the genetic diversity of 120 selected cashew plants from Nachingwea and Newala traditional cashew populations, comprising of 60 cashew plants from each population. Eight Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) makers were used to ascertain the extent of genetic variation within and between the two traditional cashew populations. Genomic DNA extraction and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) were performed using standard protocols. The results showed that all SSR markers were polymorphic. Average Polymorphic Information Content (PIC), heterozygosity, number of alleles per locus, allelic frequency and Shannon’s Index were 0.540, 0.721, 3.391, 0.666 and 0.649, respectively. Analysis of molecular variance results …

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Population Genetic Structure And Demographic History Of Opsaridium Microcephulum Along Lake Nyasa, Alex Nehemia, Alinanuswe J. Mwakalesi Jan 2024

Population Genetic Structure And Demographic History Of Opsaridium Microcephulum Along Lake Nyasa, Alex Nehemia, Alinanuswe J. Mwakalesi

Tanzania Journal of Science

The Sanjika, Opsaridium microcephalum is among the fish species that serve as a major source of proteins and income to people along Lake Nyasa. However, the information on its genetic diversity and structure particularly in the Tanzania part of the Lake is limited. Therefore, the assessment of the genetic diversity and structure of O.microcephalum along the Lake Nyasa part of Tanzania was conducted in the current study using a fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene from 92 individuals of O. microcephalum. The findings showed that an average haplotype diversity and average nucleotide diversity were 0.8065 ± 0.0314 and 0.002380 ± …

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Woody Plant Assemblages Of Recently Declared Village Land Forest Reserve In The Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot, Samora Macrice Andrew Jan 2024

Woody Plant Assemblages Of Recently Declared Village Land Forest Reserve In The Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot, Samora Macrice Andrew

Tanzania Journal of Science

Understanding of species composition of village land forest reserves and their driving factors informs adequate development of effective restoration strategies and sustainable forest management of miombo woodlands. This study assessed the effects of human disturbance as well as environmental variables on woody plant species composition using 24 square plots of 10 x 10 m in a recently declared village land forest reserve in the Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot of Tanzania. Ordination analysis technique canonical correspondence analysis was used to identify important vegetation gradients and significant factors that explain the spatial variation in species composition of woody plants. Results showed that, …

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Toward Improved Global Food Security: Uncovering How Tomatoes Fight Root-Knot Nematodes, Chingyan H. Huang Jan 2024

Toward Improved Global Food Security: Uncovering How Tomatoes Fight Root-Knot Nematodes, Chingyan H. Huang

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

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Exploring The Evolution Of Callose Synthase In Green Plants, Giovanna Durante Jan 2024

Exploring The Evolution Of Callose Synthase In Green Plants, Giovanna Durante

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

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Aspen Recovery In Northern Yellowstone: A Comment On Brice Et Al. (2021), Luke E. Painter, Robert L. Beschta, William J. Ripple Jan 2024

Aspen Recovery In Northern Yellowstone: A Comment On Brice Et Al. (2021), Luke E. Painter, Robert L. Beschta, William J. Ripple

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen sapling recruitment increased as browsing by elk decreased, following the 1995–96 reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park. We address claims by Brice et al. (2021) that previous studies exaggerated recent aspen recovery. We conclude that their results actually supported previous work showing a trophic cascade benefiting aspen.

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A Coupled Model Of Population, Poaching, And Economic Dynamics To Assess Rhino Conservation Through Legal Trade, Henry Doyle, Kylie Champagne, Ditto Rajpal, Grace Seebeck, David J. Gerberry Jan 2024

A Coupled Model Of Population, Poaching, And Economic Dynamics To Assess Rhino Conservation Through Legal Trade, Henry Doyle, Kylie Champagne, Ditto Rajpal, Grace Seebeck, David J. Gerberry

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics

Rhinoceros populations in Africa are in peril largely due to the high value of their horns and the poaching that ensues. The strategy of legalizing the international trade of rhino horn is receiving increased support among both the people and government officials in Africa. Many in the international conservation community remain opposed to the idea. The legalization strategy is straightforward in theory: legalizing the trade of rhino horn will introduce a large quantity of horn to the market, the increased supply will lead to lower prices for rhino horn, and lower prices will reduce the overall poaching pressure these animals …

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Literature Review Nature-Based Art Therapy Exploring Connections And Relationships, Janell Lopez-Curtis Jan 2024

Literature Review Nature-Based Art Therapy Exploring Connections And Relationships, Janell Lopez-Curtis

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Art therapy is a modality used in clinical psychotherapy. It is supported through both quantitative and qualitative research. Branching out from art therapy is nature-based art therapy. This branch of expressive therapies holds the potential to be beneficial as art therapy due to the interconnected access to the scientific fields of ecology, ecopsychology, art therapy, expressive therapies, and other nature-based therapeutic activities; this includes intersectionality in ecological theories such as ecofeminism and deep ecology as well. Through an exploration of literature, this paper will provide definitions and theory-based support through reviewing clinical psychotherapy, evidence-based practices, and art therapy theories. The …

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Aspen And Spruce Densities Affect Tree Size, Future Stand Volume, And Aboveground Carbon Following Precommercial Thinning, Philip G. Comeau, Mike Bokalo Jan 2024

Aspen And Spruce Densities Affect Tree Size, Future Stand Volume, And Aboveground Carbon Following Precommercial Thinning, Philip G. Comeau, Mike Bokalo

Aspen Bibliography

Data collected over a 30-year period from an experiment replicated across 21 locations in western Canada are used to explore the effects of precommercial thinning of trembling aspen to a range of densities in combination with three initial white spruce densities on tree growth and stand dynamics. Increasing differentiation amongst the 15 treatments was observed with age after thinning for both spruce and aspen responses. Spruce height and diameter declined with increasing aspen density. At age 10 spruce diameter with no aspen was 1.5× that of spruce in unthinned while it was 2.6× that of spruce in unthinned at age …

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Tracing The Maternal Line In Glacial-Interglacial Migrations Of Populus Tremuloides: Finding Trees For Future Sustainable Forests By Searching In The Past, Luke R. Tembrock, Frida A. Zink, Guozhe Zhang, Andrea Schuhmann, Cuihua Gu, Zhiqiang Wu Jan 2024

Tracing The Maternal Line In Glacial-Interglacial Migrations Of Populus Tremuloides: Finding Trees For Future Sustainable Forests By Searching In The Past, Luke R. Tembrock, Frida A. Zink, Guozhe Zhang, Andrea Schuhmann, Cuihua Gu, Zhiqiang Wu

Aspen Bibliography

Maintaining and planting sustainable forests is fundamental in perpetuating the essential functions of these ecosystems. A central aspect of managing forests for future resilience is the consideration of past migration and evolution of trees using genetic and genomic data to ensure that functionally appropriate diversity is conserved and utilized. In our study, we generated and compared genetic and genomic data from the plastome to better understand phylogeography and molecular evolution in the tree species Populus tremuloides (aspen). With these analyses, we found evidence of divergence and migration between northern and southern sites. Additionally, evidence of deep incomplete plastome sorting across …

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Parental Environnement Influences Offspring Gene Expression In The Olympia Oyster, Ostrea Lurida., Mark S. Yeats Jan 2024

Parental Environnement Influences Offspring Gene Expression In The Olympia Oyster, Ostrea Lurida., Mark S. Yeats

LSU Master's Theses

The Olympia Oyster is the only native oyster species on the Pacific coast of North America. Seasonality in water temperatures across this threatened species’ broad and fragmented range has been linked to its development, reproductive timing, reproductive activity, growth, and survival rates. Recent evidence suggests parental environments can have carry-over effects on larval growth and respiration rates in response to temperature. In this study, we utilized transcriptomic methods to identify the underlying mechanisms of this cross-generation plasticity. Sequence libraries of adult ctenidia tissue and pooled larval replicates were extracted and spawned from hatchery raised oysters of the same parentage immediately …

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The Cetacean Sanctuary: A Sea Of Unknowns, Jason N. Bruck Jan 2024

The Cetacean Sanctuary: A Sea Of Unknowns, Jason N. Bruck

Faculty Publications

Housing cetaceans in netted sea pens is not new and is common for many accredited managed- care facilities. Hence, the distinction between sanctuary and sea pen is more about the philosophies of those who run these sanctuary facilities, the effects of these philosophies on the animals’ welfare, and how proponents of these sanctuaries fund the care of these animals. Here, I consider what plans exist for cetacean sanctuaries and discuss the caveats and challenges associated with this form of activist-managed captivity. One goal for stakeholders should be to disregard the emotional connotations of the word “sanctuary” …

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A Survey Of Proximal Sensilla Associated With Denticle Subrows On Scorpion Pedipalp Fingers (Arachnida: Scorpiones), With Observations On Scorpion Fluorescence, Graeme Lowe, Victor Fet Jan 2024

A Survey Of Proximal Sensilla Associated With Denticle Subrows On Scorpion Pedipalp Fingers (Arachnida: Scorpiones), With Observations On Scorpion Fluorescence, Graeme Lowe, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

Sensilla on the dentate margins of scorpion pedipalp fingers, associated with denticle subrows or terminal denticles, were surveyed by white light, UV fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy. A total of 163 species belonging to 103 genera from 19 families were examined, representing all major phylogenetic lineages in the order. In the majority of species (141/152) with dentition organized into linear subrows of median denticles, a small socketed sensillum with a short shaft was observed at the proximal terminus of each subrow, termed a ‘subrow proximal sensilla’ (SPS). With few exceptions, SPS were non-fluorescent (‘Type N’) in buthids, and fluorescent (‘Type …

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Gene Flow And Isolation In The Arid Nearctic Revealed By Genomic Analyses Of Desert Spiny Lizards, Carlos J. Pavón-Vázquez, Qaantah Rana, Keaka Farleigh, Erika Crispo, Mimi Zeng, Jeevanie Liliah, Daniel Mulcahy, Alfredo Ascanio, Tereza Jezkova, Adam D. Leaché, Tomas Flouri, Ziheng Yang, Christopher Blair Jan 2024

Gene Flow And Isolation In The Arid Nearctic Revealed By Genomic Analyses Of Desert Spiny Lizards, Carlos J. Pavón-Vázquez, Qaantah Rana, Keaka Farleigh, Erika Crispo, Mimi Zeng, Jeevanie Liliah, Daniel Mulcahy, Alfredo Ascanio, Tereza Jezkova, Adam D. Leaché, Tomas Flouri, Ziheng Yang, Christopher Blair

Publications and Research

The opposing forces of gene flow and isolation are two major processes shaping genetic diversity. Understanding how these vary across space and time is necessary to identify the environmental features that promote diversification. The detection of considerable geographic structure in taxa from the arid Nearctic has prompted research into the drivers of isolation in the region. Several geographic features have been proposed as barriers to gene flow, including the Colorado River, Western Continental Divide, and a hypothetical Mid-Peninsular Seaway in Baja California. However, recent studies suggest that the role of barriers in genetic differentiation may have been overestimated when compared …

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Description Of Gastrophryne Elegans (Boulenger, 1882) Tadpole From The Rainforest Of Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico, Víctor H. Jiménez-Arcos, Rafael Alejandro Calzada-Arciniega, Bruno Cortés-Ortiz, Christopher Blair Jan 2024

Description Of Gastrophryne Elegans (Boulenger, 1882) Tadpole From The Rainforest Of Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico, Víctor H. Jiménez-Arcos, Rafael Alejandro Calzada-Arciniega, Bruno Cortés-Ortiz, Christopher Blair

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

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Eristalis Tenax Movement Behavior In Response To Light, Temperature, And Food, Jeffery J. Zheng, Zdena M. Janderova, Jason D. Lang Jan 2024

Eristalis Tenax Movement Behavior In Response To Light, Temperature, And Food, Jeffery J. Zheng, Zdena M. Janderova, Jason D. Lang

Georgia Journal of Science

Drone flies, Eristalis tenax (Diptera: Syrphidae), are important generalist pollinators and visit flowers globally that range widely in color. The flies’ photoreceptors allow them to sense light wavelengths between 300-600 nm and E. tenax exhibit a positive phototactic response. To understand the effects of light on E. tenax movement, we conducted two-choice behavioral tests to determine their phototactic response to different wavelengths of light across the spectrum (ultraviolet to red light, plus full spectrum white light). The drone flies moved most and quickest toward sunlight, with almost twice the percentage of flies moving toward sunlight than toward black and …

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The Long-Term Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Floral Abundance And Bumble Bee Abundance In Mixed-Oak Forests Of Southeastern Ohio, Moses Shafer Jan 2024

The Long-Term Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Floral Abundance And Bumble Bee Abundance In Mixed-Oak Forests Of Southeastern Ohio, Moses Shafer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Pollinators are declining due to climate change and habitat loss driven by agriculture and urbanization. In fire-adapted ecosystems, fire promotes the biodiversity of plants by creating space, reducing competition, and increasing light and nutrient availability. However, little is known regarding the effects of fire on floral abundance of plants used by Bombus. The overall goal of this project was to assess the long-term effects of fire on floral abundance and Bombus abundance. Our specific questions were: (1) How does fire frequency influence floral abundance?, (2) How does fire frequency influence floral abundance of species specifically utilized by bumble bees?, …

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Microhabitat Selection Of Adult Female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus) In The Carolinas, Matthew Gacheny Jan 2024

Microhabitat Selection Of Adult Female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus) In The Carolinas, Matthew Gacheny

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Reptiles rely on environmental conditions to regulate body temperature using behavioral strategies to meet basic life history needs. Viviparous squamates use thermoregulatory behaviors to meet energetic requirements for vitellogenesis and gestation, which carry considerable energetic costs and must balance with maintenance and survival. Embryonic development is often optimized in a narrower temperature range than the mother’s preferred temperature, creating an intergenerational conflict that should be addressed with maternal microhabitat selection. Field-based studies are needed to understand the link between the thermal biology of reptiles, their reproduction, and implications for population viability. With a use-availability logistic regression framework, I examined thermal …

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Temporal Trends In Mammalian Roadkill Abundance In Central Georgia, Lucy Beck Jan 2024

Temporal Trends In Mammalian Roadkill Abundance In Central Georgia, Lucy Beck

Graduate Research Showcase

Mitigating wildlife-vehicle collisions requires knowledge of spatiotemporal trends which can be revealed using roadkill data analysis. When examining seasonal roadkill abundance, the trends could be explained by seasonal changes in animal behavior, interactions between taxa, and relative species abundance. Furthermore, roadkill seasonality can be influenced by driver visibility due to changing day lengths. The current study documents the temporal distribution of mammalian roadkill from 2012 to 2022 on a 12.2 mile section of Highway 212 in Putnam County and Baldwin County, GA. In this driving survey, roadkill were recorded to the nearest tenth of a mile using vehicle odometer readings. …

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Fauna, Flora, And Land Cover Changes Over The Last Two Decades In The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Gabriel De Oliveria, Steven R. Schultze, Guilherme Mataveli Jan 2024

Fauna, Flora, And Land Cover Changes Over The Last Two Decades In The Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Gabriel De Oliveria, Steven R. Schultze, Guilherme Mataveli

Technical Reports

A technical report documenting ecosystem changes to the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta region due to urban expansion over approximately two decades (2001-2019).

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Factors Associated With Acoustic Bat Presence During Spring Emergence In The Appalachian Mountains Of Western Virginia, Emily Kirk Pody Jan 2024

Factors Associated With Acoustic Bat Presence During Spring Emergence In The Appalachian Mountains Of Western Virginia, Emily Kirk Pody

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Studies of threats that bats face during hibernation have increased in response to white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease that has ravaged North American bat populations. However, impacts of WNS on bat ecology during spring emergence, when bats are potentially recovering from infection and allocating resources for reproduction, is relatively understudied. As more bat species become listed at the federal and state level, the need to understand the factors associated with spring emergence is critical for improving conservation guidelines and habitat management practices. Acoustic monitoring is an efficient method for monitoring bat presence for prolonged periods of time, giving biologists …

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Factors That Influence Small Mammal Long Bone Morphology: An Analysis Of The Femora, Tibiae, And Humeri Of The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), Tyler Everette Blake Jan 2024

Factors That Influence Small Mammal Long Bone Morphology: An Analysis Of The Femora, Tibiae, And Humeri Of The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), Tyler Everette Blake

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The goal of this study is to examine the effect of urbanization and latitude on bone morphology, specifically limb length and bone density among gray squirrels endemic to the eastern United States. This study’s hypotheses are as follows: gray squirrels occupying lower latitudes will have larger body sizes and longer limbs relative to body size than those at higher latitudes following Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules. Further, squirrels in urban habitats will have greater bone density than those in rural habitats. Results show moderate correlation between body mass and respective proxies and latitude following Bergmann’s rule. Weak correlations were found between …

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The Comparison Of Different Wetland Fish Assemblages Over Time, Robert Edward Adelstein Jan 2024

The Comparison Of Different Wetland Fish Assemblages Over Time, Robert Edward Adelstein

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Wetlands provide essential ecosystem services. Historically, we have drained and filled 73% of wetlands for agricultural use throughout the United States from the 1780s to the 1980s (Dahl, 1990). A nationwide focus on restoring wetlands has since occurred. Literature on restored/mitigated wetlands is rife with examples that do and do not support the same ecosystem services as natural wetlands (Langston, 1997; Meil, 2014). Restoration of wetlands occurred at the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area (GBWMA) over several decades. Various sections of the wetland were classified by age, water depth, and vegetation. One hypothesis was that differences in fish assemblage would …

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Can Functional Traits Predict Turnover Of Alpine Plant Species In Yosemite National Park?, Brooke L. Wallasch Jan 2024

Can Functional Traits Predict Turnover Of Alpine Plant Species In Yosemite National Park?, Brooke L. Wallasch

Biological Sciences

Alpine species are a useful tool for predicting the effects of climate change on lowland species. A growing body of research has begun assessing the question of how alpine species will change in response to changing climate. In the study of alpine plant species, some researchers have begun exploring the idea that functional traits could be predictive of turnover in alpine plant communities. In this study, I used a species’-level approach to assess the ability of six functional traits (vegetative height, generative height, leaf thickness, leaf area, leaf dry weight, specific leaf area) to predict species turnover in alpine plants …

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Prevalence Of Insecticide Resistance Gene In Aedes Albopictus Population In Illinois Regions, Merylann Ochieng Jan 2024

Prevalence Of Insecticide Resistance Gene In Aedes Albopictus Population In Illinois Regions, Merylann Ochieng

2024 Awards for Excellence in Student Research and Creative Activity - Documents

Mosquitoes are vectors known to transmit many pathogens and parasites that cause serious human diseases such as Malaria, Dengue, Yellow and Chikungunya fever, Encephalitis, and Filariasis (Becker et al., 2010) (Franklinos et al., 2019). Aedes albopictus specie transmits Zika, Chikungunya, yellow Fever and Rift valley fever viruses (Leta et al., 2018). Aedes species are geographically invading new areas due to globalization and environmental changes (Lwande et al., 2020). Temperature increase, severe rainfall, and high humidity encourage diseases to spread to new areas where new vectors may act as carriers (Näslund et al., 2021). Aedes albopictus are expanding further along the …

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Complexities Of Consistent Individual Behavioral Differences In Effective Wildlife Management, Nathalie R. Sommer Jan 2024

Complexities Of Consistent Individual Behavioral Differences In Effective Wildlife Management, Nathalie R. Sommer

Animal Sentience

The study of animal personality, or consistent individual behavioral differences, has faced numerous challenges since its inception, including terminological disputes, labor-intensive methodologies, and notable retractions. This commentary explores the mechanisms behind personality traits, questioning the link between personality and sentience, and highlights the bias towards megafauna in wildlife management. It underscores the ecological and ethical significance of considering arthropod personalities and the complexities of integrating personality into wildlife reintroductions. Caution is advised in generalizing personality effects, and the limitations of current measurement techniques are discussed, suggesting that personality traits should be one of many factors in comprehensive management strategies.

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Individuality Matters But Its Cause Has Consequences, Daniel T. Blumstein Jan 2024

Individuality Matters But Its Cause Has Consequences, Daniel T. Blumstein

Animal Sentience

I discuss the relationship between individuality and heritability and note that the mechanism driving individual differences matters for conservation and management outcomes.

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Efficacy Of Cloves As A Repellent For Pest Ants (Formicidae), Aadee Malavade Jan 2024

Efficacy Of Cloves As A Repellent For Pest Ants (Formicidae), Aadee Malavade

2024 REYES Proceedings

I examined the efficacy of cloves for repellent activity against foraging ants. Control baits consisting of a cracker/paper substrate topped with granulated sugar or chapati (Indian bread) were presented next to treatment baits (cracker/paper, granulated sugar and spice spread over the sugar) to ants in natural habitats. After an hour, the numbers of ants recruiting to the control and treatment baits were recorded. A timed study of ants with 30-minute duration was done to understand behavior of ants over time. Data were analyzed with the sign test. Cloves showed promise as ant repellents.

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Ants And Their Response To Chili Powder, Antu Biswas Jan 2024

Ants And Their Response To Chili Powder, Antu Biswas

2024 REYES Proceedings

Spices can be used as an eco-friendly ant repellent. In this study, I tried to observe the ants’ response to chili powder and whether or not the spice can be an effective ant repellent.

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